Following my conversation with Sieg-san, I relied on Eden-san's ability to wrap up the rest of my greeting rounds. Thanks to her power, I finished the remaining introductions in record time.
The party was drawing toward its conclusion, yet a good deal of time still remained. Just as I was wondering how to spend the rest of the evening, I spotted Caraway stepping onto the stage.
"Pardon the interruption while you're all enjoying yourselves," she announced. "We are about to transition to the final entertainment of the evening. The Phantasm King-sama will be presiding over this event, so I shall hand the proceedings over to her."
Come to think of it, I recalled seeing "Bingo Game" listed near the end of the schedule Alice had given me earlier. I had wondered if bingo was appropriate for a formal gathering like this, but Alice insisted that since the culture didn't exist in this world, the guests would find it a fresh and enjoyable experience.
Amidst my thoughts, Alice ascended the dais in her guise as the Phantasm King. She didn't carry an amplification magic tool, but she didn't need one; she could easily cast a spell to project her voice across the room.
"All right, everyone! I'll be taking over from here to lead a little game," Alice began. "This is a popular form of entertainment for parties in other worlds, including the one Kaito-san hails from. It's called bingo. Since many of you are likely unfamiliar with it, I'll explain the rules as we go. Think of it as a chance to experience a bit of otherworld culture and have some fun!"
Alice proceeded to run through the rules. They weren't particularly complex, so she finished the explanation quickly and moved on to the prize introductions. Meanwhile, the maids circulated through the room to distribute bingo cards. I was handed one as well. Since she'd gone out of her way to give me a card, I assumed I was allowed to join in.
I wondered about the prizes. Had Alice prepared them all herself? I'd already instructed her to bill Anima for the entertainment costs, but I made a mental note to check later and ensure she wasn't paying for everything out of her own pocket.
"Ah, but before we get to the prizes, just a word or two of warning," Alice added. "For this game, the use of causality manipulation, luck manipulation, the determination of events, or any similar tricks is strictly prohibited. I've placed a barrier around the venue to block such interference, but I ask that you all exercise some self-restraint. And just in case certain Gods try to find a loophole, I've implemented a few fundamental countermeasures as well."
It was an absurd disclaimer for a game of bingo, but considering that over half the guests in the room were capable of using cheat-level magic like space-time manipulation or rewriting reality, it was a necessary precaution. And for the likes of Shiro-san and Eden-san—who would likely bypass even those barriers—she apparently had a different strategy in mind.
"I prepared all the prizes myself this time," Alice declared. "Kaito-san wasn't involved in the selection at all, and there isn't a single item here related to him... Hey! I knew this would happen—in fact, I planned for it—but don't lose interest so blatantly, you Gods!"
The moment those words left Alice's mouth, Shiro-san wordlessly handed her bingo card to Chronoa-san, who was standing right behind her. Machina-san simply dropped hers onto the table and started sipping her drink as if the game no longer existed. Well, I suppose that made sense. Those two could create anything they wanted for themselves, so they had no reason to care about mundane prizes. If their lack of interest kept things peaceful, then I wasn't going to complain.
"I'm a little miffed that you're being so obvious about it, but since we can proceed without a hitch now, I'll let it slide," Alice said. "As for the prizes, instead of a traditional first or second-place format, winners will get to choose whatever they want in the order they finish. I've prepared a broad selection, ranging from magic tools to fine art and jewelry. Most are commercially available items, but a few were created with the help of Nebula-san, who resides at Kaito-san's home. I've displayed the items at the back of the stage, so feel free to take a look. There's no time limit for choosing, but the game will keep moving while you're deciding, so items with limited stock are first-come, first-served. All right, let's get started!"
Once the explanation concluded, Caraway, Eta, and Theta began arranging the prizes on the dais. There was an impressive variety on display, including some massive objects that looked like teleportation magic tools. Given that the room was filled with the top figures of every world, a high level of luxury was probably expected. I also noticed a sign standing nearby. It read: "Prize provision cooperation: Underworld King Kuromueina."
Ah, so Kuro was involved? That explained where the magic tools had come from. Knowing how close Alice and Kuro were, I could easily imagine Alice asking for a contribution and Kuro agreeing with a cheerful "Sure thing!"
Serious-senpai: "Certainly, there's no better countermeasure to deter Shiro or Machina. Is that why you didn't let Kaito get involved in the preparations for the entertainment...?"