Chapter 4 The thing I was hiding

 

 

♯

 

──Board Game Treasure Hunt.

 

The challenge issued by Akizuki was, as the name suggested, a duel primarily focused on “finding the treasure that the opponent has hidden.”

 

<“Hehe… Hi there~ Can you see me? Can you hear me~? It’s your cute, adorable Noa-chan♡”>

 

“…………”

 

Ignoring the saccharine voice coming through the terminal’s projection screen, I decided to survey my surroundings once more. …Right now, I’m standing in a different part of the school building from earlier. It’s the usual School Building A, where we normally have classes. Since all the other students have already left the academy, the dimly lit structure is eerily silent.

 

The current time is past seven in the evening. It’s been exactly thirty minutes since Akizuki proposed this duel. In that time, all I managed to do was call a certain girl at Akizuki’s insistence that I needed a “partner,” and check whether my communication with Kagaya-san was still functioning. That’s about it—really just the bare minimum of preparation. I haven’t even had time to think of a strategy, let alone fully grasp the basic rules of the duel.

 

But then again, that makes sense—because for Akizuki, this duel isn’t really a “contest” at all. It’s a guaranteed victory, a literal “mop-up match.”

 

(Well… In reality, if I want to save Himeji, I can’t afford to win here. Of course, if I were willing to abandon her, that’d be a different story, but that’s not even an option. …And even setting aside those emotional considerations, if word got out that I “sacrificed my maid to survive,” my reputation as a Seven Star would take a nosedive. Either way, I’m screwed.)

 

Thinking about all this, I let out a sigh and shook my head in frustration. …A duel where winning, losing, and even drawing are all off the table—a complete deadlock. On top of that, Akizuki is a six-star holder with a colored star, making her a top-tier ranker just below the Seven Stars. Given my current situation, where I can’t properly rely on the Company, she might be an opponent I can’t handle no matter what I do.

 

<“…Hehe~♪”>

 

Whether she knew what I was thinking or not, Akizuki flashed a sly smile, her expression dripping with calculated charm.

 

<“Lucky you, Hiroto-kun. Your classmates haven’t all gone home yet. Too bad~ You were so close to giving Noa a default win… Ehe, what a shame♡”>

 

“…………”

 

<“Mou, you’re ignoring me again. Geez… Well, we don’t have much time, so let’s get started. First, a [Question]—is Hiroto-kun’s partner hiding on the third floor or below?”>

 

“…[Question]? What’s that?”

 

I couldn’t stay silent any longer, so I furrowed my brow slightly and asked back. Board Game Treasure Hunt—all I knew about this duel was that it involved “finding the opponent’s hidden partner,” a treasure-hunt-style challenge. Beyond that, I hadn’t been told a single thing. Being suddenly hit with “[Question]” left me completely baffled.

 

<“Mm~ It’s exactly what it sounds like. A [Question] is a [Question].”>

 

Akizuki answered, peering down as if she’d placed her terminal on a window ledge or something.

 

<“It’s one of the commands you can use in Board Game Treasure Hunt. You can ask the opponent a question they have to answer with a ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ You only get one per turn, and the person being asked has to tell the truth. If you lie here, you’re disqualified on the spot, so be careful, okay♪”>

 

“Hmm… I see. Then, no.”

 

<“Mhm, mhm. Next is the [Move] phase—it’s the same as [Question]; you only get to use it once per turn. Once you narrow down the classroom with a [Question]—like, ‘Maybe the opponent’s partner is here?’—you head there yourself. The limit is three classrooms per turn.”>

 

“Three spaces…?”

 

I tilted my head, not quite following what Akizuki meant.

 

But then—out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something displayed on the terminal’s screen, and my gaze was drawn to it like a magnet. What I saw was a simple diagram made up of square grids. Eight columns wide and six rows tall, totaling forty-eight squares… And these squares seemed to correspond to the actual classrooms in this school building. For example, I’m currently standing in front of Room 2-J on the fourth floor, five rooms from the west end. On the map, my position is marked similarly: four squares from the bottom and five from the left, with an icon labeled “Shin” placed there. Meanwhile, “Aki” is located on the left side of the first floor.

 

“…I see.”

 

Finally understanding, I nodded once at Akizuki on the other side of the screen.

 

“In other words, each classroom is one square. The players’ and partners’ locations are all managed on this ‘grid,’ and the range of [Move] is determined by it, right?”

 

<“Ehe, that’s right♪ Basically, you move left or right, but if there’s a staircase—like at either end of the building—you can move up or down too, okay♡”>

 

Akizuki added that extra detail, her cheerful mood seemingly unshaken.

 

By the way, as a side note, while our partners—Sarasa and Himeji—are hiding inside specific “classrooms,” Akizuki and I are positioned in front of classrooms—in the hallway, that is. I tried the classroom doors earlier, and they were all locked with electronic locks. Most likely, you need to use some kind of command to open them.

 

Anyway, moving on.

 

<“Got it? Then Noa will—hmm, it’d be boring if this ended too quickly, so I’ll go easy on you a little. I’ll [Move] one classroom to the right and end my turn, okay♪”>

 

With an overly cheerful tone, as if taunting me, Akizuki said this. As she moved, the icon on the map shifted one classroom to the right. Since she said “end turn,” it meant my turn—where I could use [Question] or [Move]—had finally come around.

 

That said, there was no need to rush into action. Based on the terminal’s display, each turn has a ten-minute time limit, so I decided to use that time fully to review the rules—

 

<“—But that was a lie, of course.”>

 

“…Huh?”

 

<“Ehe, I’ll give you a special hint, Hiroto-kun♡ One of Noa’s abilities is Double Action—just as the name implies, it lets me take two consecutive turns. So, here’s another [Question]. …Is your partner hiding on the fifth floor or above?”>

 

“Tch… Double Action? What kind of ridiculous, cheating ability is that?”

 

<“Ehh~ It’s a totally normal ability. I just tweaked it a tiny bit♡ …Ehe, so, Hiroto-kun, what’s your answer to the [Question]? If you don’t answer soon, you’ll be disqualified, you know♪”>

 

“Tch. …No.”

 

<“Yay, jackpot♪ If it’s not on the third floor or below, and not on the fifth floor or above, then it’s definitely on the fourth floor. Ehe, maybe Noa’s cuteness brings good luck too~”>

 

“…Hah. As if I care. If you’re going to praise yourself, do it after you finish [Moving].”

 

<“Hm? Oh, right, right. Then for my second [Move], I’ll go one classroom to the right too. I kinda want to see that frustrated look on your face, Hiroto-kun… Ehe, I’ll tease you more and more♡ I won’t let this end so easily♡”>

 

Saying all that smoothly, Akizuki finally finished her actions. Right after, her image on the screen abruptly cut off with a cutesy wave of both hands. At the same time, the audio seemed to go dead, and for the first time in several minutes, a quiet stillness enveloped the area.

 

“…………”

 

I still don’t fully understand what’s going on, but that last move made the gap between her and me painfully clear. A chill and cold sweat ran down my back together. A sense of urgency raced through my mind.

 

“…Right.”

 

Then, remembering something, I pulled the terminal out of my pocket and held it up again. I activated the only ability I could bring into this duel—Delay—stacking it three times. Each instance is only worth two stars, so the effect is weak, but it extends my turn’s time limit until the end of the duel, giving me a “time-buying” advantage. I didn’t have time to plan a better setup, so this was the best I could do under the circumstances. After all, I needed time for a strategy meeting.

 

“Alright…”

 

Glancing sideways at the “remaining time” in the bottom right of the terminal, now extended from ten minutes to just under twenty, I immediately contacted my partner.

 

“—Hello, it’s me. Can you hear me?”

 

<“Yes, no problem. …Wait, can you hear me properly? I’m whispering super quietly right now to avoid being found by that little devil.”>

 

“I can hear you. It’s a bit ticklish, though.”

 

Joking lightly, I met her ruby-red eyes through the screen.

 

Yes—that partner I brought into Board Game Treasure Hunt was none other than Sarasa Saionji. True to her declaration yesterday, as soon as classes at Sakura Academy ended, she sneaked onto Eimei’s grounds to keep an eye on things. And she did so in a perfect disguise: wearing Eimei’s boys’ uniform in a wild, loose style, complete with a boyish cap and mask. …Of course, it was a disguise to hide her identity as a lady, but based on what I heard earlier, it seems even Akizuki mistook her for “just one of my classmates who happened to still be in the school building.”

 

Anyway, setting that aside.

 

Lowering my voice to match Sarasa on the other side of the screen, I slowly began to speak.

 

“Uh… First off, are you okay, Sarasa? You might be stuck in there for a while.”

 

<“I’m totally fine. It’s easier than normal school life since I don’t have to put on any act. The only downside is that I can’t make any noise, which is a bit frustrating… Oh, and it’s a little cold, maybe.”>

 

“Ah… Well, it is April, but it’s night, so… Sorry, I should’ve lent you my jacket earlier.”

 

<“! …T-That’s, um… It might take a bit of courage to wear it.”>

 

“Why? If you’re cold, just wear it quietly.”

 

I responded with a mix of exasperation to Sarasa, whose cheeks had turned slightly red for some reason—but there was nothing I could do about it now. I felt bad for both Sarasa and Himeji, Akizuki’s partner, but they’d just have to endure the cold for now.

 

So, with that settled.

 

“Anyway—thanks, Sarasa. If you hadn’t come, I might’ve been done for even before the duel started.”

 

<“Mm… It’s fine. I planned to do this from the start… I mean, if you lost, it’d be trouble for me too.”>

 

Leaning her cheek on her hand and looking away, Sarasa whispered with a hint of embarrassment. In response, I softened my expression slightly and murmured, “I appreciate it.” Then, to dispel the oddly ticklish atmosphere, I returned to my usual tone and continued.

 

“Seriously, if I’d lost without doing anything, I’d regret it for the rest of my life. Since I can’t explain the situation, I couldn’t ask just anyone for help either.”

 

<“Well, yeah… But didn’t Yuki say anything? I can’t imagine her staying quiet and letting herself be taken hostage without a word to you…”>

 

“Himeji? Oh, she did say something… Probably exactly what you’re thinking, actually.”

 

<“Exactly what I’m thinking… So, something like this, maybe: ‘I’m terribly sorry to trouble you, Master. However, this matter can be easily resolved. If I leave Academy Island, that will be the end of it—’ or something.”>

 

“No way, are you psychic or what?”

 

Her word choice, intonation, expression, even her breathing—it was a perfect match. Surprised, I stared at Sarasa, who smiled gently from the other side of the screen.

 

<“Hehe… Well, that’s just how Yuki’s always been. She was that devoted to the real Sarasa too, and of course, to you as well. I’m sure she genuinely believes that ridiculous idea that ‘if I disappear, everything will be solved.’”>

 

“That’s exactly why it’s no good. If Himeji were to leave the island to protect me, I’m confident I’d never recover. …So, for now, we need to understand the rules. I have less than ten minutes left in my turn. We need to fully grasp the basics of this duel, or we’re done for. —So, Sarasa, sorry, but can you help me out here?”

 

<“Sure. I was hoping you’d ask. It won’t even take three minutes.”>

 

Smiling lightly at my words, she gave me a reassuring response.

 

♯

 

“—Board Game Treasure Hunt is, simply put, a game where you find the treasure your opponent has hidden.”

 

Leaning against the cold wall of the hallway, I shifted my weight slightly and began decoding the rules while staring at the projection screen on my terminal.

 

“In this case, the ‘treasure’ refers to the partner. For me, that’s you; for Akizuki, it’s Himeji.”

 

<“…Treasure’ and ‘partner’ sound so cringey when you say them.”>

 

“Sh-Shut up. That’s just what it says. …Anyway, the overall goal of the duel is to accomplish that faster than your opponent. In other words, if Akizuki finds you before I find Himeji, I lose—got it?”

 

Muttering slowly to ensure I understood myself, I kept things simple. For now, the victory condition seemed straightforward enough. Nothing too complicated yet.

 

I reached out and switched the display on the screen—next up was the same overall map of the school building I’d seen earlier.

 

“Uh… Board Game Treasure Hunt takes place here, in School Building A. It’s the largest building at Eimei Academy, with eight classrooms per floor and six floors total, making forty-eight classrooms in all. The breakdown is fourteen classrooms each for the upper classes of first to third years, plus special rooms like the faculty office and infirmary.”

 

<“Mhm, mhm. And this 6×8 grid is a simplified version of that, right?”>

 

“Yeah, something like that. The players’ locations are shown on the map from the start and update in real time every time a [Move] command is input. Meanwhile, the partners—you and Himeji—are hidden somewhere among those forty-eight squares. …Well, ‘hidden’ might not be the right word since we players decide their locations.”

 

<“True. I just climbed up to the fourth floor following your instructions a little while ago.”>

 

“Yep, yep, and I’m grateful for that. …Anyway, once the partners are positioned, the duel officially starts. It’s turn-based, and there are several commands you can use during your turn.”

 

<“Oh, like the ones that little devil was using earlier. [Question] and [Move], right?”>

 

As she spoke, Sarasa glanced to the right and narrowed her eyes slightly. It seemed she was looking at the rule text too, as she soon began reading aloud from the relevant section.

 

<“Let’s see, it’s around here. …Players can take four actions during their turn. First is [Question]—you can ask the opponent one question that can be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ The player who receives the [Question] must answer truthfully, and failing to do so results in immediate disqualification.”>

 

“Yeah.”

 

This was something Akizuki had explained to me directly just moments ago. The [Question] command forces the opponent to give a truthful answer. In Board Game Treasure Hunt, you basically use [Question] to narrow down the location of the treasure.

 

“Probably, the standard strategy is to start with broad [Questions] like Akizuki did, then gradually narrow it down. …Next up is [Move]. Each player can move up to three classrooms from their current position per turn.”

 

<“Right, so in other words, ‘you yourself are the piece.’ You treat the entire school building like this map—a flat grid—and move around within it. The maximum distance is three classrooms.”>

 

“Exactly. Either toward the gym side or the courtyard side—right or left on the map, up to three squares. And if you’re at either end, there are staircases, so you can move up or down too.”

 

In short, imagine a chessboard with movement restrictions. The board is a 6×8 rectangle. Normally, you can only move yourself left or right, but at the edges of the board, you can move up or down. Both players have a uniform limit of three squares per move… If you think of these conditions as corresponding to the real school building and classrooms, [Move] isn’t that complicated a command.

 

“—Next, then.”

 

Seeing Sarasa nod on the screen, I moved on to explain the remaining two commands. These were still uncharted territory for us, as neither had been used yet.

 

To avoid misunderstandings, I stared intently at the screen and continued.

 

“The last two aren’t like [Question] or [Move], which you use every turn. But they’re incredibly important instead.

 

“First is the third command—[Answer]. As the name suggests, it’s the command to declare where the opponent’s partner is. If you’re right, the duel ends there. But there’s one condition: to use [Answer], the player themselves has to be standing in front of that classroom. …In other words, it’s not enough to just figure out the location—you have to actually [Move] there and say, ‘They’re here!’ Also, each player gets three attempts.”

 

<“Three, huh. So technically, you can afford to be wrong twice…”>

 

Even as she said this, Sarasa’s expression remained serious.

 

No—objectively, the number of attempts didn’t seem that harsh. With two chances to be wrong before the third, it almost felt lenient.

 

…However,

 

“The tricky part is the fourth command, [Evade]. It’s a command you can use during your turn to freely change your partner’s location. Using it resets all the opponent’s progress and can even increase the physical distance. …But to use it, you have to spend one attempt.”

 

<“Mm… I see. So in other words, those three attempts are like a limited trump card you can use for both offense and defense. Even if the opponent figures out your partner’s location, you can force them to escape, but you lose one offensive option in return. …I get it now. That’s why that little devil chose Double Action. She’s saying she’s going easy now, but if she gets serious, she can move twice as fast as you. If she keeps up that pressure, you’ll probably run out of attempts first, Shinohara.”>

 

“…Yeah, you’re probably right.”

 

I couldn’t help but let out a sigh at Sarasa’s all-too-accurate deduction.

 

[Question], [Move], [Answer]—there are several actions you can take in one turn, but ultimately, the essence of this game is “figure out where the opponent’s partner is and reach them as fast as possible.” Sometimes, you’ll need to dodge with [Evade] to prevent the opponent from achieving that. [Evade] is an absolute defensive command, but since it consumes an attempt, you can only use it a maximum of two times.

 

Considering all that, it became clear just how perfect Akizuki’s Double Action was for this duel. Being able to use [Question] and [Move] twice each effectively doubles her efficiency. And it’s not just that—I also have to constantly be aware of “the distance between Akizuki and Sarasa.” After all, she can act consecutively for two turns. If she narrows down Sarasa’s location on her first move, there won’t be any opportunity to use [Evade] in between.

 

“…Double Action is just too strong. This isn’t ‘going easy’ at all.”

 

<“Right. And the Spy/Impulse to Destroy dual ability she mentioned earlier is probably another illegal ability prepared by that ‘mastermind’ you talked about. If something like this were officially available, I’d definitely remember it.”>

 

“Well, yeah…”

 

Saying that, I shook my head slightly. …Had she already dropped all pretenses, or what? Akizuki’s actions were becoming increasingly unrestrained. At this rate, her remaining two ability slots were likely filled with equally troublesome powers—abilities as dangerous as, or even more so than, Double Action.

 

<“But… Hey, Shinohara.”>

 

Then—her voice dropped to a whisper, and I looked up. Peering at the screen, I saw Sarasa staring back with a worried expression.

 

<“We’ve mostly figured out the rules, but what are you planning to do from here?”>

 

“? What do you mean, ‘what am I planning’?”

 

<“Well… You can’t win, right? If you win, Yuki won’t be able to stay on this island. I absolutely hate that idea. But if you lose, then you’ll be the one in trouble instead. So, I… I have no idea how we’re supposed to proceed with this duel.”>

 

“Ah… I see, that’s what you mean.”

 

It took me a moment to catch on, but her point was completely valid. The Board Game Treasure Hunt that Akizuki had set up was an absurdly unfair duel from the start—a no-win situation. Whether I win or lose, the future holds only ruin, and drawing like in the Unequal Triangle scenario isn’t feasible given the nature of this duel. Even if it were possible, it wouldn’t change much. As long as Himeji is being held hostage, Akizuki’s overwhelming advantage won’t budge—which is exactly why we need to devise a way to completely conquer this duel.

 

“…………”

 

After thinking it through, I looked up and met Sarasa’s eyes again.

 

“For now, I think there might be a way to turn this around. No guarantees, but there could be a strategy to flip the situation. Uh, specifically—”

 

<“—Mm, mm.”>

 

Checking the remaining time on my turn out of the corner of my eye, I roughly outlined the “plan” in my head to her. Sarasa listened with a serious expression on the other side of the screen and eventually nodded solemnly.

 

<“I see… Yeah, that might actually work. At least, based on what I’ve heard, it makes sense. It might even be the only option. I thought the same during your duel with Kugasaki—you really are a genius when it comes to using dirty tricks in a pinch.”>

 

“Well, thanks. Getting the stamp of approval from the great Empress is an honor. …But, Sarasa, to make this plan work, we first have to play the duel normally, right? More than that, we need to aim straight for a ‘win’—at least for now. So, our immediate goal is that. Let’s set everything else aside and focus solely on winning the duel.”

 

<“…Mm, right.”>

 

Crossing her arms loosely over her chest at my declaration, Sarasa closed her eyes and began to organize her thoughts, speaking slowly.

 

<“[Question] to figure out where the opponent’s partner is hiding, [Move] to reach that square, and [Answer] to declare it—that’s the duel. But since [Evade] exists, it’s not over after just one chase. They’ll probably dodge at the last second… That’s why the number of ‘attempts’ for [Answer] and [Evade] is so crucial. In extreme cases, you could say that if the opponent runs out of attempts, you win on the spot.”>

 

“Yeah. So, what this duel needs above all is speed. We have to checkmate Akizuki faster and force her to use [Evade]. Do that three times to reduce her attempts to zero… That’s the bare minimum to win. But with her Double Action, there’s no way we can win by playing fair. We won’t make it in time.”

 

<“…Then what are you going to do?”>

 

“What do you mean, ‘what’? It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

 

At Sarasa’s bewildered question, I smirked slightly, lifting the right corner of my mouth. Then, with a bold, ruthless, almost mocking tone, I declared—

 

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, foul play for foul play. …She’s had her way for far too long. That little devil challenged us—the false Seven Star—with her cheating. Let’s make her regret it.”

 

♯

 

<“Ehe… Are you about ready to surrender, Hiroto-kun♡”>

 

—A short while after my strategy meeting with Sarasa ended.

 

Since my twenty-minute time limit was nearly up, I hurriedly reconnected the terminal to the main Board Game Treasure Hunt screen. Akizuki, still as cute and taunting as ever on the video feed, said this.

 

“…………”

 

Ignoring her provocative question completely, I responded calmly and methodically.

 

“[Question], Akizuki. Is Himeji on the upper half of the building—the fourth floor or above?”

 

<“Ehh~ What’s with that? So boring. You could at least act a little happier to chat with the cute Noa-chan… No, that’s wrong. Not the fourth floor or above.”>

 

“I see. Then I’ll [Move] three classrooms to the right and end my turn.”

 

Finishing my first turn with the bare minimum of conversation, I moved quickly.

 

<“Mou~…”>

 

Akizuki let out a dissatisfied, naturally cutesy grumble, clearly annoyed by my attitude… but soon, she seemed to perk up again. Shifting to her second turn, she continued to narrow down Sarasa’s location with broad [Questions], leveraging Double Action just as before. She claimed to be going easy, as she was still staying at the right end of the first floor, but her information was already down to two possibilities. If she changed her mind, she could head straight for Sarasa at any moment.

 

And so, during my second turn—

 

“How about it, Kagaya-san?”

 

—I contacted Kagaya-san, who was on standby outside the academy, trying to figure out if there was any way to interfere with Board Game Treasure Hunt.

 

Kagaya-san’s—and by extension, the Company’s—cheating. If we could incorporate that into this duel, it would be a huge boost. It would be the perfect support to surpass the “minimum requirement” of forcing Akizuki to use all three of her attempts—

 

<“…Hmm.”>

 

Contrary to my hopes, the voice I heard through my earpiece was far from optimistic.

 

<“Yeah, doesn’t look like it’ll work. This isn’t about security or anything—it’s a defensive ability. Noa-chan’s probably put up some kind of Wide Area Barrier over the whole building. This communication is fine since it’s using normal terminal functions, but any unauthorized interference is being blocked. She’s clearly on high alert for cheating… If the whole team were here, maybe, but just me alone? It’s a bit tough.”>

 

“Urgh… I see.”

 

At Kagaya-san’s assessment, accompanied by the sound of keyboard typing, I slumped my shoulders and leaned against the classroom door. …As expected, Akizuki was thorough and cautious. If external access was blocked, I couldn’t rely on the Company at all.

 

As I fell silent, pressing the back of my hand to my forehead, Kagaya-san continued jokingly.

 

“Well, if Hiro-kun were a once-in-a-century genius—like, on par with Noa-chan’s hyper-intelligence—maybe you could’ve pulled something off. But your talents lie in a different area, don’t they? Too bad, too bad.”

 

“Well, yeah… Wait, huh? Kagaya-san, does that mean—if someone as smart as Akizuki were here, we could make it work?”

 

<“Huh? Oh, no, no, that was just a figure of speech… But, well, to summarize, yeah, something like that?”>

 

While showing a slightly surprised reaction to my questioning, Kagaya-san quickly responded with affirmation.

 

<“See, that thing. Before the District Selection Battle started, I created a program called Terminal Detection as one of the methods to escape pursuers, right? It’s a handy function that can extract and search for terminal signals from event survivors. Since you and the others are the only ones in that school building right now, if we could use that, we could easily pinpoint Shirayuki-chan’s location.”>

 

“Ah… I see, that makes sense.”

 

<“Mhm. But right now, the Wide Area Barrier is active, so Terminal Detection, which requires communication with an external server, can’t be used as is… So, I was thinking, if there’s a genius boy or girl on your end, could they quickly ‘modify’ it into a standalone version? The Wide Area Barrier is an external defense ability, so it doesn’t affect cheating from within. Plus, I have all the details of the modified program in my head. I can teach you everything.”>

 

“Modifying a program… But without any equipment?”

 

<“The terminals on Academy Island are more high-performance than the latest PCs out there, Hiro-kun. The higher your rank, the more functions get unlocked. Hmm, if I were there, I could set it up in about two minutes… But, well, this approach probably won’t work. You should look for another option soon—”>

 

“Wait, Kagaya-san. …That might not be impossible.”

 

At that moment, I interrupted her with a calm voice. As a puzzled whisper of <“Not impossible…?”> came back, I shifted my gaze to one of the terminal’s projection screens—the one still connected to Sarasa.

 

Then, loud enough for both to hear, I said:

 

“—As it happens, there’s someone here who’s smarter than Akizuki.”

 

<“Hah… I knew you’d say that. Honestly, you really work people hard, don’t you?”>

 

“Can’t help it. In my position, you’re the only one I can reliably count on.”

 

<“The only one… I-I see? Is that so. Hmm… Hehe.”>

 

For a brief moment, Sarasa’s cheeks softened with a hint of delight, but soon she nodded once, seeming to understand my intent. Leaning slightly forward over the desk, she continued.

 

<“Um, Kagaya-san… was it? It’s a bit hard to talk like this since we’re connected through Shinohara’s terminal, but due to certain circumstances, I can’t reveal my ID no matter what. So, let’s just continue like this for now, okay?”>

 

<“? That voice—could it be Parker-chan?”>

 

<“Yes, it’s me, after a day. Though, I’m not in my parka right now, so I have some reservations about that nickname… We don’t have time, so let’s get to the point. I’ll take over what you were talking about earlier. So, just tell me the method already.”>

 

<“Huh!? W-Wait… Are you serious?”>

 

<“Of course I am. There’s not a shred of falsehood in what I’m saying. Listen up? I didn’t mention it yesterday, but I’m a genius, recognized by both myself and others. That little devil doesn’t even compare.”>

 

<“Whoa… Okay, got it. If you’re that confident, I’ll teach you. Parker-chan.”>

 

Seeming to like Sarasa’s bold declaration, Kagaya-san agreed without hesitation. In a cheerful tone, she lowered her voice slightly and added:

 

<“But. …When it comes to this, I can be a little strict, you know♪”>

 

<“The second floor, fourth room from the right. That’s the room where Yuki is.”>

 

To cut to the chase—

 

Sarasa, having been taught how to modify the Terminal Detection program by Kagaya-san, managed to assemble it in just under ten minutes. It was cutting it close, but she finished just before my second turn ended. Having undergone what seemed like quite a Spartan training session, she now leaned back in her chair, exhausted.

 

<“Hah… Mm… Haa. Seriously, you’re going to regret this later… What’s with ‘it can be done in two minutes’? There’s no way such a complex process can be put together in just two minutes.”>

 

<“Huh!? No, no, I said I could do it in two minutes. Of course, it’s impossible for anyone else. …But still, Parker-chan, you’ve got potential! When I taught Shirayuki-chan, it took a whole day with a slow and gentle approach, but you absorbed it in just ten minutes! I didn’t expect that!”>

 

<“I’ll take that assessment at face value, but… ‘slow and gentle approach’? I sense some malice in the difference in how you treated Yuki. You didn’t give me a single second to breathe.”>

 

<“Heh… That’s because of love. Yeah, love.”>

 

<“D-Don’t think you can brush it off with something like that!”>

 

Puffing out her cheeks in frustration, Sarasa continued to voice her displeasure… but she probably acknowledged Kagaya-san’s skill. There was no sign of disagreement on that front.

 

“—Right.”

 

In any case, the time limit was approaching. It was time to refocus on the duel.

 

With steady hands, I operated the terminal and reconnected to the main Board Game Treasure Hunt screen. Instantly, Akizuki, now connected, teased in a playful tone, <“You’re late~”>. Leaning in as if peering at me, she continued.

 

<“Geez, Hiroto-kun, you’re as cold as ever… Just because Noa’s going easy on you, don’t get too cocky, okay? Noa wants more attention, you know♡”>

 

“More attention? No, you just want to taunt me to my face, don’t you?”

 

<“Ehh~? That’s not true. Noa just wants to ‘chat’ with Hiroto-kun.”>

 

“Huh, is that so? …Then, Akizuki, can I ask you something?”

 

<“What, what? Sure, Noa-chan is not only cute but also smart and generous, so I’ll answer anything♡ Well, whether I actually answer or not depends on Noa’s mood—”>

 

“As if I’d let it be that easy. —[Question]. Akizuki, you hid Himeji in the fourth room from the right on the second floor, Room 1-K, right?”

 

<“…!?”>

 

In that instant—I cut off Akizuki’s confident spiel and fired back with that [Question]. A direct, decisive question. An outright assertion with no attempt to hide its boldness. It completely ignored the spirit of the duel, but under the rules of Board Game Treasure Hunt, Akizuki couldn’t lie in response.

 

<“Yes… Hey, what’s going on? Hiroto-kun, are you cheating again?”>

 

“That’s a harsh way to put it. I’ve never cheated before, and even if I had, it wouldn’t be possible now, right? I’m already trapped by your scheme and couldn’t even bring proper abilities.”

 

<“…But still…”>

 

Muttering with suspicion, displeasure, and irritation, Akizuki lowered her gaze slightly. …To be honest, whether I should have asked that question was a tricky decision. It had no informational value, and it might even backfire by making Akizuki more cautious.

 

But, as I’ve said before, Akizuki Noa is a formidable opponent. Whether I said something or not, if she were heading straight for 1-K, she’d definitely notice “something” was up. In that case, confronting her head-on and causing her to panic might be more effective.

 

“…………”

 

With a defiant expression, I proceeded with [Move]. By the end of my second turn, I had reached the second room from the right on the second floor—the classroom two doors away from 1-K, where Himeji was. Having closed in to within three classrooms, I had effectively put her in checkmate.

 

Akizuki watched silently through the terminal, but eventually, she let out a soft <“…Ahaha”>, her lips curling into a disturbingly beautiful smile as she continued.

 

<“You’re pretty good at cheating, Hiroto-kun. Fine, then—I’m done going easy. —[Question]. Your partner is hiding in the second room from the left on the fourth floor. Right?”>

 

“…Yes.”

 

<“Ehe, of course♪ It’s not just you who knows the location. Noa figured it out ages ago too. There’s still a bit of distance, but… I can turn this around in no time.”>

 

With a dark glint in her eyes, Akizuki maintained her smile as she said this. True to her word, she’d stopped holding back. In her third turn’s first move, she used [Move] to advance a total of six classrooms—from the right end of the first floor to the middle of the fourth floor in one go. …As expected, Double Action’s power was no joke. Despite all the “playing around” she’d done, she turned the tables and checkmated me in an instant.

 

(Tch…)

 

Leaving me to grimace in secret, Akizuki tapped her chin with her index finger in a coy gesture and continued.

 

<“Oh, and before I forget, I need to use [Evade] too. I’ll consume one attempt to move the maid to another classroom… There, reset number one.”>

 

Saying that smoothly, Akizuki waved both hands and cut the call with a <“See you later, okay♡”>. For her, it was an unusually abrupt end to the conversation, but naturally, it was to give instructions to Himeji—about the new classroom for [Evade] and the route to get there. There was no way she’d discuss that kind of thing while her opponent was listening.

 

As I let out a small breath to release the tension, <“Mm…? Hey, Shinohara, can I talk to you for a moment?”>

 

“? What’s wrong?”

 

<“Yuki’s terminal signal disappeared. …She might have been noticed.”>

 

“Ah…”

 

I responded with a subtle reaction to Sarasa’s stiff voice. …Well, in a way, that was to be expected. If we showed sudden progress without using [Question], it was almost certain she’d suspect cheating. In that case, it would be strange if no countermeasures were taken.

 

“Maybe her terminal was shut down or something… But oh well. Just the fact that Akizuki used her first attempt before we did is more than enough of a win.”

 

<“Right, that’s true. Getting the first attempt is a big deal. But—”>

 

“…………Master?”

 

In that moment, a clear, cool voice interrupted Sarasa and reached my ears.

 

Startled, I turned around—and there, standing calmly, was none other than Shirayuki Himeji herself.

 

“Huh…”

 

For a moment, I froze, unable to process the situation. …But thinking about it, it made sense. Since the [Evade] command was in use, it was only natural for Himeji to be out of the classroom, and given how close she was—close enough to reach in the next turn—it was almost inevitable that we’d cross paths here.

 

“…………”

 

However, stunned by this sudden encounter, I struggled to find words. Himeji, standing before me, quietly clasped her hands at her waist and bowed deeply.

 

“I’m sorry, Master. Just a moment ago, I was instructed by Akizuki-sama to block all access to my terminal. You can assume that any means of that nature will no longer work from now on.”

 

“A-Ah, I get that, but… is it okay for you to talk to me?”

 

“Yes. Since my terminal is still connected, this conversation is likely being monitored, but I haven’t said anything that would disadvantage Akizuki-sama.”

 

With her silver hair swaying gently, Himeji spoke in her usual tone. …Well, if she said it was fine, that was good enough for me. Just to be safe, I muted the speaker volume on the screen still connected to Sarasa and began speaking under the assumption that Akizuki could hear us.

 

“Still… I see. So [Evade] just means walking to a new location, huh.”

 

“Yes, that’s right. It would be more interesting if we could teleport instantly, but it seems even Academy Island’s technology isn’t advanced enough to transport living humans yet. Besides, this time, I was given a very roundabout and troublesome route to avoid giving you, Master, any unnecessary information… Sigh. I have no intention of resisting, but it does feel rather tedious.”

 

“Yeah, I can see that. Just going up and down stairs can be surprisingly tiring… Oh, and be careful not to sweat too much and catch a cold. They say it’s going to get especially cold after ten tonight, so if the rooms aren’t heated, you might catch a cold easily. My partner’s been complaining about the cold a bit too.”

 

“I see. Thank you for your concern, Master. I can’t afford to spread a cold to others, so I’ll be careful. …By the way, is your partner ‘that person’?”

 

“Yeah, probably the one you’re thinking of. So, don’t worry. I’ll end this duel quickly and set you free soon.”

 

“Hehe… Understood, I’ll look forward to it. …Oh, excuse me. I just received a scolding from Akizuki-sama to hurry up and move. Well then, I’ll be going.”

 

“Yeah. …See you later.”

 

“Yes.”

 

With a small, shy bow, Himeji turned and walked away with quiet steps. She headed down the nearby stairs… but based on what she said earlier, there was a high chance this was a feint. It wouldn’t be wise to count this as reliable information.

 

“Sigh…”

 

Musing absently, I let out a breath and glanced at the clock on my terminal. The current time was just past eight. Thanks to the [Evade] command, Akizuki’s third turn hadn’t ended yet, so I had a bit more time this round.

 

With that, I turned the call volume back on.

 

“—Sorry about that. So, what’s up, Sarasa? You were about to say something earlier, right?”

 

<“You cut me off so suddenly that I forgot where we left off… Um, right. It was about how to find Yuki’s location. We still have two attempts left, but the Terminal Detection program has been blocked. So, what do we do now? Stalling for time forever won’t solve anything.”>

 

“Hmm… Yeah, you’re right.”

 

I nodded quietly. As the previous turn showed, even after all that—even with full cheating and considerable leniency from her—we were barely keeping pace. There was no way we could win by steadily narrowing down the options.

 

“So, ideally, the standard strategy would be to read Akizuki’s mind and guess where she hid Himeji… but that’s proving a bit difficult.”

 

“? Why?”

 

“It’s simple. —Throughout this District Selection Battle, Akizuki has been reading my every move. No matter what I did, she interfered, and all my strategies were exposed. So, most likely, she’s deciding all her actions based on ‘how I’ll move’—using the effect of Eimei’s colored star, the Emerald Star.”

 

<“Ah… Right, you mentioned it was ‘stolen,’ didn’t you… Hmm. But that makes things a lot trickier. If it’s an ability that predicts actions or analyzes information, combined with that little devil’s own talent…”>

 

“Yeah, exactly. There’s no proof, but even right now, she might be reading my thoughts. If that’s the case, moving based solely on prediction is dangerous, right? We could get counterattacked and fall into a trap.”

 

<“That… might be true, but…”>

 

Saying that, Sarasa let out a small groan. …Well, I could understand why she’d react that way. After all, the concern that “our actions might be read” is basically impossible to deal with. Even if you try to avoid it by changing tactics, there’s a chance that change itself will be predicted, leading to an endless loop where you end up paralyzed.

 

“…But.”

 

<“But?”>

 

At the small voice I let slip, Sarasa on the screen perked up.

 

<“Do you have something? A method?”>

 

“Not so much a method, but… look, Akizuki has anticipated my moves countless times so far, but there were two instances where she failed. There were clear moments where she showed a ‘this wasn’t part of the plan’ reaction. The first was during the Drill with Himeji, and the second was just now—when you pinpointed Himeji’s location.”

 

<“Mm… Now that you mention it, that’s true. …That’s strange. If she can read all our actions, she should’ve handled those two incidents without issue.”>

 

“Yeah. So, I thought about what might be different… Probably—and this is just a guess—those two actions involved thoughts other than mine. During the Unequal Triangle, I was coordinating with Himeji based on her signals, and the cheating just now was entirely your and Kagaya-san’s doing.”

 

<“So… the little devil can only read your thoughts?”>

 

“Exactly. And if that’s true, we can use it. Turn it against her. Because if Akizuki is reading my mind and placing Himeji in a classroom ‘where I’m unlikely to find her,’ then—”

 

<“—if there’s someone like me who can look at this objectively, it actually makes her moves easier to read, right?”>

 

Exchanging slightly excited words, Sarasa and I nodded at each other through the screen. …Yeah, this could work. After all, Akizuki thinks of Sarasa in disguise as “just some insignificant lower-class student at Eimei.” She’s not counting her as a threat. She’s convinced I’m fighting alone.

 

That misunderstanding, that misconception, could very well be our decisive blow against her.

 

<“Wait, let me try something.”>

 

Saying that quietly, Sarasa immediately started operating her terminal and reaccessed the Board Game Treasure Hunt map. The simple 6×8 grid. My icon, labeled “Shin,” was placed in the second row from the bottom, second column from the right.

 

<“You’re here now, in front of Room 1-M on the second floor. It’s a classroom toward the right side, close to the stairs, so it’s easy to move up or down. At this point, the second floor is out of the question. If Yuki were in a second-floor classroom, you’d be able to see her from your position.”>

 

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

 

<“And that rules out the first floor too.”>

 

“…Huh?”

 

I furrowed my brow slightly as Sarasa boldly drew a double line through the bottom row of the map with her paint tool.

 

“Rules it out…? I get why the second floor is impossible, but…”

 

<“Hmm, yeah. So, in that situation—where the second floor is ruled out—what [Question] would you ask the little devil? Assuming, of course, you’re playing it straight.”>

 

“Hmm… Right. Since I’m at the end of the second floor, I’d want to confirm whether to go up or down first. So, I’d start by asking if it’s on the second floor or below, or the third floor or above—wait, ah.”

 

<“Exactly. If you asked that [Question], and Yuki were on the first floor, it’d be exposed on the first turn. Plus, the distance isn’t that far, so you could reach her with [Answer] pretty quickly. I can’t imagine that little devil making such a mistake. So, the first floor is out.

 

“And next—the fourth floor is probably out too.”>

 

Once again, Sarasa drew a bold line through the map. But I could kind of see where she was going with this.

 

“…Because you’re there, right?”

 

<“Exactly. I’m hiding in a fourth-floor classroom right now, and the little devil knows that. Someone who sets up situations as perfectly as she does wouldn’t take the risk of her hiding spot being given away by footsteps. Actually, I’ve been listening carefully, but all I’ve heard so far is the sound of someone going up or down stairs. No one’s passed by this room.”>

 

“I see. So then—”

 

As the puzzle-like feeling started to click, I leaned in closer to the screen, following Sarasa’s hand as I quietly processed my thoughts.

 

“—The third floor is out too. And the left side of the fifth floor as well.”

 

<“Hehe, right. The right side of the third floor is directly above you, and the left side is directly below me. The left side of the fifth floor is directly above me. Different floors make footsteps harder to hear, but in this dead silence, the sound of a door opening or a chair being moved would definitely echo… No, she’d be cautious that it would echo. Honestly, with Yuki’s movements, I don’t think it’d be audible at all, but I doubt that little devil knows that.

 

“So, what’s left is the right half of the fifth floor and somewhere on the sixth floor.”>

 

“Makes sense. So, that leaves twelve rooms total… We’ve narrowed it down to a quarter, but it’s still too many for a guess.”

 

<“…No, I think we can narrow it down further.”>

 

As I touched my lips with a serious expression, Sarasa looked straight at me and suddenly said this.

 

<“I was hesitant about whether to mention this, but if you didn’t bring it up—if this isn’t part of your thinking, Shinohara—then there’s a high chance the little devil is using it. …Listen? To efficiently progress in a duel like this, you need puzzle-like calculations. You have to constantly think about how many moves it’ll take the opponent to reach your partner. Based on that, the most logical hiding spot is a location that’s ‘a multiple of three plus one’ squares away from the opponent’s position. The unconscious logic is that forcing the opponent to waste turns equals efficiency.”>

 

“Wha… No, I get what you’re saying, but would someone really think that far?”

 

<“They would, at least I do. And judging from how things have gone so far, that little devil seems like a pretty efficiency-driven person too. If she’s stopped holding back, she’d probably do the same. If we apply all these conditions, the possible locations where Yuki is hiding narrow down to just three: 3-E, 3-J, 3-L.”>

 

“Tch… Seriously? You’re incredible, Sarasa.”

 

<“What, of course I am? I might not look like it, but I’m Academy Island’s strongest partner.”>

 

Jokingly, Sarasa marked those three classrooms on the map. …To think I proposed this, but I never imagined we could shortcut this far without using a single [Question]. As expected of the Empress—or whatever you want to call her—I couldn’t help but inwardly admit she was on another level.

 

(Come to think of it… Why did someone this ridiculously capable lose to me so easily? It couldn’t have been just an unexpected accident or shame. She’s not the type to crumble over something like that. There has to be some kind of circumstance…)

 

“…? Shinohara? Hey, Shinohara!”

 

“Huh? Oh, sorry, my bad.”

 

Snapped out of it by Sarasa’s puzzled voice, I shook my head to cover up. …It seemed my thoughts had wandered off somewhere. Before I knew it, my third turn was already halfway done, and with [Evade] still needing to be handled, there wasn’t much time left.

 

So, with that.

 

“Alright, then the next [Question] is set. If it’s wrong, we’ll rethink it.”

 

<“Yes, that’s fine. …Hehe, I’ll make you realize something too. Between the Empress and the little devil, who’s superior—though, that’s obvious without even needing to test it.”>

 

With her ruby eyes fixed on me, Sarasa smirked defiantly and said this.

 

<“—Wha…!”>

 

A few minutes later, near the end of the third turn as usual.

 

After moving up a floor with [Move] and handling Sarasa’s [Evade], I posed a pinpoint [Question]: “Is Himeji in one of 3-E, 3-J, or 3-L? If not, no?” Akizuki, trembling, answered with a shaky <“Yes”>. Right after, she flung her fluffy chestnut twin-tails wildly, her emotions exploding.

 

<“Why, why, why?! I blocked all external interference and made sure no other tricks could work, so how did you nail it on the first try!? Hey, why, Hiroto-kun!!”>

 

 

Despite being my opponent, Akizuki hurled questions at me without any restraint or decorum. The intensity was such that, if we were in the same space, she might have lunged at me—I nearly flinched, but I suppressed any such emotion and responded with a small, sly smile.

 

“Well, who knows? I used a method you wouldn’t know about.”

 

<“No way, that’s not possible. Noa studied so, so much. There’s no method on this island that Noa doesn’t know. There can’t be. …So, is it that ‘thing’s’ effect being read? And you turned it against me… No, that’s not it. Even if so, it should’ve still worked…”>

 

Dismissing my vague remark in an instant, Akizuki began muttering to herself with a frantic expression. Perhaps out of panic, she even let slip a few details about her own strategies, which she had previously glossed over with ease. …Well, it’s not hard to understand why. It would take me about two more [Moves] to reach the classroom where Himeji is, but this marks the second time I’ve put her in checkmate. For someone who should have had an absolute advantage, allowing her opponent to take the initiative twice in a row would unsettle even the craftiest little devil.

 

And as I thought this to myself—

 

<“Ehe… Okay, I get it. Never mind.”>

 

Suddenly, Akizuki lifted her face and spoke in a soft, almost whisper-like voice. It was different from her usual cutesy tone, yet it wasn’t the voice of someone lost to anger or panic either. If anything, it carried a sense of “strength” underpinned by some kind of resolve.

 

With a twisted smile, she said:

 

<“I don’t really get the details, but… Hiroto-kun, you figured out where the maid was by deducing it from Noa’s actions and habits, right? Yeah, that’s the only possibility. Since I sealed off cheating and abilities, that’s the only method left.”>

 

“…Huh? And if that’s the case, what of it?”

 

<“Ehe, it’s simple, Hiroto-kun. If you’re going to do something like that, I’ll make the maid’s final hiding spot random. Like dice or a roulette wheel—something totally arbitrary. Ehe… It’ll be a test of luck between Noa and Hiroto-kun♡”>

 

“Tch… Random? Have you suddenly gone reckless or what?”

 

<“Not at all~ I just realized that’s the most efficient option. …Anyway, it’s Noa’s turn next, right? Let’s see, first—”>

 

Gradually regaining her usual energy, Akizuki moved into her fourth turn. With two [Questions] and two [Moves], she determined that Sarasa’s new hiding spot was on or below the second floor. We still had some leeway, but considering her Double Action comeback, it would likely be a neck-and-neck race, maybe differing by just one turn. The second attempt would probably be used almost simultaneously too.

 

That was fine. That was all well and good, but—

 

<“This is the worst-case scenario. …Random is the most unpredictable thing.”>

 

Leaning against the hallway wall and sliding down to sit on the floor, I listened to Sarasa’s tired voice from the terminal.

 

The shocking strategy Akizuki had just proposed echoed in my mind. …Random. A selection method that completely eliminates any intent—a truly arbitrary choice. In reality, it wasn’t reckless at all; as Akizuki said, it was the most effective option in this situation.

 

Sarasa continued with a sigh-laced tone:

 

<“Abilities are sealed, and cheating is blocked. We were just starting to think we could outsmart the little devil and make the second attempt work too… But if she resorts to a random strategy, it’s over. The third attempt will lose even the slightest clue to find Yuki.”>

 

“Yeah… Damn, I never thought she’d counter like this.”

 

<“No one would think of it. And even if they did, they wouldn’t do it. …But that just shows how ‘serious’ she is.”>

 

“…………”

 

I fell silent at Sarasa’s grave tone.

 

Akizuki Noa—the girl who should have stood at the pinnacle of Eimei Academy—is, as expected, an extraordinary opponent. Even with her use of illegal abilities and stolen colored stars, the situation, the duel’s outcome, and everything else were, before I knew it, moving toward the conclusion she desired.

 

And then—

 

<“…Hey, Shinohara.”>

 

As I was lost in thought, Sarasa hesitantly spoke up from the screen. With a cautious tone and expression, she quietly asked:

 

<“Even for you, is this impossible?”>

 

“…? Impossible? What do you mean?”

 

<“W-Well… I mean, isn’t it about finding some way to locate Yuki? I haven’t thought of anything yet, but I figured, you—the one who turned things around in the final moments of the duel with Kugasaki—might be able to pull something off…”>

 

Fiddling with her side-swept hair as she spoke, Sarasa then turned away, embarrassed. It seemed the blush came late, as her ears and cheeks turned faintly red while she stammered, <“F-Forget it!”> But there was no way I could forget.

 

“What are you saying, Sarasa? About that—”

 

<“I said forget it, didn’t I!? Don’t be mean, you idiot Shinohara!”>

 

“Just listen. …Listen, okay? I’ve already prepared that method.”

 

<“—Huh?”>

 

The moment I finished speaking, Sarasa froze, blinking her large ruby eyes in surprise. Then, with a tentative tone, she asked:

 

<“Prepared… You mean there’s another way to find Yuki?”>

 

“Yeah. The third move, following cheating and the counteruse of colored stars. Thanks to you and Kagaya-san, we’ve managed to stay neck-and-neck so far. I’ve got a plan to safely end this duel. …So, what I’ve been thinking about is what comes after. What’s the best way to finish this?”

 

<“…………”>

 

“…? What’s wrong, Sarasa?”

 

<“N-No… It’s just, I’m surprised. I only half-jokingly asked, but to think you actually came up with something… It’s almost hard to believe.”>

 

“No way I’d lie in a situation like this. Especially not to you.”

 

<“I know that. …But still, if that’s the case, you should’ve said so earlier! I panicked for nothing.”>

 

Giving me a sidelong glare through the screen, Sarasa let out an exaggerated sigh of relief, patting her chest. I offered a wry smile and an apology, then shifted my focus. …The aftermath was important, but for now, I needed to concentrate on the duel at hand. No matter how solid my plan to end the duel safely was, there was no guarantee it would work. Moreover, of Akizuki’s known abilities, only Double Action and Wide Area Barrier had been revealed so far. The final slot remained completely unknown.

 

“Deep breath…”

 

To steel myself, I took a big, deliberate breath. Then, turning to face Sarasa on the screen, I asked directly:

 

“—Hey, Sarasa, what time is it now?”

 

<“Time? Uh, 8:42 PM, but… What’s that? And can’t you check that on your terminal?”>

 

“I can, but I wanted you to know too. …Listen? From now on, for the next few turns—at least until Akizuki and I use our second attempts and the information resets—I’m going to stall for time with everything I’ve got. I’ll use up my turns right up to the limit, and I’ll drag out Akizuki’s turns with pointless chatter.”

 

<“…? And then what? Just to endlessly annoy the little devil?”>

 

“No. …Actually, if we can pull that off, Himeji’s location should automatically become clear.”

 

<“…Huh?”>

 

As long as my signal gets through, I added silently, then explained the details of the “plan” to the puzzled Sarasa.

 

♯

 

Turn five of Board Game Treasure Hunt.

 

As expected, Akizuki and I simultaneously put each other’s partners in checkmate—though I technically went first—and used our second [Evades] on the same turn, one as the first mover and the other as the second.

 

This left both of us with only one attempt remaining. In other words, a “do-or-die” situation… but Akizuki’s voice was brimming with confidence.

 

<“—Ehe, you’re amazing, Hiroto-kun♪ You’re the first person I’ve ever met who can fight Noa at full strength on equal footing. Maybe Noa and you are really a perfect match♡”>

 

“Is that so? It’s been a while since I heard such an insincere compliment.”

 

<“Ehh~ It’s true~ It’s not a joke or sarcasm. Noa really wishes she could’ve met Hiroto-kun under different circumstances… From the bottom of her heart.”>

 

“…………”

 

<“Well… Unfortunately, we’re enemies right now.”>

 

Staring straight at me, Akizuki slightly twisted her lips in a challenging declaration. Her expression radiated anger and hatred toward me. Moreover, there was a trace of resigned sorrow, as if she was already certain of victory.

 

“…Sigh.”

 

Glancing away from Akizuki for a moment to check the clock at the top of my terminal, I exhaled and looked up calmly. Then, with an air of composure, I said:

 

“Enemies, huh. You might be right—though that relationship will end soon.”

 

<“End? Why?”>

 

“Because I’m getting tired of this. …Listen, it’s already dark outside, you know? On top of being chased around in groups since yesterday, losing Himeji, and being forced into back-to-back games, I’m exhausted. I just want to head back to the dorm and sleep.”

 

<“Aha♡ Sure, go ahead. Noa thinks waiting for her to win would be faster, but if you can end it, then end it—”>

 

“Huh. …You’re fine with that?”

 

<“…Fine with that…? What do you mean?”>

 

With a mix of various emotions and a hint of confusion on her face, Akizuki asked. In response, I lifted the corner of my mouth in a taunting smirk and replied in a nonchalant tone:

 

“What do you mean, ‘what’? —Listen? I’m going to pinpoint Himeji’s location in this turn. I don’t know how many turns it’ll take to reach her from here, but I’ll nail down the location within this turn. You’re okay with that, right?”

 

<“This turn…? …Aha, that’s too funny, Hiroto-kun. That’s impossible. There’s no way. You’d have to rely on a one-in-forty-eight guess—”>

 

“Hah… If you think so, then just watch, Akizuki. Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you regret it.”

 

<“Tch…”>

 

Maintaining my bold attitude, I glanced at the terminal’s clock again. Watching the digital numbers tick by in precise seconds, I secretly prayed. …Please, please notice. Let it get through. If this gamble fails, I’ll have no moves left. I’d have no choice but to wait for Akizuki to corner me.

 

And then—seconds later, the clock struck exactly 10:00 PM.

 

“…Ah, right. Thanks.”

 

Almost simultaneously, a voice came through another screen, and I murmured a brief thanks, inwardly sighing in relief. Then, as if it were an obvious fact I’d known all along, I confidently declared to Akizuki:

 

“Room 3-G. …That’s where Himeji is hiding, right, Akizuki?”

 

<“────”>

 

“Yeah, and just to be clear, this isn’t a [Question], okay? I already know the answer is ‘yes.’ …And wow, 3-G is super close. One classroom to the right, down the stairs, then immediately left… That means I can reach it with [Answer] in this turn.”

 

Muttering “the downside of randomization,” I smirked slightly and began my [Move] with deliberate steps. Since I could reach [Answer] in one move without waiting for Akizuki’s turn, there was no chance of further interference from [Evade]. Board Game Treasure Hunt would definitively end this turn.

 

<“…Wait.”>

 

At that moment, Akizuki, who had been silently looking down for a while, finally spoke in a faint voice.

 

<“At least let me verify the answer, Hiroto-kun. …How? How did you know? Noa’s a little confused right now.”>

 

“Really? You actually seem calmer than usual to me.”

 

<“…Hiroto-kun?”>

 

“Don’t use such a grumpy tone. Fine, fine, I’ll explain—but the last part involved a little cheat, you know.”

 

As I added, “Just like you said at the start,” I grinned.

 

“Earlier… when Himeji and I passed each other during the first [Evade], you heard our conversation, right? Actually, I gave Himeji a ‘signal’ back then.”

 

<“…Signal? No way, there was no—”>

 

“No, I definitely said it. I don’t remember the exact wording, but it was something like, ‘It’s supposed to get really cold after 10 PM tonight, so be careful not to catch a chill.’ …Well, it was true that I was worried about her health since she’d be left in a classroom at night, but that line didn’t just mean that. After all, ‘don’t catch a chill because it’s cold’—what in a classroom could possibly carry out such an absurd order? There’s only one thing.”

 

<“Ah… The air conditioner.”>

 

A beat late, Akizuki seemed to realize it, murmuring in a dazed voice.

 

Yes—air conditioner, air conditioner. The signal I gave Himeji basically meant, “Turn on the room’s air conditioner at 10 PM.” Naturally, the one in the classroom where she was hiding.

 

<“But… so what? The sound of an air conditioner doesn’t echo that much…”>

 

“Well, true. But at Eimei—and most schools, I think—classroom air conditioners are centrally managed from the faculty office. They monitor things like whether the cooling or heating is overused or if the room temperature is being maintained properly… In short, you can check which classrooms are using their air conditioners.”

 

<“Tch! T-That… Could it be—”>

 

“Yeah, that ‘could it be.’ —Listen, Akizuki? My partner’s new hiding spot is the faculty office on the first floor. And just now, at exactly 10 PM, I had someone check which rooms had their air conditioners running. Of course, at this hour, none should be on… unless Himeji, who received my signal, dutifully turned on the heater.”

 

<“…………”>

 

Finishing the explanation in a smooth tone, Akizuki finally fell silent. …The third search method, following hacking and thought analysis. I’d been secretly mulling it over since Sarasa mentioned feeling cold at the start of the duel, and it seemed to work out perfectly, much to my relief.

 

“Well… Anyway, that ends the duel.”

 

Reaching the front of Room 3-G with [Move], I declared to the screen. Whether she was despairing or biding her time for something, Akizuki didn’t respond at all. She just kept her head bowed in silence. …But that was fine. There was no reason to waste more time on this duel.

 

So—

 

I leaned close to the terminal’s microphone and, with perfect timing, spoke the decisive words.

 

“[Answer]. …Akizuki Noa’s partner, Shirayuki Himeji, is ‘here.’”

 

The moment I finished, a sharp click—like a lock disengaging—echoed through the area, and the door to Room 3-G automatically opened. During the duel, these classroom doors couldn’t be opened no matter what, but it seemed they unlocked when the [Answer] command was used. Warm air, thanks to the air conditioner, gently brushed against my skin.

 

And there, in the center of the now-lit room, revealed by the open door—

 

“I’ve been waiting for you, Master. …Hehe. Thank you for finding me.”

 

—stood Shirayuki Himeji in her familiar uniform, her silver hair swaying gracefully.

 

“Yeah… Sorry to keep you waiting, Himeji.”

 

Meeting her gaze, I let out a quiet sigh of relief. …[Answer] successful. Despite being at such a disadvantage at the start, I managed to secure the “treasure” before Akizuki. According to Board Game Treasure Hunt’s rules, this should definitively end the duel and secure my victory without any complaints—or so I thought.

 

<“Aha… Aha, ahahaha. Ahahahahaha!”>

 

Suddenly, a manic laugh burst through the terminal, assaulting my eardrums.

 

The source, of course, was Akizuki. Even though I was the one who had checkmated her, and the situation seemed completely reversed, she was laughing so hard she might cry.

 

<“Aha… You used it. You finally used it, Hiroto-kun♡ Now, Noa wins.”>

 

“…What?”

 

<“Ehe♪ Noa has been waiting all this time for you to use your third attempt, Hiroto-kun. Waiting for you to come crush Noa with a triumphant look. Waiting for you to let your guard down. …Ehe, here we go? Activating Fate Alteration ability—nullifying your [Answer].”>

 

The moment Akizuki uttered those ominous words, the scene before my eyes changed abruptly.

 

Well—not that the school building transformed or Himeji disappeared or anything like that. The only thing that changed was the terminal’s display. Just moments ago, it had been filled with messages and victory animations announcing the success of my [Answer], but now they were all gone. Naturally, my attempts were also depleted.

 

<“…Ehe♡”>

 

Fully regaining her usual demeanor—or rather, her earlier despondence was probably an act—Akizuki smiled with a sweetness and charm that could make anyone fall for her in an instant, continuing:

 

<“Pretty amazing, right? This is Noa’s trump card, Fate Alteration. A restricted ability for six stars and above that can ‘erase’ one of the opponent’s actions. It’s a handy emergency escape for any situation, so I kept it in reserve for times like these. As expected of Noa-chan♪”>

 

“Emergency escape… So you used that to cancel my [Answer], huh.”

 

<“That’s right♪ …Ehe, now you can’t do anything, can you, Hiroto-kun? Just sit back and watch Noa’s brilliance from now on, okay♡”>

 

With a tone that was more relieved than taunting, Akizuki said this. …Well, she was right. Without attempts, I couldn’t use [Answer] or [Evade]. I had no moves left to stop her. She could essentially keep using [Question] and [Move] indefinitely, and besides, Sarasa’s location in the faculty office was already exposed.

 

<“From now on, it’s all Noa’s turn!”>

 

Striking a coy pose toward me through the screen, Akizuki immediately began her [Move]. The sound of her indoor shoes tapping against the hallway echoed through the dark school building. The footsteps of the little devil. A countdown to ruin.

 

But—

 

“…Hey. Hey, Himeji.”

 

While monitoring Akizuki’s progress in real time, I leaned close to Himeji, who was right beside me. As her smooth silver hair brushed against my cheek, I whispered a certain strategy, ensuring Sarasa on the other side of the terminal could hear too.

 

“…?”

 

At first, Himeji looked puzzled, but as I continued explaining, I saw her clear blue eyes gradually widen.

 

“Huh…? B-But, that is… …I see, indeed.”

 

“…Right? Probably our only option.”

 

Nodding slightly as I gazed into her eyes at close range, I confirmed.

 

And while Himeji and I were quietly strategizing, Akizuki steadily advanced with her [Move]. With the concept of turns already gone, there were no restrictions on movement range. She moved forward without hesitation, almost skipping, until she finally reached the faculty office where Sarasa was hiding.

 

With a melting smile, she said:

 

<“Ehe, I’m here♡”>

 

“…No, you’re wrong. Enough with the taunting already.”

 

<“Ehh~ Don’t be such a spoilsport, Hiroto-kun. You were a little happy, weren’t you~♡”>

 

Akizuki laughed coyly on the screen. Clearing her throat, she continued:

 

<“Fine, fine. Well, I guess I’ll end it then—[Answer]. Hiroto-kun’s partner is in this room. …Fwaah, Noa’s so tired. I want to go home and sleep soon.”>

 

Yawning sweetly, Akizuki stepped into the faculty office, unlocked by the [Answer] command. Her light footsteps echoed in the dim room as she made her way to the center, looking around curiously. Eventually, she seemed to spot a girl sitting at a desk in the back.

 

<♪>

 

Perhaps realizing her victory anew, Akizuki skipped over to the girl and, with her hands clasped behind her back, looked up and spoke.

 

<“Um… You’re Hiroto-kun’s partner, right? This is actually the first time we’ve talked.”>

 

<“Yes, that’s right. This is the first time we’ve met face-to-face like this. Though, I’ve encountered you several times myself, and if I recall correctly, the you I knew wasn’t the type to stray from the path for revenge.”>

 

<“Tch… What’s that? What are you trying to say? And… a girl…? This doesn’t make sense. Noa doesn’t know any suspicious people who dress in men’s clothes and hide their face with a hat and mask~”>

 

<“Oh, I’m not trying to hide anything. This is just fashion. If you find this ‘suspicious,’ doesn’t that suggest there’s something guilty on your part?”>

 

<“! Y-You…!”>

 

Clicking her tongue in frustration, Akizuki glared fiercely at the girl seated at the desk. Then, stretching slightly, she reached for the girl’s head, grabbed the brim of her cap, and yanked it off with force.

 

<“—Huh?”>

 

With just that—with only that—the hidden red hair cascaded down like magic, flowing past her waist. A breathtaking transformation in an instant. At the same time, she removed the mask covering her mouth, revealing determined ruby eyes that locked onto Akizuki’s.

 

With a amused smirk, she spoke in a calm tone:

 

<“…Well? Does this jog your memory?”>

 

<“Empress… Sarasa Saionji!? W-Why are you—?!”>

 

<“Why, you ask? There’s no big reason. I just happened to be passing by, and when I saw the Seven Star in a pinch, I thought it looked ‘interesting’ and decided to butt in. …But it seems even a little devil like you isn’t enough to take down him. Seriously, isn’t there anyone out there who can stop that guy?”>

 

<“Not enough…? What are you talking about? Noa beat the Seven Star. I used illegal abilities, stole stars from Hiroto-kun, and became the new strongest on Academy Island—”>

 

<“Are you serious? …If so, I almost feel sorry for you.”>

 

<“…Sorry for me?”>

 

<“Yes. Because that means you resorted to ‘cheating’ to bring down Shinohara Hiroto—right? …Hehe, then it’s no surprise things turned out this way. He’s quite the trickster. He’s not someone an amateur cheater like you can handle with half-baked efforts.”>

 

<“…Tch…”>

 

<“Oh no, to be clear, you did win the duel itself. That’s an undeniable fact, and I have no intention of denying it. But there’s just one thing—regarding who you beat—it seems there might be a slight misunderstanding.”>

 

After building suspense, Sarasa glanced at me through the screen. Following her gaze, Akizuki, already pale, slowly turned to face me as well.

 

<“…………”>

 

Even in that state, she glared at me defiantly. I smirked, lifting the right corner of my mouth.

 

“Well, that’s how it is, Akizuki. Just as that six-star lady there said, you did win Board Game Treasure Hunt. But unfortunately, I’m not the loser of this duel.”

 

<“Not Hiroto-kun…? T-That’s impossible—”>

 

“It is possible, the method to make it happen. Well, this is apparently extremely rare, so even with all your knowledge, it’s more likely you wouldn’t have covered it. After all, it was quietly sitting in some obscure shop run by a hobbyist. It’s not circulated in markets or online at all.”

 

<“…………?”>

 

“But anyway, I’ll ask, Akizuki. …Do you know about the Pinch Hitter ability?”

 

—Yes, that’s right.

 

Whether I won or lost, the outcome would lead to the worst possible future, and with Himeji held hostage, even a draw was out of the question. To break through this deadlocked situation, the method I had set my sights on was that certain shop—the junk store I visited with Sarasa, where I bought a handmade special ability as a souvenir for Himeji.

 

Pinch Hitter. A rare “substitution” ability that can be used from outside an ongoing duel. With consent, it allows someone to take the place of the target player in that duel. While the only ability I could register for Board Game Treasure Hunt was Delay, Pinch Hitter didn’t even need to be in my possession to work.

 

And just a moment ago, we used its effect to swap “me” and “Himeji”—in other words, we changed the player of this duel from Shinohara Hiroto to Shirayuki Himeji. Since that swap had already been executed, Akizuki’s opponent wasn’t me but Himeji. I hadn’t lost to anyone, and even if the six-star Akizuki defeated the four-star Himeji, she couldn’t steal any stars.

 

But—of course, that alone would just be a petty trick or a technicality. As I’ve said repeatedly, as long as Himeji was a hostage, Akizuki’s advantage wouldn’t change. The future of ruin couldn’t be overturned.

 

And yet, even so.

 

“Thanks to you, Akizuki. Your overly cautious nature added some extra settings that turned this strategy from just a technicality into something real.”

 

Standing next to Himeji with a defiant smirk, I lifted the corner of my mouth visibly through the screen. It felt as if all the pieces in my head had clicked into place. And to drive the point home, I declared:

 

“Listen? Since Himeji and I swapped, the person you defeated isn’t me—it’s Himeji. …Let me say it again? You beat Himeji. No—you lost to her.”

 

<“Huh? —Ah.”>

 

“Hah… Finally figured it out, huh. Yeah, that’s right. That dual ability you set on Himeji, Spy/Impulse to Destroy—it’s configured to transfer to the winner’s terminal if Himeji loses. So, with this result, it moved from Himeji’s terminal to yours. That means you can’t use Himeji as a hostage anymore. I didn’t lose the duel, and as a bonus, the cursed ability has infected your terminal. …How about that? I think it’s the most perfect ending imaginable.”

 

Tauntingly, I laid out the current situation. Though it was phrased as a question, there was no room for rebuttal. Board Game Treasure Hunt was already definitively decided.

 

<“Tch…”>

 

Hearing my proclamation to the very end, Akizuki closed both eyes as if resigning herself—and on the small terminal screen, she quietly collapsed.

 

♯

 

“…So? Are you finally ready to tell me the details, Akizuki?”

 

Midnight, in the faculty office.

 

With only minimal lighting, the room was faintly dim. I faced Akizuki one-on-one.

 

The reason it was in the faculty office was that, after everything, Akizuki refused to move from that spot. Tired of talking through the terminal, I had come here myself just moments ago. As for the “one-on-one” part, Himeji and the others had simply been considerate enough to step back. Normally, surrounding a dejected Akizuki—who was far from her usual self—with three people wouldn’t have felt right.

 

“…………”

 

As for Akizuki herself—she wasn’t kneeling on the floor, but she was slouched shallowly in a nearby chair, her frail frame curled up even more. Her gaze was fixed downward, and her trembling right hand gripped her other arm tightly. Through the hair hanging over her face, I could glimpse fear, despair, and a faint trace of resignation.

 

Still, with an awkward smile plastered at the corner of her mouth, she slowly began to speak.

 

“Do I have to talk about it…? Ehe, Noa really doesn’t want to, but…”

 

“If you don’t want to, that’s fine. But we have our own circumstances. If you won’t talk, we’ll investigate and tail you with everything we’ve got from now on.”

 

“Ehe, you’re so passionate, Hiroto-kun. Noa’s happy you’re so fixated on her, but… maybe I’ll talk after all. This might be my last chance.”

 

(…Last?)

 

Using a phrasing that caught my attention, Akizuki stretched dramatically with a loud “Ugh~!”. It was an obviously forced gesture, clearly an attempt to muster fake energy. But it seemed to help her shift gears, as she looked up at me with a slightly more composed expression than before.

 

“Hey, Hiroto-kun. …What I’m about to say is Noa’s story. You might not be interested, but for Noa, it’s the most important thing. Something I’ve never told anyone before.”

 

“? Oh.”

 

Feeling a faint sense of unease at Akizuki’s sudden self-deprecating tone—despite her usual confidence—I nodded anyway. Whether I was interested or not, I was the one who brought it up in the first place. Of course I wanted to hear the details.

 

Gazing at my reaction, Akizuki took a deep breath as if steeling herself, “Hoo…”, then placed her clenched hands on her knees and began quietly.

 

“Um… You know this already, but Noa’s pretty smart. Before elementary school, I took this ‘ability development test,’ and I got an amazing score, like, top ranking in history or something. That’s why I was scouted for Academy Island’s elementary division.”

 

“…No, I don’t think ‘pretty smart’ covers it.”

 

“Ehe, thanks. Hearing that from you, Hiroto-kun, feels kind of weird, but it still makes me happy. …Oh, um, and then?”

 

Continuing with a noticeably more subdued reaction than usual, Akizuki went on.

 

“The elementary division on this island is incredible. Of course, the high school division has plenty of talented people too, but the elementary division is really only for ‘future elite candidates.’ Not in terms of ability or talent, but more in terms of lineage and pedigree… Basically, it’s full of people like presidents’ daughters or heirs to conglomerates. Noble, you could say? Their values, their common sense, their demeanor, the world they see—it’s all completely different. There’s no way someone like Noa, a ‘commoner,’ could fit in there.

 

“So Noa was always alone, always carrying this inferiority complex.”

 

“…Inferiority complex?”

 

“Yeah, inferiority complex. Ehe… Someone like you, Hiroto-kun, who’s ‘special’ from the start, might not get it, but when everyone around you is amazing, people who aren’t feel troubled. They start thinking they’re no good. …No, it’s not that I hated everyone or anything. I wasn’t bullied, and they even tried to be friendly. But still, to Noa, they all seemed like people from a different world, and Noa felt like the only one with no merit, no value… But if I blamed it on them, I’d feel even more pathetic, so I just bottled it all up inside. …See? That’s nothing if not an inferiority complex, right?”

 

Interspersing her dark expression with dry smiles, Akizuki recounted her past. Her tone conveyed intense pain. These were likely memories so painful that just recalling them would normally be agonizing.

 

Still, in a strained voice, she murmured:

 

“But—but Noa decided to try hard. I knew everyone else was amazing, and I knew I was ordinary. So I thought, if Noa could stop being ordinary… if I could become amazing, maybe I could catch up to them. Maybe I could be with them. …So Noa studied like crazy. Not just school lessons, but Academy Island’s system, duels, abilities—by the time I reached high school, I knew more about it all than anyone. Because once the star-grabbing game starts, lineage and pedigree don’t matter. It’s a pure test of skill—so I thought, maybe then, Noa could be recognized. Maybe I could go from ‘ordinary’ to ‘special’… That’s what I believed.”

 

“That… doesn’t sound wrong, does it?”

 

“Yeah, it wasn’t wrong. Thanks to all that effort, by my first year, Noa made it into Eimei’s top class. I steadily gained stars there, reached five stars last year, and my classmates even said, ‘You’ll be the top student next year.’ They said, ‘Noa can win the District Selection Battle and become the school’s representative.’ …So I made that my goal. As a weapon to overcome my inferiority complex, as a reward for all the hard work so far, I wanted just one ‘proof.’ …I wanted to be recognized. I wanted to be special.”

 

Akizuki spoke of everything in the past tense. I was starting to guess why.

 

“—But.”

 

As if to confirm my suspicion, Akizuki looked up at me with a tearful, bitter smile.

 

“You, Hiroto-kun, ruined all of that.”

 

“…………”

 

“You get it, right? You must get it by now? In the end, no matter how hard I tried, Noa was just ordinary. Not a genius. Everything I’d built up with all that effort was shattered in an instant by a ‘natural disaster’ from outside the island.”

 

Without accusing me or showing anger, Akizuki stated this fact in a flat tone. I’d been confronted with her “motivation” once before the Board Game Treasure Hunt began, but it seemed far deeper than I’d imagined.

 

With a face mixed with various emotions, Akizuki continued.

 

“So Noa hated you, Hiroto-kun. Hated you so much. ‘Don’t take it,’ I thought, ‘that’s mine,’ but my head was filled with fear, screams, and despair. Even when I tried to convince myself, like always, that Noa was cute, capable, amazing, I couldn’t smile anymore. Everything started to feel pointless. …But, you know? Normally, that would’ve been the end for Noa. I’m used to things not working out, always failing, so no matter how hard it was, I could swallow it alone. I’d never think of revenge. But—”

 

“…And that’s when that ‘devil’ noticed you, right?”

 

“Aha… Yeah, that’s it. Well, to Noa, he was scarier than any devil… It was about two weeks ago, I think. I was out for a late-night walk when I got a call on my terminal. It was midnight, from an unknown number, and it looked super suspicious. But Noa answered it. For some reason, I felt like I had to.”

 

Maybe that was a mistake, she added with a slight, joking tone.

 

On the verge of tears but keeping her voice steady, she continued:

 

“The devil who contacted Noa was Kurahashi Mimune—the principal of Seijo Academy in District Twelve, the overseer of District Twelve, an absolute authority figure, yet young, gentlemanly, calm, talented… and admired by everyone as a great person.”

 

“…But he wasn’t like that with you?”

 

“What… was he like? Noa doesn’t even know anymore…”

 

Shaking her head slightly and forcing a fragile smile, Akizuki looked uncertain.

 

Staring straight at her, I quietly pondered. …Kurahashi Mimune. The mastermind behind the external interference in the District Selection Battle. Somehow—though I don’t know how he found out—he approached Akizuki, who was on the verge of losing her identity due to my arrival, and with a threatening or manipulative tone, he said something like this:

 

<“Do you hate him?”>

 

<“Do you hate Shinohara Hiroto, who trampled your efforts in an instant? Do you hate Eimei for tolerating him and abandoning you? Do you hate your powerless self so much it’s unbearable?”>

 

<“Let me tell you something good. …Between us, Shinohara Hiroto has something fishy going on. Normally, under this island’s system, ‘starting with four stars or more’ is nearly impossible without some serious manipulation. On paper, he’s definitely a Seven Star, so we can’t touch him carelessly, but something’s off. There’s got to be some kind of institutional cover-up involved. …How about it? Starting to hate him, aren’t you? Want to destroy him, don’t you?”>

 

<“So, let’s make a deal.”>

 

<“It’s simple—during the upcoming District Selection Battle, piggyback on an event where Eimei students fight each other without suspicion, and you steal stars from Shinohara. I’ll leave the method to you. I’ll provide any abilities you need, legal or illegal, no questions asked. …What? Don’t give me that naïve crap now. Like I said, Shinohara Hiroto is definitely cheating. So, bringing him down is justice, right? Isn’t it?”>

 

<“If you pull this off, Shinohara Hiroto will be demoted, and you’ll become the new ‘Seven Star.’ If that happens, I’ll have you leave Eimei and come to Seijo. That way, I gain a new key player, and you get to take revenge on Shinohara and Eimei while reigning as the island’s top rank… Sounds like a win-win, doesn’t it? It’s so perfect it’s almost funny.”>

 

<“Listen, little devil, this is your chance. From my perspective, you don’t even have to be the one to execute it. The only unique thing is the Seven Star position; for six stars, I have other options. But I chose you. …That’s all I wanted to say.”>

 

<“I need your answer by midnight tomorrow—make sure you choose wisely.”>

 

“…………”

 

“…Aha. That’s the answer to your question, Hiroto-kun.”

 

Leaning back against the chair and looking up at the ceiling, Akizuki murmured softly.

 

“Noa was tempted by that ‘devil’ and took the deal. ‘Steal stars from Hiroto-kun, no matter what it takes, even if it’s cheating,’ he said. ‘Do that, and all your wishes will come true,’ he said.

 

“Normally, Noa wouldn’t fall for such a temptation, but… I was scared. Right when everything I’d worked for was about to be rewarded, it all fell apart, and I didn’t know what to do. No matter how hard I tried, Noa was still ‘ordinary,’ and I realized I’d never catch up to those who were ‘special’ from the start. Then, this one chance came rolling in—so even if I knew it was suspicious, I had no choice but to take it.

 

“…But.

 

“Because of that, I couldn’t back out anymore. Once I started moving, once I became the villain, there was no stopping midway. I couldn’t consult anyone because I was the one doing wrong, and I absolutely had to defeat you, Hiroto-kun. I even took the maid hostage to make it happen… But still, I couldn’t win.”

 

“…Didn’t you think of resisting? That Kurahashi guy or whatever?”

 

“Resist…? That’s impossible.”

 

Shaking her head with a self-mocking murmur, Akizuki continued.

 

“You don’t get it, Hiroto-kun. He’s on a completely different level from someone like Noa. Status, experience, talent—everything. And he’s incredibly cunning. Even if Noa mentions his name now, there’s no way any evidence of his involvement will surface. It’ll all just be pinned on Noa as if she orchestrated everything.”

 

“…………”

 

“—So, it’s fine, Hiroto-kun. Just leave Noa alone.”

 

As I mulled this over, Akizuki spoke in a tone that suggested she’d let go, saying:

 

“You know the circumstances and reasons now, right? There’s nothing more Noa can say. This whole thing was just Noa’s fault for thinking she could ‘win by cheating’ from the start. It was Noa’s fault for dreaming of going from ‘ordinary’ to ‘special.’ …Aha, but don’t worry? You don’t need to worry about revenge or anything. Anyway, Noa’s about to face something awful. Since I failed the deal, I have no choice but to obey him from now on. I’ll be used like a slave forever. …Ehe, that’s why I called it my ‘last chance.’ This is probably the last time I’ll see you, or come to this school.”

 

“…………”

 

“But, just one thing. About trying to hurt the maid… For that alone, I’m sorry. I’ll properly apologize.”

 

Wiping the tears at the corners of her eyes with her uniform sleeve, Akizuki bowed deeply to me. It was a gesture that perfectly fit the word “settlement,” clearly signaling her intent to disappear from my sight.

 

But—

 

(…The hell with that. Don’t screw with me.)

 

Listening to Akizuki’s monologue, I secretly felt a surge of irritation.

 

Summing up what she’d said, the mastermind behind all this was Kurahashi Mimune, and Akizuki was just a pawn he manipulated. Emotionally unstable, she was presented with an enticing offer, and once she succumbed to his sweet words, she couldn’t back out. She absolutely had to steal stars from me. She couldn’t afford to fail. …The relieved expression she showed right after using Fate Alteration was likely due to that.

 

That much was fine, but the problem came afterward.

 

“—Why are you giving up so easily, huh?”

 

“…Huh?”

 

“Leave you alone? This being the last time we meet? …Listen, Akizuki, enough with the tragic heroine act. Don’t drag me into this and then decide the ending on your own. Whether you’re being threatened or brainwashed, I don’t care—don’t just accept defeat.”

 

“Tch… B-But, there’s no choice! There’s no one to help Noa. No one who can defeat a devil like that—”

 

“Really? …Oh, right. You’ve been looking down the whole time, so you just can’t see.”

 

“—Huh?”

 

Putting on an exaggerated show of confidence to rebuild Akizuki’s shattered spirit, I reached out and ruffled her hair, lifting her face to meet mine. Instantly, her eyes, brimming with large tears, filled my vision. Those eyes, which had only reflected despair until now, now gazed at me in confusion.

 

“…Hiroto-kun…?”

 

Staring straight back into her eyes, I smirked defiantly and said:

 

“Seriously… Did you forget? I’m the strongest on Academy Island. Whether it’s the principal of District Twelve or whoever, a small fry like that isn’t even worth fighting. Don’t worry—this fight was mine from the start, so just sit back and let yourself be saved.”

 

“Huh… That’s impossible—”

 

“It is possible. …Well, but for the final touch, I’ll need a little help from you. For the cleanup to neatly end the District Selection Battle.”

 

—What followed was almost entirely one-sided.

 

With an over-the-top display of supreme confidence, I somehow secured Akizuki’s cooperation. From there, I headed straight to Principal Ichinose, bringing a bewildered Akizuki along. I explained everything that had happened—mainly after Himeji was separated—and clearly conveyed that the mastermind behind Akizuki, Kurahashi Mimune of District Twelve, was involved.

 

<“…I see, so it’s him.”>

 

<“A cunning fraudster hiding behind a gentle facade. A disgusting dictator who manipulates others with words… That makes things tricky. He’s not the type to be shaken by just a student’s testimony.”>

 

Frowning as she spoke, the principal reacted. To her, I proposed a certain “plan.” A potential game-changer to crush the cunning and cautious devil. A critical strike that might end everything. After listening silently, the principal eventually smirked and said, <“In that case, let’s make it even more spectacular.”>.

 

…And the next day.

 

As expected, Akizuki received a summons from Kurahashi Mimune. In a corner of District Twelve on Academy Island, at the top floor of a building surrounded by countless layers of security—a sealed room that could only be entered with the approval of its possessor, Kurahashi—he unleashed this tirade on Akizuki:

 

<“Damn it… I’m disappointed in you, little devil.”>

 

<“What the hell have you been doing…? You’re a six-star, right? The top candidate at Eimei, right? So why can’t you properly eliminate a cheater or two? Do you even get it? Because of you, we’ve taken a huge loss. Developing and adjusting illegal abilities isn’t cheap, and we’ve taken risks too. Yet, you haven’t delivered any results.”>

 

<“…Didn’t I say this was a deal?”>

 

<“You already received the payment. So you need to deliver properly, don’t you?”>

 

<“So—from today, you’ll be my slave.”>

 

<“Yeah, that’s right. Think of it as being my loyal private soldier, carrying out my orders faithfully. Since I can’t move openly due to my position, you’ll take on all the risky, dirty jobs in my place… In that sense, you’re the perfect pawn. Disposable, in case it comes to that.”>

 

<“Hey, what’s your answer, you brat? Stop keeping quiet and spit it out. Say, ‘I’ll become your slave,’ already.”>

 

A barrage of threatening words, designed to shatter Akizuki’s spirit or force her into total submission. At first, Akizuki sat on the sofa, head bowed, but eventually, driven by fear, she tried to flee. Instantly, Kurahashi grabbed her and pinned her against the wall. Cornered, she lost the light in her eyes, her expression one of utter despair, and she nodded weakly.

 

<“Y-Yes…”>

 

<“…I’ll be your—”>

 

—That was exactly when I burst into the room.

 

BANG!! A deafening explosion shattered the silence, and at the same time, the entrance door was blown away spectacularly. The heavy door, which only Kurahashi should have been able to open, rolled across the floor like mere trash. Of course, this was the work of the fully revived Company, but Kurahashi, wide-eyed in shock, had no way of knowing that.

 

And simultaneously, Akizuki, suppressing her fear, flashed a cute, coy smile.

 

<“…Aha♪”>

 

<“What’s this? Did you really think Noa would seriously say she’d become your slave? Scary~♪ You’re just a bundle of possessiveness, aren’t you♡”>

 

<“That attitude just now? Ehe… Oh, come on. That was all an act, obviously. Noa’s been pretending to be someone else since elementary school, you know? Tricking you is a piece of cake♡”>

 

—Yes.

 

From the moment she entered this room, Akizuki had been “acting.” Playing the part of a defeated loser who had lost all hope. And behind that, she was secretly launching a counterattack. After all, the Spy/Impulse to Destroy ability currently affecting her terminal had surveillance and eavesdropping effects. So, everything Kurahashi’s “true nature” had been clearly transmitted to us outside.

 

<“No… It’s not just that, you know?”>

 

After smoothly revealing that much, I smirked slightly.

 

This was the final act, leading to the curtain call. My original proposal had been to “threaten Kurahashi into silence using the evidence we gathered,” a relatively mild approach. But Principal Ichinose had no intention of letting it end there—

 

<“—Sorry to keep you waiting, nya, Libra, nya!”>

 

<“Hehe~! Just as Shinohara-kun requested, the audio from earlier has already been broadcast island-wide on LNN’s channel, nya! And of course, the cameras are still rolling, nya!”>

 

The mobilization of Libra, leveraging money, power, and connections. …In short, the principal had used the island’s most influential broadcast channel to expose Kurahashi’s tirade, followed by my dramatic entrance to rescue Akizuki from him, all livestreamed in real time.

 

<“Broadcast…!? And by Libra?! Y-You… Shinohara Hiroto!!”>

 

<“Hah… What’s with that ferocious face? Try smiling a little, Kurahashi. After all, thousands, maybe tens of thousands, are watching you right now.”>

 

Taunting him with a smirk, I faced Kurahashi, who spat out, <“Damn it…!”> in frustration.

 

Naturally, Libra broadcast every moment of this without missing a beat, and it spread like wildfire across various SNS platforms. A full-blown scandal, as they call it. Kurahashi Mimune, principal of District Twelve, saw his reputation hit rock bottom overnight, with rumors already circulating about a potential change in leadership.

 

In other words—in a nutshell:

 

<“…Game over.”>

 

It was a flawless, perfect victory.

 

♯♯♯

 

Day seven of the District Selection Battle, the final morning—

 

At Eimei Academy’s grand hall, the closing event of the school tournament, the “Round-Robin Battle,” was about to begin.

 

Due to the rule of the District Selection Battle that “anyone can challenge anyone to a Drill at any time,” it’s entirely possible for rankings to remain undecided within the period—meaning multiple participants could survive. Therefore, if two or more participants remain in the event by the end of day six, it’s customary to force all survivors into a battle to forcibly determine a winner.

 

Of course, if a winner is decided by day six, it’s just a simple award ceremony, and even if day seven occurs, the number of survivors varies year to year. But this year, the situation was remarkably clear.

 

“Um… Good morning, everyone.”

 

Looking out over the audience with sleepy eyes, the raven-haired beauty standing on the stage quietly began to speak.

 

“It’s me, Principal Ichinose. Actually, something rather amusing happened yesterday, and I was drinking until dawn, so I’m already quite sleepy… Well, let’s just say it’s part of my mature charm and laugh it off. …Now, as the host mentioned earlier, we’re about to enter the final phase of the District Selection Battle, the Round-Robin Battle. Some of you may have already seen the news on the school bulletin board or LNN, but—just to confirm, there are two survivors on this seventh day.”

 

Saying that, the principal glanced at me and the other girl standing beside her on the stage. Her expression, as she’d admitted, seemed low-energy and languid, but the eyes behind her glasses gleamed with a subtle amusement, as if she was enjoying the moment.

 

“One of them is Shinohara Hiroto, the so-called ‘strongest on Academy Island,’ who’s been the talk of the town since the start of the month. As expected, he was chased by a ridiculous number of players… but, well, it’d be a disgrace for generations if a Seven Star didn’t make it to the final day. Let’s call it a predictable result.”

 

“…That phrasing feels dripping with malice. I’ll take it as a compliment for now, though.”

 

“A compliment? It’s the highest praise, so feel free to revel in it. …Now, moving on to the second introduction. From Class 3-A, a six-star who placed near the top in last year’s and the year before’s District Selection Battle—the little devil, Akizuki Noa.”

 

“…Mm.”

 

At the principal’s introduction, Akizuki merely nodded slightly without a word. None of her usual brightness or coyness was visible, causing the principal to tilt her head briefly. But she quickly regained her composure and leaned closer to the microphone.

 

“Anyway… the final day of this District Selection Battle will be contested by these two. Both are guaranteed spots on the selection team, but it wouldn’t look good without deciding the top rank, right? Plus, I’m not opposed to this kind of festive chaos. After all, it’s a showdown between a six-star and a Seven Star—you all better brace yourselves—”

 

“Um… Excuse me!!”

 

At that moment, a loud voice tinged with tension cut through the principal’s smooth buildup of anticipation for the “final battle,” echoing across the hall.

 

Of course, it wasn’t me who shouted. The voice belonged to Akizuki.

 

“Um… Principal, may I say something?”

 

“Of course you may. Is it a highly curious question about whether my glasses are fake, have lenses, or are packed with other features?”

 

“Huh, that is kind of intriguing… but no! That’s not it! …There’s something I absolutely need to say.

 

“Um… Noa has no intention of fighting Hiroto-kun.”

 

“…Hm. And what exactly does that mean?”

 

“Just what it sounds like. Noa won’t participate in today’s final battle… Or maybe it’s clearer to say I’m withdrawing from the District Selection Battle.”

 

Akizuki’s resolute statement, though delivered with slight hesitation, caused a stir among the thousands of students gathered in the hall. …And no wonder. Withdrawing now, after surviving this far, made no sense to them. Plus—and I’m not one to brag—having a nearly risk-free chance to duel a Seven Star is rare. It’s only natural they’d be puzzled.

 

“…………”

 

The principal, facing Akizuki’s declaration head-on, stared into her eyes for a moment. Then, adjusting her glasses quietly, she asked in a serious tone:

 

“Can you tell me why? Withdrawing itself isn’t against the rules, but the District Selection Battle is a tradition at Eimei. If you drop out here, it puts me in a bit of a bind.”

 

“I-I’m sorry, Principal. …But Noa isn’t changing her mind.”

 

Apologizing but firmly shaking her head, Akizuki glanced briefly at me standing beside her. For a fleeting moment, she seemed to smile, then spun around and strode to the front of the stage.

 

And—bathed in dazzling lights—she bowed deeply with a dramatic flourish.

 

“I’m sorry!!”

 

Her voice was so loud it silenced the hall’s murmurs in an instant. Her chestnut twin-tails flared upward, and she held her deep bow—almost too deep to call it a bow—for nearly ten seconds before looking up with resolve and speaking confidently.

 

“A lot of you probably saw yesterday’s broadcast, but for those who didn’t, I’ll explain clearly. The truth is—the truth is, Noa cheated in the District Selection Battle. I wanted so badly to be ‘special’ that I used despicable means to try to steal stars from Hiroto-kun. While everyone else was earnestly competing, Noa alone was scheming something awful. …I’m really, really sorry!”

 

Saying that, she bowed again. Her expression was a bit stiff compared to usual, but there was no trace of wavering or hesitation. She’d likely spent the night steeling herself for this.

 

With a small smile, she continued her “confession.”

 

“Ehe… Well, looking only at the results, Hiroto-kun was so amazing that Noa’s plans didn’t work at all. But still, cheating is cheating, so Noa doesn’t think she should be standing here. I need to face the consequences of my actions.

 

“So… that’s why Noa is withdrawing from the District Selection Battle—”

 

“—Hold it, Akizuki.”

 

But.

 

Just before Akizuki could utter the decisive words, I cut her off with a curt command. It wasn’t a shout, but it reached her clearly. Her shoulders flinched as she stood with her back to me at the front of the stage.

 

“Tch… What’s wrong, Hiroto-kun? I was just about to finish.”

 

“I’m stopping you because it’d be bad if you finished. …Listen. There’s no need for you to withdraw from the District Selection Battle. So don’t say any more.”

 

“Huh…?”

 

Turning slowly to face me, Akizuki let out a stunned sound at my firm statement. Her mouth hung half-open for a moment before she frantically shook her head.

 

“W-What are you saying, Hiroto-kun? No way there’s no need—there definitely is! Noa did something ‘bad,’ so I have to take responsibility.”

 

“I’m not saying that logic is wrong, but… in this case, whether you’re the ‘bad guy’ is debatable. You were ‘taken advantage of in an unstable mental state,’ right? So, the bad guy is clearly Kurahashi. Plus, as you yourself said earlier, I didn’t suffer any harm. There’s no responsibility to take.”

 

“B-But, but! Even if he manipulated me, I’m the one who went along with it! Even if you forgive me, Hiroto-kun, everyone else will definitely say it’s not okay!”

 

“Is that so? …Then just don’t let them know.”

 

“…………Huh?”

 

“I mean, if the people here don’t say ‘no’ to you—if they don’t blame you as the bad guy—then you won’t have to withdraw from the District Selection Battle, right? That’s what you meant, isn’t it?”

 

“Tch… M-Maybe, but… Still, that’s—”

 

Though hesitant, Akizuki nodded reluctantly under my pressing. Seeing her reaction, I let a small smile creep onto my face.

 

And then,

 

“Well, that’s a relief—I almost wasted the preparation we made.”

 

With a dramatic flair, I said this while slipping a hand into my pocket to pull out my terminal. With a quick tap, I projected a page listing some data. At first, Akizuki tilted her head, unsure what it was, but then she let out a soft “ah” as her eyes widened slightly.

 

“This is…”

 

“You get it? …Yeah, that’s right. This is the result of a viewer poll Libra conducted after yesterday’s broadcast. There were several questions, but I had them pull only the responses from ‘terminals with Eimei IDs.’ Things like ‘Who do you think is at fault in this incident?’ and ‘What should happen to Akizuki Noa?’ …And as you can see, the results speak for themselves. Over 99.5% of the people here say ‘you’re not to blame.’”

 

“Tch… B-But that’s only because they saw that footage—”

 

“Because it swayed them to sympathy, you mean? Well, I can’t deny that might be part of it… But look closer. What matters more is the number of responses.”

 

“The number… Eight thousand nine hundred twenty-three?”

 

Murmuring in a trembling voice as she stared at the projected screen, Akizuki seemed confused. …Eight thousand nine hundred twenty-three votes. It’s an incredible number. With roughly nine thousand students in Eimei’s high school division—the total participants of the District Selection Battle—it means almost everyone watched yesterday’s broadcast to the end and overwhelmingly sided with her.

 

“…Hah.”

 

Noticing her realization, I gave a small chuckle.

 

“How’s that? Still think you’re not special, that no one acknowledges you? Even with Libra’s influence, the reason so many tuned in yesterday was because ‘Akizuki Noa’ kept trending on STOC’s hot words. Check the logs later—it was insane. I mean, aces from every district were posting about you. Some praised you, some feared you, some were wary, some saw you as a rival—all of them were furious at Kurahashi’s methods. …Seriously, what’s this ‘no one’s paying attention’ nonsense? Even the Empress herself thought highly of you.”

 

“Huh… N-No way…”

 

“Who’d tell such an obvious lie? …Listen, Akizuki. You were just too impatient. You’ve been plagued by inferiority complexes all this time, so focused on suppressing them that you couldn’t see what was around you. The truth is, you’ve long been special—through your own strength, not Kurahashi’s.”

 

“…Tch…!”

 

Her eyes widened, and as if she could no longer hold back, Akizuki began to shed large tears. Realizing the crowd was watching, she quickly wiped her eyes with her uniform sleeves, but the tears kept coming, unstoppable. Soon, warm cheers rose from the front rows, further tugging at her emotions.

 

Staring intently at her expression—I took a small step forward.

 

“So, here’s the thing. …I have a proposal.”

 

Facing her head-on, I declared this dramatically. Akizuki returned a cautious glance, and the audience’s attention shifted to me, the murmurs quieting to a hush—and then,

 

“The top spot in the District Selection Battle… Eimei’s ace is you, Akizuki.”

 

“…………Huh?”

 

“““What?”””

 

At my next declaration, not only Akizuki but everyone in the hall seemed to collectively blink in confusion. Even the principal on stage gave me a skeptical look, as if to say, “What are you talking about?”

 

But ignoring all their reactions, I pressed on.

 

“I’m saying I’m the one withdrawing from the event, not you. Sorry to interrupt just when you were getting motivated, but I have no intention of doing a Drill with you.”

 

“Huh… W-Why? You were aiming for the top spot too, weren’t you…?”

 

“No way. I avoided Drills not because I ‘didn’t want to lose’ but because ‘dealing with opponents was a hassle.’ I’m not denying your drive, but for me, the District Selection Battle was never a big deal. From the start. And—”

 

“And?”

 

“I’m already the ‘strongest on Academy Island,’ aren’t I? I’m not about to settle for something as small as Eimei’s top rank. So, I’m giving it to you.”

 

“Tch… B-But—!”

 

“No arguments. …Oh, and I just finished submitting my withdrawal.”

 

Raising my terminal slightly, I said this calmly. Then, smirking at the newly stirred crowd, I added:

 

“Those betting on me taking first place, tough luck. But think about it calmly. The top rank means being the school’s duel representative. That means getting dragged into every event, working alongside the principal or student council president on school management… or rather, having to. That’s way too boring for me. I don’t mind fighting in inter-district battles, but being at the top comes with too much hassle. …So, I decided to shove it onto some eccentric who actually wants it. Don’t hold it against me.”

 

“…………”

 

As Akizuki fell into a stunned silence, I stepped closer, rattling off deliberately callous excuses. When we were near enough that I could almost touch her, I quietly muted my microphone and added in a whisper only she could hear:

 

“—See? Now you’re ‘special’ in both name and reality.”

 

“Ah… Tch…”

 

At those words, Akizuki let out a faint sound. After a few dozen seconds of silence, she nodded slightly with resolve, then spun around energetically to face the audience.

 

And—

 

“Okay… Okay, fine. Then Noa will be Eimei’s ace. I’ll become a perfect school representative, strong enough to face Hiroto-kun head-on someday without losing. I’ll never let the people who chose Noa feel disappointed or regret it—so, everyone, follow Noa with everything you’ve got!!”

 

“”Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!””

 

Raising her right hand high, Akizuki was met with the loudest cheers of the day, filling the entire hall.

 

 

《Ward Selection Battle: Night of Day Six》

Live on Libra’s Official Channel

 

 

—What? Something’s starting? Libra streaming without notice is crazy rare.

 

—Screen’s pitch black. What’s this, creepy…? Wait, am I hearing something?

 

—Thought it was my imagination, but yeah, I hear it. Someone’s yelling, right?

 

—Sounds like some pompous bigshot. Gross, lol… No, actually, this isn’t funny. Spill the details!

 

—Is this, like, a hidden camera? Something shady?

 

—Kinda feels familiar… Who’s this voice?

 

—!?!? Did a door just get blasted open, lmao?!

 

—Someone’s here! …Wait, isn’t that Shinohara?!

 

—What?! What’s going on?! Is this some kind of prank?!

 

—…Huh? Who’s this old guy? I’ve seen him somewhere.

 

—!? That’s our chancellor! Hold up, was he the one yelling earlier?!

 

—And that kid getting grabbed by the collar… That’s Akimei’s little devil!

 

—Oh! Oh, you’re right! It’s Noah-chan!

 

—Oi, Kurahashi, you dare lay a hand on our Noah-chan?! You’re done, you bastard!

 

—Breaking News: Ward 12 Chancellor Kurahashi Gomon confirmed to be an absolute scumbag.

 

—No way… Poor Noah-chan, this is too much. Kurahashi, just disappear already.

 

—Saw this blowing up on STOC’s trending tags, so I checked it out. This is messed up.

 

—I can’t stand Shinohara, but I’ll give him props for saving our little devil.

Also, Libra is way too good at this.

 

—No excuses for this one. Welp, Kurahashi’s finished.