The Class Trial room felt even smaller now, the black-and-white marble walls closing in, pressing against our chests until every breath came short and heavy. The crystal chandeliers above flickered faintly, like an irregular heartbeat, while an eerie melody began to seep from hidden speakers—low, ominous notes, like a cracked ancient gamelan mixed with the accelerating tick of a mechanical clock. MonoGaru bounced on its throne, its torn wings creaking like half-mad laughter.
"Is it time to vote now~? Reno or Vina? Black or white? Hope or despair? Choose wrong, and… boom~! Everyone dies! Hihihihi~!"
The call to vote echoed, making everyone more anxious and uneasy. I saw Zahra biting her lip until it turned white, Aulia bowing her head while gripping her batik scarf tightly like a final anchor, Lira closing her eyes as if praying, and even the usually fierce Bima now looking hesitant, his fists clenched but silent. They all exchanged glances, whispering softly, and I could feel it… I could feel their eyes slowly shifting toward my podium.
I was certain now: they were going to vote me as the suspect. Even though I knew, deep in my heart, that I wasn't the killer. I could operate the machine, I held the pin, but I could never have killed Yusuf.
My mind spun wildly, like a broken gear forced to keep turning. The key to everything was that safety pin. If Vina really was the killer, how did she get the pin and kill Yusuf? Was there a detail we missed? I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the flashbacks flood in like a sudden deluge.
Everything replayed in my head, line by line, neatly arranged like the blueprints I always drew when designing a building. When was the last time I saw Yusuf? The scene appeared clearly: we were in the warehouse during Plan B. Me, Yusuf, Aulia, and Vina. Yusuf and Aulia were on top of the container, grabbing spare items from the high shelf—rope, flashlight, or whatever it was, I can't remember. I waited below, holding the safety pin in my vest. At that moment, Vina approached with her usual sweet smile and asked me to teach her how to use the container.
"Reno, teach me. If one day you're not around, what will the rest of us do?" she said.
I agreed and demonstrated: I inserted the safety pin into the slot and slowly moved the lever, lifting the container a little. That was the last time I used the pin. She had gotten close… and whispered something to me.
Everything kept spinning in my head. I remembered after that, I went to pee behind the warehouse. I didn't hear any sound except the distant crash of waves from the pier—maybe that was when the murder happened. I left, met Lira who had just come from the dorm, and she said she was waiting for Vina. I returned to the beach to meet Aulia and Zahra. But… before I returned, I saw Vina coming from another direction, not from the warehouse, to meet Lira. Another direction? From the stone mountain, maybe? Or where? She said she was picking up Lira, but why from a different way?
Then, during the investigation… the black cloth missing from the high shelf, used by the killer to drag Yusuf's body so they wouldn't get blood on themselves. The hidden middle room with the wooden boxes behind the sliding wall—who knew about that room before I did? And the transparent string… that nylon string, found near the lever. What was it for? Why was it there? Everything felt suspicious, something was nagging at me. That string… could it have been used to pull the lever from a distance? Or to temporarily tie the pin? For what…?
MonoGaru laughed again, the music growing louder, like a bomb clock ticking faster.
"Vote now~! Reno? Vina? Choose… or lose~!"
I opened my eyes, my hands trembling on the podium. I had to speak now. I had to. Because everything was starting to become clear… the killer was among us, closer than anyone thought.
Vina suddenly stood straight at her podium, her thin gold necklace gleaming sharply under the flickering crystal lights. Her voice was filled with controlled anger, like a trader being accused of cheating in a black market.
"Fine, explain! Anyone here, please explain why I'm the one being accused! I never had access to that safety pin! The one who held the vest and pin was only Reno! I never touched that lever at all!"
She turned sharply toward Adi, her finger pointing directly at him.
"Adi! You were the one who held Reno's vest in the common room! You brought it from the cave! Maybe you worked with Reno! You secretly gave him the pin, or you took it and gave it to someone else! Why are only me and Reno being accused?!"
Adi shook his head slowly, flipping through his notebook, but his eyes remained calm.
"Vina, are you accusing me because I've been the most vocal in defending him? Remember, I don't understand the container's mechanism. I never went to the warehouse. The evidence doesn't support that."
I stood silent at my podium. My mind spun so hard it felt like gears about to fly apart. The eerie music from MonoGaru grew louder, the mechanical clock ticking mixed with the cracked gamelan making my ears ring.
Aulia suddenly spoke, her voice trembling but firm, like a diplomat signing a final treaty.
"Everyone, think harder! If we choose wrong now, everyone here will die! MonoGaru won't give us a second chance. We have to be certain… or we will all die!"
Her words hit like a cold slap, waking me up. I breathed deeply, my chest tight but slowly opening. I processed the words and feelings of everyone who still believed in me: Aulia whose eyes never wavered, Zahra fiery but full of hope, Adi ready to help even if the world turned against us. I didn't want them to die because of a wrong choice. I didn't want the killer to walk free while the innocent were brutally executed like Yusuf.
I lifted my head, my voice coming out soft but clear.
"I can explain everything."
Vina looked at me sharply, her smile cracking into a sneer.
"Bluffing. You just want to trick us into voting for me. You have no proof at all!"
I looked at her calmly, eyes unblinking.
"Vina… you had access to the safety pin of that lever. Besides me."
The room fell completely silent. Bima immediately burst in.
"What?! How?! You said yourself the pin was always in your vest!"
Selena shook her head quickly, her two-toned hair swaying.
"I don't believe it. Vina never touched Reno's vest."
Zayn raised his hand, asking everyone to stay calm.
"Explain, Reno. If you have proof, say it now."
I took another breath.
"Out of everyone here, only Vina knew exactly where the safety pin was. It was in the right-side pocket of my vest."
Vina immediately denied it, her voice rising.
"You're lying! I never touched your vest! I didn't even get close to you!"
I continued, my voice steady even though my heart was pounding.
"After I demonstrated how to operate the container mechanism for you—during Plan B—you got close to me. You saw me put the pin in the right-side pocket after using it. You took advantage of my surprise when you suddenly approached me. You whispered something that confused me for a second. You said… 'Maybe I'm falling for you, Reno.'"
Adi let out a soft whistle, teasing even in the tense situation.
"Those words could silence any young man. Especially if they come from someone as beautiful and graceful as Vina."
Vina's face flushed, but she quickly denied everything.
"That was just a joke! I didn't mean it! You're the one who's lying!"
I ignored her and continued, my voice growing firmer, my emotions starting to spill over.
"After that, Plan B was carried out, and I left my safety vest in the corridor inside the Stone Mountain cave. I deliberately placed it deep enough to keep it safe. But the killer—moved the vest closer to the cave entrance while everyone was busy splitting up. To make it easier to access later, without being noticed by the group inside the cave. The killer had planned all of this with profit-and-loss calculations like a true trader—low risk, high reward. Kill someone, hide the body, and escape using the new rule."
I paused, my eyes fixed on Vina, whose body was now trembling more violently.
"When everyone split up, the killer—together with the victim—went to the warehouse. The killer kept watching the victim, waiting for the perfect moment. And that moment came… when Lira left the warehouse, leaving the victim and the killer alone. The victim was busy rummaging through the upper shelf and found the hidden room with the wooden boxes. The victim was careless, and the coil of nylon string fell. That was the killer's chance. The killer cut a piece of the string with a sharp piece of glass found in the warehouse—scrap that the killer, as a trader, knew how to use. The killer attached the nylon string to the stolen safety pin. While the victim was busy on the shelf, the killer moved the container with perfect precision—they understood the calculations, not just moving it roughly. The killer moved it slowly, positioning it exactly above the victim, but not too high so the fall would be silent."
Zahra interrupted softly, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Vina… why? Yusuf… he only wanted to protect nature… he didn't deserve to die like that!"
Vina was crying now, tears streaming heavily.
"I… I didn't! Please… believe me!"
I continued, my voice now full of restrained anger.
"After that, the killer asked the victim for help to climb up—the victim, known for being kind-hearted, would definitely help. The killer climbed with difficulty because of the high heels—that's why there were deep scratches on the container wall, from the sharp tip of the heel the killer dug in to steady themselves. Until finally, the killer deliberately let go of the victim's hand—letting the victim slip and fall backward onto the floor. At the same moment, the nylon string forcibly pulled the safety pin—the container immediately fell and crushed the victim's chest while he was lying on his back."
I paused again, my voice trembling with sadness at the thought of Yusuf.
"The victim… he was still alive for a short while. Chest cracked, internal bleeding. But the killer showed no mercy. They immediately raised the container back to its original position, cut the attached nylon string again, and left the piece near the lever. Then they dragged the still-dying victim to the hidden room behind the wooden boxes—they knew the location because they had seen the victim take a box from there earlier. The killer closed the room, covered the body with the black cloth from the upper shelf, and set up false clues to frame me."
I looked around, my voice now filled with emotion—anger at Vina, sadness for Yusuf, and hope for the friends who still believed in me.
"Someone who could do all this—with such perfect timing and deadly precision—is someone who understands every risk extremely well. Someone who would always choose profit over anything else, who wanted to use the new rule to hide the body for one hour and escape without consequences. They didn't care about rebuilding hope—because the more chaos, the more they profited in this ruined world. They are none other than the Ultimate Trader. Vina Aurelia."
Vina collapsed against her podium, hands covering her face, tears flowing heavily.
"No… please… I didn't… I just wanted… my family… safe in this ruined world, is that wrong? Isn't… surviving normal for everyone! I… I didn't do it. Please believe me…"
Aulia gripped her scarf tightly, her voice trembling.
"Vina… why? We could have done everything together… with our hands… not by killing each other…"
Zahra clenched her fists, eyes glassy.
"You… you killed Yusuf just for profit? He… such a good person…! You… you monster!"
MonoGaru laughed uproariously from its throne, its voice flirtatious and piercing like rusty iron being scraped slowly. Its torn wings creaked like enthusiastic applause.
"Wuhahaha~! Such an entertaining first trial~! I never expected you to reach that conclusion so dramatically! Reno… Adi… you two are like a detective duo from an old DVD! Wow, I almost cried from being moved~!"
It jumped slightly, its glowing red eyes blinking like a faulty neon light.
"But… is it time to vote for the killer now? Yes, yes, let's do it~!"
Suddenly, a mechanical button appeared in front of every podium: gray up and down buttons, plus a large red button in the center pulsing slowly like a wounded heart. Above the buttons, a small screen lit up, displaying the names of all the remaining people—including Vina's name blinking faintly red.
MonoGaru tilted its head, its smile widening until it almost reached its mechanical ears.
"Now it's time to choose! Since we live in a democracy—or at least the ruins of one—let democracy decide who will be eliminated~! Press the up or down button to select a name, then press the center button… if you're sure who the killer is~!"
Everyone looked at each other. Breaths held, hands trembling over the buttons. Zayn let out a long breath, his tattoos seeming to move with his emotions.
"Everything is clear. Choose who you believe is guilty. Everything… is clear now."
Vina screamed, her voice breaking with despair and rage.
"No! This is unfair! I didn't… I didn't…"
But her voice grew weaker, drowned out by the cold gazes now fixed on her.
One by one, hands began to move. Zahra pressed the button hard, her eyes glassy but filled with anger. Aulia pressed with trembling hands. Adi pressed without hesitation, eyes full of conviction. Lira pressed while covering her mouth, as if holding back a sob. Rian, Dion, Sinta, Nova, Zayn, Anya, Bima, Krisna—all pressed their buttons.
I looked at Vina one last time. Her eyes pleaded, but I knew… I knew this was the end. I pressed the button with a heavy hand.
MonoGaru bounced excitedly.
"All votes have been collected~! Let's see the results~!"
A large screen descended in the center of the room, displaying massive numbers in blood-red:
14 votes: Vina Aurelia
1 vote: Reno Adi
Vina staggered, her hand covering her mouth.
MonoGaru laughed with delight.
"The people have chosen~! And the chosen one will face their execution~! Goodbye, Ultimate Trader~!"
Before it could be carried out, Vina screamed again, her voice shattering with despair and rage.
"All of you… the most naive and stupid people! You think everyone here holds hope? You think you want to save the world, save people, rebuild civilization like before? But the truth is… not a few think like me! Who prefer chaos to continue! There's no guarantee that with the world's order restored, everyone will live better! Hope… will destroy you! And you… you will die because of your own stupidity!"
She laughed loudly, but the laughter mixed with sobs—mad laughter full of pain. Tears streamed down her face that had once always been sweet.
Suddenly, iron shackles clamped around her ankles, rising from the marble floor. Metal chains snaked like serpents, slowly pulling her backward. Vina tried to resist, her hands thrashing, but her body was dragged into the dark door in the hall wall.
The trial room shifted. The marble walls transformed into massive screens lighting up from all directions, displaying visuals like a giant theater stage. Vina was bound by thick golden chains, standing in the center of a dark stage. Below her, dozens of robot dolls dressed in luxurious clothing—tuxedos, evening gowns, top hats—sat neatly like auction participants. MonoGaru, dressed formally with a red tie and a golden gavel in hand, stood at a side podium next to Vina.
A title appeared above it:
**The Priceless Auction.**
MonoGaru slammed the golden gavel on the wooden table.
"Welcome to the Cracked Hope Auction~! Today's item… the Ultimate Trader, Vina Aurelia! Starting bid… zero rupiah~! Who wants to buy this already broken soul? Huhahuha~!"
The first robot raised a sign: 100 million in fake banknotes!
The second: 10 tons of fake gold!
The third: My own soul!
The bidding grew crazier. One robot bid an entire sunken island, another childhood memories that never existed, another dead hope. With every new bid, the golden chains around Vina tightened—binding her neck, chest, arms, legs. She screamed, but her voice was drowned out by the absurd bids.
"Stop! Please! I… I don't want to die like this!"
The bidding reached its peak… the last robot raised a sign, bidding the entire ruined world. The chains pulled harder. Vina screamed in pain, her body beginning to tear apart—arms detached, legs broken, chest ripped open—red blood spurting like spilled paint. Until finally, nothing remained except golden fragments and torn clothing.
MonoGaru raised the final sign: No price at all.
It slammed the golden gavel once.
"Sold~!"
The large screens went dark. The room fell silent again.
Everyone was stunned. I myself stared wide-eyed, unable to believe that Vina… had paid for her sins with such a brutal execution.
Aulia fell to her knees, her batik scarf slipping to the floor, her hand covering her mouth as she cried softly. Zahra sobbed, her fists clenched until they bled. Lira covered her mouth to hold back vomit, her body shaking. Sinta clutched her head as if trying to contain the madness creeping in. Nova covered his face with his hat, his shoulders trembling. Zayn bit his lip until it bled, eyes red. Adi stared at the screen with eyes full of rage, his notebook falling. Anya tried to stay strong, but her veil was wet. Bima was frozen, his fists open. Dion's face was full of fear. Rian stared sharply, his glasses fogged. Krisna dropped his paintbrush, black ink spilling across the floor.
No one could speak. Only held breaths and soft sobs.
That was the end that awaited those who were guilty.
And we… would witness all of this, would face all of this, until only two people remained.