After school on the day the rules for the "Class Poll" were announced during horoom for each class.
The leader of Class B, Sakayanagi Arisu, had summoned her core inner circle to her room.
Gathered there were Katsuragi, Kamuro, Hashimoto, Kitou, and Sanada—five people in total. They sat encircling a round table, a heavy, suffocating silence hanging in the air.
"Princess. What are your plans for this unreasonable exam?"
Hashimoto asked, crossing his arms and throwing a probing glance in Sakayanagi's direction.
"Fufu, whatever should we do?"
Setting her cane aside, Sakayanagi elegantly lifted her teacup to her lips.
"Katsuragi-kun. What do you believe we ought to do?"
Sanada inquired, his expression laced with seriousness.
"I believe we should collect the private points of the entire class and utilize the salvation asure with twenty million points."
Katsuragi replied instantly with a deadpan face.
"Class A will undoubtedly move to prevent an expulsion using points. On top of that, since Aizen poached Shiina, they already have one more person than us. If we allow the gap in class numbers to widen any further here, we could be at an overwhelming disadvantage in future special exams."
It was a sound, conservative opinion from Katsuragi. However, Sakayanagi let out a soft giggle.
"No. Given the total number of points distributed so far and the fact that various individuals have squandered them to so extent, it is highly debatable whether Class B's current savings can even reach twenty million. Of course, there are ans to make up for the missing points, but..."
Sakayanagi paused for a mont, her gaze locking onto Katsuragi.
"Even for Class A, moving to save soone here ans they will guaranteed to shave away a massive amount of points. In contrast, we have the advantage of heading into the next exam with a large pool of points preserved. And besides―due to the contract you previously forged with Ryuuen-kun, Katsuragi-kun, a substantial amount of private points has already leaked over to Class C."
"Mu... That is... No, but still...!"
Stung where it hurt most, Katsuragi found himself at a loss for words.
"Fufu. I am not blaming you, Katsuragi-kun."
Remaining seated, Sakayanagi offered a soft, placating smile.
"That contract was born from the anxiety generated by your faction struggle with , was it not? ...If so, the responsibility for inviting that situation lies with as well."
"Sakayanagi..."
At the unexpected words, Katsuragi's eyes widened ever so slightly. He did not push back any further, quietly falling silent.
"So, does that an we're expelling soone?"
Kamuro sighed, thoroughly exasperated.
"Yes. As it stands, there is an absolute 'pri candidate.' Depending on that individual's response, I will decide whether we move to save them or allow them to be expelled."
"Could it be... Yahiko?!"
Katsuragi's face lost its color as he leaned forward. Totsuka Yahiko was Katsuragi's right-hand man, a student whose abilities could not be described as high by any stretch of the imagination, even within Class B.
"Fufu. To be sure, Totsuka-kun is low in ability and possesses various issues as a student. However... if we cut him loose, I fear you will refuse to cooperate with the class moving forward, Katsuragi-kun. We will not be cutting him."
"...Then who is this pri candidate?"
Hashimoto asked suspiciously.
Slowly turning her head toward Hashimoto, Sakayanagi flashed an icy, piercing smile that seed to see right through him.
"Fufufu. Surely you understand by now, Hashimoto-kun? It is you."
"...?!"
Hashimoto's eyes snapped wide, a look of intense fury washing over his face a few seconds late.
"Whoa, hold on! Princess, stop joking around! Sure, I'm not the type to stand out with my intellect like Katsuragi, but I've done a lot of work behind the scenes as your hands and feet up until now! My level of contribution to the class should definitely be high!"
"I am well aware that you have been secretly contacting Aizen-kun and Ryuuen-kun behind the scenes."
At Sakayanagi's quiet declaration, Hashimoto froze completely in his tracks.
"Choosing any ans necessary to graduate from Class A. The spirit itself is not entirely bad... but with a monster like Aizen-kun reigning supre, having a 'traitor' like you on the board ans we would lose matches we should otherwise win."
"No, wait! I haven't betrayed anyone! I was just gathering information on other classes and acting for the sake of our class!"
"Then why was there neither a consultation nor a report directed to ?"
"...!!"
Completely stripped of any escape route, Hashimoto sank deeply into the sofa, looking as if he had collapsed from his knees.
"However, I do recognize your value as a war asset. From this point forward, if you swear absolute loyalty to Class B and never betray us again... it is entirely possible to maneuver so that no expulsions occur in this exam."
"..I swear it! I will absolutely never do anything to betray the class from here on out!! So please, don't abandon !"
Hashimoto desperately implored.
"Sakayanagi. Are you seriously going to trust a guy like this? He's definitely going to try and betray us again, right?"
Kamuro pointed out coldly, but Sakayanagi slid a single sheet of paper across the table.
"Yes. Which is precisely why I have prepared a contract. In exchange for not letting Hashimoto-kun be expelled in this exam, if either I or Katsuragi-kun judge that 'Hashimoto-kun has betrayed us' in the future, he will voluntarily withdraw from the school. ...I will have you sign this."
"...Understood, I'll sign it! I won't betray the class!"
With a trembling hand, Hashimoto grabbed the pen and signed the contract.
(Fufu. Well, if he actually withdrew voluntarily, our class points would take a negative hit, so I have no intention of ever actually using this contract... but this should suffice to suppress any future betrayals.)
Inwardly smiling with satisfaction, Sakayanagi collected the contract.
"How surprising."
Watching the scene unfold, Kamuro let out a slightly astonished voice.
"I thought for sure you'd cut soone loose without rcy."
"Fufu. To be sure, the old would have done exactly that."
Sakayanagi narrowed her eyes playfully.
"But... it seems I simply do not wish to lose to Aizen-kun and the rest of Class A. In order to defeat them, we in Class B must align our steps, unite as one, and face them together."
"Ah, you're exactly right. Class A's solidarity is the real deal. To counter them head-on, this is no ti for us to be engaging in internal squabbles."
Katsuragi nodded deeply, powerfully aligning with Sakayanagi's opinion. He, too, seed to genuinely welco the current state of the class coming together as one.
"Hmph... You look like you're having an awful lot of fun, you know."
Kamuro pointed out with an exasperated huff, though the corners of her mouth loosened slightly. Sakayanagi smiled back, replying, "Yes, very much so."
(Fufu. While it is true that I do not wish to lose to Aizen-kun and Class A... I also have another objective to fulfill: to completely crush that 'artificial genius.' This exam... seems like the perfect opportunity to drag him onto my board and challenge him to a direct confrontation.)
Inwardly letting her thoughts drift to the destined opponent she would soon face, Sakayanagi deepened her captivating smile.
"I understand the policy of producing zero expulsions. But how do you plan to prepare twenty million points?"
In response to Katsuragi's inquiry, Sakayanagi unreservedly disclosed her strategy.
"I intend to make a deal with Ryuuen-kun... or rather, Kaneda-kun and Ishizaki-kun."
"...No way!"
At that unexpected na, Katsuragi's eyes snapped wide in sheer astonishnt.
"Yes. Ryuuen-kun acted as a tyrant and bought the animosity of many in his class, making him widely disliked... but there are classmates who look up to him, like Ishizaki-kun and Yamada-kun, as well as students like Kaneda-kun who rationally conclude that 'Ryuuen-kun's power is necessary for the class to win.'"
"I see... It's true that Ryuuen should possess a vast amount of private points accumulated from the contract he ford with during the deserted island exam. If we can extract those points from him, the probability of hitting twenty million is high."
Resting his hand on his chin, Katsuragi accurately grasped that Sakayanagi's target was 'Ryuuen's massive hoard of points.'
"But will that Ryuuen-kun honestly comply? Rumor has it he's already beco an empty shell..."
As Sanada calmly voiced a point of concern, Sakayanagi let out a delightful laugh from the back of her throat.
"There is no issue on that front. Hashimoto-kun. It is your turn. The connection you have secretly kept alive will prove useful here."
"A-Ah! I'll absolutely make it happen! Leave it to !"
Addressed by na by Sakayanagi, Hashimoto undertook the task with a desperate look on his face, cold sweat breaking out across his forehead from the mory of her earlier declaration.
"...Even if it's an outside class, leaving Ryuuen in this school introduces an elent of anxiety... but if it's to ensure zero expulsions from our own class, it can't be helped."
Though wearing a sour face, Katsuragi quietly signaled his agreent with Sakayanagi's plan as a bitter, necessary decision to protect the class.
anwhile, Class C, having lost its leader, had devolved into an absolute quagmire.
With the forr tyrant Ryuuen Kakeru fallen from grace, a group centered around Manabe had begun to grow excessively arrogant in his stead.
"Ha! The one getting expelled is going to be Ryuuen anyway, right? Do you have any idea how many of our points were shaved away because of him?!"
"Yeah, exactly. If anything, isn't this the perfect opportunity?"
Voices treating Ryuuen's expulsion as a certainty echoed all over the classroom, and the atmosphere in the class was at its worst, with Ibuki and Manabe nearly breaking into a physical brawl over the disagreent.
Class D was likewise enveloped in an ominous aura.
Fearing who would be expelled, absolutely everyone was scurrying to secure their own safety. Hirata Yousuke, who served as the coordinator for the class, looked as though he was on the verge of being crushed under the sheer weight of the pressure.
Amidst this chaos, Sakayanagi Arisu, accompanied by Kamuro Masumi, made contact with Class D's Yamauchi Haruki.
The origin of this move traced back to the recent mixed training camp. During the camp, Yamauchi had carelessly bumped into Sakayanagi, causing her to fall over. At the ti, Yamauchi hadn't even offered a proper apology, walking away with a mocking attitude while saying, "Sakayanagi-chan's face is cute, but she sure is clumsy."
I will ensure this man who insulted is cast straight into hell.
Having firmly resolved to do so, Sakayanagi had repeatedly made contact with Yamauchi since the camp, pretending to harbor romantic feelings for him and completely inflating his ego.
And then ca this unreasonable special exam. To a terrified Yamauchi who dreaded expulsion, Sakayanagi whispered an incredibly sweet temptation.
"Yamauchi-kun, the thought of you being expelled is deeply saddening to as well. ...If you were to move in a way that allows soone else to be expelled, perhaps the situation might change?"
rciful advice from a beautiful girl whom he believed (delusionally) was smitten with him. There was no way Yamauchi could resist such a temptation.
"Sakayanagi-chan...! B-But who am I supposed to get expelled...?"
"Let's see... Who would be a student whose expulsion wouldn't draw complaints from the class, or soone with very few people to shield them?"
When Sakayanagi asked elegantly, Yamauchi snorted aloud.
"Ayanokouji. It's basically his fault we lost the sports festival anyway! The reason our points dropped is all his fault, too! He barely has any friends, so nobody's gonna cry if we kick him out!"
(...Wasn't the cause of the sports festival defeat the student who leaked the participation table, combined with Sudou-kun, who despite being the ace, let himself get provoked and went ho? Besides, you haven't contributed a single thing to the class either... You truly are a hopeless fool.)
While inwardly completely repulsed, Sakayanagi kept a lovely smile plastered across her face.
"I see... It may be exactly as you say, Yamauchi-kun. In that case, let us make Ayanokouji-kun our target. To ensure complete certainty, I shall have Class B cast their praise votes for you. That way, you won't have to worry about facing expulsion at all."
"Seriously?! Sakayanagi-chan, thank you so much!"
Believing wholeheartedly that he was being protected by Sakayanagi, Yamauchi began his underhanded scheming in high spirits.
(...Even if I didn't set the stage to this extent, wouldn't he have gotten himself expelled through his own reckless actions anyway? Watching a fool like this disrupt his class's consensus and charge straight toward his own doom... in a way, it is almost artistic.)
Believing he was sabotaging Ayanokouji, Yamauchi was in reality doing nothing more than dancing comically on the palm of Sakayanagi's hand, continuously digging his own grave.
After school that sa day.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka sat alone in his room, taking a macro view of the situation.
(Considering Class A's current points and solidarity, they will undoubtedly move to ensure zero expulsions. For Class B, if it's Sakayanagi, there's a high probability she will discard an unnecessary student. ...The problem lies with Class C and Class D.)
Ayanokouji let out a quiet breath.
(Class C. ...It would be problematic if Ryuuen were to be expelled here. He still possesses utility value to .)
As night fell, the chi to Ayanokouji's room rang.
Opening the door, he found Ishizaki and Ibuki standing there, both wearing completely desperate expressions.
"Please, Ayanokouji! Teach us a strategy to save Ryuuen-san!"
Ishizaki implored, looking as if he were ready to throw himself into a full dogeza without a care for his pride.
"...Is there a reason for to save Ryuuen?"
"I'm begging you! If it's you, you can make it happen, right?!"
Ayanokouji let Ishizaki's tragic cry slide past his expressionless face, turning his gaze toward Ibuki.
"Has Ryuuen accepted his expulsion?"
"...Yeah. That's right. That guy looks like he has absolutely no intention of resisting."
"...I see. In that case, go and collect every single private point Ryuuen currently holds. If you can manage that, there is a way to save him."
"The points?! ...Understood, we'll make it happen sohow!"
Though thoroughly bewildered, Ishizaki and the other followed Ayanokouji's instructions and left the room.
A few minutes after their departure, Ayanokouji's smartphone buzzed with an incoming call.
The screen displayed an unknown number, but Ayanokouji already had a clear idea of who was on the other end.
"What is it?"
『Fufufu. I instructed Yamauchi-kun to gather censure votes against you... but please rest assured, I have no intention of letting you be expelled.』
The owner of the voice was Sakayanagi Arisu.
"...Is that so?"
『Yes. If anything, let us grant you a Protection Point. In exchange... depending on the nature of the exam, I will have you face in a serious match during the End-of-Term Special Exam.』
I see, Ayanokouji rationally concluded in his mind. She was venting her grudge against Yamauchi from the mixed training camp by guiding him toward expulsion, while simultaneously gathering praise votes for him.
『However, our class intends to cast our out-of-class praise votes for Ryuuen-kun.』
"...So Class B is also pursuing a policy of zero expulsions. How surprising. ...Just a mont ago, Ishizaki and the others ca by to consult about wanting to save Ryuuen. I'm about to have them collect his points."
『Oh my. So you intended to have him trade using those points, while Class A shaves away its funds by consuming twenty million points. As expected of Ayanokouji-kun, that makes our conversation swift.』
Sakayanagi laughed delightfully, but a natural question remained.
"But if Class B is casting its praise votes for Ryuuen, how do you intend to grant the Protection Point? I find it hard to believe Class A would gather their praise votes on ."
『Regarding that, it depends on negotiations with Aizen-kun. I will have you present for the eting as well.』
"I see no rit for Sousuke to keep around."
『If I ntion that the White Room is moving to bring you back, he will likely cooperate. I hear you two are close friends who often hang out on days off?』
"...That is rely a test to asure . I doubt Sousuke possesses wasteful concepts like friendship."
『Fufu. However, he appears to be dating Shiina-san, and his relationships with his classmates seem quite favorable. Perhaps, unexpectedly, he possesses a side that is more human than anyone else.』
Through the phone, Sakayanagi delivered those words with a hint of amusent.
"...I suppose."
Ayanokouji offered a short affirmation, but inwardly, his cold analysis continued.
(To Aizen Sousuke, the existence known as Shiina Hiyori is undoubtedly special. Even looking at the fact that he generated a staggering sum of twenty million points in a single month to poach her from another class, there is no mistake that she is that man's 'weak point.')
But―at the sa ti, Ayanokouji harbored deep doubts.
(Knowing Sousuke, putting aside that singular exception of her, is his friendship toward his other classmates or his camaraderie within the collective known as Class A truly from the heart? Could it all simply be a part of so grand experint?)
While offering indifferent answers, Ayanokouji finalized the negotiation with Sakayanagi over the phone.
―And so, on the night of March 3rd.
After walking Hiyori back to the front of her room, I returned to my own quarters, flipping through the pages of a piece of classical literature alone in the quiet space.
Suddenly, the smartphone resting on the table let out a short chi.
(Hm? Who could it be at this ti of night?)
Checking the screen, the na 'Sakayanagi Arisu' was displayed.
(...Sakayanagi. What does she want? An invitation to chess at this hour?)
Though furrowing my brows suspiciously, I tapped the answer button and brought the smartphone to my ear.
"A visitor shattering the silence of the night, I see. What business do you have with , Sakayanagi?"
『Fufu, I apologize for the late hour, Aizen-kun. Actually, I have a small... negotiation I would like to conduct with you.』
Sakayanagi's voice was polite as always, carrying a sowhat playful resonance.
『Would it be acceptable if I visited your room shortly, accompanied by Ayanokouji-kun? Ah, if possible, I would appreciate it if Shiina-san were not present.』
"Do not fear. There is no one presently sharing my throne. ...I shall permit an audience at any ti."
『Thank you very much. Well then, right away.』
Ten minutes later.
The chi to my room rang. Opening the door, I found Sakayanagi resting on her cane―alongside my expressionless childhood friend, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
Inviting the two of them onto the sofa in my room, I presented them with tea.
"Well? What kind of transaction do you intend to propose to ?"
When I questioned her, Sakayanagi took a sip of her tea and quietly began to explain the circumstances.
The content of her tale was as follows:
First, to ensure Class B produced zero expulsions, they would cast all their out-of-class praise votes for Class C's Ryuuen. In return, Class B would receive the massive pool of private points Ryuuen held.
And―the newly appointed Acting Chairman Tsukishiro was an 'enforcer from the White Room' sent by Ayanokouji's father, and this unreasonable exam had been forced through precisely to get him expelled. To protect Ayanokouji from an unfair expulsion in future exams, she wanted to grant him a 'Protection Point' in this exam. To achieve that, she wanted Class A to gather their out-of-class praise votes on Ayanokouji.
(Eeeeeeh?! Kiyotaka, you didn't graduate after completing the White Room curriculum, you ran away from your dad and escaped?!)
While inwardly astonished by the unexpected fact, I imdiately shifted gears and accelerated my thoughts.
(...I see. That unnatural replacent of the Chairman, as well as this entirely absurd special exam, it's all the doing of this Tsukishiro... or rather, Kiyotaka's old man. But can soone exert such blatant interference over this Advanced Nurturing High School, which is run by the governnt? For the operator of so bizarre facility to... no, wait, I recall that old guy was a politician as well. It ans he has plenty of power and backroom connections.)
Resting my hand on my chin, I calmly analyzed the situation.
(...But regardless of what kind of unreasonable exam is forced through, there's no way Kiyotaka would get expelled by sothing like this. Even the clowns in Class D should realize that without Kiyotaka, their class has zero chance of winning.)
Nonetheless, a quiet anger was bubbling up deep inside my chest.
(Even if it's to drag Kiyotaka back, you're doing whatever the hell you please, aren't you? To be honest, I have my own thoughts regarding this school's policies... but even so, the classmates are definitely struggling and growing within this school. To trash this place of learning for personal, selfish objectives and force an unfair sacrifice... that scales past the boundaries of what I can tolerate.)
As I allowed a quiet wrath to churn within , casting an imposing silence over the room, Sakayanagi offered a soft smile.
"Of course, I am not asking for this unconditionally. We have prepared a corresponding rit for Class A."
"...Oh?"
"Out of the private points we receive from Ryuuen-kun, after subtracting twenty million for Class B's salvation, we expect a surplus of about three million points. We shall transfer half of that—1.5 million points—to Class A."
I quietly closed my eyes, weighing the proposal.
(It would genuinely sadden if my childhood friend Kiyotaka were expelled in an unfair manner, and I personally want to cooperate... but I couldn't simply burn our class's valuable praise votes on my own authority without any rit.)
(But if the compensation is 1.5 million points, that's a different story. Our class's savings were heavily shaved away in this exam, after all. It serves as an excellent replenishnt, and as a grand justification to convince my classmates, it's flawless. ...Very well, I'll take this deal.)
Opening my eyes, I nodded magisterially.
"I see. Though it be the hoard of ants crawling at the bottom, a mountain can be ford if dust accumulates. Very well, let us strike a deal on those terms."
"Fufu, thank you very much."
As Sakayanagi smiled with satisfaction, I turned my awareness further down the board.
(Ideally, it would be great if I could march into the Chairman's office tomorrow and force Tsukishiro to scrap the exam entirely, or extract so kind of concession. ...But given that he's forcing it through with such heavy-handed asures, the probability of overturning it with a frontal protest is incredibly low. Still... I can't stand seeing things proceed exactly according to a guy like that's calculations. I've taken a liking to this school myself, after all. I need to at least deliver a minimum level of deterrence.)
Solidifying my resolve for tomorrow, I turned a sharp gaze toward Ayanokouji, who had maintained absolute silence beside her, displaying the composure of an absolute ruler.
"Kiyotaka. The reason I grant you protection is because I will not permit you to fall pathetically at the hands of another. ...For the one who holds the right to determine your end is none other than myself alone in this world."
(Translation: We're getting a rit out of this too, so I'll listen to Sakayanagi's request and give you the Protection Point, but don't go losing to so enforcer and getting expelled. It would make sad if my childhood friend got expelled, after all.)
"...!!"
The mont he heard my arrogant poetry, a cold shudder ran straight down Ayanokouji's spine.
(...He can't stand the thought of being crushed by an enforcer from the White Room. He won't be satisfied unless he is the one to destroy with his own hands... is that what this ans? What an utterly bottomless malice.)
With my feelings of wishing well for my childhood friend completely received as pure malice, the misunderstanding remained entirely unresolved as the curtain fell on the night's conference.
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