Chapter 40 : Claw machine!

Failure!

No…

How many times has this been?

Does this machine sometimes have a stronger grip or something? Why is it not working after so many tries?!

Fox…

I see the little fox’s tiny eyes, sadly turned upside down inside the machine.

It looks like it’s silently begging for help.

Don’t worry, Fox. I’ll rescue you from this dark, dreary place soon, so just hold on a little longer.

Okay?

Alright, this time for sure!

I swallowed my saliva, then adjusted the machine’s controller again.

I concentrated on the claw more than ever before, pressing the button when I felt it was right.

The claw made a buzzing sound and descended slowly, hanging precariously on the doll’s ear.

Alright. This is a good attempt.

Now I just need to pull it to the chute…!

No!

Failure!

I didn’t even touch it, but suddenly the claw’s strength weakened, and the doll I had caught fell off right in front of the chute.

So close…! I was almost there!

Sigh…

In frustration, I lightly tapped the claw machine with my hand, causing the claw to wobble.

Wait, maybe I can use this to my advantage.

If I grab the doll with the claw and push it strongly toward the chute, the doll might just fall into it by itself.

This could actually work, right?

It’s a perfect idea!

Sis! I’ve got a feeling! Put in another coin, please!

Maru, you already spent all the money I brought!

Wait, already?

When I looked closely, I noticed that my wallet, which had been stuffed just a moment ago, was now completely empty.

…Did I really spend that much?

I think I’ll have to get some from the commander. They’re in the middle of a game right now…

I’ll go and ask!

I finally found a way to rescue my fox, and I can’t stop now.

If I stop here, I’ll never get back the money I’ve already wasted on this claw machine!

I can’t let that happen!

Ugh, it’s… a failure…

Heh, so weak. To think you’d try to beat me with such a lack of resolve!

“…Ugh, what are you talking about! If I’d just focused a bit more at the end!”

Then prove it in a duel!

With a sinister laugh, the commander looked down at me, who had walked over and tugged on his sleeve.

Then, the commander, who had been laughing loudly, looked at me with a confused expression.

Maru, did you come to duel too?

That’s not it… um, could you give me a little money?

Of course! For you, Maru, I’d do anything. How much do you need?

A lot!

He tilted his head but eventually handed me the coin pouch.

He seemed like he wanted to ask something, but since he was in the middle of a game, he just gave me a strange look.

Heh, with this, if I get the cute fox doll and bring it back, I bet he’ll be really happy.

This time, I’m definitely going to rescue the fox!

Hmm? Uh, yeah. Good luck.

Tada-tada-

After Maru, holding the coin pouch close to her chest, left with quick steps,

Alright, now that Maru’s gone…

A duel, huh?

It’s a duel!

The commander and Bada were about to begin a fierce battle…!

Failure!

Tada-tada-

Commander!

Huh… already spent it all?

Yes…

The commander stared at Maru with a strange look, and Maru, nervously smiling, avoided his gaze.

With a slight sigh, the commander handed me another coin pouch.

Thank you!

Tada-tada-

Alright, now that she’s really gone…!

Duel!

Duel!

Failure!

Tada-tada-

Commander!

I got it, I got it. What are you spending all that money on?

Hehe, I can’t tell you, but there’s surprisingly a lot of fun things. I’ll share some with you and Bada if I win.

‘If I win, I’ll share’… sounds like the excuse of a gambling addict.

Thinking this, the commander stared at Maru, who was scratching her head nervously, sweating coldly.

Oh, is that not okay? It’s almost over, just a little left…

Noticing the commander’s gaze, Maru flinched, hesitated, and repeatedly grabbed and let go of the commander’s sleeve.

Hmm, still, I shouldn’t spend too much, right?

Yay! It’s definitely you, Commander!

“…Yeah.”

Maru, delighted for some reason, took the jingling coin pouch, bowed her head, and ran off with a bright expression.

‘…Bada.’

“Yes.”

Maru had left, but this time, both Bada and the commander remained silent without saying another word.

Well, when the same situation repeats this much…

Failure!

Dododo—

…Sure enough, just as expected, Maru came running back to the commander with an incredibly frustrated expression.

With teary eyes, she looked up at the commander…

“Just one more time… can’t I?”

“Uh…”

At this point, curiosity took over.

Just what was she doing to spend so much money like this?

The commander, tilting his head in confusion, mulled over the phrase Maru had just said, “Win and share.”

If, by any chance—though it’s highly unlikely—Maru had gotten caught up in some shady gambling den…

As that thought crossed his mind, the commander started to see Maru’s demeanor differently.

His limbs trembling anxiously, cold sweat dripping as if she were nervous.

And those soft, squishy cheeks… Ah, no, that part’s irrelevant.

“Commander…?”

Snapped out of his thoughts by Maru’s voice, the commander quickly put on a bright smile as if nothing had happened and handed over the coin pouch.

It was too soon to make assumptions without seeing for himself, but if Maru was straying down a bad path, as an adult, it was his responsibility to guide her back…

That’s what he thought to himself.

“Thank you!”

After exchanging a glance with Bada, who stood opposite him, the commander set aside the stack of cards he had been holding and followed after Maru, who had jumped and dashed away.

And then…

Failure!

“Ah, no way. I failed again…”

There, in front of a claw machine, stood Maru and Nunu.

Beside them was a mountain of empty coin pouches, completely emptied out.

‘Well, it is technically gambling…’

But to spend this much money on just a claw machine?

How was that even possible?

If that was a talent, then it was certainly a unique one.

“Maru…”

“C-Commander?! How did you…?”

When the commander called out to Maru, who was focused on the machine, she flinched as if caught doing something she shouldn’t have been.

Panicked, she tried to use her small body to block the claw machine.

Watching such an adorable sight, the commander couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“So, you kept coming back just to win that fox plushie?”

“Y-Yes…”

“If that’s the case, you should’ve just said so. Don’t worry, Maru. This old man will get it for you in one go.”

“Really?!”

“Of course. Haven’t I told you before that I used to be quite the player back in the day?”

The commander confidently rolled up his sleeves, telling them to watch closely as he approached the claw machine.

With a determined expression, he inserted the coins into the machine.

Vrrrr— The machine hummed as the claw started to move.

Sticking close to the glass as if pressing his face against it, the commander carefully controlled the joystick.

“Alright, just a little more. No, just a tiny bit… There!”

After fine-tuning the position for a while, he finally declared, “This is it!” and pressed the button.

Gulp.

The commander swallowed nervously.

The claw had just touched the fox plushie’s ear.

Clank.

The claw began to ascend, gripping the plushie more steadily than any of his previous attempts.

Gulp.

Not only was I watching with bated breath, but even Bada and Nunu were holding their breath behind me.

It was just a claw machine, but I had spent hours and countless coins trying to win that plushie.

Now that it was finally on the verge of being won, there was no way I wouldn’t feel nervous.

My hands clenched on their own due to the tension.

I even grabbed onto Bada’s tail and hugged it while staring at the machine screen.

From beside me, I heard Bada let out a startled “Hyaaah?!”, but I was too focused on the fox plushie to care.

Please…

I clasped my hands together and prayed fervently.

Since I was squeezing Bada’s tail so tightly, it was trembling along with me.

As if my prayers had been heard, the claw wobbled slightly with a clunk, but the fox plushie was still securely hooked onto it.

And then…!

Success!

“It—It’s a success!”

“Finally! It worked!”

“See? When this old man plays, it’s all done in one go.”

The long-awaited success sound rang out, and with a satisfying clunk, the fluffy white fox plushie tumbled down.

I immediately grabbed it and rubbed it against my cheek.

Haaah, it’s even softer and nicer than I imagined.

I was a little disappointed that I didn’t win it myself, but still—at last, I had rescued it.

What a relief!

Ding-ding-ding~ Ding-ding-ding~

…?

We were all holding hands and dancing in joy over the plushie when suddenly, a phone ringtone rang from somewhere.

“Ah, it’s the commander’s phone. Hold on a second.”

“Oh, it’s Bada’s. No wonder the ringtone sounded familiar.”

“Yes, yes. Huh? But you told me to spend as much as I wanted… What? How much did we spend? Uh, um…”

Bada’s face darkened with each passing second as she listened to the call.

What’s going on?

“Bada, what’s wrong?”

“M-Maru! We need to get out of here right now!”

“Huh?”

“T-The commander is coming to catch us!”

…What?

Suddenly?