School is like a microcosm of society; or rather, whenever many people gather in one place, everything that happens seems like a concentrated reflection of society.
With all sorts of people, there are bound to be all sorts of incidents occurring among them.
Peeking into all this was the pleasure that Catalyst Induction brought Aozawa.
It was like watching multiple school-themed TV dramas simultaneously. The protagonists ranged from smart, capable athletes to ordinary people so boring they'd make you doze off, and their conversations were just as mundane.
Discussions about how the girls from a certain class were doing, or who beat a game last night, or how Doraemon's chest was as soft as a girl's—such conversations flooded Aozawa's mind.
His right hand rested on the wall. Forget a one-kilometer radius; this single school building alone provided him with a wealth of interesting scenes and dialogues.
Aided by his Catalyst sensing ability, his desire-free mentality wasn't greatly affected by those words. He simply observed calmly.
He paid particular attention to everything, whether it was the Hot Girls Group chatting within the class or conversations taking place in the corridor outside the classroom.
Perhaps out of carelessness, or maybe intentionally, Phoenix Academy Maggie, who always suspected he had a connection with Dio, chose to converse with others in the corridor.
The corridor outside the classroom was a natural spot for chatting. Many students liked to stand and talk there, especially near the windows.
The weather was fine today. The windows were open, and a cool breeze drifted in, gently fluttering the golden curls by a girl's ears.
Passing students deliberately gave them a wide berth, practically hugging the opposite wall.
This was an unconscious, collective instinct among the students.
It was like dogs instinctively veering away upon encountering a lion.
In this school, a veritable miniature society, Phoenix Academy Maggie's beauty had led students to classify her as a top-tier predator.
She leaned against the wall, her elbow resting on the windowsill, and sighed, "That's what transpired. What are your thoughts?"
"I really didn't expect our classroom to harbor such talent. Does he have those ideas because he's watched too much harem anime?"
Nomura True Wave couldn't help but roast Aozawa's views on relationships.
As a seasoned anime fan, she didn't just watch Otome-themed anime; she also watched some of the action-packed, mainstream series popular with boys.
She was also enthusiastic about school-themed romance anime.
In those, Otome anime invariably feature a host of male characters, and among them, the female protagonist chooses one; endings where she gets them all are rare.
Campus manga written by male mangaka were different. Many opted for a harem ending where everyone is chosen.
The most classic, albeit somewhat dated, example would be a certain 'Problem Princess' series.
Yoshikawa Sayuri spread her hands. "This is trouble. If Morimoto Chiyoda is willing to accept Aozawa dating multiple people, it will be difficult for Maggie to win against her. It's like choosing between a man who forbids me to work after marriage and one who allows it. Obviously, I'd pick the latter."
"Yes, Morimoto Chiyoda's scheming runs deep. To actually adopt such a deliberately indulgent approach to eliminate any chance for future contenders."
Nomura True Wave's face showed a hint of complex admiration. She had matched many couples but had never seen someone willing to tolerate their partner dating multiple people.
To her, this was all an unassailable open strategy deliberately set in motion by Morimoto Chiyoda.
To break this strategy, one would have to tolerate sharing Aozawa with other women.
"Maggie, have you really decided to join the competition?"
Phoenix Academy Maggie tapped her finger on the window frame, her gaze shifting to the classroom as she said nonchalantly, "Of course. Did you think I would lose? Morimoto Chiyoda, Ayatsuki Ayaka—I will crush them both."
"If you're willing, then go for it."
Nomura True Wave said nothing to dissuade her. When it comes to matters of the heart, only those involved can judge their worth. Outsiders can always find fault even in the deepest affections.
Ultimately, for love to continue, both parties need to see each other through the filter of affection, leaving no room for outsiders to meddle.
"What's your plan?"
"Continue playing ambiguous games. Under the 'you know that I know' condition, let's see who can't resist breaking that final barrier first. I don't believe Aozawa can feign disinterest in me." Phoenix Academy Maggie ran her right hand through her curls, her slightly seductive posture instantly conjuring certain images in her friends' minds.
Nomura True Wave showed a surprised expression, teasing, "I didn't expect the young lady to say something like that."
"Makoto, you must remember, beauty is also a weapon," Phoenix Academy Maggie responded casually. It wasn't a boast, but with her figure and looks, Even if Aozawa can resist at first, can he hold out forever?
Yoshikawa Sayuri was more concerned about another issue. "Does Aozawa know that Maggie is interested in him?"
"Ah, about that." Phoenix Academy Maggie leaned closer to the wall and whispered, "He probably knows."
This gesture left both Nomura True Wave and Yoshikawa Sayuri looking utterly bewildered. Is the young lady getting amorous with the wall?
Only Aozawa, using his Catalyst Induction, knew to whom she was speaking.
Perhaps Phoenix Academy Maggie wasn't certain he was listening; she might have just done it on purpose.
To use an old saying, it was like casting a line to see if she'd get a bite.
Aozawa withdrew his hand, sighing inwardly. This pretty much confirms Phoenix Academy Maggie is also lusting after my body.
And, like Ayatsuki Ayaka, she wants to kick the other two out of the picture.
Alas, why can't everyone just get along peacefully? It's not like I lack the stamina.
This troubling thought flickered through Aozawa's mind, but he stuck to his principles: No refusal, no initiative, only responsibility.
If Phoenix Academy Maggie wanted to compete with him in terms of willpower, she had truly picked the wrong opponent.
After all the daily yoga training with Chitose... Aozawa suddenly realized, Could this also be part of Chitose's calculations?
He felt a sense of dread thinking too deeply about it and decided to stop. Instead, he shifted his focus to how to deal with Maggie.
After some thought, Aozawa decided to draw from military strategy: If the enemy doesn't move, I don't move. If the enemy moves, then I'll make my move.
The feelings in his heart for Phoenix Academy Maggie transitioned from friendship to love without any hesitation.
Truthfully, under normal circumstances, no one would want to refuse Phoenix Academy Maggie.
"Aozawa, what are you daydreaming about?"
Hojo Tetsuji, awakened by the chatter in class, yawned. "Why didn't you wake me up?"
"You were sleeping so soundly, I didn't have the heart to," Aozawa replied casually, a smile on his face. "Come on, let's go to the restroom."
"Sure," Hojo Tetsuji agreed immediately.
「That afternoon, a misty drizzle began to fall again in Tokyo.」
「Hisamatsu Apartment, 201.」
"AAAAGH!"
With a cathartic roar, Emily tossed the documents she had been writing into the air, like someone scattering candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
Having done that, Emily flopped back onto the sofa, complaining, "Absolutely no leads! My head is going to explode! Taoism, Buddhism, Shintoism—all those scriptures. Can't those guys just summarize them and give me a report? Damn that Doctor, does he think he's so great? Well, so am I!"
Grumbling, Emily tossed and turned on the sofa, looking exceptionally irritable.
Morimoto Chiyoda had noticed Emily's unusual state since noon. Now, seeing her throw a tantrum, Chiyoda's curiosity became almost unbearable.
She quietly poked Katerina with her finger and whispered, "I think Emily is especially irritable today. Could it be 'that time of the month' for her?"
"No, it's probably a lack of sugar," Katerina answered truthfully.
She knew Emily well; without a regular intake of sugar, Emily would descend into a state of intense agitation.
Morimoto Chiyoda asked, puzzled, "Why doesn't she just have some sugar then?"
"Toothache."
Katerina tried hard to suppress her laughter and gave a brief answer, not wanting to delve further into the topic and risk upsetting Emily on the sofa.
Morimoto Chiyoda glanced at the sofa, then said thoughtfully, "Emily, if your tooth hurts, why don't you see a dentist?"
"It's a mere toothache. I can overcome it with willpower alone."
Emily sat up from the sofa, acting as if nothing was wrong. She began gathering the scattered documents, then checked the time on her phone. "Morimoto, you can clock out."
Normally, Morimoto Chiyoda would leave right on time without any delay. Today was different. Her eyes scanned Emily.
That scrutinizing gaze made Emily very unhappy. She glared and snapped, "What are you looking at!"
"I'm just a bit curious. Don't tell me you're afraid of the dentist?"
"HAHA." Emily burst out laughing, then quickly touched her cheek with her right hand, saying stubbornly, "What a joke. I'm a grown woman. How could I possibly be afraid of a dentist's tiny drill?"
"Then why don't you go?"
"Like I said, it's just a little toothache. I'm not a child; there's no need to go to the hospital. It would simply be a waste of money."
"You can use the task force's funds for reimbursement anyway. If that's not enough, I can personally give you the money to see a dentist."
Seeing Morimoto Chiyoda's persistence, Emily glared. "You're so persistent! Just clock out already! I wouldn't deign to use money from those... 'guardians' of the public purse!"
A smile lit up Morimoto Chiyoda's face. She rose slowly. "Katerina, I believe, for work purposes, we must resolve the issue preventing Emily's sugar intake as soon as possible. It might be necessary to take coercive measures and have her visit the dentist to experience that big drill~"
Katerina's usually stoic expression was about to break. She whispered, "Emily wasn't afraid of dentists before, not until one dentist drank too much vodka and forgot to give her anesthetic."
"DAMMIT! Don't mention that bastard! Hmph, I need to focus all my energy on finding a way for Dio to reach Paradise. Don't bother me!"
Emily, afraid Morimoto Chiyoda would resort to force that her small frame couldn't resist, quickly jumped off the sofa. Clutching the pile of documents, she scurried off to her bedroom on her short legs.
"HAHA~"
Even though Emily heard the laughter behind her, she didn't look back. She just silently made a mental note.
Damn you, Morimoto! You just wait! Don't let me catch you next time!