Conspiracy

"Have you checked again?"

Ryuen Kakeru leaned against the wall, his fingertips lightly tapping the table, his sharp gaze scrutinizing Ishizaki Daichi through the red hair falling across his forehead.

"Confirmed."

Ishizaki Daichi stood ramrod straight, his voice deep and firm, but his slightly tense shoulders betrayed his nervousness. He unconsciously clenched his fists.

"Proceed according to plan this afternoon."

Ryuen Kakeru's lips curled into a cold smile, but his eyes remained devoid of warmth.

"Ryuen, I have some questions..."

Ishizaki Daichi hesitated for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing, as if he was carefully choosing his words.

"Oh?" Ryuen Kakeru raised an eyebrow, his gaze piercing him like a knife. "Speak."

Why don't we arrange for someone to take photos and videos?

Ishizaki Daichi raised his head, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.

Ryuen Kakeru chuckled and patted Ishizaki Daichi's shoulder with a light touch, which made Ishizaki Daichi stiffen.

"I'm glad you're willing to think about it." His tone was approving, yet contained a hint of warning. "But who will take the photos?"

"There are so many classmates in the class..." Ishizaki Daichi tentatively suggested.

Are they trustworthy?

Ryuen Kakeru narrowed his eyes, his voice suddenly turning cold.

Ishizaki Daichi fell silent instantly, a bead of cold sweat appearing on his forehead.

"I see."

He lowered his head, his voice almost inaudible.

Beside her, Ibuki Mio crossed her arms and leaned against the window, coldly observing the conversation between the two.

Her gaze shifted between Ryuen Kakeru and Ishizaki Daichi, her lips slightly downturned, clearly showing her impatience with Ishizaki Daichi's hesitation.

After Ishizaki Daichi left, Ibuki Mio slowly spoke, "Are you sure you don't need to?"

Her voice was cool and tinged with a hint of skepticism.

Ryuen Kakeru turned around, his gaze falling on her, a playful smile playing on his lips. "On one hand, it's a test for them; I have too few people I can use." He slowly approached, making her look directly at him. "On the other hand, no one can be sure whether there won't be any unforeseen changes."

Ibuki Mio frowned, but did not avoid his gaze; her eyes remained indifferent.

Ryuen Kakeru turned around, his tone indifferent.

"Without providing video footage, at most it can be considered a lost fight. If you file a complaint, the worst-case scenario is that there was some concealment."

"After all, the school has security cameras. By focusing on that, we can ensure they're on the side that it wasn't intentional or a frame-up. But if there's video evidence, then it constitutes a frame-up. I can't afford to lose any of my men."

He paused, a hint of sarcasm flashing in his eyes, "Class C is indeed as Tanaka Yukishin said, the students' foundation is too weak."

Two hours later.

Ryuen Kakeru sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest, his expression languid yet exuding a dangerous aura.

Albert stood behind him, his tall figure like a silent wall, staring expressionlessly at the doorway.

Ishizaki Daichi and his two companions pushed open the door and entered, their faces and hands bearing obvious marks, and their clothes were somewhat disheveled.

Their eyes were weary, yet they still forced themselves to keep their backs straight.

Ryuen Kakeru's gaze swept over them, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Tomorrow, use the script I taught you, understand?"

His voice was deep and commanding, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Yes!"

The three responded in unison, their voices somewhat hoarse but firm.

Ibuki Mio stood in the shadows of the corner, almost blending into the darkness.

Her gaze lingered on the three men for a moment, and a complex emotion flashed in her eyes when she saw their battered and bruised appearance.

But she quickly looked away and resumed her indifferent expression.

The following day at noon.

As soon as the bell rang, Chabashira Sae appeared at the classroom door.

With one hand in her pocket and the other holding a stack of documents, her sharp gaze fixed directly on Ken Sudō, who was stretching.

Her black suit jacket was impeccably tailored, and her shirt collar was meticulously buttoned to the top, exuding an undeniable air of authority.

"Sudo, come to my office."

Her voice was deep and crisp.

Ken Sudō stood up, grabbing Yamauchi Haruki's arm as they prepared to rush towards the cafeteria, when he heard this, he frowned and scratched the back of his head impatiently.

"What's the emergency, teacher? I'm starving."

His tone was clearly displeased, and his stomach even rumbled in agreement.

Chabashira Sae narrowed her eyes slightly, her fingertips tapping lightly on the folder.

"If you keep rambling, you're just wasting your time."

She said coldly, then turned and left.

It seemed certain that he would catch up.

Ken Sudō pursed his lips, then turned and waved to Yamauchi Haruki.

"Yamauchi, you go to the cafeteria first, I'll come over in a bit."

"Okay, hurry up."

Yamauchi Haruki nodded, a hint of worry on his face.

The students in the classroom all stopped what they were doing, their eyes shifting back and forth between Ken Sudō and Chabashira Sae.

People were whispering among themselves.

"Chabashira-sensei suddenly contacted him, could it be that he's gotten into trouble again?"

As soon as Ken Sudō left, Kushida Kikyo immediately moved closer to Yamauchi Haruki.

With a sweet smile on her face, she gently clasped her hands together, tilted her head, and asked, "Yamauchi, what did Chabashira-sensei want to talk to Sudo about just now?"

Her voice was soft, carrying just the right amount of curiosity, as if she were simply concerned about her classmate.

Yamauchi Haruki scratched his cheek and smiled somewhat awkwardly.

"I don't know either. The teacher only told Sudo to go to her office; she had something to ask him."

His tone was ambiguous, clearly indicating he didn't want to talk more, and his eyes unconsciously drifted towards the classroom door, as if worried that Ken Sudō might suddenly return.

Kushida Kikyo blinked, her smile unchanged.

"Is that so? Thanks, I'll ask Sudo when he gets back."

She gently patted Yamauchi Haruki's shoulder, a gesture that was intimate yet unpretentious, before turning and leaving, her skirt fluttering slightly as she walked with light steps.

A few boys secretly glanced at Kushida Kikyo's back and whispered among themselves.

"Kushida is so kind..."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka watched as his classmates walked together in twos and threes.

I felt a little envious.

"I've already become a three-shot target, and my classmates sometimes come to visit me. Why doesn't anyone invite me out for meals?"

"As expected, my previous attitude probably made my classmates think I didn't like this atmosphere."

Just then, he saw Horikita Suzune take a bento box out of her schoolbag.

There were no meat dishes or meat products.

However, judging from the dishes themselves, the presentation and aroma were quite excellent.

Noticing his gaze, Horikita Suzune tilted her head slightly, her black hair sliding down her shoulder.

"What is it, Ayanokōji?"

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka withdrew his gaze, his tone indifferent.

"Nothing, I was just curious why you don't eat in the cafeteria."

From their first encounter on the school bus to the present, despite having had many interactions, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka still cannot fully understand Horikita Suzune's thoughts.

A student who enters school with 100,000 points will subconsciously choose to save money when buying daily necessities.

Why would I waste money making bento boxes?

Moreover, considering only the time frame...

For someone as hardworking as Horikita Suzune, this is an extremely low-value option.

Horikita Suzune gently opened the bento box lid, her voice calm.

"Didn't you know? The supermarket offers free ingredients, one serving per person per day, just enough for one meal."

"But why bother cooking yourself?"

He frowned slightly and asked, puzzled.

"Because the Student Cafeteria is too noisy." She looked up at him, a hint of self-righteousness in her eyes. "Here, we can eat in peace and quiet, right?"

"I mean, time," he added. "Cooking takes a lot of time, doesn't it?"

Horikita Suzune picked up her chopsticks, gracefully choosing a piece of tamagoyaki, and said calmly, "According to calculations, if I were to cook myself, I would need enough for at least two people to balance out eating at the cafeteria. However, I believe that the art of cooking has its value. So, considering it, it's definitely worth it."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was silent for a second, then shrugged.

"You win. I'm going to the cafeteria. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

She responded without looking up, her tone still indifferent, but compared to her complete disregard at the beginning of the semester, it was an improvement.

As he walked out of the classroom, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka paused slightly.

... Even Horikita Suzune, the Ice Maiden, has grown to the point where she can say "goodbye" to others.

As for me, I haven't experienced normal campus life yet.

We lost again.

In the classroom, several girls secretly glanced at Horikita Suzune and whispered among themselves.

"Horikita makes his own bento boxes? That's surprising..."

"But she seemed so aloof, she didn't dare to say a word..."

Chapter 95, Section 94: Conspiracy

After lunch, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka returned to the classroom.

As soon as he pushed open the door, he sensed the unusual atmosphere.

Ken Sudō sat alone in his seat, his fists clenched, his face terribly grim.

Hirata Yosuke stood beside him, his right hand gently resting on his shoulder, his face bearing a gentle yet firm expression—a stark contrast to the dejected Hirata Yosuke of just a few days ago.

"Ayanokōji, you're back just in time!"

Ken Sudō suddenly looked up, his voice filled with suppressed anger, "I need your help with something."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka walked slowly towards the classroom, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room.

Kushida Kikyo clasped her hands tightly to her chest, her long golden hair swaying gently with her uneasy pacing.

Yamauchi Haruki kept scratching his head, his eyes darting around.

Horikita Suzune, meanwhile, leaned against the window with her arms crossed, her cold gaze fixed on the distance through the glass.