COTE V10 - Chapter 2 (Revised)

The Class Poll

The next day was Tuesday, March 2ND.
The morning homeroom session. Chiyabashira arrived at the classroom, soon after the buzzer was rung.
It was the usual scene every day. My classmates were in a relaxed mood.
The fact that we all passed the end term exams safely has been announced yesterday, and there are still a few days until March 8TH, when the last special exam for the 1ST grade will begin.
That’s why it was natural that no classmate should have a nervous feeling anywhere.
However, the expression of Chiyabashira who stood on the podium was more serious than ever. That nervous mood began to spread and infected us, the students as well.
“Er, I wonder what has happened.”
Hirata, who always considers our class serenity as first priority, took the initiative to ask the question to Chiyabashira.
Chiyabashira remained silent and didn’t answer him immediately. That kind of look as if she felt reluctant to say a word.
From the course of events so far, she would have announced any kind of difficult situation without mercy, so all the students also didn’t need too much time to understand that there was something unusual from her appearance.
“There’s something that I have to announce to you guys.”
She spoke out dejectedly.
Her expression was as stern as usual, but we got the impression like she was struggling to pull out her voice from the depth of her throat.
“As I told you guys yesterday, the last special exam for the 1ST grade will begin on March 8TH. By passing this special exam, your promotion to the 2ND grade will be considered as completed. It’s the generally speaking.”
Chiyabashira turned around, grabbed the chalk with her hand and reached out to the blackboard.
“However, this year’s situation is just a slightly different from last year.”
“What’s the difference?”
Hirata, who felt something alarming and threatening, asked again.
“Not even one person has dropped out of school from your academic year, even after the end term exams were ended. The fact that you guys advanced to this stage without anyone dropping out of school, has never happened in the history of this school to date.”
“That’s, that means we are excellence, right.”
I suppose it doesn’t mean Ike got carried away, but he interrupted and said so.
If it was the usual Chiyabashira, perhaps she would have reminded him for not being conceited.
“That’s true. Even the school side agreed on that point. Normally, I suppose we can say that it was a delightful event. Even we as the school side, we hope that our students can be graduated as many as possible. But even so, I have to say that as our situation was ‘Different from the school’s anticipation’, was accompanied by some problems.”
It was a strange phrase. Hirata and my neighbor Horikita felt uneasy with that phrase.
“As if you were saying that the school side was bothered by that, you know. The fact that no one has dropped out of school to date.”
“That’s not true. However, sometimes the situation that happened would go beyond my expectations.”
It was a delightful topic to talk about, but Chiyabashira’s words were depressing for some reason.
In order to get rid of that uneasy feeling, Horikita continued to ask.
“I wonder what you wanted to tell us. Is there something wrong with us?”
But no matter what Horikita said, I suppose the content that Chiyabashira said after this wouldn’t change.
She doesn’t have the freedom to do as she pleased. As the school side personnel, she only plays the role to announce the instructions.
“The school side considered the fact that no one has dropped out of school from you guys, the 1ST grade students──”
Chiyabashira stopped her remarks for a moment.
Then she squeezed out the words that stuck inside her throat.
“As ‘The measures for the special case’, it has been decided that the additional special exam will be held immediately from today.”
She began to write down the words, today’s date, Tuesday, March 2ND, and the so-called additional special exam on the blackboard.
“Eh, what? What nonsense is that! Don’t you think something like an additional special exam is horrible! You said the school added a special exam, just because there was no one has dropped out of school, it’s something like what a kid would do!”
Towards Ike who shouted, Chiyabashira ceased it completely with her gaze.
It’s impossible for us, the students to have the right to refuse.
No, perhaps she had no choice but to announce it.
It seems Chiyabashira wasn’t calm unlike her usual today.
It seems she didn’t mean to frighten us, but there’s a high possibility it was really something that the school has decided suddenly.
“It seems the situation is slightly different from what we have gone through to date.”
Horikita, who realized that it’s meaningless to argue at this moment, muttered in low voice.
“Only those who could pass that special exam can proceed to the special exam on March 8TH.”
Chiyabashira, who explained it faintly, paused for a moment.
“I really can’t accept it somehow! I can’t believe the school held an additional exam only in our time!”
“It’s natural for you guys to feel displeased too. The school has implemented a special exam that wasn’t on schedule. Even though it will increase one more exam in comparison to the previous years, but inevitably it will become a burden to all the students. As a matter of fact, I and others teachers were accepting it dejectedly as well.”
The teachers were accepting it dejectedly as well, really.
In other words, the teachers were feeling responsible for the additional exam, but the school didn’t think so. We could conclude it as well from her statement like that.
Indeed, adding an extra special exam at this moment will be nothing but distress for the students.
For example, if it’s something like a written exam where an academic ability is required, we, the students have to work hard to re-study, and even though it’s an exam in physical strength would be the same, we would need to devise the countermeasures.
It’s cruel to force it on the students, no matter which one it will be chosen particularly.
However, even though we, the students tried to complain in unison, it doesn’t mean the special exam will be cancelled.
Chiyabashira continued her speech.
“The contents of the special exam are very simple. And the dropout rate per class alone is even less than 3%, it can’t be said it’s high.”
The dropout rate is less than 3%, it certainly feels low from what we heard that way.
However, perhaps the situation of this additional special exam would be different from the written exams and the like so far.
But there’s no need to mention something like the dropout rate first intentionally. She had never made that kind of announcement in the exam so far.
The students who noticed it would feel suspicious even more.
I turned my gaze to my neighbor once, and our eyes met by coincidence since she was looking at me at the same time.
“What’s wrong, Ayanokōji-kun?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
“If you looked in my direction for no reasons, it will only make me feel slightly disgusted, you know?”
“……That’s true.”
I turned my gaze away and decided to look out the window for a moment.
We were in a small classroom, I could hear all the conversation details, no matter what direction I was looking at.
“I wonder what type of exam it will be in general, and as for us, I wonder what kind of ability will be tested.”
“It seems you guys are feeling anxious about that point, but there’s nothing that need to be worried about. As for the additional special exam, it has nothing to do with intelligence or physical strength and the like. It’s just a simple thing that anyone can do it easily on the exam day. So, it’s something like write your own name on a test paper. As for the consequence, I think 3% is a low possibility for dropping out of school, don’t you agree?”
She was trying not to mention the true nature of the exam content to the end.
“……We aren’t concerned about the difficulty level. From our point of view, that 3% is frightening.”
“Indeed, just as you said, Hirata. It’s not like I can’t understand how worried you guys feel to that 3%. However, whether that 3% can be lowered, will depend on your action during the preparation period to the actual exam. I suppose you have got the idea.”
“I wonder where the less than 3% figure was derived from. Judging from what you said, you don’t mean it’s a simple draw lots, right?”
The possibility if one person from our class will be dropped out of school isn’t funny.
Chiyabashira said the 3% casually, but the burden on the student side is heavier than she thought.
That’s why Hirata, who realized it first, was very upset at her on that point.
“Please tell us. What kind of special exam it will be generally.”
“The special exam is called── the ‘Class Poll’.”
“The Class Poll…… is it.”
She began to write the name of the special exam on the blackboard.
“I will begin to explain the rules of the special exam. For 4 days starting from today, you guys will be evaluated by your classmates. Then select 3 students who you thought they deserved to be praised and 3 students who you thought they deserved to be criticized, and cast the vote on the exam day on Saturday. That’s all.”
That means the students and their comrades will evaluate each other.
In simple conclusion, the students like Hirata and Kushida would gather up many votes and get into the top ranks.
On the contrary, the students who were considered as troublemakers or hindrances to the class would receive the Criticism Vote, and that means they would drop to the bottom ranks.
We could notice the urgency, judging from the fact that the school would even use Saturday to hold the exam, which is basically supposed to be our rest day.
However, judging from Chiyabashira’s statement, the students on the top ranks and at the bottom ranks would──
“That’s, that’s all? Is that all what we have to do in the exam?”
“That’s right. That’s just it. I have said it, right? It’s a simple exam.”
“With such rules, how do you determine our merits or demerits, whether we passed or failed in the exam?”
“I will begin to explain that now.”
Chiyabashira held the chalk firmly and wrote on the blackboard again to proceed.
“The essential point of this special exam is the Praise Ticket and the Criticism Vote that have been gathered up as the voting result. The top rank…… that means the student in the 1ST place who has gathered the most number of Praise Ticket, will be awarded with a special reward. This special reward isn’t the Private Point, but a new system called the ‘Protection Point’ that will give you one privilege.”
It was the kind of Point that we have never heard before.
Of course, everyone was interested in it.
“As for the Protection Point, it’s a privilege to invalidate, even if by any chance you received the school expulsion measure. Even if you got the failing grade in the test, you can nullify just as much as your shortage of points, if you have this Protection Point. However, this Protection Point can’t be transferred to someone else.”
It’s no exaggeration to say that an unprecedented astonishment spread in the classroom at the moment we heard it.
“I believe you guys know it too, how amazing this Protection Point. In essence, it has a value that even equivalent to 20 million of the Private Points. Of course, to the outstanding students who weren’t worried of dropping out of school, perhaps it’s not particularly worth it and useless, right.”
I think that’s not true.
Anyone definitely wanted to have a privilege that can nullify the punishment of dropping out of school once.
There are no such students who don’t want this privilege.
The reward is too great. No, it’s too luxurious.
It seems this Protection Point could even transform into incredible weapon, depending on how it was utilized.
And precisely because the reward was luxurious, it even proved that there was also a heavier punishment would be given to the people at bottom ranks.
“Does it mean something terrible would happen to the 3 persons at the bottom ranks……?”
Hirata, who felt uneasy about it, asked the question.
“No. Only one person who received the most Criticism Vote in the class, would be the victim of the punishment this time. Other students won’t be punished, no matter how many Criticism Votes they received. Since the task of the additional special exam this time is ‘To elect one person in the 1ST place, and to determine one person in last place’.”
“What kind of punishment is it?”
“The additional special exam this time obviously isn’t the same as before, and one point is different significantly. I mean the exam was implemented in order to resolve ‘No one has dropped out of school’, which was the reason why the additional exam was held.”
Correct. What the students should be worried about is the reason why this additional special exam was implemented.
If the exam was held since no one has dropped out of school to date──
“The difficulty level of the special exam itself is as simple as I have explained. This exam won’t be disadvantageous for both students with low academic ability, and students who are weak in athleticism. But why the school prepared an exceptional reward called the Protection Point. For that reason, perhaps it’s impossible that everyone was promoted without anyone dropping out of school in this exam.”
Chiyabashira’s gaze was directed toward the students, one by one.
“That’s right, the student who was in last place…… will be expelled from this school.”
We will get the result, if we held the voting. Who was in the 1ST place and in last place will be decided, if the results were announced. And the student in last place will be expelled from school.
In short, this process will inevitably happen.
The result of all classes will be the same, no matter how outstanding the class was.
The only difference is the ‘Who’ part. Just as I thought, it was that kind of exam.
The additional exam this time was decided by the school authority that was frustrated by the fact that no one has dropped out of school.
It will be meaningless to hold the additional exam, if no one dropped out of school even after the additional exam was conducted.
However, Sakayanagi’s father who is the Board Chairman of this school, was crossed in my mind.
It doesn’t mean that I could judge his character entirely by meeting him once only, but he didn’t seem like the type of person who would hold this kind of unreasonable exam.
“I, I don’t understand what you mean, Sensei. If, if someone became in last place, I mean um…… are you seriously saying that one person will be expelled from school?”
“That’s right. That person will be sent to the guillotine. But rest assured, there’s no punishment will be given to the class itself, even though someone will be expelled from school this time. Since the exam was like that.”
It’s obviously different from the special exam so far.
Although there’s a difference in the probability of each person will be expelled from school, everyone was equal in every way to avoid dropping out of school.
However, someone will certainly become a victim of the system this time. That was the so-called ‘Special case’ prepared by the school side.
The exam approach was forcing us to drop out of school, that’s why the school had to offer something like the Protection Point.
Even so, the reward is incomparable with the risk we have to bear.
“I suppose you would think it’s unreasonable. That’s what I thought too as your Sensei. However, you guys can’t refuse it since it has been decided. You guys had no choice but follow the rules and take the special exam.”
“You are saying something like that is acceptable, is it……”
The dark clouds surrounded our class that has just overcome the end term exam. At the weekend, someone from this class will be gone.
“Let me continue to explain the exam rules, since the time to the voting day is limited. All the students who became the subject of praise and criticism in the Class Poll, will be published publicly along with the end of the exam. In other words, the result of everyone in the class will be announced. However, it will be an anonymous method where related to who cast the vote for whom, will never be disclosed.”
Indeed, an anonymous voting is inevitable if the exam was conducted with this method.
Leaving aside the Praise Ticket, since the details of who cast the Criticism Vote for whom, will also ignite the disputes in the future.
“And then, 1 vote of the Praise Ticket and 1 vote of the Criticism Vote will cancel each other out. For example, even if you received the Criticism Vote from 10 people, if you obtained the Praise Ticket from 30 people, it means your balance will be positive 20 votes of Praise Ticket. You can’t turn yourself into the subject to cast the vote, regardless of the Praise Ticket or the Criticism Vote. And it’s also prohibited to fill in the same person’s name multiple times.”
“Abstain…… For example, can we do thing like fill in the Praise Ticket only?”
“Of course not. You have to fill in all the 3 persons’ name, regardless of the Praise Ticket or the Criticism Vote. For example, even though you got sick and absent from school on the exam day, your vote have to be conducted.”
In other words, the condition of blank vote ticket or abstain from voting isn’t permitted by the school.
Some students looked worried.
It’s a frightening exam for the students who have self-awareness that they will receive the Criticism Vote.
I suppose those students who completely relied on others to overcome the exam would feel more pressure.
“……No, it’s too early to feel despair.”
Hirata encouraged Ike and friends in order to let them calm down.
“Sensei, I heard you said ‘Perhaps’ it’s impossible. In other words, there should be a loophole somewhere.”
In case of the exam so far, she also has already prepared a way out from such a riddle. However, what about the situation this time.
I suppose the word of ‘Perhaps’ wasn’t just an expression, but it also hinted that there’s a limited method.
“It’s not easy, but there’s a way to prevent from dropping out of school for sure.”
“What, what do you mean, Horikita?”
“If only everyone in the class can cooperate and control the vote, which means we choose 3 persons for the Praise Ticket and 3 persons for the Criticism Vote, both the students who were chosen only for the Praise Ticket and the students who were chosen only for the Criticism Vote can be made 0 votes. In that case, there’s no one would be in last place. Am I right?”
“I, I see, that’s right! As we had expected from Suzune!”
Indeed, I suppose it’s possible if all of our classmates would act as instructed.
However, even if there’s only 1 person turned traitor, the person who was betrayed by that student, will be on the way to ‘Leave the school’ at that time.
After all, everyone is also expecting for the attractive reward called the Protection Point for the 1ST place.
Perhaps someone like Kushida, who hated Horikita would become a problem, but that matter can be prevented with some adjustments.
We can avoid the crisis to a certain extent, if Kushida was assigned with the role to cast the Criticism Vote for Horikita.
We can also identify later who has turned traitor, once the final number of votes result was announced.
In short, the traitor will be exposed. I suppose the students can’t betray their class thoughtlessly.
“Horikita mentioned about controlling the vote just now, but that’s really pointless.”
“What’s the reason, Sensei?”
“The special exam this time won’t be completed if 1 person each for ‘The 1ST place and the last place’ weren’t selected. Whether it’s intentionally or unintentionally, the voting will be held once again if the voting result was 0 votes for everyone. In other words, the exam will be repeated endlessly until the person who will be dropped out of school was decided.”
The escape route for those students who were hurriedly looking for a way out has been blocked.
“That’s── don’t you think it was strange for the rules? If the result of the students who were chosen to be the most praised and criticized would be 0 votes by chance, the result would be the same even though we were voting once again. I think it can’t be said that the student was chosen with a proper evaluation, if we manipulated the result forcibly.”
“Horikita, your reasoning is correct. Indeed, I agree that it seems there’s a contradiction in re-voting itself, if the result would be 0 votes by chance. But let’s think about it realistically. In the exam that let you choose the 1ST place and the last place, it’s almost ‘Impossible’ to happen where everyone has a 0 votes result even by chance. Am I wrong?”
The fact that Chiyabashira pointed out was very reasonable too.
The so-called 0 votes result would hardly happen, if we didn’t adjust it intentionally.
“……Then what will happen if there are 2 or more persons with the same number of votes for the 1ST place or the last place?”
That situation is quite possible to happen.
“A decisive voting will be held in either case. But even so, perhaps the number of votes will be split evenly again sometimes. If that happens, the students’ merits will be decided with the special method prepared by the school. That method can’t be explained at this stage.”
That means she would only inform us about the decisive voting thoroughly, if the same number of votes was happened in the end.
It seems the possibility that we got entangled to that extent is quite low.
“There’s no need to worry. I think the possibility that it would be a decisive voting in reality, is almost close to zero.”
Chiyabashira added, and it was similar to my thought.
“Why? It should be considered as enough possibility.”
“The reason is…… since you will also be asked to cast the vote for the students of the other classes, in relation to the Praise Ticket.”
“The other classes, is it.”
“You guys will be asked to select and cast the vote for 1 student who you thought he/she deserved to be praised, 1 person from 3 classes other than your own class. Of course, it will be counted as 1 vote of Praise Ticket. In short, if by any chance there’s a student who was simply hated in the class, but favored by everyone in other classes, that means it’s possible that he/she could even obtain around 80 votes of Praise Ticket, even after deducted with the Criticism Votes.”
That means there are more than 100 unexpected and undecided votes of Praise Ticket.
In that case, the possibility that it would be a decisive voting with the same number of votes, would be much lower for sure.
We could say that the entire detail of the additional exam has become clear now.
The additional exam • The Class Poll
The Exam Content:
An exam where each student will be given 3 votes for each of the Praise Ticket and the Criticism Vote, and the students will cast the vote in the class to obtain the result.
Rule 1 • The Praise Ticket and the Criticism Vote will cancel each other out. Praise Ticket - Criticism Vote = Result.
Rule 2 • The students can’t cast the vote for themselves, regardless of the Praise Ticket or Criticism Vote.
Rule 3 • Any conduct such as fill in the same person’s name multiple times, blank vote ticket, or abstain from voting are prohibited as well.
Rule 4 • The exam will be held repeatedly until the person in the 1ST place and the last place are decided, and the person in last place will be expelled from school.
Rule 5 • Each person also has 1 vote of an exclusive Praise Ticket in order to vote for a student in other classes, and fill it in is a mandatory.
The above mentioned were the contents of the additional exam.
There’s no doubt that this exam is very simple and very easy. However, I suppose its contents can be said that it’s the most merciless exam so far.
At the weekend, ‘Someone’ from this class and from other classes will be gone. However──
“Sensei. I wonder why you added the word of ‘Perhaps’. I couldn’t think of any loophole, no matter how I listened to it.”
“You are right. There’s no loophole. However, it’s true that this exam has uncertainties. I suppose you guys have kept it in your mind as well, but the situation will be different if you use the Private Point.”
“That’s what you mean, and we can handle the school expulsion measure with the Private Point?”
“20 million of Points. If you guys can prepare that amount, the school has no choice but to revoke the school expulsion for this reason, right.”
That’s why she said ‘Perhaps’.
It seems the school doesn’t limit the transfer of the Private Point, which means we have been approved to make use of it in negotiations.
In other words, we can take the Praise Ticket, if we can obtain it with the Private Point. It has been considered as merit as well.
The ‘Capability’ that I have been demonstrated to my surroundings during 1 year period.
The ‘Financial strength’ that we have been accumulated through the exams.
Or even the so-called ‘Team strength’ through friendship.
In short, we can demonstrate those and show it off at will.
“Wait, please wait a moment. Something like 20 million of Points……”
“It’s impossible, even if you gathered up everyone’s Private Points in C-Class, right. Whether you guys gathered it up from other classes or received donations from your upperclassmen. It’s not an impossible amount that you could never reach.”
Indeed, those Points will be reachable physically, if we gather them up across classes or academic years.
However, I suppose it will be difficult if we were asked whether those Points can be collected in order to protect one of the students in C-Class.
There’s a high possibility that even in A-Class or B-Class couldn’t reach that amount, even though they gathered up the Points among their comrades.
No, for example, even though they could reach that amount, it will be a doubtful matter if they were asked whether it can be used in order to protect 1 student.
It’s quite risky to use up the entire assets we have accumulated to date.
“That’s the only defense method that can defy the school rules. I will affirm it in advance that it’s absolutely impossible to do something like finding the flaws in the school rules other than that method. You guys will judge and decide it later.”
Chiyabashira concluded her speech in order to match the time with the homeroom session was over.
We, the students were driven by anxiety along with Sensei’s figure was leaving.
“What should we do, what should we do, seriously, I can’t believe the worst exam has begun!”
“You boys are noisy!”
“What do you mean noisy! I suppose you don’t mind to cast the Criticism Vote for me, do you!”
Boys and girl mixed up and cursed one another in order to warn each other.
“It’s nasty, you know.”
One guy sneered while watching the quarrel between boys and girls. He was even the extraordinary eccentric existence in our class, Kōenji Rokusuke.
“You couldn’t do anything even though you are panicked at this moment, right?”
“You bastard also, are you in a position where you allowed to talk? Do you realize how much trouble that you have brought to our class so far?”
Sudō said so and approached Kōenji.
Indeed, Kōenji has troubled our class with his manner to act as he pleases so far.
“You bastard one-sidedly withdrew from both the Uninhabited Island Exam and the Sports Festival, didn’t you!”
All eyes in the class were gathered at both of them.
It’s what the weak-minded students were hoping for now. There’s someone who will be the victim, since they don’t want themselves to be expelled from school.
“You are the one who doesn’t understand, Red Hair-kun.”
Kōenji crossed his legs and placed them on the desk.
“It seemed you were thinking that what you have cultivated over this 1 year period is the key to this special exam, right.”
“I certainly think so!”
“Wrong. This is the special exam to anticipate for the next 2 years period.”
Kōenji flatly denied Sudō’s remarks, no, he denied everyone’s opinions in our class.
“Huh? What are you talking about……”
I suppose Sudō, who couldn’t understand it, would have thought that it was Kōenji’s nonsense talk as usual.
“Are you ready to listen? This exam is literally a special case. The class where someone was expelled from school will receive a huge penalty as the rule, right? However, there’s absolutely no penalty this time. In other words, we can say that it’s a good opportunity in order to get rid of the ‘Unneeded student’, right.”
“For that reason, I’m saying that you are the target, our class troublemaker!”
“No. I’m not the one.”
“Huh? ……What the hell is your reason to say so?”
“The reason why is, because I’m excellent.”
Kōenji stated like that convincingly and with an overwhelmingly bold attitude.
Sudō was shaken by his unhesitating attitude.
“I have always made into the top rank in our class in the written exams, no, even in our school year. In fact, I was in the 2ND place by a narrow margin on the end term exam. Of course, I could take the 1ST place effortlessly, if I put a serious effort. Besides, you have known more than anyone the fact that I surpass you even in terms of physical ability, right?”
Kōenji mentioned his own high potential.
“So, so what. Such things are meaningless if you don’t take it seriously, you know.”
“That’s true. Therefore, I will ‘Make a fresh start’ from now on. I’m going to be a useful student and contribute to our class in various exams after this exam. Don’t you think that it will be a huge benefit for our class?”
“Such, such things, who would believe what you said! I’m much more useful than you!”
Sudō’s remarks were reasonable too.
Both I, and all other students have no reason to believe Kōenji’s remarks.
In fact, I absolutely don’t believe that this guy will be serious after this exam.
No, I think he won’t change anything in reality. It’s obvious that he will maintain his carefree lifestyle again, if only he passed this exam.
“Then, let me ask you in exchange. You said that you are more useful than me. Can everyone believe that?”
Instead of Sudō, Kōenji asked the question to our classmates.
“No, it’s not just Red Hair-kun. There’s no some kind of guarantee that those students who haven’t been useful so far, will be useful in the future, right? They can say as much empty promises as they want, just like me. However, what really needed is the hidden ability, right. We have no persuasive power without being supported by that.”
Those students who have no true ability said that they will make a fresh start and do their best. Those students who have true ability said that they will make a fresh start and do their best. Kōenji said that those 2 looked very similar but completely different in reality.
Kōenji completely has no doubt that perhaps he will gather up the Criticism Vote and will be in last place in that way.
On the contrary, it seemed he was pleased with this additional exam itself.
However, it doesn’t mean that Kōenji has no risk at all. He is a student who was included in danger of gathering up the Criticism Vote, and totally depending our class’ course of action.
For better or worst, he honestly talked too much.
But honestly speaking, I also agree with Kōenji’s opinion.
Precisely because we think about our class, we need to make a realistic decision in this additional exam.
An opportunity has came for us to select and get rid of the unneeded students for our class, and it’s not about our personal likes and dislikes.
In the previous exams, there were many possibilities too for such as situation where those students who have a weakness, despite having a great ability could be expelled from school.
In short, it was exactly like Sudō who was arguing with Kōenji.
In contrast with his outstanding physical ability, he has been struggling in last place in terms of academic ability in our class. In fact, his academic ability had dragged him down and he was about to be expelled from school once.
However, Sudō gradually began to make up for his shortcomings afterwards with the help of Horikita. As a result, he began to show his value as our class member.
Most people have both strengths and weaknesses, just like Sudō.
On the other hand, there are quite a lot of people who don’t have any strong point but shortcomings, and made them stood out poorly.
Every human being has the potential to grow, but there are differences in their time to show the results, and some people have a small extent to grow as well.
That’s why, we have to take the advantage of this exam.
Unfortunately, it seems the person who has noticed it in this class was only Kōenji alone.
“Stop complaining, you are noisy, Kōenji. I believe you are the unneeded student. That won’t change, you know.”
“No matter how incompetent your close friends are, isn’t it?”
“Incompetent…… You said my friends are incompetent? Stop your shitty talk.”
Sudō smacked Kōenji’s desk strongly once and glared at him fiercely.
“I see. Just as I thought, that’s typically you. It’s also your freedom if you concluded that way, but…… in that case, I suppose this class will remain to be ruined, no matter how much time passes, right. It’s really a defective product.”
Kōenji calmly combed his hair up without paying attention to him. His repeated provocative remarks have infuriated Sudō furious.
“I have had enough──”
“Both of you please calm down. I think we need to discuss it calmly at this moment.”
Hirata came between both of them.
I wonder how many times Hirata has intervened to resolve the disputes in this way.
It was already a familiar scene, but Sudō who was infuriated has no sign to stop.
“Hey Hirata, what do you mean calm down. You will be fine, right, since you definitely will never be in last place.”
“Well──”
Ike’s remarks have troubled Hirata.
Indeed, Hirata has contributed greatly to our class over this 1 year. Generally, It’s not an exaggeration to say that he is one of the safest students if this exam was held.
The remarks of the student who is in the safe zone can’t touch other people’s hearts, in this exam where someone will definitely be expelled from school.
“I, I don’t know either what will happen to me.”
Sudō didn’t accept his statement, even though he denied it like that.
“Did you hear that, Kanji. Hirata said he didn’t know what will happen to him.”
“No, no way, since only Hirata-Sama will be safe.”
Yamauchi and Ike smiled bitterly, but they were surprised rather than irritated.
That wasn’t unreasonable remarks too. I suppose perhaps no one has ever considered such a situation where Hirata could be expelled from school.
He definitely will obtain a certain number of Praise Tickets, even if he gathered up some Criticism Votes.
“Ugh……!”
Even though Hirata tried to say a word several times, but he was stunned in the end.
Besides, the special exam has just been announced. It’s impossible that they can accept Hirata’s words calmyly when their condition was in confusion and restless.
“Let’s continue our talk, Kōenji.”
“But I have nothing else to tell you.”
“Hey, I have a lot on my side.”
Sudō hasn’t lost his momentum.
In that case, the only person who can stop him in this situation──
“That’s enough, Sudō-kun.”
“Ugh……”
He couldn’t refuse Horikita’s command words.
“Don’t be conceited just because you managed to study a little.”
“No, it wasn’t like that this time, you know……”
“Please be quiet.”
“……Fine.”
She controlled Sudō completely by a mere conversation.
Horikita asked Sudō to return to his seat and made him stay away from Kōenji.
“Horikita-san, you have been a great help.”
“It’s not a big deal. Compared to the importance of this exam, right.”
Horikita, who said so, walked away from Kōenji’s side and returned to her own seat.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“I was given an unnecessary trouble.”
She breathed a sigh and sat on her seat.
“But…… it really has turned into a troublesome situation. Although we haven’t been stable so far, but we have been united and cooperated lately. However, I can’t believe that we have to get rid of someone at a time like this…… It’s an extremely cruel treatment.”
Horikita complained that she couldn’t do anything for this chaotic classroom.
“Treatment, huh.”
Of course, I understand her feeling that made her wanted to complain like that.
“You don’t think so?”
“There’s no some sort of guarantee from the start, right. From the moment we enrolled into this school.”
“……That’s true. It was just announced later and we certainly have never heard about it. But even so, I think the exam this time is unreasonable.”
“Well, since it’s some sort of revenge towards the fact that no one has dropped out of school, you know.”
It’s natural to feel dissatisfied like Horikita.
But, I also can’t afford to act as a bystander completely in the exam this time. All classmates have a certain risk of dropping out of school.
No, it seems there’s a risk that I, who have a low social status in our class, will become the target for the Criticism Vote if I left the situation alone.
I had better took the measures in advance at the early stage in order to avoid it.
“I honestly can’t accept the exam this time. But……”
Horikita was muttering like that, but I could feel some kind of a strong determination from her expression.
The restless atmosphere continued to remain in our class even after that, and until the morning class session was over.

1
At the lunch break, the Ayanokōji group held a discussion at the café while having lunch.
“Ah── tsk, it’s really a terrible development, isn’t it? I can’t believe that we were being forced to choose someone for school expulsion. Besides, what the school was thinking about.”
Haruka breathed a heavy sigh while putting in a straw into her mouth.
Keisei was the first person who responded to her.
“I agree. But what I can’t accept the most is the part where we, classmates have to confront each other. I can’t understand since it’s totally the opposite from the exams so far where we required cooperation.”
“Well, that’s true. Our opponents were other classes so far, no matter what kind of exams we had.”
Akito also nodded to show his approval to Keisei’s remarks.
“Just because no one has dropped out of school yet…… so this is like an irony, right──”
All the students were restless throughout this morning, and everyone passed their time with an anxious look anywhere.
I suppose there are many students who obviously felt dissatisfied with the additional exam from the school side that can even be considered as unreasonable exam.
Perhaps the other groups were having the similar discussion with us too at this moment.
“I wonder if there’s really nothing like a hidden strategy. For a smart person like you, Yukimu, can’t you think of 1 or 2 strategies?”
“I can’t…… is there? Horikita initially proposed to control the vote. And the so-called strategy is distributing the vote evenly, I think it was the only way. However, it seems that’s impossible according to Chiyabashira-Sensei’s remarks. We shouldn’t be able to ignore the rules that have been presented by the school, even though the additional exam is close to self-centered manner.”
It’s no wonder that Keisei, who deep in thought, couldn’t find the solution either.
The escape route of the exam this time has been blocked, no matter how we looked at it.
“It’s a desirable situation as well for the school where no one dropped out of school. I used to think so. But, that was a wrong assumption.”
“……The school is seriously expecting someone to drop out of school…… that’s what you mean, right.”
The expression of Haruka, who was still holding onto hope in somewhere, has become grim as well.
“That’s why we had better not think optimistically. Perhaps a cruel result would have awaited us this time.”
A cruel result, that means someone from our class will be expelled from school. In short, an inevitable future is waiting for us.
“……That means perhaps someone from this group will be gone at this weekend, right.”
It seems Airi, who hasn’t said a word since a while ago, has become anxious and shook her head slightly.
She didn’t want to imagine such a future, and it was expressed in her attitude that way.
“There should be something that we can do other than accepting the exam quietly, right? Keisei.”
Akito asked Keisei, with the hope that Keisei could relieve our anxiety.
Keisei nodded once and stared at the group members, and tried to response to Akito’s question.
“There’s something that we can do in order not to be dropped out of school as Akito’s remarks. So I have a proposal, but what about we unite and cast our vote for each other?”
“You said we cast our vote for each other, is that means we write each other’s names on the Praise Ticket?”
“Yeah, I don’t think someone among us will take the 1ST place for the Praise Ticket. However, we had better tried to cooperate with each other, in order to avoid being the last place in the worst case scenario.”
Each person can obtain 3 votes of the Praise Tickets, just by cooperating with each other in this group of 5 people. The important thing is we can nullify 3 votes of the Criticism Votes.
“But, but I wonder if it’s all right. Aren’t we supposed to select someone who has contributed to our class……? Sensei even said it’s useless if we tried to control the vote like that……”
Airi, who has an honest chracter, was slightly uneasy and and said so.
“It’s inevitable that there will be vote swapping to a certain extent. Even Chiyabashira-Sensei and the other students have awared of this matter. Moreover, some groups certainly will do it, even though we didn’t do it. Since we can cooperate to cast the Criticism Vote for one person. In fact, we can even cast 5 votes of the Criticism Votes, even though we are only 5 people.”
“5 votes…… it’s critical in this exam, right. That means it’s not even difficult to cast 10 votes or 20 votes, if we can form a big group , right?”
“That’s right. In short, those guys who have an influence in their class will have an easier battle in this exam.”
That’s right. 1 of the crucial points of this exam is that factor.
In other words, the students who have a high social status in the class, have a tendency will be more advantegous in this exam.
Those students who have a strong influence can gather up the groups, and will gain a considerable advantage just by attacking particular students.
“I also agree on what you said to cover each other in our group. I don’t want anyone in this group will be gone, you know.”
I also expressed my approval in order to support the idea.
“Me, me too.”
Followed by Airi, who agreed to it afterwards.
“Well, it’s decided.”
Keisei nodded over our group unanimous agreement.
“No, please wait. Just a moment, there’s something I wanted to ask.”
Although Akito agreed with Keisei’s plan, it seemed there’s something on his mind too.
“It could happen too where someone will form a larger group than our group, right?”
“I think a larger group will certainly be formed. Rather, that kind of possibility is high.”
Obviously Keisei also knew that matter and nodded in agreement.
I have to stop Keisei at this moment, if he raised that kind of conversation that we should take the lead to form a large group. That’s not really a good idea at this time.
“Should we take action to invite the other classmates as soon as possible too?”
“No…… At least we have to try not to make things worse until the exam is over. We have to make sure that we never cause any trouble at all with whomever in our class. Let’s forget about forming a large group.”
“In short…… we have to try not to stand out in order to avoid being targeted, that’s the reason, right.”
We easily will become the target like Sudō and Kōenji, if we recklessly drew people’s attention.
“Moreover, it’s obvios that our group isn’t suitable for that kind of strategy, you know.”
“Well── that’s true.”
Keisei concluded that we should avoid forming a large group by our actions.
I’m grateful that everyone were convinced and agreed with it Including Haruka too.
So now, I suppose it can be considered that there’s no possibility of them getting caught into my ‘Strategy’ and will be at disadvantage.
“But I think we can accept it, if we personally received an invitation from other groups. I suppose it’s an important strategy too in order to avoid gathering the Criticism Vote for ourselves, right.”
Each person only has 3 votes, even though we say that we can distrube the Praise Ticket within the Ayanokōji group. It would be much better if we could avoid the Criticism Vote by getting along well with other groups.
“But wouldn’t that be difficult? That kind of gathering is what we couldn’t do. All of us.”
It seemed she wanted to say this group was existed, precisely because we all couldn’t fit in with the other groups.
Well, but I suppose Keisei understood that matter too before he said it, right.
He advised us that we had better accepted it, if we were invited.
Even though that was the right answer, but in reality it’s quite risky too.
On the contrary, sometimes we could get into trouble, if we recklessly increased the number of groups we participated and being considered as a non-committal person.
But I suppose we couldn’t find a group that would let us join in so easily.
“So we only have 3 votes, in other words, there’s no certainty, right……? I, since I couldn’t be helpful at all in our class…… therefore, perhaps I will be voted for the Criticism Vote by everyone……”
Airi was worried that she would become the target.
In this exam, there’s almost no way to avoid it, if the Criticism Votes were concentrated on one person alone in the class.
If it was Hirata and Kushida, perhaps they can obtain enough Praise Tickets to nullify most of the Criticism Votes, but……
No, that’s doubtful too. The essential point is how many groups should be formed to gather up those votes.
We had better concluded that the students who obtained the number of votes according to the proper evaluation they should have received, would be very limited.
“You had better not worry too much, Airi. Since you definitely won’t last if you worried from now.”
“Um, yes……”
Even so, it’s inevitable that she felt anxious about it, and Airi’s face became gloomy.
Indeed, It seems many things in this exam would bring disdavantages for people with timid personality.
“It’s really the worst, you know…… I can’t believe we have to be cautious and hostile to each other among friends.”
“You are right. But, we have no choice since that would be our exam.”
“Kiyopon, do you think this exam is acceptable?”
“I think I had no choice but to accept it, even though I don’t want to accept it.”
You are level-headed── and Haruka slightly nodded in admiration.
“Hey, by the way. I noticed just now, but look over there.”
Haruka pointed to the direction behind me and Keisei.
As I looked back, there was the D-Class guy’s figure.
He was clearly distanced from his surroundings, and I suppose she noticed him since he looked stand out.
“I say there’s something different with Ryūen-kun’s situation, and his aura has changed as well.”
“I think he is nothing but an arrogant person, who acted like the king, but his leadership has been overthrown and he has become powerless.”
Keisei’s tone was harsh, so perhaps he particularly hates the type of person like Ryūen.
It was a natural consequence if we considered on his attitude and strategy towards the other classes that he has been taken so far.
Of course, Ryūen would never regret, or felt worried about his current situation.
“But, don’t you think the exam this time will be tough for Ryūen-kun? Isn’t it like that?”
Keisei nodded to Haruka, who felt doubtful and asked the question.
“I think it’s not just tough. It should be hopeless, right? I suppose it’s inevitable that he will gather up the Criticism Vote, since he has been acting as he pleases so far, right.”
Akito also nodded and agreed with that opinion.
“I suppose he is in vain somehow. I mean perhaps he has been shut out by the class that he used to control.”
“But, he wouldn’t be calm for that matter, right? I can’t believe he is boldly reading a book alone…… Perhaps I would be crying if I were him me……”
Airi, who looked at Haruka’s direction in wonder, began to speak.
“That guy, right? That guy is in a state of resign. To those who was shut out and hated by other people in this exam, they couldn’t do anything even though they panicked. I think he intended to act with dignity to the very end as a man, what do you think?”
That conclusion doesn’t seem wrong either.
However, there’s a high possibility that Ryūen will certainly be dropped out of school if he didn’t do anything.
“Hey Miyachi, go ask Ryūen-kun for a moment. What kind of mood he is now.”
“There’s no way I can ask that, right……”
Even though he looked calm, it wouldn’t change the fact that he has been known for his violent actions. What kind of counterattack we would receive, if we gave the impression like we made fun of him recklessly.
“Stop staring at him too much.”
“Yeah.”
Haruka raised her hand slightly and responded to Akito’s warning.
“Let’s return to our C-Class’ topic, but I wonder how should we perceive Kōenji’s remarks this morning.”
Akito asked Keisei about that incident.
Perhaps Keisei has been thinking about it too, so he gave his answer immediately.
“That guy said those who have true ability should remain, right? Well, I think he has got a point, but I still think that Kōenji is precisely the unneeded student. That guy disrupted our class. To be honest, he is scary.”
Judging from Keisei who hated the risk, I suppose Kōenji’s existence certainly can’t be predicted.
“And…… perhaps it’s a bit cruel to say, but I wouldn’t feel terribly sorry for Kōenji. His name alone who I could easily write on the Criticism Vote without any hesitation. How about you guys?”
“That’s, well, perhaps you were right. If we have to write someone’s name, it’s better someone who we also feel at ease and without hesitation when we wrote it.”
“Uh…… Even though Kōenji-kun is a weird person, but his test scores are always impressive, right? I think he is contributing to our class much more than someone like me.”
Airi who was in the midst of her very own anxiety, said like that and made a statement to defend Kōenji.
“Every time the test scores were announced, I always thought that Keisei-kun and Kōenji-kun are amazing……”
“You shouldn’t say that, Airi. You will only be suffered later, if you couldn’t make a realistic decision at times like this, you know?”
“You were right, but……”
Even so, Airi felt a great reluctance to get rid of someone.
“I can agree on Kōenji-kun for now, so?”
“I have no objection either.”
Have we agreed with that plan? Haruka said to Keisei and asked for his opinion.
“Well, for now. Anyway, we have to select 3 persons and make some changes according to the situation.”
Kōenji has been chosen as the candidate by the Ayanokōji group, as a temporary nominee who will receive the Criticism Vote.
It’s approprate that there should be various opinions whether Kōenji is the needed person or the unneeded person.
Even from my viewpoint, the guy named Kōenji certainly has a huge risk.
Since Kōenji, who sometimes took an action was depending on his whim, would be a huge disadvantage for him.
But── I suppose there’s no doubt that he even has more than enough talent than that.
For example, if Kōenji would challenge the tests and the tasks directly, he could have overcome most of it.
He certainly has enough ability to make me thought so, even though I haven’t seen his limit at current situation.
“Well, I don’t hate him, but…… For better or worst, Kōenji is unpredictable, you know.”
It seemed the reason why Akito has agreed for the Criticism Vote, was on such factor.
He said he was a preeminent who has enough impressive quality, as if his existence was immeasurable even in the rumors.
“In addition…… Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun, Sudō-kun. Do we include these people as the candidates for the Criticism Vote?”
“Well, yeah. Those 4 people, including Kōenji, have a high possibility for dropping out of school at present, right. But, I don’t think those guys would just be silently waiting for the exam day as well. They should form a large group to gather up the Praise Ticket, and take measures so that the Criticism Vote won’t increase as much as possible.”
“We are never really in the safe zone either, right.”
That’s right, the exam has already begun. It’s a battle to form allies and create a common enemy.
“Everyone in our class was our mutual comrades until this morning, and I never thought we were having this conversation, you know.”
I’m sick of it, Akito said, he imagined the situation in the future and breathed a sigh.
Haruka thought of something and looked at Ryūen once again.
“We still have several candidates for dropping out of school, and perhaps there’s enough possibility where everyone can avoid it, it’s better than nothing, right.”
Haruka could understand our C-Class’ current situation, that’s why she seemed to realize how difficult the situation where Ryūen has been put in D -Class.
I suppose whoever would be helpless, if they were being targeted by the majority.
“Let’s say, if Miyachi and Yukimu were in Ryūen-kun’s situation, what will you do?”
“I wouldn’t do anything, since it’s impossible to struggle if everyone in the class turned into enemies. I would have given up.”
Akito gave up immediately.
Keisei, who was also asked with that question, thought about it seriously and shook his head after a while.
“There’s no way out, right.”
“No way out, huh── For example, how about he threatened everyone in his class?”
“It will only be the opposite effect.”
Rather, perhaps some students have expected it. Those who were threatened, could cast the Criticism Vote for Ryūen without any hesitation, right.
“Then, he prostrated to other classes so that he could receive the Praise Ticket.”
“Would you cast the Praise Ticket for Ryūen, if he begged you?”
“Eh〜? I won’t vote for him, you know.”
That’s the answer, Keisei said and nodded.
“Most people would make that sort of judgment. Since everyone knew about Ryūen’s normal behavior, right. There should be quite rare of eccentric people who wanted to help that kind of guy.”
“Well, how about he bought the vote from his classmates by giving them some Points?”
“For example, even if Ryūen has saved up a lot of Points, I don’t think he can afford to buy enough votes. It’s a crazy talk, Ryūen has made too many enemies, and also has an image as a troublesome opponent. I don’t think I would sell my vote to him for a little bit amounts of Points, you know.”
“However, don’t you think he has a chance for the Praise Ticket of the other classes?”
“No, not really. Even judging from an outsider like us, don’t you think it will be easier when we competed against D-Class if Ryūen has gone?”
“Ah── ……Perhaps you were right. It’s frightening since we don’t know what he will do.”
That’s exactly why Ryūen was in a difficult position.
If he was just a burden who was a hindrance for D-Class only, perhaps he would be boldly tried to gather up the Praise Tickets to prevent himself from dropping out of school.
However, since Ryūen has been recognized as a troublesome and bothersome person even by his enemies, I suppose most of them concluded that they wanted him to leave.
There’s not much benefit for his class or other classes, if we saved that kind of guy who obviously will become a threat.
Perhaps there are also students who considered about their future situation, or blindly believed that Ryūen will surely become their class savior, but there’s no doubt that they should be the minority in their class from the evidence presented now.
For example, even if he signed a letter of intent or signed an agreement with several people to cast the Praise Ticket for him, it would be very difficult to prove the execution.
Since it will be an anonymous voting, everyone could even lie and claim that they have ‘Voted’ for him, as long as he still received 1 vote of the Praise Ticket.
If by any chance a dispute over their wrongdoing would be happened, it would be too late for Ryūen to regret it, if he has been expelled from school.
And before that, it remains a question whether anyone would like to sign a letter of intent with Ryūen.
“That means── it’s completely a checkmate, huh.”
“Well, I suppose he has done his best in pretending to be calm. Since it would be uncool if he acted panic and struggled desperately, just because he doesn’t want to drop out of school, you know.”
“That’s for sure…… It would be disgraceful for someone who used to be a king, right.”
I felt it’s a pity, but Ryūen would definitely be dropped out of school.
Of course, the situation will be slightly different if the person himself has the intention to put all his efforts, but……
I suppose we will never get the answer, no matter how long we discussed it here.
How or what he was thinking about, only the person himself who knows it in his own heart.
“Then, how about we try to find out.”
Someone spoke to us from a position close to my ears. It was Horikita.
A plastic bag in her hand. We could glance at the sandwiches for her lunch.
“Hey, what do you mean by try to find out?”
Akito who heard it, felt uneasy with her remarks.
No, I should say that he felt something scary.
“What Ryūen-kun is thinking about and what he is anticipating now. We had no choice but to talk to him in person in order to know those.”
“Hey, don’t do that. Don’t invite unnecessary trouble.”
Nobody wanted to approach Ryūen.
“It’s fine then.”
“I think there’s no point to get involved with Ryūen at this place now. He is unrelated to us in the exam this time.”
“Well, that’s true. He is certainly unrelated to us. But he might be useful to me.”
Horikita said so and paused for a moment.
Shortly after seeing that I didn’t move, she began to walk alone.
“Hey, what did she mean by he might be useful……”
Keisei and Akito, who couldn’t understand her remarks, looked confused.
“Hey, don’t you think it’s a bit reckless? Wouldn’t Horikita-san be in danger?”
“I think so too…… Kiyotaka-kun.”
“……Well, you were right. I will go to see her situation a little while.”
I think it won’t be a problem, but I suppose we had better have someone to stay beside her just in case.
For better or worst, Horikita’s speaking style can be considered as harsh.
I stopped Akito, who was about to stand up, and chased after Horikita.
“What you are going to talk about with Ryūen.”
“Well, since I really thought that perhaps he could give me some useful hints.”
Useful hints?
I couldn’t tell what Horikita was expecting from Ryūen. But I suppose there should have a significance for it, since she had taken an action.
“Did Sakura-san and friends ask you to look after me?”
“Just as you said.”
“I thought so.”
Horikita’s pace didn’t changed even while we were exchanging that kind of short conversation.
And before long, we finally reached in front of Ryūen.
Ryūen should have awared of us here, but he didn’t even try to turn his gaze towards us, and his eyes were staring at the book in his hands.
From what we could see from the opened pages, it seemed it was some kind of literary novel.
“Well, you are surprisingly relaxed, Ryūen-kun.”
“When I was thinking who it was, it’s you, Suzune. In addition, the goldfish poop came together too, huh.”
Bam! He closed the book at once with a slamming sound.
I found out from the seal that the book was borrowed from the library.
It’s needless to say any more, but the goldfish poop was obviously me.
He looked at me only for a moment, but he turned away his gaze. Ryūen turned around towards Horikita’s direction.
“What do you want from me?”
Why Horikita tried to get in touch with Ryūen and even took the risk, huh.
“I will ask you directly. What are you going to do with the additional special exam this time?”
“I couldn’t do anything, I will do nothing.”
“That’s…… In other words, you have prepared for the worst where you will be expelled from school obediently, that’s what you meant, right?”
It’s inevitable and needless to say that Ryūen will be expelled from school, if he neglected the current situation.
“I’m an excellent target for those guys in my class. In this exam where someone has to be dropped out of school, nobody wanted to provoke the resentment of the guy who will be expelled from school. But I’m the only exception, right.”
Perhaps he sensed that the conversation contents wasn’t something important, Ryūen reopened and cast his gaze on the book.
“They will cast the Criticism Vote for you. I guess there are many students too who are feeling guilty about it, but their mental burden is still far less than vote for other students.”
Apparently, Ryūen has seriously considered about leaving the school.
“I have nothing to say, if you are willing to drop out of school. No, not just me. I guess there are many people in both B-Class and A-Class, who expected and wanted you to disappear, you know. For better or worst, you have gone too far, and nobody wanted to help you, not even one person.”
She pointed out the truth to him.
Sometimes, this truth could pierce deeply even to the other party who believe he has understood it.
However, it wouldn’t be hurtful to Ryūen. He understood everything by himself, and has accepted it sincerely.
“Well, I guess so. So D-Class would have no chance to win after I have left. It’s the best and most reasonable judgment for you guys as my enemy to crush me at this moment.”
And yet, he didn’t think negatively, but he thought positively.
“Well, your self-esteem is extremely high. It’s typical of you, Ryūen-kun. However, you lacked of capability as a leader, that’s why your class has dropped to D-Class, right?”
“He he, Well, you were right.”
D-Class has been maintained under Ryūen’s dictatorship. Now that it has collapsed and their class has demoted to the last place, they have missed their chance to rise again.
However, Ryūen’s plan wasn’t restricted by the class rankings from the start.
Whether it’s D-Class or A-Class, he can turn defeat into victory as long as he has the Private Points.
That’s why he would never be upset, even though he was criticized for the fact that his class was in last place.
Being in A-Class has its advantages, but the superiority itself has no value.
Ryūen’s strategy was focused on the future.
It was an interesting battle strategy, but it has many shortcomings too.
He has controlled his class by brute force, and he didn’t ask his classmates to understand it. He focused too much on the future, but he has overlooked the reality of the current situation.
This kind of factor was the reason for his defeat this time and led him to this situation.
“Well, I guess you and I couldn’t understand each other, no matter how long we continue this conversation.”
“Well, I guess. Are you satisfied?”
I haven’t been able to understand what she wanted to know, even though I have listened to Horikita’s conversation so far, but……
“Perhaps today will be our last conversation in this place, so could you tell me just 1 thing?”
It seems her reason is in her next words. What Horikita said about there’s a possibility that it will be useful hints for her.
“You are in a more desperate situation than anyone else, but if you seriously tried to challenge this exam…… could you survive without being expelled from school?”
She cast a sharp gaze towards Ryūen. As if she was saying ’Look into my eyes and answer me’.
That’s the reason why Horikita decided to talk to Ryūen, who shouldn’t need to get involved. That remarks was what she wanted to ask him, whether he could overcome the inevitable situation where he is 99% will be expelled from school.
“It was a stupid question, you know, it’s obvious, right?”
Ryūen anwered her in an instant.
He has the confidence that he could survive if he wanted to survive. There’s not even any sort of hesitation in his eyes that stared back at Horikita.
“Well, as I would have expected from you, even though you were bluffing. I couldn’t sense anything but confidence from you.”
“Are you satisfied? Or do you want me to teach you my secret plan to survive?”
“I don’t need it. Since you and I were placed in a different situation.”
“That’s very true.”
“Thank you. Thanks to you, it seemed I could be a little more resolute.”
“Did you say resolute?”
Horikita nodded.
“Someone will definitely be expelled from school in this additional exam. That’s an inevitable fate. Therefore, we need to judge correctly and make a decision about the proper person who will be dropped out of school. I wonder if you could understand the burden of the responsibility that I was talking about.”
Ryūen neither answered yes nor no while smiling.
“Perhaps you have been shut out by your class and you were struggling as that consequence.”
“If I have become like this, I wonder if that means my ability was just that much.”
“It’s a lame excuse. Well, I could only hear you bluffed.”
“Ugh……!”
Horikita was talking calmly with Ryūen, but Ryūen has seen through her true thought behind her calmness.
No, it should be said that he has managed to reveal her weaknesses, rather than seen her thoroughly.
“I suppose that you intended to gain some self-confidence from me, but…… those self-confidence and resolution of yours are still shallow.”
Ryūen’s remarks irritated Horikita little by little.
“I can tell you that it’s very difficult to get rid of someone.”
“……I can do it. I have never tolerated any students who were a hindrance from the time I enrolled into this school.”
“You can’t do it, you know.”
“You…… What do you know about me?”
“I had enough time to observe you thoroughly over this 1 year period. I have known your character. Besides, I could sense the anxiety that you were trying to hide at the end of those remarks that you said.”
Horikita has no chance of winning in wording contest.
‘I could be a little more resolute’ that she said was foolish remarks. There was even a moment of silence when she said ‘I can do it’.
He certainly has noticed on those parts immediately where other people wouldn’t even pay attention to it. Horikita unconsciously revealed her anxiety.
The pace was completely in Ryūen’s control.
“You have already got used to the comfortable situation called the class. There’s no way you could be cool-headedly to get rid of someone, once you have become like this. People like me who have no attachments to my class from the start, and Sakayanagi who has ony treated her classmates as her chess pieces, who could do such a thing.”
Our class before we created a relationship with our classmates as friends, and our class after we have established the relationship were looked similar at first glance, but actually they were completely different.
Indeed, Horikita had no hesitation at the time she enrolled into this school. She was even agreed to get rid of Sudō who got the failing grades.
But can she get rid of Sudō now?
I suppose she definitely would say no way, if we asked her.
Her relationship constantly has begun to change.
“You talked arrogantly, but you also never had some sort of plan to survive from dropping out of school, right?”
“Why do you think that way?”
“I wonder if you were defeated by your classmate, or it was done by someone from other classes……”
Horikita turned her gaze towards me for just a moment only, but she turned her gaze back towards Ryūen immediately.
“In either case, that means you will be expelled from school quietly as a loser, don’t you agree?”
Horikita said those remarks in order to provoke him forcibly.
However, Ryūen accepted it calmly.
“It’s sort of a reward for Ishizaki, the guy who has defeated me. I’m going to accept it obediently. That’s why those guys in D-Class wouldn’t miss this opportunity. You guys obviously shouldn’t miss this opportunity too, right.”
Ryūen sneered and said so, then cast his gaze on the book once again.
“……That’s right. I will keep an eye on my C-Class’ comrades, so they wouldn’t even make a mistake to cast the Praise Ticket for you. But of course, I believe such incident wouldn’t happen, even if I didn’t do anything.”
Since Horikita walked away, I also followed her to leave.
Ryūen didn’t turn his gaze back towards us and stared at the book.
Horikita, who walked away calmly, began to get angry.
“He is really a natural born liar. He will be gone no matter how he struggled, but he was still bragging. He definitely will be expelled from school, no matter how hard he struggled.”
“I wonder. Perhaps that guy really has a plan to survive from dropping out of school.”
“It’s impossible, right. There’s no way Ryūen-kun can avoid from dropping out of school, no matter how we thought about it. The number of Criticism Vote won’t be decreased, even if he apologized and became a good person from now on. The number of Praise Tickets won’t be increased too.”
“Yeah. It’s impossible for him to overcome this exam according to the rules, no matter how.”
“It’s useless if he tried to threaten other people or used the Points for bribery. You guys have said so, right.”
That’s certainly true. She has listened to it thoroughly.
“Or, are you saying that you have found it out? I mean the way that Ryūen-kun won’t be dropped out school.”
“No, not at all.”
I tried to consider any possible ways in my mind, but there’s still no strategy to survive for certain at present condition.
There’s still missing a necessary piece in order to survive.
“In that case, that’s how it is.”
Horikita left the café and looked displeased while leaving.
I looked back at Ryūen for just a moment.
If the confrontation between me and Ryūen was much longer……
“No, it’s a meaningless delusion, right. It’s meaningless now.”
It’s useless to think about the student who will be leaving the school after this.
I stopped to think about it and decided to return to the group.

2
I got a phone call from Kei that night. I guess her topic was probably about the special exam.
“Well. What should I do in the exam this time?”
“I think you also have begun to form a group with some of your close friends, isn’t it?”
“Well, with some friends. There are 7 girls in my group.”
Kei told me the names of the 6 people other than herself. The members were the girls who usually have been getting along well with Kei.
“After all, everyone is afraid of dropping out of school, you know. Me too…… I honestly don’t know how many people who hated me.”
“It’s not surprising even if you received some votes of the Criticism Vote, right.”
“Hey, you should say that’s not true just now, even though it’s a lie, you know.”
It seemed Kei was angry, and she yelled at me over the phone.
“The best practice is to behave properly for now, so that you won’t stand out in a bad sense. You could be included as the candidates for school expulsion, if you stood out carelessly.”
“I understood. I will try not to irritate other people accidentally.”
“That’s good. Anyway, perhaps the fact that you have broken up with Hirata would be a favorable factor to Kei at the time like this.”
“Eh?”
“Hirata is very popular among girls. If you were still dating with Hirata, perhaps some of those students would scheme something to drive you out school…… so they could make you to break up with him forcibly.”
“Oh wow, that’s scary. But it’s possible……”
Since it will be an anonymous voting, that’s why some of them could take a bold action.
“……It’s good to be you, huh. You didn’t stand out since you are obscure. Your grades were average too.”
From most of our classmates’ point of view, there should be nothing can be praised or criticized in me.
“Sometimes being obscure is useful.”
“But I think you will receive 1 vote from Sudō-kun, isn’t it? I mean in a sense to get rid of his rival in chasing after Horikita-san. Well, although the fact was Sudō-kun’s prejudice.”
“Well, probably.”
It would happen to anyone to receive some Criticism Votes, since we have to write the names of the 3 persons. There’s no need to worry about it every time.
“I heard that the 3 idiots and Kōenji-kun are definitely at risk in our class now, is it?”
I suppose a similar conversation had been conducted in Kei’s group as well.
“They are the top on the list, but we still don’t know what will be happened. Well, Kōenji is at disadvantage in current situation.”
“Since he isn’t the kind of person who will form a group and control the votes, right.”
“Yeah.”
It’s obvious that Ike, Yamauchi and Sudō will form a group to support each other.
On the other hand, Kōenji is alone without support. His arrogant attitude is easy to make enemies as well.
It was harmful that he even had an intense argument with Sudō in front of everyone, on the first day the exam was announced.
“What are you going to do? Who are you going to cast the Criticism Vote for?”
“I haven’t decided yet, but I intended to choose someone who was really unneeded to our class in the future.”
“Cool-headed. But it’s typical of Kiyotaka.”
We had no choice but to make such a decision, since someone has to drop out of school.
“Ah, no way…… you don’t mean someone like me, do you?”
“Your existence is important to our class. That’s impossible.”
“That’s, that’s right. It’s obvious, right.”
It seems she was slightly embarasshed and surprised to return my response.
“Please call me if you noticed the student in our class who will be driven away, which means the candidate for dropping out of school has been decided, and they have begun to influence the Criticism Votes for that student. It’s hard for me to obtain that kind of information.”
“OK──”
I ended the phone call with Kei.
I said that I wanted to get rid of the unneeded person in the future, but that was entirely my personal opinion.
I have no intention to be deeply involved in the vote manipulation, since I wasn’t actively involved in our class.
Consequently, I intended to genuinely accept the result, which was derived from several groups who will be collided with each other.
Of course, it’s another matter if the danger will be fallen upon me.
Anyway, the possibility of Ike, Yamauchi or Sudō will be expelled from school aren’t low, as Kei said a moment ago. And then Kōenji.
Furthermore, I suppose Inogashira and Satō who have a low academic ability, and even Airi aren’t in the safe zone, if we judged from the girls’ side.
However, the vote will be shifted greatly if the groups have been formed in the future, which means the reasoning is non-academic aspects.
Someone like Kōenji, who has no friend and Airi, who has a few friends and timid, have the tendency will be easily targeted.
“What will happen?”
I will try to collect information while watching over the vote movement and prepare for the unexpected situation.