Nagumo Miyabi stood there frozen, completely stunned.
Unlike him, the students from Class 2-A, who didn't know what was really going on, looked relieved.
"That's great, Nagumo. The president only made Kiriyama the treasurer."
"Looks like our class still has the upper hand."
"Nagumo, you must be relieved, right?"
"Nagumo? Hey, what's wrong?"
Some students noticed that Nagumo's face was still stiff, looking totally off.
They couldn't figure out why—after all, Kiriyama hadn't become the threatening vice president, so Nagumo should be happy.
But only Nagumo knew the truth: he had miscalculated.
He had set everything up based on how he knew Horikita Manabu usually acted, but now... Horikita Manabu wasn't following the script at all.
Kiriyama had to be vice president for the plan to work and to have the power to hold Nagumo down.
Or maybe...
Even though Horikita Manabu realized how dangerous Nagumo's side was, he still stuck to his belief that only true ability matters.
By skill alone, Kiriyama didn't deserve to be vice president.
Promoting Kiriyama just to stop Nagumo would have gone against Horikita Manabu's sense of fairness.
So in the end, Horikita Manabu still chose to be honest?
But that's not what's needed right now, President. What you need is to think about the bigger picture.
Nagumo felt like Horikita Manabu had completely thrown his plan off.
He had been setting this up ever since the start of the school year.
But it was all for nothing.
While thinking that, he heard Horikita Manabu continue to speak:
"Originally, with just three students joining the council, it wasn't a big enough deal to gather everyone here."
"But yesterday, when Shirogane-kun came to me and volunteered, things got interesting."
"So I made a bet with him," Horikita Manabu said. "Back when Nagumo from 2nd year led Class B to move up to Class A, I invited him into the student council and gave him the position of vice president."
"And now, I'm offering the same deal to Shirogane."
"If he can lead Class B to become Class A, then I will also invite him into the student council and give him the position of vice president."
"The day he moves up will be the day he gets promoted."
"Whether he can do it or not, we'll just have to wait and see. Are you satisfied with this, Shirogane?" Horikita Manabu then passed the microphone to Miyuki Shirogane.
It was only then that Nagumo Miyabi fully realized what was happening.
Just a moment ago, he had been wondering if Horikita was being too upright, too honest to shamelessly promote Kiriyama, but now it was clear—Horikita did have a plan to balance things out. It's just that the candidate for vice president had changed. Instead of Kiriyama, it was now the first-year Class B student, Miyuki Shirogane!
If Horikita had pushed Kiriyama, people might have complained. But if Shirogane could really bring Class B all the way up to Class A, then it would be totally fair and square.
In other words, Horikita Manabu had set up Shirogane to keep Nagumo in check.
Nagumo never thought that someone he hadn't even paid attention to before—someone he had once looked down on—would now grow into his biggest threat.
At the same time, Shirogane heard the voice of the narrator system in his mind.
[Nagumo Miyabi is looking at you with a complicated expression right now.]
[He had been planning something since he first entered this school, but it seems like all of it just crumbled a moment ago.]
[He looks pretty hurt inside.]
"...," thought Shirogane.
So basically, just by joining the student council, it meant he would automatically be seen as siding with Horikita and going against Nagumo.
But seriously, what was up with this Nagumo guy?
They hadn't even started attacking him yet, and he already looked like he was falling apart?
Wasn't he a bit too weak?
But still.
Shirogane noticed more and more students looking his way, including some from Class A.
It was obvious.
Horikita's little bet had clearly drawn the line—starting now, Class A and Shirogane's new Class B were officially enemies.
But since Horikita had already handed him the mic, it would've been weird not to say something.
So Shirogane spoke up,
"Just like Horikita said."
"But there's one thing I want to make clear. I'm not aiming to stop at vice president. My real goal is to become the student council president."
"And when that happens, I will invite Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A to be my vice president."
"That's all." After saying that, Shirogane handed the microphone back to Horikita Manabu.
"..."
What a mess.
Right after Shirogane made his announcement, the attention that had been focused on him instantly shifted.
Now, instead of staring at Shirogane, most of Class A turned their eyes to Sakayanagi.
Just like that.
Sakayanagi found herself in the exact same spotlight that Shirogane had just been under.
Of course, Sakayanagi remained as calm and composed as ever.
But deep down, her mind was already spinning.
It was obvious.
If Byakugan announced this at this time, wasn't he trying to suggest that he and Sakayanagi were close? And even though they were from different classes, he still gave her a position. Wasn't this hinting that Sakayanagi had actually sided with him and might betray Class A?
In other words—
This would make the already divided Class A even more split apart.
Under these circumstances, Sakayanagi and her followers would only be watched even more closely by Katsuragi's group, which would quietly weaken Class A's overall strength.
So basically—
Byakugan is a huge troublemaker.
ps: Second update!