"WHAAAAAT!!!!!"
The classroom erupted in gasps of shock.
The noise left Amane's ears ringing.
"Miyako-san, you're amazing! Sudo-kun looked like such a tough fighter, who'd have thought you'd beat him so badly he can't even come to class!" Wang Meiyu's eyes were sparkling, her face full of pure admiration.
"No kidding," Sato Maya chimed in.
"Sure, we might lose some class points for him being absent, but just thinking about that idiot Sudo missing class makes me feel so much better." Her expression clearly showed her delight at Sudo's predicament.
"Absolutely! And if it weren't for him, our class points probably wouldn't have been deducted so much in the first place," Shinohara Satsuki added her agreement.
For a moment, the classroom was filled with nothing but voices condemning Sudo. Even Ike and Yamauchi, who were usually close to him, hung their heads low, afraid of being dragged into the line of fire.
Amane suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
Sudo was injured, unable to attend class.
Yet not a single person had asked about his condition. No one, not one, had spoken up in his defense. Instead, everyone seemed… happy about it.
How pathetic must a person be to reach this point? To be hated by most of the class?
When you offer no positive contribution and are nothing but a burden, I suppose this is the inevitable result.
"Even though I dislike Sudo too, Miyako-san, what you did this time might have been a bit excessive," Karuizawa seemed to want to say more, but ultimately held her tongue.
"Did that guy submit a withdrawal request?" Horikita suddenly asked.
"Huh? You… what was your name again? Never mind. How did you know that? You weren't even here a moment ago…" Karuizawa began, but before she could finish, Chabashira-sensei entered the classroom with a stern expression.
"Everyone, return to your seats!" Her tone was unusually harsh today. Seeing this, no one dared to continue chatting, and Class D quickly fell silent.
Horikita and Amane also returned to their seats.
"Today, I have an announcement to make," Chabashira-sensei said, pressing her fingertips onto the lectern to support herself. Her gaze swept across every face in the room.
"I believe the Student Council has already notified you. Due to the severe conflict that erupted within Class D, regardless of how many class points you earn next month, the payment will be denied… You all truly are students who never cease to amaze me."
She began to clap slowly, sarcastically.
"Since this school's founding, daring to start a fight openly in the library… I suppose only our first-year Class D could accomplish such a feat, right?"
Her words were full of mockery, but beneath it, wasn't there more… disappointment?
"It seems I overestimated you all. Defective products are just defective products. It was my mistake to place any hope in you."
"Chabashira-sensei! Don't you think that's going too far?" Hirata immediately stood up to defend everyone.
"No one wanted this to happen. Besides, Horikita-san was only kindly organizing the study session…"
"Kind intentions leading to disaster? Doesn't that just prove the point?" Chabashira-sensei's single sentence shut down Hirata's defense.
"I don't care about the process or the reasons. All I see is the worst possible outcome. Additionally, this is Sudo's withdrawal application. Class D is about to have the first dropout in our grade level."
Sudo… withdrawing?
"Withdrawal? Isn't that punishment too severe?" Hirata was still trying to minimize the impact on the class.
But… he was being naive.
"Severe? He's choosing to withdraw himself. The school has nothing to do with it. Once his injuries have healed, we will process his withdrawal application."
Chabashira-sensei's words hit Hirata's heart like a sledgehammer.
His impression of Sudo wasn't good. But even a problematic person was still a member of Class D. And if they were a member, you couldn't just abandon them.
Yet Chabashira's words shattered his hope.
If it were a school punishment, maybe they could find a way. But if Sudo himself wanted to leave… what could Hirata do?
"Oh, I forgot to mention. Since he applied voluntarily, he has one week to rescind the application."
"Chabashira-sensei!" Amane shot to her feet. Everyone looked at her, bewildered.
"Miyako! Sit down, what are you doing?" Horikita urgently tried to pull her back down, but Amane stared directly at Chabashira-sensei.
"Do you realize what you just said?"
"I was merely informing the students about the withdrawal application's procedures," Chabashira replied, forcing composure.
"Is that so? Then did you abide by the school's regulations? You may be the homeroom teacher, but I don't believe you are permitted to inject your personal biases into official matters."
"Miyako-san…" Hirata looked at Amane in surprise. He didn't understand why she was saying this. But Amane was also a classmate. He was willing to try and understand her perspective.
"Let me ask everyone," Amane said, turning her gaze away from the teacher, knowing Chabashira wouldn't give her any more leverage.
"After hearing Chabashira-sensei's words—that the withdrawal application can be rescinded by the student—what are your thoughts?"
"I'd think Sudo is being too extreme and try to persuade him otherwise," Hirata said, meeting Amane's gaze as he slowly gave his answer.
"And what if Sudo said he'd only reconsider withdrawing if, for example, Suzune got down on her knees and apologized to him?" Amane's words made Hirata's face change.
"What would you do then?" Amane pressed him for an answer.
"Miyako-san, your tone…"
"I would… beg Horikita-san to do it."
For a moment, the class was too stunned to speak.
A scumbag like Sudo withdrawing? Was that really a bad thing? And he could use his withdrawal to force an apology from his victim?
Would Hirata really ask the victim to apologize for the bully's sake? Wasn't something fundamentally wrong here?
Horikita's gaze shifted from curiosity to astonishment. And then… she couldn't help but look toward Chabashira-sensei.
"And if Suzune refused to apologize, leading to Sudo's withdrawal? Wouldn't strange rumors start circulating in class? Rumors like, 'if someone drops out, the whole class can't reach Class A'?"
In that instant, Hirata understood too. It was a trap.
Most people came here aiming for Class A.
Right now, they knew nothing about the hidden rules for advancement, only that class points were involved.
So, would Sudo's withdrawal affect their chances of reaching Class A? Amane didn't know. But some people would worry.
Once Sudo used withdrawal as leverage to make unreasonable demands, if Horikita or Amane refused, those who grew restless would start spreading rumors: 'If someone drops out, we can't make it to A.'
They wouldn't care who had to kneel to Sudo. They just wanted to reach Class A.
And Horikita? Also aiming for Class A. Would she yield under the pressure of public opinion and self-doubt?
Others might not care.
Horikita herself might even be willing to endure the humiliation for the goal. But Amane could not accept it.
Especially because this was the result Chabashira-sensei had deliberately guided Hirata toward.
That's right. Chabashira-sensei was trying to discard the 'failed' Horikita Suzune.
Chabashira-sensei.
Your methods are far too easy to see through.
Or perhaps… it's precisely because you're still this immature…that you ended up a failure back then, isn't that right?
Amane looked at Chabashira-sensei, whose face showed clear frustration. The moment she felt Amane's gaze, Chabashira-sensei averted her eyes.
Self-interest makes people resort to any means.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.