After we finished the Twister game and I felt exhausted, Merl raised her hand.
"Um, there's a game I'd like to try too…"
"What kind of game?"
I asked Merl what kind of game she wanted to try, as long as it wasn't Twister.
"I want to play something called the King's Game."
"Huh?"
I was surprised at the name of the game, which I had not expected, and Merl went on.
"I heard that young men and women on this planet play this game to get to know each other better."
"Wait, where did you get this information?"
"I got this information using technology from the planet Amel."
"I have a feeling it's wrong!"
No, I don't know what kind of games young people play in the world, so I can't say…
Then Lexia-san and the others showed interest.
"Ara, that sounds interesting!"
"Yeah, I guess it is. I'm curious too!"
As for me, I couldn't say anything because I don't know how to play the King's Game either, but… it won't be like the Twister game, anyway.
I got an explanation of the rules from Merl, who said that she had been thinking about it for a while and had prepared a raffle.
Then…
"Who's the king?"
All at once we opened the raffle and checked what was inside.
"Ah, I am the king!"
Apparently, the first king was Lexia-san, who held up the raffle and puffed out her chest.
"Kuh… I didn't expect Lexia to be the first king…"
"It must be a result of my daily deeds!"
"That's not true."
"Why not?"
Luna was playing around with Lexia-san, but then Lexia-san regained her composure and declared.
"Then I'll give you an order! ──Yuuya-sama hug me!"
"Eeeeeeehhhhhh!"
"Hey, wait! That's not in the rules!"
When I was surprised by that, Luna quickly added.
The rule of this game is that the King specifies a number and orders the person with that number.
However, the King does not know who has which number.
Therefore, it is not possible to suddenly appoint me…
"Eh, isn't it okay?"
"If it's against the rules, it's a no-no! You better follow the rules!"
"Mmm… then, number three! You hug me!"
I froze at Lexia-san's words.
Because… my number was number three.
Seeing my suspicious behavior, Lexia-san's eyes lit up.
"Ara? Don't tell me Yuuya-sama is number three?"
"Y-yes…"
"What?"
"Lexia-san, you're cheating…"
For some reason, Kaori and the others were looking at Lexia-san with resentment, but I had none of it.
It's strange… I thought that once I was free from the Twister game, I would be fine…
"U-um… can't you give me another order…?"
"No! What the King says is absolute! Right?"
What am I supposed to do if Lexia-san, who is a real royalty, says it, it's unfashionable, or…!
To my confusion, Lexia-san held out her hand, waiting for me to hug her.
"Come on, you better hurry, or we won't get to the next one, right?"
"I-I understand…"
I hugged Lexia-san very nervously and shyly.
The moment I put my hand around Lexia-san's back, she hugged me.
"""Aaahhhh!"""
"Fufu! Is that good?"
I could hear her call out from behind me, but I didn't have time to think about it.
I tried not to think about anything else and managed to finish the mission.
"Is that it? Can I hug you some more?"
"P-please give me a break…"
My heart can't take much more of this!
I was only cheered up by the fact that my friends were coming to my house to play, but when you think about it, they are all girls, and this situation of having so many girls gathered at my house is strange.
Well, this time is the celebration of the success of the School Idol stage, so it's only natural that there are many girls…
Anyway, it was a heartbreaking experience for me.
Then, before I knew it, the tickets were being collected, shuffled, and given out again.
"Ugh… next time, I'll be the one to win…!"
"I-I'm with Yuuya-kun too…"
For some reason, Luna and the others are strangely full of motivation and look at me.
Isn't it strange… the main purpose of the game has changed…? What's the fun in doing something about me at all…?
Well, there's no way that I'm going to be chosen over and over again like this, and there's a chance that I'm going to be King, too. Let's take it easy.
While I thought that, the next King raised a hand.
"Ah, I got it! I'm the King!"
Then it seemed that the next King was Kaede, who was very happy.
Then…
"Let's see… then how about the person who is number five, give me a good pat on the head or something like that…"
"….."
──Why?
I was holding a ticket with the number five written on it.
That's strange, that's strange, you know… How can I be nominated so many times in a row? No, it happens; that's why I was nominated!
On the other hand, Kaede's eyes lit up when she saw me freeze and realized that I was number five.
"Eh, could it be that Yuuya-kun is number five?"
"Yes."
"T-then… may I ask you to do as ordered?"
Kaede looks up at me.
Luna and the others looked at Kaede with frustration.
"Ugh… Nonsense, why can't I become King…!"
"Kaede-san is cheating too…"
"It's strange… that this me didn't get the king's raffle…"
"Stand by. I'm looking forward to the next raffle."
I patted Kaede's head shyly because we couldn't go to the next step without me patting Kaede's head.
"E-ehehe… It's kind of embarrassing, isn't it?"
Kaede scratched her slightly red cheeks and smiled shyly.
Seeing Kaede like that made me feel even more embarrassed, but I managed to complete the order.
O-okay, I did it!
Next time, someone other than me should be chosen…!
Once again, the tickets were distributed, and as each of us checked our own hand.
"Oh… this time it's me!"
To my surprise, the King's ticket was next in Kaori's hand.
And then…
"W-well, then… the one with number one… please massage my legs until the next order is given!"
"….."
Why?
Why do I have the number one ticket in my hand?
Where did my Luck status, which had been so well demonstrated during the Old Maid game, go? Could it be that I used it all up playing Old Maid?
I mean, for a while now, the King has only been giving orders that involve the King! Is that how the game was originally played?
Seeing me break out in a cold sweat, Kaori realizes something, and her expression brightens.
"I-is it possible that Yuuya-san is number one?"
"Yes."
"U-um… then the legs…"
I nervously grabbed Kaori's leg as she held it out to me.
"That must be nice, Kaori."
"Sure, if you decide that it's until the next order, you can stay with Yuuya-kun for a long time…"
"Why… why can't I have the king's ticket…!"
Everyone seemed to be thinking a lot, but I was still preoccupied.
I was massaging Lexia-san and the others as a manager, though…!
Kaori also looked embarrassed, but she looked at me and blushed.
I became more and more nervous at the sight of her.
I-is it okay… Is my hand sweating… or is it just uncomfortable…?
"(I-I said massage in the heat of the moment, but I didn't really expect Yuuya-san… Ah, the sweat and all that, is it okay…?)"
Kaori looked pensive for a moment, and my anxiety grew.
The king game started with Merl's suggestion, but after that, the King never came to me, and for some reason, I ended up getting involved in the King's orders every time.
I guess my Luck status was not working after all.
Anyway, the party went on happily.
＊＊＊
It has been some time since many worlds that had never existed before began to flow into the "Between Worlds."
"Meow."
Since then, the white cat had been watching and observing Yuuya's life before his level-up.
The white cat could not take its eyes off Yuuya.
Yuuya had been born with spiritual power, so his parents shunned him, while his younger siblings, who had not acquired spiritual power, were adored by their families.
The white cat could not understand this.
Why were they treated so differently, even though they were siblings?
It was a feeling that was completely incomprehensible to the white cat, who had never known the existence of a family.
After that, the white cat continued to watch Yuuya's growing figure.
Yuuya lived a miserable life, bullied by children his own age.
He tried again and again, but under the influence of an invisible power called Spiritual Power, he was always hated by others.
However, only Yuuya's grandfather was on Yuuya's side.
Maybe it was because of his grandfather's teachings, or maybe it was because of his gentle nature.
Despite the fact that Yuuya had been through a miserable experience himself, he would always lend a helping hand whenever he found someone in need.
Witnessing such kindness, the white cat became more and more curious about Yuuya's existence.
But Yuuya's misfortunes did not end there.
His grandfather, the person who understood him best, passed away.
"Meow…"
Seeing Yuuya in despair, unable to do anything but mourn, the white cat wanted to comfort him.
But the white cat who lives in "Between Worlds" can't even get close to Yuuya.
However, when the white cat saw that Yuuya was still living with kindness, it was completely drawn to him.
Then Yuuya is subjected to even more insidious and violent abuse at the junior high school he enters.
"Hissss!"
Seeing the student laughing like a devil and abusing Yuuya, the white cat wanted to jump on him and protect him.
But that will not happen yet.
"Meow…"
Overwhelmed by its own helplessness, the white cat became sad.
After that, Yuuya's sad past was too much for the white cat to bear, and it involuntarily left the scene.