CH 155.2

「Shirahama-san, have you been with Ibusuki-San from the beginning?」

「Yes. Well, I'm like Kaname's chaperone」

「A chaperone?」

「Not to support her, but to watch her so that she doesn't do anything reckless」

It seems that Shizuru, a senior student, is in charge of monitoring.

So, when Kaname was ready to attack, she didn't join her and just kept an eye on her for a while. And when Kaname lost, she released the restraints after Chihiro was gone.

「One more thing. I also wanted to steal Izumi-kun's ball」

「...Oh」

Indeed, that way she could get the information obtained by the other team without any effort.

...If Chihiro and the other had been talking on their cell phones, their conversations would have been overheard.

Also, there is no need to be watching Chihiro all the time to spy on the ball. It would have been possible to keep looking until Chihiro found the ball, and the ball might have been obtained in such a way.

Shibatsuru Academy――Fukami Kaito's followers are not so simple.

『Chihiro, how's it going?』

『I'm sorry. Ibusuki-san and Shirahama interfered. They almost pushed me out the window, but I'm okay. The ball is still on the outside wall』

『A blessing in disguise? Too bad, but...』

『Got it. Somehow, you're really not well-liked. Anyway, forget the ball... keep those two busy. Yuuki, if you think you can get it... try the fourth floor』

『Okay』

The conversation in his mind's voice is over.

And then, Chihiro turns to Kaname and Saki.

「Was it a lie when Arima-san said "fair and square"?」

Saki cowered her shoulders and answered.

「It wasn't a lie. This is what Master ordered me to do, and that one what Shizuru-oneesama intends to do. I was only ordered to interfere, but Kaname is running amok on her own initiative」

Maybe she could have stopped her, but she wants to acknowledge Kaname's feelings as well. Then, Saki continued.

「......」

Chihiro looks at Kaname.

And she is still staring at him hatefully.

――So now she is not obeying Kaito's orders either.

Kaito and his [Absolute] has been trying to avoid being seen as an enemy by the state and others. Considering this, he would avoid killing each other during the tournament.

But Kaname's actions are contradictory, even though she claims to be doing it for the sake of the Master.

『I'm going to destroy you here. I'm going to crush you, right here, right now』

Fanaticism.

She's acting for her Master but it's against his orders.

What's making her do it is her history with Chihiro that containues from the time of the Miss-Con.

Saki then exhaled.

「Kaname, that's enough. It's not a good idea to try to kill Izumi-kun any further」

It seems Saki thinks that if they stop now, they can use the excuse that they were just trying to scare him a little.

「I'll only let you off the hook once. Next time, if you don't stop, I'll be scolded too」

「No, I can't」

「Kaname」

「Saki-chan, don't you think? This guy's dangerous. Why does Master think so highly of him?」

It seems that Kaname does not want to make an enemy of Saki.

And Chihiro, on the other hand, just watches them as they goes into a conversational mode instead of attacking them. Anyway, if he can keep the two of them together, there are enough advantages.

Saki is silent for a moment and tilts her head.

「Because the other side hasn't attacked us. Master also wouldn't take the risk of killing civilians either, would he?」

「Are you saying that a man who rapes me is a civilian!?」

Kaname says it with scream.

Sigh... Chihiro hope no one who doesn't know what's going on can't hear it.

But Kaname, who has forgotten even her usual stilted endings, shows no sign of concern.

Even Saki frowned at this. But then, she lifts her right hand and presses her index finger to Kaname's lips and says quietly.

「It's because Kaname messed up. You attacked him, so it's only natural that he's going to fight back. Besides, aren't you used to being embraced by a guy you don't like?」

「What? Saki, you can say that because you haven't experienced it」

The overnight rape and humiliation training.

The torture, which was combined with the [Desire Exposure] and supported by several girls, must not have been a light one.

Kaname was able to endure it, but it seems that she was not completely unaffected by it.

「...Phew. In other words, Kaname...」

Saki narrowed her eyes and said in a bored tone.

「Are you so angry because you don't like the fact that he almost corrupt you?」

「!」

Kaname's eyes widened.

And unable to control her rising passion, she turned around, glared at Saki, and punched her.

Saki avoids Kaname's attack with a good margin. Then, she become invisible.

Whoosh!

The punk rock girl clenches her teeth when her punch only hit the air.

「Don't say unnecessary things. I don't have the luxury right now. I won't give you any slack even if we are friends」

「Well, we're just friends, but we're only checking each other out if we're not on good terms with each other. I thought Kaname and I were good friends」

「...I was thinking that way, too」

Kaname said in the past tense.

Saki's point of view was so on target that it made Kaname furious. It could be taken that Kaname was unable to laugh at Saki's point of view because it was so off the mark.

Even if it is not true that Kaname was almost corrupted, it is true that Kaname's mind has been shaken...

（I wonder if [Ruler] brainwashing is not absolute）

Kaito's [Ruler] seems to be an ability to bring the target to his side by making them aware of his presence - his figure, his voice, and so on. In other words, brainwashing is not a direct effect but an indirect one. It takes time and effort to imprint the target's mind with words and training.

Also, like Kaname, there may be cases in which strong attachment to the subject backfires.

Then, there may be a way to help her.

Try to elicit feelings as much as possible through conversation, and use [Desire Exposure] if possible. If Chihiro can increase the fluctuation of her mind in this way, maybe.

「If you just want to hurt Izumi-kun moderately, I'll cooperate with you. But if you're going to kill him, I'll stop you, Kaname」

「I...」

Kaname turned over with her shoulders shaking.

She looks up to say something.

『We have an announcement. The winner of the third event of the four schools competition is Shibaryuu Academy!』

An announcement catches everyone by surprise. 

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Hana's point of view will be described in the next chapter.