Chapter 167: Sakayanagi Narumori: My Daughter Has Grown Up!
That evening.
As the twilight deepened into total darkness, Sakayanagi Arisu walked alone through the corridors of the school building. At this hour, most students had already returned to their dormitories or headed to the cafeteria.
The corridor was silent, save for the rhythmic tap, tap of her cane against the floor, steady and unhurried. The last vestiges of light from outside retreated from the far end of the hallway, surrendering the entire passage to the overhead fluorescent lights. The light was a cold, stark white, casting a thin halo over her straight silver hair.
She had not gone to the cafeteria.
Ever since leaving the private room that afternoon, she had been ruminating on those words. Every syllable Hikigaya Hachiman uttered circled in her mind—the descriptions of the White Room, the true objectives of Ayanokouji's father, and the future events regarding her own father being taken away for investigation.
Every detail surpassed her prior knowledge.
She had originally thought she knew a great deal. She knew her father was the Chairman of this school; she knew Ayanokouji-kun's enrollment was permitted by her father's silent consent; she knew the White Room was an institution for cultivating geniuses. But she hadn't known those things. She didn't know what the White Room truly looked like, nor did she realize that her father might merely be a pawn on the chessboard.
She needed to speak with her father.
Not a phone call, not a message—it had to be in person. Some things must be said face-to-face to be clear, and certain truths must be delivered in person to be taken seriously.
With this thought, she began her solitary trek.
Destination: The Chairman's Office.
As Sakayanagi reached the door, a sliver of light peeked through the gap. She raised her hand and knocked twice. The force wasn't heavy, but it sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet corridor.
"Come in."
The voice from within was low and steady. Sakayanagi Arisu pushed open the door and entered.
The office was vast. Against the wall stood a row of bookshelves stretching from floor to ceiling, packed with various documents and books. Several open files were spread across the desk, beside a cup of tea that had long since gone cold. The leaves of a potted plant by the window glistened under the lights, clearly well-tended.
On a side table used for breaks sat a Shogi (Japanese chess) board. Her father loved Shogi, while Arisu preferred Western chess; though she found it amusing to spend time on it during leisure hours.
However, Arisu wasn't here to play games today.
She looked ahead to see Sakayanagi Narumori—silver hair cut short, black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose—sitting behind the desk, pen in hand, looking down as he wrote on a document. He wore a dark suit jacket, his hair combed meticulously, exuding the steady aura of an administrator. Hearing the door, he looked up, his gaze landing on his daughter, his pen pausing mid-stroke.
"Arisu?" His tone carried a hint of surprise. "Coming here at this hour... is something the matter?"
It was indeed a surprise. Though they occasionally communicated via phone or might pass each other in the third-floor faculty dining area, they didn't truly "spend time" together. To put it simply, they kept a professional distance. With his daughter attending the school he managed and being placed in Class A, there was already potential for gossip, even though he felt he hadn't exercised any special authority.
Sakayanagi walked to the desk with her cane and stood before him. She didn't sit; she simply stood her ground.
"Father," Arisu said, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I have something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Oh?"
Sakayanagi Narumori set down his pen and leaned back. He looked at his daughter, a flicker of contemplation passing through his purple-blue eyes—eyes she inherited from her mother.
"Didn't you previously wish for others not to know of our relationship?" His tone was casual, his gaze filled with fatherly affection. "Why come here of your own accord today? Aren't you afraid someone will see and say you're enjoying special privileges?"
Sakayanagi shook her head. "There is no one else tonight. And—" She paused. "Some things must be said in person."
"..."
Sakayanagi Narumori's brow twitched slightly. He observed his daughter's expression; that usually composed face now bore a seriousness he rarely saw. It wasn't spite or petulance; it was a deliberate, unavoidable gravity born of deep reflection.
Based on his understanding of his daughter, he put his pen down completely, leaned forward slightly, and crossed his hands on the desk.
"Speak, then." His voice dropped an octave, turning solemn. "What is so important?"
Arisu remained silent for two seconds, as if organizing her words or perhaps confirming her resolve.
"Father." She looked up, meeting his gaze directly. "It is about Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."
"I see."
Sakayanagi Narumori's finger tapped lightly on the edge of the desk, but he did not interrupt.
"You agreed to his father's request to let him enroll," Arisu continued. "Is that correct?"
Sakayanagi Narumori leaned back and watched her for a few seconds. He didn't deny it, nor did he ask how she knew. He simply nodded.
"He is currently in Class D," he said calmly. "Have you gone to see him?"
Sakayanagi shook her head.
"Father," her voice grew even lower, each word sounding as if it had been weighed repeatedly before being spoken. "You have been deceived."
The office fell silent for a moment. The fluorescent lights hummed faintly, and the night outside turned the glass into a dark mirror, reflecting their blurred silhouettes.
Sakayanagi Narumori looked at her, saying nothing.
Arisu took a deep breath and recounted everything she had heard from Hachiman, point by point. The White Room was not what she had seen as a child. Those tidy classrooms, uniform outfits, and standard desks were merely the parts shown to outsiders. The real White Room was on deeper floors. No windows, no natural light—walls, floors, and ceilings were all a monotonous white. No colors, no decorations, nothing that could remind one of the "outside world."
As she spoke, her voice tightened slightly, but she pressed on.
And Ayanokouji Kiyotaka hadn't come for some "final trial of the White Room." He came with a mission from the start. His father wanted him to use the "results" of the White Room to crush the system of Advanced Nurturing High School.
If Ayanokouji failed to produce brilliant results here, his father would not let the matter rest. He would apply pressure through other means: reports, investigations, personnel reshuffling—he would use any tactic. When that time came, her father would face being taken away for investigation, and the school would be taken over by people from the White Room side, arranged by Ayanokouji's father.
Sakayanagi Narumori sat there, motionless. His expression didn't change much, but something flickered in his eyes.
"This..." He spoke, his voice slightly dry. "Do you have evidence?"
Arisu's fingers tightened slightly on her cane.
Evidence.
Of course, she had no evidence.
Because these words were told to her by Hikigaya Hachiman. The man who had deceived her using his inner voice, causing her class to drop from Class A. The man she should remain wary of and should not easily trust.
But she believed him.
It wasn't because he provided ironclad proof or some undeniable reason. It was because the details in his words—the descriptions of the White Room, the deductions regarding Ayanokouji's father's goals—were too specific. Too specific to be fabricated.
Furthermore, he was a "transmigrator." As a transmigrator, he possessed information no one else could know.
Therefore, Sakayanagi instinctively believed he was telling the truth. After all, given the resources of Class B—no, he was Class A now—given Class A's savings, they could have simply "bought" Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. Once the opponent was bought over, the class wouldn't have to worry about being defeated.
But he didn't choose that path.
That proved he was certain that the event of her father being intentionally taken away on embezzlement charges and the White Room people taking over the school was a guaranteed reality.
Perhaps, in the "future plot" he knew, everything had already happened. And as he said, because of his existence, Ayanokouji's mission wasn't going smoothly, which meant her father would likely come under fire even sooner.
After all...
If Ayanokouji couldn't showcase the strength of the White Room's "Masterpiece" through normal exams, then he would have to... use any means necessary.
And indeed, Ayanokouji-kun had already shown that side of himself. Seeking out a Class C girl to threaten a Class D girl to manipulate Class D and counter-attack Hikigaya Hachiman.
If even the product of the White Room, Ayanokouji, would do such a thing, then his father would naturally be even more ruthless.
Thus, Sakayanagi believed Hachiman's claim that her old man would definitely be ousted. Arisu felt she now knew everything, but...
"I have no evidence," she looked up, meeting her father's eyes. "But this is intelligence I obtained myself. I believe it to be true."
Sakayanagi Narumori looked into his daughter's eyes. He saw no hesitation, no dodging—only a heavy, resolute confirmation filled with trust.
Sakayanagi Narumori remained silent for a long time. The office was so quiet that the wind outside could be heard.
Several minutes later.
"I understand," he finally spoke, his voice much steadier. "I will be careful."
Sakayanagi looked at her father. Her lips moved slightly as if to say more, but she eventually just nodded. She knew that when her father said "I will be careful," he truly took it to heart. He wouldn't grill her on the source of the intelligence or demand more evidence. He trusted her judgment.
"There is one more thing," she continued. "Next semester, there is the Sports Festival."
Sakayanagi Narumori raised an eyebrow slightly.
"If Ayanokouji-kun fails to produce brilliant results at the Sports Festival," Arisu's voice calmed into a cold analysis, "his father will move even faster. Of course, before that—perhaps during this break—he might show up to demand Ayanokouji's withdrawal. After all, a semester has passed, and Ayanokouji has only just begun to surface. It likely doesn't meet his expectations.
However, if he truly comes," she paused, "I suspect there are already their people within the school. Otherwise, they wouldn't have access to this information."
Sakayanagi Narumori's finger tapped the desk edge once. It was light, but in the silent office, it was as clear as a sigh.
"I see," he said, his tone even heavier than before.
Silence fell between them for a while.
Sakayanagi Narumori leaned back, his gaze on his daughter's face. That face was different from the one in his memories of her childhood. Back then, she was tiny, sitting on his lap, flipping through documents on his desk and asking innocent questions. Now, she could stand before him and analyze a coming storm with a tone that was cool, almost cold.
"By the way, the class dropped," he suddenly spoke, his tone tinged with an unreadable sentiment. "How do you feel?"
Sakayanagi's fingers tightened slightly on her cane.
"It was my failure," she answered bluntly, without excuses or shifting blame. "But I will not remain a failure."
"Oh?"
Sakayanagi Narumori looked at her and couldn't help but smile slightly despite the heavy atmosphere. It wasn't a smile of relief or nostalgia, but a pure smile at seeing his daughter growing up well.
"And school life?" he asked again. "Is it enriching enough?"
Arisu fell silent for a second.
Enriching?
The behavioral exam in the first month, the old exam questions in the second, then the Deserted Island and the Cruise Ship exams in the third. She had been tricked by Hikigaya Hachiman's inner voice, mocked publicly by Ryuen Kakeru, and kicked while she was down by Nagumo Miyabi. Her class fell from A, and she stepped down as the class representative.
If one counted the negatives, it was certainly "enriching" enough.
"It's not bad," she said, her eyes exceptionally clear.
Sakayanagi Narumori nodded and asked no more.
Sakayanagi leaned on her cane and turned toward the door. Her pace was the same as when she arrived—unhurried, the tap, tap of her cane echoing clearly in the quiet corridor.
Sakayanagi Narumori leaned back, staring at the closed door for a few seconds. Then, he picked up the desk phone and dialed an internal extension.
"Have the security room staff come over." His voice had returned to its usual steadiness, devoid of extra emotion.
As a father, he understood his daughter well. He surmised that if she had obtained such intelligence and came to him in such a rush, it must have been acquired today. Therefore, by tracking Arisu's movements today, he would know who she contacted and from whom she obtained the information.
Ten minutes later, a middle-aged man in uniform arrived at the desk. He held a tablet displaying rows of data.
"Chairman, here is the student movement log for today as requested." He placed the tablet on the desk, pushing it toward Sakayanagi Narumori.
Sakayanagi Narumori looked down. The data wasn't much; Arisu's movements were clear: Classroom, Cafeteria, Third-floor Private Room, Chairman's Office.
"Who was the student from another class she met today?" he asked, looking up.
The man swiped the screen to bring up another page.
"Only one person," he said. "First-year Class A, Hikigaya Hachiman."
Sakayanagi Narumori's gaze fell on that name.
Hikigaya Hachiman.
Of course he knew that name. First-year Class A, the newly appointed Student Council Vice President as of today. His records from the Deserted Island and the Cruise Ship exams were written clearly in the faculty reports. The 99-million-point bill, the maneuver that saddled Class A and Class C with massive debt simultaneously, and the person who reshuffled the entire first year.
"Only him?" he asked.
"Only him," the man replied firmly.
Sakayanagi Narumori nodded and dismissed him. The man bowed slightly and left, closing the door softly. The lock clicked into place, sealing out all sound.
The office became quiet again.
Sakayanagi Narumori stared at the name for a few seconds, then picked up the internal line again and dialed another number.
"Pull the student file for Hikigaya Hachiman of First-year Class A," he said. "Now."
The person on the other end didn't ask questions, gave an affirmative, and hung up.
Sakayanagi Narumori leaned back and waited. He recalled his daughter's expression.
When she said, "This is intelligence I obtained myself," her voice was steady and her gaze fixed, without a trace of doubt. That conviction wasn't an act or a whim. She truly believed those words, believed everything that boy named Hikigaya Hachiman told her.
About five minutes later, there was another knock on the door.
"Come in."
This time, a young man with glasses entered, holding a thin folder. He placed it on the desk.
"Chairman, here is the student file you requested."
Sakayanagi Narumori nodded, and the young man left. Once the door closed, he picked up the folder and flipped to the first page.
The paper was crisp, the ink fresh—evidently just printed. The school logo was at the top, followed by small text: Student Personal File. His eyes moved down.
School: Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School
Class: 1-A (Enrollment Placement: B)
Name: Hikigaya Hachiman
Birthday: August 8th
Height: 172cm
Weight: 57kg
His gaze lingered on the basic info for a second before moving down.
Academic Ability: B+
Solid foundation. Humanities subjects are consistently high; sciences are above average. Does not actively stand out but processes information quickly. Excels at logical analysis, reading comprehension, and composition. Can consistently achieve high scores on exams. Classroom evaluation is lower due to lack of initiative and participation.
Physical Ability: C
Ordinary physique. Not skilled in sports. Endurance and explosiveness are at average levels. Does not participate in clubs; holds a passive attitude toward PE. However, possesses decent reflexes and a certain level of observation and spatial awareness.
Adaptability/Flexible Thinking: A
Possesses exceptionally excellent situational judgment and logical deduction. Excels at approaching problems from a negative, realistic, bystander's perspective. Quickly sees through the essence of interpersonal relationships, lies, and interest structures. Skilled at devising low-cost, high-efficiency strategies, particularly "self-sacrificial" problem-solving.
Social Contribution: A
Saw through the school's true nature within the first ten days and led the class to achieve an evaluation score of 911 points. During the Deserted Island exam, generated a bill of 99 million points. Confirmed class promotion to A after the Cruise Ship exam.
Sakayanagi Narumori's eyes stayed on those lines for a long time. 99 million points. He knew that number well; it had surprised even the administration. A first-year student, three months in, earning nearly a hundred million private points in a single exam. Not by luck or speculation, but through rule interpretation, psychological manipulation, and situational judgment.
He continued reading.
Overall Evaluation: B
Teacher's Remark (Enrollment): The student's intelligence, judgment, and analytical skills are at a high level, possessing the qualities of an elite talent. However, due to excessive self-protection and distrust of interpersonal relationships, he deliberately keeps others at a distance and refuses cooperation. In class competition, he is neither a reliable combatant nor a simple burden; he is a highly uncertain "loner-type" student. If guided to utilize his abilities, he could significantly boost class power; if left alone, he may remain at the bottom indefinitely.
Teacher's Remark (Revised): Intelligence, judgment, and analytical skills are high level. As a class representative, he has a strong sense of class honor and plays a guiding role. Still
possesses "loner" tendencies; it might be better if he could distribute more pressure onto his classmates. Has successfully led the class to promotion. Recommended that even if class promotion fails in the future, the school should issue recommendation letters to assist this talent.
Sakayanagi Narumori read the file from start to finish again. Then he closed it and set it on the desk.
Hikigaya Hachiman.
He leaned back, tapping the desk. The Deserted Island, the Cruise Ship—he had already learned of these from the Student Council reports. But the evaluations in this file, especially the 'A' in Flexible Thinking and Social Contribution, deepened his understanding of this boy. He wasn't the type of genius who lived off raw talent; he was the type who won through brains, observation, and an understanding of human nature. Such individuals were rare in the history of this school.
And Arisu trusted him.
When that thought surfaced, the corner of Sakayanagi Narumori's mouth twitched slightly. It wasn't quite a smile, but a complex expression. His daughter—the one who since childhood had never easily trusted anyone and kept everyone at a perfect distance—actually believed intelligence from a boy in another class. No evidence, no concrete proof, just his words, and she believed.
He tucked the file away in a drawer. Then he stood up and walked to the window.
Outside, the campus lay quiet in the night. The distant dormitories had scattered lights, like gold dust on dark velvet. The lights by the track were still on, bleaching the empty lanes white. Further out was the perimeter wall.
Ayanokouji Atsuomi.
He remembered things from many years ago. Back then, when the White Room was just being established, Ayanokouji Atsuomi was looking for investors everywhere and hitting walls. Sakayanagi Narumori was the one who helped bridge the connections and endorsed the project. At the time, he felt it was an educational experiment worth supporting—cultivating geniuses, exploring the boundaries of human potential. He admired that man's ambition and execution.
And later? Later, Ayanokouji Atsuomi climbed up step by step, from the educational world to politics, from the fringes to the core. After the Naoe faction fell, he took over all those resources and power. In the next term, or perhaps the one after, he would run for Prime Minister himself.
If that was his goal, then Advanced Nurturing High School would sooner or later become a piece on his political chessboard. Or rather, it was becoming one now.
Sakayanagi Narumori sighed softly.
Personally, he had admired the man. Starting from a grassroots background yet achieving such results—in 20 years, he had covered a path that usually takes three generations of accumulation to pave.
However.
Now, even his daughter was worried about him. This was an occasion where he had to act.
With that thought, he turned back to his desk and picked up the phone. This time, it wasn't an internal line, but a number he rarely dialed. It rang twice and was picked up.
"It's me," he said steadily. "I need you to handle something."
The other side didn't speak, just listened quietly.
"In the coming period, keep an eye on personnel changes at the school," he said. "Especially those sent from above. Whether it's an investigation team or an inspection group, let me know immediately."
The other side gave an affirmative.
Sakayanagi Narumori added, "Also, compile a list of the school's external cooperation projects from the last three years. Including investors, partners, and audit records. All of them."
"Understood," came the brief reply.
The call ended. Sakayanagi Narumori put the receiver back and leaned against his chair. Outside, the night was still deep and the lights were still distant, exactly as they were when he first sat down. But he knew that some things had already changed.
And at this moment, Hikigaya Hachiman...
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