Chapter 7: is actually a board game student?

Fujiwara grabbed a game from the shelf with her usual bright tone.

“This one’s Clue! Limited edition—Harry Potter version!”

“Man, that was a pain to get…”

Makihara, the club president, looked proud.

Board games have limited editions? Who knew.

The TG Club pulled out a Harry Potter-themed Clue.

It’s a deduction game set in the Harry Potter world.

You win by guessing the culprit, location, and tool of a murder.

After explaining the rules, Fujiwara slipped three answer cards into a confidential envelope and shuffled the rest, dealing them evenly.

My cards: Dumbledore (character), Mandrake and Sleeping Draught (tools), and Great Hall (location)—four total.

On the board, I’m Ron Weasley.

Fujiwara’s Hermione.

Makihara’s Snape.

Gigako-senpai’s Malfoy.

I wanted Harry Potter, but that card mysteriously vanished…

Fujiwara went first, rolling two dice and moving to Grimmauld Place.

She jumped straight into a deduction.

“Hota-Ron-kun killed someone at Grimmauld Place with a Mandrake!”

“Don’t rename me. I didn’t kill anyone.”

Summoned to Grimmauld Place, I showed her my Mandrake card privately.

She hummed a tune, marking her sheet.

“Hmm-hmm~ Good start~”

I watched Makihara and Gigako-senpai make their moves, getting a feel for the game.

It’s early, so it’s about gathering info.

“Snape killed someone in the Hogwarts Hospital Wing with a Portkey spell.”

“Hermione did it in the Library with an Impedimenta spell.”

I focused on cards I didn’t have to collect clues.

Then I mixed two cards I had with one I didn’t, narrowing down the truth.

By mid-game, I’d eliminated enough options to close in fast.

‘The culprit’s definitely Malfoy. Location’s the Dormitory. So the tool…?’

Snicker.

Got it. I know the answer.

The TG Club members’ faces shifted at my smirk.

“S-Suzuki-kun, you didn’t…?”

“Yup, I got it.”

“No way! This fast!?”

Gigako-senpai rolled the dice, scrambling to reach Dumbledore’s Office for a final guess, but fell short.

My turn came. Rolled a 12. Game over.

Moving my Ron Weasley piece to Dumbledore’s Office, I grabbed the envelope and declared.

“Malfoy, in the Dormitory, with a Magical Broom.”

“Ugh…!”

“Sounds right…”

Sighs erupted around me.

Who told them to pick a deduction game?

Triumphant, I pulled the answer cards from the envelope.

“Malfoy, in the Dormitory—”

Perfect so far. Just need the tool…

“Harry Potter and… huh?”

Harry, why’re you here?

The wrong character card threw me off, and the girls went wild.

“Oh my, in the Dormitory, two guys…!?”

“What did they do…!?”

“Eek! I didn’t hear anything, I swear!”

The two seniors were thrilled, while Fujiwara pointlessly covered her eyes.

I’m losing my mind.

Why’s Harry Potter a tool card…?

“…Sorry! I mixed it up!”

Turns out Fujiwara botched the shuffle, leaving out my Magical Broom and slipping Harry in.

“Would’ve been right otherwise…?”

“Even good at Clue, huh, General Affairs-kun…”

They kinda acknowledged my win, but why do I feel so off?

I just wanna quit and leave…

“Alright, we done? Fujiwara, let’s go to the council room.”

“Y-Yeah, okay?”

Since Fujiwara caused the Malfoy-Harry fiasco, she was ready to follow, but the others weren’t having it.

“No way! Our trials come in threes! One final stage left!”

Protesting just drags this out…

“…Fine, what’s next?”

“A blood-pumping battle royale board game!”

“…?”

Sounds unimaginable. Is that a thing?

“Next game’s beyond Platform 9¾! Let’s go!”

Makihara suddenly charged at a curtained window and vanished through it.

‘…!?’

We’re on the fourth floor!

But then Gigako and Fujiwara ran toward it too.

“Fujiwara…! Wait, huh…?”

Something’s off.

The window doesn’t feel normal.

It’s broad daylight, but it’s pitch black.

Checking closer, I saw…

‘A secret room…?’

Beyond the fake window was a cushioned mat for safe landings, four PCs lined up, and soundproofed walls.

Aren’t you guys a table game club?

“…Is this authorized?”

“Hehe, as if.”

Not even approved…

They built it at their own risk, so I won’t complain, but it’s so TG Club.

“Be proud. You’re the first outsider to pass our trials and enter here.”

‘Not proud at all…’

Fujiwara cleared her throat and pointed at a PC.

“Ahem, final test! This time, it’s a PC game—Battle Grounding!”

“When did board games include PCs…?”

Fujiwara puffed her cheeks at my comment.

“Suzuki-kun! That rigid mindset won’t make you a 4th Industrial Revolution talent!”

What’s she on about?

How free do I need to be to become that talent?

“PCs are broadly a ‘board’! Thinking only analog table games count is outdated prejudice!”

Fancy words, but it’s not a board game…

Whatever. Let’s finish and get out.

Sitting at the last PC, Fujiwara leaned in to set it up.

‘She’s… kinda close.’

Unaware, Fujiwara was right next to me.

Her pink hair swayed in front of my eyes.

The nice shampoo scent made me oddly conscious of her.

“Ever played FPS games, Suzuki-kun?”

“Nah, just FIFA with my brother.”

Now that I think about it, my brother always picked Real Madrid, spamming one striker with Dad’s card.

I crushed him easily. That’s my gaming vibe.

“I’ll teach you the basics! WASD for movement, R to reload, left-click to shoot…”

Fujiwara gave a quick rundown.

After practicing in the training area and memorizing the keys, we started a four-player squad match.

A plane soared across the sky.

“Kozue-senpai! Where we dropping?”

“Time to school this cocky challenger, Spartan-style! We’re landing at School, so survive!”

“What…!? There?”

Fujiwara paled.

Guess School’s a tough spot in this game.

Kinda like real life—School’s rough for me too.

“Everyone, jump!”

At Gigako-senpai’s call, they leaped from the plane.

I jumped too, but a prompt appeared.

“Parachute…?”

“No, Suzuki-kun, don’t press—”

I hit the parachute button before Fujiwara could stop me.

Whoosh.

My breakneck descent slowed to a turtle’s pace.

Still miles from the ground—when’ll I land…?

“It happens! We’ll clear it out, so take your time!”

“…Thanks.”

She’s so nice.

And quietly, she’s kinda pretty.

While I floated leisurely, the three who landed at School started fighting.

“Four others dropped on the rooftop!”

“Got it!”

“Understood!”

After briefing the rooftop situation, the trio dove into battle, racking up kills.

“One down! Two down!”

“I got one on the side!”

“I took one out. Rooftop’s clear, right?”

Rooftop conquered, they pushed downstairs.

In tight corridors and packed classrooms, they split to loot items.

“Oh, found a Kar98! Next classroom… eek!”

Bang! Bang! Rat-tat-tat!

“Chika! What’s wrong?!”

“Enemies across the hall! I’m hiding in a classroom, but be careful—!”

“Got it, I’ll handle them!”

Bang!

Gigako charged out boldly but got headshot and collapsed.

Crawling back to the classroom, she barely escaped.

Covering Gigako, Fujiwara and Makihara noticed something off while fighting.

“One of them has insane aim!”

“I peeked out, and my helmet’s trashed. Ugh…”

One enemy’s skill was unreal—hacker or pro, didn’t matter.

They were cornered.

After a quick pause, they decided to retreat.

“On three, we run. One, two, three—!”

Rat-tat-tat!

“Eek!”

“No way…!”

Shot mid-sprint by the enemy’s crazy aim, both collapsed.

Luckily, they fell around a corner, avoiding instant kill shots, but enemies closing in made it a matter of time.

The enemy squad charged for kills.

The trio braced for death.

“…School’s no joke.”

“Spartan training? We’re the ones schooled.”

“Next round quick…? Wait, huh?”

Bang!

Just as an enemy passed the stairs near the corner, a pistol shot rang out, dropping one.

More shots followed.

Bang! Rat-tat! Bang! Rat-tat-tat!

Furious gunfire echoed.

Only one figure stood tall in the end.

“How do I revive…?”

It was Hotaro, drifting down leisurely.

In his hand, just a pistol.