58. Hikigaya Challenges Indian Poker
The desire most deeply etched into the human genome—the desire to gamble.
A yearning for unearned gain, the reverence for laziness, the embodiment of greed... each of these cardinal sins forms humanity's gambling desire. And this gambling desire is corroding the future of Japan's elite.
When people have faith, gods are born—the God of Gambling Frenzy.
From among the 3,000 students of Hyakkaou Academy, livestock who have emerged are radiating invisible gambling desire, converging in the auditorium and flowing toward the viewing platform on the second floor.
That is where their deity resides.
Momobami Kirari, still wearing her signature Barbie-blue eyeshadow and matching manicure, props her head up with one hand, leisurely enjoying grapes peeled and fed to her by Igarashi Sayaka, looking down upon the gambling-entranced livestock like a high and mighty deity.
This was her Eden.
Kirari was intoxicated by it.
"Sayaka, is everyone here yet?"
"Reporting, President. The registered 376 people have all arrived."
"Then have Ririka come over. Let's begin allocating the matches."
"Yes."
Igarashi Sayaka accepted the command and hurriedly left the viewing platform for the student council headquarters to assemble the executives and prepare for the Debt Reallocation Tournament.
The luxurious and spacious platform was now left with only Kirari and the ever-masked Vice President.
"Ririka, tell me something interesting."
"Yes."
The woman called Ririka replied in a processed neutral voice through her mask:
"The student you've been monitoring, Jabami Yumeko, was humiliated this morning in public by second-year Kiwatari Jun. He demanded she perform a strip dance on the spot."
Kirari's hand momentarily froze mid-motion. Her orchid-like, graceful eyes seemed to grow even colder.
"And?"
"Hikigaya Hachiman, who was with her at the time, stepped in to shield her from Kiwatari Jun."
Ririka explained the situation truthfully.
"Hikigaya Hachiman, huh..." Kirari muttered softly. Ever since his entry into Hyakkaou Academy, Hikigaya had been one of the few male students to leave a deep impression on her.
A lone wolf, sent into the academy through Yukinoshita's influence, and yet he dared to attempt playing mind games with her—a very interesting toy indeed.
"How bold~" Kirari gently stroked her lips with the same index finger that Yumeko had once taken into her mouth.
Then she suddenly said,
"Pull up Hikigaya Hachiman's admission profile."
"Yes."
Ririka immediately pulled out a tablet and entered the highest-level access code, opening the academy's digital archives containing all records of its 3,000 students.
Each student was classified into ranks based on personal and family value. Hikigaya Hachiman's current placement was at the lowest tier.
Soon, Ririka located and opened Hikigaya's file and respectfully handed it to Kirari.
Kirari scrutinized the file, reading through Hikigaya Hachiman's profile line by line, with a probing gaze.
"Chiba Aoyama Elementary School..."
"His parents are both ordinary working people, with zero exploitable value."
"As for personal abilities—aside from relatively good academic performance, he has never participated in any academic competitions... Overall, his learning ability is just average, still a far cry from Mibuomi's loyal subordinates."
Kirari offered a frank evaluation.
She found nothing particularly outstanding in Hikigaya's profile. His academic scores, which might appear impressive to an average student, were nothing noteworthy to her.
Leaving aside the other special-ranked students—just among the student council, Miharutaki Sakura had always ranked first since childhood. Shimotsukiuri Ouri possessed dynamic memory akin to hyperthymesia. Only those with top-tier learning abilities could draw Kirari's attention.
"A very ordinary person..."
Kirari traced the photo in the file—Hikigaya's lazy, non-threatening expression.
Even his looks were squarely in the realm of average. Just how had such an ordinary student managed to connect with the Yukinoshita family?
Although the Yukinoshita family was only a prestigious clan within the Chiba region—a local noble house of no particular significance to someone like Kirari—it was still a lineage unreachable for someone of Hikigaya's origins.
Japan's real world is rigidly hierarchical, with a strict class system. Ordinary people remain ordinary. Those "rich girl falls in love with a regular guy" stories from youth romance novels simply don't apply to reality. Only exceptionally rare talent ever catches the eye of noble families.
"Chiba Aoyama Elementary School… sounds familiar."
Kirari's fingers danced rapidly across the tablet, pulling up the profile of Mibuomi Aoi.
His file was categorized at the second-highest tier. Only seven or eight people were ranked at that level.
Kirari's gaze suddenly turned amused—these two had been elementary school classmates.
Not only that, but also...
"Sachiko went to Chiba Aoyama Elementary too. Ririka, don't you think that's interesting?"
"Mm."
Two student council members, and one male student associated with Jabami Yumeko—all three had attended the same elementary school. If it had just been regular students, that might be nothing. But this odd coincidence made Kirari realize... there might be a shared past between the three that was worth her attention.
"How did someone as ordinary as Hikigaya get involved with Sachiko and Mibuomi?"
Recalling the other day when she had ordered Hikigaya and Jabami to be split up for separate gambling matches, and how Sachiko had volunteered herself for the task, Momobami Kirari finally realized something.
"Sachiko... threw the match, didn't she."
A feeling of shame and anger—of having been deceived—arose in Momobami Kirari's heart for the first time.
"Ririka, investigate what happened between those three back in elementary school," she paused for a moment, then added, "Also, I want more detailed information on Hikigaya Hachiman."
"He is definitely not an ordinary person."
After thinking for a moment, Kirari gave an even more specific order:
"Investigate freelance professions related to the internet—manga artists, light novelists, singers, streamers."
"Yes."
As the god of this Eden, Momobami Kirari hated any being within her paradise that existed beyond her control.
And so—even if Hikigaya Hachiman posed no real danger—she still had to fully grasp him in the palm of her hand.
Kirari nodded, leaned forward, and gazed dreamily down at the crowd below, where Jabami Yumeko and Hikigaya Hachiman were standing side by side.
"A world-breaking serpent. A lone wolf hiding his ambition."
"How thrilling."
Knock knock—
"Come in," Ririka said crisply, still unwilling to reveal anything about herself before others.
As her words fell, the door to the second-floor viewing platform opened.
The student council executives entered in an orderly fashion.
Leading them was Mibuomi Aoi, holding a thick document in his hand—inside it were the arrangements he had prepared for this round of gambling.
"President, shall we begin the announcements now?"
"Go ahead."
.
.
.
"Ahem, ahem!"
"Welcome, everyone, to the Debt Reallocation Tournament."
"I am the student council accountant, Mibuomi Aoi!"
On the platform, Mibuomi continued fulfilling his role, giving a passionate and friendly speech. The noisy crowd below gradually quieted to listen to this highly regarded third-year senior.
"Every year in our school, there are always students crushed under the weight of their debts. So, the student council has prepared a relief plan—the Debt Reallocation Gambling Match."
"There are many familiar faces here, so I won't waste words, but to the new participants, please listen carefully to the following rules:"
Double Indian Poker
Groups of four gamble, and based on the results, exchange debts.
The 1st place debtor will take the amount of the group's lowest debt.
4th place will take the highest debt in the group.
"There's no benefit to those with low debts? Of course there is."
He continued:
"This year, we've added a special reward—the 1st place winner will have their debt completely erased!"
As soon as he said that, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause.
Excited eyes sparkled with desire for first place. Even some who had been hesitant before now looked determined. And those already burdened with massive gambling debts—needless to say—had fierce expressions, already plotting ruthless ways to seize first place.
On the other hand, Kiwatari Jun, who had received this information in advance from Mibuomi, showed no reaction. For him, this was nothing more than an opportunity to make a huge profit.
"Everyone, this is your chance to make a comeback! Don't miss this opportunity!"
"On behalf of the student council, I sincerely wish you all success in claiming first place!"
"Wooooaaaahhh—!"
The crowd below roared, stirred by Mibuomi Aoi's words.
He stretched out his arms, basking in the crowd's praise. In this moment, he seemed to have reached the pinnacle of power.
But he quickly snapped out of it and glanced darkly toward Kirari Momobami. As long as she remained, he would never taste supreme pleasure. Kirari was a mountain he could not surpass—a weight pressing down on his heart.
'Hmph. Hypocrite.'
"How generous. Does the student council gain anything from doing this, Hikigaya-kun?"
Jabami Yumeko looked at Hikigaya Hachiman with a naive expression. At the end of the day, Yumeko was a compulsive gambler who excelled only at gambling. When it came to battles outside of gambling, she couldn't see through them.
But it didn't matter. Hikigaya-kun would see them for her.
"All of this is meant to please the one seated on the viewing platform."
Hikigaya Hachiman raised his head and looked toward Kirari.
"President Momobami, huh..." Yumeko remained calm, making it hard for Hikigaya to read her emotions for a moment.
.
.
.
"Now that the rules have been introduced, I'll begin grouping everyone!"
"Group A: First-Year Class A, Mozu Karin. Second-Year Class A… Third-Year Class A… Third-Year Class B…"
In Hikigaya's view, some of those whose names were called looked anxious and wary, as though everyone around them had suddenly become their enemy—probably because they had no teammates among the group of three.
Others, when their names were called, wore confident expressions, clearly having been placed with allies.
Joy, anger, sorrow, and hatred—all on display.
"This is what Momobami Kirari wants to see—
the entire spectrum of human emotion at her command."
"This is power."
Hikigaya's heart burned. This was the goal he pursued—the conviction to keep winning—so that his own emotions would be ruled by no one but himself.
"First-Year Class A, Jabami Yumeko..."
It's here!
Hikigaya's eyes sharpened as he looked toward Kirari.
This was the one thing he wasn't confident about. He was betting that Kirari, for her own amusement, would assign him to the same group as Jabami Yumeko.
"Second-Year Class B, Kiwatari Jun! Second-Year Class B, Tsubomi Nanami. Third-Year…"
Hikigaya's heart sank. Kirari had once again gone against his prediction.
.
.
.
On the platform, Mibuomi Aoi sneered in secret. He had been preparing for this match for a long time.
He had split up Hikigaya and Jabami, and planted his own people in both groups. Then, by personally acting as dealer in both matches—of the five players in each, three belonged to him. This was his open scheme against Hikigaya and Jabami.
The power he pursued required no gambling skills. He crushed people with sheer force, with absolute advantage. He didn't believe anyone could win under such conditions. No one.
"Hehehe... Go repent your sins in hell, Hikigaya Hachiman. Crushing you is no harder than squashing an ant."
It no longer mattered. As far as Hikigaya Hachiman's identity was concerned, to Mibuomi Aoi, who saw him as someone about to fall into hell, any desire to investigate further had already vanished. What caught his attention instead was Jabami Yumeko—he planned to use this opportunity to put pressure on her. Once she suffered defeat, he would personally try to convince her to join the Full-BloomAssociation.
'This little worm's got some nerve, daring to falsely report a debt of 310 million yen.'
Mibuomi Aoi's eyes quickly scanned the amount Hikigaya had registered. In an instant, he saw right through his intent.
'Too bad. Your greed has become your grave. Die, you insect.'
Mibuomi Aoi opened his mouth, preparing to announce the name of the final participant.
"Mibuomi..."
Behind him, a cool voice echoed—Momobami Kirari's voice:
"Put Hikigaya Hachiman in this group."
What?!
'Why is this woman paying attention to Hikigaya Hachiman? Has my plan been exposed?'
Mibuomi Aoi's pupils shrank sharply. He turned back to look at Kirari, forcing a somewhat stiff smile onto his face.
"President Momobami, we've already finalized the group list as per the organizing committee's decision. Making changes at this point wouldn't be appropriate, don't you think?"
He attempted to exert pressure on Kirari by leveraging the authority of the Debt Reallocation Tournament, backed by the student council members and executive committee.
But unfortunately for him, this time Mibuomi Aoi had miscalculated his opponent.
"I said—swap Hikigaya Hachiman into the group in place of the last person. I'll be personally overseeing this match."
Momobami Kirari's gaze was icy cold, the bluish-violet eyeshadow around her eyes radiating the absolute authority she held as president.
Ikishima Midari, who had been fiddling with a pistol, stopped and looked over at her. Sachiko Juraku, who usually kept her gaze lowered, lifted her eyes ever so slightly.
"Oraa." Even Yomozuki Runa, who always had a lollipop in her mouth, was so surprised she bit clean through it.
It had clearly been a long time since anyone had heard the president speak in such a commanding tone.
Mibuomi Aoi's expression stiffened. He raised both hands as if surrendering, trying to placate her:
"Alright, alright, I get it. Kirari, no need to get upset."
But the moment he turned back around, only he knew the expression he wore.
Distortion. Hatred. Rage. And just a sliver of fear.
'Damn you, Momobami Kirari. Damn you, damn you, damn you!'
He screamed in his heart, trembling with the realization that what he feared most was not just Kirari's authority—but the fear of his own fear of it.
And if one were observant enough, they would have caught the faint tremble in his voice when he finally announced the last participant:
"First-Year Class A, Hikigaya Hachiman."
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