Chapter 58: The Other Two Players Within Shuchiin Academy
Asagiri nodded, smiling as if nothing about this was unusual.
"Alright. Find an empty seat and sit down."
"Then I'm obviously sitting next to you."
Kotoko did not bother with modesty. She slid neatly into the vacant seat on Asagiri's right, then propped her chin on one hand and stared at him with a sweet, satisfied smile.
The classroom fell deathly silent.
Even Kaguya, whose calmness usually bordered on absolute rationality, found the scene in front of her difficult to process.
Fifty billion yen.
Not in installments. Not as a long term sponsorship. A single transfer, paid outright, the kind of amount that could simply buy a seat on Shuchiin's board of directors.
Then using that influence to transfer straight into Year 1 Class A.
All of it, apparently, for Utsunomiya Asagiri.
What kind of devil was this?
No, worse.
What kind of male Succubus was this, draining wallets instead of kingdoms? What kind of extravagant spending was this?
"Iwanaga Kotoko… is she his girlfriend…?"
Kaguya lifted her right hand and lightly touched her cheek, using the motion to steady herself while she sorted through the facts.
She knew Kotoko.
They had met once when they were younger at a banquet hosted by the Shinomiya family. Back then, Kotoko still had her right eye, and her left leg had not been taken from her.
Kotoko's family was extremely wealthy. Perhaps not quite at the level of the Shinomiya Group, but status was not measured by simple totals.
In some ways, Kotoko stood higher than Kaguya.
One reason was the rumors about Kaguya being an illegitimate daughter. Another was the Shinomiya family structure itself. The current head, Shinomiya Yanan, had many children. Kaguya was only the eldest daughter. Before her were her third brother, Shinomiya Oko, and the current chairman of Shuchiin's board, Un'yo Shinomiya.
Kotoko, on the other hand, was an only child.
And after the kidnapping incident when she was eleven, her parents had doted on her to an almost absurd degree, indulging practically every request.
This transfer was proof.
If Kaguya had not already advanced into Shuchiin's high school division through her own path, the Shinomiya family would never have used board privileges for her. To them, failing Shuchiin's entrance exam would be the same as being declared worthless, unfit to carry the Shinomiya name.
Kaguya was picked up and dropped off by a dedicated luxury car every day. Her bento was prepared by a chef from a hotel. Servants filled her home.
And yet, only she, Ai, and Chika truly understood the truth.
The "eldest daughter of the Shinomiya family" was a glamorous title that came with a leash. Even her allowance could not be spent freely. If she overstepped, the main family would scold her without hesitation.
"Enough."
Miwa Ashikaga tapped the podium lightly with the pointer in her hand. She adjusted her glasses with a calm, practiced motion.
"Class is starting."
...
After the morning classes ended, the group gathered in Miwa's office.
Officially, it was the homeroom teacher's private workspace.
In practice, it had become a dedicated strategy room for Asagiri and Asuna, a place to talk Dungeon related matters and eat lunch during school hours.
Students taking over the office of their homeroom teacher, who also happened to be a member of the board, was the ultimate combination of defiance and squatting.
Asuna watched Kotoko sip black tea with flawless elegance, then glanced at Asagiri beside her, casually drinking iced Coca Cola. Asuna pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed.
"The commotion you two caused is honestly too much."
"In just one morning, the rumor has spread through the entire school. Donating fifty billion yen just to sit in the same class as a boy you like. Shuchiin has never seen anything like this. You two became instant celebrities."
Kotoko set her teacup down and smiled sweetly.
"What's this, Asuna? Are you jealous?"
"Don't, don't talk nonsense."
Asuna waved her hands quickly, the kind of denial that only made it sound more suspicious.
"I just think there was no need to make it this huge. The attention you're drawing is insane. And you could have told me in advance, you know? Chika ran over to me and demanded an explanation. I didn't even know what to say."
"Explain what?" Kotoko asked, still smiling, still gentle.
"You and Asagiri are just ordinary friends, right? What is there to explain?"
"I…"
"Alright. Enough teasing."
Asagiri's voice cut in, flat and decisive.
Kotoko puffed out her cheeks, glaring at him with quiet dissatisfaction.
"Hmph. So biased…"
Asagiri ignored her and looked at Asuna.
"Kotoko didn't have her parents sponsor Shuchiin just to sit next to me. The 'for me' line was camouflage. What we needed was a seat on the board, and the information that comes with it."
"Information?" Asuna frowned. "What kind of information could the board give us? It's not like it helps us clear Dungeons. Is it just to make it easier to take leave without the school calling our parents? Spending that much money for that is… ridiculous."
Kotoko shook her head softly.
"You don't need to worry about my parents. I disappear sometimes to handle Anomaly related incidents. They've probably noticed I'm not quite normal, so they don't ask too many questions."
She glanced at Asagiri.
"And him… there's no need to explain."
"My family's sponsorship does include what you said, convenience for our movements. But that's not the main reason."
Asuna leaned forward slightly, curiosity sharpening.
"Then what is it?"
Asagiri's next sentence hit like a cold splash of water.
"I suspect there are two other Players at Shuchiin, besides the three of us."
Asuna froze, then spoke slowly, as if afraid she misheard.
"Two other Players? Who?"
Asagiri paused, then calmly said two names Asuna never would have expected.
"Kaguya Shinomiya from my class."
He continued without blinking.
"And your good friend from the same class, Fujiwara Chika."
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