The dawn of a new day.
Shortly after waking, Mamoru got dressed and teleported back to his room in the student dorm before heading out.
(I wonder if that girl's doing okay today…)
Arisu crossed his mind as he left, but he quickly shook the thought away.
The chairman had asked him to look out for her, but that didn't mean he had to babysit her. He wasn't her guardian.
She clearly had strong innate physical abilities. With that in mind, worrying about her commute to and from school would be a little insulting.
(She might already be on her way to school. No need to wait around.)
He reached that conclusion in the elevator. But the moment the doors opened, that thought was immediately proven pointless.
"Good day, Mamoru."
There she was—Arisu, sitting on the lobby sofa of the student dormitory.
"…Good morning. Are you waiting for someone?"
Mamoru asked, his tone a mix of 30% interest (that she might have made other friends) and 70% resignation.
"Yes. I wanted to go to school with you, Mamoru."
So much for that theory.
Mamoru didn't dislike being relied upon, but at this rate, he was going to end up more like an attendant. The thought left a faint unease in the back of his mind.
Still, Arisu was right there in front of him.
"I see. Have you been waiting long?"
"Don't worry—I just got here."
She smiled gently. Whether she was being considerate or simply hiding her true feelings, Mamoru couldn't tell. Either way, he responded without fuss.
"Well then, let's go."
As Arisu stood up, Mamoru naturally extended his hand to help her.
She looked momentarily surprised by the gesture but quickly smiled again and accepted it with a soft, "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
And so, the two walked at a relaxed pace that matched Arisu's stride.
"By the way, Mamoru-kun," Arisu said, breaking the silence. "There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"…What is it?"
Mamoru responded cautiously. He could already tell this wasn't going to be a lighthearted topic.
"Today, probably after school, Katsuragi-kun is going to bring up what happened yesterday for a class discussion."
"Yeah, I figured."
Mamoru inwardly sighed. He had wanted to start his patrols quickly after school, and this was going to be a distraction.
"At that time, they'll probably ask for your opinion too, Mamoru. But I'd like you not to mention our conversation about expulsion."
"I don't mind… but why?"
"Right now, the students in Class A are entertaining the idea of inter-class competition. But they're being overly optimistic, thinking any penalties won't be too harsh."
"…That's probably true."
From their classmates' perspective, what happened yesterday may have seemed like nothing more than a surprise tactic. Besides, this was a school that handed out 100,000 yen on the first day. With such a generous system in place, it was easy to assume penalties wouldn't be severe.
"But in that case, wouldn't telling them be better?"
If expulsion was a possibility, even if reversible, knowing that could help everyone better grasp the risks involved.
"Mamoru, the value of information lies in timing. Right now, this is a card that only we hold among the freshmen."
"…So what's your goal here, Arisu-san?"
"Well, to be honest, today's discussion won't go anywhere interesting. At best, Katsuragi will lecture everyone about behavior, and they'll agree on a gag order to prevent information from leaking to the other classes."
Mamoru nodded silently. That much was easy to predict. The staff wasn't talking, and the upperclassmen clearly weren't either. Pushing for more details now would be a waste of time.
"The real issue is the gag order itself," Arisu continued. "Do you think everyone will follow it?"
Mamoru thought for a moment.
"…Probably not. All it takes is someone making a friend in another class and letting something slip."
There were 40 students in Class A. Subtract Mamoru, Arisu, and the reserved Katsuragi, and you were left with 37. It wouldn't be surprising if one or two formed casual friendships across classes and started talking.
Most of the students in Class A seemed serious, but if they didn't view the penalties as significant, some might say, "Just between us…"
"Exactly. If we had a clear leader, it might be manageable, but at this stage, it's too early to even choose one."
"Yeah. It's only the second day of school. We barely know each other."
Mamoru was starting to see where this was going.
"…So basically, you want to figure out who's reliable?"
"As expected of you. You understood from just that."
The school system would probably become clearer when the second point distribution occurred next month. Arisu seemed to be planning to use that time as a trial period.
Watch her classmates. Gauge their behavior. Share key information only with those who proved trustworthy. And gradually build unity.
In other words—she was aiming to form her own faction.
The real question now was: what did Mamoru plan to do with that knowledge?
"…Arisu-san, I'll be upfront with you."
"Yes?"
"I don't care about who leads or what happens between the classes. I just don't want to drop out. So I'll cooperate to that extent—but don't expect anything more."
From Mamoru's perspective, Arisu could do whatever she wanted. But it felt like she was deliberately trying to keep him close. Sharing her plans like this might have been a calculated move to gain his trust.
So he decided to set clear boundaries.
"I might seem like the type who helps people just because they ask, but I'm not that kind of person. If you're looking for a loyal pawn, look somewhere else."
He stopped walking, turned to face Arisu, and looked her directly in the eyes.
She didn't respond with her usual confident smile. Instead, her expression softened into something a little more fragile, a little lonelier.
"You've misunderstood, Mamoru-kun."
"Misunderstood?"
"I told you yesterday—I see you as a friend. Not a pawn. If I came across as controlling, then I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be selfish."
She usually wore an unreadable smile, but this time, Mamoru sensed no deceit in her words.
If it was an act, then she was a brilliant actress. Either way, Mamoru felt a little embarrassed for doubting her.
"…Well, as long as you understand, then it's fine. I overreacted too—I've been tired, and I might've been a bit harsh."
"Hehe, I don't mind. Though… you're tired? Did something happen?"
"Well, last night…"
He nearly said "my brother came over," before catching himself.
This wasn't a normal school. There was no contact with the outside world. He couldn't reveal that he'd spoken to Gojo Satoru.
"…My brother appeared in my dream."
"Your brother?"
Arisu tilted her head slightly at his brief pause, but Mamoru kept calm and kept going.
"Yeah. He's got this childish personality, and even in my dreams he talks like he's on a sugar rush. It's exhausting."
It wasn't his best lie, but it would do.
"Hmm…"
Arisu gave him a look that felt vaguely suspicious, but she didn't press the matter further.
(No, I let my guard down.)
Mamoru quietly scolded himself. It was a careless slip—unlike him.
He resolved to say nothing more unnecessary.
The two walked in silence for a while, until Arisu suddenly spoke again.
"Oh, by the way—earlier, I said I thought you were a good person, but that might've been a misunderstanding too."
"Huh?"
"I don't deny human kindness, but I don't think there's such a thing as a completely good person."
"Hm."
It was an old-fashioned worldview, but not one he disagreed with. Everyone had their own beliefs.
"So, what kind of person do you think I am, Arisu-san?"
Mamoru's attitude often gave the impression of someone quietly helping others like it was second nature. But he never considered himself a "good" person.
It wasn't something he usually cared about, but for some reason… he was curious how Arisu saw him.
"Well… I don't think we're close enough for me to know that yet."
"That's fair."
No matter how insightful Arisu was, if she could truly read someone inside and out after just a day or two, she'd have to be psychic.
(Then again, calling a sorcerer psychic feels strange in its own way…)
While Mamoru mulled over that, Arisu added:
"But… if I may say one thing—earlier, you said your brother was childish, right? To me, you seem a bit like a child yourself."
"Huh? You mean I act selfishly?"
He looked genuinely offended.
"No, not like that. Well… actually, never mind."
"…You can't just stop there."
Mamoru shot her a flat look, clearly unimpressed with the bait-and-switch.
"It's just a feeling. Hard to put into words."
"…I see."
So she didn't want to explain.
Mamoru didn't mind.
They let the topic drop, walking together in silence again.
(I'm the kid, huh…)
It was just a casual comment from a girl he'd only recently met.
He shouldn't have taken it to heart.
But for some reason, her words stuck with him like a knot that wouldn't untangle.