I’m having a three-game match against Megiddo-san…… After a ten-minute break, the next game we’ll be having will be the second match.
< Now then, the challenger won the first match, contrary to the prediction in favor of the War King…… Analyst Fate-san, this is an unpleasant development for Megiddo-san, isn’t it? >
< You’re right. I think winning the first match is pretty big for both of our participants. With his defeat, War King couldn’t afford to lose in the next match anymore…… On the other hand, Kai-chan can still lose once, so mentally
-speaking, he can still be composed for the moment. >
I’m actually damaged mentally pretty much, you know…… I don’t want to fight anyone in an art competition ever again. A new black history has been created at this moment.< Hmmm. If this were a story, this would be the time where Megiddo-san wins the match and leads it to the final match. As the live commentator, that situation would be more exciting for the audience, so I’d like to see this lead to the final battle if possible. >
< Hmmm. For me though, the sooner this event ends, the better~~ ……By the way, No-chan? That art sculpture Kai-chan made earlier…… Can I have that? >
Fate-saaaaaan!? Stop that! Seriously, please stop that! Why the heck are you trying to have my black history for take out!? No, that’s a big no!
< Ahh~~ About that, there’s actually a lot of people requesting it…… After their match ends, a “rock-paper-scissors tournament” will actually be conducted, and the winner can get that item. >
Oiiiiii! Why the heck did you turn that monstrosity into a prize without my permission!? Oi, the red gorilla over there…… What’s with the thumbs up? Stop with those eyes that seem to say that “there are a lot of people with eyes for good things here”!
I mean, who the heck would even want something like that!?
< Ehh~~ Incidentally, the people who have announced their participation would be…… Underworld King, Kuromueina-san and Death King, Isis-san…… It seems like World King, Lillywood-san is also joining…… Well, it seems like she’s just brought along by Isis-san. There’s also God of Life and God of Space and Time…… It seems like these two have been told to join by God of Creation-sama. >< By the way, I was just thinking about it, but No-chan, you just called me by my name earlier, didn’t you? Well, it isn’t actually that much of a problem but…… >
< I was careless. I’m sorry, I’ll go treat you something next time. Errr, continuing what I was saying earlier. There’s Archlesia Empire’s Emperor Chris-san, Hydra Kingdom’s King Laguna-san, a Duchess from Symphonia Kingdom, Lilia-san, and many others. Also, it seems like a “mysterious angel who killed 90% of people she just talked to” is also joining…… Fyuu~ Those are quite the big names I mentioned there. >
< ……Amazing. It’s as if they came here to join a world-ending boss rush. >
There were so many of them!? Wait…… What in the world are all of you doing…… Just thinking about how that thing is going on the hands of someone I know makes it feel like I’m in hell, you know!?
Also, Eden-san!? What the heck are you doing!?
< ……Well, we’ll get to those details later. Let’s get started on the second match! >
……How the heck did this happen? No, unnn. Let’s just think about it later…… Or rather, let’s just participate in that rock-paper-scissors tournament later. I need to stop any negative legacies from falling into the hands of others at all costs……
As I turned my eyes away from the cruelty of the world, Alice urged us to play the second match, and Megiddo-san, who heard her, took a huge board(?) out of nowhere.
[Alright! The second match will be…… a game decided by “how we read each other’s thoughts and the strategy to make use of it”! We’ll be playing the “Double Color” game!!!]
[……Double Color?]
[Unnn? Yeah, it’s just a simple game. Even a kid can play it. However, it’s a game so deep that it deserves to be our game!]
Fumu…… In front of me and Megiddo-san, there is a large board with squares…… This should mean that it’s a board game huh?
There are two stones in the center, one red and one blue, and they should be used in the game…… Hmmm. This somehow looks very familiar.
[The rules are simple. I’m red, Kaito is blue…… Then, we would take turns placing stones on the board. And when you place a stone, the opponent’s stone or stones in between your stones will change to your color. Repeating this process, the player with the most stones of his color wins!]
[………………….]
……Ah, I see…… It’s “othello” huh……
It was about four times the size of the othello board I knew, but other than that, the rules were almost the same.
It seems to be a magic tool that automatically changes the color of the stones that were interposed between pieces, so it’s like a convenient Othello.
[Do you understand the rules? Then, let’s start! Let’s have a burning hot game!!!]
[……I will be in your care.]
And so began the second match between Megiddo-san and I…… a huge-sized Othello game.
Dear Mom, Dad————– The fearless smile on Megiddo-san’s face was not that of a man driven to a corner. Burning with fighting spirit, he faced me. However, there was one thing that he overlooked. No————– There’s a secret that Megiddo-san didn’t know.
As Kaito and Megiddo began to confront each other, and after a while, Alice and Fate began to give commentary.
< Well then, we’ll now start giving live commentary…… Our voices basically won’t reach Kaito-san and Megiddo-san. Otherwise, they’ll probably get some hint to something that they might have missed…… Now, let’s look at their openings. >
< I don’t see any big moves in their openings. But as far as I can see, the War King seems to be in the lead? >
< You’re right. The important thing in this game isn’t to change the color of as many stones as possible, but to make it difficult for the opponent to play their turn next…… I like that move by Megiddo-san. It’s got quite a wide angle, making it easy to take over other pieces. >
While watching the magically displayed images in the sky above the arena, Alice and Fate explained the early stages of the match.
< ……In that case, that move by Kai-chan is a bad one, isn’t it? With that, the War King has a big lead…… >
< Hmmm. I suppose I should praise Megiddo-san for that move. There’s hardly anyone who wouldn’t be tempted to place at that square. >
< I see…… I guess that means Kai-chan should have held back there and placed his piece in the lower right corner instead. >
< That’s right…… Well, even though he made a mistake, it was still the early game so it was still possible to turn things around but…… Hmmm. >
< What’s the matter, No-chan? You kinda have a complicated expression on your face, you know? >
< ……No, I mean, errr…… I’ll be honest with you. Even though I’m still doing all these live commentaries, “I already know the result of this match”. >
< Eh? What do you mean? >
When Alice told her that she already knows the outcome, even though the game is still ongoing, Fate curiously asked her.
Thereupon, Alice’s expression became even more complicated and turning to Fate, she murmured.
< N- No…… You see…… In fact, Kaito-san…… He’s “very weak” at these kinds of board game that doesn’t involve luck. >
< ……Is that so? >
< Y- Yes…… No, it’s not that I’m saying he’s stupid or that he can’t read what his opponent is going to move next……. You know there are things we aren’t good at, right? How should I say this…… Kaito-san…… He has a fatal lack of sense in board games of this kind…… According to him, he would lose 90 percent of the time at board games. >
< ……T- There’s still the 10 percent…… s- so it should be alright…… >
< I- I guess you’re right! Let’s look forward to future development of the match! >
Yes, Alice knew about it. She often played together with Kaito, and had played board games with him before. However, Kaito was bad at strategy-type board games like chess.
He was so bad at it that Alice became concerned about him instead……
And that was also true for Megiddo who was currently playing against him.
(O- Oi, oi, Kaito!? You shouldn’t place a piece at that square! Heck, why are you putting your stone over there!? If you place it there, everything on the upper left corner will be……)
Megiddo was currently on the edge with each of their moves. However, it wasn’t because of the board……
(You idiot! One more square to the right and it would have been perfect! You can’t connect to the next move with that at all, you know!? ……K- Kaito…… My bad. I see, so you’re…… really bad at playing Double Color huh……)
Without realizing that Megiddo was beginning to feel pity for him, Kaito had once again placed the stone in a completely wrong square.
<Afterword>
Kaito’s Weakness: Board Games that doesn’t involve luck.
Shogi: He has won about twice in his whole life (His opponent went really easy on him).
Chess: He doesn’t know the rules.
Othello: Majority of the games he played, he would be annihilated without reaching full-board (all the pieces turned into one color).
There are people who are smart, but weak in strategy games. Kaito is one of them. Anyway, he just doesn’t have the sense needed for such games.
T/N: 6/236
