The First Accusation

From Takagi Masahiko’s Perspective:

****

Monokuma: “Allow me to briefly explain the Class Trial.”

Monokuma: “During the Class Trial, you will discuss ‘who is the culprit?’ The verdict will be decided by your votes.”

Monokuma: “If you correctly identify the culprit, only they will face punishment. However, if you mistakenly accuse an innocent person…”

Monokuma: “Everyone except the true culprit will be punished, and only the surviving culprit will earn the right to leave this place!”

Monokuma: “Now, why don’t you begin by analyzing the clues found on the victim?”

Habara Kazuhiro: “Amemiya… I truly didn’t expect her to meet such a brutal end.”

Akino Atsushi: “Y-yes… her body was a gruesome sight…”

Takagi Masahiko: “Could it be that everyone went to the library to see the body…?”

Kitajima Kazumitsu: “Indeed. After you two finished your investigation, the rest of us went upstairs to identify the body, though I already had my suspicions… It’s difficult to imagine the immense suffering Amemiya must have endured at that moment.”

Discussing Amemiya’s gruesome demise, an invisible wave of dread settled over everyone, making it hard to calm their agitated spirits.

Katagiri Mimi: “Why did the culprit strike with such brutality…? Was there some deep-seated grudge…?”

Akahira Yuusuke: “Alas… I fear the only way to get answers is directly from the culprit’s mouth.”

Arisumi Momoko: “So, are we starting our discussion with Amemiya, then…?”

Suzuki Minoru: “Hold on, hold on… are you serious? Shouldn’t this topic be saved for later? Everyone here knows what the most crucial discussion point is right now, don’t they?”

At that moment, Suzuki voiced a rather strong objection to us.

Takagi Masahiko: “Yes, Suzuki is right. For now, we should discuss why Kamimura was found collapsed at the crime scene…”

Chisaka Erin: “Aside from Kamimura, Takagi, you were the first to witness the crime scene, weren’t you? Could you give us a detailed account of the entire incident from beginning to end?”

Takagi Masahiko: “Yes, I can. I’ll begin from the moment I woke up last night…”

Takagi Masahiko: “It was around 11:40 last night when I suddenly awoke, chilled. I then discovered a note in my room. Everyone already knows its contents, and it was signed by Kamimura.”

Takagi Masahiko: “Following the instructions, I knocked on her door, but there was no sound from within. It was then that the gravity of the situation dawned on me.”

Takagi Masahiko: “I rushed to the library door, only to find it locked from the inside by someone… Given the urgency of the matter, I had no choice but to ask Monokuma to open the door for me.”

Takagi Masahiko: “The very next second after the door opened… Kamimura was lying on the floor to the right of the door, her head bleeding, and in her hand, she clutched a bloody hammer…”

Akahira Yuusuke: “Wait! What did you just say? Kamimura was holding a bloody hammer at that time?!”

Upon hearing the word “hammer,” Yuusuke’s composure instantly faltered, and a similar unease spread through everyone.

Habara Kazuhiro: “Why was the murder weapon in Kamimura’s hand?! That’s far too strange! C-could it be!”

Akino Atsushi: “C-could it be… that Kamimura was trying to commit suicide but failed, and was merely lucky enough to be saved?!”

Osakabe Nanase: “Impossible! Absolutely… im… possible! I’d rather believe Anko accidentally injured herself than that she tried to commit suicide!”

Osakabe’s emotions abruptly surged, becoming intensely agitated. Of course, my own heart was likewise churning with unease.

Ishii Yoshimi: “Are you two itching for a fight…? Do you need me to ‘converse’ with you using my fists, huh?!”

Already agitated, Ishii raised her clenched fist, tentatively trying to intimidate the pair.

Habara Kazuhiro & Akino Atsushi: “We’re sorry!”

Startled, they both apologized in unison.

Chisaka Erin: “Honestly, you two… could you please let him finish speaking instead of wildly speculating like this…? Takagi, please continue.”

Chisaka sighed in exasperation.

Takagi Masahiko: “Oh, oh… At the time, I didn’t think too much of it. I quickly carried her to the infirmary to stop the bleeding. Out of caution, I re-locked the main door, and the next thing I knew, Chisaka and the others arrived.”

Takahashi Aki: “So that’s how it happened… It seems half of the incident’s intricacies have now become clear…”

Takagi Masahiko: “Yes, these are all my findings and the sequence of events regarding this incident. Now, everyone, let’s discuss Kamimura’s—”

Suzuki Minoru: “Excuse me, but allow me to interrupt.”

His sudden interjection caught me completely off guard. I could faintly sense malicious suspicion emanating from him, and my heart, without conscious effort, swelled with another wave of unease.

Takagi Masahiko: “Eh, eh? Is there some issue with what I said…?”

Suzuki Minoru: “Your account of witnessing the event and the sequence of happenings seems fine, but… how can anyone guarantee that your ‘findings’ are absolutely correct?”

Takagi Masahiko: “How could I possibly lie to everyone?! Every word I’ve spoken is true!”

Confronted by his intense skepticism, I felt a restless agitation course through me, my mind becoming as unsettled as if I were sitting on pins and needles.

Suzuki Minoru: “How can you guarantee you haven’t lied to us? Could even *that* statement be a lie…?”

Takagi Masahiko: “But I have no reason whatsoever to lie to any of you!”

Suzuki Minoru: “What if, just for a moment, you consider the possibility that *you* are the culprit of this entire incident? Perhaps Anko, as an unexpected third party, inadvertently disrupted your murder plan, and you, at any cost, knocked her unconscious—even sacrificing her life—to conceal the fact that you killed Amemiya!”

Takagi Masahiko: “That’s absolute nonsense!!! If anything, your malicious speculation makes *you* seem highly suspicious!!”

A blazing fury surged into my heart, and in an instant, I glared at him with a scowl.

Suzuki Minoru: “Me? Nonsense? Malicious speculation? Hahaha! Is this not the very definition of a thief crying ‘stop thief’? Well then, can you provide evidence to prove my words are nonsense?”

His arrogant demeanor and words incessantly stoked the erupting volcano within me.

Takagi Masahiko: “You!!”

‘Calm down, calm down… In this situation, I first need to find a crucial breakthrough to turn the tide.’

‘That’s right! I remember I have a witness!’

Takagi Masahiko: “Of course, I have such evidence!”

Suzuki Minoru: “Oh? Then let me see it. What is this ‘evidence’ you speak of?”

Takagi Masahiko: “A witness!” I retorted, uttering the two words with conviction.

Suzuki Minoru: “A witness? Who?”

Takagi Masahiko: “Monokuma, of course! It was Monokuma who helped me open the door last night! Right, Monokuma?”

I immediately turned to face Monokuma, awaiting its confirmation.

Monokuma: “…”

Takagi Masahiko: “Don’t go silent on me now, come on!!”

Monokuma: “Alright, alright~ I won’t tease you anymore~ Ah… Takagi is indeed correct. I did open the library door for him last night.”

Suzuki Minoru: “Well, there’s nothing for it then… Since even Monokuma has confirmed this fact, I have nothing more to say~”

A gentle smile appeared on Suzuki’s face, as if pretending the previous exchange had never occurred.

Akahira Yuusuke: “Just as I thought, nothing good ever comes when he opens his mouth.”

Yuusuke rubbed his temples, looking quite troubled.

Ishii Yoshimi: “Now that Takagi’s suspicion has been cleared, shall we return to the topic of why Kamimura was found unconscious at the crime scene?”

Kitajima Kazumitsu: “Yes, that’s right…”

Suzuki Minoru: “Alrighty~! Then let’s start by discussing whether Kamimura Anko has any suspicion of committing the crime~!”

Takagi Masahiko: “You?! Didn’t we already talk about this?! Why are you bringing this topic up again now?!”

My barely settled emotions flared up once more, my temper skyrocketing! It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call Suzuki a detonator!

Suzuki Minoru: “Oh? I, for one, believe everyone should possess the awareness to see through to everyone’s true nature~”

Akahira Yuusuke: “I think you’re just a bastard who can’t tell right from wrong! How could Kamimura possibly be the culprit?!”

Osakabe Nanase: “Why are you slandering Anko! I’ve always believed Anko would never commit such a cruel act!”

A few tears welled up in the corners of Osakabe’s eyes, her appearance evoking pity…

Suzuki Minoru: “Well… let’s not make statements based solely on superficial appearances and personal intuition~ Evidence! Evidence! We should prioritize decisive, irrefutable evidence!”

He kept emphasizing the word “evidence,” completely disregarding the feelings of others.

Ishii Yoshimi: “Evidence, my ass?! I’ll give you a few punches in a moment! Let’s see if you’re still acting crazy then!”

Chisaka Erin: “There’s no need for anger, everyone. We all have immense faith in Kamimura’s character, so there must be evidence proving she isn’t the suspect!”

Suzuki Minoru: “Mm! Chisaka’s words are absolutely spot on!”

Suzuki nodded, looking very pleased.

Takagi Masahiko: “…So, what reason do you have to designate Kamimura as a suspect?”

Suzuki Minoru: “Didn’t you just say it? Last night, when you entered, you saw her holding a bloody hammer, right? So, could it be that Anko, after killing Amemiya, locked the door from the inside, then tightly gripped the hammer, knocked herself unconscious, and deliberately fell to the right side of the door~?”

Akino Atsushi: “Now that he says it, that does seem like a possibility, doesn’t it…? So, could Amemiya have been attacking Kamimura, and Kamimura, in self-defense, accidentally killed Amemiya?”

Osakabe Nanase: “Why are *you*… even more outlandish than Suzuki?!”

Osakabe, with tear-filled eyes, glared indignantly at Akino.

Akino Atsushi: “Ahaha… I’m sorry!!”

Habara Kazuhiro: “I think there must have been a third party involved! They must have killed Amemiya and then planted the hammer on Kamimura to frame her for the murder!”

Katagiri Mimi: “Without a doubt! That must be it!”

Akahira Yuusuke: “That’s a perfect answer, but… how do we prove it?”

Yuusuke rubbed the back of his head in distress.

Suzuki Minoru: “Exactly~ How are you going to prove that theory~? Indulging in baseless speculation is a bad habit, you know~?”

Chisaka Erin: “No matter how I think about it, it seems highly illogical… Kamimura’s clothes didn’t have any other stains on them, you know.”

Takagi Masahiko: “That’s correct!”

I highlighted Chisaka’s crucial observation to everyone.

Takagi Masahiko: “If Kamimura killed Amemiya, why aren’t Kamimura’s clothes stained with even a drop of blood?!”

Suzuki Minoru: “That’s true… This morning, I noticed nothing else unusual about her attire.”

Takagi Masahiko: “One more thing! The wounds on Amemiya’s head were all linear. Whether attacked with the flat side of a hammer or the claw end, the wounds wouldn’t be linear, would they?”

Suzuki Minoru: “Oh~! Takagi has finally focused on a crucial point~!”

Takagi Masahiko: “…Compared to that, your points of focus are quite bizarre, aren’t they…”

Takagi Masahiko: “However, coming back to it, you also made a mistake just now!”

Suzuki Minoru: “Oh… which part of that last sentence was wrong?”

He slightly curled one side of his mouth, revealing an arrogantly confident, wicked smile.

Takagi Masahiko: “Her attire was *not* without abnormalities!”