I’ve entered Zuiran’s middle school section.78Please respect copyright.PENANAMVG6hTanSe
The blazer jacket has changed from navy to white, and is quite a cute design. The wine coloured striped ribbon just accentuates that cuteness, and even though it’s only been a month since I’ve entered, just changing the uniform makes me look like quite the oneesan. How mysterious.78Please respect copyright.PENANAoyPfccbCXE
Now that we’ve entered middle school, 30% of our cohort is now new students who entered after taking an exam, the Externals.78Please respect copyright.PENANAPAEAG3cMFf
And this new group of students managed to get into our school after rigorous examinations, so they’re all really smart.78Please respect copyright.PENANAXNc8lGs9B6
In general, Zuiran students just ride the figurative escalator up from primary school, excluding special circumstances. Because of that, people sometimes talk about how the Internal Students are less bright than the Externals.78Please respect copyright.PENANA5G5AqRKiCt
Once we enter high school, there are going to be even smarter kids coming in. In fact, by the time we’re in high school, with the exception of a small group of students, it’s the kids who have been here since primary that people take to be the dumbest.78Please respect copyright.PENANA8HSOT6bpu6
But then usually the Internals themselves don’t really mind, so I guess that’s fine. They’re at least not dumber than your normal kid after all.78Please respect copyright.PENANAYOiVYqhKk9
From the staff’s perspective though, it wouldn’t be good for the traditional and prestigious Zuiran to be seen as a den of idiots. That’s why they gather smart kids from outside to make up for it.78Please respect copyright.PENANAYTtG58M1F1
Thanks to Zuiran’s brand power, as well as their splendid facilities and teaching content, we’ve got strong popularity, so it’s not a problem gathering gifted students at all.78Please respect copyright.PENANAyqjGy1GzRX
Particularly exceptional students are even taken as scholarship students, so they’re exempted from school fees. And amongst them, those that perform above a certain level in the national mock exams are even given scholarship money that doesn’t need to be returned.78Please respect copyright.PENANAJpYplnOcxv
In other words, they’re buying academic ranks with money in order to preserve the school’s honour, right?78Please respect copyright.PENANAjFlbamWvvn
Kimidol’s protagonist also entered Zuiran as a scholarship student.78Please respect copyright.PENANA49UUod9vJJ
She entered Zuiran because she didn’t want to pay school fees. What’s more, if she tried hard, she could even make money from the scholarship system there, which is why she wanted in. But when she entered, their sense of money value was just too different from hers, and she suffered quite a culture shock.78Please respect copyright.PENANAieNFMnu0Wm
And well, yeah. Normally a school wouldn’t do things on such a crazy scale.78Please respect copyright.PENANAEWQiyBiyUA
I know how she felt because I experienced the same thing when I entered as a primary school student.78Please respect copyright.PENANAxXXegWx6rJ
‘What the hell is this!? This isn’t how I remembered primary schools!’ I thought with my mouth agape.78Please respect copyright.PENANApsElTnNv7s
But she’ll definitely get used to it, so three years from now, I hope the protagonist will give it her all.78Please respect copyright.PENANAIfWapNi9xO
The biggest difference between the primary section, and the middle-high sections is the existence of the Student Council.78Please respect copyright.PENANAMkVSlqpbxS
The Student Council is a meritocratic organisation formed from good students.78Please respect copyright.PENANAhMP4j6T1Wj
In comparison, the Pivoine stresses lineage, pedigree, and assets more than individual power, and only people who can fulfil these and have been purebred Zuiran students since primary are allowed in.78Please respect copyright.PENANAa4JDE5U7YH
The Pivoine think of themselves as the true embodiment of Zuiran, and because of that the Student Council are an arrogant and loathesome group of outsiders. On the other hand, the Pivoine’s power doesn’t come from their members as individuals, so the Student Council thinks of them as a harmful group that only knows how to abuse their power.78Please respect copyright.PENANAU4JcLyIA8F
Although the traditionalist Pivoine and the meritocratic Student Council don’t butt heads on the surface, friction between them goes back a long time.78Please respect copyright.PENANA1u08PnCIH7
I don’t know what kind of person the incumbent Student Council President is, but I hope they don’t kick up a fuss while I’m here.78Please respect copyright.PENANAZyDmFDA3DG
The middle and high school students belong to the same Pivoine. The Petite Pivoine in primary is in the end just an extra, and the middle-high section Pivoine is the real thing.78Please respect copyright.PENANAixSO5ZSKFe
When I opened the door to the salon, I was met with furniture known for its beautiful curves, as well as flower arrangements of moth orchids and other spring flowers.78Please respect copyright.PENANAuqbMT4wOBa
There was even a grand piano by the window.78Please respect copyright.PENANAWW5lqJKgHV
I became particularly fond of this one-person sofa by the wall, with this cute art noveau style lamp next to it, so I ended up sitting here most of the time I went to the salon.78Please respect copyright.PENANA61eXTXQAUb
How nice. This lamp is so cute. I want one for my room too.
Since the salon was shared by both middle and high school students, Yurie-sama was naturally there too. Emperor seemed incredibly happy, since it was the first time in years they had been enjoying school together.78Please respect copyright.PENANAKTZOgM8xyG
He tried to hide it, but the corners of his mouth would curve up. He’s pretty easy to understand.78Please respect copyright.PENANA8u8MCZu5wO
Lately he hasn’t been acting like a stalker either, and perhaps as a result of Yurie-sama’s teachings, apparently he can think about others too now. I guess he matured as a human, huh~78Please respect copyright.PENANALyo6q0PdoC
As long as he’s with his beloved Yurie-sama, Emperor is always in a good mood, so I’ll probably be able to relax for another two years. Thank goodness.
“Reika-san, have you gotten used to the middle school section?”
Aira-sama came over to talk to me with some sweets in hand.78Please respect copyright.PENANAc4zGoiqEsY
Today’s was sachertorte, a type of chocolate cake with apricot jam.78Please respect copyright.PENANAU7nU7hFZrR
Seeing the lustrous chocolate made me gulp.
“Yes. Being able to go to the school cafeteria instead of being given a school lunch was quite a fresh experience.”
Once you enter middle school here, you can choose whether to go to the cafeteria or to bring lunch from home. The cafeteria seems like your normal fancy restaurant. Pretty much everything on the menu is over 2000 Yen. Quite expensive for your average student. It’s delicious though.78Please respect copyright.PENANAnBcMK24xuw
I’ve actually got this secret goal of conquering every item on the menu, so for now I’m one of the kids that goes to the cafeteria.78Please respect copyright.PENANAOXkKdgzxEK
And even in the cafeteria there are exclusive seats for the Pivoine. They’re seated by the window in this well lit area.78Please respect copyright.PENANAgtX4E4IOgE
Speaking of which, in Kimidol there was this one scene, wasn’t there. The protagonist had no idea that it was Pivoine exclusive, and tried to sit down there, displeasing them.78Please respect copyright.PENANAyB6Bcq4UXv
Yeah. Try your best, protagonist. Although, the one who was the most angry and shouted “A commoner would dare!? Know your place!” was actually Kisshouin Reika though.
“Are things going well with the External Students?”
“Well, there is still a wall between us, you could say.”
“Well, I suppose there would be.”
There are roughly ten External kids in each class. Unlike the scholarship students that will enter in the high school section, the Externals in middle school are still kids from families who can pay Zuiran’s expensive school fees. Because of that, there isn’t too much of a difference in their sense for spending money.78Please respect copyright.PENANAnCk6QLazaH
That’s why I think we’ll all settle down after a while. Probably.
I’m still thinking about whether or not to enter a club. There isn’t anything I really want to do after all.78Please respect copyright.PENANArqYKylvFI6
Oniisama suggested that I enter the cooking club, but the activity days overlap with my lessons.78Please respect copyright.PENANAL9vLK6ThaA
I also have my cram school and lessons with Karin-sensei as well. The first test since middle school is coming up soon, so I’m pretty busy at the moment.78Please respect copyright.PENANAbbzN7pYXrq
Lately I’ve sort of been getting a lot of “as expected of Reika-sama” so I’m secretly struggling really hard not to let my true colours show.78Please respect copyright.PENANA2dbLnUsR0F
Especially maths. Maths is suffering to me.78Please respect copyright.PENANA9wMTXECm2h
I remembered the word ‘factorisation’ but I’d completely forgotten what it entails. I just barely remembered that it has something to do with x and y. What the hell is going on with my memory.78Please respect copyright.PENANALOqjH42Gr8
Did I really learn this in my last life? I did, right? I mean, it’s part of the compulsory curriculum.78Please respect copyright.PENANAAoRq0VXpKp
Since I felt a huge crisis impending, I had Karin-sensei drill it into me.78Please respect copyright.PENANAfnSS0xNajR
I’d already decided to stop expecting anything academic from the past me. I should have already known as much after my experience in the primary school section…78Please respect copyright.PENANAx2tXqglHLn
But I just keep having these faint hopes.78Please respect copyright.PENANAPJpRJp1rp3
There’s no such thing as miracles though.78Please respect copyright.PENANApcJQ8S05nQ
I guess I’ll just keep trying my best from scratch…