The Elusive Motive and a Pervert’s Proposition

The entire murder process was now largely understood.

But why had the culprit so cruelly taken Furuhata’s life?

What, then, was their “motive” for the murder?

“A motive…”

“That’s right…”

‘I had completely forgotten to investigate that last crucial element!’

I immediately broke into a run, heading for the location of the corpse.

Pressing the elevator button, I swiftly opened the doors.

I began frantically searching Furuhata’s body, desperate to unearth something.

“Aha! I’ve found it!”

From Furuhata’s pants pocket, I retrieved a long, black object—his student ID.

Perhaps the “motive” etched within Furuhata’s student ID held a key to his demise!

Stepping out of the elevator, I opened the student ID.

However, the screen displayed “Enter Password” alongside a 3×3 numeric keypad.

This was incredibly vexing.

In my rush of excitement, I had completely overlooked the fact that student IDs required a password.

The electronic student ID had a maximum password length of six digits.

This meant there were nine to the power of six possible combinations…

In my desperation, I had no choice but to call out to someone… no, to some stuffed bear.

“Monokuma! (TL Note: A sadistic, remote-controlled stuffed bear and the self-proclaimed headmaster of the killing game.) Are you there?!”

I projected my voice, shouting loudly.

“What’s wrong, what’s wrong~? What can dear Kamimura-chan do for me~?”

“Could I trouble you to unlock this student ID for me?”

“…”

“It warms my heart that you would politely ask me for a favor~ After all, a diligent and responsible headmaster must prioritize helping students in need, mustn’t they~? However, I must politely refuse.”

‘Monokuma, you absolute…!’

‘If he was going to refuse, he should have just said so directly, instead of toying with my feelings like this!’

‘Fine, it seems finding clues from the victim’s student ID is next to impossible now.’

‘But something is still missing—something that could directly point to a suspect.

What could it be…?’

Pondering this, I carefully recalled the sequence of events, from the moment the six of us entered the elevator until Furuhata’s death.

Had there been any changes among the six of us during that time?

Furuhata had died right at the elevator entrance.

So where had he been positioned before he was killed?

‘Position… that’s it!’

‘I had completely overlooked the positional information of the six of us, both before and after the elevator murder!’

‘Why hadn’t I considered this crucial factor sooner?!’

I remembered there were pens and notebooks stored in my room.

I rushed back to my room and retrieved a notebook.

On the first page, I sketched a rectangle, then drew six small circles within it, finally labeling each circle with the names of the six individuals, corresponding to their positions.

As I meticulously recalled, before we entered the elevator, I had been on the front right.

Takagi Masahiko had been beside me.

The others… Oh, no!

I instinctively slapped the top of my head with my left hand.

‘How could I have failed to notice the positions of the other four?!’

‘Investigation time must be almost up…’

‘I still have a chance to ask the other five for their positional information!’

Rushing out of my room, I hastily scanned my surroundings.

To my dismay, no one was in the dormitory lobby.

‘Honestly, where could they have gone?’

I hurried down to the first-floor hall, only to find them all gathered before the corpse.

“Wh-what is this?! It’s terrifying…!”

“Furuhata’s head is missing…”

“Don’t tell me the killer has some kind of skull fetish…” Akino Atsushi quipped humorously.

“If you utter another vulgar word, do you honestly think I won’t collect your head as well?!” Amemiya Wakaba asked, her gaze fixed on him with a friendly smile.

“Eeeeeek!!! Sis, I was wrong, I was wrong!”

“…Hmph!”

“Hmm… his head is still by the elevator entrance on the third floor…” Akahira Yuusuke murmured, closing his eyes in resignation.

“Oh no… I’ve developed an inexplicable fear of elevators.

I probably won’t be able to ride one again…” Takahashi Aki gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, her face paling dramatically.

Disregarding everyone else’s reactions, I urgently called out to Yuusuke, who was closest to me:

“Yuusuke! Do you remember who was around you when we entered the elevator?”

“Oh, Kamimura.

When we entered the elevator? Let me think…”

“Furuhata was in front of me, and Suzuki Minoru was to my right.”

“Was anyone to your left?”

“No.

Oh, that’s right, Kamimura.

I had completely forgotten until you mentioned it, but I distinctly remember Suzuki wasn’t beside me after Furuhata was killed.”

“Where was he when you discovered the body?”

“Uh… I’m sorry, I seem to have forgotten…”

“It’s fine, you’ve already been a great help.”

“That guy… could he be the killer?!”

“It’s hard to say… it’s too early to draw conclusions.”

“Understood… Kamimura, I’m counting on you, on behalf of everyone.” Yuusuke said to me gently.

“I’ll do my best.”

To further confirm and verify the positional information, I sought out Suzuki Minoru directly.

Before I could even speak, he exclaimed with an incredibly excited and astonished expression:

“Ah~ those cherry-like lips, that fair skin, that sharp beauty, those flowing locks, and most importantly, those twin treasures of abundance and tranquility!

A goddess akin to Athena herself~ What brings you to me, my lady?”

“…”

‘He’s just a pervert who likes breasts, yet why does he speak so eloquently?’

“Uh… I’m flattered by your… compliments.

Anyway, why did your position change between entering and exiting the elevator?”

“That’s a long story, but in short, I was unfortunately bumped by someone along the way and had no choice but to move to the back…”

“Hmm? Kamimura, are you holding a pen and notebook in your delicate hand to analyze our positions before and after?”

His eyes were fixed intently on my left hand.

It was astounding that he had hit the nail on the head with my thoughts.

This man possessed such keen intuition and insight.

‘If only he were a little more normal, perhaps I could get along with him.’

“There’s a subtle shift in your jade-like, beautiful face.

Mmm, it seems I’ve guessed correctly.”

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.”

I turned to leave.

“Wait!”

Suzuki Minoru quickly called out to me.

“?”

I looked at him, bewildered.

Then, without warning, he abruptly knelt and bowed his head, adopting a pose akin to a knight pledging fealty to his princess.

He gently took my right hand, then, with the lightness of a dragonfly touching water, he pressed a soft kiss to my hand’s back.

“You…”

I hesitated, stepping back, unable to conceal my sudden apprehension.

“Ah~ To be perfectly frank, ever since our fateful encounter, Kamimura, your steady, ruby-like eyes, your dignified and graceful demeanor, and your rational, contemplative nature have all shone upon me like a dazzling divine blessing, utterly captivating me… And then there are those magnificent, unparalleled, voluptuous divine breasts of yours, whose size and shape surpass all others!

Naturally, I, this humble servant, have been granted a sacred wish by the goddess Aphrodite…”

“And that is… allow me to touch your magnificent bosom!!”

Suzuki Minoru declared this with an utterly serious expression and eyes that were unsettlingly clear and innocent, uttering words no ordinary person would dare to speak.

“………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Huh?”

I had barely processed his rambling about various gods when his final demand, like a divine anchor, utterly rooted me to the spot.

“…”

Though I had always treated everyone without prejudice or favoritism, at that moment, I yearned to pierce him through with a gaze as icy and merciless as a dagger of frost.

“How utterly elegant! Even a gaze that regards me with such venom is remarkably dazzling…”

“If you dare try, I’ll—”

Before I could even finish my threat, his left hand, with an unnervingly appropriate pressure, unexpectedly enveloped my chest, following it with a gentle squeeze…

That squeeze, however, was met with my own unexpected right hook.

He crumpled to the floor from the single punch, yet managed to utter with a look of profound satisfaction, “My life, Minoru, is now complete…” (TL Note: Suzuki Minoru makes a pun on his own name, 実 (Minoru), which can mean ‘fulfillment’ or ‘reality,’ implying his life is now ‘fulfilled’ after this experience.)

“Pervert…!”

I uttered the word with a heavy heart, my face flushing crimson, whether from shame or fury, I couldn’t tell.

‘To think that one day I, too, would be… harassed… by a man…’

‘Alas… my future school life promises to be an ordeal.’