Class D's Mighty General

After hearing that Ayanokoji planned to fool Kushida with the excuse that he had "lost a bet," Kazami first breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to him with a look of disbelief and couldn't help commenting.

"I never knew you were that kind of guy, Ayanokoji."

He had thought the guy was an honest sort. Who knew he could be so devious?

Faced with Kazami's reaction, Ayanokoji remained composed, showing not a trace of guilt at being called out.

"I'm scared of Horikita's compass too. She really will use it."

As he spoke, Ayanokoji rolled up his uniform sleeve, revealing several shallow, pale red wounds on his wrist, left from Horikita's earlier punishments. The marks weren't particularly serious, but they were enough to prove that her brutality was no joke.

Kazami clicked his tongue and remarked, "How brutal."

After commenting on Horikita's ferocity, Kazami finally remembered the matter at hand and curiously asked about the favor Ayanokoji had just requested from Kushida.

"Anyway, what exactly do you need Kushida's help with? Why does it have to be her?"

Ayanokoji didn't keep him guessing and directly explained his strategy for the upcoming midterms.

"It's simple. Find past exam papers."

He explained the logic behind it. "This school's rules seem harsh, with points deducted and students expelled at the drop of a hat, but no one has ever been expelled for failing the first midterms in any previous year. The other classes' grades are one thing, but ours... That means there must be a specific shortcut and some margin for error built into the exams. Other than patterns in past papers, I can't think of another way."

After hearing the plan, a flash of inspiration went off in Kazami's mind, and he came up with a good idea too.

"You're a genius! So there's a way to clear it like that!"

He hadn't expected Ayanokoji to break free of conventional thinking and look for a shortcut directly through the school's rules and patterns from previous years.

Kazami's ambitions stirred again. With a top-tier strategist like Ayanokoji hidden at his side, helping him plan his moves and conquer the world, wouldn't his grand undertaking of turning the tables, seizing power, and reclaiming Class D's throne become twice as easy?

At that thought, Kazami immediately decided to recruit him and extended an earnest invitation to his close friend Ayanokoji.

"Hey, Ayanokoji, interested in working under me and joining my grand undertaking? Once I rise to the top of Class D, you'll be my greatest contributor. You'll have helped put me on the throne! I'll definitely appoint you Class D's Mighty General!"

Faced with Kazami's recruitment pitch, Ayanokoji didn't hesitate in the slightest. A single sentence doused all of Kazami's enthusiasm.

"There's no need. We're equals right now. We're both Horikita's lackeys."

He had learned the down-to-earth word "lackey" from Kazami earlier, and using it now really hit where it hurt.

Kazami choked, then couldn't help complaining about their current situation. "Damn it, Chabashira-sensei really is a terrible judge of character! Her judgment is awful! Why should all the class authority and control be handed over to that tsundere, Horikita? The real talent is languishing at the bottom! Chabashira-sensei really is getting old. She's no longer fit-"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became, his voice unconsciously rising like a talented hero in troubled times, unrecognized and full of grievances.

Just as he was badmouthing Chabashira-sensei, a familiar, cool female voice suddenly rang out behind him, carrying a sense of pressure.

"Do you have a complaint, Kazami?"

Kazami instantly stiffened, a layer of cold sweat breaking out on his back as he slowly turned his head like a machine.

At some point, Chabashira-sensei had come to stand quietly behind him, her calm gaze resting on him. She seemed mild, but was actually like a demon-frightening enough.

"N-no, nothing of the sort! It's all a misunderstanding. I didn't say anything just now!" Kazami denied it at lightning speed, his survival instincts kicking into full gear.

Chabashira glanced at him. "Then move. You're blocking the way."

Kazami hurriedly stepped aside, muttering under his breath, "How does she walk without making a sound? Scared me to death..."

Only after Kazami and Ayanokoji had hurried away and disappeared completely from sight did Chabashira look in the direction they had gone, a flicker of understanding passing through her eyes.

It seemed Ayanokoji had already found the key to the midterms.

I'd thought they would only think of it after discovering the revised exam scope, but it seems that won't be necessary. Ayanokoji, can you really lead Class D up to Class A...?

Having escaped punishment from his teacher, Kazami arrived at Horikita's dorm room on time for dinner, making use of his month-long exclusive meal service.

When he pushed open the door, he was greeted by a dorm room styled completely differently from Kamuro's. Horikita's room was exceptionally clean and minimalist, without fancy ornaments or cute hanging decorations. The only thing that stood out was the desk piled high with all kinds of textbooks, workbooks, and study guides, all neatly arranged, showing just how hard she worked every day.

Kazami looked around, his gaze casually sweeping over every corner of the room.

"What are you looking around for? Keep letting your eyes wander, and I might stab them with my compass." Horikita came out carrying dinner, her tone unfriendly.

"Do you have to be that scary? Now I have to risk going blind just to eat." Kazami complained, but obediently sat down and kept his eyes to himself.

That evening's dinner was once again a standard healthy, lightly seasoned meal, without a scrap of meat, consisting entirely of mild vegetarian dishes. Although there was no meat or fish to satisfy his cravings, the food tasted surprisingly good, refreshing rather than greasy.

As he ate, Kazami marveled to himself. He had to admit that while Horikita wasn't friendly, her cooking skills were beyond reproach. Beneath that icy exterior, she actually hid such impressive culinary skills. As expected of his cook.

During the meal, he caught sight of a small sealed glass jar beside the table. It held brightly colored pickled radish that looked sweet, sour, refreshing, and extremely appetizing.

Kazami didn't give it much thought, assuming it was a side dish included with dinner. He casually opened the jar, picked up a piece, and ate it.

Crunchy and refreshing, sweet and sour, cutting right through the richness. What a flavor.

"Mmm, this is good! I didn't know you could do this too. Even your pickled radish tastes amazing." Kazami offered his sincere praise, eating with relish.

Just as he was about to pick up another piece, Horikita spoke calmly, saying something that instantly turned him to stone.

"One thousand points."

Kazami froze mid-motion, his face full of question marks. "???"

"Wait!" Kazami immediately panicked and hurried to argue. "Didn't we agree you'd cover all three meals for a month? Why are you charging separately for this? Why are you changing the deal again?"

Horikita calmly continued eating as she explained, "Three meals are what I promised, but this is my personal property, a homemade pickled side dish. It isn't included in the dinner set."

She raised her eyes to Kazami. "Also, when you enter someone else's room, you don't touch their personal belongings without permission. Don't you know that much basic common sense?"

Kazami was completely dumbfounded. Only now did he finally realize he had been set up.

This woman had actually laid a trap and waited for him to jump in, staging an ambush specifically to take what few points he had left!

"You actually set me up. You really won't take even the slightest loss!"

In the end, Kazami had underestimated Horikita's devious nature. He hadn't expected her to have this side to her too.