Shiomiya Yo exchanged contact information with the two girls and learned their full names: Sakayanagi Arisu and Kamuro Masumi.
Sakayanagi Arisu was clearly surprised after getting Shiomiya Yo's contact information.
"You're Shiomiya Yo of the Shinomiya Family?"
"What, don't I look the part?"
Sakayanagi Arisu lifted her skirt gracefully like a young noblewoman and gave a slight curtsy.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Sakayanagi Arisu of Class 1-A."
She was quite interested in Shiomiya Yo. She'd heard long ago that the Shinomiya Family had produced a peerless genius who had helped the family expand its businesses considerably.
Sakayanagi Arisu had always wanted to meet a genius.
Seeing her curtsy, Shiomiya Yo returned the gesture out of habit.
"Hello. I'm Shiomiya Yo of Class D."
Damn! He'd responded without thinking. It was all because he'd attended too many banquets in the past.
Seeing Shiomiya Yo's chagrined expression after returning her greeting, Sakayanagi Arisu couldn't help but smile.
"Tell me, Classmate Shiomiya, are you interested in chess?"
"If you can beat me, then I'm very interested," Shiomiya Yo replied bluntly.
Shiomiya Yo had once been very interested in board games. Their countless possibilities kept them from getting boring.
But he had yet to see the limits of chess, while he had already seen the limits of people.
Ever since he'd started learning chess, fewer and fewer people had been able to play against him. He'd faced and beaten professionals and renowned masters alike.
Eventually, Shiomiya Yo could only play against himself. AI wasn't advanced enough yet, either, so he could no longer see anyone ahead of him.
If he kept going, how would he be any different from the way he was in everyday life? It would still just be one person, and it would still be boring.
So once he'd mastered every kind of board game, he gave them up.
"That's quite a confident answer," Sakayanagi Arisu said with a smile.
"Then let's set a time to play, Classmate Shiomiya."
Shiomiya Yo thought it over for a moment, then decided to accept.
"But if you don't win, that doesn't count as keeping your promise."
Kamuro Masumi watched the two of them suddenly hit it off. She had no idea what had happened, yet they'd already made plans.
"Let's go, Kamuro."
Sakayanagi Arisu beckoned Kamuro Masumi to leave.
"Wait, why am I going with you?" Kamuro Masumi asked, confused.
Sakayanagi Arisu chuckled.
"Kamuro, have you forgotten that you're supposed to do as I say?"
"But weren't you threatened by Shiomiya Yo?"
"But now Classmate Shiomiya isn't going to threaten me anymore," Sakayanagi Arisu said with a smile, glancing at Shiomiya Yo.
"Ah... Right. She's already agreed to my demand, so why would I threaten her?"
Shiomiya Yo answered seriously, his eyes full of confusion at Kamuro's question.
Kamuro Masumi fell silent, devastated. And then, in the midst of her despair, she suddenly remembered something.
"Then can the thing where I make you have fun count together with Sakayanagi's?" Kamuro asked, looking hopeful.
"Of course not. You still owe me one," Shiomiya Yo replied calmly.
"No... I... I..." Kamuro stammered. She seemed to have countless things to say, but couldn't get any of them out.
In the end, she could only raise both middle fingers at Shiomiya Yo in praise.
Scientific research had shown that a person's instinct for survival always kicked in when they were pushed to the brink. At that moment, Kamuro Masumi's wisdom reached its peak.
She understood everything!
If she couldn't fight back, she might as well go all out!
"I'll call Mashima-sensei right now and ask to withdraw from school. Then none of you will get off easy!"
Kamuro made as if to call. Her movements were resolute, as if she were sure of victory.
Shiomiya Yo and Sakayanagi Arisu simply watched her in silence.
In the end, she never made the call.
Kamuro pounded the ground and roared, "Damn it! Why are you two so calm?!"
Shiomiya Yo and Sakayanagi Arisu exchanged a glance and replied in unison:
"Because we have nothing to lose either way."
"Aren't you afraid I'll report you to the school?" Kamuro demanded angrily.
"Where's your evidence?" Shiomiya Yo countered.
"The evidence is..." Kamuro froze.
How could she have forgotten? The evidence was in Shiomiya Yo's hands, and he wouldn't help her.
Heh. So this had all been a foolish struggle!
It was fine.
Now she could accept her fate of being controlled by Shiomiya and Sakayanagi with a clear conscience.
Wait! Kamuro finally understood!
So this was the path her instincts had chosen for her!
She didn't want to leave school, but she couldn't accept being controlled without a fight, either.
So her instincts had made one last desperate attempt, cutting off every escape route. Only then could she accept her fate with a clear conscience.
"So I, Kamuro Masumi, am the winner!"
Shiomiya Yo and Sakayanagi Arisu looked at Kamuro's expression, as if she'd seen through the world, and couldn't make heads or tails of it.
Had they driven the poor girl crazy?
Shiomiya Yo decided to record Kamuro Masumi.
Added to the record—"Incomprehensible Thief Observation Diary"!
There weren't many people who could leave even him baffled.
"Kamuro Masumi, I acknowledge your divine level!"
Afterward, Kamuro left with Sakayanagi, even linking arms with her of her own accord. They chatted and laughed together. Anyone watching would have thought they were the closest of friends.
[Evaluation of newly added record: Awarded 50 points]
It seemed Kamuro still wasn't divine enough.
Back in his dorm, Shiomiya Yo rested and thought about how to earn more points.
After a moment's thought, he decided to record Kushida, too.
They were practically meeting for the first time again, so he'd start today!
Added to the record—"Two-Faced Person Observation Diary"!
Shiomiya Yo wrote down everything that had happened on the rooftop in detail, then closed the diary.
[Evaluation of newly added record: Awarded 100 points]
Mmm, delicious!
He couldn't leave Koenji out, either.
Added to the record—"Narcissist Observation Diary"!
He'd done plenty of things with Koenji in the past, too. Even if Koenji wasn't a Demon Pill, there was no way he could be a Spirit Pearl.
[Evaluation of newly added record: Awarded 50 points]
What?! Koenji's divine level was only worth 50 points?
He didn't even count as dessert!
Shiomiya Yo had really overestimated him. After spending so much time with him, he was only worth 50 points.
The 200-point me and the 50-point him—what a world of difference~
But he'd already had his fill today~
Lying in bed, Shiomiya Yo stared at the 200 points on his system panel. Who could resist going for two draws?
[Draw!]
The familiar wheel appeared and began spinning again. It spun faster and faster before suddenly coming to a stop. Its two pointers landed on different character portraits.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You've obtained the Ultimate Detective talent!]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You've obtained the Ultimate Pianist talent!]
The moment he obtained the detective talent, a wealth of knowledge and techniques for solving cases filled Shiomiya Yo's mind.
As he looked around, he also noticed that his powers of observation had become much sharper.
The pianist talent added all kinds of performance techniques and compositions to Shiomiya Yo's mind, while also making his hands more nimble.
Most importantly, it taught him how to convey his emotions through his performances.
That was something Shiomiya Yo had never been able to do before!
Before you continue