The new feature Shiina had been waiting for was finally unlocked.
"Skills."
A very interesting section.
But when she actually opened it, her earlier excitement quickly turned into confusion.
Because what appeared there… was something she couldn't understand at all.
[NPC: 9 (You're basically like an NPC)]
She had expected something like "Deduction" or "Reading" to show up.
Never, in her wildest imagination, did she expect something like "NPC."
…Well, it wasn't entirely incomprehensible. Shiina Hiyori could easily understand what "NPC" meant.
A non-player character. Usually stationed in a fixed location, providing storylines or quests to players.
But why… "NPC"?
"…"
A trace of curiosity returned to her.
She really did enjoy the process of piecing together clues and arriving at an answer.
The evaluation comment could be ignored for now—it was likely determined by the number.
The key lay in "NPC" itself.
Although it was labeled as a skill, it clearly wasn't based on her actual abilities…
But rather on… "identity"?
Then what determined that identity?
If judged by real-world perception, she should be a "student."
At worst, a "literature girl."
The only reason she could think of for being labeled as an "NPC"—
The diary in her hand flipped rapidly backward.
Soon, it stopped on the entry from the second day.
Her eyes moved downward, stopping at a specific line.
More precisely—
"Library Fixed NPC."
"I knew it," she murmured softly.
If there was anywhere the diary had mentioned "NPC," it was here.
Which meant—
The standard for judging identity was his perception? Or rather, what had been written in the diary?
Having reached that conclusion, Shiina Hiyori felt a small sense of satisfaction.
A faint smile appeared on her lips as she flipped back to the skill page.
Now that her doubts about the definition were resolved, the only remaining curiosity was—
"Adding points."
Even though "NPC" as a skill felt rather strange, and the number attached to it was equally puzzling…
She decided to try it.
She had 62 reading points.
Could she increase it to 71?
Would the evaluation change?
Her slender fingers brushed across the page, stopping on the number. She tried to will it to change.
"…"
Nothing happened.
She already knew she probably had to write it down with a pen—
But for some reason, a small rebellious impulse rose within her.
She lifted her finger and tried scratching it with her nail instead.
Unexpectedly, the diary—normally indestructible—formed a faint mark under her movement.
"+1"
"Increasing 'NPC' will cost 100 reading points. Your current reading points are insufficient."
A cold voice echoed.
The scratch disappeared without a trace.
Shiina Hiyori pouted slightly.
Then why even tell me I can add points…?
While Shiina Hiyori and Sakayanagi Arisu, both perfect-attendance users, explored the newly unlocked feature first—
Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo, who had missed a day, only saw their "skills" on the following day.
"Adding points…" Horikita Suzune murmured, chewing over the concept.
Even though she hadn't played many stat-allocation games before, she quickly understood it.
Spend points to increase skill values.
In short—
A shortcut.
…Whether that was a good thing or not was another matter.
Horikita Suzune had long accepted the existence of the diary and the information it provided.
To make up for the disadvantage of being placed in Class D, to become a better version of herself—
She knew that reading the diary every day was necessary.
But that was information.
It compensated for her earlier failure to understand Chabashira Sae's hints.
That was something she couldn't fix on her own.
But if she directly used the diary to enhance her abilities—
Then what about all the effort she had put in over the years trying to catch up to her brother?
Could she really just grow stronger by reading a diary every day?
Was that acceptable?
Horikita Suzune hesitated.
But ignoring this new feature entirely wasn't easy either.
Because she knew—
Kushida Kikyo would definitely make full use of the diary.
After hesitating for a long time, she took a deep breath and opened the diary.
Just look first.
Only look.
If she could use it to clearly understand her own abilities, perhaps she could finally figure out what she was truly good at.
After realizing she wasn't particularly gifted in academics—
She genuinely didn't know which direction to pursue.
Logically, one should follow their strengths.
But aside from what that person had mentioned—
That she was stubborn, hardworking to a fault, good at pushing herself—
She couldn't think of anything she was especially talented at.
"Flip—"
The pages turned.
No wind stirred.
The motion stopped.
Focusing slightly, Horikita Suzune saw her name.
[Horikita Suzune]
[Modeling: 94 (Your frontal armor far surpasses Yukinoshita Yukino)]
[Courage: 75 (You dare challenge Yamauchi-sama)]
[Loneliness: 59 (You have at least one… questionable friend)]
[You may now spend reading points to increase these skills]
Horikita Suzune: "…?"
Where were her talents?
Her abilities?
The skills she had spent years cultivating?
What was "modeling"? What was "frontal armor"? Why compare her to Yukinoshita Yukino? Who even was that?
Courage… only 75? What did "daring to challenge Yamauchi-sama" even mean?
And what was with this "loneliness"?
Was 59 high? Was she really that lonely?
For a fleeting moment, she felt like she heard someone whisper—
"Mistaking loneliness for solitude."
"…I see."
She understood now.
This wasn't a system meant for her to improve herself.
It was just an excuse—
To take the insults that had already been written once…
And mock her all over again.
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