After confirming the plan, Suzune needed to continue working as its executor.
While waiting for the students' tests to finish, she needed to prepare and share the entry forms with her classmates. The forms focused on Ken and the strategy to exploit the three-legged race loophole, aiming to give Class C a fighting chance at victory.
Meanwhile, Houtarou left with Masumi.
Since Suzune hadn't touched the water, Houtarou — ever mindful of waste — drank it himself.
With today's tasks complete, he just needed to shake off the puppy and head home.
But…
Masumi: "..."
"Miss Masumi?" Houtarou noticed she had fallen behind while walking.
"The conversation just now with Horikita — was it okay for me to hear that?" Masumi asked.
"Oh, that…" He said, "Aren't you under Sakayanagi's orders to investigate the girls around me?"
Ah. This was meant to show her that his relationship with Suzune was purely business — just a strategic partnership.
But Masumi wondered if she should report how he had given her purchased water straight to Suzune.
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Kōhei proved highly efficient. Though he had slight dark circles under his eyes the next day from staying up late, he had already organized all the class entry forms.
Class C took another day, submitting their forms by noon on the third day.
Class B's Honami and others submitted their revised forms that afternoon. While Class B's angels had opened the door for Class C, they had also learned of Class C's competition arrangements before making their changes.
Clearly, Honami and her group understood that Class C could have Ken exploit the three-legged race loophole.
Could they become unexpected stars at this first-year sports festival if left unchecked?
"By the way, you seem quite relaxed." Arisu said, who had stayed after school.
His cat had arrived at school at noon. He had teleported home himself, packed it up along with Kei's hamster, and sent them to school. She received her hamster at noon.
However, Houtarou's cat was temporarily staying with Narumori Sakayanagi.
He understood that since the cat had been "sacrificed" to Arisu, it existed in a state of both being and not being his.
"Hmm? Relaxed?"
After Kōhei submitted the entry forms, Houtarou needed to participate in only eight mandatory events, since one event was exclusively for girls, plus the mixed-gender three-legged race with Masumi.
Since yesterday afternoon, despite participating in just one extra recommended event, all classmates had been required to do physical training — which would continue until three days before the sports festival.
Having to spend an extra 20 minutes training daily, Houtarou hardly considered this relaxing.
"You could still join the all-grade 1200m relay." Arisu said.
Oh. That.
The all-grade 1200m relay was the highest-scoring event among all competitions. As a combined relay, it was the only event where students could compete alongside those from other grades.
But Houtarou's name wasn't on the list Kōhei submitted.
"I think Katsuragi and Hashimoto are excellent." Houtarou said, "And Kitō runs very fast too."
"..." Arisu was silent for a few seconds before pouting a little, "That's quite a shame then. Father recently gave me a high-definition camera. I was hoping I might be able to capture images of you running on the track. After all, I can't exercise. I'll never have the chance to experience what running feels like."
Houtarou: "..."
Due to her physical limitations, she had indeed never experienced it.
However, it seemed that Narumori truly doted on his daughter.
During the island exam, Arisu could only stay at school, and during the sports festival, she had to forfeit due to her physical condition. Her father probably wanted to help her feel more involved.
However, Kōhei had already submitted the list of recommended events. The deadline was 5 PM today, and it was currently 4:30 PM.
Was Arisu hoping he would change his mind at the last minute?
Though participants could still substitute in using 100,000 points, and Houtarou wasn't short on points.
But he felt his physical abilities were already different from normal students, so participating would feel like bullying others. That's why he hadn't specifically signed up for events.
On one side was his reluctance to bully others, and on the other was Arisu's expectation.
"... Even so..." Houtarou paused.
He felt he should still decline.
After all, he was already different from normal people, and competing would be like bullying — just as someone like Rokusuke, at the limits of human capability, would probably find it meaningless to compete against ordinary people.
"How disappointing…" Arisu said.
Then she began absently fiddling with the camera she had taken out from her drawer. Her dejected expression was quite obvious.
Houtarou: "..."
He admitted that he wasn't one to be easily swayed.
But...
〖 Beep! 〗
At that moment, a familiar notification sound — one he hadn't heard in ages — echoed in his mind.
〖 Congratulations, host has triggered a Side Task! 〗
〖 Side Task: Defeat, Do Not Lose! 〗
〖 Task Requirement: Defeat Miyabi Nagumo in the All-Grade 1200m Relay! 〗
〖 Task Duration: Sports Festival Day 〗
〖 Task Punishment: Deduction of 100,000 Private Points! 〗
〖 Task Reward: Special Ability — Equivalent Exchange! 〗
Houtarou calmly opened the quest reward.
〖 Equivalent Exchange: Based on modern civilization's value system, allows "equal" exchange of objects, price difference within 10%, controllable, no current defects, can be used on people, though human body default value is zero, so usually exchanges for items equal to the value of target's clothing. 〗
Hmm. A system Task. It had been quite a while since the system had issued any Tasks.
The Equivalent Exchange ability could prove quite useful. For instance, while cooking, if a dish needed adjusting, ingredients could be exchanged directly.
Yes, this could be very useful indeed...
"After giving it some thought." Houtarou said, "It might be good to contribute to the class occasionally. I was quite fast back in middle school."
His words seemed directed both to himself and as an explanation to others.
Rising from his seat, he headed off to find Kōhei and homeroom teacher Tomonari to modify the entry form.
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"A man in love can be truly frightening…" Remarked the purple-haired girl who had been sitting quietly at the back desk.
This was Masumi with her three hairpins.
Being both Houtarou and Arisu's puppy, she couldn't leave while her masters were still in the classroom. So she had remained quietly in the back.
From her vantage point, she had witnessed the entire interaction between Arisu and Houtarou. As an observer, she could clearly see that he was helpless against the little Princess's dejected expression.
Arisu certainly knew how to play the role of a poor, pitiful thing.
Click—
Suddenly, Arisu turned around in her seat and snapped a photo of Masumi.
"Oh? Using your camera on me?" Masumi said, "When we picked up the camera, didn't you say you'd only photograph Houtarou?"
"That's right." Arisu replied sweetly, "When photographing you, I didn't load any film."
Masumi: "..."
Alright. Message received.
She maintained her composure.
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