Classroom of the Elite, but It's a Diary Style

With Arisu Sakayanagi's deliberate indulgence and Ryuen Kakeru's calculated offensive, the result was only natural.

The reason the three classes couldn't pull away from each other by a significant margin was simple.

Yamauchi Haruki was too cowardly.

The Behavioral Norms Exam recorded every detail under the surveillance cameras; to attack Class A through harassment or provocation in order to lower their evaluation would inevitably affect his own class's evaluation to some degree.

It wasn't that he couldn't use petty tricks to frame himself as a victim—such third-rate tactics were exactly what Ryuen excelled at.

However, in the first month of school, everyone was still in the phase of probing the school's bottom line. What kind of harassment the school would permit, and to what extent mutual attacks were allowed, were things that needed to be explored.

Considering his control over his class wasn't yet stable, Ryuen Kakeru didn't take any overly aggressive or direct actions.

Instead, he took a detour and approached Yamauchi Haruki.

He closed the distance, put an arm around his shoulders, and promised him great benefits.

He made Yamauchi the pawn to attack Class A, forcing Class D's points to drop as much as possible—the lower, the better.

It was just a pity that even after taking the money, Yamauchi remained Yamauchi; he only skipped classes and engaged in some small-time, nuisance-like harassment.

If not for Arisu Sakayanagi's indulgence, the original Class A would never have fallen.

As for why the original Class B, despite not being harassed, still failed to pull away from the classes below them and ended up with "only" 890 points...

Asakusa Toru had to be deducted points for skipping class on the first day, and the students in the class also needed to settle down from the excitement of the start of the school year during the first two days when information was released. It was impossible to go a whole month without a single point deduction. The result they achieved, after adding up all the scattered deductions, actually left the students in the class quite satisfied.

Class C went without saying. Even if they hadn't covered the cameras on the first day, their inherent discipline was just at that level. The fact that they managed to get 750 points only showed that the pressure Ryuen applied was high enough.

But in the month following the special exam, they were bound to slack off.

...Of course, none of this mattered to Asakusa Toru.

Class points, being in Class A or not—none of it affected him in the slightest. If it weren't for the sake of pretending to be a normal student, he wouldn't bother wasting his time here.

But wasting time was one thing; asking him to cheer and celebrate loudly like the other students... that was still very difficult.

He truly couldn't empathize.

He could only pretend to blend in with the few students who weren't actually very sociable, clap his hands, and then find an excuse to slip out of the classroom once the emotions cooled down slightly.

Nominally, he was going out to "clear his head."

However, as far as the result went, it seemed he just ran off to give Horikita Suzune a scolding.

After scolding her, he dumped a task on her and then ran back to class.

Although he didn't know if Horikita Suzune would accept the task, Asakusa Toru couldn't care less; he felt satisfied after the scolding anyway.

After he "cleared his head," most of the students in the class also settled down. Although the Behavioral Norms Exam was over, that didn't mean the school wouldn't monitor their attitude in class.

It was just that, relatively speaking, they wouldn't be using cameras and magnifying glasses to look for points to deduct.

The excitement of moving up a class faded after a while, but for the vast majority of students, the most worrying thing was undoubtedly the upcoming "midterm exam."

Fail, and you get expelled.

Their class wasn't as dangerous as Class D; the vast majority of people had grades above the average line, with only a few hovering right at the edge.

Therefore, only a few were worried.

For example, Chihiro Shiranami, who had spent a whole month pretending to listen intently in class because of the reminder Ichinose Honami gave in advance, but had actually been daydreaming and thinking about all sorts of other things the entire time. Only today did she suddenly realize that if she failed, she would be expelled, and that she seemed to be in a very dangerous position.

"Judging by the average line set by the quizzes, the passing grade is half of the class average, right?" Frowning as she stuffed a dessert into her mouth, Kanzaki Ryuji said casually, "In that case, as long as everyone controls their scores and pulls the average down, it shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"That won't do. Everyone's grades are the result of their own hard work," Ichinose Honami shook her head. "Besides, Hoshinomiya-sensei also said that the results of this exam will be reflected in the class points. Although she said it's a reward everyone can get as long as they survive the midterms, the grades will still have some impact."

"Mhm, mhm, so Shiranami-san needs to work hard," Shibata Hayate nodded repeatedly.

"You're the one who needs to work hard too!"

To save Private Chihiro Shiranami, they were gathered here this afternoon.

However, even though Asakusa Toru should have joined their discussion, he didn't say a word.

His gaze was fixed on the delicate silver-haired girl not far away.

What a coincidence.

Chapter 63: Arisu Sakayanagi Cannot Speak

Arisu Sakayanagi, Masumi Kamuro, and... Wang Meiyu, whom she had called over.

White over-the-knee socks, black knee-high socks, and smooth, clean calves.

He had only accepted the invitation to come to the Palette to join Ichinose's private friendly gathering to kill some time, never expecting to stumble upon such a scene.

Asakusa Toru could tell almost at a glance that Arisu Sakayanagi hadn't changed her mind; she was still firmly convinced that he was "Wang Meiyu."

She must have come because of the "Civil War Phantom God" he had written in his diary yesterday.

Unfortunately, she had found the wrong person.

After a moment of thought, shielded by his recognition filter, Asakusa Toru brazenly took out his diary and his pen.

He was going to write today's entry in advance.

That's right, right now, while Arisu Sakayanagi was choosing to pressure Wang Meiyu.

"Ugh..."

Although she had come by invitation, Wang Meiyu was currently under a lot of pressure.

This was because Sakayanagi Arisu, sitting across the table, was silent, nonchalantly adding sugar to her coffee and stirring it gently with a spoon.

Even though she was the one who had invited her, she had been sitting there for several minutes without saying a single word.

Say, say something, please...

"Hehe..." Seeming to sense her pressure, Sakayanagi Arisu finally stopped her intimidating display and let out a soft chuckle: "So, you get nervous too?"

Eh? Of course I'd be nervous!

Last time, you suddenly showed up at my class, causing my classmates to pester me for ages about our relationship, and now you've suddenly summoned me here again...

Did I do something wrong?

Wang Meiyu kept her head down, frantically searching through her memories, desperate to find even a trace of a reason that could explain the current situation.

Did I do something to Sakayanagi? Was it because I didn't greet her when we passed each other on the road, so she's holding a grudge? Or did I accidentally step on her shadow during gym class and offend her?

Even though she tried her hardest to find a reason, Wang Meiyu still couldn't come up with anything.

When it came down to it, she had absolutely no connection to Sakayanagi Arisu!

Other than knowing she was from Class A... oh, wait, she was in Class B now, and was the popular Little Princess over there, she knew absolutely nothing about Sakayanagi Arisu!

"U-um..." Wang Meiyu asked in a low voice, head bowed: "D-did I do something?"

"If I did something, I can apologize..."

In all honesty, if she had truly done something wrong, she should apologize.

But at least let her know what she had actually done?!

"...Wang, you are usually very good at putting on an act." Sakayanagi Arisu sighed faintly, her slender fingers interlaced, a hint of disappointment appearing in her eyes: "But there's no need to keep pretending in front of me, is there?"

"Are you worried about the students around us? It's fine, no one is watching, and certainly no one will hear anything."

"Ah, if there is anyone who could hear or see anything, it would only be Kamuro." She suddenly smiled, then turned her head to look at Kamuro Masumi standing to the side.

The girl, who stood behind her like a loyal guard, returned her gaze with an expressionless face.

"...So, can I sit down now?" Kamuro Masumi asked listlessly.

"Mm-hmm, you can." Sakayanagi Arisu nodded gently: "After all, I've already troubled you so much, Kamuro, I'd feel a bit bad if I kept making you stand here and watch over me."

"Order whatever you like, it's my treat."

"...I don't need you to treat me." Pulling out a chair and sitting down, Kamuro Masumi raised her hand high.

She wanted to order.

The waiter approached, the waiter walked away, and Sakayanagi Arisu returned her gaze to Wang Meiyu in front of her.

A perfect disguise.

The lowered head, the slightly hunched shoulders, the aura of someone being bullied—she really looked like a delicate, fragile girl.

But who would have thought that her posts in the Diary were so unhinged?

"Besides, even if you weren't putting on an act, as long as you mention the Diary, no one else will know anything, right?" Sakayanagi Arisu raised an eyebrow.

She had tried it before; the Diary blocked all discussions related to it. Anything said would be distorted in the eyes of others, and no matter how one tried to reveal it, the content would be tampered with.

Therefore, even if one's true nature was exposed, as long as the content of the Diary was woven into the conversation, others would remain oblivious.

Just like now.

Kamuro Masumi hadn't heard a thing, and Wang Meiyu...

"Why are you still pretending like you didn't hear anything?" Sakayanagi Arisu frowned, a sense of foreboding suddenly rising in her heart.

No, that couldn't... be it, right?

Subconsciously, a feeling of intense discomfort washed over Sakayanagi Arisu.

She finally realized the tiny inconsistency in the conclusion she had reached.

"...Did Sakayanagi say something just now?" Confused, Wang Meiyu turned to look at Kamuro Masumi, who was holding the iced coffee the waiter had just brought.

Kamuro Masumi shrugged: "Don't worry about it, it happens all the time."

"Oh..." Wang Meiyu replied softly. After hesitating for a moment, she gathered her courage and said to Sakayanagi Arisu what she had been wanting to say: "Um, Sakayanagi, really, if you don't actually have anything to discuss, I, I'll head back now. I have friends waiting for me..."

Saying friends were waiting for her might not be entirely accurate; it would be more accurate to say there were friends who needed her.

Wang Meiyu had been worried ever since Kushida Kikyo was absent that morning. She hadn't asked for leave, nor was she replying to messages. Even though she had gone to her dorm during the lunch break, she hadn't received any response.

So, rather than sitting here constantly guessing what she had done wrong, it would be better to just have Sakayanagi Arisu say it outright.

"I said I would apologize, so please, really, stop teasing me..." Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists, Wang Meiyu lifted her head.

"..." Sakayanagi Arisu fell silent.

Too perfect.

Her expression, her movements, her demeanor—every aspect of her disguise was so perfect that even after applying pressure time and again, not a single flaw had been revealed.

If this had been a month ago, she probably would have been deeply impressed by Wang Meiyu's acting skills.

But now, at this moment when she had finally begun to doubt her own conclusions.

She found herself unable to speak.

Chapter 64 So You're a Lesbian?

"...Masumi-san, could you please give me a hand?" Suddenly, Sakayanagi Arisu said in a soft voice.

Her walking cane was right there, but having someone to help was still more convenient than walking on her own.

"?" Kamuro Masumi, who had just taken a sip of coffee, was a bit confused. Fortunately, she was already accustomed to Sakayanagi Arisu's ways. She set down her coffee, stood up, and with practiced ease, supported Sakayanagi Arisu, bringing her before Wang Meiyu in two steps.

She then reached out, grabbed the cane, and shoved it into her hand.

"..." Glancing at Kamuro Masumi, who had already sat back down to enjoy her coffee without permission, Sakayanagi Arisu didn't say anything this time. Instead, she leaned on her cane with one hand and took hold of Wang Meiyu's hand with the other.

"Has your heart rate started to accelerate?" Her fingertips pressed against Wang Meiyu's pulse. "Do you feel a sense of attraction?"

"Or perhaps, do you need me to get even closer?"

Wang Meiyu was very likely a lesbian.

This was the realization she had reached based on her previous deductions.

Moreover, although her own physique was somewhat more petite than other girls, it could be seen from the Diary's previous behavior that she likely fit the other girl's preferences quite well.

At the very least, the Diary had once spent an entire page specifically calling out her name.

Therefore, Wang Meiyu should be feeling her heart race.

"..." Wang Meiyu's heart was indeed racing. Suddenly being approached, suddenly having her hand held, and hearing Sakayanagi Arisu say such things—she was feeling far more than just attraction.