As time advanced, the clamor of the midterm exams receded like a tide. A new month arrived, and Class D resumed its superficial routine. However, the atmosphere became noticeably livelier with the influx of personal points into the class.
Natsukawa Sosuke leaned against the window at the back of the classroom, his gaze calmly sweeping over the lush scenery outside. Though he appeared to be lost in thought, his mind was listing the gains he had acquired from the "midterm exam upheaval."
The cooperation between Class B and Class D goes without saying. However, Natsukawa had only done this on a whim, simply not wanting Sakura's week of studying to be wasted effort; helping Sakura build confidence was the extent of Natsukawa's consideration. Furthermore, this cooperation with Class B successfully allowed Ichinose and Sakura to become friends, which was a pleasant surprise. He hoped the two of them could continue to get along harmoniously.
However, the greatest gain from this midterm exam, besides the knowledge rewarded by the system, belonged to Kushida Little Angel.
Natsukawa hadn't anticipated suddenly witnessing the girl's accumulated stress burst forth. But by using their shared secret as bait, moving to the obedience test of mandatory companionship, and finally employing both carrot and stick by giving her the past exam questions, he successfully planted a complex mix of dependence, awe, and deep attachment in the heart of this Little Angel with two faces.
Kushida's relaxation when she dropped her facade in front of him, and the shift of her focus from peer socialization toward his life—these all signaled that this chess piece was slowly moving off its original track and drawing closer to him. She was not only his informant and facilitator within Class D but also a potentially enormous, hidden "dagger" concealed beneath the sunlight.
Speaking of Kikyo, he had to mention Horikita. Natsukawa was currently debating whether or not to push her toward the position of class leader. After all, there were truly many extraordinary people in this class, and without some genuine strength, it would be impossible to control the current members of Class D. Although Hirata could unite some people, he was simply too much of a good guy and only wanted to live a peaceful life guarding his small plot of land.
If Natsukawa were in another class, he would use Hirata's gentle nature and early class dominance to slowly boil Class D like a frog in warm water by the second month of school, ultimately forging them into a knife pointed at the other classes. Unfortunately, Hirata was in his own class, so that was out of the question.
'Ah, so tired. I don't want to think about it anymore. What happens to Horikita later depends on her own fortune.' Natsukawa yawned, retracting his gaze from outside the window and looking into the classroom. Hirata was surrounded by a small group of girls as usual. Kushida, Wang Meiyu, and Inogashira Kokoro were discussing new desserts at the cafe at her seat, while Ike and Yamauchi were debating which new manga had come out so they could spend some of their hard-earned points... The entire class was cheerful, as if they had returned to their peaceful daily lives.
'Ah, speaking of which, has Ryuuen already completed his class consolidation? His next step should be to come to Class D to stir up trouble and test the school rules.'
'I should still take the time to buy some voice recorders and invisible cameras as backup recently. Although this body is no longer the "easily pushed over" type, it's still quite weak. After I complete the 50-day study mission, I'll use the system to allocate points. I hope Ryuuen doesn't happen to pick a fight with me, or the fun will be ruined later.'
...In the Library during the afternoon, the residual glow of the setting sun passed through the tall windows, plating the neatly arranged bookshelves with a warm, golden edge. The air was filled with the unique, quiet scent of old paper and ink. Natsukawa sat in his usual window seat. Spread open before him was not a textbook, but a copy of Queen's The Tragedy of Y. Since early April, the system's study mission had long been completed; Natsukawa's current reading was purely out of interest and served as a form of mental relaxation.
That subtle feeling of being watched still lingered, faint and elusive, like motes of dust in the afternoon light. Unlike Kushida's purposeful scrutiny, this gaze was more... tranquil, purer, seemingly just observation, devoid of any aggression. He already had a suspicion about the owner of the gaze but remained composed, making no deliberate attempt to find the source.
Just as he was immersed in the labyrinth of logic, a soft voice sounded beside Natsukawa.
"Um... excuse me, sorry to bother you."
Natsukawa lifted his eyes from the page.
What met his eyes was a girl. She had long, gray hair that reached her waist, falling smoothly behind her. The ends of her hair swayed gently with her slight tilt of the head. Her fair skin highlighted her increasingly delicate features, and her eyes were gazing at him with a hint of curiosity. Her uniform outlined her curves, which were still youthful but beginning to take shape. She was tightly clutching a book, and when he focused his sight, he recognized it as the hardcover edition of The Greek Coffin Mystery.
Shiina Hiyori. Natsukawa recognized her. The literary girl from Class C, an existence known for her intelligence and slightly eccentric demeanor.
"May I ask... what is it?" Natsukawa closed The Tragedy of Y in his hand, his tone calm. He noticed her gaze quickly scanning the title of the book he was reading, and her eyes instantly lit up with the clearly discernible joy of finding a kindred spirit.
Shiina Hiyori seemed a little nervous and excited, her slender fingers unconsciously tightening their grip on the book she held. "I... I noticed you've been reading detective novels recently." Her voice was soft, but her articulation was clear. "From Ellery Queen to Agatha Christie... your reading taste is excellent."
Natsukawa's heart stirred slightly. He had indeed borrowed several classic detective novels during this period of relaxation, but at different times. The ability to notice this and accurately name the authors showed that this girl was not only a frequent visitor to the Library but also highly observant. He could only say that she truly lived up to her name, Little Hiyori.
"Just for leisure." Natsukawa maintained his composure.
Shiina Hiyori didn't seem to mind his slightly distant attitude; her attention was completely captivated by the fact that she had met a fellow fan of detective novels. She slightly extended The Greek Coffin Mystery held in her arms and asked with a pure, unadulterated enthusiasm, "Do you... like Queen? I just finished reading this one, and the logical deduction inside is absolutely brilliant! Especially the part about..."
Once her floodgates opened, her speech became fluid, and her previous shyness was quickly replaced by the excitement of sharing. She spoke about the core trick and the chain of logic in the book, her eyes focused. Occasionally, she would slightly furrow her delicate brows in thought, revealing a sharp insight that contradicted her gentle appearance. That concentration on being immersed in the world of literature, and the joy of finding someone who could understand this pleasure, made her whole person shine with a unique brilliance.
Natsukawa looked at her and suddenly understood why the girl could still maintain her own pace within the cutthroat atmosphere of Class C.
"Queen's logic flow is indeed exemplary," Natsukawa responded, following her lead. "Especially the 'National Series,' which pushes this style almost to its limit. However, sometimes it can seem overly 'fair,' lacking some element of surprise."
"Ah, yes! I completely agree!" Shiina Hiyori's eyes shone brighter, and she unconsciously moved a little closer to Natsukawa. "But it is precisely this extreme fairness that makes the reader's participation in solving the mystery so pure! Compared to this one, which structure do you think The Tragedy of X has that is more..."
She began a deep analysis of the differences between the two books, her points clear and unique. Natsukawa mostly listened quietly, occasionally nodding when she sought validation, or posing a guiding question at a crucial point.
The warm, golden sunset plated this chance encounter with a soft halo. The tall bookshelves stood like silent ramparts, guarding this small space connected by a shared hobby. Two people who were originally strangers had a brief and pleasant intersection in the Library after school, sparked by their love for detective novels.
"...Ah, I'm so sorry." Shiina Hiyori finally snapped out of her excited sharing, realizing she might have talked too much. A more pronounced blush spread across her fair cheeks, and she lowered her head shyly. "Whenever I talk about books I love, I just can't seem to stop..."
"It's alright," Natsukawa's tone softened slightly. "Your insights are very interesting."
Shiina Hiyori looked up, revealing a truly genuine smile, which was completely different from her usual quiet and introverted demeanor. "Thank you for listening to me. I am Shiina Hiyori from Class C."
"Class D, Natsukawa Sosuke."
"Natsukawa-kun..." she murmured softly. "Um... if, if you see any interesting detective novels in the future, could we... recommend them to each other?" she asked cautiously, filled with anticipation.
"No problem. However, I feel my knowledge of detective novels is far inferior to yours, Shiina-san, so please bear with me in the future."
"It's fine, Natsukawa-kun. I'm already very satisfied just having a book friend with similar interests."
Shiina Hiyori seemed extremely satisfied with this. She hugged the book in her arms tightly, then walked away with light steps, silently merging into the shadows of the deep bookshelves in the Library like a gentle, gray silhouette.
...
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