Trial 1 - Part 11
T-Teruteru! It was you, wasn’t it!?
...
...Huh!? What!? What are you talking about!?
If you look at the photos I took during the party, you’re the only person who’s not in frame...
That on its own isn’t necessarily suspicious. Maybe it was just bad timing...
...But if we look at Hajime’s map, it’s possible Teruteru was standing directly behind me.
Coincidentally, this places him just within reach of my camera *and* the entrance!
I didn’t see much of Teruteru during the party, so Mahiru’s photos were my only point of reference.
You think they’d be useless, since Teruteru is absent from them... but they actually told me a lot.
For Teruteru to not appear in either picture, he must have been standing along the wall where the entrance was.
In other words, the one wall that was never in the photos.
This would’ve placed him behind Mahiru when she was taking her second photo.
T-That’s just a coincidence! There’s no way it’s me!
Of all things, why would Teruteru steal Mahiru’s camera?
It’s not like there was another source of light. The kitchen had a portable stove, but Byakuya threw that into the duralumin case.
So he went for the next best thing?
But, how was he able to take the camera?
...What do you mean?
You guys are getting ahead of yourselves. None of you actually know how to release the camera, right?
Mahiru never told anyone her sling comes with a quick release lock, so how was Teruteru supposed to know?
Actually, Teruteru had a chance before the party to get a closer look at my camera... back when Byakuya and I were inspecting the kitchen.
At least let me finish cooking...! There are still things I need to prepare!
I-I promise it won’t take too long... It’ll just, you know...
Um...
...
...Waaaaaaaah! Mahiru, help me!
E-Eh!?
B-Bug off! Quit hugging me!
...Huh? To be rejected so quickly... I must say I’m a little shattered.
Believe me, I’m the only one here who’s shattered...!
That being said, I’m relieved he didn’t try to cop a feel...
He...hugged you?
I see what’s going on. Teruteru was trying to be a pervert, which is how he noticed the lock.
For shame Teruteru!
T-There was no underlying motivation, I swear! Get your minds out of the gutter!
That's probably why Teruteru was standing behind Mahiru. He was waiting for the right moment to snatch her camera!
Even so, it sounds like a huge risk.
Things may go missing in busy places, but this was no swiping of a purse. How did this go unseen?
It depends on the timing... Besides the blackout, there *was* something else which caught everyone’s attention.
...
Ah, Mikan...
I-I’m sorry! It was an accident!
That’s right, the nasty pig went and made a mess of herself on the floor.
Yeah, it’s no wonder people were staring...
Hiii! I was hoping everyone had forgotten about it!
That fall would’ve worked in Teruteru’s favour. With everyone focused on Mikan, he could’ve snatched Mahiru’s camera.
After securing his prize, the thief then absconded from the room moments before it fell into darkness...
Clearly, you have won the favour of the shichifukujin! What are your secrets, thief!?
T-Thief? I...I did nothing wrong! Why are you treating me like a criminal!?
Ah...Teruteru...
That attitude is so not like you. For the Ultimate Cook to get so upset...
Chef... Call me "Chef"...
If you fall to aspersions like this, who will be there to support the future of the culinary arts?
Th-The future of the culinary arts...?
That's right. For the future of the culinary arts, you must face this and fight it fair and square.
Y-You're right... Yeah... that's totally right...!
So what's an "aspersion" anyway? Is it yummy?
Did you know asbestos is yummy, too? You should try some later!
H-Hey, stop saying those things to Teruteru!
Let's assume that the killer used a light, and that they used the fire door to mask that light... And then they moved to the storage room and snuck under the floorboards.
Then what? It's dark under the floorboards too, so how would they be able to stab Byakuya?
You're not gonna say they used the camera, right? The flash would have been noticed through the gaps in the building’s floor.
Th-That's right... What do you think about that!?
Ah... That’s...
There's no way you can answer that. You personally haven't investigated what's beneath the floorboards.
We can ask Gundham. He’s actually been there.
No... Unfortunately, there was nothing related to the incident under the floorboards...
The only thing I found was a strange liquid, shining in the darkness, near where Byakuya's blood was dripping.
A shining liquid in the dark!? That sounds super important!
If there was a shining mark like that, they would have been able to move to it in the dark, right?
And in doing so, it might've been possible for them to use that mark to target the victim.
The shining light... that was from the glow-in-the-dark paint covering the knife, wasn’t it?
Ah! By using the glowing paint as a target, they were able to judge where to stab even in the dark!
I see... The killer didn't target an actual person, they just struck the moment the glowing paint moved!
That would be the moment someone grabbed ahold of the knife!
So... the killer used the knife I prepared as a landmark...
I see... That's why Byakuya got killed when he took the knife...
But if they were able to do that, wouldn't that mean the killer knew about Nagito's plan all along?
That would explain the camera. Teruteru stole it because he knew a blackout was coming...
S-Seriously, I don't know anything... Really... I don't know anything at all...
Then can I ask everyone a question instead?
If Teruteru is the killer, that would mean he went to the storage room during the blackout...
And just what did Ibuki hear during the blackout?
Waaaah! Don't step on my feet!
What the hell!? What's going on here!?
Th-This is...!
Ow!
Turn the damn lights on! I can't eat like this, y'know!
I-I don’t mind a sandwich or two, but some of you are getting really pushy...
She heard... Teruteru's voice in the dining hall?
Doesn't that prove Teruteru was in the dining hall during the blackout?
Th-Th-That's right! That's exactly it!
I heard Teruteru's voice in the dining hall! Ibuki swears on her honor!
That's right. Teruteru was in the dining hall, not the storage room. Which means... he's not the killer.
...No, that’s not what it means.
Wh-Why...?
Why are you so obsessed with falsely accusing me!?
Eh!?
N-No, it’s not like that at all! I just...
Um... I just...
...Go on, Mahiru. Answer his question.
Remember what I told you before the investigation? We have to push forward here... We have to take risks...!
...
...Tch.
That’s it, Mahiru... show me more of your hope. Your hope... against Teruteru’s. Whose will prevail?
Let me ask you again...
Did you go to the storage room during the blackout?
Th-There's no way I went to the storage room!
I was somewhere totally different!
I definitely heard Teruteru's voice!
It's handsome! Unlike his face!
Maybe it was a recording or something...?
Nope, definitely a live voice!
Right, as long as I have her testimony...
The fact that I was in the dining hall cannot be disputed!
The fact we heard Teruteru’s voice in the hall doesn’t prove that he was actually *in* the hall!
Huh? Wh-Why...?
Think about the floor in the hall... There were these big gaps between the floorboards, right...?
Which means, even if you spoke from under the floor, it would still sound like you were in the room with us!
...
But... but-but-but-but-but-but...!
I see... So he brazenly shouted from under the floor to make us think he was in the dining hall.
Well? Do you have any objections, Teruteru?
H-Hold on a second...
C-Can you explain this, Teruteru!?
I told ya to wait a sec, ain't IIIIII!?
Hyaaaaaaa!?