Wait fuck... Doesn't that confirm Ashley is unlikely to be Nishina with the way he died ? Unless he was just wounded on not killed. What if Watanabe is Ashley too... That could explain why he didn't want to reveal who he was.
Yes and no.
We know a couple rules for how magic works:
- We know that only ppl killed by magic are reincarnated
- We know that ppl who know about healing magic die if healed.
- We know that healing non-priests gets you excommunicated, same for revealing its existence to non-priests
- We know there are exceptions for ex-priests
- We know that there are no other rules regarding healing magic because of special division priest girl.
- We know that nobles has their unique magic inherited by top 4 kids as they grow older
- We know that ppl get magic based on social position (aka job), but still only nobels as non-nobles aren't awakened.
Next, what we know about nishima from subjective perspectives is:
- We know that nishima knew about healing magic
- We know that nishima was healed by maki without dying, and without maki being excommunicated
- We know that nishima told nauromon about healing magic right before the inquisition, excommunicating himself if he were a priest (red herring?)
- We know that 'after being excummonicated' he couldn't use priest spells, but could still use "common magic".
- We know that nishima is aware about glens heritage.
- We know that nishima is claiming to be ashley
- We know that that ashley was killed by sword and not magic, so didn't reincarnate (and that nauromon knows this)
- We know that lucas is not ashley (from a flashback where both were visible at same time)
And finally, we know a few objective facts thanks to having seen from nishima's perspective:
- Nishima is ashley, we have seen flashbacks from his perspective.
- Nishima was unaware of mc's identity until the duel
- Nishima was super glad to learn mc was eugene before that, and truly believe it until duel
- The mastermind were still trying to find eugene between duel and nishima finding out that mc is eugene.
So what we can say with
certainty is this: Nishima is ashley who reincarnated without reincarnating, Is
not the mastermind, is
not lucas (and in fact indirectly killed by him to shut him up), were a priest at least for some time (potentially ex-priest), and knew he was going to get caught.
We also know that he does not mind murdering tashiano or excommunicating priests, or both in a manner where he ensures the priest will blame themselves in this new life, etc.
And about mastermind, we know he was there during the duel.
About kill order, we don't know why it was made publicly where anyone could find it first.