The Sights aboard the Cruise Ship

Mr. Mashima had also placed the annotated list in Lezheng's hands.

"Just what you'd expect from Class A, huh? They're full of impressive characters," Chasuke said after Lezheng left.

"Class A does have a few promising students this year." The corners of Mashima's mouth lifted slightly.

"In that case, Sae, your class is going to have quite a hard time reaching Class A." Hoshinomiya was still all smiles.

"Only Sakayanagi requested leave." Lezheng looked at the name marked in red on the list.

It made sense for Sakayanagi to request leave. After all, she needed a cane to walk, or someone to support her. There was probably something wrong with her legs. Lezheng made a copy of every class's list before passing them to Horikita Manabu.

At eight the following morning, every student except Sakayanagi had gathered at the meeting point at the school's harbor. Everyone looked excited as they chatted with their classmates about this mass migration.

"Hey, don't you have any inside information from being on the Student Council?" Kamuro elbowed Lezheng.

"I'm only responsible for counting heads for this event." Lezheng retaliated with a knee.

"Tch, what good are you?"

"I can stay alive."

"Why don't you stop doing that, then?"

"Would you die for love with me?"

A short while later, the cruise ship slowly entered the harbor. There was no telling whether the school had rented it or bought it.

Lezheng marveled once again at the school's financial resources. The cruise ship before him could only be described as luxurious.

Rooms aboard the ship were assigned in groups of four. Lezheng shared a room with Katsuragi, Hashimoto, and Takimura. Oddly enough, the four of them represented Class A's four factions, with Takimura belonging to the so-called Neutral Faction.

"What's Her Highness been coming to see you for every day lately?" Hashimoto draped an arm around Lezheng's shoulders.

Hashimoto's question was so suggestive that even Katsuragi and Takimura stopped making their beds.

"Then what have you been going to see Ryuuen so often for lately?" Rather than explain, Lezheng countered with a question.

Neither answered. They exchanged a look, then both changed the subject.

The cruise ship had plenty of recreational facilities. Everything Lezheng could find at school was available aboard, and most importantly, everything here was free.

After they finished making their beds, Katsuragi unexpectedly invited Lezheng to eat. Hashimoto shamelessly tagged along, and seeing this, Takimura joined them too. It ended up becoming a meal for their whole room.

The restaurant was huge and crowded, but fortunately, there were still plenty of seats.

"Lezheng, you must know something," Katsuragi said, getting straight to the point.

"All I know is that this is a Special Exam." Lezheng shook his head.

"Then where are we headed?" Takimura asked next.

"The president and the others all refer to our destination as 'there.' Clearly, they don't want me knowing in advance. That's also why the Student Council has to have students from all three years."

"Then wouldn't the Student Council president... No, how do they arrange exams involving all three years?" Hashimoto picked up the conversation.

"The school handles those... This tastes pretty good." Lezheng tried a bite of the set meal he had ordered.

"Any plans for later?" Hashimoto's eyes shifted, as though something had occurred to him.

"No plans." Lezheng shook his head.

"Want to go sing karaoke?"

"Now you're talking." The two immediately hit it off.

Katsuragi and Takimura, meanwhile, said they would explore the ship with their friends.

Was Hashimoto bad with girls? Lezheng thought he was damn impressive. Not just anyone could casually call over seven or eight girls, with all four classes represented, no less.

Of course, they only sang. There were no other activities involved.

By the time karaoke ended, it was already dinnertime. Lezheng unexpectedly received a dinner invitation from Yamamura. He found her at the address she provided.

Yamamura had clearly dressed up. She wore a pale white long dress. Her hairstyle remained unchanged, but her hair had been combed meticulously. She kept stepping in place.

"Yamamura, are mosquitoes biting you?"

Lezheng asked curiously.

"Ah... Oh... No, there aren't any mosquitoes." Unsure how to respond, Yamamura suddenly began stammering.

"You look very fresh."

"Thank you." Yamamura lowered her head shyly.

"Where are we going now?"

"This is a cake shop I found at noon. I think their cakes taste better than the ones at school, so I wanted you to try them too," Yamamura explained in detail as she led the way.

"If you say so, Yamamura, then I'll have to try them." Lezheng expressed his curiosity.

Hearing Lezheng's affirmative response, Yamamura finally relaxed, and a smile crept onto her face.

Inside the cake shop, Yamamura pointed to the various cakes on the menu and explained them. She spent longer explaining one than the others, so after hearing her out, Lezheng chose that one.

"You like this flavor too, Lezheng?" Yamamura sounded pleasantly surprised.

"It sounded like it would taste better," Lezheng answered honestly.

This was a subject Yamamura knew well. Lezheng quietly played the part of an attentive audience, asking questions whenever he had any.

As it turned out, Yamamura really did have good taste. The cake they were served looked good and tasted good too. Its only drawback was the small portion. Lezheng ordered three more cakes in other flavors Yamamura recommended before he was full.

This was a good place for a date. Unfortunately, Lezheng had come to eat.

"Ah..." A startled cry came from the entrance.

"Didn't you see that you knocked someone over?!" Manabe Shiho grabbed Karuizawa Kei.

"I... I, I didn't see her," Karuizawa answered guiltily.

"You think you can brush it off by saying you didn't see her?!"

At Manabe's shout, the two girls who had been helping the fallen girl up came over. Surrounded by the three of them, Karuizawa looked a little flustered, but she still put on a brave face.

"S-sorry, okay? Ha... haha." With that, she quickly stepped out of their circle and left the cake shop.

"You fucking-" After cursing at Karuizawa's retreating back, Manabe turned to the girl who had been knocked down. "Rika, couldn't you have knocked her back?!"

"S-sorry." The girl called Rika lowered her head and apologized.

"What are you apologizing for? When are you going to stop being such a pushover?" With that, Manabe found a seat and sat down.

"That girl just now was so awful," Yamamura said quietly.

"I'm surprised she didn't get hit." Lezheng knew whom Yamamura meant.

The little incident had little effect on them. Lezheng continued listening to Yamamura talk about cakes, and the meal lasted nearly two hours.

Lezheng walked Yamamura downstairs. After saying goodnight to each other, they returned to their respective rooms.

"Hashimoto isn't back yet?" Lezheng saw no sign of the flashy man in their room.

"Weren't you two together?" Katsuragi shook his head.

"He went his own way after dinner." Lezheng took out a change of clothes and headed for the bathroom.

The night passed without further incident.