The joint study group between Class B and Class D had been meeting for several days. The novelty of it had gradually worn off, and things should have settled down... But instead, the study group had grown increasingly restless.
At first, it was just students from Class B noticing something odd while explaining problems to their classmates from Class D. "Huh? This type of question... I'm pretty sure our teacher said it wasn't on the exam."
The other students in their group were just as confused. "No way! I saw Chabashira-sensei announce the exam scope with my own eyes, and this was included."
At first, they dismissed the minor discrepancy with a laugh, assuming the Class D students had remembered wrong or misunderstood. But as the students continued sharing notes across different subjects and groups, similar comments started cropping up everywhere.
"Our Hoshinomiya-sensei specifically marked this section of Modern Society as being on the exam."
"Impossible! Our homeroom teacher didn't include this section in the exam scope."
"The grammar topics for English don't seem to match, either..."
If one person reported a discrepancy, they might have misremembered. But if all the students in Class D reported one, there were only two possibilities. After receiving feedback from several groups in a row, Hirata Yosuke's usually handsome face, always lit by a gentle smile, turned grave. He repeatedly compared the exam scope Chabashira-sensei had described, which he'd circled in his notes, against the outline shared by the Class B students. The glaring differences sent a chill through him.
If... if Class B's outline was the correct one, what would that mean? It meant that most of Class D was working themselves to the bone in completely the wrong direction! It meant they might face a whole slew of questions they hadn't studied for at all! It meant... the risk of expulsion hadn't decreased. It had grown enormously, without them even knowing!
The news quickly reached Ichinose. She was leading Class B's study group as well, and now her brow furrowed slightly. She immediately realized how serious the situation was. Without hesitation, she took out her Personal Terminal and found the number she'd been contacting frequently lately.
"Urgent, Natsukawa-kun! The study group between our classes found major differences between the exam scope announced to Class D and ours, across several subjects! What's going on? Did Chabashira-sensei give them the wrong scope? Or..." She added a worried emoji.
After sending the message, Ichinose felt a little uneasy. Her fingers wound unconsciously around a strand of hair, a trace of confusion in her blue eyes. She believed Natsukawa must know something.
Natsukawa's reply came soon after, brief and to the point:
"Your class's scope is correct. If you want to know the details, come to the library. I'll explain."
Seeing his reply put Ichinose somewhat at ease—at least Natsukawa knew what was going on. She immediately stood up, briefly explained things to the classmates beside her, and confirmed that Class B's exam scope was correct. Then she hurried toward the west side of the library.
By the window in the library, Natsukawa was leisurely flipping through a book. He'd started treating textbooks like storybooks by now, while Sakura Airi quietly worked on practice problems beside him. Seeing Ichinose hurry over, her cheeks flushed from the brisk walk, Natsukawa set his book down.
"Natsukawa-kun, what on earth..." Ichinose sat across from him and asked in a hushed voice, unable to wait any longer.
Natsukawa made a calming gesture and looked at her serenely. "It's simple. Chabashira-sensei did it on purpose. She gave them the wrong exam scope—or, at the very least, one that deviated drastically from the main topics."
"Why?!" Ichinose's eyes widened in disbelief. For someone who had always acted according to the principle of goodwill, it was almost impossible to understand.
"To force our classmates to find the 'exam questions' themselves," Natsukawa explained. "At this school, the midterm questions from the first term in previous years don't change. And the past exams—the so-called 'past papers'—can be bought from upperclassmen. Chabashira's goal is to wait until just a few days before the exam, or even later, before casually announcing a change to the exam scope—or to let the students discover it on their own. She's using this method to identify students with the ability to gather information, take initiative, and adapt. As for those who fail to notice, or can't afford to buy them..." He paused and said no more, but the meaning was clear.
Ichinose drew in a sharp breath, shock written all over her face. "So... that's what's happening... What does Chabashira-sensei hope to accomplish?" she murmured. Then, as if she'd thought of something, she looked at Natsukawa with renewed curiosity. "But, Natsukawa-kun, how do you know all this? Even Chabashira-sensei's intentions..."
Before you continue