Matsushita Chiaki, Who Likes to Hide Her Strength

Suzuki Tsubame extracted the Spotlight.

Hmm... how to put it, it was almost no different from an ordinary lamp.

The lamp had a total of four buttons, labeled Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Pleasure, along with a push-pull switch marked with a + on top and a - below.

So-called practice yields true knowledge. Suzuki Tsubame aimed the light at Horikita, intending to test its effect.

He quietly pressed the Joy button. After a few seconds, he noticed Horikita's lips seemed to be slightly lifting.

Though the range was small, it was indeed rising, no mistake.

Hmm... let's turn the power up a bit more. He slowly pushed the switch upward.

A long time passed, but Horikita's expression didn't change again.

Just as Suzuki Tsubame thought this push-pull switch was useless.

A faint blush suddenly appeared on the girl's cheeks.

Good grief, so this was what it was waiting for.

The reason the Spotlight's effect was so diminished was actually because Horikita's expression control was too good.

He just didn't know what Horikita was thinking to make her blush.

Suzuki Tsubame stored the prop back in the System Space.

Overall, its effect was still considerable, especially when used alone on a single person.

As time passed, the students gradually returned to the classroom.

The gyaru girls surrounded Karuizawa like stars around the moon, flattering her with all kinds of sweet words.

It seemed they hadn't hesitated to use Suzuki Tsubame's points to treat her.

Suzuki Tsubame said it was no problem.

The future you will pay for the present you.

Matsushita Chiaki was also among the gyaru crowd.

But her intrigued gaze kept frequently drifting toward Suzuki Tsubame.

Suzuki Tsubame returned her smile.

Matsushita knew about Karuizawa borrowing points.

At that time, only Kushida, Sakura, and Suzuki Tsubame were left in the class.

Judging by how lavishly Karuizawa had been spending points just now.

Kushida could be ruled out first. Though kind-hearted, Kushida wasn't stupid. She might lend some, but not enough for Karuizawa to squander freely.

Sakura could also be ruled out. First, she might not have that many points, and second, there was no sign she'd been bullied.

Though Sakura had always kept her head down, Matsushita could easily see that much.

Why did Suzuki-kun lend her so many points? She didn't quite understand.

The relationship between Karuizawa and Hirata was almost common knowledge in the class.

In most people's eyes, the two of them were like Suzuki Tsubame and Horikita Suzune—almost at the point of an official announcement.

In that situation, Suzuki was still willing to lend her so many points.

Something was definitely off.

Until afternoon classes ended and everyone walked on the road to the library.

Matsushita's confusion remained unanswered.

"Matsushita-san, what are you thinking?"

Sakura was pulled aside by Hasebe for whispers, while Ayanokoji walked with the Three Idiots.

Horikita was still being pestered by Kushida; it seemed she hadn't given up yet.

The two of them were at the very back of the crowd, so there was no worry about being overheard.

"I was thinking... how far Suzuki-kun and Horikita-san have gotten now."

Matsushita smiled back at Suzuki Tsubame, who had sidled up to her, exuding an intellectual, languid aura.

Like Kushida Kikyo, she was a qualified actress.

Unlike Kushida, she was smarter and less aggressive.

If no one pushed her, Matsushita Chiaki could keep up the act for all three years.

"You're probably wondering why I lent Karuizawa so many points, right?"

Suzuki Tsubame looked down, gazing into Matsushita's calm, unruffled eyes.

"I..."

For the first time, a flicker of panic appeared in Matsushita's azure pupils.

But she quickly recovered, her face stiff as she forced out:

"No, nothing. I was just curious how Kei suddenly borrowed so many points. Turns out they were all from Suzuki?"

Did no one else find it amusing how flustered the intellectual older-sister type looked?

Like the big sister next door suddenly discovering the little brat who used to follow her around had grown a big asset—that panicked, flustered feeling.

It made you want to tease her for no reason.

Watching Matsushita struggle to keep her composure, Suzuki Tsubame felt an inexplicable urge to mess with her.

Suzuki's expression turned fierce, and he sneered:

"Do you know why I lent her that many points?"

"Uh... w-why?"

Matsushita was already stammering in fear. Suzuki Tsubame stood 183 cm tall, a full head above her.

At this close distance, looking down at her was incredibly oppressive.

(The height settings for female characters in Youkoso Jitsuryoku are weird. In the lore, Horikita is 156 cm, and Ichinose is the same. But in the illustrations, Ayanokoji, who's 176 cm, is barely half a head taller than Horikita. So here, I'm setting their heights at 169 cm.)

"You must have noticed, right? Karuizawa and Hirata's relationship is strange."

Watching her panic, Suzuki kept up the pressure.

"Huh?... Are they acting strange?"

Despite being a little scared, Matsushita instinctively chose to play dumb.

In her mind, as long as she appeared mediocre enough, no one would pay her any attention.

Unfortunately, Suzuki Tsubame wasn't about to let her get away with that. Hiding everything would only make her fade into obscurity.

Of course, Sima Yi was an exception.

"Since you didn't notice anything wrong with them, why didn't you join them in studying?"

"Don't give me that excuse about worrying Hirata would overwork himself. There were already plenty of people there; one more wouldn't have made a difference."

She hadn't expected her instinctive avoidance of trouble to backfire so badly.

Matsushita pressed her thin lips together, bitterness churning inside her.

"Couldn't it just be... that you're more handsome, so I wanted to study with you instead?"

Matsushita made one last desperate attempt. For some reason, her heart was in chaos.

She hadn't done anything wrong, she felt, yet her heart was pounding so hard she could barely breathe.

"That's actually not a bad reason."

Suzuki grinned, and the tension in the air instantly eased.

"Do you want to know now what's going on between Karuizawa and Hirata?"

Watching Suzuki's smile return, Matsushita felt her breathing steady.

Was this the legendary Observation Haki?

Compared to him, President Horikita on stage at the opening ceremony was practically a loli!

Matsushita Chiaki seriously considered his question.

The answer was simple: yes or no.

Answer yes, and she might get dragged into all sorts of trouble.

Answer no, and he might retaliate against her.

"Mm... I want to know."

Matsushita bit her silver teeth, as if she had made up her mind.

All kinds of trouble were probably far less terrifying than Suzuki Tsubame himself.

[Ding! Long-term quest: Hidden Prodigy, progress: 10%. Reward: Presence Regulator. This item can freely adjust the user's own presence. Note: This item only affects the host, and reducing presence does not equate to intangibility. Do not use it as an invincibility frame.]