Seeing this, Yukio fell into thought. Tsukishiro's repeated gestures of goodwill… could it be that he already knew the secret — that three billion points could replace the chairman? Was that why he acted this way?
Unlikely. Yukio quickly dismissed the idea. That might explain Tsukishiro's second attempt at goodwill, but it couldn't explain the first. After all, back at their very first meeting, Yukio hadn't yet obtained the three billion.
This could only mean that Tsukishiro himself had some need of Yukio, and that need had existed from the very first day he came to Advanced Nurturing.
In other words, Tsukishiro had his own reasons for being here. Yukio was about to change the subject and probe further when—
Tsukishiro suddenly lost interest in continuing.
"Ah, look at me. Getting old really does make one forget the time. It's not early anymore, I can't keep delaying your lunch, Yukio-kun."
"Hurry and eat, or you'll miss your afternoon classes. As chairman — even if only acting — I still can't allow a student to miss normal lessons."
"..." Yukio truly had no retort. Tsukishiro's words would sound "correct" in any school in the world; there was nothing to argue against.
After a moment's thought, Yukio left. Whatever Tsukishiro wanted, he was bound to reveal himself eventually. All Yukio needed to do was wait calmly.
After all, he now held the true initiative. Whatever Tsukishiro attempted, Yukio could decide with a word — at worst, he could simply remove Tsukishiro and take the chairman's seat himself.
Then all of Tsukishiro's scheming within ANHS would scatter to the wind, incapable of posing any threat.
It was only out of respect for Tsukishiro's repeated gestures of goodwill that Yukio was allowing him to remain in place for now.
"How interesting… Behind Atsuomi's back, what exactly are you trying to do, Tsukishiro?" Yukio murmured softly as he left the administration building.
Only after sending Yukio off did Tsukishiro take out his phone, which had buzzed once and then fallen silent.
As acting chairman, he wasn't bound by the school's restrictions like the students were. He could contact the outside world freely.
So the moment it vibrated, he knew — it was a call from Atsuomi. And since he didn't want Atsuomi to know his true motives yet, Tsukishiro had to maintain an appearance of loyalty.
Since coming to ANHS, he had never hidden anything Atsuomi needed to know. He reported honestly, including about the class-vote exam that had just taken place.
"Good day, Atsuomi-sama." As soon as he picked up, Tsukishiro greeted him.
Atsuomi's irritable voice snarled from the receiver. "Why did you keep me waiting so long?"
That was the kind of tyrant he was, convinced his time was precious. If he had to wait more than three seconds on a subordinate's call, what came next was his fury — punishments of varying severity.
If Tsukishiro weren't such an important subordinate — tasked with retrieving the White Room's greatest masterpiece — Atsuomi would never even give him time to explain, only punishment.
Having followed him for so many years, Tsukishiro knew Atsuomi's temper perfectly. He immediately used Yukio's scheme as justification and reported in detail.
"It's like this, Atsuomi-sama…"
"In the end, Yukio-kun schemed to seize everyone's protection points and converted them into private points, canceling expulsions across all four classes."
Silence. After Tsukishiro's report, nearly ten seconds of silence.
But Tsukishiro wasn't the least bit unsettled. He only wore his faint smile, holding the phone slightly away.
He knew Atsuomi too well.
"Trash! Tsukishiro! You're getting more useless with age! Such a simple matter, and you couldn't handle it?!" A barrage of curses erupted from the other end.
Tsukishiro only smiled wider. As expected, a scolding, Atsuomi-sama.
One hand held the phone, the other opened, staring at the wrinkled palm. Then he touched the wrinkles on his own old face.
He sighed. A man cannot fight age.
The older he grew, the clearer his sight became — unlike Atsuomi, who, no matter how old, still maintained that tyrant's mindset, like a fire that refused to go out.
As Tsukishiro neared the end of his life, he understood life's truth more deeply. From his once-diligent loyalty had sprouted his own small intentions.
He had followed Atsuomi far too long — from the man's humble beginnings, back when both were overflowing with ambition.
But now, at this age, Atsuomi's ambition still burned. He still chased power and status. While Tsukishiro's ambition had faded — no longer realistic, too far away.
Rather than spend the rest of his life chasing such things, it would be better to make his final years more meaningful.
He never truly understood Atsuomi's heart. To him, Atsuomi was nearly old enough for a coffin. What use was there still in clinging to power?
Even if you did seize it, how many years could you hold it? How many years could you keep your position? Eventually, with greater age and weakness, you'd have to let go.
Once a man leaves, he's forgotten. No meaning in it. If he were a few years younger, Tsukishiro might not think this way. But once age piles up enough, one stops thinking only of oneself… and instead turns toward the next generation.
Tsukishiro drifted into his thoughts even as he monitored the call.
When Atsuomi's rage finally subsided, he shook his head, as if dismissing Atsuomi's unending ambition. Narrowing his eyes, he smiled. "Yes, Atsuomi-sama, your reprimand is just."
"This subordinate has been inadequate. Please punish me."
Fortunately, Atsuomi hadn't initiated a video call. If he had seen Tsukishiro's narrow-eyed, smiling face, it would surely have enraged him enough to explode.
"Punishment?" Atsuomi's voice rose again. "I should've punished you the moment you made me wait on the line!"
"Tsukishiro, haven't you always cared about your little hometown? Because of your incompetence, the bridge construction there is permanently suspended. Taxes on logistics have been raised by forty percent!"
"I don't care what method you use. Bring Kiyotaka back to me quickly! I've told that tool what he is — a tool must know his place. No tool can defy my will! None!"
Tsukishiro still smiled that repulsive smile.
"Yes, I understand, Atsuomi-sama. I will finish the task swiftly. I'll immediately adjust the upcoming year-end special exam."
He wasn't afraid. Atsuomi's deals and the price he had paid to install Tsukishiro meant Atsuomi couldn't easily remove him without an even greater cost. After all, Advanced Nurturing was never Atsuomi's personal project.
That was why Tsukishiro dared to stall him.
Stalling was the only option. Tsukishiro looked slowly out the window, lost in thought.
"One more month."
...
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