Welcome to Paradise of Freedom

Ichinose smiled at that as well.

"That's right. So, to ensure we can all smoothly end this exam with Result One, I'd like to make a proposal, and I'm requesting that even Class A cooperate!"

Chapter 54: Is What You See Really the Truth?

Because of Ichinose's words, the three Class A students sitting far off in the corner also turned their gazes over.

"Staying deadlocked like this benefits no one. Instead, why don't we all open our hearts and be honest with each other? That would be good for everyone. We just need to display the information on our terminals directly, and the identity of the 'VIP' will naturally come to light."

"Some of you might be unwilling to show yours, but anyone still hesitating at this point is more likely to be the 'VIP.' We can eliminate them accordingly. What do you all think?"

Seeing everyone still hesitating, Ichinose smiled and continued.

"As a show of good faith, Class B can go first. I'll start."

With that, she directly took out her terminal, opened the information, and placed it on the table. Even the Class A students craned their necks curiously to look.

"She's not the VIP."

Sharp-eyed Ibuki glanced at it and said.

Then the other two Class B students also pulled out their terminals. They weren't the VIP either.

To everyone's surprise, the first to show after Class B was Kiyotaka. He took out his terminal and said.

"I think this method is fine. After all, I want the points too."

Yukimura beside him looked at Kiyotaka in disbelief.

"Kiyotaka, why did you agree?"

Kiyotaka didn't acknowledge him, just silently stared at the table.

Following Kiyotaka's lead, Ibuki and Karuizawa also took out their terminals and placed them on the table.

"Ibuki, why are you joining in on this fuss?"

Manabe didn't understand Ibuki's actions and asked loudly.

"Five hundred thousand points—don't you want them? Or are you the VIP?"

Even when facing her own classmate, Ibuki questioned mercilessly.

Pressed by Ibuki's question, Manabe found herself in a tough spot. With no other choice, she reluctantly pulled out her terminal and set it on the table with a grim expression. Seeing that Manabe had done it, the remaining two also handed over their terminals without hesitation.

At this point, most people had turned in their terminals, leaving only two from Class D and the three from Class A.

"Machida-san, what do you all think? Is the VIP among you?"

Ichinose looked toward the sofa and asked the Class A students.

They exchanged glances, hesitated for a moment, then came over and handed over their terminals.

But unfortunately, none of them were the VIP.

All the clues now pointed the identity toward the two who hadn't turned theirs in yet: Yukimura and the Doctor.

"Two students from Class D, I think it's better for us to share the benefits together. You're the only ones left who haven't submitted your terminals. That means the VIP is one of you two."

Ichinose smiled sweetly at Yukimura and the Doctor.

At that moment, Yukimura's forehead was covered in fine sweat, and his hands were tightly gripping the hem of his clothes.

Karuizawa noticed Yukimura's strange expression and asked.

"Yukimura, why do you look so weird? Could it be that you're the VIP?"

Karuizawa's single sentence instantly focused everyone's attention on Yukimura.

Yukimura felt as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on both his body and mind. He took two deep breaths, but still spoke with a slight tremor.

"Before this, I want everyone to leave their terminals on the table and not take them away. Let's have no traitors among us."

Then Yukimura took out his terminal and displayed it in front of everyone. He spoke to the Doctor and Kiyotaka.

"Sorry... I lied. I am the VIP..."

"What! Yukimura, you're actually the VIP!"

The Doctor was shocked and looked at Yukimura in disbelief.

"I've already revealed my identity. I hope there won't be any traitors in our group."

Yukimura said with his head lowered.

"Everyone, please don't report Yukimura-kun. Let's all clear the exam together!"

"Of course."

"Isn't this the best outcome?"

While everyone was chattering away, Ichinose looked suspiciously toward Class D's side. She felt that things weren't that simple. Especially when she looked at Kiyotaka, who sat off to the side as if it had nothing to do with him, the sense of unreality in her mind grew stronger.

"Thank you, everyone. I want to believe in you. Let's clear it together."

Yukimura looked at the group and said earnestly.

Was that possible? Surely someone would be greedy enough to report him privately and fall into this trap...

Kiyotaka stared expressionlessly ahead, silently muttering to himself.

"Buzz buzz buzz."

Suddenly, Yukimura's terminal vibrated, startling him.

"Huh? Didn't I call Ayanokoji-kun's number? Why is Yukimura-kun's terminal ringing?"

Ichinose spoke like a little devil, her words sending a chill down Yukimura's spine.

"So, the real VIP is actually Ayanokoji-kun, right?"

Ichinose looked at Ayanokoji with a smile.

"N-No..."

Yukimura had completely lost the ability to argue against what was happening before him, because the evidence was ironclad—there was no room for denial.

"Hmph, I see."

Machida wore an expression of certain victory as she spoke.

"What does this mean? So that was all a lie just now?"

Manabe and her two companions bristled with anger.

Even Karuizawa looked utterly shocked at this point.

"How could this be..."

Kiyotaka remained silent the entire time, sitting there without expression, as if the events unfolding before him had nothing to do with him.

"The fourth discussion has ended. Please end all discussions and return to your respective rooms..."

At that moment, the broadcast voice rang out mercilessly.

Machida of Class A led her group toward the door first.

"Hmph, nice trick—swapping the beams for pillars. You'd better pray no one reports you, Class D."

"Trust each other? What a load of crap!"

Manabe snorted lightly, turned, and led her people away.

Soon, only Ichinose and Kiyotaka remained in the room.

"People always think that what they imagine after the fact is the answer, don't they?"

Ichinose asked with a smile.

Kiyotaka shrugged indifferently.

"Good thing you knew and played along."

"I've noticed you're pretty ruthless—you set a double trap. Whether Class A or Class C fell for it, they'd be crippled."

"Ah... maybe. Who knows? I'm just carrying out the plan Horikita gave me."

Ichinose stared at Kiyotaka for a long moment, then stood up and walked toward the door.

"For now, I'll take your word for it."

In Karuizawa's room, she was alone.

A flush crept across her face, because before leaving the discussion room, as she passed Kiyotaka's seat, he had whispered a single sentence to her.

"Wait for me in your room. I'll come over later..."

Karuizawa took a deep breath and patted her cheeks.

What's coming will come. At the very least, he did protect me from Manabe and the others. Since I promised to give him my body and soul, I have to follow through. This... is for my own sake too.

As her thoughts wandered, Karuizawa slowly slipped off her clothes, then pulled a set of underwear from the wardrobe.

After changing, she caught her reflection in the room's mirror. Seeing so much of her skin exposed, her sense of shame hit maximum. She draped a bath towel over herself, which gave her a sliver of security.

Not long after, a knock came at the door. Karuizawa sprang up like a startled rabbit.

She tiptoed to the door and asked, "Who is it?"

"Me."

Hearing Kiyotaka's usual indifferent voice from the other side, Karuizawa unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. She hid her body behind the door, poking only her head out to let him in.

Kiyotaka found her strange behavior odd, but before he could react, she pulled him into the room.

Karuizawa's room was very dim, the curtains completely drawn. After the door closed, Kiyotaka couldn't even adjust to the darkness for a moment.

"Why aren't the lights on?"

Kiyotaka asked in confusion.

But instead of an answer, he heard a rustling sound, and then felt a warm body press against his.

Because Karuizawa had a great figure and was tall for a girl, she easily wrapped her arms around Kiyotaka's neck.

Then Kiyotaka felt two cool, thin lips, trembling slightly, press against his own.

Kiyotaka could sense Karuizawa's inner unease and unfamiliarity in that moment. When he placed his hand on her slender waist, the skin beneath his palm was icy cold. As he stroked her smooth flesh, he also wondered where her clothes had gone.

And Karuizawa, feeling that large hand on her waist, gave a full-body shudder. She barely managed to suppress her panic through sheer endurance.

Then she took the initiative, her fragrant tongue stirring, intertwining and tangling with his inside his mouth.

Kiyotaka didn't disrupt her rhythm; he simply matched her, slowly sucking and plundering the saliva from her oral cavity.

This was a sensation Karuizawa had never experienced before. Though she and Hirata had been a couple for four months, their most intimate contact had never gone beyond holding hands in front of others.

Let alone standing nearly naked before a man now, kissing him passionately like this.

An nameless flame began to spread through Karuizawa's entire body with Kiyotaka's sucking. She felt her skin growing scorching hot. Unconsciously, she started to crave this feeling. Under his guidance, her movements grew more skilled, more frenzied.

It wasn't until a thick sense of suffocation enveloped her that her love-drunk, short-circuited brain finally rebooted. She gently pushed Kiyotaka away and gasped for air in great gulps. The violent heaving caused the peaks on her chest to tremble uncontrollably. At this moment, Karuizawa was instead grateful for the dimness of the room. Though she couldn't see, just from imagination she already knew exactly what she looked like right now.

Chapter Fifty-Five: You're Dressed Just Fine

The room suddenly fell into silence, leaving only Karuizawa's soft panting. In this time and place, even she herself found such sounds incredibly ambiguous.

"Can I turn on the light?"

Kiyotaka asked calmly.

Hearing this, Karuizawa's face, which had just calmed down, flushed again. A hint of shyness flickered in her shifting gaze. She lightly bit her lip. Though surrounded by darkness, she felt as if Kiyotaka's bright eyes were fixed on her, so her gaze unconsciously averted, her body leaning forward slightly as if to hide her bashfulness, yet her frame couldn't help but squirm.

"You can..." Karuizawa mustered immense courage but spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito's.

"Click."

With Karuizawa's permission, Kiyotaka directly pressed the switch. The entire room instantly brightened. The shy Karuizawa squeezed her eyes shut tightly, her little head wishing it could bury itself in her chest and turn her into an ostrich.

Her mind had already conjured countless scenarios—if Kiyotaka teased her with words, how she would respond; if he acted like a beast and threw her down, whether she should go along with it...

A carousel of thoughts swirled in her mind. In her chastity, she had even prepared a countermeasure for every possible situation.