One Hundred Thousand a Month Is Truly Too Suspicious

Despite the unfortunate accident along the way, the bus maintained its scheduled speed and eventually arrived at the destination station.

Shiina, who was sitting next to me, stood up, and I followed suit as we got off the bus.

Other students from Advanced Nurturing High School also began to disembark one after another.

As soon as we stepped off, a magnificent school gate constructed from natural stone stood before our eyes.

The gate was so imposing that it made one hold their breath.

The reactions of the other students were identical—their steps were unsteady, unable to hide their unease.

After all, we would be living isolated from the outside world for the next three years.

Perhaps only an oddball like me would feel indifferent; their reactions were the normal ones.

"Hikigaya-kun, would you like to go to the school building together?"

Shiina suddenly spoke to me.

Considering that refusing at this moment would seem deliberate, I decided to accept the invitation.

"Ah, sure, no problem."

"Thank you, let's go then."

Shiina said this as she passed through the gate, and I followed closely behind.

Ha, my peaceful life for the next three years is as good as secured.

I walked forward with a sense of excitement in my heart.

Before long, I saw a crowd gathering, likely around the bulletin board displaying the class assignments.

"I am... Class C. What about you, Hikigaya-kun?"

"Class D."

"I see... It's rare to meet someone who enjoys reading as much as you do, it's a pity we aren't in the same class."

Shiina's tone carried a hint of regret.

I couldn't deny that our conversation on the bus had been quite pleasant.

But that was all it was.

Although it was the truth, I had no intention of saying things like "let's go to the library together" or "we can still be friends even if we're in different classes."

When it comes to socializing with others, I have always adhered to the principle of keeping it to a minimum.

"Class assignments are just how it is. Looking at this crowd, we should probably head to our classrooms early."

I threw out a cliché excuse, preparing to slip away.

However, the point was valid, and Shiina nodded slightly.

"Alright, let's go."

After following Shiina into the school building, I quickly found the classroom marked "1-D"—my new base of operations.

"See you later."

"Yes, until we meet again."

After a simple farewell, I stepped into the classroom to find that most students had already taken their seats; some were flipping through school materials, while others were chatting in small groups.

I walked straight to the seat with my name tag—a middle seat on the corridor side, neither awkward nor prominent.

However, I had no particular attachment to where I sat.

Just as I opened the book I was halfway through, A Study in Scarlet, the bell for class rang abruptly.

Almost simultaneously, a woman in a suit appeared.

Judging by her attire, which was not a student uniform, she must be the homeroom teacher.

In the few seconds it took her to walk to the podium, the students who were standing scrambled to take their seats.

"Freshmen, I am Sae Chabashira, the homeroom teacher for Class D. I teach Japanese History. There will be no class changes within these three years, so I look forward to working with you."

She paused: "The entrance ceremony will be held in an hour. For now, I will explain the school's special system. Students in the front row, please pass these materials to the back."

The materials handed out seemed familiar—the same stack of documents that had been sent along with the acceptance letter.

The content was roughly as follows:

Unlike ordinary high schools, this school implements a full boarding system, and contact with the outside world is prohibited in principle.

Of course, the school is equipped with entertainment facilities such as karaoke, cinemas, cafes, and boutiques, and convenience stores and supermarkets are also fully stocked.

And the most unique feature is the "S-System."

"The student ID cards issued now have built-in points, which can be used for purchases within the school, functioning like a campus credit card. 100,000 points will be deposited on the 1st of every month, with 1 point equivalent to 1 yen. Note: Any unused points at the time of graduation will be fully reclaimed and cannot be exchanged for cash. Transfers are permitted, but extortion is strictly prohibited—the school has zero tolerance for bullying."

Chabashira-sensei left after delivering her closing remarks, leaving the classroom in an uproar.

"Let's go shopping for clothes after school!"

"We can buy anything we want now!"

"Let's hit the arcade!"

"Getting a hundred thousand points a month is just too awesome!"

Voices like these drifted over, but to me, it all sounded incredibly suspicious.

As the saying goes, there is no such thing as a free lunch.

More importantly, back in middle school, I didn't just fail to encounter any good fortune; I went through a whole heap of absolute garbage.

Probably—or rather, it is absolutely impossible for something as good as getting a hundred thousand points for free every month to exist.

I sighed and stood up.

Honestly, there was nothing to do here, and since there was still some time before the entrance ceremony, I might as well go explore the school facilities.

Besides, if I stayed in the classroom any longer, the self-introduction session common among new students might start.

Just as I was thinking this and preparing to sneak out through the back door of the classroom—

"Everyone, could I have a moment?"

A somewhat loud voice came from the front of the classroom. I instinctively looked up, and what met my eyes was a quintessential, refreshing-type handsome guy wearing a sunny smile.

"We are going to spend the next three years together starting today. So, I hope everyone can take the initiative to introduce themselves and become friends as soon as possible. If we believe Chabashira-sensei, we still have an hour until the entrance ceremony. What does everyone think?"

Listening to this speech, a sudden sense of irritation welled up inside me.

It wasn't directed at the guy in front of me, but rather, it reminded me of someone from my middle school days who shared a similar philosophy and was always spouting, "Everyone should get along."

That guy, Hayama Hayato, claimed on the surface to want to be friends with everyone, but in reality, he held his own little clique above all else.

I don't know how many times I had to clean up the messes made by his little group.

If it weren't for Hayama and his crowd always causing trouble, I could have lived a peaceful life and wouldn't have ended up enrolling in this school.

Although I don't know what this sunny, handsome guy is like on the inside, thanks to Hayama, I really don't want to get involved.

And so, I snuck out of the classroom, and since I wasn't called out during the process, I probably wasn't noticed.

Or perhaps the guy simply judged that there was no need to bother with a gloomy character like me.

"Next... should I check out the library?"

In this high school established under the leadership of the government, all facilities are of top-tier quality.

The library on campus is naturally no exception; the brochure says it houses tens of millions of books.

I shifted my mood and headed toward the library with the map in hand.

However, five minutes later, I felt a wave of disappointment upon discovering that the library was closed due to the entrance ceremony.

Immediately after, Shiina also arrived at the library, and upon learning it was closed, she wore a look of regret.

Seeing her head straight for the library right after enrolling, I couldn't help but wonder if this girl might be a loner too.