Kamuro: "Did Your Class D Spy Operation Go Well, Sakayanagi? Why Aren't You Saying Anything?"

But being able to cook was a plus too.

Huh.

I was starting to feel like I'd become strange.

"...I've obtained some information about this school. I can share it with you." Hachiman shook his head to clear it, then said, "It's information you can't obtain on your own."

"..." Suzune Horikita.

After hearing that, Horikita seemed to bite her lip.

But she didn't refute him.

"If you don't object, sit down first." Hachiman found an empty table and sat down. "I don't want people paying attention to me because I'm with you."

That was actually rather rude, but surprisingly, Suzune Horikita only stood there for a few seconds before following him over and sitting opposite him.

Then she placed both hands on the table and stared at him brightly.

Though her presence was still as fierce as ever.

She really was somewhat obedient.

Hachiman had discovered one of Suzune Horikita's good points.

"Let's eat first, then." Hachiman said. "Go get me a meal."

"Do your own things yourself." Horikita immediately refused. "Everyone has hands and feet. I don't think I need to do that for you."

That was true.

Horikita was right.

"I see. Then I probably don't need to tell others the information I obtained for free either." Hachiman said shamelessly. "I put effort into getting it too."

So, if she couldn't get the information for free, she had to offer something in return?

"..." Suzune Horikita.

Horikita glared at him, but then she got to her feet.

When he looked over again, she had already gone to line up at the counter.

She picked up her own meal first, then ordered another serving.

In the end, she carried back meals for two.

Hachiman remained at the table, watching her.

He felt this was rather bad.

Because during lunch, he had watched Sakayanagi Arisu tame Masumi Kamuro. Kamuro had been like her little puppy.

At the time, he had thought Sakayanagi was such a rotten little brat. How could she bully her own classmate like that?

But now.

He suddenly felt that taming Horikita might be rather interesting too.

It was all Classmate Sakayanagi's fault for infecting him with such an unpleasant personality.

Elsewhere.

A private room on the third floor.

Sakayanagi Arisu.

As an adorable girl in white stockings, and someone who was hardly short on money, she habitually came to the third-floor private rooms to eat.

Of course, she wasn't alone.

Kamuro: Sakayanagi, did your D-Class informant deal work out? Why aren't you saying anything?

Resting her fair little hands on her knees, Sakayanagi Arisu watched as Kamuro rudely barged into the private room.

Only.

"I've joined the art club as you asked." Her little puppy, Masumi Kamuro, spoke in a stiff voice.

"Very good." Sakayanagi said. "Besides possibly learning a skill that will give you another way to make a living in the future, joining the art club will also let you meet students from other grades."

"That will make gathering information much more convenient."

"Although the school has issued gag orders regarding certain matters, there will always be people who can't keep their mouths shut."

In other words, she already knew that special exams would be held every month.

Their class was Class A, and they had received the highest evaluation from the start.

But that position wasn't secure.

Because the school wanted students to compete with one another and grow through that competition.

At the same time.

Only students who graduated as Class A would receive the rewards advertised by the school: admission to their desired universities without examinations or tuition fees, the jobs they wanted, and so on.

Of course.

For the already outstanding Class A students, they could also rely on their own Academic Ability to take entrance exams.

But if they could get into university for free without taking exams and receive jobs without effort, why take the long way around?

And there was no guarantee they would pass the exams, either.

So this was a shortcut.

And it was something every Class A student knew.

However, even though everyone in the class had started with the best hand, they couldn't relax. They had to endure for three years and still hold onto their place in Class A in the end.

That made it a source of anxiety as well.

Then Classmate Sakayanagi made arrangements.

She arranged for several students to join the school clubs.

It was to earn higher evaluations and obtain information about past exams from upperclassmen.

So Sakayanagi Arisu was preparing for a rainy day.

Those who believed in her obeyed her as well.

For example, Kamuro had been assigned to join the art club.

Only.

"Kamuro, your tone is terrible, but your actions are quite loyal." Sakayanagi said. "You seem to dislike drawing very much."

"Is there some family background behind that?" Sakayanagi asked.

"Don't try to pry information out of me." Kamuro's voice remained stiff as she sternly refused Sakayanagi.

"Really?" Arisu continued, "You know that once that thing is exposed, it will deal a devastating blow to our class."

"So I'm training you, so that you can gradually forget it."

"This is to protect the class, and to protect you."

Sakayanagi Arisu spoke unhurriedly. "So, I've been so considerate toward you, yet you haven't noticed at all. That's a little disappointing."

Was that what she called disappointment?

Why did she only feel as if she had been constantly threatened by the other girl?

Kamuro continued to keep a straight face. "I don't need that kind of concern from you."

"And besides." Masumi Kamuro found talking to Sakayanagi disgusting. She was at a disadvantage every time, so she changed the subject. "You've already bought an informant in Class D, right? That Hikigaya."

This was actually proof that Kamuro was only physically capable, while her brain wasn't quite up to par.

Because.

If she were truly committed to class competition, she wouldn't choose to buy an informant in Class D. She would buy one in Class B, which might actually threaten Class A.

Class D was publicly acknowledged as the trash heap.

There had never been an underdog uprising.

And supposedly, even the strongest class in history had only made it to Class B.

Therefore.

The claim that she had bought an informant in Class D was merely an excuse Sakayanagi Arisu had used while taming Kamuro and having her invite Hachiman over.

Unfortunately.

Kamuro had failed this little intelligence test.

Classmate Sakayanagi remained calm inside.

"If there's something you wish to say, please do so." Sakayanagi said.

"If you were only buying an informant, there would be no need to eat with him." Masumi Kamuro said. "Someone noticed that you had lunch with him."

"So there was no need to go that far. Then... are you interested in him?"

"Everyone says you have poor taste." Kamuro said.

"Oh? Is that so?"

The expression on Classmate Sakayanagi's face tightened slightly, but her smile then became even more adorable. "Who thinks that?"

"..." Kamuro.

Though she had only spent a few days with Sakayanagi, she knew that this sickly-looking girl was extremely petty.

So she was somewhat displeased now.

Then perhaps Kamuro could name someone she disliked. Sakayanagi would definitely attack that person.

But if she did that, Sakayanagi would see through her soon enough.

So she could only honestly give the name of the person who had spread that claim.

"Katsuragi's lackey, Yahiko Totsuka."

Totsuka's full name was Yahiko Totsuka, and he was a Class A student.

He had served as class president several times before. His Academic Ability and athletic ability were both good, making him quite an outstanding person.

But after coming to this school and meeting Katsuragi, he was immediately won over by him and became his lackey.

Of course, "lackey" was merely a way of putting it.

In truth, he was placing a bet.

Betting that Katsuragi could become Class A's representative and lead the class steadily forward.

Katsuragi's full name was Kohei Katsuragi. He had always been a member of the Student Council in the past, and had even been Student Council president in middle school.

He had excellent Academic Ability, decent physical fitness, a clever mind, and a composed personality.

He was a completely different type from Sakayanagi Arisu.

Classmate Sakayanagi was decisive, courageous, and aggressive.

Katsuragi, meanwhile, was steady, steady, and still steady.

"Then he truly has poor taste." Sakayanagi Arisu said. "I think Hachiman is better suited to Class A than Totsuka."

"..." Kamuro.

Kamuro took her seriously for the moment.

How could a Class D student be suited for Class A? Was he supposed to jump up there?

But that required twenty million points. What kind of number was twenty million? An ordinary family would need several years just to save that much.

And that was for a middle-class family.