In the end—Enyun-chan was trapped in the illusion for a full 24 hours. At the same time, she was punished with an internet ban for three days, forbidden from touching phones or computers, and required to help earn an extra 300 G points within three days.
Shirogane Miyuki's pen pal journey was nipped in the bud by Uchiha Ryo before it even started.
It wasn't until a week later that Shuchiin Academy announced the start of the High School Division term. On the morning of the opening ceremony, Uchiha Ryo got up early and went to school with Yukinoshita, who was also a General Affairs member of the Student Council.
The route to school, which hadn't been taken for a few weeks, was still so noisy. Is this Tokyo in the morning? Such a heavy scent of corporate slaves.
Arriving at the academy, Shirogane Miyuki, as the Student Council President, had long been reciting his speech draft in the auditorium. Besides him as the President, it seemed the Vice President also had a speaking part. Fortunately, the General Affairs members only needed to stay below, otherwise, he hadn't prepared anything to say.
After the Principal's "simple" few words, the opening ceremony finally concluded. Uchiha Ryo walked backstage and headed towards the classroom with Shirogane Miyuki.
"Shirogane, your face looks a bit ugly. Still thinking about the disappearing pen pal?"
"No, although her sudden silence surprised me a bit, I basically haven't slept well these past few days..."
Shirogane Miyuki's dark circles had deepened a bit more, and his fierce eyes scared away many classmates who wanted to come over and talk.
"The new semester is really troublesome, especially for me as the Student Council President..."
"Well, then do your best."
Shirogane Miyuki sighed. "And you? As a Student Council General Affairs, don't dump all the work on the other General Affairs..."
At noon, in the familiar club activity room, which is their Classic Literature Club.
Shirogane Miyuki still didn't come to participate in the club activities this semester, probably because the Student Council work was still ongoing. Uchiha Ryo was also working very hard... finishing the pastries sent by Hayasaka Ai.
Oh my, cream accidentally fell on the back of my right hand. At the same time, Amakusa Shino pushed open the door.
"Sorry, as the President, I'm actually late. Uchiha! How dare you? This is the club activity room!"
Uchiha Ryo continued to lick the cream off his right hand and looked at President Amakusa with great confusion. When cream falls on the hand, don't normal people lick it clean? President Amakusa frowned. "Although I've heard that a boy's first girlfriend is his right hand, doing it with your own right hand here early in the morning... is too strange."
"What you heard is completely wrong. I'm just cleaning the cream off it. By the way, my hand is very clean."
Amakusa Shino chuckled and waved her hand. "Well, just kidding. But our Classic Literature Club is going to have new work next. You all better cheer up for me."
Uchiha Ryo frowned. "New work? President Amakusa, does our Classic Literature Club really have such a thing as work? Isn't it basically events you come up with on a whim?"
"Ryo-san! I don't think so!"
The one speaking was Chitanda Eru. Obviously, she also wanted to participate in the new work mentioned by President Amakusa.
Hayasaka Ai also smiled and looked at Uchiha Ryo. "Ryo-san, since there is a club activity, let's participate. Didn't we also help the Drama Club improve their script last time?"
Last time, it was just that group from the Drama Club having no other choice but to think of us... The Classic Literature Club's classroom is located on the third floor of the Liberal Arts Club Building, and it is a corner classroom at the end of the corridor.
Even if someone comes seeking literary help, they will basically look for the Literature Research Club on the first floor first, then the Science Research Club on the second floor, and finally reach their Classic Literature Club.
"So, President Amakusa, what is our activity this time?"
Chitanda Eru raised her hand. "Please let me say it, after all, I proposed this club activity."
Saying that, Chitanda Eru took out a thin book from the handbag beside her? Or rather, a collection of notes, but the cover clearly read... "The Legend of Devotion" (Hoshin Legend).
Hayasaka Ai sat beside Uchiha Ryo eating the cake she made in the morning and suddenly said.
"The Legend of Devotion? I feel like I have an impression. Did it come from our school?"
Chitanda Eru nodded.
"Mn, this is a work published last year. It is said to have participated in the Tokyo-wide short story anthology selection and achieved the good result of first place. But the most curious thing is that this short story is actually not finished, but the final chapter is hidden!"
"So..."
Chitanda raised her head to look at everyone.
"I'm curious! I want to know what the true ending of the Legend of Devotion is! Even if I can't see the sequel to this book, I want to find the author and ask about the ending properly!"
Hayasaka Ai rested her chin on her hand. "Um, then why don't we just go ask directly?"
Amakusa Shino took over the topic. "But our problem lies here. The registered pen name of the author of this book is Hyacinth. Chitanda-san and I just went to the Student Council room and asked the President to check all the names of the second years, third years, and graduates, but there isn't a single person named Hyacinth."
Uchiha Ryo frowned. "In other words, we don't know who the author of this book is at all?"
Chitanda Eru chuckled, then nodded cutely.
Uchiha Ryo was speechless towards this curious baby, but what could be done? Since this proposal was made by Chitanda, he had to complete it no matter what.
"I've already asked the President and Yukinoshita-san to investigate at the Student Council. After all, those two are also members of the Classic Literature Club."
Amakusa Shino said confidently. "Plus you guys, I think it shouldn't be difficult to investigate the author of the novel."
At this time, Hayasaka thought for a moment and then said.
"Listening to what Chitanda-san just said, this is a book published in Shuchiin last year, and the author concealed their identity. That is to say, the author of this book could be a student or a teacher..."
Uchiha Ryo smiled. "Then let's split up. One group investigates the teachers, and one group investigates the students. Hayasaka, is it okay to leave the teachers to you?"
"Of course no problem! Leave it to me!"
Hayasaka Ai is a student of Class 1, just right to get more information through their class teacher Hiratsuka Shizuka.
However, compared to the teachers, obviously, the students are the hardest to investigate because the release date of the novel was a year ago. That means the current second-year students, third-year students, and graduates could all be the author of this novel.
"Yare yare... I'd better go to the Student Council again and discuss with Shirogane and the others."