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In the Class D classroom, Akira stared at the latest information that had just appeared today.
[1. Horikita Suzune of Class D inadvertently picked up substandard ingredients when collecting free food last night. She used these ingredients to make a bento, and after eating it at noon today, she will experience temporary diarrhea. During the first period in the afternoon, Shimizu Akira will be glared at five times coldly by her after he hears her trying to suppress her discomfort.]
[2. Shiranami Chihiro of Class B has harbored an exceptionally strong affection for Ichinose Honami of the same class since the beginning of the school year.]
[3. Nagumo Miyabi of second-year Class A plans to purchase the third-year midterm exam papers from any third-year student at 7 PM tonight, with the final transaction price being 20,000 points.]
'No way? What does this have to do with me?!'
When he saw the first piece of information, Akira almost couldn't hold back. Horikita chose substandard ingredients herself and got an upset stomach, so why did he end up being glared at?
Come to think of it, he'd just given her 100,000 points on Monday, so why was she still so frugal, even going to get free ingredients? He really didn't understand.
He suppressed the urge to complain and continued reading the second one.
This piece of information was quite interesting. Although he didn't know Shiranami Chihiro, just by the name, he knew she was a girl, and Ichinose was obviously also a girl. So Ichinose's charm really reached the point of attracting both guys and girls?
Can girls and girls be happy together?
But then he thought, if there is love, everything should be fine.
But the key question was, would Ichinose really accept the other party's confession?
The last piece of information seemed much more important.
Akira suddenly remembered what Nagumo had said last time when he went to eat parfait with Kushida. At that time, the guy forbade second-year Class C from buying test papers, saying, "Leave this kind of thing to me," and criticized it as "wasting points."
It seemed that what Nagumo meant by "making a move" was this transaction tonight.
Following the logic, it became clear. Nagumo now controlled four classes, and students from these four classes would pay him tribute points every month. For him, there was no need for each class to buy test papers privately. As long as he got one set, people from all four classes could share it.
After all, they were all second-years, and the test papers they used were the same.
This method was indeed very point-saving.
More importantly, he could use this to further tighten his control. Since the test papers had to be uniformly obtained through him, the classes would naturally become more dependent on him and more easily manipulated by him.
The 20,000 points written in the information must be the unified price for the test papers.
Akira even couldn't help but suspect. Would Nagumo have already issued a ban, strictly prohibiting those four classes from privately purchasing test papers, and if anyone dared to disobey, they'd face his punishment?
After all, given his current methods, such a thing was entirely plausible.
Instead of letting each class spend money to buy test papers themselves, it was better to use "unified supply" to hold everyone's needs in his hand. It saved points and strengthened deterrence through "bans" and "punishments," achieving two goals with one stone.
He suddenly felt that Nagumo's methods were truly cold. Or rather, this person came to this school with the ultimate goal of "acquiring more points," and all his directives and actions were like satellites orbiting a star, precisely revolving around this core.
Akira didn't think Nagumo was someone who'd do useless work. Logically, points should only be used within the school, but the guy's obsession with accumulating points couldn't be without reason.
'Could it be that even after graduation, points still have some great use?!'
If that were true, then all of Nagumo's current calculations would have a more plausible explanation.
Thinking this, he simply took out his phone and sent a message to Chabashira.
He quickly received a reply, but it started with a hint of impatience. {Why do you always like to ask questions after 8 AM? Do you time it precisely for when I start work? Do you think I'm the type of person who clocks in exactly on time?}
Then came the answer about the points. {I can tell you, some rich kids will buy points with cash. If you really have a lot of points you can't use up, you might try off-campus trading channels.}
Akira was stunned, somewhat unsure about the avenues for off-campus transactions.
After all, students couldn't contact people outside the school, so could it be that the school also provided some third-party trading channels?
As for rich kids? Who would spend a lot of money to buy points with cash?
However, he also realized how obvious his actions were. Because daily information wouldn't refresh until eight in the morning, and he'd indeed sought Chabashira for questions at that time these past few days, no wonder she became suspicious.
Chabashira quickly sent another message. {I'm not blaming you, I just want to say—you can also ask questions after work hours in the future.}
Akira was startled again, even more bewildered.
What's going on? You can even ask questions after work hours?
{So, what's the cost?}
{There is no cost. I am your homeroom teacher, after all. You proposed last month that you didn't want to interfere with class affairs, and I agreed. These past few days, besides the information that is explicitly charged for, I've told you everything I could. I just want you to know that, compared to others, you can try to trust me.}
Akira stared at the text on the screen.
He'd originally thought that a teacher's "extra help" would always come with some conditions, like the clearly priced transactions in the school.
But there was no hint of probing in Chabashira's words, only a straightforward "wants him to trust," which instead made him feel somewhat at a loss for a moment.
This feeling was very strange, like suddenly being handed a candy without an expiration date, both unexpected and a bit awkwardly unexplainable.
'However, "compared to others"? What does that mean?'
Akira stared at the text on the screen, suddenly feeling that Chabashira's words hid something unspoken.
"Others"? Who was she referring to? He hadn't sought anyone else these past few days. The only thing that could be called an "exception" was probably last month. He didn't rent surveillance through Chabashira, but went directly to Student Council President Horikita Manabu.
Could she already know about this?
But then again, what Chabashira said was indeed true.
Since then, she'd never proactively asked about class affairs, and these past few days, facing his questions, she'd almost answered everything, with a patience unlike her, truly like a reliable and responsible homeroom teacher.
Since she said so, perhaps he could try to trust her once.
Whether it was politeness or sincerity, he'd accept this show of goodwill first.
Akira simply replied. {Then thank you, Chabashira-sensei, I understand.}
If Chabashira could really continue to treat him this way, not causing trouble or making things difficult, then there was nothing wrong with him staying in Class D.
But once he sensed something was amiss—
At worst, he'd just prepare to pack up and leave.