"First of all, discrimination towards juniors and lower sections is a normal thing. If you're a crybaby then this place is not for you."

     She also said what Hira-neechan told me. Apparently, I already witnessed some incidents of it like the three first-years earlier and the one where Akane-senpai saved a first-year in the brink of expulsion. Being a first-year, especially from the lowest section, is a tough thing that we need to endure. But Margaux-senpai is an exception because she's probably the only junior who treats her senior, specifically Akane-senpai, in a contemptuous way.

     "If those first-years earlier managed to survive this year and become second-years, they can also do the thing I did to them to their juniors."

     "I see," I murmured but for me, it is just mainly because you're a royalty.

     "It is quite rare for a senior to become friendly to a junior not to mention that they will even help them to rise. Like that annoying midget who seems to be in good terms with everyone."

     Maybe she's referring to Akane-senpai. No, I'm sure it's Akane-senpai.

     I've been wondering why Margaux-senpai has extreme amount of hatred towards Akane-senpai. The latter is just your typical student council vice president that is reliable and being socially active with majority of the students.

     "But what if you want to ask for help from them like what I'm doing right now?"

     "If you're lucky to find a senior that is willing to do it, then good. If not, then it is better. Personally, I prefer the latter. Why? Because learning something by yourself will give more benefit rather than knowing it from others," she said and crossed her arms.

     Guilt suddenly ran through my entire body. I think she's pertaining the last part to me, who looks like a parasite that is sucking up information to her.

     "But don't worry about it, Karasuma. Despite of having a fake agreement between us, it is my own volition to go that farther. In fact, I'm glad to assist you. I swear it upon my name."

     She didn't need to do it. We're just roleplaying after all. I don't know if this is still a part of the act or not but that made me quite embarrassed.

     "I-I see..."

     "Well, back to the topic. There are seniors that will help their juniors under a certain condition although I can't thoroughly explain it."

     "So basically, it means taking advantage of the junior's desire?"

     "Yes," Elice-senpai said and this time, it was her to elaborate the things. "I entered here as a Class C student, the second lowest section of the current second-year. Lady Margaux, who is already an Elite Class Student, asked for advices from a male senior. He agreed but in return, Lady Margaux needs to give him a photo of her naked body."

     "Uhm... Is it okay that you said it to me?" I asked while looking to Margaux-senpai's expression and sighed. 

     "I'll repeat it again. You're my personal butler, Karasuma. In fact, you're required to know everything about me. I hope you get it clearly," Margaux-senpai said and scanned the surroundings.

     "Then what's wrong with Akane-senpai?"

     "What's wrong to her?" Margaux-senpai repeated the question in an annoyed tone. Shoot. Looks like I stepped on a landmine.

     "Everything about her is trivial. Just hearing her name makes my blood boil."

     "What is your reason for that?" I boldly asked.

     "Oh? You surely didn't hesitated on that one, am I right?" Margaux-senpai asked. "That matter is the only one that I won't tell you for now. But don't worry, I'll say it to you when the time comes."

     "I see..."

     There are almost no students right now inside the cafe. It is lunch time so it is the normal scene to expect. Silence filled the entire cafe. The remaining students, except us, were talking to each other idly but it is inaudible to us.

     "I guess this is the right time to tell you the hidden rules of this academy." Margaux-senpai added. 

     "Hidden rules?"

     "Yes. Hidden rules. Rules that relies on other rules that only a few individuals knew because of their discernment on the surfaced rules."

     Margaux-senpai's lips curled upwards forming a very sadistic smile. It was quite scary. It looks like her personality totally changed. Elice-senpai, who attentively listening to us, also crossed her arms and placed her right leg in top of her right. Her white skin captures my attention. Hey, please. Can you please not do it? Oh, well. It is my own fault for being tempted.

     "There are two kinds of students here in this academy. The first one are the students who only know surfaced rules while the other one knows what is hidden rules."

     I see. I'm sure I currently belong to the first group of students. I think I can be also included in the latter one but it will surely take me a long time without the help of Margaux-senpai.

     "I have a question for you, Karasuma. Do you know how to gain merits?"

     "It is through quests and performances, right?"

     "That is the surfaced rules, or the rules that were being charted to everyone. But what about the hidden rules? Do you have any idea?"

     I tried to recall the rules that Tachibana-sensei said to us. There is no other freaking hints I can come up to answer Margaux-senpai's question. I also tried to remember the rules on merit reduction . Uhmm... Late. Tardiness. Violence. Disobedience. Transferring of allowance. Destroying of- Wait... Tachibana-sensei didn't mentioned anything about that thing. That is also not stated on the conditions of expulsion. Is that the correct answer? I'm not sure but I have no choice but to say it. 

     "Transferring of merits?"

     "Correct. That is one way of gaining merits. You will give something from the other party and they'll pay you back with their merits. The other one is through buying merits from your class instructor. I tried it once but the price for it is two million yen for 100,000 merits. Collecting that large sum of allowance is just a mere dream. Lastly, through blackmailing and I believe I don't need to explain it."

     "But isn't that kinda bad?"

     "I believe your class instructor said that, 'as long as you follow the rules,' and, 'doing a violation requires intensive brainstorming before committing it'. There are words from the instructors that shouldn't be interpreted literally. You sometimes need to expand what they said. They're like puzzles that you need to connect for you to form an image."

     "What if I reported a violation that I saw then I ask for the deducted merit as a sort of reward? Is that acceptable?"

     "It is, Karasuma. Good thing that you came up with that kind of question. At least, you have now the knowledge of such underhanded, yet legal acts."

     "You're making me look like a criminal."

     "But it is what we need to do inside to survive, am I wrong?" Elice-senpai added.

     She's right. To be honest, I don't want to do such things like threatening someone to give their merits to you. My conscience can't accept it and it will surely hunt me in my dreams. But it is the only way of surviving here. This place looks like hell. No, this is actually hell but was surrounded by vast ocean. It doesn't make sense though.

     "Second. There are also surprise activities that has no rules."

     "No rules?" I asked in total confusion. 

     "Yes. No rules. The instructors will state what will be the activity and that's all. The rules will be depend on one's own perception towards on what being told," Margaux-senpai said and placed her chin to her right hand that was rested on the table. 

     "There is an activity one time that they said is, 'attend classes and do nothing.' As expected, all students were dazed that time. The next morning, some didn't attend because they reasoned that, 'there's nothing to do, right?', while some attended but did things like talking to each other and looking to their phones. Me and Elice were in the latter but instead, we stared blankly in the monitor for hours and literally doing nothing. Then when the activity was done tomorrow, only a few students, including us, gained 30,000 merits while the remaining suffered 100,000 merit reduction. The reason for that? It is simple... Disobedience. Too bad there were students, even some third-years, who were expulsed."

     "That's… a pain."

     Words can't come out of my mouth of the shock I feel right now. My brain can't also function properly causing my thinking process to perform slower than usual. 

     "There are only three points I do while I'm here. First, perceive what others cannot. Second, act as if you learned nothing but knows everything. Third, let others play on your own hands."

     "The last part seems like you're planning to using me."

     "Are you screwing us, first-year? You're the one who is using Lady Margaux and maybe you are planning to betray her when the time comes," Elice-senpai said. She glinted me with her eyes full of irritation and... maybe with slight irritatation. In other words, she's irritated. 

     "I'm just kidding. Take it easy," I said and slightly extended my hands to her to calm her.

     "I don't care if you will do it. But me? I won't. Why? Because you're my butler. My subordinate. My acquaintance. My fr- Ahem," Margaux-senpai stopped halfway and coughed.

     I'm sure she was about to say, 'my friend'. So she already looked me as one of hers and seriously, there's nothing to be embarrased. It made me quite happy to be honest. 

     "So at least you know how the academy works. I can't give you the other details because the academy changes the way they execute an activity. It will solely rely on your instinct. Do you have any questions?"

     "What about the allowance?"

     "…"

     "I'm just thinking that I can use it to gain merits."

     "Oh. Is that is?" Margaux-senpai asked and slightly lowered her head for few seconds then lifted it up again.

     "You know exploitations, right?"

     "Yes."

     "If you can create a centralized program wherein all of the students' accounts are connected to yours without their knowledge, you can manage to not just steal it, but to copy the exact same amount of their combined allowances."

     Do I freaking need to be a hacker here? There's no way I can do that. The only thing I can do on computers is to use it legally like playing video games. I don't know anything about cybercrimes.

     "If the total allowance of all students here are half billion yen, then you can also obtain that sum of money in no time. But of course, if there is a flaw on it, students will protest and when the academy traced you, you will face consequences. If you did it perfectly, then the academy is fine with it."

     "I see."

     "Any other questions you want to ask?"

     "I'm fine with your explanations."

     "Then we're good. By the way, Elice. I want to order a coffee again. Both of you can also do the same if you want," Margaux-senpai said and started to read again her pocketbook. She must be a bibliophilia. 

     Elice-senpai pressed the button beside her and the same waitress earlier came to us. Margaux-senpai ordered the same thing while me and Elice-senpai asked for drinks. I tried to take a peek ln Margaux-senpai's face. I didn't expected that she can make that kind of face. She's so serious on reading her pocketbook. She looks like an innocent girl that indulges herself into the world of the book she's reading. That kind of expression is a one that shouldn't be betrayed. Well, I don't want to betray her.

     We spent a few more hours inside the cafe. Sometimes, me and Elice-senpai will be engaged in a conversation. That was quite fun because I slowly learn about her personality. When Margaux-senpai finished the pocketbook she's reading, it was already three in the afternoon. She proposed to wander around the Shopping District Island. We agreed on her and as usual, eyes that as same as death threats were staring at me.

     We decided to go home when the sunset is ongoing. It was very beautiful. The sky was filled by scarlet color. There's only a few students present at the Dormitory Island when we arrived so we were saved at being scrutinized.

     "We're fine here, Karasuma. You can head to your room now," Margaux-senpai said.

     "Thanks for today, Margaux-senpai," I turned my body towards her and bowed. 

     "I expect that you'll be with us every after classes. Our meeting place will be right here in the station and I don't want to arrive here first. You can message Elice if you can't come."

     "I-I will."

     Elice-senpai took her phone on the side pocket of her uniform and gave me her number. Her number is the first here on my phone. 

     "See you tomorrow."

     Margaux-senpai started to walk away from me. Elice-senpai immediately followed her without leaving a farewell greeting to me. Their direction is probably going to Building D, which is the side opposite to Building H, the building where my room was. I also started to head towards Building H.

     Today is quite tiring but overall, it is productive. I learned a lot about this academy. I can honestly say that I have the ability to survive here but I'm sure it is still not enough so having Margaux-senpai is a big help. But I'm still wondering, she's helping me as if we're not bounded by the fake connection my agreement made. She keeps on insisting that it is to become realistic so maybe it's the truth. 

     I leisurely walking on the grounds when I came across with a girl wearing a black knee-lenght pants and a plain white shirt. Her black hair compliments well with her torso. Her crimson eyes were staring daggers at me. 

     "So how's your first day with that girl? Did she pampered you?" she sarcastically asked. 

     "Is being pampared a work of a butler?"

     "No. But if it's you, then maybe yes."

     "So, where are you heading?"

     "I don't know. I'm just walking randomly."

     I tried to remove my gaze on her and because she looks to me like a filthy degenerate person. On the other hand, Mirai-san attempted to come nearer to me but when she saw that a student is coming this way, she gave up. It will be an issue if someone, especially from First Year Class D, will see us.

      "By the way. The Quest will be held this thursday, right?" she asked and raised her hands to place the palms on the back of her head. 

     "Oh yeah. Our first Quest."

     "I don't know how it will be executed but I guess our classmates won't last that long, am I right?"

     "That figures."

     "But miracles can happen. Though I doubt that this academy will allow it."

     "It seems that you don't have faith on our classmates."

     Mirai-san walked slowly towards me. She placed both of her hands behind. She halted when she walked pass through me by one step.

     "Isn't that obvious? All students of Class D are trash. Well, I don't know if both of us were included in that," she said and started to walk away.

     "You need companion?" I asked to her and turned my body towards her direction. 

     "No need. It will be an another issue for you," she responded and her figure slowly shrinks as she go farther. 

     Maybe she's right. Our ideologies are the same. I also don't have any faith on my classmates. I believe that the chances of them being promoted is extremely low yet, it's not that impossible. If they work together, they can probably manage it but betrayal is a common thing and the academy strongly promotes individuality.