A Wager with Shiina

All morning, Xia Mu rested his chin on his hand, gazing out the window.

By noon, he headed to the cafeteria to forage for food.

On the way there, he ran into Shiina in the hallway.

Under normal circumstances, she would have greeted him with a cheerful smile and shared some new insights from the book she was reading.

But today, she kept her head down, trying to minimize her presence so that Xia Mu wouldn't notice her.

Yet, strangely enough, she also hoped that Xia Mu would see her so she could properly explain herself.

Contradictory, truly contradictory.

But Xia Mu simply watched her walk past him; seeing this, she pursed her lips, feeling inexplicably upset.

Even after she got her food in the cafeteria and sat down, she remained somewhat dazed.

She had no choice but to open her book, hoping to suppress the chaotic thoughts in her mind by reading.

Just then, a tray was placed in front of her.

"Excuse me, this seat is taken..." she said instinctively, but as she looked up, her voice grew quieter and quieter.

"Are you avoiding me, Shiina?" Xia Mu acted as if he hadn't heard her words, sitting down directly.

Did she misunderstand something after seeing him with Kushida yesterday?

"I, I, I..."

Shiina really didn't want to admit it, but she also didn't want to lie anymore; she hadn't liked the outcome of her last lie.

Why couldn't people just be more sincere with each other?

"You've been very busy lately, interacting with many 'female students,' so I was wondering if I was affecting your life, and that's why I..." Shiina lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong, her hands crossed, thumbs rubbing against the backs of her hands.

At that moment, a warm, large hand suddenly reached onto her head and gave it a firm rub, startling her out of her fantasies.

"Eh?" Her face flushed red, and she looked up to see Xia Mu wearing a full smile.

She wanted to resist, but found her body strangely going limp, even feeling a sense of comfort and enjoyment.

"W-what are you doing..." In the end, all her words of protest turned into a shy whisper.

"I only interact with those other people because I need their help with something."

"It's different with you; you're a friend I truly acknowledge from the bottom of my heart."

Xia Mu sat down, facing Shiina's flushed little face.

This girl is way too easy to coax.

"Ah, ah..."

"Is, is that so?"

The sudden, unique declaration made Shiina feel special, and in an instant, any dissatisfaction she had vanished.

"Then, if you get a girlfriend in the future, you must tell me clearly, or I will really be angry."

She raised her fist in a fierce gesture, intending to look menacing.

But to Xia Mu, it held no threat at all.

"Alright, I promise you." Xia Mu agreed without hesitation.

Because it was impossible for him to fall in love.

It would interfere with him earning Skill Points.

He had discovered that most of the system's abilities were related to the Correction of people, and there were more than just a few troubled girls in this school.

As for the trigger conditions, Xia Mu wasn't quite sure yet.

But he knew for certain that it wouldn't stop at the two Correction tasks that had appeared so far; there would definitely be more.

Having received an explanation, Shiina instantly forgot her previous unhappiness and discomfort, happily eating and chatting with Xia Mu.

"Xia Mu-kun, the midterm exams are coming up soon. Will you be alright?"

Shiina scooped a spoonful of porridge into her mouth, swallowed, and asked.

"Ah, no problem." Xia Mu replied, then lowered his head and began to wolf down his food.

Seeing this, the corners of Shiina's mouth couldn't help but lift; Xia Mu-kun really does love to eat.

Every time he eats, he is completely focused, which is strangely cute.

"Hey, are you that confident?"

Shiina poked at her rice with her spoon, blinking her spirited eyes. "The school is playing for real this time with these midterms. Your class might not be as lucky as last time."

"If you feel like you need help, I can tutor you."

The luck she was referring to was the fact that almost everyone in Class D had passed with high scores.

Everyone knew there must have been some trickery involved, and perhaps even the school knew.

But the school turned a blind eye; after all, no matter what, as long as there was no cheating during the exam, it counted as a pass.

Even getting the answers in advance from somewhere else counts as a form of ability.

"Phew, that hits the spot~"

After eating his fill, Xia Mu leaned back in his chair in a relaxed sprawl. "No problem, you just have to trust me."

"Really?"

Shiina was afraid that Xia Mu was only saying this to save face, so she confirmed it again and again. "If you fail the exam, you'll be expelled, and you won't be able to see me ever again."

Xia Mu nodded once more. "If you don't believe me, how about we make a bet?"

"A bet?"

"Hey, gambling is bad!!"

Shiina waved her pale, rosy hands frantically, but after seeing the faint, provocative smile on Xia Mu's face, she pursed her red lips.

"Fine, I'll make an exception for you just this once. How do you want to bet, Xia Mu?"

Xia Mu replied, "It's simple. We'll compare our scores."

"If I lose, I'll be your lackey for a day and do whatever you command. If you lose..."

Shiina's curiosity was instantly piqued. "If I lose, what will happen?"

Upon hearing this, Xia Mu stood up and leaned in to whisper a few words into Shiina's ear.

"Eh!?"

Shiina was instantly terrified, her body jolting back against the chair as her face broke out in a sweat. "Are you serious?"

Her heart was pounding, and as for the stakes Xia Mu had proposed, she hadn't just never done them—she hadn't even heard of them before.

"Of course, but whether you want to bet or not is up to you. I won't force you." Xia Mu spread his hands; truthfully, he just loved seeing the look on Shiina's face when she was flustered.

Shiina thought for a moment, then gritted her teeth. "No, I have to set the stakes myself."

"Since you've said as much, I'll have to state my own requirements as well."

Xia Mu crossed his arms, signaling for Shiina to just go ahead and say it.

"I..."

Shiina thought for a long time, and suddenly, a bold idea sprouted in her heart. "When you lose, you have to wear a maid outfit and be my servant for a day!!"

"Whoa..." Xia Mu was taken aback by Shiina's excited expression.

It was hard to imagine that a girl as honest as Shiina would actually come up with such an idea.

However, it was impossible for him to lose.

So, it didn't matter what the stakes were.

"No problem." Xia Mu extended his pinky finger. "Pinky swear."

Seeing Xia Mu so confident, Shiina's own resolve weakened slightly.

But she believed that she wouldn't lose; after all, she could score nearly 95 or higher in every subject during exams, and in the last one, she had even achieved perfect scores in several.

Both of them possessed absolute confidence. As their pinkies hooked together, the bet was sealed.