Chapter 8

"How annoying." Sakayanagi Arisu had long since become immune to Yuan Yuyuan's tiresome pestering. "But Class D lacks a leader, even though he clearly has the ability to unify the class." "Hey, at least listen to people when they're talking! Then why did you come to me? You don't seem like the type to swallow your pride and ask for my help." "No, I never feel that asking for your help causes me to lose my pride. Besides, Class A is currently in the midst of internal strife, and I cannot spare the time for now. Of course, I will bury him with my own hands, but before that, I need a small favor from you." "What can I possibly do if he's dead set on hiding his true self? Do you want me to bring a whole crowd to Class D and shout, 'So you're the one they call the masterpiece?'" "That is precisely why I need your help, Yuyuan-kun. I want you to drain Class D of their points." Yuan Yuyuan glanced at Sakayanagi Arisu, noting that her complexion was flushed, though she didn't look like she had a fever. "Is that your plan? Even if you say that, do you think someone from that dump would care about running out of money? Given his personality, even if you exposed his strength, his expression wouldn't change in the slightest, would it?" "Yuyuan-kun guessed it right away. But since he came here, he surely didn't come to waste three years. Perhaps he is also searching for something he lacks." "Is it a girlfriend? When do you plan to confess?" "Yuyuan-kun is deflecting again. I am referring to emotions, not limited to romantic love. After all, in that place, everyone was killing each other, so I think friendship is a more likely possibility. If he watches his so-called friends fall into despair because they have no points, while he stands by and does nothing, what will happen if his hidden strength is exposed then?" "I still don't see any logic in that. Putting aside whether he could even have friends, what if he gets ostracized? Is he supposed to be afraid of a mouse suddenly appearing in his desk drawer?" Seeing that Yuan Yuyuan lacked the same sense of amusement she felt regarding such matters, Sakayanagi Arisu had no choice but to cast the hook she had prepared in advance. "I owe you a favor. During the next exam, I will also have my subordinates do their utmost to assist you." "Don't give me that. You'll definitely find an excuse to have that bald guy lead the class and then sell him out, all while claiming you're helping me. Two favors, and if it involves framing that bald guy, the intelligence must be shared with me alone." Sakayanagi Arisu pondered for a moment before finally nodding. "Yuyuan-kun is truly unwilling to take a loss. But if it involves inter-class confrontation, it is limited to the time before I unify Class A." "Of course. Then, I wish us a pleasant cooperation. Do you need me to see you back?" "That won't be necessary. I already have a useful tool... a good friend coming to pick me up." As she spoke, Sakayanagi Arisu waved at a purple-haired girl sitting in the distance, who wore her hair in a side ponytail adorned with several hair clips. "Masumi, over here."

First Semester: Chapter 9 - Masumi-san, you wouldn't want... Sakayanagi Arisu began to introduce her to Yuan Yuyuan. "This is Kamuro Masumi, my newly made good friend." Who would believe that? She had just let it slip that she was a useful tool. "This is Yuan Yuyuan-kun, the genius I have viewed as my goal since I was young." I believe it, anyway! Yuan Yuyuan felt that the Sakayanagi before him had suddenly become much more pleasing to the eye, though it was a pity that her severe case of chuunibyou was quite regrettable. "Nice to meet you, Kamuro-san. Arisu is physically inconvenienced, so I'll have to trouble you to take good care of her." "Let's get one thing straight: I'm not taking care of her because I want to." Yuan Yuyuan could guess with his toes that this Sakayanagi character must have threatened someone again. "Is that so? It seems Arisu has done something rude to Kamuro-san, but that can't be helped. She has been like this since she was a child, so please bear with her." After sending off the tsundere Kamuro Masumi and Sakayanagi Arisu, Yuan Yuyuan stood up and sat down beside Akane Tachibana. "So, President-sama, what would you like to talk to me about?" Manabu Horikita got straight to the point, his words shocking: "I want you to join the Student Council." "It's only the first day of school, and we haven't even had formal classes yet, right? Why would you think of recruiting me into the Student Council?" "I confirmed the standout figures in each class with the homeroom teachers, and you are the most unique among them." "Interesting. Tell me more." "First, you saw through the rules the school hid from the students on the very first day. No one has ever done that since the school was founded. Even I only caught a few traces on my first day, so any Student Council from any year would try to recruit talent like you. As for the second point, I can only tell you after you decide to join the Student Council; otherwise, it won't be to your benefit in your upcoming school life." Nonsense. Because he had only been dumped into Advanced Nurturing High School a few days before the start of the term, the Chairman, Narihisa Sakayanagi, had been completely unguarded around him, often mentioning interesting anecdotes about competition between classes in the past. Yuan Yuyuan complained inwardly, but responded calmly on the surface: "That's harsh. Arisu knows about this too, and since she's from Class A, she looks more reliable than me, a student from Class B, no matter how you look at it. Could it be that the President is discriminating against women? How terrifying." "No, she is the daughter of Chairman Sakayanagi. Even with a man as upright as Chairman Sakayanagi, I cannot guarantee he wouldn't leak information to his only daughter. But as an outsider, even if you have a good relationship with Chairman Sakayanagi, he would never reveal this to you." "I understand what you mean. I can join the Student Council. Tell me the second point." "The second point concerns your family background. Currently, most of the Student Council belongs to the Vice President, Miyabi Nagumo. He hopes to turn this school into a true meritocracy, where those with ability rise to Class A and those without remain in the lower classes." "Although the strength of this year's students has exceeded my expectations, I will not approve anyone's request to join until I am sure whether others will submit to Nagumo." At this point, Manabu Horikita noticed that Yuan Yuyuan seemed quite interested in Nagumo's philosophy, but he simply adjusted his glasses and continued to explain to Yuan Yuyuan. "But you are different. You are the future heir to a conglomerate. I believe you are not someone who would live under the shadow of others, and I need you to oppose him. As compensation, I can even offer you the position of Vice President." Akane Tachibana, who had been watching the drama from the sidelines, couldn't sit still anymore. "President, but Kiriyama..." "There are no 'buts.' I will handle Kiriyama." Manabu Horikita interrupted Akane Tachibana once again. After a brief, perfunctory explanation, he turned to ask Yuan Yuyuan, "That is the situation. What is your decision?" "Me? I'm very dissatisfied! Since you want me to deal with him, the position of Vice President is a given. To call such a thing 'compensation'—do you expect a secretary or an administrative officer to stand up to a Vice President who has already sidelined you? You'd better not use that tactic on me. Not only will it not make me grateful to you, but my evaluation of you, this repressed nerd in glasses, will also be lowered accordingly." Manabu Horikita twitched the corner of his mouth at this nickname but did not refute Yuan Yuyuan's statement. "As expected. Then what kind of compensation do you want?" "I want points. After all, I am going up against a Vice President who wields immense power; I won't feel secure without points to protect myself. And I need you to help me when necessary." "No problem. However, since this is the third year, which is the final year, I can only transfer ten million personal points to you for now, but on the eve of graduation, I can..."