Inside Class 1-B's homeroom, Hikaru once again turned his gaze toward his deskmate, Ichinose Honami.
The pink-haired beauty was surrounded by classmates, her gentle and warm smile never wavering as she patiently engaged with everyone.
Despite today being their first day of school, Ichinose had already blended seamlessly into the class. Her striking appearance naturally drew attention, but the aura of trustworthiness she exuded was just as captivating.
A person who could effortlessly talk to anyone was easy to get along with. However, if Hikaru wanted to increase her favorability toward him, he would need to be more deliberate—building rapport with someone so approachable might actually be more difficult than expected.
As his thoughts raced, he quickly assessed his starting capital—a newcomer's bonus of 100,000 points.
Ichinose's stock price was 10 points per share, with 5,000 shares available for purchase. To go all-in on her stock, he would have to spend a significant portion of his funds.
But this was only their first meeting. He had no insight into her true personality yet, so he decided to observe a little longer before making a move.
At that moment, a slender figure stepped onto the podium.
---
"Good morning, everyone. I am your homeroom teacher, Hoshinomiya Chie."
Hikaru looked up to see a young woman with long, wavy brown hair standing at the front of the classroom. Her trendy outfit, along with the playful curl at the ends of her hair, gave her a modern and stylish appearance. With a warm smile, she surveyed the students before continuing.
"First of all, congratulations on your enrollment! Our school follows a non-reclass system, which means the classmates sitting beside you will remain your companions for the next three years. I hope you all get along well."
"As your homeroom teacher, I won't be changing either—I'll be with you all until graduation."
"Whoa!"
The classroom immediately erupted with cheers—whether they were celebrating the lack of class transfers or the prospect of spending three years with an adorable teacher was unclear.
"Next, let's go over some school regulations. Our school operates under a full boarding system, meaning you'll all be living in individual dormitories on campus. Except for special circumstances, no one is allowed to leave the school grounds."
"Of course, aside from academic facilities, there are plenty of amenities for you to enjoy." Hoshinomiya began counting on her fingers, a playful look on her face. "There's a cafeteria, shopping district, karaoke bars, and cafes—you won't have time to get bored!"
Just as the students were digesting this information, she revealed something even more surprising.
The S-System
"In addition, our school has implemented a special system known as the S-System."
Hoshinomiya pulled out her phone from her pocket and held it up for everyone to see.
"You'll find this feature pre-installed on the school-issued smartphones you received. It allows you to check your Private Points."
"Explaining how Private Points work would take a while, so just think of them as currency you can use within the school. One point equals one yen!"
"The points will be automatically credited on the first day of each month, and you can check your balance through your student ID. These points serve as your living expenses while you're here."
"Oh, and by the way… you're all starting with 100,000 points."
"WHAT!?"
"100,000!?"
"That's insane! I've never had this much pocket money before!"
The classroom instantly buzzed with excitement. Every student eagerly pulled out their phones, checking their student IDs, and confirming that their Private Points balance had indeed been credited.
For a normal high school student, this was an unbelievable amount of money.
Hikaru also took out his phone. The details on his student ID were crystal clear.
[Student ID]
[Name: Hashima Hikaru]
[ID Number: S01T]
[Gender: Male]
[Private Points: 100,000]
"It really is 100,000 points… isn't this way too generous? Wasn't this school funded by the government?"
Hikaru immediately calculated the staggering cost behind this financial structure.
With three grade levels and twelve classes, each with 40 students, the total monthly distribution of Private Points would be 48 million points.
And that was just for one month. Over the course of three years, the total expenditure could easily exceed billions of points.
"Everything in this school can be bought with points. There's no need to save excessively, since any unused points will be revoked upon graduation. So, you're encouraged to enjoy your high school life to the fullest."
"But!"
Hoshinomiya raised a playful finger.
"You CANNOT intimidate or force others to pay for you. If you do, sensei will be very angry."
She made an exaggerated pouting face, though her cuteness made it hard to take her threat seriously.
As the explanation concluded, Hikaru turned to glance at Ichinose—only to find her staring blankly at her phone screen, an unusual expression on her face.
Did she just get knocked out by this windfall?
Deciding not to disturb her, Hikaru began mentally reviewing everything he had learned so far.
A three-year boarding system, a fully enclosed artificial island, luxurious commercial facilities, and a monthly stipend of 100,000 points for each student.
The more he thought about it, the deeper his frown became.
Because all of this reminded him of a rather unpleasant term—experimental subjects.
A school that invested this much money while still maintaining a 100% university acceptance rate and employment rate could not possibly function without a hidden system in place.
And that system was definitely not about giving students an easy, luxurious life.
"This school upholds the principle of meritocracy."
The Student Council President's words suddenly clicked into place, weaving together all of Hikaru's suspicions.
A hypothesis was forming in his mind. Now, he just needed proof.
Ever since he received his admission letter, Hikaru had made a firm decision—he would graduate from this school, no matter what.
And now that he had noticed something off, there was no way he would start his school life blindly.
So, he raised his hand.
---
From the moment she entered Class 1-B's classroom, Hoshinomiya had been secretly observing her students.
This wasn't her first time being a homeroom teacher for Class 1-B, so she had a good grasp of their overall capabilities.
They were decent, but not at the top.
If no dominant leader emerged among them, their chances of reaching the top were slim.
Watching them bask in their naïve dreams of financial freedom left her feeling... utterly bored.
Another uneventful three years, huh?
But then—
A voice cut through the classroom like a thunderclap, and her eyes locked onto the student who had spoken.
A sharp-featured boy with a strong bone structure, piercing clear eyes, and a strikingly defined face. His thin lips and slightly upturned eyes gave him an edge—not a soft, gentle handsomeness, but a dangerously sharp kind of beauty.
If I saw him outside, I might have approached him myself.
She flashed her most adorable smile and said,
"What is it student? Sensei will answer your question~"
Hikaru's gaze sharpened.
"I'd like to ask—are the 100,000 points truly credited automatically every month?"
"Ah, well… that's a bit tricky."
"Sensei can't answer that right now."
Hoshinomiya feigned hesitation, but her heartbeat accelerated uncontrollably.
She was watching him closely, eager for his next move.
Hikaru smirked, then dropped the bombshell.
"In that case—if I pay, will you tell me?"
"After all, you said everything in this school can be bought with points. That includes the truth about school rules, right?"
Bingo.
He figured it out.
A grin spread across Hoshinomiya's face.
"Well, you're not wrong… but can you afford it?"
"How much?"
"Flat price—2,000,000 Private Points."
Her gaze met his head-on.
"I'll tell you everything you want to know."