"So, that's how the story goes..."
In front of Ryunosuke right now was Arisu.
Ryunosuke had explained everything—that her father had left a message for him to help watch over her.
Arisu's eyebrows furrowed deeply. Her hand gripping the cane clenched very tightly, her heart was restless. Her father had been hit with a problem, and it was related to corruption accusations.
She trusted her father very much; it was impossible for her father to do such a thing. The only possibility was that her father had been framed.
Actually there were several people capable of doing this, but Arisu couldn't yet confirm who had a strong motive to attack her father. Coincidentally, she heard that the new Acting Chairman had arrived at this school. She felt she had to go immediately to investigate that person.
Arisu stood with the help of her cane, preparing to head to the Chairman's office.
Ryunosuke followed behind her. Arisu didn't mind; after all, that man had been given a mandate by her father, so she couldn't say anything.
Just in case, Ryunosuke also contacted Ayanokouji by phone and told him to come help. After all, this problem was 80% related to the other party. Most likely his father had moved first to remove Narumori so he could force him out of school.
As the main cause, Ayanokouji had to take responsibility to help.
Ayanokouji was aware this had something to do with him, so without complaint, he followed at Ryunosuke's side toward the new leader's office.
The new Acting Chairman, Tsukishiro, turned out to have been waiting quite a while.
Before Ryunosuke and the others found him, Tsukishiro actually came to them.
The man stood in the stairway area with hands crossed behind his back. He smiled kindly, but it was clear he had been waiting quite a while on the main path to the Chairman's office.
Arisu stared sharply at the man who had replaced her father's position with an unfriendly gaze.
Tsukishiro played dumb, stepped down from the stairs, and asked:
"Today is my first day serving as Chairman, I don't yet know where my office is. Could you escort me there?"
Tsukishiro's eyes narrowed slightly. It was clear he was mocking Arisu, considering her father was the previous Chairman.
Arisu laughed cynically and directly threw back a mocking remark. "Ara~ The new Chairman doesn't even know the way in his own house? Truly useless..."
Arisu's words weren't finished, but Tsukishiro had already moved.
With his foot, he kicked Arisu's walking cane until it fell.
Instantly Arisu lost her balance and nearly fell. Ayanokouji and Ryunosuke reflexively moved to help her.
However, Tsukishiro suddenly spun around. He cornered Ayanokouji against the wall and launched a knee strike right toward his stomach.
Fortunately, Ayanokouji managed to block it with his hands. Tsukishiro then used his arm to press against his neck, locking him firmly against the wall.
On the other side, Arisu had been secured by Ryunosuke so she didn't fall to the floor.
Both looked at Tsukishiro with sharp threatening gazes. Ryunosuke had even placed his hand on the Stardust Dragon card, ready to enter chuunibyou mode to fight at any moment.
Tsukishiro ignored the other two people and spoke to Ayanokouji:
"Your father has given me orders. He asked me to bring you home by any means. So, Young Master Ayanokouji, please don't make things difficult for me who is just a family servant. Wouldn't it be better to go home quietly and inherit the family business?"
Ayanokouji didn't answer. He just looked at the man in front of him with a flat gaze.
Tsukishiro added his strength, but Ayanokouji gripped the man's arm very firmly so Tsukishiro couldn't press further.
Tsukishiro finally gave up and released his lock. He knew Ayanokouji had no intention of retaliating his attack, probably considering his status as Chairman.
That was correct. If Ayanokouji dared attack the Chairman, he would be immediately expelled from school.
Tsukishiro then glanced at the two people beside him and got a good idea.
Ayanokouji was too calm so it was impossible to make him attack, but the two people behind him might be different.
Ayanokouji seemed to realize that evil intention. He didn't physically intervene, but gave a warning to Ryunosuke.
"Be careful, don't retaliate. There's a surveillance camera on the wall."
Tsukishiro, feeling unsatisfied, gave a kick to Ayanokouji until the young man was thrown back, but there were no serious injuries.
Because at the critical moment, Ayanokouji had protected his vital parts with both hands.
Ryunosuke understood the meaning of Ayanokouji's warning. He glanced at the surveillance camera on the wall and realized what the opponent wanted to do.
Without further ado, Tsukishiro approached Arisu who was having difficulty moving, then raised his leg intending to kick the girl.
Ryunosuke was forced to embrace Arisu to protect her, turning his back to Tsukishiro and receiving the blow from that man.
Ryunosuke knew very well there was a surveillance camera, and Tsukishiro as Chairman could manipulate that footage. If they retaliated, Tsukishiro could edit that recording—deleting the part of his provocation and leaving the part when Ryunosuke hit him—then their story would be over (game over).
Tsukishiro wanted to provoke them to retaliate so he could give a DO (Drop Out) sanction, so Ryunosuke had to restrain himself!
Ryunosuke embraced Arisu very tightly. After all, he had already received money from her father, so he had a responsibility to protect her.
Arisu looked up at him protecting her, her cheeks slightly reddened. She then decided to lean calmly in his embrace, feeling the young man's heartbeat.
Arisu knew she couldn't do much. All she could do was accept the sense of security this man gave her. In her heart she gritted her teeth; she hated her weak body because she couldn't help with anything. If only she could walk normally, she could choose to run away so as not to trouble them...
Tsukishiro began to feel annoyed because Ryunosuke wouldn't retaliate. He prepared to use both hands to hit him until he fought back. He didn't want to waste time at this school; the faster his task was completed, the faster he would be free.
Ayanokouji moved from behind and locked both of Tsukishiro's arms so the man couldn't move, to buy time for Ryunosuke.
Right at that moment, Megumi who happened to pass by to ask Ryunosuke what he wanted for dinner, witnessed the entire incident. Her gaze instantly changed to empty and hollow.
Her hand reflexively reached for a stun gun. The device began to spark blue electric flashes that crackled.
Megumi set its power to maximum level—strength enough to knock out a cow.
Her Ryunosuke... her one and only Ryunosuke... was being beaten...
This couldn't be forgiven.
Ayanokouji, who had been restraining Tsukishiro, reflexively released his grip. He felt a terrifying aura of danger. And that aura of danger was locked precisely on the figure of the Acting Chairman in front of him.
Since his time in the White Room, Ayanokouji had never felt a life threat this great. This was the first time.
Because of that, he chose to flee.
Yes, he ran away...
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