Please, Come and Be Scolded

"An inside agent? Is that really necessary?"

Karuizawa Kei was confused.

She wasn't exactly dim-witted, but she wasn't particularly sharp either.

Even now, she still didn't grasp the competitive nature of the classes.

"You don't need to understand. Just agree to it, and I will protect you in the future."

Makoto Nishikado gave his promise.

He already held sway over Class D, so protecting Karuizawa Kei would be a simple matter.

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

Karuizawa Kei agreed decisively, without a second of hesitation.

What was selling out the class, anyway?

Makoto Nishikado was a good person willing to protect her; from now on, she would attach herself to him like a parasite.

As for Class D, aside from her small circle of friends, she didn't care much about the others.

Betraying Class D caused Karuizawa Kei absolutely no psychological burden.

Even if she learned about the competition between classes later on, Karuizawa Kei wouldn't change her mind.

To her, rising to Class A wasn't an important goal.

"If there are no surprises, Class D won't be receiving many private points each month from now on."

"As a reward for helping me, I'll give you 5,000 private points every month."

"If you provide significant help, I'll give you extra bonuses."

After speaking, Makoto Nishikado used his personal terminal to transfer the funds, and 5,000 private points appeared in Karuizawa Kei's account.

"What's going on? Is the school not giving out points next month?"

Karuizawa Kei was startled.

She had already spent quite a few of her own points.

At her current rate of spending, she definitely wouldn't make it to the end of the month.

"It's like this..."

Makoto Nishikado recounted all the intelligence he had gathered during this period to Karuizawa Kei.

He explained his relationship with Horikita Suzune, but concealed the true nature of Kushida Kikyo, saying only that Kushida Kikyo had also pledged her loyalty to him.

"Moving forward, you will join Horikita Suzune's side on the surface and help her manage the class."

"In reality, you will be my inside agent in Class D, and you must help me at critical moments."

Makoto Nishikado said with deep meaning.

He had a firm grasp on Horikita Suzune's future trajectory, but he still needed to prepare an extra move.

"Didn't you say you were her teacher?"

Karuizawa Kei was quite surprised.

Hearing that Makoto Nishikado had already recruited Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo, she had felt a bit redundant.

She truly hadn't expected Makoto Nishikado to have such plans.

"I am her teacher, but I am also the leader of Class B."

"She can trust me, but she absolutely shouldn't trust me with everything, especially when it comes to class competition. Guarding against me is something she ought to do."

"If she has no defenses at all, then as her teacher, I should teach her a lesson."

Makoto Nishikado narrowed his eyes, as if seeing a future image of Horikita Suzune questioning him.

That child really didn't understand anything at all; letting her experience setbacks was a grace bestowed by him, her teacher.

When the time came, Makoto Nishikado would extend a finger and tap Horikita Suzune on the forehead.

Forgive me, Horikita, this is the final lesson.

"Mm, I understand. So, I'll just interact with her normally?"

Karuizawa Kei nodded, her mood somewhat complex.

She had once worried about Horikita Suzune's situation in class, never expecting that Horikita Suzune had long since made contact with someone outside the class.

"Help me collect information on everything in Class D, big or small. It's best if you can take photos."

Makoto Nishikado instructed.

"Mm, I'll keep that in mind."

Karuizawa Kei noted these things down.

Unlike the aggressive gal she pretended to be, in front of the master she was parasitizing, she was the obedient type.

"From now on, show your true personality normally. If anyone is suspicious, just say you changed for my sake."

"Also, watch your mannerisms in the future; you frequently touch your abdomen."

After Makoto Nishikado finished speaking, Karuizawa Kei was startled.

"Is it that obvious?"

She could not let others easily discover the fact that she had been bullied.

Yet, Makoto Nishikado had seen right through it with a single remark.

"You can live your life with peace of mind from now on. If you have any problems, you can come to me. I will protect you."

Makoto Nishikado took out his personal terminal and exchanged contact information with Karuizawa Kei.

Looking at the name "Makoto Nishikado" in her contact list, Karuizawa Kei truly felt a sense of relief.

"To have endured such horrific bullying and still be strong enough to survive until now—that is no small feat."

"You can be a little prouder of your true self."

Makoto Nishikado finished speaking, turned around, and waved as he walked away with his back to Karuizawa Kei.

A real man never looks back at a girl's tears.

Neither of them noticed a figure observing them from the shadows.

Because the distance was too great, she did not hear their conversation.

However, she saw the scene of Makoto Nishikado turning to leave and Karuizawa Kei weeping bitterly with perfect clarity.

That night, after taking a shower, Kushida Kikyo lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

Thinking about what happened during the day and that Karuizawa Kei had already made her move, her feelings were complicated.

She had originally just followed them to see if there was any dirt she could dig up, but she ended up seeing a scene that made her uncomfortable.

Although Makoto Nishikado had refused, if she wasn't mistaken, a second and third bitch would soon be throwing themselves at Makoto Nishikado one after another.

Good men were a scarce resource these days; if you encountered one, you had to snatch him up.

"Scumbag!"

Kushida Kikyo took out her personal terminal and couldn't help but curse.

She still remembered the words Makoto Nishikado had said to her that night.

She really wanted to hear them again.

It is worth mentioning that she had also followed Makoto Nishikado's example and purchased a voice recorder.

"What a jerk, why hasn't he taken the initiative to message me yet?"

Kushida Kikyo stared at her silent personal terminal, nearly bursting with anger.

In the end, she was the one who took the initiative to message Makoto Nishikado.

[Kushida Kikyo: I'm under a lot of psychological pressure right now, you have to help me find a way to relieve it.]

[Makoto Nishikado: Kikyo-chan, can't you use your own brain for once?]

[Kushida Kikyo: Don't talk nonsense, help me quickly, otherwise I won't help Horikita Suzune in the future. This is an equivalent exchange!]

[Makoto Nishikado: Hmm? Does that mean you intend to help?]

[Kushida Kikyo: You'd better thank me properly; praising me a few more times wouldn't hurt either.]

[Makoto Nishikado: Student Kushida is as beautiful as a falling goose! Student Kushida is as intelligent as she is graceful! Student Kushida is peerless in this world!]

Kushida Kikyo smiled happily, providing Makoto Nishikado with a massive wave of emotion points.

After typing "praise me a few more times" into the input box, she silently deleted it.

[Kushida Kikyo: You have to help me first before I help you. Hurry up and think of a way for me.]

[Makoto Nishikado: You can find Horikita Suzune alone later, book a karaoke room for the two of you, and then block the door.]

[Makoto Nishikado: Considering the dorms have good soundproofing, you could even go directly to her room.]

[Kushida Kikyo: What good would that do?]

[Makoto Nishikado: You can curse her to her face one-on-one. In order to get you to help unite the class, she will definitely choose to endure it. You also won't have to worry about others finding out about your emotional outbursts.]

[Kushida Kikyo: Are you actually a genius? I've wanted to curse her for a long time. Are you sure she'll agree?]

[Makoto Nishikado: I've already discussed it with her, and she agreed.]

[Kushida Kikyo: Hmm? You mean to say that you two have been communicating in secret like this?]

[Makoto Nishikado: Horikita said it herself, if you're willing to help her, she'll do anything.]

[Makoto Nishikado: If you don't believe me, ask her out right now and curse her to her face tomorrow.]

[Kushida Kikyo: That's not what I asked... You have to come too, you're someone I want to curse to your face as well!]

[Makoto Nishikado: Aren't you afraid of starting a love triangle rumor between you, me, and Horikita?]

[Kushida Kikyo: Stop talking nonsense, come!]

[Makoto Nishikado: Haha, I'm not going.]

[Kushida Kikyo: COME!!!]

[Makoto Nishikado: Beg me, send a voice message.]

[Kushida Kikyo: I'm begging you, come and get cursed at.]

[Makoto Nishikado: Fine, wait until I'm free.]

[Kushida Kikyo: &*￥#&%!]

Ignoring the final barrage of profanity that wouldn't pass the filter, Makoto Nishikado watched the continuous stream of system notifications and closed his personal terminal in high spirits.

"Kikyo-chan is still too generous."