In Classroom of the Elite, My Future Daughter Provides Assists

[Although Ichinose Honami is a genuinely good person, isn't she a bit too easy to swindle?]

Swindle?

That's a rather harsh choice of words.

However, Classmate Shirogane couldn't really deny it.

Because, in truth, he was indeed swindling Classmate Ichinose.

While he had proposed an alliance to Ichinose to stand against Senior Nagumo, that only accounted for fifty percent of his intentions. The other fifty percent was that he wasn't currently the Student Council President, so he needed to lead his class to reach Class A first.

In other words.

If Ichinose wanted to form an alliance with him, she would have to watch his class ascend to Class A.

Did that mean that at some critical juncture, Ichinose Class might even need to cooperate and let them climb ahead?

So, there it was.

What looked like an alliance was actually a way to obtain a concession and assistance from Ichinose Class for free.

That was why the Narration System said Classmate Ichinose had been swindled by him.

Still, a girl's hand was truly something else; the moment he held it, her body heat transferred over. Moreover, a girl's hand felt so soft.

"..." Classmate Shirogane felt a bit of inner turmoil.

After all, this was one of his very few experiences holding a girl's hand. It was quite difficult to stay calm.

Yet, even though Classmate Shirogane felt shaken on the inside, there wasn't a single trace of surprise on his face.

He looked composed and cool-headed.

Classmate Shirogane suddenly felt that he might have a talent for acting.

[Today is another defeat for Classmate Sakayanagi, isn't it.] The Narration System suddenly muttered.

"What?"

Classmate Shirogane had already pulled his hand away, regaining his freedom, so he took out his small notebook.

[Nothing, it was nothing.] The Narration System said immediately.

Meanwhile.

After Shirogane and Ichinose left, the Student Council President did not turn his attention back to the documents he had yet to process.

He said to Tachibana Akane, "Process the paperwork for Ichinose and Shirogane to join the student council today, and bring it to me later."

"Understood, President. Shall I also approve the application for Kiriyama Ikuto to join the student council?" Tachibana Akane asked, recalling the other new member entering the council.

That morning, the President had met with Kiriyama, who had then submitted his application to join the student council.

This Kiriyama was the class representative of Second-Year Class B, which used to be the original Second-Year Class A before they were surpassed by Nagumo and subsequently dropped in rank.

"Change Kiriyama's position," Horikita Manabu said. "Nagumo and I have completely different philosophies."

"If I don't intervene, then the next Student Council President will inevitably be him."

"And as Shirogane discovered, the results of the second-year special exam last month were problematic."

"Although I can't say for certain that he violated the rules, if Nagumo is truly using the authority of the student council to rule over the second years, I believe there is a need for intervention."

"The school sometimes tacitly approves of certain actions, but once he becomes the Student Council President, it is hard to imagine the scenes the students of this school will have to face in the future."

Horikita Manabu said.

On his desk now lay an appointment document for the student council.

It was an appointment for Kiriyama Ikuto of Second-Year Class B to the position of vice president of the student council.

But just a few seconds ago, a red X had been marked across this document.

"Eh? Does this mean you are planning to give up on Kiriyama?" Tachibana Akane saw that the appointment document for Kiriyama had been voided.

Tachibana Akane was Horikita Manabu's secretary and also his classmate. She had been assisting Horikita Manabu since their first year, so after he became the Student Council President, he brought her in.

He recognized her ability to assist him.

At the same time, because she was both the secretary and a classmate with whom he had a tacit understanding, Tachibana Akane was privy to a lot of information.

For example.

Horikita Manabu had actually discovered that Nagumo's philosophy differed from his own. Horikita Manabu advocated for the school's long-standing philosophy and supported the model of class competition, but Nagumo was completely different. Nagumo hoped to give individual students more opportunities; if he took office, he would grant individual students more authority, and might even relax the rules regarding fighting and violent means.

As for students with low ability, he supported weeding them out.

The Student Council President had the authority to expel students, although the quota was limited to one person.

However, there was also the authority to intervene in special exams.

While one could not know the exam questions in advance, one could be the first to know the results, and could also intervene in the rewards and penalties for class evaluation points in every exam.

Under such circumstances, it was permissible for a Student Council President to stubbornly insist on the expulsion of those who failed, or to impose heavy point deductions on lagging classes.

Once Nagumo takes the stage, it will be a disaster for students who lack the strength to compete.

At that point, a large number of students will inevitably be expelled.

Horikita Manabu is already a third-year student; with this year coming to an end, he cannot remain at this school, so he must also tie up loose ends.

His original approach was to grant Nagumo the position of vice president, and once Nagumo seized that opportunity to begin abusing his public authority, he would grant the same rights to Kiriyama, the class representative of the former Second-Year Class A.

Therefore, Horikita Manabu's original intention was to cultivate Kiriyama to oppose Nagumo.

Cultivating Kiriyama holds great value; as a student from the original Second-Year Class A who was surpassed by Nagumo, Kiriyama requires very little intervention—once granted the authority, he would naturally oppose Nagumo on his own.

But now, Horikita Manabu has crossed out that plan.

The original plan was to support Kiriyama against Nagumo, but Horikita Manabu has changed his mind.

"First, grant Kiriyama the position of secretary," Horikita Manabu said. "If Kiriyama can seize the secretary position and resist Nagumo, effectively neutralizing the disadvantage of three classes being pitted against his single class, then we can consider granting him the position of vice president."

Furthermore.

Horikita Manabu still had words left unsaid.

Compared to Kiriyama, Shirogane also has advantages. Shirogane Miyuki is a junior, and at the same time, Shirogane should have known for a long time that he and Horikita Suzune are siblings.

For Shirogane to pull off an upset, he needs to bring a convincing bargaining chip to the table.

At the time, Horikita Manabu had said he was somewhat surprised that Shirogane chose to use the report against Nagumo for cheating as his leverage.

Because back then, Shirogane could have also used the fact that he is Suzune's brother as a bargaining chip.

A sister in Class D, and a brother who is in Class A and the Student Council President.

That chip could have become a weapon to attack him.

Although the Third-Year Class A where Horikita Manabu currently resides is relatively stable, as long as he hasn't graduated yet, the outcome cannot be easily determined.

So, Horikita Manabu does have his own vulnerabilities.

Therefore.

The fact that Shirogane did not mention this point actually raised Horikita Manabu's estimation of him.

If he chooses Kiriyama, Kiriyama possesses the goal of opposing Nagumo; if he chooses Shirogane Miyuki, Shirogane is very clever and already knows to oppose Nagumo—even going so far as to proactively report him. Undoubtedly, once this news gets out, Shirogane will stand directly in opposition to Nagumo.

So, Junior Shirogane has already proactively chosen his side.

In that sense, he is in the same position as Kiriyama.

Thus, another candidate who can keep Nagumo in check is now presented before Horikita Manabu.

Choosing Kiriyama as vice president is indeed a stopgap measure, but since Kiriyama belongs to a defeated class and is being squeezed from all sides, logically speaking, he shouldn't be able to enter the student council.

Therefore, by comparison, there is no need to be so hasty in choosing Kiriyama as vice president.

Meanwhile.

Katsuragi and Yahiko had already left the student council and walked over to the playground.

There is a large electronic bulletin board on the playground, and several students are gathered around it, seemingly checking the information posted.

Katsuragi had originally intended to leave with Totsuka, but after walking a few steps, he turned back.

This is because they noticed three familiar faces looking at the bulletin board: one is the petite and cute Sakayanagi Arisu, who is holding a cane. The tall, purple-haired Kamuro is following her side like a bodyguard.

And the other is a tall, blonde male student dressed in attire for club activities.

This male student is the class representative of Second-Year Class A, Nagumo Miyabi.

This senior had previously come to their Class A to ask if Kamuro was the accomplice who helped Shirogane with his report.

And Senior Nagumo seems to be striking up a conversation with Kamuro.

Kamuro has a straight face; although she is answering his questions, they have been classmates for a month, so Katsuragi can tell that Kamuro is likely quite dissatisfied with Nagumo.

As a fellow classmate, even if they are representatives of different factions, Katsuragi wouldn't just stand by and watch.

However, Kamuro's... no, the Sakayanagi that Kamuro supports is completely focused on the bulletin board.

Is she looking at the information above?

There is indeed information that catches the eye.

The school has announced the situation regarding rewards and punishments.

On the reward side.

Shirogane Miyuki, a student from the former First-Year Class C and current Class B, reported a Shopping District clerk for misconduct; after investigation, it was confirmed that the clerk did indeed commit a violation.

The school specially rewards Shirogane Miyuki with 30,000 Private Points and an anonymous Point Card.

The class evaluation points for Shirogane's class are increased by 50 points.

Everyone actually already knew about this. And Katsuragi also understands why Ryuen's class was able to catch up—Shirogane's side received a direct 50-point boost.

But what is concerning is the situation regarding the punishments.

It is not just students who have been punished; teachers have been punished as well.

A teacher's statement.

Former First-Year Class B homeroom teacher Hoshinomiya Chie: 100,000 Private Points deducted.

Former First-Year Class C homeroom teacher Sakagami Kazuma: 500,000 Private Points deducted.

First-Year Class D homeroom teacher Chabashira Sae: 1,500,000 Private Points deducted + salary for the next three months, specifically June, July, and August.

"..."

This is somewhat subtle.

Because these three individuals are the homeroom teachers for the three first-year classes.

So, one has to wonder.

What exactly did these three homeroom teachers do?

Why were they all penalized with Private Point deductions? And the situation with Class D is the most outrageous, with the largest deduction.

If the teachers committed a violation, then given that Class D had the most deducted, could one suspect that the Class D teacher leaked information to the students in her class last month?

However.

The Class Evaluation Points for First-Year Class D are 0.

This result is quite hard to reconcile.

Meanwhile, the former First-Year Class C homeroom teacher Sakagami Kazuma had 500,000 Private Points deducted, which doesn't seem like much, suggesting his violation wasn't very severe.

But Hoshinomiya, the homeroom teacher for Ichinose's class, also committed a violation.

Looking at it this way, the homeroom teacher for Class A is the most reliable.

However.

Continuing to look down, one can see information regarding students who also committed violations.

One of them is Nagumo Miyabi from Second-Year Class A, with 300,000 Private Points deducted.