"Leave this school immediately…"

  "I-I can't… I absolutely—"

  "How foolish. Looks like I'll have to remind you how things were in the past…"

  "I…"

  …

  This is bullying, right? It has to be bullying.

  Listening to the intermittent voices coming from the corner, Uesugi Gen scratched his head in frustration.

  Why do I always run into situations like this? The Phantom Thief, the Accomplice…

  Could it be that I have that legendary constitution that guarantees a 100% chance of stumbling into unexpected incidents?

  But why do these voices sound kind of familiar?

  Ah, whatever. First, let's deal with the psychotic pervert inside.

  Uesugi Gen gnced at the surrounding surveilnce cameras—if he couldn't win the fight, he'd just run.

  Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone, opened the camera, and dashed into the alley, snapping a picture of the scene inside.

  "Aha! You're caught red-handed, pervert! Your evil deeds shall be brought to an end by me, the esteemed Vice President of the Student Council, Uesugi Gen!"

  And then, he saw it.

  The Student Council President, Horikita Manabu, was forcefully pressing Horikita Suzune—his nemesis and the Accomplice's rival—against the wall, gripping her wrist tightly.

  "…"

  The air seemed to freeze in that instant.

  Uesugi Gen stared at the scene, momentarily at a loss for words.

  Horikita Manabu opened his mouth awkwardly, seemingly wanting to expin something, but in the end, he swallowed his words.

  Without missing a beat, Uesugi Gen swiftly opened his phone and dialed a number.

  "Hello? Director? I just uncovered a shocking secret—the current Student Council President, Horikita Manabu, is a full-blown pervert! He might even try to silence me! Please send help immediately! I'm in the alley next to the dorms!"

  "Bring backup! Hurry, hurry!!!"

  Click!

  Beep—beep—beep—

  Chairman Sakayanagi immediately hung up, his face dark as coal.

  Was this guy his sworn enemy in a past life?

  Tormenting him during the day wasn't enough—now he was calling at night just to harass him?

  Uesugi Gen stared bnkly at his phone screen. Refusing to give up, he raised his voice toward the disconnected call.

  "No, listen to me! You have to believe me! Horikita Manabu is seriously a scumbag pervert!"

  Seeing no response, Uesugi Gen quickly recomposed himself.

  No worries—I can still call in reinforcements.

  Hoshinomiya-sensei, come save your favorite student!

  "Enough, Uesugi. She's my sister. I had no intention of harming her."

  Horikita Manabu adjusted his gsses and spoke in a calm, authoritative tone.

  His instincts told him that if he didn't stop Uesugi now, the guy would actually call the entire school to come watch.

  Suspicious…!

  Uesugi Gen eyed Horikita Manabu skeptically, then shifted his gaze to Horikita Suzune.

  "Y-yeah… I'm… his sister."

  Horikita Suzune spoke in a dejected tone.

  "Siblings? You two?"

  Uesugi Gen looked back and forth between them, pointing at each.

  So they really were siblings?

  Looks like my previous specution was right.

  The Student Council President's brother and the "defective" girl from Css D—what a dramatic twist.

  "That's right. This is my disgraceful little sister," Horikita Manabu said coldly. "She was pced in the lowest-ranked Css D—an absolute embarrassment to me as her elder brother."

  "Brother, I—"

  "Shut up. I'm talking to Uesugi. This conversation doesn't concern you."

  Ignoring Horikita Suzune's resentful and slightly jealous gre, Uesugi Gen smirked as he observed Horikita Manabu's stiff expression.

  At this point, he had a rough idea of what Horikita Manabu was trying to do.

  A Student Council President who meticulously considered the school's well-being in every decision—would he really go so far as to physically assault his own sister?

  With that in mind, Uesugi Gen decided to py along.

  "Oh? Normally, having a sibling in the same school should be a good thing. Why are you treating her like this, President?"

  Horikita Manabu immediately caught on and responded coldly.

  "Having a sister like her only brings shame to the Horikita name. Suzune, leave this school at once."

  "No… Brother… I won't drop out. I came to this school to chase after you."

  For once, Horikita Suzune mustered the courage to stand up to her brother.

  "Well then, allow me to assist in expelling her."

  Uesugi Gen suddenly interjected with a shocking statement.

  "Oh? Uesugi, you're rather motivated today. In that case, I'll leave it to you. Get rid of her from this school."

  "I…"

  Horikita Suzune opened her mouth, unwilling to accept this.

  "Suzune," Horikita Manabu continued, "Uesugi is nothing like you. He possesses talent far beyond my own. I'm certain he'll have you expelled in no time. You should savor your remaining days at Advanced Nurturing High."

  As Horikita Manabu ruthlessly attacked his sister's confidence, he suddenly noticed Uesugi Gen fiddling with his phone out of the corner of his eye.

  His mind snapped to attention as he quickly asked, "Uesugi, what are you doing?"

  Uesugi Gen turned his head, grinning smugly.

  "You want her expelled, don't you? I'm calling Nagumo-senpai to tell him you have a sister at this school. If he gets her expelled, you'd have no choice but to accept his challenge to a duel."

  "How's that? I'm pretty smart, right?"

  Uesugi Gen fshed an innocent, satisfied smile.

  Like hell.

  I still haven't settled the score with you for making Ichinose cry st time, and now you want my help? Keep dreaming.

  Damn it. I joined the Student Council to put Ichinose beneath me, but because of you, I ended up with nothing—no power, no money—and now I have to run errands for you?

  The more he thought about it, the more old and new grudges swelled up inside him.

  Now that fate had handed him the perfect leverage, there was no way he was letting Horikita Manabu off the hook so easily.

  So, what's your choice?

  If you choose your sister, you'll have to duel Nagumo Miyabi, which would shatter the principles you've upheld all this time.

  If you refuse to fight Nagumo, then you'd be allowing him to target your sister, possibly even getting her expelled.

  Or… are you going to try and persuade me not to tell Nagumo about this?

  Horikita Manabu fell silent. This dilemma had him completely cornered.

  Until now, no one had ever forced him into such a position.

  Uesugi Gen had fwlessly seized both of his lifelines—his standing in the school and his sister.

  Horikita Manabu let out a long sigh before turning to Horikita Suzune.

  "Suzune, go back for now. I'll find you in a few days."

  "…Alright."

  Though she didn't understand why her brother's attitude had changed so suddenly, Horikita Suzune nodded obediently.

  Before leaving, she shot Uesugi Gen a fierce gre.

  And departing alongside her—was someone who had been quietly eavesdropping from the shadows all this time.

  Such fwless concealment…

  I suppose it's to be expected from an artificially crafted genius developed through extensive research.

  Uesugi Gen stroked his chin, watching Horikita Suzune's departing figure with interest.

  Finally, he turned to Horikita Manabu.

  "Well then, let's talk."

  …

  ---

  T/N: wait... did Uesugi just notice Ayanokouji??? HUH AND HE KNOWS ABOUT THE WHITE ROOM? no way is this guy another unreliable narrator...