182 The 600 Billion Gamble X Hikigaya's Female Connection
A chilling smile crept across Mibuomi Aoi's lips. This was a plan he had long prepared.
He deliberately pushed Hikigaya Hachiman to stand on the opposite side of the ordinary students, fabricated a scandal between him and the Vice President, all to cement the impression in the public's mind that he represented the righteous and unmatched art of gambling, while Hikigaya symbolized the evil of the Student Council.
The most malicious part of this plan was that either Hikigaya Hachiman or Momobami Kirari would certainly fall.
Even if Hikigaya chose to sacrifice Kirari, once Mibuomi seized power, the money Hikigaya gained from him would be returned with interest.
"Truly, I have to thank you, Momobami Kirari. If it weren't for you, this crazy woman, setting the rule that the payout odds do not fluctuate with the amount of money wagered, I wouldn't have found such an opportunity."
"What were the odds for the baseball club to win the Great Bloom Festival again?"
"200 to 1, I think."
Mibuomi Aoi's smile deepened. Although his family was powerful and didn't care about pocket change, this horrifying number was enough to make even him take notice.
He had prepared 6 billion yen in advance and intended to bet 3 billion on the baseball club taking first place.
3 billion × 200 = 600 billion yen!
"Hehehe... If Momobami Kirari is still willing to pay that sum without declaring the Student Council bankrupt, then I wouldn't even mind giving up the title of Hyakkaou's ruler. With that amount of money, I could care less about anything in Hyakkaou Academy. After graduation, I could easily negotiate business with the Americans."
As the Student Council's treasurer, Mibuomi Aoi knew better than anyone that the Student Council's current liquid assets amounted to 200 billion yen.
If the amount they owed exceeded that, either Momobami Kirari would pay out of her own pocket, or the Student Council would be forced to declare bankruptcy, and Mibuomi's Faction would take over Hyakkaou Academy.
Everything had been perfectly planned, but that damned Hikigaya Hachiman had once again released a photo of that slut Miharutaki Sakura.
Thus, he had no choice but to activate his plan ahead of schedule, to settle things before the negative rumors about him could ferment and affect his reputation.
With 6 billion yen on the line, Mibuomi Aoi had to be extremely cautious.
He pulled up the odds chart issued by the Management Committee, and surprisingly found a club with even lower odds than the baseball club.
What was it called again?
Oh right... the Service Club?
Its president was a first-year student named Yumiko Miura, a total nobody who had registered the club two weeks before the Great Bloom Festival started. Mibuomi hadn't paid her any attention.
He'd seen plenty of foolish livestock trying to found a club and chase dreams at the Great Bloom Festival.
Countless thoughts strung together in Mibuomi Aoi's mind, and among the thousands of possible outcomes he anticipated, he couldn't see a single one where he would lose.
"Then get ready for hell, Hikigaya Hachiman!"
He arrived at the door of the baseball club's activity room and pushed it open.
.
.
.
"You secretly founded a new club, didn't you?" Saotome and Aiura Kokoro stood side by side, confronting Hikigaya and deducing his plan.
They had never forgotten the trial Hikigaya had given them that day—it was etched deep in their hearts.
Combining Hikigaya's hints with their own joint investigation, they finally uncovered a part of his plan.
"We checked it out. Two weeks before the Great Bloom Festival began, a new club was registered. The timing matches when you made the Ougatou sisters declare their defeat."
"The club president is named Yumiko Miura. It's called the Service Club, right? What a terrible name..."
Saotome Mary spat harshly: "To think... you've been planning this since back then?"
Hikigaya Hachiman didn't deny or confirm her speculation—he just smiled faintly, gently stroking the hair of Yumeko, who was resting her head on his thigh.
"I have a concern," Aiura Kokoro spoke up nervously. "Would someone as cautious as Mibuomi Aoi really not investigate everything in advance?"
"If he finds out, everything you've planned would go to waste."
Hikigaya Hachiman countered: "How would he confirm it?"
"For example… what if he asked which club has the highest amount of money involved in the bets before the gambling begins?" Aiura Kokoro suggested.
According to the rules she knew, the Management Committee does have the authority to answer such a question, to help both sides place informed bets.
"Does Mibuomi even know which club I represent?"
Saotome Mary's eyes lit up: "You mean... you represent the Service Club? Wait—no, if we think in reverse, shouldn't you be representing the baseball club instead?"
"If that's the case, you're basically dragging Mibuomi Aoi into a gamble over guessing which club you truly represent."
Miharutaki Sakura, sitting on the side, voiced a new concern. By now, she had completely become Hikigaya's pet.
Whether in mind or body, she had become accustomed to Hikigaya Hachiman, and her heart was completely tied to his.
Some people wear no physical chains—but are bound head to toe.
"What about the funds? That guy prepared 6 billion yen."
Funds... yes, that was indeed a problem.
Hikigaya Hachiman couldn't help but sigh. If this had been before entering Hyakkaou King Academy, there was no way he could have raised 6 billion yen—even if locked in a dark room, writing his literary masterpieces from memory day and night, it would've taken years.
Unless he sold himself, there was no way he could've raised the funds.
But now, Hikigaya was no longer ordinary Hikigaya.
He was— Best Form: Social-Connections Form—Hikigaya Hachiman!
He smiled without a word, opened his phone, and scrolled through his chat history, presenting it to the others:
[Sumeragi Itsuki:] "Hah? Took you this many chapters to finally remember me? What do you want?" "What?! A loan? Hachiman, you're really... fine. How much?" "50 billion?!"
"I don't have that much. My personal bank account only has 30 billion yen." "Send me your bank account number. I'll transfer it today."
[Juraku-senpai:] "10 billion yen is fine. But, you know what that means..."
[Haruno-nee:] "What happened?" "10 billion yen? I'll transfer it immediately. Come back to Chiba this week, okay? I miss you."
Hikigaya Hachiman put his phone away.
The girls around him started to look at him with increasingly strange expressions.
Now, the last concern was also resolved.
But... in Saotome's heart, a new doubt began to form. She glanced at Yumeko, hesitating to speak.
All of those just now… were girls, right...? Except for Sumeragi Itsuki, they all seemed... kind of intimate. Doesn't Yumeko get jealous, seeing Hikigaya with so many girls?