Under Vice President Nagumo's iron-fisted rule, the second-years had sealed off all information. When he tried to approach a senior from Class 3-D, however, a Student Council member suddenly appeared and sharply warned him the moment he opened his mouth.
It was as if an invisible net had been cast over the entire upperclassman population. Everyone was tight-lipped about the truth.
Ryuen Kakeru strode through the cafeteria with Ishizaki Daichi. Just as he was about to step outside, the corner of his eye caught a striking flash of silver-white—
At a table by the window, a silver-haired girl holding an elegant cane was gracefully eating from her plate.
Perhaps sensing his gaze, the girl slowly raised her eyes and fixed them on him through the noisy crowd.
Their gazes met in midair. The girl's lips curled into an ambiguous smile, as if a chess player were sizing up a disobedient piece.
"Ryuen? What is it?" Ishizaki asked, following his gaze in confusion.
"...Nothing." Ryuen looked away, his voice dangerously calm.
That condescending look should have been his specialty, a weapon he used to size up his prey.
Yet now that cane-wielding girl had returned it to him unchanged—and with even greater arrogance.
(Is that one of those self-important Class A students? Heh. A fragile little girl like that would probably cry for a long time if I punched her.)
051 The Riddle Game from Sakayanagi Arisu
"That person is Ryuen Kakeru, the leader of Class C, Shimizu-kun." Sakayanagi Arisu gracefully withdrew her gaze. With a meaningful smile at the corner of her lips, she explained to her companion across the table.
Only then did Shimizu Akira come out of his thoughts, his gaze thoughtfully following the figure that had already disappeared.
So that imposing boy was the rumored leader of Class C.
"Do you think... he's qualified to be our opponent?" Sakayanagi Arisu lightly speared a green leaf with her silver fork. She frowned slightly as she put it into her mouth, every movement marked by an innate air of refinement.
"That's your opinion. I've never considered anyone my opponent."
"I see. So you consider everyone trash? How very high and mighty of you, Shimizu-kun."
"Cough..." Shimizu Akira choked on her words, nearly spitting out the noodles in his mouth.
He glanced helplessly at the girl across from him. How had Classmate Sakayanagi managed to twist what he meant so badly?
He had merely stated a fact. How had she interpreted it as such an arrogant remark?
"Hehe... I was only joking." Sakayanagi Arisu covered her mouth and laughed, her voice like silver bells. "Of course I understand what you meant."
Shimizu Akira didn't reply. He simply continued enjoying his lunch.
On Wednesday morning, all three pieces of information that had refreshed were useless, so he decided to try his luck in the cafeteria.
To his surprise, he ran into Sakayanagi Arisu dining alone.
The brains of Class A was eating the free set meal. He had planned to ask her how she got information about the S System, but by chance, he had witnessed a carefully orchestrated scene put on by Class C.
"By the way," Shimizu Akira said, setting down his chopsticks, "what special channels did Classmate Sakayanagi use to obtain those key pieces of information?"
"On the first day of school, a kind person told me everything." Sakayanagi Arisu's lips curved into a mysterious smile. "Shimizu-kun, you get three questions. My answers can only be 'yes,' 'no,' or 'irrelevant.'"
Shimizu Akira furrowed his brow slightly. Smart people were always getting absorbed in these guessing games. They could have explained things directly, but instead they insisted on dressing them up as obscure riddles.
Still, he decided to play along. Information was valuable, after all.
After a brief moment of thought, he asked the first crucial question: "Did this person violate the current school rules by revealing the information?"
"No." Sakayanagi Arisu smiled faintly, as if enjoying his reasoning.
That answer immediately narrowed the possibilities to four: a newly enrolled first-year, a graduate, a former staff member, or someone who had dropped out before completing their studies.
Strictly speaking, even if these four people revealed information, it wouldn't count as violating the school rules.
Shimizu Akira pondered for a moment, then fixed her with a sharp gaze. "Did this person graduate from this school?"
Sakayanagi Arisu paused for a rare moment, then slowly nodded. "...Yes."
That question eliminated three possibilities all at once.
"I see." Shimizu Akira's eyes suddenly sharpened. "On the first day of school, you met an alumnus who had returned for an event and got the complete rundown of the school's information system from them?"
"Exactly right." Sakayanagi Arisu clapped her hands lightly, delighted, her voice as clear as silver bells. "Since they'd already graduated, they were no longer bound by the current school rules, they weren't staff members, and, more importantly, they'd all completed their studies." She leaned forward slightly and added, "These graduates often know more about the school's... unwritten rules than the current teachers do."
"Using graduates as an information source... That's certainly an unexpected angle." Shimizu Akira couldn't help showing his admiration.
As expected of Sakayanagi Arisu.
He had never thought of that way of obtaining information.
"Hehe... Didn't see that coming, did you?" Sakayanagi Arisu keenly caught the fleeting admiration in his eyes. Two shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks, and she sounded unmistakably pleased with herself. "So, Shimizu-kun, how did you get your information?"
"Me?" Shimizu Akira shrugged. "I just bought it for some points from a second-year senpai."
"Looks like my methods were better this time." Sakayanagi Arisu took an elegant sip of miso soup. "You've been thoroughly beaten by me this time, Shimizu-kun."
"Who said we were competing..." Shimizu Akira glanced at her, then lowered his head and continued eating his noodles. "Whatever. If you think you won, then you won."
"But..." Shimizu Akira suddenly looked up. "I'm curious. Why would that senior be willing to reveal such important information? What did you offer in exchange? They're practically a university student already. It's not like they'd tell you for free!"
Sakayanagi Arisu's fingers paused almost imperceptibly around her spoon.
The subtle change didn't escape Shimizu Akira's sharp eyes.
—Looks like I touched on something sensitive.
Could it have been a monetary transaction? Or...
But Shimizu Akira didn't press the matter. He simply continued eating as if nothing had happened.
Sakayanagi Arisu asked as if the thought had just occurred to her, "By the way, Shimizu-kun, you seem to be quite close with Kamuro from our class."
"Yeah," Shimizu Akira replied without looking up. "She's easy to get along with, and I like her personality."
"Oh?" Sakayanagi Arisu raised an eyebrow. "Kamuro is always so cold. Besides..." Her voice dropped a little. "We've both seen what she's like at the convenience store. Your standards for choosing friends are rather... unusual, Shimizu-kun."
After finishing his last bite of noodles, Shimizu Akira stood up to leave. "That suits me just fine. Nobody's perfect. Everyone has a few flaws."
Sakayanagi Arisu quietly watched him walk away, her thoughts drifting back to the afternoon of the first day of school—
"Why should I tell you anything? What's in it for me? Points? Heh... I'm not a student anymore! Those things only work at school. Out in the real world, they're just numbers." The senior waved impatiently, an expensive watch peeking out from his suit sleeve. "Money? Forget it, little girl. I graduated from Class A, my family's loaded, and I'm about to go to Tokyo University..."
"But... you say you're the chairman's daughter? Chairman Sakayanagi really did pour all the resources into Class A. Fine! For your father's sake, I'll tell you everything I know!"
"This tastes awful..." She glanced at the free food left on her plate and pursed her lips.
If she hadn't seen Shimizu Akira in the cafeteria today, she wouldn't have deliberately ordered this vegetable set to win his sympathy. So far, it didn't seem to have done her any good.
052 Karuizawa Kei: I Won't Pay Class Fees! I'm Giving Tribute to Shimizu Akira
Ryuen Kakeru radiated the hostility typical of a delinquent. He didn't feel like a high school student at all, and the scene in the cafeteria just now was the best proof of that.
Although he hadn't heard the exact words exchanged, the rough way Ryuen had grabbed the other boy by the collar and cursed at him without restraint was pure delinquent behavior.
The whole thing had felt like a carefully staged double act—one playing the good cop, the other the bad cop.
He guessed Ryuen had tried to get crucial information by way of a senior from another class. But judging by how unceremoniously the other boy had left, it seemed he'd hit a dead end.
"It's time to make a move..."
He decided to sell the S System information to the students in Class C.
But to be cautious, he would test the waters using an alternate account first.
The most urgent thing was getting Ryuen's contact information.
Fortunately, he'd met Ichinose Honami on the second day of school. Her social skills were off the charts.
Shimizu Akira's fingers flew across his phone screen as he sent a carefully worded friend request from his disguised account, "Yueqing."
The other party accepted almost instantly. That was Ichinose Honami for you.
Yueqing: I'm a student from another class. I'd like to buy some information from you.
Ichinose Honami: Huh? Who are you, classmate? I might not have anything valuable, though... If there's something you want to ask, just go ahead!
Shimizu Akira couldn't help chuckling. Ichinose Honami was as gentle and kind as ever.
He deliberately waited a few seconds before typing again:
Yueqing: I need Ryuen Kakeru's contact information. Could you introduce us?
Ichinose Honami: Ryuen-kun, huh... I don't have his direct contact information, but I know someone in Class C! Just a moment~
Less than five minutes later, a contact recommendation popped up. The speed surprised even Shimizu Akira.
Ichinose Honami: Here's Ryuen-kun! But... why are you looking for him, classmate?
Yueqing: Thanks. I've sent you 2,000 points as a thank-you.
Ichinose Honami: Ah! You didn't have to be so polite! It was no trouble at all...
Shimizu Akira ignored her protest and offered the real bait:
Yueqing: By the way, are you interested in the truth about the S System and the class assignments? You must have noticed the school is deliberately hiding something these past few days, right?
Ichinose Honami: ...What do you mean? What are you trying to say?
Yueqing: I have all the information. It's enough to change your class's situation. The price is 1,000,000 points.
After sending the message, Shimizu Akira casually tossed his phone aside, not caring how the other party might react.
He added Ryuen Kakeru and forwarded the entire conversation with Ichinose Honami to him.
The chat fell briefly silent. Both messages had vanished like stones dropped into the sea.
But Shimizu Akira wasn't in a hurry.
He had always been good at this kind of game, where patience was needed.
Just as he was about to put down his phone, the screen suddenly lit up several times in a row.
Message after message from his homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, appeared, piling up like a small mountain on the lock screen.
Chabashira Sae: As you suggested, I called those two to the office at noon.
Chabashira Sae: We're also proceeding with the class fee collection as planned. The two of them will determine who becomes class representative this month based on how many people they each get to contribute.
Shimizu Akira raised an eyebrow, his finger pausing above the screen.
He hadn't expected their homeroom teacher to carry out the plan he'd casually mentioned last night so meticulously—though he didn't remember asking her to report every little detail.
He thought for a moment, then typed two lines into the chat:
Shimizu Akira: Chabashira-sensei, handle things however you see fit.
Shimizu Akira: You don't need to tell me about these routine matters.
Shimizu Akira: After all, you're the homeroom teacher, aren't you? I'm just a student.
After sending the message, Shimizu Akira switched his phone to silent and placed it facedown on the table.
The dismissal bell had barely rung when Kushida Kikyou lightly hopped onto the lectern, clasped her hands, and flashed her trademark sweet smile.
"Everyone~" Her voice rang out clearly. "Let's treat this class fee collection as a little show of support for Hirata-kun and me! Of course—" She gave a playful wink. "It's perfectly fine if you don't vote for me. I just hope everyone can enjoy taking part!"
A few friendly heckles came from the back of the classroom, and Kushida gave a small bow.
Meanwhile, Hirata Yosuke was leaning against the doorway. Once Kushida had finished speaking, he picked up naturally. "As Kushida-san said, this is just an ordinary class activity." He smiled and opened his hands. "No matter whom you support, please go with what you think is right. After all, whoever becomes class representative this month..."
He paused. "What we want most is for Class D to become a place where everyone feels comfortable."
It was as if the air in the classroom had split into two opposing currents.
After a full night of consideration, combined with the influence of the two central figures in the class, Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyou, and their convincing explanation the day before—
Most of the class had accepted the proposal to collect class fees.
After all, it was only a quarter of their Private Points, and it was a one-time payment, not a monthly contribution.
Most students had already taken out their phones and tapped the screens,
The sound of transfer notifications rang out one after another. Twenty-five thousand points wasn't a small amount for an ordinary student, but at that moment, it seemed like an invisible ticket, buying them a place in the group.
Yamauchi Haruki and Kanji Ike were gathered around Kushida Kikyou, grinning obsequiously as they obediently handed over their 25,000 points.
Shimizu Akira figured that the reason those two had objected so fiercely the day before was probably just that they couldn't stand Hirata Yosuke.
But not everyone was on board.
Kouenji Rokusuke hummed an unfamiliar tune, elegantly twirling a key ring around his long fingers as he sauntered out of the classroom, as if the class meeting had nothing to do with him.
Before you continue