"Then... can I consider Shiki-san someone I can trust?"
Ichinose Honami paused for a moment, looking at Shikime Natsu with unknown emotions swirling in her blue eyes.
"Can I trust you?" (Ichinose Honami)
[Can I consider you a trustworthy friend?]
[Congratulations, Host. You've obtained the Skill Card: Forced Truth (When used, you can force the target to speak the truth once. Cannot be used on the same target consecutively within three days. I consider you a friend, so you must not lie to me.)]
Ichinose Honami.jpg
That's another quite decent move. It's a bit different from the Insight skill; while Insight can judge truth or falsehood, it has no way to make the other party spit out the truth.
It's just... why does the note on this skill card feel a bit strange?
"Of course."
Shikime Natsu answered quickly. Trust Nagumo Miyabi? No. Trust him? Yes. That was Shikime Natsu's answer.
"Really? That's great! By the way, is there anything Shiki-san likes to drink? It's my treat. Consider it thanks for helping me keep my secret."
Ichinose Honami chuckled, her complexion having mostly recovered.
Shikime Natsu felt that if he continued to let Ichinose Honami trace the past in her mind, she might actually break down.
It seems Ichinose Honami is also a problem girl. Of course, her problem is different from Horikita Suzune and the others; it isn't a personality flaw, but rather an issue with the secret she carries.
Shikime Natsu had no intention of actively asking about it. After all, Ichinose Honami had just asked if she could trust him; if he turned around and asked for her secret, it wouldn't seem right no matter how you looked at it.
Developing these things can never be rushed. Shikime Natsu knew this very well. This was only their third meeting, and Ichinose Honami already considered him a friend—and the kind of relationship where she might tell him her secret in the future—which was already quite good.
"Then let's buy a bottle of juice."
Shikime Natsu looked at the vending machine not far away. He had subconsciously wanted to say coffee, but he had been drinking coffee basically every day, and drinking too much didn't feel quite right.
"Is juice really enough?"
Ichinose Honami looked at Shikime Natsu uncertainly. It wasn't that juice wasn't okay, but... she had offered to treat him, so even something more expensive would be completely fine.
Even though buying the school's information and daily expenses had consumed basically half of her personal points, Ichinose Honami was usually quite thrifty. To protect her classmates from expulsion, she needed to save up twenty million personal points, so everyone in the class was working toward that goal.
"Yeah. Since coming to this school, I've been drinking coffee basically every day, so I thought I'd change the flavor for once."
Shikime Natsu nodded. He didn't suggest buying water from the vending machine because the school's water was essentially potable tap water, so there was no need to go out of the way to buy mineral water.
"Okay."
Hearing Shikime Natsu say this, Ichinose Honami didn't say anything more. She walked to the vending machine and turned to look at Shikime Natsu.
"What kind of juice would you like, Shiki-san?"
"Orange juice."
"Okay~"
Soon, Ichinose Honami handed a bottle of orange juice to Shikime Natsu.
"Even though our classes are in competition, but... I feel like I can become very good friends with Shiki-san."
This was the truth.
Although he had only met Ichinose Honami three times, he had basically never seen Ichinose Honami tell a lie.
Her personality really is quite nice. Chatting with a girl like this, he had to admit, was a very pleasant thing.
"Yeah, I think so too."
Shikime Natsu nodded. But... there would be competition eventually. He just didn't know how this school arranged things, as every exam would affect the class points.
However, the exams would definitely not be simple contests of academic grades. After all, if it were a contest of grades, Ichinose Honami definitely should have been in Class A.
Shikime Natsu had only just learned that Ichinose Honami had actually placed first in the entrance exam. However, this was normal; looking at Ichinose Honami, the thought 'her grades must be very good' would naturally well up in Shikime Natsu's mind.
"Really? That's great!"
After receiving Shikime Natsu's affirmative answer, Ichinose Honami seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and revealed a moving smile.
"Come to think of it, this counts as the first time Shiki-san and I have chatted alone together."
Ichinose Honami sat on the bench beside Shikime Natsu, turning her head, seemingly enjoying her chat with him.
"Mm."
Shikime Natsu nodded. The first time, Ichinose Honami had noticed his gaze and came over to ask for his contact info. The second time, she came with Amikura Mako and the others. This was indeed the only time the two of them had chatted alone.
"Shiki-san really is outstanding, to be able to get that strict Student Council President to agree to let you join the Student Council."
Ichinose Honami's tone was slightly airy as she spoke. There was only pure admiration in the girl's voice, without a hint of jealousy, which was related to her personality.
"Ichinose-san is equally outstanding. One's excellence can't be judged by whether or not they join the Student Council, can it? The students in Ichinose-san's class are also quite outstanding people."
Shikime Natsu spoke, not denying the fact that he was outstanding. His base stats were already good, and now with the power of his cheat ability, he was outstanding to a ridiculous degree.
"That's true."
Hearing Shikime Natsu say this, the expression on Ichinose Honami's face relaxed slightly.
As long as everyone in Class B could strive forward, what did it matter if she joined the Student Council or not?
"Besides, joining the Student Council comes with a lot of troublesome matters. For instance, the relationship between Vice President Nagumo and President Horikita is quite problematic. That's why I gave the Student Council position to Katsuragi."
Shikime Natsu spoke, directly revealing this matter that even Nagumo Miyabi didn't know yet.
Of course, saying it or not saying it didn't really make a difference, since Nagumo Miyabi would find out next week when Katsuragi Kouhei officially took office.
"The Student Council position... was that through a transaction as well?"
Ichinose Honami was stunned for a moment when she first heard Shikime Natsu say he gave it to Katsuragi Kouhei, but she quickly realized that this, too, was a transaction.
In this school, as long as it didn't violate the law, basically anything could be purchased with points.
"Correct."
Shikime Natsu nodded.
Although trading a Student Council position sounded a bit outrageous, it also made Ichinose Honami realize that Shikime Natsu really utilized the school's rules to their fullest extent.
"Shiki-san really is amazing. Even knowing this, it's hard to imagine actually doing it."
The girl's undisguised praise put Shikime Natsu in a rather pleasant mood.
"Honami-chan!"
Just then, several girls from Class B noticed the two on the bench and called out.
"Sorry, I'll be going now. Bye-bye."
Ichinose Honami waved at Shikime Natsu.
"Yeah, bye-bye."
Shikime Natsu nodded. Sigh... girls as good at reading the atmosphere as Ichinose Honami are truly rare.
Checking the time, it had only been a little over half an hour since school let out. He had thought today's affairs would take quite a bit of time, but he didn't expect them to end so quickly.
As for Horikita Suzune... forget it. Changing his mind twice in a row wouldn't be good.
So Shikime Natsu didn't plan to notify Horikita Suzune further.
Kamuro Masumi sent a message to Shikime Natsu, saying that Sakayanagi Arisu went to the Chess Club for a match today and won quite a few personal points.
Tsk, are the people in the Chess Club idiots? Rushing to give away personal points like that?
"Ask Sakayanagi for me if she dares to play a game with me tonight. As for the stakes, it will be the personal points Sakayanagi Arisu won from the Chess Club. If she loses, she pays me. If I lose, I'll give her the same amount of points and cancel her maid service."
Shikime Natsu suddenly grinned, setting his sights on Sakayanagi Arisu.
"Are you serious?"
Kamuro Masumi felt Shikime Natsu was being a bit too bold. Although she didn't understand chess, she knew that the people who could join the Chess Club were definitely not simple characters.
"Of course."
"She agreed."
After Shikime Natsu confirmed, Kamuro Masumi conveyed the idea to Sakayanagi Arisu.
If it was Shikime Natsu, he shouldn't be making overly rash decisions. If this guy really lost, then... no, wait, Shikime Natsu should have plenty of points, he wouldn't need her relief.
As expected, Sakayanagi Arisu actually agreed. In that case... he wouldn't hold back.
___
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