Chapter 21: Hirata Yosuke's Shock
In all his years of teaching, Mashima Tomonari had never encountered a student who asked such a question.
To already know the school's rules yet still make such a choice? To even be willing to spend points just to play games during class?
However, Mashima did not hesitate for long. After reflecting for a moment, he spoke:
"Twenty thousand points a month."
"It seems a student's behavior truly does affect the acquisition of points. However, twenty thousand points is far too expensive. And we don't just have English; there's math, physics, chemistry... If every subject required the same amount of points, even if we maintained an intake of one hundred thousand points a month, it wouldn't be enough at all," Katsuragi Keima remarked. Mashima's words had indirectly proven his hypothesis was correct. "Is there a discounted bundle or something? For example, twenty percent off for a 'Language, Math, and Foreign Language' package?"
"I am merely providing my own price; I cannot represent the other teachers. But if you truly have such intentions, you can go negotiate with your homeroom teacher."
Mashima replied, feeling as though he couldn't quite see through the boy in front of him.
"I understand. I will ask Chabashira-sensei later. Mashima-sensei, do you have any other questions?"
"Me? I have no more questions."
"Oh."
Keima gave a simple response and immediately resumed his game. Mashima shot a thoughtful look at Keima. He was indeed a singular student. He didn't linger at the boy's desk any longer, instead turning back to continue his lesson.
Inside the classroom, almost all the other students failed to notice the conversation between them, being completely immersed in their own affairs. However, a few individuals captured the dialogue entirely in their minds.
For instance, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
Resting his cheek on one hand with his head slightly tilted, he appeared to be spacing out, but in reality, he was inconspicuously observing Katsuragi Keima.
'Is Katsuragi intentionally using the teacher to corroborate his own hypothesis?
Does he have a specific motive for choosing to speak out directly in the middle of class?
Is he really doing all this just for the sake of playing games?'
Since entering the school, Ayanokouji had been observing various students. Keima's various behaviors showed a very distinct difference from the "ordinary student" Ayanokouji recognized.
Was he truly going to such lengths just to play games? Or was it... that Katsuragi Keima was targeting him?
.
.
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Several dozen minutes later, Mashima Tomonari's English class ended. He packed up his lesson plans, glanced at Katsuragi Keima—who was still gaming—and then left the classroom.
"Look at you. What have you turned the class atmosphere into? Does this look like a national-level elite high school at all?"
Horikita Suzune's gaze swept across the other students in the class as she shook her head with dissatisfaction. She couldn't stand the lazy behavior of the others.
"What do those things have to do with me?" Keima said while playing his game.
"Regardless, you're the one setting the example, aren't you?"
"We're all high schoolers now. Whatever people do is based on their own considerations. There's no such thing as 'setting an example' here."
"That may be so, but you intentionally confirmed that information from the teacher just now, didn't you?" Horikita frowned, looking at Keima. Through Teacher Mashima's answer, she was now certain that Keima's previous guess was true.
"I just want to be able to play games without being disturbed," Keima said nonchalantly.
Just then, a slightly hurried set of footsteps sounded nearby. A few seconds later, Hirata Yosuke walked quickly up to Keima.
"Katsuragi-kun, what did you mean by that 'points being affected' thing you mentioned to Mashima-sensei during class?"
Hirata was one of the few students in the class who was still listening seriously, so he had naturally caught their exchange. Hirata possessed good grades and a sharp mind, but he hadn't yet thought deeply about the school's rules.
Keima's eyes remained on his handheld as he explained his previous deduction. Hearing his words, Hirata's face filled with absolute shock.
"To think... to think such a thing is happening..."
He recalled various details since entering the school; indeed, many things felt quite strange.
"Furthermore, I suspect that every student's behavior doesn't just affect them individually. It likely affects the entire class, thereby lowering the points everyone receives."
"But Chabashira-sensei said earlier that on the 1st of every month, the school would issue one hundred thousand points..." Hirata was still finding it a bit hard to believe.
"No, what Chabashira-sensei said back then was that the school would issue one hundred thousand points to all students this month, and that points would be issued fixedly on the 1st of every month thereafter. She never said it would be one hundred thousand every month."
"But why would Chabashira-sensei do that? As a homeroom teacher, it would be best to inform the students on the first day, wouldn't it?"
"Perhaps this is also part of the school's test."
The lenses of Keima's glasses reflected the various options popping up on the handheld screen. His fingers moved rapidly, selecting the optimal choice. "Just like a game—if you lay out all the clues directly in front of the player, the fun is greatly diminished. Isn't it much more interesting to dig out the method to clear the game yourself?"
Immediately, a CG of a "Perfect Ending" began playing on the screen.
"Excellent. I've cleared this character with max affection too. Only three characters left in this game."
Hirata pursed his lips, a look of astonishment in his eyes as he looked at Keima. This was clearly a matter of grave importance, yet the other person seemed not to care much at all. He looked over at Horikita Suzune, but she was busy with her own work, appearing to have no intention of intervening in the conversation. It seemed she had grown accustomed to Keima's reactions.
"Thank you very much, Katsuragi-kun. This is a very important matter!"
Hirata quickly nodded to Keima with a smile, then immediately hurried to warn the other classmates before the next class started, asking them to pay a bit more attention to classroom discipline. Although some thought he was being nosy and others found his words nonsensical, a portion of the class chose to listen to him.
Ten minutes later, the class bell rang. Arriving almost simultaneously with the bell was their homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae.
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