Chapter 7: The Boring Girl III
Previously:
"Don't tell me … They're memorizing the cards?!" He exclaimed as a sweat ran down his cheek. "Huh...? That's not—" Another student tried to deny it but the other shook his head.
"No, that's exactly what's going on. It's like after they flip a card once, the three can remember what the card is. That's why they are quick to pick cards after the other finishes."
"From there, whatever they pick matches without fail."
"Are you kidding me?"
Their mouths were left agape as they stared at the overwhelming intensity of the three participants, as each of the three has brought out 120% of their memory potential.
—The Boring Girl III.
"Hmm, I've been wondering … maybe it's just me." Kinji's eyes went dead again as he picked another matching card. The score was currently:
[Yumeko: 15]. [Kinji: 16]. [Sumeragi: 15].
"We might have to play a second round with the way things are going," Kinji said as he picked another matching card. [Kinji: 16]. He was currently in the lead, of course.
Sumeragi in the background gritted her teeth silently. She was expecting this to be easier, since she had the upper hand.
However, these two freaks in front of her, who solely rely on their memory alone, are matching her, with one even outmatching her. "Oh my, at this rate, Emiya-san might win this round," Yumeko smiled as she looked at Kinji.
"Not necessarily," Kinji picked a wrong matching card. "The extra 64 pieces of cards make it tricky. It's hard enough to memorize six cards per round already, and at least twelve overall."
Yes, at the very least, this was Kinji's own way of memorizing the cards in front of him. Of the current sixty-four that lay on the table, Kinji has at the very least memorized more than twelve cards.
With a single loss of focus, everything can end. However, '—strangely, there are different patterns on certain cards... so, this is what that is, huh?'
Next was Sumeragi's turn, who picked a matching two of clubs, however, her next one ended in a bust. "Tsk." She didn't even bother hiding her frustration. [Sumeragi: 16].
The same also repeated for Yumeko's turn, with her picking a matching card on the first try, but losing on the second. [Yumeko: 16].
The game was mostly in Kinji's favor; however, the boy sighed, looking at Sumeragi. "Currently, we're all at a dead end. Most of the cards here don't have a match anymore; it's a stalemate."
"That's right, then, shall we?"
"I'm in favor as well."
"Then..." Sumeragi went to her bag, retrieving two decks of cards. "Alright then, are you ready for round two?"
Both Yumeko and Kinji nodded without saying much. Sumeragi unpacked the cards, shuffling them before spreading them across the table.
Kinji went silent for a few seconds before nodding. "I see, that's how it is..."
Kinji sighed as he looked at the cards on the table again. 'Yumeko hasn't probably noticed... or maybe she has.' Yumeko, like him, went silent, her gaze focused on the cards.
'She's in the zone already.'
Kinji smiled, "Yumeko, would you like to go first, or should I go first this time?" Kinji asked cryptically, looking at Yumeko with a knowing gaze.
"No, no, since it has come to this, Emiya-san should go ahead," Yumeko shook her head before her mouth parted into a smile. Kinji nodded as he moved his hand towards the first card.
'Huh? What are these two talking about?'
'Do they have some tricks in mind—kuh!?' Sumeragi's eyes widened in shock. The first two cards Kinji picked were a perfect match. 'Wait—how? Huh?'
'They figured it out? Since when?'
"—It was bugging me, you know," Kinji's words softly reached her ears as he continued flipping the cards, his eyes dead like before.
"As much as I wanted to ignore it, it just keeps standing out to me, thanks to these special eyes of mine."
"I even tried losing my eye focus so many times just to make it fair, but seems like there's no need too anymore…"
"By the way, Sumeragi, right? I do know your family runs a famous toy factory," Kinji kept turning over the cards in matching order.
"—Huh?" Her voice trembled even when she said those words.
"Are you sure you should be gambling on your family's company?" Kinji's words sent a shiver down her spine as she now saw him looking dead straight at her. "What are you saying?"
"From here on, I can continue picking the cards in matching order. What do you say? Do you want to bet whether or not I can do it?" Kinji's lips curved back into a grin.
"What are you talking about—?"
"—I'm asking you if you want to bet if I can match the remaining 48 cards?" Kinji appeared behind her, whispering into her ear.
Slightly taken aback, Sumeragi inwardly shook her head. 'It's a lie, it's just a bluff. No, but… don't tell me he can see it too...' Sweat poured down from her forehead as she nervously answered, "Ye-yeah. What is it you want to bet for?"
She asked as Kinji silently returned to his position, "Let's see, what other things would you want to bet aside from money?"
"—Ah~ I know! How about we bet our parents' company? Of course, it wouldn't just be a verbal statement. I know! Let's sign a contract!" Kinji's lips suddenly parted, his personality coming in full display.
"Wha—!? That's absurd!" Sumeragi took a step back in fear. As she tried to come up with a solution, however, before she could even gather her thoughts, his voice interrupted her again.
"No, no! You have already done so. You know full well what you have done," Kinji's eyes glowed in an even brighter crimson shade. "Your little tricks cannot get past these eyes of mine."
'Is he crazy? Even if he's the heir of Babylon, just betting on his family's company like that... that's crazy!'
Sumeragi took a step back in horror, but his facial expression, that smile on his face, he was... that guy was enjoying this situation. 'Crazy bastard.'
"Ahh~ Emiya-san," even Yumeko by the side got affected as she squirmed in place, gripping the helm of her skirt. Seeing that look on his face was nothing but pure ecstasy for her. "Saaa! Sumeragi-san! Kakegurui mashooo~"
'These two are crazy!' Sumeragi shrunk back in fear, but knowing her match was being broadcasted to all students meant the student council would be watching this match. That alone...
And just like she thought—In the Student council room. Watching the broadcast was the student council president—Kirari Momobami, seated on her chair. A light smile gracing her features, "Interesting."
—Sumeragi Itsuka.
Never in her wildest dreams did she think she was going to get busted. Her family's company was responsible for producing Raclette, the Japanese stock market's third leading card product.
She had ordered custom-made cards that would react to warm temperatures, revealing a different pattern.
Of course, one wouldn't be able to see it at a glance, as they were carefully crafted. Although memorizing them was a bit tricky, she managed to scale through that.
But then... why? How did it come down to this?
"Come on, Sumeragi, let us raise the stakes, shall we?" A crazy psychopath, without batting an eye, bet his family's company just like that.
How was he so confident? No, this wasn't just confidence anymore...
It was like…
…He was certain that victory was his.
Yet, there was still a chance he would slip up, and she was betting on that chance. After all, if she backs down, she would be in the same position, as it would mean her loss nevertheless…
'Alright then! You crazy bastard! Fine! Let's have it your way!'
"Let's raise the stakes!"
In the end… She too, also chose to continue. But she can't be blamed. After all, that is what makes gambling interesting.
"Yes, that's good, Sumeragi!" Kinji then proceeded to slowly decimate that hope of hers with pinpoint accuracy, flipping every card without missing a single one.
'No, no, as soon as he misses, I'll swap out all the cards for regular ones. If word gets out, it wouldn't just end with betting on the company...'
There would also be reports and scandals.
She was betting her life on that single possibility where he would miss and flip a wrong card.
But much to her dismay—
"—There! All 54 matching cards flipped."
Kinji spread his arms across the table as his lips curled upwards. Raising his head slightly higher, his cold voice resounded in her ears, "Sumeragi... you lose..."
She looked down at the table, then back at Kinji, who had a sadistic grin on his face.
'I... Lost...?'
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