A youth story of a passerby at the end of the world

Chapter 94: The Price

"So what do you need us to do?" Uesugi Genshin asked directly, without beating around the bush.

"Huh?" This was something Hayasaka Ai hadn't expected. The other party was so decisive, and the tone of their voice suggested that they had already achieved their goal.

She quickly organized her thoughts. "Ah, well, if we could provide some of the food."

This is also why Kaguya sent her here—to share the burden of her beloved, President Shirogane. She secretly sent her to such a far place, while the others are basically located near the city center, and at most, no further east than Funabashi City.

"How do we get it there? The road is blocked."

"If there is a boat, that would be best. If not, we will do our best to clear any land obstacles from Tokyo to Funabashi City."

"I see. So what can we get here?" There's no problem with the ships; there are several transport ships at the new port, artificially moored.

“It’s a fair exchange.” Hayasaka Ai nodded in agreement, then suddenly remembered something and looked at the watch on the inside of her wrist. “Could I go back to get something? It’s on the motorcycle.”

"Okay." He agreed.

After Hayasaka Ai left, Yukino Yukinoshita, who was sitting at her desk, asked in confusion, "What are you thinking? You made that promise so easily. That's rare."

"Ah~, perhaps you're only doing this because she's a cute girl, senpai?" Iroha Isshiki thought the girl had a very delicate appearance, and even felt that she wasn't a pure Japanese, but rather of mixed race, with fair skin that even she envied.

Hachiman, standing behind him, suddenly felt there was a slight possibility that it might actually be true.

“This is slander,” Uesugi Genshin said, shaking his head.

"What I value is the other party, Shirogane Miyuki, the student council president of Shuchiin Academy. I have heard that he rose from a mixed academy to become the student council president of a pure academy based solely on his personal strength, and he is arguably the only one who has firmly established his position. The few previous student council presidents of mixed academies were all ousted midway through their tenures."

"Um... what is a mixed-age or pure-age dorm?" Isshiki Iroha raised her hand high.

Genshin Uesugi explained, "Students who go straight from kindergarten to high school based on their family background are called 'junin' (pure school), while those who enter middle school based on their grades are called 'mixed school' (mixed school). There is a hierarchy of contempt among them."

"Hey~, that guy, that guy named Shirogane, he's really something." Hachiman praised him from behind. What kind of methods and charm did this guy have to lead that group of arrogant rich kids and government officials as an outsider? It was like Napoleon leading France.

Uesugi Genshin looked up from the sofa and said, “Exactly, that’s what I valued. They’ve also established themselves in the apocalypse, and like us, they’re a school group.”

"I understand." Yukino Yukinoshita put down her teacup as if she finally understood and said, "Then I'll leave it to you to do."

“Yes, that’s my plan.” Since neither of the two people at the center of power in the room had any objections, Uesugi Genshin continued to act according to his plan.

After a while, Hayasaka Ai returned. "I'm back."

When she returned, she was carrying something that looked like a radio—no, it really was a radio.

She fiddled with the radio on the table, constantly adjusting the frequency. "This is a modified radio with higher power, capable of receiving signals from farther away. I think the timing should be just right."

Then a sound came from the radio.

"...School. To reiterate, this is Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Educational High School. We have now gathered over 3000 evacuees. In five days, the nearby Self-Defense Forces will be conducting a rescue operation using helicopters. Survivors in the vicinity, please proceed here if possible. The entrance is located in... Nishisuna 5-chome, Koto Ward. Please move quietly along the main road. This announcement will be broadcast at noon and 5 PM. Survivors, please inform each other and proceed to Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Educational High School together. Do not give up. To reiterate, this is..."

"..." It wasn't about Shuchiin. Uesugi Genshin initially thought it was some kind of broadcast from Shuchiin, but upon listening...

"Advanced Educational High School?" Yukino Yukinoshita rested her finger on her chin. "I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before."

Ai Hayasaka explained: "It is an artificial island located in Tokyo Bay. There are only two roads connecting the island to Tokyo, so it is very safe. Although it is named after Tokyo, it is actually a national school, but the facilities are very complete due to the large amount of investment."

"What does this mean?" Uesugi Genshin asked, puzzled.

Hayasaka Ai patted the radio and said, "Shuchiin Academy, which is also a private school, is also a school with substantial financial support. If you need any electronic equipment, we can provide it and also provide a server to help reconfigure and establish Soubu High School's intranet."

“Hmm…, deal.” Uesugi Genshin agreed immediately. “And I hope to form an alliance with Shuchiin.”

Hayasaka Ai's eyes widened. She really hadn't expected the other party to be so decisive. Was this reckless? Her own actions were based on the premise that she had obtained enough information to make it seem legitimate, so what was the other party's basis? Did they trust them so much? They even said it was because that boy named Aki Tomoya was with them that they chose to trust them.

"I am not authorized. Could you please discuss this with President Shirogane in person?" Hayasaka Ai politely declined for the time being. In fact, she was only Kaguya's personal messenger and had no authority to decide matters concerning Shuchiin.

How do we negotiate?

"..." She felt embarrassed to say it aloud, "President Shirogane is currently overwhelmed with food problems and simply can't leave, so..."

"Should I go to Tokyo myself?" Uesugi Genshin leaned forward on the sofa, his hands resting on his knees.

"Yes, I am truly sorry." Hayasaka Ai bowed deeply, and her breasts bounced slightly, even though they were padded, it felt so natural.

"Then let me ask you, are you an envoy sent by the student council on behalf of President Shirogane, or are you simply here on someone's behalf?"

"Ah... please forgive me for keeping this a secret." Hayasaka Ai chose to avoid the question. Of course, she didn't think the other party would guess that her master was Kaguya Shinomiya. Perhaps it was just a personal request from President Shirogane.

“I see.” Uesugi Genshin nodded, which in itself was an answer.

"So do you think the alliance can be reached?" Although his original plan was to go to Tokyo, if the other party's attitude was unclear, there was no need for him to lower himself and take a detour to negotiate.

"Please rest assured, if the alliance is beneficial to both sides, it will certainly be reached." A very skillful rhetoric, isn't it? A statement that benefits both sides.

"I have a feeling that we're at a disadvantage," Uesugi Genshin chuckled softly. "It seems that your sincerity hasn't been shown much beyond the non-essential electronic devices?"

In response to Uesugi Genshin's question, Hayasaka Ai placed her hand on her chest and assured him, "If there's anything we can do, we'll fulfill Soubu High's request."

“In the end, we probably lack understanding and trust,” Uesugi Genshin pondered. “How about this, if both sides send envoys to each other as a basis for mutual trust and a link to build mutual understanding and trust, and I hope that Ms. Hayasaka can stay at Soubu High School as an envoy of Shuchiin, then I will consider going there in person to discuss the matter.”

Ah, this person... Hachiman thought to himself, he had just praised her for being beautiful.

“Me?” Hayasaka Ai pointed to herself. “I’m terrified. It’s a good suggestion, but I’m no longer capable of taking on such an important mission.”

She may want to achieve this, but that doesn't mean she'll sell herself off to them.

"No, just the fact that she can go to Chiba alone shows that Ms. Hayasaka's strength is already outstanding. I personally hope that Ms. Hayasaka can strengthen the Shuchiin side on her own."

"Hmm... if I don't agree, then what about the food...?" Hayasaka Ai hesitated, a hint of unease showing on her usually calm face.

"Well, you didn't want to either... cough cough, no, I mean." Uesugi Genshin coughed a few times, almost blurting out a scene from a different play...

“No, but we have paid a huge price on our side, and Shuchiin should leave behind enough hostages to prove that they value the strength of our Soubu High School and respect the alliance between the two sides.” Uesugi Genshin made his thoughts clear.

But to Hayasaka Ai, this was a very reluctant answer.

After all, it was just as he said, so she came here with the idea of ​​giving it a try, without expecting to achieve any substantial conditions at the beginning. But things have progressed to this point and everything seems to be going very smoothly.

In the end, she came back to the question that she cared about most at the beginning: whether the other party trusted Shuchiin, who was behind her.

Logically, a qualified leader should be completely unaware of the Shuchiin organization and be wary of an unfamiliar group. Kaguya learned about Uesugi Genshin's true nature through multiple rounds of questioning from Aki Tomoya, which ultimately led to her trip to Chiba.

Kind and approachable, confident and strong, radiating brilliance—all these praises were bestowed upon this person by Aki Tomoya, which was the premise for her to believe that he was a good person and could be approached.

"Phew... I personally have no problem, but regarding this matter, I'd like to go back and discuss it with my sister, is that alright?" Hayasaka Ai sighed in relief. She'd better go back and discuss it with Kaguya-sama first.

As for his younger sister... Uesugi Genshin knew perfectly well what was going on.

"no problem."

Chapter 95: Kindred Spirits

"My treat."

Uesugi Genshin placed a pile of canned goods on the dining table and sat down opposite Hayasaka Ai.

The matter has been largely settled, and we will depart for Tokyo tomorrow.

"Wow, this is quite a feast! Do the students at Soubu High School eat this good food every day?"

Grilled eel, beef tongue, yakitori, ark shell with yuzu vinegar, and mussels in white wine.

Uesugi Genshin placed a can of mocha coffee in front of the other person, along with a handful of change on the table. "No, I said it was a treat, so I used my own money."

"You use a monetary system here?"

“Aren’t you?” Uesugi Genshin retorted.

"Because supplies were not sufficient, they were put under control and a temporary rationing system was implemented."

"Are we all the same?"

"Yeah, everyone's the same."

Actually, it's not the same. For example, Kaguya always wants to give the hardworking student council president Shirogane an extra meal, but he always stops her by saying that as the student council president, he should set an example. Then Kaguya just says things like, "Ah, as expected of the president," and swoons over him.

Really are......

"Eh~" Hayasaka Ai picked up her chopsticks, took a bite of eel, and said, "It tastes good. This is my first time eating it."

"Hey, what kind of family do you come from? Most ordinary families have eaten canned food before, right?" After all, Japan is a major producer of canned food.

"Mmm, this is delicious." Hayasaka Ai pretended not to hear and pointed at the ark shell with her chopsticks.

“Indeed, and yakitori is better than beef tongue,” Uesugi Genshin commented.

"This wine flavor is a bit strong." She pointed to the mussels, which were large but had a rather unpleasant taste.

"This is my first time trying this too. Hmm, you could say it tastes like an adult's." The alcohol flavor is indeed very strong.

"Pfft, what is it?" Hayasaka Ai laughed lightly, a slight ripple appearing on her calm face. Ah, it had been a long time since she had such a relaxed conversation.

She pointed to a spot not far behind Uesugi Genshin, "Oh, isn't that the secretary over there? I've seen him before."

Uesugi Genshin turned around to look, nodded, and replied, "Yes, it's Hachiman, that's right."

"This way of addressing you two, are you friends?" Hayasaka Ai looked at the four people at the table. The other three were a cool girl with a cold face, a quiet and cute girl with glasses, and a girl who looked very energetic. She was obviously, how should I put it, a "normie"?

“Yes, he’s a brother,” Uesugi Genshin said with a smile, his joy evident in talking about a friend.

"But it looks so enviable." That's why he really didn't want to eat with him.

Hayasaka Ai tilted her head. "Playing the field?" She had noticed the tension in the air long ago; it couldn't possibly be an ordinary relationship.

"No, I mean falling in love with someone, don't you think so?" Uesugi Genshin implied something by tacitly acknowledging their relationship.

"Yes, that's certainly enviable." Her mind wasn't on what she saw before her, but on the romance between Kaguya-sama and her beloved. Just watching it made her envious. If only she could fall in love with someone someday...

“But this is a completely different matter from that. This is practically juggling three relationships at once,” Hayasaka Ai retorted.

"Haha, that's my brother starting to try to trust others, and this happened at that stage. For someone who's used to staying at home, climbing a mountain is something to hesitate about."

Her liking for herself is a fatal delusion, a thought that shouldn't exist. Once this thought arises, the heart will fluctuate with changes in circumstances; conversely, the absence of this turmoil brings a serene peace.

"So what do you think?" This is clearly a moral issue that was not allowed in the past.

"Me? Ah, it doesn't really matter. Since someone's going to get hurt anyway, as long as Hachiman himself doesn't have any objections." Uesugi Genshin turned back to continue eating.

"I see, you're considering things from a guy's perspective. But if this drags on, won't the girl get more and more involved? Gentleness can be cruel too. It's better to end it quickly than to suffer for a long time. Your brother should make a clean break." Hayasaka Ai understood.

Uesugi Genshin looked up and said, "Perhaps, but if choosing itself is a form of harm, and the forces are mutual, then it's only natural that a sensitive heart would shrink back out of fear of being hurt."

"But is this a case of the onlooker seeing more of the game than the player?" Hayasaka Ai took one last look at the web woven together over there.

"right."

Hayasaka Ai was speechless.

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The canned fruit served after the meal comes from Kumamoto City, the city famous for its mascot Kumamon, and a phenomenal city that makes a fortune just by selling related merchandise.

"What are you going to do later?" Hayasaka Ai asked him.

"Feed the horses."

So Hayasaka Ai chose to follow him, so that she could learn more about the man and provide information to Kaguya-sama later.

"Wait, Isshiki, I need to talk to you." Uesugi Genshin called out to Isshiki Iroha, who was walking ahead and heading back.

"What's wrong, senior?" She walked over with an inexplicable joy on her face, like a little deer leaping through the forest.

"Well, I have something to ask you while I'm away." Uesugi Genshin led the way, with Isshiki Iroha following beside him, while Hayasaka Ai remained invisible behind, though her gaze never left the man.

"Could you please look after my horse for me?"

Upon arriving at the grassy area beside the building, Xuanju was tethered to a tree to prevent it from running away. Below it was a bucket, which was only half full of water.

“No problem.” Isshiki Iroha raised her small hand above her head, indicating that she should take care of it.

"Hey, isn't that Uesugi?" someone exclaimed from the side. Looking over there, we saw Miura Yumiko and Yuigahama Yui.

"Hey there~, it's Xuan and Iroha." Yui Yuigahama waved.

"Ah, hello, Yui-senpai and Miura-senpai." Iroha Isshiki greeted them with a smile.

Yumiko Miura walked straight over. "What's wrong?"

"Hmm~, I want to teach Isshiki how to feed horses, because I'm leaving for Tokyo tomorrow."