Just Want to Be a Slacker

Kamio Tatsuya couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"You might as well say the whole class should just hand in blank papers. That way everyone gets zero, the average is zero, and no one fails."

The moment Kamio Tatsuya spoke, Yamauchi and the other two were struck as if by sudden enlightenment.

"R-right, that's right..."

Heh, right, right your damn head.

Saying something like that, where's your shame?

Watching the three of them, Kamio Tatsuya found it amusing.

"Enough, are you all pretending I don't exist as a teacher?" Chabashira Sae put a stop to the situation, then looked at Kamio Tatsuya. "Kamio, aside from this, do you have nothing else to say?"

"No, what would I have to say?"

"Do you think it's fine even if these three get expelled?" Chabashira Sae stared at Kamio Tatsuya, her voice heavy.

"Chabashira-sensei, I've already said I'm not interested in advancing to Class A. In that case, does it make any difference to me whether I abandon these three or not?"

Kamio Tatsuya knew exactly what Chabashira Sae was trying to say.

Nothing more than how foolish it is to abandon comrades here.

Admittedly, Sudo's athletic ability was excellent. If the next special exam involved physical activity, Sudo might shine.

But so what? Kamio Tatsuya had no desire to advance to Class A.

Since I don't want to advance to Class A, and saving them brings no real benefit, why should I save them?

And why are you asking me? Go ask Koenji!

You think I'm an easy target, don't you!?

Chapter 63: Scapegoat Tactic

Looking at Kamio Tatsuya, whose face bore a cold smirk, Chabashira Sae felt a headache coming on. Class D wasn't impossible to lose students, but if all three were expelled now, Class D would have no chance of advancing to Class A.

"Um, Kamio-kun, could you explain what you meant just now?"

At that moment, Hirata from the class stood up and asked.

Kamio Tatsuya had a decent impression of Hirata, so since he asked, he didn't mind explaining.

"By now, I think you should know that this school doesn't admit students based solely on academic scores, right?"

Hirata nodded at this.

Because if it were only based on scores, Sudo and the others would never have been admitted.

"Since it's not based on scores, there must be other criteria for selection." Kamio Tatsuya glanced at the three sitting together—Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi. "Though I can't see any special traits in Ike and Yamauchi, Sudo is obvious. He was chosen for this school because of his athletic ability."

His words immediately drew angry glares from Yamauchi and Ike, but no one paid attention to those two idiots at that moment.

"Since Sudo was admitted for his athletic ability, that means physical fitness is probably one of the school's evaluation criteria.

This time it's a written exam; next time it might be athletic ability. When that happens, Sudo could be the one to step up. That's why he's relevant to the class advancing."

With things explained to this extent, some students in the class seemed to grasp the potential importance of Sudo for the class's advancement.

A brief silence fell over the class, then Hirata spoke bitterly: "In that case, isn't there any way to avoid them being expelled?"

"Of course there is."

"Then please—"

"But why should I save them? You know why Yamauchi and Ike got suspended, don't you?" Kamio Tatsuya's counter-question left Hirata silent.

"If it were just Sudo, I wouldn't mind offering an idea. Unfortunately..."

Kamio Tatsuya glanced at Yamauchi and Ike, and began to think.

He thought about whether he should save them, and what benefit it would bring him.

Then, Kamio Tatsuya remembered something.

Something he had been overlooking.

That was the fact that even in the upper classes of the upper grades—not just Class B in the second year, but even Class A in the third year—there were students who had been expelled.

Class A students were judged excellent enough by the school upon admission to be placed in Class A.

If even they had people expelled, it meant expulsion was probably full of uncertainty.

If one day that uncertainty fell on him...

Kamio Tatsuya suddenly felt a sense of unease. He really didn't want to be expelled.

In that case...

He'd better plan ahead.

Kamio Tatsuya looked at Ike and Yamauchi, then a smile spread across his face.

"If they're willing to agree to one condition of mine, I'm not opposed to saving them."

The moment Kamio Tatsuya said this, the three who had been in despair perked up, looking at him with hope in their eyes.

"W-what conditions?"

Hearing Yamauchi's question, Kamio Tatsuya's face broke into a gentle smile.

"It's simple. If you agree to take the fall for me if I ever face expulsion in the future, I'll agree to save you now."

Instantly, Class D erupted in uproar.

"C-can the school's rules even allow something like that?"

Hirata looked at Chabashira Sae in shock.

Chabashira Sae furrowed her brow as well, because she didn't know if it was feasible either—at least, no one had ever tried this before.

"I don't know."

"Y-you don't know?"

"This school has several thousand rules. It's not strange for even a teacher not to know all of them."

Chabashira Sae said flatly.

"But I don't think it's necessarily impossible. Expulsion as a result can be considered one type of item, even if it's not a good one. And as long as it qualifies as an item, it can be purchased with points."

Hearing this, Kamio Tatsuya raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying that even if they agree to take my expulsion, I'd still have to spend points to transfer that result to them?"

Chabashira Sae shook her head again. "I'm not sure. Since nothing like this has ever happened, I need to confirm with the school."

Class D fell silent, the students anxiously waiting for Chabashira-sensei's answer.

Whatever the result, Kamio Tatsuya didn't care. If the required points weren't too many, he'd choose to save them. If the points demanded were unreasonable, he'd refuse to help. It was that simple.

But the others, especially the Three Fools, felt differently.

This determined their fate from here on out!

Fortunately, it didn't take long. Chabashira-sensei soon received a reply from the school.

"If both parties agree, it only takes 2 million Private Points to transfer the expulsion result. However, this is limited to expulsion results arising from exams. In other words, if you're expelled for violating school rules, that result cannot be transferred to someone else."

Two million per person. That didn't seem too much—at least, I can afford it now!

Kamio Tatsuya smiled and looked at the Three Fools.

"I have no problem. What about you?"

Just then, Hirata suddenly stepped forward again.

"Sensei, how many points would it take for the school to revoke the expulsion of Ike and the other two?"

Hearing this, Chabashira Sae's face lit up with a smile.

"Sharp, Hirata. You noticed that rule."

The students in the class grew excited at Chabashira-sensei's words, and Ike's trio even had hope written on their faces.

If they could afford the points, they wouldn't have to be beholden to anyone.

Kamio Tatsuya's expression didn't change. Hirata's thinking was right, but unfortunately, the price was something the entire Class D couldn't pay.

"But unfortunately, you can't afford it." Chabashira-sensei's face showed a playful smile, as if to crush Hirata's hope. "To cancel one person's expulsion requires 300 Class Points and 20 million Private Points."

300 Class Points and 20 million Private Points. For three people, that's 900 Class Points and 60 million Private Points. There was no way they could come up with that many points.

Class D didn't even have a single Class Point right now, and 20 million Private Points was an astronomical number for them.

Even if you killed them, they couldn't scrape together that much. The faint hope that had risen was instantly snuffed out again.

"Isn't there any other way?"

As Hirata spoke, his gaze unconsciously turned to Kamio Tatsuya.

Kamio Tatsuya's expression remained unchanged, still smiling. "My offer still stands."

"H-how can this be?"

"This is too much!"

"I, I..."

Watching the three stammering, angry faces, Kamio Tatsuya wasn't in a hurry at all.

"It's up to you whether you choose to be expelled now or gamble on a sliver of hope. You've all seen my grades—they're well above the passing line. You don't need to worry about me being expelled for failing an exam."

Kamio Tatsuya had put a lot of thought into tricking these three into signing a contract.

But his words made most of the class dislike him. What a blatant act of profiting from someone's misfortune.

Of course, Kamio Tatsuya didn't care what they thought.

At the same time, some people regretted not stepping forward earlier. That way, they could have gained an extra life—maybe their points were enough to buy the trio's scores too?

Kamio Tatsuya quietly watched the three of them, waiting for their answer.

He wasn't worried at all that they would refuse. Dropping out now, or holding onto a sliver of hope—the choice was easy to make.

"I'll do it!"

Sudo Ken was the first to make his decision. His voice was low, but he still chose to agree.

Good. Just as Kamio Tatsuya had predicted, this guy wouldn't choose to drop out now for the sake of basketball.

After Sudo Ken agreed, Yamauchi and Ike also chose to agree one after another.

Hearing their words, a smile curled at the corners of Kamio Tatsuya's mouth. Good, three lives secured.

Then, Kamio Tatsuya took out a piece of paper and drew up a temporary contract.

"Chabashira-sensei, could I trouble you to act as a witness?"

Chabashira Sae nodded. She even thought this was better. The exams at this school were full of uncertainty, and having trash like Ike and Yamauchi take the fall for Kamio Tatsuya's expulsion was the best possible outcome.

"Fine. You can explain your method now. I'll bring a copy of the contract after the first class ends."

Hearing this, a smile spread across Kamio Tatsuya's lips.

"It's simple, Chabashira-sensei. Please sell me the points these three are short of passing."

At Kamio Tatsuya's words, the classroom fell silent.

"Buy... buy points?"

"Is that even possible?"

The students in the class all looked expectantly at Chabashira-sensei.

"Haha, what you said is quite interesting. I never expected you'd ask me to sell you points—I've never even thought of it."

Heh, please, stop pretending, okay?