Chapter 264: Drawing the Joker
"I've decided!" Raphiel raised her fist to her lips and gave a dainty, exaggerated cough, her silver hair swaying lightly. "I'm going to learn how to make a love bento from Machiko-chan!"
"Eh? A love bento?" Machiko blinked, startled, her chopsticks freezing in midair.
A "love bento" — a lunchbox made with affection — was the classic way to express feelings between classmates. It was a gesture filled with care and meaning, often used to confess love or affection. After all, who would wake up early to cook for someone they didn't like?
"What? Shiraha-sama's making a love bento?" Alice's crimson eyes widened in shock, her little fangs glinting mischievously as she leaned forward toward Kouya. "Is it for him?"
The room instantly froze. A heavy silence fell as everyone turned toward Raphiel, expectant and curious.
"Well, my answer is…" Raphiel's golden eyes twinkled with a teasing gleam. She let her gaze sweep languidly toward Kouya, lingering just long enough for the air to thicken, before she smiled with angelic sweetness. "Nope."
"It's for Satania-chan."
"..."
'Of course it is.' And could she at least help that poor girl up before announcing that? Satania was still sprawled out on the floor from Gabriel's earlier punch, twitching faintly like a defeated bug.
...
Once lunch was over, Vigne leaned forward curiously. "Machiko, do you have any advice on how to run club activities more smoothly?"
Machiko blinked at her earnest expression and laughed softly. "Vigne-chan, you're overthinking it. Clubs like ours are made for enjoyment, not for strict discipline. We're not like the basketball or kendo clubs with set schedules or performance goals. The main point is to have fun together."
She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, speaking with gentle rhythm. "It's nice to plan little activities sometimes — going out to eat together, taking a day trip on weekends, or even having a summer training camp just for bonding. Things like that make the atmosphere feel warmer."
Vigne listened carefully, nodding. "I see… so it's more about spending time together naturally."
"Exactly. For example," Machiko smiled faintly, "in my cooking club, we just make dishes we enjoy and share them together. That's enough to make everyone happy."
"I see." Vigne's expression softened. "That sounds nice."
Machiko began packing up her bento box to leave, but Raphiel's lilting voice suddenly interrupted. "Since Machiko-chan came all this way, why don't we play something before she leaves? It'd be such a waste to let her go so soon."
Machiko froze mid-step. "P-play? Like what?" she asked nervously, inching closer to Vigne as if her friend could protect her.
Raphiel's graceful smile widened, glimmering with that unmistakable, dangerous amusement. "Let's play Old Maid."
"Old Maid?" Machiko echoed uncertainly.
"Yes, yes!" Raphiel pulled out a full deck of cards seemingly from nowhere. "It's a classic. Simple, elegant, full of excitement."
"I should really organize my notes," Vigne said quickly, already backing away. "You guys play without me."
"I-I'll skip too…" Machiko added, raising her hands defensively.
Raphiel tilted her head, her voice suddenly smooth and sweet like honey — but carrying a dark edge beneath. "Machiko-chan, you're not scared, are you?"
Machiko stiffened. "N-no, of course not! I just—"
"It's been a while since I checked your progress," Raphiel interrupted, lifting her hands to mimic a groping motion, her smile angelic and devilish all at once.
Machiko's face drained of color. A flash of memory hit — the last time Raphiel had "checked her progress." Her shoulders trembled; her will crumbled. "...Fine, I'll play," she said in a tiny voice.
"Wonderful!" Raphiel beamed. "Kouya-kun, you'll join us too, won't you?"
Kouya had been ready to refuse, but then his eyes flicked to Satania. 'Hmm. A chance to see her get punished? Worth it.' "Alright, sure."
The group gathered around the table. Raphiel shuffled the cards with unnerving precision, her graceful hands moving like silk.
Old Maid, or "Drawing the Joker," had its roots in old European legends, supposedly tied to rituals that trapped demons within playing cards. Over time, that eerie myth had faded, leaving behind only the thrill of deception and luck. Each player would draw a card from the next, discard matching pairs, and try to avoid the single Joker — the cursed card of defeat.
Satania, meanwhile, was busy scrolling through her phone under the table. "The guide says people with no facial expressions have a fifty percent higher win rate! That means the servant boy's basically guaranteed to win!"
Kouya's eyes darkened. 'Perfect. Another line added to my mental blacklist.'
Still, there was truth to it — Old Maid was all about control and reading expressions. A blank face was indeed a weapon.
A sudden giggle slipped through the air. "Pfft—"
Kouya's gaze shot toward Machiko. She instantly threw up her hands. "It wasn't me! Not me!"
'Yeah right,' he thought flatly. 'Keep laughing, and you'll regret it later.'
Raphiel's hand paused mid-shuffle. "Oh, that reminds me," she said suddenly, smiling with ominous calm. "We haven't decided what the punishment will be for the loser."
Her tone brightened, falsely innocent. "How about this—whoever gets the Joker has to remove one piece of clothing?"
The room exploded.
"That's ridiculous!" Vigne cried out, cheeks blazing. "You can't just—! Especially in front of a boy!"
Her voice cracked as she shot a glance at Kouya before looking away quickly. Her ears glowed pink. The lingering awkwardness from before still hadn't faded.
Raphiel waved her hand dismissively. "Non-players don't get to complain!" she sang cheerfully.
"..." Vigne sulked silently, defeated.
Machiko's eyes widened in horror. "R-remove clothes?! N-no way! Then I'm definitely not playing!"
Kouya sighed in relief. 'Finally, someone with common sense.'
But the reprieve didn't last.
Raphiel's tone dropped to a whisper, her expression shadowed. "Machiko…"
Machiko stiffened. "W-what?"
The lights dimmed as a chilling wind seemed to blow from nowhere. Ominous background music started playing — from Raphiel's phone, naturally.
"They say if you stop before finishing Old Maid," Raphiel said softly, her voice lilting and eerie, "the Joker spirit will awaken... and find you."
Machiko trembled. "T-that's just a story, right?"
Raphiel smiled wider. "Really? Don't you feel that presence behind you?"
"Wha—?!" Machiko whipped around, heart pounding.
Kouya facepalmed. "Turn off your stupid music already!"
No one who brought their own horror soundtrack to the table ever had good intentions.
Satania raised her hand eagerly. "Whoever loses should go buy pineapple buns!"
"No," Rikka said solemnly. "The loser should eat tomatoes."
"I know!" Alice piped up, her eyes sparkling. "Let's do punishment stickers! Like in shoujo manga, where they stick them on people's foreheads!"
"Shoujo manga?" Vigne asked curiously. "You like those, Alice?"
"N-no! I don't!" Alice blurted, cheeks red as her ponytail whipped dramatically. "It was just... an idea! Nothing more!"
"What about you, Gabi-chan?" Raphiel turned lazily to Gabriel.
Gabriel yawned without even looking up from her snack. "Don't mind me. I'm just the background NPC."
"Then it's settled." Raphiel clapped her hands together, her wings fluttering faintly. "The loser gets a forehead flick."
She pouted dramatically. "I was hoping for something more entertaining, but since it's Machiko-chan's first time, we'll go easy."
Kouya gave her a flat stare. 'Easy? You've already given her a lifetime's worth of trauma.'
Machiko, pale and trembling, clutched her cards tightly against her chest, trying to shrink behind Vigne for protection.
'Raphiel… angelic voice, divine smile, and a personality darker than the devil himself. Without question, you're the most terrifying creature in this entire school.'
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