Scheming in the real world? I can also do a little.

Calculating Hearts in Classroom of the Elite? I Can Manage a Thing or Two. Author: Jiushi Jiu

What does it mean to have a plan for every contingency? What does it mean to have a scheme for every situation?

Hoya Chukai was just a college graduate, but through a twist of fate, he found himself inexplicably transported into the world of Classroom of the Elite.

Could a college graduate like me really lose to a bunch of high school kids?

Calculating the human heart? I can manage a thing or two!

But Ryuen Shoko, listen to me first—I really wasn't hitting on girls from other classes! It was for the plan, it was all for the plan!

Chapter 1: Ryuen Shoko? You Want to Be the Boss?

"Alright, Sakagami-sensei, how about you let me say a few words now?"

In a classroom, as the homeroom teacher Sakagami Kazuma was explaining various matters regarding the new student orientation, a red-haired student suddenly interrupted his speech.

"Ah... is that Ryuen? Very well, are you coming up to the podium?"

"Heh, no need."

After receiving the teacher's approval, the red-haired student called Ryuen stood up from her chair immediately. She sat directly on top of her desk, one foot planted on the chair she had just vacated, and began to voice her thoughts.

"Sakagami-sensei just said that each class handles its own internal affairs, so I want to be the king of Class C. Does anyone have any objections?"

The girl sitting on the desk exuded an indescribable aura of a delinquent. That was to be expected, though; with her gyaru-like style and makeup, she certainly didn't look like a model student.

Hoya Chukai, sitting behind Ryuen, couldn't help but glance at her skirt. At Advanced Nurturing High School, the girls' skirts were generally not very long, so given her current posture, while others might not see much, Hoya could essentially see everything.

Mm-hmm, red. Truly the mark of a passionate and domineering queen.

"Hey, where are you looking?"

She noticed him after only a single glance. Ryuen Shoko pulled her other foot up from below and swung it violently toward Hoya Chukai's head.

Hoya watched the small shoe whiz past his face. If he hadn't leaned back just a little, he might have been smashed right into his desk.

Ryuen Shoko's expression was quite ugly now. She was in the middle of her "king's speech," and a listener not only failed to pay attention but was actively harassing her—how could she tolerate that?

"Me? I wasn't looking at anything; I was just pondering a question."

Hoya Chukai coughed twice. Even if he had been looking, there was no way he would admit it now.

He tilted his head slightly upward, meeting Ryuen Shoko's gaze directly: "So, my king, what kind of monarch do you intend to be?"

"What kind of monarch?"

Although Hoya's earlier behavior had annoyed her, his use of "my king" pleased her enough to keep her interest. She pulled her leg back and smoothed out her skirt, ensuring Hoya could no longer see the scenery beneath it, and decided to hear what this man who had been the first to submit to her had to say.

"Yes, there are many types of monarchs: incompetent rulers, foolish rulers, tyrants, benevolent rulers, kings, hegemons... so I want to ask, which type do you intend to become?"

"Then tell me, which one do I look like most?"

Crossing her legs, Ryuen Shoko prepared to hear what Hoya had to say. He had certainly piqued her interest.

Ryuen Shoko was a king, and a king liked to hear the thoughts of her subordinates.

As for whether she would accept them, that was a different matter entirely.

"From what Sakagami-sensei said earlier... we can roughly gather that the four classes are meant to compete against each other, right? And it's a case of 'winner takes all, loser is the bandit'?"

Hoya Chukai didn't continue the conversation with Ryuen Shoko; instead, he questioned Sakagami Kazuma, who had been leaning against the wall in silence, watching the show. The homeroom teacher hadn't stopped Ryuen's antics; in fact, he looked completely indifferent.

But as a homeroom teacher, his indifference was essentially a tacit endorsement of Ryuen Shoko.

So that's how it is? That's interesting.

Sakagami Kazuma wasn't a bad teacher like Chabashira Sae, so he had explained everything that needed to be said during the homeroom meeting. Although he had withheld some information, he hadn't uttered a single misleading word.

For instance, the matter of S-Points.

As for why Hoya Chukai knew about S-Points... well, he was a transmigrator, after all.

Hm? Did I not mention that? Alright, let me explain briefly.

Hoya Chukai, formerly known as... it doesn't matter. Since he had arrived in a new world, his old name wasn't worth mentioning. Let's stick to the important parts. He was a college graduate who had been scraping by with odd jobs at home, so after arriving in this world, he quickly realized what kind of academy he had entered.

Welcome to the Classroom of the Elite, or Classroom of the Elite for short. Although he hadn't read the original, he had been a fan of web novels and had read plenty of fanfiction. He had given up on the original because he heard the plot shifted from psychological warfare to physical brawls, which didn't interest him.

Therefore, he had a general understanding of the settings and characters in Classroom of the Elite. For example, Class A had that student C, Class B had the chubby girl, Class D had Ayanokoji and a bunch of problem children, and Class C had Ryuen... wait, why was it Ryuen Shoko in this world?

Well, even with the gender swap, the problems remained as prominent as ever.

In other web novels, the protagonist either becomes the class leader or stays in the background as a hidden mastermind. Hoya Chukai had no such ambitions. In his view, being the boss? Forget it, it's too tiring. I didn't even want to be a class representative in college; you want me to be the class leader?

I've already rotted away to the point of working as a freelancer from home, how much ambition do you expect me to have?

Lack of ambition aside, Hoya Chukai still wanted to make his life interesting. Perhaps it was this "rotting" mindset that got him sorted into Class C—he had potential, but his mentality wasn't quite right. Maybe not being lazy enough for Class D was a good thing for him.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to slack off in Class D. At least in Class C, even if Ryuen was a tyrant, she wasn't bad to her own classmates. Although he hadn't read the original, he understood the situation well enough.

Perhaps... she's a tsundere?

Well, whether she's a tsundere or not, Hoya Chukai had decided on his role the moment he saw Ryuen Shoko trying to take charge of the class.

Tell me... how does "cunning advisor" sound?

I refuse to believe that a college graduate like me can't outwit a bunch of first-year high schoolers. You guys turned from psychological warfare to brawling in the original, but I refuse to believe I can't be a strategist! I've got half a "clairvoyance" advantage, after all!

Therefore, he decided to prove himself properly now; at the very least, in the eyes of Ryuen Shoko, he was someone capable of serving as her strategist.

Chapter 2: So, what is your choice? Hegemon? Or Tyrant?

"That's right, so Hoya, have you thought of any solutions?"

Sakagami Kazuma wore an expression of someone watching a show; he was quite satisfied with the situation in his class.

He was merely the homeroom teacher of Class C. As for leading his class to become Class A, he had never considered it—that was too difficult. Looking at the history of the school, such a thing had never happened, so when he learned he was the homeroom teacher of Class C, his choice was simple: let things take their course.

Of course, this "letting things take their course" did not mean leaving the students to die like Chabashira Sae. Rather, he intended to be an ordinary homeroom teacher; he would give the green light to whatever the students wanted to stir up.

After all, this school... was already disgusting enough. He just wanted to be a spectator now. If his students were well-behaved boys and girls, he would teach them diligently. But if his students were troublemakers... then let them make a scene. With him as their homeroom teacher to back them up, he wanted to see blood flow like a river!

So, when Ryuen Shoko wanted to become a king at that moment, he did not stop this farce that looked like nonsense, but truly intended to see if she could pull it off. These things were rich experiences for the students. To survive in this school, such small tribulations were nothing.

"A solution... of course I don't have one, but I already have a general idea."

Seeing that the situation was roughly as he had expected, Hoya Chukai clasped his hands behind his head and looked up at Ryuen Shoko with ease: "I think Class A and Class B should have started selecting their class representatives by now. To be honest, I don't think Class D will be able to pick a leader today. After all, the quality of Class D when listening to those big shots bragging on stage earlier... was quite worrying to me."

Having a thorough understanding of Class D's situation, Hoya Chukai didn't need to say anything more. Did this even need to be said? Wasn't it already a foregone conclusion? Could they even pick a leader? Before the second month began, they would likely just be in a state of "do whatever makes you happy," with no sign of anyone actually studying hard.

In that kind of environment, what difference did it make whether they had a leader or not?

It wasn't like Ayanokoji would step up to be the leader himself, right? Impossible, impossible; he wasn't that kind of person.

"To be honest, every class needs a leader, so in my opinion, a leader is bound to appear in our class today. But my king, if you really want to be the king of Class C, how will you win the crowd? Different monarchs have different ways of winning over the people. In my view, there are only two types of kings who can gather everyone together the fastest."

He held up two fingers: "A Hegemon, or a Tyrant. Which one do you intend to be?"

There were many types of kings who could gather hearts, but Hoya Chukai only mentioned the Hegemon and the Tyrant; after all, the others didn't suit Ryuen Shoko at all, so there was no point in mentioning them. As a lobbyist, one either picks the best or the worst; it was impossible to talk about one thing and then another. His words were guided, so he naturally had to follow Ryuen Shoko's lead.

After all, from today on, she would definitely become the king of Class C.

As for how she became one, neither other fanfictions nor the original work mentioned it, but based on the subtle details later on, it was clear she had fought her way to the throne; otherwise, she wouldn't be called a tyrant.

"Hegemon? Tyrant? Is there any difference between the two?"

"The difference is huge. What is a Hegemon? Someone who is tough externally and gentle internally. If anyone from other classes dares to bully our people, they will be punished no matter how far away they are—that is a Hegemon. What is a Tyrant? Someone greedy, furious, and fond of infighting; someone who is incredibly domineering internally but barks like a chained dog when facing the outside—that is a Tyrant. So, my king, which one do you want to be?"

Hoya Chukai's words made Ryuen Shoko burst into laughter, and she even started clapping: "Good, are you trying to trap me here? Gentle internally? Are you saying I've gone too far?"

"Haven't you gone too far already? What's with this Hegemon and Tyrant talk? Can you two stop this farce?"

A male student in the class couldn't watch anymore. He slammed his hand on the desk and stood up, but the next second, a dark shadow flew at him. With an "ouch," he sat back down in his seat.

There was a pencil case on his face; there was no doubt it had been thrown by Ryuen Shoko. The sheer force of it made Hoya Chukai's eyelids twitch twice.

Good grief, what did she eat growing up to have that kind of strength?

"Hey, hey, hey, if you don't have the ability, please don't interrupt. First of all, if Shoko-san doesn't have the ability to be a king, then what does it matter if I spend some time messing around with a pretty girl? If she really does have the ability to be a king, then what did I say that was wrong? Besides, the homeroom teacher hasn't said anything, so why are you the first one to speak up?"

Hoya Chukai didn't look scared, but his posture was no longer as casual as before; it was clear that Ryuen Shoko's display of dominance had indeed shaken him.

Although he was a university graduate, he only had a sharp mind. When it came to fighting, ten of him couldn't beat Ryuen Shoko.

"My king, it seems that if we want to continue our conversation... we have to win the crowd first. After all, to be a king, you need the whole class to acknowledge you, right?"

Changing the subject, Hoya Chukai threw the problem back to Ryuen Shoko. Perhaps this could be considered his test for her; if she could truly win the crowd, then they could have a proper conversation afterward.

If she couldn't... then it would be even more interesting. If Class C wasn't controlled by Ryuen, then this school would be a lot more fun.

"Perhaps. At least compared to those annoying guys, you have a bit of common sense."

Ryuen Shoko didn't stay seated; she jumped off the desk: "Speak up, who is dissatisfied? Come and let's spar."

The first to stand up was Yamada Albert. He was a mixed-race boy with black hair and dark skin, and his burly appearance made him look like he could really fight.

At least compared to the seemingly delicate delinquent Ryuen Shoko, he was indeed someone who could fight. In the eyes of many, he could knock Ryuen Shoko silly with two punches.

But the result was beyond everyone's expectations.

"No way..."

Ibuki Mio watched, dumbfounded. What had she just seen?

In just three punches, Ryuen Shoko had knocked the burly Albert to the ground?

"Anyone else? Let me see who else is dissatisfied with me. If there is, stand up right now, and I'll still call you a man. Otherwise... if I find out you dare to resist behind my back later, I'll beat the hell out of you."

Ryuen Shoko wiped her knuckles and spoke very roughly, while Hoya Chukai stood to the side, quietly observing everything.

Calling herself "I" with such masculine bravado? It seems she leans more towards the male side in her heart... interesting.

Chapter 3: You are a Hegemon, not a Tyrant

Ryuen Shoko was a girl with a story, and it was certainly more of a story than in the original work.

But Hoya Chukai didn't dwell on it too much. After all, a self-proclaimed pronoun didn't mean much; he would understand the situation better after more contact later.

When it came to opportunism, Hoya Chukai was second to none. He couldn't do anything grand, but he had a certain instinct for avoiding risks.

Back in university, he majored in finance. If nothing else, his insight when facing risks was much higher than his classmates. During a simulated stock market game, he encountered a bear market, sensed the risk, and cut his losses in time, winning third place—because his losses were the smallest. Aside from the two who were truly good at stocks, everyone else had lost much more than him.

This didn't amount to much, but at least he didn't feel enough of a crisis now, so it looked like this matter might just pass.

At least for now, it seemed to have passed.

"So, is there anyone else?"

Ryuen Shoko had already taken down her sixth male student. Perhaps in the original story, she hadn't defeated quite so many, but in this life, she was a girl. Here in Japan, a girl acting as the boss truly touched a nerve with those prone to chauvinism, so it was common for the number of challengers to increase.

"My turn." "I'm in too." "No need to worry about honor when dealing with someone like this, let's all go together."

This time, there was no more talk of one-on-one duels; it had turned into a brawl. Yet, facing the onslaught of the group, Ryuen Shoko didn't retreat but instead pressed forward, and soon, the fighting erupted again.

She took hits, with one fist landing squarely on her cheek. But the punch she returned sent that classmate flying. Even with two fists, she couldn't hold off four hands forever, and she gradually struggled to block the group's offensive, yet she fought back frantically like a ferocious tigress.

Every punch the students landed on her only made her feel pain, but every punch she returned was enough to make them pay a price.

A price of excruciating pain, a price of blood.

"Who's next!"

Standing atop the pile of people collapsed on the ground, Ryuen Shoko demanded once more.

But this time, no one rose to their feet.

One against five, victory. Even though she was covered in wounds, even though her right cheek was already bruised, and even though her former beauty was no longer discernible, she had, at this moment, beaten the entire class into submission.

"Here, apply this."

Hoya Chukai handed over a bottle of medicinal ointment. Upon seeing it, Ryuen Shoko raised an eyebrow: "What, are you mocking me?"

"Not at all. It's just that a king should carry themselves like a king, and you don't look quite right like this. Apply it."

How could Hoya Chukai not know how to deal with someone like her? People like this were mostly stubborn mules that needed to be stroked the right way.

Besides, she had just won a major victory, so now was the time to be even more humble and reinforce the fact that she was the king of this class.

Hoya Chukai's words caused Ryuen Shoko's brow to unfurl, and she returned to her seat. Hoya Chukai acted like a sycophant, using his sleeve to wipe down her chair before she finally sat down: "You apply it for me."