COTE : Oh No, I've Become the Substitute

Inside the infirmary, the faint smell of disinfectant lingered in the air, and the various medical instruments gave off a cold gleam.

"Your blood sugar is a bit low," the school nurse said, looking at the reading on the glucometer while observing Fuyuji Mikage's complexion. "Did you skip breakfast or lunch? You can't do that, you know. Young people need to learn to take care of their bodies."

Fuyuji Mikage felt the corner of his eye twitch as he listened. He recognized this school nurse—Hoshinomiya Chie.

She was the math teacher in charge of their class, and during lessons she always looked slightly tipsy with the scent of alcohol on her. One glance told you she definitely didn't hold back on drinking at night!

"No major issues. Just replenishing some sugar will do. Be more careful next time." Hoshinomiya Chie put away the glucometer, wagging her index finger and striking a lecturing pose.

Fuyuji Mikage listened, deep in thought. So once mental energy is completely drained, the body starts consuming internal energy storage as a substitute?

"I see." The girl with long, golden-pink hair who had been with Hoshinomiya Chie seemed to let out a sigh of relief. She patted her own ample chest, a smile spreading across her face. "Thank goodness you're alright."

Huh? What is this?

Fuyuji Mikage couldn't help but raise his hand to block his eyes.

At that very moment, that girl seemed to radiate countless gentle beams of light from behind her, scattering outward in all directions and illuminating everything in the world.

A cold glint flashed through Fuyuji Mikage's eyes.

It was you!

You stole my light!

He had thought General Kushida was already unmatched under heaven. He never expected someone even more formidable. Whose general is this?

"Ichinose Honami, you and Fuyuji haven't even met yet. Isn't this a bit much?"

Hashimoto Masayoshi timely stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Fuyuji Mikage, shrugging his shoulders.

Ichinose Honami, was it?

Prompted by Hashimoto Masayoshi, Fuyuji Mikage's mind surfaced with intel on her.

Ichinose Honami, currently the candidate most likely to unify Class B—the class right behind their own Class A.

No. Rather than "most likely to unify," she had probably already unified Class B. One could even say she unified Class B on the very first day.

With formidable social skills, a sweet appearance, and a gentle personality, she conquered every single person in Class B on day one. The only reason people didn't outright call her the current leader of Class B was that they hadn't yet discovered the truth about the S System. Once the S System was revealed, the position of Class B's leader was practically guaranteed to be hers!

What's more, her personal network even extended into other classes, which was evident from the fact that quite a few people in their own class had Ichinose as a friend on social media.

"Don't put it that way, Hashimoto-kun. We're all students at this school. Even if we don't know each other now, we're bound to get acquainted in the future. Isn't it nice to show a little concern for a future friend in advance?"

A powerful beam of light shot straight into Fuyuji Mikage's inner world, dragging him right out of his thoughts.

There it was again!

That kind of messianic, all-encompassing benevolence. Fuyuji Mikage felt that if she turned into an Ultrawoman, she'd definitely be able to go past the three-minute limit.

"Alright, alright. I just can't win an argument with you. Seriously, there's just no dealing with you people with crazy social skills."

Out of the corner of his eye, Hashimoto Masayoshi saw that Fuyuji Mikage had already gathered his thoughts. He decisively stepped aside and spread his hands in a gesture of exasperated defeat.

"Here."

A hand wearing a black glove extended a cup of warm water mixed with glucose. Kito Hayato, who had remained silent the entire time, had gone to get him some water.

"Thanks, Kito, and thanks for bringing me here." Fuyuji Mikage accepted the cup, his eyes glinting with a complex light.

"..."

Kito Hayato paused for a moment, then responded, "No need to thank me. It's what classmates should do for each other."

After that, Fuyuji Mikage turned to look at Ichinose Honami, who had been standing to the side waiting for them to finish speaking. "Thank you too, Ichinose. Thanks for your concern."

"No need," Ichinose Honami extended her hand toward Fuyuji Mikage, a sweet smile on her face. "Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Ichinose Honami from Class 1-B. Please take good care of me from now on."

"I'm Fuyuji Mikage." Fuyuji Mikage placed his cup on top of the cabinet beside him and reached out to shake her hand, his tone brimming with enthusiasm. "I've heard so much about you, Ichinose. I've long known of your reputation in Class B. Everyone in our class says you're a truly remarkable person."

"Nothing like that at all. The students in Class A are flattering me way too much." Ichinose Honami scratched her fair cheek a little bashfully.

"Well then... as embarrassing as this is to ask, could you tell me something?"

Fuyuji Mikage's expression suddenly became dead serious. The face that had been all grins and chuckles chilled by several degrees, as if he was about to make some crucial decision.

"Eh? Tell you what?"

"What hypnosis app do you use? If it's convenient, could you share it with me?" As he spoke, he pulled out his phone. "I can pay Private Points for it."

"..."

"Ahahaha." Ichinose Honami let out an embarrassed, dry laugh. "Fuyuji-kun, there's no such thing."

"..." Fuyuji Mikage was shocked. "There isn't? Honto ni?"

"Wouldn't it be weirder if that kind of thing actually existed?" Hashimoto Masayoshi interjected from the side.

"Is... is that so..." Fuyuji Mikage seemed a bit crestfallen.

"Alright, stop clowning around, you guys." Hoshinomiya Chie came over with the examination report. "No issues at all. Apart from low blood sugar, you're in perfect health. It's been ages since I've seen a report this standard. Stay and be observed for another twenty minutes. If there are no problems, you can leave after that."

"See? I told you I was perfectly fine." Fuyuji Mikage took a sip of the glucose water. The warm, sweet liquid slid down his throat, bringing a trace of comforting heat.

Over the next twenty minutes, Fuyuji Mikage continued chatting with Ichinose Honami for quite a while. During the conversation, Hashimoto Masayoshi occasionally chimed in, while Kito Hayato remained leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, quietly listening to the others talk.

Through discreet probing, Fuyuji Mikage managed to gather quite a bit of intel from Ichinose Honami. At the same time, he couldn't help but marvel at how terrifying this girl's social skills were. Talking to her never made anyone feel pressured; it was more like the comfort of a spring breeze sweeping across the earth.

Fuyuji Mikage felt that, were it not for the school strictly forbidding them from proactively telling the first-years about the S System in any manner whatsoever, Ichinose Honami might well have been the first among them to figure out the truth of the exams.

"Well then... Ichinose, let's chat again next time." Feeling that he had mostly recovered, Fuyuji Mikage initiated their farewell.

After adding Ichinose as a friend, Fuyuji Mikage put his phone back in his pocket and waved goodbye to her.

"Mm. I felt a kind of novel sensation chatting with you too, Fuyuji-kun..."

Ichinose Honami nodded and watched them leave with a perfect smile.

It wasn't until Fuyuji Mikage and the other two disappeared around the corner that Ichinose Honami lowered her waving hand and frowned slightly.

"Whoa there. What's the matter, little Honami-chan? It's the first time your teacher's seen you make a face like that." Hoshinomiya Chie, standing beside her, asked curiously.

"Mm..." Ichinose Honami shook her head, but still seemed somewhat hesitant. "I'm not sure myself. It just feels a little strange somehow, but I can't quite put my finger on it..."

"Ah, that. It might be because of that Fuyuji-kun. I've heard that in Class A, the other students call him a weirdo."

"Eh? Is that so?"

"If you think there's a problem, why not go take a look? Use your charm and win him over fair and square."

"Teacher, please stop saying things like that all the time."

"Haha, just joking, just joking. But I meant it, seriously. If something feels off to you, it's probably best to get to the bottom of it."

"Is that so..."

At the same time, the three who were already far from the infirmary had begun their own conversation.

"So, what do you think of that Ichinose Honami?" Hashimoto Masayoshi asked.

"Well..."

Fuyuji Mikage slowed his steps and organized his thoughts.

"She's a good person." After mulling it over for a long time, Fuyuji Mikage squeezed out that one sentence. "Mm... a capable good person." He added another note.

"That's what everyone who knows her says, you know?" Hashimoto Masayoshi rolled his eyes.

"Hashimoto-san, in Class B, besides Ichinose, is there anyone else worth paying attention to?" Fuyuji Mikage's eyes lowered, his hand on his chin, as he suddenly asked.

"I heard there's someone named Kanzaki Ryuji, but it seems like he's already completely fallen for Ichinose, hook, line, and sinker." Hashimoto Masayoshi looked like someone itching to watch the drama unfold.

"That's what's strange, then..."

"Strange about what?"

She's too perfect...

Ichinose Honami...

To borrow a phrase from Orochimaru—Subarashii!

Exquisite beauty, invincible social skills, and remarkably keen powers of observation too. Otherwise, Fuyuji Mikage wouldn't have used that "hypnosis app" bit to divert her attention just now. He'd also heard her academic ability was among the very best.

A student this perfect... why wasn't she in Class A?

Never mind Fuyuji Mikage himself, who had only gotten in through backdoor connections with that system of his.

Even Morishita Ai—chock-full of chuunibyou, childish, spiteful, a prank-loving, all-of-the-above mess—and Yamamura Miki with her rock-bottom presence... even they had been placed into Class A. That showed the school administration was willing to overlook minor, harmless flaws.

And yet, Ichinose was in Class B...

It was already known that Class D was labeled the "defective goods," and the provisional leader of Class C was a violent thug.

Then what about Class B?

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