The exam was underway.
Students from every class had already chosen their paths, heading toward their respective castles.
"Finally, we don't have to sleep in the wild anymore," Kei said, stretching her limbs.
After all, what kind of place was that last deserted island? There were mosquitoes everywhere, making it impossible to get a decent night's sleep. This time, they finally got to stay in a castle; there was no longer any need to worry about accommodation.
Chiaki walked over, letting out a weary sigh of agreement.
"You're right. At least we won't be sleeping on the ground this time."
The architecture resembled a medieval European fortress, looking exactly like something out of a movie or a period drama. The only difference was that these castles were relatively low, standing about 7 meters tall—roughly equivalent to a two-story building. Perhaps due to budget constraints or student safety, the walls weren't built too high, which also made things easier for those planning an assault.
The castles had no doors. This meant someone had to be on guard 24 hours a day. This design choice was likely made to facilitate the exam, allowing for infiltrations to seize the castle or scan the crystal. After all, they couldn't exactly be expected to carry siege ladders around, could they? Engaging in a literal medieval siege would be far too unrealistic.
Ryunosuke was busy gathering fallen branches outside to start a fire for cooking. The kitchen facilities in the castle used earthen stoves, similar to the large mud kilns found in the countryside.
Seeing Ryunosuke picking up wood while the surroundings were quiet, Kei sneakily approached from behind and wrapped her arms around him.
"Ehey!"
Faced with Kei's sudden hug, Ryunosuke resignedly patted the arms locked around his neck, telling her to let go because she felt heavy. Kei pouted in dissatisfaction.
"What's that supposed to mean? I just wanted a little skinship, and you're acting like I'm a nuisance..."
Despite her words, Kei obediently released her grip, her voice tinged with a spoiled whine.
"Hey, come for a walk with me for a bit. It feels like we haven't had any alone time in forever..."
Kei twirled a strand of hair around her finger, her gaze drifting everywhere but at him, pretending to be nonchalant when she was actually desperate for his attention. Ryunosuke finished tying the bundle of firewood and hoisted it onto his back before answering her.
"At least wait until I bring this wood back..." Ryunosuke said with a sigh of surrender.
Kei cheered, "Awesome!", and signaled that she wanted to tag along. She didn't want to waste a single second of her time with him.
Ryunosuke had no choice but to indulge her. Compared to the other girls, the time he spent with Kei was indeed far too little; consider this compensation.
The two headed back toward the castle together. Chiaki remained hidden behind a tree, peeking out at them. She didn't quite know why she felt the need to hide; she had just done it instinctively. Watching Ryunosuke and Kei together, she felt a strange, complicated wave of emotion.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
Elsewhere, the two arrived at their destination. Ryunosuke tossed the branches on his back into the kitchen area, signaling the others to start the fire for cooking.
This exam would last approximately seven days. Food supplies could be purchased using class points. Simply by holding the castle, they would earn 100 class points, and protecting the crystal would net another 100, totaling around 200 points. Thus, Ryunosuke granted them a budget of 30%—60 class points. If it was just for seven days' worth of food, 30 points would be plenty. The remaining 30 points could be kept as a reserve.
Since their living quarters were now a castle, they didn't have to worry about accommodation, and there were even functioning toilets. That meant he wouldn't have to waste points on the girls' miscellaneous needs.
Ryunosuke still vividly remembered the cruise ship exam where his points were nearly drained just because of the girls' bathroom situation. Now, at most, they'd only need to buy a few daily necessities, allowing them to save a significant amount.
He sought out Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, gesturing for him to watch the house while he went out to "play"—or rather, to scout around for a chance to steal an opponent's crystal.
Ayanokouji agreed. He was lazy by nature, and Ryunosuke's request perfectly aligned with his desire to stay put.
Before leaving, Ryunosuke pulled the blue crystal from his pocket and handed it over to him to keep safe. Ayanokouji accepted it with both hands, indicating there would be no problem.
Still feeling a bit uneasy, Ryunosuke warned him one last time.
"You'd better take this seriously. If our crystal gets stolen, I'm cutting off your food rations!"
He meant that he wouldn't let Horikita Suzune cook for him ever again. Ayanokouji's eyes instantly went blank, like a salted fish that had lost its dreams.
For the sake of delicious food, Ayanokouji's fighting spirit ignited instantly as he spoke to Ryunosuke.
"Leave with an easy mind. As long as I am here, this crystal remains. If the crystal falls, I fall with it!"
Seeing Ayanokouji so fired up, Ryunosuke finally felt relieved and prepared to take Kei for a walk. The main reason was his promise to her, as well as wanting to enjoy some time alone in their own little world.
In truth, Ryunosuke knew that the most appropriate person to bring along for this task would actually be Kato Megumi. With her incredibly thin presence, she was perfect for stealing crystals without being noticed. The only reason he didn't do it was for fear of the "vinegar pot" tipping over—jealousy that could lead to a situation where neither side could be easily appeased.
Furthermore, Kei hadn't yet joined the "Akasaka Great Family," so she knew nothing about his "Gotei 13." She didn't even know she had twelve romantic rivals.
Ayanokouji, who was like a mind-reading worm in Ryunosuke's gut, had already guessed what his friend was thinking and found it utterly baffling.
(Kato is clearly a far more useful tool than Karuizawa. If it were me, I would definitely prioritize Kato as my tool instead of the useless Karuizawa.)
Of course, Ayanokouji understood his friend's logic, but he fundamentally disagreed.
"This will be your greatest weakness, Akasaka..." Ayanokouji murmured expressionlessly.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
Meanwhile, in the gray castle of Class 2-B—the territory under Asuna's responsibility.
Asuna sat atop a black throne. Standing to her left and right were two figures: Katsuragi Kohei and Hashimoto Masayoshi. Both stood like the most loyal of subordinates, calmly acting as her right and left hands.
In reality, Asuna was panicking internally, but she had to pretend as if nothing was wrong. After all, she was the king; she was a competent king. She couldn't panic—absolutely not...
Asuna kept calming herself down in her heart, while occasionally emitting a powerful pressure (aura). In truth, that aura was just her body stiffening from sheer nervousness. However, in the eyes of Katsuragi and Hashimoto, this was the silent command of a monarch.
Both knelt on one knee, offering a respectful aristocratic salute, and spoke in unison:
"Asuna-sama, what are your orders?" (x2)
Asuna: "😐"
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