Chapter 47

"Confused? If you get expelled, she'll forget about you. No, she doesn't think much of you even now. The proof is that she didn't come herself." I forced myself to calm down and tried to talk some sense into the furious Ayanokoji. "It's not worth it."

"But you've been targeting Class D like this. People in our class either have to become your slaves and obey you, or they'll get expelled sooner or later. Watching you expel Sudo is like watching myself die a slow death! I'm a nobody. I'm not afraid of your threats! Can't I go down with you like a hero?"

"You'll regret this, Ayanokoji-kun."

"At least I don't regret it now! Choose already! The hearing's about to start! Are we getting expelled together, or is nothing going to happen? Decide!"

Ayanokoji held his trembling fist right in front of my face.

"Hahahaha! Ayanokoji-kun, you're scared of getting expelled here too, aren't you? You act like you're ready to die a hero, but deep down you're scared out of your mind, right?" Despite the tense situation, I burst out laughing.

"Who wouldn't be scared? But even a rabbit will bite when cornered, even if I'm just a useless nobody." Ayanokoji didn't hide how he felt. He admitted it plainly.

"A useless nobody? You're Class D's hero today! I give up. We'll go cancel the lawsuit in a minute." I released Ayanokoji and raised my hands in surrender.

"Call and cancel it now. I can't trust you."

"Yes, yes. Ishizaki, please call the Student Council while Ichinose watches. Tell them we've settled things with Class D and forgiven Sudo. We're withdrawing the lawsuit... The Student Council President wants to know why? Tell him it's thanks to his sister... Yeah, say exactly that."

After watching Ichinose nod once Ishizaki had finished the call, Ayanokoji finally let go of me. He crouched nearby, gasping for breath.

"You know I won't just give up, and neither will Ryuen, whose plans you foiled." I straightened my shirt using the glass window in the classroom door as a mirror and spoke to Ayanokoji. "Was Ryuen behind this one, too?"

"With Horikita on our side, Class D won't be defeated so easily," Ayanokoji said stubbornly.

"Just wait and see... And you, too, Miss Ichinose, you big liar! We're enemies from now on. Don't let Yume come fishing for information again. You're taking advantage of her feelings." After that, I tossed Ichinose a handkerchief like a gentleman and left with the three Ishizakis.

Suzune Horikita! This was the second time I'd lost to your scheme! I never expected you to have your underlings wrapped around your finger already... Impressive! A woman like you would've been the kind to bring a kingdom to ruin in the old days, wouldn't you? No wonder you ended up in Class D... Making your underlings go down with me? Even Sakayanagi isn't that ruthless. You've foiled my perfect plans twice now, so I admit you've got some tricks up your sleeve. But I, Kitazawa Minya, always repay a grudge! Just you wait. I'll be back! I'll make you kneel before me!

"They're gone, Ayanokoji-kun." Ichinose looked worriedly at Ayanokoji, who was sprawled on the ground, still gasping for breath.

"I'm finally safe... Sorry for the trouble, Ichinose. I still have to ask you not to tell anyone about this. Could you tell people that you helped resolve everything?"

"I can, but what about Horikita...?"

Ichinose was surprised. Ayanokoji could've become the hero who drove Class C away, but he'd chosen to keep quiet.

"She had no choice but to make me do it. If I could, I wouldn't want to play the hero either... If word gets out, the others in Class D might go looking for trouble with Class C again. This could drag on forever, and our class needs time to catch its breath."

"I understand, Ayanokoji-kun."

"Oh, right, I have to get to the shopping street! Excuse me!"

"Huh? What else do you have to do? Wait for me!" Ichinose grew even more convinced that Ayanokoji had a story to tell, and hurried after him without really knowing why.

A Lie That Keeps the Peace Is Better Than the Truth That Sows Discord A lie that keeps the peace is better than the truth that sows discord. —Saadi

"Hahahahaha!"

Raucous laughter filled Class C's private karaoke room.

"Three fives... Stop laughing, Ryuen. What else could I have done in that situation?" I gloomily fiddled with the dice cup in my hands. When your luck ran out, even a drink of water could go down the wrong way. I'd managed to hurt myself playing dice.

"Four fives, no... Hahahaha! Kitazawa, that's so embarrassing! You got threatened by a little lackey who's got a crush on her master! Hahahaha! Every time I think about it, I just can't help... Cough, cough..." Ryuen laughed so hard he rolled around on the sofa, choking and coughing. The girls on either side of him patted his back repeatedly.

"Six fives... Is it really that funny? Besides, your plan was the one that got exposed, and that fat woman Ichinose stuck her nose in, too..."

"Hahahahaha! You lose, honor student! I don't have a single five! Hahahahaha... You've lost a total of twenty-five thousand points today!" Ryuen lifted the dice cup and slapped the table, laughing.

"Damn it! I can't catch a break... I'm done!" I flipped the table and slumped back. By sheer bad luck, I accidentally put my hand on Ibuki's pale thigh, and she kicked me again.

"Come on! I could never beat you at anything, whether it was Texas Hold'em, blackjack, or pai gow... But ever since Horikita beat you in the midterms, your luck's been in free fall! Keep playing. I need to win some of my points back!"

"Ugh... I only stopped because I noticed that, too... Ibuki, next time just pinch me! I can't handle your beautiful legs..."

"Get lost! You've got it coming. If you ask me, why don't you just stop getting into trouble before the next exam?"

"Are you jealous, Ibuki? Don't worry. No matter how smart Horikita is, she can't hold a candle to you."

Ibuki narrowed her eyes at me.

"Ibuki, Minya's insulting you. He's saying you're stupid," Shiina quietly translated from beside her.

"Σ( ° △ °|||)︴Don't! Ibuki, that's not what I meant."

"Then explain what you meant. Properly."

"...!"

After that, Ibuki very gently gave me a full-body massage, which really cleared my head.

"Ryuen, to be honest, it's going to be tough with Classes B and D teaming up against us... Should we contact Class A? They could at least keep Class B occupied." I made the suggestion without lifting my head from the table.

"You know Katsuragi. He wouldn't go looking for trouble at a time like this, unless Class B came after him." Ryuen agreed that the idea could work.

"What if we sold them some Class Points?"

"Sell them Class Points? That's interesting... It's true, there's nothing you can't buy at this school. So as long as both sides agree, we can buy Class Points from other classes, too, right?"

"Yeah. We can add conditions and make them keep Class B occupied. I know of a school contract that uses points to bind the parties. This would be the perfect time to put it to use."