This method of bluffing someone by suddenly calling out their name was indeed very low-level, but sometimes it was also very effective.
However, the benefit of Kasumigaoka Utaha maintaining the style of an impartial and incorruptible Disciplinary Committee member for a long time was that she had trained a powerful ability for expression management, allowing her to maintain a superficial calm no matter what.
"Vice President Kanzaki, I don't know what you are saying. I said I am not that so-called Kasumi Utako, and I don't know anyone by that name at all."
Kasumigaoka Utaha was gambling—gambling that Kanzaki Saku had no hard evidence and was merely suspecting her based on their interaction over the weekend.
As long as she refused to admit it to the death, there was nothing he could do to her!
Kasumigaoka Utaha cheered herself on in her heart. Right, I can't panic. If I panic, I lose!
Seeing her refuse to admit it to the bitter end, Kanzaki Saku felt it was still too undignified; she really wouldn't shed a tear until she saw the coffin.
There was no helping it; Kanzaki Saku could only personally help her become 'dignified'.
He unhurriedly took out a doujinshi with a rather bold cover design and an unusually eye-catching title.
It was precisely the one he had appreciated himself at the weekend comic convention, which had sparked a series of subsequent academic discussions—The Student Council President's Secret Lessons.
The brand-new cover reflected a subtle sheen under the afternoon sun.
When Kasumigaoka Utaha saw Kanzaki Saku take out the book she had drawn herself, instead of panicking, she turned the tables and accused Kanzaki Saku.
To dare bring this shameless thing into the school right in front of her, the Disciplinary Committee Chair... Even if he was the Vice President of the Student Council, she would absolutely not tolerate it and must strike hard!
"Vice President Kanzaki, what is the meaning of this?"
She pointed at the doujinshi and spoke with righteous indignation: "Openly carrying and displaying such an unsightly publication within the school. Even if you are the Vice President, you have violated the disciplinary regulations. I must confiscate this book right now."
"Wait a moment, Committee Chair Kasumigaoka." Kanzaki Saku pulled the doujinshi back, avoiding her hand. "I didn't bring this. It was confiscated by me when those delinquent girls were reading it."
"I think the content of this doujinshi has ulterior motives, so I plan to hand it over to President Shinomiya so she can investigate it personally."
As he spoke, he deliberately flipped to a page with an extremely high-impact image. Under Kasumigaoka's gaze, which looked ready to faint, he let her see it for a moment before leisurely closing it.
Although Kasumigaoka definitely wouldn't draw it looking exactly like Kaguya when creating it, and it was even a gender-swapped version, anyone who had seen it knew exactly who was being parodied.
If Kaguya were to see this, it wouldn't just be social death! It would be direct physical death, to the extent that her ashes would be scattered by the President and then stomped on a few times!
After all, that was the sole heir of the Shinomiya family; offending her was worse than just jumping off a building right now for a quick end!
All her luck and forced bravado collapsed completely at this moment.
"W-Wait! Vice President Kanzaki! Please wait!"
Just as Kanzaki Saku made a move to turn and leave to report to the President, Kasumigaoka Utaha chased after him.
Thump!
In Kanzaki Saku's slightly astonished gaze, Kasumigaoka Utaha, in a posture completely inconsistent with her image, went weak at the knees and knelt directly on the moist soil of the garden.
Disregarding the stains that might get on her uniform skirt and stockings, she stretched out her arms and tightly hugged one of Kanzaki Saku's legs as he tried to step away.
"Pleaaase—!!!"
She raised her head. Her beautiful face, usually cold and indifferent, was now flushed red. Those crimson eyes, which usually held sharpness and scrutiny, were now written full of pleading.
"P-Please don't tell the President! I beg you! As long as you don't tell the President, I'll do anything!"
"You'll do anything?" Kanzaki Saku looked down at Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was kneeling on the ground with zero image left, tightly hugging his leg. Even though he was mentally prepared, he was slightly startled by this overly intense reaction.
Is Kaguya really that terrifying in other people's eyes? Even though she acts like a goofy rich kid.
But he quickly adjusted his expression, looking down at her from above: "Committee Chair Kasumigaoka, are you admitting it? You are 'Kasumi Utako'?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha lowered her head and nodded vigorously, her long black hair scattering down, adding a bit more wretchedness to her appearance.
"It's... it's me..." Her voice was very small, carrying a thick nasal tone. "That shameless artist who likes to draw humiliation-genre books... is me... I beg you... don't tell the President, and don't tell anyone else!"
In the end, she admitted it anyway, and in such an undignified manner. What was the point of being so stubborn before?
However, Kanzaki Saku could understand. After all, this was a [Reversal] version of Kasumigaoka, tainted with a bit of Eriri's tsundere nature. If it were the original Kasumigaoka, she would have admitted it openly and perhaps even used it to tease him a few times.
This refusal to admit it to the death was essentially Eriri-play. If the fear brought by Kaguya wasn't so high, she probably would have kept being stubborn.
Seeing his goal achieved, there was no need for Kanzaki Saku to let Kasumigaoka keep kneeling. He reached out, intending to pull her up.
"Get up and talk first; this posture isn't convenient."
"No! I won't get up unless you promise me!" Instead, Kasumigaoka Utaha hugged him tighter. "Unless you promise me not to report this matter to the President, and not to tell anyone else! Otherwise, I will..."
She 'otherwised' for a long time but couldn't come up with a consequence that had any deterrence.
Watching her like this, the bit of bad taste in Kanzaki Saku's heart was greatly satisfied, and he also felt it was about enough.
"Alright, I promise you. I won't tell President Shinomiya for the time being, nor will I publicize it."
Kasumigaoka Utaha raised her head, looking at him with teary eyes, her face a mixture of disbelief and hope: "R-Really?"
"Really." Kanzaki Saku nodded. "However, I have a condition."
"What condition? Just say it!" Kasumigaoka Utaha was mentally prepared; it would be strange if there were no conditions after getting caught with such a book.
As long as this secret could be kept, she was willing to agree to anything right now.
In her mind, Kanzaki Saku probably wanted to use her authority as the Disciplinary Committee Chair to achieve some goals, such as helping his girlfriend Yukinoshita overcome some difficulty.
Although that would also be disobeying Kaguya's orders, in Kasumigaoka's view, incompetence was far better than directly antagonizing Kaguya.
However, what Kasumigaoka didn't expect was that the condition Kanzaki Saku stated exceeded all her expectations.
"From today on, if Teacher 'Kasumi Utako' has any inspiration for new works, you must notify me and conduct research together with me."
Kanzaki Saku helped the stunned Kasumigaoka Utaha up and continued: "Of course, in exchange, I will keep your secret."
____
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