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

The thought left her with mixed feelings.

"Who was it? Another student from Class D?"

Horikita Manabu's interest was piqued.

He had thought it would be impressive if Horikita Suzune had worked all this out herself, but if someone else had inspired her... that wasn't bad either.

At least his sister wouldn't have to fight alone anymore.

Provided she could break that bad habit of hers.

"Yes. His name is... Nangong Cheng." Horikita Suzune seemed to grit her teeth as she said his name.

She still couldn't let go of what had happened at the school gate.

Nangong Cheng had looked as though he was trying to push her away, but his hands had practically roamed over her entire body.

Just thinking about it made her feel as though she wouldn't sleep for nights.

"Nangong Cheng..."

Horikita Manabu repeated the name under his breath.

The name meant nothing in particular to him, but the surprises Class D students could spring were hard to put into words.

Perhaps he could change Suzune?

"Suzune, the fact that you could draw these conclusions from a classmate's hints shows that you have changed somewhat."

Horikita Suzune's eyes lit up, but before she could get excited, Horikita Manabu poured cold water on her hopes.

"But without Nangong Cheng's hints, would you have noticed any of these problems?"

"If not, you still have a long way to go before you can call yourself truly capable."

Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses.

A fleeting glint crossed the lenses as he looked straight at his sister, who had lowered her head and slipped back into her old, meek self.

"Watch Nangong Cheng closely. See how he handles things."

"Next time, I hope you won't disappoint me."

With that, he turned and left.

Horikita Suzune silently watched Horikita Manabu go, her heart full of joy and frustration.

She was overjoyed because her brother had finally praised her. His words sounded much like what he had said before, but she was certain this time they were praise!

Her frustration came from his belief that she couldn't uncover the truth about the school on her own—and she couldn't argue with him.

"Phew. I need to calm down!"

Horikita Suzune took a deep breath.

The outcome wasn't quite what she had expected, but at least it showed that the information she'd bought from the system was essentially true.

She needed to understand what that meant.

"System, open my status panel."

[Host: Horikita Suzune]

[Age: High School Girl]

[Measurements: B:79 W:54 H:79]

[Personal status: Single, no romantic history, brother complex, lone wolf]

[Fated Partners: Nangong Cheng]

[Points held: 0]

Horikita Suzune had no desire to comment on the labels the system had given her. Her gaze moved straight down.

"Nangong Cheng..."

Horikita Suzune stared at his name on the panel and murmured it in a daze.

What did "Fated Partners" mean?

The literal meaning was easy enough to grasp—their fates were bound together.

Shared interests, shared responsibilities, shared feelings...

Such a bond could be called closer than marriage. Even a woman like her, who had always scoffed at romance, couldn't deny how wonderful it sounded.

Horikita Suzune didn't believe anyone in the world could truly have a bond like something out of a fairy tale. Yet the system told her it was possible.

And she would even be one of the people in it.

"I have to talk to him properly."

Setting aside the so-called Fated Partners relationship...

Her brother had told her to observe Nangong Cheng closely and see what he would do. Of course she would do exactly that.

Besides, if she wanted to keep benefiting from the System Shop, and considering that supposed Fated Partners relationship, she was almost certain to have plenty of contact with Nangong Cheng in the future.

But given their current relationship...

"The worst he can do is mock me."

Horikita Suzune didn't care about that.

She had been excluded and isolated since childhood. She had endured sneers, gossip behind her back, and even bullying at school.

And there was another point.

She didn't believe Nangong Cheng knew more than she did. That gave her leverage to take the initiative when they talked.

"But where am I supposed to find him?"

It was a fine plan, but Horikita Suzune suddenly realized she had no idea where to find Nangong Cheng. For a moment, she felt stumped.

Then her eyes lit up.

But That's How a Loser Thinks

At a Café on a street corner.

Nangong Cheng took a sip of coffee. Its slight bitterness slid down his throat, perfectly matching his mood.

"You don't seem very happy to see me, Nangong. Did I do something to upset you?"

The brown-haired girl across from him looked so pitiful she might burst into tears at any moment.

But it was all an act.

Nangong Cheng cursed inwardly, though his smile never reached his eyes.

"I generally prefer being alone. I'm not fond of lively crowds."

"What I want to know is how you and Horikita ended up together, Kushida."

Kikyo Kushida and Horikita Suzune, arriving together...

Was he dreaming?

"We happened to run into each other on the way here." Horikita Suzune folded her arms, her expression perfectly natural.

"That's right! Horikita asked me where you were. The phones the school gave us have GPS, so I brought her here to find you."

Kikyo Kushida clasped her hands in front of her chest, still putting on her cute act.

Nangong Cheng felt drained after hearing that.

I'm turning off location sharing the moment I get back, whatever it costs!

"So what did you want with me?"

"I got some information from an upperclassman. I want to check it against what you know."

Horikita Suzune took a sip of coffee herself. Skipping the pointless small talk, she got straight to the point.

"If our information matches, perhaps we can work together."

Just as I thought. But...

Information from an upperclassman?

More like something you bought from the System Shop, right?

After all, I put that bait in there myself, just to hook you, Horikita Suzune.

"No need to check."

"If I'm right, we have the same information."

With Kikyo Kushida present, Nangong Cheng didn't want Horikita Suzune to blurt it all out here.

His attitude naturally displeased Kikyo Kushida, but she could only curse him inwardly. Outwardly, she kept playing the sweet girl.

"Nangong, Horikita, what are you talking about? Can you tell me?"

"..."

Horikita Suzune glanced at Nangong Cheng and understood what he meant.

She had only wanted Kikyo Kushida to show her the way, but as a fellow classmate, Horikita Suzune felt Kikyo Kushida had some right to know.

But Nangong Cheng had made his position clear.

If their conversation was to go smoothly, she had no choice but to ask Kikyo Kushida to leave first.

"Kushida, you can go."

"What we're about to discuss isn't something we can tell you."

Nangong Cheng hadn't expected Horikita Suzune to be so direct, but it suited her. She made an excellent mouthpiece.

Still, Kikyo Kushida and Horikita Suzune really were a pair of star-crossed lovers, weren't they?

All that trouble showing her the way had been for nothing.

"Oh... okay..."

Horikita Suzune's bluntness had indeed caught Kikyo Kushida off guard.

In Japan, where everyone was expected to read the room, someone as fiercely independent as Horikita Suzune was like a mudslide crashing through the social niceties.

She was the complete opposite of a "social butterfly" like Kikyo Kushida, who could charm anyone and turn every connection to her advantage.

"But Horikita, could we exchange contact details? I can add you to the Class Group Chat while I'm at it."

Horikita Suzune considered it for a moment, then nodded.

Seeing that her request hadn't been refused, Kikyo Kushida finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Whatever else happened, she had achieved one of her goals.

"See you tomorrow, then!"

Nangong Cheng watched Kikyo Kushida leave the café, looking back every few steps. Then he picked up his coffee and took another sip.

"I thought you'd refuse."

"Normally, I would refuse this kind of pointless socializing. But now that I know what this school is really like..."

"You've changed your mind?"

Horikita Suzune nodded, then shook her head.

"I'm merely adapting to the situation. I still have my own views on pointless socializing."

Adapting to the situation? Seriously?

Nangong Cheng suppressed the urge to make a remark and moved on.

"Fine. I can't be bothered to judge your views. As for the cooperation you mentioned, I'm not interested."

"Why?"

Horikita Suzune looked puzzled. "Are you willing to stay in Class D, even knowing what this school is really like?"

Nangong Cheng simply shrugged, spreading his hands.