Why is this guy here in this world?

　— I don't get it.

　Most importantly, how can this guy who killed Nanami be lying about being her boyfriend?

"You're the one who killed Nanami! Not just Nanami... your uncle and aunt too..."

"Huh? I wouldn't do something like that. Don't try to pin your own actions on someone else—you're really ruthless. After killing your childhood friend so brutally like that"

The real culprit responds with an openly defiant expression.

I can't understand why, at this point, this guy would suddenly say something like this.

A mocking smirk curls at the criminal's lips, as if looking down on others.

How can he laugh and say such things? The contradiction of claiming to be Nanami's boyfriend while doing this.

Or is the man himself unaware that he's not even putting on a performance?

"Could it be that your memories are messed up due to the chaos during the transfer, Kurose Hikaru? You killed my lover, Aso Nanami, didn't you?"

"Why would I kill Nanami? You're the one who did it, aren't you?"

"No, it was you. You stabbed Aso Nanami to death with a knife. Everyone in the world knows that. ...The reason I'm here is revenge. I'm here to avenge my lover's death."

The real culprit's eyes glimmer with madness. Or perhaps he truly believes this himself.

Anyway, this guy isn't making any sense.

Nanami had no lover.

We've been childhood friends and spent all that time before the transfer discussing everything together, so the idea that I actually had a lover is practically nonexistent. Besides, Nanami would never go out with someone like this.

Moreover, that guy actually laughed and said, "Sorry I killed your girlfriend," on that day. The possibility of Nanami being his lover is even more impossible now.

"……Nanami came back to life, right? Isn't the true culprit already common knowledge by now? What's the point of lying about it now—?"

When I said that, the real culprit laughed, his face twisted in mockery.

Even though his arms were pinned by Darknight, he twisted his body and laughed as if it were utterly hilarious.

"There's no testimony,"

"W-what…?"

"Naomi Soma didn't say anything. No... she couldn't speak."

Couldn't speak...?

So, she must not have seen the attacker's face, since she was stabbed from behind?

But I finally understood.

If Naomi couldn't testify, then this person has a reason to lie.

If this person was already known to the police to have been at Naomi's house on that day, at that time.

—I was there because I was her lover, coming to say my final goodbye.

—She said she wanted to spend her last moments with her family, so I went back home before the transfer.

—I never thought it would end up like this!

If this person claims that, wouldn't it make it seem like I, the one who actually disappeared during the transfer, was the killer?

In reality, even a message sent ten days after the transfer treated me as the culprit without hesitation.

Wasn't that proof that this guy's excuse had actually worked?

In truth, Ferdinand and this guy must have tried to kill me together.

The reason this guy wanted me dead was surely just to silence me. After all, no matter how much one might have come from another world, anyone with family or relatives would hate being branded a murderer. Me included.

If I were killed as the "enemy of the lover," that would be a solid setup.

But lies are still lies.

So what difference does it make now if people think I'm the criminal?

Nanami is back to life—just that is more than enough for me.

"What's with you? Calm down already, I don't like it. Do you know how Soma Nanami came back to life?"

"How... exactly?"

I hadn't even thought about the specifics of how she came back.

I'm sure it said somewhere that she'd revive at the place where she died, so she should have come back in that room of hers.

"…………She should have revived. The Gem of Resurrection clearly showed she did."

"Do you really think that god—such a being beyond human comprehension—would actually do something like that so literally? ……You're quite naive, you know. ……Yeah, I guess she did come back. Her body did."

Her body did.

Those words felt like a sinister curse, weighing down my own body.

If what this guy says is true, could that god—the kind of entity beyond human understanding—really bring people back to life exactly the way we wished?

"...Then... what happened to Nanami?"

Why does this guy keep lying so confidently?

If it's because Nanami had no testimony at all—then the logic holds.

If she's truly come back to life, then even if she didn't see the perpetrator's face, she should be able to testify that it wasn't me. Whether or not the public believes her, or how the police will judge it, is uncertain—but there shouldn't be no testimony at all.

That means Nanami must have come back to life in a state where she couldn't give testimony—

Nanami Soma... she came back to life, sure, but her mind was completely gone. In other words, she's basically starting from scratch like a newborn. Her body's still that of a healthy high school student, though. Right now, it seems your sisters are taking care of her—your 16-year-old childhood friend, turned baby. ...Hey, can you even call that "coming back to life"? Isn't it like you killed her twice?

"U... no... that can't be... that kind of thing..."

"Why would I make up a lie like that? Anyway, in the message, your sisters didn't send you the truth either... You need to know the truth, don't you?"

　

Nanami... being in the same state as a baby... could something like that even happen...?

Can I really say it's impossible...?

God is an extraordinary being, after all—so anything's possible.

I didn't see it with my own eyes, either.

I remember Ferdinand saying something odd the first time we met.

— "It's only natural, really. All that effort, and yet it turned out like this."

He definitely said that.

When he said "like this"—was he not referring to being chosen as a transmigrant?

"Then why did Ferdinand lie about Nanami being chosen as a transmigrant?"

"To keep you tied to this town. If I say that, you won't leave the town, will you? In fact, I was just about to have you killed by the Great Spirit. But Ferdinand's an idiot—he failed."

"An idiot? Isn't he a comrade?"

"…A guy like that? A comrade? I just used him because he was convenient."

What is truth, and what is falsehood?

I had completely lost track of what was real and what wasn't.

But if Nanami's story is true—

then I can understand why Ferdinand would have asked Serika to have me killed.

Her older brother, burdened with the stain of murdering Nanami, forced out of his home, exiled abroad. The two of them must have endured nothing but hardship.

Their parents were useless.

Even Nanami, their last hope, had no ability to testify—so the two of them had to keep caring for her all along—

"Lies... You're always lying..."

I was surprised at how weak and feeble the words sounded as they came out of my mouth.

In the end, I remained just a suspect... no, a murderer... in Nanami's death.

Had I done nothing more than burden my sisters with yet another sorrow?......Of course, it could be a lie.

Nanami is alive on Earth, this guy was transferred to another world after being imprisoned as a murderer, and those hundreds of millions of viewers watching me are simply enjoying my life in another world, while my family moved away and now lives happily—

(heh... that version sounds even more ridiculous)

"You're a person who should just die! I've come here as Earth's representative to send you off!"

A classmate I don't even know shouts.

How dare he pretend to be Nanami's lover, when that's all a lie.

To him, if I die, everything will be secure.

No one will be able to prove he's the real criminal, and if I become her avenger, the viewers will accept it too.

If the truth gets out, just like I’m being targeted by Ferdinand, other transmigrants might start targeting me too. Maybe that’s what he was afraid of.

So, the reason he wore the mask was because he didn’t want his identity known—so he could kill me without being recognized.

"…………Either way, I can’t kill you anymore."

There’s no way this second-wave transmigrant can turn things around from here.

"Oh really? Even if I don’t kill you… wouldn’t it be better if you were dead? You’re hated by the viewers, despised by every human on Earth. How could you possibly keep living? Don’t you realize you’re just causing trouble for your friends? They’re throwing a fit over there, demanding you separate yourself from the criminal Cross Hikaru—Jeanne Collet."

"…………I see."

"Jeanne Collet is popular, so it's not surprising that people like you—criminals—can get along with her to some extent. That means there are probably many other transmigrants who've been asked to kill you too. Not some toy like the one I had. There are people with rifles out there. Isn't there a risk that Reflia Ashbord could get caught up in this as well?"

"…………Maybe so."

This is the price for having feared looking toward Earth.

I've actually been targeted.

And it's not like these people are some rare anomaly, or that this incident will end here—there's no such guarantee. On the contrary, if it happened once, it could happen again, or even a third time, and with greater skill and precision.

　

Whether or not I'm putting Jeanne and Reflia in danger might not even be something that can be judged by just yesterday's or today's events alone.

There's no denying that Ferdinand managed to move even the Great Spirit.

"So, what are you going to do? Kill me? Me, who came here to avenge my lover! Huh?!"

You think you can't kill me, don't you?

Is this fool forgetting, or just pretending not to notice?

To me, he's truly a childhood friend... and the murderer of my childhood friend's family.

If Nanami couldn't be brought back properly, then even more so.

There's no reason to keep him alive.

—At that moment, an unexpectedly cheerful voice suddenly rang out inside his head.

'Sorry for the wait! As of now, we're lifting the freeze on the messaging feature! There have been a few changes to the specifications, so please take note. For details, please check the message screen.'

Beep, beep—messages keep arriving in quick succession.

It was a sound I had desperately tried to block out, as if it didn't exist.

After surpassing nine hundred unread messages, I hadn't heard it anymore. And now it's back. That must be what a specification change means.

"So... that's it. It's been ten days already."

Jeanne had said she wanted to leave before the messages came back. If the messages return, our location will be exposed to the second wave.

That's why she'd scheduled everything in advance.

"Open it! Why don't you check for yourself whether I'm lying or not!"

A taunting remark.

He knows I've been avoiding opening them all this time.

"Can Soma Nanami defend her innocence? After coming back to life like a newborn baby, unable to speak a single word—how could she possibly defend herself?"

"You... you must be the one who killed her...!"

"Fuhahaha! I didn't kill anyone. Are you going insane? Trying to frame me for murder and silence me? Go ahead! Do it! Then you'll be forever known as the one who killed Nanami!"

The real culprit, pinned down by Dark Knight, laughs with eyes blazing wildly.

He knows how much I've suffered from his message.

He thinks I can't open it.

But that means the truth I seek must be hidden right there.

I opened the status screen.

When you open the message box, messages should appear one by one, starting from the oldest.

What good is opening it now if not now?

I have to open this, and face the truth.

Not for my sisters, not for Nanami, not for Jeanne or Refleia.

For myself—I must do this.

Yes, I know it, yet my fingers felt as if frozen by magic, unable to move forward.

—How utterly terrible, pretending to be enjoying life in another world after killing my lover. Just die already. Why are you still alive?

—Is the air of this alternate world, sustained by power stolen from Nanami's future, even pleasant?

—How does it feel to be the person in human history most wished dead? You did that. Understand it. Understand it, then end your own life.

—Your parents and even your twin sister couldn’t stay in Japan anymore, so they moved overseas. Well, they’ll probably be found out soon enough over there too. Wouldn’t it be better to just die and apologize?

—Your house was physically burned down.

The incident that happened in that meadow flashes back in my mind.

It’s true that I received that message ten days after my transfer.

If you opened the message and found it completely filled with nothing but those kinds of messages—what should I do then?

"—Seems like you’re in quite a desperate situation."

At that moment, a strangely calm voice echoed through the abandoned building.

Looking toward the entrance, I saw Jeanne and Refreia.

It seems the great spirit was successfully repelled.

"Hm. I see. So this is the final assassin? Is that man with the mask?"

"...That's right. This guy was the real killer behind Nanami's death. That's why... I was attacked with a gun, but I managed to survive."

"You're lucky to be safe."

"No, thanks to the substitute ring."

When I said that, Jeanne looked surprised.

"Clo. Why are you letting this guy live? You were nearly killed... no, you were essentially killed once already. Anyone would say you should just kill him. And he's the one who killed Nanami? At the very least... I'd have killed him on the spot."

"…………I was trying to open a message. It seems they still consider me the culprit over there, and I wanted to verify whether what he's saying is a lie or the truth."

"A message...? That could've waited until after you killed him. Layla. What would you do?"

"Huh? That's obvious—kill him. Why isn't Hikaru killing him?"

You understand, don't you? What you're doing is wrong. A person like that deserves to be killed. It's unnatural to keep them alive like this.

Maybe you're right.

They should just be killed. If you're going to be swayed by words that might be lies or truths,

then just end it.

It doesn't matter if you've never killed a human, or if they're also Earthlings.

None of that matters.

This one is Nanami's enemy, and above all,

the one who killed Nanami's parents—the aunt and uncle.

If I don't avenge them, who will?

Just one word—command Darknight to "kill"—and it's over.

Then why can't I do it...?"Kuro. You don't even know why yourself, do you? Then let me tell you. You... ultimately, you just want to know the truth. You say you won't look at the message, but deep down... aren't you just as eager to uncover what lies beneath? Isn't the truth more important to you than the fact that you were nearly killed?"

Jeanne's words carried a sincere tone.

Her gentle eyes gazed straight at me.

Reflair also looked at me with a hint of concern.

Only the real culprit was silently biting their lip and looking down, clearly frustrated.

"Kuro. I told you to forget. Now that we've come to a completely different world, there's no way we can know the truth about Earth from here. At least, that's how I've chosen to live. I hoped you'd be the same way. But... your wounds run deeper than I thought."

"That's right, Miss Jeanne. Hikaru is beyond even my temptation."

"Indeed. Even my temptation doesn't reach him. He's seriously wounded. ...But perhaps it's also a good opportunity. Maybe clearing up the past will lighten our journey ahead."

Jeanne murmured softly, "Facing it... requires support," and slowly began to remove her armor.

"Reya, come here a bit. Take off your armor."

"Huh? You're taking off your armor? Well, okay then."

Saying that, the two began removing their armor together.

Beneath the armor, he wears a thick tunic known as an under-armor tunic, but what kind of plan is it to unarm himself inside the labyrinth?

The real culprit looks utterly stunned.

"Hey, Crow. If your soul is still drawn to the other world, then you should definitely open the message. Either forget it completely and live as one of us, or face it head-on. Besides... no matter what the outcome, both me and Reya know for sure that you're not the culprit. Come on, Reya, join us."

"Huh?"

"Ohhh. I see."

"Whaaat?!"

Jaan and Refreia. Suddenly embraced from both sides.

Their breaths are close enough to feel.

The warmth of their soft bodies radiates near.

Overwhelmed by Jaan and Refreia's sudden actions, he's thrown into confusion.

"No matter what happens from now on, I won't leave you. I love you, Crow."

"Wahahaha, I'll stay with you forever—until I die, even after death! I love you!"

And with both of them kissing my cheek, my confusion reached its peak.

The real culprit, completely left out of the loop, must be even more flustered.

That real culprit was on his knees, pinned down by Dark Knight, mouth half-open, staring at me with an expression impossible to describe—neither shock nor envy, but something beyond.

"Come on, Crow. We're with you. Don't be afraid... Open the message. What is it, after all? Just a random string of words. Even if it's hitting you hard, remember—real life is us right here."

"That's right! Aren't you glad you're loved by two beauties like us? Even if the whole world hates you, isn't that okay?"

"……I really envy Raya's self-confidence."

The presence of the two beside me is an undeniable truth before my eyes—the message is real, yet faint, like the moon reflected on a lake’s surface.

But it is truly there, and that is precisely why I am tormented.

The strength in their arms grows stronger.

Pressing close as if becoming one person, they share their courage with me.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid.

But this is something I must face in order to move forward.

My fingers tremble.

The number of messages remains fixed at 999+.

It keeps growing even as I watch.

Messages are displayed in chronological order, from oldest to newest.

Starting with the last message I read that day, on that hill.

I tapped on the 'Message' section.