Preface

Kakegurui Trip Table of Contents illustration

Note from the translator

In the world of Kakegurui there is no magic or science fiction. Things are however far from mundane. The social norms on some issues are utterly nuts. Anyone familiar with the manga or anime knows this. I thought it's best to mention it here anyway, for the benefit of any unsuspecting readers.

I've preserved the Japanese spoken politeness rules for names in the same way the official manga translation does. Adding the honorific '-san' to a name is casually polite. Using '-sama' instead is more formally polite. Being friends does not automatically mean you call each other by your first names or drop the honorifics.

There are poker games in this novel. The table of contents spoiled that for you already. I've added a poker hand ranking chart on the next page. This allowed me to shorten some explanations, making things not too drawn out for readers who are already familiar with the game.

Please, keep in mind this is a fan translation. I'm not a professional writer and nobody paid me to do this. I hope you enjoy the novel.

Poker hand ranking (worst to best)

K♥ J♠ 10♣ 7♦ 5♥ High Card; Also called 'trash' or 'no hand'. There is no combination. The lone highest ranked card (a king in this case) faces off against the high card of other players if they also have no combination. The Japanese call high card a 'pig'

9♥ 9♠ 7♣ 7♠ J♥ Pairs; Two cards of the same rank is a pair and defeat any high card. Two pairs defeat any single pair.

5♥ 5♠ 5♣ A♦ K♦ Three of a kind; Three cards of the same rank are better than pairs.

Q♥ J♠ 10♠ 9♥ 8♦ Straight; Five cards of consecutive rank. J, Q and K count as 11, 12 and 13 respectively. The ace can serve as both 14 and 1.

A♦ Q♦ 8♦ 6♦ 4♦ Flush; Any five cards of the same suit (diamonds in this case).

6♥ 6♣ 6♦ Q♣ Q♦ Full house; A three-of-a-kind and a pair.

4♥ 4♠ 4♣ 4♦ 7♠ Four of a kind; Four cards of the same rank.

J♠ 10♠ 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ Straight Flush; A straight that is also a flush. The best possible straight flush (A, K, Q, J, 10) is called a royal flush.

Prologue

Hyakkaou Private Academy is a very prestigious, reputable, 122 year old school. Many of the children here are those of influential people in politics and business. My parents aren't wealthy and worked hard to get me here. They always avoided showing that they were struggling and preferred to proudly smile. I enrolled here with high hopes. My goal is to make it big in life and make my parents proud.

"Mittens! Go get me a sandwich from the cafeteria! The usual one. Hurry up!"
I was hit from the side and fell to the classroom floor. The girls who had been my friendly classmates just a few days ago were now kicking me while smiling. As the pain got worse, all I could do was groan.

"Y-yes... I'll go now..."
If I didn't answer immediately, I'd be kicked again. They don't see me as a human being now. I'm like livestock to them.

A class system exists at this school and it's a pretty simple one. There are two types of people; the oppressors and the oppressed. The powerful student council collects, supposedly voluntary, payments from everybody. Then the students are ranked based on how much they paid. If you are unlucky enough to be in the bottom 100, you become a housepet. Instead of using your name, other students will call you Fido if you are boy and Mittens if you are a girl. You essentially lose your human rights, becoming a servant and punching bag.

I stumble to the cafeteria while clutching my stomach. A tag hangs around my neck. I'm required to wear it so that everyone can see I'm a Mittens. Students I pass, glance at me in disgust as if I'm a dirty, stray, city cat. Occasionally, some show pity, but don't help. Being friendly with housepets can isolate you socially even if you are not one of them. You will be seen as a freak for being generous to the downtrodden. That's how the culture is here.

The voluntary payments to the student council are not voluntary at all. Even the most iron-willed would eventually break down and pay up, if they had the money. Being officially marked as sub-human is too much of a burden to bear. It's way easier to pay and be on the side of the oppressors.
The tribute money is not an amount that can easily be earned with part-time jobs. If your parents are rich, you can ask them for it. However, if you are like me and were foolish enough to enroll into this school with modest means, money will be a problem.

This talk about money brings us to another remarkable thing about this school; the gambling. It's openly permitted, endorsed and overseen by the student council. Some only dabble in it during breaks while others specialize in certain games as a club activity. Then there are the ones who run the gambling dens and profit from all the action. Not participating is also an option but doing so means your student council tribute money has to come from elsewhere.

Nobody here cares if you study well or excel at sports. Things like that don't matter to those who one day end up in power. What the elites need is negotiation skills, mind reading and performance under stress. Those are all things learned by gambling.

I lost a bet and with it my human dignity. Just like the others who aren't rich or good at gambling.
My parents didn't know how normal the abnormal is at this school. You would say the best course of action is to transfer out of this place as soon as possible, but I can't bring myself to do that. It would mean admitting defeat and disappointing my parents. Their hard work needs to pay off.

"I need money", I told myself as I squeezed the housepet tag in my fist. "I'll get my hands on a mountain of it, secure my future and run this place. The sleazy rich kinds and dead-eyed slaves will all bow to me one day."

Chapter 1: The Ryouran Island Summer Camp

Chapter 1, part 1

It's actually quite bizarre. A high school class room filled with students gambling at lunchtime. They went from reading their books to betting money on blackjack in a heartbeat. It was very confusing to me at first but now that I'm a second year student, I've gotten used to it. My name is Ryota Suzui and I'm nothing special. Just because you go to school here doesn't mean you are a gambling genius. I was even a housepet for a while.

"What's wrong with you? You look pathetic", a sneering voice said. It was Mary Saotome. She was the one responsible for making me a Fido back then.

"Nothing. I'm the same as always", I replied.

Mary swept away her ribbon tied blond twin tails. That brisk movement was typical of her. Then she flapped the collar of her short-sleeved shirt to let some air in. The bright red vest she wore over her shirt was the school's summer uniform. The outfit was flattering to her, making her look slender.

"So where did she go? You two are always together", Mary asked. "She should have been back in the classroom by now."

Mary is a very skilled gambler and well respected at the school. Until recently she had the whole class wrapped around her finger. She singled me out and I lost a lot of money playing against her. Because of her, I used to wear that cursed housepet tag. None of the classmates dared to challenge her to a game. Not even to a fun, low stakes one.

"You don't have many friends. I never see you talk to random people", Mary said.

"Isn't that just as true for you?", I asked her while smiling bitterly.

"Shut up! Don't talk to me like that unless you are looking for a fight!", she replied with her face turning red.

She is usually cheerful but when she does raise her voice, she make a bit of a childish impression. It's true that no classmates want to be friends with us. Our reputations contribute to that, but there is an additional, strong reason.

The classroom door slid open with a clatter. A girl appeared. She had very long, back hair that swayed lightly with every breeze. Beneath her neatly trimmed bangs were eyes like those of a cat in the dark. Her glossy lips formed a smile. She was dressed in the summer uniform, like Mary. Though, unlike with Mary's shirt collar, hers was pushed open from the inside. Big difference!

"Suzui-san, Mary-san. Look at this!"

The girl approaching so elegantly was the main reason for Mary's and my social predicament. Yumeko Jabami. A gambler who is shaking this school to it's core. She transferred in recently and in a short time managed to become pretty famous by winning games with student council members as opponents.

Those on the student council have a lot of wealth to tap into and tend to be the most daring, intelligent and sly. Everyone accepts them as the rulers. Because the beautiful and mysterious Yumeko managed to defeat some of them, she has now become the center of attention. Her background remains unknown. Even I, who has been watching her meteoric rise from up close, know very little about her. I wonder what lies beneath that endearing smile and up-beat demeanor.

"This sounds like so much fun!", Yumeko said, breathing heavily while showing us a piece of paper. "They were handing these out in the hallway earlier."

"What is it?"

"What do you mean, 'what is it'? Why didn't you two tell me about this event? I definitely want to go!", Yumeko said. She was clearly excited and giddy.

Surprised by Yumeko's enthusiasm, I took a look at the flyer. "Ryouran Island Summer Camp opens!", it was titled.

"Ah, this. It figures you wouldn't know about it since you transferred in this year", Mary said to Yumeko. "There is this island owned by our school called Ryouran. During school holidays, it's open to the students to spend time there."

Ryouran Island. Hyakka Ryouran... It's a reference to Hyakkaou Academy, I see.

Translator's note: This is word play. The school and island name taken together translate as 'a large gathering of people of excellence' in this context.

"Students visit it but somehow no one knows where it is. It's not on any map. I suppose a school like ours can pull off a stunt like that. They say it's probably south from here, but the location doesn't really matter anyhow", Mary continued.

"There is that thing there, right?", Yumeko asked Mary while her breathing became heavy again. "Everyone is going there for that reason, right?"

"And what would that be?", Mary asked with a dramatic sigh and a smile on her rosy lips. The answer was obvious.

"A casino." Yumeko shivered in anticipation when speaking that word. "I didn't know there was a full blown casino at this school!!" "I wonder what kind of games they have!!" "They must have blackjack, roulette, and slots, right?!" "Can we play baccarat?!" "I want to play poker the most!!"

"Relax and talk slower", Mary interrupted.

Mary acted cold to Yumeko. This was no doubt because Yumeko was responsible for Mary's downward spiral earlier. When Yumeko transferred in, she was challenged by Mary to a rigged game. Despite the cheating, Mary lost big and in an attempt to recover, lost even more. It was quite humiliating for someone with such a competitive spirit. However, Mary understood that Yumeko was not being mean to her and so the girls remained on speaking terms. Yumeko was just trying to have fun and Mary being handed the housepet tag turned out to be the consequence of that. Besides, since Mary made me a housepet earlier as well, she had little right to complain.

"They probably have all those games. I hear it's on par with a real casino. Also, the hotel attached to it is run professionally so the service should be good. I don't know for sure since I've never been there, though", Mary continued.

So it's just like Las Vegas! Images of glittering neon lights and bunny girls popped into my head.

"You'll coming too, aren't you, Suzui-san?", Yumeko asked me.

"Oh, am I?", I replied in surprise.

"Don't you want to...?" Yumeko asked while looking at me with begging puppy eyes. I was unable to refuse.

"Alright, since I'm a student here I should check the place out at least once. How much will it cost anyway? It may be too expensive for me", I asked Yumeko in return.

"Don't worry, Suzui-san! The trip and hotel stay are free!", she replied while pointing it out on the flyer.

"What? Surely everyone will go then.", I said.

"Don't be silly. Almost all the students here go abroad during holidays. They are rich enough to not care about travel expenses. This island casino camp does sound fancy, though. I'm sure some people will show up", Mary said.

"So, Suzui-san is definitely going. Mary-san, you will come as well, right?" Yumeko looked like a little girl excited about a family trip. Her innocent appearance made it impossible to imagine her as a gambling shark.

"I'll pass", Mary replied instantly.

"But why? It will surely be a blast if the three of us go", Yumeko insisted.

"See, the casino is run by a group called the Kansankai. They are a student club, but have lots of connections and operate like a branch of the Tourism Industry Association. Despite being small, they are rumored to make huge profits with the casino", Mary said as her eyes narrowed and her voice became sharper.

"Secret island, big profits, free entrance. It smells. Going there is too risky unless you are made of money", Mary continued.

Yumeko put her hands on her chest in a pleading gesture. "You worry too much, Mary-san! Please, let us go together! The flyer says that today is the last day we can sign up!"

"No way! You are a target of the student council. Who knows what they might do to me if I show up with you. Maybe some other groups are interested in you as well and... Hey, stop clinging to me!"

Yumeko tightly embraced Mary and wouldn't let go. This was not the first time this happened. For some reason, Yumeko seemed to really like Mary. She would regularly yell "Mary-san, Mary-san" and cling to her. It looked strange, but what was even stranger is that Mary didn't mind it too much.

After a bit of back and forth, Yumeko suddenly said; "Then let's settle this with a gamble. If you win, Mary-san, I'll obey your orders while we're traveling. If I win, it's the other way around. What do you think? Doesn't that sound fun?"

"No! I'm not going!", Mary shouted, but then something occurred to her. She looked down for a moment while touching her chin, then she looked back up. "...In other words, if I win, you will be absolutely obedient to me while we are on Ryouran Island, during the voyage to there and during the voyage back. You will not be able to defy me in any way."

"That's right! I'll be your personal Mittens! Purr!" Yumeko held her clenched hands in front of her face as if they were paws, mimicking a cat while making a sweet and pleading face.

Mary chuckled mischievously. She seemed to be imagining something ominous. As she has tormented housepets before, there was no telling what treatment Yumeko would receive if she were to lose.

"Y-Yumeko... Maybe we should call this off." I was barely able to finish my sentence as Mary interrupted;
"Fine. I'm in on this gamble", she said while pointing at Yumeko.

"Thank you, Mary-san!", Yumeko said with a sunny smile.

"Now, let's decide what game to play! Since this is a gamble about a resort with a casino, let's play poker!", Yumeko said with enthusiasm. Mary did not bother to argue.

Yumeko pulled a deck of cards from her desk drawer. "It's just a regular deck. Do you want to check it, Mary-san?"

"No need. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't cheat", Mary said after a brief pause.

"Hehe, I'm glad you trust me. Shall we play Five-card Draw with Suzui-san as the dealer?" "Please, be our dealer, Suzui-san!"

I wasn't expecting a request like that, but it wasn't much trouble. All I had to do was deal the cards and stay neutral. Besides, this was the exact game in which Mary defeated me, making me a housepet back then. I knew the rules well enough.

Five-card Draw is the most classic variant of poker. Each player is dealt five cards face down. Then there is a betting phase. After that, the players can chose to discard any of their cards and will be dealt replacements. A second betting phase follows and if more than one player is still in the game after that, there is a showdown. The remaining players show their hands and the winner is determined by the strength of the combination of cards they have. Because the girls here are wagering one predetermined thing in a quick one hand game, there are no betting phases.

I took the deck from Yumeko and shuffled it carefully. Dealing poker is easy, but I could not take my assignment lightly. Bad things may happen to Yumeko based on the outcome of this game. Although I was not the one wagering anything, I'm sure I was the one who looked the most nervous.

Mary showed a relaxed smile, but that was probably to mask the nerves. After all, her opponent was the mysterious Yumeko; the girl who defeated some of the strongest players at this school. The last time these girls played, it was a crushing defeat for Mary. I'm sure she remembers that.

Yumeko was intensely gazing into Mary's eyes. I knew what that meant. Yumeko was truly enjoying herself. The game itself, the atmosphere, the opponent, the trill and the risk. She loved it all. This wasn't some poker face or cheap intimidation trick. This was the real Yumeko.

"Alright, let's begin." I started dealing.

Chapter 1, part 2

The next morning we all gathered and boarded the ship docked at the pier, along with the other students. It wasn't extravagant, but large enough to carry several hundred people. Impressive for a school trip, for sure.

The sound of the waves and the sunlight on my skin were soothing. It would have gotten too hot in my short-sleeve, if not for the gentle breeze. The blues of the ocean and the whites of the reflections made the view from the deck be like an endless moving paining. I was having a great time... so far.

The other students on the deck were equally in a good mood. How could they not be, with such a great view and free drinks from the bar. Although this looked like a vacation, it was technically a school trip. The school uniforms remained mandatory.

Someone was not having fun, though. That particular someone was right next to Yumeko and me.
"Why me... Damn it. I should not have played that game", Mary kept saying, or rather, she was chanting it like a curse.

"Mary-san, please don't be so gloomy. Let's make the best of things and have some fun!", Yumeko said.

"Shut up! Don't talk to me! And don't touch me!", Mary shouted.

---

Mary had lost the poker game. Her hand was three-of-a-kind kings. A very lucky draw, considering it was just a quick one hand game. After her card change, it was clear that Mary was already thinking about how she could exploit Yumeko's obedience during the trip. However, when Yumeko declared she would not change any of her cards, Mary's gleeful expression snapped back to neutral. When it was time for the showdown, I instructed them to reveal their hand.

The moment Yumeko revealed, Mary fell to her knees. It was a full house. Yumeko jumped up and down with joy. Once again, I was baffled by Yumeko's incredible luck. To think I was trying to prevent this game from happening earlier. I guess I just have to watch and see where her luck takes her. It almost feels like Mary was manipulated into going on the trip... and into obedience.

---

"Excuse me, may I be of assistance? I have brought you some water", someone said. Without looking up, I took the cup that was offered and gulped it down. It was very refreshing.

"Thanks for the service. But why are so many of you here? Is something wrong?", Yumeko asked.

So many? I wiped my mouth and looked. There was a group of people and they were bowing to us. Then the girl in the middle raised her head. "Yes, I'm afraid we have something to apologize for", she said.

The group was dressed in fancy black suits that looked like a military uniform of sorts. It was a jacket with shoulder pads and shiny gold colored buttons. The woman's variant had an apron-like jumper skirt instead of trousers. The girl who spoke wore a wine-red ribbon as a tie, while the ribbons of the others were black.

"Wait... You are...", Mary started saying with tension in her voice.

"What an honor that you know me, Mary Saotome-sama. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." She crossed her legs inside her skirt and bowed gracefully. "My name is Kifune Izayoi. I am the manager and owner of the casino on Ryouran Island, the destination of this ship."

I instinctively bowed in return. "The boss of the casino on Ryouran?! So that makes you the boss of the Kansankai... or is it the chairman?", I asked.

Kifune narrowed her already slanted eyelids and softly laughed. "I guess you can call me the boss, Ryota Suzui-sama. As you said, I lead that organization, yes. I'm also a student at Hyakkaou Private Academy, just like all of you. I'm in my third year."

Kifune had long, black hair, but her face remained fully visible because of the hairband she wore. Her expression was gentle but reserved. It was as if she was a sheathed sword; at rest but ready to strike when needed.

"What I want to apologize for is his terrible negligence", Kifune said while pushing one of the boys from her group forward. He was frightened enough to tremble. "He was the one handling the sign ups for the summer camp back at school."

After winning the poker game, Yumeko rushed to the registration desk with three application forms in hand. It seems that this was the guy who took them.

Kifune looked at her subordinate with suddenly widened eyes.
"It so happens that when receiving your forms, he reserved rooms for Saotome-sama and Suzui-sama. For whatever reason he did not reserve a room for you, though", she explained.

"I-I'm so sorry! There were a lot of last-minute applications as we were about to close... ", the boy tried to explain, stumbling over his words.

Kifune raised one eyebrow. "What did you just say...? You're going to blame the customer for your mistake?", she asked him coldly.

"N-no... Not at all! It was my mistake. Please forgive me! I beg you!" The boy was crying now. The situation felt uncanny as his distressed weeping was accompanied by the calming noise of the sea.

"Kneel before her", Kifune commanded with controlled anger. "Bow your head to our guest, all the way to the deck. Or would you rather we toss you into the ocean?"

As the boy looked like he was entering a state of panic, Yumeko intervened. "Please stop. I'm sure we can sort this out somehow."

I was relieved. Humiliating the poor guy even more would solve nothing.

Kifune slowly turned to Yumeko and spoke with a more relaxed demeanor. "No, this is a matter of principle for us. As long as we are welcoming guests, it is our prime responsibility to guarantee the best possible service. We can not be negligent."
Kifune grabbed the boy's hair. "Hurry up and do it", she said to him. Her eyes narrowed again but her gentle smile stayed.

The boy groaned as his head was pushed onto the deck. It hit the wooden planks with a bonk.

"Wait... this is going too far!" I couldn't ignore it any longer, and took a step forward.

Kifune, who was also kneeling, ignored me and spoke to Yumeko instead; "This negligence is also my fault as the one in charge. I offer my deepest apologies."
She stood up, took a step forward and made a pleading gesture to Yumeko. "As a substitute, we can offer you a VIP suite. It will be prepared for you immediately. Please forgive me."

If one of us would be upgraded to a VIP suite, this would actually be great! I looked at Yumeko, expecting her to speak but she remained dead silent and her gentle smile was gone. She was staring into Kifune's eyes intensely.

"There is one other thing", Kifune continued. "Because of this incident, we don't actually have your name. I'm terribly sorry, but may I ask you for it?"

After a brief pause, Kifune got her answer. "Yumeko Jabami."

"Ah, I see", Kifune said with widening eyes. Her tone and demeanor now changed again. Her shoulders trembled slightly and she began to speak in a more mocking, almost provocative way.
"So... you are Yumeko Jabami-sama. Then perhaps, offering you the VIP suite free of charge may be a slightly problematic thing to do. The suite is normally reserved for government officials and the like. It's incomparable with the regular rooms. It would create inequality between you and the other guests in a way that could be seen as uncalled for..."

"Hey, you", Mary interrupted. "Stop it with that attitude."

While I was overwhelmed by the situation, Mary was not. Knowing her character, it was safe to assume she was angered by what just happened. She spoke loudly and didn't bother with politeness, even though she was addressing a third year student. It was a way of talking that usually gets a customer what they want.
"If you are sorry, then just fix it. No need for fancy excuses. Just do your job. Let them know on the island there is one extra coming, and all that."

Kifune immediately turned towards Mary and changed pose. It looked like a habit from combat training kicked in, making her assume a stance with more balance. If physical violence was coming, she was prepared for it.
"Saotome-sama, although it's technically a summer camp, it's essentially a luxury vacation. Free of charge, no less. If you are unable to accept our hospitality, be due to our shortcomings, it is a truly regrettable thing. I guess there is nothing we can do to stop you from returning home now if our services are not up to your standard."

"So we pay for the VIP suite or one of us is kicked out? Is that what this is boiling down to?", Mary said, cutting through the fancy language.

"Oh no! Neither! Not at all!", Kifune replied quickly while smiling again. She seemed oddly pleased with this turn of the conversation.
Kifune stepped towards Yumeko, getting slightly too close for comfort. "I have no intention of charging you anything, Jabami-sama. Instead, I propose we sort this mess out with a gamble."

Mary was clearly not done talking to Kifune, but kept her silence. She stood beside me with a sour face.

"... A gamble, huh?" Yumeko hesitated again before speaking.

"Yes! It's just a simple diversion. Please accept it as one of our services.
If you win the game I'm about to present, Jabami-sama, I will prepare the VIP suite. You will also be assigned personal staff and receive complementary room service. Additionally, a VIP seat in the casino will be at your disposal. It's a great spot with a view of the whole place from above. I would even offer a bunny girl entourage if you were a man.
This is to your liking, is it not, Jabami-sama? Let us play a game." Kifune spoke with narrowed eyes and a wide grin. This was rude politeness at it's peak.

Despite the fair weather and warm summer sun, a shiver ran down my spine. What on earth happened to this girl that made her this way?

"That's nice. So what happens if I lose?", Yumeko said with a calm voice and a blank expression.

"Well, you'll need to sleep somewhere of course, so I'll get a linen room prepared for you", Kifune replied.

A linen room is where hotel staff keeps housekeeping equipment. Bed sheets, detergents, mops and the like. It's technically usable as a sleeping spot if a mattress can be fit in.
I started protesting and Mary backed me up; "Don't accept this, Yumeko. Everyone will look down on you if they know you sleep in a utility closet." It didn't help.

"Let's do it", Yumeko said.

"Wonderful! It's on then." Kifune flicked her fingers and pointed at Yumeko.

Chapter 1, part 3

"The game is simple enough. Look at our bar over there", Kifune said while pointing some distance away. Countless brightly colored bottles were lined up behind it, glittering in the sunlight. Passengers came and went, receiving their drinks from the bartender.

"All our guests can order drinks at the bar and it's all free. Please indulge yourself as well later. Everything is non-alcoholic of course. This is a school event after all. Now, on to the game rules", Kifune continued with a chuckle. "You need to guess what drink a person will order. You can predict anything, but getting it only partially correct does not count. If someone orders a 'Shirley Temple' while you guessed 'ginger ale' it's not good enough, although it is one of the ingredients. That cocktail also contains a syrup and orange juice, along with some other things added for looks."

Yumeko silently listened to Kifune's explanation without showing much emotion. Mary did interrupt although she was not the one playing; "Hold on, Expert-sama. You have a lot more experience with this than we do. Like me, most students would normally prefer the popular soft drinks like cola and iced tea, but in this setting there is no telling for us what exotic stuff they would order."

Kifune chuckled again. "What a typical observation! Down-to-earth students like you are rare at our school, Saotome-sama."

This was exactly the wrong type of thing to say to Mary. Her face turned red and it was like she was about to burst from anger for someone belittling her like that. Kifune yielded, avoiding escalation. "I deeply apologize. You are absolutely right."

Kifune told one of the staff to fetch her the bar menu. What arrived was a leather bound book that had a worn look from all the sunlight exposure.

"Please take a look", Kifune said while opening the book towards Yumeko. The open page had a palm tree drawing on the side, giving it a tropical vibe that helped build up anticipation for Ryouran Island.
"We mix whatever our guests desire. For this game however, we will ignore any orders that are off-menu and move on to guessing the next one. This addresses Saotome-sama's concern and makes the game fairer, wouldn't you agree?"

There were at least a hundred differed drinks. Many of the names were foreign and unfamiliar to me. Reading this under differed circumstances would have been great; another step into the adult world.

"But what if there is a shill in the crowd?", Mary said. "Maybe Suzui and I should pick the people for you both to bet on? Say something Yumeko! It is you who is gambling. Negotiate the rules!"

"No, it's okay. I'll accept the rules as-is", Yumeko said looking at Kifune, still acting cold as ice.

Then, in a snap, she regained her cheerful attitude and smiled warmly as she spoke to Mary. "Thank you, Mary-san. You're kind and helpful as always." Her ability to switch personality like this was perhaps the most frighting thing about her. Her thoughts and feelings were unknowable.

"...Honestly", Mary sighed deeply while crossing her arms and shaking her head.

"Wonderful! It seems we are ready to play. You may pick someone for us to make our predictions on, Jabami-sama", Kifune said while gesturing towards the bar.

"Yes", Yumeko replied, narrowing her eyes and smiling.

Chapter 1, part 4

So how would one approach this game? You'd have to work with broad assumptions about people.
Most would not easily order something they don't know the taste of. There are always the adventurous types but the majority would stick to the familiar.
Fruit based drinks will probably be favored. The palm tree on the menu book and the anticipation of leisure at the resort puts people in a tropical paradise sort of mindset, after all.
Perhaps the guys will more easily go for carbonated drinks while the girls will tend to pick something extra sweetened. Then there is the weather. It's warm and sunny so it's unlikely someone will go for hot coffee.

Kifune's thoughts must have been similar to mine, but what Yumeko was thinking I could not attempt to guess. She always says she doesn't like it when she is guaranteed to lose or guaranteed to win. She lives for the gamble itself rather than the winnings. If anything, she was probably thinking of something that would make the game more exciting, rather than turn it in her favor. Normal people will do all they can to limit risk. Yumeko's nature is to turn up the risk to the max. True excitement comes from games where there's no going back if you lose. As I have observed Yumeko play, I feel like this is her message to the world. With the adjustment to the rules following Mary's comment, this game may very well be a toss-up, so Yumeko has room to work her magic.

Yumeko was looking across the deck for bar customers with her usual gentle smile. By her side was Kifune with her calm, serious and concentrated expression. The skirt of her black uniform was slightly waving in the breeze. Her outfit looked inappropriate for the weather but it didn't seem too hot or uncomfortable for her.
Behind them were Mary and me. Mary still had her arms crossed and was frowning in disapproval. Around us were the staff Kifune arrived with earlier. They were waiting in silence. Although all of us together formed quite a group, people at the bar did not mind us much.
I wondered if Kifune set up a listening device somewhere as a cheat. She seemed not to have any earpiece at least. Her ears were clearly visible thanks to the breeze that played with her hair.

A couple showed up at the bar. They looked at the menu while chatting. Yumeko remained silent.
The bartender handled several bottles and used the silver shaker. The sound of the liquid sloshing in the shaker reached us as we looked at the bartender's fluid and practiced moves. The bright orange contents was poured out in long drink glasses.

"It looks like they both took a 'Cinderella'. I would have guessed that", Kifune said.

Surely, she was lying to unsettle Yumeko. This was the type of game that keeps going until a lucky coincidence occurs. And yet, here was Kifune declaring with confidence she would have guessed right on the first try from a list of over a hundred possible orders.

"How about her? Shall we gamble on her order?", Yumeko said while gesturing.

A girl has just arrived at the bar. There was nothing distinctive about her looks. Nothing that would give away a drink preference, at least. Did Yumeko know her? Probably not. Yumeko didn't have many friends and I'm pretty sure I would have met this girl before if she was one of them.

"Acceptable", Kifune said without hesitation. "Let's declare at the same time. One... two... three..."

"Lemonade." Yumeko's guess was the same as mine. I was nice that our thoughts aligned, but this was not the time to dwell on that. I was listening to Yumeko but missed what Kifune said.

"What was Izayoi-san's guess?", I asked Mary.

"No take-backs, you know", Mary said to Kifune. It seems she did hear Kifune's words but was ignoring me asking for them.

"Of course. I stand by it", Kifune replied.

"Everybody got that?!", Mary said loudly. She was making sure Kifune's staff could hear her as well. "Izayoi-san predicted hot coffee with milk!"

What? When negotiating the rules, nothing was said about the temperature of the drink. It was implied only the drink itself mattered, not if it was hot or iced. There were common hot drinks on the menu, but someone ordering them was unlikely. Given the exotic choices, the vacation atmosphere and the weather, why would someone order something plain and hot they could have gotten anywhere at any time? Mary probably asked Kifune for confirmation because she was as surprised as I was.
The bartender started to prepare the drink while talking with the girl. Kifune maintained her cool composure, which was a bit unnerving, given that she had made such an odd bet.

So it's 'lemonade' against 'café au lait'. Surely, Yumeko had the advantage in this round, but Kifune's bold move must be a strategy for the long run of some sorts.

The girl received her drink. She thanked the bartender while smiling and walked off towards us. There were benches behind us and it looked like she was heading to them. In her hand was a non-transparent, thermal, lidded cup. Kifune stepped forward and approached her.

"I'm awfully sorry, but I'm afraid I need to ask you for your cooperation. Could I perhaps have your drink? You will get a replacement right away, of course. I'm in a gamble with one of the other guests and it would amuse us if we could examine your cup", Kifune said to the girl with a short, polite bow.

The girl was surprised and hesitated, but when seeing the replacement drink that was already fetched for her by one of the staff, she went along with it.

"You saw how we swapped, right?", Kifune said while walking back to us and facing Mary. "What I have in my hand how is the original order. Could you check for us what it is exactly, Saotome-sama? I think everybody is fine with you being the judge."

Mary looked at Kifune in bewilderment. Then she did what was asked and removed the lid. "No way...", she said while her eyes widened. She slowly took a sip from the cup. After swirling it around in her mouth, to be sure of the taste, she swallowed it. The expression of bewilderment was still on her face. She said nothing.

"So, how is it, Saotome-sama?", Kifune asked in a flat tone.

Mary remained motionless, still holding the drink. It was silent recognition. I walked over to her and looked into the cup. Sure enough, it had the white-brown color of coffee with milk.

"I've won the gamble... haven't I?", Kifune said while slowly turning towards Yumeko. She dragged out the last part of the sentence in way that was clearly meant as mockery.

Kifune dropped the refined politeness she was so proudly holding up earlier. Her eyes were filled with contempt, like a noble looking at a commoner. She was smiling with one side of her mouth. It was like one corner of her mouth was pulled up by a fishing hook. The cheek was bulging outward as it had nowhere else to go. Kifune looked downright demonic, smiling in such an ugly, distorted way.

"This ship is headed for Ryouran Island, the pride of our prestigious Hyakkaou Private Academy. Do you have any idea of how important Ryouran is? No, I'm sure you haven't..., Jabami-sama." Kifune looked Yumeko straight in the eyes as she stepped closer to her. It was clearly provocative body language that Kifune permitted herself now, having won the game.

"When our country finally legalizes casinos as part of the tourist lure, Ryouran Island will surely become an example case. In fact, many from the political and business elite have visited it often already for inspections. In other words, it is sacred land and essential for the future of Japan. To set foot there means to set foot in the realm of the upper class... Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" Kifune's eyes were wide open, it looked like the corners could snap. "Fidos and Mittens defiling the place is absolutely unforgivable!"

Kifune's voice was menacing but she spoke quietly. Probably only we could hear her as the sound of the sea swallowed up background noises. Fidos and Mittens. These are the nicknames given to the unfortunate souls that are reduced to housepet status at our school. Slaves, for everyone to treat like livestock. Yumeko, Mary and I were all housepets at some point.

Kifune ran her fingers through Yumeko's silky smooth black hair, pushing it along the ear. She rubbed a lock of it between her fingers. "It's still there, isn't it?", she asked with a hissing voice. She grabbed the lock and yanked it towards her nose, forcing Yumeko's head forward. She sniffed it loudly. "The stench of an animal", she hissed again.

"That's enough!", I shouted without thinking. Kifune snapped back into her professional self. She quickly turned towards me and looked at me directly with a plain expression and a faint smile.

"Oh, I apologize profusely, Suzui-sama. I got carried away. Please rest assured. As promised, the linen room will be prepared. I hope you will enjoy Ryouran Island and the services we provide. Mind yourself at the casino, though. No matter how hard you try, I'm sure you'll only keep losing."
Kifune stepped back a little and gave the same theatrical bow as when she introduced herself. "Our ship will soon arrive at Ryouran. Please enjoy your exciting trip." She turned around and left with her assistants following her.

Then there was silence. None of us three said anything. Kifune had taken control of the situation, lured out a gamble and decisively won. The game looked fair enough, but it was over a bit too quickly. Looking back at it, a lot of what Kifune said were probably lies. The sign up mistake and the room shortage were likely made up in order to target Yumeko.
What was the motive, though? I couldn't see how setting up Yumeko with a utility closet would accomplish anything. It didn't seem that severe of a thing considering Kifune runs the place. There are plenty more serious ways in which Kifune could cause trouble.

Yumeko wasn't injured but she was subjected to violence. Her head was still leaning forward from the pull with her hair covering her face.

"Are you alright?", I asked her while seeking her eyes. What I saw shocked me just as much as what came before. Yumeko was smiling. She was biting on her index finger, seemingly to suppress the laughter welling up inside of her.

"Hehehe, I see how it is...", she said to herself. Her pupils were widened in excitement and looked like two back holes that were somehow smiling along with her mouth. It was the face of a demon. Equally unnatural as Kifune's expression earlier, but totally differed.

"Are you alright?", I asked again.

Yumeko responded this time and did so with a cheerful attitude, no less. "Yes, of course. I lost. What a shame."

"What do you mean, 'what a shame'?! And you stayed silent after being hurt like that as well! She may be the island owner or whatever, but that doesn't make any of this acceptable!", Mary shouted while stomping the deck in frustration.

"I'm sorry, Mary-san, but... oooh!" Yumeko noticed something and did not finish her sentence. Instead, she ran off towards the ship's bow, leaned over the railing, stretched her arm as far out as possible and pointed. "Look! There is the island! It's so green and beautiful!"

Mary and I followed her to the front of the ship, but with a lot less enthusiasm. The island was slowly coming closer. It was densely covered with trees. We would see them up close soon enough.

"I'm looking forward to this so much, Suzui-san. Let's have lots of fun", Yumeko said. She turned around, showing a genuine smile. The wind was slightly stronger now and she had to hold her hair to prevent it from waving in front of her eyes.

It was as if Kifune and her game were completely forgotten. Yumeko showed no bitterness, only childlike excitement for the time she was about to spend with her friends. It was a most lovely and endearing sight, truly worthy of being captured as a photo. I was a little embarrassed witnessing it and averted my eyes.

Chapter 1, part 5

In my somewhat cramped cabin was a large ebony desk with a computer, a phone and stacks of documents on it. My comfy, padded chair creaked in protest as I leaned back in it. I took a loud slurp of coffee from my mug before speaking. "That was a great job. You're quite the actor."

"Thank you, boss. That's too much praise", said the boy from the other side of the desk. He was the one who was made to bow to Yumeko and her group.
"Although, couldn't we have gone with some scheme to boot her from the island entirely?", he continued. No trace of the distress he had shown earlier remained. There was no conflict between us. The drama on the deck was all an act.

"We could have, but the other guests might have noticed. It may damage our reputation if they see someone singled out and removed. Anyway, Jabami turned out not to be such a problem after all. It was so naive of her to agree to that game", I said.

"It sure was", he replied. "Nobody told me there would be a gamble, however. Was there some kind of trick to your drink guessing?"

"What?", I said while raising an eyebrow. "You're implying the manager of this fine establishment is a dirty cheater?"

"No, no! I didn't mean to...", the boy began saying with a frightened voice.

I smiled and gestured him to come closer while putting down my mug. His approach was hesitant with careful steps, as if the cabin had landmines. He sidestepped the desk and came in front of me directly, kneeling. I poked his cheek with my index finger.

"Just kidding. Of course I was cheating. The bartender was in on it", I said. This kind of mischief is something I could often not resist.

The boy was visibly relieved. He stood up and then quickly bowed. "Boss, for the Kansankai and for you, I'll always do my utmost."

"I have high expectations of everyone on staff who is also a Kansankai member. Please continue to excel", I replied.

It was unthinkable that I would let the ship depart without confirming all the passenger names. I was well aware that Yumeko was on board.

"Anyone who defeated student council members needs to be approached with care. I tried to measure up her abilities and was disappointed. She is just a gambling addict. At best a lucky one. The poker tournament will proceed as planned. Start the preparations as soon as the ship arrives. We may be able to repay the loan if we do well this year. This is our chance to shine."

"Yes, boss", the boy said and left the cabin.

I picked up my still steaming mug and stared at my reflection in the coffee. "Ryouran is my future, I won't let anyone take it away from me", I said to myself and took another sip.

Chapter 2: Casino Dominium

Chapter 2, part 1

Ryouran Island was developed around the pier with the majority of it's natural forest left untouched. What immediately caught the eye was a single, steep hill on the far side of it. It was like a tall, green wall in the distance. The island was small and you could probably cycle around it in less than an hour.

We arrived and set foot on the pier. It was just as refreshing as being on the ship but the sounds were differed. There were squawking seagulls everywhere and the waves were breaching onto the coast. On the path forward was a huge gate, decorated with colorful flower-like ornaments. It was as if we were entering a theme park, rather than a resort. The real Las Vegas is not an island, so it made sense they went with a differed aesthetic here. I'm sure they wanted it to be just as as glamorous, though.
Staff were waiting for us at the gate. As we passed underneath it, each of us received a necklace woven from plumeria flowers. You could see the excitement in people growing as the ornament was placed around their necks. A cobblestone path was leading us further into the island. Taking it was the only choice as everything else was covered with a dense forest.

"Mary-san, Suzui-san! What a lovely place this is! You think the hotel is far away?" Yumeko said while rushing ahead with impatience.

"Watch where you're going and take it easy!", I shouted to her. "The linen room is waiting for you there, remember?!"

As I was following the path, I started wondering what our plans were. Mary strolled along next to me, clearly not in a good mood even though she was not the one who lost. It was a sign that she truly saw Yumeko as a friend and was unhappy about the treatment she received.

What should I say to Yumeko? Obviously she didn't win every gamble since she joined the school, but that was not what she wanted anyway. Dragging her opponents out of their comfort zone into a bet they could not afford to lose is what she was going for. With that in mind, the quick and decisive loss to Kifune was probably most unsatisfying. She didn't show any signs of being bothered with it now, but I'm sure she did not really forget.

I gathered my thoughts and picked up the pace. "Hey, can I ask you something?", I said when I caught up to Yumeko.

"Sure, what is it?", Yumeko answered, looking around nervously.

"After the game with Kifune-san, you said 'I see how it is'. What did you mean by that?", I asked.

"Oh, that? I meant the cheat", Yumeko replied.

"So the game actually was rigged", I said with a sigh.

"It sure was! There's nothing I can do about it now, though", Yumeko said cheerfully.

"Wait! What?!", Mary said as she was catching up to us.

"I was the one to chose the girl, so it's unlikely she was co-opted", Yumeko began explaining. "In addition, I kept a close eye on Kifune-san for anything suspicious, but didn't spot it. So... that leaves only one person to execute the trick. The thermal cup the girl received didn't give away it's contents or the temperature of it. She would have thought it was what she ordered, regardless of what was actually in it."

"Ah! I get it now", Mary said. "The cup was taken from the girl and a replacement was handed to her immediately. The replacement contained her actual order while the original could have been anything. I'm sure Kifune instructed the bartender to pour café au lait in a thermal cup for anyone when he heard or saw some signal, while preparing the actual order on the side in the same kind of cup. And then the switch happened for all of us to see!"

"Well, there's a possibility that the girl actually did want milky coffee. We could have asked her then, but we didn't", Yumeko said without showing regret.

"Why didn't you expose the cheat then and there?!", Mary shouted.

"By the time it clicked for me, the girl was already gone. It would have been a bother to go looking for her", Yumeko replied with the same carefree attitude.

"Why do you act like you are okay with this?! This pisses me off so much!", Mary shouted again while waving her arms and looking for some outlet for her frustration.

"Something just occurred to me", I said.

"Yes?", Mary mumbled while adjusting the nylon bag on her shoulder. It held her overnight luggage.

"Kifune Izayoi used to be a housepet. Back on the ship she was humiliating Yumeko, or all of us rather, for having been one too. That makes it a case of self-loathing. She had the miserable experience and overcame it. Now she hates anyone who did the same somehow, while having a lot of pride at the same time", I explained.
"She is not from a wealthy family and got in dept pretty quickly after enrolling. After becoming a Mittens, she somehow joined the Kansankai and rose in ranks, losing the housepet tag along the way. She took control of the organization and made it a lot more profitable by focusing on the casino. It was quite an impressive feat from what I heard." Mary was listening to me in silence while Yumeko ran ahead again.

"This was the year before I enrolled", I continued.
"If Kifune-san is such a shrewd operator, it kinda makes you wonder how she became a housepet in the first place. The newfound Kansankai profits are not free however. Large loans were needed to invest in the casino. So even if things seem stable, there may be not much room for error."

The sun was setting and I only noticed it now. The cobblestone path became darker and dusk was on the way.

"Hey you two, walk faster! I have to play at the casino tonight! Don't make me abandon you!", Yumeko shouted from up ahead. She cupped her hands in front of her mouth to amplify her voice.

"She's hopeless", Mary sighed and puffed out air from her cheeks. I chuckled a little.

Yumeko was standing in front of a large building. It was the resort hotel where we were staying for two nights. The architecture was inspired. A white front wall formed a semi-circle that looked clean and welcoming. It was as if it was guiding guests to the fountain in the middle and the entrance behind it. The fountain was operational and shot water high into the air, cooling the surroundings.

"We're coming!", I shouted back to Yumeko, making the same megaphone gesture.

So here we are. At the hotel with the casino, where hundreds of us are going to gamble during this school camp. Hyakkaou Private Academy is a truly abnormal place and it has many extraordinary students. Kifune is undoubtedly among the most talented.

Chapter 2, part 2

We entered through the revolving door to be greeted by lobby music. A hi-hat set the lively rhythm while a gentle piano melody danced along the beat. There were potted plants everywhere, bathing in the soft orange light of the chandeliers.
Daylight was not gone yet, so the windows to the courtyard helped illuminate the entrance hall. Out footsteps were suddenly louder as we stepped on the marble tiling.

"Wow, I'm so glad we came!", Yumeko said with joy as she held her hands together in a gesture of admiration.

Up ahead was a wide, open door and beyond it was a place with an atmosphere completely unlike that of the entrance hall. It was the casino.

"Ah, just like in Las Vegas, you can't get into your hotel room without going through the casino. They are nudging the guests into having some fun", Yumeko said.

A burly bodyguard, tall enough that I had to tilt my head to look at him, was guarding the entrance. The walls and the carpet beyond that point were black. It looked calm and elegant, making you focus more on what was in the casino, rather than the casino itself. Many table spots were already taken by students and plenty of games were in progress. The sights and sounds were somewhat overwhelming with so much going on. No wonder this kind of atmosphere was so exciting for many, especially those like Yumeko.

"I didn't expect the casino to be right at the entrance. Have you ever been to Las Vegas, Saotome?", I asked Mary.

"Huh? What does that have to do with anything?", she replied, visibly annoyed.

I didn't mean to upset her. Even after knowing her for a while, I still didn't fully understand what kind of things she is bothered by.

"Let's play right away! Roulette? Table games? Or maybe slots --- mumble." Mary interrupted Yumeko by covering her mouth. Yumeko snorted from the unexpected change in air pressure.

"Of course we're going to check in first. The casino isn't going anywhere, so calm down", Mary said with a clam but stern voice, as if she was commanding a child. "The casino will still be open for hours, so there is no need to rush", she continued.

Yumeko was acting spoiled and tried to stay put. We grabbed her hands and dragged her out towards the hotel reception desk.

When checking in, we were given key cards for rooms on the 30th floor. High floor rooms must have great views, I thought. This was not going to be the case for Yumeko, though.
On our way up, we stopped by the linen room assigned to Yumeko. It was not even prepared for occupation, like Kifune promised. Inside were just shelves with bed sheets and not much else. On arrival at the 30th floor, Mary suggested we check my room first so we headed there.

The first thing we noticed is how heavy the door was. It swung open slower than I expected from the push I gave it. What was inside was magnificent. We marveled at it as we entered. Although listed as a standard room, it was as luxurious as a high-end hotel one.
Both the double bed and TV were huge but because the room itself was so spacious they didn't seem out of place. A tasteful chandelier was illuminating the space from it's central hanging spot. It all seemed too much for just one person.

"This is too good for Suzui", Mary said, while looking at the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Yumeko opened the curtains to check the view. "Oh, come look at this!", she said.

The sun was setting, showing us a red carpet that stretched from the horizon to the sandy beach below. The rest of the ocean was darkened and endlessly expanded to both sides.

"It's lovely! And to think this is all part of a school trip", Yumeko said while Mary returned from the bathroom inspection.

"Let's switch. You can have this room, Yumeko", I said.

"Huh?", she replied while turning to me in surprise.

"I can't let a girl stay in a place without a shower. Besides, I owe you, don't I? It wouldn't be proper if I didn't repay you a little from time to time", I said with a smirk as if I was joking.

But actually, I wasn't joking at all.
Back when I was a housepet and Yumeko was a new transfer student, I was forced into deceiving her. A rigged gamble was set up with Yumeko as the target and I was part of the conspiracy. I didn't want to do it, but could not find the strength within me to refuse my classmates' orders. That stunt ended in a way you would least expect. Yumeko saw through the cheating and managed to win the game. After that, she gifted me the money for the student council payment, freeing me from housepet status.
She saved me. I don't know if it's guilt or gratitude, but I don't think I'll ever be able to look Yumeko in the eye.

"What? So you do have a manly side after all?", Mary chimed in with a faint smile.

"Here, take the key card", I said while pulling it out of my pocket and handing it to Yumeko.

Yumeko pushed it away. "No, Suzui-san. I can't accept it."

"Don't be shy, come on", I insisted.

"No way, this room is yours and...", Yumeko protested again but stopped herself, while raising a finger.
"Suzui-san and I can stay in this room together. That solves everything!"

I'm sure I was blushing. Yumeko said that so casually it caught me off guard.

"There is plenty of space here and the bed is a double size. It won't be cramped at all", she continued with the same cheerful voice.

"No, no, no! That's not okay! You shouldn't say things like that so carelessly, girl! When you are alone together he might have uncontrollable urges and ravage you! The guys who appear gentle are the most dangerous like that!", Mary said loudly.

"Eh..., that point is moot. We're not sleeping together", I said while trying to push the key card into Yumeko's hand.

"Mary-san, you shouldn't talk about Suzui-san like that! He would never do such a thing!", Yumeko said while deflecting the card again. "Please keep it, Suzui-san."

"I'm not a senseless beast, I'm not sleeping with you and I'm not letting you sleep in a closet. The linen room is mine!", I said while pushing the key card back at her.

"No it isn't..." We were pushing the card back and forth.

Mary intervened eventually. "Ugh, fine. I get it. Suzui, you are keeping this room. Yumeko, I'm sharing mine with you. I swear, if you snore, I'll kick you out."

"That would be great! Are you sure you're okay with it, Mary-san?", Yumeko asked cheerfully.

"Yeah, it's alright", Mary said. Now that the rooms were sorted, she wanted to address something form earlier.
"I didn't think you were joking but back on the ship when..."

"Yey!!!" Yumeko interrupted and started jumping around with joy. "I get to stay with Mary-san! I'm so excited I may not be able to sleep!"

"Thank you, Saotome", I said

"It's fine. I suspected it would turn out like this. Yumeko, shall we drop off our stuff at my... Hey, stop clinging to me!" Mary was being hugged by Yumeko from the side.

"Suzui, let's meet at the restaurant in half an hour so we can use those dinner tickets we got. I'm getting hungry", Mary said while leaving the room with Yumeko in tow.

The restaurant did not disappoint. The ceiling was full of fancy chandeliers and glittering decorations. Students were eating at the many round tables while chatting and laughing. Dinner was buffet style with lots of choice and very extravagant desserts.
All of us enjoyed it but we didn't linger for too long. There was still more to do this evening.

"Well then, let's go!" We stood up and headed to the casino.

Chapter 2, part 3

I noticed the sign at the entrance. 'Casino Dominium' it read in English. From what I knew, that last word was old fashioned and had something to do with the right to use territory. It was a bit ominous and seemed out of place, but with what I knew about Kifune it made sense.

We went in and looked around. Yumeko may be used to casinos, but Mary and I were a bit out of our depth. We walked with cautious excitement.
It was busy. Probably most of the students on the island were in here. Each of the many large tables had people sitting around them, dressed in the mandatory school uniforms. I looked at one of the tables and saw how the dealer made his moves, handling the cards with fast and fluid motions. This must be blackjack, I thought.

The sounds of the slot machines in the back was drowned out by the lively talk of the students. From time to time, a dealer could be heard making a loud announcement in a way that would hype up the players.
The hyping up was effective. It worked on the crowd and it worked on Yumeko. She was standing next to me, full of anticipation.

A woman with revealing clothing walked past me. I couldn't help but follow her with my eyes. She was dressed in a bunny girl outfit. It seemed inappropriate to have someone walk around like that at what was technically a school event.

"Suzui, keep your gun holstered."

I tensed up as the embarrassment set in. It was just a glance, but Mary didn't miss it. Those keen observational skills of hers are key to her success as a gambler. I don't think I'll be able to relax in this casino.

As we walked further into the casino, Yumeko suddenly pointed to a hall at the side of the walkway. "Look at that! There is a stage area!"

A live performance had just ended. People were cheering while dazzling spotlights danced on a circular platform. The air was humid from the tightly packed crowd.

"How was my performance today? Did you enjoy it?", the girl on stage asked with a strong, but pleasant voice.

The crowd answered with a loud roar.

"Thank you for following me all the way to Ryouran Island! I feel so much love from you all! Today's show is over, but I'll upload it to YourTube so you can watch it again!" She made the peace gesture while putting up an innocent, starry-eyed face. "Please share, like and subscribe!"

The crowd roared again. Even louder this time. You could faintly feel the air displacement.

The girl had pink hair, tied in pigtails and wore a flower brooch instead of the school uniform ribbon. There was no doubt about who she was. Yumemi Yumemite.
She's a student at Hyakkaou like us, but also a rapidly rising idol. Her fan club is large with hundreds of members from this school alone. Her videos are popular and she seems to be bound for a big, national breakthrough. I'm not a rabid fan myself, but I do kind of like her.
Yumemi is also on the student council. She once gambled with Yumeko with strange stakes. If Yumeko would have lost then, she would have been forced to help Yumemi with her career as an idol sidekick.

"The summer camp isn't over yet! Don't have too much fun! Bye-bye!", Yumemi said with the same starry-eyed look. She then spun around, gracefully left the stage and disappeared from view.

The crowd was dispersing.
I wasn't expecting to see Yumemi perform here, but it made sense as I thought about it. She is very dedicated to her career and would take every opportunity to advance it. She wouldn't just come to this place to take it easy, especially not while so many of her fans are here.
As we were heading back to the casino floor, I caught a glimpse of someone, probably her manager, throwing a black cape over her from the side of the stage. As her fame increases, so does the number of stalkers she has, I thought.

"Well, we have toured most of the place, so I think I'll go enjoy myself", Mary said and started to walk away.

"Aren't you sticking with us, Mary-san?" Yumeko asked.

"Let's go solo for a bit. It may be more fun that way. We have tomorrow too, so there is time to team up later", Mary said with a dismissive wave and disappeared into the crowd.

"Shall we split up too, Suzui-san? Will you be alright playing alone?", Yumeko asked.

"Sure. I brought some cash and many of the games here I know well enough", I replied.

"Then let's have a competition to see who can win the most!", Yumeko said with her eyes widening.

I laughed. "Ha! There's no way I'm beating you! But alright, since we are here to gamble anyway, I'll do my best. I promise."

"Yes! That's the spirit, Suzui-san!" Yumeko made two fists at chest height while smiling.

Chapter 2, part 4

I had already decided which game I would play first.

Hyakkaou has all the necessary equipment for playing classic table games. However, since most of the gambling was organized by the students themselves, it was often a bare-bones sort of setup. The reason the students were excited to play those same games here is because of the authentic casino experience.

What you couldn't do back at school is play slots machines. This place had plenty of them, however. It's an essential part of the casino atmosphere, after all.

I made my way to the slots corner and was greeted by rows of boxes with LCD displays. It was like being in a pachinko parlor or an arcade hall.
The screens were flashy and the area around them was brightly decorated. It looked like it would tire your eyes quickly, but if you were winning you probably wouldn't care.

There were many types and they were all differed from the slot machines I've seen before. I was looking at a machine with five vertical axes, while the common Japanese variant only had three. The rules were also more complicated. They were explained around the side of the screen in snippets of technical English and symbol combinations.
Looking over them, I noticed the machine was custom made for Hyakkaou. The school emblem was one of the symbols used, along with the usual fruit ones and the number 7. It served as a quick reminder to how terrifying our school really was.

How much the minimum bet was, varied per machine. I went to the lowest wager version of the five axes machine that I inspected earlier. The stool in front of it was small but had a comfy backrest. I guess I'll try my luck on this one, I thought as I sat down.
There were no other players next to me, so there was no one to impress or be distracted by. I took the coin card out of my walled and inserted it into the machine.

Instead of carrying casino coins, you could load up a card with the currency. As long as there was enough credit on it, it was all you needed at the casino. It was just a plastic card but felt heavy in my hand, as I knew there was 30 thousand Yen worth of coins on it.

Translator's note: Chop off two zeros from any Yen amount to get the order of magnitude of it in US Dollars or Euros. So, Ryota's budget here is like 300 bucks.

I was so excited that a big smile spread across my face. I slapped my cheeks a couple of times.

On this machine, the number of winning lines depends on how much you bet. You always get the horizontal line but with larger wagers, the wave, peak and valley lines unlock.
It's tempting to go for the maximum bet to unlock everything. I'd have to wager 500 Yen per spin for that.

One spin would be the cost of a lunch and ten spins the cost of a video game. Thinking about it like that made me hesitate, but I put those thoughts aside. Why did I even come here if I wasn't going to play? I came here to enjoy myself and should be prepared to lose a little. Also, there was the competition with Yumeko. I promised I would take that seriously.

I pressed the button to check the pay table. It listed the payout for each possible match. It was what you would expect, with matching 7s paying out the most. There was however a special case with the Hyakkaou emblem. Matching three of those activated what was called 'Scatter Mode'. It gave you a number of spins that happened automatically. They were free but paid off as normal if there was a match.

I hope it's true what they say about beginner's luck. Let's give this thing a spin. I pressed the 'Play' button with force. The tune the machine was playing suddenly got louder and the lines started to spin rapidly. Then they stopped. The stop here was automatic, unlike how it was with Japanese slots.

A short tune played and the 'coins remaining' counter went up. I got a Cherry match on a wave. What a good start! A drink was placed in front of me. It was the bunny girl from earlier. She looked me in the eye and winked. I took a sip and pressed 'Play' again. This was getting fun!

Chapter 2, part 5

This world is governed by natural laws. Nature is all there is. All living things will eventually decay and return to the earth, becoming fertilizer for new life. I am the earth and the earth is me. There is no escaping this cycle of rebirth. Everything will transform into something else eventually. Time is fleeting and merciless. It doesn't stop for anyone, not even for a second. Like a river of a majestic mountain, it flows quietly, yet surely.

All things that rise, will fall. That too is a natural law and my coin balance was following it. At it's peak, it was three times the original amount. I should have stopped there. Now it was close to zero. Gambling is truly terrifying. You can never keep winning. "Knowing when to quit is crucial", they say. Perhaps it was a gambler who said that first.

The bunny girl brought me another drink. Her expression hadn't changed, but now I felt like she was looking down on me. That's fine. Minimal consideration is enough for a pathetic loser.

"How is it going, Suzui-san?" Smooth black hair brushed against my cheek as Yumeko poked her head over my shoulder.
"Is something wrong? You don't look like you are dong too well."

"I'm no good, Yumeko. I guess I'm just not cut out for this." I could only manage a forced smile that undoubtedly looked fake.

"Oh... that's a shame. But slots really are just blind luck, aren't they?", she said.

They were. That's why I was playing them. If the winnings are determined mechanically, I figured there was a chance I could beat Yumeko. No bluffing or strategy needed. The plan didn't work, however. The occasional Cherry matches I was getting were no compensation for the long streaks of misses.

I pressed 'Play' again. The machine did it's spin and stopped. No match. "Another one. I had so much misses in a row now", I sighed.

"You still have some spins left, don't give up... Oh, this machine is Hyakkaou branded", Yumeko softly spoke beside my ear.

I checked the pay table once more. Above 'Scatter Mode' was another tier; 'Jackpot'. The slot machines were connected to a network. The wins and losses on all of them were being kept track of. If you hit 'Jackpot', it paid out depending on how much the customers collectively lost since the last time someone hit it. On this machine, the symbol lineup for Jackpot was one 7 in the middle with everything else being the Hyakkaou emblem. Actually hitting it was a pipe dream of course.

Something occurred to me and I stood up. "Why don't you give it a spin, Yumeko? You might have better luck than me."

"No way! It's your game so you should be the one to enjoy it", she protested.

"It's fine, it's fine. I'm almost broke anyway", I said while grabbing her shoulders and nudging her onto the stool. Then I pointed at the 'Play' button. "All you have to do is press this."

"Okay, here I go!" She pressed it and the symbols were spinning again.

What a stark contrast. Such a beautiful girl at such a wretched machine.
I thought that Yumeko might not like slots very much because it lacked human interaction. Probability and strategy were all well and good but not what Yumeko tends to get the most excited about. Predicting the thoughts of the other player, reading their emotions, influencing them with deception and above all, feeling the thrill of uncertainty together with them.
Those were the things Yumeko wanted and she didn't shy away from huge wagers to get them. This is what made her so strong.

The spin ended. It was another miss.

"Come on, do it again", I said. She did.

The one who was having the most fun was probably me. Looking at her playing was endearing. It didn't matter anymore if I went bust. Not all my money was on that coin card. I had some stashed away so I had enough for the bare minimum for the rest of the trip.

The bunny girl was back. I gestured that I didn't need the drink. She probably felt sorry for me and wanted to at least let me enjoy the juice.

Suddenly, there was a piercing noise. A short tune played by trumpets. "Look, Suzui-san! You've won!"

On the screen was a perfect row of identical symbols on the central line. An animation played, showing the 'remaining coins' count shooting up.

I felt the gamblers rush. It was as if my brain trembled with joy.
"Amazing! You're incredible, Yumeko! Congratulations!"

When the coin counter stopped moving, it far exceeded the peak from earlier. Damn, if I hadn't stopped betting the maximum because I was worried about going broke, it would have been even more amazing. I knew there was no use thinking that way, though. This is at least a lot better than not winning at all.

"I'm so happy for you, Suzui-san", Yumeko said cheerfully.

"No, no, Yumeko, you're the one who won. I'll cash in the winnings and pay you back", I replied.
"It probably would have been a bust if I was playing. I'd feel hesitant to spend money that I didn't win myself, anyway."

"What? No! It was your money being wagered so the winnings are yours too! I'm just happy to have helped."
"Besides...", Yumeko said while glancing down. "I won a bit at baccarat earlier."
On the ground was a large bag that looked like it was stuffed to it's limit. No doubt heavy and unwieldy if it was full of coins. "It was quite a struggle to drag it all the way to here."

I was stunned. "...Yumeko, let's go get this exchanged for a coin card like the one I have. Carrying so much is no good."

"Ah, so that's how it works here", she said. "I was already wondering how everyone else was managing it."

I thought she was joking but I wasn't sure. Yumeko can be a bit absent-minded sometimes, regardless of her brilliance.

"So, how are you guys doing?" Mary was walking towards us. She had a smirk on her face and was waiving a coin card. There was no doubt she had won quite bit too.

Chapter 2, part 6

After Yumeko was relieved of the bag and handed her coin card, we sat at the bar for a drink.

The rows of glasses and bottles on the shelves was quite the sight. Back on the ship the choice seemed generous but it was nothing compared to what was on display here. The bar stools were not the most comfortable though. Light piano music was playing in the background.

"It's all very classy, as you'd expect form Hyakkaou", Mary said while picking up a long, thin, chocolate covered cracker.

"So how did you do?", I asked.

"Hehehe... I won't have to worry about lunch money for a while", she said with a wide grin while chewing on the cracker. She was clearly in an excellent mood. "You want a fruit plate? My treat."

"Yay! Thank you, Mary-san!", Yumeko grabbed Mary's free arm.

Mary pushed her away. "No, not you. You've won more than I did."

Yumeko looked dejected. Then something caught her eye. A girl was sitting one seat away form her. She was wearing the long-sleeve school uniform jacket, unlike most here who wore the summer vest or only the shirt.

"Good evening", Yumeko said with a cheerful voice while turning to the girl.

The girl trembled and didn't reply. Then she hunched as if she wanted to hide.

"I saw you earlier. You've been sitting at the bar for a long time. Aren't you going to play any games?", Yumeko asked with an honest smile.

"... I'm fine", the girl finally said with a voice so quiet I could barely hear it from where I was sitting.
She was short. There was no way her feet were touching the ground and it occurred to me she had to climb onto the bar stool earlier. In her hands was a coffee cup.

"Since we're at a casino, we should have some fun! My name Yumeko Jabami. May I ask for yours?"

"... Mitarai", the girl replied with the same timid voice.

Mitarai had a short haircut with long bangs. She was still hunching and looking down. The hair covered most of her face but I saw her eyes were moving around quickly as if she was looking out for danger. She sipped from her coffee cup with slightly trembling hands

"I'm sorry, Mitarai-san. Yumeko must have spooked you a bit, huh? Would you like a fruit plate? It's on me because I.... ooh..."
Mary spoke with a calming, guardian-like voice, but stopped half-way as she noticed something.

I noticed it too now. Mitarai was wearing a housepet tag.
The trip and accommodations were free so it wasn't infeasible for a housepet to be here. It didn't seem likely that one would willingly spend their free time among fellow students, though. They had to endure plenty of bad treatment from them as it was.
Was Mitarai trying to strike it rich at the casino? Did someone order her to come here as a servant?

Yumeko was sitting closest to her and must have seen the tag earlier. "Sorry to trouble you. If we meet again, I look forward to it."

Mitarai didn't reply.

The lights suddenly dimmed. One of the VIP seating balconies overlooking the hall was illuminated by spotlights. Standing on it was a girl dressed in black. People around us whispered. "What's going on?" "Is something wrong?"

The girl in black spoke with a loud, clear and confident voice. "Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests, all who have come to Ryouran Island, I hope you are enjoying yourselves tonight! I am Kifune Izayoi, the manager of this casino!" She swung her right arm high up, then rested the hand in front of her, waist-high. A bow followed. It was an exaggerated move, but not inelegant.

There was applause. Some of the students from other halls were heading here, making the crowd thicker. "What's this about?" "Is there a show of some kind?"

Kifune waited for more people to gather and then went on with her speech. "We will be holding the Ryouran Island Poker Tournament tomorrow! It's the main event of the summer camp! Many of you expected it, no doubt! I'm proud to announce that you will not be disappointed!"

"A poker tournament? I didn't know about this. Did you, Saotome?", I asked.

"Shhh... Shut up and listen. If you're not careful, you'll get involved in something weird", Mary whispered back.

"Anyone can sign up for the tournament as long as they pay the entry fee! All the money from sign ups will be quadrupled and given to the winner!", Kifune continued.

The whispering in the crowd got louder.

"Yes, you heard that right! The winner takes all and the prize money is much more than the fees collected!
It is our way of showing our gratitude to our guests! If we can make your stay even a little more joyous and thrilling, there would be no greater happiness for us! We will announce what the prize money will be just before the tournament begins! I invite you all to participate!" Kifune was looking around the hall while speaking.

"Also, anyone can place bets on who will win! Wager as much as you want! You don't have to bet right from the start! If you wait until there are less participants left in the race, we will still take your bet! The payout depends on how many players are still competing at the time of betting, of course!"
"To sign up for the tournament, please speak to a staff member tomorrow evening! Well then everyone, the night is still young! I wish you all good luck and hope you enjoy yourselves to the utmost!" Kifune ended the announcement with another bow.

She maintained the bend forward pose for a while but quickly raised her head to look around the hall again. Her gaze turned towards us. She was obviously looking at Yumeko but I felt targeted just the same. A chill ran down my spine when I saw her expression. There was no sense of challenge in Kifune's eyes. It was the look of mockery towards an inferior.

I looked at Yumeko beside me. Somehow I already knew what I would see. She was smiling and it was not in a calm or inviting way. It was the same expression she had back on the ship. A smile of someone who has madness welling up inside of them. I shivered again.

Kifune left the balcony and the lights returned to normal.
Mary grabbed Yumeko by the shoulders. "You're not planning on signing up, are you? That's something only an idiot would do! You'd be like a moth flying into a flame! I can't stop you, but I sure as hell won't join you!"

Yumeko wasn't listening. She was still staring at the balcony where Kifune made her speech.

Mitarai was gone. Only the cup with a little bit of coffee left in it remained.

Chapter 3: The Beach and the Ace

Chapter 3, part 1

I left my room while rubbing my eyelids, still sleepy from staying up late, and headed to the restaurant. The breakfast was extravagant, just like yesterday's dinner. I couldn't help myself and overate. This was luxurious vacationing at it's finest. The freshly made pancakes with whipped cream were to die for. I grew a bit self-conscious while I was stuffing myself with them. Here I was, devouring a large pancake pile on my own and everyone walking by saw me do it.
Yumeko and Mary weren't here yet. The girls were probably taking their time to prepare and may be skipping breakfast entirely. We hadn't agreed to eat it together, at least.

After defeating the whole pancake pile, I strolled to the lobby. This was where we agreed to meet. I plunged myself onto one of the leather sofas in bliss and waited.

The school uniform was not mandatory today until evening.
Students could dress like they wanted, as long as they kept it decent of course. I went with jeans and a light blue shirt. Nothing fancy.

The elevator chimed. Yumeko and Mary stepped out of it.
Yumeko was dressed in a pure white off-the-shoulder dress while Mary wore a t-shirt with a wide neck line and hotpants. Both kept their usual hair styles so they were instantly recognizable.
My heart skipped a beat.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Yumeko said cheerfully while running towards me. Her dress was swaying. It was long and almost covered her ankles.

Mary was strolling behind her in a less flattering way. She was massaging her neck with her palms and looked tired.

"Are you alright, Saotome? You look wasted.", I said.

"I stayed up late to play at the casino. When I did go to bed, Yumeko kept clinging to me", Mary replied.
"I didn't get wink of sleep and it's all because Yumeko lost to Kifune."

"With Mary-san next to me, I was able to sleep soundly and peacefully", Yumeko said. You would think that this was a taunt, but Yumeko said it with an honest look. She did seem full of energy and there was no trace of malice in her voice.

Mary closed her eyes and let out a long, deep sigh.

"Suzui-san, did you bring your swim shorts?", Yumeko asked. She brought this up yesterday as well and told me I was going to need them today.

I knew there was a beach here so I packed them for the trip.
"Yeah, I'm wearing them. Are we going to the beach right now?"

"Yes! It would be such a waste to come a place like this and not go for a swim. Right, Mary-san?", Yumeko said while turning to her.

Mary sighed deeply again. "Why do I have to swim?"

"We just talked about this in the room. You promised that you would do as I say while we're on this trip", Yumeko replied.

It seems Mary had been off the hook for her pledge of obedience to Yumeko. Until now.

Mary groaned. "I know that! I'm even wearing the swimsuit you brought for me. How did you know my size, anyway?"

"Girl's intuition!" Yumeko replied, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes.

So, Yumeko anticipated Mary not bringing a swimsuit and bought one for her herself... It occurred to me that the strange clinging may have been part of a plan to measure Mary's size. Was I overthinking this? With Yumeko you never know.

"Yumeko is right. Since we're here anyway, let's have some fun", I said sheepishly to Mary. It was meant to calm her down, but had the opposite effect.

"Aaaah! I hate you!", Mary screamed and slapped my ass.

Chapter 3, part 2

I left my belongings in a locker, took some of the provided beach supplies and headed towards the water. The sunlight was warming my toes while sand was getting trapped between them. It was a great day.
The beach wasn't that big, but since it was only for the hotel guests, there was plenty of space. I looked for a spot that was not too close to any of the other students and planted the parasol there. I spread the large towel in it's generous shade.

I turned around and saw Yumeko take off her dress. She was rolling it up with both arms raised. When the roll up fished, her long hair dropped down, as if it was a splash of black liquid. She shook it and then trapped a yellow flower between it and her ear. It was a large flower with each petal as long as a finger.
Her skin was without the slightest blemish, forming a stark contrast with her navy-blue swimsuit.
When she noticed my gaze, Yumeko turned her head towards me and smiled in silence.

I was looking at the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Her figure was like you'd find in classic art. I was wondering where she got that flower from, but other things I was wondering about more. I averted my eyes, feeling guilty for staring.

"What's up with that swimsuit?", I asked.

"Huh? What do you mean 'what's up with it'? It's the school-issued one. Here, it reads '2nd Year - Jabami', see?", Yumeko said while pointing at the patch on her chest.

Everybody received school-issued swim clothing, but the rule for wearing it was never enforced. In practice, this meant nobody ever used it. I wanted to tell Yumeko she was setting herself up for ridicule, but decided not to. I'm sure she would know how to rescue herself out of a pinch like that.

Mary still had her clothes on and looked at Yumeko with a mix of disapproval and embarrassment. It occurred to me I hadn't seen Mary's swimsuit yet. With the questionable fashion choice Yumeko made for herself, Mary might be in some trouble with what was picked for her.

"There's no point being shy!", Yumeko said while running up to Mary. She started to lift her shirt in an attempt to undress her.

"Hey, don't look!", Mary shouted at me.

"Sorry", I said while turning around.

Behind me, Mary was having her clothes ripped off by Yumeko.

"You look great, Mary-san! Suzui-san, take a look at how cute she is!", I heard Yumeko say.

"No, don't you dare turning around!", Mary shouted at me again.

"Maybe I can't help myself with those uncontrollable urges you accused me of earlier", I replied.

"You pervert! Go back to the hotel!", Mary kept shouting.

"Mary-san, keep your promise. We're all going for a lovely swim together", Yumeko said with a calm voice.

I slowly turned around. Yumeko was pushing Mary towards the water. I finally saw the swimwear. It was a bikini with a white and pink flower pattern. The many frills gave it an innocent look. Mary was still embarrassed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"See, Suzui-san, she's adorable! Let's take lots of pictures later!", Yumeko snorted.

"Enough already, and stop pushing me!", Mary yelled.

I laughed. "And here I was, thinking you would have the school swimsuit too, Saotome."

"Oh no, I wanted Mary-san to wear something cute!", Yumeko said.

"Suzui! Stop staring!" Mary picked up a lost beach ball and threw it at my head.

The ball hit it's target and bounced away. I chased after it and picked it up. As I turned around to took at the girls, I saw Yumeko holding Mary's hand and leading her into the water. They were up their knees in it. Yumeko waved at me with a beaming smile. Mary seemed to have finally surrendered and forgotten her embarrassment.

Somehow, despite everything, they got along well. Mary would never admit it, but beneath all the superficial bickering there was a bond of trust.
"Alright, here we go!" I hit the ball with the palm of my hand, aiming for them.
I'm so glad I came to this island.

The water looked clean and the breaching waves were sparkling as they moved up the beach. It was a fitting background for such a radiant duo. I saw that several other guys on the beach took notice too.

Chapter 3, part 3

It's impossible not to feel exhilarated at a beach under a cloudless, sunny sky.

We enjoyed ourselves at the coast, splashing water at each other and playing volleyball. Then we ventured a bit deeper into the water with the inflatable tube. Yumeko and Mary got inside the tube while I was pushing it while swimming.

"Too slow! Push harder!", Mary commanded me. She was the captain, it seemed.

"Oh, I'm getting scared! Mary-san, stay close to me, okay?" It turned out Yumeko was not an experienced swimmer. She was clearly uneasy about not having anything supporting her feet. She could have just held on to the tube, but she clung to Mary instead.

Mary took advantage of the situation and ordered me to keep going. Surely, this was payback for the embarrassment from earlier. I obeyed the captain and moved us a little further out into the ocean.

There was a snack stand at the beach. We bought some frankfurters there before returning to the parasol.
I was exhausted from pushing the tube the whole time but Mary thanked me for the hard work.

Yumeko was less grateful. "It was scary! You two were so mean! I told you so many times that we should go back, but you wouldn't listen at all!"

We sat in the shade of the parasol while we ate the sausages. I was eating mine slowly, but the girls were devouring theirs. They had missed breakfast, after all.

Mary was commanding me again. "I'm getting thirsty now. Suzui, go get us something to drink."

"Sure. In fact, since I scared Yumeko, I'll treat both of you as an apology", I replied.

"How generous of you, Suzui, I'll have a cola." "Thank you, Suzui-san, I'd like something fruity."

"Got it. I'm off then. Hold on to my frankfurter, Saotome", I said and went back to the snack stand.

Chapter 3, part 4

Ryota left, leaving me with his frankfurter. Yumeko waited until he was out of earshot before speaking. "Mary-san, I'm glad you came."

"Hmm...", I replied.

For sure, you should have fun while you can. What's the point of it all if you don't? Letting time just pass you by is no good. Now that I think about it, since I met Yumeko, time has been flying by like a hurricane.

What would my school life be like if I hadn't met her? A lot smoother, I bet. I managed to enroll to Hyakkaou with a scholarship and was top dog among my classmates. I was in a position I seized with my own strength. It was not like how my pathetic parents live. They are happy sucking up to the upper class, thankful for the breadcrumbs they receive for their obedience. Then Yumeko arrived and I was back to what I was so desperately trying to get away from.

I wasn't a housepet for long, but my pride was smashed and all my efforts were undone. My blood still boils when I think back to it, but yet I somehow don't hate Yumeko.

It's isn't like she is pushing people into a hurricane. She is more like the hurricane itself. A force of nature that knows no malice or jealousy. Or maybe she is more like an ocean. Calm and inviting on the surface but with unimaginable depth you can sink into with pure desire for risk and thrill at the bottom.

"Hey... How are you doing?" There was a new shadow on the sand.

The first thing I saw when looking up was a bright red flash. It were the guy's swim shorts. Looking up further revealed a toned body. Then a pointy nose. All the way up top was, also pointy, gelled up, dark brown hair. He brushed some of it aside as he looked at us.

Ah yes, of course. Ryota leaves us and we get male attention immediately.

"I'm Ace. Call me Ace", he said.

What a creep.

Chapter 3, part 5

Handsome face Ace was not really my type.

"What can I do for you?", I asked.

"What you can do for me? Well... You can get to know me better! How about we get some drinks together? My treat!", Ace said with gleaming eyes.

"We're with someone. He is getting us drinks right now", I said emphasizing the 'he' to make sure the hint was obvious.

Ace ignored it. "Let's not drag out the introductions. Please, pretty lady, tell me your name. Don't worry, I'm not some criminal. I'm third year Hyakkaou, so a schoolmate of yours. I saw you at the ship. You must be friends with Kifune-san."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Yumeko Jabami. This is Mary Saotome. We're second year classmates."

What was she doing?! I nudged Yumeko with my elbow. Surely she knows better than to act like innocent and easily impressed prey.

"Thank you, black haired maiden. However, it is you I need to speak to, Mary Saotome, with your beautiful blond hair. Please allow me to call you Goldilocks." Ace knelt before me.

I shivered. That language... I didn't mind that I was being hit on, but why did it have to be such a self-absorbed slime ball who did it?

"Eh... No", I said.

"Don't be so cold. I've already made up my mind about you. By the time we board the ship to return, you will be by my side." Ace grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it.

"What are you doing?!" I shook him off with all my might.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Here are the drinks. There was a queue, so it took a while... What's going on here?" Ryota returned with cups in his hands.

Ace was ignoring him. "Hmph, you're being so harsh, my dear. I understand you're confused by this sudden display of affection. I want you to understand, I don't do this with just anyone. I've met my soulmate, so my feelings got ahead of me.
I'll just ask it straight up. Will you go on a date with me?"

A soulmate? So he's not just a self-absorbed slime ball, but a presumptuous one too.

"You are a complete stranger. I have no obligation to entertain you. Please go away", I said. Hopefully that was rude and direct enough to get rid of him.

Ace was undeterred. "That date. Will you allow me to... gamble for it?"

"Ooh, a gamble! Sounds good. Yes, she'll do it", Yumeko chimed in.

Oh no!!

Yumeko turned to me putting a finger on her lips, gesturing to me that I should stay silent. "Remember, you promised, Mary-san." She was singing those words rather than speaking them.

"Even if you lose, it's just a date! We've come here to do stuff we normally wouldn't, after all. Isn't that right, Ace-san?", Yumeko continued.

Ace was delighted. "Black haired maiden, you speak wise words. I understand that Goldilocks has sworn obedience to you?"

Translator's note: Untranslated, Mary's new nickname is Yamabuki-chan. It's comparing her hair color to the bright yellow blossom of the Kerria Japonica plant. Yumeko's nickname is more straightforward, however it is implying that her black hair has a beautiful gloss.

Yumeko nodded.

"Goldilocks, the date can be whatever you want it to be. What we'll be dong and where we'll be eating is up to you. I intend to provide perfect escort no matter what the plan is", Ace continued.

"That sounds wonderful", Yumeko said while looking at me and poking my cheek.

"Argh! Fine, I'll do it", I said while swatting away Yumeko's finger and standing up. "It doesn't matter anyway, because I'll win."

Ace kept up the sweet talk. "Oh, Goldilocks. Even if you speak in anger, your voice is so sweet. Your temperament is beautiful, like that of a vengeful angel descending from the heavens."

"Oh, shut up!" I crossed my arms and squinted. "Yumeko! You better appreciate this!"

"Wait a moment. I'll be right back", Ace said and quickly left.

"Don't get angry, Mary-san! This is so exciting!", Yumeko giggled.

"I'm unsure what's happening, but anyway, here is your cola." Ryota was smiling at me sheepishly while handing me a cup.

I took it and stuffed the frankfurter I was holding for him in his mouth.

Chapter 3, part 6

After giving the girls their drinks, my hands were free and I could finish my sausage.

So, there would be a gamble, Mary was unhappy and Yumeko was smiling. This felt like a familiar situation.

Ace was back in a few minutes. He was holding a box with a colorful print on it. "Goldilocks, I'm so sorry I kept you waiting. This is the game. Let's have a fierce battle."
He showed us the front of the box. It was Twister.

"Oh, that's a classic", Yumeko said.

"Are you kidding me! I'm not playing that with you!", Mary screamed. "This is not a game for strangers. You pervert!"

Ace stayed undeterred. "Aw, don't say that, Goldilocks. I'm sure it will be a fun summer memory no matter how it turns out."

Twister is a balance game. Players have to share a mat with colored circles on it. In turn, a spinner is used for each player to determine to what color circle they need to move what limb. Hands and feet must be touching a circle with the color that was determined by the spinner. No other body parts may be touching the ground. As the game progresses, the bodies of the players become entangled and keeping balance becomes harder. The player who loses their balance first, loses the game.

This is the kind of game Mary would hate the most. It would be a real challenge to get her to play it.
I looked at Yumeko. She was staring intently at Mary with a gentle smile.

Mary noticed her gaze. "W-what are you looking at..."

Yumeko kept staring and took a step closer.

"No, absolutely not...", Mary said while Yumeko crept in another step. "Just because I promised doesn't mean you can make me do anything..."

They were so close now, their chests were touching.

"Argh!" Mary turned away and stomped her feet on the sand. "Fine, fine! But there is a condition! There will be a gamble first on who gets to play against Ace. I absolutely demand it. You'll allow that, Yumeko, or else I'll just break my promise!"

The wooden sticks our frankfurters had been pierced on were laying in the sand next to our towel. They had one dull and one pointed end. Mary grabbed two of them. "Here, break these in half", she said to me.

I hesitated.

"Or must you let a frail maiden like myself do these kind of things?", she said, manipulating me into obedience.

I did as she asked. "Is this good enough?"
I had four sticks in my hand now. Two of them had a dull end and the other two a pointed end. All four of them had a broken-off end on the other side.

Mary took the sticks from me and turned to Ace, showing them to him. "The game is on. However, these sticks determine who you will play Twister with. We will all draw one. Whoever has the same stick end as you, is your opponent."

Ace widened his eyes. "Oh, I see. I defeat someone chosen at random to get a date with you. Well... It's not how I wanted it, but it will have to do, I suppose."

"Mary-san, why all this extra delay? Just play Twister with the guy yourself and --- mumble." Mary quickly slapped Yumeko's mouth shut with her hand. "Be quiet. You got me into this mess, so you should share some of the risk yourself."

As Yumeko was trying to say something with a muffled voice, Mary turned to me. "Suzui, I'm sure you already understood that you are drawing a stick too."

I nodded.

Ace picked up his sweet talk again. "Whoever my opponent is, I'll defeat them! Nothing will stand between me and a date with my beautiful Goldilocks!"

"Arg! Why did it have to be a guy like this to hit on me." Mary muttered some curses and pressed the sticks into my hand. "You stick them into the sand. It's fairer if I don't do it myself. Hurry up!"

"Okay." I rolled the bundle of sticks between my palms. I wanted to do something to help Mary, but no bright ideas popped into my head. It's gong to be pure chance then. Ace didn't seem to care that I was preparing the sticks while also being a friend of Mary's.

I knelt in the hot sand. While I was placing the sticks, I covered them with my free hand while looking away. When I stood up, all four of them were visible, pointing straight up with the broken-off end exposed. I didn't know which stick was which and it was unlikely anyone else did either. "So, who's drawing first", I asked?

"Hmm... I'll let the enemy go first", Mary said while glaring at Ace.

"The enemy, huh? It hurts me if you say it like that. You are such a sweet angel, destined to be mine. I'm certain of it." Ace grabbed one of Mary's hair locks and stroked it. "You will soon smile at me, you know."

Mary shivered and stepped away. "Just back off already!"

It didn't seem to bother Ace too much. He looked calm and collected. It was the calmness of someone observing while planning their next move.

"Okay then, lets do it" Ace bend over and pulled out one of the sticks without hesitating. "Dull end", he said while looking at it.

"Yumeko is next. I'll go after that", Mary said.

Yumeko wasn't objecting anymore. Before drawing, she let her fingertip pass over all of the sticks. "Which one should I choose...?"

Whoever drew a dull end now would have to play Twister with Ace. I knew what result I was hoping for at this point. Since I'd hate any of the girls being coerced into Twister, it left me as the preferred player.

"This is the one!" Yumeko said, while yanking out a stick and holding it high with a dramatic gesture. All of us looked up. It had a pointed end. I felt relieved.

"Right then. My turn", Mary said with tension in her voice.
She bend over, keeping her knees straight, and stared at the two remaining sticks intensely. Her behind was on display for us and I looked away to not stare. Ace was staring shamelessly with wide open eyes, however.

"This one!" Mary raised a stick to the sky in one quick move. It was even more dramatic than how Yumeko did it.

I needed to squint to see the stick in the bright sunlight.

"Pointy end! I did it! Suzui, you are playing Twister with Ace! If you lose, I'll kill you!", Mary shouted with joy.

Clearly pleased with herself, Mary turned towards us and brushed away her blond, twin-tailed hair. It glimmered in the sun.

Standing with his arms crossed, Ace was clearly dejected. "If you, my golden haired angel, really don't want to play Twister with me, I have no choice."

Then Ace turned to me. "Sorry that we skipped the introduction. You are Suzui-san, right?", he said while extending his hand. I shook it.

"This is a serious battle. I won't hold back and neither should you", Ace said. His handshake was strong and his gaze pierced me. There clearly was a lot of fighting spirit behind those eyes. I couldn't let myself be intimidated by it. After all, I was chosen to defend the honor of our fair maiden Goldilocks.

"You're on. Fair match. No mercy", I replied.

Ace's smile was refreshing. "Yeah, that's the spirit!"

Chapter 3, part 7

"Stay focused, Suzui! Don't even think about falling over!", I yelled.

The sunlight was merciless and the positions the guys were in uncomfortable. Both of them were sweating and groaning from the strain.

I used the spinner. "Suzui, left hand to green!"

"What? That's impossible", he squeezed out between breaths.

I kept encouraging. "Just do it like your life depends on it!"

"If I stretch like that, I'll end up between his legs", Ryota groaned.

"Just do it! No mercy, remember?", Ace said with heavy breathing.

It was as if Ryota and Ace were forming one giant spider together. It was an amusing sight, but I had other things on my mind. If Ryota lost, I'd have to date creepy Ace.

"Turn the spinner, Goldilocks! I'll overcome any challenge for you!", Ace managed.

Neither of the guys were looking at me. Ace even couldn't if he wanted to. He had no way of turning his head this way.

I didn't use the spinner. "Ace, right foot to Red!"

"Suzui, your ass is in the way, but that's an obstacle I'll overcome, for love!", Ace exhaled. His muscles were now trembling from the load.

"Mary-san, that's cheating", Yumeko said quietly.

"Shut up. It's strategy. You are an outsider now. Don't interfere", I hissed.
"Suzui, left hand to yellow!", I continued without touching the spinner.

"That..., I can manage somehow...", Ryota groaned.

After two more turns, I set Ace up with a truly impossible move. The game was over.
Ryota stood up and let out a victory roar, beating his chest. Ace was catching his breath, sitting on the mat with his head between his knees. Sweat was dripping from both of them.

After a minute, Ace rose up. He had the look of a knocked-out boxer. "Suzui-san, I admit defeat. Thank you for the man-to-man match."

"I'll leave now, but I'm not giving up on you, my sweet Goldilocks", he said to me. He started to walk away. "I'll definitely make you come around", he added with his back to us.

The sun was starting to set. Ace was now a silhouette in the distance, casting a long shadow in the sand. Suddenly there was a dampened whistling sound. Something was cutting through the air, like a bullet. A playing card landed at my feet. I picked it up. It was the ace of hearts.

"I'm a poker pro! I'm in the tournament this evening. Watch me play, see my bravery!", Ace yelled form afar.
He surely was an odd one.

"Okay, now that we've dealt with this troublemaker, we should head back to the hotel. It feels great to have won. Thanks Suzui! I couldn't have done it without you!"

"My pleasure", Ryota said with his usual sheepish smile. "I wonder where Ace got that card from so suddenly."

I looked at the card, then it occurred to me what Ryota meant. "Eeew!" I dropped it out of my hands.

"Mary-san, we're not done with this game yet", Yumeko said.

"Huh? What do you mean?", I replied while brushing off my hands on the sand.

Yumeko smiled. "Drawing sticks gave us another Twister pairing. I want to try it too! You'll play with me, right?"

"Arg! Why play something so pointless?", I protested.

Yumeko said nothing but the message was clear. My promise to obey her was in effect.

"...Ah, alright, alright! Just once! I'm not betting anything! Suzui, you work the spinner!"

Chapter 3, part 8

A crowd had gathered. The guys were cheering on their champion of choice while the girls were laughing in embarrassment.

There was no wager, but Mary remained her competitive self. "Uhh... I'm not going to lose!", she yelled while planting her foot with force on the new circle.

"Mary-san, don't move so violently." Yumeko was terrible at sports but she was flexible enough to be fair competition here.

"Give it up, Yumeko! You'll never win with those heavy boobs of yours", Mary said while being smothered by them.

Yumeko could now only keep balance by leaning on Mary. "I wonder how long you can endure this with that slender body of yours, Mary-san."

Mary won eventually. The crowd gave a roaring applause.

Chapter 3, part 9

"Midari, wait!"

"Pick up the pace! Both of you! You're like snails!", I yelled back.

The beach I was walking on with my two friends was bathing in the orange light of the setting sun. There were still people here. Some were swimming and some were barbecuing in groups. Here and there were couples, looking at the sunset together.

Seriously... Why can't they keep this place clean?! I came here a day late, planning to go for a swim and enjoy myself. It seems I won't have time for any of that. I changed into my swim wear and was ready to go. Then I saw the state of the beach. I simply couldn't have fun with all this litter everywhere. So here I am, with my trash bag, picking up juice cartons and cans.

"It's so funny to see you picking up trash in such a flashy purple bikini", I heard from behind me.

"Shut up! You're useless. You haven't picked up anything yet!" I didn't turn around to check, but I was sure her bag was still empty.

"That's because you're so fast. There is nothing left for us", my friend replied.

Two guys were crossing my path, on their way to the ocean. They threw their drink cups onto the sand. I picked up the cups and went after them. I caught up just as they were about to go swimming and grabbed one by shoulder.
"Hey, you! Look at me!"

"Huh?" The guys turned around to me in surprise.

"Didn't your mom teach you how to clean up after yourself?!", I yelled.

He was stumbling over his words. "O-oh... Student counselor Ikishima-sama... H-head of the Beautification Committee..."

I dropped my trash bag and threw one of the cups at the guy who was further away. I easily hit my target as he was too stunned to react. Then I turned back towards the one who's shoulder I had grabbed.

"Don't you know plastic is bad for the birds and fish when they eat it? Maybe I should shove some of it down your throat to make you understand that?", I said looking him straight in the eye from up close.

"Ah, I-I'm sorry", he answered with the same stumbling voice.

I was twisting up the other cup in my hands as if I was about to make good on my threat. "Both of you, pick up some of the trash and leave. I'll let you off the hook. This time."

"I-Immediately! Excuse me!" The boys quickly filled their hands with litter and ran off.

"Pfff... Being on the Beautification Committee isn't easy. So may ill-behaved students. It's a real pain in the butt", my friend said. She bend down and picked up a playing card. The ace of hearts. "And here are some frankfurter sticks. Broken, no less. They were playing cards and violently eating sausages, or something", she continued.

"This is endless. You two, get out of here and have some fun. I'll keep collecting for a bit longer", I said.

"We can check up on you later. If we come back in some hours this should be a perfect spot to stargaze", my friend replied.

"Hey, you're probably right. I didn't even think of that", I said while looking up. It was cloudless and we were far from any city.

"Oh by the way, there's going to be a poker tournament tonight. It's the main event of the summer camp. That Kifune chick from the Kansankai really got the hang of swindling money from idiots. A lot of cash is going to change hands", I said.

As I was talking I started picking up trash again.
"I'm not interested. There may be trouble if it gets out hand, though. The council president might show up to inspect the event. Maybe she's interested in the activities of the Kansankai. Those guys have been suspiciously successful lately."

"None of it is really any of my business, anyway. I just run the Beautification Committee", I continued while walking to the next trash pile. Among the cups and cans was a lost beach ball.

"She's adorable, isn't she?"

"Yeah, I think so too."

"What are you two even talking about?!, I yelled."

"Well, you are. Despite everything, you deeply care about animals and nature. It's very touching, you know."

I threw the beach ball at them. "Oh, shut up!"

Chapter 4: The Poker Tournament

Chapter 4, part 1

We showered in our rooms, changed back into school uniform and met at the restaurant. It was once again a lavish buffet.

"It feels like everyone is even more pumped up than yesterday", Mary said while moving a large piece of salmon onto her plate.

"It's tournament night. Everyone will be at the casino, I suppose", I replied, while trying to decide what cheese to pick.

Yumeko was generously sprinkling dressing on her salad. "I'm sure lots will sign up. Kifune-san called it the main event, after all."

The meal was excellent. We ate with lighthearted banter. Just like yesterday, we didn't linger at the restaurant for too long and went to the casino.

A large group had gathered. They were crowding someone who was standing in an open space. As we got closer, we saw that there were two guys dressed in the black Kansankai uniform. One was the center of attention, looking down to his clipboard and writing while people were talking to him. The other was giving directions to the crowd.
"We'll handle your poker tournament sign up. There are only 125 spots, so register quickly if you want to participate."

"So many people were looking forward to this. Those 125 spots will be gone in a blink, I bet", Mary said.

Yumeko rushed forward.

"So, you are going to do it", I said to her as I was catching up.

"Yes of course! This is exactly the sort of thing I came here for! If I miss out, I'd regret it terribly. It's a once-a-year event after all", Yumeko said with a smile. "Will you two also sign up?"

I considered Yumeko's suggestion for a moment. I didn't think I had any chance of winning, but it did seem like a fun experience.

"Suzui, you are wondering what the entry fee is, right?" Mary asked it like the answer was obvious.

"It would be nice to know that, yes. Have you heard what it is, Saotome?", I asked.

Mary looked me in the eye while answering to see my reaction. "It's a million Yen."

I laughed. "Ha, no! I'm passing on this then!" Thanks to Yumeko, I got some money from that slot machine yesterday. I lost some of it later so I wasn't really in a position to pay one million, even if I wanted to.
"I can't believe so many are willing to risk that much so easily", I said.

Mary looked at me, like she would at an endearing and naive child. I smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, Yumeko. I have to decline. There are other games here I still want to try. Besides, didn't they say that they took bets on who the tournament winner would be?"
I pulled my coin card from my pocket. "I still got some money on this thing so I can bet on you!"

"That's a lot of pressure", Yumeko said.

I laughed. It was a surprise to hear Yumeko say that. You'd think she was joking but there was not a hint of sarcasm in her expression. She was always fine taking huge risks herself, so if she was being sincere here, it meant she was concerned about me.

"Just do your best and we'll both make money!" I said, cheering her on.

"Yes! I'll do my best!" She raised both hands in front of her chest and pursed her red lips.

"What about you, Saotome?", I asked, turning to her.

"I'll pass too. It's the main event and this place is run by Kifune. I'm not desperate and I don't trust this for one bit." Mary looked at Yumeko before continuing. "But hey, I'll cheer for those who are actually trying to compete fairly."

Yumeko looked dejected, but only briefly. She widened her eyes as if she suddenly remembered something and brushed up to Mary. She then started whispering into Mary's ear while covering it with cupped hands, for total privacy.

"Yes...? And then? I can do that. Okay... Ugh!! No way... You mean you actually want me to --- mumble", Mary was saying, but was interrupted when Yumeko slapped a hand in front of her mouth.

The two were staring at each other in silence.

Eventually, Mary removed Yumeko's hand and closed her eyes. She sighed deeply like she had done many times already on this trip. "I'm scared of myself for getting used to the outrageous things you say."
With reluctant acceptance, Mary gestured towards the tournament sign up. "Okay, whatever. Hurry up and go."

"Hihi. Thank you, Mary-san! I'll see you both later" Yumeko waved at us as she disappeared in the crowd.

"It didn't look like you promised to sign up for the tournament yourself. You two were talking about something else entirely, right?", I asked Mary.

"Ah, no... I mean, yes... It's none of your business. Well, actually it is, but you don't need to worry about it. Or maybe you should, but not now. You'll find out eventually. Anyway, I need to go. Have fun! See you later!"
After saying goodbye Mary started to walk away quickly.

I felt abandoned but it didn't bother me too much. If those two are pulling off some complicated scheme and don't need my help, I'll gladly get out of their way.

"The tournament will start in one hour. Those who still wish to sign up, must do so quickly! Don't forget to pay the entry fee at the reception desk!", the Kansankai staffer announced, while looking around.

It seemed I had some time to kill. I guess I should check out some of the games I didn't get to play yesterday.

Chapter 4, part 2

"Boss, it looks like Jabami is signing up."

"That's not a surprise. She's a gambling junkie after all. Although, I was hoping she would get scared and stick to the usual games instead", I replied.

I was in the surveillance room. It was dimly lit and had mirrored windows. You had a good view of the whole casino floor beneath you from here. Everything in here looked remarkably unremarkable. There were no decorations of any kind, so even if guests got a peak of the inside, they would soon forget all about it. This is how large casinos handle surveillance, so this is how we handled it here to.

I caught a peek of Yumeko in the crowd at the sign up point. Aside from the holdup there, the rest of the casino was running smoothly.

"So, eh... Are we doing something, boss? Do you want me to adjust the participant count last-second? If I do it now quickly, I can make her sign up be too late", my friend in black continued.

I shook my head. "Neh, don't bother. Let her join. She screwed up when she became a Mittens and she'll screw up now too."

I sat on one of the comfortable couches in the room. The casino was running great. We were heavily in debt, but our investors were generous.

I was in my 3rd year, so this was my last summer as a Hyakkaou student. You could say that everything meaningful I did with my time at the school was hinging on today. From the moment I joined the Kansankai, I stopped existing as a normal girl. Good grades, hobbies, sports, romance... I had no time or energy for any of those. Sometimes I think I'll regret having been so single-minded, but I'm unsure I could have done things any other way. I had to drag myself out of the gutter and realize my dream.

---

With the despair of being a housepet, I found a new strength. I had little to lose so it was easy to take a radical approach.
I could not allow myself to be spat on or become a failure. It was simply unthinkable for me to give up on myself like that. Then, something came along that could bail me out of my misery. Grabbing onto that with all my might came strangely natural.

At the time, the Kansankai was just another student club. Becoming it's leader was not difficult. Things were starting to look good as we were running a couple of gambling dens. This however, was not enough. We made a plan to open a casino. A real one, not just some tables in a basement.

It was strangely easy to secure funding. Just mentioning that we were from Hyakkaou Private Academy was often enough to be taken seriously and attract investors. Some of my club mates had family connections that made this go even smoother.

Then came the next challenge. We needed a location. Something fancy, luxurious and secluded but also easily reachable. A place the high roller students would gladly keep coming to. Ryouran Island was that place. However, getting permission to use it would mean I'd have to deal with student council president Kirari Momobami directly.

Whenever any group at the school came even close to becoming a threat to the student council, they got ruthlessly stepped on. I knew this and became increasingly anxious about what was in store for the Kansankai as our club grew more successful. Strangely, nothing was ever done to us. This was convenient of course, but also suspicious.

I wasn't going to defy the council... yet. The Kansankai was by no means strong enough for such an act and we'd be forced to disband in no time. I'd have to play their game for a while, showing them that we would be beneficial to them rather than a challenge to their power.

I made an appointment though Sayaka Igarashi. She was the president's secretary and her most trusted servant. After some back and forth, a date and time was set.

I opened the heavy door to the student council president's office. Kirari was sitting at her desk with a large window behind her. It was around noon and the bright sunlight was blinding me as I looked at her. I couldn't see her whole face, but I did catch a faint smile on her blue hued lips.

What this an honest smile? Was she taunting me? Was it something else? With people like her you'd never know for sure. If she were easy to read, she wouldn't be sitting in that chair.

Her presence was unnerving. Looking in her direction made my heart pound. It was as if she had an aura that was pulling you in. With the effortless self-confidence that was radiating from her, it seemed impossible that she was the same age as me.

Standing there, I realized something about myself. I wasn't afraid of her. I wasn't attracted to her. It was something else that was stirring me up so much. I wanted to be like her. I was looking at the girl I wanted to become. The power she was projecting on anyone who stood before her is what I wanted for myself.

I tensed up to suppress the trembling and make a conscious effort to keep my face straight. There was business to be done and I couldn't show weakness. A lot was riding on this conversation. I would be pitching my plan to the ruler of Hyakkaou Private Academy and I'd be damned if I didn't do a good job.

There was a portfolio under my arm. Weeks of tireless labour went into it. Everything was sourced and all calculations double-checked. There was no way our plan for the casino did not look extremely compelling.

I made a quick bow and spoke as calmly as I could. "Thank you for taking the time to see me today. I'm Kifune Izayoi and I lead the Kansankai student club. If you will allow me to present my case, you'll see that our club has..."

"So what are the requirements?", Kirari interrupted me. She had her elbows on the armrests and her long slender fingers were crossed.

Right to the point, huh? I couldn't let this throw me off.

"Our intention is to propose opening a casino for this academy. We are confident that it will contribute significantly to the development of Hyakkaou. As for the time line..." I took my eyes off of Kirari as I was talking to open my portfolio.

"That's alright. Keep the papers." Her voice was suddenly coming from a lot closer.

I looked up. Kirari was right in front of me. I could make out my reflection in her deep blue eyes. She had them wide open, looking at me with curiosity and anticipation. This froze me up completely.

"You want Ryouran Island, don't you? Do you need a loan?", Kirari asked, slightly tilting her head sideways.

I forced myself out my stupor. "No... I mean, yes.... The m-money is something we have covered, actually. A-all we ask for is the right to use Ryouran."

"That's fine. If gambling is the essence of this school, what good would it be without a casino? This place was getting boring without one. Your efforts to stir things up are commendable", she said softly.

"You can use the island for free. Sayaka, please...", Kirari said while walking around her huge desk, back to her chair.

"Yes, president", Sayaka replied while pulling out paperwork.

Kirari took a stamp the size of her fist out of a desk drawer and pressed it hard onto the document she was handed.

Bang. The room was silent again but my heart was racing.

Sayaka handed me the stamped form as Kirari hung back into her chair and crossed her legs. The tip of her knee was peaking from below the desk, revealing her ink black stockings.

"This concludes our business, I'm sure. I'd love to chat a bit, though. Would you like some tea?", she asked.

I knew it was just a piece of paper but somehow it felt light in my hand. With how much we worked to get to the point of receiving this, I somehow imagined it should have been heavier.

Sayaka poured the tea and placed a chair for me. I sat down silently and faced Kirari form across the desk.

"What kind of casino will it be? Do you have anything special in mind? Will there be some theme to it? Won't you tell me?", she asked with what looked like genuine excitement.

Ah, so this is how it was. The feasibility studies and technical planning didn't interest her. She was just looking forward to having a new toy.

I spoke frantically. It felt like I was talking to calm myself down, rather than for her benefit. The unease within me was still strong and speaking helped to suppress the urge to run away. I humored her as much as I could, rambling on about the luxuries in stock for our guests.

As the conversation continued, I started looking past her, rather than at her. The light falling through the window was like the path to my future. Kirari was an obstacle on that path. Someday, I'll get rid of this obstacle. I'll rule over everything.

---

"Boss...? Kifune-san...? Are you okay?" My black suited friend was looking into my eyes with a worried expression.

"Huh? Yes! I was just thinking about something. Don't worry about it. Let's get moving. It's almost time", I said while standing up and straightening out my clothing.

Chapter 4, part 3

I was killing time while looking around, waiting for the tournament to start.
There was a display set up in a corner. It was hung up pretty high so that many people could watch it. There was some sports show on it yesterday. Today, it was going to be used for the tournament. The screen was very large. It was as tall as I was, probably. Several smaller screens were at it's sides, so they were likely planning to show the action at differed tables simultaneously.

I wasn't planning to stay here, though. Only Yumeko's games interested me so I could just as well watch them in person at her table.

The screen came on and showed a closeup of Kifune. She used a dramatic voice to hype up the public. "Ladies and gentlemen! Honored guests! Thank you for waiting! All the 125 player spots are taken and we can proceed with the tournament! The main event of the Ryouran Island Summer Camp is about to start!"

The crowd was cheering and whistling.

"The poker variant will be the simple Five-card Draw! However, per played hand, there will be only one betting phase, making the action fast paced! Each table will have five players! The 25 table winners will be grouped for another game of five in the second round! Table winners of the second round get a seat at the final table in the third round! The winner of the final table gets all the price money!
As promised, the prize is four times the sign up fees collected! Our lucky champion will go home with a whopping 500 million Yen!"

The crowd cheered again. Louder this time.

So they were really doing it then. They were prepared to lose money on transportation and the hotel rooms. Now they were also prepared to lose money on the tournament.

The screen changed, showing a list of names. I quickly found Yumeko's near the bottom. Kifune's face was no longer displayed but her voice continued.
"Who among the 125 will seize their destiny and claim the prize?! You can bet on it! Guess it right and we will multiply your wager by the amount of players still in the tournament at the time of betting! Bets can only be placed before a round starts! Place your bet before the first round and receive 125 times your money back! Bet as much as you like!"

I had done exactly this. The 30 thousand Yen I had left to play with were wagered on Yumeko. I won't have to worry about lunch money or the cost of any computer games for a while if she would win. It crossed my mind that the casino was unusually generous with these side bets as well. With this type of set up, the payout is usually a lot less good so that the middleman can expect to turn a profit.

"It smells." That's what Mary said about this place back at school. The more I thought about it, the more I could see her point.

"The first round will start when all players are present. Please hurry if you haven't place your bet yet!", Kifune went on.

I headed to Yumeko's table.

Chapter 4, part 4

One of the casino halls had been rearranged. There were now 25 tables placed in the middle with space around them for the spectators. A barrier draped with a red cloth clearly indicated how close the public was allowed to approach the action in the center. Because the size of the hall was limited and the expected number of spectators large, everything was set up pretty tightly. You could approach the table of your choice fairly closely.

The tables were rounded but had an indentation on one side. This allowed the dealer to stand in a place where everything was within reach. The dealer spot on the outer tables was turned towards the public. Onlookers had a better view of the players' faces this way.

I expected that the tournament would be more of a guys thing. This turned out not to be the case. A quick look gave the impression that there were just as many girls seated. The dealers, all dressed in the black Kansankai uniform, were standing ready at their table.

"Yumeko!", I yelled when saw where she was.

"Hey, Suzui-san!" She waved and smiled. Her long black hair was draped over her chair.

"I'm rooting for you! Give it your best shot!", I yelled again.

"I will!", she replied, raising her fist to shoulder height.

Unexpectedly, my yelling raised a stir in the crowd. "Dude, did you just say 'Yumeko'?!" "Hey guys, Jabami is playing!" "Wait, what? I'm gonna place a bet right now!"

Ah yes, of course. Yumeko is famous when it comes to gambling. Or infamous, depending on who you ask. The other players at her table caught on too. One was holding his head in his hands, cursing his bad luck.

It suddenly became less crowded around me. People were off to sneak in a last second bet before the round started. It occurred to me that Mary wasn't here. Whatever it was she was doing, she had no time to come in here to cheer Yumeko on, leaving me a loner in the crowd.

The tables had the typical casino bright green felt finish. The textile made it easy to pick things up from the surface and the visual contrast it created made it easy to spot all the cards and chips.

On each table was a card shuffle machine. I watched how the dealer at Yumeko's table used it. He dropped in a deck and waited a few seconds as the machine hummed. The deck popped out again. It was like a complicated toaster.

With fluid moves, the dealer took the deck and preformed a riffle shuffle. It's a quick manual way to shuffle cards. The deck is first split in two, then the halves are fanned onto each other so that the corners overlap.

It was for practice, or perhaps the dealer wanted to give the players a demonstration. There might be suspicion of foul play if there was only a manual or only an automatic shuffle. However, with both performed, one after the other, it was safer to assume the card arrangement ended up as random at it could be.
The dealer has several unopened decks on hand so he could swap in a pristine one from time to time. The setup looked fair and professional.

---

Mary and Yumeko played one hand of this same game before coming to the island. A pledge of obedience for the duration of the summer camp was at stake.

Both girls were remarkably lucky. Mary was confident with her three-of-a-kind but was beaten by Yumeko's full house. I was wondering if Yumeko was cheating but it seemed too far fetched. I was the dealer after all, so I should have spotted something if there was foul play.
It seems Yumeko is just naturally fortunate, but I always get the feeling she is up to something sneaky.

---

All players were at their seat and the dealers were waiting for the go sign. The spectators noticed that action was imminent and lowered their voices.

There was Kifune's voice again. She spoke on the intercom.
"Honored guests, the Ryouran Island Summer Camp Poker Tournament starts now! Dealers, please proceed."

A brand new deck was dropped into the card shuffler at every table.

Chapter 4, part 5

I watched the dealer at Yumeko's table perform the riffle shuffle again. He did it almost simultaneously with the dealers on the other tables. For a brief moment, the hall was filled with the oddly pleasant noise of clicking paper.

As the cards were dealt to the players, the girl seated next to Yumeko spoke. "Did I hear that right, you are Yumeko Jabami-san?"

Yumeko turned to her and nodded.

"I'm a big fan! It's an honor to play with you!", the girl continued with her high-pitched, excited voice.

"The honor is mine. Let's have a fun game." Yumeko replied with a smile.

The girl squealed.

"Please, place your ante", the dealer said.

In front of each player was large pile of chips. No hands were played yet so everyone's pile was the same at this point. The denominations of each pile added up to a million, reflecting the million Yen entrance fee.

In order to not let the tournament drag out, an ante system was used. Before the start of each played hand, all players had to add the ante to the pot. Initially it was 20 thousand, but after some played hands, it doubled to 40 thousand. After some hands, it would double again to 80 thousand, and so forth.

It was still possible to play carefully, but not for long. If the round kept going, the ante would eventually force any remaining players to bet big.

The players obeyed and moved one chip towards the center of the table. This was the 'pot', a pile of chips that the player who won the hand would take. In this case, the pot started at 100 thousand.

"You may check your hand", the dealer continued.

Everyone cupped their hands and peaked at their cards. Picking them up in a setting like this was a bad idea. There were eyes all around and you'd never know if anyone from the public was passing information to players. The cards remained face down on the table with only the edge of them briefly exposed when the players looked. The hands and body were used to obstruct the line of sight of any onlookers during the peek.

After peeking, Yumeko removed her hands from the table and sat up straight. A lot of people were looking at her. Some with caution, some with envy or even fear.
She had her usual faint smile, but showed nothing else. She looked like a wax doll or an android. I'm sure she was completely unreadable for anyone.

"Please, discard", the dealer commanded.

In this tournament there was no betting before the discard phase. Each player got rid of any cards they wanted, faced down, as their first move and was dealt replacements. Only then did the mind games start in the betting phase. In each hand played, the players declare their intention in clockwise order. In the first hand, the player after the dealer goes first. In the second hand, the next player clockwise goes first, and so on.
Players can bet and raise to add chips to the pot. When a player says 'call' instead, it means they are matching the money the others put in but do not wish to increase the bet. There is also the option to 'fold'. This means the player forfeits the hand and doesn't have to add any more chips to the pot.

The first player sitting clockwise after the dealer was a guy. He discarded two and so did Yumeko. When taking it at at face value, this was a strong show. Keeping thee cards implies you may have a three-of-kind already.

Everyone received their replacements and the dealer continued with the same stern but neutral voice. "Please, start the betting."

The guy first in line reacted immediately. "Bet! 200 thousand!", he said while staring at Yumeko.

Betting ten times the ante right off the bat is aggressive play. It was quite a bold move and possibly just a bluff. If you have a really good hand, the last thing you'd want to do is scare the other players away. Rather, slowly luring them in to a big pot is what you'd typically want to go for.

"Fold", said the next guy in line, sliding his cards towards the dealer. That was probably a wise move. The tournament rules were punishing passive play, but getting reckless so early on was no good either.

The third player in line was also a guy. "I fold too", he said with a sigh.

This left the initial aggressor, Yumeko and her squealing fan girl in the race for this pot. The aggressor was visibly amused. Things were going his way. His wide grin made that all too obvious. It was exactly the opposite of a poker face.

"I'll raise ya to 300 thousand!", Yumeko said loudly, almost like she was singing a tune. She then eagerly pushed the chips forward.

There were oohs and aahs from the spectators. Yumeko narrowed her eyes and stared at the aggressor intensely. I had seen her like this before but it still shocked me a little. It was both an invitation and a taunt.

"Wow! Jabami-san, you're so awesome!", the fan girl squealed again. "I have to fold, though. Such a shame!"

The guy was not that easily defeated. "Re-raise! 350 thousand total!", he yelled and added another 150 thousand to the 200 thousand stack he had pushed forward earlier.

There was only one betting phase per hand in this tournament, but players were allowed to re-raise each other. Two players remained in this hand and the betting would only stop if one of them would call or fold.

Yumeko matched him and then added one more chip. "Raise. 360 thousand total."

10 thousand was the smallest denomination chip available in this tournament. After adding such a large amount to the pot, it was an odd move to raise the minimum. I understood that this was a mind game. One that was way out of my league. I had no clue if any of them actually had a good hand or not.

The guy yelled again. "Raise to 400 thousand."

"Re-raise. 410 thousand total", Yumeko responded immediately, as if she had already decided to do this beforehand.

The guy must have been thinking that everybody would fold if he would raise so confidently. He would have been right, if not for Yumeko. She was not that easily intimidated.

Step by step, the pot was getting bigger and bigger.
The guy was visibly shaken. He was breathing deeply and sweating. He must have felt like he was playing a terrifying game of tag; Wearing himself out to tag his opponent, only to be tagged back immediately and effortlessly.

He loosened his tie and spoke with a stained voice. "Raise, 570 thousand."

Yumeko didn't skip a beat. "Raise, 580 thousand." She was staring at him with cool composure and a natural blinking pattern.

The difference between them was somewhat comical. The other players were watching in bewilderment. The dealer remained professional but briefly showed a faint smile now and then.

The guy took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll do it! I'm going all-in! Show me what you've got, Yumeko Jabami!" He avoided eye contact and looked down onto his cards.

All-in is shorthand for betting all the chips you have. Players are usually forced into this move when their chip count is low. Having someone do it in the first hand played is a rare occurrence. What was this guy thinking? He looked like he was seeking answers. He might find them with the resolution of this hand, which was now imminent.

Yumeko's shoulder trembled briefly. Even though their eyes weren't meeting, she kept looking at the guy.
"Hihi... How thrilling it is to throw in everything on the first hand...", she said, putting her palms on her chest and looking up. She was blushing and pursed her lips slightly. "Let us lose ourselves in the exhilaration! Call!"

The pot was now 2,060,000. It was all of Yumeko's and that guy's chips plus the ante from the other three players. It didn't matter in this case if Yumeko said 'all-in' instead of 'call'. The result would have been the same.

"We'll now move on to the showdown. Please flip over your cards", the dealer said.

Chapter 4, part 6

"Congratulations, Yumeko! What a great win!"

"Thank you, Suzui-san! It was all thanks to your support!"

"Haha, I was only watching!"

After winning the first round, Yumeko stepped over the red barrier and joined me among the spectators. About half the tables had finished the round at this point. The atmosphere was mixed. There was joy and disappointment among the crowd.

---

Yumeko had grabbed the chip lead at her table by knocking out an opponent in the fist hand. She didn't lose it and it carried her to the end of the round.
As expected, showdowns didn't happen all that often after that initial stunt. Poker is mostly a psychological game, after all. If only one player remains during the betting phase, no one has to reveal their cards. Yumeko's table had attracted quite some attention with many people cheering her on. An applause irrupted when the last hand of the round was finished.

---

Now that Yumeko was close to me in this noisy hall, I could talk to her without shouting. "Yumeko, I want to ask you about that first hand. I didn't quite get to see the showdown with the crowd uproar. Did you two actually have good cards or not?"

"Oh, sort of", she replied. "I had three clubs so I went for a flush. I got three-of-a-kind instead. I wouldn't have bet on it so much if that guy was not being such a bully. I was pretty sure everyone would fold after that 200 thousand bet of his. I didn't want tot let it slide."

"But what if he did have a good hand?", I asked.

Yumeko covered her mouth with one hand and giggled. "Well it would have been possible, theoretically. You never know for sure and that's what makes it so much fun. It turned out he had two pairs. I can't say that bluffing was a bad move on his part. It worked on the other players, after all."

"Well, everybody seemed pretty meek at your table from the moment that the guy was eliminated. It was you who became the bully in a way", I said.

Yumeko changed the topic. "By the way, Suzui-san, I'm getting really thirsty."

"Some of the other tables are still going", I said. "We have time to grab something from the bar."

Chapter 4, part 7

Well, she actually did it. Yumeko was one of the 25 who made it to the second round.

The screens in the corner where I was sitting were showing the action on the tables. There was also a list of all the table winners. Yumeko was on it. Each time a new name appeared, the crowd around me reacted. Some were screaming with joy, some were sighing with despair. Those who had bet on someone who was eliminated could still turn things around. Betting on someone now would yield 25 times your money back, if that someone ended up winning the tournament. I'm sure many were doing exactly this.

Suddenly, my hand was grabbed. "Goldilocks! I'm so happy to see you again." Ace was kneeling at my feet.

"Arg! What are you doing! Let go!" I shook him off.

Ace slowly stood up. He was about a head taller than me. I had to admit, he was pretty good looking and his clothes were flattering his physique. The way he acted was still unacceptable, though.

"Did you see my brilliant playing?", he asked.

I wiped my hand off on my skirt. "A little bit. I wasn't really interested so I wasn't playing attention that much. I can see that you won, though", I said while looking at one of the displays.
"So you actually signed up as 'Ace'? Must you use that terribly lame nickname everywhere? Didn't your parents give you a real one?"

"Goldilocks, listen, my actual name isn't Ace, but I am Ace. It's the core of my being. This man standing before you is the Ace of Aces and nothing else", he said.

I sighed. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"That's fine", he replied quickly. "You can take your time to know me better. Take as long as you need."

"It's not happening", I replied coldly.

He shrugged his shoulders with an expression that seemed to say, "What a troublesome little kitten."

"Oh, I see that the black haired maiden won her table too", Ace said, looking at the screens.

"Yeah, I wonder how far she gets", I replied.

Ace kept blabbing about himself and I wanted to tell him to get lost. I didn't. I had an idea and it involved suffering though his monologue.

"Yeah", "Uhuh", "Oh, really", I was intermittently saying to him while standing under the screens.

"Oh", "How awful", "Can't be true", I was muttering while on my way to the bar for my iced tea refill with him in tow.

Kifune's voice was back with an announcement over the intercom. For once, I was happy to hear her because she was about to release me from my ordeal. "Honored guests! The second round of our exciting tournament will begin shortly! Players, please don't dally and take your seat!"

"Goldilocks, our wonderful talk makes me so reluctant to leave you, but I must go! After I win, I'll come back to sweep you off your feet! Even if I face the black haired maiden, I won't hold back. That's my style of play. Please forgive me", Ace said while he started to walk away.

"Eh, that last bit is actually alright", I said, raising my voice so he would hear me from a distance. "She'll get mad if you don't play seriously. She hates that sort of thing."

Ace nodded and then blew a kiss to me before disappearing in the crowd. He is really not my type. I don't understand why he is so stubborn about me.

Chapter 4, part 8

The tournament hall had been rearranged again. There were only five tables now and there was more room for the spectators. Though, it felt about just as crowded as before because more people came in to watch.

All the 25 seats were taken and all the dealers were standing ready. The second round was about to begin.

I found a good spot and could see Yumeko. She was sitting neatly with her back straight, chatting with another player.

It was Ace. Because of his height and brown hair, it was hard to not notice him. As I was thinking back to our nightmare match at the beach, he saw me. "Hey, Suzui-san, thanks again for that fierce battle earlier."

I bowed instinctively. I knew he was in the tournament and I had seen him before in the hall, but it didn't occur to me he might end up sharing a table with Yumeko. "I'm a poker pro", I remember him saying as he left us at the beach.

"Black haired maiden, isn't Goldilocks here to watch you play?", Ace asked.

"Oh, Mary-san isn't very interested in this tournament. It's a shame, really. I would have loved it if she played too", Yumeko replied.

Ace seemed disappointed. "Hmm, I can't show my skill to her but that means that nothing is holding me back either. Let's have a good match, black haired maiden!"

Yumeko smiled. "Yes, lets have a fun game. I'm unsure about Twister, but I'm happy I get to play poker with you, Ace-san."

Yumeko and Ace made a relaxed impression. The other players at their table did not. They were staring at the chatting duo with wide eyes and made no attempt to join in on the banter.

I overheard students next to me talking. "Hey, look here... Jabami and Ace are grouped." "Seriously? They're both favorites." "I made a bet on Jabami, but with Ace, who knows?"

I was curious and struck up a conversation with them. "So eh, this Ace guy is famous then?"

"Oh yeah, he is well known pro. I played against him once", the guy next to me replied.

"How was it?", I asked.

"How shall I put it... It was like I wasn't allowed to compete. I mean, the game was fair and I could read his thoughts a bit. Though, when it mattered the most, he just dodged me", the guy continued.

I felt like that raised more questions than it answered. "What do you mean, 'he dodged you'?"

"Just watch him and you'll get it", was the unsettling reply.

I knew Ace was an eccentric guy, but I didn't quite see how his quirks would make him so strong at poker. There was not much use speculating about it now, though. I had no choice but to take the advice and watch him play.

Kifune used the intercom again to announce the start of the round. The crowd cheered and the dealers started shuffling.

Clockwise from the dealer sat a girl, then Ace, then two other guys and finally Yumeko. The chatting had stopped and both Yumeko and Ace were calmly watching the dealer prepare. They had a confident look, unlike the others at their table.
The crowd was quiet and the atmosphere in the hall was tense. A drop of sweat fell from my cheek. Somehow it was as if much more was at stake now than in the previous round.

The players received their cards and peeked at them, except for Ace. He left his on the table undisturbed and looked at Yumeko. "Black haired maiden..."

She looked at him and so did the rest of the table. Ace behaved like none of the other players existed. He was acting as if it was just him and her, in private.

"Is something wrong? You didn't check your cards yet", Yumeko asked.

"I win at poker 96% of the time", he said, tapping his cards. "Do you know why I hardly ever lose? Because in poker you win by dominating your opponents. You fight with your determination, your ability to read people and your bluffing. Sure, there is luck involved, but skill overcomes luck."

He brushed his hair away with one hand. His fingers looked strangely pristine for a muscled guy. It was unlikely he ever had a part time job doing something like dish washing or order picking.

The dealer interrupted his monologue. "Ace-sama, please check your hand. If you don't, we'll be moving to the discard phase as-is."

"Haven't you heard of me, dealer? If you do this job, you should have caught a mention of me at least once or twice", Ace said to her, raising an eyebrow.

"Ace-sama...", the dealer began with a voice noticeably sharper. It seemed his charm didn't work on her. It occurred to me she was the second girl I saw being annoyed by his style. I smirked.

Ace gave in reluctantly. "Eh, yeah, excuse me, I'll check now."

Somehow, this little stunt with the dealer made Ace seem even more of a formidable opponent. He acted like he was at home. The atmosphere was so tense that even those who had nothing at stake here felt the pressure. But there was Ace, making small talk and boasting with such confidence.

Was he deliberately acting like this? He didn't seem much differed from how he was at the beach, but it did feel like he had more of a sharp edge here. I could certainly understand how other players could feel intimidated by him.

Yumeko didn't show any emotion and kept her eyes fixed on Ace.

Chapter 4, part 9

That 96% percent win rate was a lie. I wasn't going to keep track of such things, but it would throw off my opponents if they thought I did. If number crunching helped to improve your skill, everybody would be doing it.

What matters are the psychological ups and downs and in that respect, I'm far ahead. Honestly.

When I play against someone I've just met, I always talk to them. Even if they ignore me, I'll keep talking. The game starts when you first establish contact with someone, not when the cards are dealt. Anyone who doesn't understand that is a loser.

The game between me and Yumeko started when we spoke at the beach. She formed some kind of opinion of me there and it will greatly influence the outcome on this table.

Poker is a game of mutual understanding. That's my belief.
Almost all my energy goes into understanding my opponent, and if possible, into obscuring their understanding of me. The game mechanics themselves are secondary.

Once you figured out the opponents, it's easy to know what games you should get into and how you should bet. You'll know who you can get under your control and how to do it.
Missing out on some immediate profit here and there is fine, as long as it creates a situation for you to profit from later. Those who think about poker one hand at a time simply don't get it.

What I love the most are games where you can bet as much of your own money as you want. I have lots, and splashing it on the table at exactly the right moment can have a devastating effect on my opponents' psyche.

In tournament poker everybody starts with the same amount of chips. This is not ideal for me, but I can handle it. It just means I have to rely more on my skills. Reading minds becomes even more important.

Even people who don't play, know the term 'poker face'. Those who think they can pull off such a thing don't get it. Your expression, breath and pupil movement are only the start of it. The body shows many other subtle signals that are not that easily to control. If you learn to spot them, you can tell if someone is trying to create a false impression of themselves.

I got through the first round with ease. It doesn't look like the second round is going to be much of a challenge either.

The girl first from the dealer was sweating more and readjusted herself in her chair a couple of times. She probably had a good hand. Then I spotted that the muscles at her temples were tense. Ah, not that good then. She had something decent.

"Bet, 100 thousand", she said, moving her chips.

Ah, so that's a mediocre bet with a mediocre hand. I can simply scare her off.

"Raise to 300 thousand." I calmly tossed the chips forward without looking at her. Ignoring her presence was part of the scare tactic. If she thought I wasn't even bothering to size her up, she would surely fold.

The two guys after me folded.
A normal player would try to observe the others as the hands were played. I'd say that is too late. You should have figured out everybody before the game even starts.

Now then, what will Yumeko do? Whether or not I sized her up right will determine who wins this round. I don't pay much attention to school drama, but I heard rumors about her. I shouldn't underestimate her because she is a good gambler, no doubt. However, gamblers need luck while I don't.

"I fold", Yumeko said with a very disappointed look.

Ah yes, eager to get in on the action but her hand was bad. That works for me.

The girl who went first also folded, as expected. I had the lead with 1,180,000 worth of chips. Not bad. I'm up next to start the betting phase.

In the next hand, my cards were trash. I went for a flush when discarding but ended up with nothing. It's unlucky, but I can work with that.

"Please, start the bet...."

"Bet, 500 thousand" I didn't let the dealer finish her sentence and splashed the chips in front of me. This was disrespect. Making the dealer re-stack chips for no good reason is frowned upon. I had no beef with her, but doing this helped create the false impression of me that I wanted the other players to have.

I didn't have to look at them to know they were tense. I have the momentum and those losers wouldn't question it.
The two guys after me folded. I've got them now. They only see me the way I want them to.

"I'll raise, 600 thousand total" Yumeko neatly moved her chips and straightened out the stacks.

Just like in the first round, the starting amount of all players was one million. This made 600 thousand a very big bet. I looked at Yumeko, expecting some kind of poker face attempt. I saw the opposite. She was breathing heavily and blushing like she was turned on.

Chapter 4, part 10

The crowd around me was in awe. "Ooh, a 600 thousand raise!" "Yumeko Jabami is so amazing" "So what hand does she have?" "Wow, she's being reckless again!"

The girl after Yumeko folded in frustration. Ace thought for a moment and then quietly called. It was time for the showdown. Yumeko and Ace revealed their cards.

I could hear gasps all around me when it became clear what the situation was. Both of them had high card, the lowest ranked hand. However, Ace had an ace. Yumeko did not. Because in this case the rank of the highest individual card counts, the pot was for Ace.

Was is absurd to bet so much on a trash hand? Was it even more absurd for Ace to call with one? Did the other players feel cheated by this?
This truly was a psychological battle I didn't understand. It didn't look like childishness or recklessness. It was rather like a calm, calculated act of violence.

Yumeko was as graceful as ever, with her intense gaze and long black hair, she looked like she was ready to engulf the audience in darkness. Ace looked like he was burning from the inside. He won the hand but his bluff was called.

Nobody who was watching had any doubt that one of these two would win the round.

Chapter 4, part 11

Oh, black haired maiden, what were you thinking? I frequently see people who make big bluffs as if betting on weak hands is somehow a requirement for being a top player. It's usually so transparent that I find it endearing.
Yumeko did the same, but she wasn't trying to hide it. Seeing her do it moved me in a strange way. I felt an uncanny mix of shame, desire and suspicion.

My trash hand bet was purely tactical. It was part of my plan. I can't figure out Yumeko's plan, however. Does she even have one? Her expression was genuine. That I'm sure of. There is no way that blush and heavy breathing were faked. I don't understand her.

The other three players are the usual easy prey. I'll try to finish them off quickly. I have no desire to torment people for longer than needed. Yumeko however is... interesting.

I eliminated one of the guys. The others were steadily losing chips. They were like candles, burning out, slowly but surely.

I was wondering where Yumeko's daring spirit went. She was just folding, over and over. If she kept this up, the ante would eat up all her chips.

The girl first from the dealer was eliminated. It was now just me, one other guy and Yumeko. A large majority of the chips were mine now. This made things even easier. I could afford it to make some bad judgments a couple of times while the others could not.

I bet 250 thousand. It was exactly the amount the other guy had left. He called. His reaction time gave him away. It was faster than last time when it turned out he had a flush. Less hesitation means a better hand. He'll be winning this one. Good for him. It would only prolong his suffering, though. I'll be taking back those chips soon enough. I imagine that he feels like he is being slowly suffocated.

Finally, Yumeko made a move. "I'm all-in! That's 320 thousand total!"

Well, if she waited so long for this, she couldn't possibly be betting on a trash hand again. After so many folds she was bound to have something good eventually. My experience told me I should get out of this one.

"Okay, fold", I said.

Folding would be senseless for the other guy. It would leave him with a guaranteed zero chip count. I was out of this hand and the guy had not enough to cover Yumeko's raise. Because of this, the game proceeded as if each of us had bet 250 thousand, the exact stack size of the guy.

The dealer returned 70 thousand to Yumeko. "Right, we move on to the showdown."

The guy quickly flipped over his cards. It was a pair of sevens. Yumeko elegantly flipped hers. She had a pair of nines.
Weak hands, huh? It looks like I misread them both.

The quick reaction time of the guy didn't come form confidence. It was simply that he gave up on thinking. He just went along with the first bet offered to be released from his misery. At least, I understand him in hindsight.

What Yumeko was doing however, was baffling. Why did she keep folding for so long to finally go all-in with only a weak pair? Surely, she must have had a better hand than this at some point. It wasn't that she was upsetting me, it was that I was upset because I didn't understand her.

I guess I'll chat her up some more. "Black haired maiden, what kind of play style is that?"

She looked bewildered when I asked. Was this expression some kind of bluff too?

"Ace-san, we're in the middle of a round. We shouldn't talk too much. You'll get scolded again", she said with a troubled smile.

"You fascinate me because I don't understand your way of thinking. What is this strange logic that you abide by?", I asked.

Wait, what was I doing...? It must have sounded ridiculous. I was asking my opponent to teach me their best tricks, while in combat with them.

Yumeko smiled warmly. "Oh, isn't that obvious? I'm just playing poker in the most enjoyable way."

"Jabami-sama wins" The dealer pushed the pot towards Yumeko. The eliminated guy left the table.

"It was pure luck, but you made your comeback. I guess the fun isn't over yet", I said.

Yumeko kept smiling at me. "Exactly! Let's have as much fun with this match as we can, Ace-san."

I guess I understood it now.

Chapter 4, part 12

My family was poor, so there was no fortune to get me started in life. Poker is what made me what I am today. Everything I had, I earned from playing it. Managing to enroll into Hyakkaou Private Academy was like a dream come true. It was the perfect environment to advance my career. I've never once played with a frivolous attitude. I'm absolutely obsessed with winning so all matches are important.
No matter how weak my opponent is, I never hold back. No matter how disadvantaged I am, I always stay cool. I don't really see poker as a game. It's not an emotional roller-coaster for me anymore, it's a job. All the money I made from it proves I took the right approach.

But now, I'm sharing a table with Yumeko. She is inviting me to have a taste of her life philosophy, which is the exact opposite of mine. It's strangely enticing. I feel like I'm being pulled under her black veil. I've never seen a girl like her.

One-on-one poker is very differed from group play. There is a lot less strategy involved and mind reading becomes more important. You have to play way more aggressively too.
I pride myself with being the most experienced poker player at our school, but even I find one-on-one games tricky.

The cards were dealt and the discard phase happened. Yumeko had the first move. "Hehe... interesting... I've decided. I'm all-in."

With only two players, an all-in is always an invitation to gamble for the entire stack of the player who has the least chips.

Again? Fine, I'll play along. "Call."

There was another cheer from the spectators. Yumeko's stack was tiny compared to mine. If she lost, she would be eliminated. If I lost, it would be a minor setback for me.

"Okay, showdown" At the dealer's signal, we flipped our cards.

"Oh, how lucky, a full house, congratulations!", I said.

Yumeko smiled warmly and pulled in the chips. The doubts I had left about her disappeared. She was indeed having fun. That smile was genuine.

In the next hand, it was my turn to move first. "Hmm, maybe I'm lucky this time. All-in."

"Oh, if you are so aggressive, it makes we want to take on the challenge. Call."

Her pair was stronger than mine. "Dammit."
Wait, did I just curse during a match?

"Oh, Ace. What's wrong with your face? Don't be so irritated. If we aren't enjoying this, why would we bother doing it?"

Those words startled me. I instinctively touched my forehead to confirm my suspicion. She wasn't lying. I really was frowning.

"Don't worry about it. Let's continue. It's your move next." I deliberately spoke with a soft voice, trying to snap back into my calm and composed self.
It worked. We played some more hands and I regained the lead.

"One-on-one is fun, isn't it? It's our little, private arena and a knockout is possible at any moment. I feel like I'm playing with a knife held to my throat", Yumeko said. Her emotions were on full display. She was breathing heavily and spoke with an alluring voice. She told me not talk so much earlier, but now she was doing it herself.

The dealer was no longer instructing us and just kept pace without saying much. We gave her no reason to interrupt our conversation so she was happy to let us chat.

"Hmm... All-in! This is an interesting hand. You will be very surprised, Ace-san!"

I'm sure that from her perspective everything was an interesting hand. I had high card jack. This would be terrible in group play but in-on-one it had a chance of working out.

I should fold... but I was curious. Yumeko was teasing me and I decided I was prepared to pay to see her hand. "Hmm... Call."

I revealed my cards with one quick move.

"Earlier you said I rely on luck." Yumeko flipped over her first card while talking. It was the 4 of hearts.

"Yeah, I'm sorry if I offended you with that", I replied.

"Don't worry. You weren't wrong to say so. I get it that skill is very important with poker. You set out to master it and made it your profession. Compared to you, I'm practically a novice, but I do love the game very much", Yumeko said while flipping another card. It was the 8 of hearts.

She kept talking while revealing slowly. "What do you like about poker, Ace-san?" She flipped another card. The 9 of hearts appeared.

"I don't know. Poker isn't really a game to me", I said.

"Oh... I guess I understand that, but the psychology of it aside, the hand you have to play with is pure luck, is it not? Because of that, there is still tension that builds up..." She flipped her forth card and revealed the 10 of heats.

The suits matched. Was this a flush?

"Do you feel the anticipation, Ace-san? Doesn't it stir you up to be at the mercy of the unknown like this?", she said while reaching for the fifth card.
"So why not leave it all to luck sometimes? Let's go gambling crazy!"

Yumeko tossed her last card at me and giggled. "Ta-daa! It's not a flush!"

What landed on the table was the king of spades. She had high card like me, but her king defeated my jack. I slapped my head while pushing the chips to her.

"You see, Ace-san. I told you I had an interesting hand", Yumeko said with a warm smile.

She now had more chips than me. The dealer informed us we had played enough hands to let the ante double again. It would be 1280 thousand from now on. This was forcing a quick resolution.

"Aw... It's almost over then", Yumeko said with regret.

The dealer dealt the cards. I discarded four. Yumeko discarded five.

"All of them?", I asked.

"I feel lucky! Maybe it's a straight flush!", Yumeko giggled.

"Now that would be a miracle", I said.

The ante had taken all my chips. Because of this, I was all-in automatically and there was no betting.
My pair won. Our stack sizes were now about even.

Yumeko reached into her skirt pocket and took out her makeup mirror. She opened it and turned it to me. "Look at your face, Ace-san. You've been smiling this whole time!"

I chuckled. It was true. I had a grin on my face like a child reading his favorite manga.

"You said poker was not a game for you? It looks like you are having fun as if was", she said. "I bet you'll get really good cards next hand!"

I laughed. "I guess I'm getting carried away a bit, yeah."

"Isn't that great?", she asked.

"Black haired maiden, you got me. The rumors were true. You are truly a gambling maniac. I admit it. I'm having a great time."

"I'm so happy you understand", she said.

New cards were dealt. We discarded. This was going to be the end.

"All-in?" "Yes."

"I'd love to play with you again some time", I said.

"I'd love that too. The tournament rules are holding us back here, aren't they? What about a true no limit match? I bet we will enjoy that even more!", Yumeko said with a blush.

I leaned back into my chair and laughed again. "Now that is a scary thought. Tell me how much money you have first."

We revealed our cards.

Chapter 4, part 13

The battle between Yumeko and Ace had ended.

Their one-on-one was all the people around me were talking about. Some of the questions they were raising would never be answered. If a hand was folded, the cards remained a mystery.

Ace had an overwhelming advantage, but Yumeko made a comeback, eventually evening the chip stacks.
When it was just her and him, his dominating play style disappeared. Everybody who was watching sensed that.

"Suzui-san, were you watching?" Yumeko squeezed herself through the crowd and appeared beside me. She looked refreshed, like she just had been out for a stroll. Not exhausted like she had fought a formidable opponent.

I greeted her with a smile. "Of course! That last bit was incredibly exciting! It ended with a coin flip, basically."

Ace was standing behind us "Black haired maiden, thank you for the incredible game. Oh, hi, Suzui-san."

"My pleasure. Thanks to you, I had a fun game." Yumeko placed her hands on her thighs and made a polite bow.

"It was great fun, and that's why I lost. You made me drop my resolve. I never had this happen before", Ace said with a smile more genuine than the one on the beach. You'd never think this was a guy who was just eliminated from the tournament. He looked relaxed and content.

"I always stick to my play style, but with you I didn't. That's why it became the best game I ever had. I used to enjoy poker when I was beginner. You took me right back to that." Ace ran his fingers through his hair and sighed "I never thought I'd meet someone like you. Your strength lies in dragging people into your madness. Ehh... I mean that in a good way, of course."

Yumeko covered her mouth with one hand and chuckled. "If the invitation still stands, I'll gladly play with you gain."

Aced bowed. "Oh, it definitely stands. I'll invite you to somewhere where we can play with drinks and sandwiches in hand. Please bring Goldilocks and Suzui with you."

"Uh, wouldn't I be out of place?", I asked.

"Oh no. I want witnesses to my revenge for today's defeat. Perhaps I can make Goldilocks gamble on a date with me again."

Ace extended his hand. "Black haired maiden, it looks like the momentum is yours and you will be the one to win the tournament. I wish you luck."

Yumeko briefly held his hand with elegance. "Yes, I'll do my best."

"Well, the loser needs to leave, right? There is non-tournament poker going on here as well and I want in on the action. Until next we meet, gambling maniac maiden and Suzui-san!" Ace waved and started to walk away.

Ace was a terrifying guy in many ways. He was clearly someone you wouldn't want to hold a grudge against you. Although he lost time and money here, it was clear that Yumeko didn't have worry about him being a sore loser. This was her unique touch, an ability she could only posses because of her sincere dedication to the thrills of the unknown.

After waving back, Yumeko turned to me. "Ace really is an interesting guy. I'm happy I get to gamble with so many people today. I wonder who's in the final."

From what I picked up from the crowd earlier, none of them could be as famous as Ace. They couldn't be bad players either, obviously.

"We should have time to grab a drink before the next round starts", I said.

"Hmm... no. I want... ice cream!", Yumeko giggled.

This could be arranged. The bar menu had a page with ice cream choices, I noticed earlier. "Sure! Indulge yourself!", I said, smiling at her.

Chapter 5: The Reason for Living

Chapter 5, part 1

The way you see the world depends on the state you are in. For a time, I was someone else and saw the world differently. The girl that was pressured by her classmates to gamble and rake up a huge debt, that is not the Kifune Izayoi that is today.

I remember becoming detached form myself. In order to deal with the misery of being a housepet, I started distancing myself from my own emotions. It was as if I was helping someone else deal with their suffering, rather than myself.

I never gave up, though.

Now I am the real me. I am one of the most respected and powerful students with a bright future to look forward to. I see the world in raw colors, not in shades of gray like before.
The old me is dead and burred. The new me does not tolerate being belittled. I will do better for myself than any of the idiots who were looking down on me. I'll push them out of my way to make that happen, if needed.

Successfully completing this tournament will be a milestone on my path upward. The government and the investment world are watching. Their future decisions will be based on my ability. I will be a well respected alumna of Hyakkaou, ready to keep ascending as an adult.

Joining the student council would have been a logical goal for me, but I deliberately chose not to get involved with it. Being a subordinate of Kirari Momobami was not on the list of things I wanted for myself. Serving her was definitely not my life's passion.

"Soon, everything you have dedicated your life to will come to fruition. Don't worry, Kifune. Your casino business will flourish and you will be a winner", I said to myself.

Translator's note: I translated the title of his chapter as 'the reason for living'. What the writer actually had in mind is more like the French 'raison d'être'. It means the same, but is more passionate and can be used more whimsically. Someone could consider raising their children as their actual reason for living but exotic fruit ice cream as their raison d'être.

Chapter 5, part 2

Yumeko closed her eyes in delight every time she brought the spoon to her mouth. She had ordered a passion fruit mango double scoop and was sitting next to me, enjoying her treat.

"Kifune-san hasn't done anything to you besides the linen room thing, has she?", I asked.

Yumeko let out a soft moan as she took another spoonful. "Nope! I bet she's too busy running the place."

"Right. I can't see the benefit for her in pestering you, anyway", I said.

Yumeko licked her lips, collecting ice cream residue from them. "I'm not going to try anything against her personally either. As long as I can gamble here, I'm happy. I'm hoping everybody can have a good time like I do."

It was amazing seeing her like this. After such intense matches, so much money on the line and with undoubtedly skilled opponents up ahead, she looked completely at ease. She was simply enjoying her ice cream, detached from the world around her.

Kifune was back on the intercom. "Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests! Thank you for your patience! The final round of the Ryouran Island Poker Tournament will start shortly! Players, please take your seat!"

Yumeko quickly stuffed the last spoonful in her mouth. "Hmm... I have to hurry! See you later, Suzui-san!" I watched her disappear into the crowd.

The tournament hall had only one table now. It was right in the center, surrounded by the familiar red draped barrier. The crowd around it was thicker than ever. The spot where the screens were hung was probably just as busy.

The five players were seated. They were being cheered on by the crowd, even louder than before. Somebody was waving a banner in support of their friend.

Yumeko was neatly sitting upright, with her hands resting on her legs. It seemed that almost every conversation around me was about her. She spotted me and waved in my direction. Many around me thought this was a public greeting and raised their arms, in support.

Yumeko then turned to one of her opponents. "So, we meet again, Mitarai-san. I'm a bit surprised, but happy to see you", she said softly.

Mitarai quickly looked at Yumeko though the gaps in her bangs. She said nothing.

Mitarai made the same impression as when we met her at the bar yesterday. She was looking down and hunching as if she wanted to disappear into the table. Her presence at the tournament final looked out of place. It was hard to imagine that someone so timid and shy as she had the skill to consistently win poker games. Her housepet tag became even more of a mystery. Apparently she had a million Yen, but instead of paying her student council tribute, she chose to sign up for this tournament instead.

The intercom was used for another announcement. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the dealer of the final round!"

A girl stepped over the red barricade with a microphone in hand. It was Kifune. The gold colored buttons of her black uniform where glittering as brightly as those of the other Kansankai staff. However, only she wore a wine-red ribbon that created a contrast with the rest of her outfit.

She took the dealer's spot. The light in the hall dimmed and a spotlight was aimed at her. The crowd applauded. With an exaggerated gesture, she spread her arms wide and slowly turned a full circle as a greeting to the public.

Kifune cleared her throat. "This is the last night of the Ryouran Island Summer Camp! I sincerely hope that pleasant memories of this event will stay with you for a lifetime! Now, onto the final round of the poker tournament! I hope that it will be something that you will remember fondly as well!"

Kifune gestured towards the players at the table. "One of the remaining contenders will go home with 500 million Yen. No matter the outcome, I wish that all of you playing and all of you watching will enjoy yourself to the utmost!"

The crowd applauded again. Louder this time. Kifune knew how to work the public. Her presentation was spotless and confident.

She put her right hand on the left side of her chest. "I hereby swear, as your host and the manager of this casino, that I will act as an impartial dealer! Let's begin!"

The lights returned to normal and Kifune put the microphone away. She picked up a card deck from one of the stacks at the table. After the card snuffle machine did it's job, Kifune retrieved the deck and did the riffle shuffle with unusual elegance and speed. Earlier, I noticed that some of the dealers were not so practiced and used the table when performing the move. Kifune however, could do it in the air and without looking at her hands. Her eyes were on the players and she was smiling gently.

It was as if she was wearing an entirely different face than the one she had at the ship. You would never think this was the same Kifune that grinned with such contempt when she pulled that petty stunt on Yumeko. I remembered that she was switching personalities back then too. It was scary to imagine what made someone behave this way.

All the players had a million worth of chips and the ante started at 20 thousand. It was just like how the previous rounds began.
The cards were dealt, the ante was placed and the players peeked their hand. The crowd was silent now.

"Please discard", Kifune said. Yumeko changed two cards.

"The betting can start", Kifune continued.

Clockwise, the first after Kifune was Yumeko. She was ignoring Kifune and only looked at the other players.

I wondered what kind of impression Yumeko was making on those who had never met her before. She probably looked like a nice, normal girl, eager to play a nice, normal game.
But of course, she had a reputation and 500 million Yen was at stake. Perhaps the fact she didn't look scary it all was what was frightening the other players the most.

"Bet, 300 thousand", Yumeko said, moving the chips forward.

So once again, the round started off with a huge bet. This time it was Yumeko who did it, however. I remember that at her table in the first round, a guy made this move with a mediocre hand. At her table in the second round, it was Ace who went for that stunt with a hand that was never revealed.
Perhaps Yumeko liked the impact that it made and decided to initiate the round herself this way now. She eventually found a way to have fun playing against Ace. She may be looking to pull off something similar here.
I knew Yumeko well enough by now to know that is was likely not some calculated tactic, but rather a move to see how she could tempt the others out of their stiffness. "If the game was not played with passion, than nobody was having fun", she must have been thinking.

The player after Yumeko was a guy. I didn't really know him but I'm pretty sure he was a second year like me. His mind was made up quickly. "Fold", he said, sliding his cards towards Kifune.

"Fold." The girl after him followed suit.

"Fold", said the guy after her just as quickly.

The last player was Mitarai. If she would fold too, Yumeko would collect everyone's ante for a quick 80 thousand profit. It would have been a decent but somewhat boring start.

"Raise... 500 thousand total", Mitarai said with a timid voice.

A murmur went through the hall.

Despite her appearance, Mitarai had to be a shrewd player. She had made it to the final table, after all. She must have taken Yumeko for a bluffer, or perhaps Mitarai got crazy lucky here and her hand was good enough to justify wagering half her chips.

Yumeko looked bewildered for a moment. She stared at Mitarai with wide open eyes. Mitarai did not meet her gaze and kept looking down onto the table.

"Call", Yumeko said decisively.

"On to the showdown, then. Jabami-sama, Mitarai-sama, reveal your cards please", Kifune calmly said.

Yumeko went for a slow reveal again. She smiled and flipped over her cards one by one, keeping her eyes on Mitarai. "Three-of-a-kind aces."

The crowd murmured again. Yumeko was not bluffing. This was a very lucky hand.

Mitarai turned her cards over without ceremony and spoke with a weak voice. "... Four-of-a-kind fours"

The crowd gasped. Getting such fantastic cards is incredibly lucky by itself. It's even more lucky when this happens in a hand where a player before you put lots of chips into the pot already. Raising will look like you are suspecting a bluff, while in reality you don't even have to be doubting the strength of their cards.
It was almost inconceivable that Mitarai could keep her shy and reluctant look while fortune smiled on her this warmly. I guess I understood why she was good at poker. She was dominating the game with the poker face of a quiet reclusive. Her housepet tag became even more of a mystery, however.

Yumeko didn't react. She gave Mitarai a neutral look, as if nothing had happened.

The pot went to Mitarai. She calmly re-stacked her chips and made no eye contact with Yumeko.

Chapter 5, part 3

The round continued with Mitarai mostly in the lead. She lost a chunk of chips to others on occasion but was never close to being in danger of elimination. Everyone seemed to be of about equal skill and focused on playing sensibly. When someone made a huge bet, everyone else folded. When a there was a bluff that was called, it was for a moderate sum. It looked like the game could keep going for ever.

The ante went up for a second time and was now at 80 thousand.

The guy second from the dealer made a big raise. He was the one with the least chips. Mitarai called. He revealed a straight. Mitarai had something better. Considering his stack size and his hand, it seemed like a good move, but he was unlucky and now very close to elimination.

You could only rarely get a glimpse of Mitarai's eyes. Her black bangs were covering them and she kept looking down at the table most if the time. She just increased her chip lead and crushed an opponent, but said nothing and was looking as miserable as before.

Yumeko had the second largest pile of chips. Her attitude was totally differed than in the round before. She was not attempting to chat and looked unhappy.

The girl third from the dealer went all-in. The guy in the fourth seat called. Neither of them had that many chips left so a move like that was to be expected at some point. Mitarai folded without hesitation and so did Yumeko. The guy second from the dealer took a moment to think. He was about just as low on chips at the others still in this hand. Every fold was painful for him as the ante kept eroding his chip stack. He leaned forward and rubbed his temples. He called eventually.

The three who were still in this hand became the center of attention. Many of the spectators were cheering for one of them. They had an exhausted look. The girl was noticeably sweating. The last guy to call kept his hands on his temples and closed his eyes.

Mitarai and Yumeko were not involved in the showdown so they could afford to let their guard down for a bit to enjoy the show. They were both ignoring the spectacle, however. Yumeko kept looking at Mitarai with cold disapproval. Mitarai kept looking down and was hiding her eyes.

Chapter 5, part 4

The guy who called last, won the pot. This turn of events postponed eliminations as he was the one with the least chips. In the spur of the moment, he stood up and shouted. Some were rooting for him but there was also laughter in the audience. He quickly sat back down, looking embarrassed for what he did.

His comeback was sort lived. In the next hand he lost to Mitarai. Some hands later, the rest of his stack went to Mitarai too. The first elimination of the round was a fact.

It was as if Mitarai was targeting him. If he was out of the hand, Mitarai took it easy. If he was betting, Mitarai raised. He eventually had no choice but to go all-in against her and lost the showdown.

Yumeko seemed to be playing as carefully as she could get away with. She folded very often and didn't win or lose much.

Mitarai seemed to be frighteningly good at the psychological game. If there was a showdown that she lost, it was for a small amount. Nobody could figure out her bluffing. If the cards were not folded, she seemed to always have at last one pair.

The audience around me was taking about her. From what I picked up, nobody seemed to have heard of her. She was playing at least as well as Ace, but had none of his fame.

Four players remained. Yumeko started the hand with a small bet. The girl and guy after her both raised a little. This was by now a familiar situation. Everybody expected Yumeko to call or fold as she had shown no interest in huge raises. Mitarai folded.

Yumeko broke her pattern and went all-in. Her chip stack was the second largest, so losing to her here would mean elimination. The girl took a moment to think and then nodded as she moved all her chips forward. The guy after her did the same.

They probably read Yumeko's sudden change in play style as a bluff. Yumeko wasn't really bluffing, however. She had two pair with aces. It was good enough to win.

The crowd reacted. Some were cheering for Yumeko, some were clapping for the eliminated.

Only Mitarai and Yumeko remained. Mitarai was leading with slightly more than three million, while Yumeko had a bit less than two million worth of chips.

"Come on, Yumeko, you can do it", I yelled.

Despite the noisy crowd, she heard me. She looked at me and smiled while nodding. She then quickly turned her attention back to the table.

Either Yumeko or Mitarai would win 500 million Yen, a sum much larger than the lifetime earnings of the average Japanese wage worker. It felt unreal that so much money was at stake at a table game. The sum I had wagered on the tournament was pocket change in comparison.

From the start of the round, Kifune only acted as the dealer. Now that the game entered the final phase, she picked up her role as announcer again to entice the public. She grabbed the microphone and spoke with a dramatic voice. "Now, only two remain! Two out of the 125 made it this far! I can't wait to see who will take home the grand prize! The ante goes up to 320 thousand! Ladies, please place your chips!"

Mitarai complied. Her appearance remained unchanged. She was hunched and looked down onto the table, like she had done all this time. It occurred to me she was missing out on lots of information by no observing anyone. Since she was performing so well, it had to be part of a strategy somehow. A strategy I could not understand.

Yumeko's appearance also remained the same. There was something about this round that made her very unhappy. Here she was, playing a game she loved so much with such a fabulous prize on the line and the public rooting for her. There was however no trace of her usual passion. She had not yet moved her ante into the pot.

The public sensed something was wrong and went silent. Suddenly, you could hear the jazz that had been playing in the background all this time. The air conditioner was cranked up to the maximum for such a crowd and the soft swoosh it made blended with the hi-hat of the music.

Yumeko sighed deeply. She started tapping the edge of the poker table with her thumb ring. It was the loudest sound in the hall.

"You... are enjoying this game?", Yumeko asked slowly.

Mitarai looked startled when spoken to this way and her shoulders trembled slightly.

"I find it utterly boring. It doesn't excite me even a little bit. Why do you think that is?", Yumeko continued.

Mitarai said nothing.

Yumeko looked like she was suppressing anger. It was so unlike her usual self. She continued speaking slowly to Mitarai, emphasizing ever word. "You can hear me, right? If you know the answer, could you please tell me?"

Mitarai began answering with her weak voice. "Well, I guess that..."

"Jabami-sama, please keep the talking relevant to the game", Kifune interrupted.

"I wasn't talking to you. You're not the one who's playing here. Don't interfere, please", Yumeko said without looking up. It was a reply to Kifune, but Yumeko didn't avert her eyes from Mitarai.

Mitarai shriveled up and retracted her shoulders even further. She was short to begin with so her seating at the table wasn't high. With how low her head was hanging now, her bangs were almost touching the table.

"If you don't comply, I can use my authority to remove you from the tournament. What will you do, Jabami-sama? Will you obey dealer's instructions or forfeit the game?", Kifune said. As she was about to add something to that, there was a commotion in the crowd.

The spectators were dead silent since the start of his hand, but now something was going on among them at one end of the hall. Some were stepping aside to make room, others were dragging their friends aside who had not yet realized what was happening. The crowd parted, opening a corridor like the Red Sea did for Moses.

Through the opened space, a girl was walking up to the tournament table. She wore her long silver hair in two braids that were hung in loops, forming ornaments around her ears. The blue huge of her eyes and lipstick matched. She was beautiful and walked with grace and determination, like you would imagine royalty to do. Like many at the hall, she was wearing the school uniform summer vest. She however combined it with a long-sleeve shirt with frills.

The navy blue ribbons that tied her braids swayed as she dodged the barrier surrounding the table. Everybody knew who she was. Even if somehow someone didn't, the effortless confidence she was radiating made it clear for them.

Not far behind, was Sayaka Igarashi. Sayaka had her usual black ponytail and was wearing the long-sleeve uniform jacket. She had a focused and serious look. Everything about her told you she was here for business, fulfilling her role as the council president's secretary.

Kifune grabbed the table edge after briefly losing her balance when she saw who was approaching her. Shock and panic could be seen in her wide open eyes.

In front of Kifune was student council president Kirari Momobami, the undisputed ruler of Hyakkaou Private Academy.

Kifune grabbed hold of herself and snapped into her hostess role. She bowed deeply. When her face was visible again, she had narrowed her eyes and was smiling as wide as her mouth allowed.

"President Momobami, what a pleasant surprise. I'm grateful you have come all this way. If you are vacationing, I'll be happy to assign you personal staff", Kifune said, maintaining her grin.

Kirari did not respond. When she reached the table, she didn't stop walking. Instead, she slowly went around it with slow, deliberate steps as if she was checking if the floor was creaking. She looked completely at ease and was not acknowledging Kifune, the players, nor the crowd.

With a faint smile, Kirari turned towards her secretary. "Sayaka, you can deal Five-card Draw poker, right?"

Sayaka had caught up and was now also at the table. "Yes, president. It won't be a problem", she promptly replied.

Kirari briefly put her slender hand around Sayaka's waist and looked at Kifune. "Splendid. I've decided that from now on, Sayaka will deal this game."

Sayaka did not react to the touch and was calmly looking at the table. She was taking notice of what state the game was left in.

Kifune looked baffled and one of her eyelids quivered.

Kirari ignored her expression. "Thank you for all your hard work, Kifune. You may step down now", she said, maintaining her faint smile and slightly raising one eyebrow.

"You are surely joking. What need is there to change dealers now? Am I not good enough?", Kifune protested.

"Ah, my apologies for not being clear enough. I suppose there is need to put it more bluntly. I'm not asking for your input. I'm simply stating that you can go. That's all"

"With all due respect..." Kifune stepped a bit closer to Kirari and faced her. One of her hands was on the edge of the poker table. She was using it to support herself. It trembled slightly.

The head of the Hyakkaou's student council and the boss of Ryouran Island stared at each other. For a moment, there was only silence. The jazz music had stopped some time ago and this made the air conditioner the only noticeable sound in the hall.

Kifune finally spoke. "...This casino is officially sanctioned by the Tourism Industry Association and the Kansankai have permission to operate it. Even as student council president, you have no standing to dictate how we run things. You must know we have no intentions to oppose the council and fully intent to pay tribute with any income we can spare."

"Oh, yes. I know that you have the Kansankai work tirelessly to promote Ryouran. You're all doing a great job. I truly appreciate it, don't worry", Kirari said while placing a finger on Kifune's chin, raising it slightly.

"But, if I say that the dealer will change, the dealer will change", Kirari continued with a knowing smile.

Kifune's eyebrows began to twitch.

"Earlier you guaranteed as the manager that the game will be dealt fairly. I think I have enough clout to do the same", Kirari said and then widened her eyes as if she remembered something. "Ah, but I have to take an oath first, right?"

Kirari placed her right hand on the left side of her chest. She closed her eyes and lowered her head slightly. Her long and elegant silver-gray eyelashes were on display.
"I, Kirari Momobami, promise fairness and neutrality in regard to the dealer selection."

Kirari slowly opened her eyes and smiled at Kifune. "That should do it, don't you think?"

It wasn't a condescending smile and the girls were about the same height and age. Yet, this was clearly not some friendly banter between equals.

Kirari gestured towards the shuffle machine. "Besides, it doesn't really matter who the dealer is, does it? The mechanical shuffle combined with the manual one just gives you randomness, after all. I'm sure Sayaka can manage it just fine."

Kifune was speechless.

Kirari glanced at Kifune as she stepped away from the table. "Ryouran Island belongs to the student council. This means I can treat it like my property and get the final say about everything. I'll go back to spectating. I can't wait to see who will win. Sayaka, you know what to do. Now, resume the game."

All this time, Kirari had been speaking softly and politely. There was no hint of aggression in her body language. Her dignified presence alone was enough to keep the spectators silent. When she was standing it the spotlight, it was as if no one else on the hall mattered. The glance she gave to Kifune had no malice behind it. It was more of a knowing look saying "I bet you didn't expect that".

After a moment, Kifune managed to regain control of herself. She picked up the microphone with a trembling hand and announced that the round would resume.

Chapter 5, part 5

Oh god, why? Why is this happening? Why did she show up? What does she want? Am I her target or is this about something else?

I spotted one of my Kansankai subordinates in the corner of the hall. When he saw that I was looking, he averted his eyes like he was ashamed. He had a walkie-talkie on him so he should have had some warning that Kirari was coming. There were no ships scheduled for today so Kirari had to have arranged her own transport. Anyway, this didn't matter.

What mattered was that she saw though the trick. I didn't expect she had figured out the technical aspect of it yet, but she made it clear she understood that a cheat was in play.

The way Yumeko had been acting, it was safe to assume she had caught on as well. That on it's own would not have been a problem because her protest could have been brushed aside as nonsense from a sore loser. Kirari's command couldn't be brushed aside, however.

I could not stage a power play against the council. Not yet, anyway. Also, the public may grow suspicious if there would be so much fuss about a dealer change. I couldn't suddenly start arguing that it mattered who was handling the cards.

I had mastered the riffle shuffle. I practiced for countless hours. When I was good enough to do it blind, I kept practicing while reading so I could dedicate even more time to perfecting the skill.

I could split the deck in two perfect halves and interleave the cards from them in perfect alteration. This was the essence of the cheat. When shuffling cards like that, the end result is predictable. In fact, if some number of perfect riffle shuffles are preformed one after the other, the deck would return to it's original state.

I had considered to alter the card shuffler so that it would shuffle the cards in a predetermined way. This proved to be way too complicated to pull off on such a small table-top machine. It was much easier to rig the device to not shuffle the cards at all, while still making it's familiar, mechanical noise.

The card decks stacked on the table looked like they were factory sealed, but they too were altered. Thy were carefully prearranged. By picking a deck from a specific stack and preforming a perfect riffle snuffle on it, I got a card arrangement I wanted.

I could set up any player at any position on the table at any time with a fantastic hand. All I had to do was use a new deck from the right stack and not fail to perform the perfect riffle shuffle.

The ceremony of unsealing a new deck, using the mechanic shuffler and then riffling the cards gave any ordinary onlooker the impression we were fair and thorough. In reality, every step of the process was compromised.

I made some other Kansankai practice the perfect riffle shuffle. Only a small number of them ended up actually pulling it off reliably. This was fine. I didn't need many co-conspirators. The cheating only needed to happen at the tables where Mitarai was playing. All other tables got a working card shuffler, pristine decks and a fair dealer.

If Mitarai doesn't win, it would be a disaster. We don't actually have enough on hand to pay out the 500 million Yen prize money and all the side bets placed on Yumeko. We could technically make it work by asking ours investors for some leniency. This would however mean balancing on the edge of bankruptcy and having our customers wait for their money. The damage to the reputation of the casino would be very severe in that case. If everybody would think we were reckless amateurs, we would be done for, and so would my future career.

If Mitarai loses, Ryouran Island loses and I lose. It's the last thing I want to happen, but I no longer control the situation. I could have strong-armed Yumeko, but doing that with Kirari was impossible. Now I can't stop the tournament and I can't control the cards.

It was all over for me. Was Yumeko the one to pull the stunt of bringing Kirari here? Not that it mattered much now, but it would have been nice to know who was hammering the nails into my coffin.

Chapter 5, part 6

I couldn't believe Kirari had shown up! When the commotion started in the crowd behind me, I thought there was an emergency of some sort. I made way, like people around me were telling everyone to do. Then I saw her walk by with calm determination. I guess you could consider this an emergency, but not of the physical kind.

An extra chair was lifted into the barricaded off area around the poker table by staff. Kirari sat in it with legs crossed and a satisfied look on her face. She was like an empress, watching a gladiator match in the Colosseum. I heard she liked to see the struggles of he common folk, so I bet she was enjoying herself.

Sayaka was shuffling the deck. She did it a bit clumsy, but very thoroughly and alternated shuffling techniques. "I'm not very practiced, but I guarantee I'll do this right", her movements seemed to say.

Yumeko hadn't said anything since Kirari made her entrée. She was observing in silence, but I caught a brief smile on her face when Kifune was removed as dealer. Had Yumeko planned this somehow? She made it clear to Mitarai she was not enjoying this round while she was obviously having a blast playing with Ace in the previous one.

Was Yumeko thinking that Kifune was rigging the game? That would surely be a reason for her to dislike it. I didn't notice anything strange, but Yumeko apparently did. She alone would have stood no chance of exposing Kifune so that's probably why she called in Kirari.

It would have been senseless to rig the tournament to only prevent a particular person from winning. That meant that if there was cheating, it was to make a specific person win.

"Ah, there you are! This place is packed!", Mary said while squeezing herself through the crowd. "It was exhausting, but I did my job. That Mitarai girl really looks like a star player, doesn't she?"

"'Job', you say?! Saotome, you brought the council president here, didn't you?", I said loudly. "And here I was thinking you weren't interesting in this match at all! You're amazing! How this you pull it off though?! Did you just call her up or something?! Oww..."

Mary kicked my leg and slapped a hand on my mouth. "Shut up, before you start some weird rumor, you numskull. I had absolutely nothing to do with Momobami showing up. I'm as surprised as everybody else is about that", she hissed into my ear.

"I was in the hall with the screens most of the time. When the final round started I made my way here and only found you just now", Mary continued.

"Then what was this job you were talking about?", I whispered back.

"I'll explain later. I thought I understood everything, but now that Momobami is here, I have no idea how things will play out. We'll have to just watch it unfold", Mary answered while brushing her tails aide and looking at the table.

Chapter 5, part 7

The crowd was quiet and the players didn't say more than necessary. You could hear the sounds of the cards being shuffled and the chips being stacked. The game was moving at a fast pace and it was a back-and-forth, suggesting the girls had about equal skill. Yumeko performed her actions with practiced ease while Mitarai's hands were trembling from time to time.

You need to play more aggressively when the game is just a one-on-one, so some change in player behavior is to be expected. The impression that Mitarai was making was however so drastically differed, it was hard to believe she was the same girl. Sitting up straight, she declared her actions with an assertive voice and tension on her face. She had taken off her jacket and hung it on her chair. Despite only wearing the shirt, she was sweating heavily. Her breath was heavier too and you could see her small shoulders rising and sinking. The game was a desperate struggle for her and it was obvious she was giving it all she had.

Yumeko had a flustered look. She too was breathing heavily. She was acting in her familiar way, happily playing an exciting game. Yumeko started to react to Mitarai calling out her actions, as if she was encouraging her.

Mitarai's sweat was dripping onto the table. It was like she was in a battle for survival, with her life depending on not being caught between the jaws of the beast trying to devour her.

"Poker should be like this, shouldn't it?", Yumeko said, spreading her arms wide, as if she wanted to embrace Mitarai. "Could you tell me your first name? Playing with you is so much fun, I'd love to know more about you. It's an honor to share the table with you", Yumeko continued. There was no sarcasm or belittlement in her eyes. It truly looked like Yumeko was overflowing with joy.

Mitarai looked up. Behind the waterfall of sweat, was a tense face with an anxious smile. She had dark shadows under her narrowed eyes like she was lacking sleep. "I am... my name is Hana Mitarai."

Translator's note: Her first name is written as one of the spelling variants of the word 'flower'. So, Hana it kind of the same deal as girl's names like Rose and Violet.

Yumeko's eyes lid up. "Hana-san! What a lovely name you have! I wouldn't have expected that from someone playing with such ferocity, spirit and passion! Everything you do is infused with so much conviction! May I ask you one more question, Hana-san? Do you actually want to win this tournament?"

One of Hana's eyelids was trembling as she was looking at Yumeko. "Of course I do. What kind of a stupid question is that?", she said, while another drop of her sweat hit the table. "Isn't it obvious I'm doing everything I can to win? I have to beat you. If I don't, I'll have to answer to Kifune-sama and..." Hana stopped herself mid-sentence and slapped a hand in front of her mouth.

Yumeko started luring out a stronger response. "Oh, what was that? I didn't hear anything. To me it looks like you don't really want the prize money. That's a bit disappointing, but fine, I guess. I'll just walk over you and call it a day. It seems we are in agreement. It's better if I win, right?", she said with a dejected look.

Sayaka dealt a new hand. Hana peeked and changed tree cards. Yumeko peeked and didn't discard anything. This meant Yumeko had a very strong hand or perhaps this was a bluff to turn up the pressure on Hana even more.

Yumeko leaned forward, putting her elbows on the table and rested her head in her cupped hands. She was looking straight at Hana with narrowed eyes.

Hana swallowed hard. Sweat was still dripping from her and she looked exhausted and fragile, as if she could collapse any moment. "What do you mean, 'we are in agreement'? That's just straight up horseshit and you know it", Hana slowly said with a rasping voice.

Yumeko kept baiting Hana. She giggled and spoke with a care-free tone. "To tell you the truth, the 500 million Yen is not a big deal for me personally. However, I'm dead set on not letting you have it. I want to win to make you a loser, and you don't mind that much, do you?"

Hana grabbed the edge of the table as if she was ready to flip it.

Yumeko had a wide smile and was almost singing her words. "Yeah, that's right.. I absolutely don't want you to win, so be a good Mittens and roll over for me. Though, if I am somehow mistaken about you and you actually have the desire to prevail, why don't you show it? Put all of your soul into the game so we can have a really interesting match. Not that it will be enough to defeat me, but it will make a good show."

The stacks of chips were about even. The advantage Hana had at the start of the on-on-one had evaporated. Yumeko seemed to be slightly more skilled and had been slowly gaining on Hana.

Sayaka was unmoved by the drama in front of her. "It's time for the betting. Jabami-sama, your move", she said calmly and coldly.

"I'm all-in!", Yumeko said with enthusiasm while pushing her chip stacks. The highest stack collapsed and one of the chips rolled around the table, stopping in front of Hana.

Hana rested her eyes on the chip for a moment. Sayaka snagged it up and re-stacked it, but Hana kept looking at the empty spot on the table.

Yumeko was done with the taunting and spoke more softly.
"Let's decide it with this hand. The rising ante will soon kill the game for us, anyhow. The way this is gong, it will surely be just a matter of luck who wins. The ups and downs of each hand, the impact of strategic betting, the bluffing, the mind reading... All those things are fascinating, but sometimes, risking it all at once is the right choice. You know by now that you can't slowly wear me down. Doing the radical thing is your only good option, no matter how frighting it may be", Yumeko said with a sincere look.

Yumeko place her left hand on her chest and made another embracing gesture towards Hana with her right one. "Do you have it in you, Hana-san? Can you take the plunge? Let us lose ourselves in the exhilaration!"

Hana was looking straight at Yumeko with wide open eyes and her breathing was fast and deep. She stood up and slammed the table full force with both fists. The loud and dull sound filled the hall and was followed up immediately with the soft clatter of the resettling chip stacks.

Yumeko had been leaning over the table while seated. Hana now also leaned over it while standing, planting her palms on it for support. The girls' faces were now very close to each other.

After a moment of silence, Hana filled her lungs to their maximum capacity and shouted. "You want all-in?!! You got it!! I'm calling!!" Her voice was high-pitched but distorted because she was using it at maximum volume.

The air displacement swayed Yumeko's hair like a gentle breeze. "Hehehe... let us cherish this moment together", she said.

"On to the showdown then", Sayaka said with a neural voice.

Chapter 5, part 8

Hana... The strength of your play... incredible.

---

I first met Hana a couple of months ago. It was a rainy day and somebody has shoved her into a muddy flowerbed. She was sitting in it with all her clothes dirty and was crying quietly. Her housepet tag swayed with every sob.

It was as if I was looking at a version of my past self. I had never given up, however. Hana looked like she did. She had noticed someone had approached her but kept her face hidden. She wasn't looking at me and she no longer cared that her clothes would stain more, the longer she sat there.

I was searching for someone like her. It wasn't that I felt anything special for her. There were plenty of other housepets around, after all. Hana just seemed perfect for what I had in mind so I made my choice then and there.

"Your life", I said.

Hana was startled and looked at me fearfully.

"You have given up on it, haven't you?", I continued.

Hana averted her eyes.

I bent over and whispered to her. "And if you haven't yet, it's better to do it now. No matter how much you struggle, nothing will change. You will be oppressed, used and then discarded. It's inevitable. Maybe just take the shortcut and get it over with, huh?"

"I'm scared of death", Hana managed between sobs.

"But then there will be no one to throw into the mud. Which is scarier; being treated like garbage your whole life or end it all on your terms? You'll come to accept the abuse eventually if you endure it long enough, but do you really want to?"

"...I..." Hana wept uncontrollably. Her tears were washing the mud from her cheeks. "I can't kill myself", she said, clenching soil in her fists. "I can't go on like this but I can't end it either. It's terrifying either way."

"You are indecisive and weak. If you can't make up your mind about such a thing, why not give your life to me instead?", I said, extending my right arm to her.

She looked puzzled. Then she tried to wipe her muddy face with her muddy arm and took my hand.

This was the trick I used to recruit Hana. A trick that would not have worked on me even in my most desperate moment. I would have rather died trying to dig myself out of the pit of misery, than surrendering myself to someone like that. Nobody deserved to be above me. I, Kifune Izayoi, would be one of the rulers. Playing servant for someone was out of the question. The success of the Kansankai was proof that it could be done. In time, any problem could be solved and any threat to my success could be eliminated in some way.

Hana was one of us now and was helping out with the casino. It was however crucial that nobody knew that. At school, she acted like a secret agent of sorts. She never spoke to me or any other Kansankai in person. All contact with her was though the phone.

Hana continued to be bullied and I could have stopped it. Her assailants were obviously pathetic losers themselves and I had ways to lean on people. I did nothing, however. It would raise suspicion if it became known that she was protected. For the plan to work well, everybody needed to think she was an abandoned deadbeat who only had her own willpower to thank for her success. She would look just like me.

Hana would be the perfect tournament winner. Nobody would place bets on her, nobody would suspect she was co-opted and nothing would need to be paid out. I probably didn't have to worry about anyone figuring out she was actually unskilled at poker, either. As the champion, she would have enough clout to refuse any game and not be pressured into one.

The tournament prize and the side bet rules were great publicity. We would look so generous while in reality we would only be taking in money. Sure, maybe someone might bet some small amount on Hana as a joke, but that would be a negligible loss.

---

Now that Kirari had forced in an actually neutral dealer for the end of the round, the plan was shot. Not all was lost, however. I fully expected Hana to be a complete pushover without the cheat in place. I was wrong. She was playing brilliantly. She was being outclassed by Yumeko in the long term, but not by much. Nobody would think that Hana didn't have the right to sit at the final table of the tournament.

"Reveal your cards, please", Sayaka continued.

"Yes!" Yumeko eagerly reached for her cards, but then stopped herself. "Igarashi-san, would you allow us to enjoy this moment to the fullest? Could I please flip over the cards slowly, one-by-one?", she asked Sayaka.

Sayaka hesitated and then gestured towards Kirari.

Kirari was still seated and had the same satisfied look. She briefly closed her eyes and nodded with a smile.

"Thank you!", Yumeko said cheerfully.

So what hands did they have?
Yumeko didn't change any cards so that suggests at least a straight. This is of course disregarding the mind games. Yumeko's move could have been purely provocative, but that seemed far too reckless, even for her.
Hana looked spend, like she could have fainted from the pressure and exhaustion. She had proven to be a shrewd player however, so I had hope she was not mindlessly stepping into a trap here. She changed three cards so she should be holding at least a pair.

My future, the casino's future, Hana's future.... All of those would the depend on the outcome of this hand.

Yumeko flipped her first card. It was the ace of diamonds, so she had a strong high card at the least.

My heart was beating very fast and I felt like bugs were crawling over my skin. My fate was to be decided by something I had no control over and this scared me like nothing did before. My mind was racing and it was as if the world unfolded before me in slow-motion. Every card flip seemed to be taking an eternity.

Yumeko flipped her second card. King of diamonds. Everything remained possible, including a royal flush.

I felt nausea well up inside of me. Surely she didn't...

Yumeko flipped the four of clubs. What she had was worse than a straight.

I was now nauseous and euphoric at the same time.

Yumeko flipped the four of spades. She had a pair at least.

My feet took on a life of their own and I stepped like I was about to run away. I stopped myself just in time. It must have looked like a clumsy stumble to any onlooker.

While revealing her cards, Yumeko had been looking at Hana. For the last reveal, Yumeko looked straight at me with wide open eyes. Thy were like twin back holes, an unstoppable force of nature, pulling in everything around it. With a wide grin, she flipped the four of hearts, making her hand a low three-of-a-kind.

I wanted to vomit. I wanted to run away. I wanted to scratch every inch of my itching skin. I wanted to curl up on the ground and cry.
With irregular breath, shaky footing and a racing heart, I stopped myself from doing any of those things. It was not known to the public that the tournament was rigged and there was still hope it would stay that way. I needed to look neutral.

I tried to calm myself down by doing the calculation in my head again. Paying the 500 million Yen and all the side bets on Yumeko would be extremely painful but not the end, necessarily. If would be salvageable if our investors were in a generous mood and if Yumeko wouldn't make a public fuss about needing to wait for her money. Those were big ifs, but there was hope. If things could be resolved quietly and privately, the casino would stay open and there was an outlook on a profitable future. One that was further away than I'd hoped, however. We couldn't open the casino to the general public. Though, perhaps the hotel and beach on their own could bring in modest profits whenever the weather was fair but there were no school holidays.

The calming down worked. I now at least knew how to proceed if Hana lost.

Sayaka kept speaking with a flat tone. If she was feeling anything, it was probably relief that her job here was almost done. "Jabami-sama has three-of-a-kind fours. Mitarai-sama, please reveal your hand too."

Hana revealed with a single move.

"Mitarai-sama has three-of-a-kind sixes and wins the tournament. Congratulations", Sayaka said without any flair.

The crowd gasped. Then there was a long applause. It was clear that the winner was not the favorite, but people seemed happy enough to have witnessed such an exciting tournament.

Kirari was slowly clapping from her chair with the same faint smile she held throughout her presence here.
Yumeko stood up and clapped enthusiastically.

Hana look dazed. On her face was a mixture of relief and disbelief. She was staring at the flipped cards on the table with wide open eyes. You could still see her shoulders move along with her heavy breathing. She didn't turn her head to me but found me with her eyes. With the tension now gone, I saw exhaustion and pride on her face.
Tears were welling up in my eyes. I felt shame for underestimating her so much.

Yumeko went around the table to grab Hana by the shoulder and shake her hand. "Congratulations! It was a blast playing with you. I had a wonderful game! It's a memory I'll cherish forever. Thank you!"

The audience was still applauding. "You actually beat Jabami!" "Tech me poker sometime!" "Mittens! That was amazing!" "Congratulations!"

And with that, Hana the Mittens was no more. I'll have plenty of cash to buy her out of housepet status. She was no longer a secret agent so there was no point for her to keep the tag. She will be reborn as a full member of the flourishing Kansankai and stand by my side as I achieve my goals.

Yumeko and Kirari knew the tournament was rigged but I didn't think that would be a problem. All we have to do is open up the decks with the fake factory seal and fix the compromised shuffling machine. All evidence would be gone in 5 minutes.
Only a couple of the staff were in on the cheating. They were all loyal and wouldn't betray me.

The next financial report to our investors will look delightful. From now on, it would be smooth sailing for me up to my graduation. My success was assured.

When acting as dealer, I didn't wear the walkie-talkie to not create the impression that there was some hidden communication possible. I also instructed the staff to not interrupt the final table proceedings unless there was some dire emergency.
Now that the tournament was finished, one of the staff was standing outside the barricade around the table, urging me to approach. He was clearly upset about something.

I walked over to him. "Yes, what is it?"

He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me closer to whisper in my ear. "I-I'm sorry, Boss... Someone had placed a bet on Mitarai last second."

"So what?", I hissed back. "That's not a problem. A minor payout is accounted for. There was bound to be someone who did foolish things like that on a whim. Don't talk about such things here in the open. People might...", I was saying, but then saw the tears in his eyes.

Before the final round started, I had checked the status of the side betting. As expected, nobody had bet on Hana. It seemed someone had sneaked in a bet after I left for dealer duty but before the round began.

"The g-girl who took the bet didn't realize. She was just told that a-all bets were welcome and that there was no l-limit", my staffer was sobbing in my ear.

"How much?", I asked with wide open eyes.

"The b-bet was 200 million Yen, so the payout is one billion. B-boss... Kifune-san... What will we do?"

My heart started pounding in my chest again. "That's ridiculous", I hissed at him while staring at his desperate expression.

The nausea was back. I took a breath and closed my eyes.
"Who did it? Who placed that bet?", I asked him with a weak voice.

"It was that famous guy..."

Chapter 5, part 9

After I parted ways with Yumeko and Ryota at the tournament sign up, I headed to the hall with the screens. There was work to be done.

I was regretting that I couldn't enjoy myself at the casino some more and I was not really looking forward to watching the tournament. It couldn't be helped. I was under orders from Yumeko. I had sworn to obey her during this trip, but more importantly, what I was about to do seemed to involve getting revenge on Kifune. It was so frustrating that I couldn't do anything about the treatment we got from her on the ship. However, with the ridiculous plan Yumeko came up with, I could bite back.

---

"Mary-san, this is an order. Watch as much of the tournament tables as you can. Among all the players, there will be one who will be consistently and suspiciously lucky. Find out who that person is. You have until the end of the second round to do so", Yumeko had whispered to me.

It was all good up to that point, but Yumeko kept whispering. "Right at the last minute, just before the betting on the final round is about to close, make sure at least a 100 million Yen bet is placed on that suspicious player. It doesn't have to you who is betting and it doesn't have to be your money. I'll reimburse you and anyone else you convinced to bet if it doesn't pay off. Please, Mary-san, make it happen."

Getting instructions like that from someone who was acting air-headed and starry-eyed was frighting. This was however Yumeko. Around her, the outrageously abnormal was a daily occurrence. I trusted her when she said she would refund any losses. All of this was going to be a challenge, but there would be no risk.
Yumeko probably didn't want to draw attention to herself by moving her own money. She knew that Kifune was watching her, so she needed someone else to bet.

I decided to not let Ryota in on the secret. I was happy to let the guy enjoy himself, watching Yumeko's games. If I needed him, I could tell him about the scheme later. In the mean time, it was probably safer if he didn't know.

---

I got some iced tea from the bar and managed to find a seat where I could see all the screens. I took a sip as I watched the dealers perform the first shuffle of the first round. Being friends with Yumeko had proven to be quite the roller coaster. How much stupid stuff had I been involved in now, only because she nudged me into it? I've lost count.

My observations during the first round were inconclusive. I had seen some things from some people that could be considered strange, but there was nothing really suspicious. With 25 tables it was impossible to keep track of everyone.
It annoyed me that I had gotten nowhere. I didn't want to disappoint Yumeko, but above all, I didn't want to fail. Sloppy work was unacceptable. I had one more round to spot the cheater.

Ace had shown up between rounds. I ended up humoring him as much as I could stand. I needed someone to place the bet on the cheater and Ace was a great candidate for that.

There were only 5 tables in the second round. This made my job a lot easier and I had a suspect pretty soon. It was Mitarai, that housepet girl we met at the bar earlier. At first glance, she was remarkably unremarkable. She had a timid demeanor and seemed to be playing carefully with fair skill.

I happened to be looking at her table when there was a showdown with her involved. Mitarai was the last to call. She won with a full house, but the pot was low. I couldn't make sense of that. With such a fantastic hand, re-raising at least a little bit would absolutely be the right thing to do.

I kept watching her and saw something similar happen again. Mitarai was holding back. It was as if she didn't want to win too quickly. I was willing to believe that her mind games were very effective, but the odd thing was that she seemed to have a differed goal than everybody else. She was acting like she wanted her opponents to bleed dry slowly, without ever looking like she was particularly lucky herself.

The fact she kept getting away with not pushing her advantage when fortune smiled on her, told me her skills were way beyond my comprehension... or that she was cheating. The second round at Mitarai's tabled wrapped up. She won.

I was anxious and a bit reluctant. What I was about to do brought no risk to myself, but a lot of money would be involved and Yumeko's trust in me would be on the line. More importantly, I was going to try to convince Ace of something. He and Yumeko shared a table with only the two of them remaining. It was a drawn out battle and I noticed that Ace's attitude had changed a lot.

There was no way I could come up with a 100 million Yen myself. I was far from broke, but my casino winnings from yesterday paled in comparison to the amount Yumeko had requested to be bet. I was still not entirely sure if Yumeko's order was a sign of trust, or another one of her elaborate gags. Anyway, a promise is a promise and if my actions helped to ruin Kifune, I was all for it.

Yumeko had won her table. Ace was out of the tournament. It was time for me to make the move. I took a last gulp of iced tea and headed towards the tournament hall to intercept Ace.

"Goldilocks! So you are here after all! The black haired maiden is truly formidable. I got carried away and lost. Her charm pales in comparison to yours, of course", Ace said with a bright smile.

I kept my face neutral. "Ace, listen, there is something I need to tell you."

Ace kept smiling. "Go ahead, my golden haired angel. No matter what insults come from your lips, they will sound as soothing as a siren's song to me!"

I shook my head. "Forget about all of that for a second. We need to talk business. It's a... delicate matter. Let's go outside, it's way too crowded in here."

We went to the fountain outside the casino entrance. There was nobody there and the splashing water made it hard to hear anything from afar. I explained the situation to him.

"So yeah", I conduced. "Yumeko's hunch was spot on and all I need now is someone to bet at least a 100 million Yen on Mitarai. You keep the winnings if the bet pays out. You get compensated by Yumeko if it doesn't. Do you... perhaps have the money available to make this deal?"

Ace was holding his chin and had a frown on his forehead. He was in deep thought.

I took out my coin card. "There's 5 million Yen on this thing, my winnings from yesterday. It's all I have, pretty much. I'll give it to you to throw into the bet as well. It's chump change compared to what I'm asking you to wager, but it's all I can do to prove how serious I am about this."

Ace changed pose. He crossed his arms and was smiling again. "Don't worry, Goldilocks. I believe everything you said. Knowing the black haired maiden, it all makes sense. She doesn't really care about the money. She just wants the casino management to feel the thrill of being exposed to huge risk, together with her."

His grin widened. "It's only a good gamble if everybody is absolutely terrified. That's what she is thinking."

Ace threw his head back and laughed. "Simply amazing. What a wonderful scheme. However... It's none of my business. I can make my own money. I don't need any risk-free handouts like this. Perhaps I need some more incentive to cooperate", he said with a wink.

I was expecting this. "If Mitarai does not win, you'll get refunded and... I'll go a date with you to the amusement park", I said as calmly as I could.

Ace suddenly looked serious. "Goldilocks, we have a deal. I need to hurry", he said while snatching the coin card from my hand. He quickly went back into the building.

My job was done. I could loiter a bit and then watch the final round with Ryota. I stopped by the bar and ordered a fruit plate. As I was eating it, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"The bet has been placed. I made it 200 million Yen, total", Ace quickly whispered into my ear. He then smiled and loudly talked about the amusement park and how our date there would go.

Chapter 5, part 10

As everybody was clapping for Hana, Mary cupped her hands and began whispering into my ear. She explained what Yumeko's instructions to her were and what she had been doing during the previous rounds.

I felt like a dunce. Yumeko and Mary had been miles ahead of me. They had figured out what was going on early and acted on it strategically and skillfully. All I had been doing was cheering for Yumeko without suspecting a thing. Yumeko's foresight was brilliant and Mary's keen observational skills were crucial to executing the plan. It was both comforting and unsettling being friends with these two.

Sayaka looked at Kifune, probably expecting she would make an end announcement of some sort. It seemed that this was not going to happen, so Sayaka took the microphone from the table herself. She spend a second looking for the activation button on it.

She found the button and made a quick no-nonsense statement, informing everyone who won and that the tournament was over. After putting the microphone down, she walked over to Kirari to stand by her side.

Hana was led away by one of the staff and Kifune disappeared into the crowd as well. The final proceedings must have looked a bit clumsy and anticlimactic, but the audience didn't seem to care much. The tournament itself had been spectacular, after all.

"Well, I lost", Yumeko said cheerfully as she joined us in the crowd.

"You... You certainly put up a great show", I said, managing to smile. "Saotome told me about... eh... the thing you had her do. I can't believe all of this was happening in the background."

Mary crossed her arms and was frowning. "Yumeko, I did exactly as you asked. I found the right person and arranged the bet. It was a nearly impossible task, but I managed it. Don't you dare giving me any more orders."

Yumeko giggled. "I see, but it all worked out didn't it? If I had thought you had failed, the game would not have been nearly as thrilling for me. I would have been lost without you. Thanks so much, Mary-san!"

"Hey, stop clinging to me", Mary shouted.

Yumeko was hugging Mary's arm. "Mary-san, tell me, did you have to promise a date to Ace? When are you going?"

Mary looked shocked. "Yes... I mean, no... It was only if... Hey, how did you know? Wait, you didn't do all this only to make me... Aarg!"

"Yumeko, there's something I don't quite get yet", I said. "You had the foresight to know the tournament was rigged before signing up. So, why did you sign up, anyway? If president Momobami showing up had nothing to do with you, you wouldn't have known there was any outlook on the cheating to stop. Since you don't like rigged games, you were knowingly signing up for misery."

Yumeko looked at me while still hugging Mary's arm.

"If I hadn't signed up, I wouldn't have been able to play all those wonderful games. I couldn't just pass up the opportunity for fun so grand as this tournament. Sure, it was a bummer to know there was foul play, but it made the challenge even more enticing somehow. I was... trying to find a way to deal with it myself at the final table, but then the unexpected happened."

Yumeko let go of Mary's arm and looked at me more seriously. "You should chose to do whatever makes you happy and accept there may be setbacks."

I smirked. "To be honest, I'm only passionate about video games. I just have to choose which ones to play to have the most fun. It's nothing compared to the choices you are making."

Yumeko snorted. She stood close to me and put a hand on my neck. I was expecting a warm touch but her fingers felt cold. She looked straight at me from up close. Her eyes widened and I felt like I was staring at an inescapable abyss.
"The choices are just a means to an end for me. I want to bring out everything my opponent has. Only if brought to the edge of despair, does their true potential awaken. People can do the most miraculous things when pushed to their limit. Playing against people in that state brings me unimaginable pleasure", she softly said while rubbing my neck with two fingers.

I was afraid of Yumeko, but I was also drawn to her. It was like surfing on the towering waves a hurricane had produced; an exhilarating sort of fear. You could only enjoy the ride if you accepted that you could slip and be pulled under at any moment. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the touch, knowing that the abyss was staring at me.

Chapter 5, part 11

I was leaning back in my desk chair. My body felt numb and my strength had left me. It was as if I didn't have the energy to get up, even if I wanted to.

I've lost it all and it was Yumeko's doing. I had asked the staff about that guy who placed the 200 million Yen bet on Hana. He was famous. He insisted to sign up for everything as 'Ace'. He was on good terms with Yumeko. He was seen talking to one of her friends just before the final round.

It didn't matter anymore, but I found myself thinking about where I went wrong.
If if hadn't bullied Yumeko at the ship, would she have ignored the tournament? Would everything have turned out fine if I didn't rig the poker games? Would it have helped if had I refused her as participant? None of those things seemed right.

Yumeko Jabami was just something that happened to me, like a hurricane or a heart attack.

You could say it was all because I was greedy, but only losers aren't greedy. Taking things slow and be modest was not something I could have done. I couldn't have found the motivation within me to dedicate myself to something that would only bring me mediocre success. It was the stars or the gutter for me and nothing in between was worth the effort.

I leaned over the desk and held my head in my hands. My mind was a blur and my thoughts felt just as heavy as my limbs. Thinking clearly would not have helped me now, anyway. Soon, I would be kicked out of this place. All of the Kansankai who followed me, believed in me and trusted me would be bitterly disappointed. I was ashamed to face anyone at this point.

Paying out the side bet winnings was... impossible. If I presented the current situation to the investors, they would probably cover the loss, but only if I gave up ownership and new management was installed. My casino would no longer be mine.

I thought about Hana and the shame hit me even harder. My most unwaveringly loyal follower. What would she say to me now?

The door opened. "Ah, Kifune. There you are. You look terrible", Kirari said. Sayaka entered my office behind her and was carrying a briefcase.

"... What can I do for you?", I said reluctantly while looking up. "There are no ships leaving the island today. I guess I'm arranging VIP suites for you both", I sighed.

I was bankrupt and Kirari knew about the cheating. There was no point pretending to be the eager hostess anymore.

"No need. I have my own transport on standby", she said with a faint smile on her blue lips. "Your tournament was quite a show. What started out as a competition between players, turned into a battle between an individual and the management, didn't it? The ups and downs of it... The moves that were made... The passion of those involved... I very much enjoyed watching it."

"Yeah, well, you didn't come here just to flatter me, right? There are more important things you want to discuss. Go on, hit me with them", I said while leaning back in the chair again and looking straight at her.

Kirari maintained the smile. "No need to hurry. Do you have any tea? I'd like to talk slowly."

"In here? There's only the coffee maker. I'm forced to send you to the bar for tea. They are still open. It's free for you, of course. Enjoy", I replied.

Kirari looked slightly dejected. "You're being cold. It's fine, I guess. Let's not dally and get down to business, then."

I owed her. For the casino plan to work out I needed to be covered by Hyakkaou's special status and the island location was a dream. If I couldn't use Ryouran, I couldn't have started a casino that was anywhere near as alluring.

I was ready to pay a lease or negotiate some profit sharing agreement with the student council. It turned out I didn't have to. Kirari just let me use the island for free. She didn't exactly do it on a whim, because she had the paperwork ready before I knocked on her door. She saw me coming and gave me the most incredible deal. This felt a bit too lucky, but she had made the impression that she wanted to casino too, so I didn't think too much about it.

Now, she was undoubtedly here to reap the rewards of her generosity. A generosity that had cost her nothing. She had us plan, fund and build the casino for her and all she had to do was give us permission to use the land. Well played, president. Well played.

"So, about the island...", Kirari started.

I closed my eyes and braced myself. This was the end. My head was on the execution block and Kirari was swinging the axe.

I was startled by the door hitting the wall with a loud bang. Hana rushed into the room. She lost her balance and fell to the floor.

"Oh, dear", I said with a timid voice. Of all the people, Hana was the last who I wanted to be a witness to what was going to happen.

Hana must have sprinted full speed to here. She was breathing heavily and sweating. "Please, student council president!! Please let Kifune-sama continue to run the casino!!", Hana shouted full volume. Her voice was distorted and raspy.

She looked Kirari straight in the eyes from the floor. "You can give me a Life Schedule. Do whatever you want with me. I'll obey you no matter what. I-I can be useful, you know. Anything is fine as long as Kifune-sama gets to k-keep being the manager here", she said with tears welling up.

A Life Schedule is something that is given to those truly hopelessly in debt to the student council. It's essentially slavery. If you happen to receive one, it means you have to do what you are told, even marry and have children with whom you are told to. Your complete, life long obedience becomes the repayment. Depending on the circumstances, you could still end up with an ambitious career. However, the clout, power and access that come with it will be used by those you have to obey.

Hana keeled before Kirari and slammed her head into the floor. "Please... Student council president... Please..." She lifted her head, looked at Kirari and slammed it on the floor a second time. And then a third time, with even more force.

I quickly stood up and grabbed her by the collar of her shirt to prevent her from doing it again.

Kirari was silently watching with a neutral expression. Sayaka was not even looking at Hana at all.

Hana tried to hit the floor with her head once more and I tightened my grip to stop it. Her forehead was bleeding. Hopefully it was just the skin that was damaged.

---

"Yeah, they seem to be willing to loan the money. They asked for more details. They'd only do that if they were seriously considering it. It won't be a problem." Hana's voice on the phone was weak as usual and that was not because of the call quality.

"Great job. You are good at handling this sort of thing. If this works out, it will be your achievement", I answered.

Hana the housepet was a great recruit. Everyone in the Kansankai was useful, but Hana had special kind of single-mindedness that made her put in the extra effort to make anything work out.

I was worried about her shy personality. This proved to not be a problem. When she didn't have to deal with people in person, her weakness disappeared and her strengths were on display. She only communicated through phone and email. With us and with the shareholders, creditors, contractors and utility companies.

Meanwhile, she was barely relying on me. She served me without fully grabbing the hand I had extended to her. It was perfect. Her membership of the Kansankai remained a secret and everybody thought she was a loner, while in reality she was a tremendous help. My respect for her gradually grew.

"Kifune-sama", she said with in her usual timid way.

It was hard to figure out what mood she was in. This was perhaps why she got pressured into debt in the first place. When there is no emotional response from someone, others may stop to see them as human. They would be just like a robot you could toy with. Or maybe her bullies were tempted to see how far they could push her before she did show feelings.

"I want to thank you for what you did for me", she continued.

"Too early", I promptly replied. "You're still a Mittens and you're still being bullied."

"I know... That's not what I meant. A girl hit me in class yesterday. I looked at her after she did that. Like... I used to always look away and take it. Before, I tried to ignore them and waited for them to get bored. I've... I've never looked someone in the eye like that. I could do it because I knew I wasn't trash. I knew I was useful... to you. I somehow wasn't scared because of that."

I remained silent. Hana continued talking.

"Kifune-sama, you've told me about your future before. I now know what my future is too."

"Do tell", I said.

"I'll help you make the casino a success. I'll dedicate my life to helping you realize your dreams. That's my future."

There was a brief pause. Then I heard the loud slurping of Hana finishing her drink with a straw.

I burst out in laughter. "Listen, this is a very dangerous thing you are promising to me. If you say things like this, I will work you to the bone and I will make you sacrifice everything for me. Unless. You. Say. No. Do you understand?"

"Yes", Hana said. There was another slurp.

---

I let go of Hana's shirt. She was crying while curled up on the floor, no longer attempting to hurt herself.

"Get up. It's alright", I said. "I didn't live up to your expectations. Your trust in me was misplaced. Your unwavering loyalty to me was undeserved. I am... truly sorry for that."

I was in tears myself but I pushed on. "But don't let that bring you down. You don't need me anymore. The way you handled yourself at the end of the game... With that spirit in you, you can do anything on your own, you know."

"No! No, I can't!", Hana managed through her sobbing.

I keeled beside her. "I can't pay you the full prize money, obviously, but I can manage what you need to get rid of the housepet tag. It's nothing compared to the work you did for me."

"No! Kifune-sama, you said so yourself! You'll accept any sacrifice from me! A future where I'm not serving you is a future I don't want!", Hana said and raised her head for another bang at the floor. I grabbed her again to stop her.

Kirari smiled at us from above. "Oh my, the two of you are really getting ahead of things."

"Hana, I have no intention of giving you a Life Schedule. You are simply not a party to the matter at hand. However...", Kirari said while grabbing her chin.

Maybe she was really thinking or maybe she wanted us to boil in the fear of the unknown a bit longer. The sealing light of the room was just behind her. Hana and I were in her shadow.

"I have no intention to take the casino away from Kifune either. In fact, I came here to smooth things out. Sayaka, the papers, please. You know which ones."

Sayaka put her briefcase on my desk and opened it. She quickly found what she was looking for inside it and handed the documents to Kirari.

Hana and I were still on the ground and Kirari crouched next to us, coming down to our level. "That billion Yen side bet payout can be taken care of immediately. Sayaka can authorize the transfer in seconds, if I tell her to. It's bad business to have a patron wait for their money, after all. You will have to sign this, however."

She put the document on the ground in front of me. It started with 'Capital Alliance Agreement' in a bold font.

"The bet will be paid out and all the loans the Kansankai has will be taken care of as well. In other words, all of your debt will be bought up by the student council."

Once again, I had completely misread Kirari. Only now could I fully see the trap that I had walked into.

"Kifune-sama, I...", Hana was saying but stopped herself. I understood her.

"We'll be reasonable with the repayment schedule. I'll expect you to draw up a plan to show how much and how often you can manage to pay. You are good with those kind of presentations, aren't you? If the situation justifies it, I'm sure we can lend you even more money from time to time", Kirari said, dropping a pen next to the contract.

"Sounds good, doesn't it? Of course, you can refuse, but then you won't stay in charge here for long. This has already occurred to you, I'm sure", Kirari said while standing up and walking to my desk.

She was offering a Life Schedule of sorts after all. Not to Hana but to me. I was to give up on my dream and disappoint everyone who believed in me, or become a servant of the student council. This was strangely ironic because my dream was all about not needing to serve anyone in the first place.

I was humiliated. It was not the casual sort that I had to endure many times, but a skillfully crafted, subtle and very deep type of humiliation.

I clenched my fists. "Why are you even offering me this? It is for your benefit or just for laughs?"

Kirari was leaning against my desk with her arms crossed. "There are couple of benefits, but I won't get into the boring stuff right now. During the tournament, I told you that I can treat anything the student council owns as mine. So, if Ryouran Island is mine and you have dedicated your life to it, I consider your life to be mine as well."

"Pick up the pen. Or don't. It's your choice", Kirari said with a smile. Her blue eyes were glittering. She looked genuinely curious about my next move.

I was was crushed by the weight of a natural ruler. All this time I had been swimming in her fish tank, which I mistook for the open sea. I could never outdo her. I understood this now. My ambition to to push her out of my way someday seemed so laughably naive in hindsight.

I stood up. "Hana, you understand what I'm about to do, right?", I said, while picking up the pen and the contract.

"I'll follow your lead, no matter what. Your future is my future", she answered without hesitating.

My mind was made up now. At least I wouldn't be a total disappointment to my parents or my fellow Kansankai.
I carried the contract to the desk and signed without bothering to read any of it.

"Splendid. Sayaka, please make the transfer", Kirari said.

"Yes president." Sayaka took the contract, tossed in back into her briefcase and left the room with it.

Kirari plunged onto the couch opposite the desk and crossed her legs. "Now then. Its nice to have some coffee once in a while. Drinking coffee so late make you feel like you are doing something sneaky, doesn't it? Will you join me for a cup, Kifune? I'd love to chat."

"I'll get the coffee maker going", Hana said. She was holding a napkin to her forehead.

Kirari was talking with the same excited look she had in her own office when we spoke there. "Now that the financial stuff is taken care of, tell me what your plans are. You must have had some ideas about what to add to this wonderful resort. A gym or indoor pool maybe? Bungee jumping from that hill on the far side? Parasailing? I'd love to hear it."
I guess I should have felt strong resentment or even be enraged. I didn't and I wasn't. Now that I had given up on overthrowing that what I could not, there was only relief.

"Yes, president", I said.

Final Chapter

Well, I made some money, but I can't say I had all the fun I wanted. It was late and the crowd watching the tournament had dispersed into the casino to play games themselves.

I was at the roulette table. It was a simple game but after all the work I did this evening, I felt too exhausted for anything more substantial. I has 25 million Yen on me. Most of it was on the coin card in my pocket. I had exchanged some of it for physical coins to play roulette.

Ace had proven to be reliable. He had placed the bet on Hana exactly like he promised and returned me my share as soon as he was paid. He had made almost 800 million Yen with that side hustle of ours, but yet he looked disappointed when he handed me my coin card.
Our date to the amusement park was off. He had yapped my ears off about it at the start of the third round. He was describing how much fun I would have and how I would end up confessing my love for him on the Ferris wheel. He had imagination, enthusiasm, determination and many other good traits. To me he was just insufferable, though. I wished he had aimed for someone he did stand a chance with.

Calling the person running the roulette game the 'dealer' is not wrong nowadays, but the French term 'croupier' is preferred.
The American variant of the roulette wheel has 38 numbers. Next to the wheel is a large layout area with all the numbers represented. You can bet on what number the ball will land on by placing money on the layout. You can take a high risk for a high reward by betting on an individual number, or bet on some grouping of numbers to increase the chance of winning but also lowering the payout.

"Mary-san", Yumeko said, sitting down next to me. "Roulette, huh? Looks fun. They say a really practiced croupier can land the ball where they want to. Do you think that's true?"

"Naah. If people could develop such a skill, they would change how the game works. Neither the casinos, nor the customers would trust the croupiers. Besides, they still let you bet after the ball has been released into the wheel, so I'm sure it's all unpredictable enough", I said.

Yumeko was staring at the table. "I see. You sound like you have this game figured out."

"Have you never played roulette before?", I asked.

Yumeko giggled. "Nope! I was looking forward to try it here, but I have no money on me anymore."

Yumeko had placed all her baccarat winnings as a side bet on herself in the tournament. On paper, it really did look like she had been playing poker to win. It obscured her involvement with the side bet that Ace had placed, but I wasn't sure this was her motivation.

I sighed and gave her my coin card. "Here, go get some of this exchanged and have some fun. In fact, you can use all of it to play if you want to. I wouldn't have had most of if it wasn't for you, anyway. Just leave me a fair share of your winnings, alright?"

Yumeko was tearing up. "Mary-san... I-I didn't say that because I wanted a favor or anything... "

"Yeah, whatever. I'm too tired to really enjoy myself anyway", I said, feeling a little embarrassed. I crossed my arms and looked away.

"Place your bets!", the croupier said while spinning up the wheel. He then released the ball into the rim of the wheel to spin in the opposite direction. This was done with some force, so it would take a while for the ball to settle.

Without hesitating, Yumeko grabbed the coin card and tossed it onto the layout. Unlike the physical coins that everybody was using for this game, it hardly made any sound as it landed. It stopped sliding when it reached the square that was numbered '1'.

It took me a second to process what I just saw. I was speechless.

Yumeko snorted. "It's gonna be 1, I'm sure of it!"

"What are you doing! You can't bet with a coin card here!", I yelled while I tried to snatch the card back.

"Yes, you can. It's a valid bet", the croupier said, stopping my hand.

Yumeko looked full of joy and was following the slowing down ball with her eyes.

I wanted to punch her. The chance of winning with that bet was only 1 in 38 and she risked the whole 25 million Yen on it. However, if she would win, the payout would be glorious.

Ace had said that Yumeko had the momentum. At this moment I really wanted to believe that. She had lost the tournament, but you could say she had won the battle. Of course, it was foolish to believe that any of that mattered at a game like roulette.

The ball landed on 3. It was nowhere near 1 on the wheel and the fact they were both low numbers didn't matter for Yumeko's type of bet at all.

"Oh dear, that's too bad", Yumeko said in a lighthearted way, as if she was talking about something that was not her problem. Losing the money was one thing, but how she brushed it off really got to me.

I grabbed her by the shoulders and started shaking her. "You idiot! Who bets 25 million Yen like that?! How stupid are you?! Give me back my money!"
Yumeko was laughing as I was shaking her. This made me even more upset.

"B-but Mary-san, you said I could use all of it to play", Yumeko managed between the giggling.

"I was assuming you would be playing with your brain working properly! Would it have killed you to at least attempt some strategy?!", I kept shouting.

Ryota was standing behind us with his hands full. "I brought drinks. Is there something wrong?"

"I hate you!", I shouted at him. I grabbed two cups out of his hands and splashed them into his face.

I kept shouting while walking away quickly. "Aarg! I hate you both!"

Once again, I could barely sleep that night. I was too frustrated to calm down and Yumeko was clinging to me like before.

Next morning, we checked out of the hotel and took the ship for the return trip.

The end.

Afterwords

Afterword by the author

Hello.

I'm Hikaru Muno and I'm Homura Kawamoto's younger brother. I have written several published books, including some on job hunting.
I've had a background influence on Kakegurui. I've helped my brother brainstorm ideas for it, even before the manga had begun.

You could say I had clear instructions on how to handle the characters from the manga that appear in this novel. My brother gave me a detailed explanation on how they should react to things and what makes them tick.
Now that I have written Kakegurui Trip, I've come to realize the truth of my brother's words when he said that the characters come to life on their own. Once you submerge yourself in their life and way of thinking, they start to write themselves.

Nevertheless, I thought a lot about the characters to make sure they stayed true to themselves.
Kirari had to be bone chillingly frightening. Ryota had to be good and honest to a fault. The interactions between Mary and Yumeko had to be heartwarming in the right way. The characters that only have a background role like Midari and Sayaka needed to be completely recognizable as well.

I have to admit, I struggled with bringing the original characters of this novel to life with the same passion and realism. I revised them more than once. Ace went from just a cheesy womanizer to someone with a backstory and a serious attitude towards poker. Kifune went from just the antagonist to someone with a history of sacrifice who lives in a state of denial about some things. Hana went from just an unfortunate soul to someone who finds the future she wants to cling to.

I understood all characters need a vision of what they think they should be working towards. A reason for existence, a life's passion, a raison d'être. It's in the catchphrase of Kakegurui and I felt I needed to explore it more for my original characters. A novel allows for more psychological depth, after all.

Everything that has been happening in the manga has been on school grounds until now. I hope you found the departure from the traditional setting in Kakegurui Trip refreshing. It allowed me to do something a bit more wild; a poker tournament that not only impacts everyone involved but also determines the future of a whole island.
I hope you enjoyed how I brought the characters to life outside of their familiar surroundings.

I want to thank everyone at Square Enix who gave me the opportunity to write this novel. In particular, lead editor Kubota (窪田編集長) and Sasaki-sama (佐々木様), Yumoto-sama (湯本様), and Miyamoto-sama (宮本様) from the editorial department who gave me many insightful opinions and encouragement.
A big thanks to Tōru Naomura-sama who found the time to draw the wonderful illustrations for this novel, despite his busy schedule.
Also, a shout-out to everyone who has been reading and supporting Kakegurui. My brother always says he can do 99% of what he does because of the people supporting him, so thank you all very much. I'm pretty sure he is going to make the manga even more interesting in the future, so please keep up the support.

And of course, I want to thank my brother for making all of this possible.

Hikaru Muno

Afterword by the translator

The events of Kakegurui Trip don't quite fit the timeline of the manga and should be seen an a parallel universe story. You can sort of make it fit as an intermission before the start of the Election story arc in volume 7, but this comes with inconsistencies.

Here is a longer explanation of the word play in chapter 1: The school name Hyakkaou seems to mean 'the king of a hundred flowers' and the island name Ryouran something like 'stirring in disorder'. When you take them together and disregard the 'king' part, they mean something like 'beauty pageant'. However, this can be used more abstractly so it doesn't have to be woman, the thing they excel in doesn't have to be beauty and it doesn't have to be literately a hundred of them. So, 'power meet', 'high level summit' or 'a large gathering of people of excellence' can all be translation candidates, depending on context.

In the original text, Kifune is addressed by her staff and Kirari with a honorifics construction that is descriptive of her job; 'Kifune-manager'. I thought it was best for her staff to call her 'boss' and for Kirari to not use any name politeness at all for anyone. Kirari rolls like that in the official manga translation, so I thought she should do that here as well.

In both the novel and the manga, some name politeness rules are used by characters when speaking their inner monologue. I thought this was a bit too alien for the western reader and scrapped it. It just doesn't seem right to use politeness inside your own head.

If you are irked by my choice to not capitalize playing card and suit names; Ace made me do it so blame him. It felt better if there was some distinction between the card and the guy.

The poker variant the writer had in mind had jokers included and had no split pots. Las Vegas tournament poker has no jokers and does have split pots. However, nothing happens in the novel that would warrant elaborating on these things so I just avoided mentioning anything related to them.
A split pot is avoided by having the rules say one suit is stronger than the other. A high card king of spades defeats a high card king of clubs, for example.

The Japanese language approaches many things differently, especially the poetic embellishments. Because of this, I had to take liberties in my attempt to make the novel pleasant to read in English. Please don't assume this is a line-by-line accurate translation. I had to pour some of my own soul into it as well.

I changed some minor details to strengthen the cohesion of the novel. I think the writer did a banger of a job bringing the characters to life, but there were logical inconsistencies. Those that has an easy fix, I fixed. Those that would require a more heavy-handed fix, I left in.

I hope I managed to deliver you something that made your day better. If you have questions, you may be able to hit me up on the Reddit or the Kakegurui Discord.

I want to thank everyone on Discord who helped me out. Also, those who had started an abandoned translation before were an inspiration. It had occurred to me that it would be easier to make a new attempt now, because the OCR and translation bots had improved dramatically in the last couple of years.

gggvandyk

Credits

Kakegurui Trip (賭ケグルイ悦)

Writer:
Hikaru Muno (武野光)

Support & original world building:
Homura Kawamoto (河本ほむら)

Original world building & illustrations:
Tōru Naomura (尚村透)

Japanese language publisher:
Square Enix Co., Ltd.
(株式会社スクウェア・エニックス・ホールディングス)

English fan translator:
gggvandyk

Translation version 016WKI, performed in 2026. Based on Japanese digital distribution version 1.00, published September 1, 2017

Kakegurui Trip Fulltext

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