Gekka Ryuzoji

Kyoko stared coldly at my frantic expression, before beginning to explain. “All of it was planned
out from the very start. First, Ryuuzouji leaked false information to send his hired assassins to
Meyura Station, keeping the truth hidden from them. At the same time, he challenged you to an
unfair Duel Noir, engineering a situation where you would have no choice but to head to the
station. In doing so, he gained a reason to send Lico—your assistant in the game—to the
station as well. Naturally, Lico and the assassins would encounter each other there.”

“You lost me. So you’re saying these twelve challenges were designed as a trap to expose Rei
Mikagami’s identity?”

With that understanding, the decision game Ryuuzouji forced me to play took on a new
meaning. It was a test to confirm that I was someone who would never dirty my hands:
someone who would stop Rei Mikagami from silencing the assassins when the time came.

“I realize why he kept me so close to him as a trusted assistant, despite only having worked for
him for half a year. He wanted me by his side so he could uncover my identity,” Lico reasoned.

“Geez, we’ve all been played because of you. I can’t believe all of this was just a ploy to flush
out Rei Mikagami. Well, at least I can rest easy knowing that these Duel Noir cards are all
phonies,” I sighed in relief.

“On the contrary, the fact that they are not is evident of Ryuuzouji’s true, frightening nature,”
Lico shrugged. “The cards aren’t phonies—they’re real. That’s one reason why Ryuuzouji is
known as a genius of parallel thinking and multitasking; he can seamlessly weave multiple plans
into one.”

“Wait, so the Duel Noir is actually going on right now?”

“Yep.”

It was impossible to wrap my head around it all.

How many different plots did Ryuuzouji have planned out? He didn’t have to move an inch from
his headquarters; the press of a button was enough to set everything into motion. This was how
daunting it felt to be facing off against an armchair detective.