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"Playing a pair of Aces!"
Asakura played the cards in his hand.
Feeling that continuing to chat idly would make the atmosphere strange again, he took out two decks of playing cards and suggested they play while talking.
Although Yukino refused to play cards and was reading her paperback novel nearby, Amakusa Shino happily joined the Magic Club's poker game.
"I always feel there's a strange malice in your words..."
The girl mumbled, "Pass."
"By the way, can we invite people from outside the school to help with the performances?"
Asakura asked.
"Well, although we confiscated the budgets of several clubs, the clubs that were abolished were poorly run to begin with, having no achievements for a long time. Their allocated club fees were not much, and after adding them up, besides essential consumables like decorative paper, the remaining portion is already quite tight just for snacks and drinks."
Amakusa Shino shook her head, "Let alone inviting professionals, we can't even afford the fees for amateur bands that perform in underground live houses."
Actually, if they searched, they could certainly find bands willing to perform for free just for the opportunity to play in front of many people. However, neither Asakura nor Amakusa Shino were familiar with this area. It wouldn't be a big deal if the band they found was subpar, but it would be a huge problem if they found someone with bad character who caused a scandal at school—for example, by flirting with or even unilaterally making advances on female students.
At least Asakura didn't think Amakusa Shino's bowing and saying 'I'm truly sorry' at the student assembly would solve it.
"What I mean is... sigh, never mind. Who played last...? Hmm, for this card, I'll pass too."
Asakura had initially wanted to ask if junior high students from other schools could also help. After all, Gokou Ruri and Nukumizu Kaju were both quite capable, and if they could come, both work and performances would surely go more smoothly.
However, he immediately abandoned the idea when he remembered that the Founders' Festival wasn't during a holiday but on a regular weekday, meaning their schools probably wouldn't be on break. After all, asking them to take time off to help him save effort would be quite shameful and make him feel bad.
"Heh heh, I feel a bit bad for you who are still talking about work and not focusing on the game, but I only have two cards left! And it's my turn to play!"
Suddenly, Yanami let out a triumphant laugh, "The game is over, because the card I'm playing next is the Joker!"
"Sore wa dokana!"
Saying a line that would boost his coolness, Asakura played a card from his hand: "Cyclone."
"Wait a minute, is that something you find in a deck of poker cards?"
Yanami Anna was stunned for a moment, then protested.
"This is a brand new version of poker," Asakura replied earnestly, "Very fresh, very interesting."
"Forget it, you still have five cards in your hand, you won't win that easily..."
The girl mumbled.
"No, the game is already over."
Asakura smiled triumphantly.
"Why does that line sound familiar...?"
Yanami frowned her delicate eyebrows, showing a suspicious expression.
"Because the cards in my hand are Exodia the Forbidden One, Left Arm of the Forbidden One, Right Leg of the Forbidden One, Left Leg of the Forbidden One, and Torrential Tribute! According to the rules, I win the game!"
"It's completely not poker anymore! And you even mixed in a strange card! In fact, there's no victory at all!"
The girl angrily threw down the 2 of spades in her hand, glaring fiercely at Asakura, as if she wanted to bite something.
Meanwhile, Asakura elegantly put down his cards, then asked Amakusa Shino with a serious expression, "By the way, what do you think of me performing that just now?"
"Manzai? It's not impossible, but performing it with a girl, it feels like flirting. It might even provoke protests from the male students..."
Amakusa Shino said.
"No, I meant the fireball one."
Asakura said, enjoying Yanami's furious expression—she was itching to do something but could only hold back because she saw him talking business with Amakusa Shino.
"Oh, you mean magic," Amakusa Shino mused, "While it's not impossible, it feels a bit plain... And such a small flame, the audience in the hall might not be able to see it clearly."
"During the official performance, it can probably be about the size of a tennis ball."
Asakura discussed with her, "And I can guarantee it absolutely won't be exposed."
"That being said, using fire is still a bit dangerous. Can you choose a more... hmm, a more surprising magic trick?"
Amakusa Shino said with some distress.
Although she didn't care much, the school higher-ups would definitely show up at the Founders' Festival. If some idiotic higher-up felt Asakura's fire magic was too dangerous and criticized it, demanding changes, it would be like a fly in the ointment, annoying everyone for the entire day.
"It's not impossible."
Asakura thought for a moment, and a bunch of fun 'magic tricks' popped into his head.
However, he hadn't decided whether to perform them, as displaying supernatural powers in front of so many people was somewhat inappropriate.
"It's just that I need to calculate a bit, because you should understand that a good performance definitely requires thorough preparation, right?"
Asakura winked at Amakusa Shino.
The latter was unmoved, even thinking Asakura's eyes were dry and suggesting he use eye drops.
Because she still had Student Council work, after confirming the Founders' Festival situation and the required performance time with Asakura and the others, Amakusa Shino left in a hurry.
"Amakusa Shino is too enthusiastic about the Founders' Festival. Is she really that keen on dirty jokes...?"
Yuigahama Yui watched her receding back and couldn't help but say.
"You've got that wrong. Amakusa probably took over the Founders' Festival not just to earn capital for advancement... After all, even if she didn't stir up trouble, the next Student Council President probably wouldn't be anyone else. For her, the Founders' Festival is a thankless task."
Asakura shook his head, then glanced at Yukinoshita Yukino, who remained as steady as a mountain but whose true thoughts were completely unfathomable, and who needed to perform two programs: "You see, even though Yukino-Asakura acts very resistant, she hasn't actually refused, isn't that the best proof?"
"What do you mean?"
Yuigahama tilted her head, showing a cute, puzzled expression.
"Amakusa Shino... although she didn't say it explicitly, she probably just wants those students who put in effort but were rejected by the Student Council and not allowed to perform at the school festival to still have a stage to showcase themselves."
After all, to achieve success at the Founders' Festival, there's no need to stick to the auditorium stage. By simply catering to the school's preferences and focusing the Founders' Festival theme on improving academic performance and university admission rates—without actually having to execute it, just creating an enthusiastic 'we're doing it' atmosphere—the school authorities would be satisfied.
This was far simpler than having a group of students eliminated by the Student Council perform on stage, and it was also less prone to accidents than the latter.
Yet, Amakusa Shino unhesitatingly chose to let students stand on stage and fulfill their dreams, ensuring their sweat and effort spent on practice wouldn't be in vain. She even emptied all available funds for this, striving to make that stage more appealing. It was already clear why she did it.
Yukinoshita Yukino glanced at Asakura, saying pointedly, "Even if she's awkward and full of dirty jokes, that Amakusa is at least sincere. Unlike some people who never speak a true word."
"Oh? That's not necessarily true. Today, I haven't said a single lie from beginning to end."
Asakura spread his hands.
"Is that so...?"
Yukinoshita Yukino was about to bring up his fireball magic, but then she suddenly realized that he indeed had never explicitly called it magic, always being vague. It was Amakusa Shino who made an error based on experience, subconsciously assuming it was magic and not having any doubts.
Thinking of this, she glanced at Asakura, whose expression was meaningful, and couldn't help but let out a light hum again: "Sly fellow…"
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