"Can we get to know each other? I look forward to spending the next three years with you."
"Yeah! Let's get to know each other. Don't be shy!"
"Y-hello! My name is Yamamura Miki."
"My name is Nishikawa Ryoko."
The constant buzz of voices, like a swarm of little bees, filled Yagami Shizuka's ears. Every now and then, laughter broke out around the classroom, irritating anyone who wanted to sleep.
So much for that. It really didn't seem like a dream after all. Sleeping hadn't brought him back to reality.
But this didn't seem to be the school he'd once attended. It was another world, one from a fantasy novel.
Advanced Nurturing High School. Anyone familiar with it would recognize the name.
It was a school that gave out its own currency, had an extremely free-spirited school culture, and boasted a 100% employment and college admission rate for its graduates.
The reality, however, was that it was a school where everything was determined entirely by ability.
And the class he'd been assigned to was Class A, the envy of many students.
But there was no need to get excited just yet. Class A might look strong, but things didn't go well for it in the original novel.
If events followed their usual course, Class A would split into the Katsuragi Kohei faction and the Sakayanagi Arisu faction.
To get anywhere in Class A, he'd have no choice but to join the factional struggle.
Whichever side he joined, he'd be stuck on the back foot, with no control over his own fate.
After losing the internal power struggle, Katsuragi Kohei would defect to Class C, and his subordinates would be expelled. Sakayanagi Arisu, meanwhile, would voluntarily withdraw, and her followers would be expelled as well.
One wrong move, and he might not even make it to his third year.
You could say that the moment school began, the fires of conflict in Class A never went out.
Today was the first day of school, and Yagami Shizuka had thought about many things during the opening ceremony.
With his abilities, he couldn't change too many outcomes. If he did nothing, he could still graduate safely as a member of Class A.
After all, even if Sakayanagi left, he'd still have Ayanokoji to rely on.
But he didn't want Sakayanagi Arisu to leave the stage just like that. If he could, he'd be willing to change some of the endings he considered perfect.
But some situations were genuinely hard to resolve. Sakayanagi would withdraw of her own accord; all Ayanokoji had to do was say the word, and she'd leave. It wasn't a matter of whether he was willing to help her.
With Class A's strength, Sakayanagi could win in plenty of situations if she wanted to. She simply didn't want to.
"Hey, could you introduce yourself?" A broad-shouldered, bald man walked up to Yagami Shizuka and asked amiably.
He didn't take offense at Yagami Shizuka having slept through the introductions. Instead, he politely introduced himself first and held out his right hand. "Hello! My name is Katsuragi Kohei. We'll be facing the challenges of the next three years of high school together, so I hope we can work side by side."
Yagami Shizuka didn't take Katsuragi Kohei's hand.
It looked a little rude.
But Yagami Shizuka wasn't bothered.
A bald man who looked so obviously tough didn't seem right with that sort of smile.
If you didn't know better, you might think he was about to win them over through virtue, only to turn his palm into a fist the very next second.
But appearances could be deceiving.
Katsuragi Kohei was mild-mannered and kindhearted. He also had a younger sister and was a doting big brother.
Back in middle school, he'd even been Student Council President.
Just now, Katsuragi Kohei had gotten to know many of his classmates through introductions. One of them was Hirata Yosuke from Class D, the sort who was eager to contribute to his class but lacked the ability to do much.
Simply saying, "I used to be Student Council President," had already won him plenty of favor with his classmates.
He'd come over personally to force Yagami Shizuka into joining in because he'd noticed how quiet he was and worried he wouldn't fit in.
Yagami Shizuka noticed that every student in the class was looking straight at him.
One seat to his right and slightly behind him sat a petite girl in a hat, a sweet crescent smile on her face.
If she wasn't smiling because he was handsome, then she was enjoying the show.
She seemed to be watching everyone closely.
She silently observed the whole scene, waiting to see how Yagami Shizuka would respond.
And if he took Katsuragi Kohei's hand now, it would mean joining his faction.
He was caught between a rock and a hard place.
Faced with this sudden chance to make an impression, Yagami Shizuka couldn't stay silent forever.
"Ahem." He coughed twice and stood up, his gaze calmly sweeping across the classroom. "I..."
Just as he was about to speak, a pale yellow light curtain appeared around him.
Lines of small blue text appeared before his eyes, accompanied by a young girl's synthesized voice.
[Huh? Where is this? What's going on? Who are you? Who am I? Young man, do you know what's happening?] [You seem to have run into a little trouble. Would you like me to give you a hint?] [You have become involved in the two-faction struggle in Class A. This is the main storyline, and you have received a hint.] [1. Introduce yourself loudly and confess your feelings to Sakayanagi Arisu, unlocking the perfect ending option.] [2. Take Katsuragi Kohei's hand, introduce yourself loudly, join the Katsuragi Faction, help Katsuragi Kohei unite Class A, and suppress Sakayanagi Arisu. Sakayanagi Arisu will withdraw at the end of the second year.] [3. Give a perfunctory introduction and stay out of the factional struggle. Choose to lie low and do nothing. Katsuragi Kohei will defect in the second year, and Sakayanagi Arisu will also withdraw at the end of the second year.] [4. Introduce yourself loudly and form your own faction. Class A will descend into conflict, unable to unite. After the second year, Class A will split completely, and Sakayanagi Arisu will withdraw.] ... [Hint: If you choose 3, this system will immediately unbind itself. You don't need this system to lie low and do nothing. I'll make a plan for your future life of doing nothing.] [Hint: If you choose the perfect option, I'll provide you with further guidance.] [Hint: I am only giving you hints. Whether you choose to follow them or not, I will not interfere with your freedom, nor will there be any rewards or punishments.] [Hint: No one can escape the Life Algorithm and the Fate Algorithm. To know everything is to be all-powerful. I know everything, and you can do anything. With me, you are invincible.] [Hint: I know everything, but I don't know who I am. Perhaps you can simply call me the Fate Wheel Prompter.] [Hint: I recommend choosing 1. Be brave and say what you feel! Come on! Go for it! Shout your confession! I'll be your strongest supporter.] [Go for it, brave young man!] ...
There seemed to be four options, but in reality, there was only one.
He couldn't choose 3. He didn't need a system to do nothing.
He already knew the story. Even if he did nothing but play the part of an extra, he could still graduate from Class A without a problem.
But having a system was definitely better than not having one.
He only trusted himself. He didn't trust Sakayanagi or Ayanokoji to decide his fate for him.
But what was with this confession right off the bat?
Would Sakayanagi Arisu definitely withdraw if he didn't confess to her?
Yagami Shizuka didn't think the system was messing with him. It was possible that if he missed his chance today, confessing to Sakayanagi Arisu later would be useless.
If that was the case, he had no choice but to compromise with the system.
Before you continue