(TL:Best girl alert, best girl alert!!!!)
Thinking about it, Shiki used to be a good, hardworking student who earned his own living.
Yet, in just a single month at this school, he had consecutively committed stalking, secret filming, and extortion.
Comparing his past self to his present self, Shiki genuinely felt that this school was a terrible influence.
(Is this place really meant to nurture excellent talent?
It clearly feels more like a factory that manufactures absolute menaces to society.)
Faced with Shiki pointing directly at the underlying logic behind the school’s class sorting, Chabashira remained silent and let out a deep, heavy sigh.
“Alright, that’s enough.
I have other things to do, and I need to lock up this room.
You three, get out.”
Shiki felt the teachers at this school were just as much of a joke as the students.
She called him over just to spout a bunch of nonsense.
The three of them were practically shoved out of the counseling room by Chabashira.
Just as Shiki thought this exhausting ordeal was finally over, an enthusiastic voice called out to him.
“Ah, Tsugikuni-kun!”
Hearing that familiar voice made Shiki’s neck stiffen.
He slowly turned his head and saw Ichinose Honami standing next to Hoshinomiya, waving at him with a face full of pure joy.
“Tsugikuni-kun, hello!
It’s been a while since we last saw each other.”
“Uh…
hello.”
Shiki’s polite words completely contradicted the corners of his mouth, which had instantly pulled downwards into a deep frown.
“Eh?
Did Tsugikuni-kun just make a disgusted face?
Did I do something bad to you?”
“No, no, of course not.”
“Liar.
The corners of your mouth literally just dropped.”
Ichinose puffed out her cheeks.
Her ocean blue eyes sparkled with a dazzling light, easily reminding anyone who looked at them of the ‘Heart of the Ocean’ diamond from Titanic.
“Well, anyway…
I have other things to do, so I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Shiki truly couldn’t stand the overwhelming lack of security he felt whenever he was around Ichinose.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he bolted down the hallway without a second glance.
“Eh?
Wait—”
Completely ignoring her attempts to stop him, Shiki rushed down the hall.
When he finally realized she wasn’t chasing after him, he let out a massive sigh of relief.
Ayanokoji, who had silently entered ‘follow mode’ like a loyal drone, asked curiously, “You seem very afraid of her.
Why?”
Although this was his first time formally meeting her, Ayanokoji’s impression of Ichinose was that she was warm and straightforward.
Unlike the sweet, angelic facade Kushida put up, the pink haired girl’s presence felt full of genuine innocence and vibrant energy.
Ayanokoji simply couldn’t understand why Shiki was so terrified of her.
Seemingly reading Ayanokoji’s mind, Shiki said in a low, serious voice, “Don’t just look at the surface, Ayanokoji.
Ichinose Honami is not simple.
She is the absolute only person in this entire school that I cannot read at all.
She must be hiding a much deeper, darker true face.”
“Is that so…”
Ayanokoji’s eyes darkened thoughtfully.
He didn’t doubt Shiki’s judgment for a second.
After all, Shiki’s ability to read people completely eclipsed his own.
If Shiki said she was dangerous, then there was absolutely a reason for it.
To think there’s a master like that hidden in this school.
Someone whose true nature even Tsugikuni can’t see through…
That girl named Ichinose Honami is definitely not simple!
“Hey!
Both of you, wait a second!
I have something to ask you!”
Behind them, Horikita Suzune, who had been looking around outside the faculty office, finally spotted them and came running over.
Shiki didn’t slow down, he actually sped up slightly.
Beside him, Ayanokoji mirrored his exact movements.
However, despite their best efforts, Horikita, who had broken into a full sprint, managed to catch up and block their path.
Shiki let out a helpless sigh and looked at the girl standing in front of them.
“What now?”
Perhaps aware that the guy in front of her was undeniably superior to her in certain aspects, Horikita felt a sudden, inexplicable wave of cowardice.
But she quickly snapped out of it, feeling annoyed at her own weakness.
She stiffened her face, crossed her arms, and put on her usual strong, demanding front.
“I want to know…
what you said earlier about the school sorting classes just to ‘balance the game.’ Is that actually true?”
Shiki stared at her for a long moment before he suddenly burst out laughing.
“Haha…”
“What’s so funny?”
Horikita frowned deeply in annoyance.
“I was just thinking…
if I said yes, would it make you feel better?
Would it make you feel like you aren’t actually that bad—that you are actually incredibly capable, and it was just pure bad luck that you got placed in Class D?” Shiki smirked.
“If telling yourself that helps satisfy your ego, then feel free to believe it.” (TL:Roast her)
“I…
I didn’t…”
“Don’t even try to say you haven’t thought about it exactly like that!”
Shiki cut her off ruthlessly.
“Horikita, it’s one thing to deceive others, but don’t try to deceive yourself.”
Horikita lowered her eyes, her teeth biting down hard on her lower lip.
Her beautiful face was painted with an expression of intense, absolute frustration.
(Ah, yes.
That’s the stuff.)
(That’s exactly the expression!)
Watching her aggressive front melt into soft, frustrated helplessness, Shiki finally remembered where he had seen this before.
Ah, she’s literally just a stand in for Togawa Sakiko!
Even though their personalities and behaviors were different, their underlying logic was exactly the same.
They both required constant, rhythmic hammering to soften them up, just like pounding mochi. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
You absolutely couldn’t show them a single shred of weakness or politeness.
Having thoroughly enjoyed that long lost expression of defeat, Shiki casually handed Ayanokoji over to Horikita to be used as her personal servant, while he slowly strolled off to the library to read.
Bright sunlight poured through the glass windows, spilling across the spotless floors and quiet reading desks.
Rows upon rows of bookshelves stood perfectly aligned, casting long, slanting shadows across the ground like a disciplined army.
Honestly, Shiki’s absolute favorite place in the entire school was the library.
It was massive, spotless, and incredibly bright.
Not to mention the dazzling collection of books that perfectly satisfied his hoarder mentality.
(If only all these books belonged to me…) Shiki thought as he looked for a good piece of literature to cultivate his mind.
But then, he witnessed an incredibly silly scene.
A girl with greyish hair was desperately standing on the very tips of her toes.
Her small black leather shoes were practically pointing straight down.
Her arm was stretched as high as it could possibly go, her fingertips frantically trying to reach a book on the top shelf.
But tragically, her lack of height left her struggling helplessly.
(TL:Cute…)
Shiki blinked.
His very first thought was (…Is she an idiot?)
No matter how hard you stretch, it’s not going to make you magically grow taller.
Shiina Hiyori was feeling a bit distressed.
The book she wanted was just slightly out of her reach.
Even though she stretched her body as much as humanly possible, her fingertips still couldn’t brush against the spine of the book.
Just as she was about to give up and go look for a step stool, a faintly familiar voice spoke from right beside her.
“Is this the one you want?”
A hand appeared in her line of sight, effortlessly pulling the book off the shelf and handing it to her.
As the person handed it over, they glanced at the cover and subconsciously read the title out loud: “Wuthering Heights?”
Hearing the surprise in his voice, Shiina Hiyori’s eyes lit up.
Unable to contain her excitement, she took a step closer, her violet eyes shining as brightly as the sun.
“Have you read this book before?”
The kind stranger with heavy dark circles looked as if he had just been jumpscared.
He violently took a large step back, his eyes darting wildly around the room.
He didn’t relax until his eyes locked onto something specific.
Curious, Shiina followed his gaze and realized he was staring directly at one of the school’s security cameras.
“…”
Shiina Hiyori was not stupid.
Putting his actions and her sudden approach together, she instantly realized that her sudden closeness had completely terrified the kind stranger.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she apologized in a soft, gentle voice.
“I’m so sorry.
I met someone who I thought might be a fellow book lover, and I got a little too excited.
Also…
thank you so much for helping me get the book.”
The girl’s voice was incredibly pleasant to listen to.
It had a very distinct, soft, and fluffy quality to it.
(TL:ASMR voice…)
Shiki found it very soothing, like listening to a beautiful piece of music.
Come to think of it, Sakayanagi’s voice was also very soft.
But hers had a much thinner, delicate quality, completely matching her childlike figure.
Not to mention, her tone was always laced with mockery, sounding exactly like a demonic little brat who loved toying with people.
But the voice of this grey haired, violet eyed girl in front of him felt more like a fluffy white cloud floating in a clear blue sky—gentle, peaceful, and almost feeling like it could drift away at any moment.
(TL: Bro is in)
“Don’t worry about it.
It was no trouble at all.”
He genuinely thought that would be the end of the interaction.
Just like he said, it was no trouble at all—a minor interaction he would forget about in five minutes.
But reality rarely matched his expectations.
The girl’s eyes narrowed slightly as if she was trying to recall something.
Suddenly, she smiled.
“I know you.
Actually, I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time.”
(You know me?
And you’ve wanted to meet me for a long time?)
(What are you even talking about?
Why can’t I understand a single word you’re saying?)
Shiki’s head was full of question marks.
He truly started to believe this girl might not be very smart.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Hiyori realized how confusing her words must have sounded.
She smiled apologetically and formally introduced herself.
“I’m sorry, I haven’t properly introduced myself yet.
My name is Shiina Hiyori.
It’s very nice to meet you.”
“Tsugikuni Shiki,” he replied, giving his name before immediately asking, “What did you mean by what you just said?
I completely lost you there.”
Shiina smiled warmly and explained, “Let’s start with the first time I ‘met’ you.
Tsugikuni-kun, do you remember what you said in the hallway on our way to the entrance ceremony on the first day of school?
I happened to overhear a small part of it.”
“The entrance ceremony?
In the hallway?” Shiki had a weird expression on his face.
We have that kind of history?
Noticing his odd expression, Shiina Hiyori quickly clarified, “Ah, I’m so sorry.
I really wasn’t trying to eavesdrop.
I just happened to be walking to the auditorium and overheard a little bit…”
“Uh…
it’s not that I mind.
It just feels a bit strange.
It feels exactly like…” Shiki tried to find the right words to describe the feeling.
“Like reading a novel, and suddenly a completely new, fascinating storyline branches off from a different character’s perspective regarding an event that happened a month ago.”
This description resonated perfectly with the literature loving girl.
Shiina’s eyes sparkled brightly.
“Mhm!
When I heard your analysis of Kushida-san’s personality, I thought it was incredibly amazing.
You were exactly like a detective from a mystery novel—starting from the surface details, peeling back the layers step by step, and arriving at the absolute truth.
I’ve wanted to meet you ever since, but unfortunately, I only remembered your voice, so I couldn’t find you.”
Shiina looked slightly disappointed for a brief moment before her bright smile returned.
“But then, I ended up ‘meeting’ you one sidedly for a second time.”
“Hmm?
Really?”
Shiki racked his brain, trying to think of any other place where their paths could have crossed.
Simultaneously, Shiki and Shiina said the exact same word:
“The library.” x2
Shiina’s beautiful eyes curved into adorable little crescents.
“That’s right!
I saw Tsugikuni-kun in the library all the time.
Although back then, I didn’t realize you were the ‘detective’ from the hallway.
You spent most of your time studying or reading chess books.
You were probably so completely absorbed in what you were reading that you didn’t notice me at all…”
“Uh…
sorry?”
Shiki wasn’t entirely sure why he was apologizing.
Maybe it was because he could faintly detect a trace of playful resentment in the girl’s voice.
(TL:Bro is in!)
“Eh?
You don’t have to be so formal about it.”
Shiina waved her hands dismissively.
At her suggestion, the two of them found a quiet spot by the window to sit down and chat.
(Wait.
Why am I sitting here?)
Shiki suddenly realized something was wrong.
How did he end up having a casual conversation with a complete stranger?
(TL:It’s best girl after all~)
Sitting beside him, Shiina carefully cradled her book, tilting her head slightly with a smile.
“Does Tsugikuni-kun like books?
Whenever I watched you reading those chess books, you always turned the pages so carefully.
You looked like you cherished them very much.”
“Books?
They’re alright.
My interest in books usually starts with a specific goal in mind.
After all, reading a lot helps improve your sensitivity to language, which gives you more material to work with when writing.
You know how when you write essays and want to strengthen your argument, you always throw in a quote like, ‘As so and so once said…’?”
“As for ‘cherishing’ them, that’s purely just a habit.
I hate seeing books get folded or creased.
I much prefer them to be clean and pristine.”
“Is that so?
So that means Tsugikuni-kun is very used to reading, right?
Do you like mystery novels?”
Whenever the topic touched upon her favorite things, the usually calm and gentle Shiina showed a clear ripple of excitement, her violet eyes shining brilliantly.
“Mystery novels?
Yeah, they’re pretty good.
I’ve read most of the famous ones.”
“Ah, that’s wonderful!” A genuine, delighted smile bloomed on Shiina’s face.
“I’ve always loved reading, especially mystery novels.
But sadly, I haven’t found anyone around me who shares the same hobby.”
“That’s perfectly normal.
With so many different kinds of entertainment nowadays, and with the fast pace of modern life basically becoming the standard, it’s totally understandable that people find it hard to sit down quietly and read a book.”
“That is true…
Whose work does Tsugikuni-kun like the most?”
Shiina asked curiously.
“Whose work?”
Shiki scratched his head.
“It’s hard to say.
Rather than focusing on the author, I prefer the specific works themselves.
Books like The Greek Coffin Mystery or Murder on the Orient Express.”
“And honestly, rather than the detective’s step by step process of uncovering the truth, I actually prefer reading about the culprit’s methods for committing the crimes.
I always feel like I can learn a lot of useful things from them.”
“Learn…
useful things?”
Shiina blinked, her beautiful violet eyes filled with pure confusion.
What kind of useful things can someone possibly learn from reading about murder methods?
(I have a strange feeling that Tsugikuni-kun is going to grow up to be a very ‘special’ kind of person!)
Oblivious to her concern, Shiki excitedly began discussing his first time reading Murder on the Orient Express.
He explained how, when Detective Poirot finally revealed that every single suspect was actually a culprit, the sheer mind blowing twist sent a rush of pure euphoria straight to his soul.
“It was an absolutely flawless method!
If they hadn’t been so soft hearted and actually taken out the detective and the train conductor, in that era where communication was so limited, it would have been a 100% perfect crime.”
“But if they did that, it would have completely ruined their core belief of taking revenge out of love.
It would have turned their act of righteous justice into the actions of purely evil murderers”, Shiina argued gently, offering a different perspective.
Shiki just let out a light chuckle.
“That’s exactly why I said we look at things from completely different angles.
I’m analyzing it purely from the technical aspect of committing the crime.
I don’t care whether it was righteous or if it violated public morality.”
“Mmm…” Shiina furrowed her delicate eyebrows.
“I really feel like Tsugikuni-kun is going to turn into a very weird person in the future.”
Shiki was silent for a second.
“…I feel like you just insulted me.”
“I didn’t.”
“You definitely did.”
“I really didn’t.”
“You did.”
“…”
(TL:Love the chemistry~)