Chapter 278: Is It the Jealousy of a Friend Being Taken, or...
Hearing Kaguya Shinomiya's words, Iwanaga Kotoko replied indifferently.
"I thought it was something serious. Ashikaga Sensei is already a highly reputable member of the board. My parents are also board members, and they will fully support her becoming the new Chairman of Shuchiin Academy. Combined with her outstanding personal ability, she will definitely become Shuchiin Academy's new Chairman."
"It isn't that simple."
Kaguya Shinomiya sighed softly. A complicated look appeared in her beautiful red eyes as she spoke in a low voice.
"My eldest brother, Oko Shinomiya, was able to occupy the position of Chairman of Shuchiin Academy for so long not because of his personal ability. It was entirely because, from a certain perspective, the current Shuchiin Academy has become the private property of the Shinomiya Family. Although Oko Shinomiya is now 'missing,' the main family will most likely send someone else to take over. It could be my second brother, Shinomiya Seiryuu, or my third brother, Shinomiya Un'yo. If we follow the order of succession, it should be Shinomiya Seiryuu."
"Your family affairs are really complicated."
Asagiri propped his cheek on one hand and said nonchalantly,
"Why don't you just righteously eliminate your relatives and kill all those brothers of yours?"
Hearing this, Kaguya Shinomiya frowned slightly. A hesitant look appeared on her face.
"If I did that, the Shinomiya Family would completely fall apart. The Shinomiya Family reaching this point is the result of years of effort from my father. How could I…"
"No, you're actually considering it?"
Asagiri looked shocked. He slowly gave Kaguya Shinomiya a thumbs up.
"Righteously eliminating your entire family. Shinomiya, you really are quite the character."
Kaguya Shinomiya: "…I'm begging you. Can you be serious?"
Asagiri shrugged and chuckled.
"Then tell me what you think. Anyway, as far as I know, Shinomiya Seiryuu and Oko Shinomiya are in the same faction. Although I don't know him personally, if he becomes the Chairman of Private Shuchiin Academy, it won't just be an obstacle for you, but for us as well, right?"
"Indeed."
Kaguya Shinomiya nodded slightly, tucked her long black hair behind her ear, and said flatly,
"But killing him only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. As long as the position of Chairman of Private Shuchiin Academy remains in the hands of the Shinomiya Family, both we and you will be restricted. Moreover, putting aside our respective interests, the value of the position itself is best entrusted to someone trustworthy."
She paused slightly before continuing.
"According to the information Hayasaka Ai has recently gathered, Ashikaga Sensei seems to already be recruiting Players. I assume this is a plan you and she have formulated? Since that is the case, instead of thinking about how to eliminate competitors, it would be better to firmly establish Ashikaga Sensei's position in one fell swoop, leaving no other possible choice for the Chairman of Shuchiin Academy except her."
Listening to Kaguya Shinomiya's words, Asagiri showed no surprise. He simply replied in the same flat tone.
"You mean the joint examination?"
"That's right."
Kaguya Shinomiya nodded slightly and explained her plan.
"It's already June. In a little over twenty days, it will be the final exams. If we can use this opportunity…"
"Private Toyosaki."
"Eh? What Private Toyosaki?"
Seeing Kaguya Shinomiya freeze for a moment, Asagiri smiled.
"For the joint examination, let's invite Private Toyosaki Academy. We have acquaintances there. Let's defeat that high school first. As for Ooguni Koutou and Advanced Nurturing, we can talk about them next semester."
After saying this, Asagiri seemed to only then remember something and added with a smile,
"Is that alright, Student Council President?"
Kaguya Shinomiya turned her face away, her tone flat.
"Since you've already said so, of course I can only agree. You always act first and report later."
Although Kaguya Shinomiya said this, Fujiwara Chika, as her long time friend and self proclaimed love detective, immediately saw through her little thoughts.
In Fujiwara Chika's imagined inner monologue.
"What!? Utsunomiya actually made a decision without even asking for my opinion? Such a forceful and rude attitude, but why… why do I feel my heart pounding for someone so strong…"
Halfway through her thoughts, Fujiwara Chika suddenly realized something was wrong.
Strong and handsome, yet occasionally showing a hint of gentleness…
This did not seem to be Kaguya Shinomiya's standard. It was her own.
"Then, there shouldn't be anything special happening in the next month, right?"
Hearing Kaguya Shinomiya's question, Asagiri noticed the hidden meaning in her words.
"Nothing special. I probably won't be taking any more leave after this."
"Hmm… I see…"
Seeing Kaguya Shinomiya's eyes brighten with joy while she still tried to maintain a calm demeanor, Iwanaga Kotoko snorted coldly, her tone filled with aggression.
"Naturally evil red eyed female ghost, I, the God of Wisdom, will now…"
"Thump."
Yuuki Asuna reached out and flicked Iwanaga Kotoko's fair forehead. Looking at her pained gasp, she said seriously,
"Stop being abstract. We're done talking. Let's go home and sleep."
"Hmm… Yeah, I'm tired."
Iwanaga Kotoko stood up and rubbed her eyes.
Seeing that she and Yuuki Asuna planned to leave directly, Fujiwara Chika could not help showing a confused expression.
"If you're still tired, why don't you get proper rest and come back tomorrow? Actually, our matter isn't that urgent."
Iwanaga Kotoko replied righteously and confidently,
"Of course we're here to prevent you two from doing something beastly to Asagiri while we aren't around… Mmph, mmph!"
Seeing Yuuki Asuna blush and cover Iwanaga Kotoko's mouth, preventing her from saying anything even more outrageous, then lift her up with one hand and forcibly drag her out of the office, Kaguya Shinomiya's eyes flickered.
She looked at Asagiri, who was sitting on the sofa and enjoying the ice cola he had just bought from the vending machine, and could not help sighing.
"Utsunomiya, your condition… doesn't seem like you just cleared a Dungeon at all. It feels… it feels a little too…"
Seeing Kaguya Shinomiya's hesitant expression, Asagiri prompted her.
"Too normal?"
Kaguya Shinomiya nodded.
"Mm. It sounds a little rude, but that truly is my honest thought."
"Oh, don't be so polite."
Asagiri waved his hand, looking broad minded and generous, then spoke frankly.
"If you're this polite, I might not be able to verbally insult you in the future."
Kaguya Shinomiya: "…If that's the case, then I'll continue being polite with you."
"I'm kidding. I'll still insult you even if you're polite."
"You!"
Seeing Kaguya Shinomiya and Asagiri begin bickering, Fujiwara Chika showed a gentle auntie smile. She leaned against the edge of the sofa, poking her head out like a mole in a whack a mole game. Her eyes were filled with genuine excitement.
But…
For some reason, Fujiwara Chika felt a slight awkwardness in her heart.
Perhaps she was jealous because her friend Kaguya was being taken away.
…
That night, at Asagiri's house.
"Okay, let's start customizing the rewards this time. Megumi, you go first~"
Hearing Yuuki Asuna's words, Kato Megumi nodded slightly.
After thinking for a long time, she looked up at Asagiri and said softly,
"What do you think?"
Asagiri said, somewhat speechless, "'What do you think?' Are those four words the astonishing answer you came up with after spending nearly two minutes thinking with your world shaking wisdom?"
"Yes, they are."
Kato Megumi's expression remained calm, but seeing Asagiri's speechless look, the corners of her lips curved upward slightly.
"I don't have many strengths, but I do have a clear understanding of myself. It's better to let you decide on matters like this."
"Your words have no logic at all."
"Exactly."
Iwanaga Kotoko echoed Asagiri and severely criticized Kato Megumi.
"So if he tells you to draw erotic clothing, you'll draw it without question!?"
Yuuki Asuna rolled her eyes when she heard this, sighing as she complained.
"A normal person wouldn't even think of drawing erotic clothing as a Dungeon clearance reward… I really don't know what to say about your thought process."
"Alright, that's enough~"
Asagiri's tone, like a dog trainer giving a command, made Yuuki Asuna feel a little dissatisfied. However, seeing that Iwanaga Kotoko and Kato Megumi had no objections, she could only sigh and choose to comply.
"Mental strength, physical fitness, armor, and a skill. Got it?"
Hearing Asagiri's arrangement, Kato Megumi, the person involved, as well as Iwanaga Kotoko and Yuuki Asuna, thought it over carefully and felt that this was indeed the most reasonable plan.
Physical fitness and mental strength were definitely necessary. Physical fitness was the foundation of combat, while mental strength was related to resisting mental attacks. Even if Kato Megumi, as an assassin, did not consume much mental strength, her mental strength at least could not become an obvious weakness.
At this stage, Kato Megumi was also the only member of the four person team without armor. If she still did not obtain armor now, then as someone who was originally positioned as ranged damage output, she would become even more fragile.
As a stealth archer positioned for auxiliary combat, the killing power of the Bloodstained Nightingale Bow was sufficient for now. Even if her attack power needed to be strengthened, a skill was more reliable than equipment that would likely be replaced later.
"Okay, then it's decided."
Kato Megumi entered her customized reward choices into the eye icon APP.
The next second, a line of dark red text appeared.
[Your customized rewards have been confirmed: Physical Fitness Enhancement, Mental Strength Improvement, One Skill, One Piece of Armor Type Equipment]
[Rewards Obtained: Physical Fitness Greatly Enhanced, Mental Strength Greatly Enhanced, Passive Skill "Melee Archer"]
[Detected that you possess the purple quality bow type weapon "Bloodstained Nightingale Bow." Obtained one piece of the "Nightingale" set: Nightingale Armor]
.....
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]