Just how terrible is my luck? I didn't let anyone see my card, that's for sure. So this pairing must be a coincidence, right? I turned my head forward again when I saw my opponent for Round 1.
The guy earlier who was wearing formal clothing, coal black hair and white skin, was my opponent. Even I can tell that he's a veteran at this.
I just released a heavy sigh in front of this dilemma I'm facing right now.
"I guess we could struggle for a bit. But I have to tell Ayano Katachi that our chances of winning is very slim."
I reached my hands to my pocket and pulled out my card.
"I guess, this is useless now."
I stood up, walked towards the trash can and dropped the card there. When I dropped it, the back cover of the card was shown. It was pretty, but I think It's very showy. As expected of the rich guys.
For some reason, I can't get my eyes off that back cover. Somethings not really right!
"I see!"
At that time, I realized. I was fooled!
To confirm my hypothesis, I ran towards a beginner, and asked them to see their card. The card number is 18, but I don't care about that! I flipped the card and saw the back cover, and like I thought! This is rigged!
For further confirmation, I asked a random rich guy to let me see their card. He's so arrogant and was I about to give up but in the end, he let me see his card. I flipped the card again to the back cover. I just clicked my tongue because of my anger and clenched my fist.
It's confirmed! This lottery is rigged!
+++++
When the moment I was about to go to the platform, I noticed that the light is bright. It's not the normal brightness you'll see at an event room. The room was dark, so It's practical to use a bulb that's not really bright.
The reason for the bright light is for the announcer to see the back of our cards. For some reason, there are different kinds of designs at the back cover.
Why would they bother to create different designs to each cards for beginners while the veterans don't have any designs at all? For creativity? I doubt that.
I checked my card again and compared it to the card of the other beginner that I borrowed earlier. My card has a yellow background design and a black main design, forming curves and other kinds of lines.
While this card that I borrowed has a light green background design and a black main design. I noticed that the background designs is a light colored, I confirmed at the other beginners. I asked them to let me see their cards for a while. Out of 10 people that I asked, there are exactly 10 people who has a light colored background design.
I don't think It's a coincidence. While the background design is indeed light colored, the main design is all black. I think they made it black so that It will stand out.
Normally, a dark color will stand out more if It was paired with light colors. That means that there's something hidden at the black design.
So that the announcer will easily see the number of our cards, they made the light brighter, and made some kind of signal with the black design, so he can know our numbers.
But what kind of signal could this back covers possess? Directly writing numbers on it would be too obvious, but If they came up with something too hard, the announcer would have a hard time deciphering it.
As if our numbers can be written as a bunch of lines. Wait, a bunch of lines? I looked at the back cover again, but this time, I focused my eyes to the curve lines.
After I discovered the truth, I crumpled my own card and mixed up feelings was welling inside me. Anger, Regret, and more!
The numbers could be converted to lines. The curve lines was our numbers all along, since their light is bright and the background color is light colored, he could easily see it.
If our numbers would be converted to lines, It would be... The Roman Numerals! At first glance, the curve lines looks like a normal design. But that's where everyone's wrong!
The number 26 was written at the back of the card, but instead of the numerical form, they made it like this XII VI! With this, they can convert the number 26 to a bunch of curve lines.
It's not easily noticeable, for two reasons. No one really suspected this lottery to be rigged so there's no reason for them to suspect the back design! Second, even if someone would suspect it like me, they wouldn't look at the back of the card. Why?
Because he's too focused to the number and protecting the number he got! And if he looked at the back of the card, the announcer will see his number! I just clenched my fist because of the regret and anger that I'm feeling right now.
I'm so stupid! Checking the back of the card didn't even crossed my mind! Now that I already raised my hand, I can't just complain and demand that the lottery should be restarted.
In the first place, I don't have any solid proof. Even if I show them this card, they can just feign ignorance and say, "That's only a design."
I just looked at the ceiling, accepting the fact that I'm completely cornered. So this is utter defeat, huh?
"Round 1, Ryota Kaneshiro's group, Sunflowers V.S Araragi Hideki's group, Cherry Blossoms. May you have a fair match with no regrets."
END OF CHAPTER 11