In front of the bulletin board, the new students crowded together, searching for their class assignments. Their noisy chatter filled the air. Uesugi Hara stood a little way off, looking over the crowd until he found the Class A list. Seeing his name on it left him unmoved. After all, the original owner of this body had been a bona fide genius.
Just then, Kushida Kikyo squeezed out of the crowd, wearing a slightly disappointed smile. "Uesugi, I'm in Class D. I'd been hoping we'd be in the same class."
Uesugi nodded and looked at the Class D list. After confirming the names "Kushida Kikyo," "Horikita Suzune," and "Ayanokoji Kiyotaka," he said, "Class D is full of hidden talent. You might find some pleasant surprises there."
Kushida smiled, waved, and ran off toward Class D. Uesugi Hara's gaze swept across the other areas.
In the Class C area, Ryuen Kakeru stood among the crowd. His conspicuous purple hair and flamboyant bearing gave off an intensely oppressive air, just as they had in the original story.
In the Class B area, Ichinose Honami was surrounded by students, her sweet smile seemingly capable of healing everyone.
Uesugi Hara turned and headed for the Class A classroom. Once inside, he found his seat. It was in the back row by the window, a spot that let him observe the whole classroom without drawing too much attention.
Near the center on the right sat a girl with silvery-white hair. She had a flawless face and a faint smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Her short hair just brushed her shoulders, and beneath her fair, delicate neck, her collarbones dipped gently. Though he couldn't see any farther, her chest was small, and she was so petite that it was easy to mistake her for a middle schooler. A slender cane rested across her thighs. Her ice-blue eyes held a sharpness beyond her years, as if she were sizing up everyone in the room.
On the other side of the classroom, Katsuragi Kohei stood in a crisply pressed uniform, arms crossed over his chest. His keen gaze was steady and rational as he spoke quietly with the people beside him. He exuded the composed, rational air of a leader, and the students around him listened attentively, nodding now and then in agreement. Another person beside him was gesticulating wildly. That had to be Totsuka Yahiko.
He observed the other students in the classroom, including Satonaka Satoshi, the original story's handsomest background character, and Kito Hayato, whose looks left much to be desired.
Before long, their homeroom teacher, Mashima Tomoya, walked in.
The Class A students quickly displayed the professionalism of high achievers, returning to their seats and settling down.
He surveyed the classroom, his gaze sharp. The students who had still been chatting quietly fell silent at once.
"My name is Mashima Tomoya. Welcome to this school. Although the school boasts a 100 percent graduation rate and employment rate, that doesn't mean you can let your guard down. I'll be your homeroom teacher from now until you graduate."
"In two hours, the school will hold the entrance ceremony in the gymnasium. Before then, I'd like to explain what makes this school special. Let's start with the basics..."
"To better evaluate our students' overall abilities, the school has introduced the S System. It's already been installed on the smart terminal integrated into your student ID."
Mashima Tomoya said, "Points are important at this school. They determine your quality of life. Now, turn on your school terminal, enter your student number and initial password, and check the points issued for this month."
Uesugi Hara followed the instructions. The school terminal's screen lit up, displaying:
[Personal Points: 100,000] [Class Points: 1,000] [Class: Class 1-A] [Name: Uesugi Hara]
Mashima Tomoya continued explaining the school's rules, observing the people around him as he spoke.
"It seems you've all received the 100,000 Personal Points issued by the school. Let me remind you that one Personal Point is equivalent to one yen. On the first of every month, the school will deposit your Personal Points into your phones."
"At this school, you can only pay for purchases using points on your terminal. And you can buy anything on campus with points."
Just then, someone raised a hand.
"May I ask, Mr. Mashima, are there really no restrictions on how we use our Personal Points?" It was Katsuragi Kohei, with an air of intelligence about him. Though only eighteen, he had the gravity and composure of a thirty-eight-year-old.
"This school evaluates students based on their abilities. Your admission here means you have potential and value. How you choose to use your points is up to you. The school won't interfere." Mashima Tomoya answered the student calmly, his expression unchanged.
Uesugi Hara noticed Sakayanagi Arisu lightly tap her cane with her fingers, a thoughtful look flashing in her eyes. Katsuragi Kohei furrowed his brow, seemingly deep in thought.
"Can we take our points with us when we leave?" Katsuragi Kohei continued.
"After you graduate, the school will convert your Personal Points at a rate of three Personal Points to one yen," Mashima Tomoya said unhurriedly. "Even if you want to save them, there's no point over the next three years. You'd be better off making good use of them while you can."
Mashima Tomoya's expression shifted slightly when he said, "make good use."
"Mr. Mashima, if Personal Points can be understood as yen, then what do Class Points mean?" Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly asked.
Someone had noticed the part Mashima Tomoya had been deliberately avoiding.
Uesugi Hara couldn't help glancing at her.
"The school evaluates each class's strength, just as it evaluates you. I'll explain more about that later. It's too soon for you to worry about it now."
Mashima Tomoya brushed off the question with ease.
Just as Uesugi Hara thought Sakayanagi Arisu would press him further, she stopped there. She had guessed more than Katsuragi Kohei, but she deliberately chose not to pursue it.
What's more, her gaze wandered over the others, seemingly watching each person's reaction.
In an instant, their eyes met, and Sakayanagi Arisu gave him a sweet smile.
Uesugi Hara casually looked away.
Hehe. Let's see how long you keep smiling.
"Mr. Mashima, you said we can buy anything on campus with points. So if I wanted to date the chairman's daughter, how many points would that cost?" Uesugi Hara asked boldly.
Sakayanagi Arisu's smile froze, and an unnatural blush spread across her face. It was hard to tell whether she was embarrassed or furious.
Mashima Tomoya was genuinely startled by the question. Faced with Uesugi Hara's audacious suggestion, he had no choice but to answer, "As for Uesugi's bold idea, I don't know how many points it would take. I'd have to ask the chairman first."
Uesugi Hara nonchalantly said, "Then never mind." After all, he didn't want to make a bad impression on the chairman, who was a doting father.
Uesugi Hara's idea opened the floodgates for the other students, who began asking all sorts of questions.
But Mashima Tomoya rejected them all with, "Don't even think about it with the number of points you have."
"If there are no more questions, I'll see you later. I hope you have a wonderful time at school."
With that, the homeroom teacher turned and left the classroom without lingering for a moment, as if afraid Uesugi Hara might come up with another inappropriate question.
After Mashima Tomoya finished explaining the rules, he left.