Classroom of the Elite: Houtarou Oreki

So his ability to unite and coordinate people was only a C.

That was why he had been assigned to Class B.

Then why had this junior, whom he considered so outstanding, been assigned to Class B from the start?

At the very least, her affability alone should have sent her straight to Class A.

So.

Nagumo felt that something was weighing on her mind.

If he could draw it out of her, he could close the distance between them.

And now.

After failing to badmouth Oreki to Asahina and the others, he decided to build some goodwill with this junior.

After all.

Some of the students from Class B, where Honami Ichinose belonged, had also taken part in Houtarou Oreki's shop-opening scam to cheat people out of Points, hadn't they?

And that was indeed true.

So there was no issue with bringing it up.

Besides.

The Class B juniors probably did not know this school's rules yet.

So this time, he would consider it support from a senior.

Nagumo thought to himself.

Just as he was thinking that, ding-dong.

"Welcome—"

Along with the server's greeting, Honami Ichinose arrived as promised.

Ichinose: But You're Not a Good Person, Senior!

"Senior Nagumo!"

Honami Ichinose arrived at the Cafe.

This was Nagumo's Yayunju.

Music played inside—the rather elegant Für Elise.

The atmosphere was quite nice.

It was also very classy.

Since this was his own shop, it was fine for him to use a little authority.

After all, he was meeting a cute girl, so Nagumo Miyabi naturally made an effort to present himself well.

Besides.

His intuition told him that Junior Ichinose might be a more suitable marriage partner than that Suzune who followed Oreki around.

And.

She was probably another top-tier beauty in their grade.

The freshmen were really good-looking.

Nagumo Miyabi thought to himself.

But as he watched Ichinose approach, he maintained a gentle smile.

"Junior Ichinose. We meet again." Nagumo Miyabi spoke gently, maintaining the demeanor of a senior.

"Thank you for helping me make my choice yesterday," Junior Ichinose said gratefully.

"Not at all. We came from the same middle school." Nagumo Miyabi ordered two cups of coffee. "After giving it some thought, I felt I could pass on some experience to you."

They were both Blue Mountain Coffee.

They were among the more expensive options in the shop. Since he wanted to pick up a girl, Nagumo was willing to spend.

Besides, it was his shop, so taking one or two cups of coffee would not cause any trouble.

However, Junior Ichinose did not drink hers.

So, maintaining the attitude of a senior looking after a junior, he told Ichinose the truth about this school.

Back when he had enrolled, he had discovered the school's true nature around the seventh day.

From then on, he had led his class in charging upward.

Finally, in their second year, they had officially climbed into Class A. They had also earned an absolutely safe class evaluation score, gained control over the entire second year, and become incredibly stable.

Therefore.

He did not believe for a second Oreki's claim that he could guide half the second-years into betraying him.

Thus, he planned to smear Oreki, that rival in love... pfft, that unlikeable junior.

Oreki was a student in Class A, while Ichinose was a student in Class B.

Both were first-years.

So they would inevitably have contact.

That meant Nagumo had quite a bit of work to do.

He had to improve Ichinose's impression of him while deepening her dislike for Oreki.

How would he do that?

He only needed to tell the truth.

Because it was not only students from Class C who had joined Oreki's shop-opening scam; some members of Class B had as well.

So it could affect Ichinose too.

But he could not start badmouthing him immediately.

Nagumo Miyabi had approached Ichinose as a backup option, though he also felt that seriously dating her might not be bad.

So he wanted to be serious about it.

He did not want this beautiful junior to see him as someone who liked talking badly about others.

So, maintaining a bright and dependable image, he told her the truth about the school—a truth their Homeroom Teacher would not reveal until two weeks later.

This school valued ability above all else.

The classes were ranked A, B, C, and D, but every class had the chance to climb higher. As long as its class evaluation score was high enough, even Class D could become Class A.

Of course.

That was what they said, but among the former students known so far, no one had managed such a feat.

And to Ichinose, this information...

"So that's how it is..."

Ichinose looked deeply remorseful.

"When we enrolled, I already felt that the school was being overly generous. I wondered whether there were rules or costs we hadn't noticed."

"But now the other classes have realized it, while our Class B has fallen behind."

"So if I had told everyone sooner, then perhaps things wouldn't have turned out like this—" Ichinose said self-reproachfully.

"Taking everyone's responsibility onto yourself isn't a good thing." Nagumo was immediately taken with this junior.

Of course, it was not her kindness and gentleness that he meant.

At this school, gentleness would not keep you alive.

Nagumo Miyabi, who had personally expelled a whole group of classmates who refused to obey him, understood that very well.

What moved him was the purity Honami Ichinose displayed.

That's right.

Purity.

Though she still knew nothing and was not particularly suited for this school, she was beautiful and kind—qualities perfectly suited to marriage.

That was what he wanted.

So.

"But it isn't too late yet."

"The Points at this school are extremely important. At the same time, only the Class A students who graduate in their third year can have the school's promises fulfilled."

"So even if you've fallen behind, you can still catch up in one burst."

"My class is an example of that."

Nagumo Miyabi continued, "Last year, I also enrolled as a Class B student. Then, after working hard with everyone, we rose to Class A."

"So we can support you, our fellow Class B students."

"Some students in your class participated in the shop-opening investment plan concocted by Houtarou Oreki of Class A."

"He definitely won't be able to keep that shop running."

"But my class runs this Cafe, so I can provide you with experience and strategies for cutting costs," Nagumo Miyabi said.

He laid out his plan.

Naturally, he pointed out that Houtarou Oreki was not a good person, but someone collecting Points.

Then.

He extended a hand of help—while in reality using a shop-opening plan to hollow out and bind first-year Class B.

He had the authority to open shops, so he could approve Class B opening one and offer them a friendly price.

They would definitely need a lot of Points at the start, but under his arrangement, Class B could borrow money or work hard to earn Points during exams.

In other words.

It looked like he was building Junior Ichinose's goodwill, but he was also using this shop to interfere with first-year Class B.

Because he would be their creditor.

Wouldn't the rookie Class B have no choice but to cling to him?

Then, once he obtained first-year Class B, wouldn't Junior Ichinose, who looked like an angel, fall right into his hands?

So this was an open scheme.

And a closed loop.

Nagumo was in a good mood.

Besides.

When he had first met Honami Ichinose, she had been troubled over what to choose for breakfast.

That showed she was someone who was not good at refusing others.

In that case.

The proposal he was making now seemed highly beneficial to the freshman Class B, so she would not stop it.

After all.

Ordinary students would not even have the chance to open a shop.

So he was giving up benefits on his side too.

Would Ichinose refuse at a time like this?

"..." Honami Ichinose.

Junior Honami Ichinose pressed her lips together, seemingly considering how to avoid hurting Senior Nagumo's feelings.

Because.