33. Hikigaya Challenges Kirari Momobami
Jabami Yumeko had no intention of resisting.
On the contrary, with her face completely flushed, she stretched out her swan-like neck, as if waiting for Hikigaya Hachiman's favor.
Such a suggestive posture…
Hikigaya Hachiman's toes curled in embarrassment, sensing the strange gazes being cast at him by several women behind him.
"Ara ara, this is supposed to be putting on a dog tag, but why does it look like you're putting on a wedding necklace~"
The girl in the bunny hoodie licked her lollipop and spoke with no filter: "You two, please try to follow the school rules, okay~"
Hikigaya Hachiman's face darkened. Right in front of everyone, he fastened the Housepet dog tag around Yumeko's neck.
Jabami Yumeko looked curiously at the swaying metal tag on her neck. Mimicking a cat, she stuck out her pink tongue, curved her wrist slightly, and let out a meow toward Hikigaya Hachiman.
Hikigaya's heart pounded at the sight. He quickly turned away.
"Alright, everything that needed to be done is done. President Momobami, don't you think it's time for an explanation?"
"Badgering refers to a cheating technique that dates back to ancient times when people gambled on odd or even. This trick involves first drilling a small hole in the casino floor. Even though gambling occurs right above it, once it's covered with a white cloth, you can't really tell unless you look very closely. This is exactly the same principle as the pot used in the 'Life and Death' game."
Hikigaya Hachiman picked up the short sword used in the gamble from the floor and calmly analyzed:
"If it's a traditional Japanese-style house, then there's space beneath the floor, right? That's where the cheat hides—in the space below. They observe the dice faces through the cloth using candlelight. Based on what they see, they might even use a needle to flip the dice, resulting in whatever outcome the dealer desires."
He tapped the floor with the tip of his shoe, producing a hollow sound.
"When I walked into this casino, I had a faint sense that the floor thickness felt off. There probably isn't much distance between this floor and the classroom below."
"President Momobami probably did the same thing this time using magnets—lying in wait below the floor from the very beginning, eavesdropping on Jabami and Nishinotouin's conversation. When she noticed something was off, she used the repelling force of magnets to knock the sword out of slot twenty-four from below."
"Though she couldn't precisely control where the sword would fall afterward to give Nishinotouin the best result, having Jabami lose everything—that alone achieved your goal."
"My deduction is correct, isn't it, President Momobami?"
Clap, clap, clap—
Seeing her cheating method fully exposed, Momobami Kirari showed not a hint of displeasure. Her beautiful eyes brimmed with admiration and appreciation:
"Very sharp observation.
What a shame you didn't notice it during the actual gamble."
"One must accept loss when gambling. But this kind of cheating method is certainly rare in modern times. If it weren't for me... I probably wouldn't have been able to see through President Momobami's trick either."
"From Nishinotouin's expression, it seems she didn't know about it either."
"This cheating technique could be used against Jabami—but probably could've been used against Nishinotouin too."
Hikigaya Hachiman was someone who clearly distinguished between gratitude and resentment. Although he had silently promised in his heart that he owed Momobami Kirari a favor, that didn't stop the confrontation between them now. He had been played, and even had his relationship with Jabami Yumeko manipulated. So he decided: it was time for Momobami Kirari to taste the intricacies of the human heart as well.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a heart for a heart.
Hikigaya Hachiman had always been someone with a strong sense of revenge.
'You're not the only one who can manipulate people's hearts, Momobami Kirari. The complexity of the human heart—it's a flavor that must be tasted.'
"If Nishinotouin-senpai were to show ambition or disrespect you, this time it was the 'badger' trick—what about next time?"
"Or should I say, President Momobami, have you never trusted in Nishinotouin-senpai's abilities from the beginning?"
"If in the casino run by Nishinotouin-senpai you already arranged such a deadly method, then what about the other student council members?"
"For example—the two standing at your side—have they also been subjected to similar tactics~?"
The air instantly froze.
Nishinotouin Yuriko's expression shifted several times. In the end, sitting on the floor full of grievance, she looked up at her president:
"President, I've shed tears and worked hard for the student council. I've defended the dignity of the student council at every turn—you know that about me. There's no way I could ever…"
But midway through speaking, Nishinotouin consciously shut her mouth. In her line of sight, Momobami Kirari's eyes seemed to flicker with ghostly flames—an aura of sovereignty radiated from her.
It was in that moment that Nishinotouin understood: President Momobami didn't care about things like the human heart. Naturally, she didn't care about her feelings or calculations either.
As the goddess of compulsive gambling, controlling others—what did that have to do with her?
To bow before the president's feet… had always been of her own free will.
"Hehe…"
"Hikigaya-kun, do you know how you got enrolled here?"
"I asked the Yukinoshita family in Chiba for help and was granted special admission as a scholarship student."
Hikigaya paused slightly. Saying this in front of everyone wasn't something he needed to hide.
Momobami Kirari smiled as she raised her phone and opened the LINE app. Displayed clearly was a message from Yukinoshita Haruno reaching out to her.
"It was Yukinoshita Haruno who contacted me. Now, do you know who was responsible for constructing this school building?"
Hikigaya Hachiman was struck with a realization. "Don't tell me…"
"That's right—it was the Yukinoshita Construction Company."
Kirari spoke slowly, with her hands clasped behind her back:
"Since I was still in middle school, I had already planned out everything for this school. Even your special admission slot was part of a promise made back then."
"The housepet system, tribute funds, the student council… even the design of the classroom beneath your feet."
"This is the Eden I built with my own hands. And a god holds absolute authority over her Eden~ So, you see—your attempt to toy with human hearts is utterly meaningless."
"On the contrary, Miss Yukinoshita clearly knew that this was an Eden I constructed, and she also understood what that scholarship slot implied. Yet, she still sent you in here. What kind of intentions do you think she had~?"
Kirari slowly walked past Hikigaya's side, brushing by him.
"It's getting late. I won't disturb the two of you any longer."
"But according to the rules, Jabami-san's Life Plan Document will be delivered in the coming days. At that time, please prepare the repayment funds and the special tribute amount as well~"
"Hi-ki-ga-ya-kun~"
With those words, Momobami Kirari left the Traditional Culture Research Club room, flanked by the two girls behind her.
Hikigaya let out a long sigh, walked over to Jabami Yumeko, and without paying attention to her pitiful, tail-wagging act on the floor, grabbed her sleeve and pulled her up from the floor.
"Let's go. I've wasted enough time because of you. Today, you're buying me double pork bone ramen."