Chapter 17: Judgment Day
The moment Kaito gave me permission to speak, I stood.
The courtroom had already grown quiet.
Everyone was waiting.
I looked directly at Mei.
"Mei Lin showed biased decision-making."
My voice remained calm.
"In Game Two, she gave the blessing card to someone she personally favored instead of making the decision that would most benefit the class."
Across the room, Hina smiled softly.
The same smile she always wore.
"Oh really?"
She rested her chin on her hand.
"But according to the information available to us, Mei's actions resulted in Hiro's expulsion."
The room remained silent.
"Hiro was your class's lowest-performing student academically. By removing him, your class actually benefited."
I didn't react.
"But Haruto also received a death card."
Hina tilted her head.
"Did Mei intentionally give Haruto that card?"
I already knew the answer.
"No."
Haruto receiving a death card had been an accident.
There was no evidence suggesting otherwise.
Hina smiled.
"Then I fail to see the issue."
She glanced toward the audience.
"Your most valuable asset survived."
Her eyes returned to me.
"Even though Ayame's grades are average, she still contributes far more to the class than Hiro ever did."
I folded my arms.
"She poses a threat to our class."
Hina chuckled.
"Threatens your class?"
Her smile widened.
"You call that mess a democracy?"
A few people laughed.
"All I've seen is constant arguing."
I ignored them.
"She's working with the Phantom Bishop."
"Then prove it."
The room became quiet again.
Kaito leaned back in his chair.
"Can Mei herself confirm this?"
Everyone's attention shifted toward Mei.
For a moment she remained silent.
Then tears began running down her face.
"Yes..."
Her voice trembled.
"Kei is the Phantom Bishop."
The courtroom erupted.
"He told me that if I didn't make sure Hiro was expelled..."
She lowered her head.
"...he would target Ayame next."
Gasps spread through the room.
I stared at her.
She was acting.
Not particularly well, either.
The problem was that most people weren't looking for flaws in her performance.
They were looking for a villain.
And villains were easy to create.
Hina immediately stepped forward.
"There it is."
She placed a comforting hand on Mei's shoulder.
"This poor girl was manipulated."
I remained silent.
Then suddenly—
"THAT'S A LOAD OF CRAP!"
Every head turned.
Shuto had risen from his seat.
His fists were clenched.
"She's lying and you know it!"
Mr. Unagi immediately grabbed his shoulder.
"Sit down."
Shuto hesitated.
Then reluctantly sat back down.
The courtroom settled once more.
I looked at Mei.
"Do you remember what you told us?"
She raised her head slightly.
I continued.
"You called our class hypocrites."
The room became quiet.
"And yet here you are."
I looked directly into her eyes.
"You're nothing more than a two-faced clown."
Her expression twitched.
"Tell me something."
I turned toward both Mei and Hina.
"If I'm the Phantom Bishop..."
I paused.
"How exactly did I acquire enough private points to bribe students across multiple classes?"
The courtroom fell silent.
Mei hesitated.
"I... don't know."
Hina answered immediately.
"A teacher."
Everyone turned toward her.
"Or a staff member."
She smiled.
"Teachers and staff possess unlimited private points."
I already knew where this was going.
"Which is why," Hina continued, "I would like to call Mr. Unagi to the stand."
Mr. Unagi sighed.
Then walked forward and sat in the witness chair.
Hina asked the question.
"Did you provide Kei with an absurd amount of private points?"
"No."
Mr. Unagi answered immediately.
"Kei isn't that kind of student."
Hina nodded.
Then she turned toward the audience.
And that's when the real attack began.
"In Game One, almost every non-student-government member in our class was instructed to target Naoki Shirayuki."
The room listened.
"The Phantom Bishop repeatedly targeted specific individuals."
She began walking slowly.
"The Phantom Bishop is almost certainly a freshman."
I already knew where she was heading.
"The Survival Gauntlet."
Several students looked toward me.
"Witnesses saw Kei lose."
A few murmurs spread.
"Witnesses saw him yelling in frustration."
More whispers.
Every statement was true.
Which was exactly what made the lie dangerous.
Hina smiled.
"Kei had motive."
The audience grew quieter.
"He wanted revenge against Class A."
Another step.
"He wanted to strengthen his class."
Another step.
"And so he manipulated Mei."
The room exploded.
"He used her popularity."
"He threatened Ayame."
"He orchestrated everything."
People began shouting.
Calling me a manipulator.
An abuser.
A liar.
I watched them quietly.
It was fascinating.
All Hina had done was combine truth with fiction.
And suddenly an entire crowd believed it.
Then—
BANG.
Kaito slammed the gavel.
"SILENCE!"
The room instantly froze.
I looked toward Hina.
Her argument was nearly flawless.
Not because it was true.
Because it was believable.
There was a difference.
I spoke again.
"Mei always talked about hypocrisy."
The room listened.
"She constantly criticized everyone else."
I looked at her.
"If you truly cared about fixing the class, you would've voiced your concerns long before now."
Mei lowered her head.
Hina immediately intervened.
"She was scared."
Her voice remained gentle.
"Can't you see that?"
Then suddenly another voice interrupted.
"What a load of garbage."
Shinko.
One of the jurors.
He stood.
Hina looked toward him.
Shinko laughed.
"You expect us to believe Kei masterminded this because a girl cried?"
The room shifted again.
Reina immediately spoke.
"Sit down, Shinko."
Shinko ignored him.
Instead, he stared directly at Mei.
"How did the Phantom Bishop contact you?"
"Through their number."
"Then write it down."
He tossed a piece of paper and a pencil toward her.
Mei caught both.
And paused.
That hesitation lasted less than a second.
But it was enough.
I noticed it.
Shinko noticed it.
Kaito noticed it.
Mei swallowed.
"...I forgot."
Shinko laughed.
"Then let us see your phone."
Hina immediately objected.
"She doesn't have to."
"Why not?"
The room grew tense.
"If she's being manipulated, then identifying the Phantom Bishop matters."
"This trial isn't about the Phantom Bishop."
Shinko folded his arms.
"Then you're an idiot."
Several students gasped.
"If she's telling the truth, it has everything to do with the Phantom Bishop."
Kaito finally intervened.
"Sit down, Shinko."
Shinko clicked his tongue.
But obeyed.
The jury began discussing among themselves.
A few minutes later they reached a verdict.
The lead juror stood.
"We find Mei Lin..."
The room held its breath.
"...guilty."
Mei's face lost all color.
"No..."
Then suddenly—
"WAIT!"
She shot to her feet.
"I'LL TELL YOU WHO THE PHANTOM BISHOP IS!"
The entire courtroom froze.
Then Kaito burst into laughter.
Loud laughter.
The kind that echoed throughout the room.
"I knew it."
He pointed toward her.
"You two-faced witch."
Mei's eyes widened.
Only then did she realize what she'd done.
By trying to save herself...
She'd destroyed her own lie.
Shinko shook his head.
"What a joke."
His voice was cold.
"You judge everyone else."
He looked down at her.
"But you can't even judge yourself."
The courtroom fell silent.
Kaito picked up the gavel.
"I hereby sentence Mei Lin..."
A grin appeared on his face.
"...to expulsion."
Mei collapsed.
"No..."
Tears streamed down her face.
"No! You can't do this!"
Then suddenly she lunged toward me.
For a brief moment, I thought she might actually reach me.
She didn't.
Her body suddenly crashed to the floor.
A cane stood in her path.
Hina's cane.
Hina slowly walked forward.
Her smile never disappeared.
She stopped directly in front of Mei.
Then looked down at her.
"How pathetic."
Her voice remained gentle.
"I expected more from you."
The security guards immediately restrained Mei.
She struggled.
She screamed.
But it didn't matter.
A few moments later she was gone.
Game Three was over.
The room slowly emptied.
I approached Hina.
"You knew she was lying."
"Of course."
She smiled.
"It was obvious."
I looked at her.
"Then why accuse me?"
Hina laughed softly.
"A lie only works when it's mixed with truth."
That answer alone explained everything.
She stepped closer.
"Besides..."
Her smile widened.
"Maybe we'll get to compete against each other someday."
Then she tapped my nose.
An unnecessary gesture.
And walked away.
A few moments later Ichika approached.
Laughing as usual.
"My, my."
He grinned.
"That was entertaining."
I watched Hina disappear into the crowd.
"Does she have a habit of touching people?"
Ichika shrugged.
"Who knows."
Then he left too.
Eventually only a few students remained.
I turned toward Shinko.
"Why did you defend me?"
He looked away.
His expression remained unreadable.
Then he answered.
"Because I can't stand two-faced people."
That was all he said.
Soon afterward buses arrived.
The sky outside remained dark.
3:30 AM.
The freshmen reluctantly boarded.
Nobody looked excited.
Nobody looked hopeful.
Game Three had ended.
And somehow things had only become worse.
The buses pulled away.
Taking us one step closer to whatever nightmare awaited in Game Four.