Japan, Advanced Nurturing High School.
As the gentle April breeze swept through the air, pink cherry blossoms scattered like rain. A luxurious black sedan came to a stop in front of the school gates.
Once the car had come to a complete stop, the rear door opened, and a young girl dressed in a maid outfit stepped out carrying a schoolbag. She stood respectfully to the side, waiting.
Next, a young man with short, tousled black hair and exceptionally handsome, well-defined features stepped out of the car. A brilliant smile adorned his face, and his clothes were perfectly neat.
"Today's the day I finally start attending this school, huh?"
The smile on Amakawa Ryouma's lips grew even brighter.
The sixteen-year-old boy named Amakawa Ryouma originally did not belong to this world.
He was a reincarnator.
The surname Amakawa represented the Amakawa family, one of Japan's six major financial conglomerates.
Behind the scenes, the family controlled thirty percent of Japan's economy and possessed considerable influence overseas as well. One could easily imagine just how terrifying the Amakawa family's resources and foundations were.
Having displayed unparalleled talent from the moment he was born, Ryouma possessed a photographic memory and an astonishing ability to comprehend information from an early age.
Naturally, he received the finest education the Amakawa family could provide and was raised as one of the candidates to become its next heir.
However, things weren't quite that simple.
Japanese families were nowhere near as glamorous as they appeared on the surface.
To put it simply, the people standing at the very top of Japanese society were all a bunch of 'gentlemen'.
As a result, including the descendants of the branch families, the number of potential heirs easily exceeded a hundred.
For that reason, the Amakawa family had established numerous methods for selecting its successor.
And enrollment at Advanced Nurturing High School was one of them.
This government-run institution was considered one of the relatively fair places where major financial conglomerates could evaluate their potential successors.
Here, apart from Japanese law, school regulations took precedence over everything else!
Even if certain conglomerates used their influence to replace the school's chairman, they would still have to operate within the school's rules.
Not even the chairman was exempt.
The school's regulations were extraordinarily detailed, applying equally to everyone from the chairman down to the students.
Furthermore, Advanced Nurturing High School was completely different from ordinary schools.
It upheld the philosophy of absolute meritocracy.
Every year, only 160 students were admitted through a special selection process.
These students were divided into four classes—A, B, C, and D—with forty students in each class.
Only those who graduated from Class A could receive the promise made by the school.
'The freedom to choose any career they desired!'
Those who wished to become professional athletes could directly enter the national team.
Those who wanted to pursue higher education could enroll in Japan's top university without taking entrance examinations.
And those interested in politics could choose their preferred government department and begin working their way up from the bottom.
Because of this, the four classes would compete relentlessly against one another over the course of three years, fighting for the opportunity to graduate from Class A and fulfill their dreams!
The competition was fierce!
It was undoubtedly one of the best places for the major conglomerates to select their successors!
Of course, the family's selection process couldn't possibly be as simple as merely graduating from Class A.
After all, dozens of students graduated from Class A every year.
That would be far too easy!
For a family controlling such enormous wealth, such a selection method would be nothing more than child's play!
Therefore—
Graduating from Class A was merely the most basic requirement.
Three years later...
The family would evaluate how many students who graduated from Class A would willingly abandon their own dreams to continue following Ryouma.
What they were truly testing was his ability to win people's hearts and command his subordinates!
That was the ability a true family patriarch needed to possess.
Compared to that, individual strength was actually secondary!!
"Young Master, I'll be taking my leave now!"
The maid handed Ryouma his schoolbag before bowing slightly.
After receiving his permission, she slipped back into the car.
Only then did Ryouma turn his attention toward the school before him.
Since he had arrived relatively early, only a handful of young men and women wearing red school uniforms could be seen near the entrance.
The luxurious sedan speeding away naturally attracted their attention.
Several students turned their heads to glance at the departing vehicle.
At the same time, a beautiful figure standing on the steps caught Ryouma's eye.
A gorgeous young girl with a bright, welcoming smile was looking in his direction.
She had long pink hair that reached her waist and sapphire-like blue eyes.
Beneath her bangs were exquisitely delicate features, and together with her radiant smile, they gave her an irresistible air of friendliness.
Most importantly, there was her impressive bust, which pushed prominently against her wine-red school uniform.
Combined with her slender waist, delicate enough to encircle with one's hands, and her long, perfectly straight legs...
Honami Ichinose!
Having read the novel, Ryouma instantly recognized her.
The future leader of Class B.
Her physical abilities were by no means poor, and her publicly known academic performance ranked first in the entire grade.
She was willing to treat everyone with kindness and tolerance.
She possessed an exceptionally strong sense of justice, along with an almost overwhelming capacity for acceptance—so great that it could practically smother anyone's individuality.
In an instant, everything Ryouma knew about Honami Ichinose surfaced in his mind.
All of this was information he had learned from reading the novel.
His greatest advantage wasn't his family background, his talents, or even his physical strength.
It was his knowledge of the plot.
With that thought in mind, Ryouma flashed Honami Ichinose a brilliant smile.
As though returning his greeting, she smiled back and gave him a slight nod.