A human… no, rather something that once wore a human form — a higher being merely pretending to be human — still answered with agreement to the outstretched hand of another, an equally pretending "human."
He stretched out his hand — and at that moment everything was decided. The final answer, placed like a period in an argument where everyone desperately insists on their own truth. After all, they all came to this island for their dream, right? It is precisely for it that he exists. But what if not? What if the answer is "no"?
...Then I don't know what all of this is even for.
In his eyes, which had long hidden under a layer of indifference an endless contempt, a tiny spark finally flared. Hope. Too small to call it light. But it was there. And, strangely enough, he found salvation in me — in an ordinary guy who himself doesn't fully understand whose side he's on or if he's right at all.
This time I refused the usual path of logic. This step — not according to facts, but by heart. From now on, I will go not by mind, but by feeling.
He stood up, taking my hand, and said gratefully:
— This is gratitude not superficial, not polite, but real. From the bottom of the heart. I never thought someone could stand up for me. And see it through to the end.
— Don't mention it. I'm an ordinary, banal, absolutely unremarkable guy. I ended up here just like you did, — I said. — Better tell me, what do we do now?
…Something strange happened here. No, not magic. Just… strange. It turned out Enua knew the translation of the inscriptions all along. And simply… didn't say anything.
— You understand, no one will believe us without proof, — I said.
— I thought about that all the time while you were deciphering the lines… And I realized: in their eyes no argument will become proof. Not a single one, — Enua replied, as if resigned.
And he was right. Everything happening is played out too skillfully. The witch staged this perfectly. To come now with a confession is the same as surrender. No one will fall for the "mistake." It looks… too artificial to be a coincidence.
And then — cold. Sharp, instant, like a breath through a broken window. Someone touched me on the shoulder.
It was Morgana.
— Ah… it's you… You almost killed me, — I exhaled.
— Sorry if I scared you, — she replied so quietly it seemed she was trying not to wake reality itself.
And behind her stood he — Cheryl. Forever serious. So serious that maybe he's joking, but we will never know.
— Hope we didn't interrupt? You were talking so seriously… We thought maybe we could help…
— Don't lie, — Cheryl cut her off. — You just couldn't stand the helplessness because you couldn't help with the translation.
Morgana looked away and lowered her head:
— Sorry…
— It's nothing. We'll manage. While the others haven't returned yet, there's some time.
But before I could ask, Kamiki and Tiamut appeared.
— Well well. Looks like you're done already, — Kamiki said, as if we were late with homework.
And then — Yahweh's team. But something was off. Too serious, too quiet. They didn't look like they came to share results. More like jurors who had already delivered a verdict.
I stood up. Morgana too.
— What happened? Why such faces?
— Could it be… you… the killer's accomplice, Aragi? — Kamiki asked. His voice heavy, like a hammer hitting glass.
— ...
— Answer. How do you explain this? Everything points exactly to you.
— ...
I was silent. Not because I didn't understand. On the contrary — I understood perfectly well. I just didn't know where they found out.
— Stop! Mr. Aragi doesn't even understand what you're talking about… — Morgana intervened.
— Morgana, don't interfere. They know more than you do, — Cheryl said calmly but firmly.
— He's right, — Yahweh agreed. — No need to interfere.
Silence fell. The kind that makes even the walls start whispering. Kamiki stepped forward as if passing judgment:
— We gave you a deadline. The second night. But you never justified yourself. Look out the window. Do you see?
— ...
Enua looked. His eyes… no longer searched for light. They already knew that nothing was left.
— The deadline passed. You didn't even try to defend yourself. Pity.
— I…! You…! You can't…!!
Enua's voice exploded. Anger, rage, despair — all at once. But Kamiki only smirked and took out a device — a wiretap. One click, and the world heard the truth. Their conversation with Enua. His confession.
…With this move, Kamiki checkmated.
— Sometimes it's worth accepting reality, Aragi, — Hov laid a hand on my shoulder. — It was going this way all along.
— We saved your life, — Yahweh added. — Be grateful. We found the real killer.
— And now what? — I asked. Emotionlessly. Empty.
— No one will kill him, — Kamiki said. — He will simply leave the mansion. And then… let him live as he wants.
Leave the mansion…?
That is the sentence.