5 Volume 1: Chapter 4
"Hahaha! You're too funny, idiot!"
During the second period, in the math class, Ike was chatting loudly with Yamauchi. It had been three weeks since the entrance ceremony; in that time, those two, along with Sudo, had earned the name "idiot trio."
I rolled my eyes. I thought maybe I could help Class 1-D save some class points, but I guess I was wrong.
"Hey, hey, do you want to go sing at karaoke?"
"Yeah, let's go."
A group of girls was making plans for after school. Not worrying about their private points at all. I wonder how much they'll regret the decision to have spent all their points?
I was trying to pay attention to the math class, not because I was bored with the subject; math had always been my favorite and easiest subject. Some people might find math the most challenging subject, for others, it's social studies, for others, English or Spanish, for some, natural sciences. Each person may find a particular subject easier or more difficult, and that could be due to various factors: lack of interest, finding it boring, and struggling to understand, among many other examples.
Anyway, the reason I was making a conscious effort to pay attention to math class while writing notes — by the way, I was writing the notes in Spanish, my native language — I don't know who invented the Japanese writing system, but they can go to hell. The reason I was still writing in Spanish was that the darn person who sent me to this place didn't bother to do their magic (as they did to make me speak and read Japanese easily)... That is, I couldn't write Japanese, or at least I couldn't write it fluently.
Back to the point. The reason was that I was tired.
Really tired. I could feel my eyelids closing, but thanks to the power of coffee, I had managed to shake off sleep a bit before coming.
"Hey there." A voice interrupted my thoughts.
Mid-class, Sudo burst into the classroom with a bang. Ignoring the fact that it was mid-class, he dropped into his seat with a big yawn.
"Hey, Sudo. Oh, want to have lunch later?" Ike said loudly from the other side of the room.
The teacher continued the lesson without saying anything to Sudō.
In a normal school, the teacher would probably be scolding him, saying not to come back late to class. In another school, they probably wouldn't let him into the classroom because he arrived late. But ANHS wasn't a normal school... or rather, it was one of the most abnormal schools I had been to, a school for elites... well, not all students were elite, but I think you get the point.
"Wow... already done with her? Amazing."
That sentence could be understood in different ways by my civilized thoughts. Probably, Yōsuke had started "going out" with Karuizawa as a couple. I looked at Kei Karuizawa, and she seemed to be sending affectionate looks toward Yōsuke.
I was a bit surprised by the acting skills they were showing, but I couldn't help but wonder if it was a loving look, one that didn't represent the feeling of love or could easily be confused with an affectionate gaze.
The math teacher finished explaining the math problem just in time for the bell to ring, marking the end of the class.
Finally, I think I'll get some sleep before the simulated test they'll hand out later today.
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Third period, history class. Chabashira-sensei's class. She entered as soon as the bell rang, indicating the start of the class. However, the student's attitude didn't change.
"Everyone, quiet down. Today's class will be more serious."
"What do you mean, Sae-chan-sensei?"
The class had already given her a nickname.
"We'll have a short test. Pass these to the back."
She handed out the papers to the first row. Eventually, the test reached my desk. The exam had several questions from each of the five main topics.
It was something within my knowledge, so I wasn't really surprised. Also, I had been striving to study for this exam. Due to my overexertion and staying up late, I had more defined dark circles under my eyes.
"Uh, I haven't heard anything. I don't want to take it."
"Calm down. This test is just for future reference. It won't reflect on your report card. There's no risk, so relax. However, cheating is, of course, forbidden."
I wasn't worried about getting a bad grade, but I also didn't want to get a flat zero on my test score. Even though I was mentally four years older than the students, the topics that came in the simulated test were very different from the ones I studied in my world. For example, the history of my country was very different from Japanese history. The topics they had to study for English were basic, while in this world, the English topics to study were more advanced.
Math was the only subject I could compare with similar topics.
Once the exam had started, I looked at the questions. 20 questions, 4 per section, and 5 points per question for a total of 100 points.
Another thing I noticed is that the questions for the subjects seemed to be in order. First Japanese, second History, third English, fourth Science, and fifth Mathematics. Then it repeated, in question six Japanese, seven History, and so on.
The difficulty of the first five questions was extremely easy, almost anticlimactic, but the difficulty rose when I reached the sixth question. They weren't as easy as the first five, although they weren't too difficult either.
From question eleven to question fifteen, the difficulty level could be described as challenging for most students, but if questions 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 seemed difficult, then questions sixteen to twenty would be impossible. The difficulty level they were at was something that only senior students would likely be able to answer.
The last math problem couldn't be solved without using a complicated formula.
(Note: I know the questions increased in difficulty every three questions, but I decided to change it to every five questions. For example, in some video games, you can choose one of the three existing difficulties, sometimes you can also unlock a fourth difficulty. Easy, Normal, Hard, and Hardcore)
Fortunately for me, I ended up in first place in this exam because I partially knew what was coming, so I had memorized it like crazy. You've played video games where you need to level up to become more powerful, so I had done farming like crazy, but instead of being for video games, I did it with study.
.
.
.
"Damn! Now that I realize something I hadn't considered a few weeks ago... Should I aim for a good grade? Had I put in effort only to intentionally get a lower grade? Of course not, but if I got a good grade, I could probably start standing out. Something I was trying to avoid for several reasons.
I sighed with fatigue, unsure of which course of action to take.
"No... Why are these problems so difficult?"
I heard someone say. It was pretty obvious that some of my classmates were going to have trouble solving these questions. Fortunately for them, none of them would be expelled because it was just a "test," even if they were going to use these results to evaluate us differently.
Chabashira-sensei was monitoring the students as she walked around the classroom.
I glanced at Matsushita, watching her fill in the answers to the questions. My eyes almost involuntarily widened as I watched her erase her correct answer and put in an incorrect one. Fortunately, I could keep my monotone expression without anyone noticing anything.
A classic move to hide your academic skills. I kept looking at the test until the final bell rang.
Before anyone could leave, a voice called out to all my classmates. Including me.
"Everyone, can you hear me for a moment?" Yōsuke was the one who had caught the attention of Class 1-D. "I have something important to tell you."
I was curious about why Yōsuke was asking for our attention in the first place. Judging by the expression on his face, it was a matter of utmost importance to the class.
"I've been thinking a bit about this... I've had a concern about the class," Yōsuke clarified what his concern was.
Wait... Does that mean he had figured something out with all the clues I had given him? That was really interesting. I wanted to see how this conversation would turn out.
I could see several students, especially the girls, starting to whisper among themselves.
"Hirata-kun, what do you mean?" Matsushita commented.
"Wait... what are you worried about? And what does our class have to do with this?" Yukimura asked.
"It's about our class points... I've discovered some worrying points about this."
"There's nothing to worry about," Sudo shouted, getting up from his seat. "We'll get 100,000 points at the beginning of the month. Sensei made that clear. Don't waste my time; I have to be at my club."
Several of the guys in the classroom agreed with Sudo's point. When Sudo finished saying his words, he headed toward the classroom door to leave and go to the basketball club, but before he could leave, Yōsuke spoke again.
"I know you might not want to listen, and I understand, but at least listen to what I have to say... It's really important."
The girls started showing support for Yōsuke.
"Tch, make it quick, though... better not waste my time."
It was quite surprising that Sudo had stayed to listen. Personally, I was quite surprised. It was something I couldn't predict, not even in the future unless Horikita told him.
Yōsuke looked directly at me, making me surprised.
"Hiroki, can you repeat the question you asked Chabashira-sensei at the beginning of class?"
The question he asked left me impressed, but I still tried to stay as calm as I could.
"Do you mean when Chabashira-sensei was explaining the school rules to us?" I asked with confusion in my voice, making him nod. "Well, I don't remember exactly because it was a few weeks ago, but it was about whether the points we were getting this month were based on our value in the school." I tried to pause as if I were recalling what I had said that day while having a pensive expression. I also emphasized the same words I had emphasized before.
I could see how some expressions of the smart students slightly widened their eyes as they concluded or at least a suspicion. While others, what was the word?... less intelligent, perhaps... didn't understand what this whole thing was about.
"What are you talking about? You're probably exaggerating," Ike still couldn't understand Yōsuke's genuine concern.
"Doesn't the school feel a bit strange to you?"
Yōsuke had asked a strange question to many, but the reason he had asked the question was not without apparent reason.
"Strange?"
"Hirata-kun, what do you mean?"
People in Class 1-D started looking at each other with confused looks on their faces.
"Doesn't it feel a bit strange that they're giving us 100,000 points? As if they're giving us a bit too much for absolutely nothing... wouldn't you think there's a catch? How about at least maintaining your grades?"
Yōsuke was raising a valid point. Most people, upon hearing these questioning questions, would start wondering if the school was really what it seemed. Showering students with money without them doing anything in return.
"Hirata-kun, weren't we going to get 100,000 points?" Nishimura Ryuko asked, confused.
Students were starting to feel anxious about the direction Yōsuke's words were taking. Even if most didn't understand the point Yōsuke was making, they had a hunch from the tone they were using.
"That's true, we got 100,000 points on the first day... but Chabashira-sensei never mentioned how many points we would get after the first month."
"Hirata, are you trying to tell us we won't get 100,000 points next month?" Minami Setsuya spoke.
"It's very likely," Yōsuke paused before explaining, "The school said they would deposit points at the beginning of each month, but they never specified exactly how many points would be deposited. For all we know, they could give any number of points, and they would still have kept their word."
A small discussion had begun due to the unsettling words Yōsuke was presenting. While my classmates were discussing, I could see Matsushita approaching me until she stopped by my side.
"Nakatomi-kun, what do you think about the issue at hand?"
Matsushita posed an interesting question to me. I stayed silent for a while before answering.
"I think I understand what Yōsuke wants to say, or at least its essence," I replied.
I wasn't going to tell her my true thoughts about what Yōsuke was opening. Even if Yōsuke managed to convince everyone, would we get points, or had we completely reduced our class points?
"You knew, right?" Matsushita commented in a low voice.
"Hmm," I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. "Know what exactly?"
"About the points," she clarified. "You had said that the school was giving us too much freedom. At first, I was confusing it with leniency." Matsushita was staring at me intently, trying to determine if the conclusion she was reaching was correct. "But after thinking about it for a while, I realized that the meanings of both words were very different."
"What's your point?" I asked.
I didn't want to hear every word of how she had come to that conclusion.
"What I mean is, you knew from the beginning, didn't you? That was why you asked that question on the first day. You did it to give us a clue about the school."
I was a little uncomfortable, but I was doing my best not to show it in the expressions on my face. I knew she was smart, but I think I underestimated her a bit. I guess I'll have to reassess her.
"You're really smart, Nakatomi-kun... Figuring it out from the first day of class," Matsushita spoke with admiration in her voice.
It was better to play dumb. This definitely wasn't in my plans, but I guess things don't always go as we want. Unless you're God Ayanokōji.
"I don't know what you mean," I said, pausing. "But hypothetically speaking, even if I had known, no one would have listened to what I had to say."
Matsushita seemed to be thinking about what she would say next, but before she could speak, a shout was heard.
"This is complete bullshit!" Sudō slammed the desk. "I think they're exaggerating the situation. This was really a waste of time."
Having said this, he left the classroom, slamming the door shut, and making several students flinch.
"I think Sudo is right, and nothing is going to happen," Ike spoke, breaking the silence. "Besides, we all got the points when we entered this school. Sensei said it at the beginning of the month... something about us being the chosen few."
Then Shinohara started arguing with Ike about being an idiot who couldn't use his brain. Ike was also fighting fire with fire. The students had started arguing about the situation that was unfolding.
The atmosphere was starting to worsen. The shouts of Ike and Shinohara were stopped by the wolf in sheep's clothing, Kushida-san.
The class still had several doubts about what Yōsuke was trying to say, but to everyone's confusion, Yōsuke approached his seat before taking out a piece of paper from his bag and hanging it on the blackboard.
Free Food from the Cafeteria --- Free Products.
April 13: 35 --- 3
April 14: 33 --- 2
April 15: 30 --- 1
April 16: 34 --- 3
April 17: 33 --- 4
"What's with the dates and numbers, Hirata-kun?" Kei Karuizawa asked.
"Free food and products?" someone said aloud.
As the class read the words at the beginning of the paper, they began to worry and look uncomfortable with each other.
"These are the number of students who have ordered the free food menu in the cafeteria," Yōsuke explained to the students who were confused. "Also, the number of students who have used the three free items you can get at the convenience store."
"Eh? Wasn't the food really tasteless? Why would anyone eat that?"
"Wait... there are free products?"
I refrained from facepalming at the last comment. How had they not realized yet? Surely, they should have visited the convenience store occasionally... right?
"Why would you take notes on that in the first place?" Azuma asked.
"Doesn't it strike you as strange that a large number of people buy the free food, even knowing how bad it tastes?" Yōsuke told them. "Plus, some of the people who buy the free food also pick up their three free items."
"Maybe they ran out of points?" Onodera suggested.
"It's partially true, but the reason isn't that they wasted their points. Especially when they're upperclassmen. They should at least know how to budget their points, right?"
Yōsuke made a very valid point. I wanted to leave, but that would be rude. I really needed a well-deserved break.
I observed how Yōsuke took out the school-provided cell phone as he began to search for something.
"When I asked my senpais in the soccer club how many points they got each month, they were really elusive," he continued explaining as his eyes looked back towards Class 1-D. Whatever he was looking for on the phone, he found it. "So, I had to spend some points to get this information."
Yōsuke tapped the cellphone screen, causing a voice audio to play.
"Excuse me, senpai. Can we sit with you?"
Yōsuke's voice could be heard in the audio. I glanced out of the corner of my eye toward Ayanokōji... it seemed he had also caught on that he had used the plural.
"What do you want?"
"Most of the tables are taken. So, we wondered if we could eat at this table."
There was a brief silence before the audio continued.
"Senpai, can you tell me why you buy this kind of food?"
A scornful snort could be heard from the person Yōsuke was talking to.
"Did you come just to mock us?"
"Nothing like that, senpai. I was just curious... to know how many points you get every month," Yōsuke said.
"Your teacher should have told you on the first day of class... if you didn't pay attention, it's not my problem."
There was a prolonged pause as the background noise of the cafeteria could be heard.
"Can you at least tell me if you earn 100,000 points every month?... I'll give you some points in return, just confirm it for me."
"... How much are we talking about?"
Whispers in the classroom were starting to spread. Then, in the audio, you could hear Yōsuke and the unknown senpai trying to establish their deal. Both managed to agree on the amount of 10,000 points. But the information the senpai gave was like a bomb thrown at Class 1-D.
"The school is not what it seems. I had also thought they would give us 100,000 points, but I was wrong. They only give you the points you deserve based on class value."
The senpai had given important information to our class. I could see how some students began to look a bit distressed.
They started arguing about what the senpai meant by the value we deserved in our class. Before the person next to me spoke.
"Well, there are cameras everywhere. Maybe they're monitoring us?" Matsushita pointed out.
"Cameras?" Maezono asked.
From those comments, more questions began to arise, and they even began to look for cameras in the classroom. Seeing that they were not successful and Ayanokōji or Horikita were not going to point out where the camera was, I sighed. I really didn't want to do it, but oh well.
"Guys," I called loudly, raising my right hand, and making everyone turn to look in my direction, making me nervous. "There's a camera. There," I pointed to the corner of the classroom near Ayanokōji's seat.
"Wait... did you notice there was a camera?" Karuizawa asked as if she were doubting.
I shrugged. "I noticed one day, by accident."
"So are they really monitoring us? But for what?" Matsushita asked.
Then the class entered into another discussion. Some people remained on the sidelines of the discussion, like Ayanokōji and Horikita. Koenji had started arguing, pointing out how obvious it was that we were being monitored for our behaviors as students.
I disconnected from the conversation as I remembered the conversation I had with a certain person a few days ago.
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(Two days before the arrival of the third week of class)
I was heading to the karaoke. I was dressed casually. Wearing a short-sleeved black shirt due to the heat outside the buildings. I also wore dark blue pants along with the only shoes I had bought that had caught my attention.
When I arrived, I headed to the room I had rented for a few hours. The place was impressive, so to speak, but I didn't come to this place for a party or to sing.
The rooms you could rent at the karaoke didn't have cameras, and they were soundproof so that the sound wouldn't escape outside. So if you wanted to talk to someone privately without anyone spying on you, the karaoke rooms were the best place.
I sat down as I waited.
The door of the room opened, revealing the only person I was hoping to talk to. You might wonder why? Well, I had finally gotten tired of doing nothing while our class continued to lose points.
The person sat in the comfortable seat across from where I was sitting.
"So... did you have something to tell me, Hiroki?"
I smiled at his question. I definitely had something to tell him.
I looked directly into Yōsuke's eyes as I waited calmly for a response. I had sent him a message to meet in private.
I had told him that the meeting was important and to come alone, without anyone else. Then I gave him the time, date, and location where he had to meet me. The reason I had called him was that I was trying to find a solution so that our class wouldn't lose all its class points. Even if it was just less than 100 class points, those few points we would get would be crucial to progress in future exams.
I had thought of various ways to approach the situation, but most of the ideas I had were discarded. I thought about telling everyone in Class 1-D about the situation with our points, but if I told them, they wouldn't believe me. Even if I provided enough evidence to prove that the school wasn't exactly as they believed, they would find an excuse to ignore me or even mock me. Another factor I considered was that it would draw too much attention not only from people I didn't want to get involved with, but it would also catch the attention of Ayanokōji Kiyotaka. It was something I wanted to avoid for now.
I knew I couldn't keep my true intelligence forever from certain people. For example, Matsushita was suspicious of my abilities. Not that I was a person with great talents like certain characters I could mention, but I wasn't an idiot either. In my world, I considered myself slightly above average, but I didn't like drawing attention or being in the spotlight.
This was why I had made few friends. My physical abilities in my world were at least slightly below average, but in this new world, I had a new athletic body. I hadn't done many tests, but I was pretty sure I was well above the average for a person.
Anyway, sending indirect clues to my classmates hadn't worked. Maybe they had their suspicions, but they preferred to believe a lie than the harsh truth.
As a teacher from my old school used to say, a lie repeated a thousand times becomes the truth. He was a philosopher if you're wondering... getting back to the point, I had been thinking about what I was about to tell Yōsuke, but in the end, it had more advantages than disadvantages. So, I decided to go through with it.
I didn't know what he would think after this conversation, but it didn't matter. If the class could save some class points, that was all that mattered. I had never tried to convince someone of something. I never saw the need to convince anyone, but this world was different if I wanted to move up in class. If I wanted to pass the upcoming exams, then I had to be a proactive person. I was a reactive person, but it was better to start getting rid of that habit.
I didn't have to be proactive all the time, just when it was crucial. I took a deep breath; this was the moment I had prepared for in front of my mirror. It was better not to mess it up.
"I know you're wondering why I wanted to meet with you in a private place, Yōsuke," I paused before continuing, "The truth is, what I have to tell you is of utmost importance to our class."
Yōsuke had a worried look, but when I explained the reason I had decided to call him, it shifted to a confused expression.
"Our class? Has something happened to the class, Hiroki?" Yōsuke asked me.
"Don't you feel there's something suspicious about the amount of points they've given us?" I asked him.
"Now that you mention it," Yōsuke adopted a thoughtful look for a moment before continuing, "It's a bit strange that they give us 100,000 points every month."
"Exactly." I snapped my fingers with my right hand; after my snap, my finger pointed at Yōsuke, affirming the gesture. "Even in other schools, when you get a scholarship, they usually ask for a minimum grade you must maintain to not lose your scholarship. On the contrary, in this school, they give us 100,000 points the first month, but the teachers don't even bother to tell us anything when they're talking loudly, using their phones, sleeping in class, or even when someone disrupts the class by arriving late."
"I think I understand where you're going with this, but I think the teachers would have told us something if that were the case, right?"
Yōsuke had given his response; even if he had his doubts, he didn't want to believe that the teachers, or rather Chabashira-sensei, would skip information that was crucial for the class.
I sighed. "Yōsuke, I know you're an intelligent person. When I was in the cafeteria having lunch with our friends, you must have noticed that upperclassmen have been buying the free food, right?"
"Well... I have noticed. It seemed a bit strange, but I thought maybe they had just spent all their points."
I looked at Yōsuke for a moment while an uncomfortable silence hung between us. I turned around to grab my bag and took out a sheet of paper with some things written on it before handing it to Yōsuke.
"What are these?... April 13: 35, April 14: 33... This is—"
Yōsuke was surprised by the information I had just given him. Judging by the new expression on his face, he was coming to his own conclusion.
"What I just gave you is the people who have bought the free lunch in the cafeteria, but that's not all." I searched my bag again before pulling out a photo and a new sheet of paper with more information.
I handed it to Yōsuke, who remained silent.
"I don't know if you've been to the convenience store, but I took a photo of the free items you can choose. You can only get three per month."
In the new sheet I had given him, he got information about the people who had picked up their three items this month. I didn't know in which class the people who bought free items were, but I had spent some points gathering information about them.
I searched my bag again before pulling out a small bag containing photos of people who had bought the free lunch. I also stapled a paper onto the photo of the people indicating which class they were in.
"These are the people who bought the free lunch, along with the photo, you can find out which class they are in." I didn't tell him that I had spent points; it wasn't necessary.
Yōsuke grabbed the bag containing the photos and he began to take them out one by one while scanning them.
"Class 2-D, Class 3-D, Class 2-C, Class 3-C," I could hear him murmur. When Yōsuke finished scanning all the photos, he placed them on the table in the rented karaoke room.
"I see, how sure are you about this, Hiroki?" Yōsuke asked me once the doubts had begun. They had a worried look on their faces.
"I am 100% sure it's a trap," I told him sincerely. "Do you remember the first-day Chabashira-sensei gave us information about the class?" I asked him, to which Yōsuke nodded, urging me to continue. "She told us she had given us 100,000 points this month, but she never said anything about receiving the same points the following month."
Yōsuke's eyes widened when he realized something. "Is that why you asked?"
"Yes... from that day, I began to suspect, but I didn't say anything because I wanted to be sure first," I told him a lie I had planned in case he asked me. The reason I had asked was to give them clues, but no one had caught the message I was trying to convey. Maybe I knew two people who probably had, but even if I hadn't given them that hint, they would always start to suspect and come to a conclusion.
"So, are you planning to tell our classmates? Can I help you?"
Yōsuke had asked me a question and, in turn, had offered to help me. Obviously, I didn't want our classmates to be harmed by something the school had intentionally hidden to test our talents.
I shook my head in denial. "Even if I draw attention from my classmates, I don't think anyone will listen. I'm not as popular as you, Yōsuke."
"I don't think our classmates wouldn't want to listen to you. Have a little more confidence in them," Yōsuke was giving me a reassuring smile, trying to show that he was supporting me as a friend.
I crossed my arms and huffed. "You have a lot of confidence in them, Yōsuke. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but, repeating, I don't think they'll take my words seriously," I told him. Yōsuke nervously laughed, causing my eyebrow to raise, but I didn't point it out. "Anyway, the reason I called you is to help the class become aware of this."
"Wait, you want me to inform our classmates?... I still think you should be the one to inform them. Otherwise, I'd take all the credit," Yōsuke commented.
"I know," I said, lazily waving my right hand. "I don't like being the center of attention, and besides, credit doesn't matter to me as long as the class can benefit from this. So, it's okay for me."
I didn't say that if the class benefited, I would benefit too.
"By the way, it would be better if you do it during the break," I suggested.
"The break... wouldn't it be better while our teacher is giving a class?" Yōsuke asked.
I shook my head. "No, she won't tell us anything... believe me. Also, if we disrupt classes, we could be affected by our points. We don't know how they evaluate us."
"So, we're being evaluated... do you think it's a test by the school?"
I shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not, but it's better not to risk losing more points than we already have."
"You say that as if the behavior of our classmates affects the entire class," he pointed out.
I smiled in response. "As I said, we don't know how the school evaluates us. You can't assume they're evaluating you individually," I scratched my neck with my right hand. "It's better to be safe than sorry."
Yōsuke was going to need evidence or insurance for the class to fully believe in his words. The good thing was that I had the materials he would use prepared. I had done these in advance.
I also knew he was having some doubts. So why not kill two birds with one stone? Get evidence and dispel Yōsuke's doubts.
"Anyway, I know you still have some doubts, so I want you to accompany me to the cafeteria tomorrow. We'll pay a visit."
"A visit?"
"Exactly, so please consider what I just told you and send me a response."
Yōsuke nodded in response.
He asked a few more questions, and did his best to answer them. I also asked him to keep this secret between us. He asked me why, but I only gave him a vague answer. In the end, Yōsuke said goodbye and left the karaoke room I had rented.
Once I was the only one left in the room, I put my hands on my head, unable to believe what had just happened.
"I was awesome!" I shouted excitedly.
I couldn't hide my fanboy side for long. I had handled the situation in a calm and cool way, in my opinion. I didn't read many literary books, but I knew anime characters who had had a great or epic moment.
I coughed into my fist while blushing slightly. It was good that no one had seen that.
I looked at the clock in the room; I still had an hour to use in the karaoke room I had rented. I looked at the microphone on the table and then at the TV screen in the room. When was the last time I had sung an opening? Now that I thought about it, I can speak Japanese perfectly.
I smiled like a child about to do mischief at the idea forming in my head. It was time to relax and have fun.
---
(Present)
Yōsuke had been able to calm our classmates with the help of Kushida and the support of the girls.
In the next class, everyone started taking the class seriously. Even Sudō, but only because Kushida had kindly asked him. I also noticed that Horikita seemed indifferent to the class's situation.
Hoshinomiya Chie-sensei had made a comment to our class, but she didn't say anything important or question our sudden change. Instead, she started the class as usual.
It seemed that my plan had worked. I was also grateful that Yōsuke had taken the credit and didn't mention me. I just hoped that no one would suspect who the mastermind was; that would be unfortunate.
Now, all that was left was to cross our fingers and hope that we could still, at least, save some class points.
For the first time, the week went by normally. With students behaving as students should. Of course, there were one or two whispering something, but nothing compared to the first few weeks.
With that, May 1st arrived. It was time to uncover the truth.
I woke up to the sound of the alarm.
I groaned as I curled up further in my warm sheets, but after a few minutes, I forced myself to get up. Damn, I hated waking up early, but it was something people had to get used to in life.
I went to take a shower before putting on the school uniform. It was the first of May, which meant they were going to give us our monthly points.
I had previously spent 5,000 points to get information about our senpai's class points. Along with Yōsuke, we had split the cost. I also bought a camera and a voice recorder, costing me 25,000 points. Adding that to the points I spent on some items in the store, I had 34,746 PPt left.
When I checked my phone, I saw the current points.
42,546 PPt.
A smile crossed my face; I had managed to save some points. I quickly did some math to figure out how much I had received. I had received a total of 7,800 PPt. This meant that we had 78 class points left.
It was a small amount that we had left, but fortunately, we hadn't lost all the class points. Which was good because it would help us in the future.
I was a bit happy if I was being honest. At first, I thought we were going to lose all the points, but what I did wasn't all in vain. Unintentionally, I glanced at the clock.
7:45 AM
Damn! I was running late; I'd better hurry. Without any more time, I started heading to the classroom.
---
I had to run to be on time. I took out my phone to check the time.
7:53 AM
I thought I had taken more time to get here, but I guess I was walking quite fast, taking long strides. I slowed down before stopping in front of the classroom door.
I opened the door, quickly scanning the people inside. It seemed I was the last one. I was quite impressed that they were taking things seriously. Still, I could feel that the atmosphere was a bit tense.
I quickly made my way to my seat before putting my bag on the hook of my desk.
"Good morning," I greeted politely before sitting in my seat.
"It's a bit strange to see you arrive last, Nakatomi-kun," Matsushita commented.
I yawned loudly while covering my mouth with my hand. "Sorry, overslept," I used my index and thumb to wipe away the tears from the yawn.
The morning bell rang on the first day of May. Shortly after, Chabashira-sensei entered holding a rolled-up poster in a tube. Her face was always somber and serious.
The whispers in the class completely disappeared, making the atmosphere in the classroom uncomfortable and tense.
"All right, the morning class is starting. Any questions before we begin? If there's anything on your mind, feel free to speak up," Chabashira asked as if she knew the class had questions.
Some people raised their hands, proving Chabashira right that some had questions.
"Sensei, I checked my balance this morning, but 7,800 points were added to my balance," Yukimura was the first to speak. "Aren't we supposed to be graded based on our merit?"
"The points you've received are exactly what you deserved. The school hasn't made a mistake in the points distribution," Chabashira replied.
"But sensei, my behavior in class has been as one would expect from a student. I haven't been late, nor have I used my cell phone. I should at least have more than 7,800 points."
Yukimura was confused because he had received few points. Even though he was an exemplary student in class. Unfortunately for Yukimura, the school didn't grade class points individually. If one person talked in class or used a cell phone, then the class points would decrease, meaning everyone's private points would decrease.
The teacher started laughing as if she had heard a too-funny joke. All the students looked at each other nervously. Chabashira-sensei stopped laughing before looking at everyone in the class with a certain disgust.
"You guys are idiots," she commented, making most of them shudder. Yukimura looked at her bewildered, opening and closing his mouth trying to say something.
Wait... idiots in general? Well, she's not wrong; sometimes I can be a bit stupid about some things, but at least try to be softer about it, sensei. I could feel the metaphorical stone you threw pass by my ear. Figuratively, of course.
"For you to understand, I'll explain it again."
Chabashira-sensei had an ominous feeling about her.
"The points you've been given are correct. The probability of the school making a mistake is too low. Do you understand?"
No one said anything for a moment before laughter echoed in the room.
"Hahaha, I see, so that's how it is, sensei. I've unraveled this enigma," said Koenji loudly as he laughed. Putting his feet on the table, he pointed at Yukimura with his classic arrogant attitude. "We didn't receive any points because we're in class D."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yukimura asked angrily, looking at Koenji.
"Exactly what I said, right?" Smiling, Koenji turned to Chabashira-sensei as he pointed at her.
"His attitude has issues, but Koenji is on the right track. Even if they realized it almost at the end of the month, it seems they forgot an important fact. How sad."
"Sensei, can I ask a question? I still don't understand."
Yōsuke raised his hand. Instead of worrying about his own points, it seems he's asking to help the worried students in the class. As expected from the class leader. He's taking the initiative again.
"Please, tell me why we lost so many points. I know they were monitoring us, but we won't understand the reason why the whole class was affected unless you explain. If you don't tell us, we'll never understand."
I thought the way they graded us was obvious, Yōsuke. Maybe he was just asking so the class could know how the school graded. Although the look Chabashira-sensei was sending Yōsuke made me uncomfortable. The expression she had said the answer was too obvious.
"A total of 75 tardies and absences. 315 incidents of talking or using cell phones in class. I counted each infraction. In this school, your class's performance is reflected in the amount of points received. As a result of your behavior, the amount of 92,200 points went down the drain. That's all that happened."
Mentally, I shrugged; even if we only received 7,800 points, it's much better than receiving none.
"I explained all this on the entrance ceremony day. This school measures the abilities of its students. This time, you were assessed with a value of 78 class points. There's nothing more to it."
I noticed a strange fact, that the conversations resembled those in the light novel, but with slight changes that adapted to the situation... if this were a story, I would conclude that the author-chan was quite lazy. Unfortunately, this was my new life.
"That still doesn't explain why we were all affected with our private points."
It seemed that Yukimura still didn't understand, the fact that the school grades classes as a whole and not individually. Of course, there are some occasions like exams, but mostly you have to work as a team with your classmates.
"As I told you before. The school measures the abilities of the students. Can't you understand that?" Chabashira-sensei looked at Yukimura... with the look.
"I think I understand." I intervened before Chabashira completely embarrassed Yukimura. When I spoke, I had the class's full attention.
I was silent for a moment as I stretched my body, trying to shake off the sleep I had. Because this was already in my knowledge, I was starting to feel bored.
"I'm sorry for that," I apologized for taking a bit long to explain. "As I was saying, the reason why we were all affected should be pretty obvious. Use your common sense... Why would all people in class D be affected in their private points? Even if some students behaved exemplarily?"
Seeing that no one was going to answer my question, I continued.
"It's because the school was grading us as a whole." I made a circular gesture with my hand, then interlocked both hands. "I mean, we are Class D, therefore, we are graded as a class. Not individually." I sighed as I pinched the bridge of my nose before looking at Chabashira-sensei. "Am I right?"
"Nakatomi-kun, you're on the right track. However, it seems that no one else seems to have realized," Chabashira-sensei was watching me with some amusement in her eyes, even if she still had that monotonous face.
Hey, don't make me look like the smartest person in the room; it's not good for my health. Anyway, there's no use crying over spilled milk.
"After becoming first-year high school students, did you really start to believe that you would receive 100,000 points every month without restrictions? In this school created by the Japanese government to train excellent individuals? That's impossible; use your common sense. Why leave doubts as doubts?"
I could see how most students seemed frustrated, others embarrassed, and others even had a desperate looks on their faces... Wait, why were they so desperate? They were told a week ago about the school's trap... Don't tell me they spent all their points.
Meh, not my problem.
"Well, then, can you at least tell us the details of how the points increase or decrease? We'll try to do our best from now on." Yōsuke had commented.
"That's not possible. We're not allowed to disclose the details of how we evaluate students' merit. It's the same as the real world. When all of you enter society and find jobs in some kind of business, they probably won't tell you how you're evaluated; that depends on the company. However... I'm not trying to be cold, nor do I hate you guys. This is such a pitiful show that I'll tell you all one thing."
For the first time today, I saw a slight smile on Chabashira-sensei's face.
"Let's say everyone is following the path you started taking last week. No one is late, and no one talks in class... your deduction would be zero, but that doesn't mean you'll get more points."
This means that if we started behaving as we did in the first weeks, the 78 points we had would start to decrease, but even if no one talked in class or was late, it wouldn't help the class regain the funds we lost.
"Keep that in mind; it'll help you."
"Hugh."
Yōsuke's face turned even darker. A part of the class still didn't understand; her explanation had the opposite effect. Students who wanted to change their bad behavior were discouraged. That was Chabashira-sensei's goal; no, the school's.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the class.
"It seems we had too much talk. I hope you understand. Anyway, let's move on to the main issue."
She unfolded the white poster that was rolled up in the tube. Taking a magnet, she hung it on the blackboard. Students looked at the paper, still confused.
"Are these... the results of each class?" Horikita tried to explain the paper, although she was only half sure.
Horikita was correct. The information on the paper was the name of the class, then the points we had obtained.
Class Points Ranking:
Class A – 940
Class B – 650
Class C - 490
Class D - 78
Even though we had points, the advantage other classes had was considerable. A strange and at the same time amusing fact I noticed was that there were only even numbers in the point allocation, but I don't think it has to do with how they grade.
"During the first three weeks, all of you have been doing as you please. Now, the school is not saying this is prohibited. Your actions, like talking during class and being late, only affect the number of points you get. The same goes for the use of points. You're free to use them as you want. We haven't restricted how you use your points."
"This isn't fair! We can't lead a normal school life like this!" Ike shouted, who had been silent until this very moment.
Yamauchi didn't seem to be any better than Ike... did these guys think Yōsuke was joking when he warned them?
"Look carefully, stupid kids. All the other classes got a much higher amount than Class D. The points you have should still be enough to last a month."
"Why do the other classes have so many points? It's weird," a voice from somewhere in the class pointed out.
"I'll tell you, but it's not like there's some kind of fraud. Last month, all classes were judged by the same rules. However, they didn't lose as many points as you did. It's a fact."
"How... how is there so much difference in points between the classes?"
Yōsuke had noticed the significant difference in points other classes had compared to ours. Even the points of Class A to Class B showed a big gap.
"Finally figured it out? Why you were put in Class D?"
"The reason we were put in Class D? Isn't that because we were suitable for this school?"
"Eh? That's how it works in regular classes, you know?"
Everyone exchanged glances.
"In this school, all students are divided into classes by merit. The top students are put in Class A. The worst in Class D. Well, it's a system found in top-notch intensive courses."
I could see how some people's faces had stiffened. It seems that the reason behind the class division really surprised them. As for me, I didn't even know how I had been evaluated. So, I was really indifferent about the situation.
Anyway, it didn't matter if I was in Class D or in Class A. I was going to return to my world at any cost necessary.
"I applaud you for living so luxuriously until now. How commendable!" Chabashira-sensei's unnatural applause echoed in the classroom, mocking everyone.
"Sensei, if for some reason we were to reach zero points, does that mean we'll stay at zero points forever?"
"Yes. Your points will stay at 0 until graduation. However, rest assured, as you can use the dorms, and there are free meals in the cafeteria. You won't die."
Many live a luxurious student life, so it will be difficult for many students to exercise self-control.
"Now, are we going to be the laughingstock of the other classes?"
Sudō kicked his desk. After knowing that classes are divided by merit, probably everyone will mock Class D as a group of idiots. It's not unreasonable to lose hope.
"What, still clinging to your pride, Sudō? Then do your best and try to turn the worst class into the best."
"Eh?"
"These class points are not only linked to the amount of money you receive every month. It's also indicative of the class's rank."
My eyelids began to close due to sleep. God, everyone was awake and tense, but here I was dying of boredom because I knew all this. Fortunately for me, there were only a few more explanations.
But anyway, what she means is that. If Class D were to get more class points than Class C. That means Class D becomes C, and Class C becomes D. For example:
[↓ Class C 450 → Class D] Drops in Rank.
[↑ Class D 451 → Class C] Rises in Rank.
(Note: These data are an imaginary bubble for the MC. It means it hasn't happened; it's just his imagination xD)
"Alright, I have another piece of bad news I have to tell you."
Chabashira put another sheet of paper on the board. The names of all the classmates were listed. Next to everyone's name was a number.
"Looking at these numbers, I came to understand that there are many idiots in this class." She looked at the students as her heels clicked against the floor. "These are the scores from the test a few days ago. Sensei was delighted after seeing your wonderful performance. Seriously, what the hell did you study in high school?"
I was a bit surprised by my classmates' scores. The only ones who had scored above 60 were the smart people. Most of my classmates had scored below 60.
I searched the list carefully to find my name.
Nakatomi Hiroki 62
What?
I thought I was going to get 60, but apparently, a question I was supposed to get wrong came out partially correct. I guess I still wasn't good enough to completely manipulate my exams, but practice makes perfect.
Now that I think about it, I think I should have gotten a lower score. More than 50% of my classmates were below my score. I just hope not to draw attention.
I wonder what the teacher who was going to review my grade would think? I wish I could see their expression when they realized I answered the hardest questions correctly and the easiest ones incorrectly. Just thinking about it makes me want to burst out laughing.
"If this test were recorded, seven of you would have to leave the school. The good thing is that it wasn't, right?"
Chabashira-sensei drew a line with a bold red marker. The red line separated the rest of the class and the seven people who had less than 32 points.
"Leaving? What does she mean?"
"Why, haven't I explained? If you get a failing grade in a midterm or final exam in any subject, you must leave the school. In this test, it would be all of you who scored below 32. Gee, you guys are really dumb and stupid."
"What!?"
The seven people who had failed let out a surprised cry.
Kikuchi had 31 points. Then there were six people below Kikuchi, all with fewer points. This meant these seven people would leave the school. If the exam were a real test... Wait, why am I replaying this in my mind when I knew it beforehand?
"Don't mess with me, Sae-chan-sensei! Don't joke about leaving school!" Sudō shouted.
"I'm speechless too. These are the school rules, so brace yourselves for the worst."
"As the teacher said, there seem to be many fools here."
While polishing his nails with his feet on the desk, Koenji had a satisfied smile on his face.
"What's that, Koenji? Your grades are in the red too!"
"Haha. Where are your eyes looking, boy? Look closely."
"H-huh? Hey, Koenji's name is... huh?"
To the disbelief of several students, Koenji Rokusuke had tied for the highest score in the class. 90 points. That means he was able to solve one of the most difficult problems.
"I never thought Sudo would be a stupid character like me!" Ike said loudly with sarcasm in his tone.
"Oh, and one more thing. This school, under the control of the country, has a high percentage of students going to higher education and a high employment rate. That's a well-known fact. Most likely, many people in this class will go on to college or seek employment in a company," Chabashira-sensei began to explain.
It was obvious. There are rumors about what you can do once you graduate from this school. Graduating from this school will probably give you a guaranteed future. Although that doesn't interest me anyway. I wasn't going to stay here forever.
"But... things aren't that easy in the real world. People like you, who are of a very low level, probably will have trouble getting into college or getting a job."
Chabashira-sensei's words echoed in the classroom.
"In other words, to make our dreams of getting a job or going to college come true, surpassing Class C is probably the minimum," Yōsuke commented.
"That's also a bit incorrect, Hirata. There's no way to achieve your dreams except if you surpass Class A. The school doesn't guarantee anything for all the other students."
"T-that's... that's something I've never heard of! This is absurd."
Yukimura, who wore glasses, stood up. He was the person who matched Koenji's score.
"How embarrassing. There's nothing as pathetic as kids making a fuss and getting scared."
As if he felt something from Yukimura's words, Koenji sighed.
"Koenji, don't you have any resentment for being in Class D?"
"Resentment? Why would I feel resentment? I don't understand."
"Huh. That's because we've been told our class is the accumulation of leftovers, and our chances of going to higher education or getting a job are small!"
"Fu. That's nonsense. I can't even respond to that total stupidity." Koenji didn't stop polishing his nails. He didn't even face Yukimura as he spoke. "This school hasn't seen my full potential yet. I value, respect, and consider myself much more than anyone else. Even if the school puts me in Class D, it means nothing to me. If, for example, I have to leave school, that's fine. After all, it's the school that will come crawling back to me."
I have to admit it. It's more exciting when you're witnessing something that is supposed to be fictional. Reading about it can excite you if you have a good imagination, but I have to admit that being able to witness the scene with my own eyes was even more amazing than reading it.
"However, I'm not looking to go to college or find a job somewhere after graduation. It's been decided that I will lead the Koenji Conglomerate in the future. No matter if I'm in Class A or Class D."
For someone whose future has been guaranteed, there certainly is no need to worry about the class.
Wordless to retort, Yukimura sat back down.
"It seems like your happy mood has dampened. If you had understood the challenging environment you were put into from the beginning, we wouldn't need this long class. The midterm is in three weeks, so please avoid being kicked out of school. I'm sure everyone here can survive without failing grades. If possible, challenge your situation with the appropriate behavior of a capable person."
Closing the door to emphasize, Chabashira-sensei left the classroom.
Students with red grades were left stunned. Even the normally proud Sudō lowered his head in shame.
It seems like the real challenge of this school has just begun. I looked at my classmates, who had distressed faces, some still in shock from the revelation that we were the worst of the worst. Trash, Defectives, Idiots, Useless. I could go on, but you get the point.
I clenched my fists as I had a determined look. If this were an anime, my red eyes would be gleaming. A thought crossed my mind that made me smile defiantly.
Welcome to the Classroom of the Elite.
