Chapter 2 Fight and flight

 

“—Haa… Haa…”

 

Erratic breaths brushed against my eardrums repeatedly.

 

The pounding of my racing heart was so loud I almost wanted to close my eyes.

 

“Mm…”

 

In the center of my vision, Himeji, dressed in her Eimei Academy uniform, turned her face away slightly, desperately stifling her voice. Her reaction was unavoidably sensual. Each time she squirmed, the faint sound of fabric rubbing against fabric grazed my ears.

 

“H… Himeji, your voice is slipping a little. Can you hold it in?”

 

“A… Y-Yes. I’ll… try…!”

 

Pinned beneath me on the classroom floor, Himeji nodded vigorously. Even she couldn’t maintain her usual composure in this situation—her cheeks were faintly flushed, and a thin sheen of tears glimmered at the corners of her eyes.

 

I felt guilty about it, but for now, she’d have to endure.

 

“We just need to wait until the pursuers lose sight of us. Sorry, but hang in there a bit longer…!”

 

“…! (Nod, nod, nod!)”

 

Sweating profusely, I pleaded in a low voice, and Himeji responded with frantic nods. We were mere centimeters apart. In this hovering position, various parts of our bodies were already touching, but neither of us had the luxury to care. We focused solely on suppressing our voices to weather this moment.

 

And then, about three minutes later.

 

“…They’re gone, right…?”

 

Confirming that the footsteps outside the classroom had completely faded, I slowly lifted myself up. Maintaining a low posture, I peered through the window into the hallway—no shadows in either direction. For good measure, I opened my device and launched the “Company”’s detection program, which confirmed no nearby device signals.

 

“Phew…”

 

“…Master? Is it safe to get up now?”

 

“Y-Yeah. Sorry.”

 

Startled by the voice close by, I hurriedly extended a hand. Gently, I helped Himeji, who had been lying between desks (a spot invisible from the hallway), sit up.

 

…Hiding in the classroom to evade pursuers had been the right call, but our initial positioning hadn’t been ideal. In our haste to jump in, I ended up pinning her down, and since we couldn’t make any noise, we couldn’t move. I had to support my entire body with my arms to avoid pressing against her, all while her breath near my ear threatened to melt my resolve. It had been a grueling mission.

 

“Didn’t hurt, did it, Himeji? Sorry—I wish I’d been the one on the bottom at least.”

 

“No. I was the one who fell first, so you have no reason to apologize, Master. Besides, you wrapped your arm around me just before we fell.”

 

“If that’s the case, then good…”

 

That had only made us press closer together, but since Himeji didn’t seem to mind, I decided not to dwell on it.

 

“…But man, this event is tougher than I thought.”

 

Brushing the dust off my slightly dirty uniform, I sighed.

 

The Eimei Academy in-school event, the “District Selection Battle”—our strategy and approach had been fully set by yesterday: a game of evasion. With little time to prepare for each “Exercise”, crafting a cheating-included plan was challenging, so we wanted to minimize the number of challenges I received as much as possible. Even without that, I was already getting too much attention. According to LNN’s pre-event poll, over seven thousand people had named Hiroto Shinohara as the person they “absolutely wanted to challenge in an “Exercise”” during the event.

 

…Even with Himeji’s support, thousands of consecutive battles were absurd.

 

So, over the past few days, we’d prepared various tools for escaping: functions like the “Device Detection” that could search for the locations of all remaining participants, and the “Simple Jamming” program that could briefly block incoming “Exercise” challenges during breaks. But…

 

“There are just too many pursuers… They chase me no matter where I go on campus.”

 

“Indeed. Compared to previous years, this event is unusually intense. Likely, Master—the allure of being able to ‘play’ a game against the current 7-star with no risk is simply too great. Losing an “Exercise” means elimination from the “District Selection Battle”, but there’s no worry of losing stars.”

 

“Yeah, that’s probably it… Hmm.”

 

Nodding slightly, I tilted my head, sensing a faint unease. …Even if “you won’t lose stars,” the “District Selection Battle” was still a significant event. Anyone seriously aiming for a high ranking should avoid reckless attacks.

 

“…But oh well, no point overthinking it. For now, we’ve successfully evaded during this break. If we keep this up, we should be fine for a while.”

 

“Right. Given the survival nature of the game, the number of pursuers should gradually decrease from now on… If nothing unexpected happens, we should be able to avoid “Exercises” until the final stages.”

 

Facing each other directly, we nodded quietly in agreement.

 

And so, after killing some time, Himeji and I decided to head back to the classroom.

 

The anomaly struck about two hours later, right at the start of lunch break.

 

(Hm…)

 

Reaching into my pocket to activate the “Simple Jamming” program on my device to block the flood of “Exercise” challenges that would come any second, I suddenly froze. …Something was off. The program, which I could usually launch with a single tap, wouldn’t open. Worse, the device itself seemed to be faintly vibrating.

 

(Why… Could it be that a notification came in at this exact moment, and the screen switched…?)

 

Realizing this possibility a moment too late, I yanked the device out in a panic.

 

But it was already too late.

 

“Shinohara-kun, please have an “Exercise” with me!”

 

“Wha—”

 

By the time my fingers touched the screen, Kaede Tatara, seated in front of me, had spun around, her usual fluffy smile still on her face as she pointed her device straight at me.

 

(W-Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!?)

 

Internally screaming in full panic, I checked my device’s display without letting my expression change. Hoping against hope that there might be some mistake and the challenge hadn’t gone through, I was met with the harsh reality: Kaede’s “Exercise” request had already been fully accepted.

 

In other words—evasion failed.

 

“Yay! You couldn’t escape this time. That was close~.”

 

“Close…? Kaede, since when were you this aggressive?”

 

“Nope, I’m usually not like this at all! But, you know, it’s not every day I get a chance to have a serious game with you, Shinohara-kun! I’m the class rep, so I want to at least put up a good fight! Hmph!”

 

Still seated, she leaned her upper body toward me, her ponytail bouncing energetically as her eyes sparkled with excitement. As for me—while outwardly maintaining my cool—I was inwardly gripped by intense frustration.

 

(I didn’t expect to be cornered this quickly… Damn it, what was that just now?)

 

Silently operating my device, I pulled up the earlier notification. It turned out to be not a call or DM, but a single post sent to the “Hiroto Shinohara” account I maintained on STOC, a public platform. I usually had all STOC notifications turned off, so I couldn’t figure out why this one had slipped through.

 

The root of all evil that had disrupted the “Simple Jamming” at the perfect moment.

 

If this turned out to be another of the headmaster’s pranks, I’d have some words for her, I thought as I opened the message—and in that instant,

 

“Sender: Noa Akizuki”

 

“Message: Hehe, it’s nothing♡”

 

“…”

 

The content was so far from what I expected that my brain stalled for a moment, leaving me speechless. …Nothing? What did that mean? It could be interpreted as a plea for attention, but Noa and I had only met yesterday. We weren’t close enough to chat casually. Moreover, the message was sent right at the end of fourth period—timing so precise it felt deliberate. And indeed, because of this, I failed to avoid Kaede’s “Exercise”.

 

(Could it be… Noa figured out my strategy of ‘running away’ and deliberately targeted me to sabotage it?)

 

The thought crossed my mind. …It wasn’t certain yet, but it was entirely possible. At the very least, I needed to raise my guard several notches.

 

And then—

 

“Um… S-Sorry, Shinohara-kun? Was it… that unpleasant…?”

 

Misinterpreting my lowered gaze, Kaede in front of me wilted, looking apologetic. Seeing her like that, I quickly shifted my focus. …Well, above all, once an “Exercise” challenge was accepted, there was no way to retract it. For now, I’d set Noa aside and concentrate on this.

 

“…”

 

Glancing briefly at Himeji beside me, she shifted her body slightly toward me and gave a faint nod. Kagaya-san was on standby through the earpiece, and our support system was in place. I wasn’t about to lose easily now.

 

So,

 

“—It’s not that I mind. I’m just getting a bit tired of being targeted so much. But well, since it’s already accepted, I have no choice. I’ll take you on… or rather, after school if that works.”

 

“Really!?”

 

“Yeah, really. But, Kaede, promise me one thing—don’t cry if you lose, got it?”

 

“W-Well…”

 

As expected—or rather, predictably—the match was over in an instant once it began.

 

“…I lost!”

 

“”Whoa!!!””

 

The moment Kaede, trembling with frustration, squeezed out those words, the gallery gathered in Class 2-A after school erupted in a mix of awe and shock. …It was a mock game for the event, a variant of Seven Bridge combined with Hanafuda—complex and well-balanced, but the result was undeniably my overwhelming victory.

 

“Ugh~… No good, huh.”

 

Wiping her forehead as if sweating, Kaede continued with a dejected expression.

 

“I was pretty confident, too… But I couldn’t even put up a fight.”

 

“…Well, there’s also the difference in abilities. The rules were well-adjusted, and your strategy wasn’t bad at all, I think.”

 

“Eh, really!? Seriously!? Wow, wow, Shinohara-kun praised me!”

 

Jumping up and down with even higher energy than usual, Kaede raised both hands in triumph. Avoiding the sight of her bouncing chest, I thought to myself quietly.

 

(Not bad, huh… No, no, without cheating, I would’ve lost for sure.)

 

Yes. As expected of Class 2-A’s class rep, Kaede Tatara was a formidable opponent. Thanks to Kagaya-san’s support manipulating my draws, I pulled through, but without cheating, I would’ve faced a tough battle.

 

Of course, in terms of sheer strength, Saionji or Kugasaki far surpassed her, but what made this particularly troublesome was the fact that this was an event. Unlike “Duels” where stars were at stake, losing an “Exercise” in the “District Selection Battle” carried no risk beyond elimination. That changed the gameplay dynamic. Caution waned, and bold, gamble-like plays became viable. High-risk, high-reward strategies made sense.

 

For me, who couldn’t afford to lose under any circumstances, this was a severely disadvantageous setup.

 

“Amazing, amazing…! With you, Hiroto-kun, winning is a sure thing! Yep!”

 

“…”

 

Feeling a twinge of guilt under Kaede’s pure, sparkling gaze, I quietly stood up.

 

Just then—well, more accurately, we had adjusted the end time of the “Exercise” to coincide— the chime signaling 5 p.m. rang out, finally lowering the curtain on the first day of the grueling “District Selection Battle”.

 

♯

 

“—Pardon the wait, Master.”

 

A clear voice accompanied the soft clink of a teacup being set down.

 

After that—once Kaede’s “Exercise” was over and the challenge window had passed—we returned home at a leisurely pace, no longer needing to worry about being spotted. The most merciful aspect of the “District Selection Battle” was that challenges couldn’t be issued outside the designated time or area.

 

Still, running around during every break and, though I didn’t show it, being mentally drained from the match with Kaede had left both Himeji and me quite exhausted. That’s why we’d been taking turns using the bathroom until now.

 

“Yeah, thanks.”

 

I took a sip of the black tea Himeji had prepared. She usually served it unsweetened, but this time, perhaps to help with fatigue recovery, there was a subtle sweetness.

 

“Phew… It’s really good. Hot tea is the best in situations like this.”

 

“Indeed. A combination of hot tea and a tired body is a classic remedy. …But, Master, are you sure it was alright for me to use the bath first? I pushed earlier, but shouldn’t you have gone first in a situation like this?”

 

“Don’t worry about it. If I left you alone, you’d probably change into your maid uniform sweaty and start cleaning or doing laundry, right? That’d be too much, even for me.”

 

“I see… Indeed, forcing you to watch that might make you seem like quite the eccentric. My apologies.”

 

Smiling faintly, Himeji performed a graceful bow. Her neatly combed silver hair fanned out, and the faint scent of shampoo tickled my nose. …I hadn’t meant it that way, but being called eccentric was better than worse. Besides, Himeji added in a quiet voice, “To be honest… I was relieved,” so I figured it was just her way of hiding embarrassment.

 

Eventually, rising from her bow, she looked at me straight on with her clear blue eyes.

 

“Anyway—good work today, Master. That marks the end of day one. One-seventh of the event is now complete… How do you feel? Any sense of how it’s going?”

 

“Well… For starters, I’m relieved the “Device Detection” and “Simple Jamming” we prepared in advance seem effective. But everyone’s more aggressive than I expected.”

 

“Yes, indeed. I looked into it earlier, and the current number of ‘survivors’—participants who haven’t been eliminated—is already below five thousand. With about nine thousand students enrolled in Eimei Academy High School, that means nearly half were eliminated on the first day alone. There’s hardly any precedent for eliminations at this pace.”

 

“So it is like that… Oh, and by the way, there’s something else bothering me—the notification from earlier.”

 

Crossing my arms, I closed my eyes in thought. …The STOC notification that had thwarted my evasion of Kaede’s “Exercise”. Its perfectly timed delivery and the nonsensical content, “It’s nothing♡.”

 

“Nine times out of ten, it was deliberate. Noa likely figured out that my main strategy was ‘running away’ and sent that message at that exact moment to sabotage it.”

 

“Hmm… So, is Akizuki-sama the ‘mastermind’ behind something in the “District Selection Battle”?”

 

“No, it’s too early to say that. It could be as simple as her wanting to eliminate a 7-star to secure a higher rank in the event. Sending a message isn’t cheating or anything… Well, it’s ambiguous either way.”

 

I spoke cautiously. Noa was definitely suspicious, but it was premature to jump to conclusions.

 

More importantly, my priority now was to progress steadily through the event. Given today’s pace, I could easily imagine being chased relentlessly tomorrow. Moreover, in a survival game like this, the remaining opponents would only get tougher as the days passed.

 

“Yes, you’re absolutely right.”

 

As my thoughts reached that point, Himeji nodded, her silver hair swaying lightly.

 

“Given these developments, it’s becoming uncertain whether we can keep dodging “Exercises” until the final day. So… actually, I had the “Company” prepare a certain device function.”

 

“Huh… A device function? But Himeji, you were with me all day today, right?”

 

Hearing it put into words made her blush slightly, but she nodded. “Yes, that’s correct. I was with you the whole time. …However, I’m not the one in charge of electronic devices for the “Company”. They said they’d be here soon, and—oh, it looks like they’ve just arrived.”

 

Right as Himeji glanced at the room’s clock, the familiar chime of the doorbell echoed through the house. Checking the camera at the front gate, I saw a familiar woman waving her hand energetically.

 

Unlocking the door via the panel, a few seconds later, brisk footsteps burst in.

 

“—Sorry for the wait! Hiro-kun, Shirayuki-chan, you guys okay? Look, look, big sis brought souvenirs!”

 

“…Um, Kagaya-san. The volume control knob isn’t responding. Is it a bug?”

 

“No, no, no, Shirayuki-chan! This Kagaya-san isn’t just a voice on a screen—she’s the real deal! What you’re pulling isn’t a knob, it’s my smooth cheek!”

 

“Squish… Squish… Hmm, that’s odd. It’s gotten louder. Squish, squish.”

 

“Eek! Eek! …I told you, it’s not like that~!”

 

“…”

 

The slightly older woman—Kagaya-san—was being cheek-pinched by Himeji while clutching a pastry box protectively.

 

She, like Himeji, was a member of the “Company”. With a casual tone, casual attire (usually a tracksuit), no makeup, and perpetually messy hair, she epitomized the laid-back older sister type. Her features were actually quite attractive, but her personality and speech often overshadowed that, giving her the air of a “regrettable beauty.” Despite that, she was exceptionally skilled with PCs and devices, and I’d relied on her heavily since starting this “lie.”

 

“Phew… That was rough. Is Shirayuki-chan going through a rebellious phase or what? Sigh.”

 

Finally freed from Himeji’s grip, Kagaya-san plopped down opposite me, casually remarking as she placed the pastry box on the table and carefully unpacked its contents.

 

“Oh…”

 

Inside were three éclairs—fluffy pastry shells filled with generous cream and strawberries, topped with a crunchy cookie crust, the epitome of chic elegance.

 

Admiring them with satisfaction, Kagaya-san said in high spirits:

 

“Hehe… How’s that! This is what you call girl power! Instagram-worthy! I caused you guys a bit of trouble yesterday, so I bought these as an apology!”

 

“Wow… They look delicious. Thank you.”

 

“You’re such a good boy, Hiro-kun! Here, here, Shirayuki-chan? It’s your favorite, right~?”

 

“…I won’t deny it. Regrettably, my fondness for Kagaya-san is gradually increasing. But this logo… Isn’t this from that new shop in District Seventeen? Kagaya-san, were you out enjoying yourself while we were struggling in the “District Selection Battle”—”

 

“Guh! N-No, that’s not it! Look, I was supporting you, wasn’t I? I guided you during escapes and coded the device function while waiting in line… It’s fine, isn’t it~!”

 

“I’m not saying it’s not. But… you didn’t have to go alone, did you?”

 

“…Huh? Shirayuki-chan, are you not angry but pouting?”

 

“I’m not pouting.”

 

“Wha—what!? Hiro-kun, Hiro-kun, are you seeing this!? Isn’t she super cute!?”

 

“I’m not cute!”

 

While pouring hot coffee for Kagaya-san, Himeji suddenly turned away, hugging the silver tray to her chest in a huff (adorably, no matter how you looked at it). Kagaya-san narrowed her eyes as if beholding something precious, plucked a strawberry from her éclair, and held it to Himeji’s lips.

 

“Come on, Shirayuki-chan, apology, apology. Say ‘ahh’ so I can feed you?”

 

“Eh… B-But, in front of Master—”

 

“It’s fine, Hiro-kun’s probably thrilled anyway. Here, go!”

 

Without even glancing at me, Kagaya-san popped the small strawberry into Himeji’s hesitant mouth. Himeji’s eyes widened in shock, but her resistance lasted only a moment. As she chewed, her expression gradually softened. Seizing the moment, Kagaya-san slowly raised her right hand, running it through Himeji’s silver hair in a gentle stroke.

 

“Such beautiful hair, as always… It’s mesmerizing.”

 

“…Please don’t flaunt it like that, Kagaya-san. It’s hard to react.”

 

“Ehh~? You’re the one saying that, Hiro-kun? After pinning Shirayuki-chan down at school?”

 

“! ? That was an accident!!”

 

Panicking, I hurried to defend myself against Kagaya-san’s teasing. …Now that I thought about it, the “Company” had full access to nearly all my actions at school for support purposes. Thank goodness I hadn’t let my guard down earlier.

 

“A-Anyway… Kagaya-san, didn’t you come here to explain something? You’ve been lounging around since you got here.”

 

Deciding I couldn’t let her take control of the conversation, I broached the main topic myself. She clapped her hands and said, “Oh, right,” then rummaged through her bag, pulling out a laptop alongside the pastry box.

 

“Right, right, that’s why I’m here. Work, work… Oh, Shirayuki-chan, you can sit over there too. This might take a bit.”

 

“? If that’s the case, I should prepare dinner—”

 

“No, no, no. I’ll help with that later, big sis-style.”

 

“…Kagaya-san, you don’t even know how to hold a knife properly.”

 

Reluctantly following the instructions of Kagaya-san (a girl who couldn’t cook), Himeji sat next to me, exposing this shocking fact. …It had become her usual spot lately, but not long ago, she’d sat diagonally in front or a few seats away, which felt oddly ticklish now.

 

Whether she noticed or not, Kagaya-san smiled faintly and began.

 

“For starters, I heard about today’s events over the comms, so I’ve got the gist. Basically, it seems the programs we prepared won’t be enough to escape until the end… right?”

 

“Well, roughly speaking, yeah. The “Simple Jamming” got disrupted, and there were way more pursuers than expected…”

 

“Mm-hmm. So, for our dear, troubled Hiro-kun, big sis whipped up a new device function. I call it… the “Substitute Technique”!”

 

“…The Substitute Technique?”

 

The name instantly brought a certain red-haired girl to mind, making my heart skip a beat, but it probably had nothing to do with her. It’d be amusing if Kagaya-san started talking about “posing as a refined lady at school” or something, but that wouldn’t exactly solve anything either.

 

Handing over my device as prompted by Kagaya-san across from me, I continued in a skeptical tone.

 

“Uh… what does it do?”

 

“Right, right. Let me explain from the start. First—as you probably know, the way challenges are issued in Eimei’s “District Selection Battle” is a bit different from regular “Duels”. You have to get within three meters of the person you want to challenge, point your device at them, and tap the “Exercise” icon. That’s how the challenge gets sent.”

 

“Got it.”

 

“And since there’s that three-meter limit, the event must use the device’s location data to identify the challenge target. Like, specifying the coordinates—horizontal, vertical, and height—of the person you’re targeting. …So, we decided to mess with that.”

 

“Mess with it…? What do you mean?”

 

“Hmm, it’s like this. It’s kinda like an advanced version of the “Display Bug” ability we used in your “Duel” with Phoenix-kun. We completely rewrite Hiro-kun’s coordinate data. If we do that, starting tomorrow, there’s zero chance of you receiving “Exercise” challenges. But that’d be too suspicious, so we thought, why not overlay Hiro-kun’s coordinates onto Shirayuki-chan’s?”

 

“Overlay…? Wait, you mean redirecting challenges meant for me straight to Himeji?”

 

“Exactly! That’s why it’s called the “Substitute Technique”. By glitching the coordinates, any “Exercise” challenges sent to Hiro-kun will go to Shirayuki-chan’s device instead. Shirayuki-chan will take them on for you. Of course, if she gets eliminated, the trick won’t work anymore, but it should still make escaping a lot easier!”

 

“Oh… wow…”

 

As Kagaya-san finished her explanation, I let out a small breath of awe. …Having Himeji shield me felt a bit off, but it was undeniably a strategy with significant potential. Even if someone tried to challenge me, they’d end up facing Himeji instead, and once that happened, there was no way to cancel it.

 

“But in exchange, you and Shirayuki-chan have to stick together pretty much all the time. Otherwise, people might suspect a glitch, or worse, the cheating could get exposed… So, Hiro-kun, you’re getting a sweet deal, huh~?”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. …But one question. Is Himeji okay with this? Being a ‘substitute’ doesn’t exactly sound like a fun role…”

 

“? Is that so? If it means helping Master, I’d say it’s more of a privilege.”

 

“Huh… Okay, if you’re fine with it, then good.”

 

Caught off guard by Himeji’s immediate, unquestioning response, I covered my face with one hand.

 

…Anyway, with the function Kagaya-san just explained added, we could probably buy ourselves two or three days. Even if the “Simple Jamming” got disrupted like it did today, the “Substitute Technique” would cover that gap. And—though we didn’t need it today—we also had an emergency escape measure prepared just in case. If everything went smoothly, surviving until the seventh day wouldn’t be an impossible task. …If everything went smoothly.

 

(I know that’s not gonna happen… But still, we’ve got to play every card we have.)

 

Exhaling a soft “Phew…” as I mulled this over, I glanced up just as Kagaya-san, apparently finished installing the “Substitute Technique”, perked up energetically.

 

“Done! …Yup, yup, a perfect job if I do say so myself. Sorry for the wait, you two~!”

 

“Thank you, Kagaya-san. Uh… this one’s mine, right? Here, Himeji.”

 

“Ah… Yes, thank you.”

 

Taking the devices from Kagaya-san, I kept one for myself and handed the other to Himeji beside me. She accepted it carefully, wrapping both hands around it as if it were something precious, and gave a small smile.

 

“Hehe… As expected of Kagaya-san. You’re truly reliable in times like these.”

 

“Ugh. Why do I feel a sting in that compliment…? No, no, your big sis is totally capable when she puts her mind to it! A child of the era! A once-in-a-century—”

 

“I know. That’s enough.”

 

“Hey! You’re trying to brush me off, aren’t you!? Fine, I’ll show you what I’m made of… Shirayuki-chan, let’s have a cooking showdown! Hiro-kun, you’re the judge!”

 

No sooner had she spoken than Kagaya-san dashed to the kitchen. Watching from a distance, Himeji’s face paled, and she shot up, gripping the table with both hands in her maid uniform.

 

“W-Wait, Kagaya-san! You don’t burn eggs with the shell on—”

 

“Shirayuki-chan, help! Smoke! There’s smoke! I didn’t do anything wrong, but it’s smoking!”

 

“Ugh, honestly!”

 

With cute, pattering footsteps, Himeji chased after Kagaya-san into the kitchen.

 

“…Oof, good luck.”

 

Left alone in the living room, I sent Himeji off with a wry smile and decided to reflect a bit more on today’s events.

 

(For now, Noa’s definitely suspicious. But the headmaster mentioned an ‘external interferer.’ Does that mean Noa’s unrelated? Or is there an accomplice…?)

 

I didn’t know. I didn’t know, but—if Noa was involved in this, there was a high chance she held the Emerald Colored Star. A 6-star with a colored star would surpass even the “Phoenix” Seiran Kugasaki we fought before—a powerhouse on par with a 7-star.

 

Honestly… what a nightmare.

 

“If she’s targeting me, she’ll keep coming at me tomorrow and beyond. I need to stay sharper—”

 

“—No, no, I get it, Shirayuki-chan! A tablespoon, right? That’s probably this much… Whoa!? It splattered… My eyes, my eyes—!”

 

“…”

 

…Uh, well, how should I put it?

 

Hearing intermittent screams and shouts from the kitchen, I grimaced slightly, sensing not just the survival challenge of the event but a real-life crisis as well.

 

“District Selection Battle: Day One Complete”

 

“Eliminated: 4,472. Remaining Participants: 4,627”

 

♯

 

“District Selection Battle” Day Two, Friday.

 

The Himeji barrier—er, I mean, the “Substitute Technique” that Kagaya-san installed last night—was working flawlessly. So far today, I hadn’t received a single “Exercise” challenge.

 

It was now after school, around 4:30 p.m. Out on the schoolyard, Himeji was in the middle of handling an “Exercise” on my behalf, while I was set to slip out of the academy grounds alone.

 

I was using one of the pre-planned escape routes. Eimei Academy’s vast campus had several grand gates besides the main entrance, but Headmaster Ichinose had warned me that during the “District Selection Battle”, ambushers lurked at every one. So, we’d targeted a service gate instead—an obscure staff-only back entrance unknown to students and unlisted on any map.

 

Tucked away deep in the maze of clubroom buildings, its inconvenient location meant even I hadn’t fully memorized the route. Following Kagaya-san’s directions through my earpiece, I finally reached the gate—when it happened.

 

“—!”

 

“Whoa! Oof… Ow!”

 

I nearly collided with a girl sprinting from another direction and instinctively pulled back. But my reaction was a split second too late, and she crashed into my chest with a soft thud. Her body pressed tightly against mine. The sweet citrus scent wafting from her at point-blank range made my head spin, almost numbing my senses.

 

“Hehe…”

 

The girl, still clinging to me, looked up with a shy, almost embarrassed smile.

 

“Sorry for bumping into you~ Noa’s a bit clumsy sometimes… Wait, Hiroto-kun?”

 

Mid-sentence, she seemed to recognize me, her large eyes widening further. Her youthful, innocent features—surprising for an upperclassman—and her meticulously styled, almost overly cute twin-tails filled my vision.

 

“…Noa… Akizuki…”

 

Frozen for a moment, I finally managed to speak her name as my brain kicked back into gear. …Noa Akizuki. The one who sent that cryptic message yesterday, disrupting my “Simple Jamming”. While there was no proof yet that it was intentional, she was currently the most “suspicious” person—and now, here she was, practically blocking my path, clinging to me.

 

『W-What!? How!?』

 

Kagaya-san’s panicked voice came through the earpiece, of course.

 

『N-No, no, Hiro-kun! I swear I was monitoring the area today! Seriously, there wasn’t a single device signal until just a second ago… And how does she even know about this route!?』

 

“…”

 

Listening to Kagaya-san’s excuses, I quietly weighed my thoughts. …If everything she said was true, this encounter was no accident. It was, without a doubt, deliberate.

 

Yet Noa, saying, “Oh, it’s Hiroto-kun!” flashed a delighted smile and gently touched my chest with her small right hand. Still clinging to me, she gazed up with those doe eyes.

 

“Hehe, what a coincidence, Hiroto-kun♡ You okay? Not hurt, are you?”

 

“…I’m fine. So, uh, could you let go, Akizuki?”

 

“Ehh~ You don’t have to be so cold… Oh! Could it be, Hiroto-kun, you’re getting flustered from Noa’s warmth? Hehe, I get it, I get it. Getting this close to a cute girl makes you nervous, right? Embarrassed, huh~?”

 

“…Don’t decide that for me.”

 

(She’s too close… Too close, and everything’s touching!)

 

Half-glaring at Noa, who was in full self-praise mode, I forcibly pried her off. Grabbing her slender shoulders with my right hand, I pushed her back just enough not to hurt her.

 

“W-Wow… So forceful♪”

 

Giggling like an angel, Noa clasped her hands behind her back, leaning forward slightly and tilting her head. Her ability to maintain that upward gaze in any pose was almost a talent in itself.

 

But—that aside.

 

(This is bad…)

 

Though I kept my expression in full “Academy Island’s strongest” cool mode, my mind was already swirling with panic. …Honestly, this was the worst possible person to run into at the worst possible time. Without Himeji here, if Noa challenged me to an “Exercise”, our cheating would likely be exposed. Sure, Himeji was currently in an “Exercise”, so Noa’s challenge wouldn’t go through, but that in itself would look suspicious. If I were truly in an “engagement status” with someone else, why would I be sneaking through a back route to avoid attention? There’d be no reason.

 

(Damn it… What do I do? What’s the right move? How do I play this off…!?)

 

Silently spiraling through my options, I froze—and then, Noa suddenly took a step closer with a light tap.

 

“Hehe. Hey, Hiroto-kun… are you panicking, maybe?”

 

“…”

 

Her tone was casual. Her question seemed innocent. But her eyes, glinting with mischief, pierced straight through mine. It was as if, no matter how well I masked my expression, she could see right into my heart—an unnervingly deep presence.

 

With that same captivating smile, Noa continued.

 

“You’ve been working so hard to escape, haven’t you? But now Noa’s here, and you’re in trouble, right? Wondering how to get away… Hehe, come on, Hiroto-kun♪ Scaring yourself over someone as cute as Noa? That’s not very gentlemanly~♡”

 

“…Huh? What are you talking about? I’m just annoyed about getting challenged for “Exercises”. If I seem panicked, it’s your eyes playing tricks.”

 

“Hmm? Well, fine then. Either way, I’m not challenging you now. Noa’s already tired today… Yawn.”

 

Covering her mouth with an open palm, she let out an exaggeratedly cute yawn, clearly meant to be seen. She seemed to mean it—despite it being almost 5 p.m., she didn’t even reach for her device.

 

(…What’s her deal?)

 

Unable to grasp Noa’s intentions, I frowned inwardly. …She’d set up this perfect situation and wasn’t going to challenge me? Then why bother approaching? The questions piled up, leaving my understanding in the dust.

 

“Mm…?”

 

But Noa, as if the earlier tension had evaporated, was back to her soft expression, glancing around curiously. Tilting her head in confusion, she spoke.

 

“Come to think of it… She’s not here today, huh? That maid girl. Oh, did she dump you? Hehe, I see, I see… That’s okay, Noa will cheer you up~♡”

 

“I already told you, we’re not dating. And we’re not always together. Right now, we’re just acting separately.”

 

“Ehh~ But it sure looked like you were a couple the other day. I mean… If that’s not the case, what do you think of her, Hiroto-kun?”

 

Staring at me intently, Noa asked. …I wasn’t sure what this question was getting at, but that made it all the more important to choose my answer carefully. Who was Shirayuki Himeji to Hiroto Shinohara?

 

“…A comrade.”

 

“Comrade, huh… Okay, thanks, Hiroto-kun. See ya♪”

 

Smiling brightly at my answer, Noa waved lightly at chest level, then spun around and walked off with a breezy step. At that exact moment, the 5 p.m. chime signaling the end of day two echoed across the academy.

 

“Phew…”

 

The tension drained from my body, and I let out a heavy breath, leaning back against the school wall. …It was just a conversation, yet I felt an absurd amount of exhaustion. Touching my neck, I could feel it slick with sweat.

 

Just then, a call from Himeji came through.

 

『Good work, Master. I just finished my “Exercise” without issue.』

 

“Good job. How’d it go?”

 

『Well… I ended up dominating rather one-sidedly, but for some reason, halfway through, my opponent started smiling broadly and saying, “Thank you so much!” It was… quite an unusual person. …More importantly, is something wrong, Master? You sound a bit tired.』

 

“Uh… I’ll tell you about it when I get home.”

 

It wasn’t something to be coy about, but it also wasn’t a conversation for public ears. Still rattled from the encounter, it’d be better to explain calmly once I was back home.

 

『…I see. Understood.』

 

Himeji’s voice held a hint of concern, but she picked up on my intent and backed off. Then, as if remembering something, she shifted topics.

 

『By the way, Master—about thirty minutes ago, there was a strange incident near the clubroom buildings. Nearly twenty participants were eliminated all at once. Apparently, they were part of a group using illicit means.』

 

“Illicit means?”

 

『Yes. It seems they were sharing an illegal ability that let them “fake being eliminated” to avoid receiving “Exercise” challenges. Thanks to that, they hadn’t had to fight a single “Exercise” yesterday. But today, every one of them was defeated.』

 

“Hold on… ‘Defeated’? So it wasn’t the disciplinary committee catching them?”

 

『Correct. The illegal ability came to light only after the disciplinary committee investigated the mass elimination, as they found it suspicious.』

 

“…Could that be related to the ‘external interferer’ the headmaster mentioned?”

 

『No. The investigation concluded there’s no involvement from other districts, so it’s likely a separate matter. Of course, we can’t entirely rule out a connection.』

 

“Got it, that’s fine then. …Still, near the clubroom buildings, huh.”

 

Crossing my arms, I mulled it over quietly.

 

Come to think of it—hadn’t Noa come running from that direction? The timing matched perfectly, and her comment about being tired today lined up too. For someone of her caliber, taking out twenty rule-breakers before the disciplinary committee could wouldn’t be surprising.

 

“…”

 

Of course, it was all speculation for now—but still.

 

The second day of the “District Selection Battle” ended, leaving an unsettling shadow behind, but I made it through unscathed.

 

“District Selection Battle: Day Two Complete”

 

“Eliminated: 1,483. Remaining Participants: 3,144”

 

♯

 

The Next Day, Saturday.

 

Though the “District Selection Battle” continued through the weekend, you wouldn’t receive “Exercise” challenges unless you entered the academy grounds for club activities or other reasons. It was the only real breather during the week-long event.

 

Naturally, I had zero intention of visiting Eimei Academy during this time. So, it was mostly a day that “passed without incident,” but…

 

『—Hey, Shinohara, got a sec?』

 

The call from the (fake) Saionji heiress came that evening.

 

『Tomorrow… you’re free, right? It’s Sunday, and Eimei’s event is practically on hold.』

 

『I want you to come shopping with me. …What? You don’t have to sound so reluctant. It’s your fault to begin with, you know? You took my “Red” star, which weakened me a ton, so I need to buy another ability to compensate. Not some generic one you can get online, but a unique, custom-made one.』

 

『The shop I want to visit is a bit… special, or rather, tricky. For certain reasons, I can’t go in alone. That’s why I need you to come along. Who knows, there might be an ability useful for you too.』

 

『…Right? Heh, good.』

 

『Let’s meet at the Academy Front Station in District Four. Ten a.m. sharp. …Huh? Yeah, I sent the shop’s coordinates earlier… Why meet in District Four if the shop’s in District Eight, you ask? …W-Well, it doesn’t matter! It’s just the first place that came to mind. If you insist, we could meet there instead—』

 

『…Really? Station’s fine? …Ugh, fine! You always have to poke at everything!』

 

『Oh, and obviously, you need to come in disguise! Uniforms are out of the question, and… I mean, since you’re going out with a girl, at least wear something decent, okay? I went all out for tomorrow—er, no! I mean, my servants forced it on me! It’s not like I was excited to go shopping with you and bought new clothes on purpose!』

 

『It’s not a date or anything… Just cooperation between “accomplices.”』

 

『…But, you know, Shinohara?』

 

『Looking forward to tomorrow… that part’s not a lie.』

 

#

 

“District Selection Battle” Day Four, Sunday.

 

At the meeting spot decided somewhat forcibly, I glanced around.

 

“Now, which one’s Saionji…?”

 

I muttered softly.

 

Sarasa Saionji—a girl who held special meaning for me. The direct descendant of Academy Island’s founder and the only daughter of the current chairman, an ultra-VIP heiress. Moreover, until I started my lie, she reigned as the invincible 7-star “Empress” atop Academy Island.

 

…But, like me, she was also telling a “lie.”

 

Yes—it sounds outrageous thinking about it now, but she wasn’t actually Sarasa Saionji. The real “heiress” had been kidnapped about a year ago, and to uncover the truth, a girl named Rina Akabane had been acting as her “double.” Even more shocking, the kidnapping itself was a second lie she’d crafted to deceive the Saionji family, all part of a grand plan to let her best friend, the real Sarasa Saionji, live a “normal high school life.”

 

A reckless, audacious, self-sacrificial “lie” that even the heiress herself didn’t know the truth about.

 

And… by some twist of fate, her lie became deeply entangled with mine. I’ll skip the messy details, but essentially, if my lie is exposed, hers will be too, and vice versa. Given the nature of our lies, exposure would mean instant social death for both of us. But—perhaps because of that—we could secretly join forces.

 

So, in short, it was a partnership of liars, comrades in deception.

 

“…Oh.”

 

Glancing at my device’s clock, it was 9:45 a.m.—fifteen minutes early. But knowing how punctual Saionji could be, she might already be here.

 

Still, she’d likely be perfectly disguised, so I might not recognize her immediately—or so I worried briefly. But contrary to my concern, I spotted her right away.

 

“—Yo, you’re early.”

 

“Eh?”

 

I called out to the girl sitting on a stylish wooden bench in the middle of the rotary, fiddling with her device, and sat beside her. Startled by my sudden move, she froze with her mouth agape for a moment before cautiously peering at my face.

 

“Um… Shinohara, right?”

 

“Yeah. …Why do you sound so unsure? We’ve met in this getup before, haven’t we?”

 

“Maybe you have, but… it’s the other way around. Look, I’m wearing totally different clothes from last time’s hoodie. So how’d you know it was me right away?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Confused by her question, I looked up and studied the girl beside me. …Cat-like golden eyes and blonde hair reaching her knees, not straight but gently curled at the ends, adorably twirling at her socks. Her outfit was a pristine, elegant dress, like a refined lady vacationing at a resort. Everything suited her perfectly, but it was indeed quite different from the usual “Sarasa Saionji”—the red-haired girl with strong-willed ruby eyes.

 

“That’s weird…”

 

Launching a mirror app on her device, Saionji tilted her head, muttering, “Hmm…?”

 

“There’s no way my disguise failed. My servants double-checked everything, and I passed three Sakura Academy friends on the way here without any of them noticing it was me.”

 

“Oh, no, now that you mention it, it’s definitely different… I don’t know, maybe your vibe? I just saw you and thought, ‘Yup, that’s her.’”

 

“! R-Really… You knew it was me at a glance. Hmm.”

 

For some reason, she repeated my words, her lips curving into a pleased smile. Then, with a burst of energy, she stood from the bench, her dress skirt fluttering as she called out to me.

 

“Hehe… Alright, let’s get going, Shinohara. Sitting here’s a waste of time.”

 

“Huh? Oh… Yeah, you’re right.”

 

A bit puzzled by her unusually high spirits, I stood up a moment later.

 

District Eight of Academy Island—broadly speaking, it had an “underground” vibe.

 

Far livelier at night than during the day, it was home to countless shops skirting the edge of ordinance violations, often clashing with the disciplinary committee. Unofficial gambling dens and less-than-savory establishments weren’t rare, and plenty of people crafted unlicensed abilities here too. It was also the base of Kugasaki’s “Freestyle Knights”.

 

That said, it wasn’t as if the entire district was lawless or crude.

 

“It’s just free,” Saionji had explained on the train, her take on it.

 

“—We’re here.”

 

After leaving District Four, switching trains a few times, and rocking along to the rhythmic clatter for just under an hour, Saionji and I finally reached our destination.

 

The shop was on the second floor of a small building a bit off from the station. A simple door bore a sign reading “Open,” with another board below it. In a flashy, pop font, it listed the shop’s “rules.”

 

Namely—Entry forbidden except to couples (same-sex allowed).

 

“…Hey. Hey, Saionji, what’s this about?”

 

“There’s no ‘what’ about it. It means exactly what it says. This shop sells amazing stuff, but they always impose weird conditions for entry. The rules change periodically, but right now, you have to follow ‘that’ to get in.”

 

“No, but even so…”

 

“I told you up front, didn’t I? I can’t get in alone, so I needed you to come. I don’t think I lied. …If anything, you should feel honored. Even if it’s just temporary, you get to be my… b-boyf—lover.”

 

“…”

 

Blushing red at her ears as she stumbled over the word, Saionji left me speechless, unable to muster a proper reply. …Her words made me hyper-aware of her. Even in disguise, her stunning features were unmistakable, and her outfit today leaned heavily feminine. Didn’t she buy new clothes just for today? Damn, that’s a bit too cute—

 

“…Shinohara? Hey, Shinohara, are you listening?”

 

“Huh. …Sorry, I zoned out for a sec.”

 

Shaking my head to regain composure, I replied briefly.

 

Anyway—we’d come this far, so there was no way we were leaving empty-handed. With that, we stepped into the shop. Just in case, Kagaya-san was on standby in a nearby building, but since this was outside the “District Selection Battle”’s scope, no audio was being monitored. …Which made sense. It’d be mortifying to have someone overhear us pretending to be a couple, and besides, I’d kept my connection with Saionji hidden from all “Company” members except Himeji.

 

Double-checking my earpiece settings, I pushed open the door with resolve.

 

“—Whoa.”

 

A gasp of awe slipped out. …The exterior had seemed plain, but inside was a whole other world. A junk shop, clearly. PC parts, cables, every gaming console from the dawn of time to the latest models, modding components, monitors, discs, cassettes—all crammed together in chaotic display.

 

I only dabbled in games, so I couldn’t explain each item in detail, but the non-everyday vibe was honestly pretty cool.

 

“…Right? Glad you like it. This is one of my favorite shops.”

 

My excitement must’ve been obvious as I looked around, because Saionji glanced at me with a refined chuckle. Beckoning me forward, she moved deeper into the shop. Hidden behind shelves, there seemed to be a counter ahead.

 

“I told them we’d be coming today, but… no one’s here. —Excuse me!”

 

“Hm? Oh, yes, coming!”

 

Saionji, leaning forward with her hands pressed against the counter near the register, called out in that manner. A rather lackadaisical voice responded from behind the door at the back. After a brief wait, the door clicked open with a gacha, and a woman in work clothes appeared.

 

“Welcome—oh? Lilly-chan?”

 

(…Lilly-chan?)

 

I tilted my head for a moment, clearly seeing that she was addressing Saionji, but I quickly realized and nodded in understanding. …It was an alias. The third name Saionji used when adopting her blonde-haired, golden-eyed ojou-sama persona. Indeed, in this getup, she couldn’t very well introduce herself as either “Saionji Sarasa” or “Akabane Rina.”

 

Saionji—nay, Lilly—gave a small, composed nod. “Yes. It’s been a while, shopkeeper. I decided to grace you with my presence again on a whim.”

 

“Oh, right, right. Now that you mention it, you did tell me you’d be coming today. Yeah, it’s been a while.”

 

The shopkeeper, as if recalling something, wiped the sweat from her forehead with the towel draped around her neck.

 

For a while after that, she chatted idly with Lilly, but eventually, the conversation seemed to wind down. Standing on the other side of the counter, the shopkeeper flashed a slightly mischievous grin and began speaking in a more formal tone.

 

“Hey, Lilly-chan. Just to confirm, you’re well aware of how things work around here, right? This shop is run entirely based on my personal whims, so I only sell my goods to people I like. Whether I like someone or not depends on whether they follow the rules at the time.”

 

“Yes, of course I know that. I’m confident I’m your shop’s number one regular, after all.”

 

“Hmm, maybe so. At least, as far as I can remember, you are—anyway. As I’ve posted at the entrance, the current rule is ‘couples only.’ I’m turning away all other customers. So… are you Lilly-chan’s boyfriend-kun?”

 

Her curious gaze shifted to me. Out of the corner of my eye, Sai—Lilly—glanced at me with worry in her golden eyes, but honestly, this kind of act was old hat for me by now.

 

Meeting the shopkeeper’s eyes directly, I answered in as natural a tone as possible. “Yeah, that’s right. It seems Lilly’s always been a customer here. I’m just tagging along, so don’t mind me too much.”

 

“Oh no, I can’t just not mind! See, Lilly-chan here never had any guys around her before. There was even a time when I got all fluttery, wondering if she might be after me. And now, here she is, dressed up all fancy, showing off her boyfriend to me…”

 

“W-Wait, shopkeeper? Could you not phrase it like I’m completely unattractive or something? And besides, this ‘boyfriend’ rule was your idea. Don’t go getting hurt over it on your own!”

 

“No, no, that’s not it, Lilly-chan. It’s just that I’m an M, so getting a little mental damage feels kinda nice, that’s all.”

 

“Then just shut up already!”

 

Lilly placed both hands on her hips in front of the shopkeeper, who was pretending to sob dramatically. The shopkeeper made a “calm down, calm down” gesture to placate her, then turned her attention back to scrutinize me.

 

“Hmm… so this is Lilly-chan’s boyfriend-kun.”

 

“Y-Yeah. His name’s Shi—Hiro. …H-He’s cool, right?”

 

“…”

 

As Lilly stammered, sneaking glances at me with a shy tone, I felt my own face heat up with embarrassment and quickly looked away. Lilly, caught up in the moment, also turned her face slightly, but if I listened closely, I could hear her quietly practicing, “Hiro… Hiro. Yep, I can say it.” It was all so ticklishly awkward.

 

“I see, I see…”

 

The shopkeeper, who had been smirking at us for a while, eventually raised her right hand slightly.

 

“Hey, you two. Take a break from your lovey-dovey stuff and check out what’s going on around you, okay?”

 

“‘?’”

 

Following her instructions, Lilly and I turned to survey the shop. …Well, we’d just looked around earlier, so there wasn’t much new. Stacks of PC parts and games piled high. IC chips, likely containing ability data, no doubt. And I spotted two pairs of customers browsing the merchandise.

 

“…Ah.”

 

Lilly, standing beside me, let out a small sound, as if she’d noticed something.

 

Unfortunately, I had no idea what I was supposed to be looking at. Judging by her line of sight, was it those customers over there? But they weren’t doing anything suspicious. Both pairs were high school couples, chatting amiably while checking out the goods. The boys held up ability descriptions with their left hands, while the girls leaned in close, tracing the text with their right hands.

 

As for why they were only using one hand each—it was obvious. Their other hands were already linked with their partners’.

 

And not just any link—it was the so-called “lover’s hold.”

 

“‘…’”

 

“…Heh. Looks like you’ve figured it out, young ones.”

 

“W-What… what are you getting at?”

 

“Lilly-chan’s boyfriend—Hiro-kun—is definitely handsome. A wild, cool type of ikemen that’s making this older sister here almost die of envy. But this isn’t jealousy or anything—it’s just me checking if you’re breaking the rules. Are you really a couple?”

 

“‘Eh?’”

 

“Come on, being a couple isn’t like getting married, where the state verifies it, right? So, theoretically, you could just drag some random guy off the street and claim, ‘This is my boyfriend!’ and there’d be no way for me to disprove it.”

 

“That might be true, but… if you say stuff like that, what are we supposed to do? It’s your fault for making the rules so vague!”

 

“No, no, that’s not true. Look, Lilly-chan, Hiro-kun, you’ve noticed, haven’t you? Those two pairs over there are holding hands tightly. Intertwining their fingers to confirm their love. Yep, I’ve never done it, but I’m sure that’s how it works. …In other words, what I’m saying is, physical contact is essential for couples.”

 

“T-That’s ridiculous! We have our own sense of distance!”

 

“No, no, I get that. But since this is a rule, you at least need to hold hands to set an example for others. Right?”

 

“B-But…”

 

“I’m not saying you have to kiss or anything.”

 

“Ki—!? N-No way we could do something like that in public, you idiot!”

 

Prodded by the shopkeeper’s teasing grin, Lilly shot me a glance, then instantly turned bright red and looked away with a huff. I, too—though I kept my composure on the surface—could feel my cheeks burning, especially because Lilly’s reaction was so over-the-top.

 

But… as embarrassing as it was, if we hesitated here and got judged as “not a couple,” things would get ugly fast.

 

(Hey, hey, Lilly. …Saionji!)

 

(Eep! W-What, you jerk Shinohara. Are you trying to tease me too?)

 

(No one’s teasing you! Look… we just need to hold hands, right? So let’s just get it over with.)

 

(E-Eh? Y-You mean you want to touch me?)

 

(Your phrasing! …Look, we don’t need to interlace fingers like those couples over there. Just a normal handhold. You’re making it weird by overthinking it.)

 

(Ugh… even if you say that, your face is red too. Your ears are bright red, you know?)

 

(…I know. That’s why I want to get this over with.)

 

Whispering that in a low voice, I saw Lilly’s eyes well up with the slightest hint of tears as she gave a small, resolute nod. Then, steeling herself, she slowly extended her hand toward me.

 

“Nn…”

 

Closing her eyes and letting out a faint breath, Lilly’s soft fingertips brushed against my hand almost simultaneously, eventually enveloping my palm in hers. I felt the warmth of her body seep through, followed by the steady thump-thump of her heartbeat.

 

However—

 

“Um, Lilly… this is just a handshake.”

 

“—!?”

 

At my words, Lilly finally opened her eyes, her face turning an even deeper shade of red as she realized the situation. …Yes. The hand I’d extended in front of me was my right, and the one she’d hesitantly reached out with was also her right. This wasn’t proof of a couple—it just looked like two random people suddenly shaking hands in the middle of the store.

 

“N-No! It’s not like that! U-Um, it’s not, I swear!”

 

Lilly tried to explain herself in a panic, but her thoughts were too jumbled from the embarrassment, and she ended up hugging her right hand to her chest and bowing her head slightly.

 

Just as I was about to improvise an excuse to cover for her—

 

“Ahaha… yep, yep, I like it!”

 

“‘Huh?’”

 

To our surprise, the shopkeeper burst into laughter, clapping her hands in a sloppy, amused way. Confused, Lilly and I exchanged glances. Wiping away tears—apparently from laughing too hard—she continued.

 

“Man, you two are so fresh and innocent. Is this your first boyfriend, Lilly-chan? You’re such a sheltered girl.”

 

“Huh? …W-What do you mean?”

 

“It means you pass. The air was so sweet and sour I couldn’t even watch after a while. As a single person, it was almost too much for me… but that’s why I’ll recognize you two as a couple.”

 

“R-Really!? Yess…!”

 

“…Um, are you sure? We only shook hands, though.”

 

“W-Wait, Hiro! Why would you say that out loud!?”

 

“Huh? Well… I just thought it’d be a hassle if she found some loophole to complain about later.”

 

“No, no, I wouldn’t do that, boyfriend-kun. Like I said at the start, I only use this rule to keep people I don’t like from buying my creations. And I already love Lilly-chan, and I like you too, Hiro-kun, so it’s a definite pass.

 

So—go ahead and buy whatever you want!”

 

“‘…’”

 

Overwhelmed by the shopkeeper’s unusually cheerful demeanor, Lilly and I couldn’t help but exchange looks.

 

In the end, Lilly—er, Saionji—and I ended up spending about three hours in that shop.

 

More than half of that time was the shopkeeper’s fault, but that wasn’t the only reason. It was easy to see why Saionji called it her “favorite” place. Watching the performance demos of the abilities lined up there—all apparently handmade by the shopkeeper—was far more entertaining than visiting some mediocre amusement park.

 

After finishing our shopping, we stopped by a building near the station “just because,” browsing bookstores and arcades, and somehow ended up thoroughly enjoying our day off.

 

By the time the train was approaching District Four on the way back, the sun was almost set.

 

“…Hmm? So that’s how things are with the ‘District Selection Battle,’ huh.”

 

Saionji, sitting next to me with her arms crossed over her chest, murmured softly. She’d brought up the event earlier, and I’d just finished explaining the situation—the principal’s request, Akizuki’s aggression, and everything else.

 

Since we were on the train, I kept my voice low as I continued.

 

“Yeah. On the surface, things are going smoothly. We’re focusing all our effort on evasion, and today marks day four—which means we’re halfway through. The Company’s cheating is working, and we still have emergency countermeasures, so it’s not all bad… but starting tomorrow, it’s back to weekdays. Plus, Akizuki’s moves are just too suspicious.”

 

“…You’re right.”

 

Brushing her long wig aside elegantly, Saionji whispered while meeting my eyes.

 

“Akizuki Noa—the ‘Little Devil’ of Eimei. She’s been in the number two position at Eimei since the end of the year before last. I’ve never dueled her, but if I had to fight her, I’d need to prepare thoroughly to have any chance of winning. She’s not just strong—she’s tricky. If it weren’t for you, Shinohara, this year’s ‘District Selection Battle’ might’ve been her solo show.”

 

“That much, huh… Still, ‘Little Devil’ is a perfect nickname for Akizuki.”

 

“Yes, exactly. She always acts coy and cute, never showing her true face to anyone—it’s so her. And despite how she seems, in duels, she’s ruthless, completely crushing her opponents.”

 

“Huh…? So, like, she uses dirty tricks or something?”

 

“Hmm… not exactly, I don’t think. I never got that impression, but maybe she’s just good at hiding it.”

 

“…Well, fair enough.”

 

Agreeing with Saionji’s reasonable assessment, I shrugged slightly and decided to drop the subject.

 

And so, while we were talking, the train pulled into the station.

 

“—Well, I’m heading this way.”

 

Stepping out of the ticket gate at Gakuenmae Station after several hours, Saionji pointed toward the exit on the right with a small hop. That was the direction toward District Three, where she lived. It was the opposite way from my route home.

 

“Yeah. Be careful.”

 

“You too—do your best at the event, okay? I won’t forgive you if you lose.”

 

Flashing a provocative smile, she gave me those encouraging words, lightly tapping my chest with a loosely clenched fist. Then, with a cheerful stride, she turned and walked off, waving over her shoulder with a flutter.

 

…Well, that part was fine.

 

“She can do stuff like that so naturally, though…”

 

Comparing her natural gesture just now to that earlier “handshake,” I let out a small, wry smile.

 

♯

 

A little while after parting with Saionji—

 

I was standing behind Gakuenmae Station, waiting alone for Himeji to arrive.

 

My appearance was no longer “Hiro” but the usual “Shinohara Hiroto,” with my hair and uniform back to normal. Actually, I had to go report to the principal about the mid-point of the “District Selection Battle,” but showing up in disguise would be a bit awkward. So, I’d changed back.

 

By the way—my hair was just hastily reverted with hairspray and finger-combing, but my uniform had been specially delivered by Kagaya-san.

 

And then—

 

“—Sorry to keep you waiting, Master.”

 

A clear, resonant voice suddenly addressed me from directly ahead.

 

Looking up, I saw Himeji standing there, of course. Not in her Eimei uniform, but in her familiar maid outfit. Since it was a Sunday and we were heading to the academy, there was no real need for her to wear a uniform, I suppose.

 

“…”

 

But as I looked at her, her expression seemed slightly downcast. …Well, that was only natural, perhaps. In the two weeks or so since we met, this was the first time we hadn’t spent a Sunday together. And not only me, but Kagaya-san had been out too, leaving Himeji alone in that big mansion.

 

So, I—after making sure no one else was around—clapped my hands together sharply.

 

“Sorry, Himeji. I’m late. …I really meant to be back earlier.”

 

“Huh? No… there’s no need for Master to apologize. We didn’t set a specific meeting time, so it’s neither early nor late. Though, I’ll admit I felt a bit jealous of both you and Rina…”

 

“…Jealous?”

 

“It’s nothing. …Anyway, I’m fine, Master. It’s true I felt a little lonely—just a tiny bit—but there’s no need for you to worry about it—”

 

“No, but listen.”

 

Cutting off Himeji, who was starting to cover for me as usual, I slowly shook my head. Of course, I appreciated her devotion, but that didn’t mean I could treat her carelessly.

 

“Whether you’re fine or not, I still feel bad about it. Even aside from this, you’re always taking care of me. …So.”

 

“…?”

 

“Here… I got you a present. Or, well, a souvenir, I guess.”

 

After that preamble, I reached into the inner pocket of my uniform—where I’d carefully transferred it during my change—and pulled out a thin, light blue package. It was like a smaller version of an envelope for letter paper, shaped like a card. I placed it gently into Himeji’s palm, which she hurriedly extended a moment later.

 

“Th-This is…?”

 

“I picked it out at the shop we visited today, after Saionji finished shopping, on a ‘might as well’ kind of whim. The contents are a custom ability made by the shopkeeper.”

 

“…”

 

“Well, I do wonder if it’s the right kind of thing to give a girl… but it’s my first time doing this, so I had no clue what would be good. I figured as long as it’s practical, it wouldn’t go to waste.”

 

“…Your first time?”

 

“Huh? Oh, yeah, as far as I can remember. …Is that a problem?”

 

“No, it’s just… I was a little curious, that’s all.”

 

For some reason, Himeji’s lips curved into a faint smile as she lowered her gaze to the light blue package in her hand. Then, with gentle fingers, she stroked its surface and whispered, “May I open it?” Waiting for my nod with her usual politeness, she carefully unwrapped it.

 

Inside was a stylish transparent case holding a single card.

 

“I see… so this is what it looks like. By reading the IC chip in the bottom right with a terminal, the corresponding ability can be installed, correct?”

 

“Yeah, that’s how it works. As for the effect, the shopkeeper forced us to pick the one she called ‘my top recommendation!’ …What does it say? The ‘description’ on the back.”

 

“The back, you say. Let me read it aloud. Ability Name: Pinch Hitter. Effect: This ability can be used outside of a duel. It allows you to ‘switch’ with either player currently participating in an ongoing duel and continue that duel in their place. However, the effect requires the consent of the player you’re replacing—”

 

“…Huh? What does that mean?”

 

“In simple terms, it’s an ability that lets you ‘take over’ a duel that’s already in progress. …This is incredible, Master. Even the Company has members specialized in abilities, but there’s never been a single legal, non-illegal example of an ability that can interfere with a duel from the outside. I can see why she recommended it.”

 

“Huh, really? But is there even a use for it? If it requires the other person’s permission, it doesn’t seem like it’d get much action, no matter how strong it could be…”

 

“I wouldn’t say there’s no use, but… yes, the scenarios where it could be effectively utilized are quite limited. It might not be very versatile. What a pity.”

 

As I slumped my shoulders in disappointment, Himeji responded in a slightly joking tone.

 

Still, she hugged the package containing the card to her chest as if it were precious—

 

“But whether it’s a pity or not, the fact that this is the first present I’ve ever received from Master remains completely untarnished. …Thank you, Master. I’ll treasure it forever.”

 

—And she gave me a soft, lovely smile.

 

♭

 

April 23rd, Sunday, 6:37:52 PM

 

“Target” Shinohara Hiroto’s coordinates confirmed

 

Terminal reactions within a 100-meter radius: 923

 

Of those, “District Selection Battle” survivors: 252

 

Prerequisite conditions met. All other specified conditions confirmed

 

Execution command input confirmed. Program will resume after the preset countdown

 

Three seconds—two seconds—one second—

 

—Activation

 

♯

 

“Hm…?”

 

It took about five minutes to walk from Gakuenmae Station to Eimei’s school gate, side by side with Himeji in her maid outfit.

 

Since the application period for “exercises” had already passed, we entered through the main gate without issue. But at that moment, Himeji suddenly stopped, a puzzled expression on her face.

 

“…What’s wrong, Himeji?”

 

“No… I’m sorry, please wait a moment while I check the situation.”

 

Saying that, she touched her right hand to her earpiece and spoke in a low voice, head bowed slightly. …It seemed Kagaya-san had contacted her about something serious, judging by her tone and expression.

 

And after about a minute—

 

Removing her finger from the earpiece, Himeji spoke in a clearly panicked tone.

 

“This is bad, Master. Kagaya-san just informed me that a large group of Eimei students—survivors of the ‘District Selection Battle’—are heading this way in droves. Their number… over two hundred!”

 

“T-Two hundred…!? What’s going on!?”

 

“Well… it seems someone has broadcast your coordinate information all at once on STOC, the school bulletin boards, and even the LNN emergency notification system.”

 

“Wha—!?”

 

I was so stunned by the unexpected turn of events that I couldn’t form a coherent response. …Someone leaked my location on social media? It made no sense. The motive and method were completely unknown.

 

“And it’s past six already, isn’t it…? The application period for ‘exercises’ should’ve ended long ago. What’s the point of hundreds of people coming now? It’s useless, right?”

 

“That should be the case, but… no, something must be happening. Words like ‘District Selection Battle’ and ‘bug’ are trending on STOC. Apparently, the ‘application period’ restriction for the ‘District Selection Battle’ has temporarily vanished… I don’t know how reliable that is, but there are videos circulating that seem to have been filmed inside Eimei.”

 

“Tch… so they can apply, then.”

 

Distorting my expression slightly at Himeji’s response, I felt an overwhelming sense of malice. If that was true, someone was clearly trying to trap me. And as far as I could think, there was only one likely culprit.

 

“Akizuki Noa… is it her? Did she orchestrate all this…?”

 

“I don’t know… but we don’t have time to think about it. We need to get out of here as soon as possible, Master!”

 

“R-Right, you’re right.”

 

Though I felt panic threatening to overwhelm my thoughts, Himeji was correct. We had to find a way to escape, or worst-case, we’d be stuck dealing with endless “exercise” applications until the bug was fixed. On top of that, since today was supposed to be a day off from “exercises,” all our cheating functions like Simple Jamming and Substitute Technique were currently under maintenance. We’d have to rely on our own wits to escape.

 

(I do have an emergency plan, but… I don’t want to use it here, damn it.)

 

Biting my lower lip in frustration, I scanned our surroundings again.

 

We were standing in the open space just inside the main gate. Ideally, I’d want to flee outside, but most of the “over two hundred pursuers” Himeji mentioned would likely be pouring in through the main gate. That meant our only option was to head deeper into the school grounds.

 

But even within the grounds, the sports field or clubroom buildings were out. If the after-school club members spotted us, the number of pursuers would only grow. …So, realistically, our options were extremely limited.

 

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I locked eyes with Himeji’s clear blue gaze and said, “The main school building—let’s head inside and wait it out, Himeji.”

 

“Yes, understood!”

 

Himeji nodded instantly at my suggestion. It was Sunday, so the school entrance would likely be locked, but with the reliable Company on our side, unlocking a first-floor classroom window or something via unauthorized access would probably take no more than a few minutes.

 

With that plan in mind, I turned to head toward the back of the usual school building—when, at that very moment—

 

“Kyah—!”

 

“Ugh—!”

 

Just as we rounded the corner of the school building, I collided with someone standing there and tumbled forward. …No, “tumbled” wasn’t quite right—it was more like I was tripped. Right before the impact, I felt a sweeping motion, like a leg sweep, that killed my momentum completely, and we both crashed to the ground. Dull pain shot through my arms, legs, and stomach… but that was the least of my concerns. I snapped my head up and saw the person practically pinning me down.

 

“…Ehehe.”

 

And there, without a doubt, was the all-too-familiar twin-tailed girl.

 

“Looks like we bumped into each other again, Hiroto-kun♪. Maybe we’re just really compatible?”

 

“Akizuki…!”

 

“Ehh~? What’s with that scary face? Look, Hiroto-kun, you’re the one who pushed me down. Ehehe, no fair? I know I’m too cute and you might want to attack me, but being so forceful will make me hate you~♡.”

 

“What are you talking about… Let go of me, damn it!”

 

“Geez, Hiroto-kun, what are you saying? No, no. It’s not like that. I can’t move because Hiroto-kun’s hugging me so tightly.”

 

In a position that looked like I’d pushed her down, Akizuki had her arms wrapped around my back and her legs tangled with mine, completely restraining me. Her soft body pressed against me, making my head spin, but now wasn’t the time for that. This situation was clearly her doing.

 

“Ehehe. Now you can’t escape, Hiroto-kun…♡.”

 

“Tch…”

 

With a sweet, teasing voice, she whispered right into my ear from point-blank range. …She was right. Even though we were in a slightly secluded spot, this location was visible from both the main gate and the schoolyard. With all this noise, it was only a matter of time before the pursuers arrived.

 

“Master…!”

 

As for Himeji, she let out a rare, panicked voice, pulling at my body to help me. That was appreciated, but the fact that she was doing this while already in contact with Kagaya-san implied there was little else we could do. Akizuki’s plan had us perfectly cornered. Even with the Company’s help, breaking free seemed impossible.

 

—So.

 

(No choice, huh.)

 

Coming to that conclusion, I gave Himeji, who was behind me, this “order.”

 

“Apply for an ‘exercise,’ Himeji—now!!”

 

“Y-Yes!”

 

Her voice snapped back with urgency.

 

The sharp, resonant sound of her voice struck my eardrums.

 

Himeji’s application for an “exercise” with me—it was a one-time emergency evasion tactic using the “District Selection Battle” application system. As long as I was in a combat state with someone, no one else could apply for an “exercise” against me. By initiating a combat state with Himeji myself in this way, I could effectively reject all other applications. All that remained was for Himeji to choose “self-destruct” at the last possible moment before penalties kicked in, and that would be that.

 

(In other words, it’s a one-day “invincibility mode”… I never thought I’d have to use it in a situation like this.)

 

Muttering those words inwardly with a mix of frustration, I watched as Himeji, almost simultaneously, operated her terminal to complete the “exercise” application targeting me.

 

And then—perhaps noticing my action, Akizuki slowly released the arms and legs she’d used to restrain me, wriggling out from beneath me. Ignoring the disarray of her uniform, she stretched languidly with a loud “Ahh~” and flashed a relaxed, sly grin.

 

“Aww, too bad…♡ I was so close to making a scandal between Noa and Hiroto-kun the biggest news on Academy Island. Well, my main goal was achieved, so I guess that’s enough. Ehehe… see you later, Hiroto-kun♪.”

 

“Wait, Akizuki… ‘goal’? So you were working with someone on the outside—”

 

“Ehh~? What’s that? What are you talking about? Noa-chan’s too cute to understand♡.”

 

Despite the failure of her ambush, she maintained her nonchalant attitude, tossing those words over her shoulder before turning away from me with a twirl. With light, carefree steps, her figure disappeared from view, and at that moment, an overwhelming wave of fatigue crashed over me. …That was close. My mind had nearly buckled under the shock, panic, and bottomless terror. If I hadn’t prepared an emergency evasion plan beforehand, I would’ve been helplessly “hunted” right then and there.

 

“A-Are you alright, Master…?”

 

As I steadied my breathing on one knee, Himeji knelt down gracefully in front of me, her face etched with worry. She reached out to gently wipe the sweat from my forehead.

 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Please scold this inadequate maid as you see fit.”

 

“No, what are you saying, Himeji? You were keeping watch the whole time, right? If it weren’t for that, we’d have been done for ages ago.”

 

Yes… while we’d been toyed with by Akizuki’s strategy, the fact that no pursuers had shown up even after all that time was clearly thanks to the Company. They must have scattered false coordinates to create confusion—it was impressive how they could devise and execute such a plan in an instant.

 

“…Thank you, Master.”

 

Judging that I meant it sincerely, Himeji smiled in relief. Then, with a calm motion, she touched her right earpiece and continued.

 

“Also—the bug with the application time limit seems to have been fully resolved just a moment ago. Judging by the timing, it’s almost certainly Akizuki-sama who was involved.”

 

“Yeah. …Damn, she’s such a pain.”

 

Cursing under my breath as I recalled Akizuki’s sly smile, I couldn’t help but wonder—how did she even know I’d be at the school at this time? And just before she left, she’d mentioned that her “main goal” had been achieved. If it wasn’t about destroying me outright, then what was the purpose of this ambush?

 

“…”

 

I could feel the pressure on me growing stronger with each passing day since the “District Selection Battle” began, but for now, we’d survived this round. Day four of the “District Selection Battle” was over. We’d reached the halfway point of the event. Next, I’d consult with the principal about Akizuki during my mid-report, then head home to regroup with the Company and plan our strategy for tomorrow— or so I thought at the time.

 

♯

 

The report to Principal Ichinose went off without any particular hitches.

 

It dragged on a bit longer than expected due to various detours and interruptions, but we didn’t cover an excessive amount of ground. Summarizing the key points, it went something like this:

 

“—Hmm. I see. So Akizuki Noa is suspicious, huh.”

 

“Yeah, well, it’s not like I had a hunch or anything. But there aren’t many people who could steal a colored star from Eimei’s servers. When you factor in rank, skill, and motive, the list of suspects narrows down considerably.”

 

“The emerald colored star… based on past records, it’s definitely an ‘detection-type’ ability, but its performance varies greatly depending on who it’s entrusted to. Even I can’t predict what would happen if someone as skilled as Akizuki got their hands on it.”

 

“Right. We’ve been digging around since then, but we still haven’t pinpointed the ‘mastermind.’ If I had to name the most suspicious districts off the top of my head, I’d say Districts Five, Eight, Twelve, and Fifteen… It’s a hassle, but those groups tend to be openly hostile toward Eimei. Worst-case, if the principal of District Twelve is involved, we’re in for trouble. We’ve clashed multiple times before, but I can’t seem to get a read on that guy’s true nature.”

 

“Hm? …Oh, you’re right. This year’s ‘District Selection Battle’ has seen an abnormally high dropout rate. There’s been a malicious rumor spreading on social media that ‘the academy offers rewards based on win counts,’ which has made everyone more aggressive than usual. …Honestly, it’s nothing but trouble. Who do they think is going to clean up this mess?”

 

“It’s normal for the top players to thin each other out every year, but this time it feels about thirty percent more intense than usual. And there’s a strong possibility Akizuki Noa is somehow involved in that too. …So, our priority is to get a hold of her tail. If we can do that, we might open a path to the mastermind.”

 

“Kukuku… In that case, I have high expectations for you, ‘False Seven-Star.’”

 

“…”

 

After leaving the principal’s office and heading home in the now-dark evening, I was almost in sight of the usual Western-style mansion when Himeji, walking beside me, suddenly let out a small sound.

 

“Hm… What’s wrong, Himeji?”

 

“Oh, no… It’s just that I realized, a bit late, that I forgot something I meant to pick up while we were out.”

 

“Ah, I see. Well, today was pretty chaotic…”

 

Nodding in understanding, I could see why she’d forgotten. With Akizuki’s ambush, most of my thoughts had been consumed by that. Forgetting a shopping errand or two was only natural.

 

“If it’s not urgent, couldn’t you just get it tomorrow?”

 

“That suggestion is very tempting, but… may I, Master? For tonight’s dinner, I was planning to make fried dishes. Using the Saionji family’s supply chain, we received some exceptionally high-quality shrimp and oysters, and fried foods are my specialty. Kagaya-san raves about the irresistible crunch of the batter.”

 

“Oh, that sounds incredibly delicious—”

 

“—But we don’t have any sauce.”

 

“Wha—!?”

 

“…Do you understand now, Master? Yes, this is quite a serious problem. Both you and I prefer a thicker sauce over tartar, and compromising by making a different dish would wound my pride. It would feel like admitting defeat.”

 

With surprising perfectionism, Himeji pointed her index finger upward as she spoke. …Well, I could understand her point. After hearing that, I was now completely in the mood for fried food, and if we were going to eat it, I definitely wanted sauce to go with it. Fair enough.

 

“—So, here’s the thing.”

 

Noticing where my thoughts had led, Himeji gave a small, polite bow.

 

“I’ll just pop over to the convenience store. Please go on ahead, Master.”

 

“Huh? No, no, I can go instead—”

 

“No, you can’t. This area isn’t particularly busy, but even so, you’re a Seven-Star, and I’m your maid. There’s such a thing as appearances… Fufu, it would be unthinkable for a maid to make her master run errands, right? I’d be the one getting scolded.”

 

“Ugh… Well, if you put it that way.”

 

Overruled by Himeji’s usual cool tone, I responded a beat late. There was still a part of me that felt uneasy, but since she’d gone this far, there was no need for me to insist on taking over out of stubbornness.

 

And so, I headed back to the dorm alone first.

 

I started gathering information on Akizuki and the “District Selection Battle”—and an hour and a half passed.

 

“…Something’s wrong.”

 

Sipping lukewarm tea (which I’d brewed myself and wasn’t particularly good) in the living room, I glanced at the clock and muttered to myself. …This was strange. Too strange. Could going to the convenience store really take this long? No, it couldn’t. Even walking slowly, it was only a five-minute trip. Given how earnest and dutiful Himeji was, if something had happened, she would’ve contacted me immediately.

 

“Anyway, I should call her—”

 

…And then.

 

Just as I reached for my terminal to initiate a call, it suddenly began to vibrate incessantly. A notification—not from LNN or STOC, but a longer alert signaling an incoming call. Glancing at the pop-up, the caller was listed as “Himeji Shirayuki.”

 

Feeling a slight relief, I answered with a tentative “Hello?”—but at that very moment—

 

“Ehe… Hi there, Hiroto-kun. Good evening♪.”

 

“Tch—!?”

 

The sugary voice that came through the terminal made me jump to my feet. …Akizuki Noa. The six-star “Little Devil.” The one who’d been making suspicious moves since the start of the “District Selection Battle” was now, for some reason, contacting me using Himeji’s terminal.

 

“…Hey. What’s your game, huh?”

 

“Huh? What game? Noa just happened to run into your maid-chan by chance, you know? And when I asked nicely, she kindly lent me her terminal. Ehehe, maybe it’s because Noa’s just too cute?”

 

“Tch… What did you do to Himeji? Is she safe?”

 

“Ehh~? What’s with that? You get mad so easily, Hiroto-kun… Fine, fine, if you insist, I’ll let you talk to your precious, precious maid-chan♡.”

 

With a tone like she was doing me a favor, Akizuki fell silent for a moment. A few seconds later, a hesitant breath came through the phone.

 

“…Himeji?”

 

“A… um, Master.”

 

When I called out tentatively, a strangely flat voice responded from the other end. …No, Himeji’s tone being steady wasn’t unusual in itself—it was just that her emotional expression was typically subdued. Normally, you could still tell whether she was happy, angry, sad, or anything else to some extent.

 

But now… there was nothing. It was as if she were suppressing something.

 

In a voice that sounded like she was holding something back, she slowly continued.

 

“I’m sorry, Master.”

 

“…”

 

“There are two things I need to apologize for… First—most likely, I won’t be able to return today. I won’t be able to stay by your side, Master.”

 

“Tch… You can’t return? Did Akizuki do something to you?”

 

“…I’m sorry. I can’t say.”

 

To my question, Himeji replied in a fragile voice. …I had no intention of blaming her, but frustration and confusion were piling up in my mind.

 

And then—

 

“The second thing is… Master, right now, you and I are in a ‘combat state,’ correct? For the purpose of shutting out all other ‘exercises’ until the last possible moment before penalties kick in—until tomorrow evening.”

 

“…? Yeah, that’s right.”

 

“About that…”

 

Himeji hesitated for a while, struggling to find the words, but eventually took a small, resolute breath on the other end of the line. Then, in a clear voice, she declared:

 

“—I can’t afford to lose tomorrow’s game.”

 

“Tch…”

 

“I’m sorry, Master. I’ll accept any punishment afterward, no matter what. I’ll obey any order you give. I’ll take all your anger, hatred, and everything else. So please… please, don’t aim for victory in tomorrow’s game.”

 

“—”

 

Faced with her pleading tone, I was left dumbfounded, unable to comprehend. As I froze, a cheerful laugh suddenly echoed from the other end of the line.

 

“Ehehe…♪ So? Did the maid-chan’s message get through loud and clear?”

 

“…You.”

 

“Don’t get so mad~ It’s okay, it’s okay, I haven’t done anything yet. Well, it depends on your ‘response,’ Hiroto-kun… Ahaha♪.

 

See you tomorrow, then♡.”

 

With a merciless click, the call was abruptly cut off. I tried calling back almost reflexively, but it was clear she had no intention of answering. The dial tone rang emptily, with no sign of a connection.

 

“…Damn it…!”

 

Overwhelmed by emotion, I threw my terminal onto the table.

 

Argh… I’d been had. Completely outmaneuvered.

 

Most likely, this had been Akizuki’s goal from the start. Looking back, she’d been probing me and observing my relationship with Himeji since the day before the “District Selection Battle” began, trying to figure out Himeji’s position in my life.

 

And then there was the earlier ambush. Even though she failed to finish me off, Akizuki had remained so composed.

 

Now I understood. …That ambush wasn’t about taking me out right there. It was designed from the beginning to force me to use my emergency evasion tactic. By cornering us so thoroughly, she knew at some point Himeji would apply for an “exercise,” shifting us into a one-day “invincibility mode” combat state. Akizuki had read that far ahead.

 

And then, having deliberately put us in that state, she “kidnapped” Himeji.

 

By imposing some kind of condition, she’d sealed Himeji’s ability to withdraw—meaning, to avoid penalties, Himeji and I would have no choice but to fight. To oppose each other. In other words, she’d identified Himeji as my weakness and struck at it in the most effective way possible.

 

It was a terrifyingly precise read. A flawless strategy without a single flaw.

 

“But…”

 

Even so, I steadied my ragged breathing and voiced a denial. …Yes, for now, everything was going according to Akizuki’s plan, but it wasn’t all bad. Depending on how you looked at it, this was also a kind of opportunity. After all, Akizuki, who had been working behind the scenes until now, had made a big move. That meant this was likely her main strategy. Unlike the earlier ambush, she was now coming at me with full force. If I could just overcome tomorrow’s “exercise,” I might be able to stop her onslaught. I could grab the tail of the “Little Devil” who never showed her true colors and turn this desperate situation around in one fell swoop—.

 

“…No. That’s not it.”

 

Reaching that point in my thoughts, I unconsciously muttered those words.

 

And then, with deliberate awareness, I lifted the corners of my mouth in an exaggerated smile.

 

“It’s not ‘might.’ No matter what happens, I can’t lose.”

 

To flip the switch inside me, I spoke those words in a calm tone.

 

“District Selection Battle: Day Four Complete”

 

Dropouts (Weekend Total): 1,228. Remaining Participants: 1,916

 

LNN – Librarian Net News – Special Edition

 

Fourth Ward “Intra-Ward Selection Tournament” Pre-Event Survey

 

1. Who will claim the title of Ace in this “Intra-Ward Selection Tournament”?

 

1st: Hiroto Shinohara

……… 91.7%

Class 2-A / 7 Stars

 

2nd: Noa Akizuki

……… 4.1%

Class 3-A / 6 Stars

 

3rd: Shinji Enomoto

……… 2.3%

Class 3-A / 6 Stars

 

2. Who is the one opponent you’d most like to face at least once during the “Intra-Ward Selection Tournament”?

 

1st: Hiroto Shinohara

……… 79.2%

Class 2-A / 7 Stars

 

2nd: Shirayuki Himeji

……… 14.3%

Class 2-A / 4 Stars

 

3rd: Mayu Mizukami

……… 3.1%

Class 3-B / 5 Stars

 

3. Who is most likely to dominate (= rack up the most victories) in the “Intra-Ward Selection Tournament”?

 

1st: Hiroto Shinohara

……… 34.9%

Class 2-A / 7 Stars

 

2nd: Nanase Asamiya

……… 22.4%

Class 3-A / 6 Stars

 

3rd: Keiya Koga

……… 17.3%

Class 3-C / 5 Stars

 

Reporter’s Comment 

 

Here we go—the season for the “Intra-Ward Selection Tournament” has finally arrived, meow! As expected, this year’s pre-event survey is completely dominated by the Academy Island’s strongest, Hiroto Shinohara! Just what kind of performance will this maverick transfer student deliver? You won’t be able to take your eyes off him until the very last moment, meow! It’s so riveting it might just dry out your eyes…! Be careful, everyone, meow☆

(Written by: S.K)