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––Jessica’s Perspective

According to Ms. Tilea, ‘Swallow Reversal’ is a cheating technique in ‘Marge’Ong’. It wasn’t a combat technique.

Ms. Tilea, if you want to win in games so badly that you’re cheating, I think you might be an addict.

But according to Ms. Tilea, as long as you succeed in using it, you can dominate the flow of the game.

Swallow Reversal― to prepare a winning hand within your ‘wall’, and then look for a chance to swap your ‘hand’ with your ‘wall’.

If you succeed, it is possible to continue getting ‘yakuman’, and even turn your situation around.

From what I hear, it sounds high risk, but at the same time promises high return. I don’t think it would be impossible for Ms. Tilea.

But still, to even know a cheating technique like this… Even if she isn’t intelligent, her knowledge of this game is the real thing.

“Ms. Tilea, do you think you can do it?”
“Yeah, I definitely will! And you know, there’s actually something I wanted to ask of you, Jessica…”
“Yes, what is it?”
“While I’m using the Swallow Reversal, please distract the demons.”
“It certainly sounds like a flashy technique. I guess they would notice without a distraction.”
“That’s right. So can I ask this of you?”

“I understand. But what should I do?”
“Let’s see~ For example, couldn’t you use your charms as a woman to distract them?”
“Eh-!? T-, That kind of seduction is impossible for me. And they’re demons, you know.”
“No, no, demons are still men. It’ll definitely work, I think.”
“N-, No way… That’s just impossible…”
“It’s fine, I said. This is also for the sake of defeating the demons, okay?”
“B-But… It-, It really is impossible for me!”

“I BELIEVE IN YOU Jessica!”
“Uuu, if you say that much, then why don’t you do it, Ms. Tilea!”
“That’s impossible. I’ll need to concentrate on the Swallow Reversal, and more importantly, they won’t have any interest in me.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Yeah. That’s how it is. Those ‘Wisdom Unit’ guys all act like elites, so I bet they’re actually into lolis. It’s pretty much a given that elites are lolicons.”
“Lo-, lo… li?”
“Oh, lolicon, you see. It basically refers to the bunch that are into tiny girls with modest chests like yours, Jessica.”

W-, What the heck is with this person. I-, Is she picking a fight or something?

“Muu, Ms. Tilea, even if I look like this I’ve grown since last year, okay!?”
“No, no, you’re definitely still a splendid loli, Jessica. That loli face and your loli voice, and on top of that there’s your loli figure. You’re basically irresistible to those types.”
“…”
“And that’s how it is, so it’s impossible for me. I mean, look, my chest is huge, and I’ve got a great figure, so I’m totally outside their strike zones, right? Compared to me, you’re definitely the better choice.”

W-, What do I do?

I’m starting to want to kill her for real.

……
…………
………………

N-, No. I can’t. I can’t, I can’t. I have to control my anger. Ms. Tilea doesn’t mean anything bad by this. She’s like the personification of airheaded. She definitely never thinks anything, and just speaks whatever’s on her mind.

Also, the number of victims in town is increasing by the second right now. We don’t have the leisure to waste time here. We have to end this farce once and for all!

I very unwillingly consented to Ms. Tilea’s plan, and sat at the table where the demons were waiting. The game started again. With my hands shaking from nervousness, I piled up the ‘tiles’ while Ms. Tilea was building a winning ‘hand’ inside her ‘wall’.

Looking at her out of the corner of my eye…

Ooh, what nimble movements. She was stacking ‘tiles’ in the blink of an eye.

A few minutes later…

Ms. Tilea looked my way. Apparently she was done preparing.

C-, Can’t be helped. Abandon your pride, Jessica! In order to defeat the demons! In order to save the people!

After taking a deep breath, my eyes shot towards the demons.

And then…

“W-, Wow, my body is getting so hot～♪”

I brought attention to my chest as I fanned my shirt, twisting my body to draw their attention.

“Quite right, girly. This ‘Marge’Ong’ game is truly a strategic game. My heart is burning with excitement!”
“Just as you say, Ser Horus. Because of an idiot at the table, things are a little spoiled, but even so, this has still been an interesting game.”
“…”
“What’s the matter, girly? Did you not speak because you felt the same way?”
“Y-, Yes.”

Aahh… I think something important just broke inside me. I softly did my shirt back up, and fixed my collar.

Uuu, Ms. Tilea, look how much I’ve done for us! You’ve succeeded, right!?

I looked at Ms. Tilea with my teary eyes. Ms. Tilea’s mouth was curved into a smirk. Apparently she succeeded.

A-, Amazing. She did it in that little instant? To slip past the eyes of the demons, just what kind of super speed had she moved at? While I was feeling shocked at her fast work,

“The die says 4.”
“Then I guess I suppose it is me.”
““AHH!?””

The two of us raised our voices in synchrony.

T-, That’s right. This cheat depends on the dice roll. The ‘tiles’ will be coming from Vice General Gilgant’s ‘wall’, so there was no meaning to the ‘Swallow Reversal’.

I whispered to Ms. Tilea.

“Ms. Tilea, can’t you do something about the die?”
“T-, That… it’s i-impossible even f-for me…”

She shook her head side to side.

So in the end, the game continued normally without ‘Swallow Reversal’ getting its chance to shine…

“‘Ron’!”
“G-, GYABON!”

The ‘hanchan’ just finished. Ms. Tilea’s second ‘Bust’ was determined. Before the ‘West Round’ began, I had another strategy meeting with Ms. Tilea.

“Ms. Tilea, the game is impossible to win already. Let’s do battle instead!”
“…I-, I can still-, I can still do it. Jessica, I haven’t lost yet. This is where it begins. This is where my turnaround begins!”

Her eyes were bloodshot. Typical of a losing gambler.

“Ms. Tilea, it’s a shame, but we should admit defeat! The enemy is a cut above us. We have to think about cutting our losses!”

To be honest, it isn’t just one cut, but over ten cuts, even I’m starting to feel bad for her. It’s been a crushing defeat for her every round till now, so I was careful to be a little gentler in my words.

“Y-, YOU’RE WRONGG! Jessica, t-this is… Umm, yeah! I just haven’t got my sense for the game back yet. That’s all it is, okay!”
“Ms. Tilea…”

Yep. She’s grown stubborn. She’s got quite a stubborn part to her, after all. Can’t be helped. I don’t think it’s going to help to let the game continue, but I’ll just let her do what she wants.

“Hahhh~ I understand.”
“Jessica, this time I’ll really teach them a lesson, okay!”
“Ah-, Ms. Tilea, just one bit of advice. Please stop talking to yourself.”
“Talking to myself?”
“So you really didn’t notice.”
“What do you…?”
“Ms. Tilea, whenever you’re about to reach ‘tenpai’, you get really excited, and start screaming weirdly to yourself.”
“EHH-!? REALLY?”

“Yes. Also, please stop screaming “I MESSED UPPPPPPP―!” whenever your ‘hand’ isn’t going well.”
“I-, I even do something like…”
“Yes. Also, the worst is when you get a ‘White Dragon’ in your ‘hand’. Each and every time, you say “Hmph. There it is. A slip.” and I just don’t know what to do with you anymore…”
“Haha… I just kinda…”
“It’s because of that that the demons all know your information, Ms. Tilea.”
“Y-, Yeah.”

“There are lots of other things that you’re doing wrong, but I don’t think you’d remember if I only told you once, so at least please stop talking to yourself!”
“Y-, Yes.”

Well, I’ve warned her about what I can. As for how effective it’ll be… Aahh, I’m so uneasy.

But the struggle ended fruitlessly.

In the end, it was Horus’ overwhelming victory. Second place was Gilgant. Third place was me. Along the way, I realized that fighting with the demons was reckless, so I instead changed my target to Ms. Tilea. While somehow avoiding direct hits, I snatched points from Ms. Tilea, and managed to get myself into the positives. Unlike Ms. Tilea, I’ll immediately die if my mana gets taken, so I steeled my heart and did that.

I’m sorry, Ms. Tilea. I-, It’s not because you called me a ‘loli’ or anything, okay?

And then far, far, faaaar at the bottom was Ms. Tilea, and as expected, she was below minus 120,000 points. Because along the way, she began being targeted by me as well. Four games with a ‘Bust’, and on top of that, a ‘Yakitori’ penalty.

“☆∋★◆……GYOPOON”

Ms. Tilea collapsed onto the table. Aahh, I think I can see her soul escaping from her mouth. It must have been a shock to her.

“But still, Ser Horus, in the end it seems this one was simply a huge idiot.”
“Indeed. It looks like she won the Element Predict not through strategy, but simply miraculous luck.”
“Honestly, when I consider that our subordinates were killed by such a massive idiot…! Simply draining her of mana is much too lenient. We should execute her in a much crueler way.”

“You certainly have a point, Gilgant. But the rules are the rules. If we break those rules, it will affect the pride of our unit. And moreover, this girl introduced us to a game as fun as ‘Marge’Ong’. In light of that achievement, shall we not spare her the worst punishment?”
“As expected of you, Ser Horus. Your self-respect is the pride of our Wisdom Unit.”
“Umu. Well then, time to have this massive idiot take responsibility for losing.”

“Quite so. Hey, massive idiot. No, since she makes weird sounds and comes up with ridiculous strategies, I suppose we should be calling her a buffoon.”
“True. This girl is a buffoon. Well then, Gilgant. Attach the mana absorption tool to this buffoon.”
“Sir!”

Gilgant did as Horus ordered, grabbing Ms. Tilea by the head.

“Come now, buffoon! Raise your face! The tool does not hurt so much. We are allowing you to die comfortably, so be thankful to Ser Horus!”
“…”
“Oi, do you not hear me! Buffoon!”
“I-, I’ve been listening, B̲A̲S̲T̲A̲A̲A̲A̲A̲A̲A̲A̲A̲R̲D̲S̲!”

She suddenly raised her head as she produced a laminariales from her pocket, smashing it into the demons.

“W-, What are―G- GUHAH-!”
“S-, She plans on―GUEGH-!”
“Hahh, hahh… LISTEN UP, GODDAMMIT! MAHJONG IS A GAME OF LUCKK! I-IT’S NOT BECAUSE I’M DUMB OR ANYTHING, OKAYYY!? A-, And calling me buffoon and stuff… You know, I used to be praised in the neighborhood as “Gosh, Sera’s daughter is such a bright child” you know! DO YOU GET ITTTT!?”

Ms. Tilea roared. She was understandably mad.

But it’s hardly their fault…

Well, to begin with, I wanted her to just beat them up without a game, so this is fine.

Aahh aaahh, even though Horus and the others are already dead, Ms. Tilea is shaking them by the collars. It’s like she’s not even paying attention. Ms. Tilea continued to roar. I suppose I’d better stop her now.

“Hahhh, hahhh, a-, alright! You lot, the next game is poker! This time for sure, I’ll―”
“Ms. Tilea.”
“Aah, Jessica. Just wait a moment. This time for sure―”
“Ms. Tilea! They’re already dead.”
“EH-!?”

At my words, Ms. Tilea began to stare at the corpses of the demons. The laminariales she had thrown unconsciously had hit all of them dead in the face. They took her amazing throws at close range, after all. Looks like these guys couldn’t handle it either.

“J-, Just as planned… Y-, You know, Jessica, this was all one big plan.”
“I see…”
“Y-, Yeah, I made them think I was really into the game, so that when they let their guards down, I could really nail them, you know!?”
“I see…”
“J-, Jessica, please don’t look at me with such distant eyes.””
“Anyway, Ms. Tilea, let’s get out of here for now.”
“Y-, Yeah. I’d better hurry to the shelter where Timu is waiting. If I recall, it’s at the East, right?”
“No, that’s wrong. The location has actually changed and… Just follow me, please.”
“I see. Roger. I’ll be in your care, Jessica.”

Sorry, Ms. Tilea. The location hasn’t actually changed at all. But I’m sure of it now. Without Ms. Tilea, we can’t defeat the demons. For now, we’ve defeated one of their four generals. I need Ms. Tilea to defeat the others.

I searched for mana in all directions.

Once I find large spots of mana, I’ll lead Ms. Tilea there. I feel bad about this, but I hope she’ll accompany me for just a little longer.

Eventually, I found something.

Huh? Why? W-Why does a mana like this exist?