The Contest

"Here you go. Your Hell Hot Sauce Soda." The server brought over the drinks from the secret menu, looking distinctly uneasy.

Each glass was coated in a sinister, lava-red sauce. Bubbles kept rising from below, releasing visible wisps of spicy steam. Just looking at it made the tongue go numb.

It was a little horrifying.

"Whoever finishes first wins!" Huanyue turned with a smile and pulled her glass in front of her. She gave a charming wink, her silver hair swaying gently.

"Ha!" Kazamachi Yamai laughed brightly, fighting spirit blazing in her eyes. Did Huanyue think this would make her back down? She was seriously underestimating Yamai!

"Excellent. I shall drink it in no time."

Shiori stared blankly at the glass before her. She wore a four-leaf-clover hair clip, but she certainly didn't look lucky.

A pitiful mist filled her brown eyes.

"Urgh... Do I have to drink it too?"

"Of course, Shiori~" "Affirmative. Without question." Yamai and Huanyue nodded together.

Shiori imagined what would soon be churning in her stomach, and it began to ache in anticipation.

She looked elsewhere.

Huh? Weren't those Ai, Mai, and Mii?

If she asked them for help, she might escape this contest. Shiori waved to them.

Ai, Mai, and Mii seemed to notice.

"Hey, isn't that Shiori?" Ai spotted Shiori waving and raised a hand to greet her back.

"Wait!" Mai immediately covered Ai's mouth. She glanced around warily, then signaled with her eyes that Ellen was still there. The person beside Shiori was unmistakably Huanyue.

They couldn't let Ellen spot Huanyue, or she'd be exposed!

Ai sucked in a sharp breath. She had nearly made a terrible mistake.

She dropped her hand at once and pretended not to have seen them, looking away casually as she quickened her pace.

Mii sighed helplessly.