His newly claimed position as leader wasn't secure yet.
He slipped his right hand into his sleeve, turned his fingertips slightly, and immediately flung a dark shape from his hand.
Asakusa Toru said softly, "Because I paid a deposit."
That's right. He'd pulled out another Voice Recorder and tossed it to Ryuen Kakeru.
Ryuen caught the Voice Recorder again and lowered his head to look at its screen, which was lit up and recording. His hand tightened around it instinctively.
The hard casing pressed into his palm, and a faint pain began to rise from his hand.
"Good. Very good. What a deposit." He raised his head again, and this time Ryuen's gaze toward Asakusa was completely different.
Though he didn't know where this guy had gotten so many Voice Recorders that he could afford to toss them around, he could tell from the attitude Asakusa had shown so far that he had no intention of using the recordings to get leverage over him.
"Ishizaki, take everyone to the Entrance Ceremony." Without turning his head, Ryuen gave the order.
"Uh, but... No, never mind." Ishizaki Daichi had started to say something, but after thinking it over, he swallowed his words.
The atmosphere didn't seem like one where he could butt in, and more importantly, there was the homeroom teacher's attitude... It was obvious this wasn't the time for him to offer his opinion.
Though he'd known Sakagami Kazuma for only a short time, Ishizaki could surprisingly get a general sense of what kind of person their homeroom teacher was.
Well... it was getting late anyway. They were only going to the gym a little early.
Before long, with Ishizaki leading the way, only three people remained in the First-Year Class C classroom.
Asakusa Toru, Ryuen Kakeru, and Sakagami Kazuma.
That's right. Sakagami Kazuma, their homeroom teacher, had no intention of taking the students to the gym. Instead, he stayed behind.
Because he'd judged that he needed to do so.
The Tenth Chapter: Give Me Money, Let Me Suck You Dry, Be My Tool
"Go on, then. This 'deal' of yours." Ryuen sat down quite rudely on someone's desk and crossed his legs, then held out a hand toward Asakusa. "If you can't come up with anything interesting, I'm not giving you your 'deposit' back."
A Voice Recorder wasn't cheap. Even if a hundred thousand points could be deposited into their accounts each month, that didn't mean they could just throw them around.
Besides, Ryuen hadn't believed from the start that they'd consistently receive a hundred thousand points every month.
"Tuition and fees fully covered, a hundred percent employment and university admission rate, a hundred thousand Private Points every month... Ryuen, do you think you deserve all that?" Asakusa didn't get straight to the point. Instead, he countered with a question.
But before Ryuen could answer, he went ahead and answered it himself:
"No. You don't."
"You don't deserve shit." He said.
"You only know how to use despicable methods and rely on violent thinking to do shady things. You don't deserve shit."
"...Are you trying to provoke me?" Ryuen uncrossed his legs, his gaze turning vicious.
Asakusa spread his hands. "I'm just stating facts. It's not just you. There are hardly any people in this school who naturally deserve this kind of treatment."
"If you think about it carefully, you should realize how much doesn't add up, right?"
"It's just that the 'government' is backing it, so most people's doubts have turned into unwavering trust. 'Maybe the government sees some talent in me that I can't see myself.' 'I don't seem to be good for much, but since this is a good deal, I might as well take it.'"
Ryuen raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to say?"
"I'll tell you the truth about this school." Asakusa grinned. "In exchange, you'll agree to two conditions."
Ryuen said, "Go on."
"First, I can't stand Laipi She. Your tactics and strategies are your business, but don't drag me into them." Asakusa raised an index finger, then waved it casually. "I suppose I could get rid of the pest, but when I think about it, it seems like a hassle. Besides, I think you're actually not bad, aside from being Laipi She. It's just a shame you're a guy."
Otherwise, maybe he could have made it into the heroine position.
Well... considering Ryuen's role in the original story, he almost felt more like a heroine than the heroines did.
"Don't disgust me." Ryuen looked like he was about to throw up. "I'll kill you."
Asakusa shrugged and raised a second finger. "Second, pick one of three options: give me money, let me suck you dry, or be my tool."
"First option: two million points, one-time payment. I don't care if you collect it from the people in your class or find some other way. I just want the money." Ignoring Ryuen's expression, which seemed ready to curse him out, Asakusa continued on his own. "Second option: a cut. Not much, just twenty-five percent. I'll keep sucking you dry."
"Of course, you probably don't understand what I mean, so here's a little information in advance."
"You're probably also wondering about those 'hundred thousand points' every 'month,' right?" Asakusa paused. "You guessed correctly. That number isn't fixed."
"I'll explain exactly how it changes later. For now, just know that if you choose to let me suck you dry, then from this point on, everyone in Class C will have to hand over twenty-five percent of their income to me."
"Are you crazy?" Ryuen finally couldn't hold back and interrupted Asakusa's nonstop chatter.
"Don't rush." Asakusa smiled. "I haven't added the limitation yet."
"It's only twenty-five percent of the points changed through information I give you. Doesn't that sound like a pretty good deal?"
He spread his hands. "After all, without me, you wouldn't be able to change anything, would you?"
Asakusa had actually hesitated over whether to offer Ryuen this option.
Not because the amount he'd set for the cut was too low, but because judging whether things had 'changed' was difficult.
If this Special Exam on students' 'basic qualities,' which had begun the moment they enrolled, used a points-based system, it might have been manageable. But unfortunately, it used deductions.
There was no accurate standard for judging how many 'Class Points' Class C could gain through his information.
But he still brought up the option.
Because Asakusa knew very well that Ryuen wouldn't choose it.
"Rejected. Hurry up and tell me the last one." Without the slightest hesitation, Ryuen urged him on.
"See? You're rushing again." Ryuen's reaction had been expected, and the predictable result put Asakusa in a better mood. He glanced at the clock, which suggested the Entrance Ceremony was about to begin, and gave the final option. "Third, be my tool. Whatever I tell you to do, you follow my instructions without asking why or questioning me."
"However, it's limited to one time."
"Pretty generous terms, right?" Having said that, Asakusa glanced at Sakagami Kazuma, who had begun paying attention to the time.
He'd chosen a terrible time to make this deal with Ryuen—or, more accurately, a terrible time for Sakagami Kazuma, their homeroom teacher.
As students, he and Ryuen could choose to skip the Entrance Ceremony. In fact, apart from the students who hadn't yet entered society, no one would care whether they attended.
If they didn't go, they'd just get a few scoldings. At most, the class might lose a few Class Points.
But if Sakagami Kazuma, their homeroom teacher, missed it, the consequences would probably be serious.
At the very least, he'd be in for a thorough chewing-out by the higher-ups.
That was why he kept checking the time.
But he couldn't interrupt the negotiations between Asakusa and Ryuen, nor could he simply leave early and head to the Entrance Ceremony.
The reason was simple.
Sakagami Kazuma had judged that this deal would have an unimaginable impact on Class C's future development. He had to be there.
If he could learn all the school's rules from Asakusa and get ahead of everyone else from the very first day, then with Ryuen—who had already taken control of Class C on day one—in charge, there was a chance that First-Year Class C could rise to Class A.
The only thing he might need to worry about was Asakusa's identity.
That was, in fact, what he found most baffling.
First-Year Class B.
If Asakusa knew the true nature of this school, if he understood the truth behind the classes and points, why would he act as though he were supporting Class C?
Wasn't he worried that Class C would climb up and drag Class B down?
Sakagami Kazuma couldn't make sense of it.
"..." Sakagami glanced at the time again. Listening to Asakusa lay out those conditions, full of holes and barely even qualifying as conditions, he almost couldn't stop himself from reminding Ryuen.
As long as he didn't choose the points, either of the others would be fine.
He could play favorites either way.
The Eleventh Chapter: Sakagami Kazuma Was Worried
"I choose the first."
While Asakusa was observing Sakagami Kazuma, Ryuen was also watching his homeroom teacher.
He knew very well that, compared with Asakusa, the homeroom teacher was bound to know more about the true nature of this school.
But he hadn't said anything. Or rather... he couldn't say anything.
That was why Sakagami had remained silent when he took control of the class, and why he'd stayed behind without a word when Asakusa proposed the deal.
He couldn't say anything, but he could offer hints.
Even without saying a word, he could communicate plenty through the slightest gestures and expressions.
Just like now: even though the Entrance Ceremony was getting closer by the minute, he'd still stayed here.
So Ryuen made his choice without hesitation.
"Two million, huh?"
Though Asakusa put on a surprised expression, he wasn't actually surprised by Ryuen's choice.
Ryuen wouldn't accept having Asakusa suck him and Class C dry, even if it was only twenty-five percent. He wouldn't accept becoming Asakusa's tool, even if it was only for one time.
Well, if he'd known from the start about the difference between Class Points and Private Points, he might have chosen the second option.
But he didn't know.
So this choice had been predictable from the start.
"You'd better pray your information is worth the price." Ryuen's voice was cold.
"Of course." Asakusa snapped his fingers. "Come on, Sakagami-chan, draw up a contract."
What the hell was "Sakagami-chan" supposed to mean...
Sakagami Kazuma really wanted to complain, but he maintained his expressionless face.
"Show your teacher some respect." He shook his head, took out his Personal Terminal, and quickly drafted a contract with clearly laid-out terms.
But he'd still chosen the first option?
Actually, if the amount was two million, it was enough to meet the standard for directly soliciting information from a teacher.
If it had only been a deal to exchange points for information, Sakagami Kazuma might have spoken up to warn Ryuen.
But the contract's terms weren't limited to points.
They also included 'condition one,' which was, in a sense, a peace agreement.
It was precisely because of that condition that Sakagami Kazuma chose to keep quiet.
"Look it over, then come with me." Sakagami casually handed the terminal to Ryuen, turned around, and headed out of the classroom.
"What are we doing? What are we doing?" Asakusa hadn't planned to review the contract at all. He followed right on Sakagami's heels and loudly asked the question.
Sakagami replied irritably,
"Printing the contract!"
Once Asakusa Toru and Ryuen Kakeru had written their names on opposite ends of the contract, the deal they'd made in Sakagami's presence officially became a binding agreement.
That said, they couldn't take their time exchanging information right there.
Sakagami Kazuma was currently dragging the two of them along at a desperate run.
"We don't have to hurry so much, Sakagami-senpai." Asakusa, who was being pulled along by Sakagami, wasn't even out of breath. "Even if we miss the Entrance Ceremony, they can't deduct that many points."
"But I'll get chewed out!"
He didn't want to be the first homeroom teacher to miss the Entrance Ceremony!
"Then you could leave me and Dragon boy to talk alone, right?"
Ryuen's expression darkened at Asakusa's strange nickname. He knitted his brows and said coldly, "Don't call me that."
"Call me that again, and I'll kill you even if I have to tear up the contract."
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