Chapter 10: Probing the Class's Leader
[Ayanokōji stared intently at the boy. So far, the boy's actions had been flawless. To erase his existence, one would first need to differ from him in nature and alter the timeline, meaning their actions should differ from his.]
[But Ayanokōji couldn't understand why the White Room's assassin would be such an overly self-aware person.]
[The White Room was supposed to strip away all emotions. Maintaining such a calm mindset was something even Ayanokōji hadn't anticipated.]
[Still, this didn't mean he was afraid. As the White Room's greatest masterpiece, no matter how many assassins came, he wouldn't back down. After all, since his birth he had never known fear.]
Hikigaya held the phone, repeatedly calculating the school's annual expenditure. After confirming multiple times, he was certain the school couldn't afford such costs.
A figure of 360 million yen was something even many companies couldn't achieve, yet it was happening at a school. And that didn't include other expenses. If just the student payments amounted to 360 million, such a school couldn't exist in the world.
So… what was the purpose of Chabashira-sensei's words?
'It seems this school is more interesting than I thought.'
Surprisingly, Hikigaya didn't continue complaining in his mind. If he had been swept away by the 100,000 points, he probably would've rushed to the arcade to buy a couple of gaming consoles the moment class ended.
But now, he was frighteningly calm.
After listening to a long string of useless chatter, with Chabashira-sensei's announcement to dismiss, the students in the class gradually left the classroom.
Since it was the first day of school, most of the time was left for students to get accustomed to the environment or to set up their dorms.
Although the school provided single-room dorms, daily necessities had to be purchased at the convenience store. However, since they had been given 100,000 points, most students didn't think twice and left excitedly.
Hikigaya didn't rush to leave. Before going shopping, he wanted to gather more information, such as… about the other classes in their grade, A, B, and C, which ranked above them.
Hikigaya picked up his backpack, slung it over his shoulder as usual, and walked alone through the academic building.
Since they were all in the same grade, the classrooms weren't far apart. A quick observation probably wouldn't cause any trouble.
Hikigaya first arrived at Class C. Unlike his own class, even 20 minutes after sensei had left, they seemed to be discussing something. Hikigaya, like a mere passerby, quietly gathered information as he walked by.
A man with long red hair sat on the podium, staring at the class like a monarch. Beside him stood a dark-skinned, muscular guy who looked like a bodyguard. It felt… like a tyrant's presence.
That predatory gaze was enough for Hikigaya to sense an intimidating aura with just a brief glance. Fortunately, thanks to his pitifully low presence, no one in Class C noticed him.
'Already exerting dominance over the class so soon? Is this the old society? Is this the mafia?'
Hikigaya didn't linger. After gathering a quick impression, he continued toward Class B.
[Ryūen was puzzled. With his years of experience navigating the streets, there was no way he wouldn't have noticed someone's presence. Could this guy's presence really be that low?]
[He wasn't the only one confused. Students from Class D and Class B also found it unbelievable. They knew exactly what kind of person Ryūen was, having clashed with him before, and were well aware of his strength. Yet now, he couldn't even detect this guy? That was too incredible.]
[Ayanokōji, however, knew the reason clearly. The reason Ryūen didn't notice Hikigaya was simple. Yes, Ryūen's perception was sharp, but if someone passed by without any intentions, his keen senses would be useless. Plus, it was the start of the school year, and Class C was probably busy dealing with rebellious students.]
Hikigaya continued walking and soon arrived at Class B's classroom. Compared to Class C, Class B was much livelier, as expected from a class known for its unity.
Hikigaya glanced from a distance at the girl standing at the podium. Her pink hair and sparkling appearance, coupled with a genuine smile free of any pretense, made him pause for a moment.
Perhaps it was this slight pause that caught the attention of the angelic Ichinose Honami. After handing over the task of leading the class to Kanzaki Ryūji, she waved at him generously and walked out.
"…Hello."
Hikigaya's face flushed slightly, and the girl waved back casually, responding: "Hi, I'm Ichinose Honami."
"I'm Hikigaya Hachiman."
"Are you visiting our class? Welcome, Hikigaya-san. Is it okay if I call you that?"
The girl placed a fingertip on her lips, seemingly a bit puzzled.
The boy didn't respond, only nodding slightly.
'Saika, how did you change your gender…?'
Hikigaya didn't resist the girl in front of him. Though she was also kind to everyone, compared to that fake smile girl, this girl embodied true kindness.
[In the Service Club, everyone sighed. It seemed Saika's place in his heart was truly irreplaceable.]
[Of course, Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuigahama Yui's gazes never left Hikigaya. Their resentful looks and hidden smiles felt like they could kill him at any moment, making Hikigaya feel like bugs were crawling on his skin.]
After a brief exchange, Hikigaya used a clumsy excuse to escape the girl's enthusiasm. As expected, no matter where he was, he was terrible at socializing.
It didn't matter, though. She'd probably forget him soon, so he didn't need to care too much. An angel like her wasn't kind to just him alone.
Hikigaya had known this for a long time.
(End of this chapter)