"Gold coins are unnecessary. The figure of desperately working for what you want. That itself gives people vitality. That's what we want to record with the magic tool."
"Haa…"
The girl nodded vaguely.
In this world, things like television or video sites did not exist.
Even told they would "record a game," it did not click.
Was it really all right to trust these boys?
In the first place, did they even properly have viewing tickets…?
When she started to think that.
"See, these are the viewing tickets! We've lined up various kinds!!"
The leader boy puffed his chest and laid them out one by one carefully.
The instant she saw that, the girl's eyes opened wide.
"Top level and mid-level… Eh, front row too!? And… VIP seats!? There really were seats like that…!!"
The girl peeled her eyes.
The front row was simply expensive.
But at a stage when, for example, the first round was progressing, one could say you could buy them normally if you just paid money.
On the other hand, VIP seats.
Those were seats equal to a phantom from a commoner's perspective.
High nobles, super great merchants, or people related to those who had survived in the martial arts tournament.
Special seats given only to such chosen people.
(Just who are these people…?)
The girl involuntarily looked at the three in turn.
They did not look like they were joking.
Perhaps they were of a more noble status than she had thought?
"Alright, then I'll put them away once."
"Ah, aaah… Don't…"
The girl involuntarily raised her voice.
The small hope she had been holding in her hands. It was no longer a mere viewing ticket.
It was a glittering dream itself, with admiration and expectation layered.
That glitter was casually wrapped in cloth by the boy's hand and vanished from her vision all too easily.
Something that until a mere instant ago had certainly been in front of her.
As if it had been an illusion.
A still sense of loss descended deep in the girl's chest.
A pain as if her heart were squeezed tight.
She should have reached it if she stretched her hand. That warmth was now far, far away.
"Then, before we start the game… may I have your name?"
A sudden question.
The girl swayed her shoulders slightly and was pulled back to reality.
"Ah, yes. I'm Lene."
"Hmph… A good name. Then I'll explain the game again."
The boy stepped one step forward and swept his gaze as if running the place.
In that standing figure there was a strange dignity that did not match his age.
"As you can see, we have prepared top-level, mid-level, front-row, and VIP seats. You challenge a task matching the seat's rank, and if you clear it you obtain the viewing ticket. That's the game."
"Um…"
"Some question?"
"Actually, I only have one gold coin…"
One gold coin she took from her pocket.
She revealed somewhat shyly that it was all the money she possessed.
"Gold coins? Ah, we don't need that."
"Eh?"
Lene made a face of disbelief.
She had not thought gold coins would be treated as "that."
The boy continued his words without hesitation.
"I said it, right? 'Give.' This isn't a euphemism for buying and selling. It means exactly that. If you succeed at the game, we'll even give you a VIP viewing ticket for free."
"I-is that true!?"
"Yeah, it's true. We don't lie."
Together with those words, the smile that floated on the boy's face was endlessly straight.
A purity like a child's.
She felt no malice.
The other boys also nodded in silence.
"Then, final confirmation! Will you challenge the 'Exciting Challenge'?"
The boy's voice rang.
Lene's heart was already decided.
"Yes!!"
"A good answer. Then first, let's announce the challenge content for the top-level seats!"
The leader boy stood in front of the magic tool.
Then, as if opening a theater curtain, he declared in a high voice.
"The first challenge content is… 'Heart-Pounding! Panty Check'!"
"...Eh?"
For an instant Lene's thoughts stopped.
The air changed.
"The rules are simple. Just show us your panties! That's all it takes to get a top-level viewing ticket!"
"E-eh?"
She could understand the meaning of the words.
But she did not want to understand.
"U-um… the challenge content is… that type of…"
Her voice was trembling.
The stage that had been full of expectation and excitement transformed all at once into something unidentifiable.
Completely unexpected content.
"Didn't I say? It's a game where we have you do a slightly lewd challenge. Sounds interesting, right?"
The man's way of speaking was light.
As if inviting casually, as if there were no seriousness at all.
At that temperature difference Lene's chest slowly chilled.
"U-um… that's…"
"No need to worry! The ones who'll see the magic tool's video record are only rich people! It's rude to say, but a race you have no connection with! There'll be no hindrance to daily life!"
"Um, but…"
A voice trying to resist faintly.
What had she wanted to say.
"But." She could not find the words after that.
"Can't be helped, I'll give you special consideration! We'll only film the panties, no face! Then it's fine, right?"
"U-uu…"
Lene was flustered.
Her gaze crossed with the surrounding boys.
She was being watched.
That was more embarrassing than anything.
"What will you do? Will you challenge it?"
She was being tested.
She could also run away.
But if she turned her back here, she would not be able to watch the match of the person she admired.
"…I understand. I just have to show my panties, right."
"Alright! Then sit there!"
Lene could not go against the instruction delivered so energetically. Her feet moved on their own, and she sat awkwardly. Then she gripped the hem of her skirt tight.
"Um… you really won't be able to tell my face or anything… right?"
"Of course! Come on, if you don't hurry the final's time is approaching little by little!"
"…Uu."
Lene slowly tucked her skirt up. White thin legs and cute underwear came into view.
"Oho! Nice! But we can only see the front still! Show us the back too!"
"Uu…"
While dyeing her face bright red with shame, Lene slowly twisted her body.
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