Siren wails echoed over Sobu University's night sky for a full two hours. When Okabara Kyogumichi walked out of the school gate, the cordon had already been set up, and uniformed police officers were escorting Yoshida-sensei's assistant, handcuffed, into a police car. Flashlights flickered in the night, like a swarm of restless fireflies.
He didn't stop, just hurried away along the shadows outside the wall. The diary in his pocket was warm from his body heat, and Chitanda Nao's elegant handwriting seemed to emerge in the darkness. The descriptions of "shadows swimming under the skin" sent a chill down his neck.
His phone vibrated in his pocket; it was an unknown number. Kyogumichi hesitated for a moment, then answered the call.
"Is this Okabara-san?" a clear, authoritative female voice came from the other end of the line, with a hint of undetectable weariness. "I am Kaguya Shinomiya, from the student council office."
Kyogumichi was startled for a moment, then remembered that he had asked Chitanda to find her. "Is Chitanda-san alright?"
"She's with me, and her emotions have stabilized." Kaguya Shinomiya's voice paused. "She told me everything about the old school building's basement. Are you free to come to the student council now?"
The lights of the student council office were exceptionally bright in the night. When Kyogumichi pushed open the door, he saw Chitanda Eru sitting on the sofa, her eyes red, holding a cup of hot cocoa. Kaguya Shinomiya stood by the French window, looking at the flashing police lights downstairs, her long black hair gleaming like satin under the light.
"Sit down." She turned around, her delicate face expressionless, but her gaze was sharp as a knife. "Chitanda-san said you found evidence from ten years ago?"
Kyogumichi took out the glass bottle from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table. "This is Chitanda Nao's diary, and the other five records from the Shadow Box. They all prove Principal Sato's crimes."
Kaguya Shinomiya picked up the glass bottle and carefully examined the paper scrolls inside through the light. Her fingertips gently tapped the bottle, making a crisp sound, as if she was calculating something. "The Sato family has deep roots in politics. Even with this evidence, it's hard to shake them through conventional procedures."
"Then what should we do?" Chitanda Eru looked up, her voice tearful. "Are we just going to let those people get away with it?"
Kaguya Shinomiya didn't answer, she just picked up the internal phone on her desk: "Connect me to the editor-in-chief of the Asahi Shimbun's social affairs department, and to Tanaka, the counselor from the Ministry of Justice."
Kyogumichi watched her calmly dial one phone call after another, conversing with the other party in fluent Japanese, her tone sometimes firm, sometimes carrying an undeniable deterrent. There was an innate sense of authority about this girl, as if she could easily leverage the entire nation's public opinion machine if she wished.
"Tomorrow morning, all mainstream media will report on this matter." After hanging up the phone, Kaguya Shinomiya looked at Kyogumichi, her gaze more scrutinizing. "Aren't you afraid of getting burned? Sato's former subordinates have connections in the police and education sectors."
"Compared to the children who were locked in the basement ten years ago, this risk is nothing." Kyogumichi's tone was calm. "Moreover, I believe Shinomiya-senpai will not let us take risks in vain."
Kaguya Shinomiya raised an eyebrow, a faint smile curving her lips, like melting ice and snow: "You're smarter than I thought. But don't think you can bargain with me like this—I'm helping you only because the Sato family is a business rival of the Shinomiya Family."
Despite her words, her gaze softened slightly. Kyogumichi knew that this was probably this proud student council vice president's way of showing approval.
[Character: Kaguya Shinomiya] [Bond Progress:0% → 10% (Trigger Event: Jointly Exposing the Truth)] [Event Evaluation:She appreciates your courage and calmness, and considers you a worthy collaborator]
As the system panel popped up, Kaguya Shinomiya handed Chitanda Eru a business card: "This is my private lawyer's number. Have your parents contact him tomorrow. The Shinomiya Family can fully cover Ms. Nao's sanatorium expenses."
Chitanda Eru took the business card, her eyes red again: "Thank you, Shinomiya-senpai."
"It's nothing." Kaguya Shinomiya looked out the window; the sky was already turning a fish-belly white. "You two go back and rest; leave the rest to me."
Kyogumichi stood up, but stopped at the door: "Will those arrested receive the punishment they deserve?"
Kaguya Shinomiya was silent for a moment, her tone tinged with sarcasm: "The punishment the law can give is limited, but I will make sure they can't live outside of prison either." She paused, then added, "As for the national level... don't have too high hopes. This kind of thing involves too much, and often ends up unresolved."
Kyogumichi said nothing more, just left the student council office with Chitanda. The campus was exceptionally quiet in the early morning, with only the sound of the janitor sweeping echoing in the empty corridor.
"Okabara-san," Chitanda Eru suddenly spoke, "Do you think... my cousin can get better?"
"She will." Kyogumichi looked at the morning glow rising in the east. "On the day the truth comes out, she will get better."
Over the next week, all of Japan was shaken by Sobu University's "Shadow Box Incident." The front pages of major newspapers featured photos of the basement and excerpts from the children's diaries, television news repeatedly broadcast Principal Sato's life story, and online discussions remained heated.
Under Kaguya Shinomiya's discreet push, public opinion overwhelmingly condemned those involved. The Metropolitan Police Department quickly announced the arrest of seven individuals, including Yoshida-sensei, and the court sentenced them to three to ten years in prison for illegal detention and negligent homicide.
However, as Kaguya Shinomiya expected, the subsequent developments were unremarkable. The government merely paid symbolic compensation of one million yen per victim's family, ignoring public calls for a thorough investigation into corruption in the education system.
Although the Sato family's stock price plummeted, they stabilized their position through deep political and business connections, and even showed signs of a potential comeback.
"This is reality." A week later, Kyogumichi heard Kaguya Shinomiya sneer into the phone in the student council office, "Tell those parliament members that the Shinomiya Family's patience is limited. If they still want to shield the Sato family, they can wait and see how next year's budget gets cut."
Hanging up the phone, she saw Kyogumichi standing at the door and, uncharacteristically, didn't hide anything: "Someone at the top is suppressing it. No amount of evidence will help."
"I know." Kyogumichi walked in, holding a visitation application for the sanatorium. "But at least, we can let Ms. Nao know the truth."
Kaguya Shinomiya looked at the application in his hand and suddenly said, "I'll go with you."
Kyogumichi was a little surprised.
"Don't misunderstand." She adjusted the student council badge on her chest, her tone returning to its usual pride. "I just want to confirm that my investment wasn't in vain."
Kyogumichi smiled, not exposing her excuse. He knew that this seemingly indifferent student council vice president also harbored a hint of undetectable softness deep down.
The sunlight outside the window was just right, casting neat spots of light on the floor through the blinds. Kyogumichi looked at Kaguya Shinomiya's profile as she lowered her head to process documents, and suddenly felt that in this world, mixed with different stories, perhaps more secrets awaited to be uncovered, and he was not alone.
[Current Points: 940 points] [Redeemable Skills:Six Powers: Finger Pistol (Lv.1) (1000 points), Armament Haki (Lv.1) (2000 points)]
Kyogumichi's gaze fell on the system panel, and he clenched his fists. He knew that to truly establish himself in this world, to protect those around him, he still needed to become stronger.