546 - I Was Genderswapped and Reincarnated as a Villainess, but I’m Making this My Personal Yuri Game

### Chapter 546: "A New Year's Challenges" The information Sakura provided this morning is somewhat disconcerting. Although I've been reassured there's no real harm or evidence, implying that everyone should stay calm, it's hard not to be bothered when you're told you're being targeted by someone unknown or secretly slandered behind your back. Even with the spirit and memories of an adult man from my past life, it's still unpleasant to be resented or harassed by someone I've never met. Why would someone named Sumire Sakamoto be spreading rumors about me or engaging in these petty acts? Given that the Sakamoto family is a branch family serving the Ichijou clan, it must be at Ichijou's behest... I can't be certain how much of their feelings toward me are genuine, but if an order comes from their main house, a member of a branch family has no choice but to comply. Logically, that Sakamoto Sumire shouldn’t want to pick a fight with the Gokita family's scion. There’s even a risk of 'disappearance' if you overstep your bounds. If the Gokita family wished, vanishing five or ten people wouldn’t be difficult. Even as a branch family, they're not much different from ordinary people in the eyes of the Gokita family. If I were in her place, I'd hesitate to approach such adversaries. The extent of harassment, falsehoods, and rumors remains unclear, with no evidence to prove such allegations. It wouldn't be right to blame someone based on assumptions. Ibuki would probably recklessly charge in, never offering an apology even when realizing the error. He can afford such actions simply because he's from the Gokita family, but I refuse to follow that path. Frankly, I'm quite curious, but I can't pressure someone based solely on Sakura's information. For now, I'll need to keep an eye on Sumire Sakamoto while gathering more information. "Sakuya, let's head to the dining hall." "Sakuya-sama, hurry, hurry!" "Alright, alright. Azami, no need to pull so hard; lunch isn't going anywhere." Lunchtime arrived as I pondered over these matters. We made our way to the dining hall as usual, but today, it wasn’t the same as other days. "Oh my gosh! It's Kujou-sama!" "Thank you so much for the wonderful concert the other day!" "Please let us hear you again soon!" "Ahaha..." Up until now, it seemed like others only watched us from a distance, but today was different. People called out to us from all directions, making it difficult to move forward. Since no insults were thrown, it was tough to dismiss or ignore them. "I heard Kujou-sama was involved in creating this dining hall." "They say even the menu revamps and new system were Kujou-sama's ideas." "We’re incredibly grateful to Fujika Academy and Kujou-sama for funding such delicious meals for free!" "But, I’m worried about not finding meals as good as these after graduation." "Oh my!" "Ahaha" "Hehe..." Hmm... it seems I'm being praised quite highly. While those within higher social and internal circles knew of my involvement in the dining hall renovations and reforms, others either didn’t believe it or never really paid attention to remember it. If internal students are like this, external ones were likely even less informed until they heard about it during the recent small hall opening performance. The dining hall is primarily used by branch families and general students; the elite families’ children seldom visit. So, while the core of those aware of its inner workings were from the higher families, the main users, the children from branch families and below, were uninformed. Their surprise at hearing the truth during recent speeches was understandable. "Hmph! You probably just got help from your family, the Gokita, to pour money into this! Don’t you guys think that’s the case too?" "Uh, um..." "Well... I think..." Among our peers, a group seemed intent on making snide remarks intentionally loud for us to hear. With only the ringleader vocalizing these opinions, others in the group appeared hesitant, diverting their eyes and staying vague with their responses. The leader, distinct from Shion, had a sharp face, suggesting a stern personality despite the general nature of jumping to conclusions based on appearances. She was small and slender—I didn’t recognize her face... wait, could this be...? Yes, this was the same individual whispering during our advancement ceremony when the first-year students introduced themselves. I vaguely recall them mumbling about how I acted superior because of my seniority. Could this be Sumire Sakamoto? "Who’s that girl?" "Speaking that way about Kujou-sama..." “—!?” “…” "Hmph, let's go!" "Ah, wait, Sumire-chan!" "Sakamoto-san..." Other students surrounding them glared, intimidating the group until they left quickly. The final comment confirmed that the leader was indeed Sumire Sakamoto. Maybe Sakura was right. Such overt disdain shown in my vicinity suggested she might hold antagonism towards not just me but our entire group. Yet, being so blatant with her comments means she’s not scheming behind our backs with rumors or falsehoods. One thing is clear, though—she isn't an ally. Well, Sakuya-sama stands out, naturally attracting many detractors. With any person who gets attention or is popular, detractors follow. It’s a common misconception, often made by media and celebrities, that just because someone gets significant hate, it doesn’t imply they’re unpopular. Majority support sometimes cultivates visible detractors too, contrasting with those who are merely disliked and surrounded by criticism. Claiming that having many detractors is a mark of popularity while keeping chronically criticized figures in TV shows only reflects foolishness. Using controversy as a strategy, believing that any publicity—even negative—is better than being ignored, is a grave mistake. The vast majority of people genuinely hate such figures. Being a subject of criticism or having a bad reputation on daytime talk shows does not equate to popularity. It's simply indicative of general public disdain. The programs and networks that misconstrue this, continuing to feature such hosts, are witnessing declining viewership. Instead of recognizing the decline in viewership as a result of the host's unpopularity or flawed programming, they mistakenly attribute it to more people engaging with the internet and social media. Until they abandon such misconceptions, the television industry will struggle to recover. Pervasive biased opinions, slanted reporting, selectively omitting inconvenient truths, illegal investigations violating laws, and inconsiderate actions toward subjects and their surroundings, coupled with a sense of entitlement that justifies criminality for a scoop—such corrupt practices have no self-cleansing mechanism and must change for media to have a future. Otherwise, it might be better if they collapsed entirely. Even though Sakuya-sama has numerous detractors, one shouldn't mistakenly view this as proof of popularity. In her case, the overwhelming number of detractors suggests genuine unpopularity. It's crucial to remember this—to avoid misunderstanding the situation. "It seems that girl is Sumire Sakamoto." "I’ve memorized her face. Sakuya-sama, rest assured. By tomorrow, these troubles will be gone!" "Hey!? Azami, no! You can't do anything reckless, okay? And you must promise to refrain from any action now!" Azami seemed alarmingly agitated. Her expression hinted at a dangerous intensity, as if she might actually consider eliminating Sumire Sakamoto from the scene. "In any case, let's focus on gathering information first. I will make a decision thereafter, so please be careful not to take any hasty actions." "Okay..." Azami's fervency could potentially lead to something rash, so a stern warning was necessary. Usually, I wouldn’t go this far, but this time I felt uneasy. Even after stating this clearly, I wondered what would happen if she overstepped. From what I saw, the issue didn’t seem overly problematic. Many others probably shared such vague negativity and gossip. Perhaps Sumire Sakamoto only stood out by chance. Nevertheless, since Sakura had mentioned it, I would keep an eye out and gather information. This seemed a reasonable approach for now. In preparation, I mentally adjusted my schedule for after school departure plans. --- Once school ended, instead of heading to the Gokita Society Salon, I went alone to the senior division. As the saying goes, "It takes a snake to catch a snake," and it's best to entrust information and behavioral investigations to suitable individuals. The Kujou family connections or financial resources could indeed hire capable professionals. However, involving my parents would necessitate explaining the situation to gain authorization and funding. Without certainty, asking my parents, "Could you hire someone to investigate Sumire Sakamoto, who might be spreading rumors about me?" could lead to drastic consequences for the Sakamoto family. Involving my parents demands absolute seriousness far beyond jokes or falsehoods designed to defame others. Given the stakes involved, I first needed to ascertain accurate information myself before relying on others. Arriving at the senior division, the key individual was absent from the clubroom. She ran a 'Photo News Broadcast Club' alone there, despite the existence of separate photo, news, and broadcast clubs—demonstrating significant initiative and capability, earning administrative approval for her establishment. Even though less than two weeks had passed since she joined the senior division, her promptness and authority to make this happen was commendable. However, she wasn’t in the clubroom. Perhaps she was out on a reporting assignment? Retrospectively, I wished I had contacted her beforehand. Admittedly, assuming she would be present in the clubroom was naive; it would’ve been prudent to send a message through email or chat ahead of time. After inquiring, I learned from another student that An had drawn quite a bit of attention and questions post-concert and made new friends. Whether she appreciated the attention was unclear, yet others mentioned that she was currently called to the back of the school building. A strange, unshakable sensation urged me to check this out immediately. Following a hunch, I went to the back of the school building, feeling that something unsettling was about to unfold. Given the manner in which the information came to me, I wondered if there were also onlookers observing the scene. Yet no one else was around. Apparently, some male companions were deterring others from approaching. By a stroke of luck or perhaps oversight, I had slipped through unnoticed as they seemed preoccupied with driving away other curious students. Approaching the wooded area beyond the building, I overheard voices. As anticipated, An had been summoned here by a boy. His intentions seemed transparent—only one possibility came to mind. The mere thought caused a pang in my heart. "Imabari-san, would you consider going out with me?" "No... as I said, I am not interested..." An's response sounded off. The boy seemed to be cornering her amongst the trees and shrubs. Clearly uncomfortable, An was trying to refuse him, but the persistence continued. "Why reject me, Imabari-san? Are you so foolish as not to understand the weight of my proposal?" "Well... I have no intention of associating with Shindo-sama..." Despite An's obvious refusal, the boy pressed on, becoming increasingly domineering, perhaps revealing his true character. "The daughter of the Imabari family rejects the eldest son of the Shindo family, a distinguished branch under the Konoe family?" exclaimed Shindo Iigiri, the boy at the core of the influential Shindo family. "Ah!" Startled by the sudden aggression, An flinched. The Shindo family is known for its prestige under the Konoe family's direct management, boasting an exquisite rank and stature. In contrast to the Imabari family, their lineage and social standing are imposing. Faced with this, she seemed left with little option but to comply. "Are you under some delusion? Do you really think someone like me genuinely likes someone like you? I'm saying I'll use you as my girlfriend because you're close to the Kujou family and their faction! You actually believe we're going out? The Imabari family should simply obey my orders!" "N-no!" Shindo Iigiri was about to raise his hand against An. I couldn't just watch any longer. If it had been a simple confession, I wouldn't have intervened, but this was different. I couldn't let this go. "Stop right there!" "Huh?" "S-Sakuya-sama..." As I stepped out from the shadows, Iigiri twisted his face into an ugly sneer directed at me. An, who usually calls out to me with a bright and cheerful "Sakuya-tan," was now looking at me with tears in her eyes, calling out "Sakuya-sama" in distress. To think this man's actions and words could provoke such a look and voice from An... This man, Shindo Iigiri, what should I do with him?