Tokyoites don't have martial virtue

"She seems to be in very poor mental condition. Has she been bullied?" Karasu Sakifumi asked seriously.

"Yes, someone in her class used to bully her," Kyushu Makoto admitted, stretching.

"But the students who bullied her all have powerful backgrounds. One father is a prefectural assemblyman, and the other father is an executive of the 'Wano Country Purification Association.' I don't dare to touch them casually, lest I get into trouble with the authorities."

“Oh, I think I’ve heard my father mention that association before.” Karasu Saki touched her chin with her finger and recalled, “It’s an organization that has connections in both the legitimate and criminal worlds. Someone is deliberately trying to cultivate them into the grey gloves of the powerful and wealthy.”

"Damn, did I overhear some secret I shouldn't know...?" Kyushu Makoto was startled: "I thought they were just a relatively influential non-profit organization..."

"Let's get back to Mizuhashi-senpai..." Karasukawa Sakifumi didn't seem to be planning to continue this dangerous topic:

“I always felt that something was wrong with her; there was no light in her eyes.”

“She said she just failed her exam and was scolded by her parents.” Kyushu Makoto pondered, stroking his chin. “But I also feel it’s strange; she might be hiding something from us.”

“You told me that you had protected her from school bullying,” Karasu Sakifumi said, holding up a finger. “But I think she’s still being bullied, you just haven’t noticed.”

"How could... such a thing happen?" Kyushu Makoto frowned, seemingly realizing the seriousness of the problem.

"I can vouch for you with the insight of a former newspaper reporter; Mizuhashi-senpai's anxiety isn't due to poor exam results," Karasukawa Sakifumi said earnestly.

"If you really care about her, go visit her classroom when you have time."

......

After school, Kyushu Makoto secretly went to Mizuhashi's classroom but didn't find anything unusual.

Mizuhashi's desk was clean, and there were no signs of him being bullied. Kyushu Makoto greeted him and then turned and left.

After Kyushu Makoto left, the two bullies who had harassed Mizuhashi Eiji approached his desk with serious expressions and sighed:

"Why is that annoying senior here again? Did you tell him about it?!"

Mizuhashi Eiji sat with his head down, his body trembling like a hamster: "N-nothing, I didn't say anything!"

"Alright, alright~ Don't look so gloomy~" Seeing Mizuhashi Eiji's frightened appearance, a mischievous student put his arm around his shoulder and chuckled softly:

"Okay, if you don't want the seniors to get into trouble, you'll have to keep this a secret for us~"

Mizuhashi Eiji bit his lip, his voice trembling as he pleaded, on the verge of collapse, "Please... as long as the upperclassmen aren't expelled, I promise I won't tell anyone..."

53. [Romance] is dead.

On the day of the class refereeing, Eiji Mizuhashi grabbed his schoolbag and ran to the courtroom as soon as school was over.

She believed that a kind and warm-hearted senior like Kyushu Makoto would never seriously violate school rules and become a "dishonest student".

So even though she was weak and useless, she hoped to give her senior a helping hand and cheer him on in the class referee competition.

But for her, that day was also the day her nightmare began anew.

"Hey~ Mizuhashi-san, are you going to watch the class referee?" She was stopped by two boys from her class, the same two bad students who often bullied her.

In the past, Eiji Mizuhashi would probably have trembled with fear. But since being encouraged by her seniors, she was able to stand up a little more confidently: "Excuse me, please move aside!"

"Hey~ those upperclassmen are really nice to you, they actually gave you the nerve to talk to us like that~" a student sneered, arms crossed.

"But I think their days are numbered."

"What...what do you mean?" Mizuhashi Eiji was very nervous.

“Don’t lie to yourself, Mizuhashi,” another student said. “How could your Kyushu senior possibly beat a class referee? What’s more, I heard the newspaper club was behind this! He’s completely finished!”

"Completely...over?" Unease flickered in Mizuhashi Eiji's eyes. "Impossible! Senpai will definitely win! I believe in him!"

"My friend on the disciplinary committee already told me that the class refereeing is just a formality," the student said confidently.

"Kyushu Makoto is now the common enemy of the newspaper club, the student council, and the disciplinary committee! He will definitely be expelled! Absolutely!"

Upon hearing this news, Eiji Mizuhashi was struck dumb, his body trembled violently, and he almost fell to the ground.

During this time, the three rogues kept telling him, "It's okay, Kyushu-nii will definitely create a miracle." But Mizuhashi Eiji knew very well that his senior's chances of winning were extremely slim.

He finally found a senior who cared about him, so why did things turn out like this? ... Eiji Mizuhashi felt that this world was too cruel.

“But you know, my father is a county councilor, so he has some power.” At this point, one of the students revealed a cunning expression:

"If I ask my father to plead on my behalf for my senior, maybe the school will turn a blind eye to him."

Upon hearing this, Eiji Mizuhashi's brow relaxed, and he quickly asked, "Really?!"

"Eh~ Of course!" A mischievous student put his arm around Mizuhashi Eiji's shoulder. "We've always been friends, right~"

Mizuhashi Eiji's heart sank, and he asked, "Do you... keep your word?"

"So easy to fool, this idiot boy..." the bad student thought to himself, nodding. "Of course, as long as you make us happy, I'll ask my father to help."

Mizuhashi Eiji bit his lip and lowered his head weakly: "What do you want me to do?"

"Our high school life has become so boring without us being able to hang out together for a while~" The naughty girl laughed triumphantly:

"We haven't been able to find a 'friend' to replace you lately, and we're really frustrated. So, would you like to play with us for a bit, Mizuhashi?"

"..." Mizuhashi Eiji hesitated for a moment, his expression pained, then said in a voice on the verge of tears, "If only you could help my senior..."

Then, Mizuhashi Eiji was led into an empty classroom.

"Haha, Mizuhashi's reaction is hilarious!"

"Wait...wait a minute...is it a girl?"

"What the hell? How could someone dress up as a boy to go to school? Are they crazy?! If they get caught, there'll be no way to explain it!"

"Don't panic! Mizuhashi, I'll let you off this time, and we'll call it even! But if you dare to go around saying anything, I'll have my father expel all those senior students!"

Even if those two were usually arrogant, they were only "problem students." They immediately realized the seriousness of the situation, and without daring to do anything to her, they fled the scene in a panic.

After all, if this gets out, it won't be something that can be dismissed as just "students playing around." It could even lead to them being labeled as "harassment" or even "sexual offenses," causing them to be pointed at and talked about for the rest of their lives.

After a long while, Eiji Mizuhashi wiped the wound on his forehead, straightened his wrinkled school uniform, and walked out with a regretful expression.

Even though she had seniors protecting her, she still got bullied and even dragged them down with her... She's so stupid and useless.

Someone like me doesn't deserve the protection of my seniors at all... Mizuhashi Eiji thought with immense shame, wishing he could strangle himself on the spot.

After that, she had no choice but to hide this humiliating memory.

In the classroom, the two students would come and question him from time to time about whether he had exposed the matter, and they kept threatening to have his father go to the chairman of the board and expel all the senior students.

During lunch, she wanted to ask her seniors for help countless times. But the words always got stuck in her throat, and she couldn't say them.

She was afraid that what her two classmates said was true, and that their fathers really did have the power to expel all the senior students.

Looking up at the senior students who were showing her concern and care, Mizuhashi Eiji couldn't imagine the ashen-faced, blaming expressions on their faces after receiving their expulsion notices.

Yes, I just need to be patient... I just need to keep being patient, just like before. Although my days will be a bit more painful, everyone else will be able to live peacefully, and that's my way of repaying my seniors.

Mizuhashi Eiji kept telling herself this, but it only made her feel excruciating pain, almost unable to breathe.

Throughout Mizuhashi Ei-hee's life, although there were no major ups and downs, it was a series of tragedies.

Her parents preferred boys and showered all their love on her younger brother, treating her only as a burden.

In the past, a group of girls in her school spread rumors that she went to a hotel with an older man because they were jealous of her looks, which caused her to be ostracized by her classmates.

So she became obsessed with light novels, immersing herself in fantasy stories.

Even this last dreamlike haven didn't seem to welcome her. She tried submitting light novels but was repeatedly rejected, never succeeding even once. No one was even willing to encourage her with a simple "You're really trying hard," making her feel like a useless piece of trash with no talent or value.

By the time she entered high school, she was already in a state of self-destruction.

She disguised herself as a boy because she was afraid that the girls would be jealous of her and spread rumors.

But after she disguised herself as a boy, some boys thought she was weak and easy to bully, and came to pick a fight with her.

Her heart was withered and numb, yet she continued to silently endure everything. Like a walking corpse, she staggered towards the end of her life, unaware of why she kept going.

Until a month ago, her senior gave her the first ray of light in her life, making her understand what "friendship" and "youth" meant, but it also became the reason for her complete breakdown.

Because from that time on, having experienced the light, she could no longer get used to the gloomy life she had before.

She finally understood that "despair" is the hope that has been gained and then lost.

......

After school, Kyushu Makoto went to help the store manager hand out flyers.

Summer was approaching, and the weather was gradually getting warmer. After handing out flyers, he wiped away his sweat and decided to go to a nearby coffee shop to enjoy the air conditioning and take a short break.

He had been sitting in the coffee shop for a short while when he suddenly heard a familiar voice:

"Hey, long time no see, Brother Hongzhong~"

Kyushu Makoto turned around alertly and found that it was the fortune teller he had met on the street earlier.

“You haven’t contacted me at all during this time, but that was expected, since your common sense makes you distrust the guidance of fate.” Ye You Tianyin, holding a cup of coffee, sat down beside her without permission.

"I feel that your fate has taken a turn for the worse. Let me do another divination for you."

“I’m sorry, Miss Night Tour.” Kyushu Makoto sighed and politely declined, “I have to go to work right away, let’s talk about it another time.”

Without saying a word, Ye Youtianyin pulled a tarot deck from the pocket of her black dress and randomly drew two cards.

"Oh my gosh~ Congratulations, guest!" Night Wanderer Heavenly Sound drew a [Queen] card and chuckled softly:

"The Queen in your destiny has returned to her rightful place. The proud Queen lost everything after her disgrace, but she also gained even more precious treasures. From now on, your life will be even more blessed."