Part 292: The Trolley Problem and the Three-Sided Clear

Suzaku: "Hey, you..."

Blue Pig: "…………"

Suzaku: "Why do you always stare off into the distance like that?"

Blue Pig: "…………"

Suzaku: "You're an excellent warrior, but spreading hostility toward those around you even in peacetime is unacceptable."

Blue Pig: "…………"

Suzaku: "Hey. I don't know if you're trying to play it cool, but if you don't open your mouth, there's no point in talking. Without talking, we can't build a harmonious relationship."

Blue Pig: "…………"

Suzaku: "——Enough of this."

Blue Pig: "…………"

In the end, she was just lonely. She longed for the warmth of another person—(a pig, but still a person).

That's why she clung to my little red pig so tightly...

All I could do was hold the pitiful Suzaku tightly in my arms.

Of course... when a man and woman share a bed, there's only one thing left to do, isn't there!?

Feeling my heart slowly darken with shadow, I claimed Suzaku as my own.

This should mean I've secured the second princess... right?

I can't be sure, since I don't know the scoring criteria after completing the game.

After some twists and turns, a fire was set at Blue Pig's house.

Blue Pig: "Suzaku wasn't worthy of me. I'll find myself another bride."

Everything up to this point exactly as planned in my scenario.

Then, the four little pigs set out on their third journey to rescue Prince Souryuu, who had been kidnapped and taken to the old mining region in the east.

Over the past year, my red pig has finally gained enough combat strength to keep up with the rest of the team.

▼

The newly begun 'STAGE 3' is straightforward in concept—it centers around the trolley problem.

The trolley problem is essentially a thought experiment: "Is it acceptable to sacrifice one person in order to save another?"

The most well-known version of the dilemma goes like this: "Five people are on the trolley's path. If nothing is done, they will certainly die. By diverting the trolley, those five can be saved for sure—but one person ahead will certainly die. So, should the trolley's path be changed?"

"...Where the heck do you even memorize stuff like that?"

"The internet."

I had a slight complex about being the only one in my class not going to college, and during the time everyone else was busy studying for exams, I once attended lectures by renowned professors overseas.

That knowledge, which I’d acquired back then, has unexpectedly proven useful now.

In front of four pigs stands a single trolley, a clearly marked lever that can be switched left or right, and a sign indicating what awaits beyond it.

First chosen were — one man and five men.

There was no need for debate,

"Let's save the five."

"Well, I don't know what kind of people they are, but we have no choice but to go by numbers."

The trolley starts moving.

Then came a dreadful, heart-wrenching scream — "Ugyaahhhhhhhhhhh!"

— Four elderly people and two infants.

"Whoa, they attacked us right away."

"Uhh... this is bad, but it's a baby."

"Calculating the remaining years, it must mean the longer-lived one, right?"

"Ah."

Four elderly people: "Our savings for old age! Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!"

— Mother and lover.

"The answer is silence! But that's where I'd like to stop. Still, nothing happens if we just wait."

"What should we do?"

"Let the mother decide. Even if the lover dies, we can make another one. But the mother is unique in the world."

"……I think I just caught a glimpse of your view on love."

Lover: "Kyaaah! Aaaaaaah! Aaaaaaah!"

— One genius capable of creating a cure for cancer, versus a hundred ordinary people.

"Whoa, this is tough."

"I'd rather be the genius. If it means curing cancer, I don't care if a hundred people have to be sacrificed."

"……Well, if it means saving patients all over the world, I suppose that makes sense."

A hundred ordinary people: "Help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee (echoing sound)"

―― One genius capable of creating a hair growth remedy, and a hundred ordinary people.

"Um... You know... that... well..."

"I'd like to see statistics on suicides caused by baldness. If it's over a hundred... no, but still... "

"We'll have to make the hair sacrifice them. That means causing the death of a hundred people..."

"Probably gonna get yelled at by male viewers... Sorry about that."

Genius: "Hair died! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

――One serial killer and a cute cat.

"Cat! Cat! Cat!"

"…I'd like to say that, but personally, I'm leaning toward the serial killer."

"Whaaat?"

" nowadays, killing people isn't exactly rare."

Cat: "NYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

――One diligent salaryman and five unemployed people.

"Actually, it'd be better to save the unemployed ones."

"No, we should help the ones with more people."

"Is that so?"

"In today's world, you can't survive without taking initiative yourself. Besides, there are people who can't work due to illness or injury."

"I see."

Salaryman: 'I have my wife and kids, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!'

――One diligent businessman earning a billion yen alone, and ten diligent salarymen earning five million each.

「皮肉な問いかけだな。前問と繋がっているのか。稼ぎが生きる価値に直結するかどうか……」

「まあ、私たちはぶれませんけど」

「ってか、今どき金稼ぎが上手くてもなぁ」

「勤勉な人たちを助けましょう」

実業家『金なら払うのにぃいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい』

――あなたの恋人一人と、見知らぬ一万人。

「これは……意見が分かれそうだな。オレサマはパス」

"If I were in that person's position, I might kill my lover."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. If I were in their place, I wouldn't want to stand on top of ten thousand lives."

"……………"

Lover: "Goodbye, my beloved! Oooooooh!"

▼

And so, like this, choosing between two options again and again, our little cart continues endlessly through the old mining region.

Just as I began to think we were nearing the end...

―The murderer who killed your best friend, and the dictator who has tormented thousands.

We come across a peculiar sign, oddly placed.

It's written in a plain, unadorned Ming Dynasty font, the design clearly resembling a simple copy-and-paste from a text file.

"This...?"

As I tilt my head in confusion, suddenly—

—but there's one thing I want you to understand. Even if this means parting ways with me, the fact remains that the "King" must still be slain.

——Hane Kui Saya is dead. I killed her. She no longer exists anywhere in this world.

It sounds familiar, somehow.

Yet, it feels like I've never heard it before.

I heard the voice of that "Gambler" again.

"...What's wrong?"

But the "Gambler" in question was looking at me with a completely innocent expression.

"Shall we pause the camera for a moment?"

"No, it's fine."

"Is that so? Then, which one will it be?"

"That would be..."

I hesitated for a brief moment,

"I'll choose the dictator. If there are people suffering right now, we should prioritize eliminating that source of suffering."

"...Hmm."

Thus, they reached the terminus.

The cart plunged straight into a pile of gunpowder barrels casually stacked near the end, triggering a massive explosion.

Wolf Clan: "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

The wolf clan's fortress was completely destroyed in one hit.

The piglets, who barely escaped disaster, watched with wide, innocent eyes as the enemy forces, now burning like torches, perished.

Looking around, nearby was suddenly a prison cell where Soryu-sama happened to be held captive.

Convenient timing, as always.

White Pig: "So... who's the princess this time?"

Yellow Pig: "We already decided by rock-paper-scissors, right?"

Red Pig: "Yeah."

Blue Pig: "Got it."

A miniature rock-paper-scissors game beside a battlefield of corpses and blood.

It decided the outcome so casually, you'd wonder what all their past efforts were for.

The glorious victor was, of course, our "Gambler" lady.

"Alright! Now we've got one on our side too!"

I was about to say something to her with a smirk, but...

Well, it's still the main event.

We continue onward, advancing to the final stage—'STAGE 4'—of the game.