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

In fact, she had even more "work" now!

"It's hardly a problem. If anything, she's been surprisingly capable and has told me quite a few interesting things."

Sakayanagi Arisu leaned back in her seat, scrolling through chat records on her phone with a thoughtful look.

"So I intend to reward her properly."

"Points?"

"Nothing so shallow, of course... Though if she needs them, I can get her some."

Sakayanagi Arisu looked at the pale blue panel only she could see. It displayed something new that had caught her attention—

[Host: Sakayanagi Arisu]

[Age: Direct current or alternating current?]

[Height: 150 cm]

[Measurements: B:70(A) W:54 H:77]

[Fated Partners: Nangong Cheng]

[Bonds: None]

[Points held: 1,700]

[Redeemed items: Time-Limited Panacea (used)]

[Redeemed abilities: None]

Sakayanagi Arisu thought for a moment, then asked, "Masumi, what would you say our relationship is now?"

Kamuro Masumi gave her a look that said, What are you talking about? "We're classmates, obviously."

"No. Starting today, we're boss and subordinate. Remember that."

"Huh?"

Kamuro Masumi looked completely lost.

Seriously, what is she talking about?

Normally, Sakayanagi Arisu would have teased Kamuro Masumi for being an idiot by now. But she alone knew about the system, so she couldn't blame Masumi for not understanding.

"Masumi, what's my surname?"

"Sakayanagi... Why?"

Sakayanagi Arisu sighed and beckoned Kamuro Masumi closer. Then she typed a line on her phone—

[My father is the chairman.]

"You—"

Sakayanagi Arisu quickly covered Kamuro Masumi's mouth, then shot her a warning glare to keep her voice down.

She continued, "You know about my physical condition. I'd like to hire you in advance as my household manager, then sign a formal contract after graduation."

"What do you think?"

"Uh..."

Kamuro Masumi had no idea what to say.

After all, plenty of people in Japan shared the same first and last names. So even though everyone knew the chairman's surname was Sakayanagi, no one had considered that Sakayanagi Arisu might be his daughter.

But it turned out to be true!

And now Sakayanagi Arisu wanted to hire her early as a household manager?

That left her with... mixed feelings.

"Can I ask why?"

"Simple. You're honest, obedient, and hardworking."

"..."

Wow. So she thinks I'm the perfect workhorse. Three years aren't enough, and she wants to order me around for life?

How dare she treat me like this...

Well, she picked the right person.

"What? Not interested?"

Sakayanagi Arisu smiled as she watched Kamuro Masumi's expression change three times in a second. Her tone grew pointed. "My family isn't some small household. Not just anyone can get in. The monthly salary would start at no less than this much."

"What are your orders, young miss?"

Kamuro Masumi accepted without a shred of resistance.

Setting aside the part where Sakayanagi Arisu would work her like a superhuman pack mule, this was fundamentally a wonderful opportunity.

Practically speaking, why did so many people fight tooth and nail to enroll at Advanced Nurturing? Wasn't it to secure a promising future and a good job after graduation?

She'd been handed an offer before she even graduated. What was there to hesitate over?

She might be slow, but she wasn't stupid.

"Mm. Excellent."

Sakayanagi Arisu nodded in satisfaction.

She was pleased both by how quickly Kamuro Masumi had caught on and by the change in the panel before her eyes—

[Bond target: Kamuro Masumi]

[Bond type: Boss and subordinate]

[Bond level: 1 (0/50)]

[Bond benefits: Locked (share partial system access, substitute for punishment)]

This was good.

She already knew how she would use it.

After that brief assessment, Sakayanagi Arisu continued, "Go get Yamamura. Oh, and don't bring that weirdo."

Yamamura's full name was Yamamura Miki. She was a strange girl whose presence was unusually easy to overlook, and her quiet, inarticulate nature only made her more withdrawn.

Honestly, if Kamuro Masumi hadn't deliberately gone looking for someone in class, Sakayanagi Arisu wasn't sure when she would have noticed Yamamura Miki.

The weirdo she meant was Morishita Aoi.

The first time they met, Morishita Aoi had hidden her cane, then said something bizarre about getting up and walking around...

Sakayanagi Arisu suspected she wouldn't forget that weirdo Morishita Aoi for at least the rest of high school.

Kamuro Masumi had been there, so she naturally knew what Sakayanagi Arisu meant. She turned and went to fetch Yamamura.

Then, through much the same process, Yamamura Miki was "honored" with a job some six, seven, or eight years ahead of schedule.

"Yamamura, your task is the same as before. Just report to me at a set time every day."

"Okay..."

Sakayanagi Arisu thought for a moment. Now that she'd made herself their boss, she could hardly keep ordering people around without giving them anything in return.

"Yamamura, you've worked hard lately. Is there anything you'd like as a reward?"

"No—"

Yamamura Miki had barely begun to answer when Sakayanagi Arisu cut her off. "How about this? I don't have anything particularly good on hand, so I'll reward you with some Points for now."

"After a while... Well, just know you won't lose out by working for me."

With that, she transferred some Points.

Not too many, not too few—about 200,000.

It was part of the Points she'd earned over the past few days by having Kamuro Masumi take her to challenge the Chess Club.

As for the 2 Million Points she had traded to Nangong Cheng earlier... Class A's students had indeed gritted their teeth and pooled half of it. For the other half, she had struck a deal with Ryuuen.

What was the deal about?

Targeting Nangong Cheng.

"Masumi, let's head back."

"Yes."

Kamuro Masumi had already settled into her role as household manager.

The two returned to the dormitory.

Sakayanagi Arisu sat at the dressing table with her back to Kamuro Masumi. "Masumi, put on the video for me."

"...Young miss, does watching this children's anime really help you learn anything?"

Kamuro Masumi grumbled as she started the laptop, then opened the video Sakayanagi Arisu wanted from the browsing history.

"Look at this character first." Sakayanagi Arisu pointed to a silver-haired, purple-eyed girl on the screen.

"Then tell me whether she looks like me."

"..."

Kamuro Masumi was speechless. Similar hair and eye colors were hardly rare.

But whatever her boss said was right. Even when it was wrong, she had to treat it as right.

"So have you learned anything, young miss?"

"...You're still nowhere near mature enough."

Sakayanagi Arisu repeated the line from the video, then continued, "Look at the comments I found online about this character. Ninety-nine percent of people think she has a motherly air."

"People do follow the crowd, but approval that overwhelming means the character was successfully written, at least."

Kamuro Masumi didn't understand any of that. To her, Sakayanagi Arisu's thinking was just as strange and hard to follow as Nangong Cheng's.

In the end, sticking to the principle of speaking less and doing more, she took out the cosplay costume Sakayanagi Arisu had specially commissioned from a clothing store and the makeup supplies she had prepared.

"Yamamura's sent word back. After school today, Nangong Cheng went to the library with Horikita Suzune. They're probably there to see Shiina Hiyori."

"Mm. Make it quick."

And she did.

The mirror on the dressing table reflected an astonishingly faithful rendition of the anime character.

Sakayanagi Arisu touched her wig, smiled at her reflection, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Let's go."

Volume One: Sorry, Mom, I Didn't Recognize You Just Now.jpg

The library.

Horikita Suzune and Shiina Hiyori were reading, as usual, at the seats that had practically become theirs.

Nangong Cheng appeared to be reading. In truth, he was enjoying the view.

His gaze made Shiina Hiyori uncomfortable.

She set down her book, tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and said softly, "Nangong, Class D has been quite active lately."

"People aren't allowed to make noise in the library, but it's become much busier than before. It's nowhere near as pleasant a place to read."

It had gone from almost deserted to having several regular groups of students come in to claim seats and study every day.

The change had started with Nangong Cheng.

If he hadn't arranged extra lessons for Class D, students from the other classes wouldn't have followed suit.

After all, the situation was clear to everyone.

Failing a written exam meant expulsion, and an expulsion would cost the class Class Points. Improving exam scores could only help.

But...

"I used to be able to read in peace, too. Now, thanks to what you've started, I have to tutor the girls in my class."