"...President, you really don't need to look at me like that. Class D suits me just fine. Nobody will pay us any particular attention, and the other classes are focused on each other. That actually makes things more convenient." Shimizu Akira waved a hand nonchalantly.
"Keeping a low profile?... That's a wise choice." Horikita Manabu nodded thoughtfully.
"You're overthinking it again." Shimizu Akira couldn't help laughing.
That was how clever people were. You could say something offhand, and they'd find five layers of meaning in it.
"Speaking of which..." Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses. "Has Class D already uncovered the hidden information?"
Shimizu Akira thought for a moment, then answered frankly. "Yes."
Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses. "Don't worry. Nothing we discuss will get out. As Student Council President, that's a basic responsibility."
He shifted the conversation. "But haven't you noticed the flaw in your plan? How will you make sure the others in your class don't accidentally let this information slip? If that happens, you won't earn a single point."
Horikita Manabu didn't believe that the seemingly shrewd boy in front of him would make such a rookie mistake—coming here recklessly just to sell information.
"Well..." Shimizu Akira spread his hands. "You're worrying too much, President. Who said I was only selling hidden information? The risk of a leak is real, but I can sell it as many times as I can. The first sale is always the most valuable. Information is uncertain by nature, so I've specially chosen a fallback offer that all four classes will find harder to refuse..."
Horikita Manabu couldn't immediately understand what Shimizu Akira meant by "a fallback offer all four classes couldn't refuse."
At least he could tell it wasn't an information deal.
As Shimizu Akira had said, information was the kind of commodity that could usually only be sold once.
By the time you tried to sell it a second time, it might already have leaked through other channels.
But Shimizu Akira wasn't one to speak in riddles. He revealed the answer outright. "I plan to buy eight of the surveillance devices assigned to the four first-year classes from the School Administration, and purchase the surveillance rights for all four classes."
"Surveillance devices..." Horikita Manabu paused, then fell into brief thought. A few seconds later, a flash of understanding appeared in his eyes.
As the leader of Class A, he grasped Shimizu Akira's plan almost instantly:
First, at the end of each month, the School Administration deducted Class Points based on surveillance footage.
The main reasons for point deductions included tardiness, skipping class, and using phones in violation of the rules.
A closer look revealed that most deductions came from footage captured by the eight surveillance devices in each class.
In theory, if a class's surveillance footage "accidentally" went missing, that class could earn a perfect score of 1,000 points in its first month.
Second, these surveillance devices would be an excellent source of information. The four classes were rivals, and knowing what they got up to day to day meant holding the strategic initiative.
Third, if Shimizu Akira succeeded in buying the surveillance rights, he could sell them back to the original classes or transfer them by auction to whichever competitor offered the most. Highest bid wins.
Fourth, being under constant surveillance wouldn't be pleasant. Nobody liked being treated like a criminal. The invisible psychological pressure would gradually wear down students' mental states and academic performance.
It was clear that once Shimizu Akira succeeded in purchasing access to the surveillance system, the classes would have no choice but to accept whatever harsh conditions he proposed.
In other words, by the second week of school, he would have seized complete control of the intelligence war.
Horikita Manabu had never encountered a new student with such a brilliant plan. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
"...That really is a genius idea." He paused, the gaze behind his lenses inquisitive. "How did you think of it?"
"I noticed it on the second day of school." Shimizu Akira shrugged casually. "Then, in the second week, I happened to find out that points would be deducted based on the surveillance footage at the end of the month, and I've been planning this ever since. I've just managed to save up a little over a million points, so it's time to put the plan into action."
Thinking about it, cameras covered nearly the entire school. There were almost no blind spots.
In other words, whoever controlled the surveillance controlled the source of information—especially the two key cameras in each class.
"The plan is certainly clever." Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses, his voice calm. "But as far as I know, no student has ever made this kind of deal with the School Administration. Strictly speaking, you'd be using school resources." He poured cold water on the idea without a hint of hesitation.
"That's exactly why I came to you, President. I hope you can speak on my behalf." Shimizu Akira met his gaze, his tone frank. "If this school claims that 'points can buy anything,' then the School Administration has no reason to refuse the deal."
"...Heh." Horikita Manabu gave a soft laugh. Light glinted off his lenses. "I see. So this is the real reason you came to the Student Council—do you want to use my influence to put pressure on the School Administration?"
"Once the deal goes through, I'll give you an additional thirty percent of the profits." Shimizu Akira tossed out his final bargaining chip as if it were nothing.
That hit Horikita Manabu right where it hurt.
As Student Council President, his points were certainly in short supply compared with Miyabi Nagumo's. That extra income was undeniably hard to resist.
"Good. Very good. You've done an excellent job... You've almost executed every step perfectly." Horikita Manabu looked at him deeply, unable to hide his admiration.
This new student had planned his moves one after another, every word striking exactly where it needed to. He'd offered up one irresistible condition after another.
With such astonishing drive, intelligence, emotional intelligence, and strategic skill—not just Class A, but even if this school had an S Class, he would probably rank near the top.
Thinking of that, Horikita Manabu couldn't help comparing him with his younger sister.
While other students were aiming to break the ten-million-point mark through surveillance in their second week of school, his own sister was still standing still.
She might not even have ten thousand points.
The comparison was enough to make him sigh.
Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses, and a sharp glint flashed across the lenses. "Even without my involvement, the School Administration would probably accept your proposal. After all, this school's purpose is to bring out students' potential."
Then his tone shifted. "However, buying out the surveillance rights outright probably isn't realistic. It's not just that your little over one million points wouldn't be enough. Even if you had a hundred million, the School Administration would never agree. A deal like this would completely disrupt the balance of competition between the four classes."
"You're hoping to profit by renting out the surveillance rights? Wouldn't that give you extra income every month?" Horikita Manabu shook his head slightly. "That would mean your class had an unbeatable advantage from the very beginning. The School Administration wouldn't allow that kind of monopoly."
"The most likely outcome," Horikita Manabu said, looking at Shimizu Akira, "is that the School Administration will give you a substantial sum of Private Points as a one-time 'creative reward,' then immediately issue a new rule banning students from purchasing the right to use school equipment."
"Of course," Horikita Manabu continued, leaning forward slightly and lowering his voice, "there's another possibility: the School Administration may make an exception and approve a short-term rental. But..." He raised a long finger. "It won't be for more than a week. That would be both a final concession and a warning in disguise. A ban on surveillance equipment will inevitably follow."
Shimizu Akira nodded thoughtfully. That was exactly what he'd expected.
"So..." Shimizu Akira naturally turned to him. "That's why I need you to step in and negotiate, President. If we can get permission to rent the surveillance rights, the returns will far exceed the token reward from the School Administration. After all, the other classes will always be more generous with their points than the school."
"You're greedy, but I don't dislike the way you think." Horikita Manabu gave a soft snort, though he had to admit that Shimizu Akira was bold and resourceful. "I'll try to work something out, but don't expect to get a long rental period. I'd estimate one month at most, along with all sorts of troublesome conditions. That's the limit."
"One month is enough." Shimizu Akira's lips curled up slightly. "It'll be enough to earn my first fortune."
He quickly ran through the numbers in his head. By the most conservative estimate, the deal would bring in at least eight million points.
"However, I won't accept that thirty percent cut." Horikita Manabu suddenly turned serious. "The Student Council won't profit this way. That's the fundamental difference between me and Miyabi Nagumo."
For once, he wore a meaningful smile. "Shimizu Akira, do you think I can't see through your plan? What you owe me this time isn't a favor you can easily repay with points."
"It seems the President's a step ahead of me after all." Shimizu Akira chuckled and slowly held out his right hand.
Their hands clasped in midair, sealing a silent agreement.
Notice About Paid Chapters
Tomorrow is an important day—the novel will officially go on sale.
The update is expected around 11 a.m. To thank everyone for your support, I'll post ten extra chapters on the first day—20,000 words!
Here are the rules for extra chapters:
Every 1,000 recommendation tickets
Every 100 monthly tickets
Every 100 blades
Every 10,000 points in tips
Meeting any one of these goals will earn one extra chapter (2,000 words)!
(P.S. I've been too embarrassed to ask for votes since I started this novel, especially since I was only posting two chapters a day. Now I can finally shout without feeling bad—please support the novel! Please vote!)
Update schedule: Monday to Saturday: 4 chapters. Sunday: 2 chapters (I'll slow down a little to organize the outline and plan the later plot.)
As for what happens next, the surveillance-rental plot with the four classes will wrap up, and then it'll be the following month.
Hiyori will get more scenes, so readers who like her have something to look forward to!
Finally, thank you all for reading, commenting, and bookmarking the novel all this time!
Ichinose Honami already knew about the hidden rules
Shimizu Akira strode down the corridor leading to the dormitory. The night breeze poured in through the open windows, carrying the warmth unique to early summer.
"Horikita Manabu really does live up to his position as Student Council President."
The reflection on the lenses in the Student Council Room came back to him.
Horikita Manabu had sat behind the broad desk, the gaze behind his glasses sharp enough to pierce a person's heart.
The pressure he felt came less from the authority of the Student Council President and more from Horikita Manabu's calm demeanor, so uncannily like Gendo Ikari's.
He was even secretly grateful that Horikita Manabu hadn't made that signature gesture of interlacing his fingers and resting his chin on them. Otherwise, he might really have turned around and run.
The negotiations had gone surprisingly smoothly.
Horikita Manabu seemed to be able to read minds. Often, he understood Shimizu Akira's entire intention before he'd even finished the first half of a sentence.
The conversation, which Shimizu Akira had expected to take an hour of negotiation, ended with an agreement in less than twenty minutes.
What surprised Shimizu Akira most was the deal's terms.
He'd expected to pay a huge sum of Private Points. Instead, Horikita Manabu had merely adjusted his glasses and said that Shimizu Akira owed him a favor. His eyes narrowed slightly behind the lenses, giving nothing away.
"This favor doesn't feel like a simple one..." Shimizu Akira stopped and looked toward the lights at the end of the dormitory corridor.
Knowing what Horikita Manabu was like, he probably wouldn't make any unreasonable demands.
Hopefully, it wouldn't be anything troublesome.
The night breeze carried the distant shouts of the sports clubs practicing on the field.
Shimizu Akira suddenly thought of Horikita Suzune's cold, unapproachable demeanor and shook his head with a wry smile.
They were siblings, yet one was so perceptive and worldly, while the other was unbearably awkward. The difference between them was enormous.
A new notification suddenly popped up on his phone. It was an email from Horikita Manabu.
After their conversation, they'd exchanged contact information without a hitch.
"I'll get back to you about today's discussion before school ends on Thursday."
"Shimizu, I have high hopes for you. Don't disappoint me."
"If you do well, the Vice President position is yours before I leave."
He stared at the screen for a long time. Reading the first message, he nodded without realizing it.
As expected of the President. He was very efficient.
After all, Horikita Manabu was the Student Council President. Getting back to him before school ended on Thursday was already quite fast.
But when he read the next two messages, his brows knit together.
When had Shimizu Akira ever said he wanted to join the Student Council?
Shimizu Akira: President, I'm not interested in the Student Council. I'm happy boxing.
The message was marked as read almost instantly, but there was no reply.
The classic read-and-ignore.
Horikita Manabu didn't seem to take his answer seriously.
"Now that I think about it, the President's pretty stubborn. Could he be the sort of person who has trouble listening to other people's opinions, too?"
Shimizu Akira muttered to himself.
He took back what he'd said earlier. In their own ways, both siblings were pretty troublesome.
After thinking it over, he sent Horikita Suzune a text.
Shimizu Akira: No wonder you're siblings.
Horikita Suzune: ? Why are you suddenly complimenting me?
"Uh... Did she really think I was complimenting her?"
Before he could make any more sarcastic remarks to himself, his phone gave a faint buzz.
A message had arrived on his alternate account.
The sender was Ichinose Honami.
The message itself surprised him:
"Sorry, classmate. We've already figured out the rules the School Administration deliberately kept hidden, so we can't trade with you for one million points."
That was unexpected.
In just one day, she'd already figured out the hidden rules.
Before you continue