"Once we go in, I'll say I feel like I have a fever. She'll probably put her hand on my forehead to check my temperature, right?"
"Ha! I'm planning to say I have heart problems. That way, the strong beat of my passionate heart will be transmitted directly to her ears through the stethoscope."
Yamauchi and Ike giggled as they headed toward the infirmary. Since it was lunch break, most students were either in the classrooms or the cafeteria. The infirmary was usually empty anyway, so they walked without concern.
As the infirmary came into view, the two finally stopped chatting. One of them began pressing a hot towel to his forehead to simulate a fever, while the other clutched his chest and pretended to be in pain.
Just as they were about to knock on the door, Yamauchi suddenly stopped Ike with a gesture, pointing toward the room with a finger on his lips. He pressed his ear against the wall.
Ike, confused by Yamauchi's odd behavior, followed suit and also pressed his ear to the wall, holding his breath to listen.
"Yes, if you don't believe me, you can check the official website of the Kouenji Conglomerate. How about that? Doesn't that prove I have the funds to complete this transaction?"
"...So it's true."
The first voice was a deep, confident male. The second voice was a soft, delicate female.
Yamauchi and Ike's eyes widened. With all their experience with... certain types of content, the combination of man, woman, a secluded infirmary, and the word "transaction" set off all sorts of alarm bells.
Yamauchi swallowed hard and gave Ike a look, signaling the more nimble Ike to peek through the window.
Ike climbed up and took a quick glance inside. He didn't dare to stare for long. Instead, he pulled out a photo from his phone—one that had been circulating widely in the boys' group chat just a few days ago:
It showed a man with flamboyant golden hair and a muscular build, sitting leisurely in a café surrounded by three or four upperclassman girls, one of whom was feeding him with a spoon.
"It's him."
Ike mouthed the words. Despite later learning that the man was Kouenji Rokusuke from Class A, heir to the Kouenji Conglomerate, both he and Yamauchi had been extremely bitter about that photo, grumbling about gold-digging girls.
After all, Kouenji was living the kind of life the two of them could only dream of.
Seeing Ike's confirmation, Yamauchi grinned excitedly. A sense of triumph surged in him at the thought of catching dirt on that bastard. He handed Ike his phone, motioning for him to take a few pictures—this was the perfect chance to ruin that smug show-off.
"Who's there?"
Perhaps their movement had made too much noise. A sharp voice from inside the room rang out, startling them. Both boys flinched and instinctively turned to flee.
After all, they hadn't gotten any evidence yet. If Kouenji discovered them, their lives would be hell. Sharing a glance, the two bolted in opposite directions.
But before they could take more than two steps, something slammed hard into the backs of their necks.
With a muffled grunt, both boys collapsed to the ground.
About five minutes later, Katsuragi Kouhei pushed open the door to the infirmary. He bowed politely to the school nurse, Hoshinomiya Chie.
"Thank you very much. I feel a lot better now."
"Katsuragi-kun, try not to overwork yourself these next few days. Listen to some relaxing music when you can. Empty your mind and rest."
"Yes."
Katsuragi reached up and adjusted the wig on his head. He had originally come here just to track down Kouenji's whereabouts, but Hoshinomiya Chie had noticed he looked unwell and dragged him in for a basic check-up.
She had him rest in a chair and listen to soothing music and white noise. After the brief break, he really did feel much more refreshed. Taking a deep breath, he politely said goodbye.
Once Katsuragi left, Hoshinomiya let out a sigh of relief. She turned around just as Yagami Takuya appeared from the other side of the room, his usual radiant smile completely masking the ruthlessness of what he had just done.
"Where did you learn all of this?"
Hoshinomiya glanced at him with a complicated expression.
"I've trained in martial arts. They were just knocked unconscious, nothing serious."
"But... aren't you about to add some fake injuries to them?"
"What, are you having second thoughts now, Hoshinomiya-sensei?"
Faced with Yagami's probing question, Hoshinomiya rubbed her temples. As the school nurse, she had cut the infirmary's surveillance per his request and faked a power outage to explain it. From that moment on, she was already complicit.
"Let's continue."
She slid her hand into her lab coat pocket. Her phone vibrated inside. Glancing at the screen, she turned and walked away.
Perhaps among all the first-year homeroom teachers, she had the lowest sense of professional ethics.
Even Chabashira Sae had once harbored the dream of leading Class D to promotion.
Hoshinomiya shook her head and answered the call.
She knew herself well. The only reason she became a homeroom teacher at this school was to take revenge on Chabashira Sae for what happened years ago.
Every class she had ever taught would say the same thing about her: she was less of a teacher and more like a big sister who tried to be friends with everyone.
Yes.
That was because she had never intended to be a real teacher.
Letting her students commit violence against others—even aiding them—only Sakagami, the homeroom teacher of Class C, might stoop to the same level.
Hoshinomiya pressed her lips together and brought the phone to her ear.
"Hello?"
But still, it was different. At least the others were doing it for their class.
She, however, was still stuck in a nightmare that had begun over a decade ago.
-------------------------------------
Yagami Takuya moved Ike and Yamauchi onto the beds inside the infirmary. As one of the top two students from the fifth generation of the White Room, like his senior Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, he was not shy about using violence to resolve problems.
Ike and Yamauchi had poor physical endurance to begin with, and since Yagami had ambushed them from behind with careful precision, they were knocked out in a single blow, now lying unconscious with furrowed brows of pain.
Just as Yagami was about to proceed with the next step, a sudden voice echoed through the quiet infirmary:
"I think I've figured out your plan. Stop now—you've been exposed."
In an instant, every hair on Yagami's body stood on end. He instinctively stepped back and scanned the area under the beds.
"Check Yamauchi's body."
The second sentence came. Yagami cautiously reached toward Yamauchi Haruki's pocket and found a phone inside, still connected to a call. The caller ID was hidden, but judging from the call duration, it had been active for about half an hour.
Though the name wasn't displayed, Yagami instantly recognized the voice.
"Ayanokouji... Kiyotaka."
"So it really is you, Yagami-kun from Class 1-B. Looks like you're one of the two sent to assist with this operation."
Ayanokouji's voice was calm and devoid of any emotion:
"Just because you claimed to be 'acting independently' doesn't mean I'll let you run wild. Do you understand?"
Even through the phone, the pressure was palpable. As a White Room experimental student from a later generation, Yagami had grown up under Ayanokouji's overwhelming shadow.
"...Understood."
"You realize that if you had gone too far just now, you would have been caught red-handed and expelled, right?"
"But the infirmary surveillance was disabled..."
"Someone was recording you. Or rather, a camera is aimed in your direction."
Ayanokouji stood in the woods, gazing into the distance as he continued speaking:
"At this school, points can buy all sorts of things—even highly accurate cameras that work in the rain. Surveillance tools come in all sizes, as long as you have the points."
"So never put too much trust in the school's cameras. If you get caught on a private recording, it's even worse."
Yagami's pupils narrowed. He gently pulled the covers over Ike and Yamauchi, his movements so gentle he looked like a nurse.
"Was it Kitagawa?"
"Possibly. But officially, it will appear to be Class C."
Ayanokouji's tone turned cold.
"Speaking of which, I'm quite curious about your position."
"If your plan had worked, you would've framed Class A for the violence, right? Even if Class D got dragged in, the damage wouldn't compare to what Class A would suffer."
"That would have been a short-term effect. My real target was never these two lying in bed. They're just the spark for the conflict. Honestly, I wouldn't want Ike or Yamauchi to get expelled. On the contrary, I'd love for them to become D-Class's heroes."
Yagami explained quickly. He had indeed harbored ulterior motives at first, but now that Ayanokouji had intervened, he had no choice but to fully cooperate. After all, Ayanokouji was the only true success of the White Room.
"Are you referring to Sudou or Matsushita?"
"The basketball club is about to erupt into a good show. You should go take a look, Ayanokouji-senpai."
Although his actions in the infirmary had been stopped, Yagami had already set up a trap within the basketball club. With a smirk, he invited Ayanokouji to enjoy the chaos.
Ayanokouji rubbed his temples. He was already stretched thin. His plan to use Kamuro Masumi had been derailed by Kitagawa Ryo's interference. Although the infirmary situation needed monitoring, it seemed Yagami had made arrangements in the basketball club too. Ayanokouji would have to keep watch there as well.
He was starting to feel like he was constantly cleaning up after his idiot teammates.
At least their goals still aligned for now.
Ayanokouji slipped his hands into his sleeves and began walking toward the basketball club.
Yamauchi Haruki, Ike Kanji, and Sudou Ken were undeniably the biggest openings in Class 1-D. Of the three, Sudou was the most dangerous. With athletic ability rated as an A and stellar performance in the basketball club, he even had the potential to earn class points via club achievements. The school rules allowed point rewards for significant club successes.
So naturally, Sudou would be the first target. Yamauchi and Ike were just side effects.
Leaving them in Class D to bother Kitagawa Ryo might even be beneficial.
Those two, especially Yamauchi, were so dumb it made you question if their IQ surpassed that of an elementary student.
All it took was using fellow classmate Kushida Kikyou as bait, and Yamauchi stupidly agreed to Ayanokouji's odd demands without a second thought.
This guy had no concept of suspicion.
Ayanokouji even felt he could make Yamauchi throw mud at Kitagawa Ryo without issue.
-------------------------------------
"Ow ow ow ow ow..."
Yamauchi Haruki groaned as he regained consciousness, his eyelids heavy like lead. He struggled to open his eyes and caught a glimpse of his own "glorious" state reflected in the mirror on the wall.
One of his arms was in a cast, suspended across his chest in a sling. His head was wrapped tightly in thick white bandages, with faint red stains seeping through. Yamauchi blinked in confusion, instinctively raising his uninjured arm to press on the bandages. A sharp pain shot through his head.
The arm in the cast felt numb, completely without sensation. As he turned his head, he saw Ike Kanji lying in the bed beside him. He immediately shouted:
"Ike!"
Ike rubbed his eyes. Unlike Yamauchi, both of his arms were intact, though his face was plastered with gauze and a bandage was tied around his forehead.
"What the hell happened..."
Startled by Yamauchi's battered appearance, Ike tried to recall what had happened before he blacked out.
They had come to the infirmary to check on the school nurse...
Then overheard Kouenji Rokusuke talking to a woman...
Then got caught, tried to flee, blacked out—
"Kouenji Rokusuke!"
"That bastard Kouenji!"
The two shouted in unison after exchanging glances.
Just then, a shiny bald head popped into the infirmary. Upon seeing the pair's miserable state, Katsuragi Kouhei froze, wide-eyed, only to hear the two shout Kouenji Rokusuke's name with venom.
God have mercy.
He had only received an anonymous message while heading back to the dorm after class. It read: "Kouenji Rokusuke was involved in a violent altercation with Class D students. Injured parties have been sent to the infirmary."
Given Kouenji's arrogant behavior and the fact that he hadn't shown up for class all afternoon, Kouhei didn't dare ignore it. When Kouenji wouldn't answer his phone, he rushed to the infirmary to confirm the situation himself.
And it turned out to be true.
Seeing the two looking like walking cosplay props for a ninja clan, Kouhei nearly blacked out.
Could this guy cause any more trouble?
Yamauchi and Ike immediately recognized Katsuragi. After all, they had attended Kushida Kikyou's mixer and knew the Class A leader was the bald guy. Seeing him now, they found the perfect outlet for their anger:
"Where is that Kouenji Rokusuke from your class?!"
"He attacked us after we caught him doing something shady!"
"I want him expelled!"
The word "expelled" stabbed deep into Kouhei's nerves. His eyes reddened. These past days he had degraded himself trying to appease Kouenji, all in hopes of salvaging Class A's point balance.
If Kouenji really got expelled...
Class A's points would...
The situation was too dire for coherent thought. Already exhausted physically and mentally, Kouhei instinctively tried to de-escalate:
"I'm terribly sorry! I apologize! But... maybe we can talk this over?"
Yamauchi and Ike exchanged a look, their eyes flashing with calculation. Then, as if on cue, they began to shout louder:
"We were beaten this badly—what's there to discuss?!"
"Even if he kneeled and begged, I wouldn't forgive him!"
"He must be expelled! That's the only proper punishment!"
Their injuries and fury had Kouhei sweating profusely. As Class A's newly appointed leader, watching his class lose points like this...
"That's it! I'm reporting this to the teachers and the student council right now! Come on, Ike!"
Yamauchi made a show of rising to leave.
"Wait..."
Kouhei barely managed to squeeze out the words, gritting his teeth as he reached out.
"What now, Class A rep? Ready to throw Kouenji a going-away party?"
"If you're willing to pay... we can pretend this never happened. Sound fair?"
Kouhei's bloodshot eyes glistened as he named a price that made their hearts leap:
"One million points. For each of you."
-------------------------------------
"I'm curious, where did you learn that technique?"
In Class 1-C, Ryuuen Kakeru sat with his legs crossed, watching Kitagawa Ryo apply makeup and bandages to his body.
Though they had only met a few times, Ryuuen felt an uncanny sense of familiarity with the D-Class boy.
"Just a bluff."
Ryo stepped back and handed Ryuuen a mirror. The skills came from over a decade working as a doctor.
In the reflection, Ryuuen had bandages wrapped around his head, his arm in a cast, and his face bruised and battered.
"Then why does it hurt?"
Ryuuen pressed on the bandages. Faint bloodstains had soaked through, and a sharp sting followed.
"I rigged the bandages a bit. Anyone who presses on them will feel pain."
"There are no actual wounds."
Ryo smirked.
"Don't forget our deal."
"Yeah, yeah."
Ryuuen waved dismissively:
"You help me get Tokito Hiroya from my class expelled, and I help you get rid of Yamauchi Haruki and Ike Kanji. That's it, right?"
"Right."
Ryo nodded.
Class 1-C was likely the only class in the year that hadn't fully grasped the school's fundamental rules.
Which meant Ryuuen had no clue about the trap hidden in their deal.
Maybe he did wonder whether having a classmate expelled would negatively impact his class. But according to the agreement, one student from Class C would be expelled, while two from Class D would be eliminated.
If anything, Class D would suffer more.
Ryo's eyes narrowed as he recalled a roguelike RPG he'd played with Ryuuen Kakeru during Karuizawa Kei's second simulation.
[Could be an enemy. Could be a friend.]
That line rang in his ears again.
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