A Year of Jubilee [The Death Note Fanfic]

Chapter 44

Jubilee cleared her throat. Stepping forward, she took the Death Note from L's hands and flipped to the back cover, holding it up to show the group.

"This rule addresses someone who has written in the notebook, in general," she told them. "It does not specify that that person must write a name."

Surprised expressions came over the faces of the task members—including Light. And this time, his was genuine.

Mogi spoke up. "But—but what does it matter, even if that is the case? If you have someone test the rule, even without writing a name, then if that theory is true and the rule is real, that person will still die."

"Correct, Mogi," L said, turning to the other man. "But at least that would rule out a second person definitely dying. You have accurately described the dilemma that remains, however. There is still the matter of the tester possibly dying, which—" He paused, before continuing, "Is not ideal."

"We're talking about a criminal on death row who would be testing it, right?" asked Aizawa. "Hypothetically."

"Correct," answered L.

"And you're saying that it wouldn't be ideal, in your opinion, to risk that criminal dying as a result of testing the thirteen-day rule," continued Aizawa, giving L a dubious look. "Am I getting that right?"

"Yes, Aizawa."

Aizawa turned to Matsuda and muttered under his breath, "Looks like he really has changed."

L graciously ignored the comment and addressed Light, who had been silent this whole time. "What do you think, Light?"

Light raised his eyes to meet L's, hesitating.

"Of our options," L prompted. "And of Miss Amachi's theory that anyone can write anything."

Light slowly stepped forward, taking the notebook from L's hands. "Is that what it says?" he asked, with a tone of just barely hidden reluctance. He glanced down at the back cover, his eyes quickly scanning the words there, before a dark orange glow lit up the black haze around him like angry flames. "So it does," he said evenly.

Jubilee heard a sharp thought projected from somewhere within the fiery haze.

That stupid shinigami.

But then, just as quickly, the thought quieted and became calm, losing its tone of fury.

This changes nothing.

"I guess," continued Light, with a carefully feigned tone of uncertainty, "That what Julie is saying could be true."

Soichiro and the other members had joined him to look at the book. Aizawa took it from him and flipped to the front cover, scanned its contents, then flipped to the back again and did the same.

"Yeah," he said. "There's no context in any of the other rules that would contradict that possibility."

"Even so, Ryuzaki," said Light, "Mogi is right. This doesn't change the fact that, according to the rule, someone would die if they didn't continue writing in the notebook...which you're now saying you'd rather not risk."

L returned Light's gaze. "Yes," he affirmed, sounding almost unhappy about the fact.

Jubilee finally spoke up. "But how certain are you that this rule could prove to be false?"

L glanced at her. "At least ninety percent," he answered softly. The line over his head was thick and straight, though it wavered very slightly.

"What?" cried Matsuda, just as Aizawa exclaimed, "That's ridiculous!"