Chapter 159 – We don't have a conflict

"Enough." Yukio lightly pinched the bridge of his nose: "If you called me here, just get to the point. I'm not interested in hearing about your director father."

"Besides, I have to go to my class's victory party soon." He indicated that Sakayanagi should speak quickly if she had something to say.

Sakayanagi pointed delicately out the window: "You might have to wait a little, I already sent Kamuro-san to fetch someone. I'm sure you'll find this person very interesting."

"Who knows, he might even be the reason you came to this school."

"Oh?" Yukio, upon hearing this, already knew who it was—out of everyone in Advanced Nurturing High School, only Kiyotaka Ayanokouji could be connected to his enrollment.

While it was unclear how much information Sakayanagi and her father had gathered about him, Yukio had confidence in his network, feeling they wouldn't have discovered too much.

Sakayanagi's words were likely based on analysis and deduction, so he was happy to watch her perform.

Without saying a word, the special teaching building fell into silence as he watched her.

Sakayanagi didn't play the riddle game, nor did she try to prolong the suspense: "First-year Class D's Kiyotaka Ayanokouji, you should be familiar with him, right?"

"We didn't find anything significant related to him. It seems like he's just an ordinary person who was chosen for enrollment. That plain resume is too perfect."

"But here's the thing—last year, when I fainted from heatstroke on the beach, you mentioned a banquet, and it just so happened that there was only one international banquet being held there."

"And the organizer was an acquaintance of my father, so I could gather some information. It turns out that Yukio, who comes from a background even nobler than Class D's Koenji, would end up at this school."

"Considering your background, the education and training you experienced since childhood far exceed what Advanced Nurturing High School offers. Coming here could be seen as wasting three years of your growth."

"So we have to wonder, what is Yukio-kun's real purpose for coming here?"

Yukio was also curious about how much Sakayanagi could deduce, wanting to hear more. So he played along: "What's wrong with exploring the outside world? Haven't you ever thought of going out to see it yourself?"

"If you feel like it, I recommend coming to my home region to see what true scenic beauty looks like."

"Thank you for the invitation, Yukio-kun." Sakayanagi bowed gracefully, her face without a hint of sorrow, her tone still cheerful, yet her words carried a touch of melancholy: "Unfortunately, no matter how much I want to, I can't leave."

"Due to my physical limitations, I was born with a heart condition, making me unsuited for long journeys. If I'm not careful, my heart could stop in a distant place, which would be quite unfortunate."

Though speaking about her fragile life, Sakayanagi seemed as if she was telling someone else's story, with no concern for a heart that might suddenly stop at any moment.

Though her condition would typically make her a delicate, pitiful figure, her pale face had a liveliness rarely seen in someone with a healthy body.

The contradiction was striking, making her all the more noticeable. Her white hair tucked under her beret, with occasional rebellious strands falling at her sides, like a mystical being who had strayed into the mortal realm.

The brief talk about landscapes and her condition was over, and Sakayanagi turned back to the main topic: "So I'll have to thank you for your kind offer, Yukio-kun."

"If you want to see the beauty of Kyoto, I'd be honored to be your guide after graduation. However, before that, I'm unable to move freely. Do you have no objections to that, Yukio-kun?"

Her point was clear—someone with Yukio's background choosing to attend a school isolated from the outside world for three years? Even if exploring the world was his goal, this wasn't the place for it.

Yet, despite everything, Yukio still came, indicating that he had a compelling reason to do so. Sakayanagi was probing to understand that reason, and she seemed to be finding the answer.

After all, if you asked about what made Advanced Nurturing High School special, Sakayanagi could list many unique aspects, but none of them would appeal to someone like Yukio.

Education? His family's education was unlikely to be inferior to Advanced Nurturing's. After careful consideration, Sakayanagi could only think of one unique aspect this year—the admission of Kiyotaka Ayanokouji.

Thus, she boldly deduced that Yukio might be here because of Kiyotaka Ayanokouji.

Yukio's eyes revealed a hint of appreciation—such a clever girl was a gem. He'd hidden his intentions well, and even the director, Sakayanagi's father, hadn't uncovered anything since his admission.

But the one miscalculation was Sakayanagi herself. The beach where he encountered and helped the girl with heatstroke last year just happened to be the daughter of Advanced Nurturing's director. If it weren't for that brief encounter, Yukio was confident nothing else would have been discovered.

Since Sakayanagi had found a clue, Yukio didn't bother denying the truth: "Pretty much. My main reason for coming here is to take away Ayanokouji."

Denying and not acknowledging (×)

Presenting a credible reason (√)

When someone suspects your true intentions, it's better to offer a plausible explanation to divert attention from your real purpose.

Ayanokouji was one reason, but more important was the overall S-System at Advanced Nurturing, a point he couldn't share with Sakayanagi.

(T/N: If you're wondering why he's after the S-System, it's quite simple: the S-System is an entire educational framework designed for a large number of students, whereas the education Yukio received would only be effective for someone as gifted as he is.)

"Looks like we don't have a conflict, then." Sakayanagi, hearing Yukio's words, finally relaxed, her expression shifting from calm to a bit more at ease.

"?" Yukio found Sakayanagi's comment puzzling. No conflict? What did that mean? Was Sakayanagi also interested in Ayanokouji?

This learning device's only success seemed quite intriguing.

Perhaps sensing Yukio's confusion, Sakayanagi lifted her hand and tapped it lightly in her palm: "Yukio-kun only wants to take him away, while I just need to defeat him. See? No conflict at all."

"Alright, he's here now."

Defeat? What was this about? Did Sakayanagi have a grudge against Ayanokouji?

Yukio wanted to ask more questions but saw that Sakayanagi was right—their targets had arrived.

Looking out the window, he could see Ayanokouji looking lethargic, as if drained, with unsteady steps following behind Kamuro from Sakayanagi's class, slowly heading toward the special teaching building.

To those unaware, it would seem like this guy pushed himself too hard during the sports festival, only to feel exhausted afterward.

But Yukio felt he barely saw this guy throughout the whole sports festival.

"Would you mind if I stayed to watch a bit longer?"

"Of course." Sakayanagi made a gesture of invitation: "I didn't give you a straight answer, so after watching, you'll probably understand."

***

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