Liar, Liar - Volume 1 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Fake Seven Star Is Born

The map app installed by default on my device was a pretty neat piece of software that allowed me to find my destination despite my chronic inability to remember which way I was going.

At least, I thought it did.

“Um…”

But as I looked up at the dorm—the manor, really—located at the coordinates I had been given, I began to wonder if my device was broken. This building was exactly what it sounded like, a gigantic, Western-style mansion the likes of which I’d only seen in manga. The white exterior was as elegant as it was gaudy, exuding so much grandiosity that a simple phone picture of it would have seemed like a work of art.

“I’m living here…? You’ve got to be kidding.”

I gasped at the otherworldly sight, checking my device repeatedly to make sure. Someplace cheaper would’ve been fine, I thought in my lower-class way, but then it dawned on me. On the Academy, your star rank was everything. All students were guaranteed ample food, shelter, and clothing, but the quality of each depended on your rank. To masquerade as a Seven Star, I couldn’t live in some dump.

“Well, if that’s how it is, I might as well enjoy myself.”

With a resigned look on my face, I pushed the gate open and walked past a well-kept front lawn to reach the front door. There was no keyhole or intercom, so I wasn’t sure what to do initially. However, I quickly recalled a passage in the guidebook.

Ah, right.

A student’s device was their ID for everything on this island. Typically, the locks were electronic instead of the analog tumbler type.

“Hmm… Like this?”

I brought my device up to the door. It unlocked after a soft beep. With some trepidation, I opened the weighty door. Beyond was what could best be described as an entrance hall, or maybe a lobby. A chandelier hung from the high ceiling, and a plush-looking carpet had been spread on the floor. Even the air seemed rarefied. Most surprising was the maid standing right in front of me.

“Huh?”

“…Ah.”

I reflexively closed the door.

Were my eyes playing tricks on me? I was reasonably confident I saw a cute girl in a maid outfit amid the high-class environment. That wasn’t possible, though. I had to be hallucinating. After collecting myself, I tried to enter again.

“…Okay.”

I took a deep breath and gingerly opened the door for the second time. There was no maid, so I took a step inside.

Oh, wait. There she is.

“…”

She’d moved into the shadow of a large pillar on the right side of the entrance hall, but she was there. Perhaps she was trying to hide, because only her head (adorned with a white cap) was visible, poking out from behind the column. Was she wary of me?

My credentials had worked at the door, so I was reasonably certain this was my new home…but maybe they’d mistakenly double-booked this place or something.

“Ah… Hey, um…”

“!”

I tried to sound as reserved as possible as I called to the maid behind the pillar. It was clear she jumped a little at my voice, though. Thirty seconds passed before she finally collected herself enough to answer, although she remained behind the column.

“…I’m sorry, but could I have your name?”

“Oh, sure. I’m—er, my name is Hiroto Shinohara. Do you know if this is where I’m supposed to stay? I think there might be some kind of mistake…”

“Mr. Shinohara… No, you are not mistaken. In fact, I apologize for being so rude to you. Please forgive me for hiding from the man who will be my master.”

Her voice was flat, without much emotion.

The sight of her when she stepped into view…took my breath away. She was beautiful. Her shiny silver hair was cut at around shoulder length, and her blue eyes shone like pure, polished gems. Her face was more cute than alluring, but given the coolness of her expression, she didn’t look very childlike to me. She stood a little shorter than Saionji the Empress—not enough to make her look like a kid, but between that and her ample chest, she possessed a kind of magnetism that made you want to abandon inhibition.

However, what solidified the impression she made most of all was her clothing. It wasn’t as frilly as a Halloween maid outfit, but it was definitely designed for maximum cuteness, and it matched her demeanor perfectly—that kind of adorable quality that made you want to protect her. That, combined with her polished motions and her facial expression, reminded me of a cat.

“Is something the matter, Master?”

She must have found my sudden silence puzzling, because she brushed her bangs back and raised an eyebrow. I hurriedly got back to business.

“Um, there are a few things I’d like to ask… But first, why were you hiding, ma’am? It sounds like you were aware I’d be coming.”

“No need to call me ‘ma’am,’ Master. And I was hiding because of a breakdown in communication. You see, I was told to wait for a Shinohara, but I was not told that you would be a man… Hahhh. That sly old fox pulled another one on me.”

“Who?”

“Pardon me. I did not mean to indulge in name-calling.”

The girl bowed as she delivered a half-hearted apology. Leaning forward only accentuated her breasts, forcing me to avert my eyes. After straightening back up, the girl blithely raised her right hand and pointed to a room farther inside the mansion.

“I’d be a failure of a maid if I forced my master to spend all day talking in the entrance hall. I’m very sorry. Let us continue this conversation in the living room.”

From the eye-catching hallway to the lavish stairway I’d yet to climb and the vast living room larger than most apartments I’d seen, it was all too much for a plain old student to feel comfortable. That nervousness was swiftly blown aside by the kind words and pleasant tea delivered by the silver-haired maid.

“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Shirayuki Himeji. I am affiliated with Ohga School in the Third Ward, but that evil vixen—er, Provost Natsume Ichinose of the Fourth Ward asked me to live here and support my master starting today.”

“…Pardon?”

I froze up, unable to take the teacup kindly placed before me.

“You live here…? So we’re roommates?”

“I’m not sure what kind of accommodation arrangement you are picturing, Master, but I don’t believe that is the best way to describe it. I will be living in this house instead of my own to provide you with assistance.”

“S-seriously? For real? Doesn’t that basically make us roommates?”

“In a way, I suppose… Oh, while it may disappoint you, I will be sleeping in a separate room. I am just a maid, after all. We will not be sharing a bed.”

“Yes, obviously. Anything else would be pretty problematic!”

Even without that insane option, living under the same roof as such an incomparable beauty was such a fantastical notion that I could barely accept it. Himeji the maid cocked her head to one side, as though she didn’t comprehend my trepidation.

“…? Um, it’s hardly worth so much embarrassment. Or is that a front for your disdain at the idea of living with me?”

“How could that ever be the case? If you’re cool with it, then so am I. I just thought you might not like the arrangement. I don’t mind at all.”

“Oh, well, if I may give my frank opinion, I don’t like it.”

“So you actually don’t?!”

“Correct. However, it is only because I am still not accustomed to the presence of men. My disdain is directed not at you, but at that evil vixen.”

Himeji’s voice was barely above a whisper, and her eyes were sullen. Evidently, she’d assumed her boss would be a woman, and then I’d shown up. I guess I couldn’t blame her for being out of sorts. Himeji was a victim of the provost, just as I’d been sweet-talked into becoming the greatest student on the Academy.

“Well, I can relate to you on that.”

“I am glad to hear it. I’m starting to think we will get along quite well.”

Himeji didn’t look happy about it, though, sighing a little.

By the way, for some reason, she stood during our talk. Even after serving tea, she stood bolt upright beside me (okay, maybe not quite that close) with the tray held to her chest.

“…Hey, why don’t you sit, too? We certainly have the space.”

“No, don’t worry about me. I am your maid, Master.”

“Maid or not, it’s hard for me to relax when someone’s standing next to me. Besides, if the provost put you up to this, that kinda makes us part of the same group. You don’t have to be so reverent of me.”

“…Um… If you say so, Master.”

Following a moment of consideration, Himeji nodded and sat down three seats away from me, a careful hand on the hem of her skirt. It was an awkward situation, to be sure. Maybe her aforementioned lack of experience with men played a role.

“Oh, how exactly are you supposed to support me? Given your uniform, I thought you’d just clean. However, I doubt the provost would recruit you only for that.”

Given that I had to act like a Seven Star, I understood the need for the housing setup, but why did a maid have to live here? If it was just about keeping the place clean, she could stop by a couple of times a week to tidy. Her living here had nothing to do with the lie.

“…Ah, so you haven’t heard?” Himeji’s silver hair shifted as she lifted her head slightly. “Well…let’s see. It’s a bit of a long story. How about we have dinner first?”

“D-dinner?”

“…Oh. Um, have you eaten already…? I’m sorry. Pretend I said nothing.”

She must have misunderstood my startled response. Her expression wavered the tiniest bit. Close inspection revealed something I believed to be honest disappointment, so I hurriedly raised my hands.

“N-no, I didn’t mean it like that. With everything that’s happened, I haven’t eaten all afternoon… Wow, and now that I think about it, I’m really hungry!”

That was part truth and part me trying to be polite. I’d been too preoccupied with inventing a character for the ceremony to have lunch, and I’d only eaten some toast for breakfast. I hadn’t eaten in half a day.

Himeji smiled lightly, apparently relieved.

“…All right. Good.”

The idea of a girl cooking for me had me a little fidgety, but Himeji’s culinary skills were at a professional level. She must have envisioned something like a fancy Italian prix fixe meal for today. It began with a fancy ham appetizer, followed by a main dish of pasta with shrimp and crab. The roast beef topped with colorful vegetables was perfectly cooked, and the simple bowl of tomato soup served with it looked like it had taken a lot of effort.

“Did…you make this all by yourself?”

“Yes. I was working on it before you arrived. The amount of island cash in your account reserved for living expenses is rather eye-popping, Master, so I kind of let myself cut loose.”

“Oh… Okay…”

There was no “kind of” to this at all. Regardless, eating this food while it was hot was the least I could do since she’d made all of it for me. Himeji was standing at my side again, so I convinced her to sit (as before, she took a chair at a respectable distance) and began eating. The moment I took a forkful of the pasta, my eyes burst open.

“W-wow…! What did you…? This is too good! There’s no way a mere human being came up with this!”

“Putting it that way makes me feel like I’m being mocked… There’s no need to excessively praise it, Master. You’ll be eating my cuisine for a while to come. If you heap on the exaggerated acclaim now, you won’t be able to keep it up.”

“I-it’s no exaggeration! Honestly, words can’t describe this! If my vocabulary were better, I’d spend an hour or two piling on the compliments!”

I continued eating, moved by the experience. Himeji’s creations had grabbed my stomach and wouldn’t let go. She watched me, a bit perplexed by my reaction, and politely enjoyed her soup. Out of nowhere she remarked, “How do I put this…? You’re surprisingly honest about your feelings, Master. That vixen—er, Provost Ichinose told me you’re an expert at disguising your emotions.”

“Oh? Yeah, usually I am. It’s just an act, though. I can let my guard down and get real with people.”

I smiled. Friends back on the mainland laughed at me for my honesty. They’d say, “I don’t know many people who wear their hearts on their sleeves as much as you do.” Maybe it was recoil from unconsciously controlling my expressions most of the time.

“…Let your guard down?” Himeji repeated the words quietly. “I know what you mean…but isn’t this a little fast? We only met each other a short while ago.”

“Mm… That’s true, but I don’t have many people I can count on as it is, so I can’t doubt my allies. Besides, you don’t seem bad at all.”

“I don’t…? Ah. Well, if my master is a good person, then I have nothing to complain about.” Himeji averted her eyes as she replied. Perhaps she couldn’t believe my simplemindedness.

That was a mistake… Hopefully she doesn’t resent me for this.

Nervousness took root in me, although I kept it from showing on my face. Himeji got more talkative after that, but I never understood why.

“…Okay, let’s get into the details.”

After the meal concluded, Himeji cleared the table, then guided me to another room, a home theater of sorts. There was no real decor, but a giant LCD screen hung on one wall. Himeji sat me on a sofa, then approached the screen, picking up a tablet and tapping it.

“I’m going to use this to display some relevant text and images. We could do all of this with my device as well, but that runs the risk of a hacker attack.”

“…Hacker attack?”

“Yes. There are unsanctioned apps that steal data from other devices. We need to take every precaution, Master.”

“…”

It didn’t sound like she was joking. I swallowed nervously. Yeah, we definitely had to be cautious. I’d essentially volunteered to commit massive fraud. When weighed on the scales of justice, I’d definitely be judged evil. If I was exposed, it’d all be over.

The darkened screen came to life. A second later, two photos and profiles appeared. The first was my own, and the other belonged to the Empress. Sarasa Saionji, that is, not Rina Akabane.

“…Ahem.”

Himeji gave me a moment to read, then coughed to signal she was beginning.

“This morning, you conducted a Game against Miss Sarasa Saionji, the most elite student on the Academy, and won virtually by accident. Upon learning of this, Provost Ichinose picked you up before things got out of hand and created a false background for you to fool the Board of Regents. She changed the transfer student who defeated the Empress into the most powerful person the Academy has ever seen.”

As Himeji spoke, a star slid from the red-haired girl’s profile to mine. It was hard to think of that girl as Sarasa Saionji anymore, but that was the power of her lie. The provost, Himeji, the board…everybody was convinced she was the genuine article. Playing along seemed best for now.

“Right, that’s all correct so far. But what does that have to do with you supporting me?”

“It would be best not to get ahead of ourselves, Master. You’ve only just arrived on the Academy. You need to be aware of what lies at the core of these issues.”

Himeji tapped her tablet to change what was on the screen. The next page featured a large pyramid graph.

“Stars are the visualized form of the island’s caste system. They form your absolute rating at your school. The more you have, the better you are treated. Additionally, as you gain more, your invisible authority also increases.”

“Authority?”

“Yes. As I mentioned, the special treatment the stars confer can remove some restrictions in your life…however, this authority works on a deeper level. It involves the struggle for supremacy waged between the individual schools. The Academy is home to twenty schools, one for each ward except for Ward Zero. Each of these institutions is assessed against the others in a hierarchy released every year. This ranking wields a great deal of influence. It can affect a school’s budget, social sway, the number of new students it can accept, and even the organization of its home ward.”

“Huh… And the students’ individual standings affect this?”

“Yes, exactly. There are many measurements involved: how many Games students win, the number of Five Stars there are at a particular school, their participation rate and record in assorted events… But the most important aspect will always be stars. The higher you are on the pyramid, the more value you carry. A Seven Star’s school is almost guaranteed to be at the top.”

“The mere presence of a Seven Star can decide which school reigns supreme around here. No wonder people call me the strongest,” I remarked.

“Yes, that’s right.” Himeji nodded, her argent hair bouncing a bit. Then she pointed a finger straight up, expression unchanged. “And that’s why Seven Star students are targeted. Incredibly often.”

“Oh. Yeah, I bet they are.”

If a Seven Star was truly so priceless, then it was no surprise every school wanted one. When a Six Star student beat a Seven Star, they become the new strongest person on the island. Even if they failed, holding your own was seen as a great performance and an attack that whittled down another school’s forces. In other words, it was always worth it to challenge a Seven Star to a Game, no matter who you were.

“…But you wager your own stars when you play a Game, don’t you?”

“Yes. So nobody goes in without a plan. However, if someone believes they have even a slight chance at victory, they’re still bound to try. That’s how great the potential return is.”

Himeji took a breath, then twirled her finger.

“Normally, someone who makes it to Seven Star status wouldn’t have a problem taking on anyone. For example, over the previous year, the Empress won 117 out of 117 Games—a perfect record. The more stars you have, the more Ability apps are added to your device for Game purposes. With the talent to employ them effectively, you can block a lot of attempts at your stars. But that assumes you have Seven Star–level talent. That is not something we can ascribe to you, Master.”

“Wha…? How do you know?”

“I saw your score on the admissions exam. There’s no way you’d be admitted into Eimei, or any Academy high school, with that kind of score. I can only assume that vixen wanted you very badly.”

“Geez…”

“…? Oh, I’m sorry. That was going too far. Umm… Let me phrase it this way. This score is so atrocious that I can barely stand to look at it, but maybe it’s good enough for a middle school.”

“I thought you were going to put it nicer!”

Himeji had used her most tender voice to twist the dagger. I’d had no delusions about my success on that test, but did I really only barely qualify for middle school?

“Ahem! Um… Okay.” I collected myself with a very fake cough. “I get that I don’t possess much talent. But there’s more to this, right? I’m not really a Seven Star, after all.”

“That’s right. You will be treated as the strongest on the Academy, but your true rank remains One Star. In terms of preferential treatment and authority, you can only receive the One Star benefits. You will also have various restrictions, and that includes your Abilities. You can only install base-level ones, which is a lethal blow, trust me. If there’s any saving grace, it’s that you took a red-colored star from the Empress.”

“Oh…? Does that affect Games as well?”

“A fair amount, yes. There are several Abilities that require a Unique Star to access. As a result, a player with a single Unique Star has a slight advantage over one with a colorless lineup… However, while Uniques are powerful, you are obliged to give them up first upon losing. That’s one of their more painful elements.”

“Ahh… So that’s why I took Saionji’s red star.”

“That’s correct. You are the strongest; a living legend. The return for defeating someone like you is enormous. And after that inciting speech you gave, you’ll be targeted more than ever…”

“…But between my lack of talent and my lack of authority, I don’t have the skills to back that up.”

The situation was a little complicated, but that basically summed it up. I was going to be challenged constantly, and with only one star, I couldn’t access any strong Abilities. Worse yet, I’d be done for if I lost once. It was beyond arduous.

Oh, but wait. In that case…

“Is that why you’re supporting me? So I can keep winning Games…?”

“I see you’ve gotten ahead of me… Yes, that’s correct. I know that acting and performance are your strong suits, Master, but unfortunately, you need more than that to survive in a Game. Thus, we’ve concluded that, no matter what, you will need assistance. Take a look at this.”

She motioned for me to look at the screen. On it were several men and women, a group with differing ages and jobs listed. Himeji was in the middle, but I didn’t recognize any of the others. At the top, I saw the words The Company Support Team.

Himeji’s blue eyes were fixed upon me as I took this in.

“Master, for the next two years, or until your lie is exposed, we in the Company will do everything we can to aid you. This will mainly involve help with Games, but it will cover a lot of other fields as well. For example, if you’re going out with friends, it wouldn’t look good if you were denied entry to a Three-Star-and-above establishment, right? And it’d be inconvenient if you couldn’t access the ‘dark’ social media available to high-ranking students. You’ll run into a lot of situations like this on the Academy… We will help you in every respect.”

“…”

“…Um, Master? Are you all right?”

“Ah… Oh.”

I couldn’t help but think about how cool this was. Regardless, now I understood. I had this “Company,” a small team of crack agents, to back me up. I guess that was how intent the provost was on not having me lose. Being blatantly guided around wasn’t going to feel great, but we shared a common goal, so there was no reason to refuse.

However, I still had one concern.

“Himeji…how will this help work, exactly? Games are one-on-one contests, aren’t they? Wouldn’t it be bad if someone butted in?”

“Indeed. There are team-based Games as well, but under normal circumstances, it’s illegal for people to intervene in the Games of others. Hmm… This is a little hard to explain with words, so let’s play this out in real life.”

Himeji shut her mouth and walked toward me to whisper, “Master, take a look at your device. Yes, the Game icon in the middle. I think you already have an enormous number of requests.”

“Huh? Let’s see… Whoa! F-forty-two?!”

That was beyond enormous. Just a few hours after that declaration of war, I now had forty-two opponents ready to fight me! It was a little shocking, but I followed Himeji’s instructions and scrolled down the list, her blue eyes staring at my screen the whole time. Then she whispered, “Stop there, please,” and reached out with her right hand. Her finger pointed to a button that read Details, which brought up the rank and school of a challenger, the type of Game they wanted to play, and so on. Himeji smiled a little.

“Here it is… Let’s make this your first Game, Master. It won’t be a very flashy contest, but it’ll make for a perfect tutorial for your support.”

“Hmm… The Game’s called ‘Fifty-Fifty.’ The rules… Um, you just have to guess if the card the opponent chooses is face up or face down? That’s just dumb luck!”

“It appears that way, yes. Normally, there’d be no way to formulate a strategy.”

“‘It appears that way’…? That’s bad, right? Don’t I have to win this?”

That was what passing as a Seven Star meant. Of course, even games of chance possessed a psychological element. I could use my performance skills for stuff like that. I didn’t outright despise those sorts of contests; I even figured I could go in without a safety net and get through it all right. Still, the mere chance I could lose was intolerable. Fail once, and it was game over. Knowing that made it impossible to take big risks.

Himeji dispassionately shot down my concerns.

“I am aware of that. However, I think this Game is the best one for you.”

“Uh… You mean we can ensure a win? How?”

“How do you think, Master? A way to guarantee victory, despite your lack of talent or authority… Surely there’s at least one method.”

After a bit of casual condescension, Himeji locked eyes with me. Then she brought her right hand up and pressed her index finger to my lips. With that ever-so-devilish motion, she breathed, “We cheat.”

The next morning:

Oh man… Oh man. So many more people than I thought…

I’d accepted the Game Himeji chose for me, and now I was at the appointed location not long after sunrise. We’d agreed to meet at a bus roundabout attached to School Gate Station, the closest train station to Eimei School—basically an oval-shaped piece of asphalt surrounded by streets. I looked around, playing it cool, and swiftly spotted an audience of close to two hundred. They were mostly Eimei students like me, but a few were from elsewhere. They formed a ring around me, watching intently.

“…”

Naturally, I felt like my cheeks were going to cramp up with all the anxiety… However, this scene wasn’t completely an accident. In fact, it was more than half by design. Last night, when I agreed to the Game, Himeji had instructed me to set it to “public,” meaning that information on the Game’s location and time would be posted on the STOC social network. That, I’m sure, was where the crowd had come from.

As for what Himeji expected of me today…

“…Listen, Master, you’re looking to make an impact. Beating the Empress garnered a lot of attention, but so far, that’s little more than idle curiosity. I’m sure many people doubt your true abilities…so we’re going to be proactive and shut them up while we can.”

Basically, this is meant to prove my position. I get that, but…

I let out a deep exhalation as I mulled over the plan. The Game was one thing, but the more people I had crowded around me, the greater the risk of my lie being exposed. I had to stay on guard until the Game was over.

“Hey, sorry if I made you wait!”

A male student waded through the throng while I mentally prepared myself. His hair was a light shade of brown, and his well-broken-in uniform indicated he wasn’t from Eimei School. He walked up to me and waved casually.

“Apologies, man. The prep time took longer than I thought. I’m Shibata—Hibiki Shibata, from Kagurazuki School in the Ninth Ward. I just made it up to Two Star. I can’t believe I’m going to play a Game against the current biggest name out there!”

“Good to meet you. You seem pretty confident, considering you’re about to take on the best.”

“Ha! Yeah, I guess so! There’s a big difference in our stats, but I’m still wagering one of my precious stars. I’m not planning on losing!”

Shibata raised his fists like a boxer. His mind-blowing boast that he’d take down a Seven Star elicited a wave of cheers from the crowd. This was precisely what I wanted. Beating someone who expected to lose wouldn’t help spread my reputation.

My lips quirked up at the corners.

“Ha… Great. All right. Go ahead and give me your best shot. Just know you’re going to pay for it.” I tried to sound as tough as possible while kicking things off.

Games on the island had a common set of rules.

First, you could only request a Game with someone who had more stars than you. That was the root of the star-hunting system. You could only challenge higher-ranked students, and a star changed hands depending on the results. A win got you a star, and a loss meant relinquishing one. It was pretty simple. But there were several rules for less common circumstances. For example, if a One Star lost a Game, they’d be penalized with a fine in island currency instead of losing a star, and players ranked Five Star or higher weren’t awarded stars if they beat someone of equal or lesser level.

Second, the person requesting the Game decided the challenge. This preserved the integrity of the star-hunting system. If the Keeper—the defender—got to pick the Game, it could bring star exchanges to a total standstill. Thus, the challenger was given this key advantage to work with. And it was for the same reason that Keepers didn’t have the right to refuse a Game. To be exact, if you had a challenge waiting and went a week without playing a Game, you’d be demoted one rank, barring special circumstances.

Third and last, a player could bring up to three Abilities with them to a Game. I’d heard about Abilities a few times already. They were these apps built to give someone an advantage in Games. It was possible to have three installed on your device at once. Once a Game began, your roster of Abilities couldn’t be changed.

“…”

Put all this together, and I—a Seven Star (as far as the database was concerned)—never had the right to decide on a Game’s rules. I gained no stars from beating anyone despite actually being a One Star. That also meant I only possessed the weakest Abilities. What kind of unbalanced Game was this?

“…Okay! I’m all set! Now let’s go over the rules one more time, okay?”

I groaned internally as Shibata, having finished preparing his Abilities, pointed a finger at me. He made an exaggerated motion out of everything he did. I was hardly one to talk, but he clearly enjoyed this action manga–style setup of the underdog taking on the strongest player.

He lifted his hand high, and as he did, his device’s screen was projected for all to see.

“The Game is Fifty-Fifty! It’s really simple. First, we decide at random who plays first. Whoever does will have a card shown on their device. They decide whether to play it face up or face down, and the other person must guess the orientation. One of two choices. We do this three times, and then the turn shifts to the other player, who gets three rounds, too. If one player’s ahead of the other, the Game ends there. If we’re tied, the Game starts over. Simple, right?”

I could hear the crowd getting more excited after Shibata finished explaining. Most people criticized Shibata and expressed disappointment, however. I couldn’t blame them. His challenging me to a coin toss after all that bravado was pretty baffling.

Still, Shibata smiled, looking totally confident.

“Yeah, I know what all of you want to say. You think this is a Game of luck, right? Well, I set this Game up so almost no Abilities will be of use. Changing probabilities won’t work, neither will controlling any variables involved. It’s totally down to luck.”

“…Oh? So you made it this way deliberately.”

“Of course I did, Mr. Academy Boss. Listen, some Two Star chump like me would never win under normal circumstances. The difference between a Two Star and a Seven Star is way too high. But luck? I have zero chance of beating you in a normal Game, but probability guarantees me a fifty percent shot. That’s overwhelmingly better, man!”

“Hmm… So if you win, you’ll chalk it up to luck? That’s all?”

“Ha-ha! You make me sound so naive! This isn’t just a one-off thing with me. I’ll start a movement! Even if I lose, people will see how valid the probability-based approach is, and they’ll all challenge you to Games like mine! And it won’t stop with you. There’s a chance of beating anyone this way! My reputation will skyrocket. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! That’s why it’s worth betting a star on this, dude!”

Damn. He’s put a lot of thought into this…

This brown-haired dude was a lot cleverer than he looked. He was doubly prepared for this match. Even if he lost a star, he was positioned to reap the benefits later. It was an off-the-wall strategy, the sort only a low-ranking player would attempt.

He’s a little too optimistic about this, though…

Himeji explained to me that an Ability available to Five Stars and above allowed them to peek at an opponent’s device. There was a whole family of useful Abilities like that one. Typically, a Seven Star would have access to so much useful info that this Game wouldn’t be much of a contest at all. Unfortunately, I wasn’t really a Seven Star. I had no unfair powers installed. As a matter of fact, I hadn’t bothered choosing any that day.

This was honestly going to be a coin flip. And since I couldn’t afford to lose, that was an awful disadvantage. When I’d brought that up to Himeji the night before, she had given me a devious snicker. “That’s what we’re here to assist with,” she’d whispered in my ear.

A soft sound came through the earpiece in my right ear.

“Hello, can you hear me, Master? Put your hand on the back of your neck if so.”

If a gesture would suffice for confirmation, she had to be observing from somewhere. Perhaps she was in the crowd. I brought my right hand to my neck, eyes focused straight ahead.

“All right, acknowledged. Now, on to business. I’m sorry we’re late, Master. Kagaya from the Company overslept this morning, and I apologize for that.”

“Mmph? It’s not my fault… You know I have trouble waking up in the morning, Shirayuki. It’s your fault for setting this Game up so early.”

“…Still sleepy, Kagaya? Would you like a second cup of the special coffee I provided you?”

“Gehh! I don’t need any more of that black torture fluid, no…”

“Then get it together for me. Back straight, please!”

“Ugh, roger…”

I remained silent during this lethargic conversation. Kagaya was a member of the Company assisting with today’s operation. She’d seemed better put together than this during the previous night’s meeting. Today, she could barely get words out.

It was at that point that Shibata, having gotten his fill of laughing, lowered his arm. “All right! Enough with the introductions! Let’s move on to the Game already!”

As he spoke, the screen projected behind him switched over to Game mode. According to the display, Shibata would go first. In other words, he’d be placing the cards and I’d be guessing them.

Okay, I just have to choose face up or face down. Normally, I’d be better off getting into his head and tricking him into revealing his moves…but let’s see what the Company can do for me.

I’d only been informed of what I needed to know for the strategy. I twisted my neck slightly, a gesture too insignificant for most people to notice. Himeji’s voice came through the earpiece again.

“Master, from this point forward, you’ll use your right hand to say ‘roger’ and your left to say ‘repeat that.’ Please raise a hand to shoulder level or higher. You can use it to touch your neck, your hair, your lips—anywhere will suffice as a response.”

Oh… My right hand?

“Thank you very much. We have everything in place now, so I’d like to begin the performance we discussed last night. However, this Game isn’t all that complicated, so I will serve merely as your communications contact. Kagaya will handle all the actual work.”

“Yep. Kagaya checkin’ in. I was forced to wake up early against my will, so sorry if I sound all spaced-out, Hiroto. Wait, I mean Hiro.”

She means what? Whatever. Right hand, right hand…

“Aw, sweet! Hiro accepted it!”

“…As you can see, Master, Kagaya can be something of a handful at times, so please be patient with her. Now, let me explain how this works. You actually don’t have anything very difficult to do, Master. Kagaya has hacked into your opponent’s device to ensure that all three of the cards he chooses will be face down, so say, ‘Face down’ when it’s time to guess. And present yourself in a way that doesn’t draw suspicion of cheating, please.”

What?

The words in my ear made my brain seize up, and I was unable to raise either hand in response. For a moment, I wondered if there was static that had caused me to mishear. The sight before me quickly dispelled that notion, though.

“Ah… Wait. This is weird… Shit. Why isn’t it responding to me?!”

Shibata was jabbing at his device with a finger, a look of deep concern on his face. If I had to guess, his device no longer accepted his inputs. Staring blankly at him, I rubbed at my hair a bit with my left hand.

“Was that not clear? I apologize, Master. Um… Basically, Kagaya, our electronics specialist, has broken into your opponent’s device. All she’s done is lock all its inputs. Your opponent’s card defaults to face down each round, so face down is the only decision he can make.”

“…”

“Oh, but bear in mind that this is absolutely unfair. Third parties are barred from interfering with Games, and hacking into your opponent’s device is forbidden as well. If people find out, you’re finished…but we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Himeji’s cool voice sounded pretty confident. It was cheating, and done so blatantly, too. We were using a dirty trick to let me elbow my way toward victory with no hesitation whatsoever.

Oh…right. Now I get it.

I wasn’t distraught over any moral quandary. It was just hard to believe at first. Upon hearing it explained again, I realized that I truly was guaranteed to win. There was no room for luck at all. This Game’s winner had been decided before it began.

There was no way it had been easy, though. Stars and Games played a vital role in daily life here. Undoubtedly, thousands of students had tried cheating their way to victory, and I was sure these Games were carefully monitored to prevent that. No matter how much advanced tech the Company employed, the whole environment was arranged to make cheating as discouragingly difficult as possible.

But if you somehow manage to pull it off…all you have to do is make sure nobody suspects you.

I was in no position to welcome an investigation. Thus, my only choice was to ensure no one ever doubted me. I had to play the role of a Seven Star so perfectly that it left no room for doubt. After a quick breath to prepare myself, I curled up the right corner of my lips.

“…Hey, what’s the matter? Can’t make a move?”

“N-no…it’s not that. My device just broke out of nowhere!”

“Your device? Come on, how is that possible? The Game’s proceeding like normal. How could it be broken? That’s a pretty flimsy excuse.”

“E-excuse? Why would I lie?”

“I know why. You’re scared.”

I took a single threatening step toward Shibata, then twisted my expression into a grin large enough for the whole crowd to see. Cruelly, luridly, I tried to strike as much terror as possible, calmly stringing words together to create the inscrutable atmosphere the Academy’s very best would exude.

“You were terrified from the start, weren’t you? I defeated the Empress, and you can’t help but find me incredibly creepy. You don’t want to be brought to your knees in the lamest way possible in front of all these people. That’s why you kept the excitement going with that fake bluster, right? It’s obvious. You were so against meeting me that you arrived late.”

“No, you’re wrong. I’m here to drag you down…”

“Oh, really? Because I think your shaking hands and legs tell another story. It’s no wonder you can’t even work your device.”

“No…that’s not it…”

Shibata tried his hardest to refute my words while working to make his device respond. His shaking hands weren’t the real culprit, of course. It was the hacker. There was nothing he could do. Time ran out, and I had to give an answer. I knew exactly what to say.

“Face down.”

“…!!”

There was no possible way I could fail. Shibata, face white as a sheet, had to pick his second card now. However, he wasn’t moving as frantically as he had moments before. Once again, we proceeded to the answer phase without him making any choice at all, and I declared, “Face down” to earn my second point.

“Ohh! Pretty good showing, Hiro!”

“…Yes. This is the first time I’ve seen it in person. It’s very impressive. Despite the audience, you aren’t revealing anything… I can see why that old vixen showers so much attention on you.”

I kept going, an easy smile on my face. There was no need to acknowledge the voices in my ear. After three straight rounds of guessing Shibata’s card, it was my turn to make picks, but Shibata suddenly dropped to one knee.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! I can’t! Just stop! I can’t put up with any more of this! I’ll take the loss! I’ll take the loss! Just let me out!”

His voice ripped through the air. Apparently, his fear had ballooned beyond his limit. Given the situation, forfeiting was probably the smart choice.

Regardless, with Shibata admitting defeat, the noise from the crowd ratcheted up a level.

“He had a good tactic, too,” someone lamented.

“Wait, what just happened?” another onlooker asked, and a few more echoed the sentiment.

“Two in a row now, huh?” remarked an excited person.

The reactions ran the gamut, but I felt like the percentage voicing doubts about my ability had decreased significantly.

This is the impact we wanted, I guess. A pretty drastic way of doing it…but yeah, I think it worked.

After breathing an internal sigh of relief, I decided to leave before anyone tried to stop me. I pushed through the crowd, left the roundabout, and hurried to the main street to quickly duck to a vacant side path. I leaned against the wall only after checking my surroundings. Once I knew it was safe, I brought a hand to my forehead, mentally spent.

That…that was soooooo scary…!

I didn’t say it out loud, but that’s what my heart was screaming. Seriously, I’d thought I was going to lose my mind. I’d egged Shibata on, accusing him of cowardice with a straight face, but I was the greater coward for sure. All those eyes on me the whole time had kept my heart racing from start to finish… Even now, it refused to slow.

That was my first Game as a Seven Star—my first public appearance, in a way. In terms of personal impact, my thoughts were focused on the Company, my support team. Yeah…it really was useful. I was still willing to believe that I could have won on my own. However, there was no better way to secure a guaranteed win. This overwhelming power to cheat so hard that I could outplay an opponent and their Abilities was insane. But if I wanted to keep this lie going, Himeji and her team’s assistance would be indispensable.

“I thought it was the worst possible situation for me,” I muttered to myself, hand still on my forehead, “but now I can take it easy a little, at least.”

Himeji contacted me again. On my device this time, not the earpiece. I checked my surroundings one more time before answering, speaking in a hushed tone.

“Hello? Himeji?”

“Yes, Master. How did that tutorial feel?”

“How did it feel? It was amazing…! It surpassed every possible expectation. Honestly, I was skeptical, but all my doubts are completely gone. Thanks a lot for helping me.”

“…Good. I’m relieved to know you’ve accepted our support.”

“Oh, absolutely. I’m sorry for dragging you into all this trouble, but I’ll be relying on you a lot going forward! Keep up the good work!”

“…! I…I see. Hearing that from you, I… Ah, never mind that. Forget about it. Regardless, the opening ceremony for Eimei School’s new term is today. We will provide support if something comes up, but I would advise you to report back to the school before long.”

“…? Oh, right. Okay.”

Himeji sounded a little tongue-tied for a second, but she recovered quickly. Was she embarrassed? I genuinely put a lot of faith in her, but maybe I shouldn’t have expressed it so casually.

Better be careful with that… People laugh because I’m too honest.

I shook my head as I chided myself, sighed, and launched my map app.