Saotome was speechless.
She was not stupid and quickly understood Ayanokoji's meaning.
"Even if Aiura Kokoro and her small group don't come after me, what about the others? What about those who were labeled as 'livestock'? Why has no one else come to me except Hanatemari?"
Saotome snorted coldly, complaining: "I helped them defeat Aiura Kokoro, this small boss. Shouldn't these oppressed villagers actively approach me, the 'hero'?"
Saotome Meari actually narcissistically compared herself to a hero...
Ayanokoji held back a laugh: "Then I ask you, what have you done these past few days?"
"It's just as I said before, smiling and treating everyone kindly." Saotome cupped her hands to her face and forced a smile: "Did I do something wrong?"
"I understand, you just want to get along with your classmates and not be excluded. But in the eyes of those 'livestock,' your behavior looks more like you're trying to curry favor with those rich kids and wanting to blend in with them.
Even if they want to approach you, they are not sure about your attitude towards them. They don't know which side you will choose to stand on, so they are keeping their distance. Perhaps Aiura Kokoro and her small group might have also warned them, forbidding them from contacting you."
Ayanokoji paused for a moment, and after confirming Saotome understood, he continued: "In short, due to Aiura Kokoro and her deliberate guidance, coupled with your actions, you have successfully pushed yourself into an isolated state."
"I didn't mean that at all... Who would want to curry favor with those idiots?" Saotome Meari rubbed her head irritably, muttering: "Geez, why is it so troublesome? My plan has been disrupted..."
"Are you talking about your plan to make money through gambling?"
"Yes. Although I currently have 250,000 yen, if no one comes to gamble with me, this money will quickly run out. And I don't want to use my pocket money to pay that bastard's tribute."
Saotome sighed in annoyance: "I asked Hanatemari, and she said it's because the amount I gamble is too small, which is why no one is coming to me.
In this academy, 200,000 yen is just for casual play. To get a higher evaluation, you must achieve a bigger victory."
Saotome indignantly slammed the table again, complaining again: "200,000 is for casual play!? This school is too outrageous! Do they not know that most people in society only earn that much in a month!?"
Saotome's words made Ayanokoji feel awkward and unable to respond. With his current wealth, even if all his assets were deposited in the bank, the daily interest alone would be more than several hundred thousand...
Of course, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka naturally couldn't say that. He finally had a friend he could talk to, and if he drove her away by showing off his wealth, who would he complain to?
After Saotome finished complaining, she still had to consider her current situation. She asked, "Ayanokoji, what do you think I should do to break this deadlock?"
Saotome Meari came this time to ask Ayanokoji's opinion.
Ayanokoji stroked his chin, pondering: "You are now like a newcomer who has completed a brilliant debut battle, stuck in between, unable to go up or down. To break this deadlock, you need to leave your class's casino and find other places to gamble."
"Like other schools, Private Hyakkaou Academy also has club activities after school. However, the clubs here are very special.
The club president does not organize activities, but merely claims an activity room under the club's name to set up a small casino and conduct gambling games there."
Ayanokoji pulled out an advertisement from his pocket: "This flyer was given to me by someone. It lists the popularity rankings of the various casinos in this school and simple gambling rules."
This flyer was given to Ayanokoji by Kuroki Ya. According to him, this information was compiled by him and a group of people, and it was confidential material not to be shared. It would even cost money to purchase it.
He said he gave it to Ayanokoji because he liked him, but who knows?
Saotome took the flyer. It listed the names of various clubs from top to bottom based on their popularity ranking.
Although these clubs borrowed names like Literary Club, Kendo Club, Reading Club, etc., in reality, each club was a small casino set up by students, differing only in the casino's popularity and gambling methods.
This flyer was exactly what Saotome needed. She looked up and excitedly grabbed Ayanokoji's hand: "Ayanokoji, thank you so much! This is very important to me!"
Unlike Ayanokoji, Saotome Meari's current social situation was very bad; she only had Hanatemari as a friend.
And although Hanatemari had lived in this school for three years, she was not good at gambling and knew very little about this kind of information.
When Saotome Meari was completely in the dark and didn't know what to do, Ayanokoji's action was nothing short of a timely help.
"I'm glad I could help." Although the feeling of Saotome holding his hand was nice, Ayanokoji still pulled his hand out of hers.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"Saotome... Honestly, although I know gambling is a way for you to change your current situation, I don't wish for you to gamble. While the moment of turning the tables feels great, in just one thought, you can fall from heaven to hell."
Saotome Meari thought Ayanokoji would support her gambling, but she didn't expect him to say that. She blinked her eyes and said defiantly, "You don't want me to gamble, but what about you? Aren't you gambling too?"
"Small gambles for pleasure, big gambles for harm. For me, this level isn't even gambling; it's just socializing," Ayanokoji said truthfully.
Ayanokoji had no intention of showing off. Gambling for 10,000 per game was just for fun for him; it wasn't exciting at all.
He said earnestly, "Gambling ruins lives. Saotome, I really don't want you to gamble. If you need money, I can temporarily lend you money to pay the tribute. You don't need to put all your possibilities on gambling."
Ayanokoji knew that once he said this, Saotome Meari would definitely be very angry.
But he had to say these words. He said them precisely because he considered Saotome Meari a friend.
He knew that Saotome was very smart and had a drive that others lacked. If she gambled, she would definitely thrive and earn a large sum of money in a short time.
However, if she didn't know when to stop, no matter how much money she earned, she would eventually lose it all—not just the money, but also herself.
While Saotome hadn't fallen deep into it yet, he had to say these words early.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had already seen too many people lose everything because of gambling, and he didn't want Saotome Meari to follow in their footsteps.
As he expected, Saotome was indeed angry. She stood up furiously and questioned Ayanokoji several times.
"Is it great to be rich?! You say I can't gamble, so I can't gamble? Everyone in this school gambles. If I don't gamble, how will I pay the contribution? How will I reach the top of the school?!"
Ayanokoji did not answer these questions, but only offered a mint candy.
"Saotome, calm down."
Saotome didn't expect Ayanokoji to react this way. She was stunned for a moment, but still took the candy from Ayanokoji's hand and put it in her mouth.
A moment later, the exasperated expression on Saotome's face faded, and she sat down again.
"Calmed down?"
"Mhm." Saotome nodded dejectedly, and said with frustration, "I know gambling is bad, but right now, I can only rely on gambling…
After all, unlike young masters like you who are born with a silver spoon in their mouths, we commoners who want to make a name for ourselves and get a sum of money that is impossible to obtain through normal means can only rely on gambling our luck."
Saotome had calmed down. She also knew that Ayanokoji's words were for her own good. But in this abnormal school, it seemed that Ayanokoji's way of thinking was the anomaly. Although she knew it was bad, she still couldn't help but have thoughts of gambling.
It was like how a boy knows that * * is bad, but still can't resist the temptations on the internet and often enters sage mode to contemplate life.
However, perhaps not wanting to see Ayanokoji's disappointed gaze, even Saotome Meari didn't know why, but she inexplicably made a promise to Ayanokoji.
"Alright… don't be angry, I know gambling is wrong. As long as I earn enough money to prevent Hanatemari and me from becoming livestock, I'll stop, okay?"
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