Horikita did not believe Ryuuen's nonsense.
Unable to take even a sip of the cappuccino, Horikita picked up the steaming coffee and set it back down.
Horikita could not understand what Ryuuen wanted after plotting for so long and setting such an elaborate trap for her.
Did he want to crush Class D? Given Class D's current state, it posed no threat to Class C at all. Ryuuen's real competitor should have been Class B.
Unable to figure it out, Horikita chose to remain unchanged in the face of all changes. Since Ryuuen had approached her on his own initiative, she must have had something he wanted, or something he needed her to do.
"Stop smiling at me. It's disgusting." Horikita sat across from Ryuuen, staring at the coffee in her hands.
"Were you sneaking looks at me?"
"Your words are even more disgusting than you are. Shut your mouth."
"Are you sure you want me to shut up? If I don't talk, you won't get the points you need to help those useless idiots in Class D."
"Then stop saying things that disgust me and tell me what you want."
"That's no way to ask someone for help, but since I was born a generous person, I'll forgive you."
"Narcissist." Horikita stirred her coffee with a spoon, ruining the latte art.
Ryuuen did not mind. The more proud and untamed the little kitten, the stronger the urge to tame it.
"Horikita, become mine." Ryuuen no longer bothered to conceal his intentions.
"What do you mean?" Horikita Suzune felt that sentence carried many possible meanings. She did not know which one Ryuuen intended, but she was in no hurry to refuse. She wanted to see what he would say next.
"Exactly what it says."
"I don't believe you like me, and this kind of pursuit is despicable. It's contemptible." Horikita took a sip of coffee. The temperature was just right, but it did not suit her taste.
"I admire you. I hope you can be of use to me in the future."
"Impossible." Horikita refused without hesitation.
"No room for negotiation?"
"No room for negotiation. If getting points requires me to sacrifice myself in exchange, then the price is too high. I won't do it."
"Even if that means your Class D will never rise to Class A?"
Horikita wavered slightly, but she still shook her head. "If I agree to you, then Class D truly will have no hope."
"And you called me narcissistic. Horikita, you're pretty narcissistic too, thinking you're that important." Ryuuen naturally knew Horikita would not sacrifice herself for the class.
Ichinose Honami would do so, but Horikita would not.
"Do you remember the previous contract? If I don't lend you the points and those idiots get expelled, then the points your class receives next month will be zero. According to the terms of the contract, if you fail to repay on time, you'll have to handle my household chores." Ryuuen wore an expression that said he had Horikita completely cornered.
"Hmph, it's just cleaning. You may not know this, but I always got perfect scores in home economics in middle school."
Though it did not taste good, the thirsty Horikita still drank half the coffee.
Ryuuen smiled and kindly reminded Horikita, "It isn't just cleaning. Household chores also fall under home economics. They include the seven necessities for opening a household: firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea; as well as mending new clothes and patching old ones, washing and changing clothes, raising livestock and poultry, building houses, purchasing, storing, and using furniture, bearing and raising children, entering into marriage, educating children, interacting with elders, relatives, and friends, attending weddings and funerals, arranging life during holidays and festivals, handling conflicts and disputes among family members, and so on."
Seeing Horikita's shocked expression, Ryuuen added, "That's the dictionary definition, word for word. You can look it up yourself if you don't believe me."
Horikita's expression turned ugly. She did not want to bear Ryuuen's children just because of a piece of paper. "I'll borrow the points and repay you on time."
"Borrow from whom? Your brother? You don't know this yet, do you? Your brother was the one who proposed this exam reform."
Horikita found it hard to believe. Even her brother was on Ryuuen's side.
Pushing too hard would only backfire. There was a reason people said not to pursue a cornered enemy. Ryuuen did not want to press Horikita too tightly; if she became desperate and decided to go down with him, it would be troublesome.
"I don't actually have that many demands of you. I can lend you one million points. In exchange, you'll prepare my three meals and clean my dorm room until you've repaid the debt," Ryuuen said slowly.
"That's all?" Horikita could hardly believe it would be so simple. After being burned once already, she found it difficult to trust others.
"Of course not. I have an additional requirement. In my dorm room, you'll dress according to my preferences. If I want to see a maid today, then you'll put on a maid outfit." Ryuuen seemed certain Horikita would accept his terms.
"I don't have money to buy those clothes."
"I'll prepare them for you."
Horikita fell silent, feeling helpless as though he had her completely in his grasp.
Ryuuen produced a new contract. Horikita checked its contents three times before daring to sign it, afraid that Ryuuen would play another word game with her.
One million points were transferred directly into Horikita's account. She immediately transferred them to Ayanokoji, then followed Ryuuen back to his dorm to prepare dinner for him.
On the way there, Horikita began to feel that something was off. If Ryuuen liked something like a naked apron, then under the contract, I'd have to satisfy him too. Realizing it only now, Horikita felt a little afraid.
Sure enough, the outfit Ryuuen had prepared for Horikita was not an ordinary maid outfit. Still, compared to a naked apron, Horikita could accept the cat-eared maid outfit.
Horikita wore a black maid outfit. The dress had a simple yet elegant design, with a fitted cut and contrasting white collar, cuffs, and belt that emphasized her slender figure. Its wavy skirt displayed her lively grace.
She wore a pair of black Cat Ears atop her head, perfectly complementing the rest of the outfit. White fur lined the insides of the ears, making them look even softer and cuter. A black bow was tied behind the Cat Ears, adding a playful touch.
She wore a pair of white gloves, with the fingertips left open to make household work easier. Lace trimmed the edges of the gloves, lending them an extra touch of elegance.
On her feet, she wore black high-heeled leather shoes that made her appear tall and dignified. Sequins or beadwork adorned the details of the shoes, adding a sense of splendor to the overall look.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Ryuuen clapped in praise. "Beautiful."
Not wanting to pay Ryuuen any attention, Horikita only wanted to finish preparing dinner and leave as soon as possible. Wearing these clothes was incredibly humiliating.
As for how Ryuuen knew Horikita's measurements, height, and weight, Horikita was not surprised in the least. As long as someone was willing to spend points, they could buy that information from the teachers.
While making dinner in the kitchen, Horikita took off her gloves and put on an apron. This white apron had been bought by Kikyo before, but it had now become Horikita's equipment. Fate sometimes loved playing tricks on people.
Horikita had not exaggerated about getting perfect scores in home economics. Her cooking was indeed highly satisfactory to Ryuuen. She had even added small decorations to the exquisite dishes, making them especially appetizing.
"What do you think I could do to keep you as my maid forever?" Ryuuen teased Horikita as he ate the salad she had made.
"Keep dreaming!"
Horikita stayed to eat as well. This was not Ryuuen's demand, but her own decision. In Horikita's view, since she was already making dinner, making an extra serving was no trouble. She was low on points anyway, and eating with Ryuuen would save some. Still, she felt rather unhappy about it.
Ryuuen naturally understood Horikita's thinking. Eating together was not bad. Having a beautiful girl accompany him made Ryuuen happy, while Horikita would put more care into cooking since she had to eat it too. Ryuuen could not help but admire Horikita. Even in such circumstances, she had adapted so quickly and found a way that benefited herself. She did not let her emotions lead her into poor judgment. That was rare.
Before you continue