Chapter 194: The Contractual Spirit of the Capitalist Lady

"Headache, dizziness, palpitations, fatigue... Ah, the May sickness has really arrived."

"May—the month that packs on the pounds."

"So, where did you go for Golden Week?"

"With the city locked down due to the pandemic? Nowhere! I've just been hooked on a new game—can't seem to put it down."

"…"

As Amamiya walked into the classroom, a chorus of voices filled the lively atmosphere.

Golden Week, the second-longest holiday stretch of the year, had just ended, leaving the classroom filled with an air of relaxed happiness.

"Amamiya-kun, I'm heading next door to class," Shimizu waved as she moved off, presumably to join Hana in a sticker-swapping session.

Amamiya only nodded as he walked toward his desk. Standing there, a few girls were chatting away, and one with short hair had even perched herself on his desk. Seeing him approach, she quickly slid off, giving a polite, "Good morning, Natsuki-san."

"Morning."

Amamiya replied with a nod, taking his seat with practiced ease. By now, having been at school for nearly two months, the morning pleasantries felt almost natural.

"Did you see the bulletin board, Amamiya-kun?" One of the girls, hands on her hips, looked at him admiringly. "You actually ranked first in the exams this time—beat Shinomiya-san and everything! That's amazing."

"Yeah, Shinomiya-san's known as a genius. She always tops every exam. I didn't think anyone could beat her."

Amamiya, pulling books from his bag, paused and looked up with a smile. "Well, it always happens, I was first in every exam back in junior high too."

"…"

The girls around him fell into a moment of stunned silence, faces beet red as they absorbed his remark.

"Why does Amamiya-kun look even more charming today?"

"That smile just now… it was so beautiful!"

Noting their reactions, Amamiya suppressed his smile, raising a hand to brush his face.

Increases in his charm attribute didn't stand out much when he looked in the mirror or interacted with close friends, but for classmates he hadn't seen recently, the impact seemed undeniable.

'staaaare—'

A gaze fixed sharply upon him. Kaguya, who'd been busy with her own work, had put down her pen and was now looking his way.

'So, you're over there laughing it up with other girls? Get back to studying, or you're bound to fail the next exam!'

Despite it all, Amamiya managed to enjoy a rare and relatively peaceful day on campus—if he ignored the occasional sight of malevolent spirits drifting around.

When the school bell rang at 3:20 in the afternoon, he glanced up. So early, he thought.

School in Japan follows a "yutori" (relaxed education) system. From elementary through high school, students have weekends off, with no make-up classes or mandatory self-study periods. They typically have four classes in the morning and two in the afternoon, along with a one-hour lunch break. Once school ends, they're free to go home or join clubs—life here really is this laid-back.

"Time to clean the classroom," he murmured to himself, since, as a student on duty today, Amamiya was also in charge of tidying up.

After most of his classmates had headed home, Amamiya took a broom and cleaning supplies from the locker, ready to start. Just then, he noticed a certain sharp-eyed young lady approaching.

"Natsuki-san, I want to toss a coin." Kaguya announced directly.

Amamiya paused, looking at her evenly. "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"

"No need." Kaguya's gaze held steady, filled with determination.

'I asked Umi yesterday. She got pulled into this horror game a week after me, and she already drew a skill card. Meanwhile, I've got nothing!'

Despite possessing an exclusive weapon, its low damage rendered it practically useless.

Kaguya had always avoided relying on a coin flip, detesting the sense of being at the mercy of chance. But now, she could no longer afford to care about that.

Everyone else had already acquired their skills, leaving her as the only one without. It gnawed at her, refusing to be ignored.

'Unacceptable!'

She had to gain a skill as quickly as possible.

'I, Kaguya Shinomiya, am no less capable than anyone else!'

"Here." Amamiya handed her a coin, instructing, "Try not to move, and stay alert to your surroundings."

Just last night, her maid 'Hanamori' had failed to accumulate her luck, and it's still accumulating energy. So, no matter what preparations Kaguya made—whether meditating, bathing, burning incense, or even praying sincerely—it wouldn't make a difference. Bad luck was almost guaranteed.

With a soft breath to steady herself, Kaguya tossed the coin in the air.

'Clink.'

It landed, tails up.

Kaguya's lips tightened as she regarded the coin, her face calm and unreadable. Heads or tails, she had already prepared herself to accept it.

Crossing her arms, Kaguya mused aloud, "When one's luck is low, it's best to stay still and avoid people, right?"

"Precisely," Amamiya agreed. "With bad luck, it's easy to stumble on a flat surface, miss a step on the stairs, or stub a toe on a table. And if there are others around, you're bound to get bumped or stepped on... all increasing the odds of something going wrong."

"Then I'll just stay in the classroom for half an hour," Kaguya declared, already formulating her plan. The classroom was empty after school; as long as she avoided the table legs, she could minimize the risks.

But the next instant, Amamiya suddenly took a half-step forward and wrapped her in his arms.

'Wait, what?!'

Kaguya's body went rigid, her first instinct being to throw him over her shoulder. Suppressing that urge, she found herself completely flustered.

'Why did he suddenly hug me?' 

'This happened too fast! No atmosphere, no mental preparation!'

As her senses took in Amamiya's scent, Kaguya's mind raced back to an old phrase: 'Everything has its cause, and I am your consequence...'

Could he somehow be the source of her misfortune?

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a loud thud, as if something had struck the wall. Startled, Kaguya glanced to the side.

"Huh… a baseball?"

"A baseball just flew in through the window." Amamiya released her, bent down to retrieve the ball from where it had bounced, then walked to the window and tossed it back outside. "Bad luck always arrives unexpectedly, taking people by surprise."

Kaguya quickly took a step back and sank into a chair, raising a hand to her cheek to mask her blush. "A baseball actually flew in here? Isn't that a bit dangerous?"

"Don't worry," Amamiya said, attempting to reassure her. "By the time it flies over from the playground, it's lost most of its speed. At worst, it'd only leave a little bump on your forehead."

Kaguya idly played with a strand of her hair, then murmured, "We've located Ms. Suzuki's address and transferred the agreed-upon fee to her family. Before we passed through customs, she mentioned hoping someone could check if her cat was still there. If so, she wanted it to be adopted."

Ms. Suzuki, known as the "ghost guide" in the Midnight Mall, had guided them during their game. Kaguya had kept her end of the bargain, ensuring that after the game concluded, Ms. Suzuki's identity and background were researched and the payment promptly sent. Only the final part of their agreement—to care for the cat—remained.

Kaguya lifted her gaze and, with an air of nonchalance, suggested, "If you're free this afternoon, why don't we go together to take a look?"

This was a task she could easily delegate, but it suddenly struck her that it also served as an excellent invitation. Why waste it?

But Amamiya only shook his head. "Sorry, I'm busy."

Kaguya: "…"