Mibuomi Aoi's smile froze. He completely couldn't understand why Ayanokoji Kiyotaka would choose to refuse.
He thought Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't understand how much wealth this money represented, so he patiently explained, "I can't give you the exact amount of this gambling money right now; its value depends on how much Momobami Kirari values the Student Council President's position, but based on previous gambles, this amount is at least five billion Japanese yen..."
Five billion Japanese yen, which translates to thirty to forty million US dollars, is by no means a small sum.
However, Ayanokoji was not tempted.
"Mibuomi Aoi, I'm sorry, my reason for refusing you isn't that I look down on the money, but because you are too self-important..."
He smiled and quoted Kishibe Rohan's classic line: "And what I, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, like most is saying no to those who are self-important."
"..." Mibuomi Aoi lowered his head and fell silent.
"Do you have anything else to say? If not, I'm leaving." Seeing him remain silent, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka made to stand up.
"Wait."
Mibuomi Aoi called out to Ayanokoji. When he looked up again, a smile had returned to his face: "Ayanokoji, the real reason you refused me isn't my self-importance, but because I haven't offered you satisfactory benefits, right?"
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka smiled, "So you do have self-awareness. While five billion Japanese yen is a lot, it's not an amount I can't obtain myself. It's probably not enough to bribe me with that amount."
Mibuomi Aoi fell silent again.
This time, he seemed to be contemplating, thinking about whether to make this decision.
"...Miharu Taki Sakura." Mibuomi Aoi suddenly uttered a name.
"What did you say?"
Mibuomi Aoi looked up, took a deep breath, "Ayanokoji, if you defeat Momobami Kirari, I will give you my fiancée, Miharu Taki Sakura."
When Mibuomi Aoi said this, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, yet not unexpected.
He had been hinting to Mibuomi Aoi for a month that he had a good impression of Miharu Taki Sakura; if there was anything that could tempt him, it would be none other than her...
One could say this answer was something Ayanokoji had been leading him to.
But hints aside, upon hearing Mibuomi Aoi actually say it, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was still very surprised.
He deliberately put on a wavering expression, saying with annoyance, "Mibuomi Aoi, do you think Miharu Taki Senior is your personal property, that you would say you're giving her to me?"
"Ayanokoji, don't you like Miharu Taki Sakura?" A trace of struggle flashed in Mibuomi Aoi's eyes, but it quickly disappeared. He said calmly, "I can cooperate with you to make her disgusted with me and fall for you."
"Hey, are you out of your mind?" Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked at him as if he were an idiot, "Isn't Miharu Taki Senior good to you? You're actually thinking of giving her away?"
"She is very good to me, and she is also my capable assistant, but for me, obtaining the Student Council President's seat is more important." Mibuomi Aoi's tone was indifferent.
"For that, you'd even sell her?"
Mibuomi Aoi realized Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's aversion to his words just now, and he changed his approach.
"Miharu Taki Sakura is an independent individual to begin with, so there's no question of selling or not selling her. I've simply decided to give up on our engagement.
Ayanokoji, this should be a good thing for you, right? Don't you like her? Now that she's free from the shackles of an engagement, and with my help, you should be able to win her over very easily."
"...Your words are very tempting, but I refuse." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka refused again.
Mibuomi Aoi frowned, annoyed by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: "Why refuse? I've already given you enough benefits, haven't I? I'm even willing to give you my fiancée, why won't you agree?"
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka raised his finger and spoke calmly.
"First, you just said that you would give Miharu Taki Senior to me after I defeated Momobami Kirari, but I don't believe I can defeat her.
Second, although I like Miharu Taki Senior, I believe that love needs to be fought for personally, and I don't want to obtain her through dishonorable means."
"Don't want to use dishonorable means?" Mibuomi Aoi didn't believe a single word of Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's second reason.
If he didn't want to use dishonorable means, and didn't want to stoop to his level, then he should have changed his expression and walked away as soon as he spoke, instead of calmly haggling with him here.
To put it bluntly, he still felt that the possibility of defeating Momobami Kirari was small, and he wanted to taste the sweetness first.
After all, if he couldn't win, everything would be empty talk.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is truly a cunning fellow…!
Mibuomi Aoi cursed inwardly, but on the surface, he still asked patiently: "Ayanokoji, then what will it take for you to agree?"
"If you publicly explain our transaction to Miharu Taki Sakura, saying that you sold her to me for the Student Council President position, and she agrees, then I will agree," Ayanokoji immediately said.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is truly too cunning! Mibuomi Aoi cursed inwardly again.
If this transaction were explained to Miharu Taki Sakura, with her stubborn personality, even under family arrangements, she would break free and proactively terminate her engagement with him.
At that point, there would be no need for a transaction; Ayanokoji Kiyotaka could simply win the beauty directly!
"Impossible, you're asking me to die."
Mibuomi Aoi said in a deep voice: "I'll take a step back. As long as you win the gamble, I will personally tell her the details of our transaction, letting my image in her heart shatter completely."
"Alright then, let's make the deal after you become the Student Council President," Ayanokoji also said.
"Will you still honor the agreement after you become the Student Council President?" Mibuomi Aoi frowned.
"The feeling is mutual. After you become the Student Council President, you might not necessarily honor the deal either, right?" Ayanokoji Kiyotaka retorted.
"...Then we have nothing to talk about?"
"We had nothing to talk about to begin with. Mibuomi Aoi, everything you said is based on the premise that I defeat Momobami Kirari."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka scoffed: "You don't really think I can defeat Momobami Kirari, do you? You think too highly of me. I should really thank you for your support; I don't even have that much confidence in myself."
"I believe in you." Mibuomi Aoi nodded seriously: "Your strength is not inferior to Momobami Kirari's."
"Since you believe in me, then let's sign an agreement and get it notarized by the Student Council. That way, no one will be able to go back on their word, not even the Student Council President."
"I believe you have the strength to win the Student Council President position, but once an agreement is signed, what if you secretly show it to Miharu Taki? Once she knows, I don't believe you'll still focus on gambling; you might just give up completely."
"Since you believe I can win, but you don't want to sign a contract with me, that makes it very difficult for me," Ayanokoji Kiyotaka spread his hands helplessly: "You're not trying to make me believe your one-sided word, are you?"
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