Chapter 16: Victory, and Miharu's Reluctant Desires
Round three began, and Naoki had the first roll again.
Low number, please.
She whispered her wish and shook the dice.
One and two. Three total.
Miharu rolled next: double twos. Four.
Naoki lifted her cup again without hesitation.
Three and four. Seven.
The pot grew to four chips. Naoki doubted Miharu would end it here.
Sure enough, Miharu rolled an eight.
Naoki now faced a bigger risk. With the pot doubled to eight chips, she needed a solid roll to stay in.
She shook the dice with silent determination and lifted the cup.
Four and five. Nine.
Naoki smiled. Not a knockout, but it kept her in the game.
"Looks like Sakura's getting greedy," Ina murmured.
"Naoki's down twelve chips. If she wants to win, she has to push," Nagi commented.
That was true. Naoki needed more than eight to catch up.
Naoki rolled again. Her heart pounded as the dice settled.
"Four and five. Nine!" she called.
Miharu reached for her dice. But just as she lifted the cup—
"Miharu-sama~"
Naoki's voice purred across the table. Miharu instinctively looked up.
Naoki smiled sweetly.
A strange shiver ran down Miharu's spine.
"I believe you won't end it here," Naoki said, voice silken. "Roll a ten. I'll roll an eleven. Then we'll see if you can roll twelve."
Nagi rolled his eyes. "She's bluffing."
Aoi frowned, puzzled.
But something about Naoki's tone made Ina glance at her sharply, her expression darkening with fascination.
Only women were affected by the Charm Card. The men didn't notice a thing.
Miharu gritted her teeth and tried to ignore the voice. Focus. She had to finish this. Just roll a twelve.
But the voice echoed in her mind.
She's messing with me.
Naoki tilted her head. "It'll be so exciting if it all ends in one more round."
Miharu shook her head, closed her eyes, and rolled.
Naoki watched closely.
Miharu's motion stuttered. Just a fraction of hesitation.
Then the dice hit the cup.
"Sakura?"
Miharu opened her eyes and lifted the cup.
Three and four. Seven.
A murmur rippled across the room.
Miharu had misrolled.
Aoi looked stunned. "Sakura never misses."
She had opened the cup and revealed a lower number than Naoki's. She owed sixteen chips.
A reversal.
Score: 70 to 30.
"I need the restroom," Miharu said softly.
She left without another word.
Naoki watched her go, heart pounding.
Charm Card worked.
Miharu had been rattled. For someone as upright as her, losing control was devastating.
Seven minutes passed.
Miharu returned. Her expression was colder than before. Her scent had changed—she must have used perfume to mask any lingering effects.
Naoki smirked. Too late.
She activated another Charm Card.
Miharu rolled first. Double ones. Two.
Naoki rolled: two and four. Six.
Miharu raised again. Three and four. Seven.
Naoki considered ending it here.
Two sixes would be nice.
She rolled: four and five. Nine.
Back to Miharu. The pot hit eight.
"Miharu-sama~"
This time, Miharu didn't react. Her movements were smooth. Her expression flat.
"Double sixes. Twelve," Ina called.
Naoki winced.
She's immune now?
She noticed the earplugs.
So that's what she did in the restroom.
The next few rounds turned disastrous. Without Charm working, Naoki's luck faltered. She lost chips rapidly.
Even the Lucky Koi couldn't save her. The dice turned against her.
In the end, Miharu stood victorious.
"Sakura wins," Aoi declared.
Nagi clapped lazily. Ina nodded.
"Naoki Utsugi," Miharu said coolly, "you're not qualified to be a councilor in the Zensaki Society."
Aoi smiled diplomatically. "Still, she showed promise. Maybe next time."
The session ended.
But not for Naoki.
She chased Miharu down the hall.
"Sakura-senpai!"
Miharu paused. "What is it?"
Naoki hesitated. "You didn't want me to join, did you?"
Miharu looked away. "You lack the skill."
"Then one more game. If I lose, I'll leave the Zensaki Society for good."
Miharu paused.
She didn't trust Naoki.
From her investigation, Miharu knew the Zensaki Society was a front for Aoi's ambitions. She stayed only because of personal loyalty.
She didn't want Naoki—clever, unpredictable, and far from innocent—getting entangled.
Still... one more game.
A quiet room. Just the two of them.
"Ten chips."
Naoki agreed.
She rolled: one and two. Three.
Miharu responded: four.
Naoki rolled again. Seven.
Miharu: double fours. Eight.
Back to Naoki. She rolled and revealed: one and four.
She winced.
Miharu narrowed her eyes. No tricks?
Naoki tapped her system.
Used: Try Again Card.
She reset time to before her bad roll.
She tried again.
Five and six. Eleven.
Back to Miharu.
Naoki activated Charm again.
Miharu gritted her teeth. The familiar heat crept into her chest.
Why does this happen when she speaks?
Then she heard the rustle.
She glanced up.
Naoki was slowly removing her jacket.
"It's hot. No rules against undressing, right?"
Miharu twitched.
Then came the shirt buttons.
"What are you doing?"
"Cooling off. We're both girls. Nothing weird."
More skin showed.
Miharu looked away, flustered. Her chest ached from the pounding of her heart.
What is happening to me?
The dice fell from her trembling hand.
Double ones.
Naoki won.
She beamed. "You lost, Sakura-senpai. Maybe your skills need more training."
Miharu blushed furiously. "Naoki Utsugi, you are insufferable."
She couldn't accept what she felt.
Naoki buttoned up calmly. "You misrolled on your own. Not my fault."
System: Affinity with Miharu Taki Sakura increased by 10.
The body says yes, even when the mouth says no.