Flicker AE: Shadows Of Leronzo

Case 1 | END

The air in the dimly lit room was thick with tension. Veronica sat across from the girl, her posture relaxed, but her eyes were sharp—too sharp.

The girl finally spoke, her voice cutting through the silence.

"You still haven't told me."

Veronica raised an eyebrow. "Told you what?"

"Don't play dumb. Out of the participants, three of them lost the person closest to them. And you were behind it. Why only three?"

A pause. Veronica exhaled slowly, her gaze drifting to the shadowy corners of the room. "Do I really need to spell it out for you?"

"Yes," the girl said firmly. "You do."

Veronica leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "You noticed the similarities between those three, didn't you?"

"I did. But I don't see how that connects."

Veronica's tone turned cold, deliberate. "Listen very carefully, I won't explain this to you again. Back when the clan existed, they had a purpose. Even when they killed without mercy, they had reasons—twisted ones, sure, but reasons nonetheless."

The girl nodded, slowly. "But now the clan's gone. Just the Overseer remains."

"Exactly. And without the clan, there's no ideology, no cause, no... anchor. The so-called 'Evil Team'—they're just hollow minds that are filled with grief... which is why I had to step in."

"To manipulate them?" the girl asked.

"No. To give them something. A reason. Even if it's a lie."

The girl narrowed her eyes. "Go on."

"I killed the people dearest to those three, you know that much. Then I told each of them—separately—that twelve of the other participants, soon to be thirteen, were somehow involved in the deaths."

The girl's expression twisted in disbelief. "And they bought that? They just believed more than half the group had a hand in it? Especially when the group is... stuck in this mess, just like those three?"

Veronica shrugged. "I made sure they did. I forged evidence. Photos, files, recordings. Enough to convince them they couldn't trust anyone else."

"Wouldn't they suspect you?"

"They saw my face, yes," Veronica said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But they don't remember it. Not really."

"Ah, I see. I should've seen that coming." The girl leaned back, frowning. "You... also said you were worried about one of them?"

"Yes. She's been pulling away from the others. On purpose."

"Isolation's dangerous."

"It is. It's not a great strategy... but maybe it works for her. For now."

The girl nodded slowly, then shifted gears. "There's something else I don't get. How did the Murderer kill Elizabeth? Everyone was in the same room. Someone should've seen something."

Veronica inhaled deeply. "It was a coordinated effort. The Murderer wasn't acting alone."

"I figured as much."

"They had help from the Assassin... and an outsider."

The girl's brows drew together. "An outsider?"

Veronica nodded. "Someone, a participant, within the game itself. The Assassin paid them off—offered a large sum to assist. And technically, I suppose there's no rule against bribing others."

"So what happened?"

"When the lights went out, the Assassin swapped places with the Murderer—quietly, in the confusion. While everyone was panicking and trying to find a way to stay safe, the Murderer slipped out."

"That's when Elizabeth was killed?"

"Yes. Very quickly, in fact, and cleanly. After that, the Murderer and Assassin then switched places again. The Assassin handed the body to the outsider, who hoisted it over the balcony to stage the scene, and told them not to say a word about anything that happened. Of course, thanks to the payment the outsider received... it all worked out."

"And no one noticed?"

"Not in the dark. Not with everyone disoriented. By the time the lights came on and the body was discovered, the Murderer was back in place—blameless. The Assassin and outsider re-entered the scene with the others."

The girl sat silently, taking it all in.

"That's... incredibly elaborate."

"It had to be," Veronica said. "Otherwise, it would've fallen apart."

"... Yeah. By the way, Veronica. As the host, I fear you're too... soft on the participants. If you want your plan to go your way, you need them to dislike you, I believe? Shortly after I'm introduced into the game, it might benefit you to grow a backbone."