Monday and Tuesday's Midterm Exam unfolded across the school in an orderly, silent yet fierce battle of wits.
For Akiyama Shin and Horikita Suzune, this was more than a test of their knowledge. It was a crucial chance to see whether their earlier plans had succeeded. Every right or wrong answer had a bearing on the larger plan to come. For most first-year students, the exam determined whether they could pass or would be expelled. At Advanced Nurturing, the ironclad rules left no room for wishful thinking.
The students who had placed heavy bets on the trivia site were especially on edge. For them, the exam was the ultimate judgment, deciding whether they would get rich overnight or lose everything.
The tense atmosphere seemed to make time pass faster.
The two days of exams were over in the blink of an eye, and suddenly it was Wednesday, the day the results would be announced.
During the last homeroom period on Wednesday afternoon, Class D was unusually restless.
"I'm so nervous... I really don't know if I passed..."
Karuizawa Kei sat at her desk with her hands clasped against her chest. The tips of her shoes tapped unconsciously against the floor, and her eyes wandered over the desktop. Her anxiety was plain on her face.
She was usually the leader of her friend group, but academics had never been her strong suit.
Whether she passed this exam would determine if she could stay at this school.
"Kei-chan, you'll be fine! Didn't you say you went over the study materials properly this time?"
"You'll definitely pass!"
Sato Maya turned toward her and offered a quiet reassurance, though her own fingers were unconsciously twisting the hem of her uniform, her knuckles faintly pale. She was clearly just as uneasy.
Shinohara Satsuki let out