"The the of this exam is Thinking; this is an exam designed to test your ability to think. In other words, you need to analyze problems and uncover hidden effective information from them."
Hoshinomiya Chie appeared to be seriously explaining the exam content.
"Interaction between different classes also simulates the communication between different departnts when you work in the future. There is no standard answer for this exam. What kind of outco you choose requires you to weigh the pros and cons yourself. In the adult world, there is no absolute right or wrong; learning to compromise is a quality you must possess to grow into an adult..."
Hoshinomiya Chie talked a lot all at once. It was the sa kind of boredom as reading a failed light novel that opens with a massive dump of setting descriptions.
Logically speaking, as an examiner, one should explain the exam content to the students using explanations that are as simple and easy to understand as possible.
Hoshinomiya Chie did the opposite, clearly trying to disrupt the students' train of thought.
This person's personality was even worse than Chabashira-sensei's!
Unsurprisingly, everyone present was listening with a look of utter confusion. Hikigaya, however, remained calm and lost in thought.
"Ara~ Hikigaya-kun looks like he already understands."
Hoshinomiya Chie had been secretly observing the students' expressions.
"Yeah, I get it now." Hikigaya's calm response left the other students present sowhat dazed.
'Wait, brother? The specific exam questions haven't even been released yet—how do you already get it?'
This made the students of Class A, who prided themselves on being elites, incredibly anxious. Yet, for the sake of their pride, they were too embarrassed to ask.
Hoshinomiya Chie gazed at him with a friendly face.
"Oh? Then can Hikigaya-kun tell everyone about it?"
"I refuse." Hikigaya declined instantly.
"Eh, why?"
"I have no reason to share intelligence with people from other classes."
"How an~ didn't teacher just say it? This exam is conducted in groups; students from different classes must cooperate, too."
"Just like the example Hoshinomiya-sensei ntioned earlier about simulating social work scenarios: even in the sa company, there will be infighting between departnts. For instance, to compete for a limited bonus quota, one might mislead a colleague into making a mistake..."
"Hi-Hikigaya-kun? Isn't that way of thinking a bit too dark?" Hoshinomiya Chie's expression was a bit hard to maintain.
"If we're talking about dark, that would be Hoshinomiya-sensei, wouldn't it?"
Hikigaya suddenly aid his spear at the teacher.
"Even if the exam is conducted in groups, the final results are still aggregated into the class scores. Therefore, the so-called communication and cooperation are nothing more than ans to trick one another..."
As soon as Hikigaya said this, the room fell into a deathly silence. Hoshinomiya Chie's originally friendly face even beca distorted for a mont.
'What is up with this damn dead-fish-eyed brat? He's just a kid, so why is he more difficult to deal with than a seasoned veteran of society! Furthermore, the the of this special exam is Thinking, so it's easy to deduce...'
"That's enough! Hikigaya!!" Hoshinomiya Chie finally couldn't help but interrupt. If she let him keep talking, would there even be an exam left to take?
'Didn't you ask to say it? If I actually say it, you aren't happy.'
"Whew!" Hoshinomiya Chie's chest heaved with anger; her facial expression managent was nearing a total collapse.
"This is the first ti I've seen Hoshinomiya-sensei so angry." Hino Yuki and the other Class B students watched, dumbfounded.
"You really know how to cause trouble," Kamuro Masumi, sitting next to him, couldn't help but remark.
"Not at all; I clearly just want to stay low-profile."
Hikigaya also knew he had talked a bit too much today. It was only because he had learned from Chabashira Sae last night that Hoshinomiya Chie had been her classmate, and the two were once very close friends. Later, because Chabashira Sae gave up, leading to the failure to reach Class A, their relationship shattered.
Hikigaya faintly felt that Hoshinomiya-sensei's attention on him stemd from her targeting Chabashira Sae.
So, he wanted to test her. And with one test, Hoshinomiya's true nature ca out.
"Alright, I will now distribute the exam materials." Hoshinomiya Chie quickly adjusted her emotions.
Everyone present received an A4 sheet of paper.
[Tiger Group]
Class A: Totsuka Yahiko, Yoshida Kouta, Doi Chikako, Kamuro Masumi Class B: Hino Yuki, Watanabe Norihito, Amikura Mako, Hattori Kenji Class C: Nishino Takeko, Kinoshita Minori, Kaneda Satoru, Tokito Hiroya Class D: Sotomura Hideo, Okitani Kyosuke, Inogashira Kokoro, Hikigaya Hachiman
'Is it necessary to list every student's na? Or is this part of the exam content?'
He flipped to the back; as expected, these were the specific rules of the exam. Hikigaya browsed through them quickly.
To summarize: each group would be assigned a "VIP" (Target) by the school. mbers need to identify the VIP's identity within the specified ti.
Outco 1: All group mbers guess the VIP's identity correctly. Everyone receives 500,000 personal points; the VIP themselves receives 1,000,000 personal points. Outco 2: No one identifies the VIP by the end of the exam. The VIP themselves receives 500,000 points. Outco 3: Soone submits a guess early and identifies the VIP correctly. That person receives 500,000 points and 50 Class Points for their class; the VIP's class loses 50 points. Outco 4: Soone submits a guess early but guesses the VIP incorrectly. That person's target's class loses 50 points; the VIP receives 500,000 points and their class gains 50 points.
'I see. This is way too boring...'
After a mont of thought, Hikigaya understood the key to this exam. It was nothing more than concealnt and discovery. The VIP must find a way to hide, while the other mbers must find out who the VIP is. Of course, that was just the surface-level explanation. In reality, there were plenty of hidden traps!
"The identity of the VIP will be sent via text ssage to the target's phone at 6:00 PM.
Please note: once the VIP's identity is determined, it cannot be changed under any circumstances!"
Perhaps spurred by Hikigaya, Hoshinomiya Chie dropped her cutesy tone, and her voice beca cold.
"This exam will be conducted anonymously. The identities of the VIP and the guessers will be kept confidential; only the group results will be announced at the end of the exam.
If necessary, you can apply to the school for a temporary account or installnt withdrawals."
This move by the school appeared thoughtful, protecting student privacy, but in reality, it was a disguised encouragent for people to guess early to achieve Outco 3 or 4. At the sa ti, it invisibly planted seeds of distrust among the students.
It had to be said—this crappy school really had a knack for the field of screwing people over!
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting on buyacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting
User Comments
0 comments from readers