"Nanase, by the time you read this, I may no longer be of this world."
"What I want to tell you is this: my death is not Kiyotaka's fault. I died for him willingly; this was my own decision."
"If you find yourself hating Kiyotaka in the future because of this, let this letter be my answer."
"Please, do not continue this revenge, Nanase. Let him go, and in doing so, set yourself free..."
Nanase refolded the letter and took a deep, shuddering breath. In this moment, she felt as though she finally knew the whole truth—at least, her version of it. Her hatred for Ayanokouji hadn't vanished so much as it had been drowned out by a wave of suffocating sorrow.
Before Eiichiro died, his only thought had been for Ayanokouji; he hadn't considered Nanase's feelings at all. Did he have any idea the scale of the sacrifice she had made just to get into this school to avenge him?
Nanase squeezed her fist so tightly the envelope crumpled in her grip. She, who initially lacked the academic standing, had fought tooth and nail to qualify for the Advanced Nurturing High School. She had sacrificed everything to develop the specific skills and talents required for admission. And in the end, Eiichiro hadn't left so much as a single word for her before he departed.
Simmering with frustration, Nanase stood from the bench in a fit of pique and marched away, her footsteps heavy and sharp against the pavement.
Ayanokouji remained seated, his expression a mask of indifference. He made no move to follow her; his objective had been achieved. He had used a forged letter to cauterize Nanase's hatred so she would no longer target him. And yes, the letter was a complete fabrication. It wasn't Eiichiro's handwriting—it was Ayanokouji's perfect imitation of it.
As the White Room's ultimate masterpiece, such a feat was child's play for him. Having spent an immense amount of time with Eiichiro, he had memorized every curve and stroke of the boy's script. Even Nanase, the childhood friend who knew him best, hadn't detected the deception.
With this, the grudge between him and Nanase was effectively extinguished. Ayanokouji stood, brushed off his knees, smoothed the creases in his uniform, and began to walk.
Technically, he didn't need to go to such lengths; the simplest solution would have been to eliminate Nanase entirely. Despite her history with Eiichiro, Ayanokouji wouldn't have hesitated to act ruthlessly. That was his true nature.
However, since crossing paths with Ryunosuke, he had changed slightly. It wasn't that he had developed "feelings," per se, but rather that he had begun to factor other people into his equations. He had two goals in doing this:
First, to end the cycle of hatred and the distorted relationship with Nanase. He viewed this as a final "debt payment" to Eiichiro; he was allowing Nanase to remain at the school legitimately. As long as she was no longer a threat, Ryunosuke wouldn't lift a finger against her.
Ayanokouji walked with his hands in his pockets. The second goal was purely pragmatic: he wanted Nanase on his side to smooth the way for Ryunosuke's future maneuvers.
For instance, the Student Council President elections next year. With Nanase's help to pull in the first-year votes, her position would be secure under Ryunosuke's protection. Everything was unfolding according to Ayanokouji's calculations.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
Elsewhere, Ryunosuke was making his move. He met directly with Yagami and Ichika to talk. Propping his chin on the back of his hand as he leaned against the table, he got straight to the point:
"My goal is simple: I want you expelled from this school, Yagami Takuya. So, what's it going to be? Do you fight to the bitter end, or do you fold right now?"
Ryunosuke idly shook his phone, a silent reminder that he had the capital to force Yagami out through sheer financial weight. He didn't need complex strategies anymore; he had the ultimate leverage: 240 million private points.
Yagami took a deep breath, realizing he had no escape route. Whether in a fair fight or a shadow war, he couldn't win against the man in front of him. After several clashes, the reality had finally sunk in. While Ryunosuke might not match Ayanokouji in certain specialized areas, the man was undeniably more powerful than Yagami himself.
Yagami wore a bitter smile, his voice tinged with a pleading note. "I can withdraw, but can you let Amasawa go?"
Ichika, sitting beside him, immediately barked a refusal. "Yagami, don't beg him! At worst, I'll just go back to the White Room with you." She put on a front of indifference, but only she knew the terror lurking beneath.
Yagami looked at her deeply, shaking his head in pained silence, then continued his negotiation with Ryunosuke. "Even if you have plenty of points, if I withdraw voluntarily, wouldn't that save you 20 million?"
Ryunosuke tapped his finger on the table without answering. Clearly, the offer wasn't enough to sway him. Yagami raised the stakes.
"I know what you're worried about. You're afraid Amasawa will stab you in the back, right? We can sign a contract." He quickly drafted a two-part contract and slid it toward Ryunosuke.
Ryunosuke kept his arms crossed, making no move to touch the paper.
In a fit of emotion, Ichika snatched the contract and tore it into tiny pieces. "Don't beg this bastard! If we're expelled, we just go back to the White Room. So what?!"
In reality, Ichika knew they were powerless. Ryunosuke was right; with 240 million points, banishing them was just a matter of a single sentence. The wealth gap was simply too vast.
Ryunosuke was using absolute financial and physical dominance to force their surrender—like prying open a clam shell that had been sealed shut for decades just to take the pearl inside.
Even if Ryunosuke didn't use his points, it would only take him a little longer to dismantle them. Now, he just wanted a quick, practical, and final resolution. Seeing that the stakes still weren't high enough, Yagami made his final offer.
"As long as you're willing to safeguard Amasawa's school life for her remaining three years here, I will withdraw voluntarily. I'll even let you use a contract to bind her so she can't attack you."
"What the hell is wrong with you, Yagami?!!" Ichika slammed her hands on the table and stood up, unable to take it anymore.
Yagami barked back, "Shut up! Do you not see the situation we're in?!"
Ichika went silent instantly. How could she not understand? She was only feigning ignorance because she refused to admit the truth...
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