Volume 1 – Chapter 3

The next day, Mirai’s room was filled with the familiar tension that always came before a stream.
She sat in front of her monitor, took a deep breath, and pressed the button – light from the virtual world flooded the screen.

Her avatar appeared instantly – Marissa, the cheerful pirate. She winked at the viewers and threw out her signature line:
– Ahoy, sailors! Today’s a special raid – we’re holding the Auction of Wishes!

The chat exploded:
[user123]: I already want you to sing Baby Shark! 😂
[SweetPeach]: Captain, do the penguin dance on cam! 🐧
[BigBoss]: 50,000 yen donation – for a personalized birthday greeting!

Marissa laughed.
– Oh, you guys are full of ideas! Let’s take it step by step. We’ve got a list of twenty things your captain can do. You donate for the ones you want most. After two hours, we’ll take the top ten – and they’ll move to the final round.

She clicked her mouse, and a colorful list appeared on screen:

– Sing a cringe song.
– Imitate another streamer.
– Record a birthday greeting.
…
– Offline date with Captain Marissa.

– And here it is – the most dangerous item of all, – Marissa said dramatically, pressing a hand to her forehead. – A date with me! Ho-ho! Risky business, my dear crew. But remember – if this one wins, there’s still a quest ahead. Three riddles stand between you and victory!

The chat went wild:
[Senpai]: I’m ready to sell my soul for that date 😎
[GrumpyCat]: A date? She’ll be late, just like on stream 😂
[MegaAkira]: 100,000 yen donation – only for the date!

– Whoa! – Marissa widened her eyes in mock shock. – Gentlemen, I haven’t even told you yet that the date’s in shark-infested waters and you’ll need your own ship to get there! Think twice!

Laughter filled the chat.

– And now the rules! Every single yen of your donation equals one lottery ticket. So we’re not just voting – we’re collecting chances. The more donations for a wish, the higher the odds it wins. But! If the prize is personal – like a greeting or a date – there’s an extra rule: three riddles, twenty-four hours. No exceptions.

[SilentKnight]: That’s a serious quest 😅
[baka_donut]: Three riddles? That’s Dark Souls for the brain!
[user321]: Date unlocked – but first, hard mode 😏

Marissa grinned and waved.
– Exactly! Welcome to the hardcore edition of my events. Let’s begin!

Two hours flew by like minutes. Marissa joked, sang bits of silly songs “just for testing,” acted out mini-skits with her avatar. The chat went wild – viewers competed in creativity, donations rolled in, debates flared over which wish should win.

[SweetPeach]: Donate for the penguin dance! I need to see it! 🐧
[GrumpyCat]: I’m voting for the cringe song – let our ears suffer! 🤣
[BigBoss]: Date or nothing!

It all came down to one thing. No matter how hard the others tried, the “Date with Marissa” option kept climbing – the total growing almost exponentially.

When the timer finally hit zero, the results appeared on screen. The total donations had passed one million yen.
Ninety percent of that – for the date.

– Well then... – Marissa placed her hand on her hip and sighed dramatically. – I can’t say I’m surprised. This was written in the stars from the start.

The chat erupted:
[Senpai42]: Told you! The date’s on top!
[lololo]: That wasn’t an auction – it was destiny 😂
[SilentKnight]: Surprised it’s not at 120% already 😅

– But don’t celebrate just yet, – Marissa continued. – We still have the lottery! Every yen you donated became a ticket. And now we’ll see which wish actually wins.

She launched the randomizer – colorful bars spun across the screen, flashing like a kaleidoscope. After a few seconds, the system froze on one result.

– And the winner is... – she paused for effect. – The date!

The chat exploded once more:
[user123]: No way, what a shocker 😂
[SweetPeach]: Who could’ve guessed...
[GrumpyCat]: We knew it from minute one!
[MegaAkira]: LET’S GOOOO! 🎉

Marissa rolled her eyes playfully.
– Yeah, totally unexpected. A real twist. The date won. Well, then – here’s your link to the riddle site. It’s pinned in chat. You’ve got twenty-four hours – three riddles, three words. And no proof, no entry!

Instant chaos filled the chat:
[baka_donut]: I opened Google but got lazy already 🤣
[SilentKnight]: Twenty-four hours? I can’t even do my homework in a week 😅
[Senpai]: Challenge accepted.

A timer lit up on screen – 23:59:59. The countdown had begun.

Marissa smiled and leaned closer to the camera.
– Good luck, my geniuses. If one of you is a quantum computer – you might just have a chance. For now... Ahoy!

She ended the stream.

The screen went dark, and silence filled the room once more.
Mirai exhaled and leaned back in her chair.

A date... – she thought. – So it’s the date that won. But no one can solve those riddles in twenty-four hours. It’s way too hard.

She brushed her pink hair aside, adjusted her glasses, and stared at the dark monitor.

Still... what if someone actually does it?

A strange feeling stirred in her chest – a mix of worry and something else... anticipation.

We’ll see, she thought. Tomorrow, everything will be clear.

Outside, the city shimmered with night lights – and in hundreds of homes, a timer had already begun its quiet countdown.