Ichinose: "But, Senpai, You're Not a Good Person!"

So his ability to unite and coordinate others was only a C.

That was why he had been assigned to Class B.

Then why had this junior, whom he considered so outstanding, been assigned to Class B from the start?

At the very least, her affability alone should have sent her straight to Class A.

So.

Nagumo felt that something was weighing on her mind.

If he could draw it out of her, he could grow closer to her.

And now.

After failing to badmouth Oreki to Asahina and the others, he decided to improve his standing with this junior.

After all.

Some of the students in Honami Ichinose's Class B had also taken part in Houtarou Oreki's shop-opening scam to fleece people, hadn't they?

And that was indeed true.

So there was no issue with bringing it up.

Besides.

The junior girls in Class B probably did not know this school's rules yet.

So this would count as support from him, their senior.

Nagumo thought to himself.

As he thought that, the bell chimed.

"Welcome—"

Along with the waitress's greeting, Honami Ichinose arrived as promised.

Ichinose: But You're Not a Good Person, Senior!

"Senior Nagumo!"

Honami Ichinose arrived at the Cafe.

This was Nagumo's Yayunju.

Music played inside: the elegant Für Elise.

The atmosphere was quite nice.

It had class, too.

Since this was his establishment, it was only natural for him to exercise a little authority.

After all, he was meeting a cute girl, so Nagumo Miyabi made sure to dress himself up.

Besides.

His intuition told him that Junior Ichinose might be more suitable as a marriage partner than that Suzune who followed Oreki around.

And.

She was probably another top-tier beauty in their year.

The new students were seriously attractive.

Nagumo Miyabi thought to himself.

But as he watched Ichinose approach, he kept a gentle smile on his face.

"Junior Ichinose. We meet again." Nagumo Miyabi spoke gently, maintaining the bearing of an upperclassman.

"Thank you for helping me make my decision yesterday." Junior Ichinose thanked him.

"It was nothing. We came from the same middle school." Nagumo Miyabi ordered two coffees. "After giving it some thought, I decided I could share some of my experience with you."

Both were Blue Mountain Coffee.

They were among the more expensive options in the shop. Since he was trying to court a girl, Nagumo was willing to spend.

Besides, the shop was his, so taking one or two cups of coffee would not cause any trouble.

However, Junior Ichinose did not drink hers.

So, maintaining the attitude of a senior looking after a junior, he told Ichinose the truth about the school.

In his cohort, he had discovered the true nature of the school around the seventh day.

From then on, he had led his class in charging upward.

By their second year, they had officially reached Class A. They had also secured an absolutely safe class evaluation score, taken control of the entire second year, and become incomparably stable.

So.

He did not believe for a second that Houtarou Oreki could somehow persuade half the second-years to betray him.

Thus, he would blacken the name of Oreki, that romantic rival... Pah, that unlikeable junior, a little.

Oreki was a Class A student, while Ichinose was a Class B student.

Both were first-years.

They were bound to have contact eventually.

So Nagumo had quite a bit to do.

He needed to raise Ichinose's favorability toward him while deepening her disgust toward Oreki.

How would he do that?

He just needed to state the facts.

Because it was not only those Class C students who had joined Oreki's shop-opening scam. Some members of Class B had as well.

So it could affect Ichinose too.

But he could not start badmouthing him immediately.

Nagumo Miyabi had initially approached Ichinose as a backup option, though he also felt that seriously dating her might not be so bad.

So he wanted to take things seriously.

He did not want this beautiful junior to see him as someone who liked to speak ill of others.

So, maintaining a sunny and impressive demeanor, he told her the truth about the school that their homeroom teacher would not reveal for another two weeks.

This school valued ability above all else.

The classes were ranked A, B, C, and D, but every class had the qualifications to rise. As long as a class had a high enough class evaluation score, even Class D could become Class A.

Of course.

That was what they said, but among the graduates known so far, no one had accomplished such a thing.

And for Ichinose, this information...

"So that's how it is..."

Ichinose looked deeply self-reproachful.

"When we first enrolled, I thought the school was being overly generous. I wondered whether there were rules or costs we hadn't noticed."

"But now the other classes have figured it out, while only Class B has fallen behind."

"So if I had told everyone sooner, maybe things wouldn't have turned out this way—" Ichinose said self-reproachfully.

"Taking everyone's responsibility onto yourself isn't a good thing." Nagumo was immediately taken with this junior.

Of course, it was not her kindness and gentleness that captivated him.

In this school, gentle people could not survive.

Nagumo Miyabi, who had personally expelled a whole group of classmates who refused to obey him, understood that deeply.

What moved him was the purity Honami Ichinose displayed.

Yes.

Purity.

She still knew nothing, and she might not even be suited to this school, but she was beautiful and kind—qualities perfectly suited to marriage.

That was what he wanted.

So.

"But it isn't too late yet."

"The Points at this school are extremely important, but in the end, only Class A at graduation in the third year can receive the benefits the school promised."

"So even if you've fallen behind, you can still catch up in one push."

"My class is an example of that."

Nagumo Miyabi continued, "Last year, I also enrolled in Class B. But now, after working hard with everyone, we've risen to Class A."

"So we can support you, our fellow Class B."

"Some students in your class have joined the shop-opening investment plan Houtarou Oreki from Class A came up with."

"He definitely won't be able to make that shop work."

"But my class runs this shop. I can offer you experience and strategies to reduce costs." Nagumo Miyabi said.

He laid out his plan.

Naturally, he pointed out that Houtarou Oreki was not a good person, but someone gathering Points.

Then.

He extended a hand of aid through a shop-opening plan that would, in truth, hollow out and bind Class 1-B.

He had the authority to open shops, so he could approve Class B's shop and offer them a friendly price.

Naturally, they would need a lot of Points at the start. But with his arrangements, Class B could borrow money, or work hard to earn Points during exams, and so on.

In other words.

It looked like he was improving Junior Ichinose's impression of him, but he was also using this shop to meddle in Class 1-B.

Because he would be their creditor.

Wouldn't this fledgling Class B have no choice but to cling to him?

And once he acquired Class 1-B, wouldn't Junior Ichinose, who looked like an angel, fall right into his hands?

So this was an open scheme.

A closed loop, too.

Nagumo was in a good mood.

Besides.

When he had first met Honami Ichinose, she had been troubled over what to choose for breakfast.

That showed she was not very good at refusing others.

In that case.

The proposal he was making now appeared highly beneficial to the new Class B, so she would not oppose it.

After all.

Ordinary students would not even have the chance to open a shop.

So he was giving up benefits on his side as well.

Would Ichinose refuse at a time like this?

"..." Honami Ichinose.

Honami Ichinose pursed her lips, seemingly considering how to avoid hurting Senior Nagumo's feelings.

Because.