Classroom of the Elite: I Can Issue Master's Tasks

Even among villains, some were exceptionally capable. All kinds of mystery novels featured highly intelligent criminals, too.

So she only needed to learn how Nangong Cheng viewed and handled problems.

As for his character...

She could only choose to overlook that for now.

"You don't need to worry about that. He and I have a purely transactional relationship."

"Now that I have my answer, I won't take up any more of your time. Goodbye."

Karuizawa Kei silently watched Horikita Suzune leave until she disappeared from view.

She sighed, her feelings still complicated.

Who would have thought that was his idea of stress relief...

"Forget it. I'll just think of it as giving my future husband an early look."

And, come to think of it...

Once she put it that way, she didn't feel nearly so conflicted.

After all, according to the system, she was destined to remain entangled with Nangong Cheng in the future. Wasn't that exactly what it meant?

Her thoughts settled once more.

Karuizawa Kei stood there thinking for a moment, then gritted her teeth and went to the Clothing Store to buy a new outfit.

After that, she went to the Department Store and bought a selfie stick.

Back at her dorm room,

she headed straight for the bathroom.

Once she had thoroughly washed herself, she looked in the mirror at the scar on one side of her abdomen.

"I can't let him see this yet..."

She returned to her bedroom.

Karuizawa Kei checked her messages first. After saying good night in her small group's chat, she set her account to Do Not Disturb.

"Don't be nervous. You'll get used to it."

She began reassuring herself.

And the thought wasn't baseless.

She had only triggered three tasks so far, but each one had been more... embarrassing than the last.

That was clearly a sign.

Of course, she might have been overthinking it.

But still...

After this, things between her and Nangong Cheng were bound to grow ambiguous, which made it all too easy for similar tasks to appear later.

The distinction hardly mattered.

"I should learn a little first."

Karuizawa Kei took several deep breaths, then opened the video Nangong Cheng had sent her.

Sounds that made her cheeks burn filled the room. Fortunately, the Student Dormitory at Advanced Nurturing had good soundproofing, or she would have died of embarrassment all over again.

The video was only about twenty minutes long, and Karuizawa Kei soon finished it.

But she still didn't quite understand.

"Does that really feel so good?"

"And that... isn't it a bit much?"

Karuizawa Kei had never had any experience with such things, even though her health and physical education teacher had touched on the subject.

Theory was only theory. Without firsthand experience, it was all just knowledge on paper.

Unfortunately, her teacher wouldn't cover details like these in class, so Karuizawa Kei searched online for an explanation.

Wow. There was this much to it? I'm learning a lot.

"I see..."

"So it counteracts cortisol by speeding up dopamine release? That's surprisingly rigorous."

Karuizawa Kei had thought Nangong Cheng was just being a pervert. As it turned out, there really was a scientific basis for it?

She had misjudged him.

"Well, I've come this far. I might as well try."

Karuizawa Kei didn't think her stress was severe enough to need an outlet like this, but once her curiosity was piqued, she had to give it a try.

She set up the selfie stick, adjusted the camera angle, and checked that her outfit looked right.

"OK, here goes."

Karuizawa Kei took a few more deep breaths, then opened the door to a new world with a look of fierce determination.

Who knew how much time passed?

At some point, the moon outside slipped behind dark clouds. A low rumble rolled across the sky, and a light rain began to fall.

[Task complete]

[Task reward: Host receives 1,000 points]

Volume One: 40, Ichinose Honami's Mommy Work

The next day.

Nangong Cheng got up early.

Though, strictly speaking, the two Mine-Detection Tasks he had issued the night before had kept him awake.

Fortunately, with his current physique, a few all-nighters weren't enough to tire him out. Otherwise, it wouldn't be long before he earned himself the charming nickname "Cheng the Kidney-Deficient."

"System, show me my status."

[Host: Nangong Cheng]

[Core ability: Master's Task (Lv. 3)]

[Secondary abilities: Intermediate Acting Mastery, Kato Taka's Hand, Gene Enhancement (Second Stage)]

[Experience: 30/200]

[Current number of eligible task targets: 7 (Horikita Suzune, Kikyo Kushida, Karuizawa Kei, Sakura Airi, Shiina Hiyori, Ichinose Honami, Sakayanagi Arisu)]

[Tasks currently available to issue: 7/7 (Refreshes daily at midnight; incomplete tasks do not count against the limit)]

[Task types currently available: One-Time Task, Daily Task]

[Items held: People-Finding Cane]

The 8,000 points came from the task he had issued to Kikyo Kushida the night before. Kato Taka's Hand had been worth the exchange after all, and he had even begun to figure out a trick for harvesting high-value rewards.

The two 2,000-point rewards came from the two little stress-relief tasks he had issued yesterday morning. They were also the "culprits" that had kept him awake last night.

Though, really, that was about all there was to it.

With no visuals, it was basically ASMR.

"By my reckoning, she should be here soon."

Nangong Cheng was waiting for Ichinose Honami to come over and provide some genuine "mommy work."

As soon as he spoke, the doorbell rang.

He went over and opened the door.

"Good morning, Nangong."

Ichinose Honami greeted him with a smile.

She was even carrying a bag of groceries.

"Good morning, Mom Ichinose."

"What's all this...?"

Nangong Cheng pointed at the bag, pretending not to know.

Ichinose Honami tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and her smile turned a little awkward.

"Actually, the more I thought about it after I went back, the more I felt I got far too good a deal when you traded me that Student Council spot on those terms. After I reported to the Student Council yesterday, I kept wondering how I could thank you."

"But I know you aren't short on Private Points, so I had to think of something else. I thought I could make your three meals a day for a while."

"And since you call me Mom, I figured I should do something to earn the name. It fits the part, doesn't it?"

That was a lie.

Ichinose Honami was at Nangong Cheng's door at this hour because she had received another task yesterday. It required her to prepare three meals a day for him.

It only paid 100 points a day, but the task was so easy for her that she was quite happy about it.

Whenever she thought of the equation "100 points = 100,000 yen," she felt like she was the one getting a bargain.

That was why she was so enthusiastic.

Meanwhile,

Nangong Cheng looked as though everything had suddenly clicked.

He immediately stepped aside.

"I knew I hadn't misjudged you. Mom Ichinose, you really are a woman who could be my mother."

"If only every girl in the world were as gentle and considerate as you."

Ichinose Honami smiled shyly.

"You're exaggerating, Nangong. I'm sure there are lots of women far more capable than me. I'm just an ordinary girl."

With that, she entered Nangong Cheng's room.

It was her first time visiting a boy's room, and she had even come alone. She couldn't help feeling a little nervous.

"The kitchen's over here."

"Want me to help with the prep?"

Nangong Cheng led Ichinose Honami into the kitchen.

Credit where it was due.

Advanced Nurturing deserved praise here—the Student Dormitory was incredibly well equipped.

"Hmm... Then sorry to trouble you, Nangong. Could you wash these ingredients for me?"

Ichinose Honami didn't refuse.

After all, she wasn't just preparing Nangong Cheng's breakfast and lunch. She was making her own, too.

So efficiency mattered.

Working together made the job easier.

With the physical abilities he'd gained from the Gene-Enhancement Potion, Nangong Cheng handled the work effortlessly.

Besides, he had another idea.

"What are you making, Mom Ichinose? I don't know much about cooking."

Ichinose Honami had started helping her mother with housework at an early age, so she was already a practiced cook. She could easily chat while she worked.

"Just a typical homemade breakfast."

"For lunch, I didn't get a chance to ask what you like, so I made the decision myself. I thought I'd make you a Sushi Bento."

Nangong Cheng nodded.