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"Heh, you still haven't answered my question. Do I need to give you another hint?"

Watching the palm slowly rise, Kushida's eyes widened, and she instinctively covered her cheeks, trembling. "Don't... don't hit me. I'll do it, I'll do it, wuwuwuwu~"

"Oh? So you've changed back?"

Watching Kushida suddenly revert to her little angel persona, Rinya smiled slightly, finding it quite amusing.

It was unlikely anyone would ever guess that the Kushida Kikyo who had been wearing such a ferocious and crazed expression just moments ago could be scared into forcibly reverting to her original facade the instant a hand was raised.

"Heh~ since you've agreed, listen well to the rules of being my tool."

"First, as my tool, you must find every possible way to obtain any information I wish to know."

"Second, any instructions I issue must be completed on schedule."

"Third, and most importantly, if I find out you dare to betray me, then not only will this recording be broadcast throughout the entire school, but your fate will be far worse than just expulsion. Do you understand?"

"Ye... yes... Rinya-kun."

"Hmm? Do I need to teach you how to address me?"

"Ri... Mas... Master."

"Hmph, try to be a bit more sensible in private from now on."

"Wuwu~ Yes... yes..."

Seeing Kushida looking as if she were holding back tears, a sharp glint flashed in Rinya's eyes before he spoke calmly: "However, you don't need to be too discouraged. After all, since you've become my tool, I naturally won't treat you poorly."

"The recognition and praise you crave—I will personally resolve that for you step by step. Not just within the class, but eventually, everyone in the entire school will provide it."

"And as for Horikita Suzune, whom you want to defeat, I can guarantee you that in the future, I will make sure you personally beat her into the ground. How about that?"

"You... why..." Kushida listened blankly to his words. These were secrets she had never shared with anyone, so why did he know them so clearly?

However, Rinya did not answer her directly. Instead, he leaned in close to her face and asked coldly, "Do you not believe me?"

"No... no... I believe you, Mas... Master..."

"Hahahaha, that's all there is to it."

The boy laughed and stood up. "Everything that needed to be said has been said. You may go."

"I..." Kushida seemed to want to say something more, but the next second, she was directly interrupted by Rinya.

"Heh~ I know you have many questions, but please remember: don't try to probe me casually. Just do what you are supposed to do, otherwise, I won't be so polite."

"My... my face..." Kushida, now back to her little angel persona, spoke softly, looking at Rinya with a wronged expression.

"Oh, right, that. I almost forgot. Letting you go out like that would indeed easily invite unnecessary suspicion."

"Come here."

"Yes~"

The girl walked timidly in front of Rinya.

She had assumed he would just apply some ointment or a cover-up.

However, the next moment, Kushida's perception was shattered once again.

She saw his palm gently press against her swollen cheek, and then, something incredible happened.

Kushida could clearly feel a very comfortable, warm current flowing from his palm. "Mm, that feels so good..."

(If you can't find the book title, try searching for the author; perhaps the name has been changed!)

The girl's swollen cheek began to subside at a speed visible to the naked eye.

After a short while, when Rinya withdrew his hand, the girl's cheek had returned to its original state, appearing even more radiant and smooth than before.

"Hmm? That's not right. Why does it look even redder than it was?"

Rinya, having withdrawn his energy, looked at her at close range and felt a bit frustrated. "Could it be that I didn't control my internal energy properly just now?"

Just as he prepared to reach out and try again, Kushida, already panting, felt that if she stayed any longer, she would definitely make a fool of herself.

So, without waiting for Rinya to approach again, the blushing Kushida seized the opportunity and bolted out the door.

"Hm... she ran?"

"Wait~ what is this scent..."

Rinya sniffed the air, then realized what had happened. Having deduced the reason for her flight, he couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly.

It seems he really needs to find time to fix his tendency to become dull-witted when he is too focused.

And so, time arrived at the next morning. The early-rising boy did not forget his daily morning training.

Running, squats, deep breathing... he never slacked off on any of the exercises meant to strengthen his physique.

Perhaps from the moment he stepped into the White Room, these muscle memories had become an inseparable part of his life.

"Ah!"

A woman's scream rang out, only to vanish in an instant. An ordinary person would have dismissed it as an illusion, but with Rinya's keen hearing, the sound of hurried footsteps leaving in the distance proved everything.

"To think, someone came to spy on me again."

"It wouldn't be those boring women again, would it? Heh, give me a break."

To prevent his home from being bombarded, Rinya had previously made a harsh public declaration at school: if he caught anyone doing it again, they would be blacklisted and ignored from that point on.

"Still, he really didn't expect someone to be this bold. Who could it be?"

Rinya opened his door, but as he prepared to step out, he froze.

He looked at the fresh, steaming bento box on the floor and the note tucked underneath: "Please check your private messages."

"Oh? This is..."

Since he didn't have many friends, the moment Rinya opened his phone, he saw the private message sent by Kushida Kikyo: "Master, I've already set up an appointment with the target of interest, Sakura Airi. She happens to be looking for someone to accompany her to get her camera repaired today. Time: 9:00 AM. Location: In front of the school's electronics store."

"Heh, so bold. She isn't even afraid of being discovered by others."

"It seems there are some things that I really need to teach her personally."

Having seen how the plot unfolded, he naturally knew this was the exact moment Ayanokoji would invisibly max out Sakura Airi's favorability.

However, what he didn't expect was that after only a single day, this girl Kushida had adapted to her new identity so quickly; the message that was originally meant for Ayanokoji had been sent to him first.

Even so, for Rinya, who had always preferred to be alone, it was better to let Ayanokoji handle this matter exactly as it was.

After all, he only needed useful chess pieces to prepare more trump cards for the future, just in case.

"As for those useless trinkets, let Ayanokoji slowly cultivate them for me. Hehe."

Rinya thought to himself, a playful smile appearing on his face.

He replied with a "1," deleted the message content nonchalantly, and immediately called Kushida to inform her that she should do the same whenever she saw a "1" reply in the future.

As for other daily instructions, he notified her that they would discuss them later that night.