82 Wanting to lick Juraku Sachiko's boots is no easy task
What... is this?
Am I... really this terrible?
Jabami was aiming to a draw while bearing the risk of death herself. Even if she had to risk dying, she was unwilling to grant me death so easily...
What... what have I done?
Ikishima Midari, you're truly insane.
Ikishima Midari's hands trembled as she raised them slowly. In her eyes, Jabami Yumeko appeared ethereal and noble—something far beyond her imagination, an existence that surpassed even her ideals... even more maddeningly divine than the president. A true goddess!
"Yumeko~ You are my god!"
In that instant, every part of Ikishima Midari that could release fluid, burst forth at once.
Tears, saliva, and even... body fluids gushed out like a fountain, splashing to the ground with crisp sounds.
Bathed in red light, the fluids overflowed.
"What a waste of time."
Jabami Yumeko stood up without hesitation, showing not the slightest trace of a goddess's tenderness toward Ikishima Midari.
This farce—she had already lost interest. All she wanted now was to return to Hikigaya-kun's side and reward him for their wordless synchronization.
"Yumeko! How can I live without you?!"
"Yumeko!!"
Behind her, Ikishima Midari's anguished scream echoed.
With a loud bang, she fell from the table, collapsing into the puddle of her own bodily fluids, crawling toward the goddess before her.
She reached out pathetically, her fingers clawing toward Yumeko's back: "Just one shot! Just give me one shot, Yumeko!"
But Yumeko only turned her head and gave a radiant smile.
"I refuse."
.
.
.
"You two, leave now. I'll be taking over here."
"H-how can this be..."
The two Public Morals Committee members, who normally acted high and mighty in front of others, now dared not even breathe too loudly. They looked as if they had fallen into a deep abyss, trembling before the queen-like presence before them.
They still couldn't figure out why the head of the Disciplinary Committee was here, in this remote underground interrogation facility.
Her flamboyant white hair, the beast-like crimson eyes, and the stiletto heels that seemed to press into people's souls—all of it made them want to drop to their knees and lick Juraku Sachiko's shoes.
Just one glance from her gave birth to an irresistible urge to prostrate themselves.
As the saying goes, "those below imitate those above." Every female antagonist Hikigaya had encountered so far had harbored fantasies of making him lick their shoes.
Why, you ask...? Likely because they had all been influenced by the overpowering aura of the two queens of the student council. After birthing such desires themselves, they naturally projected them onto others.
It was a pity that the confidence they had been so desperately faking was utterly shattered the moment they came face-to-face with the real queen.
Though they voiced resistance to Juraku Sachiko's orders, their eyes were subtly but firmly fixed on the tips of her shoes.
The sight of those shoes swaying as she walked toward them made their hearts race uncontrollably.
"I want to lick them so badly... Even if it means betraying Lady Ikishima," one of them muttered.
"Do I need to repeat myself?" Juraku Sachiko surveyed the outdated facility's control room with a sharp gaze and snapped, "Using an abandoned facility in violation of regulations—just this alone is enough to have you Beautification Committee members stripped of your titles!"
Thud—
The two immediately dropped to their knees.
The bouncing white mounds on their chests made Hikigaya Hachiman raise an eyebrow before hurriedly averting his gaze.
"Lady Juuraku, we were wrong. Please allow me to lick your boots as an apology."
The purple-haired committee member dropped to both knees and began crawling toward Juraku Sachiko.
But just as her tongue stuck out, her head was stomped to the ground by Sachiko's foot, unable to advance even an inch.
She couldn't see Sachiko's expression, but the weight of her words carried an overwhelming sense of dignity and chill.
"Trying to escape punishment and lick my boots at the same time... Heh, you want all the benefits without any of the consequences?"
"My boots aren't something you can lick."
"Leave. I won't say it a third time."
Only then did the pressure on her head ease.
Realizing her petty scheme had been seen through, the purple-haired girl's face flushed. She gave a sharp glance at Sachiko's boots, leaned in to take a deep breath through her nose, then reluctantly stood up, not daring to defy her any longer.
Calling out to the other committee member, whose eyes still brimmed with envy, she slinked out of the control room.
Now, in the damp, musty room, only Hikigaya Hachiman and Juraku Sachiko remained.
Sachiko folded her arms and stepped closer to him, one step at a time.
"Hikigaya Hachiman…"
"What do you take your life for?"
Her pale fingers pressed against his chin, lifting his dazed eyes to meet hers.
The shoe tip that had just been the object of the committee members' obsession was now resting atop the chair between Hachiman's legs.
One above, one below—just like that, they stared into each other's eyes.
"You really want to climb up that badly, don't you? Hikigaya Hachiman, to the point of using your life as bait?"
Only now did Hachiman realize—Sachiko knew about how he had taken a knife for Momobami Kirari and ended up hospitalized.
He quickly raised his hand and showed her the scar that had already formed.
"Juraku-senpai, it wasn't as serious as it looked. I blocked it with my hand. It looked dangerous, but in reality, my life wasn't at risk."
"What did she give you in return?"
Sachiko's grip tightened, pressing Hachiman's back against the edge of the table.
A familiar feeling crept over him.
He had no intention of hiding the truth from her. Juraku Sachiko was, after all, his true senpai—his guide. Like Jabami, she was someone he could trust unconditionally.
"She'll be my trump card. I'll challenge the student council members to win her favor. If I succeed, I earn the right to challenge her. If I win, I gain everything from the Momobami clan. If I lose, I lose nothing." Hachiman answered honestly, though his body was subtly tensed, trying to slip out of Sachiko's grasp without alerting her.
He had no desire to relive those unpleasant memories from the hospital.
"Heh... to please her…"
"She's worth all that to you?"
"She is," Hachiman replied without hesitation. "Juraku-senpai, you know about President Momobami's background. I don't know all the details, but I do know that the Hundred Devouring Family is like a towering tree. Compared to that, I'm just a weak little insect."
"But if an insect is given a chance to devour a giant tree, with zero risk… That's not a chance I can pass up."
Sachiko listened to his explanation, not angered, but slowly shifted her finger downward until it pressed against his heart.
"You said you'd challenge student council executives… That includes me, right?"
"I believe so."
"Shall we start now, then?"
Juraku Sachiko slowly lifted her boot—signaling a wager that made Hikigaya Hachiman tremble all over.