The Scheme of the Star Palace

"But, how... can I get him to work for me?"

She bit down on the word "me" lightly, yet it sounded exceptionally clear.

This "me" did not refer to her identity as a teacher, nor did it refer to the school's management system. It was something deeper—the personal intentions and needs of Chie Hoshinomiya herself. In this school, with its polished exterior and twisted internal rules, every teacher had their own stance, calculations, and even... goals that needed to be achieved in the shadows. Students, especially special ones like Yun Lan, were extremely precious and difficult-to-control "resources" or "pawns."

He was clearly not the type to have his blood boil from simple "encouragement" or "instruction." Gentle guidance? He likely saw through it better than she did. Direct orders or a trade of benefits? He would probably just use his points to force her out of the game. If that happened, her long-cherished wish would become even more impossible to realize.

"He is like water..." Chie Hoshinomiya closed her eyes, sketching the calm silhouette of the boy in her mind. "He has no fixed shape and is hard to grasp. If you apply pressure, he might slip through your fingers, or... in places you cannot see, he might gather into a deep pool, or even stir up waves to swallow you whole."

She didn't just need an obedient blade; she needed a "collaborator"—or perhaps a "co-conspirator"—who could understand the complex chessboard and take the initiative to make a move. She needed help to stop Sae Chabashira's class from rising above their station. But the prerequisite was that there had to be a sufficient reason to make him willing to direct his "talent" in the direction she desired.

The methods couldn't be too extreme, or she would be the one getting fired.

"Interest? A challenge? Or... the more fundamental 'needs' of a person?" She opened her eyes, her gaze turning sharp again as it swept over the sparse file information on Yun Lan on her screen, as well as his astonishing point records. "What is he truly interested in? In this school, what does he want to obtain? Or rather, can I use myself to bind him to my own warship?"

Chie Hoshinomiya's fingertips traced lightly across the desk, unconsciously drawing complex lines. The sunlight shifted, leaving half her face submerged in shadow and the other half illuminated, flickering in and out.

"No rushing... I can't let him sense a deliberate approach." She finally stopped her fingers, silently admonishing herself. "Seeds must be sown slowly, and the soil must be prepared with patience. Let him 'discover' some clues himself, let him 'develop' a certain need... and then, at the right moment, offer that 'olive branch' that seems like the logical next step."

A familiar, slightly lively and cheerful smile returned to her face, as if the deep contemplation from moments ago had never happened. Only deep within her eyes, the cold light of assessment did not dissipate.

"Little Yun Lan, let's see..." She picked up the cold coffee on her desk and took a sip, the bitter taste spreading across the tip of her tongue. "Where will you head in this interesting 'school life'? And as for the trap I've set for you... will you be able to see through it?"

The office returned to silence, with only the low hum of the central air conditioning. The sunlight continued to shift, stretching her shadow and casting it onto the file-laden bookshelf behind her, blurred and silent. A silent observation and scheme had already quietly begun on the teacher's side.

Yun Lan was completely unaware that in the teacher's office not far from the classroom, someone was staring at his astonishing point flow on the screen, lost in deep thought about how to "use" him and how to bind him.

But in truth, it was all within reason; the class teachers would eventually find out about Yun Lan harvesting club points.

As for Chie Hoshinomiya's hatred for Sae Chabashira, this hatred had long since transcended the scope of professional competition. It scorched her nerves day and night, twisted her judgment, and burned away the other possibilities she might have originally possessed, bit by bit, into ash.

She had become paranoid and suspicious, anchoring the vast majority of the meaning in her life to the single, dark goal of "stopping Sae Chabashira."

She was no longer a sound "teacher," nor even a complete "human." She was a monster raised by this hatred, a goalkeeper circling the path of Sae Chabashira's success. To achieve this sole purpose of "stopping" her, she could pay any price.

Including the teacher's authority she held in her hands, the information that could not be spoken of, and the room for maneuver that allowed her to walk on the edge of the rules.

Including her professional ethics, and even her long-crumbling moral bottom line.

Including herself.

This thought surfaced clearly in her mind, without a shred of hesitation or shame. Her body, her time, her energy, the remaining parts of her soul... everything could become a bargaining chip, and everything could be placed on the gambling table. If she could find a "blade" sharp and clever enough to pierce the vital points of Sae Chabashira's system with precision, then she wouldn't mind forging herself into the hilt, or becoming the honey-coated poison bait that lured the blade forward.

Yun Lan's appearance, and the calm and precise ability to utilize the rules that he displayed beyond his years, were no longer just a "talented student" in her eyes. He was a stone suddenly dropped into a stagnant pool, and even more so, a "weapon" that might be extremely sharp and had yet to recognize a master.

And the D-Class conglomerate heir, Rokusuke Kouenji, had clearly put pressure on Chie Hoshinomiya; she feared that this heir would become Sae Chabashira's trump card, allowing her to successfully rise above her station.

"I really am a crazy woman. Preparing to use my body to seduce my own student." She suddenly let out a low laugh, her shoulders trembling slightly; the laughter sounded exceptionally chilling in the quiet office. "But as long as the goal is achieved, everything is worth it."

The sunlight shone on her, but it could not warm the shell that had long been soaked in hatred. Everything was within reason: Yun Lan's actions would attract attention, and Chie Hoshinomiya, the "hunter" tortured into deformity by her obsession, would naturally smell the scent of blood that might be directed at her nemesis. The chess game slowly unfolded amidst the mutual ignorance and calculations of teacher and student.

However, even without that earth-shattering influx of club points, Yun Lan was destined to be unable to truly hide among the crowd. Upon learning that Yun Lan was the heir to the Yun Family, Chie Hoshinomiya had already set her sights on him. The five words "heir to the Yun Family" themselves meant a spotlight that could not be ignored.

More importantly, for Chie Hoshinomiya personally, "becoming the woman of the Yun Family heir" was in itself a highly tempting and extremely dangerous proposition. If handled correctly, this might become an unexpected trump card for her to confront Sae Chabashira, or even to seek more in the future. Even if it were just to forge a "favorable connection," in the distant landscape after Yun Lan took power, it might be exchanged for immeasurable returns.