The Next

Hearing Ryuuen's words, Ayanokoji was not surprised. He would not be the only one to recognize Karuizawa Kei's value. Since Ryuuen wanted to take her from him, he could have her. It would be a little troublesome, but creating another Karuizawa Kei within the class to replace her was not difficult for Ayanokoji.

Although Ayanokoji said nothing, Ryuuen knew the negotiation had succeeded. Ayanokoji left Karuizawa behind and walked out of the dim cabin alone.

Before leaving, he tossed Ryuuen's phone over to him.

Black Albert Yamada stood at the cabin entrance. It seemed Ryuuen had come prepared. In Class C, Albert's fighting ability was second only to Ryuuen's. If Albert joined the fight, he still would not be Ayanokoji's match, but he could at least wear him down. If Ayanokoji's stamina was depleted too heavily, his chances against Ryuuen would drop. More importantly, Ryuuen liked to play dirty.

Albert standing at the door was likely meant to give Ayanokoji an unexpected ambush. After all, an open attack was easy to evade, but a hidden arrow was hard to guard against.

Ayanokoji merely glanced at Albert before walking past him. Albert, meanwhile, rushed straight into the cabin to make sure Ryuuen was all right.

Albert only saw Karuizawa kneeling before Ryuuen. Both Karuizawa and Ryuuen noticed Albert's gaze, making the scene somewhat awkward. Albert retreated and resumed his watch at the door.

The familiar feeling left Albert somewhat numb.

In Karuizawa's eyes, Ryuuen was no better than Ayanokoji. Now that she had fallen into Ryuuen's hands, she was still terrified, yet she could only let others do as they pleased with her.

Standing before Karuizawa, Ryuuen was also considering how to deal with her. Under his scrutinizing gaze, Karuizawa's lips trembled as she slowly spread her legs.

Karuizawa looked like a lifeless wreck, her eyes dead. Ryuuen could already imagine what sort of image he had in her mind.

"I have no interest in your pathetic body." Ryuuen nudged up Karuizawa's skirt with his foot.

"Stand up when you speak." Ryuuen's tone was more of an order.

"Ugh, I-I can't. My legs are weak." Karuizawa looked troubled. Extreme fear could make someone's legs go weak. Or rather, the fact that she had not wet herself was already a decent performance.

Ryuuen grew impatient. He grabbed Karuizawa by the arm with one hand and lifted her entire body up.

Although Karuizawa had been hauled up, she could not stand at all and collapsed back onto the floor.

"Useless."

Ryuuen cursed and lifted Karuizawa again.

Up, down, up, down...

Karuizawa did not know how many times she had fallen. She only felt as though her backside no longer belonged to her. Her fear gradually faded away, and resentment began to grow within her as she cursed Ryuuen.

"I can stand."

Leaning against the wall, Karuizawa finally got to her feet. She was still afraid, but no longer tense.

"Manabe and the others won't bother you again. In exchange, my orders to you are absolute. Understand?"

Only after seeing Karuizawa finally stand did Ryuuen give her his instructions.

Karuizawa wrapped her arms around her shoulders. She understood that she had no room to refuse and could only nod reluctantly.

"Get lost."

Ryuuen drove Karuizawa out of the cabin. Seeing sunlight again, Karuizawa could not say she was happy. Instead, she felt a subtle sense of melancholy.

Left alone in the cabin, Ryuuen picked up his phone and called Kikyo. "Come to the cabin."

"Didn't we say we'd meet tonight?"

Kikyo had barely finished asking when the call was hung up before Ryuuen could answer.

Kikyo came running, a faint sheen of cold sweat on her forehead.

Albert watched Karuizawa stagger away. He had not expected another girl to arrive so soon. Kushida Kikyo was well-known in the first year, and Albert knew her too. He had not expected Ryuuen to get her under his control as well.

Kikyo was not worried that Albert would expose her relationship with Ryuuen. If Ryuuen could not even keep his own subordinate in line, he might as well drop out immediately.

"Why was it so urgent?" Kikyo asked Ryuuen between breaths.

"Tell me why you wanted to meet me earlier." Ryuuen remained in the cabin because he was thinking—thinking about his relationship with Karuizawa going forward, and Ayanokoji's next move. He had called Kikyo over simply because he did not want to waste time. In Ryuuen's eyes, whatever Kikyo wanted from him at this moment could not be anything important.

"Well, it's, um..."

Kikyo stammered, completely unlike her usual self.

Ryuuen was speechless. This timid little-girl act looked incredibly awkward on her. "Just say it. What is there between us that can't be said directly?"

"I'm short on points."

Kikyo spoke quickly, then hurriedly explained, "Maintaining relationships with classmates and gathering information both cost points. And you know it—our Class D suffered crushing defeats in those two exams, so we'll have even fewer points after returning to school."

Ryuuen let out a derisive snort. "I'll transfer one hundred thousand points to you every month."

Ryuuen did not care about such a small amount. As for where those points came from, Kikyo would explain it to her classmates herself. That was not something he needed to worry about.

Kikyo was pleasantly surprised. She had not expected Ryuuen to agree so readily, nor had she expected him to give her so much. That made her feel a little embarrassed instead. "Fifty thousand will be enough."

Fifty thousand was what Kikyo had planned from the start: twenty thousand for her daily living expenses and thirty thousand for everyday socializing.

"I don't repeat myself." Ryuuen waved his hand, transferred one hundred thousand points to Kikyo first, then signaled that she could leave.

Kikyo did not leave. She pressed herself against Ryuuen, but Ryuuen had no interest at the moment and reached out to stop her delicate fingers from exploring further downward.

"Not in the mood. Go for now."

Kikyo was somewhat surprised. She had not expected to be rejected. Ryuuen felt strange today.

Looking at Ryuuen's hand, Kikyo noticed that the back of it was red. There was a slight scratch, caused at some unknown time. Ryuuen himself had not noticed it. The wound was tiny, with only a faint trace of blood seeping out, and it was already beginning to scab over.

"You're hurt." Kikyo's voice carried some concern.

"Just a minor injury." Ryuuen glanced at the back of his hand dismissively.

"You should still treat it." Kikyo searched through her pockets and could only find a few tissues.

"No need." Ryuuen refused Kikyo's tissues. A wound this small did not need bandaging.

Seeing how firm Ryuuen's attitude was, Kikyo said nothing. She knew the wound was small, yet she still felt inexplicably worried. Then, as if possessed, she bit down on Ryuuen's wound.

Her tongue licked the wound, using saliva to disinfect it.

The sensation of her tongue made the back of Ryuuen's hand itch slightly.