After the ceremony ended, the new students proceeded to their respective classrooms according to the instructions. Jin calmly left the auditorium and followed the signs toward the Class 1-B classroom.
On the connecting corridor leading to the academic building, he saw Kushida Kikyo again.
She was walking with several Class D girls, seemingly comforting one of them who looked somewhat dejected.
Sensing Jin's gaze, she looked up and offered him a warm and encouraging smile from a distance, gently waving her hand as if to say, "Good luck."
Jin nodded slightly in response, humoring the 'Broken Angel' then merged into the flow of people heading to Class 1-B.
The Class 1-B classroom was located on the middle floor of the academic building and had excellent lighting. The room was spacious, equipped with the most advanced multimedia teaching equipment and height-adjustable desks and chairs. The overall environment was clean and bright, conveying a practical and efficient atmosphere.
When Jin walked into the classroom, quite a few people were already seated inside.
He quickly and calmly scanned the room. Most of the students looked relatively composed, with expressions showing curiosity about the new environment and a hint of imperceptible caution.
There were no particularly ostentatious or eye-catching presences, the overall atmosphere leaned toward reserved and pragmatic. He chose a seat by the window, relatively far back.
This position offered a wide view, allowing him to observe the podium and take in most of the classroom, while also making it unlikely for him to become the centre of attention.
Shortly after, a set of light footsteps sounded at the classroom door. A young woman walked in, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
She looked to be just in her early twenties, with smooth, dark brown shoulder-length hair that curled slightly at the ends.
Her face bore a sweet, highly approachable smile, her eyes curved like crescent moons. Her skin was fair, and she wore a fitted business skirt suit, yet she exuded a lively and adorable aura, far removed from the image of a strict teacher.
"Good morning, everyone~!" Her voice was clear and pleasant, carrying unconcealed joy. "I am your homeroom teacher for the next three years, Hoshinomiya Chie! Please take care of me!"
She bowed energetically to everyone, her smile so bright it seemed capable of melting ice. The atmosphere in the classroom instantly relaxed considerably.
"Oh my, looking at all your youthful faces, I feel like I've become younger myself!" Hoshinomiya Chie clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling. "From now on, we're family! Class 1-B students, let's work hard together and create a warm and motivated class!"
She gave her self-introduction enthusiastically, emphasising the importance of class unity and mutual support, her words full of beautiful anticipation for the future. She seemed more like a vibrant older sister than a strict guide.
However, behind Hoshinomiya Chie's sweet smile and lively words, Jin keenly detected something different.
As her gaze swept across the classroom, passing over every student, a fleeting, sharp glint—like a precise instrument scan—occasionally flashed in her curved, smiling eyes.
The light vanished instantly, so fast that one might think it was a delusion, yet it carried an air of assessment and insight. This hidden sharpness created a subtle contrast with the relaxed and lively facade she deliberately projected.
That's why who truly knows her, they could tell, it was a fake persona.
And Jin, who has the knowledge of original novel, it was crystal clear. There is no way he could ever fell for her acting.
Jin calmly watched the vibrant Hoshinomiya Chie on the podium. This homeroom teacher did not seem as simple as she appeared on the surface. Her level of "trouble" might not be low.
He silently noted her down on his observation list. Hoshinomiya Chie began to explain the school's various rules in detail.
Jin listened quietly. Outside the window, the brand-new and challenging life at Advanced Nurturing High School was slowly beginning.
Hoshinomiya Chie's sweet smile, like thin ice in spring, quietly melted away the moment she began introducing the school's core system, revealing a hint of businesslike focus.
The giant electronic screen behind her lit up in response, displaying a simple yet practical interface in soft tones.
The background was an aerial view—a fully equipped artificial island completely surrounded by azure seawater, connected only by a slender underwater tunnel, like a delicate umbilical cord.
"Welcome to Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School," Hoshinomiya Chie's voice was steady and clear, carrying a sense of declaration.
"More accurately, welcome to 'Nurturing Island,' meticulously built for your next three years."
Her fingertip tapped the tablet, and the island map zoomed in, clearly highlighting the boundaries and the sole tunnel exit.
"Our school operates under a fully closed management system."
Her gaze swept across the room, her tone gentle but carrying undeniable certainty.
"This island will be the entirety of your world for study and life over the next three years.
The only physical connection to the outside world—that underwater tunnel—is subject to extremely strict control."
"Except in special circumstances, students cannot leave the island during their schooling, nor can they communicate freely with the outside world," Hoshinomiya Chie emphasised clearly.
"Daily mobile phone and internet access are limited to the island's local area network.
This is not isolation, but rather to allow you to focus wholeheartedly on your own growth and experience, fully integrating into this unique environment."
A knowing smile appeared on her face.
"This will require adaptation, but please trust that everything on the island is sufficient to support you through a fulfilling and meaningful three years."
The screen switched to another interface.
"And the core system that will help you live smoothly in this closed yet comprehensive small world is the S-System (Student System)," Hoshinomiya Chie's voice returned to its previous professional tone.
The classroom buzzed with the frantic clicking of phone screens as students verified their newfound fortunes.
The "reserved and pragmatic" mask of Class 1-B was momentarily discarded, replaced by the universal giddiness of teenagers who had just been handed the keys to the kingdom.
Jin remained still, his thumb tracing the edge of his Student ID terminal. He didn't share their jubilation.
Instead, he focused on the terminology Hoshinomiya Chie had used, Class Points. She hadn't said their allowance depended on individual grades or behavior, but on the standing of the class as a whole.
This implied a system of collective responsibility—a design meant to force cooperation or, more likely, breed internal surveillance.
He looked toward the podium. Hoshinomiya Chie was watching a group of boys in the front row who were already discussing which high-end gaming consoles were available at the Keyaki Mall.
Her smile remained sweet, but there was a faint, almost imperceptible twitch of her lips—not of joy, but of a hunter watching prey wander into a beautifully decorated trap.
"The school values 'merit' above all else," she added, her voice floating over the noise like a soft bell. "But remember, merit isn't just about test scores. It's about how you carry yourselves as representatives of this institution."
Jin caught the nuance. Everything was being monitored. The way they sat, the way they spoke, perhaps even the way they spent those first 100,000 points.
The school had provided them with a massive surplus not as a reward, but as a litmus test for self-discipline.
For the first time Jin realized, It wasn't that School rules were truly hidden but It was just that students were dumb enough not to notice.
From the speech of principal at the entrance ceremony to class advisor's introduction of school, there were stuble hints towards, almost every hidden rule.
Jin looked towards his classmates of 1-B, seeing them still immersed in new school life and discussion about fun things to do after homeroom ends, Jin felt disappointed.