A girl with beautiful long silver hair stood near Miyama.
She had a sweet appearance, with silver hair and purple eyes, radiating a light and gentle aura.
Her legs also drew attention, wearing gray stockings. It was rare to see girls wearing gray stockings because they were difficult to match, but she looked very suitable, like a natural gray stocking rack.
Although Miyama had no experience interacting with girls, he clearly knew proper etiquette.
'This girl is different from Sakayanagi-san. She's my classmate,' he thought.
Coming to a foreign place like Koudo Ikusei High School and having to spend three years here, Miyama didn't want to be without friends. So, he took the initiative to greet her.
"Hello, I'm Miyama Sendoh," he said.
"Eh? I'm Shiina Hiyori, nice to meet you, Miyama-kun," replied the girl with gray stockings—or more precisely, Shiina Hiyori.
Shiina Hiyori.
Hiyori.
A beautiful name.
He felt his luck today was strange. Having just left home and his sister, Miyama Kei, he had already met two silver-haired girls in succession, similar to his sister's hair.
[Previously you didn't pay much attention to Sakayanagi-san, but now you're taking the initiative to greet her. Is this your type?]
[Today you met two silver-haired girls in succession. It seems you're very lucky.]
"..."
'I don't even know my own type, and this narration is too crude,' thought Miyama.
'Who would push me to approach girls just because I met them once? I came to this school to study, not to fall in love.'
Yes, that's how it should be.
...
"This school adheres to the supremacy of power—" said Horikita-senpai, the Student Council President, continuing his speech.
"Welcome as members of our school. Next, please disperse according to the order of classes A, B, C, and D, then return to your respective classes. Your homeroom teacher will hold the first meeting shortly."
"My speech is over," he added.
After Horikita-senpai finished speaking, the students began to grow restless.
The senior maintaining order near the door spoke, "First-year Class A will exit first, followed by Class B, C, and finally Class D."
Commotion occurred in the rows of Class A, which was farthest from the gymnasium door. Class A students lined up and exited, followed by Class B.
This process took about three minutes.
Horikita-senpai, who had just finished his speech, looked serious.
"The quality of first-year students this year is concerning," he said.
"Yes," nodded a short purple-haired secretary beside him.
The attitude of the new students this year seemed indifferent. Even during the speech, many were whispering.
In a regular school, that might not be a problem. Many school speeches contain nonsense. But Horikita-senpai's speech earlier contained important information about this school.
'If the new students behave like this, they might have difficulties,' thought the secretary.
She glanced at Horikita-senpai and realized his eyes were fixed on the rows of Class D.
'What's in Class D?' she thought, checking those rows.
Class D students stood with relaxed postures, unorganized, clearly underperforming among the four classes.
However, the secretary was surprised. "Huh?" she asked quietly.
"What's wrong?" asked Horikita-senpai, refocusing.
"No, nothing," replied the secretary, shaking her head quickly.
'Why there were so many beautiful girls in Class D this year,' she thought.
...
After leaving the gymnasium, Miyama and the Class C group dispersed, heading toward the teaching building.
All students had phones with campus maps, making it easy to find directions.
However...
"Miyama-kun?" Shiina-san, who walked beside him, noticed he looked sluggish.
"I was reading until late last night. After the ceremony ended, I feel sleepy now that I'm relaxed," said Miyama.
'Reading?' thought Shiina-san, looking curious.
[Shiina Hiyori beside you is curious about you. She seems to like people who enjoy reading.]
[You're really lucky today, meeting interesting girls one after another.]
"..."
Miyama ignored that narration. He was thinking about something.
The attitude of Class C students around him was very relaxed, but he was different. Although whispering with Shiina-san, he still listened to Horikita-senpai's speech.
'This school adheres to meritocracy,' he thought, recalling Horikita-senpai's words: "This school is supported by the government. The 100% graduation and university acceptance rates are real. Anyone who graduates from here will have a bright path."
'That sounds too good,' thought Miyama. 'Like nonsense.'
Sakayanagi-san's words also echoed: "What's free is often the most expensive."
'There's no free lunch,' he thought.
Though Horikita-senpai said that, there must be conditions. If everyone could enjoy that "future guarantee," this world wouldn't be realistic.
'Only some people can enjoy such treatment,' thought Miyama.
For Miyama, getting into his dream university for free was enough. His family couldn't afford tuition fees, and a job after graduation would be very helpful.
'But I must understand the school rules first,' he thought.
Horikita-senpai's words about "meritocracy" were repeated three times in the speech, like an important clue in an exam.
While thinking about this, Miyama realized Class C students were starting to move out. A girl walked beside him and Shiina-san.
This girl was taller than Shiina-san, with a very high level of attention.
She was very beautiful, with long black hair flowing over her shoulders, a ribbon and long ponytail on her right side, and sharp fox-like eyes. However, her aura conveyed the message "don't approach me"—a cold beauty.
Perhaps too cold, because after she passed, the surrounding students returned to their own business.
'Another beautiful girl,' thought Miyama. 'But strangely, the narration system didn't comment.'
'It's as if it's avoiding something.'
As he was thinking, there was a commotion.
"Get away!" shouted a student in front, roughly pushing another student.
The pushed student had red hair with a center part. Although wearing the school uniform, he wore a black shirt with two buttons open, looking disheveled.
"Hey, Ryuuen, this isn't your old school!" said a student, apparently knowing him from a previous school.
"Get lost! Don't make me beat you up!" replied the red-haired student.
"..."
The atmosphere instantly fell silent.
Class C students looked angry but didn't dare speak.
'First-year Class C indeed has problems,' thought Miyama.