The Game Of Deception

The lazy man had become an outlier. No one could tell where he stood, and it had already been made clear in the previous round that he sided with logic rather than emotion. The women knew that if they could sway him to their side, they could end the game.

Arthur, on the other hand, needed the lazy man on his side. Without his vote, he wouldn't make it past the next round.

The group had split.

The two women sat together, putting distance between themselves and the two men. Arthur stood alone by a tree, his worry made evident by the restless scratching of his scalp and the constant tapping of his foot. Meanwhile, the lazy man sat alone, meditating, waiting calmly. Out of everyone, he was the least concerned. If things continued as they had in the previous round, he would survive.

Who will make the first move?

The answer came swiftly.

The woman with smudged lipstick approached him. Each step she took echoed in his ears as she drew closer.

"Hello, can we talk?" she asked.

"Of course." The lazy man smiled, but it was the same false, practiced smile he had worn from the beginning.

The two of them walked away from the others, far enough that their conversation couldn't be overheard.

Arthur noticed this immediately.

His heart pounded in his chest as he watched them separate from the group. Panic crept into his veins like poison. He needed to know what they were saying. Moving carefully, he crept closer, silent as a predator stalking its prey.

"You know we can't trust him, right?" the woman whispered, just loud enough for the lazy man to hear.

"Who? Arthur?" Bernard asked, feigning ignorance.

The woman's frustration flared. She knew he understood exactly who she meant, yet he toyed with her, testing her patience. And from the brief flash of emotion she let slip, Bernard could tell—she was near her breaking point.

"Yes, Arthur! Of course, Arthur! Didn't you see how he flipped out the moment he got a vote?" she pressed.

"Any normal person would," Bernard replied smoothly. Then, as if steering the conversation in a different direction, he added, "But what about the girl? She was the first to vote. Was it out of malice… or something else?"

The question was simple, yet it struck the woman like a dagger.

Why had the girl voted for Arthur first?

There had been no clear reason, yet she had done it without hesitation.

Could it have been because Arthur made her reveal her insecurities?

She wasn't forced… she could have refused.

The lazy man sighed, then leaned in slightly. His next words were barely above a whisper.

"That girl—she is mentally unstable. Do you truly wish to align yourself with someone who might turn on you at any moment? A mere shift in emotion could completely alter her judgment."

The woman hesitated.

She hadn't considered it before, but now that the thought was planted in her mind, it festered. The girl could turn against them. Even if the odds were small, it was still a risk.

"What do you propose we do?" she asked, her voice guarded.

The lazy man leaned in closer, his lips almost brushing against her ear.

"Follow my lead."

Arthur, still hiding behind a tree, strained to hear their conversation, but their words were lost to him. Frustrated, he slinked back to camp, his mind spinning with possibilities.

Moments later, Bernard and the woman returned.

Arthur wasted no time.

He approached the lazy man, his expression a mixture of desperation and urgency. He pulled Bernard aside, away from the group.

"Are you planning to go against me?" Arthur demanded, his voice tight with fear.

"Don't worry," Bernard said with that same unreadable smile. "You won't be the next one voted out."

A wave of relief washed over Arthur. His tense expression melted into one of gratitude.

"How did you do it?" he asked.

"Don't worry about it. Just know that everything will be fine."

Hours passed. The atmosphere was suffocating.

Then, the cloaked figure's voice sliced through the silence.

"It's time to make your next decision," it announced, amusement laced in its tone.

There was no hesitation.

The girl with pigtails immediately pointed at Arthur.

Arthur, without missing a beat, pointed right back at her.

Two bright numbers—1—appeared above their heads.

The figure chuckled. "Do you have a reason for voting for each other?"

"She voted for me, so I returned the favor," Arthur said coldly.

The girl remained silent, refusing to answer.

Two votes had been cast. The score stood at 1 to 1, with two votes remaining.

A suffocating stillness overtook the group.

All eyes turned to Bernard.

The lazy man remained eerily still, his expression unreadable. Then, without hesitation, he raised his hand—his finger pointing directly at the girl with pigtails.

2 to 1.

The girl's breath hitched.

"Wh… why did you vote for me?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"No real reason," Bernard said with a smirk, his once placid expression twisting into something far more sinister. "I just don't trust you."

The votes stood at 2 to 1, with one final vote remaining.

If the woman with smudged lipstick voted for Arthur, the count would be tied at 2 to 2. But if she voted for the girl… it would be over.

All eyes were on her.

Slowly, hesitantly, she raised her hand.

Silence reigned.

Then—she pointed.

At the girl with pigtails.

The figure let out a satisfied hum. "So that's your choice?"

"…Yes," the woman whispered, disappointment lacing her voice.

A 3 appeared above the girl's head.

Her fate was sealed.

Just as it had happened before, a scythe emerged from the darkness, its blade gleaming under the crimson sky. It hovered for a moment in front of the girl's trembling neck.

Tears streamed down her face.

Then—

A swift, silent slash.

Her head tumbled from her shoulders. Blood poured from the open wound, pooling beneath her lifeless body.

The woman turned away, unable to stomach the sight.

The cloaked figure's voice returned, filled with glee.

"Thank you for voting. I will be ba—"

A voice interrupted.

A hand was raised.

It was the lazy man.

"We are ready to vote again."