The Guilt Borne by an Accomplice

"Oh? Class B actually chose to wade into this mess? That's certainly unexpected!"

Ryuen and I stood together in front of the bulletin board on the landing near the shoe lockers, looking over the efforts Class D had made in its desperate struggle.

"Class B was even willing to spend points on a Class D student. Does that mean Class B has allied itself with Class D? What an interesting decision. I wonder which of Class D's little groups they've allied with."

Even with the timeline moved up so much, Class B had still chosen to ally itself with Class D under Ichinose's leadership.

It was also possible that Class B had only chosen to "help" Class D, but Ryuen and I were both deeply displeased by even this degree of assistance.

"Has Class D still done nothing but ask other students around the school for information? Should we think about guiding them into coming to us and negotiating terms?"

If we let Class D keep dragging its feet, things would be much more troublesome when the Student Council held its hearing.

"Well, I'll go to Class D myself in a little while."

Ryuen hadn't expected Class D to hold out for so many days. The hearing was tomorrow, and they still hadn't come to Class C.

"Good morning, Ryuen! Sima!"

Just as Ryuen and I were discussing what to do next, Ichinose, dressed casually, greeted us from behind.

"We've taken note of this notice Class B put up. If we get the chance, we'll pay you back in full."

Ryuen adopted a menacing stance and addressed Ichinose and Kanzaki, who stood behind her, in a tone that was practically a declaration of war.

"It's just a notice. Class B isn't afraid of your threats, Ryuen."

Kanzaki stood beside Ichinose, tempering Ryuen's imposing presence a little—but only a little.

"You dared to make a decision without understanding the whole story, and meddled in a dispute between other classes. So this is what you're like, the school's universal air conditioner.

"For the sake of some so-called friendship and solidarity between classmates, you chose to cover for someone who bullied a fellow student, suddenly attacked a friend from a club, and beat them until they were drenched in blood.

"The young heir of Kanzaki Heavy Industries. I doubt this is the first time you've done something like this.

"Someone like you, with both power and influence, doing this doesn't surprise me.

"This school is no different from the others I've visited. They all have a group of self-righteous elites whitewashing the actions of the abusers.

"All it takes is for those beasts in human clothing—their 'kindred'—to step forward and vouch for them with their already flimsy reputations. Then they'll willingly become accomplices to the abusers."

After I finished speaking, before Ryuen could get a word in, applause rang out from the stairwell.

All four of us looked toward the sound. Sakayanagi was laboriously making her way up the stairs with the help of her cane.

"As expected of Masaryu. Your viciousness never disappoints."

Having listened to the whole exchange, Sakayanagi walked over to me with a pleased expression and straightened my collar with one hand.

"If Class B chooses to keep stubbornly acting as Class D's accomplice in this incident, then I have nothing to say. After all, this is the choice Class B's leader has made for her class."

After leaving those words behind, I took Sakayanagi's hand and left with her and Ryuen.

According to the information Class C had gathered, the main people responsible for Class D's contact with Class B were Hirata, Kushida, and Horikita.

Hirata and Kushida had been chosen by the class, while Horikita had gone on her own after learning that there was a gap in the rankings between the classes.

Horikita's involvement wasn't important. In fact, if Horikita was still the one leading the alliance between Classes B and D this time, that would give us another card to play.

The main people involved in this incident were Sudo, Hirata, and Kushida.

I'd dealt with Ichinose's dark past before, and judging from the way she'd looked at me just now, there seemed to be something more to it—as if she were speaking to me with her eyes.

But the me of today was nothing like the person I'd been back then. They said even three days apart could make you see someone in a new light, and it had been over three months for me. The old plan couldn't keep up with the changes.

We needed to adjust our strategy. Now that Ichinose no longer had a dark past, why not help her create a worse one?

Ichinose, you care about your class and your friendships. Then I'll go after those very things and cut deep.

A little theft, followed by being made to kneel and apologize publicly after her mother found out, had already left such a deep psychological scar. Would my next plan break her completely? It wouldn't... right?

"Ryuen, we can leave Class D alone for now. If they want to come negotiate, they can. If not, that's their choice. There's a much bigger fish on the chopping board now."

After taking Sakayanagi to her destination, I laid out my plan to Ryuen on our way back to the Activity Room.

"Are you setting your sights on Class B? That class is a little too united. It won't be easy to infiltrate."

Ryuen put together what I'd said earlier when I mocked Ichinose and Ishizaki to their faces and figured out my new target.

"Bingo, Ryuen. Which do you think is more tormenting: collective guilt or personal guilt?"

"Without a doubt, personal guilt. A group can always dissipate its guilt internally, and might even turn it into strength and become more extreme."

Ryuen answered after only a moment's thought.

"If you stretch the timeline out, your answer is undoubtedly right. Then let me ask you another question.

"Ryuen, which do you think weighs more heavily: collective guilt or personal guilt?"

"Over time, collective guilt will gradually grow lighter, while personal guilt tends to grow heavier."

There wasn't really any fundamental difference between those two questions. A group always had a kind of magic to it. A group had strength, but it was hard for a group to get anything done. Without an outstanding leader, a group was synonymous with failure.

"I don't think I need to explain what an outstanding leader can do for a group. Ryuen, do you think either Ichinose or Kanzaki is an outstanding leader?"

"If they were outstanding leaders, they wouldn't have brought Class B into a losing fight. If we weren't fighting with points, I'd want to drag Class B into this and carve a chunk out of them."

"Don't worry. Class B won't escape our grasp this time. Have you noticed how the students in Class B have been acting toward Ichinose these past few days? It's almost like they depend on her.

"Class B is a group with a less-than-outstanding leader. But that leader has an unusually strong personal charm. It's her defining trait—and Class B's weakness.

"The relationship between time and guilt can be reversed when it comes to Class B. No matter how much guilt we put on them, they can't escape it.

"Because Ichinose will consciously shoulder the class's guilt herself. And because Ichinose is what holds Class B together, they'll willingly share the burden of the guilt she carries.

"They're climbing to heaven by stepping on their own feet. That's Class B. How could we let such a juicy fish get away?"