165 -164- A contract

"Give up guessing each other's leaders."

On the day before the exam was about to end, Katsuragi Kouhei proposed this suggestion.

It was a result that could be easily imagined.

"Now that you know the leader of Class A, and I know the leader of Class D, if we guess each other's class leaders, the final result will only be bearing harm," Katsuragi Kouhei said.

And this statement was correct.

If Class A and Class D really fell into the situation of guessing each other's class leaders, the result would definitely be only bearing harm.

Because the reward rules for the exam had been made very clear.

Guessing the leader correctly would earn 50 points as a reward.

Guessing the leader incorrectly would incur a penalty of deducting 50 points.

And in the case of the guessed leader being from another class, that class would also lose points.

In other words, if the leader of a class was guessed correctly, that class would also lose 50 points.

"If we guess each other's leaders, then in the end, we will both receive 50 points as a reward for guessing the leader correctly. However, because the leader was guessed by another class, these 50 points will immediately be lost," Katsuragi Kouhei said, looking at Hori, speaking word by word.

"At first glance, it seems like neither class would incur any loss, but don't forget, there is a very important rule in the additional rules."

This rule was about the gain and loss of reward points.

"If the leader of any class is guessed, then that class will lose all of its reward points."

Katsuragi Kouhei explained this important rule.

"So, for both of us, this would result in losses, wouldn't it?"

If they only guessed each other's leaders, earning the reward points first and then losing them due to punishment, Class A and Class D would only be breaking even, with neither side losing out.

But things were not that simple.

Once the leader was guessed, all the reward points would be lost.

This included the reward points obtained when occupying fortresses and the reward points obtained when guessing the leader of other classes.

All of these would be lost.

The appearance of this rule meant that Class A and Class D, if they guessed each other's leaders, would only end up bearing losses.

"This kind of result is not something that either of us would like to see, right?" Katsuragi Kouhei summarized with this sentence.

So, the leader of Class A, appointed by Katsuragi, came to negotiate with Hori.

"Instead of both suffering losses, it's better for us to agree here not to guess each other's class leaders," Katsuragi Kouhei said. "That way, although we won't get the 50-point reward, at least we won't lose any other reward points either."

This was the result that Katsuragi Kouhei wanted to achieve.

Rather than suffering losses together with Class D, it was better to find a way to retain the last bit of benefit.

Because of this consideration, Katsuragi Kouhei came here to negotiate with Hori.

"I believe you can understand that this is the best choice for now," Katsuragi Kouhei said as if he were coaxing Hori. "In my opinion, there should be no reason to refuse."

It sounded good.

After buying Ibuki Mio's cooperation, secretly investigating the leader of Class D, and now bringing it out as a condition for negotiation, wasn't that already a threat?

Of course, this kind of method fell within the scope of the exam.

Just like Hori, who also probed Class A, there was no right or wrong, only a difference in capability.

The current situation was that Hori obtained information about the leader of Class A through his own abilities, and Katsuragi Kouhei also obtained proof of the leader of Class D through his own abilities.

Now, both sides were standing on the same starting line.

This was the meaning that Katsuragi Kouhei wanted to convey.

Hori looked at Katsuragi Kouhei fixedly and said indifferently, "Indeed, considering it from the perspective of interests, there is no reason to refuse this trade."

Instead of both suffering losses, it was better to privately make peace, get what should be gotten, and simply give up what shouldn't be gotten. This way, everyone would benefit.

From the perspective of the result, wasn't this a good thing?

However...

"How can you ensure that this trade can really proceed?" Hori brought up the most critical question in the negotiation.

That was, there was no guarantee.

Previously, Ichinose Honami had also mentioned this, right?

"Aren't you afraid that I will violate the agreement on the last day of the exam?" Hori said with a smile that wasn't a smile.

Who could guarantee that this agreement could really proceed?

If one party betrayed the agreement, the other party would only suffer the consequences.

In other words, there was no reason for Hori to trust Katsuragi Kouhei to abide by the agreement, and naturally, Katsuragi Kouhei had no reason to trust Hori to abide by the agreement either. Both sides simply chose to give up on the guessing phase honestly.

After all, this phase was important only in name; it was just a matter of writing down a name.

In the final roll call tomorrow, both sides would individually guess to their homeroom teachers in their respective camps, and neither side would know if the other would write down the name of their class leader.

Therefore, if this trade had no guarantee, it would just be a pipe dream.

To this, Katsuragi Kouhei nodded without changing his expression.

"Of course, I have considered this," Katsuragi Kouhei said. "We can draw up a contract to prove that this matter is indeed true."

"A contract?" Hori raised an eyebrow. "Can that kind of thing work?"

"As long as you use points," Katsuragi Kouhei replied truthfully. "The points I'm talking about are not the special exam points for this occasion, but personal points."

In Advanced Nurturing High School, personal points played a very significant role.

This was already no secret.

"According to my investigation, as long as there are sufficient personal points, not only can you freely change your class, but you can even, to some extent, do incredible things like tampering with school rules," Katsuragi Kouhei explained. "Naturally, as long as you spend enough personal points and request the school to act as an intermediary, the school will execute the contents of the contract signed between the parties, and if there is a violation of the provisions, serious punishment will be imposed."

If that was the case, then a written agreement would have authority and assurance.

"I've already prepared the contract, two copies, just need your signature."

Katsuragi Kouhei took out two documents that looked like contracts.

This cautious man came prepared.

"How about it?"

Katsuragi Kouhei made the final confirmation.

Hori glanced at the two contracts in Katsuragi Kouhei's hands, then looked at his serious and stern face, and with a calm expression, fell into silence.

"Rumble..."

The sound of rain around suddenly replaced all other sounds, entering Hori and Katsuragi Kouhei's ears.

After a while...

"Alright."

Hori suddenly smiled and replied with a light sentence.

"I agree to this transaction."

Upon hearing this, Katsuragi Kouhei's face relaxed slightly.