Splashed with cold milk, Classmate Shibata instinctively stood up, ready to explode.
But when his gaze met Amane's, Classmate Shibata immediately calmed down, his body sinking back into his seat.
Amane watched Classmate Shibata's every move quietly until he sat back down, then she took out a few tissues and handed them to Classmate Shibata.
"Are you calm now?"
"Pretty much. You came to see me about Ichinose, right?"
Classmate Shibata naturally took the tissues and wiped his face and clothes with one hand.
His other hand, injured earlier, still hadn't recovered. Hoshinomiya-sensei estimated it would take at least another month to improve.
Knowing he couldn't rush it, Classmate Shibata had started trying to adapt to life with one hand.
"Yes, but it seems different from what I expected now."
Amane sat down and picked up a slightly cold hash brown, taking a small bite.
Her eyes, however, were fixed on Classmate Shibata.
"Don't look at me like that. You saw it just now, didn't you? This matter has nothing to do with me. If you hadn't come to me today, I would have even thought Miyako-san was manipulating this whole thing behind the scenes."
How credible were Classmate Shibata's words?
Amane didn't rush to answer, but instead recalled Classmate Shibata's expression just now. His appearance when he roared at her didn't look feigned, but she couldn't rule out the possibility of Classmate Shibata's acting skills having greatly improved recently, or her misjudgment.
Rather than judging by appearance, she preferred to believe in observing whether the other party's actions aligned with his 'interests,' then discerning their inner thoughts to find that tiny flaw, and finally crushing their heart.
Amane easily tore the hash brown with her fingernail.
"What good would Ichinose's downfall do me? On the contrary, if I were discovered, I would be ruined. I don't need to gamble so much for one Ichinose. I've already defeated her once, and I'm not afraid of Class B led by her. Classmate Shibata, don't you think your suspicion is unfounded?"
Amane delivered a direct hit, this was the core issue.
Since Classmate Shibata kept saying he suspected Amane, then what was the reason? It was no secret in Class B that Amane and Ichinose were on good terms.
Moreover, Amane had caused a huge commotion in Class B not long ago, ultimately tricking the entire Class B with her superb acting, turning the once high-and-mighty Class B into Class D overnight.
Did such a person need to risk expulsion to attack the leader of a weaker class? And using such an unscrupulous method against a friend? Was Amane that kind of person? If not, then Classmate Shibata's suspicion was very interesting, looking to anyone like a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
"Although that's usually the case, Miyako-san, your way of thinking is too imaginative, and your actions are even more unpredictable. I think it's very possible for you to make such a decision on a whim. Plus, with such a malicious incident happening this time, it looks like Miyako-san's or Ryuuen's doing."
Classmate Shibata's words, though somewhat far-fetched, weren't entirely unreasonable. Amane's methods of action had not been fully deciphered by anyone even now. Even Sakayanagi could only roughly guess Amane's thought process, but asking her to guess what actions Amane would take to achieve a goal would be too difficult for her.
Besides Classmate Shibata, many others must have seen Amane as the mastermind behind this incident. Motofuji-san was like that, Classmate Shibata was like that, and so was Horikita before.
It seemed all fingers pointed to her.
But if you really looked closely, such logic was completely untenable. Attributing an inscrutable matter to Amane simply because her actions were inscrutable was, in itself, a rather absurd idea.
"Excluding Ryuuen manipulating things remotely, what benefit would he gain from this? In my opinion, Ryuuen isn't the type of person who would act for his own desires rather than for the class's benefit. Speaking of which... it seems the biggest beneficiary of this malicious incident targeting Ichinose is Classmate Shibata himself, isn't it?"
Amane chewed on her hash brown.
The corner of her eye scanned her surroundings.
There were no listeners or trackers nearby, which meant it wasn't her?
Seeing that Morofuji didn't try to follow her, Amane finally relaxed.
Shibata pondered for a moment, but the result of his thoughts was quite grave.
"I have to say, while there are a few beneficiaries, I am indeed the biggest one. But I'm not that foolish. If I had this trump card, I would never choose to play such a decisive card at this stupid time."
Shibata's tone became agitated again, his eyes filled with regret, clearly lamenting that this good card was played at the wrong time.
"This card would be effective whenever it's used, wouldn't it?"
Amane wasn't entirely sure how far Shibata's power struggle had progressed, but Morofuji's support for her was telling.
Even if Ichinose lost influence, a considerable number of loyal people would still follow her. Not to mention, Shibata couldn't even see the hope of defeating Ichinose right now, so it was unlikely he could suppress Ichinose comprehensively.
As long as it wasn't a complete suppression of Ichinose, or even a situation where victory was already assured, the trump card about Ichinose being a thief would be fatal to Ichinose whenever it was played. Therefore, Shibata's self-defense was not enough to convince Amane.
"You're right, frankly, it would be effective at any time. But I wouldn't use it this way. Using this trump card like this is simply a waste and has uncontrollable negative side effects."
Shibata picked up the unfinished drink in front of him, took a few big gulps, and then began to explain his method of utilization.
"If I had such a decisive trump card, I would never bring it out during a special exam. Because at this time, the key to gaining the greatest benefit isn't about whether I or Ichinose is the class leader, but about who can lead the class to win the exam. Ichinose and I are already at a crucial moment of decision. A few days ago, I also used the desire for victory of those guys in Class B to get Ichinose to agree to my battle plan."
As Shibata spoke, his gaze became sharp and confident. Amane was already well aware of his plan. In Amane's opinion, there were quite a few flaws in it. She just didn't know where Shibata's confidence came from, or perhaps... he deliberately showed flaws but actually had another trick up his sleeve?
Not noticing Amane's slightly changing expression, Shibata continued to speak.
"In other words, whether my battle with Ichinose succeeds depends entirely on whether my plan succeeds, not on using malicious rumors. If my plan succeeds and Class B gains a large number of class points, we can return to our previous position. I can also gain immense prestige, thereby completely suppressing Ichinose. Then, releasing this news, with one's rise and the other's fall, Ichinose will have no chance of recovery!"
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