Can Points Really Buy Anything?

In the morning, after the Class D students finished listening to Chabashira-sensei's introduction to the school, they were dismissed.

Most students returned directly to their dorms, while the remaining students gradually formed small groups, heading to various recreational facilities to begin their first interactions and playtime together.

Konoe followed Chabashira-sensei as soon as they were dismissed, all the way until she reached her office.

"I remember you're Konoe-kun, right? Is there something else?" Chabashira asked, turning around.

"I have some questions for you, Chabashira-sensei, regarding points."

"Come in first." Chabashira-sensei led Konoe into a small discussion room within the office and gestured for him to sit down.

"Do you have any questions about the school rules? I believe I explained them clearly enough in class." Chabashira casually tossed a folder onto the desk, then paused her action of reaching into her bag.

"Excuse me, can points really buy everything? I have something I want to buy," Konoe asked concisely.

"Tell me about it?"

Only then did Chabashira raise her head with interest to look directly at the Black-Haired Boy in front of her, mentally recalling his file. She remembered the interviewer's evaluation was... prone to giving up halfway, indecisive.

"Excuse me, how many points does it take to be exempted from the next exam?"

If Chabashira was merely interested before, she was now surprised.

"Why would you ask that?" Chabashira didn't answer directly but curiously inquired about the source of his thoughts.

"Because you mentioned twice in class that points can buy anything, and I wanted to know if such statements have any meaning."

Konoe's thought was: Chabashira's answer would determine his evaluation of this homeroom teacher. If her words were just casual remarks, he wouldn't take her seriously from then on.

"You can indeed use points to be exempted from the next assessment, but you can't afford it right now." Chabashira stood up, quickly returned with two cups of water, and handed one to Konoe.

Chabashira's answer put Konoe at ease; it was good that her words weren't baseless.

"Thank you, what is the specific amount?"

"Given your current level and situation... it would be one hundred thousand points. I'll make a special exception and exempt you from the next exam." Chabashira took a sip of water.

From this, Konoe learned two things. First: the scope of what points could buy was indeed as vast as he had imagined. Second: the matters Chabashira conveyed in class were meaningful.

Now it was time to get to the main point.

"Changing the subject, Chabashira-sensei, I recall you mentioning in class: points represent the school's evaluation of us. Does the fluctuation of personal points have anything to do with exams or the like?"

If the previous question had merely surprised Chabashira, even prompting her to pour him a glass of water, then hearing this question now made her unable to remain calm.

She froze for a moment, her thoughts drifting as if recalling something from a long time ago. Soon, she regained her composure, but the surprise in her eyes had now turned into undisguised delight.

"I cannot answer that question."

This answer, however, confused Konoe. What was so difficult about this question? Compared to the previous one, this question, from his perspective, was merely a secondary confirmation of Chabashira's words in class, yet it yielded an unexpected response.

Konoe fell silent. He closed his eyes and began to think. He replayed his experiences in his mind, from seeing the school's official website on the bus to his current conversation with Chabashira-sensei.

This included how many lines of text were in the school introduction, the two colors of chairs on the bus, and the clothing of each of the passengers. He recalled every detail perfectly.

Normally, it's difficult for people to remember an experience with such meticulous detail. But for Konoe, this was commonplace. For someone with his ability, people had another name:

Mind Palace.

After only about five minutes of silence, Chabashira noticed that Konoe, who was in front of her, was slowly starting to sweat profusely. However, she didn't want to interrupt the young man, as she was eagerly anticipating his next response.

"I understand, Chabashira-sensei. The exam has already begun, hasn't it?" Konoe finally opened his eyes. This answer once again exceeded Chabashira's imagination, raising her evaluation of Konoe another level.

"I cannot answer that question." Chabashira quickly responded. When she reached for water, she found her cup was already empty.

It seemed she had struck gold this time.

Chabashira now understood that Konoe's questions from the beginning until now were all about reconfirming his own guesses, verifying whether her words held any meaning.

And her inability to answer provided Konoe with unexpected information.

"I want to purchase all information regarding this assessment." Konoe picked up his water cup, finally taking his first sip.

"Konoe Hirakawa, if you can pay eight hundred thousand points within ten days, I can answer some questions you might want to know right now. You need to agree to this condition on the spot."

"No need, I can probably guess. Thank you for your answer, teacher. I'll take my leave now." Konoe downed the water in his cup, stood up, and left.

A look of regret flashed in Chabashira's eyes. If he had agreed to her condition, Konoe, with only one hundred thousand total points, would have been forced to find another seven hundred thousand, and with his abilities, he might have been able to unite Class D.

"It's already quite good," Chabashira comforted herself inwardly, "after all, he's a Class D student."