Chapter 117: Shinomiya Kaguya's Little Scheme
"Hey, you there! The school does not allow eccentric clothing!"
Just as Hikigaya Hachiman stepped off the bus, he heard the voices of Iino Miko and Mechamaru. He froze for a moment; he could never have imagined this specific duo crossing paths.
"I told you, I am part of the security staff for this school."
"Mechamaru" had been waiting by the back gate specifically for Hikigaya. He hadn't expected this "little potato" to pop up out of nowhere and treat him like a suspicious individual. Iino was being incredibly earnest, demanding he show his ID or she would notify the school's guard office.
Mechamaru refused. He felt that as a Semi-First Grade sorcerer acting as a guard for an ordinary school, the school leadership should be thanking their lucky stars. To be looked down upon after condescending to take this job was insulting.
In fairness, Iino wasn't entirely wrong. The puppet head Muta Kokichi used for "Mechamaru" practically had the words "I am suspicious" plastered on it. As a member of the Disciplinary Committee, she felt it was her duty to lead by example.
"Iino, he really is a security staff member," Hikigaya intervened, immediately clarifying Mechamaru's identity.
Iino had been waiting at the gate for Hikigaya anyway, so she wasn't surprised to see him. Instead, she looked delighted.
"Department Head!"
"Hikigaya-senpai!"
Iino used her habitual title for him, while Mechamaru addressed him as a senpai. Hearing the suspicious person address the "Department Head" with such familiarity—and getting direct confirmation—Iino's face turned bright red with embarrassment.
She couldn't have known that this "security guard" was a precious asset the Shinomiya family, the school's major shareholders, had personally begged the Jujutsu Headquarters to provide.
"I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you," Iino apologized. The puppet head still looked suspicious to her, but she admitted her error.
"How rare," Mechamaru muttered. He hadn't expected such a small girl with such a large temper to bow so readily.
'One word from Hikigaya-senpai works better than all my talking.'
Muta Kokichi didn't hold it against her, though.
"No, my attitude was also problematic."
Once the misunderstanding was cleared, Hikigaya turned to Mechamaru.
"Is your body okay?"
Last time, under the influence of the Master of Lust, Mechamaru had self-destructed in front of Hikigaya and Gojo. Seeing him back at work the very next day, Hikigaya felt he should have taken another day off.
"I'm fine, Senpai."
Kokichi's real body was still in the hospital with minor physical and mental trauma. Because he had cut the connection to the puppet quickly during the battle, the feedback was minimal. As long as Hikigaya didn't take him on missions or require large outputs of cursed energy, managing the puppet wasn't a huge burden.
"I feel great, thanks to you." Mechamaru shook his head. With the "little potato" present, he kept his response vague.
"Good work. Remember to report anything unusual to me. And if you can't hold on, tell me."
Maintaining the "Mechamaru Network"—a massive surveillance and early warning system—was a heavy responsibility. Hikigaya liked the idea of a mechanical hub replacing a human one; machines don't get tired. The flesh is weak, but the machine is immortal.
Kokichi's body suffered from a [Heavenly Restriction]—a soul-level injury reflected on the flesh that Reverse Cursed Technique and modern medicine couldn't touch. Hikigaya had tasked him with finding sorcerers or cursed spirits capable of flesh mutation or possessing unique organs.
He didn't think a simple "Astartes surgery" could cure the restriction, but he theorized that by using gene-cultivated organs modified into bio-mechanical hybrids, the survival rate of the surgery would increase significantly even if the soul damage persisted.
Hikigaya patted Mechamaru's shoulder. He knew the boy wanted nothing more than to stand in the light with the person he loved.
"I'll work hard," Mechamaru said, honored by the gesture. "I'll get back to patrol then."
Once Mechamaru left, Hikigaya looked down at Iino Miko, who had been watching him seriously. "Did you have something to say?"
Iino bowed deeply. "Thank you, Department Head. Ishigami Yuu is returning to school today."
Iino was a straight-laced person. She knew that without Hikigaya's intervention to uncover the truth, Ishigami would have been expelled long ago.
"Thank you for the help you provided in this matter."
That was why she had been waiting at the gate. She knew Hikigaya was busy, so she caught him during the morning commute to express her gratitude without taking up too much of his time.
"Oh, that," Hikigaya recalled. Between the chaos of the evil gods, he had almost forgotten the Ishigami incident.
Ishigami's family had simply been unlucky—their toy company had been targeted by a minor cult. Not only were they being fleeced, but the whole family had been trapped in nightmares to provide food for cursed spirits. (Hikigaya's technique [Nightmare Murmurs] had actually come from the spider-shaped curse involved in that case).
Gojo Satoru had since wiped out that cult, and Hikigaya had Nanami Kento deal with Ogino, the culprit who framed Ishigami. To finish it off, Hikigaya had the school newspaper publish the truth to clear Ishigami's name.
"No need to thank me, Iino. I just followed the standards I set for the Disciplinary Committee."
"'Wrong no innocent, let no villain escape,'" Iino recited. She knew how difficult that was to maintain in a place like Shuchi'in. Under Hikigaya's iron-fisted rule, the school's atmosphere had been thoroughly reformed. The four words he had written—[Uphold Justice]—still hung in the committee room for all to see. He was her idol, a hero who had brought order to chaos.
"Iino."
"Yes, Department Head!"
Iino snapped to attention, her fist over her heart at a 45-degree angle. She looked ready to "offer her heart" if Hikigaya gave the command.
"Relax," Hikigaya said, amused by his zealous junior. "I just wanted to ask: you and Ishigami are classmates, right?"
"Yes, we've been in the same class for three years since middle school."
"What kind of person do you think he is?"
Iino was stumped. Helping him return was one thing, but her constant bickering with that "idiot" was another.
Hikigaya was considering the future. The external environment of the jujutsu world was getting complicated, and managing the Student Council's data and finances was becoming a drain. Ishigami had excellent grades in math and high data-processing efficiency.
Hikigaya wanted to delegate some of his power; he couldn't keep doing everything himself.
The Student Council currently had four members, but really only three workers—the fourth was just a mascot.
He needed an accountant. Ishigami, who was willing to destroy his own reputation and fight the whole school to protect a girl's honor, reminded Hikigaya of himself.
'The world is not kind to gentle people, because it is neither correct nor gentle.'
Hikigaya's first impression of Ishigami was good. Iino's, however, was mixed. "He's not bad... but he's annoying. He constantly obstructs my work and breaks rules, though it's usually small things like bringing game consoles or manga..."
"I see. Thank you. Could you do me a favor and bring Ishigami to the Student Council room after lunch?"
"Okay," Iino nodded, though she looked hesitant.
"Don't worry, it's a good thing. By the way, aren't you on duty? It's getting late."
Hikigaya watched Iino head to the front gate before turning away. It was the last day of exams. He didn't go to class immediately but headed to the Student Council room to clear the backlog of paperwork from yesterday's "early leave."
The Student Council room was already open. Usually, either Hikigaya or Shirogane Miyuki was the first to arrive, but today it was Shinomiya Kaguya.
Shinomiya was never late, but she rarely arrived this early. Through the cracked door, Hikigaya saw the elegant girl with flowing black hair sitting on the sofa, her hands on a laptop. Her expression was dead serious, as if she were solving the world's hardest equation. Her typing speed, however, was painfully slow.
Shinomiya had a glaring weakness: she was an "electronic klutz." While Hikigaya, an "old soul," had mastered modern devices, Shinomiya struggled with computers and smartphones like someone from the previous century. This flaw made the "Ice Princess" seem more human—even "clumsily cute."
"Who's there?" Shinomiya sensed his gaze and looked toward the door.
"It's me," Hikigaya said, walking in. "Good morning, Shinomiya."
"Hikigaya-kun." Shinomiya immediately pulled her hands off the keyboard, trying to act casual. "Good morning."
Hikigaya walked over to see what she was doing. She was using a spare laptop. Usually, Hikigaya used his dedicated machine, while the others did most of their work on paper.
As Hikigaya leaned in, Shinomiya's heart began to race. She had recently had a full check-up at the Imperial College Hospital because her heart kept pounding whenever Hikigaya was near. The results showed she was perfectly healthy, which meant...
'It's almost like I have feelings for Hikigaya-kun!'
She realized this fact and blushed. But it wasn't just his proximity making her nervous. Hikigaya, leaning close to the screen, caught a scent he had never noticed on her before.
'Is Shinomiya wearing perfume?'
Shinomiya never wore perfume. Today, she had a faint, pleasant fragrance. Internally, her mental self was rolling around in embarrassment and anxiety.
The perfume was a "little scheme" suggested by Hayasaka Ai to add "feminine charm."
Usually, the proud Shinomiya felt no need to dress up for "insects," but Hikigaya was the first person who made her want to change.
'A woman beautifies herself for the one who appreciates her.'
But she refused to admit it.
Hayasaka knew this. Changing her hairstyle would be too obvious, so they started with something subtle. The perfume Hayasaka chose wasn't pungent; it smelled like a spring bud just beginning to open. Only someone who knew her well would notice. It was a "little surprise" for their daily life.
"I was... trying to get some work done," Shinomiya said, hiding her shyness. Dealing with digital spreadsheets was a nightmare for her. She had been about to call Hayasaka for help when Hikigaya appeared.
She felt the weight of the council's missing personnel. Without Hikigaya, the council's functionality would drop by 40%. She felt bad leaving it all to him, especially after she'd investigated and found out that the police activity yesterday was related to a "curse user attack" at his sister's school.
She wanted to help, but the buttons on the screen seemed to be mocking her.
By the time Hikigaya walked in, she had been on the verge of frustration, her face cold as ice.
'I am a Shinomiya, yet I can't even do this! And this perfume... will Hikigaya-kun like it, or will he think I'm a freak?'
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