Translator: Tsukii

Editor: Kiro

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 22

The next day.

I spent the day lazily together with Arisu-chan.　

I knew there would be another exam starting tomorrow. That one didn’t require much physical strength, but there was a shitty factor where I might get separated from Arisu-chan for an hour.

Moreover, it occurred twice a day. I really want to be spared from that continuing for several days.

Arisu-chan, I wonder if she would end the test on the first day?　

Considering the current situation, I didn’t think it would be impossible… but I wonder about it.

In the first place, things would be better if we were together in the same group.　

The grouping shouldn’t be random. Would the school give some consideration?

I won’t expect much, but I can at least pray for it.

Anyway, I should secure Arisu-chan’s nutrients while I still have the chance now.　

As I embraced her tightly, I could feel her softness and warmth.

She had a sweet smell. I really want to stay like this forever. 

“…I won’t be going anywhere, you know?”　

“Really?”

“Yes. My place is already fixed, and that is next to you.”

Maybe she got a little embarrassed after saying that as she buried her face.　

Ah, she was so cute. Being forced to be separated from this girl gave me nothing but stress.

In addition to the deserted island exam earlier, there were several exams in the future that I would be forced to act separately from Arisu-chan.

I really started to hate the system of this school.

…Perhaps we might as well choose to drop out of school?　

I think, together with Kikyou-chan, the three of us could just transfer to another school.

She didn’t seem interested in the class competition that much, and her feelings toward Horikita seemed to change from disgust to indifference. It was certain that she would come along with us.　

“Arisu-chan, what would you do if I said I want to drop out of this school?”　

“I will drop out together with you. Your choice is also my choice.”

It was an immediate answer.　

I didn’t intend to do that yet, but if something I couldn’t be convinced about in the future occurs… I guess that would be one of my options.

As I lay down on the bed, Arisu-chan clung next to me.　

It felt like we were in close contact all this time.

“By the way, did Arisu-chan know about Karuizawa?”　

“Let’s see, where I should start…”

I was curious about Arisu-chan’s reaction to Karuizawa yesterday. Arisu-chan clearly seemed to know about her beforehand, so I would like to hear from Arisu-chan about how to deal with Karuizawa in the future.

Arisu-chan explained to me as she recalled one by one.

Back on the day after the midterm exam, Arisu-chan and I visited Class D’s classroom.　

It was because, on the night before that, Kiyotaka sent Arisu-chan a message.

However, we didn’t do much when we came there.

He just asked us to go shopping with him next week. That was all.

It was so trivial so I forgot such a thing occurred, but now I look back, it was unnatural for him to ask us to go to his classroom just for that reason.

“He asked me to see if there’s any interesting person in Class D.”　

Come to think of it, I remembered that Arisu-chan was fiddling with her phone back then.　

So that was the meeting’s actual purpose.

I see. So after observing, it was Karuizawa that caught Arisu-chan’s eyes.　

What was the reason for that…?

“First of all, it was her attitude towards her boyfriend, Hirata-kun.”　

Arisu-chan raised her finger and began to explain.　

At that time, Hirata and Karuizawa were lovers. However, from Arisu-chan’s perspective, she couldn’t see any romantic feelings between them. Moreover, the fact Karuizawa acted as if she tried to show off that relationship seemed unnatural to Arisu-chan. It was as if Karuizawa was appealing that she was under the protection of Hirata and that she liked Hirata.　

“Second, it was her reaction toward the insult she received.”　

Karuizawa wasn’t well-liked by Class D’s students.　

From her bullish behavior, she seemed to show off that she had no problem being hated.

…However, Arisu-chan didn’t miss it. She said that Karuizawa had a complicated expression when the girl group sneered and swore at her in secret. 

At the very least, that wasn’t the reaction one would have if they really didn’t mind being hated.

“Even though she acted as if she was ready to be confrontational, she was concerned about the reactions of others to her actions. That was clearly a contradiction. So I came to the conclusion that something must have happened to her human relationships in the past.”　

If I recall correctly, we only stayed in the Class D classroom for about 5 minutes that day.　

To think Arisu-chan managed to read that much about Karuizawa despite that. I could only say it was something incomprehensible.

Arisu-chan conveyed her opinion to Kiyotaka.　

Thinking about it now, it might be the compensation for Kiyotaka selling out Kikyou-chan.

“It seems Kiyotaka-kun called Karuizawa-san to a certain place. It’s somewhere without a surveillance camera and people hardly come there… Fufu, I didn’t ask him what happened there, though.”　

I also wouldn’t ask since it felt scary.　

Kiyotaka seemed to do “something” to Karuizawa in a place where nobody could see.

He tore her façade, broke her personality, and remodeled it as he wanted.

Since Arisu-chan and Kiyotaka set their sights on her, it couldn’t be helped that Karuizawa ended up as a pawn.　

As for whether Karuizawa could enjoy her life like Kikyou-chan… depended on her attitude.

---

It was now afternoon. It was about time for him to come.　

It wasn’t long until I heard the violent banging at the door, and I stood up to open it.

“Yo, Ryuuen. I gave the correct name, right?”　

“Tch, you bastard. The result is the same as if it were incorrect in the end.”

It was regarding the contract we made. He came to fulfill it.

As for the deadline for point payment, I set it two days after the exam.

“Let me tell you, it isn’t me who guessed you as the leader of Class C.”　

“Shut up, you lunatic.”

“Oi oi, I don’t think I did something that dangerous.”

“…Can you call someone who destroys his own allies for the sake of a woman not dangerous? Don’t make me laugh.”

Although he was cussing, his expression looked somewhat happy.　

Even as we conversed, Ryueen quickly sent me the points. It was 380,000 points.

Actually, I had a conversation with Ryuuen just before I dropped out of the exam.　

The meaning of our actions, Arisu-chan’s goal, and our sense of value… We talked about a lot of things.

In conclusion, I didn’t hate this guy. On the contrary, I have a good impression of him.

I had no idea why I felt that way, but that was my impression somehow.

“Oi, Sakayanagi. Is it your goal to create the confrontational structure between me and Ichinose?”　

Ryuuen said so and sharply glared at Arisu-chan.　

“Fufu, what do you think?”　

“Don’t play the fool after you made it so easy to understand. What do you want to achieve?”

He approached Arisu-chan and wrinkled his brows.　

He understood Arisu-chan’s purpose, but he couldn’t understand her intention.

Arisu-chan tilted head a little but kept her calm demeanor.　

On the other hand, Ryuuen couldn’t hide his irritation.

…I guess he was somewhat similar to me in the sense of being treated like this by Arisu-chan.

“Don’t you think that would be more interesting?”　

After a short pause, Arisu-chan answered his question.　

Perhaps Ryuuen didn’t expect the answer to come so suddenly that he went silent for a moment.

“…Hah? I don’t understand what you mean.”　

“The ally of justice Ichinose Honami is challenged by the great villain Ryuuen-kun. This composition is interesting.”

“Don’t joke with me. Do you really mean what you say?”

“I’m completely serious. I only move according to a certain standard. It is whether things are interesting or boring. Honami-san continuing to reign as the absolute monarch until the end is good. On the contrary, seeing her fall to despair as she loses her position due to your strategy is also interesting to watch.”

Arisu-chan’s greater-than-thou sentence made Ryuuen lose his words.　

After being silent for a while, he clicked his tongue once and turned his back.

“Tch… Sakayanagi, I was wrong for trying to have a decent conversation with a person like you.”　

“Oh my, is that so?”

It seemed he had no intention to continue the conversation as he opened the door and walked out of the room.　

Just when I thought he was done, he seemed to think there was something he forgot to say, so he turned around.

“You better keep wagging your tail so your master won’t abandon you. That life suits you.”　

Ryuuen said that while facing Arisu-chan.　

“…I never thought you could realize that much from that conversation.”　

Arisu-chan looked frankly surprised.　

As Ryuuen saw that, he showed a bad smile that suited him and left.

---

Author Note: Ayanokouji’s POV

[“Hey, Ayanokouji… why are you so kind to me?”]

On a certain day, after the matter was over, Karuizawa asked me that.

Of course, because you are my belonging… but I couldn’t say that.

I broke Karuizawa’s mind in the special building.

I exposed her past of being bullied, denied her personality, and committed violence against her.

I caused so much damage mentally and physically that she wouldn’t be able to recover on her own.

After that, I thoroughly spoiled her.

I bought her whatever she wanted within my allowed points, gave her all sorts of compliments I could think of, and whenever she did something that benefited me even a little, I praised her as much as possible.

Sudou’s incident could be resolved with just me and Sakura, but in order to give her initiative and a sense of accomplishment, I made Karuizawa move as well. Of course, when the incident was resolved, I praised her, saying things were resolved thanks to her contribution.

That was my first experience of bringing up others.

However, I earned results that were worthy of the effort.

By August, she stopped resisting everything I did to her.

During the deserted island, I strongly rebuked Karuizawa for her selfish behavior.

That was an experiment to see her reaction.

That was the first time I spoke to her roughly since the time in the special building.

Although Karuizawa made up for it on the spot, she called me to a place with nobody around that night and cried as she apologized to me.

Seeing her figure apologizing repeatedly, I was convinced that everything worked out.

During her middle school period, Karuizawa continued to be exposed to malice.　

Such a girl couldn’t escape the joy of receiving approval.

She sought the pleasure known as love and earnestly became a pawn that followed me.

As I actually tried it, I realized this technique was actually very effective.　

After breaking the person, continue to give them unconditional love.

It was the best method to make a pawn that would definitely not betray.

As expected of Sakayanagi, I was inwardly impressed.

However… this only worked against someone like Karuizawa, who already had a wound on her heart beforehand.

How did he break someone like Sakayanagi who possessed that much mental strength?

What did he do that made her so obedient to him?

At this stage, I still couldn’t understand that even after thinking with all my might.

As I thought, you are a genius.

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