Bad∞End∞Night Vol 2 Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Solitude

Before my eyes was a mess of mops and furniture that had collapsed upon opening the door, somewhat blocking the entrance. I lowered my heavy head and saw a leg powerlessly thrown on top of the dusty floor. Its right knee was bleeding a little. My own leg… I wonder when I injured it. 

My head began to catch up and went back through the memory of what I’d been doing. I lost myself in wanting to get away from that place as soon as possible and ran without any destination, then tripped in the hallway. I lifted my head and straightened my gaze, then looked around. 

This was that first storeroom I searched with Kaito… He moved around the old desks, bureaus, mops, brooms, and buckets, leaving them piled up near the entrance. So getting in was fine, but getting out looked like a tight fit. But this was much better than the long gallery I’d entered repeatedly while running around, or one of the guest rooms. On the off chance they came looking for me, it would be hard to find me here. 

The first shock came when the Mistress called the Doll Boy “Len,” and it merely confused me. I simply wondered, “Wait, why?” But as their conversation continued, my confusion became sadness… and fear… and resentment, and anger. All of my emotions were mixed, and I felt like I was going to burst from them. 

Yet, when those emotions peaked, the intensity of them was suddenly gone, and I began to feel like I was watching a play - an ambivalent human drama swirling with love, hate, intrigue. My mind stopped thinking, and I admired the scene unfolding before me ala a play. How much I wish it were only just a play. 

“Ahaha… How cruel…” 

My hoarse voice echoed futilely in the unoccupied room. 

“Somebody… tell me it’s just a lie…” 

I reached out to cling to something and touched only air. I saw a hand in my blurred vision. But it was just my own hand… there was only me. No one would take my trembling hand. 

I was sad. Regretful. Pained. Lonely. How miserable. I recalled the conversation I’d heard from behind the door piece by piece, and the intense emotions smoldering in my chest welled up to my throat, and I sobbed. I firmly held my mouth with both hands to keep from making any sound. But even so, my intense wailing that I must have wanted someone to respond to echoed in the empty room, only coming back to my own ears. The more severely I cried, the more hollowness it brought. 

I had believed in the others unquestioningly as friends. I expected a hand to stroke my head as I wept all alone, a voice to scold me for crying over something like that, a gaze to gently watch in silence, or delicious milk tea that would calm me, but there was nothing like that… there never had been. The first-class actors who could manipulate every sense would not offer me such consolation anymore. 

I had never truly been a friend to those professionals. I hadn’t even been betrayed; I’d just convinced myself that I had already become their friend. Idiotic… What a foolish, miserable, impudent mistake. Not seeing how I could never become a friend to them from the start, I made my own stupid assumption and prided myself on it. 

“The lead role of this play will die, even if she says and does nothing. That’s her fate… Because it’s the law of this world.” 

Earlier, I tripped in the empty hallway while running. I always tripped clumsily, so I was sure it was just that once again. But I was wrong. Just how many times had I felt the fear of death since coming to this world? The breaking stepladder, the fall down the stairs. Not to mention the sword that came down from above. The milk tea that was offered to me with perfect timing: right after hearing the story about the perfect crime of the well-concealed poison. It all seemed too unlucky. But they weren’t just accidents; they were all planned, intentional events… 

The star actress who suddenly disappeared - taboo words - she who died - the replacement of lead roles - ninth person - the karma of death - necessary death - to bring her back from the grave - Miku can’t know the truth, or go back to reality - the completion of our objective - the mastermind’s invitation - the sudden troupe audition - the dream I saw this morning - First nighT. 

Now, the pieces of the puzzle were assembled… Everything I had felt doubts about finally came together neatly to form a single story. 

“My, so there’s some left! I’m glad.” 

“And the newspapers in the living room all had things written on them… Those won’t do. To think so much effort would go into finding a single piece of paper…” 

“…!” 

I slowly produced the letter from my pocket. Their eyes stared with delight. But like hunters reaching for a trapped rabbit, they concealed their true inner joy, putting up expressions of fresh surprise and expectation as if it were the first time game were caught in that trap, then acted slowly and carefully to procure the game without letting it get away. 

“I… I didn’t even consider that. Did you have that all along?” 

“Yes, a PERFECT fit! AhahaHA!” 

“There’s nothing on it, huh! Just paper… isn’t it? It looks pretty faded, though…” 

“…! Oh, I see…” 

Convinced by Meiko, the Villager complied with her advice, looked down with a bit of despair, and stuffed it back in her pocket like she’d completely lost interest. 

Immediately, there was a very slight unrest in the air. “If we take the Villager’s letter, it’ll inevitably lead up to us having to test here and now if it can be used as part of the script or not… That’s also rather dangerous… If we run out the time limit, we won’t need to take it by force, will we?” “We should steal it right now… She still has some unease… Who knows what she’ll do next?” I could see those two viewpoints flying across the room wordlessly. 

Not at all noticing this confrontation, the Villager was visibly depressed about her hopeful idea being useless, and while wondering how to ask everyone about what she learned in the library, the Butler spoke to her. 

“…Perhaps we should at least give it a try. If only checking whether or not the size is indeed a match.” 

The others engaged in a wordless war stared at him in surprise. “Don’t take a risk like that, what are you thinking?”, I could almost hear the Master, Mistress, and Doll Girl scream. Meanwhile, the Lady and Doll Boy kept sending looks that said “Hurry up.” Ignoring the silent blame, the Butler standing by the window picked up the script enshrined on the small table and brought it over to me. 

Casually standing up, I rested the wine bottle I was carrying against the back of the armchair, and while placing it carefully to keep it from falling, glanced at the route between myself and the door, confirming the distance. All right, no one there. 

“No, hold on. Let’s all take a look at this first…” 

The Master strengthened his tone, and with the kind of worried smile one would show to a child not listening to you, came toward me with his long legs. The master of the mansion would never have his expression disturbed and raise his voice over such a minor thing. In hiding his internal worry, his act as the Master was crumbling. Demonstrating no notice of that fact, I took the letter back out of my pocket, and moved my hand to open the envelope. Heavy glances gathered on that hand. 

I took it out slowly, bringing it halfway up to show it off tantalizingly. Then… 

“Y-Yes…” 

I put the letter in my pocket. The Butler stood in front of me, the script laying in his hands, and just blinked, not grasping the reason behind the Villager’s sudden change of heart. But they opted not to deeply question the thinking behind her surprising act; they were confident they’d achieved victory, and relief swept over the room. No doubts, worries, or unease, just relief and a bit of kindness - a nostalgic mood. And… 

“Well, I’ll be taking this, okay?”, the Villager said with a smile. 

Before anyone could react, I swept up the script in the Butler’s hands - the script held out right before my eyes without any defenses - with my right hand, spun around, grabbed the bottle resting on the armchair, and dashed for the door. I tackled the door left slightly open without dropping speed, turned right down the hall, and sped toward the stairs. So taken off-guard, the others were unable to react promptly; I heard their footsteps quite a distance behind me. 

“Wait! Where are you going?!” 

Gack was fast. And he was the closest to me… the nearest to the door. If I slowed down even a little, he’d quickly catch me. 

“This is mine! I am the star of the play, after all!” 

“Sigh… Enough of the act. I know everything! Your plotting… and the person you killed!!” 

“…?!” 

Their voices repeatedly calling to stop me came to a halt. I couldn’t afford to look behind me. Only footsteps racing down the hallways echoed off the large hall’s ceiling, further fostering this air of bloodthirst. My nonstop sprint soon had me panting. Such a huge mansion… 

Down on the first floor, I turned left, opened the door to the hallway behind the stairs, and made sure to shut it tight. I ran straight down the long hallway to my right. Slightly afterward, I heard someone opening the door I’d just closed. It’s okay, at this distance… I can get away…! 

As soon as I was about to flee to the basement down the spiral stairs behind the Twilight ∞ nighT painting - somehow, Kaito, Rin, and Len were already there waiting for me. I quickly put the brakes on my full-speed legs. 

“It’s too bad, Miku,” Rin said, looking like she actually did feel something was unfortunate. 

I was sure I’d taken the shortest route from the second floor study to the first floor’s forbidden room. Before coming to the study, I even checked all the passages, and simulated it repeatedly in my head…! 

“Remember the forbidden room up above you and I searched? Yes, it too has a Twilight ∞ nighT painting hanging outside it, exactly like this one…” 

“Gh…” 

Len no longer had the cruel Doll Boy’s unperishing smile, and was back to his usual blank expression that made it difficult to read his thoughts. The footsteps in the distance got louder; one set came to a stop, then two more. Then, considerably later, the last person arrived. All seven surrounded me. 

“Gasp… pant… I caught uuup!” 

“Y-You too, Miss Luka! Pant, pant… aren’t you out of breath too?!” 

No one tried to take the letter, script, and wine bottle right away. Keeping their distance, they seemed to still be working out a strategy. I had my hands full with the script and bottle, so I couldn’t easily take the letter out of my pocket. But wary after having been tricked already, they surrounded me with a solid formation, and it seemed they could subdue me at any time. I would have to look closely to make an opportunity. I had to focus my senses, and put on an act as subtle as putting a thread through the eye of a needle. First… 

“I can’t help feeling regret” - I was one step from being taken into their hands. The idiot Miku bit her lower lip, but trying to keep her composure, silently observed her foes’ next move. 

“…Well, what now? We’ll sacrifice you, and exchange your death with hers - indeed, the woman I told you about then. You remember, yes? We all worked so hard to hide it. Our dear friend, lost before you joined the troupe… our star actress, suddenly gone… It rather piqued your interest, didn’t it? Your intuition’s quite sharp. It was planned for her, not you, to be the lead in Crazy ∞ nighT. And to bring her back, we’ve tried to kill you again and again in ways made to look like accidents… as you’ve learned. And until your death succeeds in the way this world desires it, the night will repeat endlessly. 

"But what will you do, knowing that? By the laws of this world, the fate of her death is attached to you, which makes it easier for accidents to occur. Firmly-held swords will suddenly fall, stepladders will abruptly break, you’ll fall down the stairs, you’ll trip on nothing. Furthermore, you’re of entirely average intelligence and ability. Versus the seven of us: sharp, capable, professional actors with far better insight than you. The odds are stacked against you.” 

“(There’s one of us who’s clearly inferior in physical ability, though…)” 

“…” 

I hated to admit it, but I couldn’t reply; it was all true. I naturally tightened my grip on the wine. 

“Hah… Didn’t I tell you, that night? You have a fatal lack of insight. You don’t understand your own worth. You’re so wrapped up in yourself, you don’t at all notice how others see you, their true feelings. So others can easily trick and exploit you. Well, you reap what you sow.” 

“…I know that!! I know so much it hurts… I understand the advice you gave me. You pretended you were letting me be less formal and more friendly with you because you accepted me… but it was just to fill me with relief and affection so I wouldn’t doubt you, wasn’t it? And… all of you, you opened your hearts to me right before and after act one. It was my first play, I was the lead, and for you, it was a play more important than any that couldn’t fail… I thought you showed me concern and gave encouragement to help me make it succeed. But even that was just preparation to ensure that when I was sucked into this strange world, I would trust you as friends and wouldn’t try anything funny…! 

"Preparing a sacrifice and exchanging her for my dead predecessor… I don’t know what kind of magic can do that, but it must be the work of the person who created this bizarre world. So you conspired to ask Burlet… no, you made a deal, didn’t you?! You’d put on an amusing show for him to enjoy, and he’d revive the real lead in exchange! It all started when I was picked for the audition… No, earlier than that, when you suddenly put out the audition for a stand-in. Because a total novice, an average girl with no redeeming qualities, would never be picked by the Burlet Company for the lead of his lost play! Anyone could figure that out with a little thought… I could never be the lead! Ahahahahahahahahaha…!” 

“…That’s right. You understand yourself well, huh?” 

“…” 

“When you say it like that, Meg, it kind of sounds like you’re making fun of her.” 

“…!” 

The stream gradually settled, stabilizing to a calm, smooth surface. Sticking my head out of the water, it was moved only by slight ripples; the undulating was coming to an end. Now - time to make some waves. 

I gently put the wine bottle on the floor. A moment after everyone looked down toward it, I took out the clock’s hour hand - the knife - concealed in my pocket, and ran over to the wall of a T-intersection in the hallway. Then I turned around. From this position, everyone was standing in the same direction. A moment after I broke free of their encirclement, Luka and Meiko formerly behind me hurried to the hallways left and right of the intersection, trying to surround me again. 

“Miss Luka, Miss Meiko! Don’t move!! If you come closer…” 

For an instant, everyone was astonished. Holding the script under my left arm, I reached out toward Rin - the nearest person - restrained her, and pointed the sharp, glinting edge of the clock hand in my left hand toward her. 

“I’m serious. No one come any closer!” 

An eerie silence dominated the scene. Everyone must have known the hour hand of the clock in the hall was a knife. 

“…That’s useless. Rin’s a doll now. It won’t do any good…” 

“Stop! Miku, please! Let go of Rin!” 

“…!!” 

“I’ll be taking that wine bottle, too. I was supposed to drink it during act one.” 

Kaito picked up the wine bottle from the floor in his left hand. 

“…” 

“Might you tell us why you need this bottle? What were you going to do with it?” 

“You don’t mind what happens to Rin, then?” 

“Hey, please, don’t open that coffin now! We’ll tell you the truth, all of it!” 

Smash - there was a sound of glass shattering outside the door. 

“Hey, are you listening?! The wine bottle’s in pieces now, and everything inside got sucked up by this absorbent mat. Now there’s nothing left to use as ink. Give up and come out here!” 

“Len’s right, Miku! Even if you try to write an ending on the End roLL, you have to do it properly, or time won’t move… It’s impossible to do it this time! Look, I promise! Next night, we definitely won’t leave you out! Pleeease!! 

Rin screamed bitterly, and seemed to be crying. Her convincing act made my chest tighten briefly. But I couldn’t let myself be fooled anymore. I had to calm down my shaken mind. I couldn’t lend an ear to their kind words. They had taught me the hard way that my greatest weakness was being too trusting of anyone, and too easily fooled. 

By now, I’d had enough of this strange, sad night. 

"No, it’s too late. Too late for any of that. Heehee… Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha!” 

I had no idea if I was happy, angry, sad, or joyous. My wounded heart had exceeded its limits. After going through countless, mind-numbing repetitions of the same night, it all came to this scene. My mind forgot it all, but my body, my hand on the lid of the coffin, remembered that long, painful past well, and shook with delight. 

I grabbed the minute hand in the coffin’s keyhole and turned it left. The click of a lock opening echoed through the dark room. With a shrill creaking sound like a bird’s cry, I opened the coffin lid. 

“I fooound it.” 
 

Chapter end