I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

The situation continues to escalate, but Hachiman does not stop there.

If Sagami were wise enough at this point, he shouldn't have continued to cooperate with Hikigaya's "performance," but instead used this opportunity to change the subject and quickly finalize the slogan.

However, judging from this slogan alone, Sagami is destined not to possess such an ability.

"You seem to have something to say."

"Really, no."

Hachiman continued to feign reluctance, much like receiving a New Year's gift from an elder—his words were not what they truly meant.

However, Sagami clearly had no idea that she was walking down the path that Hachiman had set for her.

"Oh? Since you're not satisfied, why don't you offer some suggestions?"

Sagami, thinking he had hit Hachiman's weak spot, smirked smugly, unaware that he had fallen right into Hachiman's trap.

Kiyoyori thought Hikigaya would gloss over it, but he was surprised when the other party said something like that.

"Hmm... 'People, upon closer inspection, half of them are at the cultural festival enjoying the cool air.'"

His expression remained unchanged, as if he had only asked what he wanted to eat for lunch, but the entire classroom fell into a deathly silence.

What's wrong with this person...?

Kiyoshi gripped the pen tightly. Even she couldn't hide the astonishment on her face. If her previous hesitation was just a test, then this sentence was like a direct mockery, and an undisguised one at that.

Kiyoshi subconsciously looked at Hiratsuka Shizuka's expression. Her face, which usually showed a cheerful and bossy demeanor, was now as black as coal. Even Yukinoshita had a blank expression, her mouth slightly open and her eyes staring blankly in the direction of Hikigaya.

Something leaked from his heart, and before Qinglai could react, a burst of unrestrained laughter erupted beside him.

"Hahahaha! Genius, a true genius! So amazing! Hahaha—" Yang Nai's upper body was almost lying prostrate on the table. "Ugh, I can't take it anymore, my stomach hurts so much! Hahahaha!"

Haruno only stopped when Hiratsuka Shizuka nudged him with her elbow.

She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingers, coughing lightly to catch her breath. "Hmm! I think it's great! As long as it's fun, there's no problem!"

Kiyoyori glanced at Hinano, who was giving Hikigaya a thumbs-up.

This person was just here to watch the show, wasn't he?

As if sensing something, Yang turned her head and brought her lips close to Kiyori's ear.

"Look, Kiyori, even that Hachiman has made a move. Doesn't Kiyori have anything to say?"

Kiyoshi, however, pursed his lips tightly, pretending not to hear.

She glanced at Yukinoshita, who was sitting at the front of the classroom. Yukinoshita seemed to have just come to her senses as well. She stared at Hachiman with interest, then covered the corners of her slightly upturned mouth with the meeting minutes in her hand.

A slight pain came from my palm.

"Hachiman...explain this."

Shizuka Hiratsuka, with a stern face, demanded that Hikigaya explain his slogan.

Hachiman seemed to have anticipated this, so he propped himself up with both hands, his left hand resting on his right.

“Please think about this, we often say that the word ‘human’ means mutual dependence, but actually it’s just one person relying on another,” still a twisted argument that sounds very reasonable at first glance, “I think the concept of ‘human’ lies in the tacit acceptance and tolerance of sacrificing some people. Doesn’t this fit the executive committee of this cultural festival?”

Kiyoyori noticed that Hiratsuka Shizuka's serious expression turned into one of helplessness.

Kiyoshi also sensed that something was amiss.

"Sacrifice? Please explain in more detail."

Hikigaya pointed at himself and said, "I'm being incredibly self-sacrificing, being forced to work like an idiot, and it's all stuffed into my head by other people. Is this what Committee Member Zhang meant by 'mutual assistance'? At least I haven't been helping anyone, so I'm not really sure."

It sounded more like a complaint than a genuine complaint.

Contrary to Kiyoyori's assumption, Hikigaya did not intend to mock the members, led by Sagami, who were not working diligently. Instead, he made himself the target of everyone's criticism. Was he trying to turn himself into the common enemy of the other committee members?

Because of Hikigaya's explanation, a murmur arose again in the classroom. Everyone looked at Sagami, and then at Yukinoshita sitting next to Sagami, waiting to see how she would punish the person who made such a joke.

Yukino quickly covered her entire face with the meeting minutes, revealing only her slightly trembling shoulders. Her back, which was curled up and almost pressed against the table, bounced up and down. Suppressed laughter softly escaped from behind the meeting minutes, piercing the eardrums of some people.

It was a rather bizarre scene. Amidst the silence of everyone else, Yukinoshita seemed amused by the joke, her eyes slightly reddening, her clear gaze filled with an unyielding smile as she stared directly into Hachiman's eyes.

Her red lips seemed about to part slightly, and the corners of her mouth still held an undeniable curve.

Kiyoshi tapped his index finger lightly on the table, but his eyes were unfathomable.

P.S.: I'm sorry I didn't manage to make up for the chapter I owed. I don't know why, but I just couldn't muster the energy to write this weekend. I'm guilty. I'm going to the hospital tomorrow, and I'll bring my computer with me. At least until the surgery, there will still be daily updates. If there's a break in updates, please check my announcements.

Chapter 31, Section 253: This is not a cultural festival for you alone.

Hachiman said he would show them what it truly means to change the world, but that's a lie.

It all started in an effort to help Yukinoshita, who was nearly overwhelmed by work. So, they were all deceived. Kiyoyori left behind documents to help Yukinoshita with the cultural festival because he wanted to lighten her burden. Hachiman chose to stir up the discontent of the other members in this way, using himself as bait to unite them.

But this is wrong.

All of these premises are based on the premise that the snow is right.

But what she did was wrong, no, it was wrong. But neither Kiyoyori nor Hikigaya knew what was right, so their help also went in the wrong direction.

The mistake began from the moment this commission was accepted, from the moment Yukinoshita stubbornly took it on in her own name.

Because, from the very beginning, Yukino Yukinoshita didn't know how to help Sagami.

Sagami is indeed unworthy of her position, but she is merely a pawn who mistakenly believes she has developed self-awareness. The game began the moment she stepped into the Service Club.

The chess player seemed to be waiting for something.

"Aren't you going to make a move?"

The chess player asked about the chess pieces.

"Shouldn't you ask me what I want you to do?"

The chess piece countered with a question.

"I'm waiting for you, little Qinglai."

Qinglai interlaced his fingers, gripping his knuckles tightly.

Since Hikigaya-senpai started it, let her finish it.

Yukinoshita-senpai, please take good care of me.

..................................................................

Before Yukinoshita could speak, a voice that was unfamiliar to most of the committee members suddenly spoke.

"Inspired by this senior, I also came up with a slogan that is very relevant to the current situation."

Qinglai had a cold smile on his lips, but there was no smile in his eyes.

Yukino quickly composed herself, put down the meeting minutes, and revealed her slightly flushed cheeks from trying to suppress her laughter. She looked at Kiyoshi with suspicion, wondering what kind of trouble he was up to at a time like this.

A brief commotion broke out in the classroom, probably as people discussed who this unfamiliar first-year student was and why he had suddenly appeared at the committee meeting.

Yukinoshita slightly raised her hand. "Please speak."

"So, the cultural festival is actually just one person shining brightly."

The atmosphere wasn't as stiff as it had been when Hikigaya finished speaking. Many members thought Kiyoyori was just imitating Hikigaya's bad joke and didn't take it to heart. But they couldn't see the seriousness in Kiyoyori's eyes. Only Yukinoshita, who was looking directly at Kiyoyori, knew.

This person is serious.

This is not a joke, and it's not for any ulterior motive.

She was genuinely mocking the committee.

“Oh my,” Haruno squinted her eyes with delight, as if she had seen something very interesting, “Kiyori is really…”

Sometimes it can be quite surprising.

From Kiyori's perspective, she couldn't see Hiratsuka Shizuka's expression, but she could feel a very sharp gaze, as if it could pierce through all her pretenses.

But now, Kiyori only has Yukino Yukinoshita in his eyes.

The smile vanished completely, and the Ice Queen, who seemed capable of suppressing everyone with her aura, returned.

"Please explain."

"It was just a sudden feeling," Kiyoyori said without backing down in the face of Yukinoshita's fierce gaze. "The word 'masses' literally means two more people than 'people,' which means many people."

"Just like everyone else here."

Yukinoshita couldn't figure out what this person was thinking, so she frowned and listened quietly.

"But in the character for 'crowd,' only one person stands at the top. She steps over the others and stands at the very top."

Kiyoyori shifted his gaze to Sagami, seemingly implying that Sagami was the one who stood at the very top of everyone's chairs.

“Many people are just others who have made sacrifices for that one person. For example, a glamorous idol has many staff members behind her who choose her clothes, select her jobs, and manage her public image. But people only remember the idol and don’t know about the people who work for her,” Qinglai shrugged. “But on the other hand, the idol can’t do without those staff members. Without these worker bees, the queen bee alone cannot succeed.”

"what do you want to say in the end?"

"It's very simple. From the beginning, the queen bee is no different from other ordinary worker bees. Ordinary worker bees can only enjoy royal jelly three or four days after hatching into larvae. But if one of them is lucky enough to enter the queen cell, it can enjoy royal jelly for its entire life. Luck is part of strength, and I think courage is too."

"I heard that the selection of committee chiefs this time is mainly based on self-nomination. So, the senior Sagami who has the courage to nominate herself as committee chief is the queen here. She can manage all the other members below her and can also enjoy her own royal jelly. But those who don't have the courage are not qualified to enjoy the same treatment as the queen, right?"

"I think the Queen would be quite troubled if the worker bees didn't work, Sagami-senpai?"

Confused by what he had just said, Xiang vaguely echoed his sentiment.

Yukinoshita, standing beside her, had a cold expression.

"Even if this queen is just a puppet without real power in a constitutional monarchy."

Realize it quickly, Yukinoshita-senpai, the one in the wrong is you.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression froze, including Yukino's.

Yukinoshita suddenly remembered the day she came to Sagami. Kiyoyori had unintentionally mentioned the word "Queen." She thought he was just referring to Sagami's attitude, but he was actually referring to her own stance.

"Worker bees should just work diligently and support the queen bee, instead of thinking about how to replace her. If you want to become the queen bee, just have the courage from the beginning. Don't do things that don't match your status. Even if Sagami-senpai said that everyone should pay attention to their class's cultural festival activities, that is not a reason to leave your post without permission."

Kiyoshi said this with a hidden meaning.

She seemed to be reprimanding the other members who abandoned their jobs to do "unproductive" things, but in reality—