Chapter 65: The Manipulator and the Manipulated!
As long as one was distinguished enough throughout the three high school years, they would receive preferential treatment from the school after graduation, regardless of whether they started in Class D or any other class.
Therefore, Yuto had no need to worry about his own future. But... what about Sakura Airi? She wasn't exactly outstanding, was she?
This was why Chabashira Sae believed this bad boy would decide to lead Class D to Class A—all to help Sakura Airi.
Yuto looked at Chabashira Sae, who wore a confident expression, with some surprise. He slowly said, "Chabashira-sensei, I really hate it when people use Airi to threaten me."
Chabashira Sae admired him quite a bit and didn't want him to dislike her, so she hastily explained, "A threat implies using force or power to coerce someone. This is not a threat; I am simply reminding you."
"After all," she continued, "a student like Sakura-san, who isn't as outstanding as you, probably wouldn't receive preferential treatment from the school, would she?"
"That's right." Yuto nodded. "Airi is clumsy, lacks physical strength, and is far too shy. She's a fool whose eyes only see me."
Chabashira Sae's lips twitched. Had this bad boy just shoved a handful of sickeningly sweet dog food into her mouth?
Yuto turned to Chabashira Sae, a faint smile playing on his lips. "But Chabashira-sensei, I don't need to lead Class D to Class A for Airi's sake."
"What do you mean?" A seed of foreboding took root in Chabashira Sae's mind. Could it be that even his childhood friend, Sakura Airi, couldn't influence this bad boy?
"Chabashira-sensei," Yuto continued, his smile widening. "As far as I know, one can transfer a student to another class simply by amassing twenty million points."
Chabashira Sae's eyes widened slightly. In an instant, she understood Yuto's plan.
"Before graduation, I just need to spend twenty million points to transfer Sakura Airi to Class A. Then she'll be able to enjoy the school's preferential treatment."
"..." Chabashira Sae fell silent.
Ah, he's right. There's no flaw in his logic!
"Though twenty million points seems like an impossible amount to earn," Yuto said, a confident grin spreading across his handsome face, "I have both the confidence and the ability to raise that much."
Chabashira Sae found herself nodding instinctively. She believed it too.
Twenty million points was an astronomical sum—almost no student could earn that much through normal means.
But Shimizu Yuto was an anomaly!
On his first day of school, this delinquent had amassed over eight million points from various sources!
Last night, however, he'd blown seven million two hundred thousand of them in one go, purchasing the three-year lease on a private apartment. Now he was down to just over eight hundred ninety thousand.
But so what?
This bad boy had earned over eight million points in a single day using his wit, cunning, strength, and sheer audacity.
And there were still over a thousand days left in high school!
Yuto had plenty of time to earn the twenty million points needed to transfer Airi to Class A!
As incredible as it seemed, Chabashira Sae believed that if Yuto set his mind to it, he could easily amass twenty million points.
Suddenly, an idea struck the already bewildered Chabashira Sae. She quickly interjected, "Shimizu, anything can happen at this school. What if you can't gather twenty million points? Wouldn't that be a problem?"
"It's still more prudent to lead Class D to Class A, don't you think?"
"With your intellect and cunning, you could absolutely propel this class to Class A within three years. After that, as long as you maintain the gap in class points, you're guaranteed to graduate from Class A," Chabashira Sae said with unwavering seriousness.
"You're not wrong, Chabashira-sensei. Unexpected things can always happen," Yuto replied. "But I still hate playing babysitter—especially for people who refuse to improve themselves."
Chabashira Sae smiled bitterly. As a graduate of this very school who had already led several Class D misfits, she knew better than anyone: The only thing more terrifying than a god-tier opponent is a pig-tier teammate.
She could fully understand why Yuto refused to lead Class D.
While she wore that wry smile, Yuto's expression shifted slightly. "Actually, Chabashira-sensei, there's one thing I forgot to mention."
"What is it?" she asked instinctively.
"It's about Airi. Before I even enrolled, she told me that after graduation, she wants to be my housewife. So... she doesn't actually need to reach Class A."
"Huh?"
Chabashira Sae looked completely stunned.
She flashed back to what she had seen in the office earlier.
Sakura Airi was utterly submissive and obedient to that brat Shimizu. Whatever amount of points he demanded, she handed over without a second thought!
It seemed that young Airi truly only desired to be Yuto's wife and bear his children...
She didn't care about having a prosperous future for herself at all.
Because in Airi's eyes, Yuto was her future!
And since she had already decided her future, there was no need for her to ascend to Class A just to enjoy the school's privileges...
Chabashira Sae was completely numb.
She had believed Airi was the one weakness, the one motivation that could force Yuto to actively lead Class D to Class A...
But it wasn't that at all!
"Haaaah..."
Yuto watched as Chabashira Sae let out a long sigh. The mature woman's beautiful face now looked utterly defeated.
It seemed she was truly at a loss.
Yuto felt that staying in the counseling room any longer would get pretty awkward. He spoke up, "Chabashira-sensei, there are only about twenty minutes left of lunch break. I should get back to the classroom."
"What's the rush?" Chabashira Sae rolled her eyes at Yuto, grit her teeth, and then decided to just go for it.
"Shimizu, what will it take for you to willingly lead the class...? If I can fulfill your condition, I will definitely do so."
Chabashira Sae's final resort was this—since she couldn't control Yuto, she would offer herself up to be controlled by this brat.
Shimizu Yuto was the smartest, most cautious, and most capable person Chabashira Sae had ever met—even adults weren't as formidable as he was!
No matter what, she couldn't give up. The hope of fulfilling her lifelong wish and obsession was right before her eyes!
"Chabashira-sensei, I can ask for anything?" Yuto tilted his head slightly.
"Of course!"
Chabashira Sae's spirits lifted. Had she finally persuaded this brat?
Then Chabashira Sae noticed this brat's eyes scanning her body up and down. That gaze, which seemed to be appraising a piece of prime meat, made her shiver.
Is this brat having strange thoughts about me?!
The thought flashed through her mind, and a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance began to rise within her.
But as she looked at Yuto's handsome face, the emotions churning inside her shifted subtly.
The embarrassment intensified. The annoyance faded.
Once she stopped seeing Yuto as a student and started seeing him as a man, Chabashira Sae felt... like she wasn't actually losing out?
First of all, this brat was incredibly handsome and exceptional in every way she'd ever seen.
Secondly, she actually quite liked his personality and temperament.
Finally... wasn't she about ten years older than him? Was she the one "eating tender grass"?
The only downside was that this brat already had a childhood friend...
As she thought this, Chabashira Sae found herself inexplicably feeling like she was getting the better deal.
While she was lost in these wild thoughts, Yuto spoke up. "Chabashira-sensei, how are your cooking and housekeeping skills? Are you good at them?"
Checking her cooking and housekeeping skills... This brat is really trying to...
"They're fine," Chabashira Sae replied, an unusual blush creeping onto her fair cheeks. "I've been living alone since I started working, so I handle the housework and meals myself."
"Is that so? Then I'll leave all my meals for the next three years at school, as well as the cleaning and tidying of the apartment, all to you." Yuto flashed her a brilliant smile.
"What... eh?" Chabashira Sae stared at Yuto in disbelief. She asked instinctively, "This... is this the condition you're setting for your promise to lead Class D to Class A?!"
"Yes," Yuto nodded. "Are you willing, Chabashira-sensei?"
Now that Yuto and Airi had moved into the detached apartment, its sheer size meant it would take a lot of time and effort to maintain.
To keep Airi from getting worn out, Yuto decided to bring in Chabashira Sae to share the workload.
"..." Chabashira Sae took a deep breath, her chest heaving so much it nearly burst the buttons of her business suit.
I'm so pissed!
But she couldn't let herself get angry. After all, she had finally convinced this brat to lead Class D to Class A!
"Shimizu, if you just wanted me to be your maid, you didn't need to size me up like that earlier..."
This brat... he's absolutely doing this on purpose!
If he just wanted a maid, there was no need for him to scan her with such a predatory gaze!
Yuto looked at Chabashira Sae, whose face was a mixture of embarrassment and anger, and gave her a refreshing smile. "I did it on purpose!"
He really is doing this on purpose!
I've already decided to dedicate myself to achieving my obsession, yet you tell me you're not interested in me? This brat!
"Chabashira-sensei, you're the one who threatened me with Airi just now," Yuto replied. "A petty person like me had to find a chance for some payback."
"...That wasn't a threat, just a reminder!"
Chabashira Sae struggled to suppress her embarrassment and anger, glaring at Yuto's smiling face. "So what? It's just making your meals for the next three years and doing the housework for your apartment. I accept!"
Yuto smiled contentedly.
This mature homeroom teacher wants me to be a nanny for the students of Class D.
Fine... then you'll be my nanny first~
"Shimizu, since you've agreed, let's sign a contract." Chabashira Sae pulled her school-issued phone from her suit pocket.
"We're actually signing a contract?!" Yuto said, caught between laughter and disbelief.
"To keep you from going back on your word!"
"Alright, alright."
The contract signed between teacher Chabashira Sae and student Shimizu Yuto reads as follows—
Teacher Chabashira Sae shall do her best to provide three meals a day for Shimizu Yuto for three years, as well as handle the housework for his rented apartment.
Student Shimizu Yuto shall do his best to lead the class students to promote the class to Class A, and then allow the class students to graduate from Class A.
The contract was drafted by Chabashira Sae, and its contents were very simple and clear. Yuto glanced over it, a hint of surprise appearing on his handsome face as he spoke.
"Chabashira-sensei, there's no penalty for failure. What if I fail to lead the class to Class A?"
Chabashira Sae looked deeply at Yuto and said, "Shimizu, you should know that this contract has no binding force, so a penalty for failure is unnecessary."
"As expected of Chabashira-sensei," Yuto said with a faint smile.
A contract can bind both parties, but it also has its limitations.
Some contracts are simply not recognized by the school.
For example, the school would not enforce this contract between Shimizu Yuto and Chabashira Sae.
Since the contract had no binding force, it relied entirely on the good faith of Shimizu Yuto and Chabashira Sae to uphold it.
For this reason, Chabashira Sae had not included any penalties for failure or breach of contract.
However, in this agreement, Chabashira Sae was clearly the one at a disadvantage.
After all, she would be acting as Yuto's housekeeper, preparing his three meals a day and handling all the chores in his apartment.
These were all tangible, visible tasks.
Yuto's part, on the other hand—leading the class to Class A—was a far more ambiguous commitment.
If Yuto claimed he had given his all to lead the class but still failed, Chabashira Sae would have no way to refute him.
Still, she wasn't worried that he would slack off. This arrogant boy was far too proud for that; if he promised something, he would fulfill it... wouldn't he?
Yuto found the contract Chabashira Sae had drafted satisfactory and signed his name.
Looking at the signed contract, Chabashira Sae felt she had finally convinced the arrogant boy to commit to leading the class.
Yet, despite the high probability of achieving her obsession with Yuto's help, her heart wasn't filled with joy. Instead, it was a mixture of complexity and humiliation.
She was completely at this brat's mercy!
With a complicated expression, Chabashira Sae retrieved her phone and addressed Yuto. "The contract is signed. Now, Shimizu, tell me—what's your next move?"
"For the first month after enrollment, I plan to do absolutely nothing and let everything take its course," Yuto replied candidly.
Chabashira Sae's slender eyebrows furrowed instantly.
Though his words sounded passive and unmotivated, she didn't immediately retort or question him. Instead, she gazed at him and asked slowly, "And why is that?"
"It's simple," Yuto said with a smile that now held a hint of contempt.
…
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