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Horikita Manabu had to admit that for the third year as a whole, this was undoubtedly a great thing.
He could feel Nagumo's influence growing stronger, already starting to reach into Class 3-D.
This way, as long as he ordered the third-years to be forbidden from selling exam papers to the second-years, whether he forced Nagumo to buy them at an astronomical price or simply didn't sell them and let him fend for himself, he could weaken his influence.
After all, exam papers can only be bought from students and can't be purchased from teachers. He knew this rule better than anyone.
"You're the first person since the school's founding to think of using a monopoly on exam papers to earn a large amount of points. I must say, compared to your thinking, what surprises me even more is that as a first-year freshman, you didn't just focus on the first year, but even got involved with the factions of the second and third years. I'm truly starting to appreciate you more and more."
Frankly speaking, students from previous years probably wouldn't have thought of this method.
It's not that they weren't smart. It's just that their year is too unique.
With Nagumo ruling the four classes of the second year, and himself leading the four classes of the third year.
Without either prerequisite, it'd be absolutely impossible to sell these "astronomically priced" exam papers.
"One last question. Why do you think I'd agree to your proposal?" Horikita Manabu smiled faintly, clearly intending to continue testing him. "I clearly said that the Student Council wouldn't use this method to make a profit."
"The Student Council is a neutral faction and indeed shouldn't use such means to obtain points. However, maintaining the balance between the years must also be one of the Student Council's important duties. The second year clearly has issues." Akira responded calmly. "If you really don't want these points, you can just hand them over to the school or quietly distribute them to other students in the second year. The most urgent thing right now is to give Nagumo a lesson. After all, since the start of the school year, the Student Council seems to have never recruited any freshmen. Isn't it because you're wary of Nagumo that this matter has been shelved? Most importantly, Nagumo seems to have his eyes on your sister. As her brother, do you intend to remain indifferent?"
"Suzune?!" Horikita Manabu looked up sharply, his tone carrying an unbelievable shock, and his expression instantly darkened. "Are you saying Nagumo wants to make a move on Suzune?"
"He probably wants to deliberately provoke you." Akira looked at his suddenly tense expression, thinking to himself that this was the first time he'd seen the Student Council President lose his composure like this.
They're siblings connected by blood, after all. It seems this usually calm President still values his sister very highly.
Horikita Manabu's fingertips tapped lightly on the tabletop, but the rhythm was half a beat faster than before.
He was silent for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing once, before he slowly spoke. "I agree to cooperate with you."
Akira stood quietly across from him, not interrupting again.
He knew his words had hit the mark. Horikita Manabu might be able to tolerate Nagumo's antics in the power arena and tacitly allow him to use points to win people over, but he'd never allow anyone to target Horikita.
That was the weakness hidden beneath the calm exterior of this Student Council President, the one thing he'd never allow anyone to touch.
Horikita Manabu's gaze fell back on Akira, the previous fluctuations completely gone, leaving only his usual indifference. "But you were wrong about one thing. Five million? Too little. The points in Nagumo's hands are far more than that."
"What do you mean?"
"Sell them for at least ten million points."
"Quite greedy, aren't you?" Akira immediately followed up.
Horikita Manabu was slightly startled. These words sounded somewhat familiar. Thinking back, it seemed he'd said something similar to him last month.
"After it's done, I'll give you 3 million private points from my personal account as a reward. As for the large amount of points obtained from Nagumo, I'll discuss with the school how to handle them properly. Don't worry, even if this deal ultimately fails, I'll still give you the points."
"Wait, I don't want points. I'm here to repay a favor!"
"Wishful thinking! You want to clear a favor with just 3 million points?"
"So, what exactly do you want me to do? Just say it."
"Now's not the time."
"Huh..."
Akira turned to leave, but as he reached the door, he heard Horikita Manabu's voice behind him.
"You were right just now." The Student Council President's tone returned to its usual flatness. "The Student Council indeed needs to recruit some freshmen. You can keep an eye out for the upcoming recruitment announcement. I've specifically relaxed the conditions. Even those who've joined a club can also join the Student Council."
What he didn't expect was that when he picked up his phone, the additional 500,000 points transferred by the Student Council President had a note that read, "Cost for looking after Horikita Suzune."
This was probably what they called a "babysitting fee."
'Nagumo's probably in trouble now.'
Akira never thought Nagumo could be a match for Horikita Manabu from the start.
A little thought would reveal that Horikita Manabu, as a first-year student, had legitimately defeated all the second and third-year upperclassmen to claim the position of Student Council President. Even the teachers praised him as the "strongest student." No matter how capable Nagumo was, could he really compare?
Moreover, Nagumo was someone Horikita Manabu himself had brought into the Student Council.
It could only be said that Horikita Manabu had probably been too lazy to bother, and simply hadn't taken him seriously. Otherwise, with the authority of the Student Council President, he had plenty of ways to deal with Nagumo.
Just like this time, he could feel that the Student Council President seemed a little angry.
This time, the Student Council President was probably going to make his move.
He wasn't intentionally targeting Nagumo. He simply devised this method to repay a favor.
'Wait, Nagumo only comes to buy the test papers at 7 PM, right?'
Akira glanced at the third item of the daily intelligence again, confirming he hadn't remembered incorrectly.
Just now, Horikita Manabu had already notified all third-year classes via phone in front of him.
With the Student Council President's order, no one in the third year would dare to sell test papers to anyone in the second year this time.
On one hand, it was probably because Horikita Manabu was such an outstanding Student Council President that his authority was deeply ingrained in people's hearts.
On the other hand, it was probably because Nagumo's reputation was really too poor. Last month, he heard Chabashira say that he even wanted to interfere with the third year, controlling a class just like he dominated the second year.
For such a person, it was reasonable for Class A to refuse to sell him the papers.
'Actually, whether Nagumo can buy the papers or not doesn't have much to do with me anymore. I've already said what needed to be said.'
Strictly speaking, Akira had already told Horikita Manabu the method.
As for whether the third year would sell to Nagumo at a high price, or refuse to sell, or even if a third-year student accidentally leaked the test papers, it was no longer his concern.
For Horikita Manabu, this was a clear case of killing two birds with one stone. Selling the papers would bring in a large sum of points easily. Not selling would significantly damage Nagumo's prestige in the second year.
And for Akira, it was killing three birds with one stone. Selling the papers would earn him a considerable share. Not selling would allow him to conveniently repay last month's favor. Even if the information was accidentally leaked, Horikita Manabu had already said he'd compensate him 3 million no matter what.
Overall, Akira and Horikita Manabu wouldn't lose out no matter what. The only one who might get hurt was Nagumo, either bleeding money or having his reputation completely ruined.
'Didn't he always want to force the Student Council President to show his true abilities and fight him honorably? In a sense, I guess I've granted his wish.'
Akira even felt that even if his intentions were exposed, given Nagumo's personality, he might even "reward" him instead.
After all, he heard from Asahina that the guy was obsessed with a direct confrontation with Horikita Manabu.
And now, the Student Council President's counterattack was probably coming. He just didn't know if Nagumo could handle it.
'Wait, weren't these two dating before?'
It was only then that he realized. That seemingly decent upperclassman, ever since she joined the Student Council, had just let Nagumo flirt with Horikita.
Looking at it this way, the two shouldn't have been dating.
It's just, what exactly was her relationship with Nagumo?
This is where a question mark is needed.
A small breeze blew in the evening, and Akira simply stopped thinking about the Student Council's issues.
Anyway, as long as there was recent news, Horikita Manabu would inform him.
"Speaking of which, I still have to thank someone."
Thinking this, Akira logged into his alternate account and sent a thank you message to Sakayanagi.
Tsuki Ao: {Thank you for the information.}
Upon reflection, his smooth progress with the plan was actually inseparable from her statement, "Students can only buy test papers from other students."
If students could buy test papers from teachers, then everything he'd just discussed with Horikita Manabu would be completely unfounded.
Miss Sakayanagi was actually quite kind at heart.
On the first day of school, she gave him 100,000 points and created an opportunity for him to meet Kamuro. By the second month, she even had Kamuro actively come to him with benefits, and even inadvertently promoted the plan against Nagumo. Of course, she certainly didn't do it on purpose.
Akira suddenly felt a little worried. What if one day these things were accidentally noticed by her... would she be so angry that she'd need to go to the infirmary?
After all, this young lady's health wasn't very good.
Tsuki Ao: {Little Princess, pay more attention to exercise and drink less coffee in the future.}
...
Sakayanagi frowned at her phone screen, the words "Little Princess" particularly glaring.
She sat by the window in the coffee shop, completely unable to fathom his thoughts. Why send such a strange reminder all of a sudden? Was he not thinking clearly?
She was the one who stopped that person from reselling test papers, yet he sent a "thank you." The logic was simply absurd.
Sakayanagi took a sip of coffee, trying to suppress the irritation in her heart.
The warm liquid slid down her throat, but her heart inexplicably beat half a beat faster.
It must be because of this inexplicable message.
She muttered to herself, her gaze inadvertently sweeping to a nearby spot, only to see a boy with striking blonde hair walking straight toward her, a hint of frivolous smile on his lips.
"Hey, interested in getting to know each other?" He stopped at her table and introduced himself confidently. "I'm Nagumo Miyabi from Class 2-A, the current Student Council Vice President."
Sakayanagi looked up, a polite but distant smile curving her lips. "I'm sorry, I'm not interested in you."
With that, she picked up her cane from the table and turned to leave, without the slightest hesitation.
Vice Student Council President? So he was just a subordinate, and the Student Council reportedly had several Vice Presidents.
If it were the Student Council President, perhaps she might've shown a little interest.
As for a Vice President, she'd rather not.
Her mind was completely occupied with the mysterious person at the moment. She had no time to bother with a subordinate.