The exchange centered on Kushida-san had concluded, and the hallway in front of the faculty office was now empty.
I had watched the entire conclusion, and I was deeply satisfied.
If she had simply pressed forward without yielding her will, trying to force Horikita-san's expulsion, it would have been far too predictable. I was glad it hadn't turned out that way.
In the end, she had managed to take a step toward change. A major step into an unforeseen future.
"…Still, there was something slightly off about what she said."
That remark about "that man."
Who could she have meant? It bothered me a little.
Was it X? Or someone else?
"All's well that ends well, I suppose."
I didn't dwell on it.
If someone had given her advice, and if that someone was a student from Class D, that would be unexpected.
A new unknown.
"Huh? Why the hell are you here?"
As I lingered in the afterglow, a visitor appeared in front of the faculty office.
It was 5:50 p.m.—ten minutes before the deadline for submitting the test questions.
The one cutting it this close was none other than our very own king, Ryūen Shō.
He approached in high spirits.
"I was here to witness the conclusion."
"Yeah? So, unknown otaku—any surprises for you?"
"Yes. For you, though, the outcome might prove a bit troublesome."
"…Kuku. What happened?"
I gave him a concise explanation of events.
When I finished, he didn't look the least bit upset; he simply said "Got it" and accepted the facts.
"So Kushida betrayed us. Well, we were planning to betray her first. Can't exactly complain."
"You're awfully calm about it."
"No reason to panic. This just turns it into a straight academic showdown with Class D, but I already accounted for that possibility and had you, Hiyori, and Kaneda handle the idiots.
The only hassle left is cornering Kushida later to get the math answers back and collect the 500,000 points, but that'll be settled today."
With his distinctive "kuku" laugh, Ryūen-kun paused for a breath. But the conversation wasn't over; another question followed.
"So, between the two of them, who came up with the idea to forcibly keep Chabashira away from me? You saw everything that happened afterward, right? You can tell me."
The serious expression that replaced his usual laugh carried real presence.
"Who do you think it was?"
I had made a unilateral promise to Ayanokōji-kun: I would not reveal from my own mouth that he is not X. That's why I asked in this roundabout way.
Yet,
"I'd love to hear it straight, but… kuku, fine. I'll tell you. The one who thought of that plan was—Ayanokōji, right?"
It seemed that promise had reached its limit.
Ryūen-kun grinned with evident satisfaction, but the glint in his eyes hadn't dulled in the slightest.
He had answered with clear conviction.
"Correct. What's your reasoning?"
"Process of elimination. Suzune's mental state was a wreck. No way she could have come up with a recovery plan in that moment.
But if I'd been there, I would've done the exact same thing. And besides Suzune, there was only one other person in that room, wasn't there?"
Chabashira-sensei had long since left to handle the 500,000-point paperwork.
Kushida-san had also departed the faculty office immediately after finishing her conversation with Horikita-san.
He said that if I nodded to that, it would be proof enough.
"Have you figured out who X is?"
"Yeah. More than enough."
A wide, predatory grin spread across his face.
Ryūen Shō's true nature—the ferocious wild beast within—was on full display.
"Kushida's information that he was already moving during the uninhabited island test. The four candidates who were watching Manabe's little game after the cruise ship test. The rumors that gradually surfaced during the sports festival about him being Suzune's right-hand man.
And this incident is the finishing blow. Kuku—X uses methods and thinking startlingly similar to mine.
Even if I can't completely rule out Kōenji, Matsushita, or Hirata, with this much evidence, it's checkmate."
Ryūen-kun drew a quiet breath and declared his answer.
"X is—Ayanokōji. To start, I'll crush the outer moat: Karuizawa and Hirata."
"A strategic victory. If I had to grade your performance in this special exam, I'd give it an 'excellent.'"
From the moment the Paper Shuffle was explained, you swiftly devised strategies and secured a study environment for the class.
By creating student teachers, you highlighted the advantages of participating and implemented policies that benefited everyone.
Your popularity within the class rose, and it was truly flawless preparation.
On top of that, you worked behind the scenes: contacting Kushida Kikyō early and successfully leaking the questions.
You also saw through Horikita-san's actions and restricted her movements.
Searching for X on top of all that and achieving this result—no complaints, a top-tier evaluation. Compared to every previous exam, it deserves the highest marks.
"With this, the remaining three days mean you'll be studying like your life depends on it."
"Hah, like hell. I already studied enough to avoid failing. No need to waste time cramming like an idiot."
"It's embarrassing if the class leader is a moron."
"Don't care. Reputation means nothing to me."
"That's a shame. Then you'll never beat me—not once in your life."
I provoked Ryūen-kun, who had zero motivation to study. He reacted exactly as expected to the idea that he could never win against me.
"Hah—you saying if I studied, I could actually beat you?"
"Impossible."
"…You mocking me, you bastard?"
Ryūen-kun's voice dropped, his expression darkening.
But it was the simple truth, so there was nothing to be done. No matter how hard he studied, he could never surpass me.
Every shred of knowledge already resides in my mind.
Learning is an ever-advancing frontier; new laws and discoveries continue to emerge even now.
Yet any "unknown" knowledge discovered at the cutting edge—I either already know it, or I grasp it instantly upon seeing it and develop it further.
That is the kind of monster I am.
"No. But there's a vast difference in perspective between someone who has learned and someone who hasn't."
"Katsuragi and Yukimura said something similar."
"I'm not asking you to reach their level. If you truly don't want to, or if you have other priorities, I won't force you.
But there's no downside. A version of you with sharper thinking and more accumulated knowledge would have roughly 0.001% higher odds of defeating me than the current you."
"…Hey, you seriously want me to study, don't you?"
The probability was apparently lower than he'd imagined; he gave me a suspicious look.
"That's up to you."
"Yeah, whatever."
Ryūen-kun thought for a moment, then ended the conversation.
He turned his back and signaled me to follow.
Our destination was the special building—a place with few surveillance cameras, ideal for private discussions.
"I'm calling Kushida out now. I'll decide her punishment based on her attitude. What about you?"
"There are a few things I want to ask her. Once I've heard them, do whatever you like."
What I wanted to know was, naturally, the identity of the "man" Kushida-san had mentioned.
What kind of person had given her the push to take that first step?
I wanted to pursue that unknown.
"Let's move. Oh, and dinner for the next three days is on you."
Scratching his head in annoyance, Ryūen-kun grumbled.
In his sullen, twisted demeanor, I glimpsed a childishness befitting his age.
"That's fine. Then shall we decide the menu based on how well you study?"
"…Anything I want?"
"Depending on your effort."
As we walked, we traded that sort of banter.
Along the way, we continued with idle small talk until we reached our destination.
…
We reached the special building without any trouble.
We headed straight to the designated staircase and waited for Kushida-san to arrive.
With nothing in particular to do, I closed my eyes, relaxed my shoulders, and tried to empty my mind, letting myself feel the flow of time in a state of calm.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ryūen-kun."
A polished female voice echoed from the connecting corridor.
It was none other than the person we had come here to meet—Kushida Kikyō.
She stood there holding a brown envelope in her left hand, her gaze fixed on us.
"Being late suits you, Kikyo."
Ryūen-kun finished tapping at his phone, pocketed it, and turned to face her.
He had probably started recording the moment he did that.
"Thanks. Have you finally decided you want a cute girl like me to toy with you a little more?"
"Kuku. Not bad. It'd be even better if that girl were a charming villain. Makes me want to break her."
"Hah, what refined tastes you have."
The moment they faced each other, the taunts began flying.
If not for their conflicting interests, they might have been good friends.
"You don't feel the slightest guilt for betraying me?"
"I do. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here."
"Fair point. So, what did you come here to say? What kind of excuse are you bringing me?"
Ryūen-kun cut straight to the chase.
The faint smirk vanished, replaced by the dignified air of a class leader.
"Here, first things first."
Kushida-san didn't flinch at the atmosphere for even a second.
She calmly handed the brown envelope to Ryūen-kun.
Inside were several A3-sized sheets—the math questions and answers for Class C.
This was one of the main reasons Ryūen-kun had come here; failing to recover them would have seriously risked losing to Class D.
"Received. But this isn't the end. There's always the chance you photographed them."
Things were proceeding smoothly, yet Ryūen-kun's expression remained grave.
His caution was palpable.
"Want to check? Though you can never be one hundred percent sure, right?"
Kushida-san took out her phone as she spoke.
But there was still the possibility she had backed them up on another device.
No guarantee of safety in this transaction.
"Exactly. That's why we make a contract."
"Terms?"
"If Class D's average math score in this special exam is abnormally high, or if you score perfect or close to perfect, it's forbidden.
If you break it, every private point you currently have—and every private point you receive from now on—goes to me."
"That's really all?"
Unfazed, Kushida-san pressed for confirmation.
Even standing at the edge of a cliff, facing Ryūen-kun, she had impressive nerve to speak so boldly.
"That's the contract, yes. But if you break it, your true nature and your past might see the light of day."
"…Why not put that in the contract?"
"Simple. If it's in the contract, there are conditions—clear boundaries where you're safe as long as you don't cross them.
But if it's not, you'll live in constant fear of when I might expose you. You'll never even think of betraying me again, will you?"
Kushida-san clicked her tongue at Ryūen's answer and openly scowled.
She continued, expression unchanged.
"…Fine, I understand. Let's move to the main topic."
"Kuku, awfully compliant all of a sudden, Kikyo."
"I just want to get this over with. Hurry up."
Ryūen-kun shot me a quick glance.
He meant for me to go first with my questions.
I understood immediately and nodded.
"This time, you ruined my plan. And in the worst possible way—wasting the 500,000 points we staked.
You threw them away on your own. Naturally, you're obligated to pay them back. When exactly are you returning those points?"
"I want to pay them back right now, if I could."
"You can pay? A Class D girl like you? Kuku—did you collect points from the whole class like Ichinose?"
"I can't. And those rumors of cheating you pinned on Ichinose-san? Those points were gathered through her genuine trust.
Class D doesn't have a clear leader, so something like that wouldn't work. Even if we tried, everyone's too selfish."
The cheating rumors about Ichinose-san.
They stemmed from an incident a few days ago—Ryūen-kun's accusation against her.
A note had been slipped into every first-year student's mailbox: "Class 1-B's Ichinose Honami may be collecting points illegally. —Ryūen Kakeru."
Ryūen-kun had apparently been heavily questioned about it.
But in reality, the one who orchestrated the incident wasn't Ryūen-kun—it was X.
Why X had done it, I could think of several possibilities, but the truth remained unknown.
For instance, by using Ryūen-kun's name to point out Ichinose-san's supposed misconduct, X might have been trying to provoke her into accusing Ryūen-kun in return, hoping to get Class C penalized by the school.
But that would have been pointless.
Class C's point tax, though somewhat forceful, was based on mutual agreement.
"Figures. So how exactly are you paying back 500,000 points?"
"I'll return what I can right now. The rest… I'll pay monthly from the private points we receive. But you'll say that's not enough, right?"
"Exactly. So what else are you offering?"
Kushida-san answered immediately.
She had clearly anticipated this line of conversation.
The discussion moved at a brisk pace.
"Until the debt is fully repaid, all private points I earn from future special exams go to you. And I will absolutely be on your side."
"Define 'on my side.'"
"I'll share every piece of information I have, without holding anything back. My information network among the first-years is second to none. It'll be useful.
And I won't lie. If you ever judge that I have, you can expose my true face."
"I see. Those are good terms."
She had to repay the wasted 500,000 points.
But as a Class D student, she lacked the funds, so she added these conditions to compensate.
Reasonable. A fair settlement.
"Fine. Contract accepted. I'll draw up a written agreement later. So—how much do you have right now?"
"…About 110,000 points. Is 100,000 okay for now?"
"Doesn't bother me. Though that's surprisingly little. Lots of expenses when you have so many friends?"
"If your 500,000-point deal hadn't fallen through, I would've been hit with a 50,000-point penalty."
"Kuku. You reap what you sow."
A penalty.
It seemed breaking a contract without risk hadn't been an option after all.
Getting off with only 50,000 points was fortunate.
"Well, I'll leave you enough points each month to live on. We'll decide the exact amount after school once the special exam is over. Same place."
With those final words, the two of them took out their phones and began transferring the points.
Kushida-san's remaining debt was now 400,000 points—a long and arduous road ahead.
Still, it was far better than tumbling off the cliff called expulsion.
"Well, I'm going home."
Having finished everything she came for, Kushida-san turned to leave.
But I still had something to ask.
"Wait a moment."
"…What?"
Kushida-san's expression betrayed a flicker of irritation. Yet somehow, the hostility she usually directed at me seemed slightly softened.
"I have a question."
"Make it quick."
"What you said earlier—about the person who helped you accept Horikita-san. Who is 'that man'?"
At my question, her eyes widened for a split second.
Shock.
I had assumed she would brush me off with open disgust, insisting she had no reason to explain anything to me.
But apparently not.
"Kuku. I heard what happened after I left, but I'm curious too—how did you, of all people, who despised Suzune so much, manage to accept her?"
The man renowned for his complete lack of tact had, for once, joined the fray.
Well, if it moved the conversation along, I had no complaints.
"…I don't have to tell you."
"Why not?"
Kushida-san opened her mouth to answer but faltered.
She looked as if she might explain further, then instead reached up and roughly scratched the back of her neck.
It was the gesture of someone embarrassed by their own words.
"What's this, Kikyo? Did you fall for the guy who gave you that push?"
"That's not it."
Ryūen-kun's heckling came from the sidelines, but she answered without a trace of panic.
"Then who the hell is this 'man'?"
In my mind, I silently praised Ryūen-kun. Well done.
Her hesitant attitude was growing tiresome; I wanted the conversation to progress.
"Is he from Class D?"
Ryūen-kun grinned broadly. It was less a question than an interrogation, asked with a confidence that suggested he already knew the answer.
"No."
"…What? Then who?"
"I'm not telling. This is personal. I have no reason to share it with you."
If it was truly personal, fair enough.
But Ryūen-kun showed no sign of backing down.
"Hah. I couldn't care less about your love life. But if the person who advised you is actually from Class D, then I have every right to demand his information.
Because he might be the very person I've been hunting."
The reason Ryūen-kun pressed so hard.
The possibility that "that man" was X—Ayanokōji-kun.
He had already concluded X was Ayanokōji, but if Kushida-san was lying here, it would contradict her earlier promise to provide information.
An immediate betrayal.
"I'm not lying. He really isn't from Class D."
"Got proof? Proof that he isn't from Class D?"
"…No proof. But even if he were the X you're talking about, why would I protect him?"
Ryūen-kun weighed her words carefully.
After a brief pause for thought, he turned to me.
"Hey, lie detector. Is Kikyo lying?"
"You're the only one who would give me a nickname like that."
"Honored to receive such praise."
It wasn't praise.
But pointing that out would only encourage him, so I answered the question instead.
"She's not lying. That man truly isn't a Class D student."
At my words, Ryūen-kun's expression said this was turning out to be boring.
"…Fine. Then I'm leaving."
"Head straight to the classroom. I've been babysitting on your orders all this time, remember?"
I mustn't forget: I was a student teacher, and today was the final study session before the end-of-term exams.
I had come here because I was curious about the outcome, but by now Kaneda-kun and Shiina-san were holding down the fort.
I needed to rejoin them soon.
"In that case, I'll take my leave as well."
Ryūen-kun was already walking down the hallway of the special building, so I ended the conversation and prepared to follow.
I turned my back and took one step to catch up.
"…Hey, Kamukura."
Suddenly, Kushida-san called out.
It seemed she still had something to say.
I faced her again and adopted a listening posture.
"Do you… have any siblings?"
She asked the question with genuine puzzlement.
Taken aback by the unexpected query, I paused for a moment before analyzing its intent.
No immediate answer came to mind.
"No… Why do you ask?"
"No reason. I was just wondering."
Kushida-san lightly brushed the top of her head as she spoke, her tone curt.
A short silence followed.
I didn't have time to spare, so I turned away once more and started walking—this time to catch up with Ryūen-kun for good.
***
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