Part 12
A few days before the match against Class A, Keisei managed to contact Katsuragi.
Keisei immediately contacted me to meet at a quiet location.
Katsuragi was basically isolated from Class A. He was often alone, so it was easy to approach
him.
"... So, what is it you called me out for Yukimura?"
Apparently, the man who had a strong anger towards Sakayanagi, looked at Keisei with a sharp
eyes.
"Katsuragi, I want to ask for your help with something."
"From the moment you came to see me, it could only be for one thing."
Katsuragi already knew what Keisei wanted to say.
"I'll make it quick. I hope you can tell me about the five official events your class has chosen.
One more thing, I want you to interfere during the exam."
Keisei also requested something that had not been mentioned to Horikita and I.
"What benefits do I get out of do this?"
"We will welcome you to our class, Katsuragi."
"That is very interesting. You want me to betray Class A and then drop to Class C? "
Katsuragi sneered and refused Keisei's request.
"One day, our class will be promoted to Class A. We have the power to do so."
At that time, the agreement will take effect, and Keisei once again emphasized this.
However, to Katsuragi this was nothing more than a mere dream.
"We will be promoted to Class A someday? If you ask any other class, they will say things like
that."
"That ..."
"If you really are capable of being promoted to Class A, then you wouldn't need to do this kind of
thing. How can you win against Class A? Precisely, because you can't do that, you don't
hesitate to use me to increase your chances of victory. Am I right?"
Hearing the insulting tone of Katsuragi, Keisei couldn't refute it, and was speechless.
"Okay. Even if you will be promoted to Class A, are you saying that you will be giving me 20
million personal points just for a bit of information? No, this is not possible. If you had so many
points, then you could have prevented Yamauchi from being expelled."
Katsuragi is sure that we didn't have that many points.
"That ..."
"Are you intending to tell me to wait 2 years for you to pay 20 million points?"
"... It means."
"This is an over-exaggeration. Even if you go up to Class A in the future, there is no guarantee
that you will have prepared 20 million by then. In fact, even if we made an agreement now, if you
don't have that many points when the time comes, isn't it meaningless? No, even before that, I
doubt this decision has been thoroughly discussed with everyone in Class C. "
Katsuragi is not just any ordinary student. He is very knowledgeable about our class' situation.
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If this was the resolution of the entire Class C, it would of been someone such as Horikita who
would come to see him.
When he saw that it was Keisei and I, he must have guessed that it was just a conversation
done in secret.
"I can understand that it is urgent, but you are not ready for negotiations. You intend to do so
after I make the promise. Do you think I can accept that?"
Betraying his class, this is not something that can be easily done.
Not to mention the person of negotiation is a man who values camaraderie.
"... After Sakayanagi is defeated, do you still intend to remain silent in sadness?"
"What?"
"Totsuka has dropped out of school. Even so, do you plan to continue holding onto Class A?"
He knew that a direct attack could not get Katsuragi to agree, so his resentment increased.
"You're not even sure that you can even graduate in such a sad state. This is too much!"
"Is this your final option, Yukimura? This is a sad negotiation method."
"That..."
Katsuragi also asked me.
"Do you have something to say Ayanokouji?"
"No, you're right. We don't have anything else to say."
After seeing that I had given up, Katsuragi didn't look at me again.
"Yukimura, I don't mean to blame you at all. However, if you want to draw others to your side,
you can't do it without your own awareness."
Katsuragi leaned against the wall and stared off into the distance.
It was as if he was looking at something, even though there was saw nothing.
"However, what you are saying is true."
"... Right?"
It was due to his regret from losing the war with Sakayanagi, therefore Katsuragi wanted to say
it.
"I'm very angry at Sakayanagi. Therefore, even though there are no benefits, I have enough
reason to act."
Katsuragi crossed his arms and looked into Keisei's eyes.
"I think you already know that Sakayanagi has not told anyone about the five events that would
be officially chosen."
As expected, it was only known by Sakayanagi.
"I don't understand this either. She continues to do this in a test that requires class coordination.
She doesn't share information with her classmates and adopts a strategy so that the chances of
winning are higher."
Of course it's better not to disclose information to the five events, but there will be less intensive
training according to the events. Even so, practicing all 10 events, naturally will reduce
efficiency.
"If I were to take a guess, I can tell you."
"Seriously ?!"
Just as we began to surrender to Katsuragi, good luck suddenly arrives.
Katsuragi's hatred for Sakayanagi was deep.
"I'll say it. But, only if you can guarantee that nobody knows of this..."
"Yes, of course. I will also mention the 20 million points to Horikita."
Keisei nodded, agreeing to Katsuragi's conditions.
"That is unnecessary. Even if the information I give you proves to be useful, you don't need to
collect 20 million points."
"So what do you want?"
"Nothing. If there's something I want, I hope that you can defeat Sakayanagi."
After this, Katsuragi began to state his estimations.
"'Chess', 'Written Test of English', 'Written Test of Mathematics'. These three should be the most
likely. Second are 'Modern Text Test' and 'Mental Arithmetic'. On the other hand, 'Long Rope
Jump' and 'Dodgeball' which requires a large number of people, I am almost sure they were
false events. As far as I know, it seems like they haven't practiced them much. "
If what Katsuragi said is true, we can only wait until the exam day to find out.
However, Katsuragi revealed to us 3 events that would be selected with the highest chance.
From this point of view, I don't think there will be a problem.
"Are you fine with this that okay? There's no reward for you to give us this information."
"I told you before? Even though I didn't make a deal, I have a reason to act."
This was a very difficult task, trying to get information out of Katsuragi. But unexpectedly, we
have now received it.
In Keisei's heart, joy slowly appeared.
"Oh, this is great Kiyotaka! Now we have a chance to win."
Keisei passionately made a winning posture.
"Then there's one more thing. You asked me to interfere with the exam."
"Oh, um, but ... you can promise us even that?"
"It took so much effort to negotiate with me. Are satisfied with just that information?"
"No, that's not what I meant ..."
"It's better not to think that you can defeat Class A with just that kind of help. Just because I
deliberately provided convenience, doesn't mean your strength can reach Class As. It's better to
to have mental preparation. But I can help out the Mental Arithmetic event or the Long Rope
Jump events are selected. "
Hearing that, I decided to ask Katsuragi a question.
"When you were warned by Sakayangi, would she even let you participate in the events? If
Long Rope Jump was chosen as 5 official events, it might be possible for everyone in the class
to play once. However, is there a guarantee that she will choose you, especially when there are
only 2 participants in Mental Arithmetic? "
"In our class, only Tamiya and I are good at Mental Arithmetic. Tamiya's ability is not very high.
In this case, removing me from the entry list will only decrease the chance of winning.
Sakayanagi also believes that through Yahiko's expulsion, my cards have all been broken by
her. To turn me into a tame horse, she must first use me. "
Using Katsuragi, who always opposed Sakayanagi, as her own pawn.
This is also a kind of propaganda for Sakayanagi. After that, Katsuragi stated his plan, and he
would deliberately answer incorrectly in the Mental Arithmetic questions, and at the Long Rope
Jumping event by touching the rope as much as possible.
"However, I want to avoid Sakayanagi's suspicion as much as possible. During Long Rope
Jump, I can only pretend to make an unintentional mistake, but in the Mental Arithmetic, it is
impossible for me to deliberately give the wrong answer to simple questions."
To fight the battle, and give away the victory with a smooth gap.
"But even if I don't participate in the Arithmetic Mental event that day. You guys should still be
lucky."
Even with the information has been provided, there is no reason to feel dissatisfied.
After Katsuragi left, Keisei said with pleasure.
"Let's convey this to Horikita."
"Don't ... this time we contacted Katsuragi without telling Horikita in advance."
"W-Why?"
"Even though we have gotten the information and results, if she knows that we were acting
arbitrarily, she will be angry."
"Even so, we must use this information."
"Let me report it to her. I won't mess it up."
Keisei was a little troubled for a while, but finally agreed.
This was an arbitrary choice from contacting Katsuragi who encouraged him to do this.