Ayano-koji Atsuomi? No! Ayano-koji Kiyotaka? Yes! (Continued)

Sanada nodded slightly, indicating his agreement with Morimiya's view.

Morimiya continued his analysis, speaking at a faster pace.

"Purpose? I guess it's probably to give that Mr. Ayanokōji some political capital, right? After all, creating this kind of gimmick always attracts attention. And,"

He gave a knowing smile. "The credit for the success of this kind of project will definitely go to the party leader he used to serve; it's perfect for putting on a show."

Finally, he shrugged, with an expression that said, "We both know what's going on."

Sanada pushed up his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses calm and sharp.

As someone who received the most orthodox elite education from childhood, he has an instinctive aversion to this kind of "crash course" model.

He spoke, his voice carrying an undeniable absolute certainty.

"Essentially, this is a product created by emasculating children's future potential and forcing them to grow too quickly. It's mostly a defective, substandard product."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Sakayanagi Arisu, seemingly observing her reaction. "It's not much different in concept from the Advanced Nurturing High School we're in now."

"There are still differences,"

Morimiya interjected, holding up two fingers.

"One involves grueling training from a young age, molding people like machines. The other involves selection and cultivation starting in high school. Comparatively, students from Advanced Nurturing High School are clearly more cost-effective! At least they retain considerable plasticity and social skills, and their potential is theoretically higher. This is completely different from those so-called finished products that are prematurely exploited and have all their potential exhausted in White Room."

Sanada took over the conversation from the second wife, Liu Jiuyin, and the umbrella was 8 (6), his tone tinged with sarcasm.

"These products born from 'White Room' might garner temporary success in schools due to their advanced knowledge or skills. But once placed in the truly complex and vast society..."

He gave a soft chuckle.

"I reckon it won't be long before cruel reality eats it all away, leaving nothing but crumbs."

Morimiya continued, making an exaggerated swallowing motion.

The three of them simultaneously exchanged knowing smiles.

Sanada added in agreement, a hint of disdain for "greenhouse flowers" flashing in his eyes.

How can a small, artificially controlled White Room compare to the vast, boundless, and ever-changing real world?

Sakayanagi Arisu listened with great interest to the two men's merciless criticism of White Room, her fingertips lightly tapping the table.

She timely dropped a crucial piece of information.

"Yes, after all, as far as I know, in that White Room, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is considered a 'qualified product.' That's a far cry from the grand goal of mass-producing geniuses. So..."

She paused deliberately, a sly glint in her eyes.

Morimiya and Sanada were both stunned for a moment, then quickly exchanged a glance.

Suddenly, Morimiya seemed to realize something, leaned forward again, and spoke with a probing tone.

"Speaking of which, Sanada, Sakayanagi, do you remember? Our Advanced Nurturing High School wasn't originally founded to simply train 'excellent' students like it is now. It was originally intended as a whetstone. It just gradually became an ordinary elite school."

His sharp gaze swept over Sanada. "Sanada, was your enrollment this time also at your family's special request?"

Sanada met his gaze and nodded frankly.

"The same to you?"

He instantly understood what Morimiya meant.

Morimiya looked at Sakayanagi Arisu again, his tone seeking confirmation.

"The same to you?"

Instead of answering directly, Sakayanagi Arisu smiled and looked at Sanada.

She isn't.

As a sickly child, he was merely kept within the core area of his father's power.

Only with her father's care could she ensure that her body received the best possible care and treatment in a timely manner.

Even getting into this school was something her father only agreed to after she begged for a long time.

But she wouldn't tell outsiders about these things.

Sanada's lips twitched slightly, revealing a knowing, bitter smile.

"Alright, looks like there's no need to overthink it. It's probably some higher-ups wanting to reactivate the whetstone function, making us, the knives, sharpen each other?"

His fingers tapped lightly on the book cover, revealing his inner thoughts.

I don't think so.

Sakayanagi Arisu, her silvery-white hair swaying slightly.

She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then spoke slowly.

"I think that for the older generation here, they already possess the vast majority of things: glory, wealth, status... so naturally, only a few things remain to be compared."

She put down her teacup, her gaze becoming somewhat profound.

"Children—the successors of the family business—are the most core and obvious aspect. Rather than a restart of the brutal whetstone, it's more like a grand baby-showing-off event."

Morimiya stroked his chin, pondering Sakayanagi Arisu's words.

"That makes sense. Even if we were to restart that kind of intense internal competition, it wouldn't be something that could be done overnight. Given the current level of dropout risk at the school, for us..."

He glanced at Sanada, and both of them looked relaxed.

"There's absolutely no pressure. At this stage, this level of competition really feels more like showing off your kids."

He affirmed Sakayanagi Arisu's judgment.

"What about Ayanokoji Kiyotaka?"

Sanada ** steered the conversation back to the original point, his brow furrowing slightly. "His purpose in appearing here isn't like ours—to be displayed, is it? His background..."

Morimiya immediately chimed in, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"The purpose is different! He's probably just being used as the only successful, qualified product of the White Room, a living advertisement to continue swindling funding, right?"

He made a gesturing gesture.

"It's also possible that Ayanokōji Atsuomi is just restless,"

Sanada ** added, his eyes sharp.

"He wants to use this success story to showcase his educational philosophy and pave the way for his return to politics. It's just a comeback performance by a disillusioned politician."

"However... we shouldn't underestimate them."

Sakayanagi Arisu spoke softly, interrupting their slightly dismissive discussion; her expression turned serious.

My gaze drifted out the window, as if piercing through space itself.

Both Morimiya and Sanada looked at her.

Morimiya's smile faded.

"Oh? What do you mean? It seems the princess thinks quite highly of him?"

Sanada also seemed to be deep in thought.

"Indeed. Ayanokōji Atsuomi's generation, to our family, was nothing more than a lucky individual who seized an opportunity and was willing to do the dirty work to rise to the top; their foundation was shallow, not worth mentioning. But his son— Ayanokoji Kiyotaka himself..."

He paused, seemingly considering his words.

"As the only qualified product produced in that small workshop, it's still worth being wary of."

Morimiya also dropped his joking expression and became serious.

"Yes, these days, the smaller the workshop, the more ruthless they are in using materials and doing the most grueling work. To become the only qualified product, one must have something extraordinary about them. Either they are exceptionally talented enough to withstand that kind of torture, or they are molded to be... special enough."

The word "special" carries a subtle connotation, implying a complex and nuanced meaning.

Sanada replied, his expression grave.

"It seems the older generation will inevitably have to get involved themselves to push things along. Otherwise, with the current level of difficulty in getting students out of school, which is like playing house, it's really not exciting for those of us who are used to high-difficulty environments. We need to add some more challenges to make it interesting."

"I'm starting to look forward to it a little."

A glint of belligerence flashed in Morimiya's eyes, and a grin spread across his face.

At that moment, Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly threw out a startling point of view, her voice not loud but incredibly clear.

"Maybe... he escaped from that White Room?"

Her purple eyes stared directly at the two of them, with a strange certainty in them.

"Puff--"

Morimiya almost choked on his own saliva, staring wide-eyed at Sakayanagi Arisu.

"Your Highness, please don't joke around! Even the most ordinary security company has riot shields and batons, right? The White Room you mentioned, no matter how bad it is, its security level couldn't be lower than that. At the very least, it would have stun guns, tear gas, and be equipped with Taser guns or similar security equipment. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is, he's just an ordinary teenager. If he had the ability to escape from a place like that..."

Morimiya leaned forward, his tone becoming more forceful.

"His abilities far exceed our expectations! With such skills, there are plenty of better places in the world than this school, why come here?"

Sanada nodded in agreement with Morimiya's analysis, calmly adding, "Morimiya is right. Logically, it's hard to believe. His presence here seems more like following some predetermined arrangement."

Sakayanagi Arisu was not convinced and simply smiled faintly.

Her fingertips lightly traced the rim of the teacup, seemingly with a hidden meaning.

"Whether it is or not, it's not difficult to verify. Just see if he's afraid of being expelled, and we'll know."

"Attitude is a direct reflection of the heart."

Sanada immediately understood Sakayanagi Arisu's intention. "Will he choose to avoid it, go with the flow, or... is he simply in cahoots with his father, cooperating with this performance? We'll find out soon enough."

His eyes sharpened, like a hawk spotting new prey.

Morimiya's mind became even more active, and he clapped his hands sharply.

"Yes! Let's do it that way, Yamato no Umiya! Moreover, we can use the opportunity of attacking Ayanokoji Kiyotaka to also take Tanaka Yukishin into the fray! A perfect two birds with one stone!"

He seemed eager to try.

Upon hearing this, Sanada frowned, his tone carrying a hint of disapproval.

"This... wouldn't be very meaningful against Tanaka Yukishin. After all, Tanaka Yukishin isn't like us, and she might not have a deep connection with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. Unless... we threaten him? But that's too despicable. As a rival and challenger at school, I can't do something like that."

Sanada's voice turned cold.

He clearly defined his bottom line, revealing a certain pride typical of scions of prominent families.

Morimiya pouted, feeling a bit disappointed, but he accepted Sanada's principle.

"Alright, alright, I know you have your samurai spirit. Then let's focus on Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, and while we're at it, use some harassment tactics to keep an eye on Tanaka Yukishin."

He settled for the next best thing and proposed a compromise plan.

"If," Sakayanagi Arisu spoke again, posing a crucial question, "I mean, if Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, like Tanaka Yukishin, wasn't afraid of dropping out at all? Or even... didn't care about it at all?"

She observed their reactions.

Morimiya paused for a moment, then looked dejected.

"Then forget it! Bullying an opponent who doesn't even have the will to fight back?"

He spread his hands dramatically, "That's so boring! It's like hitting a sandbag, I can't get interested in it at all."

His belligerence requires a reciprocal response.

Sanada nodded slightly.

"Indeed, a game without competition is boring. If that's the case, perhaps his presence here has a deeper meaning, and we don't need to rush things."

"In this regard," Sakayanagi Arisu's voice suddenly lowered, carrying an emotion completely different from before, a complex and indescribable light flashing in her purple eyes, "I do have a different opinion from the two of you. I... have reasons why I must bury him."

The heavy word "burial" surprised and saddened both Morimiya and Sanada.

Morimiya and Sanada exchanged glances again, both seeing surprise and curiosity in each other's eyes.

Morimiya toned down his nonchalant attitude and leaned forward slightly.

"Tell me your reason? If it's interesting enough, we'd be happy to lend you a hand."

Although Sanada didn't speak, his focused gaze showed that he was waiting for Sakayanagi Arisu's explanation.

Sakayanagi Arisu remained silent for a moment, her long eyelashes drooping, obscuring the emotions in her eyes.