An Unusual Group

"Ayanokoji, what are your plans after graduation?"

"Who knows? Maybe I'll become Prime Minister."

Hearing Ayanokoji's answer, Yuyuki chuckled softly.

Anyone else would surely have thought he was joking, but Yuyuki knew it was true.

Although Ayanokoji's father had already fallen from power, his political influence was still not to be underestimated. He truly had been raising Ayanokoji as Sakurajima's future Prime Minister.

Yuyuki mocked, "Living your whole life according to your father's arrangements—don't you feel unwilling to accept that?"

"Of course I do. That's why I escaped from that place."

Ayanokoji nodded woodenly.

Yuyuki even knew about his father's plans. It seemed the resources and intelligence the other party possessed far exceeded his imagination.

Hearing that answer, Yuyuki no longer had any interest in continuing to probe or guide him.

"I'm afraid that after graduation, Ayanokoji, you'll return to the White Room. What a sad thing that would be."

"Well... there's nothing I can do about that."

Ayanokoji did not refute him. Appropriately handing the initiative to the other party would instead allow him to gain more.

Once he left this school, that man would likely resort to any means necessary to drag him back to the White Room. Even something like breaking in and abducting him was entirely imaginable.

Yuyuki said teasingly, "How about this? During these three years at school, you work for me. After graduation, the Tenyo Family can guarantee that you won't have to return to the White Room."

"This... is certainly interesting."

Ayanokoji nodded, waiting for what Yuyuki would say next.

Yet inwardly, he did not believe a single word of it. The Tenyo Family was indeed very powerful, but his father was no weakling either. After all, he was a man who had nearly controlled Sakurajima through his own strength alone.

What that man feared was only the full force of the entire Tenyo Family being directed against him. Yuyuki's status as a young master of a prestigious family alone was not remotely persuasive.

Even if Yuyuki truly had that kind of ability, the head of the Tenyo Family likely would not allow him to act so recklessly. Offending a powerful enemy for the sake of a school classmate brought not any benefit.

Unless Yuyuki was the Sole Heir of the Tenmyouin Zaibatsu, it might be possible for him to fulfill that promise.

Ayanokoji did not think he was worth that much.

"If you put it that way, I'll take it as agreeing to cooperate." Seemingly seeing through his thoughts, Yuyuki explained calmly, "I really can't do it, and the Old Man at home wouldn't allow it either. But I can at least offer you protection. Until you make your own decision, that man definitely won't be able to interfere with you."

"That's enough. But my grades and Physical Ability are merely a bit better than average. I probably won't be much use, will I?"

Ayanokoji showed a rare hint of a smile, though it looked somewhat stiff. This was indeed something Yuyuki had the ability to accomplish.

The White Room would only keep records of the grades of Test Subjects like them, and he had always presented himself as someone poor at socializing. He did not possess the ability to coordinate D Class, so there was no problem with that explanation. In any case, he would first draw out Yuyuki's objective before discussing anything else.

"I know." A faint smile appeared at Yeyue's Mouth Corner. "So I won't make you do anything that makes you feel troubled. For now, just build a good relationship with Sudo and make sure he stops causing trouble for others. That shouldn't be difficult for the Sole Success Case of the White Room, should it?"

"Is that all?" Ayanokoji asked doubtfully. "Sudo is already an important friend of mine. Even if you hadn't said anything, I would have built a good relationship with him."

"Hm, that's true. Then stop holding back for now. Show your true ability and improve D Class's grades a little."

"That would be somewhat difficult. After all, for the past two months, people have had a very ordinary impression of me. If my grades suddenly improve, they might perceive something unusual."

"Don't overthink it, Ayanokoji. Take it slowly. Over half a year, improve your grades gradually in increments of ten points, and there won't be any problem at all, right?"

"That's true. I'll do my best. Is there anything else?"

"No. There might be something later. We'll talk then."

Hearing Yuyuki's answer, Ayanokoji was somewhat dissatisfied. They were all such trivial matters.

Ayanokoji said with some feeling, "As expected, Tenyo is the same as Horikita, isn't he? You also want to Promote to A Class?"

"Hm? That doesn't sound so bad either. After all, there aren't any downsides to Promoting to A Class." Yuyuki's eyes lit up.

"That's true... Then I'll head back first. Do you have my phone number, Tenyo?"

"I do. I got it from Little Kikyo."

"Is that so... See you tomorrow."

After returning to his room and closing the dormitory door, Ayanokoji stood on the spot with a blank expression.

As expected.

Nothing could be gleaned from his words. They were all vague, ambiguous nonsense.

He had originally thought Yuyuki was doing this either to Promote to A Class or for Horikita Suzune. Now, it seemed the odds were fifty-fifty, or perhaps both were true. It was even possible that everything he had seen was an illusion.

Not a single sentence Tenyo Yuyuki said could be trusted.

The problem was that Tenyo Yuyuki seemed like a domineering person. What kind of impact would the things he wanted to do have on him? Would there be danger? Or was that domineering attitude merely an act?

Outside the door.

Looking at Ayanokoji's dorm room, Tenyo Yuyuki's expression also turned indifferent.

Sudo was an important friend?

Bullshit!

Not a single thing Ayanokoji said could be trusted.

He was probably thinking about how to guard against him.

It would be fine if Yeyue had no influence on him, but if Ayanokoji sensed even the slightest danger, he would probably force Yeyue to drop out Without Hesitation.

More importantly, Yeyue knew the problem lay with himself as well. Neither of them could trust the other, so any conversation between them would be meaningless.

But laying his cards on the table with Ayanokoji was unavoidable.

If one wanted to hide their strength, Ayanokoji's method was naturally the best. But Yeyue had come to this school with a mission.

The more one did, the more mistakes one made. The less one did, the fewer mistakes one made. Do nothing, and make no mistakes.

The more he acted, the more openings he would reveal, the more accidents could happen. At some unknown moment, Ayanokoji might Perceive some clue from his actions and touch a nerve.

Those who treated everyone else as fools were the most foolish people in the world.

Even more troublesome was that

their actions might clash without either of them realizing it, causing internal friction and leaving openings for the other classes.

Rather than dealing with an Ayanokoji who hid in the shadows and acted however he pleased, it was better to lay everything out in the open.

Yeyue had come to uncover talent, while Ayanokoji had come to experience high school life.

Cooperation was the best choice.

It was just that cooperating with someone like Ayanokoji, who could not trust anyone, was somewhat difficult.

If anything went even slightly wrong, Kushida was someone who could not trust anyone, while Ayanokoji, when facing anyone—even a stranger—would scrutinize every word they used, ponder their true intentions, and give the response most suitable for the situation. It had already become a habit of thought.

Yeyue was not worried about being controlled by Ayanokoji either.

Just as he could not control Ayanokoji, Ayanokoji could not control him. Ayanokoji trusted no one, and neither did he.

Perhaps this was a natural result of reaching a certain level of knowledge or profit. The wealthy had very few true confidants.

This was beneficial to both sides; it was just that making Ayanokoji Be Obedient would be somewhat difficult.

When the time came, Ayanokoji might even be very willing to work for him.

Thinking back to the Original Work, Yeyue Cannot Help but reveal a strange smile.