Chapter 121: Undercurrents in Shuchiin Academy
Hearing Kaguya Shinomiya's words, Asagiri didn't answer right away. Instead, he asked evenly, "You said you're running for Student Council President, right? If I remember correctly, Shuchiin has never had a first year student become President."
Kaguya nodded without hesitation. "Correct. And I'll add something else. Not only has no first year ever won, there has never even been a precedent of a first year running for President since Shuchiin Academy was founded. I'm the first."
Shuchiin Academy's Student Council was nothing like the councils at ordinary schools, the kind that argued over clubrooms and budget scraps, helped students settle small disputes, and played at being adults.
Here, the Student Council held real authority. They could request teachers to set up extra classes, decide the destination of school trips, allocate club funding, and even influence how the school itself operated.
Yet the election still came down to one thing.
Support.
Showcasing ability, giving speeches, promising plans, all of it served a single purpose: to gain votes. And compared to upperclassmen, first year students were naturally disadvantaged.
For one, even a pure enrollment student like Kaguya had only just entered the high school division. She wasn't yet deeply rooted in Shuchiin's high school environment.
For another, if a first year became President immediately, it would bruise the pride of the older students. Seniors were supposed to lead. If a newcomer took the top seat, it would be like announcing the upperclassmen were inferior to the freshmen who had just arrived.
That alone made it hard to win their support.
More importantly, upperclassmen who already held the President position would also run in the spring election. As long as they hadn't made a major mistake, most students were still inclined to support the familiar candidate.
"Normally," Asagiri said, watching her carefully, "the route is to join the Student Council in first year, work under the current President, build experience and reputation, then run in second year with actual achievements behind you."
He smiled, light but sharp. "Losing an election is embarrassing. You're someone who cares deeply about your image. You always look flawless, always act like the Shinomiya Family's perfect eldest daughter. So why would you risk humiliating yourself in front of the entire school by running now?"
"I…"
Kaguya didn't answer.
Asagiri stood up immediately, his tone still calm. "You came to me for cooperation, but you won't even explain what's driving you. If that's how it is, I can't agree. Goodbye."
"Wait."
Kaguya's hand lifted as if to catch his sleeve, but she stopped halfway, as if she'd remembered the rulebook she lived by. She lowered her hand, moved her bento from her lap to the bench, then rose smoothly to her feet.
"I need the position of Student Council President," she said quietly. "Because I need a legitimate reason to stay on campus after class. I need decision making power. And I need the Student Council office as a space with absolute privacy."
Her lips pressed together. Her gaze turned complicated.
"As for why I need that… I can't tell you. I don't want to involve you."
"I see." Asagiri's smile returned, easy and unreadable. "I'll consider it. But before I answer you, I need to talk to Ashikaga Miwa first."
Kaguya nodded slightly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Alright. The candidate list won't be submitted until next week. Give me your answer before Friday."
"Okay. I'll go, then."
"Goodbye."
Asagiri walked off, leaving Kaguya standing there in silence.
Only after his footsteps faded did she let out a long breath. Her eyes shifted to the bushes nearby.
"Come out," she said calmly. "Stop hiding."
A blonde girl with blue nail polish rose from behind the shrubbery. Her jacket was tied around her waist, her style bold and trendy, unmistakably gyaru.
"You noticed me?" the blonde asked, sounding genuinely puzzled. "Did my camouflage get worse?"
A rare smile appeared on Kaguya's face, and she even let out a quiet laugh. "I didn't notice you at all. Within range where you could still hear us, that was the only hiding spot. I said it on purpose."
She glanced at the blonde. "I didn't expect it to actually work."
"How cunning," the blonde muttered.
Kaguya's smile lingered as she asked, "Since you heard everything, what's your impression of Utsunomiya?"
"Impression…" Hayasaka Ai tapped her chin with one pale finger, recalling the earlier scene. "He treats you like a normal person. He doesn't act like you're the Shinomiya Family's young lady at all."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "He's also good at negotiation. He always keeps the initiative. His personality seems frivolous and eccentric, but there's complexity underneath. You can't predict him."
Hayasaka paused, then added quietly, "Most importantly… I have the feeling he noticed me just now and simply chose not to say anything."
She exhaled. "Utsunomiya Asagiri gives me a sense of unpredictable danger."
"I feel the same," Kaguya said, her expression settling back into composure.
He was dangerous. Not because he was loud or aggressive, but because he was guided by interest alone. Someone who acted for fun, without weighing practical gain, was the hardest type to control, and the hardest type to read.
"Even so…" Kaguya fell silent for a moment, then spoke softly. "I need his help. I also need Ashikaga Miwa's help."
Her voice lowered, almost like a confession she didn't want the air to hear.
"And in my eyes, Utsunomiya's help matters more than Ashikaga Miwa's, even though she sits on the board."
—--
A little later, inside Ashikaga Miwa's office.
"I had the youkai check," Iwanaga Kotoko said, her tone casual, as if reporting the weather. "The person who posted those 'death game' comments online is dead."
She leaned on her cane and continued, unhurried. "The Osaka Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department examined the scene and concluded it was murder. Nothing was taken except the victim's usual phone. The Metropolitan Police are investigating, but there's been no real progress."
Asagiri nodded, neither surprised nor shaken. "Cause of death?"
"A sharp weapon to the throat. Bled out. From the method, the killer didn't use any special abilities."
"I see."
Asagiri smiled, relaxed. "Chasing the killer is the Metropolitan Police's job. It has nothing to do with us. But we can confirm one thing now. Someone has started using that hidden rule, whether for items and equipment, or for the right to register as a Player. In short, someone has started moving in the real world."
Yuuki Asuna's expression tightened with worry. "The three of us are fine. Ashikaga sensei can cover for us at school. You and I live alone. Kotoko's family doesn't interfere much. But what about Megumi…"
"Don't worry." Iwanaga raised a hand and patted Asuna's shoulder, smiling brightly. "We've been careful. And I planned for this early."
Her dark purple eyes gleamed with confidence. "I already instructed the youkai around Private Toyonosaki Academy, and around where Megumi lives. If anything suspicious appears, they'll report to me immediately. So stop worrying."
Asuna finally let out the breath she'd been holding. "Okay… that's good."
Iwanaga Kotoko's most terrifying strength wasn't just what she gained from clearing Dungeons. It was what she carried in the real world: the ability to command youkai.
She couldn't order them to attack humans, but investigation, guarding, gathering information, delivering messages, all of that was well within their reach. It gave the team an overwhelming advantage in intelligence.
Of course, it also meant she had to respond to the youkai's requests in return.
"After school today," Asuna suggested, "let's call Megumi and talk about the next plan?"
Asagiri nodded. "Sure. We can also get together and celebrate clearing our first Dungeon in the second stage."
Asuna smiled gently. "Okay. I'll email her later."
Just then, a steady knock sounded at the door.
Asagiri stood and opened it.
Ashikaga Miwa stood outside in a professional suit, gold rimmed glasses catching the light. As always, she looked meticulous and severe.
"Utsunomiya," she said. "I want to talk to you."
Asagiri smiled and stepped aside. "Perfect. I also have something to talk to you about."
Asuna and Iwanaga rose immediately, reading the room without needing a signal.
"Then we'll go eat lunch first," Asuna said.
Once they left, Ashikaga Miwa walked behind the large office desk and sat down. She looked at Asagiri on the black leather sofa, her voice slow and deliberate.
"Utsunomiya, you…"
She paused.
"Are a Player, right?"
Asagiri didn't panic. He simply nodded. "Since you already know the word 'Player,' you must have a decent understanding of the game."
"Indeed." Ashikaga Miwa's expression turned complicated, as if she'd confirmed something she didn't want to be true. She exhaled heavily. "So you really are."
She rubbed her forehead. "I knew it. You had no intention of becoming a fighter, yet you came to me for special training. You even brought Yuuki Asuna and Kato Kei from another school."
Her gaze sharpened. "Unlike you, who were already a sports genius, their physical abilities were gained from game rewards, weren't they?"
"Yes."
"And Iwanaga Kotoko," Ashikaga Miwa continued, voice lower, "the student who transferred into our class, whose father also joined the board. She's also…?"
"Yes."
Ashikaga Miwa's face grew heavier with every answer. "There are three Players in our school…"
"Five," Asagiri corrected with a smile. "Kaguya Shinomiya and Fujiwara Chika from Class B are also Players."
"They are too?"
For the first time, Ashikaga Miwa looked almost stunned. "Five Players… all in the first year. This is…"
She stopped, as if words had failed her.
Asagiri watched her calmly.
Ashikaga Miwa took a breath, then spoke with urgency. "Then you must be extremely careful. Do not let Fujiwara Chika and Kaguya Shinomiya, especially Kaguya Shinomiya, learn that you are also a Player."
Her eyes narrowed. "I have connections, but if the Shiguya Group targets you, I won't be able to protect you outside school."
"You seem to misunderstand Kaguya Shinomiya," Asagiri said, leaning back. "She hasn't told the Shinomiya Family about her Player identity, or about the game."
Ashikaga Miwa frowned thoughtfully. "Because she wants to use the power gained from the game to resist the Shinomiya Family's restraints…" She shook her head. "Never mind. That isn't the focus."
She opened a drawer and took out a black handgun, placing it gently on the desk.
"A handgun," she said. "Do you know how to use it?"
"I know a little. I'm not a professional."
"Good enough. If you can take off the safety and aim, you'll manage."
Ashikaga Miwa put the gun back into the drawer and looked at him seriously. "I will keep it here. If you encounter danger, you can take it and use it at any time."
Her tone was firm, absolute. "Don't worry about consequences. I will handle the aftermath and cover it. The most important thing is your safety. Understand?"
"Ashikaga sensei…"
Asagiri's eyes looked almost touched for a moment.
Ashikaga Miwa's posture eased slightly, as if expecting gratitude.
Then Asagiri laughed lightly. "You're not trying to start a teacher student romance with me, are you? I have to refuse."
"What teacher student romance?" Ashikaga Miwa's brows snapped together. She waved a hand impatiently. "Don't talk nonsense, kid. It's a precaution."
She glanced aside, voice still strict. "With Shuchiin's security, it's unlikely anything will happen. But it's better to be prepared."
"Fine." Asagiri nodded.
Then he told her about Kaguya Shinomiya's invitation, and her request that he join the Student Council election.
Ashikaga Miwa listened without visible surprise. When he finished, she asked calmly, "So. Have you decided?"
"Yes." Asagiri's smile vanished. He looked straight at her, voice soft and certain. "The moment you said you put a gun in your drawer for my safety."
He leaned forward slightly.
"I'll participate in the Student Council election."
His eyes sharpened.
"And I'll win."
…
After school that day, in a cafe on a Tokyo street.
"So Ashikaga sensei already knows our identities," Kato Megumi said, still calm as ever, her voice gentle and unhurried. "I don't think it's a problem. She trained us. When she guessed Utsunomiya's identity, she didn't tell anyone. She went straight to him, and even prepared a gun for emergencies."
Megumi's tone didn't change, yet her conclusion was firm. "I believe we can trust her."
"I agree," Yuuki Asuna said. She lifted a fork, cut a small piece of strawberry cake, and ate it. The soft sweetness seemed to loosen the tension in her shoulders.
"Asagiri is right. Ashikaga sensei is an idealist. Compared to the benefits this death game could bring, she cares more about Shuchiin's future. She doesn't seem interested in using us, or blackmailing us with the secret."
Asuna looked toward Asagiri. "She even gave us information from the authorities. We have no reason not to trust her."
Then she paused, curiosity slipping in. "By the way… if Ashikaga sensei can become a board member, she must have a deep background, right? What does she actually do? She can't be just a simple martial artist."
"Oh, it's nothing special," Asagiri said, even though he was stirring iced cola in a cafe like it was the most natural thing in the world.
He spoke casually, as if listing groceries.
"She owns dojos across Japan for kendo, kyudo, judo, and other training programs. Most are run through companies under her. She's a leader in the handmade cold weapon collectibles industry. She owns the largest high end bodyguard company in Japan."
He took a sip. "And she's also one of the organizers of fighter competitions."
Asuna froze. "Ashikaga sensei is that amazing?"
"What did you think?" Asagiri raised an eyebrow. "Did you think any random board member could openly embarrass Oko Shinomiya during a board meeting?"
He continued calmly. "In pure scale and wealth, Ashikaga Miwa can't compete with the Shinomiya Group. But the Shinomiya Group doesn't belong to Oko Shinomiya alone. Everything I listed is hers. Add her identity as a direct descendant of a samurai noble family, and she's fully qualified to contend with Oko Shinomiya for the position of Shuchiin Academy Chairman."
"So that's how it is…" Asuna nodded slowly, half dazed.
Her family was well off, but compared to those monsters, she might as well have been peeking through the window of a different world.
Kato Megumi followed up immediately, her expression serene. "Then does Ashikaga sensei want to become a Player? She's trained since childhood. Power like that must be tempting."
Before Asagiri could answer, Iwanaga Kotoko spoke up with cheerful certainty. "She doesn't. At least not right now."
Kotoko tilted her head slightly. "Not just her either. The big shots who already know about the game won't become Players for the time being. They value their lives too much."
Her smile widened, almost mischievous. "The safest method is to have subordinates become Players first. Once the subordinates grow strong enough, they'll team up and enter the game together."
She lifted her cane lightly, as if punctuating her point.
"Just like getting carried in an online game."
.....
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