Part 25: A clue comes from an unexpected direction

"Why do I have to go all the way to MayQueen..."

Or so I say, but it's less than a 10 minute walk. Whatever, I haven't eaten lunch, so I guess I'll o stop by to eat, too.



I stare at the sign, completely confused as to what that means, when--

"Ah, Okarin."

Maid outfit Mayuri trots along this way. She’s holding a convenience store bag.



Then Mayuri takes out her pocket watch, Pocketty. She checks the time.

"Well, I said break, but it looks like there's only five minutes left..."

Mayuri squats next to the stairs.

"Good work. So, what was that amazing thing you heard?"

"Before that, food, food."








The aroma of karaage stirs my appetite.

"Let me have one."

"Okay."

She stabs one piece of karaage with a toothpick and hands it to me.

"Here you go-♪"

"You're even doing that in front of the store. Your maid consciousness is insufficient."

"Consciousness?"

"Here, you're not Shiina Mayuri, but Mayushii NyanNyan. And yet, here you are in front of the store, going 'here, aah♪' to me. All of the masters who visit this store are going to see that as an act of treason."

"I see... You know, Mayushii didn't think so deeply about it."

So with that, I take the karaage off the toothpick by hand and throw it into my mouth. Delicious. Not as good as Juicy Karaage Number One, though.

"So, what was that amazing thing you heard?"



"Don't tell me you got a clue?! I see, so it was at MayQueen?! That was such a blind spot! I've been so blind!"

"That's not it! There's no way."

Tch, giving me false hope... Mayuri has a triumphant look on her face, but I don't see where this is going at all.

"Mayushii was thinking about the IBN 5100 during work, and asked everyone in the store... First I asked Makky, but Makky said she's not good at PCs. And then RisaRisa only knows about the latest PCs, and she's even a machead--"

"Mayuri, just get to the point. Your troubles don't really matter."

"Hm? Um, basically... it looks like Faris knows."

"Wh-What?! Is that true?!"

"Yup. You know, she's a retro PC maniac."

"Faris is..."

That woman's difficult, so I don't want to meet with her if possible... but I’m really desperate for information.



"It's me. Looks like we've got a clue on the IBN 5100.
...Yeah, don't be surprised. Its' Faris NyanNyan. That catgirl is well-acquainted with retro PCs. We should consider there to be another side to this.
...Hmph, you're as rough a taskmaster as ever.
Understood, I'll go meet her right now. If you don't hear from me by 8PM today, then forget about me and commence the strike on MayQueen.
Everything is Steins;Gate's choice... El Psy Congroo."

I put away my phone, pick up another piece of karaage, and look up into MayQueen's window.

"Ahh! I didn't say I'd give you 2 pieces of karaage--"

"Mayuri, well done! I'll use your information to the fullest!"

"Karaage..."

"By the way, what’s that Faris Cup that signboard's talking about?"

"Karaage..."

Depressed, Mayuri keeps stuffing her cheeks with karaage. Come on, it was just two.

"Can't be helped, huh. I'm a little anxious at the insufficient information, but I'll still commence the break in. Mayuri, wait here. If I don't return within an hour, go home immediately. Understood?"

"Mayushii has work right after this, so that’s impossible."

L-Let's leave Mayuri alone to eat her karaage for now, and break in...



When I enter the store, it's fully occupied, unlike usual.

"Nyanya♪ Is Kyouma participating too nya?"
"Today is the Faris Cup nya!"

Doesn't look like Faris plans to explain what that is. I take my phone out again.



"...What?! The slaughterhouse battle royale where the winner gets to use Faris however he pleases?!
...It seems like I've come to an outrageous place.
...No, no problem. I'll show you I can survive.
...Using any means necessary.
El Psy Congroo."

I put away my phone and turn to Faris.

"The Faris Cup is a battle royale, right?"

"No, nya. It’s a slaughterhouse battle royale where the winner gets to make Faris his slave, nya."
"Ah, everyone, you mustn't nya. Killing each other over Faris? Stop it already nya~!"

Faris is moved to tears as she bends her body languidly, shaking her head left and right. That's some pretty good acting, but of course, there's not a single person in the act of killing in the store.

"Kyouma, please, nya. Stop everyone nya."

"Don't worry. Without me having to stop them, everyone's sitting silently in their seats."

Nevertheless, the atmosphere here is different. It's somehow bloodthirsty.



"A contest with Faris nya. Faris goes at everyone at the same time nyan. Those who please Faris get a reward nya."

I gulp and peek at Faris's face.

"Faris, are you... serious...!"

To go at it with all these men at the same time. She's insane. Then Faris suddenly grins.



Faris approaches me. Her slender fingers touch my arm. Her caresses give me goosebumps.

"Kyouma, save Faris nya..."

I can't take my eyes off of Faris. I've been entranced. This girl has the devilish power to pull in men--

"I refuse!"

"NyaNya?"

I shake her paws off. Whew, she's the owner of such a demonic eye. I barely escaped getting pulled in. You could say that it's because I'm Hououin Kyouma that I can escape demon eye curses.

"I don't intend to fight. I only came to talk to you."

"If you're not going to participate, I apawlogize, but I'll have to ask you to leave, nya."








"Today, Faris is the organizer of the Faris Cup nyan. Only participants can enter the shop nya."

"I only need to talk for two minutes. The IBN--"

"Can't hear, nyaaaaan!"

Faris forces her ears shut. And by ears, I mean her real ones, not her cat ears. Then she laughs a mischievous laugh.

"If Kyouma wants to talk with Faris, he has no choice but to participate in the Faris Cup nyan."

"...That's dirty."

"So what'll it be nyan? If you don’t fight, you won't survive nyan."



I have to do it...! No matter what lies ahead!

"I've got no choice. I'll accept that challenge. However--"

I thrust my finger at the tip of Faris's nose.

"If I face you, you'll tell me everything you know!"

"NyaNya? It doesn't really matter, but..."
"Well then, Master, let me guide you nyannyan♪"

She sticks a nameplate with numbers written on it onto my chest. The number 28 is written on it in round, girly numbers. Guided by Faris, I cautiously walk into the back of the store, finally learning what the guests are doing. Everyone's engrossed in the card game placed on every table.

I remember. Faris said before that she was doing a RaiNet AccessBattlers tournament. That tournament's title is the Faris Cup. If you win, you get to eat Faris home cooking or something. Tch, Faris tricked me.



"Wha, Daru?! What are you doing here?! What about SERN?!"

"Let me rest today... you should treat me better after two consecutive all nighters, durr."

"Tch, SERN's rule over the world grows ever more, and yet you're so carefree..."

"But Okarin, you're here carefree too."

"I came here for an unrelated matter and got rolled up into this. I'm not interested in RaiNet nor Faris's home cooking."

Just as I say that, I feel glares from every customer. I sense bloodthirst. Now that I think about it, the Faris Cup is the tournament Faris organized, so only Faris fans would come, making me the away team. So I'm surrounded by enemies, huh? But I've got to do this. This too is for the sake of obtaining an IBN 5100. Obtain information using ay means necessary.

With that said, I sit next to Daru and softly whisper to him.

"Daru, Operation Σ."

"What's that?"

"I'm saying we should cooperate. If we team up, we'll be the strongest, right?"

"We won't. You'll just weaken me. Okarin, you're still just a beginner as a RaiNetter."

"To me, you're my right arm. As long as I've got you as my partner, I'm no longer afraid."

Daru shows his white teeth in a grin.

"But I refuse. I don't want you to drag me down."

"You still call yourself a comrade?!"

"In this case, we're enemies."

"Y-You traitor... Why do you think I sent you into this store as a spy...?"

"You didn't send me. I'm such a genuine, enthusiastic Faris fan that I check her blog every day--"