Classroom of the Elite: Alter - Solace

Vol. 7: Chapter 9.1 - Confrontation

(13:28) [Come to the warehouses near Keyaki Mall. Be there by 2 PM.]

The moment I received that message, I knew my fate was sealed. It didn't matter if it was a dummy account. The identity of the sender was obvious.

What could he possibly want from me? Cooperation? Does he need information? On someone from the class? On Kiyotaka-kun? Well, there's no point in thinking about it anymore. It's almost a guarantee that he knew about my past as well.

I was currently with my friends at Keyaki Mall, but I guess I need to leave early on. It was all too easy for me to make up an excuse that they'd believe. Honestly, having a nice reputation was convenient.

But, well... There was a chance that maybe... after today, I'd lose all my friends. 

All the things I've built up until this point... might disappear tomorrow.

"Should I call for his help?" I muttered to myself.

Kiyotaka-kun said that he'd protect me, but when I did become so weak that I needed someone else's protection? Kushida Kikyou wasn't that pathetic.

No, that's just my pride talking. From the start, I knew that I wasn't invincible. My previous schools may have been filled with naive people who were easy to deceive, but the world is a large place. 

Ahh, what a shame. Just when I thought everything would start to change...

"Alright, I'll deal with this myself." I thought as I walked out of Keyaki Mall.

I reached the place after a few minutes and saw Yamada-kun waiting in front of one of the warehouses. He let me approach him and pulled the shutter open, escorting me inside.

"Welcome, Kikyou. The guys are pleased to see you."

Ryuuen was there along with... nine, ten... no-- eleven other Class D boys if I count in Yamada-kun. After seeing Ibuki-san, that's a total of thirteen Class D students.

"Um, w-what did you want, Ryuuen-kun...?"

Did he plan on exposing me to all these people...? I shuddered as I looked at them but kept up the act.

I don't know if Ryuuen had told them about my true nature, but I won't take any chances. And based on the flustered reactions of some of them after seeing me, it seems like I made the right move. 

That's it. Don't panic. What would Kiyotaka-kun do in a situation like this?

"What I want is simple. Just call Ayanokouji out here." Ryuuen shrugged as if the answer was obvious.

He smiled as if to mock me since he knew I was just wearing a mask.

So he called me here to bait out Kiyotaka-kun? I guess that's obvious after looking at them. They wanted to settle things with him using violence.

"I know you're enemies, but there's no need to do this!" I exclaimed, looking panicked. "If I call him here, you're obviously going to fight! And with those weapons... What are you going to do? Beat Kiyotaka-kun to death?"

I may be acting, but my worry was genuine. It's a fact that there are a dozen guys here with weapons ranging from two-by-two-inch wooden rods to baseball bats and metal bars. Coming here would be a death sentence.

"Why would you suggest that? We just wanna talk to him. Oh, and of course, you have to watch us talk."

"N-No!"