The Night Watch Rule
I wandered the first floor of Hope's Peak Academy for a while, but all I managed to confirm was that it was identical to the game. I didn't turn up anything useful. Then again, it wasn't as if some hidden route was tucked away somewhere, so of course I wasn't going to stumble onto a new discovery.
Still, I combed the place like a man possessed, hunting for a map of Hope's Peak Academy so I could get in Kirigiri's good graces. There was no map anywhere. Seriously... just where had she found that map in the first place?
In the end, I settled for the next best thing. I'd tell her I'd looked up the academy's layout before enrollment, and that this place really did seem to be Hope's Peak. That ought to impress her.
Not that I was doing it just to get on her good side. I needed the kids to trust me, too. There's a mountain of trouble ahead of us, and if I can't earn their trust, I'm going to be in a very tight spot. I planned to use every scrap of game knowledge I had to win them over.
Anyway, with a moment of free time on my hands, I found myself thinking about my talent: Ultimate Counselor.
Before I enrolled at Hope's Peak, I'd tried counseling some of the kids who came to the free clinic that this world's version of me had been volunteering at, just to see whether I could actually use the talent.
The results were underwhelming. I'd secretly hoped that since I'd dropped into the Danganronpa world, the Ultimate ability would just kick in like a passive skill. It didn't feel like that at all. I just listened to their problems, nodded along at the right moments, and rattled off the kinds of things a counselor is supposed to say until the session ran out.
It was so hollow I started wondering if anyone could do this — Ultimate or not.
But contrary to how I felt about it, the kids seemed genuinely satisfied. They left laughing, telling me they'd come back. In that moment, I was pretty happy too.
Still, if I could use my Ultimate counseling the way this world's original me could, everything would be so much easier. It's a shame, that's all.
I was lost in thought long enough that it was time to gather in the cafeteria. I've spent a lot of time as a hikikomori, imagining things by myself, so I tend to get lost in my own head. I know it sounds pathetic, but I actually like thinking alone. It settles me, somehow.
When I walked into the cafeteria, Naegi and Maizono were already there. Maizono is the one who starts the killing game, so aside from Ikusaba, she's the person I have to watch most carefully.
If I can keep her from seeing the Motive Video, she won't snap and try to commit murder, right? Yeah. I have to do something about those Motive Videos.
The people in the Motive Videos are still alive in Towa City at this point in time, but the kids have no way of knowing that. I can't let them spiral into panic over nothing. Monokuma isn't going to sit still and let me interfere, of course. But I have to try.
I was looking at the two of them when I noticed it... a distinctly pink atmosphere hanging in the air. My side started to ache for some reason. Die, couple. ...Ah, wait. They can't die.
I was staring enviously at Naegi and Maizono being all lovey-dovey when Ishimaru burst into the cafeteria with a booming shout.
"Naegi and Maizono! And Kei as well! You three arrived first! Kei! Excellent posture! Continue to apply yourself with that same diligence and..."
I let about half of Ishimaru's unnecessarily energetic speech wash over me as the other kids started to arrive. Everyone except Kirigiri would be here, so I should start preparing my trust-building play...
Huh?
Kirigiri walked in last. What? She was supposed to come in midway through the meeting. I couldn't hide my surprise as I looked at her, and she stared right back at me.
Making eye contact with Kirigiri is always a pleasure, but the fact that things keep unfolding differently from the game has started to give me a strange sense of unease.
Could it be that me — the irregular seventeenth Ultimate — being inserted into the killing game means the story is going to diverge completely from the game I know?
It's a real possibility. But I already steeled myself for that. If I sit back and do nothing, this will become a killing game of mutual suspicion, just like it was meant to. I can't let a few variables rattle me.
Anyway, unlike the original, we all gathered in the cafeteria and decided to present what we'd found. The information the kids had gathered wasn't particularly interesting to someone who'd cleared the game more times than I could count, so I just nodded along.
Kirigiri, though, seemed dead set on keeping me under surveillance. She'd had her arms crossed for a while now, watching my every move.
I have no idea what I did to get on her bad side, but wait — isn't this the perfect chance to get in her good graces? I cleared my throat and started sharing my game knowledge, dressed up as speculation.
"Um, I think this place really is Hope's Peak Academy."
"What are you talking about?"
The kids, who'd been moping after their fruitless investigation, all turned their attention to me. Oh man, I'm a little nervous.
"W-well... before I enrolled at Hope's Peak, I looked up the school's layout, and the space we're in now is pretty similar to Hope's Peak Academy, so..."
"Hah? You sure about that?!"
"Uh... well... I think so..."
I wilted under Owada's delinquent glare and started stammering without thinking. Crap. There goes my credibility.
"That does appear to be the case. Everyone, take a look at this."
Thankfully, Kirigiri pulled out a map and backed me up. I knew I could count on her...
"So it really is Hope's Peak Academy... We weren't taken somewhere else..."
"What kind of stupid situation is this? This is the Hope's Peak Academy?"
"But if this really is Hope's Peak, then what about the other students...?"
Of course they'd take the word of the great and exalted Kirigiri as gospel — she's Kirigiri, after all — but the difference in how they treated us stung a little. I'll admit it hurt my feelings, just a tiny bit.
Then again, I don't exactly look trustworthy. My scrawny, gloomy appearance is a long way from inspiring confidence.
Meanwhile, the sea urchin was still going on about some event. I genuinely wanted to shave that spiky head of his.
Anyway, I watched the Ultimates bicker and waited for the moment I needed. And it arrived in no time.
"Regarding nighttime, then... perhaps we should add another rule?"
Celeste's words drew everyone's attention. I needed to jump in on this, so I focused hard.
"What if we added a rule prohibiting movement during nighttime? The school regulations don't forbid moving around at night, but we would impose that restriction ourselves."
"Uh... why?"
"If we leave things as they are, we'll all be afraid every night... wondering if someone is coming to kill us..."
Everyone frowned at Celeste's statement, but she wasn't wrong, so nobody argued.
"However, unlike the school regulations, this would have no binding force. It would depend on everyone's cooperation..."
"She's right... if we don't make some rules, we might destroy ourselves..."
"I agree as well, speaking on behalf of the gentlemen!"
"It seems everyone is in favor? Then..."
"Hold on! The idea's good, but that could be exploited, couldn't it?"
"Pardon? What did you just say?"
Celeste frowned as if offended, but I had no intention of backing down.
"It's fine for us to set our own rules, but if someone breaks them and sneaks out at night, they'd have a completely empty environment — perfect for committing a murder or setting up some kind of trick."
My counterpoint caught them off guard, and everyone nodded. I'd been a little worried they wouldn't take this opinion seriously either, so I was relieved.
"Then I take it you have a better proposal?"
"We set a night watch. Someone to keep an eye out for anyone leaving their room at night."
"A fine idea. So, any volunteers?"
Celeste asked the group, but nobody raised their hand. Fair enough. In a situation like this, overcoming one of the three basic human needs — sleep — to stand watch is a bigger burden than it sounds. No choice, then.
"I'll do it. If nobody else is volunteering, I'll stand watch by myself."
"That spirit is admirable, but if you stand watch alone, you'd be the one left in the perfect environment to commit a murder, wouldn't you?"
Ah. I hadn't thought of that. Yeah, a gloomy-looking guy wandering around alone in the middle of the night would look suspicious to anyone. But I can't give up here. I was wracking my brain when...
"I'll stand watch with you."
Oh my god. Kirigiri said she'd stand night watch with me. My heart was pounding so hard I could barely contain it as I looked at her — and sure enough, she was staring at me with those same suspicious eyes.
Ugh, so I'm still on her bad side... But I get to stand night watch with Kirigiri, so I don't really care.
"Heh heh... a man and a woman, alone together at night...? What an interesting arrangement..."
"I can protect myself just fine. If you try anything, you'd better be prepared."
Kirigiri shut down Fukawa's fantasies in an instant and left the cafeteria.
"Very well. Then that's what we'll do."
Celeste walked out looking satisfied, and the mood naturally shifted toward bedtime. We all scattered.
It had been a little touch-and-go, but I'd managed to get the night watch rule passed. Even if I can't stop the Motive Videos from playing, I can at least prevent Maizono's murder attempt. I felt like I could finally breathe.
Feeling considerably lighter, I headed to my room to sleep...
"Where do you think you're going? We have a night watch to stand."
Ah. Right. Fuck. It starts tonight.