Meeting Room F didn't feel like a psychological battlefield. It felt like a beauty salon throwing a massive discount sale.
The atmosphere inside the room was utterly dominated by one specific sound frequency: the chatter of gyaru girls.
"Eh, seriously? That brand of sunblock totally dries out your skin, you know!" Satou Maya exclaimed, tapping the table lightly. "It's way better to use a water-based one. Right, Karuizawa-san?"
"Exactly!" replied Karuizawa Kei, sitting in the main chair as if it were her throne. She crossed her legs, twirling her blonde hair around her index finger.
"Especially on this ship, the AC totally dehydrates your skin. I'm going to have to do a face mask tonight. Ugh, this exam is such a hassle. Why couldn't we just have our discussions by the pool?"
"Agreed!" chimed in Matsushita Chiaki, who was sitting next to Kei. She pulled out a small compact mirror, checking her makeup. "Besides, having serious discussions causes wrinkles. We'll be old before we even graduate."
In the corner of the room, Tsukasaki and Nakajima from Class C (Sakayanagi's faction) exchanged glances, looking thoroughly confused and annoyed.
Meanwhile, Oda Takumi and Noguchi from Class D (Ryuen's faction) looked like they were about to explode. They had already tried to interrupt the conversation three times, and all three times their voices had been drowned in an ocean of topics ranging from nail art to lip tints.
And in the most inconspicuous corner of them all, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka sat quietly, holding his glass of mineral water.
His flat eyes observed this organized chaos.
Incredible, Ayanokouji thought.
To the naked eye, this looked like a group of undisciplined Class B girls who didn't care about the exam in the slightest. They were loud, spoiled, and uncooperative.
However, Ayanokouji saw the structure beneath the noise.
Karuizawa Kei was the VIP.
Ayanokouji was 99% sure.
Usually, the person chosen as the VIP would try to keep a low profile to avoid attention. But Seiji Koroizumi's strategy—the person who was clearly the mastermind behind this—was different.
He instructed Kei to do the one thing she was best at: Being the center of attention.
Being loud.
Being annoying.
By becoming the primary source of noise, Kei effectively blocked any form of subtle interrogation. How could you ask, "Are you the VIP?" to someone who refused to stop talking about nail polish?
And Kei's defense didn't stand alone. She was supported by two solid pillars.
Satou Maya, who was naive yet fiercely loyal, acted as the amplifier. She validated every single one of Kei's complaints, making garbage topics seem like issues of national importance within that room.
And Matsushita Chiaki...
Ayanokouji's eyes shifted to the beautiful girl currently powdering her nose.
Matsushita was the gatekeeper.
She was smart. She knew Kei was the VIP (or at the very least, she knew Kei was executing Seiji's strategy). Every time a student from Class C or D tried to interrupt with a serious topic, Matsushita would "innocently" steer the conversation back to trivial matters, or counterattack with a snide remark about their appearance.
This wasn't just gossip. This was a Fortress of Sound.
"Oi! Shut up for a second!" Oda from Class D finally snapped, unable to take it anymore. He slammed his hand on the table.
"We're here for an exam! Not a tea party! We want to know who the VIP is!"
Kei stopped talking. She turned her head slowly toward Oda, looking at him with a remarkably natural, condescending glare—a glare she had perfected from her past, rising from a victim to the queen bee.
"Huh?" Kei scowled in disgust. "You're so rude. What's your name? Oda? You're from Ryuen-kun's class, right? No wonder you have zero manners."
"What did you just—"
"And besides," Kei cut him off, waving her hand as if shooing away a fly. "Your shirt smells like sweat. Don't come near me. I'm allergic to the smell of guys who don't shower."
"I-I took a shower!" Oda's face flushed bright red.
"Really? Then why do you smell like a gorilla?" Matsushita chimed in, covering her nose elegantly.
"Pfft," Satou stifled a laugh.
The focus of the room instantly shifted. From "Who is the VIP" to "Does Oda smell".
The mental attack was simple, childish even, but it was highly effective at destroying the opponent's credibility. Oda backed down, losing his momentum, and became paranoidly busy sniffing his own armpits.
Ayanokouji took a sip of his water.
Koroizumi truly maximized the potential of these girls' 'weapons', he analyzed.
He didn't teach them complex logic or philosophical debate. He taught them how to use mild social bullying as a defensive shield.
Tsukasaki from Class C tried a more diplomatic approach. He cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Karuizawa-san, Matsushita-san. We understand you're bored. But Sakayanagi-san gave us instructions to reach a consensus. If we don't discuss anything, how can we reach an agreement?"
"Agreement?" Kei raised an eyebrow. "We already have an agreement."
"Eh?"
"Scenario 1. Win-Win. 500 grand for everyone," Kei said lightly. "That's the easiest way, isn't it? We don't have to think, we don't have to accuse anyone, and we get shopping money. Simple, right?"
"Yeah, super simple," Satou agreed.
"Who wants to go through the trouble of guessing the VIP just to be wrong and make their class lose points? Only an idiot would take that risk," Matsushita added, shooting a sharp glare at the Class D students.
The logic was irrefutable.
"So," Kei continued, pulling a fashion magazine from her bag and opening it on the table. "Since we've agreed on Scenario 1, we're just going to use the rest of this time to chill. Oh right, Ayanokouji-kun."
Kei suddenly called out to him.
Ayanokouji looked up. "Yes?"
"Can you go get me some more water? Talking to thick-headed people made me thirsty," Kei ordered casually.
Ayanokouji stood up without protest. "Alright."
He walked over to the water dispenser in the corner of the room.
This was the role Seiji had given him—or rather, the role Ayanokouji had chosen for himself to support this strategy.
To be the errand boy. To fade into the background.
By allowing Kei to boss him around, Ayanokouji further reinforced Kei's image as the "Selfish Queen Bee." People wouldn't suspect a queen busy ordering her subordinates around to be a terrified, hiding target.
People would just think Kei was a spoiled girl who wanted to dominate the room.
The perfect disguise hidden behind arrogance, Ayanokouji thought as he filled the glass.
He returned to the table, placing the glass in front of Kei.
"Thanks," Kei said curtly, not even looking at him.
"You're welcome."
Across the table, Nishino Takeko (also from Class B), who had been silent the entire time due to her loner nature, merely let out a soft scoff at her classmates' behavior. But she didn't interfere. She knew this was a strategy.
The Virgo Group had become an impenetrable fortress. Not with iron walls, but with suffocating feather pillows.
Anyone who tried to attack with logic or intimidation would drown in an ocean of apathy and petty mockery.
Tsukasaki from Class C finally gave up. He leaned back in his chair, massaging his temples.
"Fine. Scenario 1. I don't have the energy to argue with you girls."
"Great!" Kei exclaimed cheerfully. "Now, Satou-san, what were you saying about that nail polish?"
And the chatter resumed. Spinning around in endless circles.
Behind her fashion magazine, Kei hid her slightly trembling hands. Being the center of attention and antagonizing others was actually terrifying for her. It reminded her of the past when she had been the target.
But then she looked at Ayanokouji, sitting quietly in the corner. And she remembered Seiji's promise.
"Be loud, Kei. As long as you keep shouting, no one will be able to hear your terrified heartbeat. We will protect you."
Kei smiled down at a page displaying swimsuit models.
I'll do it, Seiji-kun. I will be the Queen you want me to be.
In the Virgo Group, the VIP was safe behind a wall of sound.
.................................…
Meanwhile, Meeting Room G was silent, but it wasn't a peaceful silence like a library, nor was it a tense silence like an interrogation room.
It was the silence of a graveyard.
Sakayanagi Arisu sat in her chair, which was pulled back slightly from the round table, as if separating herself from the "commoners." Her pale white hands rested upon the head of her cane.
Her intelligent, cruel eyes swept over the faces before her.
There was Yamauchi Haruki from Class 1-B, shaking his leg nervously, sweat pouring down his face as he desperately tried to look calm.
There was Sakura Airi, also from Class 1-B, who bowed her head so low her large glasses almost touched the table, trying her hardest to become transparent.
There was Kaneda Satoru from Class 1-D, the failed intellectual still harboring a grudge from his defeat on the island.
And there were Aoi Mizuhara and Himeno Yuki from Class 1-A, looking vigilant as they followed Ichinose's defensive doctrine.
"Boring," Sakayanagi sighed softly. Her voice was gentle, yet it echoed clearly throughout the room.
"So very, very boring."
Yamauchi flinched. "W-what do you mean, Sakayanagi-chan? We just started."
"Sakayanagi-san," corrected Kano Nene, Sakayanagi's loyal subordinate, glaring sharply at Yamauchi.
Sakayanagi smiled sweetly. "It is fine, Kano-san. Let him call me whatever he likes. Those might be his final words as a student at this school."
Yamauchi's face instantly went pale. "H-huh? Expelled? Why?"
"Because of this exam," Sakayanagi tapped her cane against the floor once. Clack.
"This game of 'Find the VIP' is designed for people who like to hide. People who are afraid. People who have no power."
She looked at Kaneda.
"You're all thinking incredibly hard right now, aren't you? Looking for signs of nervousness. Looking to see who is sweating the most. Looking to see who is avoiding eye contact."
Kaneda adjusted his glasses. "Of course. That is basic strategy. If we find the VIP, our class wins."
"Basic strategy for pawns," Sakayanagi scoffed.
Suddenly, she held up her phone. The screen was lit up. She didn't hide it. She placed it right in the middle of the table, facing upward.
Everyone leaned in, curious yet hesitant.
On that screen, an email from the school was clearly displayed.
[YOU ARE THE VIP]
Gasps echoed throughout the room. Yamauchi's eyes bulged so wide they almost popped out of his head. Sakura covered her mouth with her hands. Kaneda's jaw dropped.
Sakayanagi Arisu, the leader of Class C, had just revealed her Ace in the very first second of the game.
"Well then," Sakayanagi said, leaning back comfortably in her chair. "Now you know. I am the VIP."
Silence. Their brains short-circuited. This defied all the logical rules of any game of Werewolf or Among Us they had ever known. The target wasn't supposed to turn themselves in.
Kaneda was the first to recover. His hands trembled with excitement. He quickly reached for his own phone.
"You... you're insane," Kaneda whispered, a greedy smirk appearing on his face. "You just handed victory to Class D on a silver platter. If I send my answer right now..."
"Be my guest," Sakayanagi interrupted.
There was no trace of fear in her tone. It wasn't a bluff. It was merely a cold, polite invitation.
"Take your phone, Kaneda-kun. Type in my name. Send it to the exam server. Do it right now."
Kaneda's hand froze in mid-air. His thumb hovered over the send button.
Why? Why isn't she afraid?
"But before you press that button," Sakayanagi's voice dropped low, turning into a demonic whisper that crawled across their skin.
"Think about the consequences. Not the consequences of this exam. But the consequences for your life."
Sakayanagi stared deeply into Kaneda's eyes.
"I know you are smart, Kaneda-kun. You are ambitious. You want to be successful. But you are just an ordinary student from an ordinary family. Whereas I..."
Sakayanagi smiled. A smile that reminded everyone that she wasn't just a smart student. She was the daughter of the Chairman of the School Board.
"...I possess the ability to turn the rest of your school days into a literal living hell. I can ensure you never receive a university recommendation. I can ensure you will be isolated, destroyed, and thrown away like trash before you even graduate."
Cold sweat dripped from Kaneda's forehead. His finger remained frozen.
"And that goes for all of you," Sakayanagi continued, her eyes shifting to Mizuhara and Himeno from Class A.
"If even a single one of you dares to submit my name as your guess... I will destroy every last one of you. I will use all of my resources, all of my private points, and all of my influence to hunt down the traitor and everyone they care about."
It wasn't an empty threat. The aura radiating from Sakayanagi's petite frame was an aura of absolute power.
She was holding herself hostage.
If she was the VIP, and she lost, her class would suffer a loss. But she didn't care about that loss. she had turned herself into a nuclear bomb: If I explode, you all die with me.
"B-but..." Yamauchi stammered, his voice squeaking in terror. "If... if we don't guess you... what do we get?"
"You get safety," Sakayanagi answered sweetly. "And 500,000 points. Isn't that enough? Scenario 1. Win-Win."
Sakayanagi picked her phone back up, slipping it into her uniform pocket.
"So, the choice is entirely in your hands. You can try to be the hero who takes down Sakayanagi Arisu and subsequently live in fear for the rest of your lives... or you can be obedient dogs, sit quietly for three days, and receive a delicious bone."
Sakayanagi looked at Sakura Airi, who was trembling violently.
"What do you think, Sakura-san? Do you want to oppose me?"
"N-n-no!" Sakura squeaked, shaking her head in a panic. "I... I want peace! I don't want to guess anyone!"
"Good girl," Sakayanagi praised.
She turned back to Kaneda, who was still frozen like a statue with his phone in his hand.
"Kaneda-kun? Time is ticking. Ryuen-kun might be happy if you win, but can Ryuen-kun protect you from me?"
Kaneda gulped. He lowered his phone.
Ryuen was certainly terrifying physically. But Sakayanagi... the fear she instilled was existential.
"I... I agree to Scenario 1," Kaneda said hoarsely, utterly defeated.
"A wise decision."
Sakayanagi smiled in satisfaction. She had transformed this round table into her royal throne. There was no need for discussion. No need for deception.
Only pure dominance.
"Now then, since we're all in agreement," Sakayanagi said, gesturing for Kano to pour her a cup of tea.
"Entertain me. Yamauchi-kun, I heard you like to brag about your dates with models? Tell me about them. I need a bedtime story."
"Eh? I-I... alright!" Yamauchi, scared half to death but also desperate for attention, immediately complied. He began to tell his story stumblingly, becoming the court jester for the Queen.
Sakayanagi listened with an amused smile, taking a sip of her tea.
Ah, Koroizumi-kun, she thought as she stared at the steam rising from her tea.
In your group, you're undoubtedly using a much more subtle method, aren't you? You're likely playing the role of a kind-hearted sheep.
But I am different.
I am a wolf who doesn't bother wearing sheep's clothing. I devour them in broad daylight, and they thank me for it.
The Libra Group had fallen under the absolute rule of the Queen. In this room, democracy had died before it had even begun.
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