# Classroom of the Elite Year 2 Vol. 12 Audiobook

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrDHThOUrXk

[00:00] Chapter one.
[00:00] Hashomia is siloquy.
[00:03] To me, Sean is my best friend.
[00:07] To me, Seahi Chan is my rival.
[00:10] It might seem like a contradiction on the face of it, but surprisingly enough, that's the kind of relationship we have.
[00:16] Besides, I don't think it's that unusual to have two emotions running in parallel.
[00:20] Despite how it looks, I have quite a few friends.
[00:24] Friends from elementary school and junior high, friends I met in high school and college, and friends I came to know when I became a working adult.
[00:31] However, Sahi Chan's the only person with whom I have an ongoing relationship, with whom I can talk honestly about how I really feel.
[00:41] I don't know exactly what she thinks about it, though.
[00:43] Even if I lose to someone else, I cannot lose to Sah Chan.
[00:47] The days that we spent together in the same class, aiming for class A together, instilled such feelings in me.
[00:54] Originally, Sahi Chan did not want to be a teacher.
[00:56] But that day, the day that we were made to understand that we wouldn't be able to
[01:00] Graduate from class A, I knew for certain that Sahi Chan wanted to become a teacher to try to go for class A in a different way.
[01:09] That's why I decided to aim to become a teacher, too.
[01:12] Frankly, this profession is a far cry from what I wanted to do.
[01:14] Day after day, I get made fun of and treated with contempt by arrogant students.
[01:19] And I can't expect much of a paycheck either.
[01:21] Even so, I still became a teacher.
[01:24] I have only one goal, to keep Sahi Chan from getting any hope of achieving her goal of graduating from class A.
[01:31] I mean, it's obvious why, right?
[01:34] That day, we couldn't graduate from class A anymore because of Sahi Chan's trivial romance.
[01:41] Had it not been for that, I wouldn't have become a teacher and would have led a more glamorous life.
[01:44] And yet, Sei Chan is the only one to get her students to graduate from class A.
[01:49] And like that, she just squares up her past with a sense of self-satisfaction.
[01:55] I can't allow that.
[01:57] Not when I'm still held prisoner by the past, even now.
[01:59] So,
[02:01] As long as my eyes are on her, I will never let her win.
[02:05] If my class loses in the end of year special exam, if Sech Chan's class ends up becoming class A, then in the worst case scenario, I will have to do whatever it takes to put a stop to it.
[02:17] I don't care if I'm branded as an unfit teacher.
[02:19] I don't even mind if I'm ousted from my teaching position.
[02:22] I am definitely going to put a stop to it.
[02:25] Even if I have to force my way through to take her down with me, that's what I had vowed to myself deep down.
[02:31] The special exam for the end of the second year will begin soon.
[02:35] Depending on whether we win or lose this time, the fate of my class, which has been pushed to the brink, will be decided.
[02:42] For both me and my students, an important battle that we absolutely cannot lose is about to begin.
[02:47] Chapter 2.
[02:49] The unusual end of year special exam.
[02:52] The second week of March, Thursday.
[02:55] The second year of our lives here at school has finally reached its climax.
[03:00] This past year has been just as intense and unforgettable, if not
[03:02] More so, than the first year.
[03:05] I would assume that there have been good times and bad times for many.
[03:09] But for those of us at this school, whether or not we safely overcome the next trial would determine how we saw this year.
[03:15] This is because the end-of-year special exam itself is given an important position that distinguishes it from other special exams.
[03:25] I would like to remind you of the special exam that was administered last year, our first year.
[03:30] It was the event selection exam which was conducted as a one-on-one class competition.
[03:36] The rules stipulated that for every event won out of seven rounds, 30 class points could be taken from your opponent.
[03:43] Although the results were ultimately a close call, seven consecutive wins would add up to 210 class points.
[03:51] In addition, the winning class was rewarded with 100 class points, which meant that a difference of up to 520 points could have been created between the winner and loser.
[04:02] That alone should give you an idea of how significant the special
[04:04] Exams at the end of the year are.
[04:06] Morning.
[04:09] Chabashi sensei appeared in the classroom looking calm and collected.
[04:11] Morning greetings were returned here and there sparsely.
[04:16] For the past few days, the students had been focused on what Chabashi sensei would say after the morning greeting.
[04:22] After a series of nothings, it would appear that today was the day that it was finally time for things to start happening.
[04:29] I'm now going to inform you of the contents of the end-of-year special exam, she said.
[04:34] But first, I'd like to speak to you on a personal level for a moment.
[04:38] We'd heard lots of things related to special exams thus far from Chabashi Sensei, our home room instructor.
[04:46] However, this time her opening was clearly different than usual.
[04:50] This year marks my eighth year here as a teacher at the Advanced Nurturing High School.
[04:54] I have been in charge of two classes in the past, six of which as their home room teacher.
[04:58] But in those six years, my class had never once moved up out of class D.
[05:03] However, looking back on my words and actions
[05:05] From when I first came to this school, that isn't particularly surprising, said Chabashira sensei.
[05:12] It was a little difficult to imagine now, but Chabashira sensei dealt with things in a cold and indifferent manner when I first came to the school.
[05:21] I knew a little more about her situation than the other students.
[05:23] So, it wasn't much of a story for me to ponder over.
[05:28] When I was in charge of my previous two classes, I had only one thing in mind, that I would continue to watch over them from a position of fairness and calmness without any unnecessary emotions coming into play.
[05:39] I had continued to believe that it was right for me as a teacher to take a step back from my students in good times and bad.
[05:48] Of course, this perspective is in line with the school's educational ideology, and it's not wrong.
[05:54] However, I now feel that it was also a way for me to escape from my inexperience as a teacher, explained Chabashira Sensei.
[06:00] The students were silent, hanging on to her words.
[06:02] Fairness is important.
[06:06] Teacher must not intervene in a class competition and distort the outcome.
[06:10] However, foregoing opportunities for students to grow is not the way things should be done as a home room teacher, as an adult, and as a member of society.
[06:19] It is only recently that I have finally come to realize that.
[06:24] She spoke introspectively, reflecting on her past actions.
[06:29] It was you, the students of this class, who made me realize that when you first arrived at this school, you may have heard that in the past, it was natural for students in class D to go on to the next grade level without ever rising above their rank.
[06:42] Before long, gossip began to spread rampantly, and there were more and more cases of students that were assigned to class D being ridiculed as defective products.
[06:51] She took a short pause, then continued.
[06:53] But now there are no longer any students one could call defective.
[06:58] You could say that with just this one class you have completely wiped out the negative image that had been built up in the past, said Chabashi sensei, giving a compliment to
[07:07] The students.
[07:09] Chabashira sensei fiddled with her tablet and switched on the monitor.
[07:13] It showed the rankings and status of each class as of March 1.
[07:16] Class 2 A, 1,098 points.
[07:22] Class 2 B, 993 points.
[07:27] Class 2 C, 730 points.
[07:30] Class 2 D, 654 points.
[07:33] To supplement what was shown on screen, class A was the class led by Sakahanagi.
[07:36] Class B was the class led by Horikita.
[07:38] Class C was the class led by Ryuan and class D was the class led by Ichino.
[07:44] Class points fluctuated greatly when special exams were held.
[07:46] But during the ordinary months when nothing of note occurred, the number of points varied only slightly.
[07:53] When we first started here, class points were sometimes taken away due to things like tardiness, absences, and negative assessments that we couldn't see.
[08:02] But we could no longer expect to see any changes in the rankings due to factors like those.
[08:06] Looking at the class point rankings
[08:08] Chart once more like this, it was easy to see how this class was on the upswing.
[08:14] And it wasn't only the students who felt this way.
[08:17] We have 983 class points, announced Chabashi Sensei.
[08:21] It's an incredible number of points, no matter how many times I see the figure.
[08:25] I can't even imagine that this is a class that once lost all of its class points one scant month after starting school here.
[08:33] Our teacher was similarly amazed looking at the rankings, but she hesitated for a moment, thinking back to 2 years ago.
[08:40] More importantly though, your class 2B, class B.
[08:43] No matter how many times I say that, I can't shake this feeling that there's something off about that, about being in that position.
[08:49] Class B is not the goal.
[08:52] Depending on the results of this end-of-year special exam, there is even a possibility that this class could become class A.
[09:00] Currently, there was a gap of about 100 points between us and class A, the path to class A, which Chabashira sensei had only dreamed of.
[09:05] No, that she
[09:08] was not even allowed to dream of was now within reach.
[09:11] But I don't want you to get cocky.
[09:12] Now that you're getting close to a point where the goal is in reach, I want you to keep pushing on ahead toward your goal without slacking off.
[09:21] This is a request from your inadequate teacher.
[09:23] With that, Chabashira sensei briefly bowed to the students.
[09:26] Then she slowly raised her face back up, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes wide.
[09:33] Now, I will give you a synopsis of the end-of-year special exam.
[09:38] Chabashira Sensei's words likely gave the students a sense of strength and steadfastness.
[09:42] No one was panicking and they took her words to heart.
[09:44] As the teacher operated her tablet, the monitor displayed the contents of the special exam.
[09:51] End of year special exam, exam venue, special building, class matchups, class 2A versus class 2C, class 2B versus class 2D.
[10:03] Preliminary preparations.
[10:03] Select three representatives from each class, a vanguard, a center, and a general.
[10:08] Before the morning of the exam, at least
[10:10] One male student and one female student must be selected as representatives.
[10:15] A number of voluntary substitutes may be designated in the event of a representative's absence on the day of the exam.
[10:24] If there are fewer than three designated representatives, including substitutes, present on the day of the exam, the school will randomly select representatives.
[10:33] Exam rules representative overview.
[10:36] A tournament style system will be adopted using representatives from each class.
[10:40] Vanguard center general.
[10:43] Vanguards are given five life points.
[10:45] Centers are given seven life points and generals are given 10 life points.
[10:50] The class whose general loses all of their life points first loses.
[10:55] The exam will be conducted as a one-on-one competition with established rules.
[11:00] There will be no ties and the exam will be extended as necessary until a conclusion is reached.
[11:04] The class matchups which we had already known about.
[11:09] A section labeled preliminary preparations and extremely
[11:11] Simple rules were displayed on the monitor.
[11:16] However, at this stage it remained unclear what exactly the competition would entail in preparation for the end of year special exam.
[11:23] You have some important decisions to make.
[11:25] I'm sure that you can understand just from the information on the monitor, but I will explain verbally just in case.
[11:32] Then you will need to hold a class discussion to select your three representatives.
[11:37] These are extremely vital roles in determining who will win the special exam.
[11:41] So I would like for you to discuss the matter thoroughly and make a decision that none of you will regret, said Chabashira Sensei.
[11:50] Did that mean a class would lose once their three representatives were defeated?
[11:53] It was obvious that the test material would be important regardless of what it was.
[11:58] Basically, it seemed as though we could select whomever we wished.
[12:03] But we needed to keep in mind that because the only restriction placed on us was gender, it wasn't possible to form a group of representatives made up of three boys or three girls.
[12:11] Also, apparently, we could
[12:14] Set up replacements in the unlikely event that a representative is absent.
[12:19] In that case, it probably wouldn't hurt to have several candidates just to be safe.
[12:23] The order in which the representatives will fight is also determined by their designation.
[12:29] Vanguard, center, and general, explained Chabashira sensei.
[12:35] The representatives will fight each other in a single elimination tournament style format.
[12:39] In other words, the vanguards will compete against each other first, but the winning vanguard will continue with their current life point value and can continue to fight the opposing classes center and general until that vanguard loses all of their life points.
[12:55] This is an extreme example, but if a single vanguard is able to defeat all three of the other representatives, including the general, then that vanguard's respective class will win.
[13:06] If you put a student that you think is the most capable as your vanguard, you may see such a scenario as a possibility.
[13:13] But while it is possible, I do not recommend it.
[13:15] Although the scenario that Chabashira sensei mentioned was like some overly sentimental heroic tale, realistically it would be difficult to pull off.
[13:25] Considering that the general was given 10 life points, more than the vanguard or the center, it was obvious to anyone that it was an overwhelmingly better idea to put the more capable students toward the back of the lineup.
[13:37] It was unlikely that putting leaders like Sakahanagi, Ryuin, or Ichino in a forward position like the Vanguard to launch a surprise attack would outweigh the definite advantages of putting them toward the rear.
[13:51] Of course, if this were an exam that favored the Vanguard, that wouldn't be the case.
[13:56] But we couldn't predict that from what we currently knew about the exam rules.
[14:00] And judging from Chabashira Sensei's attitude, it seemed like it was fair to ignore the slim possibility of that being the case.
[14:07] There isn't much time left for you to decide your representatives, she added.
[14:11] You have until Sunday at the end of the day.
[14:13] If you exceed this time limit, the
[14:16] School will select three students at random.
[14:20] That of course was just the school's standard procedure.
[14:22] Naturally, none of the classes were going to exceed the time limit.
[14:27] So, are you saying that the three representatives alone will be who decides who wins or loses in this special exam?
[14:35] Asked Yoske.
[14:37] It wasn't surprising to think so, given the explanation we'd heard thus far.
[14:40] Yoske was clearly concerned about that point.
[14:42] Yes, I suppose that's certainly how one would interpret it based on these preliminary preparations and exam rules.
[14:49] Chabashi sensei said, "Of course, students other than the three representatives will also be given a significant role to play.
[14:58] All remaining students other than the representatives will be expected to fulfill their role properly according to their designation."
[15:07] "A significant role?" asked Yoske.
[15:09] Chabashira Sensei tapped on her tablet and changed what was displayed on the monitor.
[15:14] Exam rules.
[15:14] Participant overview.
[15:14] Students other
[15:17] Than the representatives will be participants and take part in the exam.
[15:21] If the number of participants falls below 35 because of absences due to illness or other reasons, a penalty will be incurred.
[15:28] Penalty.
[15:31] Five class points will be paid per person.
[15:33] For classes with 36 or more participants, five class points will be gained for each participant over 35.
[15:40] All non-representatives are required to fulfill their role as participants in the special exam.
[15:47] Regarding the part of the overview that touches on penalties, there are 38 people in this class.
[15:52] If you subtract the three representatives, that makes 35.
[15:57] In other words, if even one person is absent for any reason, the class will be penalized.
[16:02] Conversely, a class with extra people can handle unforeseen circumstances or receive some measure of benefit, explained Chabashi Sensei.
[16:13] Horriikita's class had 38 students, and Sakayanaga's class had 37, which meant they had no extra.
[16:17] Participants.
[16:20] Ryuin and Ichino's classes had 40 people, so they would gain 10 points.
[16:25] You couldn't call that a huge amount of class points, even if you were being generous.
[16:29] But if the question was about getting points at all rather than their amount, that made an enormous difference.
[16:35] Being given those points would honestly be a welcome factor regardless of the competition.
[16:40] We couldn't lament that point being unfair given the circumstances.
[16:45] Ichino's class had been fighting for 2 years so far without losing a single person.
[16:50] Actually, if you looked at this aspect of the test as being a kind of reward for that, it wasn't enough.
[16:57] Rayuin's class had spent a lot of money to bring in Katsuragi after losing Manab.
[17:01] Looking at it from their perspective, this situation wasn't simply a gain for them either.
[17:08] At any rate, the representatives were one thing, but the exact nature of the participant role was even more vague.
[17:15] The only thing that seemed to be clear was that the representatives and participants clearly had different
[17:19] roles.
[17:21] Just when I was thinking that we were going to be shown more details, the screen suddenly went black.
[17:26] Everyone seemed to think that it was equipment trouble or user error, but that apparently wasn't the case.
[17:32] And that is all that I can tell you right now, said Chabashira Sensei.
[17:37] Horriikita, who had been listening silently up until this point, spoke up in response to Chabashira Sensei's bizarre remark.
[17:43] What do you mean?
[17:46] Frankly, we still don't know a thing about what the special exam will entail, said Horikita.
[17:50] Yes, I understand, Chabashira Sensei said.
[17:53] But it's as I just said, I cannot explain anything more than what I've told you thus far.
[17:59] I'm trying to be mean and hide it from you.
[18:01] I simply haven't been given the details by the school myself.
[18:04] More information will be revealed on the day of the special exam.
[18:09] Unsurprisingly, the mood in the class immediately changed in response to that shocking statement.
[18:14] The fact that not even our home room teacher had been given the details was clearly out of the ordinary.
[18:18] It was an
[18:20] Unprecedented announcement in our two years of being here.
[18:22] Your first task is to elect three representatives.
[18:27] There is no advantage in being a representative in and of itself, but at the same time, there is no disadvantage either.
[18:35] To put it in simpler terms, you will not gain a large number of private points by accepting the role.
[18:41] However, you will not shoulder the risk of being expelled from school even if you lose, said Chabashira Sensei.
[18:48] It seemed as though the only thing that was fully clear was that it was an important position.
[18:53] I understand that you don't know the rules either, Sensei.
[18:57] But currently, we have no metrics upon which to decide our representatives.
[19:01] What should we base our selections on? asked Yoske.
[19:04] I wish I could tell you, but unfortunately, just like with the rules, I don't know anything about that either, said Chabashira Sensei.
[19:12] It sounded as though she hadn't even been informed of the selection criteria, and she wore a troubled expression as she told us what little she could predict.
[19:20] State anything for absolutely certain, given the fact that it'll be a situation where students compete against each other regardless if they're a boy or girl, and that the testing venue will be the special building, it seems unlikely that it'll be a competition of physical ability.
[19:37] She couldn't make any guarantees, but her guess was probably correct given the location and the roles.
[19:45] In that case, I wondered if we should steer in the opposite direction and go with more studious types to be the representatives.
[19:51] Most likely, the answer to that question was no.
[19:54] If hypothetically the competition was based solely on academic ability, it was hard to imagine that information would be withheld from us.
[20:03] A one-on-one match competing in something that was based neither on studies nor physical activity.
[20:09] So then what in the world was it about fighting by way of dialogue?
[20:12] Could something like that be a possibility?
[20:16] Then Horikita muttered that question aloud, half speaking to herself as she rose from her chair.
[20:18] That's
[20:21] conceivable enough, sure, said
[20:22] Chabashira sensei. She couldn't say for
[20:25] certain that was so, but she couldn't
[20:27] deny the potential that the competition
[20:29] would be in the form of a debate or
[20:31] something similar. If smooth
[20:32] communication skills were required, then
[20:35] students like Yoske and Kushida would
[20:37] probably be the top choices. Even if the
[20:40] exam content had nothing to do with
[20:42] dialogue, if those two were selected,
[20:44] they'd be able to handle the task
[20:46] flexibly thanks to their high levels of
[20:48] overall ability. In short, you could say
[20:51] that this was a situation where students
[20:53] who could compete regardless of the exam
[20:55] content were the ones who should be
[20:57] selected. Now, as for the all-important
[21:00] rewards, the winning class will get 200
[21:02] points, Chabashira Sensei said,
[21:05] continuing her explanation. If you lose,
[21:08] you will simply receive no reward at
[21:10] all. However, the results will also
[21:12] reflect choices made in the unanimous
[21:14] special exam. So, in your case, if you
[21:17] win, you'll get 250 class points. The
[21:20] first thing I understood from what she
[21:22] said was that no one would be losing any
[21:24] class points, even if they lost. Not
[21:27] having to worry about being robbed was a
[21:29] silver lining, but it made no difference
[21:31] if the gap was wide. Given that the
[21:33] rewards to be gained were so great, the
[21:36] damage to the loser would still be
[21:37] considerable if they were left behind.
[21:40] For Ichino's class in particular, it
[21:43] would put their back to the wall with
[21:44] nowhere to go even apart from the exam.
[21:47] If her class ended up getting further
[21:49] separated from the top in terms of class
[21:51] points, then the outlook would become
[21:53] quite bleak for them as it would be
[21:55] difficult to see just how much her class
[21:57] could turn things around and recover
[22:00] even if they won all of the special
[22:01] exams over the next year. That is all
[22:04] for my explanation. As soon as you have
[22:06] decided upon your representatives, come
[22:08] talk to me, said Chabashi sensei. With
[22:11] that, Chabashi sensei was finished. 2.1
[22:15] I reminisced a bit about the time that I
[22:17] talked to Hashimoto while I was walking
[22:19] back from school together with Kay. The
[22:22] end of year special exam was finally
[22:24] approaching, set for next week. We
[22:26] didn't know the details of the rules
[22:28] yet, but I could say that the
[22:29] fluctuation in class points was clearly
[22:32] significant. The winner would smile
[22:34] while the loser would likely cry. In
[22:37] that regard, the exam would be a
[22:39] win-lose type of situation. So, no
[22:41] matter who the victors and losers were,
[22:43] that reaction was to be expected. But
[22:46] there was one point that was not part of
[22:48] the original plan. Namely, the matter of
[22:51] Sakahyanagi and Rayuan's wager that the
[22:53] loser would drop out of school
[22:55] regardless of the special exam content.
[22:58] As stated in the rules, there would be
[22:59] no ties and thus a clear winner would be
[23:02] determined. That meant that one of them
[23:04] would disappear from the school once the
[23:06] special exam came to an end. I could say
[23:09] that my envisioned goal of entering our
[23:11] third year with all four classes having
[23:14] the potential to be class A had
[23:16] essentially been destroyed. Regardless
[23:18] of which class won or lost, I had laid
[23:21] the groundwork to deal with the
[23:22] situation. Regarding those who were
[23:24] difficult to replace, such as Sakahanagi
[23:27] and Raywin, I plan to lend a helping
[23:29] hand when they were in danger of being
[23:31] eliminated. And in truth, I have done
[23:34] just that. I supposed that it wasn't
[23:36] normal to leave the possibility open for
[23:38] all four classes to be in reach of class
[23:41] A in the first place. Considering the
[23:43] nature of the school's competitions, the
[23:46] students probably wouldn't want to have
[23:47] a close contested rivalry with another
[23:50] class. That was precisely why students
[23:52] would win when they were capable and
[23:54] always did their absolute best. Both
[23:57] Horikita Manabu and Nagumo Miyabi had
[24:00] constructed a system that utilized a
[24:02] single dominant player who has stuck out
[24:04] beyond the results of those efforts. If
[24:07] not, wouldn't two of the classes, class
[24:09] A and class B, engage in one-on-one
[24:12] combat against each other? The history
[24:14] of this school should have been simply a
[24:16] repetition of that exact scenario. It
[24:19] was with that in mind that I had decided
[24:21] to create a four-way competition among
[24:23] the classes in order to overturn that
[24:25] foundation. That certainly was one of
[24:28] the futures that I had envisioned. But
[24:30] while it might have been possible to
[24:32] have their wager rescended before being
[24:34] put into action in the upcoming
[24:36] competition, a third party should not
[24:39] cut into something that two people have
[24:40] agreed upon. What should I do if it's
[24:43] already been decided that one of them
[24:44] will be going away in the near future?
[24:46] Then both Rywin's class and Sakahanaga's
[24:50] class had talented, capable people in
[24:52] them who made for a solid class when
[24:54] grouped together. However, even so, they
[24:57] were not capable enough to replace the
[24:59] current leaders. The equilibrium would
[25:01] surely crumble if it became impossible
[25:04] to keep the four in balance. What would
[25:06] the best course of action be? Would I
[25:08] have to make decisions by the time the
[25:10] results of the endofear special exam
[25:12] were available, including the decisions
[25:14] that I had put on hold? Hey, Kiotaka.
[25:18] Kay spoke quietly as she walked
[25:20] alongside me, muttering at such a low
[25:22] volume. It was like her words were
[25:24] scattered droplets. What's up? I asked.
[25:27] When I replied with that brief question,
[25:29] she looked at me with a surprised
[25:31] expression. Even though she was the one
[25:33] who had spoken to me. Hey. Um, so you
[25:35] know the movie I'm looking forward to
[25:37] it. She said, "Yeah, that's right." I
[25:39] replied. Even though I replied to her,
[25:42] Kay seemed rather aloof. You were
[25:44] thinking about something, right? She
[25:46] asked. Sorry. Maybe I was just feeling
[25:48] distracted, I guess, I answered. I was
[25:51] thinking about the special exam. I
[25:54] wasn't aware of making any particular
[25:56] facial expressions or gestures, but I
[25:58] figured that Kay might have picked up on
[26:00] something intuitively, although it
[26:02] seemed safe to say that it was a sense
[26:04] developed from spending a growing period
[26:06] of time together as lovers rather than
[26:09] an individual ability on her part. I
[26:11] guess it's not something I should be
[26:13] thinking about when we're walking back
[26:14] to the dorms together, huh? Are you mad?
[26:17] I asked. No, it's not like that, she
[26:19] said. It's just, are you going to be
[26:22] helping the class this time by any
[26:23] chance? Not sure. Right now, I'm giving
[26:26] things a lot of thought, but if you've
[26:28] got anything you want to talk about,
[26:29] Kay, I'm all ears. It seemed to me like
[26:32] she was hiding her true intentions, so I
[26:35] switched my attention to Kay's recent
[26:37] situation. However, Kay seemed to be
[26:39] taking a step back from it. "No, no,
[26:42] don't worry about me," she said. "The
[26:44] final exam is like a super important
[26:46] exam after all. But I'm sure that if you
[26:49] take it seriously, Kiyotaka, our class
[26:52] will definitely win. And if we get 250
[26:55] class points, then we might even end up
[26:57] being class A, right?" She flashed a
[27:00] smile, essentially telling me, "So, I
[27:02] don't want to bother you." Of course, it
[27:05] was as plain as day that this admirable
[27:07] consideration on her part was just for
[27:09] show, but I decided to not hesitate to
[27:11] take advantage of it. "In that case, can
[27:13] we cancel our date this weekend?" I
[27:15] asked. "I'll make it up to you next
[27:17] week, of course." "Well, okay, that's
[27:20] fine, I guess," she replied. "But do we
[27:23] really have to cancel, though?
[27:24] Personally, I'd rather be with you this
[27:26] week and next week. If possible, I'd
[27:29] like to meet and talk with each class
[27:31] leader before the final exam. In fact,
[27:34] there were several other people I wanted
[27:36] to contact in addition to the four class
[27:38] leaders, but I decided that it wasn't
[27:40] necessary to mention that part here.
[27:42] Each class leader, Wait, you mean not
[27:44] just Horikita? Then asked Kay. Normally,
[27:48] one would only focus their efforts on
[27:50] making sure their own class won. So, it
[27:52] wasn't unreasonable for Kay to think
[27:54] that having a discussion just with
[27:55] Horikita would have been enough. All
[27:57] four of them. Do you not like the idea
[27:59] of me meeting with Ichino? I asked. uh
[28:02] stammered K. I had hit the nail on the
[28:05] head and she had reflexively reacted
[28:07] with a start, flustered. No, no, it's
[28:09] not like Well, I mean, it's not not like
[28:12] that, I guess. Of course, I don't like
[28:14] it obviously, but it's necessary for
[28:16] you, right? Kiotaka. It is very
[28:19] important this particular time, I
[28:21] replied. When I responded to her with
[28:23] words of confirmation and a nod, Kay
[28:26] nodded back, albeit reluctantly. I guess
[28:29] if you had something you needed to hide,
[28:31] something to feel guilty about, you
[28:33] could contact her and meet her while
[28:34] keeping quiet about it. You could do
[28:36] that as much as you wanted to, but you
[28:39] made sure to ask me for permission. So,
[28:41] muttered K, seeming as though she was
[28:43] trying to convince herself while talking
[28:45] to me. Finally, she asked me for
[28:48] confirmation. I can believe you, right?
[28:50] I'm meeting with the leaders of each
[28:52] class this time because I want to see
[28:54] what happens in the future. Nothing
[28:56] more, nothing less, I replied. Even if I
[28:59] told Kay my true intentions here, there
[29:02] was no way that she'd feel like
[29:03] everything was cleared up anyway.
[29:05] Looking back on how Kay had been acting
[29:07] recently, something had clearly begun to
[29:09] change from how things used to be. Of
[29:12] course, it was obvious that I was the
[29:14] cause of that. A romantic relationship
[29:16] fundamentally requires both trusting
[29:19] your partner and being trusted by your
[29:21] partner. However, cracks were beginning
[29:24] to appear in the relationship. The
[29:26] impetus for something like that to
[29:27] happen were varied. Money, violence,
[29:30] infidelity, even simply being stuck in a
[29:33] rut in the relationship. There were
[29:35] innumerable reasons why a relationship
[29:37] may fail. But even so, you couldn't just
[29:40] question your partner that easily. Do
[29:42] you not love me anymore? Have you fallen
[29:44] in love with someone else? Have you
[29:46] gotten bored of me? Even if you had
[29:48] something on your mind, it took courage
[29:50] to say it to your partner. And supposing
[29:52] you did voice your concerns, there's no
[29:54] guarantee that the problem would be
[29:56] resolved. Okay, I won't say anything
[29:59] more about it then, said Kay. And I
[30:01] don't need a detailed report about it
[30:03] either. That seemed to be her way of
[30:05] telling me that she didn't want to
[30:06] question me about what we talked about
[30:08] when I met with them. Thanks. I
[30:10] appreciate that, I replied. Now I could
[30:13] deal with the end ofear special exam
[30:15] freely. So, hey, um, could I stay over
[30:18] today? asked Kay. The only thing that I
[30:21] could do for Kay, who had trouble
[30:23] putting those kinds of things into
[30:24] words, was to stay with her for as long
[30:26] as possible. I figured that she wanted
[30:29] to do what she could in the time that we
[30:31] shared and wanted to somehow hold on to
[30:33] me as her partner, to keep me tied down.
[30:36] I didn't have any particular reason to
[30:38] refuse her at the moment. As long as
[30:40] there wasn't any heartache, no
[30:42] disadvantage would arise for me. Even
[30:44] so, I decided to turn her down. No,
[30:47] let's not do that this week. I'll be too
[30:49] busy coming up with a strategy for the
[30:51] end of the school year, I replied. I was
[30:54] entering the preparatory stages to sever
[30:56] hopes rather than giving an expectation
[30:58] that hopes could survive. Because no
[31:01] matter how thin or how brittle the
[31:03] thread, Kay would risk it all and try to
[31:05] reach and grab hold of it. Not even for
[31:08] a little bit, she asked. Not even for a
[31:10] little bit. No, because I'd feel bad if
[31:13] I could only do things half-heartedly
[31:14] with you, I replied. But Kay continued
[31:17] speaking, not giving up. Almost as
[31:20] though she really were trying to hang on
[31:21] to me tightly and not let go. "Well, I'm
[31:24] fine with that, even if it's just to
[31:26] serve you, Kyotaka. I I'll work hard to
[31:28] make you like me even more," she
[31:30] protested. When I glanced over at Kay in
[31:33] response, as if showing her sympathy,
[31:35] she bit her lip a little and closed her
[31:37] eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. "You said
[31:40] no after all, Kiyotaka, and here I'm
[31:42] being like this. I'm sorry for being
[31:44] selfish during such an important time
[31:46] with the final special exam and all.
[31:49] It's<unk> okay. Let's go to the movies
[31:51] together after the exam is over. I
[31:53] offered. Kay nodded quietly saying okay.
[31:57] 2.2 Ki and I walked into the dormatory
[32:01] building and parted ways in front of the
[32:03] elevator. I had one goal to accomplish
[32:05] in the 3-day period starting tomorrow,
[32:07] Friday, and ending on Sunday, namely to
[32:11] meet with the leaders of each class.
[32:13] Horikita, Ichinoi, Ryuin, and
[32:15] Sakahyanagi. If I closely examined the
[32:18] contents of the endofear special exam, I
[32:20] would say that it was highly unlikely
[32:22] that it would end peacefully with no one
[32:25] getting hurt. How will you deal with
[32:27] this? What are you going to do in the
[32:29] future? I wanted to make a final
[32:31] confirmation, taking into account my
[32:33] future course. Who I met with first
[32:35] didn't matter to me. But while I was
[32:38] giving it some thought while looking at
[32:39] my cell phone, I noticed that I had
[32:41] received a single message. Apparently,
[32:44] there was someone who already wanted to
[32:45] meet with me without me having to call
[32:47] them. Moreover, since they didn't
[32:50] specify the date, time, or even
[32:52] location, that meant I wouldn't have to
[32:54] deal with the hassle of extra
[32:56] correspondence. I responded, consenting
[32:59] readily, and decided to rethink the
[33:01] order of my appointments with the
[33:02] leaders. Although I didn't intend to be
[33:05] particular about the order, sometimes it
[33:07] was better to be a little careful about
[33:09] those things in order to accomplish
[33:11] certain goals at the same time. Once I
[33:13] had returned to my room, I immediately
[33:16] sent messages to the leaders of each
[33:17] class. I asked three of them, everyone
[33:20] but Horikita, if we could meet somewhere
[33:23] on Saturday or Sunday. As for Horikita,
[33:26] I worded the message a little bit
[33:27] differently and asked if we could meet
[33:29] sometime between Friday and Sunday. Of
[33:32] course, I wasn't going to mention at the
[33:35] start that I was planning to meet with
[33:36] everyone or what exactly the
[33:38] conversation would be about since it
[33:40] wouldn't be strange if some of the
[33:42] students were wary and wanted to keep
[33:43] their distance. The first one to read
[33:46] the message was Rywin. Though, he was
[33:48] also the person who I wouldn't be least
[33:50] surprised to get a decline from. I'll
[33:53] make some time for you tomorrow after
[33:54] class. Around the time that I was
[33:57] setting my bag down on the table, I saw
[33:59] Ryuan's reply. I figured that he was
[34:02] proposing Friday because his schedule
[34:04] for Saturday and Sunday was full, but it
[34:07] was somewhat disconcerting that he
[34:09] couldn't even make a little time for me
[34:10] during the weekend proper. However, it
[34:13] didn't seem like there was any deep
[34:14] meaning behind it and that he was simply
[34:16] rejecting my specific designation for
[34:19] Saturday or Sunday. That was also rather
[34:21] like Ryuan, more or less. Well, I
[34:24] suppose that if I could arrange to meet
[34:26] with Horikita first, then Friday
[34:28] wouldn't be a problem. I casually sent a
[34:30] reply asking about where we should meet.
[34:33] Ultimately, we settled on heading over
[34:35] to a karaoke room at 700 p.m. Afterward,
[34:39] Ichino responded and suggested that we
[34:41] could meet up somewhere early on Sunday
[34:44] since she had plans with a friend later
[34:46] that day. I replied that it was no
[34:48] problem. About an hour later, Horikita
[34:51] had also contacted me. I was sure it was
[34:54] obvious to her what this was about, but
[34:56] I had added a statement saying that I'd
[34:58] be grateful if we could talk about the
[35:00] exam. Horikita said that she didn't mind
[35:02] any particular time or place, so we
[35:05] decided to meet at a cafe in Kiyaki Mall
[35:07] tomorrow, Friday, after class. The
[35:10] remaining person, Sakahanagi, asked if I
[35:13] wouldn't mind talking to her over the
[35:15] phone on Sunday night, as her weekend
[35:17] appeared to be completely booked full of
[35:19] prior engagements. I had thought that I
[35:21] would like to meet and speak in person
[35:23] if at all possible, but I figured that a
[35:26] phone call wouldn't be much of an issue.
[35:28] So, I replied to Sakayanagi to say that
[35:31] would be fine. On Friday evening, I
[35:33] would meet with Horikita at a cafe in
[35:35] Kiyaki Mall. On Friday night, I would
[35:38] visit Ryuin in a karaoke room. On Sunday
[35:41] morning, I would meet Ichino on a bench
[35:43] just outside of the gym on the path to
[35:46] school. On Sunday night, I would talk to
[35:48] Sakahanagi on the phone. There were
[35:50] other things I wanted to do as well, but
[35:52] talking to those four was imperative.
[35:55] Just like that, I had established my
[35:57] schedule. Chapter 3. What ought to be
[35:59] finished? Ky aki Mall changed
[36:02] drastically on Fridays after class
[36:05] compared to how things are on weekdays.
[36:08] After 5 days of working hard on their
[36:10] studies, the students joyfully entered
[36:12] the leadup into the days off that
[36:13] awaited them. However, this week
[36:15] specifically, things looked a little
[36:17] different than normal. Perhaps it was
[36:20] the noticeably smaller number of
[36:21] students inside the mall. When I arrived
[36:24] at the cafe, I saw that Horikita, who
[36:27] had left the classroom before me, was
[36:29] already waiting there for me. When
[36:30] Horikita noticed me, she gestured that
[36:33] she wanted to order a drink, and we went
[36:35] over to the cashier. I purchased one hot
[36:38] coffee and joined her. Horriikita looked
[36:40] somewhat restless, fidgeting about in
[36:42] the seat across from me. What's the
[36:44] matter? I asked. The matter? She asked
[36:47] in return. I mean, it just seemed to me
[36:49] like there was something bothering you.
[36:51] If I'm wrong about that, though, then
[36:53] that's good, I replied. Maybe it's my
[36:56] body language, she asked. Yeah, it is, I
[36:59] replied. I see, said Horikita. It's
[37:02] nothing really. I was just thinking a
[37:04] little about next week's exam. I'm sorry
[37:06] if I worried you. So, you're saying that
[37:08] you're nervous right now at this current
[37:10] stage? I asked. Why wouldn't I be? The
[37:13] fluctuation in class points is going to
[37:15] be significant. Whether our class goes
[37:18] up or down, it's a big turning point
[37:20] either way, said Horikita. And also, the
[37:23] more she became aware of her role as the
[37:25] leader, the more she would think about
[37:27] that sort of thing. That was
[37:29] understandable, I suppose. And a
[37:31] moderate feeling of tension wasn't a bad
[37:33] thing at all. By the way, have you
[37:35] noticed how few first years are around?
[37:37] She asked. Perhaps she wanted to change
[37:39] the subject because she asked me that
[37:41] question while avoiding my gaze. Yeah, I
[37:45] suppose that the time has finally come
[37:46] for our juniors to undergo the trials
[37:49] and tribulations of an endofear special
[37:51] exam too, huh? I answered. Looking at
[37:54] the inside of the cafe alone, you could
[37:57] see that there were very few firstear
[37:59] students. Judging from the way things
[38:01] were looking this weekend, a
[38:02] considerably tough special exam might
[38:05] have been issued to them. It feels like
[38:07] the days and months went by slowly yet
[38:09] quickly. I can't believe that a year has
[38:12] passed already since they came to this
[38:14] school, said Horikita. So said the
[38:16] secondyear student, who is only a year
[38:18] older than those first years, speaking
[38:21] somewhat philosophically, as though
[38:23] taking a far-sighted view while she took
[38:25] a sip of her drink. That's kind of like
[38:27] an old person way of talking, I replied.
[38:30] Okay, old person. Rude. I wonder if you
[38:33] could have phrased that a little bit
[38:35] better, said Horriikita, the slightly
[38:37] sweet scent of her black tea wafting
[38:39] across the table along with her
[38:41] grumbling words. That's unusual for you
[38:43] to have milk tea, I observed. I was in
[38:46] the mood for a little sugar. I've been
[38:48] doing a lot of thinking, said Horikita.
[38:51] That was because when you were a class
[38:53] leader, you had to put more thought into
[38:55] things than anyone else. I wonder what
[38:57] kind of exam the school is making the
[38:59] first years take, mused Horikita. Who
[39:01] knows? If you're curious, why don't you
[39:04] capture a first year and ask them?
[39:06] There's no way I could shift my
[39:07] attention to another grade level until I
[39:10] hear from someone about that. Besides,
[39:13] it's not right for an upper classman to
[39:15] intrude on the special exam of an
[39:17] unrelated grade level just out of
[39:19] curiosity, right? Said Horikita. That
[39:22] wasn't the case when you were being
[39:23] asked for advice. But yes, Horikita was
[39:26] right. That was a problem that should be
[39:28] handled by people within the same grade
[39:31] level. Of course, there were times when
[39:33] people would rely on an upperassman or
[39:35] junior if they had to in order to
[39:37] survive, but you could say that such
[39:39] examples were rare. Putting the matter
[39:42] of what's on their exam aside, do you
[39:44] know what the class situation is for the
[39:46] first years? Asked Horikita. I'm sure
[39:49] that the rankings haven't changed for
[39:50] them since enrollment from classes A to
[39:53] D. I replied with the tacit
[39:55] understanding that we were not to
[39:57] interfere too deeply in their affairs.
[39:59] The only thing that Horikita and I could
[40:01] do was look at the information disclosed
[40:04] by the school and share it. Yes, you're
[40:06] right. It seems that Yagami from class B
[40:09] was expelled from school for a matter
[40:12] unrelated to special exams. There was a
[40:14] big penalty, but the gap between his
[40:16] class and classes C and D was too large
[40:19] for that to change the rankings. But now
[40:21] that the gap between class 1A and class
[40:24] 1B has opened up, and it appears that
[40:26] class 1A has started to pull ahead
[40:28] little by little, indisputably, said
[40:30] Horikita. Horikita then turned the
[40:33] screen of her phone toward me without
[40:34] even having to tap it. Class points as
[40:37] of March 1. Class 1 A 991 points. Class
[40:42] 1B, 697 points. Class 1 C, 532 points.
[40:48] Class 1D 510 points. It looked as though
[40:52] Horikita had investigated the matter in
[40:54] her spare time while waiting for me. We
[40:56] weren't that different at this point
[40:58] last year either. But the bottom three
[41:00] classes in their case appear to be
[41:02] pretty close, so it seems possible that
[41:04] there could be a big turnaround
[41:06] depending on the long- aaited endofear
[41:08] special exam, remarked Horikita.
[41:11] Depending on the rewards and the
[41:13] competition format and depending on the
[41:15] case, the chances that class 1A and
[41:17] class 1D could switch places weren't
[41:20] zero. I didn't recall the detailed
[41:22] figures from last year, but I believed
[41:24] that both Horikita and Ryuin's classes
[41:27] were hovering around 350 points, and
[41:30] this year's first years were doing quite
[41:32] well. Considering that even class 1D
[41:34] still had over 500 points now after
[41:37] starting with 800 points. Just from
[41:39] looking at the class points they have,
[41:41] it looks like they're exceptional,
[41:43] better than we were last year. I'm
[41:45] curious to see how the first years are
[41:47] holding their classes together, I
[41:49] replied. That was my honest assessment
[41:51] after looking at the rankings and
[41:53] points. Class A seemed to be led by
[41:56] either Takahashi or Ishagami, while
[41:58] Class D had a clear leader in Hosen. But
[42:01] classes B and C didn't appear to have
[42:03] clear leaders at this point. Sububaki
[42:06] and Udomia from class C are both
[42:08] memorable students, but there was little
[42:10] evidence that they were taking actions
[42:12] to lead their class at present. Also,
[42:15] although Yagami was leading the way for
[42:17] class B, it was currently unclear on how
[42:19] things had changed in his class since
[42:21] his expulsion. Yes, they certainly may
[42:24] have a high number of class points, but
[42:26] that doesn't mean we can assume that
[42:28] they're exceptional overall because of
[42:30] that, can we? The special exams they're
[42:32] being given are different from what we
[42:34] had last year. The environment therein
[42:37] is different as well, so we can't easily
[42:39] judge them based on point values alone,
[42:42] argued Horikita, perhaps displeased with
[42:44] me praising our juniors. Yes, ability
[42:47] may be another matter. I suppose it
[42:49] might simply be that there were just
[42:51] more burdens in our grade level last
[42:53] year dragging us down, like pseudo at
[42:55] the start of the year compared to other
[42:57] grade levels, I replied. I wouldn't go
[43:00] that far. That's a mean thing to say,
[43:02] snapped Horikita. She had been the one
[43:05] to bring up the topic of the firstear
[43:06] students, but she seemed to have no
[43:08] intention of continuing the discussion
[43:10] any further because she turned off her
[43:12] phone screen and took another sip from
[43:15] her cup. I'd like to move on to the main
[43:17] topic. Should I hear it from you first
[43:19] or should I come out and talk about the
[43:21] endofear special exam? Asked Horikita. I
[43:25] guess talking about the first years and
[43:27] what they would deal with might have
[43:28] made her feel a bit more relaxed about
[43:30] our year's ordeal. Let's<unk>t start
[43:32] with the exam. I wanted to talk about
[43:34] that too anyway, I replied. I figured
[43:37] that was probably what this was about.
[43:39] If that's the case, I appreciate it,
[43:41] said Horikita, her eyes creasing
[43:43] happily. She seemed pleased about the
[43:45] fact that I had contacted her myself in
[43:48] regard to the special exam. Okay. Well,
[43:51] then first of all, do you think there
[43:53] are any steps that we can take to gain
[43:55] an advantage in this special exam at
[43:57] this time? As soon as she asked that,
[43:59] however, she immediately shook her head
[44:01] lightly from side to side as if she were
[44:04] correcting herself. Let me put that in a
[44:06] more straightforward way. What do you
[44:08] think our chances of success are? asked
[44:10] Horikita, rephrasing her question. In
[44:13] this case, I actually much preferred
[44:15] that to being asked in a confusing
[44:17] roundabout way. Honestly, it's hard to
[44:20] say, I replied. The content and scope of
[44:23] the exam based on what we can predict
[44:25] from the information revealed to us by
[44:27] the school seems quite broad and
[44:29] difficult to narrow down. Without
[44:32] specifics, we can't come up with a
[44:34] strategy that will lead us to victory.
[44:36] To put it bluntly, it would only be a
[44:38] waste of resources to rack our brains
[44:40] and come up with guesses about what the
[44:42] test would be like when there were
[44:43] hundreds or thousands of possible
[44:45] scenarios. Yes, I suppose you're right.
[44:48] Even Chabashira sensei doesn't know the
[44:51] details of the exam. There's no way for
[44:53] us to produce countermeasures, said
[44:55] Horikita. If she was expecting advice
[44:58] from me, normally Horikita would be
[45:00] disappointed. But for some reason, her
[45:02] expression seemed pleased. You look
[45:04] happy. I was expecting the opposite
[45:06] reaction, I remarked. Really? It makes
[45:09] me happy though. This is a special exam
[45:12] where I have no idea what will happen.
[45:14] But I guess I was expecting you to say I
[45:16] have an idea of how to win. My
[45:18] dissatisfaction with that would have
[45:20] been bigger than my hopes. So I guess I
[45:22] was a little relieved, she said. Then
[45:24] she quickly appended her statement
[45:26] saying, "That's why I am happy to hear
[45:28] you say that. you have this air about
[45:31] you like you're quite likely to say
[45:33] outrageous stuff like that after all. I
[45:35] didn't remember having an heir of any
[45:37] sort, but I wasn't going to comment on
[45:39] that. As long as we don't know what the
[45:41] exam will be about, then everyone should
[45:43] be in the same boat. Sakahanagi and
[45:46] Ryuan are no different in that regard, I
[45:48] replied. I suppose you're right. In
[45:51] other words, there's nothing we can do
[45:53] until the details are announced, asked
[45:55] Horikita. Just about all we can do is
[45:57] carefully select three representatives
[46:00] who are likely to produce solid results
[46:02] regardless of the content, I answered.
[46:05] It would probably be better to select
[46:07] students with the fewest shortcomings
[46:09] from among the class. Or you could take
[46:11] a gamble and go for an all or nothing
[46:13] situation by including a student with
[46:15] clear strengths and weaknesses, I added.
[46:18] That's a little scary, said Horikita.
[46:21] Yeah, I'm sure it is. That's precisely
[46:23] why I'm sure that every class will focus
[46:25] on having a solid lineup instead, I
[46:28] replied. While if asked directly, I
[46:31] would have to agree that the exam is
[46:32] fair, it's still frustrating, huffed
[46:35] Horriikita. It seemed like there would
[46:37] be a lot of time spent seeking answers
[46:39] to the unanswerable question of whether
[46:41] there was anything we could do at this
[46:43] current stage. The more you try to
[46:46] reason your way through exams and try to
[46:48] figure out a way forward, the more
[46:50] you'll feel stuck, I replied. So, at
[46:53] times like this, it might be interesting
[46:55] to try to change your perspective a
[46:57] little. What do you mean? asked
[46:59] Horriikita. Even if you don't know what
[47:01] the exam will be about, you can at least
[47:03] imagine who your opponents will be,
[47:05] can't you? If I were a student in the
[47:07] class that you're up against, I could
[47:09] easily imagine that you would naturally
[47:11] be the general Horikita and that
[47:14] students like Yoske and Kushida would be
[47:16] first choices as vanguard and center. I
[47:19] answered, "Yes, I suppose you're right.
[47:22] In fact, the names I had just mentioned
[47:24] should have been candidates that
[47:25] Horikita had in mind right now. In that
[47:28] case, who would you imagine from
[47:30] Ichino's class?" I asked. There's no
[47:32] doubt that Ichinoi would likely be the
[47:34] general, but who else? Well, sure
[47:37] enough, I would think that Kanzaki Khan
[47:39] would be a solid pick. No one else who
[47:42] stands out comes to mind, but people
[47:44] like Hatsukawasan, Hamaguchi Khan, and
[47:46] Niurkan seem like they would be good
[47:48] enough candidates. But, said Horikita,
[47:51] the look on Horikita's face said, "But
[47:53] what does that tell us? If you can
[47:55] narrow down who your opponents will be,
[47:57] you can then at least try to find their
[47:59] weak points. Now, this is nothing more
[48:02] than an example scenario, but let's
[48:04] assume that the person you just named,
[48:06] Hatsukawa, has a strong crush on Mi
[48:08] Aikido. If that were the case, then if
[48:11] we intentionally chose Mi with that in
[48:13] mind, then we might make Hatsukawa
[48:16] unable to make decisions like normal, I
[48:18] replied. So, you're talking about
[48:20] chemistry then? Asked Horikita. Yes,
[48:23] that's exactly what I'm talking about, I
[48:26] replied. But I can't imagine that
[48:28] chemistry would affect the outcome of
[48:30] the exam so much as to easily determine
[48:32] a winner. And I didn't say that it would
[48:34] be particularly easy. I cut her off.
[48:37] When it's difficult to make a
[48:38] breakthrough, first try to change your
[48:40] point of view. After that, you can
[48:43] decide whether you think it's a good or
[48:45] bad idea. I needed to make sure that
[48:47] Horikita knew that some things can
[48:49] quickly come into view just by slightly
[48:51] changing where you stood. I will keep
[48:53] that in mind, said Horikita. Her words
[48:56] were straightforward and accepting, but
[48:58] she must not have liked something about
[49:00] that as she had a somewhat disapproving
[49:02] look in her eyes. You seem to have a lot
[49:05] of thoughts on the matter, so I'm going
[49:07] to ask you a question. You mentioned me,
[49:09] Hiatakan, and Kushidasan. Do you think
[49:12] that we three would be good
[49:13] representatives? Asked Horikita. That is
[49:16] something that you, Horikita, as the
[49:18] lynchpin and person worthy of leading
[49:20] the class, have to think about yourself,
[49:22] I replied. I was thinking that first.
[49:25] I'd listen to what those around me have
[49:27] to say. That's why we're talking now,
[49:29] said Horikita. The way she said that
[49:32] sounded a bit roundabout and pompous,
[49:34] like she was trying to make a show of
[49:36] her wit. In that case, I guess I'd give
[49:38] her an answer. The representatives for
[49:40] the class will have a definite
[49:42] one-on-one structure. Meaning, it is
[49:45] better to choose students who can fight
[49:47] as individuals rather than the type of
[49:49] student who can demonstrate their
[49:50] abilities when they're with multiple
[49:52] people. In addition, we would want to
[49:54] exclude students who specialize in
[49:56] physical abilities like pseudo and
[49:58] onodora. Yoske and Kushida are capable
[50:02] even in a group, but they're skilled
[50:04] enough to be flexibly adaptable even on
[50:06] their own. I would say that they are
[50:08] safe choices, I told her. That's an
[50:11] uninteresting answer. It's like
[50:12] something you'd find written in a
[50:14] textbook. I'd like a little more
[50:16] individuality, said Horikita. You
[50:18] already have a plan in mind without even
[50:20] relying on my input, don't you? I asked.
[50:23] We had until the end of Sunday to
[50:25] determine the representatives. If she
[50:28] hadn't narrowed down the candidates by
[50:29] now, then we wouldn't be having this
[50:31] conversation. Well, somewhat. That said,
[50:34] there aren't many people that seem like
[50:36] they can be entrusted with this
[50:38] responsibility. My opinion is almost the
[50:41] same as yours. It's inevitable that
[50:43] Hiatakan and Kushidasan would be the
[50:45] first choice candidates. However, we
[50:48] can't honestly say that they are the
[50:50] best choices, said Horikita. Okay, then
[50:53] what would you say is the best lineup? I
[50:55] asked. At my question, she directed a
[50:58] gloomy gaze at me. If you, Ayanokojan,
[51:01] along with Kuenji would accept the
[51:03] position, I would just leave it to you,
[51:05] said Horikita. Horriikita's vision for
[51:07] the lineup of three representatives,
[51:10] Horikita, Ayanokoji, and Kuenji. Huh? It
[51:13] was true that if the wishes of the
[51:15] people selected weren't a factor, then
[51:17] that lineup might have been ideal. Even
[51:20] if I put aside the matter of you for a
[51:21] moment, I can't help but find myself
[51:23] thinking, "If only Kuenji Khan would
[51:26] honestly accept the task." "In times
[51:28] like these," said Horikita. "Yeah, if
[51:31] you were to take things seriously,
[51:33] coupled with his wild intuition, I'm
[51:35] sure he'd blow through the competition,"
[51:37] I replied. Yes, absolutely, said
[51:40] Horikita, agreeing vehemently. It might
[51:42] have even been possible for him to enter
[51:44] the competition as the vanguard and take
[51:47] out the others, going all the way up to
[51:49] general. Of course, if he was nominated
[51:52] against his will, there was a
[51:54] substantial risk that he would let
[51:56] himself be defeated without even putting
[51:58] up a fight. If anything, that was the
[52:00] only way I could see it unfolding. But I
[52:03] know better than to hope for that,
[52:05] Horikita said. Regarding the matter of
[52:07] Kuanji Khan, I've already admitted that
[52:09] I'll just be watching him quietly until
[52:12] graduation. It isn't realistic for me to
[52:14] even request that he be a representative
[52:17] unless he comes out and volunteers for
[52:19] it himself. It sounded like the odds
[52:22] were so slim that Horikita wasn't even
[52:24] going to try to talk to him. That was
[52:26] the right move on her part, though, and
[52:28] she shouldn't be carelessly hopeful in
[52:30] her recruitment calls. After all, it was
[52:33] Kuanji, and it wouldn't be unusual for
[52:35] him to say that something like that was
[52:37] a breach of contract and then make
[52:39] unreasonable demands. Even if it's<unk>
[52:42] impossible to go with him, I would feel
[52:44] comfortable leaving it to you if you
[52:46] would accept. But, said Horikita. She
[52:49] shot a fleeting glance over at me as if
[52:51] she were consulting an oracle. Do you
[52:53] think that I would accept? I asked. I
[52:55] don't know, she replied. You don't<unk>t
[52:57] think so, huh? Actually, if you wanted
[52:59] me to, I wouldn't mind accepting the
[53:01] role, though. Yes, I figured as much.
[53:04] After all, I knew it's not something
[53:06] that you'd say. Yes. So, Eye, huh?
[53:08] blinked Horikita. Horriikita was about
[53:11] to finish her statement, but then she
[53:13] froze with her mouth hanging open. What
[53:15] did you just say? She asked. I just said
[53:18] that I'd be willing to accept. If that's
[53:20] what you want, Horikita, I told her.
[53:23] Even though I repeated myself, her mouth
[53:25] still kept opening and closing silently,
[53:28] as though her brain hadn't processed the
[53:30] information yet. "Are really? You're not
[53:32] joking?" she asked. "I don't make jokes
[53:34] that aren't funny. It'd be too much of a
[53:37] hassle if you took a lie like that
[53:38] seriously," I answered. "I suppose, but
[53:41] well, um, if you could take on the role
[53:43] of representative, it would be an
[53:45] immense help to not just me, but the
[53:47] entire class." "Are you really sure
[53:49] you're okay with this?" asked Horikita.
[53:52] Horikita repeatedly asked me for
[53:54] confirmation, but there was already a
[53:56] bright sparkle in her eyes. I decided to
[53:58] add something important even though it
[54:00] might dim that sparkle. I'm sure,
[54:02] however, I have a few conditions, I
[54:04] replied. Naturally, for Horikita,
[54:07] conditions was a word that raised alarm.
[54:10] And what would those be? Difficult
[54:12] conditions, she asked. I'm not so sure
[54:14] about that. The question of whether your
[54:16] pride would allow it is also relevant.
[54:18] Horriikita, I replied. My pride? Can you
[54:21] elaborate on that? She asked. Even
[54:24] though I told her that there were
[54:25] conditions, she seemed very willing to
[54:28] consider appointing me as a
[54:29] representative. So, I kept talking. I'm
[54:32] sure that in almost 100% of cases, each
[54:35] of the class leaders will be
[54:36] participating in the exam as the general
[54:39] for their respective class, I began.
[54:42] Yes, that's true. The general has the
[54:44] most life points, meaning they can make
[54:46] more mistakes, which in turn means that
[54:49] to be a vanguard or center would be to
[54:51] give up that advantage. That much is
[54:53] obvious, said Horikita. With that
[54:56] understood, I moved on to talk about the
[54:58] matter of pride. The present leader of
[55:00] the class is you, Horikita. Unmistakably
[55:03] so, I said. With that in mind, one of
[55:06] the conditions I have for my accepting
[55:08] the role is that I would like for you to
[55:10] be the center in the lineup and that you
[55:12] have me as the general. You as the
[55:14] general? She asked. She didn't need to
[55:17] think too deeply about what that would
[55:19] mean. It would make people think that
[55:21] the real leader of the class wasn't
[55:22] Horikita, but myself. As I said before,
[55:25] it's quite likely with almost 100%
[55:28] certainty. The other classes will have
[55:30] Ichinoi, Ryuin, and Sakianagi as their
[55:34] respective generals. They will want to
[55:36] fight with as much life as possible, I
[55:38] explained. Horriikita listened to my
[55:40] words, then nodded. In other words, if
[55:43] I'm the general, there would be students
[55:45] from not just our class, but the other
[55:47] classes that will likely have some
[55:49] thoughts about the matter. Some of them
[55:50] may even see you as being an unreliable
[55:53] leader. Horriikita, that's putting it
[55:55] very mildly, but you're probably right.
[55:58] In this exam, it's<unk> inevitable that
[56:00] the student who sits in the general's
[56:02] seat would be the most talented student
[56:04] in the class, said Horikita. Right.
[56:07] Which is why whether or not you are
[56:08] willing to accept that is a prerequisite
[56:10] for me being a representative, I added.
[56:13] I would respect Horikita's wishes, of
[56:15] course. If anything, I would see it as
[56:18] something to be glad about if she wished
[56:20] to be the general herself in this case,
[56:22] as I could take that to mean that she
[56:24] has begun to have a keen sense of
[56:26] herself as the leader. And if I said
[56:28] that the position of general was the
[56:30] only thing I wouldn't give up, asked
[56:32] Horikita, then I guess I'd just say no
[56:35] to the whole thing, I replied. If
[56:37] Horikita rejected the terms of the
[56:39] proposal, then I wouldn't be a
[56:41] representative, of course. Pride, huh, I
[56:43] see your point. To be perfectly honest,
[56:46] I personally don't really care too much
[56:48] whether I'm the general or not, as long
[56:50] as I can win. But that doesn't mean that
[56:53] I don't care about it at all, mind you,
[56:55] said Horikita. Yeah, I'm sure. I
[56:58] responded. Actually, if that weren't the
[57:00] case, we wouldn't be having this
[57:02] conversation right now. It wasn't as
[57:04] though pride itself was something that
[57:06] had any value, but a leader with pride?
[57:08] That was a different matter. Can you
[57:10] tell me the reason you won't accept the
[57:12] role if you're not the general? She
[57:14] asked. Is it simply because you're
[57:16] better than me? No, it's much simpler
[57:18] than that, I answered. I just don't want
[57:20] to have to take a turn. So, you're
[57:22] saying that you're willing to be a
[57:24] representative, but you don't want to
[57:25] fight if you can help it? She asked.
[57:28] That's right, I replied. When I gave her
[57:31] that answer without any hesitation,
[57:33] Horikita scowlled, furrowing her brow as
[57:35] she tried to search for the point of my
[57:37] inclusion as a representative. If that
[57:39] was how I felt, that's I would have to
[57:41] wonder how much good that would even do
[57:43] for me. If I have you as the general
[57:46] right now, that would probably make me
[57:48] the center. And if I am to fight in such
[57:50] a way that you won't have to take a
[57:52] turn, then that means I'm going to have
[57:54] to fight quite a grueling battle, said
[57:56] Horikita. Yes, it certainly would put
[57:59] you at a disadvantage. That's true. From
[58:02] the start, the number of mistakes you'll
[58:03] be allowed to make will be reduced,
[58:05] which is a significant handicap.
[58:07] Furthermore, in order to win as the
[58:09] center, you'll have to cut down a lot of
[58:11] life points very quickly to defeat all
[58:14] of the opponents. I explained. It wasn't
[58:17] surprising that Horikita would have
[58:19] doubts after hearing all of that. By
[58:21] telling her that I would accept only if
[58:23] I were given the role of general and
[58:25] that I wanted her to make sure I didn't
[58:26] have to take a turn, I was giving her
[58:29] even more considerations to take into
[58:31] account. Of course, it would be quicker
[58:33] if Horikita could just win it all
[58:35] herself, but things weren't that easy.
[58:37] "By the way, judging from your wording
[58:39] earlier, that wasn't the only condition,
[58:42] was it?" asked Horikita. Horriikita,
[58:44] still unable to come to a conclusion,
[58:47] asked to check what came beyond that
[58:48] first condition. I had no intention of
[58:51] rushing her for my part. Okay, let's put
[58:54] the whole general thing on hold and move
[58:56] on, shall we? I told her. I also want a
[58:59] reward in exchange for accepting the
[59:01] position of representative. Private
[59:04] points? Asked Horikita. No, I'm not
[59:07] looking for those. What I want is the
[59:09] same thing as Kuanji. That is from now
[59:11] on I won't contribute anything to the
[59:13] class. I will not cooperate. I want you
[59:16] to allow for that. I explained that's
[59:19] she started. I think that this was
[59:21] something she had never expected.
[59:22] Actually, no. Rather, I think that it's
[59:25] something she didn't want to think
[59:26] about. Horriikita was probably willing
[59:29] to accept a certain level of
[59:30] compensation, but she choked on her
[59:32] words as she tried to respond to my
[59:34] condition. You're saying some truly
[59:36] ridiculous things? What? You're telling
[59:39] me to let you run completely free like
[59:41] Kuenji? asked Horikita. It wasn't anger
[59:44] pouring out of Horikita. It was dismay.
[59:47] You've been engaging in discussion with
[59:49] me lately and you've even started to
[59:51] contribute a little to the class. And
[59:53] yet here you are telling me that you
[59:54] won't even cooperate from now on. She
[59:57] huffed. I understand that you don't like
[59:59] it, but I have my own thoughts and
[01:00:01] that's exactly why I've made this
[01:00:03] proposal. I explained. Can I ask you
[01:00:05] something? asked Horikita. You said you
[01:00:08] have your own thoughts. What are those
[01:00:10] exactly? I'm not dead set on getting up
[01:00:12] to class A in the first place. I don't
[01:00:15] especially care if I graduate from my
[01:00:17] current class or class C or class D.
[01:00:20] Can't you understand that someone like
[01:00:22] that wouldn't feel the need to work
[01:00:23] desperately hard and cooperate in order
[01:00:25] to move up to class A? I asked. I
[01:00:28] suppose you're right, said Horikita. And
[01:00:31] I'm not as particular about private
[01:00:32] points as Kuji either. I even feel like
[01:00:35] what I get from our current amount of
[01:00:37] class points is more than enough. I
[01:00:39] wouldn't even be bothered if they were
[01:00:40] reduced by half, I answered. I told her
[01:00:43] that even if we lost because I didn't
[01:00:45] help, that would still be an acceptable
[01:00:47] situation for me. Okay, then why is it
[01:00:50] that you've lent me a hand every now and
[01:00:52] then before now? asked Horikita. Because
[01:00:55] the class becoming stable is the best
[01:00:57] thing that I could ask for. You and your
[01:01:00] classmates have matured, Horikita, I
[01:01:02] explained. I've simply decided that
[01:01:04] we've reached a point where I can get by
[01:01:06] with letting go and allowing you and the
[01:01:08] others to manage things. I honestly have
[01:01:11] no idea where to start when it comes to
[01:01:13] your statements, but I understand what
[01:01:16] you are trying to say. You mean that
[01:01:17] after you help with this end of year
[01:01:19] special exam, you want to relax and
[01:01:22] enjoy the rest of your time as a
[01:01:23] student, right? Asked Horikita. Yep,
[01:01:26] that's it, I said. But I have no
[01:01:28] intention of making that particular
[01:01:30] demand right now just from taking on the
[01:01:33] position of general. As long as I'm the
[01:01:35] general, I promise not to ask for what I
[01:01:38] just explained right now about leaving
[01:01:40] me alone as a reward. As long as you
[01:01:42] keep winning and make sure they don't
[01:01:44] get past our center, thus keeping me
[01:01:46] from having to take a turn. Which means
[01:01:48] you'll only be demanding that condition
[01:01:50] if you're forced to take your turn as
[01:01:52] the general and lead our class to
[01:01:54] victory. Then basically asked Horikita.
[01:01:57] Yeah. Oh, but keep in mind that even if
[01:02:00] you get the general for the other class,
[01:02:02] probably Ichino down to one remaining
[01:02:05] life point and I still have to come in
[01:02:07] and win it, you'll still have to keep
[01:02:09] your promise, I explained. Horriikita
[01:02:12] needed to always keep a development like
[01:02:13] that in mind, namely the notion of
[01:02:16] someone profiting while others fight. It
[01:02:19] was a proposal that would normally get
[01:02:20] rejected. Unsurprisingly, that was
[01:02:23] precisely why I mentioned it as an
[01:02:25] important part. So supposing if
[01:02:28] hypothetically I do take a turn as the
[01:02:30] general and we lose the exam, then in
[01:02:33] that case, as long as I remain your
[01:02:34] classmate thereafter, I promise to help
[01:02:37] you the next time. Actually, no. I
[01:02:39] promise to cooperate with you for the
[01:02:41] next 6 months, I declared. I promise to
[01:02:44] help her for the next half a year in
[01:02:45] exchange if I were defeated. That
[01:02:48] shouldn't have been a bad offer from
[01:02:49] Horikita's perspective. Even in the
[01:02:52] unlikely event that you lose, I can gain
[01:02:54] your cooperation for a while, you really
[01:02:56] have come to me seeking a deal with
[01:02:58] terms similar to what Kuenji Khan did,
[01:03:00] haven't<unk> you, said Horikita.
[01:03:02] Actually, I believe my proposal is even
[01:03:05] better than what Kuenji offered. Unless
[01:03:07] I were to get expelled in the middle of
[01:03:09] the year or something else would cause
[01:03:11] me to leave your class, Horriikita, I'm
[01:03:13] going to be cooperating with you for 6
[01:03:15] months, I added. Why not say
[01:03:17] you'll<unk>ll do it until graduation
[01:03:19] instead of saying half a year? Asked
[01:03:21] Horikita. That's far too much. I
[01:03:24] replied. Sai, I suppose that even if I
[01:03:27] refuse your proposal here, Ayanokojan, I
[01:03:30] have no guarantee that you'll continue
[01:03:31] to devotedly assist me in the future. Do
[01:03:34] I? Asked Horikita. Of course not,
[01:03:36] because I don't mind even if I don't
[01:03:38] graduate from class A, I replied. I
[01:03:41] suppose this is rather fitting for you.
[01:03:43] What a troublesome proposition, said
[01:03:45] Horikita. Let me think for a bit," added
[01:03:48] Horriikita as she crossed her arms and
[01:03:50] closed her eyes. It sounded like she
[01:03:53] would consider the matter and come to a
[01:03:54] conclusion right here and now, as if she
[01:03:57] didn't have any time to delay.
[01:03:59] Personally, I would have been fine
[01:04:00] waiting until nighttime. But I didn't
[01:04:03] want to interrupt her now that she was
[01:04:04] thinking, so I waited for her answer. If
[01:04:07] Horikita as the center defeated the
[01:04:10] general from the opposing class, then
[01:04:12] our relationship would remain unchanged.
[01:04:15] Even if Horikita lost, if I then won,
[01:04:18] she would still get class points for the
[01:04:19] end ofear special exam. However, the
[01:04:22] risk was that she'd no longer have my
[01:04:24] cooperation. If Horikita lost and I
[01:04:27] lost, she would gain my cooperation for
[01:04:29] the next 6 months, unless there were
[01:04:31] some unforeseen problems. Just now,
[01:04:34] Horikita had been presented with these
[01:04:36] three possible futures. Let's say that I
[01:04:39] who want you to cooperate with me for
[01:04:40] the next 6 months work together with the
[01:04:43] vanguard and lose on purpose so that I
[01:04:45] put you at a disadvantage. What would
[01:04:48] you do then? asked Horikita. I wouldn't
[01:04:50] really care. I'll keep my word if I lose
[01:04:52] under any circumstances, I replied. I
[01:04:55] see. Well, to be honest, the idea of
[01:04:58] losing on purpose is totally out of the
[01:05:00] question for me. All right, I've
[01:05:02] decided," she said, uncrossing her arms
[01:05:05] after a few moments of careful
[01:05:06] consideration. After getting this far in
[01:05:09] our talk, Horikita seemed to have
[01:05:11] decided which future she wanted to aim
[01:05:13] for. To be honest, I was prepared to
[01:05:15] take on the role of the general myself.
[01:05:18] There were no other candidates anyway,
[01:05:20] and I thought that I should probably
[01:05:21] fight as the leader. "That makes sense,"
[01:05:24] I replied. "But if you're willing to
[01:05:26] serve as the general, then well,
[01:05:29] everything else is trivial. The class
[01:05:31] winning is my number one priority, more
[01:05:34] important than my personal wishes. I
[01:05:36] will take the strategy that has the best
[01:05:38] chance of winning, said Horikita. So,
[01:05:40] you're saying that you're willing to
[01:05:42] hand over the position of general? I
[01:05:44] asked. Yes, she said. I will fight with
[01:05:47] everything I have. It will give me peace
[01:05:49] of mind even if it'll make me more
[01:05:52] nervous at the same time because it
[01:05:54] means I'll be forced into an inevitable
[01:05:57] hard-fought battle and that I'll have to
[01:05:59] think of a way to win that battle when
[01:06:01] I've given up the position of general.
[01:06:03] For Horikita's part, she got the
[01:06:05] insurance and peace of mind that even if
[01:06:07] she lost, I'd handle it somehow. But on
[01:06:10] the other hand, if she used that
[01:06:12] insurance, she wouldn't have my
[01:06:13] cooperation in the future. In that case,
[01:06:16] the ideal scenario for her would be to
[01:06:18] lead the way to victory herself while
[01:06:20] working as the center. So then I
[01:06:23] formally accept your proposal. I will
[01:06:25] have you be the general for this
[01:06:27] upcoming special exam, said Horikita.
[01:06:29] Then she added, sure about this. I'm
[01:06:32] going to be considering you an asset in
[01:06:34] this. I don't intend to drag anyone
[01:06:36] down, of course. All right, we have a
[01:06:38] deal. I replied. I offered my hand and
[01:06:41] Horikita took it, giving it a shake. I
[01:06:43] will do whatever it takes to claw out a
[01:06:45] victory myself. I'm sure that kind of
[01:06:48] feeling must have been growing stronger
[01:06:49] in Horikita. Like the feeling of having
[01:06:51] a fire under you. Oh yeah, that reminds
[01:06:54] me. There's something I need you to do
[01:06:56] for me beforehand if I'll be accepting
[01:06:59] this role. I don't know what the others
[01:07:01] will think about me being in the general
[01:07:03] seat. There may be classmates who would
[01:07:05] react negatively to the idea of me being
[01:07:07] entrusted with such an important battle.
[01:07:10] There's also the matter of what happened
[01:07:12] last year. I explained. I'm sure that
[01:07:15] not many people will be against the
[01:07:16] idea, but I guess it's not impossible,
[01:07:19] said Horikita. Therefore, I want you to
[01:07:21] get the consent of the entire class, I
[01:07:24] added. The entire class? She asked.
[01:07:27] Including Kuani Khan? Her words carried
[01:07:29] the implied question. Is it really
[01:07:31] necessary to go that far? Yes, including
[01:07:35] Kuenji, I replied. But what if he says
[01:07:37] no? There's a good chance that he'll be
[01:07:39] temperamental. I don't think that he's
[01:07:42] the type to object to something unless
[01:07:44] it's actually detrimental. But I suppose
[01:07:46] I can't guarantee that. If he does
[01:07:48] object, let me know right away. If that
[01:07:50] happens, I'll take action directly. You
[01:07:53] will? asked Horriikita. Well, that's
[01:07:55] fine with me, but very well. I'll begin
[01:07:57] right away. Thanks. I appreciate it. But
[01:08:00] be as discreet as possible. What do you
[01:08:03] mean by as discreet as possible? Oh, and
[01:08:06] I'll keep quiet about the part about how
[01:08:08] your participation here is based on the
[01:08:10] condition that you won't be helping the
[01:08:12] class in the future. You don't mind,
[01:08:14] right? It was only natural that students
[01:08:16] wouldn't look too kindly upon it if they
[01:08:19] knew that I was participating in order
[01:08:20] to cut corners in the future. Regarding
[01:08:23] the terms and conditions, those should
[01:08:25] be kept between us after all. Not at
[01:08:28] all. That's fine. What I mean by
[01:08:30] discreetly is that I don't want Ichino's
[01:08:32] class to know that I will be taking on
[01:08:34] the role of general. In order to
[01:08:36] increase our chances of winning, even if
[01:08:38] only slightly, it is essential that we
[01:08:41] surprise and fluster our opponent. So,
[01:08:44] please make sure that everyone in our
[01:08:45] class knows not to leak this to anyone
[01:08:48] outside, I explained. Even if I didn't
[01:08:50] do that, I'm sure that there isn't
[01:08:52] anyone in our class who would share
[01:08:54] secrets with another class anyway, said
[01:08:56] Horikita. Even so, even if someone
[01:08:59] doesn't intend to leak it, there's a
[01:09:01] risk that someone could pick up on it
[01:09:03] through incidental conversations. In
[01:09:05] that sense, the warning is so that they
[01:09:07] focus their minds, so to speak, I
[01:09:09] replied. "Yes, that's true," said
[01:09:12] Horikita, honestly accepting what I
[01:09:14] said. "All right, then I'll let you know
[01:09:17] if I can get the go-ahad from everyone
[01:09:18] in class or if there are any dissenting
[01:09:21] opinions. We're<unk> running out of
[01:09:22] time, so I intended to get that done by
[01:09:25] this evening." I nodded and decided to
[01:09:27] wait for Horikita's report. 3.1 H O R I
[01:09:31] K I T A and I went our separate ways at
[01:09:34] the cafe shortly after 6:00 p.m. after
[01:09:36] which I stopped by the bookstore. I
[01:09:38] killed time for just under an hour
[01:09:40] inside the store and then walked toward
[01:09:43] the karaoke room where I'd agreed to
[01:09:45] meet with the guy I was speaking to next
[01:09:47] just as planned. On my way there, I
[01:09:49] spotted Hayes Paruka in front of me. Mi,
[01:09:53] who was usually together with her, was
[01:09:55] nowhere to be seen. If we had just run
[01:09:57] into each other by sheer coincidence, we
[01:09:59] would have passed by each other in
[01:10:01] silence. But Haruka's gaze never left
[01:10:04] me, and there appeared to be a hint of
[01:10:06] confusion in it. It was easy to tell
[01:10:08] that there was something she wanted to
[01:10:09] say. "Did you need something?" I asked.
[01:10:12] When I called out to her as I closed the
[01:10:14] distance between us, her eyes widened in
[01:10:17] almost comical surprise. She definitely
[01:10:20] looked as though she wanted to talk to
[01:10:22] me, but perhaps she didn't expect that I
[01:10:24] would come and talk to her. Oh, um,
[01:10:26] well, it's I happened to see you talking
[01:10:28] with Horikita earlier and said Hp. Hp
[01:10:32] spoke in a quiet whispering voice,
[01:10:34] looking over briefly at the cafe behind
[01:10:36] me. I um, just wanted to talk to you for
[01:10:38] a sec. Am I bothering you? asked HP. No,
[01:10:41] you're not a bother, I replied. I don't
[01:10:44] have a problem with you, Hp. Thanks, she
[01:10:46] replied. I suppose HP might have thought
[01:10:49] I had an issue with her thanks to the
[01:10:51] fact I was calling her by her last name,
[01:10:53] but that level of distance was good. It
[01:10:56] would be more problematic for me to go
[01:10:58] as far as to call her by her given name,
[01:11:00] Haruka, at this stage. Let's move a
[01:11:03] little ways away from here, though. This
[01:11:04] place kind of sticks out, I told her.
[01:11:07] Yeah, I guess you're right, said Hastp.
[01:11:10] We walked toward the end of the mall
[01:11:11] near the wall so as not to stand out.
[01:11:14] There was one student who was still
[01:11:15] somewhat watching me from a distance,
[01:11:17] but I didn't think we'd draw too much
[01:11:19] attention if we talked here. We haven't
[01:11:21] talked like this since the culture
[01:11:23] festival, I remarked. Yeah, you're
[01:11:25] right, Kio. Um, I mean, Ayanokoji, has
[01:11:28] anything changed for you recently? Wait,
[01:11:31] that's a weird question. What am I even
[01:11:33] saying? Said H. I'm sure it wasn't like
[01:11:35] there wasn't anything that she wanted to
[01:11:37] talk about, but maybe it was just that
[01:11:39] her head was still a mess because we
[01:11:42] just started this conversation so
[01:11:43] suddenly. She couldn't seem to get her
[01:11:45] words to come out right. Nothing's
[01:11:48] especially changed now. For better or
[01:11:50] worse, things are the same as usual, I
[01:11:52] replied. I see. Well, um, I feel like
[01:11:55] I'm getting opportunities to smile a
[01:11:57] little more these days, though. I
[01:11:59] honestly don't know if it's because I've
[01:12:01] been able to accept what happened with
[01:12:02] Iie at the culture festival or if it's
[01:12:05] simply because enough time has passed.
[01:12:07] No matter how sad past events were,
[01:12:10] wounds heal, albeit gradually. The more
[01:12:12] time passed, the more sadness would fade
[01:12:15] along with the memory. Of course, that
[01:12:17] wasn't as easy as one might think. A
[01:12:20] painful past stays a painful past, and
[01:12:22] deep scars will remain, of course. Um,
[01:12:25] so hey, later would you um, began HP.
[01:12:28] She was speaking in fragments. At that
[01:12:30] moment, I gently curled the index finger
[01:12:32] of my right hand two or three times.
[01:12:35] Well, I um, you see, stammered HP. She
[01:12:38] was struggling desperately to put words
[01:12:40] together, but wasn't connecting them
[01:12:41] well. Um, so later, would you? I mean,
[01:12:45] together with Miyaki and Yukimu. Oh ho,
[01:12:48] a clandestine meeting in a place like
[01:12:50] this. A senpai. Just as Haste was
[01:12:52] finally about to say the thing that she
[01:12:54] wanted to say, a shadow fell over her,
[01:12:57] it was none other than Amasawa herself,
[01:12:59] who had run over and shown up with such
[01:13:01] magnificent timing. "You've got Karu
[01:13:03] Zawa Senpai as your girlfriend, and now
[01:13:06] you're going ahead and plotting to make
[01:13:07] this big titty girl your next one,"
[01:13:09] asked Amasawa. "I'm sure that Amasawa
[01:13:12] knew OA details and more for all of the
[01:13:15] students, but she seemed to be
[01:13:17] intentionally playing dumb. We're<unk>
[01:13:19] just classmates, I told her. My own
[01:13:21] thoughts aside, I'm sure that Amasawa's
[01:13:24] appearance here wasn't a welcome
[01:13:25] development for Hace either. So, hey, I
[01:13:29] need to talk with my senpai for a
[01:13:30] minute. Do you mind? asked Amasawa in an
[01:13:33] almost melodic tone. Amasawa's
[01:13:36] aggressive, cloying attitude, which
[01:13:38] seemed to indicate something beyond the
[01:13:40] level of a casual inquiry, caused Hastp
[01:13:42] to distance herself. I'll just go. I've
[01:13:45] got two people waiting for me anyway,
[01:13:46] said Hp. After responding to Amasawa
[01:13:49] with a light nod, she turned and quickly
[01:13:52] walked away. "Looks like I intruded,
[01:13:54] huh?" asked Amasawa. "Oh, yeah,
[01:13:56] incredibly so," I replied. "That's so
[01:13:59] mean," Amasawa said. "And you're<unk>
[01:14:01] the one who called me over, senpai. I
[01:14:04] was being a little mean, but she was
[01:14:05] right. It wasn't a coincidence that
[01:14:07] Amasawa showed up in the middle of the
[01:14:09] conversation." Amasawa had spotted me at
[01:14:12] the same time that I had approached
[01:14:14] Hastp. So I signaled her with my finger
[01:14:16] to come over and join me. It wasn't any
[01:14:19] surprise that Amasawa had noticed my
[01:14:21] signal and acted accordingly without
[01:14:23] hesitation. Did you not want to talk to
[01:14:26] Haste? Senpai asked Amasawa. It's not
[01:14:29] like that. I just didn't want to spend
[01:14:31] any more time on something that had no
[01:14:33] value, I replied. That's cold, remarked.
[01:14:37] Amasawa was free to interpret that
[01:14:39] however she wanted and haste was quite
[01:14:42] free to think whatever she wanted as
[01:14:43] well. Looks like the first years are
[01:14:45] busy with their end ofear special exam,
[01:14:48] huh? I observed. Yeah, they seem to be
[01:14:51] kind of panicking and running around
[01:14:52] like chickens with their heads cut off.
[01:14:55] As for me, I'm just carefully
[01:14:57] supervising pretty much, said Amasawa.
[01:15:00] But she quickly amended her statement.
[01:15:02] Oh, I didn't really mean to be an
[01:15:04] unwanted annoyance today or anything. I
[01:15:06] just wanted to report on what happened
[01:15:08] at the training camp when I attacked
[01:15:10] Nagumo Senpai, but the tables got turned
[01:15:12] on me unexpectedly. I was somewhat
[01:15:15] concerned about whether or not something
[01:15:17] had happened. But since there wasn't any
[01:15:19] particular mention of any students
[01:15:21] getting expelled, especially from the
[01:15:23] first years, I just ignored it. I had
[01:15:26] thought that there was still a
[01:15:27] possibility that she hadn't made direct
[01:15:29] contact with Nagamo, but apparently that
[01:15:32] wasn't the case. If so, then it sounded
[01:15:35] like Amasawa had been planning to
[01:15:36] withdraw from school during the camp.
[01:15:39] Ultimately, however, she had decided
[01:15:41] against it and was here before me. I
[01:15:44] still don't have my answer yet, but I
[01:15:46] decided to stay here at school for a
[01:15:48] while longer with the hope for a better
[01:15:49] future rather than taking out my anger
[01:15:52] on Nagumo Senpai. Amasawa said, "I think
[01:15:55] that I'll probably have more free time
[01:15:56] on my hands than I know what to do with,
[01:15:58] so if anything fun happens, please let
[01:16:01] me join in. In that case, could you do
[01:16:03] me a favor during your free time? I
[01:16:06] asked. Huh? Sure, that's totally fine.
[01:16:08] What is it? asked Amasawa. I'd like to
[01:16:11] know more about Nana Sububasa, I
[01:16:13] replied. Hm. That girl's your knight.
[01:16:16] Isn't she senpai? She asked. Don't you
[01:16:18] already know plenty about her without
[01:16:20] having to go through the trouble of
[01:16:21] investigating? Are you saying she's a
[01:16:24] threat? I don't really think she's a
[01:16:26] threat. I just want to know what she's
[01:16:28] really after, I replied. For the moment,
[01:16:30] she wasn't an entity that could be
[01:16:32] judged so simply as friend or foe. If
[01:16:35] you're the one asking, then of course
[01:16:37] I'm all in, senpai. If you want, I can
[01:16:39] get her expelled, said Amasawa. There's
[01:16:42] no need to be that enthusiastic. As long
[01:16:44] as you gather information appropriately,
[01:16:47] that's<unk> good, I told her. Okie
[01:16:49] dokie, read you loud and clear, said
[01:16:51] Amasawa. There wasn't really any need to
[01:16:54] ask Amasawa to get information about
[01:16:56] Nanasi because it wouldn't be difficult
[01:16:58] to deal with her at any given moment,
[01:17:01] even if I were forced to handle her
[01:17:03] immediately. However, if carrying out
[01:17:05] this favor for me could keep Amasawa
[01:17:07] here at school, then it wasn't a bad
[01:17:09] move. I have an appointment after this,
[01:17:12] so I'll be seeing you later. Make sure
[01:17:14] you cooperate with your own class at
[01:17:16] least somewhat for this endofear special
[01:17:18] exam, too, I told her. If you're the one
[01:17:21] asking, senpai, then of course I will,
[01:17:24] said Amasawa. Amasawa suddenly gave me
[01:17:26] an exaggerated salute. And then I
[01:17:29] started to walk past her. Thank you,
[01:17:31] senpai, she muttered as we passed by
[01:17:33] each other just before she pulled away.
[01:17:36] So she figured it out after all, huh? I
[01:17:38] remarked. It wasn't as though she was
[01:17:40] getting excellent results in the white
[01:17:42] room just for show, of course. It seemed
[01:17:45] as though she could easily see through
[01:17:46] me to my true intentions. 3.2 too.
[01:17:50] Karaoke Ro were the go-to choice for
[01:17:53] students to hold private meetings as
[01:17:55] they were the ideal place for it.
[01:17:57] Following the messages we had already
[01:17:59] exchanged, I followed the numbers and
[01:18:01] arrived at the room. When I opened the
[01:18:03] door, I saw a single student sitting
[01:18:06] upright with his legs crossed in the
[01:18:07] silent room, casually moving only his
[01:18:10] eyes in my direction. I see that none of
[01:18:12] your cronies are with you today, I
[01:18:14] remarked. Ha, now that's unexpected.
[01:18:18] What? You wanted a little excitement. I
[01:18:20] just felt like if Ibuki or Ishiaki were
[01:18:23] here, this oppressive atmosphere would
[01:18:25] have been a little bit better. I replied
[01:18:27] jokingly, but Ryuan only snorted in
[01:18:29] response. That's quite a thing to say,
[01:18:31] seeing as you're the one who invited me,
[01:18:33] he spat. Yes, I conceded. I suppose
[01:18:37] you're probably right. Well, whatever. I
[01:18:40] was going to contact you myself anyway,
[01:18:42] so I forgive you, said Rywin with a
[01:18:44] faint chuckle. If that's the case, then
[01:18:46] I imagine it was about the same topic, I
[01:18:49] replied. So get on with it, said Rywin,
[01:18:52] urging me to speak. I heard about the
[01:18:54] wager between you and Sakahanagi, I told
[01:18:57] him, still standing in the doorway. Oh,
[01:19:00] replied Rywin. I'm sure that Rywin would
[01:19:03] have expected that this meeting was
[01:19:04] about the special exam. But from his
[01:19:07] reaction, it seemed like he had half
[01:19:09] expected that this was the first point
[01:19:11] that we would be touching on. I heard
[01:19:13] that the stakes are that the loser drops
[01:19:15] out of school. If so, then I may not
[01:19:18] have the opportunity to see one of you
[01:19:19] again. I thought I'd at least come see
[01:19:21] you face to face, I explained. If that's
[01:19:24] what you're worried about, then go visit
[01:19:26] Sakahanagi before you can't<unk>t see
[01:19:28] her anymore, said Rywin. I intend to,
[01:19:32] but I'm sure that Sakahanagi will most
[01:19:34] definitely say something similar, I
[01:19:36] replied. She<unk>d likely say something
[01:19:38] about how I should meet with Rywin
[01:19:40] before he leaves. As expected, neither
[01:19:42] side had even entertained the thought
[01:19:44] that they would lose, not in the
[01:19:46] slightest. Don't be shy. Sit, commanded
[01:19:49] Rywin. We met because we both had
[01:19:51] something to talk about, but it was
[01:19:53] sounding like he had already claimed
[01:19:55] leadership over the meeting. I'd prefer
[01:19:57] not to if possible. Are you planning to
[01:20:00] try to splash me with grape juice this
[01:20:02] time? I asked. Rywin was sitting across
[01:20:05] from me and my eyes were drawn to a
[01:20:07] suspiciousl looking purple glass that
[01:20:09] was within reach of his right hand. Not
[01:20:12] only did Rywin not seem the type who
[01:20:14] normally drank that kind of thing, it
[01:20:16] also appeared to be untouched. You're
[01:20:18] reading way too much into it, said
[01:20:20] Rywin. First of all, Noan, you you could
[01:20:22] always avoid it anyway if you wanted,
[01:20:24] right? Don't treat me like I have
[01:20:26] psychic powers. There are lots of
[01:20:28] situations where I can't avoid things, I
[01:20:31] replied. such as asked Rywin. Such as
[01:20:34] All right, I've got it. I started
[01:20:37] looking at the place that Rywin urged me
[01:20:38] to sit, which was near the doorway. If
[01:20:41] an employee came in here bringing
[01:20:42] something, then I wouldn't have any
[01:20:44] means of escape. If that happened, it
[01:20:47] would be impossible for me to avoid it.
[01:20:49] And on Ryuan's end, if he tried to
[01:20:51] splash me in that situation, he would
[01:20:54] try to cover a wide area. "You sound
[01:20:56] rather suspicious of me," said Rywin.
[01:20:59] That said, you don't sound too amused by
[01:21:01] the idea, I replied. Well, in that case,
[01:21:04] I guess I'll just do as he says and have
[01:21:06] a seat, I thought to myself. It was
[01:21:08] incredibly surreal. But we two men were
[01:21:11] facing each other in this spacious
[01:21:12] karaoke room. You've taken the plunge on
[01:21:15] a major gamble. If the next special exam
[01:21:18] had been focused on academic ability, it
[01:21:20] would be almost 100% cert.
[01:21:24] Even if you were to take some risks and
[01:21:26] make dodgy deals behind the scenes,
[01:21:28] Sakahanagi would have likely thoroughly
[01:21:30] prevented you from doing so. Unlike the
[01:21:32] good-natured Ichino, I told him, "It's
[01:21:35] the one do or die game in a year. It'll
[01:21:38] definitely be a game that even folks who
[01:21:40] can't use their brains will have at
[01:21:41] least a chance of winning. If the school
[01:21:44] was so completely lacking in
[01:21:45] entertainment, I'd be begging to get
[01:21:47] kicked out rather," said Rywin,
[01:21:50] punctuating his words with a laugh. But
[01:21:52] judging from the way he looked, he
[01:21:54] didn't seem to think it was really an
[01:21:55] all or nothing situation. Horriikita
[01:21:58] Manabu's generation, which already
[01:22:00] graduated, Nagumo's generation, and
[01:22:03] ours. If we looked at the trends for
[01:22:05] past endofear special exams, we could
[01:22:08] see that it wasn't just academic ability
[01:22:10] that was required. I figured that Ryuan
[01:22:12] was convinced that the school would
[01:22:14] choose exam content that would give even
[01:22:16] his class a fighting chance. "Are you
[01:22:19] preparing for the special exam?" I
[01:22:21] asked. I thought I'd at least make sure
[01:22:23] that you're not trying to engage in some
[01:22:25] idiotic underhanded scheme like what you
[01:22:28] did to Ichino's class in the past. For
[01:22:31] the end ofear special exam, we would be
[01:22:33] penalized based on the number of
[01:22:35] students absent on the day of the exam.
[01:22:37] With that in mind, there was a nonzero
[01:22:39] chance he'd find a method to weaken his
[01:22:41] opponent in advance. I'm guessing you
[01:22:44] remember what you said to me that one
[01:22:46] time. You said I had to grow more and
[01:22:48] get better. Something like that, said
[01:22:50] Rywin. I'm tempted to respond to that
[01:22:53] with something like, because it was
[01:22:54] true, I replied. He snickered at my
[01:22:57] unreserved statement. And then Rywin's
[01:22:59] gaze became even sharper. I'm going to
[01:23:02] show you and Sakahyanagi my serious
[01:23:04] side. May not be fit in for me, but I'm
[01:23:07] going to win fair and square, declared
[01:23:09] Rywin. As proclamations go, that was
[01:23:12] splendid. Although, if that was a bluff,
[01:23:14] you're saying it to the wrong person.
[01:23:16] Also, even if you've promised fairness,
[01:23:19] I don't trust what you've said at all.
[01:23:21] Nor will I convey what you've said here
[01:23:23] to Sakahanagi, I replied, asserting that
[01:23:26] this wasn't going to serve as an opening
[01:23:28] move for him to get his opponent to drop
[01:23:30] her guard. Yeah, figured as much, which
[01:23:33] is exactly why it makes sense, said
[01:23:35] Rywin. I see. So, if we turn that
[01:23:38] around, you mean it gives credibility to
[01:23:40] your statement that you'll be putting up
[01:23:41] a fair fight then? I asked. It seemed
[01:23:44] like you could say this was a good
[01:23:46] example of how things could change
[01:23:47] depending on the angle from which you
[01:23:49] look at them. I don't really need to
[01:23:51] tell anyone else as long as you know it,
[01:23:53] said Rywin. If that's what you mean, I
[01:23:56] understand, I answered. Rywin was free
[01:23:59] to decide whether or not to engage in
[01:24:01] underhanded dealings in the shadows, of
[01:24:03] course. But the statement he just made
[01:24:05] would determine how I would view and
[01:24:07] evaluate him in the future. It doesn't
[01:24:09] seem like you're feeling any pressure or
[01:24:11] anxiety. Rywin responded with a light
[01:24:14] wave of his hand, gesturing as if
[01:24:16] there's no way I would be. In that case,
[01:24:19] I'll let you show me. Show me what
[01:24:21] happens when you go head-to-head against
[01:24:22] Sakahanagi, I announced. I got up from
[01:24:25] my seat and turned my back on Ryuin.
[01:24:28] Ayanokoji, aren't you going to be a
[01:24:30] representative in the exam? Asked Rywin.
[01:24:33] Is that what you're wondering about?
[01:24:35] What I do this time doesn't matter to
[01:24:36] you? I replied. Your opponents only
[01:24:39] Ichino say. Sure. Normally, you wouldn't
[01:24:42] need to go out of your way to do
[01:24:43] anything, but that woman's getting the
[01:24:45] stench of a beast on her now. It's
[01:24:47] growing more pungent. She might bite and
[01:24:50] tear Horikita to shreds, chomp her bones
[01:24:52] and all, said Rywin. He didn't sound
[01:24:55] like he was joking. So perhaps something
[01:24:57] had happened somewhere sometime to make
[01:24:59] him sincerely believe that. The fact is,
[01:25:02] it's not my class's policy at the moment
[01:25:04] for me to take to the stage, I replied.
[01:25:07] When I said that, Ryuan snorted lightly.
[01:25:10] Well, whatever. It's more convenient for
[01:25:12] me if your class loses anyway.
[01:25:15] Fortunately, it didn't seem like he was
[01:25:17] going to try to splash me with the juice
[01:25:19] after all, which was a relief. 3.3 After
[01:25:22] leaving the karaoke room where I met
[01:25:24] Ryan, I stopped to take a breather
[01:25:26] outside the building. It's getting
[01:25:28] pretty late. It's probably time for me
[01:25:31] to head back. With that thought, I
[01:25:33] decided to stop by one more place. The
[01:25:35] probability of running into someone at
[01:25:37] this time of day wasn't high, but there
[01:25:40] were a few other people I wanted to meet
[01:25:42] aside from the leaders of each class. I
[01:25:44] headed for a place where I often saw one
[01:25:46] of them. She would come all the way to
[01:25:48] the rest area on the second floor. I
[01:25:51] suppose I should say that she didn't
[01:25:53] betray my expectations or something
[01:25:55] along those lines because the person I
[01:25:58] was looking for was indeed there. I
[01:26:00] stood in front of one of the several
[01:26:01] vending machines that were lined up,
[01:26:03] making a show of choosing a product
[01:26:06] while looking at the sample bottles and
[01:26:07] cans lined up. "So, how have things been
[01:26:10] with Saki Yanagi since then?" I asked,
[01:26:13] muttering as though I was just talking
[01:26:14] to myself. After a short pause, a quiet
[01:26:17] reply came in response. "Hello. I've had
[01:26:20] more opportunities to talk with her
[01:26:22] since then." "That's good. You still
[01:26:24] like this place even though your
[01:26:26] relationship has improved, huh?" I
[01:26:28] remarked. It's coming. Besides, I'm
[01:26:31] still not well good at dealing with
[01:26:32] people after all. I continued to stand
[01:26:35] in the same position, listening to the
[01:26:37] words coming from the gap between the
[01:26:39] vending machines. Time alone is
[01:26:41] important, too, I remarked. I understand
[01:26:44] that very well. You could feel like you
[01:26:46] had trouble catching your breath when
[01:26:48] you were always surrounded by lots of
[01:26:50] people. After all, "Is this a
[01:26:52] coincidence?" asked Yamamura. "You
[01:26:54] coming here?" I came by thinking it
[01:26:56] would be nice if you were here,
[01:26:58] Yamamura. Actually, to tell you the
[01:27:00] truth, there is one thing I'd like to
[01:27:02] know, I replied. Something you'd like to
[01:27:05] know, she asked. Just to be safe, I
[01:27:08] carefully reaffirmed that no one else
[01:27:09] was around. And then I told her what it
[01:27:12] was that I wanted to know from her.
[01:27:14] After I finished, Yamamura was silent
[01:27:16] for a brief moment, as though she were
[01:27:18] reflecting upon the meaning of my
[01:27:20] question. Why did you come to me to ask?
[01:27:23] Asked Yamamura. because I thought that
[01:27:25] you would know the most about what's
[01:27:27] going on in that regard, Yamamura. Or am
[01:27:29] I mistaken in that assessment? I asked.
[01:27:32] Well, I I'm not sure what to say, said
[01:27:35] Yamamura. If she didn't know the answer
[01:27:37] that I was looking for, then she could
[01:27:39] have just said so. However, she avoided
[01:27:41] making a clear statement as if she were
[01:27:44] trying to dodge the question, which had
[01:27:45] to mean that she did have some kind of
[01:27:47] answer. I already have a few people in
[01:27:50] mind, but I want something to help me
[01:27:52] narrow it down, I added. Well, that's
[01:27:55] Wouldn't this be a good question for
[01:27:56] Sakahanagasan?
[01:27:58] Or perhaps? I'm not sure about that. As
[01:28:01] far as this matter is concerned, it has
[01:28:03] nothing to do with Sakiagi as of right
[01:28:06] now. I do not plan to do anything that
[01:28:08] will cause trouble for class A. I hope
[01:28:10] that you can see this as nothing more
[01:28:12] than a third party problem, I explained,
[01:28:15] cutting her off. After a moment of
[01:28:17] silence, Yamamura slowly emerged from
[01:28:19] the shadows of the vending machines. I
[01:28:22] don't know if it'll be useful to you,
[01:28:23] but I do have a little bit of
[01:28:25] information that might help you with
[01:28:26] your question," said Yamamura. Though
[01:28:29] there was the possibility that Yamamura
[01:28:31] wouldn't give me any information, she
[01:28:33] pulled out her phone. She then turned
[01:28:35] the screen toward me and began playing a
[01:28:37] video. However, because of the distance
[01:28:40] between her and the people that she was
[01:28:42] filming, she hadn't been able to pick up
[01:28:44] any audio from them. During my
[01:28:46] investigations, the only one I've looked
[01:28:48] into who fits that description right now
[01:28:50] is this person, Ian Oak Jun. I don't
[01:28:54] know what the conversation that they're
[01:28:55] having in the video is about since I was
[01:28:57] too far away, but what do you think? I'm
[01:29:00] sorry if this is completely irrelevant,
[01:29:03] said Yamamura. The date and time was
[01:29:05] December 26, 700 p.m. The place was
[01:29:08] Kiyaki Mall. The two people shown in the
[01:29:11] video were engaged in conversation at a
[01:29:14] close distance. Is this not useful?
[01:29:16] asked Yamamura. On the contrary,
[01:29:18] it's<unk> plenty useful. As expected of
[01:29:21] you, Yamamura. Splendid work, I replied.
[01:29:24] Oh, no, no, it's<unk> really no big
[01:29:26] deal. I just so happened to be there as
[01:29:28] all, she answered. She was being humble.
[01:29:31] The person on her screen was very wary
[01:29:33] of their surroundings. The fact that
[01:29:35] Yamamura was able to capture this much
[01:29:37] footage in such a situation was quite
[01:29:40] impressive. I wouldn't be surprised if
[01:29:42] she even had information that I didn't.
[01:29:44] However, this video alone didn't seem to
[01:29:47] be enough to tell me the entire story.
[01:29:50] There was at least one more piece of
[01:29:51] information I wanted to have before I
[01:29:53] could arrive at a conclusion. I am
[01:29:56] incredibly grateful for the information
[01:29:57] and will be putting it to effective use,
[01:30:00] and I will not say anything about where
[01:30:02] I got it. Of course, Yamamura, I told
[01:30:04] her, I just hope that I can be of help.
[01:30:07] Even though she was the one who had
[01:30:09] given me useful information, Yamamura
[01:30:11] bowed her head to me somewhat
[01:30:13] apologetically.
[01:30:14] After we parted ways, I immediately
[01:30:17] decided who to contact based on the
[01:30:19] information she'd given me and made up
[01:30:21] my mind to reach out to that person
[01:30:23] while getting more information from Kay.
[01:30:25] 3.4 I waited four my classmate to arrive
[01:30:29] at a certain location within Kiyaki
[01:30:31] Mall. About 15 minutes after Kay had
[01:30:34] contacted her, she suddenly appeared
[01:30:36] from around the corner. Sorry to have
[01:30:38] kept you waiting, Ayanoko Jikan,
[01:30:40] Matsushida called out to me, seeming a
[01:30:43] little puzzled by this turn of events. I
[01:30:45] got a call from Karu Zawasan. She said
[01:30:47] that you wanted to talk to me. Sorry
[01:30:50] about this. Will it be okay with your
[01:30:52] friends though? I asked. Yeah, I told
[01:30:54] them I'd be away for about 30 minutes.
[01:30:57] That should be enough time, right? Asked
[01:30:59] Matsushida. Plenty, I replied. So then,
[01:31:03] what did you want to talk about? asked
[01:31:05] Matsashita. It was a normal reaction to
[01:31:07] be wary if someone went through all the
[01:31:10] trouble of wanting to talk to you alone,
[01:31:12] just the two of you. Matsashita's facial
[01:31:14] expression was the same as ever, but
[01:31:16] inside she was probably feeling uneasy.
[01:31:19] Do you know why we're meeting in this
[01:31:21] place? I asked. What do you mean? Are
[01:31:23] you saying there's some other reason
[01:31:25] besides me being here in Kiyaki Mall?
[01:31:27] She asked. It was certainly true that I
[01:31:30] knew immediately that Matsashida was at
[01:31:32] Kiyaki Mall since I'd heard so from Kay.
[01:31:34] So it was normal for her to think that I
[01:31:36] was waiting for her in the same mall.
[01:31:38] You were following me last year. We
[01:31:40] stopped around here and talked. I told
[01:31:42] her. Oh, now that you mention it, yes, I
[01:31:45] think you're right. Yes, this is the
[01:31:48] place, said Matsashida. She looked
[01:31:50] around again and then at the pillars and
[01:31:52] then seemed to remember the place where
[01:31:54] she had been hiding. Then at the time
[01:31:57] she had questioned me about the incident
[01:31:58] with the acting director and my ability
[01:32:01] to do mental arithmetic. That day you
[01:32:04] said something to me. You said that you
[01:32:05] wanted to know what my true abilities
[01:32:07] are. I said yeah. Matsushita said I
[01:32:11] remember you being kind of evasive about
[01:32:13] it though. Nearly a year has passed
[01:32:15] since then. Have you found the answer to
[01:32:17] that? I'm not sure. You've contributed
[01:32:20] more to the class compared to when we
[01:32:21] were first years. But I still get the
[01:32:24] feeling that you're not being serious
[01:32:25] after all. I see. Unlike mere
[01:32:28] superficial evaluations, Matsashida had
[01:32:31] a reasonably good eye for discerning
[01:32:33] individual ability more so than my other
[01:32:35] classmates. If you're willing to work
[01:32:38] with me, Matsashida, then I might be
[01:32:40] able to show you a little more of my
[01:32:41] true ability, I told her. What do you
[01:32:44] mean by that? She asked. Now that I'd
[01:32:46] caught Matsushida's interest, I
[01:32:48] proceeded to discuss the information I'd
[01:32:50] recently obtained from Yamamura and what
[01:32:53] it would mean moving forward. She seemed
[01:32:55] unable to hide her surprise after she
[01:32:57] finished listening to what I had to say.
[01:33:00] It's<unk> true that such a thing
[01:33:01] happened, but it's a while after the
[01:33:03] fact. Who told you about it? asked
[01:33:05] Matsa. She could have simply been
[01:33:07] reminiscing, but her expression told me
[01:33:10] otherwise. It's a conversation that
[01:33:12] happened nearly 3 months ago, but was
[01:33:14] there something about it that still
[01:33:16] sticks out to you? I asked. Well, yeah,
[01:33:19] I suppose so, said Matsashida. While she
[01:33:22] admitted that part, it seemed like
[01:33:23] Matsashida couldn't help but be curious
[01:33:25] about where I had gotten my information.
[01:33:28] Sorry, but I can't reveal my source.
[01:33:30] I'll just say that it's not a classmate,
[01:33:33] I told her. I could tell her that much
[01:33:35] since there wouldn't be anything to gain
[01:33:37] in the future from doubting my
[01:33:38] classmates for no reason. So, you want
[01:33:41] to know something about that then? I
[01:33:42] just hope that I remember the details of
[01:33:44] it, said Matsashida. There's no need for
[01:33:47] an in-depth account of the conversation.
[01:33:50] I've got a good idea of that, I replied
[01:33:52] when I gave her the names of everyone
[01:33:54] involved. Even Matsashida, who had been
[01:33:56] trying to maintain her usual attitude,
[01:33:59] started to stumble over her words. "Oh,
[01:34:02] um, yes, that's certainly everyone. But
[01:34:05] then, what is it that you want to ask
[01:34:07] me?" asked Matsusha. Knowing you, I
[01:34:10] thought that you might have caught
[01:34:11] something in that discussion. I replied,
[01:34:13] I had called Matsushida for two reasons.
[01:34:16] One was for final confirmation that what
[01:34:18] I'd learned from Yamamura was correct. I
[01:34:21] had determined that there wasn't any
[01:34:23] problem with that information, as the
[01:34:25] names of the classmates matched. The
[01:34:27] other reason was to test to see whether
[01:34:29] Matsashida could be seen as a student
[01:34:32] worthy of evaluation. Matsashida, having
[01:34:35] quietly figured out the reasons for her
[01:34:37] being summoned, sighed and muttered
[01:34:39] something under her breath. It feels
[01:34:41] like I'm being evaluated, said
[01:34:43] Matsushida. Who can say? I replied. The
[01:34:46] hard look on her face melted away and
[01:34:48] Matsashida smiled warmly. I'm going to
[01:34:51] answer you seriously because I think
[01:34:53] you're testing me. I remember it well.
[01:34:55] There definitely were things that stuck
[01:34:57] out to me. The things we were
[01:34:59] discussing, the members present. There
[01:35:01] was this feeling that something was off
[01:35:03] about everything, she said. Then while
[01:35:06] digging up those memories, Matsashida
[01:35:08] began to tell me her own version of
[01:35:10] events. I listened to her speak, but
[01:35:13] once I was sure of the consistency of
[01:35:14] her story with the facts, I interrupted
[01:35:17] her. "That's enough," I told her. "You
[01:35:20] said that you'll show me your true
[01:35:21] abilities, but what do you plan to do?"
[01:35:23] she asked. "If I get a turn in the
[01:35:25] upcoming special exam, I intend to show
[01:35:28] you the results of what you wish," I
[01:35:30] answered. I see. If I can get Ayanoko
[01:35:33] Jihun's seal of approval, then I suppose
[01:35:35] I can rest easy about this upcoming
[01:35:37] special exam. I can't do it alone from
[01:35:40] here on out, though. The entire class
[01:35:42] needs to grow. I understand. But if our
[01:35:45] class could unite as one someday, then
[01:35:47] we probably won't lose to anyone. She
[01:35:50] said that part with a smile, but she was
[01:35:52] also keeping today's events firmly in
[01:35:54] mind. Anyway, I'll pretend that our
[01:35:57] conversation today never happened.
[01:35:59] contact me anytime. It was a small
[01:36:02] thing, but the fact that she was able to
[01:36:04] make such considerations on her own was
[01:36:06] an important factor. 3.5 That night,
[01:36:10] after 10:00, I heard a light knock at my
[01:36:12] door, which I immediately opened to
[01:36:14] greet my visitor. It was none other than
[01:36:17] class 2A's Hashimoto, unconcerned with
[01:36:20] his surroundings and dressed casually.
[01:36:22] "Did anyone see you?" I asked. I had to
[01:36:25] check out what was going on, so that ate
[01:36:26] up a lot of time. I took the proper
[01:36:29] steps as I moved around just in case,
[01:36:31] said Hashimoto. If so, then good. I'm
[01:36:34] sure that no one would be welcoming of
[01:36:36] the idea of you and I meeting at this
[01:36:38] time, I replied. If you have business
[01:36:41] with me, couldn't you have just called?
[01:36:43] Or at least put more thought into the
[01:36:45] location, said Hashimoto as he turned
[01:36:47] his gaze toward me like he was probing
[01:36:49] me. That was probably the unconscious
[01:36:52] behavior of a person who was always
[01:36:53] suspicious of others. There are some
[01:36:56] things that you can't talk about over
[01:36:57] the phone. Besides, meeting outside
[01:37:00] carries its own risks, I replied. Well,
[01:37:03] okay. So, what did you want to talk
[01:37:05] about? asked Hashimoto. I wasn't going
[01:37:08] to make him stand there and listen to me
[01:37:10] talk, so I invited him inside and made
[01:37:12] space for him to sit. I thought we
[01:37:14] should talk now that the end ofear
[01:37:16] special exam has been announced. I just
[01:37:19] wanted to ask again where you stand on
[01:37:21] it, I asked him. The school didn't
[01:37:23] disclose what the rules are though
[01:37:25] exactly right. I don't know what I'm
[01:37:27] going to do yet, said Hashimoto. I
[01:37:29] didn't ask about what you were going to
[01:37:31] do. I asked where you stand. You said
[01:37:33] before that you were going to be on
[01:37:35] Ryuin's side. I answered thinking back
[01:37:38] to just the other day when Hashimoto was
[01:37:40] talking to me here in this very room.
[01:37:42] Nothing's changed, he said. The only way
[01:37:45] for me to survive is to let Rywin win.
[01:37:48] Though I can't say that things are going
[01:37:50] well. I was planning to assist Ryuan
[01:37:52] once the exam was announced, but I never
[01:37:55] imagined that the school wouldn't even
[01:37:56] tell us the rules. It was certainly true
[01:37:59] that depending on the exam rules, it was
[01:38:01] possible for him to have lent a hand
[01:38:03] during the preliminary preparation
[01:38:05] stage. If you're going to betray your
[01:38:07] class, you should actually be
[01:38:09] considering this to be convenient, I
[01:38:11] told him. Huh? He blinked. Hashimoto was
[01:38:14] vocally lamenting this turn of events,
[01:38:17] but that was based on the assumption
[01:38:18] that his betrayal wasn't going to be
[01:38:20] discovered. If the contents of the exam
[01:38:23] had been disclosed to us, then
[01:38:25] Sakahanagi would have used that to
[01:38:27] devise a strategy to trap you and Ryuin.
[01:38:30] However, as long as we don't know the
[01:38:32] contents, she can't produce any counter
[01:38:34] measures in advance. The most she can do
[01:38:37] is not select you as a representative.
[01:38:39] She can't predict what you'll do in the
[01:38:41] actual exam, I explained. For
[01:38:43] Sakahanagi, the progression of the
[01:38:45] special exam was actually starting from
[01:38:47] a negative. I see. That's one way of
[01:38:51] thinking about it, said Hashimoto as he
[01:38:53] nodded, deeply interested. But he didn't
[01:38:55] seem like he was going to be putting his
[01:38:57] confidence in that line of thinking at
[01:38:59] all. Rather, he seemed restless, as
[01:39:01] though the main issue lay elsewhere. I
[01:39:04] think it's about time you gave me your
[01:39:06] answer, Ayanokoji. I've been waiting for
[01:39:08] a long time, you know, about whether I'm
[01:39:11] willing to transfer to Ryuin's class,
[01:39:13] right? I asked. Yeah, I decided to take
[01:39:16] a substantial risk and betray Sakianagi.
[01:39:19] That's because the class you put
[01:39:20] yourself in and stay in will determine
[01:39:22] my future path too, said Hashimoto. As
[01:39:26] usual, Hashimoto responded with a
[01:39:28] mixture of truth and lies. If Rywin
[01:39:31] emerged victorious from the endofear
[01:39:33] special exam, the first part of
[01:39:35] Hashimoto's plan would be on track. Then
[01:39:38] if I decided to transfer classes
[01:39:40] afterward, he would achieve his goal.
[01:39:42] What if I say that I won't go? I asked
[01:39:44] him. Well, that'd be a problem because
[01:39:47] there'd be no avoiding the fact that my
[01:39:49] chances of graduating from class A would
[01:39:51] fall, said Hashimoto. I deliberately
[01:39:54] didn't ask about this before, but what
[01:39:56] about the private points? It's not
[01:39:58] exactly like Rywin's class has a
[01:40:00] fortune. It would take a lot of money
[01:40:02] for them to get both you and me.
[01:40:04] Hashimoto, I replied with what I thought
[01:40:06] was an obvious question, but it only
[01:40:08] prompted a thin smile on Hashimoto's
[01:40:11] lips. Well, that's not quite true. See,
[01:40:14] I hear Rywin's been macking deals with
[01:40:16] first years and third years, and he's
[01:40:18] been racking in quite a lot of private
[01:40:20] points, said Hashimoto. Making deals? I
[01:40:23] asked. I don't know the exact details,
[01:40:26] but if he's collecting from other
[01:40:28] grades, then it wouldn't be unrealistic
[01:40:30] for him to have enough to cover
[01:40:32] transfers for two people, would it?
[01:40:34] asked Hashimoto. If that were true, then
[01:40:37] yes, it might be realistic to achieve.
[01:40:39] But I was skeptical as to how much of
[01:40:41] this I should believe. Well, even if we
[01:40:44] are a little short on points, there's no
[01:40:46] need for you to worry since the other
[01:40:48] day we got more private points than we
[01:40:50] expected from Nagamo. That was a huge
[01:40:52] help, said Hashimoto. He meant the
[01:40:55] reward promised to me by Nagamo, with
[01:40:57] whom I had made a bet at the camp. I
[01:40:59] received three million points from that.
[01:41:01] He had given me way, way more private
[01:41:04] points than I had even imagined. So, I
[01:41:06] was honestly shocked. I had given
[01:41:08] Hashimoto 600,000 points, 20% of the
[01:41:12] take as requested since he had taken the
[01:41:14] initiative to do the work during the
[01:41:16] camp. As for the remaining 2,400,000
[01:41:20] points, I divided that up equally among
[01:41:22] the remaining 15 members of our group,
[01:41:25] giving out 160,000 points to each
[01:41:28] person. As for the 20 million points
[01:41:30] required for a transfer, that amount
[01:41:32] could cover a mere 3% of that, if at
[01:41:35] all. Nevertheless, 3% was more than 0%.
[01:41:39] You're the leading man. You should have
[01:41:41] kept a million or 1.5 mil for yourself.
[01:41:44] I would have been more than okay with
[01:41:46] letting you keep that much of it.
[01:41:48] Agreeing to the same share as the rest
[01:41:50] of the group is way too saintly of you,
[01:41:52] said Hashimoto exasperatedly as he
[01:41:55] recalled what happened at the time of
[01:41:57] the camp. Indeed, private points
[01:41:59] certainly carried a role that was near
[01:42:01] omnipotent at this school. Even so, I
[01:42:04] for one wasn't going to be clinging to
[01:42:05] private points alone. when I didn't say
[01:42:07] anything in response to that," Hashimoto
[01:42:10] quietly muttered. "Well, I guess the
[01:42:13] fact that you're not so easily
[01:42:14] influenced by money is one of your good
[01:42:16] points." "Anyway, I plan on laying low
[01:42:19] and keeping quiet for the weekend, but
[01:42:21] Dia have any advice for the exam?" asked
[01:42:24] Hashimoto. There wasn't much that I
[01:42:26] could say to Hashimoto now. In fact, I
[01:42:28] didn't even feel the need to say
[01:42:30] anything. It was just that. Wow. Okay.
[01:42:33] Rather than advice, I'm getting silence.
[01:42:36] Okay, huffed Hashimoto. I had no
[01:42:38] intention whatsoever of interfering in
[01:42:40] the confrontation between Sakayanagi and
[01:42:43] Ryuin on my own initiative, so the
[01:42:45] correct answer was to leave things be
[01:42:47] and keep a careful watch. However, it
[01:42:49] wasn't a bad idea to be prepared to at
[01:42:51] least be able to deal with the situation
[01:42:53] in a flexible manner as the situation
[01:42:56] arose. I was thinking a little, I
[01:42:58] replied. Okay, so can I take that to
[01:43:01] mean that you've come up with some
[01:43:02] advice? Asked Hashimoto. It sounded like
[01:43:06] he was looking for my opinion without
[01:43:08] expecting too much. Hashimo, if you
[01:43:11] continue as you are in these
[01:43:12] circumstances, that is, if you enter
[01:43:15] this special exam without a new
[01:43:16] strategy, you may end up falling into a
[01:43:19] dead end, I told him. Wo wo, I asked you
[01:43:22] for advice, didn't I, my dude? Come on,
[01:43:24] enough with the scary stuff. Sure, I
[01:43:27] might end up in a pinch, but I can
[01:43:28] handle myself, he said. By weaving lies
[01:43:31] into things as usual, I asked in return.
[01:43:34] Lies are a powerful weapon, you know. I
[01:43:36] knew that. Sometimes a lie could be even
[01:43:39] more powerful than physical violence. I
[01:43:42] even once told Horikita that a long time
[01:43:44] ago. Yes, it's true that lies are
[01:43:47] powerful. It's even easy to ruin someone
[01:43:49] with lies, but it's also true that lies
[01:43:52] won't work on everyone, I explained.
[01:43:55] You're saying they won't work against my
[01:43:56] opponent this time, said Hashimoto. They
[01:43:59] won't know, I replied. Sakahanagi was
[01:44:02] extremely wary of lies and had keen
[01:44:05] sensitivity. No matter how skillfully
[01:44:08] Hashimoto manipulated his words, his
[01:44:10] battles were built on lies. Having said
[01:44:12] that, Saki Yanagi's trust in Hashimoto,
[01:44:15] who had betrayed her, was as low as it
[01:44:17] can get down to the ground. At present,
[01:44:20] she probably wouldn't even listen to
[01:44:22] him. Well, even so, I don't have any
[01:44:24] other choice but to do it. It's how I've
[01:44:26] been fighting all my life, replied
[01:44:29] Hashimoto as though that were the only
[01:44:31] weapon that he could boast. Actually,
[01:44:33] no. I supposed it was just that he
[01:44:35] didn't know of any other way to fight.
[01:44:37] You'll think about it though, won't you?
[01:44:39] About you and me transferring to Ryuin's
[01:44:41] class together. You're going to be on
[01:44:43] Ryuin's side. You're not going to change
[01:44:45] your mind about that? I asked. Nope,
[01:44:48] said Hashimoto. Then what if Ryuin finds
[01:44:51] himself in a tight spot? What then? What
[01:44:54] if it's confirmed for certain that he
[01:44:55] can't win, whether you're on his side or
[01:44:58] not? Will you double cross again and go
[01:45:00] back to Sakahanagi when that time comes?
[01:45:02] I asked. That's if you change your
[01:45:05] position based on how the fight is
[01:45:07] going, then you'll be nothing but
[01:45:09] disgraceful in the eyes of the people
[01:45:10] around you, I told him. Then what am I
[01:45:13] supposed to do? I'm going to be on
[01:45:15] Ryuin's side. I'm going to But I don't
[01:45:18] want to think about it. But if I do get
[01:45:19] in a jam like that, what choice do I
[01:45:21] have? All I could do is get down on my
[01:45:24] knees or do whatever I can and ask
[01:45:26] Sakahanagi for forgiveness, said
[01:45:28] Hashimoto. Even while preparing himself
[01:45:31] for the worst and accepting his fate, at
[01:45:33] the very last moment, he would search
[01:45:35] for a means of escape. It was just the
[01:45:38] same Hashimoto Masashi that I'd analyzed
[01:45:40] thus far. Then, at the very least, don't
[01:45:43] lie to yourself. That's the least you
[01:45:45] can do, I told him. I watched
[01:45:47] Hashimoto's back until the door closed
[01:45:50] behind him and he disappeared beyond the
[01:45:52] entrance way. It would depend on the
[01:45:54] rules of this special exam, but if
[01:45:56] Hashimoto wasn't careful, this might be
[01:45:59] the last time that I would see him. That
[01:46:01] thought on my mind, I decided to get
[01:46:03] ready for bed. 3.6 It was Sunday
[01:46:06] morning. When I had arrived at my
[01:46:08] destination 10 minutes before the
[01:46:10] appointed time, I saw that the person I
[01:46:13] was going to meet was already waiting
[01:46:14] for me sitting on a bench. Morning. When
[01:46:17] I called out to her, her beautiful side
[01:46:19] profile turned toward me and she gave me
[01:46:21] a lovely smile. Good morning, Ayanoke
[01:46:24] Jun. Are you sure this is all right for
[01:46:27] you to call out to me in a place like
[01:46:29] this? Asked Ichino. What do you mean? I
[01:46:32] asked in return. Well, there are people
[01:46:34] coming and going. Won't people get the
[01:46:37] wrong idea if someone in the area were
[01:46:38] to see us? Someone like Karu Zawasan?
[01:46:41] She asked. Don't worry, I've already
[01:46:44] told Kay about today. A mysterious
[01:46:46] secret or a bad lie would only be a
[01:46:48] hindrance in maintaining a relationship.
[01:46:50] I replied, "Yeah, lying would probably
[01:46:53] be a bad idea," she responded
[01:46:55] affirmatively before continuing on to
[01:46:57] ask, "Ayanokuji,
[01:46:59] what are you planning to do about the
[01:47:01] special exam? Perhaps she was hoping to
[01:47:04] learn which side I would be on during
[01:47:05] the exam, how I'd be taking part in it.
[01:47:08] I currently have no plans to take part
[01:47:10] in the special exam as a representative,
[01:47:13] I told her. I decided to answer just
[01:47:15] like that. I told her a lie right after
[01:47:18] telling her how lies would be a
[01:47:20] hindrance on a relationship.
[01:47:22] Unfortunately, it wasn't even a lie that
[01:47:24] was necessary in order to deceive
[01:47:26] Ichino's class as I had told Horikita.
[01:47:29] The reason I told this lie was because
[01:47:31] the strategy that I had relayed to
[01:47:33] Horikita was itself a lie and it wasn't
[01:47:35] important. I see. Well, I guess that's
[01:47:39] good news for us then, said Ichino.
[01:47:41] Ichino accepted what I said without
[01:47:44] question and seemed somewhat relieved
[01:47:46] from her behavior. She didn't appear to
[01:47:48] distrust me in any way. I could take
[01:47:51] this to mean that she almost certainly
[01:47:53] did not know that I would be enlisted as
[01:47:55] a representative in this exam. That's
[01:47:57] the way things are for now anyway.
[01:47:59] There's a chance that Horikita might
[01:48:01] request that I join as a representative.
[01:48:04] If that happens, please go easy on me. I
[01:48:06] told her, I should be the one asking you
[01:48:09] that because if at all possible, I don't
[01:48:11] want to fight you. Ayanokoji Kun said
[01:48:14] Ichino. Then almost immediately, she
[01:48:17] amended her previous statement. I don't
[01:48:19] want to fight, but I don't have much
[01:48:21] choice. It's inevitable that our classes
[01:48:23] are going to face off against each
[01:48:25] other. After saying that, Ichinos
[01:48:28] immediately attempted to steer us away
[01:48:30] from the topic, saying, "I don't think
[01:48:32] we should talk about the endofear
[01:48:34] special exam anymore because we're going
[01:48:36] to be facing off against each other
[01:48:38] directly after all. It's best not to
[01:48:40] discuss either the good or the bad in
[01:48:42] depth," I replied since it sounded like
[01:48:45] she didn't want to engage in awkwardly
[01:48:47] sniffing around each other for
[01:48:48] information. "Yes, I agree. The reason I
[01:48:51] called you here today, Ichinoi, is
[01:48:53] because our promised time is drawing
[01:48:55] close. You remember that? There's no way
[01:48:58] I could forget. You mean about what we
[01:49:00] talked about in your room last year,
[01:49:01] right? Ayanokoji Khan, said Ichino. I
[01:49:05] nodded and then Ichino nodded in return.
[01:49:08] I want to meet just like we are now one
[01:49:10] year from today. Just the two of us, you
[01:49:12] and me, Ichino, don't get trapped by
[01:49:15] hesitation this coming year. Meet with
[01:49:17] me again. Can you promise me that? All
[01:49:20] of that was what I had told Ichinoi last
[01:49:22] year. If we both make it through this
[01:49:25] special exam without getting expelled,
[01:49:27] when we get there, make time for it, I
[01:49:29] told her. What words would we hear then?
[01:49:31] Ichino probably had no idea either. With
[01:49:34] a mixture of anticipation and anxiety,
[01:49:37] she answered me clearly. Definitely,
[01:49:39] said Ichino. I nodded and stood up,
[01:49:42] lifting myself up off the bench. We
[01:49:44] hadn't spoken for very long at all, but
[01:49:46] in light of tomorrow, that was probably
[01:49:48] okay. Now, I'm going to pop into the gym
[01:49:51] for a minute. What about you, Ichino? I
[01:49:54] asked. I have plans to meet with my
[01:49:56] classmates today, so I'll stop by there
[01:49:58] another time, she replied. Yeah, that
[01:50:02] made sense. With the end ofear special
[01:50:04] exam just around the corner, it wasn't
[01:50:06] time to be working up a sweat in the
[01:50:08] gym. It sounded like she was meeting up
[01:50:10] with friends, like she said. Ichino,
[01:50:13] still sitting down on the bench, saw me
[01:50:15] off. And then I decided to head on over
[01:50:17] to Kiyaki Mall. With this meeting, that
[01:50:20] made three people. Now all I had to do
[01:50:22] was talk to Sakahanagi and all of the
[01:50:25] things I had to do would be finished.
[01:50:27] 3.7 After parting ways with Ichino, I
[01:50:31] spent an hour in the gym working up a
[01:50:33] sweat. Once I was done, I noticed a
[01:50:35] single student standing near the
[01:50:37] entrance to the gym. This didn't seem
[01:50:39] like a mere chance encounter. How
[01:50:42] unusual to see you in a place like this,
[01:50:44] Kan, Zaki, I remarked. Yeah, he gave a
[01:50:47] brief response and then casually looked
[01:50:49] between myself and the gym. If you want
[01:50:51] to join the gym, I can give you an
[01:50:53] introduction, I offered. No, that's not
[01:50:56] why I'm here. I heard that you went to
[01:50:58] the gym and I was waiting for you. In
[01:51:01] that case, it seemed likely that his
[01:51:03] information came from Ichino. Is this
[01:51:06] about something that is talked about in
[01:51:08] person, face to face, and not over the
[01:51:10] phone? I asked. It's<unk> not enough to
[01:51:12] warrant a conversation. I happened to
[01:51:15] hear that you have no plans at present
[01:51:17] to appear as a representative. I just
[01:51:19] wanted to confirm whether or not that
[01:51:21] was true, he said. It depends on
[01:51:23] Horikita's plans, but as of right now, I
[01:51:26] don't plan to know, I replied. Despite
[01:51:29] getting the same answer I'd given in my
[01:51:31] previous statement, Kanzaki's facial
[01:51:33] expression turned somewhat stern. Is
[01:51:36] that true? He asked. I thought I already
[01:51:38] answered your question, but you don't
[01:51:40] seem to believe me. I replied, we are in
[01:51:43] direct competition with each other this
[01:51:45] time. Of course, he said, it is not
[01:51:47] necessary for you to tell me the entire
[01:51:49] truth in this conversation, and it's not
[01:51:52] for us to decide whether you do or do
[01:51:54] not appear as a representative. It's
[01:51:56] just that Ichino wants to believe what
[01:51:59] you've said. Or rather, I should say she
[01:52:02] does believe you. While I could
[01:52:04] interpret what he said as a reserved,
[01:52:06] modest statement, it also showed some
[01:52:08] bullishness. It sounded like Ichino was
[01:52:11] the source of his information after all.
[01:52:13] I didn't pay any mind to that part and
[01:52:15] just let it slide. I would like to
[01:52:18] believe you as well, but began Kanzaki.
[01:52:21] Still, Kanzaki tried to ascertain the
[01:52:23] credibility of my statements. I told him
[01:52:26] already that there wasn't any deep
[01:52:27] meaning to what I was saying here, but
[01:52:29] he was insistent. Perhaps there's some
[01:52:32] reason you don't believe what I'm
[01:52:34] saying. It sounds like you're
[01:52:35] questioning me because you have some
[01:52:37] kind of basis for thinking I might be a
[01:52:39] representative. I replied, well, no, I
[01:52:42] Kaki began to deny it, but then he
[01:52:45] stopped to think and then restated his
[01:52:47] position. It's just hearsay. I've heard
[01:52:50] through the grapevine that you had
[01:52:51] agreed to being a representative early
[01:52:53] on. Moreover, you were given the
[01:52:55] position of general rather than vanguard
[01:52:58] or center for this exam. That's what the
[01:53:00] rumor says, explained Kanzaki. If it
[01:53:03] were merely the fact I was chosen as a
[01:53:05] representative, I could dismiss it as
[01:53:08] plain old gossip. However, Kanaki had
[01:53:11] included the important keyword general
[01:53:13] in conveying this to me. Even if
[01:53:16] Horikita was widely recognized as the
[01:53:18] leader of the class, she had given up
[01:53:20] that position. Considering that this
[01:53:22] fact was included, it seemed like this
[01:53:24] couldn't be dismissed as just hearsay.
[01:53:27] Judging from the look of uncomfortable
[01:53:29] embarrassment on Kanzaki's face, he
[01:53:32] probably didn't intend to tell me
[01:53:33] something so pointed when he'd started
[01:53:35] this conversation. However, my quick
[01:53:38] denial of representative status must
[01:53:40] have strengthened his desire for the
[01:53:42] truth. Information that I had warned
[01:53:44] Horikita to keep confidential appeared
[01:53:46] to have been leaked and rather easily at
[01:53:49] that. That's an extremely specific
[01:53:51] rumor, I replied. But it's just that and
[01:53:54] rumors are just rumors. There hasn't
[01:53:56] been any such talk as of yet. While I
[01:53:59] was certain of what had happened, I
[01:54:00] continued to deny it. Even if denying it
[01:54:03] here and now was a lie, Kanzaki would
[01:54:06] simply have to understand that it was a
[01:54:07] permissible lie necessary as part of
[01:54:10] making a strategy. I understand. If you
[01:54:13] say so, then I'm sure it must simply be
[01:54:15] a rumor. However, if Horikita does ask
[01:54:18] that you participate as a
[01:54:19] representative, would you please decline
[01:54:22] if at all possible? Asked Kaki. That's
[01:54:25] quite a drastic request to make, I
[01:54:27] replied. I understand quite well what
[01:54:29] you are truly capable of. If you do
[01:54:32] appear as a representative, our class
[01:54:34] will inevitably have a difficult battle.
[01:54:37] More importantly, though, there's also
[01:54:39] the fear that Ichino will not be able to
[01:54:41] show her true potential if she has to
[01:54:43] fight you too, said Kanaki. So, he was
[01:54:46] saying that he didn't want me to be a
[01:54:47] representative, and I could tell that he
[01:54:50] was speaking honestly about that point.
[01:54:52] At least I understand what you're trying
[01:54:54] to say, I said. But that's not an ask I
[01:54:57] can easily accept. If Horikita makes a
[01:54:59] request like that, it's only natural for
[01:55:02] me to consider it as her classmate. I
[01:55:04] could feel the strength in Kanzaki's
[01:55:06] straightened arms. My apologies. I just
[01:55:09] asked you something that no one should
[01:55:11] accept. Please forget it, said Kanzaki.
[01:55:14] It's all right. It just shows how much
[01:55:16] you're staking on this upcoming special
[01:55:18] exam, I replied. There haven't been many
[01:55:21] times where I've so plainly insinuated
[01:55:23] that I would be taken to the stage like
[01:55:25] this before. I could completely
[01:55:27] understand his weariness. That was all I
[01:55:30] came to discuss with you today,
[01:55:31] Ayanokoji. I apologize for prying into
[01:55:34] your business so persistently. I am also
[01:55:37] grateful for all that you have done for
[01:55:38] us, said Kanzaki. Don't worry about it.
[01:55:42] It's only natural that we're each trying
[01:55:44] our very best in our quest to reach
[01:55:45] class A. I said regardless of whether
[01:55:48] his approach and direction were correct
[01:55:50] or not, Kanzaki was thinking through
[01:55:53] things in his own way and trying to find
[01:55:55] a means of survival for his class's
[01:55:57] sake. I had no intention whatsoever of
[01:56:00] denying that. If anything, I found him
[01:56:02] interesting to observe. If Ichino hadn't
[01:56:05] gone through a chemical change, I would
[01:56:07] have liked to have done a little more
[01:56:08] work revising him, but it wasn't too
[01:56:11] late to see what kind of results he
[01:56:12] could achieve in the endofyear special
[01:56:14] exam. After seeing Kanzaki go, trying to
[01:56:17] hide his discouragement as he walked
[01:56:19] away, I decided to head back to the
[01:56:21] dormatory myself. 3.8 It was just before
[01:56:26] 10:00 at night and Sunday would soon be
[01:56:28] over. Since I wanted to be considerate
[01:56:30] to Sakahyanagi, who had told me that her
[01:56:33] schedule was full, it was decided that I
[01:56:35] would be communicating with just one of
[01:56:37] the people I wanted to meet in a
[01:56:39] particular way. I received a call from
[01:56:41] Sakahanagi on my phone. I turned off the
[01:56:44] TV and pressed the button to accept the
[01:56:46] call. I am terribly sorry to be calling
[01:56:49] you at such a late hour. Is this time
[01:56:51] still acceptable? Asked Saki Hyanagi.
[01:56:54] Yeah, it's fine. I told her. You said
[01:56:57] that you wished to speak with me. I
[01:56:59] would have thought that she would have
[01:57:00] had an idea of what this was about. But
[01:57:02] she asked me that question as though she
[01:57:04] didn't know. I'll be frank. I heard that
[01:57:07] you agreed to the terms of Rywin's bet
[01:57:09] that the loser will drop out of school.
[01:57:11] I told her. Oh, is that what this is
[01:57:14] about? Well, I suppose that it was only
[01:57:16] a matter of time before news of our
[01:57:18] wager reached your ears, Ayanokojikan.
[01:57:21] But who told you about it? Actually, no.
[01:57:23] I suppose it would be uncou of me to ask
[01:57:25] about that. Sakianagi made a show of
[01:57:28] pursuing the source of my information
[01:57:30] and then withdrawing. Considering Class
[01:57:33] A's position and the fact that you have
[01:57:35] a protect point, the terms of your bet
[01:57:37] are quite extraordinary, I remarked.
[01:57:40] Yes, I suppose that may be true if you
[01:57:42] are only looking at the terms. However,
[01:57:45] I will not be defeated by him, and Ryu
[01:57:47] Khan's actions amount to nothing more
[01:57:49] than ringing his own neck, said
[01:57:51] Sakianagi. No matter how
[01:57:53] disproportionate the conditions were, so
[01:57:56] long as she didn't lose, there wasn't
[01:57:57] any problem. That was her stance. Though
[01:58:00] her position was different from Ryuins,
[01:58:02] they were the same in the end. You
[01:58:04] aren't calling because you are worried
[01:58:06] about me. Are you? asked Sakahanagi. Do
[01:58:09] I need to be worried? I asked. Heavens,
[01:58:12] no. I would simply like for you to see
[01:58:14] how the battle ends. That should be
[01:58:16] enough, I think. She chuckled softly on
[01:58:18] the other end of the line. Immediately
[01:58:20] afterwards, I could just barely hear a
[01:58:22] small yawn. Is it already your bedtime?
[01:58:25] I asked. No, I just had things to do
[01:58:28] early this morning, she replied. Should
[01:58:30] I let you go, then? Please do not say
[01:58:32] such a sad thing. I am fully prepared in
[01:58:35] anticipation of drowsiness. Fully
[01:58:37] prepared? I asked. I have taken a bath,
[01:58:40] brushed my teeth, and even changed into
[01:58:43] my pajamas. I am already lying down, so
[01:58:45] I can sleep as soon as our call is
[01:58:47] finished, explained Saki Hyanagi.
[01:58:50] Apparently, on the other end of the
[01:58:51] call, Saki Hyanagi had finished getting
[01:58:53] ready for bed and was under the covers.
[01:58:56] Well, you certainly do seem fully
[01:58:58] prepared, I replied. Yes, which is why I
[01:59:01] would welcome even a long chat, said
[01:59:04] Sakahanagi, as though my words were a
[01:59:06] replacement for a lullabi. Apparently,
[01:59:09] you have also met with Rayu Khan and
[01:59:11] Ichino San I didn't notice Yamamura
[01:59:13] following me at all, though. Impressive
[01:59:16] as always, I replied. No matter what you
[01:59:19] say, Ayanokoji Khan, it is rather
[01:59:22] difficult to perfectly escape from the
[01:59:23] gazes of many other people, including
[01:59:26] those from other grade levels and
[01:59:27] adults. So, she had connections not just
[01:59:30] with students but with some adults as
[01:59:32] well. Of course, I had to take what she
[01:59:35] said with a grain of salt. Even so, it
[01:59:37] was a big deal since the information she
[01:59:40] was getting seemed correct.
[01:59:41] Incidentally, Ayanoko Jikan, will you be
[01:59:44] participating in this special exam as a
[01:59:46] representative? Asked Sakahanagi. I
[01:59:49] can't give an answer from my own mouth.
[01:59:52] Any reports from your regular source? I
[01:59:54] asked. We aren't keeping a watch on your
[01:59:56] class or Ichino Sean's class this time
[01:59:59] as we are not in direct confrontation
[02:00:01] with you. Which meant that she was
[02:00:03] interested, but she wasn't going as far
[02:00:05] as to monitor us. But if Sakahanagi knew
[02:00:08] already, then this wouldn't be
[02:00:10] information I would need to go through
[02:00:12] the trouble of hiding from her. As I
[02:00:14] thought, it sounded like the information
[02:00:16] was leaked only to Ichino's side and not
[02:00:19] to Sakahanaga's side. Anyway, it feels
[02:00:22] like Rywin's getting ready for war, but
[02:00:24] you seem the same as always, I remarked.
[02:00:27] I had been trying to compliment her for
[02:00:29] keeping her cool, but her response was
[02:00:31] surprising. I have to wonder about that.
[02:00:34] Whether I am the same as always, said
[02:00:36] Sakahanagi. What's different? I asked. I
[02:00:40] decided to try something new these past
[02:00:42] 2 days. This new endeavor involved
[02:00:44] arranging an opportunity to meet and
[02:00:46] talk with my classmates individually. I
[02:00:49] am sure this is an action that I would
[02:00:51] not have taken in the past as the old
[02:00:53] me, said Sakahyanagi.
[02:00:55] Basically, the image Sakayahanagi
[02:00:57] projected was of someone who only kept
[02:00:59] close associates such as Kimaro,
[02:01:02] Hashimoto, and Kiru by her side. It
[02:01:05] could be said that this was typical of
[02:01:06] Sakayanagi who fundamentally didn't
[02:01:09] trust people. She shared this tendency
[02:01:11] with Rywin. Why did you want to talk to
[02:01:13] the people in your class? You didn't
[02:01:15] disclose anything specific or discuss
[02:01:18] countermeasures for the special exam
[02:01:19] with a large group of people, did you? I
[02:01:22] asked. That's correct. I did not. It had
[02:01:25] nothing to do with the exam. That is
[02:01:27] precisely why. Yes, I suppose you could
[02:01:30] say that's the problem, said Sakahanagi.
[02:01:33] She was silent for a moment as she
[02:01:35] mentally sorted out the reasons behind
[02:01:37] her past actions and translated them
[02:01:39] into words. I should have gotten to know
[02:01:41] Masumisan better. I want to know more
[02:01:44] about Yamamuraan. Such unnecessary
[02:01:47] feelings, yet I think that they must
[02:01:49] have been what had driven me, said
[02:01:50] Sakahanagi. It was no use crying over
[02:01:53] spilled milk, as they say. Camaro had
[02:01:56] already been expelled from the school,
[02:01:58] so she couldn't talk to him even if she
[02:02:00] wanted to. As for Yamamura, who was in
[02:02:03] her same class, their relationship had
[02:02:05] previously been a one-way street, with
[02:02:07] Yamamura being the only one interested.
[02:02:10] But now that they had taken their first
[02:02:11] step as friends as opposed to how they
[02:02:14] were before, Sakihanagi was trying to
[02:02:16] deepen their relationship so that she
[02:02:18] wouldn't have any regrets this time.
[02:02:20] Even with her other classmates,
[02:02:22] Sakianaga's relationship with them could
[02:02:25] change in any way and at any time. But
[02:02:28] she didn't know if they might disappear.
[02:02:30] It was those kinds of thoughts that made
[02:02:32] her want to know more about the allies
[02:02:34] that she had now. That seemed the gist
[02:02:36] of it. There was a chance that Saki
[02:02:38] Yanagi herself was puzzled by it. To be
[02:02:41] perfectly honest, I do not think this
[02:02:43] sentiment is efficient. One could even
[02:02:45] say that I am engaging in unproductive
[02:02:47] actions. And yet, I decided that I must.
[02:02:50] That isn't like me, is it? Asked
[02:02:52] Sakahanagi.
[02:02:54] Yeah, it's really not like you at all, I
[02:02:56] replied. Despite her soft facial
[02:02:58] expressions, Sakiagi had been making
[02:03:01] ruthless, cold, mechanical judgments,
[02:03:03] trusting in her own logic. The incident
[02:03:06] with Kamaru and Yamamura before must
[02:03:08] have had a major impact on her if she
[02:03:10] had begun to change like this. It's<unk>
[02:03:13] because of you, Ayanoko Jikan. You have
[02:03:15] changed me, she said. I don't think
[02:03:17] everything about you has changed, but I
[02:03:20] have to admit that at least one part
[02:03:22] has, I replied. Why did you act as a
[02:03:24] mediator between Yamamura and me to
[02:03:27] bring us together? Her question sounded
[02:03:29] to me like she was saying, "If you
[02:03:31] hadn't done that, I could still be
[02:03:33] myself." Yamamura had unexpectedly
[02:03:36] suffered quite a blow because of me, so
[02:03:38] I just made it up to her in a way that
[02:03:40] was easy to understand. I can't give you
[02:03:42] any further explanation than that," I
[02:03:44] replied. Yamamura was a secret spy,
[02:03:47] using her lack of presence to act as
[02:03:49] Sakahanaga's right hand. It was only
[02:03:52] natural that I should assume
[02:03:53] responsibility for having gotten in the
[02:03:55] way of that, but it would also be
[02:03:57] pointless for me to go on and on about
[02:03:59] it to Sakahanagi right now. I see. I had
[02:04:03] thought for a moment there that you may
[02:04:04] have merely been doing it out of the
[02:04:06] goodness of your heart, Ayanokoji Khan.
[02:04:09] But it appears that I was wrong. You had
[02:04:11] a definite reason for it after all, said
[02:04:14] Sakahanagi. Actually, wait. I'd much
[02:04:16] prefer if you could just interpret it as
[02:04:18] kindness on my part. Can I take back
[02:04:20] what I said before? I replied. He afraid
[02:04:24] that's impossible. Sakahanaga's voice
[02:04:27] from the phone speaker was sounding
[02:04:29] sleepier and sleepier. Up until this
[02:04:31] point, she had sounded calm and composed
[02:04:34] as usual, so I figured now would be a
[02:04:36] good time for me to hang up. But you did
[02:04:38] something uncalled for, she said. You
[02:04:41] are entirely prejudiced against this
[02:04:43] change in you. But it can't be all bad,
[02:04:45] can it? If it was something truly
[02:04:47] uncalled for, you could have just forced
[02:04:49] yourself to suppress these new feelings.
[02:04:52] Right? I replied. Yes, I suppose you
[02:04:55] might be right. Sakahyanagi did not
[02:04:57] trust others and continued to use them
[02:04:59] in a certain way. She was like me,
[02:05:01] completely fixated on her own way of
[02:05:03] thinking. But she was starting to accept
[02:05:05] that she was changing. You should face
[02:05:08] them, a lot of them, all those you
[02:05:10] haven't faced up until now. By doing so,
[02:05:13] you should be able to see an unexpected
[02:05:15] side of yourself that you never knew
[02:05:16] about before. I told her through that,
[02:05:19] Sakahanagi should surely be able to find
[02:05:22] new options as well. Whether that would
[02:05:24] become a strength or be a weakness
[02:05:26] remain to be seen though. That is why
[02:05:29] Karu Zawasan and Ichino Sanan have come
[02:05:31] to love you. You rudely barge into
[02:05:33] people's hearts, trampling in without
[02:05:35] hesitation, ravage them without
[02:05:37] permission, and then you make them
[02:05:39] sprout and grow. But you are stubborn in
[02:05:42] nature, even more so than me, and you do
[02:05:44] not change easily. He But that's what
[02:05:47] makes you so attractive, said
[02:05:49] Sakihyanagi. I'll take that as a
[02:05:51] compliment, Sakianagi. Oh, this isn't
[02:05:54] related to our conversation about
[02:05:56] Yamamura earlier, but there is something
[02:05:58] I need to tell you. You do remember that
[02:06:01] something happened during the
[02:06:02] uninhabited island exam that put me in
[02:06:04] your debt, right? I asked. That was one
[02:06:08] of the reasons I had for making this
[02:06:09] appointment with Sakahanagi and forcing
[02:06:12] her to make time for me. Come to think
[02:06:14] of it, yes, that did happen, said
[02:06:16] Sakahanagi. I don't intend to pour my
[02:06:19] efforts into making a prediction of
[02:06:20] whether you or Ryuin will win your
[02:06:22] little bet tomorrow. I'm deliberately
[02:06:24] choosing to think of it as an equal
[02:06:26] 50/50%
[02:06:28] chance, I told her. Meaning that if I
[02:06:31] fail, you will miss your chance to repay
[02:06:33] that debt, I suppose, said Sakahanagi.
[02:06:36] Yeah, which is why I wanted to check in
[02:06:38] ahead of time. I can pay you back right
[02:06:40] now if necessary, I said. I avoided
[02:06:44] expressing it directly, but I was sure
[02:06:46] that Sakihanagi immediately understood
[02:06:48] what I was trying to say. I knew that
[02:06:50] she would never demand it, though. My
[02:06:52] answer goes without saying. I figured as
[02:06:55] much to get an edge over Ryuan in the
[02:06:58] special exam. You'll need my help. There
[02:07:00] was no way that Sakahanagi would take
[02:07:02] such an approach depending on others
[02:07:05] like that. I asked even knowing that
[02:07:07] full well. I will have you repay the
[02:07:09] debt you owe in our third year, said
[02:07:11] Sakianagi.
[02:07:12] All right, then I'll plan on that, I
[02:07:14] replied. Please do so, she said, then
[02:07:17] yawned again. I think it's probably time
[02:07:19] we end the call, I told her. Are you
[02:07:22] sure that you want to hang up already? I
[02:07:24] would like to continue our conversation.
[02:07:26] This is enough for today. I have a good
[02:07:29] understanding of how each class leader
[02:07:30] is doing. Is that so? After the end of
[02:07:33] year special exam is sorted out, let's
[02:07:36] enjoy a nice cup of tea at our leisure.
[02:07:38] After he's dealt with, the competition
[02:07:41] between you and I will be waiting for us
[02:07:43] in our third year. Ayanoko Jan, I
[02:07:46] decided to end our conversation here
[02:07:48] since her yawns were becoming
[02:07:50] increasingly mixed in among her words.
[02:07:52] Could we please end the call here then?
[02:07:54] Ayanokojan, I would like to go to sleep
[02:07:57] with this peaceful feeling. Good night.
[02:07:59] Sakianagi hadn't acted nervous at all
[02:08:02] and was calm and composed throughout our
[02:08:04] entire call. In fact, she was beginning
[02:08:06] to show a side of herself where she was
[02:08:08] letting her newfound emotions take over.
[02:08:11] That too must have been another aspect
[02:08:14] of her growth. After I ended the call, I
[02:08:16] took off my clothes and changed into my
[02:08:19] pajamas. Rywin and Sakahanagi. I could
[02:08:22] assume that both of them were fully
[02:08:24] prepared for the end ofear special exam.
[02:08:26] Tomorrow, one of them would be defeated
[02:08:29] and leave the school. I should just
[02:08:31] stand by and watch how things unfold as
[02:08:33] an observer. that would be the correct
[02:08:35] approach. However, speaking from the
[02:08:37] heart, what would my desired outcome be?
[02:08:40] I tried not to think about it, but I did
[02:08:42] have a clear preference. Which of them
[02:08:44] would I like to win? Even before our
[02:08:46] conversations, I already had an answer
[02:08:48] to that question. Chapter 4. The end
[02:08:51] ofear special exam begins. You could
[02:08:54] feel spring in the warm, gentle sunshine
[02:08:56] today. The time had finally come for the
[02:08:59] culmination of the second year of our
[02:09:01] careers here at this school. Those who
[02:09:03] were leading the pack for two years as
[02:09:05] the unshakable class A and were now
[02:09:07] trying to pull ahead of the rest once
[02:09:09] again. Those who had started off doing
[02:09:11] well then were slowly overtaken and fell
[02:09:13] to class D only to become united in
[02:09:16] solidarity in rising up. Those who even
[02:09:19] though they weren't strong enough on
[02:09:21] their own would continue to fight using
[02:09:23] any means at their disposal, taking
[02:09:25] every chance they saw to turn the tables
[02:09:27] and make a comeback. those who started
[02:09:29] in class D lost all of their class
[02:09:32] points and who were now trying to reach
[02:09:34] for class A their dearest wish the end
[02:09:37] of year special exam was going to be
[02:09:39] held soon with the promise of huge
[02:09:41] changes in class points it was 7:40 a.m.
[02:09:44] When I left my dormatory room alone, I
[02:09:47] didn't see a single other student until
[02:09:49] I reached the lobby. And even then,
[02:09:51] everything was quiet as it should be.
[02:09:54] While the representatives for the end
[02:09:55] ofear special exam were supposed to meet
[02:09:58] in the special building at 8:00 this
[02:10:00] morning, most of our classmates were to
[02:10:02] meet in their classrooms at 9:00 like
[02:10:05] normal. So, some of them were probably
[02:10:07] still sleeping. It would have been fine
[02:10:09] even if I had bumped into another
[02:10:11] representative. But because the special
[02:10:13] building was about a 10-minute walk from
[02:10:15] here, leaving at 40 minutes past the
[02:10:18] hour was cutting it quite close. I was
[02:10:20] sure that almost everyone had either
[02:10:22] already arrived at the school or was
[02:10:24] about to. As I was walking along the
[02:10:27] path to the school building, I spotted a
[02:10:29] solitary student sitting on a bench
[02:10:31] dressed in casual attire. It's rather
[02:10:34] early in the morning, isn't it? What are
[02:10:36] you doing in a place like this, Curu and
[02:10:38] Senpai? I asked. I've been waiting for
[02:10:41] you. I wanted to catch a glimpse of you
[02:10:43] before you took your final special exam
[02:10:45] for the year, she replied. As she said
[02:10:47] that, I noticed that her bag was sitting
[02:10:49] next to her. It looks like you're
[02:10:51] heading out now, I said. Normally,
[02:10:54] third-year students have already long
[02:10:56] since gone out into the world by now
[02:10:58] after their graduation ceremony. I'm no
[02:11:00] exception. I've been busy looking for a
[02:11:03] new place to live. Nagumo was concerned
[02:11:05] about you, though. He was wondering how
[02:11:07] you'll fare in your endofear special
[02:11:09] exam. Moreover, he apparently doesn't
[02:11:12] intend to meet with you directly
[02:11:13] anymore, leaving the reconnaissance
[02:11:16] entirely to me 100%. Said Curuan. She
[02:11:20] was talking like she had been forced
[02:11:21] into taking on a bothersome role, but it
[02:11:24] should have been easy for her to have
[02:11:25] refused it. So, you're worrying about
[02:11:27] me, eh? You're both such kind senpai, I
[02:11:30] teased. Excuse me, but worrying is an
[02:11:32] exaggeration. Rude. Still, you do calmly
[02:11:36] pull off unpredictable feats. I look
[02:11:38] forward to seeing the results of your
[02:11:40] exam, said Curuan. Perhaps because she
[02:11:43] knew that I was in a hurry, Curuan
[02:11:45] senpai gently waved goodbye to me after
[02:11:48] saying that. After giving Curuan a
[02:11:50] slight bow, I got moving again and
[02:11:52] headed to the school itself. Soon
[02:11:55] afterward, I arrived at the special
[02:11:57] building and found two representatives
[02:11:59] from my class were waiting for me by the
[02:12:01] door to the classroom, and an adult that
[02:12:03] I wasn't familiar with was standing
[02:12:05] beside them. I had the impression that
[02:12:07] most special exams were attended by the
[02:12:09] school's teachers, but perhaps this one
[02:12:11] was different. Good morning, Kiotakan.
[02:12:14] Yoske greeted me with a bright smile
[02:12:17] that was just as cheery as a girls.
[02:12:19] Horikita, on the other hand, seemed to
[02:12:21] be in a poor mood, perhaps unhappy about
[02:12:24] being kept waiting. "You got here very
[02:12:26] late. We're<unk> the last to arrive,"
[02:12:28] she snapped with a shrill voice and
[02:12:30] stiff expression. "I'm on time, though,
[02:12:32] so there shouldn't be a problem," I
[02:12:34] replied. Yes, but well whatever.
[02:12:37] It's<unk> a trivial matter now. Let's
[02:12:39] go, said Horikita. The end ofear special
[02:12:42] exam that we had been waiting for was
[02:12:44] officially underway. I was sure that she
[02:12:47] must have been anxiously watching the
[02:12:48] minutes go by since this morning or even
[02:12:51] since last night. When Horikita reported
[02:12:53] to the adult that we were all present,
[02:12:56] the door was opened and we entered the
[02:12:58] room. Inside, I saw that the three
[02:13:00] representatives from each of the other
[02:13:02] classes had arrived before us. making
[02:13:04] for a total of nine people already
[02:13:07] seated on pipe chairs in the classroom.
[02:13:09] Sakahanagi, Rayuin, and Ichino all
[02:13:12] seemed to have made it here today
[02:13:14] without any problems. Some of the people
[02:13:16] inside turned around as we entered the
[02:13:18] room. No doubt it was to confirm who the
[02:13:21] representatives of our class would be,
[02:13:23] which was especially important for
[02:13:25] Ichino's class. My eyes met with Kzakis,
[02:13:29] who until the last minute had been
[02:13:31] fearing that I was going to be
[02:13:32] representative. I guess that he must
[02:13:34] have been able to brace himself thanks
[02:13:36] to information received prior because
[02:13:39] while he didn't seem surprised, I could
[02:13:41] tell that he clearly didn't welcome the
[02:13:43] idea of me being here. It wasn't very
[02:13:45] difficult to imagine what he was
[02:13:47] thinking. Most likely something like so
[02:13:50] he came after all. I felt bad, but I had
[02:13:53] my reasons and others feelings in the
[02:13:55] matter couldn't take priority. Horikita
[02:13:57] and Yoske were also learning who the
[02:13:59] other representatives were for the first
[02:14:01] time in this public space. Just as we
[02:14:04] started walking over to take our seats,
[02:14:06] Sakagami Sensei and Hashomia Sensei
[02:14:09] approached. Sakagami Sensei was holding
[02:14:11] an empty white case with both hands
[02:14:14] about 30 cm in both length and width
[02:14:17] with the words 2B written on it.
[02:14:20] Please hand over your phones as well as
[02:14:22] any metal or other electronic devices
[02:14:24] that you have on you, he announced,
[02:14:26] lowering his gaze down to the case. I
[02:14:28] took my phone out of my pocket and
[02:14:30] placed it in the white case. Horriikita
[02:14:32] and Yoske also took out their cell
[02:14:34] phones and followed suit. "All right,
[02:14:37] folks. Hold still for just a second.
[02:14:39] We're<unk> going to search you,"
[02:14:41] announced Hashomia Sensei. Then Hashomia
[02:14:45] sensei began to examine me from head to
[02:14:46] toe with some kind of device in her
[02:14:48] hand, probably a handheld metal
[02:14:50] detector. "Wow, this is really thorough,
[02:14:53] isn't it?" asked Yoske once they were
[02:14:55] finished searching him, and it became
[02:14:56] Horikita's turn. "Sorry about this.
[02:14:59] School orders after all." "Okay, these
[02:15:02] three have been checked and are okay,"
[02:15:04] said Hashomia sensei. Sakagami sensei
[02:15:07] nodded. "The phones that you've handed
[02:15:09] over will be returned to you after the
[02:15:11] exam. Take an empty seat and wait, said
[02:15:14] Sakagami Sensei. The three of us went
[02:15:16] over to the three available pipe chairs
[02:15:18] and sat down. Then I stared intently at
[02:15:21] the backs of the representatives.
[02:15:23] Hamaguchi and Kanzaki from Ichino's
[02:15:26] class D, our opponents. I had figured
[02:15:28] that Ichino and Kanzaki were a sure
[02:15:30] thing. So they had brought Hamaguchi as
[02:15:33] their third A. His overall ability was
[02:15:36] in the same category as Hiata's, and he
[02:15:39] was the honor student type, unlikely to
[02:15:41] be involved in any big trouble. You
[02:15:44] could say that was probably what
[02:15:45] Horikita and the others from her class
[02:15:47] had figured as a likely choice based on
[02:15:50] their assumptions. However, there were
[02:15:52] some unexpected selections for Sakiaga's
[02:15:55] class and Ryuin's class. What is the
[02:15:57] meaning of this? Muttered Horikita.
[02:16:00] First of all, more than anything else,
[02:16:02] Horikita was astonished not by Katsuragi
[02:16:05] being there, but by who his fellow class
[02:16:07] representative was. This surprised Yoske
[02:16:10] standing next to her, too, not to
[02:16:12] mention myself. That was because you
[02:16:14] could tell that Nishino Takiko was
[02:16:16] clearly a mismatch for this special
[02:16:18] exam, which would likely require a high
[02:16:20] level of overall ability. The person in
[02:16:23] question, perhaps fully aware herself
[02:16:25] that she was out of place here, had her
[02:16:27] arms crossed and looked somewhat
[02:16:29] uncomfortable. There was a rule that at
[02:16:32] least one male and one female must be
[02:16:34] selected to appear among the three
[02:16:36] representatives, but even so, I didn't
[02:16:38] expect that it would be Nishino. I see
[02:16:41] they've made a deliberate display of
[02:16:42] their originality, Horikita remarked
[02:16:45] dryly. I didn't think that they would
[02:16:47] appoint Nishinoan to the role either.
[02:16:49] Ian Oak Jun, do you know what their game
[02:16:52] might be? asked Yoske. Nope. Maybe
[02:16:54] they're trying to catch their opponent
[02:16:56] by surprise by doing something
[02:16:58] unexpected. Even so, this is too much, I
[02:17:01] replied. It wasn't that Nishino was a
[02:17:04] bad student. Even if she didn't leave
[02:17:06] much of an impression on us, she was
[02:17:08] probably relatively prominent in Ryuin's
[02:17:10] class. The courage she displayed with
[02:17:13] her strong, confident attitude in
[02:17:15] standing up to Ryuin was admirable.
[02:17:17] However, she'd been somehow handpicked
[02:17:19] from a group of students who excelled in
[02:17:21] terms of overall ability. Maybe it's
[02:17:24] possible that they had an absence due to
[02:17:26] illness or something like that. Wondered
[02:17:28] Yoske. I see. So, you're saying that
[02:17:31] someone else was slated to be their
[02:17:32] representative, but she had to fill in.
[02:17:35] Even in that case, I have to wonder,
[02:17:37] would they really choose Nishino San for
[02:17:39] the job? Replied Horikita. Indeed, it
[02:17:42] was questionable that she'd even be
[02:17:44] selected to fill in as a substitute.
[02:17:47] However, there was still some doubt as
[02:17:49] to whether there were any other girls in
[02:17:51] Rywin's class who would be worthy of
[02:17:53] being entrusted with the task in the
[02:17:55] first place. I had thought that shean
[02:17:57] would have been chosen to satisfy the
[02:17:59] girl quota. Is she absent? asked
[02:18:01] Horikita. Apparently, Horikita's
[02:18:04] expectation was that Hi would have been
[02:18:06] selected. If Hi were unable to
[02:18:09] participate as a representative due to
[02:18:11] illness, that would be a reasonable
[02:18:13] explanation. However, I considered
[02:18:16] another possibility. To be perfectly
[02:18:18] honest, there aren't many worthy
[02:18:20] candidates among the girls in Rywin's
[02:18:22] class. This special exam appears to be
[02:18:25] focused solely on the representatives,
[02:18:27] but the school says that the rest of our
[02:18:29] classmates will also be given a big role
[02:18:32] to play. It's quite possible that they
[02:18:34] deliberately chose to leave Hioriori on
[02:18:36] that side of the fence. I reasoned. I
[02:18:39] see. You've got a point there. They may
[02:18:41] have made their choice with the intent
[02:18:42] of dispersing their forces, said
[02:18:45] Horikita. Our class had several
[02:18:47] candidates who could have been
[02:18:48] representatives, which meant that we had
[02:18:50] the leeway to have students like Kushida
[02:18:53] and Matsashida as alternates. The same
[02:18:55] couldn't be said for Ryuin's class.
[02:18:58] Besides, whether Hiiori would excel in a
[02:19:00] situation where representatives fight
[02:19:02] each other is another matter, I added.
[02:19:05] Unless we heard a definite answer from
[02:19:07] Ryuin's side, all of this was simply
[02:19:09] speculation. Nevertheless, even if there
[02:19:12] was some deeper intention behind this,
[02:19:14] choosing Nishino as a representative was
[02:19:16] a gamble. Ryuin might end up shouldering
[02:19:19] one disadvantage in this scenario. Or
[02:19:22] perhaps he might have been expressing
[02:19:24] his belief that so long as he himself
[02:19:26] participated as a representative, then
[02:19:29] it didn't matter who else from his class
[02:19:30] was at his side. If so, it would
[02:19:33] certainly make a strong statement to his
[02:19:35] opponent. But his opponent was none
[02:19:37] other than the tricky, stubborn
[02:19:39] Sakayahanagi, who was more than she
[02:19:41] seemed. Sakahanaga's choice of
[02:19:43] representatives didn't have the same
[02:19:45] impact as Nishino, but it was similarly
[02:19:48] surprising. Namely, her selection of
[02:19:50] Kiru Hayato. Kiddu was part of
[02:19:53] Sakayanaga's inner circle, and looking
[02:19:55] at it from the standpoint of his
[02:19:57] position, it wasn't surprising that he
[02:19:59] was chosen. However, there was the
[02:20:01] question of whether it made sense to
[02:20:03] purposefully choose Kiddu, who excelled
[02:20:06] in athletics, to be a representative
[02:20:08] when the abilities required of us were
[02:20:10] not likely to be physical. Maybe there
[02:20:12] was some hint of Sakiag thinking in her
[02:20:15] choice of representative as well. If I
[02:20:18] could, I would have liked to ask each of
[02:20:20] the class leaders about the logic behind
[02:20:22] their selections, but that sadly wasn't
[02:20:24] possible. All of the representatives
[02:20:26] were here, but there wasn't any sign of
[02:20:28] the school officials making a move yet.
[02:20:31] Phew. Horriikita exhaled beside me. A
[02:20:34] tense situation might make one feel a
[02:20:36] heavy pressure, but that was a little
[02:20:38] excessive. Yoske was also examining the
[02:20:41] situation with concern. If the exam
[02:20:43] started with things as they were, things
[02:20:46] could go sour for Horikita. On the other
[02:20:48] hand, a poorly worded comment ran the
[02:20:50] risk of heightening the tension. Among
[02:20:53] several possible solutions, one came to
[02:20:55] mind that seemed like it would be the
[02:20:57] most effective right now. I stealed
[02:20:59] myself, ready for death. Let's see what
[02:21:02] happens, shall we? Then I stealthily
[02:21:04] reached out with my right hand and
[02:21:06] grabbed hold of Horikita's left flank as
[02:21:08] hard as I could. Ha. Horita jumped out
[02:21:11] of her seat with a start. At the same
[02:21:13] time, a girl's voice echoed throughout
[02:21:16] the oppressively quiet classroom. Many
[02:21:18] of the representatives who had been
[02:21:20] facing forward until that moment turned
[02:21:23] around to see what had made such a
[02:21:24] noise. Horriikita, flustered, shook her
[02:21:27] head, telling them that it was nothing
[02:21:29] before casting her eyes downward in an
[02:21:31] attempt to escape from their suspicious
[02:21:33] looks. What do you think you're doing?
[02:21:35] Horriikita hissed at me. I was just
[02:21:37] trying to relieve your anxiety. Did it
[02:21:40] make you feel a little better? I asked
[02:21:42] her. But I'm asking you, was it
[02:21:44] necessary for you to do it in that way?
[02:21:46] She retorted. punctuating her grumbling
[02:21:49] whisper to me with a serious look on her
[02:21:51] face. I thought I'd throw some nostalgia
[02:21:53] into the mix to spice things up. It's my
[02:21:56] own way of showing consideration, I
[02:21:58] replied. I don't need that kind of
[02:22:00] consideration. The other representatives
[02:22:02] were no longer looking in our direction,
[02:22:04] but Yoske seemed pleased, relieved, even
[02:22:08] to see Horikita complaining and me being
[02:22:10] complained at. At that moment, there was
[02:22:12] movement in the room. As if to announce
[02:22:15] the start of the special exam, Mashima
[02:22:17] sensei and Chabashira sensei entered the
[02:22:19] room. "Come on now, you should probably
[02:22:22] be quiet," I teased. "You'd better not
[02:22:25] forget about this," grumbled Horikita. I
[02:22:27] had incurred Horikita's bitter
[02:22:29] resentment. But for the time being, I
[02:22:32] could concentrate and listen to the
[02:22:34] explanation now that all of the home
[02:22:36] room teachers in charge of the
[02:22:38] secondyear classes had arrived. One of
[02:22:40] them, the home room teacher for class
[02:22:42] 2A, stepped forward. I am Mashima, and I
[02:22:45] will be filling the role of explaining
[02:22:47] this endofear special exam to you. This
[02:22:50] may seem rather sudden, but as time is
[02:22:52] of the essence, I would like to get you
[02:22:54] prepared for the start of the special
[02:22:56] exam as soon as possible. Accordingly, I
[02:22:59] will also provide you with the detailed
[02:23:01] rules of the special exam, which have
[02:23:03] not yet been disclosed to you. Mashima
[02:23:05] sensei went on to say that the special
[02:23:07] exam would begin at 10:00 and then went
[02:23:10] over the finer points. Considering it
[02:23:13] was currently just past 8:00 a.m., it
[02:23:15] seemed like there was too much time
[02:23:16] allotted for us to be here for just a
[02:23:19] simple explanation. It was highly likely
[02:23:22] that we would undergo further
[02:23:23] preparations of some sort before the
[02:23:25] special exam properly began. First of
[02:23:28] all, I would like to announce the names
[02:23:30] of the final three students from each
[02:23:31] class here as representatives today.
[02:23:34] Class 2A representatives Vanguard
[02:23:37] Senatus Center Kiru Hayato General
[02:23:41] Sakahanagi Arisu Class 2B
[02:23:43] representatives Vanguard Hiata Yoske
[02:23:46] Center Horika Suzun General
[02:23:49] Ayanokojikiotaka
[02:23:50] class 2C representatives Vanguard
[02:23:53] Nishino Takiko Center Katsuragi Kuhei
[02:23:57] General Ryuan Kakuru Class 2D
[02:23:59] representatives Vanguard Hemagi Tatsuya
[02:24:03] Hunter Kanaki Ryuji, General Ichinoi
[02:24:06] Hanami. The first thing that appeared on
[02:24:08] the room's monitor was a list of the
[02:24:10] representatives from each class along
[02:24:12] with their roles on their respective
[02:24:14] teams. As stipulated in the rules, each
[02:24:17] class was organized into a team of two
[02:24:20] boys and one girl. There was no mention
[02:24:22] of absences or substitutes, though
[02:24:25] whether that was because the rules
[02:24:26] didn't require disclosure of such
[02:24:28] information or because there simply
[02:24:30] weren't any was unclear. However, at
[02:24:33] this point, the 12 representatives were
[02:24:35] set in stone. If anything rendered a
[02:24:38] student unable to participate, they
[02:24:40] would automatically be treated as though
[02:24:42] they had failed the exam. Without taking
[02:24:44] any questions from the representatives,
[02:24:47] Mashima sensei continued the
[02:24:48] explanation. This is where the
[02:24:51] representatives will take to the stage.
[02:24:53] You will likely notice that the
[02:24:54] classroom is furnished with several
[02:24:56] monitors, desks with two chairs each,
[02:24:59] and two tablets. In this classroom,
[02:25:01] classes A and C will face off against
[02:25:04] each other. And there is another
[02:25:05] classroom in the special building with
[02:25:07] this exact same setup, wherein classes B
[02:25:10] and D will face off against each other,
[02:25:13] explained Mashima sensei. As long as it
[02:25:15] was a one-on-one arrangement, it seemed
[02:25:18] safe to assume that the setup would be
[02:25:20] similar to the final special exam we had
[02:25:22] in our first year. When the special exam
[02:25:25] begins, the vanguard representatives of
[02:25:27] each class will take their seats and the
[02:25:30] representatives assigned to the center
[02:25:32] and general positions will be held in a
[02:25:34] separate waiting room. Let's go over the
[02:25:36] exam flow. Mashima Sensei displayed the
[02:25:39] exam summary on one of the monitors.
[02:25:41] Special exam flow. Students will engage
[02:25:44] in discussion after being cast in one of
[02:25:47] the following roles. Average student,
[02:25:49] model student, teacher, graduate,
[02:25:52] underclassman, upper classman, or
[02:25:54] trader. Preliminary preparation.
[02:25:57] Representatives from each class will
[02:25:58] create five groups of seven students of
[02:26:00] their choosing. Each class's
[02:26:02] representative will select one group to
[02:26:04] participate in the discussion on their
[02:26:06] tablet. The discussion will involve a
[02:26:09] total of 14 participants, seven from
[02:26:12] each class, and will be observed on the
[02:26:14] monitor. Each singular round of
[02:26:16] discussion will last for 5 minutes. At
[02:26:19] the end of each round, both
[02:26:21] representatives are entitled to nominate
[02:26:23] one participant and declare the role
[02:26:25] they believe the participant is playing.
[02:26:27] Nominations are limited to one
[02:26:29] participant per round. If there is no
[02:26:32] nomination, you may choose to pass.
[02:26:35] Representatives must enter their
[02:26:36] selections on their tablets within one
[02:26:38] minute. The life points of the
[02:26:40] representatives will fluctuate depending
[02:26:42] on whether or not they were correct in
[02:26:45] determining the role of the selected
[02:26:47] participants. Teachers and graduates
[02:26:50] exercise the effects of their roles at
[02:26:52] this time. If one or more
[02:26:54] representatives pass, a model student
[02:26:56] will eject one participant from the
[02:26:58] room. The representatives life points
[02:27:00] will not increase or decrease even if
[02:27:03] one of their position holders is chosen
[02:27:05] at that time. The discussion ends for
[02:27:07] the one to two students chosen by the
[02:27:10] representatives or model student and
[02:27:12] that student or students will be ejected
[02:27:14] from the room. If the representative
[02:27:16] correctly identifies the participant's
[02:27:18] role in their nomination, the
[02:27:20] participant's role will be disclosed.
[02:27:23] However, the role will not be disclosed.
[02:27:25] In the case of the nomination of a model
[02:27:27] student, the discussion ends when all of
[02:27:30] the average students or model students
[02:27:32] leave the room. If the representative
[02:27:34] runs out of life points, the discussion
[02:27:37] ends regardless of the timing. The exam
[02:27:40] ends when a general runs out of life
[02:27:42] points. If the generals from both
[02:27:44] classes run out of life points at the
[02:27:46] same time, they will fight again with
[02:27:48] one life point each. This process will
[02:27:51] be repeated until a conclusion is
[02:27:53] reached. There will be an interval at
[02:27:55] the end of each discussion and when the
[02:27:57] representatives change. As the details
[02:28:00] of the special exam were revealed to us,
[02:28:02] the full picture of the exam slowly came
[02:28:05] into view. Meanwhile, Mashima sensei
[02:28:07] observed the representatives as he
[02:28:10] continued going through the explanation
[02:28:12] on the monitor. The fundamental flow of
[02:28:14] this special exam is repeated in steps 1
[02:28:17] through 5. I'm sure that there are a few
[02:28:20] items that might have attracted your
[02:28:21] notice and I will explain them in order.
[02:28:24] First, the participants are all of the
[02:28:27] remaining students other than you, the
[02:28:29] representatives. The core of this exam
[02:28:31] is that you will have those students
[02:28:33] engage in discussion. I will now go over
[02:28:35] the content of those discussions. Please
[02:28:38] have a look, said Mashima Sensei.
[02:28:40] Discussion. Discussion will be held in
[02:28:43] order to determine the roles that were
[02:28:44] assigned to the 14 participants
[02:28:47] individually. The discussion ends when
[02:28:50] the number of either average students or
[02:28:52] model students is reduced to zero or
[02:28:54] when the representative runs out of life
[02:28:56] points. In that case, all remaining
[02:28:59] students in the discussion will receive
[02:29:01] 5,000 private points. Representatives
[02:29:04] can nominate average students, model
[02:29:06] students, and traders under the broad
[02:29:08] category of position holder. But in that
[02:29:11] case, their specific position will not
[02:29:13] be disclosed because it does not count
[02:29:15] as a correct nomination. Students other
[02:29:18] than the representatives waiting on
[02:29:20] standby can observe the discussion on
[02:29:22] the monitor. If both representatives
[02:29:24] make successful nominations in the same
[02:29:27] round, the life point offset process is
[02:29:29] resolved first. List of roles assigned
[02:29:32] to participants and the number of
[02:29:34] participants. Average students between
[02:29:37] six and eight people. Students who have
[02:29:39] not been given any special authority of
[02:29:41] any kind. In the event of an erroneous
[02:29:44] nomination, including nomination as
[02:29:46] position holder, the nominating
[02:29:48] representative loses one life point.
[02:29:51] Model students, two people. If you are
[02:29:53] successful in identifying a model
[02:29:55] student, you reduce the life points of
[02:29:58] the opposing representative by three
[02:30:00] points per nomination. In the event of
[02:30:03] an erroneous nomination, including
[02:30:05] nomination as position holder, the
[02:30:08] nominating representative loses two life
[02:30:10] points. Model students are aware of each
[02:30:13] other and have shared presence. If one
[02:30:15] or more representatives pass, one
[02:30:18] participant is nominated at the end of
[02:30:19] the round and removed from the room. In
[02:30:22] the event that two participants remain,
[02:30:24] the right to nominate is granted at
[02:30:26] random. Also, a model student cannot
[02:30:29] nominate a model student, teacher, one
[02:30:32] person. A successful nomination as
[02:30:34] position holder reduces the opponent's
[02:30:37] life points by one point. And a
[02:30:39] successful nomination as teacher reduces
[02:30:42] the opponent's life points by two
[02:30:44] points. In the event of an erroneous
[02:30:46] nomination, including nomination as a
[02:30:49] position holder, the nominating
[02:30:51] representative loses two life points.
[02:30:54] Effect. At the end of each round, the
[02:30:56] teacher can block the nomination of one
[02:30:58] student from a model student one time.
[02:31:01] Graduate, one person. A successful
[02:31:03] nomination as position holder reduces
[02:31:06] the opponent's life points by one point.
[02:31:08] And a successful nomination as graduate
[02:31:11] reduces the opponent's life points by
[02:31:13] two points. In the event of an erroneous
[02:31:16] nomination, including nomination as a
[02:31:18] position holder, the nominating
[02:31:20] representative loses two life points.
[02:31:23] Effect. At the end of each round, the
[02:31:26] graduate may nominate one student to
[02:31:28] find out what their role is. However, as
[02:31:30] for traders, their identity cannot be
[02:31:32] discovered. So, graduates will perceive
[02:31:34] them as average students. Underclassmen,
[02:31:38] one person. A successful nomination as
[02:31:40] position holder will recover one life
[02:31:42] point and a successful nomination as
[02:31:45] underclassman will recover two life
[02:31:47] points. In the event of an erroneous
[02:31:49] nomination, including nomination as a
[02:31:52] position holder, the nominating
[02:31:54] representative loses one life point.
[02:31:57] Upperassman, one person. A successful
[02:32:00] nomination as position holder reduces
[02:32:02] the opponent's life points by one point.
[02:32:05] And a successful nomination as upper
[02:32:07] classman will reduce the opponent's life
[02:32:09] points by one point and cause the roles
[02:32:12] of two random participants to be
[02:32:14] disclosed to the representative. In the
[02:32:16] event of an erroneous nomination,
[02:32:18] including nomination as a position
[02:32:20] holder, the nominating representative
[02:32:23] loses one life point. trader zero to two
[02:32:26] people. Each class may only use this
[02:32:29] role once during the exam.
[02:32:31] Representatives can designate one
[02:32:33] participant from the opposing class
[02:32:35] participating in the discussion to be a
[02:32:37] traitor. Each round, the role of one
[02:32:40] participant taking part in the
[02:32:42] discussion, excluding model students, is
[02:32:45] randomly disclosed to the representative
[02:32:47] who has been designated the trader. In
[02:32:49] the event of an erroneous nomination,
[02:32:52] including nomination as a position
[02:32:54] holder, the nominating representative
[02:32:56] loses two life points and the opponent's
[02:32:59] right to assign a trader is restored. If
[02:33:01] a model student tries to eject a trader
[02:33:04] from the room, it will be regarded as
[02:33:06] blocked and the student will not be
[02:33:08] ejected from the room. The traitor will
[02:33:10] not be ejected from the room except in
[02:33:13] the event of an erroneous nomination
[02:33:15] from the opponent or if the
[02:33:17] representative determines that they are
[02:33:18] not a traitor in the dialogue.
[02:33:20] Individual role rewards. If the average
[02:33:23] students win, all average students will
[02:33:25] receive 10,000 private points. Model
[02:33:28] students earn 5,000 private points each
[02:33:31] time a student who is a position holder
[02:33:33] is nominated. Also, if model students
[02:33:36] win, they will receive 500,000 private
[02:33:39] points. If teachers and slash or
[02:33:42] graduates do not leave the room before
[02:33:44] the end of the discussion, they will
[02:33:46] receive 50,000 private points. If an
[02:33:48] upperassman or underclassman is ejected
[02:33:51] from the room at the hands of a model
[02:33:53] student, the student cast in that role
[02:33:55] will receive 50,000 private points. If
[02:33:58] the trader does not get ejected from the
[02:34:00] room before the end of the discussion,
[02:34:02] that student will receive their choice
[02:34:04] of either 5 million private points or 50
[02:34:07] class points. After explaining the roles
[02:34:10] of the participants and their effects,
[02:34:12] Mashima Sensei pulled out a tablet, the
[02:34:14] kind that would actually be used during
[02:34:16] the exam and displayed something on its
[02:34:19] screen. Shown on the tablet were the
[02:34:21] names of 14 participants and an option
[02:34:23] for passing as an example of the
[02:34:26] interface we would be using. If we
[02:34:28] wanted to select pass, we would have to
[02:34:30] confirm twice. If we wanted to nominate
[02:34:33] someone, we would first tap on a name,
[02:34:35] then select either a position holder or
[02:34:37] the name of their role if we wish to
[02:34:39] name it, and then we would confirm our
[02:34:42] selection. That was the process. Since
[02:34:44] there wasn't any need to nominate
[02:34:46] average students, there was no option
[02:34:48] for them. You representatives seated
[02:34:50] here bear an important job, one that
[02:34:53] will play a key role in whether your
[02:34:55] class wins or loses. But naturally, your
[02:34:57] classmates will also have a major
[02:34:59] influence on whether you will win or
[02:35:01] lose. The rules may look complicated,
[02:35:04] but you've experienced something similar
[02:35:06] in your first year in the exam aboard
[02:35:08] the boat, the summer group special
[02:35:10] examination. If you liken it to that,
[02:35:13] you might understand it more quickly,
[02:35:15] said Mashima Sensei. the summer group
[02:35:17] special examination, the exam from our
[02:35:20] first year. I didn't know anything about
[02:35:22] social deduction games like this at the
[02:35:24] time, but the exam employed a system
[02:35:27] close to the game Werewolf, where we
[02:35:29] were to find which students were
[02:35:30] designated as VIPs. I didn't know
[02:35:32] anything about the real world back then,
[02:35:35] so I had never heard of games like that.
[02:35:37] I've acquired a lot of unexpected
[02:35:39] knowledge since, something that I would
[02:35:41] also describe as growth. Come to think
[02:35:43] of it, Mashima sensei was also the one
[02:35:46] who had explained the summer group
[02:35:48] special examination to us. Then I
[02:35:50] thought back to that particular event as
[02:35:52] I listened to him now. If both
[02:35:54] representatives are successful in their
[02:35:56] nominations, the offset process is
[02:35:59] carried out. In the case of an
[02:36:00] underclassman, it's a bit of a special
[02:36:02] case. Let's say that in this
[02:36:05] hypothetical instance, representative A
[02:36:08] has correctly identified an
[02:36:09] underclassman while representative B
[02:36:11] nominated a teacher as a position holder
[02:36:14] and both are correct. In that scenario,
[02:36:17] a subtraction is made and A's life
[02:36:19] points are restored by one point,
[02:36:21] explained Mashima sensei, which meant
[02:36:24] that your results would be compared with
[02:36:26] your opponent's results and that would
[02:36:28] be reflected in the final process. Huh.
[02:36:30] You representatives may wish to join in
[02:36:32] the discussion but during the exam you
[02:36:35] can only watch and listen to the
[02:36:37] discussion over the monitor. You cannot
[02:36:39] direct it in any way. Also it is
[02:36:42] impossible for representatives who
[02:36:44] aren't actively participating in the
[02:36:46] exam to observe the discussions added
[02:36:49] Mashima sensei. Participants would
[02:36:51] discuss among themselves and a winner
[02:36:53] would be decided by the 14 of them. From
[02:36:56] the sound of it, the representatives
[02:36:58] fighting from the other side of the
[02:36:59] monitor would watch over the discussion
[02:37:02] and be given the right to nominate who
[02:37:04] to eliminate. I found it unusual that
[02:37:06] only when one of the representatives
[02:37:08] passed for the first time would the
[02:37:10] model students participating in the
[02:37:12] discussion be given the right to decide
[02:37:14] who to eject from the room. Though if an
[02:37:16] inherently competent representative were
[02:37:18] participating in the discussion, that
[02:37:21] person could use a student's own
[02:37:22] responses to seek out anyone suspicious
[02:37:25] and ask questions to determine the roles
[02:37:28] of students they suspected. But that
[02:37:30] wasn't possible over the monitor, which
[02:37:32] meant that the participants were the
[02:37:34] ones entrusted to do most of the
[02:37:35] deducing. The various roles can greatly
[02:37:38] affect the representative's life. The
[02:37:41] role known as the trader in particular,
[02:37:43] a role that can only be used once may
[02:37:45] have an even greater impact on the
[02:37:47] outcome of the exam than the other
[02:37:49] roles. Suppose for example that a
[02:37:52] designates one of the students in beast
[02:37:54] class as the traitor. As long as this
[02:37:56] trader remains in the discussion, the
[02:37:58] role of one student participating in the
[02:38:01] discussion with the exception of the
[02:38:03] model student will be disclosed only to
[02:38:05] each and every round. If you don't
[02:38:08] discover the traitor and instead leave
[02:38:10] them to their own devices, they'll
[02:38:12] continue to operate for that time
[02:38:13] period. If however in your haste in
[02:38:16] trying to eliminate the traitor, you
[02:38:18] make an erroneous nomination and the
[02:38:20] traitor does end up getting ejected from
[02:38:22] the room, you will not only lose life
[02:38:24] points, but you will also end up
[02:38:27] reinstating your opponent's right to use
[02:38:29] a traitor again, explained Mashima
[02:38:31] sensei, which meant that their role had
[02:38:33] effects that could bring about both good
[02:38:35] and bad trends in the special exam. I
[02:38:38] suppose that was precisely why each
[02:38:40] class could only use them once at the
[02:38:42] start. Then you were free to use it
[02:38:44] right away as your opening move to try
[02:38:46] to get a head start to clinch certain
[02:38:48] victory. Or you could pin your hopes on
[02:38:50] exercising the ability to use the
[02:38:52] traitor twice due to a false nomination
[02:38:55] by your opponent. Or you could hold on
[02:38:57] to it until you're up against the
[02:38:59] opposing center or general to completely
[02:39:02] turn things around on them and go for
[02:39:03] the win. However, the part that
[02:39:05] concerned me was that according to the
[02:39:08] rules so far, we couldn't eliminate a
[02:39:10] traitor by nomination. As for how to
[02:39:12] discover traders and remove them from
[02:39:14] the discussion, this is handled via a
[02:39:17] special rule that is implemented only
[02:39:19] when the right to use a trader has been
[02:39:21] exercised, wherein at the end of every
[02:39:23] round, the representative uses their
[02:39:25] right to call up one student from their
[02:39:27] own class and engage in dialogue with
[02:39:30] that student to ask them if they are the
[02:39:32] traitor, explained Mashima sensei.
[02:39:35] Dialogue. At the end of every round, if
[02:39:37] the representative wishes, the
[02:39:39] representative can engage in one-on-one
[02:39:41] dialogue with a student in a separate
[02:39:43] room. Engage in dialogue. The
[02:39:46] participant confesses whether or not
[02:39:48] they are the traitor. In this instance,
[02:39:50] they will be asked to give their answer
[02:39:52] first. The representative chooses
[02:39:55] whether to declare the participant as
[02:39:56] the traitor or judge the participant to
[02:39:59] be innocent. Results. If the participant
[02:40:02] is a trader, if the participant
[02:40:04] confesses to being the traitor and the
[02:40:06] representative declares they are the
[02:40:08] traitor, the information flow is
[02:40:10] stopped, but the traitor is stripped of
[02:40:12] rewards. If the participant confesses to
[02:40:15] being the traitor and the representative
[02:40:17] determines they are not the traitor, the
[02:40:19] representative loses five life points.
[02:40:22] If the participant denies being the
[02:40:24] traitor and the representative declares
[02:40:26] they are the traitor, the traitor is
[02:40:28] expelled from school. If the participant
[02:40:31] denies being the trader and the
[02:40:33] representative determines they are not
[02:40:35] the trader, the representative loses
[02:40:37] five life points. If the participant is
[02:40:40] not a trader, if the participant
[02:40:42] confesses to being the trader and the
[02:40:44] representative declares they are the
[02:40:46] traitor, the representative loses one
[02:40:48] life point. If the participant confesses
[02:40:51] to being the traitor and the
[02:40:52] representative determines they are not
[02:40:54] the traitor, no penalty. If the
[02:40:57] participant denies being the traitor and
[02:40:59] the representative declares they are the
[02:41:01] traitor, the representative loses one
[02:41:04] life point. If the participant denies
[02:41:06] being the traitor and the representative
[02:41:08] determines they are not the traitor, no
[02:41:11] penalty. Which meant that the student
[02:41:13] being questioned said whether or not
[02:41:15] they were the traitor first and then the
[02:41:17] representative gave their answer as to
[02:41:19] whether or not they were the trader
[02:41:21] afterward. If I understood correctly, it
[02:41:23] seemed fundamentally unlikely that a
[02:41:26] non-trader would pretend to be a trader,
[02:41:28] but those potential outcomes were
[02:41:30] probably included as supplementary
[02:41:32] information just in case. These rules
[02:41:35] can be viewed by representatives at any
[02:41:37] time during the exam on your tablets.
[02:41:40] You may also speak up during the exam at
[02:41:42] any time if you have questions. The
[02:41:44] examiner will answer whatever they are
[02:41:46] able to provide answers for, said
[02:41:48] Mashima Sensei. There was indeed a wide
[02:41:51] assortment of rules. If a student
[02:41:53] retained all of that information in
[02:41:54] their head, they wouldn't have any
[02:41:56] questions, but it was a welcome
[02:41:58] consideration as I'm sure that some
[02:42:00] students would appreciate being able to
[02:42:02] review the rules again. If it isn't a
[02:42:04] bother, I have a question. Would that be
[02:42:06] all right? The representatives had been
[02:42:09] listening quietly up until this point,
[02:42:11] but it was Sinata who broke the silence.
[02:42:13] Once he got Mashima sensei's permission
[02:42:15] to go ahead, Sinata stood up and lightly
[02:42:18] bowed to the other representatives.
[02:42:20] Regarding the explanation that you
[02:42:22] provided earlier, if for example, I were
[02:42:25] to assign a traitor to blend in among my
[02:42:27] opponents participants, wouldn't he or
[02:42:30] she be exposed immediately? It's
[02:42:32] certainly true that it would be great to
[02:42:34] be able to gain 50 class points if I
[02:42:36] could keep the traitor hidden until the
[02:42:38] end. I am also sure that the traitor
[02:42:40] would want to do their best in playing
[02:42:42] their role for the sake of their class.
[02:42:44] Furthermore, putting the question of
[02:42:46] whether the student seriously wants it
[02:42:48] or not aside, there's the motivation of
[02:42:50] money too. But if students understand
[02:42:53] that there are significant disadvantages
[02:42:55] for the traitor to remain in the
[02:42:57] discussion, I think that the majority of
[02:42:59] them would come forward and say
[02:43:01] themselves that they had been assigned
[02:43:03] the traitor even if it's over the
[02:43:05] monitor. Wouldn't they? Sinata. If the
[02:43:08] discussion can unfold in a battle
[02:43:10] happening on equal terms, the truth
[02:43:12] would not be revealed so easily because
[02:43:14] of the possibility of lies even if they
[02:43:17] came forward. But as Sonata said, the
[02:43:19] traitors alone were in a special
[02:43:21] category. Considering the rules of how
[02:43:24] your opponent can exercise their rights,
[02:43:26] basically only one person could be
[02:43:28] called at a time. It would be a
[02:43:30] different story if there was a real
[02:43:32] actual backstabber who was deliberately
[02:43:35] trying to confuse their classmates. But
[02:43:37] something at that level wouldn't even be
[02:43:39] worth considering. That is a fair
[02:43:41] question, but I can't imagine it would
[02:43:43] play out that way. This is because the
[02:43:46] participants will receive a somewhat
[02:43:48] different explanation than what you
[02:43:50] representatives have received, explained
[02:43:52] Mashima sensei. A different explanation?
[02:43:55] Asked Satada. Yes. The winning
[02:43:58] conditions and rules for the delegates
[02:44:00] which we've disclosed to you here will
[02:44:02] be communicated in a more limited way to
[02:44:04] the representatives. So they will not
[02:44:06] know the details. From the
[02:44:08] representative's point of view, finding
[02:44:10] the model student is the key to winning.
[02:44:12] But for the students participating in
[02:44:14] the discussion, they are only discussing
[02:44:16] as average students, model students, and
[02:44:19] other positions for the sole purpose of
[02:44:21] debate, said Mashima Sensei. In other
[02:44:24] words, the discussion of this special
[02:44:26] exam, its content was essentially
[02:44:29] meaningless. If the representative's
[02:44:31] goal of finding the model students was
[02:44:33] made known to the participants, then
[02:44:36] although this was a bit of an
[02:44:37] exaggeration, all they'd have to do was
[02:44:39] make a verbal appeal because even if the
[02:44:42] opposing representative would lie, there
[02:44:44] would be no benefit for students in your
[02:44:46] own class to lie. Apparently, the school
[02:44:49] had put a lid on the real rules in order
[02:44:51] to resolve that discrepancy. As a
[02:44:54] result, they adjusted things so that the
[02:44:56] representatives and participants would
[02:44:58] fight by their own set of rules. Of
[02:45:01] course, I'm sure that some of the
[02:45:02] participants would find this unnatural.
[02:45:05] Some of them might be able to guess what
[02:45:06] the representatives were doing and how
[02:45:09] they were fighting in the course of the
[02:45:10] discussion. However, without knowing
[02:45:13] crucial details like the nominations of
[02:45:15] the representatives, the life point
[02:45:17] values, and the characteristics of the
[02:45:19] roles, they couldn't act carelessly. It
[02:45:22] was quite conceivable that revealing
[02:45:24] oneself openly could then bring about a
[02:45:26] disadvantage. The same applied to the
[02:45:29] risks and rewards of the traitor. Even
[02:45:31] if they managed to get all the way to a
[02:45:34] dialogue with a representative, it would
[02:45:36] be a serious struggle to avoid being
[02:45:38] found out in order to get the 50 class
[02:45:40] points. However, that chance to confess
[02:45:43] would be the locust if the traitor was
[02:45:45] brought into a dialogue. If they denied
[02:45:47] it and the representative declared them
[02:45:49] to be a traitor, they'd face expulsion.
[02:45:52] It could be said that there were several
[02:45:54] skills that this special exam required.
[02:45:57] It was essential to know not only your
[02:45:59] own classmates, but also to be familiar
[02:46:01] with your opponent's classmates.
[02:46:03] Therefore, the degree of difficulty
[02:46:05] would vary greatly depending on how well
[02:46:07] you know the way each student spoke,
[02:46:09] behaved, and otherwise presented
[02:46:11] themselves in everyday life. Also, the
[02:46:14] greater your level of insight and the
[02:46:16] stronger your observational skills, the
[02:46:19] better, so as not to overlook even the
[02:46:21] smallest of details. In addition, since
[02:46:24] the representatives were in a position
[02:46:26] to be able to talk with each other, it
[02:46:28] was better to have the mental fortitude
[02:46:30] not to be misled by careless guidance.
[02:46:32] On the other hand, you could say that
[02:46:34] this proved physical ability wasn't
[02:46:36] necessary and that the exam had little
[02:46:39] to do with academic ability either. Just
[02:46:41] like Chabashira sensei said, the fact
[02:46:44] that no one seemed to be absent due to
[02:46:46] illness also suggested that Ryuan's
[02:46:49] deliberate choice to not make Hiori a
[02:46:51] representative for his class might not
[02:46:53] have been a bad decision. She was a
[02:46:55] valuable asset for class C since there
[02:46:58] were few people in that class capable of
[02:47:00] smoothly facilitating discussion.
[02:47:02] Although it was impossible to determine
[02:47:04] everything at this stage, it could be
[02:47:06] said that the fact that this wasn't a
[02:47:08] contest centered on academic ability and
[02:47:11] the fact that Hi wasn't chosen as a
[02:47:13] representative seemed to have given
[02:47:15] Ryuan a bit of a tailwind. 4.1 As things
[02:47:19] go started, the 12 of us headed to the
[02:47:22] classroom where we would wait on standby
[02:47:24] and rest. Along the way, the
[02:47:26] conversation inevitably turned to the
[02:47:28] topic of the special exam. Horikita and
[02:47:31] Yoske were discussing the rules for the
[02:47:33] participants. "Although we won't be
[02:47:35] directly affected until after the exam,
[02:47:38] the burden is greater than I imagined,
[02:47:40] and even the students who aren't
[02:47:41] representatives have been given an
[02:47:43] important job," said Horikita. "Yeah,
[02:47:46] actually, it's safe to say that even we,
[02:47:49] the representatives, won't be able to
[02:47:51] win without the cooperation of our class
[02:47:53] participants," replied Yoske. If a
[02:47:55] participant engaged in the discussion
[02:47:57] without thinking and easily fell for
[02:48:00] attempts from the opposing class to lead
[02:48:02] them around by the nose, then it was
[02:48:04] possible that their role would be
[02:48:06] detected by the opposing representative
[02:48:08] and your life points would be reduced. I
[02:48:11] could envision cases where the
[02:48:12] information on the participants that was
[02:48:14] needed couldn't be obtained due them
[02:48:16] making light of or having a disdain for
[02:48:19] discussion and thus you wouldn't get an
[02:48:21] opportunity to reduce the opponent's
[02:48:23] life points because you wouldn't be able
[02:48:25] to nominate anyone or there could be
[02:48:27] times when there just weren't any clues
[02:48:29] at all and the winner was determined
[02:48:31] entirely by chance alone. It was safe to
[02:48:34] say this was a turn of events no one
[02:48:36] wanted, save for the classes who weren't
[02:48:39] confident that they could win on their
[02:48:41] own power. I'm anxious about how much of
[02:48:43] this Ekkun and his group will understand
[02:48:46] though, said Horikita. Apparently,
[02:48:48] Horikita was unsure whether Ekay and his
[02:48:51] friends would be able to properly
[02:48:52] fulfill their duties as participants.
[02:48:55] I'm sure that if she could, Horikita
[02:48:57] would have given Ekay a direct
[02:48:59] explanation right now in plain terms to
[02:49:01] make him understand. That was the thing
[02:49:04] she'd normally do. But it wasn't allowed
[02:49:06] here on this big stage. I'd be lying if
[02:49:09] I said that I wasn't anxious, but I'm
[02:49:11] sure the other classes are too, muttered
[02:49:13] Yoske, walking at the tail end of the
[02:49:15] line, looking at the nine students in
[02:49:18] front of us. Right. The conditions are
[02:49:20] exactly the same. This discussion task
[02:49:23] is a firsttime experience for everyone,
[02:49:25] said Horikita. We'll probably have a
[02:49:28] bumpy start since it's a showdown
[02:49:30] between classes. Normally, you would
[02:49:32] think of it like a seven on seven
[02:49:34] format, but in reality, it's entirely
[02:49:37] possible that students cast into the
[02:49:39] same roles will be allies. The idea of
[02:49:41] working with another class in the end
[02:49:43] ofear exam must have come as a sudden
[02:49:46] shock to everyone, I reasoned. Even if
[02:49:48] people were directly asked to join hands
[02:49:51] and work together, it was something
[02:49:52] easier said than done. Honestly, I can't
[02:49:56] even imagine how things are going to go,
[02:49:58] said Yoske. Yoske tried to envision what
[02:50:00] the situation would be like, but he soon
[02:50:03] gave up, perhaps because he couldn't
[02:50:05] form a definite image of it in his mind.
[02:50:08] We continued our conversation in the
[02:50:10] short time until we arrived at our
[02:50:12] destination. Unlike the classroom we had
[02:50:14] just been in, the waiting room that we
[02:50:16] entered only had two monitors, and its
[02:50:19] only other feature was an array of 12
[02:50:21] sterile empty seats. Students waiting on
[02:50:24] standby will be able to see the status
[02:50:26] of the exam on these monitors in real
[02:50:28] time. However, they can only check the
[02:50:31] changes in representatives life point
[02:50:33] values and who wins or loses. As I
[02:50:36] explained earlier, they cannot see what
[02:50:38] is happening in the exam directly, said
[02:50:41] Mashima Sensei. Text that looked like a
[02:50:43] sample was displayed on the left side of
[02:50:45] the two monitors. Results: Class 2B
[02:50:48] Vanguard representative name O remaining
[02:50:52] life points zero. Class 2D center
[02:50:55] representative name O. Remaining life
[02:50:57] points four. Class 2B center
[02:51:00] representative name O. Please begin your
[02:51:03] turn promptly. Interval time remaining
[02:51:06] 10:00. This is an example of what would
[02:51:08] be shown on the monitor when a winner is
[02:51:10] decided between representatives. During
[02:51:13] the actual exam, the students name will
[02:51:15] be shown where it says O by
[02:51:18] representative name. On the other
[02:51:20] monitor, only the results for classes A
[02:51:22] and C will be shown. Announced Mashima
[02:51:25] sensei. There was little to be learned
[02:51:27] from this monitor and certainly no clues
[02:51:29] to utilize in exam strategies. Also,
[02:51:32] representatives are forbidden to leave
[02:51:34] this floor until the exam is over. You
[02:51:37] are free to use the washroom only while
[02:51:39] you are on standby. Note that you will
[02:51:41] be given a separate penalty if you
[02:51:43] exceed the allotted time provided to you
[02:51:46] when you are moving about between turns.
[02:51:48] Keep that in mind. That was probably a
[02:51:51] measure to keep the representatives and
[02:51:52] participants isolated from each other so
[02:51:55] that they only stayed within their
[02:51:56] groups. Confiscating our phones and
[02:51:59] conducting a body search along with
[02:52:01] forbidding us from leaving this floor
[02:52:03] were also part of those measures to
[02:52:05] prevent us from exchanging information
[02:52:07] with the participants. Even if we tried
[02:52:09] to find a way to contact them, we were
[02:52:11] most certainly being observed very
[02:52:13] closely. And it would probably be best
[02:52:16] not to do anything suspicious if we
[02:52:18] didn't really need to. Now, I would like
[02:52:20] to have the three representatives from
[02:52:22] each class discuss and select 35 people
[02:52:25] and divide them into five groups. You
[02:52:28] have 1 hour, said Mashima Sensei. Upon
[02:52:30] receiving Mashima Sensei's orders, Yoske
[02:52:33] and I walked over to Horikita. At the
[02:52:36] same time, I noticed that the
[02:52:38] representatives from Ichino's class had
[02:52:40] also formed a small circle of three.
[02:52:43] However, as for Sakahanagi and Ryuin's
[02:52:45] respective groups, although they were
[02:52:47] standing close to each other, they
[02:52:49] didn't appear to be talking among
[02:52:50] themselves, it seems like those two are
[02:52:53] going to make all of their groups just
[02:52:55] by themselves," murmured Horikita, not
[02:52:57] sounding particularly surprised. "I
[02:53:00] guess they didn't intend to listen to
[02:53:01] their classmates opinions from the
[02:53:03] start." "Huh?" replied Yoske, responding
[02:53:06] to her comment to show he was paying
[02:53:08] attention. Though she seemed somewhat
[02:53:10] taken aback, he didn't let the warm
[02:53:12] smile on his face fade. "Personally, if
[02:53:15] you're able to offer me any advice, I
[02:53:17] would most certainly like to take it."
[02:53:19] "What do you think?" she asked,
[02:53:21] prompting my opinion as she tried to
[02:53:23] figure out how she should divide up our
[02:53:25] classmates. "I think that we ought to
[02:53:27] create a group of only excellent
[02:53:29] students. The same group has to take a
[02:53:31] break once after they participate, but I
[02:53:33] think just doing that would be a way to
[02:53:35] get an ace up our sleeve," I replied.
[02:53:38] When I said excellent students, I wasn't
[02:53:40] referring to academic ability. What I
[02:53:43] meant was students who were
[02:53:44] quick-witted, who could read the room,
[02:53:46] and who had excellent communication
[02:53:48] skills. Additionally, students who could
[02:53:50] avoid attracting negative attention were
[02:53:53] preferable. I think that Kushidan might
[02:53:55] have been a better choice for
[02:53:56] representative than I am for this
[02:53:58] special exam, said Yoske. There's
[02:54:01] nothing we can do about that now. I made
[02:54:04] the best judgment I could based on the
[02:54:06] information provided to us ahead of
[02:54:07] time, said Horikita. If we had known
[02:54:10] everything, we could have planned out
[02:54:12] the best possible approach and that went
[02:54:14] for all the classes. At any rate, it
[02:54:16] would be a good idea to count Kushida as
[02:54:19] an excellent student, I replied. Yes, I
[02:54:22] have no doubt that Kushida will produce
[02:54:24] results even on an individual level,
[02:54:27] said Yoske, nodding in response to my
[02:54:29] suggestion and looking over at Horikita.
[02:54:32] I sacrificed a lot to keep her, she
[02:54:34] replied. I'll need her to really put in
[02:54:36] the work. With that, Horikita used the
[02:54:39] tablet to put together a specific group
[02:54:41] of solidly capable students. Horriikita
[02:54:44] asked me and Yoske for advice from time
[02:54:46] to time, and Yoske answered to the best
[02:54:48] of his knowledge. I mostly just watched
[02:54:51] and rarely offered up advice without
[02:54:53] being asked. That was because Horikita
[02:54:56] needed to put together the groups that
[02:54:57] she thought would best handle things on
[02:54:59] her own as our assigned center. By the
[02:55:02] way, what did you think about this
[02:55:04] special exam? Horikitaan when you heard
[02:55:06] the rules asked Yoske. Yoske being Yoske
[02:55:10] must have had his own thoughts on the
[02:55:12] matter after hearing the details
[02:55:14] earlier. He hit Horikita with that
[02:55:16] question as though he were seeking an
[02:55:18] answer to his own thoughts. I didn't
[02:55:20] think that academic ability or physical
[02:55:22] ability alone would be the only things
[02:55:25] to directly affect the outcome of our
[02:55:27] exams or anything, but this was
[02:55:29] certainly well outside my expectations.
[02:55:32] In fact, I'm not sure what exactly will
[02:55:34] make the difference between winning and
[02:55:36] losing here. Sure, someone could say
[02:55:39] that it's to create an ideal group, but
[02:55:41] what exactly is that ideal? asked
[02:55:43] Horikita. Yeah, it all feels so fuzzy to
[02:55:47] me, too. It's like even if we put
[02:55:49] together students like Kushi Desan in
[02:55:51] one group, how is that going to lead to
[02:55:53] a win for our class? Wondered Yoske. The
[02:55:56] representatives in this room and the
[02:55:58] participants in the debate were made up
[02:56:00] of students gathered from two different
[02:56:02] classes. Furthermore, the participants
[02:56:05] weren't fully informed on things like
[02:56:07] the winning conditions for the
[02:56:08] representatives and couldn't be expected
[02:56:11] to provide any real assistance since
[02:56:13] they were simply expected to engage in
[02:56:15] debate. In other words, the issue of
[02:56:18] whether the students in a certain group
[02:56:19] were excellent was trivial. What was
[02:56:22] important was to see which
[02:56:23] representative could quickly identify
[02:56:25] who held what roles from the discussion
[02:56:27] being guided by the 14 students that had
[02:56:30] been put together solely through what
[02:56:32] they said. At the very least,
[02:56:34] representatives need to be people who
[02:56:36] have a discerning eye as well as insight
[02:56:38] and the ability to see things for what
[02:56:40] they are, said Yoske. Yes, I agree. But
[02:56:44] in that case, then our opponent might be
[02:56:46] more trouble than we imagined, said
[02:56:48] Horikita, stealing a glance over at
[02:56:50] Ichino.
[02:56:52] Fortunately for Horikita, Ichino and her
[02:56:54] fellow representatives were engaged in
[02:56:56] serious discussion about group
[02:56:58] formation, and none of them were looking
[02:57:00] in our direction. This may not be
[02:57:02] tactful for me to say, but she might
[02:57:04] understand our own class better than
[02:57:06] either you or I do, Horikita, I added.
[02:57:09] You're probably right, said Horikita. I
[02:57:12] felt like this was going to be a fairly
[02:57:14] interesting special exam. I especially
[02:57:17] appreciated the fact that the format
[02:57:19] accounted for several ways the
[02:57:20] representatives could win. In most
[02:57:22] cases, certain biases about who would
[02:57:25] win and who would lose came out once the
[02:57:27] exam contents were announced. But here,
[02:57:29] Horikita, Ichino, Sakahanagi, and Rayuan
[02:57:33] each had a chance to win depending on
[02:57:35] how they went about it. Under Horikita's
[02:57:37] leadership and with Yoske's assistance,
[02:57:40] our groups were formed. As I watched
[02:57:42] them, I felt like there was just one
[02:57:44] thing that I needed to ask and confirm.
[02:57:47] That was because after carefully reading
[02:57:49] through and analyzing the special exam
[02:57:51] rules, there was something that I felt
[02:57:53] was necessary. I want to come right out
[02:57:56] and ask you about something that has
[02:57:58] nothing to do with group formation.
[02:58:00] Could you hand the right to designate a
[02:58:02] trader over to me? I asked. At my
[02:58:04] question, Horikita's fingertips stopped
[02:58:06] skittering across the tablet surface.
[02:58:09] You're asking something ridiculous yet
[02:58:11] again. I see. You're the one who dumped
[02:58:13] these conditions on me. I had thought
[02:58:15] that would have been an indispensable
[02:58:17] trump card to make sure I gain the upper
[02:58:19] hand as the center. And yet you're
[02:58:21] asking for it, huffed Horikita. Indeed,
[02:58:24] I was sure that Horikita was mentally
[02:58:26] prepared to try to defeat the opposing
[02:58:28] general as the center on our team. And
[02:58:31] I'm sure she wanted to exercise her
[02:58:33] right to designate a traitor, which had
[02:58:35] the potential to be of great use as a
[02:58:37] weapon in that regard. But it was
[02:58:39] precisely because she thought so that I
[02:58:41] decided to butt in at this moment and
[02:58:43] ask. You sound a bit disgruntled. I take
[02:58:46] it you won't be handing it over to me,
[02:58:48] huh? I asked. That depends on the
[02:58:50] situation. First of all, what exactly do
[02:58:53] you need it for? Asked Horikita. Her
[02:58:56] question was also her way of confirming
[02:58:57] something else with me, namely, can't
[02:59:00] you win without it? Our opponent is
[02:59:02] Ichino. If I'm understanding the rules
[02:59:04] correctly, she's going to be a very
[02:59:06] formidable opponent this time around.
[02:59:09] I'd appreciate it if you could win it
[02:59:11] all as the center and not make me have
[02:59:13] to take a turn. But as unlikely as it
[02:59:16] is, there's a risk that you'll lose
[02:59:18] after using the right to assign a
[02:59:19] trader. With that in mind, I think it's
[02:59:22] a better idea to leave that option open
[02:59:24] as a contingency, I replied. I
[02:59:27] understand what you're trying to say. I
[02:59:29] really do. You might even be right.
[02:59:31] Still, I cannot accept unless you relax
[02:59:33] your conditions at least a little,
[02:59:35] replied Horikita. If Horikita handed
[02:59:38] over the right to designate a traitor,
[02:59:40] then that would mean she would have to
[02:59:42] defeat Ichino, who still had that right.
[02:59:44] In addition to the difference in life
[02:59:46] points, that handicap would weigh
[02:59:48] heavily on her. All right, then. In that
[02:59:51] case, how about this? If you let me
[02:59:53] handle it and we still lose, I'll
[02:59:55] cooperate fully with your class until we
[02:59:57] graduate. Horriikita, once we do, then
[03:00:00] if you wish, I'll take on any job you
[03:00:02] want. What do you say? I asked. Meaning
[03:00:05] you'll withdraw your ridiculously stingy
[03:00:07] statement about only helping for 6
[03:00:09] months, asked Horikita. Yes, that's what
[03:00:12] I'm saying, I replied. I don't usually
[03:00:14] see you so willing to collaborate. You
[03:00:17] sound confident that as long as you can
[03:00:19] assign the traitor, you will definitely
[03:00:20] not lose. Okay, we have an agreement,
[03:00:23] said Horikita. I had no idea that my
[03:00:26] short-lived proposal of 6 months would
[03:00:28] bear such fruit. Though, if I can gain
[03:00:31] that much cooperation from you. I don't
[03:00:33] mind if we lose. Should I cut corners
[03:00:36] then? Horita replied with a hint of a
[03:00:38] mean-spirited smirk. Of course, there
[03:00:41] was no way that Horikita was going to
[03:00:43] slack off, though. We only had an hour
[03:00:45] to assign the groups. None of the
[03:00:47] classes struggled with this, and in
[03:00:49] about 40 minutes, all of them had
[03:00:50] finished. Afterward, we returned the
[03:00:53] tablets to Mashima Sensei. All that was
[03:00:55] left was to sit down in the empty seats
[03:00:58] and wait for the signal for the start of
[03:01:00] the special exam. But nothing about my
[03:01:03] fundamental approach changed, even after
[03:01:05] having all the rules disclosed to us.
[03:01:08] However, I would continue pursuing just
[03:01:10] that one thing I desired, and leave my
[03:01:12] mark in the process. So, I shot Rayuan a
[03:01:15] look. Soon afterward, our eyes met, and
[03:01:18] I signaled to him that I wanted to meet
[03:01:20] him in the hallway. Perhaps he had
[03:01:22] grasped my signal loud and clear because
[03:01:24] Ryuan went ahead and left the classroom
[03:01:26] first. I'm going to stop by the restroom
[03:01:29] for a minute, I announced. After
[03:01:31] casually excusing myself, I went out
[03:01:33] into the hallway. As I did, a lone
[03:01:36] figure followed me out of the classroom.
[03:01:38] Ayanokuji.
[03:01:40] Hashomia sensei approached me, calling
[03:01:42] to me quietly so as not to disturb the
[03:01:44] silence that enveloped the hallway.
[03:01:46] "Were you just on your way to the
[03:01:48] restroom? Could I bother you for a
[03:01:50] minute?" she asked. I stopped and turned
[03:01:52] around and then Hashomia hurriedly
[03:01:55] closed the distance between us, coming
[03:01:57] close enough to touch if I reached out.
[03:01:59] "I was surprised to see you here as a
[03:02:01] representative today. I never imagined,"
[03:02:03] she said. "Is it really that unexpected?
[03:02:06] I came forward for last year's final
[03:02:08] special exam, too. I replied when I
[03:02:11] brought up a point of comparison to show
[03:02:13] that it was fitting for me to appear.
[03:02:15] Hashomia sensei sniffed a bit. If you
[03:02:18] couldn't tell, I was being snideed.
[03:02:20] There's nowhere for my class to go
[03:02:22] anymore. We're<unk> class D. Do you
[03:02:24] understand? If you're here, ion, that
[03:02:27] means our chances of winning go down the
[03:02:29] drain. She came out and told me what she
[03:02:32] honestly felt without sugar coating it
[03:02:34] or beating around the bush. I felt like
[03:02:36] she had already crossed a line as a
[03:02:38] teacher, but I figured it was better to
[03:02:40] let it slide. I don't think of you as
[03:02:43] being easy opponents. Ichino's class is
[03:02:46] going to be a formidable foe. If
[03:02:48] anything, after hearing the rules, my
[03:02:50] impression is that they'll be even
[03:02:51] better off, I replied. Advantage,
[03:02:54] disadvantage, that stuff doesn't matter.
[03:02:57] What's important are results. Victory,
[03:03:00] that's it, said Hashomia Sensei. It was
[03:03:02] certainly true that there was no use in
[03:03:04] clinging to uncertainties.
[03:03:06] Yes, I guess that's true. All we can do
[03:03:09] is fight as best we can. And please give
[03:03:12] us the win, pleaded Hashomia sensei,
[03:03:14] cutting me off just as I was about to
[03:03:16] finish my sentence. I want you to throw
[03:03:18] the match convincingly. Kanaki had said
[03:03:21] something similar, but this was far, far
[03:03:23] more direct. That's absurd. Besides, as
[03:03:27] the appointed general, there's no way I
[03:03:29] could throw the match, I replied. Please
[03:03:31] don't say no. What if I said that I can
[03:03:34] compensate you for it? There aren't many
[03:03:36] things that can be offered as worthy
[03:03:38] enough compensation for handing over
[03:03:40] victory. And moreover, you're a teacher.
[03:03:42] Hashomia sensei. Wouldn't it be breaking
[03:03:45] an unwritten rule for you to intervene
[03:03:47] in a student's battle so carelessly?
[03:03:49] Hashomia sensei, while still wary of our
[03:03:52] surroundings, took another half step
[03:03:54] closer. I just can't lose to Sahi Chan.
[03:03:57] She's the only person I can't let myself
[03:03:59] lose to. For that, I'll do anything,
[03:04:02] said Hashomia sensei. I see. And you're
[03:04:05] saying that you don't care about your
[03:04:06] position as a teacher and whatnot? I
[03:04:09] replied, that's correct. All right, then
[03:04:12] allow me to ask, what kind of
[03:04:14] compensation are you prepared to offer
[03:04:16] me, Sensei? If I'm capable of it,
[03:04:18] anything. For example, if I can get
[03:04:21] information about a special exam in your
[03:04:23] third year at an early stage, I could
[03:04:25] secretly pass it along to you, said
[03:04:27] Hashomia Sensei. I asked her that
[03:04:29] question, hoping to see how far she'd
[03:04:31] step outside of her role as teacher. But
[03:04:34] that was more than I imagined. If not
[03:04:36] for the absolute and complete certainty
[03:04:38] that I didn't have some kind of
[03:04:40] recording device on me right now, she
[03:04:42] would never have said these words, not
[03:04:44] even as a lie or joke. If you are
[03:04:46] willing to go that far, then why not
[03:04:48] just pass information directly to the
[03:04:50] class that you're currently in charge
[03:04:52] of? I asked. Not those kids. They can't
[03:04:55] they can't be the bad guys. If I
[03:04:57] suggested something like that to them,
[03:04:59] they couldn't make use of it. Instead,
[03:05:02] they just tried to protect me, said
[03:05:04] Hashomia sensei. Ichinoi and her
[03:05:07] classmates would absolutely try to stop
[03:05:09] Hashomia sensei, whose position as a
[03:05:11] teacher would be in jeopardy. Hashomia
[03:05:14] sensei apparently understood that much
[03:05:16] very well. But with you, it' be a
[03:05:18] different story, right? Ayanokojik,
[03:05:21] I know you would make good use of that
[03:05:23] information, said Hashomia sensei. I
[03:05:26] appreciate the offer, but the risk is
[03:05:28] too great. I'm afraid I have to decline,
[03:05:31] I replied. I was sure that even Hashomia
[03:05:34] sensei must not have thought that I'd
[03:05:36] accept such a risky offer after all.
[03:05:38] Okay, then what do you want as
[03:05:40] compensation? Can you make an offer,
[03:05:42] Ayanoko Jikan? She asked. I don't have
[03:05:45] anything particular in mind. I'll just
[03:05:47] have to wait for you to make another
[03:05:49] offer, I replied. Uh, okay. In that
[03:05:51] case, there is something else. That's
[03:05:53] right. something only I can do like she
[03:05:56] stammered. With that, she reached out
[03:05:58] with her right hand and gently touched
[03:06:00] my ear. Are you going to clean my ears
[03:06:02] for me? I asked. Stop joking around,
[03:06:05] said Hashomia. You understand what I'm
[03:06:08] trying to say, right? She showed me that
[03:06:10] she was honestly prepared to do whatever
[03:06:12] it took. If she could do something, she
[03:06:14] would, no matter how it would make her
[03:06:16] look. However, no matter what she
[03:06:18] offered me in return as compensation,
[03:06:21] joining forces with Hashomia sense was
[03:06:24] simply too risky. It would be easy to
[03:06:26] dismiss her as a foolish teacher who
[03:06:28] wanted to win. But the reality wasn't so
[03:06:31] simple. Her resolve to do whatever it
[03:06:33] took to win was without a doubt utterly
[03:06:35] genuine. If that was true, then it was
[03:06:38] possible that she could take anything I
[03:06:40] said and use it against me. After all,
[03:06:43] words once spoken cannot be taken back.
[03:06:46] I needed to consider the various risks.
[03:06:48] You have an incredibly disgusted look in
[03:06:50] your eyes, Ayanoko Jikan. It's almost as
[03:06:53] though you can see right through me
[03:06:55] inside my head, said Hashomia sensei.
[03:06:58] All that you can do now is believe in
[03:07:00] Ichino's class's victory. I told her, I
[03:07:03] suppose that's your way of saying that
[03:07:05] you won't hand over the win, not for
[03:07:07] anything, she replied. Of course not.
[03:07:10] Our classes are direct opponents after
[03:07:12] all, I replied. In that case, I guess
[03:07:15] there's no telling what recourse I have,
[03:07:17] huh? She sighed. Interesting. I'll be
[03:07:20] looking forward to that as well. Please
[03:07:22] excuse me, I replied. With that, I
[03:07:24] turned away and headed for the bathroom.
[03:07:27] Hashomia sensei didn't call out to me
[03:07:29] again, and she didn't seem to be
[03:07:30] following me either. Chapter 5. The
[03:07:33] Battle of the Vanguards. Shortly after
[03:07:36] 900 a.m., the participants arrived in
[03:07:38] their four separate classrooms and were
[03:07:41] being given the same explanation
[03:07:42] simultaneously by examiners unfamiliar
[03:07:46] to them. There wasn't anything unusual
[03:07:48] in the classrooms. The only things
[03:07:50] placed in them were the typical desks
[03:07:52] and chairs. It was difficult for the
[03:07:55] students to imagine what kind of exam
[03:07:57] would take place in a space no different
[03:07:59] from their regular classroom. But as the
[03:08:01] explanation proceeded, they began to
[03:08:03] understand. The explanation about the
[03:08:06] discussion conducted by the participants
[03:08:08] contained no mention whatsoever of the
[03:08:10] wind conditions for the representatives.
[03:08:13] After finishing explaining all of the
[03:08:15] details, the examiner took a breath
[03:08:17] while the students exchanged looks with
[03:08:19] one another, seemingly trying their
[03:08:21] absolute hardest to pound the rules into
[03:08:23] their heads. The most important point to
[03:08:26] remember is that the only way to
[03:08:28] contribute to your class in this
[03:08:29] discussion is to carry out your assigned
[03:08:31] role perfectly, added the examiner. That
[03:08:34] was exactly what Iokoji and the other
[03:08:37] representatives have been told about the
[03:08:39] participants in the explanation they had
[03:08:42] been given. I understand what our win
[03:08:44] conditions are, but the win conditions
[03:08:46] for the representatives are more
[03:08:48] important, aren't they? What are those?
[03:08:51] Matsushita asked, speaking up on behalf
[03:08:53] of her classmates. The exam format for
[03:08:56] the participants was essentially nothing
[03:08:58] more than a battle to see whether they
[03:09:00] could gain private points. While the
[03:09:02] representatives exam would result in
[03:09:04] changes in class points, determining the
[03:09:07] brightness of that class's future. It
[03:09:09] was a very natural response to
[03:09:11] prioritize a long-term perspective
[03:09:13] rather than short-term value. However,
[03:09:16] the examiner, someone that Matsashida
[03:09:18] and her classmates didn't usually come
[03:09:20] into contact with, responded in a
[03:09:23] detached, matter-of-fact tone. I have
[03:09:25] just told you everything you need to
[03:09:27] know. All you can do is stick to your
[03:09:29] role and carry out the discussion
[03:09:31] properly. There is no point in trying to
[03:09:33] guess anything further. As for the
[03:09:35] representatives fight, those rules may
[03:09:38] change minutely from one discussion to
[03:09:40] the next. You will only know all of the
[03:09:42] answers once the special exam is over,
[03:09:44] replied the examiner. He wasn't dodging
[03:09:47] the question. It was simply that the
[03:09:49] school never intended to tell them
[03:09:51] anything from the beginning. The
[03:09:53] students probably couldn't help but feel
[03:09:55] that was the will of this stubborn
[03:09:57] institution. So, you mean to say that we
[03:09:59] won't even know how the exam works until
[03:10:01] it's over then? Asked Shinohara.
[03:10:04] Precisely, replied the examiner.
[03:10:06] Shinhara then voiced her complaints,
[03:10:08] indicating that she wasn't happy about
[03:10:10] this, but the examiner responded without
[03:10:13] a moment's pause. The examiner explained
[03:10:15] that the rules for the representatives
[03:10:17] had been thoroughly concealed and would
[03:10:19] not be revealed under any circumstances.
[03:10:22] "Just keep in mind that if you do not
[03:10:24] engage with the discussion seriously,
[03:10:27] your class will gain nothing
[03:10:28] whatsoever," added the examiner. While
[03:10:31] the participants were free to be as
[03:10:32] blatant as they'd like about their
[03:10:34] designated roles, there was no guarantee
[03:10:37] that doing so would be beneficial to
[03:10:39] their classes representatives. As long
[03:10:41] as it was unclear what exactly would
[03:10:43] determine the winners and losers, the
[03:10:46] option that would leave them with the
[03:10:47] fewest regrets would be to simply take
[03:10:49] the discussion seriously. Having made
[03:10:52] this clear, the examiner concluded the
[03:10:54] explanation. 5.1. At 9:30 a.m., the
[03:10:59] students had finished listening to the
[03:11:01] explanation and headed over to the
[03:11:03] special building where they were guided
[03:11:05] into a classroom set up specifically for
[03:11:07] discussion. There were many cameras
[03:11:09] mounted throughout the rooms to
[03:11:11] eliminate any blind spots. 14 desks and
[03:11:14] chairs, enough for two groups, were set
[03:11:16] up in the room and arranged in a circle.
[03:11:19] A tablet was placed on each desk, and
[03:11:21] there were partitions between them to
[03:11:23] prevent peing to either side. The
[03:11:26] students confirmed their individual
[03:11:27] roles on their tablets when they entered
[03:11:30] the room. At the end of the round, the
[03:11:32] current status would be checked again
[03:11:34] and then the students would begin the
[03:11:35] process of selecting options on their
[03:11:37] tablets. The model students had the
[03:11:40] right to eject anyone other than the
[03:11:42] other model student from the room at
[03:11:44] this time if the representative elected
[03:11:46] to pass. And each student that had any
[03:11:48] other position was required to exercise
[03:11:51] their various effects at this time. The
[03:11:53] backs of the chairs were marked with red
[03:11:55] tape or blue tape as simple identifying
[03:11:58] markers, with red being for class B and
[03:12:00] blue being for class D. Even if students
[03:12:03] tried to congregate together with those
[03:12:05] that they were close friends with, the
[03:12:07] students seated to their right and left
[03:12:09] would inevitably be from the opposing
[03:12:11] class anyway, which made it impossible
[03:12:13] to even try whispering to one's fellow
[03:12:16] classmates. Also a single large monitor
[03:12:19] was set up separately in the room and
[03:12:21] important rules for the discussion were
[03:12:23] displayed on it. Rules for discussion.
[03:12:26] Students participating in the discussion
[03:12:28] should try to speak so that everyone can
[03:12:30] hear them. The act of addressing a
[03:12:32] single specific person is prohibited.
[03:12:35] Students who are found to have violated
[03:12:37] the above rules such as by whispering in
[03:12:39] another students ear will be ordered to
[03:12:41] leave the room. Excessively rough
[03:12:43] language, slander, and acts of violence
[03:12:46] will result in a penalty, and the
[03:12:48] student will be ordered to leave the
[03:12:50] room. If a student is ejected from the
[03:12:52] room during the discussion, that
[03:12:54] students respective class will be
[03:12:56] penalized. The representative's life
[03:12:58] points will be reduced based on the
[03:13:00] severity of the penalty. The monitor
[03:13:03] will display the results of the
[03:13:04] discussion in progress and the final
[03:13:06] results, said the examiner. At that
[03:13:09] moment, when the students attention was
[03:13:11] focused, the examiner changed what was
[03:13:13] displayed on the monitor and showed an
[03:13:15] example of what the end of a discussion
[03:13:17] might look like with a sample of final
[03:13:20] results. Final results. Average students
[03:13:23] four. Model students zero. Teachers
[03:13:27] zero. Graduates zero. Underclassmen 1.
[03:13:30] Upperassmen zero. Traders one. Please
[03:13:34] exit the room promptly to end the
[03:13:36] discussion and rotate to the next group.
[03:13:38] Interval time remaining 10:00. This
[03:13:41] shows information about the results of
[03:13:43] individual roles. Once you have checked
[03:13:45] the information, please follow the
[03:13:47] instructions and exit the room, said the
[03:13:50] examiner. After telling the students
[03:13:52] this, the students were ordered to
[03:13:54] quickly leave the classroom and head
[03:13:56] over to the waiting room. The exam will
[03:13:58] begin shortly. Students who have been
[03:14:00] called to the waiting room should go
[03:14:02] there immediately, said the examiner.
[03:14:04] Once the hurried explanation was over,
[03:14:07] it was time for the participants battle
[03:14:09] to begin with no time at all to chew on
[03:14:11] what they were told. 5.2 10:00 in the
[03:14:15] morning. The monitor in the waiting room
[03:14:17] meant for the participants lit up.
[03:14:19] Discussion number one. Participants
[03:14:22] class 2B Sodom Morideo Makita Suzumu
[03:14:25] Minami Hakuo Yukimirahiko Azuma Sana
[03:14:28] Karawa K Sadumaya Class 2 D Shibadasu
[03:14:32] Nakinishi Jiru Moryama Suzumu Ando
[03:14:35] Yamagatada Ishimaru Yuriko Unuki Najisa
[03:14:39] students whose names are displayed
[03:14:40] should head to the discussion room. I am
[03:14:43] up first. And so is Maya Chan said
[03:14:45] Karuizawa having had her cell phone
[03:14:48] confiscated like everyone else. She had
[03:14:50] just been sitting there looking bored,
[03:14:52] but hurriedly got out of her seat. Sadu,
[03:14:55] who was also determined to be part of
[03:14:56] the first group, rushed over to her
[03:14:59] side. While many of the students still
[03:15:01] hadn't fully grasped the rules yet, they
[03:15:03] stepped out into the hallway and made
[03:15:05] their way to the discussion room.
[03:15:07] Yukimura was one of them, and Sadu
[03:15:09] called out to her for advice. "Hey,
[03:15:11] Yukamir, what should we do?" asked Sadu.
[03:15:14] "Just follow the instructions. Besides,
[03:15:17] what class we're in isn't directly
[03:15:19] relevant to the discussion. If you, Karo
[03:15:21] Zawa, and I were cast into the roles of
[03:15:23] average student and model student, then
[03:15:26] that would mean we're enemies and
[03:15:27] allies. Yukimura answered coldly and
[03:15:30] bluntly. That's what this special exam
[03:15:33] is. The examiner said it before. The
[03:15:35] best thing to do is follow the rules and
[03:15:38] take things seriously. Yeah, that's
[03:15:40] true. But it's like I guess I'm still
[03:15:43] not really understanding exactly how to
[03:15:45] do that, said Sadu. Seeing Sadu and
[03:15:47] Karuizawa fidgeting nervously next to
[03:15:49] him, Yukamura sighed internally. That
[03:15:53] was because he felt that such thinking
[03:15:55] expressed as something particular to
[03:15:57] girls was unpleasant to him. However,
[03:16:00] Yukimura was no longer thinking about
[03:16:02] things only in the self-centered way he
[03:16:04] did when he first entered school. Now he
[03:16:07] spent time with HP and Mik whenever he
[03:16:09] could and he had more friendly
[03:16:11] interactions with other people. I think
[03:16:13] that probably it's not just you two who
[03:16:15] are nervous and panicking. Sadu Karu
[03:16:18] Zawa, I'm sure that people in the other
[03:16:20] class are feeling similarly to start
[03:16:22] with. Why not try to get used to the
[03:16:25] feel of the room? Besides, you've played
[03:16:27] games like werewolf before, right? Asked
[03:16:29] Yukamira. I think I've played that one a
[03:16:32] couple times. So, we can think of this
[03:16:34] as like the same kind of thing, asked
[03:16:36] Karu Zawa. I haven't played it before.
[03:16:39] Is there a trick to it? Asked Satu.
[03:16:42] Let's see. All right. If you're selected
[03:16:44] to be a model student, then it's a good
[03:16:46] idea not to carelessly look over at the
[03:16:48] other model student. This may surprise
[03:16:50] you, but it's quite noticeable when
[03:16:52] people look at each other like that, and
[03:16:54] you'll give yourself away, said
[03:16:56] Yukamura. Even though he wasn't used to
[03:16:58] this sort of thing, giving out advice
[03:17:00] calmed Yukamira down somewhat. He
[03:17:03] naturally understood the magnitude of
[03:17:04] this endofear special exam himself.
[03:17:08] Although he was frustrated by the highly
[03:17:10] secretive rules, like how the school
[03:17:12] wouldn't even let them know how the exam
[03:17:14] is going as far as the representatives
[03:17:16] were concerned, he flipped a switch in
[03:17:18] his mind and just focused on doing his
[03:17:20] best as a participant. Oh, I get it.
[03:17:23] That makes sense. Yeah, I guess like eye
[03:17:26] contact and stuff would be important,
[03:17:28] huh? replied Karu Zawa. Karu Zawa
[03:17:31] somehow understood the gist of it and
[03:17:33] began to explain to Sadu that they
[03:17:34] should keep tricks like this in mind.
[03:17:36] Seeing that, Yukimura allowed himself to
[03:17:39] think everything would probably be all
[03:17:40] right for the time being. Will we be
[03:17:43] safe? One person whispered those words
[03:17:45] in a quiet voice so that no one else
[03:17:47] would hear. The fact that Yukimura
[03:17:50] helped two girls that he had nothing to
[03:17:52] do with calm down somehow came back as a
[03:17:54] benefit to him. Yukimura headed over to
[03:17:57] the discussion area as he mowled that
[03:17:59] over. The door to the classroom opened
[03:18:01] and the 14 students stepped inside. Karu
[03:18:05] Zawa and Sadu made eye contact,
[03:18:07] signaling to each other to sit as close
[03:18:09] together as possible, and they sat with
[03:18:11] Sheibata from class D between them. They
[03:18:14] both wanted to sit as close together as
[03:18:16] possible, even if it wouldn't actually
[03:18:18] do them any good. The other students
[03:18:20] also sat down in the chairs assigned to
[03:18:22] their class, each taking whichever seats
[03:18:25] they liked from the assigned selection.
[03:18:27] There were those who preferred to sit
[03:18:28] closest to the door and those who
[03:18:30] preferred to sit furthest from the door.
[03:18:33] Shortly after all the participants were
[03:18:35] seated, they heard an announcement
[03:18:37] signaling the start of the discussion.
[03:18:39] The endofear special exam will now
[03:18:41] commence. Each student's role is
[03:18:43] displayed on his or her tablet. Please
[03:18:46] check your assigned role before starting
[03:18:48] the first round of discussion. All of
[03:18:50] the students looked down at the tablets
[03:18:52] placed on their desks. The monitor
[03:18:54] screen temporarily switched over to show
[03:18:56] the number of students cast in their
[03:18:58] respective roles. Average students eight
[03:19:01] model students two teachers one
[03:19:04] graduates one underclassmen one upper
[03:19:08] classmen one. As was explained to them
[03:19:11] in the rules, the students gathered here
[03:19:13] were assigned various roles. While
[03:19:16] everyone was hesitant to be the first to
[03:19:18] speak, it was none other than Yukimura
[03:19:20] Teroiko of class B who jumped right in.
[03:19:23] I'm just going to come right out and say
[03:19:24] it. I'd like to confirm whether or not
[03:19:27] Nakanishi is a model student, said
[03:19:29] Yukamira. Wait, what? Why me right out
[03:19:32] of the gate? Nakani asked. Why would I
[03:19:35] be a model student? I'm sorry, but it's
[03:19:37] just that you made eye contact first,
[03:19:39] said Yukamura. Yukamura, who wanted to
[03:19:42] get things started, attacked by phrasing
[03:19:44] his statement thusly, precisely because
[03:19:47] he was an average student. He spoke up,
[03:19:49] leading the group, prepared for things
[03:19:51] to get rough by naming someone from
[03:19:53] another class. From there, the
[03:19:55] discussion began to ramp up more and
[03:19:57] more. 5.3 Over the monitor, both Hiata
[03:20:01] and Hamaguchi continued watching the
[03:20:03] discussion for 5 minutes. The
[03:20:05] participants seemed to be feeling each
[03:20:07] other out as they conversed, but there
[03:20:09] was currently very little way to discern
[03:20:11] lie from truth. Although some students
[03:20:14] appeared suspicious here and there,
[03:20:16] confirming whether they were really
[03:20:17] model students was a separate matter.
[03:20:20] With no idea how to tell what was what,
[03:20:22] representatives had essentially only two
[03:20:24] options. Either they could make the
[03:20:26] first move and go for victory. take the
[03:20:29] challenge of figuring out the assigned
[03:20:31] roles and drive their opponent into a
[03:20:33] corner in one shot. Or they could avoid
[03:20:35] risk by choosing to wait and see. At the
[03:20:38] very least, the two sitting here knew
[03:20:40] the dangers and weren't going to push
[03:20:41] ahead recklessly. Please nominate or
[03:20:44] pass starting now. You have 1 minute.
[03:20:47] After that announcement came a few
[03:20:49] moments of brief silence. Accompanying
[03:20:51] the two representatives in the classroom
[03:20:53] at that time was a single adult. Not one
[03:20:56] of the secondyear home room teachers
[03:20:58] that had provided the exam summary
[03:21:00] previously, but a new face they had
[03:21:03] never seen before. This adult stood
[03:21:05] completely silent in the corner of the
[03:21:07] classroom, monitoring the students
[03:21:09] conversations and movements. Man, this
[03:21:12] exam sure is difficult, huh? I mean, it
[03:21:14] looks like not even you of all people
[03:21:16] get it right away. Hiatakan said
[03:21:18] Hemaguchi sounding like he was halfway
[03:21:21] between convinced and doubtful. Hiata
[03:21:23] had the sort of personality that meant
[03:21:25] he didn't like to engage in political
[03:21:27] maneuvering so he just nodded in sincere
[03:21:30] affirmation.
[03:21:31] Yeah, once you start looking for someone
[03:21:33] suspicious, everyone starts looking
[03:21:35] suspicious. It's not easy to make a
[03:21:38] decision in the first round, that's for
[03:21:40] sure, said Hiata. Just like the 14
[03:21:43] students who engaged in discussion, the
[03:21:45] two vanguards were feeling each other
[03:21:47] out in their conversation. One thing
[03:21:49] that they had in common was that neither
[03:21:51] of them was good at telling the kinds of
[03:21:53] lies that would cause suffering, as they
[03:21:55] shared a strong abhorance for such
[03:21:57] methods. Okay. After taking a breath,
[03:22:00] Hamaguchi chose the option to pass on
[03:22:02] his tablet. Without a sure answer in
[03:22:05] mind, the risk was too high. That was
[03:22:08] precisely why he made his decision
[03:22:09] without hesitation and waited for
[03:22:11] Hiata's judgment call. As for Hiata,
[03:22:14] similarly, he couldn't take a risk at
[03:22:16] this point. Among the 14 participants,
[03:22:19] two were model students, the role that
[03:22:21] the representatives needed to detect. As
[03:22:24] for the other roles, teachers,
[03:22:26] graduates, underclassmen, and upper
[03:22:28] classmen, there was one student in each
[03:22:30] of those roles, which meant that to get
[03:22:32] a result from a nomination, he would
[03:22:34] simply need to hit six out of 14. That
[03:22:37] came out to a probability of
[03:22:39] approximately 42.9%.
[03:22:42] Some might not think those were bad odds
[03:22:44] since there was a decent chance of
[03:22:46] getting it right. In reality, however,
[03:22:48] the success rate was much lower than
[03:22:50] that. Since the roles to be nominated
[03:22:52] were classified into five categories,
[03:22:55] excluding average students and traders.
[03:22:58] With both sides having decided to pass,
[03:23:00] they would move on to the next step.
[03:23:02] This was when the effects of the roles
[03:23:04] held by the teachers and graduates as
[03:23:07] well as any nominations made by model
[03:23:09] students participating in the discussion
[03:23:11] would come into play because the
[03:23:13] participants would automatically be
[03:23:15] narrowed down to only to the specific
[03:23:17] roles that needed to use their tablets
[03:23:20] otherwise. The other participants with
[03:23:22] roles that did not have any special
[03:23:24] abilities also had a break at this time,
[03:23:27] engaging in a process in which they
[03:23:29] selected which participants they
[03:23:30] currently thought were suspicious on
[03:23:32] their tablets. A model student had
[03:23:34] ordered Caru Zawa to be removed from the
[03:23:37] room. The decision was made in an
[03:23:39] instant, and she quietly left the
[03:23:41] classroom before feelings of frustration
[03:23:43] could even well up within her. Now there
[03:23:46] were 13. As the odds were slowly but
[03:23:49] steadily beginning to change, the second
[03:23:51] round of discussion began. The two
[03:23:53] representatives stared intently at their
[03:23:56] monitors, becoming so silent that you
[03:23:58] couldn't even hear the sound of their
[03:24:00] breathing. The discussion felt short but
[03:24:02] long at the same time. Participants
[03:24:05] regularly stumbled, unable to get their
[03:24:07] words out. Also, many of them didn't
[03:24:10] know how to conduct themselves. Everyone
[03:24:12] was observing each other with distrust.
[03:24:14] Every little gesture, every action,
[03:24:17] everything looked suspicious. At the end
[03:24:19] of the second round, the representatives
[03:24:21] had the right to nominate once again.
[03:24:24] Hamaguchi hoped against hope as he
[03:24:25] stared at his tablet while occasionally
[03:24:28] stealing a sideways glance at Hiata, who
[03:24:30] was lost in thought. He was hoping that
[03:24:33] Hiata hadn't discovered anyone yet. His
[03:24:35] wish was half granted, as Hiata hadn't
[03:24:38] gained any new information even after
[03:24:40] the first round. Shortly afterward,
[03:24:43] Hiata looked over at Hamaguchi as well.
[03:24:45] Their eyes met, and in the back of their
[03:24:47] minds, they each thought to themselves,
[03:24:49] "What now?" wondering how to keep the
[03:24:51] other in check. As the time limit
[03:24:54] approached, the two of them decided to
[03:24:56] go ahead with the same decision that
[03:24:58] they had made before at the same time.
[03:25:00] Once again, they both decided that they
[03:25:02] couldn't take the risk and chose to
[03:25:04] postpone a selection for now and pass.
[03:25:07] Therefore, a nomination was made by a
[03:25:09] model student and one student was
[03:25:11] ejected from the room. That students
[03:25:14] role was unknown, of course. Still, the
[03:25:16] number of participants was only the
[03:25:18] denominator that was steadily
[03:25:20] decreasing. That was inevitable.
[03:25:22] Hamaguchi leaned forward, ready for the
[03:25:25] next round, and grabbed hold of the
[03:25:26] monitor three times. The number of
[03:25:29] participants had decreased by two. But
[03:25:31] the main objective was to find the model
[03:25:33] student who could take three life points
[03:25:36] away from their opponent. In that
[03:25:37] moment, while the denominator was
[03:25:39] decreasing, Hamaguchi wanted to think of
[03:25:41] a way to get the fight started properly
[03:25:43] if he could. The vanguards had a mere
[03:25:46] five life points. If you could find just
[03:25:48] one model student, you could therefore
[03:25:51] push your opponent to the edge in a
[03:25:52] single strike. Hamaguchi's plan to do
[03:25:55] just that started in the third round.
[03:25:57] Yukimura<unk>'s comments, which had been
[03:25:59] relentlessly directed at Nakanishi, had
[03:26:02] upset Nakanishi more than Hamaguchi
[03:26:04] imagined they would, and the situation
[03:26:07] developed into a state of almost panic.
[03:26:09] As Nakanishi came under concentrated
[03:26:11] fire from those around him, Hamaguchi,
[03:26:14] as a fellow classmate of Nakanishi, was
[03:26:16] well aware that he wasn't normally the
[03:26:18] type to overact and firmed up his
[03:26:21] resolve, deciding that it was time to go
[03:26:23] on the offensive and nominate him as a
[03:26:25] model student, even if it involved some
[03:26:28] level of risk. Hiata, on the other hand,
[03:26:30] didn't feel the same way. To him,
[03:26:33] Nakanishi<unk>s words and actions
[03:26:35] appeared unnatural and he was getting
[03:26:37] the opposite impression from Hamaguchias
[03:26:39] that Nakanishi wasn't the model student.
[03:26:42] That said, at present, it was impossible
[03:26:44] to determine whether he held that or
[03:26:46] another position. Even though Hiata and
[03:26:49] Hamaguchi were looking at the same
[03:26:51] person, they had arrived at different
[03:26:53] conclusions. Hamaguchi quickly entered
[03:26:55] his choice on his tablet and nominated
[03:26:57] Nakanishi as the model student.
[03:27:00] Meanwhile, Hiata chose to pass once
[03:27:02] again. Announcing the results, Hamaguchi
[03:27:05] Khan has identified Nakanishi Khan as
[03:27:08] the model student. So, Hiatakan loses
[03:27:10] three life points. Heaguchi's nomination
[03:27:13] had been correct. And it was revealed
[03:27:15] that Nakanishi was indeed the model
[03:27:17] student. Ah, despite thinking they were
[03:27:20] both still on the defensive, Hiata
[03:27:22] suffered intense damage from Hamaguchi's
[03:27:24] attack. As for Hamaguchi, he was
[03:27:27] overcome with relief. Though he'd pulled
[03:27:29] off a big opening move, he felt that his
[03:27:32] nomination had been rather reckless.
[03:27:34] Hamaguchi had made his decision because
[03:27:36] of how flustered Nakanishi was acting,
[03:27:39] but there was a sufficiently high chance
[03:27:41] that he could have been cast into a role
[03:27:43] other than the model student. So, it
[03:27:45] seemed like luck was on his side this
[03:27:47] round. The result made Hamaguchi happy,
[03:27:50] but also anxious, and he braced himself
[03:27:52] once more for what lay ahead. As a
[03:27:55] result of Hamaguchi's daring play, Hiata
[03:27:58] had suddenly lost three life points and
[03:28:00] was now down to two. This was a big
[03:28:02] change in the situation where both
[03:28:04] participants had been trying to get a
[03:28:06] feel for the other, moving things along
[03:28:08] with only a few words. Only one model
[03:28:11] student remained. Hi was forced into a
[03:28:14] situation where he had to find a
[03:28:16] particular student in the worst possible
[03:28:18] scenario. The severity of the situation
[03:28:21] weighed on him as the fourth round
[03:28:23] began. Hiata realized how much having
[03:28:25] the other side take the initiative would
[03:28:27] weigh on you in this special exam. Thus
[03:28:30] far in the previous three rounds, Hiata
[03:28:33] had repeatedly passed his turn without
[03:28:35] too much worry. But now he had been
[03:28:37] driven to a point where he could no
[03:28:39] longer make his choices so carelessly.
[03:28:41] He hoped that somehow the discussion
[03:28:44] would progress and give him a big clue.
[03:28:46] Though he had wished for that in his
[03:28:48] impatience, the discussion wasn't
[03:28:50] progressing as he would have liked.
[03:28:52] After it had been made clear that
[03:28:53] Nakanishi was the model student and he
[03:28:56] was removed from the discussion, the
[03:28:58] sole remaining model student went even
[03:29:00] further into hiding, concealing their
[03:29:02] identity. That was precisely why it was
[03:29:05] the students cast into the other roles
[03:29:07] who were the ones Hiata wanted to rely
[03:29:09] on. Let's not have any hard feelings
[03:29:11] between us. Okay, Hiatakun, said
[03:29:14] Hamaguchi. Yes, of course, I agree,
[03:29:17] answered Hiata. The discussion was
[03:29:20] moving ahead, albeit sluggishly. Just
[03:29:23] then, when it was about time people felt
[03:29:25] like that, it wouldn't be unusual for
[03:29:26] new information to come out. About 2
[03:29:29] minutes into the fourth round, Yukimura
[03:29:31] finally came forward and said that he
[03:29:33] held the role of graduate. Yukimura,
[03:29:36] having checked out what everyone's roles
[03:29:38] were three times now, reported that
[03:29:40] everyone he had checked thus far had
[03:29:42] been average students, and he hadn't yet
[03:29:44] determined who the model student was.
[03:29:47] However, this was good news for Hiata. A
[03:29:49] silver lining on a dark cloud. Hiata
[03:29:52] could cut down Hamaguchi's life points
[03:29:54] if he nominated Yukimura and identified
[03:29:57] his role now that he had come forward.
[03:29:59] Of course, Hamaguchi would probably
[03:30:01] nominate Yukimura as a graduate as well.
[03:30:04] But in that case, they would cancel each
[03:30:06] other out. It was possible that the
[03:30:08] match between them could be settled in
[03:30:10] the fifth round coming up next. With his
[03:30:13] back against the wall, Hiata immediately
[03:30:15] nominated Yukimura as a graduate. As
[03:30:17] soon as the discussion ended, however,
[03:30:20] both Hamaguchi and Hiatakan have
[03:30:23] nominated erroneously and lose one life
[03:30:26] point. Yukimura was ejected from the
[03:30:28] room, making it clear that he had not
[03:30:30] been cast into the role of graduate.
[03:30:32] After all, Yukimura was only pretending
[03:30:35] to be the graduate in order to push
[03:30:37] through the stalemate in the discussion
[03:30:39] so that he could find the model student.
[03:30:41] A false role which Hiata might have
[03:30:43] figured out if he had been watching
[03:30:45] Yukamura more carefully. However, Hiata
[03:30:48] had been too flustered and impatient to
[03:30:50] make a calm decision and was convinced
[03:30:52] that Yukamura was the graduate who could
[03:30:55] identify the model student. Hiata was
[03:30:57] saved by the fact that Hamaguchi got
[03:30:59] caught up in it too, but even so, their
[03:31:02] life points were now 4 to one. Hiata had
[03:31:05] ended up being pushed all the way to the
[03:31:07] edge. Shortly after the discussion
[03:31:09] began, Hiata was feeling somewhat
[03:31:11] flippant, unable to sense the weighty
[03:31:13] significance of this endofear special
[03:31:15] exam. But it was here in this moment
[03:31:18] that the pressure made itself known all
[03:31:20] at once. The battle between
[03:31:22] representatives which began with these
[03:31:24] two cautious vanguards had turned into a
[03:31:27] wait situation for both sides. The
[03:31:30] participants now suspicious to the point
[03:31:32] of hypervigilance over the fact that
[03:31:34] Yukamura was not a graduate all went
[03:31:37] quiet in unison. With no new information
[03:31:39] coming out, they chose to put things on
[03:31:41] hold. As a result, when it came time for
[03:31:44] the representatives to exercise their
[03:31:46] right to nominate, both decided to pass.
[03:31:49] The remaining model student made
[03:31:51] nominations one after another, forcing
[03:31:53] Unuki, Makita, and Azuma to leave the
[03:31:56] room. Without meeting the conditions to
[03:31:59] bring the discussion to an end, the
[03:32:01] participants suddenly realized there
[03:32:03] were only six of them left. The
[03:32:05] discussion proceeded into the eighth
[03:32:06] round. Then, because Hiatakan has
[03:32:09] nominated erroneously, he will lose one
[03:32:12] life point. Since Hiatakan's life points
[03:32:14] have been depleted, we ask that he
[03:32:16] please leave the room at this time. A
[03:32:19] cold mechanical announcement
[03:32:20] unceremoniously came over the speakers.
[03:32:23] The discussion had reached a dead end
[03:32:26] and the participants were getting
[03:32:27] flustered and impatient with the lack of
[03:32:29] progress. So Hiata decided to try
[03:32:32] something but his attempt had ended in
[03:32:34] failure. Hamaguchi whose nomination of
[03:32:37] Nakanishi was successful thanks to luck
[03:32:39] and who chose to pass again in this
[03:32:41] round was the winner. 5.4 Four, the
[03:32:45] showdown between the representatives was
[03:32:47] structured in such a way that their
[03:32:48] conversations were not revealed
[03:32:50] publicly. So the students participating
[03:32:52] in the discussion were naturally in a
[03:32:55] similar state of mind as the center and
[03:32:57] general representatives waiting on
[03:32:59] standby. In fact, if anything,
[03:33:02] considering the fact that their cue to
[03:33:03] take their turn came unexpectedly, it
[03:33:06] could be said that the strain on the
[03:33:08] students mentally and physically was
[03:33:10] even greater. The waiting room had
[03:33:12] fallen completely silent. The only
[03:33:15] information being disclosed was the
[03:33:17] decrease in life points between the
[03:33:19] representatives as they fought. As
[03:33:21] Horikita stared intently at the monitor,
[03:33:24] the notation on the screen started to
[03:33:26] change. Immediately afterward, an
[03:33:28] announcement began to play in the room
[03:33:30] where the other representatives were
[03:33:32] waiting. Hiatakan is leaving the room as
[03:33:35] a result of Hamaguchi Khan's victory.
[03:33:37] Center, please prepare for your turn. a
[03:33:40] classmate's defeat which Horikita hadn't
[03:33:42] wanted to face if at all possible. After
[03:33:45] hearing the announcement telling her as
[03:33:47] much, she let out a small sigh. "Off I
[03:33:50] go," said Horikita bruskly to Ayanokoji,
[03:33:53] who had been sitting next to her. "Hope
[03:33:55] you put up a good fight," replied
[03:33:56] Ayanokoji. To Horikita, it sounded like
[03:34:00] he didn't care whatsoever, like this
[03:34:01] wasn't his problem. But she didn't let
[03:34:03] herself get irritated. That was because
[03:34:06] she had learned quite well over the past
[03:34:08] two years that Ayanokoji was just that
[03:34:10] kind of person. She felt that while his
[03:34:13] words might sound cold, he contributed
[03:34:15] to the class in his own way, and he
[03:34:18] would likely do so in this special exam
[03:34:20] as well. He'd asked for something in
[03:34:22] return, yes, but as the general, he had
[03:34:25] taken on the task of leading the class
[03:34:26] to victory. That was precisely why
[03:34:29] Horikita could take on this battle with
[03:34:31] all of her might, without hesitation.
[03:34:33] Above all else, the person sitting next
[03:34:35] to her was dependable. Even if
[03:34:38] hypothetically she was to lose against
[03:34:40] her opponent, Hamaguchi, she was sure
[03:34:42] that Ayanokoji would be able to defeat
[03:34:45] all of the other classes representatives
[03:34:47] all the way through Ichino. However,
[03:34:50] that was baseless intuition, and she
[03:34:52] reminded herself once again that she
[03:34:54] couldn't let those unfounded feelings
[03:34:56] get the better of her. Horikita left the
[03:34:59] waiting room and made her way over to
[03:35:01] the classroom where the exam was being
[03:35:03] held. On the way, she ran into Hiata,
[03:35:06] who had left the room. "I'm sorry,
[03:35:08] Horikita. I wasn't any help at all,"
[03:35:10] said Hiata. "I can guess what the
[03:35:13] situation is more or less. You don't
[03:35:15] need to be discouraged," said Horikita.
[03:35:17] "Everyone had things that they were and
[03:35:19] were not suited for. The two of them
[03:35:21] were simply cut out for different
[03:35:23] things." Hiata was a student who was
[03:35:25] able to observe those around him quite
[03:35:27] well. But he was most definitely not the
[03:35:30] type who was suited for this type of
[03:35:31] exam where one had to be suspicious of
[03:35:34] others. Horikita understood this well.
[03:35:36] There was a 10-minute interval. The
[03:35:39] school would have likely assumed that
[03:35:40] the students from the losing class would
[03:35:42] pass by each other when they switched
[03:35:44] places. If that was the case, then that
[03:35:46] meant that there wasn't a problem to
[03:35:48] trade opinions as long as time
[03:35:50] permitted. Was there anything you
[03:35:52] noticed? asked Horikita. Let's see.
[03:35:55] Well, we can't control the content of
[03:35:57] the discussion, but I think maybe the
[03:35:59] timing of when the representatives
[03:36:00] attack, whether you go first or second,
[03:36:03] likely makes a significant difference in
[03:36:05] determining the outcome, said Hiata.
[03:36:07] Horriikita listened intently as Hiata
[03:36:10] recounted the events he experienced. I
[03:36:13] suppose that means the situation can
[03:36:15] change all of a sudden then, depending
[03:36:17] on the participants, replied Horikita.
[03:36:20] It was certainly true that there was
[03:36:22] nothing they could do if the
[03:36:23] conversation progressed to a point where
[03:36:25] they couldn't control it. However,
[03:36:28] Horikita believed that it wasn't
[03:36:29] necessarily impossible to deal with any
[03:36:32] possible situation. Regardless, "Thank
[03:36:34] you. Take it easy and rest," said
[03:36:37] Horikita. After nonchalantly watching
[03:36:39] Hiata's back as he returned to the
[03:36:41] waiting room, Horikita also turned and
[03:36:44] headed toward her destination. After she
[03:36:46] arrived at the classroom where Hamaguchi
[03:36:48] was waiting, she placed her hand on the
[03:36:50] door. A hum. She lightly cleared her
[03:36:53] throat and then briefly removed her
[03:36:54] hand. Once she opened it, there was no
[03:36:57] turning back. She took a deep breath and
[03:36:59] emptied her mind for a moment. Then she
[03:37:02] drew out the information that she had
[03:37:03] organized in her mind and slowly opened
[03:37:06] the door. Chapter 6. Katsuraga's
[03:37:09] counterattack. Around the time that
[03:37:11] Hiata and Hamaguchi's battle was about
[03:37:13] to begin, another battle between
[03:37:15] representatives was also about to start.
[03:37:18] The two representatives were staring
[03:37:20] intently at the participants who had
[03:37:23] entered the discussion room. Discussion
[03:37:25] number one participants class 2A
[03:37:27] Shimizuyaki Machuji Yashida Kenta
[03:37:30] Fukyama Shinibu Modoy Chako Yano
[03:37:33] Kohharu. Class 2 Cenoda Masashi Oda
[03:37:37] Takumi Yamada Albert Yashimoto
[03:37:39] Kusetsuyama Najisa Yamashita Saki
[03:37:43] Kinosida Minori. It was class A versus
[03:37:46] Class C with Nishino and Sinata going up
[03:37:48] against each other as vanguards for
[03:37:50] their respective classes. Hello, let us
[03:37:53] both give our best efforts. Nishino
[03:37:55] Sanan said Sinata. Once the two of them
[03:37:57] were all alone in the classroom, Sinata,
[03:38:00] feeling slightly nervous, greeted
[03:38:02] Nishino politely and took his seat
[03:38:04] first. Sonata, who always endeavored to
[03:38:06] maintain a polite manner of speaking,
[03:38:09] even when engaging with fellow
[03:38:10] classmates in his same grade level,
[03:38:12] showed no change in his usual demeanor,
[03:38:15] even in the face of his enemy. Nishino,
[03:38:17] however, didn't look very kindly upon
[03:38:19] Satada's type. By her own admission, she
[03:38:23] acknowledged that she had a coarse,
[03:38:24] ill-mannered personality. She wasn't
[03:38:27] fond of speaking in polite expressions,
[03:38:29] and she primarily spoke informally. That
[03:38:32] was why she assumed that she wasn't very
[03:38:34] compatible with people who used such
[03:38:36] formal, almost ceremonious language.
[03:38:39] However, insignificant feelings of like
[03:38:41] or dislike were nowhere to be found
[03:38:43] right now. Rather, she was instead
[03:38:46] feeling incredibly nervous over being
[03:38:48] entrusted with the responsibility of
[03:38:50] acting as vanguard for such a major
[03:38:52] event, and her body went rigid. Even
[03:38:55] someone like Nishino, who wasn't afraid
[03:38:57] to deal with hooligans like Ryuin,
[03:38:59] wasn't accustomed to the atmosphere of
[03:39:01] these serious exams at all. Though her
[03:39:04] role was called Vanguard, she was
[03:39:06] playing a part in the class competition.
[03:39:08] Nishino couldn't help but feel the
[03:39:10] intense pressure. a representative who
[03:39:12] thought that this whole thing had
[03:39:14] nothing to do with her. She was
[03:39:15] handpicked by Ryuan out of the entire
[03:39:18] class without any warning. She bitterly
[03:39:20] regretted her decision to simply accept
[03:39:22] his selection without giving it more
[03:39:24] consideration. It was clear from the way
[03:39:27] that she stood there stock still,
[03:39:29] forgetting even to sit down in the chair
[03:39:31] that she wasn't in her normal state of
[03:39:33] mind. Sinata felt a little bewildered,
[03:39:36] wondering if he should offer her a
[03:39:38] helping hand. Nishi, just as he started
[03:39:41] to call out her name, Sinata suddenly
[03:39:43] cut himself off. He reminded himself
[03:39:45] that such careless kindness on his part
[03:39:48] could come back to haunt him. If his
[03:39:50] adversary was feeling overwhelmed here,
[03:39:52] then his only real option was to make
[03:39:54] use of that. Sinata quietly took deep
[03:39:57] breaths, suppressing his feelings of
[03:39:58] guilt. When Nishino finally sat down in
[03:40:01] her chair, the exam began as though it
[03:40:03] had been waiting on her. The discussion
[03:40:06] will now commence. Along with that
[03:40:08] announcement, audio could be heard
[03:40:10] coming from the monitor. The end ofear
[03:40:12] special exam will now commence. Each
[03:40:14] student's role is displayed on his or
[03:40:17] her tablet. Please check your assigned
[03:40:19] role before starting the first round of
[03:40:21] discussion. On the other side of the
[03:40:23] cold, sterile monitors that were set up
[03:40:26] in the room. The participants had taken
[03:40:28] their seats. Then the discussion began
[03:40:30] with no time to even compose themselves.
[03:40:33] The tense Nishino who hadn't relaxed in
[03:40:36] the slightest and whose vision had
[03:40:37] narrowed continued to stare intently at
[03:40:40] the monitor without even once checking
[03:40:42] on how Sinata was doing. Yuum, so I
[03:40:45] guess everyone's already confirmed their
[03:40:46] roles already, wondered Nishino aloud.
[03:40:50] Nishino couldn't recall what had just
[03:40:52] happened in the room prior to the moment
[03:40:54] when the participants were confirming
[03:40:56] their assigned roles. It felt like the
[03:40:58] discussion had begun before she had even
[03:41:00] realized it, causing her to panic a
[03:41:02] little. However, the video playing out
[03:41:05] in front of her eyes was proceeding in
[03:41:07] real time and couldn't be paused or
[03:41:09] rewound. The hectic, rapid conversation
[03:41:12] from the participants reached Nishino's
[03:41:14] ears, regardless of whether she wanted
[03:41:16] to hear it from the right to the left.
[03:41:19] She couldn't keep track of the
[03:41:20] conversation in her head and couldn't
[03:41:22] even understand the contents of the
[03:41:24] conversation whatsoever. Please nominate
[03:41:26] or pass starting now. You have 1 minute.
[03:41:30] Huh? Wait. Has uh 5 minutes passed
[03:41:33] already? Stammered Nishino. The signal
[03:41:36] for the end of the first round had been
[03:41:37] given without Nishino managing to make
[03:41:40] heads or tails of anything that was
[03:41:42] going on. As a conditioned reflex,
[03:41:44] Nishino hurriedly looked down at her
[03:41:46] tablet in a panic. On the screen were
[03:41:48] the names of the 14 participants
[03:41:50] displayed together neatly. Normally, if
[03:41:53] you didn't understand what was going on,
[03:41:55] one would expect that it had make sense
[03:41:57] to pass that turn. However, Nishino
[03:42:00] continued to look at the names of the
[03:42:01] students, her thoughts a confused mess.
[03:42:04] The nomination time limit ticked away
[03:42:06] without stopping. Then, once her eyes
[03:42:09] focused on Yashida's name, she recalled
[03:42:12] the discussion earlier. She could hardly
[03:42:14] remember anything, but she had the
[03:42:16] feeling that there was something
[03:42:17] suspicious somehow. It was a vague
[03:42:20] memory, but it flashed through her mind
[03:42:22] with unusual clarity. Though she wasn't
[03:42:24] sure whether it was true or not, the way
[03:42:26] Yashida had been acting and the things
[03:42:28] she said seemed to be telling Nishino
[03:42:30] that she was the model student. Though
[03:42:33] Nishino felt like she was in a days and
[03:42:35] about to faint, she managed to use her
[03:42:37] tablet. Somehow, she entered her choice
[03:42:40] on the tablet before the time limit was
[03:42:42] reached. But then because Nishinoan has
[03:42:45] nominated erroneously, she will lose one
[03:42:47] life point. It was a reckless impulsive
[03:42:50] move to suddenly nominate someone as the
[03:42:52] model student. As a result, she lost one
[03:42:55] life point. Sinata watching Nishino
[03:42:58] silently had calmly avoided the option
[03:43:01] of nominating, counter to Nishino's
[03:43:03] example. They weren't the model student,
[03:43:05] huh? I don't get this at all, murmured
[03:43:08] Nishino. Perhaps it was from feeling
[03:43:10] flustered, but Nishino spoke to herself
[03:43:12] loudly, her words even reaching Sinata's
[03:43:15] ears. Because the teacher used their
[03:43:17] power and succeeded in blocking the
[03:43:19] nomination from the model student, only
[03:43:21] one student was removed from the room
[03:43:23] this round. With the number of
[03:43:25] participants reduced to 13, the second
[03:43:28] round of discussion began, but Nishino's
[03:43:30] mental state had remained essentially
[03:43:32] unchanged, and she showed no signs of
[03:43:35] improvement, letting the time pass in
[03:43:37] vain. Nishino, not knowing what to do,
[03:43:40] pulled her eyes away from the monitor
[03:43:42] and tablet for the first time and looked
[03:43:44] over at Sinata. Up until now, she had
[03:43:47] only looked back and forth between the
[03:43:49] monitor and her tablet. Sinata noticed
[03:43:51] Nishino<unk>'s gaze, but pretended not
[03:43:53] to, and while acting as though he were
[03:43:56] about to make a nomination, chose to
[03:43:58] pass once again. Sinata wasn't good at
[03:44:01] acting by any means. But it was
[03:44:02] effective enough on Nishino right now.
[03:44:05] As if to demonstrate proof of this,
[03:44:07] Nishino once again pushed ahead with an
[03:44:09] unsubstantiated nomination. Because
[03:44:12] Nishino San has nominated erroneously,
[03:44:14] she will lose two life points. Nishino
[03:44:17] had once again misidentified the role.
[03:44:20] The sequence of events was exactly the
[03:44:22] same as the first round, which just made
[03:44:24] the wound even deeper. Fukyama, after
[03:44:27] being nominated, was ejected from the
[03:44:29] room. After this round, Nishino had lost
[03:44:32] a total of three life points and was now
[03:44:35] pushed into a position where she could
[03:44:36] be unceremoniously defeated all too
[03:44:39] easily if Sinata correctly nominated any
[03:44:42] specific role, not just the model
[03:44:44] student. Sinata decided that he should
[03:44:46] continue to fight mainly by passing
[03:44:49] based on the consideration of the
[03:44:50] possibility that Nishino would
[03:44:52] self-destruct and defeat herself.
[03:44:55] However, once they entered the third
[03:44:56] round, Nishino had already lost most of
[03:44:59] her courage to nominate anyone. For that
[03:45:02] reason, both representatives decided to
[03:45:04] pass, and Ayama was ejected from the
[03:45:06] room after being nominated by the model
[03:45:09] student. Satada, who had been watching
[03:45:11] the participants discussion intently
[03:45:14] thus far, noticed that Nishino's gaze on
[03:45:16] the monitor screen, was focused only on
[03:45:18] the participants from class A, her rival
[03:45:21] class. She was unable to see the whole
[03:45:23] picture held captive by the absolute
[03:45:26] that was class A versus class C.
[03:45:29] However, Sonata realized that it was
[03:45:31] also important to consider class
[03:45:33] alignments and loyalties separately and
[03:45:36] he deliberately discarded the idea of
[03:45:38] focusing his attention on the students
[03:45:39] from class C. If Nishino was only
[03:45:42] looking at class A, then Satada would
[03:45:44] have an overwhelming advantage since he
[03:45:46] knew those students better. Then came
[03:45:49] the fourth round. There was a major
[03:45:51] development in the discussion when
[03:45:53] Shimizu who came forward and
[03:45:55] self-identified as the graduate declared
[03:45:57] that Kineshida was not the model
[03:45:59] student. However, at that moment,
[03:46:01] Yashimoto came forward and claimed to be
[03:46:03] the real graduate and that Kineshida was
[03:46:06] the model student. At this point, one or
[03:46:09] both of them had to be lying. The time
[03:46:11] had come for the representatives to make
[03:46:13] their nominations once again. Here,
[03:46:16] Sinata chose to pass for a fourth time,
[03:46:18] using almost all of the time available
[03:46:20] to him, just barely squeezing it in
[03:46:23] before the time limit was up. That was
[03:46:25] because while he was tempted to make a
[03:46:27] nomination, he hadn't yet come to a
[03:46:29] solid decision. As for Nishino, who had
[03:46:32] her back against the wall, some valuable
[03:46:35] information had finally come her way.
[03:46:37] She didn't want to let it go to waste.
[03:46:39] If Sinata had discovered what the roles
[03:46:41] were, there was a strong possibility
[03:46:43] that she would lose. Still, she had no
[03:46:46] choice but to push ahead and make a
[03:46:48] nomination, even if it were risky.
[03:46:50] Nishino figured it was fine to declare
[03:46:52] that Shimizu was the graduate since she
[03:46:54] had come forward first and said as much.
[03:46:57] But she chose to keep her evaluation of
[03:46:59] the position to herself just in case.
[03:47:02] And the results showed that because
[03:47:04] Nishinoan has nominated erroneously, she
[03:47:07] will lose two life points. Shimizu, who
[03:47:10] had proclaimed to be the graduate, was
[03:47:12] actually the model student. In believing
[03:47:14] her, Nishino had ended up majorly
[03:47:16] self-destructing. Sinata, on the other
[03:47:19] hand, had succeeded in defeating
[03:47:21] Nishino, the opposing vanguard, without
[03:47:23] losing a single life point. Since
[03:47:26] Nishino's life points have been
[03:47:27] depleted, we ask that she please leave
[03:47:30] the room at this time. What the hell? I
[03:47:32] don't get this at all, snapped Nishino.
[03:47:35] Though she was irritated with herself
[03:47:37] over what happened in this exam, Nishino
[03:47:39] was ordered to leave the room before her
[03:47:41] frustration could set in. Few. I'm glad
[03:47:43] that my opponent was Nishinoan, said
[03:47:46] Sinata. In the end, he had won just by
[03:47:49] passing without ever having to make a
[03:47:51] nomination. At any rate, I think that
[03:47:53] the best way for me to win is to take it
[03:47:56] nice and slow. After watching several
[03:47:58] discussions, he realized that it wasn't
[03:48:00] easy to detect truth and lies over the
[03:48:03] monitor. While Sinata readied his mind
[03:48:06] so that he could deal with the next
[03:48:07] opponent calmly, he waited in the same
[03:48:09] room for the next battle to come. During
[03:48:12] the interval, however, Sonata began to
[03:48:14] find himself assailed by mixed feelings.
[03:48:17] He couldn't wholeheartedly be happy over
[03:48:19] the fact that he had won a complete
[03:48:21] victory over Nishino. It had been 2
[03:48:23] years since he had come to this school,
[03:48:25] but he still honestly couldn't get used
[03:48:27] to the idea of winning. Light and
[03:48:29] shadow. On the other side of it, there
[03:48:31] was always a loser. Sonata had never
[03:48:34] been good at directly confronting that
[03:48:35] reality. No, this won't do. I need to
[03:48:39] put in my best effort for the sake of
[03:48:40] the class, said Sonata. After another
[03:48:43] five minutes or so, the center from
[03:48:45] Rywin's class set foot inside the
[03:48:47] classroom. Sinata, shaking off his
[03:48:50] feelings of gloom, stood up and smiled
[03:48:52] at this new arrival. Katsuragan, "Hello,
[03:48:55] let us both give this our best effort,"
[03:48:58] said Sinata, addressing Katsuragi with
[03:49:00] the same polite manner that he'd used
[03:49:02] with Nishino. "It's been quite a while
[03:49:04] since the two of us have spoken like
[03:49:06] this." Yes, I suppose it has been a long
[03:49:09] time since we last spoke, replied
[03:49:11] Katsuragi. The two of them faced each
[03:49:13] other when they were together in class A
[03:49:16] and learning in the same classroom. They
[03:49:18] weren't particularly close friends, but
[03:49:20] they weren't at odds with each other
[03:49:21] either. They were just ordinary
[03:49:23] classmates, so to speak. When I heard
[03:49:26] the rules for this special examination,
[03:49:28] I thought for sure that you would be a
[03:49:30] representative, said Sinata. Katsuragi
[03:49:33] stopped walking once he heard those
[03:49:35] words and looking at Sinata's facial
[03:49:37] expression he sensed his intentions. "It
[03:49:40] would seem you defeated Nishino with
[03:49:42] ease," said Katsuragi. "I don't know if
[03:49:44] I'd say with ease really," Sinata
[03:49:47] replied. "I didn't do anything in
[03:49:49] particular. It seemed more like she was
[03:49:51] simply overwhelmed by the exam is all. I
[03:49:54] would like to ask you one question
[03:49:55] before the discussion begins, though.
[03:49:58] Why was Nishino San chosen as a
[03:50:00] representative?" I thought that surely
[03:50:02] there are some students a little better
[03:50:04] suited for the role in your class.
[03:50:06] Katsuragan. Oh, Nishino Sanan did try
[03:50:09] very hard of course and I'm sure that
[03:50:11] she has many good points but Sonata
[03:50:14] tried to emphasize the fact that he
[03:50:16] certainly didn't think less of Nishino
[03:50:17] by any means but he still had doubts
[03:50:20] thinking that there were others who were
[03:50:22] more suitable. He had considered the
[03:50:24] possibility that she had been a
[03:50:25] substitute representative. But since
[03:50:27] there wasn't a single student absent
[03:50:29] from Ryuin's class, he dismissed that
[03:50:31] idea. Well, now even if you ask me, I
[03:50:35] cannot answer your question. It was
[03:50:37] Ryuin who chose the representatives,
[03:50:39] said Katsuragi. I see. So I suppose that
[03:50:43] means if I defeat you, Katsuragan, then
[03:50:46] I will be able to hear the answer, said
[03:50:48] Satada. It does indeed, replied
[03:50:50] Katsuragi, walking to his seat and
[03:50:52] slowly sitting down. However, you should
[03:50:55] know that it won't be easy. Just as you
[03:50:58] want to ask Ryuan why he appointed
[03:50:59] Nishino, I have business with Sakahanagi
[03:51:02] above you. It was a clear declaration
[03:51:04] that he intended to defeat Sinata as
[03:51:07] well as Kedu, who was next in line after
[03:51:09] him. Please go easy on me, said Satada
[03:51:12] humbly. From that point on, there was no
[03:51:14] more private talk between the two
[03:51:16] representatives whatsoever, and the room
[03:51:18] was silent as they waited for the signal
[03:51:20] for the discussion to begin. Discussion
[03:51:23] number one, participants. Class 2A,
[03:51:26] Satanaka, Satu, Tsukasaki, Tiga, Sujo,
[03:51:29] Hiroshi, Morish, Takaru, Tanahara, Mao,
[03:51:32] Tsukiji, Shahori, Yamamura, Miki. Class
[03:51:35] to see, Ibukimo, Ina, Akab, Fuyu,
[03:51:38] Suzuhimu, Morfuji, Yajima, Mariko, Yuyu,
[03:51:41] Bashika. Please begin the first round of
[03:51:43] discussion. When the representatives had
[03:51:46] prepared themselves, a voice over the
[03:51:48] monitor broke the silence, announcing
[03:51:50] the start of the discussion. Both
[03:51:52] representatives stared silently at the
[03:51:54] multiple monitors, listening intently to
[03:51:57] the discussion among the 14 participants
[03:52:00] captured from various angles. All of the
[03:52:03] participants were different from those
[03:52:04] who had been there previously, and these
[03:52:07] new participants were discussing for the
[03:52:09] first time. In other words, the
[03:52:11] situation was exactly the same as in the
[03:52:13] first discussion with the proceedings
[03:52:15] going awkwardly with everyone fumbling
[03:52:18] to say something. For that reason
[03:52:20] especially, it wasn't easy to determine
[03:52:22] who was assigned what role. Five intense
[03:52:25] minutes of diversionary tactics, shows
[03:52:28] of force, and sounding each other out.
[03:52:30] There were particularly few clues to be
[03:52:32] gleaned in the first round of
[03:52:33] discussion, but even so, the
[03:52:36] representatives watched intently,
[03:52:38] reluctant to even blink. Sinata had
[03:52:40] focused only on the students from his
[03:52:42] own class in the second half of his
[03:52:44] battle with Nishino earlier, but this
[03:52:46] time he chose to go back to the basics
[03:52:49] and observe the whole group. The long
[03:52:51] yet short discussion period ended, and
[03:52:53] the representatives time had come.
[03:52:55] Please nominate or pass starting now.
[03:52:58] You have 1 minute. their first
[03:53:00] nomination. As long as no explicitly
[03:53:02] blatant information was revealed, Sinata
[03:53:05] had decided to stick with the same
[03:53:07] strategy he had used when he had
[03:53:09] completely shut out Nishino. If he
[03:53:11] rushed to make a nomination carelessly,
[03:53:13] there was a good chance that he would
[03:53:15] self-destruct and lose points. Just like
[03:53:17] Nishino, Sonata remained unscathed with
[03:53:20] five life points. While vanguards had
[03:53:23] less leeway than centers, he still had a
[03:53:25] good number of life points left, which
[03:53:27] was a significant factor.
[03:53:29] Even in the unlikely event that
[03:53:31] Katsuragi were to correctly identify the
[03:53:33] model student, Sinata would still have
[03:53:36] two points left. With that much, he
[03:53:38] would at least have a chance to
[03:53:39] counterattack against his opponent.
[03:53:41] However, even so, he wasn't going to
[03:53:44] hurriedly enter his choice to pass. He
[03:53:46] decided to take his time and think
[03:53:48] things over to give the impression that
[03:53:50] was going to make a nomination. On the
[03:53:53] other hand, although it was his first
[03:53:54] battle, Katsuragi stared intently at
[03:53:57] Satada without making any attempt to
[03:53:59] hide his gaze. You have an advantage
[03:54:02] because you experience the exam first,
[03:54:04] don't you? Asked Katsuragi. I'm not
[03:54:07] sure, but I think there must have been
[03:54:09] some information that could have been
[03:54:11] gleaned from the discussion we just
[03:54:12] observed, said Sinata. With his
[03:54:15] response, Sinata tried to make a show of
[03:54:18] indicating that he had taken a few clues
[03:54:20] into his decision. However, perhaps the
[03:54:22] fact he was unaccustomed to acting was
[03:54:24] his undoing, as Katsuraga's only
[03:54:27] response was to narrow his eyes. He
[03:54:29] seemed to notice Satada's attitude, what
[03:54:32] he was thinking, and what kind of
[03:54:33] strategy he was using. Neither of them
[03:54:36] had entered their choices on their
[03:54:37] tablets, and the clock was ticking. "Are
[03:54:40] you agonizing over the decision of
[03:54:42] whether to nominate someone or not?"
[03:54:44] asked Katsuragi, pointing out that
[03:54:46] Sinata's fingertips weren't moving
[03:54:48] across his tablet screen. I suppose so.
[03:54:51] There are some participants that I have
[03:54:53] thoughts about, and I was wondering if I
[03:54:55] might simply take the plunge and make a
[03:54:57] nomination, said Sonata. Sonata was
[03:55:00] going to use as much time as he possibly
[03:55:02] could and continue to act the part of a
[03:55:05] student considering making a nomination.
[03:55:07] He was hoping that would provoke
[03:55:09] Katsuragi, make him flustered, and get
[03:55:11] him to rush to make a nomination of his
[03:55:13] own. Have you decided what you are going
[03:55:15] to do, Katsuragan? Asked Zenatada. I
[03:55:19] cannot answer that, but I'm sure you
[03:55:21] understand what to do better than I do
[03:55:23] since you fought Nishino before me. I'm
[03:55:26] sure you can nominate without
[03:55:27] hesitation, said Katsuragi. Katsuragi
[03:55:30] urged Sinata to go ahead and make the
[03:55:32] nomination in a special exam where if
[03:55:35] someone got a preemptive hit on their
[03:55:37] opponent, it would make things more
[03:55:38] difficult. Did he still not understand
[03:55:40] the essence of this special exam or did
[03:55:43] he understand it and make that statement
[03:55:45] anyway? Sinata thought about it, but
[03:55:47] once the time limit approached, he
[03:55:49] relaxed his shoulders. No, I think that
[03:55:52] I will refrain. It seems like it would
[03:55:54] be difficult to narrow things down now
[03:55:56] at the very least, said Sonata. Moments
[03:55:59] after Sonata entered pass on his tablet,
[03:56:02] Katsuragi had finished making his choice
[03:56:04] as well. Sinata nodded internally at his
[03:56:07] decision, telling himself that he
[03:56:09] shouldn't panic and just enter his
[03:56:11] choice in the second round or later.
[03:56:13] However, I see in that case I suppose I
[03:56:17] will not hesitate said Katsuragi. Huh?
[03:56:20] said Satada blinking announcing the
[03:56:22] results. Katsuragi Khan identified
[03:56:25] Morishai Khan as a position holder. So
[03:56:27] Satakan loses one life point. Sinata had
[03:56:31] expected Katsuragi to be on the
[03:56:33] defensive but he pressed ahead and made
[03:56:35] a nomination in the first round and
[03:56:37] succeeded. An announcement was made and
[03:56:39] Sinata lost one life point before the
[03:56:41] second round. How did you know? asked
[03:56:44] Sonata. Actually, I should be asking
[03:56:46] you. How did you not, Sonata? Katsuragi
[03:56:49] replied. Morishai is a student in your
[03:56:52] class. Katsuragi as he stared at the
[03:56:55] monitor had focused his attention for
[03:56:57] the first 5 minutes not on the students
[03:56:59] from his class but only on the students
[03:57:01] from Saki Yanagis. Sinata knew very few
[03:57:04] of the students from Ryuin's class, and
[03:57:06] it was difficult to detect a students
[03:57:08] quirks and habits in a span of 5
[03:57:10] minutes. Sonata had broadened his
[03:57:12] perspective as he believed that looking
[03:57:14] at the whole group at first was surely
[03:57:17] the correct move to make. There were
[03:57:18] some students who seemed suspicious
[03:57:20] among the participants but you didn't
[03:57:22] seem to notice remarked Katsuragi.
[03:57:25] Katsuragi was doing the same thing that
[03:57:27] Nishino did but they were wildly
[03:57:30] different in terms of precision. You
[03:57:32] discarded half of your field of vision
[03:57:34] asked Satada. The people that I had
[03:57:37] chosen to participate in the discussion
[03:57:38] group are the students who can act
[03:57:40] reasonably well. I assumed that they
[03:57:43] would not do something that would give
[03:57:44] themselves away so blatantly within the
[03:57:46] first 5 minutes. That does not however
[03:57:49] appear to be the case for you. Did you
[03:57:52] fail to notice the look on Morishid's
[03:57:54] face which indicated that he had been
[03:57:56] given a special role? Replied Katsuragi.
[03:57:59] In truth, Morishai had been restless
[03:58:01] from the moment he entered the room. He
[03:58:03] didn't make eye contact with anyone in
[03:58:05] particular and only raised the corners
[03:58:08] of his mouth from time to time.
[03:58:10] Katsuragi, who had only been focusing on
[03:58:12] the participants from class A, didn't
[03:58:14] fail to notice how Morishai looked as he
[03:58:17] scrutinized the students to determine
[03:58:19] their roles. Of course, there were no
[03:58:21] actual guarantees, and it was impossible
[03:58:23] for Katsuragi to have narrowed it down
[03:58:26] to what role Morish was in exactly.
[03:58:29] However, Katsuragi prioritized the
[03:58:32] importance of reducing his opponent's
[03:58:33] life points in his first move and
[03:58:35] decided to nominate Morishai as a
[03:58:37] position holder. "You certainly did very
[03:58:40] well to pull one over on me, but I will
[03:58:42] not allow it to happen again," said
[03:58:44] Sinata. Sinata, stealing himself once
[03:58:47] more and regaining his composure, stared
[03:58:49] intently at the monitor before the
[03:58:51] second round began. However, his mind
[03:58:54] was in turmoil, and he hadn't yet
[03:58:56] decided where he ought to be looking.
[03:58:58] Should he look only at class A like
[03:59:00] Katsuragi had done? Or should he focus
[03:59:02] on class C precisely because he had so
[03:59:05] little information or should he
[03:59:07] carefully observe the entire group like
[03:59:09] he had before before he could settle on
[03:59:11] a course of action, the 5-minute
[03:59:13] discussion period started once again. I
[03:59:16] can more or less predict what your
[03:59:18] tactics were from the time it took for
[03:59:20] Nishino to lose and from the fact that
[03:59:22] you had completely shut her out. I would
[03:59:24] say that in all likelihood you didn't
[03:59:26] make a single nomination and the matchup
[03:59:29] ended with Nishino self-destructing.
[03:59:31] Correct? Asked Katsuragi. Sonata could
[03:59:35] only respond with a ry bitter smile at
[03:59:37] Katsuragi sharply describing what had
[03:59:39] happened. And although he tried to
[03:59:41] concentrate on the discussion currently
[03:59:43] happening, miscellaneous thoughts had
[03:59:45] inevitably come pouring in. Then 5
[03:59:48] minutes had passed. Please nominate or
[03:59:50] pass starting now. You have 1 minute. I
[03:59:54] will pass, announced Katsuragi. As soon
[03:59:56] as the announcement was made, Katsuragi
[03:59:59] deliberately made a public statement and
[04:00:01] finished using his tablet in an instant.
[04:00:04] Sonata pondered whether he could trust
[04:00:06] Katsuraga's statement. I'm being forced
[04:00:08] into a difficult decision here, he
[04:00:10] remarked. No new information had emerged
[04:00:13] clearly from the discussion, though
[04:00:15] there were some students that Sanata
[04:00:16] found slightly curious. It was hard to
[04:00:19] imagine that Katsuragi had failed to
[04:00:21] notice the same things he had.
[04:00:23] Considering Katsuraga's initial
[04:00:25] determination, Sinata figured there was
[04:00:27] a possibility that he might nominate a
[04:00:29] student as a position holder again. In
[04:00:32] other words, Sinata couldn't dismiss the
[04:00:34] possibility of lying. He stared at the
[04:00:36] tablet. Sinata knew that being the first
[04:00:39] one to lose points was unexpectedly
[04:00:41] damaging mentally. In that case, he
[04:00:44] figured that he should go ahead and
[04:00:45] attack, even if it meant taking on some
[04:00:48] degree of risk. That was his mindset.
[04:00:50] Now, the person who nominated would only
[04:00:53] lose one or two life points. No matter
[04:00:55] the worst case scenario, a nomination
[04:00:57] resulted in. If you're pulling back this
[04:01:00] time, Katsuragan, then I suppose I will
[04:01:03] make a move, said Sinata. With that,
[04:01:06] Sinata decided to go on the offensive
[04:01:08] and nominate someone just as Katsuragi
[04:01:11] had done in the first round. The number
[04:01:12] of participants had been reduced to 12.
[04:01:16] One participant with a position had most
[04:01:18] definitely been removed from the pool,
[04:01:20] but even so, there was a good chance he
[04:01:22] could be successful. Now all that was
[04:01:24] left was to decide whether to go for the
[04:01:26] model student or to play it safe and
[04:01:29] nominate someone as position holder. Or
[04:01:32] perhaps he could attack by aiming for a
[04:01:34] specified role. Sonata wanted to get the
[04:01:37] model student and reduce his opponent's
[04:01:39] life points by three so that he could
[04:01:41] level the playing field. Class 2C
[04:01:44] Morafujir model student confirm. Cenoda
[04:01:47] tapped his choices on his tablet
[04:01:49] followed by the confirmation button.
[04:01:52] After the data was transmitted, there
[04:01:54] was a brief moment of silence before the
[04:01:56] decision was made. And then because
[04:01:58] Senatakan has nominated erroneously, he
[04:02:01] will lose two life points. Uh, guess I
[04:02:04] was wrong, sighed Sonata. The cruel
[04:02:06] results showed that his effort had been
[04:02:08] in vain. Morafuji left the room seeming
[04:02:11] exasperated. The results were
[04:02:13] unfortunate because Sinata had been
[04:02:15] correct in his thinking that Morafuji
[04:02:17] was assigned to a specific role. He now
[04:02:19] had only two life points left. That is
[04:02:22] rather unlike you, Sinata, to go ahead
[04:02:24] with uncertain information, commented
[04:02:27] Katsuragi, speaking as though he and
[04:02:29] Sonata were still classmates. It was
[04:02:32] because I found Morauji Sans behavior to
[04:02:34] be a little suspicious. I suppose said
[04:02:36] Sinata. That might be true. But how much
[04:02:39] do you know about Morafuji? Perhaps you
[04:02:42] don't really know anything about her, do
[04:02:43] you? You ought to think very carefully
[04:02:46] about where the behavior is coming from.
[04:02:48] If Morafuji was the model student, that
[04:02:51] means that she has an ally. One or two
[04:02:53] people would have made a significant
[04:02:55] difference in Morafuji's state of mind.
[04:02:57] If it were me in your position, I would
[04:02:59] have nominated as position holder if I
[04:03:02] attacked, said Katsuragi.
[04:03:04] Sinata, while listening to
[04:03:05] Katsuraga<unk>s comments that bordered
[04:03:07] instructions, somehow managed to
[04:03:10] suppress his disarrayed thoughts. It
[04:03:12] certainly wasn't a minor mistake to be
[04:03:14] sure, but Sinata hadn't run out of
[04:03:16] points yet. A successful nomination in
[04:03:19] the next round would be enough to
[04:03:21] inflict a serious blow on his opponent.
[04:03:23] However, the match continued into the
[04:03:26] third round. Two girls, Inau and
[04:03:28] Tanahara, started arguing back and forth
[04:03:31] with each other, asserting that the
[04:03:33] other was the model student based on
[04:03:35] substantiated comments. They simply
[04:03:37] quarreled back and forth, arguing which
[04:03:40] one of them was suspicious and which one
[04:03:42] wasn't. From there, the discussions
[04:03:44] increasingly veered irrelevant topics.
[04:03:47] Suddenly, the conversation had gotten
[04:03:49] all over the place, but there was no
[04:03:51] rule against getting off topic, and the
[04:03:54] school wasn't going to interrupt the
[04:03:55] discussion unless there was a violation
[04:03:57] of the stipulated rules. Sonata couldn't
[04:04:00] act recklessly here, and he reluctantly
[04:04:02] chose to pass in the third round.
[04:04:05] Katsuragi on the other hand deliberately
[04:04:07] chose to nominate Sukaji rather than the
[04:04:10] two students who had stuck out in the
[04:04:12] discussion but his attempt was a swing
[04:04:14] and a miss and so his life points
[04:04:16] dropped from 7 to six afterward.
[04:04:19] Although it seemed likely that either
[04:04:21] Ana or Tanahara would be nominated by
[04:04:23] the model student and disappear, it
[04:04:26] turned out to be neither of them.
[04:04:27] Rather, it was Satanaka who was ordered
[04:04:29] to leave the room. Round four ended with
[04:04:32] the conversation mostly having been
[04:04:34] between Anow and Tanahara. Then once
[04:04:38] more someone other than those two was
[04:04:40] selected by the model student to leave
[04:04:42] the room. Akab now seven students
[04:04:45] remained. But since little progress had
[04:04:47] been made in the discussion, it was
[04:04:48] unclear what the representatives could
[04:04:50] even do. If a representative nominated a
[04:04:53] participant as a position holder, they
[04:04:55] would know whether that participant had
[04:04:57] a position or not. But if the student
[04:04:59] ejected from the room by the model
[04:05:01] student was an average student or in any
[04:05:04] other position, that information
[04:05:06] wouldn't be disclosed. In other words,
[04:05:08] it was impossible to determine how many
[04:05:11] position holders currently remained in
[04:05:13] the room. Sinata wanted to win here, but
[04:05:16] now the situation was such that a single
[04:05:18] mistake would weigh heavily on him. He
[04:05:21] wanted to see how things looked after
[04:05:22] one more round. He figured that then he
[04:05:25] might be able to narrow it down. Sonata
[04:05:28] was certain of it even more than he was
[04:05:30] in the previous round and he was sure
[04:05:32] that Katsuragi was on the same page. He
[04:05:35] imagined such a convenient development
[04:05:37] without really thinking it through. He
[04:05:39] was overcome by the feeling of wanting
[04:05:41] to pass. Spurred on by this emotion, he
[04:05:44] tapped the pass icon displayed on the
[04:05:46] screen and made his selection. Then the
[04:05:48] final confirmation screen appeared and
[04:05:51] he was presented with two choices. It
[04:05:53] would appear that you have chosen to
[04:05:55] pass. In that case, I believe I will go
[04:05:58] ahead and attack, said Katsuragi. Just
[04:06:00] then, when one more tap on the
[04:06:02] touchcreen would have confirmed his
[04:06:03] selection to pass, Katsuragi's words
[04:06:06] made his fingers stop. A report made
[04:06:08] preemptively out of the mistaken belief
[04:06:11] that Sinata had completed entering his
[04:06:13] choice to pass. Now that Katsuragi was
[04:06:16] making a move, Sinata might not have any
[04:06:18] more turns to attack if Katsuragi gave a
[04:06:20] correct answer. Sinata hurriedly
[04:06:23] canceled the choice he made before,
[04:06:25] backing out of the confirmation screen,
[04:06:27] tapped the name of the student he had
[04:06:29] been thinking of as a possibility and
[04:06:31] then simply entered as position holder
[04:06:34] and confirmed his selection. Because
[04:06:36] Sanatakhan has nominated erroneously, he
[04:06:39] will lose two life points. Now that
[04:06:41] Sanatakhan's life points have been
[04:06:43] depleted, we ask that he please leave
[04:06:45] the room at this time. An announcement
[04:06:47] was made and Sonata suddenly saw the
[04:06:50] discrepancy between Katsuraga's
[04:06:52] statement and the results. The model
[04:06:54] student it backfired again. But
[04:06:56] Katsuragi Khan, what about your
[04:06:58] nomination? Was it right or wrong? asked
[04:07:01] Sinata. You thought you were making a
[04:07:03] wise choice but it would appear that you
[04:07:05] got swept up in the moment. Sinata said
[04:07:07] Katsuragi. What do you mean by that?
[04:07:09] asked Sinata. I mean that I chose to
[04:07:12] pass this time replied Katsuragi. Huh?
[04:07:15] blinked. Sinata. I lied, said Katsuragi.
[04:07:19] I figured that you would rather attack
[04:07:20] than be attacked after all. It would
[04:07:23] appear that you failed to see through
[04:07:24] me. I see. I didn't even notice that
[04:07:26] much. Huh? replied Sinata. Sinata's
[04:07:30] response was totally lifeless. Just
[04:07:32] then, he realized that his heart had
[04:07:34] been pounding the entire time. He didn't
[04:07:36] notice in that first round because
[04:07:38] Nishino was even more nervous than he
[04:07:40] was, but he was quite anxious himself.
[04:07:43] Sinata had been hoping to cut down
[04:07:45] Katsuraga's life bar as much as
[04:07:47] possible, even if that was only a little
[04:07:49] bit and win if there was a chance. But
[04:07:52] Katsuragi had been firm in his resolve
[04:07:54] and precise in his decision-making,
[04:07:57] letting nothing go to waste. And he had
[04:07:59] the courage to throw down the gauntlet
[04:08:01] from the start. Sinata, having felt like
[04:08:03] he was surpassed in every way, could do
[04:08:06] nothing and lost in front of Katsuragi.
[04:08:08] He left the room. After watching Sonata
[04:08:11] exit so that his new opponent could come
[04:08:13] in, Katsuragi took a moment to catch his
[04:08:16] breath. I've lost one life point. No
[04:08:18] problem. I just need to keep pressing
[04:08:20] ahead calmly like I have been and it
[04:08:22] will be fine. Katsuragi, arms crossed,
[04:08:25] suppressed his feeling of wanting to
[04:08:27] rejoice. Before even considering such
[04:08:29] proud, lofty ideas as revenge, he needed
[04:08:32] to defeat the opposing center. After
[04:08:34] all, only after he dragged out
[04:08:37] Sakahanagi, the general, could he let
[04:08:39] his emotions run as high as he liked.
[04:08:42] 6.1 Kou, after quietly and smoothly
[04:08:46] striding into the room, glared sharply
[04:08:48] at Katsuragi and took his seat. The
[04:08:51] battle between centers seemed like it
[04:08:53] was going to get off to a quiet start
[04:08:55] with neither side offering a single word
[04:08:57] to the other. However, the situation
[04:08:59] began to change in an instant.
[04:09:02] Immediately after the first round ended,
[04:09:04] Katsuragi made the choice to pass. But
[04:09:06] Ku didn't hesitate in nominating
[04:09:08] someone. Without any clues, he took a
[04:09:11] gamble in going for one of the two model
[04:09:13] students who were mixed in among the 14
[04:09:15] participants. Because Ku Kun has
[04:09:18] nominated erroneously, he will lose one
[04:09:20] life point. Kiddu lightly clicked his
[04:09:23] tongue at the announcement, but his
[04:09:24] facial expression didn't darken. The
[04:09:27] probability of success was approximately
[04:09:29] 14.3%.
[04:09:31] He had taken a high level of risk to try
[04:09:33] to snatch away some of Katsuraga's life
[04:09:36] points. Kiddu didn't lose his composure
[04:09:38] precisely because he had already
[04:09:40] factored in the possibility that he
[04:09:42] might be mistaken. That is rather like
[04:09:44] you, Kiddu. To be so terribly drastic.
[04:09:47] However, what will you do next time?
[04:09:49] asked Katsuragi. It should be obvious,
[04:09:52] replied Ku. I only have to push forward.
[04:09:55] Kiddu had lost a point in the blink of
[04:09:57] an eye. But true to his word, Kiddu
[04:09:59] confidently forged ahead and nominated
[04:10:02] someone as the model student in the
[04:10:03] second round as well. Because Kiru Khan
[04:10:06] has nominated erroneously, he will lose
[04:10:08] two life points. That attempt had also
[04:10:11] ended fruitlessly. Furthermore, because
[04:10:13] the student had been either a teacher or
[04:10:15] a graduate, Ku lost two points. Even
[04:10:18] Katsuragi gasped slightly at the
[04:10:20] outrageous consecutive blows that Kdu
[04:10:23] suffered. Now you have only four life
[04:10:25] points left. Even so, do you still plan
[04:10:28] to continue nominating recklessly? asked
[04:10:30] Katsuragi. Of course, replied Kiddu. The
[04:10:34] content of this special exam is clearly
[04:10:36] not your strong suit. I'm sure that this
[04:10:38] must displease you. The choices
[04:10:40] available to us are naturally limited,
[04:10:43] but I never imagined you would try
[04:10:45] something like a suicide mission. Did
[04:10:47] you get Sakahanaga's permission to be a
[04:10:49] representative, or did she order you
[04:10:51] perhaps? Asked Katsuragi. Ku
[04:10:54] deliberately chose not to respond since
[04:10:57] his strategy was precisely what
[04:10:58] Katsuragi had just described. Namely,
[04:11:01] that if Ku got even one successful
[04:11:03] nomination, that would be satisfactory
[04:11:06] and Sakahanagi herself had accepted
[04:11:08] this. Since Kiddu had volunteered to be
[04:11:11] a representative, he was expected to
[04:11:13] deliver results no matter how bad he was
[04:11:16] at this sort of thing. While the
[04:11:17] probability of success per nomination
[04:11:19] wasn't remarkably high, even if KDU
[04:11:22] struck out, he would only lose one or
[04:11:24] two points. Therefore, what KDU could do
[04:11:27] right now was make as many attempts as
[04:11:29] he could before his opponent could move
[04:11:31] to nominate. Of course, despite the fact
[04:11:34] that Ku had decided his plan of attack
[04:11:36] from the very beginning, he'd be angry
[04:11:38] if things didn't go as planned. Ku's
[04:11:41] irritation showed in how forcefully he
[04:11:43] stabbed his finger on the tablet on his
[04:11:45] deck. practically attacking it.
[04:11:47] Katsuragi ignored his savage neighbor
[04:11:50] and continued focusing his attention
[04:11:52] solely on the monitor in pursuit of his
[04:11:54] deductions. Kiddu, on the other hand,
[04:11:57] paid little attention to the
[04:11:58] conversations, letting them go in one
[04:12:01] ear and out the other and hardly did any
[04:12:03] soouththing. He looked only at the human
[04:12:05] emotions displayed by the students and
[04:12:08] looked only at the students who reacted
[04:12:10] in ways that seemed appropriate. Once
[04:12:12] again in round three, Ku made an
[04:12:15] erroneous nomination and lost one life
[04:12:17] point. That left him with three life
[04:12:19] points. He continued to lose life points
[04:12:22] by his own self-destruction. Round four
[04:12:25] followed. Once again, Kiru, undaunted,
[04:12:28] only went after nominating the model
[04:12:30] student. For his part, Katsuragi had
[04:12:32] once again considered passing, but then
[04:12:34] decided against it. Kiddu had missed
[04:12:37] three nominations thus far, but as the
[04:12:39] denominator decreased, the probability
[04:12:41] of success gradually increased. This
[04:12:44] time in particular, there was a 25%
[04:12:47] chance that he would guess correctly.
[04:12:49] Katsuragi, having grasped the trend for
[04:12:52] the three students KDU had nominated in
[04:12:54] the past, considered whether any of the
[04:12:56] remaining students who fit that trend
[04:12:58] could be narrowed down as possible
[04:13:00] candidates for the model student. And he
[04:13:03] found one student fit the criteria. Even
[04:13:05] if Kdu pushed ahead and nominated that
[04:13:07] candidate, Katsuragi should be able to
[04:13:10] make it a draw if he nominated that same
[04:13:12] person. And even if Katsuragi missed, he
[04:13:15] could get away with losing one or two
[04:13:17] points. He considered the issue from
[04:13:19] various angles. While normally Katsuragi
[04:13:22] would have preferred to wait and see
[04:13:24] after one more round, he found himself
[04:13:26] too greedy to take hold of victory to
[04:13:28] wait and threw down the gauntlet. And
[04:13:31] the results were announcing the results.
[04:13:34] Katsuragakhan identified Yamowaki Khan
[04:13:36] as a position holder. So, Keduk Khan
[04:13:39] loses three life points. Now that
[04:13:41] Kedukan's life points have been
[04:13:42] depleted, we ask that he please leave
[04:13:45] the room at this time. Kiddu, a center
[04:13:47] with seven life points, was eliminated
[04:13:49] in four rounds without managing to land
[04:13:52] a single major blow. Why, damn it. Why
[04:13:55] is it that you can get it right and I
[04:13:57] can't? Huffed Kiddu. Kiddu slammed his
[04:14:00] desk harder than ever before, bearing
[04:14:02] his anger. This isn't an exam you can
[04:14:05] win without a plan. I know everyone and
[04:14:08] that is precisely why I am able to fight
[04:14:10] wisely, said Katsuragi. Katsuraga's high
[04:14:13] level of accuracy was supported by his
[04:14:15] experiences as a member of both
[04:14:17] Sakihanagi and Rayuan's classes. At one
[04:14:21] time, he had commanded others as a
[04:14:23] leader of class A, closely watching his
[04:14:25] classmates. That was why he was able to
[04:14:28] recognize the participants facial
[04:14:29] expressions, manner of speaking, and
[04:14:32] tone of voice as well as gestures
[04:14:34] throughout the entire process. Leave the
[04:14:37] room, Kiddu, commanded Katsuragi. Kiddu
[04:14:40] answered Katsuraga's blunt order with a
[04:14:42] glare, but he made no effort to move.
[04:14:45] Still seated, he slammed his fist on his
[04:14:47] desk a second time and then a third.
[04:14:50] Kiddukan, please exit the room
[04:14:52] immediately. An announcement was made
[04:14:54] urging Kiddu to leave. But even so,
[04:14:56] Kiddu didn't get up and just continued
[04:14:58] to glare at Katsuragi. There's no point
[04:15:01] in delaying it. The match has been
[04:15:03] decided, said Katsuragi. Those words
[04:15:06] were the trigger. Kiddu, his voice
[04:15:08] clouded with anger, got up from his seat
[04:15:10] and stood in front of Katsuragi. The
[04:15:13] exit is the other way, said Katsuragi.
[04:15:15] Katsuragi. When Kiddu called out
[04:15:18] Katsuraga's name, he reached with long
[04:15:20] arms to grab hold of Katsuraga's collar.
[04:15:23] Katsuragi took in Ku's anger which
[04:15:26] bordered on murderous intent and merely
[04:15:28] stood up and looked directly into Ku's
[04:15:30] eyes. Don't. Acts of violence are
[04:15:33] strictly forbidden, commanded Katsuragi,
[04:15:35] speaking to Kiddu with a calm tone
[04:15:37] devoid of panic. However, Kidu didn't
[04:15:40] relax his arm nor show any signs of
[04:15:42] letting go. I recognize your ability,
[04:15:45] but you simply weren't the right person
[04:15:47] to be a representative in this special
[04:15:49] exam. That is all, said Katsuragi. There
[04:15:52] was a definite reason why Kiddu couldn't
[04:15:55] hold back his irritation, even though he
[04:15:57] could blame his own inexperience for
[04:15:59] losing to Katsuragi. Actually, there was
[04:16:02] no need for him to suppress his anger
[04:16:04] over the correct answer. Let go of him
[04:16:06] immediately and move away. If you
[04:16:08] escalate any further, we will declare
[04:16:10] this to be an act of violence. Kiru
[04:16:12] Khan. Mechanical words from the proctor
[04:16:15] could be heard over the speaker. Kedu
[04:16:17] was furious, but he knew he couldn't
[04:16:19] take this any further, and he released
[04:16:21] Katsuraga's chest, his hands shaking
[04:16:24] with fury as he tried to contain his
[04:16:26] anger. I have lost here today, said
[04:16:28] Kiddu. Kiddu muttered those words
[04:16:30] bitterly before turning his back on
[04:16:32] Katsuragi and throwing open the door. I
[04:16:35] had thought that anger might have been
[04:16:37] for me, but were you looking at Rayuin
[04:16:39] beyond me, Kedu? asked Katsuragi to the
[04:16:41] loser's back, but Kiddu left without a
[04:16:44] word, slamming the door behind himself.
[04:16:47] Katsuragi watched him exit and then took
[04:16:49] a breath once he was alone in the room.
[04:16:51] Katsuragi didn't know exactly what had
[04:16:53] happened between Kiru and Ryuin, but he
[04:16:56] knew that aside from the fact that they
[04:16:58] were in different classes, Ku tended to
[04:17:00] regard Ryuan as an enemy. Katsuragi
[04:17:03] guessed that Kiru must have been aiming
[04:17:05] to defeat him and then bring the hammer
[04:17:07] down on Ryuan himself. Now, there would
[04:17:10] be a 10-minute interval before
[04:17:11] Katsuraga's next opponent would appear.
[04:17:14] I guess she managed to get here, thought
[04:17:16] Katsuragi aloud. The next person to come
[04:17:19] through the door was Saki Yanagiu, who
[04:17:21] was serving as the general for class A.
[04:17:24] When they had first started at this
[04:17:25] school, they were classmates and
[04:17:27] competed with one another over the
[04:17:29] position of leader. Things were not
[04:17:31] going to go the same way that they did
[04:17:33] with Sinata and Kiddu. Katsuragi was
[04:17:36] prepared for that. Now, finally, the
[04:17:38] time that Katsuragi had been anxiously
[04:17:40] awaiting had come. I am astonished that
[04:17:43] you defeated my vanguard and center
[04:17:45] while losing only one life point,
[04:17:48] commented Sakahanagi as she entered the
[04:17:50] room. She showed no signs of even the
[04:17:52] slightest agitation.
[04:17:54] Selecting Kiru as a representative out
[04:17:57] of everyone was a clear mistake,
[04:17:59] remarked Katsuragi. It was his wish, as
[04:18:02] he wanted to deal with Rayu Khan
[04:18:04] directly. Besides, in this special
[04:18:06] examination, there is no problem as long
[04:18:09] as the general is not defeated. I had
[04:18:11] determined that regardless of whatever
[04:18:13] form the special exam took, there would
[04:18:16] be no problem even if I threw away my
[04:18:18] first two pieces. That is all, said
[04:18:20] Sakahanagi. And such self-conceited
[04:18:23] pride on your part may lead to your
[04:18:24] defeat, countered Katsuragi.
[04:18:28] First of all, please allow me to
[04:18:29] compliment you. I am seeing you in a
[04:18:32] slightly more positive light now.
[04:18:34] Katsuragi Khan said Sakahanagi.
[04:18:37] Even though Katsuragi was the only
[04:18:39] student with experience in two different
[04:18:41] classes, Sakahanagi hadn't expected
[04:18:43] Katsuragi would defeat Sanada and Kdu
[04:18:46] quite so quickly and easily. Such
[04:18:48] results were the only reason that she
[04:18:50] was paying him a compliment. In
[04:18:52] response, Katsuragi solemnly put what
[04:18:55] had been brewing in his mind into words.
[04:18:57] I've been working vigorously for this
[04:18:59] day to get my revenge against you and
[04:19:01] strike you down, said Katsuragi.
[04:19:04] Revenge? I see. You are referring to
[04:19:06] Tatsuka Yahikokan, whom I had driven to
[04:19:09] expulsion. Yes. Katsuragi clenched his
[04:19:12] fists tightly as they rested in his lap.
[04:19:14] That was his answer. If I were still the
[04:19:16] old me, it would have likely been
[04:19:18] difficult for me to grasp your feelings,
[04:19:20] Katsuragan.
[04:19:22] But now I understand a little. Perhaps I
[04:19:25] should have used a different method to
[04:19:26] select whom to have expelled, said
[04:19:28] Sakianagi. Come off it. Are you trying
[04:19:31] to tell me that you have changed your
[04:19:32] worldview? Said Katsuragi. You can
[04:19:35] interpret that as you like. It is fine
[04:19:37] that you are angry, but your vengeance
[04:19:39] will not be carried out. Now that I am
[04:19:42] here, things will no longer go your way,
[04:19:44] said Sakahanagi.
[04:19:46] Katsuragi acknowledged Sakayanaga's
[04:19:48] abilities as well begrudgingly given his
[04:19:51] past history of being ousted from the
[04:19:53] position of leader during his time in
[04:19:55] class A. There was no doubt that the
[04:19:57] format for this particular end ofear
[04:19:59] special exam was one that Saki Yanagi
[04:20:02] excelled in. Moreover, Katsuragi was at
[04:20:05] a disadvantage in terms of life points
[04:20:07] with his six to her 10. Even so,
[04:20:10] Katsuragi took his seat with the
[04:20:11] intention of doing whatever might be
[04:20:13] necessary to take down his opponent.
[04:20:15] willing to take a hit if it meant her
[04:20:17] downfall. Now then, the next discussion
[04:20:20] will begin. Both representatives closed
[04:20:23] their mouths once the announcement was
[04:20:24] made, and they straightened their
[04:20:26] posture once more. The battle of
[04:20:28] Katsuragi versus Sakayanagi was
[04:20:30] starting. Chapter 7, Bitter Tears. The
[04:20:34] 10-minute count for the interval had
[04:20:36] begun. On the monitor, the digital timer
[04:20:38] was counting down the seconds. Horikita,
[04:20:41] after defeating Hamaguchi and coming out
[04:20:43] unscathed, sat in her chair and waited
[04:20:46] for Kanzaki, the center, even if Kanzaki
[04:20:49] came in within the 10-minute period. In
[04:20:51] essence, this was a break time until the
[04:20:54] countdown reached zero. In the meantime,
[04:20:57] Horikita was going over the rules for
[04:20:59] the special exam once more in her mind.
[04:21:01] Centers started with seven life points.
[04:21:04] Excluding mistakes made by your
[04:21:06] opponent, up to three points could be
[04:21:08] taken away in a single move. While it
[04:21:11] was exceedingly natural to want to make
[04:21:13] the first move, there was risk involved
[04:21:15] in nominating at an early stage. That
[04:21:18] said, it was also true that if you
[04:21:19] passed consecutively, it meant you'd be
[04:21:22] falling behind. In fact, it was Hiata
[04:21:25] endeavoring to maintain a defensive
[04:21:27] stance that had led to his defeat.
[04:21:29] Horikita thought about what type of
[04:21:31] person Kanzaki Ruy was. It looked like
[04:21:34] he was essentially the same as Hiata and
[04:21:37] Hamaguchi, someone who emphasized
[04:21:39] defense, but but there's a good chance
[04:21:41] that he will launch an offensive to turn
[04:21:43] the tide, mused Horikita, the words
[04:21:46] slipping through her lips
[04:21:47] unintentionally.
[04:21:48] If an opponent were prepared to keep
[04:21:50] nominating regardless of the damage
[04:21:52] they'd incur, it would be difficult to
[04:21:54] avoid losing any points. If that
[04:21:56] happened, then Horikita's battle with
[04:21:58] the general would become even tougher.
[04:22:01] Horriikita put her mind to work trying
[04:22:03] to produce some ideas to defeat Kanzaki
[04:22:06] while coming out unscathed. However, no
[04:22:08] matter how much thought she put into it,
[04:22:10] her options were limited. Ultimately,
[04:22:13] you could say it was up to the eye
[04:22:15] whether one could spot who was cast into
[04:22:17] what role in the discussion to come. Or
[04:22:19] Horikita supposed that if she could
[04:22:21] guide her opponent well and continue to
[04:22:24] cause them to pass. Then, while Horikita
[04:22:27] still hadn't solidified her plans for
[04:22:29] the next battle, the classroom door
[04:22:31] opened and Kanzaki appeared with just
[04:22:33] under 4 minutes remaining on the timer.
[04:22:36] Kanzaki, without a word, took a look
[04:22:38] around the classroom, sat down in an
[04:22:40] empty seat, and then took a breath.
[04:22:42] "Hello, let's<unk> do our best," said
[04:22:44] Horikita, essentially thinking that she
[04:22:47] ought to offer him somewhat of a
[04:22:48] greeting. But Kanaki looked at Horikita
[04:22:51] with a grim expression on his face.
[04:22:53] Whose idea was it to have Ianokoji be
[04:22:55] general? He asked. That's a very sudden
[04:22:58] question, replied Horikita. Was it
[04:23:00] yours, Horikita? Or was it
[04:23:02] Ayanokoji<unk>'s perhaps? Why did Iok
[04:23:05] accept? When was it decided? Asked
[04:23:08] Kanaki. Kanzaki interrogated Horikita
[04:23:11] intensely, sounding like he was going
[04:23:13] beyond the realm of asking questions
[04:23:16] while staring at her so intensely that
[04:23:18] it seemed he was about to take a bite
[04:23:20] out of her. Our class is free to have
[04:23:22] whomever be the general for whatever
[04:23:24] reason chosen at any time. Isn't that
[04:23:26] so? replied Horikita. The ionokoji I
[04:23:30] know isn't the type of person who would
[04:23:32] have voluntarily come forward publicly.
[04:23:34] That's not his personality. Someone must
[04:23:37] have convinced him to do it. Am I right?
[04:23:39] Kanaki pushed. I'm not so sure about
[04:23:42] that. I think he might be changing
[04:23:44] little by little, said Horikita.
[04:23:46] Although Horikita wasn't going to
[04:23:47] mention it, she had wished for Ayanoko
[04:23:50] Gji to appear as the general and she was
[04:23:52] the center for her class because she had
[04:23:54] accepted his proposal. Of course, part
[04:23:57] of that deal was that Ayanokoji didn't
[04:23:59] wish to actually have to appear on the
[04:24:00] front lines even in the later stages of
[04:24:03] the exam. So, Ayanokoji wasn't actually
[04:24:06] extremely far removed from the Ayanokoji
[04:24:09] that Kanzaki knew after all. Are we done
[04:24:12] here? I'd like to focus on the exam,
[04:24:14] said Horikita. I suppose," replied
[04:24:17] Kanzaki. An announcement was made,
[04:24:19] declaring the beginning of the
[04:24:21] discussion, and Horikita lowered her
[04:24:23] eyes to her tablet. She then selected a
[04:24:25] new group from those assembled. The
[04:24:28] further the rounds progressed, the more
[04:24:30] naturally the participants roles would
[04:24:32] be exposed over the course of
[04:24:33] conversation. However, the more
[04:24:35] exceptional the student and the better
[04:24:37] they were at conversing, the better they
[04:24:39] tended to be at hiding their role. On
[04:24:42] the other hand, the opposite was true
[04:24:44] for students who were poor liars or who
[04:24:46] didn't find conversation to be their
[04:24:48] forte. Representatives could either
[04:24:50] choose students who were difficult to
[04:24:51] unmask or they could deliberately choose
[04:24:54] students that were easy to unmask.
[04:24:57] Preferences varied depending on the
[04:24:59] representative. The match was basically
[04:25:01] decided once the representatives chose
[04:25:03] who to assign into their groups of
[04:25:05] seven. Discussion number one
[04:25:07] participants class 2B Iduan Wataru
[04:25:10] Sudoko Ken Mek Akido Ikahashi Rori Ono
[04:25:14] durayano Nishimura Ryuko Matsushita
[04:25:17] Chayaki Class 2D Watanab Norah Yonu
[04:25:20] Harudo Sumida Makoto Aragaki Itsuki
[04:25:23] Igachi Mashiro Himnoyuki Ninya Yui
[04:25:27] Horikita had chosen a group of seven who
[04:25:29] were well suited for debate and who
[04:25:31] could fight with a group made up of
[04:25:33] students who were calm, students who
[04:25:34] were gutsy and students who had a poker
[04:25:37] face. On the monitor, she could see the
[04:25:39] 14 students take their seats around the
[04:25:41] round table as they were instructed. The
[04:25:44] participants respective tablets placed
[04:25:46] at their seats now displayed what their
[04:25:49] assigned roles were. Both
[04:25:50] representatives would check everywhere
[04:25:52] and everything over the monitors,
[04:25:54] pouring over the available information
[04:25:56] to see if there were any students
[04:25:58] behaving suspiciously or if any of the
[04:26:01] participants made eye contact with a
[04:26:03] particular student. However, not a
[04:26:05] single student acted in such an obvious
[04:26:07] way. All of them acted appropriately and
[04:26:10] reliably, looking around with a straight
[04:26:12] face. Horikita suddenly felt a surge of
[04:26:15] unexpected happiness when she saw Sudo
[04:26:18] on the other side of the screen, keeping
[04:26:20] his expression calm. In the past, he
[04:26:22] would have been a completely
[04:26:23] inappropriate choice of candidate for a
[04:26:25] group like this. Sudo had grown quite a
[04:26:28] lot over the past 2 years, and for a
[04:26:30] moment, Horikita was enveloped in a
[04:26:33] warm, almost parental feeling. She
[04:26:35] continued to watch over Sudo with stern
[04:26:37] affection, though she also kept her eyes
[04:26:40] on the entire discussion group as the
[04:26:42] 5-minute period counted down. Perhaps
[04:26:45] because many of the students in the
[04:26:46] discussion were on the safe side. Few of
[04:26:49] them let anything slip. Even though it
[04:26:51] was their first round of debate, and so
[04:26:53] Horriikita and Kanzaki both chose to
[04:26:56] pass. Little progress was seen in that
[04:26:58] round or the next, which resulted in
[04:27:00] only two students being ejected from the
[04:27:02] room by the model student. However, the
[04:27:05] representatives couldn't just sit back
[04:27:07] and watch forever. Then came round
[04:27:09] three. Mi who came forward and announced
[04:27:12] that he was a graduate said that Watenee
[04:27:15] was a model student. Inevitably that
[04:27:18] resulted in a debate with Watenee who
[04:27:20] denied the assertion and it was now time
[04:27:22] for the third nomination. A pass here
[04:27:25] was highly likely to entail a great
[04:27:27] degree of risk. But at the same time it
[04:27:29] was also an opportunity. The first point
[04:27:32] to consider was whether or not to trust
[04:27:34] Mi, the self-proclaimed graduate.
[04:27:37] Kanzaki determined that Mi was the
[04:27:39] graduate and nominated Watenee as a
[04:27:41] model student. Horikita on the other
[04:27:44] hand concluded that Mi was a model
[04:27:46] student and that Watenee was something
[04:27:49] else and so nominated Mi as a model
[04:27:51] student. The two representatives both
[04:27:54] foregoing a pass in order to act on
[04:27:56] their opposing conclusions. Announcing
[04:27:59] the results, Horikita identified Mi Kun
[04:28:02] as the model student. So, Kanzaki Khan
[04:28:04] loses three life points. In addition,
[04:28:07] because Kanaki Khan has nominated
[04:28:09] erroneously, he will lose one life point
[04:28:12] with only a slight difference in
[04:28:14] judgment, a sudden change was brought
[04:28:16] about, resulting in the life point
[04:28:18] totals going from 7 to 7 to 73. The
[04:28:22] results showed that Mi was a model
[04:28:24] student and that Watenee was not. Now,
[04:28:27] there was only one model student left.
[04:28:29] The participants realized something from
[04:28:31] this development. Unlike in other
[04:28:34] similar games, this discussion wasn't
[04:28:36] limited to cases of someone coming
[04:28:38] forward and announcing their role and
[04:28:40] the situation might not unfold as
[04:28:42] expected. The only risk for a position
[04:28:45] holder in coming forward themselves was
[04:28:47] the risk of being nominated. Also, as it
[04:28:50] was extremely difficult for the model
[04:28:52] student to win, another strategy could
[04:28:55] emerge if someone holding a position
[04:28:57] could be nominated by the representative
[04:28:59] or even themselves so that they could
[04:29:01] access information for their own
[04:29:03] convenience. Mi seemed to have indicated
[04:29:05] a plan for going for that reward this
[04:29:07] time. However, the main focus was the
[04:29:10] special exam and only the special exam.
[04:29:13] The real goal was to have the
[04:29:15] representative win rather than have the
[04:29:17] participants get private points from
[04:29:19] their victories. And by having those who
[04:29:21] hold a position come forward and
[04:29:22] announce themselves, it stimulated
[04:29:25] discussion and prevented stalling out.
[04:29:27] This series of nominations had a
[04:29:29] tremendous impact on the next round,
[04:29:32] largely because Mi's exit clearly caused
[04:29:34] Nineia to be severely and visibly
[04:29:36] shaken. She was so obviously upset that
[04:29:40] anyone would be convinced that she
[04:29:41] wasn't acting. She was another model
[04:29:43] student and Horikita and Kanzaki
[04:29:46] nominated her as such without
[04:29:48] hesitation. As everyone expected, it was
[04:29:51] established that Ninamia was a model
[04:29:53] student. This discussion was a quick
[04:29:55] turnaround that ended with a win for the
[04:29:57] average students. "May I speak with you
[04:30:00] for a moment?" asked Kanaki. Kanzaki who
[04:30:03] had lost four points in the first
[04:30:05] discussion called out to Horikita as
[04:30:07] they were moving on to the next
[04:30:08] discussion. "What is it?" asked
[04:30:11] Horikita. Horikita, taking a quick
[04:30:14] glance at the 10-minute interval
[04:30:15] countdown displayed on the monitor,
[04:30:17] braced herself for the possibility that
[04:30:19] Kanzaki was intending to try to shake
[04:30:21] her up mentally. With a mysterious, meek
[04:30:24] look on his face, Kanzaki pushed his
[04:30:26] chair back and stood up. Then he walked
[04:30:29] over to stand in front of Horikita. I
[04:30:31] have a favor to ask of you. I understand
[04:30:33] that it is bizarre to request something
[04:30:35] like this, but my class is in a
[04:30:38] situation where we cannot care about
[04:30:39] appearances anymore. Please, I'm begging
[04:30:42] you. Will you please hand over victory
[04:30:44] in this end ofear special exam to us?
[04:30:47] Class D asked Kanzaki. Horriikita had
[04:30:50] intended to deal with whatever came out
[04:30:52] of Kanzaki's mouth calmly. However, what
[04:30:55] he had said was just far too unexpected.
[04:30:57] It was a request she hadn't even
[04:30:59] remotely considered. Are you being
[04:31:01] serious? I'm sorry, but I find what you
[04:31:04] just said to be unbelievable, said
[04:31:06] Horikita, asking someone to lose on
[04:31:09] purpose for you in a serious
[04:31:10] head-to-head confrontation in an
[04:31:13] important special exam that would
[04:31:14] determine the class rankings. The idea
[04:31:16] was easy to understand, but it was a
[04:31:19] request that would take time to process.
[04:31:21] Was it perhaps an intentional statement,
[04:31:24] then made upon the understanding that it
[04:31:26] couldn't possibly be accepted?
[04:31:28] Suspecting as much, a stern expression
[04:31:30] appeared on Horikita's face. Yes, I'm
[04:31:33] sure it's true that what I said sounds
[04:31:35] like an erratic statement. But I am
[04:31:37] serious. We in class D are at the end of
[04:31:39] our ropes. If we lose in this endofear
[04:31:42] special exam, the gap between us and the
[04:31:44] top class will be definitive. You could
[04:31:47] very well say that if we lose, we<unk>ll
[04:31:49] have passed the point of no return, said
[04:31:51] Kanzaki. If Sakahanaga's class one and
[04:31:54] Ichino's class lost, the gap between
[04:31:57] those classes would become so hopeless
[04:31:59] that Kanaki didn't even want to think
[04:32:01] about it. It would be so wide that even
[04:32:04] if Ichino's class earned dramatic
[04:32:06] victories in one or two special exams,
[04:32:09] they wouldn't make up the difference.
[04:32:10] Regarding this special exam, one aspect
[04:32:13] I am thankful for is that the losing
[04:32:15] class will not be docked class points,
[04:32:18] which means that your class would still
[04:32:20] have a chance next year. Horriikita.
[04:32:22] Even if Sakahanagi were to win by a
[04:32:24] reasonable lead, a year would be plenty
[04:32:26] of time for you to make up the
[04:32:28] difference, added Kanzaki. Kanzaki, who
[04:32:31] could no longer care about appearances,
[04:32:34] and taking advantage of this highly
[04:32:36] secretive situation they were both in,
[04:32:38] made a request that was devoid of all
[04:32:40] pride. Kanzaki bowed his head deeply
[04:32:42] before Horikita to prove his sincerity.
[04:32:45] This isn't something to which I can just
[04:32:47] say, "Yes, okay, I understand. I'll hand
[04:32:50] it over to you just because you bow to
[04:32:52] me. For the sake of argument, if this
[04:32:55] were a person-toperson exchange, then
[04:32:57] sure, there is a possibility that we
[04:32:59] could work something out. But this is a
[04:33:02] class versus class battle. Just as you
[04:33:04] are fighting for your class, I am
[04:33:06] fighting for mine, said Horikita. Yes, I
[04:33:09] understand, of course, said Kanzaki. If
[04:33:12] you understood, then you wouldn't have
[04:33:13] started by asking for a favor that
[04:33:15] couldn't be granted in the first place,
[04:33:17] snapped Horikita. I understand, but I
[04:33:20] don't have any other choice, replied
[04:33:22] Kanzaki. Of course, I don't intend to
[04:33:25] ask you to hand over your victory for
[04:33:26] nothing. I will most definitely do what
[04:33:28] I can to make up for it. I could
[04:33:30] constantly provide support and backing
[04:33:32] for your class in our third-year
[04:33:34] battles. Horriikita, I'm sure that
[04:33:36] normally you might not trust someone on
[04:33:38] that, but if it's coming from Ichino of
[04:33:41] all people, then I'm sure you can trust
[04:33:43] us. Kanzaki brought up the name of his
[04:33:45] own class leader, offering it up as
[04:33:47] though it were a guarantee. Yes, it's
[04:33:50] true that Ichino Sanan may not be the
[04:33:52] type of person who would betray us very
[04:33:54] easily. But that kind of statement would
[04:33:57] only be effective if she herself put
[04:33:59] that into words and made an appeal to me
[04:34:01] personally. Not if you're using her
[04:34:04] credibility to negotiate your way to
[04:34:05] victory. No. Besides, do you even have
[04:34:08] her permission in the first place? asked
[04:34:10] Horriikita. That's if you lose here.
[04:34:13] Kanzaki Khan, then that means that
[04:34:15] Ichino San will inevitably come forward.
[04:34:18] If this conversation were to happen at
[04:34:20] that time, then it would be much more
[04:34:22] viable. But the fact that it's not
[04:34:24] happening that way suggests that this
[04:34:26] conversation is all an arbitrary move on
[04:34:28] your part, right? Can Zaki Khan? She
[04:34:31] asked. Kanzaki merely cleared his throat
[04:34:34] in response to such an obvious point.
[04:34:37] You're not even the leader of your
[04:34:38] class. And making some arbitrary
[04:34:40] guarantee of your own accord that you'll
[04:34:42] fully back us up next year. That's
[04:34:44] absurd. Even if it wasn't, there is
[04:34:47] absolutely no conceivable way I would
[04:34:49] trust you on that, added Horikita.
[04:34:52] Ichino is not the type of person who
[04:34:54] could ask someone to hand over a win
[04:34:56] regardless of what she really feels deep
[04:34:58] down. But I'm certain that she feels the
[04:35:01] same way that I do. She just can't say
[04:35:03] it. With ionoji waiting ahead for us in
[04:35:06] this situation, we don't even have a one
[04:35:08] ina- million chance of winning, replied
[04:35:10] Kanaki. If Kanaki were to pursue the
[04:35:13] win, then he would need to not only beat
[04:35:15] Horikita by any means necessary, but
[04:35:18] also reduce Ayanokoji<unk>s life points
[04:35:20] as much as possible. However, at
[04:35:23] present, he hadn't even been able to
[04:35:24] wound Horikita, which put him in a
[04:35:26] predicament. "You certainly hold
[04:35:28] Ayanokoji Khan in very high esteem,"
[04:35:30] said Horikita. Yes, Ayionokoji is quite
[04:35:34] formidable, which is why the outcome is
[04:35:36] already as good as settled, said
[04:35:38] Kanzaki. I don't like it, snapped
[04:35:41] Horikita. You don't like it? What? I'm
[04:35:43] just telling you the truth. I'm not
[04:35:45] saying it's not the truth, but I don't
[04:35:47] like it. Seeing Kaki so quickly
[04:35:50] accepting defeat made Horikita
[04:35:52] disappointed and angry. Yes, it was
[04:35:55] certainly true that she had a powerful
[04:35:57] ally behind her. And usually she'd be
[04:35:59] grateful for the fact that her opponents
[04:36:01] were in terrified awe of him. Even so,
[04:36:03] Horikita tried putting herself in
[04:36:05] Ichino's position, thinking from the
[04:36:08] position of a classmate. You are
[04:36:10] undervaluing Ichino San, your class
[04:36:12] leader. The moment that the details of
[04:36:14] the special exam were announced, I
[04:36:17] thought that she would be a more
[04:36:18] formidable enemy than anyone else. Her
[04:36:21] friendships and powers of perception
[04:36:23] cannot be underestimated. She might be a
[04:36:25] more troublesome opponent than even
[04:36:27] Sakahanagasan or Ryu Khan said Horikita.
[04:36:31] Kanaki despite having settled into the
[04:36:34] position of adviser for his class
[04:36:36] trusted Ichino less than anyone else.
[04:36:38] Ichinoi though surely trusted Kanaki and
[04:36:42] had entrusted him with the position of
[04:36:44] center. That was why Horikita didn't
[04:36:46] like his attitude. If you ask me, I'd
[04:36:49] say that things are still equal in this
[04:36:51] situation, added Horikita. Equal, equal,
[04:36:54] huh? I wonder about that, replied
[04:36:56] Kanaki. It seemed that Kanaki wasn't
[04:36:59] going to change his mindset one bit
[04:37:01] despite what Horikita said. Let's<unk>
[04:37:03] end this now. Continuing this
[04:37:05] conversation any longer would make me
[04:37:07] uncomfortable, said Horikita. She shot
[04:37:10] him a look, her gaze saying. Hurry back
[04:37:12] to your seat. However, Kanzaki stayed
[04:37:15] still. I can't. If we lose, this really
[04:37:17] will be the end for us, pleaded Kanzaki.
[04:37:20] So, you're going to continue with your
[04:37:22] meaningless whining? Horria responded,
[04:37:24] keeping her voice even. However, deep
[04:37:27] down she felt a slight ripple on the
[04:37:29] surface of her heart. I don't care what
[04:37:31] you think of me, but I can't let my
[04:37:33] dream of making it to class A end here,
[04:37:35] said Kanzaki. Even though students from
[04:37:37] other classes would be appalled or
[04:37:39] infuriated by his begging, Kanzaki
[04:37:42] persisted. He was fully aware of the
[04:37:44] fact that this was an absurd request.
[04:37:46] But Kanzaki was so burdened by the
[04:37:49] situation in his class that he couldn't
[04:37:51] back down, even if it meant he had to
[04:37:53] suffer shame upon shame. You have
[04:37:55] certainly conveyed your determination at
[04:37:57] least. Normally, you wouldn't want to
[04:37:59] bow down like this and earnestly ask for
[04:38:02] help, I suppose, but I have no intention
[04:38:04] of negotiating, said Horikita. Even
[04:38:07] Horikita could guess just how much
[04:38:09] courage it would take for him to do
[04:38:11] something like this. It was a
[04:38:12] heartbreaking plea. While anger was
[04:38:15] Horikita's first reaction, she couldn't
[04:38:17] help but feel a small measure of pity
[04:38:19] for him. However, it didn't mean that
[04:38:21] she would hesitate, compromise, or be
[04:38:24] lenient for his sake. No, it was more
[04:38:26] accurate to say that she could not. This
[04:38:28] is unpleasant. I don't like having to
[04:38:30] refuse a request, no matter what it is,
[04:38:33] said Horikita. I understand that this
[04:38:35] offends you, said Kanzaki. Kanzaki kept
[04:38:38] his head down, staying bowed, not
[04:38:41] budging an inch. He was trying to bring
[04:38:43] about reform and he had just begun the
[04:38:45] act of gathering the students who
[04:38:47] weren't merely adoring fans of Ichino.
[04:38:49] Even so, it would take time for his
[04:38:51] plans to blossom. If he suffered a major
[04:38:54] defeat before those plans could take
[04:38:56] root, then such reform would no longer
[04:38:58] even have any meaning. Kanaki thought
[04:39:00] that as long as Ayanokoji didn't make
[04:39:02] any moves in the end ofear special exam,
[04:39:05] then he could still do something.
[04:39:07] However, Ayanokoji was going to be
[04:39:09] participating as the general today.
[04:39:12] Please, Kanzaki's voice was strained as
[04:39:15] he rung the word out of his throat. No
[04:39:17] matter how many times Kanzaki begged,
[04:39:20] there was no feasible way that any of
[04:39:22] his appeals or proposals would sway
[04:39:24] Horikita. He should have known that from
[04:39:26] the very beginning. Now, even though
[04:39:28] Kanaki knew he had no other choice but
[04:39:30] to ask, so he kept making his request. I
[04:39:34] will not hold anything back. I recognize
[04:39:36] your abilities, Kanzaki Khan, as well as
[04:39:38] Ichino Sans. But right now, my role is
[04:39:42] to fight with all my might, no matter
[04:39:44] who my opponent is, replied Horikita. No
[04:39:47] one liked the idea of bowing down before
[04:39:49] someone else. Nevertheless, Horikita
[04:39:52] showed the utmost consideration for
[04:39:53] Kanzaki, who was bowing down for the
[04:39:55] sake of his class. That is, she would
[04:39:58] fight with all of her might and earn the
[04:40:00] results to show for it. I see, replied
[04:40:03] Kanzaki. There was very little time left
[04:40:05] in the interval when Kanzaki returned to
[04:40:07] his chair, his head still hanging low.
[04:40:10] Soon afterward, the monitors came on and
[04:40:13] a new discussion was about to begin.
[04:40:15] Horikita looked away from Kanaki and
[04:40:18] turned her attention back to the screen.
[04:40:20] She couldn't keep her attention focused
[04:40:22] solely on Kanzaki any longer. What she
[04:40:25] needed to do now was discern what roles
[04:40:27] the participants had based on the
[04:40:29] conversations that were about to unfold
[04:40:31] on the other end of the monitor. A new
[04:40:33] discussion was beginning. Kanzaki's face
[04:40:36] was turned toward the monitor, but while
[04:40:38] his eyes were pointed at the screen, he
[04:40:40] was only looking and not properly
[04:40:42] watching. At the end of the round,
[04:40:44] Horikita chose to pass. Kanzaki with
[04:40:47] slow, unhurried motions, also chose to
[04:40:50] pass. Even though the discussion had
[04:40:52] begun again, Kanaki wasn't engaging with
[04:40:55] it seriously after all. It seemed like
[04:40:58] he was simply waiting to lose. "Have you
[04:41:00] given up?" asked Horikita, her voice
[04:41:02] cutting through the monitor's audio. No
[04:41:05] matter what I accomplish here, I've
[04:41:07] already seen what the outcome will be,
[04:41:09] said Kanaki, which meant that from the
[04:41:11] outset, Kzaki had abandoned the idea of
[04:41:14] fighting seriously. He realized that
[04:41:16] even if hypothetically he did defeat
[04:41:19] Horikita as the opposing center, he
[04:41:21] would have merely replaced Horikita with
[04:41:23] Ionokoji as the person with whom he
[04:41:26] would have to negotiate. Horikita,
[04:41:28] having lost her patience with this
[04:41:30] cowardly behavior, rose from her seat
[04:41:32] during the ongoing discussion and went
[04:41:35] over to stand in front of him. You were
[04:41:37] chosen to be a representative of your
[04:41:39] class, weren't you? Then you ought to
[04:41:41] face this special exam with some
[04:41:43] backbone with the determination to
[04:41:45] defeat me and Ayonokojikun yourself.
[04:41:48] That is the basic courtesy you should be
[04:41:50] giving to your classmates, snapped
[04:41:52] Horikita. You're the one acting
[04:41:54] strangely here. Don't bother throwing me
[04:41:56] a rope or anything of the sort. You can
[04:41:58] just leave me alone, said Kanzaki. I
[04:42:01] suppose so. You're right, said Horikita.
[04:42:04] The match was decided from the start.
[04:42:06] The discussion and nomination rounds
[04:42:08] proceeded dispassionately without any
[04:42:11] sense of tension. Kanzaki, having
[04:42:13] already given up, continued to pass, not
[04:42:16] making any nominations. Horriikita
[04:42:18] persuaded herself not to feel sorry for
[04:42:20] him and wearily decided to make a second
[04:42:23] nomination. Horikitaan identified Mkhan
[04:42:26] as the model student. So Kanzaki Khan
[04:42:29] loses three life points. Now that
[04:42:31] Kanzaki Khan's life points have been
[04:42:33] depleted. We ask that he please leave
[04:42:35] the room at this time. Even after the
[04:42:38] announcement of the results, Kanzaki
[04:42:40] remained still. It looked as though he
[04:42:42] didn't even hear the announcement.
[04:42:44] Kanzaki Kun Horikita called his name.
[04:42:47] After a slight pause, Kanaki's eyes
[04:42:50] suddenly focused and he looked at
[04:42:51] Horikita. Ah, I see. I've lost now, I
[04:42:55] suppose, Kanzaki muttered as though he
[04:42:57] were speaking about someone else and
[04:42:59] then pushed back his chair and stood up.
[04:43:01] Horriikita wondered whether she should
[04:43:03] try to talk to Kanaki some more as he
[04:43:05] walked away, but she decided against it.
[04:43:07] A winner and a loser. At the very least,
[04:43:10] now that their match had been decided,
[04:43:13] any words spoken by Horikita here and
[04:43:15] now likely wouldn't have any positive
[04:43:17] effect on Kanzaki. Up until this point,
[04:43:20] Horikita had been focused solely on the
[04:43:22] thought of winning along with her class.
[04:43:24] But for every winner, there was a loser.
[04:43:27] Alone in the representatives room,
[04:43:29] Horikita stared at the unoccupied
[04:43:31] participants room displayed on the
[04:43:33] monitor. I am going to move up to class
[04:43:35] A. I will fight for that goal. But for
[04:43:38] Horikita, the idea of graduating from
[04:43:40] class A held great significance. Not for
[04:43:43] the sake of her future, but rather for
[04:43:45] the sake of recognition from her older
[04:43:47] brother. She wanted to be praised for
[04:43:49] leading the way from class D to class A
[04:43:52] that was her biggest driving force. But
[04:43:54] what about Kanzaki? Was it so that he
[04:43:57] could have the options of a better
[04:43:59] university or workplace? Or was it
[04:44:01] because he wanted to give those benefits
[04:44:03] to his fellow classmates? Horikita, who
[04:44:06] had little connection to Kanzaki,
[04:44:08] couldn't understand the true meaning of
[04:44:10] the loser's desires for wanting to reach
[04:44:12] class A. However, one thing she was
[04:44:14] certain of was that he too had a strong
[04:44:16] purpose the same as her. This thought
[04:44:19] remained on her mind until her next
[04:44:21] opponent, Ichino, appeared. 7.1.
[04:44:24] Meanwhile, Katsui and Sakahanagi were
[04:44:28] facing off. The discussion had proceeded
[04:44:30] slowly and leisurely, and the first
[04:44:32] round ended without incident. Katsuragi
[04:44:35] had watched both classes very
[04:44:37] attentively, but was unable to sus out
[04:44:39] any decisive information. It seems as
[04:44:42] though everyone is giving rather
[04:44:44] true-to-life performances as they engage
[04:44:46] in the discussion. It's rather difficult
[04:44:48] for either of us to narrow down the
[04:44:50] roles based on the current situation,
[04:44:52] wouldn't you say? Said Sakahanagi.
[04:44:55] Perhaps, replied Katsuragi. Sakianaga's
[04:44:59] statement, which made it sound like she
[04:45:00] had given up on getting anything from
[04:45:02] this round herself, would typically have
[04:45:04] come as a relief. Normally, one might
[04:45:07] think, "Thank goodness she hasn't gotten
[04:45:09] anything yet either." However,
[04:45:11] Katsuraga<unk>s opponent was none other
[04:45:13] than Sakahanagi. It wouldn't be easy for
[04:45:16] him to discern truth and lies. As
[04:45:18] Katsuragi held that thought, he
[04:45:20] dismissed his feelings of relief. "If
[04:45:22] you're thinking of trying to act all
[04:45:24] innocent with me, I suggest you stop,"
[04:45:26] said Katsuragi. "I see. So, you have it
[04:45:29] in your head that I have already
[04:45:30] ascertained what the roles are," said
[04:45:33] Sakahanagi.
[04:45:34] You and I may be in different positions,
[04:45:36] but if you're not careful, you may find
[04:45:38] the rug pulled out from under you,
[04:45:40] warned Katsuragi. If that is what you
[04:45:43] think, then surely it is unnecessary for
[04:45:45] you to offer me advice. No, replied
[04:45:48] Sakahanagi.
[04:45:50] Katsuragi was trying to probe Sakahanagi
[04:45:52] and draw out clues about what she was
[04:45:54] going to do, but that wasn't going to be
[04:45:56] an easy task. He decided to take a step
[04:45:59] back, judging that it would be dangerous
[04:46:01] to carelessly set foot in his opponent's
[04:46:03] ring. Katsuragi still had plenty of life
[04:46:06] points left, and it wasn't too late for
[04:46:08] him to see what approach Sakahanagi
[04:46:10] would take. Unfortunately, there were
[04:46:12] too few clues to be gained in the
[04:46:14] current round. I will allow you to make
[04:46:16] the first move, said Katsuragi, taking a
[04:46:19] conservative approach and pulling back.
[04:46:21] That is rather like you, isn't it? If
[04:46:23] you judge something to be difficult, you
[04:46:25] carry on with an emphasis on safety. You
[04:46:28] wish to defeat me by your own hand, but
[04:46:31] with the advantage of your experience in
[04:46:33] having fought two opponents already. So,
[04:46:35] you are trying to shift your focus to
[04:46:37] shaving down my points in a sound and
[04:46:39] measured fashion rather than trying to
[04:46:41] aim for a bombastic victory prepared to
[04:46:43] risk self-destruction, said Sakahanagi.
[04:46:47] That is standard practice for me.
[04:46:49] Eagerness can lead to carelessness,
[04:46:51] replied Katsuragi. That is truly
[04:46:54] splendid. So you are saying that you
[04:46:56] feel no sense of eagerness in going
[04:46:58] against me whatsoever? Said Sakahanagi.
[04:47:01] Katsuragi felt a twinge of annoyance at
[04:47:03] Sakayanaga's emphasis on the word
[04:47:05] whatsoever. It was impossible for him to
[04:47:08] not be eager at all, of course, but his
[04:47:11] instincts were telling him that he
[04:47:12] couldn't admit to being even a little
[04:47:14] eager here. None whatsoever. While it is
[04:47:17] true that I am here to defeat you, that
[04:47:19] does not mean I intend to fight with my
[04:47:21] personal feelings at the forefront as
[04:47:23] Kiru did. This is a team fight, said
[04:47:26] Katsuragi, asserting that he was not
[04:47:29] eager at all, as though that was the way
[04:47:31] things ought to be.
[04:47:33] Sakianagi, chuckling as though she found
[04:47:36] something comical about this, slowly
[04:47:38] raised her thin arm and pointed at the
[04:47:40] base of Katsuraga's throat. What? asked
[04:47:42] Katsuragi.none whatsoever. You must be
[04:47:45] joking. In truth, your emotions are
[04:47:48] running unabashedly high, and you want
[04:47:50] to think of nothing else but beating me.
[04:47:52] You do not care one wit about your
[04:47:54] classmates or anything like that. You
[04:47:56] just want to fight as you please and
[04:47:58] bring me down directly by your own hand.
[04:48:00] Is that not what you're thinking? asked
[04:48:02] Sakahanagi. I'm not going to fall for
[04:48:05] your tricks, Sakahanagi. I'm sorry, but
[04:48:08] your judgment of me is incorrect, said
[04:48:10] Katsuragi. Oh, is that so? In that case,
[04:48:13] why don't you straighten that sloppily
[04:48:15] tied necktie of yours? asked Sakahanagi.
[04:48:18] My necktie? asked Katsuragi. Katsuragi
[04:48:21] lowered his gaze and pulled back his
[04:48:23] chin to look at his tie around the base
[04:48:25] of his neck. When he did, he realized
[04:48:28] that his tie, which should have been
[04:48:30] fastened tightly, had loosened a great
[04:48:32] deal. When did that happen? He wondered
[04:48:34] as he took a breath and casually
[04:48:36] tightened his tie around his neck. If
[04:48:38] you had been your usual calm and
[04:48:40] collected self, you should have noticed
[04:48:42] your messy necktie straight away, caught
[04:48:44] Suragakhan. However, before your sworn
[04:48:47] enemy had arrived in the room, your gaze
[04:48:49] and attention had been focused on the
[04:48:51] doorway for the entire time. You must
[04:48:54] have spent the entire not so short
[04:48:55] interval period of 10 minutes just
[04:48:57] staring, "Didn't you?" said Sakahanagi.
[04:49:01] Sakahanagi had looked at the state of
[04:49:02] things in minute detail over the
[04:49:04] security camera. After saying as much
[04:49:07] and displaying her powers of perception,
[04:49:09] Sakahanagi smiled. "I cannot believe you
[04:49:12] would say that you are not at all
[04:49:14] eager." "Honestly, that is a transparent
[04:49:16] lie, isn't it?" said Sakahanagi. "That
[04:49:20] is just convenient conjecture on your
[04:49:22] part. There is no way you could know
[04:49:24] something like how long my necktie has
[04:49:26] been loose," said Katsuragi. He
[04:49:28] pretended to be calm when he responded,
[04:49:30] trying not to let her set the pace.
[04:49:32] However, Sakahanagi had anticipated that
[04:49:35] response from the start. I can see that
[04:49:38] apparently you have been eager for a
[04:49:40] while and it is leaving you upset and
[04:49:42] shaken. First, you ought to calm down
[04:49:44] and think it through. What was the cause
[04:49:46] of your necktie being loose? Kiru Khan,
[04:49:49] who had been entrusted with the position
[04:49:50] of center, lost and he flew into a rage
[04:49:53] and grabbed you, didn't he? Said
[04:49:55] Sakahanagi. Because his goal was to
[04:49:57] defeat Ryuan directly from the sound of
[04:50:00] it, replied Katsuragi. Yes. However, did
[04:50:03] he do such a thing solely out of
[04:50:05] frustration? What if, in fact, that was
[04:50:08] not the case, and I had instructed him
[04:50:10] ahead of time to rustle up your tie once
[04:50:12] his defeat was certain? Asked Saki
[04:50:14] Hyanagi. The representatives stepping
[04:50:16] into the room as a new challenger
[04:50:18] couldn't possibly know what kind of
[04:50:20] battle had taken place in the room
[04:50:21] before. Therefore, in regards to
[04:50:24] information warfare, they would be
[04:50:26] forced to start from a position one step
[04:50:29] behind the representative who had
[04:50:30] already been fighting. So, as a
[04:50:32] countermeasure, Sakahanagi had laid a
[04:50:35] small trap. Namely, that if Ku were
[04:50:37] defeated by Katsuragi, he was to grab
[04:50:40] his tie, which would easily be
[04:50:41] considered a blind spot, and mess it up.
[04:50:44] There was no great significance in
[04:50:46] messing up Katsuraga's necktie in
[04:50:48] itself. However, that changed when it
[04:50:50] could be used as evidence to reveal a
[04:50:52] gap between Katsuraga's official stance
[04:50:55] and his true feelings. Even if Ku wasn't
[04:50:58] much use in the actual exam, this plan
[04:51:00] showed the meaning behind his being
[04:51:02] selected. A student like Satada couldn't
[04:51:05] possibly fill such a role. Up until this
[04:51:07] point, Katsuragi had conducted himself
[04:51:10] more calmly, a cut above his opponents,
[04:51:12] Sinatada and Kiru. He wanted to fight
[04:51:15] against Sakayahanagi on equal or better
[04:51:17] terms and had tried to keep that
[04:51:19] momentum going. But at the end of the
[04:51:21] first round, any mental leeway that he
[04:51:23] had was buried thanks to this
[04:51:25] conversation and now the tables had been
[04:51:27] turned on him. The powerful enemy before
[04:51:30] him saw through everything and he was
[04:51:32] forcibly made aware of that. With a big
[04:51:35] smile still on her face, Sakiagi looked
[04:51:37] at the scene on the other side of the
[04:51:39] screen. Now then, since neither one of
[04:51:41] us knows what is going on yet, let us
[04:51:43] proceed to the second round, shall we?
[04:51:46] Said Sakahanagi. They could now hear
[04:51:48] voices come through the monitor, and the
[04:51:50] discussion began once again among the
[04:51:52] group, which had shrunk to 13
[04:51:54] participants. 7.2. Around the same time,
[04:51:58] Horikita triumphed over Kanzaki.
[04:52:01] Fortunately for Horikita, even after
[04:52:03] three rounds, including her matchup
[04:52:05] against Hamaguchi, she hadn't suffered
[04:52:07] any damage. Especially in her third
[04:52:09] battle, since Kanaki was unable to
[04:52:12] concentrate on the exam, she hadn't even
[04:52:14] really had an honest to goodness match.
[04:52:16] After about 5 minutes had passed, the
[04:52:19] door to the representatives room had
[04:52:20] opened, and Ichino finally appeared.
[04:52:24] That was amazing, Horitasan. I didn't
[04:52:26] think you'd defeat both Hamaguchi Khan
[04:52:28] and Kanaki Khan without taking any
[04:52:30] damage at all, said Ichinos. It just
[04:52:33] happened that way, said Horikita.
[04:52:35] Horikita was being humble. Ichinoi
[04:52:38] smiled warmly at her as she took her
[04:52:40] seat. Horriikita couldn't detect any
[04:52:42] impatience or tension in her at the very
[04:52:45] least. Nor could she see any anxiety
[04:52:47] about the fact that her class was
[04:52:49] sending out their general first before
[04:52:51] Horikita's class. Let's both give it
[04:52:54] everything we've got and do our best.
[04:52:55] Okay, said Ichino. Yes, replied
[04:52:59] Horikita. Horikita, who had already
[04:53:01] experienced the discussions before
[04:53:03] Ichino did, ended up becoming awfully
[04:53:06] stiff. Horriikita wondered if before now
[04:53:09] Ichino had talked to Kanaki and asked
[04:53:12] him about what had happened. There were
[04:53:14] only a few minutes left in the interval,
[04:53:16] but it was possible that he could have
[04:53:18] told her the details about how he had
[04:53:20] lost when they passed each other.
[04:53:21] Horikita didn't know if Kanzaki would
[04:53:24] have been honest about it all though, as
[04:53:26] it was tantamount to practically giving
[04:53:27] up. Horriikita figured that no, it was
[04:53:31] probably more likely that he didn't say
[04:53:33] anything about it to Ichino. In that
[04:53:35] case, Horikita thought that perhaps she
[04:53:37] could use that as a means to upset
[04:53:39] Ichino. And you know, come to think of
[04:53:42] it lately, I get the feeling that your
[04:53:44] vibe has kind of changed a little from
[04:53:46] how it used to be. Horriikita said
[04:53:48] Ichino. When Horikita was lost in
[04:53:51] thought, Ichino spoke to her as though
[04:53:54] she were just making friendly idol
[04:53:56] chitchat. I have to wonder about that. I
[04:53:59] don't really think anything about me has
[04:54:00] changed, though. If anything has changed
[04:54:02] from before, the only thing I can think
[04:54:04] of would be the length of my hair, said
[04:54:06] Horikita. Nah, not that. I mean stuff
[04:54:10] other than physical appearance. It's
[04:54:12] like your aura has gotten gentler and
[04:54:14] kinder, I think. like you've gotten a
[04:54:16] lot more approachable than before, said
[04:54:18] Ichino. I'm not so sure. I didn't mean
[04:54:21] for that to happen at all though, said
[04:54:23] Horikita. But you've been getting more
[04:54:26] opportunities to talk and hang out with
[04:54:28] both guys and girls than before, right?
[04:54:30] Said Ichinoi. Well, that's yeah, I have.
[04:54:34] Sure, compared to the old days, that
[04:54:36] might be true, said Horikita. That
[04:54:38] wasn't something that her old self would
[04:54:40] have considered. In that sense, Horikita
[04:54:43] felt she could accept the idea of it.
[04:54:45] I've been hearing a lot of things about
[04:54:46] you lately, too, Horikita, said Ichinoi.
[04:54:50] Both Ichinos and Horikita had each
[04:54:52] chosen their groups, and now a new
[04:54:54] discussion was about to begin. Hearing a
[04:54:57] lot of things about me, from whom
[04:54:59] exactly? Asked Horikita. Who? Everyone
[04:55:02] really, said Ichinos, smiling warmly as
[04:55:05] she looked at the monitor. I think that
[04:55:07] it's wonderful to get closer to your
[04:55:09] classmates and deepen your friendships.
[04:55:11] I myself have reached out to everyone to
[04:55:14] try to get to know them better and be
[04:55:15] friendly. It wasn't that I wanted to
[04:55:17] make use of that, of course, but I guess
[04:55:19] I realized that sometimes the things
[04:55:22] that you do day in and day out can pay
[04:55:24] off. What Ichino said really was nothing
[04:55:27] more than small talk. But even so,
[04:55:30] Horikita couldn't help but feel
[04:55:31] unsettled. Now that the discussion had
[04:55:34] begun in earnest, Ichino and Horikita
[04:55:37] were no longer exchanging words with
[04:55:39] each other. For 5 minutes, they just
[04:55:41] quietly watched the 14 people converse.
[04:55:44] There was no particular difference
[04:55:46] between how things were before when
[04:55:48] Horikita was up against Hamaguchi or
[04:55:50] Kanzaki. It was still the same special
[04:55:53] exam. Horriikita was observing
[04:55:55] carefully, but of course, she still
[04:55:57] hadn't arrived at a conclusion about the
[04:55:59] roles yet. Horikita thought that she
[04:56:02] would simply pass in the first round, of
[04:56:04] course, but even so, her first step was
[04:56:06] to see what Ichino's approach would be.
[04:56:09] Should she gesture like she was going to
[04:56:10] nominate or should she pass without
[04:56:12] hesitation? In either case, Horikita
[04:56:16] decided that she would choose to pass
[04:56:18] since nothing that seemed like usable
[04:56:20] information came out of the initial
[04:56:22] round. After waiting for a while,
[04:56:24] Horikita chose to pass as planned since
[04:56:26] time was running out. However, Ichino
[04:56:30] San identified Chibbehan as a position
[04:56:32] holder. So, Horikita loses one life
[04:56:34] point. Horikita had no idea how Ichino
[04:56:38] could have arrived at that answer. But
[04:56:39] Ichino had succeeded in making a quick
[04:56:42] nomination.
[04:56:43] Yeah, okay. I thought it was Chibakan.
[04:56:46] Ichino mused. She said as much without
[04:56:49] faltering. She didn't stammer at all.
[04:56:51] Ichino said that students name as though
[04:56:53] the findings were a matter of course.
[04:56:56] Horikita had faced Hamaguchi and Kanzaki
[04:56:58] thus far, but neither of them made a
[04:57:01] nomination in the first round. Everyone,
[04:57:03] Horikita included, had chosen to pass.
[04:57:06] Though Horikita didn't have a grasp on
[04:57:08] the exact details, she figured that
[04:57:10] Hiata, who had gone first for her class,
[04:57:13] wouldn't have been an exception to that
[04:57:14] either. Perhaps it was because an
[04:57:16] announcement had been made in the room
[04:57:18] urging Chiba of class D to leave the
[04:57:20] room. But Horikita could tell the
[04:57:22] students on the other side of the
[04:57:24] monitor were a little bit flustered.
[04:57:26] even though the representatives couldn't
[04:57:28] hear any sound. That was because they
[04:57:30] didn't know on what basis he was
[04:57:32] nominated. "You did a good job in
[04:57:34] figuring that out," Horikita muttered
[04:57:36] reflexively, unable to help being
[04:57:39] impressed. "It's just because I've been
[04:57:41] seeing these people from up close, more
[04:57:43] closely than others. I think even if I
[04:57:46] didn't hear anything directly from
[04:57:48] Chibbean, there are moments when I can
[04:57:50] tell whether he's lying or telling the
[04:57:52] truth by watching his gestures," said
[04:57:54] Ichino. Ichinoi seemed to be saying, "I
[04:57:57] know everything there is to know about
[04:57:59] my best friend. You were especially
[04:58:01] close to him then," said Horikita.
[04:58:03] "Especially? No, I wouldn't say
[04:58:06] especially. I feel like I can probably
[04:58:08] tell as much about others as I can about
[04:58:10] Chibbehan. I think I saw a little bit of
[04:58:13] who else had been appointed to roles in
[04:58:14] the discussion, too, but I wasn't sure
[04:58:17] about the other one yet, so I thought
[04:58:19] I'd wait and see," said Ichino. Horikita
[04:58:22] felt a shiver run up her spine over how
[04:58:24] casually Ichino made that statement. She
[04:58:27] just said that she had discerned the
[04:58:29] positions of multiple students simply
[04:58:31] from watching a single discussion. If
[04:58:34] Horikita had been up against someone
[04:58:35] like Sakahanagi or Raywin, she would
[04:58:38] have strongly suspected that would be a
[04:58:40] bluff. But since this was coming from
[04:58:42] none other than Ichino, Horikita
[04:58:45] couldn't help but be tempted to think it
[04:58:47] was really true. I see. If that's the
[04:58:49] case, then I'm going to be put in a
[04:58:51] corner before long. If it's true, that
[04:58:54] is, snapped Horikita. Horriikita, hating
[04:58:57] the fact that the situation had
[04:58:59] instantly turned stifling, straightened
[04:59:01] her posture and fired back with snark.
[04:59:03] Ichino was a student who didn't easily
[04:59:05] tell lies. That was precisely why
[04:59:08] bluffing in this situation would be
[04:59:10] extremely effective. If Horikita assumed
[04:59:13] that Ichino's statement was true, then
[04:59:15] it would make her hurry to make a
[04:59:16] nomination. But if it was a lie, then
[04:59:19] there wouldn't be anything more foolish
[04:59:21] than running ahead recklessly. In
[04:59:23] reality, the fact that Ichino was able
[04:59:25] to spot a position holder was brilliant.
[04:59:28] But Horikita still had doubts as to how
[04:59:30] much of that was due to her keen
[04:59:32] observation skills. Unlike the model
[04:59:34] students, the odds of getting it correct
[04:59:37] by nominating someone as position holder
[04:59:39] weren't that bad. Considering there were
[04:59:42] four possible students you could name
[04:59:44] out of the 14 participants, it was quite
[04:59:46] possible that it was coincidence or that
[04:59:49] Ichino simply went out on a limb and
[04:59:51] succeeded. Since panicking wasn't going
[04:59:53] to change her chances of success in the
[04:59:56] current situation, Horikita recited to
[04:59:58] herself various scenarios and tried to
[05:00:01] exercise self-control. It was still a
[05:00:03] little too risky to make a play when the
[05:00:05] probability was low. Instead of letting
[05:00:08] herself get carried away by the
[05:00:09] situation, Horikita tried to think about
[05:00:12] how she could handle herself to directly
[05:00:14] carry herself to victory. She had lost
[05:00:17] one life point. It wasn't a serious
[05:00:19] degree of damage. That was a significant
[05:00:21] detail. Horikita settled down and tried
[05:00:24] to concentrate. The second round began.
[05:00:27] Horriikita wanted to find clues to help
[05:00:29] her discern what the roles were from how
[05:00:31] participants acted first before Ichino
[05:00:34] did. That's what she had wished. But the
[05:00:37] 5 minutes of discussion offered few
[05:00:38] clues and it passed by in the blink of
[05:00:41] an eye. The time for nomination was
[05:00:43] coming and Horikita did not get enough
[05:00:45] information to do anything decisive.
[05:00:48] However, even if she was fine with
[05:00:50] choosing the option of passing again,
[05:00:52] she needed to stop each time and think.
[05:00:55] Horriikita wondered if there was
[05:00:57] anything in the discussion that just
[05:00:59] happened that would be enough for Ichino
[05:01:01] to make another nomination. She wondered
[05:01:04] if what Ichino said at the end of the
[05:01:06] first round was true. Horikita had not
[05:01:09] yet found any information or pretext to
[05:01:12] be able to launch an offensive, but two
[05:01:14] people had already been removed from the
[05:01:16] room because of Ichino's nomination and
[05:01:19] the nomination from the model student.
[05:01:22] Horriikita decided to go on the
[05:01:23] offensive, going after someone she
[05:01:26] suspected could have been a position
[05:01:27] holder so that she could get a feel for
[05:01:29] things. Announcing the results, Ichino
[05:01:32] Sean identified Minimataan as a position
[05:01:35] holder. So, Horikita loses one life
[05:01:38] point. Also, because Horikita has
[05:01:41] nominated erroneously, she will lose one
[05:01:44] life point. Horikita had decided to go
[05:01:46] with her determination and make a
[05:01:48] nomination, but the situation worsened.
[05:01:51] Not only did she get it wrong, but
[05:01:53] Ichino had once again made a successful
[05:01:56] nomination. The only silver lining for
[05:01:58] Horikita here was that she had nominated
[05:02:00] an average student, so the wounds she
[05:02:03] suffered were shallow. "Did you really
[05:02:05] know that Minimakatasan was a position
[05:02:07] holder?" asked Horikita. "Yep," Ichino
[05:02:11] replied. "She was one of the people who
[05:02:13] I was wondering about in the first
[05:02:14] round." Ichino had correctly guessed one
[05:02:17] of the position holders without
[05:02:19] hesitation out of the 12 participants
[05:02:22] remaining. On top of that, from the way
[05:02:24] she spoke, there were other candidates
[05:02:26] that caught her attention as well.
[05:02:28] Horriikita, having a hunch that Ichino
[05:02:31] was telling the truth, started to feel
[05:02:33] slightly dizzy. In that case, are you
[05:02:35] saying that the number of people you can
[05:02:37] nominate has grown after these two
[05:02:39] rounds? Asked Horikita. Yeah, I still
[05:02:43] can't distinguish them from the model
[05:02:44] students yet, but there are three other
[05:02:46] people I have my eye on, said Ichino. As
[05:02:49] she said that, Ichino turned to Horikita
[05:02:52] and looked her straight into her eyes.
[05:02:54] It wasn't a lie. Without a doubt, Ichino
[05:02:58] was going to continue making nominations
[05:03:00] from this point onward in a calm and
[05:03:02] collected manner. If Horikita wasn't
[05:03:04] careful, she could even discover a model
[05:03:07] student next time. If that happened,
[05:03:09] Horikita might only have one more round
[05:03:12] left in the shortest possible scenario.
[05:03:14] It was impossible for Horikita not to
[05:03:17] feel dizzy by this turn of events.
[05:03:19] Horriikita wondered if no matter what
[05:03:21] kind of person she was sitting in her
[05:03:23] seat right now, this was an opponent
[05:03:25] against whom she couldn't win.
[05:03:27] Horriikita couldn't help but feel
[05:03:28] terrified of Ichino's astonishing powers
[05:03:31] of perception. There was a total of 10
[05:03:34] minutes of discussion that Horikita had
[05:03:36] thought to have yielded no promising
[05:03:38] clues whatsoever. She wondered if
[05:03:40] perhaps she had overlooked something,
[05:03:42] but thinking back on it, Horikita
[05:03:44] couldn't find anything that stuck out in
[05:03:46] her mind. even when she focused only on
[05:03:48] the two students that Ichino had
[05:03:50] identified correctly. I was lucky. The
[05:03:53] two people I picked out were friends
[05:03:55] from my class, said Ichino. With those
[05:03:58] words, Horikita had regained some of her
[05:04:00] composure. The only difference, if there
[05:04:02] was one, was that even if you were being
[05:04:05] charitable, you couldn't say that
[05:04:06] Horikita knew the students in Ichino's
[05:04:09] class very well. On the other hand,
[05:04:11] Ichino understood her classmates better
[05:04:14] than anyone else. In any case, Horikita
[05:04:16] didn't have much of a buffer remaining.
[05:04:19] That was why Horikita had decided to
[05:04:21] start attacking aggressively from this
[05:04:22] point on. Because even if she tried
[05:04:24] fighting this fight simply with a
[05:04:26] head-on approach, her opponent would
[05:04:28] continue to dominate the field. If
[05:04:30] Horikita was inferior in terms of
[05:04:32] friendships and the observations that
[05:04:34] came with those relationships, then she
[05:04:37] had no other choice but to try to
[05:04:38] rattle, fluster, and deceive Ichinoi.
[05:04:42] You certainly have pulled one over on me
[05:04:44] and splendidly so, but I have a feeling
[05:04:46] about this special exam since I've been
[05:04:49] fighting for a while now already. My
[05:04:51] interpretation is that the exam is
[05:04:54] designed in such a way that the position
[05:04:56] holders are distributed between the two
[05:04:58] classes almost equally in the interest
[05:05:00] of fairness. If that's true, then it's
[05:05:03] highly likely that the remaining
[05:05:04] position holders are among my
[05:05:06] classmates. It may be difficult even for
[05:05:09] someone like you to correctly identify
[05:05:11] the remaining position holders. Then
[05:05:13] said Horikita. Horikita was deliberately
[05:05:16] trying to draw Ichino's attention toward
[05:05:19] her own classmates. She figured that if
[05:05:21] doing so might narrow Ichino's field of
[05:05:23] vision even a little bit. Then Horikita
[05:05:27] if what you're saying is true then that
[05:05:29] means you're giving me a clue. Why would
[05:05:31] you so easily give me vital information
[05:05:34] that you gleaned first from engaging in
[05:05:36] the special exam before I started? asked
[05:05:38] Ichino. Ichino didn't question whether
[05:05:41] what Horikita said was true or false.
[05:05:44] She was simply asking the reason
[05:05:45] Horikita was being so nice. You had
[05:05:48] guessed correctly twice in a row thanks
[05:05:50] to the fact that the position holders
[05:05:52] were your classmates. Horikita shot
[05:05:54] back. I simply wanted to let you know
[05:05:56] that the next ones won't be so easy.
[05:05:59] That was a completely blatant lie. Of
[05:06:01] course, it probably came out sounding
[05:06:03] like a pitiful lie made out of
[05:06:05] desperation, but Horikita didn't care.
[05:06:08] Even if there was a 99% probability of
[05:06:11] being taken as a lie, she was fine with
[05:06:13] just that slim chance. While in truth it
[05:06:16] was unclear exactly what criteria the
[05:06:19] school was using to select the position
[05:06:21] holders, it wasn't necessarily wrong to
[05:06:23] speculate that the criteria wouldn't
[05:06:25] lead to blatant inequities. Even if
[05:06:28] there was an extreme bias in a single
[05:06:30] discussion, the distribution should be
[05:06:32] close to one across all of the
[05:06:34] discussions as a whole. Well then, I'd
[05:06:37] better get my head in the game and try
[05:06:39] my hardest, replied Ichino happily.
[05:06:41] Ichino, nodding once with a yah, shifted
[05:06:44] her gaze toward the monitor, her warm,
[05:06:47] kind smile never leaving her face the
[05:06:49] entire time. Horikita had made her
[05:06:52] attempt to fluster Ichino for the third
[05:06:54] round. The third round ended quickly as
[05:06:57] well, like it was a race, and the time
[05:06:59] for nominations had come. Horitasan
[05:07:02] identified Hattorikan as a position
[05:07:04] holder. So, Horikita gains one life
[05:07:07] point. Ichino, who had correctly
[05:07:09] identified students twice consecutively
[05:07:11] so far, had chosen to pass. Horikita,
[05:07:15] relieved by this, had correctly
[05:07:17] identified a position holder. However,
[05:07:19] because the student she had nominated
[05:07:21] was an underclassman, Horikita couldn't
[05:07:23] achieve her goal of dealing damage to
[05:07:25] Ichino. What she knew at this point in
[05:07:28] time was that there were still two model
[05:07:30] students left, that three position
[05:07:32] holders had been nominated by the
[05:07:34] representatives and that the remaining
[05:07:36] position holder may have already been
[05:07:38] removed from the room thanks to a model
[05:07:40] student. The denominator was steadily
[05:07:43] decreasing and Horita doubted whether
[05:07:45] she could hold back from attacking until
[05:07:47] the next round. There was currently one
[05:07:49] move that Horikita could make right now.
[05:07:51] If she was in a situation where she
[05:07:53] couldn't care about what people might
[05:07:55] think of her, then she had no other
[05:07:57] choice but to bring up that topic. You
[05:07:59] know, when I fought against Kan Zaki
[05:08:02] Khan earlier, it was a total victory for
[05:08:04] me. But it wasn't just because of my
[05:08:06] ability. Rather, Kanaki Khan went and
[05:08:09] lost on his own so that I would win. Did
[05:08:11] you receive a report about that? Asked
[05:08:13] Horikita. No, Kanaki Khan didn't say
[05:08:16] anything, replied Ichinoi. I see. In
[05:08:20] that case, I wonder if you understand
[05:08:22] the meaning of what I said, said
[05:08:23] Horikita. Horikita tried to draw
[05:08:26] Ichino<unk>'s interest, aortioning
[05:08:28] information that she would find curious
[05:08:30] in tiny amounts. Ichino, however,
[05:08:33] answered without changing the expression
[05:08:35] on her face at all. I understand. Kanaki
[05:08:39] Khan started feeling hopeless early on
[05:08:41] when he found out that Ayanokoji was
[05:08:43] waiting in the wings after you,
[05:08:45] Horikitan. There's no way we can win. He
[05:08:48] probably said something like that. He
[05:08:50] gave it his best shot as the center for
[05:08:52] our class, trying hard and trying to do
[05:08:54] something. But then you got the lead,
[05:08:56] Horikita, and his hopes faded away. So
[05:08:59] he must have lost the will to fight,
[05:09:01] said Ichinos. Horikita ended up being
[05:09:04] the one shocked by this because of how
[05:09:06] accurate Ichino had been. But while she
[05:09:09] was surprised, she dealt with Ichino's
[05:09:11] remark collectedly. I see you're rather
[05:09:14] mean-spirited yourself. You got a report
[05:09:16] from Kanaki Khan after all, didn't you?
[05:09:19] asked Horikita. Otherwise, there was no
[05:09:22] explanation for how Ichinos could have
[05:09:24] known. I didn't hear anything from him.
[05:09:26] No, said Ichino. I mean, it's not like I
[05:09:30] wasn't anxious myself about the outcome
[05:09:31] for my class when I found out that
[05:09:33] Ayanokoji Kun was in the lineup. That's
[05:09:36] why I can understand very well how Kan
[05:09:38] Zaki Khan feels. Ichinoi after
[05:09:41] reiterating that she wasn't lying
[05:09:43] explained the reasoning behind how she
[05:09:45] made her deduction. Horikita thought to
[05:09:48] be suspicious of her at first, but if
[05:09:50] she couldn't break Ichino from that
[05:09:51] angle, she would just have to change her
[05:09:53] tactic. In that case, that means you
[05:09:56] don't think you can beat him either,
[05:09:58] said Horikita. To be honest, I certainly
[05:10:00] thought it would be tough. Yes. But when
[05:10:03] I started this exam as a representative
[05:10:05] like this, I became convinced. I thought
[05:10:08] yeah in this special exam I'll be okay
[05:10:10] said Ichino meaning you don't think
[05:10:13] you'll lose even to Ayanokojikun asked
[05:10:16] Horikita before even 20 minutes had
[05:10:18] passed Horikita and Ichino's positions
[05:10:21] had been completely defined ichos was in
[05:10:24] her element here they were both sure
[05:10:26] that this was a special exam where
[05:10:28] Ichino would have an overwhelming
[05:10:30] advantage
[05:10:31] etonojik
[05:10:33] declared Ichino Ichino's confidence
[05:10:36] shined through. Horriikita had tried to
[05:10:38] upset Ichino and leave her feeling
[05:10:41] shaken, but she had ended up getting
[05:10:43] countered. Horikita struggled
[05:10:45] desperately to keep a calm expression on
[05:10:47] her face so as not to let her quickening
[05:10:50] heartbeat be noticed. Her sense of
[05:10:52] security in Ionokoji being there was
[05:10:54] replaced by anxiety, a fear that Ichino
[05:10:57] would actually defeat Ayanokoji.
[05:11:00] If Ichinos identified a model student in
[05:11:02] the next round, then Horikita's life
[05:11:04] points would be reduced down to two.
[05:11:07] Now, Horikita hoped to find definitive
[05:11:09] evidence that would help her determine
[05:11:11] who the model students were. At the very
[05:11:14] least, to be able to bring the round to
[05:11:16] a draw and start over with a new group.
[05:11:18] Horriikita prayed as she stared at the
[05:11:20] monitor, but she found herself curious
[05:11:22] about a completely silent Ichino. And
[05:11:25] her gaze flicked to the side for just an
[05:11:27] instant. H. Horikita's eyes met with
[05:11:30] Ichino's. It was almost as though Ichino
[05:11:33] had anticipated that Horikita would look
[05:11:35] at her and see how she was doing, like
[05:11:38] Ichino had been waiting for it. Ichino
[05:11:41] smiled softly and kindly, not averting
[05:11:43] her eyes. It was an important phase in
[05:11:46] the exam, a time when it would be
[05:11:48] strange to look anywhere other than the
[05:11:50] monitor, which was where she should have
[05:11:52] been looking. "What do you think you're
[05:11:53] doing?" asked Horikita. Horriikita
[05:11:56] couldn't pull her eyes away as if she
[05:11:58] were enthralled when she asked Ichino
[05:12:00] that question. "What do you mean?" asked
[05:12:02] Ichinos. "Why aren't you looking at the
[05:12:04] monitor?" "Don't you have to look for
[05:12:06] the model student?" asked Horikita. "Oh
[05:12:09] yeah, I'm okay," said Ichinosa. "I'm
[05:12:12] okay. What does that mean? I'm okay,"
[05:12:14] wondered Horikita. Horikita had tried to
[05:12:17] vocalize that question in response, but
[05:12:19] the words wouldn't come. She
[05:12:21] instinctively did not want to hear what
[05:12:23] would come next. But mercilessly,
[05:12:25] Ichinoi naturally continued on to what
[05:12:27] she was about to say next. Because I've
[05:12:30] already figured everything out about who
[05:12:32] the model students are. That is, said
[05:12:34] Ichino. Horriikita going past having
[05:12:37] chills or feeling terror, simply started
[05:12:40] feeling her senses fading. Ichino's
[05:12:43] words had conviction. Not a single thing
[05:12:45] she said was a lie. The monitor didn't
[05:12:48] matter anymore. It didn't matter how
[05:12:50] much time was left in the discussion.
[05:12:52] There was no longer any point.
[05:12:54] Horriikita knew that her defeat was
[05:12:55] assured and outlined like it was
[05:12:57] practically faded. Even so, Horikita
[05:13:01] looked away from Ichino and slapped her
[05:13:03] own cheeks with a thap. She couldn't let
[05:13:05] herself be overwhelmed in such a
[05:13:07] disgraceful fashion any longer. Even if
[05:13:09] her defeat was probable, she couldn't
[05:13:11] give up until the very end. If she
[05:13:13] didn't give up, then she had a chance.
[05:13:16] There was still a chance that she could
[05:13:17] bring this round to a draw. For
[05:13:19] Ionokoji's sake, the next person in
[05:13:22] Horikita's lineup, Horikita needed to
[05:13:24] reduce her opponent's life points as
[05:13:26] much as possible. Horriikita opened her
[05:13:29] heavy eyes and directed her gaze back at
[05:13:31] the monitor. My opponent isn't a
[05:13:33] machine. Even Ichino must make mistakes,
[05:13:36] thought Horikita, trying to persuade
[05:13:38] herself. 7.3 As for the match between
[05:13:42] Sakahyanagi and Katsuragi, the first
[05:13:45] discussion had ended and they were now
[05:13:47] entering the second discussion.
[05:13:49] Katsuragi had reduced Sakihanaga's life
[05:13:52] points down to nine thanks to nominating
[05:13:54] a student as a position holder. But he
[05:13:56] continued to get beaten down one-sidedly
[05:13:59] after that. And before he knew it,
[05:14:01] Katsuragi was down to his last life
[05:14:03] point. Few Katsuragi took a single deep
[05:14:06] breath and examined his choices. Would
[05:14:08] he pass and bet on the next round or
[05:14:11] would he make it a sink or swim moment
[05:14:13] and go for the counter? There was little
[05:14:15] information that he was able to glean
[05:14:17] from the discussion. And if he were
[05:14:19] playing it by the book, the standard
[05:14:21] option would be to wait and see.
[05:14:23] However, the person sitting beside him
[05:14:25] was his sworn enemy and the biggest
[05:14:27] threat, Sakahanagi. If she nominated a
[05:14:30] student with a position or a model
[05:14:32] student, then defeat would be
[05:14:34] inescapable.
[05:14:36] Katsuragi would need to secure a draw or
[05:14:38] better to ensure that he could go into
[05:14:40] the next round and beyond. The only
[05:14:42] information he had right now was that
[05:14:45] there was one more model student left.
[05:14:47] With the denominator decreasing now, if
[05:14:49] Katsuragi was going to be reckless, this
[05:14:52] would be the time to do it. But
[05:14:54] Katsuragi was considering delivering a
[05:14:56] blow so that he could strike back. It
[05:14:59] would seem that something has been
[05:15:00] troubling you for quite a while now,
[05:15:02] remarked Sakahanagi. If you found
[05:15:05] something, just go ahead and make your
[05:15:06] nomination, replied Katsuragi. Katsuragi
[05:15:10] was constantly checking to make sure
[05:15:12] that Saki Yanaga<unk>s fingers weren't
[05:15:14] moving. Her tablet was placed on her
[05:15:16] lap. I have only been competing in this
[05:15:18] exam as a representative for a short
[05:15:20] time. But there is something I have
[05:15:22] figured out, announced Sakahanagi.
[05:15:25] Something you figured out, repeated
[05:15:27] Katsuragi. Katsuragi, who wanted to get
[05:15:30] some kind of clue to function as a
[05:15:32] starting point. no matter what it was,
[05:15:34] deliberately chose to reply to
[05:15:36] Sakihanagi's words. When you are making
[05:15:38] a nomination, you essentially have to
[05:15:41] tap on the students name. Then you tap
[05:15:43] on either position holder or a role you
[05:15:45] can choose. And then finally, either yes
[05:15:48] or no to confirm your decision, which
[05:15:51] means you have to tap three times.
[05:15:53] Additionally, when passing, you are
[05:15:55] likewise required to tap three times.
[05:15:58] First by pressing the pass button, then
[05:16:00] confirmation, and then again for final
[05:16:02] confirmation, said Sakiagi. It's likely
[05:16:05] a measure to prevent your opponent from
[05:16:07] discovering whether you have chosen to
[05:16:09] nominate or pass with a sidelong glance,
[05:16:12] reasoned Katsuragi.
[05:16:14] Supposing the number of presses were
[05:16:15] different, such as three times for
[05:16:17] nomination and two times for passing,
[05:16:20] you would know that a student made a
[05:16:22] nomination once they finished tapping
[05:16:23] three times. Even if you couldn't see
[05:16:26] their screen, you are likely exactly
[05:16:28] right about that, that the school has
[05:16:30] taken care to ensure that we would not
[05:16:32] see whether our opponents have chosen to
[05:16:34] nominate someone or chosen to pass. That
[05:16:37] is why they had applied an anti- peaking
[05:16:39] film as well, said Sakianagi.
[05:16:42] That's obvious. What's your point? asked
[05:16:44] Katsuragi.
[05:16:46] School officials are certainly doing a
[05:16:48] thorough job of preventing fraudulent
[05:16:50] activity, but did you ever notice that
[05:16:52] there actually is a way to know in
[05:16:53] advance? and with certainty what the
[05:16:55] other party's choice was asked
[05:16:57] Sakahanagi. What? asked Katsuragi. While
[05:17:01] it sounded like an absurd, hard to
[05:17:03] believe story. If it were true, then
[05:17:05] that was something that couldn't be
[05:17:06] overlooked. Katsuragi stared intently at
[05:17:09] Sakahanagi, feeling the saliva filling
[05:17:12] his mouth. Then please allow me to tell
[05:17:14] you. The method is actually quite plain
[05:17:17] and simple, said Sakahanagi.
[05:17:20] Sakahanagi gently tapped the screen
[05:17:22] twice to operate it as she spoke, then
[05:17:24] held either end of the tablet in her
[05:17:26] hands and turned it toward Katsuragi. Wh
[05:17:30] her Her screen, which was facing
[05:17:31] straight at him and was clearly visible,
[05:17:33] showed Sawatada's name and the notation
[05:17:35] for model student. You see, by doing
[05:17:38] this, the other party's choices are laid
[05:17:40] completely bare, wouldn't you say? Said
[05:17:43] Sakahanagi. As she said that, she
[05:17:45] pressed the yes button on her screen
[05:17:47] while still holding it facing Katsuragi,
[05:17:50] confirming her choice. She then placed
[05:17:52] the tablet down on the desk as if to say
[05:17:54] she no longer had any use for it. What
[05:17:57] are you playing at? Asked Katsuragi. You
[05:18:00] did not seem to know who the model
[05:18:01] student was despite your best efforts,
[05:18:03] Katsuragan. Since we have made it this
[05:18:06] far, why don't we enjoy the competition
[05:18:08] a little more? Said Sakahanagi. If
[05:18:11] Sakahanagi's choice was correct, then at
[05:18:13] the very least, Katsuragi would need to
[05:18:16] nominate the same model student in order
[05:18:18] to survive the round. If Sakahanagi was
[05:18:21] correct, then any other choice would
[05:18:23] mean defeat. However, if this were a
[05:18:25] bluff, then both sides would lose at
[05:18:27] least one point as a result of the
[05:18:29] selection error. You saw my answer. Is
[05:18:32] that not much easier? asked Saki
[05:18:34] Hyanagi. Of course, Sakihanagi
[05:18:36] understood what kind of mental state
[05:18:38] this action would bring about for her
[05:18:40] opponent. Is this a lie to lure me out?
[05:18:43] asked Katsuragi. What Sakiagi wanted to
[05:18:46] avoid right now was for Katsuragi to
[05:18:49] make a do or die bid to nominate the
[05:18:50] model student and get it right. If three
[05:18:53] or more points were lost as a result,
[05:18:55] she thought the best course of action
[05:18:57] was to rope Katsuragi in with a false
[05:18:59] nomination to defeat him. Katsuragi
[05:19:02] concluded that if that was true, then
[05:19:04] this sequence of actions made sense. A
[05:19:07] lie that is most upsetting, you ought to
[05:19:09] accept people's kindness wholeheartedly,
[05:19:11] said Sakihanagi.
[05:19:13] Sorry, but I won't fall for that trick,
[05:19:15] replied Katsuragi. Katsuragi chose to
[05:19:18] pass, stifling any feelings of
[05:19:20] hesitation that might have arisen in
[05:19:23] him. If his opponent self-destructed,
[05:19:25] then he might be able to inflict
[05:19:27] considerable damage in the next round.
[05:19:29] He tapped his tablet three times and
[05:19:31] confirmed his choice to pass. Tossing
[05:19:34] his opponent's scheme aside, Katsuragi
[05:19:36] decided to stick with a safe, reliable
[05:19:39] defense. Sakahanagasan identified
[05:19:42] Sawadasan as the model student. So,
[05:19:44] Katsuragan loses three life points. Now
[05:19:47] that Katsuragakhan's life points have
[05:19:49] been depleted, we ask that he please
[05:19:51] leave the room at this time. A
[05:19:53] merciless, unfeilling announcement was
[05:19:55] made. What nonsense? Do you mean to say
[05:19:58] you gave me the correct answer? What
[05:20:00] benefit could there possibly have been
[05:20:02] for you? Snapped Katsuragi. There was
[05:20:05] merit in doing so. You may have inferred
[05:20:07] that I wanted to win quickly, even if it
[05:20:09] meant shaving off my own points, but
[05:20:11] that was a mistake to begin with. Do you
[05:20:14] honestly think I would be willing to
[05:20:15] lose even one life point to you?
[05:20:17] Katsuragakhan.
[05:20:19] I had disclosed my answer because I
[05:20:21] would rather avoid getting hurt. If we
[05:20:23] had arrived at the same answer and it
[05:20:25] ended in a draw, we would carry over
[05:20:27] into the next round, said Sakahanagi.
[05:20:30] How would that be to your advantage?
[05:20:32] asked Katsuragi. Your strategy is to
[05:20:35] launch a frontal assault. The more the
[05:20:37] denominator shrinks, the more likely you
[05:20:39] are to switch to a suicide attack fully
[05:20:41] prepared to lose. It would be no fun for
[05:20:44] me to lose my life points in such a
[05:20:46] boring manner, replied Sakahanagi. Even
[05:20:49] though Sakahyanagi was confident in her
[05:20:51] ability to see through her opponents,
[05:20:53] she wasn't all powerful. If the
[05:20:55] discussion dragged on with the
[05:20:57] denominator shrinking over time, it was
[05:20:59] conceivable that Katsuragi could launch
[05:21:01] a successful suicide attack. On the
[05:21:04] other hand, if the number of model
[05:21:06] students was reduced to zero and
[05:21:08] Sakayanagi could bring things to a draw,
[05:21:10] then a new discussion would begin
[05:21:12] starting from round one. It was highly
[05:21:15] likely that the representatives would
[05:21:16] wait and see how things played out until
[05:21:19] they got more information over two or
[05:21:21] three rounds. A strategy in which
[05:21:23] Sakahyanagi saw through Katsuragis
[05:21:26] thinking from start to finish. Katsuragi
[05:21:29] having reached the end of his tether and
[05:21:31] at his wits end leaned back in his chair
[05:21:33] drained. I would say that you fought
[05:21:36] very well. Sakahanagi said, you even
[05:21:39] managed to take one life point away from
[05:21:41] me even though you are in the center
[05:21:42] position. Katsuragi had defeated the
[05:21:45] rival vanguard and center while losing
[05:21:47] only one point himself in the process.
[05:21:50] He had even succeeded in taking away one
[05:21:52] point from Sakahanagi. But afterward he
[05:21:55] lost against Sakahanagi round after
[05:21:57] round successively and he was defeated.
[05:22:00] His goal of getting his revenge had
[05:22:02] ended in vain and all too quickly.
[05:22:05] Should he think that was simply a matter
[05:22:07] of not having luck on his side or was
[05:22:09] there a substantial difference in
[05:22:11] ability between them? Katsuragi openly
[05:22:14] showing his frustration was strongly
[05:22:16] reminded that it was the latter at
[05:22:17] least. Katsuragi Khan please exit the
[05:22:20] room immediately. As that announcement
[05:22:23] echoed throughout the room, Katsuragi
[05:22:25] slowly stood up. I would have liked to
[05:22:27] have reduced your life points a little
[05:22:29] more but it was my fault for getting
[05:22:31] caught up in the situation said
[05:22:32] Katsuragi.
[05:22:34] I am glad to see that you are able to
[05:22:36] calmly analyze the cause of your own
[05:22:38] defeat replied Sakahanagi. Katsuragi,
[05:22:41] biting his lip, started to walk out of
[05:22:44] the room when Sakahanagi called out to
[05:22:46] him. "You seem to have become much
[05:22:48] livelier than when we were in the same
[05:22:49] class together," she said. "Despite the
[05:22:52] fact that because Ryuan Khan and I are
[05:22:54] both the same sort of aggressive type,
[05:22:57] you and he ought to be fundamentally
[05:22:59] incompatible." "You make it sound as
[05:23:01] though I'm a good match for Rywin from
[05:23:03] the way you're speaking." "I would like
[05:23:05] for you to amend that statement,"
[05:23:07] replied Katsuragi. It cannot be helped
[05:23:09] that things appear that way. I cannot
[05:23:12] accept that, spats, exiting the room as
[05:23:15] the loser, leaving only those brief
[05:23:17] words. Class A and Class C were finally
[05:23:21] about to have a showdown between
[05:23:22] generals. 7.4. The monitor in the
[05:23:26] waiting room displayed new information.
[05:23:28] It seemed that the battle between
[05:23:30] Horikita and Ichino had been settled in
[05:23:32] short order, apparently. Results. Class
[05:23:35] 2B center. Representative name Horikita
[05:23:38] Suzun. Remaining life zero. Class 2D
[05:23:41] general. Representative name Ichinoi
[05:23:44] Hanami. Remaining life 10. Class 2B
[05:23:47] general. Representative Ayanokojiotaka.
[05:23:50] Please begin your turn promptly.
[05:23:53] Interval time remaining 10:00. So
[05:23:56] Horikita lost to Ichino. There was a
[05:23:58] possibility that the match could have
[05:24:00] been prolonged, but judging from the
[05:24:02] results and the amount of time taken, it
[05:24:04] seemed to have been a complete and utter
[05:24:06] defeat. If only I had fought a little
[05:24:08] better. Yoske sighed deeply from his
[05:24:11] seat next to mine, having been watching
[05:24:13] the situation closely. No, that would
[05:24:15] have made little difference. It can't be
[05:24:17] mere coincidence that Horriikita lost so
[05:24:20] completely. This special exam isn't
[05:24:22] entirely free of an element of luck,
[05:24:25] sure, but in nominating, there are
[05:24:27] concepts of coming to a draw or
[05:24:29] offsetting changes. These results purely
[05:24:32] show that Horikita just wasn't as quick
[05:24:34] as Ichino, I replied. Hypothetically,
[05:24:38] even if Yoske had beaten Hamaguchi and
[05:24:40] Kanzaki, the results probably would have
[05:24:42] been similar. So, that's just how strong
[05:24:44] of an opponent Ichino San is, asked
[05:24:47] Yoske. Yes, for this special exam, she
[05:24:50] is without a doubt the most formidable
[05:24:52] foe, I replied. Yeah, do you think we
[05:24:54] have a chance to win? He asked. I'm not
[05:24:57] so sure. Anyway, I don't want to waste
[05:24:59] time. I'm going to go see Horikita, I
[05:25:02] replied. Okay, do your best, said Yoske.
[05:25:05] When I exited the waiting room, Rywin
[05:25:08] soon followed after me, stepping out
[05:25:10] into the hallway. The bathroom's the
[05:25:12] other way, I remarked. Man, she lost all
[05:25:15] too quickly, too. Hey, guess you guys
[05:25:18] made the right call, not letting her
[05:25:19] take the general position, said Rywin,
[05:25:22] ignoring my comment in order to muse on
[05:25:24] the results from our class's battle. Did
[05:25:26] you come after me all the way here just
[05:25:28] to say that? I asked. Nah, not really.
[05:25:31] Anyway, you guys fought hard enough. I
[05:25:34] think it would be totally understandable
[05:25:35] that you'd lose. Ichino seems to be a
[05:25:38] real tough opponent for this, said
[05:25:40] Rywin. Apparently, his warning had
[05:25:42] proven to be correct, or so he wanted to
[05:25:45] say. You know, it's like what they say,
[05:25:47] a cornered rattle bite a cat. Just as I
[05:25:50] expected, Suzun got bitten hard all the
[05:25:53] way down to the bone. Wouldn't be at all
[05:25:55] surprised if she bites you too at this
[05:25:57] rate, said Rywin. So, you were worried
[05:25:59] and called after me? I asked. Ha, spat
[05:26:02] Rywin. After that short laugh, Ryuin
[05:26:05] drew up close to me. Man, sure is a
[05:26:08] shame that I won't get to see firsthand
[05:26:09] how you take on Ichino now. You should
[05:26:12] worry more about yourself than other
[05:26:14] people. At my warning, Ryuin laughed
[05:26:16] once more and returned to the waiting
[05:26:18] room. I was sure that Ryuin wasn't in a
[05:26:21] situation where he could spend too much
[05:26:23] time dealing with me right now.
[05:26:25] Katsuragi had beaten the opposing
[05:26:26] vanguard and center quite handily, but I
[05:26:29] didn't know how good of a fight
[05:26:30] Katsuragi could put up against
[05:26:32] Sakahanagi. Rywin's turn would
[05:26:34] undoubtedly be coming up soon. As I
[05:26:37] walked, I saw Horikita slogging
[05:26:39] listlessly from the other end of the
[05:26:41] hallway. However, she didn't notice me
[05:26:43] and seemed like she was about to just
[05:26:45] trudge right on past me. "You're back
[05:26:47] really early," I said. "I thought you
[05:26:50] might make it all the way and bring back
[05:26:51] the general's head." I called out to her
[05:26:54] to stop her, and she brought her
[05:26:55] downcast face up in response. "I'm
[05:26:58] sorry," said Horikita. Horikita gave a
[05:27:01] short answer without even getting angry
[05:27:03] at my sarcasm. "Well, no, I should say
[05:27:06] that answering the way she did was the
[05:27:08] best she could do at the moment. I lost
[05:27:10] so disgracefully that I wouldn't blame
[05:27:12] you if you laughed at me, added
[05:27:14] Horikita. But you beat the vanguard and
[05:27:16] the center, remember? I replied. Those
[05:27:20] were the kinds of victories where I was
[05:27:21] basically handed the win. It's<unk>
[05:27:23] nothing to be proud of, she said.
[05:27:26] Apparently, she had ended up losing her
[05:27:28] self-confidence. She was probably
[05:27:30] thinking so negatively that she wasn't
[05:27:32] even aware of the risk of lowering her
[05:27:34] allies morale by letting them see her in
[05:27:37] such a weakened state. Seems like she
[05:27:39] was really tough. Ichinoi. I mean, I
[05:27:42] remarked. Yes, even more than I
[05:27:44] expected. Actually, no. She might be
[05:27:46] completely extraordinary, said Horikita.
[05:27:49] She really couldn't have been more
[05:27:50] complimentary toward Ichino. Under the
[05:27:53] rules of this special exam, she is
[05:27:55] unbeatable. She has a breath of vision
[05:27:58] and a level of insight that just cannot
[05:28:00] be matched. I was left convinced that
[05:28:02] she would defeat any opponent in short
[05:28:04] order, even if they were Sakahanagasan
[05:28:07] or Rayu Khan. Horikita bit her lip hard
[05:28:10] as she lamented her own powerlessness.
[05:28:13] Seemed like Horikita, who had been
[05:28:14] leading the class while battling under
[05:28:16] pressure up until this point, might have
[05:28:18] suffered more damage than she would have
[05:28:20] from mere defeat, thanks to the results
[05:28:23] showing a complete and total loss. There
[05:28:25] was no doubt that she had experienced a
[05:28:27] major defeat in this battle, which also
[05:28:30] assessed one's mental strength. The
[05:28:32] outcome of this special exam hinged on
[05:28:34] how I performed as the general. But if I
[05:28:37] wasn't careful, the damage to Horikita
[05:28:40] might end up lingering for a long time
[05:28:42] to come. I'm sorry. Really, I am. If
[05:28:45] only I could have taken away at least
[05:28:47] one life point. Then you may not have
[05:28:49] been able to win against Ichino, but
[05:28:51] remember you defeated the vanguard and
[05:28:53] center, and now we've been brought back
[05:28:55] to even footing. I think that alone
[05:28:57] shows you fought well enough, I said,
[05:29:00] interrupting her. But it wasn't good
[05:29:01] enough. She didn't actually say it
[05:29:03] aloud, but I could practically hear her
[05:29:05] thinking. I wanted to win on my own. As
[05:29:08] the leader, she wanted to reach even
[05:29:10] higher as the one pulling the class
[05:29:12] along. I had to win. I had to win for my
[05:29:15] class. But she somehow managed to keep
[05:29:17] talking despite being crushed by
[05:29:19] feelings of regret. No, not just for the
[05:29:22] class. I wanted to win and have you
[05:29:24] acknowledge me. I wanted to beat Ichino
[05:29:27] San and then have you praise me for a
[05:29:29] job well done? Horriikita spoke of her
[05:29:32] true thoughts and feelings about this
[05:29:33] special exam. Did that mean my praise
[05:29:36] for her half-assed results actually
[05:29:38] ended up hurting her feelings all the
[05:29:40] more then? I understand how much
[05:29:42] pressure was being placed on you. I
[05:29:44] said, "Sure, you lost in a direct
[05:29:46] showdown, but you also had to deal with
[05:29:49] the difference in point values between
[05:29:50] your position and hers and the
[05:29:52] restriction of not using the traitor.
[05:29:55] Stop it. That's just an empty
[05:29:56] consolation," said Horikita. "Sorry, but
[05:30:00] it's true. Besides, this loss is a good
[05:30:02] experience. I think that it'll also be
[05:30:04] an opportunity for you to grow. If the
[05:30:07] same kind of exam were to be held again,
[05:30:09] you'll surely produce better results
[05:30:11] next time. I told her that wasn't a lie.
[05:30:14] It was hard to face a big obstacle, but
[05:30:16] it was a necessary part of the process
[05:30:18] in order to overcome them. But
[05:30:21] fortunately, there's no one around here
[05:30:23] right now. There's no need for you to
[05:30:25] put on a tough front. Even if I couldn't
[05:30:27] see the situation in exact detail, I can
[05:30:30] tell by looking at you that you fought
[05:30:31] well, I told her, giving her a genuine
[05:30:34] expression of admiration for her
[05:30:36] efforts. I gave Horriikita a gentle hug.
[05:30:39] She made a small sound of surprise at my
[05:30:41] embrace. There wasn't any need to
[05:30:43] continue to act tough and keep fighting
[05:30:45] all alone. Weak people are allowed to
[05:30:47] lean on someone else for support.
[05:30:49] Aionokojikun
[05:30:51] wh you wailed Horikita. Horriikita tried
[05:30:55] to pull away, albeit weakly, but I held
[05:30:57] on to her back and didn't let go. I've
[05:31:00] probably been watching you more closely
[05:31:01] than anyone else over these past two
[05:31:03] years. I know your weaknesses and your
[05:31:06] strengths, all of it, I told her.
[05:31:08] Horriikita tried to object, but the
[05:31:10] words didn't come out. Suddenly, I felt
[05:31:12] like she could endure that feeling being
[05:31:14] transmitted to me along with her body
[05:31:16] heat. You have allies, I added. Don't
[05:31:19] forget that allies. That's right. You'll
[05:31:23] probably experience something similar to
[05:31:24] this in the future, too. When that
[05:31:26] happens, don't keep it to yourself, but
[05:31:29] make sure to rely on your classmates.
[05:31:31] They will surely be of great help to
[05:31:33] you," I said. As I said this, I gently
[05:31:35] let go of Horikita and started walking
[05:31:38] away. Ayanokojan Ichino San is. For
[05:31:41] Horikita, who was anxious about the
[05:31:43] outcome of the exam, there was probably
[05:31:46] only one statement that could reassure
[05:31:48] her most right now. You can leave the
[05:31:50] rest to me. I have no intention of
[05:31:52] letting your class lose. I told her.
[05:31:55] From the moment I had decided to
[05:31:56] participate in the special exam, the
[05:31:59] outcome was set in stone. Horriikita's
[05:32:01] class would win and Ichino's class would
[05:32:04] lose. It was with that thought in mind
[05:32:06] that I was standing here. And I walked
[05:32:08] onward to arrive at the battlefield
[05:32:10] where Ichino was waiting for me. I
[05:32:13] wondered how Ichino was feeling. As she
[05:32:16] waited for me on the other side of the
[05:32:17] door, I was sure that she was a little
[05:32:19] nervous and also probably I opened the
[05:32:22] door. What immediately jumped out to me
[05:32:24] in my field of view was Ichino's warm
[05:32:27] smile, just as I had expected. Chapter
[05:32:30] 8. Ayanokoji's scheme. Once I entered
[05:32:32] the classroom, Ichino, still seated,
[05:32:35] gave me a kind-hearted wave with a small
[05:32:38] motion of her hand in a gesture of
[05:32:40] welcome. I didn't think you'd completely
[05:32:42] shut Horikita down. Looks like you were
[05:32:44] able to fight a perfect battle, I
[05:32:46] remarked. I got lucky as all. Everything
[05:32:49] was just going my way, said Ichinos. I
[05:32:52] sat down in an empty seat, gazing
[05:32:54] sidelong at my humble opponent. Guess
[05:32:56] we've got about 4 minutes or so left in
[05:32:59] our break. Would you mind having a
[05:33:00] little chat? I asked. Not at all. That'd
[05:33:03] be more than okay. Actually, I'd like to
[05:33:06] chat with you, too, Ayanoko Jan. I
[05:33:09] couldn't feel any enthusiasm for the
[05:33:11] upcoming battle from her at all. That
[05:33:13] was proof that you could create a
[05:33:14] feeling of just doing whatever it is you
[05:33:17] can do regardless of who the opponent
[05:33:19] is. First, let me apologize for lying to
[05:33:22] you. Even though I said I wasn't going
[05:33:24] to participate in the exam, I ultimately
[05:33:26] ended up appearing as a general, I told
[05:33:29] her. That's okay. That never bothered
[05:33:32] me. We're<unk> enemies, so we can't
[05:33:34] really talk honestly about everything
[05:33:36] after all, said Ichino, readily handing
[05:33:39] me not just understanding, but
[05:33:40] forgiveness. I really appreciate it, but
[05:33:43] may I ask you one question? What's on
[05:33:45] your mind right now, Ayanokoji Khan? If
[05:33:48] anything, I'd say my mind is going every
[05:33:51] which way, thinking about how I can
[05:33:53] fight against the powerful enemy before
[05:33:55] me right now. I talked briefly with
[05:33:57] Horikita before I came here, but she was
[05:33:59] totally worn out, I replied. Really? I
[05:34:02] totally just got lucky though, that's
[05:34:04] all. I have no idea if things will work
[05:34:06] out that well for me again, said
[05:34:08] Ichinoi. I sure hope so. Ayanokoji Khan,
[05:34:12] it doesn't seem like you're feeling
[05:34:13] enthusiastic or nervous at all or
[05:34:15] anything like that. You're looking calm,
[05:34:17] too, Ichino. We're<unk> the same. I am
[05:34:20] nervous though. Extremely nervous. I
[05:34:23] naturally start feeling like that just
[05:34:25] from being around you, Ianojan.
[05:34:28] It was a statement that would make
[05:34:29] anyone do a double take if they heard
[05:34:31] it. In fact, even the examiner who was
[05:34:34] standing erect with a straight face had
[05:34:36] a puzzled look for an instant. But at
[05:34:38] the same time, I strongly feel a sense
[05:34:41] of security, too. I feel like it's as if
[05:34:43] you're supporting me, even though you're
[05:34:45] the one I'm fighting. It's strange,
[05:34:47] isn't it? It's contradictory, don't you
[05:34:50] think, said Ichino, which meant that my
[05:34:52] presence wasn't a hindrance, but rather
[05:34:54] a help. There were less than 3 minutes
[05:34:57] left in the interval. I needed to make
[05:34:59] the most of the limited time. This is
[05:35:01] probably just my imagination, but I get
[05:35:04] the feeling that you don't think you can
[05:35:05] lose no matter who you face now. Do you?
[05:35:08] I asked. I don't know about all that,
[05:35:11] but I guess it's not like I have no
[05:35:12] confidence, said Ichinos. Yeah, that
[05:35:15] makes sense. But at the same time, I
[05:35:18] know that there's one element you're
[05:35:19] anxious about. No matter how confident
[05:35:21] you are in your superiority here, there
[05:35:24] is a possibility of a sudden upset in
[05:35:26] this special exam. I spoke a bit
[05:35:28] vaguely, thinking it would be easy for
[05:35:30] her to understand what I was trying to
[05:35:32] say. Yes, you're right. I think I
[05:35:35] probably don't have any idea how to
[05:35:37] handle the traitor, said Ichino. The
[05:35:40] system of having a traitor was something
[05:35:41] conceived and introduced based on the
[05:35:43] premise of how the school could
[05:35:45] incorporate it in a balanced manner to
[05:35:47] leave the possibility of a sudden
[05:35:49] turnaround. The assumption was that if
[05:35:52] possible, a traitor would want to lie
[05:35:54] for their own sake and their class.
[05:35:56] However, that didn't necessarily mean
[05:35:58] that would increase the risk of
[05:36:00] expulsion. Even if someone with brash,
[05:36:02] shameless nerves risked expulsion and
[05:36:05] persisted in lying, could a
[05:36:06] representative come to a conclusion so
[05:36:08] easily? The answer to that would be no.
[05:36:11] The moment a representative declared a
[05:36:14] student was a traitor after they'd
[05:36:15] confessed to lying, that student would
[05:36:17] be expelled. In other words, one student
[05:36:20] would be forcibly removed from your
[05:36:22] class. Few leaders would welcome such a
[05:36:24] thing. The rewards for the traitor were
[05:36:26] nothing but a sham. The role should be
[05:36:29] seen only as a job meant to provide
[05:36:31] uncertainty in the battle between
[05:36:33] representatives to give even a
[05:36:35] disadvantaged side at least some chance.
[05:36:37] Ichino, who had a keen eye for
[05:36:40] observation, might notice the existence
[05:36:42] of the traitor immediately. But even if
[05:36:45] she did, there was no hard guarantee
[05:36:47] that it wouldn't lead to a development
[05:36:49] where that student was expelled from
[05:36:50] school. Even if it was 99% safe, it
[05:36:54] wasn't 100% safe. The trader system,
[05:36:57] that was why she was wary. As we're
[05:37:00] about to head into the competition, I
[05:37:02] have one suggestion for both of us.
[05:37:04] Before we do, I offered a suggestion.
[05:37:07] What is it? Asked Ichino. It's about the
[05:37:10] traitor which you just brought up. Since
[05:37:12] we're running out of time before the
[05:37:13] discussion begins, I wanted to make this
[05:37:16] clear. Only the student who is cast as
[05:37:18] the traitor in the special exam carries
[05:37:20] the risk of being expelled. And that's
[05:37:23] fairly reasonable since there's such a
[05:37:25] big payoff for that role, I explained.
[05:37:28] Yes, that's true, said Ichino. This
[05:37:31] pointlessly places a heavy burden on the
[05:37:33] traitor. It's a nasty rule that makes
[05:37:35] them try to fight harder for the sake of
[05:37:37] class points, even if they intend to
[05:37:39] confess. And I honestly think that this
[05:37:42] rule is a useless option for this
[05:37:44] battle. I said, "I'd have to agree with
[05:37:46] that. I'm terrified of being deceived by
[05:37:49] the system of having a traitor, and I'd
[05:37:51] like to avoid a situation that could
[05:37:53] cause trouble for everyone if possible,"
[05:37:56] said Ichinoa. "But as long as both of us
[05:37:58] recognize that it's a powerful weapon,
[05:38:01] we<unk>ll use it if we're put at a
[05:38:02] disadvantage." "If you don't mind,"
[05:38:05] Ichinos, then how about we agree to tell
[05:38:07] each other who the respective traitors
[05:38:09] are and exhaust our rights with dialogue
[05:38:12] so that they'll be used up? That would
[05:38:14] be one less unnecessary thing to worry
[05:38:16] about for both of us. By that I mean
[05:38:19] that we won't fight each other in the
[05:38:21] first discussion, but instead we'll
[05:38:23] discard our nominations and use up our
[05:38:25] traders, I offered. That's not a bad
[05:38:27] suggestion, but the right of being able
[05:38:29] to use your traitor is important, too.
[05:38:32] Are you okay with giving that up,
[05:38:34] Ayanokoji Khan? They're indispensable
[05:38:36] for turning a situation completely
[05:38:38] around. It was also a mechanism that
[05:38:41] could allow the side that thought they
[05:38:42] were at a disadvantage recover from a
[05:38:45] hopeless situation. It was only natural
[05:38:48] for Ichino to have her doubts about me
[05:38:50] trying to throw that away. Besides, is
[05:38:53] it even allowed under the rules for us
[05:38:54] to tell each other our traitors? There
[05:38:57] shouldn't be any problem with that. Of
[05:38:58] course, if I opened my tablet and showed
[05:39:01] it to the other class to let them know
[05:39:03] who the traitor is, that shouldn't be a
[05:39:05] problem as far as the rules are
[05:39:06] concerned, right? I asked, calling out
[05:39:09] to the examiner who is watching us from
[05:39:11] the corner of the classroom. Why, yes,
[05:39:13] that's correct. I don't believe that
[05:39:16] would be a violation of any rules,
[05:39:18] stammered the examiner. I wondered for a
[05:39:21] moment if the examiner hadn't expected
[05:39:23] anyone would try to take advantage of
[05:39:25] the rules in such a way, or if they
[05:39:27] simply didn't expect to be addressed
[05:39:29] directly. The attending teacher nodded
[05:39:31] as well, though looking somewhat
[05:39:33] bewildered. Please check to be sure,
[05:39:35] just in case. I'm assuming it's not an
[05:39:38] issue, but still, I added, when I urged
[05:39:40] the examiner to check, they began to ask
[05:39:43] for detailed confirmation via the
[05:39:45] intercom on their ear. It's not an
[05:39:47] issue, reported the examiner. So, we're
[05:39:50] both waving our right to use the trader.
[05:39:53] I never thought you'd propose something
[05:39:54] like that, said Ichino. Normally, a
[05:39:57] development like this should have been a
[05:39:58] welcome thing for Ichino. There is only
[05:40:01] one reason I want to abandon the system
[05:40:03] of using a trader. It's because I want
[05:40:06] to make sure that if at all possible, no
[05:40:08] one is expelled from my class or from
[05:40:10] your class, Ichinoi, I replied. Yeah, if
[05:40:14] there aren't any traitors, then we won't
[05:40:15] need to worry about that. With less than
[05:40:18] 30 seconds remaining in the countdown, I
[05:40:20] wondered what her answer would be. What
[05:40:23] if I ask for a few conditions? I
[05:40:25] certainly agree that the right to use a
[05:40:27] trader isn't necessary, but if we manage
[05:40:29] to reach the end of the discussion with
[05:40:31] the trader still remaining, they'll get
[05:40:33] a reward. So instead of waving it, could
[05:40:36] you instead make it so that we<unk>ll
[05:40:38] overlook it? I think that would probably
[05:40:40] be better for my class and your class,
[05:40:42] Ayanokoji Kun, because that way we would
[05:40:45] be able to safely get 50 points, said
[05:40:47] Ichino. If the proposal I was making was
[05:40:50] based on collusion, then it would be
[05:40:52] preferable to end the discussion with
[05:40:54] the trader remaining. There were two
[05:40:56] options for rewards, private points or
[05:40:59] class points. But all we needed to do
[05:41:01] was pick a safe, smart student who would
[05:41:03] always choose class points. I
[05:41:05] deliberately refrained from mentioning
[05:41:07] that myself, but I figured that Ichino
[05:41:10] would pick up on it. For Ichino, who
[05:41:13] believed that she wouldn't lose if she
[05:41:14] took me head-on and fought with a
[05:41:16] frontal attack, the traitor was her sole
[05:41:18] concern. The ideal development would be
[05:41:20] for both of us to be able to each use up
[05:41:22] our trader rights in a mutually
[05:41:24] satisfactory manner. The discussion will
[05:41:27] begin starting now. An announcement was
[05:41:30] made, but I didn't pay it any mind and
[05:41:32] continued speaking. Got it. I'm fine
[05:41:35] with accepting that condition. I just
[05:41:37] want to make sure we have our stories
[05:41:39] straight so that other students won't
[05:41:40] find out about this. Colluding so that
[05:41:43] we throw away our right to use the
[05:41:45] traitor means we are foregoing a
[05:41:47] precious means of turning things around.
[05:41:49] If I ended up losing as a result, I'm
[05:41:52] sure it wouldn't be a laughing matter. I
[05:41:54] just don't want to have the process
[05:41:55] occur from something like, "Oh, I just
[05:41:58] couldn't find the traitor." Basically, I
[05:42:00] told her. So, that's why you wanted to
[05:42:02] find out through dialogue and wanted it
[05:42:04] to be like, "Our right to use the
[05:42:06] traitor just got used up, right?" Said
[05:42:08] Ichino. Right. So, I'm planning to call
[05:42:11] the traitor out for dialogue during in
[05:42:13] the middle of the discussion. I replied,
[05:42:15] "I told Ichino that there were some
[05:42:17] priorities greater than class points and
[05:42:20] we were headed to an agreement on our
[05:42:21] proposal. We have different goals, but
[05:42:24] we'll exercise our right to use traders
[05:42:25] based on our mutual interests. Is that
[05:42:28] okay with you? I asked. Okay, but still,
[05:42:32] do you really want to nullify your right
[05:42:33] to use a trader so much that you'd offer
[05:42:35] me a proposal like this? Asked Ichino.
[05:42:38] She probably asked me that because I was
[05:42:40] showing no aversion to the idea of her
[05:42:42] gaining 50 class points despite being
[05:42:45] her opponent. Unlike your class, which
[05:42:47] is more cohesive, Horikita's class still
[05:42:50] has some weak links. I'm sure that you
[05:42:52] have some ideas in mind as to who. But
[05:42:55] let's say if, for example, Kuanji were
[05:42:57] the traitor, then he might betray us
[05:42:59] without batting an eye, and for his own
[05:43:01] benefit, of course. Besides, engaging
[05:43:04] with Kuanji in one-on-one dialogue is
[05:43:06] likely to be a nasty negotiation.
[05:43:09] Also, students like EK and Hondu could
[05:43:12] get swept up by the sweet temptations
[05:43:14] the role offers and end up succumbing to
[05:43:16] it. If such a situation were to arise in
[05:43:19] the middle of a serious competition,
[05:43:21] we'd be forced to make a weighty
[05:43:22] decision in the worst case scenario, I
[05:43:25] replied. We wanted to eliminate the
[05:43:28] traitor system precisely so that we
[05:43:30] could protect our allies. Ichino nodded
[05:43:32] strongly as she imagined such a
[05:43:34] situation, as if to say she understood
[05:43:37] what I was trying to say, and painfully
[05:43:39] so. I can trust you to keep your promise
[05:43:41] that we won't fight in this round then,
[05:43:43] right? Asked Ichino. Of course, even
[05:43:47] when it comes to entering the choices
[05:43:49] into my tablet, I'll show you all of the
[05:43:51] steps directly, I replied. All right,
[05:43:54] that sounds good to me. Let's go ahead
[05:43:56] and get rid of the right to use the
[05:43:58] traitor, then, said Ichinoi. When the
[05:44:00] time came for us to decide upon our
[05:44:02] groups, I stood up with my tablet and
[05:44:04] went over to show it to her. While I
[05:44:07] disclosed what all five of my groups
[05:44:08] were, I made a suggestion. Let's throw
[05:44:11] out the initial discussion so that we
[05:44:13] can eliminate the traitor system. So,
[05:44:16] you can go ahead and choose any student
[05:44:17] you want to be the traitor. It should
[05:44:19] help make the dialogue go more smoothly,
[05:44:22] I offered. Okay, then I've got it, said
[05:44:25] Ichino. I think I'll have Makochan do it
[05:44:27] then. Following her request, I exercised
[05:44:30] my right to send in a trader. I selected
[05:44:33] Amakura Mako and confirmed my selection
[05:44:36] right in front of Ichino. Okay, now you
[05:44:38] should be 100% clear on who the traitor
[05:44:41] is, I told her. Yep. All right, then.
[05:44:44] What should I do? asked Ichino. With
[05:44:47] that, Ichino showed me her tablet and I
[05:44:49] indicated the student that I wish to
[05:44:51] designate, then had her confirm. Now, we
[05:44:54] were going to go into the discussion
[05:44:55] while knowing each other's traitors.
[05:44:58] After returning to my seat, I grabbed on
[05:45:00] the back rest of the chair and lifted it
[05:45:02] up to place it directly in front of
[05:45:03] Ichino and sat down. The monitor was
[05:45:06] behind me, which meant that I would be
[05:45:08] entering a debate where I couldn't see
[05:45:10] the discussion on the screen. From
[05:45:12] Ichino's perspective, my body would also
[05:45:15] be in the way of her view of the monitor
[05:45:17] as well. Return your seat immediately.
[05:45:20] This is an act of sabotage, ordered the
[05:45:23] examiner. Whether it's interpreted as
[05:45:25] sabotage is up to my opponent. As I'm
[05:45:28] sure you've heard, I intend to disregard
[05:45:30] this discussion so that I can eliminate
[05:45:32] the traitor. I decided that to be on the
[05:45:35] safe side, I needed to show that I
[05:45:37] wasn't going to watch the discussion to
[05:45:39] prove that I wouldn't betray my
[05:45:40] opponent, which was why I moved my
[05:45:42] chair. "So, Ichino, is there a problem
[05:45:46] here?" I asked. "No, not at all. I'm not
[05:45:49] going to do anything in this discussion
[05:45:51] either. This makes us equal," said
[05:45:53] Ichino. A student turned his back on the
[05:45:56] monitor, which everyone was supposed to
[05:45:58] have been staring at with wrapped
[05:46:00] attention, no matter who they were. a
[05:46:02] student who accepted his proposal and
[05:46:04] looked only at me, not at the monitor. I
[05:46:07] was sure that for the examiner such a
[05:46:09] turn of events must have been outside of
[05:46:11] the realm of imagination. A discussion
[05:46:14] began among the participants alone with
[05:46:16] no designation by the representative.
[05:46:19] Ichino, even for someone like you, for
[05:46:22] whom it's a given that you'd figure out
[05:46:23] who the traitor is normally, you ought
[05:46:26] to exercise your right to engage in
[05:46:28] dialogue a few times where it feels
[05:46:30] appropriate. It had come off as
[05:46:32] unnatural for a representative to act in
[05:46:34] such a way to eliminate the traitor.
[05:46:36] After all, I offered. What about you,
[05:46:39] Ayanokojik?
[05:46:40] She asked. I'm going to call out the
[05:46:42] real traitor somewhere around round
[05:46:44] three, I replied. I'm going to set up
[05:46:47] dialogue with unrelated students in the
[05:46:49] first and second rounds to make it look
[05:46:51] like I'm having some difficulty finding
[05:46:53] the traitor. You wouldn't be penalized
[05:46:55] life points when you called up someone
[05:46:57] who wasn't a trader anyway. Then to keep
[05:47:00] things fair, I'll give you every last
[05:47:02] bit of information I have, said Ichino.
[05:47:05] You don't have to go that far. I trust
[05:47:08] you, I replied. No, I won't be satisfied
[05:47:10] otherwise. And so, after the 5-minute
[05:47:13] discussion ended, Ichino and I both
[05:47:16] chose to pass while showing each other
[05:47:18] our tablets. I had called out an
[05:47:20] unrelated student, Aia, as did Ichino.
[05:47:24] We both left the classroom briefly and
[05:47:26] headed to separate rooms. The first male
[05:47:28] examiner I saw today had joined up with
[05:47:31] me and went into the other room with me.
[05:47:33] I figured he must have been the observer
[05:47:35] for dialogue. Inside the other room,
[05:47:37] there were only two chairs placed so
[05:47:40] that they were facing each other. Aside
[05:47:42] from that, it was just a simple area
[05:47:44] with a teacher's podium like a normal
[05:47:46] classroom. Akia, who had been summoned,
[05:47:49] arrived as well. Afterward, nothing
[05:47:51] special happened. I told Aia that I had
[05:47:54] called him here because I suspected him
[05:47:56] of being the traitor, but he denied it
[05:47:58] naturally. Obviously, since I knew who
[05:48:01] the traitor was, I concluded that he
[05:48:03] wasn't the traitor. Because Ichino San
[05:48:06] and Ayanokojikan were not able to
[05:48:08] discover the traitor, the traitor
[05:48:09] remains for both. That announcement was
[05:48:12] made once I returned to the playing
[05:48:14] field. Neither the students
[05:48:16] participating in the discussion nor the
[05:48:18] other representatives on standby in the
[05:48:20] waiting room had any conceivable way of
[05:48:23] knowing that Ichino and I were doing
[05:48:25] something so inconceivable. Oh huh. So
[05:48:28] this is how they contact you. Here I
[05:48:31] just got this message on my tablet said
[05:48:33] Ichino. With that Ichino showed me a
[05:48:36] message she received notifying her of
[05:48:38] the effects of the traitor which said
[05:48:40] that Midai was an average student. I
[05:48:42] showed Ichino my tablet as well. The
[05:48:45] second round played out similarly. We
[05:48:48] each called up irrelevant students and
[05:48:50] had them speak with us. Then we each
[05:48:52] asked them whether they were the traitor
[05:48:54] or not. Then when they claimed to be
[05:48:56] innocent, we made the determination that
[05:48:58] yes, they were innocent. And after
[05:49:00] hearing the announcement, we returned to
[05:49:02] the room. Welcome back, Ayanoko Jikan.
[05:49:06] An announcement was made while I was
[05:49:08] waiting for you, reported Ichino since
[05:49:10] she had returned to the room before I
[05:49:12] did. "It seems like the announcements
[05:49:14] are played in other rooms as well," I
[05:49:17] replied. Then Ichino told me the second
[05:49:20] role, and we went into the third round.
[05:49:22] I could only hear the audio, but the
[05:49:25] discussion seemed to be going well and
[05:49:27] getting lively. Nevertheless, the
[05:49:29] students from class B probably wouldn't
[05:49:31] be able to settle down as long as the
[05:49:33] traitor remained in the game. After the
[05:49:36] 5 minutes of discussion ended and Ichino
[05:49:38] and I both passed, I got up out of my
[05:49:41] seat. I'm going to go ahead and take
[05:49:42] care of the right to use a traitor now,
[05:49:44] I announced. Okay, I'll be waiting, said
[05:49:48] Ichino. If I can declare the traitor in
[05:49:51] this third round and then see the
[05:49:52] discussion to its end, that'll be when
[05:49:54] things really start. But first, I need
[05:49:57] to take care of what needs to be
[05:49:59] handled. I left the classroom for a
[05:50:01] third time and went to the classroom
[05:50:03] dedicated for dialogue. Misono, the
[05:50:06] traitor, stood before me, having arrived
[05:50:09] before I did, and waited for me. So now
[05:50:11] it's my turn then, asked Misono. Sorry,
[05:50:14] I've got no idea who the traitor is, so
[05:50:17] my mind's just going all over the place,
[05:50:19] I replied. Mizo sat down in the seat
[05:50:22] reserved for her, looking somewhat
[05:50:24] uncomfortable. I'm sure you've probably
[05:50:26] got a lot of things you want to ask, but
[05:50:28] for now, let's focus on the dialogue.
[05:50:30] That's what we're here for. I told her,
[05:50:33] "Sure, that's all well and good, but
[05:50:35] don't forget the fact that we
[05:50:37] participants have no clue what's going
[05:50:38] on here at all. So, we're all feeling
[05:50:41] totally anxious while we're fighting
[05:50:42] this battle." "Oh, and I'm not the
[05:50:44] traitor either. So, don't go declaring I
[05:50:47] am, even by mistake." "Okay," said
[05:50:49] Misono. The traitors didn't know exactly
[05:50:52] to what extent their presence was a
[05:50:54] hindrance to the representatives. They
[05:50:56] only knew about the danger of expulsion
[05:50:58] they faced if they lied in the dialogue
[05:51:00] and were declared a traitor. I know
[05:51:02] that. I haven't doubted you from the
[05:51:04] beginning, Misono, and I'm not going to
[05:51:06] make a declaration. I'm just calling up
[05:51:09] my classmates half-hazardly because I
[05:51:11] basically have no clues whatsoever. I
[05:51:13] hope you'll forgive me for that. Anyway,
[05:51:16] I had engaged in dialogue with Hondu
[05:51:18] before and he said that you're
[05:51:19] suspicious. I told her, huh? Hondu Kun
[05:51:23] said that. What the hell? That really
[05:51:25] pisses me off, snapped Mizo. Can you
[05:51:27] think of any reason why he would say
[05:51:29] something like that? I asked. Well,
[05:51:31] maybe. But no, I'm sorry. I don't know,
[05:51:34] she answered. I see. In that case, I
[05:51:36] guess I'll just keep searching patiently
[05:51:38] and go on to the fourth person. I think
[05:51:41] that's a good idea. Well, to be honest,
[05:51:43] if we can get class points from the
[05:51:45] traitor not being discovered and making
[05:51:47] it to the end, and our class doesn't
[05:51:49] lose the exam, then it might be better
[05:51:51] to just leave things be actually, said
[05:51:54] Mizo. Yeah, still, let me just formally
[05:51:57] confirm it for the sake of keeping
[05:51:58] things moving. The dialogue can't end if
[05:52:01] the participant doesn't make a
[05:52:02] confession. You're not the traitor, are
[05:52:05] you, Mizoan? I asked. I repeated the
[05:52:08] same words I had spoken to Akia and
[05:52:10] Hondu just a little earlier, word for
[05:52:12] word. Hey, um, so if I were the traitor
[05:52:15] and I lied, what would happen to you?
[05:52:17] Ayanoko Jan. You wouldn't lose, would
[05:52:20] you? asked Mizono. While it would put me
[05:52:22] at a slight disadvantage, it's<unk> not
[05:52:24] a major impediment for me, and there's
[05:52:26] no liability whatsoever. Actually, wait.
[05:52:29] In fact, it might be even more
[05:52:31] convenient to have the traitor lie if
[05:52:33] possible, I replied. So, what I said
[05:52:36] earlier about class po. Yeah, but we
[05:52:39] shouldn't talk about that too much, I
[05:52:41] said, cutting her off. The rules of the
[05:52:43] dialogue probably prohibit diving too
[05:52:45] deeply into this exams rules. Yeah, said
[05:52:48] Misono. At any rate, you're innocent,
[05:52:51] Miso. You can be sure that I will say
[05:52:53] what I think without hesitation, I
[05:52:55] remarked. As if to confirm my
[05:52:57] intentions, the school made an
[05:52:59] announcement. Misoan, please make your
[05:53:02] confession. K. I'm not the traitor, so
[05:53:05] Ayanokojan, do your best as a
[05:53:07] representative. Okay, said Misono. With
[05:53:09] that, the pledge from the participant
[05:53:11] side was officially made. Misono took a
[05:53:14] breath, got up from her seat, and turned
[05:53:16] her back to me. At the same time, the
[05:53:19] examiner also began to prepare to leave
[05:53:21] the room. I took a deep breath as I sat
[05:53:23] there staring at the now empty chair. I
[05:53:26] am convinced that Mizono is a traitor to
[05:53:28] the class. I'm declaring as such, I
[05:53:30] announced. That was my reply. Silence
[05:53:33] fell over the room. Huh? blinked Mizo.
[05:53:36] Mizono, who hadn't expected to even
[05:53:38] bother listening to what I would say
[05:53:40] next since it would be so obvious,
[05:53:42] looked back at me with a confused
[05:53:44] expression. Huh? What? What did you say?
[05:53:47] She asked. Did you not hear me? I said
[05:53:50] that you are the traitor, Mizo, I
[05:53:51] replied. Waha. No, hold on. I told you
[05:53:55] that's wrong. Why? I wasn't acting
[05:53:57] suspicious or anything. Was wait. No,
[05:53:59] hold on. Huh? If I remember right, if
[05:54:02] someone's declared the traitor, they get
[05:54:04] expelled, right? Huh? What? I'm not
[05:54:06] wrong, am I? That's not what's going to
[05:54:08] happen now, is it? Stammerred Mizo. It
[05:54:12] was understandable that Misono was
[05:54:13] upset. If the traitor hid their identity
[05:54:16] and was declared to be the traitor by
[05:54:18] the representative, then serious
[05:54:20] punishment from the school awaited them.
[05:54:22] Expulsion. Therefore, lying wasn't
[05:54:25] something that they could do lightly.
[05:54:27] The representative, if they wanted to
[05:54:29] protect their classmates, absolutely
[05:54:31] could not do something like conclude
[05:54:33] that one of their fellow students was
[05:54:35] suspicious. So, this was all a bit of a
[05:54:37] contradiction. There were appealing
[05:54:39] rewards available for the traitor and
[05:54:41] there was still the desire to lie.
[05:54:43] Therefore, it was to the traitor's
[05:54:45] advantage to lie if they knew that they
[05:54:48] absolutely wouldn't be declared as such.
[05:54:50] That rule was a major flaw that could be
[05:54:52] said to be based on the assumption of
[05:54:54] the belief that human nature is
[05:54:56] fundamentally good. If you wanted to
[05:54:58] abuse that, you could use it for unjust
[05:55:01] and fish means. Don't worry, you're not
[05:55:04] wrong. Your expulsion has now been made
[05:55:06] definite, I replied. Stopping and
[05:55:08] looking back at me, Mizo was instantly
[05:55:11] overwhelmed with emotion. Wh what? This
[05:55:14] doesn't make any sense. I only lied for
[05:55:17] the sake of the class because you said
[05:55:18] that you didn't suspect me.
[05:55:20] Ayanokojikun,
[05:55:22] don't you get that? You said you
[05:55:23] wouldn't declare I was the traitor in
[05:55:25] the first place, shouted Mizono.
[05:55:27] Participants are given the prior right
[05:55:29] to confess whether they are the traitor
[05:55:31] or not and make that determination. The
[05:55:34] representatives then must choose whether
[05:55:36] to declare that they are the traitor or
[05:55:38] innocent. Those are the rules of the
[05:55:40] dialogue, I replied. It didn't matter
[05:55:43] what I said before. Misono confessed.
[05:55:45] Huh? What? Huh? What? Okay, then I'll
[05:55:48] confess, said Misono. There's no point
[05:55:51] in confessing now. Examiner, could you
[05:55:53] please escort Misono from the room? I
[05:55:55] asked. I urged the examiner who was left
[05:55:58] too dumbruck to take action, but instead
[05:56:01] he said something unexpected. "Are you
[05:56:04] really sure you're okay with this? Do
[05:56:06] you realize that if you continue, your
[05:56:08] classmate is going to be expelled? This
[05:56:11] special exam was suddenly modified in
[05:56:13] order to prevent such a thing happening
[05:56:15] in the first place. And the examiner,
[05:56:18] who by all accounts wasn't supposed to
[05:56:20] have been allowed to interject, let his
[05:56:22] protests slip before restraining
[05:56:24] himself. Distraught like a child, he
[05:56:27] covered his mouth and seemed to be
[05:56:28] struggling desperately to hold back the
[05:56:30] rest of what he had to say. The examiner
[05:56:33] glanced over at the camera and stalled
[05:56:35] in the room and bowed his head as if to
[05:56:37] apologize for his impoliteness. Judging
[05:56:40] from the way he panicked, I figured that
[05:56:42] the way I used this system was
[05:56:44] unexpected. Also, considering that bit
[05:56:46] of information that he had let slip like
[05:56:49] an idiot, I wondered if there were any
[05:56:51] special circumstances involved in this
[05:56:54] endofear special exam. There was the
[05:56:56] fact that the rules were not disclosed
[05:56:58] to the students until the very last
[05:57:00] minute, as well as the complete
[05:57:02] isolation between representatives and
[05:57:04] participants and the lack of information
[05:57:07] sharing. Moreover, what stuck out to me
[05:57:09] was the fact that it was a lenient
[05:57:11] system, one where no one would get
[05:57:12] expelled if they did things normally.
[05:57:15] Well, let's just shove that issue for
[05:57:17] now, I thought to myself. I needed to
[05:57:20] proceed with the matter before me. We
[05:57:22] will confirm with you once more.
[05:57:24] Ayanokojan,
[05:57:25] are you sure you do not wish to have
[05:57:27] Mizoan do her confession over again?
[05:57:30] Surprisingly enough, the school was
[05:57:32] apparently willing to give her a chance
[05:57:33] to do it over again. How kind. I see.
[05:57:37] All right, then. Would you return to
[05:57:38] your seat, Miso? It would seem that I
[05:57:41] can decide whether or not to give you
[05:57:42] the right to confess again. So, in that
[05:57:44] case, we can consider starting over, I
[05:57:47] remarked. Though Miso was angry, she
[05:57:50] hurried back to her chair and sat down.
[05:57:52] She turned to look at me, her
[05:57:53] anger-filled eyes seemingly saying,
[05:57:56] "What the hell are you playing at? I'm
[05:57:58] going to kill you." She didn't appear to
[05:58:00] be upset with herself about lying
[05:58:01] without thinking about the matter too
[05:58:03] deeply. If it had been either Ryuin or
[05:58:06] Sakahanagi sitting in front of her
[05:58:07] instead of me, I'm sure she probably
[05:58:10] would have confessed no matter what
[05:58:11] anyone said. To tell you the truth,
[05:58:14] there actually is a reason I want to
[05:58:16] have you expelled. Misono, I had told my
[05:58:18] fellow classmates in advance that I was
[05:58:20] going to take part in this special exam
[05:58:23] as the general of the representatives,
[05:58:25] but I had asked you all not to leak that
[05:58:27] information outside. However, it turned
[05:58:30] out that that information, which should
[05:58:31] have been kept secret, had reached
[05:58:33] Ichino's class. "How do you think that
[05:58:36] happened?" I asked. "Well, that's" she
[05:58:39] stammered. "It was because someone
[05:58:41] leaked that information." "And it was
[05:58:43] you, Mizo, wasn't it?" I asked. "There
[05:58:46] was absolutely no benefit in lying here.
[05:58:48] It was clear as day that if she
[05:58:50] displeased me, she would not be given
[05:58:52] the right to confess again." "Well, yes,
[05:58:54] it's true that I probably did leak it.
[05:58:57] B. But I didn't think that it would get
[05:58:58] all the way to Ichino Sananss class.
[05:59:01] Really? Wailed Miz Zono. Who did you
[05:59:03] leak it to? I asked. That's She
[05:59:06] squeaked. You want me to tell you the
[05:59:08] name of the person that you leaked it
[05:59:09] to? Class 2A. After realizing that I had
[05:59:13] already identified the specific class
[05:59:15] that the person was from, Mizo exclaimed
[05:59:17] the name like she was resigned to her
[05:59:20] fate. Masashi, I told Masashi, she
[05:59:23] shouted. I see, Hashimoto. It doesn't
[05:59:26] matter who you choose to date, but as
[05:59:28] long as you're in different classes,
[05:59:30] there are lines you shouldn't cross,
[05:59:32] even if your significant other asks you.
[05:59:34] Am I wrong? I asked. I I get that, but
[05:59:37] but it wasn't like it was a major piece
[05:59:39] of info in this case. Besides, I have
[05:59:42] absolutely no idea why Masashi would
[05:59:44] have leaked it to them, she exclaimed.
[05:59:46] From Hashimoto's point of view, if
[05:59:48] someone were to ask him whether he'd
[05:59:50] prefer that Horikita's class were to win
[05:59:52] or lose, then naturally he'd hope for
[05:59:54] her to lose. In the unlikely event that
[05:59:57] Horikita had broken through and made it
[05:59:59] to class A, then that would mean
[06:00:01] Hashimoto would simply have a new
[06:00:03] obstacle. Even if he did manage to knock
[06:00:05] Sakahanagi off her pedestal, and he'd
[06:00:08] likely determined that the chances of me
[06:00:10] transferring to another class would go
[06:00:12] down as well. I'm sure that Hashimoto
[06:00:15] must have managed to successfully get in
[06:00:17] touch with students from class D and
[06:00:19] told them the news so that they wouldn't
[06:00:21] be too shaken on the day of the exam
[06:00:24] when I came forward as a representative.
[06:00:26] There wouldn't be any harm for Hashimoto
[06:00:28] in doing at least that much. You aren't
[06:00:31] the one who gets to decide whether it's
[06:00:32] major or not or what the value of that
[06:00:35] information is. At the very least, I'm
[06:00:37] sure that Horikita must have conveyed
[06:00:39] that it was extremely important
[06:00:41] information. I replied. "I'm sorry. I'm
[06:00:44] sorry." Miza wailed. "I won't do it
[06:00:47] again. It was just one time. I didn't
[06:00:49] know. You think this is your first
[06:00:51] offense?" I countered. "So, you're
[06:00:54] saying that you didn't ever go out of
[06:00:55] your way to gather a select few of our
[06:00:57] classmates and spread disturbing
[06:00:59] information about me to confuse them,
[06:01:01] and that you didn't pass the information
[06:01:03] you gained from that to Hashimo? You're
[06:01:05] saying that's not true?" Wah. Even
[06:01:08] though it had happened at the end of
[06:01:09] last year, it should have been
[06:01:11] impossible for her not to remember that
[06:01:12] Hashimoto had asked her to do that. Th
[06:01:15] that's where did you find out about
[06:01:16] that? She asked. Where I learned it
[06:01:19] isn't relevant right now. I replied.
[06:01:22] Okay. Okay. Already I get it. I
[06:01:24] absolutely won't do this sort of thing
[06:01:26] anymore. She protested. If Hashimoto
[06:01:28] asked you to betray the class in order
[06:01:30] to be with him in the future, you
[06:01:32] wouldn't hesitate to do so, wouldn't
[06:01:33] you? I wouldn't, she shouted. There's no
[06:01:36] way I would. Sorry, but I can't believe
[06:01:39] that. That's what I said. But it was
[06:01:41] conceivable that Miso had learned from
[06:01:43] this painful experience and grown from
[06:01:45] it. Considering which class she belonged
[06:01:48] to, she would probably show a little
[06:01:50] more maturity from now on. I won't do
[06:01:52] it. I've been honest with you, so please
[06:01:55] forgive me already, she shouted. I see.
[06:01:58] I suppose that doing this any longer
[06:02:00] would be a waste of time. I directed my
[06:02:02] gaze toward the camera, having decided
[06:02:04] to bring the matter to a close. My
[06:02:07] determination hasn't changed whatsoever.
[06:02:09] It is unnecessary to redo the
[06:02:11] confession. May Zono is the traitor. I
[06:02:14] made things final. This is so unfair.
[06:02:17] What is up with you? What right do you
[06:02:18] have to be so mean and unfair? She
[06:02:21] exclaimed. The participant confesses and
[06:02:24] the representative determines whether
[06:02:25] they are innocent or guilty. Nothing
[06:02:28] more, nothing less, I replied once
[06:02:31] again, explaining to her the rules of
[06:02:32] the dialogue. Misonosan, please leave
[06:02:35] the room. The school had given us an
[06:02:38] extension, but they had ruled that they
[06:02:40] couldn't take any more time on this. It
[06:02:42] was a firm decision that the school
[06:02:44] would now be disposing of Miso here. But
[06:02:46] of course, Miso adamantly refused to
[06:02:49] budge. Because Ayanokoji Khan has
[06:02:51] determined that Misonosan is the traitor
[06:02:54] after she had denied it. She will be
[06:02:55] dismissed from the room and expelled
[06:02:57] from the school. "No, I won't leave
[06:03:00] until you take it back," Miso shouted
[06:03:02] after the announcement. "What you can do
[06:03:04] right now is hope that Hashimoto will
[06:03:07] get expelled in this special exam. If
[06:03:09] that happens, then there might be a way
[06:03:11] for the two of you to be together in the
[06:03:13] outside world," I replied. However, if I
[06:03:16] were to offer my personal opinion, there
[06:03:18] wouldn't be much hope of a future like
[06:03:20] that. Regardless of whether Hashimoto
[06:03:23] got expelled or not, he probably didn't
[06:03:25] view Mizo as a true love interest. He
[06:03:28] simply got in touch with her to position
[06:03:30] himself in such a way so that he could
[06:03:32] graduate from class A. If he couldn't
[06:03:34] extract information from her any longer,
[06:03:36] she'd become worthless and there
[06:03:38] wouldn't be any point in him holding on
[06:03:40] to her. People who are no longer
[06:03:42] valuable are cast aside. Take it back,
[06:03:45] she shouted. Take it back right now. I'm
[06:03:48] sure that many people would question
[06:03:50] whether it was even necessary for Mizo
[06:03:52] to be expelled. It wouldn't have been
[06:03:54] that difficult to persuade Misono that
[06:03:56] she was being used by Hashimoto and to
[06:03:59] undo his brainwashing. Sure, spreading
[06:04:02] sensitive information should be
[06:04:03] condemned, but not so much so that it
[06:04:05] would merit expulsion. But for me, it
[06:04:08] was convenient in a lot of ways. I was
[06:04:11] simply making good use of the tool named
[06:04:13] Misono that just so happened to be close
[06:04:15] at hand. That was all there was to it.
[06:04:18] Nothing more. I will never ever forgive
[06:04:20] you, screamed Miso. Turning from Mizo as
[06:04:24] she continued shouting, I decided to
[06:04:26] leave the room and finish everything. I
[06:04:28] could see that Misono had tried to chase
[06:04:30] after me, only to be stopped by the
[06:04:32] examiner just before the door closed.
[06:04:35] Just as before, the results of the
[06:04:37] dialogue would surely have reached
[06:04:39] Ichino. Thanks to the announcement
[06:04:41] systems, the question of whether or not
[06:04:43] she heard the announcement was obvious
[06:04:45] from the look on her face. The soft,
[06:04:48] gentle expression that she had been
[06:04:50] wearing all this time had vanished like
[06:04:52] she was a different person.
[06:04:54] Ayanokojikun, why did Mizoan end up
[06:04:57] getting expelled? She asked. I was sure
[06:05:00] that as a representative herself, Ichino
[06:05:02] should have known exactly what happened,
[06:05:04] though. She probably just wasn't able to
[06:05:06] envision the how, even if she understood
[06:05:08] the why. Oh, she didn't tell the truth.
[06:05:12] So, I judged her to be guilty and she
[06:05:14] was dealt with accordingly. I replied,
[06:05:16] "Be but I mean, you already knew that,
[06:05:18] didn't you? So, why did you do something
[06:05:20] like that despite the fact?" asked
[06:05:22] Ichino. Why? Huh? The reason I said I
[06:05:26] was going to use up the traitor system
[06:05:27] was so that I could use it to get Mizo
[06:05:29] expelled. "That's all there was to it,"
[06:05:32] I replied. If we hadn't colluded, the
[06:05:34] probability that Ichino would have
[06:05:36] chosen Mizono as the traitor on her own
[06:05:39] was extremely small. That was why I
[06:05:41] suggested that we align with one another
[06:05:43] and abandon our right to use the
[06:05:45] traitor. I also had her decide who the
[06:05:48] traitor would be for her class so Ichino
[06:05:50] would have no choice but to do the same
[06:05:53] for me. Since the other party had done
[06:05:55] so, the same action was required in
[06:05:57] order to stay fair. We both made good on
[06:06:00] our promise to each other to exercise
[06:06:02] and therefore eliminate our right to use
[06:06:04] the traitor. Ichinoi, you even got 50
[06:06:07] points for your class by cooperating and
[06:06:09] not identifying the traitor, so there is
[06:06:12] no problem between you and me. And of
[06:06:14] course, it won't get in the way with the
[06:06:16] serious competition that is going to
[06:06:18] follow. I added, while there were some
[06:06:20] things I hadn't explained, I didn't do
[06:06:22] anything that would put Ichino's class
[06:06:25] at a disadvantage. Rather, you could say
[06:06:28] that my efforts put them in a better
[06:06:29] position. However, as for deciding the
[06:06:32] winner and loser between Ichino and me,
[06:06:34] the tables were turning in a big way.
[06:06:37] Normally, one would be happy that a
[06:06:39] student from another class got expelled,
[06:06:41] but Ichino wasn't like that. She would
[06:06:44] probably regret that she had been
[06:06:45] complicit, albeit unknowingly, in
[06:06:48] Misono's expulsion. Moreover, she had
[06:06:51] even gained class points out of it.
[06:06:53] However, this whole trader business was
[06:06:55] nothing more than the beginning. The
[06:06:57] strategy that I would use in order to
[06:06:59] win was starting in earnest right now.
[06:07:02] Thank you for your cooperation, Ichino.
[06:07:04] Thanks to you, I was able to dispose of
[06:07:06] a defective product with ease, I
[06:07:09] remarked. That's awful. Ichino had
[06:07:12] probably wanted to say something like
[06:07:13] that, but she couldn't open her mouth to
[06:07:15] speak. She couldn't say a bad thing
[06:07:18] about me precisely because of the
[06:07:20] genuine heartfelt feelings of affection
[06:07:22] that she undeniably had for me. Beyond
[06:07:24] the conversation the two of us were
[06:07:26] having, the discussion had resumed. But
[06:07:29] since I was abandoning this current
[06:07:30] discussion in its entirety, this round
[06:07:33] was basically free time. It's going to
[06:07:35] be a while before the next discussion.
[06:07:37] So, how about I tell you a little story?
[06:07:39] I began. A story? Repeated Ichino.
[06:07:43] Ichino couldn't get the issue of Mizo
[06:07:45] out of her mind, but for now, there was
[06:07:47] no choice but to keep moving forward.
[06:07:49] She probably wouldn't have her spirit
[06:07:51] broken for something as trivial as that.
[06:07:54] Ichino had become that much of a
[06:07:56] formidable person now. For special
[06:07:58] exams, there wasn't just one ability you
[06:08:01] needed to win. It wasn't difficult to
[06:08:03] imagine how the representatives from
[06:08:05] both of our classes had fared in their
[06:08:07] fights so far. They would have been
[06:08:09] watching the students discussion over
[06:08:10] the monitor, keeping a close eye on
[06:08:13] their friends and foes every word and
[06:08:15] every move so that they wouldn't fail to
[06:08:17] catch a thing. In particular, the
[06:08:19] slightest change in a classmate's facial
[06:08:21] expression could provide a major clue to
[06:08:23] the representatives. Of course, if they
[06:08:26] didn't do that, then none of them would
[06:08:28] have gotten anywhere. That was precisely
[06:08:30] why Horikita had perceived Ichino's
[06:08:32] overwhelming ability to see the students
[06:08:35] as something that made her a powerful
[06:08:37] foe. Then Horikita and Ichino competed
[06:08:41] and Ichino was defeated. That was
[06:08:43] basically the same for Sakayanagi and
[06:08:45] Ryuin's classes. But when it came to
[06:08:48] competing and winning here, that wasn't
[06:08:50] everything. It wasn't just about
[06:08:52] correctly identifying the model students
[06:08:54] and the position holders as has been
[06:08:57] incorporated into the rules. You could
[06:08:59] also make your opponent nominate someone
[06:09:01] irrelevant or provoke them into
[06:09:03] self-destructing.
[06:09:04] That was why I was sure that some of the
[06:09:06] earlier representatives had tried to
[06:09:08] shake their opponents up mentally too.
[06:09:11] Are you really sure you want to nominate
[06:09:13] that student? Isn't that student over
[06:09:15] there suspicious? They would try to
[06:09:17] mislead with statements such as that. If
[06:09:20] you increase the number of choices from
[06:09:22] two to three, the probability of error
[06:09:24] increased accordingly. If a student
[06:09:26] wasn't used to real competitions, words
[06:09:29] like that would probably have some
[06:09:30] effect. However, they would hardly work
[06:09:33] at all on someone like Ryuin, Sakianagi,
[06:09:36] or Ichinoi. Instead, they would become
[06:09:38] more cautious and may even end up seeing
[06:09:41] something that they hadn't been able to
[06:09:43] see before. So, how could you deceive
[06:09:45] the minds of students who were such
[06:09:47] leading figures and deprive them of the
[06:09:50] ability to make normal decisions? If
[06:09:52] their minds were focused on the special
[06:09:54] exam, then the answer lay outside of
[06:09:56] that. It was vital to completely shatter
[06:09:59] their clear, level-headed thinking by
[06:10:01] introducing a completely unrelated
[06:10:03] topic. If you knew that a part of your
[06:10:05] body was being targeted, then anyone
[06:10:08] would make sure to protect that area.
[06:10:10] However, if someone were to then go
[06:10:12] after your legs in an unexpected way, it
[06:10:15] would naturally be difficult to respond
[06:10:17] to that. Do you remember there was a
[06:10:19] little incident that happened in our
[06:10:20] grade last year when it came to light
[06:10:22] that a certain class leader had
[06:10:24] shoplifted in the past? I continued.
[06:10:27] About me, you mean? replied Ichino.
[06:10:30] Ichino, still unable to understand the
[06:10:32] situation, found herself suddenly being
[06:10:35] dragged by her feet into the darkness.
[06:10:37] That incident was partly caused by you,
[06:10:40] who never doubted anyone, relaxing your
[06:10:42] guard and telling Sakahanagi about it.
[06:10:45] But was the story getting revealed to
[06:10:47] the entire school actually Sakahanaga's
[06:10:49] handiwork in the first place? Truly? I
[06:10:52] asked. What do you mean? asked Ichino.
[06:10:55] the incriminating notes that were
[06:10:56] discovered in the dormatory mailboxes.
[06:10:59] Was it really Sakahanagi who planted
[06:11:01] those? Haven't<unk> you ever wondered
[06:11:03] about that at least once? I asked.
[06:11:06] Ichinoi was silent. Perhaps because she
[06:11:08] was thinking back to what happened then.
[06:11:10] There were a few rumors that circulated
[06:11:12] before that revelation though. Terrible,
[06:11:15] awful rumors about you, Ichinos. Things
[06:11:18] about how you had a history of violence,
[06:11:20] paid dating, and theft. I think that it
[06:11:23] was probably Sakahanagi who had
[06:11:24] disseminated those rumors. But at that
[06:11:27] stage, they were simply rumors and
[06:11:29] gossip with plenty of outright lies
[06:11:31] mixed in. That was why even you were
[06:11:33] able to endure it, Ichino. Ichino's eyes
[06:11:36] were downcast, but I kept speaking
[06:11:39] without hesitation. What if I had been
[06:11:41] working behind the scenes to give things
[06:11:43] just one more push at that time? What if
[06:11:46] I was the one who planted the letter in
[06:11:48] the mailbox, mentally pushing you toward
[06:11:50] confessing the truth? What are you
[06:11:52] saying? asked Ichino. Even when I
[06:11:55] explained it in plain terms, Ichino
[06:11:57] seemed unable to understand. That was
[06:12:00] understandable, though. It wasn't just
[06:12:02] Ichino. Other students had also believed
[06:12:05] that it was Sakayanaga's handiwork.
[06:12:07] There was also the fact that Kiryama was
[06:12:10] used to blatantly spread lies outside of
[06:12:12] class A, including Horikita's class. You
[06:12:15] seem to think this is a bad joke on my
[06:12:17] part, but can you say for certain that
[06:12:19] isn't what happened? I replied. I
[06:12:22] crossed my legs asking Ichino that
[06:12:24] question after she had built up strong
[06:12:26] defenses thus far. In the past few
[06:12:29] months, Ichino had undergone a series of
[06:12:31] peculiar mental changes that had created
[06:12:34] a kind of composure which allowed Ichino
[06:12:37] to move forward in this exam as one of
[06:12:39] the strong ones. However, one of the
[06:12:42] underlying reasons for that was my
[06:12:44] existence. And what if that existence
[06:12:46] was actually much more cruel than she
[06:12:48] imagined? What if she knew that I was
[06:12:50] someone who would betray others without
[06:12:52] hesitation and even drive Mizo to
[06:12:55] expulsion because I mean Ayanokojikan,
[06:12:59] you there wouldn't be any benefit for
[06:13:00] you in doing something like that,
[06:13:02] stammered Ichinoi. That's not true.
[06:13:05] Sakahanagi may have intended to just
[06:13:07] keep things at a level where you would
[06:13:09] take it as a warning so that she could
[06:13:11] use it to threaten you at a later time.
[06:13:13] However, by forcefully involving myself
[06:13:15] at that point, I was able to take that
[06:13:18] away from her. And by helping you,
[06:13:20] Ichinoi, your trust in me would
[06:13:22] inevitably increase. No matter how you
[06:13:24] look at it, that is a sufficient
[06:13:26] benefit, I explained. I can't believe
[06:13:29] that, muttered Ichinos. I understand
[06:13:31] that you don't want to believe it, but
[06:13:33] it's the truth. If you want, you can go
[06:13:35] ahead and ask Sakahanagi after the exam.
[06:13:38] Ask her, "Was it you who put those
[06:13:40] letters in the mailboxes?" I'm sure if
[06:13:42] you told her what I told you, she'd give
[06:13:44] you an honest answer, I replied. Now, if
[06:13:47] I just delivered the final touches
[06:13:49] thoroughly, that would be the end. For
[06:13:52] everything I have ever done with you,
[06:13:53] Ichino, there has always been an
[06:13:55] ulterior motive. every single thing.
[06:13:58] Whether it was that time on the
[06:13:59] uninhabited island or that night of the
[06:14:02] school trip, I only ever acted in my own
[06:14:04] interest. I was merely using you,
[06:14:07] nothing more. And the promise we made
[06:14:09] one year ago, too. Ichino was no longer
[06:14:12] sure what was right anymore. Not even
[06:14:14] those words we spoke to each other,
[06:14:16] confirming that promise on the bench
[06:14:18] just a little while ago. Those words had
[06:14:21] certainly been spoken, but there was no
[06:14:23] longer any belief in them. The first
[06:14:25] discussion was over and the interval
[06:14:27] before the next discussion had begun.
[06:14:30] Representatives, please select a new
[06:14:32] group. I did as the mildmannered
[06:14:34] announcement instructed and selected a
[06:14:37] group. Ichino operated her own tablet a
[06:14:40] moment later, but her expression was
[06:14:42] blank, but that was to be expected when
[06:14:45] things like this special exam had
[06:14:47] already been pushed into the back of her
[06:14:48] mind. She had been dragged into a deep
[06:14:51] darkness. Even the matter of
[06:14:52] Misono<unk>'s expulsion was now a
[06:14:54] distant memory. You could say that
[06:14:57] everything had gone hazy. The man in
[06:14:59] front of her wasn't an ally. He wasn't a
[06:15:01] supporter. The more honest and decent
[06:15:04] someone's thinking was, the more they
[06:15:06] would be dragged into the darkness, so
[06:15:08] much so that they'd be beyond help. I
[06:15:10] pulled back my chair and put it back
[06:15:12] where it was. Ichino's eyes, watching
[06:15:15] the monitor next to me, didn't have the
[06:15:17] light and vitality that they had held
[06:15:19] just moments before. Even though she was
[06:15:22] looking at the monitor, the conversation
[06:15:24] we just had was probably firmly stuck in
[06:15:26] her head. Reality and falsehood, truth
[06:15:29] and lies, she would end up thinking
[06:15:31] about it even if she didn't want to.
[06:15:33] People are creatures who, even if they
[06:15:35] weren't speaking, cannot easily empty
[06:15:37] their minds. In fact, I'm sure that the
[06:15:39] more she turned her mind toward the
[06:15:41] exam, which she needed to concentrate
[06:15:43] on, the more those thoughts would grow.
[06:15:46] I figured that at this moment, Ichinoi
[06:15:49] probably felt like she was under attack,
[06:15:51] like her mind was going blank. Her
[06:15:53] visions certainly captured what was
[06:15:55] happening on the monitor, and her
[06:15:56] hearing was most certainly working as
[06:15:58] well. Yet, that information wasn't
[06:16:01] reaching her brain like normal. That
[06:16:03] wasn't magic or anything. It was just
[06:16:05] the structure and mechanisms of the
[06:16:07] human body. Her heart rate and blood
[06:16:10] pressure were elevated, and her
[06:16:11] peripheral blood vessels were
[06:16:13] constricted. Her pupils were dilated,
[06:16:15] narrowing her field of vision, and the
[06:16:18] workings of her prefrontal cortex, which
[06:16:20] controlled relative and rational
[06:16:22] functions, were degraded. Recovery from
[06:16:25] that condition would not be easy at
[06:16:26] present. In that case, the rest was
[06:16:29] easy. I could watch the debate quietly
[06:16:31] at my leisure, make my deductions, and
[06:16:34] find the model students. My opponent no
[06:16:37] longer had the trump card of sending in
[06:16:38] a traitor either. The debate could
[06:16:40] continue without incident. It didn't
[06:16:42] take very long before the time came.
[06:16:45] Ayanoo Kojik identified the model
[06:16:47] student. So, Ichino San loses three life
[06:16:50] points. Now that Ichino San's life
[06:16:53] points have been depleted, Ichino San
[06:16:55] has been defeated. We ask that you
[06:16:57] please leave the room at this time.
[06:17:00] Horriikita's class had won a major
[06:17:02] victory without being forced into a
[06:17:04] difficult battle at all. Chapter 9. An
[06:17:06] awaited opponent. While it was only by
[06:17:10] one, Katsuragi had reduced Sakayanaga's
[06:17:12] life points down to nine. With only
[06:17:15] about five minutes remaining before it
[06:17:17] was time to start, Rywin opened the door
[06:17:19] somewhat aggressively and entered the
[06:17:21] room. Welcome. Please have a seat, said
[06:17:24] Sakahanagi.
[06:17:26] Sakahanagi remained seated as she
[06:17:28] greeted Ryuan and politely gestured
[06:17:30] toward the empty seat with her hand.
[06:17:32] Ryuin gave Sakahanagi just a glance with
[06:17:35] his eyes and plopped down in his chair
[06:17:37] and crossed his legs without once
[06:17:39] opening his mouth to speak. "Today is
[06:17:42] the day of your new beginning as you
[06:17:44] depart from here and start a new. Please
[06:17:46] spend your time here in such a way that
[06:17:48] you do not have any regrets," said
[06:17:50] Sakahanagi. "You're the one who should
[06:17:52] heed that advice, Sakahanagi," he
[06:17:54] snapped. "I'm the one who's going to
[06:17:56] win." First, they began by making a show
[06:17:59] of force. They lightly pushed each
[06:18:01] other's buttons to play on their
[06:18:03] emotions. Even if you do beat me, said
[06:18:06] Sakahanagi, I do not know whether you
[06:18:08] are even qualified to go up against
[06:18:10] Ayanokoji.
[06:18:11] Heth ain't no one else suited for the
[06:18:13] job except for me. To defeat that guy,
[06:18:16] you got to be willing to get your hands
[06:18:17] dirty without hesitation, said Rywin. I
[06:18:21] see. So you are under the mistaken
[06:18:23] notion that you are an anti-hero,
[06:18:25] replied Sakahanagi. Huh? Rywin bulked.
[06:18:28] The character who plays a heroic role in
[06:18:30] a story was called a hero. Heroes were
[06:18:33] essentially ethical people with high
[06:18:35] moral standards and values who embodied
[06:18:38] goodness and justice who helped the weak
[06:18:40] and punish the wicked. However, among
[06:18:42] such beings known as heroes, there were
[06:18:44] those who possessed an opposite wicked
[06:18:47] nature at the same time. An anti-hero
[06:18:49] was defined as a hero who took the lives
[06:18:52] of the wicked without mercy, who acted
[06:18:54] violently without hesitation in search
[06:18:56] of money and assets and who didn't fit
[06:18:59] into the framework of common sense or
[06:19:01] morality. If you are the villain, once
[06:19:03] you are defeated, that is the end.
[06:19:06] However, anti-heroes are also given the
[06:19:08] position of hero. In other words, they
[06:19:10] are also main characters, added
[06:19:12] Sakahyanagi. Sakahanagi continued
[06:19:15] speaking to Ryuin, trying to convey
[06:19:17] something to him in a somewhat
[06:19:19] roundabout way. However, you are not
[06:19:22] worthy of being a main character. I will
[06:19:24] teach that to you starting now, said
[06:19:26] Sakahanagi. You're one to talk. Ain't
[06:19:29] you got the mistaken notion that you're
[06:19:31] a leading lady? Replied Rywin. Please
[06:19:34] rest assured I am no love interest. I am
[06:19:36] a main character, said Sakahanagi. It
[06:19:39] was a childish provocation, but at this
[06:19:41] level it was almost gentle, sort of like
[06:19:44] an extended greeting. Is this special
[06:19:46] exam unlucky for you or is it lucky?
[06:19:49] Because the contents of the exam were
[06:19:51] not revealed to us ahead of time, it was
[06:19:53] not possible to prepare a cunningly
[06:19:55] vulgar strategy in advance. At the same
[06:19:58] time, Hashimoto, who was supposed to
[06:20:01] have been operating as a spy and a
[06:20:03] traitor for you, was not able to
[06:20:04] function properly. On the other hand,
[06:20:07] you were able to avoid a competition in
[06:20:08] a category that requires knowledge and
[06:20:11] academic skill which you are not
[06:20:13] proficient in. That's something to be
[06:20:15] grateful for, is it not? Said Sakyanagi.
[06:20:18] Seeing Sakahanagi smile like that, Rywin
[06:20:21] suddenly remembered something. You said
[06:20:23] something about you and Ayanokoji Bain
[06:20:26] like childhood friends. Yeah. He
[06:20:28] replied, "Yes, what of it?" asked
[06:20:30] Sakahanagi. I can't imagine what that
[06:20:33] guide looked like when he was a little
[06:20:34] brat. What kind of little was he?
[06:20:37] asked Rywin. Rywin couldn't possibly
[06:20:40] picture it despite repeatedly trying to
[06:20:42] imagine it. Not only was Ioji a fighter
[06:20:45] with immeasurable strength, but his mind
[06:20:48] wasn't that of an ordinary person.
[06:20:50] Furthermore, he was able to remove his
[06:20:52] limits without hesitation and coolly
[06:20:55] perform actions that would make anyone
[06:20:57] else waver. I suppose it is
[06:20:59] understandable that you'd be curious.
[06:21:02] Ayanokoji Khan is a special person after
[06:21:04] all, said Sakahanagi. Her eyes were
[06:21:07] squinted in delight, looking as though
[06:21:09] she was even happier than if she were
[06:21:11] being complimented herself. But I will
[06:21:13] not tell you. It is my own precious
[06:21:15] secret. Rywin glared a little at
[06:21:18] Sakahanagi, who had happily refused to
[06:21:20] give him an answer. However, in
[06:21:23] comparison, it is easy to imagine your
[06:21:25] childhood. You rebelled against everyone
[06:21:27] and everything around you. You
[06:21:29] mistakenly believed that you were the
[06:21:31] center of the universe and you ruled
[06:21:33] over everything with violence. You
[06:21:35] dismissed things such as intelligence
[06:21:37] and reason as weak nonsense. And no
[06:21:40] matter how many times you suffered
[06:21:42] defeated, you thought that so long as
[06:21:44] you win in the end, that's all that
[06:21:45] matters. And yep, that's me, said Rywin.
[06:21:49] He I am not saying that it is bad. That
[06:21:52] is precisely why you are trying to fight
[06:21:54] Ayanoko Jikan. a second time. An
[06:21:57] ordinary person whose spirit is easily
[06:21:59] broken wouldn't even have the motivation
[06:22:01] to do so. I of course simply do not have
[06:22:04] a loser's disposition, said Sakahanagi.
[06:22:07] So you think you can beat Ayanokoji?
[06:22:09] Sorry, but it doesn't look that way to
[06:22:11] me, said Rywin. That is unexpected.
[06:22:14] Despite how it appears, I think that I
[06:22:16] am superior even to him. And to prove
[06:22:19] it, I must make you who stand in my way
[06:22:22] disappear, said Sakahanagi.
[06:22:24] Sakahanagi was persistently trying to
[06:22:26] greet Ayanokoji from above, from on
[06:22:29] high. On the other hand, Rayuin was
[06:22:31] crawling from below, trying to drag
[06:22:33] Ayanokoji down. The positions they stood
[06:22:36] in were completely opposite. The
[06:22:38] interval countdown reached zero, and it
[06:22:41] was now time for both sides to choose
[06:22:42] their groups. Looking at the list of
[06:22:44] five groups on her tablet, Sakihanagi
[06:22:47] eliminated one group. That was the group
[06:22:49] to which Hashimoto Masashi belonged. She
[06:22:53] had also reminded her vanguard and sent
[06:22:55] her not to choose that group as long as
[06:22:57] Hashimoto, whose betrayal had been
[06:22:59] established, wasn't put into action.
[06:23:02] There was no way he could betray them.
[06:23:04] From that perspective, you could say
[06:23:06] that the rules of this special exam were
[06:23:08] something of a tailwind for Sakahanagi.
[06:23:11] I will exercise my right to send in a
[06:23:13] traitor, she announced. In a contest
[06:23:15] between generals, Sakihanagi made her
[06:23:18] attack in the first discussion. Was it
[06:23:20] because when the match started, she had
[06:23:22] nine life points and Ryuin had 10, which
[06:23:25] would meant things were slightly in
[06:23:27] Ryuin's favor when looking at the
[06:23:28] numbers alone, or did she have another
[06:23:30] aim in mind? At any rate, from Rywin's
[06:23:33] point of view, it was a preemptive
[06:23:35] strike made selfishly while taking
[06:23:37] advantage of the fact that he didn't yet
[06:23:39] know how this special exam worked. "Ha,
[06:23:42] you sure are full of murderous intent,
[06:23:44] ain't you?" said Rywin. "I do not intend
[06:23:47] to drag this out for too long. I will
[06:23:49] settle this in the first discussion,
[06:23:51] said Saki Hyanagi. Hey, didn't<unk>t you
[06:23:54] know the theory goes that the first one
[06:23:56] who uses a trump card like that loses,
[06:23:58] said Rywin. Well then, please allow me
[06:24:01] to overturn that theory, replied
[06:24:03] Sakahanagi with sharp focus. Sakahanagi
[06:24:06] looked toward the monitor where things
[06:24:08] were about to begin. 9.1 discussion
[06:24:11] number one participants class 2 a
[06:24:14] yanjabashi mafium Ishida yuyusuk
[06:24:17] shimizaki ike toba shyru tamia emi
[06:24:20] morisha ai takenashi class 2 Ishiaki
[06:24:23] dichi karu kamiya kayoyugo nakumi xia
[06:24:28] sumokiraami takarajimiko had cayor the
[06:24:32] curtains rose on the first discussion
[06:24:34] which would be an important match
[06:24:36] between generals moreover the right to
[06:24:38] send in a traitor traitor had been
[06:24:40] exercised immediately. At this point,
[06:24:43] one traitor was mixed in among the
[06:24:44] students from Rywin's class C in a
[06:24:47] situation where everyone seemed hesitant
[06:24:49] to speak up first. It was none other
[06:24:51] than Morishida Ai from class A who made
[06:24:54] the first move. Ishiaki Dichi. First,
[06:24:57] could I ask you to prove with certainty
[06:24:59] that you are not a model student? Asked
[06:25:01] Morishida. Huh? Why w me? Why me all of
[06:25:05] the sudden? He wailed. because
[06:25:07] suspicious people are called upon,
[06:25:09] replied Morishida. It is what police
[06:25:11] officers and private detectives do as
[06:25:13] well. The traitor who had been sent in
[06:25:16] should have been a concern as well, but
[06:25:18] Morishida didn't seem to make any
[06:25:19] mention of that whatsoever. As if to go
[06:25:22] with the flow, all the eyes in the room
[06:25:24] followed Morishida to Ishiaki. No way,
[06:25:27] dude. Uh, I mean, I ain't the model
[06:25:29] student, exclaimed Ishiaki. Then, could
[06:25:32] I ask you to prove it? Replied
[06:25:34] Morishida. A dude, that's legit
[06:25:36] impossible though. How the hell could I
[06:25:38] even prove it? How about this? If you
[06:25:40] are the model student, you promise that
[06:25:42] you'll bite your tongue and die later.
[06:25:44] Well, ha, stop saying stuff I
[06:25:47] can't<unk>t understand. Ishiaki was
[06:25:49] flumxed by Morishida's continued
[06:25:51] questioning, but Kanda quickly
[06:25:53] intervened without a moment's delay.
[06:25:56] Please wait, Morishidi. Ishiakishi, you
[06:25:59] don't need to answer her. I do not
[06:26:01] approve of such heavy-handed methods.
[06:26:03] Let's talk about something that can
[06:26:05] actually be resolved in this discussion.
[06:26:08] Now, if we follow the established
[06:26:10] practices of police officers and private
[06:26:12] detectives, then I would suspect the
[06:26:14] person who spoke first. I would ask that
[06:26:17] you prove with certainty that you are
[06:26:18] not the model student, said Kanda.
[06:26:21] Saying this, Kanda shifted his glasses
[06:26:24] and all of the attention that had been
[06:26:26] focused on Ishiaki shifted onto
[06:26:28] Morishida. There is no way to prove
[06:26:30] anything with certainty under the rules
[06:26:32] of this discussion though, replied
[06:26:34] Morishida with a look of exasperation on
[06:26:37] her face like she was dealing with an
[06:26:39] idiot even though she herself had been
[06:26:41] pressing Ishiaki for definitive proof
[06:26:43] just moments ago. In that case, why were
[06:26:46] you trying to force an unreasonable
[06:26:48] demand onto Ishiakishi?
[06:26:50] Asked Kanda. Because he had a stupid
[06:26:53] look on his face and seemed like he
[06:26:54] would give himself up. Who's got a
[06:26:56] stupid look on his face? shouted
[06:26:58] Ishiaki. Please calm yourself. Kinda
[06:27:01] said to defeat Sakahanagashi, it is
[06:27:04] necessary for us to use the appropriate
[06:27:06] means. Conversely, defeating Ryuhi will
[06:27:09] be similarly difficult. Morishides is
[06:27:12] provoking you in order to make sure her
[06:27:14] class leader wins. If you want to assist
[06:27:16] Ryueni, who I imagine is fighting on the
[06:27:19] other side of that camera, then you must
[06:27:21] remain calm here. If you find yourself
[06:27:24] swayed by her words, then you'll be
[06:27:26] playing right into our opponent's hands.
[06:27:28] Kinda had succeeded in pacifying the
[06:27:30] indignant Ishiaki. You know, I've been
[06:27:33] watching other people's discussions for
[06:27:35] a while now, and I've noticed something.
[06:27:38] It seems like the model students tend to
[06:27:40] look each other in the eyes. Kamya and
[06:27:43] Takenashi were looking at each other
[06:27:45] right before the discussion started,
[06:27:47] weren't they? said class A's Tamia
[06:27:50] openly suspecting the other students
[06:27:51] with a skeptical gaze. Oh yeah, you're
[06:27:54] right. I felt like that was suspicious
[06:27:56] too, replied Nakumi. Perhaps Nakumi was
[06:28:00] on the same page as Tamia because he
[06:28:02] nodded several times in affirmation as
[06:28:04] he said that. Even though class A and
[06:28:07] class C were enemies, their back and
[06:28:09] forth didn't give that impression.
[06:28:11] Right. And didn't Kami Khan look
[06:28:13] especially relieved when everyone's
[06:28:15] attention was focused on Ishi Zakan?
[06:28:18] Added Tamia. Tamia was making a strong
[06:28:20] case to those around her that those two
[06:28:23] Kamia and Takenashi were the model
[06:28:25] students. Was that genuinely what she
[06:28:28] thought or was it something to divert
[06:28:30] attention away from herself? Even though
[06:28:32] she was new to the discussion, she had
[06:28:34] learned how to handle things by watching
[06:28:36] as a bystander. Thus far, the superior
[06:28:39] students made full use of the skills
[06:28:41] they had developed through those
[06:28:42] experiences to advance the conversation.
[06:28:45] While the presence of the traitor was a
[06:28:47] disadvantageous element in the battle
[06:28:49] between representatives, it was a great
[06:28:52] boon to the traitor and their
[06:28:53] classmates. That was precisely why
[06:28:56] neither class's participants forcefully
[06:28:58] pursued the issue. 9.2 too. The
[06:29:01] discussion began with a surprise attack
[06:29:03] from Morishida, and then the time came
[06:29:06] for nominations by the representatives
[06:29:08] as the 5-minute mark approached. "This
[06:29:10] debates gotten pretty wild right from
[06:29:12] the start, huh?" said Rywin. "It would
[06:29:14] seem so," replied Saki Hyanagi. "They
[06:29:17] both casually offered their impressions
[06:29:19] of the discussion." "Now then, what do
[06:29:22] you think?" Ryuan Khan. "There were a
[06:29:24] few things that appeared to be clues,"
[06:29:26] said Sakahanagi.
[06:29:27] Just as she had exercised her right to
[06:29:29] send in a traitor preemptively,
[06:29:31] Sakahanagi had made the first move here
[06:29:33] as well. Some bits of information that
[06:29:36] seemed like they could be used as a
[06:29:37] stepping stone had quickly popped up in
[06:29:40] the earlier discussion. There was Kamya
[06:29:42] and Takenashi, who Tamia had claimed
[06:29:45] exchanged looks with one another. Then
[06:29:47] there was Tamia, who had spoken up about
[06:29:49] the exchange of glances and Nakumi. It
[06:29:53] was quite possible that one of those two
[06:29:54] pairs could have been a pair of model
[06:29:56] students. However, there was no
[06:29:58] guarantee of that. Without further
[06:30:00] clues, it would be quite risky to start
[06:30:03] attacking in the first round. However,
[06:30:05] if Ryuan chose to pass at this point,
[06:30:08] information would actually be disclosed
[06:30:10] to Sakahanagi by the end of the round
[06:30:13] thanks to the traitor's effect. To
[06:30:15] prevent that, he needed to exercise his
[06:30:17] right to a dialogue to get rid of the
[06:30:19] traitor. In addition, Ryuan absolutely
[06:30:22] needed to avoid picking the traitor if
[06:30:24] he did push ahead and make a nomination.
[06:30:27] If he made that mistake in nominating,
[06:30:29] he would lose two life points. And on
[06:30:32] top of that, he would restore
[06:30:33] Sakahanaga's right to send in a traitor.
[06:30:36] If that happened, it would inevitably
[06:30:38] become more difficult for him to
[06:30:40] nominate students from his own class.
[06:30:42] Without uttering a word, Ryuin calmly
[06:30:44] thought back on the discussion that had
[06:30:46] just taken place. Who was lying and who
[06:30:49] was telling the truth? Though he had
[06:30:51] temporarily stepped down from his
[06:30:53] position, for the past 2 years, he had
[06:30:55] reigned as king of his class. Now his
[06:30:58] true worth was being tested. After using
[06:31:00] the entire time and entering his
[06:31:02] nomination, it was finally time for the
[06:31:05] answer to that question. Because Ryuan
[06:31:08] Khan has nominated erroneously, he will
[06:31:10] lose one life point. While Sakihyanagi
[06:31:13] had chosen to pass, Ryuan had gone ahead
[06:31:15] and made a nomination. Rywin, knowing
[06:31:18] the risks, had determined that Tamia was
[06:31:21] a model student. However, he didn't
[06:31:23] think of this result as a serious blow,
[06:31:25] but as a necessary expense. As long as
[06:31:28] his opponent was coming at him while
[06:31:30] using the traitor, he had to keep moving
[06:31:32] forward. Unfortunately, it would appear
[06:31:35] that you chose incorrectly, said
[06:31:37] Sakahanagi. Ain't a big problem. But you
[06:31:40] know, for all the big talk you've been
[06:31:41] macking, you're kind of slow and macking
[06:31:43] a move, huh? Go in second then, said
[06:31:46] Rywin. Haha. Yes, that might be so, she
[06:31:49] replied. Slow and steady wins the race,
[06:31:52] as they say. Not denying it. Sakianagi
[06:31:55] nodded her head honestly. For her part,
[06:31:58] there was no need to rush. In fact, she
[06:32:00] thought that it would be a waste for her
[06:32:02] to name a student with a position so
[06:32:04] quickly. In that sense, she didn't
[06:32:06] really want the discussion to progress
[06:32:07] prematurely. However, in the first
[06:32:10] round, two pairs of students
[06:32:12] unexpectedly emerged as possible model
[06:32:14] students. Supposing even if one of the
[06:32:17] model students were to be nominated at
[06:32:19] this time, the other would inevitably be
[06:32:21] targeted in the next round. If that
[06:32:23] happened, then a tie would be probable.
[06:32:26] Considering that she would end up losing
[06:32:28] her right to send in a traitor, she
[06:32:30] decided that a nomination at an early
[06:32:32] stage wouldn't strike a good balance. On
[06:32:35] the other hand, Rywin wanted to either
[06:32:37] find the traitor or push through the
[06:32:39] discussion fast and reset it. Also, he
[06:32:42] was going to be strongly tested on who
[06:32:44] he'd engage in dialogue and how he would
[06:32:46] exercise it. It was only natural that
[06:32:49] Sakahanagi would choose to wait with the
[06:32:51] intention of making Ryuan go through
[06:32:53] more instances of having to think to
[06:32:56] make him suffer. Ryu Khan will now be
[06:32:58] leaving the room temporarily to engage
[06:33:00] in dialogue. Ryuin, who had chosen to
[06:33:04] engage in dialogue in no time at all,
[06:33:06] immediately moved to take action to
[06:33:08] smoke out the traitor. I hope your war
[06:33:10] efforts prove fruitful, said Sakahanagi.
[06:33:13] If Ryuan made an error in his judgment
[06:33:15] here, it was possible he'd lose even
[06:33:17] more life points. The person that
[06:33:19] Sakahanagi had chosen to be a traitor
[06:33:22] was Takarajima Miko. And the person that
[06:33:25] Ryuin chose to engage in dialogue was
[06:33:27] Nakumi, which meant that at this point,
[06:33:31] no matter how Ryuin tried to sus out the
[06:33:33] traitor in this round, he would not be
[06:33:35] successful. Only about 2 minutes after
[06:33:37] getting up out of his seat and leaving
[06:33:39] the room, Ryuin returned. Ryuin had
[06:33:42] asked one simple question. Are you the
[06:33:44] traitor? That direct question was all he
[06:33:47] needed. If you lied to Ryuin, you would
[06:33:49] face the risk of immediate expulsion.
[06:33:52] There were no private points or class
[06:33:54] points worth taking risks to protect.
[06:33:57] Since Ryuan had determined that he
[06:33:59] wasn't the traitor, he didn't lose any
[06:34:00] life points and remained at nine. One
[06:34:03] person was supposed to have been ejected
[06:34:05] from the room thanks to a model students
[06:34:07] nomination, but it was reported that the
[06:34:09] teacher had successfully blocked the
[06:34:11] nomination and so none of the students
[06:34:14] left. After that, Sakihanagi was given
[06:34:16] the casting information for just one
[06:34:18] person thanks to the traitor still being
[06:34:21] in the discussion. The information
[06:34:23] displayed on Sakianaga's tablet showed
[06:34:25] that Morishida AI was a graduate. The
[06:34:28] discussion seemed to be progressing well
[06:34:30] and her identity being revealed to
[06:34:32] Sakahayanagi was a positive. If the
[06:34:35] capable Morishida continued to wield her
[06:34:37] power carelessly, the discussion could
[06:34:40] develop quickly so a prompt nomination
[06:34:42] would be required. When the second round
[06:34:44] began, Morishida began questioning once
[06:34:47] again. Even though it was impossible to
[06:34:49] tell over the monitor who was being
[06:34:51] investigated, the search for a new
[06:34:54] position holder had begun. When the time
[06:34:56] came for the representatives to make
[06:34:58] their nominations, Sakahanagi did not
[06:35:00] hesitate to nominate Morishida as a
[06:35:03] graduate. Eliminating her on this turn
[06:35:05] was a definite. Ryuin had also nominated
[06:35:08] Morishida, but he had only determined
[06:35:10] that she wasn't a model student and
[06:35:12] avoided unnecessary risks. Morishidasan
[06:35:16] has been nominated as a position holder
[06:35:18] by Rayu Khan and identified as the
[06:35:21] graduate by Sakianagasan.
[06:35:23] So, Ryu Kun loses one life point.
[06:35:25] Although they had both answered
[06:35:27] correctly, Ryuan's points had slowly but
[06:35:30] surely been whittleled down to eight
[06:35:32] because he hadn't been able to figure
[06:35:33] out Morishida's exact role. Sakahanagi
[06:35:36] remained untouched by Class C, the class
[06:35:39] in which a traitor lurked, and Ryuin was
[06:35:41] unable to touch her. This time, Ryuin
[06:35:44] had called up Ka for dialogue, and he
[06:35:46] returned as quickly as before. Thanks to
[06:35:49] the traitor whom Ryuin could not
[06:35:51] eliminate, the fact that Shimizaki was
[06:35:53] an underclassman was conveyed to
[06:35:55] Sakahanagi.
[06:35:56] At this moment, Sakahyanagi briefly
[06:35:59] adjusted her plans in her mind. The
[06:36:01] traitor brought her useful information,
[06:36:03] but she wanted Ryuan to find the traitor
[06:36:06] before either all of the model students
[06:36:08] or all of the average students were
[06:36:10] eliminated. The reason being was that if
[06:36:12] she allowed the traitor to survive,
[06:36:14] Takarajima would gain either an enormous
[06:36:17] number of private points or a number of
[06:36:19] class points that couldn't be ignored.
[06:36:21] The two students who had definitely been
[06:36:23] removed from the room at this point were
[06:36:24] Tamia, whom Ryuan had nominated
[06:36:27] erroneously, and Morishida, the
[06:36:29] graduate. Two people that left 12
[06:36:32] remaining. Ryuin would most definitely
[06:36:34] nominate again in the upcoming third
[06:36:36] round. His guests had proven to be
[06:36:39] spot-on and he had nominated Shimazaki
[06:36:41] from class A as a position holder.
[06:36:44] Sakianagi had nominated Shimazaki as
[06:36:46] well as an underclassman. By nominating
[06:36:49] the same students, Sakahyanaga's
[06:36:52] strategy was not allowing the model
[06:36:54] student to eliminate one more of their
[06:36:56] peers. Shimazaki Khan has been nominated
[06:36:58] as a position holder by Rayu Khan and
[06:37:01] identified as the underclassman by
[06:37:03] Sakianagasan. So Sakianagasan gains one
[06:37:06] life point. Sakihyanagi had identified
[06:37:10] the underclassman. Normally her life
[06:37:12] points would have been restored by two.
[06:37:14] But since Ryuan was correct in
[06:37:16] identifying Shimazaki as a position
[06:37:18] holder, they were instead increased by
[06:37:20] one. As a result, her life points were
[06:37:23] restored to 10 and Shimazaki was removed
[06:37:25] from the room. From that point, Ryuan
[06:37:28] had chosen Sumokura to engage in
[06:37:30] dialogue. Another swing and a miss. The
[06:37:33] role communicated to Sakahanagi this
[06:37:36] time was kandas, an upperassman. Next
[06:37:39] was round four. Sakahanagi thought now
[06:37:42] was the time to make a decision and
[06:37:44] nominated Kanda as an upper classman.
[06:37:46] Meanwhile, Ryuan was trying to make a
[06:37:48] move once again. He nominated Takenashi,
[06:37:51] who had been acting suspiciously since
[06:37:53] the beginning, as a model student. Ryuan
[06:37:56] Khan identified Takenashi Sanan as the
[06:37:59] model student. So, Sakahanagasan loses
[06:38:01] two life points. Sakahanagasan
[06:38:04] identified Kakan as an upperassman. We
[06:38:07] will also disclose two new roles at
[06:38:09] random to Sakahanagasan.
[06:38:12] Sakahanaga's points were reduced to
[06:38:14] eight, which was immediately reflected
[06:38:16] on her tablet along with information
[06:38:18] about two people. The fact that Kamya
[06:38:20] and Toba were both average students was
[06:38:22] disclosed to her. Now, the point totals
[06:38:25] were 8 to8. In the fourth dialogue,
[06:38:28] Ryuin had finally called up Takarajima
[06:38:30] and he succeeded in discovering her
[06:38:32] identity as the traitor. In the fifth
[06:38:34] round, after narrowing down the
[06:38:36] remaining participants to see who the
[06:38:38] other model student could be, Sakahanagi
[06:38:41] nominated Yanjabashi as a model student
[06:38:44] while Ryuin chose Ishida as a position
[06:38:46] holder. As a result, there were no
[06:38:48] models left and the discussion ended. It
[06:38:51] was safe to say that Sakianaga's
[06:38:53] preemptive strike had paid off
[06:38:55] reasonably well. Now Rywin had six life
[06:38:58] points remaining while Sakianagi had
[06:39:00] eight. Considering their starting
[06:39:02] points, she had turned the situation
[06:39:04] around and taken the lead. The battle
[06:39:07] was fought by way of silent nominations
[06:39:09] with the two representatives hardly
[06:39:11] speaking during the discussion period.
[06:39:14] You really ought to go ahead and
[06:39:15] exercise your right to send in a traitor
[06:39:17] in the next round. You know, I'm sure it
[06:39:20] would be so frustrating to let such a
[06:39:22] treasure go unused at this rate, said
[06:39:24] Saki Hyanagi. Who can say? replied
[06:39:27] Rywin. Of course, the trader system was
[06:39:30] designed in such a way to give an
[06:39:32] advantage to the representatives who
[06:39:33] used it. But there were reasons why
[06:39:35] Ryuan couldn't use it even if he wanted
[06:39:38] to. He wasn't holding on to it as a
[06:39:40] trump card. Rather, he decided to lock
[06:39:43] it up and seal it away himself for
[06:39:45] another reason. In the next discussion,
[06:39:48] when Sakahanagi no longer had the right
[06:39:50] to use the traitor, Sakahanagi and
[06:39:52] Rayuin would have to cross swords as
[06:39:54] equals. Discussion number two,
[06:39:56] participants. Class 2 A, Shimizuyaki,
[06:39:59] Machadakuji, Yashida, Kenta, Fukama,
[06:40:02] Shinibu, Modoy, Chako, Yano, Kohharu,
[06:40:04] Raku Mamo. Class 2, Kandu, Rion, Suzuki,
[06:40:08] Haitoshi, Takatu, Hiroya, Namira,
[06:40:11] Yuyuji, Asagya, Shi Hioriori, Fujisaki,
[06:40:15] Rena. Ryuan had chosen the group that
[06:40:17] included Sha, someone he had
[06:40:19] deliberately decided not to select as a
[06:40:21] representative and someone who could
[06:40:23] carry the discussion at a superior
[06:40:25] level. His decision also included some
[06:40:28] wishful thinking on his part in the
[06:40:30] hopes that it would shift the situation
[06:40:32] in his favor. Opposite him, Sakianagi
[06:40:35] smiled broadly as she looked at the
[06:40:37] selections for class C. That was because
[06:40:39] now, even if she didn't know how she'd
[06:40:41] carry it out, she had the chance to
[06:40:43] detonate the bomb that she had planted.
[06:40:46] 9.3 The second discussion began. At
[06:40:49] first, this discussion was no different
[06:40:51] from the one before it, but the
[06:40:53] atmosphere in the room suddenly changed
[06:40:56] after a comment from class A's Shmeizu.
[06:40:59] I don't see how our discussion affects
[06:41:00] the battle between the representatives.
[06:41:02] She said that's exactly why we're doing
[06:41:05] what we can. Like this is our battle as
[06:41:08] participants. Let me tell you one
[06:41:10] thought I have. It seems like Sakayanagi
[06:41:12] exercised her right to deploy a traitor
[06:41:14] in the previous discussion, but I
[06:41:16] thought for sure that she would use it
[06:41:18] for this discussion. We have Takatu here
[06:41:20] after all, who rumor has it hates Rywin
[06:41:23] so bad he wishes he were dead? Hold up.
[06:41:26] You're saying it's me because I hate
[06:41:28] Rywin. That has nothing to do with this
[06:41:30] current discussion, snapped Takatu. I
[06:41:33] didn't say it did, Shimemezu answered. I
[06:41:35] was just thinking that you would have
[06:41:37] been a good fit as the traitor is all in
[06:41:39] the discussion between the participants.
[06:41:41] There was no class A or class C. It was
[06:41:44] all about carrying out one's assigned
[06:41:46] role. However, Shimizu spoke of a
[06:41:49] non-existent traitor that wasn't related
[06:41:51] to the discussion yet seemed like it
[06:41:53] could be. That isn't relevant right now,
[06:41:56] Shimizu Kan stated Fukyama, looking
[06:41:58] calmer than the class C participants.
[06:42:01] I'm just saying the thought popped into
[06:42:02] my head. Besides, from Takatus<unk>s
[06:42:05] point of view, it probably wouldn't be
[06:42:07] very fun for him if Rywin did win, I
[06:42:10] bet. Or maybe he's so afraid of him that
[06:42:12] he's just continuing to obediently
[06:42:14] follow orders, said Shimizu. It was
[06:42:16] clearly a cheap provocation on
[06:42:18] Shimizu<unk>s part. Shizu peppered his
[06:42:21] polite speech with statements hinting
[06:42:22] that he looked down upon Takatu. God,
[06:42:25] you're annoying, Shimezu. Shut up,
[06:42:27] snapped Takatu. Sorry, but I won't hold
[06:42:30] my tongue. We're<unk> free to speak in
[06:42:32] this discussion. I decided that saying
[06:42:34] those things was necessary in deducing
[06:42:37] who was cast into what roles in my own
[06:42:39] way. No matter how you look at it,
[06:42:41] you're all kinds of suspicious, you
[06:42:43] know, said Shimizu. The discussion
[06:42:46] gradually turned up and Takatu after
[06:42:49] being provoked by Shimizu was seconds
[06:42:51] away from rushing over and throwing a
[06:42:53] punch at him. As the person closest to
[06:42:56] the both of them, Modoy of class A stood
[06:42:58] up in a panic and tried to step in to
[06:43:00] stop them, but Matcha stopped her.
[06:43:03] Matcha gave Madoy a look, his facial
[06:43:05] expression telling her that it was best
[06:43:07] to just stay out of it. "What do you
[06:43:09] mean I'm suspicious?" asked Takatu with
[06:43:11] a glare clearly ticked off. Actually,
[06:43:14] no. He was far beyond ticked off. He was
[06:43:16] furious. Even so, Shimizu didn't let up.
[06:43:19] I'm sure you know why, even if no one
[06:43:21] comes out and says it. "You fight with
[06:43:23] Rayuan all the time," said Shimizu. "I
[06:43:26] don't get what the hell you're talking
[06:43:27] about. So, what if I fight with him?"
[06:43:30] Takatu snapped back, pointing out that
[06:43:32] it was irrelevant to the discussion, no
[06:43:34] matter what Shimizu thought. But Shimizu
[06:43:37] didn't back down because he had
[06:43:38] understood from the beginning that there
[06:43:40] was no relevance and had simply set his
[06:43:43] sights on Takatu. There are rumors that
[06:43:45] you're working together with other
[06:43:47] classes to take Rywin down too, said
[06:43:49] Shimizu. Huh? Really? Is what he just
[06:43:52] said true? Takatu Kan blurted Fujasaki
[06:43:55] without thinking even though he had been
[06:43:57] listening without interrupting for the
[06:43:59] entire discussion so far. Shimizu's
[06:44:02] obviously lying through his teeth,
[06:44:04] replied Takatu. Is it really a lie
[06:44:06] though? Prompted Shamisu. Hey, the rest
[06:44:09] of you better keep an eye on your
[06:44:11] classmate here. Takatu will definitely
[06:44:13] betray you. Shut up already, snapped
[06:44:16] Takatu. What is your problem? This is a
[06:44:19] discussion. It's only natural to barrage
[06:44:21] the suspicious people with questions,
[06:44:23] isn't it? Answered Shimizu. It's got
[06:44:25] nothing to do with the discussion,
[06:44:28] shouted Takatu, his rage rising by the
[06:44:30] second. Having seen the rise he was
[06:44:32] getting out of Takatu by his poking and
[06:44:34] proddding, Shimezu continued, lightly
[06:44:37] teasing Takatu. From that point onward,
[06:44:40] a meaningless exchange of words that
[06:44:42] bordered on abusive cursing was repeated
[06:44:45] endlessly between the two of them. The
[06:44:47] other students were unable to stop it
[06:44:49] and could only look on with worried
[06:44:51] faces. Not a single word about who might
[06:44:54] be the model students or the position
[06:44:56] holders was uttered over those 5
[06:44:57] minutes. 9.4 Four. Saka Yi seeing the
[06:45:02] first round of this discussion ending in
[06:45:04] an uproious state smiled broadly. Now
[06:45:07] then, what do you think? Rayu Khan. The
[06:45:10] first round of the second discussion is
[06:45:12] over. But do you intend to make a
[06:45:14] nomination quickly? Or perhaps you were
[06:45:16] unable to find any information that
[06:45:18] would help you make a nomination? asked
[06:45:20] Saki Hyanagi. Wanting to see her
[06:45:23] opponent's reaction, Sakahanagi
[06:45:25] deliberately avoided mentioning the
[06:45:27] volatile situation between Shimizu and
[06:45:29] Takatu and instead threw out words that
[06:45:32] sounded like she was teasing. What are
[06:45:34] you going to do? A Sakahanagi. Don't
[06:45:37] look at me to see how I'm doing.
[06:45:38] Nominate. It's easy, ain't it? Replied
[06:45:41] Rywin. It does not work that way. As
[06:45:44] soon as we proceed with the nominations,
[06:45:46] more people will be removed from the
[06:45:48] room. That wouldn't be very interesting
[06:45:50] now, would it? or would you perhaps deal
[06:45:52] with the person you are concerned about
[06:45:54] right away? Fortunately for me, I have
[06:45:57] already used my right to send in a
[06:45:58] traitor. So, Shmeizu is your handiwork.
[06:46:01] A replied Rywin. He is not the only one,
[06:46:05] she replied. I had the opportunity to
[06:46:07] speak with various classmates before the
[06:46:09] special exam, and I let them know that
[06:46:11] Takatu Khan could be a potential weak
[06:46:13] point. Shimizu, wanting to be useful to
[06:46:16] Sakahanagi and to the class whatever way
[06:46:18] he could, attacked Takatu relentlessly.
[06:46:22] Unfortunately, the rules this time made
[06:46:24] it impossible to make any effective
[06:46:26] implications, but I appreciate him
[06:46:28] honestly listening to my advice and
[06:46:30] following it obediently, added
[06:46:32] Sakahanagi. Although the audio was cut
[06:46:35] off right now, Takatu was clearly
[06:46:37] growing more frustrated. As for our
[06:46:40] match, I am sure his reckless behavior
[06:46:42] will not have much of an effect. But
[06:46:44] what about everyone from class C
[06:46:46] participating in the discussion and
[06:46:48] their classmates watching it all play
[06:46:50] out? Depending on how Takatu Khan
[06:46:52] handles things, it could lead to ill
[06:46:55] will later on, said Sakianagi. In the
[06:46:58] first discussion, there was nothing
[06:46:59] suspect about Takatu, nor the one who
[06:47:02] attacked him, Shimemezu, and so it was
[06:47:04] currently impossible for either side to
[06:47:06] determine whether they held a position.
[06:47:09] However, there was a strong possibility
[06:47:11] that a desire to deal with the
[06:47:12] troublesome matter at hand could come
[06:47:14] into play. However, if you nominate
[06:47:17] Takatukan, I am sure that everyone will
[06:47:20] realize that you have some prejudice
[06:47:21] toward him, won't they? Said Sakahanagi.
[06:47:25] Sakahanagi had finished using her tablet
[06:47:27] and looked at Ryuin, who was unsure of
[06:47:29] what decision to make. Shimizu or
[06:47:31] Takatu, or the safe option, passing? He
[06:47:34] made his choice. After he had finished
[06:47:36] operating his tablet, he lightly tossed
[06:47:39] it on the desk. Did you choose to pass
[06:47:41] by any chance? Your pride wouldn't allow
[06:47:44] you to nominate either one of those two
[06:47:45] at this stage, would it? Asked
[06:47:47] Sakahanagi. I ain't going to play along
[06:47:50] with your cheap provocation, said Rywin.
[06:47:52] So you are saying you did nominate one
[06:47:54] of them then replied Sakahanagi. An
[06:47:57] announcement was made immediately
[06:47:59] afterward revealing the answers chosen
[06:48:01] by both parties. Sakahanagasan and Rayu
[06:48:05] Khan had both nominated Aagyaan as a
[06:48:07] position holder. Therefore this
[06:48:10] nomination will be declared a draw. I
[06:48:12] see. It appears that you did not fail to
[06:48:15] notice. In the earlier discussion,
[06:48:17] Shimizu Khan and Takatukan were
[06:48:19] unusually conspicuous and drew
[06:48:21] everyone's eyes, but behind them,
[06:48:24] Asagyan's reactions were clearly
[06:48:26] suspect. "I suppose I am grateful for
[06:48:28] the fact that her presence was
[06:48:30] diminished," said Sakahanagi. "Ryuin was
[06:48:33] unable to ignore Takatu<unk>s outbursts,
[06:48:36] but he was watching things closely and
[06:48:38] with a wide range of vision. Sakahyanagi
[06:48:40] had also made the insinuation that she
[06:48:42] would pass. But Rayuan had made his
[06:48:45] decision without letting himself get
[06:48:47] drawn in by that. But if those two rowdy
[06:48:50] individuals remain, there will be
[06:48:51] problems in the next discussion and
[06:48:53] beyond, you know, said Sakahanagi. Who
[06:48:56] can say look here? began Rywin. Ryuin
[06:49:00] seemed like he wanted to say something
[06:49:02] in response to Sakahanaga's question,
[06:49:04] but then the corners of his mouth curved
[06:49:06] upward and he turned his gaze back to
[06:49:08] the monitor. He seemed to be saying that
[06:49:11] the answer could be found on the other
[06:49:12] side of the screen. 9.5
[06:49:15] The second round of discussion once
[06:49:17] again started with comments made by
[06:49:19] Shamisu and aimed at Takatu, sparking a
[06:49:22] fire. I do think that you're suspicious
[06:49:24] after all, Takatu. You're the model
[06:49:26] student, aren't you? said Shamisu. I'm
[06:49:29] not, huffed Takatu. Takatu, who had
[06:49:32] regained a little of his composure after
[06:49:34] the break, denied Shimizu<unk>s
[06:49:35] assertion. However, Shimizu persistently
[06:49:38] continued to provoke Takatu and only
[06:49:40] Takatu. When other students tried to
[06:49:43] talk, he interrupted them, repeatedly
[06:49:45] bringing it up. Takatu, Takatu, Takatu.
[06:49:48] If all of class A were saying this in
[06:49:50] unison, that would likely be a problem.
[06:49:53] But it was only Shimezu. Enough already,
[06:49:56] Shamisu shouted. Takatu JGs, what's the
[06:49:59] deal? You're a scary guy. I'm simply
[06:50:01] making an argument is all. I'm just
[06:50:03] saying that you're suspicious, said
[06:50:05] Shimizu. And I'm telling you to make a
[06:50:07] real case and give a reason. Takatu
[06:50:09] snapped. A reason? A reason? Huh? Well,
[06:50:13] there's the fact that you didn't
[06:50:14] hesitate to betray your class, isn't
[06:50:16] there? From the sounds of it, you made
[06:50:18] an attempt to get Ryuin expelled in the
[06:50:20] unanimous special exam. That's not
[06:50:22] something you do to a class leader, no
[06:50:24] matter how much you dislike them, is it?
[06:50:27] Who did you hear that from? asked
[06:50:29] Takatu. He had heard it from Machida.
[06:50:32] From the way he spoke, it was obvious
[06:50:34] that Takatu wasn't really interested in
[06:50:36] knowing the source of the story, but
[06:50:38] rather he was talking on the assumption
[06:50:40] that he already knew. I can't say. You
[06:50:43] know, there are a lot of folks in
[06:50:44] Rywin's class who talk a lot, though.
[06:50:47] Anyway, I don't know how you could even
[06:50:49] come to school after failing to
[06:50:50] overthrow your leader. If it were me, I
[06:50:53] might have been too embarrassed to even
[06:50:55] come to Claw. Enough already, snapped
[06:50:57] Takatu. Takatu, who had been trying to
[06:51:00] hold himself back somehow, seemed to
[06:51:02] have reached his limits and shot upright
[06:51:04] with great force. Without caring about
[06:51:06] his chair toppling behind him, Takatu
[06:51:09] used that momentum to rush at Shimizu
[06:51:11] some distance away, who wasn't showing
[06:51:13] any signs of shutting his mouth at all.
[06:51:15] This is a discussion, Takatu. All I'm
[06:51:18] doing is operating within the rules,
[06:51:20] questioning people in the hope of
[06:51:22] finding out who has what role. You don't
[06:51:24] have any right to stop me, said Shimizu.
[06:51:27] Shimemeu, though intimidated by
[06:51:29] Takatu<unk>s intensity, stood his ground
[06:51:31] without budging an inch. In fact, if he
[06:51:34] could make Takatu get violent, it would
[06:51:36] certainly be helpful for his class. And
[06:51:39] with that in mind, he decided to
[06:51:41] continue provoking Takatu until the end.
[06:51:43] You'll be the next person to get cut
[06:51:45] anyway, so go ahead and betray Ryuan
[06:51:47] before that happens, said Shamisu.
[06:51:50] Takatu, figuring that if he couldn't
[06:51:52] stop Shamisu with his words, then he'd
[06:51:54] settle it physically, raised his fist.
[06:51:57] If he took a swing at Shamisu, he could
[06:51:59] silence him. Ryuin would be penalized,
[06:52:02] but getting the person he hated in
[06:52:03] trouble was fine. So, Takatukan, could
[06:52:07] you please lower your fist? No one was
[06:52:09] taking Takatu<unk>s side. It was in this
[06:52:11] kind of atmosphere that Sha standing
[06:52:13] next to Takatu without making a sound
[06:52:16] gently held his trembling fist.
[06:52:18] Shimizu's pissing me off, but it's like
[06:52:20] what he says is halftru. I don't like
[06:52:23] Rywin. Besides, I'd be fine with the
[06:52:25] exam getting all messed up anyway, said
[06:52:28] Takatu almost desperately as he glared
[06:52:30] at Sha as though telling her to get out
[06:52:32] of the way. In that case, maybe you
[06:52:34] should just go ahead and forcefully
[06:52:36] shake me off. Is that what you want me
[06:52:38] to do? It is, she replied. If you could
[06:52:42] do something like that, Takatu Kun, in
[06:52:44] that case, he shouted. Even though
[06:52:46] Takatu had suddenly focused his strength
[06:52:48] and clenched his fist, Shina didn't
[06:52:51] flinch whatsoever. Takatu<unk>s
[06:52:53] intention of making Sha think that he
[06:52:55] might actually try to shake her off
[06:52:57] didn't seem to be having the effect he
[06:52:59] wanted. Because you are not that kind of
[06:53:01] person, Takatu Kun, said Shi. How would
[06:53:04] you know what kind of person I am? Asked
[06:53:07] Takatu. Ryu Kun said. So he said that
[06:53:10] you would never get violent with a girl.
[06:53:12] Takatuk, huh? Ryuin did. I'm sure it
[06:53:16] isn't a coincidence that you and I are
[06:53:18] in the same group. Takatuk, what do you
[06:53:20] mean? I think that Ryu Khan had placed
[06:53:23] me in this group in the event of
[06:53:24] something like this. He did what?
[06:53:26] replied Takatu with surprise. But he
[06:53:29] quickly found himself distrustful of
[06:53:31] that reasoning. Yeah, there's no way he
[06:53:33] would have trusted me from the
[06:53:35] beginning. So he had you keep an eye on
[06:53:37] me. Husha, I am not so sure it's<unk>
[06:53:39] that he doesn't trust you. Can you not
[06:53:41] imagine that he did it out of
[06:53:43] consideration so that you could get help
[06:53:45] when you were in trouble? Takatukan Sha
[06:53:48] asked. If he did dislike you, then there
[06:53:51] wouldn't have been any need for him to
[06:53:52] choose you to be in a group for this
[06:53:54] important special exam and discussion.
[06:53:57] That's in fact while the other groups
[06:53:59] were being called, Takatu was thinking
[06:54:01] that if there was no obligation for his
[06:54:03] own group to be used, then he wouldn't
[06:54:05] take part in this exam. We need you,
[06:54:08] Takatu Kun. If you do something that
[06:54:10] causes us to be penalized, you will not
[06:54:12] only lose Rayu Khan's trust, but you
[06:54:15] will also lose your place in the class,
[06:54:16] said Shana. My place, huh? Said Takatu.
[06:54:20] You have one, she assured him. You've
[06:54:23] always had one, and you always will.
[06:54:25] Takatu relaxed his fist meant for
[06:54:27] Shamisu. Given the state of the room
[06:54:29] now, Shimizu was hesitant to go back to
[06:54:31] rattling on about Takatu. Even so, he
[06:54:34] thought that he could manage to rile him
[06:54:36] up again. And Shimizu was ready to fight
[06:54:39] back if the students from class C tried
[06:54:41] to hold him accountable. In that case,
[06:54:44] let's<unk>t at least make Shamisu
[06:54:45] apologize, said Kandu, feeling they were
[06:54:48] owed as much for the suffering their
[06:54:50] class had endured. I am not saying
[06:54:52] Shimizu did no wrong as the instigator,
[06:54:55] but I think that he probably did what he
[06:54:57] did because of the shadow of
[06:54:58] Sakahanagasan looming behind him. I
[06:55:01] think that it would be a little wrong of
[06:55:02] us to blame him for it, said Sha. Even
[06:55:05] Sha was worried about Shimizu<unk>s
[06:55:07] situation. The fact that he had been set
[06:55:10] up to pick a fight and didn't criticize
[06:55:12] him for it. Her comment made it
[06:55:14] difficult for Takatu, Kandu, or Shimizu
[06:55:16] to launch a new offense. Now then, we
[06:55:19] still have a little time left. Shall we
[06:55:21] get to discussing? said Sha. The tense
[06:55:24] atmosphere of the room was nowhere to be
[06:55:26] seen, and it had somehow been replaced
[06:55:28] with a relaxed one. Takatu bowed his
[06:55:31] head to silently apologize to Sha, set
[06:55:34] his overturned chair back upright, and
[06:55:36] sat down in it once again. 9.6. A
[06:55:39] critical explosive situation with a risk
[06:55:42] of violence and the penalties it would
[06:55:44] incur had passed. And yet, in the second
[06:55:47] round of discussion, that explosive
[06:55:49] situation was diffused thanks to
[06:55:51] Shiana's self-sacrificial actions.
[06:55:53] Sakianagi soon realized that this was
[06:55:56] not some miracle brought about by mere
[06:55:58] coincidence, though. I see. Takatukan
[06:56:01] harbors some dissatisfaction with your
[06:56:03] class. You foresaw that I would take
[06:56:05] advantage of that, and so placed in the
[06:56:08] same group as Takatukan, said
[06:56:10] Sakahanagi.
[06:56:11] Heth. When Takatu's on a rampage, it
[06:56:14] ain't easy to stop I am, said Rywin. As
[06:56:17] you can see, if it were anyone else,
[06:56:18] they would have just been adding fuel to
[06:56:20] the fire. No matter who you sent in to
[06:56:23] stop him, you'd get basically the same
[06:56:25] result. So why would she and Asan be
[06:56:27] able to stop him then? Haha. Cause he's
[06:56:30] soft on women just like how he treats
[06:56:33] you. He doesn't have the guts to drive
[06:56:35] his fist into a chick. Hasn't your
[06:56:37] thinking been to dispose of rebellious
[06:56:39] elements ahead of time? Takatu<unk>s
[06:56:41] outbursts ain't enough to be called
[06:56:43] rebellion. He's just playing with fire.
[06:56:46] You're giving him an opportunity to
[06:56:47] grow, Sakahanagi mused. You are quite
[06:56:50] kind despite appearances. It's<unk> cuz
[06:56:53] somebody somewhere likes doing that sort
[06:56:55] of thing, said Rywin. Using what is in
[06:56:58] the environment to induce growth in
[06:56:59] others was a method that Ayanokoji often
[06:57:02] used. Although they were such different
[06:57:04] people, Sakahanagi sensed the slightest
[06:57:07] hint of ayanooji within Ryuin. She found
[06:57:10] that she was enjoying fighting with
[06:57:12] Ryuin far more than she had previously
[06:57:14] imagined. However, I would hope that the
[06:57:16] only way you two are the same is having
[06:57:18] the same birthday, said Sakiagi. Rywin
[06:57:22] laughed at her sudden, unexpected quip.
[06:57:24] "Ha, don't know nor care about that. I
[06:57:27] just copied what he did." Ryuin had made
[06:57:29] good use of Shienna, whom he had
[06:57:31] excluded as a candidate for
[06:57:33] representative, and taken the fact that
[06:57:35] class A would try to make use of
[06:57:37] Takatu's disposition into his
[06:57:39] calculations. Sakahanagi genuinely
[06:57:42] admired the strategy that Ryuan had
[06:57:44] taken. Of course, it was not without its
[06:57:47] dangers, but that was also something
[06:57:49] unique to him, she supposed. Putting
[06:57:51] aside whether this would have any
[06:57:53] concrete effect on the outcome of this
[06:57:55] special exam from the perspective of
[06:57:57] both classes, Ryuan's side had gained
[06:57:59] some momentum. Because both sides have
[06:58:02] chosen to pass, we will move to a
[06:58:04] nomination by the model student. In this
[06:58:07] round, both representatives had chosen
[06:58:09] to pass. Sha was targeted and she
[06:58:12] disappeared from the discussion. And
[06:58:14] next in the third round, Shimizu once
[06:58:16] again latched onto Takatu. But Takatu no
[06:58:19] longer showed any signs of irritation.
[06:58:22] He couldn't betray Shi's wishes and his
[06:58:24] determination to stick to that was
[06:58:26] conveyed even through the screen.
[06:58:29] Sakahanagasan and Rayu Khan had both
[06:58:32] identified Machidakan as a model
[06:58:34] student. Therefore, this nomination will
[06:58:36] be declared a draw. With a pass in the
[06:58:39] previous round, the representatives
[06:58:41] ended this one in a draw as well. The
[06:58:43] immediate removal of Sha who had
[06:58:45] supported Takatu had accelerated the
[06:58:48] stalled discussion. "Now that it has
[06:58:50] come to this, it would appear that
[06:58:51] Shimizukan's nomination is unavoidable,"
[06:58:54] remarked Sakihyanagi. "I was just
[06:58:57] thinking the same thing," said Rywin.
[06:58:59] Both sides exchanged a few remarks in
[06:59:02] this round of nominations. Sakahanagasan
[06:59:05] and Ryu Khan had both identified Rkakuan
[06:59:08] as a model student. Therefore, this
[06:59:10] nomination will be declared a draw.
[06:59:13] Contrary to what both representatives
[06:59:15] had declared beforehand, it was Rkaku,
[06:59:18] not Shimemezu, who had been standing out
[06:59:20] conspicuously and was correctly
[06:59:22] identified as the model student. And so,
[06:59:25] the second round of discussion was
[06:59:26] brought to an end in an unusual case
[06:59:29] with no fluctuations in life points on
[06:59:31] either side. The situation remained
[06:59:34] largely unchanged even as they entered
[06:59:36] the third discussion which showed that
[06:59:38] things were at a stalemate. In both the
[06:59:41] first and second rounds, both
[06:59:43] representatives had chosen to pass
[06:59:45] consecutively. But starting from round
[06:59:47] three, both sides went on the offensive
[06:59:49] at the same time, nominating position
[06:59:52] holders consecutively round after round
[06:59:55] and ending things in a draw. In the
[06:59:57] following round, round five, Ryuan
[06:59:59] nominated someone as an underclassman
[07:00:01] and regained some points, going back up
[07:00:03] to seven. In the round after that, round
[07:00:06] six, both sides passed again, and it
[07:00:09] ended in a draw. I did not expect your
[07:00:11] tenacity would continue for this long,
[07:00:13] said Sakahanagi. I misread you two. You
[07:00:17] weren't just all talk, said Rywin. They
[07:00:19] had each congratulated one another on
[07:00:21] putting up a good fight in a battle that
[07:00:24] was getting drawn out for longer than
[07:00:25] they had imagined it would. Sakahanagi
[07:00:28] wasn't making any risky moves, and in
[07:00:30] this discussion, she hadn't nominated
[07:00:32] even one specific role. She took a
[07:00:35] non-offensive stance, thinking that
[07:00:37] something was suspicious. As a result,
[07:00:39] there were a number of rounds which
[07:00:41] ultimately led to the unusual result of
[07:00:44] all the average students having been
[07:00:46] ejected from the room and the remaining
[07:00:48] model students winning. "Can't you at
[07:00:50] least get water?" snapped Rywin. Once
[07:00:52] the interval came and Ryuin made that
[07:00:54] demand, the examiner hurriedly brought
[07:00:57] some plastic bottles. Ryuin aggressively
[07:01:00] snatched one out of the examiner's
[07:01:01] hands, took off the cap, and poured half
[07:01:04] of it down his throat in one go. It is
[07:01:06] important to stay hydrated. I suppose
[07:01:09] you must not be accustomed to using your
[07:01:11] head, and it is unexpectedly depleting
[07:01:13] more of your energy than you thought,
[07:01:15] said Sakahanagi. Her comment was filled
[07:01:18] with mean-spirited sarcasm, also
[07:01:20] suggesting that she didn't need any, but
[07:01:22] Ryuan ignored it. Do you wish for a
[07:01:25] rematch against Ayanokojan that badly?
[07:01:28] Asked Sakahanagi. You cannot win. Maybe
[07:01:31] not now, said Ryuin. But if I go after
[07:01:33] him persistently, he's bound to show me
[07:01:36] an opening at some point. I would hope
[07:01:38] so for your sake. However, Ayanokoji
[07:01:41] Khan is not so lenient an opponent as
[07:01:43] that, said Sakahanagi, clearly speaking
[07:01:46] without interest in the matter and
[07:01:48] merely trying to assert dominance.
[07:01:50] You're a nasty woman through and
[07:01:52] through, spat Rywin. Thank you very
[07:01:54] much, replied Sakahanagi. The time for
[07:01:57] the fourth discussion was approaching
[07:01:59] and both sides were serious about
[07:02:01] crushing each other. In this new
[07:02:02] discussion, Sakahanagi discovered a
[07:02:05] position holder. While at the same time,
[07:02:07] Ryuan had made an erroneous nomination,
[07:02:10] causing him to lose two life points. It
[07:02:13] looked as though the tides were turning
[07:02:14] in Sakiaga's favor. But in rounds four
[07:02:17] and five of the discussion, both
[07:02:20] representatives had identified a
[07:02:21] position holder and model student in
[07:02:24] succession, ending in a draw, an
[07:02:26] incomprehensible development. They had
[07:02:28] both passed in round six, but students
[07:02:31] once again identified the model student
[07:02:33] in the seventh round, bringing the
[07:02:35] discussion to an end. More than 3 hours
[07:02:38] had passed already since the battle
[07:02:40] between generals had begun, and they
[07:02:42] were about to enter the fifth
[07:02:43] discussion. It would appear that neither
[07:02:45] one of us can quite land a decisive
[07:02:47] blow, remarked Sakahanagi. Seems so,
[07:02:50] replied Ryuin. Ryuwin had five life
[07:02:53] points. Sakahanagi had eight. They had
[07:02:56] been repeatedly making nominations for a
[07:02:58] long time, and neither one of them was
[07:03:00] giving an inch. Even so, a gap was
[07:03:03] beginning to emerge. In round two of the
[07:03:05] fifth discussion, Ryuan's life points
[07:03:08] had been reduced to four thanks to an
[07:03:10] erroneous nomination. Up until this
[07:03:12] point, Ryuan had been calmly standing
[07:03:14] his ground, carrying the momentum from
[07:03:17] Takatu as he fought, but he continued to
[07:03:19] be frustrated. There kept being moments
[07:03:22] where he just couldn't push the all too
[07:03:24] important foe Sakahanagi back by a
[07:03:27] single step. Amid this, a single thought
[07:03:29] nod at his psyche. Namely, the reality
[07:03:32] that his own ability to calculate and
[07:03:34] predict couldn't surpass that of
[07:03:36] Sakahanagas.
[07:03:37] In truth, Sakahanagi had never once made
[07:03:40] a single critical mistake. Ryuan hadn't
[07:03:43] just made a single mistake on
[07:03:44] nomination. He was making slight errors
[07:03:47] here and there which were shaving down
[07:03:49] his life points. He felt like he was
[07:03:51] being pushed to the edge of a cliff bit
[07:03:53] by bit. What the hell do you see anyway?
[07:03:55] Sakahanagi asked Rywin. What you notice?
[07:03:59] I certainly notice, but you may not
[07:04:00] notice the things I notice. That's all
[07:04:03] there is to it, isn't it? However, you
[07:04:05] are very patient. Don't you think it is
[07:04:07] about time you exercised your right to
[07:04:09] send in a traitor so that you can turn
[07:04:11] the tides? Asked Sakahanagi.
[07:04:14] As long as Ryuan was losing points
[07:04:16] little by little, he could say nothing
[07:04:18] else but that he was at a disadvantage
[07:04:20] in this situation. The fastest way for
[07:04:22] him to turn the tide was to exercise
[07:04:25] that right which only he still had.
[07:04:27] Sakianagi was puzzled about that point
[07:04:30] as she assumed that Ryuan would have
[07:04:32] sent in a traitor at a much earlier
[07:04:34] stage. With Rywin's life points reduced
[07:04:36] by more than half, it was entirely
[07:04:39] conceivable that he could be defeated in
[07:04:41] the next discussion if he wasn't
[07:04:43] careful. If that happened, then he would
[07:04:45] lose without even exercising that right.
[07:04:48] Of course, it was only natural that
[07:04:50] Sakahanagi would want to avoid him using
[07:04:52] that at all costs. That was why she was
[07:04:55] going to lay the groundwork for her move
[07:04:57] from discussion number five into
[07:04:59] discussion number six and beyond. by
[07:05:02] suggesting to him that it should be
[07:05:03] used. Her intention was to actually make
[07:05:06] him hold on to it. In the fourth round,
[07:05:08] Ryuin took a chance. Who was the person
[07:05:11] who could most likely be considered a
[07:05:13] model student out of the remaining
[07:05:15] participants? Ryuin made his move,
[07:05:18] believing in the answer that his brain
[07:05:19] had worked out based on what he had seen
[07:05:22] with his eyes and heard with his ears.
[07:05:24] Ryu Khan identified Nishian as the model
[07:05:27] student. So, Sakahanagasan loses three
[07:05:30] life points. Rywin had struck first
[07:05:32] before Sakahanagi and succeeded in
[07:05:35] finding the first model student in the
[07:05:37] group. "Looks like I've finally closed
[07:05:39] the gap," remarked Rywin, grinning as
[07:05:42] though he warmly welcomed the idea of a
[07:05:44] slight elevation in his heartbeat. "It
[07:05:46] would appear so. You seem to have
[07:05:48] managed to identify the student despite
[07:05:50] the low odds," said Sakahanagi.
[07:05:53] Many of the students were not very
[07:05:55] talkative in the discussion, and neither
[07:05:57] representative had any conclusive
[07:05:59] information in hand. Well, no. I suppose
[07:06:01] it is not that simple, said Sakihanagi.
[07:06:04] For this nomination, at the very least,
[07:06:06] your insight must have surpassed mine.
[07:06:09] You had to recognize it when your
[07:06:11] opponent succeeded. Ryuan was a student
[07:06:13] who merited that. The blow that Ryuan
[07:06:16] just landed was undeniably a big one.
[07:06:18] But the opposite was about to happen in
[07:06:20] the next round. Sakahanagasan identified
[07:06:23] Hoshi as the model student. So, Rayuing
[07:06:26] Kun loses life points. Sakahanagi had
[07:06:29] noticed the single remaining model
[07:06:31] student left in the discussion using the
[07:06:33] clues revealed to her by Ryuan's
[07:06:35] previous nomination. You spat Rywin, I'm
[07:06:39] grateful. Thanks to you, I was able to
[07:06:42] find the remaining model student, said
[07:06:44] Sakahanagi.
[07:06:45] Sakahanagi had found the answer that she
[07:06:48] could not have arrived at on her own had
[07:06:50] she not known that Nishi was a model
[07:06:52] student. With Rywin's short-lived joy
[07:06:54] now no longer in sight, he was at a
[07:06:57] single life point while Sakahyanagi was
[07:06:59] at five. Both representatives had
[07:07:02] succeeded in nominating a model student,
[07:07:04] but unlike in a draw, the situation had
[07:07:07] developed quickly thanks to the
[07:07:08] nominations being staggered. The
[07:07:10] discussion ended and the interval
[07:07:12] started. Now you are finally in a
[07:07:15] situation where one slip will be your
[07:07:16] downfall, aren't you? Said Sakihyanagi.
[07:07:20] Now that Sakahanagi could identify a
[07:07:22] winning strategy for the next
[07:07:23] discussion, she was determined to throw
[07:07:26] down the gauntlet without self-ride.
[07:07:28] Ryuan, on the other hand, closed his
[07:07:30] eyes and tilted his head toward the
[07:07:32] heavens. He absolutely had to prevent
[07:07:34] Sakihyanagi from making the first move.
[07:07:37] Still, the fact that he had successfully
[07:07:40] nominated a model student brought him a
[07:07:42] small measure of relief. It would be a
[07:07:44] mistake to pass up on nominating like
[07:07:46] that because you wanted to wait and see.
[07:07:48] But there was no way of recovering from
[07:07:50] this. The faint signs of a surprise
[07:07:53] victory from behind were fading. Is this
[07:07:55] it? Is this as far as I go? He wondered.
[07:07:59] In order to show Ayanokoji how good he
[07:08:01] really was, he challenged Sakahanagi
[07:08:03] headon. Ryuan had laid bare everything
[07:08:06] he could using all of the ingenuity he
[07:08:08] could summon. But it was a step too far
[07:08:11] and the gap wasn't closing. The next
[07:08:13] discussion would definitely be the final
[07:08:15] decisive one. If given the chance,
[07:08:18] Sakianagi would come after him and cut
[07:08:20] his life points down by making a
[07:08:22] nomination without fear of risk. Would
[07:08:25] he have been able to put up more of a
[07:08:26] fight if he had exercised the right to
[07:08:28] send in a traitor rather than leaving it
[07:08:31] on the table? He thought as much for a
[07:08:33] moment, but then he also realized that
[07:08:35] it wouldn't have even been enough to
[07:08:36] even the score. Based on how she had
[07:08:39] been fighting thus far, Sakahyanagi
[07:08:41] showed that she would have been able to
[07:08:42] quickly eliminate the traitor. There was
[07:08:45] nothing more he could do. All that
[07:08:47] remained was to just nominate the model
[07:08:49] students who made up only two out of 14
[07:08:52] participants in the discussion and
[07:08:54] believe in a miracle. Even in the
[07:08:56] unlikely event that a miracle like that
[07:08:58] happened once, it probably wasn't going
[07:09:00] to happen a second time. Regardless, he
[07:09:03] had no other choice but to go for it.
[07:09:05] Rywin had wondered how it would feel
[07:09:07] when he lost. But actually, he was
[07:09:10] looking a little bright and sunny. That
[07:09:12] was because Rywin himself had come to a
[07:09:14] point where he had no choice but to
[07:09:16] admit that the little classmate before
[07:09:18] him was most definitely capable despite
[07:09:21] appearances. Her ability to look ahead
[07:09:23] in special exams, the breadth of her
[07:09:26] vision, and more importantly, the fact
[07:09:28] that she had put up an iron wall of
[07:09:30] defense where she made no mistakes. If
[07:09:32] Ryuin mainly used coercion in how he
[07:09:35] fought through a false show of power,
[07:09:37] bluffing, and threats, then Sakahanagi
[07:09:40] fought using her own inner convictions
[07:09:42] as her weapons. When challenging her to
[07:09:44] a proper fair fight, he came to realize
[07:09:47] that there were still many areas in
[07:09:48] which he wasn't as skilled as
[07:09:50] Sakahanagi. "Man never thought things
[07:09:53] turn out this way," huffed Rywin. Rywin
[07:09:56] had one life point remaining, while
[07:09:58] Sakahanagi had five. No matter how many
[07:10:01] times he looked at the monitor, the
[07:10:03] current point values wouldn't change.
[07:10:05] There are only so many moves you can
[07:10:07] make. No. Why not go ahead and exercise
[07:10:09] your right? Asked Saki Hyanagi. The only
[07:10:12] way for Ryuan to claw back the
[07:10:14] possibility of a victory at this point
[07:10:16] was to send in a traitor whom he had
[07:10:18] been saving. It sounded like advice from
[07:10:21] Sakahanagi, but Ryuin saw through that
[07:10:24] and knew it was a lie. I ain't going to
[07:10:26] turn the tables by using the traitor at
[07:10:28] this point. Actually, all it would do is
[07:10:31] lower my odds. We've been killing each
[07:10:33] other up to this point, but I don't
[07:10:35] remember fallen so far that I can't see
[07:10:37] the battle before me, you know, said
[07:10:39] Rywin. Even if it could become something
[07:10:42] of a trump card for Rywin, it was
[07:10:44] already too late. Exercising the right
[07:10:46] to send in a traitor would create a
[07:10:48] desire to pass and move the rounds
[07:10:50] forward. It would cause his mind to get
[07:10:53] caught up in the sweet promises of
[07:10:54] potential, thinking that it might be
[07:10:56] possible for him to get by without
[07:10:58] anyone nominating the model despite
[07:11:01] difficult odds. In other words, it took
[07:11:04] time to pay off for the benefits to be
[07:11:06] gained from exercising the right of
[07:11:08] sending in a trader. Once he had gotten
[07:11:10] information about one or two people from
[07:11:12] the trader, he would eventually have to
[07:11:14] turn a blind eye to them and identify
[07:11:17] the model students twice in a row. Even
[07:11:19] if he succeeded in that game, Sakahanagi
[07:11:22] would probably prevent at least one of
[07:11:24] those nominations from going through.
[07:11:26] Besides, Sakahanagi would likely find
[07:11:29] the position holders in the discussion
[07:11:31] and defeat him first. The endgame was
[07:11:34] truly in sight. I see. It seems you
[07:11:37] still have some wisdom enough to be able
[07:11:39] to see through that much, said
[07:11:40] Sakahanagi.
[07:11:42] In that case, why not go out with a bang
[07:11:44] and not use the right to send in a
[07:11:46] traitor? your stro. Just when Ryuan was
[07:11:48] about to say something half-hearted, a
[07:11:50] moment of reflection arose in his mind.
[07:11:53] This match I lose, said Rywin. An early
[07:11:56] declaration of defeat brought out by his
[07:11:58] true feelings. He had resisted voicing
[07:12:01] it at first, but once he finally put it
[07:12:03] into words, he felt refreshed. It was
[07:12:06] unmistakable proof that he felt that
[07:12:08] Sakahanagi really was a cut above the
[07:12:10] rest. "It would appear that you two have
[07:12:12] seen the checkmate in this battle,"
[07:12:14] remarked Sakahanagi.
[07:12:16] Yeah, I admit it, said Rywin. You fought
[07:12:19] well, Sakahanagi said. I will honestly
[07:12:22] admit that you are a capable individual
[07:12:24] worthy of praise. In fact, Sakahanagi
[07:12:27] was also sorry to see this match ending.
[07:12:30] She wanted to watch Ryuin fight a little
[07:12:32] longer, harboring a feeling that was
[07:12:34] similar to a parental love. Despite
[07:12:36] receiving such a declaration of defeat
[07:12:38] from Rywin, Sakahanagi wasn't careless
[07:12:41] or proud. That was because she was
[07:12:44] taking into consideration the fact that
[07:12:46] he might be playing possum or in other
[07:12:49] words that he was trying to turn the
[07:12:51] situation around by feigning inevitable
[07:12:53] defeat. After seeing the sharp glean in
[07:12:56] Sakahanaga's eyes as she shot him a
[07:12:58] sideways glance, Ryuin involuntarily
[07:13:01] blurted something out. You're<unk> a
[07:13:03] shrewd chick, all right, who won't even
[07:13:05] relax her guard after a surrender, said
[07:13:07] Rywin. But of course, I will not relent
[07:13:10] in the slightest until I see the results
[07:13:12] from the school, said Sakianagi. There
[07:13:15] were about 3 minutes left until the next
[07:13:17] discussion, which would be the last.
[07:13:19] Ryuan had but one life point. The right
[07:13:22] to send in a traitor also remained.
[07:13:24] Suddenly, Ryuan clicked his tongue.
[07:13:26] "What are you clicking your tongue for?"
[07:13:28] asked Sakahanagi. "Nah, nothing." Ryuan
[07:13:32] had unconsciously clicked his tongue
[07:13:33] when he recalled the day's events. Maybe
[07:13:36] he had predicted that I would lose like
[07:13:37] this. You mean Ayanokojikhan? asked
[07:13:40] Sakianagi.
[07:13:41] Yeah, he called me up this morning after
[07:13:44] they explained how the special exam
[07:13:46] works, said Rywin. I know that
[07:13:48] Ayanokojan had been giving you a look,
[07:13:50] Ryu Khan. You were going to the restroom
[07:13:53] if I recall. Sakahanagi said naturally.
[07:13:56] She had gotten a grasp on what had
[07:13:58] happened, nodding as she thought back to
[07:14:00] it. I imagined that there was some
[07:14:02] exchange between you two. That's when he
[07:14:04] said something to me. He said that if I
[07:14:06] lose, he wanted me to give you a
[07:14:08] message, Sakahanagi, said Ryuan. I see.
[07:14:11] So that was why he called upon you then,
[07:14:13] she replied. Just as Ayanokoji had
[07:14:16] foretold, Ryuan had gotten pushed to the
[07:14:18] verge of defeat. Well, let us hear it.
[07:14:21] What message did he have for me? asked
[07:14:23] Sakihyanagi. Whether the message was the
[07:14:26] truth or a lie could be determined by
[07:14:28] listening to what Rayuan had to say.
[07:14:30] That was precisely why Sakianagi was
[07:14:33] interested. However, Ryuin had come back
[07:14:36] with some unexpected words. I don't
[07:14:38] know. All I know for sure is that
[07:14:40] it's<unk> Hashimoto who has the message,
[07:14:42] said Rywin. Hashimoto Kun repeated
[07:14:45] Sakyanagi.
[07:14:47] On top of that, he said it's a message
[07:14:49] that you can only understand from this
[07:14:50] special exam. Rywin said, "I don't know
[07:14:53] whether it's true or not, though. If
[07:14:56] someone said something like that, there
[07:14:57] was no way that Sakianagi wouldn't be
[07:14:59] interested. If you choose the group that
[07:15:02] Hashimoto is in for the final
[07:15:04] discussion, I'll exercise my right to
[07:15:06] send in a traitor, said Rywin. When this
[07:15:09] battle had begun, the group that
[07:15:10] Hashimoto belonged to was the first one
[07:15:13] that Sakahyanagi had eliminated. At this
[07:15:16] moment, when the battle was about to be
[07:15:18] decided, Ayanokoji<unk>s message was to
[07:15:21] lead to a development where she would
[07:15:22] use Hashimoto. She couldn't help but
[07:15:25] smell something fishy going on. "Does
[07:15:27] this mean you haven't given up on the
[07:15:28] match yet?" asked Sakahanagi. "If that's
[07:15:32] what you want to think, go ahead," said
[07:15:34] Rywin. Saki Hyanaga's instincts were
[07:15:36] telling her, "Don't accept this offer."
[07:15:39] In this situation, where the odds of her
[07:15:41] winning were as close to 100% as
[07:15:43] possible, it would be foolish to lower
[07:15:46] that probability even slightly. However,
[07:15:48] she didn't think Ryuan was lying. It was
[07:15:51] precisely because she felt that was
[07:15:53] Ayonokoji<unk>'s message that she had
[07:15:55] grown subconsciously wary. However, at
[07:15:58] the same time, she desired to know what
[07:16:00] Ayanokoji<unk>'s message was. If you had
[07:16:02] been deliberately holding on to the
[07:16:04] right to send in a traitor until this
[07:16:06] moment, then that means you were
[07:16:08] fighting against me while putting
[07:16:09] yourself at a disadvantage. I do not
[07:16:12] like this one bit, said Sakahanagi. It
[07:16:15] was a complete failure on my part, said
[07:16:17] Rywin. I should have used it as soon as
[07:16:19] I could. Sakahanagi was sure that Ryuan
[07:16:22] had tried to win without using the
[07:16:24] traitor, but there were moves he could
[07:16:26] have used before trying to force his way
[07:16:28] forward. And yet, Sakahanagi was curious
[07:16:30] about Ayanokoji<unk>s message and the
[07:16:33] fact that Ryuin had not exercised his
[07:16:35] right. Sakahanagi was never going to use
[07:16:38] Hashimoto. That was why Ryuin had
[07:16:40] seriously regretted what happened. Ryuin
[07:16:43] gave a self-deprecating chuckle and
[07:16:45] flicked his wrist. However, I do wonder
[07:16:48] what he is thinking. sending a message
[07:16:50] through Hashimoto Kun mused Saki
[07:16:52] Hyanagi. I ain't got a clue either, but
[07:16:55] if I were to speculate, I'd say it's a
[07:16:57] setup. The only risk for the traitor is
[07:16:59] getting expelled, but that's a
[07:17:01] possibility if Hashimoto tries to plead
[07:17:03] innocent, said Rywin. Ryuin would
[07:17:06] nominate Hashimoto as the traitor, and
[07:17:08] Sakahanagi would call him up in
[07:17:10] dialogue. And in the event that
[07:17:12] Hashimoto went undetected, he could gain
[07:17:15] a lot of money. On the other hand, if
[07:17:17] Sakahanagi knew what he was, she could
[07:17:20] make a decision without hesitation and
[07:17:22] get Hashimoto expelled. He'll make light
[07:17:25] of the situation. He'll think that there
[07:17:27] is no possible way he'd get chosen as
[07:17:29] the traitor. He<unk>ll keep his mouth
[07:17:32] shut and pretend not to know anything.
[07:17:34] Even if you try to rattle him, said
[07:17:36] Rywin. It is certainly true that he will
[07:17:39] risk expulsion if he goes that route,
[07:17:41] but that would be difficult, wouldn't
[07:17:43] it? Said Sakahanagi. The role of the
[07:17:45] traitor was extremely unfavorable. Once
[07:17:48] their identity was discovered, there was
[07:17:51] a high probability that they would
[07:17:52] confess during the nomination stage. Of
[07:17:55] course, if the student was being
[07:17:57] declared as the traitor, but they
[07:17:59] actually weren't, the representative
[07:18:00] would be penalized, but that wouldn't be
[07:18:03] a major setback as the representative
[07:18:05] would only lose one life point.
[07:18:07] Hashimoto himself would likely consider
[07:18:10] it highly probable that he would not be
[07:18:12] chosen as the traitor. But if Ryuin
[07:18:14] exercised his right to choose one, he
[07:18:16] could choose Hashimoto to be sneaky to
[07:18:19] try to outwit Sakahanagi. Even if that
[07:18:22] were not the case, it wouldn't change
[07:18:23] the fact that if there was a traitor in
[07:18:25] the mix, Sakahanagi would consider
[07:18:27] Hashimoto a target of suspicion and at
[07:18:30] the very least would probably call him
[07:18:32] up for dialogue. He would most
[07:18:34] definitely confess when I call him up.
[07:18:37] Since there is nothing for me to fear on
[07:18:39] my part about making that decision,
[07:18:41] Hashimoto not admitting to being the
[07:18:43] traitor would mean he would be expelled
[07:18:45] from school, said Sakahanagi. If
[07:18:47] Sakianagi had one life point remaining
[07:18:50] and was backed into a corner, then
[07:18:52] things might have been different.
[07:18:54] However, as long as she had five or more
[07:18:56] points, there was essentially no choice
[07:18:58] but for her to rule him as the traitor,
[07:19:01] regardless of whether he was innocent or
[07:19:03] guilty. If you have some faint hopes, it
[07:19:05] is feudal. Regardless of whether
[07:19:07] Hashimoto Kun is innocent or guilty, I
[07:19:10] will judge him as such, said Sakahanagi.
[07:19:13] I know that. In that case, show me the
[07:19:16] skills you're so proud of. If you sweet
[07:19:18] talk Hashimoto into thinking that you
[07:19:20] won't rule him guilty, then you might be
[07:19:22] able to take him down together with me,
[07:19:24] said Rywin. At times like this,
[07:19:26] Sakahanagi wondered, "What if? What if
[07:19:29] Rywin had entered into a contract with
[07:19:31] Hashimoto in advance? What if this was a
[07:19:34] trap set by Rywin at an early stage?
[07:19:37] However, the details of the special exam
[07:19:39] were only revealed this morning. At that
[07:19:42] stage, the representatives and
[07:19:44] participants were completely isolated,
[07:19:46] and they didn't even have a small window
[07:19:48] of opportunity to exchange information,
[07:19:51] which meant that Ryuin had no way to
[07:19:52] draw up a contract with Hashimoto. like
[07:19:55] a promise to save him in the unlikely
[07:19:57] event that he was expelled for
[07:19:59] stubbornly lying through his teeth about
[07:20:01] not being the traitor while he was in
[07:20:03] fact the traitor. Actually, wait,
[07:20:06] thought Sakahanagi, deliberately
[07:20:08] choosing not to exclude such a
[07:20:10] possibility from her mind. Sakahanagi
[07:20:12] considered what the real what if might
[07:20:14] be. What if all of the rules of the
[07:20:16] special exam had been leaked in advance,
[07:20:19] putting aside whether Ryuin had offered
[07:20:21] such a contract to Hashimoto? No, that
[07:20:24] was absolutely impossible. Regardless of
[07:20:27] whether Hashimoto were to confess or
[07:20:29] not, Sakahanagi could simply make the
[07:20:32] judgment that he was the traitor. If she
[07:20:34] thought nothing of it and simply chose
[07:20:36] to go with that option, there wouldn't
[07:20:38] be any surprise victory from behind.
[07:20:41] After all, this was not caused by Ryuin,
[07:20:43] but by Ayanokoji. After all, let us see
[07:20:46] if there really is a message from
[07:20:48] Ayanokojikhan, shall we? Said Sakyanagi.
[07:20:51] Sakayahanagi chose Hashimoto's group.
[07:20:54] Then Ryuan picked a group at random and
[07:20:56] exercised his right to send in a
[07:20:58] traitor. Both of them were acting in
[07:21:00] accordance with Ayanokoji<unk>'s
[07:21:02] message, which was not a lie at all.
[07:21:05] However, when the discussion began,
[07:21:07] Rayuin closed his eyes and didn't even
[07:21:09] look at the monitor. "It is rather kind
[07:21:11] of you to go out of your way to make it
[07:21:13] so clear that you are not playing a
[07:21:15] trick," said Sakahanagi. Ha, I don't
[07:21:18] exactly hate the idea of putting up
[07:21:20] useless resistance, but I can't forgive
[07:21:22] myself for fallen for Ianokoji<unk>'s
[07:21:25] coaxing, said Rywin. This time
[07:21:27] specifically, Ryuin had personally
[07:21:30] declared to Ayanokoji that he was going
[07:21:32] to screw Sakahanagi over using his own
[07:21:35] talents. If that didn't happen, then
[07:21:37] this match was already over. Sakahanagi
[07:21:40] watched the discussion just to be safe.
[07:21:43] Although the information that could be
[07:21:44] gained in one round was limited, there
[07:21:47] were several people whom she sensed may
[07:21:49] be a position holder. Then while at the
[07:21:51] top of her game, she entered the time
[07:21:53] for dialogue. With Cain in hand,
[07:21:56] Sakahanagi slowly exited the classroom.
[07:21:59] Watching Sakahanagi go, Rayuan looked up
[07:22:01] at the ceiling and brought his fist down
[07:22:03] on his knee with all of his strength. He
[07:22:05] regretted that he had let the lead slip
[07:22:07] away from him from start to finish and
[07:22:10] that he was unable to catch up to
[07:22:11] Sakayanagi.
[07:22:13] Damn it, he huffed. He didn't want it to
[07:22:15] end here. That meant that his growth
[07:22:17] would end up stopping here, but that
[07:22:19] wish would no longer come true. Ryuin
[07:22:22] Kakiru lost. Chapter 10. The truth is
[07:22:25] before the start of the special exam, I
[07:22:27] arrived at the bathroom first and leaned
[07:22:29] back against the door of the stall that
[07:22:31] was the furthest back in the row,
[07:22:33] waiting for Ayanokoji. With my arms
[07:22:36] crossed and my guard up, I heightened my
[07:22:38] concentration, focusing on my upcoming
[07:22:41] fight with Sakiagi. Since the rules were
[07:22:43] disclosed to us just a bit ago, I
[07:22:45] repeatedly went through simulations in
[07:22:47] my mind to see how I should fight.
[07:22:50] Unfortunately, the fact that the
[07:22:52] representatives and participants were
[07:22:54] completely isolated from each other
[07:22:55] meant that most of the strategies that I
[07:22:58] had planned in advance couldn't be used.
[07:23:00] But Sakahanagi was under the same
[07:23:02] conditions, so that wasn't something to
[07:23:04] complain about. Besides, if it had been
[07:23:06] a battle based on academics, then it
[07:23:09] would have been no contest, as though
[07:23:11] the game had already decided at the
[07:23:12] start. So, considering that, it was safe
[07:23:16] to say that the first barrier had been
[07:23:17] crossed. It was especially interesting
[07:23:20] because there were no absolute
[07:23:21] guarantees. For the first time in a long
[07:23:24] while, I felt a tingling, stinging
[07:23:26] sensation all over my skin. Leaving
[07:23:29] things to chance, if I were to go out
[07:23:31] there and lose to Sakahanagi in this
[07:23:33] exam, then that would be the end. In the
[07:23:36] worst case scenario, there was still the
[07:23:38] option of holding my revenge match
[07:23:39] against Ayanokoji outside of the school.
[07:23:42] After a short delay, he came over to me.
[07:23:45] He had a blank expression like usual. At
[07:23:48] the time, I couldn't sense the creepy
[07:23:49] vibe Ianokoji had about him. But now, I
[07:23:53] could feel his abnormality to the point
[07:23:55] of disgust. "Seems like you picked up on
[07:23:57] my call," said Ayanokoji. "Hurry up and
[07:24:00] state your business already," I replied.
[07:24:03] "Sorry, but I ain't got the time to pay
[07:24:05] attention to you today." "Ioji didn't
[07:24:08] even move an eyebrow when I rushed him."
[07:24:10] Rywin, I'd like to ask you to pass on a
[07:24:12] single message to Sakahanagi sometime
[07:24:15] between the start and the end of the
[07:24:16] special exam. He said, "Huh? A message?
[07:24:20] If that's it, then you tell yourself.
[07:24:22] Are you messing with me?" I spat. That
[07:24:24] chick Sakahanagi was sitting quietly in
[07:24:27] the waiting room from when the groups
[07:24:29] were decided until just a minute ago. He
[07:24:32] would have plenty of time to go and talk
[07:24:34] to her himself. It's a special message.
[07:24:36] A message that I only want delivered
[07:24:38] during the special exam, explained
[07:24:40] Ayanokoji.
[07:24:42] So, he was talking about a message that
[07:24:44] had meaning once the one-on-one match
[07:24:46] between me and Sakahanagi was underway.
[07:24:49] Huh? Huh? I don't get what that's
[07:24:51] supposed to mean, I replied. It's okay
[07:24:53] if you don't understand. The message
[07:24:55] just needs to get to Sakahanagi, he
[07:24:58] said. What the hell is he up to? I don't
[07:25:00] think this is it. But is it possible
[07:25:02] that he's working together with
[07:25:03] Sakahanagi?
[07:25:05] Relax. I may not be on your side, but
[07:25:07] I'm not on Sakahanaga's either. I'm
[07:25:10] simply a bystander, he added. He added
[07:25:12] that bit of information like he was
[07:25:14] reading my thoughts as I was wondering
[07:25:16] just what he was doing. So, what's in it
[07:25:19] for me to help you out with this hassle?
[07:25:21] I asked. Sorry, but nothing in
[07:25:24] particular. If you don't like it, you
[07:25:26] can refuse. Besides, if the situation
[07:25:29] unfolds in such a way that you win
[07:25:31] against Sakayahanagi, then the message
[07:25:33] won't be necessary. I had no intention
[07:25:36] of honestly cooperating with Ayanokoji.
[07:25:39] But I couldn't allow that last thing he
[07:25:40] said to pass. You say in I'll lose, I
[07:25:43] asked. I didn't say that. The message is
[07:25:46] just a little particular is all, said
[07:25:48] Ayanokoji. At this point, he was just
[07:25:50] spouting nonsense. But he continued, "If
[07:25:53] you determine that you can't win, then
[07:25:55] just remember what I said when the time
[07:25:57] comes. If you just do that, that'll be
[07:25:59] fine. I didn't like this at all, but
[07:26:02] this guy did see into the future in a
[07:26:04] really bizarre way. I guess that it
[07:26:06] wasn't a totally pointless thing for me
[07:26:08] to do at the very least. Unfortunately
[07:26:11] for you, I don't plan on Lawson at all.
[07:26:13] But all the same, I'm going to ask you.
[07:26:15] What should I pass on?" I asked. I was
[07:26:18] getting a bit curious about the contents
[07:26:20] of this message that he was going to
[07:26:22] deliver to Sakayahanagi in such a
[07:26:24] roundabout way, but the contents of the
[07:26:27] message have been passed on to
[07:26:28] Hashimoto, said Ayanokoji. Huh? Even
[07:26:32] now, Ayanokoji was saying stuff that
[07:26:34] just went totally beyond what I
[07:26:36] imagined. So, just tell Sakahyanagi to
[07:26:39] ask Hashimoto for the message. You
[07:26:41] shitten me. How am I even going to get
[07:26:43] her to talk to Hashimoto during the
[07:26:45] exam? That's simple. he replied. All you
[07:26:49] have to do is make Hashimoto the
[07:26:51] traitor. If you do that, then you can
[07:26:53] make a situation where she can engage in
[07:26:55] dialogue with him one-on-one. Seriously,
[07:26:58] how far was this guy going to go just to
[07:27:00] screw with me? Don't make me laugh.
[07:27:02] Hashimoto's an opportunistic rat bastard
[07:27:05] that nobody trusts. There's no way that
[07:27:07] Sakayanagi would use Hashimoto's group
[07:27:10] in a match against me, I answered. Using
[07:27:12] my right to send in a traitor on
[07:27:14] Hashimoto itself sounded idiotic, but
[07:27:17] there was no conceivable way something
[07:27:19] like that could happen. It depends on
[07:27:21] the circumstances. It's actually not
[07:27:23] that difficult depending on how things
[07:27:25] unfold, said Ayonokoji. It didn't feel
[07:27:28] like he was saying you have to tell her
[07:27:31] or anything like that, like he was
[07:27:33] trying to talk me into it. But
[07:27:34] seriously, this guy was an who
[07:27:37] pissed me off to no end. You're out of
[07:27:39] luck. I don't care whether there's any
[07:27:41] meaning to this message or not. You're
[07:27:43] just going to have to deliver this
[07:27:45] message or whatever it is to herself
[07:27:47] yourself after the exam. You should at
[07:27:49] least have enough time to meet with her
[07:27:51] anyway. I replied, "It's a special
[07:27:53] message that Sakianagi will only be able
[07:27:56] to pick up on during the special exam,"
[07:27:58] said Ayanokoji. "You trying to keep me
[07:28:01] from using my traitor rights or
[07:28:03] something?" I asked. In all likelihood,
[07:28:06] Sakahanagi wasn't going to use that rat
[07:28:08] bastard Hashimoto anyway. But this whole
[07:28:11] message business would be impossible if
[07:28:13] I didn't save my traitor rights for when
[07:28:15] he was in play. It might happen, said
[07:28:17] Ayanokoji. Don't make me laugh, I
[07:28:20] replied. Your message will never reach
[07:28:22] Sakahanagi. I shoved Ayanooji's riddle
[07:28:25] into a corner of my mind, feeling like
[07:28:27] an idiot for giving this any serious
[07:28:29] thought. If you want to use your traitor
[07:28:31] rights, you can use them whenever you
[07:28:33] want. I won't coersse you, Ayanokoji
[07:28:36] said before leaving. I clicked my tongue
[07:28:39] forcefully while I watched his back as
[07:28:40] he walked through the door. What's the
[07:28:42] message? God damn it. Macken it harder
[07:28:45] for me to use my rights for no reason. I
[07:28:47] spat. I was about to be forced into a
[07:28:50] tough fight and here he was asking me
[07:28:52] for the most ridiculous crap. 10.1 R
[07:28:55] Yuen had exercised his right to send in
[07:28:58] a traitor and there was going to be a
[07:29:00] dialogue with a representative. I've got
[07:29:03] a bad feeling about this," said
[07:29:05] Hashimoto. Hashimoto, who had already
[07:29:07] arrived and sat down, muttered those
[07:29:09] words to Sakahanagi as she appeared in
[07:29:12] the classroom with a smile. Ryuan used
[07:29:15] his traitor rights when my group was
[07:29:16] selected, he added. "This is a bad turn
[07:29:19] of events." Saying that, Hashimoto
[07:29:22] leaned his back deeply into his chair as
[07:29:24] Sakiagi walked with her cane over to the
[07:29:27] seat opposite him and sat down. I can't
[07:29:29] ask how the battle between
[07:29:31] representatives is going, but by all
[07:29:33] accounts, we're at the climax. Huh? said
[07:29:35] Hashimoto. I am not so sure about that.
[07:29:39] Unfortunately, I cannot provide an
[07:29:41] answer to that question here, said
[07:29:43] Sakiagi. Hashimoto was hoping for news
[07:29:46] of a development wherein Ryuin had the
[07:29:48] upper hand in their match, but he felt
[07:29:50] that Sakahanagi sitting before him
[07:29:52] seemed to have a composed air about her.
[07:29:55] Well, that's okay. We won't know the
[07:29:57] details until it's all over anyway. More
[07:30:00] importantly, why'd you use the group I'm
[07:30:02] in? Sakahanagi asked Hashimoto, changing
[07:30:05] the subject a little as though he were
[07:30:07] trying to run away from that answer. Oh
[07:30:09] my, now that you perceive me as an
[07:30:11] enemy, you feel no compunction about
[07:30:13] addressing me so casually, asked
[07:30:16] Sakahanagi.
[07:30:17] Because for the time being anyway, it's
[07:30:19] just you and me here, and I don't really
[07:30:21] care about keeping up appearances or
[07:30:23] whatever, Hashimoto explained. Very
[07:30:26] well. I see that you are appropriately
[07:30:28] prepared yourself, said Sakianagi.
[07:30:31] Hashimoto was playing it cool, looking
[07:30:33] nonchalant, but his heart was beating
[07:30:35] much, much faster than normal. He
[07:30:38] desperately swallowed his saliva to try
[07:30:40] to wet his thirsty throat and pretended
[07:30:42] like things were normal. You have chosen
[07:30:44] to join forces with Ryu Khan. It is
[07:30:47] unfortunate for you that for this
[07:30:49] once-ina-lifetime match, it turned out
[07:30:51] to be a special exam in which you and he
[07:30:54] were completely helpless, said
[07:30:55] Sakyanagi. Yeah, seriously, I was hoping
[07:30:59] for something like by betraying you, I'd
[07:31:01] be able to overturn the odds in this
[07:31:03] contest, said Hashimoto. Because the
[07:31:06] results were almost the exact opposite.
[07:31:08] He made a big show of being
[07:31:10] disappointed. Why did you even use my
[07:31:12] group anyway? Even if I couldn't do
[07:31:14] anything to metal, there's no way you'd
[07:31:16] do anything that would provide an
[07:31:18] opening that could be exploited. You
[07:31:20] never know what's going to happen in
[07:31:21] this world. There was no advantage to
[07:31:23] using Hashimoto, only disadvantages.
[07:31:26] Yes, you are correct. I was not planning
[07:31:29] to use you for this special exam as you
[07:31:31] had expected, said Sakahanagi.
[07:31:34] So why then? What's the purpose of
[07:31:36] having this dialogue? Don't tell me you
[07:31:38] went this far to try to get me expelled.
[07:31:40] Is that what you're saying? asked
[07:31:42] Hashimoto, completely convinced that
[07:31:45] something like that would be absolutely
[07:31:46] impossible. I can't comply with your
[07:31:48] wishes, so how about I just hurry up and
[07:31:51] confess already? I'll say it. I'm the
[07:31:53] traitor. I would prefer that you not do
[07:31:56] so because I am not interested in your
[07:31:58] confession at all. The reason I had
[07:32:00] called you Hashimoto Kun was so that I
[07:32:03] could find out the contents of the
[07:32:04] message that you had heard from
[07:32:05] Ayanokoji,
[07:32:07] explained Sakayanagi.
[07:32:09] Message? Asked Hashimoto. Since you and
[07:32:12] I are the only ones here, surely there
[07:32:14] is no need for you to hide it. No, asked
[07:32:16] Sakahanagi.
[07:32:18] No, wait, hold on a second. I have no
[07:32:20] idea what you're talking about, replied
[07:32:23] Hashimoto as he crossed his arms and
[07:32:25] gave it some thought, looking visibly
[07:32:27] puzzled. You met with Ayanokojik before
[07:32:29] the special exam, did you not? asked
[07:32:31] Sakahanagi.
[07:32:33] Yeah, I did. But I didn't get anything
[07:32:35] like a message for you from him, said
[07:32:37] Hashimoto. Time is limited. If you were
[07:32:40] entrusted with something, I cannot
[07:32:42] imagine there is any need for you to
[07:32:44] pointlessly keep me in suspense, pressed
[07:32:46] Sakahanagi.
[07:32:47] No, really, I seriously have absolutely
[07:32:50] no clue what this is all about. Give me
[07:32:52] a minute here. Let me think. It was true
[07:32:55] that Hashimoto met with Ayanokoji, but
[07:32:58] he truly didn't remember being asked to
[07:33:00] deliver a message to Sakahyanagi. He
[07:33:02] frantically searched through his
[07:33:04] memories. Ah, wait, hold up. Don't tell
[07:33:06] me, he thought aloud. Could that be it?
[07:33:09] It would seem that you do have an idea
[07:33:11] of what it is after all, remarked
[07:33:13] Sakahanagi.
[07:33:15] No. Well, I mean, that was definitely
[07:33:17] not a message, though. It was just, said
[07:33:19] Hashimoto before snapping his mouth shut
[07:33:22] just as he was about to say the words.
[07:33:24] What is it? Asked Sakahanagi. He gave me
[07:33:27] one warning before going into the
[07:33:29] special exam. Don't lie to yourself, was
[07:33:32] what he said, replied Hashimoto. You are
[07:33:34] a liar after all. I suppose that is why
[07:33:37] he had given you that advice. However,
[07:33:40] that likely wasn't a message for
[07:33:41] Sakihanagi as Hashimoto was hesitant to
[07:33:44] say, "Right, honestly, there was nothing
[07:33:46] else." He said, "No message or
[07:33:49] whatever." Sakiagi thought for a moment.
[07:33:52] It didn't look like Hashimoto was lying
[07:33:54] about this matter. On top of that, she
[07:33:56] couldn't imagine that Ryuin was lying
[07:33:58] about it either. There was no doubt that
[07:34:00] he had already given up on the exam
[07:34:02] since he didn't even watch the
[07:34:04] discussion. In that case, there was only
[07:34:06] one answer remaining. You were entrusted
[07:34:09] with a message by Ayanokoji Khan. But
[07:34:12] you were not informed that it was a
[07:34:13] message. That is why you cannot find the
[07:34:16] answer even if you search your memory,
[07:34:18] said Sakahyanagi. What are you talking
[07:34:21] about? If that's true, then there's
[07:34:23] nothing I can do, right? I have no clue,
[07:34:25] said Hashimoto. There is no need for
[07:34:28] concern. I will find that message. To do
[07:34:30] so, it would probably require maximizing
[07:34:33] the time for dialogue. Examiner, I will
[07:34:35] ask you this ahead of time. I will now
[07:34:38] ask him whether or not he is the
[07:34:39] traitor, and at this stage, I will only
[07:34:42] be asking how he would answer. Can I
[07:34:44] please ask that you not take what he
[07:34:46] says to be his official confession?
[07:34:48] After informing the examiner that she
[07:34:50] did not want the confession yet,
[07:34:52] Sakayanagi confronted Hashimoto. Can you
[07:34:55] tell me if you are the traitor or not?
[07:34:57] Hashimoto glanced at the examiner. The
[07:35:00] examiner nodded slightly in agreement,
[07:35:02] promising that anything said for now
[07:35:04] would not be taken as a confession
[07:35:06] either way, whether innocent or guilty.
[07:35:09] What are you after? asked Hashimoto. I
[07:35:12] just thought I would like to speak with
[07:35:13] you. You said something earlier, didn't
[07:35:15] you? You said that Ayanokoji told you
[07:35:18] not to lie to yourself. Please allow me
[07:35:21] to confirm whether that is true. If you
[07:35:23] are on Ryu Khan's side, then there
[07:35:25] should only be one answer here. I'm not
[07:35:28] going to just carelessly believe you no
[07:35:30] matter how many times you've made an
[07:35:32] announcement to the examiner. So, let me
[07:35:34] put it this way. If you ask me to
[07:35:36] confess right now, I might say that I'm
[07:35:38] not the traitor, said Hashimoto,
[07:35:41] providing himself some insurance by
[07:35:42] being vague and non-committal. I see.
[07:35:45] Then you were simply called here, even
[07:35:47] though you were cast into a different
[07:35:49] role. Is that right? asked Saki Hyanagi.
[07:35:52] Yeah, I'll tell you how I really feel,
[07:35:54] said Hashimoto. I do not mind that
[07:35:57] stance. I feel that if you can tell me
[07:35:59] what is really on your mind, then I can
[07:36:01] get to the message. Shall we have a
[07:36:03] short chat then before we get to the
[07:36:05] confession? Immediately after that, a
[07:36:08] one-on-one conversation between
[07:36:10] Hashimoto and Sakiagi began to unfold,
[07:36:13] unrelated to the special exam. What do
[07:36:16] you want to ask me? Asked Hashimoto.
[07:36:18] Please allow me to ask you something
[07:36:20] that I could not ask the you from
[07:36:22] before. The old me would not have been
[07:36:24] interested in such things. But I believe
[07:36:26] that your character and thoughts are
[07:36:27] built upon your past experiences.
[07:36:30] Hashimoto said, "Who can say maybe
[07:36:34] that's true? Maybe it isn't. Even if you
[07:36:37] are not going so far as to lie, are you
[07:36:39] unwilling to simply answer the question?
[07:36:41] We don't have the kind of relationship
[07:36:43] where we could talk about the past with
[07:36:45] each other." Well, then perhaps I will
[07:36:47] go ahead and take a few guesses myself.
[07:36:49] Sakahanagi said, "I thoroughly
[07:36:52] investigate both allies and enemies, and
[07:36:54] you must be aware that you have some
[07:36:56] strange bad habits. Whenever you have a
[07:36:59] problem or are worried about something,
[07:37:01] you tend to shut yourself away in a
[07:37:03] bathroom stall." When Sakayanagi pointed
[07:37:05] that out, Hashimoto's shoulders suddenly
[07:37:08] twitched at the thought that Sakayanagi
[07:37:10] sitting across from him knew about a
[07:37:12] habit that he had no intention of
[07:37:14] letting anyone find out about. "Wow,
[07:37:16] that's a major surprise for sure," he
[07:37:19] said. "How and when did you find that
[07:37:21] out?" "I believe you may have already
[07:37:23] realized her identity, but I have had
[07:37:25] Yamamuraan investigate a number of
[07:37:27] things for me for quite a long time.
[07:37:30] That is how I know you have been in
[07:37:31] contact with Rayu Khan on a regular
[07:37:33] basis and that you have spent a lot of
[07:37:35] time with him, explained Sakahanagi.
[07:37:38] In that case, does that mean you also
[07:37:41] had Yamamura trespass into the men's
[07:37:43] bathrooms? Thinking back on it now, I
[07:37:45] suppose that I did force her to do some
[07:37:47] difficult things. Sakianagi said, not
[07:37:50] denying it, but instead nodding in
[07:37:52] acknowledgement of the fact. You shut
[07:37:54] yourself away in bathroom stalls when
[07:37:56] you have no business to do in there.
[07:37:58] Either you want some time alone to think
[07:38:01] or that is a place where you can escape
[07:38:02] from reality. I suspect it's the latter.
[07:38:06] I do not know if it was while you were
[07:38:07] in primary school or in junior high
[07:38:09] school, but I am sure there must have
[07:38:12] been some event that created that
[07:38:13] behavior. And if we factor in your
[07:38:16] personality, there are things that
[07:38:18] become clear. Hashimoto responded to
[07:38:20] Sakahanagi, cutting to the core of him
[07:38:22] with peruncter applause and chuckled to
[07:38:25] himself as he filled in the blanks for
[07:38:27] her. It's not that unusual a story, he
[07:38:30] said. A long time ago, I used to get
[07:38:32] chased around by people who didn't like
[07:38:34] me a lot. And on the campus of the
[07:38:37] school I went to, there was this
[07:38:39] bathroom that was so dirty, no one would
[07:38:41] go near it. I would haul up in there and
[07:38:43] do a lot of thinking by myself. I just
[07:38:46] haven't been able to shake that habit is
[07:38:48] all. He could have lied, but he figured
[07:38:50] he'd tell the truth since it was just
[07:38:52] about this. Even if Ayanokoji had
[07:38:54] advised him to do so, he didn't want to
[07:38:56] displease Sakahanagi by being
[07:38:58] thoughtless. You speak so
[07:39:00] optimistically, cheerfully when you say
[07:39:02] that, but your past was quite painful,
[07:39:04] wasn't it? Asked Sakahanagi. Who can
[07:39:07] say? replied Hashimoto, dodging the
[07:39:10] question. Because if he had answered it,
[07:39:12] it naturally would have dug up
[07:39:13] unpleasant memories. You had realized
[07:39:16] something through those experiences. You
[07:39:18] came to believe that it was right to
[07:39:20] betray others before you were betrayed
[07:39:22] yourself. And you learned that the art
[07:39:23] of survival was to lie in order to win.
[07:39:26] That is Hashimoto. Masashi. Don't talk
[07:39:29] like you know. Don't show me you
[07:39:31] understand. As someone who has never
[07:39:33] seen hell before, spat Hashimoto.
[07:39:36] Slightly overcome with anger. He
[07:39:38] reflexively smacked his knee. I don't
[07:39:40] know what Ayanokoji<unk>'s message is,
[07:39:42] but it's got nothing to do with me. I
[07:39:44] have to graduate from class A. I need
[07:39:46] results. results that'll show those
[07:39:49] people who think that I'm nothing but a
[07:39:50] piece of that they're wrong.
[07:39:52] Sakahanagi, Rayuin, Ayanokoji, Hashimoto
[07:39:56] didn't care, no matter who it was. He
[07:39:59] was going to graduate from class A with
[07:40:01] only that goal in mind. Hashimoto
[07:40:03] continued to fight. Enough of this
[07:40:05] already. Let's just move on to my
[07:40:07] confession, said Hashimoto. What will
[07:40:10] you do once we move on to the
[07:40:11] confession? You were told not to lie to
[07:40:14] yourself and so now you will confess
[07:40:16] that you're not on Rayu Khan's side and
[07:40:18] that you are the traitor. Is that what
[07:40:20] you're intending? Asked Sakahanagi.
[07:40:23] Obviously, Hashimoto replied. If I say
[07:40:26] that I'm not the traitor, even as a
[07:40:28] joke, you'll declare that I am the
[07:40:30] traitor and get me expelled. Acting all
[07:40:32] high and mighty over nothing like you
[07:40:34] slayed some great beast. There is no way
[07:40:37] I am going to let something like that
[07:40:38] happen. Yes, I will not promise
[07:40:41] something like I will not make that
[07:40:42] judgment no matter what you say either.
[07:40:45] Of course, my answer to you is a
[07:40:47] definitive one. I will judge you as
[07:40:49] such, said Saki Hyanagi. In that case,
[07:40:52] then this conversation is over. I
[07:40:54] Hashimo who had tried to bring this
[07:40:56] dialogue to an end himself went
[07:40:58] speechless as he looked into
[07:40:59] Sakayanaga<unk>s eyes. What? Why are you
[07:41:02] making that face? He asked. Sakianagi
[07:41:06] was wearing a calm, gentle expression
[07:41:08] which he had never seen on her before.
[07:41:10] It wasn't the kind of face someone made
[07:41:12] when they were mocking another person,
[07:41:14] but a warm smile like a mother looking
[07:41:16] over her child. Maybe it is because my
[07:41:19] understanding of you has deepened,
[07:41:20] Hashimoto. Sakahanagi said, "I promised
[07:41:24] Masaman that I would have you expelled,
[07:41:27] but just now I thought that it might be
[07:41:29] a good idea for me to reconsider that."
[07:41:31] "Huh? There is no way I could believe
[07:41:33] that, said Hashimoto. I did not say that
[07:41:36] I would rescend it. If you are going to
[07:41:38] continue to betray the class, then the
[07:41:40] consequences are not over. But if you
[07:41:42] trust me and follow me, then things will
[07:41:44] be different. That is all that I am
[07:41:46] saying, said Sakahanagi. Do you really
[07:41:49] think I'll believe that, Hashimoto shot
[07:41:51] back? Of course, you'll betray me. I am
[07:41:54] not so sure about that, said Sakahanagi.
[07:41:57] You're going to trick me, catch me off
[07:41:58] guard, and then retaliate, aren't you?
[07:42:01] Hashimo Kun, please give it some
[07:42:03] thought. You'll obviously betray me.
[07:42:05] Definitely. I have to defeat you.
[07:42:08] Suddenly, a droplet of water trailed
[07:42:10] down Hashimoto's cheek. What is, said
[07:42:13] Hashimoto. He didn't even understand it
[07:42:15] himself. It was just so sudden. It was
[07:42:17] only when he wiped it away that he
[07:42:19] realized it was a tear. What the hell is
[07:42:21] this? There's no reason to cry. So,
[07:42:24] what's going on? he asked with a
[07:42:26] helpless laugh at the physical
[07:42:27] abnormality going on with his body.
[07:42:30] There hasn't ever been anyone who has
[07:42:31] understood you before. You had thought
[07:42:33] that there still wouldn't be anyone in
[07:42:35] the future as well. However, your
[07:42:38] instincts have made you come to realize
[07:42:39] that is not true. Isn't that right?
[07:42:42] asked Sakahanagi. Sakahanagi looking at
[07:42:45] Hashimoto before her also thought back
[07:42:47] on herself. She had never trusted anyone
[07:42:50] before either. She had trusted only her
[07:42:52] own thoughts and acted coldly without
[07:42:55] emotion. However, as a result, she had
[07:42:58] lost Kamaro due to their immature
[07:42:59] hearts. Hashimoto was carrying a
[07:43:02] darkness within him. A pass that made
[07:43:04] him into someone who would do whatever
[07:43:06] it takes, fair or foul, in order to
[07:43:08] survive, going this way and that. If
[07:43:11] Sakahanagi got even closer to Hashimoto
[07:43:14] in the coming future, then a day might
[07:43:16] come where he would tell her about it.
[07:43:18] That was what Sakahyanagi thought, at
[07:43:20] least. While it didn't change the fact
[07:43:22] that he was a man that was hard to
[07:43:24] forgive, she was also largely
[07:43:26] responsible for Kamuro<unk>'s expulsion
[07:43:28] herself. In that case, maybe she should
[07:43:31] give him a chance. Maybe she should win
[07:43:33] this special exam and once again bring
[07:43:35] Hashimoto over to her side as an ally.
[07:43:38] Such thoughts were swirling about in
[07:43:40] Sakyanaga's mind. Hashimoto would
[07:43:43] confess and admit to being a traitor. In
[07:43:45] that case, all that was left was for
[07:43:47] Sakahanagi to make her decision, and
[07:43:50] that would be the end of the dialogue.
[07:43:52] Hashimoto would only lose his rewards.
[07:43:55] They would return to the discussion. She
[07:43:57] would find a position holder, and this
[07:43:59] special exam would end with Rywin's life
[07:44:01] points being shaved down. However,
[07:44:04] Sakianagi stopped. What was it that
[07:44:06] Ayanokoji wanted to tell her? What was
[07:44:09] the message that he had conveyed to
[07:44:11] Hashimoto? Was it a message telling her
[07:44:13] to forgive the man before her? While she
[07:44:15] had arrived at one possible answer, Saki
[07:44:18] Hyanagi still felt a strong sense that
[07:44:20] something was out of place. She quietly
[07:44:22] closed her eyes. That was not the
[07:44:24] message from Ayanokoji. The question of
[07:44:27] whether or not to forgive Hashimoto did
[07:44:30] not have to be answered through this
[07:44:31] special exam. It could even be answered
[07:44:34] after Ryuan's expulsion from the school
[07:44:36] had been made definite, not during the
[07:44:38] ambiguous phase. Therefore, you couldn't
[07:44:41] say that the message would be
[07:44:42] meaningless if it wasn't delivered. Now,
[07:44:44] what was it that he wanted to tell her
[07:44:46] in this situation? She explored the idea
[07:44:49] using her superior thinking that others
[07:44:51] did not possess. Thinking, thinking,
[07:44:54] thinking, thinking, thinking. Ah.
[07:44:57] Finally, Sakahanaga's thoughts lead her
[07:44:59] to the answer, the hidden message. Is
[07:45:02] that what you mean? She thought aloud.
[07:45:04] No, I do not want to accept it. I do not
[07:45:06] want to accept such a message, she
[07:45:08] thought. That was why she added a
[07:45:10] question mark. But even after turning it
[07:45:12] into a question, her brain couldn't help
[07:45:14] but be convinced that it was indeed the
[07:45:17] correct answer. What was the message
[07:45:19] that Ayanokoji had sent to Sakayahanagi?
[07:45:22] The message was something that Ryuin and
[07:45:24] Hashimoto could never hear.
[07:45:26] Ayanokoji<unk>s true intentions which
[07:45:28] could only be seen after fighting with
[07:45:30] Ryuin. It was a message that was far far
[07:45:33] too cruel for Sakahanagi. He's a liar
[07:45:36] too, said Sakahyanagi.
[07:45:38] A fight between Sakahanagi and Rayuin
[07:45:41] with expulsion at stake. Their true
[07:45:43] intentions, Sakahanagi and Ryuins were
[07:45:46] to fight against Ayanoko Gji to their
[07:45:48] hearts content. So this contest was
[07:45:50] something that they established in order
[07:45:52] to eliminate the opponent that stood in
[07:45:54] their way. And Ayionokoji knowing this
[07:45:57] decided that he wouldn't support either
[07:45:59] side. However, while he gave that
[07:46:02] answer, he actually did make a decision
[07:46:04] about which of them it was that he
[07:46:06] wanted to remain. Ayanokoji's intended
[07:46:09] opponent was Rayuan Kakuru. Of course,
[07:46:12] Ayanokoji wouldn't have wanted to
[07:46:13] interfere with this match naturally. For
[07:46:16] that purpose, he had even offered her
[07:46:18] advice, implying that he would repay the
[07:46:20] debt he owed her, but it was only done
[07:46:23] as pretext because he knew that
[07:46:25] Sakahanagi would have refused. The whole
[07:46:27] sequence of events was an insignificant
[07:46:29] help in turning the tables for Rywin,
[07:46:32] who was now facing imminent defeat. The
[07:46:35] real battle with Ayanokoji awaited her
[07:46:37] ahead. The thing that Sakahyanagi had
[07:46:39] been waiting for for so long. But what
[07:46:42] did Ayanokoji think? She knew that he
[07:46:44] was working on the premise of having the
[07:46:46] four classes in equilibrium. She even
[07:46:49] interfered with Ayanokoji's plans
[07:46:51] because she wanted to see his troubled
[07:46:53] face. However, the underlying reason
[07:46:55] behind what Ayanokoji was doing was
[07:46:58] because he was hoping and waiting for a
[07:47:00] decisive battle to come. Sakahanagi had
[07:47:03] believed and hoped that she was a worthy
[07:47:05] opponent for him. In the end, though,
[07:47:07] that was nothing more than a one-sided
[07:47:09] wish on her part. It was a certain
[07:47:11] future that only Sakahanagi, who
[07:47:14] possessed a superior mind, could see.
[07:47:16] Ayanokoji wanted to continue to watch
[07:47:19] Rywyn's growth closely and accept his
[07:47:21] challenge. Just like how Saki Hyanagi
[07:47:24] herself felt that she had wanted to have
[07:47:25] more fun with Ryuin in this battle.
[07:47:28] Delivering the final blow to Rayuin
[07:47:30] would be simple. With just one more
[07:47:32] push, her victory would be assured. Then
[07:47:35] Sakahyanagi could say, "I interfered
[07:47:37] with your plans once again and state her
[07:47:39] desire for a fight." However, how
[07:47:42] comical a sight this was. Ayanokoji
[07:47:44] Kiotaka didn't want to fight Sakihanagi
[07:47:47] Arisu in the future. The reality was
[07:47:49] that Ayanokoji would not be pleased if
[07:47:51] Sakahanagi won here and now. For the
[07:47:54] first time in her life, Sakahanagi felt
[07:47:56] she hated this thinking of hers, which
[07:47:59] enabled her to see beyond where others
[07:48:01] could see, which no one else could see
[07:48:03] yet. She had wanted to remain ignorant
[07:48:05] and unaware of how ridiculous she was.
[07:48:07] If she wanted to help her class, she
[07:48:09] would have to prioritize winning. Images
[07:48:12] of Yamamura and her classmates flashed
[07:48:14] through her mind for a moment. There
[07:48:16] might have even been a future where she
[07:48:18] could have fulfilled her promise to
[07:48:20] Camaro or join hands with Hashimoto once
[07:48:23] again. It wouldn't be a bad thing at all
[07:48:25] to continue her life at this school. But
[07:48:27] beyond that, what Sakahanagi wanted
[07:48:30] wasn't waiting for her. For Sakahanagi,
[07:48:33] that was a painful reality and one that
[07:48:35] could not be changed. Lose here. That
[07:48:37] was the message from Ayanokoji. A
[07:48:40] message that no one else could notice,
[07:48:42] but that Sakahanagi had surely received.
[07:48:45] Even in the face of cruel words from the
[07:48:47] person she loved, she wore a thin smile
[07:48:49] and closed her eyes. If she didn't, she
[07:48:52] felt that she would naturally start
[07:48:53] shedding tears just as Hashimoto had.
[07:48:56] The time has come. Hashimo Kun, please
[07:48:58] give your confession. The school
[07:49:00] announced that the dialogue was over. Up
[07:49:03] until this point, Hashimoto had been
[07:49:05] engaging with Sakahanagi without lying
[07:49:07] to himself. the answer that was sought.
[07:49:10] Yeah, the trait. As Hashimoto tried to
[07:49:13] get the words out, his voice strained
[07:49:15] and almost inaudible, Sakiagi quietly
[07:49:18] stopped him. I see, she said. You say
[07:49:20] you are not the traitor. That's right.
[07:49:22] You are not the traitor. Hashimoto
[07:49:24] opened his eyes wide. Hey, Sakahanagi,
[07:49:28] what are you? It was impossible for her
[07:49:30] to have known how Hashimoto intended to
[07:49:32] answer that question. After all, he
[07:49:35] might have admitted that he was a
[07:49:36] traitor in order to avoid being
[07:49:38] expelled. Or he might have said until
[07:49:40] the end that he was not the traitor,
[07:49:43] that he wouldn't lie to himself and that
[07:49:45] he would continue to stand on Ryuin's
[07:49:47] side. But that no longer mattered. The
[07:49:49] decision depends on what Hashimoto Kun
[07:49:52] has actually confessed to. So that would
[07:49:54] be tackless. He did indeed say that he
[07:49:57] is not the traitor. Sakahanagi cut in.
[07:49:59] The answer will be the same if you ask
[07:50:01] him to confirm his answer once again.
[07:50:03] And I will not change my answer either.
[07:50:06] Isn't that right? Hashimoto Kun why
[07:50:09] asked Hashimoto. Because that was the
[07:50:11] message from Ayanokojik.
[07:50:14] That is all there is to it. That was the
[07:50:16] conclusion drawn by Sakahyanagi. An
[07:50:19] announcement was once again made asking
[07:50:21] her to confirm her choice which she did.
[07:50:24] Finally the decision was handed down.
[07:50:26] Sakahanagasan has failed to identify the
[07:50:29] traitor. So she loses five life points.
[07:50:32] The end ofear special exam in which
[07:50:34] there would be more students getting
[07:50:35] expelled from school had ended. Ryuin
[07:50:38] Kakiru lost and Sakahanagi Arisu had
[07:50:41] also lost. Within that contradiction,
[07:50:44] there were indeed winners and losers.