Future Diary Survival Game

Chapter 4: Self-Introduction - 3

After gaining my own kind of lesson from the first blacksmith, I set a condition to uncover my second occupation.

And after spending as many as six questions, I was finally able to find the person I was looking for.

That very person was the old man standing before me.

“Here’s my question. How many occupations have you discovered so far, and how many people have found out about yours?”

“……I’ve discovered two occupations, and no one has found out mine. Though, I can’t be completely sure about the latter.”

“Good.”

“Why waste a question on something like that?”

“I was looking for someone who’d be the perfect partner to make a deal with us.”

The old man tilted his head in confusion, but Armelia’s eyes lit up as if she had realized something.

She let out a small gasp and said to me,

“Wait. You don’t have to go that far because of me.”

“No. I’m only doing this because it minimizes potential victims.”

“Mason…….”

I turned to the old man.

“You only need to find one more person’s occupation, right? And since no one’s discovered yours yet, even if two people find out, there’s no risk for you.”

“That’s true, but still.”

“Then I’ll tell you one person’s occupation, and in return, you’ll tell both of us yours.”

“…….”

“We also each need to discover just one more. There’s not much time left anyway. I admit it’s a deal where you lose out, but nothing’s more valuable than your life, is it?”

After a moment of hesitation, the old man spoke.

“What if you two sell my occupation to others?”

“Why would we? We already know two occupations each.”

“Do you really? Can I use a question to confirm that?”

“Go ahead.”

The old man immediately asked me a question, and I answered honestly.

Even so, the wrinkles on his face did not smooth out.

“I’d like to believe that won’t happen, but after selling my information, you might receive a monetary reward once you escape this hell.”

“We’re not that kind of shameless people.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Well, that was expected.

I glanced at the board that displayed the remaining time.

About twenty minutes left.

We had to hurry.

There might be others under the same conditions as this old man, but we didn’t have enough time or questions left to look for them.

‘No choice, then.’

I spoke up.

“I’ll provide a guarantee.”

“What kind of guarantee?”

“Magireta!”

Although Magireta was actually very far from here, that inhuman being appeared before us as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“What is it, little brother?”

“Can I ask for a personal favor?”

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with the game.”

“If this old man tells us his occupation, we promise not to sell that information to anyone. Please be our witness to that.”

“What kind of witness exactly?”

“If we sell the old man’s occupation to anyone else, you can take my life.”

The old man was surprised, but Armelia was even more shocked.

“Hey! How can you wager your life so recklessly?”

“There’s not much time.”

“Even so—”

“Let’s first check if it’s even possible before talking more. Sis, can we do it?”

Magireta, who I had just called ‘sis,’ smiled brightly and answered.

“Hm~ It’s not impossible, but the balance must be fair.”

“What do you mean?”

“You both gain the information, but only one life is at stake? If the young lady’s life is also on the line, then I’ll agree.”

I clicked my tongue in frustration.

At that moment, Armelia spoke up.

“Let’s do it.”

“Your H—… ahem, what do you mean? You just scolded me for wagering my life carelessly.”

“I know you were looking for someone suitable because you were worried about me. I should have at least that much resolve.”

“…….”

“Magireta, I’ll stake my life as well. Do it that way.”

Magireta shrugged.

“I don’t know why you’re saying it like an order, but fine. I promise on my name.”

“Doesn’t sound like a name worth much, but fine.”

“Young people these days have no manners.”

Grumbling, Magireta flew away into the sky with a whoosh.

I looked back at the old man.

His pupils were noticeably dilated.

“You young ones are quite reckless.”

“It’s a situation that demands recklessness.”

“……Alright then. If you’ve gone that far, I can’t help but trust you.”

He slowly revealed his occupation.

And in turn, we told him Mr. Forgotten’s occupation.

Thus, both Armelia and I were able to safely discover three occupations each.

Fifty minutes after the game began—

With only ten minutes remaining before the end, I met Mr. Forgotten again at our promised location.

‘I didn’t think he’d show up.’

If I hadn’t appeared, he would’ve realized he’d been deceived.

And since an enraged me could’ve spread his occupation to everyone, he must’ve decided it was safer to meet and calm things down.

“Mason. Did you manage to uncover all the occupations?”

“Yes. What about you?”

“I somehow managed it too.”

“…….”

“Then we’re both safe now, huh?”

He narrowed his eyes as he asked, closely watching my expression.

I answered, almost amazed at how naturally the words came out.

“Yes. I’m really glad.”

And then, I smiled.

Mr. Forgotten seemed to think that my calm tone and expression were enough reassurance.

He said he’d move separately for a while and stepped away from me.

In the meantime, Armelia, who had approached my side, spoke.

“Was that man your employer?”

“Yes.”

“You must have had a hard time.”

“No. To be honest... he treated me quite well. For the past three years.”

Of course, I had worked hard too.

During those three years, the restaurant had grown more than twice its original size, and I was confident that more than eighty percent of that was thanks to me.

Still, no matter how I put it, it was true that Mr. Forgotten had taken me in when I had nowhere else to go.

“...Do you regret it? Spreading word about that man’s job?”

“No. He did the same thing, just on a larger scale.”

“Then stop making that face.”

“What kind of face am I making?”

Armelia didn’t answer and instead changed the subject.

She pointed toward the blacksmith from earlier.

“Anyway, that’s a relief. That man—whose child’s birthday is tomorrow—will be safe too.”

Just before meeting Mr. Forgotten, the blacksmith had somehow obtained information about two other people’s professions and handed it to Armelia.

Armelia had replied to him like this:

-Use that for yourself.

-Huh? What?

-Instead, don’t mention my profession or this man’s. Especially mine. As a princess, I despise the thought of my name being dragged into something so disgraceful. If we make it out alive, people will gossip endlessly.

-But you said you need to save your attendants and retainers...

-That’s not something you should concern yourself with, is it?

The blacksmith nodded reluctantly, his expression unwilling.

At that moment, I had read “discontent” in his eyes.

Just as I was about to tell Armelia about it, Magireta’s voice rang out.

“Bam-ba-da-bam! Time over. Everyone, from now on—don’t even open your mouths! Say one word, and off goes your head.”

My heart pounded.

Magireta spoke.

“Now it’s grading time. You had a whole hour, but anyone who failed to figure out at least three professions dies. And those who foolishly revealed their own jobs to as many as three people in this cruel world—also die.”

“……”

“Alright. A few died along the way, but there’s still a huge crowd left, so let’s move quickly. You there, in the front! What professions did you find out?”

Drum roll.

Magireta clapped her hands against the air like she was beating a drum.

The man she pointed at opened his mouth.

“That person’s a carpenter, that one runs a butcher’s shop... and that one’s, uh, a farmer, I think.”

“Wrong! The last one’s incorrect. Still, good effort!”

Slash.

A thin line appeared across the man’s neck.

He let out a confused “Huh?” before his head hit the ground.

Splash.

His blood soaked the earth.

It was a sight I’d already seen several times, yet people still dropped to the floor or screamed in terror.

But I—

“Shall we move on to the next person?”

—focused on something else.

“Wait! You can’t do it like that.”

I shouted and raised my hand high.

Armelia looked at me, startled, her expression stiff with shock.

With only her lips, she mouthed:

Are you insane?

Magireta glanced at me and said,

“Oh, my little brother. But didn’t I just tell everyone to keep quiet?”

“……”

“I’m kidding. If you’re curious, you should ask. I’m quite generous, you know.”

I slowly opened my mouth.

“Isn’t it unfair to mention who got it right or wrong?”

“Hm?”

“Announcing the grading results like that is unfair. The later someone goes, the more of an advantage they’ll have.”

The man who had just died had guessed two professions correctly and one wrong—and still died.

And Magireta had openly revealed which ones were correct and which were not for everyone to hear.

That meant the identities of those two correctly guessed professions were now exposed to everyone here.

The later the turn, the more cases like this would pile up—so even those who hadn’t discovered three professions might find loopholes to survive.

But Magireta replied indifferently,

“So what? What were the professions that got mentioned earlier?”

“Are you kidding me? Just now, that person was... huh? Wait. That person definitely—”

I found myself looking at Armelia Kerr Dneroum without meaning to.

She shook her head with a confused expression.

I felt cold sweat trickle down my back.

‘My memory… didn’t come back. It had just happened.’

Magireta asked playfully.

“You forgot, didn’t you?”

“……”

“For someone like my little brother who once lost their memories, that might be traumatic. Anyway, don’t worry. I just erased the grading results from everyone’s heads.”

She had erased the memories of all these people in an instant?

Magireta swept her gaze across the crowd gathered in the field.

“You all were so hopeful, weren’t you? Thinking that if grading was done like that, it wouldn’t matter if you hadn’t found out their jobs within the time limit. That there’d be a way to survive.”

“……”

“Heh heh. I wanted to see those desperate faces. Honestly, it was an even more spectacular show that I could have watched longer. My little brother ruined it by butting in.”

I understood.

That woman had intentionally made the grading announcements audible to everyone.

To give people temporary hope.

And then, by erasing their memories, to turn that hope back into despair.

“Anyway, this should put your mind at ease, right? Little brother.”

“……How is such a thing possible?”

“Why make such a fuss over this. I told you—”

Magireta continued casually.

“I’m pretty omnipotent, you know.”

The grading proceeded very quickly.

It was a strange experience.

Given the countless throng, I had expected the grading to continue for days.

Though time was flowing normally, it felt as if everything had ended in mere minutes… that unplaceable sensation.

Was this also Magireta’s omnipotence?

In any case, when I came to my senses, more than half of the people had already finished being graded.

‘A third of them were dead.’

The ground was bright red.

The blood and bodies of those eliminated stained my entire view.

And next.

Magireta pointed to the Blacksmith as usual.

“All right, next person. What professions did you find out?”

At that moment Armelia Kerr Dneroum murmured.

“Phew. At least this time I won’t have to watch anyone die.”

“They will.”

“As I thought... Wait, what did you just say?”

I answered calmly once more.

“That person will die.”