565 Because I have something to gain (2/2)
”That wasn't it. She said that it was simply safer to talk on her car.”
”You guys discussed something top-secret? No… forget I asked.” Chiaki showed some self-restraint.
The three of them went inside Seiji's apartment.
Seiji took out the red card and placed it on the table.
”This is a participation card for the Bloodwine Ritual. Sister Yui told me to use this and join the tournament.”
”Why is she having you participate?”
”She didn't tell me the specifics. She only said that she has something to gain.”
”What could she possibly gain from having her exiled younger brother enter a fighting tournament?”
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
”Logically speaking, the two of you are currently opposing each other. Seiji, the better your performance, the more your sister will lose face.” Chiaki adjusted some imaginary eyeglasses. ”However, she told you to join a fighting tournament and said that she has something to gain. This is rather strange.”
”Could she be lying? That actually she has nothing to gain, but she intentionally said she did… so that Seiji wouldn't feel like he owes her a favor,” Mika spoke up.
”Now then, Mister person at the center of it all, what's the possibility of Mika's inference being true?” Chiaki looked at Seiji.
”I think fifty percent,” Seiji answered.
Yui indeed had tsundere tendencies.
”It's half likely that Mika's inference is on the mark, while the other half is that she indeed has something to gain…” Chiaki pretended like she was a famous detective. ”Something she can gain even though she stands to lose face… My daring inference is that she wants to secretly use you to deal with someone else in the tournament for her!”
”Secretly use me to deal with someone else?”
”Yep. If someone loses face, her opponents, or perhaps I should say enemies, will be the happiest about it.” A sharp glint appeared in Chiaki's eyes. ”Yui Haruta's enemies will be happy to see her losing face, and will perhaps take certain actions. This is exactly what she hopes for. That is to say, she intends to use such a method to incite her own enemies to take action so that they'll fall into a trap that she set up!”
That sounded logical as well… a classic example of pretending to be weak when actually strong.
Seiji and Mika both gave Chiaki a round of applause at her astonishing insight.
Famous detective Chiaki smiled and bowed.
”Let's say that my theory is correct. In that case, Seiji, if you win the fighting tournament… this Bloodwine Ritual, perhaps you'll really be a big help to your sister,” the tomboy continued. ”That's because one possibility is that her enemies will contact you and want to use you to deal with her instead. If that happens, you could totally pretend to cooperate with them while secretly contacting your sister to deal with her enemies together!”
That… seemed like quite an excellent scenario to Seiji.
He couldn't help but imagine himself helping Yui to deal with her enemies and obtaining her sincere thanks.
Wonderful!
Just imagining it seemed quite good already. If he could really accomplish such a thing, it would be a giant step in fixing his relationship with his family and having his exile be rescinded.
For the sake of this theoretical possibility, he absolutely had to win the Bloodwine Ritual tournament!
On one side was Natsuya, while on another side was Yui. He had plenty of motivation because both girls wanted him to win. It could even be said that he had an overflowing amount of motivation.
For the sake of his best female friend, as well as his older sister, he would defeat all his opponents, become the final victor, and obtain the glory of a king!
”I've said it before, don't just randomly add narration for me.”
”I'm not being random at all. Your eyes told me all of the above.”
”My eyes… Fine then, I suppose that this time you're right.” Seiji admitted to it.
Chiaki chuckled proudly before she looked off in a direction where nobody was there.
”In the future, please call me the 'extra narrator!'”
”Who are you even talking to?”
”The readers of this novel.”
”Don't just randomly add titles to yourself.”
”You're actually not commenting how I called this world a novel?”
”I'm tired.”
”Don't get lazy at such a critical moment!”
Mika calmly watched the two of them joking around as she poured herself some tea. She took a sip before looking at the red card on the table.
”This… participation card. How do you use it?” she asked.
”I was told that I simply had to inject my Mana into it and sign the card together with my Spirit-branded Retainers.” Seiji picked up the card.
The moment he finished speaking, he heard familiar footsteps.
Shika arrived in the living room and looked at Mika and Chiaki.
Mika and Chiaki also glanced back at her.