Chapter 074 Drugging Yagami Takuya! / Why Can't I Have a Harem!
Saturday noon. The sun beat down directly, and the air swirled with the lingering heat of early September; even the wind felt scalding.
Ryuen Kakeru and Yamada Albert stood by the entrance of the school building, eating popsicles while they waited. Before long, Ishizaki Daichi ran over, drenched in sweat.
"Boss! Something's wrong! Hoshinomiya is in the infirmary!"
Ryuen swallowed his popsicle in two or three bites and tossed the stick toward a nearby trash can. It missed by three or four centimeters, hitting the rim and bouncing onto the ground. Despite a sign nearby reading Protect our environment, everyone is responsible, he didn't spare it a glance. He clapped his hands and said calmly, "What's the panic? Even if that woman is in the infirmary, she definitely went out drinking last night. She's probably napping right now. Ignore her and proceed with the plan."
Ishizaki's eyes widened as he shook his head repeatedly. "No, Boss! Hoshinomiya-sensei isn't sleeping; she's just sitting there playing on her phone!"
'What's the deal? Did that woman not go out looking for men and drinks last night?'
Ryuen subconsciously reached the same conclusion a certain other man had. Frowning, he entered the school building and crept toward the first-floor infirmary. He crouched down and used his phone's remote camera function to sweep the room.
Sure enough.
Far from being hungover, Hoshinomiya Chie's complexion looked perfectly normal. At that moment, she was organizing medical equipment and had even picked up a rag to start cleaning.
Ryuen looked like he'd seen a ghost. He quickly exited the building and returned to Yamada and Ishizaki.
"Has that woman actually started quitting alcohol? Or did the school pass some new law requiring teachers to stay sober during the day?" After a moment's thought, he ultimately attributed it to school regulations.
"Ryuen-boss, I don't think so," Ishizaki scratched his head. "I bumped into her during breakfast yesterday morning, and she still looked like she'd been drinking all night and was about to vomit the next second. I guess today she's just... suddenly sober. Who knows what's going on!"
"Whatever! Yagami Takuya is lying on the bed in that infirmary right now, isn't he? If she's blocking the door, how do we get in?" Ryuen kicked him in frustration.
Yagami Takuya had been recovering in the infirmary for some time now. Ryuen had been watching him for several days and found that the guy arrived at exactly 8:30 AM and returned
to the dorms at 5:00 or 6:00 PM, his schedule more precise than an alarm clock. Originally, Ryuen wanted to strike today, Saturday, when most people were resting and Hoshinomiya was expected to be snoring in her dorm. Who knew she would actually show up for work normally, completely throwing a wrench into his plans.
"Boss, how about another day?" Ishizaki suggested cautiously. "The woman must have taken the wrong medicine today. If she catches us in the act, things will get messy."
"Another day?" Ryuen sneered. "How long have I been waiting for this? That Yagami brat played dirty against our class on the island. Kinoshita is still lying in her dorm bed, unable to even walk. And you want me to pick another day?"
"But..."
"No buts." Ryuen stood up and pocketed his phone. "If we can't go in through the front, we'll find another way."
"What way?" Ishizaki looked lost.
Ryuen turned to Yamada Albert. "Yamada, what time does your boxing training start this afternoon?"
Yamada held up four fingers.
"Four o'clock? Fine, I'll try not to affect your training. I'm counting on you to get those 3,000 bonus points at the Cultural Festival, after all." Ryuen clapped his hands. "Ishizaki, go watch the back door of the infirmary. Yamada, you come with me to the front. If Hoshinomiya leaves, notify me immediately."
"Boss, what exactly are you planning to do?" Ishizaki was still uneasy.
Ryuen flashed a dangerous smile. "Relax, I'm not going to start a fight in the school today. This is just groundwork. Even Yamada couldn't beat him; I'm not stupid enough to go looking for a beating."
Ishizaki nodded and ran off toward the back door. Ryuen and Yamada walked to the corner of the hallway opposite the infirmary's front door and leaned against the wall to wait.
Time ticked by. Occasionally, students passed by, looking at them curiously, but they immediately sped up upon seeing Yamada Albert's massive frame.
"Boss, why do you think Hoshinomiya-sensei is so energetic today?" Ishizaki's voice came through the phone, full of confusion.
"How should I know," Ryuen said impatiently. "Maybe she didn't drink last night, or maybe the school gave her some incentive. Anyway, watch the back door! At noon, she'll definitely go to the cafeteria to get food for that guy. That'll be our best chance."
"Got it."
About half an hour later, around 11:00 AM, the infirmary door suddenly opened. Hoshinomiya Chie walked out carrying a trash bag and headed toward the other end of the hallway.
"She's moving. She's likely going to the cafeteria to get lunch for herself and Yagami," Ryuen stood up immediately. "Yamada, keep up."
The two followed silently behind Hoshinomiya, maintaining a safe distance. She crossed the hallway, exited the building, and disappeared behind the doors.
"Ishizaki! Watch that woman!" he barked into his phone.
"You got it, Boss!" Ishizaki replied forcefully.
The infirmary door was slightly ajar. The two pushed it open and stepped inside. The room smelled of disinfectant, and the curtains were half-drawn, leaving the light dim.
A figure lay on the bed by the window, the blanket pulled up to his chest. His face was wrapped in gauze, revealing only closed eyes and pale lips. Yagami Takuya.
Seeing his eyes closed, Ryuen didn't approach to speak. Instead, he quietly picked up the water glass by the bed. He gestured for Yamada to keep an eye on Yagami while he pulled a packet of unknown powder from his pocket, tore it open, and secretly drugged the water.
After finishing, he gestured for Yamada to leave. Just then, Ishizaki's voice shouted through the phone in his pocket: "Boss! Did you get in?"
"That idiot!" Ryuen cursed under his breath. He looked at Yagami, who was still seemingly asleep. He let out a sigh of relief and walked away quickly with Yamada.
About ten seconds later, Yagami Takuya's eyes opened a crack. Once he confirmed the infirmary was truly empty, he opened them fully. He looked at the water glass beside him with disdain and splashed the water onto the floor.
"Did you really think I was asleep?"
He was a White Room assassin, a top student of the fifth generation. The moment those two stepped into the infirmary, he had sensed something was wrong and had been faking sleep. As expected, Ryuen Kakeru had tried to drug him.
"This is the closed-off Advanced Nurturing High School; he probably couldn't get his hands on anything powerful. Is it just a laxative? How boring. Typical trash of this school—not only are his methods childish, but his drugs can probably only give someone an upset stomach at most."
Ryuen was likely looking for payback for Kinoshita and Yamada. However, Yagami was petty; he had already added Ryuen to his revenge list. Once he recovered, both Ryuen and Nagumo Miyabi could wait for their turn.
About ten minutes later, Hoshinomiya-sensei finally returned to the infirmary. Yagami noticed a new stain on her skirt and continued his act of innocent naivety. "Thank you for your hard work, Hoshinomiya-sensei. But did something happen? Your clothes are dirty."
"Hmph, I ran into some students while getting food. Before I knew it, someone bumped into me and spilled the meals," Hoshinomiya pouted and complained. "My brand new clothes! If it weren't for these 'special' days, I wouldn't have worn them out."
"Oh dear, that's quite unlucky. But what do you mean by 'special' days?"
"Nothing. Anyway, Yagami-kun, here is your food. Eat up."
She handed him a lunch box labeled with his name. Yagami sat up slowly and opened it. Inside were noodles and a bit of natto. His teeth hadn't recovered yet, so he couldn't eat hard food—it would be a problem if he developed dry socket—so he was restricted to a liquid diet.
He took a bite and felt something was off. Why do the noodles taste weird? A bit astringent. Perhaps it was the broth? Or the large amount of natto?
Regardless, using the palate trained in the White Room, Yagami finished the entire meal without a change in expression, even drinking every drop of the soup. He figured that to recover quickly, he needed to eat and sleep well; he'd probably be fine in about a month.
Hoshinomiya Chie, meanwhile, ate quite slowly. She put down her chopsticks and looked at Yagami. "Yagami-kun, starting this afternoon, you don't need to come to the infirmary anymore. Go back to your dorm to rest."
"Eh? Sensei, what do you mean?"
"Because your injuries have stabilized. You haven't shown symptoms of dizziness or concussion lately; resting anywhere is the same. You'll have more freedom in the dorm. As for meals, you can pick them up from the school yourself; the school will prepare them specially for you."
Hearing her words, Yagami sneered internally.
'Kicking me out? What a nice way to put it.'
Stable injuries, resting anywhere is the same—to put it bluntly, she just found him a nuisance taking up a bed. The infirmary was only so big, and after he'd been lying there for over two weeks, she was likely sick of him.
However, he didn't show it. Instead, he offered a warm smile. "Alright, thank you for taking care of me these past few days, Sensei. I'll pack up and move back this afternoon."
"Mm," Hoshinomiya nodded and said with a smile, "Personally, I suggest you leave right after eating. It's not like you need to prepare anything at the dorm."
"Okay, I'll do as you say." Yagami sat up and slowly got out of bed. "I actually wanted to go back and check on things."
"Fine." Hoshinomiya stood up, went to a cabinet, and pulled out a small bag. "This is your medication for the next few days. Take it three times a day after meals. Remember to disinfect the wound daily and change the gauze every two days. If you feel unwell, contact me anytime."
"I understand." Yagami took the bag and glanced inside: several boxes of anti-inflammatories, a roll of gauze, a bottle of betadine, and a small pack of cotton swabs. It wasn't much, but it would last him a while.
"I'll go pack now."
"Mm, go ahead." Hoshinomiya waved him off, sat back in her chair, and returned to her phone.
Yagami Takuya walked out of the infirmary and narrowed his eyes.
'Freedom!'
No, not exactly freedom. He was just moving from one cage to another. But at least Hoshinomiya wouldn't be watching him in the dorm; he could do whatever he wanted.
'Hm? Why does my stomach feel strangely uncomfortable? I already went to the bathroom this morning...'
.
.
.
Meanwhile, Ryuen Kakeru and Yamada Albert had exited the school building. The sun made them sweat, but Ryuen was in high spirits. He pulled out his phone and messaged Ishizaki Daichi: Rendezvous.
Ishizaki ran over quickly, asking breathlessly, "Boss, is it done?"
"Yeah." Ryuen pocketed his phone. "Let's go eat."
The three headed toward the cafeteria.
"Boss, why did you have me intentionally shout that you were inside? Wouldn't that wake Yagami up?" Ishizaki asked.
Ryuen couldn't help but laugh. "Idiot, it's impossible for that guy to have been asleep. With his combat ability, how could he not notice two grown men like Yamada and me walking in? I only did that to lower his guard."
"What do you mean?" Ishizaki looked at him expectantly.
"On the way to the cafeteria, I already arranged for students from our class to 'accidentally' bump into Hoshinomiya and spill her food. Then, under the guise of an apology, they helped her get new food and drugged Yagami's portion. That is my true strategy," Ryuen explained proudly.
"Holy crap! Boss, this plan within a plan is incredible!" Ishizaki gave a thumbs up. "This way, Yagami will definitely dump out the drugged water, relax his guard after we leave, and then eat the drugged lunch!"
Ryuen grinned widely. He didn't tell Ishizaki that he had spent three full days thinking of this plan.
"So Boss, what kind of drug did you use?"
"Laxatives."
"Laxatives? Just laxatives?"
"What did you expect?" Ryuen glanced at him. "Poison? I'm not crazy. If I poisoned someone in school, I'd be expelled regardless of our grudge. Laxatives are different; they count as a prank at most. Even if they find out, they can't do anything to me."
"But laxatives are too light!" Ishizaki said, disappointed. "That guy put Kinoshita in a state where he can't even get out of bed, and we're just giving him diarrhea for a few days?"
"Who said it was just laxatives?" Ryuen pulled a small bottle from his pocket. "I ordered this specially from outside. It's not an ordinary laxative; it's the kind that makes you weak all over, gives you cold sweats, and a fever. On the surface, it looks like a cold, but it's actually gastrointestinal dysfunction. He won't be better for at least a week."
Ishizaki's eyes widened. "There's such a thing? Wait, Boss, where did you get it?"
"Use your brain. I bought it openly from outside under the guise of Cultural Festival procurement. Give the procurement staff a little tip, and they'll naturally help." Ryuen tucked the bottle away and patted Ishizaki's shoulder. "Let's eat. We'll close the net in a few days."
"It's not over?"
"Just a stomach ache? When he's dehydrated and exhausted in a few days, the three of us will have a proper meeting with him. Actually, I'm considering whether to smash the plumbing in the restroom tonight."
"Why?"
"To make sure that guy can't flush the toilet, obviously!"
"Hahaha! Boss, that's too wicked! Diarrhea with no water to flush—Yagami Takuya is going to lose his mind!"
Ryuen wouldn't actually smash the plumbing; that was too stupid. Vandalizing school property was a punishable offense regardless of motive.
He was just joking to tease Ishizaki.
..
.
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3:00 PM.
Shimizu Akira went to the gift shop and picked out a high-quality necktie, costing about 50,000 personal points. After it was wrapped, he left the shop and called Mashima Tomonari.
"Sensei, are you free now?"
"Ah, Shimizu. I am free... however, I'm currently eating at an izakaya and have had a bit to drink."
"Eh? Can I still come over?"
"It's fine, it's fine. There are servers and cameras; as long as you don't drink, there's no problem."
"Alright, I'll find you now."
Shimizu hung up and walked toward the school gate with the gift bag. The afternoon sun was still a bit bright, but it was better than it had been at noon. As he walked along the campus path, he thought about what to say when he saw Mashima-sensei.
After all, during the last island exam, Mashima-sensei was the one who arrived on the yacht to stop the confrontation between him, Ayanokouji, and Acting Chairman Tsukishiro. Though it was true he had won the fight, Tsukishiro apparently had a whole boatload of White Roomers as backup. If things had dragged on, who knows what would have happened. So, in any case, the man had done him a favor. Giving a thank-you gift was perfectly normal.
After walking for about ten minutes, Shimizu arrived at an izakaya that looked quite old. He pushed the door open and stepped inside. Mashima Tomonari was sitting at the bar with a few skewers of yakitori and a glass of draft beer. Seeing him enter, he waved.
"Over here."
Shimizu walked over and sat beside him. "Sensei, sorry for the intrusion." He placed the gift bag at his feet and nodded.
"No need for formalities." Mashima took a sip of his beer. "Sit."
Mashima put down his glass and studied Shimizu, his gaze landing on the gift bag. "Is that for me?"
"Yes." Shimizu lifted the bag onto the bar. "I haven't had a chance to thank you for last time. This is a good opportunity."
Mashima didn't stand on ceremony; he opened the bag and took out the tie to examine it. It had a dark blue base with subtle stripes—low-key but high quality. It was exactly the style he liked.
"Not bad," he nodded. "Must have cost quite a bit?"
"About 50,000 personal points," Shimizu said honestly.
"Fifty thousand?" Mashima was surprised. "That's quite the expense."
"It's only right," Shimizu smiled. "I'm glad you like it."
"Thank you for the gift." Mashima put the tie back in the bag. "Speaking of which, this is the first time a student has given me a gift in two years."
"Eh? Students from Class A... I mean, Class B, haven't given you anything?"
"No. Not even on Teacher's Day. Perhaps I'm too serious in front of them," Mashima said self-deprecatingly.
In truth, Mashima-sensei usually appeared very serious and professional, but outside of work hours, he felt like a very steady adult to Shimizu.
Shimizu quickly offered comfort. "Don't worry, Mashima-sensei. Last Teacher's Day, not a single person in our class gave Chabashira-sensei a gift either."
"Haha!" Mashima actually laughed. This man didn't turn red when he drank; he was the type that didn't show alcohol on his face. "Then I feel much more balanced. As for the other teachers, I know Sakagami didn't get anything either. It seems only Hoshinomiya receives many gifts."
"By the way..." Shimizu looked at the two empty beer bottles. "Why did you come out to drink in broad daylight? Did something happen?"
Mashima let out a long sigh. "What else? I broke up with my girlfriend. Speaking of which, you're partly to blame."
Shimizu was stunned. "Eh? I'm involved?"
"Yeah." He swirled his glass. "Do you remember during the island registration when I asked for your experience in having a harem? You said the first girlfriend's consent is the most important part, and that she would introduce her friends. Well, during the summer break after I left the school grounds, I decisively went public with this idea to my girlfriend. She kicked me straight in the crotch... hiss... it still hurts now."
"..."
'Wait? I was just talking casually back then!'
Kushida Kikyo was a very special person to have agreed to his harem!
Mashima seemed to notice Shimizu's speechless expression and cleared his throat. "Anyway, Shimizu, I'm happy you gave me a gift. But if you could also impart a few more tips on how to start a harem, I think I'd be even more grateful."
Shimizu said blankly, "I feel like the possibility is still very low. in society, you either have to be a billionaire or have an incredibly high EQ to keep all your girlfriends happy. It's not that easy!"
"Ah... I'm just an ordinary person. My savings are only about two million yen, I don't have a luxury car, and my social skills are average. I don't know how to sweet-talk women. Do I really have to give up on the idea of a harem?"
After getting drunk, this man actually grabbed Shimizu's shoulders and said directly with eyes full of desire: "Please, Shimizu! I want to be like you and enjoy the company of many women! I want to sleep with many women too!"
'Hey! You're too loud! The bartender cleaning the glasses is looking over! Other customers are staring strangely! Saying a man's desires out loud... you're in your thirties!
Is it true that men stay boys until they die?'
Shimizu could only say, "Sensei, don't be hasty. Let go of my arm first so we can talk about this properly."
"Alright." Mashima let go.
"Sensei, you're actually drunk, aren't you?"
"Not much, just two bottles." Mashima shook his glass. "My tolerance is fine. Shimizu, do you think I can become a rich man with a high EQ?"
Shimizu was silent for two seconds. "I can only say the possibility is very low."
"So I have no hope?"
"It's not completely hopeless," Shimizu thought for a moment. "But you have to figure out one thing first: do you truly love many people, or do you just envy the status of having many girlfriends?"
Mashima was stunned. "Is there a difference?"
"Of course," Shimizu said. "Truly loving many people means you're willing to invest time and energy into each one, willing to bear their emotions, and willing to be there when they need you. But if you just envy the status, you don't actually want girlfriends; you want the feeling of being the center of attention."
Mashima stared at him for several seconds.
"You're a high schooler telling me this?"
"You're the one who asked." Shimizu shrugged.
"True." Mashima picked up his beer again. "You're right. I probably do just envy that feeling. After all, who doesn't like being the center of attention?"
"But that feeling doesn't last long," Shimizu said. "Once the novelty wears off, all that's left is responsibility. You have half your life ahead of you; if you aren't prepared, it's better not to start."
Mashima stared into his beer and sighed. "That makes sense. You're right; I should think about it properly. Shimizu, sometimes I really feel like you aren't a high schooler. You have so many girlfriends—have you already planned everything out for after graduation?"
Actually, he hadn't thought that far ahead. If things went south, he could just go find Kiryuin-senpai.
The two continued to chat for another ten minutes.
"Mashima-sensei, you've had enough. Shall I help you back to the dorm?" Shimizu asked with concern.
"Ah, no need, no need. You go ahead," Mashima waved. "By the way, regarding the last island exam... although I was the one who brought the yacht, Hoshinomiya and Chabashira were quite proactive when they heard about your situation. They took the initiative to come with me to check on things.
Especially Chabashira. After hearing about Ike Kanji's accident, she gathered many teachers and made a point to patrol around your girlfriends' area that night.
She and I have been friends for over ten years. She's not bad at heart; her way of doing things is just a bit awkward. Setting others aside, she's been irreproachable toward you since school started, hasn't she? You said earlier that no one in your class gave her a gift. If you don't mind, it wouldn't hurt to be a little nice to her.
Of course, I'm just speaking casually. Purely a suggestion; it's up to you whether to listen."
Shimizu was genuinely stunned.
'Hm? Chabashira-sensei actually did that behind the scenes?'
Then again, on the day of the island incident, Chabashira was indeed present on the yacht. She had helped out. However, that was technically her duty as a homeroom teacher, and he could interpret it as her doing it just to reach Class A.
It was still impossible for her to get him to obediently lead the upcoming Unanimous Exam or just throw someone under the bus.
'However, being a little nice to her... that's something within my power.'
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