GAME 10 - SAGE

[teamposts]

[You are ushered into a small cave. Once you're there, bars drop down in front of the entrance. You can't see any of the other teams, but you can still speak to Dragon.]

Comments

[lackspresence]

Ah, yes. That's right.

[havesomedecency]

It sounds like Aster has it right.

[lackspresence]

Yes. As for the cream...

[havesomedecency]

We'll leave it out.

[lackspresence]

Aster-san suggested putting the cream in afterwards.

[havesomedecency]

I said we'll leave it out.

[lackspresence]

It's part of the ingredients..

[havesomedecency]

Listen, Kuroko. Do you understand what it means if we win this game?

[lackspresence]

.. We can go back to the Sage dorms?

[havesomedecency]

In the end. Whichever teams perform the best in this game will be spared. Those who perform poorly will be eaten. The closer our team comes to victory, the closer another team comes to defeat and their own deaths.

[lackspresence]

I see.

[havesomedecency]

So, what do you think we should do?

[lackspresence]

Well.

I would rather not die, and I would rather not let anyone else in Sage die. For this reason, I'd like to win this game.

Dragon-san has told us it's better to use all the ingredients in the recipe, so therefore, I think it would be a good idea to add the cream.

[havesomedecency]

So you'd be fine with bearing the burden of the team that dies in our place?

[lackspresence]

In a place where we can't afford to look after the well being of other teams, it's not something that we have much of a choice in.

Besides, it's not that we are sending those people to their deaths; whether we win or lose doesn't have any bearing on them. If a team dies, it will be because they performed poorly. Sabotaging ourselves will not save them, Elliot-san. As much as it brings a bad taste to my mouth to be speaking like this, I would prefer we live over another team, and surely, other teams feel the same way.

[havesomedecency]

And if we play to win but die regardless you're fine with putting your own life at the whims of this damn beast?

[lackspresence]

If I play to win and end up losing, it's because I didn't play well enough, and whether I am fine with that or not is meaningless; it'll happen anyway.

Which is why I would rather play to win, rather than giving myself up to such a fate. Winning the only way to survive in this game, and I want to go home alive.

[virgitarian]

Just so you know, your milk has been stolen and replaced.

Also, another team has generously gifted you with sugar.

[lackspresence]

[ ....

HOW DO WE MAKE HOT COCOA WITHOUT MILK ]

[virgitarian]

That look is unnecessary. The milk was stolen, but soon afterward it was replaced by milk from another team.

[lackspresence]

.. -- Ah.

It's possible to give items to other teams, then?

[havesomedecency]

This isn't just about playing a damn game well enough, you're betting your life against someone else's in a competition where you don't even know the rules!

[lackspresence]

Then what would you have us do, Elliot-san?

[havesomedecency]

Tch—it looks like we don't have a damn choice after all.

[lackspresence]

[ just kind of stares at you. ]