On the stage, a petite girl wearing a red hat—Nelly Virsaladze—stared at the screen displaying the final rankings with a face full of frustration.
Because she had encountered a particularly troublesome opponent, their match hadn't ended quickly like the previous ones. Instead, it dragged on until the very end.
Before coming here, she had set her sights on reaching the top three, but to her shock, she didn't even make it into the top four of the finals—barely scraping by at seventh place.
Just thinking about the ten kilograms or more of gold rewards that had slipped through her fingers left her on the verge of tears.
Her eyes, filled with indignation, turned toward the red-haired girl just two or three meters away.
"Shishihara, it's all your fault! If it weren't for your interference, Nelly definitely would've made it into the finals and landed in the top three!
"And what's worse is that you actually used that H ability on me again! Didn't you say you wouldn't use it during the match?!"
As she said this, Nelly, still recovering from the effects of that stimulating state, had a face full of shame and frustration.
Not far away, the red-haired girl—Shishihara Sou—heard Nelly's complaint and scratched her cheek awkwardly, a sheepish smile on her face.
"Ah, well, I didn't have a choice. After all, the rewards this time were just too tempting..."
Hearing Shishihara Sou's explanation, Nelly didn't continue complaining. She simply let out a haughty huff and turned to walk toward the spectator seating.
Shishihara Sou didn't linger on stage either. After apologetically watching Nelly's retreating back, she turned and headed toward the section of the audience where her teammates were seated.
Once the remaining two players also left the stage in sequence, Aoi Kujou's figure reappeared.
"First, let us congratulate Koromo Amae, Teru Miyanaga, Komaki Jindai, and Myeonghwa Choe for successfully advancing to the finals. The current time is 3:32 PM, and you will have a 28-minute break. The finals will begin promptly at 4:00!"
Though she didn't use a microphone, Aoi Kujou's clear voice still carried distinctly into everyone's ears.
As soon as she finished speaking, the stage setup changed once more. The seventy-two mahjong tables neatly arranged on stage vanished all at once, along with the seventy-two phantom screens above them.
But within seconds, a luxurious mahjong table adorned with gems and ornate like a piece of artwork slowly emerged in the center of the stage.
Following that, four opulent chairs—each with a gold frame and armrests and backrests embedded with a wealth of precious stones—appeared simultaneously at the four sides of the table.
Compared to the earlier seventy-two tables, it was a night-and-day difference.
At the same time, four large translucent screens gradually floated into view above the stage, each corresponding to one side of the table.
This would allow spectators to see each player's hand in real time, rather than switching randomly between players as before.
Seeing the stage's mahjong table and its matching chairs, Nelly, who had just been chatting with Myeonghwa Choe in envy, instantly opened her mouth in shock. Her blue eyes sparkled with unrestrained greed, and drool began to drip from the corners of her mouth.
"Jewels! So many jewels! I want them!!!"
It wasn't just Nelly—all the other contestants were equally stunned as they stared at the table and chairs. Even those from wealthy backgrounds looked surprised.
After all, mahjong tables and chairs this extravagant were something they had never seen before in their lives. Even the most lavish ancient thrones they'd encountered in the past paled in comparison to these four chairs.
In the participants' section, Hiroe Atago was also staring at the setup on stage in a daze.
"Whoa, whoa, isn't this way too over the top? Just how rich is this person?! They're like a gold-plated tycoon!"
After saying those words, Hiroe Atago instinctively turned her gaze toward Eriri, who was seated at the center-most section of the spectator seats.
Hearing Hiroe's comment, the blue-haired girl beside her—wearing red-framed glasses—immediately grabbed Hiroe's arm with a nervous expression.
"Sister, don't say things like that out loud. What if someone hears you? That would be bad."
"Relax, Kinue. We're sitting so far away from them—no way they'd hear us. Besides, I didn't say anything bad, did I?"
Hiroe Atago rolled her eyes at her younger sister, clearly exasperated.
Beside them, though not a student of Himematsu High School, Sera Eguchi—a good friend of Hiroe's—chimed in teasingly:
"Even though Hiroe still owes me money, she does make a good point. You don't have to worry so much."
Upon hearing that, Hiroe shot Sera Eguchi a glare. "Fine, say what you want, but do you really have to keep bringing that up? You're more annoyed than I am."
"Well, if it bothers you so much, why not just give me back that 30 yen already~"
"Keep dreaming!"
"You little—"
Looking smug, Hiroe glanced at Sera Eguchi and then sat up straight, crossing her arms and leaning back into the plush seat. Almost involuntarily, her curious gaze once again shifted toward Eriri's location.
But just then, she saw Eriri, who had been chatting with the blonde girl beside her, suddenly turn her body—and meet her gaze head-on.
Their eyes locked in an instant.
At the same time, she noticed a faint, meaningful smile appear on Eriri's flawless face.
The sight startled Hiroe so much that she immediately averted her gaze and ducked behind Sera Eguchi.
"Crap, crap, did she really hear me just now...?!"
Sera Eguchi, watching Hiroe's reaction, asked curiously, "Hey, Hiroe, what's wrong with you?"
But Hiroe didn't respond. She simply clung to Sera Eguchi, using her body as a shield.
Several seconds passed before Hiroe finally peeked her head up and cautiously glanced in Eriri's direction again. Only after confirming that Eriri had resumed chatting with the girl beside her did she breathe a small sigh of relief.
Although Hiroe had sounded casual and carefree while talking about Eriri with her friends earlier, the truth was that Eriri filled her with more than just admiration—there was a hint of fear as well.
And Hiroe wasn't alone. Except for Ryuumonbuchi Touka, Miyanaga Teru, and a few others who were rather airheaded, most of the other participants shared similar feelings.
After all, during the breaks between matches, they had all seen girls with wings flying freely through the air like angels from a myth, as well as mermaids right out of a fairy tale.
Especially those angelic girls—as beautiful and cute as they looked, the moment their gazes swept over the players, an overwhelming chill would run down their spines.
It was only natural for such an atmosphere to stir fear in their hearts.
Behind Sera Eguchi, two other girls—Toki Onjouji and Ryuuka Shimizudani—sat close together.
Having failed to advance to the finals, both wore helpless expressions.
"In the end, we didn't make it into the finals..." Ryuuka Shimizudani said in a dejected tone.
"It's okay, Ryuuka," Toki Onjouji replied, pushing aside her own disappointment and offering a sweet smile.
"The opponents were just too strong. Not making it to the finals isn't really surprising."
Though she said that, a deep sense of frustration remained in Toki Onjouji's heart.
Due to her frail body, she couldn't withstand repeated use of her abilities—not even 'First Turn Foresight,' let alone the more advanced 'Second Turn' or 'Third Turn Foresight.'
Otherwise, while she might not have been guaranteed a win, she was confident she could have at least made it into the finals.
"Ryuuka, how's your body holding up now?" Ryuuka Shimizudani asked with concern, gripping Toki Onjouji's left hand.
"I'm fine. Don't worry. I've mostly recovered."
"That's good to hear."
Due to repeated use of her ability, Toki Onjouji's body had become quite weak after finishing three matches.
But unlike a few months ago during the national semi-finals, she hadn't pushed herself to the point of total collapse and being rushed to the ICU.
She was now far more self-aware and understood that her body simply couldn't handle the strain required to push herself into the finals. So she had used her power in moderation.
Meanwhile, chatter continued throughout the spectator stands. Whether participants or the likes of Eriri, everyone was engaging in casual conversation.
All those overlapping voices turned into a noisy, chaotic buzz that matched the energy of the event hall.
And so, more than twenty minutes passed quickly. The time reached 4:00 PM.
With a declaration from Aoi Kujou, the finals officially began.
"Koromo, do your best in the finals! I believe in you!"
In the spectator stands, Touka Ryuumonbuchi and Hajime Kunihiro encouraged Amae Koromo as if cheering on a child.
"Sister, it's your turn! Give it your all!"
"Teru, looks like the championship is yours to lose. Go get it!"
Saki Miyanaga, who had joined up with Miyanaga Teru, along with Awai Oohoshi and Sumire Hirose, all voiced their support. Takami Shibuya and Seiko Matano, who didn't dare approach, instead sent their encouragement through their eyes.
"Princess/My dear Komaki-chan, the goddess will bless you with victory! Good luck!"
The girls from Eisui Girls' High also offered their heartfelt blessings to their princess from Kirishima Shrine, Komaki Jindai.
"Myeonghwa, no need to say anything more. We believe you're the best," Huiyu Hao and Megan Davin grinned as they spoke to Myeonghwa Choe.
Nelly immediately rushed over to Myeonghwa Choe, energetically urging:
"Myeonghwa, if you win, you have to use your wish to claim that mahjong table and those four chairs from the finals! You must—mmfmmph!"
Before she could finish her clearly self-serving comment, Satoha Tsujigaito covered her mouth and looked seriously at Myeonghwa Choe.
"Ignore Nelly's nonsense. Myeonghwa, even though the other three are tough opponents, I believe you're definitely not inferior to any of them!"
And so, amidst the cheers of their respective teammates, Koromo Amae, Teru Miyanaga, Komaki Jindai, and Myeonghwa Choe all stood up from their seats and strode confidently onto the stage.
Once at the table, the four players each revealed one of the prepared wind tiles to determine their seating positions.
East: Komaki Jindai
South: Koromo Amae
West: Teru Miyanaga
North: Myeonghwa Choe
After confirming their seats, the four quietly sat down in their positions. No words were exchanged—only sharp, battle-ready glances passed between them.
Although luck played a role, all four players had the skill to justify their place in the finals.
Three were considered "children loved by the tiles," and one was a world-class player known in European mahjong circles as the "Wind God."
Above the stage, the four massive screens now clearly displayed each player's name.
And with the sound of tiles clacking across the table, the final hanchan of the entire tournament officially began!
...
"LAAAAAAA~~"
As soon as the match began, Myeonghwa Choe wasted no time unleashing her heavenly voice.
Though Teru Miyanaga and the others had expected it, they still couldn't help but glance her way.
After all, someone singing mid-match wasn't exactly common, and it felt fresh no matter how many times they'd seen it.
Not to mention, this was their first time facing off at the same table.
"Wow, that's such a beautiful voice~"
Sitting to Myeonghwa Choe's left, Komaki Jindai clapped her small hands gently against her chest with a sweet smile.
Hearing the praise, Myeonghwa Choe offered a slight smile, and her song gradually came to a close.
"Thank you for the compliment~"
With the song finished, Myeonghwa Choe graciously expressed her thanks to Komaki Jindai, her tone soft and elegant.
"No need to thank me, I'm just being honest," Komaki replied with a cheerful grin.
Then she glanced at Teru Miyanaga and Koromo Amae before saying softly, "Hmm, I guess that makes me the dealer for the first hand~"
"Hmph, doesn't matter who takes the first dealer. The champion today will definitely be me!" Koromo Amae declared boldly.
While she didn't underestimate her three opponents at all, as the saying goes—you may lose the game, but never lose your spirit. Regardless of the final outcome, she intended to show unwavering confidence.
Especially now that she could enter full moon mode at any time—her confidence was absolute.
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