While Saotome was confronting Aiura Kokoro, Ayanokoji was also asking others in their classroom if they had seen Hanatemari Kazura or knew where she usually went.
He asked a few people who seemed approachable, but they all shook their heads, indicating they didn't know.
Just as Ayanokoji was about to enter the casino to meet up with Saotome, a girl softly spoke up: "You're looking for Hanatemari, aren't you? She should be on the rooftop right now."
Ayanokoji turned around.
The speaker was a short-haired girl. Her eyes were naturally black, she wasn't wearing colored contacts, and she didn't have a livestock tag around her neck. She was sitting at her desk, holding a pen, and diligently working on a practice book.
She looked like just an ordinary student.
So there are normal people in Class 1 after all…
"Are you Hanatemari's friend?" Ayanokoji sighed and asked.
"I'm not her friend. I just noticed that she always walks up the stairs with a bento box around this time. She's probably going to the rooftop to eat."
The other person said nonchalantly: "If there's nothing else, please don't ask me anymore; I still have to do my exercises."
After Ayanokoji thanked the other party, he went to the casino and found Saotome Meari.
He didn't know what had happened, but Aiura Kokoro was now cornered by Saotome, and more than a dozen students were standing nearby, but none of them stopped Saotome; they just watched silently.
Saotome kicked the wall next to Aiura Kokoro with one foot and pressed her other hand against the other side, leaning forward, forming a 'kabedon' pose that looked incredibly intimidating: "I'll ask you one more time, do you know where Hanatemari went?"
Aiura Kokoro's eyes were filled with defiance, and her face was annoyed: "I told you, I don't know where she went. She disappears every lunchtime as soon as the bell rings. I can't even order her around! Go ask someone else!"
Saotome was about to say something else when Ayanokoji patted her on the shoulder.
"I know where she is. Let's go," Ayanokoji said concisely.
Saotome Meari nodded, withdrew the leg she had used to block Aiura Kokoro, and was about to leave with Ayanokoji when Aiura Kokoro called out to her.
"Hey, Saotome, we've agreed to all your demands. Does your word still count?" Aiura Kokoro asked, her face full of unease.
"Don't worry, as long as you don't bully Hanatemari anymore, I'll keep it a secret."
Saotome turned her head and smiled sweetly, "However, I suggest you don't use this cheating method again. If you're caught next time, the other party might not be as easy to talk to as I am."
After leaving the casino, Ayanokoji asked curiously, "What agreement did you make with Aiura Kokoro and them?"
"I threatened Aiura Kokoro and them. As long as they don't bully Hanatemari anymore, I won't reveal their cheating secret to others. Otherwise, I'll tell this secret to the other livestock in this class."
Saotome Meari looked up and secretly glanced at Ayanokoji, saying guiltily, "Sorry, I used the secret you told me to negotiate with Aiura Kokoro and them. If you have any losses, I can compensate you…"
"Alright, don't say such things. Aren't we friends? Since I told you, I certainly don't mind you using this secret to negotiate."
Ayanokoji shook his head and said, seemingly casually, "However… just making them not bully Hanatemari, isn't that too much of a waste? Using this secret, you might be able to extort a large sum from Aiura Kokoro and them, making them bleed profusely, you know?"
"Eh? You can do that?" Saotome Meari was stunned; she had never thought of it that way.
"If Aiura Kokoro had only used this cheating method on you, she definitely wouldn't be willing to pay a single cent.
However, she wasn't the only one using this method. She and her rich second-generation companions have used this method to control the livestock for half a year. For them, this secret absolutely cannot be revealed."
Ayanokoji gave an example: "Suppose there's a person who claims to be the strongest martial artist in the world, and no one can defeat him. As a result, he is worshipped by many martial artists, and many people willingly serve him and become his disciples.
But one day, people are surprised to find that this strongest martial artist actually knows nothing. Even a child with a tail can easily defeat him. He is actually very weak, and even you can defeat him.
Then, what do you think people would think?"
"They would be angry because they were deceived, they would demand an explanation out of rage, and short-tempered people might even beat him to death in the arena…"
Saotome stopped halfway through her sentence and playfully slapped Ayanokoji's shoulder: "Don't think I haven't watched Dragon Ball! Aren't you talking about Mr. Satan's story? His disguise was never exposed; people always believed he was the strongest."
"The reason he wasn't exposed is that Goku and Vegeto don't care about the false title of the strongest in the world and have never exposed Mr. Satan's true combat power in public."
Ayanokoji smiled: "Now, you are a martial artist who knows that Mr. Satan is extremely weak. How much money do you think Mr. Satan would be willing to give you to keep this fact a secret?"
Saotome was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly grabbed her hair in frustration: "I'm such an idiot, I missed a great opportunity to get rich!"
Although Meari was highly intelligent and quick-witted, unfortunately, she always had a commoner's mindset and never considered that this secret could also be used for extortion.
"You say, is it too late for me to regret it now?" Saotome Meari regretted it.
"You can try and see if Aiura Kokoro is willing to pay you?" Ayanokoji shrugged indifferently.
Saotome Meari was very annoyed, but soon, she calmed down and shook her head vigorously: "Ayanokoji, if it were you, you might really be able to extort a sum from them, but I can't."
"Why not?" Ayanokoji smiled, listening attentively.
Saotome calmly analyzed: "First of all, just as Aiura Kokoro said, I am just a commoner, with no status or position. This secret not only concerns Aiura Kokoro but also concerns other [Fates in common].
Even if I could extort a sum of money from them, they are all children of political and business magnates. They could easily find an excuse to take back this money from me on the pretext of extortion, and I might even be sent to prison because of it."
"Secondly, even if they don't send me to prison, it's still very easy for them to secretly cause me trouble. I would be isolated like livestock, or even worse.
Although I know this secret, I only targeted Aiura Kokoro alone, and I only used this secret to exchange for [her not bullying Hanatemari].
If I don't target others, others won't deliberately cause me trouble.
And I've figured out that Aiura Kokoro is a very proud person who cares a lot about her reputation. Having lost face in front of me, she will definitely try to regain it through gambling, and she won't secretly cause me trouble."
"So… perhaps what I'm doing now is the most correct choice." Saotome's tone became increasingly firm as she finished her analysis, believing she had not made a mistake.
However… in her words, there was a hint of helplessness and unwillingness.
Ayanokoji almost wanted to applaud Saotome Meari.
To be honest, when he told Saotome this secret, Ayanokoji still had a bit of regret.
What if Meari was reckless and carelessly revealed this secret, incurring the wrath of their classmates? Saotome's fate would definitely not be good.
He deliberately asked this way because he wanted to know if Saotome Meari would be carried away by a victory.
This school seemingly uses only gambling to determine victory and status, but in reality, everyone's identity still has an insurmountable gap.
livestock, paupers, commoners, rich second-generations, officials' children, family heirs… This Private Hyakkaou Academy is a microcosm of society, or even a country.
Not provoking those you cannot provoke is the creed for survival in this school.
Ayanokoji was very glad that Saotome Meari had already learned this point.
...
PS: The first time I watched "gambling abyss," I didn't understand why Saotome Meari and the others didn't expose others' cheating, but only used others' cheating to win. And others could easily expose their cheating.
I didn't quite understand this at first, but later, when rewatching, I realized that the gap in their status was too great, so doing this was actually very reasonable.
Although this might be an over-interpretation, the author might not have thought of it this way at all. But after all, this is my fanfiction, and I need to explain the rationality of each character's behavior.
Putting these scenes into reality… forget it, it's better not to say.
----------------------------------
Support me on Patreon - Advanced Chapters There!
patreon.com/Greyhounds