"You were placed in Class C, right, Hiyori?"
About thirty minutes remained before the entrance ceremony. Class D's area was crowded and noisy, so Kitagawa Ryo chose to walk toward the courtyard with Shiina Hiyori. Although Hiyori was a bit curious about how familiar Ryo seemed with the campus layout and paths, she didn't think too much of it—assuming he might have visited once before during the cultural festival and retained some memory.
After all, as a fellow book enthusiast who often discussed novels with Ryo, Hiyori knew very well how impressive his memory was. He could perfectly recall the puzzles and resolutions of novels he read years ago.
"Yes, I was placed in Class 1-C," Hiyori replied.
She didn't know the exact rules behind the A-B-C-D class placements and assumed it was random. She spoke with a hint of regret:
"It would've been nice if we were in the same class."
"But at least being in the same school makes things convenient."
Hiyori stood on tiptoe and raised her right hand to measure the top of Ryo's head.
"It's hard to really grasp how tall you've gotten just through video calls. You've grown so much."
About four years ago, she and Ryo had worked together for a period of time. Since girls usually hit their growth spurts earlier than boys, she and Ryo were about the same height back then. In video chats, they only ever saw each other's faces or upper bodies, so now seeing each other in person again brought a sense of nostalgia.
They found a bench in the courtyard and sat down. Ryo casually asked about her recent experiences, and the conversation naturally shifted toward the school.
"In my class, there's already violence happening, and the homeroom teacher isn't doing anything to stop it."
Hiyori pulled up a video on her phone and showed it to Ryo. The footage showed male students fighting—desks and chairs were knocked over in disarray, and students' shocked cries and screams could be heard.
Ryo narrowed his eyes. Naturally, he recognized the central figure in the video. In Karuizawa Kei's second simulation, he had once shared a rather close friendship with that person.
However, due to the butterfly effect, Ryo hadn't encountered Ryuuen Kakeru in the version of the school he remembered, and thus they had never crossed paths. But apparently, Ryuuen had still ended up enrolling in Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School—and was still in Class 1-C. His methods and behavior hadn't changed one bit.
Because Ryo had previously adjusted the class assignment to bring Yamada Albert—who had an A in physical ability—into the same class, Ryuuen likely had an even easier time dominating Class C. Some students may have had better athletic ability than him, but when it came to real fights, they were no match.
"What do you think about all this, Hiyori?"
"This school is clearly different from a normal high school. Whether it's the 100,000 points or the homeroom teacher turning a blind eye—or even covering up violence—it all feels... suspicious."
"Sounds like the beginning of a mystery novel."
Hiyori nodded.
"And our homeroom teacher seems to be deliberately encouraging violent behavior."
"It's not that he's encouraging violence."
Ryo shook his head and explained:
"Violence is just a means. What your homeroom teacher values is the outcome—whether someone can emerge as a leader capable of guiding the class forward."
"Sakagami-sensei looks so strict and old-fashioned though."
"What's your homeroom teacher like, Ryo?"
"Just a middle-aged guy, looks like a PE teacher but teaches English."
Hiyori tilted her head thoughtfully.
"When I was looking for you earlier, I passed by Class A and B. Both of their homeroom teachers are women."
"And those classes didn't seem nearly as chaotic as Class C or D. The students were quietly sitting at their desks. Oh, and I saw Karuizawa-san too."
"It looked like she was answering a question from the teacher."
Hiyori still remembered Karuizawa Kei. The two had once gotten along quite well, though Kei later seemed reluctant to stay in contact, and their relationship gradually faded. Still, seeing an old acquaintance again brought a sense of joy.
"Kei was placed in Class 1-B," Ryo confirmed, nodding.
It seemed Karuizawa Kei had already begun to take action. After all, she possessed simulated memories and understood both the basic rules of this school and all the special exams in the first semester.
Although Ichinose Honami and Horikita Suzune also had access to simulated memories, their knowledge didn't include much about Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School. Suzune had at least gained some intel from her brother Horikita Manabu, but for Ichinose, this was her first time setting foot here.
Seeing that time was almost up, Ryo stood and said:
"If you're free later, we should go to the library. I bet even three years won't be enough to finish all the books here."
"Yeah, I'm really looking forward to that."
Hiyori smiled and nodded. She could already imagine the two of them reading and discussing books around a table. Though it was a bit of a shame they weren't placed in the same class, knowing they still had three full years to spend together filled her heart with warmth and anticipation.
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To Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, the entrance ceremony was nothing short of boring. It consisted of middle-aged and elderly individuals with receding hairlines giving speech after speech, each more meaningless than the last. The freshmen below grew drowsy, clapping automatically at every pause. After going through a dozen rounds of this cycle, the entrance ceremony for the new students of Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School finally came to an end.
Since it was the first day, the freshmen were granted the afternoon and evening as free time. Classes would officially begin the next day. Most students grouped up in threes and fives to go check out their dorms, while others went to the shopping center or sang karaoke.
After declining Katsuragi Kouhei's invitation to the shopping center, Ayanokouji decided to head to the convenience store by himself.
It was only the first day, yet Katsuragi seemed already intent on organizing group activities. A few students went along with him. Even more surprising was Kushida Kikyou's move—she invited quite a few boys and girls from their class to a café, claiming she wanted everyone to get to know each other over board games. Although Ayanokouji turned her down as well, she still warmly exchanged contact information with him.
Come to think of it, that was the first contact he had from a girl in his phone.
Ayanokouji entered a rather large convenience store. The shelves were packed with all kinds of goods. Perhaps because most of the freshmen had gone to check their dorms, there weren't many people around—just a few upperclassmen quietly picking out their items.
It was easy to tell they were upperclassmen. The freshmen, after all, were still reacting with wide-eyed amazement and loud voices—just like the two in front of him.
"Whoa! So many types of instant noodles! This school's super convenient!" "I've wanted to try this flavor for ages!"
Two male students were shouting in front of the instant food section, excitedly tossing cup noodles into their baskets. Aside from that, Ayanokouji noticed snacks and drinks piling up as well.
He began picking out some daily essentials and a few interesting ready-to-eat foods. In the White Room, every meal was a nutrition-packed boost to physical ability. Influenced by the two excited students earlier, Ayanokouji found himself slightly curious about the colorful packages of cup noodles. He randomly picked two and tossed them into his basket.
Turning a corner, Ayanokouji noticed a shelf tucked away in a corner of the store labeled [Free]. It had shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, body wash, and other basic necessities. A sign above it read [Max 3 items per month]. Judging from the remaining stock, quite a few had already been taken.
He deduced that this was likely the school's safety net for students who lacked personal points. Curious, he lingered around for about ten minutes. During that time, two upperclassmen showed up and took items from the shelf. From their conversation, Ayanokouji could tell they were both from Class D.
Having confirmed the information, he was about to head to the register when something unusual caught his eye.
Specifically, a girl behaving suspiciously.
From the distinctive side ponytail and purplish-red long hair, Ayanokouji immediately recognized her: Kamuro Masumi, a fellow student in Class 1-A.
During introductions earlier in class, she had seemed stiff and aloof, but her good looks left a strong impression on the boys. Ayanokouji silently approached.
Using techniques from the White Room, he suppressed his presence and footsteps, moving behind a shelf near Kamuro. Through the gaps between products, he observed her.
With her back turned and hidden from the security camera, Kamuro was trying to stealthily stuff a bottle of shampoo into her bag. Her movements were swift and precise, showing no hesitation. She looked like a seasoned shoplifter.
What surprised Ayanokouji even more was the look on her face after she succeeded—relief and satisfaction, like she had acquired a priceless treasure.
But Ayanokouji remembered that the shampoo she took cost just over 1,000 points. Every student in Class 1-A had received 100,000 personal points today.
He followed Kamuro out of the store and confirmed that she didn't pay.
Once he was certain of the theft, he approached her.
"Kamuro-san."
"Who are you?"
Kamuro showed no sign of guilt, instead eyeing Ayanokouji impatiently.
"I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, also from Class 1-A."
"Yeah, I vaguely remember. What do you want?"
He studied her face and body language. Normally, someone confronted right after shoplifting would show at least some anxiety, but Kamuro was completely composed. If he hadn't seen it himself, even Ayanokouji would've doubted it happened.
Exactly the type of person he could use.
And Ayanokouji needed someone like that in Class A.
"You just stole something, didn't you, Kamuro-san."
Her pupils shrank slightly, but she quickly frowned and replied:
"If you're going to report me, go ahead."
She pulled out her phone.
"Or do you want something from me?"
Ayanokouji wasn't surprised. If she chose theft despite having points, it meant the act itself gave her some sort of thrill. Confirming this, he replied calmly:
"I have no intention of reporting you. I'll keep your secret. In return, I'd like your help with a few things."
"What are you getting at?"
Kamuro's first assumption was likely the typical "blackmail for favors" scenario. She bluntly rejected:
"If that's what this is, go ahead and report me. At worst, I'll just be expelled."
"I don't have any dirty intentions."
Ayanokouji clarified:
"I simply need a helper. Someone who can assist me when necessary in Class A."
"Class A, huh?"
Kamuro gave him a once-over. She recalled his self-introduction and didn't remember anything particularly impressive—unlike talents like Hirata Yousuke or Katsuragi Kouhei.
But the confidence in his tone intrigued her.
"You think I'll just listen to you?"
"Even if you aren't punished, the fact remains—you're a thief. That fact getting out will make your future heists more difficult, don't you think?"
He analyzed her mindset calmly, following up his threat with an offer:
"I won't stop you from stealing. And if stealing is your thrill, the tasks I have in mind might be even more exciting."
He took a step closer.
Kamuro's eyes betrayed a flicker of interest. Just a bit more pressure, and she would become his first pawn in Class A.
Accomplices—one of the strongest bonds in the world.
"The thief, and the one who hides the thief. Partners in crime."
Ayanokouji's expression changed as he quickly turned around—only to find Kitagawa Ryo emerging from the woods nearby.
What chilled him even more: Ryo was holding a brand-new digital camera.
Meaning, everything he just said was likely recorded.
"Looks like we might have our first expellee on day one."
Kitagawa Ryo spoke mockingly.
If it had been Ichinose Honami who saw Kamuro steal, she would've likely paid for the item and earnestly tried to persuade her.
But Ayanokouji would never do that.
Ryo understood his personality well. In fact, he had planned to track Kamuro long-term, but didn't expect to get such a perfect scene on day one. And Ayanokouji, as expected, tried to make her a tool.
"No need to worry too much, Ayanokouji-kun. Harboring a thief isn't quite enough to get you expelled."
"However—"
Ryo drew out his words, quoting Ayanokouji's own speech:
"Even if I report you, it probably won't hurt you much. But the fact remains—Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is someone who shields a thief, someone whose first instinct after discovering a crime is to blackmail the perpetrator. That fact will get out. And for the next three years in this school... things might not be so easy for you."
Ryo smirked with amusement.
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