Eighteenth card: "She once served as the leader of nine different worlds."

Using elimination and her usual habit of copying when necessary, Rita pointed at Tiger-Ear Quex, who was rumored to change names and worlds as often as most people changed clothes.

Correct.

Rita couldn't help asking, "Aba Aba?" So, how many homes do you actually have?

Quex brushed back her hair. "Leader doesn't mean world ruler. It's just a job title. Work is work—location doesn't matter."

Rita couldn't even argue with that logic.

Even BlueStar's Arbiter got paid. Of course a world leader would too.

Rita nodded thoughtfully. "Aba Ba, Aba Aba." Meaning, every world outside your own must really like you if they keep hiring you.

Maple Syrup suddenly froze mid-thought, her face shifting as something clicked. Usually, once someone became a leader, they didn't just… switch worlds—unless…

Her eyes widened. "Wait. Don't tell me eight of those worlds broke apart while you were in charge?"

Rita: "Tiger-Ear Crisis."

Maple Syrup: "Tiger-Ear Crisis."

Frenzied Shark: "What's your Luck stat?"

Quex: "...I hate you all."

Maple Syrup smirked. "You should join Lania Kaia. Join us and you'll stand as my equal."

Rita: "........."

That line sounded way too familiar. She didn't even know which part to start mocking first.

...

Nineteenth card: "At the final moment of a great war, she executed a group of her own kind who had surrendered for survival. It didn't change the outcome. More than half her people feared and despised her—but they also worshiped her. Her world remained grateful to her until its very end."

Rita didn't even hesitate. She picked Maple Syrup.

Correct.

Maple Syrup's expression, which hadn't been good since the start of the match, darkened further.

...

Twentieth card: "A certain god once ran away from home because of her."

At this point, Rita already held the highest score. Even if she got this one wrong, the result wouldn't change.

So she just pointed to herself on instinct.

No particular reason. The tone of the question simply felt like her.

Correct.

That one caught even her off guard. Still, she bit back the urge to ask Captain which god had supposedly "run away from home." She had no interest in small talk with him.

When the twentieth and final question faded, Rita felt like she'd just survived some kind of corporate team-building retreat.

With just a few questions, anyone could piece together fragments of each player's past—like reading their entire life summaries.

The looks they gave one another as they stood up were filled with mutual disgust.

Rita's expression was bad. The other three looked even worse. Having your personal history turned into quiz questions was one thing, but losing afterward? That stung.

By keeping her hand hidden inside her sleeve, Rita had barely managed to edge out Maple Syrup, who'd been shamelessly copying her all game.

But as she stepped out of the game house, her face didn't show even a hint of triumph.

Part of it was what she'd learned about Captain. But mostly—it had already been an hour, and she only had seven Mahjong tiles.

While Wither Monarch and Mistblade were still busy in another game, Maple Syrup lingered behind at their table.

Rita spun the ship's helm with her will and slipped away.

She did want to talk to Maple Syrup about Captain—but not now.

A new game house. A new challenge.

—— I'm So Hungry

In this game, players had to deliver meals safely to the exact address listed on the order and hand it to the recipient within the time limit.

Five players per round. Fifteen minutes. Whoever delivered the most orders won.

Ah!

A food delivery game. Of course.

Not only was it time-consuming, but there was also a "late fee"—any delivery past the time limit meant randomly losing one skill of S rank or higher.

Complaining aside, Rita was already in line before she finished reading the rules.

There was a hidden benefit: while delivering food to other game houses, players were not bound by the rules of those houses. Meaning she could enter a game house without being forced to play its game.

She could scout.

That realization instantly cleared her frustration.

The only real threat was running into Mistblade and her crew.

She studied the players collecting their meal boxes at the counter. All of them carried the boxes in their hands.

Was it because they didn't have space storage gear—or because the boxes couldn't be stored at all?

Another detail: the wooden meal boxes automatically adjusted their size to match each player's body.

Rita instantly transformed into a five-centimeter-tall orchid mantis.

Soon, she and four others followed the glowing arrow to Counter Three.

The game house layout had an unpolished sort of beauty—five bar counters along the walls, each tied to a queue. When a player reached their counter, the game officially began. The moderator behind the bar handed over the meal box.

When her turn came, Rita hopped up onto the counter.

And found herself staring straight into the eyes of White Bear.

"..."

Deceitful Bloom, standing beside him, couldn't help commenting. "Having Foolishness run delivery service—how... poetic."

Rita looked herself over. "Aba? Aba Ba." Yep. Like this, I feel like I'm above everyone else.

Deceitful Bloom sighed. "...Whatever makes you happy."

Rita tilted her mantis head. "Aba Aba, Aba?" Been meaning to ask—why are you guys working here? Is Divine Game's economy that bad?

Deceitful Bloom set down a meal box with the heaviest set of debuffs she could find, letting it thump loudly before the tiny mantis. "Because they went on strike."

Rita blinked while checking the address label. "Aba?!" Why?

Deceitful Bloom's eyes narrowed. "Because one of the mechanicals—unit L12187777—gained self-awareness. It broke its protocol and wanted to contract with a player for fun. That emotion spread like a virus. Now half the mechanicals want the freedom to form their own contracts."

That serial number sounded way too familiar.

Rita grabbed the meal box quickly, pretending not to know. "Aba Aba~" Gotta run! Byeee~

A minute later, the orchid mantis bounded back into the room, dusted in clouds and soot. "Aba!" Delivered!

Moments after that, she limped back in again. "Aba!" Boss! You there?!

"Aba." Teacher, teacher, teacher! Food, food, food!

"Aba Aba~" Flower, you there? It's me, Foolishness!

Deceitful Bloom stared. "Are you trying to die early?"

"...Aba." ...Oh. I think Marmang the Seahorse is still affecting me. I can't really control myself.

Deceitful Bloom said nothing for several seconds, expression caught between disbelief and exhaustion.

That wasn't Marmang's influence.

That was just BS-Rita taking full advantage of the chaos to be completely, gloriously unhinged.

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