Three days had passed since the exam on the uninhabited island. During this time, all 160 first-year students remained aboard the luxurious cruise ship, drifting aimlessly on the vast ocean.
To be honest, considering how modern tour groups can explore an entire city in just three days, spending the same amount of time confined to a cruise ship felt somewhat monotonous.
After all, the difference in explorable space was incomparable.
However, perhaps due to the allure of luxury or the novelty of the experience, not a single student had yet to sigh in boredom. No one had uttered a phrase like,
"I'm tired of this."
The clock read 6:30 AM when the bright sunlight reflected off the sea, filtering through the large half-floor windows of the chairman's private suite.
In the center of the room, sprawled across a full-sized bed, lay Kure Ragna.
He shifted slightly in his sleep, instinctively adjusting his position—along with a certain white-haired girl curled up in his arms.
Ding-dong~
A sudden phone notification forced him to stir once more, his body reluctantly shifting back toward the bedside table.
"Ugh…"
Despite being raised in the Kure clan—where discipline and rigorous training shaped his every instinct—Ragna still despised being woken up unnecessarily.
It was an innate irritation, something that no amount of training could override.
Even without checking, he already had a good guess about who the message was from.
Kushida Kikyo… again.
"…Why is she waking you up so early again?"
A groggy voice murmured against his chest, laced with annoyance.
A soft, white pompom swayed near his face, brushing against his lips and nose. It belonged to the nightcap of the girl nestled against him—Arisu Sakayanagi.
Despite her usual mature and domineering demeanor, her sleepwear was a stark contrast—pastel pink pajamas adorned with tiny white paw prints, reminiscent of a kitten or a puppy.
To be honest, Ragna had always found her taste in sleepwear oddly amusing.
Outside, she insisted on dressing with an air of elegance, even forcing herself into refined outfits that emphasized a maturity her petite frame struggled to convey.
Yet, when it came to pajamas, she chose something so overtly cute.
Privately, he wondered if this was just another side of her—a contradiction she herself wasn't aware of.
Still half-asleep, he absentmindedly rubbed her cheek, prompting a soft hum from her.
"Let me guess…?" she murmured, barely cracking an eye open.
"Kikyo?"
Ragna sighed, unlocking his phone. As expected, the message was short and simple.
[Are you awake?]
Emmm…
He suddenly felt the urge not to reply.
"Tell her nine o'clock."
Sakayanagi's voice was firm despite her drowsiness, as if she had complete control over the situation without even needing to open her eyes.
"Nine, huh…" Ragna hesitated, wondering if he could push it a little later.
Before he could make up his mind, Sakayanagi shifted, pressing the back of her head against his chest in mild irritation.
"You got back late last night, and now she's messaging you before seven? Tell her not to disturb you before nine."
"Alright, alright…" he muttered, fingers lazily tapping out a response. Naturally, he didn't phrase it as bluntly as she had suggested.
Yet, just as he was about to drift off again, an unfortunate realization hit him.
Damn… now I can't fall back asleep.
Giving up, he picked up his phone and started scrolling absentmindedly.
The soft tapping of his fingers against the screen must have disrupted Sakayanagi's light sleep.
Within minutes, she stirred again, her voice carrying a slight edge of frustration.
"…Are you still at it?"
Ragna blinked.
"Huh? Oh, I just couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd check the school forum for a bit."
"…Fine."
She didn't say anything more. Instead, she shifted, curling up even closer to him, her head resting just below his chin.
Then, after a brief pause, she tilted her face up slightly.
"Anything interesting?" she asked, her voice calmer now.
"Nothing new, really."
Adjusting the phone so she could see the screen, Ragna scrolled through the forum's latest posts.
Like any school, Advanced Nurturing High had its own online forum—hosted on the school's official servers and accessible only through the campus WiFi, which, conveniently, was also available on the cruise ship.
Most of the posts consisted of typical gossip: the most desirable male and female students, rankings for attractiveness, and the usual popularity contests.
The same names appeared on these lists over and over, proving just how much this world revolved around appearances.
But among them, one particular topic stood out.
A special exam during summer vacation?
Ever since the uninhabited island exam ended, speculation about the next challenge had flooded the forum.
This particular discussion had dominated the top spot for three days straight, with over 160 comments—a staggering amount, considering there were only 160 first-year students.
The reasoning was simple. This was already the fourth day at sea, and even on a luxury cruise, there was a limit to how long they could just enjoy themselves.
If this was purely a vacation, the school would have announced a return date already.
But they hadn't.
Students who had asked the teachers about their schedule received vague, indifferent responses. "We're not sure." "Just enjoy yourselves for now."
That only fueled suspicions further.
"There's no way we're getting through this trip without another exam," Ragna muttered.
Sakayanagi shifted again, now fully facing him. Her arms looped around his neck as she pulled herself closer, her voice playful but knowing.
"Oh? And what makes you so sure?"
Obscured by the soft strands of her hair, Ragna found himself momentarily distracted. He had no choice but to lower his phone slightly to meet her gaze.
"I just have a feeling," he admitted.
Ding-dong~
Right on cue, both of their phones buzzed simultaneously.
Ragna exhaled sharply. "Speak of the devil…"
Sakayanagi reached for her own phone as he raised his to check the message.
A notification from the school appeared on the screen.
[The special exam will begin today. All students must gather at their designated locations at the specified time. Anyone more than ten minutes late will receive penalties. Please report to Room 10 on the second floor by 7:30 PM. The exam will take approximately two to three hours. Ensure you use the restroom beforehand and set your phone to silent or turn it off.]
Ragna stared at the message for a long moment before sighing.
"Guess I was right."
Sakayanagi smirked, resting her chin against his shoulder. "Of course you were."
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