Archaeology Scroll (Seeking Everything)

"I simply felt that Horikita Suzune was rather pitiful, so I reached out a helping hand." Watanabe suddenly chuckled, the tail end of his sentence rising with a careless lilt. "Not everyone acts with ulterior motives; there are kind souls in this world who seek no reward, aren't there, President Horikita?" As he spoke, his eyelashes drooped, veiling the dark glint churning in his eyes, while the silver watch on his wrist flickered in and out of the shadows.

Horikita Manabu looked up, his lenses refracting a cold, sharp light. "Such kind souls do exist, but they are few and far between." He rose slowly, his black leather shoes striking the floor with a steady, rhythmic sound. "Even one in ten thousand is a rarity. However, you, Watanabe Hayabara, are absolutely not that kind of person." Before his voice had even faded, a flock of white pigeons swept past the window, the frantic flapping of their wings shattering the stagnant air.

"Bingo!" Watanabe snapped his fingers theatrically, thrusting his hands into his pockets and stepping forward to maintain a perfectly measured social distance. As he lowered his head, the stray locks of hair across his forehead obscured half his gaze. "I am indeed no saint, but I don't just feel that Horikita Suzune has potential worth cultivating." He dragged out the end of his sentence, his lips curling into a cunning arc. "You could view it as me having the intention to assist her, but as for what I truly seek..." He suddenly reached out to steady the edge of the desk, leaning his body forward. "I haven't decided yet. But the process is what's most interesting, isn't it? Isn't the enjoyment of a game found in the process itself, President?"

Horikita Manabu remained motionless, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. "I hope you understand that Suzune is not a piece in your game." As these words landed, the clouds outside the window happened to obscure the sun, plunging the entire office into a brief dimness, with only the sound of the two men's breathing rising and falling in the silence.

"The President is truly attentive to his sister!" A playful smile bloomed on Watanabe Hayabara's lips. "However, do not misunderstand; I have never viewed her as a piece in a game. She is a player in her own right, with her own choices and path of growth."

He paused, then continued, "Compared to the game you've designed, where she can only endlessly chase your footsteps, in a real game, she will experience more challenges and opportunities, thereby achieving more comprehensive development. Isn't that a better choice?"

Facing Watanabe Hayabara's mockery, Horikita Manabu did not immediately retort. He remained silent for a moment, then spoke slowly: "I will be keeping an eye on you, Watanabe Hayabara."

"President, you never saw her as someone on your own level to begin with, so your so-called care was meaningless from the start. But from now on, I will take good care of Suzune." Having finished, Watanabe Hayabara paid no mind to Horikita Manabu's reaction.

"Oh, right, I will have Classmate Sakayanagi discuss the details with you; that falls outside the scope of my services." Watanabe Hayabara had already crossed halfway out of the office when he suddenly stopped, then departed.

Watching Watanabe Hayabara leave, Horikita Manabu wore a grim expression. "Suzune, how much will he change you?"

"Sakayanagi, it's settled. You go and discuss the details with Horikita Manabu; after all, Classmate Sakayanagi also has goals that I am not privy to."

At this moment, on the other side, Sakayanagi Arisu received the message and revealed a cunning smile. "Once I crush that artificial genius, the next target is you—Watanabe Hayabara."

Kamuro Masumi took it all in; after all, she was currently Sakayanagi's "personal bodyguard."

"Thank you, Classmate Watanabe." Sakayanagi Arisu replied instantly.

A short while later, Watanabe Hayabara received a transfer of 200,000 points from Sakayanagi.

Looking at his 4.94 million points, Watanabe Hayabara transferred a remainder of over 40,000 points to Horikita Suzune, attaching a message: "Consider these 40,000 points a loan."

There was no need to explain too much to Horikita Suzune; she still possessed the ability to discern and understand. Watanabe Hayabara looked at the clean total of 4.9 million points and felt much more comfortable.

Horikita Suzune was startled at first by the sudden appearance of over 40,000 points and Watanabe Hayabara's message, then she revealed a faint smile. "I will pay you back as soon as possible." Horikita Suzune had received her first investment. In this school, points could indeed accomplish many things; it all depended on Horikita Suzune's ability to utilize them.

Watanabe Hayabara merely glanced at Horikita's reply casually before turning toward the school building, preparing to return to his classroom. After all, he had visited Horikita Manabu during his lunch break, and now that the break was over, he needed to rush back to class to prepare for the afternoon lessons.

Time slipped away like a white horse passing a crack in a wall, and the afternoon classes ended before anyone knew it. Today was Thursday, and tomorrow was the day of the midterm exams. After Chabashira Sae finished the homeroom meeting, the moment the final bell rang, she packed up her materials without hesitation and hurried out of the classroom.

Just then, Kushida Kikyo walked to the podium with lightning speed and placed a thick stack of papers down gently. With a smile, she said to her classmates in a gentle yet firm voice: "Everyone, I am very sorry. Before you all leave, could you give me a few minutes to listen to what I have to say?"

The somewhat noisy classroom gradually quieted down, and the students' gazes focused on Kushida Kikyo. She continued: "I imagine you have all read quite a lot to prepare for tomorrow's midterm exams. Regarding this, there is something I might be able to help you all with." As she spoke, she picked up the stack of papers, preparing to distribute them to the students.

[You really are diligent, Little Kikyo.]

Kushida Kikyo distributed the questions and answers to the students in the front row according to the headcount, letting them pass them back.

"Exam... questions? Did Classmate Kushida make these?" Watanabe Hayabara heard the slightly shocked whisper of Horikita Suzune behind him.

Similar questions arose among the students in the class, and Kushida Kikyo explained patiently: "These are actually past exam papers; I obtained them from a senior."

"Past papers? Eh, eh? Could it be that these are quite useful questions?" Someone in the class asked in confusion.

"Yes. Actually, I also heard that the midterm exam from the year before last was almost identical to these past papers. So I think as long as you study these, they will definitely come in handy for tomorrow's exam."

"Whoa! Really? Thank you, Little Kushida!" Ike Kanji hugged the test papers, moved. The other students also seemed unable to suppress the excitement in their hearts at this sudden stroke of luck.

"What is this? If I had known such things existed, I wouldn't have had to study so desperately hard." Haruki Yamauchi complained while grinning foolishly.

[Indeed, you don't need to study anymore.]