The True Teaching: Welcome to the Paradise of Freedom

"You're saying I set the fire?"

Ibuki's lips curled into a mocking smile.

"Know why I dragged this out so long? I wanted to see if you set the fire yourself to lure me out. Guess not. That means you can lie down now."

With that, Ibuki's speed and force shot up several levels. Already unwell, Horikita was taken down in no time, her head spinning as she blacked out.

Before she fell unconscious, Horikita's mind still churned over Ibuki's words. Unconsciously, a figure surfaced in her thoughts—Kiyotaka...

Chapter 41: We're Actually First?

After Horikita collapsed, Ibuki didn't leave. She waited on the spot.

Before long, a disheveled figure appeared before Ibuki.

Ibuki sneered at the figure, pulling a green [Ghost Card] from her pocket.

"Here's your goods. Satisfied now?"

The figure said nothing. In the pouring rain, only the corner of his mouth twisting into a grim smile was visible.

Then the two left in different directions, leaving only Horikita unconscious on the ground.

Soon, rustling came from the bushes. A hand parted the obstructive leaves, and Kiyotaka's figure slowly emerged before Horikita.

A trace of concern flickered across Kiyotaka's face as he looked at Horikita lying there. He stepped forward and lifted her into a princess carry.

"Where am I...?"

After who knows how long, Horikita slowly woke. Her head felt heavy and fuzzy, her vision blurred.

"Suzune, you're awake."

Kiyotaka's calm voice sounded beside her.

"How did I end up here?"

"You passed out on the road. I brought you to this cave to take shelter from the rain."

With Kiyotaka's reminder, Horikita's fragmented memories slowly pieced together. The usually proud girl could no longer hold back and threw herself into Kiyotaka's arms, sobbing loudly.

"Kiyotaka, I'm sorry. I still couldn't get the [Ghost Card] back. I even caught up to Ibuki. It's all my fault—if I'd had a companion to help keep it safe, I wouldn't have lost the [Ghost Card]. What are we going to do about this exam now?"

Kiyotaka slowly patted Horikita's back as he spoke.

"It's good that you're gradually realizing the importance of companions. Your body can't keep going anymore. You've done well. Let me handle the rest now. Get some rest, okay? I promise you, it'll be fine."

Hearing this, Horikita looked up at Kiyotaka, tears clinging to her cheeks.

"Really?"

A gentle smile spread across Kiyotaka's face.

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"Hmph, you've lied plenty. But... if you really pull this off, that thing from last time... I might reluctantly agree to it once."

Kiyotaka looked at Horikita's tsundere expression and reached out to pinch her cheek.

"You said it. Now, time for you to sleep..."

With that, he pressed a point on Horikita's body, and she slowly drifted off.

Kiyotaka watched as Horikita still furrowed her brow even in sleep. He gently smoothed it out with his fingers, then carried her slowly toward the coast.

On the shore stood a tent, where the homeroom teachers of each class were stationed for emergencies.

In the heavy rain, Kiyotaka's figure carrying Horikita slowly appeared before Chabashira, startling her.

"Horikita?"

"Teacher Chabashira, Horikita has a high fever and lost consciousness. She needs immediate treatment."

"So, Suzune Horikita is withdrawing from the exam. That's how I should understand it?"

"Yes."

Chabashira nodded, took Horikita from Kiyotaka's arms, then gave him a meaningful glance. But she said nothing and left with Horikita.

Kiyotaka looked up at the rain-soaked sky and murmured to himself.

"The rain's about to stop."

That evening.

"I heard Horikita collapsed from a high fever and had no choice but to withdraw from the exam."

"Ugh, what a mess. Ibuki's the traitor, and Horikita gets a high fever."

The Class D girls chatted around the campfire.

Not far away were Hirata and Kiyotaka, trusted by the girls who had pooled their points.

"How could this happen? The [Ghost Card] was stolen by Ibuki. That means we're definitely going to get hit with a fifty-point deduction for having our holder guessed, and all the bonus points will be canceled too."

Hirata rubbed his hands together anxiously by another campfire.

"Hirata, there's something I want to talk to you about..."

The seventh day finally arrived. All first-year students had gathered back at the coastline. Aside from Class C's camp, which stood empty, the other three classes were almost entirely present.

"Before I announce the end of the exam, please have each class submit your guess sheets for the holders."

A teacher announced through a megaphone.

Katsuragi from Class A took the sheet and began filling it out. Ichinose from Class B stuck her tongue out at her homeroom teacher and submitted a blank sheet. Hirata from Class D, looking worried, also turned in his answers.

After receiving the sheets from each class, the teacher shouted loudly.

"I declare this exam concluded!"

"Hey, don't rush to say it's over, alright?"

At that moment, a disheveled figure emerged from the dense forest. Class C's homeroom teacher, as if expecting this, handed him a sheet to fill out.

"Ryuen, you say you don't like effort, but the state you're in right now is proof of your hard work."

Class C's teacher adjusted his glasses and looked at Ryuen.

Ryuen handed over the sheet nonchalantly and said.

"Cut the crap. This was just the fastest method I could think of."

Class C's teacher took the sheet.

"Totsuka Yahiko from Class A, Shiranami Chihiro from Class B, Suzune Horikita from Class D..."

Seeing the names on the sheet, Class C's teacher smiled meaningfully.

At that moment, Katsuragi walked over and said to Ryuen.

"Ryuen, thank you. This time, you helped me gain a lot of points."

Ryuen gave a strange smile in response.

"Don't thank me yet. The real show is just beginning."

As Katsuragi looked on in confusion, the teacher began announcing the final results.

"Now, I will announce each class's exam results. Last place, Class C: 0 points!"

"Impossible!"

Ryuen, who had worn an expression of certain victory, suddenly changed color, his face full of disbelief.

"Third place, Class A: 120 points!"

Katsuragi's expression instantly turned grim.

"Second place, Class B: 140 points."

Ichinose wasn't surprised by this score. She simply turned her gaze toward Class D, her mind racing with thoughts.

"First place, Class D: 225 points!"

"What? We're first place?"

"Is that really true?"

"Awesome! This is all the fruit of our hard work! Yeah!"

When they learned that Class D had actually taken first place, the students erupted in excitement. Even Hirata let out a long sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, in the cruise ship room watching the live broadcast, Horikita was also stunned.

"He actually did it... Kiyotaka really pulled it off..."

After the initial excitement, Horikita remembered the promise she had vaguely agreed to when she was drowsy with Cheng Nuo, and her pretty face flushed bright red.

On the cruise ship.

"Hahaha, everyone worked hard!"

Koenji said, holding a wine glass, addressing the crowd.

Class D's students all looked at Koenji with exasperation, except for the hot-tempered Sudo, who nearly came to blows with him.

Kiyotaka watched silently from the side.

"Kiyotaka."

Horikita appeared beside him.

"You're feeling much better, right? Your complexion looks a lot rosier."

Horikita had no intention of telling him the reason for that rosiness, so she just nodded silently.

"Horikita! So you're here."

"Horikita, I heard from Hirata that you guessed the cardholders from Class A and Class C, which is how we won. You're a genius!"

At that moment, Class D's students noticed Horikita and swarmed around her, chattering endlessly.

"Remember your promise. You'll be the one to inform them."

Seeing the crowd growing, Kiyotaka whispered softly to Horikita before walking away, leaving her standing there utterly bewildered.

Chapter 42: Kiyotaka, You'd Better Explain This!

After leaving, Kiyotaka returned to his room to rest.

About half an hour later, the door slid open, and he saw Horikita walk in.

"Kiyotaka, don't you think you owe me an explanation for what happened? Hirata told me it was you who informed him that I was the one who revealed the holders of these two classes?"

Kiyotaka looked at Horikita's accusatory expression but showed no fear at all.

He asked with a slightly teasing tone.

"Did you notify them?"

Hearing this, Horikita's pretty face flushed red. She pouted.

"I called them! Bastard!"

"Oh? Then isn't there something you're supposed to do?"

Feeling Kiyotaka's gaze fix on a certain part of her body, she spat at him twice before slowly peeling off her thigh-high socks, then padded on her little feet into the bathroom.

When she came out, Horikita's small feet were dripping wet. She saw Kiyotaka lying on the bed, shot him a fierce glare, and then walked over.

She reached out her small hand to attend to him, and after he released, she stared at the limp thing, genuinely puzzled how it usually managed to bully her. Out of curiosity, she poked at it a couple of times.

That one poke made it immediately lift its head, startling Horikita.

Then Horikita climbed onto the bed and sat across from Kiyotaka. After hesitating for a moment, she stretched out her long, slender legs, gently clamped them around it, and began a clumsy, slow motion.

"Can you talk now..."

Horikita watched Kiyotaka looking at her with a smug grin, but her curiosity was far too strong, so she asked shyly despite herself.

Kiyotaka adjusted his position comfortably, then finally began to explain to Horikita.