Just as Ayanokoji Kiyotaka guessed, the argument between Saotome Meari and Hanatemari Kazura was actually just an "act."
When she lowered her head to look at the boys' cards, she noticed something abnormal on the cards.
At that time, although she sensed something was wrong, she still thought Mikura was the one cheating and wanted to confront her.
Until Sachiko Juraku arrived.
Sachiko Juraku adamantly stated that their Dealer was absolutely fair and would never cheat. Although Saotome didn't believe this, under Sachiko Juraku's reminder, she also thought of another possibility.
There was a mole among the five of them.
However, the mole she suspected was not Hanatemari Kazura, but "Inui Chitose."
Why didn't the order on the boys' cards match?
Why did Inui Chitose volunteer to hand over the order list?
Why did Mikura specifically ask about the announcement order before the results were revealed?
Why did she participate in several pairing gambles knowing the risks involved?
All these questions can be explained by one answer—the mole is Inui Chitose.
Her flaws were too many and too obvious; as long as there was a consistent thread, her actions could be reasonably explained.
After realizing this, Saotome did not expose her on the spot but pretended to believe Hanatemari was the mole, putting on a show in front of everyone and deliberately isolating her.
Although it was a "show," Saotome was the only one acting.
To make it realistic enough, Saotome did not tell Hanatemari her thoughts, and Hanatemari, thinking Saotome had misunderstood her, couldn't help but cry when she stayed in the corner.
Although she felt sorry for Hanatemari, Saotome still decided to do it for the sake of victory, explaining her plan to the other three with a cold expression.
Her plan was similar to the first round: each person would confess to a different person separately to reduce the probability of a successful match.
However, unlike the first round, Saotome already knew who the mole was.
So, her plan was to deliberately use Inui Chitose to tell the boys, making them believe it and choose their confession recipients according to their tactics.
The boys thought they had grasped the girls' confession targets, but in reality, it was the opposite—their choices were designated by Saotome Meari, and every step they took was within Saotome's expectations.
Once she knew who the boys would confess to, winning this game became very easy; she just needed to re-select a confession target.
First, Inui Chitose, as the mole, would definitely choose Kuroki Ya. Saotome also deliberately put her first; even if she noticed something unusual, she could only stare helplessly.
Second, Kurume Laiwei. Her original confession target was Tanaka Yuzuna.
Although Saotome Meari didn't know this girl, judging by her appearance, she didn't seem like someone who would hand over the choice to others, especially when there was a mole in the team.
As expected by Saotome, Kurume indeed changed her mind midway and chose to confess to Ayanokoji.
Of course, if she had truly confessed to Tanaka Yuzuna, Saotome wouldn't have cared.
After all... she had nothing to do with herself; she was just a stranger.
The third was Togakushi Yukimi. In fact, Saotome had already subtly told her that she was acting and to choose someone else.
Togakushi Yukimi successfully received Saotome's message, but she still didn't quite trust Saotome. She gritted her teeth, pulled out her last possessions, and added 200,000 yen to the stake.
In that case, even if she lost, she would at most have a one-day date with Tanaka Yuzuna.
The fourth... Hanatemari Kazura.
Although Saotome did not include her in the "group chat" or tell her her plan, Saotome still deliberately placed her in the fourth position.
As long as Hanatemari adhered to the basic theory of the previous round and did not choose a repeated confession target, she would at most have a two-fifths chance of being selected.
Furthermore, with the four boys on the other side all having determined targets to choose, theoretically, Hanatemari's chance of being selected was less than one-fifth.
On the first day of the casino's operation, Saotome returned the money she had borrowed from Hanatemari during the "Three Dice Toss" gamble.
Adding Hanatemari's original money, she definitely had 400,000 yen.
Saotome thought Hanatemari would at most gamble on the [Dating Right], but she didn't expect her to gamble on her [Overnight Right] out of spite.
This was something Saotome had not expected at all.
But even so, Hanatemari's probability of a successful match was extremely low, which was correct—as long as she didn't choose a repeated target.
...Now it was Saotome's turn to speak.
She deliberately placed herself in the fifth position; besides this position being the safest and impossible to be "backstabbed" by others, she was also considering something else.
That was to take advantage of this pairing game to quietly confess her feelings to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
Afterward, even if Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't accept, she could say it was just a game, and she confessed to Ayanokoji to win the game.
Even if the confession failed, she wouldn't be "friend-zoned," and the two wouldn't even be able to remain friends.
This was Saotome Meari's first confession.
She was originally thinking about what tone would be appropriate when it was her turn to confess, but then she suddenly heard that Hanatemari's confession target was Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
But... Kurume had already chosen Ayanokoji before, so why would Hanatemari also choose him?
Saotome Meari was very surprised.
She was even more surprised when she heard what Hanatemari whispered in her ear.
Hanatemari actually guessed that she was going to confess to Ayanokoji...
Originally, even if Kurume confessed to Ayanokoji.
Because Ayanokoji would most likely choose Togakushi Yukimi, it wouldn't make a difference if Saotome confessed again.
But now with Hanatemari's addition, the situation was different.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka would definitely not choose Inui Chitose, the "mole."
Now both Kurume and Hanatemari had confessed to Ayanokoji; if she confessed again, Ayanokoji's probability of a [Successful Match] would become three-quarters.
When Ayanokoji saw Kurume "changing her mind at the last minute," he should also have felt confused, and perhaps he would also temporarily change his target and choose someone else.
Excluding Togakushi Yukimi and Inui Chitose, Ayanokoji had only three possible targets left to choose from.
If she confessed again, his probability of a successful match would become one hundred percent.
If that were the case, she, Kurume Laiwei, and Hanatemari Kazura would all have to hand over their [Overnight Right] to Ayanokoji.
Although Saotome was also vaguely looking forward to that moment, she couldn't just think about herself now; the fates of the other two were also in her hands.
Saotome's deliberation time was too long, and Mikura couldn't help but urge, "Meari, it's your turn now, hurry up and confess. The other tables are almost finished."
Saotome Meari remained silent, circling her confession target on the card in her hand.
She looked up and held up the card in her hand: "My confession target is... Tanaka Yuzuna."
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