Ryusui walked out of a shop, a dark blue pirate hat placed firmly but comfortably atop his head. It suited the shape of his face nicely, his luscious blonde hair flowing elegantly down past it.
He placed his tattooed blue hand on top of the hat and gave a wide smirk. "What do you think, Francois! A great specimen for a great pirate! Don't you think?" he exclaimed aloud, drawing stares from students who were simply minding their own business.
"Yes sir, it looks fabulous, a wonderful addition to your collection, although I doubt they will allow it in class," Francois noted, an undertone of curiosity in their voice.
"Then I will simply buy my right to wear it. Remember, Francois, there is nothing in this world that I cannot get!" Ryusui replied sharply.
"I understand, sir, but we might be looking at a shortage of funds…" Francois said, sweatdropping slightly.
"Huh!? What do you mean, a shortage!?" Ryusui snapped back, mouth agape.
"Erm, you may not have realized it, but all the clothes, the devices, everything you bought today is of very high quality, and thus costly, sir. Even with my help, we have blown through nearly one hundred fifty thousand points in a single day," Francois reported.
Other students overhearing that looked at him in shock, barely believing what they'd just heard.
"Oh, that's not an issue, I thought you meant something else," Ryusui said, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Either way, I believe it is best that we head home. Today's adventure has been long and exciting, and not to mention—" Ryusui sniffed the air for a second, his expression turning suddenly serious. "If we don't hurry, rain will trouble us shortly."
. . .
When they arrived in front of their dorm, Ryusui couldn't help but groan.
"What a lackluster place for someone like me to stay. Is this really the best accommodation the government could provide?" he grumbled.
"It's a minor discomfort, sir. We're here to socialize, learn, and enjoy our time. Perhaps a little 'lackluster accommodation' is exactly the motivation we need," Francois said, arranging away the things they'd purchased.
Ryusui dropped onto the sofa. "An interesting way to look at it, Francois. Maybe you're right."
.
.
.
Anayakoji POV
Even at a school this prestigious, the entrance ceremony was the same as any other.
After a speech of thanks from some principal or director, the ceremony ended.
By then it was noon. After the explanation of the buildings and facilities on campus, the group split up.
Seventy, maybe eighty percent of the students headed straight for the dorms. The rest broke off into small groups, walking toward the cafés and karaoke rooms. Within minutes, the crowd had thinned to nothing.
On my way back, I decided to stop at the convenience store along the path. Of course, I was alone. I didn't know anyone else yet.
"…What an unpleasant coincidence."
The moment I stepped inside, I ran straight into Horikita again.
"Don't look so hostile. Did you have things to buy too?"
"Yeah, just a bit. Necessities."
Horikita answered while examining a bottle of shampoo she'd taken off the shelf.
Dormitory life starts today, so "a bit" felt like an understatement. Girls need more than that, surely. She dropped the shampoo and a few other items into her basket. I expected her to reach for something nicer, but she went straight for the cheapest option available.
"I thought girls paid more attention to what shampoo they used."
"That depends on the person, doesn't it? Some people just don't know where they should be spending their money."
She shot me a look that clearly said stop examining my basket.
"Also, I didn't expect you to actually sit through the self-introductions. You don't seem like the type."
"I sat through it quietly precisely because I try to avoid trouble. Why didn't you introduce yourself? It's a short greeting. You could've made friends."
A lot of students had exchanged contact information afterward. If Horikita had joined in, she probably would've been popular. What a waste.
"There are a few reasons I could give, but here's the simple one — introducing myself doesn't guarantee I'd get along with everyone. If anything, it's more likely to cause problems. Skip the introduction, skip the problems. Right?"
"There's still a decent chance you'd get along with people, though…"
"Based on what, exactly? We could argue about that forever, so let's just say the odds are high. Fine. Did you make any friends?"
"…Uh."
She looked at me expectantly.
…She had a point. I hadn't exchanged contacts with a single person.
Which meant I had no proof that introductions actually helped. I looked away.
"In other words, you have no evidence that self-introductions make friend-making easier."
"To begin with, I never intended to make friends. So there was no reason to introduce myself, and no reason to sit through anyone else's. Satisfied?"
She'd rejected me the first time I tried to introduce myself, too. Getting her name out of her at all had practically been a miracle.
People think differently, that much I couldn't deny. Horikita was more isolated, or maybe just more aloof, than I'd first assumed.
We wandered the aisles without looking at each other. Despite her stiff personality, walking beside her didn't feel uncomfortable.
"Whoa~. They've even got every kind of cup noodle. This school's actually pretty convenient~"
Two boys were making noise near the instant food section, tossing cup noodles into their baskets before heading to the register, snacks and drinks piled on top. With points to spare, it only made sense people would find ways to burn through them.
"Cup noodles… so they carry that here too, huh."
Learning the store's layout had been half the reason I'd stopped by in the first place.
"Do boys really like that stuff? Can't be good for you."
"Was actually thinking about buying one."
I picked up a bowl and checked the price. A hundred fifty-six yen. I had no idea if that was cheap or expensive.
Even though the school calls it "points," every price tag is still written in yen. One point really does equal one yen.
Given that the average high schooler's allowance sits around five thousand yen a month, ours was twenty times that.
"What do you make of these prices? Cheap? Expensive?"
"Hard to say. Did you find something priced strangely?"
"No, nothing like that. Just curious."
Everything on the shelves looked normally priced. I grabbed the nearest cup noodle to shake off her suspicion.
"Whoa, this one's huge. A G cup!"
Probably short for "giga cup," but for some reason it made me feel full just looking at it.
Unrelated, but Horikita's chest wasn't small — and it wasn't especially large either. Just about right.
"Ayanokouji-kun. Were you just thinking something inappropriate?"
"…No, not at all."
"You were acting strange, though…"
She'd caught the drift of my thoughts with one glance. Sharp.
"Just deciding what to get. Which looks better?"
"If that's it, fine. You should stop eating junk like this regularly. The school has healthier options — don't make a habit of it."
She wasn't wrong. Still, I had an urge to buy a couple more, so I grabbed a regular-sized yakisoba bowl and dropped it in my basket anyway.
Horikita moved on to the daily necessities aisle. Here was my chance to score some points with a joke.
"Whoa, this razor's got five blades. Bet it shaves clean."
"The hell would I shave with that?"
I'd been proud of that one. The reaction was not what I'd hoped for.
"…There's nothing to shave on my chin, or under my arms, for that matter."
That stung a little. Guess my humor doesn't land with girls.
"I envy your nerve, saying that to someone you just met."
"You've said worse to someone you just met, too."
"Really? I was only stating facts. Unlike you."
She shut me down calmly. Fair — I had been talking nonsense. Horikita, on the other hand, hadn't said anything remotely crude.
She reached for the cheapest facial cleanser again. I think girls should be a little kinder to themselves.
"This one looks better, doesn't it?"
I picked out a pricier, creamier-looking one.
"Not necessary."
Rejected.
"No, but—"
"I said I don't need it."
"…Right."
I put it back as she gave me a look.
I'd thought I could get through a conversation without irritating her. I was wrong.
"You're not very good at this, are you? Coming up with things to talk about."
"Even you think so, huh. Guess it's true."
"Of course. I read people well. Normally I wouldn't bother listening to you twice, but I'll make the effort."
I'd been trying to make friends, and my expectations had been completely off.
Conversation stalled there. As two more girls entered the store, I noticed something.
Horikita really is cute.
Looking for something else to talk about, I spotted a corner of the store I hadn't noticed before.
"Hey. What's this for?"
Curious too, Horikita picked up one of the items.
"Free…?"
Daily necessities — toothbrushes, bandages — sat in a labeled bin: Free of Charge, 3 items per month. Clearly different from the rest of the shelves.
"Emergency relief, maybe, for students who've burned through their points. Surprisingly generous of them."
Made me wonder if this was the only place they were being generous.
"Hey, wait a sec! I'm looking for it!"
A loud voice cut through the quiet background music.
"Hurry up! Everyone's waiting!"
"Then tell them to complain to me directly!"
Trouble, apparently. Two boys were glaring at each other near the register. The one looking irritated was the redhead from earlier, cup noodles clutched in one hand.
"What's going on here?"
"Huh? Who're you?"
I'd meant to sound friendly, but he mistook me for another problem and shot me a glare.
"Ayanokouji, same class. Thought I'd ask since it looked like trouble."
He lowered his voice once he placed me.
"Ah — forgot my student card. Keep forgetting the thing's basically money now."
Hands empty, he turned to head back toward the dorms — probably where he'd left it.
Honestly, it hadn't fully sunk in for me either, that the card was needed for everything.
"If it's fine with you, I can cover it. Saves you the walk — you can use my points."
"…That works. Annoying otherwise. Appreciate it."
The dorm wasn't far, but by the time he got back, the lunch rush would've made the line twice as long.
"…I'm Sudou. Owe you one."
"Nice to meet you, Sudou."
I took the cup noodles from him and headed for the hot water dispenser. Horikita watched the exchange, visibly unimpressed.
"You're a pushover from the first meeting. Going to be his errand boy now? Or is this your idea of making friends?"
"Wasn't trying to make friends. Just helping."
"You don't seem scared of him either."
"Why would I be? Because he looks rough?"
"Most people would keep their distance from someone like that."
"He doesn't seem like a bad guy. And you're not exactly hiding either."
"Only people without a way to protect themselves avoid types like him. If he turned violent, I'd handle it. That's why I'm not worried."
Whatever Horikita says always comes out a little unusual. What did she mean by handle it? Was she carrying pepper spray?
"Let's finish up. We're in the way."
We wrapped up our shopping. I tapped the student card against the machine and the transaction went through instantly — no change to fumble with.
"It really does work like money…"
The receipt listed every item and the points left over. While I waited for Horikita, I poured hot water into the cup noodles. I'd expected the lid to be a hassle, but it came apart easily.
Still, this is a strange school.
What could a student possibly offer to justify an allowance this size?
If my grade has about a hundred sixty students, the school as a whole is probably close to five hundred. That's roughly fifty million yen a month. Over six hundred million a year.
Even with government backing, that's absurd.
"Wonder what the school actually gets out of it. A hundred thousand yen is a lot to just hand someone."
"There's way more infrastructure here than the student body could possibly need, and giving out that much money doesn't seem necessary either. If anything, it might make people careless about their studies."
Maybe it's a reward for passing the entrance exam. Motivation through money.
But there were no strings attached. A hundred thousand yen, handed to everyone, no conditions.
"Not that I can really tell you what to do, but saving might be wise. Bad habits are hard to break. Once people get used to living comfortably, it's difficult to give up. The adjustment would hit hard."
"Noted."
I hadn't planned to blow my points carelessly, but she had a point worth remembering.
By the time I stepped outside, Sudou was already waiting, waving me over. I waved back, feeling a strange mix of embarrassment and something like being pleased.
"…Are you actually planning to eat out here?"
"Obviously. Where else?"
Horikita let out an exasperated sigh at his answer.
"I'm heading home. Feels like my dignity's taking a hit just standing here."
"What dignity? You're a normal high schooler. Or are you secretly some kind of ojou-sama?"
Sudou snapped at her, but she didn't so much as blink.
Irritated, he set his noodles down and stood.
"Hah? Listen when people talk to you. Hey!"
"What's his deal, suddenly getting worked up?"
She kept ignoring him, talking straight to me instead.
Pushed past his limit, Sudou finally shouted.
"Get over here! I'll knock you out!"
"I'll admit Horikita's attitude wasn't great. But that's not exactly a good look for you either."
Sudou's patience had clearly run dry.
"So what? Her attitude's way too much for a girl!"
"'For a girl'? That's outdated thinking. You shouldn't be friends with someone like him."
With that, she turned and walked off without a backward glance.
"Hey, wait! Damn woman!"
"Calm down."
I grabbed Sudou before he could go after her. Without turning around once, Horikita headed for the dorms.
"What kind of person acts like that? Damn it."
"There are a lot of different types of people out there."
"Tch. I hate that type."
He eyed me warily for a second, then grabbed his noodles, tore off the lid, and started eating.
He'd nearly started a fight at the register earlier too — a short fuse, clearly.
"Hey, you a first-year? That's our spot."
As Sudou slurped away, three upperclassmen walked out of the store carrying similar bowls.
"Who're you guys? We're using it. Move."
"Didn't you hear him? Scram, first-year brat."
They laughed. Sudou stood, threw his cup noodles to the ground, soup and noodles splattering across the pavement.
"First-year's trying to start something — what?!"
Sudou clearly had a low tolerance for that kind of thing. Confrontational by default.
"These second-years are talking a lot of nonsense. We were already sitting here."
The upperclassmen set their things down anyway, laughing.
"Yeah, and now we're here too. So scram."
"You've got some nerve."
Sudou didn't back down despite being outnumbered. A fight looked imminent. I, of course, didn't count myself as part of any of it.
"So scary~. Which class are you in? Actually, never mind, let me guess — Class D, right?"
"So what?!"
At that, the upperclassmen exchanged a look and burst out laughing.
"Did you hear that? D-Class! Called it."
"What's that supposed to mean, huh?"
Sudou's temper was climbing further as the three of them casually stepped back.
"You guys are pathetic enough, we'll let you keep the spot today. Let's go."
"Running away?!"
"The dog's still barking. Anyway, you'll be in hell soon enough."
Face hell? They looked calm, almost amused, saying it. I wondered what exactly they meant.
I'd assumed this school would be full of pampered ojou-samas and obocchans, but people like Sudou and groups like that trio clearly existed here too.
"Damn it. If it'd been girls or decent seniors, fine, but we got stuck with those idiots."
Sudou shoved his hands in his pockets and walked off, leaving the mess behind without a second thought.
I glanced up. Two security cameras were mounted just outside the store.
"There'll probably be consequences for this later."
Reluctantly, I crouched down and started cleaning it up myself.
The moment the upperclassmen learned Sudou was in Class D, their whole attitude shifted. I felt a low simmer of unease about it, though I couldn't quite say why.
By around one in the afternoon, I finally reached the dorm that would be my home for the next three years.
After the receptionist handed over a key card for Room 401 and an information booklet, I got in the elevator. Flipping through the manual, I noted the garbage schedule and a warning against excessive noise. There was also a reminder not to waste water or electricity where possible.
"So there's no actual limit on gas or electricity usage, huh…"
I'd assumed they'd just deduct it automatically from our points. This school really went to great lengths for its students.
I was a little surprised the dorms were coed — for a school that outright bans romantic relationships between students, that felt like an odd contradiction. In other words: don't even think about it.
Well, obviously.
Hard to say whether a life this comfortable can actually raise capable adults, but given the situation, I figured I should make use of what I'd been given.
The room was about eight tatami mats. My home, starting today. My first time living alone. Until graduation, no contact with anyone outside the school.
I found myself smiling without meaning to.
The school boasted the highest employment rate in the country, and the best facilities of any high school in Japan. None of that mattered much to me, though. I had one real reason for choosing this place — in middle school, I'd been forbidden from associating with friends, relatives, anyone outside a narrow circle.
That's why I picked this school.
I'm free. Freedom. In French, liberté.
Isn't freedom the best? Eat, sleep, do what I want, when I want. No one ordering me around. I can graduate in peace.
Honestly, before the results came out, passing or failing didn't matter much to me either way.
But when I found out I'd gotten in, I was genuinely happy.
No one can judge me here. No one can order me around.
I get to start over. A new life.
Either way, I plan to make the most of it from here.
Not bothering to change out of my uniform, I dropped onto the bed. Far from tired, I lay there a while, letting myself look forward to whatever came next.
. . .
Back at the dorm, the smell of something searing drifted out from the small kitchenette — an unusual sound for a room this size, somewhere between a sizzle and a small explosion.
"Careful, sir, the pan is not a percussion instrument."
"Nonsense! Cooking is a performance, Francois! Every great chef needs rhythm!"
Ryusui flipped the pan with far more enthusiasm than technique, and half its contents narrowly avoided the ceiling.
Francois calmly slid a cutting board of vegetables closer, unfazed. "Then perhaps let the performance stay contained to the stage, sir. I would rather not explain a grease fire to the dorm supervisor on our first night."
"A minor risk for a masterpiece." Ryusui grinned, plating the food with a flourish anyway, somehow managing to make instant dinner look like it belonged on a five-star menu. He set the plates down, then leaned back against the counter, arms crossed, his expression shifting — the showman's grin fading into something quieter, more calculating.
"Francois. I think I'd like to talk about something a little bit more serious…"
"Sir?"
"Everyone spent their points." He picked at the food absently, eyes distant. "Every single one of them. Snacks, gadgets, cup noodles by the armful. Not one of them stopped to think about next week, let alone next month."
"Well… I mean, we are guilty of that same crime, but you've got to give it to them, they are first-years, sir. Freedom, and money all at once, it is understandable that they would enjoy it."
"That's precisely the problem." Ryusui's grin crept back. "They treat it like an allowance, some sort of gift even. And maybe they are correct but no one has ever thought back to thinking my school is generous enough to hand out a hundred thousand yen with no strings attached," Ryusui said with a serious face.
"Maybe they come from impoverished area, only the penniless man thinks that charity is the way of survival in this cruel world," Ryusui said.
"And you believe there is more to it."
"I believe," Ryusui said, tapping the table once, "that a system this loose is not an oversight. It is an opportunity. Nobody here is planning for scarcity, Francois. Which means nobody here is prepared for it either."
Francois's eyes narrowed slightly and a slight smile crept on their face.
"You are plotting something."
"I am always plotting something." Ryusui snapped his fingers. "Imagine it. A boy down the hall spent nearly all of his points on cup noodles and snacks within a single afternoon. By next week he will be desperate for anything resembling a decent meal — and I happen to have a butler who could plate instant ramen well enough to be mistaken for a Michelin dish."
"Oh, you wish to exploit me for money, sir."
"Well, it's much more than that, I wish to bring joy, imagine it Francois, even with low quality items like instant ramen, if we can turn it into something of value for a cheap price for those in need, we not only become a source of reliability but a source of joy!" Ryusui's grin widened. "And that feeling has a price."
Francois exhaled slowly, the closest thing to a sigh they allowed themselves. "And I assume I am the one preparing this 'joy'"
"Obviously. You are the finest chef I employ."
"I am the only chef you employ."
"Which makes you the finest by default."
Francois said nothing to that, choosing instead to refill both plates.
They ate in comfortable quiet for a moment, Ryusui's mind clearly still turning over new angles, calculating, restructuring.
"There is just one small matter left to attend to first, sir," Francois said eventually, setting down their chopsticks with the careful precision of someone delivering unwelcome news.
"Oh?"
"Our current balance."
Ryusui waved a hand. "A formality. Pull it up."
Francois retrieved both of their student devices and slid them across the table without a word.
Ryusui glanced at the screen. Blinked. Picked it up. Squinted at it as though it might be a translation error.
Francois - 0
Ryusui Nanami - 30,000
"…Thirty thousand."
"Thirty thousand," Francois confirmed.
"Hmm that does make our situation a bit harder, maybe I should've taken more into your advice while shopping," Ryusui mused.
Francois allowed themselves the faintest, most dignified smirk of the evening. "Perhaps, sir, the greediest man on Earth ought to be greedy on behalf of his own wallet first."
Ryusui set the device down with as much wounded dignity as a man could manage while sitting in front of an empty instant-ramen packet and thirty thousand points to his name.
"Hmm, Francois it seems like your chef skills will not be enough to pay for my greed, it seems like I will have to accelerate one of my plans," Ryusui sighed, turning to face Francois eye-to-eye.
"Well,what do you propose sir."
"l I didn't prepare all those suitcases just for them to lie down and never be used," Ryusui smirked.
Francois' eyes widened, "You have thought that far ahead!"
"Indeed, the plan will be set in motion soon… however, tonight, I believe I have earned rest," Ryusui said, turning around towards the bedroom.
***
Sorry for not uploading! Power stones would be much appreciated.