The upperclassman who had just been ruthlessly rejected to his face turned a sickly pale before flushing a deep, humiliated crimson.
He opened his mouth, his jaw working uselessly, but failed to produce a single word.
Kaedehara Tetsu took in the pathetic display without a shred of pity.
He offered no commentary, his long fingers simply reaching out to place the fallen chess piece back in its original position on the board.
Right at that moment, the chaotic clamor echoing throughout the massive gymnasium began to subside.
The noise vanished rapidly, pulling back like a receding tide.
No one had shouted for order.
No bell had rung.
Tetsu cast his gaze toward the elevated podium situated in the dead center of the hall.
“Oh…” A quiet hum of amusement vibrated in his throat.
With just one glance, the situation became entirely clear.
The chaotic swarm of club representatives that had previously occupied the stage was gone.
Now, only a single figure remained.
A young man with sharp features, pitch-black hair, and an impeccably upright posture stood at the very center of the platform.
His expression was a mask of absolute frost.
He did not speak.
He did not even reach for the microphone resting on the stand.
He simply stood there, his piercing gaze sweeping over the sea of freshmen below.
An eerie, suffocating silence descended upon the gymnasium.
The first-years exchanged nervous glances, their excited whispers dying in their throats.
The sheer weight of the atmosphere pressed down on them.
Students with weaker mental fortitude found themselves unconsciously lowering their heads, utterly terrified of meeting the man’s eyes.
Horikita Manabu.
The Student Council President of the Advanced Nurturing High School.
Tetsu watched the imposing figure on the stage.
The corners of his lips curled upward, and a soft, dry scoff escaped him, pitched perfectly so that only the girl sitting beside him could hear.
“Using silence to manufacture pressure.
What a cheap, cliché psychological trick.
It might be enough to cow a flock of green freshmen, but it is entirely beneath one’s dignity.”
His tone dripped with undisguised disdain.
Such petty, theatrical intimidation tactics would have never survived the cutthroat boardroom meetings he had handled in his past life.
True pressure was a suffocating web spun from flawless logic and razor-sharp language, not this kind of pretentious, silent posturing.
“For those entirely incapable of grasping the deeper nuances of language, direct intimidation is actually the most efficient management tool.” Sakayanagi Arisu’s refined voice drifted over from his side.
“He possesses a very clear understanding of his audience’s level, and so he selected the most appropriate method of communication.
The execution may lack sophistication, but its practicality is absolute.”
Tetsu turned his head, his dark gaze meeting the calm depths of her violet eyes.
Up on the stage, Horikita Manabu appeared satisfied with the heavy atmosphere he had cultivated.
Only then did his hand move, lifting the microphone from its stand.
His deep, measured voice echoed through the speakers, washing over every corner of the vast room.
“Welcome, freshmen.
I am the Student Council President, Horikita Manabu.”
“I assume a significant number of you present are interested in the Student Council.
I will only state one thing.”
His cold eyes swept across the frozen crowd a second time.
“The Student Council is not a club.
It does not require your interest.
It only requires your ability.
Those who wish to stand among us must possess exceptional talent., to ensure absolute dedication to our administrative duties, Student Council members are strictly prohibited from participating in any club activities.”
He paused, letting the harsh reality sink in.
“also, the Student Council has no place for those harboring naive fantasies.
People of that caliber would not only fail to contribute, but they would leave a permanent stain upon this institution.”
The speech was mercilessly brief.
Having delivered his highly exclusionary ultimatum, Horikita turned his back on the crowd and descended the podium steps.
He left the stunned freshmen with zero opportunity to ask a single question.
Tetsu checked the time on his phone.
The evening was creeping in.
He shifted his attention back to the silver-haired girl beside him.
“Given how thoroughly lackluster these club presentations turned out to be, I imagine your stomach must be staging a protest by now, Sakayanagi-san.
I wonder if I might have the distinct honor of inviting an opponent who just narrowly lost to me on the chessboard to dinner?”
His delivery carried his usual dry flippancy, but the phrase ‘narrowly lost’ was a deliberate, tiny needle designed to prick her pride.
Sakayanagi slowly turned her head.
Her violet eyes locked onto his amused gaze.
“An invitation issued entirely from the high ground of a victor?
You truly refuse to suffer even the slightest disadvantage, Kaedehara-san.” Her elegant diction held no actual reproach.
It was the smooth, calculated banter of equals.
“However, considering I am in dire need of replenishing the caloric energy I overexerted during our match, I shall accept your proposal.”
“The pleasure is all mine.” Tetsu offered a flawless, gentlemanly gesture of invitation.
Leaving the lingering murmurs of the gymnasium behind, Tetsu guided Sakayanagi along the winding campus paths.
The dense flow of students was gradually thinning out as the evening chill settled over the manicured lawns.
He did not lead her toward the flashy, high-end culinary establishments dominating Keyaki Mall.
Instead, they handled toward a quiet corner near the first-year dormitory area, arriving at a modest, traditional Japanese-style eatery hidden away from the main thoroughfares.
He had never actually eaten there before.
A quick glance at the student network forums on his phone had simply revealed an unusually high concentration of positive reviews for the establishment.
He slid the wooden lattice door open.
The interior was intimate and warm, furnished with a handful of natural wood tables and a polished bar counter.
A middle-aged proprietress wearing a simple apron moved efficiently behind the counter, preparing ingredients.
The evening rush had yet to begin; only two other tables were occupied by students dining in hushed, respectful tones.
Tetsu pulled out a chair near the window for Sakayanagi before taking the seat directly opposite her.
They placed their orders quickly—a crisp tempura set meal, a rich eel rice bowl, and a shared plate of fresh salmon sushi.
“You appear remarkably familiar with this establishment, Kaedehara-san.”
“Regrettably, this is my first time crossing the threshold as well,” he replied, pouring them both a cup of hot tea.
“But I do appreciate an atmosphere that actually allows a person to relax.”
“Relax?” Sakayanagi’s sharp gaze landed squarely on his face.
“I, on the contrary, get the distinct impression that no matter the occasion, you are perpetually at ease.”
“That is merely a disguise.
Everyone in this school is playing a role.”
His blunt candor caused Sakayanagi to fall into a brief, contemplative silence.
“By the way,” Tetsu smoothly shifted the subject, his tone lightening considerably.
“Aside from studying chess manuals, what sort of literature do you usually read to pass the time?”
It was an incredibly ordinary question.
So ordinary, in fact, that a flicker of genuine surprise crossed Sakayanagi’s features.
She studied the relaxed curve of his eyes.
The heavy, suffocating calculation that usually defined his presence had vanished, replaced by a quiet, unadulterated curiosity.
For a fleeting moment, the invisible chessboard between them vanished.
They were simply two classmates inquiring about each other’s mundane habits.
“I generally prefer texts on psychology and organizational management,” she answered softly.
“And you, Kaedehara-san?”
“My interests are rather scattered.
I dabble in history, philosophy, and a bit of economic theory.
Though, if I had to choose a favorite, I lean heavily toward mystery novels.
A bit lowbrow, I admit.”
The conversation flowed effortlessly from there.
The sharp edges of their mutual probing melted away into the warm, savory steam rising from their food.
They dissected the structural flaws of modern mystery tropes, debated the practical applications of obscure philosophical concepts, and traded quiet observations about the world.
The dinner stretched on in an unexpectedly harmonious rhythm.
Outside the frosted windowpane, the twilight bled away, leaving the campus swallowed by the pitch-black night.
Tetsu settled the bill using his Personal Points, and the two finally rose from the table.
Stepping out of the warm eatery, the evening air bit at their skin, the temperature having dropped significantly since sunset.
They walked side by side down the quiet, illuminated street, heading back toward the first-year dormitories.
However, as the towering residential buildings came into view, Sakayanagi slowed her pace.
It seemed she had other arrangements for the evening and would not be returning to the dorms just yet.
“Kaedehara-san.” She stopped walking entirely, leaning slightly on her cane.
“Today…
proved to be highly entertaining.”
She tilted her head upward.
The pale, artificial glow of the streetlamp washed over her, softening the usually sharp, aristocratic contours of her face.
In the shadows of the night, her violet eyes looked impossibly deep.
A small, breathtakingly genuine smile slipped past her defenses, curving the corners of her lips.
It was entirely devoid of her signature, mocking arrogance.
The expression was fleeting, gone almost as soon as it appeared, but it had undeniably been there.
“Next time, I will not lose.”
“I shall be waiting,” Tetsu replied, his voice a low, steady promise in the dark.
“Anytime you wish.”
[Inorin’s Note:
Hey guys, hope you’re enjoying the novel!
Hate waiting for updates and cliffhangers?