Chapter 021: Meeting with Sakayanagi Arisu – Hikigaya-kun, You Seem Quite Active!
Hachiman began climbing the stairs from the second floor.
Although all four first-year classes were in the same school building, the A/B and C/D classes were separated by a floor designated for laboratories.
As a result, even after three days since the school year had begun, students from these two groups wouldn't have much interaction during class hours.
Of course, since all students would be spending three years in the same school, it was possible to run into students from other classes in shared spaces like the cafeteria or library.
However, most encounters were with strangers, and actual conversations were rare.
But not impossible—take Kushida the Little Angel, for example.
Since she claimed she wanted to be friends with everyone, her social reach naturally extended beyond just her own classmates.
And given that Kamuro from Class 1-A had just come to find him in his classroom, it was highly likely that Kushida had known her beforehand.
Which just went to show—Kushida was indeed quite bold.
Her social skills were maxed out.
But as Hachiman passed the staircase connecting the third-floor laboratories to the fourth floor, he suddenly stopped.
He had heard footsteps descending from above.
Standing still, he watched the staircase ahead—until a purple-haired girl came into view.
It was none other than the same girl who had come to find him before class.
Kamuro Masumi.
Her sharp gaze locked onto him immediately, and for a brief moment, she seemed… relieved.
"I'm glad you didn't run away," she said.
Then, without another word, she turned around, as if to lead the way.
That caught Hachiman off guard.
...Was she worried he'd run away?
Did she really come to escort him the moment class ended?
Kamuro walked ahead, and Hachiman quickly followed.
Now that they were walking side by side, he noticed that her presence felt a little different from before.
More refined.
She had long purple hair tied into a side ponytail, with two hair clips neatly pinning her bangs.
Her features were well-defined and quite pretty.
She wasn't on the same level as Horikita Suzune, who was practically an elite-tier beauty, but she was still a rare sight.
However, she didn't seem to smile often—her usual expression was a stiff, serious one.
She looked like the kind of girl who would glare at you in disgust while flashing her panties.
At the same time…
Hachiman noticed her hands as she raised them slightly.
Her fingers were long and delicate—like those of a painter or perhaps someone who played the piano.
Her legs, however, were long, toned, and powerful—the kind of legs that belonged to someone who exercised regularly. Not a trace of excess fat.
She was probably quite athletic.
"Wait… could this actually be a confession?" Hachiman asked, testing the waters.
But that couldn't be possible.
In all his years of existence, something like that had never happened before.
Besides, he had long believed that a girl's kindness was a lie, and he wouldn't let himself be fooled by them.
"Of course not." Kamuro shot him down instantly. "I was simply asked to bring you along."
So, there it was—no need for pretending anymore.
All that "confession" nonsense was just a cover story to complete a mission.
As a Class D student, Hachiman already understood that being assigned to D-class meant the school had given up on him.
But—
He couldn't help but feel curious.
Students in Class A were supposed to be the elite—the ones who had earned the school's highest evaluations. They should be proud and confident individuals.
So what was their environment really like?
...Turned out, it was this practical?
The hierarchical gap had already been firmly established.
"So, you already have a master, huh?" Hachiman commented. "Looks like even Class A students have it rough."
That was his small revenge against Kamuro.
After all, she had caused a huge misunderstanding by making it seem like a confession had happened in his classroom.
He could already picture it—when he went back after lunch, his classmates were definitely going to bombard him with questions.
And those kinds of situations... were what Hachiman was worst at handling.
However—his words seemed to provoke a strong reaction from Kamuro.
Because, depending on how you looked at it, what he said could also mean that she had become someone's pet.
And that was something she—
"How could that be possible?! I, Kamuro Masumi, am and always will be nothing more than a classmate of that Sakayanagi girl!"
"So don't go saying anything about masters and dogs!"
"I have never been tamed by her!"
By now, the two of them had reached the stairway leading to the rooftop, and the door to the rooftop was right ahead.
Perhaps because Kamuro's voice was too loud, a sweet voice called out from the rooftop.
"Alright, Kamuro-san, I know you have a lot of complaints about me, but now isn't the time to be barking."
"You idiot, you're giving away too much information."
The voice sounded adorably pleasant, but her words were anything but polite.
That was when Kamuro Masumi finally realized what had happened.
"You tricked me!" Kamuro glared at Hachiman.
"…," Hachiman.
It wasn't like he intended to trick her—she just overreacted on her own.
From what he had gathered, Kamuro Masumi from Class A was being treated as a subordinate by a student named Sakayanagi—but at the same time, Kamuro refused to acknowledge it.
Yet, she still obeyed orders.
Even if it meant pretending to confess to a total stranger.
And that would have consequences.
Being noticed by classmates, having her reputation affected—she clearly knew all of this, yet still followed orders.
Didn't that mean Kamuro-san was an M?
Hachiman couldn't help but think—if Class A's teacher was anything like Chabashira-sensei, willing to sell student records for money, it would have been nice to dig deeper into her file.
By now, he had already stepped onto the rooftop.
His eyes scanned ahead.
Kamuro hadn't invited him on her own—this wasn't her call to make.
Her master was the one who actually wanted to see him.
And that person…
Wasn't a stranger.
Hachiman had seen her before.
Two days ago, at Keyaki Mall, he had noticed a timid, silver-haired girl, surrounded by adoring classmates like she was the center of the universe.
And now, Sakayanagi was sitting on a bench on the rooftop.
She was undeniably cute.
With silky silver-white hair, fair skin, and adorable features.
Her slender legs were wrapped in pure white stockings.
Thinking back, all sixteen students he saw that day had been wearing school uniforms, meaning they weren't upperclassmen.
And now, he had confirmed their identities—they were all Class 1-A students.
"Nice to meet you, Hikigaya-kun. I am Sakayanagi Arisu, from Class A."
Sakayanagi gracefully rose from her seat and gave a polite curtsy.
"A D-class student like you sure is quite active, huh?"
Chapter 022 – Sakayanagi: "I'm Just a Weak Little Girl." Hachiman: "? You Believe That?"
Class 1-A's Sakayanagi Arisu.
Hachiman was still a new student and didn't know many people, but this name—he had heard it plenty of times already.
On the first day of school, he discovered the school forum on his phone.
It was the fastest way to gather information about the school.
But there was someone even faster—Class 1-A's Sakayanagi Arisu.
She had immediately posted, using chess as her weapon, and fired shots at the upperclassmen.
In the end, judging by the outcome, her classmates treated her like a queen, so she must have gotten a reward she was satisfied with.
As a Class A student, she had certainly proven herself outstanding.
She lived up to the reputation.
But still...
.
.
.
"I'm Hikigaya Hachiman. I don't really have any aspirations, and if I were to like a girl, I'd prefer someone rich enough to support me."
"But I'm not a lolicon," Hachiman stated. "Because of my eyes, people tend to misunderstand, but back at Keyaki Mall, I didn't mean to stare at you."
Sakayanagi Arisu was visibly taken aback.
She probably hadn't expected him to say it so bluntly.
But still…
"Lolicon, huh…"
"Well, my body frame is what it is, but that doesn't mean I'd accept just any taste." Sakayanagi smiled as she spoke.
So in short, she was not interested in him at all.
But... she didn't deny being rich either, huh?
"Actually, that's not why I called you here," Sakayanagi continued. "I consider myself quite magnanimous—I wouldn't hold a grudge just because someone stared at me."
No.
The way you said that already makes you sound petty.
"But the reason I called you here today is to offer you a ticket to a worry-free life."
Sakayanagi Arisu declared.
"Oh?"
Hachiman turned to look at her.
"You said it yourself just now, didn't you? You want to live a life of being taken care of. Well, I can give you that," she said.
"I've already taken in Kamuro-san. But only having one pet can make them feel lonely."
"So I've decided to get another one."
Oh.
So that's how it is.
You're straight-up admitting that your classmate is your pet, huh?
But don't you think treating a classmate as a pet is a bit much?
You look like a delicate and cute weak little girl, but in reality, you're just a genuine piece of trash?
"I give her 100,000 points every month," Sakayanagi continued. "That's a very generous offer, don't you think?"
??
100,000 points?!
That's half the reward Hachiman could get from Chabashira-sensei for investigating a single classmate.
And all he'd have to do is be Sakayanagi Arisu's dog to get that much every month?
Hachiman turned his gaze toward Kamuro, the pet.
Kamuro Masumi had already secured herself a long-term meal ticket.
But…
"I never accepted it!" Kamuro immediately protested.
"So I want to keep her, but she hasn't fully agreed yet," Sakayanagi said in an unhurried tone.
"That's never going to happen!" Kamuro shot back.
Her voice was firm, full of unyielding determination.
Maybe because she found the conversation too annoying, Kamuro didn't follow them up to the rooftop. Instead, she turned around and headed back down the stairs.
She looked like she was mad, but…
Her footsteps were strange.
Her steps grew distant, then suddenly stopped.
It was as if she had paused somewhere instead of leaving completely.
Hachiman stepped back a few paces and caught sight of Kamuro's long purple hair.
So she was just waiting at the fifth-floor stairway entrance.
If she was so determined, then why not just leave completely?
She really was a tsundere, huh?
A bit annoying, but also kind of cute.
Seeing this, Sakayanagi simply opened her hands slightly, wearing a helpless expression.
"Kamuro-san is quite adorable, but it's going to take a while to tame her."
No.
Just drop the whole 'taming your classmates' thing, please.
"If you're planning to make me your pet," Hachiman paused for a moment. "I don't think I can do that."
If you really want to refuse, why pause at all?
Sakayanagi internally scoffed at his hesitation.
"That was just my twisted sense of humor," she said. "The correct term would be… sponsoring a spy."
"Hikigaya-kun, I want you to be my informant in Class D."
Huh?
Hachiman looked at the weak little silver-haired girl in front of him.
Yes.
She was frail, petite, and had snow-white skin.
But unfortunately, even though she was sitting, there was a cane beside her.
And right now, on the rooftop, there were two benches—one in the shade, one in the sunlight.
Sakayanagi was sitting on the shaded bench.
She had limited mobility.
She was physically weak.
These words etched themselves into his mind.
"As you can see, I am quite frail," Sakayanagi Arisu said. "In the past, I couldn't even attend school properly. Now that I have the chance to be here, I want to enjoy my school life."
"That's why I asked Kamuro-san to help me. I give her points, and she helps me do things I can't," Sakayanagi explained.
I see.
She chose Kamuro to compensate for her shortcomings.
She couldn't move freely, but Kamuro was swift and athletic, almost like she'd been trained for this kind of work. Running errands suited her well.
This wasn't anything unreasonable—it was mutually beneficial.
She got someone to run errands, and Kamuro got points in return.
So she wasn't actually a bad person.
She just had a sharp tongue.
But.
These words...
Yeah, no. I don't believe a damn thing.
Hachiman immediately rejected her on the spot.
Because—
She had just said that she wanted him to be a spy for Class D.
A spy. A spy.
That's not something a frail little girl would casually say.
Chapter 023: Sakayanagi: To be honest, school life is boring. I want a shock!
Sakayanagi Arisu, a first-year student of Class A.
Possessing keen insight, decisiveness, and the ability to take action.
One clear example of this was on the very first day of school, when she provoked the upperclassmen to gather information about the school while earning points in the process.
She also gathered a group of classmates who supported her.
In other words, she became something like the leader figure of her class.
So, for the sake of maintaining her class's advantage, wouldn't placing spies in other classes be a completely normal thing to do?
After all, this school allowed it.
Otherwise, there wouldn't be anonymous point cards being sold for just 100 points at the shopping district.
Most likely, these were designed to help students conduct transactions that couldn't be made public.
In other words, was this school deliberately simulating society?
Even the school's promotional materials stated that its goal was to cultivate talents to be recommended to the student council.
So, yeah—this really was a society in microcosm.
From that perspective, Sakayanagi Arisu truly fit the mold of an outstanding Class A student.
However—
Something felt off to Hachiman.
Why?
If she was a Class A student and had already figured out some of the school's rules, then why was she approaching someone from the weakest class?
If she wanted a spy, wouldn't Class B be a better choice?
Plus, wasn't she already surrounded by classmates who fawned over her?
Wouldn't it be easier to use one of them instead?
After all, with her frail body, wasn't it a hassle to go out of her way just to meet a potential Class D informant?
And—
Even though she claimed to have simply entrusted tasks to Kamuro, the way Kamuro behaved—while resisting on the surface—was already pretty much like a trained pet.
Meaning, her ability to tame others was incredibly strong.
It made sense that exceptional people often had hobbies that were incomprehensible to others.
But—
Something about Sakayanagi felt off.
It wasn't just about power or control.
It felt more like… she was having fun with it.
Wait, wait, wait—so, Sakayanagi Arisu, you're not actually that interested in maintaining class stability… you're just playing around, aren't you?
Hachiman had already formed his hypothesis.
"So." Hachiman probed. "Why did you choose me to be Class D's spy?"
"For a simple reason," Sakayanagi replied.
"You remember the school forum from two days ago, right? That time when I posted a thread provoking the upperclassmen?"
"Most of the replies were from seniors."
"But there was one reply from a fellow first-year."
"It said: 'Did you guys also receive 100,000 points?'"
"The fact that you not only noticed the forum quickly, but also questioned the points system, left an impression on me."
"When I checked your profile, it showed: First-year, Class D, Hikigaya Hachiman."
So she noticed his reply and determined that he had sharp observation skills?
That made sense.
If you were a superior, having a keen-eyed subordinate would certainly make things easier.
Which was why she was willing to offer 100,000 points per month for a spy—because she thought he was worth the price…
Wait, hell no.
Hachiman was growing increasingly convinced that Sakayanagi Arisu was full of crap.
Because—
If she had already figured out part of the school's system, then she should know that Class D was the weakest.
Not once in the school's history had Class D ever managed to overthrow Class A.
So why would someone from the strongest class feel the need to plant a spy in the weakest class?
"Just to confirm—do you have spies in Class B or Class C?" Hachiman asked.
"Not yet," Sakayanagi replied. "Not just anyone is worthy of being raised by me."
Oh.
I see.
So it's fake after all.
You really just want to play, don't you?
Because as an outstanding representative of Class A, your first priority should have been planting spies in Class B, the real competition.
Not coming to find a student from Class D.
"Can you wait a moment?" Hachiman said.
"Hmm?" Sakayanagi blinked lightly.
"I don't know you at all," Hachiman said. "I'd like to ask someone about you."
Saying that, Hachiman pulled out his phone and opened the class group chat…
Hmm.
He tapped on Kushida Kikyo's profile picture.
He didn't have her phone number, but he could find her through the group chat.
Kushida used a photo of herself as her profile picture, and Sakayanagi glanced at it for a moment before maintaining her adorable demeanor.
"Oh." She remained calm.
But that meant… she recognized Kushida Kikyo.
Wait a minute—Kushida, you're pretty impressive, huh? Even Class A students know you?
Or… was Kushida actually selling information about him?
Otherwise, how else could Sakayanagi have arranged for Kamuro to lure him here?
A simple reply to a forum post wasn't worth this much effort.
Hachiman couldn't be sure.
…
"Can I take a photo of you to confirm?" Hachiman asked after messaging Kushida.
"I don't mind." Sakayanagi maintained her adorable expression. "Do you need me to pose for you?"
"No need." Hachiman replied. "I just need someone to confirm it's you."
"I see."
Sakayanagi kept up her polite smile, but her eyes showed a hint of disdain.
Don't be so obvious about it.
A short while later—
Hachiman's phone vibrated with a new message.
It was from Kushida, containing a profile summary of Sakayanagi Arisu.
First-Year, Class A: Sakayanagi Arisu
Height: 150 cm
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Appearance: Fair skin, cute features, and silky silver hair.
Academics: Excelled in the entrance exams, particularly in math, which many found difficult.
Physical Condition: Reportedly weak, with impaired mobility. All sports activities are prohibited by the school.
Background: Previously attended multiple schools but had to withdraw due to health issues. However, she continued her education through special programs.
Personal Statement: "Since I finally have the chance to experience school life, I hope to have a unique and exciting experience."
Chapter 024: Someone Actually Craves This? Fine, I'll Satisfy You!
From the information summarized by Kushida, it was clear that she had gathered quite a lot of details.
Even though Hachiman always felt that Kushida wasn't particularly smart, when it came to socializing and gathering intel, she was definitely strong.
However—
Sakayanagi Arisu was extremely intelligent and would never reveal information about herself so easily.
Which meant…
There was another way to interpret this.
For example, Kushida had probably been tricked into revealing some information as well.
It was just that Kushida had been in an irritable mood these past few days, meaning she likely didn't want to expose her own secrets.
So then…
Selling other people's information would have been the easier option.
And among the people Kushida had interacted with these past few days…
Wasn't Hachiman one of them?
If he connected the dots—
Sakayanagi had specifically invited him here…
Then that meant…
It was exactly as he suspected.
Kushida had sold him out.
Still, at least now Kushida had obtained intel on Sakayanagi as well, so it wasn't a complete loss.
But—
"According to her, since she finally has the opportunity to experience school life, she hopes for something unique and exciting."
Hachiman recalled what he saw on the first day of school at Keyaki Mall—
Sakayanagi Arisu, surrounded by her classmates, basking in their endless flattery.
Because she had never been able to experience school life before, she cherished this opportunity and wanted to make up for what she had missed.
However—
On the very first day, she had already become the center of attention in her class, worshipped by everyone.
Which meant that she had already reached the peak of her school life from the very beginning.
No wonder…
She felt bored and was now looking for something fun.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
What kind of high-level mind game is this?!
"I'm afraid I can't accept your proposal," Hachiman said after some thought. "No matter what, I'm still a member of Class D. Being a spy or anything like that… I simply won't do it."
"And this is my bottom line. I hope you understand that." Hachiman stated firmly.
This wording seemed very polite.
It was also the result of careful consideration.
Sakayanagi Arisu was probably just playing around, but Hachiman didn't want to join her in her little game.
"Are you sure about that?" Sakayanagi asked. "If you stay in Class D, your living allowance next month will be very little, you know."
Oh.
So that's how it is.
You really know a lot.
Both Chabashira-sensei and the Student Council President had tacitly agreed that if students were to be informed of the school's rules, they would have to pay a price.
That means, it must be true. By provoking the upperclassmen, Sakayanagi Arisu had managed to exploit the senior students, and in doing so, she had accumulated a huge amount of points.
Through the trading of these points, she had obtained a complete set of the school's rules.
But this phrase also caught his attention.
What did she mean by "your living allowance next month will be very little"?
Hachiman had thought the school wanted students to compete within their classes, to make progress and earn rewards through exams and such. But now… it seemed that Sakayanagi's attitude implied that… the exams had already started.
"Maybe so," Hachiman said. "And the class I'm in might make things worse than you expect."
"Then why not just join us?" Sakayanagi Arisu asked. "I'm offering a very generous reward."
She seemed somewhat confused.
Because Hachiman wasn't stupid and could understand her words.
But why was he being so stubborn?
After all, he had also expressed his desire to be supported.
So, little Sakayanagi thought this would be an easy match.
"Because your so-called spy recruitment is just a whim," Hachiman replied. "You're not actually interested in class competition or maintaining Class A's position, are you?"
"Heh…"
That remark made Sakayanagi Arisu laugh.
She was very cute, and her smile was bright and charming.
But…
"You're not wrong," Sakayanagi said. "I don't care much about class competition."
"It's just so boring."
"I thought this school would bring me something new, but after experiencing it, it's nothing special."
Nothing special, huh…
Such an arrogant statement.
Hachiman confirmed it.
Sakayanagi Arisu might look fragile, but her attack power was pretty strong.
If he had to describe her, he would call her a Tyrannosaurus rex.
She hadn't grown fully yet, so maybe she was more like a baby Tyrannosaurus rex or a juvenile T. rex.
"To be honest, I've never experienced school life before, and I was hoping for something interesting here, but it's so boring."
"So,"
Sakayanagi Arisu continued, "Hachiman-kun, do you understand this feeling?"
Understand this feeling?
Of course… he didn't.
What was wrong with this school? It's free, and if you do well, you can save money to leave.
For someone like him, who didn't want to put in any effort, it was the best deal.
But Sakayanagi Arisu already had a massive amount of points and still found it boring.
That meant… Sakayanagi Arisu was definitely a rich girl.
She wasn't lacking for money.
She was here to have fun.
Damn, a rich, annoying little lolita.
"If you're this bored, do you want to experience the little shock of Class D?" Hachiman asked. "And in return, I want the information you know about this school."
"…"
"…"
Sakayanagi Arisu seemed to think for a moment.
"How much do you know about this school?" she asked.
"Basically, it's all about points. You can buy anything with points, and you can also buy information you don't know. The school doesn't do charity; students' living expenses won't be provided for free. Instead, students compete within their classes for resources. The initial class assignments are unfair. Class A students have the highest quality, and Class D is probably treated like a garbage dump." Hachiman said.
"…"
"…"
Sakayanagi Arisu.
You seem to know quite a bit, huh?
"Alright." Sakayanagi Arisu gently moved her cherry-colored lips, almost like a cat, and gave a sly, polite smile. "Let me experience this so-called 'little shock' of Class D."
Then…
Sakayanagi Arisu felt… despair.
The terrible students of Class D, damn it, Hachiman!
Chapter 025: Sakayanagi Arisu: I'm Done! Class D Students are Truly the Worst!
Sakayanagi Arisu had never experienced school life, so she had high expectations for the Advanced Nurturing High School.
However, on her very first day, she provocatively challenged the senior students, obtained points from them, and then purchased the practical information about the school from the homeroom teacher.
Then she found out she had been assigned to the most elite class.
She even gained the support of some students in her class.
She was already at the peak of her life.
As for the competition between classes in the school, logically, all four classes would be competing, and it would become quite lively. However, the students in Class A were so strong that it was hard to even find any slackers.
So, overall, all the stats were very high.
Which meant they were fully equipped.
The other classes, on the other hand, were like a bunch of misfits. Even Class B was just a group of lambs.
So how could they lose?
In other words, she had already seen the result of graduation just by entering school.
For her, the so-called school life was nothing special.
The more she had anticipated this school life, the more disappointed she became now.
But she had also promised her father that she wouldn't drop out, so now she was in a boring state.
And now…
First-year Class D, Hachiman, can you bring her any excitement?
"Sure."
Sakayanagi Arisu agreed to Hachiman's bet.
As smart as she was, she had already figured out that Hachiman probably wanted to get the school information, which would normally cost 2 million points from the homeroom teacher, for free from her.
In other words, this guy was really over the top, trying to get a freebie.
However…
According to Kushida's information, this Hachiman had a lot of dark history, but his insight was exceptionally strong. Furthermore, he wasn't fake.
So Sakayanagi was a little curious.
And as she was thinking this, she saw Hachiman walk up to her.
"To ensure honesty, can you hand over your phone?" Hachiman asked.
Oh.
He's worried about her recording.
Indeed.
Although this school aims to cultivate talent, it wasn't a place full of pure, righteous students. It allowed some dirty tricks.
This was to adapt to society's realism.
Sakayanagi had been generous today because she hadn't recorded anything.
Otherwise, if Hachiman had even shown a hint of agreeing to be her spy, then he would have been the one to be taken advantage of.
Having that recording of his betrayal could directly prevent him from getting any points.
But he hadn't fallen for it.
He had rejected her offer of support.
As she thought this, Sakayanagi Arisu took out her white-shell phone and placed it on the chair.
"You'll need to put your phone down as well," Sakayanagi said.
"Okay," Hachiman nodded.
He also placed his phone on the other end of the bench. Then, as if slightly uneasy, he glanced at Sakayanagi's phone.
"You're not recording or talking to anyone, right?"
Sakayanagi's phone screen was dark, but there was no telling if any other actions had been taken.
"Nope," Sakayanagi said.
She used her left thumb to unlock the phone with the fingerprint scanner.
What appeared was a screen showing that no apps were currently running.
"So, Hachiman, what kind of shock do you want to show me about Class D? Is it that even a trash class like Class D can topple the hierarchy? But such a thing has never happened in this school before," Sakayanagi Arisu said.
"About that," Hachiman seemed to be preparing to tease, "I think you already know what the overall quality of Class D students is like."
Hachiman took her phone and was about to place it on the other side of the bench.
However, he paused for a moment.
He then explained, "It's pretty bad, right? So, looking at it normally, next month's living expenses will be quite low."
"Oh."
Sakayanagi nodded, acknowledging that this was indeed the case.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Sakayanagi Arisu finally noticed something strange.
Because, in addition to taking her phone, Hachiman had also taken her cane.
At the same time, his fingers were fiddling with her phone.
"It's nothing major," Hachiman said. "Just sending a message to Kamuro-san asking her to go eat first."
"?"
"..." Sakayanagi Arisu.
"Huh?"
"Ah."
"You don't have other plans, do you?" Sakayanagi's smile seemed to stop.
"Sakayanagi-san," but Hachiman seemed utterly indifferent, showing her the email conversation.
["You've worked hard today. I know it's a sacrifice to invite a guy, and it's my fault. So, I'll give you some free time. You can rest now."]
["But at 13:10, please wait for me at the library. I need to borrow a book."]
This was the content Hachiman had typed.
But now…
It was truly cruel.
Because Sakayanagi Arisu clearly saw that after receiving the message, Kamuro-san replied.
["Tch! If you know it, don't arrange these troublesome things for me!"]
Though it was just a message, one could imagine Kamuro's feelings.
["I'll wait for you at the library entrance at 13:10."]
The subsequent message seemed to show that Kamuro didn't doubt for a moment that it was Hachiman who had used Sakayanagi's phone to send the message.
So, she didn't notice it wasn't from Sakayanagi herself.
And worst of all, Sakayanagi heard footsteps approaching, but they were growing distant.
Which meant Kamuro, who had been guarding the staircase on the fifth floor like a little dog, had left.
Kamuro had been misdirected.
"..." Sakayanagi.
"And Sakayanagi-san, you thought school life was boring, right?" Hachiman said. "So, I've decided to give you a little bit of excitement."
A little excitement?
She thought this school was nothing special, without any waves.
But now, what he was giving her wasn't excitement—it was terror.
As smart as she was, she immediately understood Hachiman's plan.
He took her phone to distract Kamuro.
Then, he even took her cane so she couldn't move.
This was the rooftop. It was spacious, and the air was nice.
But…
It was lunchtime now, meaning the sun was out.
Where she was, there was no sunlight, but over by another bench, the sun was shining brightly.
Just looking at it made her feel… a little hot.
If her weak body was thrown over there, she definitely wouldn't be able to handle it.
So, if she got sunburned… if she got sunburned…
Thinking this, she saw Hachiman approach her.
And he said:
"As you can see, Class D is considered a trash heap, and the quality of Class D students is difficult to gauge."
"Huh."
Difficult to gauge… did that mean no bottom line… was he calling them shameless?
But…
"Hachiman-kun..."
Sakayanagi Arisu stared at him.
It seemed like she was trying to awaken his sympathy and empathy.
But…
Hachiman placed both hands on her—one on her back and the other through her knees.
Thud.
Before she could react, Sakayanagi Arisu realized she was being picked up.
Then, she was being carried forward.
The direction… was toward the sunlit bench.
Was he really going to take her to that bench, where the sunlight would shine directly on her?
Hey, hey, hey.
Is he really this twisted?
Hachiman-kun!
Class D students are truly the worst!
Chapter 026: The True Nature of This School – Strength Above All!
Hachiman sat down on the shaded bench where Sakayanagi Arisu had just been sitting.
Sakayanagi Arisu was on his right.
There was a 20-centimeter gap between them—an unusually distant space.
Even with such a distance, he could still catch a faint, pleasant fragrance.
Although she was a delicate beauty, she hadn't neglected to wear a light touch of perfume.
Of course, it was also possible that it was simply her natural scent.
Hachiman had no experience with girls. His only close interaction was shaking hands with Kushida, and at that time, he had already thought that girls were soft and had a nice fragrance.
So, he nearly believed that all girls naturally smelled good.
Hachiman turned to look at Sakayanagi Arisu, but she had her eyes closed, appearing calm as if she were resting—or perhaps just spacing out.
Earlier, when he had acted as if he were going to carry her over to the sunlit area, she had immediately chosen to plead for mercy.
In truth, Hachiman had already been quite merciful.
He had first removed the guard she had arranged.
Then, he had confiscated her means of communication.
And finally, he had taken away her mobility aid.
At that point, she was like a fish on the chopping board.
No matter what terrible thing he did, she wouldn't have been able to resist.
That was the real danger.
But, of course, if he actually did anything to her, he would be expelled.
Hachiman had no intention of doing anything drastic—he wasn't that kind of person.
He simply wanted her to develop a sense of caution when dealing with others.
Still, Sakayanagi proved to be quite reliable.
She revealed some inside information she had discovered in advance.
When she enrolled, she had looked at the school's promotional brochure and immediately found it suspicious.
Every student was given 100,000 points upon entry, with purchasing power equivalent to 100,000 yen in cash.
Was the school running a charity?
After crunching some numbers, she realized that the school had to be hiding something.
Then, when she discovered the school forum on her phone and saw clubs offering point rewards in exchange for academic performance, she deduced that upperclassmen must have access to money.
With this in mind, she shared her theory with some of her classmates.
Then, they formed a group to "farm" upperclassmen for points.
They ended up acquiring an enormous number of points and immediately put them to use.
Sakayanagi personally spent 2 million points to have their homeroom teacher, Mashima-sensei, explain the school's rules and the truth about how points were earned to the entire class.
But when the other students in Class A learned about this massive expenditure, they decided to split the cost.
As a result, aside from Sakayanagi Arisu, every student in Class A now had no more than 50,000 points left.
In other words, Class A students had taken full advantage of the rule their teacher had mentioned: "With points, you can buy anything at this school."
However, this was actually quite terrifying.
Not only had Class A figured out the school's system ahead of time, but they also demonstrated remarkable unity.
Because…
Just imagine—if someone in Class D had spent 2 million points to purchase this information for their class, what would have happened?
Most likely, the one who suggested paying 2 million would have had to cover it alone.
The others would have said:
"Ah, I don't have that kind of money."
"Points are really valuable; we should be more careful with them."
In other words, they would have pushed the responsibility onto someone else.
This was precisely why, when Hachiman chased after Chabashira-sensei earlier and she hinted that he didn't have enough points, he didn't bother going back to his class to collect more.
Because if he asked, he would probably have to shoulder the debt himself.
That kind of situation… would be terrifying.
Still…
Hachiman took out his phone, opened his notepad, and began recording and compiling the information he had gathered from Sakayanagi Arisu.
Some of it aligned with his own speculations, but there were also details that filled in the gaps.
When put together, it all pointed to one conclusion:
This was a school where strength reigned supreme.
The school's advertised 100% university acceptance rate and job placement rate were both true.
Every year, the students were divided into four classes—A, B, C, and D.
However…
By the time they graduated in third year, students from Classes B, C, and D would be discarded.
When they graduated, their diplomas would simply state they had finished high school—without any special recognition.
Only those who graduated as part of Class A would receive the benefits promised in the school's advertisements.
This was absolutely insane.
At the same time, in order to cultivate talent, the school continuously conducts examinations and uses points as rewards.
There are two types of points:
• Class Evaluation Points
• Private Points
Class Evaluation Points, as the name suggests, belong to the entire class.
Private Points, on the other hand, can be used as money.
Each month, the school deposits Class Evaluation Points × 100 into the students' accounts. These points serve as living expenses.
Additionally, when freshmen are assigned to one of the four classes—A, B, C, or D—it is based on a specialized evaluation system.
In other words, there is already a difference in ability from the very beginning.
Class A consists of the most outstanding students.
This school is truly designed to simulate real-world survival.
To put it in simpler terms:
• The best students are in Class A.
• Those of average working-class potential are in Class B.
• The socially inclined and street-smart students are in Class C.
• As for Class D… well, it's basically a garbage dump.
Heh…
Even though he had already guessed it, the reality was still cruel.
That said, the school was at least somewhat "kind."
Even though students had varying levels of ability, each class was initially given 1,000 Class Evaluation Points.
1,000 Class Evaluation Points × 100 happens to equal the 100,000 Private Points that every student receives upon admission.
On the surface, it seemed fair and reasonable.
However, this was nothing more than a deceptive kindness.
Because with differences in students' abilities, it was inevitable that the so-called exams would soon create a huge gap.
Then what about the students in Class D?
If they knew from the start that this place was hell, would they have even enrolled?
They would probably quit on the spot.
So, the school gave them a bit of "sugar" at first, making it seem like everyone started on equal footing.
At the same time, the school encouraged students to save points, because here, as long as you have enough points, you can buy anything.
Including the right to drop out of school.
And the cost of dropping out? 20 million points.
Basically impossible.
But having a far-off dream isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Still, this also confirmed one thing: exams frequently result in expulsion.
What a terrifying school!
"Moreover, the first month's assessment actually begins the moment students enter the school."
A girl's sweet voice rang out.
"The assessment focuses on student behavior—essentially, whether they meet the standards of a 'proper student'."
Sakayanagi Arisu seemed to have recovered from her earlier daze.
She had noticed that devious Hikigaya was carefully typing down all the important rules in his notepad, occasionally frowning.
However, seeing the "villainous" Hikigaya frown actually put her in a better mood.
Because…
"Hikigaya-san, you are currently in hell."
Perhaps enjoying his misfortune, Sakayanagi's tone suddenly became playful.
She even switched back to polite speech.
"According to the school's initial class placement criteria, your Class D is the worst. So, when this month ends, just how terrible will your class's exam results be?"
"Let's see… The school's assessment criteria probably include classroom behavior, breaks between classes, and even students' conduct after school."
"With all the cameras around the school, there's no shortage of opportunities to monitor student behavior."
"There's not a single moment where you can afford to relax. Based on past records, by the end of the first month, Class D typically drops to around 400 to 500 points."
"Which means your living expenses will be cut in half."
Sakayanagi Arisu spoke with an unusually cheerful tone.
"..." (Hachiman)
Alright, you can stop talking now.
Today was only the third day since enrollment.
And Hachiman was pretty sure that his class had already lost at least 200 points.
So, in reality, Sakayanagi was overestimating Class D.
What's this about having 400 to 500 points left?
Hachiman had absolutely no doubt that Class D could go all the way down to zero.
Because if the school really monitored student behavior through surveillance cameras—
For example, yesterday, when Yamauchi and Ike were ranking female students in class based on appearance, even including a "big breasts" category—
Such crude behavior had surely resulted in a huge deduction of points.
Looking at it this way…
Yeah, things were pretty bad.
But what did this have to do with him?
He had other ways to earn points.
However…
It wasn't completely irrelevant either.
Because that wicked woman, Chabashira-sensei, might have her own ambitions.
Ah.
What a headache.
"Well then."
Hikigaya glanced at his phone—30 minutes left until lunch break.
There was still enough time to get a meal at the cafeteria.
Hikigaya turned to Sakayanagi Arisu.
"Do you want to go eat with me?"
...?
Sakayanagi Arisu's clear eyes blinked in confusion.
Because—
What was this villain saying…?
Was he… inviting her?
Chapter 027: Everyone Is Shocked—Hikigaya-kun, You're Actually a Lolicon!
Suddenly being invited to lunch together, Sakayanagi seemed a little puzzled.
"?"
"You can't move around on your own, right?" Hachiman said. "You mentioned that your health is poor, so you've been using Kamuro as a walking stick. But now that I've sent Kamuro away..."
"Oh… I see." Sakayanagi Arisu looked over. "Hikigaya-kun, are you trying to be raised by me? To be used by me?"
"Yeah, no thanks." Hachiman replied. "You have a terrible personality. 'Raising' me would be a front—what you'd really do is toss me aside whenever you felt like it."
"And besides, I'd probably end up being mistreated by you." Hachiman added.
He knew that Sakayanagi was someone who held grudges over even the smallest things.
And this time, she had suffered a loss of information worth 2 million points from him.
Clearly, she had already made a mental note to get back at him.
So—
Voluntarily walking into the lion's den? That'd be asking to be punished.
"Hehe…" Arisu suddenly revealed a sweet smile.
That was indeed the case.
If he had really offered to be her dog, of course, she would have given him points—but she would have also given him some special treatment along with it.
And once she had punished him properly, there wouldn't be a need to continue giving him points, would there?
So really, Hikigaya was such an annoying person.
How dare he assume the worst of her?
"I never had the chance to experience school life before, so this time, I want to enjoy it properly." Sakayanagi Arisu said.
Hachiman already knew this.
And, in a way, he had made her school life "less boring."
"However." Sakayanagi quickly added, "Hikigaya-kun has also taught me a lesson."
"Even though my intelligence and decision-making abilities are strong, I still have to consider the possibility of running into someone who doesn't play by the rules."
"So the best course of action is to always have a backup plan."
"From now on, I won't just have Kamuro accompany me." Sakayanagi said. "I'll pick two more followers as well."
...Really?
But if you do that, you'll look incredibly pretentious.
Wherever you go, there will always be people following you.
Then again, since she was so frail that a light push could knock her over, it was understandable for her to be cautious.
Hachiman was still a kind person.
At the same time, he also became more wary of her.
Because she specifically said "pick two more followers."
Which meant this rich and insufferable loli still saw people as tools.
—
And so, the two of them headed down from the rooftop.
According to Sakayanagi, if Kamuro had come to pick her up, she would have brought a parasol as well.
The path from the school building to the cafeteria was outdoors, and she definitely didn't want her pale, snow-white skin to get tanned.
In other words—so many demands.
"Do you need me to help you down the stairs?" Hachiman asked.
"That won't be necessary." Sakayanagi replied. "Though my body is weak, I'm not that fragile. I'm still allowed to use a cane for basic movement, and keeping up a certain level of daily activity is good for me."
"But unfortunately," she sighed, "I'm just too slow."
Even with her cane, she moved significantly slower than the average person.
"That's just how it is." Hachiman said. "Everyone has things they're good at and things they're not."
"We still have plenty of time, so let's just take it slow."
With that, Hachiman walked ahead.
"Oh."
Sakayanagi Arisu nodded.
"?"
Something about her attitude felt off.
"Nothing." Sakayanagi said. "I just find it surprising that the 'villainous' Hikigaya-kun... actually has a kind side."
Her body had been frail since childhood.
She had always been in a state where she inconvenienced others.
So, she tried to do as much as she could by herself.
Of course, when it came to having Kamuro as her subordinate, she had no intention of doing things on her own—after all, Kamuro was very useful.
So, anything that Kamuro could do quickly, she would leave to Kamuro.
This was simply playing to her strengths.
—
Even though Hachiman had just been praised as a good person, he chose to stay silent.
He still felt a bit of shame in front of Sakayanagi Arisu.
In that kind of half-isolated environment, his actions could indeed be considered good.
At the very least, he hadn't turned a regular story into an R-rated one.
But in the end, the reality was—he had refused to pay the 2 million points, instead choosing to bully a weak-looking loli to obtain information from her.
Just thinking about it made him feel ashamed.
So, as that shame welled up, Hachiman chose not to respond to Sakayanagi's words.
Soon, the two of them arrived at the fifth floor.
The sixth floor housed Class 1-B's classrooms.
The fifth floor housed Class 1-A's classrooms.
The way this school was arranged was so strange, but Hachiman had already given up trying to make sense of it.
Sakayanagi entered her classroom to retrieve her parasol.
After handing the parasol to Hachiman, she suddenly smiled.
"If I suddenly reported that my parasol was stolen right now, Hikigaya-kun, what kind of situation do you think you'd be in?"
…What kind of situation?
That would mean being falsely accused of theft.
Given the timing and the location—right outside Class A's classroom—there would be no way for him to clear his name.
Especially now that his fingerprints were already on the parasol.
Even if he explained everything, people might still gossip about it, and for the next three years, he could be branded as a suspected thief.
So, in short—
What the hell are you even saying?
Please don't!
Feeling like too much time had already been wasted, the two continued heading downstairs.
To prevent Sakayanagi from saying anything more terrifying, Hachiman opened the parasol and held it over her.
"The weather is really hot today." Sakayanagi commented.
"…" Hachiman didn't respond.
Because—
He was starting to feel uneasy.
At this point, some students had already finished lunch and were leaving the cafeteria.
So, he quickly tilted the parasol down a little, hoping to hide his face.
But—
It should be fine, right?
After all, it's not like he was a celebrity or anything.
With that thought, the two headed to the cafeteria.
The cafeteria had food stalls, and there were a lot of people.
However, on the third floor, there were private rooms available for use.
Of course, if you wanted a better dining environment, you had to pay points.
"You're really stingy." Sakayanagi remarked.
Because whether it was ordering food or settling the bill, Hachiman insisted on splitting the cost equally.
Seriously—this guy.
At this rate, he was definitely going to be single forever.
And even if he somehow wasn't single, the kind of person who would fall for him was probably some unlucky woman with terrible taste.
"Speaking of which, what's your ideal future?" Sakayanagi asked.
"My ideal future?" Hachiman paused for a moment. "Probably being a stay-at-home husband. If I meet a rich woman willing to support me, I'd be fine handling housework. But now that I think about it, if I perform well at this school and save up enough points…"
"…It seems like even if I don't meet a rich woman, I'll still be fine." Hachiman concluded.
"Hmm~"
Sakayanagi nodded thoughtfully.
Alright then.
She made a mental note—
If she ever got the chance in the future, she would make sure that his future wife forced him to go to work every single day.
Chapter 028: Going on Two Dates in One Day—Is This the Peak of My Life?
At 1:29:30 PM.
Hachiman arrived in the classroom just as the bell rang.
After lunch, he had escorted Sakayanagi Arisu to the library.
Earlier, he had impersonated Sakayanagi to arrange a meeting with Kamuro-san there. When he actually arrived, he found Kamuro-san really waiting at the library.
Although she wore an impatient expression, she had, in fact, followed the order and showed up at the designated time.
This was somewhat difficult to understand.
Kamuro-san seemed like someone with a strong will, even refusing to accept points from Sakayanagi, a wealthy loli.
And yet, she still obediently completed the task.
It felt like if she wasn't naturally submissive, then Sakayanagi Arisu must have some leverage over her.
She clearly didn't want to, yet she had no choice but to listen to Sakayanagi.
Truly pitiful.
But right now, the pitiful one seemed to be him.
Even though he arrived at this time, he could feel an increased level of attention from his classmates.
As someone who had long functioned like a background camera, suddenly being noticed meant only one thing—Kamuro-san had deliberately come to his class last period to ask him out.
Now that lunch break was over, most of his classmates probably wanted to know if he had been confessed to.
Hmm.
In other words, this was about romance.
And this kind of thing actually happened to him?
Well, it was still acceptable.
Because his classmates only knew he had been invited to the rooftop by Kamuro-san.
They didn't know that he had actually spent lunch with an ultra-cute silver-haired, white-stocking-wearing loli.
Thinking about Sakayanagi Arisu, Hachiman re-evaluated her.
Sakayanagi's physical condition was truly terrible—she was forbidden from any physical activity.
According to the information he had gathered, the school held a special exam every month, and whenever it involved sports, she would have no choice but to forfeit.
Looking at it this way, her situation was pretty tragic.
For an ordinary person, constantly dragging a group down would likely result in being abandoned by them.
But she was different.
Despite only just enrolling, she had already brought massive benefits to her class.
She had grasped the true nature of this school.
She was even more outstanding than the previous A-Class students.
With experience, her strategic planning and confidence were on a whole different level.
From this perspective, Sakayanagi Arisu had already reached the peak of her life.
This also meant that she was truly formidable.
According to the school's evaluation system, even with her poor physical ability, she was still placed in A-Class.
Which meant the school must have rated her other abilities extremely highly.
Meanwhile, in his own class, Hirata and Kushida were like ticking time bombs.
Sigh.
Hachiman let his thoughts wander.
…
"Alright, that's the end of this class."
The lesson was math, and the teacher's name was Asahi Ogura—a bald, middle-aged man.
Far from the cross-dressing Ogura Asahi that Yamauchi and the others liked to talk about.
However—
"Hey, Penguin-kun—"
Almost the moment Ogura-sensei left the room, a few students immediately surrounded him.
"You weren't in class during lunch break, so you really went to the rooftop, right?"
"Was it a confession? A confession, right?"
"That girl, Kamuro, she confessed to you, didn't she?"
That was Yamauchi.
He looked rather unkempt.
But he was full of excitement.
Based on Hachiman's years of observing people, this guy once introduced himself by bragging about how great his ping-pong skills were and that he almost made it to the prefectural team.
That was probably nonsense.
If he were really that good at ping-pong, his hands would have the marks of dedicated training.
But his hands were completely smooth.
He was probably the type who didn't like sports at all.
"Man, you're so lucky. Getting chased by a pretty girl right after enrolling!"
Yamauchi said. "By the way, does she have any cute friends?"
"…" Hachiman.
First of all, his name wasn't "Penguin." It was Hikigaya.
"Penguin" was just a nickname from third grade.
"You guys surrounding Hikigaya-kun like this isn't very nice."
A gentle male voice cut in.
"This is his personal business, after all…"
It was a warm-hearted boy with short, light-green hair mixed with gold.
Hirata.
As expected of "everyone's Hirata."
If anyone in the class was in trouble, Hirata would step in to help.
A meticulous and good man.
But too bad.
Hachiman had his own ways of dealing with situations like this.
That was—
"It wasn't actually a confession," Hachiman said. "I just picked up her hair clip and returned it to her. Then she wanted to give me a small gift, but I didn't accept it."
"Doesn't that still have the potential to turn into romance?" But the classmates didn't seem satisfied with this explanation.
"I think high school is a time for studying. Wasting it on romance is pointless," Hachiman added. "Romance is something I have no fate with."
"Ohhh."
"Well, that's good then." Yamauchi seemed suddenly satisfied.
He was probably thinking—I'm so outstanding, yet I've never had a lucky encounter with a girl. And this guy, who barely has any presence, why should he get to be asked out by a pretty girl?
That kind of classmate was truly annoying.
Hachiman thought to himself.
"Alright, everyone, let's disperse."
And just like that, "Mama Hirata" sent Yamauchi and the others back.
That was truly reassuring.
Hachiman hated dealing with these foolish classmates, and if he were to make friends, he definitely wouldn't choose this kind of person.
…
After the boys left, a few girls walked out together through the back door.
But as they left, they glanced back at him with strange expressions.
That was puzzling.
Hachiman noticed that among them, the cutest girl—a little angel with short golden hair—winked at him.
It seemed like she was hinting at something.
So he checked his phone.
Sure enough.
There was a message from Kushida.
[Hikigaya-kun, are you really not interested in romance?]
"…"
Kushida, you're really nosy.
Hachiman decided to ignore her.
But soon after—
[Aren't you getting along quite well with A-Class's Sakayanagi?]
"…" Hachiman.
So, Kushida, you really do have a close connection with Sakayanagi, huh?
[She actually hates me now, so don't say something so terrifying.]
[I see.] Kushida seemed to believe him.
[But the girls saw you holding an umbrella for her.]
[And having lunch together. In a private room.]
[No one would've thought Hikigaya-kun was such a ladies' man, taking action so quickly.]
[This kind of thing is spreading among the girls, and now everyone thinks they need to be cautious of you.]
[If you end up ruining them, that would be bad.]
Kushida's texting speed was insane, and the amount of information she sent was overwhelming.
Damn.
So that's why the girls had looked at him with disdain?
Did they think he was a lolicon?
That was such an injustice.
Sure, he thought Sakayanagi Arisu was cute, but that girl was a cunning little brat.
She was not easy to deal with.
Besides—
As a teenage boy, of course, he was more into girls who were rich, could make money, and were good at making money.
Speaking of money—
Hachiman felt he needed to plan ahead.
From Sakayanagi, he had learned the true nature of this school.
As a student in Class D, relying on the class was tough—even covering basic living expenses was a struggle.
So he had to work alone.
Right now, his solo business partner was Chabashira-sensei, who had tasked him with investigating his classmates.
The price per student was 200,000 yen.
But he had also confirmed that Chabashira-sensei had ulterior motives—she was a bad woman.
She wanted to use him as a pawn.
So, should he try to negotiate a higher price with Chabashira?
Since she was a bad woman, wouldn't it be fair for him to be a little bad too?
But—
How should he go about it?
As he pondered, Hachiman suddenly looked up.
He noticed an intense gaze coming from the seat next to him.
Horikita Suzune was staring at him intently.
"…" Hachiman.
Hmm.
Horikita's brother had tasked her with finding his weaknesses, but what the brother actually wanted was for her to start paying attention to others, learn something, and become more socially adept.
Not to be this ridiculously stiff and straightforward.
"How about having dinner together tonight?" Hachiman said.
After inviting Sakayanagi Arisu—possibly the cutest girl in school—to lunch, Hachiman extended an invitation to another person.
This time, based on looks alone, it was the most beautiful girl in school—Horikita Suzune.
Chapter 029: Controlling Horikita Suzune—It Feels Like Experiencing Sakayanagi's Joy!
Horikita Suzune.
Her jet-black straight hair was neatly braided on one side, and her sharp fox-like eyes gleamed with intensity.
Her skin was snow-white, and her facial features were exquisitely delicate.
From the side, she looked like a painting.
She had a remarkably high level of beauty, coupled with a unique aura, naturally exuding the presence of an unattainable flower on a high peak.
Right now, she sat to the side, flipping through a vocabulary book, radiating the aura of a diligent honor student.
From Hachiman's perspective, aside from her lack of social finesse, Horikita Suzune was actually quite an exceptional person.
She excelled academically and had strong learning abilities.
Moreover, she was incredibly dedicated to her studies every day.
This gave Hachiman a fleeting thought—maybe he should invest in Horikita while she was still "weak."
After all, in the future, she was bound to become either a lawyer, a doctor, or some other high-paying profession that required strong academic skills.
It was definitely something worth looking forward to.
Yes.
Right now, Horikita Suzune was still weak.
Indeed, true strong individuals have no need to associate with others. Only the weak gather in groups.
But, Horikita—you're not strong enough yet. You haven't reached the level of a true powerhouse.
These thoughts ran chaotically through Hachiman's mind.
Once again, he confirmed that pretty or cute girls indeed had something akin to a natural fragrance—just like Sakayanagi Arisu.
When he had carried her before, he noticed she had a faint milky scent.
And Horikita was the same…
No, wait.
Hachiman suddenly realized something—Horikita's shampoo smelled familiar.
To be precise, he had smelled it two days ago when he discovered that the supermarket provided free supplies, including complimentary shampoo and body wash.
Since it was free, he had casually opened a bottle and taken a sniff.
It had a faint jasmine fragrance.
And now, that same scent was lingering in the air again.
Which meant… despite having points, Horikita Suzune was still extremely frugal?
She didn't waste anything and had a thrifty, homey nature. Girls like this were already quite rare.
"…" Hachiman.
For some reason, Horikita suddenly seemed much more pleasing to the eye.
And that was an unusual development.
It was as if something in him was wavering.
Or rather—why was he having such strange thoughts about his classmate?
He even considered investing in Horikita now, so that when she became successful in the future, she could take care of him.
That was a pretty dangerous idea.
Actually, no—it was all Kushida Kikyo's fault.
She had planted these unnecessary fantasies in his head.
By now, the two of them had arrived at the cafeteria.
Since it was dinnertime, the place was packed with students.
Horikita, due to her outstanding appearance, naturally drew attention.
But no matter whose gaze fell upon her, she remained completely indifferent.
Did that mean people were also looking at him, since he was walking beside her?
After all, he was a guy standing next to a top-tier beauty—wouldn't that cause some misunderstandings?
Hachiman really hated getting caught up in unnecessary trouble.
But—
Anyone who understood Horikita even a little would know that she was as cold as ice and as stiff as a wooden plank.
Which meant romance was out of the question.
Even if a classmate saw them together, there wouldn't be any issues.
Most people who had been interested in Horikita had already been rejected by her.
And as a human surveillance camera, Hachiman had taken note of every single one of them.
However—
"If it's just a simple meal, then I'm not interested," Horikita said flatly. "I'd rather go back to my dorm and cook for myself."
Classic Horikita.
Even after coming all this way, she could still reject him on the spot.
But knowing how to cook was also a plus.
…Wait.
He felt like he was becoming weird.
"…I've gathered some information about this school that I can share with you," Hachiman said, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. "And it's information you wouldn't be able to obtain on your own."
"…" Horikita Suzune.
Hearing that, Horikita bit her lip slightly.
But she didn't refute him.
"If you have no objections, then sit down first," Hachiman said as he found an empty table and took a seat. "I don't want to attract attention just because I'm sitting with you."
That was actually a rather rude way of putting it.
Surprisingly, though, Horikita simply stood there for a few seconds before following him and sitting down across from him.
She placed both hands on the table, her sharp eyes fixed on him.
She still had that fierce aura.
But she was actually a little obedient.
Hachiman noted another good trait about Horikita Suzune.
"Alright, let's eat first," Hachiman said. "Go get me a meal."
"Take care of your own things," Horikita refused immediately. "Everyone has hands and feet—I don't see why I should be doing that for you."
She had a point.
Horikita was completely right.
"I see… Then I suppose I don't have to share my information for free either," Hachiman shamelessly responded. "Since I put in effort to get it."
So, in other words, if she wanted the intel, she'd have to offer something in return?
"…" Horikita Suzune.
She shot him a glare—but then, without another word, she stood up.
As he watched, he saw her line up at the counter.
First, she took her own meal.
Then, she ordered another one.
In the end, she brought back two portions.
Hachiman sat there, watching her.
He had a bad feeling about this.
During lunch, he had watched Sakayanagi Arisu tame Kamuro Masumi—Kamuro acted just like Sakayanagi's little pet.
Back then, he had thought, Wow, Sakayanagi is such a manipulative brat, bullying her classmates like that.
But now…
He suddenly found the idea of taming Horikita kind of fun.
Damn it, this was all Sakayanagi's fault.
She had passed on her terrible personality to him.
…
Meanwhile.
On the third floor, in a private dining room.
Sakayanagi Arisu.
As the adorable, knee-high-socks-wearing loli that she was—combined with the fact that she had no shortage of money—she naturally made a habit of dining in the private rooms on the third floor.
Of course, she wasn't alone.
Chapter 30: Kamuro – "Sakayanagi, Has Your D-Class Spy Recruitment Succeeded? Why Aren't You Saying Anything?"
With her fair little hands resting on her knees, Sakayanagi Arisu watched as Kamuro Masumi rudely barged into the private dining room.
However—
"I've already joined the art club, just as you requested," Kamuro said stiffly.
"Well done," Sakayanagi replied. "Joining the art club may help you learn a skill and give you more career options in the future. But more importantly, it allows you to interact with students from other grades."
"This will make gathering information much easier."
"The school has placed a gag order on certain matters, but there will always be people who can't keep their mouths shut."
In other words, they now knew that there would be special exams every month.
Their class, Class A, had started with the highest evaluation.
But that wasn't a guaranteed position.
The school wanted students to compete and grow through competition.
At the same time—
Only those who graduated as Class A students would receive the promised benefits: guaranteed admission to their desired university without exams and job placements of their choice.
Of course—
For already excellent Class A students, they could take the entrance exams through their own academic ability.
But if they could enter universities without exams and secure jobs effortlessly, why would they go through all that trouble?
There was also no guarantee that they would pass.
So, this was the shortcut.
And every Class A student knew this.
But even though they had the best starting position, they had to maintain it for three years to ensure they remained in Class A by graduation.
That was an anxiety-inducing challenge.
Thus, Sakayanagi made her arrangements.
She arranged for certain students to join school clubs.
To gain higher evaluations, and to gather information from upperclassmen about past special exams.
This was Sakayanagi Arisu's way of preparing for the future.
Those who believed in her followed her lead.
For example, Kamuro Masumi was assigned to the art club.
However—
"Kamuro, your tone is terrible, but your actions are quite loyal," Sakayanagi remarked. "You seem to hate painting."
"Is it because of some family history?" Sakayanagi asked.
"Don't try to trick me into talking," Kamuro responded harshly, firmly rejecting Sakayanagi.
"Really?" Arisu continued, "You do realize that if that thing gets exposed, it would deal a devastating blow to our class."
"That's why I'm training you—to gradually make you forget about it."
"This is for the class's protection, and for your own."
Sakayanagi Arisu spoke slowly and deliberately. "I'm thinking of you so much, yet you don't even realize it. That's a bit disappointing."
Disappointing?
Why did Kamuro feel like she was just being threatened the entire time?
Kamuro kept a stern expression. "I don't need your kind of concern."
"And besides," Kamuro Masumi felt disgusted every time she talked with Sakayanagi—she was always at a disadvantage. So, she changed the topic. "You've already planted a spy in Class D, haven't you? That guy, Hikigaya."
This was proof that Kamuro was physically strong but not the sharpest mentally.
Because—
If the goal was truly class competition, the logical move would be to plant a spy in Class B, the class that could potentially threaten Class A.
Class D was universally acknowledged as a dumpster.
No Class D had ever successfully overthrown higher-ranked classes.
The strongest Class D in history had only made it to Class B at best.
So—
Saying that Sakayanagi was recruiting a spy from Class D was just an excuse.
She was merely taming Kamuro while also finding a reason to invite Hikigaya over.
Unfortunately—
In this small intelligence test, Kamuro had failed.
Sakayanagi remained calm.
"If you have something to say, feel free," Sakayanagi said.
"If you were just recruiting a spy, there would be no need to have lunch with him," Kamuro Masumi pointed out. "People noticed that you ate lunch with him."
"There's no need to go that far, so… are you interested in him?"
"Everyone says you have no taste."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Sakayanagi's expression softened slightly, but then her smile became even more adorable. "Who thinks that?"
"…" Kamuro.
Even though she had only been around Sakayanagi for a few days, she already knew that this seemingly frail girl was extremely petty.
So now, she was a little upset.
She could just say the name of someone she disliked, and Sakayanagi would definitely retaliate against them.
But if she did that, Sakayanagi would quickly see through her intentions.
So, she reluctantly revealed the actual source of the comment.
"Katsuragi's lackey, Totsuka Yahiko."
…
Totsuka Yahiko was a student in Class A.
He had been class president multiple times in the past, with decent academic and athletic abilities—overall, a competent person.
But after entering this school, he was immediately captivated by Katsuragi Kohei and became his follower.
Of course, calling him a "lackey" was just a way of putting it.
In reality, it was a bet.
He was betting that Katsuragi would become Class A's leader and guide the class forward steadily.
And Katsuragi Kohei—
He had always been a student council member. Back in middle school, he was even the student council president.
His academics were outstanding, his physical abilities were decent, and he was intelligent and steady-minded.
He was the complete opposite of Sakayanagi Arisu.
Sakayanagi was decisive, bold, and aggressive.
Katsuragi was steady, steady, and even more steady.
"Well, he really has no taste, then," Sakayanagi Arisu said. "I think Hikigaya is actually more suited for Class A than Totsuka."
"…" Kamuro.
Kamuro listened, but she wasn't convinced.
A Class D student, suited for Class A? Was he supposed to jump up the ranks?
That would take 20 million points.
And 20 million… that was an insane amount.
For an average household, it would take years to save that much.
Even for a middle-class family.
But Sakayanagi did not continue the topic.
"Totsuka is probably just trying to support Katsuragi," Sakayanagi Arisu said, as if she had suddenly lost interest. "Our class is indeed unique. There are those who support my aggressive approach, but there are also those who prefer to safeguard our current advantage."
Sakayanagi held significant influence in Class A, backed by a group of loyal supporters.
And after obtaining a massive number of points, she used the power of money to bring in Teacher Mashima.
Mashima revealed the true nature of the school to the students of Class A, along with the school's expectations and evaluation of their class.
Although it was a four-class competition, Class A had a substantial advantage. If they could maintain their stability until graduation, that would be ideal.
In other words, they could simply coast on their initial advantage.
Some students in the class wanted to take this seemingly safe route.
But to Sakayanagi Arisu, that was utterly boring.
That was why she found school life uninteresting.
And thinking about that reminded her—
She had almost been left hanging by Hikigaya Hachiman.
She had practically given him information for free, and he had almost gotten away with it.
Damn you, Hikigaya Hachiman!
Hello everyone! I'm VarieTL.
Read ahead (40 chapters) by supporting me on https://www.patreon.com/c/VarieTL and https://ko-fi.com/varietl
There you can also read 5 other Novels and other 3 Fanfiction of Oregairu