156-Episode 135 Opening Ceremony

That morning, the whole city was buzzing.

'Who's going to win?

'Ours, ours!Forty districts!

'Bah-ka!Of course it's the forty-first district!

'Oh, that's right!Have you tried the cake from District 42?It's so delicious!

'The food court is so nice!I wish they'd keep it there.

'Come on, come on!Let's see which ward will win!Let's see which district will win! It starts at 100Rb a mouthful!

'5,000Rb for the 41st district!

'20,000 for the fortieth ward!

'500 Rb for District 42!

'Mr. Momat . It's not good to compete with each other, that it is.

'And it's fatal that it's slightly cheap.

...... What the hell are they doing?

Anyway. And so, from the forty to the forty-two wards, across the border of the wards, the whole area around here is in a festive mood.

'It's amazing.

'Don't get distracted.

'...... I'm fine. Paula will take care of the manager.''

'Yeah!I'll leave it to her!I won't let him get lost!

'Paula, please take care of him. Please don't let go of the manager's hand.

'Um, um, why is everyone at ...... treating me like I'm the worst child?

'It's because you're the one who hasn't been out the most.

We walked slowly and deliberately around Jeannette, who was probably not used to crowds.

In the 41st district, the site of the gluttony contest, a great number of people had gathered.

People from all three districts were gathered in one place. This is tremendous.

While being pushed by such a crowd, they tried their best to reach their destination without getting separated.

'It's amazing. ...... I've never seen so many people in my life.

'......Perhaps they all are.'

'We have a lot of siblings, but not this many.'

No wonder. If you had this many siblings, your parents would be crushed to a pulp.

...... Incidentally, it seems that there will be more.

'It's been a while since I've been ......'.

There are many events in Japan where people gather in one place, such as Hatsumode, Gion Festival, and Comiket.

I wonder if Izumo Taisha and Ise Jingu were like this in the Edo period. ......

'Oniichan!

'Popcorn, selling like hotcakes!

In a corner of the main street, the No. 2 and No. 7 stores of the Sun Moon Pavilion are set up side by side.

They are selling with permission, so there is no problem. The reason they are lined up is to avoid trouble. The reason why they are lined up is to avoid trouble. If something goes wrong, we tell everyone to work together to overcome it.

Of course, I also told them to come to us if there was a problem they couldn't handle themselves.

'We've finally reached the second seventh store.

'...... almost to the venue.

'It's a lot of work moving around, isn't it?

It seems that my sisters have been standing by here since last night.

We also left the 42nd district before dawn, but as soon as we entered the 41st district, we got caught in a traffic jam.

It was a huge traffic jam of people.

'If I hadn't been going to the athletes' area, I might have gone back to .......'

'It's going to be even harder for the general public.

We'll be in a dedicated space as players, and Ginette and Paula will be in a dedicated space as cooks. So once we're in the hall, it'll be a little easier to get around.

'Speaking of which, what happened to Estella-san?

'...... Separated from the morning.'

'She seems to be rich, so she's probably sitting in a good seat somewhere, isn't she?It's not fair!

No, I'm going first because I'm a ...... lord.

Well, I'll keep my mouth shut.

When you enter the venue, the vigilantes of the forty-first district will guide you to the relevant passage.

...... Huh, now I can catch my breath.

'That was a hell of a crowd.'

'...... cattle walk.'

'I felt like a snail, didn't I?

'Eh, huh?Well, well, well!

Magda and Ginette's popping out of metaphors made Loretta freak out. No, it's okay, you don't have to force yourself to say it well.

'Sh...... dying grandpa!

'Hey!

That's what you came up with after a lot of thinking!

You are hereby sentenced to cheek munching for inappropriate remarks.

'Muaaahhh ...... I'm sorry ......'

'No, you can't. You have to think before you speak.'

'Ginette is right.'

'...... Dying people can't even walk.'

'That's not what I said!

You're not following me, Magda!

'Hey!Yashiro!

'You're late, guys!

Nephrite and Delia were standing in front of the officials' entrance.

Oh, there's Bertina in the back.

'You're early, guys.

You guys are early.

Why is Delia using that industry term?

Well, it's probably just a game of 'forced translation magic'.

'You're early too, Bertina.'

'Yes. I didn't want to expose the kids to the crowds, so I came before the sun came up.

'And the kids?

'The matrons are looking after them.

'I see.'

Thanks to the hard work of Umaro and the others, the venue could accommodate a huge number of spectators.

Even so, we can't fit everyone, so we have to change every match.

Because of the difference in income between the 40th, 41st, and 42nd wards, it was not possible to have a uniform admission ticket system.

Therefore, it was decided to divide the audience into three blocks, and each block would be managed by each ward.

Each district was allowed to decide the price of tickets at its own discretion.

The proceeds of the tickets go directly to the lord.

So, the admission fee for the 42nd district was 50Rb.

She could have ripped them off, but Estella explained to the lords and distributed the tickets so that everyone could see the show.

'If we can get the profit elsewhere, that's fine.

I remember you saying that.

Sweetheart.

Apparently, the forty wards sold some of their seats at a high price as premium tickets to see the whole game. Naturally, the aristocracy and the rich jumped on the tickets.

The rest of the tickets were changed every other game, and the price was reasonable.

In a sense, it may be fair to have such a blatant disparity.

The idea of ......, which treats high status people and commoners together without discrimination, looks like equality, but it is actually quite a distorted idea.

Is it really equality to treat equally those who have worked hard to earn money and those who have played too hard to become poor? ......

Well, there are many ways to think about it. That's why there are so many different kinds of "fairness". Just as it is difficult for a democracy and a socialist country to share the same values.

But the friendly 42 districts treat everyone the same.

Nobles, commoners, and slaves are all treated the same. The idea is that they're all human beings.

The only aristocrat in the Forty-two districts is Estella, ...... though Imelda has recently been included, ...... and that's about it.

As for these people, they are rather lonely when they are isolated from other people. They don't want any special treatment.

'Wow!It's so spacious!

We arrived at the waiting area prepared for the 42nd district. I was slightly overwhelmed by the sight that greeted me.

The center stage was surrounded by audience seats, and the waiting area for the officials was prepared beside it.

Looking at the audience from there, I felt a tremendous sense of intimidation. My stomach clenches at the thought of being watched by so many people. I wonder if this is how it feels to be an actor or an athlete on stage.

'Wow, I'm ...... getting nervous, even though I'm not competing.

'I'm fine,......, me too.

Ginette and I are both experiencing an inexplicable sense of tension despite our rather easygoing positions. I'm glad I'm not a player. ...... I'm really glad.

You can see the game clearly from here!I'm glad I'm a player!

'......I agree. Special seats.'

'I guess it's easier to cheer from here.

The players were surprisingly calm. Delia, Magda and Bertina are all ...... nervous, aren't they?I'm sure they don't. ......

'When you say waiting space, I thought it would be more ...... crammed into a small room and not fun at all.

'It's quite interesting to see who's waiting for you. In a big tournament like this.

Whenever there's a movement in the camp, you can't help but wonder, 'Hey, what's going on? That's what makes it fun. It's a long game. It is best to provide the audience with many things to see.

The waiting space is also a kind of entertainment.

Is ...... a bit too much?

The waiting area is basically just an empty space with a few simple chairs and desks.

Most of them will stand or sit on the ground. There will be chairs for the players. Well, whoever wants to sit down can do so.

It's 5 meters long and 4 meters wide, so it's pretty big. At any rate, this is where the contestants, the cooks, and people like me will be waiting. Adequate space is necessary.

The food is prepared in a special kitchen that can be seen from the spectators' seats, but since it is decided just before the game starts which district will cook and when, the cooks of each district wait in their respective spaces.

There is a one-hour interval between each game to change the seats and prepare the food for the next game. Roughly speaking, including the preparation time, it takes two hours to complete a match.

'Hello, Yashiro-san, everyone. How do you do?

'You're usually here, Imelda ......'.

Imelda was in the waiting area of District 42.

We're about to start the inter-district match, and I'm not sure if it's okay for me to be in District 42, where I currently live, instead of District 40, where my parents live. ......

'Isn't the fox man also here?

'Oh, oh, oh, I'm a candidate for a player,' he said.

Umaro tenses up and argues back.

His nervousness is not due to his pre-tournament nerves, but to the fact that he can't talk to women.

I mean, you should be more open-minded. Imelda sees you as a competitor and thinks very highly of you.Well, I'm sure she'll never tell you that.

'Hey, Yashiro!

I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but I'm sure you've heard of it.

...... and I thought I was going to die.

'What the hell are you doing?

'That's what I'm talking about!

I turned around to see Norma standing there with her hands on her hips, looking very angry.

Her pom-poms were super conspicuous.

'Oh!That looks good on you!

'It's not a good look!What's with this outfit?

Today's Norma, far from her usual languid adult s*xiness, has been sulking since this morning.

Her clothes are unbearably s*xy, but ......

'That outfit is ...... called a cheerleader!

He clenched his fists and said emphatically.

I clenched my fists and stressed, and was hit in the face with a pompom.

'Do you want me to stay all day with my legs hanging out like this?

Oh, so that's what's bothering you.

It's true, I usually wear a long skirt with a slit in it, so my legs aren't exposed that much. Oh, I see. So Norma is ashamed of her legs.

As for me, I have to say good job to Ukrines for creating a cheerleader outfit that emphasizes her bosom so much.

This time, I have asked Norma and the other volunteers of the 42nd district to be our "cheering squad".

Since it would give us a good seat to watch the whole game, they all agreed to do so. At that time, I told them that they should dress like a cheerleading squad, but apparently Norma didn't like it.

It's a really cute cheer outfit. She is wearing a very mini-skirt, her breasts are full of cleavage, and the pompoms she holds in her hands are unrelentingly uncomfortable in a different world.

'It's very nice, Norma.

Ginette praised Norma's outfit with sparkling eyes.

'So, is that ...... it?

'Yeah, it looks great on you. It'll motivate everyone if they support you.'

'Well, only Yashiro would be happy with something like this.

When I complimented Norma by following up with Jeannette, Norma made a little snide remark. But she didn't seem to be satisfied.

'Miss Norma, you are bursting with s*x appeal!

'...... ripe fruit.'

'I can feel the malice in you!

It seemed that Loretta and Magda's compliments were not accepted.

'Yashiro~, look, look!Isn't he cute?'

'I'm the cook, you know!

Nepheli and Paula, dressed in cheerleading uniforms like Norma, came running towards us.

You guys just walked in with us. ...... You work fast, Ukrines.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I think it's a good idea. They're in regular cheerleading gear.

Ukrines_...... you know what you're doing!

You'll find a wooden partition at the back of the waiting area of the 42nd district, which appears to be a changing room. I wonder if it's possible to look into it from the audience seats. ...... If so, I'll go to the general seats too. ......

You can't peep into it, I'm afraid.

Here comes Ukrines with a beaming face.

He seems to have recently found pleasure in dressing girls in new clothes. He's definitely a woman, but he's probably an old man at heart. That must be it.

'Oh ...... Nephrite, you're so cute ......'.

Wow,......, there's a pervert in the mix.

'What are you doing, Percy?You're a complete outsider, aren't you?'

'You told me I could come, didn't you?

Did I?

No, but still... Would you betray District Forty and come to District Forty-two just to see Neffery?

'That's treason.

'Don't you dare talk to me like that!Of course your city is important, but ...... love is more important, right?

If you're embarrassed, don't say it, it's disgusting. It's not like I'm the one who has to listen to it.

'Good morning, Yashiro-sama.

In the waiting area, which was getting crowded, Natalia called out to me.

But she wasn't here to watch the game.

'I'm here to pick you up.

'Oh.'

Natalia had come to pick me up.

To the lords' anterooms, which were even more closely monitored and controlled than here.

'Well, I'll be back in a bit.

'Yes, sir. Yashiro-san will be on the stage for the opening ceremony, right?

'Well, ...... you will be.'

For some reason, I'm supposed to be on stage with my lord. You'll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this sort of thing. ...... Well, I have one job, so I can't help it. ............ This is also for sales. It's for my benefit. ...... Cut it out, Obeyashiro.

...... Oh, that's too much trouble.

'Then I'll be here to support you.

Ginette smiles at me.

...... Don't give me that look. You'll think I'm going to do my best.

'Cheering' ...... doesn't mean I'm going to do anything, does it?

'Yes. But I'm rooting for you. I'll be watching you.'

This guy might have sensed my depression and said something like that to me.

'Well, I'm off.

'Okay. Have a good day.

Ginette sees me off, and I start moving again.

Leaving the crowded waiting area for the officials, I entered the building opposite the spectators' seats, behind the stage where the gluttony contest was held.

This is the building where the lords wait, and each lord is assigned a private room.

From the private room, you can watch the game from a good position, and it is truly a VIP room.

We stepped into the building.

As expected, there were few people around the lord's anteroom. This is because it is strictly controlled and only certain people are allowed to enter.

I don't know why I'm entering such a place. ...... I'm a fraud, right?

'How long has Estella been here?

'Yesterday. Now she's finished with her preparations and is meeting with the two other district lords.''

'Hey, hey. Are you sure it's okay for me to go in there?

'Yes. Mr. Javier and Ms. Rossel are with you.

'...... Medora's there too?

I don't know, maybe I should go home. ......

'We're here.'

Shit!

Realizing that I couldn't escape, I made up my mind.

Well, even Medora wouldn't suddenly hug me in front of her lord.

Natalia knocked and slowly opened the door.

'Da-riiiinn!

I was suddenly hugged!

She twisted me down with tremendous force, and I couldn't escape!

'You're ...... as ............ curious as ever.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure you'll do fine.I'm not sure what to do.Keep him tied up!

'A collar or a leash won't work on this thing.

'You're not its owner, are you?

I managed to pull Medora away and save her life. ...... Even before the tournament, she was drained of all her energy. ......

'Oh, Yashiro. What are you doing?

'No, no, no, you're busy today too, Oba-kun.

Estella and Demilly approached me after my mishap,......, but ............

Estella, tits, boom!

Demilly, hair, fluffy!

'Dauth!

'Dada, dada, whose breasts are dauth!

'What about the fact that you deny the possibility of natural hair from the start?

No, when you know exactly what you're pointing out, you're probably guilty of a lot of things.

In order to show that this tournament will be held with the consent of the three districts in a fair and peaceful manner, the lords of the three districts will jointly make an opening declaration at the opening ceremony.

You're going to be standing in front of a lot of people. ...... They're so vain, aren't they?

Estella is wearing a large breast stuffing and Demilly is wearing a headband.

'So, is Ricardo cheating on his height as well?

'Is he faking it!

It's the only thing that doesn't make you look good, Ricardo.

That's what makes it so weird. ......

'Anyway, we're running out of time, so let's get ready and start the opening ceremony right away!

'Hmm!I'd like that!If that's the case, we can't change anything or ...... specifically change our outfits now, so we'll have to keep things as they are for the opening ceremony, no matter what the people around us say!

The two self-disguised lords are making such excuses as they quickly head for the opening ceremony.

...... Well, I'm not stopping you,............, but I don't think Estella needs to do that. I'm not going to stop you.

If she doesn't have breasts, her identity might be exposed.

'Javier. Your lord is in an interesting situation, are you sure you don't want to say anything?'

'Huh!Hm, oh, oh!You're Jashiro!What?'

'What ...... are you. Are you nervous?'

Javier, the lumberjack general, was nervous as hell.

Is he not good at public appearances?If you're a guild leader, you'll probably have to appear in front of people at some point.

'Ha-ha-ha. Stuart has always been bad at this sort of thing, hasn't he?

'Uh-uh-uh, shut up, Ambrose!

'Don't be too hard on yourself, it's bad for your hair follicles.

'I don't want to hear it from you, ............!What's wrong with your head?

Apparently, he just realized it.

'What are you talking about, Stuart? It's natural hair, natural hair.

Everyone in the room pointed at Demily at the same time.

『『『『『 genie's ......』』』』』

'Wow!That was a joke!My bad!Can't you just pretend it didn't happen!''

Unexpectedly, I was able to take advantage of the forty district lords' weakness . Yeah, yeah. I'll make use of it in the future.

''Well, gentlemen. It's time for the opening ceremony. Stop fiddling with your stupid hair follicles and get ready.'

'Estella's maids can spit venom with ease. ......'

Natalia urges them to get ready while damaging Demilly.

It's time for the opening ceremony.

'So, let's get going.

It may not be a matter of seniority, but it seems that Demilly is the representative of the lord, and the atmosphere is such that Demilly is the first to take action.

Demilly was the first to leave the room, followed by Ricardo and Estella.

I, Javier, and Medora walked side by side with our respective lords.

'Are you nervous?

Estella asked me along the way.

'Not really. I'm just going to stand there.'

'Hmm ...... do you really think that's all you're going to do?'

'What are you going to make me do?

'I don't have to make you do anything, you'll do something on your own. You always do.'

'Shut up.'

Estella chuckles quietly.

Dressed up, Estella is still beautiful and looks like a real lady in this way.

It's a strange thing. Maybe makeup is a kind of fraud.

Before you become beautiful, the atmosphere you wear changes drastically.

'Now, it's time.

'Oh.'

Ahead, the exit to the venue comes into view.

'The tournament is about to begin at .......'

With a kind of bizarre elation, your facial muscles form a smile for some reason.

Well, it's certainly not a bad feeling.

I guess I got excited and thought I might as well go for it.

I was in an uncharacteristically high spirits.

When the lords went up on the stage, the audience broke out in applause.

'That's impressive .......'

'As expected ......, I'm a little nervous.'

After exchanging a few words with Estella, we went up to the stage.

The three lords stand in the center of the stage, while I, Javier and Medora move aside.

Demilly raised one hand, and the applause that had been breaking out quieted down.

I'm going to hold a joint gluttony contest between the 40th, 41st, 42nd, and 3rd districts!

Demilly's voice was neither shouting nor raised, but calm and easy to listen to. Even so, it echoed through every corner of the hall. I guess you can get by without a loudspeaker.

'We hereby declare that we will not engage in any subterfuge or dealings in this tournament, and that we will fight fair and square!

At Demilly's words, Ricardo and Estella raise their right hands. It was a sign of agreement.

'The winner of this tournament will receive the greatest honor and prize!

The prize is that the winning district will be able to make one request to the other districts.

The prize was that the winning district could make one request to the other districts. I'm sure that the same kind of briefings for the people that we had in District 42 are being held in other districts as well.

Then, I hereby declare the opening of the gluttony contest!

With the declaration of the opening, the venue became excited at once.

Applause and finger whistles were sounded loudly, and cheers rose up.

A tremendous swell of sound shook the air.

There is something uncanny about it.

The frenzy of the World Cup looks so cute.

Amidst the cheers and applause, the lords shake hands in praise of each other's efforts.

When the three lords put their hands on each other's, the crowd cheered a little louder.

I may be witnessing a historic scene.

In Japan, this would surely make the front page of tomorrow's morning paper.

.........

This is not the time to get carried away by the atmosphere.

I've still got work to do.

I was able to bring it to this point with a good deal of vagueness. Estella was concerned and asked me a few questions, but I kept playing it off.

Everything was to be decided here and now.

'Now then, I'd like to move on to the first game.

'Wait a minute!'

I shouted, and the hall buzzed as the three lords all turned to look at me.

'Hey, Yashiro. What the hell are you doing?

Estella asks in a whisper.

What are you going to do? You have things to do.

But I didn't have the lord involved in organizing the match so that he wouldn't notice.

The lord is a representative, but he does not participate in the tournament. He's just a spectator.

So you don't know, do you?You don't know who's in charge of cooking the first game, or how they decide.

'From the second game onward, the lowest ranked district will be in charge of cooking, but it hasn't been decided who will be in charge of the first game yet.

'Oh, really?

Demilly and Ricardo seemed to be surprised, as was Estella.

'Yeah, yeah, that's fine.

'...... Why didn't you decide?

Estella came up next to me and whispered to me.

You're an idiot. It's for entertainment, of course.

I pushed Estella away and walked to the center of the stage.

'Ah~......, actually, this time. I purposely didn't decide on the dishes for the first game beforehand. This is because the act of discussing and deciding the first dish unseen by the people involved would cause grumbling. Even if the decision was made in a legitimate way, the people of the districts that were not chosen would not be satisfied if it was only hearsay. Isn't that right?

He asked the crowd.

The crowd begins to murmur.

That's right, that's right. It's boring being out of the loop.

Then why don't you let your representative decide what to cook for the first game in front of your eyes?

'I think I'll let the lords decide here and now by drawing lots, what do you think!

The question was met with a shout of approval, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa! The question was met with a shout of approval.

Yes, yes. The crowd likes to be extra excited.

Some may argue that the decision should be made through proper consultation and fair discussion.

But in this situation, the opinions of those who can make a calm decision will be silenced. Only at this moment, the one with the loudest voice wins, not the majority.

In other words, if I stir up the crowd, things will go according to my plan.

I've got the approval of the audience. So, what do you think, my lord?'

I turn around and ask the three lords this time.

After the crowd's opinion, they have their answer.

'I don't mind.

'I don't like the fact that it's your opinion, but ...... well, do what you want.

'I'm fine with that, too.

They don't have a choice.

That's what I want.

'Now, wait a minute. Oumalo!

'Yes, sir!

At my signal, Umaro comes running onto the stage.

'Sorry, Umaro.

'No, no, no. This is nothing to worry about. I'll help you.

In Umaro's hands are two boxes of various sizes.

One is a wooden cube with a length, width, and depth of about 30 centimeters each. There is a hole of about 13 centimeters in diameter at the top.

It's a hole of such a size that the contents are never fully visible, and you can easily take out what's inside by sticking your arm through the hole.

The other box is less than 20 centimeters wide and about 5 centimeters long and deep, and it contains a certain object.

When you open the lid, you will find three balls of 5 cm in diameter inside. There is one red ball and two white balls.

I hold them up on the stage and show them to the audience.

'Put the three balls in this box and draw one at a time. The red ball is the winner. Simple and easy to understand, isn't it?

This way, it's obvious to everyone, and the lords can't cheat.

It makes sense to everyone.

But then...

'Wait a minute!

Ricardo, a man of few friends, who could not read the atmosphere and had a bad eye, intervened.

I knew he'd bite, though.

'I'm going to check that box and ball.

'You don't trust me, do you?

'Of course not!

He said it!

That's what I've been trying to tell Ricardo and the others.

Now, come on, be skeptical. That's right, that's how we'll look.

And when you prove there's no trick, the audience will believe there's no fraud.

'Are you almost done?

'Almost there!

'No, you won't find anything if you observe like you're desperately peeking inside a girl's skirt.

'What?You!If you insult me in public, I'll sue you in the courts!

'All right. Then, I'll insult you alone at ...... later.'

'No thanks, a**h*le!

Ricardo throws the box back at me roughly.

What the hell is he doing?What the hell is he doing with a box I'm about to use?

'Did you find anything suspicious?

'There's nothing!

'Yes, there is. Do you want to check Demilly?

'No, I'm good. Ricardo's done enough research.'

'I see.

Well, I'd like to check out the part of Demily that's bothering me, in public.

'Oh, Oba-kun ......, can you stop staring at my hairline?I won't let you check it out, will I?'

Okay. Too bad.

'Okay, Umaro. Hold the box for me.'

'Yes, sir!

Umaro, who has become my assistant, takes the box and I hold it up to the crowd.

'Let's put them in!

The crowd cheered lightly, and I realized that they were moderately excited.

Now go to ...... and take out three balls from the box.

Hold the three balls in your right hand and place the empty box on the floor with your left hand.

Then, from the three balls held together in your right hand, take one white ball with your left hand and slowly place it into the box.

One ......

Then, with your left hand, take another white ball and slowly place it into the ...... box. ......

Two ............

'Now, this is the last one!

As he says this, he slowly puts his right hand into the box and drops the ball.

With a hard thud, the three balls are placed into the box.

He instructed Umaro to shake the box.

'As for the order, well, ...... if I prepare it and the lord of the forty-two districts draws first, it's very stinky. ...... How about here? How about in order of least hair follicles?

I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out.

I'm sure Demilly will tell you, but either way, you're the best.

'Ricardo, are you okay with that?

'Do what you want.

Frowning, Ricardo continues to take a dull attitude.

Then, Demilly, Ricardo, and Estella will go in that order.

Since we don't have a particular pedestal, we'll leave the box in Umaro's hands and let the lord draw.

First comes Demilly.

'The red ball is the winner,' she says.

'Yes. When you get the ball, hold it high so the audience can see it.

'Okay.'

With that, Demilly thrusts his arm into the box, looking slightly amused.

'I'm starting to feel like I'm taking part in a tournament. It's a big responsibility.

Demilly seems to be fiddling with the balls in the box, trying to get a hit. The wooden box rattled.

Come on, pull it.

'All right, that's it!

Demilly pulled the ball out of the box and raised it above his head.

At that moment, there was a sigh from the viewing area in the 40th district, and shouts of joy from the other areas.

In other words, Demilly was ......

'White ......?

Demilly gazed at the ball he had drawn with regret.

'Well, it can't be helped.

She seems to have given up and gives up her spot to Ricardo.

Ricardo stands in front of the box and looks at you with suspicion, as if he has not yet given up.

'You're a hard man to give up. ...... Hurry up and pull it.'

'Shut up!I'm not going to trust you ...... for the rest of my life.

'You, if you keep talking like that, Regina will write you a thin ......'.

'What are you talking about?

'There are many good things in the world that you don't know. ...... Just pull it out.'

'Hmm ......!

When I held out the box, Ricardo thrust his arm into it with a look of frustration on his face.

He is checking the balls in the box. He then flicked the box around to see if there was a fourth ball hidden somewhere inside.

'...... There's nothing here?

'You really have a nasty personality, don't you?

I'm not going to let you be the only one to say that.

This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your money.

This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment.

'Don't put your own spin on it!Also, I'm sorry for your bad eyesight, okay?

And I'm sorry for my bad eyesight.' He glared at me with bad eyesight.

I'm scared. You have bad eyes!

'Well then, the rest can be found at .......'

While saying this, I quickly put my hand into the box.

'Oh, no!I wanted to do it too!

'It's silly to spend so much time when you know the result, isn't it?

'Well, that's true, but...'

'Here you go.'

He pulled his arm out of the box and tossed the red ball in his hand to Estella.

'Whoa!

Estella panics, but catches the red ball with both hands.

Once she had the red ball in her hand, she looked at it lightly and rubbed it a bit .......

...... Are you doubting me too?

'You can't peel off the paint or anything, can you?'

'What?Oh, no, that's not what I meant. ...... Haha. There's something about what Yashiro does that makes me feel like there's something behind it. Sorry, sorry, sorry.

'Well, because of my bad behavior, I'm the one'.

'Haha. I'm sorry. Anyway, I'm the winner. You did it!

Estella smiles at me as if to make up for it.

'Hey. Can I check one more time?

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out.

...... is why you can't make friends.

'You're so persistent, you're a bad judge of character.

'Who's the bad guy with the bad eyes?I'm just making sure. If there's any cheating here, the rest of the tournament won't go so well!

He's ...... really stupid.

'Hey ...... Umaro, give him the box. And leave it to us to dispose of it.'

'What?Is that okay?I'm not going to ask my lord to dispose of the trash.

'I'm sure you'll feel better once you've destroyed it and inspected it thoroughly.

'Is that so, ......?Then I'll give it to you.

Umaro reverently presents an empty wooden box to Ricardo.

Ricardo takes it and looks inside.

Hmm. Looking at him from the side, he's a very unpleasant man. He's not very likable.

I hope the girls don't like him either.

'Hmm ......, looks like you didn't cheat.

Finally, you've convinced me.

'But just in case, I'm taking this with me. I'll take it apart and examine it again later.

'...... Do what you want with it.

When you're done with it, use it for firewood.

'See you later!

Following the results of the lottery, Demily raised his voice again.

'The first game will be played with dishes from the Forty-Two districts!The match will begin thirty minutes from now!

A cheer went up from the audience.

The opening ceremony is now over.

The demi-lieutenants return to the aisle they just left. They may be watching the game in their private rooms.

I, however, am walking in the opposite direction from the lords to return to the waiting area for the people of District 42.

It's too much trouble to make a detour every time, so I get off the stage and head for the waiting area.

'Yashiro'.

Estella comes running up to me.

'I'll see you later.

She puts her face close to my ear and whispers these words in my ear.

There was a groan from the audience.

'Ya, Yashiro-san...... Ah, you............ even put your hands on the acting lord...... ......You're a hell of a person. ......'

I'm not sure what to say.

In the event that you've got any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at .............

'...... Estella'

'...... sorry'.

I'll blame Estella in a loud voice that the other guys can't hear.

In the event that you've got any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.

...... d*mn it. He's a careless one.

I guess I am too.

'Yashiro-san ...... is a panelist .......'

'Don't be stupid, we're going back too.

'Yes, sir.'

With Umaro in tow, we left the stage and headed back to the waiting area in District Forty-two.

'Welcome back, Yashiro-san.

Ginette is the first to greet us.

'We've got the first dish. Take care of it.

'Yes, sir. I'll go make a delicious lunch for the adults.

Well, I don't really care how good it is.

'How many dishes will be served?I'd appreciate it if there were many. You know, with the flags and everything.'

Paula, in her cheerleader outfit, seemed to be in high spirits.

'Don't worry. I've already been promised that there will be quite a few.

'Is that so?'

'Yeah, it's ......, after all.'

I say with a smile on my face.

'We'll be sending out Bertina.

'What?Out of the blue?

Paula, who didn't know what was going on, raised her voice in surprise.

She must have thought that Bertina, as a general, would be the last to be brought in.

'First of all, I'll take the first win. This will make it a lot easier for the rest of the players.

'Ah, ......, I see. You're right, Yashiro, you do think.

I've told Bertina herself, Estella, Ginette and the others about this plan.

This is why Bertina came to the venue early this morning with the kids from the church.

In order to fulfill the wishes of the children who wanted to see Bertina's bravery.

Plus, it fits with the idea of serving lots of adult lunches. With Bertina, we'll get fifty tickets.

That's why I wanted the 42nd district to have the first meal of the game, no matter what.

'So, there will be a huge number of them, so please prepare them right now!

'This is going to turn the ...... cooking area into a battlefield. ...... Ginette!Let's go!

'Yes, Mr. Paula!Okay, Mr. Yashiro. I'm off.'

'Oh!Take care!

I watched Paula and Ginette run off to the special kitchen, and took a breath.

Yeah, it worked.

I'm really glad Ricardo is an idiot.

'Huh?What's wrong, Mr. Yashiro?You're smiling at me.'

'No. I was just thinking that Ricardo was looking through some pretty cool boxes.'

'Oh, ......, you were a little persistent. I don't think you need to go that far, me neither.

'Not at all. I'm sure you'll be able to find something to help you.

'.................. What?

I waved my right hand lightly.

And then a white ball fell from the sleeve of my dress.

'Yikes!What?What the hell?

'Baka, shh!...... Your voice is so loud.'

'Oh, I'm sorry. ...... But, ...... what?

Umaro's eyes are bugging out.

Well, I guess so.

This guy, who was watching closest to me, didn't seem to notice at all.

'Oh, no, Umaro. I'm really sorry ...... for making you be a part of the evil.

'No!I'm sorry.I'm sorry.

He gently puts a white ball in the right hand of Umaro, who is so confused that he can only make strange sounds.

'Oumalo. This ball ...... should be disposed of well so that no one will notice it.'

'Ya, ya, ya, Yashiro-san!Oh, you, you, you ......!

'Shh!If you don't dispose of it promptly so that no one knows about it,......, you'll be in a lot of trouble,............, buddy.

'Oh ...... demons...... Yashiro-san is a demon......'

With a blue face, Umaro hurriedly tucked the white ball in his hand into his pocket.

'I glanced at it, but it was still white. ...... What do you mean?Where did this white ball come from?

Since you don't seem to be convinced unless I tell you a trick, I'll tell you.

It's a very, very simple trick.

'I hid a white ball in my sleeve. Then, when I put the balls in the box, I replaced them with red ones.'

I modified the gimmick I made before to hide the knife in the sleeve, so that I could hide the balls in the sleeve.

While the audience's attention was focused on his left hand, he switched the red balls with the white balls in his sleeve, and then put the white balls into the box. Instead of being able to show the color of the balls, he deliberately made a noise inside the box to show that he had put them in.

'So, Demilly and Ricardo will be white no matter what they draw.

'But the box was empty at the end, right?

'So, when I took the last one, you hid the white ball in the box in your sleeve and made it look like you took the red ball in your sleeve out of the box.

'......I didn't notice that at all. ......'

Umaro may not know this, but I am actually very good at magic. I'm especially good at table magic using cards, coins, and balls.

The reason why I made Umaro bring the wooden box to me in the middle of the opening ceremony was to make him think that the box was the one with the trick.

Before that, I met him, talked with him, and came out with him, and people don't usually think that my body is equipped with a trick.

Magic is something that begins even before you go on stage.

'...... How could you hide such a large ball in your sleeve and act normal?

'I'm a bit handy, aren't I?

'............I'll never trust Yashiro-san again,............ in a good way. In a good way.

The last word is not a follow-up at all, but well, I understand how you feel.

'Oh, ...... my heart hurts. ............ I don't think I can do gluttony...' ...'

I'm not sure what to say.

But if Magda cheers you up, you'll be fine.

And so the gluttony contest began.

Actually, it had already begun.

At any rate, I'll take the first win.

I guess I'll fight my way out.