Index

But no amount of distractions can stop me from picking the right answer. The name of the handbag is of course-- [player]--Index! The expression on their faces tells me that I chose the right answer. [player]Haha, how can I get it wrong when Chiori says it all day long? I've already answered three questions. Can you tell me why I'm answering your questions now? [Riu Kujou]Next question! Riu Kujou rejects my request and continues to send a series of questions about Chiori Mikami in my direction. The good news is that I'm really lucky today and managed to answer the questions correctly even when I was just guessing. The bad news is that Riu and Chiori forced me to leave the café while I was feeling smug. I could only watch helplessly as the cup of coffee that Reina Nanami had just brought to the table, made with new special blend coffee beans that I hadn't gotten the chance to taste, got further and further away from me... A little while later, they take me to Chiori Mikami's home. Outside the pure white window sill, slender green trees sway gently, their fluffy canopies letting generous patches of light through their gaps and creating a contrast of light and shadows on the clean wooden floor. Marvelous bookcases that occupy an entire wall are filled with various books, while calligraphy works and paintings of celebrities adorn the wall. The style of her study suggests this young lady's interests go far beyond just cuteness. However, Riu Kujou's powerful gaze makes me withdraw my curious gaze from where I am sitting on the sofa. Just now, Chiori Mikami said she needed to prepare some items, so she asked Riu Kujou to take me to this study and fill me in on the details while I wait for her. [Riu Kujou]If it weren't for the fact that I'm in the middle of my final exams for the special maid training class, you would never get this opportunity. [player]...Opportunity? [Riu Kujou]Yes, an incomparably valuable opportunity to be Miss Chiori Mikami's teammate! To be specific, one day ago... [player]What a familiar way to start talking about past memories... Ah! [Riu Kujou]DON'T INTERRUPT ME! Every iron fist Riu Kujou sends my way is a reward I've earned with my abilities. Riu Kujou continues speaking while I rub my head and nod vigorously. [Riu Kujou]...One day ago, Miss Chiori and I went to a board game parlor because she heard that the parlor had just stocked a new board game that is played in teams of two and wanted to try it out. Miss Chiori should have won the game easily since she is so intelligent, but we played against a lovey-dovey couple. In the end... At a board game parlor one day ago [Riu Kujou]Miss Chiori, we... lost. [Chiori Mikami]...Damn! I only need a few more moves to catch up to their pieces! [Couple Opponent A]Hahaha, don't look so depressed, little girl. This board game that is played in teams of two is a test of the teammates' synergy, especially their synergy in terms of feelings. [Couple Opponent A]You look like a junior high school student, and the maid next to you, well, doesn't seem to have much experience... Umm, if neither of you has ever been in a relationship or had anyone confess their love to you, then you're already really amazing to play this well! Isn't that right, babe? [Couple Opponent B]Yes! Everything you say is right, darling! [Chiori Mikami]Hmph! Don't look so pleased. This is just a temporary defeat. Give me two days! Two days is all I need! We just need one day to practice, then we'll be able to defeat you! [Couple Opponent B]Hahaha, okay then. I'll be looking forward to it. [Riu Kujou]That's basically what happened. Miss Chiori has arranged a rematch with them tomorrow, but my special maid training camp exam is scheduled for tomorrow, so I can't go with her, which means I need to find her a suitable board game teammate. [player]Does that mean the survey in the café is part of your test to find a suitable teammate? I'll be honest with you, to answer those questions correctly, you just need to know a little more about Chiori than most people. What does that have to do with synergy? [Riu Kujou]Oh, the purpose of those questions is to select a teammate who is lucky enough and understand Miss Chiori's likes and dislikes enough to keep her in a good mood. As for the synergy, Miss Chiori said she'll train you personally. [player]Train... Fine then, but can you please not use any strange verbs so casually? [Chiori Mikami]I'm back! As she speaks, Chiori Mikami enters the study with a box. [Chiori Mikami]Do you understand everything now? [player]Yes, I know what's going on. But... I'm a little hesitant. However, Chiori Mikami continues speaking without giving me the chance to organize my thoughts. [Chiori Mikami]Okay, Riu, you can study for your exam now. Leave the rest to me. I'll train a qualified teammate to avenge yesterday's loss! [Riu Kujou]Yes! You have my full trust, Miss Chiori! You can do it! I'll be going back to my room then. Just call for me if you need anything. [Riu Kujou]You need to try hard and do well too, or else... As Riu Kujou speaks, she warns me by waving her fist at me and leaves reluctantly after I start nodding repeatedly. Chiori Mikami and I are now the only people in the room. Before I can speak, she quickly opens the box she just brought in and thrusts a booklet in front of me. [Chiori Mikami]Here you go. Read this before we start the training. It turns out that this is a board game, and what she just gave me is its manual. I swallow the words of hesitation I was about to voice and read it carefully. In this game called "Heart Map," teams of two need to explore the game board that has an extremely complex terrain, and the first team to reach the destination at the end of the map wins. This game relies on the tacit cooperation between teammates as whether players move forward or backward, the direction of movement, and the number of steps taken are all determined by the results of the card missions that both teammates encounter along the way. The missions of these cards are designed to make players interact. According to the manual, this board game has psychological elements and really tests the synergy of lovers or friends. [player]So it really is like this... Chiori, although we're good friends, don't you think it'll be difficult for us to defeat a pair of lovers who are truly intimate? After reading the manual, I voice the concerns in my heart. To my surprise, Chiori Mikami reacts very disdainfully. [Chiori Mikami]Who said we need synergy to win? [player]What's your plan? [Chiori Mikami]Listen up, because I'll only say this once. As long as it is a game, you'll be able to find a way to win if you can master the essence of its rules! In a game like this that requires players to play in teams of two, the rules make it seem like you need synergy, which is invisible and intangible, when what the players really need is to act as one. [player]Act as one? [Chiori Mikami]Yes! The key to winning isn't how well we know each other. What we need to do is to solve problems in the same way! [player]I think I'm starting to understand what you're saying... It's like that secret trick that applies to all foreign language multiple choice questions that all students of One Han City probably know: "When there are three long and one short, choose the shortest one. When there are three short and one long, choose the longest one. When they are the same length, choose C..." [Chiori Mikami]Huh? People need to use a secret trick like this to answer those basic questions at school? Are you the One Han City student who you are referring to? [player]I was just making an example... What I'm saying is that we can think of similar secret tricks to help us solve problems in the same way. [Chiori Mikami]I guess you can think of it in that way, but we need to come up with secret tricks that match the rules of this game, and it's definitely more complicated than what you said. Anyway, let's try playing it first. There are so many questions in this board game! [player]Hmm... [Chiori Mikami]Why are you in a daze? [player]Let me see... According to the manual in front of me, the creator of this board game designed it to help the participants learn more about each other by playing it, but Chiori Mikami has obviously skipped this part. Hmm, after understanding what needs to be done, I hesitate about whether I want to do this training with Chiori Mikami.