"Who gave me that nickname?"
"Does Kitagawa-kun really not know? That name has been going around the school forum for quite some time."
"'Peak of Advanced Nurturing' refers to the man who stands at the top of this school-in terms of charm, intelligence, and physical ability."
"Well, that's certainly made things difficult for me~ How embarrassing."
Kitagawa Kai set down his glass of water and let out a soft sigh that could have been either exasperated or teasing.
"But standing at the top? That's pretty accurate. Now, let's play chess."
"Please, Kitagawa-kun."
Sakayanagi Arisu spoke softly as she placed the black pieces in front of herself and looked straight at Kitagawa Kai, who sat across from her.
"Let's have a good game."
The moment Kitagawa Kai finished speaking, something intangible in the room changed.
Kamuro Masumi looked at the two of them, then finally sat gently on the bed, leaning against Kitagawa Kai's shoulder and watching without blinking.
She had moved over to that spot herself, like a cat seeking a comfortable position beside someone familiar.
With the advantage of moving first, Kitagawa Kai took complete control of the opening and launched a fierce, relentless attack.
The pieces landed in a rapid succession of clicks, and after just a dozen moves, a complex battle had already taken shape on the board.
"Kitagawa-kun, your attacks are especially sharp today, aren't they?"
As they chatted, Sakayanagi Arisu lost another rook.
Kitagawa Kai lifted the black rook with his long fingers and gently placed it outside the edge of the board.
Losing a rook meant losing an important support for one side of her defense. It meant the possibility of defeat was rapidly increasing.
But Sakayanagi Arisu's expression didn't change at all. She even let out a soft laugh.
"Still, an attack that's too sharp can sometimes reveal your intentions."
"I just want to win quickly," Kitagawa Kai replied calmly, already picking up his next piece and swiftly placing it down.
After another dozen moves, the game entered its most heated stage.
Sakayanagi Arisu had clearly slowed down, each move accompanied by a long period of thought.
"Jie, was that condition you mentioned real?" Kamuro Masumi suddenly asked in an almost inaudible whisper, raising a finger to secretly poke Kitagawa Kai in the side.
Kitagawa Kai glanced at Sakayanagi across the board, then turned his head slightly. His lips nearly brushed her ear as he drawled in a voice only she could hear:
"Of course it was. Don't you think... she'd look so unexpectedly cute in one?"
Kamuro Masumi's mind pictured it almost instantly.
The girl who was always elegant and composed, dressed in a black-and-white maid uniform, with a lace headband, layers of skirt, and a white apron...
Then, in a soft, sweet voice, she would call out to Kitagawa Kai...
The image was too vivid, too powerful.
"That's only if you win. If you lose, you'll probably have to work for Sakayanagi with me. That'd be such a miserable fate."
Kamuro Masumi deliberately wrinkled her nose and pulled a pitiful face.
"Have so little faith in me?"
"It's not that I don't have faith in you. Sakayanagi just looks like she's really good at chess."
"Tch, you're underestimating your man. I could beat her with one hand."
"What man..."
Just then, the sound of a piece landing came from across the board.
Click.
Crisp and steady, it carried a presence that couldn't be ignored.
Kitagawa Kai glanced over casually, picked up a piece, and swiftly set it down, as naturally as if acting on instinct.
Click.
The game continued, like a play whose ending had already been written, unfolding according to plan.
After a few more moves, one of Kitagawa Kai's plays sealed off Sakayanagi Arisu's weak point.
The move came suddenly, yet seemed inevitable.
The white piece landed in such a precise position that even Kamuro Masumi held her breath.
She didn't understand chess, but she understood the atmosphere. The instant Kitagawa Kai placed his piece, Sakayanagi Arisu's expression showed clear shock for the first time.
Sakayanagi's eyes widened slightly. Something flickered rapidly in the depths of her pupils as she searched for any remaining chance of survival.
But the flickering lasted only two seconds.
Then everything returned to calm.
Sakayanagi Arisu let out a soft breath. It was so quiet it was almost a sigh, yet it carried the relief of something finally settled.
"Looks like I've lost again."
[ Ding! ]
[ Sakayanagi Arisu's Affection Level +5, current Affection Level: 45 (Curiosity) ]
A system notification that only Kitagawa Kai could hear rang deep in his mind.
"Sakayanagi, you've improved a lot. You're already making things a little tricky for me." He looked completely at ease.
Sakayanagi Arisu took a sip of water. "While I was thinking, Kitagawa-kun still had time to chat and laugh with Kamuro."
"Chess is chess," Kitagawa Kai replied in his usual calm tone. "Talking is talking. They don't conflict."
She found it hard to accept that even after giving it her all, she had only made her opponent find things a little tricky.
Sakayanagi Arisu watched him quietly. Something slowly settled in the depths of her violet eyes.
This man was frighteningly strong.
"I've learned a lot. Well then." Sakayanagi Arisu inclined her head slightly, her posture impeccable. "Let's call it a night. My health doesn't allow me to stay up late. Thank you for the game, Kitagawa-kun."
Her gaze passed politely over Kitagawa Kai's composed face, then naturally shifted to Kamuro Masumi, who was still leaning against his shoulder.
"Kamuro, are you leaving with me, or are you looking forward to what happens next?"
If she stayed, soon she and Kitagawa Kai would be the only two people in the room. At the thought, Kamuro Masumi sprang to her feet, her movements hurried, with a hint of embarrassment at having her thoughts exposed.
"I'll go back with you. What if you fall on the way?"
Sakayanagi Arisu nodded in agreement, her voice gentle. "Kamuro, you're so thoughtful. I'll take you up on that."
"Well then, good night, Kitagawa-kun." Sakayanagi Arisu bid the room an elegant farewell, then added, as if she had suddenly remembered something, "I'll prepare the maid outfit."
"Good night, Sakayanagi."
With one foot already in the hallway, Kamuro Masumi murmured in a very quiet voice, quick as a flash, "Good night, Kai."
The room fell silent once more.
Kitagawa Kai leaned back against the headboard. He didn't immediately pick up the mystery novel; instead, his gaze swept over the system panel that only he could see.
[Personal Information] [Name: Kitagawa Kai] [Stamina: 7 (Full of energy, strong endurance)] [Intelligence: 7 (Genius)] [Charm: 8 (Eye-catching)] [Item: Universal Video Recorder] [Abilities: Affinity, Master-Level Chess Skill, Narrator, Shoulder Throw, Master-Level Painting, Wilderness Survival Expert, Master-Level Combat] [Beautiful Girl Encyclopedia] [Yamamura Miki (40)] [Sakayanagi Arisu (45)] [Ichinose Honami (57)] [Kamuro Masumi (72)] [Horikita Suzune (40)] [Shiina Hiyori (40)]