Chapter 48: Calm Before The Storm (1)

[Kushida]

After we reached the cafeteria I noticed Ayanokouji stop and scan the entire area.

I think I have an idea of who he's searching for. I wonder if it's a random third-year or someone he knew.

I would be surprised if someone like Ayanokouji was familiar with any third-year.

We navigated through the crowd and reached the meal ticket machine. He bought tickets for two portions but didn't line up at the counter. Instead, he went to the side of the vending machine and looked at students perusing the menu.

"What is it?" I tilted my head and looked puzzled when he began studying the machine.

I already had an idea of what he wanted.

"This might answer what was bothering me."

He continued observing students as they bought lunch sets from the ticket machine. After about twenty students, he seemed to have noticed something. He purchased his meal ticket and walked to the counter with heavy footsteps.

"Okay, let's go," he said.

"Hmm? Okay."

We quickly exchanged our tickets for our meals and sat down in front of the heavy-footed student.

"Um, excuse me. Are you an upperclassman?" Ayanokouji asked.

"Hmm? Who are you?" The student regarded us calmly, a look of complete disinterest on his face.

"Are you a second-year student? Third-year?"

"Third-year. Let me guess, you're a first-year?"

"I'm Ayanokouji, from Class D. You're also in Class D, aren't you?"

"What's that got to do with you?"

I looked at him with surprise, as if asking, "How did you know?"

Of course, I wasn't actually surprised, Tatsuya had explained a bit regarding this situation but he kept the details secret.

Just what did Ayanokouji want to do?

"Because he's limited to eating free meals. It's not very tasty, is it?" He asked.

That was a pretty rude statement. Ayanokouji was unexpectedly blunt.

"What do you want? You're really irritating." He took his tray and wanted to stand, but Ayanokouji stopped him.

"I want to ask you something. If you listen, I'll show you my gratitude."

"Gratitude?"

"Do you still have the problems from the midterm test from the first semester of your first year? Or, if not, do you happen to know someone from your class who does?"

I felt my heart pounding through my chest.

"A deal that would allow even the idiot trio to score full marks."

Tatsuya's words echoed in my mind as I instantly connected the dots. I knew I wasn't someone very smart or a genius but with hints and answers laid out like this, it would take an idiot to not notice.

It couldn't be... It couldn't be that the test from previous years was the same test we will be taking!?

Ha-ha-ha... This has to be a joke.

"Do you even understand what you're asking?" the third year said.

"It's not particularly strange, is it? I didn't think it was against school rules to study using old test problems."

"Why are you asking me?"

"That's simple. I believed I'd have the highest chance of success if I worked with someone who didn't have any points. Honestly, that free vegetable meal doesn't look good. Of course, things would be quite different if you actually liked eating the vegetable set. What do you think?"

"How much are you going to pay?"

"Ten thousand points. That's as high as I'll go."

"I don't have the old test problems, but…I know someone who does. If you want him to help you, though, you're going to need to offer at least 30,000 points. If you've got that, you're fine."

"I'm afraid that 30,000 is a no-go for me. I don't have that much."

"How much do you have?"

"Twenty thousand."

"Then 20,000… no, 15,000 should do. Nothing under that."

"15,000, huh?"

"If you'd go so far as to ask for old test problems from a stranger, then you must be pretty desperate, huh? Well, the school will mercilessly expel any student who gets a failing grade. None of my classmates are even here anymore."

"I see. I understand. I'll pay you 15,000 points."

"Then we have a deal. Of course, I'll have to ask you to transfer the points in advance."

"Fine, but if you do anything to stab us in the back, I won't forgive you. Even if you're an upperclassman, I'll do anything and everything I can to make sure you're expelled."

That was unexpectedly scary for Ayanokouji. I think I understand why Tatsuya told me to pay attention to him.

"You're a freak. Fine, I get it. Besides, when you transfer points, there's always a record of it. If a rumour spreads that some first-year students ripped me off, it'd look bad."

"All right then. Since I'm paying you 15,000 points, can you toss in a little bonus? I want to see the answers to the surprise test that we took after being admitted."

"All right. I'll toss that in, too. I think that your concerns are pointless, though."

His words were the final nail in the coffin as I froze. The senior understood why we were asking for the previous papers.

"Thank you very much."

After we made our deal, he quickly left. He probably didn't want to be noticed.

Ayanokouji then proceeded to mention how he noticed the hint Chabashira-sensei dropped. He also found the three final questions which seemed unsolvable odd.

But I wasn't paying much attention to him or his explanation; only when he mentioned that it was insurance for saving Sudo and the rest did I break out of my reverie.

Inwardly, my body felt cold as Tatsuya's smiling face popped up in my mind.

That demon knew from the start that there was a method to score full marks, but he told no one.

He even knew Ayanokouji would notice this and help the idiot trio. That bastard... He knew it, he knew of this method. Then why...?

Unwillingly, a shiver crawled down my spine, surprising Ayanokouji.

Why did he make such a contract?

I'm sure there are no loopholes in it, so why was he so assured that the idiot trio would get expelled?

I didn't shiver because I was scared about Tatsuya being expelled but because I knew that something bad was going to happen.

I didn't, for a second, believe Tatsuya would simply allow himself to be expelled.

Whatever he was going to do... It was probably going to tear the class apart.

I've noticed it.

I've noticed how he's stopped caring much about his public image.

Being tardy in class, and giving dismissive replies to his classmates.

Everything was a precursor to what was coming.

Tatsuya was going to sacrifice his reputation to expel them, and I couldn't stop the fear bubbling in my heart.

Even with these test papers available, Tatsuya was sure he would be able to expel the three of them.

"Is everything okay? You look pale, Kushida," Ayanokouji seemed concerned, but I didn't pay attention to his words.

I could only hope Ayanokouji and Horikita wouldn't fail.

Just what was Tatsuya going to do?

Why... Why was he so confident?

_____________________

10 Advanced Chapters- Patreon.com/AlmightySkyDxddy

Join for some... (⁠ ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°⁠)

1000 stones for an extra chapter, good luck.