32 Chapter 2: The Gentle Days…

It'd been three days since the end of that special test on the island. No other exciting events had occurred aboard the luxurious cruise ship that the Advanced Nurturing High School had provided for us, and we were enjoying the respite.

It went without saying that time spent on a deserted island had caused a bunch of young, rambunctious students like us to lose our minds. We, the guys, were basically beasts—sex-starved carnivores. While we watched the girls chattering and dilly-dallying like herbivores, the boys waited for an opening like the predators that we are.

This luxurious cruise ship, equipped with everything, felt like a dream come true. This trip let us forget everything unpleasant. It wouldn't have been strange to fall in love here. Rumor had it that many couples had come together on this trip.

Unfortunately, that wouldn't happen to me. I lived a mostly solitary

life.

The test hadn't changed my situation… No, that wasn't quite true. My

environment had begun to change. Against my will, I'd been tasked with a major course correction. I'd originally come to this school for a certain reason.

"Contact with anyone outside is forbidden until graduation."

That rule was the reason I entered. However, a certain man had been forcibly trying to establish contact with me. Chabashira-sensei, my homeroom teacher, told me that. Then Chabashira-sensei threatened to expel me from this paradise should I refuse to work toward Class A. Although I'd done nothing scandalous, a powerless creature like me had no choice but to accept. I didn't know whether she was lying or not. Therefore, I had to assume it was the truth.

However, I didn't intend to dance to my homeroom teacher's tune forever. While I collected the necessary information, I considered that I might

need to take action. A little devil perched on my shoulder whispered softly in my ear: It's better to get them before they get you. I wondered about the many ways I could force her to resign. Hmm.

That troubling thought lasted only a second, though. My mind returned to its normal, blank way of thinking.

"Sigh. If only I had the power to rotate the earth on its axis myself…"

If I could do that, I'd be able to live freely, without having to worry about the small things. I looked out the window and daydreamed about Dragon Ball. Three days had passed since the end of the test. Immediately after our survival test's conclusion, most of the students had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. They'd treaded lightly in case the school was up to something.

But there were no signs of anything malicious. All was gentle and peaceful, as if summer vacation had truly started and this was now an actual fun, pleasant trip. The students began to relax, and behaved as if the test really were over. They thought this second week was purely a vacation.

Everyone became increasingly lax.

Despite our outward calm, we maintained a sense of readiness. People who know how to relax can be effective.

"Hmm? You haven't been in the room all this time, have you?"

Hirata Yousuke, one of my cabin roommates, shook me from my reverie while I gazed at the sea. "I don't really have any reason to go out. I don't have anyone to hang out with, either."

"That's not true, though. I mean, you have Sudou-kun and the guys, and Horikita-san."

It was certainly true that such people had categorized me as a "friend," and I reciprocated. But those at the bottom strata of the "friends" category are treated differently from other, higher-ranked friends. When someone wants to hang out, low-level friends are only invited ten percent of the time. Naturally, I was that lowly friend.

"You might make more friends if you were a little more proactive, Ayanokouji-kun. Though I suppose it's none of my business."

Hirata was very popular and admired by many students. All the girls

adored him, and he had a girlfriend named Karuizawa. A man with so much happiness probably couldn't understand the pangs of loneliness.

"You're a solid guy, Ayanokouji-kun. I think you might just need the right opportunity."

I didn't need such kind-hearted yet cruel words. I didn't need to hear girls say things like, "Oh, but I've heard you're great," because if I responded with, "Well then, let's go out," they would reply, "Well, I don't know about that…" I didn't need that. I spend time by myself because I can't make friends or get a girlfriend. You freaking idiot.

"I'm planning to meet up with Karuizawa-san and the others at 12:30 to have lunch. Do you want to come with? I think it'll be really fun."

"Karuizawa and others?" I asked.

"Yeah. There are about three other girls. Want to come?"

I had to think about that. To be perfectly honest, I'd wanted to interact with Karuizawa for a while now. However, there wasn't any need to hurry. Besides, if there were other girls, forget about being able to even initiate conversation. I couldn't imagine I'd be able to liven things up. In fact, I'd probably have a dampening effect.

"I'll pass. I don't think I'm on especially good terms with Karuizawa's group."

Since the end of the first semester, the relationships in our class had been firmly established. How would I go about building friendships with other people at this point? I could already picture Karuizawa and the other girls' disgust.

Even though he didn't fully understand my fear of other people, Hirata sat next to me. "I can understand that you're feeling hesitant. That's exactly why I want you to rely on me."

Hirata wore that eternal, optimistic smile of his. While it was a welcome offer, I shook my head.

"You only have about ten minutes before you have to meet them. It'd be better if you just left me here."

"There's no need to hurry. Besides, I like spending time with you."

To an outsider, my words might have sounded like an excuse, but I was honestly satisfied with the current situation. Back when I had just started school, I'd wanted to make friends. I'd wanted to be able to make a hundred friends, but naturally, everyone settled down into their own separate factions. It was only a matter of course.

Even though I'd only been able to talk with the three idiots Horikita, Kushida, and Sakura, my school life wasn't all that bad. I really believed that. But Hirata wasn't the type to leave someone be if he saw they were alone.

"Well, how about just the two of us have lunch together, you and me?

Would that be okay?"

Just the two of us alone. Sitting on the bed together. Hirata turned to me with a serious look. If he lightly pushed me down, things would get out of hand. "Well, I don't particularly dislike the idea, but… Didn't you already promise Karuizawa?"

"I can eat with Karuizawa-san and the others any time, but I haven't really had many opportunities to eat together with you, Ayanokouji-kun."

Normally, a guy would do anything to get the chance to eat a meal with a girl. Typical male thinking. However, Hirata seemed able to prioritize eating with another guy without hesitation. It was enough to give me doubts. Perhaps he swung "that way." Hirata was an effortless multitasker, but he never did anything without reason. "I'd feel bad if Karuizawa blamed you later, though."

I tried to gently turn him down, but it seemed to appeal to his conscience. I wondered if Hirata considered me a trembling newborn fawn that couldn't even take its first step. "Don't worry. I don't think Karuizawa- san's the kind of girl to hold a grudge."

No, no. Karuizawa definitely seemed like that kind of girl. Even though she pretended to be nice in front of Hirata, she was domineering with other ladies. I wondered if Hirata had categorized her as not being "that type of girl." It reminded me of that teacher from Yomawari Sensei, who showed mercy to bad students.

"Okay. I'll turn Karuizawa-san down for today." Hirata pulled out his phone to call Karuizawa. I tried to stop him, but Hirata shot me a look. "Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

"I can eat just about anything, I guess. Though I'd like to avoid heavy food if possible," I muttered.

The cruise ship had many restaurants. The offerings ranged from junk food like ramen and hamburgers to French cuisine. Since it was still daytime, I wanted to eat something light if possible. I heard Hirata flatly tell Karuizawa that he was cancelling their plans over the phone. I couldn't hear Karuizawa's voice clearly, but Hirata abruptly hung up.

"Are you really okay with this?" I asked.

"Of course. Well then, shall we go to the deck? If we're just having a light meal, eating there should be easier."

Hirata opened the door, as if to guide me, while I relaxed in bed. Hirata was being his usual concerned self, but taking me out when I wasn't really that enthusiastic was odd. It seemed kind of forceful for Hirata, especially since he could normally read any situation well. He likely had some kind of ulterior motive.

"Thank you for helping on the deserted island. I'm sorry I didn't thank you enough for helping to find the culprit, Ayanokouji-kun."

"You don't need to apologize. I wasn't even useful. Horikita found the underwear thief."

"Even so, I'm grateful to you for helping."

Speaking of the underwear incident, I had something I wanted to ask. I looked around to confirm we were alone, then broached the topic. "Did Karuizawa get her underwear back?" I asked.

"Yeah. When she heard Ibuki-san was the culprit, things went smoothly."

Karuizawa had her underwear stolen on the island, and for a while there'd been an uproar. Because the underwear was in a guy's bag, the relationship between the guys and girls of Class D had been in a precarious state. But Hirata put his quick thinking to use, and concealed the underwear. Because of this, things had cooled down. I was really glad. It had been an extremely delicate operation, so I was impressed. I'd half-believed that Hirata would bungle returning the underwear, despite his skills.

Hirata's quiet and peaceful resolution to the underwear fiasco proved

that he was steadily climbing the stairway to adulthood. We took the ship's elevator to the deck on the top level. Many of our classmates appeared to be enjoying summer vacation to its fullest. Both guys and girls could be seen in the pool in their bathing suits, boldly frisking around. The heavy, fraught mood that weighed on us during the test had lifted.

This display of wanton indulgence came from the students' liberated desires, which had been suppressed back on the island. We didn't need to use points for any of the facilities on the ship, or for food and drinks. Everything was free of charge. No one had to restrain themselves. You needed to borrow things like swimsuits and other equipment, but that was about it. It was heaven.

By the time we reached the restaurant, over half of the seats had already been taken. We slipped past the crowd and secured two empty seats.

"Honestly, there's something I'd like your advice on." Hirata spoke in a slightly apologetic way as he looked down at the menu.

"Advice?" So he did have an ulterior motive, after all. That was probably why he'd wanted time to eat with me. Well, I was grateful. I didn't sweat the reason for an invitation.

"I'm not really the best person to come to for advice. Can you give me the short version?" I wasn't exactly a great talker or listener, but he had likely selected me for a reason.

"I wondered if you would act as a bridge to help reach Horikita-san.

After all, Class D will have to come together and work hard in the future, and I think Horikita-san will be indispensable."

So that's what he wanted to talk to me about, huh? When I nodded, Hirata continued with confidence.

"The other day, Class D got a major boost thanks to Horikita-san. Class morale has shot up, and more than anything else, the number of people who idolize Horikita-san has increased. This is a big opportunity."

"Well, I suppose so."

Horikita Suzune was a student in Class D, and the first friend I'd made upon starting school. I was her first friend as well, but she was a solitary, standoffish person. She was an honors student, highly accomplished both in

literary and martial arts. Her weakness was her aloof, independent personality. She didn't involve herself with anyone due to her high-handed attitude, and she wasn't very good at socializing.

"That's why I think she should try and get along with everyone right now. If she cooperated with us, I think we could get up to Class C, and then B… No, we could even reach Class A."

From anyone else it would have sounded phony, but Hirata had been singing Horikita's praises since we started school. He'd been aware of her potential from the start, and didn't seem to dislike her at all. I wouldn't mind helping him out. The task was simple. I could at least bring Hirata and Horikita closer together, but that probably wouldn't lead to a permanent solution.

"But even if I can bring you both together, things won't be that easy.

Horikita is difficult."

If I asked her to soften her approach, she'd turn me down. If Horikita believed I was trying to manipulate her, things could end in disaster. She would distance herself even further. Her response to Kushida's push for friendship in the café during our first semester was proof of that.

"Yes. I do understand, of course. Horikita-san only opens herself up to you, Ayanokouji-kun. I don't want to force her confidence. That's why I wanted to tell you my intentions, so that you can talk to her. Then, pretend I never spoke to you."

So I was supposed to be the Horikita whisperer, huh? I would be the go-between, delivering Hirata's opinions to Horikita. If I did that, Horikita would enter into an unseen partnership with Hirata, and never realize it.

"If I thought she'd listen to me, things would be simple enough. But it won't be that easy. I usually just go along with whatever Horikita says. I've never really forced my opinion on her. If I just suddenly start voicing strong opinions, she'll probably find it suspicious. If she finds out it's your opinion, I think she'll shut down completely."

"But I can't come up with anything else right now. I don't think I have the confidence to speak with Horikita-san, let alone persuade her. This is my last resort."

"Don't you think it's a little soon for last resorts?"

Hirata clearly wanted to join forces with Horikita, but he'd have to face her directly. I understood it was difficult, but so was coordinating groups of people. Horikita would probably agree. No one else in our class cherished friendship and community the way Hirata did.

I was still uncertain about his proposal. It seemed like he'd lost his nerve and was doubting himself. Hirata had also been acting strangely back on the island. This wasn't a trivial matter.

I ordered a light sandwich and a drink. Students swam in the pool nearby, and others were eating while still wearing their bathing suits.

Everyone appeared to be having fun. If Ike and Yamauchi were here, they probably would've foregone the food and feasted their eyes on the girls instead. Hirata didn't pay any attention to the girls at all, but focused squarely on me.

"Yeah, you may be right. Like you said, Ayanokouji-kun. My plan was really short-sighted."

He recognized his error in judgment and gave an honest, flexible response. Another of Hirata's many charms. But his desire to work together with Horikita was so strong, he showed no signs of giving up.

"I should probably reconsider how to do this. Horikita-san seems very fastidious and hypercritical. How do you manage to get along with her, Ayanokouji-kun?"

Hirata wanted to become Horikita's friend before establishing a working relationship. I thought facing her directly was the right thing to do. It was constructive, and I wanted to lend a hand, but…

"Well, in truth, I don't think I'm on especially good terms with Horikita. Recently, I wondered if we could even be called friends."

"But it does seem like Horikita-san gets along well with you alone, Ayanokouji-kun. You're special to her."

Special, huh? Hard to believe that someone with over forty friends would say that to someone barely acquainted with one person. Or perhaps it was because he was able to get along with over forty people that Hirata felt frustrated at missing a connection with one particular student.

"There's no need to get impatient, right? The first semester's only just

ended."

Bonds between people must fundamentally strengthen over time.

Sometimes, you can place people together under sudden, harsh conditions, like the test on the island, and watch those bonds strengthen overnight. Of course, while you might see instant improvement via that method, those bonds can often be fragile.

"Horikita isn't the type to make friends easily." I wanted Hirata to understand.

"That's probably true." Hirata appeared slightly remorseful. Perhaps he felt like he was rushing things again. "I wasn't thinking about her feelings. I was just thinking of myself." Hirata shook himself from his reverie. Again, he smiled. "Sorry. I invited you out to eat and made it all about me. Well, let's eat, shall we?"

With that, we started eating our recently-arrived food. However, Hirata looked up and seemed to notice someone approaching us. He shot me a nonplussed look.

"Ah, so you're here after all, Hirata-kun. Let's eat lunch together!" Karuizawa approached us, leading a group of girls. She sounded happy and carefree.

"Um… Karuizawa-san, I thought I canceled our plans…" Hirata stumbled over his words, looking unsure. Meanwhile,

Karuizawa and the girls pulled out the chairs from another table, pushed me

away, and circled Hirata. Our lunch went from peaceful to noisy in seconds flat. I wasn't much of a talker, but I wasn't really concerned.

I was used to dealing with situations like this. It was probably time for me to use the special skill I'd acquired since school began, my "Speedy Escape." I grabbed my food and got up quietly, without making a sound.

Hirata's eyes met mine for a moment, but the girls closed ranks and he disappeared.

Maybe this was one of the select disadvantages of having so many friends. With so much time devoted to others, you didn't really get any time for yourself. Even if Hirata had issues weighing him down, he couldn't talk about them with Karuizawa and the others. Instead, he held them unspoken in his heart.

2.1

After Karuizawa monopolized Hirata, I decided to return to my room. I didn't have anyone else to hang out with or talk to, anyway. I took the stairs rather than the elevator, and returned to my room on the third deck. When I got there, I noticed some wet blotches scattered about the hallway floor. The blotches appeared to head toward my room. When I followed the trail, I discovered an elegant man striding through the corridor, nude from the waist up, wearing nothing but a bathing suit.

"S-sir! Please don't walk through the hallway while you're still dripping wet!"

A young bellhop hurried toward the man, apparently eager to control this emergency situation. The bellhop was already holding out a towel, overly prepared, like he always walked around with a strategic towel ready.

"Ha ha ha! It appears you've found me, eh?" the man said.

"Yes, I've found you. This is the fourth time. I've already told you, please dry yourself off after you leave the pool. If you don't, you'll disturb the other passengers."

Apparently, this man was a repeat offender. That explained the bellhop's prepared towels.

"Disturb? But I've no memory of disturbing anyone. I don't dry myself off with a towel on principle ever since reaching the age of reason. Haven't I already said? 'A fine man, dripping with water,' hmm?"

Yes. The man was Kouenji. He slicked back his wet hair, scattering droplets of water. The bellhop hurriedly used the towel to dry the spots on the carpet and wall. Kouenji stopped. I wondered if he found the bellhop's flustered behavior amusing.

"Do you have a pen and paper on hand?" he asked.

"Huh? A, uh, oh…due to the nature of my job, I do walk around with a notepad and pen, but…" The bellhop, clearly unsure where the conversation was headed, fearfully took out a ballpoint pen.

"Did you know that a prominent celebrity's signature can accrue an

unexpectedly premium value over time? Abroad, some autographs are valued in the millions to even the tens of millions."

"And…what of it?"

After Kouenji finished scribbling something on the notepad, he thrust it back at the bellhop. It was far away, but I was able to make out the name "Kouenji Rokusuke."

"Wh-what is this?"

"Isn't it obvious? A signature. Even though it's written on such a cheap notepad, it will certainly hold tremendous value in the future. I'm presenting this to you as a token for your troubles. Please receive it gratefully and safeguard it."

Apparently Kouenji believed the bellhop would receive this with gratitude, or perhaps a sense of awe-inspired devotion. But no one in their right mind would want this. If anything, his ballpoint pen and notepad were worth more.

"Please don't look so suspicious. I am the man who will carry Japan's future on his back. At that point, I intend to vacation upon a larger ship, but I'm prepared to wait until then. Of course, it will be a luxury liner of significantly higher quality than the common ship upon which we are now riding."

Well, a luxury liner was still a luxury liner. Personally, I'd be satisfied as long as it wasn't fated to sink like the Titanic. Kouenji guffawed, seemingly satisfied. The bellhop, completely dumbstruck, continued staring at the wet spots on the floor. He had completely lost the will to keep trying to stop this man.

Kouenji was alone all the time because our classmates steered clear of him, disgusted by his incredibly selfish personality. Many of our classmates had already experienced the same treatment as this poor bellhop. Hirata would probably try to speak with him, but he'd most likely be brushed off as well. Kouenji was like poison. Anyone who encountered him, friend or foe, suffered for it.

In order to avoid being dragged into something so bothersome, I slunk past the two of them. Getting too near a person of such high rank would be dangerous.

"Oh ho? Why, if it isn't little Ayanokouji, hmm? What a coincidence."

Ugh. Kouenji called my name. There was no way he was actually calling me, right? The instant the bellhop noticed that Kouenji's attention had shifted over to me, he appeared elated. I'm finally free! is what his look seemed to say.

No, no. How could a crew member act like that? He ought to continue serving the customer, no matter how annoying the customer was. It was like someone releasing their pet into the river without permission. Especially if that fish was a ferocious, invasive species like Kouenji, which would devour all the native fish in the river until there was nothing left.

"Do you want something from me?" I asked.

"No, no, I've no real business with you. I've simply acknowledged you because we are schoolmates. Also, though we are certainly not alike in terms of position, you are my roommate."

Kouenji flipped his hair once again, scattering more water, which splashed my face and uniform. Of course, he didn't seem to have the faintest clue what he was doing to his victims. Despite what was happening to me, the bellhop watched this tragedy unfold with a grin. Oh yes, yes, I sympathize with the pain you're feeling…not, he seemed to say.

"Well, I will excuse myself. Please do take care in the future."

The bellhop delivered that parting shot as he made his escape, having fulfilled the bare minimum for his role. Of course, I didn't exactly want to end up alone with Kouenji, either.

"What were you talking with Kouenji about?" I asked.

For an instant, the bellhop's expression changed to a look of anger, but when Kouenji turned around, the young man's smile returned. He was like Asuraman or something.

"Oh, um. Well, as you can see, he was wet. I tried to offer him a towel, and—"

"So, in other words, you were giving him a warning. I must have interrupted you, so I'll be on my way and let you get down to business."

I passed the ball, if you will, a blazing fastball that crushed the bellhop and gave me a chance to escape.

"This bellhop came to give me a warning?" Kouenji cried. "Ah, no. Well, that is to say…"

I managed to escape from Kouenji and headed back toward my room. "But I'll just bump into Kouenji again there, won't I?" I murmured.

My room would become less of a sanctuary and more of a hell. I'd been alone with Kouenji several times during our trip, and every experience was unbelievably uncomfortable. Wanting to avoid such an awkward atmosphere, I turned around. I wouldn't return to my room just yet. I'd head back to where Hirata and Yukimura, my other roommates, would be.

A map of the ship was on a nearby signboard, and pretty easy to understand. The fact that the map had been placed in a gilded frame might've been overkill, but also made it seem like something you'd find on a luxury liner. I drew a route that'd let me kill a bunch of free time, and immediately hopped onto the elevator. I got off on the second deck.

The ship had nine decks in total, plus a roof. The fifth deck was above ground, while the fourth deck was below. The first deck housed both the lounge and banquet area, while the rooftop had the pool, café, and other facilities. The third and fourth decks were for guest rooms. The guys were on the third deck; the girls on the fourth.

The guys and girls, teachers included, were neatly divided. However, there weren't any special restrictions on our movements, so a guy could easily wander through the girls' area. We were probably prohibited from staying on the girls' level or coming into the area after midnight, though.

The ship also had various kinds of entertainment options, such as movies and a live theater venue. These were everywhere, from the first underground level up to the third underground level. On the fourth underground level—the lowest level at the bottom of the ship—was some kind of switchboard breaker room. That particular level was irrelevant to the students.

The lounge was open twenty-four hours a day. We were free to go there no matter how late it was, but a notice from the school urged us to refrain from going there as much as possible. As I walked through the second-level area, I noticed that the atmosphere felt quite different. The rooms were vacant, and I couldn't tell what they were used for. So few

students were in the hallways that it appeared deserted.

Just then, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw that I'd received an email. A certain girl was calling me. It was convenient, since I'd planned on killing time anyway. With no reason to reject her, I took the call with pleasure.

"Ahh. Ahhh… Ahhh…"

2.2

sighs.

Sakura, who'd sent me the email, was making several anxious, pained

"What's the matter?" I asked. "Wah! A-Ayanokouji-kun?!"

I didn't think I'd spoken in an especially harsh or shocking way, but

Sakura was so surprised that she looked like she'd been jolted with electricity. Her normally hunched posture straightened at once.

"Sorry for scaring you."

"N-no, no. I'm just kind of strangely nervous is all."

If she was that nervous about meeting a friend, her daily life must be a

drag.

"Ayanokouji-kun, you're roommates with Hirata-kun, Kouenji-kun,

and Yukimura-kun. Right?"

"My roommates? Yeah, you're right. What about them?" I wasn't expecting her to ask that.

"Oh. Well, to tell you the truth, I…I'm a little worried about the people I'm sharing a room with."

It sounded like she didn't really have a good relationship with her roommates. Sakura wasn't good at socializing, anyway. One look at her deeply troubled expression, and I understood.

"You're worried because even though you want to get along with them, you don't think you can?"

"I'm not sure. I have mixed feelings. I do want to get along with them, but I also want to be alone, too. I'm just hopeless, aren't I?"

Her voice trailed off and she shied away. I didn't know who else was sharing Sakura's room, so I couldn't really offer any advice. "By the way, who're you rooming with?"

san."

"Oh. Didn't I tell you? Shinohara-san, Ichihashi-san, and Maezono-

She looked incredibly depressed while giving me the names. Those

were all girls with strong personalities. Shinohara had a close relationship with Karuizawa; Karuizawa was like her boss, really. She was a reliable, trustworthy girl who didn't run away from a challenge, even quarreling with the boys. But she could be rather relentless against people she didn't like. I couldn't imagine she thought much of Sakura, so she probably wouldn't go out of her way to befriend her.

Ichihashi was usually rather mature, but also headstrong. I didn't really know much about Maezono, but I had a bad impression of her. She had a bad attitude and seemed quick to pick a fight. She was probably the hardest type of person for Sakura to deal with. Even if Sakura tried her hardest to bridge the gap between them, if Maezono didn't like Sakura's attitude, she'd probably hate her. I wanted to pat Sakura on the head and tell her how great she was. I mean, she hadn't cried until now. She was doing great.

"But why come to me?" I asked.

"I…just thought any advice from you, Ayanokouji-kun, would be good?" Sakura muttered quietly.

Apparently she'd come to unexpectedly rely on me. She murmured some words of apology.

"I-I'm sorry to just come to you for help like this out of the blue.

You're so busy, Ayanokouji-kun."

"It's no big deal. I don't mind it when you come to me for advice.

Whether I'll be of much help is another story."

Since I wasn't really friends with any of Sakura's roommates, I couldn't guarantee I'd be able to help. While I was thinking of something I could do, a door opened.

"Huh? Ayanokouji-kun and Sakura-san? What are you doing here?"

Kushida Kikyou from Class D exited the room. Sakura's bright expression immediately disappeared, like the sun hiding behind the clouds. The atmosphere around us became uncomfortable. Perhaps Sakura wasn't good at controlling her emotions, either. Sakura's response to Kushida's

bright and cheery appearance was one of rejection, but Kushida continued talking without showing any signs that she noticed.

"Ah, did I interrupt? I didn't mean to. I was supposed to meet up with some friends."

"I'm going back to my room." Sakura retreated as fast as her legs would carry her, as if trying to withdraw from Kushida in a panic.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I guess that was bad timing. I probably shouldn't have said anything."

Kushida clasped her hands together in apology. There wasn't really any reason for her to apologize, though. Sakura was just bad at dealing with people.

"Oh, that reminds me, I feel like this is the first time we've talked since getting back to the ship. I did see you hanging out with a bunch of girls earlier, from a distance."

Kushida was the most popular person in Class D—no, probably in the whole school. On the day of the school entrance ceremony, she'd declared that she would make friends with everyone, and had almost accomplished that goal now. She was only missing a select few, like Sakura-san.

"I've made plans to go see some girls from Class C today. Do you want to come, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Eh. Is it okay for me to join?" "Huh? You'll come?"

This was shaping up to be a bad day. Kushida's mask had slipped a

little, and her true self seemed puzzled by my response. Well, there was always the diplomatic, socially acceptable way of putting things. In other words, I had to find a polite, diplomatic way to refuse.

"I'm joking. Don't you know by now that I'm not the sort of person who joins in on stuff?"

"Oh jeez, come on. You surprised me a little. Ayanokouji-kun, you're funny."

"R-really?" Deep down, I doubted she truly found me funny, but I was scared to hear Kushida's real thoughts.

"Well, I'll be going."

As she bid me goodbye, both our cell phones started ringing at the same time. There was a loud, dinging sound that meant we'd received a message from the school. Usually it was a message with new instructions to follow, or some kind of modification to an event. Your phone would make a sound even if you had it on silent. Clearly, it was a message of high importance.

"What is it?" Kushida asked.

She stopped in her tracks and looked puzzled, which was understandable. Even though they'd explained this system to us after school started, we hadn't received any important messages during our summer vacation until now. Simultaneously, an announcement could be heard throughout the ship.

"Attention. This is an announcement to all students. All students should have received a message from the school, as indicated in the contact line.

Please check your individual mobile devices and follow the instructions accordingly. In the event that you did not receive a message, we apologize for the inconvenience. Please go to the nearest faculty member for assistance.

Because the contents of the message are extremely important, please do not miss it. We repeat—"

"That was about the message we just got, right?" Kushida asked. "Probably."

I pulled out my phone and saw the following message:

A special test will begin soon. Place gather in the designated room at the designated time. Anyone who arrives later than ten minutes after start time may be penalized. Please gather in Room 204 on the second deck by 18:00 today. Because it takes about twenty minutes to reach the area, we ask that you please use the restrooms now if necessary. Either silence your phone or turn it off, and make your way over.

"A special test?"

This probably wasn't going to be a paper test or physical fitness examination, or something you'd see at a regular school—much like the survival test on the island. However, nothing in the message implied what

awaited us. Were we supposed to be able to read into something, or should we just be prepared for anything? I didn't know.

More than anything else, certain points in the message weighed on me. They wanted us to gather in the room at 18:00, but we only had about twenty minutes to get ready and head over, which was an extremely short amount of time. Plus, it seemed like it had been decided rather quickly. Also, why was the designated meeting spot one of the ship's private rooms? That couldn't make a good exam room by any standard.

"Can you show me your phone for a second?" I asked.

Kushida, without hesitation, showed me that she'd received the same message. The only difference was the designated time and place. In her message, the designated time was set at 20:40, but she was also told that it took about twenty minutes to reach the area. I also noticed that her designated room was just two rooms down from mine.

"I wonder why they called us in such a strange way?" "I have no idea."

I only knew that I had a bad feeling about this. I hadn't thought that our cruise would end like this. A place where all the first-year students would gather inside the ship… I'd already visited places like movie theaters, party venues, and buffets. I thought I could speculate about the contents of the test based on any suspicious activity I saw, but I'd seen no indication of anything of the sort. Why would they isolate students, limit us, and then tell us to start…whatever this test was?

I quickly messaged Horikita via chat on my phone. I saw that she had read the message immediately after I sent it, which was unusual. She'd often wait about half a day before reading and replying; several days in some cases. Was it because we'd received a message from the school around the same time? I tried asking her questions.

Did you get a message from the school just now? I typed.

Yeah. I did.

My designated meeting time is 18:00. What about yours? Mine says 20:40. That seems like a pretty big difference. 20:40, huh?

The same time as Kushida. So were they going to separate the guys and girls? That was all I could guess at present. They did tell me that the start time for the test was at 18:00, after all.

I'm curious about the difference in start times. That might be unfair— some people will get more time to prepare than others.

We can't know anything for sure at this point.

We chatted more about the school's message. Horikita's replies were instant.

There are several things that I'm still curious about, but we don't really have the time. We'll just have to show up to the meeting spot. Because your time is earlier, I look forward to hearing your report.

Understood.

After I sent that short reply, she stopped responding. She had apparently shut her phone off already.

"Ayanokouji-kun?"

Kushida, as if interested in my chat with Horikita, drew nearer to me. I considered talking to Kushida about my conversation with Horikita, but didn't want to be a bother to her. I decided to wait and see how things progressed. It shouldn't be long, anyway.

2.3

I walked to the second deck, just as the message had instructed. I arrived at my destination about five minutes before the designated time. There were several students wandering the normally deserted level. I saw some people I couldn't identify enter a nearby room. It was more than one or two people. They came up to the designated deck and disappeared into the other rooms.

"Are those students from another class?" I wondered.

At first, I thought about waiting in front of the entrance, but things might have already gotten started inside. More than anything else, I didn't want other students to see me, so I decided to act. A reply came immediately after I knocked.

"Enter."

I stepped into the room. The homeroom teacher for Class A, Mashima- sensei, wearing a well-tailored suit, sat before me in a chair. My eyes lowered to a small table on which some materials waited. Two male students sat before Mashima-sensei as well. Both were my classmates from Class D.

"So, one of the remaining two spots belongs to Ayanokouji-dono, I see! Most agreeable!"

It was Sotomura who uttered that strange, nerdy greeting. People affectionately referred to him as "The Professor." An overweight first-year high school student with glasses, he fit the stereotypical image of a male otaku perfectly. He was very knowledgeable about history and machinery, though much of his speech, his actual words, and his inflection all came off as unintelligible. Despite that, he was somehow able to communicate with others.

"This is rather odd, isn't it? Ayanokouji?"

Yukimura, another of my roommates on the ship, sat next to the Professor. The Professor and Yukimura. Normally, you wouldn't find the two of them together. I wondered why they were here. What had we gotten ourselves into?

"What are you doing? Hurry and take a seat." Mashima-sensei spoke without looking at me. I silently took a seat next to Yukimura. One vacant seat beside me piqued my interest. At first glance, I guessed that we had been put into groups of one teacher and four students, but…why such small groups? Maybe the as-of-yet-unseen fourth student would shed light on the situation.

"We are still waiting on one more. Please sit quietly."

I got the feeling that this definitely wasn't a trivial matter. There was a storm coming, the curtain rising on a new test. A powerful omen. No matter what we might have expected, it was obvious that this test would be something entirely different.

Ordinarily, it would be normal for everyone to receive the test's rules at the same time to ensure fairness. Whether it was a written exam at our desks or survival on an uninhabited island, that was the norm. But here we were, in a private, enclosed space. Why did they want us in small groups?

Was I was worrying too much and too early?

No matter how much I agonized over it, I probably wouldn't find any answers by myself. I sat down in the chair. None of us spoke. Although we hadn't yet passed the appointed time, I really wanted the mystery person to hurry up and get here. There was a clock in the shape of a music box, a common feature in every room on this ship. Silence hung heavy all around us. Before long, it would be 18:00.

Mashima-sensei glanced at the clock only once, calm as you like. Simultaneously, someone knocked at the door. Mashima-sensei told that person to enter, and the door slowly opened.

"Pardon the intrusion!"

With that, Karuizawa entered the room. I'd expected our fourth person would be from Class D, but I hadn't expected Karuizawa. I'd thought another guy would be joining us. This was completely unexpected.

"Huh? What's going on? Why are Yukimura-kun and these other guys here?" she asked.

My thoughts exactly. I couldn't hide my bewilderment over being included in this bizarre gathering. The Professor didn't seem to worry, but Yukimura looked puzzled.

"I believe you were told punctuality was key, and yet you're late.

Hurry and take your seat," Mashima-sensei said. "Okay."

Karuizawa's response indicated that she wasn't thrilled to be here and didn't much care what the teacher thought. She sat down and, after studying the three of us, lifted the chair and moved it a little further away from me. I felt somewhat depressed that she wanted to get away from me.

"Sotomura, Yukimura, Ayanokouji, and Karuizawa, from Class D. Without further ado, I will now explain the special test."

Good; at least we were getting an explanation after all. However, the reasoning behind selecting this group of four was still a mystery. We were in a private room, too. I had a bad feeling about this.

"W-wait a minute. I don't understand. What do you mean, explain a test? The test was already over, right? Also, what's the deal with these guys? This is really weird."

Karuizawa, unable to listen to anyone else talk, immediately barraged Mashima-sensei with questions. I wondered if she'd even read the message properly.

"I will not answer any questions at this time. Be quiet and listen." Sure enough, Mashima-sensei looked coldly at Karuizawa.

"Jeez, all right. Fine, I'll shut up."

Mashima-sensei had a reputation of being rather cold to his students.

Even now, he seemed aloof during a simple explanation. My own homeroom teacher, Chabashira-sensei, was also indifferent, cold, and didn't provide any support to her students. Like her, Mashima-sensei didn't seem like the kind of teacher who would provide a shoulder for Class A students to cry on. The only definite difference between the teachers was that in comparison to Chabashira-sensei, who seemed unmotivated and unnaturally uncooperative, Mashima-sensei was impossible to read. I wondered if he kept everyone at a certain fixed distance, no matter who they were.

"In this special test, all the first-year students will be divided into twelve groups based on the signs of the Zodiac. Everyone will participate within their respective group. The purpose of this examination is to test your

thinking."

Twelve groups based on the signs of the Zodiac? That meant Class D was divided into three groups, and those three groups would represent three of the twelve signs. Apparently this would test our "thinking." They wanted to test our ability to think, and to process information thoroughly. Was that it?

"What do you mean by 'test our thinking'?" Karuizawa, unable to stay silent, reflexively spoke up with another question.

"I've already told you. I will not be answering any questions."

After Mashima-sensei's second warning, Karuizawa seemed to feel the gravity of our situation. Although she looked blatantly unhappy, she shut her mouth and listened. I didn't know how seriously Yukimura and the Professor took all this, but they remained silent.

"Society needs three fundamental qualities in order to progress: action, thinking, and teamwork. Those with the necessary qualities will become wonderful adults. The previous exam on the uninhabited island focused heavily on testing your teamwork. However, we shall now test your thinking in four ways: your ability to thoroughly process information, which is an essential component of this test. Your ability to analyze your current situation and clarify the task at hand. The ability to solve the problem after you've clarified the process and identified the task. The ability to utilize your imagination, and the ability to create new values. Those are the qualities you'll need."

Although his explanation was rather concise, several question marks were still hanging over everyone's heads after his brief explanation. I was no better. I still didn't understand anything at all.

"As I've said, in this test we have divided you all into twelve groups." Finally, the words that Karuizawa had longed to hear arrived.

"Are there any questions thus far?"

"I don't get what any of this means. Can you explain it in a way that's easier to understand? I mean, okay, I understand that we're being divided into twelve groups, but why am I together with these guys? What about Hirata- kun? Or the other girls? And I still don't get what we're doing. Tell me.

Come on, please?"

Even though she attempted politeness at the end, I get the feeling she didn't mean it. However, Karuizawa was right to have doubts. Even though Mashima-sensei said that he was taking questions, the explanation was ambiguous at best. We still didn't know what commonality there was between the people gathered here.

If each class was divided into three groups, there should have been twelve to fifteen Class D people gathered here for the explanation, but they hadn't done that. Was it due to the size constraint of the rooms? No, this ship had several rooms that could host a modest-sized gathering. There had to be a reason they'd purposefully sub-divided us.

"You four gathered here will be in the same group. At this very moment, students in other rooms are receiving the same explanation you are."

Wait, so we were members of the same group? In other words, the four of us were allies…

"If that's true, then wouldn't it be way faster and easier if you just gathered all of our classmates together in one place and explained? Also, what's the reason for putting me with these three? Why? These guys gross me out. Why am I on a team together with boys? Honestly, I hate it…though being with Hirata-kun would be fine."

Karuizawa continued blabbing until Yukimura finally seemed to lose patience.

"How about you shut up and try listening? The test is probably going to start soon. If they dock our points because you keep blabbing, are you gonna take responsibility? Even back on the deserted island, you dragged us all down. Can you try not to cause any more problems?"

"Huh? When and how exactly did I cause problems? You're pissing me

off."

I'd seen guys and girls quarreling with each other many times in the

previous test. The Professor and I stayed quiet.

"Calm down, you two. Yukimura, your concerns are groundless. The test hasn't yet begun, so you won't be affected. Besides, your attitude has no bearing on this test."

"See? Now you get it, right?"

Karuizawa looked smugly at Yukimura. Yukimura glared in frustration. I should've stayed quiet, but I had to say something.

"Karuizawa, if you don't change your attitude toward the teachers, it might leave a mark on your permanent record. That wouldn't be good, right?"

"Hmph."

Yukimura snorted derisively, mocking Karuizawa without saying a word. Mashima-sensei seemed to develop a headache while watching a fight that would be more appropriate between elementary school students. He lightly tapped his finger to his forehead.

"Listen. Your group assignments are a done deal. You cannot change them. To gain a good result on the test, you must get along."

"Ugh, jeez! This sucks! I can't deal with these three! Hirata-kun would have been so much better!"

"Heh. But you know, three heads are better than one. Thus, if the three of us join together, we might be able to surpass the good Hirata-dono, my dear lady," the Professor said.

"Gross. Even if there were a hundred or two hundred of you, you still wouldn't be worth a single hair on Hirata-kun's head."

I tried not to care, but hearing her say that kind of thing depressed me. Karuizawa clung close to Hirata day and night, except for whenever she was with her girlfriends. It's true that we really weren't fit substitutes for Hirata, but…

"Ugh. Well, at any rate, I'll just report it to Hirata-kun later." Karuizawa let out a frustrated sigh, then averted her eyes again. Trying to work with her was going to be a hassle, but the same was probably true for Yukimura.

"Finished? Please let me continue my explanation."

"Okay, okay. I understand that we're being divided into these groups, but why is it only the four of us getting this explanation? I thought you'd explain things after our entire group was gathered together. If this is some scheme against us, or some kind of harassment, then I want you to knock it

off."

Karuizawa kept talking without pause, as if intending to be

disagreeable to the very end. Mashima-sensei remained expressionless.

"It would appear that you cannot help but be concerned by this small gathering. Therefore, I will try to provide an answer. This is neither a conspiracy against the students, nor is it harassment. It's rather simple. The groups don't consist of members from just one class; they are made up of about three to five individuals collected from each class. If we didn't explain things in advance, we would run the risk of confusion."

That was why only a few people were gathered into each room. The other three still didn't seem to understand. They fell silent again, as if they were going over what Mashima-sensei had said in their heads. Of course, I couldn't immediately digest it, either. We were so quiet that we could hear the clock ticking.

"W-wait a minute. What do you mean? I still don't get it at all. We're going to be grouped with students from other classes? Isn't that crazy, though? Aren't the other classes supposed to be the enemy?"

"That's right, Sensei. We've been competing against the other classes up until now. Now we're supposed to ignore all of that and just suddenly team up with them?"

I understood Karuizawa and Yukimura's point, but the school decided the rules.

"You've been competing until now? Your school lives have only just begun. You shouldn't run around like a chicken with its head cut off this early, Yukimura."

"I… P-pardon me."

"Right now, you shouldn't spend your energy on trying to understand this test. Rather, focus on how to think. Your group assignment is 'Rabbit'. Here is a list of the members. You will be required to return this list when you leave the room. If you feel it's necessary, I would recommend trying to memorize it now."

He passed over a postcard-sized piece of paper. On it were listed fourteen names of people in our group. As Mashima-sensei had told us, apart

from us four, all the others were from Classes A, B, and C.

Although Mashima-sensei had said we were in the Rabbit group, the group name was written in Japanese, placed in parentheses next to the Chinese reading. That made it easier to read, and thus easier to distinguish who was in our group.

CLASS A: Takemoto Shigeru, Machida Kouji, Morishige Takurou CLASS B: Ichinose Honami, Hamaguchi Tetsuya, Beppu Ryouta CLASS C: Ibuki Mio, Manabe Shiho, Yabu Nanami, Yamashita Saki

CLASS D: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Karuizawa Kei, Sotomura Hideo, Yukimura Teruhiko

I know some of the students on the list. Ichinose from Class B; Ibuki from Class C. Apparently, we were teammates now. At this point, I couldn't really imagine what this exam was going to be. Was it even possible for us to compete alongside other classes, like Karuizawa and Yukimura had said? I quickly glanced out the corner of my eye at Karuizawa. She looked a little perplexed. Being placed into the same group as Ibuki was a perverse kind of fate.

"Don't worry. I will answer any questions you have. I believe you will be able to understand everything afterward. Probably."

He tacked on the "probably" because he likely doubted that Karuizawa was going to listen. Understandable. Mashima-sensei then explained this baffling group's formation.

"The point of this test is to ignore the prior fraught relationships between Classes A through D. If you do, you'll have a shortcut."

"Ignore the fraught relationships? What do you mean?" "Karuizawa, please. I'm begging you, shut up and listen. I can't

concentrate when you prattle on," Yukimura begged, completely exasperated.

"From this point on, you are no longer acting as members of Class D, but rather as members of the Rabbit group. Whether you pass or fail this test depends on each group."

I was understanding more and more, little by little, but still couldn't see the bigger picture.

"There are four possible outcomes that can be achieved in this special test. No exceptions. We have also prepared handouts with the grade items so that you may better understand them. However, you are prohibited from taking these handouts, taking photographs of them, or anything or the sort.

You should verify the contents here and now."

Some slightly crumpled-up sheets of paper had been prepared for the four of us. Most likely, the students who were here before us had already looked at them. The basic rules were written as follows:

AN EXPLANATION OF THE SUMMER GROUP SPECIAL EXAMINATION

This assignment centers on a "VIP" assigned to each group. By providing answers to the school via a defined method, you will earn one of four outcomes.

At 8:00 a.m. on the first day of the test, each student will simultaneously receive a message informing you that we have chosen someone to be the "VIP" in your group.

The test begins tomorrow and ends at 9:00 p.m. on the fourth day. (You are completely free to do as you wish for the first day.)

Each group should gather twice during the day at a predetermined time in a predetermined room to talk for one hour, so that they may discuss matters with only their group.

The contents of each group's discussion shall be left to the discretion of the group itself.

After the test has concluded, the school will only accept answers during the period between 9:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on that final night. During that time, each group must submit their answer regarding who they think the "VIP" is. Each individual may only submit an answer once, but only the first answer received from any member of a group will decide the test result for that group.

Answers must be sent only to an email address that we shall provide to each group, and only by using your mobile devices.

The twelve VIPs cannot submit answers.

You may only submit an answer for the group to which you are assigned.

Test results will be sent to all students via email at 11:00 p.m. on the final day.

A list of fundamental rules was written on the paper. More detailed descriptions of the rules and a list of prohibited items were also on the sheet, among other things. The terms were stricter than the rules for the test on the uninhabited island, with many more precautions. After the rules, I saw the four potential "outcomes":

OUTCOME #1: If the answer submitted by the group after 9:30 p.m. on the final day is correct, then everyone in the group will receive private points, including those of the VIP's classmates who belong to the group.

OUTCOME #2: If a group fails to submit an answer between

9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. on the final day, or if someone from the group other than the VIP and their classmates submits an incorrect answer, then the VIP will be awarded 500,000 private points.

These seemed like rather eccentric rules. Since we hadn't received any deeper explanation, the mechanisms of the test seemed unclear. The Professor and Karuizawa cocked their heads over and over, as if wracking their brains. Mashima-sensei, seeing their reaction, gave us a supplementary explanation in his flat, unchanging tone.

"This exam has one critical element. Understand it, and this test will not pose a problem. The key element is the existence of the VIP. There is only one VIP in the group. In this test, you're after the name of the VIP. It's that simple. For example, Yukimura, let's say that you were chosen as VIP. The correct answer for the Rabbit group would be 'Yukimura.' That answer would be shared with all members of your group. Then, after the test concludes at 9:00 p.m. at the end of the third day, the school would accept

answer submissions only between 9:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. During that time, each member of your group should enter the name 'Yukimura' in a message and email it to the school. Your group would pass, and we would confirm that you've met Outcome #1, and thus every member of your group would be awarded 500,000 points. In addition, as a reward for leading their group to achieving Outcome #1, the VIP would receive double that amount— 1,000,000 points."

"O-one million?! Whoa."

"Wait, everyone receives 500,000 points? And if you're the VIP, you get double?"

That was such a heinous amount of points to receive that anyone, regardless of their regular class, would want it. Also, since the VIP would receive twice that amount, he or she would become so wealthy that they would jump straight to the top of the class, regardless of grade.

"Now then, as for Outcome #2… In the event that the VIP's identity is not discovered before the end of the examination, and no one in your group found out the identity of the VIP or some even attempted to lie about the identity, then only the VIP will be awarded points, just as it says. He or she will receive 500,000 points."

Wait, was this even a valid test? Outcomes #1 and #2 were largely the same. In either case, the VIP would receive a large amount of points. There was no benefit to Outcome #2, unless you wanted to prevent other classes from getting points.

"Jeez, everyone's gonna be jealous of the VIP! Not being picked for it would be unfair! No matter what happens, that person still gets points! And if we get Outcome #1, it's a million points!"

Karuizawa seemed like she wanted to be chosen as the VIP. That was natural, though. The VIP received special treatment. Was that the advantage of being the VIP? However, so far we'd heard only two of four outcomes.

There might yet be some tricks that hadn't been revealed.

"Sensei, what about Outcomes #3 and #4? We don't understand the conditions for those yet."

"Did you understand the explanation for the first two? If you do not, then we cannot continue."

"Of course, we understand. Please continue." After a short pause, Mashima-sensei went on.

"Regarding the remaining outcomes, they are written on the reverse side of the handout. However, please wait a bit before turning the paper over."

We had instinctively reached over to flip the paper, but stopped once we heard that. As we began to grasp the rules of this exam little by little, Mashima-sensei stared at us with sharp eyes. It seemed like the exam had already begun.

"Ah, wait a minute. I'm not following you at all."

Although Mashima-sensei had given us a rather simple explanation, Karuizawa had only been half-listening, so she didn't completely understand. Her problem wasn't that she scored poorly on tests like Sudou or Ike. Since she refused to listen, her comprehension was abnormally bad.

"Very well, I will explain in simpler terms. Have you played the game

Werewolf?"

"Werewolf? Oh, that game's been popular for a while, right? Yeah, yeah, I've played it. It's pretty interesting," she said.

I couldn't help but be slightly bewildered, and my reaction showed. "Wait a second. Ayanokouji-kun, don't tell me you don't know about

Werewolf? Whoa, I can't believe it."

She could be amazed all she wanted, but I hadn't heard of it. Besides, it was probably a lot more fun playing games with friends than playing by yourself. That happy state was way beyond my reach, though.

Karuizawa seemed to realize this, and appeared sad. "I'm sorry. It's just, like, not having friends must be so sad."

She crossed her arms and began to explain the game.

"Well, you get together with your friends, and then you divide people up as either villagers or wolves. The one who survives at the end is the winner. Get it?"

No, I didn't get it at all!

So, what, I could be king of the wolves or something? Mashima-sensei,

unable to leave it at that, began to explain the details of the game a little more thoroughly.

Werewolf was invented by an American as a sort of party game. There is no limit on the number of players you can have, but you need the minimum in order to play. There are several roles that players can adopt, including "villager" and "wolf." There seemed to be various other roles, but the important thing was whether the villagers or wolves survived. The wolves were supposedly dressed up like people and pretending to be villagers.

The game has two time periods. During the day, everyone gets together and talks, including the wolves that are pretending to be villagers. The players who are suspected of being wolves are executed. When nighttime falls, the wolves prey upon one villager. Those phases repeat, and the number of players continues to fall. Then, when enough players have been taken out, it's decided which side was victorious and which was defeated. That was the simple breakdown.

However, why was it necessary to use this Werewolf game as an example? If we considered the rules that we'd received thus far, then the wolves and people should just cooperate and aim for Outcome #1.

"Although I said that there is only one VIP in the group, if the VIP is exposed right away, then Outcomes #3 and #4 will appear."

"And that's…on the other side of the handout, right? Is it okay if we turn it over?" Karuizawa asked.

Mashima-sensei nodded. We flipped the paper over.

The remaining two outcomes were written on it. For those two outcomes alone, answers would be accepted at any time during the test, or during the 30 minutes after the test had ended, just like with the other rules. Should you make a mistake in either timeframe, you would incur a penalty.

OUTCOME #3: This outcome is triggered when someone other than the VIP gives the correct answer to the school without waiting until 9:30 p.m. on the final day of the exam. That student's class will gain fifty class points, and the person who submitted the correct answer will earn 500,000 private points. Also, the VIP's class will lose fifty class points as a penalty. At that point, the group's testing period will come to an end. However, if one of the

VIP's classmates is the person who submits the correct answer, this answer will not be counted and the test will continue.

OUTCOME #4: This outcome is triggered when someone other than the VIP gives an incorrect answer without waiting until 9:30 p.m. on the final day of the exam. That student's class will lose fifty class points. The VIP will earn 500,000 private points, and the VIP's class will earn fifty class points.

The testing period will end for the group that submitted the incorrect answer. However, if one of the VIP's classmates is the person who submits the incorrect answer, this answer will not be counted and the test will continue.

The remaining two outcomes made it much easier to see the big picture. If we were limited to only Outcomes #1 and #2, there was no problem if the VIP shared their identity with everyone. Even if you made a mistake, there was no penalty. However, with the addition of these "traitor" rules, the test was suddenly flipped on its head. Should the VIP carelessly out themselves, traitors would prey upon them.

Since the school would accept answers any time during the test, no one would seriously aim for Outcome #1. Everyone would take actions that would garner points. If the VIP wanted to trick the other classes and secure their own victory, they could come up with a scheme to make it look like another person was the VIP. Your reward would be reduced, but you'd also be penalizing the other classes.

"The school will take anonymity into account during this test. At the end, only the outcomes for each group and the increase or decrease in points for each class will be announced. In other words, we will not announce the names of the VIPs or those who submitted answers. Also, if you wish, you may have a temporary ID assigned to you, to which you can transfer points. It is also possible to divide points up and receive them that way. If you yourself remain quiet, there should be no fear of discovery after the test. Of course, if it's not necessary for you to hide your identity, you may receive your points openly. That is perfectly fine."

They'd been thorough; finding the VIP in this text was going to be extremely difficult. If you wanted to earn a lot of money just for yourself and didn't tell your classmates the truth about the VIP, you could feed everyone a steady diet of lies. For instance, if Yukimura were the VIP, I could

theoretically mislead the students from the other classes and make them believe that the Professor or Karuizawa was the VIP.

This test would become dramatically difficult if there were VIPs in our class. In such a case, you'd have to undergo rigorous probing and deceive others.

"Outcomes #3 and #4 are very different from the first two. That's why they are listed on the reverse side of the sheet. With that, the explanation is complete."

"Umm, umm. I kind of get it, but I kind of don't."

"Heh, I must confess that I myself am somewhat confused." "You two are idiots. I'll explain it later, so don't keep bothering

Mashima-sensei." Yukimura, who seemed like he wanted to cozy up to school officials, shot Karuizawa down quickly.

It sounded somewhat close to the Werewolf game, but only somewhat. True, the wolves had some advantages, but the villagers were also granted the power over life and death. They could shoot their targets dead. However, if the villagers were deceived, they might start to kill each other. I tried to simplify the rules in my head.

First, the testing period lasted three days. Compared to the test on the island, this was rather short. The school had divided up all first-year students in certain ways, and then made twelve groups based on the Zodiac. Each group contained a mixture of students from various classes, but within the group, you functioned as allies. Although the number of people varied slightly, each group had roughly fourteen people. In each group, one student was assigned the "VIP" role.

The VIP was free to tell others, "I'm the VIP, my name is the answer." In such a case, winning was a sure thing. Of course, the test was structured in such a way that the if the VIP weren't discovered, the rest of the students couldn't answer correctly. Of course, it was possible to take a shot in the dark and guess correctly after narrowing down the list, but the penalties for guessing incorrectly were huge.

Punishments here carried the same level of severity as on the island. I tried to neatly summarize tangible methods for clearing the test.

The VIP shares his or her identity with the entire group, and we all clear the exam.

Someone else tries to answer at the end, but they incorrectly guess the name of our VIP. We win.

The traitor finds the VIP.

The traitor is misled about the VIP's identity.

Four possibilities. Unfortunately, each of the four results yielded vastly different amounts of points. The first option, "The VIP shares his or her identity with the entire group, and we all clear the exam," required that we wait for the test to end, and then have everyone submit the correct answer. In that case, the reward would be incredible. The VIP would earn one million points, and everyone else would earn 500,000 points. But it would be highly difficult to get such an outcome.

Some groups might have an advantage due to the varying number of people on each team. It was highly possible that someone might betray the others if they knew the answer. Most people would want to earn a reward, and would betray others before they themselves were betrayed. Real harmony would be difficult to come by.

Regarding the next option: "Someone else tries to answer at the end, but they incorrectly guess the name of our VIP." That would happen if we failed to discover the VIP's identity even after searching within our group. This might very well happen. Many students didn't like taking risks, and if they weren't sure of the answer, they'd become a traitor. It'd be difficult for everyone to answer correctly, and easy for the VIP to conceal themself.

If the VIP remained quiet, people probably wouldn't discover their identity. On top of that, they'd earn 500,000 private points as a reward. Being the VIP was like having a ticket to happiness. However, there were some unseen disadvantages. Due to the test's format, there would probably be many discussions and exchanges within the group. You'd have to come up with lies on the spot. Even though anonymity was ideal, it largely depended on what you could and couldn't do. Your class and the other classes might grow to resent you.

The third option: "The traitor finds the VIP." In that case, a student learns the VIP's identity. They either submit their answer right away, or send

the school an email after the test ends with the correct answer. Incredibly, in this case the test could end immediately after it begins. The traitor would earn fifty class points and determine which classes would end up on top. In addition, the individual traitor would earn 500,000 private points.

This meant that someone could deceive another class and contribute to their own. For everyone, this would be an ideal result.

Finally, the last option: "The traitor is misled about the VIP's identity." This option had the biggest downside. If you were mistaken and guessed incorrectly, the person who submitted the incorrect answer would be slapped with a penalty, causing his or her class to lose fifty points. On top of that, the VIP would receive private points, and his or her class would receive class points. I wanted to avoid that outcome most of all.

This test was about thinking. The school said this required cognitive abilities, which seemed true. This test carried dangers far different from those we'd faced on the island. There were twelve groups, with twelve outcomes.

In the worst-case scenario, we'd end up with a huge difference in points from which we couldn't recover. On the flip side, it was also possible for Class D to overtake Class A in one go. Of course, such a thing wouldn't happen easily any time soon, but just the possibility was amazing. That's exactly why the school's rules here were stricter than during the test on the island.

"There should also be a list of prohibited actions on the sheet. Make sure to examine it thoroughly."

Listed were things like stealing another person's cell phone; using threats to confirm information related to the VIP; using someone else's cell phone without their permission to submit answers; and so on. The highest level of punishment for these actions was expulsion. Furthermore, if any suspicious activity were discovered, the school would open up a thorough investigation to make sure no one had broken any rules.

If someone lied about using threatening force, they could be expelled. It seemed like we were being monitored heavily, so it was best to keep that in mind. Also, the sheet said that discussion among students from other classes was forbidden until after the examination ended. If you broke that rule, you'd be expelled. I easily memorized the list of rules.

"Tomorrow, you will go to your designated room at 1:00 p.m. and again at 8:00 p.m. Your group's name will be displayed on a nameplate

outside. Be sure to introduce yourselves when you meet the other members for the first time. After you've entered, leaving the room during the examination is not permitted. Please use the restroom ahead of time. In the event that you feel ill or can't endure it any longer, please contact your homeroom teacher immediately and make a request."

"Wait, we can't leave the room? How long do we need to stay in there?"

"The explanation is written on the sheet. The discussion period is for one hour. Aside from self-introduction upon your initial meeting, you are free to use that time however you like. Once the hour has passed, you are free to remain in the room or to leave."

So the students dictated the meeting's events?

"Agh. Well, this sounds kinda annoying, but I guess I do understand somewhat. Ugh. I just wish we had a test that was more fun."

"The school is committed to fairness, so we will be strict and impartial. After the VIP has been selected, we will not accept any changes, not even if the VIP wants to be changed. In addition, copying, deleting, transferring, or modifying emails sent from the school is prohibited. Understand these points clearly."

That was written about in detail on the list. We were decidedly not allowed to tamper with emails sent by the school, or use them to spread misinformation. On the flip side, that meant that any message sent from the school was 100% the truth.

"…"

"Hey, Ayanokouji. You've been quiet. Do you actually understand everything?" said Yukimura, seated on my left. It was unclear whether he was angry or concerned.

"For the most part, I guess. I'd like you to explain the things I don't fully understand later, though."

"For crying out loud, why on earth was I lumped in with a bunch of space cadets?"

After that, the meeting was over, and we were told to leave the room. I felt discontent from my neighbors, who seemed to be harboring unpleasant

feelings. I pretended not to notice.

"I hate to say this, but if we have to be in the same group, we need to put up a unified front. A lot of things will depend on who the VIP is, but for now, the four of us should discuss things." Yukimura spoke as we left Mashima-sensei and walked down the hallway. However, Karuizawa showed no concern at all for the future. Ignoring us, she took out her cell phone and walked away.

"H-hey, Karuizawa. Are you listening?!"

Karuizawa, totally unconcerned, started to make a call. I was kind of impressed. It was like she had nerves of steel.

"Ah, hi, Hirata-kun? There was something I wanted to talk to you about."

She was probably going to complain to Hirata. She quickly strode down the hall and disappeared.

"Why on earth was I lumped in with a bunch of space cadets?"

"Oh ho, you uttered that exact same expression word for word not five minutes earlier, did you not? Hah!" the Professor chortled.

Our vacation had come to an end, and round two had just begun. Well, I'd expected this. Feeling depressed by this whole situation, I decided to return to my room.

"This has turned into quite a bothersome ordeal. Being partnered with a bitch like that, I mean," spat the Professor after Karuizawa disappeared from view.

The Professor often said he wanted to go to the 2D world, and that 2D women were perfect. Knowing that, I understood why he'd strongly reject real girls like Karuizawa.

"To be honest, I really hate it. No matter what I do, she'll only drag us down."

"That is certainly true, hmm? She's an unforgivable bitch. She's a bitch among bitches, wouldn't you say?" replied the Professor, as if agreeing with Yukimura. He exhaled loudly out of his nose and patted his belly.

"Maybe in the morning there'll be a notification that one of us was

chosen as the VIP. If one of us is chosen, it'd be smart not to spread it around carelessly. We don't know who might be listening. Let's get to a secure location before sharing info."

I agreed with that plan. Although the ship was rather spacious, people might be listening in unexpected places.

"Karuizawa may be gone, but I want to talk about tomorrow. It makes sense to discuss it with just the three of us. Let's go."

"I am terribly sorry, but I must decline your invitation. For you see, the Love Love Alive anime calls, and I cannot afford to miss its siren song. I bid you farewell. Hi-ya!"

He vanished like a ninja. Well, not really—the Professor was well visible as he walked away. Yukimura, with only me remaining, sighed as if he were giving up and shook his head. He didn't seem to want to work with me. Guess we weren't going to have a discussion.

I supposed I should report to Horikita. I wanted to know if she'd received the same information as the Rabbit group. I sent details to her in chat, and while I waited on her report, I started to come up with a strategy.

2.4

I returned to my room, dying for a moment of peace and quiet. In the middle of dozing, I thought I heard a noise, and propped myself up in bed.

Neither Yukimura nor Kouenji were in the room.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

Hirata, who'd been putting his luggage back in order, looked up with a slightly apologetic expression. He was putting on his uniform, which made me think he was getting ready to leave.

"Nah, I wasn't really in a deep sleep or anything. I'm pretty thirsty anyway, so it's a good time to get up."

I went ahead and shut off the alarm that had been about to go off. I'd wanted to check on Horikita anyway, so there wasn't a problem.

"Would you like to come with me? I was thinking the school's message should be coming pretty soon."

It was just before 20:30, then. Whether due to coincidence or fate, that just happened to be the time Horikita had been summoned to her meeting. I had no reason to refuse, so Hirata and I stepped out into the hallway, with me still wearing my jersey.

"The test seems really unusual. Well, that's just a feeling I have."

It seemed like Hirata already knew the test's specifics. I wondered if he'd heard about it from another student.

"I heard it from Yukimura-kun. He told me about it while we were eating. He told me all about the Rabbit group. It seems like everyone has been receiving explanations of the test. Several people have come to talk to me about it."

Yukimura didn't exactly like Hirata much, but maybe he thought telling Hirata would improve our chances of winning. If you understood the rules beforehand, it would be easier to glean more information when you were listening to the official explanation. Yukimura might have told Hirata in order to hear what Hirata thought afterward, and to see if there was anything new to think about.

Of course, that was surprisingly bold. I'd have liked to follow his example and team up with a superior student.

"Did you notice anything, Ayanokouji-kun? If it's okay, I'd like you to share it with me."

"Can't really say. I haven't been thinking about the exam like you, Horikita, and Yukimura have. I'm not smart, either, so I haven't really noticed much." I tilted my head to the side, as if nothing sprang to mind.

I wasn't going to tell Hirata anything more.

"Well, I was wondering why the explanations are so…scattered. I thought maybe the school wanted to avoid the confusion and trouble that would come from explaining things in one large group, but after thinking about it, I don't believe it would take much more effort to announce the rules to everyone at once."

"Yeah, I think you're right, Hirata. It would definitely be more efficient to explain the test to all the students at the same time, rather than dividing us into groups and doing it in stages."

Hirata's doubts were right on the money. The school had adopted a clearly inefficient method. Perhaps we should consider why they would split us up, and for what reason. It was possible that our "thinking" was already being tested.

"I'm planning to ask the teacher about that later."

I wondered how things would shake out. Hirata normally acted on behalf of Class D. Considering he'd be lumped in with other classes, I couldn't imagine what he thought of these rules, or what he'd do about them.

2.5

Hirata's meeting place was on the second deck, only one level below us. We took the stairs instead of the elevator. I saw quite a few students waiting around compared to earlier. Some of the students were leaning against the wall. Others were sitting down, fiddling around on their phones.

They looked totally unprepared for the explanation they were about to receive.

"It doesn't seem like all of these people are in my group," Hirata said. At a glance, it looked like there were close to ten people here.

Considering the time, even if some part of the group had already been briefed, it did seem rather strange. Did this meeting have some other purpose? Were they all checking to see who belonged to which group? If so, they didn't need to spend all this time and effort. If you just talked to your classmates later, you could figure out the groups right away.

They glanced up as we passed, but then immediately went back to their cell phones, like they were in the middle of something. Sadly, I knew very little about the students from the other classes. I wasn't acquainted with most people I'd run into here, and I didn't know which classes they were all from.

"Who are those people?" I asked.

"That's Morimiya-kun, from Class A. And that one near the elevator is Tokitou-kun, from Class C."

Just how I'd expect a well-connected person to respond. I burned the names and faces of the students into my memory. It was a surprising number of people. Maybe they'd felt restless, and arrived early to wait. You know, like trying to get a table at a popular restaurant. I kept moving, thinking how easy this would all be if it operated like that.

When Hirata and I arrived, several guys and girls were gathered near the door. I also noticed a familiar face who'd received the same meeting time as Hirata. The meeting hadn't started yet, so we approached the line without making a fuss.

"Unless I'm mistaken, you're also in the group meeting at 20:40, yes?"

I heard a rather low, deep voice. Katsuragi, from Class A. He had an incredibly calm and collected demeanor for a first-year high school student. He was cool and composed, and had a good physique to boot. You could mistake him for a college student at first glance. Even though Class A boasted many excellent students, most had already acknowledged him as their leader.

"Yes, I am. And what exactly does that have to do with you?" answered the girl with long black hair, who faced Katsuragi without hesitation.

"I knew it," he said. "That's good news. I wanted to speak with you again. I'm also in the 20:40 group. Starting tomorrow, we will be working together."

Horikita Suzune stared back at Katsuragi. So Hirata had been placed with both Horikita and Katsuragi. Quite a team.

"You wanted to speak with me? Funny. Didn't you completely ignore me the other day?" she said.

During the test on the island, Horikita and Katsuragi had crossed paths only once. At the time, Katsuragi showed no interest in Horikita and hadn't tried to hold a conversation with her. However, the tables had apparently turned. Three guys who probably belonged to Class A grouped around Katsuragi, as well as two girls from either Class B or C. They listened in on the conversation from a short distance away.

"You're correct. I certainly haven't acknowledged anyone in Class D until now. However, considering the incredible results from the last test, it would be impossible for me not to pay attention to you. Wouldn't you agree? You laid the groundwork to win, and succeeded handsomely."

He probably never could have imagined that Class D would be triumphant. From Katsuragi's point of view, his contact with Horikita in front of the cave had all been a part of her strategy. Horikita had certainly made big waves within Class D, and the number of girls who admired her had increased over the last few days. Unfortunately, Horikita didn't exactly respond well to people who wanted to become friends with her. However, compared to how things had gone in the past, she'd hurt and enraged fewer people than usual. Her classmates now seemed to interpret her selfish demeanor as concern for the class.

With that in mind, Horikita's refusal to become anyone's friend now came across differently. Interactions with her suddenly became more nuanced. Even if she gave them the cold shoulder, people didn't really take offense. If anything, they might've found it cute. Other classes now viewed Horikita as more than a superior student with good grades. Because of the results she'd garnered, they viewed her as a puppet master, a mastermind who worked behind the scenes. They viewed her as a threat, and were on guard around her.

"I don't know what the future might hold, but…should Class D overtake Class C, know that Class A would attack you without mercy."

"That's rather petty. From Class A's perspective, are we such a big deal? I mean, there's a significant gap in points between us."

"That's certainly true. However, we must be cautious. It's no laughing matter when those who have been perceived as weak and stupid begin to rise up. If one class manages to change its station, we must be vigilant. I would give the same warning to both Classes B and C."

There wasn't much we could do about being seen as a threat, though.

Katsuragi's entourage collectively glared at Horikita. An ordinary girl would've burst into tears, but Horikita didn't seem intimidated in the slightest.

The situation appeared hopeless, until an unexpected arrival changed everything. The girls' faces instantly lit up as a boy walked quietly past us.

"I don't much like ganging up on people, or threatening other classes."

This was Kanzaki, a Class B student. Though he wore his hair rather long, he didn't come off like a slacker at all. He was an honest type.

Although I didn't really know him personally, Ichinose—Class B's leader— seemed to trust him. Since Horikita and Kanzaki had faced off once before during our summer vacation, he knew of her incredible intellect.

"You don't need to waste time on Katsuragi. He's just trying to get to you." Kanzaki spoke like a gentleman to Horikita, even though they weren't on particularly good terms.

"You needn't concern yourself. Class D has always been regarded as inferior. I'd welcome any change in our reputation."

"I see. It appears you feel we've treated you callously up until now.

Certainly, many in my class have made light of Class D. However, your success on the island changed people's opinions." Despite his words, Katsuragi made a dismissive gesture, like he was brushing dirt off his clothes. "However, just because you got lucky and won by complete chance doesn't make us equals."

"What do you mean?"

"Anyone could accomplish something like that out of pure luck. It's better that you don't grow arrogant and behave foolishly after a win that came about by chance. Remember that the difference in our class points is still massive."

Well, that was true. Bridging the gap between us would still be difficult. Of course, Horikita understood that. She also knew that the island was my victory, but I'd refused to take credit for anything. Right now, Horikita didn't seem too happy to take the credit; she didn't love being in the spotlight. She'd mainly done it so other people wouldn't discover me. Really, it was all for my benefit.

"We haven't gotten into college yet. I don't think you and I are so different. The school arbitrarily divided us into different classes. Don't forget that."

Kanzaki, who'd been standing by watching this scene unfold, saw where all this was headed. "Hirata, looks like you landed in a troublesome group."

"Yes. Though if I'm with you, Kanzaki-kun, and Katsuragi-kun, struggle has to be inevitable."

"Oh, I don't think so." "Hmm?"

Someone came up behind me and walked over to Kanzaki, then proceeded toward Horikita.

"Well, well. So many fish in this pond. I've come to take a look for myself."

"Ryuuen." Katsuragi's tone grew grim. Even Kanzaki stiffened.

"Are you part of this meeting as well? Or were you just walking by?"

"Unfortunately, it looks like I'm with you."

Three students followed behind Ryuuen. It was like Katsuragi's entourage, but also completely different, more like a king and his servants. They all wore terrified looks, and their movements seemed so docile.

"How about you put on a little show for me? What do you think of Beauty and the Beast?" said Ryuuen. He looked at both Horikita and Katsuragi, and let out a demented little chuckle.

In the face of this obvious provocation, Katsuragi stayed calm. "Well, I originally thought that our group would be comprised solely of students with a high level of academic ability. Now that you and your lackeys are here, I'm not so sure."

"Academic ability? How droll. That kind of thing is meaningless." "That's a rather deplorable thing to say. Especially when academic

success is the most important factor in determining our futures. You realize that Japan is often referred to as an academic society?"

Katsuragi struck back against Ryuuen's cavalier attitude with a sound argument. However, Ryuuen wasn't so easily convinced. He gestured to his crew, almost as if to ask, "Can you believe what this idiot is saying?" His minions agreed immediately, their response mechanical.

"I won't let you bring your awful attitude to this test."

"Hmm? Awful attitude? What in the world are you talking about? I can't possibly imagine. Can you perhaps tell me how I am, in fact, awful?"

"Well, it doesn't matter. Since we're in the same group now, we'll be able to talk at length."

For a minute there, I thought there'd be a huge showdown before the test had even begun.

"Huh, Hirata-kun? Oh, Ayanokouji-kun, too? What are you all doing here?"

Kushida approached us, wearing a puzzled look. Apparently not everyone in Class D fully understood the parameters of the exam. Our class seemed to be one or two steps behind.

"Wait, Kushida-san. You're not meeting in the 20:40 group, are you?" "Hmm? Group? I don't understand. I did get an email telling me to

come here at this time… Wow, there really are some amazing people here, huh?"

Even though Kushida was somewhat taken back, she still showed respect for everyone gathered.

"Are you okay, Hirata? I think this is going to be an especially grueling battle."

"Don't worry. No matter who is in my group, I'll do my best."

Hirata was positive, as always. Kushida didn't understand the circumstances, but she was smart. By looking at the gathered people and listening to their fragmented conversations, she would begin to grasp the situation.

"Um, well. So, it feels like a lot of really difficult things are about to come our way," she said.

"Roughly speaking, yeah. You'd best mentally prepare yourself."

"Ah ha! Don't worry, it's okay! Like Hirata-kun said, all I can do is my best. Oh, I haven't really had many chances to talk with Katsuragi-kun and Ryuuen-kun yet. I'd like to get along with you all, too." Kushida spoke to everyone present without any anxiety, disgust, displeasure, or joy in her voice.

"If we're going to continue this pointless conversation, I'd prefer to just go inside. Besides, it's about time."

With those cold words, Horikita flipped her hair and turned her back on Ryuuen and his minions. I had to give it to her: Horikita didn't back down.

Weak-willed people tended to lower their heads and ingratiate themselves into their group, no matter what. They would beg forgiveness if they were isolated or ostracized. But Horikita wasn't perturbed. She acted as she always

did.

"Apparently, I don't need to worry all that much."

Of course, it wasn't clear exactly how far she'd get like that,

considering who was in her group. Even so, I didn't think she'd get the wind taken out of her sails. That was just my intuition.

"Well then, good luck." I left Hirata with those sympathetic words. He had his work cut out for him from now on.