Kaoru Mitoma watched as Shiho Manabe finished dressing, his expression thoughtful.
He didn't have contact information for Shiho or the others, so he had to rely on Kushida's help.
That was why they were able to et here tonight.
"I'm sorry for what I did to you earlier—it was too much," Kaoru suddenly apologized to Shiho.
Shiho was clearly taken aback, her face flushing red as she waved her hands awkwardly.
"N-No, it's fine! I don't mind at all. As long as Master is happy, I'm willing to do anything."
"We feel the sa!" Yamashita and Nanami chid in almost simultaneously.
"If Master has any needs, you can order us anyti!"
Kaoru shook his head.
"Don't say that. I may have so... indecent tendencies, but I wouldn't go so far as to take advantage of people."
Perhaps sensing his sincerity, Shiho's tense heart gradually eased.
Biting her lip, she added, "Actually, Master doesn't need to be so guarded around us. We really don't understand what's happening right now, but I can say for certain—I can't disobey your commands at all."
"Even if I were to expel you?" Kaoru Mitoma asked.
Shiho Manabe nodded without hesitation. "Even if Master were to expel , I wouldn't feel the slightest hesitation or regret."
"Aren't you going to ask why?"
"To be honest, my mind is completely occupied with how to satisfy Master right now." A faint, almost feverish flush spread across Shiho's delicate face.
"No matter what Master does to , I'll be happy."
She was nothing like the delinquent girl she appeared to be during the day.
Now, her eyes were glazed with a sticky, dreamy haze, making Kaoru avert his gaze slightly.
"Don't call that. It's a bit uncomfortable."
"Does that an… you dislike ?"
"No. After all, I'm the one who turned you into this. I have to take responsibility to so extent." Kaoru paused.
"But if others hear you using honorifics to , it'll cause unnecessary trouble."
Shiho looked remorseful. "I'm sorry… we've caused trouble for Master—no, for you again."
"It's not trouble. If anything, I might need your help in the future." Kaoru understood perfectly well how valuable it was to have subordinates who were absolutely loyal to him—especially when they were from an opposing class and not just one, but three of them!
"Being able to help Master—no, being able to help Mitoma-kun is our greatest honor!" Shiho smiled brightly, her joy genuine.
Though her rational mind was fully aware of what she was saying, she couldn't suppress the deep willingness in her heart.
Moreover, Kaoru's earlier words had eased many of her worries.
At this thought, Shiho suddenly peeked at Kaoru's expression with timid reverence and asked cautiously.
"Um… should we go apologize to Karuizawa right away?"
Just rembering how insolent she had once acted in front of her Master made Shiho feel like an irredeemable fool in every possible way.
If she had known she would beco Master's plaything, she wouldn't have picked a fight with Karuizawa…
No, actually, she should have provoked Karuizawa sooner—then she could have beco Master's plaything faster.
"Don't worry about her. If anything, she should be the one apologizing to Morifuji." Kaoru didn't want to dwell on the topic.
To maintain her tough-girl persona, Karuizawa was just being stubborn to the bitter end.
"Oh." Shiho stared at him expectantly, as if waiting for the next command.
"Once you go back, act as usual. You don't need to greet if you see around." Kaoru instructed.
Shiho nodded eagerly, like a chick pecking at rice, before hesitantly asking.
"Can I tell you about Class C and Ryuen-kun now?"
Once Kaoru gave her permission, she eagerly spilled all the intel she had on her class—including one of Ryuuen's plans.
"He's going to use 800 million Personal Points to turn the entire Class C into Class A?" Kaoru couldn't hide his astonishnt.
The plan was so absurd that anyone hearing it for the first ti would instinctively dismiss it as pure fantasy.
"Yes. Honestly, none of us are really confident, but…" Shiho hesitated briefly. "Sohow, it feels like Ryuen-kun could actually pull off sothing this insane. Right now, the class has already saved up several million Personal Points."
Not only the Personal Points saved up each month, but also those previously extorted from Class B.
However, due to the crushing defeat in the uninhabited island exam, Ryuuen would likely have to surrender a significant portion of Personal Points to Class A.
Kaoru Mitoma couldn't help but click his tongue—no wonder Ryuuen was aiming for Outco One.
It was all about the Personal Points.
Still, now that they knew Ryuuen's goal, they could deal with Class C more effectively.
...
To avoid drawing attention, Kaoru Mitoma didn't linger outside for long.
After sending Shiho Manabe and the others away, he returned to the third floor.
Yet, he never expected to run into an unexpected person in the elevator.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
The mont their eyes t, even Ayanokoji's typically indifferent expression flickered with surprise.
Before Kaoru could speak, Ayanokoji took the initiative.
"Have we t sowhere before?"
"Have we?" Kaoru thought to himself—this should be the first ti he'd faced Ayanokoji up close.
[Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: Calm.]
[Suggestion: Bestow paternal affection. Effective for increasing target's favorability.]
In every possible way, this was terrible.
"Maybe during the uninhabited island exam. I went to Class A with Horikita," Ayanokoji offered, recalling the scene.
"We tried our best, but in the end, we lost to your Class A. It's a bit frustrating."
Kaoru sidestepped the topic and instead asked, "It's so late. You're not heading out for a date, are you?"
"I'm just an ordinary loner. Forget talking to girls—I don't even have the courage to look at them. I'm worse than a goblin." Ayanokoji sounded thoroughly self-deprecating.
"I never said it was a girl," Kaoru replied, feigning innocence.
"..." Ayanokoji fell completely silent.
"Just kidding." Kaoru chuckled. "Actually, I was just on a date with a girl myself."
Ayanokoji's tone carried a hint of implication.
"I've heard you have quite a few close relationships with girls. If I may ask… is there soone special among them?"
"That's too bold. I don't want to answer."
"..."
Ayanokoji had never imagined conversing with soone could be this difficult.
Cutting to the chase, he asked outright, "What's your goal in coming to this school?"
"What's yours?" Kaoru countered.
Without hesitation, Ayanokoji replied, "To spend my high school life peacefully."
"Such a simple goal."
"I don't have any grand ambitions. It's not like I can say I want to beco pri minister soday, right?"
"No, that's actually a pretty good ambition." Kaoru thought for a mont. "Assuming you could beco pri minister, what would you want to change?"
Ayanokoji narrowed his eyes slightly—this guy was really troubleso.
"Sorry, I haven't thought that far. Maybe start by banning smoking?"
Faced with his nonsense, Kaoru responded seriously, "You should start by changing yourself."
Ayanokoji froze.
"In a country like Japan, bloodline determines everything." Kaoru patted his shoulder. "If you want to beco pri minister, your first step should be marrying the daughter of a forr one."
Although he thought the other was spouting nonsense, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka still fell into deep contemplation.
After a while, he suddenly asked Kaoru, "What's your goal then?"
It was Kaoru's turn to fall silent.
After a mont, he murmured, "I used to have one, but now that I think about it, it seems insignificant. Right now, I'm just a wanderer passing through."
Ayanokoji observed his reaction and asked skeptically, "If that's the case, why not just stay here?"
Kaoru looked at him as if he were an idiot.
"If I'm only now considering whether to stay, I'd be even dumber than an idiot."
"You didn't get rejected in a love confession, did you?"
"Do I look like it?"
Ayanokoji averted his gaze, realizing he wasn't exactly gifted with humor.
"I'm looking forward to it," Mitoma suddenly said. "Maybe the decision I can't make will be made for by soone else."
Ever since his death, he had been drifting in a daze.
Though he had missions from the Wish Machine, he had rely been instinctively indulging his desires.
Only later did he gradually regain his senses, realizing that the idols he faced weren't NPCs he could toy with at will.
By the sa logic, the people in this world weren't NPCs either.
Ding—
As the elevator arrived on the third floor, Kaoru stepped out first, with Ayanokoji silently following behind.
"Assuming you do stay, I think there's one thing you should be aware of," Ayanokoji said. "Polygamy isn't allowed out there."
Kaoru remained expressionless.
What was this guy implying?
"No, with Pri Minister Ayanokoji here, I doubt anding the law would be a problem."
Ayanokoji frowned.
Was Kaoru really from the White Room?
In truth, he had just t with Chabashira Sae at her request.
The conversation hadn't been particularly noteworthy.
Since the Second exam had ended a day early, she was visibly anxious—and furious.
No explanation was needed.
Just seeing her expression, anyone could guess how Class D had fared in the exam.
Thus, Chabashira only intensified her demands for him to lead Class D to rise through the ranks.
Honestly, Ayanokoji felt nothing.
Just as Horikita Suzune had once tried to provoke him, he had understood the answer to this exam the mont he saw the group assignnts.
To lead Class D to victory over Kaoru Mitoma Class A, he would have to reveal his full strength.
Otherwise, with a bunch of useless classmates, they stood no chance against Kaoru Mitoma.
But doing so clearly didn't align with his vision for his high school life.
He could foresee endless troubles ahead.
Ayanokoji stared at Kaoru's back when the cruise ship's announcent system suddenly crackled to life.
"Rat—Traitor answered correctly. Outco Three."
"Ox—Traitor answered correctly. Outco Four."
"Tiger—Traitor answered correctly. Outco Three."
"..."
All twelve groups had their traitors answer correctly, resulting in Outco Three.
Among them, Class D suffered the heaviest losses.
Based on these results, each class's Class Points and Personal Points were adjusted as follows:
Class A: 200 CP, 3.5 million PP
Class B: 50 CP, 2 million PP
Class C: -100 CP, 500,000 PP
Class D: -150 cl, no change
CP stands for Class Points, while PP stands for Personal Points.
As a result of the third betrayal, not only were 50 Class Points rewarded, but the correct answerer was also granted 500,000 Personal Points.
However, since this was a collective action by the class, most of these Personal Points would likely be preserved as class funds.
During this sumr trip, although the points of each class underwent significant changes, the rankings remained completely unmoved—more despairing than ever.
Class A: 1756
Class B: 1016
Class C: 472
Class D: 112
...
Class A's points were greater than the combined total of the other three classes, with plenty to spare.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka silently watched Kaoru Mitoma return to his room.
A shooting star streaked across the sky as the cruise ship continued forward, the night sighing softly around him.
--------------------------------
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