106 – Scandal: The Vice President and Hikigaya
Mibuomi Aoi slammed the phone down.
While venting his rage, he still retained a bit of rationality.
He understood well the saying, "A hundred careful moves will still have a single slip." If he were to hire someone domestically to carry this out, someone would eventually catch wind of it. It was far better to let a world-renowned international assassin organization handle such a dirty task.
He stuffed his phone back into his pocket and exhaled deeply. Only then did the resentment in Mibuomi Aoi's chest begin to ease.
He was already eagerly anticipating the look of despair on Hikigaya Hachiman's face when he received the tragic news.
The outside problem was dealt with—for now, it was time to handle things within the Full-Bloom Association.
A cold gleam flickered in Mibuomi Aoi's eyes as he strode back into the student council's accounting office.
He had known for a while that Shimotsukiuri Ouri had mobilized Full-Bloom personnel behind his back last month. He'd also heard some whispers that the Ougatou sisters might be disloyal to him.
But none of that mattered much. On the contrary, he intended to use the ambition of the Ougatou sisters—to deliberately show a weakness and bait them into challenging him.
Then, he would overwhelm them and force them to become his pets.
Before that, he had allowed Shimotsukiuri to go and "warn" them.
But he never expected things would turn out like this.
"That useless trash, Shimotsukiuri Ouri!"
He cursed under his breath as he sat back down in his chair, resting his head against one hand, waiting for Shimotsukiuri Ouri to show up.
After a long while, Shimotsukiuri Ouri finally entered the accounting room with her head hung low and steps heavy.
Mibuomi Aoi crossed his legs, turned his chair slowly to face her, and gave her a sidelong glance full of disdain.
"Ouri, what brings you here?"
Shimotsukiuri Ouri remained silent, but her body slowly sank to the ground—kneeling in a formal dogeza posture.
"You went to challenge Hikigaya Hachiman, didn't you?"
"And dragged the Ougatou sisters into it—without my permission, despite you being a senior executive."
"Am I right, Ouri?"
"I-I'm truly... terribly sorry."
Her frail body trembled on the floor—whether out of fear or shame, it was hard to say. Her voice was full of anxiety and remorse.
"As an executive... I lacked the awareness to follow orders. I acted on my own against Hikigaya Hachiman and the Ougatou sisters... it was all my fault. I'm willing to accept any punishment."
Shimotsukiuri Ouri did not try to justify her actions or explain her intentions toward the Ougatou sisters. She took all the blame onto herself.
"It doesn't matter. You can lift your head now."
Although in his heart he had already written her off as useless trash, on the surface, Mibuomi Aoi still wore the mask of a warm, sunshine-like young man.
With a few casual words, he brushed aside her mistake and chose to "forgive" her.
"After all, you were acting for the good of the Full-Bloom Association, weren't you? I'm not the kind of guy who punishes valuable comrades for such things."
"As for the Ougatou sisters... their decision disappointed me. But if they've chosen to become Hikigaya Hachiman's personal pets, then such people are no longer worthy of being executives in the Full-Bloom Association. There's no need to be angry over people like that."
Shimotsukiuri Ouri looked deeply moved and slowly raised her head, her voice choked:
"Mibuomi... I..."
She was overwhelmed with guilt. She had actually believed Hikigaya's words—and even began to doubt Mibuomi-senpai.
How could someone like him possibly be a bad person?
"Hmm..."
Mibuomi Aoi crouched down, resting his elbow on his knee and chin on his palm, pretending to speak offhandedly:
"Still, Hikigaya-kun really is quite capable. Not only did he beat the Ougatou sisters, but he also beat you, Ouri"
"He didn't beat me!"
Shimotsukiuri Ouri growled lowly:
"I didn't lose a single yen! That guy—Hikigaya—tricked the Ougatou sisters at the last moment and stole their trust!"
"I didn't lose to Hikigaya! Mibuomi-senpai, please believe me!"
She failed to notice the look of utter disgust and cold contempt in Mibuomi's eyes.
He loathed losers who made him lose face.
"You're right. Sorry, Ouri. That was careless of me."
"No, please don't say such things, Mibuomi-senpai," Shimotsukiuri quickly responded.
"This little mistake changes nothing about our bigger plans~"
"But you know, while I trust you, the rest of the Full-Bloom Association may have some complaints... so—"
Shimotsukiuri Ouri interrupted, desperately:
"Whatever it is, I'll accept it! How can I make amends, Mibuomi-senpai?"
"During the Great Bloom Festival Festival, you'll be the one to challenge President Momobami. Use the gambling style you're best at."
"I'll... challenge President Momobami?"
Shimotsukiuri Ouri murmured, the confusion in her eyes gradually replaced by determination:
"Understood, Mibuomi-senpai. I'll personally defeat President Momobami—and then liberate all the pets!"
"Not bad at all—that's the kind of spirit I like to see, Ouri!"
Mibuomi Aoi smiled and patted Shimotsukiuri Ouri on the shoulder, all while sneering coldly in his heart.
He never truly believed Shimotsukiuri Ouri could defeat Momobami Kirari. A useless person like her could never be a match for that woman. The only reason he encouraged her was to boost her morale and ensure she could distract Momobami Kirari as much as possible.
In Mibuomi's eyes, that woman—Kirari—was invincible. Or rather, no one could defeat her in gambling.
So, Mibuomi Aoi never intended to defeat Momobami Kirari in a head-on confrontation.
What he aimed to do was to rally the beliefs of all the ordinary students and "pets," channel that collective faith into himself, and use it to elevate his prestige to the very peak. In the final uprising, he would let the Full-Bloom Association replace the student council.
To replace the pet system—with the system of Mibuomi Aoi.
And the most crucial component of all this was his prestige.
"What I still need... is one last stepping stone."
After Shimotsukiuri Ouri left, Mibuomi muttered to himself alone in the office.
To serve as Mibuomi Aoi's stepping stone, that person needed to draw in immense hatred—they had to stand entirely opposed to the ordinary students.
Was there such a person in the student council?
After some thought, he burst into hearty laughter:
"Hahahaha! Hikigaya Hachiman—parading the Ougatou sisters around as your personal pets to flaunt them and attract the attention of the regular students. Perfect. You'll be my stepping stone."
"I hope you draw even more hatred before I crush you completely~"
"But... Hikigaya Hachiman and the student council still aren't strongly connected enough yet. I need to tie them together."
The first idea that came to Mibuomi Aoi's mind was to fabricate a scandal between Hikigaya and Momobami—but that would be too risky.
"Then... I'll manufacture a scandal between Hikigaya and the vice president. That'll tie him to the student council nicely."
Mibuomi Aoi toyed with his hair, sinking deep into a fantasy about the future.