Chapter 20: Caught You Red-Handed!

The click of high heels echoed down the corridor, capturing the attention of many students.

A woman with long hair, dressed in a black women's suit, exuded an aura that warned strangers to keep their distance as she strode down the hallway and finally knocked on the door of the administrative office.

“Excuse me.”

“I’m here to inquire about a student.”

As if shedding all pretense, the woman swept her long hair up into a bun. Her eyes bore a faint red tint at the corners, and she wore light makeup—not seductive, but exquisitely enviable.

She was stunning.

Whether it was the students peering from outside or the teachers inside the administration office, only one thought occupied their minds:

A woman in her thirties truly possesses allure.

Her jet-black hair, the black stockings wrapped around her thighs beneath the tailored skirt, and the ample curves of her chest made their eyes tremble.

Though she had once been sensitive to such glances and would avoid them, now that she had a goal, Sayuri Sato no longer resisted.

She intended to showcase her beauty.

Much like a male peacock displays its feathers to impress the female and intimidate rivals, Sayuri Sato had taken great care in her appearance from the moment she woke up, and for good reason.

“Teacher Sato, here’s the information you requested.”

The printer whirred, spitting out a stack of documents with the scent of fresh ink, which Sayuri Sato took in her hand.

A familiar face appeared before her eyes.

Looking at the blank space under the parents’ section, she gently curled her lips into a smile.

Very good...

He did not deceive me.

Judging by the information, he lived in Toshima Ward near farmland—a place Sayuri Sato had visited during a previous spring outing. Aside from factories and fields, it was mostly an old district.

Economically, Kitahara was indeed struggling.

“Thank you.”

She placed the documents down gracefully and passed by, trailing a subtle fragrance. The teachers in the administration office could no longer restrain their gazes, deeply entranced by her retreating figure.

The fitted suit emphasized Sayuri Sato’s slender waist, while her hips were full and shapely, creating a striking visual effect.

“What a remarkable woman...” one muttered to himself. “I wonder which man will be lucky enough to marry her.”

After a moment’s thought, the teacher sneered, “If I could just taste those lips, I wouldn’t mind shortening my life by twenty years.”

“Stop dreaming and get back to work. She’s out of your league,” a colleague nearby laughed derisively.

“Just watch me! It’s not illegal!” he retorted.

“That’s why you’re still a virgin nerd...” the other joked.

---

Although it wasn’t yet time for lunch break, a commotion had already erupted in the classroom, interrupting Kitahara as he tried to practice his new ability.

He put down his pen and rubbed his temples.

He had just finished writing two essays to test his proficiency in the national language.

From the results, this ability was roughly equivalent to that of a literature teacher. Of course, that didn’t mean he was unbeatable in the university entrance exams—students need not be inferior to their teachers.

Kitahara had heard that none of the students admitted to top universities were worse than their instructors; their professional abilities were almost maxed out, leaving no room for criticism.

But that was sufficient.

Though his ceiling wasn’t the highest, his baseline was solid. As long as Kitahara continued to delve deeply into the sciences, entering Tokyo’s most prestigious university was just a matter of time.

It was truly a pity.

Had he obtained the master-level language proficiency last night, he wouldn’t even need to attend school. He could stay at home and write books—perhaps a new “Snow Country”—and gain immediate social influence and power.

This was a society that greatly respected writers.

“What’s going on? Why so noisy?” Kitahara snapped out of his thoughts, noticing the classroom in disarray with students discussing something.

“They say the homeroom teacher is changing,” explained Yuu Yoshimizu, sitting by the window watching the scenery.

Changing the homeroom teacher?

The previous homeroom teacher was a man in his fifties who had taught at Fukunorth Dake for many years. Perhaps due to health reasons, he was no longer teaching. Kitahara didn’t particularly care who the new teacher would be.

After all, his learning didn’t rely on teachers’ instruction.

Still, he planned to visit the old homeroom teacher after school. If he remembered correctly, it was in Arakawa Ward.

“Who’s taking over?” Kitahara put down his pen, feeling thirsty and deciding to buy some water.

Yuu Yoshimizu accompanied him out of the classroom.

“Apparently, it’s the teacher from the next class... She’s coming over to take charge of us occasionally. It’s good news for us, because...” Yuu exaggeratedly gestured toward her chest, “She’s got a bust that big! When I saw her this morning, I almost wanted to bury my head in it.”

“If you say that, you’ll get punished if the teacher overhears.”

Yuu ducked her head. “I know... but she really is beautiful. Though a bit troublesome—the teacher’s strict and has a history of corporal punishment. Even though she was reprimanded, she hasn’t changed.”

“Corporal punishment?”

Kitahara was stunned. “Is this the twenty-first century? Does anyone still do that?”

“It depends on who does it and how,” Yuu defended. “Think about it: if a burly male teacher hits you with a ruler, wouldn’t your first reaction be to call the police?”

“But if it’s a beautiful female teacher wearing a super short skirt and office lady attire, forget the ruler, even if she just...”

After buying their drinks, the two were about to ascend the stairs when they suddenly collided with someone.

“If you don’t need your eyes, you can throw them away.”

---

The words dripped with icy coldness from the woman’s mouth. She looked down at her clothes—half soaked with orange juice. Sayuri Sato’s previously pleasant mood instantly clouded.

She had spent an hour preparing her outfit, only to have an oblivious student spill juice on it. This was the outfit she had worn to meet Kitahara!

Damn it.

Didn’t he realize how expensive this was? Dry cleaning would cost a fortune!

Who was going to pay for this?

“Asshole...”

Sayuri Sato was about to lash out when she noticed the strange expression on the boy’s face. Her gaze shifted to something more amused.

Then she folded her arms and fell silent.

Looking at the bewildered, innocent “white moon” holding the orange juice, a saying flashed in her mind:

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

Yuu Yoshimizu shivered as she saw Sayuri Sato’s icy, almost predatory expression. It was the first day with the new homeroom teacher, and trouble had already begun.

And it was with this particularly spiteful female teacher!

“Sorry! We didn’t mean to!” Yuu quickly pulled Kitahara forward to apologize. Kitahara, still tidying his clothes and unaware of the situation, was brought before Sayuri Sato, bowed, and apologized.

Kitahara harbored no ill feelings; after all, he had indeed bumped into her and owed her an apology.

Still, he found the custom of bowing deeply to apologize in Tokyo somewhat hard to get used to.

Bending over, he waited a long time without a response, secretly grumbling as his back grew sore. Why wasn’t she speaking?

Such a big star?

Whose little fairy was she?

He raised his head, meeting the woman’s playful gaze and paused.

Sayuri Sato silently gave him a look that said, “Caught you, didn’t I?”

Kitahara rolled his eyes.

Seeing he wasn’t taking it seriously, Sayuri Sato snorted.

Outside school, if you offend me, I won’t bother with you.

But inside school—

What should you call me?

She sneered coldly. Today, she was determined to teach this unruly younger brother a lesson.