"How heartbreaking."
"So in your eyes, Natsuki-kun, I'm just someone who tries to be clever?"
Hearing Natsuki Subaru's reply, Arisu Sakayanagi froze for a moment, then laughed as if it were nothing.
As a typical character who believed herself to be very smart, Arisu Sakayanagi naturally wouldn't be driven to self-doubt by a few words from Natsuki Subaru.
On the contrary, Arisu Sakayanagi was very happy right now.
Because Natsuki Subaru had taken the bait.
At least, from Arisu Sakayanagi's perspective, Natsuki Subaru had taken the bait.
"Sakayanagi-san is very smart."
"It's just that, Sakayanagi-san always thinks she ought to be the smarter one."
Natsuki Subaru's tone was as steady as if he were describing the weather.
Looking at Arisu Sakayanagi, who had suddenly become somewhat excited by his response, Natsuki Subaru felt a sense of blandness. Arisu Sakayanagi was a child who had always lived in an ivory tower.
She had never experienced true bloodshed and cruelty.
She always felt her strategies were unparalleled, that her chess pieces would always move according to her plans.
In fact, the intricacy of the process was completely unimportant.
As long as you could achieve a result, you didn't need to play chess at all.
Natsuki Subaru never needed to engage in battles of wits with others. He could even lose, and he had lost many times, paying a price no greater than mere death. But in the end, Natsuki Subaru still became the Purge King.
"The observer effect is a very interesting thing."
"When you firmly believe you have grasped the whole picture and strategize accordingly, every move you make is, in fact, already limited by your own 'strategy'."
"I'm very curious, Sakayanagi-san."
Natsuki Subaru looked at Arisu Sakayanagi, one of his hands subconsciously fumbling for the commemorative coin in his pocket, and said gently, "You see me as the other player in a game of chess, so how will you make me place a piece?"
"I see."
As Natsuki Subaru's words fell, the smile on Arisu Sakayanagi's face gradually turned dangerous. She said softly, "Today's chat has been very interesting, Natsuki-kun."
"To play chess, one must place a piece, after all."
"Well then, I've disturbed you enough for today, Natsuki-kun."
Arisu Sakayanagi understood Natsuki Subaru's meaning.
The prerequisite for becoming opponents was like playing chess; both sides had to place pieces to begin the competition. If you couldn't even make the other person place a piece, then everything was illusory, nothing more than empty talk.
'Natsuki Subaru, I understand what you mean.'
'I, Arisu Sakayanagi, am the challenger, am I not?'
Arisu Sakayanagi had her answer. She didn't linger any longer, instead leaning on her cane and turning to leave gracefully.
However, just as Arisu Sakayanagi turned, before she had taken two steps, an extremely crisp metallic chime, as if it could slice through the library's silence, came from behind her. Arisu Sakayanagi turned back, slightly puzzled.
Arisu Sakayanagi turned back subconsciously.
The scene that met her eyes made her pupils contract imperceptibly.
Natsuki Subaru had taken out a silver commemorative coin from somewhere and casually flicked it upward, tracing a cold and precise line in mid-air.
The coin reached its apex, hung for a brief moment, and then began to fall.
Slap!
The back of Natsuki Subaru's hand steadily caught the falling coin.
"Oh~"
"Sakayanagi-san."
Natsuki Subaru showed a surprised expression, then said with a smile, "Your luck is good."
"It's heads, you see."
...
Natsuki Subaru stayed in the library reading until evening.
Only after finishing the novel Hiyori Shiina had recommended did he leave, still wanting more.
For Natsuki Subaru, today was another peaceful and serene day.
Hiyori Shiina: [Natsuki-kun, how did you find The Murder of Roger Ackroyd?]
Natsuki Subaru: [It was pretty good.]
It seemed the matter with Year 1, Class C had been resolved.
On his way back to the dorm, Natsuki Subaru received a message from Hiyori Shiina.
Hiyori Shiina: [I'm so glad to hear that.]
Hiyori Shiina replied almost instantly and immediately sent another message.
Hiyori Shiina: [What was your favorite part?]
Hiyori Shiina: [Or, were you completely fooled by 'that person's' acting? (lol)]
Natsuki Subaru: [Hmm, trusting a voice, relying on a perspective, only to discover in the end that this perspective had distorted all reality from the very beginning. It was very good.]
Hiyori Shiina: [Your analogies are always so sharp, Natsuki-kun.]
Hiyori Shiina: [But then again, your eye is also very sharp~ To think you found the highest quality novels from the same series after I only recommended one.]
Natsuki Subaru: [Haha, I just looked up some information online. Understanding a bit more helps with the immersion, you know.]
Natsuki Subaru: [So for the next one, which book from this series do you recommend, Shiina-san?]
Hiyori Shiina: [Hmm, let me think, one of similar quality...]
Natsuki Subaru chatted idly with Hiyori Shiina on his student terminal.
Both Natsuki Subaru and Hiyori Shiina very appropriately limited the scope of their conversation to personal matters. Natsuki Subaru didn't take the initiative to ask what had happened in Year 1, Class C today that took up the entire afternoon.
Likewise, Hiyori Shiina didn't complain to Natsuki Subaru about the bizarre things that had happened in her class today.
While their sense of boundaries was exceptionally clear, it wasn't alienating. Instead, it created a rare, reassuring sincerity.
This was precisely why Natsuki Subaru considered Hiyori Shiina the top candidate on his reserve list for a 'genuine article'.
Arisu Sakayanagi: [Good evening, Natsuki-kun.]
Arisu Sakayanagi: [Something suddenly occurred to me. I'm guessing Natsuki-kun must have plenty of points.]
Arisu Sakayanagi: [After all, if you don't have 'money', you can't be too carefree, can you?]
Arisu Sakayanagi's string of messages slightly interrupted the rhythm of Natsuki Subaru's chat with Hiyori Shiina.
However, it didn't matter. The incident was over, and Natsuki Subaru wasn't one to hold a grudge.
Natsuki Subaru: [I don't have any particular expenses, so it's probably enough to last me a year.]
Arisu Sakayanagi: [Oh~ I remember Natsuki-kun's lunch is very lavish every day. That's not a small expense over a year. Natsuki-kun, you're truly very outstanding.]
Arisu Sakayanagi: [That number shouldn't be enough for Natsuki-kun to eat for a year, right?]
Arisu Sakayanagi: [Image]
___
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