After school, in the student council room.
It used to be an unbearably stifling place, filled with the sticky malice radiating from the new student council president, Miyabi Nagumo, and the nasty pressure ant to isolate .
But now, the atmosphere had changed slightly.
"Oh? Nagumo, the numbers on this docunt seem a little off. For soone who calls himself the student council president, overlooking such a basic mistake is rather careless. Perhaps you should broaden your perspective a bit more?"
"Tch…! Shut up, Kiryuin! Just do your own damn work!"
"Haha! I was rely giving you advice, and this is the attitude I get? Well, fine. I'll fix it for you."
The free-spirited second-year, Fuuka Kiryuin, toyed with Nagumo while wearing a relaxed smile, silver hair swaying elegantly.
Nagumo clicked his tongue with veins bulging on his forehead.
Beside him, Tonokawa and Mizowaki—the new secretaries and Nagumo's lackeys—had beco as quiet as borrowed cats, completely intimidated by Kiryuin's overwhelming competence and overpowering presence.
(Ohoho…! Thanks to Kiryuin-senpai constantly stealing Nagumo's attention and hostility, the amount of annoying harassnt directed at has dropped dramatically!)
I cheerfully celebrated inside my head while processing paperwork at terrifying speed.
Because Nagumo bothered less now, my efficiency had risen even further.
"—My assigned approvals are complete. The rest may descend into chaos as it pleases."
I placed the neatly organized stack of docunts on the desk and stood gracefully.
"Eh, you're already done!? As expected of Aizen-kun! I'm almost finished too, so wait for !"
Ichinose happily continued moving her pen.
Ignoring Nagumo's irritated glare on our backs, we quickly left the student council room and headed for the classroom where our study group was being held.
Preparations for the Paper Shuffle exam were progressing steadily.
The preliminary "mini-tests" had already ended, and the school had announced the official pairings.
Thanks to Ichinose's precise score-adjustnt instructions, high-performing students and low-performing students had been paired together perfectly, creating ideal combinations.
From this point onward, the main focus was improving each pair's combined score to safely exceed the expulsion line of 700 points, while also creating exam questions to use against the opposing Class B.
"As for this math question… I've embedded a subtle 'poison' into the standard formula to trip up Class B. It's an application problem designed to confuse their perspective. What do you think?"
Kanzaki showed the problem sheet he had created to and Hiyori.
"I think it's good! It's not impossibly hard, but it's exactly difficult enough that you can't solve it without understanding the basics!"
Ichinose gave it her enthusiastic approval.
The question creation for the target Class B was being led mainly by the intellectual team of Kanzaki and Hiyori, producing nasty borderline-difficulty questions that would barely pass teacher inspection.
anwhile, I moved between classmates teaching one another in pairs, accurately explaining difficult points—
(with Hiyori translating for ).
Everything was going smoothly.
Class A's unity was becoming stronger day by day.
That day's study session also progressed productively in a positive atmosphere before we finally disbanded.
Later, after returning to my room, taking a shower, and relaxing on the sofa, my phone suddenly vibrated on the table.
Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
(Hm? Who could it be?)
Looking at the screen, I saw an unregistered number labeled Unknown Caller.
Slightly suspicious, I answered anyway.
"…Who is this?"
"Oh, you picked up. Sorry for calling out of nowhere, Aizen."
The voice coming from the speaker was frivolous, yet sohow gave the impression of hiding its true intentions.
(That voice… Right, one of Sakayanagi's classmates. One of her executives.)
"Where did you get my number?"
"I'm Masayoshi Hashimoto from Class 1-B. I got your contact from Kushida-chan in Class D a while back. That girl knows practically every first-year's number, and she's friendly enough to hand them out without complaint. Very convenient."
(I see. Kushida from Class D.)
That two-faced social butterfly would probably smile and share anyone's contact information if asked.
A terrifying information network.
"I'll get straight to the point. Want to et outside for a bit?"
"…Depends on the reason."
"It's about a mutually beneficial deal regarding future class warfare. I don't think it's a bad offer."
(A deal, huh. Well, I suppose I can at least hear him out.)
After agreeing, I headed to the location Hashimoto specified—a dimly lit area behind the special building, hidden from security caras.
Cold night wind blew through the back of the special building.
In the darkness untouched by streetlights, Masayoshi Hashimoto waited while leaning against the wall.
"Sorry for calling you out so late, Aizen. Appreciate you coming."
Hashimoto raised a hand with a casual grin.
"Skip the preamble. State your business."
At my cold prompting, Hashimoto checked the surroundings before lowering his voice.
"Hey, don't be so cautious. I just wanted to establish a personal connection with you—the brains of Class A and the vice president of the student council."
"A connection?"
"Yeah. I'm sort of an information broker. Interested in any useful intel? For example… the exam questions Class B is planning to use in the Paper Shuffle."
Hashimoto proposed this shalessly, completely unfazed.
"Well? Not a bad offer, right? Even I'm taking a risk betraying my class like this."
I instantly analyzed his intentions.
(…Is this Sakayanagi's trap? Feed us fake questions to ensure Class B wins the Paper Shuffle… no, that's not it.)
(His eyes are serious. He genuinely wants to get close to .)
(Which ans his true goal is obvious: build goodwill with us so that one day he can be "poached" into Class A. Even if Sakayanagi catches him, he can claim he was only feeding fake information to mislead us. A cunning two-layered strategy.)
(But Ichinose firmly believes that people should overco hardships and grow in order to deserve special privileges. Winning through dirty information trading wouldn't contribute to the class growth she wants.)
I organized my thoughts and prepared to firmly reject his petty proposal.
"—Do you believe muddy fruit belongs upon a king's table? …Pathetic. The royal path we walk has no need for filthy honey spilled by others."
(Translation: Sorry, but it goes against Ichinose's policy. We don't need information gained through underhanded tactics.)
"—!"
Faced with my calm yet overwhelmingly oppressive words, Hashimoto unconsciously stepped back, shoulders trembling.
In the darkness of night, my eyes must have appeared to glow coldly.
His face stiffened.
"…I don't really understand what you're saying, but negotiations are off, huh? Still, I'm not giving up. I'll contact you again soti."
(This guy really is walking a dangerous tightrope just for self-preservation…)
Feeling slightly sorry for him, I decided to offer a warning.
(He probably thinks he's being clever, but there's no way Sakayanagi Arisu wouldn't notice sothing this shady. She's exactly the type who shows no rcy to traitors. And if spying becos rampant, the school's intended class competition system would collapse. At that point, they might create an exam specifically designed to eliminate traitors from within each class. Has he even considered that risk?)
Looking down at Hashimoto, I spoke coldly.
"—Poison upon the board will one day rot the feet of the one who spread it. To believe you can deceive the White Queen's gaze—that very foolishness tightens the noose around your own neck. Before looking to the heavens, watch the mud beneath your feet."
(Translation: Sakayanagi will probably notice what you're doing. I think you should stop acting like a spy.)
"—!"
Hashimoto's eyes widened, teeth grinding audibly.
"—Rember this well. Visible betrayal is trivial. The truly terrifying betrayal is the kind you cannot see."
At my quiet yet chilling warning, Hashimoto's face twitched before he hurriedly fled the scene.
Back in my room, I took a bottle of mineral water from the fridge and drank while thinking quietly to myself.
(Well, graduating from Class A guarantees admission into your desired university or employnt at major corporations. With a privilege like that, it's no surprise so people would resort to betrayal by any ans necessary.)
I sank into the sofa and thought about my own future.
(…Co to think of it, even if I graduate from Class A and obtain those privileges, there's no way I could ever function in a normal company job, right?)
Even if Class A privileges sohow forced a major corporation to hire , if my boss ever said:
"Hey Aizen, make so copies of these."
I'd probably respond with:
"—You dare give orders to ? …Know your own insignificance."
There was no future where I wouldn't get fired within three days.
(…Yeah, impossible. As long as I'm cursed like this, I could never work as a cog in so organization. After graduation, my only real options are starting my own business or becoming an investor using my Aizen-level intellect.)
I let out a slightly self-deprecating smile.
Well, maybe that kind of freedom wouldn't be so bad.
(More importantly, if people like Hashimoto are already making moves, students from Classes C and D might also approach us later, offering to act as spies in exchange for being recruited into Class A soday. I should discuss a proper policy with Ichinose soon.)
Thinking about tomorrow's plans, I quietly closed my eyes.
The next day after school.
After the study session ended, I invited Ichinose and Hiyori to my room for dinner.
Tonight's nu was:
Pan-fried autumn salmon with lemon butter sauce
Rich mushroom potage
Colorful warm vegetable salad
"Mmm~! The salmon skin is so crispy while the at stays fluffy and tender! Aizen-kun, you're seriously amazing at cooking!"
"Yes! The mushroom potage has such deep flavor too!"
"I'm glad it suits your tastes."
Watching the two of them happily enjoying my cooking healed my soul completely.
After the al ended and Hiyori skillfully prepared post-dinner Darjeeling tea, I finally brought up the main topic.
(I'll hide Hashimoto's na, and even the fact that soone approached . No need to create unnecessary confusion. I'll ask as a hypothetical situation instead.)
I set down my teacup and looked seriously at Ichinose.
"—Ichinose. Suppose there existed a wretched soul who sought to purchase personal safety by selling the souls of others from the shadows of this ga board. If soone offered us the poison known as information in exchange for a ticket to the throne of light… how would you judge such a board?"
Ichinose blinked blankly.
Beside her, Hiyori smiled softly and translated my poem.
"He ans: 'Suppose a student from another class offered to leak information about their own class in exchange for earning favor and eventually being recruited into Class A in the future. What would you think about such a proposal, Honami-chan?'"
"…!"
The mont she heard Hiyori's translation, the bright smile disappeared from Ichinose's face, replaced with a pained expression.
"I see… You're right. If soone desperately wanted to graduate with Class A privileges, there probably would be people willing to choose thods like that…"
Holding her teacup with both hands, she spoke quietly.
"What you're asking is whether we would accept that deal, use the information to exploit another class's weaknesses, and eventually recruit that student once we had enough points… right?"
"Correct."
"I… don't think that's right."
Ichinose raised her head and looked at and Hiyori with clear, unwavering eyes.
"Leaking information ans betraying your classmates, doesn't it? I don't want to win that way. Even if we obtained Class A privileges through cowardly tactics like that, I think those students would fail once they entered society after graduation. I believe students only beco truly worthy of special privileges by overcoming hardships together as a class and genuinely growing stronger."
Then she clenched her fist tightly.
"And if our class ever manages to save up twenty million points together… I'd want those points reserved as a safety net to protect our classmates if soone was ever about to be expelled. Not for recruiting students from other classes—but to make sure nobody in Class A gets left behind."
Her words were filled with deep love for her classmates and the unwavering resolve of a true leader.
"…I agree with Honami-chan. I want everyone in Class A to graduate together with smiles on our faces."
Hiyori nodded warmly.
(Ah… She truly is the perfect leader. In a school overflowing with betrayal and calculation, she still believes in her classmates with absolute sincerity. I'll protect this class with everything I have.)
Deeply moved, I decided to reinforce her resolve further by presenting a harsh possibility.
"—Your choice is exceedingly rational. …One day, those who pretend to rule this garden will likely impose a rciless trial ant to purge the poison disrupting the board. A ritual of unavoidable purification… where students are forced to judge traitors hidden among their own comrades."
(Translation: I completely agree. And if spying and betrayal beco too common, the school's class competition system would collapse. So eventually, the school might create a special exam specifically designed to expose and expel traitors from within each class. That's why saving points to prevent expulsions is absolutely necessary.)
Hearing this, Hiyori widened her eyes sharply.
(An exam where students must expel traitors themselves…? I can't imagine anyone in Class A betraying us… but if the school system forced a situation where soone absolutely had to be expelled… then yes, saving points really would be essential…!)
Though briefly frightened, Hiyori quickly understood the logic behind my prediction and carefully relayed it to Ichinose.
"He says: 'I completely agree. If spying becos rampant, the competition system itself stops functioning, so the school may eventually create a special exam forcing classes to expose and expel traitors. That's why saving points for ergencies is absolutely necessary.'"
"Eh…!? An exam where we choose soone from our own class to expel…!?"
Ichinose's face turned pale at the horrifying possibility.
"That's awful… I absolutely don't believe anyone in our class would betray each other. But… Aizen-kun might be right. Knowing how this school operates, they really might force sothing that extre just to preserve the system…"
She tightly gripped her knees with trembling hands.
But soon, determination returned to her eyes.
"…Thank you, Aizen-kun. Your warning helped strengthen my resolve even more. If a terrifying exam like that ever happens, where we're forced to choose soone for expulsion… then we absolutely need to keep saving class points so nobody has to leave!"
"—The unwavering radiance of your light shall illuminate the path we walk. I will protect that noble resolve until the very end."
(Translation: That's the spirit. I'll support you with everything I've got.)
"He says, 'That's the spirit. I'll support you completely.'"
"Thank you, Hiyori-chan! And thank you too, Aizen-kun, for telling sothing so important!"
With Hiyori's perfect translation, Ichinose's bright smile blood once more like a flower.
Wrapped in the warm aroma of tea, the three of us deepened our bond even further, strengthening our unity for the next special exam.
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