A House of Gold in Books

Class 2-B.

On a clear afternoon, a gentle breeze carried away a trace of warmth.

Fujino, dressed in his school uniform, sat by the window with a math textbook clutched tightly in his hands.

His eyes rapidly swept over the words on the pages. Like streams of light, they flowed into his mind.

At the same time, his Student Proficiency was increasing at a visible rate.

"Natural Scholar really is a terrifying skill."

During a brief pause, Fujino glanced at the proficiency for his Student profession.

In just half a day, he had already gained seventy-five proficiency points.

That was right. He was sitting here reading solely to increase his Student Proficiency.

Natural Scholar was a skill that boosted learning ability by 100%.

In just one day, he had already learned more than half the material in the math textbook in his hands.

As he acquired knowledge, his Student Proficiency steadily increased as well.

As long as his proficiency reached two hundred, he could raise his Student Level.

With an increase in Student Level, Student Discount could also be upgraded.

In other words, he was not reading books. He was reading money!

The ancients had not lied—books truly contained houses of gold!

"Ran, Senior Fujino has been sitting there all day, hasn't he? He's been holding that math book the entire time. Do you think something happened to him?"

Not far away, Sonoko looked over Fujino, who was reading by the window, and asked Ran.

"I think so..."

Ran stared at Fujino. "He didn't even eat lunch."

"This can't go on."

Sonoko muttered, then said uneasily, "Could Senior have suffered some kind of mental shock? He hasn't come to school in so long, after all..."

"Sonoko!"

Ran called out to Sonoko reproachfully before looking back at Fujino.

She furrowed her brows, unable to understand Fujino's behavior.

Remembering how Fujino had fainted from intense exercise before, she nodded. "Sonoko, you're right. This really can't continue. With Senior's body, if this keeps up, he'll definitely pass out again like last time!"

Sonoko frowned. "Then what should we do?"

"Let's find Teacher Hiratsuka!"

"Right. If it's Teacher Hiratsuka, she'll definitely have a solution."

Hearing Ran's words, Sonoko nodded.

After all, in her impression, Hiratsuka Shizuka was the person at Teitan High School who understood students' everyday psychological issues best. Usually, if normal persuasion did not work, she simply took matters into her own hands and corrected them with her iron fists.

Her nickname was: the Iron Fist Saintess, soul mentor.

A moment later.

Fujino put down his book, stretched deeply, and let out a lazy yawn.

Honestly, it was his first time feeling that studying could be enjoyable.

When there were tangible rewards to gain, learning knowledge felt completely different.

Rolling his sore shoulders, Fujino was just about to stand when he saw Hiratsuka Shizuka beside him, staring intently at him.

"Teacher Hiratsuka... why are you here?"

Fujino looked at Shizuka and gave an awkward smile.

"So, you've been sitting here reading all day?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka glanced at the math book on Fujino's desk. "What are you up to this time?"

"I just wanted to do some reviewing."

Fujino looked at Hiratsuka Shizuka in surprise, his tone growing somewhat heavier. "Is there a problem with that, Teacher Hiratsuka?"

He could not figure out what this violent beauty was trying to do.

It was not okay if he did not study, but it was not okay if he studied for too long either.

That was why he could never understand what girls were thinking.

"You... come with me to the staff room!"

With that, Hiratsuka Shizuka dragged Fujino out of the classroom.

At first, Fujino thought he had said something wrong and that this violent woman was about to give him a few punches.

But when she opened the door to the rooftop, Fujino breathed a sigh of relief.

"So, Teacher Hiratsuka, why did you bring me to the rooftop?"

Fujino gave her a deadpan look as he gazed out at the scenery from the roof.

"What exactly is going on with you right now?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka turned to Fujino. "Why have I heard from other students that you're having a particularly difficult time?"

"Is that why you usually don't come to school?"

"Well..."

Fujino scratched the back of his head. "It's mainly because of property taxes. They're one million five hundred thousand yen a year. After everyday expenses, I don't have much money left. My usual commissions aren't stable either, so I can only put school matters aside."

"I see..."

Hiratsuka Shizuka's eyes gradually darkened as she saw the faint loneliness and sorrow in Fujino's heart.

He must have been devastated when his parents died, right?

That kind of pressure on a high school student was simply...

In any case, he must be living a painful life now.

Thinking of that, Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed, gently patted Fujino on the shoulder, and comforted him. "You must be feeling terrible inside right now..."

Fujino was somewhat baffled by her words.

After scratching the back of his head, he replied calmly, "I wouldn't say that. I'm already used to it."

At that moment, Hiratsuka Shizuka hesitated. "Then, would you like me to support..."

"Hey! Stop right there!"

Fujino frowned, sensing that something was wrong.

Good grief, was she trying to support him?

But why did that support feel a little off?

No, although Fujino loved money, he was definitely not the type to live off a woman.

Besides, this violent beauty was only a high school teacher. How much money could she possibly have?

And so, another ordinary day at school came to an end.

After a day of hard work, Fujino's Student profession proficiency reached one hundred.

That was already absurd. Previously, even if he slacked off at school for an entire day, he had only gained fifty.

The proficiency points he gained in one day now were nearly double what he had earned before!

But before that, he still had six hundred thousand yen in commission fees that he had not collected.

Yuko Ikezawa really needed to be taught a proper lesson.

Otherwise, Fujino himself would not feel right about it.

Who hired a detective to investigate something, then broke into the investigation target's home themselves?

That was pure distrust of him!

Late at night, at Fujino's home.

"So after accepting my commission, you accepted Yoko Okino's commission too?!"

Yuko Ikezawa sat on the sofa, shouting at Fujino in dissatisfaction. "I'm telling you, you detective really aren't professional enough! How could you accept a commission from the person you were investigating?!"

"You were the one who breached the agreement first!"

Fujino frowned and did not indulge Yuko Ikezawa, shouting right back at her. "Do you know that if it weren't for me, you would have been caught up in a scandal by now?!"

"What do you mean?"

"You should know exactly what I mean."

As he spoke, Fujino pulled an earring from his pocket and asked, "This earring is yours, right? I saw you wearing it when you came to hire me."

Seeing the earring in Fujino's hand, Yuko Ikezawa could not help but freeze.

How did the earring she had lost yesterday end up with him...

Could it be?