Haruto flipped over the last two matching cards.
With that, the game was officially over.
From start to finish, Itsuki hadn't even touched the cards. At the moment the match ended, her eyes widened in disbelief, and she collapsed into her chair.
She couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
Meanwhile, in the activity room, an uproar erupted as people watched the recording.
Putting aside Itsuki's reputation for being undefeated in card games and her position in the student council, just this particular gamble alone was completely incomprehensible.
Even if someone wanted to cheat, they wouldn't be able to figure out how.
The deck was prepared by Itsuki, the table was provided by the public activity room, and the game itself wasn't something that could be won through psychological manipulation.
This entire scenario felt absolutely unbelievable.
"Hah, as expected of Master! I'm really curious now, Itsuki set up such an elaborate trap with great enthusiasm, And now, Master easily turned the tables on her. What will happen to her next? Just thinking about it is thrilling!"
Yumeko spoke excitedly.
Saotome, on the other hand, was completely numb.
As expected, that person was an absolute monster, completely beyond the realm of ordinary humans.
However, just as everyone was waiting for the outcome—
Haruto walked up to the camera in the broadcast room and showed an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, everyone, but from here on out, this is private time."
Then, Haruto directly cut the broadcast feed.
Yumeko: !
"What the hell?! I even lifted my skirt for this, and now you're cutting me off?!"
Grumbling in frustration, Yumeko grabbed Saotome and rushed toward the private room upstairs.
To leave things unresolved like this was pure torture for her. Even if she was only a spectator, she couldn't accept it!
At the same time, in the student council room—
Many student council members stared at the blank broadcast screen in silence.
"As expected, little Itsuki was just an easy target. She wasn't even worthy of being a test opponent. Who recommended her for the student council again?"
Runa glanced at a young man beside her.
"Shut up."
The young man adjusted his glasses, clearly irritated.
"Well, whatever. The bigger issue now is... does little Itsuki have more than a billion in cash on hand? If she does, then Haruto has basically completed this gambling challenge. That means trouble for the president~!"
Itsuki was the daughter of a toy manufacturing mogul. If the truth about her cheating deck came to light, her family's business would take a massive hit.
Given this situation, even if Haruto demanded that Itsuki become his personal plaything, she might not be able to refuse. So, if she had about a billion in cash on hand, Haruto would essentially achieve his goal immediately.
And right now, Runa was simply watching the chaos unfold for entertainment.
She had already figured it out; Haruto was an absolute monster, and it was best to keep her distance.
At the same time, the president was also a monster.
A showdown between two monsters... this was going to be fun.
Meanwhile, Yumeko had already dragged Saotome up to the second-floor private room. The two pressed their ears against the door, but they couldn't hear anything.
Then, because the door was slightly ajar, they lost their balance and fell straight into the room.
As they looked up from the floor, they were met with an unbelievable sight.
Itsuki was kneeling obediently in front of Haruto, looking pitiful as she awaited punishment.
It was hard to believe that the girl prostrating herself like this was the same proud and untouchable student council member, Itsuki.
Haruto let out a deep sigh and flicked her on the forehead.
Originally, after winning the match, he had planned to properly teach this girl a lesson.
She wanted his fingernail? How dare she!
However, the more Haruto thought about it, the more something felt off.
The name "Sumeragi" sounded really familiar.
After digging through his memories, Haruto asked a question.
"Hey, is your family the Sumeragi Entertainment Corporation?"
When he received a confirmed answer from her, the situation took a bizarre turn.
Damn it, Sumeragi Entertainment Corporation was actually an external business owned by the Foundation.
Itsuki's father, the company's president, had been one of the major investors in the former Youth Syndrome Research Laboratory.
Later on, after being 'persuaded' by Haruto, he joined the Foundation and became one of its workers.
So, if the scandal about Itsuki's cheating deck were exposed—
The actual loss would be suffered by the Foundation's assets.
"Itsuki! Can you use your damn brain for once?! You risked your family's entire company over a fingernail and a few million yen?! Do you have any idea what your family's company is worth?! A hundred billion? A trillion? Damn it, it's an 87.3 billion market-valued corporation!"
Haruto scolded, feeling even more frustrated. He flicked her forehead again.
Itsuki: QAQ
She didn't dare say anything. She didn't even dare to cry out loud.
But from Haruto's scolding, she vaguely realized something. She knew that her family's company and her father had recently invested everything into a mysterious organization.
And now... it seemed like the very Haruto she had been targeting was a member of that organization.
Uh... or maybe even its leader.
So at this moment, Itsuki stayed obediently on her knees, not even daring to beg for mercy.
"...So, what exactly is happening here?"
Saotome whispered.
Yumeko was also curious.
Haruto massaged his forehead and sighed.
"Sumeragi Entertainment Corporation is basically an asset I control. You guys should have noticed that this girl was using a cheating deck. Long story short, I thought she was an enemy, but it turns out she's my junior, playing around with her elder's assets like a fool."
Hearing Haruto's explanation, Saotome and Yumeko couldn't help but chuckle.
"Uh..."
Itsuki weakly raised her hand, wanting to ask about Haruto's connection to her father.
"Kneel properly! Who told you to move?!"
Haruto's stern reprimand made her immediately bow her head again, not daring to say another word.
Itsuki: Whimpering noises!
Haruto felt like he had just witnessed an idiot throwing money away on the street.
He had been standing at the side, laughing; only to realize the idiot was actually his own kid, throwing away his own money.
Years of low blood pressure? Instantly cured.
"So... does this mean the gamble is void?"
Yumeko asked with a blank expression.
Haruto glanced at Itsuki.
"How much cash do you have left in Hyakkaou Private Academy?"
Itsuki replied weakly, "Seven hundred seventy million..."
Haruto rolled his eyes and flicked her forehead again.
Bringing so much money, yet still not enough to reach a billion. Technically, she could transfer funds and then lose to him again.
But that would be breaking the rules, he might as well have made Yumeko lose ten billion to him in the first place.
"Give me all the money and withdraw from the student council."
Haruto ordered.
"But... I paid a huge entry fee to join..."
Itsuki muttered weakly.
Haruto snorted coldly.
"You really don't know your place, huh?"
If she kept mingling with the student council, she'd eventually be devoured whole.
"Y-Yes! I'll withdraw from the student council!"
Terrified, Itsuki quickly agreed.
Looking at the usually proud and arrogant Itsuki now reduced to a pitiful mess, Saotome felt like she was dreaming.
"Also, I heard you have a habit of collecting fingernails?"
Haruto asked coldly.
Hearing that, Itsuki felt a chill run down her spine. She lowered her head, not knowing how to respond.
Despite her pure and adorable appearance—
Her hobbies were quite twisted.
She liked collecting fingernails.
After entering Hyakkaou Academy, thanks to the environment here, she had indulged in her desires even more.
To the point where, in gambling matches, she would even use fingernails as stakes.
Itsuki carried a small treasure box with her at all times, containing various patterned fingernails. As for where they came from, that was self-explanatory.
"Yumeko."
"I'm here, Master."
Yumeko responded sweetly to Haruto's call.
"Go get Itsuki's toolbox. Use the tools inside to rip off all ten of her fingernails."
Haruto gave the order.
"Yes!"
Yumeko responded excitedly.
This was exactly the scene she had rushed over to witness.
A gamble without consequences, wouldn't that be far too boring? The thrill of gambling came from the pain of falling into the abyss after losing.
"No, no, no! I... Haruto-kun, Lord Haruto! Please, no!"
Itsuki completely panicked.
As a wealthy young lady, even if she lost a bet, at worst, she could just pay more money. She was absolutely not prepared to endure this kind of pain.
"Did you not consider this day when you ripped off other people's fingernails?"
Haruto asked coldly.
If she were a complete stranger, Haruto wouldn't care what happened to her. But Itsuki was at least a peripheral member of the foundation; half a junior, so to speak.
So… before it was too late, he decided to correct her a little.
A tree left unpruned won't grow straight, and a person left unchecked will become unruly.
Thus—
Amidst wretched, almost inhuman screams, Itsuki received her lesson. She nearly passed out from the pain several times. However, Haruto had warned her; if she lost consciousness, her toenails would be removed as well.
So, though she cried her heart out, she ultimately endured it.
"Alright, Haruto-kun, what should we do with the fingernails? Preserve them?"
Yumeko asked with a cheerful smile.
Haruto shook his head and motioned for her to set them aside. Then, he picked up the fallen Itsuki and let out a helpless sigh.
"Now, do you understand what kind of things you've been doing all this time?"
She was still crying from the pain (and the money lost), but upon hearing Haruto's question, she obediently nodded.
Seeing this, Haruto thought to himself: Good, at least she's not the type of girl who's inherently inhumane.
With a little correction, she could still be brought back on track.
Placing Itsuki in a chair, Haruto crouched down to meet her gaze. With a flip of his hand, as if performing a magic trick, he produced a syringe.
It was a vial of Ghoul-3 Solution.
Holding the solution in his left hand—
Haruto then activated his cells, shedding a perfectly intact fingernail.
The process was as easy for him as moving a finger.
Holding the fingernail in his right hand—
He placed both items in front of Shiro Igetsu.
"The solution can heal your injuries. Choose one."
Itsuki had been stunned by Haruto's unnatural display, but his words pulled her thoughts back.
Without hesitation, she reached for the fingernail.
Haruto: "?"
"Yumeko!"
Haruto was just about to order Yumeko to continue the punishment—
But Itsuki hurriedly explained,
"No, no... I don't want the fingernail itself. It's just that... it belongs to Lord Haruto."
Hearing this, Haruto was speechless.
It seemed like he had overdone it, the girl was now heading in a strange direction.