131 Maid Yor has arrived
When Hikigaya returned home, Yumeko immediately noticed something was off with him—his evasive gaze, his unsteady steps...
'As expected, Hachiman has already been with Miss Haruno~' Yumeko was so excited she could hardly contain it. Having seen through everything, she chose not to voice it. Instead, she pretended to know nothing and played the role of a caring wife, helping Hikigaya maintain the image of a good brother in Komachi's eyes.
The more guilt Hikigaya showed in his eyes, the more enjoyment Yumeko got out of it.
After a simple lunch, they packed their luggage.
Hikigaya and Yumeko set off on their journey back.
Despite Komachi's reluctant goodbye, tearful as she waved, Hikigaya did not stop his steps.
Once he wins everything, there will be a day of complete freedom. Now is not the time to linger on matters of romance.
.
.
.
In the two days that Hikigaya was absent from Tokyo, a strange rumor about him spread through the online social channels at the Hyakkaou Academy.
Before the grand festival, the Ryouran Festival, began, rumors surfaced that Hikigaya and the vice president were secretly lovers, which explained why he had been defeating the other student council members one after another.
With the help of the Full-Bloom Association, an undercurrent of hostility towards Hikigaya was rising.
The ordinary students, stirred by these rumors, directed their anger towards Hikigaya. To them, it was easier to pick on someone like Hikigaya, a "kept man" with secret help from the vice president, than to challenge the student council members directly.
Even those who had lost to Hikigaya were swept up in this overwhelming wave of resentment.
The baseball club, the research club, and even Sumeragi's poker gambling… all suffered inexplicable boycotts.
.
.
.
At this point, Hikigaya had no idea about the attacks from Mibuomi's faction. What he was facing now was a gambling challenge from Juraku Sachiko's [Staring Gambling].
To ensure nothing went wrong, after sending Yumeko to the hospital, Hikigaya tried a few more times with Yumeko.
Perhaps it was because of the transformation over the weekend, but Hikigaya could now face such challenges with a calm heart. Throughout the whole process, his heart rate remained under 80.
Even when Yumeko tried every trick in the book—white stockings, black stockings, garter belts, straight pants... even stepping on Hikigaya's face—nothing could change this fact.
Now, Hikigaya had reached a point where his resistance to women was at maximum.
Nothing could go wrong, only waiting for the favorable wind.
Tomorrow would be the day he would officially win against Juraku Sachiko.
After settling Yumeko, Hikigaya returned alone to the high-end apartment he had rented.
Standing in front of the door, he didn't immediately enter.
'The carpet has been disturbed, so Yor must be inside.'
Hikigaya's muscles tensed as he inserted the key into the lock, turning it carefully. He had to be on guard, as there was a possibility that Miss Yor might try something drastic with him.
The dimly lit entryway looked empty. Hikigaya began to doubt his judgment. Was he wrong?
With a calm expression, he walked into the house and closed the door behind him.
A cold, gleaming blade was immediately pressed against his neck.
"Give me the antidote." It was Miss Yor's voice, sounding a bit fatigued.
While Hikigaya was indulging himself, she had been running around Tokyo, trying to find a way to cure the lethal poison in her body. But the reality was that there was no antidote.
As if fortune never comes alone, Yor also realized something. The person who had given her the information had vanished into thin air. Whether they had betrayed the organization and run away, or been killed by their employer… either way, the information she had received about Hikigaya's family was false.
She had been completely misled!
Feeling wronged and unwilling, all her emotions erupted at that moment.
She just wanted the antidote to ensure her life safety, and she would follow through with her agreement with Hikigaya afterward.
Hikigaya, threatened by the blade, remained unfazed, as though the weapon pressed against his neck was nothing more than a harmless toy. He took off his bag, placed it on the cabinet, and changed into slippers, walking straight past Miss Yor.
"You heard it that day, right? I don't have that kind of antidote."
"I can only guarantee that you'll receive temporary antidotes every month."
Hikigaya said calmly, "If I die, you won't even get the temporary antidote. I hope you're clear on that."
Yor's grip tightened a little, and Hikigaya could clearly feel the sharp blade pressing tightly against his neck. If she applied just a little more force, he would be dead.
But this behavior of hers actually reassured Hikigaya.
He firmly believed in his judgment—Yor was a woman who valued her life. She had a strong belief that she could not die no matter what.
Thus, Hikigaya became even bolder. He sat down on the sofa, crossed his legs, and stared unafraid into Miss Yor's eyes.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his wallet and casually took out several bills, handing them over to her.
"Miss Yor, you might not believe it, but we're on the same side."
"Since you've seen my family, you must know my family is quite ordinary. Everything I do is just to climb up, to please the big shots above."
Hikigaya pointed at the ceiling, "Perhaps one day, if I offend those above and lose my value, you might not even have the chance to get the temporary antidote."
"So, please don't act like this towards me."
Hikigaya placed the bills lightly on the blade, moving it away from his neck.
"Can you cook?"
"No." Miss Yor, who had no intention of confronting Hikigaya, seemed deflated, putting the knife away with a sound of defeat.
Because of the dim lighting, Hikigaya didn't see the uncomfortable expression Miss Yor had when asking that question.
"And this isn't what we agreed on! The agreement was only about your safety and teaching you combat skills."
"You didn't exactly follow the agreement just now, did you?" Hikigaya, a man who liked to push his luck, decided to take full advantage of this situation now that he had Yor under control.
Five hundred thousand yen per month wasn't easy money.
"As punishment, the terms of our contract have changed. You'll also be responsible for maid duties."
"Maid?!" Miss Yor's voice rose sharply.
Her face uncontrollably turned red, as if she had thought of something inappropriate.
"Don't get so worked up. It's just cleaning. If you can't cook... you'll have to buy groceries. As compensation, I'll make you some simple meals when I come home from school."
"Or if you think it's too late, you can just go out and buy food with this money."
"The work is as agreed, with food and lodging included."
"You'll also get the five hundred thousand yen salary now."
"So, please work hard for me, Yor."