"You, you, how can you, as a disciplinary committee member, just hit people? I'm going to report your violent behavior to the school!"
Manabe-san sat on the ground, clutching her already red and swollen cheek, pointing at Amane-san and shouting.
"Oh, my apologies, my hand slipped just now. If you want to report me, go right ahead. Ishizaki, Albert, are you two just going to stand there and watch? Manabe-san fell down, aren't you going to help her back to rest?"
Amane-san took a bottle of purified water from a nearby counter and, in front of Manabe-san, poured it onto her hands and rubbed them vigorously, seemingly cleaning something.
Manabe-san immediately realized that Amane-san was humiliating her. Just as she was about to get up, she was blocked by Ishizaki and Albert, one on each side.
"Hey! What are you two doing! I was hit! Are you going to help someone from another class bully your own people?"
"You two, take Manabe-san away."
Ishizaki commanded Yabu Nanami and Yamashita Saki.
Ishizaki, who had no say in front of Amane-san, appeared to the Class C students as an out-and-out delinquent leader.
After being ordered by Ishizaki, the two of them, one on each side, helped Manabe-san up and were about to leave. Manabe-san was initially somewhat unwilling, but upon seeing Ishizaki's displeased expression, she immediately dared not cause trouble and could only allow her classmates to take her away.
Amane-san watched Manabe-san leave, then turned her gaze to Maezono-san.
"Who hit you?"
"Morofuji-san, but I also bullied her before so..."
"Hit her back."
"Huh? Amane-san, are you serious?"
Maezono-san looked at Amane-san in disbelief.
She had seen people take sides, but never like this.
Shiina-san, seeing that Morofuji-san was about to be hit, quickly walked in front of Amane-san.
"Amane-san, you see..."
"Hiyori, are you planning to plead for her?"
Shiina-san looked embarrassed. Even though she had intended to do so from the beginning, being exposed by Amane-san in public still made her feel a little ashamed.
"I... I guess so. After all, both sides had some responsibility in the previous conflict, didn't they?"
Shiina-san's tone was very gentle, and her big eyes blinked, making her look very cute. Amane-san knew that Shiina-san usually wouldn't use such an overly gentle tone when speaking. She didn't expect her to use this method to get Amane-san to give Class C a pass.
But unfortunately, she had her rules.
"Since Hiyori, you've agreed to let me handle the punishment, I don't want anyone interfering with my decision. Hiyori, can you understand me?"
Shiina-san sighed softly.
She knew that Amane-san couldn't be swayed by her little tricks. Now, she could only try a different approach.
Seeing Shiina-san walk over to Maezono-san and whisper something to her, Maezono-san nodded with a look of pleasant surprise.
"Deal. Don't worry."
"Then I'll trouble Maezono-san."
Shiina-san happily greeted Maezono-san, then ran over to Morofuji-san and whispered something into her ear.
Morofuji-san showed a complex expression, then reluctantly nodded.
Maezono-san walked up to Morofuji-san and raised her hand, intending to slap Morofuji-san. Just then, Amane-san stopped Maezono-san's action.
"Let Kei hit her with this slap. Then you two will be even."
"Huh? But... why me? I feel like this will only..."
Karuizawa didn't expect Amane-san to actively ask her to slap Morofuji-san. But under Amane-san's gaze, she could only approach Morofuji-san.
Just as Shiina-san was about to speak, Karuizawa slapped Morofuji-san across the face.
Although it was a light slap, Morofuji-san still felt immense humiliation. After Karuizawa finished, she immediately turned and quickly ran away from the scene.
Shiina-san was somewhat at a loss for a moment, only staring blankly at Morofuji-san's gradually disappearing back.
"Amane-san, aren't you being a bit too much?"
"They don't even treat you as a person, yet you still care about their feelings. Your flaw is that you're too gentle. Some people will mistake your gentleness for cowardice."
"But... I don't have any thoughts of ruling the class or anything like that. I'm just temporarily uniting everyone on Student Ryuuen's behalf."
Shiina-san had no intention of competing with other classes. For her, it was more practical to read a few more books than to painstakingly contend and snatch.
"They're just taking out the anger they dare not direct at Student Ryuuen on you. Even if you plead for Morofuji-san, she won't appreciate it."
After Amane-san finished speaking, she suddenly patted Karuizawa's shoulder.
"Kei, you did well."
"Huh, is that so?"
Karuizawa felt a bit guilty because she hadn't used much force, but Amane-san clearly wasn't displeased, which made Karuizawa breathe a sigh of relief.
"Can I go now?"
Ibuki, whose clothes were covered in food and drinks, glared at Amane-san.
Amane-san smiled and shook her head, pointing to the floor.
"Clean the floor, and you can leave."
"Miyako! Don't go too far!"
Ibuki was about to say something to Amane-san, but Amane-san placed a finger on her lips.
"Consider the consequences before speaking, otherwise, you'll only make yourself a laughingstock."
Amane-san's arrogant attitude made Ibuki want to fiercely throw the food at Amane-san's beautiful face.
But as soon as her eyes met Amane-san's, Ibuki instinctively averted her gaze.
"I understand, I'll clean it."
"That's a good girl."
Amane-san patted Ibuki's cheek, then linked arms with Shiina-san and led her out of the cafeteria.
The three remaining, Karuizawa, and the three of Ibuki, all watched the elegantly departing Amane-san with wide eyes.
"I just feel like Amane-san is so cool!"
"Exactly, cool and powerful. If it weren't for Horikita-san, I really would have..."
Maezono-san's words, blurted out, were met with approval from Shinohara-san.
At first, Shinohara-san had somewhat disliked Amane-san's assertive style and often spoke ill of her behind her back.
But after gradually getting to know Amane-san later, she realized that Amane-san could almost be described as a woman who embodied "freedom" through and through.
Amane-san, like Karuizawa, acted in a self-centered way, but the difference was that Amane-san had the ability to resolve all problems. In this way, Amane-san's unconventionality transformed into "freedom."
She became an admired existence for the girls.
Possessing mysterious and vast personal points, having a beauty that made girls envious to the point of jealousy, coupled with the sense of security brought by absolute martial prowess that made first-year students dread her, and her consistent embodiment of "freedom"—all these factors caused her classmates to spontaneously develop feelings of admiration and longing.
However, they also knew that there was a formidable obstacle blocking their path.
Otherwise, someone would have already wanted to have a deeper conversation with Amane-san.
"You guys, do you think Shiina-san might have already been... by Miyako?"
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