Perched on the edge of the island stood a villa that seamlessly blended classical and modern architectural styles. The grounds surrounding the estate were landscaped with a diverse array of flowers, each species adding its own unique charm to the scenery.
Ren led Honami into the villa. The first thing that greeted her was a spacious, brightly lit living room, decorated in a style that managed to be both opulent and cozy. On one side lay a fully equipped open kitchen; on the other, a massive floor-to-ceiling window offered a breathtaking view of the moon hanging high over the sea.
"Honami, what would you like to drink?"
Ren tossed the bag of fruit onto the coffee table and walked into the kitchen with the ease of a master entering his domain. He opened the fridge and grabbed a soda, remembering to ask his guest for her preference.
She didn't answer immediately. Honami was still standing in the foyer, staring blankly at her surroundings. After the opening ceremony, she had gone to the convenience store to buy daily necessities for her dorm room. She couldn't wrap her head around why Ren wasn't living in the dorms like everyone else, but in this massive villa instead.
So cold.
The sensation of a cold aluminum can pressing against her cheek snapped the girl back to reality. She instinctively reached up and took the orange juice Ren was holding against her face.
"Back with me?" Ren cracked the tab on his soda with one hand and took a long swig. Seeing the light return to Honami's large, expressive eyes, he didn't say anything more. He simply headed toward the study. "Come with me."
She followed him. The study was filled with the faint, comforting scent of ink and paper. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined the walls, packed with a dizzying array of books that made Honami's head spin. Ren preferred to strategize in a place like this; the atmosphere helped him think more clearly.
He sat down at the mahogany desk, pulled a sheet of white paper and a pen from the drawer, and commanded, "Honami, come here."
This wasn't the first time they had found themselves in a scene like this. Honami walked to the desk and stared intently at Ren, waiting to hear his ideas for the class.
"I'm not going to eat you. Why are you standing so far away? Pull up a chair and sit here," Ren said, sounding a bit annoyed. Honami was usually so sharp, but at times like this, she completely froze up.
"Oh, okay." Realizing her "external brain" was doing the work now and she just needed to listen, Honami obeyed. She sat down on the chair next to Ren, leaning in close.
"Stop snuggling. This is serious."
Ren stopped her from leaning her weight on him and picked up the pen. He wrote a single sentence on the paper.
Advanced Nurturing High School: A school where ability is everything.
After writing this, he underlined it and asked, "What do you think is the most important part of that sentence?"
Honami hesitated. "Umm... ability?"
Ren circled the word "ability" and tapped it with his pen to confirm she was correct. "So, what kinds of ability are there?"
"Grades? Or character?"
Hearing her answer, Ren didn't confirm or deny. He simply wrote "Grades" and "Character" under the main keyword. "Anything else?"
"I can't think of anything..."
Honami could only come up with the standard metrics a school would test. In her mind, this school wasn't all that different from regular high schools on the outside.
Ren didn't keep her guessing. He wrote down his own interpretation of "ability" at this school.
Intellect. Might. Financial Power. Authority. Influence.
Honami, curious about what he was writing, had leaned her head close to his again. She read each word as the ink flowed onto the page.
"Do you understand these?" Ren drew vertical lines to separate the five concepts, beginning to expand her worldview.
"Intellect. You can think of this as academic ability and strategic thinking. This tests the grades of each class and the schemes everyone concocts during competition."
"Might. This is simple. Everyone's physical fitness is different, and the strength they can exert varies. This will likely be relevant in special exams, like a sports festival."
"That's the positive side of might. The negative side..." Ren wrote another word under the "Might" section.
Violence.
"When words fail, violence emerges. The classic example is bullying. It instills fear, and it forces submission."
"Financial Power. This is money. The importance of capital is obvious. It's not just a saying that money makes the world go round."
"Of course, the only currency at this school is points. But everyone will only be here for three years. After graduation, the currency we rely on reverts to yen."
"Honami, do you remember the rules Hoshinomiya-sensei told us?"
Honami, who had been listening intently, nodded.
"Then which rule do you think is the most important?"
"Umm..."
Ren sighed and gently pinched her nose. He wrote the rule under the "Financial Power" section: Points can buy anything. He circled it heavily, then moved on.
"Authority. This can take many forms. The school's authority, the teachers' authority, the Student Council's authority, and even... your authority, right now."
Seeing Honami's confused expression, Ren explained. "You're basically the leader of Class B now. That position doesn't just come with responsibility; it comes with authority. The power to make your classmates act on your directives."
"Huh? Shouldn't you be the class leader, Ren-kun?"
Honami was confused. Ren had "hijacked" the entire class on the very first day. It made perfect sense that he should be the one in charge.
"You're right, but I refuse. I've observed Class B. You are the leader, and Kanzaki will likely be the vice-leader," Ren said, shattering her fantasy.
What a joke. The mastermind just needs to collect the tribute and issue orders. Why would he get his hands dirty playing team captain? That's what the subordinates are for. What was Ren's job? To collect the points the workers earned and enjoy his life.
"Last point: Influence. You can also call this background. You should understand this one very well, Honami. Why could I 'kidnap' the whole class on day one? Because my influence is overwhelming."
"As long as a society exists, true equality is impossible. Everyone has a different background, and that leads to different starting lines. For example..."
Ren tapped his fingers on the mahogany desk. Honami instantly understood. Just looking at the scene around them made it crystal clear. Ren's influence had secured him a private villa instead of a cramped dorm room. Who knew what else it would get him down the line?
Ren handed the filled-out sheet of paper to Honami. He stretched his arms and joked, a teasing glint in his eyes.
"I have plenty of empty rooms in the villa, Honami. Want to stay over?"