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An Old Video

However long ago.... in a certain manor....

A trial begins.

Director of Sin: So marks the start of our trial for the departed. [The Son of Wrath] was stricken down by one of you. So much sin has entered endured throughout this manor, and so much sin will continue to flow through it. You will find out who here has killed him, just as you had previously figured out [The Daughter of Pride] was killed by [The Daughter of Gluttony] before. You still have detectives amongst you, so I assume it shouldn't be hard.

Director of Sin: How ironic though. I had higher hopes for [The Son of Wrath]. His namesake is to be transferred onto one of you as I see fit.

The [Director of Sin] points at the [Slothful Girl].

Director of Sin: [The Daughter of Sloth] will be the New Protagonist.

[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/361363826500829186/545332143077982208/cg_old_video.png]

New Protagonist: I see. There's only so much I can do, but I'll try to do my best.

Son of Lust: That's the spirit, New Protagonist. However that's also a lie, isn't it...?

Son of Envy: It doesn't make any difference to me, however - ... tch. Will we be on a time limit again?

Son of Greed: There's only the four of us. It shouldn't be hard to single out a killer, hmm? Especially with... however many detectives there are left, huh?

Director of Sin: You'll be on a time limit, just like last time. Since your numbers are nearly halved, I thought it appropriate to half the time too. You have thirty minutes.

New Protagonist: T-thirty- thirty minutes?!

Son of Envy: You can't be for real. No one can solve something like that in thirty minutes!

Son of Lust: Our lives are on the line! Can't you bump it up to at least... forty-five minutes?

Director of Sin: No. You knew what you were getting into when you signed up for this. If you want to win... you must... prove it.

Director of Sin: To make your ultimate wish come true... you must sacrifice everything in the name of redemption.

Son of Greed: The [Director of Sin] is right. If we want to win... we must constantly put our lives on the line. This is, after all... our agreement.

Director of Sin: Without further delay... if you're ready to start? Let the farcical trial begin.

New Protagonist: Okay... let's talk about the body first.

New Protagonist: It was [The Son of Wrath], and the body was found in the restaurant. There was no sign of a struggle around the body at all. He was slumped down over a table, with no visible injuries.

New Protagonist: However, when you lifted up his head, he had coughed up some blood. Which leads me to believe he ingested poison.

Son of Envy: But where would anyone get poison? It doesn't make sense... [The Son of Greed] and I checked out the Gift Shop and Cleaning Closet. The closest thing we could find was bleach for cleaning.

Son of Lust: I don't think it was bleach... but I have a hunch on how someone got the poison.

Son of Greed: I don't trust your hunches, [Son of Lust]. Why should I listen to advice from a serial killer?

Son of Lust: Listen to me or not. Time's running out.

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New Protagonist: We have no choice, dangerous as he may be. And besides, he's been helpful so far.

Son of Lust: Thanks, Miss Protagonist. You're okay, for a girl.

Son of Envy: Just tell us your hunch.

Son of Lust: Jeez, jeez! Okay! Fine...

Son of Lust: It's our little matching game. [The Director] said... "...anyone who matches every serial killer's or detective's identities will get any item they wish."

New Protagonist: Oh! I see - are you suggesting someone matched the either side's identities already, and got the poison from [The Director of Sin]?

Son of Lust: Precisely. Aaaand the only one who could've done that is ....

Son of Greed: Me, right?

Son of Envy: Wait, you -? [Son of Greed], really?

Son of Lust: Mmhmm. I rest my case. Sounds like a confession to me.

Son of Greed: You serial killers are so one-track-minded. Tch.

Son of Greed: I've matched all the detective's identities, yes. But...

The Son of Greed pulls out a small golden pocketwatch, engraved with his initials.

Son of Greed: This is the item I collected.

Son of Greed: And besides... there's one more person that has matched the detective's identities. Though you may be forgetting him, because he's dead now...

Son of Envy: The poison... it could be [The Son of Wrath]'s too, right?

New Protagonist: D...did anyone find this poison, anyway? I'd hate to waste all this time on something that wasn't even concrete.

Son of Lust: You're in luck, Miss Protag~.

He reaches into his pocket and whips out a small blue bottle - marked with a skull and crossbones.

Son of Greed: Who let the serial killer be in charge of the poison.

New Protagonist: Um, what poison is it...?

Son of Lust: It's arsenic. I'm naturally an expert on poison, so I know a lot. Did you know the Victorians used this stuff and belladonna for cosmetics? Talk about a look to die for!

Director of Sin: You have fifteen minutes left.

[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/361363826500829186/545354001823039498/cg_2.png]

New Protagonist: N-now's not the time to fool around!

Son of Envy: So he ingested arsenic. [The Son of Wrath] either cooked himself a meal and someone poisoned it, or someone he trusted fed him poisoned food.

Son of Greed: New Protagonist said there was not a sign of struggle, and I doubt it's a suicide, so...

Son of Lust: Hmm, by someone he trusts right? I guess that makes me suspicious. Since, after all, we were kind of...

New Protagonist: ... But there's someone else he trusted.

Son of Greed: Oh, you're thinking of me, huh? Tch.

Son of Lust: So which of us is it? Do you wanna guess on it?

Son of Greed: It's obviously not me.

Son of Envy: I'm not risking my life on some stupid bet. I'm placing my vote where [The Son of Greed] votes.

New Protagonist: I'd like to hear out your alibi first. We still have time.

Son of Lust: Oh, of course. I was just hanging around in the library. I was doing some research on SLAP EGG, you know.

New Protagonist: S...Slap egg?

Son of Lust: Sloth! Lust! Avarice, or Wrath! Pride! Space! Envy! Gluttony! Greed!

New Protagonist: I hate that.

Son of Lust: Oh, and by the way... before you share you alibi... [Son of Greed]... I kind of want to hear an explanation for this.

[The Son of Lust] displays a note to the remaining students, and begins to read it aloud.

Son of Lust: Dear [Son of Wrath],

Take care this letter does not fall into the wrong hands. Meet me in the restaurant at 17:00. I have uncovered every identity.

Sincerely, [The Son of Greed]

New Protagonist: Le...let me see that...!

[The Son of Lust] hands the note to her.

New Protagonist: ... This is... from his journal... and it's his handwriting.

Son of Greed: ...

Director of Sin: You have five minutes.

Son of Envy: I don't trust that note. Why didn't you bring it up sooner?

Son of Lust: I love to fuck with people.

Son of Greed: Are you aiming for a confession... Lover Boy?

Son of Lust: Your silence will do just fine. Kek.

Director of Sin: Are you ready to vote?

New Protagonist: ...I feel uneasy, but I think I am.

Son of Envy: What the hell kind of Protagonist are you? You didn't even hear out [The Son of Greed]!

Son of Greed: It's fine. I'm the killer.

Son of Envy: ...

Son of Lust: Huh. Well, he went and said it.

Son of Lust: I'm a bit surprised but...

Director of Sin: The votes are in.

Director of Sin: ...I'm quite ashamed.

Director of Sin: New Protagonist... you let a serial killer walk all over you, fufu.

New Protagonist: Wait, what-

Director of Sin: And like this, our game comes to a close.

Son of Envy: I knew it- I knew it!

New Protagonist: You... you- you tricked me?

Son of Lust: Hey, no hard feelings. A killer's gotta do what a killer's gotta do to win.

New Protagonist: B-but the note- how? It was a note-

Son of Lust: I traded in some secrets with some dead people. They say two can keep a secret if one of them is dead~.

Director of Sin: You're not the only winner here, [Son of Lust].

Son of Lust: Huh- wait, whaddya mean-

Director of Sin: Of course, the one who really won...-

The feed cuts out.

A robotic maid laughs as she replays the footage to herself over and over again.

Maid-chan: Well, hey, kyahaha! I love watching old family videos. Gives you such a sense of nostalgia, right? But... but, but! Everything can't be for certain!

Maid-chan: Trust no one, right?

And in a certain manor, a light flickers out somewhere.