"Now, let me explain the rules of the game!"
"There are three types of cards in the deck: blank cards, safe cards, and joker cards."
"Each player gets seven cards: six safe cards and one joker."
Dao Jin spoke slowly, making sure everyone present could understand the rules.
As he spoke, Dao Jin of the Board Game Club brought over a round tray. Seven cups of coffee were arranged neatly on it.
After blindfolding Satsu and Matsuyama, Dao Jin poured three packets of powder into three of the cups in front of everyone.
"As you can see, I've put fast-acting laxatives in two of the seven cups of coffee. They'll take effect within ten seconds. One cup contains an antidote, and the other four are ordinary coffee."
"When the game begins, both players must play one card. They'll take turns being the first to call, choosing whether to reveal the other player's card."
"If you reveal the other player's joker, they have to drink a cup of coffee. If you reveal one of their safe cards, you have to drink instead. If you don't reveal the card, no one has to drink. But if neither player reveals, then each of you has to drink a cup."
At this point, Dao Jin's voice suddenly rose as he announced the conditions for winning.
"If someone drinks a cup with laxatives first, then shitting themselves in front of everyone will be their declaration of defeat!"
"Of course, if you're lucky enough to drink the antidote, you've practically secured victory. Since there are two cups of laxative coffee, if both players drink them while the antidote is still in play, it's a draw."
Then Dao Jin's voice suddenly dropped, and in a mysterious tone, he hinted that there was more to the rules.
"At the end of every round, we'll collect the players' cards and deal them out again, whether or not either player revealed a card."
"After a joker is played, it goes back into the player's hand, whether or not it was revealed. But once a safe card is played, it disappears, whether or not it was revealed, and a blank card takes its place."
"And blank cards can't be played!"
Dao Jin suddenly threw his arms wide and nearly shouted, "Now, let the game begin!"
The Board Game Club members expertly removed the blindfolds from the two players and dealt them their cards.
Matsuyama watched Satsu with a mocking look, showing no sign of worrying that he might lose.
I don't know which three cups have stuff in them, but this tray has a mechanism. The people below can keep the cups from being picked up with the remote. All I have to do is keep playing jokers, then drink the antidote and lock in my win. (Tano Matsuyama)
I wanted to put laxatives in all seven cups, but since we're in front of a crowd, if I'd put them in without everyone seeing, you'd get suspicious if you got hit right away. (Tano Matsuyama)
Most importantly, there are nine people standing right behind you, Kato Satsu. I know what cards you play! (Tano Matsuyama)
Those thoughts came through to Satsu, word for word. After cursing Matsuyama as a scumbag in his mind, he began thinking of a counterstrategy.
Some of the sharper students in the audience were also trying to work out how to win.
The rules aren't hard. Play a card to make your opponent drink coffee: if they reveal a safe card, they drink; if they reveal a joker, you drink. But with an antidote in play, trying to make your opponent drink could end up burying you instead. (Horikita Suzune)
The problem is, every safe card you use is one less safe card in your hand. Once they're gone, you can only play your joker, and playing it in that situation would be suicide. (Ayanokoji Kiyotaka)
At the start, the only moves are to play a joker or have neither player reveal a card. You have to race for the antidote! (Ayanokoji, Suzune)
The situation's clear. Whoever gets the antidote is invincible. The other person won't be able to make them drink laxative coffee. And that bastard knows what cards I play. (Kato Satsu)
Wow, if Satsu gets expelled, that's one less potential rival for the high school girls I want to date! (Yamauchi)
Satsu and Matsuyama played their cards at the same time.
Using their signal, Matsuyama figured out that Satsu had played his joker and immediately played one of his own.
Both of them had a clear strategy: get the antidote in the first round.
"I won't reveal!" Matsuyama, who was first to call this round, shouted.
As if I'd let you get lucky and drink the antidote. (Tano Matsuyama)
"I won't reveal either!" Satsu replied.
Since neither of them revealed their card, they both had to drink a cup of coffee. Satsu and Matsuyama slowly reached for the cups.
Even the wisest can miss a detail. Since we were blindfolded, they didn't change the cups' order, and you put the stuff in while everyone was watching. (Kato Satsu)
Satsu glanced toward the crowd. Almost everyone was thinking about where the laxative cups were, eager to see whether he or Matsuyama would pick one.
But why would Satsu, who already knew where the laxatives were, go looking for trouble?
The crowd doesn't know where the antidote is, but Dao Jin, who put the stuff in, does. And the people who bought it are from the Board Game Club, too. Everyone's watching the match. How could I possibly fail to get the antidote? (Kato Satsu)
What, are you going to hold down the mechanism so I can't pick up a cup? If I just shout that I can't lift it, won't you be screwed? (Kato Satsu)
You're trying them one by one. How could that possibly be faster than my ability to read minds?
Without hesitation, Satsu reached out, picked up a cup of coffee, and drank it.
What's going on? Why does Dao Jin look like he just ate shit? (Tano Matsuyama)
Could it be—
With a guess already forming in his mind, Matsuyama quickened his attempts to test the cups. But before long, he reached a crushing conclusion.
All four cups of ordinary coffee could be moved!
The antidote... it's... it's gone. Matsuyama felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. The cards slipped from his hand, and the helplessness on his face was impossible to hide.
What's wrong? Even if Kato drank a cup of ordinary coffee, there are still four cups left. Why does Matsuyama look like that? (Horikita Suzune)
Something must have happened. Matsuyama found out something unexpected.
Ayanokoji was also trying to make sense of the situation.
The host's expression is off, too. It all happened after Kato drank that cup of coffee. There's only one explanation for Matsuyama and the host looking like that.
Kato drank the antidote. (Ayanokoji Kiyotaka)
If they know Kato drank the antidote, then the only explanation is that Matsuyama cheated.
The question is, did Kato get lucky, or did he see through Matsuyama's tricks? (Ayanokoji Kiyotaka)
Matsuyama casually drank a cup of coffee onstage. Knowing he had no chance of winning, his confidence crumpled.
The next few rounds were much simpler for Satsu. He only had to keep playing jokers, control when cards were revealed, and drink all the ordinary coffee left on the tray.
Matsuyama's finished. If he plays a safe card, I'll definitely reveal it.
I'll keep playing jokers. If Matsuyama plays a joker too, I won't reveal, and he'll have to. Otherwise, two cups of ordinary coffee will be gone each round, bringing him that much closer to disaster.
At least one cup of ordinary coffee will be gone each round anyway. We take turns calling first, so I can adjust my strategy.
Four rounds at most, and you'll be shitting yourself in front of all these people. (Kato Satsu)
Before you continue