Minami no Hanashi : Yume - Adagio
The two opponents took their respective positions. Azumi began reading the rules and game summary.
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Board Game Name: Mental Maze
Game Description:
Mental Maze is a board game that tests players' thinking, memory, and ability to anticipate their opponent's moves. The board consists of a grid of squares with obstacles and traps. Each player controls a token they must navigate through the maze to reach the finish point.
Rules:
Each player has a set of cards representing possible moves: move forward, move backward, turn right, turn left, jump over an obstacle, or bypass it to the left or right.Players must strategically use their cards to navigate through the maze and avoid traps set by their opponent.
Possible Traps:
Confusion Squares: Temporarily reverse the player's movement directions for one turn.
Teleportation Portals: Transport the token to a random square on the board.
Fog Zones: Shuffle and hide movement cards, forcing the player to play blindly for one or two turns.
Freeze Squares: Immobilize the player for one turn.
Optical Illusions: Force the player to follow a specific direction for multiple turns.
Mirage Wall: An obstacle that appears solid but can be passed through.
Time Vortex: Negate the effects of played cards for the next turns.
Quicksand: Gradually reduce the number of playable cards until the player escapes the square.
Force Fields: Push the token backward every time the player attempts to pass through.
Echo Zone: Force the player to repeat their last movement for the next two turns.
The first player to reach the finish point wins the game.
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The tension in the room was palpable as Narumi and Azumi faced off fiercely in the board game. Shinsuke and Minami stood back, silently watching the duel unfold before their eyes.
After thirty minutes of calculated strategies and bold moves, Narumi's eyes suddenly widened, while a hint of doubt crossed Azumi's face. "Oh… it seems I've lost," Azumi admitted in a resigned tone.
Minami's reaction was immediate. "WHAT??" she exclaimed, incredulous.
Narumi, meanwhile, wore a victorious smile. "I won! I demand two chocolates! Not all of them, since it's still a gift."
Azumi, still calm, replied with a smile, "This one will surpass her mother someday!"
The remark caught Shinsuke's attention, and he murmured quietly, "She's also better at knowing her limits."
"Excuse me?" Azumi asked, giving Shinsuke a puzzled look.
He seemed a little startled, as though he hadn't noticed the exchange of glances between them.
Minami, eyebrows furrowed, questioned her mother with a perplexed expression. "Mom, you did that on purpose, didn't you? You didn't really lose at a game like this, did you?"
Azumi raised an eyebrow, visibly offended. "Excuse me? Who do you think I am? I never pretend to lose to members of the Katayama family. Narumi genuinely outplayed me."
Narumi, munching on a chocolate, chimed in with a triumphant pout, "Well, it was a close one!"
A radiant smile spread across Minami's face. "Wow… You're amazing, Narumi!"
Her younger sister replied with a smug grin, "Hehe, thanks, big sister!"
"But I must admit, I hate losing when I'm playing seriously. Would you grant me a rematch, Narumi?" Azumi said with a serious expression and a slight smirk.
"I know that if I agree, she'll beat me! I can feel it in her aura! No thanks!" Narumi replied playfully, her eyes sparkling mischievously as she started her second chocolate.
Azumi carefully placed the famous box on the table, her movements exuding a determined resolve. "I'm putting the box on the line," she announced with a mix of excitement and challenge.
"W–What? With all the chocolates inside??? That's a lot!" Narumi exclaimed, her eyes widening in astonishment at the stakes.
"Yes, with everything inside. So? Do you accept?" Azumi pressed, a teasing smile on her lips.
Minami gestured for Narumi to refuse, but her younger sister, driven by her desire for chocolate, replied with firm determination, "I accept!"
Thus began a second round. Meanwhile, Shinsuke and Minami went outside to feed Lapis in the garden. After several minutes, Narumi's triumphant cry echoed through the house. Shinsuke and Minami rushed back to see the result. The youngest Katayama, visibly overjoyed, stood up from her chair with a wide smile.
"I won!!" Narumi declared, her voice brimming with jubilation as she raised her arm in victory.
Azumi, seated next to her, let out a sigh of disappointment. "Oh dear… I lost again."
"Tell me I'm dreaming…" Minami murmured, unable to believe what she was seeing. She turned to her mother with a mix of surprise and skepticism. "Mom, you're joking, right?"
"No, I really lost again," Azumi replied in a resigned tone.
Narumi, full of excitement, grabbed the box and opened it to enjoy its contents. But alas… "The box is empty!!" she cried out, a little disappointed.
"Yes, I told you if you won, you'd get the box," Azumi explained with a slight smile.
"And its contents!" Narumi retorted, pointing at the empty interior of the box in confusion.
"Yes, that's what I said. But its contents are still inside," Azumi confirmed with a mischievous tone.
"What do you mean? It's empty!"
"That's its contents. And now, it's yours."
Azumi then pulled out a bag containing all the chocolates and presented it to Narumi with a playful smile.
"We can play one last game if you want. This time, you'll win all my chocolates," Azumi suggested, her sly smile widening.
"All the chocolates I see there?" Narumi exclaimed, her eyes wide and sparkling with anticipation.
"Absolutely everything," confirmed Azumi, preparing herself for another suspenseful round.
Narumi narrowed her eyes, a mischievous glint flashing briefly in her gaze. "Say it clearly and without ambiguity!" she demanded inquisitively, almost like a lawyer cross-examining a witness.
"Alright," Azumi laughed, raising her hands in mock surrender. "If you win, all the chocolates Lyna gave me will be yours."
This time, both Minami and Shinsuke watched the match closely, not missing a single detail. It only took about twenty minutes for the duel to reach its conclusion.
"She… She lost?"
"Hehe, I won!" Azumi declared, looking at Narumi.
Minami turned toward her little sister to gauge her reaction. Narumi murmured in a disappointed tone, "She totally crushed me… I couldn't do anything, it was a complete domination…" A hint of worry crossed Minami's face.
"It's alright, Narumi! You beat her twice!" Minami tried to comfort her.
But Narumi ignored her sister and addressed Azumi directly. "The first two times, you let me win on purpose, didn't you? You totally played me!" Her voice carried a touch of bitterness.
Azumi, calm as ever, replied, "The first time, you genuinely beat me. All credit to you. The second time, since the loss didn't have any stakes, I took the chance to study you—to figure out your strategies and patterns of thought—so I could beat you in the third game."
"You're showing your true colors, huh!" Narumi exclaimed, annoyed by her crushing defeat.
"We can always play again if you'd like," Azumi offered.
"No, no, no. That's enough," Narumi said in a sulky tone. After a moment of reflection, she added with a hint of pride and determination, "For my own peace of mind, I'll just say I won twice. One day, I'll be as good as you, Mom. That's a promise."
"Keep your innocence like Minami. That's what makes you both so charming," Shinsuke teased with a playful smile.
"Uh… How am I supposed to take that, Dad?" Minami asked, caught between pride and confusion.
"Oh, Shinsuke, stop teasing. Minami's not naive at all! She's just very caring and straightforward," Azumi responded gently, pulling Minami into a hug.
Shinsuke raised his hands defensively and replied with a hint of amusement, "I was only joking."
"Dad, now tell us one of Mom's flaws!"
"I'm touched that you're already starting to work toward your goal of being as good as me!" Azumi quipped, attempting to dodge the request playfully.
After a moment of thought, Shinsuke answered, "A flaw? Well… Azumi plans way too much. She should relax more, find a hobby, and let things happen naturally."
Narumi reacted instantly: "That's lame."
"I think it's very insightful, Dad," Minami chimed in, supporting her father's observation. "It's… strangely similar to what Mrs. Ishikawa said. She suggested that Mom should go back to work, basically to get a change of pace."
Shinsuke added with a touch of tenderness, "Maybe not necessarily work, but yeah. That's up to Azumi to decide. Still, paradoxically, it's also what I find so fascinating about her. Honestly, she's perfect."
Minami coughed slightly in embarrassment, while Narumi groaned, "Ugh, lovey-dovey parents, bleh!"
Azumi's smile seemed brighter than usual. She grinned like a child before standing up and declaring, "I've got an idea. Don't worry. Mom's got this!"
"But Dad, about the flaw—everyone already knew that, and besides, I think it's actually a strength! It's that very ability to plan ahead that let her beat me so easily in the third round!" Narumi clenched her fists, looked at her mom with determination, and added, "Watch out, Mom! We'll play again!"
"Anytime, my little Narumi!"
END OF CHAPTER