Chabashira

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Chabashira Sae (茶柱)
Alias(es)	Chabashira-sensei; “Little Sae”
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Advanced Nurturing High School; initially Class D
Occupation/Role	Class D homeroom teacher; instructor of island nation history 2
First Appearance	Chapter 2: “Enrollment”

Background

Chabashira grew up in a family that owned several tea gardens. Her grandfather trained her in tea roasting and brewing from childhood, apparently preparing her to inherit the family business. Before she enrolled at Advanced Nurturing High School, however, her grandfather transferred the gardens to her father. By the time she graduated, her father’s poor management had forced him to mortgage them, while her grandfather had fallen seriously ill. 109

Thirteen years before the current story, Chabashira was assigned to Class D as a student. Her class rose to within 73 Class Points of Class A one month before graduation, but an incident during the final special exam cost them 300 points and ended their chance of promotion. She later admitted that expelling one student would have earned the class 100 points; the student was a friend with whom she had planned to attend Tokyo University. Her own misjudgment prevented the class from recovering. 58 59

Unable to let go of that failure, Chabashira returned to Advanced Nurturing High School as Class D’s homeroom teacher. Her ambition to take a Class D to Class A is therefore tied to guilt, redemption, and the loss of both her former class’s future and her family’s standing. 58 59 109

Appearance

Chabashira is a composed-looking woman with long hair tied in a neat high ponytail. She generally wears a fitted office suit, and her formal presentation reinforces her stern, intimidating presence in the classroom. 2 18

• Long, dark hair worn in a high ponytail. 2
• Usually dresses in professional office attire. 18
• Maintains a cold expression that rarely softens; her faint smile after Class D’s exam success surprises the class. 37
• System Scan lists her at 9.7 in looks, 9.3 in intelligence, and 9.2 in combat ability. 18

Personality

Chabashira is severe, blunt, and highly disciplined in her role as a teacher. She initially presents the academy’s rules with detached calm and is willing to let students suffer the consequences of their own carelessness. Her focus on advancement can make her appear utilitarian; when Suzuki first approaches her with a plan, she agrees that troublesome students may need to be removed for the class to improve. 2 3

Her fixation on Class A is rooted in unresolved regret. She spent years trying to recreate the opportunity her own class lost, and her desperation becomes more visible when Suzuki gains leverage over Class D’s prospects. Although she often tries to conceal this vulnerability behind cigarettes, alcohol, irritation, or professional authority, she gradually recognizes that her life has become isolated and defined almost entirely by work. 38 58 89 110

Chabashira is also emotionally inexperienced and guarded. She struggles to distinguish concern for her class from her personal attachment to Suzuki, particularly when he accuses her of seeing him only as a means to reach Class A. 89 109

Abilities & Skills

School and Class Strategy

Chabashira has extensive knowledge of Advanced Nurturing High School’s systems, including Class Points, private-point transactions, class transfers, and the routes by which a class can advance to Class A.

• Explains that Class A information can be purchased for one million Private Points. 19
• Reveals that transferring classes requires twenty million Private Points. 19
• Recognizes the strategic importance of Class D’s performance and supports Suzuki when his plans offer a path to advancement. 3 38
• Remains committed to procedural fairness during student disciplinary matters, refusing to intervene prematurely in Sudo’s case. 48

Teaching and Discipline

As Class D’s homeroom teacher, Chabashira maintains order through an intimidating presence and direct reprimands.

• Teaches island nation history and remains assigned to her class through graduation rather than changing yearly. 2
• Commands immediate silence in class through her stern demeanor. 18
• Publicly announces Class D’s examination results and the class’s resulting point gains. 37

Tea Preparation

Chabashira was trained by her grandfather in traditional tea preparation and demonstrates polished brewing technique.

• Learned tea roasting and brewing as part of her family upbringing. 109
• Skillfully prepares tea for Suzuki despite her nervousness during his visit to her home. 108

Relationships

• Suzuki Tsubame — Initially a transactional ally. Chabashira supports his schemes because he appears capable of bringing her class to Class A, while he withholds information and uses her ambition to maintain control. Their relationship later becomes emotionally and physically intimate, intensifying Chabashira’s jealousy, insecurity, and fear that he may leave her. 3 38 77 78 118
• Horikita Suzune — Her student and someone Suzuki compares to a younger version of Chabashira. Chabashira recognizes Suzune’s belief that she can succeed alone because she once shared the same flaw. 6 19
• Hoshinomiya — Former classmate, colleague, and nominal close friend. Hoshinomiya covertly seeks to prevent Chabashira from reaching Class A and repeatedly probes Suzuki for details of their arrangement. 59 77 78
• Chabashira’s former classmate — An unnamed friend whose potential expulsion could have given Chabashira’s former Class D the points needed to surpass Class A. They had planned to attend Tokyo University together before losing contact. 59
• Her grandfather — Taught her tea-making and appears to have intended for her to inherit the family’s tea gardens. 109
• Her father — Took control of the family tea gardens but mortgaged them after mismanaging the business. Suzuki later helps settle the debts and recover the lost tea mountain. 109 139

Story Role / Major Arcs

Enrollment and the Class D Alliance

Chabashira introduces Class D to the school’s rules, including its point system, restricted contact with outsiders, and claims that students will be rewarded according to ability. Her deliberately reassuring explanation encourages the class to spend freely before they understand the hidden evaluation system. 2

After Suzuki deduces that the monthly allowance is conditional and that an undisclosed exam is affecting class evaluations, Chabashira acknowledges his insight and agrees to support him within her limits. Suzuki secretly records the conversation, ensuring that their partnership begins with mutual distrust rather than trust. 3

Class D’s First Recovery

Following the first special exam, Chabashira announces that every Class D student has passed and that the class has placed first in the grade for the month. Though ordinarily icy, she shows a rare faint smile at their success. 37

Her reliance on Suzuki grows as he reveals evidence that Ryūen’s Class C has engaged in violent brawls. Chabashira’s excitement over the information exposes how urgently she needs a decisive advantage against the other classes. 38

Cruise Ship and Uninhabited Island Exam

On the cruise ship, Chabashira finally reveals that she was once a Class D student and that her class narrowly failed to reach Class A. Her account establishes the personal reason behind her obsession with promotion. 58 59

She entrusts Suzuki with the class leader’s Key Card for the Uninhabited Island Exam after he volunteers to act first. Class D ultimately wins with 625 points, rising from Class D to Class B. 61 76 77

Beneficiary Exam Conflict

During the Beneficiary Exam, Chabashira gives Suzuki a hint about the pattern connecting the VIPs’ names to the Japanese syllabary. Suzuki reacts angrily, believing that her concern is still centered on using him for Class A rather than understanding him as an individual. 89

The confrontation forces Chabashira to reflect on whether her affection and concern are genuine or inseparable from her ambition. The “Obsessed Teacher” task’s progress reflects her increasingly intense emotional dependence on Suzuki. 89

Family Crisis and Changing Priorities

At her home, Suzuki discovers Chabashira’s attempt to retreat into drinking and instead makes her serve tea. This leads to her explaining the collapse of her family’s tea-garden business and the inherited burdens that shaped her drive to succeed. 108 109

Suzuki later challenges her isolation and urges her to pursue a life outside teaching and Class A, inviting her to go shopping and on a date. Chabashira is visibly embarrassed but unable to dismiss the invitation outright. 110 141 146

By the Sports Festival period, Suzuki uses connections linked to the Oriental Family to help repay her father’s debts, recover the family’s tea mountain, and resolve problems in the business. Chabashira is grateful but remains hurt that he neglected a promise to visit her. 139

Notable Quotes

“Actually... I was once a student at Advanced Nurturing too. Like all of you, I was assigned to Class D at the beginning.” 58

“Through our own efforts, one month before graduation, we were only 73 Class Points behind Class A.” 58

“I never thought that way.” 89