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

"But while I can spare you the death penalty, you're not getting off scot-free."

Nangong Cheng looked at Ichinose Honami and Amikura Mako, who stood frozen as if they were playing a game of statues, and a mischievous smile crossed his face.

"Since Amikura thinks I bully Ichinose Mom every day, why don't you come over every day to keep an eye on me?"

"You can help Ichinose Mom with the housework while you're here. I'm sure you wouldn't mind, right?"

Amikura Mako had been feeling uneasy, but after hearing that, her worries vanished.

"Sure, let's do that!"

"Honami, I'll come with you from now on. We can even eat together~"

You poor fool...

Ichinose Honami sighed inwardly.

From what she had seen so far, any girl who got involved with Nangong Cheng seemed destined to remain tangled up with him...

It was rude to think this, but... I just hope Nangong doesn't take an interest in Mako.

"Nangong, sorry for the trouble... I'll go make breakfast now."

"I'm coming too!"

Amikura Mako was a little scared of Nangong Cheng now, so she hurried after Ichinose Honami into the kitchen.

Nangong Cheng shook his head with a smile, then summoned his panel to check what he had gained yesterday.

[Host: Nangong Cheng]

[Core Ability: Master's Task (Lv. 4)]

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

[Experience: 120/400]

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

[Remaining task issuances: 1/9 (Resets daily at midnight; unfinished tasks do not count)]

[Available task types: One-Time Task, Daily Task]

[Items: People-Finding Cane, Mosquito-Fly Camera × 1]

When his task issuances refreshed at midnight, Nangong Cheng had sent a Daily Task to Karuizawa Kei, who was still absorbed in mining.

It would be a shame to waste McDonald's special attribute. He might as well take the opportunity to cultivate her interest in it.

Besides, ever since he had stopped putting himself in his tasks, he had been earning Mission Points much more slowly.

The upside was that he was safer.

Of course, this was only a temporary tactical adjustment.

Once everyone's affection for him reached a certain level, he would have plenty of suitable opportunities to issue tasks that benefited him and rake in Mission Points.

There was no need to rush.

There would be bread, there would be milk, there would be everything.

"Nangong, you're smiling like that evil little mage from that game..."

"Shut up and eat."

"Oh..."

After breakfast, Nangong Cheng went to the classroom.

Yosuke Hirata approached him immediately.

"Nangong, about the study sessions you mentioned yesterday..."

"You can't do it?"

Yosuke Hirata shook his head.

His grades weren't outstanding, but he could tutor others. The problem was—

"I can't handle everyone on my own."

"Koenji doesn't want to help. Yukimura is willing, but two of us still won't be enough."

"So..."

Nangong Cheng waved him off.

Don't ask him. His grades were lousy too.

He could always cram, though. He could even use it as an excuse to issue a task forcing Horikita Suzune to spend a few hours with him every day.

Besides, the problem was easy to solve.

"There are twenty boys. Divide them into... three groups. Excluding Koenji and me, that leaves five per group."

"You, Yukimura, and Ayanokoji can each tutor one group."

Yosuke Hirata nodded, then asked in confusion, "Ayanokoji? I thought his grades were... average."

Nangong Cheng signaled him not to ask.

That show-off loved playing the fool before revealing what he could do.

"Just take care of your own tutoring group. I'll arrange everything else."

"Oh, and put Haruki Yamauchi, Kanji Ike, Ken Sudō, Sotomura Hideo, and Miyake Akito in one group. Arrange the rest however you like."

"...Okay."

After sending Yosuke Hirata on his way, Nangong Cheng walked to his seat. Instead of sitting down, he looked at Horikita Suzune.

"Horikita, let's switch seats."

"Take my seat from now on, and pay special attention to Airi's studies while you're at it."

"..."

Horikita Suzune said nothing, but she got up and switched seats with Nangong Cheng.

She had barely sat down when she heard him address Ayanokoji.

"Ayanokoji, let's make a deal."

"Help tutor the people I just assigned. In return, you can ask me for a favor later."

"What do you say?"

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji's expression did not change. He looked at Nangong Cheng with his usual impassive face and voiced his doubt.

"My grades..."

"You made it too obvious that you were controlling your scores."

Nangong Cheng cut him off with a smile. "Getting exactly fifty points in every subject isn't something an ordinary student could do."

"I don't know why you're deliberately controlling your scores, but if you're trying to look ordinary, be more careful next time."

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Got it."

Nangong Cheng smiled and left it at that.

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji had said from the beginning that he wanted to learn how to be a normal person, enjoy a life of freedom, and understand what "equality" meant. Given Nangong Cheng's influence over Class D, that wish was already halfway fulfilled.

Then there were all the reasons and circumstances behind his escape from the White Room and his admission to this school.

He had no reason to refuse the deal.

As for what he thought of Nangong Cheng...

Once Nangong Cheng exchanged for a third Gene-Enhancement Potion, or even Advanced Combat, Ayanokoji might end up begging him for mercy.

Wine for friends, a shotgun for wolves. From now on, it was that simple.

Horikita Suzune had been listening the whole time. The moment their conversation ended, she delivered her verdict: "I didn't expect you to bother talking to a man."

"...What kind of person do you think I am? Some sex-crazed fiend?"

Nangong Cheng tried to defend himself.

Sure, he lusted after those beautiful girls, but at least he treated them like human beings instead of using them and tossing them aside like a certain someone...

Besides, given the plot and setting of Classroom of the Elite, if he wasn't going to get close to beautiful girls, what was he supposed to do? Spar with Ayanokoji and discuss the philosophy of beauty with Koenji?

Nangong Cheng wanted to forge ahead, not spend his time surrounded by men.

"Before you sent that little video, I might have thought you were just an eccentric person. But after that..."

Horikita Suzune kept her eyes on the book in her hands, though that did not stop her from talking.

"I understand."

"It isn't your fault. You just made the same mistake every man makes."

Another update will be posted a little after seven tonight. After that, updates will return to the regular evening schedule.

Best Friends for Life

Nangong Cheng had nothing to say.

The facts were on her side, after all.

Of course, Horikita Suzune wasn't getting herself off the hook either. He was still waiting to see her lying beside Kikyo Kushida.

"But will your grades be okay?"

"What? Are you offering to tutor me?"

Nangong Cheng teased her.

He had planned all along to buy a set of answers from an upperclassman and memorize them to get through the exam, while boosting his standing in Class D at the same time.

But if Horikita Suzune volunteered, he wouldn't turn her down.

"I never said that."

"Then I know what you're getting at."

"..."

When Horikita Suzune ignored him again, Nangong Cheng took no offense. He issued another Daily Task to Sakura Airi.

[Task issued: Study independently or receive tutoring from Horikita Suzune for at least two hours each day]

[Task reward: 100 Mission Points/day]

[Penalty for failure: Run ten laps around the track]

The girl's grades really were poor.

This was the only time the school would use old-fashioned exam questions as a little test. There would be no such shortcut later.

She needed to start tutoring as soon as possible.

With that, almost everything was arranged. He even had a solid plan for the full slate of tasks at Lv. 4.

Nangong Cheng looked up at the sky outside the window and thought—

April should be coming to an end.

The last week of April arrived.

Monday, early morning.

After opening the door for Ichinose Honami and Amikura Mako, Nangong Cheng sat at the dining table and studied his panel.

[Host: Nangong Cheng]

[Core Ability: Master's Task (Lv. 6)]