The Cruise Ship

Horikita Suzune changed back into her own clothes and returned to her room. She agreed to Ryuuen's absurd conditions partly because she genuinely needed the points, and partly to gather information about his actions.

Horikita realized that in this situation, she had no way of getting useful information from the other classes. Staying close to Ryuuen was a form of assurance; she might be able to prepare in advance for his next move.

For Horikita, it was the first time she had worn such embarrassing clothes. While not overly revealing, she knew such outfits typically only appeared at anime conventions or in hotels.

Thanks to Ayanokoji's fundraising within the class and the points Horikita traded from Ryuuen, the three students who were failing finally managed to pass.

However, the atmosphere in Class D grew even heavier. Almost everyone was living in poverty, and resentment intensified in the air.

The following month, Class D received zero points, making their already difficult lives even worse. Yet, this didn't break Class D. Led by Hirata and Karuizawa Kei, almost everyone studied diligently, hoping to earn some points next month. Sudo also became more well-behaved after learning that Horikita had saved him.

It seemed Class D had matured overnight, but Ryuuen didn't care. He didn't see Class D's unhealthy atmosphere as something to be wary of.

Over the next month, Ryuuen often invited Hiyori to coffee shops to discuss books they had recently read. Initially, Ryuuen did most of the talking, but gradually, Hiyori took the lead in conversations. Most of the time, Ryuuen would just sit, drink coffee, and listen to Hiyori speak, occasionally offering a few pointers.

If you were to ask why he didn't bring Hiyori back to his dorm to chat, it was, of course, because Horikita had taken over his dorm.

Although Horikita only came to Ryuuen's room when she was cooking, Ryuuen's peculiar requests led her to change into many different outfits over the past month. Horikita didn't want to take these clothes back to her own room, so she left them in Ryuuen's dorm.

Ryuuen had a dedicated wardrobe for Horikita's clothes. At first, Ryuuen would have people send the clothes to the laundry service for cleaning. Later, Horikita asked Ryuuen for points so she could wash them herself. Gradually, Horikita became less resistant to wearing the clothes Ryuuen provided.

The designs of these clothes were beautiful, and the material was very comfortable. Their only drawback was their suggestive nature, which prevented Horikita from wearing them outside. Each time Ryuuen looked at her with admiration, it boosted her confidence, even though she verbally protested. Still, after changing, Horikita would always put on makeup to match her outfit.

Soon, midterms arrived, and there were slight changes in each class's points.

A: 1100 B: 850 C: 740 D: 130

This time, no one in the entire grade failed. Yabu Nanami's grades finally improved with Hiyori's tutoring, though she only barely passed, which wasn't particularly good.

After the results were announced, Sakagami Kazuma, the teacher, shared another piece of news: "The first-year students will now participate in a two-week luxury cruise trip."

Sakagami Kazuma didn't reveal more information, but Ryuuen knew the main storyline had begun.

Under Ryuuen's two-month rule, the students in Class C were no longer so clueless. Upon hearing the news, they didn't immediately cheer. Those with brains pondered what variables might be involved, while those without instinctively looked at Ryuuen, hoping he could discern something or waiting for him to make a statement.

"You all just enjoy yourselves for these two weeks. There's no need to worry about anything."

After Ryuuen spoke, the class erupted into chatter and discussion. Having been under Ryuuen's oppression for so long, Class C's atmosphere was no better than Class D's; it was about time they relaxed.

Class D, on the other hand, was already celebrating. Upon learning that all facilities on the cruise ship, including food, were free, almost everyone in Class D, except Horikita, had been eating the free "poor-man's meal" from the school cafeteria for half of each month and were sick of it. They could finally improve their diet.

As the sea breeze blew on the cruise ship, Ryuuen felt as if everything were a dream, and he was at the pinnacle of that dream, liable to fall at any moment if he wasn't careful. This ethereal feeling was captivating; perhaps that was why so many people enjoyed the sea breeze.

"You look very relaxed, Ryuuen." Horikita had approached Ryuuen without him noticing.

"Is it really alright to approach me so openly?" Ryuuen turned around. The girl was still wearing her school uniform, the sea breeze rustling her hair by her temples and her skirt.

"There's nothing to hide. I told my classmates about our deal. After all, I had to explain the source of the points, and you never said the deal had to be kept secret." Horikita smoothed her hair. "Now everyone in class is saying you're pursuing me this way, so our closeness won't arouse suspicion."

"Are you here to dig for information? You don't usually come to me on your own."

Ryuuen saw through Horikita's intentions, but she didn't panic. She walked to Ryuuen's right side. "I don't think this trip will be so simple. Have you figured anything out?"

"I don't mind telling you. We'll be going to an uninhabited island later, and we'll have a Special Exam there."

Ryuuen pressed his finger against Horikita's lips. "If you want to know more, you'll have to pay a price. But I suggest you don't ask."

With that, Ryuuen left. The sea breeze was giving him a headache. Ryuuen knew there was a study room, or rather a small library, on a lower deck of the cruise ship, and Hiyori was most likely there.

When Ryuuen found the library, it was empty. The vast space was so quiet he could hear his own footsteps. Ryuuen didn't dislike this atmosphere. Just as he was about to sit down and find a book to read, someone arrived.

It was Hoshinomiya Chie, the teacher from Class B. She had beautiful, bright golden curly hair. Her hair was soft and smooth, shining with a natural luster, cascading like a golden waterfall to her shoulders. Hoshinomiya's eyes were bright and spirited, like a pair of clear lakes.

She was dressed professionally and elegantly. A fitted suit jacket accentuated her slender figure. It was paired with an elegant brown skirt, showcasing her professional charm, and she wore a pair of silver earrings.

"Oh, it seems someone got here before me." Hoshinomiya's voice was soft and magnetic.

"Hoshinomiya-sensei likes to read too?" Ryuuen responded, putting down the book he had just taken from the shelf.

"You know me?" Hoshinomiya acted surprised, but there was no surprise in her eyes. It seemed she was just as good at feigning emotions as Kikyo.

"You know me too, Hoshinomiya-sensei. Acting cute doesn't suit you." Ryuuen directly exposed her pretense.

"Ryuuen-kun, you're really not cute at all."

Hoshinomiya searched for the book she wanted on the shelf. Ryuuen resumed flipping through his own book, treating her as if she weren't there.