One day, she said.

"I don't like to lose.

"...... I hate people who justify losing. I hate to see you lose. I hate losing. I hate losing. ...... I hate admitting defeat.

I'm a scoundrel who'll do anything to win. I hate the weak. I want to kill all the strong people.

　--I've lived a life where I couldn't lose.
　Losing was the end of my life.
　It was a life where losing was unacceptable.

　One loss and Beatrix M. Orba was "dead.

　And yet, she survives by licking the boots of her opponents.
　I'll do anything to survive. I've done everything.

　To win one day, she said.


　Futa had been thinking about what she meant.
　I understand.
　It was a life he couldn't lose.

　And that he had probably lost many times in his life.

　By refusing to admit defeat, I kept telling myself that I hadn't lost yet, and I was struggling to get up.

　Otherwise, you would not have said that you hate to admit defeat.

　Because if she had admitted defeat, her life would have been over at that point.

　Futa thought about it.
　But she couldn't come up with an answer.

　So he asked.

"What's your win?"

　Defeat, she asked.
　To her, defeat is death.
　She's still fighting to win.

　The opposite of losing is winning. It should be.

　But for her, does winning mean survival?

　If losing means dying, it's a simple equation.

　But then there must be a smarter way.
　There's no reason to make Orba so big, no reason to make a spectacle out of this.

　Huta couldn't think of an answer.

　Why didn't he just ask? It would be foolish to ask that question.
　Because if it had occurred to him, he would have granted her wish without saying a word.

　Yeah, that's why I'm always uncool.

　The red girl in her eyes rolled her eyes in surprise.
　She wiped away the tears that threatened to spill.

She wiped away the tears that were threatening to spill, and then said, "That's what wins for me.

　I'm sure Futa will never forget that fragile smile.









　--Arena Spectacular.

　The second semifinal match after lunch is the second match and the main event of the day.
　She was sitting at the commentary table, gathering up the scrolls in her hand, and let out a small breath.

　Then she looked up at the sky with a somewhat sorrowful expression.

...... This is not the time to look like this.

　It's a good idea to take a look at your own personal life.

　I know what I'm doing. Today's game is the big one.

　And that the way I've been thinking about it has the best "chance" of winning.

　All I have to do is just do it, no questions asked.

　If she did that, she would surely--, she thought as she let go of the scroll she had been holding onto.

　She doesn't really need a script. The script, which she had scribbled down, was just in case there was a problem, so as not to interfere with the progress.

　Most of the scrolling is notes that she makes in real time.
　My impressions of the game, the crowd's movements. By keeping these things in mind as I "write them down", I'm able to pay attention not only to the battlefield but also to the audience during the game.
　And always write down what you experience and apply it to the next game.

　To make money. Oh, yeah.
　The more I think about the future of Spectacular, my position, the Orba Corporation.
　The more I think about it, the more I realize that there's never enough money to go around.

　The more I think about it, the more I realize that there's never enough money.

　I'm sure you're not.

"......

　I'd be lying if I said I wasn't afraid of lilacs.
　You don't know how much of what you do is being seen and how much is in your hands.
　But you still have to believe in yourself and keep going.
　That's what I've always done.
　No matter how many times I've been knocked down, I've crawled back up.
　Maybe I feel like I'm being taken advantage of, but if I start worrying about that, I can't do anything.

　I have the courage.
　To be honest, it's not that I'm worried about going head-to-head with Lilac now.

　If that were the case, I would have chosen not to fight her from the start. It's much easier to sneak a blade in from the back.
　But I chose this situation. It's not that I'm worried about taking on Lilac.



　And strangely enough, I wasn't afraid to take on Lilac with Futa.

　He should have suspected betrayal.
　It was all his play. He changed his mind. I've been her dog from the start.
　That's a possibility the old me would have always considered and moved on from.
　I never thought I'd be jumping into a situation like this where I'd let go of his hand and go head over heels. I never thought I'd find myself in this situation.

　But now, I know for the life of me.
　He's not the kind of man who can put on a show.
　That he's not at the mercy of that woman's dreams.
　And...

One. He made my dream come true. The dream I've been struggling to reach all by myself. He said he'd make them come true. ...... He made them come true today.

　I'm not sure what to say. I know everything about you.
　I don't even know what to do to change my mind now that I know exactly what he wants most.

　So don't worry about that either.

　Then why is she looking so gloomy?


I'm getting it. What's with the ...... face?
Shut up.
The mask is coming off. You want to hold a stuffed animal?
Shut up.
But I do. ......

　Her face has completely lost its nine-year-old look.
　I hugged the stuffed bear tightly, thinking it was nothing more than sacrificing my own shame for the sake of camouflage.
　He buried his face in the soft head.

　Futa must have returned from Lilac's summons.
　The line "I've been getting it" does not go unnoticed.

　And that was the cause of her melancholy.

"Hey, .......
"What?

　What is it?" She buried her face in the air and asked a faint question.
　You can't see her face, and Futa, sitting next to her, asks her in an easygoing manner.
　He was so natural that it was hard to tell which of them was going to play the next game.

Are you sure you want to do this?
You're a wimp.
I'm not a wimp. But...

　He glanced sideways at her, and the corner of her mouth seemed to twist slightly. Futa shook his head so as not to be seen and then said.

It's not like that.
"......
"Just shut up and obey me. You.
......
In your room. In your study at night. ...... in the dining room, in the kitchen. It doesn't make me happy that you're paying so much attention to me now.
"It's your fault. It's your fault.
It's my fault, it's my fault, it's my fault.

　She grits her teeth, but Futa is unconcerned.
　He looked as if he didn't really care, and she sighed as if she had given up. He exhaled deeply, deeply.

"...... Okay.
"Oh. I need it to win. That's good.
I need to win.
"We"?　Don't make that mistake again, skullduggery.
Yeah. ............, what did you just say?
It's nothing.

　She looked up as if she had been called by an unfamiliar phrase.
　The expression on her face is still somewhat listless.
　But even so, it seems that most of the melancholy has been wiped away.

"Lilac-sama is really aiming for the top.
"...... Yeah.

　The top.
　That is, the position of champion and.

"Not her Colosseum. I'm talking about turning it into an event where everyone wants to surpass you.

　--To surpass Huta.
　It's not just about skill.


　Lilac had just told me.

"So the plan involves how I'm going to make Spectacular happen.

　I'm the face of this spectacle.

I'm going to go to the waiting room now. I'll be in the waiting room.
"...... Futa.
Hmm?

　He stood up and called out to Futa.
　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.

...... You're sure you want to bet on me?

　It's a bad bet.
　But even so, I'm going to pick it up.

Yeah.

　And so begins the second semifinal.










　It's been an hour since the impact of the first game.
　By this time, after the lunch break, the strangely tense atmosphere had already dissipated.
　The crowd was talking amongst themselves, and the topic of conversation had shifted to the next match.

　Even if the opponent in the final was Arawn B. Smiles.
　If it's either Lilac, the best user in the kingdom, or Futa, who beat the best qualifier, Izuna, then it will be okay.

　There is a sense of hope in them that is akin to a sense of security.

　Maybe that's why. This time of looking forward to the next match was relatively calm.
　Like a group of families with picnic seats spread out in a nature park on a holiday.

"Hey, guys!　Here you go!

　The voice that rang out there was poor, but tense and cute.
　The children, bright-eared and energetic, immediately recognized Pasta-chan! and their dull eyes sparkled.
　Pasta-chan, who had already established a huge popularity among girls, was a welcome presence for the fathers who came to see her fighting sword in Spectacular.
　He no longer has any qualms about coming to Spectacular, even if it is a family service for a female family.

　It would be a while before Pasta-chan herself would have to deal with the realization that 80% of the girls who came to this arena were already there for Pasta-chan.

"Second semifinal game!　It's starting!

　The crowd cheered loudly.
　A loud cheer.
　The flames and explosions on the wall force the audience's mind back from calm to the heat of the sword.

"I'm still here!　I'm Pasta Pomodoro!　But as you all know, my brother is not here!　He's not here!

　I'm sure you're all aware of that.

　It's not surprising that the commentator is not here, as everyone in the arena knows.
　He was probably in the waiting room right now waiting for his turn to speak, and the cries of pasta followed.

So this time, we've got this guy here to do the commentary.　Go ahead!
"......
"Oh, um, hold out your hand for this.
"......?　Wow, I really shouted. This is awesome.
"Please introduce yourself!
"Izuna Sienzan. I can't give you a commentary like Futa, but I hope you don't mind.

　The crowd goes wild at the mention of Izuna Shishoen-zan.
　That's true. They didn't expect someone who wasn't on the preferential list to come and commentate. But he is the man who was called the "strongest qualifier". Aylan's victory in the finals may have shaken that status, but his matches have all been captivating.

　And that's why Izuna responded to the welcoming cheers.

"So, this is Mochisuke.
"This is Mochisuke.

　What's ？？？？?
　Needless to say, the audience's hearts synchronized.

"Well, let's see!　That's why the live commentary will go like this!

　Pasta forced his way through the suddenly uneasy atmosphere of the audience.

And!　And from this time forward!

　The sound of scrolls being rummaged through echoed slightly for a few seconds.

I'm not sure what to make of it.　...... Oh, you're reading all this?

　I'm not sure what to make of it.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm the one who has the dreams of the people and the hopes of the people at heart. From today's referee, General Mion. He's at ....... Yes. I don't think General is a name or anything, is it ......?

　A girl in a butler's uniform smilingly waves at the field.

　I'm sure Richter has a lot of work ahead of him, but why did he take on this referee?
　I had heard that he had fired the referee, but I didn't expect him to be the substitute.
　It's not Richter's fight, so I'm sure he'll give it a fair hearing.

And so, the moment everyone has been waiting for!　The players are coming in!



　As the crowd roared in anticipation, the entrance gate on the left erupted in the now familiar explosion of white smoke.

The first round was fresh in everyone's mind. I'm sure that the sword work and the brilliant stab of Kontse will be burned in the eyes of many people, despite the happenings.

　And yet, and yet.
　And yet, yet... The way he gracefully took each step was reminiscent of Aylan in the first game.
　But why? I'm not sure if it's because she's a princess or because the sophistication of her steps is more ladylike and beautiful than Aylorns.

She is said to be the best fighter in the kingdom, and she has been looking forward to this match. You may not know why.

　This match.
　I was looking forward to this match, not the final, not the first match.
　There is only one answer to that. The opponent.

　But the spectators certainly don't know the connection between Futa and her.

The reason is that she is the one who recommended my brother for the honorable mention. And that's when she told me. --She told me at the time that she wanted to compete with him on the prestigious stage.

　Oh," said the crowd.

　No one knew the name Futa Pomodoro.
　He was a complete unknown who suddenly appeared as a commentator.
　I don't know where he was recruited.

　But he had already found the man who had beaten Izuna Sienzan elsewhere.
　The audience's excitement rose at the fact that the "Kingdom's Strongest" was looking forward to this match so much.

"What is the glorious stage? Is it the kingdom's tradition of a public match? Or is it to play a leading role in the kingdom's theater?　I'm sorry. You all know what I mean. --If he was satisfied with that, he wouldn't have created this place!

　She responded to the outpouring of cheers with a gentle wave of her hand.
　She waved her hand gently in response to the outpouring of cheers. The white hand wrapped in gloves may not show the makings of a warrior.
　But she is still the strongest in the kingdom. She is the most powerful sword in the kingdom, the supreme sword of all warriors in this tournament.

"It was for this day that I gave up one of my preferential slots to him. The glorious stage, of course, is this place. This day. And it's right in front of you!

　He stepped onto the cobblestones of the battlefield and took a small leap, lightly adjusting his steps. He stepped onto the cobblestones of the battlefield, and took a small leap, lightly adjusting his steps. His lightness surpassed that of Prim Lancaster.

"You've all seen what my opponent is capable of. Maybe even better than her. I'm sure many of you thought so. But she's the strongest in the kingdom. She's the best in the kingdom, and she's not about to break her knees to prove it!

　Come on!

"Her name is already high in the sky, but what she seeks is the summit of these warriors. Will the sword of the princess that descended from the heavens ever reach the top?　Her Royal Highness Princess Lilac M. Fangini is here!

　With an explosion of cheers, the court mages scattered confetti.
　Against the backdrop of the fluttering white petals, she pulled out her conch, her figure flowing.

　It is precisely because of the commotion and attention she is receiving that Pasta turns his head once and exhales deeply.


"...... is good, right?


　The murmur never reached him.
　But he said he didn't care. He said this was the way to win.
　Then there was no reason to stop.
　Because that's the path Pasta--Pasta Pomodoro--has shown us.

　When all the white petals had fluttered and a moment of silence had fallen over the hall, she gave form to her words in a small but clear voice with her magical device.

There is a ......, let's talk about the old days.

　With a bang, the gate to her right exploded.

　I know who's coming out. I also explained how much Lilac was looking forward to it. I'm sure the audience now knows why he was chosen for the preferential slot.

　But.



"He's just strong, but not spectacular.



　Not many people would have heard those words before.

　But the girl next to me, Izuna, looked at the pasta next to her as if she'd been hit, and the golden girl with bandages all over her face slowly looked up from the corner of the hall.

　And - inside this hall...

　There are a few people in the audience who know this Futa guy.
　It was the same arena, albeit in a distant land. It's not surprising that some of them have taken up the hobby.

　So I knew it would come out.
　Then I'd tell them. I'd thought about that too.


"There once was a champion who was disgraced in the Colosseum of a country. He was undefeated, and his weapon of choice was to mimic the weapon of his opponent. He was not popular as a swordsman because he was not flashy enough with his tremendous skills.

　His tone of voice is choppy.
　I think back to the match with Izuna.
　It is an irrefutable fact that Izuna was the better looking fighter.

"I fought and fought and fought. But it didn't pay off. "Big brother" was a hated man.



　She makes a small sniffle, but spits at herself in her mind.
　That's right. This is the way to win.
　Use the dark past to your advantage and make her feel for you.
　In the old days you would've done it without a peep. I'd even cry.
　Pretend you're a part of it and shake the audience to their core.

　But...

　But to put it bluntly, it was a bad move.
　No matter what you do, emotions will come out. No matter how well you act, if you don't let the people around you feel the emotions of the people involved in the story, it will be a dull moment. The sense of reality, the feelings that build up, the heart of that day that comes back to you as soon as you dig up your memory.

　Pasta is not a "good actor". She doesn't have the talent to do so.
　That's why the more she tries to make others feel, the more her true heart is revealed.


　Izuna lowered her eyebrows.
　Arawn narrowed his eyes.

　The spectators in the Colosseum that day--they looked away.



"Banished from the Colosseum, with nowhere to go. I was expelled from the Colosseum and had nowhere else to go, so I came to the capital and finally saw the light of day. Everyone likes you.


　Good for you, big brother.
　Her words refrained in the audience's mind.


　Yes, it was a bad move.


　You can see it in the crowd.
　They're all cheering for Futa right now. They're all cheering for Futa right now.


"Hey, bro!
Welcome to King's Landing!
You won't be kicked out!


　--No matter what you do, emotions will come out. It doesn't matter how well you act, if you don't let the people around you feel the emotions, it's just a blur. The sense of reality, the feelings that build up, the heart of that day that comes back to you as soon as you dig up your memory.

　--Pasta is not a "good actor". It's not that she has the talent.
　--That's why her true heart is revealed the more she tries to make the other person feel.


　It's like that.
　In the previous game, when the audience was carried away by the words, "Good for you, big brother," it was irrelevant from the start.

　Her heart was already with him. Whether or not she was with Futa on that day is no longer an issue.

I was happy that my brother won and that everyone was excited!　So!　I'm so happy to be able to play today with all of you cheering for me!　Big brother!

　There was once a player who was disparaged for being unattractive.
　There was a man who was ostracized.

　But what about him? What about the young man who emerged from the smoke and walked with such dignity?

Today, on the stage of glory!　Let's see what you can do!　Futa Pomodoro!

　An explosion of cheers was directed at Futa and Pasta.
　It's a winning formula that will surpass the most popular princess in the country in every way.



　Please.


　She muttered quietly to herself amidst the maximum amount of cheering.



　Just once.


　Just once.


　Let me win.



　Out of the corner of her eye, the two faced each other.



　He looked up just once. Eyes locked with the bleachers, he nodded.


　Let's win.

　I felt like our hearts were connected.






　--What's your "win"?

　--For me, it's... winning.


　I'm sure Futa will never forget that fleeting smile.


　--I don't know. I've only ever experienced defeat.