After everyone had checked each other's questions and had Mashima review them to confirm there were no issues, Class A's exam papers were essentially finalized.

Kaoru spotted Chabashira Sae in the teachers' office.

Her face was cold as she kept her head down, writing something—though the contents were unclear.

However, she probably wouldn't be helping Class D with their exam questions in this setting.

She was likely just busy.

In contrast, Class B's homeroom teacher, Chie Hoshinomiya, greeted them enthusiastically, shamelessly trying to get closer.

Sakayanagi sent Kaoru to intercept her.

"Sensei, you look kind of cute today," Kaoru said, adapting his words to the person—sweet talk for the sweet, nonsense for the nonsensical.

"Eh, really?!" Hoshinomiya seemed pleasantly surprised.

She happily patted Kaoru's shoulder.

"You've got good taste, kid. But next time, don't say 'kind of.' Say, 'You're really cute today!'"

"Sorry, I didn't dare say what I really thought. A student calling their teacher cute is a little suspicious, isn't it?" Kaoru averted his gaze as if embarrassed.

Hoshinomiya froze for a moment before turning to Mashima and shouting.

"Hey, Tomonari! I'm taking this kid with me!"

Mashima, who had been reviewing the exam questions, looked up expressionlessly and replied.

"Go ahead, if you can."

"Wow, I really like this kid!" Hoshinomiya shook Kaoru by the shoulders. "This is the first time a student's called me cute! The kids in my class just call me a drunk. They even complained about me this morning—so mean!"

Not only did she shake Kaoru vigorously, but she was also overly excited.

Kaoru could clearly smell the faint scent of alcohol on her.

"Sensei, you're shaking me too hard. If you keep going, I might throw up on you."

"Ah, ah, ah! S-sorry! Got a little carried away!"

"Do you have something bothering you, teacher?"

"Bothering me?" Hoshinomiya poked her own cheek with her index finger.

"Do I look like I have worries?"

"If you don't have any worries, why do you drink so often?" Kaoru asked.

"Ahaha, that's the adult world for you. Kids wouldn't understand." She giggled and pointed at Chabashira Sae in the distance.

"See that woman? She always has this cold face, like she's frigid or something. But in reality, no one's crazier than her. That's why she never lets herself get drunk."

Chabashira shot her a cold glare.

Ever since she realized Hoshinomiya still held some delusions about Class A, the woman had been making snide remarks.

"I actually think your usual self is cuter."

"My, my, I have a feeling you're going to be quite the smooth-talker when you grow up. Poke, poke, poke~"

"Can I poke back?"

"Nope! Because I'm the teacher."

"..."

Kaoru poked her anyway.

She seemed stunned for a second before laughing even harder and immediately retaliating.

And so, the two began poking each other right there in the office.

Morishita Ai watched with great amusement—until Sakayanagi passed by Kaoru's side.

"Mitoma-kun, stop playing. We should go." Sakayanagi paused, then leaned in to whisper in his ear,

"Come with me. I have something to discuss with you."

Although the exam papers for Class A were already completed, they decided not to submit them just yet.

Mashima had warned them that the faculty office was crowded, and he couldn't guarantee that no one would catch a glimpse of the papers.

The best approach was to hold onto them and submit at the very last moment.

Kaoru wasn't sure what Sakayanagi wanted to say.

Puzzled, he bid farewell to Morishita Ai and Katsuragi before following Sakayanagi's lead.

"Hey, don't forget to drop by the office again sometime!" Chie Hoshinomiya cheerfully waved at him.

The woman walked ahead at a leisurely pace, leaving Kaoru trailing slightly behind, able only to see her slender back.

Her delicate calves were still clad in white garter stockings, though noticeably thicker than in summer—no longer sheer enough to reveal the faint hue of skin beneath, just a smooth, refined texture.

The stockings clung snugly to her thighs, the straps pulling taut. F

ollowing the suspenders upward, the sway of her skirt hinted at the gentle curve of her hips.

"Though it's a bit unfortunate, I have some bad news for you," Sakayanagi said, her tone unusually light with amusement.

"Just as I expected, you've been completely marked by him."

"Who?" Kaoru walked beside her, their shoulders nearly brushing as they headed back to the dorms.

"Don't you already know?" Sakayanagi replied. "I refuse to believe you can't guess what this bad news is. Ever since you joined the student council, you've been targeting him."

"So, was Yamamura-san your way of keeping tabs on me?"

"Yamamura-san is a good girl. Without paying close attention, it's easy to overlook her talents. A girl like her hardly needs remedial lessons."

"I thought she was just a substitute for Kamuro-san."

"What?"

"Never mind."

Sakayanagi sensed there was more to his words, but she couldn't be bothered to press him right now. Instead, she cut straight to the bad news.

"Nagumo-senpai asked me about the exam. When he heard it was a paired test, he decided he wants you expelled."

She wasn't lying—this was exactly the kind of thing Nagumo Miyabi would do.

For Nagumo, expulsion was the final move, the ultimate symbol of crushing his opponent.

However, simply having Kaoru's partner abandon the exam wouldn't be enough to get him expelled.

Given his grades, he could still scrape by with a passing score on his own.

So, Nagumo's plan was likely the same as Shiho Manabe's before—framing Kaoru for cheating.

All it would take was slipping a cheat sheet into his hands at the right moment, and the school would have grounds to expel him.

Alternatively, Nagumo might even go down with him, copying Kaoru's answers during the exam.

In short, as long as the scheme was malicious enough, Kaoru really wouldn't be able to guard against such underhanded tactics.

"Does he know Yamamura-san is your person?" Kaoru had a rough idea of what Sakayanagi was thinking.

Sakayanagi smiled, looking like a smug little fox as she murmured.

"The moment I heard the exam rules, I planned to have Yamamura-san be your partner. Seems my instincts were right."

"You're truly ruthless to your own subordinates," Kaoru remarked in a low voice.

Miki Yamamura had thought Sakayanagi Arisu had her tailing him, unaware that she had been turned into a bomb, ready to self-destruct at any moment.

"Don't say that. Nagumo-senpai offered a high price—he'll pay twenty million Personal Points as Yamamura-san's revival fee, and another ten million as our reward afterward," Sakayanagi sighed.

"At this point, what else can I do?"

If she chose not to revive Miki Yamamura, she would have a full thirty million Personal Points—a staggering sum that could play a huge role in the battles to come.

"Heh, seems like your failure, Mitoma-kun. Entrusting your safety to someone else was a terrible move. Beg me now, and I might just let you off."

Watching Kaoru's silent demeanor, the girl couldn't help but wear an intensely satisfied smile.

She could finally hold her head high—vengeance for past grievances was within reach.

What should she do next?

Maybe force Kaoru into a dogeza?

That seemed a bit low-class, and given his personality, it might even feel like a reward to him.

At the very least, she needed to come up with something that would make Kaoru feel fear and humiliation.

As Sakayanagi lost herself in thought, Kaoru glanced around and noticed few students nearby.

Slap—

Sakayanagi froze.

There was no mistaking that sensation—he had spanked her again.

"You insolent brute!"

The girl flushed with anger and embarrassment, raising her cane.

This time, she was genuinely furious.

The first two times could be chalked up to carelessness, but now, when she clearly held the upper hand, how dare he still spank her?

Kaoru easily dodged her attack and, taking advantage of her unsteady footing, grabbed her wrist, swiftly pulling her into his arms.

"Do you even understand the situation? Let go of me right now!"

For the first time, Sakayanagi felt such intense frustration and shame toward her own body.

"Do you have a death wish?"

"Why would I let go?" Kaoru found her reaction odd. "Since you're planning to expel me, I might as well do whatever I want. First on the list—getting back at you."

As he spoke, his hand slid toward Sakayanagi's thigh.

The cool, soft skin had an exceptionally smooth texture, and the stockings felt premium.

Sakayanagi stiffened on the spot.

Despite always being wary of Kaoru, she consistently underestimated his audacity.

She never imagined he would act so brazenly in public.

Unaccustomed to being touched, she instinctively squirmed in his arms.

Her small chest pressed against him, and as his fingers brushed over her pert backside, she trembled slightly, her legs clamping together.

"If you keep touching me, I'll scream," Sakayanagi forced a cold expression, refusing to let panic show.

"Do you think I care?" Kaoru's fingers lingered on her thigh, not pushing further—knowing it would genuinely upset her.

Like teasing a cat—rubbing its belly outright might provoke resistance, but taking it slow could make it enjoy the sensation.

Sakayanagi calmed down, gritting her teeth slightly.

"I never agreed to his terms. Only I can make you withdraw—do you really think I'd want his Personal Points?"

"With two million Personal Points, you could transfer classes. You could use his methods to win over the lower classes," Kaoru said confidently.

He was certain that if Sakayanagi dared to offer two million, at least Horikita Suzune would immediately betray her Class D.

"Idiot, do you think I wouldn't have considered what you just said?" Sakayanagi sneered.

"Why else do you think I placed Yamamura-san by your side? If it were Masumi-san partnering with you, you definitely wouldn't take it seriously."

Hmm, she just wanted to make Kaoru nervous.

"Personal Points mean nothing to me. I'd much rather defeat you fair and square."

Sakayanagi Arisu bit her lip.

At the very least, she couldn't let him spank her again next time—it was too infuriating.

He was clearly taking advantage of her being physically weaker.

Kaoru calmly released her, then took a perfectly measured step back, narrowly avoiding her cane once more.

"Can't you just stand still?"

"Because I want to make a deal with you. Once you agree, then you can hit me all you want."

"Heh, trying to turn the tables on me?"

"Just hear me out first—"

Seizing the moment before Kaoru could react, Sakayanagi successfully struck his shin, flashing a particularly sly smile.

...

On Saturday morning, after receiving the message, Nagumo Miyabi leisurely made his way to the café.

At this hour, most students hadn't gotten up yet, leaving only scattered figures in the café—among them, Sakayanagi Arisu.

"You're here awfully early. Makes me look like a poor gentleman." Nagumo flashed what he thought was a charming smile as he took the seat across from her.

"Any later, and this place will be packed. I'd rather not have others overhear our conversation." Sakayanagi smiled faintly at him.

"In that case, why not just come to my office? I'm planning to renovate it—maybe I could use your input." Nagumo did admire Sakayanagi.

Though he no longer felt anything for women these days, he could still recognize the arrogance in her eyes.

In the past, he would've been very interested in a woman like her.

Now, he was merely… intrigued.

"Heh, no need. I have other matters to attend to later." Sakayanagi had naturally been keeping tabs on the student council.

Since Nagumo took office, he had done two things.

First, he submitted his reform proposal to the school.

Second, he began preparations to renovate the student council office—rumor had it the council's accountant had already submitted the renovation report.

"What a dull woman." Nagumo leaned back into the plush chair. "About what I mentioned before, you should—"

His words abruptly cut off.

Because Nagumo spotted a figure who looked unmistakably like Mizuto Mizowaki.

The other was bundled in an unusually thick coat, wearing a hat and a pair of black-framed glasses, head lowered as he briskly entered the café and took a seat not far from them.

The position was deliberate—close enough to observe anyone entering, yet with his back turned to Nagumo, obscuring his face, blending seamlessly into the background.

In an instant, Nagumo narrowed his eyes.

Was he being followed?

Being tailed wasn't unusual.

The problem was, this particular stalker was one of his trusted subordinates—and for the past month, his behavior had been… off.

No, maybe he was just overthinking it.

Nagumo refused to believe his own subordinate would betray him.

There was no reason for it.

After all, it was he who had led their class to a perfect comeback.

Without him, these guys would never have reached their current status.

Yet, the next moment sent a chill down Nagumo's spine.

Mizowaki pulled out his phone—but unlike others who idly scrolled through theirs, he discreetly placed it beside his seat, the camera angled precisely toward them.

Witnessing this scene, Nagumo Miyabi broke out in a cold sweat.