Evidence

The Student Council deliberation room was thick with tension, a dead silence like the calm before a storm. The long, dark table divided the room into two clear fronts.

On Class D's side: Chabashira Sae wore a cold, stern expression; Horikita Suzune sat upright, her sharp, phoenix-like eyes fixed on the opposite side; Sudo Ken barely contained his rage, his hands clenched into fists on his knees, knuckles white; Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, like a piece of background scenery, sat expressionless in the corner.

On Class C's side: Class C homeroom teacher Sakagami Kazuma wore an air of detached indifference; Ishizaki Daichi, Komiya Yogo, and Kondo Suzune bore obvious bruises on their faces, yet their eyes were filled with malice and provocation, occasionally sweeping toward Sudo with smug glances.

At the head of the long table sat Student Council President Horikita Manabu, his hands crossed on the table, steady as a mountain, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. Flanking him were Vice President Kazama In and Secretary Tachibana Akane.

When Kazama In, in his capacity as Vice President, calmly followed Horikita Manabu and Tachibana Akane into the deliberation room and took his seat to Horikita Manabu's right, a silent storm erupted on Class D's side!

Sudo Ken's eyes nearly popped out of his head, his mouth gaping wide enough to fit an egg. "Vice, Vice President?! Kazama?! What the hell?!" he blurted out, utterly unable to comprehend the scene before him. That quiet, taciturn classmate who was always reading strange books was actually the lofty Student Council Vice President?!

Even Horikita Suzune's cool face showed rare, intense shock! Her gaze shot toward Kazama In like a searchlight, filled with disbelief and deep scrutiny! She finally understood why Kazama In had access to past exam papers, why he always seemed so confident. Vice President... that identity meant he commanded resources and information far beyond an ordinary student's reach! She instinctively glanced at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, only to find his face still an unreadable poker mask, as if Kazama In's identity surprised him not at all. "He knew all along!" That realization made Horikita Suzune's heart sink.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's thoughts: "Identity revealed. Class D's shock is expected. Sudo's reaction is too overt, but it won't affect the big picture. Kazama In's Vice President status is a key card here."

"Silence!" Secretary Tachibana Akane's stern gaze swept over Sudo Ken. "During the deliberation, please remain quiet, Sudo Ken."

Cowed by Tachibana Akane's presence, Sudo Ken reluctantly shut his mouth, but his eyes remained locked on Kazama In.

Horikita Manabu surveyed the room, his voice steady and powerful, announcing the start of the deliberation: "Regarding the complaint from Class C students Ishizaki Daichi, Komiya Yogo, and Kondo Suzune accusing Class D student Sudo Ken of violent assault, the Student Council formally accepts this case. Now, Secretary Tachibana Akane will read the complaint and outline the relevant procedures."

Tachibana Akane picked up the documents, reading Class C's accusations in a clear, cold tone, emphasizing Sudo's "unilateral violence" and the "serious injuries" they had suffered. Then, Kazama In took the documents and, in his characteristic flat yet piercing voice, read out the Student Council's investigation procedures and possible penalties (including expulsion), indicating that both sides could now make statements and argue their cases.

The ensuing verbal battle almost perfectly mirrored the original trajectory.

The three Class C students insisted Sudo had attacked them unprovoked, vividly describing their "miserable state" and Sudo's "brutality."

Sudo Ken, veins bulging on his forehead in fury, slammed the table and stood, angrily retorting that they had provoked him first and he had only acted in self-defense.

Horikita Suzune calmly pointed out multiple contradictions in Class C's testimony and suspicious points in the timeline.

Class C homeroom teacher Sakagami Kazuma, with a sarcastic tone, remarked that "Class D students' low quality and violent tendencies are well known," implying Sudo's defense was unreliable.

Ishizaki and the others even arrogantly shouted, "Prove it if you can! Who saw us provoke him? Any witnesses?!"

The atmosphere reached a stalemate, the scales seemingly tipping in Class C's favor.

Just then, Tachibana Akane, following procedure, presented key evidence: "According to the Student Council's investigation, there is a video testimony provided by an anonymous witness."

The screen lit up, and Sakura Airi's voice, filled with immense fear and tension, distorted through voice modulation, came through haltingly. Trembling, she described what she had witnessed that day behind the gymnasium: how the three Class C students had cornered and provoked Sudo, and how it was Ishizaki who had shoved first, forcing Sudo to retaliate in self-defense!

"Bullshit!" Ishizaki's face changed drastically as he cut in loudly. "That voice is all distorted! Who knows if it's some actor they hired! That evidence is invalid!"

"Yeah! No face shown, no one knows who it is! Class D must have faked it!" Komiya and Kondo immediately chimed in.

Class C homeroom teacher Sakagami also immediately questioned the authenticity of the video testimony and the reliability of the anonymous witness. The situation was deadlocked again; a testimony from someone unwilling to show their face seemed insufficient to turn the tables completely.

Horikita Manabu's brow furrowed slightly, his gaze shifting to Kazama In, as if waiting for him, as Vice President, to make a statement or take the next step.

Kazama In's expression remained utterly calm, as if the heated argument had nothing to do with him. His gaze, like a precise probe, crossed the long table and landed on Ayanokoji Kiyotaka in the corner. There was no emotion in that look, only a silent command and confirmation.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka received Kazama In's signal. Thoughts: "Sakura's testimony can't seal the deal. Need to supplement the evidence chain. Execute Plan B." He slightly raised his eyes and spoke in his usual flat tone: "Regarding the witness's authenticity and the testimony's credibility, I have some supplementary evidence here that might clarify a few things."

Everyone's attention instantly focused on this low-profile Class D boy.

Under the suspicious, uncertain gazes of the crowd, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka took a USB drive from his bag and handed it to Tachibana Akane. "This is an audio recording made the day after the incident, in a private room at an entertainment venue in the commercial district. It contains a conversation where Class C students Ishizaki Daichi, Komiya Yogo, and Kondo Suzune, under the direction of Ryuen Kakeru, openly admit to deliberately attacking each other to worsen their existing injuries, intending to frame Sudo Ken, and discussing how to collude on false testimony."

These words dropped like a bombshell in the deliberation room!

"What?!"

"Impossible!"

"Nonsense!"

Ishizaki, Komiya, and Kondo instantly turned deathly pale, looking in terror toward Ryuen (though he wasn't present), then toward their homeroom teacher Sakagami, whose face had turned livid! They never imagined that their secret scheming in that KTV room had been recorded!

Horikita Manabu's eyes sharpened: "Secretary Tachibana, play it!"

Tachibana Akane immediately inserted the USB drive into the device. Soon, the speakers crackled with background noise, followed by the clear voices of Ishizaki and the others:

(Ishizaki): "...Boss, is this injury enough? Want me to give Komiya another punch to the face? Make it look worse?"

(Komiya): "Tch... go easy! Damn it, I have to get beaten up again just to frame that bastard!"

(Kondo): "...Got the collusion story memorized? Stick to it—he struck first, beat us to a pulp..."

(A vague but commanding voice, clearly Ryuen): "Mm, make it look real. This time, I want that red-haired gorilla from Class D gone for good!"

The recording was clear and complete, laying bare the ugly scheme of the three Class C students—malicious framing, self-inflicted injuries, and false accusations! The evidence was ironclad!

Ishizaki, Komiya, and Kondo collapsed into their chairs like puppets with their strings cut, faces drained of color, too weak even to retort. Sakagami's expression was grim to the extreme.

Horikita Manabu's cold gaze swept over Class C, finally resting on the ashen-faced trio: "Malicious false accusations, collusion to give perjured testimony, self-harm to frame a fellow student... Ishizaki Daichi, Komiya Yogo, Kondo Suzune! Your actions are a serious violation of school rules, of the most egregious nature! According to school regulations, this warrants..."

"President." Just as Horikita Manabu was about to announce the harshest penalty (expulsion), a calm voice interrupted him.

Everyone turned to look. The speaker was none other than Vice President Kazama In.

Kazama In, meeting Horikita Manabu's and the others' puzzled gazes, slowly stood up. His ink-black eyes swept calmly over the limp Class C trio, and his voice, though not loud, carried an undeniable verdict:

"The evidence is conclusive, the facts are clear. Ishizaki Daichi, Komiya Yogo, and Kondo Suzune are guilty of malicious false accusations and disrupting campus order. The evidence is irrefutable."

He paused, then shifted his tone: "However, considering this is their first offense (at least on the surface), and this incident has not yet resulted in actual expulsion for Sudo Ken (since the truth was exposed in time), directly imposing expulsion would be too severe a punishment."

Ignoring the faint spark of hope that lit up in the Class C trio's eyes and the puzzled looks from Class D (especially Sudo), he continued: "I recommend the following disciplinary measures:

1. Ishizaki Daichi, Komiya Yogo, and Kondo Suzune will have all their personal points deducted for this semester and will receive a formal school warning, recorded in their files."

2. Class C is deducted 50 class points due to a student's malicious false accusation.

3. The three individuals must issue a written public apology to Sudo Ken and Class D.

This punishment preserved the school enrollment of Ishizaki and his two companions, but their personal points were reset to zero, a demerit was recorded in their files, their class was heavily penalized, and they were forced to apologize publicly, losing all face. While the substantive penalties were severe, it still gave them a way out.

Horikita Manabu gave Kazama In a deep look. He understood Kazama's intent: completely severing ties and expelling the three would be satisfying, but it would thoroughly enrage Ryuuen and Class C, leading to even more frenzied and uncontrollable retaliation. Kazama's ruling was both punishment and warning, but also left room for maneuver, preventing the situation from escalating. Moreover, it did not entirely conflict with the "contract" spirit he had established with Ryuuen (the contract mainly restrained the other party from further attacking Class D over this matter or leaking the video; it did not restrict the Student Council from issuing penalties based on new evidence).

Horikita Manabu finally nodded and announced in a dignified voice: "The Vice President's proposal is reasonable. This President rules: Ishizaki Daichi, Komiya Yogo, and Kondo Suzune will have all their personal points for this semester deducted, receive a severe warning, and have it recorded in their files! Class C is deducted 50 class points! The three must submit a written apology to Sudo Ken and Class D within three working days! If they reoffend, they will be immediately expelled with no leniency! This meeting is adjourned!"

The verdict was delivered. The dust had settled.

The three from Class C looked as if they had received a pardon, yet their faces were ashen. Under their homeroom teacher Sakagami's livid expression, they slunk away.

The Class D students breathed a collective sigh of relief. Sudo Ken even pumped his fist in excitement. Horikita Suzune's gaze toward Kazama In grew even more complex, filled with scrutiny. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka remained calm as always, thinking to himself: The optimal solution has been reached. Kazama's ruling balanced rules and equilibrium. Ryuuen's contractual restraint remains intact.

Kazama In calmly gathered the documents on the table, his ink-black eyes betraying no ripple of emotion, as if the verdict that had just decided the fates of several people was nothing more than routine business to him. The Arbiter's mercy was never weakness, but precise control based on an overall assessment.