In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 163

Chapter 163: Peach Flag

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《The Great Bonding Operation: The Peach Flag Cup” is here! Today’s host is me, Dia-chan. And providing commentary is our special guest, Limited-Time Tricolor Pudding-san!》

Is that the diary’s voice? It sounds unusually hyped. And the guest is Pudding? Tricolor Pudding, no less.

As my awareness became clearer, I realized how strange the situation was. Spread out below me was a dazzlingly red sand mountain. Since it was built in stair-like layers, it looked almost like a pyramid. At the top, there was a gorgeous brocade tatami mat laid out.

For some reason, I was kneeling formally on it, wearing an outfit that made me look like I might start saying “it is I” or something.

《This time it’s a mixed-gender match. The fourth tier, the Zui-shin seats, are already taken by the referees. Therefore, the remaining eleven seats will be contested.》

《Realistically, only three seats are up for grabs. All the female dolls (onnabina) will be aiming for the second tier, the Kanyo seats.》

《The second tier is closest to the topmost ‘Marriage’ seat. Naturally, it’s the most desirable.》

A few tiers below, someone was looking up at me and waving. 

Huh? On closer inspection, isn’t that Yui and Mom?

Mom was on my left, Yui on my right. Both of them wore small crowns and elegant kimono. If I looked carefully, they were carrying arrows with pink hearts on them and beautiful, ornamental bows on their backs. Maybe it was the outfits, but they looked more gallant than usual.

Strangely enough, between Yui and Mom was our family dining room. The table was absolutely packed with food. All of it was jumbo-sized.

Demi-glace hamburger steak, fluffy egg omelet rice, tulip-style fried chicken, plump shrimp gratin, chunky corn soup. Wait—was today my birthday? No, I was born in the summer.

Steam was rising. Were they freshly made? It looked insanely good. Man, I really wanted to go eat that.

What? I can’t go down? I have to wait until the match is over to eat? But it’ll get cold by then!

《Down at the base on Peach Beach, the contestants have lined up side by side. With snorts of anticipation, they’re all here. Who will conquer Scarlet Mountain and seize the Peach Flag? I can’t wait to find out!》

Looking down toward the mountain’s base, I saw lines of chicks—colored like strawberry milk and young grass green—standing on a white beach. 

Wait, the contestants are chicks?

《White, green, and pink. From up here, it looks like spring sprouts are budding from under the snow and peach blossoms are blooming.》

《The contestants are all wearing chick suits instead of numbered bibs. If they manage to seize a flag, they’ll automatically change into ceremonial outfits appropriate for their rank. That’s the rule.》

So those were costumes. On closer look, they were indeed comically modified. The beaks and eyes were larger than real ones, and the bodies were a bit too tall and narrow.

But… They’re going to fight like that? 

With those short legs and round bodies, it looked like it’d be hard to move.

《All chicks, start at once! And they’re off in a burst! A beautiful, synchronized start!》

《That was a good dash. Pretty fast, considering it’s sand.》

《Now for the battle for the lead—just as expected, the otokobina (male dolls) take the early lead. The green-suited otokobina are surging ahead.》

《But this won’t become a runaway. The otokobina may have the initial burst, but the onnabina are pushing from behind. No doubt, they’re on the attack.》

《The onnabina have an entirely different intensity. Who will make the first move?》

《Still too early to tell. The gap between the lead group and those behind is just three chick-lengths. You could call this a close battle.》

They’re so cute.

The chicks were swarming across the white beach, heading toward the sand mountain. But they waddled. It was a speed walk in chick form.

《Oh! The leading otokobina are splitting up. What’s happening here?》

《The otokobina are losing balance. Looks like the charging onnabina from behind pushed into them.》

《Whoa! It’s the solo entrant onnabina, the ‘Boy Meets Girl’ contestant! She bursts through the pack! She’s holding something in her hand! It looks like she’s using it to fend off other competitors!》

One strawberry-milk-colored chick flailed its tiny legs frantically while swinging around some kind of string-like object.

《According to our intel, the ‘Boy Meets Girl’ contestant is using an ‘Octopus Whip.’ That’s a whip with a headband-wearing octopus on the end.》

Why an octopus? And why a whip? Wait, weapons are allowed in this competition?

《Each contestant uses their personal Memorial Item. These items, evolved through Love Power, can be used for attack or defense. That ‘Octopus Whip’ looks pretty powerful.》

Indeed. With a single swing, the surrounding chicks were flattened.

《But—just when it looks like the ‘Boy Meets Girl’ is taking the lead on herself, a group catches up! Trailing ‘Boy Meets Girl’ are the top contenders: the three-member team ‘Matchmaking Suicide Squad!’》

《The ‘Matchmaking Suicide Squad’ has powerful weapons suited for sand mountain battles. I think they’re about to start interfering now.》

Just as the front-running chick was about to break away, three huge objects were suddenly lifted behind her—all at once.

《Here it comes! The giant hammer attack digs a huge hole in the sand! A cloud of sand explodes—what power!》

《That’s the evolved item ‘Uchide Triple Giga Hammer.’ It excels in sweeping attacks that wipe out rival clusters.》

《As expected of the top contender—flawless team coordination! Oh! In the midst of the chaos, another team is catching up from the side! It’s the two-member ‘Sister Friends!’ Could they be the dark horse—or should I say, the dark chick of the race?》

《The ‘Sister Friends’ Memorial Item is the ‘Moku-Moku Straw.’ Depending on how they use it, things could get very interesting.》

《In an instant, the lead group is now all onnabina! And wait—another pair is attacking! What an incredible foot speed!》

《The ‘Shrine Twins’ are fast on their chick feet, just as expected. Their Memorial Item is the ‘Baked Foil,’ though it’s a bit weak as an item.》

《The lead group is now starting to climb Scarlet Mountain. All over the place, the sand is crumbling away.》

Wait, isn’t this dangerous? I’m at the top, and the mountain’s falling apart like that?

《And now it’s time for the Cupid Challenge! The referees fire a random volley of Lucky Heart Arrows. A hit grants 30 seconds of invincibility!》

《Depending on where it hits, this could be a game-changer!》

Ah—it hit. A few of the arrows that Yui and Mom fired in a graceful arc struck one of the chicks.

《It’s a hit! ‘Boy Meets Girl’ is blessed with fortune! Will she be able to capitalize on this chance?”

《This is huge. She might go straight for the second-tier Kanyo Flag!》

《She’s accelerating fast. She’s broken away! No one behind her can keep up with her. The gap is widening—nothing’s coming from behind! Absolutely nothing!》

The chick hit by the arrow glowed neon pink and surged up the slope with incredible speed. She was in a solo lead.

《Will she make it?! Will she reach it?! Will she?!》

《Wait—look! From behind, ‘Matchmaking Suicide Squad’ is winding up their ‘Uchide Triple Giga Hammer’ for a massive jumping smash!”》

《Here comes the all-out triple team sacrifice move! The ‘Girls’ Miracle Hammer’ explodes! It’s a direct hit!”》

For a moment, I couldn’t tell what had happened. My vision turned bright red, and a storm of sand rained down on me.

《’Boy Meets Girl’ narrowly misses the goal! Unfortunately, no last-minute comeback victory this time.》

Ugh. The sandcastle’s collapsing. Wait—where are Yui and Mom?

《The powerhouse evolution item from the heavy favorite “Matchmaking Suicide Squad” was just too strong. It’s a total sandcastle collapse. It’s a disaster.》

《What an incredible race. We end the broadcast with a mutual downfall ending. Limited-Time Tricolor Pudding-san, thank you for your commentary today. Well then, everyone, until we meet again someday!》

I want to check if the two of them are safe! What the hell is going on!?

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“Look, look, Onii-chan! I made it! Huh? You’re asleep?”

“Huh? Yui, you’re okay? What about Mom—uh, wait, what was I saying?”

“Oh geez. You’re still half-asleep. We really should be putting the kotatsu away soon.”

The seven-tiered Hina doll display was dominating the living room. It was beautiful, sure, but it left barely any space for the kotatsu. I must’ve dozed off while feeling nostalgic about saying goodbye to it soon.

“Ta-da! Hishimochi-style tricolor pudding. I made a bunch, so have as much as you want.”

“Whoa, you did a great job at making them!”

To celebrate Hinamatsuri, she had made a three-layered pudding—white, pink, and green—using a milk carton as the mold. Since it used gelatin, it was more like a bavarois than a pudding, but I chose not to point that out.

The tricolor pudding, a twist on the usual tricolor dango, came in milk, strawberry, and matcha flavors. It had the signature softness of gelatin, sweet with just a hint of bitterness.

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