Volume 1 – Chapter 4

The next day arrived sooner than Mirai wanted. She could feel a knot of excitement twisting inside her chest – but as always, she took a deep breath, pressed the button, and handed control to her bright, smiling alter ego. The pirate girl appeared on screen, cheerful as ever, winking playfully at her viewers.

– Ahoy, sailors! ⚓🌊 Greetings once again from my ship! – Marissa’s lively voice filled the air, instantly setting the mood. – So, how are the riddles going? Or did everyone give up and go to sleep already?

The chat exploded:
[GrumpyCat]: It’s impossible! I spent five hours and didn’t even get close 😡
[SweetPeach]: I opened fifty browser tabs and now my PC sounds like a tractor 🤣
[baka_donut]: This is rigged! No one could solve these tasks!

– Oh, here come the conspiracy theories again, – Marissa spread her hands dramatically. – No, my friends, it’s all fair and square. If you can’t even get the first riddle right, maybe the problem isn’t the riddle!

[user123]: Oof, burn! 🔥
[MegaAkira]: Fair point.

– Listen, baka_donut, – Marissa leaned closer to the camera. – If opening Wikipedia is already a “mission impossible” for you, I’m not surprised you’ve forgotten your own email password.

The chat roared with laughter, flooding the screen with “LOL” and “🤣”.

Marissa laughed along for a minute before cheering them up again:
– Come on, my brave ones! Two hours left on the clock. If you haven’t given up yet – this is your last chance!

A giant timer glowed on screen: 02:01:45.

The chat kept buzzing with chaos:
[SilentKnight]: I wanted a chill stream, not a history exam 😭
[KawaiiPanda]: Went for coffee, came back – understood even less.
[NoobMaster]: Give us an easy riddle, like 2+2!

– Oh sure, – Marissa winked. – Next time if the riddle is “two plus two,” I’ll demand photo proof that you actually did the math yourself. No proof – no points!

Two hours remained, but the stream was as lively as ever. Marissa acted as though the quest didn’t exist at all – she played random internet clips, discussed a strange cooking experiment, a cat opening a fridge, some painfully awkward music video.
The chat went wild – some claimed they danced like that in their kitchens too, others demanded a replay “for research purposes.” Marissa joked endlessly, teasing everyone in turn – promising to “hire that cat as a cabin boy,” or claiming that the chef in the video “dreams of poisoning the entire crew.”

The mood was bright and carefree; the clock ticked down, but no one hurried. Everyone was laughing, enjoying the moment.

Then, three minutes before the timer hit zero, a comment appeared that caught her eye instantly:
[Senpai]: Whew, that was tough – but I think I figured it out.

Mirai’s heart skipped a beat. No way... someone got close? Could it really be solved?
Her throat went dry, but she quickly pulled herself together. A video was still playing – she could hide behind Marissa’s avatar and jokes. Outwardly she stayed cheerful, teasing the chat as usual.
But inside, her thoughts wouldn’t quiet down. Could it be... him?

A minute passed. Then another message from Senpai:
[Senpai]: All right, I think I’ve got it – “Santa María,” “Pinta,” and “Niña,” the three ships of Christopher Columbus’s first voyage to America. The site accepted my answer – waiting for confirmation. If it’s real, I don’t mind the shark-filled sea; I’ll order a ship from Amazon!

Mirai’s heartbeat quickened. It sounded too accurate. Exactly the kind of historical twist Kotone Mizusawa loved – difficult but logical.
He really might have solved it.

She kept joking on stream, pretending not to notice. The chat didn’t seem to catch the comment.
Then her phone buzzed.

“Sorry, Mirai, but we have a winner. It’s unbelievable.”

Another message followed seconds later:
“We underestimated your audience.”
“I owe you one.”
“We’ll contact the winner and do a background check – everything looks fine so far.”
“Go buy something nice to wear for the date tomorrow. The company will cover up to 100,000 yen.”

Mirai felt her chest tighten with a mix of emotions. Her heart pounded, her fingers trembled.
A winner... could it really be Senpai?

Meanwhile, the video on stream was ending. She took a slow breath and, through Marissa’s voice, announced:
– Well, my dear crew... my manager just told me we have a winner. Turns out, the quest was solvable after all. So next time – less whining, more thinking!

The chat exploded with “WTF” and “OMG!!!”.

– We’ll contact the winner soon, – Marissa continued, rolling her eyes dramatically. – And apparently, I’ll have to leave my cabin for a real-life date. What an adventure, as always!

[SweetPeach]: HAHA “cabin” 😂
[GrumpyCat]: Date confirmed!
[baka_donut]: Told you it was rigged! 😡

– Yeah, yeah, – Marissa winked. – And next time, no “rigged” spam in chat. I have no idea what’s waiting for me either! Ahoy!

She waved goodbye and ended the stream.

For half an hour, Mirai sat frozen, staring at the dark screen. He solved it. And it’s probably him.

Her thoughts raced. He always seemed kind... funny enough to make me laugh until I cried, always supportive when things went wrong. And now...
She wrapped her arms around her knees. What if I disappoint him? I’m nothing like Marissa. I’m small, shy, pink-haired, with glasses. I don’t even have proper clothes...

The phone rang again.
– Hello? – she asked quietly.
– Mirai, – Kotone’s voice was gentle. – I’m sorry again. We really underestimated your viewers. The company will reimburse up to a hundred thousand yen for clothes. Go buy something nice tomorrow.
– All right... – she whispered. – But tell me... was the answer really “Santa María,” “Pinta,” and “Niña”?
A pause.
– How did you guess? – Kotone sounded surprised.
– One viewer posted it in chat. Senpai.
– Oh... – Kotone hesitated. – Yes, that’s him. We just finished checking and I even spoke with him before calling you. It’s confirmed. And here’s the surprise: “Senpai” isn’t just a nickname. He’s actually a well-known light novel author.
– An author?.. – Mirai froze.
– Yes! He wrote Another World – the isekai series that got turned into that hit anime. And also the lesser-known but beautiful one, Three Days.

Mirai’s eyes widened.
– I’ve read both... – she whispered. – I loved them. Especially Three Days. It’s so sad, yet so beautiful...
– See? – Kotone said cheerfully. – He’s talented, reliable – you’ll have plenty to talk about. Don’t worry. The date’s set for this Saturday at a cat café. He suggested it, and I thought you’d like that.
– A cat café?.. – Mirai smiled faintly. – I love cats.
– Perfect! – Kotone concluded. – Then it’s settled. I’ll message you tomorrow with details. And don’t forget – buy something pretty.

They hung up.

Mirai put her phone down and sat still. Her whole body trembled softly.
Senpai from chat... it’s him. The same author I read, whose stories I loved. I even watched the anime based on his work. The world is so small.

Her heart raced – fear and joy intertwining in one dizzying rush.
Am I... actually happy? But also scared...

A tender smile touched her lips.
– A date... – she whispered. – I wonder what it’ll be like.

She pressed a pillow to her face and let out a quiet, embarrassed laugh.
Outside, the night wrapped the city in silence – and in her heart, a small, warm spark of anticipation began to glow.