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The next morning, after Chabashira-sensei finished going over a few things to keep in mind for their physical education classes during the Class Meeting, she prepared to leave.

Just then, Hirata stood up and called out to her. "Chabashira-sensei, could I have a moment of your time?"

The students looked at Hirata curiously. Though only two or three days had passed, the students in Class D already had a very good impression of him.

"What is it? If it's not urgent, we can talk in the staff room." Chabashira-sensei was as cold as ever.

"Sensei, could I ask you just two quick questions? I won't take up much of your time. I'd like everyone in class to hear the answers too."

"...Fine. Keep it brief." Chabashira-sensei walked back to the lectern.

"I heard that we're currently being assessed. Is that true?" Hirata asked bluntly.

Chabashira glanced at Konoe, who was sitting in the back row, then gave a quiet scoff. "I don't know where you heard that, but I can't answer that question."

Her response was exactly the same as what Konoe had said. Hirata now completely believed Konoe's theory from the day before.

"Huh? What's going on?"

"What assessment?"

The students were immediately thrown into an uproar by the baffling question.

"My second question..." Hirata paused deliberately, waiting for the class to quiet down. "Is it true that the number of Points the school gives us each month varies according to student evaluations?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Aren't we supposed to get 100000 Points every month?"

"I've never heard anything like that."

Before Chabashira-sensei could answer, the class erupted into chaos. Hirata quickly tried to calm everyone down. "Everyone, please wait for the teacher to finish answering, okay?"

"...I can't answer that question either. Is that enough, Hirata?" With that, Chabashira-sensei left the classroom without waiting for his reply.

"Everyone, please give me a moment. There's something I'd like to explain." Hirata turned to face the class.

He went on to share three main points: the Points issued by the school might be connected to students' overall evaluations; the school might be assessing the students; and Class D might be competing against the other three classes.

After explaining this, he asked everyone to do their best to follow the usual classroom rules.

Since the students struggled to understand the reasoning, and kept interrupting him, it took Hirata quite a while to finish explaining.

"Could what Hirata said be true?"

"Wouldn't that be terrible?"

"But it's just a theory, right? Chabashira-sensei didn't say anything either."

"Idiot. Her saying nothing proves there really is an assessment, doesn't it?"

The discussion in class went on without end.

"Ha ha ha ha! So that's what's going on. Hirata boy, you seem pretty useful after all." Kogenji's booming laughter interrupted the students' discussion.

"What's going on, Kogenji? Do you know something?" Ike asked him.

But Kogenji only gave a cold laugh and didn't respond.

"Everyone, think carefully. Would the school really give first-year students who had just arrived on campus an unlimited 100000 Points every month? Besides, this is an elite school established by the government to nurture talented people." Hirata explained again.

"If Points are related to our evaluations, we might be able to work together to find ways to hold on to them. Isn't it better to take action to protect our Points than to do nothing and risk losing them? That's what I think. What does everyone else think?"

Hirata spoke with such sincerity, and he'd already made a good impression on the class. By now, most of the students were quietly warming to his argument.

"But even if what you said is true, and the Points the school gives us are connected to our individual evaluations, wouldn't it be enough to look after ourselves? Why go out of our way to act together?" The question came from a bespectacled boy who was usually easy to overlook. His name was... Yukimura Teruhiko, if Konoe remembered correctly.

"That's because it seems Class D is in some kind of competition with the other classes. That's just a theory too, but if it's true, then the evaluations are likely based on the class as a whole. And if we work together, we can keep an eye on one another too, Yukimura."

Yukimura lowered his head and began to think.

Suddenly, something crashed in the back row.

"What assessment? What evaluations? That's just your wild guess, isn't it? I'm not wasting my time on something with no proof!" Sudo kicked a desk and got up, then walked out of the classroom. It looked like he was skipping class again today.

Hirata called after him, but Sudo didn't stop. The bell rang just then, so Hirata had no choice but to return to his seat.

"I think Sudo's right. It's just a theory, so what's the point of doing anything based on that alone? Aren't you making a big deal out of nothing?" The voice belonged to an ordinary-looking boy whose name was... Yamauchi Haruki, if Konoe remembered correctly.

"But..."

"Everyone, how about we discuss this again after school? It won't take up too much of your time." Hirata smiled again.

Seeing how hard Hirata was trying, Konoe felt moved, but he also began to wonder why some of their classmates were so strongly opposed.

Sudo's fierce objections and Yamauchi's opinion had given the other undecided students an easy way out. After all, Hirata was only putting forward a theory. Rather than make a fuss and take action, they could just carry on as usual and not worry about it. It was hard to get people to leave their comfort zone when there was no proof. Konoe sighed as he realized the reason.

Sure enough, after school Hirata tried again to persuade everyone. But when Yamauchi left first, clearly impatient, several other students followed one by one. Only half the class remained in the room, and most of them were girls.

And when Hirata gently urged those who had stayed to follow the usual rules in their daily lives, nearly half of them looked troubled, as if following the rules would take a great deal of effort.

By the time they wrapped up, Hirata could barely hide his disappointment. Several girls nearby were comforting him.

Seeing that, the students all began to leave. Soon, only Konoe and Ayanokoji were left in the classroom.

Konoe went over to Ayanokoji's seat. Ayanokoji still had the same expression as ever: calm and unconcerned, as if none of this had anything to do with him.

"What do you think, Ayanokoji? I feel like you're always able to look at things objectively."

"It's not like that. I'd just say you were unlucky. Don't let it bother you too much."

"Unlucky?"

"Yeah. If Hirata was the one to tell everyone about this, then it all depends on what the students think, doesn't it? Everyone thinks differently, so it comes down to luck."

At those words, Konoe felt a sudden flash of insight, but he couldn't quite grasp it. He thought there was a good chance of this working, so why did the others think it wouldn't? What was different between his way of thinking and theirs?

Konoe was about to close his eyes and enter the Mind Palace to think through the differences carefully, but Ayanokoji patted him on the shoulder and interrupted. "There's no need to rush, right? Don't worry about it too much. Want to head back together?"

Konoe nodded and left the classroom with Ayanokoji.

"Come to think of it, we have a Swimming Lesson at school. How are you at swimming, Konoe?"

"...I can't swim at all. I need to work on my physical education a bit. How about you, Ayanokoji?" Konoe had already forgotten his earlier worries. Now his thoughts had moved on to tomorrow's worries.

"I can swim, though I'm about as good as I am at running. Want me to help you?"

Konoe didn't take the offer as more than a courtesy, but he still thanked him. "Thanks, Ayanokoji, but there's no need to trouble you. Since we have a swimming lesson tomorrow, it'd be better to use the opportunity to learn in class."

Ayanokoji nodded and said no more as the two of them left the classroom.