Classroom of the Elite: Crimson Usurper (V5-V11.5)

(V7) Chapter 5: Anticipation and Ryuuen's Thoughts

(Very long chapter, it's less than 10k words though, so if you have a low attention span, you might be cooked. Anyhow, please read all of it since its kinda important frfr. - Author-san)

IT was almost 4 in the afternoon. Apparently, a bit after 4 P.M, there was bound to be a bit colder. Roughly around 4:30 to 5:10. I was currently sitting at a chair, aimed directly at the door. Of course, not right in front of it. I was roughly 10 meters away.

Just a bit before the meetup with Karuizawa was scheduled.

I soon heard footsteps behind the door. It was the one I was waiting for, walking up those steps. The rooftop door soon opened to admit a lone student. The leading lady of today's episode appeared, stiffening in the cold air, despite the odd fact that she's not using her sweater. Her sweater is just wrapped around her waist.

I also noticed a rectangular bulge in one of her sweater pockets was also visible. It was likely her phone. Despite my intuition and the likeliness, I said nothing. I don't want to jump to conclusions quickly.

"Heh, so you came," I noted as I stood up. "I bet you were in quite the mental dilemma when I sent you that text, no? You didn't know if I knew your past or not."

"Why... send such a thing?" she asked.

"There's really no need to ask me that. You're here precisely because you understand what it meant."

My message had read, I know of your troubling past, Karuizawa Kei. Come to the rooftop after class. Alone. If you tell anyone about this, I will expose your past.

"I'm guessing you told no one, as I instructed. Well, it's not like you had a choice. You can hardly let just anyone know about your past, after all." 

Karuizawa might've panicked and alerted both masterminds, considering that Shinjiro and the other X probably knew her secret... No, they definitely did. 

In order to have influence and submission over her... X and Shinjiro would've not only known of her past, but probably reenact it as well. Although reenacting her past isn't exactly needed, considering blackmail is enough. 

Very cruel. 

Alas, I didn't really care. As I told Ibuki and the others, I'd sent X and Shinjiro a message myself.

Today, I'd pass judgment on Karuizawa. And then, Shinjiro would likely be up here as well. Since he's the one controlling her, that also meant Karuizawa had to work for him.

Obviously, blackmail does work in terms of forcing her to work for Shinjiro and X, however blackmailing your victim will leave a deep hatred for you.

Instead, Shinjiro might've broken her, and then rebuilt her from the ground up. By giving her hope. Promising to protect her. Shit like that.

Regardless, I'd hound both Karuizawa and Shinjiro for X's identity. Whether or not they'd asked for help, it didn't matter. The end result would be the same.

It wasn't like the first X, who'd done so much to hide their identity in the first place, was going to carelessly show up here. And Karuizawa couldn't ask for help from anyone other than Shinjiro and X, because if she did, then her past would be exposed. 

The same applied to X, who wanted to keep their identity hidden, as making Shinjiro come up here all alone is risky. In other words, both of their options were severely limited.

"Look. I really don't, like, have a single clue what you're talking about, but it's cold out. I wanna finish this quick," she claimed.

"Hoh? Is that so? The very fact that you came up here supports that you indeed had a troubling past."