2.
Even though I talk about setting traps and getting revenge, both my sister and I are students.
Although I’ve become a special lieutenants and could be considered a full-fledged soldier, socially I’m still just a boy about to turn 16. So no matter how much I try to act grown-up, to those with social status backing them, I’m just a dime a dozen kid.
…I intend to use that complacency to wipe out anyone who tries to mess with me.
To begin with, the Third Division faction trying to interfere with me is nothing but a declining faction in the eyes of others. Of course, just because the big shots died doesn’t mean their family assets disappear, so the rich remain rich. But those assets were only maintained because their associates had influence in the upper echelons of the military.
Having lost that influence, they’ll now only continue to eat away at the legacy they’ve accumulated.
It might last a few years. But that’s it. Knowing this, they’re in a rush to regain power.
I intend to take advantage of that impatience to set traps, but the problem is that I can’t fully predict how the power players who might lose their children or subordinates to these traps will react.
No, as I mentioned earlier, I didn’t think anyone would say “I got injured by a trap while trespassing. Take responsibility!” But my sister had a different opinion.
According to her, “There’s no need to tell the honest truth. Won’t they falsely accuse you, saying ‘We didn’t do anything but were attacked!’?”
Now that she mentions it, I can’t deny she has a point.
Even though they’re on the decline, in other words, they still possess power and wealth. For them, framing a child like me who has nothing would be easy.
That’s already the case, but if their subordinates or children get hurt, even if it’s their own fault, can we expect them to choose their methods carefully when they’re enraged? If asked, I’d have to say that possibility is extremely low.
It would be better if they resorted to forceful measures. We could just subdue them with violence. But if they come at us with social means of harassment or pressure, we’d have no way to resist except by ambushing the Third Division’s associates in a suicide attack.
If I did that, I think I could die satisfied, but my sister left behind would be treated as a criminal’s relative. That’s unacceptable.
So I thought about it. What’s the root cause of all this?
(Yeah. It doesn’t take much thinking.)
Conclusion: Everything is the fault of the Third Division’s associates. In other words, it would be fine if they just disappeared.
Sun Tzu said, “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
From the start, victory for me isn’t about trapping and defeating the opponent. It’s about not being messed with.
If they don’t hold a grudge and try to interfere, no one gets hurt. Once I realized this, things became simple. There’s someone around me who’s from the Third Division faction but we get along reasonably well, isn’t there?
“So, I want to avoid being attacked by the Third Division’s associates. Can you do something about it?”
“Asking me something like that so suddenly…”
The one who responded with a troubled expression is my classmate, Muto-san, a young lady from the Third Division faction whom I’ve become friendly enough with to have casual conversations over the past few months.
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If she, who must be getting attention from the faction for entering as the top student, could put a lid on them, she should at least be able to keep our classmates in check.
I think it’s a brilliant idea that would prevent harm to both sides, but somehow I can’t help feeling the response is rather lukewarm.
(Could it be that Muto-san is on their side too?)
“Well, even Saori would be troubled if you said that right after talking about killing with traps or ambushing in a suicide attack.”
As I was wondering if I should deal with this more seriously, Isotani-san, who had been listening to the conversation, chimed in with some support.
“Is that so?”
“It is.”
“Well… I suppose you’re right.”
It seems that’s how it is.
“Even if we say ‘Third Division faction’ as one word, there are various groups within it. …Is it okay for me to say this?”
“Yes. Please do. There are things I can’t say myself.”
“Alright then.”
I think it would be quickest to hear directly from Muto-san, but that would mean she leaked information about her own people. So it seems Isotani-san will explain instead.
I wonder if that’s really okay, but it seems like it might become troublesome if I interject, so I decide to keep quiet for now.
“Listen? First of all,’Third Division faction’ is not a monolithic group.”
“Oh ho.”
“First, there are the Muroguchi family’s associates and those who want them to be revived. In A-class, that’s Obata and Kasahara. About 70% of the Third Division faction belongs to this group.”
If I remember correctly, the ninth-ranked boy is the child of the former head Muroguchi General’s second son. And the fifth-ranked boy is his retainer.
Considering it’s a gathering of people who don’t want to be messed with by other factions, the large number makes sense.
“Then there are those who want families unrelated to the Muroguchi family to rebuild the Third Division. This is about 20%, I’d say?”
“That’s about right.”
“Hmm.”
It seems this faction mostly consists of families that have some relationship with the Third Division people while belonging to other factions, or families cooperating in the reorganization of the Third Division.
Looking at numbers alone, they might seem small within the Third Division faction, but since almost all external collaborators agree with this opinion, their actual influence is very strong.
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