Akira Pov:
There's still some time to go before we reach the island of Shikoku.
I was currently exploring the cruise ship.
It had everything: bars, shops, video game rooms, soccer and basketball courts, various swimming pools, massage rooms, relaxation rooms, and whirlpools.
The cruise ship will be at least 340 or 350 meters long and can accommodate at least 7,500 people on board, including 5,600 passengers and 1,900 staff members.
As I was walking around the various shops, I noticed something that caught my attention.
It seemed to be a casino.
When I saw it I decided to go in and I noticed that there were many professors playing all kinds of gambling games.
While I observed each game I noticed that there were also some of my professors playing.
They were my photography professor and the Japanese history professor.
I started towards them
"Hi Takata Sensei and hi to you too Matsumoto Sensei"
"Hi Kondò-Kun"
Professor Takata greeted me cordially
"How is this cruise trip going?"
This time it's Matsumoto Sensei speaking
"Well I can say, I see you're playing blackjack. Can I join?"
"Are you sure you're the right age, kid?"
The man at the desk asked me sternly but Matsumoto Sensei intervened,placed his hand on the table and smiled.
"Let him play. I'll pay for him."
The dealer stared at him for a moment, then nodded.
"Okay."
Matsumoto calmly bought the chips for me.
I simply sat back and carefully watched the dealer's every move as he expertly shuffled the deck.
When he was finished, I bet my first five-dollar chip—about 723 yen. The professors also placed theirs, and soon after, the cards began to slide across the table.
I received a K of hearts and a 7 of spades.
Matsumoto Sensei: 8 of clubs and Q of diamonds.
Takata Sensei: 4 of clubs and 9 of clubs.
The dealer's upcard was a 10 of hearts.
The dealer looked at me.
"Do you want another card, or are you staying?"
"One more," I said without hesitation.
The card slid toward me: a 4. Twenty-one exactly. A shiver ran down my spine.
"I'll stand,"
Matsumoto declared confidently, avoiding unnecessary risks.
"One more,"
Takata asked. The card was a 6, bringing his hand to 19.
The dealer then revealed his hole card: a K of spades. Twenty total.
Matsumoto and Takata lost instantly. I, however, won my first hand.
The dealer passed me the chips I won.
Without thinking, I immediately raised another five-dollar bet.
The deck dealt again: this time I received a 7 of hearts and a 5 of spades.
"Do you want another card?"
the dealer asked.
"One more,"
I replied. An ace of diamonds came up: thirteen.
"Another," I asked again.
The card fell to the table: an 8 of hearts. Twenty-one again.
"You're really lucky, aren't you, Akira?"
Takata laughed, shaking his head.
"Luck, yeah," I replied with a half-smile.
Takata was left with 18, Matsumoto with 17. Both decided not to draw.
The dealer had a 10 of spades up; when he revealed his hole card, it was a 7: total 17, forced to stand.
A draw with Matsumoto, a loss to me and Takata.
The chips slid toward us
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
let's keep playing and After an hour of play,
The table had become the scene of my continuous victory.
From ten chips—all lent by Matsumoto Sensei—I had built up a stack of over $2,000, almost 300,000 yen.
The professors stared at me with wide eyes and half-open mouths; the desk, on the other hand, seemed serene. They almost seemed to expect it.
"I have to admit"
he said with an amused smile
"You're an interesting guy."
"Oh? You noticed, right?" I retorted, tilting my head.
Matsumoto frowned. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"
The desk turned to him and Takata.
"You professors thought it was just luck. But Akira... he doesn't play blind. He's a genius at the table. He memorized every card that came up;his, yours, mine. He calculated the odds, adjusting each choice based on what was left in the deck."
Then he looked at me, curious.
"Tell me, kid. How did you actually do that?"
I rested my elbows on the table
"First of all, I counted how many decks were in the shoe. There were eight, right?"
"Exactly," the dealer confirmed.
"I guessed that from the height of the stacked cards. A deck has 52 cards: multiplied by eight, that's 416. That's the total number of cards available. Each deck has four cards of each value, so with eight decks, that becomes 32 copies of each number.
This means that, at the start, the probability of, say, an ace of spades coming up is about 5.7%.
Every time a card is played, that probability changes. If, for example, a 5 of hearts has already been drawn, the probability of the other 5s drops, while that of all the other cards increases slightly. So, turn after turn, by updating the percentages, I could predict which cards were most likely to appear."
"This is amazing, Akira."
Takata Sensei's voice betrayed genuine surprise; Professor Matsumoto was also visibly impressed.
I couldn't blame them; their reaction was natural.
Apparently, my playing style hadn't gone unnoticed. More than luck, it was math, probability, and a bit of composure that had guided me.
I rose from the table, calmly collected my winnings, and returned Matsumoto Sensei the money he'd lent me.
Shortly afterward, we exited the mini-casino. At that moment, an announcement rang out over the ship's loudspeakers:
"Good day, students. In a few minutes, we'll be disembarking on the island of Shikoku. From outside the ship, you'll be able to admire the splendid view of the sea and the island we're heading for."
I leaned over the railing.
The salty wind caressed my face, while Shikoku took shape on the horizon.
I couldn't wait for the cruise to dock.
A sound interrupted my thoughts: my phone. I received a text.
I turned it on and saw the sender;Kyoko. She was asking me to meet her in her room.
I headed inside the ship and, after a few minutes of walking through the corridors, reached the door.
I knocked three times, then entered.
"Excuse me," I said calmly. "I hope I'm not late."
Kyoko was busy pouring herself some tea. Her long lilac hair moved slightly as she moved.
"Don't worry, you're on time" she replied with a kind smile. But beneath that calmness, I still sensed a hint of mistrust.
"Would you like some tea?"
"Yes, thank you."
She nodded and handed me a steaming cup, inviting me to sit across from her at the coffee table in the living room.
I sat down and looked at her.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked, curious.
Kyoko took a sip of tea, then spoke in a calm but firm voice.
"Everything's ready. I've already texted the class: there's a sleepover tomorrow night."
I raised an eyebrow, sipping my cup. "You seem determined. You want to find out the truth right away, don't you?"
She chuckled softly, and for a moment her smile became more sincere.
"Maybe you're right. I wish this would all end."
She looked up at the ceiling, as if searching for an answer among those artificial lights.
I stared at her in silence, then smiled with understanding
"I understand how you feel, Kyoko-Chan. Trust me: we'll finish this as soon as possible. I promise." I drank the last sip of tea and calmly set the cup back on the table.
"Is there anything else you wanted to talk to me about?" I asked.
Kyoko looked at me for a moment, as if hesitating. Then she lowered her gaze.
"You know... lately I think I've been suspecting a classmate of mine."
That sentence immediately caught my attention.
"Really? Who is it?" I asked, curious.
"Kento."
I repeated his name under my breath, leaning back in my chair.
"Kento, huh... Why do you think that? Has he done anything unusual?"
"Let's just say, lately, he seems more anxious. Like he's constantly worried about something," she explained, clutching her cup with both hands.
I nodded slowly. "I see... you know, I think maybe he might be involved. Not by choice, though. He's probably forced."
Kyoko looked up, struck by my confidence.
"You mean... maybe he knows who the real culprit is, but he's forced to work for him?"
"Exactly,"
I replied firmly, gently placing my empty cup on the coffee table.
"In fact, I'm almost certain. I saw and heard it in his eyes and voice."
"His eyes and voice?"
she repeated, surprised.
I smiled slightly, then stood up.
"Thanks for the tea, Kyoko. I have to go now."
She nodded without adding anything else, merely nodding. I left the room, one thought fixed on my mind:
Perhaps we had just found a new lead to the truth behind this mystery.
I was 90% sure that Kento had something to do with this story, but after finding out that Kyoko also has doubts, it makes me confirm everything.
End of the part 3 of the Chapter 1