Sanctioning the Perverted Clerk

After school.

Chihaya Rei had already explained the situation to Sakura Airi at noon.

He told her that he had also asked Matsushita Chiaki to help her deal with the shop assistant.

Therefore, the three of them were now on their way to Keyaki Mall together.

The three of them had different thoughts.

Chihaya Rei was thinking that once he found the evidence, he had to go all out to Torture the perverted shop assistant to earn the maximum amount of Torture Points.

After torturing Kushida Kikyo and Sudo, the system's torture progress bar had already accumulated to 85%, just one step away from 100%.

It would be impossible for him not to be looking forward to it.

Sakura Airi, on the other hand, was thinking about how their date for two had turned into a group of three.

However, thinking that there was someone with her to help keep that terrifying shop assistant in check, Sakura Airi felt that this was actually quite good.

As for Matsushita Chiaki.

She wondered if Karuizawa Kei had seen her going to the mall with Chihaya Rei.

She had specifically gone out into the hallway to meet up with Chihaya Rei and Sakura Airi.

But... why did she feel guilty?

It was Chihaya Rei who asked for her help, not her who had proactively sought him out.

So, this shouldn't count as backstabbing a good friend.

The wild thoughts of the two girls did not last long before they were interrupted by Chihaya Rei's voice.

He first explained the situation to Matsushita Chiaki, then discussed what they should do in a moment.

Soon, led by Sakura Airi, the three arrived near the shop where she had bought her camera.

Chihaya Rei walked in first.

This shop was not the same one where he had bought his digital camera before.

He saw a short-haired man dressed in a formal suit, sitting at the front desk browsing a computer.

Judging by his appearance, he was already a middle-aged geezer, dressed in a decent-looking suit, yet in private, he was a disgusting stalker.

Upon noticing a customer entering, the shop assistant asked subconsciously, "Student, what are you looking to buy?"

"I'll just look around on my own first."

Chihaya Rei replied expressionlessly, but he didn't walk far, standing by a shelf near the front desk and pretending to examine the merchandise.

Seeing this, the male shop assistant didn't say anything more.

Some customers liked to look at products themselves and didn't need a shop assistant hovering around to introduce them; such customers were very common.

Two minutes later, Matsushita Chiaki walked in with Sakura Airi, pretending not to know Chihaya Rei.

The shop assistant naturally saw his long-awaited internet idol, "Shizuku"—Sakura Airi had come again.

And she had brought her friend along.

He really was destined to be with Shizuku!

His face broke into a grin, and he walked out from behind the desk, rubbing his hands together enthusiastically to welcome them, his attitude completely different from how he had greeted Chihaya Rei just moments ago.

"This female student, we meet again. What would you like to buy this time?"

"...It's my friend who wants to buy something."

Sakura Airi kept her distance from him and responded with a natural expression.

Matsushita Chiaki also took the opportunity to say generously:

"I want to buy a camera, and a tripod that can hold it steady. Please take me to see them."

This was the strategy the three of them had discussed on the way; while he was busy fiddling with the tripods, Chihaya Rei would see if he could collect any evidence.

The shop assistant naturally didn't harbor any suspicion regarding Matsushita Chiaki's request.

"No problem, you two, follow me this way."

He grinned broadly, saying with a smug look on his face:

"My shop has the most complete range of camera products in Keyaki Mall."

"You won't go wrong buying things here."

"You two pretty students, let's exchange contact information and be friends. If you want to buy anything in the future, you can contact me directly, or we can just chat."

The shop assistant spoke with excessive enthusiasm, his gaze scanning the two of them without any restraint.

Matsushita Chiaki also felt that this person was extremely wrong; what he was saying had already exceeded the scope of a normal salesperson, and his gaze was unsettling.

However, in order to stall him, Matsushita and Sakura followed him toward another area.

Chihaya Rei glanced over, seeing that the shop assistant had already turned his back to him.

He walked straight to the front desk and found the computer still running with a webpage open.

However, he first proceeded to open several cabinets in succession to inspect them.

Inside were several disassembled mobile phones and cameras that had yet to be reassembled.

Chihaya Rei couldn't help but suspect that he was using these devices for voyeurism.

Not only that, but in one of the cabinets, he successfully found several letters; these were identical to the ones Sakura Airi had shown him that morning.

They were already filled with dense, cramped handwriting.

By comparing the handwriting on these letters with the ones Sakura Airi had received, it was essentially enough to confirm the clerk's harassment.

Chihaya Rei first gathered up this incriminating evidence.

He then looked at the laptop sitting on the desk and checked the browser history directly.

He quickly found the webpage for Sakura Airi's podcast, along with the clerk's disgusting comments.

He even discovered photos of students who had visited the shop, all taken without their consent, stored right on the computer.

Seeing this, Chihaya Rei decided there was no need to use his phone to take pictures as evidence.

He pulled the power plug from the laptop, intending to hand the entire machine over to the Student Council; everything inside was evidence.

Throughout all this, the clerk didn't even turn around to look, completely unaware that his crimes had been exposed.

Chihaya Rei took out his phone to inform Horikita Manabu that he had discovered a voyeur at Keyaki Mall and had already secured the evidence, urging him to send someone over to handle it immediately.

Horikita Manabu told Chihaya Rei not to take any action, saying he would arrive shortly with the security team.

Don't take action?

That was impossible.

Chihaya Rei was certainly not going to be that obedient.

It would take Horikita Manabu about ten minutes to bring people over, which gave him just enough time to act.

"Alright, Matsushita, Airi, stop acting. Come over to my side."

He stepped forward quickly, calling out to Matsushita Chiaki and Sakura Airi while shielding them behind him.

Upon hearing this, the two girls were quick-witted enough to move away from the clerk immediately.

The clerk stared at the three of them in confusion, a bad premonition rising in his heart.

"What are you doing?"

He asked instinctively.

"Did you find the evidence?" Matsushita Chiaki whispered.

"Of course."

Chihaya Rei nodded seriously, then told Sakura Airi:

"Airi, this is the person who has been stalking you and leaving those harassing letters in your mailbox."

Sakura Airi couldn't help but widen her eyes.

"Then now..."

She wanted to confront the clerk and ask why he would do something so excessive.

But if she said that, her identity as an internet idol would be exposed to Chihaya Rei and Matsushita Chiaki.

Fortunately, Chihaya Rei didn't pay it any mind; instead, he swept a sharp gaze toward the perverted clerk and mocked:

"You perverted voyeur, everything you've done at Advanced Nurturing High School is exposed. Get ready to rot in jail."

"You?!"

The perverted clerk was clearly stunned for a moment. Once he realized what was happening, he instantly wore a ferocious expression and cursed agitatedly:

"What are you spouting? What did I do? Don't go around slandering me!"

"Then what is this?"

Chihaya Rei pulled out the harassing letters he had just confiscated: "And it's not just this. Everything on your computer is evidence, and I've seen it all."

The perverted clerk grew visibly anxious upon seeing the letters in Chihaya Rei's hand. A flash of panic crossed his wide eyes as he pointed a finger in a fit of rage.

"Who told you to touch my things? Give them back!"

"Give them to me!"

A ruthless expression crossed his fat face as he realized he had to snatch those letters back.

As long as there was no evidence and he refused to admit anything, there was nothing they could do to him.

Besides, they were just a few students; he truly didn't believe they could do anything to him.

With that, he lunged at Chihaya Rei, reaching out with his thick arms to grab the harassing letters back.

Chihaya Rei didn't even blink.

He simply felt that every single day, someone tried to snatch something away from a drummer like him.

If he really let someone snatch it, it would be as embarrassing as a drummer losing their drumsticks.

However... he was waiting for the clerk to make the first move.

Otherwise, he would still lack a justifiable reason for self-defense.

In an instant, he reached out with a powerful hand, gripped the perverted clerk's wrist, and twisted his forearm in the opposite direction.

"Ah, ah, it hurts! Let go of me... ah..."

The clerk was instantly drenched in cold sweat from the pain, screaming while struggling desperately with both hands to resist.

But at the same time, Chihaya Rei kicked him hard behind the knee, forcing him to drop onto one knee on the ground.

The clerk's face twisted into a grimace as he tried to lunge forward, but Chihaya Rei curled his lips into a smirk and delivered a straight kick to his crotch.

With that kick, the clerk was sent reeling backward, his back slamming against the floor.

He was completely unable to get up, clutching his groin with both hands and howling in agony, his expression one of extreme pain.

"Don't, don't hit me anymore, I was wrong, I... I surrender!"

Seeing Chihaya Rei's leg move again, the clerk thought he was going to be kicked once more and shouted out in terror.

Matsushita Chiaki and Sakura Airi, standing to the side, were stunned into silence.

"You aren't surrendering; you just failed to resist."

Chihaya Rei felt no sympathy for him; one had to strike hard when dealing with people like this.

He kicked the clerk in the leg again, looked down at him, and criticized him from a position of superiority:

"You're just a common clerk. If you can't run your business properly, who gave you the guts to engage in these illegal activities at the school?"

After saying this, Chihaya Rei turned his head to look at the two girls and asked with a calm expression:

"Do you two want to come over and kick him a few times to vent your anger?"

This was the first time he had used force to solve a problem since arriving at Advanced Nurturing High School, and he had to admit that not having to use his brain was quite refreshing.

"..."

Matsushita Chiaki and Sakura Airi exchanged glances, and seeing that neither seemed to have any interest, they shook their heads in silent agreement.

"Maybe not...?"

Matsushita Chiaki spoke up awkwardly, and looking at the clerk's expression, he was already pale from the pain.

Matsushita Chiaki was afraid that if they kept kicking him, he might just pass out.

"Don't worry, with me watching, he won't have a chance to lay a hand on you."

Chihaya Rei thought they were hesitant and added a reassuring remark.

However, the two girls still shook their heads in refusal; they really didn't want to get any closer to such a disgusting clerk.

"Forget it then."

Seeing this, Chihaya Rei looked slightly disappointed.

If he had known, he would have brought Karuizawa Kei along to kick him; Karuizawa Kei would certainly have followed his instructions and given him a few good kicks.

It would have been a good chance for Karuizawa Kei to get some practical experience, too.

"How should we handle this next? Should we call the police directly?"

Matsushita Chiaki couldn't help but ask.

Although students at Advanced Nurturing High School were not allowed to contact the outside world, in reality, it was still possible to call the police from within the school.

"I've already notified the Student Council; they should be here soon."

Chihaya Rei replied, knowing that Horikita Manabu's efficiency was quite high.