Back in high school, I ended up stuck in the same school as Suzune Horikita and Kikyou Kushida.
Honestly, what a crappy plot twist that was, right?
Like, of all the people in the damn world, why did fate throw me into the same building as them?
Now it's been three years since then, and I've gotten used to my school life here.
Advanced Nurturing High School isn't called a high school anymore, it has been renamed Advanced Nurturing Academy, where the age of enrollment is more legal than it ever was in canon.
All of us in the third year are already 18 or older.
If our life trajectory followed the canon, then we would go straight to Advanced Nurturing Academy after graduating from high school.
Now, let's talk about my school life here.
I've gotten to know Suzune on a personal level, turns out she's tolerable when you actually spend time with her and at the same time I've made it my mission to avoid Kushida completely.
And yeah, that's because she's a complete bitch. If she recognized me back then, she'd have definitely targeted me later in Academy.
Especially during this time period when her little "black history" was about to get exposed for everyone to see.
Her fake, sweet-as-sugar persona eventually got completely shredded after her angry little forum outburst got leaked or whatever it was.
I honestly kinda forgot the exact details, but it doesn't matter. The point is, that whole incident pretty much turned her into public enemy number one, not just in the class but maybe even in the whole school.
That's what happens when someone tries to be popular by doing nothing but playing the "I'm a good person" card.
Once that saintly façade starts cracking, people feel like they've been lied to and they'll turn on you in an instant.
When you base your entire reputation on being a perfect angel, even the smallest slip makes you look like a fraud and then the hate just snowballs.
I have no clue what the hell was going through Kushida's head to make her pull such a thankless stunt, and I have zero intention of helping her, talking to her, or even wasting a single brain cell trying to understand her reasoning.
Why would I? There are a ton of ways to become popular, adored, or even treated like some kind of cult leader whose very presence feels like the center of the universe.
But what Kushida tried to do? Honestly, it was borderline brain-dead.
If it were me, I could've built my own occult club, gathered up a bunch of passionate weirdos who love diving into creepy mysteries, or just spent time in the library hunting for like-minded nerds to vibe with.
There are always people out there who'll worship you if you know how to lead them, or even just pretend to know what you're doing.
But Kushida? Nah. From what I've seen and from my own judgment, she's only really good at surface-level socializing.
She's got no real talent bright enough to become a true leader, no magnetic skill to draw people in for real.
She just has big dreams but ridiculously limited ability, like a kid wanting to rule the world but not even knowing how to play chess.
So yeah, when I think about it, no wonder her little game ended in disaster. Even in the original canon, this girl screwed up massively.
As for the rest of the plot? I don't know. I never even finished the anime, so how the hell would I know the light novel details?
All I remember is that later in canon, her two-faced act gets exposed to the entire class, maybe even the whole school.
If I'm not mistaken, it was Ryuen who spread it around, though maybe I'm wrong on that one.
Regardless, just knowing that much already makes her a walking, talking red flag. I wouldn't go near her unless there's something very tangible I could gain from it.
Sure, she's got a smoking-hot body and a face that's definitely above average, and I guess if I wanted to, I could probably find a way to trick her into having sex with me.
But honestly? I'm not even interested. My endgame isn't some short-term lay.
My real target is Arisu, and my plan is to become the son-in-law of the Sakayanagi family. Through them, I'll get my ticket into politics and the upper-class inner circles.
That's where the real power lies.
My personal ideal woman is Fuuka Kiryuuin, but she's way out of reach right now, so Arisu's my most realistic and strategic option.
If I marry her, I can take the next step toward building my own political dynasty, turning my family name into one that will have influence and power for generations.
I want my descendants to be the kind of family that people whisper about with respect and maybe even fear.
That's the kind of future I'm aiming for, not wasting my time on some backstabbing, scandal-ridden, washed-up wannabe like Kushida.
Especially since I've already lived through being poor and broke in this life, and I have zero intention of letting my children or descendants suffer through the same path I went through.
Who knows if they'll have my talent or big brain? If they don't, it'll be a disaster waiting to happen for them.
But since I have the power to make my own family and descendants strong, powerful in my own way, I'm not going to waste that chance.
I'll build their lives so they live like kings and queens in the future, no matter what it takes.
"Ichinose-san, do you have a moment to talk?"
My thoughts broke as the black-haired girl with those sharp crimson eyes fixed me with a stare.
Her voice was polite but carried an unmistakable tone that brooked no refusal.
She was the most gorgeous girl I'd ever encountered at this school, Suzune Horikita.
I mentally nicknamed her the Ice Queen, and honestly, the name fits perfectly.
"You're still as stiff as ever, Suzune. It's already been three years since we first met, and yet, you still insist on calling me by my surname." I chuckled, leaning back casually, my voice dripping with amusement.
"It's none of your business, Ichinose-san. And besides, since when have we ever been close enough to call each other by our first names?" Her voice was as cold as frost, cutting and rigid, the kind of tone that would make any ordinary guy back off instantly.
Most people wouldn't even want to bother with a girl like this, much less try to get close.
After all, imagine being around her for three years straight, and she still treats you like some insignificant NPC in her life.
Who in their right mind would waste their time trying to get closer to a woman like that?
But me? I wasn't "most people."
Frankly, I didn't care. If anything, I preferred it this way.
This is the real world, where background matters more than feelings.
With my poor family background, it was impossible to just casually form a smooth, harmonious polygamous relationship, especially when I already had my sights set on marrying into the Sakayanagi family in the future.
Even having a casual lover was impossible when your background wasn't on equal footing.
It doesn't matter how much money I had now, without a strong family name backing me up, it's worthless.
In this world, having multiple lovers isn't just about charm or seduction; it demands status, influence, and the power to crush any opposition.
And right now, I don't have that luxury.
But when I do? Heh… when that day comes, I won't hold back on my pleasures.
Not for anyone. Even Suzune standing right in front of me wouldn't be able to escape if I decided I wanted her.
I stared at her for a long moment, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of my lips, and then I chuckled again.
"Alright, girl. Cut the cold act and just tell me what you wanted to talk about. Why waste time circling around, protecting that oversized, fragile ego of yours that can't even handle a polite joke?"
"You're annoying, Ichinose-san." Suzune Horikita's frown deepened, her voice tight, probably offended.
I shrugged, unfazed. "Go on."
Maybe she realized that arguing with me was like punching a pillow, pointless and unsatisfying, so she abandoned the defense of her precious ego and spoke bluntly.
"The atmosphere of this school is seriously wrong. I propose we graduate early and never attend another class again. The final exam results are already over, and now all we have to do is wait for the actual graduation ceremony and for the results to be announced."
I tilted my head, thinking about it. The more I considered her words, the more they made sense.
Kushida had already made her move, striking the school hard by leaking every dirty secret, every hidden confession students had ever shared with her.
All that inner darkness, all that vulnerability, it was now plastered all over the school forums for everyone to see.
The tension was suffocating. The atmosphere here was like a thread pulled too tight, ready to snap.
The entire place was on the brink of total collapse, with grudges and paranoia festering in every corner.
Staying here was just asking for trouble.
"Alright," I said with a small nod. "Let's go home then."
For a moment, Suzune's expression softened, relief flickering in her eyes.
But that relief didn't last long. The moment I turned and swaggered toward the classroom exit, right in front of the still-seated teacher, her face darkened.
The teacher glanced up for half a second… and then deliberately looked away, pretending not to notice.
Not that I blamed him, there were no real lessons left anyway.
His job now was basically to play prison guard until graduation.
Final exams were done.
All that was left was this hollow routine, showing up for attendance, waiting for the results to be announced, and pretending school life was still going on.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
...
If you're enjoying this story, feel free to throw in all your power stones, rate it 5 stars, or add it to your library and collection. For every 250 power stones will unlock a bonus chapter.