The First Pot of Gold from Class C

"Hello there, Hikigaya-kun. I'll be joining the study group starting today. I look forward to working with you."

After school, one week before the exams, I headed toward our usual meeting spot to go to the library.

Today, besides Hiyori and Ichinose, Sakanayanagi was also present.

"Starting today? Is everything alright with Class A?"

"We gathered all the participants over the weekend and spent the entire time going over the key points for the midterm exams. From today until Friday, everyone will be reviewing on their own, and we plan to hold one final large-scale review session the weekend before the test."

"I see. As expected of Class A; your initiative for studying is absurdly high."

"Yes, though there is something I've been meaning to ask—you're unexpectedly proactive, Hikigaya-kun. I had assumed you would be satisfied as long as you hit the average score."

"I've been curious about that too. Is it for the class points?"

Sakanayanagi and Hiyori, who have known me for a while, tossed these questions my way.

Ichinose, standing to the side, looked bewildered, likely because she doesn't know my personality well enough yet.

"Actually, I consulted with Chabashira-sensei earlier. She agreed that if I get good results on the midterms, I'll receive bonus points."

"Eh? You can do that?"

"During the swimming class, the PE teacher mentioned that the winner of the race would get 5,000 private points. I figured the teachers might have the authority to flexibly adjust private points, so I tried asking, and it worked."

"I see. However, our class teacher, Mashima-sensei, is too serious; I doubt he would agree to something like that."

Sakanayanagi said this, and I couldn't agree more.

Mashima-sensei's classes are indeed strictly by the book.

While he isn't as capricious as Chabashira-sensei, there's nothing to complain about either.

"By the way, Hachiman-kun, how many points can you get?"

"Up to 200,000."

"That much! The teacher is really generous."

"But that's on the condition that I take first place in all five subjects plus the comprehensive exam."

"Indeed, without such a threshold, 200,000 would be too exaggerated. As the representative of Class A, I cannot go easy on you; I might even get in your way... but I support you in spirit."

Sakanayanagi's words carried the weight of a Class A leader.

If I, from Class D, were to take first place in the grade, it would likely affect their class morale.

"Thanks, but shouldn't we get going?"

We adjusted our pace to match Sakanayanagi's as we walked toward the shoe lockers, changed our shoes, and headed to the library.

However—

"You bastard! Don't you dare get cocky with me!!"

The moment we stepped into the library, we saw Sudo, the problem child of Class D, grabbing a stranger by the collar.

Ayanokoji and Kushida were trying to intervene, but Sudo wasn't listening at all.

(Hey, hey, is this idiot really going to throw hands in a library with surveillance cameras? Did he get his brain caught in a door?)

Violence at this school should be carried out in a blind spot, otherwise, class points will be deducted... though Class D has no points left to lose anyway.

"Wait! If you start a fight, we'll lose points!"

"I don't have any points left to lose anyway!!"

Does having no points mean he can just beat people up?

Has he not considered that he might get expelled immediately?

Besides his poor grades, does this guy lack common sense too?

Just as I was speechless, Ichinose walked toward the center of the commotion.

"Are you going to step in?"

I couldn't help but ask, and she nodded.

"If I don't stop this, everyone will be dragged into it."

She quickly stepped between Sudo and the other boys, spreading her arms:

"Stop! Everyone, stop!"

"None of your business! Stay out of this, outsider!"

"Outsider? As a student who uses this library, I cannot turn a blind eye to a disturbance. If you must fight, please take it outside."

Facing Sudo's fierce expression, Ichinose didn't flinch, calmly stating the logical truth.

Sudo's momentum faltered, and he let go.

She then turned to the boys who had been provoking him:

"Also, your provocations have gone too far, haven't they? If you continue, I will have no choice but to report this to the school. Is that understood?"

"S-sorry! We didn't mean to make a scene..."

Upon hearing the word "report," the other party immediately wilted.

As for Sudo, he probably only stopped this time on a whim.

"Let's go, let's go! Studying in a place like this will make us catch the stupidity!"

"Y-you're right..."

The boys who had been arguing with Sudo stood up to leave, but they glared fiercely at me when our eyes met.

"Studying with three girls? Hikigaya, you're living the good life, aren't you?"

"I'm not trying to show off. You guys, on the other hand, should stop making noise in the library."

"Tch... getting noticed by Ryuen has made you cocky? Trash from Class D like you has no right to associate with Ryuen and Shiina! Stay away from them from now on!"

Oh... so this is the first warning.

I pulled out my phone to operate it while asking Hiyori:

"Hiyori, what's this guy's name?"

"That's Ishizaki-kun. Why?"

"It's nothing... Hey, is this Ryuen?"

The two boys in front of me turned pale when I called Ryuen, but I ignored them completely.

"What is it, Hikigaya? Calling me means someone broke the agreement, right?"

"Yeah. There's a guy named Ishizaki in the library. If you don't believe me, you can have Hoshinomiya-sensei check the surveillance footage."

Ordinary students, of course, cannot view surveillance records.

But Ryuen and I had signed an agreement in the presence of a teacher, so we could check the footage as long as we went through the witness, Hoshinomiya-sensei.

"No need. I trust you wouldn't dare lie about the agreement. Put Ishizaki on the phone."

"Alright. Hey, Ishizaki, Ryuen wants to talk to you."

"Eek--!"

Ishizaki trembled in fear.

Just how much of a tyrant is this guy Ryuen in his own class?

"R-Ryuen-aniki! I was just trying to help Class C... Eek! Yes! Yes! I'm very sorry for violating the agreement! Yes! I will pay... What?! One hundred thousand? The agreement clearly stated fifty thousand... Yes! I'll pay! Please, have mercy! Understood!"

Ishizaki handed the phone back to me, his hands shaking.

"Sorry for the trouble caused by this idiot. According to the agreement, he should pay fifty thousand, but as a disciplinary measure and a warning to the rest of Class C, I'm making him pay one hundred thousand. That's fine, right?"

I see.

Paying double the amount not only ensures Ishizaki will never dare to break the agreement again, but it also serves as a warning to other Class C students about the severity of such violations.

As for me, I naturally welcome the increase from fifty thousand to one hundred thousand with open arms.

"No problem. I look forward to someone else in your class breaking the agreement next time."

"Unfortunately, there won't be such an opportunity. Tomorrow, I'm going to crush Ishizaki in front of the whole class so they can deeply understand the price of breaking an agreement."

He hung up the phone after saying that.

He's going to take double the points and then destroy him on top of that?

Ryuen is truly dangerous.

Setting that aside for a moment...

"Anyway, hurry up and transfer the one hundred thousand. I still have to study."

"You bastard..."

"T-that... although Ryuen-aniki said one hundred thousand, isn't fifty thousand enough to... (Ah, I suddenly remembered I have something to discuss with Ryuen)... Never mind what I said! I'll pay, I'll pay right now!"

Ishizaki's friend had wanted to plead for him, but changed his tune the moment he heard Ryuen's name.

This guy really is a dictator.

At that moment, Ishizaki handed over his phone with trembling hands, and I displayed my payment code to collect the one hundred thousand points.

After confirming the transfer, the two of them (mostly Ishizaki) left the library with their heads hanging low, their backs looking utterly desolate.

"Alright, let's go find some seats."

Though I doubt we'll find four seats together.

"Is it really okay? About that thing with Class C..."

"The formal agreement is perfectly fine."

I said this while taking a copy of the agreement out of my bag to show Ichinose.

She read it carefully and nodded in approval.

"I see. It really is a formal agreement, though I'm surprised the witness is Hoshinomiya-sensei."

"Well, asking the homeroom teacher of Class C or Class D would risk accusations of bias, so a third-party witness was necessary."

"How cautious you are. Ah, Hachiman, there are four seats right over there."

Following the direction Sakanayanagi pointed, there were indeed empty seats.

"Let's go."

"By the way, keep it quiet if you're going to study."

After Ichinose said this to Sudo and the others, just as we were about to head toward the seats—

"Wait."

I was called out by Horikita.

Is she going to ask me to help teach those three idiots?

"What?"

"Can you let me see the agreement from earlier?"

Why bring that up all of a sudden... Ah, is she worried the agreement is disadvantageous to Class D?

"Here."

In any case, the agreement doesn't harm Class D's interests.

As Horikita took it, the other students crowded around to look as well.

"Fifty thousand points just for contact rights? Even if you have money, you shouldn't squander it like that."

"Sorry, but in my eyes, spending fifty thousand to spend 24 hours with Hiyori is a bargain."

Although it had been a long time since I transferred the fifty thousand to Ryuen, I had never regretted it.

"Hachiman, you're so... I'm so happy."

Hiyori, standing beside me, acted coy and was incredibly cute.

I wanted to hug her right now, but I held back because puppy love in front of the librarian would get me expelled.

"Besides, although class points are hard to earn, there are many ways to get private points in this school; fifty thousand can be saved up quickly."

Gambling, bonus points, and I even plan to trade information later.

"Are you referring to those bonus points? You're certainly motivated. If only you could use that motivation for the class..."

"Aren't I already contributing? I was the one who disclosed the information about the change in the exam scope."

"That was only natural."

"There are plenty of people in the class who can't even do something as 'natural' as that."

There are quite a few people who handle midterms with ease, but only five or six who actually contribute to the class.

"Anyway, we're leaving. Nothing else, right?"

"Ah, wait! Hikigaya, you should come help too..."

"Good luck."

I cut off Horikita's request and left with Sakanayanagi and the others.

"Is it really okay?"

Ichinose asked.

It's perfectly fine; those three idiots wouldn't listen to me teach anyway.

"It's fine... Wait, when were those seats taken?"

It seems someone snatched them while we were chatting.

"It can't be helped. Let's go to Hachiman's room," Sakanayanagi suggested.

When the library is full or closed, we often study in my room.

"Let's go."

And so, we left the library.

Although it was a waste of time, earning ten thousand points made it worth it.

In the end, we studied in my room until the early hours of the morning.

Of course, the other students in the library who witnessed this were not in such a good mood:

"Damn it... Why is that guy so popular?"

"All three of them just naturally went to Hikigaya's room... Why am I the one stuck here studying like a loser?"

"Ayanokoji, do boys always care about things like this?"

"I suppose normal boys would care, wouldn't they?"