I have a life simulator.

Karuizawa Kei seemed unfazed by the boy's reaction, and while playing with the ends of her hair, she said mischievously:

"So Kanzaki-san knew that Class B was about to be overtaken by Class C."

"I remember that if one student drops out, the class loses 300 points. If Class D doesn't make a move this time, I believe we'll see Class C's name changed to Class B's after this midterm exam."

Whether it was a misperception or not, Ichinose Honami sensed for a moment that Karuizawa Kei was holding a faint joy when talking about Class C, as if the Karuizawa Kei sitting here negotiating with her wasn't there for Class D but for Class C.

Banishing this absurd idea from her mind, Honami Ichinose pursed her lips and asked:

"Even without Class D's intervention, Shibata-kun might not necessarily have been expelled because of the fight."

She was still trying to deceive Karuizawa Megumi with words, but Karuizawa Megumi saw through her sophistry at a glance, blinking her bright blue eyes and smiling:

"I clearly said the midterm exam, right?"

"Because he was suspended from school, he couldn't take the midterm exams and was expelled. I heard that this Shibata Hayate was quite a prestigious boy in Class B. I wonder if Class B will still be the same as before after he's expelled."

Karuizawa Megumi lowered her eyes and spoke to herself:

"For the past month, I've been hearing how united and cohesive the students in Class B are, but now it seems that's not the case."

Her attitude thoroughly infuriated Ryuji Kanzaki, and just as he was about to retort, Honami Ichinose stopped him, taking a deep breath:

"Karuizawa is right, not a single one of the forty people in Class B can be missing."

Honami Ichinose turned to look at Ryuji Kanzaki, her tone returning to its usual gentleness—the tone most familiar to the students of Class B:

“Personal points and class points can be regained if they are lost, but if any member of Class B drops out, they will never be able to get them back. I don’t want to see that happen.”

While feeling moved, Ryuji Kanzaki also felt as if he were stepping into an abyss. He knew he was drinking poison to quench his thirst, but it seemed that Class B had no choice but to grit his teeth and drink this cup of poison. Just as Honami Ichinose said, the unity of Class B now was their most valuable weapon.

However, considering the enormous number of 800,000 points per month, Ryuji Kanzaki remained hesitant. Honami Ichinose didn't want to force him, and just as the situation reached a stalemate, Megumi Karuizawa spoke up again:

"Actually, the two in Class B don't need to be so pessimistic. After Class D testifies for you, this incident will change from Class B's violence against Class C to Class C's framing of Class B. At that time, the school may even order Class C to compensate Class B."

"Does thinking about it this way make it easier to accept?"

Karuizawa Kei's words were quite tempting. Ichinose Honami originally wanted to say that the matter should end there, but Kanzaki Ryuji's mind was stirred by these words, and soon he had constructed a number of compensations that he could ask Class C for.

They hadn't considered this before, but now that they thought about it, D class's testimony could not only free B class from a passive situation, but could even allow B class to immediately switch from defense to offense and gain the initiative in the class competition. If such an effect could be achieved, then 800,000 points a month didn't seem unacceptable. As long as they could obtain the same value of compensation from C class, perhaps B class could even profit from this incident?

With this in mind, Ryuji Kanzaki reluctantly agreed to Kei Karuizawa's request. Honami Ichinose had originally planned to sign a contract to protect Shibata, and with Ryuji Kanzaki—the class's vice-president—also agreeing, the rest was quite simple.

Class B was remarkably efficient. Unlike the noisy signing of the contract by Class D, Karuizawa Kei reached an agreement with Class B in less than thirty minutes. Class D would act as witnesses for Class B, and Class B would pay Karuizawa Kei a one-time payment of one million personal points and eight hundred thousand personal points per month.

-------------------------------------

"Wow! I did it! Really, I'm super, super happy."

Kitagawa Ryo heard the knocking at 11 p.m. As soon as he opened the door, Karuizawa Megumi rushed in. She seemed to have just taken a shower, her hair was still loose and damp.

"Okay, okay, I know Hui is the best."

Having been hit squarely, Kitagawa Ryo didn't try to dodge this time. Although he had sent people to monitor Karuizawa Kei's actions today, he really didn't expect her to complete them so perfectly. From winning over Sakura Airi in the morning to extract evidence to directly confronting the leader of Class B and signing a contract in the afternoon, Karuizawa Kei had given him too many surprises.

Kitagawa Ryo casually took a dry towel from a hook on the wall and dried Karuizawa Megumi's still not completely dry hair as if he were stroking a large dog. Karuizawa Megumi leaned against him and excitedly talked about all sorts of things that happened that day.

She wanted more praise and encouragement, so she kept snuggling against Kitagawa Ryo's chest.

After a full half hour, Karuizawa Kei finally calmed down, seemingly realizing that she had acted somewhat inappropriately. She sat on the sofa, her face slightly flushed, without saying a word.

"How's the answer coming along?"

Kitagawa Ryo took a carbonated drink from the refrigerator for himself and made a simple shaved ice for Karuizawa Megumi, placing it in front of her.

"Hmm... Horikita-kun doesn't seem to be planning to reveal the answer yet."

"Oh, Lingyin's personality will definitely show up a day or two before the exam. She must think that giving the answers too early will only prevent students from studying properly and make them just memorize the answers. Giving them only a day or two to memorize the answers will not only make them remember more clearly, but also allow those poor students to actually learn something."

Kitagawa Ryo wasn't surprised by Horikita Suzune's choice:

"I initially planned to have you reveal the answer and confront Horikita Suzune to build your reputation, but the incident in Class B was actually more effective. So, Megumi, just give a little hint to your trusted inner circle first; they should believe you."

"Speaking of which, why would the class advisor in Chazhu deliberately draw up the wrong exam scope and test points?"

Karuizawa asked with some confusion, a little juice dripping from the corner of her mouth like a child's. Kitagawa Ryo reached out and wiped it away.

"I can roughly guess her thinking. In fact, the class advisors of each class have relevant hints about the exam. Buying answers must have been done by freshmen in the past, or the school deliberately sets the same questions as another test for the freshmen."

"But your class's teacher, Chazhu..."

Kitagawa Ryo twitched the corner of his mouth:

“It seems there is indeed a problem. I think she probably wants to wait until you discover the error in the scope, and then take this opportunity to provide you with some information on ‘buying answers’, such as confidently saying that as long as you find the right method, even the failing group can pass.”

"I see!"

Karuizawa Megumi raised her hand high:

There are only two ways to pass an exam without studying:

"First, bribing teachers to cheat is highly unlikely."

"Second, find the answers to the exam papers. In addition to teachers, there are only staff and senior students in the school. It is natural to think of asking senior students about this matter, and then discover that the midterm exam questions are the same in previous years."

Kitagawa Ryo gave Karuizawa Megumi a rather appreciative look:

"Indeed it is."

"But I still can't understand what Chabashira's homeroom teacher did. If no one notices the error in the scope, wouldn't even those who studied diligently risk failing and dropping out?"

Karuizawa Kei said, somewhat angrily.

That's why I said I couldn't understand it.

Kitagawa Ryo thought of his homeroom teacher, Sakagami Kazuma. Although this uncle wasn't as youthful and beautiful as Chabashira Sae, his old-fashioned glasses and receding hairline had a certain charm... Well, mainly because the other party had always supported him in leading Class C.

"Do I need to remind everyone?"

"That depends on Hui's mood."

Kitagawa Ryo stretched:

"If I'm not mistaken, if someone fails, it's possible to buy points for them using personal points."

"Mei currently has the most points. If she does things well, she can easily take control of Class D."

"I won't care about them, let them drop out of school if they want."

However, Karuizawa Megumi seemed completely uninterested in this at the moment. She focused all her attention on Kitagawa Ryo, and whispered with her eyes closed:

"Today, our class advisor said something that was actually quite useful: you can transfer to another class if you have 20 million points."

Her right hand rested on Kitagawa Ryo's chest, and as the midnight bells tolled, Kitagawa Ryo heard the girl's prayer:

"All I want now is to transfer to Class C."

Karuizawa Megumi looked into Kitagawa Ryo's dark pupils and smiled somewhat strangely, a smile carrying a danger unlike anything she usually displayed:

"The rest... don't matter to me."

I need to take a day off.

My familiar supervisor has pulled me into some work. Tonight I have to revise several junior students' term papers, so I really don't have time to write. I'm asking for a day off. Sorry.

I'm planning to leave university tomorrow and go back to my hometown, but the tickets are sold out, so I bought a high-speed rail ticket for the day after tomorrow. Once my summer vacation starts, I should try updating twice a day.

Here's a picture of a perk to express my apology.

Chapter 18: I owed you in my past life

When Karuizawa Kei spoke these words, the shimmering light in her azure eyes seemed to be damp, as if she had been drenched in rain. This was perhaps the second time she had revealed her true feelings to Kitagawa Ryo; the first time was when she hoped that Kitagawa would address her by her name.

"There's no rush to transfer classes. It's only been a little over a month since the start of the semester. There should be plenty of opportunities to earn personal points over the next three years."

"But Chazhu's class advisor just said today that in previous years, the senior students only managed to accumulate a maximum of 12 million personal points through deception."

Karuizawa Kei sensed something different from Kitagawa Ryo's words. One of her hands remained on Kitagawa Ryo's chest, while the other was pressed against her own heart. Her nails were quite long, seemingly with a light-colored manicure. The translucent nails shimmered with a glaze-like sheen under the warm yellow light, like sharp daggers ready to slice open and expose everything inside to Kitagawa Ryo.

"I'm different from him."

Kitagawa Ryo looked away, shook his head, and said:

"Before me, there should have been no freshman who could simultaneously reap a huge monthly gain of 1.2 million points from both Class D and Class B within two months of the start of the semester."

"Yes, I believe Liang."

According to the contract, the 800,000 points from Class B each month should be deposited into Karuizawa Megumi's account. However, when she heard Kitagawa Ryo arbitrarily transfer these points to her own account, Karuizawa Megumi not only showed no dissatisfaction, but nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Kitagawa Ryo felt a strange danger for the first time, but he just shrugged indifferently. The goal of this simulation mission was to enable Karuizawa Megumi to survive independently in this Tokyo Advanced Educational High School. As long as this goal could be achieved, he would be happy to be a catalyst for her growth.

Rather, it would be more accurate to say that he is now using himself as bait to induce Karuizawa Megumi's growth:

"If you become the class leader, you will have more opportunities to accumulate large amounts of points in the future."

If I could become the class leader, I wouldn't be bullied so easily anymore, nor would I have to fawn over others.

"I'm really looking forward to Hui Neng accumulating 20 million personal points on his own, and then one day transferring them to my class openly and legitimately."

If Hui could accumulate 20 million personal points, it would mean she was undoubtedly one of the best in the entire academy and a girl capable of living independently.

"By then, Hui won't have to sneak around to see me anymore, afraid of being discovered, right?"

By then, it will be time for him to leave.

Kitagawa Ryo looked at Karuizawa Kei as if she were looking at a fledgling bird taking shape inside an eggshell, gradually growing claws and a beak, waiting for the day it would hatch.

"If this is what Ryo wants me to do."

Karuizawa Kei is the most complicated girl Kitagawa Ryo has ever met. Although she always pretends to be so simple, as if she is the easiest girl in the world to be satisfied, she is also the girl who most wants genuine emotions. Fairy-tale longing and cruel pragmatism are intertwined on her at the same time. Kitagawa Ryo suddenly remembered what Karuizawa Kei said in the last simulation, "Don't hurt me."

Kitagawa Ryo lowered his head and whispered in her ear:

"Well, that's what I was hoping for."

-------------------------------------

"It's nice to see you again, Honami."

Kitagawa Ryo greeted Ichinose Honami, who was sitting opposite him, in a friendly manner, as if the brawl in Class BC that had been making headlines for the past two days had never happened. Ichinose Honami also didn't seem angry or indifferent, and responded with a smile:

"Kitagawa-kun looks very energetic today. Hmm, this new outfit looks great on him."

Even though the final debate was scheduled for the next day, Kanzaki Ryuji glared at Ryuen Sho, who was standing behind Kitagawa Ryo, as if facing a formidable enemy. Looking at the other's injuries, which were by no means minor, he couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement. No wonder the school was biased towards Class C. After all, it was indeed unimaginable for an ordinary person to have injured themselves like that.

"Oh, you mean this one? Hiyori picked it out for me a couple of days ago."

Kitagawa Ryo touched the jacket he was wearing. A few days ago, he had indirectly used Shiina Hiyori to seduce Horikita Suzune. As a result, he spent a whole day shopping with her on his day off before he was satisfied. Hiyori used to be a bookish, somewhat reclusive girl. He wondered if it was because of Kitagawa Ryo's influence that she had gradually developed some other interests.

"It seems that Kitagawa-kun has a good relationship with everyone in Class C."

Honami Ichinose nodded generously:

"Regarding the Shibata-kun incident, could Class C please ask the student council and school authorities to drop the charges?"

Hearing Ichinose Honami's words, Kanzaki Ryuji behind her also twitched his lips helplessly. Although he knew his class president's style of doing things, after Class B paid the price of 800,000 points per month, it should have been a great opportunity to launch a fierce attack on Class C. However, judging from Ichinose Honami's words, it seemed that she still planned to resolve the two classes peacefully.

"It seems Class B came well-prepared this time. They must have obtained absolutely compelling evidence."

But Kitagawa Ryo didn't seem surprised at all. Leaning back on the sofa cushions, he sized up Ichinose Honami and suddenly asked:

"Has Fanbo joined the student council yet?"

"Ah...oh, yes."

Although she didn't know why Kitagawa Ryo suddenly asked this question, Ichinose Honami answered honestly, but then scratched her face a little embarrassedly at the end and said:

"Actually, I believe that if Kitagawa-kun is willing to give it a try, he should be able to join the student council. After all, I heard that both Vice President Nagumo and President Horikita have an impression of Kitagawa-kun."

Kitagawa Ryo's mind stirred slightly. He had indeed met Nagumo Masami quite early on. When he was plotting against Sudo at the beginning of the semester, he had used the help of the second-year seniors. The mastermind behind the entire second-year class was actually Nagumo Masami, the leader of Class 2-A. However, at that time, he had only exchanged a few simple words with her, and the second-year seniors had silently suffered the loss afterward. He didn't expect that she would still remember.

"But after all, Honami is the only freshman to join the student council, which is a remarkable achievement."

Kitagawa Ryo simply brushed off the topic and continued:

"As for dropping the charges, Class C has had this idea for a while now. After all, Ryuen is a kind-hearted person. Even after being beaten, he only hoped that Shibata could receive some minor punishment. Class D doesn't want to see him expelled either."

"If Class C also wishes to do so, then please, Kitagawa-kun..."

"I'm not done yet."

Kitagawa Ryo, already prepared, took out a paper contract from his bag: