"Fufu... what exactly do you mean by that? I would very much like you to explain it to me."

In the classroom where the atmosphere had completely changed, with just the two of us... the first to speak was Sakayanagi-senpai...

However... from that composed smile of hers, I could faintly sense an anger that hadn’t been there before.

'Even if it was accidental... I might be the first one to provoke Sakayanagi-senpai this much?'

That said, I also have my pride as Kiyotaka-senpai’s junior from the White Room. So there’s no way I’m backing down that easily~!

Since we’re at it, I’ll just say it clearly~!

"What do I mean? ...I meant exactly what I said. Even if your intellect is high, it doesn’t compare to a White Room student... and when it comes to physical ability, you’re out of the question! On top of that, even in chess, you couldn’t win without Acting Director Tsukishiro stepping in... and in terms of influence, while Kiyotaka-senpai has built a friend group called the Ayanokōji Group and even interacts with students from other classes... the people around you are just those who want to ride the winning side, those whose weaknesses you hold and those you force into submission through fear! And yet you think you can defeat Kiyotaka-senpai? Don’t make me laugh~!"

The moment I said that... I could tell Sakayanagi-senpai was completely enveloped in an aura of rage...

"I see... quite bold of you to say that. Are you trying to claim that you can defeat him... Ayanokōji-kun?"

"If we’re talking probability, I have a better chance than you, Sakayanagi-senpai... and besides, I’m not trying to defeat Kiyotaka-senpai in the first place."

"How laughable... after spewing such abuse at me, to now claim you cannot defeat Ayanokōji-kun and are simply making excuses... it’s truly pathetic."

Good grief... Sakayanagi-senpai is just interpreting things however she likes and looking down on me, but I’ll ignore that and make her listen to what I have to say!

"Sigh... Sakayanagi-senpai? Aren’t you misunderstanding something?"

"A misunderstanding? From me?"

"The reason Kiyotaka-senpai escaped the White Room and chose to enroll in this school... was because he got tired of life there and wanted to enjoy a normal student life. It wasn’t because he wanted to fight strong opponents like you or me... and yet! You’ve arbitrarily treated him as a rival and dragged him into your meaningless games out of your own curiosity! I want you to stop that!"

As I expressed my genuine feelings for Kiyotaka-senpai... Sakayanagi-senpai fell silent for a brief moment...

Then immediately... she showed a level of anger I had never seen before.

"Meaningless? ...A meaningless game!? Are you saying my match with him is meaningless!? Take that statement back right now!"

"I won’t! To begin with... I don’t like how you act like you understand Kiyotaka-senpai just because you met him once!"

"Wha!? How dare you—"

Sakayanagi-senpai impulsively raised her fist, so I shifted into a defensive stance.

Well... even if I took a hit from Sakayanagi-senpai, who has no physical ability, it wouldn’t hurt at all for Ichika-chan... but there’s no benefit in just letting myself get hit either~

"Haa... haa..."

However, Sakayanagi-senpai seemed to remember at the last second that this was a classroom and that there were security cameras installed, so she didn’t actually bring her fist down on me...

'If possible... I was thinking of reporting this to the school, extorting Private Points and at the same time lowering Sakayanagi-senpai’s reputation within Class 2-A, creating a rift and helping Kiyotaka-senpai’s class rise to Class A... but oh well~!'

In the original world... since I know the results of the Uninhabited Island Survival Exam and the Unanimous Vote Exam, I came up with this plan the moment I entered the Class 2-A classroom, but it seems Sakayanagi-senpai isn’t foolish enough to fall for it so easily...

'Besides, Kiyotaka-senpai was planning to transfer classes eventually anyway, so it’s questionable whether it would even benefit him...'

When I turned my gaze back to Sakayanagi-senpai, she was trying to regain her composure, breathing heavily.

"Sakayanagi-senpai? No matter how much you think you understand the White Room... or Kiyotaka-senpai... there are walls you can’t overcome! In both intellect and romance, it’s impossible for you to beat me!"

"R-romance... what do you mean by that?"

Seriously? You want me to say it out loud~?

No matter how much emotional damage you take... Ichika-chan won’t take responsibility, okay?

"Well... no chest, small body, can’t even handle housework alone, constantly needs assistance, can’t walk without a cane and yet has an overly inflated pride... who would want a girl like that~?"

Crack!

It felt like I heard something snap...

"On top of that, do you really think Kiyotaka-senpai would choose you? You, who would be nothing but trash without that warped intellect!?"

"Ugh! ...That’s enough—"

CRACK!!!

"Ah..."

Perhaps because of her anger... she slammed her cane hard against the floor, and it snapped from the base.

"Sigh... I thought you had no physical strength~?"

"Ugh... shut up! For now, I’ll call Masumi-san to come pick me up!"

Saying that, Sakayanagi-senpai began calling Kamuro-senpai, but couldn’t get through.

She also tried calling Hashimoto-senpai and Kitō-senpai, but none of them answered.

"What an unfortunate day this has been..."

All the anger from before had completely disappeared from Sakayanagi-senpai, leaving only a look of disappointment.

'Sigh... looks like Ichika-chan will have to step in here~...'

If word got around that I left a physically disabled senior behind and went home alone... my reputation would plummet.

Ah... it’s not like I thought I might have gone a bit too far or anything, okay!?

* * *

"Ahh... this is a humiliation I’ll never forget..."

"Alright, alright... I’m the one going out of my way to carry you, so could you please stop complaining~?"

And so... Ichika-chan carried Sakayanagi-senpai in a princess carry all the way to the girls’ dorm~!

“Hey, look! Amasawa-san is carrying another girl!”

“Wait, isn’t that Sakayanagi-senpai from Class 2-A? So cute~!”

“It’s like Sakayanagi-senpai is the little sister and Ichika-san is the older one!”

Each whisper from the surrounding onlookers must have only increased Sakayanagi-senpai’s embarrassment.

"Don’t think this is over! This humiliation..."

"Yeah, yeah... if you struggle too much, you’ll fall, so at least stay still until we reach your room, okay?"

"Ugh..."

After I said that, Sakayanagi-senpai seemed to realize resistance was pointless and obediently let herself be carried.

Seeing her puffed cheeks and bright red face... I thought she looked a little cute, but that must have just been a fleeting moment of weakness.

Then, once we reached her room, I set her down.

"You are the first person... the very first... to humiliate me like this, Amasawa-san! Very well! Before Ayanokōji-kun, I will crush you first! Prepare yourself!"

"Yeah, yeah... if you lose, I’ll comfort you with another princess carry~"

"Wha!? D-don’t treat me like a child! I never want to experience something that humiliating again!!!"

"Really? Maybe you were actually happy about being carried~?"

"That would never happen even if heaven and earth were reversed!!!!!"

With that declaration, Sakayanagi-senpai entered her room, leaving me behind...

Ichika-chan could sense that within her... there was about 70% embarrassment, 25% anger… and 5% happiness mixed in...