“Why don’t you cash in your chips now, Akira?”

“I’m happy to do that.”

We’d played several hands. Chips moved around a little but I never really bothered to make any bold gestures, so in the end, I ended up with about as much as I started with. I could tell that Kai was incredibly skilled at the game, and there was no guarantee that I’d be able to achieve anything even if I did take risks.

I finished the last sip of coffee.

“Say, Akira, were you playing safe on purpose to keep your chips?”

“I wasn’t, it’s just my normal play style.”

He sighed.

“Well, I suppose you can do what you like.”

He grabbed the chips off of my table and quickly counted them. He then turned and tapped his closest girl’s shoulder.

“Stella, transfer him the Points.”

“Sure.”

I looked at my phone.

POINTS

Your current points: 132,195

Current Rank: #42,185

I guess he really did transfer me the Points. I wasn’t expecting him to just gift them to me like that considering I didn’t bring any into the poker match.

“So, would you like to join me now, Akira? Join me as equals.”

Was this all a ploy to manipulate me? I guess it didn’t really feel like it, his demeanour was pretty laid back the entire time.

“I’d still like to pass for now.”

He sighed.

Walking a little faster, he made his way to the door. With a few girls by his side, he slammed the door shut, blocking the exit with his arm.

Ah, I should’ve expected something like this.

“What happened to the ‘I won’t do anything to you’ part?”

He grabbed one of the girls’ arms.

“Here, I’ll give you Fiona.”

She resisted a little but Kai simply pulled her forward.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Wait, Kai…! I want to stay with you!”

He glared at her.

“Don’t worry, you’ll still be with me,” he then turned to me, “Akira, if you join me, she’ll be your assistant, doesn’t that sound nice?”

He raised her arm a little. It was clear that she was uncomfortable, but she’d stopped resisting. Was it out of trust? Or was it out of helplessness? Who knows.

Sigh.

“Sorry, I’m not really into slavery.”

If I wanted tools, I would just get them myself.

“Hey, don’t think of this as slavery. She’s your assistant, and I pay her wages. Doesn’t that sound better?”

“Morally, it’s better. But I don’t need an assistant.”

“Sure you do. Everyone wants people to work for them. You can ask her to grab you drinks or talk to people. You know, all the stuff you don’t want to do yourself.”

As contentious as his personality was, these types of relationships were probably commonplace throughout the academy. It was natural that this would happen with the freedom the school provided.

Power brings people to you—that was the universal truth.

Still, I didn’t want one—it’s not exactly something that’s part of the quintessential school experience.

“Can I sleep on it?”

He laughed a little.

“Haha, why not? Get back to me tomorrow, Akira Kumagawa. Otherwise, we might have some issues. Serious ones.”

Ah, what a hassle.

With that, he took his hand away from the door.

*

Sitting on my bed, I was able to get some quiet for the first time in a while.

It was a good time for me to sort out some of my minions.

[Battery Minion]

Fuel: 46%

Inventory: 54x Batteries

Recharge Minions: 650

[Base]: 1% Charge per Hour

You may purchase [Recharge Minions] for 150 Points each in order to increase the speed of recharge. Once the {Fuel} gauge reaches 100%, you may convert it to 100 Points, 1 [Recharge Minion] or receive 1x Battery.

Batteries can be given to other minions to increase their production rate.

I was going to give all the {Batteries} to my [Affinity Minion]. That was the only thing I wanted to boost for now.

I also had some more Points I could invest, granted, I should probably give some to Sumire first.

Regardless, after organising some stuff on my phone, I was able to lean back and relax.

…

Maybe this was how life was meant to be enjoyed.

I scrolled through my phone, looking at various things, from student information to reading about the various apps again. After a little while, I made my way over to the mini-fridge that was provided in our rooms.

Ah, I could probably get some more groceries.

Just as I was about to open my door, there was a knock on the other side.

It was Erika.

“Hey, what are you doing here?”

“Ah, Akira, I just wanted your help with something.”

“My help? Don’t you usually go out with Fern?”

“Yeah… but he’s acting a little weird. Recently, he’s been a bit too touchy-feely, you know? Normally I wouldn’t mind that but it’s almost like he’s starved of attention.”

I guess Fern was really starting to realise his own feelings. At this rate, he better ask her out soon before he gets a sexual harassment case.

“So what do you need my help with?”

“Oh, I just wanted to get some lunch and go shopping. I don’t like doing things alone, you know.”

“I guess that’s fine.”

It seemed that Erika really was uncomfortable about Fern’s advances. I might as well tell him about it the next time I see him. It saves them the whole misunderstanding fest which could only end badly.

We made our way through the hallway.

“So, Akira, you don’t talk much.”

Did she need to point out that observation?

“I guess not. I’m just not that social.”

“That’s not true~. You just haven’t socialised with people you really like. That was the problem with me a long time ago as well.”

She continued as we waited for the elevator.

“I used to be really quiet. Like, even quieter than you right now. You just have to practice speaking to people.”

That was true.

Like any other skill, socialising was one that could be learnt.

That’s why Sumire was capable of it.

It’s just that it wasn’t in my curriculum—the curriculum for the first generation.