Chaoskouji

Chapter 11 - Negotiations

"The infamous secret leaking swindler. Yeah, I'm in Class D, what's that got to do with you?"

Kushida looked at me with surprise, as if asking, "How did you know?"

"Because he's limited to eating the free meals. It's not very tasty, is it?" I asked. He was eating the free vegetable meal set.

"What do you want? You're really irritating." He took his tray and made to stand, but I stopped him.

"I want to ask you something. If you listen, I'll show you my gratitude."

"Gratitude?"

The cafeteria's hustle and bustle drowned out my voice. The students were all engrossed in chatting pleasantly with their friends.

"Do you still have the problems from the midterm test from the first semester of your first year? Or, if not, do you happen to know someone from your class who does?"

"So, is this how you found out all your info, talking to seniors? Kinda disappointing." A fair assumption given the situation, but also rather insulting. To think I needed help figuring out rather obvious secrets

"It's possible." I wasn't going to correct his assumption. "Back to the point, do you have them."

"Do you even understand what you're asking?" he said.

"It's not particularly strange, is it? I didn't think it was against school rules to study using old test problems."

"Why are you asking me?"

"That's simple. I believed I'd have the highest chance of success if I worked with someone who doesn't have any points. Honestly, that free vegetable meal doesn't look good. Of course, things would be quite different if you actually liked eating the vegetable set. What do you think?"

"How much are you going to pay?"

"Ten thousand points. That's as high as I'll go."

"I don't have the old test problems, but...I know someone who does. If you want him to help you, though, you're going to need to offer at least 30,000 points. If you've got that, you're fine." He was smarter than he looked, recognising his position, and using it to barter up.

"30,000 is far too much for just some tests. It's not essential that I get them, I just wanted them to help out." This was a flimsy lie at best and anyone could see right through it.

"Bullshit. I know you've been scamming third years, some of my classmates lost points to you. You can afford that, so pay up."

"No, but I could always go ask someone else. There are plenty of other seniors I could go to." Of couse this was a bluff. The only ones I had contact with were Manabu, Kiryuuin and Asahina, all of which would ask for a favour in return, and I had no intention of being in debt to any of them.

"And what if I contact everyone in my grade and tell them there's a first year after the tests. We could lock down the price and charge whatever we want." Ok, it seemed his corporate monopoly fantasies had run wild. This conversation was going nowhere, so I nudged Kushida to intervene. This was why I had brought her after all.

"Please, senpai! I don't want any of my classmates to fail. We just want the tests, for a reasonable price~" As she said this, Kushida put on her best pout, and leaned herself forward slightly, showing off her large chest. She clearly knew how to use her body well to get what she wanted.

"Fine. I suppose I can take the price down. 20,00 points, final offer." That was an incredibly cheap price. I had been prepared to pay as much as 100,000 points for the tests, since the price itself was secondary and I had the points to spend. Being able to use the tests themselves was more valuable right now than any number of points.