Chapter 16

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The final day of June had arrived.

The humid air of the rainy season clung heavily to everything, but the atmosphere in Class 1-B was remarkably good. After surviving the May midterms together, they had also managed to maintain their class points throughout June without major losses.

A large part of that success came from the after-school study sessions and the growing sense of unity among the classmates.

And now, after school today—

My dorm room was hosting more visitors than ever before.

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“WHOOOOA!! This is insane!! What’s with all this food!?”

“Wah… it looks amazing! Did you make all of this yourself, Aizen-kun!?”

“I can’t believe it… This looks like restaurant food…”

Seeing the dishes lined up across my table, Shibata Hayato let out an excited shout while Amikura Asako and Shiranami Chihiro stared with sparkling eyes.

Gathered here today were Class B’s core members: class representative Honami Ichinose, vice-representative Ryuji Kanzaki, along with Shibata, Amikura, and Shiranami.

And naturally, sitting beside me was Shiina Hiyori.

This was supposedly a strategy meeting to discuss the class’s future direction at the end of June.

…But in reality, it was basically just a friendship gathering and home party.

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(Fufufu… They’re shocked! Behold my cooking skills, forged in the orphanage kitchen and refined to perfection with Aizen Specs! Today I even prepared roast beef, authentic carbonara, and marinated vegetables for everyone! Eat as much as you want!)

Internally, I was overflowing with pride as a host.

But as always, the words that came out of my mouth were another matter entirely.

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“—Come. Gorge yourselves before it grows cold. Though perhaps these offerings are somewhat excessive for your pitiful stomachs.”

(Translation: I made a lot, so eat as much as you want before it gets cold!)

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“…Your phrasing’s still insane, but seriously, thanks for the food!!”

Without hesitation, Shibata grabbed some roast beef and stuffed it into his mouth.

The instant he did, he froze.

“…!? Delicious!? What is this!? The meat melts in your mouth!”

“It’s true! Even the pasta tastes better than restaurant food… Aizen-kun, you’re a cooking genius!”

Even Ichinose and Kanzaki were eating with impressed expressions.

Hiyori smiled proudly for some reason and said,

“Fufu, Sousuke-kun’s cooking is always wonderful.”

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(Thank goodness! Everyone’s enjoying it! I always dreamed of having this kind of青春 scene—inviting classmates over and eating together in my room!)

I swirled the grape juice in my glass elegantly while inwardly crying tears of joy.

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Once the meal settled down and everyone began drinking juice after eating, the conversation naturally shifted toward discussing “future plans.”

“Thanks to everyone, Class B has managed to maintain our points through May and June. But by now, we all understand this school isn’t just a place where you attend classes and take normal tests, right?”

Ichinose looked around seriously at everyone.

She was right.

This was the Advanced Nurturing High School. A school that preached meritocracy would never continue measuring students solely through paper exams.

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(Ichinose is absolutely right. From now on, there’ll definitely be ‘special exams’ that test more than academics alone. Class points will probably fluctuate wildly too… Alright, time for me to give some advice!)

I narrowed my eyes slightly and spoke solemnly.

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“—The days of trembling before stains of ink are already over.”

My heavy voice made Shibata and the others flinch.

“The true despair has yet to bare its fangs. …The next trial will weigh your very souls upon the scales. The board will overturn, and the castles built upon sand shall crumble into dust beneath a single storm. …If you wish to survive, never relinquish your sword.”

(Translation: I think future exams will test all kinds of abilities besides academics. Class points will probably change drastically too, so let’s stay alert and prepared!)

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“““…Eek.”””

Shiranami looked on the verge of tears while Amikura hid behind Shibata.

Even Kanzaki broke into a cold sweat.

“Souls on scales…? Are they going to make us fight for our lives…?”

Once again, my poem had thrown everyone into absolute terror.

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“—What Sousuke-kun means is this.”

At the perfect moment, the silver-haired angel smiled gently.

“‘I believe future exams won’t just test academics, but also various practical abilities and adaptability. Those exams will likely cause huge shifts in class points, so we should stay prepared and never let our guard down.’”

“““…!!”””

“O-Oh! So that’s what you meant! Don’t scare us like that, Aizen!”

“Ahaha… but Aizen-kun’s prediction does sound likely. We really can’t afford to relax.”

With Hiyori’s translation, the tense atmosphere instantly became positive again.

Seriously, what would I do without her?

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“Yeah. Like Aizen-kun said, I think increasingly unpredictable situations are coming. So…”

Ichinose looked at us with determined eyes.

“From now on, whenever there’s an exam, let’s gather this group together and hold strategy meetings. I want all of Class B to aim for Class A together. …Will you all continue supporting me as your leader?”

Kanzaki immediately nodded.

“Of course.”

Shibata and the others grinned too.

“There’s nobody better for the job than Ichinose!”

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(I agree too! If Ichinose is the leader, we’re in good hands!)

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“—I have no interest in carrying another’s palanquin. …But so long as you do not let your banner fall, I suppose I can permit you to remain within the edge of my sight.”

“‘I’ll do what little I can to help,’ he says.”

“Fufu, thank you, Aizen-kun! Shiina-san too!”

And so, the bond among the key members of Class 1-B—the class’s “brains”—grew even stronger around the dining table in my room.

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“Thanks for the food! Aizen, make us more delicious stuff sometime!”

“Aizen-kun, Shiina-san, see you tomorrow!”

By the time Ichinose and the others left with cheerful smiles, it was already late at night.

The storm of noise disappeared, and silence returned to the room.

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(Man, that was fun! Cleaning up’s annoying, but this feeling of fulfillment makes it totally worth it.)

I started carrying stacks of dishes toward the sink when—

“Sousuke-kun, I’ll help clean up too.”

The person I thought had already gone home stood there smiling in an apron.

(Where did that apron even come from!?)

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“—I cannot allow your pure white hands to be stained by such mundane tasks. I alone am sufficient.”

(Translation: You can rest, Hiyori! I’ll do it!)

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“Fufu, it’s okay. It’ll go faster if we do it together. Besides, this is my way of thanking you for the delicious meal.”

Completely ignoring my words, Hiyori stood beside me at the sink.

I washed dishes with the sponge while Hiyori dried them beside me.

Standing shoulder to shoulder, close enough that we might accidentally touch.

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(…Doesn’t this feel like newlyweds!? N-No, calm down me! She’s your best friend! Don’t get weird thoughts!)

While internally panicking, we quickly finished cleaning together.

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“All done. Good work, Sousuke-kun. …I’ll make some tea now.”

With practiced motions, Hiyori boiled water and brewed my favorite tea.

The two of us sat facing each other at the table, quietly sipping warm tea.

Unlike the lively atmosphere earlier, this silence was peaceful and sweet.

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(…Hiyori looked really happy all day today. She’s gotten close with Ichinose and the others too.)

When she first transferred into Class B, people pitied her as “the Demon King’s sacrifice” because she sat beside me.

But now, thanks to her translation skills and natural kindness, she was deeply loved by her classmates.

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“—Even a solitary star has finally found a constellation in which to shine. …Watching you melt into the light is not an unpleasant diversion for me.”

(Translation: I’m really happy that you’ve become friends with Ichinose and everyone too.)

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Hearing my stylish—and somewhat parent-like—poem, Hiyori wrapped both hands around her teacup and smiled happily.

“Yes! Ichinose-san, Shiranami-san… everyone’s been so kind. Every day has been really fun. Thanks to you, Sousuke-kun, I’m truly glad I came to this class.”

“…”

“But…”

Hiyori lifted her gaze from her cup and looked directly at me with her crystal-clear silver eyes.

Then, with a smile as soft and beautiful as a blooming flower, she said:

“For me… this quiet time spent together with you, Sousuke-kun… is what makes me feel the most at peace.”

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(——————!!)

My heart exploded with the loudest impact of the entire day.

(Cute…!? She’s way too cute!! What kind of line is that!? If you say something like that while we’re alone together in my room, anyone would get the wrong idea!!)

The calm, ordinary part of my brain sounded emergency alarms.

(No no no!! Calm down!! Hiyori is my best friend and my comrade surviving this brutal school life with me!! Don’t ruin this perfect relationship by getting weird thoughts!! Be a gentleman, Aizen Sousuke!!)

I desperately suppressed my agitation and smiled back coolly—like a perfect gentleman.

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“—…I see. The seat beside my throne shall always remain open for you. …You are welcome to rest your wings there whenever you wish.”

(Translation: Being with you is my favorite too! Come hang out anytime!)

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“Fufu. Yes, thank you very much, Sousuke-kun.”

Hiyori smiled genuinely happily and took another sip of tea.

“Thank you so much for today. Good night, Sousuke-kun.”

“—Indeed. Let us drift once more into sweet dreams. …Have a pleasant night.”

(Translation: Get home safely. Good night!)

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After escorting Hiyori to the entrance of the girls’ floor in the dormitory, I returned to my room.

The room was now clean and tidy.

The cups everyone had used earlier sat drying neatly in the rack.

I collapsed backward onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling.

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(…Ichinose, Kanzaki, Shibata… I never imagined I’d one day eat together with a group of such dazzling extroverts—not exactly as friends maybe, but at least as companions.)

I wished I could tell the terrified lonely version of myself from the first day of school.

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(It’s all thanks to Hiyori. She translated my words and connected me to everyone else. Because of her, I found a place for myself in this class.)

There was still the exhausting work of the student council.

And troublesome people like Nagumo and Ryuen to deal with.

Life here definitely wasn’t easy.

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(…Still, I’m really glad I came to this school.)

Feeling a warm certainty growing inside me, I quietly closed my eyes.

The sound of June rain gently tapped against the window like a soothing lullaby.