Sakayanagi's Inferiority Complex

Xu Nuo stepped into the pavilion.

Sunlight filtered through the roof, casting mottled shadows upon the ground, warm, bright, and comfortable.

A gentle breeze swept past.

It brought with it waves of floral fragrance.

There, in the center of the pavilion, stood a stone table, with black and white chess pieces arranged neatly across its surface.

Beside it.

A petite figure sat quietly on a stone stool, a beret resting atop her head, gently covering her silver-white, shoulder-length hair.

Her frame was slender and small, appearing quite fragile.

At this moment.

Her purple eyes were clear and bright, her right hand holding a white chess piece, hovering above the board.

She was playing against herself.

Hearing footsteps.

Sakayanagi Arisu raised her head, her purple eyes turning toward the newcomer as the corners of her mouth curled into a standard smile.

"Good afternoon, Xu Nuo."

The girl's voice was soft and sweet, filled with the elegance of a young lady, and she immediately set down the piece in her hand, folding her hands over her lap and bowing slightly.

Her etiquette was impeccable in every movement.

"It seems."

"You and Masumi got along quite well?" Sakayanagi Arisu smiled as she looked toward the entrance.

There.

A stealthy girl was peeking in.

Xu Nuo shrugged.

"Thanks to you."

"Mmhmm."

Sakayanagi Arisu's gaze held a hint of anticipation. "If you don't mind, would you like to sit and play a game with me?"

As she spoke.

She extended her hand, gesturing toward the stone stool opposite her.

"Please—"

"..."

Xu Nuo did not stand on ceremony; he walked straight over and sat down opposite her, though he did not touch any of the pieces.

"No thanks."

"I'm not interested in chess."

Hearing this.

Sakayanagi blinked, her expression appearing somewhat regretful. "Is that so? What a pity. But that makes sense; after experiencing the ever-changing and infinitely profound world of Go, how could you look down upon a simple battle between two armies?"

After all.

Compared to Go, chess was indeed much simpler.

Deeply influenced by someone.

Sakayanagi Arisu had once studied Go for a period of time, but the more she learned, the more she discovered its mysteries.

Her skill was not weak.

However.

In the realm of Go, there was an insurmountable mountain, and quite unfortunately, it stood right before her.

The girl would not invite humiliation upon herself.

Only in the realm of chess did she dare to contend with him.

What a pity...

Sakayanagi withdrew her hand without forcing the issue, sat up straight again, and fixed her purple eyes on Xu Nuo.

"You must be curious about why I asked to see you."

"I await the Princess's enlightenment."

Xu Nuo nodded.

"Hehehe~" Sakayanagi Arisu let out a soft laugh, then looked down at the chessboard, reaching out to pick up a black piece and twirling it between her fingertips.

"Last night."

"An interesting event occurred at the school."

"The Private Points of every student and faculty member were wiped to zero overnight, and the school's official explanation is a system malfunction."

"But I don't think so."

"I suspect... this was the work of a certain student."

"Oh?"

"And who do you think that might be?"

Xu Nuo asked out of curiosity. He hadn't expected to be called here for this; could it be that his cover was about to be blown?

As for panic.

He didn't feel a shred of it.

Bathed in his gaze, Sakayanagi Arisu wore a faint smile as she slowly uttered a few words.

"Mr. Phantom Thief."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you still going to deny it, Mr. Ultimate Phantom Thief? You said as much in front of the entire class."

"A mere coincidence."

"Is that so?"

Sakayanagi tilted her head, placed the chess piece back onto the board, and revealed a confident smile.

"But I don't think it was a coincidence."

"A true phantom thief wouldn't reveal their identity before committing a crime, unless—"

"They simply don't care if people know."

Wrong.

Regarding his cover being blown, Xu Nuo actually cared quite a bit.

Because it would invite trouble.

However.

The little princess seemed to have become addicted to the topic; her purple eyes grew brighter, and the emotions hidden deep within her pupils became increasingly excited, even bordering on fanatical.

She observed the man before her with meticulous detail.

"Or perhaps."

"He feels that even if others know, they can't do anything about it. So I wonder, could it have been done by student Xu Nuo? After all, you are so..."

Her words came to an abrupt halt.

"Ara ara~"

Sakayanagi Arisu seemed somewhat annoyed, saying apologetically, "I got carried away and started rambling. I hope I haven't caused student Xu Nuo any distress."

"Not at all."

Xu Nuo shrugged. What intrigued him more was the sentence the girl had cut off so suddenly.

Does this girl seem to know me, and not just in a simple way?

Could it be.

Have we had any interactions before?

Xu Nuo shook his head; that was clearly impossible. At most, the girl might have seen him somewhere.

After all.

Unlike Karuizawa Kei, who had changed drastically as she grew up.

Sakayanagi Arisu.

Hadn't changed at all since she was a child. If he had ever seen her, he would never have forgotten.

"Ahem."

"You've said so much, but do you have any evidence?"

"None."

Sakayanagi admitted it quite readily.

"I was merely testing you." She rested her chin on her hand, a flicker of excitement crossing her purple eyes.

"But now, I am even more certain."

"Certain of what?"

"Certain that it was you."

"Because if it weren't you, you would have been angry or found it baffling, but you didn't."

"You were far too calm."

"Tsk."

Xu Nuo curled his lip, seemingly speechless. "You're completely forcing this connection onto me."

"A textbook case of finding the problem to fit the answer."

"..."

Sakayanagi Arisu fell silent for a moment, but soon smiled. "I won't tell anyone about this."

"In exchange—"

"I want you to do me a favor."

The young girl seemed convinced of her own deductions.

"What favor?"

Xu Nuo blinked, completely unconcerned about whether it was leaked or not. Just as Sakayanagi wasn't truly using it as a threat, he was simply feeling a bit curious.

"I haven't thought of it yet."

Sakayanagi Arisu shook her head. "But please rest assured, I guarantee I won't make you feel troubled."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then I won't force you."

She said this candidly, her expression quiet, looking obedient and pitiful.

"Tsk."

Xu Nuo clicked his tongue, reached out, and pinched the girl's soft cheeks, enjoying the sensation of her collagen-rich skin.

It was truly hard to let go.

"You, really."

"You aren't cute at all."

In an instant.

Sakayanagi Arisu broke character, her feigned expression crumbling as she let out a soft "owoo" and opened her mouth to bite him, looking fiercely adorable.

Xu Nuo didn't dodge.

He let her teeth sink into his wrist.

She didn't use any real force; clearly, with her self-control, she wouldn't do something so unrefined. She gave a light bite as a warning and let go.

However.

The warm breath she exhaled.

Made Xu Nuo's heart skip a beat, though he remained composed on the surface until his hand was slapped away hard by Sakayanagi.

"Xu Nuo-kun," Sakayanagi Arisu gritted her teeth, rubbing her cheek with a look of grievance, glaring at the guy in front of her. "Doing such a thing to a lady is truly rude."

"No, no, no—"

Xu Nuo remained calm and collected, his face completely indifferent.

"What's wrong with me pinching my own wife's cheeks? It's only natural, isn't it?"

"?!"

In an instant.

Sakayanagi Arisu looked as if she had been struck by lightning. She froze, unable to believe what she had just heard.

"You, what did you call me?"

"Wife, of course."

Xu Nuo said it righteously. "I've already met your father, and we even discussed our wedding date."

Sakayanagi Arisu: "???"

"Impossible!"

The girl was mortified, her delicate face instantly burning up as she huffed, "How could Father... You must be making things up!"

"Why don't you go ask him and find out?"

Xu Nuo chuckled, looking entirely serious.

Seeing this.

Sakayanagi Arisu wavered, unable to stop her mind from racing. Could it be that Father really met this guy? But my body is clearly...

Seeming to realize something.

The girl's expression dimmed, and her tone turned melancholic as she whispered in self-mockery:

"Stop joking."

"Father would never agree to such a thing."

Hearing this.

Xu Nuo raised an eyebrow slightly.

He had not expected this wicked little witch, who toyed with people's hearts, to actually feel a sense of inferiority toward him.

"I already told you."

He spoke slowly.

His slender fingers gently pinched the girl's delicate nose, his expression earnest and resolute, showing not a trace of deception. "Just go and ask, and you'll know."

"..."

Sakayanagi Arisu was stunned. Within her field of vision, the young man stood with his back to the sunlight, his entire figure plated in a faint golden glow. His handsome, almost bewitching face made one's heart skip a beat uncontrollably.

The girl was deeply captivated.