Kokone Converses with the <Spectator>

 

It was a certain members-only club.

 

In a space lit by faint lighting, dozens of guests were relaxing. Whether sipping their drinks or chatting amongst themselves, each relaxed in their own way, but generally, their eyes were turned in a single direction.

 

There—taking up almost an entire wall—numerous monitors were embedded. All the screens displayed footage of a pumpkin patch, within which young girls dressed as witches and children in costumes were running around.

 

It was footage of the <Game>.

 

A murder game playing with the lives of young maidens—that performance was taking place right now, in this club. The guests here were <Spectators>. Having paid an exorbitant viewing fee, they were appreciating the live footage of the game.

 

"──Ah, excuse me, you."

 

One of such <Spectators> said. He was a man who looked frivolous.

 

"Can I get a refill?"

 

The man held up his empty glass. However, the person dressed like a server whom the man called out to,

 

"I am terribly sorry."

 

She answered.

 

"I am not a server. I am a <Spectator>, the same as you."

 

"Oh, is that so? That's confusing..."

 

The person dressed like a server looked around restlessly. She seemed to be searching for a seat for herself. "Come over here," the man from earlier said, indicating a seat near where he was sitting.

 

"I will take you up on your offer."

 

The server-like <Spectator> answered, and did just that. She was a young girl. An age where it wouldn't be strange for her to be participating in the game herself. That was also part of the reason the man had mistaken her for a server.

 

"You're young," the man tried stating his honest impression.

 

"You still look underage... Are you here alone? Or with your parents?"

 

"I am alone," the girl answered. "Despite appearances, I am eighteen. My face just tends to look young."

 

"Hmm. By any chance, could you be a former player?"

 

"No way."

 

"No way."

 

Kokone lied nonchalantly.

 

It was exactly as the man pointed out. Kokone is a former player. However, she lied. Because she wanted to avoid the topic expanding.

 

It was recognized for players to convert to <Spectators>, but in that case, they are never allowed to participate in a game again. If one can view footage of other games as a <Spectator>, a disparity in information would arise against players who are not <Spectators>, making it unfair. However, since Kokone had no intention of playing a game ever again, she didn't mind that risk.

 

The reason Kokone came here was to see through the whereabouts of her own sister—Haine. Haine, whose benefactor Kirihara had been killed, chased the culprit, Shion, and participated in the game. To confirm whether her sister could return alive—and whether she could exact revenge on Shion, Kokone had discarded her position as a player.

 

Kokone searched for her sister's figure within the monitors. However, she couldn't find her. Instead, she was able to discover Shion's figure. "I'm betting on that girl's survival, you know," the man said, pointing at Shion.

 

"I have a preference for girls with nasty looks in their eyes. It gives me the shivers."

 

Kokone felt disgust toward the man speaking happily in such a way.

 

"Do you think this kind of performance is forgivable?"

 

She ended up blurting out.

 

"Eh? You ask strange things. Didn't you come here because you think it's forgivable?"

 

"Ah, no..." I messed up, Kokone thought.

 

"Ah, by any chance, do you have something like guilt about watching...? You don't need to worry about it. Because, see, they are participating by their own will. And we are paying money by our own will to watch it. No one is being forced. No one's freedom is being taken away. Therefore, there isn't anything bad about it. That's what I think, but what about you?"

 

"........."

 

That is exactly right, Kokone did not say.

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