COTE :  Oh No, I've Become the Substitute

The last rays of sunset beyond the window sank into the ink-dark horizon of the sea. The overhead lamps of the cruise ship library cast a dim, amber glow across the teak floor.

Compared to the other venues on the ship that offered free, lavish indulgences, the library seemed especially still—even a little desolate.

In the first few days, students had still frequented this place. But now, the novelty had worn off, its allure fading with it. Over time, it had become the fixed territory of only a handful of people.

"Checkmate. That's the match, Chiaki-san."

Sakayanagi Arisu's melodious voice broke the silence, rippling gently between the bookshelves.

Her pale, unadorned fingertips lifted the white rook and slid it across the chessboard. Then, with a crisp click, she toppled the black king and set the rook in the spot where the king had stood.

"I'm done!"

Matsushita Chiaki slumped forward onto the table with a thud, dejectedly dropping the chess piece in her hand. Her cheek pressed firmly against the cool wood grain, her muffled wail of despair ringing out.

"I've played so many rounds with you and haven't won a single one. Your skill level is just toying with people, isn't it? It's completely beyond the scope of a normal student. Playing chess with you—there's not the slightest hope of winning."

"Didn't I already give Chiaki-san a queen handicap? In professional matches, the queen holds a considerable point value, you know." Sakayanagi didn't deny this. She raised a hand and righted the toppled piece, speaking in an unhurried, measured tone.

"Then give me another one. A rook, a bishop, a knight—any of them. Otherwise, I'm forfeiting next time." Matsushita turned her face away in complete surrender, her gaze drifting aimlessly toward the black sea shimmering beneath the moonlight beyond the window.

Sakayanagi's smile remained unchanged, her violet eyes gazing at Matsushita. "You should understand—even professional chess players, at most, give a queen handicap. In the most extreme cases, they might give both rooks. Any more than that, and the match loses all competitive meaning, doesn't it?"

"So, is the genius Sakayanagi ojou-sama conceding defeat?"

"Chiaki-san, provoking your master like this as a pet will earn you punishment..."

"Oi!" Matsushita braced both hands on the table and peeled her cheek off the surface. "I only agreed to handle affairs for you! Since when did I become your pet?!"

"Ara~" Sakayanagi blinked. "Am I mistaken?"

"What a rotten personality!" Matsushita ground her teeth.

"Thank you for the compliment."

Sakayanagi paid it no mind. She swept her gaze across the situation on the chessboard, her elegant smile still adorning her face. "Concede defeat? In truth, even if I gave more handicaps, I'm confident the one who would still win is me, Chiaki-san. However..."

Sakayanagi turned her head. Beyond the porthole, the bright, golden-yellow moon had fully climbed above the sea's surface, faintly illuminating the pitch-black ocean.

"Today's chess practice ends here. This game is also about to reach its closing stage."

Matsushita, beside her, seemed to recall something. She pulled out her phone and glanced at the time, her expression gradually turning serious.

There were only about ten-some minutes left until eight o'clock in the evening. The final group discussion was about to begin.

In the one hour after the group discussion ended, no communication in any form with other classes was permitted—until the exam results were announced at eleven o'clock.

"Well then..."

Sakayanagi adjusted the hem of her skirt, picked up the cane leaning beside her, put on her white beret, and rose from her chair.

"Next, please follow my earlier instructions and simply carry out what needs to be done."

"Is just that really enough?" Matsushita's expression was somewhat complicated. After hesitating for a moment, she spoke up, contrary to her usual nature. "You don't need us to do anything else?"

"Taking the initiative to find things to do—this isn't like your usual style, Chiaki-san."

"After all, the task you assigned us... is nothing more than something incredibly simple."

"Precisely because it's simple," Sakayanagi turned around, her back facing Chiaki, her voice carrying clearly, "it minimizes the possibility of error to the greatest extent, doesn't it?"

She didn't look back, simply moving forward with steady steps. "This topic ends here. I'll head over first. See you in a bit."

The tap-tap-tap of her cane striking the floor echoed through the silent library, gradually blurring, until it vanished entirely.

...

Having left the warmth and quiet of the library behind, Sakayanagi walked alone through the corridors of the luxury cruise ship.

Beneath her feet was the thick, plush red carpet, stretching onward, its intricate, ornate patterns clearly visible under the illumination of the overhead lights.

In truth, the rules of this special exam were overwhelmingly disadvantageous for Class D.

The reason lay in the sheer degree of Class D's internal strife. Merely clarifying the identities of the three VIPs within their own class had taken Sakayanagi an entire day.

And this was even with her holding Karuizawa Kei—the gyaru representative among the girls—under her control, and having temporarily secured Hirata Yosuke's support.

Kushida Kikyo was also quite popular within the class, but that girl was far too slippery, far too smooth in all aspects, making her difficult to get a grip on.

Fortunately, an unexpected delight had come her way. The young master of the Koenji financial conglomerate in their class had identified the VIP of one of Class B's groups. With a bit of effort, Sakayanagi had obtained the name of one of Class B's VIPs.

Thus, the names of four VIPs were now fully within her grasp. The rules of this special exam had already begun to take vague shape within her mind.

Still... to be absolutely safe, it was best to personally confirm this sort of thing once more.

"Click—!"

Arriving before the Rabbit Group room, Sakayanagi gently turned the door handle. The bright, white fluorescent light slithered through the crack in the door like a pale serpent. Everything inside the Rabbit Group room entered her field of vision.

Inside the room, the two classmates who had already arrived ahead of time raised their heads in unison and looked toward the newcomer.

"Good evening, Fuyuji-kun, Shiina-san."

Her pale hand opened slightly. Sakayanagi greeted them with a smile, while discreetly, without revealing any trace, swiftly locking her gaze onto one of them.

After the group discussions of the past two days, she had long grown accustomed to these two students from different classes who always sat together reading.

She was even quite familiar with one of them...

It was precisely because of that familiarity that Sakayanagi had keenly sensed that lingering, inescapable sense of dissonance.

Compared to the unrestrained, eccentric personality he'd displayed the very first time she met him, these past two days he had been far too quiet. He had truly been reading the entire time, without even greeting her once.

This is hardly your usual style, Fuyuji-kun.

No matter how you put it, you are the student who is known as Class A's oddball. Or could it be... that you're avoiding me?

Sakayanagi's lowered lashes fluttered faintly, then gently lifted, her brows and eyes curving into beautifully formed crescent moons as she gazed in Fuyuji's direction with a smile brimming in her eyes.

Evading a lady is hardly the conduct befitting a gentleman, you know.

Fuyuji-kun...

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75 [Power Stones] = Bonus Chapter!