The final special exam of the first-year students had officially come to an end. The results of Class A and Class D sparked heated discussions not only within the year group, but across the entire school.
If it had just been Class D defeating Class A, that alone wouldn't have been too surprising. A low-probability outcome, sure—but not unheard of.
But a 7–0 clean sweep like this? That went far beyond a simple upset—it was practically a seismic event.
Beyond that, the exams involving Class B and Class C were also under intense scrutiny.
Though the results were technically out, Class B had filed an objection with the school, so the final settlement was still pending. Until the matter was officially resolved, all class points remained unchanged.
However, once the dust settled, the class rankings were likely to undergo a dramatic shake-up.
Because of this, students from both Class B and Class C were throwing themselves into gathering evidence—anything that might tilt the verdict in their favor when the school held its deliberation.
Yet what most people didn't realize was that, long before the exam had even begun, one particular man had already begun making his move.
"Oi, you sure took your sweet time."
"Well, it was you who picked such a remote place. And it's a damn bathroom."
During lunch break, at Ryuuen's invitation, Nagumo came alone to the staff-only restroom in the Special Teaching Building.
"Still, I gotta say—meeting in a place like this really suits your delinquent image."
"Heh. Like you're any better." Ryuuen shot back with a grin. "Even as the student council president, sneaking in here without permission? That's gotta be a breach of school rules."
"I weighed the pros and cons. That's all."
Getting caught here by a teacher might earn them a lecture at worst. But if any students happened to overhear what they were about to discuss... well, things could get messy fast.
And considering how volatile things were lately, even just being seen together might be enough to spark all kinds of rumors.
With all that in mind, this deserted location had been deliberately chosen.
"Besides, it's rare for a junior to come asking me for a favor. I figured I could show a little generosity, just this once."
Nagumo gave a slight smile as he spoke, his gaze sharp with provocation.
Ryuuen met it head-on. "How gracious of you to risk your reputation, senpai... But can we cut the pleasantries now, or are you planning to drag this out even longer?"
Despite speaking to an upperclassman, Ryuuen made no effort to hide his irritation.
"Relax, will you?" Nagumo said, deliberately stringing him along. "You know, Ryuuen, I've always thought you were one of a kind. Never really had a chance to talk, though. So it's nice to finally chat. Oh, and congrats on crushing Class B in the exam."
"Hah. You really mean that?"
"Hey, a win's a win—even if it's just one match. No need to compare yourselves to the other classes."
His tone sounded gracious, but the implication behind his words couldn't have been more obvious.
Still, Ryuuen wasn't so easily baited by such a cheap provocation.
"Yeah. Like you said—a win's a win."
"You've got some nerve, saying that with a straight face."
"Doesn't matter how it happened. I took a bite out of Sakayanagi, and it left a mark."
"Well, I'll give you that."
Nagumo knew full well what Ryuuen had done—or rather, anyone with half a brain could probably figure it out.
Unlike the average person, though, Nagumo didn't mind underhanded tactics. In fact, he rather admired those who were willing to win by any means necessary.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to come here in the first place.
"So let's stop wasting time." Ryuuen got straight to the point. "In the upcoming hearing between our class and Class B, I want you, as student council president, to do something for me."
"Whoa, whoa. You think I'm some kind of fixer now?"
"What, gonna pretend you're some paragon of justice?" Ryuuen made a face like he was about to gag. "Spare me the act."
Given Nagumo's current reputation, it was already in the gutter. In some ways, even worse than Ryuuen's.
Especially among the first-years, no one openly tried to cozy up to Nagumo anymore. Anyone who dared say a nice word about him would just be seen as a scumbag's lackey.
"You got completely exposed by that dead-eyed bastard, and now you wanna act all noble? Don't you think it's a little late for that?"
"...Hmph. You think a petty trick like that did me any real damage?"
Nagumo sneered, doing his best to sound unfazed.
But his tone betrayed a flicker of emotion.
"And besides, you're only coming to me now because you know it didn't."
"It's not a favor. It's a deal," Ryuuen corrected him. "Flat price—5,000,000 points. You help me neutralize this problem."
"I told you, the student council president isn't all-powerful."
"I'm not asking you to hand us the win. Just stall the case for as long as you can—the longer the better."
Ryuuen's logic was crystal clear. With food poisoning cases, the more time passed, the harder it was to gather solid evidence.
Besides, no one from Class B had symptoms severe enough to warrant a hospital trip. At most, they just spent extra time in the bathroom.
The school wasn't likely to take such a case seriously. There was a good chance they'd try to sweep it under the rug.
Most schools in Japan had a habit of doing just that.
"Don't tell me the great student council president can't even handle this. Otherwise, those two reflection letters from Ayanokōji would be way too unjustified."
Ryuuen kept pressing, dragging Ayanokōji into the mix.
The first letter had been written after a hearing chaired by Nagumo—but it was Hikigaya who'd forced Ayanokōji into it, practically holding his head down and making him write it.
The second one? Hikigaya handled it from start to finish.
Ryuuen's implication was crystal clear: without Hikigaya, Nagumo couldn't even touch Ayanokōji.
And in Ryuuen's view, that was the truth.
Back during the forest school incident, Nagumo had been thoroughly played by Ayanokōji.
Not only had his surveillance team been used against him, but he got caught in the crossfire and ended up a laughingstock in front of the whole school.
"Fine. Theoretically, I could pull it off."
After a moment's thought, Nagumo finally gave in—at least, pretended to.
In reality, it wasn't that difficult. Back during the Sudō fight incident, the whole process had dragged on for nearly a week.
This case was even messier. They'd have no shortage of excuses if they needed to stall.
"But let's be clear—if Class B somehow produces definitive evidence, like preserved food or drink samples, even I won't be able to help you."
"What kind of dumbass take is that?" Ryuuen gave him a look. "Even if they do have leftovers, and even if a laxative turns up in them—so what? How the hell are they gonna prove it wasn't added after the fact? Think about it for two seconds, would you?"
"...You've got a point."
Nagumo kept his face composed, but inside he was cursing himself for being an idiot.
Just like Ryuuen said—unless someone had noticed something during the meal and immediately reported it, anything brought up afterward was essentially useless as evidence.
"So if there's no problem, we have a deal?" Ryuuen pressed to lock it in.
"Hmm... 5,000,000 points?"
"Yeah. 5,000,000."
"I won't ask where you got that kind of amount... but that's gotta be a hefty load for you."
"What are you getting at?"
Ryuuen's brow twitched—he could tell Nagumo was hinting at something.
Most likely, this bastard was looking to jack up the price.
That 5,000,000 was scraped together through Class B's contract payouts and contributions collected from his classmates. While Ryuuen could pay more if necessary, it wasn't a road he wanted to go down.
"Don't get me wrong. Even I'm satisfied with that amount," Nagumo said with a smile. "I just have a more attractive proposal. Starting next month, and for the remaining ten months until I graduate, if each of your classmates pays me 30,000 points per month, your personal burden will be a lot lighter, don't you think?"
Ryuuen was momentarily stunned.
Then, his expression darkened, and he growled under his breath, "You bastard, are you joking with me?"
C-Class had only just managed to shake off the burden of debt contracts. There was no way he'd willingly let himself get shackled again.
"Heh, I think it's a pretty good deal," Nagumo chuckled nonchalantly in the face of Ryuuen's murderous glare.
"Sure, you'll be paying more in the long run, but compared to a one-time transaction, don't you think this opens the door for a closer relationship between us?"
"…Be specific."
"In other words, you and me—or rather, Class 1-C and the entire third-year—form an alliance."
The words coming out of Nagumo's mouth sounded absurd, yet he was completely serious about convincing the man in front of him.
"What do you say, Ryuuen? Doesn't sound like a bad deal for you, does it?"
"Cut the crap. 'Alliance'? Sounds like a fancy way of saying you want us to be your underlings while we pay tribute. It's broad daylight—if you want to talk nonsense, save it for when you're dreaming at night."
"No, no, I prefer to call it mutual support," Nagumo corrected him with a straight face, speaking like he truly believed it.
"Take a situation like this one, for example. Don't you think having the student council president on your side is incredibly convenient?"
"That still doesn't mean you're worth that price."
"But if something really comes up, who knows? And besides… if you're seriously aiming for Class A, there's no way you won't clash with other classes down the line."
It wasn't just speculation—Nagumo was laying out a clear analysis.
Judging by this past year, Class C's overall strength was clearly below the others. You could say they were entirely propped up by Ryuuen's leadership.
If your army's weak, all you can do is compensate with strategy.
But defeating the strong while being weak isn't easy—most of the time, it requires dirty tactics. That's unavoidable.
And Ryuuen was far from a naive student. Which is exactly why Nagumo was confident he'd accept the olive branch.
As expected, after only a moment of hesitation, Ryuuen asked, "How can you guarantee you'll keep your promise? Don't tell me we're actually going to sign a contract."
They could draft a contract to regulate the monthly tribute. But Nagumo's promise to use his position as student council president to provide "convenience" was impossible to put into writing.
In other words, this was a totally one-sided deal unfavorable to Ryuuen. Without a proper solution, he'd never sign off on it.
But Nagumo's answer was completely unexpected.
"No need for any contract. You just collect the personal points from your classmates every month and hand them over to me. If anything happens, I'll handle it for you. Simple, right?"
"That's why I'm asking—what guarantee do I have?"
"Isn't the fact that I'm helping you resolve this issue right now the biggest show of good faith?" Nagumo said, shaking his head like he was offering wise counsel. "Think about it. You were about to cough up five million points all at once. Now, you're just paying a little over a million each month. If you really think I'm untrustworthy, you can just stop midway, can't you?"
Seeing the flicker of hesitation on Ryuuen's face, Nagumo added with a smile, "I genuinely want to be friends with you. That's why I'm offering these terms. You're my junior, after all—I wouldn't take your money for nothing."
"…Sounds more like you just want to use me against Fukumeye," Ryuuen said bluntly, seeing straight through him.
Nagumo didn't deny it. He smiled and said, "That is part of the plan. You know what kind of situation Hanabusa is in. And I don't know any other capable first-years. Plus, they all seem to be afraid of Hikigaya… But you? I'm sure you're not."
"Hmph… That aside, let me ask you this—aren't you worried I'll just bail on the deal when the time comes?"
As soon as he heard that, Nagumo knew Ryuuen was warming up to the idea.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have phrased it that way.
"No worries. I trust you."
"Heh, didn't think you were the joking type."
"Nope. I'm not trusting your character. I'm trusting your brains," Nagumo corrected him seriously, then looked at Ryuuen with a faint, knowing smile.
"If you're planning to climb to Class A, there's no way you'd want the student council president as an enemy, right?"
"…You're that confident?"
"Of course. And since you asked, I'll take that as a yes."
With that, Nagumo took the lead and walked toward the restroom door.
Before leaving, he turned back and asked, "By the way, want to join the student council?"
"You've gotta be kidding me. Don't make me sick."
Ryuuen shot him down instantly, but Nagumo wasn't deterred.
"Don't be so quick to reject it," he said, shaking his head with surprising patience. "You're not without ability. After I graduate, who knows—you might even become the next student council president. When the time comes… Well, if you ever feel like joining, come find me. I'll save a spot for you."
Without waiting for a reply, Nagumo walked off.
He wasn't worried that Ryuuen would refuse. That guy was insanely ambitious. As long as there was even a sliver of hope, he wouldn't give up on reaching Class A.
If everything went smoothly, Nagumo wouldn't just gain an extra income for the rest of the year—he'd also add a promising new piece to his collection of first-year pawns.
Class C might not be strong, but their greatest asset was how loyal they were to Ryuuen.
And loyalty? That was far more useful than raw ability.
"Hikigaya… heh, I'll enjoy playing with you."
Just thinking about that dead-eyed guy who always looked so unmotivated but had the nerve to stab him in the back—it pissed him off.
But it also thrilled him.
Neither Horikita Manabu nor Ayanokouji ever made the first move. They only responded when provoked.
Only Hikigaya would go on the offensive.
Which meant—third year wasn't going to be boring after all.
Just as Nagumo was heading back to class, he unexpectedly ran into his homeroom teacher.
"Ah, Nagumo, perfect timing. There's something I need to tell you."
"Of course. What is it?"
Despite having a personality just as nasty as Ryuuen's, Nagumo always maintained impeccable social manners.
He was the student council president, after all.
"You remember that incident where you hit Hikigaya, right?"
The homeroom teacher of Class 3-A gave him a wry smile.
"He asked you to apologize, but you never followed through. Now he's reported it to the school."
"That was just a misunderstanding," Nagumo said with his trademark smile. "But since he's filed a complaint, I suppose it's for the best. We can clear things up during the disciplinary hearing."
If it had been a private matter, it wouldn't be a big deal. But apologizing publicly in front of the whole school? That was absurd.
Based on his experience, Nagumo was sure the school wouldn't support such an excessive demand. So, he hadn't taken it seriously.
But he was about to lose that smile.
"Unfortunately, there won't be any disciplinary hearing. Since you've refused to apologize, after consulting with several teachers, we've unanimously agreed on a punishment."
"…What do you mean?"
A bad feeling washed over Nagumo.
The homeroom teacher slowly shook their head and delivered the verdict, one word at a time:
"In short—you're suspended." [T/N: Thunder!]