Chapter 43

I entered the middle school of Suiran Academy.

The jacket of the uniform changed from navy to white, and it’s quite cute. The ribbon with burgundy stripes further enhances its cuteness. Just by changing the uniform, even though only a month has passed, I look much more like a big sister, which is quite surprising.

When you move up to the middle school, about 30% of the students are from external exams.

These external students have passed the rigorous entrance exams to enter Suiran, so they are smart.

In principle, at Suiran, unless there is a significant problem, everyone can move up in an escalator system, so the internal students are generally considered less intelligent than the external students.

In the high school, even more outstanding external students join. By this point, except for a few, the internal students who have come up from the elementary school are considered the least intelligent.

However, the students themselves don’t seem to have any particular trouble, so it’s probably fine. They are still at a general level.

However, the academy is concerned that Suiran, with its long tradition, should not become a den of fools, so they gather excellent students from outside.

Suiran is quite popular due to its brand power, excellent facilities, and curriculum, so excellent students quickly gather.

In the high school, students with particularly outstanding grades are admitted as scholarship students, and their tuition is waived. Among them, a certain number of students who achieve a certain score in the national mock exams receive non-repayable scholarships.

In essence, the academy is buying high scores with money to maintain its reputation.

The protagonist of *Kaguya-sama: Love Is War* also enters Suiran through this scholarship system.

To help with the family finances, he enters Suiran with free tuition, and if he works hard, he can even receive a scholarship. However, he is shocked by the difference in financial awareness.

Of course, the scale of the school is vastly different from the one he previously attended.

I can relate to this feeling because I experienced it when I entered the elementary school. "What is this place? It’s completely different from the elementary school I know!" My mouth was agape.

I’m sure he will get used to it eventually, and I hope he does well when he enters the high school in three years.

The biggest difference between the elementary, middle, and high schools is the presence of the Student Council.

The Student Council is an organization based on merit, composed of the best students in the academy.

On the other hand, the Pivoine is an exclusive group of students from prestigious families with the right lineage and financial means, and only those who have come up from the elementary school are eligible.

The Pivoine believes they embody Suiran, and they resent the Student Council, which they see as outsiders. The Student Council, in turn, views the Pivoine as a nuisance to the academy, relying on privileges rather than personal merit.

While the traditional Pivoine and the merit-based Student Council do not openly conflict, there has been a long-standing rivalry.

I don’t know what kind of people are in the current Student Council, but I want to avoid causing any trouble.

The Pivoine of the middle and high schools are combined. The Petit of the elementary school is more of an add-on, with the main body being here.

When I open the door to the salon, I see beautiful furniture known for its curves, many Cattleya orchids and seasonal flowers, and a grand piano by the window.

I like the small sofa by the wall with the Art Nouveau lamp, and I often sit there when I’m in the salon.

I wish I could have a lamp like this in my room.

The salon is shared by the middle and high schools, so of course, Yurie-sama is here. Emperor seems very happy to be back in the academy with Yurie-sama after several years.

Although she tries to hide it, her smile is quite noticeable.

Recently, the stalker has been quiet, and thanks to Yurie-sama’s education, she has become more considerate of others. People do grow.

Emperor is in a good mood as long as he has his beloved Yurie-sama, so it seems we can have a peaceful life for the next two years. That’s good.

"Rika-san, are you getting used to the middle school?"

Aira-sama brought me some sweets.

Today’s sweets are Sachertorte, with a glossy chocolate coating. *Swallow*.

"Yes. The school cafeteria is a fresh change from the school lunches."

In the middle school, you can choose between the cafeteria or bringing a bento. The cafeteria is like a high-end restaurant, with most dishes priced at over 2,000 yen, which is quite steep for the average person. But it’s delicious.

I have a secret goal to try all the menu items, so I’m a cafeteria regular for now.

The cafeteria also has a reserved seat for the Pivoine by the window, in a bright corner.

By the way, in *Kaguya-sama: Love Is War*, there’s an episode where the protagonist unknowingly sits in the Pivoine’s reserved seat in the high school cafeteria and gets a lot of flak.

Yeah, keep it up, protagonist. The one who was the most angry, saying, "How dare you, a commoner, act beyond your station!" was Kichijouji Rika.

"Are you getting along with the external students?"

"Well, there’s still a bit of a wall between the internal and external students."

"Of course, that’s to be expected."

There are about 10 external students per class. Unlike the scholarship students who join in the high school, the middle school external students come from families that can afford Suiran’s high tuition and donations, so there isn’t a significant difference in financial awareness.

So, they should get used to it in a while. Hopefully.

I’m still considering whether to join a club. I don’t have any particular interest.

My brother suggested I join the cooking club, but it overlaps with my extracurricular activities.

I also have tutoring and private lessons with Mr. Karin. The first test in the middle school is coming up soon, so I’m quite busy.

Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of praise like, "As expected of Rika-sama," so I’m trying my best not to slip up.

Math is what’s causing me trouble.

I remember the term "factorization," but I’ve completely forgotten the content. I only vaguely remember that it involves x and y. What’s wrong with my memory?

Did I really learn this in my previous life? I must have, since it’s part of compulsory education.

Feeling a strong sense of crisis, I crammed as much as I could into my head during the spring break with Mr. Karin’s help.

I’ve decided not to expect much from my previous self in terms of studies. I should have known this from elementary school, but I had a faint hope. There are no miracles.

I’ll have to start from zero and work hard step by step...