The Setup

After leaving the conference room, Ryuuen strolled through the ship to the deck, wanting to feel the sea breeze.

On the way, he bumped into Karuizawa Kei — or rather, she bumped into him.

"Sorry," Karuizawa Kei said, then tried to walk away from Ryuuen.

But Ryuuen had no intention of letting her off so easily. "An apology isn't enough."

Ryuuen grabbed Karuizawa Kei's arm, squeezing hard enough to cause her pain.

"What do you want, then?" Karuizawa Kei asked, her voice trembling, not even struggling against his grip.

Ryuuen scrutinized Karuizawa Kei's figure, then punched her in the stomach. The punch wasn't hard, but it was enough to make Karuizawa Kei recall the bullying she had endured in the past.

"I'm in a good mood today. Next time, I won't let you off so easily."

Releasing her arm, Ryuuen walked straight to the deck.

The sea breeze was still blowing, and gulls flew in the distance. Ryuuen stood on the deck and received a message from Ibuki: "Ryuuen, I brought you a gift."

Ryuuen's eye twitched. Could this girl really be kind enough to give me a gift? But true to his nature of accepting all comers, Ryuuen didn't refuse. "I'm on the deck. Come straight here."

Soon, Ryuuen saw Ibuki dressed in casual clothes, looking like a tomboy, except for the pink paper bag in her hand, which looked quite out of place.

"It's Horikita's," Ibuki said, handing the bag to Ryuuen before slipping away.

Opening the paper bag, Ryuuen was stunned by Ibuki's outrageous act for three seconds, his mind unable to comprehend what the dirty, ragged piece of cloth inside the bag was.

It wasn't until Ryuuen pulled it out completely and straightened it that he realized it was a pair of panties.

Speechless.

That was Ryuuen's feeling, and his mind was a bit muddled. Ibuki said they were Horikita's. Not daring to let the panties be exposed to the air for too long, Ryuuen quickly stuffed them back into the paper bag.

At this moment, Ryuuen was more nervous than when he handed the cola bottle to Shiranami.

If this were discovered, it would be social suicide.

In the end, Ryuuen decided to return the item to its owner, carrying the pink bag as he walked towards Horikita's room.

Although he had messaged Horikita beforehand, she hadn't replied. The longer this bag stayed in Ryuuen's hand, the more dangerous it became, so Ryuuen ultimately decided to go directly to her room.

He knocked on the door, but there was no response.

He knocked again, still no response.

Ryuuen considered leaving the paper bag at the door, but he was afraid someone might find it. After standing at the door for a while, just as Ryuuen was about to leave—

The door opened.

Horikita Suzune was barely holding herself up to open the door for Ryuuen.

Almost instantly, Ryuuen put his arm around Horikita Suzune's waist. The girl's body was soft, yet also heavy (not in weight), like a water-filled sponge. Horikita Suzune didn't want Ryuuen to help her; she wanted to walk on her own, but she couldn't muster any strength.

"You're ill like this and still trying to be tough," Ryuuen said, forcefully picking up Horikita Suzune and placing her on the bed.

Horikita Suzune lay on the bed, wearing cute bear pajamas. Her face was pale, and her eyes seemed weak, revealing exhaustion and discomfort. Her long hair was disheveled over her shoulders, lacking its usual luster and vitality. Her body trembled slightly, showing that she was experiencing physical discomfort and pain. The patterns on her bear pajamas were brightly colored, forming a stark contrast with her pale skin.

Ryuuen didn't intend to stay long in Horikita Suzune's room. Her current condition clearly made her unsuitable for disturbance. However, no one from Class D had come to take care of this sick girl, and even the classmate assigned to the same room as her was nowhere to be found.

Horikita Suzune truly wasn't popular in Class D.

He placed the paper bag at the foot of Horikita Suzune's bed and left. Ryuuen didn't know how to care for the sick, but he knew how to get others to do it. He sent a message to Hiyori: "Kushida, go take care of Horikita."

The reply was almost instantaneous: "Are you crazy? Why would I ever take care of that woman!"

"It's an order."

There was no room for negotiation. Ryuuen wasn't worried that Kushida would cause any trouble while Horikita Suzune was sick. Although Kushida was two-faced, she wasn't so evil as to joke about someone's life. Her worst intention would only be to get Horikita Suzune expelled.

After leaving Horikita Suzune's room, Ryuuen sent a message to Morofuji Rika: "Come to my room."

No one in Class C dared to ignore Ryuuen's messages. Even though Rika was having fun with the other girls at the moment, she had no choice but to leave after seeing Ryuuen's message. This was Ryuuen's status in Class C—the tyrant's privilege.

"Is there something you need, Ryuuen-kun?" Morofuji Rika asked cautiously. The timid girl was flustered, unsure what she had done wrong to be called over.

"I heard you were bullied?" Ryuuen asked.

"No, no, no one bullied me," Morofuji Rika quickly denied, waving her hands.

Ryuuen frowned slightly. "I mean, Karuizawa Kei from Class D bullied you."

Morofuji Rika hadn't yet grasped what Ryuuen meant, but there was indeed a slight conflict between her and Karuizawa Kei. Morofuji Rika had no idea how Ryuuen knew about it.

"It's fine, I've already put it behind me," Morofuji Rika quickly stated.

Ryuuen tapped Morofuji Rika's head. "How can it be fine? How can someone from our class be bullied by someone from another class? What I mean is, you should find your friends and go confront Karuizawa Kei. At the very least, she needs to pay a price. How could she bully our little Rika?"

Ryuuen lifted Rika's chin. The young girl's face flushed. She wanted to nod but didn't dare. Although her head was a bit dizzy, she understood Ryuuen's intentions and knew what she needed to do.

After letting Morofuji Rika go, Ryuuen lay on the bed, resting and thinking about Karuizawa Kei and the VIP exam. The upcoming period would be very busy, and he also had to deal with the matter of the "man in the suit." Ryuuen felt a bit tired and wanted a drink.

He acted on his impulses. Ryuuen's execution was top-notch. He had previously investigated all the rooms on the ship and knew where to find alcohol. How could such a luxurious cruise ship not have alcohol?

Opening the door, it seemed Ryuuen wasn't the only one who wanted a drink.

"Chabashira-sensei likes to drink too. How about I join you for one?"

Ryuuen saw Chabashira-sensei, dressed in her professional attire and Black Stockings, sitting alone at the bar, sipping a Cuba Libre.

Cuba Libre: A mix of brandy, mint leaves, grapefruit juice, sugar, and soda water.

Ryuuen quite liked this cocktail.

It had a refreshing taste, both rich and well-balanced.

The tequila gave the cocktail a unique aroma and a subtle alcoholic kick, while the mint leaves and grapefruit juice added a refreshing zest. The sweetness of the sugar perfectly balanced the alcohol's bite, and the soda water's bubbles made the overall texture lighter and more crisp.

Overall, the Cuba Libre was a pleasant, refreshing cocktail, perfect for summer enjoyment, evoking a hint of tropical flair.

However, Ryuuen didn't order that; he got a Locomotive cocktail instead. This drink was rich and potent, with a stimulating zing that really hit the spot.

Chabashira recognized Ryuuen but had no desire to engage with him. She'd already had two drinks and was feeling a bit tipsy. When Ryuuen sat down, she was planning to finish her current drink and leave.

But just as she was about to down it in one gulp, Ryuuen refilled her glass with a Locomotive: "Chabashira-sensei, this one's on me."

Chabashira scoffed, "All expenses on the ship are reimbursed by the school. Are you trying to give me something I already have? And minors aren't allowed to drink. Aren't you afraid of losing Points?"

Ryuuen gave a wry smile. Why did all teachers like to threaten students with Points? Hoshinomiya Chie was like that, and Chabashira was the same.