Chapter 78 Con Artist

After School

The classroom buzzed with activity as Class B prepared for their training. Hikigaya slung his schoolbag over his shoulder, ready to head out.

"Hikigaya, there's a girl looking for you," a male classmate called out from the doorway, his tone laced with mild teasing.

"Seriously this is the second time" Hikigaya sighed, half-annoyed.

"But this time," the boy added, "it's Horikita-san from Class D."

"Oh. Got it, thanks," Hikigaya replied quickly, adjusting his grip on his bag as he left the classroom. His mind raced. Horikita Suzune—the cold and sharp girl from Class D—still owed him money. True to her character, she seemed like the type to honor agreements, even without a formal contract. That alone was enough to spark a bit of excitement as he approached her.

Horikita stood waiting, her posture as composed as ever, exuding an air of authority. "You know why I'm here," she said flatly, her arms crossed and her piercing gaze fixed on him.

Hikigaya felt a pang of guilt under her scrutiny, even though he hadn't done anything wrong. Then again, Horikita always had that effect. "Yes," he replied, trying to maintain his composure. "You're here to pay me back."

"Before that," Horikita's voice turned icy, "you should explain why you blocked me. Or should I assume you no longer care about the money?"

Blocked? It hit him like a ton of bricks. He had completely forgotten about it. Yesterday, the school had distributed personal points, and Horikita must have tried contacting him then, only to discover she was blocked. Now, she was here to settle the matter—and hold him accountable.

"No, no, no, of course not!" Hikigaya stammered, forcing a nervous laugh. "Who doesn't like money? Definitely not me."

"Good," Horikita said, unimpressed. "Take out your phone."

Hikigaya obediently complied, fumbling to re-add her contact information. Moments later, he received a transfer notification: 10,450 points.

As expected of Horikita Suzune, she honored the exact terms of their deal—down to the smallest decimal. "This is a one-time occurrence," she said firmly. "If you ever block me again without reason, I'll assume you've forfeited the agreement. No excuses."

"Yes, yes, I understand." Hikigaya nodded hastily, fully aware of his role as the debtor in this dynamic.

Horikita turned on her heel and walked away, her slender figure cutting an imposing silhouette. Hikigaya couldn't help but admire her meticulousness. He silently saved her contact information again—after all, money wasn't something to take lightly.

Back in the classroom, Kanzaki greeted him with a curious look. "Hikigaya, why was Horikita-san looking for you?"

"Nothing serious. Just paying back some money she owed me," Hikigaya replied casually.

"Oh, for your advice during the uninhabited island exam?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

Kanzaki nodded knowingly, and Hikigaya realized Ichinose must have already mentioned the arrangement. Not that it mattered; Class B and Class D were cooperating, and his personal gain didn't affect anyone else.

"Well, what about yesterday?" another classmate chimed in.

"The girl who came to see you then—was that about money too?"

"Uh…" Hikigaya paused, the memory resurfacing slowly. "Probably?" It took him a moment to recall Sakura Airi from Class D. She owed him 20,000 points and had likely tried to return them yesterday. Unfortunately, when he'd called her by name, she'd bolted in fear.

Right. In Japan, addressing someone by their first name could imply a level of intimacy, and Hikigaya hadn't considered how it might come across. Thinking back, he felt a twinge of regret. Maybe it was better to let that debt slide. Horikita's repayment came from a straightforward deal, so it was easy to remember. Sakura's case, however, had slipped his mind entirely—until now. Sighing, he adjusted his bag and headed toward the Keyaki Mall. Life in this school was never simple, but at least the points kept coming.

Outside at the convenience store. Hikigaya adjusted the blue uniform he had been bought, the matching baseball cap shading his perpetually lifeless, dead-fish eyes. His name badge clipped backward to his chest, signaled minimal effort in presenting himself.

He unfolded a table and chair with little enthusiasm, arranging them just outside the store. On the table sat a neatly stacked pile of Volume 18 of Sword Art Online. From a distance, he resembled a defeated social worker—someone who had long been worn down by the monotony of life.

"Uh…" The clerk, watching from the doorway, seemed unsure of how to react. His face betrayed a mix of hesitation and discomfort. "This is, uh, kind of unusual,"

"Relax," Hikigaya replied with a dismissive wave. "It's not like this will impact your sales. You just focus on your job. All the responsibility is on me."

"Well… if you say so." Relieved of any potential consequences, the clerk retreated into the store. After all, working at a closed-off school like this was meant to be stress-free. This wasn't a situation he wanted to entangle himself in.

As evening approached, students who had spent their day at clubs or preparing for the upcoming sports festival began to trickle toward the Keyaki Shopping Center.

A boy exiting the convenience store stopped when he noticed the table. "Huh? Is that the latest volume of Sword Art Online? Why's it out here?" he asked, puzzled.

"There's no space inside," Hikigaya replied nonchalantly, keeping his head down and his tone low. "You can buy it here. Just pay me directly."

"Oh… Alright. How much?"

"Six hundred personal points."

The boy blinked. "Six hundred? Wasn't the last volume five hundred? Did the price go up?"

A hundred-point difference—barely enough to buy a drink—but enough to catch the attention of someone with a sharp memory.

Hikigaya, sensing an opportunity, leaned forward slightly. "Ah, yeah. I heard it's because Kirito accepted a new girl's confession in this volume. Sales have been crazy, so the price went up by a hundred."

The boy squinted. "That doesn't sound right. Kirito's always been about Asuna. Why would he accept someone else's confession?"

"Beats me," Hikigaya shrugged, handing over a copy. "That's just what I heard. Are you getting one or not?"

The boy hesitated, then sighed. "Alright, give me one."

Hikigaya quickly completed the transaction, pocketing the points as the boy walked off.

From inside the store, the clerk peered out through the glass, muttering to himself. Kids these days… this guy's definitely going to grow up to be a con artist. He shook his head and turned away.

As Hikigaya settled back into his chair, he couldn't help but feel a small spark of excitement. The strategy had worked. In less than two hours, he had sold hundreds of copies, and the pile on the table was dwindling fast. Sword Art Online, he thought with a rare flicker of enthusiasm, is truly the king of light novels. The success of this impromptu sales venture warmed his heart. It wouldn't be long before the cost was fully recovered—and with a bit of luck, he'd even turn a profit. He sat back, satisfied. Who knew hawking novels could feel this rewarding?

Hikigaya stared at the dwindling stack of light novels on his table, a sly smile playing on his face. The wheels in his mind turned as he entertained a bold idea. Could I set up a stall here after school every day? If he could monopolize a product with controlled purchase quantities, raking in personal points wouldn't be a distant dream. Earning 20 million personal points this way seems... plausible.

"...What are you doing here?" The sudden voice jolted him. Standing in front of him was Himeno Yuki, holding a hash brown and wearing her usual unreadable expression.

Hikigaya instinctively lowered the brim of his cap, sneaking a glance at her. Class B isn't those typical students who read light novels, hoping she won't identify him. Please don't recognize me, please don't recognize me...

"Do you need something miss?" he asked, voice trembling, hoping to divert suspicion.

Himeno Yuki raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Miss? Hikigaya, what exactly are you doing here?"

"Shhh!" Panic spread across Hikigaya's face as he quickly motioned for her to lower her voice. "I'm selling books," he whispered. "Please, keep it down!"

Himeno Yuki picked up a copy of Sword Art Online, Volume 18 from the table, her brow furrowing slightly. "This is the latest volume, right? Why are you selling it out here?"

So she reads light novels too? Hikigaya's heart sank.

"I told you, keep your voice down!" he hissed, waving her aside. He led her a few steps away and lowered his voice further. "This... is a club activity."

Himeno Yuki tilted her head, clearly unconvinced. "A club activity? You've got to be kidding me."

Hikigaya put on his most earnest face. "Didn't I tell you? The student council requires me to submit a performance report every year. I'm just... you know, raising funds for the report."

Her expression wavered for a moment before she burst out laughing. "Wow, that's creative! You really put some thought into this, huh?"

Hikigaya's face darkened and thought. I'm not as incompetent as you think, I am.

Once her laughter subsided, she smirked and asked, "How many have you sold so far? Don't tell me you raided the convenience store's stock."

"Of course not," Hikigaya replied proudly. "I did my research. The school only received 350 copies of Sword Art Online, Volume 18. I bought all of them. No one else can get a copy."

Himeno Yuki's face twisted in disbelief. "Wait, what? How is that even allowed?"

"These people don't understand market dynamics," Hikigaya muttered, shaking his head.

"But... why are you being so secretive about it?"

"Are you stupid?" Hikigaya sighed. "If the school finds out, they'll crack down on student-run stalls. Once that happens, I'll lose my entire setup."

"Why would they care so much?" she asked, still perplexed.

"It's simple economics," he explained. Lowering his voice further, he continued: "The books cost me 500 points each. I'm selling them for 600. If I sell all 350, I'll make over 30,000 personal points. Monopolizing niche goods like this—ones that aren't purchased in bulk—is a surefire way to earn points. In three years, it's not impossible to save up 20 million points."

"But this is a loophole. The school will definitely intervene. They'll either enforce stricter rules on stalls or increase stock quantities to prevent monopolies. Both solutions will hurt their operational costs, so banning stalls is the simplest response."

Himeno Yuki nodded slowly, starting to grasp the situation.

"Think about it," Hikigaya continued. "If I monopolized something even more essential, like girls' menstrual products, I could make a fortune. The school's limited supply would let me control the market."

Her face flushed. "You wouldn't actually...!"

"I wouldn't," Hikigaya assured her, rolling his eyes. "It's too risky. The school would shut me down instantly. But the concept applies. You can exploit these gaps, but only until the system adapts. Once capital floods in, small operations like mine are crushed."

He sighed, leaning back against the table. "There's potential, sure. But the risks are massive. It's a delicate balance."

Himeno Yuki crossed her arms, staring at him. "You've thought this throughly, huh?"

"Of course," Hikigaya said with a faint smirk. "Even a loner like me can dream big."