Classroom of the Elite: I Can Assign Tasks to My Master

Advanced Nurturing was built on an artificial island, with grounds far larger than any normal high school had a right to be.

Fortunately, its buildings were sensibly laid out. Getting anywhere never meant spending dozens of minutes on the road.

"Even if I do know something, why should I tell you?"

"You were about to slap me earlier. I hold grudges, you know."

Getting a bite was good.

But a fish trying to steal the bait for free was not.

"Didn't your parents or older siblings ever teach you how to ask someone for a favor?"

"At the very least, you should apologize for what happened earlier, shouldn't you?"

Horikita Suzune fell silent.

She had never been good with people. Her excellent grades might have softened teachers' opinions of her, but her reputation among the students was another matter entirely.

Not that she cared about any of that.

But now that she suspected something was wrong with this school, she had no intention of sitting around until the first of next month. Her instincts told her nothing good would come of it.

And Nangong Cheng had taken a swipe at her brother too. She could not pretend she had not heard that!

"All right. I apologize."

"Now will you tell me?"

Nangong Cheng shook his head.

Was that how she apologized?

Where was the sincerity? Where was the feeling?

Horikita Manabu, you have a lot to answer for. A perfectly good girl turned out like this because of your influence.

If a younger sister went untaught, her older brother was to blame.

Since Horikita Manabu could not—or would not—teach her, Nangong Cheng would have to give Horikita Suzune a proper lesson himself.

"You understand equivalent exchange, right?"

"You pay me, I give you intel. Simple as that."

Nangong Cheng marveled at his own kindness. He had practically spelled out the right way to use points.

Horikita Suzune did not see it that way.

"You warned me at the class meeting that there was something wrong with the points. Why are you asking me to pay for information now?"

Seriously? That's what you're hung up on?

Some people just can't be taught!

"Horikita, I didn't say a word to you or look at you once during the class meeting. The security footage can prove it."

"So I'm starting to think there's something genuinely wrong with the way you think. Come find me when you're back to normal."

Nangong Cheng quickened his pace as he spoke.

Horikita Suzune pressed her lips together.

Had she really gotten it wrong?

Was this thing called a system unrelated to Nangong Cheng? Had she let her own assumptions cloud her judgment?

[Hello, host Horikita Suzune.]

[I am the Perfect Life System's AI assistant. If you have any questions, think them silently to speak with me.]

A synthesized voice suddenly sounded in her mind.

Horikita Suzune flinched, but quickly composed herself.

"AI assistant? What do you want? Are you connected to Nangong Cheng or not?"

[The Perfect Life System is dedicated to making every imperfect life complete. This AI assistant exists solely to guide its host.]

[Nangong Cheng is the human male in this world most compatible with the host. In the system's terms, you are a "community of shared destiny." Therefore, most tasks issued by the system will involve Nangong Cheng.]

"You're saying my life isn't perfect?"

Horikita Suzune's priorities were rather peculiar.

She had a happy family, an older brother she was proud of, and enough ability to gain admission to the legendary Advanced Nurturing. Once she graduated, a bright future awaited her.

And this thing claimed her life was imperfect?

[This system retains many visual records of perfect lives. The host may view them for comparison if desired.]

The blue panel appeared in her vision, filled with folders labeled "Perfect Life Case Study."

Horikita Suzune refused to believe it. She opened one and took a look, then fell silent.

"..."

"Let me see the system shop first."

Horikita Suzune still did not want to believe it, but the punishment she had received at the school gate remained vivid in her mind.

If the punishment was real, what about the rewards?

With a faint hope she was unwilling even to admit to herself, Horikita Suzune silently gave the command.

A blue light flashed across the panel before her.

Then she saw the one item she needed most right now—

[Advanced Nurturing Secret Intel: It may tell you the answers you seek. Cost: 50 points.]

Volume One: AC or DC?

Horikita Suzune chose to redeem it without hesitation.

In an instant, she felt information appear out of nowhere in her mind... the secrets of this school.

Many questions she had carried—and facts she had never thought to question—were answered.

So the students admitted each year had been selected in advance...

Classes A, B, C, and D were sorted by the school's assessment of the students' merits, and only graduates of Class A would receive the benefits the school had promised.

Her Class D was the lowest-ranked class. Since the school's founding, there had never been a successful case of Class D rising to Class A.

The school would also hold various special exams throughout the year. These were the direct route for a lower-ranked class to rise above a higher-ranked one.

The purchasing power of private points was not limited to everyday expenses. "With enough points, you can buy whatever you want" was meant literally—even a transfer to another class.

The points deposited each month were not fixed after all. The amount depended on each class's class points.

"How could this be..."

Horikita Suzune was shaken all over again.

She had believed she was admitted to this school entirely on her own merits. Was this really the truth?

By the school's standards, she had been placed in Class D because it judged her personality to have a serious flaw.

More specifically, the school considered her an extreme individualist who lacked teamwork and any sense of loyalty to her class.

"You've got to be kidding!"

"If my brother finds out I got into this school only to be placed in Class D..."

Horikita Suzune's first reaction should have been anger and protest.

Instead, she was afraid of Horikita Manabu learning that his own sister had been placed in Class D.

"No! Calm down, Horikita Suzune."

"So what if I was placed in Class D? Now that I know the truth ahead of time, I can absolutely change that assessment!"

Dwelling on her feelings would only make her more anxious. It would accomplish nothing.

What mattered now was finding a way to make the most of this secret. Perhaps... she could confront her brother face-to-face?

Once she confirmed it was true...

"I uncovered the school's hidden secret on the very first day. Even my brother couldn't have done that, could he?"

At the thought of how that might play out, Horikita Suzune no longer felt irritated at all. If she had not been in public, she might even have hummed to herself.

Before she knew it, she had reached the gymnasium.

Nangong Cheng had put a fair distance between them when he quickened his pace. He now stood alone in the area designated for Class D.

Students from all four classes gradually arrived. Horikita Suzune chose to stand beside Nangong Cheng, though he seemed to be staring into space.

In truth, his system had started chiming nonstop in his ear.

And since the opening ceremony was a torturous parade of formalities, he naturally welcomed the distraction.

[High-quality female detected. Initiating automatic scan...]

[Person: Shiina Hiyori]

[Age: Fill it in yourself.]

[Height: 158 cm]

[Measurements: B80/W58/H82]

[Current relationship: Strangers / students at the same school]

[Special attribute: Literary girl]

The library NPC, huh...

The literary girl was a classic first-love heroine, and definitely Nangong Cheng's type.

Unfortunately, traditional literature did not interest him. He preferred easy-to-read web novels, so under normal circumstances, he would have trouble finding anything to discuss with Shiina Hiyori.

He would have to exchange points for some literary knowledge before he could approach her through her interests.

[Person: Ichinose Honami]

[Age: Old enough to be your mom.]

[Height: 159 cm]

[Measurements: B95 (F)/W61/H91]

[Current relationship: Strangers / students at the same school]

[Special attributes: Archangel, yandere]

Ah, Honami. Where would I even start?

It's not your fault, of course. Blame the world we live in.

[Person: Sakayanagi Arisu]

[Age: AC or DC?]

[Height: 150 cm]

[Measurements: B70 (A)/W54/H77]

[Current relationship: Strangers / students at the same school]

[Special attribute: Bratty girl]

He had plenty to say, but in the end, he said nothing.

After all, as things stood, he was bound to change the original story. There was no point criticizing events that might never happen.

Even if they really did become obsessed with love, he would make sure he was the only object of their obsession.

But weren't a few people missing?

What exactly were this system's selection criteria?

Looks? Figure? Popularity?

If it was either of the first two, there should have been far more candidates. Judging by her character art alone, Shiraishi Asuka from first-year Class A—the girl who vanished early on before returning later as a surprise romantic contender—was a top-tier beauty too.