My Own Reward EP.18

"...Hmm... I'm sure it's around here somewhere... Ah, found it."

 

 

 

I pulled out a small electric shock device, something like a taser, hidden in the corner of my room.

 

 

 

Fzzzt!

 

 

 

 

 

"Good, it still seems to have its power."

 

 

 

I got this thing a while back when I used to frequent the black market. I bought it on impulse, thinking I could maybe kill myself by shocking my neck with it, but as always, it didn't kill me, so it had been hiding in this corner ever since.

 

 

 

"Still, this should be enough."

 

 

 

It may not kill someone, but it's definitely strong enough to knock someone out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Huff... huff... Ah, damn... I should've just bought an energy drink..."

 

 

 

I had been up late the previous night making various preparations, and I must have been more tired than I thought. I ended up falling asleep without realizing it and woke up late.

 

 

 

"Huff... At least I finished writing the letter."

 

 

 

It would have been a disaster if I had fallen asleep before that.

 

 

 

I stuffed the letter I had written last night deep into my bag and ran towards Abydos.

 

 

 

"Huff... Luckily, I'm not late... Huh? Is that... Nonomi and Sensei?"

 

 

 

Running without stopping, I managed to arrive in front of Abydos without being late, and I spotted Nonomi and Sensei standing at the main gate.

 

 

 

"What are they doing standing at the gate?"

 

 

 

"Ah, Sora-chan..."

 

 

 

"Hmm? Is something wrong?"

 

 

 

"Well, Shiroko-chan just passed by..."

 

 

 

"She seemed a little strange."

 

 

 

"Y-you thought so too, right? I felt something similar... Somehow, she seemed a bit anxious."

 

 

 

"Anxious...?"

 

 

 

'...Ah, could it be that?'

 

 

 

Given the timing, Shiroko must have seen Hoshino's withdrawal letter.

 

 

 

"I hope it's just my imagination..."

 

 

 

"Why don't we go check on her?"

 

 

 

"Yeah, let's go together."

 

 

 

"Hmm? Okay!"

 

 

 

And so, Nonomi, Sensei, and I headed into the Abydos building to find Shiroko.

 

 

Crash!

 

 

 

Thud!

 

 

 

Huh?

 

 

 

A sudden loud noise echoed through the hallway.

 

 

 

"Ow~ That hurt- Shiroko-chan."

 

 

 

"Stop playing dumb, Senpai."

 

 

 

"That sound... Don't tell me...!"

 

 

 

Not only that, but the sounds of a fight followed the loud noise, and upon hearing it, Nonomi quickly ran towards the classroom where the sound came from.

 

 

 

"Sensei."

 

 

 

"Yeah."

 

 

 

And seeing Nonomi run off, Sensei and I followed her.

 

 

 

"Playing dumb? I don't know what you're talking about, kiddo..."

 

 

 

"...Liar."

 

 

 

I could see Hoshino with her usual expression, but looking somewhat flustered, and Shiroko, who seemed quite angry.

 

 

 

"It's not a lie... Huh?"

 

 

 

"Hoshino-senpai! Shiroko-chan! What's going on?!!"

 

 

 

"Calm down, everyone."

 

 

 

"Umm..."

 

 

 

"What happened? Tell me."

 

 

 

Nonomi asked them what was going on, but

 

 

 

"...I have business with Hoshino-senpai."

 

 

 

"..."

 

 

 

They didn't answer Nonomi's question.

 

 

 

"...Sorry, but can you leave us alone?"

 

 

 

"Nope, can't do~☆"

 

 

 

"..."

 

 

 

"The Foreclosure Task Force doesn't have secrets just between two people. You know that, right? We're all in this together."

 

 

 

"...Umm."

 

 

 

"Eh, is that so?"

 

 

 

'I've never heard of that.'

 

 

 

"That's right☆ So, Sora-chan, you can't keep secrets either, okay?"

 

 

 

"Ah, okay..."

 

 

 

'Sorry, Nonomi, but I'm already keeping more than ten secrets.'

 

 

 

"Anyway, if you don't explain this situation properly... I'll be angry☆"

 

 

 

"Umm..."

 

 

 

In the end, Shiroko had no choice but to give in to Nonomi's pressure.

 

 

 

"Well... um..."

 

 

 

And Hoshino, watching this, stuttered and began to make excuses.

 

 

 

"...Hehe, this old lady got caught taking a nap."

 

 

 

"But come on, my laziness is nothing new. It's like the air around here."

 

 

 

"Ah, umm..."

 

 

 

"You don't need to get so angry. Shiroko-chan, you're too strict sometimes. Well, it's about time for our meeting, let's go to the clubroom."

 

 

 

With those words, Hoshino left the classroom.

 

 

 

"Umm..."

 

 

 

And Shiroko, just like Hoshino, followed her out of the classroom.

 

 

 

As if she didn't want to talk.

 

 

 

"Are you okay, Nonomi?"

 

 

 

"...Yeah, it seems like they don't want to say something."

 

 

 

"..."

 

 

 

"Well, I guess everyone has secrets sometimes."

 

 

 

"Don't worry, Nonomi."

 

 

 

I looked at Nonomi's downcast face and said,

 

 

 

"Everything will work out."

 

 

 

"...Sora-chan?"

 

 

 

Yes, everything will be resolved.

 

 

 

"So don't worry."

 

 

 

Because I've prepared thoroughly to make it so.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

""""""....""""""

 

 

 

The atmosphere is heavy.

 

 

 

Hoshino, who usually says "hehe," Nonomi, who is usually energetic, and Serika, who is often angry, all kept their mouths shut and remained silent.

 

 

 

'It's no surprise.'

 

 

 

During today's meeting,

 

 

 

We learned, just like in the original story, that most of the Abydos district doesn't belong to our school but to Kaiser Corporation.

 

 

 

And when we found out that Kaiser Corporation was doing something in the abandoned desert, we went there,

 

 

 

But we ended up getting completely outplayed, and Kaiser PMC's director lowered Abydos' credit rating to the lowest possible, forcing us to pay 90 million yen by next month.

 

 

 

"Seriously!! What is this?!"

 

 

 

"What is Kaiser Corporation planning over there?"

 

 

 

"I think they were excavating something...! That treasure..."

 

 

 

"No, it's a diversion! There's nothing in that desert. No oil or underground resources that could be worth money... It's been thoroughly investigated in the past."

 

 

 

"Then why did they take the land..."

 

 

 

"No!! That's not the point!! What about this debt? Do we have to pay it by the end of the month?! How are we supposed to do that?!"

 

 

 

"They also demanded a deposit... An official demand letter came from Kaiser Loan... 300 million within a week..."

 

 

 

'Even knowing the original story, the reality is hopeless...'

 

 

 

It's understandable why Hoshino fell for the black-suited man's words.

 

 

 

"I'm going. I need to find out what they're doing there."

 

 

 

"What?! Shiroko-senpai?! W-where are you..."

 

 

 

"PMC's private force. If I prepare thoroughly and infiltrate to investigate, there shouldn't be a problem. I'll find out what's going on there."

 

 

 

"W-what are you doing, Shiroko-senpai! Don't make things worse! We need to focus on this debt first!"

 

 

 

"..."

 

 

 

"The debt... is impossible to pay through legitimate means now. If we don't resort to any means necessary..."

 

 

 

"N-no! If we do that, it'll be like before..."

 

 

 

"...Fine! What good are those sentiments?! If the school disappears, everything is over! I'm in favor!"

 

 

 

"What?! No!"

 

 

 

"What?! Serika-chan, are you defying Hoshino-senpai?!"

 

 

 

"...T-that's not what I meant! I'm saying..."

 

 

 

"Serika-chan, you're the one making things worse, even if we become criminals..."

 

 

 

"Sigh..."

 

 

 

'I need to calm them down first.'

 

 

 

I quietly raised my hand and slammed it down on the desk.

 

 

 

Crash!!

 

 

 

""""!!!""""

 

 

 

Their attention instantly turned to me, and I seized the opportunity to speak.

 

 

 

"Everyone, calm down. You're all too agitated."

 

 

 

"Yeah, everyone's so worked up, steam is coming out of your heads."

 

 

 

"Umm..."

 

 

 

"..."

 

 

 

"...I'm sorry..."

 

 

 

"Yeah, I wasn't really angry. I'm sorry."

 

 

 

"See? You understand Shiroko-chan is a good girl."

 

 

 

"..."

 

 

 

"Well, let's call it a day for now. Dismissed~ Dismissed. Let's cool our heads and meet again tomorrow. That's an order from the club president."

 

 

 

"Right, let's end it here for today and meet again tomorrow."

 

 

 

Despite everyone's reluctance, Hoshino and Sensei managed to dismiss them for the day.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

"Huh? Sora-chan, you haven't gone home yet?"

 

 

 

The sun had set, and it was time to go home.

 

 

 

Hoshino, who had been talking to Sensei, saw me still in the classroom and approached me.

 

 

 

"Hoshino-san."

 

 

 

I spoke to her in a serious tone.

 

 

 

"Yeah?"

 

 

 

"You're planning to quit Abydos High School, aren't you?"

 

 

 

"...Hehe, what are you talking about?"

 

 

 

'As expected, she's not going to admit it easily.'

 

 

 

"It's no use trying to dodge the question. I've already seen your withdrawal letter, Hoshino-san."

 

 

 

"Hehe?! W-when?"

 

 

 

"When you were secretly napping, I saw some paper, so I took a peek."

 

 

 

That's a lie. I've never seen Hoshino's withdrawal letter. But she has no way of knowing that.

 

 

 

"That's mean, Sora-chan! Even if you're my little sister, you shouldn't go through your older sister's bag!"

 

 

 

"...Shouldn't you explain the withdrawal letter first?"

 

 

 

I looked at Hoshino with a serious expression, demanding an explanation.

 

 

 

"..."

 

 

 

"Well... if you're going to talk with such a serious face... Aha... Okay. Really, this old lady has no secrets, does she~"

 

 

 

In the end, just like with Sensei, she explained the whole situation after my questioning.

 

 

 

Starting from when she received the offer from the black-suited man a long time ago.

 

 

 

"And don't worry, I threw the withdrawal letter in the trash earlier."

 

 

 

She even told me that she had already thrown away the withdrawal letter.

 

 

 

But I didn't believe her.

 

 

 

"...Is that so? Then please sign this."

 

 

 

I handed Hoshino a transaction document I had prepared beforehand.

 

 

 

"...Huh? What's this?"

 

 

 

"It's a document promising to transfer your student council president position to me."

 

 

 

Of course, I don't know if this is legally binding. But as long as it looks official, that's all that matters.

 

 

 

"H-hehe?! S-Sora-chan, were you planning to take this old lady's student council position all along?!"

 

 

 

"...Of course not."

 

 

 

I haven't been trying to kill myself lately because I've been busy, but I'm still a suicidal person. Why would I want a troublesome title?

 

 

 

"This is just in case."

 

 

 

"Just in case?"

 

 

 

"Yes. If you, the only student council member, Hoshino-san, disappear, whether intentionally or not, Abydos will no longer have a student council."

 

 

 

As proof, Kaiser attacked Abydos as soon as Hoshino disappeared.

 

 

 

"Hmm..."

 

 

 

Hoshino seemed to flinch at my words, wearing a flustered expression.

 

 

 

"Ah, but if we resolve the issue with that black-suited guy, I'll immediately give you back the vice president position, so don't worry."

 

 

 

"...Hehe, I guess I have no choice. If my little sister is asking me for the first time, I have to do it as her older sister, right?"

 

 

 

Saying that, Hoshino awkwardly smiled and signed the document I gave her.

 

 

 

'...Alright.'

 

 

 

That fulfills all the conditions.

 

 

 

Now, all I have to do is replace Hoshino, and it's over.

 

 

 

I discreetly pulled out the small electric shock device from my pocket without Hoshino noticing.

 

 

 

'Focus. I only have one chance...'

 

 

 

And then,

 

"Well, let's go home now, Sora-chan~ If you sleep late, you won't grow tall, you know~?"

 

 

 

"Yes, you go to sleep first."

 

 

 

"Huh?"

 

 

 

Casually approaching Hoshino as close as possible, I quickly pressed the electric shock device against her neck before she could react.

 

 

 

Fzzzt

 

 

 

I shocked her with the device.

 

 

 

"Ugh!?"

 

 

 

The effect was immediate. She staggered,

 

 

 

Thud!

 

 

 

And collapsed towards me.

 

 

 

"Phew... It worked."

 

 

 

Honestly, I didn't expect to succeed in a surprise attack so easily. Especially considering her strength.

 

 

 

'...Did she trust me that much?'

 

Then I should repay that trust.

 

"I'm sorry, but please sleep for a while."

 

"By the time you wake up, everything will be over."