Chapter 16: Plastic Sisterhood
The intense battle had begun.
Due to the limited size of the board, by just the fourth round, all the land on the map had already been completely bought up without a single slot left.
Ishigami Yuu observed the situation and contemplated.
The number of properties currently owned by the four players was as follows:
Shinomiya-senpai: 6 high-grade properties (selling price above 3000), 4 mid-grade properties (selling price between 2000 and 3000), 0 low-grade properties (selling price below 2000).
As the noble heiress of the Shinomiya family, Shinomiya-senpai would never make a losing investment. After calculating the most profitable strategy, it seemed she was executing a plan named "One Fatal Blow."
ヽ( ´•╭╮•`)ﾉ┌┛Σ(ノ´•Д•`)ノ
She kept a seizure card in her hand, then tried to build houses on the high-grade properties.
As long as any player landed on them later, they'd either lose a lot of money or be eliminated from the game outright!
Fujiwara-senpai: 1 high-grade property (with a two-story house), 2 mid-grade properties, 12 low-grade properties.
As the daughter of a politician, Fujiwara-senpai was taking the "for the people" approach.
In other words, she needed to...
Ehm, never mind, she was just playing randomly.
Ishigami Yuu mentally removed Fujiwara Chika from the board.
What about himself and Sakurai-senpai?
Altogether, they had 5 high-grade properties, 10 mid-grade properties, and 12 low-grade properties.
The situation was now actually quite clear.
As long as they didn't land on Fujiwara-senpai's two-story house, they wouldn't lose so easily! Ishigami thought.
"Hehe, my hotel is now three stories high!"
૮₍ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ₎ა
Alright, now it was three stories.
Ishigami Yuu flipped through the rulebook to check the toll fee for a three-story house on high-grade land.
Huh? 8900? That much?
Passing the bank only gave out 4000 points.
Because everyone had spent too much on land and construction, no one had any spare funds left.
Wait! Hold on! Our team has a seizure card!
We could take over that house right now!
"Sakurai-senpai." Ishigami winked at Sakurai.
( • ᴗ - ) ✧
"No rush." Sakurai Saki didn't even bother to acknowledge Fujiwara Chika.
To him, Shinomiya Kaguya was the true enemy.
She still had two special items: a teleport card and a demolition card.
One could move a piece anywhere, the other could reduce a building by one level.
The game board was still shrouded in fog, impossible to see clearly.
——
Ten minutes later.
At the Student Council President's seat.
Shirogane Miyuki looked up at the four players.
Hmph, Shinomiya and Sakurai are taking this way too seriously.
It's not like this is some real business battlefield.
Why so serious?
"I want to use the demolition card to destroy Shinomiya-senpai's mansion!" Ishigami Yuu shouted.
Well... that's pretty fiery.
The corner of Shirogane Miyuki's lips lifted into a slight smile.
Having this bunch in the student council really was a blessing.
Even while working, he didn't feel bored.
"Ishigami-kun! Why are you destroying Kaguya-san's mansion?!"
( ｡ •̀ ᴖ •́ ｡)
"Then Fujiwara-senpai, what was the point of using a block card earlier to stop Sakurai-senpai!? This is just a game. Why take it so seriously?"
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Shirogane Miyuki listened to the two of them arguing and let out a few chuckles, shaking his head in helplessness.
So childish… how cute.
Another ten minutes passed.
"Aaaaaa!!!! Fujiwara-senpai! I just finished building that building!"
༼;´༎ຶ ༎ຶ༽
"Are~? Ishigami-kun, didn't you just say~ It's just a game~"
(≖⩊≖)
Occasional arguing actually helped strengthen bonds, cultivate teamwork, and was beneficial for both work and study later on.
Shirogane Miyuki consoled himself silently, trying to convince himself.
It's just, well, they were all a little too competitive.
A few minutes later—
"I want to use the seizure card. My target is Shinomiya-san's America property. This is the construction cost." Sakurai played his killer move.
(҂ `з´) ︻╦̵̵̿╤──
"Then I'll use mine too. My target is Sakurai-san's China. The total construction cost is 13,000." Shinomiya Kaguya also placed her special item card back on the pile.
╾━╤デ╦︻(•⤙•)
Then Sakurai reshuffled the item deck once again.
That way, cheating could be avoided.
Even in Monopoly chess, Fujiwara Chika could still find ways to cheat while shuffling cards.
Truly not to be underestimated.
No wonder they call her Fujiwara "Fraud" Chika.
If she had been born in the Heian era, even Ryoumen Sukuna would have bowed at her feet.
Chika: (￣^￣ )ゞ
Shirogane Miyuki, watching the flames of war spread ever wider, hastened to finish correcting the last of his documents.
He slammed the table and shouted loudly, "I'm done with work!"
"Umu." Shinomiya Kaguya didn't even bother to lift her head.
"Good work, Shirogane." Sakurai Saki was busy trying to figure out how to force Kaguya to use up her trump cards.
Kaguya still had two item cards in her hand.
"President, want to play a round?" Ishigami Yuu said as he rolled the dice.
Four.
!!!
Oh shit! It's a trap!
( ˶°ㅁ°) !!
He landed on Fujiwara-senpai's trap!
"Ara~ Ishigami-kun, you've landed on my mansion~" Fujiwara Chika said sweetly as she extended her small palm, open.
( ∩´͈ ᐜ `͈∩)
"Pay up! Toll fee!"
"Tch." Ishigami Yuu reluctantly handed over his game money.
(¬_ ´¬ )
A total of 12,000 points.
His remaining funds were now nearly depleted.
"Ishigami, it's time to use that move." Sakurai Saki said calmly.
"Next, I will use the negotiation card. This card lets you negotiate with any player to buy one of their properties. And I have a total of three of these cards."
Ishigami Yuu nodded.
He quietly handed Sakurai three high-grade property cards.
If their total points reached 100,000, they could claim victory.
Shirogane Miyuki's intense gaze grew even sharper.
He was squinting at the board, eyes narrowed.
Shirogane Miyuki was nearsighted, and whenever he focused seriously, his expression turned frighteningly intense!
(◣ _ ◢)
'Evenly matched?'
No! Shinomiya held the upper hand.
All her high-grade properties had now been upgraded with two-story hotels—fully fortified.
This is...!!!
In a corner of the map, Shirogane Miyuki discovered a terrifying sight.
It was a zone composed of three mid-grade properties and one high-grade property. One of the mid-grade properties belonged to Secretary Fujiwara, and the rest were under Shinomiya's control.
This kind of territory!
'If Fujiwara-san is eliminated, I might be able to seize that property. And if I get four adjacent properties, the rent in that zone will double!' The corner of Shinomiya Kaguya's lips curled into a cruel smirk.
(≖ᴗ≖ ✿)
Just like a final boss hiding in the shadows of a corporate warfare movie.
"So hot." Shinomiya Kaguya emotionlessly pulled out a fan.
Written on it was—[Peerless Under Heaven]!
( ◡̀_◡́)ᕤ
Of course, Sakurai Saki had also realized her scheme.
Faced with Shinomiya Kaguya's backstabbing plan, Sakurai chose to form an alliance to resist!
"Secretary Fujiwara! Let's team up! If this keeps going, none of us will win!" Sakurai Saki extended an offer of cooperation.
"No way! I would never betray Kaguya-san!" Fujiwara Chika rejected it without hesitation.
( ｡ •̀ ⤙ •́ ｡ ) 🇽NO
But she's already planning to betray you, Chi-baka.
Trying to persuade a dead ghost would be more productive.
One round later, Ishigami Yuu stepped on Fujiwara Chika's hotel and exited the game gloriously.
A few rounds after that, Fujiwara Chika landed on Shinomiya Kaguya's property and died a swift, clean death.
"Uwaa~ Kaguya-san, avenge me, okay?" Fujiwara Chika said as she accepted the fan from Kaguya and helped her cool off.
(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )づ♡
On Shinomiya Kaguya's icy face appeared a trace—just a tiny trace—just the faintest hint of embarrassment.
Hopefully no one had noticed her using that fan earlier to interfere with Fujiwara-san's dice rolls.
Sakurai Saki looked at Kaguya.
He smiled brightly.
"Shinomiya-san, it's just the two of us now, huh?"