Prologue

The Monologue of Masayoshi Hashimoto

To put it simply, I don’t trust people.

I have an extremely strong dislike of blindly trusting someone with all my heart.

I never truly trust anyone.

Isn't that right, after all?

People can easily betray.

They plead for your trust, saying ‘It's all okay’, only to betray you.

The more you believe in them, the greater the shock you feel when they betray you.

Since that’s the case, Isn't it better to betray first before getting betrayed?

It's more advantageous to live dishonestly and gain than to live honestly and struggle.

This is my ——— “Hashimoto Masayoshi” ’s absolute policy.

Justice……

Justice, huh…

[TL Note - Hashimoto’s given name - ‘Masayoshi’ can be written using different kanji characters and it means - ‘Justice’]

Every time I say that, I feel disgust for my own name.

That feeling… it doesn't seem to be uncommon these days.

Compared to the people who genuinely hate their own names, my hatred is, well, pretty cute.

I just hate it because of the mismatch between my own thoughts and the name.

My name Masayoshi and ‘Justice’ are completely unrelated.

I understand it logically.

Even so, when people see my name, they tend to associate my personality with something different at first.

They judge what's in a person by his or her name.

Sorry, but I won't become a Supporter of justice anymore.

From the moment I entered this school, I had already made up my mind.

I'll definitely graduate from ‘Class A’ and will get back at those who betrayed me.

I'll do whatever it takes, no matter how awful, to make that happen.

I'll bring anyone down.

I’ll make anyone resent me.

Even if it's Ryuen or Sakayanagi, and yes, even Ayanokoji.

I won't change no matter who the opponent is.

I act for my sake and for mine alone.

Chapter 1

The Beginning of 2nd Year 3rd Semester

Part 1

There was a crowd on the road to school. It’s a scene I couldn’t see during the winter vacation.

I don’t hate the scenery on quiet days either, but, surprisingly, I think I rather like seeing a crowd of students.

Perhaps I’m getting used to my widening worldview.

Perhaps I’m unconsciously starting to value what I’m about to lose as the end draws near.

“What’s wrong, Ayanokoji? You’re just standing there.”

I saw my girlfriend Kei looking up at me as she warmly hugged my right arm.

“Nothing.”

I muttered, and we started walking.

At the very least, spending my day with her alleviates my boredom.

Especially because Kei chooses a subject to talk about from her day and creates a conversation even when I’m being quiet.

I’m finding myself more and more divorced from spending time alone by myself, though.

If I was asked whether the days I’m spending with her are necessary or not, I would say It's Fifty-fifty.

The reason they’re necessary is that my communication skills get better as I converse with a partner.

This is an important opportunity to polish a skill I lack proficiency in.

Because I’m unskilled with this, I often fail when replying to her.

In particular, there are still cases where I fail to choose the correct reply when Kei is in a bad mood, which just worsens her mood even further.

This is something I have trouble with.

On the other hand, reducing my time to polish other skills is a disadvantage.

The advantages of increasing my communication skills and learning how to analyze romantic partners and the other gender sacrifice many other things in exchange.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Is it annoying?”

“No, but… Yeah, it makes me want to kiss again. A lot, actually.”

The day before our winter vacation ended, Kei and I spent our time together in our room all day.

There’s no need to say where things lead to when people of opposite genders spend a lot of close time together.

Kei grabbed my right arm tighter and tried to pull me closer.

In the end, we were together all the way to our classroom, excluding the time of changing our shoes at the entrance.

Around half the students seem to be here already, so the classroom is very lively.

“Good morning, everyone~”

The start of the 3rd semester.

Kei waved at her friends in the classroom.

She slowly pulled her arm away from mine, and winked at me before saying, ‘see you!’ After that deeply affectionate move, I moved to a seat around the center of the classroom and put my mostly empty bag down.

The number of necessary items to bring is reduced thanks to the classes being held with tablets, but I still need a bag.

“Hey, even I’m blushing to see you coming to school like that, Ayanokoji.”

Sudou was already in the classroom, and called out to me in an unpleasant way.

“Only a super popular guy goes to school with a girl in his arm. Damn it, I’m so jealous!”

Personally, I think it’s an embarrassing look but it looks like he thinks it’s enviable.

“It’s not as if I asked her to do that.”

“Yeah, I bet. Actually, it’d be really creepy if you did ask her for that, like, really creepy.”

He approached me while repeating himself with a mutter.

“Enough about you getting flirty, did you get that mail about a year 1 student being taken into custody? I'm sure I don't need to worry about you, but be careful, okay?"

“Yeah, I think I saw something like that.”

I received a mail from the school at the end of the winter vacation about two year 1 students receiving punishment.

The names were omitted, but it seems a third party spotted a couple committing an act of illicit sexual relationship on a roof.

Acts that are related to sexual stimulation are forbidden, so the punishment was obvious.

“They should do that in their room, y’know? Seeing as you’re a senior, what do you think about that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“...I mean, like… You also want to do all kinds of stuff outdoors… Don’t you?”

He shouldn’t ask about things like that if it embarrasses him, but I’ll refrain from pressing him about that.

“All I can say is that the mail was correct. The school grounds are full of observers and cameras. There’s a high risk of being found out if you commit strange acts. So, I never make the choice of letting my instincts take over.”

“R-Right. I don’t think anyone else could be that strong… Creepy.”

I’m not entirely sure why, but it seems I ended up creeping Sudou out.

“I guess not.”

I wasn’t really paying that much attention, but I heard Sudou breathe a heavy sigh.

I think it was an instinctive sigh, but he frantically apologized after regretting it.

“That wasn’t because of you just now, okay? I was just sighing.”

“Doesn’t bother me. Is there something else on your mind, though?”

One could be as loud as they wanted in this crowd, but I didn’t hear any other students sighing that much.

I definitely can’t ignore this discrepancy.

“I’m just feeling a bit tired these days. I thought I could handle studying and sports at the same time, but it’s been really hard… Heh, just kidding.”

Perhaps considering it a failure that he explained the reason for his sigh, Sudou then dodged the subject.

It’s probably going to have a bad effect if I tell him I’m worried about him now.

As such, I’ll just give him one piece of advice.

“The faster you try to stuff knowledge into your brain, the faster it drops right back out. Slow and steady wins the race.”

“...Yeah. Anyways, let’s make it a good semester, alright?”

He changed his expression after leaving me with that and went to his seat.

Right afterwards, Satou arrived at the classroom and passed by me while greeting her classmates.

“Intense morning, huh?”

Muttering that, she added on,

‘Thanks for the display’, and joined the girls group. It seems she observed Kei and I from behind on our way to school.

The class quickly started talking about the student-teacher and parent-teacher meetings right after Chabashira-sensei left.

“I guess we have to start thinking about our future.”

“We have to think about what we’ll do both if we graduate in Class A and if we don’t, right? Hey, what’s your plan, Hirata?”

The girls gathered around Yosuke sitting at the class’s center and started chatting.

“I’m thinking about going to university regardless of Class A privileges. I think that’s what my parents want for me too.”

I’m not straining to listen, but I won’t resist hearing what I can hear.

Yosuke currently seems like he’s planning on going to university instead of trying to find a job.

It’s a natural development, considering his inclination towards studying and his current academic prowess.

Whether or not he will have Class A privileges, he can’t utilize them if he doesn’t possess the ability to do so.

However, one could say this for anything.

“Oh. I was sure you’d want to become a soccer athlete or something.”

“Haha, that’s a bit much for me. Even if I go pro by using Class A privileges, I’ll probably be released right away if I don’t actually have the talent. I’m going to continue playing soccer in university, but only as a hobby.”

Sports related jobs come with many hurdles even after finding employment.

If one has to exercise special privileges, it’s because they are competent but for some reason have not been discovered, or they have other problems that prevent them from following the regular route.

So, what is the right way to make good use of the benefits of graduating in Class A?

Keisei, who has distinguished himself as a talented student in the class, opened his mouth to speak.

“If we’re talking about Class A privileges, they should of course be used to find employment in a big company. Excluding the cases where you clearly have no talent, you’re not going to be fired if you just work as well as the others do. Isn’t that the best way to use Class A privileges when entering a world where the hardest part is making it in?”

Keisei’s classmates nodded with admiration after hearing his reasoning. When a company hires someone, they accept a large responsibility.

As long as you don’t commit a massive failure, it’s impossible for you to be fired just because the boss doesn’t like you.

The existence of this newly built school that is unlike any other is also widely known after being officially recognized.

In that sense, one can elect to find employment in a large company and secure a long future there.

“Yukimura-kun might be right if we’re just considering efficiency. However, I think it’s important to aim for a job that you actually want to do.”

That’s also one of the correct answers.

One doesn’t have to decide how to live their one and only life with nothing but money and employment in mind.

Do you try to find your ideal job, or do you go after a realistic one?

Only one future is waiting for me after I graduate, but it’s going to be a long time until I find out whether that was the correct answer or not also.

Will I think I lived the right life, or not?

The true answer will come out only in the end, when I look back on my life.

The winter vacation is over, but nothing fundamental has changed for the students, nor the teachers.

Chabashira-sensei arrived at the classroom and put her hands on the teacher’s table after a short greeting for the new year.

“The 3rd semester is starting now. They say time goes fastest until March after a new year, and we’re going to be through with this semester in no time. Be careful not to fall into your habits.”

No one pointed it out, but the hair on the back of her head drew my interest a little. It’s very faint, but it looks like she has bed hair.

Maybe she woke up late this morning and had to come here in a hurry. This makes her warning to the students less convincing.

Chabashira-sensei finished the morning homeroom and was heading out when she stopped right before the door. She turned around, and said:

“I forgot to tell you something. We’re holding the first student-teacher meeting of the school next month. Other than the students’ activities so far, it’s going to be centered around job-searching. Of course, we’ve already conducted interview surveys with your parents.”

I’m sure there are some students who decide their future by themselves, but most consider their parents’ advice as well.

This shows that the school is always working, even while the students aren’t here.

“I didn’t expect this school to do something like that too. I never thought this would happen.”

Ike was the first one to make his remark before the other students.

No one is surprised.

“High school isn’t compulsory education, but they can’t just ignore the parents’ opinions and let the student decide their future all alone. I bet there’s going to be a parent-teacher meeting too.”

Parent-teacher meeting.

Does that mean that it’s possible that man may make a visit here again?

No, he did say we’d never see each other at this school again, but who knows?

At any rate, the student-teacher meeting is happening next month.

Of course, they could just tell me that it’s pointless for me as I’m not free to decide on anything about my future.

In that sense, I’m very grateful that Chabashira-sensei knows about my circumstances.

We’ll probably get it over with in an official manner, without any deep discussion.

On the contrary, the student-teacher meeting and the parent-teacher meeting are definitely going to be a big crossroads for the other students.

Will they continue straight on their own path, or choose a detour and look for another one?

Their parents and teacher should be able to show them tracks that they cannot see by themselves.

“You can come and ask me if there’s anything you want to know.”

After telling us what she needed to, Chabashira-sensei put her hand on the door.

Then, I saw her touching the back of her head as she closed the door behind her.

It looks like she noticed her bed hair.

Part 2

Part 3

My first lunch-time after the winter vacation’s end.

Kei is already heading to the cafeteria with Satou and the other girls.

She’s also paying attention to her friends instead of only focusing on her partner.

It’s very important to do so.

I entered the corridor and watched Kei from behind for a while, noticing how cleanly the group was lined up.

“Why do girls always walk side by side even when there’s 4 or 5 of them together?”

“I don’t know either. Lining up like that is just disruptive behaviour.”

I tried asking Horikita who was standing behind me, but she didn't seem to understand either.

“More importantly, do you have eyes on your back too? How did you notice me?”

“Maybe we should just leave that mystery unsolved?”

“So you’re not going to tell me?”

“I’ll think about it if you tell me why girls always line up side by side like that.”

“That’s mean, you know Horikita-san can’t answer that question. She doesn’t have enough friends to line up with.”

Kushida also showed up after Horikita.

“There’s a caste system. It’s necessary to keep the group cohesive even if it means blocking the corridor.”

“I see. So they’re making sure they can walk around however they want.”

“Probably. It’s not like they’ll say it, but I’m just guessing that’s the reason.”

If so, one might call it a mechanism of mass psychology mostly in effect with females.

“It’s really lame, isn’t it? You should consider others when walking around.”

“Yes yes, of course the girl with no friends would say that.”

“Are you trying to pick a fight with me?”

“Do you really have to ask? Don’t make me laugh.”

The two glared at each other with fire in their eyes.

“Please don’t do that here. Do you want something from me?”

“Yes, actually. Ayanokoji-kun, would you let me treat you to lunch today?”

Horikita treating me to lunch? I can’t find many good images about that in my memories.

“There’s always something bad going on when you say that. I can guess that based on my experiences.”

“How rude. You’re going to eat for free, and I’m not going to talk to you about anything weird. Does that put you at ease?”

“Well… I suppose.”

I think she’d get angry if I told her it doesn’t put me completely at ease, but I’ll just be quiet and nod here.

“He had to think pretty long, huh?”

“I don’t like it when he does that, but it’s fine. Are you ready, Kushida-san?”

“Mhm, I’m all good.”

She quickly switched from battle-mode to angel-mode.

“I see you invited Kushida as well. That’s quite rare too.”

Did Horikita invite me along because she doesn’t want to eat with Kushida by herself?

That’s what I thought for a moment, but that’s not a good enough reason for this setting.

There has to be a hidden reason for inviting us two together.

What is she thinking?

Kei isn’t with me today, so I suppose there’s no harm in going along with this, anyhow.

“So? Are we going to the cafeteria?”

“No, let’s just find some other place. Someplace calm and quiet without a crowd.”

I looked at Kushida walking beside me after Horikita’s reply and noticed her hands were empty.

So, are we going to stop by a convenience store to pick up bento lunches or something?

I’m still not sure, but I’ll find out soon enough so I just stood up and started walking in the corridor with the two.

The three of us didn’t line up side by side, of course; Horikita took the front with me and Kushida lined up a little behind her.

“Hey, Horikita-san. I just want to ask again, but are we really going to eat?”

“That’s what I said, didn’t I? We’re going to eat.”

“Right… Can we stop by a convenience store first, then? I need to buy stomach medicine.”

“Please stop. I understand why you feel uneasy, but there’s no need for that.”

I see, so we’re going to buy stomach medicine at a convenience store on the way. Because it’s necessary.

“Wait a bit. What do you mean stomach medicine? Just what are we going to eat?”

It’s clearly strange that she wants to buy something like that before lunch.

I asked Horikita why, and she quickly answered without turning back.

“We’re eating Ibuki’s handmade bento.”

“...Ibuki’s handmade bento?”

I focused on my thinking for a moment and tried to come up with a calm measure.

“She made a bento meal for the three of us today. So we’re going to divide it evenly and eat together. Didn’t I say that before?”

“You definitely kept that hidden on purpose..”

I would have run away like a frightened rabbit if I heard that at the beginning.

I can assume that she certainly didn’t make that for me. Even surprises should have a limit.

“If my memory serves me correctly, Ibuki wasn’t a great cook, was she?”

I purposefully refrained from using the word ‘bad’ and pushed down my fear.

“She’s the type who hasn’t ever cooked for herself in her life. So her diet is very unbalanced. That’s still new in that vague memory of yours too, isn’t it?”

We were on winter vacation until now, but I had bumped into Horikita, Kushida and Ibuki just after the new year.

I do remember coincidentally hearing something about that back then.

“Unbalanced diets are bad for your health, so I invited her to my room a few times recently and let her eat the meals I cooked for her. She was saving food on money, so she came without fail even while grumbling about the food.”

“It’s not annoying-cute when someone keeps coming even though they’re complaining, huh?”

Wouldn’t that be exactly what one would express as ‘annoying-cute’?

“You seem to know a lot, despite disliking Horikita and the others.”

“I was with them too, since I thought I might get to see a fight or something.”

Just as expected of Kushida, she had very unpleasant expectations.

“That’s why I was stuck making three servings of food including my own.”

Despite her complaints, Horikita didn’t seem that bothered by the situation.

Perhaps she is already used to it by now.

“Anyway, after a while of that, Ibuki insisted that we eat her cooking too.”

“Because of Horikita-san. She kept showing off her cooking skills, and Ibuki had to boast she could cook too, since it was so easy. Why don’t you try it, then? Oh, I will, so get ready! You should die if you can’t do it. I should kill you if I can do it well, then. And now, we’re here.”

It’s interesting how easy it was to imagine that flow of events.

The last two exchanges are probably made up, though. At least I hope they are.

“Alright, I understand what’s going on. I’ll go to the cafeteria then, so see you later.”

I turned away at a crossroads to try and get away, but Kushida, of course, grabbed my arm.

“How nice, huh? You get to eat food prepared by someone who, biologically speaking, is a girl.”

“You tricked me.”

I vented my resentment to Horikita, who was calmly walking ahead of me.

“It sounds bad when you put it like that. I just want as many people as possible to get to eat Ibuki-san’s cooking. It’d be weird to drag in people who aren’t close with her though, right? Besides, it’s too early to assume that the food will be bad.”

From our conversation just now, it certainly doesn’t look like she’s looking forward to it herself. I see that I cannot get away, so it looks like I have to give up and follow her.

“But, you could have gotten away any time, couldn’t you, Kushida?”

I understand that she went to Horikita’s room to eat her cooking, but the risk is still too great, no matter how much she wanted to see a Horikita vs. Ibuki. She couldn’t know what kind of tragedy awaited her.

“I guess, yeah. I have my reasons too.”

“You just hate to lose, don’t you Kushida-san? You’re only coming because you think you’ll be a coward if you run away from Ibuki-san, right?”

“...I just want to see Ibuki fail and apologize.”

It looks like Horikita was right on the mark since Kushida didn’t use an honorific for Ibuki, but will Ibuki really apologize even if she does fail?

Well, maybe it’s because of her nasty personality that she’s accepting any little hope of seeing Ibuki apologize even if it is a low probability.

“She’s not here yet, huh? It’s almost time for our meeting, so…”

We stopped in front of a corridor leading outdoors, which is apparently the meeting spot.

Horikita tricked me by saying she wants to go to some place that is uncrowded, but she was planning on dragging me into this from the start.

“You know, there was no need to meet up here since our classrooms are so close, was there?”

“It’s true that this is a pointless rendezvous, but I did invite Ibuki-san to walk with us, you know? She just refused because she didn’t want to walk together with us.”

If she hates Horikita (and probably Kushida) so much, she could have just refused to do this.

This is a good example of what happens when you’re too stubborn to accept a loss.

“She’s just going to fail and come here with a bad tasting bento box, anyway.”

“I don’t want to make assumptions on the result, but I’m sure she did fail at first.”

“I bet… So am I going to be forced to eat a failed meal now?”

“Stop talking about failures!”

Ibuki suddenly interrupted the awkward atmosphere with a shout and approached us.

In her hands, she has a bomb… no, she has a bento box.

That’s not what I wanted to see in her hands.

I wanted her to say, ‘I forgot, so it’s canceled!’ I would have supported her.

“What’s Ayanokoji doing here? I didn’t invite him.”

“It’s fine, isn’t it? The more judges there are, the more truthful our judgement of the cooking will be. Now that we’re all here, let’s go somewhere else. You don’t want anyone thinking we’re friends either, do you?”

“Of course not!”

So we went out through the corridor.

The cold weather is still quite bad as it is early January, but that’s also why we managed to find an empty eating spot with no one around.

Ibuki raised what appeared to be a bento box wrapped in a simple plain cloth, (like the ones I’ve seen in 100-yen shops) and slammed it down on the bench.

“I’m going to make you regret talking about me failing, just eat already.”

“Full of confidence, are we? Did you happen to prepare something good by some miracle?”

She really is filled with confidence.

It’s much better than not having confidence, but should I really expect something good?

“She’s clearly the over-confident type, so you shouldn’t trust her attitude.”

Horikita was already well-versed on the subject and looked down on the bento box after moving her gaze away from Ibuki.

Simultaneously, Kushida and my faint expectations dissipated like a fading mist.

“Hmph. I wouldn’t have come here if I thought I was going to lose.”

“I can see that you’re confident, but you shouldn’t have slammed the food down like that. Even if your food is well-made, you’ve failed as a cook.”

“Just shut up and eat. Then apologize to me, Kushida! Then, you next, Ayanokoji!”

“Don’t put me and Kushida-san together. What kind of grouping is that?”

She said my name right after Kushida’s, but I’m not bothered.

It’s just that… “You three are pretty friendly now, huh?”

This is a disastrous scene no matter which way you look at it, but that’s the contradiction here.

“We’re not friendly, why do you think she’s mistaken about that, Ayanokoji-kun?”

“She’s right. Don’t interpret this in such strange ways.”

“I’ll beat you up if you say something like that again!”

One of us is clearly more agitated than the rest, but I’m definitely out-of-place here in regards to us being friendly with each other.

“Should I leave?”

I genuinely don’t want to get in anyone’s way, but…

“Don’t leave!”

“Don’t try to flee.”

“That’s low, Ayanokoji-kun.”

I received three different replies with the same meaning.

I don’t really get it, but I suppose I can’t flee now so I’ll sit down.

Well, it should be fine. I’m a little interested to see what will happen.

Ibuki is still barely even a novice cook.

She probably went through a lot of trial and error to make Horikita and Kushida admit defeat despite that…

With some anticipation, this is because of the bento box’s appearance, which is an important element of any dish. A plain bento box came out of the wrapping cloth. (I also saw this at a 100-yen shop)

“Let’s open it, then.”

Ibuki looked arrogant without showing any signs of anxiety or worry.

She slowly opened the lid. What came out was…

The first thing that caught my attention is the rice.

It’s Chinese style fried-rice instead of white rice.

It’s fair to say that it still retains the appearance of a bento lunch.

“Did you make this all by hand?”

“Of course.”

She gave an instant answer, which seems to be honest, but I’m still surprised to see boiled food here.

“I think I’ll be generous and give you 30 points for the appearance.”

“Taste is what matters with food, not appearance.”

“I’m trying to compliment you. I was expecting to give you close to 0 points.”

She haughtily told her that even 30 points was a high score.

Horikita seems to have brought a few chopsticks with her for this occasion, so she handed me and Kushida ours as well.

“Let’s begin with the taste test.”

“It’s my first time doing such an unenthusiastic taste test~ What a nice memory~”

Horikita also wanted to be the first to split her chopsticks, and Kushida waited for her to eat first.

Horikita grabbed some of the fried rice with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth.

Then, she also grabbed a piece of gratin and ate it as well.

Kushida spoke up after Horikita quietly finished eating.

“How is it?”

“Not yet. I don’t want my impressions to affect you two. It’s your turn next.”

“Tsch.”

Come on… That tongue click was way too obvious.

If a student who still holds illusions about Kushida in their mind saw this, they would probably faint.

Though if one was listening from the side, they’d probably think it was accidental instead of done intentionally.

“Can I just eat the mini tomatoes?”

“Take this seriously.”

“Tsch. You’re so annoying.”

Another strong tongue click from Kushida.

Furthermore, it was even louder than the previous one.

She unenthusiastically chose the fried rice and mini-hamburger, and started eating.

“Ah… I see. Okay, Ayanokoji-kun.”

Kushida handed me the baton with a convinced expression on her face.

What shall I do now, then?

There are 7 types of food including the mini tomatoes.

Those two ate 4 of them, so I suppose it would be best if I tried the remaining 2 except the mini tomatoes.

In other words, the fried egg and deep-fried food. Life and death, or perhaps death and death.

“I’ll start with the fried egg, then.”

A staple of bento meals.

It takes real talent to make it right, but it’s simple enough to prepare.

My first instinct is to be wary of eggshell contamination as I ate some.

However, it effortlessly went down my throat. Time for the deep-fried food.

I only noticed when I grabbed some with my chopsticks that they were mouthful sized round croquettes.

I put some on top of my tongue while keeping my guard up.

I bit into it and the contents showed their face.

I could instantly tell by the taste that it’s a croquette when I started eating it.

However, what drew my attention more is the squishy texture.

The water contents of the ingredients weren’t removed, and it was under-fried.

It also felt bad on my tongue and left an unpleasant aftertaste.

I finished eating, put my chopsticks down and closed my eyes.

…Mhm, I see. Chew, swallow, and the answers come out by themselves.

“We’ve all finished eating, so I’ll start with my honest impressions. It doesn’t taste good.”

“Huuh!?”

“It’s not as if it’s inedible, and the appearance isn’t so bad that it merits a score 0 zero either. I can see that you tried very hard for your first time, but I can definitely tell you used too much salt while not paying attention to the seasoning.”

She’s right, the food definitely isn’t inedible.

The seasoning Horikita mentioned is probably too thick because it was done by eye.

“I know you can eat carrots without peeling them, but they taste bad and their sizes are inconsistent. You probably tried to group them up but I can see you just ignored some of them.”

She just ate a little from one bento box, but she’s already inferring what Ibuki was thinking as she was preparing it.

Further, it’s clear from Ibuki’s bitter expression that most of what she’s saying is true.

“I don’t want to eat any more. I guess this is what they mean when they talk about wasting a meal.”

Ibuki’s shoulders shivered with anger because of Kushida’s spiteful words and attitude.

“I can’t believe you were saying you could beat Horikita in cooking. You should have just paid a good cook to prepare this for you instead.”

I’m inclined to pity Ibuki after all this scathing criticism, but it can’t be helped as this is the quality of the food she brought.

“You’re not even judging it partially, are you!?”

“You should eat some too, then. You never properly taste tested it anyway, did you?”

“Taste test? No, but… It looks normal, and it’s edible isn’t it?”

“I never said it’s inedible. I’m just saying it doesn’t taste good. Come on, eat some.”

Ibuki looked annoyed after having her own bento pushed on her and grabbed a pair of chopsticks.

“...Yeah, it doesn’t taste… No, it’s delicious… It’s incredible!”

“Don’t force yourself to lie.”

Ibuki groaned after Horikita smacked her on the head.

“Why doesn’t it taste good!? It tastes so lame, and it’s so salty!”

“I explained everything, didn’t I? You can’t do everything yourself without any calculation.”

“I just thought it would be annoying to care about one or two more tablespoons, and that it wouldn’t even make any difference!”

That’s a big problem.

The side dishes packed in the bento box are noticeably inconsistent, either too thinly seasoned or not at all, or too spicy.

“If I’m to give you a number score for this meal, it would be 20 points.”

“...Out of 20 points?”

“Out of 100 points.”

“Huuh? You’re a bought judge!”

“I’m still being nice to you. I wouldn’t even want to eat this bento meal.”

“You’re right. I think I’ll give her 2 points.”

Ibuki protested vehemently and stamped her feet on the ground after the scathing assessment of the judges.

“You’re gonna say the same things too, right? Ayanokoji-kun.”

“No, I think that this bento lunch isn’t something that can’t be eaten, and my score will be higher.”

“Alright! Let me hear it!”

Very happy that she finally found a supporter, Ibuki faintly jumped up.

“Have you lost your mind? This is a strange, badly made bento meal.”

“Agreed with no further additions.”

Kushida quickly agreed with Horikita without further elaboration, but I’m going to stir the pot here.

We should all give our differing opinions on this bento lunch from differing viewpoints.

“It’s not something that can’t be eaten, though. You admitted that as well, didn’t you?”

“That’s… Yes, I suppose. I still don’t want to eat it, though.”

“You certainly wouldn’t want to eat this in your daily life of satiation, but what if you were on a deserted island? You would eat it with delight if you had nothing else there, wouldn’t you? That’s how I gave it a score, which is…”

“I don’t care about the score. Thanks for the analogy, which was both easy and hard to understand. At least I can tell that you’re not trying to compliment me.”

“Oh…”

She interrupted me as I was about to tell her my score, which feels vexing and unpleasant.

Perhaps the food in my stomach is causing indigestion.

“11 points on average. How unfortunate, Ibuki-san.”

They shouldn’t have invited me if they weren’t going to include my score in the average…

It’s already over, but the only thing this leaves me with is an unfortunate sense of lacking closure.

“Ugh…”

This is the result of Ibuki going out of her comfort zone and cooking for the first time, so her only choice also is to just accept this.

“I can make some time for you if you’d like to try again, though?”

“I’m never doing this again!”

Ibuki shouted with dissatisfaction after facing repeated criticisms for her first time cooking and losing all motivation.

“It’s not a bad thing to give up early. You’re not currently cut out for cooking.”

Ibuki was criticized again, but perhaps having stopped caring now, she just snorted and crossed her arms.

“Actually, I just realized the ones who bother cooking are the stupid ones. You were wasting your time.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You can just buy a bento lunch at a convenience store or a supermarket instead of cooking for yourself. It saves time and you don’t have to deal with extra ingredients. They taste good too. Right!?”

Well, that’s certainly the role of lunch boxes, but…

“That’s no good. You have to keep nutrition in mind. Are you going to make me repeat that over and over again? This is why you don’t grow.”

“Ahahaha, yeah. Leaving her soul aside, her body isn’t growing at all either.”

“Hey, Kushida! Who are you talking about?” “Who do you think?”

“I’ll kick you down right now! I’ll kick you down and make you beg for forgiveness!”

“Yes yes, don’t get offended so easily. Lack of nutrition is also why you’re so grumpy, you know. Come to my room at 19:00 today.”

“Oh, I’ll be there!”

Really..? I thought she’d say no, but Ibuki accepted the invitation despite her annoyed expression.

She can eat nutritious, delicious food while saving on food costs.

There’s a disadvantage to letting Horikita scold her, but I suppose she can’t throw away such a good deal so easily.

“Later!”

Ibuki spat out those words and left with quick steps.

Her footsteps were so loud that she’d make her lower floor neighbors angry if we were in an apartment.

“Wow, she didn’t even clean up the bento box she brought here herself.”

Horikita tidied up the lunch set while grumbling like a mother complaining about her child’s poor manners.

She’ll probably bring them back and wash them.

Kushida, who was sitting next to us, then looked away and stood up.

“I’ll be there at 19:00 too, then.”

“...I didn’t invite you, though?”

“Come on. I want to save on private points too, even if only by a little. It doesn’t sound that bad to eat food that was sourced by your money, Horikita-san. I’ll enjoy the flavour.”

She seems to enjoy the food’s taste in a completely different manner than others.

“You’ve saved up plenty of private points too, haven’t you?”

“It’s not enough. I was supposed to receive money from a certain person every month, but there was a surprising change of plans.”

She smiled warmly for a moment, then turned her cold eyes towards me.

Then, she entered her usual angel mode again and disappeared towards the cafeteria.

“That brings this to an end, then. Good work.”

“Yeah, good— No, wait a bit.”

I firmly told Horikita to stop just as she was quickly taking the bento box with her.

“What is it?”

“I don’t think making me eat a bad tasting bento meal counts as treating me to lunch, do you?”

“Why don’t you just eat all of the bad testing bento meal?”

She pointed at the bento box, indicating that there’s still plenty left, and firmly replied.

“I’m kidding. Let’s go to the cafeteria now. I’ll treat you to whatever you want.”

It looks like Horikita still has a hint of conscience left in her.

“Still, Ibuki and Kushida, huh? It can’t be cheap to feed them, right?”

“I have to spend almost double what I usually do on food. Kushida-san comes over even if I don’t invite her.”

“You and Ibuki are probably a good way for Kushida to vent her stress, right?”

If Kushida really doesn’t like being with them, then I don’t think she’d eat with them even if it was just for free food.

“Who knows? She loves things that damage me above all else. Maybe she just wants to see me work with an exhausted face that badly, including Ibuki.”

I see. That might be the truth as well.

Kushida might be able to catch a glimpse of Horikita’s weak points if they spend enough time together.

“It’s hard to imagine, but maybe you do have fun when the three of you are together?”

“No such thing. It’s not like a normal girls gathering you’d think of. There’s never a single laugh, and the mood is actually very nervous. You saw how it was just now, didn’t you?”

Looking back on that, I definitely can’t say it was a fun time. Kushida was the only one who showed one or two smiles, maybe because of her habits, but even those were way fewer than when she spends time with other people.

However, strangely, she didn’t look very strained, and actually seemed to be doing fine.

“Let’s go, then. It’s a waste of time to keep talking about those two.”

“Let’s go.”

We started walking.

I started thinking about today’s minievent.

Ignoring the burden on my tongue and stomach, I think the gathering was a worthwhile endeavour.

Horikita, Kushida, and a student from a different class; Ibuki.

Their newly built relationship, while warped, is surprisingly solid and hard to underestimate.

They would all certainly frown if one expressed it as friendship, but one could analyze that this is also because feelings of friendship are being born between them.

“What?”

Perhaps Horikita didn’t like that I was looking at her as we walked and she firmly squinted her eyes.

“I’m just thinking about what kind of expensive food to get.”

“You should just eat what you want to eat, without thinking about the price.”

“I want to eat the most expensive thing.”

“Good grief… do whatever you want.”

After that, however, she for some reason decided by force which meal I would eat…

Part 4

Kei left at 9 p.m after we hung out during the night, and I started preparing for tomorrow.

The television was left open and playing a variety program, and I stopped for a moment to send a glance towards it.

A man who appears to be around 40 years old is hosting the program while making jokes at the guests and making people laugh.

They showed a remote location with people walking through town.

The host then walked around the studio while imitating the video, and talked about his impressions for a while.

Then, 5 different pictures were shown on the screen and the crowd started showing surprised reactions while trying to choose which one was a real picture.

“Number 4.”

I said the answer out loud and pointed the remote towards the TV to shut it off without waiting for the reveal. Silence immediately filled the once loud room

Kei loves TV, so she mostly turns it on when we’re together.

I don’t have a strong opposition to television, but after trying out a few genres to check if I could learn anything from them, I found out that variety programs are the genre I like the least.

I walked to my drawer, and took out my sketchbook and colored pencil set from the second tier.

I purchased it with private points shortly after I first enrolled here, but I never touched it until now.

Kei looked inside after finding it inside the drawer before, and I remember her strange expression when she found it to be completely empty.

I spread the sketchbook on the table and opened the silver case of colored pencils.

I reached out to the fresh coloring pencil set, and—

I stopped.

What do I draw? This is as far as it goes when you don’t already have an idea in mind.

I thought I could just come up with something, but I’m having a difficult time.

I learned many different skills in the White Room to increase my general knowledge.

Tracing was one of these skills, and I certainly wasn’t bad at it.

However, coming up with things to create on your own wasn’t part of the training.

An empty sketchbook.

I closed the silver case after looking at the sketchbook for a while.

“I guess today is over already.”

I returned the sketchbook and the coloring pencil set to my drawer while muttering to myself.

Maybe Chabashira-sensei was right when she said the 3rd semester would pass by quickly.

Chapter 2

The Special Test of Survival and Expulsion

Part 1

My school life started anew after the winter vacation’s end.

It was a little confusing to exchange greetings with my classmates after having not seen each other for about two weeks before the new year, but other than that, the days passed by without any changes.

When will the next Special Test be held?

All of my classmates had that in the corner of their minds, but Horikita was above them in that she already had a hint from a higher grade student.

Chabashira-sensei, who represented the school days starting again then appeared.

She headed for the teacher’s desk with her usual stiff and serious expression on her face.

Interestingly enough however, the students somehow felt it on their skin that something was different this time.

I also reached the same conclusion as I observed the entire classroom from the back.

Reaching over the half-way point of the week today, Thursday, she looks like she’s finally going to start the preliminary match.

“Good morning. Today, I’d like to talk to you about the 3rd semester’s Special Test.”

Just as our homeroom teacher is watching my classmates of the last two years, the students are also carefully observing her too.

“It looks like most of you aren’t surprised. I suppose you can guess the timing by now.”

Chabashira-sensei, realizing that she had her work cut out for her, corrected her posture and looked at the students.

“I’ll start explaining right away, because this Special Test’s rules are a little complicated.”

Chabashira-sensei plugged in the monitor and opened up a program.

“Firstly, this Special Test will be held among all of the Year 2 students.”

Our first piece of information is that Year 1 and Year 3 students will not be involved.

“The rules will be different from the Special Tests where you used to compete side by side for first place against a determined class. I’ll explain it in a simple way while using illustrations. Look at the monitor right away.”

The data prepared by the school was quickly read and a file was opened.

‘The Special Test of Survival and Expulsion.’

The first words that showed up were the name of the next Special Test.

The students started getting nervous despite the simple name.

“Survival and Expulsion? That seems super serious…”

A usual, frank muttering from Ike. I certainly understand why he feels that way, though.

Looking at the word ‘Expulsion’, it’s easy to let your imagination get out of control.

The students never used that word in a concrete way, but everybody nicknames it ‘drop-out’ instead.

Chabashira-sensei began explaining the Special Test without any sidetracking.

“This Special Test is first of all based on a method where the school separates it into different genres. Each class will choose a genre, choose the difficulty, and give assignments to their opponent class in pre-determined turns.”

A quadrilateral illustration was displayed as an example.

1: Class-A > 2: Class-B > 3: Class-C 4: Class-D > 1: Class-A

“This lineup of classes is only an example, but it works in a clockwise way where Class-A first gives Class-B the assignment they chose. They’re the attacking side, while Class-B is the defending side. Class-B will solve the attack, in other words, the assignment given to them by Class-A, and receive points if they solve it correctly. This attack and defence pattern will repeat in a circle until it gets to the battle between Class-D and ClassA, which completes one turn.”

From what I can tell with this explanation so far, you don’t increase your points when you’re the attacker, and you increase your points when you’re on defence, depending on how many assignments you solve correctly.

“After 10 turns total, the first half of the match is over. The rounds start again going counter-clockwise for the last half, with another 10 turns. The battle will be repeated for 20 turns in total.”

There is even an illustration of the counter-clockwise version.

1: Class-A > 2: Class-D > 3: Class-C > 4: Class-B > 1: Class-A

I don’t know how the class positions are decided, but we shouldn’t ignore the fact that battles won’t occur against classes in diagonal directions.

It would be too mentally taxing to go on the offensive against the class that poses the biggest threat.

“Next, I’m going to give you the details on the manner of attack. The school will provide separate genres at the start. There will be genres based on academic ability such as Literature, Economy, English, Calculation, Kanji, History, and also genres separate from school work such as Sub-Culture and Entertainment.”

“Does a student really need to know about entertainment.? I’m not into that stuff…”

Sudou clearly showed his displeasement after hearing a word he wasn’t used to hearing.

“Indeed, it is outside a student’s usual duties. However, people who don’t know about the society they live in will be eliminated when they go out into the real world. To give a reverse example, there will also be many cases where people who can’t study are still valued just because they can keep up a good conversation with others. In other words, this will test your general combined knowledge as a human.”

This explanation convinced some, but others still don’t seem to understand. That’s the mood in the classroom.

Chabashira-sensei felt this, and added on:

“Some of you don’t seem to get it, so I’ll put it in an even simpler way. In short, I can say that it will be similar to a quiz. The attacking class will provide the quiz questions, and the defending class will solve them. That’s pretty much it.”

Most students showed that they came to an understanding after that simple expression.

At the same time, more than a few had suspicious expressions.

It’s no wonder, as one can easily let their imagination run wild after hearing the word ‘quiz’.

However, the people who successfully complete quizzes certainly aren’t just the ones who are academically superior.

No matter what their academic background is, most people still have something else of note to mention.

In that sense, it is true that knowledge of entertainment and such aren’t completely unnecessary.

If one chooses an entertainment-related career, there will be a huge difference between not knowing anything about the subject, and having abundant knowledge of it; both at the start and in the latter parts of their career.

Knowledge outside of academia is also tested when trying to communicate with superiors and subordinates.

It’s easy to reach the conclusion that if one shows off their ability there, then it will be a plus for them in most cases.

The Attacker:

No limit to the number of consecutive calls the students can make. Possible to consecutively choose the same genre.

Choose 5 names from the opposing class on defence within 3 minutes after the start and declare them to the person in charge.

*In cases where time runs out, the number of people that could not be chosen will be chosen at random.

List of Genres:

Literature, History, Maths, Society, Sports, Entertainment, Music, Economics, Miscellaneous Knowledge, English, Calculation, News, Kanji, Life, Gourmet, Sub-culture

Degree of Difficulty:

3 levels from 1 to 3 (The higher the number, the higher the difficulty.)

Number of Targets:

5 names.

I can see why the school said there will be a wide range of topics.

Just the genre choices alone are divided into 16 subjects.

“The attacker class will first choose a genre from this list, and…”

“Won’t everyone just give the most difficult assignments to their opponent?”

He couldn’t help but mutter that out during Chabashira-sensei’s explanation.

Ike frantically put his hand over his mouth after that, but it was already too late.

Ike timidly looked up to Chabashira-sensei as the mood got awkward.

He imagined that Chabashira-sensei would act very sternly when interrupted during her explanation, but now, she just sighed and didn’t seem like she would firmly scold him.

“Be careful with rash remarks like that, Ike.”

“Y-Yes, I’m sorry!”

“The attacker side chooses the difficulty along with the genre, but the basic difficulty level on average is the average of the first level. They can choose level 2 or level 3 also, but they have to spend the points they’ve earned in order to do so. That is to say, the attacker can raise the difficulty by making a payment from their score.”

She continued explaining the small details of the Special Test’s rules.

It looks like the attacker side doesn’t just choose a genre.

“The attacker will pick 5 names from their opponent and give them their assignment. They can consecutively choose the same students, or they can change them if they want. They can also consecutively choose the same genre as well.”

There are no limits on the choice of students and genres, and the attacker is free to choose numerous undetermined students or to continue targeting the same students.

“Then, if classes learn of the genres that other classes are bad at…”

It’s reasonable to immediately reach that conclusion.

The probability of answering all the questions incorrectly isn’t small if your opponent concentrates on your weak areas.

“I understand you feel uneasy, but this isn’t a Special Test where you must conquer your weak areas beforehand. The individual’s knowledge is also important in this Special Test, but it’s also important for the class to understand its allies. It’s set up in a way where the leaders are not expected just to take the assignments as they come, but also to protect the students, assess the situation and sometimes take the offensive.”

Defender:

5 students can be protected for each assignment by the leader’s nomination.

If a protected student is among the 5 names called by the attacker, that student is considered to have answered correctly.

The defender must nominate 5 names before the attacker’s 3 minutes are up and declare them to the officer in charge.

*If the defenders cannot nominate 5 students within the time limit, the remaining names will be decided at random.

Exclusion of Assignments:

The defenders may freely exclude up to 3 assignments from the 16 genres.

The excluded genres may not be chosen by the attacker class.

Elimination:

If a student gets a total of 3 incorrect answers, they are eliminated from the competition and will not be eligible to be picked again.

Further, a point will be deducted from the total for each student who drops out of the competition.

*A minus point will be given even if the class is already at 0 points.

Score:

One point will be awarded for each correct answer (or successful protection).

There is no reduction of points for incorrect answers.

“I’m sure many people are confused at this point, but, since you can exclude 5 names while on defence, you can put precedence on the students if they are targeted on a turn basis. Of course, the attacker will also change their targets if they decide that they will be protected. You’re going to have to think about a lot more than just answering correctly.”

1st place class points: 100

2nd place class points: Minus 50

3rd place class points: Minus 50

4th place class points: Minus 100

*If two or more classes have the same points, an additional match will be held to decide the winner.

*If all four classes finish with the same points, all classes will get minus 100 points.

“Whoa, what the hell!? Everyone but the first place loses class points!”

It’s no wonder the students are shouting in surprise.

Only one class out of the four classes can be a clear winner.

Looking deeper into the rules, however, one can see why there is only one winner.

If all four classes somehow colluded and came to a secret agreement, they could align their scores and finish the special test with equal scores. This is a counter-measure against that scenario.

When the second place and below are in the negative, the classes won’t be able to compete by crossing over the class boundaries.

Even if the classes join together, there is only one class that can win.

Of course, one can make a contract to receive private points in exchange for class points, like the contract Ryuen made with Katsuragi in the Uninhabited Island Special test on our first summer, but unless you have a strategy to ensure first place, nobody will cooperate with you.

The rules make it easy to get high scores if you join hands with other classes, so the restrictions imposed by the school to prevent this from happening are stronger than I thought.

It is also a valuable opportunity to expel certain students if they finish in last place.

Nobody would throw away this once in a lifetime opportunity that is a step beyond the Special Tests we had in the past, unless there was some kind of compensation.

If any cooperation can be achieved, it will be through a mutual ‘no expulsions’ agreement.

This would be the way to ensure equality and safety for all classes.

However, leaving Horikita and Ichinose aside, it is very unlikely that Ryuen or Sakayanagi would accept this proposal.

In addition, because of the structure where each class has to fight two other classes, it would not be easy to maintain a policy of no dropouts.

“If there are multiple dropouts in the lowest ranked class, the class leader may nominate one of the dropouts. The nominated student has no right to veto, of course. If there are multiple classes tied for the lowest rank, it is possible that dropouts will emerge from multiple classes.”

This means that if there is a dropout in the lowest ranked class, then there will definitely be more than one dropout.

If an exception could be made, it would be by paying 20,000,000 points as always, or if a student with protection points is chosen.

It is possible to avoid this in a case where the lowest ranked class has kept dropouts at 0, but it is almost impossible to do so in a straightforward manner.

“Sensei, may I speak?”

Horikita, sitting in front of Chabashira-sensei, raised her hand to ask for permission to speak.

“I suppose. What is it?”

“What if a leader drops out during the Special Test? Are they required to leave the room or take some other special action?”

“I’ll start by the latter question which is easier to answer; if someone drops out, they will not be named by the attacker, but other than that they will wait in the same spot like the other students. They’re also free to participate in dialogues.”

In other words, they are put into the dropout list, but there are no other restrictions.

“As for a leader dropping out, the leaders this time will not participate in the assignments in the first place. In other words, there is no risk of dropping out for a leader as the attacker cannot name them.”

“So the leader will only command, and not participate in the fight…”

“That’s right. The ones chosen as a leader do not face the risk of an expulsion. I’ll leave it up to the individual’s discretion whether this is a benefit or not.”

The leader in charge of a class do not face the risk of expulsion.

In exchange, they have to name a dropout from the students who have failed if their class ends up at the last rank.

The responsibility for losing is great, yet the leader cannot take responsibility themselves and must instead expel a fellow student.

It is a unique position in that the leader can have peace of mind, but few students would want to take on the responsibility of deciding who wins and loses, and who will be expelled in the event of a defeat.

Leaving ruthless students such as Ryuen or Sakayanagi aside, most students would fear to take on such a responsibility.

Having to push the button that opens the floorboard under the hanging man is a very difficult role.

“Another important point is that you will be allowed to use your cellphones at all times, except when you are doing assignments on the defence side.”

“Wait… Really?”

“In fact, I would say that cellphones are an integral gadget for this Special Test. The details of the other class will be disclosed after the test starts. This means you will have to handle the information in real time to find the best solution for who will be excluded from which genre.”

The 3 classes have a total of more than 100 students.

The two classes we will face have around 80.

It will not be possible to specify the genre without the whole class working together and gathering information.

There are also other advantages to using cellphones.

Students who are not normally used to interacting with others often find it difficult to speak up when they notice something.

Like when one thinks a question is easy at first, then realizes later on that it was a question to make a note of.

It would be easy to send a message to a specific friend and ask their opinion on the question.

“Of course, they can also be used for defence. You’re free to drive knowledge into your heads for the assignment right up until the last moment, or to contact the opponent class’s students to negotiate. You can do whatever you want. You’ll be able to come up with some measures if you notice a trend in the assignments during the test.”

She just added on a new condition I never thought of before.

Just the use of cellphones will greatly expand the range of attacks and defences.

This aspect will probably be tested also to see how quickly and efficiently information can be shared.

“The Special Test will be held next Friday. Firstly, please take some time before Monday next week after school to discuss who the leader will be and inform me. In the unlikely event that you are unable to select a leader, as I am sure you can guess, a leader will be chosen at random.”

With the explanation of the Special Test seemingly coming to an end, Chabashira-sensei let out a heavy sigh.

“You already know that this will be a tough fight. All I can say is…”

She looked at the students, then continued.

“...Do your best to not end up in last place. That’s all.”

This is a Special Test where there is a risk of losing classmates if you lose, so it is an absolute necessity to avoid being bottom rank.

We knew the 3rd semester’s Special Test might be a cruel one, and that is exactly what’s happening.

Even with high academic and physical ability, it is possible that a talented student could be expelled from school, depending on the strategies the opponent uses to exploit gaps in their knowledge.

Still, I am impressed that they are not using a system of scoring points by attacking this time.

Since it’s the judgement of the defender that gains them points, it’s more important to think about one’s own class.

It’s a Special Test where the leader and their classmates need to discuss how to score points.

How well one knows their own class and their opponents will determine who wins or loses.

The students who didn't have their lunches with them hurriedly rushed to markets and convenience stores.

Then, they returned to the classroom.

About 10 minutes after lunch break started, all 37 students, excluding Koenji, gathered in the classroom. In order to discuss the upcoming Special Test, of course.

The idea was to make the most of this time by discussing and eating at the same time.

There are a few important topics, but one of them is to come to a thorough understanding of the Special Test, as Horikita said.

Then, there’s the leader election.

I can guess that there will be few who would oppose Horikita if she nominated herself, as she has been acting as a real leader for the class so far, but she’s not saying anything about that yet as the discussions have just started.

She’s certainly not the type to avoid responsibilities, but she probably wants to hear the class’s opinions first.

It’s not a certain thing that there won’t be any other students nominating themselves.

However, even if Horikita doesn’t raise her hand, there will be those who push for her to become the leader.

“Horikita-san. I want to ask one thing before we get too deep into this discussion. Will you accept if we ask you to take on the leader’s role in this Special Test?”

Yosuke took the initiative to ask what all his classmates wanted to ask.

He’s probably doing this for the class, trying to quickly make Horikita, who could probably get a result of at least 70 to 80 points, the leader instead of someone unexpected.

However, he could also have a completely different motive.

Because he still has strong negative feelings towards Horikita, who changed the class policy during the Unanimous Special Test and caused disorder.

Of course, he doesn’t make any of this felt, though.

“I won’t refuse if numerous people point at me. However, according to the rules of this Special Test, the leader takes on a massive responsibility and, at the same time, avoids the risk of being eliminated or expelled. I think I’d like to hear the others out if there is anyone who wants to nominate themself.”

On the other hand, Horikita isn’t rushing for a conclusion.

She’s being very prudent with her decisions, precisely because she understands the contents of the Special Test.

The leader will have the responsibility of coming up with a strategy and instructing others, but they will also have the privilege of avoiding expulsion.

There is nobody among the 37 students here who would want to be expelled.

In which case, there could be those who want the expulsion avoidance and try to show themselves to be more capable than Horikita.

However, most would not do that.

This is just an if.

The reality is that everybody will want to elect a safe leader.

If they do nominate themselves just for the sake of self-protection, their classmates will naturally not accept this.

In the end, what will be required of the leader is responsibility, and the resolve and confidence to make the class win.

“Does anyone here want to become the leader? If so, would they like to tell us?”

Horikita asked while looking around the class after moving over to the teacher’s desk.

The classroom immediately became quiet as the students simply looked at each other.

After waiting for a nominee for around 30 seconds, Yosuke nodded.

“Correct answer. I don’t think the leader’s privilege of avoiding expulsion is that great of a blessing. If there are no other students who would take on the heavy responsibility for the class, I’d certainly want to leave it to Horikita. How about it?”

Yosuke quickly tried to reach a decision, showing that there were no other candidates.

His urgency is certainly something to make note of, but the election of a leader is very important.

Horikita waited for a reply for a while, and she reacted a little late, perhaps because she was looking at her phone screen.

She was still listening, though, and she started speaking after closing the screen.

“Yes, I’ll accept, of course. I showed some restraint in order to hear the others’ opinions, but I was always intending on taking on the leader role. If there are no objections, then—”

“Wait a bit.”

It’s going to be Horikita.

That was the thought in everyone’s minds, but Maezono unhesitatingly raised her arm.

“I think that, err, maybe there is a little room for argument here.”

Yosuke’s expression stiffened for just a moment, but he didn’t break his smile.

He usually doesn’t show gaps like this, so this is unlike him. I suppose he’s wary in the face of a Special Test that brings the risk of expulsion with it.

“I do think that Horikita-san would be reliable. It’s also great to have a leader who is fine with taking on a heavy responsibility. But… We can’t lose this Special Test no matter what, right? If we get last place and there are eliminations, there’s going to be expulsions in our class. That’s precisely why we have to choose the leader with the biggest chance of bringing us victory, isn’t it?”

Yosuke would immediately oppose it if she looked like she just wanted to become the leader for her own safety, but she’s instead putting Horikita’s ability into question.

“Indeed, Maezono is right in saying that picking the leader with the greatest chance of winning is the best choice. So, don’t you think Horikita-san is good enough to make the right decisions for a victory?”

Seemingly trusting Horikita the most with the responsibility, Yosuke quickly gave his reply.

“I’m not doubting Horikita-san’s abilities. I just think there’s room to argue if she’s still the best choice. Isn’t there anyone else in this class who can make correct decisions?”

She’s not pointing at anyone in particular, and instead asking the class, including Yosuke.

Yosuke nodded a few times without breaking his smile, but he started sounding a little choked up while replying.

Because while Maezono’s question isn’t that strange, it was troublesome.

Yosuke doesn’t want to mishandle things and create an awkward atmosphere.

Then, Ike spoke up, not having thought that deeply about Maezono’s surprising reaction.

“Do you have anyone in mind, then? Because I don’t.”

“Calm down. This is just my personal opinion, but can I say something?”

Speaking up to Yosuke, it seems Maezono has someone in mind.

Nobody has the right to stop her from speaking, so Maezono continued.

“Horikita-san changed her opinion when things were going towards Kushida-san’s expulsion back during the Unanimous Special Test, right? I just couldn't help but wonder why she didn’t stick to the plan when she was supposed to. The leader’s going to make all the decisions this time, right? We can’t ignore that the leader will decide who among the eliminations will be expelled. Oh, just let me say that I don’t think she made the wrong decision, though. It didn’t solve all the problems, but Kushida-san remaining in the class was a big plus for us.”

She politely made sure to note that it isn’t as if she pointlessly hates Kushida.

Of course, I’m sure Kushida was annoyed just by the fact that her name was said.

Still, there is room to wonder if that smile is a warm one or not…

Maezono is not saying that she doubts Horikita’s excellence, but she’s questioning whether her abilities are worth trusting Horikita.

“The part about the leader’s skill to make decisions is important. Leaving aside the question of if there is anyone else fit for the job, I’m just asking if Horikita-san is the best person to leave this Special Test in the hands of.”

She again emphasized that she just wants to think with the class and make sure she is the right choice.

As things are, if I am asked whether Horikita’s skills to make the right decisions are flawless, it’s a no.

So I think this should be a welcomed question.

This discussion is important for Horikita also.

This will be an opportunity to grow and get some opinions from those around her.

However, I’m surprised to see someone like Maezono so openly questioning Horikita’s abilities.

“I see… What you’re saying is painfully true. It’s true that I was lost at that time. Then, I ignored the opinion of many of my classmates and changed things purely based on my own opinion. This is all true.”

Hasabe’s face trembled a little as she had an intense expression, but she didn’t do anything like glare at Horikita.

I’m sure she now understands Horikita was in a very difficult situation too back then.

“I am unskilled in many aspects. I also can’t declare with certainty that I’m the best choice. However, nobody else is currently nominating themselves to be the leader.”

“Then we can nominate one ourselves. If we ask the others, maybe we’ll find a more suitable candidate. It’s worth asking, isn’t it?”

“I see, nominate. Indeed, I’m sure there are those in the class who think it’s better if the leader is someone other than me. However, I did ask the class once. I told you all to raise your hand if someone wants to be the leader. Is this a good decision to leave in the hands of those who won’t nominate themselves?”

“Well…”

“Or perhaps we should ask the only person who didn’t participate in this discussion, Koenji-kun? He’s sharp and able in his own way, and I think he’d also make the right decisions.”

Horikita replied, decisively dealing with Maezono’s opinion.

Indeed, I’m sure she believes Koenji as someone capable of immediately answering any question.

Mezono looked annoyed for a second, she stayed quiet.

“You have the right idea. I agree with you in that we must look for someone who can make stronger, more agile and better decisions. So let me ask the class after what you said. I want someone with the confidence to lead our class to victory in this Special Test to raise their hand. I will gladly give up the leader position if there is someone I deem to be a better choice than me.”

It’s obvious I’m the person she’s trying to hint towards, and a few people did look at me, but I showed no reaction, of course.

Because I’m not going to steal Horikita’s opportunity to grow and gain experience.

Horikita also knows better than anyone that I will not nominate myself.

So she’s trying to get it over while making it look like she’s looking for someone with decisive power in the class.

Hidden talent alone isn't good enough to win a fight.

This Special Test can’t be left in the hands of someone who doesn’t raise their own hand.

“Horikita-san is right. We can’t make someone the leader if they aren’t nominating themself, can we?”

Maezono’s remark turned out to be a needless one after the situation resolved itself with her going back on her own opinion, but she isn’t being criticized.

It’s important to put an end to the bias among the students that Horikita should always be the leader.

Is Horikita the best choice for a leader in this situation, or not?

I don’t think there’s any need to worry about that, as she reaches the answer while confirming that each time.

The time she completely erased any doubt of this is the time she became a leader of the class accepted by everyone.

“Looks like we can finally move forward. Let’s continue talking about the Special Test. You can also continue eating, as I’ve noticed your hands have stopped.”

Most students had completely stopped eating because of the stressful atmosphere. Some also frantically shoveled food into their mouths after hearing Yosuke’s remark instead.

After that, Horikita started explaining the Special Test’s contents and rules again while centering the explanation around Yosuke.

Yosuke ate when Horikita talked, and Horikita ate when Yosuke talked.

Including the things we couldn’t ask during Chabashira-sensei’s explanation, when we entered the latter part of the lunch break, all students had come to a deeper understanding of the Special Test.

Then, when they started exchanging opinions, Sudou started firmly speaking as if he had been waiting for his chance.

“He’s not even here right now, but what are we going to do about Koenji? Are we going to protect him? That’s the promise, right?”

Calling it an advance payment until graduation, Koenji individually earned first place in the Uninhabited Island Special Test.

In exchange, he earned the privilege of complete freedom.

This means that Koenji is under unconditional protection.

Naturally, Koenji would also be under risk of elimination and expulsion during this Special Test.

This is the contract made just before the Uninhabited Island Special Test, and this is known to everyone in the class as it was already explained by Horikita after the Special Test.

“That’s a timely topic. I just got a nice e-mail from him. ‘I shouldn’t even have to tell you this, but you guys are gonna have to protect me from expulsion, okay?’”

She turned the screen to her classmates and showed them the message.

“This is the worst! That means our protections are forced to go down to 4!”

If the other side notices that we are constantly protecting Koenji, they will naturally avoid naming him.

However, there is no guarantee he will not be attacked, so the class has to protect its contract with him.

“Don’t jump to a hasty conclusion. We can’t say for certain that it’s necessary to constantly protect him. I’ll think about a countermeasure. I won’t talk about the details now, but there’s no need to feel anxious.”

The class can’t have a simple talk about its strategy right now.

Contrarian opinions will take up time, and there isn’t enough of it during this lunch break.

Horikita, considering the remaining time, emphasized the important topics and only accepted questions relating to them.

Horikita also noted that any discussions that could relate to strategies should be done carefully with information leakage in mind, and that ideas which came up would be listened to, but she forbade discussing strategy in this crowded classroom with people passing by the corridor and where she can easily be recorded.

Chabashira-sensei left the classroom before the morning classes began.

On days like this when we stay in the same classroom, everyone usually starts chatting, but the students instead gathered around Horikita this time, seemingly having no time for idle chatter.

First, Yosuke took the lead in calming down his noisy classmates.

“We have little time, so let’s just review the contents of the Special Test.”

That’s what he said to avoid the commotion from getting out of hand.

Just as one would expect, most students listened to him now after their experience in the last 2 years.

Yosuke took the silence around him as agreement and continued after nodding.

“One of my concerns about this Special Test is that it’s difficult to imagine a case where a class could finish at the bottom rank without at least one dropout emerging from them. And although there’s a low probability of it happening, there may be dropouts from multiple classes if they tie for bottom rank with the same ratio.”

The number of attacks is 20 with 5 students chosen per attack, for a total of 100 attacks.

No matter how good the leader is, a few students will inevitably fail.

“Students who make a mistake on the second question will be in a tough spot. If we try to protect a specific student from dropping out of the test, the opponent class will naturally aim for other students. If we keep trying to protect students, then the number of students with 2 wrong questions will keep increasing…”

This line of thinking will be very important to consider for our tactics.

The attacker analyzes the defender’s class, determines who is weak in what genre, and targets them accordingly.

They must figure out who is being protected and do their best not to let the defender earn any points.

The defender also has to read the attacker’s thinking and find counter-measures.

“We must note that the students with low ability won’t necessarily be eliminated. Other classes will want to eliminate the most capable students and expel them with the future in mind. If we make the wrong choice as a class in who to protect, even students with high ability will be at risk.”

In the extreme case, everyone but the leader has a possibility of being expelled.

It’s possible for even excellent students like Yosuke or Kushida to be expelled if they are continuously bombarded with assignments.

This would not be a wise strategy, of course, since it would be limited to a case where there are no other students to prioritize in protecting, and the class competition might have to be abandoned to put this strategy into practice.

If the strategy would succeed, then the damage caused would be far greater than the class points lost.

The rewards for this Special Test may seem modest with these factors in consideration.

The Special Test is focused more on making the loser worse off than the winner better off.

“It’s natural that you want to avoid dropping out of the test after hearing this, but I’d like to use this short time to tell you not to be too anxious. Let’s start by coming to a unified understanding first instead of making a fuss while we still don’t know the true nature of the Special Test.”

While conveying the fears that are apparent when looking at the Special Test on a surface level, she’s also telling the others that this isn’t all there is to it.

However, these delusions will naturally spread if left unchecked.

Therefore, Horikita decided to gather her classmates in the classroom during today’s lunch break to discuss things further.

She is not forcing anyone, but asked everyone to participate if possible.

Part 2

Part 3

The school day ended and I headed for Keyaki mall with Kei.

I wasn’t planning on coming here today, but she asked to stop by.

However, Kei, who invited me, has a clouded expression on her face instead of her usual smile.

“You seem gloomy. What’s wrong?”

“Oh… Umm…”

Seemingly wanting to say something, she looked at me after hesitating a little.

“H-Hey, Kiyotaka. What’s gonna happen to me in this test..? I don’t think I can keep answering correctly if I am repeatedly targeted… Can you protect me?”

Not hiding her anxious expression, Kei asked me while looking afraid.

“You’re not the only one who’s unconfident. Most students in the class, whether a little or a lot, should be anxious. Horikita, the leader, also understands this, of course.”

“I wish you were the leader… You could protect me then…”

I’d especially lie to avoid giving a reply to that blind belief, but clearing her anxiety away is what’s important.

“Horikita will protect her classmates. However, she can’t make it so that the class has 0 possibility of losing. However, the decision to make then will be on who to cut off. If there are other eliminations than you, then it won’t be a simple thing to choose you, as you are someone who can gather the girls together. Besides, Horikita understands that you’re my girlfriend. Even if I don’t protect you, you’ll still be difficult to target for Horikita.”

I said this from a point of not me guiding Horikita towards this direction, but of her analyzing things in this way herself.

If she wants my cooperation in the future, Kei will be a hard ingredient to abandon.

However, Kei’s priority will only heighten if there are other eliminations.

If Horikita had to choose between Kei or Yosuke, even if she does hold the title of being my girlfriend, I don’t think Horikita’s decision would change unless I directly intervened and forced her to.

“Y-Yeah. I’m your girlfriend, aren’t I? Horikita-san won’t pick me that easily.”

“Yeah. Besides, we can only protect 5 people among the 40 students. It won’t be a surprise to see numerous eliminations when we consider that. There should be plenty of eliminations in every class after the 20 turns are over. Even if 10 people are eliminated, you, the leader of the girls, will not be picked. Am I wrong?”

“...Yeah, you’re right.”

Many eliminations wouldn’t be a surprise even for a class of superior students like Class-A.

Trying to avoid even one elimination will only strangle a class.

Even in an extreme case like half the class being eliminated, all Kei has to do is to avoid last place.

This will be useful to ease her anxiety even if just by a little.

The psychological burden on her will be lessened just by making her understand she is by no means lowly valued.

However, this could also be a factor of danger depending on her way of looking at it.

Because others who want to damage me might try to do it indirectly by expelling Kei.

At any rate, this Special Test will recheck each and everyone’s value.

Who’s necessary for the class, and who isn’t?

This will let people from both the inside and the outside see the answer to that.

Part 4

On my way back from Keyaki Mall, I found Morishita laying down on a bench.

“What is that..?”

Kei walking by my side also looked at her with surprise and a slightly creeped out expression.

Since she isn’t even under warm sunlight, I can’t understand why she’s laying on a bench with her eyes closed.

The snow may have melted, but we’re still in winter during the middle of January.

“Is she dead?”

While a low possibility, anything could be the case with Morishita.

“Of course not.”

Kei quickly said no.

“Correct, I am not dead.”

Morishita quickly sat up and looked up at us with sleepy eyes.

Looks like she got sleepy.

I’m surprised to see her lose to her sleepiness under such a cold sky.

“What are you doing there?”

“Are you curious?”

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t, but—”

“Let me tell you, then. To be frank with you, I was waiting for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.”

Kei replied that she was a little curious, and Morishita quickly told her the reason.

She is speaking respectfully, but I noted that she didn’t use an honorific while saying my name.

“Wait, you know him?”

“Well… Not exactly. We just talked once.”

“Hmm? You know a lot of girls from other classes, huh, Kiyotaka-kun?”

Kei grabbed my arm and looked up at me, almost like a teacher asking a question to her student.

“It’s not like I’m the one who started talking to her.”

“It doesn’t matter who spoke first, does it? Talking with her is the problem.”

That’s a pretty ridiculous opinion.

Of course, I know that while these are her true feelings, she still isn’t being serious.

“You said you were waiting for me, but what were you going to do if I didn’t talk to you?”

I was fine with just ignoring her presence, and only ended up talking to her by coincidence.

“No need to worry. It was only slightly, but I still had my eyes open and ready to notice you walking by.”

If she wasn’t sleeping, then I don’t understand why she was laying down like that.

I realize thinking too deeply about Morishita’s conduct is a loss of time.

“What’s the reason you were waiting for me?”

“What do you think it is?”

I didn’t expect her to ask back like that…

“I really have no idea.”

“Actually, this is a surprise of good fortune. It’s about your girlfriend there.”

“Wait, me?”

Kei pointed at herself, surprised that this was related to her.

“Yes. I’m interested in what kind of person you are.”

“Interested? What do you mean?”

“I noticed something strange as I was looking into you.”

Morishita quickly stood up and approached Kei with sleepy eyes.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

Morishita has a unique aura about her, different from Hiyori’s.

It’s different from calmness or peace; just ove. Kei must have also noticed this change in this short time, and seems a little creeped out.

“Karuizawa Kei. You were dating Hirata Yosuke at first, weren’t you?”

Oh, so she’s not using any honorifics for Kei or Yosuke either.

“W-What about it?”

“Why did you date Hirata Yosuke? No, rather, why did Hirata Yosuke date a woman like you in the first place?”

Morishita started pacing around Kei like a detective questioning a criminal.

“Wait a bit, what’s with this rude girl?”

“I looked into Hirata Yosuke as well, in my own way, and he seems to be a very popular man in school. To say nothing of the fact that he is in the soccer club and that he has high academic ability, which are factors in his popularity, he is also blessed with good looks and treats both boys and girls gently, and he can study well too.”

The way she was roundabout in saying some things drew my attention, but everything she said about Yosuke is a correct assessment.

There is indeed no need to even say that he is a highly special student.

He has a habit of going hard on himself and hurting his spirit, but that doesn’t need to be touched on.

“Why would someone like him pick a slipshod girl like you?”

“...What’s a slipshod?”

“Who knows? It’s the first time I’m hearing that word.”

I lied.

It means someone who is reckless and irresponsible. Random. That’s the connotation this world comes with.

It’ll cause trouble if I tell Kei now.

Morishita poked the confused Kei’s cheek with her index finger and gently slid it across her face.

“Hey, don’t touch me.”

“It looks like you’re holding back now, but you used to have the heaviest make-up when I first started here, despite only being a Year 1 student.”

“I c-can do whatever I want, can’t I?”

“Irresponsible, without any superior qualities, and heavy makeup. I really don’t understand why Hirata Yosuke chose you back then.”

“Because I was cute, obviously?”

She gave herself a convenient rating while ignoring the fact that she had seeked help from Yosuke as a camouflage to hide her past of being bullied.

“It’s easy to understand when you put on a mask of heavy makeup. You’re the owner of a timid and delicate heart. However, that contradicts the fact that you have strong motivation to win and are the leader of the girls.”

She’s certainly a strange person. However, it looks like this Morishita is a student who at least has enough brains to gather information and notice suspicious points.

“What the hell is with you..?”

Kei showed a reaction after being seen right through.

I don’t think things will develop in a good direction if I allow these two to converse further.

“I think logic doesn’t apply when it comes to romance. His feelings just coincided with Kei’s and they ended up dating. Is there a problem with that?”

I approached closer to Kei in a protective stance and she happily squinted her eyes after hearing my words, though she was a little surprised.

“I see. You’re right. I’ve never fallen in love, so. I can’t refute the fact that logic doesn’t apply there.”

If love consisted solely of calculations, I wouldn’t have had to spend this much time on it.

“I apologize for my various rude remarks. Karuizawa Kei.”

She stood in front of Kei again and deeply… way too deeply bowed.

Further, she kept her head low without moving.

“Y-You don’t have to apologize like that, I get it.”

“Oh. Seeing as apologies are finished, then, can we say there’s no problem between us?”

“Huh? Umm… I guess, but it feels a bit unnatural?”

I can understand that feeling way too well, but I don’t think she can do anything about it.

“I don’t want to bother you any further, so I think we should end it here.”

“Oh, that’s considerate… Maybe you are a good girl, after all?”

The least difficult choice here is to make Morishita leave, but we don’t have many chances to come in contact with each other.

I decided to go ahead and ask a question about something I had been wondering.

“You’re pretty individualistic for a student of the Sakayanagi Class, huh? Do others say the same thing about you?”

Kei was surprised to see me stop Morishita, but I ignored it and waited for an answer.

“They do say that a lot. That I’m very individualistic.”

Yeah.

That’s the way she is, no matter which way you look at it.

“It’s strange, though. I’ve always known that I was an individualistic person, and I’ve always thought I was special. I don’t especially love being recognized as an individualistic person, though.”

“Sorry about that. It’s just that I’ve never seen anyone in Sakayanagi’s class who’s similar to you.”

“I see. You’re surprised to see that a student you expected to be impersonal is actually an individual.”

“That’s right.”

“I never make the first move unless something interests me. I never had to do anything while Sakayanagi Arisu and Katsuragi Kouhei led the class as they protected everyone. Thanks to that, there’s also no necessity to show any individuality. I was in an environment where one could simply quietly pass the time and graduate. It may seem impersonal, but I think it can't be helped.”

Not hiding her environment, she clearly explained why one might think she would be impersonal.

Morishita’s explanation is a convincing one.

Right now, I’m gathering enough attention that I’m catching the eye of students like Morishita.

I intended on being an impersonal student who doesn’t stand out, like her, but I’m standing out and making people wary as much as Horikita does.

Of course, this is also by my own volition, but I’m sure the situation would have been different if I was in Class-A like Morishita at the time of my enrollment, and Sakayanagi didn’t have any common points with me.

In Class-A, one’s status is firmly built without them having to do anything in particular.

That sounds very comfortable.

I could have spent my days as an average student without any individuality.

A path to graduation without being suspected by anyone or putting anyone on guard.

Morishita was somewhat leisurely walking on this path of the quiet route.

“I’m glad I saw you two today. Thank you for attending to someone like me.”

“N-No, you’re welcome.”

For some reason, Kei followed suit and also spoke politely.

“Most of the students who enrolled in this school want to graduate in Class-A. I’m one of them, of course. That’s precisely why I think I should be wary of any risks and talk with all kinds of students. There are a lot of eyes on you right now, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.”

She gave a reply while more deeply explaining the reason she talked to me, making sure that Kei would hear it too.

“I might need to come in contact with you again in the future, so please be nice to me if that time comes. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Karuizawa Kei.”

She bowed way too deeply again and started walking away… then suddenly stopped.

Then, she turned around.

“You two were just leaving too, right?”

“Yeah, why..?”

“I was going to return to my dorm too, so why don’t we go together? While chatting.”

“H-Huh..? I thought we were done talking, but it’s starting again? I really don’t get you…”

“This is a great opportunity, so please don’t refrain from asking me about myself either.”

“But I’m really not interested..!”

“Don’t say that. Let’s at least exchange contact information. You too, of course, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.”

“No, no, no, we’re not doing that! Right?”

“I’m fine with it, actually.”

“Hey!”

“What’s wrong with having one more friend?”

“What a fine way to think about it. I completely agree.”

“Uuh, Kiyotaka, it’s kinda hard to get angry at you for something so cute!”

With that, while it displeased Kei, we ended up exchanging contact information.

Chat apps are quite useful, and there’s no loss in getting to know each other.

The one thing that did draw my attention is that there are only a few people saved in Morishita’s chat app.

She really does seem to have lived a quiet life up until now, without making many friends.

I’m sure a part of that is because she’s such a strange person, though.

Chapter 3

The Identity of the Sender

Part 1

It is Friday after school, the day after the special exam was announced.

There hasn't been a class-wide discussion or any particular action regarding the exams since the talk during lunch yesterday.

Since Horikita is the class leader, one would think that she has made progress in her strategy and approach for this Special Exam, but details are unclear.

There is no sign of her seeking an appointment with me.

With still a week to go, there's no need to rush.

I'd prefer her to take her time and contemplate.

“Ayanokoji-kun ...... Um, can I have a moment with you?”

I was getting ready to leave the classroom by myself when Mii chan called out to me.

This weekend, Kei has plans to hang out with her friends until the evening, so she was already out of sight.

So now I'm completely free. I can take my time without hesitation.

“What is it?”

“The classroom might not be the best place... I'd prefer to talk somewhere else, if possible.”

Although there were no students who seemed to be listening to us, Mii chan doesn't seem to feel at ease here.

Judging from the situation, I wonder if the content of the conversation is a bit serious.

“Understood. Can we talk on the way home?”

“Of course, that's fine.”

There's no reason to stay in the classroom, so I grabbed my bag and immediately started moving.

There's no need to go to a deserted place on purpose.

Students are rushing around after school, whether it's in the hallways or at the door.

There are lots of students here, and there's a lot of noise.

“So what do you have to say to me?”

When I urged her to do so, Mii-chan briefly looked around her, just to be sure, and then began to speak, seemingly feeling relieved.

“Do you remember when I stopped going to school before? ...It was a pathetic story, but it was about Hirata-kun… um...regarding that…”

It was during the Unanimous Special Exam when Kushida revealed Mii-chan's crush, around late September.

“Was something wrong during that time?”

“While I couldn't go outside, there was someone who delivered food for me.”

“Oh, I remember. They brought something for you every day.”

I remembered when I was questioned about being the person delivering food to Mii-chan.

“I've brought this up to you previously, Ayanokoji-kun, and I'm hoping to get your help…”

“I understand...”

Though a considerable amount of time had passed, the fact that she was bringing up the subject again indicated—

“Have you discovered who it was?”

“Um, not yet, but I believe we can find out if we try...”

“We can find out if we try?”

Mii-chan nodded and started talking slowly.

Even though she had mustered the courage to return to school, it appeared that Mii-chan still harboured concerns about the person who had supported her.

I had assumed she had given up on the matter, but her persistence indicated otherwise; she wanted to express her gratitude.

To Find the Person, Two hints were present.

The first was a note found inside a bag of groceries, containing only the room number, suggesting it was intended for Mii-chan.

If the handwriting was unique, it might offer a vital tip.

Unfortunately, there was a curveball to this.

Mii-chan had brought the paper for me to see, but it was intentionally written in a way that made it impossible to identify the writer.

“The individual behind these gifts seems quite cunning.”

“Yes, Indeed.”

There was just one more way to look for proof.

It was evident that all the food items were bought from the convenience store.

Mii-chan had meticulously recorded each item she received.

This indicated that we could provide descriptions of these items to the store clerk and determine if any students had bought identical items.

It was customary to approach the convenience store employees in an attempt to determine who had given the present. But over time, their memory will eventually fade, underscoring the urgency of taking immediate action.

I had assumed that Mii-chan wouldn't have taken this step, but I was taken aback by her response.

“I actually tried discussing it with the convenience store clerk as soon as I returned to school.”

Unfortunately, the outcome wasn't favourable.

The clerk Mii-chan approached had recently started working at the convenience store and wasn't present when the purchases were made by the gift-giver.

Additionally, the person who would have been on duty at that time had been transferred to another store.

A detective might consider reviewing surveillance footage, but that wasn't an option available to me.

“I tried asking the girls on my floor about it, but they didn’t know anything. That’s when I decided to give up for a while.”

When there were no leads, an ordinary student like her was left with limited options.

“I suppose you didn't have much of a choice.”

“Yeah...”

And so, time passed with the details remaining elusive.

However, some unexpected information came to Mii-chan, who found herself at a dead end.

During a recent visit to the convenience store for shopping, a clerk called out to her.

By chance, the clerk who had been transferred and the current clerk working at the school crossed paths.

The clerk remembered Mii-chan's concern and explained it to him.

Unexpectedly, because the incident occurred just before the transfer, he recalled a student who might be relevant.

Consequently, the clerk apparently attempted to inform Mii-chan of the student's name, as per the manager's instructions. However—

“I was taken aback, or rather, I was startled by the unexpected news, so I said I'd return later to hear the details and hurriedly left.”

“You left?”

“I... I left…”

Only Mii-chan could explain why she reacted that way in that particular situation.

“By the way, when did you find out about this?”

“Um... well…”

Her obvious struggle in answering indicated that it wasn’t very recent.

“...Today marks the sixth day.”

“You've been avoiding this for quite some time.”

“I... have been avoiding it…”

She blushed with embarrassment, or rather, shame at her own weakness.

“I think I should go soon, but... I'm nervous... If I don't know who it is, I can just pretend to ignore it. But once I find out, I can't pretend anymore. Most importantly, the person who gave the gifts hasn't come forward, so there's a chance they don't want it to be known, right?”

She probably always wanted to thank whoever had given her the gift, even if she didn't know who it was from.

Due to not knowing who the person was, she believed there was nothing she could do about it.

With each passing day, this conviction may have grown stronger.

“Well, that's understandable.”

They had supported Mii-chan from behind the scenes without disclosing their identity.

It wouldn't be surprising if they had valid reasons for wanting to remain anonymous.

“What reasons might those be?”

“There could be various reasons.”

Given the limited information available, it would be difficult to pinpoint the exact motives.

“Although, I'm certain they're a classmate... I don't have many friends, but I doubt they'd keep it a secret from me. I can't understand why…”

Mii-chan appeared to be contemplating which of her friends it could be.

Naturally, it seemed unlikely for a stranger to send a gift.

“That's just one possibility— No, forget it.”

“What is it? Please, tell me.”

I hesitated, considering it might be overwhelming for her, but Mii-chan was eager to know.

“Please, tell me.”

She urged again, so I decided to proceed.

“I apologize for challenging your assumptions, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a classmate. While the reason for your absence wasn't known, it wasn't difficult for others to find out.”

“But I hardly interact with students from other classes…”

“That doesn't matter much. A close relationship isn't a requirement. And it doesn't have to be a girl.”

“Huh, what?”

She appeared stunned, especially considering she had even less interaction with boys.

“Let me be direct, there could be, for instance, a boy who harbours secret feelings for you, right? It's possible that he became concerned when his crush was absent and decided to send a gift.”

“Eh!? What!?”

She was visibly taken aback, trying to maintain composure but inadvertently attracting attention.

Realizing this, she quickly regulated her breathing but remained visibly flustered.

“It's just one possibility, no need to be flustered.”

It wasn't necessarily the case; I was simply presenting a potential, albeit unexpected, scenario.

“W— w— we— wel— well, yes, you're right!?”

However, she was far from composed.

I suppose it was an assumption I shouldn't have made.

“Let's refocus. It's important to hear your decision, don't you agree?”

Even though I had a good understanding of her thought process, I felt it would be best to hear it directly from Mii-chan.

“I'm unsure what to do at this point. Should I try to find out who it is? Should I express my gratitude?”

“It's crucial to make a decision now.”

Mii-chan nodded hesitantly, lacking confidence.

“What would you do in this situation, Ayanokoji-kun?”

“What would I do, hmm...?”

After considering it for a moment, I decided to answer honestly.

“I'm not entirely certain if it'll make a difference, but if it were me, I'd want to know their identity. Then, I'd determine whether or not to approach them.”

“So you're implying there's a chance you might not thank them even if you found out who they were?”

“That's just my perspective. Like in the previous scenario, if the person had no connection to me, I might hesitate. And there are situations where it's wiser not to reveal that you've been investigating, right?”

“I suppose that makes sense.”

They had discreetly assisted someone they cared about.

If she were to express gratitude after discovering their identity at the store, it would come as a shock.

This applied even without romantic implications.

“When the other party wishes to maintain secrecy, it becomes even more complicated.”

“...Yes.”

“Moreover, whether you can keep the information to yourself after learning the person's identity is another matter. Based on what I've observed, I don't believe this approach suits you, Mii-chan.”

“That's... Yes…”

If she knew the answer, she'd likely struggle to conceal her emotions.

“It's not necessarily a negative thing to let go”

“Even so…”

Yet, Mii-chan struggles with guilt for her inability to express gratitude to the individual who aided her.

She finds herself once again confronted with the emotions she had attempted to suppress.

Even if she opts not to uncover their identity, those sentiments will likely remain.

“Once you open Pandora's Box, you can't close it.”

Given Mii-chan's emotional vulnerability, it's understandable why she chose to retreat.

Furthermore, there's a silver lining in her decision not to unveil their identity.

Discovering the mysterious supporter’s identity will undoubtedly alter perceptions, regardless of who they turn out to be.

“I…”

The troubled Mii-chan hesitated before responding.

“I... I want to know…”

“Even though it might result in regret?”

“...Yes.”

With her decision made, there was little to no room for me to object.

“Then you should head to the convenience store.”

Despite my suggestion, Mii-chan still seemed unsure, glancing in my direction.

“...”

“...”

An awkward tension hung in the air, but Mii-chan's intentions were clear.

“Shall we go to the convenience store together?”

“C-Can we?”

Despite mentally preparing herself to uncover the truth, she seemed unable to face it alone.

“I can accompany you. If it helps you find some courage, I think it's worth it.”

“Th... Thank you, Ayanokoji-kun!”

With the firmest nod she could muster, Mii-chan and I made our way to the convenience store.

The next day arrived. It was nearly 11:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning.

Seated on the couch in the dorm lobby, I awaited my meeting with Mii-chan.

Kei, who had quietly stayed over in my room on Friday night and spent the early hours of the morning with me, was sound asleep. I intended to postpone our originally planned date to an afternoon date.

As I observed Mii-chan in the elevator on the monitor, I stood up from the comfortable sofa.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning, Ayanokoji-kun.”

She clutched a paper bag, presumably holding a thank-you gift purchased the previous day.

“So, where are you meeting Koenji?”

“Huh?”

“Isn’t that where you’re headed next?”

“Well…”

“So, you are meeting him?”

“...Actually, um… not really.”

With Mii-chan’s reply, the atmosphere around us froze. Silence stretched, but I couldn't let it go forever.

Resuming the conversation, I addressed the issue.

“So, Koenji is unaware of today’s plans.”

Mii-chan, whose expressions were a mix of agreement and distress, seemed on the verge of tears.

“Ah, it should have been the obvious choice, shouldn't it? I wasn't thinking clearly with all the nerves and tension. I assumed you had arranged everything. It was my mistake... I'm really sorry.”

As she spoke, tears welled up in Mii-chan's eyes, about to spill over.

Thankfully, the lobby was empty, but it would be problematic if anyone walked in and saw her in tears.

“First, let's calm down. While I'm not close with Koenji, I have an idea of where to find him.”

“Really?”

Though it wasn't a guarantee, I was fairly confident I could locate him.

“I believe Koenji might be at the gym around this time.”

“The gym? The one on the second floor of Keyaki Mall?”

“Exactly. I've been going there myself recently. Koenji often comes on Saturday and Sunday mornings.”

I had noticed him leaving after his workouts around noon on multiple occasions.

With a newfound sense of optimism, Mii-chan composed herself, and we headed towards Keyaki Mall.

As we walked, I stole a glance at Mii-chan, her eyes still tinged red. Despite her academic prowess and quiet demeanour, she seemed remarkably vulnerable when faced with unexpected situations.

She wasn't an entirely uncommon type, not exactly rare, but the kind of high school girl you could encounter just about anywhere.

This made her connection to Koenji all the more intriguing.

Regardless of personal preferences, objectively speaking, Mii-chan's appearance was above average.

Perhaps she happened to fit Koenji's preferences and was being secretly favoured by him.

However, Koenji didn't strike me as the type to keep his romantic interests a secret.

If anything, if he had feelings for someone in the class, he seemed more likely to make his intentions known.

It was a contradiction for someone so self-assured to shy away from pursuing someone they liked.

If that were the case, it suggested that Koenji might not be as confident as he appeared.

—Then again, maybe not.

People have their own unique ways of expressing affection.

Koenji might argue that he prefers to keep his distance from the women he likes as a form of showing his interest.

I considered various possibilities, but ultimately, I could only reach one conclusion.

Attempting to decipher Koenji's thoughts would likely be fruitless.

In the end, the only way to understand his true intentions was to speak with him directly.

We made our way into Keyaki Mall, which was already bustling with activity, and headed straight to the second floor.

I instructed Mii-chan to wait outside the gym while I went in.

“Just as I thought, he's here.”

As expected, Koenji was in the midst of his workout routine.

It appeared that he was focused on the bench press, a routine he would likely complete soon.

After all, Koenji always concluded his gym sessions with the bench press.

Despite the physical strain, he was effortlessly lifting 200 kilograms, with a smile despite the sheen of sweat.

I couldn't help but wonder if there were any other second-year high school students capable of such a feat.

Regardless, it was evident that he was nearing the end of his session.

It was only a matter of time before he headed to the showers and then made his exit.

To avoid any potential awkward encounters, I promptly exited the training area.

Outside, I was greeted by Akiyama-san, a staff member at the gym, with whom I exchanged brief pleasantries before making my departure.

While I had also planned to meet with Mashima-sensei, I decided that it could wait for another day.

“How did it go?”

“I think he'll be done in about 20 or 30 minutes. If you're okay with it, we could wait here.”

“Yes.”

We settled onto a bench near the gym entrance and waited.

“...”

“...”

With little conversation between us, we simply listened to the ambient music playing inside the Keyaki Mall.

“I'm starting to feel a bit nervous.”

As the time approached, she seemed to sense the anticipation building.

“I have no idea how Koenji will react to this.”

“Neither do I...”

“By the way, what did you decide on for the gift?”

“Um, I wasn't sure what to get him, so I settled on a face towel and a hand towel.”

“Wow... That's quite an unexpected choice.”

“Perhaps, but I thought it might suit him. I often see Koenji using both.”

“Is that so? I knew about the hand mirror, but not this.”

“Yes. I thought if it was a luxurious, organic cotton towel, he might appreciate it, so... Oh...”

“That sounds like a significant purchase.”

It seemed Mii-chan hadn't quite followed my advice about keeping the gift small.

“Uh... y-yes. I'm sorry...”

“How much did it cost?”

“Well... about ¥12,000.”

So, it was roughly the same price as the total amount given, or perhaps a bit more.

Given Mii-chan's personality, it was a predictable situation.

“It's okay. Let's hope Koenji likes it.”

“Yes. I need to properly show my gratitude for his help.”

Despite her nerves and flustered state, Mii-chan responded with determination.

In the end, choosing a gift that exceeded the budget might have been the right decision.

After waiting for nearly 40 minutes, longer than expected, Koenji emerged from the gym.

“Ah, He's coming out.”

From our sitting point, it seemed Koenji immediately noticed us, but he showed no change in expression as he walked past us without saying a word.

We appeared to be of no interest to him. Observing his behaviour, it was difficult to believe that he harboured any affection for Mii-chan or had been secretly supporting her.

However, based on the convenience store clerk's testimony, we were 99% certain it was Koenji.

Therefore, the only option was to confirm the truth with him.

Mii-chan quickly rose from the bench and began to follow after Koenji.

“Um, Koenji-kun! Can I talk to you for a moment?”

Mii-chan called out from behind him, causing Koenji to halt and elegantly turn to look back.

“Do you need something from me, Wang girl?”

“Eh, what did you just— call me, Wang what?”

Koenji must have referred to Mii-chan's real name, Wang Mei-Yui, calling her “Wang girl,” a nickname likely only Koenji would use, which led to Mii-chan's confusion.

Although Mii-chan appeared puzzled by the nickname, she suppressed her confusion and fortified her resolve.

She tightly grasped the handles of the paper bag she held in front of her.

“I wanted to discuss something with you. Can I have a moment of your time, please?”

Mii-chan addressed Koenji with a polite but determined tone, albeit softly spoken.

Koenji seemed to contemplate her request for a moment, then raised his arm briskly and shook his head.

“I'm sorry, but I'm a bit pressed for time right now. Let's talk another time. Hahaha.”

With that, he chuckled toward us, turned his back, and resumed walking away.

“Eh, um… ah…”

Mii-chan, who appeared to be someone who carefully weighed her options, was visibly flustered by Koenji's unexpected rejection.

I couldn't help but feel somewhat surprised as well.

“What should we do now...?”

“Should we try again?”

“Oh... It took a lot of courage for me to approach him this time... I'm not sure if I can muster that again.”

It would undoubtedly be a significant challenge for Mii-chan to approach Koenji in the same situation once more. In that case, our only option was to persist today.

“Then we should just follow Koenji.”

“But wouldn't that be quite bothersome?”

“Normally, yes. But if you can't try again, then regardless of the inconvenience, we have to proceed, don't we?”

If the inconvenience is just someone walking around, I feel like he wouldn't be too bothered by it.

“What should we do? If we lose sight of him, we'll have no choice but to give up.”

She couldn't make a decision, wavering between moving forward and stepping back.

It was evident from her demeanour that following Koenji was her main intention.

So, should I continue to take the lead as I had been?

“I'll take responsibility if we get caught following him. Let's go.”

“Y-yes!”

And that's how we decided to tail Koenji, observing from a distance.

I didn't see the need for secrecy, but Mii-chan was eager, so I chose not to voice any unnecessary objections.

I descended the stairs as Koenji rode down the escalator, carefully tracking his direction while positioning Mii-chan behind me.

Meanwhile, with his long strides, Koenji ventured deeper into the mall.

“Shouldn't we hurry? We might lose him.”

“It's okay if we do.”

Most people visited the mall daily, and students typically had a mental map of the area.

While there were several shops in Koenji's path, none had extensive floor depths.

A quick glance would reveal all the customers.

At the far end was an open cafe area.

Unless he used one of the several exits prepared along the way, we had no concerns about losing sight of him.

Considering those exits, if he were heading home, it would be quicker to return the way he came.

The likelihood of him needing to use a specific exit wasn't very high.

At the foot of the stairs, I glimpsed Koenji's receding figure, now smaller in the distance.

“He seems to be heading to the cafe. That should make things easier for us.”

“Indeed.”

After confirming from a distance that Koenji had finished ordering and was holding a cup, I moved closer and noticed Koenji sitting at a two-person table with a female student.

“Who's she?”

“That's Enoshima Midoriko from class 3-B.”

“Do you know her?”

“I've only seen her on the OAA app. Let's get closer.”

“But won't Koenji-kun notice us if we get closer?”

“Well, we've been tailing him this far, but I wonder if it's really necessary.”

We should be able to wait close by, till Koenji's meeting is done. It would be worse, of course, to imply that we were hiding and biding our time until she left him alone.

“At this point, I'd like to know what kind of conversations Koenji usually has.”

However, Mii-chan seemed to have flipped a switch, appearing reluctant to be discovered.

“You mean eavesdrop?”

“I know it's wrong, but... He may not be honest about why he gave me the gift, and there might be clues in their conversation!”

No, I highly doubt there'd be any clues in his conversation with Enoshima, who seems completely unrelated…

“Let's keep tailing him!”

“If that will satisfy you, Mii-chan, then I have no objections. Let's move from this side.”

While Koenji was chatting with Enoshima, he probably wasn't paying attention to his surroundings.

But if we entered his line of sight, we couldn't be sure that he wouldn't notice us.

Mii-chan and I made a strategic exit from the mall through a side door and aimed to re-enter from the opposite side.

Although it took several minutes to circle around, Koenji had just bought a drink, implying that he'd stay for a while.

However—

As we entered the mall and approached the cafe, Koenji was nowhere in sight, leaving only Enoshima engrossed in her phone.

“Could he be in the restroom?”

“...No. Koenji's drink is missing. That's unlikely. He must have wrapped up his discussion with Enoshima and left in that brief window.”

“So... Does that mean we won't be able to meet him today?”

“That's what I assumed, but there's no need to rush.”

We spotted Koenji, confidently retracing his steps.

“Koenji-kun!”

“Oh? Wang girl and Ayanokoji boy. Have you come to chase after me again? It's tough being popular. Hahaha.”

A big misunderstanding, but it seems Koenji has finished his business.

“Do you have a moment?”

Without time to stumble over words due to the urgency, Mii-chan smoothly initiated the conversation.

His drink isn't with him. Did he finish it right away?

“Of course. My personal matters wrapped up quicker than expected.”

He had just concluded a brief meeting with Enoshima. I couldn't even begin to speculate on what they discussed.

“Was it you, Koenji-kun... who left items from the convenience store in front of my door while I was absent from school...?”

The long-awaited benefactor.

She was seeking to uncover the motive behind his actions.

Would Koenji admit to it honestly? Would he appear surprised and bewildered? Or would he deny it—

“It was indeed me who left those items for you, but why does it matter?”

Koenji confidently affirmed without a trace of hesitation or deception. A very Koenji-like response, truly unexpected.

“Um, why... did you...?”

“Why? When someone is in need, I lend a hand. Aren't you the same type of person?”

“…Eh?”

Caught off guard by his rational response, Mii-chan found herself at a loss for words.

“If that satisfies your inquiry, then I suggest you leave now?”

Mii-chan appeared uncertain how to respond to his statement.

“Wait a moment. While it may not be my place, there's something that's been bothering me. While it's natural to assist someone in need, from what I've observed, you're not one to offer help to just anyone. Yet, you've consistently helped Mii-chan. This pattern suggests there's a specific reason behind your actions.”

In a probing manner, and with subtle expressions, I attempted to prompt him.

“You certainly have a knack for choosing your words, Ayanokoji boy. You won't let me off the hook by suggesting it was a spontaneous gesture. I didn't assist Wang girl on a whim. I abhor insincerity. However, that doesn't mean I disregard acts of kindness. When I feel a genuine debt, I see it as only natural to repay it. That's all.”

Despite Koenji's attempt to sound nonchalant, Mii-chan remained visibly perplexed.

She was still frozen in place.

One thing was clear—he didn't appear to harbour any unexpected romantic feelings for her.

“Is there anything else, or are we finished here?”

With those words from Koenji, time finally resumed for Mii-chan, who had been momentarily frozen.

“I... I can't recall ever doing anything for you. I don't believe you owe me anything. From what you've mentioned, it sounds like I've helped you in the past…”

With a mix of apology and firmness, she sought clarification after grasping the situation. Koenji casually swept his hand through his hair.

“Hahaha!”

He chuckled brightly.

“That's precisely why it's not about hypocrisy but genuine goodwill. It's just a minor incident you need not even remember.”

In essence, this was his rationale.

At some point, Mii-chan had assisted Koenji in some capacity.

His subsequent acts of kindness were not driven by insincerity but by sincere goodwill.

Hence, his consistently considerate behaviour towards Mii-chan.

Even in her recent absence from school, he was repaying her kindness—that was the gist of it.

“I don't recall it at all... but, well, please accept this gesture for now.”

With that, she extended a paper bag containing a set of towels she had purchased as a token of gratitude.

“I have no need for this. There's no need for expressions of gratitude.”

“W-well, if you're not keen on this, I'm fine if you decline. But in that case, could I at least repay you? The expense you incurred on my behalf wasn't trivial.”

“Unfortunately, I'm not in need of money at the moment. I don't desire it.”

His response struck me as peculiar.

To an average student, it might not raise any questions.

It was reasonable to assume that Koenji, who amassed a fortune during the island survival test, had considerable wealth.

However, Koenji had a reputation for being extravagant.

He had previously expressed his belief in not holding onto money for long.

While it would be reasonable to accept his claim of saving money now, considering his recent purchase of a large TV, it was conceivable that he was still spending lavishly.

It could potentially be a fabrication, a convenient excuse to avoid accepting points from Mii-chan.

“B-but that would pose a problem! I... I can't shake off this feeling of guilt... In that case, could you at least enlighten me on what I did for you?”

“Oh, my. You seem to have quite a complicated disposition. Didn't I mention? It's a trifling matter, one you need not dwell on. It's as simple as that. There's nothing more to discuss.”

Mii-chan seemed to have exhausted her ways for conversation with Koenji.

With a somewhat crestfallen expression, she bowed to Koenji once more.

“May I be excused now?”

“Y-Yes.”

“I have something I'd like to discuss privately,” I interjected.

“I'm not particularly fond of attracting attention from men, but it appears you're also inclined to pry.”

“It's of importance. If you feel grateful, there's a chance you might cooperate with the class in the future, isn't there?”

“That's absurd, Ayanokoji boy. For the class to succeed, I must be valued, and any attempt to curry favour with me in exchange for something is mere pretence, don't you agree?”

He refused to acknowledge any action aimed at gaining his favour as genuine goodwill.

It had to originate naturally.

“As long as we're bound by the school's regulations, true goodwill is unattainable. Am I mistaken?”

“Perhaps.”

“You should be well aware of this. There's no method that can turn me into an ally, no matter how hard you try.”

“That's accurate. Despite numerous attempts, I haven't discovered a foolproof method to secure your full cooperation.”

“Indeed. My stance won't change until I graduate, and even after. No amount of cunning tactics will sway my resolve. And that includes you.”

“So, what's your plan for a special exam like this one? What if Horikita decides not to protect you? We can't assume she won't renege on her promise. There might be circumstances where you can't avoid expulsion, even if you protest later.”

We could use threats or coercion to compel his cooperation.

“I've always been self-sufficient. It's that simple.”

In other words, he was confident in his ability to navigate challenges independently.

“Well, that simplifies things. I'll inform Horikita that there's no need to offer you protection.”

Having one less student to safeguard in the class provided us with an advantage.

Naturally, I didn't anticipate Horikita betraying his trust.

“Feel free to do as you wish. Nonetheless, attempting to coerce me into compliance is futile when I have no intention of reciprocating.”

And there stood Koenji, as unyielding as a fixture, impervious to any attempts to dislodge him.

Given the circumstances, perhaps I could capitalize on the situation by excluding Koenji.

While Koenji possessed remarkable abilities, his presence posed a dilemma.

Depending on the specifics of the special exam, Horikita might continue to face obstacles due to him.

If I were the class leader, frankly speaking, Koenji would be dispensable.

The rules of the deserted island were solely between the two, with no involvement from third parties.

One option could be to eliminate him while I had the opportunity, but…

“However.”

Koenji, who had been nonchalant until now, suddenly shifted his demeanour, his gaze piercing.

“If 'someone' attempts to marginalize me, they should brace themselves.”

Had he deciphered my thoughts? No, it must have been his uncanny intuition.

“Brace themselves? I'm curious to see what you have in mind.”

“That's part of the intrigue.”

It wouldn't be as straightforward as targeting a specific individual.

One should prepare for actions that could unsettle the class's stability.

“Are you ready to unveil that plan? Although, it might prompt you to reevaluate yourself.”

“I, for one, have no intention of doing so. Horikita is the class leader.”

“Very well. I have dates to attend after this, so I'll take my leave.”

I couldn't comprehend why he chose to reference his dates in such an unconventional manner, but it seemed unlikely that I would engage in further conversation with Koenji anytime soon.

I had been closely observing Koenji in our class for quite some time. He truly was a mystery.

Though dealing with him posed its challenges, it was an undeniable truth that we needed to secure victory even with him in tow.

“Uh, um... Ayanokoji-kun.”

“I apologize. I just intended to inquire about something he mentioned that struck me as unusual, and I got a bit carried away.”

I offered a slight apology to Mii-chan, whom I had momentarily left behind.

“That's alright, but...”

“What's on your mind?”

“Oh, it's nothing.”

Indeed, my tone with Koenji had been somewhat threatening. It seemed to have left Mii-chan slightly unsettled.

Mii-chan and I arrived at the convenience store promptly.

As I moved to enter first, Mii-chan gently tugged on my sleeve.

“Could you wait a moment...? It seems there are other students nearby.”

“You want to wait until it's clear?”

“It's unlikely, but the person who assisted me might be here.”

“I understand.”

Her words were cautious, characteristic of Mii-chan.

It was only right to take them into consideration.

Although many students frequented the convenience store on weekends, their visits tended to be brief.

After a short wait, the store cleared out in no time.

“Shall we go in?”

“Y-Yes!”

The next customer would undoubtedly arrive if we stayed outside for any longer. We hurried inside the shop.

“Welco—”

The employee, a woman in her twenties whom I had seen frequently lately, paused mid-sentence upon spotting Mii-chan but swiftly resumed with a smile.

“Welcome.”

"Hello. Um, I'm sorry for running away the other day!"

As Mii-chan bowed apologetically, the lady staff responded with a warm smile.

"It's okay, it's okay, I'm not bothered at all. It must have been frightening, right?"

It appeared that she empathized with Mii-chan's inner turmoil, prompting Mii-chan to nod several times.

“Did your boyfriend encouraged you to come here?”

“Eee?”

Mii-chan, looking up, appeared puzzled.

“What a supportive boyfriend. I'm envious.”

“Ee, ee, eeee? My boyfriend?”

“That's Ayanokoji-kun... right?”

“How do you know my name?”

“Well, we use student cards for store transactions, so I ended up remembering the names of some students.”

Certainly, we use a student card, complete with a name and photo, for checkout purposes.

Given my frequent visits to the store, it wasn't unexpected that they would recognize me.

“Also— weren’t you shopping arm in arm with a different girl the other day...? Uhh!?”

“It looks like you think you are onto something, but you are mistaken. She's just a friend.”

As I gestured towards Mii-chan and clarified, she nodded in agreement.

“Oh, I see. But I thought there might be a chan—”

“No! There isn't!!”

For the first time, Mii-chan strongly denied any romantic involvement.

Despite lacking romantic feelings for her, why did I feel a twinge of disappointment?

Mii-chan, who harboured feelings for Yosuke, certainly wouldn't want any misunderstandings to arise.

“So, um, about the person I was looking for…”

“Ah, yeah. Should I tell you? Is that okay?”

The store clerk asked kindly, mindful of Mii-chan's emotions.

“Yes, that's why I'm here.”

“I see. In that case, I'll share the information.”

After a moment of preparation, the clerk disclosed the identity of the individual Mii-chan had been seeking.

“The previous shift leader couldn't recall his name, but he was quite memorable. When I heard the description, it clicked. It's someone from your class, Koenji... uh, Rokusuke-kun, I believe. It seems he was the one who purchased the items matching what you brought in.”

“Huh...?”

The name of the gift-giver—a detail she had been eager to uncover.

Koenji, of all people?

Why Koenji?

Mii-chan, beside me, undoubtedly appeared surprised, or rather, astonished.

It was an unexpected revelation.

Too unexpected.

Or perhaps it wasn't as surprising as initially thought?

While Koenji and Mii-chan had minimal interaction, there were instances when I observed Koenji displaying a somewhat warmer demeanour towards Mii-chan.

On its own, this might not have seemed significant, but considering the person in question was Koenji...

“Um... Was it really Koenji-kun?”

The clerk responded with unwavering certainty to her inquiry.

“The shift leader described him as a long-haired, blond boy. He always carried himself with an air of superiority, often lost in his own reflection in the convenience store glass or fixing his hair with a hand mirror. And... the list goes on, but this sounds like Koenji-kun, doesn't it? I've witnessed him behaving that way too.”

That was unmistakably Koenji.

There was no one else like him at our school, not at this moment, and perhaps never.

“There seems to be no mistake.”

“Yeah, even the contents of the gift match Koenji's style. It all adds up now.”

“Yes…”

Although she couldn't fully grasp the situation, she had no choice but to accept it. After thanking the clerk, we exited the convenience store.

Even after leaving, Mii-chan remained lost in thought, appearing dazed.

“Koenji-kun...? Why?”

“I have no idea. In a way, he's the person whose intentions are the least transparent.”

“What should I do...?”

Is she thinking on how to express her gratitude, or is she uncertain because it's Koenji?

“But maybe you could overlook thanking Koenji?”

“Eh, what!? No, I can't!”

“But why?”

“Well... He's our classmate, and he also spent a significant amount of money on the gifts.”

Despite Koenji likely having a substantial number of Private Points, money was still money.

Mii-chan, being conscientious, couldn't overlook that.

“I'm considering buying a thank-you gift. Should it be roughly equivalent to the amount spent on the gifts?”

“That seems excessive. I think half would suffice.”

It was ultimately a gesture of goodwill, so as long as the expression of gratitude was sincere, that should suffice.

“O-Okay, I understand. I'll do that.”

“Then all that remains is to ensure you thank him earnestly.”

I was preparing to bid farewell and leave when—

“Would you come with me?”

“Pardon?”

“To... Koenji-kun's place.”

“I am not sure why you want me to go there, Wouldn’t it be weird for me to be there?”

I do feel like it would be too much for Mii-chan to go alone, but it still feels unnatural.

Besides, I don't understand why Koenji gave the gifts anyway.

“If the example I gave you turns out to be accurate, wouldn't it feel awkward? Even if I'm dating Kei, he might feel something if he sees a guy beside the girl he likes.”

“But we are talking about Koenji, right?”

“Koenji is still just a high school boy... Well not exactly now that I think about it.”

If my presence makes him uncomfortable, then maybe I'm curious to see how it plays out.

“Well then, shall we go together? Depending on the situation, I may leave after meeting Koenji, so please understand.”

It’s possible that he might not like me being with Mii-chan.

“I understand. Please do.”

Mii-chan also understood that she couldn't expect more than that and nodded in agreement.

“When should we do it?”

Asked by me, Mii-chan took out her phone with her right hand and opened the calendar.

Seeming uneasy, she occasionally touched the area near her hair tie with her left hand.

“It's a sudden request, but would tomorrow morning be okay? If we wait too long, I might have trouble sleeping...”

It wouldn’t be good to let her stay awake all night thinking about Koenji.

Although I have plans with Kei tomorrow morning, we should be able to rearrange things.

“Thank you for today. We'll be seeing each other again tomorrow, but for now, please accept my sincere gratitude.”

With that, she bowed deeply. She also told me that she will express her gratitude again once everything was resolved, but I declined, saying it was not necessary.

Part 2

Chapter 4

Advice

Part 1

Having uncovered Mii-chan's benefactor during my day off, the weekend drew to a close.

Despite the passage of Monday and Tuesday without Horikita seeking my advice, a certain boy proposed an unexpected plan on Wednesday afternoon, just two days before the special exam.

“Man... I might have the best winning strategy...!”

Ike exclaimed, rising from his seat and slamming his hands on his desk, drawing the attention of everyone in the class.

However, rather than anticipation, skepticism filled the air as Ike's girlfriend, Shinohara, expressed surprise and doubt.

“No way, Kanji? You Do? How? What is it?”

“Seriously. Wait… Let me rethink a little...”

Taking a moment to recalibrate, Ike began counting on his fingers before resorting to his phone for assistance.

Despite the gradual departure of classmates who deemed the idea unworthy, Ike remained oblivious, nodding confidently as if he had completed his calculations.

“This idea is foolproof! Can I share it?”

“Let's discuss it seriously, but not here,” Horikita interjected, signalling her seriousness about the matter.

“Uh, okay. It’d be bad if my foolproof strategy got leaked.”

“Horikita-san, let’s go to the usual location.”

Recognizing the need for discretion, Yosuke suggested moving to their usual meeting spot, hinting at their frequent secretive discussions in preparation for the special exam.

“Those interested can join us, but let's keep the group manageable,” Horikita added, inviting participation while cautioning against overcrowding.

Shinohara, Hondo, and Miyamoto were quick to raise their hands, but beyond them, there was little enthusiasm for Ike's idea.

However, I found myself intrigued by what kind of strategy Ike was so confident about, prompting me to raise my hand casually.

“You too? What made you change your mind all of a sudden? What’s the reason?”

She demanded an explanation from me, unlike the others who seemed content with Ike's plan.

“Can't I just be curious? Ike seems really sure about this winning strategy, and I want to know more.”

“I see. That's fair enough. I didn't have any other plans for today anyway.”

She relented after considering my response.

With that settled, the six of us left the school and made our way to Keyaki Mall, ultimately ending up at the karaoke.

It was the ideal spot for a private discussion, equipped with snacks and a bar for drinks, all at a reasonable price.

“Satsuki, sticking with your usual?”

“Yep. And you, Kanji?”

Ike and Shinohara seemed comfortable as they perused the menu and exchanged familiar banter.

“Hey, Horikita.”

“What?”

“Isn't it weird that you have to buy a drink at karaoke even if you're not singing? Shouldn't it be all about the music?”

“Hmm, now that you mention it... But you think about the strangest things.”

“Come on, Ayanokoji. It's probably just their one-drink policy.”

Ike chimed in, having overheard our conversation. I didn't press further, not wanting to disrupt Shinohara's focus on Ike.

I reached for the terminal to check the latest music trends.

“Hmm... interesting.”

I couldn't fully grasp it.

While some song titles were familiar, many were unknown to me.

It seemed that Asian songs from outside Japan were dominating the charts, showcasing a remarkably high level of quality.

“Just your order left, Ayanokoji-kun,”

With everyone else's orders placed, I settled on plum kelp tea.

Horikita efficiently completed the orders, and we awaited their arrival, eager to avoid any interruptions during our discussion.

Shortly after, our drinks arrived, and as I lifted my freshly served plum kelp tea to my lips, I realized it was scalding hot.

“Ouch... Sorry, please continue,”

After enduring everyone's scrutinizing stares, I redirected my attention to the conversation.

The tip of my tongue was burning so hot that it was numbing. I would have to be careful while drinking.

“Ahem, let's hear Ike-kun's idea,”

Horikita prompted her demeanour to be serious and focused, signalling the importance of the discussion.

Ike, in turn, appeared slightly tense as he began to present his unconventional plan.

“To the point, then. Suppose we secure 68 points for our class. Would that be sufficient for victory?”

After sharing a subtle wink with Shinohara, Ike presented an intriguing idea.

“Sixty-eight points? Well, achieving that score could indeed put us in a favourable position for victory, but it's quite specific.”

The unpredictability surrounding the exam tasks made it challenging to estimate each class's potential point accumulation.

Despite this uncertainty, Ike asserted confidently that we could secure exactly 68 points, which left Horikita feeling uneasy.

Sensing her skepticism, Ike took a swig from his soda bottle to wet his throat before elaborating on his freshly conceived solution.

“It's a bit risky, but we could aim for precisely 68 points. Here's how: we simulate sickness right at the start of the exam. With our class consisting of 38 students, if we leave only five for defense, plus the leader, and eliminate the remaining 32…”

“What? That would mean a 32-point deduction right off the bat! Are you even aware of the rules?”

Hondo interjected, his frustration evident as he leaned forward and sighed heavily.

Despite Hondo's skepticism, Horikita listened intently, recognizing the logic behind the strategy; a 32-person elimination would indeed secure 68 points, ensuring a deliberate deduction from the total 100.

“Even with a deduction of 32 points for the eliminated students, we'll still reach our target of 68 points.”

Hondo and Miyamoto appeared bewildered by this revelation, while Shinohara, possibly already familiar with the strategy, wore a knowing smile.

“But, consider this: the opponent can only nominate five students, right? We can safeguard five students each round, but with only five students remaining to nominate..."

“Ee…”

Miyamoto caught on before Hondo, and let out a sound.

“So, for all 20 turns, we could potentially earn 5 points each. That's a perfect score, isn't it?”

Ike had proposed—an idea I hadn't anticipated from him.

“And on top of that! Nobody would even need to study for the exam! Not a bad concept, right?”

“But, even so, would the school really allow 32 people to feign illness? I mean, it seems too suspicious.”

Hondo voiced his doubts about the plan's feasibility.

“It certainly looks like something underhanded.”

Miyamoto echoed Hondo's skepticism, noting the dubiousness of having 32 students pretend to be ill simultaneously.

“Feigning illness... It's a bit of a gray area in terms of the rules, but I doubt the school could intervene, even if they found it suspicious. There's no way to prove we've faked it.”

I reasoned, acknowledging the potential loophole in the rules.

Under normal circumstances, the notion of 32 students falling ill simultaneously would be implausible.

As a result, while the school might strongly suspect the illness was feigned, they wouldn't be able to conclusively prove it.

They would have no choice but to accept it, adhering to the rule that students who fall ill are treated as eliminated.

There were no restrictions on the number of students who could fall ill.

“That sounds like a promising approach for you. It's a method that could help maintain a high average score.”

“See? See? What do you think of this strategy!?”

With Horikita unexpectedly praising it, even Hondo, who was initially doubtful, began to see its value.

“A plan to secure 68 points... That's quite impressive, isn't it?”

“I was taken aback when I first heard it from Kanji. It's a sound idea, don't you think?”

While the emphasis was on ensuring a score of 68 points, there were other advantages to consider.

The strategy didn't rely on skills, luck, or prior preparation.

It could be put into action immediately before the exam, and no other class could hinder or prevent us from reaching 68 points.

Moreover, in the worst-case scenario of finishing last, we could select one of the 32 students for expulsion.

This made it easier to remove a less capable student.

Although deciding whom to expel from the 32 students would be challenging, if we prearranged the selection and obtained their consent, the aftermath would be smoother.

The risk of expulsion could be nullified if someone with a Protection Point was made to withdraw.

At first glance, the idea seemed reasonable, but its adoption was unlikely.

"If it weren't for a certain rule in this special exam, we might have considered implementing Ike's interesting idea."

Horikita replied, indicating that the rule posed a significant challenge to the plan.

It appeared that Horikita could foresee significant obstacles as she listened to the proposal.

“Why? Well, I'm not insisting that you adopt it…”

Ike's idea seemed to be the most promising, prompting him to inquire further.

“Let's assume that Ryuen's class implements this strategy immediately after the exam begins.”

Horikita initiated her discussion based on the assumption that the hypothetical adversary would adopt Ike's strategy.

“Even though one person has been expelled from their class, the addition of Katsuragi has maintained their numbers at 40. Excluding the leader and five others, they would have 34 eliminations, securing 66 points. While this is a respectable score, it also means they cannot surpass it. If the remaining three classes each score 67 points or more, this approach becomes a 'no-win' strategy.”

Once they've expelled their expendable resources, they have no means to increase their scores.

As the aggressor, they can only hope for the other side to make mistakes.

“True, but there's no guarantee that the other three classes will each achieve 67 points or more, right? While there might be a risk of finishing last, isn't there a higher chance of finishing first?”

“No. Most likely, if Ryuen's class were to adopt that strategy, they would end up in last place.”

“Why? We won't know the difficulty of the questions until the actual exam, right? Right—”

Ike couldn't comprehend why this would almost certainly result in them finishing last.

“Listen up. If they're planning to deploy the feigned illness tactic for mass eliminations, they should do it right off the bat. There's little advantage in executing this plan after the second round.”

The longer they delay, the greater the risk of reducing their maximum attainable points.

“Furthermore, this strategy is quite conspicuous. All three classes would catch on quickly. Just picture the scenario when they realize what's happening. Will they think, 'Oh, they've made a clever move'?”

“W-Will they?”

“No, quite the opposite. If they go for that strategy, it would actually simplify things for the other three classes.”

With that, Horikita picked up her cellphone from beside her and displayed it to him.

“A cellphone...? Oh, we can use it during the exam, right?”

“Yes. So, as soon as we discern their intentions, we can utilize this to collaborate with the other classes. If Ryuen's class can only reach 66 points, the other three should band together and aim higher. If they identify a struggling class, Ichinose and Sakayanagi will also consider this option positively.”

“Wait, I'm not entirely following, but if we unite against them, they'd lose?”

“They would. Who to nominate, who to protect. Just by doing this, the two classes targeted by Ryuen's class would assuredly secure 50 points each. Consequently, they'd only need to earn 17 more points. According to the current rules, they can increase the difficulty using points, but if the score is zero or less, they're restricted to the base difficulty. Thus, surpassing 17 points wouldn't pose much difficulty.”

If they could achieve an accuracy rate higher than 34%, that would suffice.

Regardless of how unclear the questions might be, maintaining a percentage above this threshold would keep them in a safe position.

Moreover, with the added protection element, the required accuracy rate could be slightly lower.

The fixed score of 66 points, while it could be advantageous, also harboured a significant drawback. It was a strategy vulnerable to shifts in subsequent circumstances.

Ryuen's class, facing 34 eliminations from the start, wouldn't experience a positive shift until after the conclusion of the 7th defensive turn.

If they opted for a high difficulty level in their attacks, their final score would diminish with each turn, decreasing to 65 points, 64 points, and so forth.

“I believe you understand the difference between aiming for victory with 66 points and securing 17 or more points independently within 10 turns.”

Upon hearing the explanation, Ike, initially jubilant, slumped his shoulders as if crestfallen.

“Damn! I thought we had a shot at winning! I feel guilty for rallying everyone together!”

Ike's unexpected disappointment left Horikita slightly flustered.

“You don’t need to apologize. Your strategy was well-considered. I'm the one who should apologize for assuming from the outset that it wouldn't be beneficial.”

“Uh, well... It's a mix of emotions.” Ike admitted.

“Your strategy does hold potential for victory. If the other three classes fail to cooperate, our chances would improve. Even if they team up against us, there's still a possibility of winning. For classes with lower abilities, relying on this strategy isn't a bad idea. However, I believe our class possesses the capability to succeed without resorting to such methods.”

That's why we wouldn't adopt Ike's brilliant strategy, Horikita clarified.

“You've imparted something valuable to me as well.”

“Something valuable...?”

“It became apparent that this special exam would pose challenges if the other classes unite against us.”

The alternating offense and defense dynamics in the first and second halves would entail both classes attacking and defending against each other, essentially engaging in a mutual struggle.

However, if the two classes were to collaborate, they could certainly secure 50 points.

With the cooperation of all three classes, achieving a perfect score of 100 points wasn't out of reach.

However, whether the other classes would readily accept this approach remained uncertain.

Collaboration would entail progressing toward the goal at a unified pace.

Ideally, it could lead to a sudden-death scenario in the final round, although orchestrating such an outcome would be challenging.

Considering the current point differentials among the four classes, Ryuen's and Ichinose's classes—the bottom two—would seek to accumulate as many class points as possible.

Naturally, Horikita's class also aimed to ascend slightly higher.

While it wouldn't be overly difficult to isolate Class A as the sole adversary, merely impeding those above them couldn't be deemed an ideal progression.

Ultimately, in this exam, only one class could emerge as the absolute victor.

“You showed courage by speaking up.”

“I See, if that's the case, then, um, good. Hehe.”

Perhaps gratified by Horikita's acknowledgment, Ike nervously scratched the back of his head.

“To Shinohara-san, Hondo-kun, and Miyamoto-kun, as well. Please don't hesitate to share any ideas you may have. Additionally, relay this message to classmates who aren't present here. I assure you, I won't dismiss anyone's input right from the start.”

As Horikita emphasized, it was crucial to express any ideas that came to mind. Perfection wasn't the primary concern, rather, the goal was to foster discussion and engagement.

Absolutely, Ike's idea wasn't without its flaws, but through the constructive feedback from others, he gained a deeper understanding and reluctantly acknowledged their criticisms.

The mere act of engaging in this discussion held profound significance and purpose.

As time passed, the others departed from the karaoke room, their faces adorned with smiles and lively chatter.

“What are your plans after this, Horikita?”

“I'm heading home. While I used to meet Hirata-kun and the others here every day until yesterday, today is a well-deserved day off.”

It was commendable to make time for socializing even on a day of rest.

Horikita appeared somewhat disinterested in her karaoke drink; she had barely touched it.

Well, it couldn't exactly be hailed as top-notch quality.

The convenience of being able to consume large quantities quickly and affordably was undeniably appealing.

“I was surprised to see your interest in Ike-kun's idea. While his strategy was intriguing, given your foresight, wouldn't you have already envisioned something similar?”

Rather than confirming or denying, I proposed a change of scenery to Horikita.

“How about relocating and continuing our conversation?”

“I don't have any immediate plans after this, but it's rather unusual for you to initiate a discussion. Unless, of course, it pertains to any issues with Karuizawa-san, in which case I'd have to politely decline.”

Horikita joked as she rose to settle the bill.

“If that were the case, I'm confident you wouldn't be the ideal mediator, Horikita.”

“Indeed.”

“I'd like to talk into the details of the special exam with you, in private.”

At this, Horikita's eyes widened in surprise.

“You? Interested in discussing the special exam?”

“Is it really that surprising?”

“I do initiate discussions often, but it's not something you typically do, right?”

“It could be.”

I couldn't recall the exact number of conversations initiated by each of us, so I couldn't be certain.

However, it was likely that Horikita had initiated more.

“And I can't always rely on you, so I decided not to unnecessarily seek your assistance this time.”

“I'm not proposing a strategy. I simply want to hear your insights.”

“I see. You want to gauge if I'm prepared for the challenge?”

She displayed a slightly irritated and troubled demeanour, akin to that of a simple-minded child.

“Bothered much?”

“Not at all. If that's your intention, it would be difficult for me to find a reason to refuse. Where do you suggest we go?”

“How about a cafe? I'm craving some good coffee.”

Plum kelp tea wasn't a bad choice either, but my palate needed a hint of bitterness now.

“Would it be overly cautious if I mentioned that I'm concerned about others eavesdropping?”

“No need to worry; it won't be an issue like you fear.”

“Well, as long as you're confident, then there shouldn't be any problem. Shall we leave right away?”

She placed her trust in me without hesitation, and together, we exited the karaoke.

“Eh—?”

While it might be an overstatement to say she was startled, Horikita widened her eyes and emitted a sound.

“What's the matter?”

“It's just... I noticed... you smiled a bit…”

“Huh? And what's wrong with that?”

“It's just that it feels like I haven't seen that expression on your face in the past two years…”

“How rude. I'm not a baby who's just learned to smile.”

Similar remarks had been made before, and there were numerous occasions where I consciously attempted to smile.

It shouldn't be such a rare occurrence.

Well... But…

“You're correct, it might have been a rare moment.”

In that instant, I couldn't recall ever consciously trying to smile.

It was the expression of an involuntary emotion. How many such instances had I experienced thus far?

Neither an intentional act nor a response to the atmosphere, simply being genuine.

Understanding the difficulty of that, it became intriguing.

It felt as though a splash of color had been added to a blank canvas.

Not in front of Kei, nor in the presence of a friend like Yosuke.

I couldn't explain why that expression emerged in front of Horikita.

“I wonder why I smiled. Would you happen to know if you were the one who smiled?”

I had hoped for a clear answer from Horikita.

I inquired if it was due to a humorous moment, meeting her gaze directly.

However, Horikita avoided eye contact and hastily responded.

“I... I wouldn't have a clue even if you asked me with such a serious expression.”

“So, it wasn't because something particularly amusing occurred, right?”

“...As I mentioned, I wouldn't be able to tell you even if you asked.”

Horikita, now looking away, raised her voice slightly and sighed.

“Because of your peculiar way of thinking, I feel foolish for laughing as well…”

She quickly finished her coffee and rose from her seat.

“Are we finished with our conversation? I have some plans, so I should get going.”

“Didn't you mention you didn't have any plans?”

“I just remembered I do have plans.”

With that, she picked up her empty cup.

“I'll contemplate it on my own. About the upcoming special exam and everything else.”

“That's fine.”

She was about to leave but paused as if recalling something.

“Oh, right, my apologies. There's something I need to discuss with you.”

“Is it regarding the categories to exclude in the special exam?”

“That's correct.”

“What about our other classmates?”

“I've gathered input from everyone except you. We really need to make a decision soon.”

While I had been taking it easy, it seemed that Horikita had already finalized the arrangements with the others.

“Well, you probably won't need to exclude anything, but what are your thoughts?”

“Entertainment, music, and subculture.”

“Those categories aren't related to studying. Same choices as mine.”

“There were other categories I was uncertain about, but I opted to exclude those where I lack proficiency.”

News, lifestyle, and food.

I likely didn't have much knowledge in those areas.

However, the three categories I excluded were considered more challenging.

“Alright, I'll note those down for you.”

“Thank you.”

Unexpectedly, this appeared to be an opportunity for self-reflection.

We didn't exchange many words on our way, and before long, we reached the designated cafe.

Since it was a weekday, the cafe was relatively empty, allowing us to choose our seats freely.

After inquiring about Horikita's drink preference, I gestured towards a seat by the window and let her sit first.

I silently queued behind two individuals already waiting at the counter.

Horikita, settled in her seat, glanced at me with a hint of restlessness.

She was likely uncertain about the topic of our impending conversation.

How to broach the subject—strategy, thought process, priorities, and secondary considerations.

I wasn't keen on delving into the details, instead, I preferred to entrust these matters to Horikita, the leader.

So, why did I arrange this private moment with Horikita?

It was to impart new strength to her, a responsibility I had decided to bestow upon her as the special exam drew nearer.

Now was the perfect moment, as her mind continued to grow and mature.

With a deep understanding of herself, the class, and having formed a friendship, she was ready for the next phase.

When my turn arrived, I ordered two blended coffees and waited by the counter for them to be prepared.

After approximately two minutes, as the extraction seemed to be complete, two cups of coffee were brought over.

I grabbed the handles and made my way back to where Horikita was patiently waiting.

“Thank you. About the money—”

“Don't worry about it. You covered the karaoke, and you treated me to lunch the other day.”

“In that case, I'll gladly accept your offer.”

We both slowly enjoyed the hot, flavorful coffee.

As I observed Horikita exhale, I noticed the fatigue etched on her face.

It seemed she was constantly engaged in mental activity, whether it was a weekday or a holiday.

“...Is there something on my face?”

She seemed displeased with my prolonged gaze and shot me a glare.

“No, I was just reflecting. Your hair has grown quite long, hasn't it?”

Even as a diversion, it proved effective, particularly if the person was concerned about their appearance.

Horikita ran her fingers through her hair and let her gaze wander.

“It's been almost a year since I last cut it short. Time flies, doesn't it?”

“You were in tears at the time.”

“What if there was a tragic accident here, and I accidentally spilled hot coffee on your shirt?”

“I'd definitely get burned, and it would definitely be intentional, not an accident.”

“You'd dodge it if I tried to splash the coffee on you, right?”

Horikita had witnessed a similar incident at karaoke with Ryuen when I narrowly avoided being splashed with orange juice by surprise.

If she wanted to ensure a direct hit, grabbing me would be the right move, but spilling coffee would result in far worse damage than orange juice.

“Why are you trying to move? I wouldn't cause such trouble for the cafe.”

“Please prioritize avoiding major burns to your classmate instead.”

“You're really... peculiar, aren't you?”

“Which part of this conversation makes me the peculiar one? You're the one who's peculiar.”

In truth, I often found myself at the mercy of Horikita's peculiar behaviour.

“I'm not peculiar. I just... sometimes my seriousness is misplaced.”

Depending on how you looked at it, one could argue she in fact was peculiar, but I would never say it out loud.

“So? This isn't what you wanted to discuss, right? We were supposed to talk about the special exam…”

Indeed, it was time to delve into the main topic.

“There's no need to be overly cautious about our surroundings right now, but we shouldn't casually reveal the details of our strategy either. What I'm interested in is slightly different. I want to understand your mindset going into this special exam.”

“Um, I'm sorry, I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'mindset.'”

“I mean your approach to winning the exam. The level of determination you have and the willingness to make tough decisions. Those are things you can share with anyone, like you do with Yosuke and the others every day, and occasionally with the group led by Ike. But what I want to discuss here is something that can only be done between you and me, at least for now. This special exam is fraught with the issue of expulsions. Looking back, you can see it clearly, but I want you to reflect on the changes happening within you now compared to during the unanimous voting exam.”

By referencing specific instances from the past, Horikita grasped the essence of what I meant by 'mindset.'

“It seems like you're not mistaken when you say this is a conversation only we can have…”

The act of revealing one's innermost thoughts.

While relying on companions was crucial, it wasn't easy for the leader to show vulnerability.

“Should I assume that you'll correct me if you think my mindset is off?”

“Whether I can provide appropriate advice or not is another matter, but I do intend to share my personal perspective.”

Upon hearing this, Horikita straightened her posture and met my gaze.

I anticipated her to start speaking, but she instead narrowed her eyes and placed a hand over her mouth.

“That's suspicious.”

She blurted out, appearing flustered as if she hadn't meant to vocalize her thoughts.

“I'm sorry. That was rather straightforward of me, wasn't it?”

“Am I really that suspicious?”

“Well, you being concerned about me is, um, sort of unsettling, don't you think?”

“I understand your perspective, but 'unsettling' might be a bit too extreme.”

“Yeah, you're right. Um, let me gather my thoughts.”

With that, she composed herself once more.

“I want to ask you directly. Have you decided what to do if we end up in last place in this special exam?”

She didn't want to expel anyone.

But she knew she'd have to make that choice.

While the circumstances were different, it mirrored the decision she had to make during the unanimous voting exam.

“Answering that question right away is quite a challenge, isn't it?”

“Absolutely.”

“Since that day, I've been wrestling with it constantly. There are moments when I feel a pang of guilt and regret, despite firmly believing I made the right decision. It's a rather sobering thought.”

She admitted, her gaze drifting downwards.

“I can't predict the future with certainty. Every member of the class is gradually evolving, day by day. Even if we were to rank them based on their abilities, those rankings would likely fluctuate.”

I couldn't argue with her on that point.

Some days, Ike would be at the bottom, while on other days, it might be Hondo.

Given our collective efforts to avoid being at the bottom, it's only natural that we can't decide who to expel in the future.

“But the upcoming special exam presents a different challenge. I'm approaching it with two options in mind in case we find ourselves at the bottom. One option is less painful, while the other is more bitter. However, given the various obstacles, there's no guarantee that the less painful option can be realized…”

Her contemplation on the matter was evident.

“If we end up in last place, we can't simply avoid choosing someone to expel. There's no fairy tale ending where we lose without anyone bearing the consequences. With the limited Private Points we have, the reality is that we're faced with two choices.”

The latter, more bitter choice would involve reluctantly expelling someone.

As a leader, it's her responsibility to make that decision, even if it's one she'd rather avoid.

“Regardless of the outcome, I've established my own criteria to make a decision without hesitation.”

There was no need for pretense in this scenario.

If she were bluffing, it would reveal much about her character.

Observing Horikita's sincere and straightforward gaze, it was evident that she was prepared to make a decision, regardless of the choice she faced.

“I see. It appears you won't be at a loss if we end up in last place.”

“Perhaps I shouldn't entertain the thought of losing from the start, but given the risk of expulsion, I can't help but contemplate the decision in advance. It may seem shameful, and you might laugh at it…”

“What's there to laugh about?”

“True... but... typically, you don't anticipate losing from the outset…”

“If your ultimate goal is victory, regardless of whether you finish first or last, there's no fault in it. You've considered the implications of finishing last because you care about the class. That's all there is to it.”

“...Thank you…”

There was no need for gratitude, yet she found herself in a position to heed my counsel.

Perhaps that was why Horikita remained direct.

“I'm relieved my concerns were unfounded. If something goes awry, I trust I can rely on you.”

“You assisted me during the unanimous voting exam. Ah, is that all you wanted to discuss?”

Unfortunately, the answer was no.

“No, we're just scratching the surface of the main topic.”

“Is that so... Then, what is it? If it's not about devising a winning strategy, are you inquiring about the aftermath of winning? No, that can't be…”

“Winning this exam entails defeating other classes. And with victory comes the creation of a class at the bottom. There's a high likelihood that someone will face expulsion.”

“I suppose so.”

“But the identity of that 'someone' isn't for you to determine. It's self-evident, but you grasp what I'm implying, correct?”

“Of course, each class leader will contemplate and decide.”

“You learned how to cope with a dismissal from your own class following your past failure. But if I hadn’t intervened, we wouldn’t know the current state of the class.”

“As humiliating as it sounds, that's the reality. It wouldn't be surprising if the class had disintegrated.”

“Learning from mistakes is crucial, but continual failure isn't sustainable. There's no safety net guaranteed. Ultimately, consistently making the right decisions from the outset and steadily progressing is a true testament to one's abilities.”

With a slightly cooled cup in hand, Horikita quietly savoured her coffee.

“I couldn't agree more.”

“Let's delve into specifics. There will inevitably come a time when we directly confront another class. In that scenario, your class will have three potential outcomes. One where we emerge victorious, another where we suffer defeat, and a third where neither victory nor defeat is achieved, but rather a draw. Which future do you prefer?”

“There's no doubt about it. I want my class to emerge victorious; there's no alternative.”

“Then, let's introduce a new condition to this future. Your class emerges victorious, but as a consequence, the defeated class faces expulsion. How would you decide in this scenario?”

“I'm sorry, but we prioritize our victory. That's the correct decision, isn't it?”

“So you would still prioritize your class's victory.”

With my probing questions, Horikita's lips tightened slightly.

“Is it wrong to prioritize winning, much like in this special exam?”

“No one implied it was an error. Let's introduce one final condition. The specific class in question is Ryuen's class, and the individual expelled is Ibuki Mio. In this scenario, which of the three futures would you opt for?”

Caught off guard by this unexpected scenario, Horikita momentarily froze after offering a series of instinctive responses.

“...Ibuki-san?”

“What's the issue? Which of the three options do you select? Victory, defeat, or a draw?”

“Wait a moment. Ibuki-san has a close relationship with Ryuen-kun. It's hard to imagine she would be the primary candidate for expulsion. Is this hypothesis even plausible?”

“Plausible? Your choice of words is curious. A hypothesis remains just that—a hypothesis.”

“But—”

“Ibuki's position and safety aren't assured. Given her OAA assessment, she's deemed expendable. Considering Ryuen's disposition, such a scenario is conceivable. Moreover, there's no certainty that Ryuen can designate the individual to be expelled. Unforeseeable mishaps could occur.”

Presented with this assertive explanation, Horikita reluctantly spoke up.

“...For the sake of our class's victory, it's only natural to prioritize winning, even if it means Ibuki-san is the one to be expelled.”

“You're hesitating to respond immediately. It's evident you're reluctant to entertain a scenario where you're forced to choose.”

“What exactly are you implying?”

“I may not know your interpersonal dynamics, but it's evident that among the students from other classes, Ibuki holds a closer connection to you than most. And it's not solely about the degree of 'closeness' or 'distance.'”

“If you're also considering relationships characterized by 'not close,' then yes, I won't refute that.”

Maintaining eye contact, she endeavoured to convey an attitude of indifference.

Despite claiming not to refute it, the reality was, she couldn't.

Even if the individual involved remained oblivious, it was a reflexive response stemming from primal instincts.

Refusal to acknowledge it served as evidence that she recognized the inconvenience of doing so.

While visual cues might facilitate deception, auditory information demanded a higher level of finesse.

The more one attempted to control their behaviour, the more susceptible they became to verbal slips.

“But in this special exam, the rule is different on how a student can be expelled. Thus, for the first time, a student we hadn't anticipated might face expulsion.”

“You're suggesting that even Ibuki-san isn't exempt from this.”

“If Ryuen were to designate Ibuki as a potential candidate for expulsion, and it became evident that he was likely intending to expel her if she were eliminated, would you still be willing to take a course of action that results in Ibuki's expulsion in order to secure victory?”

Until now, Horikita had vehemently pursued victory, despite her inner turmoil.

However, her once unwavering resolve had been shattered for the first time.

The mere thought of indirectly causing Ibuki's departure by her own hand...

If this were a year prior, Horikita might have executed such a decision without much hesitation.

However, circumstances had changed.

She had grown acquainted with Ibuki, delving deep into her character and identity.

Despite their adversarial positions, Ibuki had undeniably transitioned into a friend.

“Why... pose such a question?”

She countered, deflecting the query with a forceful return.

“In this special exam, it presents an opportunity to eliminate students deemed undesirable, but it also serves as the battleground for the expulsion of those perceived as expendable. When you recognize the potential strategic advantage gained by targeting Ibuki, are you capable of leading decisively as a leader? That's what I aim to ascertain. I believed initiating this discussion now would prove beneficial.”

Attempting to address it on the day of the exam, amidst the pressure and time constraints, would undoubtedly prove challenging.

“So, you’re suggesting... I should mentally prepare for the possibility of losing someone like Ibuki-san, or someone in a similar situation?”

“No, my intent is to emphasize awareness. Your focus primarily lies on your own class, leaving you with a limited understanding of the other classes. Your considerations may have been cursory, thinking, ‘I wish to eliminate this individual, but I don't want that other person to face expulsion.’ Have you approached this special exam with a clear comprehension of what lies ahead?”

“Well... no, I haven’t. My focus has been primarily on minimizing potential losses in case of defeat, identifying potential candidates for expulsion from our own side in an emergency, and strategizing for the class’s victory.”

Admitted Horikita, conceding the point with a sense of resignation.

She likely hadn’t given thorough consideration to whom she might have to face off against.

Even if she had contemplated it, the prospect of targeting someone directly would pose challenges.

As the leader, her inclination would naturally be to retain the most capable students, given the likelihood of multiple eliminations.

Consequently, she hadn’t dwelled on the matter further.

“If you stop at that point, you’ll struggle to adapt to changing circumstances,” I remarked.

“So, what should I do to address this issue?” she inquired.

“As I mentioned, simply being aware of it is crucial. Everyone has their own approach to battle. Ryuen adopts a ruthless stance toward his enemies, targeting their most skilled individuals. Sakayanagi tends to focus on individuals she dislikes, irrespective of their strength or weakness. Totsuka serves as a prime example. Conversely, Ichinose doesn’t prioritize expulsion of the opposing party. Each person possesses distinct tendencies, strengths, and weaknesses.”

“But I’m uncertain about which approach suits me best…”

“That’s precisely what this battle is intended to reveal. Whether your strategy leans toward defeating the enemy or safeguarding your own interests, being cognizant of both aspects will guide your path. Don’t engage in battle aimlessly. Stay mindful. By doing so, you’ll perceive significant shifts in the world around you.”

As Horikita closed her eyes, murmuring softly to herself, I observed her silently, awaiting signs of comprehension.

“To be frank, I’m not sure I can sustain that level of awareness at present.”

“I understand.”

“But I’ll keep reminding myself of it until the special exam arrives. And if that doesn’t suffice, I’ll continue doing so even afterward. I’m uncertain how far I can go... I’m sorry. I feel inadequate...”

“There’s nothing amiss. You’re already beginning to be aware. I’ve initiated that awareness.”

It was merely a matter of time for it to become fully realized—whether that happened today, tomorrow, or a bit later.

My analysis of Horikita Suzune, the individual, was nearly complete.

She was a person with above-average competence, capable of earning recognition in society.

With qualifications to lead a fulfilling life on the lengthy journey ahead.

However, she might not achieve extraordinary feats or leave behind a legacy for future generations.

Her talents were not exceptional enough to surpass the numerous abilities of others.

Yet, this was not the broader society; it was a school—a realm where young, inexperienced individuals are gathered.

In this miniature, nurturing environment, she possessed the potential to exhibit unimaginable abilities.

This newfound perspective, instilled by Horikita Manabu, enabled me to recognize her latent brilliance.

Without his guidance, I might have overlooked her shining potential.

“That’s all I wanted to say.”

Horikita gazed directly into my eyes, her stare unwavering.

“What exactly are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“That's precisely what I mean. I find you quite puzzling…”

“Do you feel the need to understand?”

“Well, as the appointed leader, it wouldn't hurt to familiarize myself with my classmates. Even for upcoming special exams, having insight could be advantageous.”

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of individuals in specific challenges could indeed prove beneficial.

“So, do you comprehend Koenji?”

“I wouldn't say I fully understand him, but I believe I have a sense of him. Am I mistaken?”

“...You're spot on.”

I mentioned Koenji to shift the focus away from myself, yet it was straightforward to discern his character.

“You initially showed little interest in reaching Class A, and you were generally reserved and aloof. But then, you began dating Karuizawa-san, and you started contributing to the class, knowing it would draw attention. Your actions lack consistency.”

“Perhaps you could view it as personal growth? A once timid middle schooler embarks on his high school journey, gradually gaining confidence. Eventually, he sets his sights on Class A and becomes enthusiastic, leading to his current state—something like that.”

“I don't see it that way. You defy conventional categorization. I'm convinced of that. There's always a deeper motive behind your actions. Because…”

As soon as she uttered 'because,' Horikita faltered, unable to continue.

“...How does one develop such a personality, I wonder. What were you like as a child?”

“Changing the subject, huh? Even if you ask about my childhood, I'm still young, as you can see.”

“That's not what I'm asking. I mean when you were much younger. Which elementary school did you attend?”

“You wouldn't recognize it even if I told you.”

“That's not necessarily true, is it? I might unexpectedly be familiar with the area.”

“I've already touched on something similar before. I'm not inclined to revisit it.”

“...Is that so? Apologies, but I don't remember. Could you please tell me again?”

Despite my attempts to avoid it, Horikita persisted with her questioning.

“It's not something I'm comfortable sharing. There are certain aspects I prefer to keep private.”

I made it clear that I was uncomfortable with further inquiries, and Horikita seemed to reluctantly understand.

With a lot of information to process, Horikita's mind appeared notably fatigued.

“You should take a break to relax.”

I suggested to Horikita, who seemed indecisive about her next move.

“Yes, you're right…”

Before we could leave, we needed to finish our drinks.

I also picked up my barely touched cup of coffee, and we both drank almost simultaneously.

The liquid that touched my tongue was lukewarm.

“It's gotten cold.”

“It’s gotten cold, hasn't it?”

“Don't copy me.”

“Please don’t copy me.”

It was a trivial exchange, yet the sense of being in sync was oddly amusing.

Chapter 5

Game Turner

Part 1

Part 2

On Thursday morning, the day preceding the special exam, we were granted an unexpected day off.

Usually, falling asleep posed no challenge, but I, Hashimoto, experienced an unusually restless night.

“Lack of sleep really takes its toll... So sleepy…”

Struggling to lift myself up, I noticed a message from Kito on my phone.

[It appears the princess has finally settled on a strategy.]

Even on the eve of the exam, it seemed they were finally convening the class leaders for a discussion.

However, I doubted they would divulge detailed information about the strategy.

Sakayanagi always operated independently, sharing only essential information with the students she utilized as her pawns.

“Tsk…”

In addition to Kito's message, I found dozens of messages from the girl I was currently dating.

I recalled exchanging messages with her until late into the night, but eventually gave up due to the conversation’s nature.

[Where should we go next?]

[I'm craving this and that.]

[What are your likes and dislikes?]

[I miss you and feel lonely.]

It all seemed so trivial.

[Apologies, I fell asleep. I'll make it up to you next time.]

With a cute emoticon, I sent back the somewhat indifferent response, assuming it would suffice to satisfy her.

If she persisted, I could simply end things with her, but there were still some details I needed to gather.

Regardless of the class or the triviality of the information, there was never too much to know.

Let's set aside thoughts of that woman for now and focus on the matter concerning Sakayanagi.

It was directly linked to the reason I struggled to sleep last night—the question of how we should approach the special exam.

And even before that, we needed to consider our preparations.

With the year-end exams looming closer, my anxiety escalated day by day.

The prospect of potentially losing to Ryuen in a direct clash with significant class points at stake haunted me.

This was a scenario I absolutely had to avoid.

I must do everything within my power to prevent it, mustn't I?

Sakayanagi seemed indifferent to the set time and place, whether it was a karaoke box, a secluded dorm room, the special wing, or even behind the gym—there were secret meeting spots everywhere.

It seemed she didn't mind, as she wasn't one to divulge secrets.

As was our routine, we headed to the bustling cafe in Keyaki Mall today.

Sakayanagi appeared to be enjoying her leisure time, selecting a popular seat with Kamuro and Kito trailing behind her.

“My apologies, Hime-san. I'm a bit late.”

I said as I took a seat, continuing to address Sakayanagi as 'Hime-san.'

“You seem quite close to her, don't you?”

“Ah, where did you see that?”

Until last year, I only needed to be wary of Class A students, but as we entered our second year, I had to also be cautious of the underclassmen and others.

Did I overlook something?

No, if there were any first-year students in the second-year hall, I should have noticed.

That meant—had she secretly placed a pawn within the class beforehand?

Most of the time, it was Kamuro, Kito, or myself, but occasionally Sakayanagi would discreetly contact someone on her phone for information.

I had inquired about it before, but she never directly disclosed who they were.

It was possible they were keeping an eye on us.

I decided it wasn't urgent to determine if it was a student within the class, but if this wasn't mere coincidence and they were deliberately monitoring me, that would change things.

“I'm quite shy when it comes to matters of the heart, so let's keep this between us, alright?”

“Hehe, I promise not to breathe a word of it to anyone.”

“So, what's on the agenda for today?”

“You already know without asking, Masumi-chan.”

“Hey. Don't call me by my first name.”

“My apologies, my apologies. It's just a habit.”

“What kind of habit is that? You hardly ever use my first name.”

“In my heart, it's always Masumi-chan.”

“Gross.”

Kamuro vehemently rejected the 'Masumi-chan' nickname, clearly disgusted by it.

I understood.

If I were in her shoes, I'd likely find it creepy too.

However, when playing the fool, such nicknames helped to make an impact.

“So, shall we begin, Hime-san? We're discussing the special exam, right?”

“Special exam? Oh, you're mistaken, Hashimoto-kun. Today is just a simple tea party.”

Sakayanagi denied my assumption with a laugh.

I exaggerated my reaction accordingly, almost toppling from my chair.

“If that's the case, there'd be no need to gather the executive members here, Princess.”

“It's for appearances.”

“If the other classes catch wind that Class A is holding a strategy meeting, they'll inevitably share information and heighten their sense of competition. They'll stop at nothing to emerge victorious.”

“What's the point of all this? I don't understand. Can you clarify?”

I inquired, exasperated by the lack of direction.

“Is there any benefit to it?”

“There is. It makes the other three classes more focused, doesn't it?”

“...So, it's advantageous?”

It seemed more like a disadvantage than a benefit.

I'd prefer if they grew complacent, so why were we needlessly raising their tension?

“I want to relish the challenge. Lately, we've been engaging in recreational activities like cultural festivals and school trips.”

Sakayanagi explained. Even if it lowered our chances of victory or brought disadvantages, she prioritized her own amusement.

That had been Sakayanagi's modus operandi as class leader all along.

The class tolerated it because the results were evident.

We steadily accumulated class points.

In other words, if that were no longer the case, Sakayanagi's value would plummet instantly.

I wondered if anyone else foresaw such an uncertain future.

After the so-called 'casual tea party' concluded, I made my way to a restroom near the east entrance.

I wasn't there for its intended purpose, nor for a meeting.

It was just an ingrained habit.

Entering the last stall, I locked the door and sat on the toilet seat without pulling down my pants.

The stalls in Keyaki Mall were always impeccably clean, devoid of any unpleasant odours.

Even if there was a hint of dirtiness or an unusual scent, it wouldn't bother me much.

The music blaring inside the mall was a tad overwhelming, but I leaned forward, resting my arms on my knees, and closed my eyes.

This was the spot; the sanctuary to soothe my mind. It was a place to reconnect with my roots.

In a school where escape routes were limited, it was a precious refuge.

“Even here at ANHS, I find myself visiting the restroom out of habit. Breaking habits is truly challenging.”

For the next 30 minutes or so, I remained there without checking my phone even once.

“Should I head home?”

When I noticed the sink was vacant, I stood up, flushed the toilet, washed my hands, dried them, and exited the bathroom.

“Looks like the long break is over.”

I muttered to myself.

“You startled me. How long have you been here?”

Ryuen, who had been leaning against the wall near the entrance, his phone in hand, chuckled softly.

“I was just curious about what you were up to.” he said.

“Give me a break. Tomorrow is the special exam, right? If I were seen with you here, it would raise suspicion. Couldn't you have visited my room or found another way?”

“If you're innocent, then act with confidence.”

“You're asking too much. Keep it brief.”

It was acceptable for me to initiate contact with him, but Ryuen unexpectedly reaching out to me was irritating.

Especially since with Ryuen, one could never predict where or what he might say.

However, to grasp the inner workings of the opposing classes, discussions with him were unavoidable.

It was a turbulent sea, but as long as I could navigate it, I could ride the waves.

“This was just an accident... I lost my footing, and you happened to catch me, right?”

“Yeah. There's no evidence to suggest otherwise.”

I replied, sensing her smile even if I couldn't see it.

“I love you, Ayanokoji-kun. I'm hopelessly in love with you... It's strange—I've never experienced love before, but I have a strong suspicion that this might be my first and last love.”

She confessed, revealing a side of herself that was previously unimaginable.

Despite her evolving strategies and newfound assertiveness, one thing remained unchanged—Ichinose's unwavering generosity.

It was a quality that continued to captivate others, regardless of gender.

I had orchestrated various elements, including Kanzaki and Himeno, to stir up some commotion, but the unfolding events presented more avenues for development than I had anticipated.

Surprisingly, this wasn't a setback but rather an opportunity.

It allowed me to approach the improvement of their class from multiple angles.

Initially, there was only a single straight line of action with a high risk of failure.

To increase the chances of the class's survival, I charted a new course.

However, Ichinose introduced complexity to this high-risk path.

Now, it was challenging to assess whether this modified trajectory, essentially a new line, would lead to success or failure.

As I pondered, a captivating scent emanated from Ichinose's hair—a fragrance that defied description, distinct from typical hair products.

“If we weren't in different classes, we could have spent more time together.”

But our moment was abruptly interrupted as my room door swung open without warning.

“Sorry, Ayanokoji, could you give me some personal advice?”

Watanabe, from Class B, barged in, catching us off guard.

Ichinose must have anticipated such a situation, remaining vigilant for unexpected visitors.

However, even she didn't expect someone to enter without so much as a knock.

My body tensed at the unexpected intrusion, and Ichinose, caught in the clingy situation, looked back in surprise.

“What—!?”

Watanabe himself seemed taken aback, his gasp louder than anyone else's. Seconds stretched into what felt like ages.

The warmth from Ichinose's close proximity dissipated with the sudden interruption, making it impossible to dismiss the physical contact as mere coincidence.

The excuse of nearly falling wouldn't hold water.

While Watanabe struggled to grasp the situation initially, his confusion wouldn't last forever.

Both Ichinose and I understood the gravity of the situation.

Watanabe's response would dictate our next course of action.

With the situation out of my control, I had no choice but to entrust the outcome to the two of them.

“Um, sorry, I didn't knock... so, um, I'll be going.”

Watanabe stammered, faced with the awkwardness of the situation, opting to make a swift exit.

As Watanabe attempted to close the door, Ichinose acted swiftly, preventing it from shutting completely by placing her hand on it.

“Watanabe-kun.”

She called out, causing him to straighten up in response.

“Yes?”

Watanabe replied, slightly startled by her formal address.

“Can you come in?”

Ichinose requested, her tone gentle but firm.

“But I'm intruding, and my business isn't anything major!”

“Please, can you come in?”

“Y-yes.”

I couldn't see Ichinose's expression as she faced Watanabe, but I imagined it was her usual smile that she displayed to everyone when she turned around. There was no indication of her being flustered or upset. Despite undoubtedly being caught off guard by Watanabe's unexpected intrusion, she quickly composed herself and determined the next course of action.

She guided Watanabe into the entrance area and, after obtaining my approval, locked the door.

Unable to lock the door previously, Ichinose resolved the issue with Watanabe inside, bringing a sense of relief to the situation.

Her ability to handle the emergency calmly, contrary to the typical response of losing one's composure, was truly commendable.

“Come in.”

I invited, acknowledging the cramped space in the entrance area with all three of us present.

Deciding to provide more room, I gestured for Ichinose and Watanabe to enter the main room.

Watanabe's tense expression betrayed his emotions, though neither party appeared to be in a state of panic.

It was only natural for him to feel apprehensive in contrast to our composed demeanour.

The room fell unusually quiet, accentuated by the absence of the television's background noise.

Watanabe, who had taken a seat on his own accord, seemed subdued.

“Regarding what happened earlier, it was my doing alone. Ayanokoji-kun bears no responsibility.”

Ichinose clarified, addressing Watanabe with a calm yet assertive tone.

“Y-yes, of course.”

“Although, I must say, your use of formal language is a bit off-putting.”

"S-sorry..."

Watanabe apologized, visibly uncomfortable.

“I acted independently when I hugged him. Given that you witnessed the situation, I trust you understand.”

Ichinose continued, her reasoning met with repeated nods of acknowledgment from Watanabe.

“I realize my actions were inappropriate. While you're under no obligation to keep this a secret, I believe you're not one to act with malice. I trust you won't spread this story to harm others.”

Ichinose appealed to Watanabe's sense of guilt, attempting to contain him through his remorse rather than through threats.

“I'm truly sorry, Ayanokoji-kun. I acted impulsively.”

“It's alright.”

“I'm concerned about Karuizawa-san's reaction if she were to find out... She'd be deeply upset. I'm prepared to face any consequences.”

Ichinose expressed her readiness to accept responsibility for her actions, acknowledging the potential repercussions.

Ichinose had effectively quelled 99% of Watanabe's impulses, leaving only a sliver to address.

Her words and psychological insight were impeccable, but the extent of her sincerity versus calculated strategy remained ambiguous.

After a brief period of silence, I felt compelled to break the tension that hung in the air.

“Anyway, you two should head home for today.”

I suggested, prompting them to leave.

Ichinose seemed to have been awaiting these words, as she promptly acknowledged them.

Surprisingly, however, Watanabe remained seated, showing no intention of getting up.

While he appeared panicked earlier, he now exuded a sense of calmness.

I couldn't help but wonder what was going through his mind.

“Watanabe?”

I called out his name, prompting him to draw a deep sigh and glance between me and Ichinose.

“I admit my fault. Failing to knock before entering someone's room is a breach of etiquette. I don't believe such an incident guarantees silence... I returned because I needed to discuss something with Ayanokoji. Alongside that, would you mind hearing a story from my junior high days?”

He requested, his tone a mix of apology and eagerness.

I hadn't inquired about Watanabe's return, but I obliged nonetheless.

“I suppose I'll take my leave then.”

Ichinose responded, making a move to exit.

“W-wait. Ichinose, if you're willing... I'd appreciate your input on my story too.”

Watanabe implored, catching Ichinose off guard.

Despite the suddenness of the request, Ichinose, unlikely to refuse, hesitated in stepping out.

Thus, a consultation began.

Watanabe delved into his past, recounting a pivotal moment from his junior high days.

“When I was in my second year of junior high, I had a significant encounter. I quickly befriended a girl after our classes were reshuffled. Our seating arrangement was the first connection. She found me intriguing, and we grew closer over time. We were even placed in the same group during a school trip, and I believed it was fate.”

His love story. It might not have been his first love, but it was clear from his

demeanour that it was a significant one for Watanabe.

“At the time, I even entertained the possibility that she might have harboured feelings for me, given our closeness. However, I was completely unaware... she was actually in a relationship with a guy from the next class. Ignorant of this fact, my affection for her only grew stronger.”

His account hinted at unrequited feelings, a sentiment familiar to many, regardless of gender.

“I would call her every day, engaging in meaningless conversations late into the night.”

He continued, his expression tinged with bitterness.

“But one night, our conversation took a significant turn. She confessed that she liked me. I was overjoyed... Yet, when she asked for my feelings, I couldn't find the words. It took me five minutes to muster the courage to reciprocate.”

He confessed, his laughter tinged with irony and self-deprecation.

“She was involved with someone else before you, correct?”

My initial assumption was that she was seeing both of them simultaneously, but Watanabe refuted that.

He explained that she had been dumped by her previous partner before they began talking.

Although he wasn't sure of the exact timing, it seemed their relationship had soured around the time she started communicating with him.

Essentially, she developed feelings for Watanabe once she was completely single, which seemed like a natural progression without any complications.

At the time, Watanabe wasn't aware of her past relationships, but she fell for him after being disappointed by her previous partner.

Watanabe was thrilled about this, unaware of the context.

Subsequently, they started dating secretly during their middle school years, exchanging messages and occasionally visiting each other's homes, experiencing what seemed like a smooth relationship.

Watanabe admitted they shared a couple of kisses, though it was she who initiated them.

He appeared slightly embarrassed rather than reserved about it.

However, their fate took a turn when they entered their third year and ended up in different classes due to a reshuffle.

In Watanabe's new class was a male friend from elementary school who developed feelings for the girl, which spelled trouble.

‘I’m sorry, we can’t date anymore...’

Ultimately, she tearfully apologized to Watanabe over the phone, explaining they couldn't continue dating.

This came shortly after she had expressed her feelings for him over the phone.

The situation seemed almost comical to Watanabe, the rollercoaster of emotions she put him through.

Following their breakup, she began dating Watanabe's close friend, which was undoubtedly challenging for him.

He found it particularly hurtful when his friend casually mentioned dumping her a few months later.

Since Watanabe and the girl's relationship was kept secret, his friend probably didn't realize the impact of his actions, though it's not impossible that he did it maliciously.

“I’m shy about love... I thought I would never fall for anyone, but then I fell for another girl as soon as I entered this school... Who knows, right?”

Reflecting on his experiences, Watanabe confessed that he was initially hesitant about love but found himself falling for another girl soon after starting school.

Despite his positive and cheerful demeanour, his past was marked by memories that left a lasting impression.

In the end, Watanabe opened up about his past, sharing it as an act of trust.

He made it clear that he wouldn't divulge today's conversation to anyone, offering an exchange of secrets as the best he could do.

It was a vulnerable moment for him, showing a side of himself he didn't often reveal.

“Today's discussion was initially going to revolve around... well, my feelings for a certain girl. Nothing substantial has unfolded, but you know how it is sometimes; you just need to talk things out with friends, right?”

Amikura was the main focus of his attention today.

Was she observing me? Did she find my narrative engaging?

It seemed like he wanted reassurance on those fronts.

“I actually planned on heading back right away, but Ichinose-san forgot her phone, causing a slight delay in my schedule... I never anticipated you'd stay…”

Undoubtedly, it must have been quite chaotic for Watanabe.

Amikura and Himeno had mentioned to Watanabe that Ichinose might harbour feelings for me.

While that aspect didn't come as a surprise, it wasn't the central point of our conversation.

“My unrequited affection. That's all it is, plain and simple. It's common knowledge among Mako-chan and Chihiro-chan that I have feelings for Ayanokoji-kun.”

She confessed openly, almost as if the secret was too burdensome to conceal any longer.

But, as previously mentioned, this detail wasn't exactly covert, it was widely known, so it hardly constituted a revelation.

“I just happened to return for something I'd forgotten, on a whim…”

“I see... On a whim…”

Watanabe seemed to grasp the situation, albeit with a hint of confusion.

Understandable, considering Ichinose stood before him, the weight of her evident love, whether unrequited or not.

“I believe I have a better understanding of you now, Watanabe-kun. You have feelings for Mako-chan, don't you?”

“W-what!? H-how did you...!?”

“It's rather apparent when you consider it. Lately, your focus has been particularly fixated on Mako-chan.”

It wasn't just Ichinose who noticed, anyone present at our gathering today would have observed the intensity of Watanabe's gaze and his unmistakable love for Amikura.

“Mako-chan appears to still hold feelings for her middle school classmate, yet she also desires to explore new romantic prospects. While uncertain about whom Mako-chan's affections will ultimately be directed towards, as her closest friend, I believe I can trust you.”

This proposition from Ichinose was an affectionate gesture.

While Watanabe sought forgiveness through divulging his past secrets, Ichinose was strategizing, offering insights into Amikura's current situation and subtly suggesting she could facilitate a connection between them.

Watanabe was hesitant in matters of love, but his feelings for Amikura were sincere.

It was precisely because of his genuineness that he lacked the courage to make advances.

With Ichinose's assistance, however, he saw her as an invaluable asset, a potent ally.

Their bond of trust had escalated from 100% to 120%, with Ichinose wielding significant influence over Watanabe's emotions.

“R-really? Are you certain?”

“Absolutely. Firstly, you'll need to gradually bridge the gap with Mako-chan.”

“R-right!”

Watanabe responded eagerly.

Although he likely harboured lingering guilt for inadvertently witnessing something he shouldn't have, it was a stain that would gradually fade.

A love triangle.

A forbidden intrigue.

These elements were ultimately someone else's concern, transient and titillating.

Should Watanabe impulsively reveal this matter, Ichinose would become an enemy.

However, if he kept it confidential, she would remain an ally.

Given the clear advantages, it was only natural to desire such an outcome.

Ultimately, whether Ichinose and I endured the trials of a tragic love triangle held little significance as long as Watanabe's own romantic aspirations thrived.

The goal was to manage a potentially precarious situation and steer it towards a favourable outcome.

Ichinose took note of Kanzaki and the others' suspicious behaviour.

Watanabe, previously aligned with Kanzaki's reformist faction, had now fully allied himself with Ichinose.

It was a challenging decision for me.

Originally, I had intended to prompt Kanzaki to instigate a change within the class.

However, it could be argued that Ichinose had already initiated these changes inadvertently.

The outcome of these actions, whether they would result in class unity or chaos, remained uncertain.

Given this uncertainty, perhaps it would be best to adopt a wait-and-see approach until the end of the school year.

Part 3

It was approximately 8 o'clock in the evening.

Seated alone in my room, I, Hashimoto, released a heavy sigh.

“As expected, no communication. She's likely opting to unwind and await the exam.”

I mused to myself.

Given her track record, the likelihood of her emerging victorious without taking any action wasn't insignificant.

I estimated it to be around seventy or eighty percent.

Such odds suggested Sakayanagi would secure first place, or at worst, second.

However, this alone wouldn't suffice.

There was a crucial task at hand to ensure our Class A status remained intact.

I mentally prepared myself and dialled Sakayanagi's number.

It was a battle of wits that awaited, a test of how I would approach the situation.

“It's unusual for you to call at this hour, Hashimoto-kun.”

Sakayanagi's voice floated through the phone, accompanied by the gentle strains of classical music in the background.

“My apologies for the late call, Hime-san.”

“Don't worry. Please share what's on your mind.”

Her composed demeanour hinted at ample time for conversation.

“Today's tea gathering was enjoyable, but there are matters I must address. Based on my inquiries, it appears the potential risk has been mitigated. I wished to reassure you by providing this report.”

It was a subtle probe, laying the groundwork to gauge her reaction. I opted for a deliberate and measured approach.

This was precisely why I had rehearsed this scenario numerous times in my mind upon returning home.

“What risk are you referring to?”

This woman consistently feigned ignorance, even when fully aware of the situation.

While such behaviour might be acceptable when dealing with adversaries, it was disconcerting when directed at allies.

She preferred to keep potentially uncontrollable information at bay, maintaining control over every aspect on her own terms.

“It should be evident, shouldn't it? The possibility of the three classes uniting to launch an attack on Class A. If they were to collaborate, they could manipulate the majority of points, leaving no chance of victory if fairness were maintained.”

“You appear overly concerned about such a minor matter.”

Was it truly a minor matter to confront all three classes as adversaries? I anxiously attempted to ascertain if such a possibility loomed.

“I am concerned. While it may not trouble you, Hime-san, the prospect of alliances poses a significant threat. It enables them to unleash concentrated attacks on Class A.”

“These three classes are fiercely competing to ascend to Class A. Their primary goal is to amass as many class points as possible in the special exam. It would not be simple for them to unite solely to dismantle Class A.”

I comprehended her perspective. Even if Class A were to rank last, it would merely entail a descent from the top. Ichinose and Ryuen's classes would not reap substantial benefits. Conversely, Ayanokoji and Horikita's class stood to lose if they didn’t secure first place.

“However, if a capable individual lurks in the shadows, poised to orchestrate such a scheme, then the situation changes.”

If Ayanokoji embodied the qualities I believed him to possess, he could undoubtedly execute such a plan.

“I cannot wholly dismiss that possibility. But is that the sole reason for your call?”

She seemed to imply that I was wasting her time.

“No, there's more. In fact, this is the crux of the matter. I aim to contribute to the advancement of our class.”

In the interest of the special exam, I relayed all the intelligence I had amassed thus far to Sakayanagi.

This included Koenji's agreement with Horikita, which she intended to uphold.

While I couldn't divulge the specifics, it appeared that Ryuen had established communication with his classmates and was devising some form of strategy.

I also discussed the prioritization of which students from other classes should be targeted for expulsion, among other details, including obscure ones that might seem trivial to the average person.

“So... this encompasses all the information I've gathered regarding Horikita's class.”

My aim was to convey my enthusiasm, demonstrating my dedication to fortifying Class A.

“You've certainly put in considerable effort to gather this information, Hashimoto-kun.”

My efforts seemed to have been acknowledged, and my passion appeared to resonate through the phone line.

“Naturally. With a rival class amassing a remarkable number of Class Points, my objective is to collect every nugget of information and share it with you, Hime-san. Ideally, I would have done so during the tea gathering.”

“You're quite diligent. Are you pursuing a relationship with Maezono-san for information rather than affection?”

So it had come to this.

Sakayanagi may not have physical legs, but she possessed numerous metaphorical eyes.

My open outings with Maezono had been observed on multiple occasions.

Panicking was not an option; I had to handle this situation with composure.

“Well, that's also part of the plan. When did you become aware?”

“I've noticed an increase in your communication with her recently. The audio data concerning the Ayanokoji 'threat discussion' that you shared with Masumi-san, that was prepared by her, correct?”

“Oh dear. Did Masumi-chan disclose that to you?”

My heart pounded with anxiety. Had I not prepared for the worst, I would have been petrified.

Even if I were to ask Kamuro, she would likely respond,

'I was not instructed to keep this from Sakayanagi. However, whether or not I choose to disclose it is my decision.'

“Regardless, I trust you'll find the information beneficial, Hime-san.”

“I appreciate your sincerity. Although I'm uncertain of its utility, I will certainly make use of it.”

“If I heard correctly, it sounds like you're not entirely keen on leveraging this information.”

“I already have a preliminary strategy in place. While I won't rely solely on the information you've gathered, there are aspects of it that I will inevitably incorporate now that I'm aware of it.”

Her demeanour suggested she was less enthusiastic about the information now that it was in her possession.

“Is it unnecessary?”

“Indeed. During the special exam, unexpected developments can add excitement. In a way, you've inadvertently deprived me of some of that excitement.”

She remarked, never failing to amuse me with her unconventional statements.

She treated the classes as if they were her own domain and showed no inclination to fight for Class A privileges.

‘It's merely a pastime. Please refrain from involving me in such matters’

“So, can you assure me of victory this time?”

“I won't be defeated. You'll see for yourself if you observe from the sidelines.”

Given her assurance and track record, I might have been less anxious.

However, I had amassed a wealth of information, and Ayanokoji's presence had necessitated significant adjustments to my plans.

“Fine, you're quite confident... I understand. Forget what I mentioned earlier. I'll simply observe, provided no issues arise.”

At that juncture, pressing further seems futile.

For me, I had expressed all I could during this phone conversation.

“Please do.”

Throughout the call, her voice remained composed, but it seemed she was suppressing her unease.

Sakayanagi detested assistance; she preferred to rely solely on the information she collected and her own intellect.

This explained her annoyance at the unexpected provision of information.

Despite not being the ideal scenario, it felt somewhat refreshing.

“Serves you right.”

While I had taken a few blows, my battle was far from over.

This was where the true challenge began.

Compared to the resolve it took to call Sakayanagi, I wasn't sure how much more I would need, but I was determined to execute my winning strategy.

During our day off, I spent the morning at Keyaki Mall with Kei.

Despite occasionally voicing her concerns about the upcoming special exam, Kei seemed to be able to enjoy the day relatively peacefully.

Engaged in casual conversation, we made our way back to the dorm together.

As we walked, my phone suddenly rang. Glancing at the caller ID, I saw Kanzaki's name. Kei leaned over to see who was calling, but upon recognizing the caller, she lost interest and took out her own phone.

Almost simultaneously, we both came to a halt, and I answered the call.

“What's going on?”

“Where are you right now? I headed straight to your room, but it seems you haven't returned yet.”

“I'm on my way back. Is there something you need?”

“Could you spare some time to talk? Watanabe and I will be there. Is that alright with you?”

It was unusual for someone to visit my room without prior arrangement.

“I'm almost back. Can you inform Watanabe as well?”

“Okay. Can I wait in front of your room?”

I agreed and ended the call. At the same time, Kei put away her phone.

“What's going on with Kanzaki-kun and Watanabe-kun?”

“I'm not sure. It seems they want to have a conversation. They're waiting in front of my room. I apologize, but I think we should call it a day.”

“That's fine. But are you close to those two, Kiyotaka?”

“I was in the same group as Watanabe during the school trip. I've been seeing him quite frequently lately.”

“Oh, so you're making more friends.”

Kei appeared both amazed and slightly pleased, offering a few subtle nods. We boarded the elevator together and got off on the fourth floor.

As the doors slid open, Watanabe and Kanzaki greeted us, their eyes catching ours, with Watanabe extending a wave.

“See you later. Reach out anytime. And take your time.”

Recognizing him as a friend, Kei reciprocated with a smile, conveying her amiable intentions without reservation.

Since our reconciliation, she seemed to have regained her composure.

“Apologies for the sudden visit. Were you two planning to spend time together later?”

Kanzaki cautiously broached the topic as soon as we convened.

“No need to apologize. It's uncommon for both of you to visit at once. Please, come inside.”

I welcomed them, unlocking the door and ushering them in.

Their surprised glances swept over the living room, now adorned with a distinctly feminine and colourful ambiance.

Ensuring my guests felt at ease, I inquired about their beverage preferences before heading to the kitchen.

Shortly after, Kanzaki rose and approached me.

“I was instructed to keep it under wraps initially, as they weren't sure if they could make it, but when I mentioned meeting up with you, they confirmed their availability. I apologize for the sudden addition, but may I invite two more people?”

“Is that so? I'll have to adjust accordingly. Who's joining us?”

“Ichinose and Amikura.”

The increase in numbers didn't pose any particular issue, but I found myself puzzled by the dynamics of this group.

Kanzaki had taken on the role of a reformer, striving to influence both Ichinose and his class.

Conversely, Ichinose seemed adamant about maintaining the status quo, adopting a conservative stance.

Yet, despite being aware of Kanzaki's efforts, Ichinose remained passive.

Was I overanalyzing the situation?

The absence of Himeno and Hamaguchi, who typically supported Kanzaki, added to the intrigue.

“The class strategy for the upcoming special exam is set and Ichinose mentioned wanting to go over some final checks with you. However, it might not be advantageous for you.”

His tone carried a hint of apology, and I sensed his lack of enthusiasm for today's agenda.

“I don't mind. But what brings Watanabe and Amikura here?”

"Watanabe's presence was purely coincidental. I ran into him on the way here.”

“Yeah, just a stroke of luck.”

Had he somehow anticipated Amikura's arrival and decided to tag along?

Or was I overthinking things?

Ultimately, I decided not to dwell on it; the reason behind their visit didn't matter to me at that moment.

I turned on the TV and engaged in casual conversation to while away the time.

About 15 minutes later, the doorbell rang, and as expected, Ichinose and Amikura arrived, bringing snacks from Keyaki Mall as a gift.

After serving drinks to everyone, I prepared to listen to what they had to say.

“You may have already been informed by Kanzaki-kun, but I wanted to discuss tomorrow's special exam with you, Ayanokoji-kun. I apologize for the abrupt request.”

Her words suggested a premeditated decision rather than a spontaneous one.

“I don't particularly mind, but I'm not the designated leader. If you're interested in our class's internal affairs or strategies, it's best to directly negotiate with Horikita.”

“That's fine. Actually, I'd like you to hear our perspective first.”

“Wait a moment. Before you proceed with Ayanokoji, there's something I'd like to address.”

Kanzaki interjected, seizing the initiative to voice his concerns.

“What is it?”

“If you're considering collaboration or any similar arrangement, I'll firmly oppose it.”

His lack of concern about the potential cooperation between our classes made it evident what he meant by 'collaborate.'

“You're worried about the possibility of me equalizing the scores across all four classes, aren't you?”

“To put it bluntly, yes, that's precisely it.”

“Why didn't you bring up this issue during the class meeting?”

“Even if I voiced my opposition to collusion, if you, Ichinose, approved of it, the majority of the class would likely agree. I wanted to prevent that scenario. If discussions were happening behind my back, I wouldn't have any say. However, if the discussion occurred in front of me, I could voice my objections.”

Kanzaki explained, shedding light on his strategic approach.

This explained why he had avoided the topic until now, choosing not to raise it in a more private setting.

He had his reasons for keeping it under wraps.

If I were assisting with the class's reform, I would align myself with those opposing collusion, provided I were present.

Surely, that was part of his calculation.

“Isn't the special exam tomorrow? Isn't it a bit late to propose collaboration between the four classes now?”

Amikura, seated beside Ichinose, remarked, seemingly anticipating such skepticism.

From a logical standpoint, it seemed indeed too late to make such a move.

“Typically, yes. But knowing Ichinose, she might still be considering it until the last minute to avoid risking anyone's expulsion. She could change her stance at the eleventh hour to safeguard her classmates.”

“If all four classes could coordinate and ensure a clear victory, her suggestion might hold merit. Even if it means losing class points, if all classes face the same outcome, it wouldn't be unfair. As Kanzaki-kun mentioned, there might still be a chance to make this plan work.”

“However... If we miss the opportunity to advance—”

Kanzaki, preemptively concerned about such a possibility, began to argue, but Ichinose gently intervened.

“Don't worry. I didn't come here to persuade Ayanokoji-kun to agree to this. If that were my intention, it would be appropriate to discuss it directly with Horikita-san.”

Ichinose reassured him, alleviating his concerns.

However, Kanzaki seemed restless nonetheless.

Even without explicit collusion, cooperating to avoid expulsion felt familiar.

If Ichinose remained dedicated to protecting her classmates at her own expense, it could diminish their chances of success.

To conceal his anxiety, Kanzaki feigned a relieved expression rather clumsily.

“That's a relief. I apologize for the abrupt interruption. I tend to struggle with conversations and often end up causing trouble.”

I reassured him that there was no need to worry.

“Kanzaki-kun, you've become quite close to Ayanokoji-kun, haven't you?”

“Really?”

Kanzaki responded, somewhat surprised.

“Indeed. Your former self would have hesitated to discuss the class's internal affairs so openly. If it were Hirata-kun or Kaneda-kun here, your reaction would have been different.”

Ichinose observed, prompting a puzzled look from Kanzaki, although it was futile.

Around the time Kanzaki and Himeno began making moves together, Ichinose likely sensed a shift.

“Let's not focus on that. Let's continue our conversation.”

She suggested, smiling at me before elaborating on her reason for approaching me before Horikita.

Bracing myself for potentially weighty revelations, I found her intentions were rather simple.

She merely wanted to secure victory with her classmates and avoid defeat—a close-knit ambition.

Bringing along her close aide, Kanzaki, seemed unnecessary for such a goal.

Even Kanzaki, who had been listening with a serious expression, relaxed his guard.

The conversation then drifted into casual chit-chat, enlivened by Watanabe's presence, turning the reunion into a comfortable gathering of friends.

As the clock approached six, and daylight dimmed outside, Kanzaki suggested concluding the gathering.

Ichinose, Amikura, and Kanzaki left first, followed by Watanabe.

“I wasn't sure how today would turn out, but it ended up being quite enjoyable.”

This sentiment was likely due to Watanabe being able to converse freely with Amikura.

When I subtly signalled him with my eyes, Watanabe responded with a wide smile.

As the departing guests closed the front door behind them, silence settled in.

The TV, previously unobtrusive, suddenly felt too loud, prompting me to switch it off.

Just as I was about to tidy up the remaining cups on the table, the doorbell rang with a distinct "ping-pong" sound.

Since I hadn't informed Kei about any visitors, I wondered who it could be.

Curious, I opened the door to find Ichinose standing there, alone for some reason.

“Apologies, Ayanokoji-kun. It seems I left my phone behind.”

Initially suspicious, the reason for her return quickly became apparent—it appeared she had simply forgotten her phone.

“Your phone? Where did you leave it? I'll retrieve it for you.”

“I believe it's under the table. I'm really sorry about this.”

She replied apologetically.

Forgetting one's phone wasn't an uncommon occurrence.

Given its daily necessity and frequent use, it was easy to overlook. However, it was also something one quickly remembered forgetting.

I recalled how Kei often left her phone in my room and then hurried back to retrieve it, slightly flustered.

“Wait a moment.”

Leaving Ichinose waiting at the entrance, I swiftly checked under the table.

It didn't take long to spot her phone exactly where she had been seated moments ago.

Within about ten seconds, I retrieved it and handed it over to Ichinose.

“Thank you. Sorry for the trouble again.”

“No problem. See you around.”

However, before she could leave, she hesitated.

“Oh, can we talk for a bit?”

Despite already engaging in a substantial conversation, girls often had more to say.

So, with comprehension rather than surprise, I agreed to her request.

“People might misunderstand if they see us alone together, so should I lock the door?”

She suggested, contemplating privacy but then reconsidering.

“No, It’s not a good idea. If the door was locked and later someone saw us... That would be bad.”

However, she quickly rescinded the idea, realizing the potential consequences.

Locking the door with only the two of us inside could imply secrecy, something we didn't want to insinuate.

While it was innocent for two people to be alone together, the presence of her classmates just moments ago made the situation seem ordinary.

However, locking the door under the same circumstances would drastically alter perceptions, suggesting some activity we wished to conceal.

“Mako-chan and the others just left. I made sure to inform them that I left my phone in your room, so even if someone happens to see us now, we have a solid alibi.”

Ichinose explained, addressing me rather than speaking to herself.

As she attempted to lock the door, she paused, vocalizing her thoughts aloud.

“Did you intentionally leave your phone behind to have some privacy with me?”

I questioned, unsure if she was aiming for this response or not.

Ichinose simply smiled in response to my inquiry.

“What do you think, Ayanokoji-kun?”

She countered, turning the question back to me unexpectedly.

“My suspicions were probably correct. Your 'forgetting' was deliberate.”

I concluded, observing her reaction as she nodded in acknowledgment.

“I wanted to spend time with you, Ayanokoji-kun. Just the two of us, in any way possible... Do you think I'm being unreasonable?”

Ichinose's tone shifted to one of vulnerability.

“Why would you think that?”

“Because... I went out of my way to see a boy who already has a girlfriend.”

While it might be more easily understandable if the genders were reversed, her actions could still be misconstrued.

If the recipient didn't reciprocate her feelings, she could be perceived as overly forward or even as a stalker.

Ultimately, how her actions were perceived depended entirely on my perspective.

If I didn't welcome her attention, she might be labelled as intrusive.

But if I appreciated her company, her actions would likely be viewed differently.

“It's unusual for you to boldly pursue a guy who already has a girlfriend. In fact, it shows consideration on your part.”

If she had insisted on visiting against all odds, reconciling with Kei would have been challenging, potentially worsening our circumstances.

However, if this situation had arisen naturally, it could be explained as an unavoidable circumstance.

“Really? You truly don't find me repulsive?”

“Yeah.”

I confirmed my thoughts by focusing on one thing when I looked at the current Ichinose—she was becoming an increasingly intriguing individual.

That was all.

Moments later, she slowly approached and leaned against my chest.

Chapter 6

A Tetragon of Offense and Defense

Part 1

Part 2

The teachers seem to have finished the preparations for the Special Test during the previous day, and when I came to school at the same time I do every morning, the classroom looked just a little different.

The 5 desks at the front where Horikita and the others were sitting were pushed a little forward, and there were tablets and a pen to use with them on every table.

Further, there was a partition on the right and left of every table to stop people from looking around and cheating.

These were not there before, but I’m sure there are filters on the tablets also to stop others from peeking at them.

This means the divisions are there to stop eye contact and indirect sharing of information.

The desks and seats that used to belong to the 5 students sitting at the front were now set up at the furthest back line.

The 5 students, which is the biggest number of students that can be named, will sit at the seats at the front and solve the problems.

It looks like simple cheating will be impossible as the teacher will also be observing from up close.

“Did you get any sleep yesterday?”

I spoke up to Horikita sitting directly behind me.

“As usual. There’s nothing more I can do, so all that was left was to make sure my body is in an optimal condition.”

“Things were pretty bad when you got a fever at the first Uninhabited Island Test, weren’t they?”

“Shut up. I’ll stab you.”

“Sorry.”

I don’t understand why she’d stab me, but I’d still like to avoid that so I’ll apologize.

“Are you relaxed?”

“Not at all. In fact, I might be the one who’s going to cause trouble, so I should thank you in advance.”

At the least, I know that Sakayanagi or Ichinose will never target me using an assignment of academic ability.

“Sorry, but I’m never going to use a protection slot on you.”

“Never..?”

It’s an empty feeling to know at the start that I won’t be protected.

I think she’s half joking, but it’s best I don’t expect any support.

A short while after that, Chabashira-sensei confirmed that all students of the Horikita Class had gathered, and left after wishing us good luck for the battle.

The teacher who showed up right after Chabashira-sensei left is the homeroom teacher of the Ryuen Class, Sakagami-sensei.

“I’m Sakagami, I will be in charge of this class for this test. I’m going to tell you today’s attacking turns and the points of importance.”

After shortly saying so in a calm tone of voice, Sakagami-sensei stayed quiet.

He silently used his tablet to display the things of note on the monitor.

Special Test Configuration

• (4) Class-A > (1) Class-B > (2) Class-C> (3) Class-D > (4) Class-A

Points of Note:

1. As a general rule, going to the toilet is only allowed during the 10 minute breaks after every 4 turns.

2. 40 minute break after 40 turns (half the battle), with lunch included.

3. Free to use cellphones and whisper except during when the named students are solving problems.

4. Students who are unable to continue due to poor bodily condition will be treated as eliminees.

5. Any student caught cheating will be immediately eliminated and their points will be taken away.

There was new information included in the things of note, but there’s nothing to be surprised of here.

The named students cannot try to flee from attacks with fake illnesses, and there will be no time extensions.

That’s about it.

Since unlike normal written tests, the problems are different for each participant, so there won’t be any cases of hiding in the toilet and giving each other answers, and as such, pupils from different classes bumping into each other doesn’t pose a problem, and it doesn’t matter anyhow when everyone can use cellphones.

The positions of the displayed classes, and the attacking turns. These are the important points.

The first turn starts with Class-B, in other words, Horikita’s class, which attacks Ichinose’s Class-C.

Continuing, Ichinose will attack Ryuen’s Class-D, and Ryueen will attack Sakayanagi’s Class-A.

Finally, Sakayanagi’s Class-A will attack the Horikita Class and complete a turn, repeating for 10 turns.

This will be the half-way point, and then everything will be reversed in counter-clockwise order.

Horikita checked the attack turns by looking at the screen and then quickly looked at her cell phone.

At this point, all strategies that Horikita had planned against the Ryuen Class have become pointless.

She’s probably trying to come up with attack methods against the Ichinose Class and the Sakayanagi Class.

If I am to judge the situation on the front-face, having to fight the Ichinose Class which only does frontal attacks is a plus.

On the other hand, I can say that having to fight against Sakayanagi while the students are being drained because of her complete control of her class and sharp guessing, having to confront the Sakayanagi Class is a minus.

No matter what the result ends up being, I’m going to watch what happens as one of the participants.

No, I can’t be so leisurely.

I thought again about the 16 genres making up this Special Test.

Although it isn’t necessary to interpret an ‘elimination’ as an ‘expulsion’, it is rare for even me to bear a strong risk of expulsion after the Special Tests of the last two years.

I can with certainty overcome anything in the study department, but I’m honestly below average when it comes to genres like Subculture, Entertainment and such.

Even if I can exclude 3 of them beforehand, there is still a considerable risk of encountering a problem I cannot solve, so I can’t deny the possibility of me randomly ending up with an elimination.

Because the possibility of an unavoidable expulsion after Sakayanagi and Ichinose coordinating to eliminate me and make me go down to the last position is awaiting me.

“We’re beginning the Special Test, then. As explained before, this class, which is attacking on the first turn, will give me a genre and difficulty and choose five names.”

The signal to start the Special Test came from Sakagami-sensei.

We only have 3 minutes of time to use for one attack.

I can by no means say that we have extra time.

This isn’t the time to think about things, but to convey the results of our thinking.

It will take a long time to make guesses about the other class’s conduct, so using this time for discussion is the better way to go.

The only time to stop would be if we encountered a situation we could not predict.

“It’s a start where we can’t see left or right. Let’s go ahead like we talked about when we had that discussion with Hirata-kun.”

Horikita reached out to the main table after her affirmative remark.

I don’t have any information on what kind of policy we will go by while fighting, as I did not participate in the discussions.

The class has to verbally convey to the officer in charge the genre, the difficulty and the names.

Sakagami-sensei, noticing Horikita’s instruction, immediately moved his attention to the monitor.

Genres: English, Difficulty 1

The Attacker’s Targets: Kobayashi Yume, Watanabe Norihito, Sumida Makoto, Ninomiya Yui, Shibata Sou.

The genre is English.

Then, the targets are the students with the highest academic ability in Ichinose’s class.

It’s a solid choice, a genre that can be measured most objectively, which is probably the core of the class’s strategy.

As for the difficulty, there is not much choice to make as the score is still 0.

Since it is one of the top batters, the choice of an academically related genre is also a natural one.

The Horikita class, and the other classes, will use this first question as a springboard to understand how difficult the standard difficulty is.

However, many of the students in the Ichinose Class have a very balanced academic ability and the students are all above Academic Learning C.

The students to name will inevitably be very important, but the only way to judge which student is bad at which subject is by looking at the publicized results from the past, or from personal interactions.

It will be easy to find a gap in the opponent by using an atypical genre outside of academic abilities.

Because it could easily be a fatal wound for students who don’t know much about Subculture or Entertainment.

However, one would need a lot of courage to attack in this way at the first move.

Precisely because these genres are atypical, it is difficult to judge who would be good or bad at them, and it’s hard to estimate the degree of their difficulty.

Now, let’s see who Ichinose will protect. I’m going to stay quiet and wait for that.

The screen changed after the defense side finished making their nominations.

Successful Defender Protections: Ninomiya Yui, Watanabe Norihito.

“That means those two are protected now, right?”

Nishimura, not having a full grasp of the situation after looking at the monitor, checked again with Horikita.

“...Yes, that’s what it means. With that, the Ichinose-san Class just got 2 unconditional points. Now, the rest is up to if the remaining 3 people can score points or not.”

3 students from the Ichinose Class were excluded from English.

They could name any one from among the 36 students except the leader, so no particular two people among them have a good chance of being protected.

This is the result of them simply targeting the students who are not particularly good at English.

Maybe it’s because this is the first turn, but they are utilizing a very honest method of attack.

The problems displayed for the opponent are also visible from our side.

‘Pick and sort the words in the [ ] to make a coherent sentence.’

[everyone/amount/necessary/always/a/grow/of/hardship/for/is/to]

“Hey, isn’t that pretty hard, Yuki?”

A shout from Ike and the others while Ike held his head and looked up.

At the same time, students who study well such as Horikita or Yosuke looked at each other with mixed feelings.

“So that’s the difficulty degree, huh?”

“Yeah. It’s not difficult at all for someone who does a normal amount of studying.”

Looking at the question that is considered to be the standard, the opinions in the class must be split in two.

Though imperfect, the Ichinose Class has an abundance of students with a stable academic ability.

How well will the bottom members of such a class do..?

The results of the remaining 3 names who challenged the first assignment got displayed on the monitor.

Correct Answers: Kobayashi Yume, Shibata Sou

Together with the protections, that gives them 4 points.

That’s a very good start.

Next, the Ichinose Class will attack the Ryuen Class.

The genre is Economy.

Ryuen managed to protect 1 person.

However, the turn ended with him gaining only 1 point as no one came up with a correct answer.

The reality that the students of that class are not particularly good at studying is already showing itself.

It’s a shame that we gave Ichinose 4 points in comparison, but there’s no time for disappointment.

We still have a chance of making things up by earning more than 4 points on our turn to defend.

It’s important to not let your opponent protect anyone or to let them get correct answers, but the most important thing is to get a good result when you’re on defense.

This is because we can only score points with a successful defense.

Sakayanagi protected 1 person from Ryuen’s attack, while 3 people answered correctly, resulting in 4 points.

That’s the end of turn 1. The Sakayanagi Class is now attacking the Horikita Class.

“It’s finally time.”

“Yes. I wonder what Sakayanagi-san will do…”

The genre Sakayanagi chose got announced.

Genre: Calculation, Difficulty 1

Some calculation problems may simply involve adding and multiplying in the mind, while others may involve filling in holes to get the correct answer.

I do wonder how challenging it will be at difficulty 1.

There are surprisingly many students in the Horikita Class who are bad at calculation, as 7 of them have chosen it as their excluded topic.

However, what’s pulling my attention is the treatment of Koenji.

If the class is intending on keeping its promise to him, then it must use protection to safeguard him.

The man showed abundant talent during the Uninhabited Island Test, but otherwise, he fundamentally acts according to his own whims without a care for the class or directly contributing to Special Test efforts either.

However, there should be little reason for another class to go out of their way to target such a sharp student with high academic abilities.

A promise is a promise, though.

All things considered, what’s Horikita going to decide?

Defense Side Protected Names: Sonoda Chiyo, Ichihashi Ruri, Okiya Kyosuke, Ike Kanji, Makita Susumu

Koenji’s name wasn’t among the 5 named for protection by Horikita.

Koenji doesn’t care about the Special Test, and he didn’t seem to be reacting to this result.

“H-Hey, Suzune. Are you sure we shouldn’t protect him?”

Sudou frantically spoke up after constantly having Koenji on his mind.

“This is a test where we face the risk of expulsion only after being eliminated. I decided that there is no reason to protect him until he gets 2 questions wrong. There’s no reason to protect him from the start.”

“I guess that’s true, but still…”

Sudou was surprised for a moment but quickly got convinced.

“Let me say this, though, Koenji is free to answer seriously or to leave the paper empty. You’re alright with that, right?”

She had a tone of ex-post-facto approval, but Koenji doesn’t seem to mind.

“Do whatever you want.”

The class may have promised to protect him from an expulsion, but there’s no need to dote over him like a baby.

I can say Horikita is using a strategy based on minimum necessities.

She did tell him he is free to answer however he wants, but in truth, I’m sure it’s possible even Koenji would want to avoid a pointless elimination if he is named.

Even if there is a 99% chance of him being protected, anyone would still have the remaining 1% on his mind.

He won’t do anything to strangle his own neck.

Defense Side Successful Protections: Okiya Kyosuke, Ike Kanji

Attack Side Targets: Ishikura Kayoko, Kikuchi Eita, Ikashira Kokoro

Impressively, Horikita managed to successfully protect two names at the start.

This is a good first turn with a big score of 2 points, but we’re in 3rd place for now.

We will be in 1st place if all 3 students give correct answers now, but that’s only an if.

The nervous students sat down at the front row of seats and looked at the problems on their tablets.

‘Time Limit: 1 Minute - 15><24>16=?’

It’s a problem of multiplication.

Naturally, the 3 students are only allowed to use mental arithmetics.

An answer one might easily find by calculating on paper becomes a lot more difficult when done mentally.

It looks like an easy problem, but it’s clear from the students’ frantic appearances that they’re struggling.

1 minute passed by in no time, and the result is… 1 correct answer.

Excluding Ishikura, the other 2 got the wrong answers and apologetically returned to their seats.

Looking at her picks and the results, I’m feeling curious about Sakayanagi’s interesting choices after the 1st turn.

Ishikura is a student who is good at maths compared to others in the class.

Even if the direction here is a little different, it’s still related to digits as it is based on calculations.

I’m sure there was no need to choose this student and face the risk of a problem being solved correctly.

There are plenty of other weak links to attack, even not including the 7 students that were excluded.

It is possible Sakayanagi doesn’t understand Ishikura’s abilities, but she’s seen Ishikura challenge the maths problem during the finals held at the end of Year 1.

Leaving aside another random student, it’s hard to imagine Sakayanagi failed to consider that.

Perhaps she judged that a student good at maths like Ishikura would not be protected, and picked her to make sure she would have to face the assignment.

One series of attack and defense came to an end, and the turn was completed.

3 points is a decent sign for things to come, and I can say the class had a safe start.

Continuing, Horikita picked 5 names as the attacking side again in the 2nd turn.

The Ichinose Class missed all their protections, and 2 students got correct answers for 6 points in total.

The Ryuen Class protected 1 student, and 1 person answered correctly, coming to 3 points total.

The Sakayanagi Class protected 1 student, and 3 students answered correctly, making their score 8 points.

Things are just getting started, but the gap between classes is already creeping further apart in the 2nd turn.

Then, the 2nd defense turn of the Horikita Class.

Sakayanagi changed her pick of the genre from Calculation to Gourmet, and the difficulty is 1.

I wasn’t asked, but I’m sure Horikita already knows which students are capable or incapable in this genre.

She unhesitatingly conveyed her 5 picks for protection to the teacher.

Defense Side Protections: None

Attack Side Targets: Koenji Rokusuke, Hasebe Haruka, Hirata Yosuke, Yukimura Teruhiko, Onodera Kayano.

Unfortunately, all of the protections missed.

The problem became further evident when I took a glance at the opponent’s picks.

For the 2nd time again, Koenji’s name was displayed at the top of the 5 names listed.

It’s a long battle of 20 turns, so it’s natural for him to be targeted as well.

There’s nothing particularly interesting about this in itself, yet…

The important thing is whether Koenji can solve the problem by himself, and how he’s going to act.

‘Please explain why, when eating French cuisine, the knife and the fork are put on top of the table in the shape of an ‘8’.’

It’s a simple question I could answer even back when I first enrolled here.

However, Koenji’s result is… incorrect due to lacking an answer.

I already saw clearly from behind him that he didn’t even make a move to grab the pencil.

Unfortunately, Keisei also seems to have gotten his answer wrong.

Immediately after this was conveyed, he smacked the table with a bitter face, as if he just remembered the right answer.

There are some unfortunate points in this result, but for now the class received 3 points.

That makes the score 6 in total.

“I saw that, Koenji, so you’re not going to take this seriously after all..?”

Sudou isn’t shouting but still displayed his anger.

One might say this is an act with representing the class in mind instead of showing his personal emotions.

It’s to be expected for Koenji to receive complaints when he didn’t even look like he was trying to solve the problem.

“There’s no point in scolding me. If you got any complaints, all you gotta do is protect me next time.”

“Shit, this fucking asshole…”

I understand why he’s angry, but there’s no need to worry that much about it until he answers 2 questions incorrectly.

I’m sure the class was put at ease when they saw Horikita keep her stance unchanged despite the empty paper.

It’s going to be a problem if things get out of hand and the class tries to expel Koenji instead of protecting him, but I’m sure they’re earnest in that they don’t want to waste the protections for nothing.

Koenji looked in Horikita’s direction for a moment, grinning, and returned to his own seat.

On the other hand, Keisei who simply answered incorrectly approached Horikita to apologize.

“Sorry Horikita, I knew the answer, but I got too nervous…”

“I’m not that worried about you. I’m going to protect you one time if they use the same genre to attack again though. You’re fine with that, right?”

Sakayanagi won’t overlook any weaknesses.

That’s precisely why Keisei nodded after Horikita conveyed that she would protect him if she felt a risk, and Horikita nodded back in reply.

The battle continued like this while repeating attacks and defenses.

The students don’t even have the time to look at their phone screens for a counter-measure as they open their problems.

On the other hand, there is no risk of the leader being named, but they have the least time to rest.

They have to think about what assignment to give the opponent, and how to change their picks over time.

Horikita, not even having the time to speak, is spending most of her time typing things on her phone or sometimes writing on her notebook left open on the table.

It’s time for Sakayanagi’s attack in the 3rd turn.

She chose a Gourmet assignment again.

Further, the difficulty is also 1 again.

I thought she wouldn’t choose the same genre again after seeing how easy the question was and after 3 people from our side answered correctly, but it looks like she has something else in mind.

Perhaps she saw the fact that strong students such as Koenji and Keisei answered wrong as a chink in the class’s armor.

As it was conveyed beforehand, Horikita protected Keisei and picked 4 other names.

However…

Defense Successful Protections: None

Attacker Targets: Koenji Rokusuke, Miyamoto Soushi, Ijuuin Wataru, Satou Maya, Azuma Sana

Koenji is being targeted for the 2nd time in a row now, while the other picks are completely different.

In reverse, Sakayanagi did not name Keisei, who is being protected.

“Did she guess what I was doing..?”

This is a battle of predictions.

It is a given that the defender will move to prevent an elimination if the same genre is chosen again.

As such, there’s no point in aiming for Keisei who would naturally be protected.

However, that goes for Koenji too.

What made the difference between Koenji and Keisei in Sakayanagi’s decision?

One thing is certain, which is that she clearly predicted what our side would do as if reading our minds.

Koenji stood up again and confidently started walking.

“Koenji-kun. Considering the class’s promise, I can’t force you to do anything. But, I think it’s also best for you if you do your best to answer correctly.”

Private conversations are strictly prohibited once everyone is seated and the timer has started.

So Yosuke had no choice but to implore Koenji while he passed by him.

However, perhaps not having the slightest doubt on whether he will be protected or not in the next turn, Koenji gave back an empty paper again.

His classmates couldn’t hide their emotions after seeing this, but the saving grace is that the remaining 4 answered correctly.

To put it in a different way, the 3rd turn’s questions were more simple and based on common knowledge.

That’s precisely why it’s hard to be happy with the result, since if Koenji took this seriously, the class could have gotten a full score even while missing protections.

By the 3rd turn’s end, the first place is the Sakayanagi Class with 11 points, second place is the Horikita Class with 10 points, 3rd place is the Ichinose Class with 9 points and the last place is the Ryuen Class with 5 points.

We would be ahead with 12 points if Koenji was acting like a functional member of the class.

He completely ignored Yosuke’s request, so there’s nothing more to be done about him now.

I’d like to stop the Sakayanagi Class early after they’ve firmly kept 1st place since the beginning, but all we can do during the first half is watch and depend on Ryuen’s skill.

However, the Ryuen Class currently seems to be very slow both when attacking and defending, and they are being forced into a bitter battle.

My impression is that more than predictions and luck, the difference in ability between students is the biggest factor.

The 4th turn, Horikita’s defense turn.

Genre: Gourmet, Difficulty 2

It’s a big surprise to see Sakayanagi pick the same genre for the third time now.

The difficulty is being raised up to 2 this time, however.

In other words, she’s spending 1 point in this attack.

“Gourmet again? What the hell is Sakayanagi trying to do?”

However, the students are more concerned by the choice of the same genre instead of the degree of difficulty.

With Koenji already in reach of elimination, they might be attempting to push further on the offense.

After the simple questions during the last 2 turns, the difficulty is being raised for the first time.

This may also in part be an experiment.

“At any rate, they’re not going to aim for Koenji again… right?”

“Don’t you get it? I think they actually see this as a good chance to eliminate Koenji.”

After giving empty papers in a row for the last two Gourmet questions, Koenji’s back is against the wall.

Should we consider that he must be protected because he is in reach of elimination, or that the opponent will not take the trouble to target him because of that fact instead?

From this genre selection, it’s clear that the enemy’s focus is on Koenji.

However, that’s because this class is in a specific circumstance unlike the others.

This problem comes before any strategy.

If Koenji hands in an empty paper here, he will become the first elimination.

As such, as long as there is a contract to protect him, Horikita’s only choice is to make a move if she wants to uphold the contract.

If the enemy is targeting him, then Horikita can guarantee 1 point by protecting Koenji.

All eyes gathered on Horikita, and Koenji’s name wasn’t among the 5 names she said out loud.

Defense Side Successful Protections: Shinohara Satsuki, Sudou Ken

Attacker Targets: Koenji Rokusuke, Sotomura Hideo, Miyake Akito

Now, even our classmates who have been protecting their calm so far started showing signs of agitation.

“H-Horikita-san?”

Yosuke was the most surprised.

The man who never doubted Horikita would protect the contract stood up.

“Are you sure about this, Suzune? Koenji’s going to be eliminated if he gets this wrong.”

Sudou also asked.

Horikita however didn’t answer, and kept staring ahead.

The one person who didn’t even show a change of expression was the man in question, Koenji.

“Heheh. Horikita, now you’ve done it, girl.”

If one doesn’t think too deeply, then it will look like Horikita just abandoned Koenji.

Someone who breaks their contract.

That’s the label this move will stick her with.

Considering the series of events since the Unanimous Special Test, I can’t say that it’s a good move to lose the class’s trust here.

Koenji didn’t say anything else and sat down on one of the seats at the front like the other students.

The problem is certainly more difficult than the last two.

I caught some glimpses of students looking at each other, tilting their necks and looking for help from others.

I don’t know how much Koenji knows about the Gourmet subject, but it seems very dubious.

Then, 3 students started answering.

The man who never touched a pen until now quickly moved.

From what I can see, he’s clearly moving his hand, but…

Correct Answers: Koenji Rokusuke

Koenji’s name appeared first in the box, the one for the correct answers this time instead of empty or wrong answers.

Basically, Koenji solved the problem in order to avoid being eliminated.

“Look at that, Koenji. So you were getting worried too, huh!?”

Sudou teased Koenji in a loud voice, while also seemingly feeling relieved.

This means he doesn’t want another student to be eliminated, even if he doesn’t like him.

“I’ll let you interpret it however you want.”

I don’t understand how Koenji thinks, but it’s a natural move if you look at it with common sense.

He was going to be eliminated if he didn’t answer correctly, and become a candidate for expulsion.

However, Horikita’s choice drew the most attention this turn.

The reality is that she didn’t protect Koenji while he was under the risk of elimination if he answered wrongly again.

Even if she was confident he would answer correctly, she still had to protect him.

The class felt worried about that, and even Yosuke had to ask what happened.

This man, who is the person concerned, is of course an exception.

Koenji passed by me, stood by Horikita, and muttered to her.

“What are you trying to do? Care to explain?”

“Explain? Is there a problem?”

“Oh?”

Koenji smiled when he saw Horikita looking up at him without a hint of apology in her eyes.

“You didn’t get eliminated. You don’t need to worry about expulsion for now.”

“I was going to be eliminated if I didn’t answer correctly, though. What do you think about that?”

“You did answer correctly, though.”

“Hehehe. That’s true, I’m sorry for jumping to a hasty conclusion.”

“Why don’t you return to your seat now that we’ve solved the misunderstanding? I can’t see the monitor because of how tall you are.”

This exchange, indicating that Horikita has clearly abandoned Koenji did not quell the confusion, except for Koenji.

I could have moved to explain Horikita’s thinking and the benefit of not protecting Koenji, but I will of course continue staying quiet here.

It’s not that she wants to make her classmates feel anxious for no reason, but she has a different objective.

The fact that Horikita, the leader, isn't explaining things to her classmates is the foremost proof of this.

Horikita didn’t wave under the suspicious eyes turned towards her by the students.

Horikita didn’t protect Koenji from Sakayanagi’s attack in turn 5 either.

At the same time, however, Koenji’s name was also missing from the attacker’s targets.

For the other students, Koenji would become a target now that he is in reach of elimination without protection, but Sakayanagi’s thinking is different.

It’s possible that she recognizes Koenji as a tough opponent who will take this seriously, after he was the only person to correctly answer the difficulty 2 Gourmet question.

I’m sure many students here have the same misunderstanding.

After Koenji answered correctly instead of handing in an empty sheet, the other students no longer expect wrong answers from him.

That’s why they’re avoiding targeting him.

They think Horikita gambled losing her allies’ trust on this, and won.

Koenji’s name wasn’t in the list. Horikita’s expression clouded after this result.

“I see that they won’t jump on board so easily…”

I was able to hear her muttering to herself, since I’m seated close by to her.

The turns continued during the first half of the game as I enjoyed many highlights.

This could be said for every class, but the number of students who are answering incorrectly is increasing as time passes, and at turn 7, Ishizaki turned out to be the first elimination from the Ryuen Class.

Continuing to turn 8, Yukimura and Ijuuin from the Horikita Class were eliminated at the same time, while the Ryuen Class lost Isoyama and Yano.

Kamuro got eliminated from the Sakayanagi Class.

When turn 10, which is the ending point for the first half, was finished, Hondou from the Horikita Class, Morofuji from the Ryuen Class and Yamamura from the Sakayanagi Class were eliminated.

First Half Scores:

• 1st Place: Sakayanagi A Class with 29 points. Eliminations: Kamuro, Yamamura.

• 2nd Place: Horikita B Class with 28 points. Eliminations: Yukimura, Ishuuin, Hondou.

• 3rd Place: Ichinose C Class with 24 points. Eliminations: None.

• 4th Place: Ryuen D Class with 19 points. Eliminations: Ishizaki, Isoyama, Yano, Morofuji.

9 elimination in total.

It seems like a lot, but things will get even faster during the second half.

Because there are already a lot of students who got 2 questions wrong and are now in reach of elimination.

The Ichinose Class is the only one that still has no eliminations.

This may seem like it’s because of Ichinose’s fine play, but it’s not.

“The strategy went well, didn’t it, Horikita-san?”

Yosuke called out to Horikita, congratulating her.

“Yes. Her stance remains the same in this Special Test too. We managed to push her back, thanks to that.”

How many of Horikita’s classmates noticed her strategy against Ichinose, I wonder?

There is a reason their eliminations remains 0.

That’s because Horikita made sure to put 5 students in reach of elimination first.

Ichinose will certainly protect her classmates.

So she continued while spreading out her attacks to make sure there won’t be a 6th student in reach of elimination.

Even if it meant spreading her attacks out, Ichinose will continue protecting those in reach of elimination.

None of her protections succeeded after 5 students were put in reach of elimination.

Because if she fails to protect someone and they get eliminated, the student will be under risk of expulsion.

“She really doesn’t waver, though. Nobody else would go so far to protect others. Because she should know that even if they get through the first half, it’s going to get a lot harder later on.”

The fact that they have the most wrong answers among the 4 classes proves this.

“Ichinose-san has to protect her class from Ryuen-kun in the second half. That’s going to be difficult.”

“If she is fine with throwing away all her protections during the second half, then just maybe…”

It’s still Ryuen.

It’s very possible he will attack head on from the first or second turn.

“Let’s get back to us. It’s just a 1 point difference, so we have a good chance of winning.”

Most expected the Sakayanagi Class to be far ahead, but Horikita is actually keeping up.

I have the impression Horikita is lacking in her ability to read her opponent compared to Sakayanagi, but her classmates are covering for her.

“Excluding the cases where a question is answered correctly because of a protection, from what I can see, the school has set things up so that around half the students are able to answer the questions. So I think the correct answer ratio goes down to 20% when difficulty is raised by 1, and down to 10% when raised by 2.”

One can’t expect many correct answers if difficulty 3 is used, but we can’t use it often because of the 2 point cost.

It’s a big loss if the target ends up being protected, so I doubt it will be used that often during the second half.

The fight for the top is a highlight, but the bottom 2 classes also draw my interest.

The Ryuen Class in particular has fallen into a very difficult situation in the second half.

Assuming that trends will remain similar and that the number of eliminations will continue increasing, the line for 1st place will be around 50-55 points.

This means Ryuen won’t even be in the competition if he can’t get at least 30 points during the second half alone.

What I can say overall is that the students with high academic ability are indeed difficult to target.

However, they can also be difficult to protect at the same time and some students made mistakes in surprising genres.

Problems that aren’t related to academic ability like Subculture and Gourmet were also often more difficult than the problems that were related to academic ability.

Incidentally, I also messed up on a problem that was unrelated to academic ability.

“What is the two-legged animal raised in a zoo known throughout the world for its cuteness?”

I randomly wrote down ‘dog’ as I had no idea what the answer was and Horikita sent me a cold gaze.

Then, it turned out the answer was Red Panda.

I wanted to talk to Horikita for a bit and lead her out into the corridor during the lunch break.

“The answer is red panda, you know?”

“...That’s not it. I’m just thinking about something that drew my attention during the test.”

I didn’t expect her to bring that up again right away

“I’m kidding. I wasn’t expecting you to ask to talk to me, though. Do you want advice?”

“No, it’s nothing like that, but did you notice the order in which the names were displayed while the attacker named their targets?”

“Was there an order to it..? I didn’t pay much attention to that, to be honest.

They weren’t ordered alphabetically or by gender, were they?”

“I’d have to ask the attacking side from other classes to make sure, but there was no rule by which you chose the names. In other words, the names were exactly in the order announced by the leader.”

“I see, you may be right about that. So?”

“What drew my attention are Sakayanagi’s namings on the 2nd and 4th turns during the first half. She kept targeting Koenji and continued for 3 turns after that, and he was the first name every time.”

“So you’re saying she decided on targeting Koenji-kun until turn 2, and that she continued targeting him after that as well when he correctly..? Yukimura-kun also got it wrong on that turn 2, didn’t he?”

“That’s right. Koenji is also a threat if you look at his innate talent, but Keisei is definitely a bigger obstacle based on overall ability. However, Sakayanagi didn’t even name Keisei on turn 3 either.”

“I figured she just made the wrong guess back then, you know? Maybe she had to decide I would protect Yukimura-kun because I think he’s important, right?”

“True, maybe she missed the attack target because of that thought in relation to Keisei. However, that doesn’t explain Koenji. Even after he gave the correct answer on turn 4 despite getting it wrong back to back on turn 2 and turn 3, she didn’t show his name after turn 5 even once during the first half. I’d understand if he was being guaranteed under protection, but he solved the problem himself on turn 4. In other words, she should have noticed that we haven’t protected him even once.”

“Sakayanagi-san targeted Koenji alone early on. After putting him in reach of elimination after two asssignments, she then stopped her attacks after he gave just one correct answer. That’s the weird thing, isn’t it?”

It’s best to cause as many eliminations as you can.

She should have attacked Koenji when there was very little chance for him to be protected.

“Maybe she was wary of the volume of his knowledge?”

“Then there would be no need for her to purposefully target Koenji at the start. That contradicts with her naming him 3 times in a row.”

“...So Sakayanagi-san knows about the contents of the contract between me and Koenji-kun?”

“That’s the most obvious conclusion. While we have the contract, Koenji doesn’t take anything seriously. Besides, she should have also considered that you wouldn’t protect him until he fails 2 times.”

Of course, the possibility of Koenji answering correctly or Horikita protecting him from the start was never 0, but in that case, she should have quickly given up on targeting Koenji after turn 3.

“But why didn’t she target him again after turn 5? I made the choice not to protect him, right?”

“That’s precisely because you made that choice. After missing the target because of Koenji while trying to cancel a protection, she didn’t see any point in trying to eliminate Koenji. In fact, she should have thought of it as a loss for her.”

“Even though we’d lose 1 more point if he was eliminated?”

“That’s right. You said it yourself before the test. You said that you had a way to make the wound as shallow as possible in case we drop down to last rank. That was going to be by expelling Koenji, wasn’t it?”

“...She knew.”

“That your contract with Koenji is to not expel him. That to let him be ‘free’. You didn’t force Koenji to do anything in this Special Test, so on paper you’re protecting the ‘freedom’ promise. Then, the protection from expulsion. Even if this ends with Koenji as the only elimination, it can be solved by using a protection point.”

Since his victory at the Uninhabited Island Special Test, Koenji has a protection point in his hands. In other words, he has the privilege to cancel an expulsion.

“That’s right. I never promised I’d protect Koenji’s protection point. As long as he isn’t expelled, our contract will be fulfilled. He has no right to begrudge me.”

Even if she loses 1 point because of the elimination, even if someone else is eliminated afterwards, it would turn out fine just by stripping Koenji of his protection point.

In other words, that would mean there is no risk of someone being expelled even if the class ends up in last rank.

“I bet I made everyone in class feel uneasy since I didn’t protect him, though.”

“Koenji would see what you’re trying to do if you explained it to the class.”

“Yes. Well, I think he already noticed it from the fact that I didn’t protect him. Things would be a lot better for me in the second half if I could have dropped him at an early stage.”

That’s why Koenji solved the problem correctly himself.

Because he doesn’t like the idea of his protection point being used up.

“Based on Sakayanagi’s character, it’s reasonable to think that Sakayanagi didn’t want the ‘pressure of someone being eliminated’ to go away.”

“We can clearly see her character in all of her moves. But why didn’t Koenji go for a correct answer right from the 1st problem, though?”

“I know the answer to that one. I think he figured even starting from the 3rd time wouldn’t be too late. At any rate, what I wanted to say is that there might be a student leaking information outside of the class.”

This is something that relates not just to this test, but the ones in the future as well.

“Thanks. I think we should pay attention to that, particularly from now on.”

“Our talk is over. By the way, what will you do for lunch?”

“I didn’t have any time to make a lunch box, so I might take this opportunity to go to the cafeteria. What about you?”

“I’ll do that too, then. Kei’s probably somewhere staring at her phone anyway.”

After I replied while looking at the classroom’s direction, Horikita nodded.

Kei is still unhurt since she was not targeted even once during the first half.

Of course, I can’t say this makes her safe as she’d be eliminated in 3 questions at most.

She’s probably trying to force some more knowledge into her head in order to avoid that.

The Special Test of Survival and Elimination began as the 1st turn slowly progressed.

Ryuen took the first attack from the Ichinose Class, and after only 1 of their protections succeeded, one certainly can’t say they’re off to a good start after no student correctly solved a problem.

It’s no surprise, though.

There are a lot of students that have to be protected from academic ability problems in Ryuen’s class, and they have clear weak points.

Even excluding the students who excluded ‘Economy’, which Ichinose chose, most of the students all feel uneasy about the same genre.

On the other hand, the Ichinose Class’s results after being attacked by the Horikita Class is 4 points total.

A score difference was quickly created from turn 1, and things felt gloomy after that.

However, that’s not because they couldn’t earn points.

“Alright then, so we’re going to name our targets from Class-A as the attacker next.”

Hoshinomiya nonchalantly called out to the leader, but Ryuen didn’t make any moves.

He quietly continued staring at his phone.

“Hello? Can you hear me?”

She called out to him again from the teacher’s desk, but Ryuen still didn’t move.

As was made clear by the explanation beforehand, the naming time doesn’t pause and instead continues going by second by second.

Hoshinomiya obviously thought Ryuen would decide who to attack on turn 1, but even after 60 seconds passed, Ryuen still didn’t make a move.

Normally, someone would call out and ask if he was okay, but none of his classmates pointed this out.

No, most people in this class couldn’t point it out even if they wanted to.

Since his return to the frontlines,

Ryuen had been more dominant and intimidating than even before.

It’s rare for Hoshinomiya to see the Ryuen Class tensed up like this, but not so for the students.

This is just a regular daily scene.

Things would move quickly if Kaneda, who has the advisor role, would make a move instead, but no one can expect him to do anything without Ryuen’s instruction first.

At times like this, the confused students usually look to Katsuragi for directions.

He is a transfer from another class, but he is already being recognized as Ryuen’s advisor in this class.

While his overall ability displayed on the OAA is a factor, the biggest one is his unfearing attitude towards Ryuen.

Ibuki has a proud attitude too, but there is an actual basis for it in Katsuragi’s case.

So, Katsuragi, who the class would rely on… isn’t moving.

He’s just allowing the time limit for the attacker to pass by with his arms crossed and eyes closed.

Maybe he’s already given up, believing that there is no point in talking to Ryuen anyway.

Or perhaps he’s comfortably waiting as this situation was already within his expectations.

At any rate, most students can do nothing but keep quiet and watch.

“Umm, it’s still turn 1, right? A 3 point difference isn’t that big of a deal, so maybe it’s best we don’t get hasty?”

Hoshinomiya tried to encourage the class, emphasizing that this is only turn 1.

Her move was somewhat lacking in impartiality as a teacher, but she still couldn’t stay quiet while seeing how distressed the students were.

That’s the assumption.

The real reason is that in order for the Ichinose Class to win, she couldn’t allow the Sakayanagi Class to earn any points.

She will have no chance to win if they continually score because of a foolish strategy.

So it was a calculated act, and Hoshinomiya realized her decision was wrong as the silence continued.

While many students do feel doubts about the fact that Ryuen isn’t making a move, most of them didn’t feel distressed because of it.

Silence usually tends to be a bad result, but this is the unique strength cultivated in this class.

They’re accepting this strange situation of the leader not naming any targets even after 2 minutes have passed.

Maybe there is a secret strategy behind that silence.

That’s what Hoshinomiya started thinking about.

Does he have some fantastical strategy in mind that she missed?

When the remaining time reached around 30 seconds, Ryuen conveyed his 5 targets.

“H-Hey, wait, wait. Let me put them in.”

Hoshinomiya quickly typed on her tablet.

Genre: Life, difficulty 1.

Attacker Targets: Kitou Hayato, Kamuro Masumi, Hashimoto Masayoshi, Machida Kouji, Yamamura Miki.

Hoshinomiya quickly finished typing, and looked at the 5 names in astonishment.

Successful Protections: Machida Kouji.

As a result of such a long time of consideration, 1 person was protected.

The problem comes after that, however.

Correct Solvers: Kitou Hayato, Kamuro Masumi, Hashimoto Masayoshi.

3 students out of the 4 that remained answered correctly.

Giving the opponent 4 points and stopping at 1 point for themselves is a bad start.

He cannot be relied on, after all.

The students who remained surprisingly calm were ready to be impressed, but that feeling quickly erased from their minds.

They realized that they do not have the ability to crush the Sakayanagi Class, after all.

Ryuen’s strategies were nothing to compliment after that either.

Most of his picks remained the same as they were on turn 1.

Although he occasionally switched them around as diversion, he continued targeting Kitou, Kamuro, Hashimoto, Yamamura, Machida, Sanada, and Satonaka.

Of course, Sakayanagi also continued protecting them with good efficiency, but Ryuen still didn’t change his picks.

He continued through every turn while staying at the bottom ranking.

However, at turn 5 after the halfway point, Hoshinomiya noticed something unresolvable as the students who should start panicking after getting 2 wrong started to show up.

“None of you seem to be disturbed, huh..?”

The critical factor in being the last place unable to escape has more to do with defense than offense.

The class is clearly solving problems at a lower rate than the others, and it hasn’t earned the points it needs to win.

Normally, they should now be spending every single second to frantically look for some hints that could give them the answers.

However, many of the students were not looking disturbed.

Hoshinomiya walked around the class, pretending to watch over the students, and nonchalantly peeked at each student’s cell phone.

They weren’t playing games, and instead they were looking at all kinds of sites and videos to find some way to deal with the genres that are their weak points.

Maybe they’re just too nervous to speak up because of how dominating Ryuen is?

That could be it too, but…

“Kaneda-kun, it doesn’t look like you’re doing anything but do you actually have a plan?”

Hoshinomiya asked Kaneda, who is not even touching his cell phone unlike the other students.

“I know I don’t look like it, but I actually study all the time. I just don’t want to try and force anything more into my head at the last second. I don’t like my routine being disturbed.”

Kaneda pushed his glasses up and boldly smiled.

“O-Oh. The smart ones are always weirder, huh?”

Hoshinomiya looked a little creeped out and lost interest in Kaneda.

Other than that, Ishizaki also had the audacity to doze off during the waiting period.

He looked to have given up after already answering 2 questions incorrectly.

“What’s going on in this class..?”

She continued on through each turn as the teacher in charge while seeming a bit uncomfortable.

Part 3

Directly after Sakayanagi conveyed her 5 picks as the attacker against Horikita in her second attack, Hashimoto stood up and approached Sakayanagi.

Instead of the usual faint smile, he had a stern expression on his face.

It’s an act that really stands out, since everyone except Hashimoto are sitting in their seats.

“Is something wrong, Hashimoto-kun?”

“I thought I warned you last night. Does this mean you don’t find the information I gave you useful?”

Genre: Gourmet, difficulty 1.

Attacker Targets: Koenji Rokusuke, Hasabe Haruka, Hirata Yosuke, Yukimura Teruhiko, Onodera Kayano.

He pointed at the names on the monitor behind him and showed his dissatisfaction.

“Is that what it looks like to you?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Well, your phone call yesterday was a little meddlesome. However, information is information. Of course I will not pointlessly ignore it after inscribing it in my hippocampus.”

“Then… Why are you targeting Koenji?”

“You told me the one target we must avoid in Class-B is Koenji, right?”

“He has a contract with Horikita. So he’s always going to be protected and earn an unconditional point each time. I thought you would put my information to use here.”

He wanted to be useful, but could not take it when that was quickly taken away from him.

Kitou, sensing a difference in Hashimoto’s attitude compared to his usual cheerful demeanour, pulled back his chair.

“You don’t need to worry about anything, Kitou-kun. Hashimoto-kun is just very dry.”

After quietly laughing, Sakayanagi explained why she targeted Koenji despite the high possibility of him being protected.

“I’m sure it’s true that there is a contract between him and Horikita-san. However, it’s only based on not expelling him, and the second point is that he is free to do as he likes, yes?”

“Yeah…”

“It’s a waste of a valuable protection to continue to protect him. It would be best to keep watching until he is targeted once and gets the problem wrong. That’s the least one can do in order to win, don’t you think?”

“Horikita has a law-abiding personality, though. The class will be shaken if they see that she isn’t protecting him.”

“If that’s enough to shake them, then they should be shaken anyway. Keeping the contract intact is important too, but I would rather doubt her character as a leader if she continued wasting a protection on Koenji-kun.”

The Horikita class decided their protections during the explanation, so the monitor’s screen changed.

There were no successful protections, and the 5 names Sakayanagi picked would all take on the assignment.

“How about that? As expected, she did not use a protection on Koenji-kun.”

Hashimoto can’t keep hounding Sakayanagi about this after seeing the results.

“...Yeah, you’re right. What’s the point in going so far to take a point from Koenji, though? He’s weirdly smart, so there’s a higher chance for him to answer correctly than the other small fish, isn’t there?”

“I suppose so. He is a completely free person. As such, as long as he is promised this freedom by Horikita-san, he has no obligation to take the questions seriously. He might even get them wrong on purpose.”

Sakayanagi spoke with conviction as if she could see the future.

No way, Hashimoto thought, and he waited for the screen to change.

As a result, Koenji got the question wrong as expected. One step closer to elimination.

“It was a little risky, but we took 1 point. Impressive, Hime-san.”

Hashimoto was put at ease for the moment, but that quickly went even in the next turn. Because immediately after their next turn as the attacker began, Sakayanagi named Koenji right away.

She also picked the same genre, seemingly trying to show that she is targeting him on purpose.

After that, the students who heard the conversation also started making a commotion instead of just Hashimoto.

“Hey, what are you doing? Aren’t they going to protect Koenji if you pick the same genre too?”

Kamuro spoke up, confused by what Sakayanagi was doing.

“You’re not going to tell me he won’t be protected this time either, right..?”

“That’s how I see it. It’s the reason I named Koenji-kun again.”

Despite feeling that this was a foolish conjecture, the students stayed in their seats and waited as they looked at the screen.

Defender Successful Protections: None

“Seriously..? What the hell is Horikita thinking?”

Hashimoto grumbled in the face of the reality that Koenji was not protected this time either.

Then, the unthinkable act of Koenji answering incorrectly again.

“I’m not on Hashimoto’s side here, but why did you think they wouldn’t protect him this time either?”

“Because of the same logic as the first time. He can answer incorrectly two times, so there is no need to protect him anyway. If she has to protect him, then she wants to wait until the final moment she has to do so. I’m sure Horikita-san did want him to answer correctly, though.”

“...I see. So now, Horikita has to protect Koenji even if she doesn’t want to.”

Kitou muttered after being convinced by Sakayanagi’s words.

Horikita would not waste a protection on Koenji, as long as he still had the leeway for failure.

In other words, Sakayanagi took a risk and continued targeting Koenji in order to waste her opponent’s protection in the later turns.

That’s the analysis.

The fact that the two gourmet questions in a row were simple just couldn’t be helped.

This is still the stage where each class is trying to determine how difficult every genre is.

“I’m sorry I doubted you, Princess. You had a plan, after all. But in that case, why not target Koenji from turn 1? That would destroy their protection slot for the remaining 8 turns. We lost 1 turn.”

“I was 99% sure she would not protect Koenji-kun, but the reason I waited until turn 2 is that I wanted to be completely sure. It was also an important move to lure them into making a mistake on turn 2. What if I attacked on turn 1 and Horikita-san decided to protect him after that? That would make things a lot more difficult for us.”

There is a risk of being led around by a deceptive protection slot.

She thought that Horikita would feel like there is some leeway if she continuously succeeded in protecting him, and that Horikita would gain control of the pace.

“So, thanks to him answering incorrectly on the first easy question, I was able to calculate that he would answer incorrectly the second time as well, and the results are great. It’s all thanks to the information you gave me.”

Hashimoto felt relieved after it was confirmed he was useful, and he returned to his seat after nodding.

“Now, let’s finish things up with Koenji-kun.”

On turn 4, Sakayanagi surprised everyone by naming Koenji as her first target.

“We can’t be too careful. I’m threatening that we can target him again any time if they show a gap in their defense. Thanks to your information, Hashimoto-kun, we know the inner circumstances of the Horikita class. However, she doesn’t believe that her contract with Koenji-kun has been leaked.”

“I see… This will make her feel that she has to use a protection slot of Koenji no matter what now.”

Sakayanagi chose Gourmet again, but she also raised the difficulty up to 2.

Hashimoto felt that it would be a loss if Koenji is protected, but he did not point it out.

However, things developed in a mostly unexpected direction from there.

Defender Successful Protections: Shinohara Satsuki, Sudou Ken.

Horikita made the unthinkable choice of not protecting Koenji.

“Why isn’t she protecting him?”

“Maybe the information you gave me was fake?”

“No way..! Horikita definitely made a promise to protect Koenji!”

In the end, Koenji answered correctly and escaped elimination, but it was still very confusing.

On one hand, Sakayanagi did not consume a protection slot, and Koenji answered correctly to avoid an elimination this time, which let her have a full grasp of the situation.

“Does this mean Horikita abandoned Koenji..?”

“This is our chance, then. We’ll crush him right now.”

Kitou’s remark showed that he did not see this as a bad thing, but instead as a reason to keep targeting Koenji.

“Yeah, that might be the way to go. It’ll lower their trust in Horikita and demoralize them.”

Hashimoto saw the fact that Horikita chose not to use a protection slot as proof that the opponent class was in disarray.

On the other hand, Sakayanagi reached a different conclusion.

“I thought she would unconditionally protect him, or that he would be eliminated, but… It looks like Horikita-san has a different aim in her mind. We’re just going to make her happy if we keep targeting Koenji-kun now.”

Sakayanagi chuckled and opened her cellphone.

“Still, I’m impressed that she’s thinking about ways to fight against me.”

Sakayanagi started thinking.

Perhaps Ayanokoji was hiding behind Horikita.

Was everything that happened so far a strategy built up under the guidance of someone?

“For now, I’m pretty sure he’s not involved in this.”

If Ayanokoji was pulling the strings from behind the scene, such information would have made it to the other classes.

Sakayanagi felt a strange, unusual and imperceptible presence.

There was a hint of Ayanokoji’s thinking in Horikita’s actions.

“She’s watching his back from more close up than anyone else, so I’d expect her to have grown this much, at least.”

Sakayanagi can see where this is going. She won’t be overtaken by Horikita in this battle.

“The problem is…”

For Sakayanagi, who is in charge of Class-A, there is not one specific class to be wary of.

The real problem is the possibility of 2, or even 3 classes joining hands in secret against her.

That is the only concerning matter for Sakayanagi.

She continued her spying and observations after the Special Test was announced, and did not detect any signs of such activities, nor did she receive any reports about them.

However, it’s very possible that the classes have joined hands in secret.

That’s precisely why the only way for her to determine whether there is cooperation or not is during the test, and she decided that the possibility of an alliance between the other classes is currently almost zero.

There is nothing unnatural about the other classes’ offense and defense.

“Let us go for 1st place.”

Sakayanagi had earned 29 points in total when the first half came to an end.

It is a joyous thing to be in 1st place, but the shadow of Class-B chasing after her with a 1 point difference directly after still lingers.

Hashimoto, without standing up, looked at the results shown on the monitor, and the remaining break time.

“Masumi-san, shall we go for lunch? You were eliminated, so it won’t be an issue, right?”

“Fine by me, but you’re really inconsiderate when talking to people, you know.”

It wasn’t a compliment, but Sakayanagi happily smiled and started walking while using her cane.

Kitou quietly looked at the two and followed after them when they entered the corridor.

“When did you invite him?”

“I invited him over the phone.”

“Hmm. So, are you sure you shouldn’t invite Hashimoto?”

Hashimoto is often together with them when Kamuro and Kitou are seated at the same table.

It seems this caught Masumi’s attention.

“I did invite him, but he refused. He also answered 2 problems incorrectly after being targeted by Ryuen-kun. It’s only natural he doesn’t want to be eliminated.”

Kamuro imagined Hashimoto frantically looking things up on his phone, and a very faint smile appeared on her face.

Part 4

The cafeteria is usually full of students from the entire school, but not so today.

That’s because most of the Year-2 students are still in their classrooms checking things again on their phones.

They don’t want to waste time on moving around while trying to make sure they are not eliminated.

On the other hand, the ones who are going to the cafeteria are the leaders who aren’t under risk of elimination, or the students who have already been eliminated and have nothing else to do.

Or perhaps they’re just the students who don’t think too deeply about this, like me.

We finished purchasing our meals and brought our trays over to sit down by the table often used by Year-2 students.

“We can choose any table we want, huh?”

“Indeed. It’s strange, though. Year-1 and Year-3 students are free to secure any table they want for today, but it looks like the ones that are regularly used by Year-2 students are being ignored.”

It’s not as if there are set areas in the cafeteria divided by year.

The students just ended up drawing the lines themselves, and most students follow it as an unspoken rule.

There are students who don’t care about that, of course.

“You don’t seem to mind the details, Horikita.”

“Aren’t you the same way?”

“In my case, I’m the type who wants to read the room and go along with the majority.”

“You don’t seem that way, but you also do… Let’s just stop thinking about that for now. I don’t have the leeway to spend my thinking power on you.”

It was a slightly cutting remark, but I also prefer it if she doesn’t think about me.

“Greetings, Class-B students. Shall we eat together?”

I heard a voice while splitting my chopsticks.

“You’re free to sit wherever you want, Sakayanagi-san. I have no right to deny you.”

She did not say no, but I’m sure she’s still surprised.

I doubt she expected the leader of an opponent class to speak to her during a Special Test..

“I don’t mind eating together either, but where’s your food?”

Sakayanagi is empty-handed. It would take time for her to go and purchase her meal now.

“Masumi-san and Kitou-kun are buying it for me right now. They will arrive very soon.”

I looked where her eyes were pointed at, and indeed saw Masumi and Kitou sluggishly waiting in line.

“What nice friends, huh?”

“Yes. They are very helpful.”

Sakayanagi sat down facing Horikita and leaned her cane against the table as Kitou brought her cutleries and tray one by one with one hand.

From this, one can see that he is used to constantly supporting Sakayanagi.

“Now, please sit down too, you two.”

“Huh? Here? We’re going to eat with Horikita and Ayanokoji? I don’t really like that.”

“It’s fine. This might come in handy for your future, Masumi-san.”

“Are you trying to wrap me up in some trouble again? I’m tired of playing your games.”

Kamuro’s name is among the eliminations in Class-A, but she doesn’t seem distressed.

While showing some backlash towards Sakayanagi, this attitude is only because she believes Sakayanagi would never finish in last place.

It must be reassuring to know that they are in 1st place.

I raised my hand to lightly greet Kitou.

Kitou didn’t show much of a reaction, but he faintly nodded back, which is enough.

“Please go easy on me in the second half, Horikita-san.”

“Now you’re saying that? I believe you attacked us quite harshly during the first half.”

“I was only playing around. Don’t you think the fact that you’re able to be in 2nd place is proof of that?”

“So impudent…”

Horikita got a little annoyed when Sakayanagi implied she went easy on her.

Immediately afterwards, one more man appeared from behind Horikita.

“Can I join in?”

Kitou quickly stood up on guard after sensing his presence.

However, the man ignored this and sat beside Horikita without asking for permission.

“That was quite the chaotic entrance, Ryuen-kun.”

“Hehe. It looked like the sheeps were herding together, so the wolf came over to check on them.”

He looks very comfortable for the only leader who was behind in the first half.

Still, there is no way he would let his exhaustion be seen here anyhow.

“Get lost.”

The quiet, but heavy remark came from Kitou.

“Huh? Like you have any damn right to give me orders. The tiny girl over there isn’t saying anything, y’know.”

“Give me permission. I’ll get rid of him right now.”

Kitou asked Sakayanagi while readying himself to approach Ryuen.

The insult to Sakayanagi must be part of why he’s transitioning to a fighting stance.

“Don’t worry, Kitou-kun. He’s just here because he’s hungry. We have to welcome this pathetic, weak wolf.”

“He doesn’t have anything with him, though? Are you making Ishizaki get your food for you?”

“He isn’t here looking for food, he’s looking for points in this Special Test, as he’s fallen quite behind during the first half.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.”

3 classes are in a close battle, but the Ryuen Class alone is currently far behind.

She hinted at that fact with her words, but Ryuen didn’t seem to be bothered.

Confirming that Ryuen will not do anything suspicious, Kitou quietly sat back down.

“Still, Kamuro. You seem very comfortable, despite the possibility that you might be going away today.”

Kamuro halted with the fried horse mackerel between her chopsticks and glared back.

“Same for you, Kitou. You’re going to be eliminated too if you get your next problem wrong.”

Sakayanagi quickly answered Ryuen after his remark.

“My class is currently in 1st place. Conversely, yours is in last place. Are you really one to talk like that?”

“Even if I get last place, all I’m going to be losing are some common soldiers. But Kamuro and Yamamura are expulsion candidates for you right now. That makes 4 people when Kitou and Hashimoto mess up. Currently, you’re the one who will suffer a serious blow if you lose someone. Or are you going to let Horikita hurt you in the second half and increase your eliminations to find some trash you can throw away?”

Sakayanagi won’t say that there will be more eliminations from now on.

That’s fundamentally not something she would desire.

“Are you trying to eliminate the people close to me?”

“Do you really still need me to explain that?”

“It is a little hard to believe. I would have to admit that I failed while targeting the students in your class to get them in reach of elimination. You can see the result of you going after Masumi-san and Kitou-kun to shake me up for yourself.”

I have the impression that Ryuen’s strategy is to target the 8 students who are the most valuable for Sakayanagi, centering on Kitou, Kamuro, and Hashimoto.

While this made his attacks inefficient, Sakayanagi still wasn’t able to protect Kamuro and Yamamura.

She doesn’t have to protect them, even if she knows his objective.

In fact, Sakayanagi’s ratio of successful protections was highest out of the 4 classes during the first half.

“We’re keeping 1st place thanks to your childish strategy. So, while I am grateful, I also worry for you, Ryuen-kun. You’re just going to repeat the same failure unless you change your strategy for the second half. Even looking at it from an indirect point of view, you can see it too, can’t you Horikita-san?”

“It is true that his objective was too easy to guess. I would have targeted a larger number of students when I noticed that you have a tendency to protect them.”

I didn’t expect them to start scrutinizing the Special Test here, but Ryuen kept listening while laughing.

“I definitely recommend you to choose a wiser fighting strategy.”

However, instead of backing down, Ryuen put his elbows on the table and took on the challenge.

“I still know a lot about you, Sakayanagi. We can just shelve the score difference for a moment. Kamuro, if by some chance this ends with 2 eliminations and your class in last place, do you know the decision this girl would make?”

Kamuro stopped her hands, and while she did not speak, this did seem to cause some worry in her.

What will her leader do if it comes to a decision between two people?

This is relatable for Horikita too.

I’m sure she’s interested in what standard Sakayanagi would use to decide the expulsion by.

However, Sakayanagi simply continued eating.

“You can’t answer? No, you don’t want to answer? What do you think, Horikita?”

“That doesn’t matter, but why did you target Yamamura-san in the first place? It looks like you narrowed your targets down to a few people, but she doesn’t seem like someone to be targeting so relentlessly.”

Kamuro is here with us, but not Yamamura.

Considering this also, it’s only natural to think that Kamuro is more special.

The other students who were targeted were all outstandingly talented.

However, there is an unseen connection between Sakayanagi and Yamamura.

Yamamura has abilities that cannot be seen on the OAA.

“You probably don’t know, but remember this. Yamamura is just as valuable for Sakayanagi as Kamuro is. I’m sure she takes real good care of her behind the scenes, right?”

He made this known by forcibly turning the topic back to Yamamura.

Sakayanagi stopped eating for the first time here.

“You’re free to think so.”

Sakayanagi earnestly replied that she doesn’t care what Ryuen thinks.

“No matter what the truth is, a third party who doesn’t know anything can’t assign value to individuals. Both Kamuro-san and Yamamura-san are just excellent classmates for Sakayanagi-san.”

Even if she’s wrong, I suppose Horikita doesn’t want to become a factor in making Sakayanagi change her thinking.

“Both excellent classmates? Hah, don’t make me laugh. Sakayanagi doesn’t value people based on their OAA. Her standards are based on whether someone is easy to use and obedient.”

“In the background, yes.”

Kamuro looked over at Sakayanagi and quietly gave her confirmation.

“It looks like Kamuro didn’t expect Yamamura’s name to come up here.”

I’m sure Ryuen doesn’t know everything about the inner workings of Class-A either.

The recognition of Kamuro and Yamamura, and their relation is irrelevant. He is simply harassing Sakayanagi here.

This must still be an irritating obstruction, however.

“Were you close with Yamamura?”

“He’s just trying to stir things up.”

“I’m just asking because I had no idea you and Yamamura had common ground.”

It was a short time for Kamuro, but anyone would have noticed this.

“Like I said, he’s just trying to stir things up. It’s a waste of time to take him seriously.”

She’s not trying to avoid an undesirable subject, but instead really believes that would be a waste of time.

Although she formally tried to stop it, it is clear that Sakayanagi is enjoying Kamuro’s sensitive reaction to Ryuen’s words, which shows her leeway as the power holder.

“You’re going to think about which one to expel now, aren’t you?”

It seems the reason for Ryuen’s appearance here was not just to provoke Sakayanagi.

His purpose is to potentially imprint the idea of not having any more eliminations from Class-A, and to potentially drop additional mainstays like Kitou or Hashimoto to expel them.

“I expect that you are not the kind of person to be swayed by the words of someone like him.”

Sakayanagi made this remark in order to stop that.

“I know.”

However, Horikita is fighting to win.

She isn’t taking on the test with the objective of expelling someone from the Sakayanagi Class.

It’s a different story if that happens to be an effective strategy in order to win, but…

Perhaps deciding that there is no point in further continuing these simple provocations, Ryuen changed the subjects to another class.

“By the way, is Ichinose the only one who didn’t come here?”

“It looks like her class is sticking to a policy of not allowing anyone to be eliminated, and I don’t see anyone from her class in the cafeteria either. I think it’s only natural.”

Indeed, there are no students from the Ichinose Class in the cafeteria.

I didn’t see any of them on the way either except for the ones doing the minimum necessities like going to the toilet.

They’ve prepared their meals in advance and are carefully utilizing every minute and second.

“It looks like she’s ready to lose in order not to let anyone from her class get expelled. That girl is a complete idiot.”

I’m sure Ichinose really does care a lot about eliminations, even from the other classes.

However, she can’t avoid her own class being damaged if she loses in this fight.

As such, she has to become the bad person and cause eliminations from other classes and earn points.

“Yeah. She never wavers in any Special Test. That’s precisely why I was able to find gaps in her defense and push her down to 3rd place.”

Horikita also stopped eating and talked about her own first half of the battle.

“Ichinose’s personality is a sickness when it goes that far. She will have to use up all her protection slots to the limit if she continues with the same strategy in the second half. That’s an advantage for you, isn’t it, Ryuen?”

He can simply attack the Ichinose Class like Horikita.

He has a good chance of breaking through all of her protection slots, provided the number of students in reach of elimination isn’t increased above 6.

Even if it doesn’t give him points, he can’t ignore a method of pushing down those above him in order to raise his ranking.

“I’m the one who will attack your class next, though. Even if your protection efficiency increases because of more eliminations, I’m sure I can take a few points anyway.”

Like with Koenji, Sakayanagi thinks ahead and guesses what her opponent's leader will do.

Depending on how she uses protection slots because of Ryuen, she could lose out on points she would have scored otherwise.

She will especially have a hard time while trying to protect the students who can't be reliably expected to answer correctly.

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Ryuen violently stood up.

“Now that the person causing the disturbance left us, let’s get back to eating our meals.”

Ryuen quietly tousled his hair while walking away from Sakayanagi.

Contrary to the thoughts of those around him at that moment, he had a strong willed expression on his face, foreshadowing that he was going to do something in the second half of the battle.

I’m sure it’s not a coincidence that he let only me see that expression for just a moment.

A threatening message, telling me to just shut up and watch.

Let’s see how he will try to turn things around while seemingly desperate to fight back despite his inferiority.

The second half will begin very soon.

Part 5

Sakagami-sensei signalled for the Second Half in a few minutes, and Horikita stood on the teacher’s platform to gather the students’ attention.

“Class-A is strong, as expected. They didn’t give up the first rank for 10 turns during the first half. However, we have to focus on the Special Test without letting that distract us too much. All we can do to earn more points is to solve the problems as they come.”

Horikita is attacking the Sakayanagi class, which is seen as the most dangerous one among the other 3.

She successfully protected many students while under attack by Ryuen during the first half, and the students also had a very high rate of correct answers.

“How will we attack?”

Horikita looked around the classroom before replying to Sudou.

There might be students here with a connection to Sakayanagi.

If so, she naturally can’t talk about her strategy out loud so easily.

“Perhaps you remember that I asked everyone for their opinions during the preparation period. I’ve sorted the information I gained then, and found gaps in our opponent’s defenses.”

Simple is best.

It seems she will try to target each student’s weakness instead of focusing on a battle of prediction.

However, even in comparison to the Ichinose Class, I have the impression that there is very little information about this class going around, and I’m sure they paid extra attention to making sure nothing would leak out after the special test’s announcement.

If so, then it is no easy task for someone to find out about the class’s strong and weak points.

Horikita alone knows how effective the information her opponents did find out would be.

Horikita is attacking the Sakayanagi Class on the beginning of turn 11.

She spent 1 point at the start to choose the Literature genre at difficulty 2.

While 1 student was unfortunately protected, 3 students out of the 4 who had to challenge the difficult subject got their answers wrong, so Horikita was able to stop her opponent from gaining more than 2 points.

If we get 3 points in exchange for the 1 point she spent in order to raise the difficulty, we’ll be even. If we score 4 or more, we’ll be ahead.

It’s Sakayanagi’s turn to attack now, but she might feel a little pressure.

She suddenly spent 2 points to choose Sports at difficulty 3.

She’s mercilessly attacking Ryuen, who is already at the bottom rank.

“It looks like she’s trying to drive Ryuen down to the bottom as much as she can… Very aggressive.”

She started the second half off in a strange way, not caring about the point difference between her and Class-B.

Immediately afterwards, however, the class sounded very surprised when they saw the results on the monitor.

Defense Successful Protections: Katsuragi Kouhei, Shiina Hiyori, Tokitou Hiroya, Nomura Takeji, Ibuki Mio

For the first time in this special test, a class gained a perfect score of 5 by protection slots alone.

Choosing difficulty 3 came to naught after everyone was protected. That was a big blow.

On the other hand, while temporarily, Ryuen caught up to Ichinose with 24 points after his slow start.

“Even if they have the most eliminations at 4 students… This result is still an overkill.”

This must be a shock, as I’m sure everyone expected Ryuen to keep falling behind.

It looked like this momentum would carry forward, but during Ryuen’s attack on the Ichinose Class, she successfully protected 3 students.

However, one student got the answer wrong, so she stopped at 4 points resulting in a total of 28.

This class is still waiting to defend, but the gap was closed in an instant.

I wonder which genre and targets Ichinose will choose for her attack.

Genre: Sports

Difficulty: 1

Defender Successful Protections: Wang Mei-Yu, Shinohara Satsuki.

Attacker Targets: Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Miyamoto Soushi, Karuizawa Kei

The first name on the Ichinose Class’s target list is my own.

This could be a coincidence or intentional, but Kei’s name is also in the list.

I can’t say whether I’m good or bad at the subject of Sports at difficulty 1.

I’m confident I can make a good guess based on history and rules, but this will be a disadvantageous development for me if the question is about a current event.

On the other hand, however, as she watches TV, it is possible that Kei may solve a question regarding worldwide events. I’ve heard during a few conversations that she often watches volleyball matches.

“When there are less than one out and the runners are on first, second, and third base, what do you call a fly ball hit by the batter that can be caught if the infielder performs normal defensive manoeuvres?”

It looks like the question is about a rule.

Thankfully, I have learned a suitable amount of rules for a variety of sports, so I can answer this without much difficulty.

The correct answer is ‘infield fly ball’.

However, leaving Miyamoto aside for now, I don’t believe Kei can answer this question.

I would like to think that this is something she learned while studying in the last few days, but…

Me and Miyamoto were the only ones to answer correctly, and Kei answered incorrectly.

Still, this is the first time for her.

There is no need to panic yet, but she looked very anxious as she returned to her seat.

On the other hand, Miyamoto celebrated with Ike and the others and high-fived.

From what I heard during their conversation, it looks like Miyamoto learned about baseball rules from a game, and that this same game helped her out a few other times today.

You never know what kind of knowledge may come in handy.

That makes it 4 points. We temporarily passed the Sakayanagi Class and placed first.

Continuing on, turn 12.

The Sakayanagi Class easily scored 4 points after 4 students solved their problems correctly, but what surprised everyone the most was the Ryuen Class again.

The 5 names of the successful protections floated up on the screen like a replay.

In other words, they earned a perfect score again by protection slots alone.

“Come on, isn’t that way too much good luck?”

Ike shouted while holding his head, as he had already made up his mind that the Ryuen Class would remain in last place.

“...Are you sure we can just call it luck?”

Horikita’s voice sounded heavy as she looked at the monitor from the seat next to mine.

It’s no wonder. Getting a perfect score with protections two turns in a row is very unlikely.

If he gets another perfect score in the next turn…

While the shock lingered, during the next attack targeting Ichinose, two students got protected and two answered correctly.

Next, it’s time for the Ichinose Class to attack.

Successful Protections: Ishikura Kayoko, Sudou Ken

Attacker Targets: Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Matushita Chiaki, Karuizawa Kei

Me and Kei were targeted again for the second time in a row.

We stood up the moment we saw our names, and Kei spoke out while seeming a little upset.

“Are they targeting me!?”

“Calm down. Being named two times in a row doesn’t necessarily mean they’re focusing on you.”

Kei is right to be frantic.

If this is because they’re just targeting someone they deem to be weak, then that would be fine as it was.

However, the opponent is Ichinose. Kei should be able to guess that Ichinose might attack her because of personal feelings.

The issue is that including me in her targets makes this very evident, but…

Whether her personal feelings are involved or not, we should rather see this as her trying to shake us up.

Still, it’s a solid move.

Horikita will not use a precious protection slot on me.

Perhaps a part of this is that Ichinose can also guess this.

Horikita might have protected Kei if it was a problem relating to academic studies, but the genre is News.

Horikita probably ignored Kei, as there’s plenty of chance of her solving the problem correctly.

On the other hand, I should be cautious here as I’ve answered incorrectly once already on the same genre during the first half.

“What does it mean to ‘bubble’?”

[TL Note - The word here is impossible to translate to English and still make sense as a question like this, it's a Japanese verb that means 'to drink bubble tea'.]

I froze up when I saw the question.

What, uh, what is it? To bubble? Bubble. Bubble..?

The time ran out as I was frozen and it ended with me not writing anything down for an answer.

Most of the news questions that the other students received were related to politics or annual events.

So why did I get such a curve-ball of a question?

After that mysterious question, this time, I answered incorrectly and Kei answered correctly.

She seems to be relieved that she didn’t come within reach of elimination, so she should be calming down for a while.

Matsushita also easily gave the correct answer, and we secured 4 points.

On the other hand, as I answered two questions incorrectly, my name is now on the list of elimination candidates.

By the way, it seems the correct answer was ‘to drink bubble-tea’.

“I can’t believe it… You know even less about the world than I thought, huh?”

Horikita spoke to me with an astonished look on her face as I returned to my seat, and all I could do was hunch down.

Turn 13, the Horikita Class’s attack.

The genre is Kanji, difficulty 1. But then, unexpectedly, Horikita stopped talking.

She smoothly targeted 4 students, but seemed to be hesitating for the 5th name.

It must be very difficult to sort all the information in her head at this stage.

Who would be good at the genre, and who would be bad at it?

Perhaps she already used up all the information she had on Class-A.

There’s still some time left. Horikita breathed to calm herself down.

Then, a hand of salvation reached out to her.

“You should name Satonaka.”

A student muttered with disinterest.

It’s someone who’s had a lot of free time on her hands as she was never targeted even once during the special test: Kushida.

“Thanks, Kushida-san. I’ll choose Satonaka for the 5th target then, sensei.”

She didn’t even ask for a reason, and showed complete trust in Kushida’s advice.

As a result, Satonaka was not protected, and also answered the question incorrectly.

“How did you find out that Satonaka wasn’t good with Kanji?”

Kushida clapped with admiration.

“What do you mean? You can learn of something like that very easily.”

Kushida said it was no big deal, and looked in a random direction with disinterest.

“You’ve been helping me out a lot. Thanks.”

“It’s no big deal.”

Kushida didn’t seem to be happy about receiving a compliment from Horikita.

However, seeing as her standing in the class isn’t very good right now, it’s not a bad thing for her to make a visible contribution like this.

Perhaps Kushida is one of the reasons Horikita is challenging the second half with such confidence.

Kushida Kikyou has an exceptional information network.

Not just because of her friends, but she is also actively looking to learn about everyone’s weaknesses.

That’s why she has an exceptionally good memory when it comes to the other students’ weak points.

She is only showing a part of that here, but I’m sure Horikita already received a lot of information from her beforehand.

It must be very reassuring for her.

Turn 13, Ichinose’s attack.

This is our third turn as defense, and Horikita chose to protect Karuizawa here.

It seems she is ignoring the possibility of protecting me despite the risk of elimination.

However, it seems she made a correct guess as Karuizawa’s name was displayed on the successful protections list.

I’d expect her to be glad she avoided the problem, but Kei clearly looks displeased.

“...They’re trying to eliminate me… It’s obvious they’re focusing on me, right!?”

“Yes, it does seem that way… a little.”

Sudou replied in agreement. However, assumptions will only lead to needless chaos.

“She’s not the type of person to try and drop a certain student.”

“That’s because..!”

Kei was about to argue back, but she stopped.

“At any rate, I don’t know what they’re trying to do, but I doubt you will be targeted again after successfully being protected.”

“...Mhm…”

“However, it’s a different story if she targets you 3 times in a row like how Koenji-kun was targeted during the first half. What is Ichinose-san thinking, I wonder?”

The next turn. Turn 14, Ichinose’s attack.

“...What should we do?”

Horikita seems to be hesitating on how to use the protection slots.

There’s no way Kei will be targeted a 4th time.

That’s how it should look, but perhaps Horikita should be wary of the possibility of Ichinose trying to undercut her.

“Why not protect her one more time just to see what happens? I think they’ll target her again.”

Kushida gave advice to Horikita while she was thinking.

“Is that what you think after seeing everything so far?”

“That’s not it. That’s what I think after seeing Ichinose-san so far.”

Kushida is taking into consideration not the events of the special test alone, but also Ichinose Honami’s way of thinking.

“You’re right, it might be the safest choice to protect her again here.”

Kei isn’t at risk yet, but Horikita wants to earn an easy point if they will target her again.

Then, the successful protections were displayed, and Kei’s name was on the list again.

She was targeted 4 times in a row, and passed Koenji’s record of being targeted 3 times in a row during this special test.

Despite some inexplicable points, she seems pleased that she is in a fierce competition against another class.

However, the situation started taking a turn for the worse.

Both the Horikita and the Sakayanagi classes are continuing to earn points with a good balance of attacks and protections, but the Ichinose Class is successfully protecting students at a very high rate after entering the second half.

However, the Ryuen Class is showing even more vigour than them.

Sakayanagi continued to choose eccentric genres in order to oppose Ryuen, but Ryuen still got 4 perfect protections in a row without a turnaround.

This is certainly an abnormality that cannot be explained by luck alone.

However, there is nothing else for Horikita to do in this situation.

All she can do is to stay calm and collected, and continue earning points.

Losing isn’t a big deal for Ryuen.

If he loses once, he can just win the second time instead.

He believes that all he has to do is to win in the end, even if he loses a hundred times before that.

That’s the way he’s been living, but, one day, a big hindrance stood in his way.

That man had the face of a common fool one would see anywhere, but he was keeping a beast inside.

No, Ryuen thinks that such an expression would be too weak.

As for how to correctly express this, the answer to that is yet to be seen.

One thing is certain, though, which is that he was the most powerful, cunning person that he had ever seen.

He isn’t someone who can be counted among the average people living an ordinary life.

It had been more than a year since that man, Ayanokoji, made him suffer a loss and smashed his spirit.

An overwhelming difference of power.

Perhaps that’s the reason Ryuen didn’t feel much of a grudge towards him.

Strangely enough, Ryuen didn’t feel any unpleasant emotions when coming in contact with Ayanokoji.

That is probably because, even if Ryuen denies it on the surface…

No. It’s certainly because Ryuen recognizes Ayanokoji as someone who towers above the rest.

However, one should not misunderstand things.

Ryuen has no intention of staying in submission.

He intends on making sure that he can get his revenge on Ayanokoji, before he graduates from this school and disappears.

In order to do that, firstly, Ryuen has to kick away and clear the crowd.

He has to suppress Sakayanagi, the long-reigning leader of Class-A.

In truth, Sakayanagi is the only obstruction in his way.

After defeating her, Ryuen will defeat Ayanokoji.

That has become the objective Ryuen must fulfill in this school. He will never stop until then.

Immediately after the second half began.

Ryuen, who had been targeting Sakayanagi’s mainline throughout every turn so far, stood up.

“Now then, let’s begin. Move.”

“Hey, wait, what!?”

Ryuen pushed the teacher in charge, Hoshinomiya away, and sat down on the teacher’s seat.

Part 6

“The second half. The score difference is only 10 points. In other words, we can catch up if we get a perfect score a few times. You guys aren’t going to disappoint me, are you?”

The leader pressured the other students, implying that he would not forgive anyone for making a mistake, no matter what subject they face.

Of course, things would be all too easy if such threats alone were enough to increase the ratio of correct answers.

“Are you kidding me? This isn’t just about this class. Other classes have to know that it’s going to be difficult to get a perfect score too, Ryuen. If you’re supposed to be our leader, then you have to make sure you can protect as many students as possible.”

Tokitou was not afraid to voice his frustration, even as most of the other students were unable to say anything back.

“Heheh. Yeah, I know it’s the end for you if you get a question wrong for the second time. If you get eliminated, someone rebellious like you will be nominated for expulsion pretty quickly.”

“...”

“I was lying when I said I expected you guys not to disappoint me.”

Ryuen turned around, and checked to see if the display on the monitor had changed.

Sakayanagi finishing her nominations was announced, and it was now Ryuen’s turn to answer with his 5 protection slots.

His opponent’s chosen genre is Sports. Further, she spent 2 points to choose difficulty 3.

She won’t give the Ryuen class even 1 point.

The students felt desperate in the face of this merciless attack from Class-A.

However, Ryuen alone was laughing, as if he enjoyed this development.

“I choose Katsuragi, Shiina, Tokitou, Yamura, and Ibuki. Make it quick.”

He showed no concern for the genre or difficulty.

He immediately gave the 5 names, as if he didn’t even look at the genre and difficulty.

“H-Hey, stop ordering your teacher around… Good grief.”

Hoshinomiya said frantically, as she finished typing the 5 names given to her by Ryuen.

Perhaps Ryuen wanted to avoid being tricked by Sakayanagi’s strategy by refusing to think about his moves.

This is what some of the students were thinking as the results were displayed.

Defender Successful Protections: Katsuragi Kouhei, Shiina Hiyori, Tokitou Hiroya, Yamura Takeji, Ibuki Mio

“W-What..?”

Tokitou was still standing around after Ryuen glared at him, but he was astonished at the results.

Perhaps the immediate response was effective, as the protections were a perfect success.

“Gambling’s a nice thing, ain’t it? You just throw the dice at random.”

Turn 12.

Ryuen immediately gave his 5 names for the protection slots again.

As a result, every protection succeeded again, displaying an astonishing pursuit from Ryuen.

Turn 13 and turn 14 went the same way.

Even when Sakayanagi changed her targets, Ryuen’s protections continued hitting the target like guided missiles.

“Heheh. Looks like you have no idea what to do now, Sakayanagi.”

Since the start of this special exam, Ryuen had been paying attention to a completely different point than the other leaders.

How much can a beast hide its smell?

How long can it chase its prey with fangs readied, while not letting her realize what’s happening?

That was all he thought about.

The other classes couldn’t do anything now.

Ryuen was confident after pulling through the first half, and now he was determined to go on the offense to turn the tables around.

“What’s happening..!?”

There’s certainly something at play here.

However, even the teacher in charge, Hoshinomiya, could not understand what the trick was.

Part 7

Ichinose continued speaking to her classmates from turn 1.

“I’m going to make sure there aren’t any expulsions from our class. Don’t worry about that, and stay calm.”

Even if they already knew, more than a few students did feel worried.

That’s precisely why Ichinose spoke, to grant her allies relief.

Her words really were true, of course.

However, if she fought in the same way as before and fell behind, the other classes would mercilessly use this gap to attack her.

The most important point is to keep the number of eliminated students at 0.

She was preparing in advance for the unlikely scenario that her class lost.

If there are no eliminated students, the class could avoid expulsions even if they ended up in last place.

This is her style of protection.

Of course, she didn’t abandon the idea of winning.

How can she protect her classmates while also trying to win, then?

By not fighting on the opponent’s terms, but rather dragging them into hers.

Her opponents saw this and assumed that defense is the priority for her.

In the second half, Horikita’s aim became clear after the 2nd and 3rd turns.

To force numerous students to answer two questions incorrectly, and increase the number of students at risk of elimination.

She wanted to see what Ichinose would do when this number reached 5.

“Thank you, Horikita-san.”

Ichinose was grateful for Horikita’s wise but merciful actions.

As long as she could score points, she did not care about eliminating students from her opponents.

This is what Ichinose preferred.

Facing Horikita, who attacks in a solid manner instead of Ryuen’s irregular methods, Ichinose continued using her protection slots to defend her students.

“I won’t abandon anyone. Will you trust me?”

She doesn’t want to hurt her allies.

She welcomes her opponent with open arms, in order to prevent them from making an impulsive move.

“I just hope that this ends without anyone from the class, from our grade, no, from the school being expelled.”

Her feelings are true.

However, there are sacrifices that need to be made in order to avoid casualties from the class.

That’s why she did not hesitate to eliminate students from the Ryuen Class.

She has to force the other classes to sink down, so that she can win.

As a result, by the time the first half came to an end, 4 students were eliminated from the Ryueen Class because of Ichinose’s attacks.

If someone among them is expelled in the end, then it will be Ichinose who indirectly caused them to be expelled.

A necessary sacrifice.

Those who are heartbroken about this still have no choice but to go through with it.

But, that’s only in case Ryuen loses.

“The second half will start in 1 minute. Take your seats and get ready.”

Ichinose opened her phone after Mashima-sensei’s signal.

Then, she slowly went up her chat history to check her conversation with a certain person.

It had taken place directly after the first half started.

“Ryuen-kun, I know this is sudden, but would you like to team up with me? I don’t want anyone to be expelled from my class. For that, I have to end the special test with 0 eliminations. So, I want you to make sure that you don’t eliminate anyone from my class in the second half.”

Ichinose had sent that message to Ryuen directly after the special test started.

Her message was read without a delay, and a reply came back.

“That’s a pretty selfish request. You really think I’m just gonna do what you want?”

“I think we can negotiate. I’ll give you a present that will make you happy.”

“Before that, are you telling me you can get through Suzune’s attacks unscathed?”

There would be no point in asking Ryuen to avoid eliminating anyone unless she got through 10 turns in the first half with 0 eliminations.

“I can.”

“That’s a quick reply. You didn’t negotiate with her before me, did you? That would change things.”

A clumsy lie wouldn’t work on someone as cautious as Ryueen.

Of course, Ichinose never had any intention of negotiating with Horikita.

The negotiations may come to naught, and on top of that, the Sakayanagi Class will also make their moves.

That’s a development Ichinose must avoid.

“I want to protect everyone, I don’t want any eliminations. I’m sure she knows how I feel about that already. So, I’m sure Horikita’s first aim will be to put 5 students at risk of elimination. She’ll want to check if I will continue to protect those 5 students or not.”

If she doesn’t protect anyone out of the 5 students, that would mean Ichinose is prepared to have eliminations in her class, or even an expulsion if she ends up losing.

But if she does protect them, then that will make things a lot easier for Horikita.

Ichinose’s 5 precious protection slots will all be used on the 5 students.

After that, Horikita will change her policy and target the students who haven’t made any mistakes yet.

“Unlike you or Sakayanagi-san, all Horikita-san cares about is to win, not to expel students from other classes. She will attack the 34 unprotected students in a balanced way.”

Ichinose’s role in the first half was to use the protection slots at her disposal to allow 5 students who feel uneasy about the assignment to escape by taking advantage of the protections.

“If your strategy goes well, then you’re right that you will have 0 eliminations if I do what you ask in the second half. That’s a big ask though, ain’t it? What’s my present?”

“A guarantee of 25 points. For 5 turns out of the 10 turns we will attack, I will tell you our targets. I will spread them around so that the other classes don’t realize what we’re doing, of course.”

Ryuen could get a good position in the special test just by being told which students will be attacked.

Ichinose’s message was instantly read, but there was no reply for 3 minutes while Ryuen thought about it.

“Nah. It doesn’t sound bad, but I have my own ideas.”

“I see. That’s a shame.”

Ichinose thought she made a good offer, but she had to accept that it wouldn't work out.

If she conceded any more points, she’d lose any hope for first place.

Most of all, Ryueen didn’t even try to negotiate for more points anyhow.

“Well, I guess I’ll have to be thorough, then…”

The negotiations broke down. Ichinose could think of many ways to make this worse, but she won’t do that.

Her only choice is to use her own abilities to aim for 0 eliminations.

However…

“You’re in luck.”

Just as Ichinose thought her hopes were dashed, Ryuen sent another message.

“What do you mean?”

“If you make sure that there won’t be any eliminations in the first half, I’ll agree to half of what you ask.”

“Half?”

“I’m saying I’ll agree on not causing any eliminations. But about that 25 points guarantee, I don’t need it. Sakayanagi will notice something’s going on if we do anything strange in the first half.”

“What do you want from me, then?”

“When the attackers and defenders are switched around in the second half, you will score points from me as necessary. I’m not gonna explain why. It’s up to you whether you want to believe me or not.”

A strange proposal to become the side taking the points instead of giving them away.

If it was any other student, one would think it was an absurd offer that will never be held up.

“...I see…”

Ichinose quietly muttered.

This time, Ichinose started thinking.

About whether she can believe Ryuen or not.

She took her time, and it would be a lie to say she wasn’t hesitant.

However, Ichinose still answered in under 1 minute.

“Okay, I believe you.”

No other student could imitate the speed of her decision.

This isn’t just because she is a friendly person.

This is Ichinose’s logic, her thinking.

She guessed what Ryuen’s aim was and decided to believe he would hold up his end of the deal.

Her message was instantly read after she sent it.

It is also possible that Ryuen was trying to contact Ichinose in the same way too.

In other words, even if it was for an entirely different reason, Ryuen also wanted to team up with her.

This was their exchange before the special test’s beginning.

From the second half, the situation greatly changed throughout the Second Half (From Turn 11) until turn 14.

Turn 15, the Sakayanagi Class’s attack on the Ryuen Class.

The results were displayed, and it was a perfect protection again.

Ichinose saw this and secretly smiled.

“Impressive. So this is what you were trying to do.”

“I’ll let you survive, so just keep quiet about this.”

“You agreed with me, even though you didn’t even need to team up with me. Thanks.”

“You think I agreed out of the kindness of my heart? There’s no advantage for me in you being in last place. I just took control of the scoring as necessary.”

Indeed, Ryuen’s term in the negotiation was for Ichinose to take points from him.

In other words, if she was about to lose to the Sakayanagi Class, she could simply increase her score and take 3rd place or above by force.

Ichinose foresaw the results of this special test and felt relieved that she would not lose any allies.

Immediately after the special test was announced, she had not made the choice of distributing the protection slots, out of fear of it sparking a dispute in the Unanimous Special Test.

She almost regretted that.

Then…

Currently, Karuizawa Kei has one wrong answer.

She will be in risk of elimination if she gets one more problem wrong.

It’s still possible for Class-B to fall down to last place.

Among the students who were already eliminated, there are those who are lower in the pecking order than Karuizawa, so she can’t have high hopes of eliminating her.

Still, there is a chance.

However, for that, she must first break the consecutive nominations.

“No… That’s a bad way to do it…”

Ichinose told herself that she needs to act for her class, instead of out of her own emotions.

Ayanokoji won’t reject her.

He accepts Ichinose, even while continuing his relationship with Karuizawa.

As such, there is also a way for her to simultaneously continue and overwrite everything herself.

She was reminded that she is a lousy human being, but she didn’t mind.

“The way for us to win even if we don’t get first place, is to force Sakayanagi-san to take last place.”

Ichinose controlled her breathing during her limited time.

Then, she looked at her phone.

The meaning behind her continuing to target Karuizawa despite her being protected.

It should be all too clear by now.

Ichinose restrained herself and concentrated.

“I would like to nominate Karuizawa Kei-san.”

She gave Karuizawa’s name again in turn 16.

Ichinose had a newfound resolve and would not hesitate.

This is good enough for now.

All she has to do afterwards is to repeat this.

“I would like to nominate Karuizawa Kei-san.”

Ichinose clutched her phone, believing that she would be the real winner of this special test.

Part 8

The start of turn 15. Most of the classes are lined up closely now.

First place is the Ichinose Class with 42 points.

Second place are the Horikita and Sakayanagi classes, both at 40 points.

Third place is the Ryuen Class with 39 points.

We’ve bottomed out on our savings from the first half.

We haven’t been pushed out yet, but we will be left behind if this trend continues.

The Ryuen Class helped keep anxiety away at the start, but a dark cloud still looms over the class.

The class was driven into a corner where it could fall to last place at any time, depending on how things go.

“Are you kidding me? Give me a break.”

“I don’t want to be expelled!”

“Me neither, you know!”

The students began to feel the danger after the number of eliminations increased to 4 after 1 more student got eliminated, and started causing a commotion.

In this situation, the others have no time to study either. Horikita pushed her chair and stood up.

She has to start naming her targets now, and she calmly walked past the students making a commotion.

“No need to panic.”

Horikita stood on the teacher’s platform and spoke to her classmates.

“I know we’re in a terrible situation. There are currently 4 eliminations from our class. Ichinose-san took 1st place from us, and Ryuen-kun, who used to be in last place, is catching up extremely fast with consecutive perfect protections. I can no longer say that it’s certain we will win.”

It’s a different story if she can figure out Ryuen’s strategy and stop his perfect protections, but there’s little hope of that happening.

There’s also little hope of stopping Ichinose’s high rate of successful protections.

“What we can do now, is to keep fighting until the end.”

She cannot give a guarantee of victory at this point.

However, in this special test where classes are competing with each other, the leader has to give some kind of guarantee.

It’s no use to speak in a weak manner, nor is it useful to pointlessly put on airs.

The truth behind her words alone stabbed into the students’ hearts.

Horikita believes they can get through this. That’s what she conveyed to the students.

Yosuke, who would usually follow up after her, is now quietly listening to Horikita’s words.

“Trust me.”

The class has to surpass this with a strong mentality.

This is the only choice they have.

However, from looking at Horikita, I feel that there is also something else at play here.

Turn 15. The Ichinose Class’s attack.

Defender Successful Protections: Karuizawa Ke, Satou Maya, Miyake Akito

Horikita successfully protected 3 students.

Further, the remaining 2 students answered correctly, giving the class a perfect score.

5 points to let the class breathe again.

However, the opponent’s persistent consecutive targeting did not cease.

“W-What the hell..!?”

Overwhelmed by fear rather than joy, Kei averted her eyes from the monitor.

Including the students who have a faint grasp on the situation, even the students who don’t know anything started sensing something ominous in the face of this abnormality.

Horikita didn’t seem to be feeling that way after succeeding in her protections, and the next turn came.

The Ichinose Class’s attack.

Defense Successful Protections: Karuizawa Kei, Nishimura Ryuuko

Two names this time, but Kei’s is also among them.

“Stop… Why…”

Ichinose is continuing to target and attack Karuizawa.

It’s natural to reach the conclusion that she is intentionally trying to expel her while specifically attacking her.

This move contradicts her image, but she isn’t stopping it.

Turn 17. The Ichinose Class’s attack.

Defense Successful Protections: Karuizawa Kei, Hirata Yosuke

She’s still not stopping.

She won’t stop.

No matter how many times she is blocked.

She will never stop naming her.

“Why does she keep naming me..? Why..?”

Turn 18. The Ichinose Class’s attack.

Defense Successful Protections: Karuizawa Kei, Hasabe Haruka, Onodera Kayano

Turn 19. The Ichinose Class’s attack.

Defense Successful Protections: Karuizawa Kei

Turn 20. The Ichinose Class’s attack.

Defense Successful Protections: Karuizawa Kei, Sudou Ken

10 turns total in the second half.

From the very beginning, Ichinose didn’t stop targeting Kei once.

Chapter 7