Time quickly moved to the end of August. In the evening, Natsukawa walked alone on the tree-lined path.
He held a copy of "The Devotion of Suspect X" borrowed from the Library, intending to find a corner in the Library to finish the nearly-read book and return it.
This shortcut to the Library was rarely used. With dense tree shade and dappled light, it was a pleasant route for a stroll.
However, just as he turned a corner and passed a vending machine, his steps involuntarily halted.
"Oh dear..." (monotone)
A delicate voice reached him.
Standing before the vending machine was a girl.
She wore the school uniform, a distinctive white beret on her head, and smooth silver short hair framing her cheeks. Her skin was so fair it was almost translucent, making her look like an exquisite, fragile porcelain doll.
At this moment, she was trying to reach a can of coffee on the top shelf of the vending machine. But due to her difficulty with her legs, her center of gravity was unstable, and the black cane in her hand clattered to the ground.
The girl did not rush to pick it up, nor did she show any sign of panic.
She merely turned her head slowly, her pale purple eyes accurately falling upon Natsukawa, who had just appeared.
Their eyes met.
In that instant, Natsukawa had the illusion of being targeted by a predator.
Those eyes held no weakness seeking help; instead, they carried a calm and smile, as if she had been waiting for a long time.
"I'm so sorry."
"Excuse me, classmate, could you... please help me pick up my cane?"
Natsukawa Sosuke's eyes narrowed slightly.
Sakayanagi Arisu.
The other leader of Class A, the rumored Goddess of Civil War, the sickly loli.
'Is this... a setup? Or a test?'
Natsukawa's mind raced. At this time, in this secluded location, how could this young lady, who even needed assistance walking, be here alone?
But he did not refuse.
He walked forward, bent down, picked up the exquisitely crafted cane, and handed it over.
"Here."
"Thank you."
Sakayanagi took the cane and gave a slight bow.
But she did not immediately move aside. Instead, she leaned on her cane with both hands, still smiling at him, and slowly spoke:
"Nice to meet you, Natsukawa Sosuke-kun of Class D."
"You know me?" Natsukawa didn't deny it, merely asked in a flat tone.
"Hehe, in this small miniature garden, some names always reach my ears through the grapevine."
Sakayanagi's voice was soft and elegant, like the low hum of a cello, carrying a unique reserve befitting someone of higher status.
"I heard recently... Katsuragi-kun seems to have encountered some strange things. Not only does he transfer a large amount of points to a certain account every month, but his attitude towards class struggles also seems to have changed... as if... he's been possessed by something."
She tilted her head slightly. Although her height only reached Natsukawa's chest, it gave the illusion that she was looking down at him from above.
"I'm very curious, what kind of person could make that stubborn rock change his attitude?"
The dagger was revealed.
Natsukawa Sosuke's expression remained unchanged, still looking nonchalant.
"I'm not privy to Class A's financial situation. I'm just an unremarkable, ordinary student. Does Sakayanagi-san have some misunderstanding about me?"
"Misunderstanding?"
Sakayanagi chuckled, a hint of playfulness in her purple eyes.
"Perhaps. Initially, I thought this was the work of that 'masterpiece.' After all, if it were that person, achieving this level would not be surprising."
"However..." Sakayanagi's tone shifted, "I thought about it again. Although that person is ruthless, they are not greedy. This kind of money-grubbing style of doing things really doesn't seem like their style."
"So, I asked Masumi-san to observe a bit more."
Sakayanagi's gaze swept over the book in Natsukawa's hand.
"Ichinose Honami, Katsuragi Kohei, and even Ryuuen of Class C... all clues eventually pointed to a boy who was previously unknown even within Class D."
"Don't you think this is a very interesting matter?"
Natsukawa's heart stirred. It seemed this sickly loli was clearly prepared, having deduced something from what Kamuro had investigated.
"Just trying to make a living." Natsukawa shrugged. "As you know, Class D has very few points, and I'm just a part-timer at someone else's mercy."
"Making a living... what a simple and unpretentious reason."
Sakayanagi covered her mouth and chuckled, as if she had heard an amusing joke. As for the latter half of Natsukawa's sentence, she didn't believe it at all.
Then, she reined in her smile, her gaze sweeping over Natsukawa's nonchalant demeanor, and then at the mystery novel in his hand.
"'The Devotion of Suspect X'... a genius mathematician who sacrifices everything to conceal the truth."
She said, implying something.
"Natsukawa-kun, do you consider yourself the devoted genius Ishigami, or... the 'evil woman' who only cared about money and used Ishigami?"
"I'm just a reader."
"Is that so?"
Sakayanagi did not dwell on this question but suddenly changed the topic.
"Speaking of which, summer is coming to an end. The upcoming autumn... is the season of 'harvest' and 'sports'."
She gently tapped the ground with her cane, making rhythmic crisp sounds.
"Natsukawa-kun, your physique looks quite good. Do you have any plans for the days ahead?"
This was clearly an attempt to probe for information.
Natsukawa knew very well that the school's special exams were often related to the seasons. Autumn being the peak season for sports festivals wasn't hard to guess. Moreover, through information from upperclassmen, it was possible to infer what kind of special exams the school generally held during these times in previous years. Sakayanagi wanted to see if he had capabilities in this area.
"Me?" Natsukawa yawned lazily. "I hate sweating the most. If I could, I'd just want to drink cola in the stands."
"Just want to drink cola, huh..."
Sakayanagi looked at him, the smile in her eyes gradually deepening, yet also becoming sharper.
"Originally, I was looking forward to seeing if the person who could make Katsuragi stumble would be an interesting opponent. But now it seems..."
She shook her head slightly, her tone carrying a hint of undisguised disappointment and disdain.
"You don't seem to have the 'class' I imagined."
"Earning points by leveraging information asymmetry is indeed a smart person's approach. But if one only sees vulgar things like points, and lacks the artistry of domination and strategizing..."
She took a small step forward, and a suppressive aura erupted from her petite frame.
"At best, you're just a slightly shrewd 'mercenary merchant'."
"In this miniature garden composed of geniuses and monsters, merchants... are not worthy of the stage."
Hearing this merciless evaluation, Natsukawa Sosuke's brows furrowed sharply.
He seemed to have had his tail stepped on; his originally languid expression instantly changed, replaced by a furious indignation stemming from being looked down upon by someone of higher status.
"Sakayanagi-san's demands are too high."
His tone became stiff, as if he was desperately trying to protect his pathetic self-esteem.
"Not everyone is like you, born with a silver spoon, able to treat school as a playground. For commoners like us, just living is already giving our all. What's wrong with pursuing points?"
"Hehe, are you angry?"
Sakayanagi looked at his somewhat flustered appearance, the smile in her eyes deepening.
Although he had some cleverness, his scope was only this much after all... not only greedy, but also insecure.
She bowed gracefully, performing a standard lady's curtsy.
"My apologies, I was rude. After all, everyone has their own way of living. Being a wealthy merchant isn't so bad."
"Well then, I've bothered you enough for today, Natsukawa Sosuke-kun."
She turned around, her back to Natsukawa, leaving a final remark.
"However, if there's an opportunity... I hope you can demonstrate some value other than 'greed for money.' Otherwise, this boring school will truly be too disappointing."
Accompanied by the sound of her cane tapping the ground, the small white figure gradually receded.
Under the shade of a nearby tree, the indifferent-looking Kamuro Masumi emerged and silently followed behind her. Before leaving, she cast a glance at Natsukawa with an expression that seemed to say, "You're useless."
Natsukawa Sosuke stood rooted to the spot, maintaining that indignant expression until the two figures completely disappeared at the end of the path.
The wind rustled through the leaves.
And in that very instant, the indignation on his face vanished without a trace, like smoke dispersed by the wind.
"Phew... my acting was passable, I suppose."
He raised a hand to rub his somewhat stiff cheek.
"A mercenary merchant... huh."
Natsukawa looked down at "The Devotion of Suspect X" in his hand, a faint, self-deprecating smile playing on his lips.
This was a very safe label.
Compared to an "unfathomable mastermind," a "greedy and insecure commoner" was clearly easier to make people lower their guard, and easier for "geniuses" to look down upon.
As long as Sakayanagi Arisu believed his actions were solely driven by "money," she would never be able to predict his true hand.
It's just... Natsukawa looked up, through the dappled leaves, at the unreachable azure sky.
"Only those standing on mountains of gold have the right to disdain the smell of money."
He sighed softly. In that sigh, there was no calculation, only a kind of world-weary melancholy and helplessness.
If given the choice, who wouldn't want to be an elegant person, only discussing romance and picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence?
Who wouldn't want to display the superiority of a transmigrator before that high and mighty princess?
Natsukawa Sosuke retracted his gaze, tucked the book under his arm, and walked towards the Library.
"People rush about in a panic, but it's only for a few bits of silver. Yet, these few bits of silver can resolve all the world's panics."