A Hammer and a Hunch

I gently pushed open the dining hall door, to find only Chisaka Erin sitting there. The vast space and uneasy silence amplified her solitude, a poignant loneliness. Despite the table laden with dishes she had prepared herself, not a soul was present to partake.

“Chisaka Erin… aren’t you going to eat?” I settled beside her, feeling perfectly at ease, and asked with genuine concern.

“At this hour… everyone should be in the dining hall, eating, drinking, making merry, and chatting cheerfully. Yet, today feels remarkably different from the norm…” she murmured, a wistful expression clouding her features.

“…”

“They truly are something… to leave you here, utterly alone. Well, it seems all these delectable dishes are mine to relish then~” A slight smile played on my lips as I then began to eagerly shovel food into my mouth.

“Hohohoho… Kamimura Anko, I’ve always found your eating habits to be quite boyish.” Witnessing my ravenous consumption, Chisaka Erin couldn’t help but press a hand to her lips, her amusement bubbling over into joyful laughter.

“Hmm? Is that true? Perhaps in my past life, I was a boy too?” My words were muffled, however, as I spoke around a mouthful of rice ball.

“A past life, you say… Hmm… If everyone truly possesses a past life, then what form did mine take?” Chisaka Erin abruptly sank into contemplation.

“I’d wager… you might have been a maid in a noble household…?”

“A maid, you think? Hmm… that would indeed be a respectable profession, yet it would leave precious little time for tending to one’s family…”

“…That’s so true. When you have the chance, you should visit them often at home; as they age, their bodies inevitably weaken…” Family… Ultimately, in this world, the very word ‘family’ is utterly absent from my lexicon.

“Hmm… when will I finally be able to see my parents again?”

“You will see them, one day.”

“One day… Yes, I too hold that belief with unwavering conviction.”

“Ah~~~~~” From the doorway, Arisumi Momoko’s yawn echoed, indicating she had just awoken and ambled over.

“What? Is it mealtime? Ugh… I nearly slept through it…” Arisumi Momoko promptly settled into a dining chair and began to devour the food.

“I had assumed you were in low spirits and decided against joining us for dinner; I never imagined you simply overslept…” Chisaka Erin shook her head slightly, a wry smile gracing her lips.

“Human beings are forged of iron, and food is their very steel! Regardless of the circumstances, one absolutely cannot forgo a meal!”

“Ah, yes, yes, yes… You’re already consuming enough for two people!”

****

Having eaten my fill, as I bid farewell to Chisaka Erin and the others and stepped out the door, I unexpectedly encountered Takagi Masahiko.

“You haven’t had dinner yet?”

“Indeed, I can hardly let my stomach suffer from hunger… Kamimura Anko, have you finished your meal?”

“Yes, I was just about to retreat to my room for some rest.”

“Oh, oh… Goodnight then?”

“Goodnight.”

****

After returning to my room and showering, I lay silently on the bed, my mind adrift. Soon, a torrent of thoughts began to churn, all centered on how to contend with any potential incidents that might arise tomorrow.

Should a murder occur in the dead of night, how would I possibly react? Would I confront the culprit directly, appealing to their reason—’Lay down your cleaver and instantly achieve enlightenment’? Such a method… it seems utterly impossible, no matter how I try to conceive of it.

What about rousing everyone to collectively apprehend the killer? While that approach might prove effective and proper, what if my foresight proved mistaken? Everyone might regard me with disdain. Waking them from their peaceful slumber in the middle of the night, only for it to amount to nothing, would surely earn me a severe dressing-down! Moreover, their willingness to follow me would remain a significant question.

The most dreadful scenario would be if the very first door I knocked on belonged to the killer, and they happened to witness my actions in the dormitory lobby immediately after completing their heinous act… In such a case, I might very well become the second victim.

I turned the possibilities over and over in my mind, and it became clear that acting alone was the preferable course. However, unarmed as I was, I would be utterly incapable of thwarting the killer’s murderous scheme… I would require a weapon for self-defense.

Where could I possibly find a weapon for self-defense? At present, the only viable option seemed to be the small storage room within the convenience store… I recalled there was a hammer kept there.

But what if, in an act of excessive self-defense, I inadvertently killed the culprit? If anything went awry, the one facing ‘execution’ would be myself, rendering the entire endeavor fruitless.

Could I only… rely on improvisation? I would need to meticulously control my strength, preventing the killer’s demise, while simultaneously ensuring they had no opportunity for a swift retaliation.

I must try! I cannot simply stand by and watch everyone tear each other apart…

I pulled out my student ID and glanced at the time; it was currently half-past eight in the evening. Venturing to the small storage room now would risk being discovered by others… I decided to set out at half-past ten instead.

And then… for these next two hours, I found myself at a loss for what to do…

Such boredom… I sprawled across the bed, much like a listless otter, burying my entire face into the soft pillow, rubbing it back and forth. After several rounds of restless self-torment, a faint wave of drowsiness washed over me… My eyelids grew heavy, threatening to descend and remain shut in the very next moment.

[Ding, dong… ding, dong]

“Huh… the school broadcast. It’s now ten o’clock at night. ‘Night Time’ officially begins. The dining hall doors will soon be locked, and entry is strictly prohibited for everyone.”

Hmm~ hmm…? A broad… cast…? It appears to be time for blissful sleep… I should… sleep…

I can’t sleep!! I hastily reached out and pinched my cheek with considerable force; the sharp jolt of pain instantly sent a signal to my brain, and I began to regain a measure of alertness.

I sat upright and glanced at the time once more; it was now ten twenty.

Hmm… it’s time to make my move.

I quickly donned my clothes, then left a slight crack in the door, cautiously peering out to survey my surroundings.

No one! Excellent! A secret smile played on my lips as I meticulously closed the door, ensuring not the slightest sound escaped.

I moved with light, agile strides towards the first-floor lobby.

Hmm… still no one! Good! I’ll make a dash for the convenience store!

After a final, thorough scan back and forth, confirming the first floor was utterly deserted, I successfully arrived at my destination.

The hammer… where could it be…?

Ah! There it was! This claw hammer with its wooden handle! I attempted to lift it with a single hand, finding it surprisingly arduous…

Was this the inherent drawback of having transformed into a girl? I, who once effortlessly lifted dumbbells with a single hand! Now, even a simple hammer proved such a struggle… I couldn’t help but feel utterly useless with this fair, delicate arm.

Even having become a girl, I refused to abandon my plan over a mere trifle of discomfort! If I was going to do this, I would see it through to the very end!

“Huff, huff…” I exerted every ounce of my strength, my arms involuntarily dropping to my sides, while beads of sweat traced paths down my alabaster neck, disappearing beneath my collar and into the delicate hollow of my perfectly sculpted, almost wing-like clavicles.

At long last, I had successfully brought the hammer into my room, as I had so desperately wished. Without haste, I then closed the door, taking meticulous care to ensure not a single sound escaped.

Feeling a wave of relief for my success, and having worked up a sweat from the exertion, I entered the bathroom and used a towel to wipe down my upper body and face.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I distinctly heard faint voices conversing just outside my door.

“Well then… goodnight?” I carefully discerned the origin of the voice; it belonged to Amemiya Wakaba.

Who was she bidding goodnight? Had she been out with someone just moments ago?

Should I risk a peek through the door crack?

…

No, best not… If I were discovered, they would instinctively assume I harbored ill intentions, lurking behind the door to eavesdrop…

Should I be found with such a formidable blunt weapon concealed, all my efforts would be for naught… Worse, I would surely face everyone’s suspicion and ostracism…

Now, all that remained was to await the outcome my ability would reveal. Should a murder be imminent in the dead of night, I would need to instantly regain full consciousness and intervene.

Returning to bed, I unbound my hair and removed my inner garments, before peacefully drifting into slumber.