Ise Yu Yuzhijin suspiciously asked, "Shirakawa, are you telling the truth?"
"But I heard that you and Hayakawa haven't really interacted much. How do you know her?"
"A deep spiritual connection."
"No, no, no... What deep spiritual connection? Shirakawa, that's a bit suspicious... You haven't been following Hayakawa around too, have you?"
Hmm? Why would you say "too"?
Shirakawa Sawahei thought for a moment and decided not to get tangled in the following topic with Ise Yu Yuzhijin. He directly said, "I'll tutor you, so you can have a chance to help Asano Nazuki. How about it?"
"Deal!" Cute little Ise Yu immediately reached an agreement with the suspected stalking Shirakawa Sawahei.
"But..." Shirakawa Sawahei coughed lightly twice.
"Although you say we're friends, to avoid giving you the illusion that I like you, I think the 3000 yen cannot be reduced."
Ise Yu Yuzhijin's little face was shocked, and her jaw almost dropped.
What's the situation? Has Shirakawa finally grown up? And no longer holding onto unrealistic dreams?
He actually took the initiative to draw a line between us... Did he really take my words to heart?
Ise Yu Yuzhijin was looking at Shirakawa Sawahei with a face full of relief, but then something seemed a bit off.
This move... seems to be called "playing hard to get"!
Intentionally pretending to have no interest in girls, to pique the curiosity of a pretty girl, then completing the classic plot strategy... This is clearly the routine used overly in shoujo manga!
Such deep schemes, Shirakawa. Truly unpredictable.
Ise Yu Yuzhijin silently clenched her little fist.
Hearing this, Shirakawa Sawahei patted Ise Yu Yuzhijin on the shoulder with satisfaction.
Even though you can't become my Study Princess, it's clear you can still be my Money-Printing Princess.
But speaking of which, why didn't I think before that tutoring could be such a profitable endeavor?
Poverty has limited my imagination. My system clearly has a lot of potential to tap into.
If I'm good at studying, I can be a tutor. If I'm good at cooking, I can be a master chef in an izakaya... If my fighting skills are high enough, I can be a bodyguard...
A Neon version of the campus beautiful girl's bodyguard? Seems promising.
For the first time, Shirakawa Sawahei felt that his system didn't seem so detestable.
Although changing fate through studying is the highest cap, occasionally brushing up on other skills during this initial stage of accumulating power doesn't seem too bad?
Looking at the level 1 skills in his skill library, Shirakawa Sawahei sat deep in thought at his seat...
When Asano Nazuki arrived at school, it was just when Ise Yu Yuzhijin was turning away from Shirakawa Sawahei's seat.
Damn, she got close so fast! That pretty boy must have ulterior motives!
Seeing this situation, A little loli Chiboku pursed her lips tightly.
This woman called Ise Yu definitely has issues! She thought confidently.
No matter what loli Asano Nazuki thinks, Shirakawa Sawahei wasn't idle all morning. He first took out a scrap paper and listed the skills he had currently acquired from Hayakawa Kashi and Tachibana Tomoku.
First is the high school education, which can actually be generally referred to as study skills, with the highest level at lv6, followed by close-quarters combat at lv4, and calligraphy at lv3.
Hayakawa Kashi's innate skill of photographic memory, that naturally doesn't need to be mentioned more, Tachibana Tomoku's talent skill seems to be called "Childlike Innocence," which increases the credibility by 50% when lying.
A very powerful skill, only it's completely useless for Tachibana Tomoku as she's way too easy to see through when she lies.
Avoiding eye contact, blushing, speaking haltingly... If anyone's fooled by her, they must be messing around with her.
Conversely, if this skill were given to Asano Nazuki, the drama queen with ulterior motives, it would definitely be a great addition, a super weapon indeed.
There is no acquisition method for cooking skills; neither of the Study Princesses have them.
Hayakawa Kashi is likely too proud to cook for herself; she seems pampered, a bit like a lady of a certain noble family. While Tachibana Tomoku has some interest in cooking, she hasn't reached the level where it can form a skill.
It's not that after being taught twice and exploring for a few days, one can form a level 1 skill; the skill judgment of Study Princesses seems rather strict, with the system focusing more on whether they have talent bonuses for these skills.
Shirakawa Sawahei's dream of becoming a town-respected general for a restaurant seemed shattered, but he wasn't too bothered by it. After all, if he really wanted to get into the food industry, he could still extract cooking skills from cute little Ise Yu.
Funny how this outlandish girl was deemed by the system to have a talent for cooking.
Hayakawa Kashi's piano skill? Hmm... lv1, and currently nowhere for Shirakawa Sawahei to find a piano to practice on.
Asano Nazuki's lv5 music skill is much better, and if there's ever a chance to practice piano or write songs, it's best to use her talent.
Lv1 business negotiation skill? Let's skip it for now, since he doesn't have the money or energy to start a business, he's not some trendsetter pig that can soar on just one breath.
Lv1 spoiling and selling cute?
Hmm? Hayakawa Kashi, you do have something, having this talent. However, it's meaningless to me.
As Shirakawa Sawahei picked through, he became somewhat disdainful of the beginner gift that Hayakawa Kashi represented.
What is this, apart from studying, none of the skills seem practical, with no consideration for me as a novice without any capital accumulation.
Playing piano? Do I have the money to buy a piano and practice!
Sell cute? Should I go charming rich women at a host club?
Shirakawa Sawahei shook his head and continued to examine the skills from Tachibana Tomoku, suddenly discovering that his skill panel seemed to have an additional skill.
[Acting: lv1; applicable to all types of performance, dubbing]
He hesitated for a moment, sensing something strange.
As expected, under Tachibana Tomoku's panel, a new line of small text was added.
[Increased favorability with the target, unlocking new skill bonuses]
No specific favorability value, just a simple hint.
Shirakawa Sawahei: "..."
No, Debating Girl, you need to listen to me... I really wasn't actively raising favorability before...
Acting? Tachibana Tomoku actually has this talent? But it's completely unnoticed on the surface?
Shirakawa Sawahei thought for a moment, then felt relieved.
Every person has numerous talents hidden within them; some talents shine brightly like a comet, inevitably emerging and working wonders. However, some talents might get completely buried by one's personality, external environment, and opportunities.
Like a business prodigy, if he spends his days in an isolated mountain ditch, facing the earth, it'll be hard to excavate his talents no matter how capable he is.
Without trying, how do you know if you have talent?
Tachibana Tomoku might be such a case. She doesn't dare to speak loudly in front of a crowd, let alone muster the courage to stand in front of a screen and accept the gaze of thousands.
Favorability unlocking new skills?
This... might have potential.