Class B, First Year

Stepping onto the campus felt like entering a meticulously crafted sanctuary. Even the air carried a faintly sweet floral fragrance.

The cherry trees lining both sides of the road were in full bloom, their pink petals clustered like rosy clouds. When the breeze swept through, it brought a silent yet brilliant rain of blossoms, draping the modern campus in a dreamy veil.

Yet beneath this peace and beauty lay an unusual sense of order.

The campus was far larger than any ordinary school, putting even many top universities to shame. Every kind of facility was available, from convenience stores and cafés to KTVs and shopping malls. Such extravagance was far beyond what an ordinary prestigious school could afford.

"Still, there are way too many cameras here."

Miyama Saku's gaze quietly swept over the concealed black lenses. Like silent eyes, they watched every movement across the campus.

He stopped, took out a campus map from his backpack, and confirmed his location and the route to Class B.

"Fifteen minutes is enough. I still have plenty of time." He put away the map and pondered to himself. The notice I received before enrollment said Class D, but I was suddenly transferred to Class B right before school started...

Fifteen minutes later.

Miyama Saku stood before Class B's classroom door. The room was buzzing with chatter, so the orientation clearly had not begun yet. Through the windows, he could see that the students had already naturally formed several little groups. Some chatted in clusters of three or five, while others sat alone and played on their phones.

Apparently, he was the only one missing.

He reached out and slid open the classroom door.

"Creak—"

As the door slid aside, every voice and every gaze in the classroom focused on him at once.

"That person... is that a boy or a girl?"

"No idea, but they're wearing a boys' uniform."

"Could the school have given them the wrong uniform?"

"They're way too pretty. They're practically on par with Ichinose."

"Shiranami, you're cute too, you know~"

The whispers continued without end. Miyama Saku's expression remained unchanged, as if he had not heard a thing. He walked straight toward the only empty seat in the classroom, one by the window. That was probably his seat.

He set down his backpack and calmly sat down, turning his gaze toward the brilliant cherry blossoms outside as if everything around him had nothing to do with him.

Before long, the sharp, hurried clack of high heels approached from afar, cutting through the classroom's noise.

A slender female teacher in a pink T-shirt strode into the room. She casually placed the materials in her hands on the podium and clapped twice.

"All right, all right, everyone, take your seats. The class meeting is about to begin! Next, I'll explain the school rules and regulations."

According to the schedule, you were already late... Miyama Saku thought. This Class B homeroom teacher seemed rather unreliable.

The female teacher picked up a piece of chalk, rose onto her toes, and flamboyantly wrote several large characters on the blackboard—Hoshinomiya Chie.

"Hoshinomiya Chie. That's your teacher's name. For the next three years, I'll be your homeroom teacher, so make sure you remember it~" She turned around with a radiant smile. "I teach mathematics. If you forget, Teacher will be very sad."

"Oh, right. I'm also the school nurse, so if you ever feel unwell, you can come find me in the infirmary anytime~"

After saying that, she even struck a cute pose for the class.

Miyama Saku's internal rating of her unreliability rose another level.

"Don't worry, Teacher Hoshinomiya! We'll never forget such a beautiful teacher!" The girl previously called Ichinose was the first to respond, her voice crisp and pleasant.

"That's right! Teacher is so cute, how could we forget?"

"I wonder if Teacher has a boyfriend?"

"Oh my, compared to being called 'beautiful,' Teacher prefers being called 'cute'~" Hoshinomiya Chie cupped her face in both hands, her eyes curving with her smile.

Why were they actually chatting now...? Miyama Saku was speechless. Weren't they supposed to be explaining the school rules?

He could only turn his gaze outside again, deciding to remain a quiet observer.

After quite some time, someone finally could not hold back any longer.

A boy in the front row stood up. His expression was serious, and there was an air of righteousness between his brows.

"Teacher, may we begin the explanation of the school rules now? A lot of time has already passed, and further delays may affect the entrance ceremony. Also, the enrollment guide did not explain the rules regarding food and daily life in detail."

Ah, someone had finally come to end this pointless conversation.

"Don't be so impatient, Kanzaki." Hoshinomiya Chie waved a hand, then looked smilingly toward the window. "Can't you learn from the girl behind you, Miyama, and listen quietly?"

?(confused Black guy meme)

Miyama Saku's mouth twitched slightly.

That was too much. She was definitely doing it on purpose. Teachers must have reviewed the student files before enrollment. Could she really not tell whether I'm male or female?

He raised his hand and calmly corrected her. "Teacher Hoshinomiya, I'm male. A genuine male."

Those words were like a stone thrown into a placid lake, and the classroom instantly erupted.

"Huh?! He's a boy?"

"Seriously? He's prettier than a girl!"

"My first love ended before it even began..." A boy let out an exaggerated wail.

At that moment, Ichinose stood up again to smooth things over. "Teacher Hoshinomiya, we're all very curious about the school's arrangements. Could you explain them first?"

"Honestly, what am I supposed to do with you all?" Hoshinomiya Chie let out a deliberately helpless sigh, then took out a device resembling a smartphone from beneath the podium and handed it to a student in the front row. "Here, pass this around first."

"Ahem. What you're receiving now is your student ID terminal. It has the same functions as a smartphone, and it is also your payment method for purchases on campus."

"Right now, one hundred thousand points have already been deposited into the terminal. One point is equivalent to one yen, and you can use them to purchase anything on campus. You may open your personal system to check."

"The points will be reclaimed upon graduation and cannot be exchanged for cash, so don't be stingy. Use them as much as you like. Also, points will automatically be transferred on the first day of every month."

"That is all."

As soon as Hoshinomiya Chie finished speaking, the classroom erupted again. One hundred thousand yen was undoubtedly an enormous sum for high school students who had only just enrolled.

Following the instructions, Miyama Saku operated the terminal. After entering his student number and password, the balance page clearly displayed [Private Points: 100,000]. In the upper-right corner, his personal information was clearly visible: Miyama Saku, Class B, First Year.

"O-One hundred thousand points?! Am I seeing this right?"

"Hey, hey, hey, this isn't a dream, right?!"

Ignoring the shock around him, Miyama Saku keenly sensed something strange. This homeroom teacher's explanation of the school rules had been far too cursory, as if she had deliberately omitted the most crucial parts.

"Students, please be quiet. Does anyone have any questions?" Hoshinomiya Chie's eyes settled on Miyama Saku again, her smile meaningful. "Miyama, it seems you have many questions you'd like to ask."

Miyama Saku was in a terrible mood.

Was this Class B homeroom teacher deliberately targeting him? Why was he the only one who supposedly had questions? At her age, she was still acting cute. What an awful old woman.

Still, she would be his homeroom teacher for the next three years, and falling out with her would do him no good. He did his best to keep his tone even. "Teacher Hoshinomiya, I don't have any questions."

"Don't be shy~" Hoshinomiya Chie looked at him expectantly, and the entire class focused on him once more.

Being singled out for no reason, Miyama Saku could only speak. "Teacher said the points are transferred on the first of every month. Does that mean we receive one hundred thousand points every month? You did not specify the exact amount earlier."

"Teacher can't answer that question." Hoshinomiya Chie raised an index finger and gently wagged it.

Not being able to answer was itself an answer. It meant the school did not want new students to learn the rules behind the points too early.

Miyama Saku's expression did not change as he continued probing. "Then Teacher said that points can purchase 'anything' on campus. I assume more detailed information about the school's rules can also be purchased, right? After all, the few rules you mentioned are far too few for a school."

"I'm sorry, Miyama. With the points you currently have, you don't have the means to purchase it."

As expected.

Information about the school's core rules was worth far more than the points he currently possessed. Still, there was no need to press the matter here. He could seek information from upperclassmen as well, though the school would most likely impose restrictions on that.

"Teacher, one hundred thousand points is too much for ordinary students. Do we need to pay any price to receive them?" Kanzaki, who had asked the previous question, spoke up again.

"There is no price. This school follows the principle of meritocracy. This is what you deserve."

"Teacher, Teacher..."

Just as the classroom began growing noisy again, Ichinose suddenly stood up.

"Everyone, could you listen to me for a moment?"

Her clear voice seemed to carry a strange magic, instantly suppressing all the noise. As expected of the most popular person in class—she took control of the entire room as soon as she spoke.

"First, Teacher Hoshinomiya, I would like to ask: how many points would it specifically cost to purchase the relevant information?"

"Hmm..." Hoshinomiya Chie tilted her head and revealed a sly smile. "If everyone in Class B pools their points together, it might just be enough. Ah! Teacher suddenly remembered she has something to do, so I'll be leaving first. Remember to attend the entrance ceremony on time~"

"Oh, right. There will also be a club orientation tomorrow afternoon. Students who want to join a club can go take a look."

Without waiting for anyone to react, she turned and quickly left the classroom. The tap-tap of her heels against the floor gradually faded until it disappeared.

The classroom fell into brief silence.

Ichinose turned around to face the class, a gentle yet resolute smile on her face.

"What do you all think? Should we pool our points together and buy information from Teacher?"

"If Ichinose thinks it's a good idea, I'm fine with it." Someone immediately responded.

"I agree!"

"I agree too!"

Watching this scene, Miyama Saku leaned back in his chair, lightly tapping his fingers against the desk.