CHAPTER 1 STORY 31
Leveling the Playing Field
“Elaina, let’s play a game.”
In the midst of our journey, while we were resting at an inn, my teacher suddenly made that suggestion.
With a smile, I answered her. “No thanks.”
“The rules are simple. I’ll place a piece of paper on the table. On the paper, I’ve written what you are going to do, according to my predictions. If you act as predicted within the next three minutes, you lose. How about it? Won’t you play?”
“I just said no, didn’t I?”
“Oh my, not even when it’s a game that favors you so heavily? You won’t play? If you just take care not to do anything that’s written on the paper, that’s all you have to do to win, you know?”
“So tell me, if I win, what do I get?”
“My praise and admiration.”
“And if I lose?”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to treat me to dinner.”
“…I thought the game was supposed to work out overwhelmingly in my favor?”
“Since it works so overwhelmingly in your favor, isn’t it only natural that the penalty for losing would be steep?”
“……”
But still…
“Just being praised doesn’t get me very motivated.”
“My, how selfish.”
What are you talking about?
With a sigh, I replied, “I just mean that those conditions don’t get me interested. If I can get some better terms, well, I guess I’d be willing to cooperate with your game to kill some time.”
“Better terms like what?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” I made a slightly wicked face. “You have to treat me to a luxurious dinner, Miss.”
“My, my, how selfish.”
What are you talking about?
“Don’t you think the stakes of the competition ought to be equal?”
“……”
After falling silent for a little while, my teacher suddenly broke into a smile and said, “Well…you’re right, the stakes ought to be equal. That’s fine. If I lose, I’ll treat you.”
Now we’re talking.
At that point, I finally got on board, and I extended a hand toward the paper that had been placed on the table.
Then I opened it up.
Only one thing was written there.
You played the game.
……
“Miss Fran. Isn’t this a little dishonest?”
I glared at her, and my teacher smiled.
“How ridiculous. It’s not dishonest! We leveled the playing field, didn’t we?”
[Publication Information] Volume 10
Toranoana Buyer’s Bonus
[Author Comments]
Somehow, it seems like Miss Fran is a little more excitable than usual, but in Volume 10, she was often more energetic. It’s by design.
Leaving that aside, the acting for Miss Fran in the Wandering Witch anime was incredible, wasn’t it? Since I was used to listening to the version of Miss Fran who had comedic exchanges with Elaina every time they reunited at some destination on the drama CDs, it was really a fresh experience to see Miss Fran adopt a more mysterious presence. Kana Hanazawa sure is amazing…
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