Classroom of the Mediocre Supremacist

"Eight hundred and thirty thousand points in total. If he can earn that within this month, it proves his execution ability isn't bad either, and Arisu probably won't be bored at school."

"Alright, where should the points be transferred to?"

"...Huh?"

Looking at the stunned chairman, Hoshino En repeated himself.

"Where should these points be transferred to?"

"You already have 1.3 million now?"

In response to Sakayanagi Narimori, Hoshino En gave a calm nod.

Sakayanagi Narimori: "..."

"Just scan it to me directly. I can handle the permissions for you right away."

He pulled out his phone.

Ding--

Watching the 1.3 million points actually transfer to his phone, Sakayanagi Narimori still felt a sense of unreality.

On the second day of school, he can pull out 1.3 million. He's probably already seen through the truth the school is hiding... Why would such a promising seedling be placed in Class D?

Or is his flaw really so great that it overshadows his ability?

"Alright, the points have been transferred. You should have received them, right?"

Hoshino En showed the chairman his transfer record, which displayed a deduction of 1.3 million points, leaving over 7.56 million.

Sakayanagi Narimori: "..."

Over seven million. Did this kid go robbing someone yesterday?

Adding the 1.3 million just deducted, that's over eight million—more than half of all the new students combined.

The new students are deliberately kept in the dark about the school's truth; they can't be that united. So he must have earned it from the upperclassmen.

A private bet within a club?

But... how could a simple bet let him win this much? What's going on with the second- and third-years?

In just a few seconds, Chairman Sakayanagi's mind raced through many thoughts.

Watching the deep-in-thought chairman, Hoshino En's lips curled slightly upward.

Just as he'd planned, by deliberately showing off his Private Points, the other party had indeed noticed something was off and inferred a possible reason.

Although he'd earned so much yesterday more because he and Sakayanagi had provoked the seniors into losing their cool, the chairman didn't know that. He'd only attribute it to the incompetence of the second- and third-years, thereby questioning their growth.

[The second-years have been integrated] was just an exaggerated guess, but whether correct or not, the chairman would strengthen his tests on the second-years, leaving them no energy to meddle with the first-years.

As for the third-year seniors, though unfortunately, they'd have to become collateral damage for the second-years.

Now he just needed to quietly take back his phone and leave silently, and this morning's work would be done.

However, just as Hoshino En was about to withdraw his phone, Chairman Sakayanagi across from him suddenly reached out and pressed down on the hand holding it.

Hoshino En: "..."

"Chairman, um... what's wrong?"

"You're close with Arisu?"

His glasses inexplicably reflected light, making it impossible for Hoshino En to read his eyes.

"Uh... I happened to meet her yesterday. Saw she had trouble moving, so I helped her out. Ended up getting roped into being her dedicated porter."

After all, he's her father. He definitely knows Sakayanagi Arisu's true nature. Even if I put on a show and say nice things, it won't help. Lying would just lower my evaluation. So it's better to tell a mix of truth and falsehood based on her personality.

"Why bring her up suddenly?"

The chairman didn't speak. He just let go of the hand he was holding.

Hoshino En retrieved his phone and looked at the flipped-back screen, which clearly showed an incoming call from Sakayanagi Arisu.

Hoshino En: "..."

He looked at his phone, then up at Chairman Sakayanagi. The other man was staring at him with a stern expression, all trace of his earlier warmth gone.

Is he telling me to answer it?

Ding--

He answered the call and put it on speaker, trembling as he set the phone on the table.

["Hoshino-kun, why did it take you so long to answer? Are you already tired of Arisu after just one day?"]

Hoshino En: ...!!!

He watched as the chairman's face, upon hearing those words, darkened three shades.

"I'm in class right now. Why are you suddenly calling?"

["Ehh~ Hoshino-kun, you're lying. You're clearly in the Special Building! There's no class going on..."]

"I was talking about you. Don't you have class to attend?"

["You care about me that much?!"]

Hoshino En felt the murderous intent radiating from across the room.

"Ahem, let's talk business. What did you call for?"

["Oh, nothing really. I just wanted to have lunch together."]

"Lunch? Wouldn't it be better to ask Kamuro? She..."

["She's too dull. Eating with her is no fun at all. Comparatively, I like you more."]

Like me more? She means she likes messing with me more!!

Even through the screen, he could picture Sakayanagi Arisu's mischievous expression as she said that.

And the Sakayanagi chairman on the other end felt even more terrifying now. Would he even make it out of this office alive today?

["You said it yourself yesterday—you'd let me properly enjoy this hard-earned campus life. You'd better take responsibility for that!!"]

["I'll come pick you up at your classroom at noon. Don't wander off during lunch break. That's all."]

Without giving Hoshino En a chance to haggle, she hung up immediately.

Hoshino En: "..."

He glanced at the chairman, whose usual refined composure was starting to crack, and cautiously defended himself.

"Chairman, your daughter and I are nothing but innocent classmates. What she meant just now was that she enjoys teasing me—there's nothing impure about it!"

Sakayanagi Narimori: "..."

Though he couldn't see the man's eyes behind those glare-reflecting glasses, Hoshino En's explanation seemed to ease his tension.

"Arisu has never attended school before. The only reason she's here now is because I'm stationed here."

"But there's only so much I can keep an eye on. I'd like you to look after her in my stead."

He instructed, then added almost temptingly:

"Of course, if you manage to beat her, that's fine too. In fact, it might be better—let her taste defeat for once. That wouldn't be bad."

"Also, that child loves to tease people. If she was unreasonable yesterday or ever is in the future, please bear with her."

Hoshino En: "..."

Bear with her my ass. Isn't he just asking me to play butler to a princess? Do I look that cheap?!

"As compensation, I'll refund those 1.3 million points you just spent. You'll still keep the authority, so don't worry."

Hoshino En: "..."

Well, since you put it that way... I suppose I can humor you a little.

First Semester, First Year:

Chapter 17: Lunch, Jealousy, Hand-Holding

After leaving the chairman's office, Hoshino En returned to his classroom.

The usually noisy class was eerily peaceful. It seemed Kushida and Hirata had worked together to calm the boys and girls respectively, finally getting everyone on the same page.

The morning passed without incident. Aside from a few naturally outstanding students, everyone else in the class gritted their teeth and refrained from doing anything against the student conduct rules. But they clearly hadn't absorbed a word of the lectures—their minds were wandering elsewhere.

And because Kushida had exaggerated things a bit, even during breaks, hardly anyone dared to speak loudly. Everyone quietly did their own thing or chatted on their phones.

It wasn't until the lunch bell rang that they all let out sighs of relief, as if pardoned from a sentence.

Then, except for a few loners, everyone filed out the door, apparently heading to the cafeteria together for lunch.

Hoshino En figured they were just stir-crazy and needed a place to cut loose.

Did they really think the Behavioral Norms Exam only ran during class time?

Still, it was better that they were gone. At least he wouldn't stand out.

Tap—tap—tap—

The sound of a cane striking the floor echoed as that woman entered through the back door of the classroom.

"Oh my~ You waited for me properly?"

She wore a white beret and a perfectly fitted Kodo Ikusei uniform. Her slender legs were wrapped in knee-high white stockings, leaving a dangerously tempting strip of bare skin between the top of the stockings and her skirt hem—a forbidden zone that made one want to uncover its secrets.

This was Sakayanagi Arisu. Behind her followed Kamuro Masumi, whose bangs were pinned back with two hair clips, her entire demeanor screaming "unruly."

"Even if I protested, you wouldn't listen. You'd just find some way to mess with me, so I might as well give in."

Hoshino En stood up from his seat, turning to face Sakayanagi Arisu as he quipped.

Besides, this was good for his desensitization training. No reason to refuse.

There were only a few people left in the class now—loners who couldn't care less about the class or the group. So his situation didn't draw any attention.

"So, do you need me to help you walk today?"

Hoshino En asked, but Sakayanagi Arisu didn't answer right away.

She stood there, staring blankly in the direction behind Hoshino.

Combining the direction she was looking with the people Hoshino En had noted earlier, the person she was currently watching was—Lu.

"You know Kiyotaka?" Lu suddenly leaned close to her ear, asking softly. The scorching breath hit the shell of her ear, immediately stirring a flush of red.

"You... yes, so what? Jealous?" Si, caught off guard, Sakayanagi Arisu instantly snapped out of her daze. She withdrew her gaze, looked at Hoshino En, and fired back.

"Jealous? I suppose I am, a little. After all, you invited me, and now you're still looking at someone else." But this blunt reply instead left Sakayanagi Arisu at a loss for words.

This statement should be him admitting defeat, right? Yet the way he said it sounded more like he was investigating some novel phenomenon.

"Say, you wouldn't happen to be treating me like some research material to 'deduce,' would you?" Hoshino En: ...!!!! How could he see through that? Did I slip up somewhere in my earlier words?

A storm raged in his heart, but Hoshino En maintained his usual demeanor on the surface. "How could that be? I'm genuinely jealous!"

"Someone who's truly jealous wouldn't speak in such a persuasive tone. They'd be ruder, more unreasonable." Oh? Is that so?! And how would you know that so well, Miss Sakayanagi?

"But that's probably a state reserved for more intimate lovers, right? We're not boyfriend and girlfriend; I'm not so presumptuous as to be jealous over that. I just felt a bit disrespected that you invited me to eat, yet you were staring off at someone else."

"Besides, I just thought about it—this isn't the first time you've been disrespectful. Take Kamuro over there, for example, waiting impatiently on the side, yet still having to stay silent and wait. It's just my turn now, so I didn't take it too seriously."

"If you know, then hurry up, and... don't say it out loud!!" The @-ed Kamuro snapped impatiently.

Just then, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who had once again failed in his daily attempt to befriend Horikita Suzune, walked over.