---Notice---
So far, I've been having fun writing this. I don't know when the next chapter will be, but **if you enjoy the story, please let me know with comments, reviews, and, of course, powerstones!!!**
--------------------------------
"It is easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled." ~Mark Twain
***The Teachers Lounge**
"Sae Chan! You're finally here; what took you so long?" The bubbly Hoshinomiya asked Chabashira, who just entered the teacher's lounge. She hugged her from behind and gave her a peck on the cheek.
"Nothing, or at least I can't really say, but you'll find out soon enough. I have some fascinating characters this year, one being particularly… Insightful." Chabashira said, looking at the ripped paper in her hand. She sighed and rolled her eyes at Hoshinomiya's affectionate gesture.
"Oh really? I'm happy for you, Sae Chan! It won't be easy for you, though; my Class B also has a diamond in it." Hoshinomiya said, winking at her.
"Don't think you two are the only ones. My Class C has also been blessed with a talent this year," Sakagami interrupted, smirking. "He's a genius, and he'll make sure we surpass all of you."
"Class A is also in good shape. We are packed with talents. It's just a matter of who will take the reigns," Mashima said in a cold and indifferent tone. He ignored Sakagami's challenge and looked at his laptop.
"I think you all will be surprised when you hear what happened in my class D; as long as I can get him to lead the class, I think A-Class is really possible this year," Chabashira said, squeezing her hand while staring at the contract she made with Eru. She felt a surge of pride and frustration at the same time.
***Eru Lawliet***
For such a grand school, the entrance ceremony truly is as dull as you can imagine. Well, at least the student council president seemed interesting. Not only did he look similar to that black-haired girl in my class, but she had the same last name, Suzune Horikita; "Hmmm, I wonder."
I was currently in a convenience store staring at their array of ice cream flavors contemplating what to buy.
"Eru? Is that you?" I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned my head slightly and saw Ayanokoji.
"Yes, it is; what a coincidence," I said, looking at him with my dark eyes.
Ayanokoji glanced at the front of the store, "They seem to be giving out free items; it seems like your hypothesis on class, and private points was probably correct."
"It seems that way," I responded, disinterested, once again facing the ice cream. I tilted my head and asked, "Ayanokoji, may I ask you an important question? Do you know the size of the fridge in our dorms?"
Ayanokoji raised an eyebrow. "No, why? Is it important?"
"You see, if I knew the size of our fridges, I could estimate the size of our freezers to get an idea of how much ice cream I can fit inside of them, but without that information, I will just have to assume our fridges are small, meaning there isn't much freezer space for ice cream," I explained as I began to put ice cream in my shopping crate.
Ayanokoji looked amused. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?"
"I wouldn't joke about a matter as serious as this, Ayanokoji," I respond after putting the 8 pint-sized containers in my crate. "Are we done here?"
"I guess so. Is that all you are getting?"
"For now, I will get some of the free hygiene products at the front of the store," I said and hunched over the container with free products. I took delicately took the necessary products and put them in my crate. As I did, the convenience store doors opened.
"I had hoped to avoid encountering the two of you again, but it appears luck is not on my side," Horikita remarks, her annoyed gaze lingering on my basket.
"There is no need to be confrontational. Did you also come to see what the school offers?" Ayanokoji asked her, resulting in the release of a sigh.
"Yes, I came to purchase a few necessities," Horikita said and walked past us. She grabbed some of the free items and put them in her basket.
"I see you should buy some ice cream. It's quite inexpensive here." Instead of paying attention to my words, Horikita notes the free items, glances at me, and then puts them in her basket.
During the silence, I walked towards the candy section and placed a big bag of sweets in my crate. "I'm going to go pay," I say, looking at both Horikita and Ayanokoi, who nods in my direction.
"That will be 8,650 Points," The cashier told me, and I quickly paid and took my bagged items with 2 fingers.
"Well, I'll be going then," I say, but right before exiting the store, Horikita stops me.
"Wait. I have a question."
"That's unexpected. You strike me as the self-reliant type." I say, thinking to myself, "However, I am curious about your inquiry," I respond.
Suzune looks around cautiously before speaking, "Before you explained your hypothesis on the point system, you called Chabashira Sensei to your seat, and you handed her a paper. She said it was a contract. How did you know she would accept, and what did you gain from it?" As she asks, Ayanokoji also faces me with curiosity.
"I see an interesting question indeed," I say as I take another step towards the exit.
"Wait." Horikita interrupts, her tone demanding an answer, "Aren't you going to Answer?"
"I have no problem answering your question, but I also have no reason to. Unless, of course, you have something to offer me in return. Perhaps some points. I guess for that, I would entertain you and answer your questions to the best of my ability." I said, holding the last candy I had in my pocket delicately between my fingers. I stared at Horikita with my dark eyes, trying to read her expression.
"And no, it wasn't points that I gained." I lied naturally while showing my point total, "as you can see, I only have 91,350 points." Ayanokoji's expression slightly sharpened at this but quickly relaxed, and Horikita looked at me more curiously.
"I am not accustomed to making deals without clear advantages. If your information genuinely benefits me or the class, I might consider a reasonable exchange." She seemed to have no intentions of paying me without knowing the information; well, let me see if I can extort her points.
"Well, I guess I'll begin by saying what I gained from the contract," I say while licking the candy in my fingers, "What I gained is a favor from Chabashira. A favor that she has to fulfill, no matter what I ask her to do, as long as it is reasonable as well as within her power and authority," Horikita looked at me suspiciously, "As Chabashira Sensei pointed out, the currency of this institution is points, and, as I've deduced, everything holds a quantifiable value. In this case, the worth I of what proposed to Chabashira Sensei coincided with the exchange rate for a future favor from her in return."
"So you're saying that you can assign a numerical value to literally anything in this school, even a teacher's favor? How did you even come up with such a calculation?"
"Since you are paying me for this information, I will explain my logic to you. Before I handed the contract to Chabashira Sensei, I asked her a question to confirm a hypothesis I had about the point system. Her answer indicated that the relationship between the teachers and the school was similar to that between the students and the school. Therefore, I deduced that the teachers have an interest in student performance and status. Hence, I calculated the value of a favor from Chabashira Sensei and offered her a fair exchange based on this fact. Do you understand, or do you need me to repeat it?" I say, licking the candy in my fingers. I look at Horikita with a blank expression.
"That won't be necessary," Horikita says as she takes a second to think to herself. "After some consideration, I think the information you provided is of some value. I will offer you 10,000 points in exchange for the details you've disclosed."
"That's fair," I say after some thought and bring my phone close to her, almost instantaneously receiving the transfer, "And you, Ayanokoji, you must be a scammer, No? You just stood there and listened to our whole conversation with no plans of paying me. You must be quite shameless, aren't you?" I say, pointing my phone at him.
Ayanokoji sighs but responds, "Of course not." He puts his phone over mine, transferring another 10,000 points.
"Well, I'll be going then. I dont want my ice cream to melt," I say, and this time, I walk through the store exit and towards the dorms without any interruptions, getting my keycard and entering my room without trouble.
"Bigger than anticipated," I remark upon entering, placing the ice cream in the fridge. "Perhaps additional store visits are in order," I muttered, opening the bag of candy and stowing a handful in my school bag.
I received a few messages as I got crouched in the corner of my bed. They were from Kushida, the only classmate who had my number. I glanced at the messages and replied briefly, but I did not care much for texting. I stayed up most of the night, eating sweets. I had trouble sleeping in this unfamiliar environment. As morning came, I prepared for class and exited my dorm, especially early. I had business to attend to, after all.
Keeping that in mind, I make my way out of the dorms and to the teacher's lounge, knocking twice on the door before waiting for a response.
"Come on in!" a playful voice says from the other side of the door. And as I stepped inside, I saw a young woman. I noted the mischievous glint in her eyes. The second I walked in, one thought came into my mind.
She was different from me - in every way possible. She was also different from any teacher I had ever encountered. She was the antithesis of Chabashira sensei. I could tell that at the first glance.
"What's the matter? Do you like what you see?" she asked me with a sinister grin. "Or do I have something on my face?"
"Nothing is the matter," I say in my usual calm voice. "You look fine," I do not let her playful voice or grin affect me. I am here to talk to Chabashira sensei, not to flirt with her colleague. Although I wonder I wonder if this is the real her ultimately, the most terrifying enemy is not the one who openly opposes you, but the one who secretly manipulates you; it's the same reason I don't fully trust Kushida; humans only have so much kindness to give around and fountains of kindness do not exist. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm looking for Chabashira sensei. Do you know where she is?"
She grins and says, "I know exactly where Sae Chan is hiding!" She wraps her arm around my waist and pulls me close to her, "Just go that corridor on the left. The first door you see is the one you're looking for."
"Understood. I appreciate your cooperation," I reply in a monotone voice as I nod slightly to the teacher. I walk towards Chabashira sensei's door and knock on it twice. She responded promptly and granted me access to her room.
So I enter Chabashira sensei's room and close the door behind me. The room is dimly lit, with a few books and papers scattered on the desk. Chabashira sensei is sitting on a chair facing the window. She turns her head slightly and looks at me with a cold expression.
"what are you doing here?" She asks in a stern voice. She doesn't seem surprised or alarmed by my presence. She must have expected me to come.
"Your colleague with the "bright" personality guided me here. What is her name?" I inquire as I gaze at Chabashira. I take out a candy from my pocket and place it between my fingers. I start to lick it slowly.
She snorts and says, "Her name is Chie Hoshinomiya. She's the homeroom teacher of class 1B. She's also a pain in the ass who can't mind her own business. Why do you ask?" She narrows her eyes and leans forward. She seems to be good friends with this Hishinomiya sensei. I wonder what their history is.
"I have no specific reason, only personal interest," I state as I savor my candy. "My reason for coming here is to claim the 400,000 points you are indebted to me." I look at her intently as I conclude my sentence.
"400,000 points?" She frowns, "You must be mistaken. The contract clearly says 300,000 points will be rewarded if the conditions are fulfilled." She says coldly, staring at me as I look away from her to glance at the camera in her office.
"That is correct, but you cannot give me the points at this time, can you? I am confident that my deduction regarding the school and point system was accurate, but if you give me the 300,000 points, you might as well admit that what I said about the school and the point system is accurate. But that would be a problem since you would be violating the rule that forbids you from revealing the school's secrets. However, that does not change the fact that you signed a contract that states that you will transfer the 300,000 Private Points to me within 24 hours of a specified time in the future. I declare that the specified time is now, but you are unable to pay me. Therefore, you must pay me an additional penalty of 100,000 Private Points, according to the contract. So yes, you owe me 400,000 points, Chabashira sensei." I say with a smile on my face, awaiting Chabashira sensei's response.
She looked at me with a sharp gaze as she understood the situation. "400,000 points?" She repeated, her voice calm but irritated. "You have manipulated the terms of our agreement very skillfully. You have gained my forced respect, Eru. I will agree to your terms; I will make sure you get your points within 24 hours of the first of the next month if your deductions are deemed correct." She said, trying to hide her anger and frustration. She was not happy with the outcome, but she had no choice but to comply.
"Very well, I will take my leave now," I state as I walk towards the door and head towards class.