‘Are the students in Class A really not all as brilliant as Arisu?”A girl with an active record of shoplifting gets placed in Class A, while a textbook honor student like Suzune is dumped into Class D.
I am understanding the mechanics of this school less and less.’ Did the School Administration completely ignore past behavioral records when assigning these tiers?
Then again, looking at the current situation, Masumi being assigned to Class A hardly seemed like a blessing.
When he had parted ways with Arisu earlier, he caught a fleeting glimpse of the look she directed at Masumi.
It was the gaze of a predator sizing up fresh prey, brimming with a composed playfulness and a chilling, calculating interest.
That careful, cane-wielding beauty had clearly already marked Masumi as the perfect candidate for a loyal lackey.
Thinking about the sequence of events carefully, if it had not been for his timely intervention, Masumi would have already been reduced to Arisu’s personal plaything over a simple can of stolen beer.
He had merely handed her the beer he took from the convenience store shelf and dropped a few casual hints, framing it as an unintentional warning.
He told her to be a bit more careful and avoid getting strung along by some wicked woman.
She should have understood the underlying meaning of his words.
After all, she was a student enrolled in Class A.
Her baseline intelligence should be guaranteed.
Probably.
The following morning, Akira made another trip to the faculty office for a private conversation with Sae.
The homeroom teacher explained the final outcome of his previous report regarding the security cameras, smoothly transferring fifty thousand Private Points into his student account.
Although she did not state it explicitly, the underlying implication was crystal clear.
This was hush money.
Akira readily accepted the unspoken arrangement.
His original intention for reporting the blind spots had simply been to test the absolute limits of the school’s rules and regulations through Sae.
Since that goal had been thoroughly achieved, there was no need to dwell on the matter any further.
In return, Akira transferred fifteen thousand Private Points back to her device.
This sum covered the cost of the canned beers he had taken, which were less than three hundred yen per can, totaling roughly five thousand Private Points.
The remaining ten thousand Private Points served as a modest commission for her trouble in running the errand.
His net profit from this entire endeavor came out to eighty-five thousand Private Points.
Added to the fifty thousand point reward and his original starting allowance of one hundred thousand, Akira’s current total sat at a comfortable two hundred and thirty-five thousand Private Points.
Leaning back against her desk, Sae casually asked, “Who was the opponent that lost the bet to you?” “Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A,” Akira replied with equal nonchalance.
Before the syllables even fully left his mouth, he noticed a remarkable shift in Sae’s usually stoic expression.
A strange light flickered in her dark eyes, revealing a complex cocktail of surprise, deep anticipation, and even a faint, suppressed excitement.
She parted her lips slightly, as if wanting to disclose something of grave importance.
In the end, she swallowed the words, murmuring softly, “Let us…
wait until a month from now.” The quiet statement seemed directed at Akira, yet it carried the distinct weight of a warning to herself.
Just as he turned to leave the office, Sae suddenly offered an entirely out-of-character warning.
“Private Points…
use them sparingly.” Her tone actually carried a rare hint of genuine concern, a far cry from the cold, apathetic image she usually projected to the class.
Internal alarms immediately began ringing in Akira’s mind.
When a habitually cold and distant person suddenly displayed unprompted kindness, there was always a carefully calculated intent hiding just beneath that gentle facade.
Yet, given his current lack of information, he could not quite see through the specific scheme lying behind her mild mask.
Akira gave a subtle shake of his head, deciding to shelve these creeping doubts for the time being.
After all, Sae was the homeroom teacher of Class D.
Even if she harbored ulterior motives, she likely would not take direct action to sabotage her own student.
At least on the surface, the core interests of the teacher and the student remained aligned.
The first major task for the incoming freshmen was to complete their official move-in procedures.
Following the digital map on his phone toward the First-Year Dormitory area, Akira found himself pausing as the structure came into view.
Standing before him was not a traditional school dormitory, but a modern, high-end apartment complex.
Through the pristine floor-to-ceiling windows of the lobby, one could catch glimpses of the sleek, comfortable interior decor.
It perfectly fulfilled the grand promise written in the admission handbook: every single student would be provided with their own private living space.
In his past life memories of high school, the word dormitory was permanently associated with cramped eight-person rooms, squeaky bunk beds, and rusted storage lockers that never offered enough space.
In all his years of handling the education system, this would be the very first time he possessed a room entirely to himself.
A strange, quiet thrill of excitement washed over him.
Akira took his place in the queue for the move-in registration.
Glancing around the spacious lobby, he suddenly realized that this apartment building was entirely co-ed.
On the adjacent wall, the Student Dormitory Regulations were neatly posted in crisp black text against a stark white background.
Scanning the Student Interaction Guidelines section, he noted that the School Administration neither explicitly prohibited opposite-sex relationships nor set any hard curfews.
They only provided one highly ambiguous line: Romances inconsistent with the status of a high school student are prohibited.
‘That sentence is practically begging for a word game,’ Akira mused to himself.
What exactly did inconsistent with status entail?
Was it implying a strict ban on teacher-student relationships?
Or did it simply mean the school did not care who slept with who, provided it did not negatively impact their academic performance?
His silent questions were answered when his peripheral vision caught the glow of a vending machine tucked into a discreet corner of the lobby.
Displayed neatly behind the glass were various brands of condoms.
‘I see.
So it is not prohibited, but students are expected to manage their own safety.
Does that mean anything goes as long as no one ends up pregnant?’ The line moved briskly, and it was soon his turn at the front desk to handle the final procedures.
After confirming his assignment to Room 402, the ever-attentive Akira specifically inquired about the monthly utility bills and rent payments.
“All expenses incurred for basic accommodation are fully covered by the School Administration, student,” the desk staff explained with a polite, practiced smile.
“You merely need to be careful not to waste water or electricity excessively.” The generous answer made Akira click his tongue in mild surprise.
The living conditions provided by the First-Year Dormitory were simply too good to be true.
On second thought, perhaps this was exactly the baseline safeguard the School Administration had carefully designed.
Even if a foolish student completely exhausted their Private Points, their fundamental housing and survival needs would still be met.
Akira thoughtfully rubbed the smooth plastic of the room key card between his fingers.
Suddenly, as if a new thought had just occurred to him, he asked, “Excuse me, is there only one key card provided?
What happens if it gets lost?” The staff member gently pushed up his glasses, explaining in a mild, accommodating tone.
“The standard configuration is indeed only one master card per student.
However…” He paused deliberately, letting the silence stretch for a fraction of a second.
“As long as relevant proof is provided, a secondary card can be issued for a specific designated person.” Noticing Akira’s slightly surprised expression, a knowing smile of understanding appeared on the staff member’s face.
“Whether it is a best friend or a lover, as long as both parties reach a mutual agreement, they can apply for a spare.” He added meaningfully, “Of course, all of this must be based on complete, voluntary consent from both individuals.” “I see.
Thank you for the detailed explanation,” Akira said, nodding politely.
Although his current single status meant he had no immediate use for such a service, the school’s incredibly open-minded management style still surprised him quite a bit.
He just did not know how strict the relevant identification standards actually were.
It surely could not be as simple as a girl claiming to be his girlfriend to openly obtain a key to his private room.
[Inorin’s Note: Hey guys, hope you’re enjoying the novel!
Hate waiting for updates and cliffhangers?