Koenji's Intelligence

"So, you knew I'd come all along?"

Looking at the Branch Cake pushed in front of him and the smug smile on Koenji's face, Shinjo finally understood.

"Well, it's one of the best ways to get to you. There's no way you'd pass up a monthly limited-edition treat like this, seeing how you live for sweets."

Even in front of Shinjo, Koenji did as he pleased, using a comb to fix his hair.

"Anyway, thanks. Without you, I might really have had to wait another month."

"Heh heh heh. Go ahead and enjoy the favor I've bestowed upon you."

"So, what do you want from me?"

Koenji was the very definition of someone who never lifted a finger without expecting something in return. Even Shinjo had to admit he couldn't compete with him on that front.

"Straight to the point, I see. That's fine by me. I want you to owe me a favor."

The smile on Katsuya Shinjo's face stiffened. The kind of favor Koenji was asking for was no joke.

"Hey... You haven't started imagining things, have you? You expect me to work for you over one measly cake?"

Koenji held up a finger and wagged it a few times.

"No, no, no. I'm not that naive, of course. Consider the cake a gift. In exchange, I'll tell you something useful about the school. How does that sound?"

"That depends on how valuable your information is."

Koenji laughed with satisfaction. Like him, Shinjo cared about getting a fair deal, so he wasn't going to betray him over information he'd learn sooner or later anyway. Koenji slowly began to speak.

"You've probably figured something out about personal points by now, haven't you?"

"Oh my, oh my. Weren't you supposed to be the one giving me useful information? Why are you asking me questions instead? Surely you aren't trying to get something for nothing, Young Master Koenji?"

"Heh heh. You're still as suspicious as ever. Fine. All you need to know is that if things keep going this way, most of the class will be broke next month. And personal points are much more useful than you think."

Katsuya Shinjo nodded subtly. He'd already been bracing himself for that.

Koenji didn't say anything. Whether or not Shinjo already knew, he wasn't going to give anything away with his expression.

But since Shinjo hadn't said anything yet, Koenji knew he wasn't satisfied with the value of that information.

So Koenji picked up a mirror, glanced into it, and continued:

"The school's four classes, A through D, seem to be ranked according to some kind of system. And our class has ended up in Class D."

Koenji naturally knew all the details.

As the saying went, money could make the devil himself turn the millstone. As the only son of the Koenji Family, he could promise upperclassmen future rewards and jobs in exchange for information or scarce resources like personal points.

But he had no intention of telling Katsuya Shinjo everything at once.

Shinjo's face didn't change, but he couldn't help wondering. If Koenji hadn't brought it up, it would never have occurred to him.

Generally speaking, A through D grades in games or exams stood for excellent, good, passing, and failing.

Considering Teacher Chabashira's earlier mention of "survival of the fittest," and how many classmates had one problem or another, it was hard not to think of the worst.

"Well, let me leave you with one last hint. Every unreasonable thing about this school can be explained by some kind of logic. The school takes in so many ugly people—that's unreasonable in itself. So how could it be made reasonable?"

Koenji launched into another riddle, but had no intention of explaining it to Katsuya Shinjo.

"That's all I have to say. Surely that's worth a favor. I've got a date to get to. See you later, Odd Jobs Agency~"

With that, Koenji stood up and left the private room.

Katsuya Shinjo ignored the teasing and focused on sorting through the information Koenji had left behind.

He now knew that personal points were tied closely to students' everyday conduct. And his class was at the bottom of the entire year.

The "ugly people" Koenji had mentioned were naturally those who had no value and only held others back.

Advanced Nurturing School graduates could freely choose their careers or pursue further education. Did that mean even those who held everyone back would get the same opportunities?

No. That was absolutely impossible.

The school's funding came from society and the country. The government wouldn't spend money supporting a bunch of useless people.

Which meant... the enormous privileges that came with graduating from this school might be beyond their reach—or perhaps they wouldn't even be allowed to graduate...

Considering the gap between Classes A, B, C, and D...

So Class D students weren't worthy of those privileges... Was that it?

Once he understood, Katsuya Shinjo sucked in a sharp breath, then quickly let it out.

"What does that have to do with me? I don't care about choosing my own career. Once I graduate, I'll still have to take over that complicated, burdensome mess..."

He still didn't quite understand what Koenji meant when he said personal points were far more useful than he thought. What else could points do besides serve as currency?

It wasn't as if they could buy things you couldn't see or touch, right?

Wait...

"Anything inside the school can be bought with points, no matter what it is. That's what Teacher Chabashira said, wasn't it?"

The words "anything can be bought" carried enormous weight.

Though it probably wouldn't occur to a normal person to focus on that. Who read an instruction manual and nitpicked every word?

But this school seemed to love playing word games. Either they only told you half of what you needed to know, or they hid the most important conditions.

The seemingly limitless possibilities of personal points set Shinjo's mind racing. He'd come to this school because he wanted a few peaceful years. He didn't want to work, take risks, or scheme against people.

But the good times would end eventually. Once he graduated from high school, he still wouldn't be able to escape the fate that awaited him.

Now, though, a golden opportunity lay right in front of him. If he could really do it—if he could use points to buy the right to stay for a fourth or fifth year—then as long as he had enough points, couldn't he live at the school for the rest of his life?!

A whole lifetime might be asking too much. Still, who would complain about having too many good years?

"Forewarned is forearmed. No matter what points can do, I'd better get my hands on as many as possible... But where am I supposed to earn them?"

(But could it be, Shinjo, that the reason you came to school was to avoid having to earn money?)