No Perfect Score in Mathematics

Morning sunlight streamed through the window, casting light and shadow across the classroom floor.

Today was the day midterm exam results were announced.

Most of the students in Class 1-A looked relaxed.

For them, the outcome of this exam was already set. The suspense wasn't about "passing or failing," but "how many could get perfect scores."

The bell for class rang right on time, and walking in with its chime was Majima Tomoya.

He held a thin folder in his hand, his face wearing the same perpetually stern expression as always.

He stepped up to the podium, placed the folder on the desk, and a crisp "thud" sounded.

The classroom fell silent instantly.

"Now, I will announce the results of this midterm exam."

He pulled a printed report card from the folder, turned around, and stuck it to the magnetic board on the blackboard.

Almost everyone's gaze shot over in unison.

The report card listed everyone's names and scores for each subject.

A sea of bright red "100" marks occupied most of the space.

"Whoa, almost all perfect scores."

"I told you, this exam was basically free points."

"I think I messed up one spot in English... damn, two points off..."

A subdued murmur rose in the classroom—not one of surprise, but of confirmed expectations.

Most people wore expressions of As a Matter of Course, while a few students who had lost points due to carelessness or memory slips let out frustrated sighs.

It was a predictable result.

However, amid this harmonious Buzzing Sound, a discordant note quietly emerged.

"Hey... look at Classmate Sakayanagi's math score..." a sharp-eyed student exclaimed with a hint of uncertainty.

Everyone's Line of Sight instantly focused on the name at the top of the report card, where it should have been.

[Sakayanagi Arisu: Japanese Language 100, English 100, Social Studies 100, Science 100, Mathematics 99]

99 points.

This number, amid the neat row of "100"s, stood out so abruptly, so Dazzling.

The entire classroom fell into an eerie silence.

Everyone seemed frozen in place, their faces etched with disbelief.

Sakayanagi Arisu, widely recognized as one of the academic peaks of Class A, had... lost a point? And on a subject where she had Past Papers?

This was even more unbelievable than if everyone had scored zero.

Sakayanagi Arisu herself remained seated upright.

Her posture hadn't changed, and the habitual faint smile on her face hadn't disappeared either.

But if one looked closely, they could see that the knuckles of the fingers gripping her Cane were turning slightly white.

Her gaze was locked onto that "99," and for the first time, genuine confusion appeared in those violet eyes, always brimming with intelligence.

She repeatedly replayed every detail of the math exam in her mind.

She could be One Hundred Percent certain that every question, every step, perfectly replicated the Standard Answers from Last Year's Past Papers.

There was absolutely no possibility of error.

"Teacher."

A cool, clear voice broke the classroom's silence.

Sakayanagi Arisu's gaze fixed directly on Majima Tomoya at the podium. "I have a question regarding my math score."

Majima Tomoya's Line of Sight shifted from his Lesson Plan to her.

He seemed to have anticipated her question.

"Sakayanagi, the school's grading system has undergone multiple rounds of manual and AI verification. I can assure you that the marking process was absolutely fair, and there is no possibility of error."

His voice was steady, devoid of any personal emotion. "The 99 points you received are the final, correct score."

His words shut down any avenue for appeal.

"...I see."

Sakayanagi Arisu was silent for a few seconds, then sat back down.

She didn't ask which question was wrong, nor did she request a re-examination of the test paper.

Because she understood that the moment Majima Tomoya said those words, questioning through conventional channels had become meaningless.

The problem wasn't in the "marking."

It was in the "rules" themselves.

Her gaze, across the entire classroom, landed on the figure at the other end.

That figure, seemingly deaf to the commotion outside.

Kazehara Tetsu.

He was tilting his head, looking out the window, as if none of this had anything to do with him.

But Sakayanagi Arisu read from his overly calm demeanor a silent, victor's show-off.

The end-of-class bell rang.

Majima Tomoya closed his folder and turned to leave the classroom.

Students rose in twos and threes, whispering as they filed out, discussing how this exam went.

Sakayanagi Arisu didn't move.

She just sat there quietly, the surrounding noise cut off from her.

She waited, waited for the classroom to gradually empty, until only a few people remained.

Then, she stood up, leaning on her cane, and step by step, walked toward the figure in the back of the room who had remained silent the whole time.

"Tap... tap... tap..."

The footsteps stopped beside Kazehara Tetsu's desk.

"Classmate Kazehara, is there nothing you want to say?"

Kazehara Tetsu turned his head, a harmless smile on his face.

"Say what? Ah... you mean the exam results? Congratulations, Classmate Sakayanagi, you almost got a perfect score. But 99 points is still an excellent score."

Every word of his seemed like praise, but together, they formed the sharpest mockery.

"My intuition tells me this matter is related to you." Sakayanagi Arisu wasn't provoked by his frivolous words.

"Related to me? Classmate Sakayanagi, you overestimate me."

Kazehara Tetsu spread his hands, looking innocent, "I'm just an ordinary Class A student. I don't have that kind of power to influence your performance in the exam hall, let alone tamper with the school's grading system."

Who could interfere with someone's exam content? Who could alter a final confirmed score?

Impossible.

"Normal means, indeed, are impossible. But, Classmate Kazehara, you have never been someone who uses 'normal means.'"

She took a small step forward, leaning her body slightly, the tip of her cane almost touching Kazehara Tetsu's knee.

"Tell me, how did you do it?"

"Sakayanagi, you're really smart. So you should understand one thing."

He said slowly.

"When the conventional path can't decide a winner, we have to open a new track."

"So..."

He paused, then spoke the key word.

"...I just had to use a little 'special means' you didn't anticipate."

"Special means..."

Kazehara Tetsu didn't drag it out any longer. He raised one finger and tapped lightly in the air.

"Simple. I just used a little... of the most valuable resource we have in this school."

His lips silently formed two words.

"Points."