Chapter 67 Responsibility

"Give me the money first," Hikigaya said, placing his phone on the table. He mulled over the idea that individuals like Ichinose, Horikita Suzune, and even Katsuragi could be trusted. Yet, no such certainty extended to someone like Ryuuen. Trusting him without a formal agreement? Out of the question.

Judging by Ryuuen's behavior, it was clear that credibility wasn't part of his vocabulary. Even Sakayanagi had left a poor impression—she ousted Katsuragi without hesitation, disregarding the class's interests entirely. Trustworthy? Hardly.

"Take it," Hikigaya said when Ryuuen transferred the points to him. He turned the screen toward Ryuuen but noticed a short-haired girl with glasses from Class A peeking from next door. He raised his hand to block her view.

"Tsk," she clicked her tongue in annoyance and looked away.

The phone screen displayed that Hikigaya wasn't selected as the VIP. Ryuuen frowned at the sight but remained skeptical.

"Show me all your messages from Class B," Ryuuen demanded.

"You'll have to ask Kanzaki and the others about that," Hikigaya replied with a smirk, pocketing his phone.

Kanzaki, sharp-eyed, stepped forward. "Hikigaya, if you're satisfied, just stay quiet. Don't say anything unnecessary."

Hikigaya rested his arms on his head, casually observing the room. He sensed that Kanzaki's words weren't solely directed at him—they also subtly rejected Ryuuen's intrusion.

Ryuuen, catching the drift, chuckled, then turned to the others. He perched on the table's edge and addressed the room with a smirk: "What about the rest of you? Instead of letting the VIP pocket 500,000 points, why not imitate this fool here?" He gestured toward Hikigaya. "Show me your phones. I'll even make it worth your while."

He grinned wider. "Here's the deal: the first person to show me their phone gets 100,000 points. The second gets 80,000. The third is 60,000. And so on."

The offer hung heavy in the air. For those who weren't the VIPs, the decision wasn't simple. Should they trust their ability to uncover the VIP and claim the 500,000 points? Or take the safer route, collect Ryuuen's bribe, and let Class C gain 50 class points in the process?

If the group mentality was weak, the latter option would tempt many. After all, the only ones losing out would be the class with the VIP

"Then why did I only get 40,000?" Hikigaya asked, sounding irritated. "I was the first to show you."

"Because you're the dumbest," Ryuuen retorted bluntly.

Despite his skepticism about Hikigaya not being the VIP, Ryuuen suspected this might be part of Class B's ploy. Yet Hikigaya's smug confidence was infuriating. Two days earlier, Ryuuen had given 10,000 points from Hikigaya without any tangible benefits in return. Generosity clearly wasn't his strong suit.

Meanwhile, silence fell over the room. Class A seemed tightly silent, while Class D showed little interest. But who knew if someone might approach Ryuuen privately later?

"It seems Class A has decided to play the coward," Ryuuen remarked, stepping toward Class D. He scanned the group, grinning.

"What about you, Class D? If you're willing to hand over your phones, I'll give you a decent offer. Say, 150,000 points each. No problem."

"Still as crude as ever," Horikita Suzune interjected coldly. "Ryuuen, you should return to elementary and relearn basic social etiquette."

Ryuuen shrugged. "One hundred and fifty thousand points is no small sum, Suzune. Aren't you even a little tempted?"

"Ridiculous," Horikita replied with disdain. "Helping you will narrow down your search for the VIP. Do you really think Class D would stoop that low?" "Don't lump me in with that idiot over there. I won't be laughing if Class C overtakes us."

…Wait, Hikigaya thought. The "idiot" isn't me, is it? This woman is terrible! He shot her a fierce glare, only to be met with Horikita's icy, unyielding stare. No, this woman is terrifying.

"Well," Hirata interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. "Ryuuen-san, I don't think anyone here would agree to this. Perhaps we should explore more constructive solutions?"

"Yes, Ryuuen-kun," Kushida Kikyo added with her trademark sweet smile. "Please don't underestimate us because we're Class D. We won't do anything to harm our class."

Hikigaya watched her carefully. He'd crossed paths with Kushida enough times to expect annoyance or frustration from her, but there was none. In fact, every time their eyes met, she blushed and averted her gaze. With a personality like her, she has remarkable patience. And a good heart too, apparently. This is the first time I've encountered someone so who will stick to her act. Honestly, it is impressive.

Meanwhile, Ryuuen continued pressing closer. But as Kushida noted, no one here was about to cower under his pressure. An hour passed, and the first round of discussions came to an end.

Hikigaya stood up and left the room, but a voice stopped him in the hallway.

"Hikigaya," Amikura Mako called, patting him on the shoulder. "Kanzaki asked me to check—what was the meaning of that move you made earlier?"

"Eh? It didn't mean anything special," Hikigaya replied, surprised. "I just figured even if I showed my phone to Ryuuen, he wouldn't believe me. Might as well try to earn some personal points in the process. But if Kanzaki had questions, why didn't he ask me himself?"

"Who knows?" Amikura shrugged, tilting her head in thought. "He probably has his own reasons. Still, it's an issue to Kanzaki."

"True," Hikigaya agreed. Kanzaki is the class's second-in-command, so it makes sense for him to have his own plans. "Well, I'll head out then,"

"Wait," she added. "Hikigaya, why don't you join us for a meal? We could discuss the exam a bit more."

"I have other things to handle, so I'll pass," Hikigaya declined, assuming the invitation was more politeness than genuine intent. Amikura didn't push further.

Later, Hikigaya found himself in the exclusive area of the top-floor café, staring at Ichinose's contact information on his phone. She's probably busy discussing the exam with Class B or enjoying a group gathering. Interrupting feels awkward. But as someone accustomed to corporate-style reporting and coordination, Hikigaya knew he couldn't avoid it. The VIP exam wasn't like the island test, where actions felt less consequential. Here, every move he made directly impacted Class B.

If it works, great. If it fails, I can shoulder the responsibilities alone. However, Better to let Ichinose decide. With that, he hesitated only a moment before sending a message.

[Hikigaya: I have something to report. Do you have time now?

[Ichinose: We're all classmates, Hikigaya. No need to be so formal. Can't it be handled over the phone? Ichinose's reply was as quick as ever.

[Hikigaya: It's not impossible, but it's a bit sensitive. I think it'd be better to discuss it in person.

[Ichinose Honami: Got it. Where are you? I'll head over now. Her next reply was slower—likely because she was explaining her departure to those around her. Hikigaya sent her the location, and within ten minutes, she appeared in front of him.

"Yahallo, Hikigaya~!" Ichinose greeted cheerfully, sliding into the seat across from him. Her gaze wandered curiously. "I've never seen you here on the cruise ship. Is this where you've been hiding?"

"Something like that," Hikigaya replied, glancing at the untouched coffee on the table. Drinking alone suddenly felt oddly uncomfortable. "Want something to drink?"

"Then, black tea," Ichinose replied. After placing the order, Ichinose leaned forward slightly, her expression turning serious. "So, what did you want to talk to me about, Hikigaya?"

Hikigaya nodded, his tone calm but deliberate. "I have a strong suspicion who the VIP in the Dragon Group is. I wanted to get your opinion before we proceed."

He paused. If I'm right, we gain 50 class points. If I'm wrong, we lose 50. Though he felt confident in his reasoning, the decision to submit the answer ultimately rested with Ichinose.

"Oh?" Ichinose blinked, surprised. Then, as if realizing the weight of his words, she shot upright in panic. "You guessed it? Wait—hold on!" She quickly composed herself, sitting back down and lowering her voice. "But isn't the Dragon Group made up of big personalities like Ryuuen, Katsuragi, and Horikita? It shouldn't be that easy to figure out. Hikigaya… how did you do it?" Her tone carried a hint of doubt as if questioning whether he'd been misled by Ryuuen's infamous tactics.

"True," Hikigaya admitted. "It could be a trap. That's why I'm only 70% certain." Though he downplayed his confidence, deep down, Hikigaya trusted his ability to read people. Observing human behavior was his strength, even if he couldn't match someone like Ryuuen in raw strategic prowess.

"Have you ever played Werewolf, Ichinose?" he asked suddenly, crossing his arms and raising a finger, his voice tinged with pride.

"Huh? Werewolf?" she echoed, visibly confused.

"It's simple," he explained, his tone calm but laced with conviction. "It's like a game of Werewolf—spotting the ones pretending to fit in and exposing them. In this game, words are meaningless, and logic is secondary. The real giveaway is confidence—or the lack of it. A fake can't engage with a real player on equal terms. They'll either hesitate or overcompensate with flattery."

Leaning forward, Hikigaya's voice grew steadier, more assured. "Once you grasp that, finding the VIP becomes significantly easier," he stated, drawing from an unusual well of experience. With no friends to play Werewolf with, Hikigaya had resorted to playing twelve-character games by himself. It was during these solo sessions that he uncovered a truth: logic, while useful, could never fully be trusted.

"In front of true masters," he continued, "logic can be twisted any way you want. You can justify anything—whether it's right or wrong. But what truly betrays someone is the subtle, unconscious behaviors: how they act, their tone of voice, and their mindset. These are the real clues." He paused, his confidence unwavering. "

"If someone's the VIP, their focus will naturally be on survival, which will subtly alter their behavior. On the other hand, if someone isn't a VIP, be far more aggressive, driven by the desire to uncover the VIP's identity." He smirked, confident in his deductions. "Even though people like Ryuuen are skilled actors, their speech patterns still reveal their true nature. Now, here's how I narrowed it down in the Dragon Group." He raised a hand and began ticking off his points.

"First, Katsuragi. It's unlikely, he doesn't even know who the VIPs are in Class A. Second, Ryuuen. His aggressive nature is too obvious. Even agreeing to that 40,000-point transaction doesn't fit the person of someone trying to lie low. The flaw lies in Horikita Suzune. When Ryuuen attacked her, her first reaction wasn't to defend but to divert attention to Class A, trying to misdirect the conversation. At first glance, it looks like she's bluffing—but it's too calculated. Her behavior suggests she knows who the VIP is. She did the same thing the second time she spoke, reinforcing the pattern. That means the VIP is in Class D. And when you narrow it down to Hirata and Kushida, things become clear."

Ichinose leaned in, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Both Hirata and Kushida are skilled at social interactions, yet they let Horikita take the lead during the discussion. That's a red flag—they intentionally avoid attention. Hirata's speeches were designed to steer topics toward others, while Kushida's responses were more self-focused, subtly deflecting. Based on this, I'm confident that Kushida Kikyo is the Dragon Group's VIP" As Hikigaya finished, he leaned back, arms crossed in satisfaction. But as the realization of his explanation sank in, he felt a pang of regret. Maybe I went overboard. People aren't exactly thrilled when you treat everything like a two-dimensional deduction game.

Ichinose, however, was stunned. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she sat frozen, momentarily speechless.