"Ichinose-san, would you like to cooperate for this special exam?"
Ignoring the needle-point standoff between Kikyou Kushida and Suzune Horikita, Arisu Sakayanagi leaned on her wooden cane and approached Honami Ichinose, extending an offer of cooperation.
Holding the role of the 'Priest', Sakayanagi desired cooperation immensely.
Once she knew what special roles Class A possessed, whether to kill them or steal the fruits of their victory would both be perfect strategies.
The rules never stated that one must know the opponent's identity to 'Purify' them.
There was a fifty-fifty chance. Class A's special role had a one-in-two probability of being a 'Good Person'.
As long as she secured cooperation, Sakayanagi had a fifty percent chance to devour Class A's final efforts.
The other fifty percent, unsurprisingly, would be betrayal.
"Sakayanagi-san, why seek out our class for cooperation? You should know that the difference in Class Points between us isn't very large."
Having experienced Kakeru Ryuen seamlessly betraying her immediately after a successful cooperation talk, Ichinose kept her guard up against Sakayanagi.
Ichinose knew absolutely nothing about the abilities of the other special roles.
If she rashly cooperated with Sakayanagi, her own class would learn an extremely painful lesson.
For this special exam, Ren had already made a move.
The rest relied on Ichinose herself.
If she continued to wait for Ren's help... Ichinose would look down on herself.
"Ichinose-san, mutual cooperation and class competition are not in conflict."
"Look at Ren-kun and Rokusuke Koenji-san. They are rivals, but that doesn't stop them from working together."
Sakayanagi skillfully used Ren and Koenji as examples to increase the credibility of her willingness to cooperate.
Ren and Koenji had cooperated more than once; they were a living example.
"Cooperation requires signing a legally recognized contract. My cooperation with Koenji was signed and sealed."
"In this exam's rules, all contracts are invalid."
Ren licked the ice cream Airi Sakura handed him and dropped a sudden reminder to Ichinose.
Ichinose was still too easily deceived by appearances, especially by someone like Sakayanagi who looked harmless to humans and animals alike.
Her heart was just as black as Class C's Ryuen.
Ichinose had high moral standards, so in her worldview, she felt that even if others weren't as high as her, they wouldn't be too low.
It was precisely for this reason that Ichinose had been played by Ryuen during their talks.
"My, my, Ren-kun. Eavesdropping on girls' private conversations isn't very polite, you know~"
Her little scheme punctured by Ren, Sakayanagi didn't get angry and continued to beguile Ichinose.
"Ichinose-san, win-win cooperation benefits the Class Points of both Class A and B. If we cooperate... I think everyone in Class B will be better off than they are now because of you."
Sakayanagi had seen plenty of creatures like 'saints'; she knew exactly how to deal with this type.
As long as the beneficiaries were expanded to more people, a saint would unconsciously fantasize that she could 'save' even more people.
"I'm sorry, Sakayanagi-san. I think I still need to go back to the class and discuss something like inter-class cooperation with everyone."
This seemingly polite excuse to discuss with classmates was actually a tactful refusal, effectively shutting Sakayanagi up.
The risk of cooperation in this exam was too high, with no guarantees. After Ryuen's stunt, Ichinose had begun to firmly resist cooperation requests.
Setting aside everything else, Ryuen's light-speed betrayal alone had set back the credit for special exam cooperation by seventy years.
"Very well, I look forward to the result of your discussion with your classmates, Ichinose-san."
Seeing cooperation was fruitless, Sakayanagi spoke some pleasantries and prepared to leave. "Kamuro, it's time to go~"
"Oh, oh, coming."
Masumi Kamuro, guarding behind Sakayanagi, heard the command and gulped down the remaining ice cream in her hand in two or three bites.
"Is it good?" Sakayanagi asked with amusement, looking at Kamuro's slightly dazed expression.
Kamuro blushed under Sakayanagi's gaze. She turned her head away, clasped her hands behind her back, and muttered with a hint of tsundere attitude, "It's... it's alright."
"Then let's go eat some now. I actually haven't had enough yet."
"Really?"
"Kamuro~ Do I need to say it a second time?"
"No... no need."
Sakayanagi and Kamuro, the mistress and servant pair, left the courtyard.
"Ren, do you want more?"
Airi Sakura took a lick of the ice cream in her hand, then held it out in front of Ren, her eyes sparkling.
Ren didn't refuse; he took a bite, leaving only the very tip of the cone.
Ugh...
Holding that tiny remnant of the cone, Airi wanted to cry but had no tears.
She hadn't eaten enough yet!
"Ren-kun, you're bullying Airi-chan again."
Having finished talking with Sakayanagi, Ichinose came over to Ren, patted the aggrieved Airi's head, and spoke helplessly. "Here, Airi-chan, eat mine."
Ichinose took the tiny bit of cone from Airi's hand, ate it, and stuffed her own ice cream, which still had plenty left, into Airi's hand.
"Ren... still want some?"
Looking at the ice cream Ichinose had shoved into her hand, Airi once again held it up to Ren's mouth.
Ichinose, chewing on the cone crumbs, froze.
Good lord, I treat you like a sister, and you backstab me right in front of my face!
Ren looked at Ichinose with amusement and once again took a bite of the ice cream Airi offered. "Airi, thanks~"
"Ren, you're welcome!"
Airi swiped a finger across the leftover ice cream on the corner of Ren's mouth and put it into her own.
Mmm, the ice cream tastes sweeter.
[Good lord, good lord, good lord.]
Kikyou Kushida, still clinging to Ren's arm nearby, watched Airi's operation and mentally screamed.
It was because Airi's series of actions were too natural; they didn't feel out of place at all.
Precisely because there was no awkwardness, it was even more shocking.
How many times had Airi done this with Ren in secret?
However, this was all proficiency Airi had grinded out in her own dreams and by practicing.
"You jerk, say 'ah'~"
Kushida looked down at the scant remains of her own ice cream and tried to feed Ren, mimicking Airi's method.
If you can't beat them, join them. If Airi can do it, so can I.
I'll f***ing learn it all!
After Ren ate the ice cream Kushida offered, before Kushida could make another move, Ichinose had already sprang into action.
Ichinose quickly leaned in front of Ren, extended her small, pink tongue to lick the corner of Ren's mouth stained with ice cream, and then kissed him on the lips.
"Ren-kun, ah~"
A voice as quiet as a mosquito came from Ichinose's mouth.
Now it was Kikyou Kushida's turn to be stunned.
I'm still f***ing learning, and you, Ichinose, just went straight for the kill?
There's a thief here! Stealing him right in front of my face, and using my ice cream to do it!
Where is the law?! Where is the justice?!
I'm done playing!
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