Chapter 316: The Little Maid Learned to Hide Things from Her Master?
The next morning, Class B classroom.
"Yahallo~ Good morning, everyone."
Ichinose Honami, who had been depressed due to the onslaught of rumors, finally recovered her usual energy today.
"Ichinose-san... that's wonderful! Welcome back!"
The members of Class B were overjoyed to see this, and they gathered around her enthusiastically.
"I'm truly sorry for making everyone worry these past few days."
"But I'm okay now."
Ichinose Honami apologized to the class with a sincere expression. She strode up to the podium and looked at everyone with a serious gaze.
"Next, I'm going to take a bit of your time.
To talk about my past—a true event that I personally experienced."
Hearing this, everyone's expressions varied. In fact, the people in Class B were quite smart. From Ichinose Honami's intense avoidance of the rumors, they had realized to some extent that there might be some embarrassing history buried within that she found difficult to mention.
Most people had chosen to maintain a tacit understanding, and no one had spoken up to mention it. They never expected that Ichinose Honami would personally disclose her dark history today. This required immense courage and psychological resilience!
"It happened during the summer vacation of my second year of middle school..."
Ichinose Honami recounted the shoplifting incident exactly as it had happened. The members of Class B were very shocked at first, because to a "good child," theft is a massive stain. But after listening carefully to the cause and effect, they couldn't help but feel heartache for her. Ichinose Honami had indeed committed a crime, but she didn't steal to satisfy her own vanity; it was for her sister's birthday wish. Therefore, even if it was a mistake, it was emotionally easy to forgive.
"Originally, a person with a stain like mine wouldn't be fit to be the class leader.
But taking the blame and stepping down now would probably be the real act of irresponsibility toward the class.
So, I shamelessly implore you all..."
Ichinose Honami bowed deeply to the crowd, her voice trembling slightly: "Please continue to support me! I hope to grow and move forward together with everyone!"
Clap~ Clap~ Clap~
Thunderous applause filled the Class B classroom as they shouted in unison: "Ichinose! We will always believe in you!!"
"Thank you, everyone!"
Ichinose Honami was moved to tears. The entire atmosphere of Class B was immersed in harmony and love.
"Eh? Shiranami-san, why do you look a bit gloomy?" Kobashi Yume cast a puzzled look.
"N-No, it's nothing..."
"It's just... I didn't expect that none of us could make Honami-chan cheer up, yet that man did it so easily."
Thinking back to last night—the two of them alone in a room, disheveled, and the fact that Honami was even the initiator—Shiranami Chihiro truly couldn't find it in her to smile.
"That man?"
"Oh~ it's Hikigaya-kun, right?"
"This... must be the power of love!" Amakura Mako said with a smile, looking as if it were exactly as she expected.
The rest of the Class B students nodded in agreement.
"As expected, the one who could lead Ichinose out of the shadows is Hikigaya-kun."
Though Shibata Souta felt some lingering regret in his heart, he still offered his sincere blessings.
"Hey, hey~"
"Honami-chan, when are you going to officially start dating that Hikigaya?" Ando Sayo hugged Ichinose from behind, teasing her with a giggle.
"Please don't talk nonsense, everyone!
Hachiman-kun is very popular, I... I..."
Ichinose Honami blushed, but a trace of worry flashed across her brow.
"That is true."
"Excellent people will always attract more people."
Kanzaki Ryuji analyzed calmly: "Currently, the leaders of every class are trying to win Hikigaya over."
"Then Ichinose better hurry up! Don't let girls from other classes get there first." Minami Koshio clenched her fists and warned seriously.
"But I'm already hurrying..." Ichinose Honami bit her lip.
Not only was she hurrying, she had even used her "handiwork"!
"Tch~ that guy with the dead-fish eyes... he looks like the type with an exceptionally strong internal defensive line." Himeno Yuki, who was sucking on a lollipop and usually remained quiet in class, couldn't help but speak up: "When dealing with a troublesome guy like that, there is no second method besides a forced breakthrough."
"F-Forced breakthrough..."
Ichinose Honami tightened her palms, a strange light flashing in her lowered eyes.
No one knew that outside the Class B classroom, Kamuro Masumi was crouching in the corner, ears perked up, eavesdropping on the conversation.
Ring-ring~
As the class bell rang, Kamuro Masumi hunched over and silently retreated from the scene.
Class A classroom.
"Masumi, how is the situation in Class B?"
Sakayanagi Arisu asked; she had ordered the other to go scout for intelligence.
"Not much.
Hmph! Sakayanagi, your scheme wasn't that great either. Class B didn't fall into chaos at all." Kamuro Masumi responded coldly.
Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes narrowed slightly, and a hint of surprise appeared on her brow. Being clever, she quickly figured out the answer: "Did Ichinose take the initiative to admit it herself?"
"Yeah. I didn't expect that girl Ichinose to have such resolve."
Kamuro Masumi had heard the entire self-report of Ichinose Honami's dark history. Thinking of her own special hobby of shoplifting, she felt a bit of empathy.
"Ichinose... did I underestimate her? Tch!"
Sakayanagi Arisu seemed to think of a certain possibility, and the expression on her face suddenly turned cold. She called over another student who helped her gather intelligence: "Yamamura-san, have you collected any noteworthy information recently?"
"Yes. Last night, I saw Hikigaya-kun visiting the girls' dormitory.
He went to Ichinose's room."
Yamamura Miki reported truthfully.
"Hmph! Just as I expected."
Sakayanagi Arisu's voice was low as she spoke through gritted teeth: "Visiting to comfort a girl... Hachiman, that guy has unknowingly become a very busy man!"
Kamuro Masumi's brow furrowed, and she felt a surge of inexplicable irritability in her chest. She had to admit, with Ichinose Honami's looks and figure, it was hard for a man not to be moved.
The fact that Hikigaya could hold the final line was already very rare. But even if he could endure once or twice, there was no guarantee he wouldn't turn into a beast on the third time! She knew that Hikigaya was, at his core, a very lecherous man!
"Masumi, did you hear any other intel?"
Sakayanagi Arisu turned her gaze toward Kamuro Masumi, who had suddenly become silent.
"...No."
Kamuro Masumi hesitated for a moment and shook her head.
'My, my~ the little maid has actually learned to hide things from her master?'
Sakayanagi Arisu gave her a meaningful look. Kamuro Masumi's eyes darted around, looking completely guilty.
'Interesting~'
Fine, a mere maid couldn't accomplish much anyway. Now her primary goal was still to keep a close eye on Ichinose Honami and not give that woman any opportunity!
.
.
.
Monitoring room.
"Nagumo, these are the surveillance recordings of various school facilities for April."
Araki, the information administrator, retrieved a large number of surveillance video files from the school's cloud server.
"Araki-sensei, is it possible to retrieve surveillance video for a specific person?"
Nagumo Miyabi clicked on a certain video and, after some dragging, finally locked onto Hikigaya's video frame.
"It is possible, but this doesn't quite fit the rules, does it?" Araki looked troubled. The Student Council did have the right to review surveillance, but designating one person's surveillance was another matter.
"Araki-sensei, please rest assured."
Nagumo Miyabi paused, then told a blatant lie with a straight face: "This person is a cadre of our Student Council. I think highly of his abilities and intend to train him as the next Student Council President. However, considering he is a student from first-year Class D—I'm sure you understand what Class D students are like... To ensure his character, I need his past behavioral records.
Even in the real world, joining a large corporation involves a basic background check on employees, doesn't it?"
He spoke in high-sounding terms; at least on the surface, the reason was impeccable.
Araki pondered for a moment and replied: "I need to consult with the new school leadership..."
"As you should."
Nagumo Miyabi narrowed his eyes. Recently, there had been a major personnel change in the school leadership.
Ordinary students were completely unaware, but as the Student Council President, Nagumo Miyabi keenly smelled something unusual. That was the fact that the Chairman of Advanced Nurturing High School, Sakayanagi Narumori, had been embroiled in a negative incident and taken away for investigation. He was replaced by the Acting Chairman, Tsukishiro Tokinari, who had been dropped in.
Nagumo Miyabi urgently needed to understand this Acting Chairman's style of operation for his future work in the Student Council. After all, the Student Council being highly independent and self-governing was just talk—if he actually believed it, his tenure as President would be over. To put it bluntly, no matter how powerful the Student Council was, it could at most show off in front of students and ordinary teachers; in the face of the real school decision-makers, it had to cooperate obediently.
"The subject of investigation... first-year Class D's Hikigaya Hachiman."
"Understood..."
"Following your instructions, Chairman Tsukishiro!"
Araki's phone consultation quickly received an answer.
"Nagumo, your application has been granted."
Araki changed his tone and continued: "Additionally, the Chairman asked me to tell you that young people should go ahead and act boldly; he appreciates you."
"Alright, thank you very much, Araki-sensei!"
Nagumo Miyabi immediately beamed with joy. He thought that this new Acting Chairman seemed even more open-minded than the previous one.
Things were going to be much easier!
After some operation, Nagumo Miyabi successfully copied the surveillance video materials related to Hikigaya.
As for his reason for doing so, it was of course to find Hikigaya's weakness! This arrogant kouhai with dead-fish eyes had been going against him ever since he joined the Student Council. During the forest exam, he had even ruined his plan against Tachibana Akane. If he didn't strike back properly, would people think his position as President was for nothing?
After returning, Nagumo Miyabi watched the surveillance video carefully.
One hour...
Two hours...
Three hours...
"This kid Hikigaya is more troublesome than I imagined." Nagumo Miyabi leaned back in his chair, rubbing his aching eyes.
In the first semester after enrolling in early April, the freshmen were all ignorant of Advanced Nurturing's rules. Only Hikigaya, from the moment he stepped into the school gate, maintained a high level of vigilance.
However, what Nagumo Miyabi didn't know was that from the moment he received the admission notice for Advanced Nurturing, Hikigaya had seriously suspected that this school was not right!
Three years of free tuition and living expenses, plus guaranteed admission to prestigious schools upon graduation—Hikigaya speculated with the greatest malice that Advanced Nurturing might be some kind of evil religious base...
Class D classroom surveillance.
Nagumo Miyabi saw Hikigaya sitting alone in the back row of the classroom, not communicating with others, spending most of his time observing the people around him in secret.
"His neighbor is President Horikita's sister...
It seems this is the reason Hikigaya and President Horikita know each other."
Nagumo Miyabi adjusted the surveillance to the outdoors. At the mall, Hikigaya picked out a large pile of free-supply ingredients and daily necessities.
"He saw through the S-system on the first day? Was he already pre-storing personal points at that time?" Nagumo Miyabi raised an eyebrow. Back then, it was only on the fifth day of enrollment that he had seen through the S-system. This showed that in terms of observation, Hikigaya was far superior to him.
"No wonder President Horikita thinks so highly of him; he is indeed extraordinary."
Nagumo Miyabi grew more alarmed as he watched. He found that so far, he hadn't been able to find a flaw in Hikigaya. This man, rather than being cautious, was more like self-enclosed. He rejected anyone who wanted to probe him!
"Tch..."
"What is he observing?"
Nagumo Miyabi paused the video surveillance in the beverage section of the supermarket. Following Hikigaya's gaze, he saw the figures of two girls. One of them he recognized as first-year Class A's Sakayanagi Arisu—silver-haired, loli-stature, very recognizable. At the moment, she was hiding behind a shelf, secretly observing another person.
The other girl had long purple hair and a cold, elegant face, with a well-proportioned figure that looked as if she had good athletic nerves.
"Eh?"
"She's actually stealing something?"
Nagumo Miyabi was suddenly very surprised. The school had just distributed 100,000 personal points at the start of enrollment, meaning the other person wasn't stealing due to poverty.
"A shoplifting habit? And she stole beer. That kid Sakayanagi probably wants to record a video and blackmail that woman, right?"
Nagumo Miyabi saw through Sakayanagi Arisu's operation at a glance. It was because he had used a similar method during his first year of high school to control Kiriyama Ikuto, who was in Class A at the time, and used it as a flaw to seize the position of Class A in just one semester.
"So what action will Hikigaya take?"
"Will he blackmail her for personal points, or turn her into a spy?"
Nagumo Miyabi's imagination ran wild as he thought of various plans Hikigaya might execute.
However, the subsequent frames of the video left him dumbfounded.
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