Grabbing the cover of the board game gave me the feeling of opening the Pandora's Box.

But, it wasn’t like I had other options to choose.

If this gathering were to get canceled just because we felt awkward to play this board game, it would definitely lead to an atmosphere that I would hate to even imagine.

“...Shall we?”

“...Uh, mm…sure…”

“...Woaah, this seems fuuuun.”

Hearing their answers that sounded as if their souls had left their bodies coming one after another, I decided to just bite the bullet and open the cover.

Behind the cover were two cubic dice with a simple design, few character cards and a board.

The game was simple; One just needed to collect a certain amount of money or love points.

And during this moment of whirling confusion, I eventually ended up having to play the role of Master. Following the finalization of my role, each of them also picked a character card.

The cards, which were made out of Mana Stone, were distributed one by one in front of each of us. As soon as each of us grabbed our cards, several lines of information regarding each character popped up above it.

At the same time, several virtual pieces that looked similar to each of us suddenly popped up on the game board.

…Ooh.

Huh, this exists?

Seeing how this kind of thing existed made me realize how fascinating this world’s technology was.

Like, you wouldn’t expect such a high tech would pop out at a place like this.

“Um, I think we should introduce our character cards first. Starting from Eleanor.”

“...Is that so? My character is—”

A frown suddenly appeared on her brows.

“...The card says my character is a bride who is married for the first time to a playboy husband.”

"..."

Everyone went silent for a moment. It was only after I braced myself and opened my mouth did the conversation move forward.

“...I-I see. Anyway, it says that you need to roll the dice once to set your current status.”

“...Okay.”

Eleanor rolled the dice with a slightly more violent gesture than earlier. The two cubic dice rolled on the table.

I checked the number displayed and shifted my gaze to the rule book again.

“Those numbers mean…”

Suddenly, I could feel my diaphragm contracting violently.

But, we had come this far. It would be bad if I were to show them how conscious I was about what was written here. So, I closed my eyes shut before reading it.

“...Recently, both of you have slightly drifted apart. Your relationship is in a critical situation as your husband might get stolen by someone else anytime.”

"..."

"..."

“...Anyway, my character card is—”

While feeling alarmed, as if this place might explode if things were to continue like this, I somehow managed to continue in a cheerful voice.

“I think it says I can raise love points easier than other characters. Also the character concept is a playboy…someone who attracts women even though he doesn’t even do anything. Doesn’t really fit me, don’t you think…?”

“...”

“...”

There was no physical force involved here, but I could feel a pressure so strong that it could probably make my body explode rushing over me.

“...I’ll roll the dice.”

So, I decided to just shut my mouth and roll the dice. I swear, I felt like I’d die the moment I opened my mouth…

“Let’s see…my status is…single, and there’s no other particular characteristics. Always open to new relationship and—”

(-Perfect status for a playboy, isn’t it?)

Beatrix’s voice, mixed with a snort, came into my ears, but I ignored it.

Why the hell does this woman hate me so much?

[Because all the reason to, of course.]

“...”

[What? Am I wrong? You’re the bastard who seduced her best friend, yet you still went out of your way to seduce other women—]

Shut up.

As Caliban was rambling on, Iliya had rolled the dice once while looking at her character card. Then, she tilted her head.

“Teach, is there a marriage system in this game?”

“Ah, yeah, it’s written here. So, players can marry each other in a certain space and the married players will get double love points each.”

As soon as she heard that, a smirk appeared in Iliya’s face. That smirk got everyone to feel an ominous premonition.

“In here, it says that my character can order the man she’s married to as her puppet. It says I’m a temptress.”

“...”

“My current status is that I enjoy breaking apart couples. Any cool male nearby is welcome-♥”

Iliya said while sending me a wink.

“-is what’s written here.”

“...”

Seeing how her expression immediately changed when she said so, I realized once again how sly she could be.

I’ve seen bits and pieces of this side of hers before, but now, she was letting that side out openly, maybe to tease Eleanor.

Actually, as soon as she saw her do that, Eleanor opened her mouth as she sent a glare at her.

“Why are you reading that while acting cute?”

“I only read what’s written here.”

“...Are you kidding me? Aren’t you here to have a final match with me—”

“Miss Beatrix, please read yours…!”

Before the suffocating atmosphere got worse, I forcefully tried to get their attention back to the game.

Seeing my desperation, Beatrix soon rolled her dice with a smirk.

As if saying; ‘Look at you, trying so hard.’

As she rolled the dice, she scanned her character card.

“Let’s see, my status is…”

However,

As soon as she saw what was written on her character card, her smirk disappeared.

“Beatrix?”

“...”

“What’s wrong?”

“...N-Nothing, uhm…”

Seeing how hesitant and dodgy Beatrix was, Eleanor instantly narrowed her eyes.

Before Beatrix could even react, Eleanor snatched her character card.

“Eleanor, w-wait!”

As she said so in a bewildered voice, Eleanor started to speak in a cold tone.

“The target is a single female who is thirsty for marriage. If there is a single male nearby, she will definitely become linked with him.”

“...”

Everyone looked at the game board to see the single male piece which was near Beatrix’ piece.

Then, as soon as they saw it,

“...It’s you, Teach?”

Iliya said; Her expression was as cold as Eleanor’s.

“Which means, Miss Beatrix and Teach are married…?”

“...”

“Leaving both me and the Student Council President behind…?”

“...”

“...”

A worse catastrophic silence fell around us.

At that moment, I could hear the detestable sound of Caliban’s hearty laugh from inside the Soul Linker. I swear, he’d tear up his lungs after laughing that hard.

[How does everything you do always end up like this?]

“...”

I don’t fucking know.

You tell me.

●

Beatrix rolled the dice with a nervous expression.

Her expression was so stiff—comparable to mine, who had been standing at the crossroad between life and death the entire time I was here.

“Low roll please, low roll please, low roll please…”

She muttered while throwing the two dice.

As the dice stopped with rattling sounds, she hurriedly checked her roll.

And what she got was two 6s.

The highest roll she could get.

“...”

“...”

As our expressions turned sour, our pieces on the game board hugged and rubbed their cheeks against each other.

In contrast to how we were in reality, our pieces looked very happy.

My piece immediately proceeded to bridal-carry Beatrix’s and threw her on the bed.

Then, on the game board, maybe as a form of censorship, it showed a cartoonish scene where the curtains were slightly opened and tens of hearts were shot up above it.

After that, the announcer’s voice that was installed in the game board cheerfully resonated.

[The couple’s conjugal harmony is very good! They gave birth to three kids in a row!]

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...”

[They receive congratulatory money from everyone! The love of ‘Dowd’ and ‘Beatrix’ is shining all over the world! They’re currently in the first place!]

Should I destroy this thing now?

No, I wasn’t kidding. I wanted to flip it outside down so badly and pretend that it never existed.

My palms had been sweaty to begin with, but now they were so damp, as if they were flooded.

Eleanor and Iliya, who had been staring at the game board, gradually lost the lights in their eyes at the same time, making shivers run down my spine.

As I was watching their reaction in real-time, Iliya gave me a few tokens that were used as money in the game with dead eyes.

“...This is the congratulatory money.”

“...”

“...”

Beatrix and I could only receive it while gulping dryly, Then, Iliya turned her head slightly to the other direction.

“...You should give them the money too, Student Council President.”

“...”

Hearing that, Eleanor also gave us the congratulatory money with a trembling hand. From the way she slid the tokens towards me, there must be a lot of things going on in her heart.

From her perspective…

Her fiancé got married with her best friend and their relationship was so good that they were having so many kids. Not only that, she also had to congratulate them herself. Well, it was a game, but would there be any woman who’d accept that kind of outcome with a smile?

…How did it end up like this…!

I swear in the beginning of the game, the atmosphere wasn’t so terrifying!

While the settings were like this and Beatrix and I were so nervous about it, Eleanor and Iliya didn’t show any reaction after their initial displeasure.

Though she was especially nervous, Eleanor even threw uncharacteristic jokes around, trying to ease the atmosphere a little.

Come to think of it, maybe she made all those jokes to make herself feel better as well.

Considering the series of situations that followed, it was nice.

“It’s my turn now.”

Eleanor said in a voice so cold that I felt like snow would fall right now, even though it was currently May, as she grabbed the dice.

Then, she rolled her dice. On the game board, Eleanor’s piece ran to the box where Beatrix and I were in.

[Came into contact with other pieces. Courtship Request!]

On the game board, my piece was shaking his head powerfully to Eleanor’s piece, who was waiting outside the door with a bouquet of flowers.

[She tried to woo the man, but got completely dumped! The other couple’s relationship got better instead!]

“...”

With those words, Beatrix’s piece appeared to make fun of Eleanor’s piece that was crying while guffawing on the game board.

Seeing this scene, a vein protruded hard on Eleanor’s face. I swear I could see her eyes turning bloodshot.

Seeing this, Beatrix and my expressions turned darker.

“...Uh, Eleanor?”

I managed to call out to Eleanor in a trembling voice.

“...Hm.”

“I-It’s just a game.”

“...I do not care.”

That was a lie. She cared about it to death.

As Beatrix and I were shaking, Iliya grabbed the dice, lights were still out of her eyes.

“...Huu...”

She let out a deep sigh. Well, I called it a sigh, but it was more like she was letting off steam to calm the heat rising up in her body.

“I’ll do it.”

Once again, the dice were rolled on the game board. Her piece soon walked to the box where everyone else was in.

[She came into contact with other pieces. Courtship Request!]

Then, the same event that occurred with Eleanor happened again.

Iliya’s piece walked towards my piece with a sexy gait. She was dressed very gorgeously from head to toe, as if reflecting the characteristics of a temptress.

Then, she blew my piece a kiss while winking at him. In an instant, a blush appeared on my piece’s face. But, when he looked at the ring on his finger, he closed his eyes and shook his head.

[She gained an additional benefit due to the ‘Temptress’ characteristics!]

[However, the other couple’s conjugal harmony is too good! Target ‘Dowd’ resists the courtship!]

[Roll the dice to decide whether you would succeed resisting!]

With those words, the dice popped up in my direction.

“...”

I rolled the dice with trembling hands.

Two 1s.

[Resistance failed!]

“...”

[The target entered the ‘cheating’ state. He hasn’t been caught by his wife yet, but his Love Points will be drastically reduced once caught!]

As soon as the announcer said that, my piece on the game board made a foolish expression as he took off his ring before shoving it into his pocket.

After that, he came into Iliya's arms as she made a whoo hoo hoo sound while laughing. Then, as if they had met their match made in heaven, they happily kissed each ot—

“...Oh my.”

As a blush appeared on Iliya’s face, light started to come back in her eyes.

“...”

“...”

Beatrix’ gaze fell upon me, as if she was looking at trash. Her expression looked as if she had seen something disgusting.

Aside from that…

The edge of the table that Eleanor was holding was cracking. She couldn't hide how whole body was trembling.

Even though the one who was getting betrayed in the game was Beatrix, Eleanor was the angrier one here.

She must've lost it at how I took off the ‘ring’ and was cheating on her with ‘Iliya’.

“...”

No, I mean…

That wasn’t me!

It was me, but it was in game!

The real me didn’t do it…!

[...Yeah, no one would listen to that excuse.]

“...”

[Anyway, this game is fun. How long will this last?]

As Caliban said those words joyfully, I could hear Eleanor gritting her teeth.

I prayed, with a feeling that I might faint.

Please.

Just let me survive here…!