Memory 13

[itsalluseless]

Memory: Erika's handicap -- duct tape!!! [ep6] (Significant Neutral)
Game: Kitsune’s Cry Fox
Day: 186
Form: Adorable small blue bottle of sake. 2/3 uses left.

ERIKA: That’s right. ......I have one thing to say before we begin this game.

BATTLER: Oh, that detective proclamation thing. Do as you wish.

ERIKA: No, I mean the opposite. ......I say we raise the stakes.

BEATO: .........Raise...the stakes...?

LAMBDADELTA: What’s this? Now that sounds interesting. What do you mean?

BERNKASTEL: ......It’s simple. Battler got a shot off at us in the last game. So, if Erika does the same in this game, we’re only even.

BEATO: Wasn’t the last game a tie...?

BERNKASTEL: We threw a game we should have won easily, right? If that isn’t a loss, I don’t know what is. Right, Erika...?

ERIKA: Y, yes, my master. If I hadn’t failed so miserably, we would have won that game by default...

LAMBDADELTA: ......Ooooh, I get it. So this time, you’ll intentionally fight at a disadvantage by not making a detective proclamation...and win despite that...! You’re scheming to not only wipe out your loss from the previous game, but to totally flip the score upside down, right?

BEATO: Y, ......you intend to challenge the game Battler-san poured his heart and soul into with a foolish handicap like that...? That is not only presumptuous, it’s quite rude...!

BATTLER: ......Sure is. It sounds more like an excuse just in case they lose.

LAMBDADELTA: True, you could also look at it that way. If they win, it’s a great victory, but if they lose, Erika’s side has a nice little excuse. Isn’t that a bit unsporting?

BERNKASTEL: Don’t worry, this bet is balanced on both sides. ......If we win as a human without the detective proclamation this game, it will be impossible for Battler and the others to pick up the pieces of the Illusion of the Witch. ......But on the other hand, if Erika loses, that detective trash will be sent into the depths of oblivion along with the worst possible Fragment.

ERIKA: ............

Though it obviously pains Erika, it's agreed that she will not be making the detective proclamation. Later, Erika is reporting to Bernkastel and Lambdadelta. Battler appears to check on them just as Bern is thoroughly and mercilessly tearing into Erika for not being more successful so far.

Gold butterflies gathered in the darkness and took the form of Battler. Though he had just arrived, he seemed to know that the mood was dark.

BERNKASTEL: ......Ah, Battler. I had a look at your first twilight. Quite impressive closed rooms. I'm sure you're more talented than Beato.

BATTLER: It's just a rehash of the closed rooms Beato made in the past. I'll take that to be a compliment for Beato.

LAMBDADELTA: It seems your fight with Erika wasn't bad either. Think your serial murders will move along smoothly?

BATTLER: ......Who knows? My role isn't to carry out serial murders. It's to use that process to show you closed rooms that are impossible without magic, and thereby achieve victory for the witch side and prove that I have fully understood this game. ......No, there's one more thing.

BERNKASTEL: What......?

BATTLER: To settle things with Erika, after that evenly matched duel we acted out last time.

ERIKA: ......Battler......

BERNKASTEL: Even...ly...matched...?

Bernkastel noticeably grimaced. Erika averted her eyes and hung her head, timidly...

BATTLER: I know what you're thinking. That wasn't a draw, we should have won easily so it counts as a loss.

LAMBDADELTA: Hey, it's not polite to eavesdrop.

BATTLER: ......Look at a mirror. It's written all over your faces.

LAMBDADELTA: No way...! Where?! Hey, what's going on?! If you tell me it's written in ink only morons can't see, then death, death, super death for you!!

Lambdadelta pulled a mirror out of thin air, then looked at it and jumped around angrily. She was apparently pretending to be stupid in her own, special way.

Battler questions Erika on why she can't use her full abilities, including her assistant Dlanor. He quickly realises that Bernkastel is the one keeping Erika from making the detective proclamation, and threatens to throw her out of the game if she keeps interfering. She almost leaves angrily, but Lambdadelta calms her down and promises to make sure she'll keep out of the way. Battler tries to get Erika to make the proclamation, but she refuses: as a piece, she cannot disobey her master's orders. He turns to Dlanor instead, asking if there's anything at all she can do.

DLANOR: ............I need permission before unsheathing the 'red KEY'. One form of that permission is the detective PROCLAMATION.

BATTLER: Are there ways of getting that permission besides the detective proclamation?

ERIKA: Wh, ......what are you saying...?! I, if you're doing this out of pity for me, that's none of your business!

BATTLER: Quiet. You're so flimsy by yourself that it's boring. Be quiet, detective who isn't a detective.

ERIKA: ......Gah......

DLANOR: The 'red key' is extremely close to the red TRUTH. ......If and only if I am given a truth, I am permitted to draw my sword for items that pertain to IT.

BATTLER: What do you mean by a 'truth'...?

DLANOR: ........................For example, ......there are Lady Erika's duct tape SEALS.

BATTLER: Ah, ......those.

DLANOR: Lady Bernkastel has already acknowledged that those seals are equivalent in value to the red TRUTH. Therefore, I am permitted to draw the red key only for truths pertaining to those SEALS.

BATTLER: Those caused me a lot of trouble last time, so I had all the sticky duct tape removed from the game board this time around.

DLANOR: ......A splendid MOVE.

BATTLER: .........Erika was proud to be able to call herself the detective, wasn't she?

DLANOR: YES... ......Though her only goal was to irresponsibly solve riddles, ......it was a matter of pride for HER.

BATTLER: Then, she must really be suffering now that she can't make that proclamation.

DLANOR: .........Only she could tell you THAT.

BATTLER: ............

Battler took a deep breath, then hung his head in thought for a time. ......Erika was his enemy, but she was the player on the human side, and without her, there would be no game.

It had been the same way with the old Beato. Battler had one-sidedly viewed Beato as the enemy. However, though Beato had thought of him as the opposing player, she hadn't personally considered him an enemy.

......In accordance with the rules, I must fight my rival ruthlessly. However, that doesn't mean I need to hate Erika herself.

.....................
. . . . . .
.........I won't misunderstand Beato's game.

BATTLER: Erika. It's up to you whether you make the detective proclamation. In that case, go and fight just with your power as a human.

ERIKA: I've been prepared to do that from the beginning...!

BATTLER: However, you have talented allies. ......Dlanor, ......Gertrude, and Cornelia. You aren't alone. You have allies.

ERIKA: Yeah, but they're unreliable, powerless, and useless scum.

BATTLER: Dlanor. ......Just like I was supported by Virgilia and Ronove in the past, Erika needs support as well. I know from repeated experience that playing for the human side is tough.

DLANOR: ......YES. I will assist her with all the power I POSSESS.

GERTRUDE: Understood.

CORNELIA: Know that it is our job.

ERIKA: Hmph. And you can't even use the red truth!

BATTLER: Erika. ......I will give power, not to you, but to your allies.

ERIKA: Huh?! Wh, what do you think you're doing...?! I'd rather die than receive your pity!!

BATTLER: Three people: Dlanor, Gertrude, and Cornelia. ......Erika, I'll let you use three rooms' worth of those duct tape seals.

To fully seal one room, multiple seals are needed to cover all the doors and windows. If he had just said three seals, it would only be able to fully seal up one room at best. So, Battler was generous and measured them by room instead of by seal...

DLANOR: ......Lord BATTLER.......

BATTLER: As the Game Master, I also acknowledge that these seals have the same effect as the red truth. ......This way, you'll also be able to wield that red longsword in a fight surrounding those. Right...?

DLANOR: ......YES... ......But...are you CERTAIN?

BATTLER: Winning against Erika when she's less than a detective is hardly a victory. If Erika's upping the stakes, then I should have the right to do the same.

LAMBDADELTA: Whew, what a man! Aren't you lucky, Erika?! Now you can use a bit of red without making the detective proclamation and irritating your master.

ERIKA: .........Y, ...you'll regret this... ......I'll use these three seals......and kill you...no matter what......!

BATTLER: Sounds great. Come and kill me.

ERIKA: ......Gah...nnnn...

Though it was only for three rooms, it was a red truth that Erika would have killed for. Now, she finally had enough leeway to fight as she pleased. ......She ground her teeth at being pitied by Battler, but her tears were not those of shame.

DLANOR: ......UNDERSTOOD. Three rooms' worth of duct tape seals, ACCEPTED. ......Regarding this matter...should we consider them as being accepted retroactively, back when Lady Erika received the non-sticky duct tape from <Mrs> Kumasawa?

Erika had borrowed duct tape from Kumasawa to make seals with. However, Battler had made it so that those were not sticky... If he made it so that there never was any problem with the stickiness of that duct tape, the transition could be made smoothly.

BATTLER: Sure, that's fine. ......I'll rewrite the tale. ......The duct tape that Erika received from Kumasawa-san late at night on the first day was sticky, but there was only enough left to use on three rooms. ......I'll apply that from here on out.

DLANOR: UNDERSTOOD. ......Lady Erika will also retroactively adjust her movements, starting before the discovery of the first twilight, and taking into account that the application of this privilege is now POSSIBLE. ......As soon as these changes affect the progression of the game, they will be reported to the Game MASTER.

BATTLER: ......Letting you do it retroactively, even though you know which rooms the crime will occur in... ...That gives you a pretty big advantage. You won't have to waste tape on other rooms.

BERNKASTEL: It seems you've grown quite arrogant since becoming Game Master. Isn't it fun to give out charity to your pathetic opponents?

BATTLER: Quiet. And don't misunderstand. ......I'm not being arrogant or easy on her. .........Erika, use this weapon and come at me with all you've got. Then I will crush you with all I've got. So, hold your head up high and use those three. That is all.

Battler made to leave the room with a flick of his cape. As he did, he thought he heard Erika let out a strained voice calling him to a stop.

BATTLER: .....................What is it?

ERIKA: ............

BATTLER: If you have no business with me, I'm going. Make sure you talk with Dlanor. Don't listen to those obnoxious witches, whatever they tell you. As long as I'm on this game board, I won't let them do whatever they please.

ERIKA: ......Th......thank you...uu......

BATTLER: .........

ERIKA: ...Thank you...... ......I'll...fight with all I've got... I'll come at you with all my strength......so...I'll defeat you no matter what... ......So, ...if you do win against me......please crush me with all your strength. *hic*...... ......Please......don't leave...a scrap behind....... ......*hic*......!

BATTLER: ...................Understood. ...And don't you go easy on me. ......This is the final game. I'm playing to prove to Beato that I've reached the truth. ......By now, who wins and who loses doesn't affect that goal. So, I just want to accept you as a rival and settle this. .........In the game, let us suspect each other over everything as enemies. But as fellow players, let's trust each other. ......That's how this game is supposed to be played.

ERIKA: ......Yes.........Thank you... ...Thank you......uuuuuu......

Battler went into the darkness, became a cloud of gold butterflies, and vanished... Erika remained behind, sobbing......

What he learned
STUFF