Chương 60: Perhaps I’m Just a Born Corrupt Politician
Hikigaya's blunt words left Karuizawa Kei in silence.
Even with her sharp mind, she must have realized that if things continued as they were, there was a real chance that Hikigaya's predictions would come true.
For a moment, the girl responded with a sound that was somewhere between a sigh and a contemplative hum.
It was undeniable that much of Karuizawa Kei's current status and influence in Class D was owed to her position as "Hirata Yosuke's girlfriend."
If she lost that title, no one could say for certain whether Karuizawa Kei would still be able to maintain her commanding position within the girls' group.
Seeing that his words had visibly shaken Karuizawa, Hikigaya pressed on, seizing the opportunity:
"If Hirata really breaks up with you, do you think the girls in Class D will still support you? Or, on the contrary, if Hirata uses his influence against you, it's almost certain that many will turn against you."
"This kind of thing..."
"Most animals are social creatures. Predators live by a hierarchy; if you're not at the top, you'll be crushed. Once you've chosen this path, you have to keep climbing, or at least hold your current position. If you fall, the backlash will swallow you whole, and your downfall will become a source of amusement for everyone."
"…"
Hikigaya's words plunged Karuizawa into a deep, complete silence. She didn't respond and even lowered her head.
But Hikigaya wasn't done yet.
"The moment you slip, others will rush to take everything you have, and there will be no shortage of people eager to mock you in the process."
He continued to speak, aiming to provoke the pride he sensed within her.
Yes, Hikigaya could feel it—Karuizawa Kei was a proud person. Though buried deep beneath layers of something he couldn't quite understand, that pride still existed. And it wasn't something that could be easily erased.
"Are you willing to let everything fall apart like that?"
Snap.
The sound was like a string snapping suddenly in the air.
Hikigaya had expected Karuizawa to lash out at him like a threatened lioness, to match the image he had of her. He was even prepared to face her wrath.
But what surprised him was that she didn't show any hostility at all. Instead, she seemed like someone drowning, utterly incapable of resistance.
Why?
Had he been wrong about Karuizawa Kei all along?
Was she, at her core, weaker than he had imagined? The kind of person who wouldn't fight back in the face of danger?
Doubt began to creep into Hikigaya's mind as he turned to study the girl, who had remained silent throughout their exchange.
"Hiki...gaya... What do you think I should do?"
The Karuizawa Kei who ultimately spoke was nothing like the strong-willed girl he remembered. She was fragile, like a sheet of paper, as if she were stuck in some kind of mire she couldn't escape.
This new image of her was so vastly different from his previous perception that Hikigaya couldn't help but feel a sense of shock.
Of course, he quickly pushed aside his surprise, focusing instead on his original goal.
To keep Karuizawa Kei from falling into the abyss, he immediately replied, "Then just start accumulating points from now on."
"Accumulate points?"
"Yes. If you want Hirata Yosuke to continue seeing you as his girlfriend, and if you want the rest of the class to trust you more, all you need to do is accumulate points. And when others face a crisis, extend a hand to help them when necessary. In return, you'll earn considerable rewards. Think about it—if you suddenly run out of points and lose the means to survive at this school, wouldn't you be grateful to someone willing to lend you points? That's the essence of it. Points are the only resource here, the very foundation of everyone's survival."
By presenting the greatest crisis Karuizawa could face and then offering a solution, Hikigaya aimed to make her take precautions before it was too late.
Even someone as simple-minded as Karuizawa would likely follow Hikigaya's advice, given how straightforward his reasoning was.
This method, akin to a political maneuver, was something Hikigaya had seen countless times on TV. But now, using it for the first time, he was pleased with its effectiveness.
Perhaps I am just a naturally corrupt politician, he mused silently.
On the other hand, Karuizawa Kei slowly mulled over Hikigaya's words, her expression growing increasingly complex as she began to grasp his point.
"Just by accumulating points... something that simple?
Will that be enough to keep everything going?"
While Karuizawa was clever when it came to relationships, she displayed a surprising lack of understanding when it came to other matters.
The most critical flaw was her inability to grasp the fundamental concept of human value.
The differences between people—whether in money, status, appearance, or fame—ultimately boiled down to the dependency others placed on them.
When others naturally began to rely on you, that was when you could be considered successful on a societal level.
Of course, Hikigaya had no intention of explaining all this to her. He was there to offer advice, not to teach Karuizawa Kei how to live. He wasn't qualified to be anyone's teacher.
After all, he himself was nothing more than a background character, one of society's lowest rungs, utterly unnoticed.
"You might not care about accumulating points, but you can't afford to overlook the opportunity to lend points to others. Whether or not they repay you is irrelevant; the favors they owe you will build up over the next three years, and one day, those favors will come back to benefit you."
"And another thing—have you noticed, during these past few weeks, how some of the upperclassmen at the school cafeteria are always eating the bland, free vegetable set? Do you think it's because they love vegetables, or because they've squandered their points and have no choice but to eat the free meals?"
Karuizawa Kei's body trembled, a spasm running through her as if something had been injected into her, before she finally slumped in defeat.
"Hikigaya... could it be that you're actually really smart?"
"What do you think?"
Hikigaya didn't boast. Although he often prided himself on seeing things more clearly than others, he would never voice such thoughts.
After all, his goal was to be a stay-at-home husband, not a corporate drone.
As the saying goes, the right person for the right job.
Those who show competence end up being exploited by their companies and organizations without any increase in pay, so Hikigaya was determined never to reveal his true potential.
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