Buyout

Beihai turned around, no longer looking at the desk in his dorm room. He could feel a dull ache in three fingers of his right hand. Not only was it his dominant hand, but it was also the hand he used to write out solutions.

But when he thought about the solution he'd just come up with—

"Gauss would've needed a whole night to solve that problem, and I took it out in a flash with Gauss's law. I could marvel at that a hundred times and still not get tired of it. This new brain is amazing."

Beihai had never had it this easy before. The clearest example was memorizing old poems and songs. If he couldn't get a long passage down after a while, he'd have to copy it out a hundred or even two hundred times.

He'd managed to memorize them only after turning that into a habit. The difference was so stark it made him wonder: how could anyone be so stupid they couldn't even handle advanced functions?

So Honami Ichinose was Beihai's treasure now. No matter what, he had to prioritize her physical and mental well-being and safety.

Just then, the Terminal in his pocket vibrated. He took it out and saw that everything had gone smoothly.

Class C had paid dearly, handing over three million points. They also wouldn't be allowed to bother Class B again for the rest of the month.

After all, the Student Council had just dealt with this matter. If it came back to them again only a few days later, wouldn't that be a slap in their face?

So Class C would have to rein themselves in. Class B could finally enjoy a peaceful month.

I feel like I went a little too far.

Honami Ichinose felt like she'd turned a little wicked. The worst part was that the other person really did seem to have been crushed.

Seeing that she was feeling down, Beihai knew Mind Sharing wouldn't work as well in such a gloomy mood. So he hurriedly made something up to cheer her up: [You took responsibility for everyone in Class B. If you hadn't done that, Class C wouldn't have backed down, and your personal safety wouldn't have been guaranteed either.

In the end, you're not the one at fault. This school is.]

There was nothing wrong with what Beihai had said. If this were an ordinary school, none of this would have happened. With the terrifying loyalty this girl inspired, what delinquent would be foolish enough to mess with her?

He could've added, "You're not at fault. The world is."

Sigh, the classic way to shift the blame. It worked every time.

The message she sent back carried a clear sense of relief.

[You're right. Let's just call this a lesson for them.

By the way, I should thank you, too. I really wouldn't have known what to do without you.

Also, should I make a deal with Class D?]

Honami Ichinose sent the message and waited quietly. She'd even brought up the payment code on her phone. She already knew how she wanted to thank him.

Sure enough, a reply came through almost immediately.

[Want to know? Then give me 50,000 points.]

Beihai watched as 50,000 points were transferred to his account almost instantly. It happened so fast it felt unreal, as if she'd prepared the points in advance.

[Quick, aren't you? You can see for yourself what Class C is like now. If you're thinking of making a deal with Class D, the class beneath them, I doubt anyone there would even listen to you.]

Honami Ichinose: [I did think about that, but why are you in that class?]

Beihai: [Because I'm a problem student. Just look at what I'm doing now—I'm selling out my class.]

Honami Ichinose didn't reply. That answer seemed to have stunned her. She might have expected him to get angry or blame the school, or perhaps to have come to terms with what had happened to him.

But she'd never expected him to simply admit he was a problem student, so brazenly.

After barely a dozen seconds, Honami Ichinose made up her mind.

[No, you're not that kind of person. I'm buying you out.]

The moment she sent the message, a million points were transferred in the blink of an eye. These were the points she'd just won back from Class C.

Beihai hadn't expected her to act so decisively. She'd even moved a little too quickly.

But it didn't really matter. Beihai did need her Mind Sharing, after all. Even if she hadn't offered, he would've made a deal with Honami Ichinose.

[Are you sure? That was fast. You could wait until next month to buy me out, you know. These points are still pretty important in the first month, since you can buy a lot with them. They might not be as useful later on.]

Honami Ichinose's next message was even a little playful, as if a huge weight had finally been lifted from her heart. [No need. Besides, you're worth it. And this is to prevent things from getting complicated later. I don't want to lose sleep over it.]

[That won't do. You need to sleep well.]

Beihai cared about her health, after all. If she got sick—

Then Mind Sharing might not work as well, and using it could even become a little painful.

In any case, the matter was finally settled. Beihai was now bound to her.

You could say that everyone was happy except Ryuen Kakeru of Class C, who was left fuming and unable to vent his anger.

When Class A heard the news, they didn't care in the slightest. They would've been perfectly happy if the lower classes had fought even harder.

The two leaders had different opinions. Kohei Katsuragi thought victory was all but assured. After the two classes below them clashed, their Class Points would surely be in danger. Class A would definitely take first place this month.

As long as they stuck to the plan this month, their position at the top would be secure.

Sakayanagi Arisu, meanwhile, had taken an interest in Honami Ichinose. Unfortunately, after meeting her, she'd been sorely disappointed. She still had no idea who was helping Ichinose from the shadows.

Class B had gained some breathing room. Under Honami Ichinose's incredible charm, the entire class was exceptionally united. People were often shaped by their environment. If everyone was studying hard, naturally, you couldn't be the odd one out.

After taking a hit, Ryuen Kakeru didn't give up. Instead, he turned his attention to Classes A and B and started keeping an eye on them. He could simply watch what they were doing and follow their lead.

They already knew the rules, and they could have their own people test the waters to find out what everyone was being so cautious about.

As for Class D, nothing happened. They hadn't even bothered to look into the news. In the end, they only heard a few rumors, but they didn't care and went on enjoying themselves as usual.

In this environment, Beihai was starting to feel a little fed up. There were too many oddballs around. Avoiding attention while fitting in perfectly was proving rather difficult.

Fortunately, he had his own circle. From here on out, all he had to do was keep his Mind Sharing with Honami Ichinose steady. Nothing else mattered.

Time passed quietly, and a good chunk of April soon slipped by.