Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had intended to find Saotome to eat lunch together during the midday break, but she had disappeared. He searched the classroom and the casino but couldn't find either her or Hanatemari.
Ayanokoji had no choice but to go to the cafeteria alone.
However, he was not eating alone. Sitting across from him now was Kurume Laiwei.
"Cheer up, don't be so gloomy."
Kurume Laiwei wrapped the end of a chicken leg in tissue paper, then smilingly picked it up and held it to Ayanokoji's mouth, deliberately saying, "Don't you like having a beautiful girl like me sitting across from you?"
"You eat it yourself." Ayanokoji rolled his eyes and gently used his chopsticks to push her wrist away: "I'd like it even more if you didn't make me pay for the meal."
Kurume Laiwei had also been eating alone in the cafeteria. When she saw Ayanokoji approach, her eyes immediately lit up, and she brought her tray over, even taking the liberty of ordering a few more dishes.
Clearly, this person wanted to freeload.
Kurume nonchalantly withdrew her hand, took a bite of the chicken leg, and mumbled, "Don't be so stingy. Didn't you take me in? Are you already hurting over this little bit of money?"
Who took her in? Ayanokoji was almost amused to exasperation.
He hadn't realized this person was so shameless. She had tried to extort him and been caught, yet she acted as if it were perfectly natural to cling to him.
"I'm not taking you in, I'm just employing you, and you're supposed to work for me. I assume you're not the type to take a salary without working, are you?" Ayanokoji retorted.
"Don't worry, I'm not a wage thief. Actually, I have some explosive news right now," Kurume Laiwei said mysteriously. "Did you know? There's a resistance organization within the school."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka raised an eyebrow, looking at Kurume Laiwei with surprise: "Resistance organization? This is peacetime, where would terrorists come from? You're not just making this up to trick me, are you?"
"This organization isn't resisting the country, but rather the violent rule of the Private Hyakkaou Academy Student Council.
The full name of this organization is the [Association for Better Blooming], abbreviated as the [Zenshoukai]. Its goal is to overthrow the tyranny of the Student Council President and establish a new school where everyone is equal."
"Sounds like a rather positive organization. Tell me more," Ayanokoji's curiosity was piqued.
"Almost all the members of this organization are livestock who can't afford to pay their contributions. They are overwhelmed and want to break free from this oppression, so they spontaneously formed this resistance organization.
This resistance organization has been established in secret for two months, but if I hadn't also become livestock and the people in the organization wanted to approach me, I wouldn't have known about its existence."
Where there is oppression, there is resistance. Not to mention others, Ayanokoji, a new student who just enrolled, had quite a few complaints about the Livestock System established by the Student Council President. Those who had become livestock, let alone, certainly wanted to abolish this system.
Resistance is a good thing; at least it proves that not everyone supports the Student Council.
"Do you want to join this organization?" Ayanokoji asked with interest.
"How could I? I'm not an idiot; how could I join such a doomed organization?"
Kurume waved her hand: "The Student Council President is very powerful. The total assets of these insignificant fellows probably aren't even as much as one Student Council member's assets. It's impossible for them to overthrow the school's rule. I ignored them when they invited me."
"Then why are you bringing it up now?"
"Because I heard a secret: this organization called the Zenshoukai is actually connected to an important member of the Student Council."
The enemy is in Honno-ji?
Ayanokoji immediately thought of the historical anecdote of Oda Nobunaga.
In Japan, the theme of subordinates overthrowing superiors is a tradition. Every ruler could potentially be backstabbed by an internal traitor among their subordinates.
Is there someone in the Student Council who is dissatisfied with the Student Council President's high-pressure rule? Infighting among the ruling class… interesting.
"It's precisely because I heard this rumor that I feel this Zenshoukai is a bit interesting."
Kurume Laiwei smiled and extended her hand towards Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: "This news of mine is explosive enough, isn't it? It's worth you paying me a manuscript fee, right?"
This information was indeed very important, and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't trick her. He took out 100,000 yen from his wallet and handed it to her: "It's indeed very valuable. If you have any more such information, you can always come to me."
"You give me money just for telling you some information, boss, you're really generous…"
Kurume Laiwei was very surprised.
To be honest, she hadn't expected Ayanokoji to actually give her money. After all, in her opinion, although this information was somewhat interesting, it certainly wasn't of much value to an ordinary student like Ayanokoji, yet he would actually pay her for it.
Wait a minute… Ayanokoji Kiyotaka wouldn't happen to like her and, afraid she wouldn't accept, deliberately used the method of buying information to make her accept the money, would he?
Really, if he liked her, he should just say so, why beat around the bush?
Kurume Laiwei's smile grew wider, while Ayanokoji was somewhat baffled by her gaze.
Lunch was over, he had paid for her meal, and given her the information fee, so why wasn't she leaving yet?
Ayanokoji genuinely believed the information was valuable, never imagining that Kurume Laiwei had misunderstood.
"Aren't you leaving yet?" Ayanokoji felt a little unnerved by her gaze and couldn't help but ask.
"No hurry, no hurry… Oh, by the way, are you free this afternoon? I'll give you a tour of this school."
Kurume Laiwei rested her chin on her hands and said with a smile, "Besides gambling, this school has many fun places, you know. Just think of me as your tour guide."
"Why are you suddenly so attentive?" Ayanokoji was a little unaccustomed to her sudden change in attitude.
Kurume deliberately winked at Ayanokoji and said with a grin, "If I only say this much and take money from you, I feel guilty if I don't provide some special service."
Kurume was not a rich second generation; 100,000 yen was already a large sum of money for her, a commoner. One should know that for a red and white shrine maiden, 100,000 yen could buy any of her services.
"Didn't you feel guilty when you extorted me?"
Ayanokoji rolled his eyes, but he did not refuse Kurume's suggestion. He didn't know much about this school either, and it would indeed be convenient to have a tour guide.
Especially when this tour guide was a beautiful girl with exposed legs, there was no reason to refuse.
The two hit it off immediately.
Since no one in this school cared about attendance, Ayanokoji simply skipped his afternoon classes and followed Kurume Laiwei around the campus.
As mentioned before, Private Hyakkaou Academy was like a community, with all public facilities readily available.
What surprised Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was that most of the school's basic facilities were open to students for free.
Cinemas, golf courses, bowling alleys, gyms, swimming pools… these places did not require extra expenditure or membership cards; one only needed to show their student ID to use them for free.
In places like cafes and dessert shops, food prices were also polarized like in restaurants; there were expensive high-priced desserts, and also food that commoners could afford.
This was truly amazing.
It could be said that if one lived in this school, even students with not much money could live a better life than the American middle class.
----------------------------------
Support me on Patreon - Advanced Chapters There!
patreon.com/Greyhounds