"Tsukishiro, I worked hard to secure this opportunity and push you into this position. This plan cannot afford to fail."
"You must bring back the masterpiece of our White Room! I want him to understand—tools are tools, and they can never escape their master's grasp, let alone go against their master's will!" Ayanokouji Atsuomi sat calmly in his office, instructing the subordinate across from him.
"Yes, sir," Tsukishiro replied respectfully, his face fixed in that perpetual squint. He was an older man now, his face lined with deep wrinkles. Visually, the clearly higher-ranking Ayanokouji Atsuomi actually looked younger than him.
But there's something especially inscrutable about squinty-eyed men—especially ones as aged and unreadable as Tsukishiro. It was impossible to guess what he was truly thinking.
Seeing Tsukishiro's humble attitude, Ayanokouji Atsuomi was in high spirits. He was the kind of man who had to control everything. Whatever belonged to him—whether people or things—had to be held in his hand, tightly, with no room for resistance.
His son Ayanokouji Kiyotaka running away, Sakayanagi the chairman not showing him proper respect—those things had left him seething with fury.
This time, through Tsukishiro, he would make both of them see that he was the one who truly towered over them all.
"These are the AN School's materials. Learn them quickly and complete the mission I've given you. Every rule you need to follow is in here." He finished speaking and tossed a small USB drive across the desk.
Truthfully, Ayanokouji Atsuomi found this entire process a hassle. AN was far too troublesome. Even parachuting Tsukishiro in wouldn't guarantee results—he'd still be subject to a very strict system just to take Ayanokouji Kiyotaka away. It was anything but simple.
Tsukishiro caught the USB without even opening his eyes, revealing the calm, precise reflexes of a skilled professional. "I'll study these materials thoroughly, Ayanokouji-sama."
"Hmph." Ayanokouji Atsuomi still seemed dissatisfied. "You understand, don't you, Tsukishiro? If you fail, you'll be of no further use to me."
Even with his most trusted subordinates, Ayanokouji Atsuomi never let up. If someone needed to be warned or threatened, he would do it—this was his philosophy of control. No carrots and sticks, just total domination.
"Of course. Leave it to me, Ayanokouji-sama. I won't disappoint you." Tsukishiro remained smiling, eyes squinted shut as ever, full of unshakable confidence. Ayanokouji Atsuomi nodded in satisfaction.
After receiving the mission, Tsukishiro spent several days patiently studying all the materials and intelligence on AN.
Only once he fully grasped the school's internal systems did he finally leave the White Room on the morning of March 1st and board a car bound for the school.
As the scenery whizzed past the car windows, Tsukishiro let out a deep breath of relief. At last, his real plan could begin.
Sorry, Ayanokouji-sama… but this time, I'm afraid I'll have to let you down.
"So this is AN? Not a bad place at all." Tsukishiro stepped out of the car, eyeing the spacious campus and its pleasant natural surroundings with rising fondness.
To him, this was what a school should look like. This was how society's elites ought to be trained. Compared to the White Room's dreary monotony, how could that sterile environment ever prepare someone to function in the real world?
Tsukishiro had always harbored deep doubts about it.
"Acting Chairman." At that moment, Sakayanagi's class teacher, Mashima, who had been waiting at the school gate, approached Tsukishiro. After briefly introducing himself, he prepared to escort Tsukishiro to the Chairman's office.
That's right. Thanks to Ayanokouji Atsuomi's strategic exchange of interests, he had succeeded in placing Tsukishiro into the chairman's seat at AN. However, the position was simply too important—Ayanokouji couldn't possibly claim full control for himself.
To completely dominate AN, he'd have to surrender everything he had worked for all his life. Not just hand over the White Room, but every associated asset and advantage. And even then, the deal might only be considered equivalent in value—it still depended on the whims of multiple factions.
In terms of outcomes alone, AN was superior to the White Room by a vast margin. Years of development and investment had allowed AN to consistently train the mid-level elite needed by society. By contrast, what had the White Room achieved? Despite the massive funding poured into it for years, it had yet to yield tangible results.
Even its so-called greatest creation, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, was still just a first-year student at AN—nowhere near ready to enter society. Comparing the two institutions made their difference in overall value starkly clear.
So in the end, Tsukishiro's appointment could only be temporary—Acting Chairman at most. Even with all the influence behind him, he'd likely only hold the post for a year or so. Nothing more.
Mashima led the way up front, while Tsukishiro, now on assignment, strolled along behind him at a deliberately slow pace. Whether it was due to his age or a desire to savor the scenery, he showed no rush whatsoever.
In fact, it took them a whole thirty minutes of meandering before they finally reached the former chairman Sakayanagi's office. Much of the space had already been preliminarily cleared—just awaiting Tsukishiro's arrival.
"Not bad. Not bad at all." Surveying the office, which gave off an air of literary elegance, Tsukishiro sincerely admired the taste of his predecessor. "What a shame we didn't get to meet."
"If I had the chance, I'd love to have a proper conversation with former Chairman Sakayanagi."
Mashima merely smiled without a word. What could he say? He wasn't some naive high schooler. He was a grown man with real workplace experience. Even though he'd always worked as a teacher at AN, he understood the harsh realities of professional politics.
Your current boss sits in the office, chatting with you—the old guard—and starts praising the former boss. What are you supposed to say?
Nod in agreement and gush about how great Sakayanagi was? That's basically a veiled insult to the current chairman, implying Tsukishiro doesn't measure up. That kind of comment might come back to bite him later.
Shake your head and disagree? That would be openly badmouthing a former superior. Mashima wasn't that reckless.
So, like any wise subordinate, Mashima just kept his mouth shut, silently watching Tsukishiro bask in his own self-importance. It was the golden rule: never flap your lips in front of your boss.
Perhaps sensing the silence, Tsukishiro chuckled and let it go. He wasn't the kind to insist on a response.
Instead, he eased into the ergonomic executive chair—soft, plush, and perfectly shaped to the body—and issued his first order as Acting Chairman.
"By the way, Mr. Mashima, you're currently in charge of the first-years, correct?"
"In that case, would you mind gathering the homeroom teachers of the other three first-year classes? There's something I'd like to discuss with all of you and implement with your help."
Mashima wasn't quite sure what Tsukishiro was planning. Why call for the other homeroom teachers? Probably just some typical new-leader shake-up. He obediently nodded and even responded with a classic piece of office-speak:
"Of course. It's my duty—no trouble at all."
...
For every 3 five-star reviews → +1 extra chapter
For every 50 Power Stones → +1 extra chapter.
Read 50+ chapters ahead on Patreon! [patreon.com/METARLN]
Use code FREE2ALL for 30% OFF!