Chapter 81
"At the start of the semester, I swept through all the competitive clubs, easily took over the management of the original Class B, and in just one month, I made a comeback to promote to Class A, reaping a large number of Private Points from the other three lower-ranked classes... All of this happened right before my eyes."
"Or, Father, could you tell me if that person had any noteworthy failures before enrolling in school?"
Sakayanagi Narimori: "..."
"So you're speechless now?" Sakayanagi Arisu pursed her lips, her expression softening considerably. "It turns out my approach to managing the class wasn't wrong; it's just that I'm not strong enough yet to keep winning."
With her Sakayanagi Arisu naturally understood the importance of winning people's hearts.
If she could have toned down her arrogance as a genius in class, made more valuable promises, and patiently addressed the concerns of those people... if she could have done those things, even if she had suffered a crushing defeat yesterday, it wouldn't have caused everyone in Class B to abandon her.
But her motto is—victory can solve everything!
How could one possibly start by thinking about how to clean up the mess after failure and make a comeback?
"People are different. What works for Aragaki Shun may not work for you, and Arisu, you seem to have misunderstood cause and effect."
Sakayanagi Narimori gently stroked his daughter's hair and softly advised, "That boy from the Aragaki Family understands how to unite people better than you do. It was precisely because he did those things you didn't want to do that he was able to unite Class A into one, making the entire class work together towards a common goal, and thus they were invincible."
"That child is the most gifted student I have ever seen. He can easily achieve in various fields what ordinary people would need decades to accomplish. But even with his genius, when he was in charge of the class, he didn't hesitate to promise the whole class that he would take full responsibility if they failed."
At this point, Sakayanagi Narimori's tone was also full of admiration.
As the Board Chairman board of Kodo Ikusei Senior High School, and the highest-ranking person in charge of recruiting students from all over the country every year, he has seen countless students with different styles, including those who are exceptionally talented or from wealthy families.
Having either of these two factors is enough to easily become a standout among your peers and then shine brightly in Advanced Nurturing environments.
Based on his experience, these elite students, whose abilities far surpass those of their peers, whether proud of their talent or aloof due to their family background, generally exhibit an arrogant and superior attitude in terms of personality.
They are often self-centered, indifferent to the mundane affairs of the outside world, believing that they can do everything on their own without needing the help of others, and even less concerned about friends or teams.
Clearly, his daughter, Sakayanagi Arisu, perfectly embodies these qualities.
Similar figures exist among the first-year students, such as Koenji Rokusuke and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, and among the second-year students, such as Kiryuuin Fuuka. Perhaps Miyabi Nagumo and Ryuen Kakeru could also be categorized into this group of self-important individuals.
The child from the Aragaki Family was clearly more talented than the aforementioned group of people, and had a background that surpassed most of them, yet he was still able to calmly put aside his arrogance and integrate into the class group without any airs.
The Board Chairman considers this extremely rare and valuable.
"As a talented and capable young man, he should have been even more arrogant and overconfident."
"Perhaps this is the true attitude of a genius: to know oneself, to be proud when one should be proud, and to be humble when one should be humble. Even when one is already at the top of one's peers, one should still strive for progress and never be satisfied."
Sakayanagi Arisu: "..."
If the Board Chairman had educated her in other ways, the girl might not have cared too much, since Sakayanagi Arisu her own set of values and beliefs with her own logic.
But since he mentioned Aragaki Shun, the victor who was stronger, more talented, and from a better family than her, she could no longer stubbornly deny it.
Because she truly failed!
Facts speak louder than words. In this situation, no matter how much Sakayanagi Arisu insists that she is not wrong, she will only be scorned as a self-deceiving person.
"Victory can indeed solve all problems, but this idea is based on the premise that you can actually keep winning and never be defeated."
"But in real life, no one can do that. Even that kid from the Aragaki Family would prepare for failure."
"Faced with an opponent who has higher basic qualities than you, is better at uniting people, has more patience than you, and is more able to withstand failure, Arisu, do you really think you have an absolute chance of winning?"
Sakayanagi Arisu: "..."
It turns out that it wasn't true at all!
Yesterday's attack of spreading rumors was something she recklessly rushed through without considering the consequences, and ended up getting hurt badly.
Ultimately, this resulted in a huge price being paid by Class B. She was not only suspended from school, but also faced the possibility of being voted on by the entire first-year class to be transferred to Class D, and eventually expelled.
Thinking of this, Sakayanagi Arisu continued to look at the voting details on the Board Chairman's computer, her feelings becoming extremely complicated.
I've been abandoned by everyone in Class B...
"Some things may seem insignificant to us, but for students from ordinary families who don't have a second chance to gamble, it may be their only chance to change their fate in this lifetime."
"If given the opportunity, Arisu could try to understand the lives and aspirations of ordinary families, and try to put herself in their shoes to see just how valuable the promises the school makes to the graduates of Class A really are."
Sakayanagi Narimori shook his head. His daughter probably really didn't understand what the things her classmates were so obsessed with really meant.
In her eyes, the so-called "Class A graduate" treatment was something her father gave away dozens of times every year, so it didn't seem special at all.
More importantly, even if those Class A graduates eventually succeed, with very few exceptions, the rest of the ordinary people can only become middle class at best, no matter how hard they try their whole lives.
This level of achievement is quite remarkable for ordinary people and can be considered a leap in social class.
But what do these people mean to the eldest daughter of the Sakayanagi Family?
All their life's efforts couldn't even reach the starting line that the young lady was born into.
Sakayanagi Narimori didn't want his daughter to become more kind and compassionate; he was just quite embarrassed as a father to see that Arisu Ren couldn't unite the 39 students in Class B and was eventually abandoned by everyone in the class.
Families at their level certainly don't need to struggle like ordinary people, but they still need to understand the methods of uniting people, gaining power, and employing people.
Occasionally try to understand the needs of your followers; don't take it for granted that your subordinates will obey you.
Making promises, delivering on them appropriately, and learning to be fair in rewards and punishments are all very useful.
"I will consider what Father said when I have time."
He opened his mouth, Sakayanagi Arisu could only manage a dry, awkward reply.
She knew all these principles written on paper, but knowing them didn't mean she agreed with them.
After all, he was a "true genius," theoretically capable of solving any difficulty with his profound thinking. How could he lower himself to blend in with mediocre people?
As a chess player who controls the overall situation, her perspective is naturally different from that of ordinary people, so she doesn't need to care about the thoughts of the pieces on the chessboard.
However, Class B, which had been divided for the past two months, suddenly reached a consensus and slapped her in the face in the vote, showing her that even pawns can rebel.
This is truly an experience I've never had before.
"Then I won't say any more. Arisu, you've grown up and have your own ideas now."
"But it's better to think things through more carefully when you encounter important matters in the future."
Shaking his head, Sakayanagi Narimori turned his gaze back to the voting interface, only to find that both options had 79 votes each, while the last vote remained uncast for a long time.
Without much thought, he guessed that this scene was being deliberately orchestrated, so-called --
"Does the Aragaki Family have any ideas they want to discuss with the school?"
He had seen that everyone in Class B had voted for Option 1, and a large number of people in Class C followed suit. He had thought that Aragaki Shun would go along with it and let Arisu be transferred to Class D.
To be honest, this was quite unexpected for him, since he never imagined that his daughter would be abandoned by the entire Class B.
Overall, it's not a big deal. Since my daughter can't stay in Class B anymore, it's perfectly fine for her to drop out and go home to recuperate.
Anyway, he'll be on leave next semester, so he'll have time to Arisu out for a walk, relax together, and teach her more things.
But now it seems things might change?
"Arisu, what do you think that Aragaki Family kid wants to do?"
Sakayanagi Arisu did not respond, but simply looked at the situation on the voting screen with a complicated expression.
The final vote that would decide her fate rested in that man's hands; this kind of experience was truly frustrating.
To be fair, she wanted to stay in the Advanced Nurturing.
In any case, being kicked out of class by classmates who treated her as a pawn just because of one defeat was far too humiliating.
But...
At a time when Sakayanagi Arisu turmoil, the Board Chairman suddenly received an email, and unsurprisingly, the sender was the very person they had been discussing—
[Aragaki Shun]: "May I ask, Board Chairman, do you have any plans to transfer Classmate Sakayanagi to Class A?"
146. Using Sakayanagi to control the school administration; she even had to borrow money herself to pay for her indenture.
[Aragaki Shun]: "May I ask, Board Chairman, do you have any plans to transfer Classmate Sakayanagi to Class A?"
[Aragaki Shun]: "Even if I choose option two and allow your daughter to stay in Advanced Nurturing after the vote, she will find it difficult to stay comfortably in Class B."
[Aragaki Shun]: "For her health, don't you think Class A is a better place for her to experience school life than for her to stay in Class B and be isolated by everyone?"
After seeing these emails, Sakayanagi Narimori and his daughter looked at each other for a few seconds, and finally couldn't help but burst out laughing:
"Haha~ These kids from the Aragaki Family are really interesting, actually wanting me to send my daughter over there willingly."
"Arisu, take a look. This suggestion is really quite interesting."
Sakayanagi Arisu read the email sent by Aragaki Shun with a stiff face, and her expression became particularly subtle.
Aragaki Shun actually wanted her to go to Class A, to that class that the man completely controlled—I really don't know how to describe this idea.
"What do you think? Want to go and have some fun in Class A?"
After laughing, Sakayanagi Narimori became serious and, after much deliberation, ultimately gave the choice to his daughter.
"What does Father think?"
"That kid from the Aragaki Family is right. Ever since everyone in Class B unanimously decided to choose Option One, this class is no longer suitable for you."
"You will need to stay out of school for another three months. By the time you come back, they will probably have completely formed a consensus to exclude you. I don't want you to stay in Class B and experience that kind of isolation."
Although Sakayanagi Narimori's goal was to allow his daughter to experience a normal school life before she came of age, so as not to leave any regrets for the future.
However, experiencing school bullying is definitely unnecessary.
"Whether or not you go to Class A is your decision. After all, the current situation is probably being deliberately orchestrated by that kid from the Aragaki Family."
"If you don't want to go, I can help you withdraw from school. After I take a break from my job next semester, my daughter and I will have more time to spend together."
"Withdraw from school immediately..."
Sakayanagi Arisu was suddenly speechless.
How did things suddenly turn out like this?
But upon closer reflection, it's impossible for her father to allow her to go to Class C, which glorifies violence, or Class D, which is in complete chaos. Now, Class B no longer accepts her either. Apart from Class A, which is controlled by Aragaki Shun, she has actually reached a point where she has nowhere to go in her first year.
The girl lowered her eyes, recalling her journey and how she had fallen to this state.
She didn't understand. She clearly had the home-field advantage, not only having the strongest backer from Advanced Nurturing, but also initially controlling the original Class A, which was recognized by the school as the strongest. She truly had the advantage of timing.
That vibrant, flourishing scene is still vivid in my mind.
In just two short months, she's already at her wit's end, forced to surrender to her opponents in order to stay?
One wrong move and the whole game is lost, all because of a sudden, whimsical rumor that left him with no chance to fight back.
How foolish of me, that self-important person who thought everything would go according to my will.
She chuckled to herself, but no matter how hard it was to accept, Sakayanagi Arisu still had to face the reality before her.
Should I transfer to Class A or drop out altogether?
The moment the question arose in the girl's mind, she recalled the man's calm and composed face, as if nothing was bothering him.
If she leaves Advanced Nurturing so sadly, will the two of them ever see each other again?
Maybe, after all, both of them come from well-off families, and that social circle is only so big.
But by then, will she still be able to fight him without any scruples, and will she still have the chance to avenge his humiliating defeat?
The answer is self-evident: given her personality, once she leaves the campus, she will definitely not have much interaction with her.
Like a delicate but fragile vase, it should only be admired from afar and not touched.
Does that mean I have absolutely no other options?
Seeing the helpless look on his daughter's face, the Board Chairman roughly understood what she was thinking. After a slight smile, he replied to Aragaki Shun on the other end of the email.
Well, if we want to correct Arisu's personality, we do need a more assertive peer who can keep her in check at any time.
As for the possibility that Class A might not welcome their daughter joining, since the girl from the Aragaki Family made the suggestion, the other party will naturally resolve the issue.
"Huh? What's this?"
Sakayanagi Narimori suddenly saw that Aragaki Shun had sent another email. After opening it, he discovered that it contained the school's notarized rules and regulations for Class A.
According to point 5 above--
The above rules are to be signed by all students in Class A, supervised by the class teacher, and notarized by the school. They are to be implemented as a whole class and all students in Class A, including transfer students, must abide by them!
Note: Before a transfer student enters Class A, the school is responsible for informing them of all the class rules and regulations.
If Arisu transfers to Class A, she must abide by Class A's rules; otherwise, the other students have the right to discipline her according to the rules and regulations. The specific details are in Article 4.
When an individual's mistake causes a loss to the class, the Private Points lost to the class fund to compensate for the loss suffered by the entire class.