The first floor of the ship housed several establishments—izakayas, bars, and the like—that students weren't allowed to enter.
Students weren't explicitly banned, but the mature atmosphere kept all but the most pretentious ones away.
It was already past 23:00, and the teachers were finally off duty. A few of them were quietly unwinding on this floor.
In one of those many bars, three teachers had gathered.
Dim lighting illuminated the glasses in their hands as they lounged on the sofas, each sipping their drink in their own way.
"Man, this year's first-years are something else, huh~"
The woman sprawled lazily on the sofa, her voice loose and carefree, was Hoshinomiya Chie, Class B's homeroom teacher.
She was knocking back straight whiskey like it was water.
One of the others watched her with a slightly withdrawn expression; the second chuckled lightly in agreement while drinking.
They were Chabashira Sae of Class D and Mashima Tomonari of Class A.
"Chie, you're pacing yourself way too fast."
"It's not that fast. Besides, the exam's over and tomorrow's a holiday. A little overindulgence never hurt anyone!"
"…Everything in moderation. There are still students on board. Try not to embarrass yourself."
"Sae-chan, you're so stiff~"
Hoshinomiya laughed, pointing at Chabashira, who sat with perfect posture.
Chabashira gave a resigned sigh and pulled out her phone.
"What are you looking at?"
"I was just thinking you might have a point."
The screen displayed detailed information.
---
[Exam Results]
Rat: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (VIP: Class A ← Traitor: Class C) → same below
Ox: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (Class B ← Class D)
Tiger: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (Class C ← Class A)
Rabbit: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (Class D ← Class A)
Dragon: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (Class D ← Class B)
Snake: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (Class C ← Class D)
Horse: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (Class D ← Class B)
Goat: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (Class B ← Class D)
Monkey: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (Class B ← Class A)
Rooster: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (Class A ← Class D)
Dog: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (Class C ← Class B)
Pig: Result 3 due to traitor's correct guess. (Class A ← Class B)
---
Class A: No change in CP | +15 million private points
Class B: +50 CP | +20 million private points
Class C: −100 CP | +5 million private points
Class D: +50 CP | +20 million private points
---
Class Points After Summer Vacation:
Class A 1518 CP → 1518 CP
Class B 895 CP → 945 CP
Class C 680 CP → 580 CP
Class D 235 CP → 285 CP
---
"Every single group ending in Outcome 3… Has that ever happened before?"
Hoshinomiya, who until moments ago had been slouched carelessly on the sofa, draped an arm around Chabashira's shoulder to peer at the screen.
Her hand casually brushed Chabashira's chest in the process.
Chabashira raise her eyebrow, then peeled her old classmate's arm away.
"Meanie~"
"You're too close. Your lack of boundaries really hasn't changed."
"It's fine, we're both girls."
"Stop calling us girls. How old do you think we are?"
"Ahh, no age talk pleaseee~"
Hoshinomiya refilled her now-empty glass with more whiskey.
"Anyway… this year's students are on another level. Class A is absurdly strong. 1518 class points means 150,000 yen pocket money a month! They can do whatever they want!"
"You're right. This year is exceptional—probably the best batch ever. Katsuragi leads a full roster of elites, and then there's the chairman's daughter, Sakayanagi."
"If you put it that way, my class isn't losing either. Ichinose is going to take down your students eventually, Mashima-kun~"
"Haha, is that so? Well, watch your back. This year's Class D is different."
"I know, I know. Sae-chan's expecting enough out of them to actually aim for a comeback."
While she bantered lightly with Mashima, Hoshinomiya's eyes weren't smiling when they turned to Chabashira.
Chabashira didn't look smug, but she returned a thin smile to the provocation.
"I never expected much in the past, but this year… maybe."
"…That's rare. Sae-chan actually thinking that way."
"You'd feel the same. This year's Class D is that unusual."
"…Hmm, true, but Sae-chan, have you forgotten? The first hurdle for any comeback is Class C."
Hoshinomiya parted her lips seductively, her expression bewitching. Her eyes alone conveyed a clear message... it was impossible.
"…Kamukura, huh. He's this year's joker."
"Ahaha, perfect way to put it~. If he's the joker, then Ryuuen-kun is definitely the king."
The tense air dissolved without lingering. This was a bar, after all—no place for heavy atmospheres.
Two thick solid walls stood in Class D's path. Breaking through them would not be easy.
"You got hit pretty hard too, Mashima-kun. During the announcement you were all, 'M-my voice… that's mine…' Pfft—ahhaha, ahahahahaha!"
"Hm, you certainly panicked quite a bit."
To their contrasting laughter, Mashima replied with a sour look, like someone whose prized bottle had been opened by someone else.
"…Keep it down. Sae, you made just as ridiculous a face when your voice was mimicked."
"That's a crude way to phrase it. I was simply startled—that face producing my voice."
Chabashira's drinking pace quickened from cautious sips. She poured a rum-based cocktail into her empty glass. Hoshinomiya grinned happily at the sight, and the two women clinked glasses.
The alcohol was clearly taking effect.
"You shouldn't say things like that to a lady, Mashima-kun. That's exactly why your last girlfriend dumped you I saw you the other day, by the way—on a date with your new one"
"…None of your business. And I can't exactly see either of you as ladies."
"That's your problem, Mashima. You act all stoic but you're surprisingly bad with women."
"…Hey, Sae, aren't you pretty drunk already?"
Hoshinomiya burst into loud laughter at Mashima's flustered reaction.
Chabashira's once-perfect posture had slumped, her cheeks flushed.
The three old classmates drank through the night, perhaps with plenty to catch up on.
Since the exam had concluded in a single day, the next was a holiday.
It was practically guaranteed that Chabashira would be seen the following day walking around with a pounding headache.
…
"Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun."
The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a smiling handsome face.
He was in uniform—why was he here? The thought crossed my mind before I realized I was still half-asleep.
Right, we were roommates now. My consciousness gradually sharpened.
I wondered why I'd slept so deeply. There was no special exam today.
He sat on his bed, watching me as I lay there in a daze.
"Kouenji-kun and Yukimura-kun already headed out somewhere."
I turned my head to check the clock, 11:30. I'd slept quite a while.
I'd gone to bed sometime past midnight yesterday.
Thinking back about that, yesterday had been intense. I hadn't done any physical activity, but since arriving at this school it was the day I'd used my brain the most—and spent the most effort maneuvering behind the scenes.
The fatigue had built up more than I realized, leading to this unusually lazy wake-up time.
That said, the sleep itself had been wonderfully deep.
"…Morning, Hirata."
"Haha, you still look sleepy."
"If anything, I'm sleepier than usual because I overslept."
Hirata's smile looked relaxed. Right—the exam was over. That explained the subtle ease in his demeanor.
He always wore a smile, but yesterday there had been unmistakable tension in his expression.
Now there was no trace of it. He seemed in genuinely high spirits, like someone basking in the afterglow of a major accomplishment.
"You're in uniform—did you go somewhere?"
"Yeah, you haven't checked the group chat yet, have you? Horikita-san gathered everyone at 10:00 this morning to explain the exam. I helped out."
I opened my phone and checked the class group chat. Almost every Class D student was in it, and Horikita had posted a full rundown of the exam there.
I'd simply overslept.
"Do you need me to explain the exam?"
"No, I already heard the details from Horikita. I'm good."
I sat up and stretched.
The exam was finished, but one task remained.
My slowly awakening mind began calculating what needed to be done next.
"Ayanokouji-kun, it's almost noon—want to grab lunch together?"
"Sure. I'm getting hungry anyway."
First things first is food.
An empty stomach makes everything harder. Humans can't fight their three basic desires,
and appetite—the one most essential for survival—especially deserves to be satisfied properly.
"Haha, fair enough—you've been asleep since morning. Food court sound good?"
"Perfect. I'll get ready in the meantime."
I stood and started preparing.
Hirata fiddled with his phone while he waited, fingers moving quickly—he was clearly messaging someone.
"Sorry for the wait. I'm ready."
He seemed to have finished his exchange.
I followed Hirata to our destination.
He'd said food court, and that's exactly where we ended up.
We took the nearest available seats and looked around. Countless stores lined the area—familiar major chains, slightly upscale places, every kind imaginable.
My eyes were drawn to noodles—pasta, ramen, soba—and junk food like hamburgers.
"Like a dream."
"Haha, bit dramatic. Let's go pick something."
Hirata draped his blazer over his chair to reserve the seats, and we went to browse the menus together.
The hamburger I'd spotted earlier caught my interest, so I went to order it.
Hirata apparently had his eye on the same section—he ordered a different burger.
We chatted while waiting, then collected our food and returned to our seats.
Choosing lunch with a friend, talking casually, eating together—it was the ideal school life I'd only ever seen in dreams.
I really owed Hirata for this.
"Hirata-kun!"
Despite his polished appearance, Hirata ate with surprising gusto—big bites, plenty of food.
Recalling that he was on the soccer team and still growing, I stuffed my own mouth with hamburger when a voice called out to him.
"…Karuizawa-san."
"You mentioned eating with someone, so I figured it might be here—and it is."
Her cheerful voice rang through the food court as Karuizawa approached, leading two other girls behind her.
"Um… Karuizawa-san, I'm pretty sure I sent a message turning you down earlier."
"I sent another one after that saying it's fine if that person joins us too, didn't I?"
Hirata checked the chat at her words and looked troubled.
The message he'd sent before coming here had clearly been to Karuizawa.
"…Mine was still unread?"
"Don't be so rigid about it, come on~"
The message had probably arrived, just as she said.
Group chats had read/unread markers, so it was easy to tell if communication had gone through.
But showing up uninvited while it was still unread completely ignored Hirata's plans.
Ignoring his discomfort, Karuizawa and the others dragged over another table and chairs to make room.
"I sent that message because I wanted to talk with Ayanokouji-kun alone."
Hey, stop it, Hirata. That wording is going to cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
"…Huh? So he's more important than me?"
See? Told you so.
Karuizawa's eyes widened for a moment; she shot me a brief glare before deploying the ultimate forbidden line that silences any guy in a relationship.
"That's not what I meant. I have my own circumstances too."
When Hirata answered with a serious expression, Karuizawa seemed to understand his feelings and immediately backed down.
"…Okay, okay. I'll make sure to check properly next time."
She laughed and pressed her palms together in apology.
Give me a break. The long-haired chestnut-brown girl behind her wore much the same expression.
"You're Ayanokouji-kun, right? …You're cool with this too?"
She'd remembered my name, probably because we'd been in the Rabbit group together.
But this situation made it extremely hard to refuse.
Hirata glanced at me with concern. Thanks—I appreciate the thought. This was actually lucky. Running into Karuizawa saved me some trouble.
"I don't mind."
"See? Ayanokouji-kun says he's fine with it too."
My quick agreement visibly brightened Karuizawa's mood.
To her, whether I was there or not didn't matter. The only thing that counted was Hirata.
"…Alright."
He felt guilty for dragging me into this and for making others accommodate him.
Hirata directed an awkward look my way.
Relax, Hirata. This actually works in my favor.
Karuizawa and the others began settling in around Hirata.
Karuizawa and the obvious extrovert-type girl claimed the seats on either side of him.
I sat directly opposite, with the chestnut-haired girl beside me.
For the record, the extrovert was Satou Maya, and the chestnut-haired one was Matsushita Chiaki.
They were classmates, so I knew their names, but we'd never interacted.
"Sorry for barging in, Hirata-kun."
"No, if you're apologizing, apologize to Ayanokouji-kun instead. He's not very comfortable eating in big groups."
"I see… Sorry, Ayanokouji-kun."
Matsushita pressed her palms together cutely. Satou and Karuizawa followed her lead.
"It's fine. Eating with a crowd isn't bad once in a while."
At that, Hirata looked awkward again.
He probably thought he'd forced me to be considerate, but he really didn't need to worry.
"Still, it's pretty rare. Hirata-kun eating one-on-one with someone. You two must be pretty close, huh?"
Matsushita tilted her head curiously at our relationship.
Satou wore a similarly puzzled expression. Was Hirata always supposed to be surrounded by people?
It drove home once again how different our worlds were—one bathed in sunlight, the other lurking in shadow.
"We started talking more because of the special exam."
"Yeah. We're roommates too, so lately there probably hasn't been a single day I haven't seen Ayanokouji-kun's face."
"That's true."
The two listened with interest, but not everyone found the topic enjoyable.
Karuizawa adopted a sulky attitude, her cheeks slightly puffed.
"Sorry, Karuizawa-san."
Matsushita noticed first and quickly tried to smooth things over.
"…But you're pretty possessive, huh, Karuizawa-san? Getting jealous even over your boyfriend's friends."
"Th-that's not it at all!"
When Satou teased her, Karuizawa lacked the usual intimidating aura of a high-caste girl.
"Next time, make sure you tell me who you're with, okay, Hirata-kun!"
Her face faintly red, she spoke with a pout. Hirata responded with the gentle smile of a parent indulging a child.
I carefully observed this rare side of Karuizawa.
"So what were you planning to talk about? Hirata-kun always treats everyone equally, so I didn't think he had any particular close friends. I'm curious."
"Probably the exam today. It's finally over, and we both worked hard, so it's like a little celebration for that."
"…Both worked hard?"
Hirata answered Satou's question politely, but she seemed to find one point confusing.
Fair enough—where exactly had someone as unnoticeable as me "worked hard"?
Karuizawa, who'd been in the same group, stared at me probingly.
"Ayanokouji-kun was supporting things behind the scenes. He relayed Horikita-san's instructions to me and helped her the whole time."
Hirata glossed over my actual contributions while making the visible results known to them.
Their faces showed clear surprise at his words.
"I see—Ayanokouji-kun is close with Horikita-san, after all! So you were like the hidden MVP of this exam?"
"No, I really just helped out. Nothing special. We won this exam thanks to Horikita."
"So modest~"
I kept up a humble front while taking another bite of my hamburger.
"You've got a healthy appetite. Now I'm getting hungry too."
"Yeah, let's go decide what we want!"
At Satou's cue, Karuizawa stood as well, and the three girls headed off to choose their lunch.
"Sorry, Ayanokouji-kun. I ended up making things pretty uncomfortable for you."
"It's fine. A lively atmosphere like this is nice once in a while."
I finished eating and stood with my tray.
I'd thought about clearing Hirata's too, but his burger still had plenty left.
I went to return mine.
Unlike a proper restaurant, there were no staff to clean up—you did it yourself.
I'd known that in theory, but actually doing it for the first time felt oddly satisfying.
"Cut it out!"
Karuizawa's voice rang out. Glancing over, I saw her surrounded by three girls.
One was Manabe from Class C; the other two were probably from Class C as well.
Matsushita and Satou were nowhere in sight—likely they'd split up to order different things.
Whether they'd waited for her to be alone or it was coincidence, I couldn't tell.
Either way, trouble wasn't something to ignore.
Manabe was gripping Karuizawa's right arm; the hostility was obvious.
I quickly returned my tray and headed straight into the fray.
"It hurts! Let go!"
"If you can feel other people's pain, then act more carefully. Do you have any idea how many people you've hurt with your selfish behavior?"
Manabe's eyes weren't bloodshot with rage—they carried a sense of smug superiority.
It seemed Ibuki had been right.
She was asserting power over someone weaker to satisfy her own desires. A distasteful hobby.
"Let go of her."
I lowered my voice slightly in warning as I stepped in, seizing Manabe's left arm with my right hand.
For a moment the sudden intruder threw her off balance.
But she quickly shook me off and fixed me with a fierce glare.
"…Who the hell are you, barging in like this? Think you're the hero saving the damsel? Though the damsel in question is a loose slut who clings to any guy she can find."
Even recognizing the intruder, Manabe's hostility remained fixed on Karuizawa.
I shifted to shield Karuizawa with my back and answered in the same low tone.
"Starting a scene right now wouldn't be good for you either."
"Hah? She's the one in the wrong."
"I'm aware there's bad blood between you. But you're the one who made the first move just now. Everyone here saw it. And more importantly—Kamukura was here until a moment ago. Who do you think would get in bigger trouble for causing a problem?"
She reacted visibly to the name Kamukura.
Flustered, she tried to judge whether I was lying.
But weighing the risk, she wouldn't be able to do anything.
"Tch."
With an annoyed click of her tongue, Manabe and her group backed off.
I'd have to thank Ibuki later—this had worked out thanks to her.
"…Thank you. For helping me."
"Don't mention it… though I would like to know what's going on. You seemed troubled yesterday too."
"It's…"
After moving away from the crowd to a quieter spot, Karuizawa thanked me.
We were finally alone. I wouldn't let this chance slip—I began probing to analyze her true nature.
She hesitated at my question.
"If you're okay talking to me, I'll listen. Or should I tell Hirata?"
"…Wait—please don't tell Hirata-kun about this."
"Got it. Mind if I ask why?"
She thought for a moment before answering.
"Hirata-kun is too kind. When something like this happens, he won't handle it properly."
"For example, if someone uses violence against him, he won't fight back—he'll try to set up a peaceful talk instead. He doesn't believe in an eye for an eye; he always seeks the most non-violent solution possible."
"That doesn't solve anything. There are people you just can't reason with. So-"
She drew out the word, then suddenly closed the distance between us.
Grabbing one of my hands with both of hers, she made her demand.
"...I need help from someone strong like you. Manabe and the others are bullying me… Please help me."
Her voice was far weaker and more fragile than usual.
In that moment, I caught a glimpse of Karuizawa's true nature.
She might be the type of weak person who survives by parasitizing others.
Why was someone like her at the top of the school caste?
Her boyfriend Hirata, her prior contact with Machida, and now reaching out to me.
I was starting to understand.
I needed more information. The plan taking shape in my mind required far more data on Karuizawa.
The name that came to mind was Hirata Yōsuke.
I would have to make greater use of him.
If possible, I could break Karuizawa Kei once—and create a new host for her to latch onto.
"Alright. I'll hear you out."
At my words, Karuizawa smiled with evident relief.
She clung to the hand of someone willing to help her. With her usual confident attitude, she seemed capable of solving things alone—yet she didn't.
There was a reason for that discrepancy.
I accelerated my thinking.
I would determine whether Karuizawa Kei was usable while we were still on the ship.
The strategy was gradually coming together.
...
A lone figure stepped onto the empty deck.
His long black hair swayed in the breeze that carried the pleasant scent of the tide.
Without bothering to check his surroundings, he began speaking toward the sun as though rehearsing a speech to the blazing orb that shone with a heat too fierce to call merely scorching.
"This is the entirety of the exam."
"The exam began in the evening, three days after the uninhabited island test ended."
"I was chatting idly with Kouenji-kun at the time. The announcement came over the speakers, and the atmosphere on the ship shifted instantly."
"Our conversation had been meaningful; it gave me the spark to approach this exam with serious intent."
"I resolved to prepare as thoroughly as possible—to shape an unknown future with my own hands."
"That night, the full details of the exam were explained."
"It was a test in which twelve groups of twelve to fourteen students each would use discussion to identify the 'VIPs.'"
"Once I understood the rules, I decided on my course of action."
"The next morning at eight, the crucial 'VIPs' were announced, and each class scrambled to confirm their own."
"Class A chose to protect theirs by refusing to talk at all."
"Class B opted to observe for the moment. Class D took a similar approach."
"At one in the afternoon, the first round of group discussions began, each side hiding its true intentions."
"The Dragon group had gathered key members from every class; a high-level debate seemed all but guaranteed."
"Class A made the first move."
"Katsuragi-kun explained his strategy... his plan is to force Outcome 1 across all groups."
"Objections poured in, and there was no sign of it passing."
"In the midst of that, I began acting of my own accord—for the sake of an unpredictable future."
"The first to notice the signs was Horikita-san from Class D."
"She analyzed me thoroughly and tried to counter me by restricting my movements."
"In respect for her efforts, I began disrupting the room—by declaring myself the Dragon group's VIP."
"Then I stirred even more chaos and set my preparations in motion."
"As discussion continued in the Dragon group, I behaved in a way that made me the enemy of everyone."
"The crowning touch was correctly guessing one of Class A's VIPs, bringing the first discussion to an end."
"I sprinkled the spice of confusion over the actors' emotions and awaited a new outcome."
"At the time, I saw potential in Kushida Kikyou and Horikita Suzune, so I subjected them to harsher trials."
"An unrelated issue arose during this period, but since it had nothing to do with the exam, I'll set it aside for now."
"While grappling with that separate problem and predicting the exam's conclusion, the second round of discussions began."
"I noticed it immediately... one student's expression was different from the first round."
"That student was Horikita Suzune. Despite her unease, she wore a look of firm resolve as she made her move."
"She saw through my false VIP claim and began steering the room."
"Then she made a simple proposal, she asked the other classes for their cooperation."
"Her negotiations succeeded; she brilliantly brought the other classes onto her side."
"At that point, Horikita Suzune had already shown growth beyond my expectations."
"But it would have been boring to let it end there. I added one more twist."
"I exposed the Dragon group's true VIP."
"I tore at her newly hardened resolve as though ripping off a fresh scab."
"Yet she somehow escaped my grasp. I had cornered her severely, but she refused to give up and carried her strategy through to the end."
"Afterward, Kushida Kikyou's outburst ended the Dragon group's exam, and Horikita's plan—put bluntly, the one designed to corner Class C—went into effect."
"Everything seemed perfectly settled. And right when everyone thought so, I began my final struggle."
"My last gambit is hijacked the announcement system and broadcast a lie."
"I dragged everyone into it, aiming for an even more unpredictable result. To that end, I delivered a fair overtime round to every student."
"To Katsuragi-kun, to Ichinose-san, to Ryuuen-kun, to Horikita-san."
"As you know, the exam was won by Horikita-san—by Class D."
"She took a step forward into an uncertain future through her own will."
"A person I could never have imagined from the uninhabited island test had grown this much in such a short time."
"Magnificent. A truly unexpected result."
"At the same time, it ended exactly as my talent predicted—an unexpected outcome created by my own hand. Even accounting for that, this was still a positive result."
"That is the full account of the exam."
"Good."
That evaluation felt appropriate this time.
With those words, the man ended his long explanation addressed to no one in particular.
***
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