Classroom of the Elite, It's Not About Meritocracy, It's About Me Ruling the World!

"Those five seconds of silence were your time to observe. Asking a question right after Katsuragi wasn't a supplement, but a division—a deliberate attempt to leave the rest of the class with the impression that you and Katsuragi are equals."

"This is intentionally splitting the class, creating rivals just for your own amusement!"

"Everything, from only taking your own phone to firing off a question immediately after Katsuragi, was nothing more than a declaration of war against me and Katsuragi."

"If no one had been able to perceive the rules of this school, you probably wouldn't have taken any action at all, would you?"

"Isn't that right?"

As these words were spoken.

The crowd was stunned, their gazes toward Sakayanagi Arisu wavering.

It felt like Kijima Tsukur might actually have a point.

But, surely that couldn't be it, right?

They had just started school, didn't know anything yet, and there was no benefit to be gained—would Sakayanagi Arisu really go out of her way to create rivals just for fun?

Was she playing a game?

What would she even gain from that?

On the other side, Katsuragi, sitting near the front door of the classroom, also frowned, looking back at Sakayanagi Arisu with a hint of suspicion.

Some of Sakayanagi Arisu's actions were indeed a bit unusual.

However.

It didn't seem like that big of a deal.

If Sakayanagi Arisu just wanted to find a rival to play with.

Katsuragi actually didn't mind.

After all, they were all in the same class and would be spending the next three years together; he could just treat it like playing with his own younger sister.

Clearly.

The group had yet to glimpse the full picture of this school.

Even if what Kijima Tsukur said was true, they didn't think Sakayanagi Arisu's actions were some unforgivable, major issue.

It was just the usual scheming among small cliques of girls.

Perfectly normal!

"Kijima-kun, you didn't answer my question directly."

Feeling the masculine presence Kijima Tsukur exuded, Sakayanagi Arisu didn't retreat in the slightest; instead, she smiled and looked straight into his eyes:

"Why did you choose the two of us to be your subordinates?"

"Don't you understand? It's ambition."

Kijima Tsukur stood up and explained indifferently: "The moment you two stepped forward, regardless of your motives, you both possessed the ambition to act toward a goal. Compared to ordinary people with no drive, subordinates with ambition have higher initiative. Isn't that a matter of course?"

"I see..."

Sakayanagi Arisu nodded; people with higher initiative were indeed more useful.

In other words, Kijima Tsukur didn't care what her motives were, nor did he care if she liked to sow discord, as long as her capabilities were superior to those of an ordinary person?

"Then I'll ask one last question..."

Sakayanagi Arisu stood up with her cane, looking up at Kijima Tsukur with a hint of playfulness in her tone:

"If everything you said is true, and you think I'm issuing a challenge to you, why would you think I'd be willing to be your subordinate?"

"Because..."

Kijima Tsukur's gaze was profound: "This is... Destiny!"

"Huh?"

Sakayanagi Arisu was stunned for a moment.

She had considered many possibilities, but she never expected this answer.

Destiny?

Even she couldn't comprehend what kind of answer that was.

"Don't understand?"

Kijima Tsukur scanned the people around him, his gaze sweeping over everyone in Class A:

"Whether it's you, Katsuragi, or anyone else, from the moment I entered Class A, everyone in this class automatically became my subordinate. That is destiny!"

Silence.

A long, drawn-out silence.

Everyone in Class A was dumbfounded.

It was one thing to want to take Katsuragi and Sakayanagi as subordinates, but to claim that everyone in the class was his subordinate, and to call it destiny?

Sakayanagi Arisu was also at a loss.

I have seen confident people before, but I have never seen anyone this confident.

Kijima Tsukur did not care, nor did he feel any need to explain himself to the others.

He would not explain the benefits of becoming his subordinate, he would not argue with anyone, he would not try to recruit anyone, and he would not promise any benefits.

The people of Class A would naturally become his subordinates.

This was destiny!

As for things like self-introductions, there was no need for those either.

Kijima Tsukur turned his head to look at the class, his gaze finally resting on the girl sitting by the door in the back row.

This girl was somewhat special.

She sat alone at her desk, her name tag reading Yamamura Miki, and even though she was sitting right there, the people around her acted as if she did not exist.

She wore a single ponytail and had an expression lacking confidence; she was clearly the type of girl who was insecure, lacked presence, and didn't know how to refuse others.

She had a nice figure and was very cute, but her insecure expression made her seem somewhat melancholy.

Tap, tap, tap.

Before the others could react, Kijima Tsukur walked up to her, looked down at Yamamura Miki, and said, "You know how to cook, right?"

"Eh... a little bit..."

Yamamura Miki replied in a voice as soft as a mosquito's.

Kijima Tsukur nodded.

"That's fine. While I'm not completely incapable, I am indeed not good at handling chores and minor life issues. From now on, you will take care of my daily life."

"Eh?"

Yamamura Miki froze, wondering if she had misheard. What was this guy saying? Was he asking her to be his nanny?

After a long while, Yamamura Miki finally reacted, jumping up with a startled cry.

"Ehhhhhh?????"

"What the hell..."

The people around them only just noticed the girl, and connecting it to what was just said, they were all stunned for a moment; even the people from Class A couldn't help but curse.

"What the..."

"What did this guy just say?"

"He just said he's not good at handling life issues, but they should have just met, right?"

"Asking a girl to take care of his life the moment they meet?"

"Does this guy have to be so *?"

Kamuro Masumi widened her beautiful eyes in astonishment.

This was truly the definition of absurd.

To so naturally ask a girl he didn't know to take care of his life the moment they met—was this guy not just defying all logic?

"Wait... wait..."

Katsuragi hurried over, reaching out to stand between the two.

Are you kidding me?

For something like this to happen on the first day of school, wasn't this basically the prelude to bullying?

He looked at Kijima Tsukur with a grave expression, deciding to confirm first:

"Kijima-kun, do you and this... uh... Yamamura-san know each other from before?"

"We don't."

"Then I'm sorry."

Katsuragi stood between them, his gaze turning sharp:

"I will not sit by and watch anyone bully a classmate. Even if you have a crush on this girl, please wait until you've spent some time together. Asking her to be responsible for your life the moment you meet is not acceptable."

"Bullying?"

Kijima Tsukur frowned slightly, then relaxed as he explained:

"I see, you think I am bullying her. Rest assured, I never force anyone. Just as I said before, you are all my subordinates, and taking care of my life is her destiny."

"..."

Katsuragi opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again.

He truly didn't know what to say, and someone who couldn't take it anymore blurted out:

"Impressive..."

Kamuro Masumi finally couldn't help but spit out those two words, and Sakayanagi Arisu behind her also wore a look of amazement.

It felt like this logic of Kijima Tsukur was somewhat invincible; it seemed to work no matter where he was, and for any situation, he could just say, "This is your destiny!"

It was simply unsolvable!

"Alright, I won't force anyone."

As he spoke, Kijima Tsukur walked past Katsuragi and looked at the somewhat bewildered girl before him, saying:

"Could I ask you for this favor?"

How could she possibly agree to that!

Those around them couldn't help but roll their eyes, rendered completely speechless.

Asking a girl he had just met for the first time to take care of his daily life—if she agreed to that, they would jump off the building right here and now.

"..."

Yamamura Miki's gaze darted around, truly feeling at a loss.

Taking care of a boy was something only a girlfriend would do; if she agreed, she feared she would never be able to find a boyfriend again.

Forget it, that wasn't something she needed to worry about anyway.

Besides, the two of them were meeting for the first time; they hadn't even gone through the process of getting to know each other.

Although Kijima Tsukur was very handsome, he felt like there was something wrong with his brain. She had never even been in a relationship, and she wasn't one of those gyaru who treated boys like prey.

How could she possibly agree to such an outrageous request?

However, it seemed like this was the first time in her life she had ever been asked for something like this...

She had been timid since she was a child, and she naturally possessed a very faint presence; even people standing right next to her rarely noticed her, and she didn't have any friends to speak of...