As I sat, locked in my room, a million thoughts were swirling in my head. I hadn't even been able to process that Satchiko was dead before having this thrown on me as well... Michio was the mastermind?

It made sense with everything that had happened, but still... I couldn't believe it. I thought he was my friend. There was so much that needed to be explained, we still didn't know why Satchiko disappeared, and we didn't even get a chance to vote at the trial.

I heard a knock on my door, and quickly got up to answer it. Before opening it, I called out, "Who is it?"

"It's Jikkō."

I opened the door, looking at her expectantly. "What is it?" I asked her.

I could tell that Jikkō was avoiding my gaze. "It's... Michio. He wants everyone to meet in the lobby. He says it's important."

"I don't want to see him." I quickly responded, shaking my head.

"No one does." The black haired girl replied softly. "But we don't really have a choice."

I let out a small sigh, and left the room, closing the door behind me. "Fine...."

I followed Jikkō downstairs to the lobby where everyone else was already waiting. Entering the room, I looked down at the floor, not wanting to look at Michio who I knew was there.

I sat down at one of the chairs in silence. After a few moments I felt rough fingers on my chin as my head was tilted up, and I was left staring right into Michio's brown eyes.

"Oh Kazuki, now you won't even look at me?" Michio faked sadness. "What a pity."

I glared at him, pushing his hand away. "What do you want, Michio?"

"So cruel." A small smirk formed on Michio's face, and he stood up straight, now addressing everyone. "I was thinking, that last trial wasn't exactly fair. I should've been executed, and the thought of that..." A grin spread across his features. "Excites me. It wasn't fair for me either, not getting to experience the ultimate despair of death. So, I have a deal for you."

He paused, looking around at everyone for any objections, but no one spoke. "I'll give you a chance to figure everything out. I'll get my assistant to leave some clues, and you'll have forty eight hours until the final class trial. Then, you'll be able to vote on if I get executed and you all stay here, or... well, I'll leave that for then."

"Assistant?" Jikkō asked, tilting her head.

Michio shrugged. "Hey, I organized everything but someone needs to control the bear."

"I'm in." I spoke up. "I want to find out everything... everything that Satchiko didn't get a chance to tell me."

"Any objections?" Michio asked, and when no one said anything, he looked over everyone with a dangerous smile. "Then let the investigation begin."