Teacher Chabashira looked at Hoshino with a surprised expression.
"Are you serious?"
"Of course. Why would I joke about something like this?" Hoshino said solemnly.
After a moment of silence, Teacher Chabashira asked, "Why are you telling me this? In principle, we teachers must remain neutral in conflicts between classes."
"So telling you won't have any effect, right? Or are you saying that Teacher Chabashira... intends to set aside your position and interfere with my actions?"
Hoshino wore an amused smile.
"And besides, I think Teacher Chabashira is wrong. The rule that teachers must remain neutral only restricts the teachers' actions; it doesn't say teachers can't have preferences. Since the school has stipulated that classes won't be reshuffled over the three years, homeroom teachers and their classes are tied together. As a teacher, isn't it only natural to hope that your class rises in the rankings?"
Hoshino's voice was low, seemingly carrying some seductive magic. "And according to my guess, just as us students are judged as superior or inferior by being divided into Classes A, B, C, and D, teachers are probably evaluated based on their class rankings as well."
Upon hearing that, Teacher Chabashira could no longer conceal her shock. "Hoshino, you... why would you think that?"
"Because since enrollment, the only school-wide events we've had were all presided over by Teacher Mashima from Class A. The teachers from the other three classes were either absent, or could only stand by and watch even when they were present. And just now, you said that Teacher Mashima criticized Hoshinomiya over what happened this morning. That made me even more certain that class rankings must affect the teachers themselves too."
Teacher Chabashira stared at Hoshino for a while before finally letting out a long, resigned breath and leaning back against