Enrollment

Not long after the bus set off, it arrived at the final destination of the trip.

The first thing that came into view was the academy's main gate, carved from natural boulders.

Government-funded schools really were impressive. After all, this was a school that dared to boast a 100% advancement and employment rate.

What incredible energy!

"Say, what did it mean when you looked at me on the bus earlier?"

The girl planted one hand on her hip and questioned him from above.

Was this how she interacted with everyone? If he did not know martial arts, this might end badly.

After giving it some thought, Suzuki Tsubame said seriously,

"I was just thinking... there were clearly so many people on the bus, so why was no one willing to give up their seat? Is it wrong to help someone who needs help?"

That answer completely exceeded Horikita's expectations.

The issue Suzuki Tsubame cared about was not whether people gave up their seats, but why everyone was so indifferent.

From a macro perspective, it was a social conflict born from the negative influences of long-term class division, negative individualism, economic stagnation, and other factors among the island nation's people.

From a micro perspective, perhaps everyone was tired? Perhaps they all needed a seat to rest? Hmm... another possibility was that they were recluses who did not want to do anything attention-grabbing.

Or perhaps... they had their own principles in life? In any case, there were many possible answers.

Horikita could not come up with a perfect answer for the moment, but she could now be certain that he had not given up his seat because of the big-breasted girl.

Someone capable of asking such a profound question should not be that shallow.

"Then what about you? Why did you choose to stand by and watch?"

Suzuki Tsubame continued questioning her. Horikita's task was to make him understand the difference between solitude and arrogance.

Changing one's mindset through isolated self-study alone was impossible. After all, she had already grown accustomed to this kind of life.

Suzuki Tsubame's goal was to teach her the definition of solitude.

Horikita Suzune fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking.

"I refused to give up my seat because I adhered to my own beliefs."

Silence...

Horikita Manabu, what exactly had you taught your little sister?!

Suzuki Tsubame seriously suspected that Horikita had only gone quiet briefly because she was too embarrassed to say it.

After all, it was hard to imagine such a chuunibyou tone coming from a tsundere beauty.

"If there's nothing else, then forget it."

Horikita's face reddened slightly as she turned and headed toward the school gate. It looked like she was about to lose her composure herself.

Suzuki Tsubame hurried after her. The lesson was only halfway through; he could not let her run away.

The two entered the school one after the other.

First, they handed all their personal belongings over to the guards for inspection. The purpose was simple: to prevent school information from leaking out.

"By the way, you still haven't told me. What kind of belief makes you insist on acting this way?"

Suzuki Tsubame took the lead in opening the conversation, trying to guide her into opening up to him.

Silence...

"What does that have to do with you?"

Horikita's expression remained calm as she headed toward the Gymnasium on her own.

The announcement earlier had said that the new student entrance ceremony would be held in the Gymnasium.

He did not want to press his warm face against a cold shoulder, but for the reward, he would endure it!

"Actually, even if you don't want to tell me, I can guess." Suzuki Tsubame followed closely behind her, speaking just loudly enough for her to hear.

Horikita pretended not to hear him. She neither responded nor slowed her pace in the slightest.

"You came to confront me after getting off the bus, which means you aren't a recluse. You aren't afraid of other people noticing you."

"You sat perfectly straight while reading on the bus, and your complexion was rosy. That means you're in good health."

"If it isn't a physical reason, and you aren't afraid of attracting attention, then there's only one possibility..."

Suzuki Tsubame paused, and Horikita's steps slowed by half a beat.

Then hurry up and say it! In truth, Horikita often felt confused herself. The belief she followed was simply too difficult.

Like an ascetic, she walked alone on the road to pilgrimage. But ascetics were usually middle-aged people in their forties or fifties. What eighteen-year-old girl in the prime of her youth became an ascetic?!

"You're just like that blond guy. You're an absolute egoist."

An absolute egoist? Did that mean the same thing as the belief she upheld? Why did it feel a little wrong?

Horikita was confused. At the very least, she certainly would not sit in a priority seat.

"Wrong!"

Suzuki Tsubame shouted, startling Horikita out of her inner world.

Under her murderous gaze, Suzuki Tsubame continued,

"When I asked you why you chose to stand by and watch, you answered with the baseless excuse of 'belief.'"

"If you were simply an absolute egoist, you would have answered decisively, rather than giving such a broad and vague response."

"That means that deep down, you don't actually agree with that answer. In other words, you're conflicted right now."

Those words made Horikita frown deeply. Even she did not know why that was.

Seeing how effective it had been, Suzuki Tsubame decided to strike while the iron was hot.

"The source of your belief probably isn't yourself. Perhaps it came from the person you admire most?"

If his earlier words had merely put Horikita into a state of contemplation, then this sentence was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue!

Horikita stared at him in shock. Was this guy really human? Such terrifying insight—did he have mind-reading powers?! But... I had not thought about my brother at all!!

"By the way, have you ever considered that the goal you're following is wrong? Not that the other person isn't outstanding, but that you misunderstood their beliefs."

"Furthermore, everyone's path of growth is different. That person's ideals may not suit you perfectly."

Suzuki Tsubame had said all he could. If she still could not come to her senses, there was nothing he could do.

Events like new student entrance ceremonies and speeches from school leaders were truly annoying. It was the same everywhere.

First, Chairman Sakayanagi took the stage and said a whole lot of meaningless things.

Next came the Student Council president. Standing on the platform, Horikita Manabu introduced the school to the many new students.

"Hello, new students. I am the Student Council president, Horikita Manabu... This school follows a merit-first philosophy... Those interested in joining the Student Council may fill out an application form over there." (Skipped)

Class D classroom.

After the entrance ceremony ended, Suzuki Tsubame made his way to the Class D classroom alone.

The students gathered in groups of three or five, chatting among themselves.

Student names were posted on the desks. Following the name labels, Suzuki Tsubame sat in the window seat at the back of the classroom.

Not bad, not bad. The homeland of the king of back-row window seats.

Ayanokoji should be sitting in front of him, with that familiar light-brown middle-part hairstyle.

For some reason, he had not boarded the bus, yet he had still arrived here.

Horikita Suzune was seated beside him. He wondered what kind of reaction she would have later.

"Hello, I'm Suzuki Tsubame."

After thinking about it briefly, he still decided to speak with Ayanokoji. After all, Ayanokoji only wanted to be an ordinary student and enjoy school life.

"Ah... hello. My name is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. Nice to meet you." Ayanokoji responded with an expressionless face.

Someone finally greeted me. I hope I can make good friends.

Ayanokoji thought to himself.

"Heh heh, Ayanokoji, is it? What do you usually like to do?" Suzuki Tsubame asked with a smile.

"Hmm... what do I like to do? I don't think there's anything I particularly like doing."

Ayanokoji pondered for a while. He genuinely did not know what ordinary students liked to do in their spare time.

"Don't you play games? Or read novels?" Suzuki Tsubame tried to keep the conversation going.

"Uh... my family was strict about that, so..."

The two chatted on and off.

Not long afterward, the girl carrying a shoulder bag also entered the classroom.

"Yo, we meet again, Miss Suzune."

Suzuki Tsubame greeted her enthusiastically.

"Mm..."

She stuffed her shoulder bag into her desk but did not take out the copy of Crime and Punishment she always carried with her.

The girl looked utterly bewildered at the moment. She did not even react when Suzuki Tsubame addressed her by name, merely sitting there quietly.

[Ding! Long-term mission: Solitary Maiden. Completion: 10%. Reward: Chess Mastery (including chess, shogi, Go, Gomoku, Chinese checkers, Ludo...)]

Boom! That felt amazing!

Suzuki Tsubame felt as though a mysterious force had smoothed over his cerebral cortex, and an incomparably pleasant sensation bloomed at the back of his head.

Before long, all kinds of chess manuals and strategic concepts were imprinted into his mind.

It seemed Horikita had figured out some things just now, though only a few.

Ring ring ring...

The class bell rang.

Almost at the same time, a mature woman in a business suit strode into the classroom on long legs.

She looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Her long hair was tied in a neat high ponytail, giving her a rather composed appearance.

But Suzuki Tsubame knew that Chabashira Sae was simply an enlarged version of Horikita—an absolute scammer.

"New students, I am the homeroom teacher of Class D, Chabashira Sae. I usually teach island nation history. This school does not change teachers every academic year. Therefore, for the next three years until you graduate, I will study alongside you as your homeroom teacher. Before that, I will distribute materials concerning this school's special rules."

The materials passed down from the front had already been distributed before school began, and Suzuki Tsubame examined them carefully.

First, students were forbidden from leaving the school without permission and from contacting people outside, even their families.

At the same time, to keep students from becoming bored, the campus contained numerous entertainment facilities. There were large shopping malls, karaoke venues, movie theaters, milk tea shops, clothing stores, and everything else one could need.

"Your phones have already had the school's S-System installed. With it, you can use all facilities on campus and purchase goods at stores. Since doing so consumes points, use them carefully. Within this school, there is nothing points cannot buy. As long as it exists on campus, you can buy anything."

When they had entered the school earlier, the guards had collected everyone's phones, installed the S-System, and returned them to the students through their teachers.

"Points will be deposited automatically on the first day of every month. Right now, everyone should have received an equal distribution of one hundred thousand points. In addition, each personal point is worth one yen."

"Huh? Doesn't that mean I can buy that limited-edition game console?"

"That's great! Let's go shopping together later."

The classroom instantly became noisy.

One hundred thousand points per month was an enormous sum for students.

Chabashira Sae had no intention of giving them any further reminders and continued,

"This school measures people by ability. Being admitted here has already proven your worth. Furthermore, points will be distributed every month, so don't hold back. Feel free to use them."

At those words, the classroom erupted even more. No one noticed the problem, and even if someone had noticed something suspicious, they had no intention of mentioning it.

"Since no one has any questions, I will leave first. I wish you an enjoyable school life."

With that, Chabashira Sae left without hesitation.

Suzuki Tsubame also exited through the back door and chased after Chabashira Sae in the direction she had gone.

Watching Suzuki Tsubame's retreating figure, Ayanokoji fell into thought.