Werewolf Survival Vol 1 chap 4

Red Card for the Referee

The next day...

I opened my eyes but didn't move an inch.

After last night's incident, I'd a dream. I was standing alone, calling Ori-san and Imako-san's names. I thought maybe they would come to save me, but they never came. Why? Why did no one come in the end?

"Even if I yell at the top of my lungs, calling their names... It'd be futile," I muttered. I thought of Usagi's face as I got up.

Subsequently, I went outside and bumped into Usagi, Tsubame, and Gyūkaku. They were standing still in the hallway.

"Ah, Hayato! You just woke up?" Usagi said.

The three were showing unpleasant faces, also, their hair was soaked with sweat.

I looked at the staircase and saw Yamane's ragged clothes on the floor.

"It's real... We could be eaten," someone mumbled.

Count was really telling the truth.

Tonight, if we can't find out who the disguised werewolf is, another person will end up being eaten.

``Let's go downstairs, Hayato. I'm hungry... It won't change anything if we stay here."

``You're talking about eating now!? After Yamane became prey for the werewolf? What a nerve," Tsubame scolded while glaring at Usagi.

``Well, whose fault is it? Unlike you guys, I didn't vote for her," Gyūkaku rebuked her while shaking his head.

Thus we went to the entry hall. We found Count when we arrived there, he was on the balcony with his characteristic smile plastered on his face.

"Good morning everyone. It's such a beautiful day, don't you think so?" he said.

Count's smile made me think of a well-versed entertainer. I couldn't hold my anger anymore, it erupted forth.

``You! How could you do that to Yamane!" I shouted.

Me and Yamane weren't friends, at most we were classmates, but we were together at the summer camp. Furthermore, if Yamane's parents became aware of what happened, they would be overwhelmed with grief.

Yet, here he was... smiling, like watching a comedy show; To him, Yamane's end was amusing.

And here we were, trying our best to survive, but to him, it's only a show, an exhibition, a game...

While glaring at the nonchalant Count I continued, ``I won't be eaten!"

Yes... we and the werewolf were guilty, it eats and we vote, but it's Count who started this game.

``And I will never forgive you!" I wanted to punch his face, but he was too far.

Looking at his thin smile, I clenched my fists.

``Huh... Although it was unfortunate and no one could do anything last night against the werewolf, it has changed all of you. Your demeanors are different. I hope you will spare no effort to win the game." Count replied

I'd no intent to continue this pointless talk. Restraining my frustration, I went to the dining room.

The lunch was neatly arranged there, which fueled my frustration.

“Usagi, could you tell us more about the Werewolf Game?" Tsubame was eating a toast when she suddenly asked. “You said something about a Seer last night, right? Have you played this game beforehand?"

“Mhm! In the first place, the Werewolf Game is a contest between two parties, the werewolf and the villagers. In the beginning, the referee chooses one or more players to be the werewolves, after that, the other players have to talk among themselves to find out who are the disguised villagers." Usagi paused and shoved a slice of ham and bacon into her curry.

Munching her food, she continued, “At night, the villagers would organize a ballot to vote on the most suspicious villager. And in the end, they would hang or rather, punish him. If that person was the werewolf, they'd win that round. Otherwise, the werewolf would eat one of them in the middle of that night and a new ballot would happen on the next day."

“And the game wouldn't end until they uncover all the werewolves or the villagers are thoroughly annihilated?"

“Gulp, you're half right. Rather than annihilated, the game would end when the number of the players is the same as the number of the werewolves."

“Why?" Gyūkaku asked. He was taking a sip of green tea. He didn't pick any food and was only drinking tea.

“Why would the werewolf disguise itself when there's only one villager? It could simply eat the fooder," Usagi replied

“Count's game is different, it'll carry on 'till all the players were eaten," I noted. To make sure of it, I read the piece of paper which has the rules one more time.

“Usagi, yesterday you said the name 'Seer'. What does it mean?" Tsubane was trying to fish for more clues.

“Let me explain. In the original game, there are roles that can display special abilities, Seer's one of them, there's also Protector, Manson and many other roles. The special ability of the seer's that, once, every night, they may pry into the affiliation of one of the players. As such, they can see right through the werewolves' disguise."

“Those roles are assigned beforehand by the referee or game master, just like the werewolves'," Usagi concluded.

“I understand now. If we'd a seer we wouldn't be too scared to vote on someone, like... yesterday," I replied while thinking about Yamane.

“Mhm. The seer would've revealed himself declaring, 'I'm the seer! This person's a villager!' Then, from then on, the protector would've protected Yamane according to the seer's revelation. Though in the original game, the werewolf could tell lies too — declaring he's the seer and the other person is trying to trick everyone else, it'd try to manipulate the players to vote on the real seer in the ballot," Usagi clarified

“Well, those roles would make the game a bit safer than the game we're playing right now," I said.

“The Werewolf Game is all about discussing with each other and trying to see through lies, and also, uncover the werewolf identity," Usagi concluded.

“But in our game, we don't have a seer... or a protector," Tsubame said bitterly. She was biting a toast while pondering over it.

After gulping down the ham and salad on my plate, I added to Tsubame's remark, “Yeah... We only have the werewolf and the villagers."

“And this is a handicap," Usagi sighed in resignation.

“Not necessarily, without the special roles the game might be simpler," Gyūkaku noted.

Thinking it over I said, “Gyūkaku might be right. It's really straightforward with only two roles."

Soon after, Gyūkaku sipped his green tea and remarked, “In the original game, they'd hang one person after the ballot, and then, the werewolf would attack a different player. In this manner, it'd get rid of two players in the same night. On the other hand, Count's game will only remove one player each night, though if anyone breaks any rule they'd be attacked too."

“So, Usagi, is there a surefire way to win the Werewolf Game?" Tsubame asked.

“None."

“Uh... Isn't it a game? Nowadays many games have fail-safe strategies."

“There's none for this type of game. For instance, if you vigorously search for the werewolf you might stand out too much and become easy prey. However, being too secretive in order to avoid danger could cause suspicion."

Agreeing with Usagi's viewpoint, Tsubame turned her head to Gyūkaku.

“Gyūkaku, aren't you going to eat?"

All this time, Gyūkaku's only been drinking green tea. Tsubame's eyes were full of mistrust.

“Though I tried, I couldn't bring myself to eat after what happened. In the first place, I don't eat much in the morning."

“Hah, you're lying. There's a person inside your stomach, isn't that so? That would explain your lack of appetite."

“What?!" Gyūkaku angrily yelled.

I think Tsubame's actions make sense. She's a grudge after Gyūkaku voted on her last night.

And we were almost eaten too.

“I'm not the werewolf!"

“How can I believe you?"

“The same chain of reasoning as yesterday, huh? Though now I've become the 'useless one'. Tsubame, you've been trying to force this cruel method on us, don't you think it's pretty suspicious?"

“Stop, both of you. Fighting won't help us now," I tried to appease them while gulping down a fried egg. “We have to talk things through, by discussing the clues we've found out so far we'll uncover some type of hint. Yelling or accusing will only split us apart."

“Hint? Do you really think there's such a thing?" Tsubame was a little skeptical of my suggestion.

“Yeah, I think it's very unlikely," Gyūkaku agreed with Tsubame.

Sighing, Usagi joked, “I'm surprised you two concur on something."

After her little joke, both glared at Usagi at the same time. They didn't find it funny. Usagi flinched and dropped her head in low spirits.

“Hey, hey, don't intimidate Usagi too much," I said, attempting to save my childhood friend from their cold eyes. “And I do think there's a hint."

“Recall Count's words. Since the start, he's vouched for the fairness of this game. Without the special roles like Seer and Protector, it'd be too difficult to guess the werewolf identity in a short time. Besides, the werewolf would've a huge advantage in this game as well," I said while drinking barley tea.

Count'll give some kind of hint or clue to maintain the fairness of the game.

“Hmm...It makes sense," Tsubame nodded, but she was still unsure about it.

I still have my suspicions too.

Like, if we don't use the hint he provided and vote on the werewolf by chance, what'd Count do? Furthermore, what'd have happened if we had voted on the werewolf on the first ballot by pure luck?

This is a game, in games luck plays an important part.

He was certain we wouldn't vote on it in the first round?

How? Where did this confidence come from?

Maybe there's someone who we wouldn't suspect since the beginning? I don't know... if there's such a person, who is it?

Originally, there were five participants in this game. Assuming that it's a partner, with the exception of the werewolf and his partner, the ballot would've had three different scenarios.

Explicitly: (one, one, one, -, - | two, one, -, -, - | [three, -, -, -, -)

While cooperating with his partner, the werewolf could boost the chances of victory for whichever side. However, it'd act with caution. If it targeted the same person as his gullible partner, it'd have eliminated any suspicion since the first day.

And if this is true, there was no chance we'd have voted on the werewolf in the first round.

Wait, wait, how would it know his partner's choice? It's impossible!

I was thinking that far when I caught onto one piece of information. The badges!

The badges have different colors and forms. During the ballot, they were arranged in an orderly fashion. Halfway, Gyūkaku did shuffle the badges, though he still voted openly. Moreover, it's impossible to remove their distinctive characteristics.

If the werewolf was observing his partner's vote until the last second, it might've seen the badge they had chosen and could have simply picked the same badge afterward.

Then... the most likely suspect is!

“Hayato?" Usagi suddenly tapped my shoulder

“Hyahh!"

When I turned my head, I saw Usagi, who had already left her seat and was standing behind me. She was puzzled by my sudden reaction.

That scared me!

“What happened? Why did you scream?"

“N-nothing. Everything's fine," after replying, I tried to calm down.

“Something wrong, Hayato?"

“What happened?"

Tsubame and Gyūkaku asked while looking at me.

I stared down at the soup bowl and realized that my face was white as a sheet.

That's bad, they'll be suspicious of me! I have to say something.

“W-What if..." I was having a headache trying to find the right words to say here. My thoughts were a mess.

“We go back for a bit?"

“Go back? To where?" They were really confused by my words.

“Y-You know, there...The rooms! Yesterday the werewolf had assumed his original form inside one of the rooms. He might've left some type of evidence inside it, like fur or claw marks."

“Oh, you're right! Maybe there are important clues there," Tsubame agreed with my hoax.

“Yeah, if we find something, that'd be incontestable proof of the werewolf's identity!"

I breathed a sigh of relief, I cheated my way out.

After gulping down her juice, Usagi said, “'Kay! Let's go!! Let's find this incontestable proof!"

I shook off my previous uneasiness.

It's impossible. There's no way.

Usagi's not the werewolf!

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