Due to her physical condition, Sakayanagi could not leave school, but for Hachiman and the others,
Having been confined to school for three months, they now felt a refreshing sense of newfound freedom.
Just sitting on the bus heading to the pier, Hikigaya had no interest in watching the scenery along the way; he was just fiddling with his phone.
Then he frowned.
Finally.
"What are you doing, Hikigaya?" The person next to him started to speak.
"..." Hachiman glanced at the other person.
It was a cute girl with a beautiful golden ponytail.
The popular girl in the Class, who had made a splash in the last written exam, was thanked by everyone, and whose reputation seemed to have improved—the leader of the gyaru group, Kei Karuizawa.
The seats on the bus were not assigned, so students sat according to their preferences.
And Hachiman knew he wasn't popular, but he had expected Horikita or Kushida, or even Hirata, to sit next to him. Instead, it was Karuizawa.
She was very popular now and also had her own gyaru clique.
So her sitting alone was indeed a bit strange.
Because according to the Class rumors, Horikita would likely be the one to sit next to him.
But the result was Karuizawa.
"I was just trying to call home," Hachiman said.
"But it seems it's not working."
"Before, I thought it was a local area network restriction, but now it seems that all students' phones have been set to a youth mode, failing both internet access and contact attempts."
Is that so?
Karuizawa didn't pay much attention to this point.
Because phones couldn't contact the outside world, everyone was used to it.
Rather, no one was specifically thinking about whether they could contact home after leaving school.
So, you're actually quite homesick, aren't you?
Are you thinking of your parents? Or siblings?
And Hachiman continued to ponder.
Just.
If students' phones were like this, were teachers' phones also all restricted?
Or, if they arrived at the ship, were the mobile phones of the staff on the ship also all restricted?
Hmm.
Overall… as soon as he left school, Hikigaya slightly wanted to contact his family.
He wanted to see his sister.
Preferably via video call.
There was nothing he could do.
He was just an ordinary male high school student.
Just.
"Is this really okay?" Karuizawa lowered her voice and changed the subject. "This vacation invitation, I just feel a bit uneasy."
Hmm.
A vacation invitation, huh?
Although Hachiman had arranged for Kushida to gather information, and it was confirmed that it wasn't a vacation but to participate in this month's special exam.
But Hachiman didn't let Kushida spread the news.
So for most of the classmates… quite a few probably thought they were truly invited.
After all.
If they could think thoroughly, they wouldn't have been placed in Class D.
And it wasn't just Karuizawa who thought so.
"Teacher, is the ship a luxury cruise ship? Like the wealthy ships in Detective Conan."
"Are the prepared foods instant noodles?"
"Idiot, they said it's a ship, so it must be a luxury cruise ship, and inside it's either foie gras or pasta." A male student began to question Chabashira.
"I hope there's bubble tea there too," the girls joined in. "And I want to go to the deck to feed the seagulls."
"The correct way to say it is to feed the seagulls fries, right~"
His classmates were immersed in the idea of a vacation.
They didn't consider whether they deserved such an invitation from the school. Nor did they consider how the school would account for such a budget.
"So, is this a normal vacation?" Karuizawa asked.
She was still a little wary.
"Impossible," Hachiman said. "If it were a vacation, there would be no need to sign a waiver if you didn't participate. And we've been at this school for three months now; rather than saying it's a vacation, it must be an exam. An exam once a month, isn't that already common sense?"
Hmm.
Indeed.
The first month of enrollment had the conduct exam, the second month had the written midterm exam. And now it was the third month, so having an exam was very normal.
But were they having an exam so early in the month?
"Could it be that this exam will be very long?" Karuizawa speculated.
"Perhaps," Hachiman said. "However, I don't think you need to be that nervous. Once the exam questions are confirmed, I will find you when I need your assistance."
"Oh."
Karuizawa responded calmly to this.
Her attitude seemed very placid.
But Hachiman felt she was relieved.
Right.
You really do like to follow orders, after all.
Is your personality actually masochistic?
As Hachiman thought this, he heard Karuizawa continue to speak.
"By the way, aren't you and Horikita on good terms?"
"Then why aren't you sitting with them?"
Hikigaya's current seat was in the very last row, and there were no students in that row.
That's right.
Because the bus had a capacity of 55 seats.
And all the students plus Chabashira only amounted to 41 people.
This resulted in some empty seats.
So, almost no one would choose to sit in the back like Hikigaya.
But.
"..." Hikigaya.
She almost tricked him.
He had thought Karuizawa came over because she was concerned about the exam.
Was she actually concerned about this?
"Horikita and I are not dating," Hachiman said.
"I already knew that," Karuizawa said.
"..." Hachiman. "And her goal is Class A, so she will also assist me, but Karuizawa, you are irreplaceable."
"There are some things Horikita cannot do."
"As I said before, you assist me, and I will protect you."
Because some words couldn't be said directly, Hikigaya typed them out on his phone.
But these words made Karuizawa quietly stand up and then go to her companions.
Which meant she had received the answer that put her at ease.
Her focusing on him and Horikita made him subconsciously think it might be some kind of jealousy.
It turned out to be for a sense of security. She wanted to know if she had been replaced by Horikita.
That's right.
Hikigaya knew he wasn't that popular.
And as he thought this.
"Th-that…" A pink-haired girl sitting alone in the seat in front seemed to be timidly looking over here.
"Hikigaya," she said, holding a camera, "could you look at the camera?"
"I want to take a picture of you as a return."
Oh.
I see.
Since it was Hachiman who helped Sakura inquire with Chabashira-sensei about bringing her camera, was she trying to repay him?
However, a serious Sakura is quite cute. It wouldn't be good to refuse her.
It's just that Hachiman doesn't think he's photogenic.
...
And so, after a two-and-a-half-hour drive, the students arrived at the pier.
As they had imagined, a luxury cruise ship was indeed docked there.
The ship not only boasted numerous comfortable cabins, lavish restaurants, an elegant theater, swimming pools, and various entertainment facilities, but also high-end massage spas.
Calculated in point, chartering this cruise ship for a week, at hundreds of thousands of point per day, would likely cost millions of point.
Millions of point could, of course, be used as money freely at School, but for settling with the ship's owner, real money would be used. This meant the School was incredibly wealthy.
Thus, Hachiman's assessment of the School's financial power increased once more.
However, the School's wealth had nothing to do with him.
Students shared cabins, three to a room.
As Hirata had initially requested, his roommates were Kouenji and Yamauchi.
Hachiman dislikes Yamauchi.
But it seems he doesn't need to worry.
Because.
"Your body is too weak; you completely fail to grasp beauty," said Kouenji, his roommate.
Upon arriving in the cabin, he immediately and skillfully summoned an attendant to bring over fitness equipment.
Then, he started working out in the room, grunting as he exercised his muscles.
He must have enjoyed considerable luxury in the past.
So, he was indeed a young master who wasn't short on money.
And now, Kouenji was speaking to Yamauchi.
Yamauchi seemed very displeased with Kouenji's action of stripping off his clothes as soon as they entered the room, and then...
"Eh! I, I don't want to become a muscle man!"
Perhaps feeling the comparison was damaging, Yamauchi ran out of the room.
In other words, because of Kouenji's presence, Yamauchi was somewhat tormented in this room, so he naturally wouldn't bother him.
This was truly a great help.
Just.
"Hikigaya-kun." Kouenji suddenly looked over. "What do you think of this vacation?"
This vacation… what about it?
Was he asking if he had seen through the true nature of this vacation?
Besides Kouenji's incredible physique and academic prowess, his intelligence is also very high.
So he must have already recognized that the School wouldn't be so kind as to offer a vacation, but rather intended to use this opportunity for a special exam.
And now.
He's asking him what he thinks?
Of course, it's a cold dish.
...
The ship's facilities were comprehensive, in addition to eating, drinking, playing, and entertainment, there were also theatrical performances and massages for relaxation.
Naturally, there was also a Library for cultivating one's mind.
Hachiman looked forward to the Library on the ship.
He was reading a book.
The book was about camping knowledge, mainly precautions for pitching a tent.
Like this:
A set of tent facilities is not much, we must check in advance before departure:
1. Is the tent fabric complete and undamaged?
2. Is the tent pole rusty, and can it be connected normally?
3. Are the ground stakes rusty, and is the quantity complete?
4. Is the guy line broken, and is the quantity complete?
"Class C's… Hikigaya," a girl's voice came from beside Hachiman as he was reading by the bookshelf.
"Could you help me get the book that starts with J?" the other party requested.
The person seemed quite close, allowing him to smell a faint fragrance.
And this scent was the same as Kushida's.
Both seemed to be jasmine perfume.
Hachiman looked over and saw a girl with beautiful silvery-white hair and a delicate face. Her long hair reached past her shoulders to her waist, giving her a very ladylike impression.
Her skin was as fair and translucent as a snow woman's.
But she didn't have the coldness of a snow woman; she had a touch more warmth.
Hachiman remembered.
She was a girl from Ryuen Class, a literary girl.
Her name was Shiina Hiyori.
Previously, to consider letting Kushida vent her emotions, he went to the Library to study.
Then he met this Shiina.
And then.
Hachiman took a picture of Shiina, then tested Horikita a bit, and got some information about Shiina.
Besides being the Class beauty of Ryuen Class, she also liked reading, was often seen in the Library, and had excellent grades.
And, she didn't have many friends.
However.
Hachiman felt that this statement needed to be revised.
Because if someone didn't have many friends, they wouldn't directly approach others like that.
Like now, she wouldn't directly ask him for help to get a book.
Hachiman looked at the bookshelf; the books starting with J were placed very high, making it difficult for Shiina.
Perhaps she would need to jump several times, and still might not be able to reach them.
"Are you getting 'Your Name' by Makoto Shinkai?" Hachiman asked.
On the top shelf were several science fiction books, and also a few light novels.
From having met Shiina before, and seeing her holding [Scarlett], Hachiman felt her interest might be in that genre.
"Mhm," Shiina nodded gently. "That's the one."
Hachiman then took the book down.
Shiina gratefully took "Your Name" that Hachiman handed her.
However, she didn't immediately open the book but seemed a bit curious.
"And Hikigaya, do you also like reading even on the ship?"
Also like reading?
No, he doesn't.
Hachiman was just cramming at the last minute.
Because of Kouenji's reminder, Hikigaya understood that this exam was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
So, if he could score point, he would score point.
Naturally, he would be as thorough as possible.
"It's hard to get a break from classes, so I wanted to calm down and read," Hachiman said.
"I see," Shiina nodded. "I thought Hikigaya was preparing for this Uninhabited Island Exam."
"Because you're reading about camping-related content," Shiina said.
??
Uninhabited Island Exam.
"…"
This made Hachiman feel a bit subtle.
Because Shiina saying this meant that she was revealing that the students in her Class already knew the exam location was an Uninhabited Island.
And it was very likely to be Uninhabited Island survival.
However.
It must be known that they are in different Class.
Moreover, Hachiman is currently in Class C, while Shiina was in the original Class C, so logically they should be incompatible.
But… it doesn't seem so.
In other words.
Sakayanagi, who previously provided information, wasn't here, but now, another student from an outside Class was providing information for free?
Or… Shiina, did you already see him reading a book about camping, and then… you wanted to test him?
------------------------------
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