COTE V10 - Epilogue

Epilogue: The Dropouts

Finally, the day of the exam on Saturday morning has arrived.
It seems the situation of almost every class has been fixed.
For A-Class is Katsuragi, and for D-Class is Ryūen Kakeru.
B-Class was working on their original idea, which means no one will be dropped out school.
Of course, there’s also a possibility that no one from those students will be dropped out of school, and everyone also has the possibility to be dropped out of school.
We won’t know that matter until the exam results have been announced.
Even if someone was being forced to drop out of school, the plan will be ruined if he/she gathered up the Praise Ticket of other classes.
The important thing right now is the situation from this time.
I’m also not really 100% in a safe zone.
There’s no such thing as absolutely safe in this exam.
The gathering time in the classroom was as usual, but the exam will begin at 9:00.
The time right now is around 8:30.
A little time extension has been provided by the school side as consideration. That’s not right, I wonder what the school’s intention.
It’s an intrigue to make the students feel suspicious to each other to the very end.
“Did you do nothing to the end?”
“What?”
“I’m asking whether you continued to stay as bystander, even though you are in danger.”
“Do I look like I did something?”
“……I can’t see that on the surface.”
“That’s the answer. I didn’t do anything this time. I have been saved by you instead.”
“Moreover, you won’t be able to laugh if you got expelled from school, will you.”
“But I think I won’t be able to laugh, if someone like you who against it, got expelled from school.”
Perhaps this will be the last conversation with my neighbor companion.
“That’s true.”
Horikita replied it short.
The exam will be held quietly like this.
I thought so, but…… at the last moment, the situation changed once again.
“Everyone, I want you all to listen to me.”
It was Hirata.
He openly had a quarrel with Horikita yesterday, but it doesn’t mean that he has any measures as the matter of fact.
He just senselessly said that he will cast the Criticism Vote for Horikita.
Of course, perhaps some of the students who admired Hirata, will cast their Criticism Vote for Horikita. But, I think it was weak as a decisive blow.
Horikita’s evaluation is quite high in C-Class.
Even though her way of talking is fearless and thorny, but at the same time, I suppose she also has a sense of reliability.
“I have listened to Horikita-san’s words and everyone else’s words yesterday, and I have come to my own conclusion. Who should be chosen for the Criticism Vote── that’s the most important point in the exam this time, right.”
Hirata was calm and has composure.
“I wonder if he still planned to say something.”
“I think so.”
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have to talk at this last moment.
“It’s pointless. He has no measures, and he can’t do anything but just talking to delay the conclusion.”
No, I think about something.
I could see something like a certain kind of determination in Hirata’s eyes.
“First of all, I would like to apologize for yesterday’s incident, when I said that I will cast the Criticism Vote for Horikita-san.”
When I thought of what he wanted to say, Hirata bowed his head to Horikita and apologized for his rudeness.
“I suppose there’s nothing that you need to apologize. What exactly you intended to say?”
“You are an indispensable student in this class, that’s exactly what I have concluded.”
“If that so, have you identified the person who you considered was unneeded?”
“Um, I have identified the person.”
Hirata stated it clearly, and Horikita held back her words.
“……I wonder if you can tell me who is it?”
“I will say it right now.”
Hirata slowly moved from his seat. and stood on the podium. Just like what Horikita did yesterday.
“I like this class very much. I believe everyone’s existence is indispensable. No matter what anyone said, my conclusion remains the same. But I already know that it also won’t solve the problem.”
The answer that Hirata had arrived at, after he has been suffered by it.
I suppose nothing has changed from what I heard yesterday.
“I want everyone to write── my name on the Criticism Vote.”
Perhaps, Hirata declared his proposal exactly as what I had thought.
“There’s, there’s no way I could possibly do such a thing!”
Mii-chan cried out like that.
The other girls also raised their objections successively.
“I’m also fine to be dropped out of school. I believe I have that much of resolution now.”
“When I thought of what you wanted to say…… are you insane?”
Although it’s fine if we let Hirata to say what he likes as it is, but Horikita spontaneously raised her voice.
“How much you intended to devote and sacrifice yourself, because you couldn’t choose the student to be dropped out of school?”
“Horikita-san, you said it, right. If there’s a student who wished to be dropped out of school, you said the discussion will be easy.”
“That’s──”
“So I will be the candidate.”
“There’s no student in this class who truly want you to drop out of school. We will miss you who are the class mediator in order to resolve the dispute. This discussion is also too ridiculous.”
“Even so, I don’t mind.”
It can be said that the student in C-Class won’t be in confusion anymore. Since it won’t be strange anymore, even if someone chose someone else to be dropped out of school.
The deciding factor of this exam, from the viewpoint to cast the Criticism Vote for whom, began to shift to who will receive the Praise Ticket.
If Hirata has gone, I suppose the obstacles of the exam afterwards will be increased greatly.
We are at risk of losing the central figure of the class.
“It’s impossible for me to cast the Criticism Vote for Hirata-kun.”
Shinohara and the girls said so unanimously to support Hirata.
For each time of their support, it seemed Hirata’s heart would suffer the pain.
“There’s no benefit in protecting me. I have already hated you guys.”
It was Hirata’s tone of voice as usual, but his remarks were stiff.
“So I want you to let me free.”
“I…… I will vote for Hirata!”
The person who shouted was Yamauchi.
“I think we also should do so for Hirata’s sake!”
He continued to shout and said so.
“I see. That means it was Yamauchi-kun’s last resistance……”
Perhaps Yamauchi has contacted Hirata in his room yesterday. And then, I suppose he pleaded Hirata that he didn’t want to drop out of school and rely on him.
Perhaps that’s also one of the reasons why Hirata has the firm decision to be dropped out of school.
Then, after a long moment of silence, Chiyabashira came into the classroom.
“So, let’s begin the Class Poll. I will have you to move to the voting room in turn, from the student whose name was called out by me.”
It seems we won’t conduct the voting all at once in the classroom.
Since it’s not impossible for the incident where we peek at other people.
I suppose, that means the school will thoroughly prevent the anonymous voting.
Let’s see, what will happen to the result……

1
In A-Class. On Saturday, everyone was calmly waiting for the announcement of the exam results at that time.
The student who will be dropped out of school has been decided at the stage when the additional exam was announced. Besides, there’s no one who raised an objection on that decision.
Mashima walked into the classroom along with the bell, to announce the exam results.
He is a man who is always calm and won’t think of anything, even though he faced the day like today.
That’s not right, but it seems he tried not to think about it.
He has been assigned as a teacher at Kōdo Ikusei Kōtō Gakkō for the 4TH year. He has witnessed many times, the students who have to be dropped out of school.
“From now, I will announce the results of the additional special exam. First, the person who gathered up the most Praise Ticket…… The 1ST place is you, Sakayanagi. You have received 36 votes.”
“No way, I had never thought I would be chosen. Thank you very much.”
It seemed she replied it with polite remarks.
Almost everyone in the class has given the Praise Ticket for her.
“Next…… I will announce the person who gathered up the most Criticism Vote from this class. I think you guys have already known that the person whose name was called out here, will become the person who dropped out of school. You will pack your luggage after this, and you will have to come to the school administration office together with me, right.”
Noise, commotion and the like weren’t happened. A-Class students were just quietly waiting for the person whose name will be called out, and will be dropped out of school.
“──The last place, the student who gathered up 36 votes of the Criticism Vote……”
A moment of silence. And then──
“Totsuka Yahiko.”
A name was announced. 1 student’s name was echoed in a quiet classroom.
“That’s ridiculous, what’s the meaning of this!”
Katsuragi shouted and stood up immediately after the result was announced.
“Kat, Katsuragi-san…… eh, why, eh……?”
Totsuka himself was also looked as he couldn’t believe it, and looked at Katsuragi’s face.
The result came from an overwhelming majority of the Criticism Vote for Totsuka. He received 36 votes and will be dropped out of school.
So, the results of the Praise Ticket and the Criticism Vote of all the students have been announced at the same time.
Katsuragi’s result was one place above Totsuka. The result was announced 30 votes of the Criticism Vote.
“Sensei, what’s the meaning of this, I supposed to be the person who should be dropped out of school──”
“There’s nothing wrong with the results.”
Mashima replied it with a gentle tone to Katsuragi who asked the question.
A girl opened up her mouth in order to clarify such an incomprehensible situation.
“Katsuragi-kun, it seemed someone has cast the Praise Ticket for you. What a relief.”
So Katsuragi began to grasp the situation.
This isn’t something that happened by some kind of mistake, but it’s something that has been designed.
“Wait a moment, Sakayanagi! I was the one who supposed to be dropped out of school, wasn’t it!”
“Dropping Katsuragi-kun out of school, is that so? You have never been the target from the beginning.”
Sakayanagi stated so without hesitation.
“Stop joking around. You definitely have said you will get rid of me!”
“That’s true, I did say so. When I said that I wanted to get rid of you…… that was a lie.”
There wasn’t any bit of hesitation on Sakayanagi’s appearance who smiled gently.
“Why…… why!”
“The answer is simple. Since Totsuka-kun didn’t bring any benefit for A-Class. On the other hand, Katsuragi-kun, you are a sharp-witted person, and your motor nerves also aren’t bad at all. You have both calmness and also usefulness in your own way. I’m not an idiot who would get rid of an excellent people in this exam, which is suitable to dispose the unneeded people.”
“Ugh!”
However, Sakayanagi’s intention wasn’t only that.
Originally, Totsuka wasn’t the only student who was connected with Katsuragi.
Even though Sakayanagi meant to give a warning that she will punish the traitors without mercy, perhaps Totsuka who dropped out of school would have given a huge impact to A-Class’ students.
She instilled this incident in their mind that they will be the first to be punished, if they tried to cooperate with Katsuragi.
“Why did you do such a roundabout thing……”
“Isn’t it something natural to avoid the risk as much as possible? The other classes hold a lot of Praise Tickets in this exam. Since I thought no matter how much A-Class tried to drop him out of school, we can’t do that if Totsuka-kun gathered up the Praise Ticket for himself.”
It can’t be definitely said if the other classes wouldn’t make a movement and tried to save Totsuka on a whim.
However, if Katsuragi was particularly appointed as the victim, no one would try to cast the Praise Ticket for Totsuka.
“Thank you for your hard work, Totsuka-kun. Take care, even after you left this school.”
“Uh, argh, argh! Damn it, damn it!”
Katsuragi also couldn’t approach and call out to Totsuka who curled up like collapsed.
Originally, Totsuka supposed to be very happy if Katsuragi wouldn’t have to be dropped out of school. But now that he was the person who has to be dropped out of school, he won’t even care about such matter anymore.
Why it wasn’t Katsuragi but himself instead, and that reason was enough for him to hold a grudge against Katsuragi.
If Katsuragi has dropped out of school, Totsuka Yahiko would be able to stay in A-Class.
Although he felt he wouldn’t like it, he would follow Sakayanagi and graduated. And then he will become a winner.
Although he also felt bad about it, but he vaguely began to imagine his own future before this exam.
All of them were ruined unexpectedly.
“I guess rescue him by 20 million Points── is impossible.”
“Yeah. Unfortunately we can’t reach that sum, even if we gathered up our entire Points.”
“Totsuka, there’s no way to…… cancel this decision anymore.”
Mashima as the homeroom teacher also told him so, while concealing the sorrow that he felt in his own heart.
“……”
Totsuka lost for words and could only nod slowly in that situation.
“For the time being, I will take Totsuka to the school administration office. We will pack the luggage later.”
That’s the least he could do as consideration, Mashima said so to Totsuka and asked him to leave the classroom.
Since he has been decided to be dropped out of school, his heart will only be in pain if he remained in the classroom in this situation.
“By the way, Mashima-Sensei── I wonder if I could ask you one question.”
“What is it, Sakayanagi?”
Sakayanagi called out to stop Mashima, who accompanied Totsuka and just about to leave the classroom.
Mashima told Totsuka to wait in the hallway and let him leave first.
“It’s a pity that Totsuka-kun has become an unfortunate victim in the exam this time…… You already knew the students who have been decided by other classes, to be dropped out of school, right?”
“The temporary one. As soon as they have finalized, the results will be posted on the bulletin board on the 1ST floor.”
“Based on that results, is there any possibility that it has an impact on Katsuragi-kun?”
“What you are talking about, Sakayanagi.”
“I’m just asking for your reference.”
Just like Katsuragi, it seems Mashima also couldn’t understand Sakayanagi’s words for a moment.
He didn’t take the possibility called ‘Perhaps’ into consideration.
However, Mashima changed his mind when he saw Sakayanagi’s bold smile.
“……There won’t be any impact on whoever will be dropped out of school. ‘That’ doesn’t mean to be that way. If there’s an impact, you also wouldn’t be so easily forced someone to drop out of school, right.”
“That’s true, I agree. Thank you very much.”
When Mashima left the classroom, Katsuragi quietly approached Sakayanagi.
Hashimoto and Kitō, who hurriedly stood up, got in the way in order to stop him. As a precaution in order to stop the violence acts.
However, Sakayanagi acted before Katsuragi spoke out his words.
“Katsuragi-kun, you are wrong to blame me for it. The exam where someone has to be dropped out of school, it’s mandatory in this exam. Whether it was you or Totsuka-kun, you have to sincerely accept the results. Since they were all A-Class’ students and no one else who have voted here.”
“……I have known that.”
Katsuragi has never thought of such violence acts from the beginning, but he intended to vent his dissatisfaction to Sakayanagi.
But, Sakayanagi’s verbal attack has put an end to it.
“That’s good then. Since I don’t want you to become a hindrance for A-Class in the future, out of your own desperation. But just in case…… if you have done something to harm A-Class……”
“I said I have known that, right. Don’t try to target at other students anymore.”
“This conversation is quick and saved us the trouble.”
If Katsuragi showed hostility towards Sakayanagi because of his grudge that Totsuka was forced to drop out of school, next time she will get rid of someone from A-Class who was connected to Totsuka. It was such a threat.
Sakayanagi has known the situation very well that Katsuragi is the person who can even contribute the most for A-Class, if he would obediently followed her.
Katsuragi has completely surrendered now. It turned out that he had no choice but surrendered to Sakayanagi.
“Well── I wonder what happened in the other classes at this moment.”
Obviously, Sakayanagi wasn’t interested on B-Class and D-Class and not in her concern.
Only C-Class’ results where Ayanokōji was enrolled, she couldn’t help but looking forward to it the most.

2
In C-Class.
The ‘Tap, tap’ sounds of Yamauchi who was tapping his shoes on the floor, was awfully disturbing our hearing.
“Hey…… keep quiet a little, Haruki.”
Ike tried to warn him in low voice.
“Ugh, annoying. I know that.”
“He he he. Anyway, it seems your defeat really has been decided, am I right?”
“What. What you are talking about, Kōenji. There’s no way that I will be dropped out of school.”
Yamauchi turned and looked back, and he laughed weirdly.
“Perhaps quite many students in this class will write your name.”
Ike and Sudō couldn’t help Yamauchi who was being provoked by Kōenji.
“That’s not true. I’m the one who decided to be dropped out of school this time, right.”
“You are still saying such thing. I guess you haven’t seen anything.”
“……I wonder what you meant by that.”
Kōenji took out his cell phone while boldly smiling.
“I have just received a message from several girls in this class. This is the message. It said: ‘I think Hirata-kun intended to sacrifice himself and decided to be dropped out of school tomorrow. Perhaps he will take a horrible attitude and insult everyone, but that’s not his true feelings. Believe in him and just cast the Praise Ticket for him’. I guess it has delivered to everyone, except you and Yamauchi-kun, isn’t it?”
Hirata approached Kōenji and looked into his cell phone.
“Many students will feel sympathized if they have seen such a message. Since you have been acting for the class in this 1 year isn’t an illusion. I think the Praise Ticket for you will be increased instead, is it?”
“Such……”
Hirata’s plan to receive the most Criticism Vote has vanished.
Therefore, the students who obviously were in danger to be dropped out of school became panic.
“You are so calm. As if you have already seen the entire results.”
“I think you know that too.”
“Even so, I can’t wait so confidently. If we don’t have enough confidence, it’s natural that our anxiety will remain.”
“I think he is the only one who is waiting in a tremble.”
Almost all of the students’ eyes directed at Yamauchi’s back.
What will be Yamauchi’s answer who received that attention?
Yamauchi slowly stood up and turned around towards Kōenji’s direction. There was a glimpse of opportunity to win on his face.
“……Humph.”
Yamauchi laughed scornfully towards Kōenji like that.
“That’s enough, even though I have said it…… I’m not the one who will be dropped out of school.”
“Huh? Let me hear the reason.”
“Fine, I will tell you.”
It seems Yamauchi couldn’t endure anymore of letting Kōenji said whatever he pleased.
“How many people in this class will cast the Criticism Vote for me? 20 people? Or 30 people? Although it’s not like I really have betrayed you guys, but I have been treated terribly! But that’s fine, I will forgive you all.”
Yamauchi foolishly laughed out, and patted Ike’s shoulder near him.
“It was my bad, Kanji, I have made you worry so much.”
“Ah, yeah.”
Ike who didn’t know what he meant, could only nod.
“There are a few people who are dropout candidates in this class, isn’t it? I, Kanji, Sudō, Kōenji and Ayanokōji, something like that. But I wonder how many votes of the Praise Ticket they can get. I’m concerned.”
“Your statement as if you can get a lot of the Praise Ticket.”
“That’s right. In fact, I can get it.”
“Even if your close friends felt sympathy and would cast the Praise Ticket for you, it’s at most 4 or 5 votes. Therefore, can you say that you are in a safety zone?”
“It’s fine. It’s enough if I have that much. Ha, ha ha…… So, it’s useless, what you said is meaningless!”
Yamauchi lifted his arms in a flashy manner.
“Sakayanagi-chan has promised me that I will receive 20 votes of the Praise Ticket. In other words, even though the majority in this class would cast the Criticism Vote for me, I won’t be dropped out of school!”
It seems Yamauchi has decided to reveal his own plan, when he realized it was useless if he concealed it any longer.
“Therefore, no matter how many people wrote my name, it’s useless…… I’m protected by A-Class!”
The poll has already been concluded.
I suppose it’s true that Sakayanagi has made such a promise to Yamauchi.
If we assumed that Yamauchi will be receiving 5 votes of the Praise Ticket from C-Class and 20 votes of the Praise Ticket from A-Class, that means he won’t gather up more than 9 votes of the Criticism Vote, no matter how bad his final result.
Indeed, if that’s the result, he won’t be in the situation to be dropped out of school at all.
I and Kōenji, or Sudō and Ike who were nominated as the runner-up of the dropout candidates, will be in a dangerous situation.
“In that case, why would you have to be so anxious?”
Yamauchi wasn’t calmed and a bit trembled. It has proven that he was psychologically very anxious about it.
“That’s……”
“If you have made an agreement with the enemy, did you exchange a firm contract with her? It’s the standard in negotiations, right?”
“No, no, so that’s……”
“Something like a verbal promise can be revoked and omitted. That little girl isn’t so kind.”
“I understand that sort of thing! But it’s fine!”
It’s impossible that Kōenji’s such words can reach Yamauchi.
Right now, Yamauchi couldn’t do anything but believe that he will receive the Praise Ticket.
He definitely should have confirmed it many times with Sakayanagi last night.
“Well, well, if that so, you are safe, right. The Criticism Vote that I will cast for you has become meaningless, is it?”
“That’s right, it’s meaningless, and it’s useless!”
“Be quiet, Yamauchi. Your yelling voices can be heard in the hallway.”
At that time, Chiyabashira walked into the C-Class.
“I have kept you waiting. I will make the announcement of C-Class’s results after this. Everyone please take a seat.”
Finally, the judgment time has arrived. 1 student from this class will be dropped out of school soon.
Yamauchi who told himself that he will be safe.
Sudō or Ike who have been told as the runner-up of the dropout candidates.
Hirata who has been waiting calmly for this moment.
Kōenji who has been the same as always.
And then, me or Horikita who observed it quietly.
Or someone other than those.
“So first, I will make the announcement from the top 3 people who gathered up the most Praise Ticket. The 3RD place is── Kushida Kikyō.”
Kushida’s name was called out in the upper position, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
The incident where she was being targeted by Yamauchi yesterday, but on the contrary, she has succeeded to gather up the Praise Ticket as the result.
It’s a reasonable spot if it was based on the fact that she was adored by her classmates.
“Next…… the 2ND place is……”
Chiyabashira read out loud just a little bit slower.
I also couldn’t predict it precisely how the results will be.
“It’s you, Hirata Yōsuke.”
“Oh……!”
The moment Hirata’s name was called out, he closed his eyes and looked up above.
The outrageous conduct that he has shown in front of our classmates, didn’t lead to a huge negative impact.
During this one year period, Hirata has been working hard and devoted himself so much.
Especially from the girls’ side, I believe he is the person who was trusted tremendously.
Even if I didn’t make the necessary arrangements and asked Kei to circulate the message, his evaluation wouldn’t shake at all.
“But, but, if Hirata is in the 2ND place…… who is in the 1ST place?”
Originally, Hirata and Kushida were expected to be the top two.
The persons in the 3RD place and in the 2ND place have been totally anticipated, and they have met everyone’s expectations, but there’s a person who surpassed them both.
“──The 1ST place is……”
Chiyabashira laughed once before she read the name out loud.
I closed my eyes for a moment.
“It’s you, Ayanokōji Kiyotaka.”
Just as I thought, the result will be like that.
“Why, why?”
Yamauchi was expected to be competing for the last place, and he was the first person who made a response.
“Sensei, I think you have mistaken in the 1ST place for the Criticism Vote!”
“No. There’s no doubt that he is in the 1ST place for the Praise Ticket. It said 42 votes, which is a splendid result.”
I suppose all of my classmates were surprised by the fact that the number of the Praise Ticket has exceeded the total number of students in this class.
“What did you do……”
My neighbor, Horikita also couldn’t hide her surprise.
“I think I have told you. I didn’t do anything.”
The person who has done these whole things was Sakayanagi alone.
“Next, the 1ST place for the Criticism Vote, the student who has received 33 votes. Unfortunately, it’s you, Yamauchi Haruki.”
Yamauchi was beaten up and defeated twice. He hasn’t been able to understand the situation, but he was being told to be dropped out of school.
“3, 33 votes?”
It has proven with this that the Praise Ticket from A-Class has never been given to him.
The 2ND place was Sudō with 21 votes. The 3RD place was Ike with 20 votes.
It can be concluded that even Yamauchi’s friends were never really in a safe zone.
“I refuse! Why, why do I have to be dropped out of school!”
Yamauchi shoved away Chiyabashira’s arm who was approaching him.
 “……Haruki……”
As Yamauchi’s friends, Ike and Sudō couldn’t do anything but turned their eyes away.
I suppose they have been waiting the moment for this result, but they also thought they wanted Yamauchi to stay somehow.
And then, they should have been fully realized it at the same time. If Yamauchi didn’t drop out of school, they didn’t know what will be happened to themselves.
“Why, why, why? Why it should be me! Such a screw up exam, screw up exam!”
“What you think is also your freedom, but this decision can’t be canceled, Yamauchi.”
“Shut up〜〜〜〜!”
Yamauchi was screaming from the pit of his stomach. He yelled about the unacceptable reality.
“That’s right. Sakayanagi, please ask Sakayanagi! Since she said that she will cast the Praise Ticket for me! There’s no way she can be forgiven for not keeping her promise!”
 “Do you have something to show as evidence to that promise?”
Chiyabashira asked.
“Since she made that promise! At the karaoke! In other words, I heard it from her!”
“I had a feeling that I wanted to believe you, but that won’t even prove anything.”
“Horrible, it’s horrible……!”
“Yamauchi, leave the classroom.”
Even though he was being told so, he wouldn’t move his body.
“Please, just leave this classroom quickly. Your existence has already been deleted.”
“I don’t accept it!”
“You are miserable and ugly to the very end, that’s why you are incorrigible defective product.”
Yamauchi snapped at Kōenji who relentlessly inflamed and provoked him.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
He grabbed the chair he was sitting on, and charged toward Kōenji.
He raised it up with both hand, and slammed it down on Kōenji’s head.
It won’t be a pain that can be excused if it hit directly to the head, but Kōenji isn’t weak enough to be hit by that dull attack.
He easily grabbed the chair’s leg and stopped it from slamming down, and he pulled Yamauchi forcibly.
“You intended to kill me. Can’t you say your complaints even if I did something?”
Yamauchi’s face was stiffened.
“Stop it now.”
Chiyabashira sensed Kōenji’s danger sign and stopped them.
Kōenji quickly released his hand from the chair after he received that order.
“Yamauchi, don’t do this anymore. It’s for your own good.”
A sad gaze from his classmates. The gaze of sympathy.
Something has fallen apart inside Yamauchi.
“Uh, uh, aaaah!”
He collapsed on that spot, and raised his voice to let go his cries and screams.
“……Leave the classroom.”
Chiyabashira said it once again, and Yamauchi has given up his last resistance.

3
The classroom has missing one person. It’s definitely a huge different from our usual classroom.
The atmosphere was heavy. And our mind wasn’t clear.
No matter who dropped out of school, I suppose it certainly would have been the same.
Even so, if someone has to be disappeared, we obviously have to decide the merits.
Who is the indispensable student for the class. Who is the unneeded student for the class. We have to decide it.
One person, someone left the seat.
Starting from that person, everyone didn’t talk much and went back to the dormitory.
After taking one day break, we will come into this classroom again when Monday arrived.
There’s no Yamauchi’s figure at that moment.
“He is even more distressed than I thought.”
The ‘He’ naturally should be defined as Hirata.
Hirata sat still in a daze and didn’t move.
Since Yamauchi was gone, Hirata has been in a half-dazed condition all along.
“Hirata-kun…… that’s……”
Mii-chan who felt concerned about it, shyly called him out.
But Hirata just turned around and gazed at her slightly, and he didn’t say anything.
I wonder what Hirata was thinking now about this class.
That’s something that only he himself knows, but he has no choice but to look ahead.
The students who couldn’t bear to watch Hirata’s appearance like that, began their preparation for returning to the dormitory slowly.
Sudō and Ike have also left the classroom quietly.
“We should be quiet today too.”
Everyone agreed to such a chat message from Haruka,.
“I’m going back to the dormitory.”
I grabbed my bag and just about to leave the classroom.
I stopped a moment in front of Kōenji who was still staying in the classroom.
“Any problem, Ayanokōji Boy.”
“I didn’t expect you would act for the class.”
“That’s obvious. I decided to cooperate with Horikita Girl in order to prevent myself from dropping out of school no matter how.”
“It’s not about that. You persistently provoked Yamauchi, and it seems you took over the role to be hated by him all alone.”
If Yamauchi was chosen to be dropped out of school, he will hate his classmates.
But Kōenji consistently continued to provoke Yamauchi more than anyone else, so the target of Yamauchi’s hatred was directed to him only.
He has handled Yamauchi with his own way, who has lost his mind when he was clearly being told to be dropped out of school.
Perhaps he was being seen as simply a nasty fellow in everyone’s eyes.
“Well, I don’t remember that. I just wanted to see his ugliness disappeared as soon as possible.”
“I see. In that case, I guess the incident was like that.”
When I left the classroom, Horikita immediately followed me and then grabbed my arm.
“Ayanokōji-kun. You…… since when and to what extent you have foreseen the results?”
When Sakayanagi proposed a truce to me in this exam, I believe that about 90% or more, I didn’t have to be worried that I will be dropped out of school.
It was obvious that I didn’t think she wanted to win against me and defeated me with something like meaningless tricks.
She wouldn’t be pleased if she forced me to drop out of school with a lie called a truce.
On the other hand, she made a move and manipulated Yamauchi, who tried to force me to drop out of school.
In other words, it’s not surprising if it was considered that she has violated our agreement. In short, it has created a contradiction.
In order to eliminate that contradiction, she has to do something to nullify the Criticism Vote as much as possible.
In other words, the situation where the other class had cast the Praise Ticket for me, most of them were held by A-Class.
In this way, even if I gathered up 20 votes or 30 votes of the Criticism Vote from C-Class, my result will be surged into positive range immediately. I’m absolutely in a safe zone.
In that case, what was her purpose to do such things.
I suppose it was in order to force Yamauchi Haruki to drop out of school.
That incident has made Yamauchi as a villain, and brought down his evaluation in C-Class.
Of course, I couldn’t say if it was 100% for certain.
I couldn’t rule out a small possibility that Sakayanagi launched a sneak attack on me, and tried to force me to drop out of school.
Therefore, I provoked Horikita to take measures in order to get rid of Yamauchi.
Moreover, by informing the situation to everyone that I, who was harmless to other people, was being targeted to be dropped out of school, and it was also related to gather up the Praise Ticket for sympathy and protection.
But it was a bit too much to be in the 1ST place.
“Haven’t I told you? I obviously have no intention to participate in the exam this time.”
“……But……”
“Then I’m going back to the dormitory.”
“Ayanokōji-kun!”
Horikita stood still on that spot and called out to me.
“It was you, isn’t it……? The person who told Nī-san about the relationship between Yamauchi-kun and Sakayanagi-san?”
I didn’t answer that question and walked down the stairs.
I came to look at the bulletin board on the first floor.
What has happened in other classes, has been posted on the exam results this time.

The Class Poll Results
The Dropout Students
A-Class Totsuka Yahiko
B-Class None
C-Class Yamauchi Haruki
D-Class Manabe Shiho
3 persons name were mentioned above.

This exam won’t change The Class Points.
“It’s Yahiko…… She told me Katsuragi’s name, just as I thought it was a trick.”
That’s the results for the Criticism Vote, and the 1ST place for the Praise Ticket is: A-Class was Sakayanagi, B-Class was Ichinose, and D-Class was Kaneda.
Kaneda was in the 1ST place with 27 votes of the Praise Ticket, which is the least number, and Ichinose as the highlight with 98 votes.
If we considered from the results that almost all the A-Class’ students have cast the Praise Ticket for me, it can be seen how many students have acknowledged Ichinose.
There was a student’s figure who came in order to confirm this exam results.
It was Katsuragi, and then Ryūen’s figure appeared almost at the same time.
“You didn’t drop out of school too, Katsuragi.”
“……That’s my lines. I had thought if you would be disappeared too.”
“He he. Since it seems the grim reaper was on my side, somehow.”
“The grim reaper?”
“Don’t mind that. Since you can’t see the grim reaper.”
Ryūen looked at the results while laughing.
“Anyway, that girl, Sakayanagi is also amusing in taking the measures, right. She dared to show you how she got rid of your only ally.”
While Ryūen was talking so happily, Katsuragi’s face looked so annoyed.
“You have completely lost your spirit.”
“There’s nothing to gain if I acted more than this recklessly.”
“Do you want to obediently follow Sakayanagi until the graduation? That’s an amusing joke.”
“……”
A moment of silence. However, there’s something on Katsuragi’s face who is somehow in frightening situation.
Katsuragi has lost Yahiko, who has always admired him.
At the same time, Katsuragi should have lost the other existence who he should protect.
“What’s wrong, Katsuragi. You can make such a face too.”
Seeing Katsuragi’s expression, perhaps Ryūen also had thought the same as I did.
“If it’s you at the present time, it seems you are also capable to outsmart Sakayanagi.”
“……Stop joking around. More importantly, what exactly you are going to do. It seems your life was brought back by the grim reaper. Are you going to challenge and compete with Sakayanagi, Ichinose and Horikita again?”
“I’m not interested.”
Ryūen immediately replied coldly.
“The contract with you guys in A-Class is still in effect. I will continue to take advantage of it quietly, so let me enjoy it again properly for a while. I suppose I wanted to say my gratitude for it today.”
Apparently, Ryūen decided to come to this place for that reason.
Since in Ryūen’s viewpoint, the contract would have been expired if Katsuragi was dropped out of school.
It seemed Katsuragi decided to go back to the dormitory one step ahead. It was I and Ryūen who remained.
“Have a talk with me just for a while.”
I didn’t try to refuse it, and Ryūen led the way to the back of the school building.
“Since when did you become a good person? Ayanokōji.”
“I didn’t want to get involved in anything. It seemed it wouldn’t get through to your companions even though I have said it.”
What I have done. Ryūen should have found out about it already.
“Rather than saying I did something, those guys who admired you just requested me to take an action, you know.”
I looked up at the sky as I recalled the incidents a few days ago.

4
The exam results this time, no one from B-Class was dropped out of school. And Ryūen was remained.
I was involved in these 2 major events behind the scenes.
It goes back to the day when I met Hiyori in the library, and invited Ichinose into my room at night.
The time was around 10 o’clock in the evening, the doorbell of my room was rung.
There are very few friends who would come to visit me in my room. Horikita, Kushida or someone from the Ayanokōji group.
But in most cases, they will get in touch with me by a chat message or e-mail in advance.
However, there’s not one connection has arrived to my cell phone.
In other words, it’s not that kind of guest.
Who the heck has came to visit me.
“……Well, it’s my first visit.”
The person who was displayed on the intercom, was the duo who I have never expected.
They were waiting for my response while being in a very cold weather.
“The curfew for visiting…… is only for the upper floors.”
In principle, boys are prohibited to enter the area where girls are living after 8 o’clock in the evening.
Well, even if we broke the rules, it won’t be a serious problem if it wasn’t exposed, and even if it was exposed, no severe punishment will be waiting if it was only once or twice.
Anyway, there’s no problem based on the rules for a girl came to visit.
“Coming.”
It’s not like I welcome them to come, but I decided to deal with them as usual.
“……I need to talk to you a little.”
That guy began to talk and said so.
He looked into the camera and his eyes displayed up-close.
As I had expected, it felt like he didn’t want to talk over the intercom.
“Wait a moment.”
I turned the key to unlock the front door.
Then the door was opened forcefully…… Ishizaki of D-Class walked in.
I would have taken a hit by the door strongly if I was careless.
“I’m sorry to bother you. You also get in quickly, it’s cold, you know.”
“So why should I……”
The figure who showed up while expressing such complaints was the same from D-Class, Ibuki.
“Just hurry up.”
“Geez.”
She entered into my room as she was being urged by Ishizaki.
Indeed, the wind that blew into my room was getting colder, so I hurriedly closed the door.
I thought the cold air would enter through the crack of the door and pierced our body, so I showed them to my room.
“So, what do you want such late at night?”
When Ishizaki heard that from me, he put his hands together vigorously.
“I beg you, Ayanokōji! Please tell me how to prevent Ryūen-san from dropping out of school completely!”
“……What?”
As I thought if these 2 people have been intruding into my room at midnight, would ask for a ridiculous favor.
“Did I hear it wrong? Can you say it once again?”
“That’s true! I said please tell me how to prevent Ryūen-san from dropping out of school!”
It seems I didn’t hear it wrong.
“Stop it, Ishizaki. I think there’s no way that Ayanokōji would help.”
It seemed Ibuki was different from Ishizaki, she wasn’t particularly come to ask me a favor.
“That’s, that’s true, but. But I couldn’t think of anyone else but Ayanokōji, you know.”
“I don’t know. Ah, since I was only being brought forcibly by Ishizaki. What a persistent phone call……”
Ibuki said so and breathed a sigh, then she showed me her cell phone screen in shocked.
There were more than 50 incoming calls histories from Ishizaki.
“How can I come to ask him a favor alone. He is an enemy, enemy!”
“That’s very much the same as me, right. You are really stupid.”
“That’s true……”
Both Ishizaki and Ibuki muttered and argued to each other.
“I suppose that it means you both aren’t an assassin sent by Ryūen.”
It was something remarkable if it was acting, but I think it’s not really like that.
“It’s impossible to happen, you know. Ryūen-san…… there’s no way he would ask us to do such thing, I think you know that too.”
“I guess.”
It said that Ryūen has already been defeated by Ishizaki, and even his figure has been erased.
In fact, I heard that he firmly intended to be dropped out of school.
Even if, for example, he has no intention to be dropped out of school, he wouldn’t come to rely on me.
Since there’s no way Ryūen would be pleased for something like he was being further humiliated.
“Why you really don’t want Ryūen to be dropped out of school? I think there are also many things to consider.”
“……That’s…… there were many things. But, it’s different now.”
“What”
“Ah? What do you mean by ‘What’?”
“So, what’s different now?”
“I think you now that Ryūen-san is an indispensable existence for D-Class.”
“I don’t know. Do you consider how much I have been suffering because of that guy.”
It seems they really have no unity when they came here to visit me.
How to say it, I mean they haven’t communicated their intention to each other.
“First of all, if you guys wanted to quarrel, please do it later.”
I stopped them both who glared at each other.
“Ah〜 I want to return to my room.”
They both disagreed with each other.
Particularly Ibuki, who still has a grim expression on her face.
“Don’t say something like you want to return to your room. You should persuade Ayanokōji too.”
“I refuse, you heard me.”
“If you guys wanted to quarrel, please do it elsewhere.”
Since there’s no sign that the conversation would proceed any further, I decided to ask a question.
“Ryūen is being hated by his own class. It seemed to be that way if I judged it as an outsider, and I wouldn’t be mistaken about that, would I?”
“I guess…… he is quite hated, perhaps.”
“You said ‘Quite’, I think almost everyone hate him. It doesn’t make sense to lie at this point, right.”
“Shut up! Who care about that ‘Quite’ point!”
“Ah〜 you are annoying and irritating. I mean, don’t shout since you splashed your saliva at me.”
“That’s why, please do your quarrel later.”
If we were noisy in a small room, it will be heard in the next room too.
After I said that with a slight anger expression, it seemed both of them also calmed down a little at last.
It should be understood that they were in a place where they weren’t invited.
If that so, we can advance the conversation in this situation.
“It’s absurd to stop Ryūen from dropping out of school.”
I expressed it in a way without concealing it, and I told them straight.
Since I thought it will be better if I conveyed it to these 2 people that way.
“I suppose.”
Ibuki has understood and nodded.
But it seemed it was impossible that Ishizaki can be convinced so easily.
“I think there should be some way!”
He genuinely didn’t think anything. (original translation: only muscle/vigor - in other words no brain or stupid)
It seemed there’s no doubt that he just felt if he wanted to save Ryūen.
“You seriously wanted to stop Ryūen from dropping out of school.”
“……Ah, yes.”
Except for me, Ibuki and a few people, many students thought Ishizaki hates Ryūen.
Of course, it was happened because of the incident between me and Ryūen, but even so, Ishizaki has been abused many times by Ryūen so far.
The person who wouldn’t lower his head to me, I have never thought if he even would beg me in order to save Ryūen.
I suppose this is also the emotion that has been developed during this 1 year period.
However, no one would have hardships if the exam somehow can be overcome only by emotions.
It seems there’s a need to explain to Ishizaki, so he easily understood why it’s difficult.
“There are 2 main reasons why I consider it’s absurd. The additional exam this time is determined by the person who held the number of the Criticism Vote in the class. For example, even if you, Ibuki, and 2 or 3 more persons didn’t cast the Criticism Vote, but cast the Praise Ticket for Ryūen, there’s a high possibility that the number of the Criticism Vote will exceed 30 votes. Since everyone else also should be displeased, if they will be dropped out of school.”
“But, but aren’t there many guys who thought if they couldn’t win and rose without Ryūen-san’s strength?”
Indeed, I suppose there are some students in D-Class who also acknowledged Ryūen’s strength. But that alone is still not enough.
It’s not enough reason to take the risk that perhaps they were the one who will be dropped out of school.
“They will aim at Ryūen who is the hated person, since they won’t be suffered the most.”
It’s exactly as Ibuki concluded.
“Even if you couldn’t rise up from the worst class, you wanted to safely proceed until graduation, right. Since everyone just wanted to avoid the crisis of holding the title such as a high-school dropout.”
Perhaps that kind of discussion should have already been conducted in C-Class. Ishizaki’s face has confirmed so.
“If you were treated as the representative who revolted against Ryūen, then you should have heard about it already, right?”
Ishizaki nodded.
Therefore, I think Ishizaki also will show his approval attitude in public.
“Ibuki, Albert and Shīna. I think everyone has agreed that Ryūen-san to be dropped out of school, except for the three of them.”
“No matter how we look at it, it’s hopeless, right?”
“Ah, it’s hopeless.”
It’s even completely.
“That’s why I came to rely on you, right. You who won against Ryūen-san……”
“Whether or not there’s a way to prevent from dropping out of school, there’s something I wanted to ask you before that.”
“What’s that……”
“What I’m saying is, by saving Ryūen means that someone else among your classmates will be dropped out of school. Do you understand that?”
That’s the important part in this exam. I have to ask that question in advance.
“That’s, that’s true, but……”
“If you said you have understood, then do you have a candidate in your class who you wanted to get rid of?”
“No, I haven’t. I have never thought something like getting rid of the companion in the class.”
“Then it’s already a contradiction. The exam this time was designed to take a victim for certain.”
It’s not an exam that you can say thoughtlessly if you wanted to save someone.
“Isn’t it what Ayanokōji said? I mean, if you seriously wanted to save Ryūen, then what if you tried to take the initiative to be dropped out of school? If you called out to everyone in order to cast the Criticism Vote for you, perhaps you can save that guy, right.”
Her cold comment was like deserting him, but I suppose that’s the highest possibility method as a matter of fact.
Ryūen has gathered up a lot of hatred from his classmates.
Even though he is a talented person who has the courage and can come up with clever schemes that an average person don’t have, but considering the fact that he has made their class fallen to the last place so far, it’s inevitable that he is the one who will be disposed.
“There’s no…… method where no one has to be dropped out of school completely, is it.”
“Naturally everyone has thought about it. And then they gave up that idea.”
“……I guess.”
Ibuki exhaled as if she was amazed briefly.
Rather than saying I can’t be relied on, Ibuki has knew from the beginning that it was an absurd conversation.
“It’s completely a waste of time too. We can’t change the fact that Ryūen will be dropped out of school.”
“Damn it!”
Ishizaki seemed frustrated, and he smacked the wall with his hand.
“I think Ryūen-san was intended to spend 3 years without doing anything. However, he should have changed his mind as soon as he heard the content of the additional exam this time. It’s inevitable if he will be forced to drop out of school. That’s why he didn’t say anything, I think he was trying to spend the time quietly, until the additional exam is over.”
I suppose he didn’t think something like self-sacrifice is a noble act. But, he just didn’t resist it.
“That’s also your duty to consider it, as the person who admired Ryūen.”
“I, I……”
Ishizaki was so frustrated and clenched his fist tightly.
You wanted to save Ryūen, is it.
No matter how many enemies he has, it’s not a bad thing to have companions who admired him.
Perhaps that guy won’t admit it, but Ryūen, you have good companions.
One idea came into my mind. But there are few insufficient elements to implement it.
“If there’s anything that I can advice to you guys in this situation……”
“What is it, anything is fine, so please tell me!”
Ishizaki has leaned forward.
I suppose he was thinking to rely on me in desperation.
However, his hopes in desperation will be shattered and he will be disappointed.
“It’s a shame if you let Ryūen’s Private Points to be lost just like that. If Ryūen has continuously received the compensation from A-Class, he has already saved up to millions of Points. Am I right?”
“That’s true, he has around that much. If he hasn’t spent it.”
“There’s no guarantee that his Private Points will be transferred and distributed, if he held it like now when he received the punishment to be dropped out of school. In that case, you should have transferred all his Points, before he was being decided as the one who will be dropped out of school. It will be an advantage for D-Class in the future.”
The amount would be sharply decreased if his Private Points have been distributed, so it’s better that they take and keep it to themselves.
Ryūen should be able to respond to that request too.
“Uh, that’s not what I’m looking for! I’m looking for a way to save Ryūen-san!”
“I said give it up, Ishizaki. Since it’s already pointless.”
Ibuki kicked Ishizaki lightly and scold him.
“But Ayanokōji, I have no intention to retrieve those Points that Ryūen has saved up.”
She said that it’s better to throw it away than beg Ryūen for those Points.
“Is that so. What about you, Ishizaki?”
“I won’t!”
Apparently, they both have the same opinion, although they have completely different mindset.
If Ryūen has dropped out of school, his Private Points will be thrown away too. They have such resolution.
No, that’s not something like an impressive resolution.
“Too bad, but you guys can’t save Ryūen.”
“Ugh……!”
Ishizaki was looking at me with a face that can’t be concluded whether he was angry or frustrating.
“Can you? The only thing you can do in this situation is retrieving those Private Points. This exam isn’t as easy as you can save someone simply by saying that you wanted to help.”
“Don’t mess with me! Take the Points from Ryūen-san and bid farewell? There’s no way that I can do that, you know!”
Ishizaki swung his fist at me.
It was Ibuki who immediately grabbed his fist to stop him.
“I said stop doing useless thing. This guy looks like an ordinary person, and that’s why he is a nasty monster.”
“I will hit him at least once, even though I’m no match for him!”
“That’s impossible, you know.”
‘Dab’, Ibuki smacked Ishizaki’s head.
“I mean, we just came to make an absurd request. Therefore, what Ayanokōji said wasn’t wrong, your anger was misplaced completely. Can you please stop it since it’s embarrassing?”
“Ugh……”
Ishizaki’s blood rushed to his head.
That means he couldn’t stay calm when it was something related to Ryūen.
Apparently, both of them have no intention to take an action.
Those idle millions of Points will be disappeared.
But if they thought about the D-Class in the future, it was something that absolutely should be retrieved.
If Ibuki and Ishizaki, who are his companions didn’t want it, then it can’t be helped……
“Although I really wanted to see your resolution a little bit more……”
“……Huh? What resolution?”
“The speech has nothing to do with you guys who can’t even retrieve those Private Points from Ryūen.”
I said so and ended the conversation.
But I have a half-confidence, Ibuki and co. definitely will try to retrieve those Private Points from Ryūen.

5
The night before the exam.
It was around 10 o’clock in the evening, and my cell phone was rung.
“It’s me. I have retrieved all Ryūen’s Private Points.”
Ibuki just told me the fact.
“You knew well my contact information.”
I asked Ibuki, but I didn’t receive any answer from her.
I remember that I informed my number to Shīna. I suppose Ibuki got it from her.
“I see. You have retrieved it.”
I have expected that she would act, but it was quite at last moment.
“Can you bring Ishizaki and come to my room after this?”
“Eh? After this?”
“Is there any problems? I have something to tell you about the Private Points that you have retrieved.”
“Not really, but…… I understand.”
Ibuki agreed to it shortly, then she immediately said that she would get in touch with Ishizaki and ended the phone call.
It was like he has premonition of something, these 2 people’s figure has shown up in around 10 minutes.
Ishizaki and Ibuki have entered my room immediately just like that.
“How much did Ryūen have?”
“A little over 5 millions.”
“That’s enough. Since I also have to prepare it in a hurry if it wasn’t enough.”
As I thought, there was no trace of embezzlement.
“What do you mean, what are you doing?”
Ishizaki couldn’t understand the purpose at all.
Ibuki who has already decided to be resolute, wasn’t confused.
“You are using these Points to do something, isn’t it?”
“That’s right.”
“Something……?”
“There’s only one situation to spend this Private Points. We will save Ryūen with those Points.”
“No, no, wait a minute. Isn’t the said method is about 20 million Points?”
The sum of Points wouldn’t be enough no matter how.
“I have something to ask before that. Ishizaki, have you prepared to take the responsibility?”
“What, what’s that suddenly. Have I prepared to take the responsibility……?”
“Saving Ryūen means you have to get rid of someone else. I have told you, right?”
“……Ah, yes.”
It can be seen that Ishizaki was nodded in panic.
“I have decided to be resolute.”
“Is that so. It’s good if you have that resolution. So, get rid of whom.”
“Get rid of whom……”
Ishizaki hasn’t decided yet who to get rid of.
“If you can’t decide, I can make the decision. So the discussion will be brief, if your guilty feelings faded away, right. Of course, if you considered that I carelessly made the decision or tried to get rid of the main figure in your class, then you don’t need to comply with it.”
“Wait, please wait. Please just let me think about it for a while……”
“There’s no time.”
“Immediately, I will draw the conclusion immediately.”
Even though he said so, then he won’t be struggling if it has been decided.
“Wait a minute, I’m fine with whomever will be got rid of, but what’s the essence of your plan? If you said we will save him with Points, aren’t we short of 15 million Points?”
It’s not surprising that Ibuki was irritated. However, I also have my own reasons.
“In order to prevent Ryūen from dropping out of school, I want you to decide someone who will be targeted.”
I will explain the detailed strategic after that matter.
“For example, how about the troublemakers in your class?”
I felt sorry for Ibuki, who felt dissatisfied, but I wanted to hasten that matter discussion.
“The so called troublemakers, eh…… well, it seems it’s me and also Komiya, then Nishino and Manabe for girls, that’s generally.”
“To be honest, besides saving Ryūen, it’s not a good idea to get rid of those guys who have some understanding of Ryūen like you. There’s no guarantee that Ryūen will remain next time, if there’s a similar exam once again.”
Therefore, I suppose some students’ name came into Ishizaki’s mind.
“That means Nishino or Manabe……”
He said so.
Both of them sound familiar to me.
As for Manabe, she is the student who I had thought I wanted to get rid of.
However, Ishizaki and co. who have the initiative.
I asked the student’s name who they decided to get rid of, and I intended to comply with them.
“Which one you will get rid of. Or there’s someone else. You have to make a decision about it.”
Ishizaki also knew the incident where Manabe and Kei had a dispute during the exam on the ship.
If that incident has an influence even for 1% on his thinking, I suppose the existence who Ishizaki will get rid of, almost certainly will be ‘Manabe’.
He was looking for the fault of his companion who he will get rid of.
For such a reason, he was looking for an escape from his own conscience to say, it’s inevitable if he has to get rid of someone.
It’s inevitable if Manabe who had laid a hand on Kei and stirred up the problems, will be chosen to be dropped out of school.
Such thought will grow in Ishizaki’s mind.
Although the problem itself has already been sealed, Manabe’s existence will be a hindrance for Kei, and that situation is something that can’t be changed.
Even though it’s only reduced by 1 troublemaker, Kei will feel at ease in her heart.
At the same time, if I let Kei found it out by herself that I have got rid of Manabe, I will gain her trust to another level.
However, suddenly a voice came from an unexpected direction.
“Can I make the decision?”
“Eh? You do?”
“Yes. Since there’s a gal who I wanted to make her to be dropped out of school.”
“Who’s it?”
I asked the question without waiting for Ishizaki’s approval.
“I want to get rid of Manabe. Although it’s my personal dislike, that’s all, you know.”
“How can we make a decision like that.”
“I think we can make a decision for such a reason. Am I wrong?”
It seemed there was no hesitation in Ibuki’s eyes.
I have understood it immediately.
“If Ishizaki has no objection, the decision is Manabe. However, there’s no guarantee for this matter yet. We only prevented Ryūen from dropping out of school, and the person who received the most Criticism Vote will be dropped out of school. That’s the plan in order to reduce the possibility that you and Ibuki will become the target. There’s not much time left.”
“I understood…… I will persuade the boys to make an adjustment, and ask them to cast the Criticism Vote for Manabe. I think they will cooperate, if I said that I intended to make her frightened, so she will be the second who have the most Criticism Vote after Ryūen.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
I decided to adopt Ishizaki’s idea.
If the Criticism Vote was absolutely for Ryūen, they will think it won’t be a particularly big problem, even if there were some people who cast the Criticism Vote to each other among other students.
“……Well, perhaps I will be dropped out of school.”
“Ah? What do you mean by that, Ibuki.”
“Perhaps Manabe and co. will also write my name along with Ryūen. That means, inevitably I will be in danger.”
“Wait, wait a minute. Are you serious about that.”
“You know about the fact that I don’t get along with Manabe, right.”
“That’s, well, that’s true, but……”
Ishizaki, who hasn’t turned his head around, was shaken.
“That means Ibuki also have decided to prepare for the worst.”
Of course, she has no choice but to give up, when the person who will be chosen, was other than Manabe.
“You should try to consult with Hiyori for girls.”
“Shīna?”
“Perhaps she will provide you guys some help with the matter this time. In order to save Ryūen, you should try to contact her if you wanted to gather up the Criticism Vote for Manabe.”
“……I understood.”
Ibuki nodded and sent a message to Hiyori.
“Do you have any connection with Shīna? However, I don’t think that girl will cooperate in our plan to get rid of Manabe.”
“I have asked her a little about the exam this time.”
That girl is always a peace-lover student, but even so, she has a strong intention to respect her class decision.
“She said she would cooperate if this matter has a benefit to the class. I suppose she will lend you guys a hand, since she has concluded if Ryūen is staying, can bring a benefit to D-Class.”
Take control the votes of the boys and the girls as much as possible.
Reduce the Praise Ticket for Manabe and increase the Criticism Vote.
And increase the Praise Ticket for Ibuki and reduce the Criticism Vote.
With this alone, I suppose the huge gap that existed at the beginning, will be sharply dropped at once.
“Well then, please tell me your plan. How are you going to save Ryūen with the sum of 5 million Points?”
Ibuki’s gaze said ‘Hurry up’ to me.
I took the cell phone with my hand, and sent an e-mail to a certain person.
Then immediately, the e-mail was read already, and that certain person told me that she would come to my room.
Since she has less than 2 hours before the time limit. She endured it well while waiting for me.
“What are you doing?”
“One person will come to visit us soon. That person is the trump card to prevent Ryūen from dropping out of school.”
“The trump card…… to prevent from dropping out of school?”
I guess they couldn’t believe it so suddenly.
A few minutes later, the doorbell of my room was rung.
Ibuki and Ishizaki increased their alertness.
“Is it alright if we were being seen in here with you?”
“Don’t worry about that. However, I’m going to ask you both to get the story straight a little.”
I told them both how to talk until the visitor has arrived.

6
“Please excuse me for the intrusion.”
Both of them naturally were surprised by the visitor’s figure who showed up in front of us. I suppose they probably have never imagined it.
“Seriously……?”
“Wow.”
“Wow, I have thought that perhaps there was someone here, but…… Good evening.”
“Good, good evening.”
Somehow Ishizaki was a bit embarrassed.
That’s right, the person who came to my room was Ichinose Honami. And then Ibuki and Ishizaki of D-Class who were presence with her.
Ibuki was looking at Ichinose, and it seemed she finally has found the answer.
“So it’s a common interest.”
“What’s it? What do you mean?”
Ishizaki who still didn’t understand, slanted his head.
“It seems so, Ibuki-san.”
“No one likes to help Ryūen. Even if some guys showed up and told me that they will cast the Praise Ticket for him, I don’t know if it was true. However…… there are exceptions.”
“That’s, that’s right. That means Ichinose will organize B-Class……”
It seemed Ishizaki finally understood and caught up with the situation.
“Um. I will appeal to everyone, and I will request them to cast the 40 tickets of the Praise Ticket held by B-Class, all of them for Ryūen-kun. On the other hand, Ibuki-san will provide us the Private Points to cover up our shortage.”
It was a one-time strategy that has been prepared to be executed.
Ichinose, who has considered the strategy to collect and save the Private Points from her companions, from the beginning of the school enrollment, and Ryūen, who has a binding contract with A-Class and continuously accumulating the Private Points.
That’s why it was a ‘Power Play’ that can only be executed by these 2 persons.
“If the 2 parties collaborated, no one from B-Class will be dropped out of school, and Ryūen can remain in D-Class.”
No matter how many Criticism Votes were gathered by Ryūen, the maximum is 39 votes.
At the moment Ryūen received the support from B-Class, all his minus votes will be nullified and turned into positive votes.
Ibuki and Ichinose were looking at each other.
There’s no trust relationship built between these 2 persons who normally haven’t got involved with each other.
However, if they looked at each other in the eye, it’s possible that they can make a judgment to a certain extent, whether the other party can be trusted.
Ichinose turned her gaze away once from Ibuki, and she also looked at me in the eye.
“I will use the 20 million Points to save the student who has been decided to be dropped out of school…… you see.”
And then she turned her gaze back to Ibuki once again.
“What will you do. It’s for you to decide, whether you accept it or not, Ichinose.”
Ichinose has the right to choose.
Since she also has an option to borrow the Points from Nagumo, and refuse Ibuki and co.’s proposal.
“I have decided my answer. If Ibuki-san and Ishizaki-kun agreed to it, let us offer you our cooperation.”
“Is it really acceptable?”
“Um. I have confirmed these 2 persons’ feelings.”
“I think you are a fool, Ichinose.”
“Eh?”
“Since you decided to spend all of the Points that you have been saving up with everyone at a time like this, although you were being swept away by various bad rumors.”
“Since we can save up our Private Points again. I know it’s also not impossible to save up the Points only close to 20 million in 1 year, you see. Moreover, I think Ibuki-san also can’t say anything about my situation, right? Right now, you even can put the 5 million Points in your own pocket. But you decided to use all of them for Ryūen-kun’s sake.”
Ibuki didn’t answer and turned her gaze away.
“You are different from me…… Besides, there’s a guy in our class who will cry in Ryūen’s place. That means I have enough reason for it.”
“Even so, you are saving Ryūen-kun, right?”
“I just don’t like…… that I ended up with strangely taking a loan from that guy.”
She was relieved, and prepared to be hated by her other companions.
Ibuki sent the sum of Private Points that has been specified to Ichinose’s cell phone.
“Please confirm.”
“Um.”
Ichinose immediately checked her own Points balance to see if it has reached 20 million Points.
“Thank you. It has arrived smoothly.”
She showed us her cell phone, and proved that it was exactly 20 million Points.
“I will be the witness of the negotiation here. I also was allowed to record the content of the conversation.”
I took out my cell phone and showed the fairness.
“Ibuki provided around 4 million Points. In return, Ichinose’s all 40 people of B-Class will cast the Praise Ticket for Ryūen. If there’s a breach of contract──”
“I believe I should be able to fulfill my responsibility, but I will drop out of school on my own.”
Of course, I, Ibuki and Ishizaki thought that there won’t be such an incident.
Since the fact that a huge sum of Points in reality has been exchanged, will also remain in the school’s records, and it’s not surprising if it will be considered as a fraudulent transaction.
However, precisely because she is Ichinose Honami, I suppose there were some part of Ibuki and co. to entrust it to her with relief too.
That was the conversation between me and Ichinose, and then Ibuki and Ishizaki.

7
The back of the school building was quiet.
“You wouldn’t have to be dropped out of school, if you took this exam seriously. You made that kind of declaration since there was this method, right?”
“Yeah. Since I knew the fact about that gal, Ichinose has been saving up the Points. Besides, that gal is a softhearted person. It seems she dislikes me, but I thought there was a room for negotiation. However, Ibuki doesn’t have much communication skills and wisdom to negotiate with those Private Points. So I intended to entrust it to her with relief…… but I didn’t know you were involved.”
“Since they requested me, I took the advantage to utilize Ibuki and co. It was a valuable incident to me, where I can build a trusting relationship with Ichinose. If I went directly to your situation, you would have seen the plan through and wouldn’t hand over those Points, right?”
“It was right that you didn’t explain anything to Ibuki.”
Ryūen will be suspicious if I did such things. He would have seen it through if it was me behind the scenes.
“Are you the guy who chose Manabe as the target?”
It’s natural for him to think so, since the fact that Kei was the target of bullying by Manabe.
“No, it’s just a coincidence. Do you know that she had a bad relationship with Ibuki?”
“I see. It was surprisingly bold for her. That gal, Manabe was crying out agonizingly.”
I can imagine somehow, what kind of reaction that she showed in the classroom.
“That means I was being saved by Ishizaki and Ibuki. It’s an annoying story.”
“Perhaps so.”
I didn’t dare to dig in any further.
If Ibuki and co. didn’t come to visit me at my room that day, I suppose I would have held that discussion with Hiyori. And then let her retrieved those Private Points and taken the actions in the same way.
In order to do Ichinose a favor, and somehow, I didn’t want Ryūen to be dropped out of school.
I had such a mixed-up feeling in the exam this time.
“What will you do, if we have the similar exam next time?”
“He he, who knows.”
He didn’t say he would do nothing.
I think it means that there’s also some empathy in Ryūen’s heart to Ibuki and Ishizaki.
Perhaps it will be interesting if Ryūen returned to the front line in the near future.
Of course, it depends on Ryūen, whether it will be happened or not.
My cell phone rang. Ichinose’s name was being displayed on the screen.
When Ryūen knew that there was a phone call from someone, he turned his back and went back into the school building without saying anything.
“It seems it ended that no one in B-Class was dropping out of school.”
“Um. We concentrated the votes on Kanzaki-kun, who took over the Criticism Vote, and was decided to be dropped out of school. After that, we paid 20 million Points to cancel the school expulsion. It was very close, but everyone in B-Class was safe and sound.”
“I see. But the price that you have paid isn’t cheap.”
Although it’s temporarily, B-Class has become poorer than D-Class now.
Although the Private Points will be transferred immediately in April, they will be living a quite difficult life.
Moreover, perhaps we will need the Private Points, as soon as we moved up to the 2ND grade.
We don’t need to confirm such matter for now.
“We can earn the Private Points back if we lost it. But if we lost any one of our important companions, they won’t return anymore, isn’t it.”
It seems I have said unnecessarily things.
Ichinose has no hesitation.
I could sense such intention clearly, that she wanted to graduate with all the members of B-Class.
“But perhaps Ryūen-kun wouldn’t be pleased with this result. After all, it seems the person who was chosen to be dropped out of school, was Manabe-san.”
I didn’t mention the fact that I met Ryūen just now, and pretended that I didn’t hear that point.
“Ichinose, were you close with Manabe?”
“I’m not really close. I guess we had a conversation at least a few times. Even so, I’m lonely though. Totsuka-kun from A-Class and Yamauchi-kun from C-Class will be gone……”
Perhaps she hardly believed the situation was happened in reality yet.
“Do you think someone will disappear like this again somewhere?”
That question was asked by Ichinose, who felt uneasy.
“I suppose so.”
The students who were usually existed, their figure suddenly disappeared.
“Even so, you will continue to fight, right?”
“Um. I will move up to A-Class and graduate with all the companions I have now.”
Until now, perhaps some people remained to put a label to Ichinose as a hypocrite. But I suppose it would have been wiped out completely now.
No matter what has happened, Ichinose continued to fight to the end in order to protect her class.
“……I’m truly grateful, Ayanokōji-kun. I, if Ayanokōji-kun wasn’t there……”
“You will go on a date with Nagumo, right?”
“……Um.”
Ichinose replied as if she was certain.
“Even though I also knew it was foolish. That’s why I tried to convince myself, and I said it would be cheap if my classmates were saved…… But── Therefore, I felt relieved from the bottom of my heart, when I knew that I could pass the exam without choosing that method.”
I found out through the cell phone that she breathed a sigh as she patted down her chest.
“Since I’m certain, I knew I will regret it one day.”
Ichinose said so and laughed again.
“If I and the Student Council President weren’t existed, what you will do in this exam.”
“……You wanted to ask that question?”
“Don’t be anxious. There’s no way that you haven’t thought about something, right?”
“Um, there were 2 plans. The first plan, I choose to resign.”
Just as I thought, Ichinose also has included the thought that she would resign herself.
“However, I had a feeling that’s a bit wrong somehow, right. I’m also a student of this school, and I have the intention that I wanted to fight to the end.”
Then, that means she preferred the other plan.
“The other plan is…… drawing lots.”
“I see……”
It seemed no one thought of it, and it can’t be realized without approval.
“Was everyone in B-Class decided for the worst that it will be draw lots?”
“Um. If we couldn’t prepare the measures to prevent the school expulsion by the appointed day, then as decided through our discussion, we will draw lots at that time, and we will write down the name of 3 people who drew out as the loser. I think we didn’t discuss about cast the Praise Ticket for whom, and it will be taken without preparation.”
It’s not about the student’s merits and so on, but that’s the only way to judge them as completely equal.
I think even if Ichinose’s name was drawn out, everyone came to an agreement that it will be offset by the Praise Ticket.
“It’s a treatment as equal as possible. But it absolutely won’t be agreed in other classes.”
The excellent students obviously will refuse it.
“No one wants to be dropped out of school, but I don’t want to see my companions disappear. Everyone would give their approval if I explained it properly.”
I suppose it’s precisely because there was an absolute leader named Ichinose.
“I’m impressed.”
I suppose I couldn’t convey it because we were over the phone, but I bowed my head and expressed my respect to Ichinose.
The strategy itself is nothing impressive. It’s a great thing to be under the environment where it can be implemented.
“Well then, see you later. I’m truly grateful, Ayanokōji-kun.”
“I’m just acting as the mediator. I think you should be grateful to Ryūen and his companions.”

8
I found out that 1 e-mail had arrived right after the phone call ended.
“It’s Sakayanagi.”
I didn’t know where she got my contact information, but let’s meet face to face for the time being.
I thought she certainly would come to see the bulletin board, but……
I headed to meet Sakayanagi, who had sent me a message that she would be waiting for me in the special building.
The appointment time has already passed, but I suppose we could still meet up now.
I immediately arrived at the special building, at the location where we both had talked in-depth last time.
“Thank you for coming.”
“If you knew my e-mail address, I think you have my phone number too, is it?”
“Since I was thinking I wouldn’t mind in that way, if I couldn’t see you.”
“What do you want to say?”
“Just in case, I suppose I should give an explanation to you.”
Sakayanagi said so while leaning on her cane, and shortened a little distance between me and her.
“I had thought you probably felt a little uneasy, since I had done some kind of behavior that made you confused, but it seems I was worrying too much, isn’t it.”
Naturally, what Sakayanagi was saying, was the incident where she manipulated Yamauchi to gather up the Criticism Vote for me.
“I trusted you about 90%, when you came to talk to me directly if you wanted to postpone our match. However, I also conducted something, since I couldn’t trust you completely. Just in case, I had to take measures.”
“I understand. But it shouldn’t break my promise, right?”
“You didn’t cause any disadvantages towards me. Besides, you weren’t lying, right.”
I was being forced into mental strain, but if we looked at the result alone, I’m the holder of an overwhelming number of the Praise Ticket.
There’s no circumstance anywhere for me to blame Sakayanagi.
“Thank you.”
Sakayanagi bowed her head slightly and expressed her gratitude.
“By the way…… The Criticism Vote for Totsuka-kun was 36 votes, but he should have held 38 votes of the Criticism Vote in total. You cast the Praise Ticket for him, didn’t you?”
“I wasn’t sure. However, since I thought what you said was a bluff, if Katsuragi was chosen to be dropped out of school.”
If that so, there’s a high possibility that Yahiko, who was Katsuragi’s supporter, will be targeted.
Even though I cast 1 vote for him, it wasn’t necessarily changed anything.
“That’s wonderful. Just as I thought, you are the opponent who I should defeat.”
“So? Did you just want to make fun of me on that matter now?”
“That’s too…… I will be lying if I say no. However, there’s a particular reason why I said that I wanted you to let me postpone our match on the exam this time. I also had told you similar thing a while ago, but I think this additional exam was obviously a stage setting that someone tried to prepare, in order to force you to be dropped out of school. In fact, the person who sent me the e-mail has told me to force you to drop out of school.”
“E-mail?”
“Yes. I guess that person was from the school’s side who framed my father to be suspended from office. Originally, related to this additional exam, that person also intended to conduct this exam in a way where the other classes will cast the Criticism Vote, rather than cast the Praise Ticket, so I suppose there’s no doubt about it. That would really be irrational exam, right.”
“If such a rule was tolerated, any student can be forced to drop out of school by conspiracy.”
It’s an absurd exam where we can defeat both Sakayanagi and Ichinose, if we wanted to defeat them.
“Yes. There was a fierce resistance from the current school staff members too, and it seemed that situation merely could be prevented. There’s nothing more boring than cooperated with such a thing and forced you to drop out of school. Therefore, in order to protect you at all costs, I decided to cast all the Praise Ticket of A-Class that I can get for you. By doing such a thing, then you won’t be dropped out of school for the time being, even if someone maneuvered secretly.”
“Then, why it was Yamauchi? Did you just make use of him by chance?”
“Do you remember? During the previous Training Camp, he bumped into me and took a rude attitude.”
Come to think of it, there was such an incident.
“It’s my revenge, you know.”
Just by that incident, and that’s the reason why he was being targeted.
No, perhaps that alone was plenty for Sakayanagi.
“However, I just took my chance. The fact he alone was being got rid of, since he was an unneeded student in the class.”
“That’s true.”
Even if Sakayanagi didn’t get involved in the exam this time, I think the result was almost the same.
“Well. That’s the main reason why I avoided the exam this time. And the rest, I hope my father can be reinstated as soon as possible, and recover the school management to normal, but──”
There’s no one else in the special building. A figure all of a sudden has entered into the room where we both were.
“Yo! Hello.”
A man whose body dressed in a suit showed up his figure in front of us.
“It’s my first time coming to this school. Do you know where the location of the school administration office?”
“The school administration office, I see, but I think it’s also surprising that you are looking for a place in the wrong direction. By the way, I don’t mean to be rude, but who are you, sir?”
“My name is Tsukishiro, who in particular will fill the position of the Board Chairman ad-interim this time.”
He waved his hand politely, and pretended to smile tenderly.
I think he is in his 40’s, a young Board Chairman like Sakayanagi’s father.
“He he, oh really. However, if you got lost and entered here by coincidence, it seems the Board Chairman ad-interim considerably has no sense of direction. Or…… I imagined if you found us from the surveillance camera, and came here to examine the situation. This place is the location where I and Ayanokōji-kun used it for our secret meeting during the exam period. I suppose you can easily come over, if you have always been keeping an eye on us.”
When I heard that words, I recalled the unnatural gaze direction that Sakayanagi showed before.
Perhaps she tried to lure him out, in case someone was watching the situation where she has a meeting with me here. It seemed that’s what she thought.
That means the other party has fallen for her trick.
The Board Chairman ad-interim Tsukishiro, evaded such remarks from Sakayanagi with a smile.
“You, young lady who said an amusing thing. Well, well, I have heard if it’s a very pleasant high school, so are all the students like you? Well then, excuse me.”
That man walked as if he came in between us both.
“Shouldn’t you turn back and go down while looking for the school administration office? It’s a different school building.”
With a smiling face, Tsukishiro kicked away Sakayanagi’s cane who informed him with such politeness.
Of course, Sakayanagi who couldn’t deal with the circumstance, was about to fall by that unexpected action.
“Ah.”
I hurriedly held her in my arms in order to support her, then soon after, one big arm aimed at my body.
I couldn’t move while holding Sakayanagi, and took that blow, but I neutralized the impact as much as possible and let Sakayanagi sit on the floor.
That arm drew near and grabbed my neck in quick succession, and pressed me against the wall with enormous strength.
“You are not as good as what I heard from the rumors, Ayanokōji Kiyotaka-kun.”
I couldn’t speak out in the situation where my throat was pressed strongly.
It seems hard for me to shake him off easily, with his strength that beyond imagination from his outward appearance.
“……You are doing a remarkable thing, the Board Chairman ad-interim.”
“Even though you are suppose to carry out the instruction. I wanted you to force him to drop out of school.”
“That email was from your associate, is it. Although it’s no wonder he wanted to rely on someone like me, since the school officials frankly wouldn’t force a student to drop out of school.”
Sakayanagi sneered while getting up slowly.
“Thank you for saving me, Ayanokōji-kun.”
To Sakayanagi who has a handicapped body, telling her to avoid from falling is asking the impossible.
There’s a possibility that she would be suffered more severe than just falling.
“Don’t you think it will be a problem if the Board Chairman ad-interim was acting violence to a student?”
“You don’t need to worry. Since the surveillance camera that is monitoring here has been replaced with a dummy image.”
In other words, nothing remains in the recording, no matter what happens.
“Now, It’s the message from your father. ‘I have no intention to play along with my child any more, come home immediately’. He said something like that. Would you blink twice if you agree?”
I didn’t say a word either, and I don’t even have an option to refuse.
Indeed, it’s typical of that man’s style.
“He said you have no intention to drop out of school voluntarily.”
The Board Chairman ad-interim looked bored and muttered, when I didn’t answer anything and remained silent to the end.
“Why don’t you show me even one resistance? Please show me the feature that you aren’t an ordinary child.”
The impact that he caused on my throat became stronger.
He isn’t an opponent with the ability that an ordinary high school student can deal with. He is a well-trained opponent.
“I suppose only your insight is qualified. Won’t you let me see your ability?”
He repeated his provocation once more. But I didn’t show any resistance.
Tsukishiro released his hand, when he noticed the fact that I have no intention to fight back in the end.
“I will officially begin my activities in this school from April. Please look forward to it.”
That man declared that only, and left the special building.
“It was a wise choice, Ayanokōji-kun.”
Sakayanagi praised me for the fact that I didn’t show any resistance or fought back.
“The opponent is the Board Chairman ad-interim. Since I don’t know how he will manipulate of it, if I fought back recklessly.”
He said that the surveillance camera was showing a dummy image, but there’s no guarantee that he wasn’t recording the conversation in this place just now.
If only the image of the Board Chairman ad-interim committed a violent action was cut out, it will be a checkmate for me.
“Is your body all right?”
“Don’t worry. I’m used to that sort of thing. Rather than that, Sakayanagi.”
“Yes, what’s the matter?”
“Let have a match with me officially in the next exam.”
It seemed Sakayanagi was surprised and widened her eyes when I told her so.
“I have never thought if you would tell me like that face to face.”
“If that man will come to interfere from April, it seems I won’t have long enough time to be your opponent. I would like to end it and decide the victory and defeat clearly.”
“It’s no problem. I don’t need 2 or 3 times, I will be delighted for having you as my opponent.”
The 1ST grade final exam will begin soon. So, let’s end the showdown that Sakayanagi have been wishing for.

9
On Monday. Some of the students thought Yamauchi will be coming to school.
They thought it was just a threat to be dropped out of school in that exam.
I suppose some of them would slightly have such as expectation. But the reality is harsh.
The number of desks lined up in the classroom has been reduced by one since the weekend. The spot where Yamauchi Haruki was located, already wasn’t reserved anywhere.
There’s no Hirata’s smiling face. There’s no Kushida’s smiling face too.
Sudō and Ike weren’t really having any motivation too.
“──So, I will announce the final exam for the 1ST grade after this.”
We, the 1ST grade of C-Class, will proceed to the next stage to the final special exam for the 1ST grade.