-7- The treasure of the Nanaya clan

As today is the first day of school, aside from the necessary homeroom meeting in the classroom, students only need to attend the opening ceremony. After that, they have the freedom to move around on this day, with formal classes beginning the next day.

In this scenario, some students are heading to the venue for the opening ceremony, while others are going to the dormitories, and many are exploring the various facilities on campus.

Nanaya Hori also takes a tour around the campus, a habit formed due to various reasons such as becoming familiar with the terrain, gathering information, and observing details. During this exploration, Hori notices an unusually high number of surveillance cameras.

"Cameras are really everywhere."

This abundance of cameras is quite conspicuous. While it's common for schools to have surveillance cameras, Advanced Nurturing High School seems to have an exceptional number. Even areas with entertainment facilities in the shopping district have cameras, and every classroom in the school building is equipped with one, except for some private and special areas.

"So, does the school have complete control over what students are doing and where?"

Of course, not all areas have cameras. Hori identifies several blind spots where cameras don't cover.

"Those places are probably the so-called 'gray areas.' They might be utilized for various activities."

This doesn't surprise Hori. Even during the training in the Nanaya clan, strategies were developed specifically against surveillance cameras.

"Unfortunately, all equipment is restricted in this school."

If Hori had enough tools and equipment, this school would be a backyard to move around freely.

"For now, it's better to be a little more discreet."

Hori makes this judgment and turns a blind eye to the crowd heading to the opening ceremony, choosing to go to the dormitories instead.

...

In Advanced Nurturing High School, there are three student dormitory buildings. The dorms are divided by grade, with one building for each year. Male students' rooms are concentrated on the lower floors, while female students' rooms are on the upper floors. Each student has an individual room, and the treatment in this regard is also quite good.

Hori arrives at the first-year student dormitory, receives the room key and a manual with dormitory rules from the front desk on the first floor, and enters the elevator while flipping through the manual.

The manual contains various life-related matters, such as garbage disposal days and times, reminders to avoid making noise, and warnings against visiting opposite-sex rooms late at night. As mentioned earlier, accommodation fees are fully covered by the school, including electricity, water, and gas charges, which students don't need to pay.

However, if students want to add any additional furniture, appliances, or daily necessities to their rooms, they have to bear the cost themselves.

"How about using points to decorate the room nicely with a hundred thousand points?"

Unfortunately, Hori has no demand for such things.

"Compared to surviving in the wilderness, having a room is something to be happy about." Making a statement that an ordinary student wouldn't make, Hori Nanaya arrived at their room and used the room key to open the door.

All student dormitory rooms, which are owned by the students, have a standardized size of about four tatami mats, roughly equivalent to eight tatami mats. Additionally, the rooms include a kitchen, toilet, and bathroom, even featuring an entrance area, making them equivalent to apartment-level private rooms.

"For the next three years starting today, this will be my hideout, huh?" Hori glanced around the room and then shifted their gaze away, casually throwing the school bag onto the bed and sitting down.

Silence began to descend upon the room. 

"Ah..." 

Before long, Hori let out a silent sigh. 

"Let's confirm it for now." 

Uttering these words, Hori took something out of the school bag.

It was an item entrusted by Hori's foster father to Director Sakayanagi, who then passed it on to Hori. Looking at the slender wooden box in their hand, Hori opened it.

Inside the box was a roughly ten-centimeter-long black-handled object.

It was a knife handle.

Moreover, on this knife handle, two ancient characters were engraved.

—"Nanaya."

This was both the engraving on the knife and its name. Hori held it in their hand, silently observing. 

"It really is this thing..." 

After sighing once again, Hori suddenly exerted force with the hand holding the knife handle.

"Clang!"

With a crisp sound, a cold blade sprung out from the top of the knife handle.

This lethal weapon appeared in Hori's hand just like that. If there were a second person present, they would surely hold their breath at the sight. 

Strangely, the scene of Hori holding a small knife gave off a pleasing feeling.

It was as if to say that Hori was most suited when wielding a deadly weapon, exuding an indescribable sense of beauty and harmony.

If someone knew the origin of the small knife in Hori's hand, they would likely lose their composure completely. This small knife, named after the same name as the clan, was a treasured item passed down through generations within the clan.

Its first user could be traced back a thousand years. As a weapon, it was only slightly sturdier and sharper than an ordinary knife.

Yet, it was a genuine antique, and people were willing to pay a fortune to obtain it. Only the head of the Nanaya clan and the heir inheriting the name of Nanaya were allowed to possess this treasure.

Hori gazed at this item and whispered softly, "What difference does it make to send something like this?" 

In this world governed by laws and regulations, this weapon served no practical purpose.

"For now, I'll just keep it." Hori retracted the blade into the handle and put the knife in their pocket. 

"Well, let's go eat." 

With that, Hori left the room.