The Meaning of Happiness and Social Darwinism

Nagumo Miyabi tossed the camera back to Kaneda Satoru.

"I'm just here to back you up. Handle the rest yourself."

"Thank you, Senior Nagumo."

Kaneda Satoru bowed in gratitude to Nagumo Miyabi.

"Extract the footage from the camera, do a little editing, and you can use it to threaten that guy. Whether you extort his points or set conditions, it's up to you. This is advice from a senior's experience—I wouldn't share this with just any freshman."

"Got it... Thanks for the guidance, Senior Nagumo."

Just then, Nagumo Miyabi's phone buzzed—a transfer of 100,000 points as a token of appreciation from Seishiki Otonashi.

Seishiki Otonashi: [Thanks for the help, Senior Nagumo. A small token of my gratitude.]

Nagumo Miyabi eyed the 100,000 points with interest, then chose to accept.

He replied: [You're too polite. I'll take it, Junior Otonashi. Is it really worth wasting your first wish on someone like that?]

Seishiki Otonashi: [It is.]

Nagumo Miyabi turned off his phone screen and left the first-year teaching block.

"Why do I keep losing again!"

Seishiki slumped onto the table in defeat. Without cheating, his win rate in luck-based games was nearly zero. Crushing newbies in strategy board games would ruin their experience, so he'd been forced to hold back, blending into the middle of the pack.

"Tomorrow, I'm coming up with a game that doesn't rely on luck!"

UNO, Azul, Monopoly.

The two newcomers, who had never touched board games before, both gave unanimous praise to Azul.

After all, it's the world's top abstract game—a bit like simplified mahjong. It accommodates 2-4 players and is perfect as a light strategy game for couples to bond over. Winning major and minor awards consecutively must mean it's fun, right~.

Akaya Nanaka stroked Seishiki's head.

"Then I'll look forward to seeing what game you bring tomorrow. Anyway, for the first day of club activities, pulling out games like this was pretty fun."

Seishiki closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of Nanaka's fingers running through his hair. He sensed something off... This woman wasn't exactly harmless either.

A magician, or a cheat gambler? Her palms were very smooth, almost as if the skin had peeled off? There were tiny, barely noticeable scars on her fingers—likely from playing cards. In professions that train finger dexterity and card handling, losing control of the cards and getting cut was common... Her long, nimble fingers were a dead giveaway of a [magician/cheat gambler].

Satoshi Satonaka frowned.

"Seishiki-kun is a boy. Please show some restraint."

"Cute boys are rare, you know. Trap-type guys like him are like a tasty treat for girls."

Akaya Nanaka didn't care at all about the distance between her and Seishiki.

"Whoa, comparing a guy to food—are you a carnivore, Akaya-san?"

The only carnivorous type he'd sensed at school so far was [the school nurse] Hoshinomiya.

Seishiki muttered a weak retort.

But Akaya Nanaka had a crisp, short red bob and green eyes that gave off a feline sharpness. She had a bit of a gyaru vibe, with a carefree personality—probably the leader of some girls' clique in Class B. And her figure was really good... Otherwise, he'd never let her touch his head.

(Chihiro Shiramami is too flat. Seishiki doesn't like that.)

"No way, I'm not that frivolous. I'm actually the pure, romantic type, you know."

"Huh? Oh."

Seishiki had zero interest in her romantic personality.

"Why so cold, huh?"

Akaya Nanaka puffed out her cheeks, then pinched Seishiki's cheek.

"Because... I have no interest in romance."

"Hmph. People who say they don't want romance are always the first to get a partner."

Akaya Nanaka glanced at her phone.

"Osu, I'm off to karaoke with friends. Bye-bye~."

She waved and left the activity room.

"I'm heading to the library to study. See you tomorrow, Seishiki-kun."

Satoshi Satonaka picked up his backpack and followed the previous person out.

The entire activity room was left with only Seishiki.

"Akaya Nanaka, huh? I'll need to keep an eye on her."

Seishiki toyed with the 'tiles' from Azul. Whether Akaya Nanaka was a cheat gambler was still up in the air... At least Seishiki didn't sense the same aura as his own kind. Was she a [magician]? Well, whatever. There was plenty of time to observe.

(Evening - Private Room at a Yakiniku Restaurant)

"Have a seat."

Nagumo Miyabi and Asahina Nazuna were already in the private room. Asahina Nazuna deftly flipped the meat with a pair of tongs.

Star Color sat beside Nagumo Miyabi and took a sip of the steaming genmaicha.

The faint fragrance of green tea and the nutty aroma of roasted rice lingered on his lips. Even knowing it was a cheap tea bag, the flavor had a certain charm of its own.

"Um... thank you for the meal."

Star Color exhaled a puff of warm air, tilting his head slightly as he looked up at Nagumo Miyabi.

Nagumo Miyabi found Star Color's androgynous appearance unsettling. He had played around with all kinds of women, but the person in front of him was male. Why did he feel this strange urge to protect him?

"Why did you help that worthless guy?"

Nagumo Miyabi spoke. He still wanted to know why Star Color had wasted a wish. In his eyes, Kaneda Satoru was a stone of no value or talent, unworthy of rising to Class A.

"Everyone takes the limits of their own field of vision for the limits of the world. Perhaps in Senior Nagumo's eyes, Kaneda is a useless stone. But with a little polishing, can't a stone become a sharp blade?"

"Oh? Then what insights does Otonashi-kun have?"

"Senior Nagumo probably believes in 'Social Darwinism.' I won't judge whether a theory is right or wrong."

"But I think the most important resources in the world are 'friends' and 'trust.' Treating friends as your primary resource."

"Everyone has their own beliefs—whether it's stubborn individualism or rigid collectivism, each has its pros and cons in human society. Senior Nagumo probably finds it hard to 'think' from the other person's standpoint, right?"

Star Color took another sip of tea and sighed.

"Why does Social Darwinism emphasize 'survival of the fittest' instead of 'survival of the strongest'? Even though humans have stood at the top through natural selection and the elimination of the weak."

"Humans are contradictory creatures. Cooperation is partly to avoid being eliminated, and partly to better eliminate others. I think this school was designed with that same rule in mind."

Nagumo Miyabi hadn't expected this little guy to understand the school's system so quickly and analyze it so thoroughly.

"In this new world, the most common and important dangers and conflicts aren't between classes, the rich and the poor, or other economically divided groups—they're conflicts between people belonging to different cultural entities."

"Do you know why Neon is gradually becoming a low-desire society? In an environment that worships power, compares everything, admires strength, and fights endlessly, what do most people become? In my view, this school can't solve all of Neon's problems. A nationally supported key school that's existed for so long, yet never produced a single truly famous person—that alone proves this point."

"Do you think a large-scale decline in desire in a society is just coincidence or chance? A harsh environment changes people's perspectives and their attitude toward life. Unfortunately, that's exactly the state of society right now."

"Everyone takes the limits of their own field of vision for the limits of the world. That's a quote from Schopenhauer, and Senior Nagumo, you seem to have fallen into that state."

"So you think my view is wrong?"

Nagumo Miyabi listened carefully to Star Color's theory. It had some logic, but it seemed to be denying his own beliefs.

"'Survival of the fittest'—Senior Nagumo Miyabi should be very familiar with that phrase. People tend to focus on the key point and forget the second half of Spencer's statement: 'Natural selection is painful, but human kindness alleviates that pain.'"

(Spencer was the one who proposed 'Social Darwinism.')

"Saving those who are unfit—that's the true core of 'Social Darwinism.' Trust and friendship may not bring material wealth, but if they bring spiritual fulfillment, that's enough. Those in high positions aren't necessarily happy, and even in poverty, there can be beautiful days."

"All living beings pray for their own happiness. Until the moment of death, all living beings possess equal and eternal happiness. Happiness is something that absolutely cannot be taken away by others. If Senior Nagumo were stripped of his right to happiness by someone stronger, you would hate the strong and think it was because you were too weak. That creates a pitiful cycle..."

"Judging without understanding the situation is unacceptable. People should see the full picture of the world and live correctly. Love is the bridge between poverty and wealth... When Senior Nagumo can see that bridge, perhaps he can become even stronger."

"Senior Nagumo just needs to hold onto his own theory, see the full picture of the world, and then do what he believes is right. But never mistake yourself for the boundary of the world, or you'll be devoured by it."

This guy Nagumo Miyabi gave off the same aura as himself, so Star Color didn't mind guiding him toward the right path. At the very least, this guy was a card he could use against [Destiny]. He himself couldn't live happily, but this poor soul bound by Destiny's shackles could.