Little Uesugi~

That evening, just after Uesugi Hara had finished washing up, a message from Kushida Kikyo popped up on his Terminal: "Horikita did something to get the teacher to revoke Ken Sudō's expulsion. Do you know what she did?"

Class D even had an Archaeology Exam Paper, and someone still managed to fail? Uesugi Hara grumbled to himself, then tried to remember who Ken Sudō was—oh, the red-haired guy with the crew cut who always looked fierce.

He replied, "Tell me what happened first."

Kushida Kikyo's reply came soon after: "His English score was one point short of passing, so Chabashira-sensei told him he'd be expelled. But in the end, I don't know what Horikita did, and he wasn't expelled."

You could get an expulsion revoked... If someone bombed an exam later, could they use the same trick? But what would it cost? Uesugi Hara stroked his chin and pondered for a few seconds, then typed back, "She probably paid some Private Points."

"Private Points?" Kushida Kikyo sent a puzzled emoji.

"That's right. The school said at the start of the year, 'Anything within the school can be bought, no matter what it is.'" Uesugi Hara explained, "She might have spent Points to buy that one mark, or to cancel the expulsion outright. But I think the first is more likely. Given how many Points Class D has right now, the odds of them buying their way out of an expulsion are low."

"Then do you know how many Points she spent?" Kushida Kikyo's message appeared right after.

"I'm not a worm in her stomach. How would I know?"

"Eww~ That's so gross." Kushida sent that, then added, "But I thought you knew everything."

"...I can read your fortune with a few finger calculations and tell you how long you'll live. Believe me?"

"Really?" Kushida replied instantly, clearly intrigued.

"Really. I never lie."

"Then tell my fortune!"

"You'll live until you die, so you can hop around all you want until then. |･ω･｀)"

"Go to hell! (￣ε(#￣)" Kushida on the other end of the Terminal was clearly laughing in annoyance.

"Hah. Women."

After ending his chat with Kushida Kikyo, Uesugi Hara set down his Terminal and leaned back in his chair to think. He hadn't expected the use of Private Points to become apparent so quickly. They could even solve an expulsion. This school's "rules" were certainly straightforward.

He had no idea what he could do with his few Points. It would be nice if someone sponsored him with a few more...

The next day, in the teachers' office.

Uesugi Hara knocked on the door. Mashima Tomoya's voice came from inside. "Come in."

"Oh, Uesugi. What can I do for you?" Mashima Tomoya asked, setting down his pen when he saw who had come in.

Uesugi Hara first glanced around the office. Chabashira Sae, Class D's homeroom teacher, had a cigarette between her fingers and a cool expression. Hoshinomiya Chie, Class B's homeroom teacher, was slumped over her desk, face flushed as she mumbled "Little Sae"; she was clearly drunk. Sakagami Kazuma, Class C's homeroom teacher, looked like he was high. Uesugi Hara's mouth twitched. So their teacher, Mashima, was the most normal one here.

"Mr. Mashima, I came to ask you a few things."

"Oh? You have questions?" Mashima Tomoya was a little surprised. He had read Uesugi Hara's student file. Uesugi Hara was exceptionally talented. Although he always kept to the edge of the class, often spaced out during lessons, and seemed tired much of the time, Mashima had observed that he'd already mastered the material taught at school.

"I'd like to ask about the school's rules."

Mashima Tomoya immediately became interested. Sakagami Kazuma and Chabashira Sae also slowed what they were doing. They wanted to hear what this student had in mind. Only Hoshinomiya Chie continued mumbling incoherently.

"Then what would you like to ask? I'll consider whether I can answer."

Hearing Mashima Tomoya say this, Uesugi Hara didn't beat around the bush. He went straight to his first question. "I heard that a student in Class D failed the midterm, but wasn't expelled. I'd like to ask how that was done."

Mashima Tomoya glanced at Chabashira Sae, who showed no reaction, before answering. "It's like this: during the first midterm, anyone who failed could spend 100,000 Private Points to buy one mark and reach the passing line."

"What about later on? There'll be cases of expulsion in the future too, right? What will it cost then?" Uesugi Hara pressed.

"There will definitely be exams where failing means expulsion, but I can't tell you what the price will be just yet. You only need to remember one thing: 'Anything within the school can be bought, no matter what it is.'" Mashima Tomoya said with a smile. He hadn't expected someone in his class to already be thinking of a way around the rules.

Uesugi Hara naturally picked up on Mashima Tomoya's obvious hint. He asked, "If anything can be bought, then could we use Points to buy the benefits the school promised? Or transfer to another class?"

Mashima Tomoya's smile froze after only a few seconds.

If you think this book is good, add it to your bookshelf so you won't have trouble finding it next time.

Mashima Tomoya: Uesugi, shouldn't you be figuring out how to raise your Class Points and save up Private Points? Why are you asking about this? What are you planning?

Though he was a little puzzled, he still explained, "20 million Private Points. That's the price for transferring classes or buying the benefits promised by the school. You'll find out sooner or later, so there's no harm in telling you."

Uesugi Hara nodded to show he understood.

"Knock, knock, knock—" A sudden knock came at the door.

"Excuse me." The door opened, and Ichinose Honami walked in. She paused when she saw Uesugi Hara. "Oh, Uesugi, you're here too?"

Uesugi Hara raised a hand in greeting.

"Ms. Hoshinomiya, it's time for class!" Ichinose didn't bother with further pleasantries and went straight over to Hoshinomiya Chie, who was still "playing dead."

"Uesugi, it's getting late. You should head back to the classroom and get ready for class," Mashima Tomoya urged.

"That's true, but before I go, I have one more question.

"Does Class 3-A, Horikita President's class, still have 40 students?" Uesugi Hara looked Mashima Tomoya in the eye and asked calmly.

It should have been a question, but he said it like a statement.

Mashima Tomoya didn't answer. Perhaps he wasn't allowed to; perhaps he thought there was no need. Uesugi Hara already knew, or could find out by taking a look at the upper years.

"I see."

As soon as Uesugi Hara stepped out of the office, Ichinose Honami came out after him, supporting the unsteady Hoshinomiya Chie.

"Um, Uesugi..." Ichinose had just started to ask why he'd asked about the number of students in Class 3-A when Hoshinomiya Chie interrupted her.

"Little Uesugi? Can Little Chie call you that?" Hoshinomiya Chie squinted drunkenly and leaned close, her voice slurred.

Uesugi Hara turned to look at Hoshinomiya, who seemed out of it, then looked at Ichinose. She nodded helplessly, silently signaling, "She's drunk. Don't mind her."

"Sure, Hoshinomiya-sensei. What is it?"

"No, silly. It's Little Chie. Little Chie~" Hoshinomiya Chie waved a finger at him, correcting him in a childish, almost coy voice.

Uesugi Hara: This teacher looks childish enough already. Why does she talk like a child too?

He gave Ichinose a look that asked, "How should I respond?" She gave him a look that said, "Just humor her."

"Okay, okay, Little Chie~ What is it?"

"Hehe, Little Uesugi, do you have a girlfriend? How about considering the Little Honami from our class?" Hoshinomiya suddenly leaned close to his ear and loudly "spilled the beans."

"Ms. Hoshinomiya! You're talking nonsense again!" Ichinose's ears turned scarlet. She hurriedly covered Hoshinomiya's mouth, then apologized repeatedly to Uesugi Hara. "Uesugi, Ms. Hoshinomiya is drunk. Don't take her seriously! We'll be going!" As she spoke, she dragged the still-struggling Hoshinomiya away.

"Little Chie isn't drunk, hic~ Little Uesugi, hic~, Little Chie wasn't joking! Little Honami, stop interfering!" Hoshinomiya's voice drifted back.

"Teacher! We have class. Come on!"

"Little Uesugi, see you next time, hic~"

"S-see you next time..." Uesugi Hara stood there, his mouth twitching.

What a fascinating teacher.

Back in the office, the atmosphere was a little strange after Uesugi Hara left.

Sakagami Kazuma, Class C's homeroom teacher, spoke first. "Looks like this year's Class A isn't simple. I didn't expect that besides Classmate Sakayanagi and Katsuragi, there'd be a student like Uesugi too. Mashima-sensei, you're a lucky man!"

Mashima Tomoya: "Haha, I hear your class's Ryuen is pretty good too. I also hear your class did really well on this midterm, so your Class Points will probably shoot up in a few days."

Chabashira Sae didn't join in their discussion. She took a few final drags of her cigarette, picked up her teaching materials, and hurried out of the office.

She seethed inwardly. Why did her class have to be full of trash?