Yūki Asuna secretly muttered to herself, No matter what, for a student to talk to a homeroom teacher like that, isn't his attitude a bit too arrogant?
Ashikaga Miwa, however, did not get angry. Instead, she nodded.
"I don't want to waste time either, so let's get straight to the point."
The next sentence from Ashikaga Miwa confused Yūki Asuna.
"Your performance today was excellent. It completely meets... no, it even exceeds my expectations."
Noticing Yūki Asuna's puzzled expression, Asagiri didn't keep her guessing and explained directly.
"It's simple, actually. Ashikaga-sensei and I struck a deal a while ago. She wanted me to enroll at Shuchiin Academy, and in exchange, she would grant me privileges within her power, such as skipping class, taking time off, and waiving all tuition fees."
"Eh? Why..."
Hearing Asagiri's explanation, Yūki Asuna was even more confused. Logically speaking, given Shuchiin Academy's status, why would they offer such terms to a student? It sounded like they were begging him to attend.
"Since Utsunomiya-kun trusts you, I will be direct."
Ashikaga Miwa raised her hand to adjust her glasses and said calmly.
"I am very dissatisfied with the current state of Shuchiin."
"This place used to be called the cradle of future talent for the Sakura Prefecture, the undisputed top high school. Students who graduated from here would go on to become leaders in politics, business, and military affairs."
At this point, Ashikaga Miwa suddenly changed her tone, a look of undisguised revulsion in her eyes.
"But look at what this so-called cradle of talent has become now?"
"A bunch of pampered young ladies and gentlemen who have never experienced real setbacks, yet harbor a foolish arrogance of being superior to others. Their abilities are simply mediocre, like naive and innocent oversized babies sheltered by the Shuchiin greenhouse. And they even have this ridiculous 'Pure-System' faction that excludes and even targets students who transfer into Shuchiin midway. It's truly nauseating."
"The future of the Sakura Prefecture is to be handed over to these people? I absolutely refuse to accept this."
The next moment, Ashikaga Miwa suddenly sighed.
"However, when I suggested a need for change at the current Shuchiin during the board meeting, I was met with rejection from most of the members. The strongest opposition came from the current Chairman, Shinomiya Ōkō. He claimed that Shuchiin's students, and Shuchiin itself, are inherently superior and that there's no need for unnecessary concern. He even... suggested that my ideas were just 'a woman's trivial opinion' and completely worthless for discussion."
Yūki Asuna frowned. "That's going too far... 'A woman's trivial opinion'? To openly use such a term in a board discussion... that Chairman-san..."
"He is exactly that kind of person."
Ashikaga Miwa waved her hand, then looked at Asagiri sitting on the sofa.
"But just when I was at a loss for what to do, I learned of Utsunomiya Asagiri-kun's existence. If I could get him to enroll as a freshman at Shuchiin, perhaps, he could change the atmosphere within Shuchiin."
"Ah? Why is that?"
Yūki Asuna didn't understand Ashikaga Miwa's meaning. Logically, the teacher couldn't possibly know Asagiri's "Player" identity. So, in the eyes of this teacher, could a mere freshman like Utsunomiya Asagiri really change this deeply rooted, accumulated, and decaying atmosphere at Shuchiin? That seemed too unrealistic.
"It seems you are not very familiar with him."
Seeing Yūki Asuna's confused expression, Ashikaga Miwa spoke calmly.
"Let me introduce you. Utsunomiya-kun here ranked first in the Sakura Prefecture's unified entrance examination for this year. He also ranked first in Shuchiin Academy's entrance examination. In his second and third years of junior high, he won the national junior high tennis singles championship twice, the national junior high badminton singles championship, and the national junior high basketball championship."
Asagiri, who had been silent until now, immediately countered.
"Hmm? Is that all? What about my most important, most glorious achievement?"
"Oh, there's one more."
Ashikaga Miwa added with a hint of exasperation.
"In his third year of junior high, five neighborhood delinquents from outside the school ambushed him on his way home, intending to extort money. He single-handedly beat all five of those delinquents so badly they had to be hospitalized, while he himself only sustained superficial injuries. Though, I don't quite understand why he calls that his most important, most glorious achievement."
After saying this, Ashikaga Miwa paused briefly, then looked at Yūki Asuna and said plainly.
"So, you should understand now. For Pure-System students who think so highly of themselves and are so naive, the mere existence of a student like Utsunomiya-kun, who excels in both academics and sports to this degree, and who transferred in midway, is a form of provocation."
"Alright, that's enough of the long explanation."
Asagiri glanced around the office, then smiled at Ashikaga Miwa.
"Yūki-chan and I have some things we need to discuss privately. So, Ashikaga-sensei, why don't you step out for a while and grab some lunch?"
"You are squatting in my office."
Ashikaga Miwa first said this, then took a key from her pocket and placed it gently on the desk. She stood up and walked toward the office door.
"This is the spare key to my office. Take it. Remember to lock the door when you leave."
After Ashikaga Miwa left the office, Asagiri turned to Yūki Asuna and spoke.
"Now, let's talk business. You've already read the messages in the APP, right?"
Yūki Asuna nodded. "Yes, I have."
Asagiri then asked, "Let me ask you first: Do you live alone?"
"At the moment, yes."
"That makes things convenient then."
Yūki Asuna didn't find Asagiri's use of the word "convenient" strange. She knew he meant that living alone provided a private location where she could enter the instance.
"I'll start with my thoughts."
Yūki Asuna pursed her lips, sitting upright with her hands on her thighs. She looked directly at Asagiri and said:
"I think we should seize the time to proactively sign up for an instance."