Chapter 49

"Alice, you're so cute." I said, keeping my face stiff in a poker expression. "Hahaha! Actually, that feels pretty good! Again! Do it again!" "Alice, actually I brought you something even more fun..." "Is that so? Since when have you been so concerned about me?" Arisu smiled slyly again. It seemed she had guessed my intentions long ago, which was undoubtedly the worst-case scenario for me. "Of course. We're such good friends, and I heard you're being suppressed by Katsuragi, so naturally, I had to come and give you a hand." "So that's how it is! You should've said so earlier. How about I help you come up with a plan while I'm at it?" Arisu refused to take any loss; she started setting conditions before even saying what she would do. This girl was too sharp. As the saying goes, pregnancy makes one foolish for three years—should I hit her with a debuff to her intelligence? That would make my high school life so much easier... Forget it, no need to go that far. Better leave that for someone who actually needs it. "Sure! Let's help each other and progress together." I immediately told her my plan to use Katsuragi as a scapegoat. "Min-min, if you do this and my position really ends up going to Katsuragi, what should I do?" "That won't happen. Alice is so capable; a mere Katsuragi is nothing but a clay chicken or a pottery dog, just waiting to be slaughtered... Besides, the higher you fly, the harder you fall, right?" "Then I'll have to rely on you for the next special exam! If you break your promise, I'm going to be in trouble..." Arisu put on a pitiful act. "No way, how could I sell out a teammate? Especially such a cute one." "You sure have a silver tongue, though I wonder what you're really thinking about me." Not at all, I wouldn't dare think such things about you. "I wouldn't dare... Alice, I am genuinely sincere about wanting to cooperate with you! You are clever, sensible, and the best partner I could ask for." "Heh heh, in exchange for your sweet talk, I'll help you this once! But Min-min, aren't you afraid I'll tell Karuizawa from Class D about you causing trouble? I remember you made a rather vulgar bet with her, didn't you? Just like the bet you made with me before..." Arisu said with a smile. Don't, let's talk this out reasonably. "Causing trouble is one thing, but you don't have any actual evidence that the fake exam questions came from me! Telling her would just be your word against mine. Once I hand the questions over to you, you won't be able to prove they came from me. Rest assured, there aren't even any fingerprints on them. Besides, Class D will definitely wonder how you knew about the fake questions. Hirata hasn't been going around announcing it." "As expected of little Min-min, you're still so cautious! Fine then, I'll send someone to you another day, and you can arrange how to handle it." "No problem, thanks for your help, Alice." "Don't thank me. This favor has to be repaid. You need to help me deal with the reactionaries inside Class A this summer." "Make Class A great again? No problem, a bald guy is easy to handle. By the way, the so-called summer vacation is definitely an exam, right? You think so too?" "Of course. It's a pity that if it's an exam like a field trip, I might not be able to participate. Remember to take good care of our Class A when the time comes!" "I will." It'll be even better if you're not there! Wouldn't that mean I can go all out and farm points from your Class A? "I heard you've suffered quite a loss at the hands of Class D recently?" "I wouldn't call it a loss. Let's just say Class D barely defended against our offensive, especially Suzune Horikita—she's got something to her." "How does she compare to me?" "Hard to say..." I wasn't worried about offending anyone; I genuinely couldn't gauge Horikita's current strength. "Really? Even with your eye for talent, you can't tell?" "Thanks for the compliment... but there are just too many contradictions in Horikita's character to judge based on experience." "Interesting, very interesting... And what about Ryuen from your class?" "Ryuen? That guy is even more interesting, and he might even be able to challenge you! But as the ace of my own class, the specifics have to remain confidential." "You're not even as good as him? No, that's not right—you, being the cunning guy you are, have always been unwilling to stick your neck out..." "Keep guessing." "Boring..." Arisu yawned lazily, "Wait until you come to challenge me before you talk." "Although that's a good thing, aren't you looking down on us a bit too much?" I couldn't help but retort. "Is there a problem? You guys should deal with Ichinose from Class B first." "Ichinose is your main rival in Class A right now, isn't she? We aren't going to work for you." "True powerhouses don't care about such things." "Cut it out. I came here to drag Class A into the mud. You think it's a good idea for us to take on the BD Alliance alone? Be careful, or the three of us might just target Class A first." "Mm! Mm! I'm so scared!... Stop with the useless talk, come play a game of chess with me!" "You're just too strong... Let me play as White, and I'll play you." "Hahaha! Are you even a man, asking for a handicap against a girl?" "Many world-class chess masters are women, you know? And you're clearly much more experienced than me, so what's shameful about losing?" I said without blushing. "Fine, it's rare to have an opponent, so I'll indulge you." Arisu lifted her slender, delicate hand, pinched a piece, and moved it off the board. "Satisfied now?" "No, I want you to give up your light-squared bishop. If I take the dark-squared one, I'll be too passive after castling." I corrected her, pushing my luck. Arisu immediately frowned and threw the piece aside: "Why are you so nitpicky! You're fussing over such trivial things! I'm not playing anymore! You're too hard to please..." Hehe, mission accomplished. It's a good thing you can't stand me! I did it on purpose... "Then, Lady Alice, may I take my leave?" "Get out!" Arisu waved her hand. I felt as if I had been granted amnesty and quickly slipped away. After I left, Arisu silently picked up the light-squared bishop and held it before her eyes, murmuring: "Are you really that afraid of me? If I had known, I would have just played along and let you win back then... You call me competitive, Kitazawa Minya, but aren't you the same? Why don't you know how to challenge me again? Coward..."