Before the Exam

What was the only lesson humanity had learned from history? The answer was that it had learned nothing.

"Don't you think this is getting boring? This is already the thirty-sixth round." Sawahara looked at the two people sitting across from him, their faces covered in strips of paper.

"Hmph. I'm winning this one for sure." Ryuen seemed to grin cruelly, but with his face covered in paper strips, he just looked ridiculous.

"Sometimes, I really admire your confidence, Ryuen." Sawahara sighed. Even after losing thirty-six rounds in a row, Ryuen still believed he could win. He was just like he'd been during their duel at the start of the school year.

"Enough talking." Ryuen tossed his head, making the strips of paper rustle. "Just show your cards."

"I fold." Sawahara placed his cards facedown, conceding, then turned and left before Ryuen could say a word.

"Hah, looks like I'm the one laughing last after all." Ryuen pulled the strips of paper off his face and confidently turned over Sawahara's hand. But the moment he saw the cards, his smile vanished.

Two of the four cards were aces of hearts.

"That bastard cheated!"

Sawahara casually tossed the remaining half-deck of cards he'd hidden on his person into a trash can, then headed out onto the deck.

He'd once met a gambler whose hand had been cut off for cheating. Back then, he'd asked the man why he'd cheated when he knew it could get his hand cut off.

The man's answer had been:

'It's only cheating if you get caught. If you don't get caught, it isn't cheating. He didn't lose his hand because he cheated. He lost it because he got caught.'

"Sorry, Ryuen. We promised not to cheat, but like that man said, it doesn't count if no one catches you."

After apologizing to Ryuen in his heart, Sawahara leaned against the railing and admired the sea.

It was already sunset. The sun slowly sank toward the sea, its fading light washing over the rolling waves and tinting them orange.

The sea and sky met at the horizon, their colors blending together.

He'd always imagined those words described a scene as blue as the sky. Now he realized that perhaps this fiery orange was what they really meant.

Click—

A shutter sounded. Sawahara turned toward it and saw a pink-haired girl holding a camera, capturing the beautiful view of the sea.

The girl wasn't especially pretty, and her thick glasses made her look a little plain. But she had a great figure, with curves in all the right places.

Perhaps noticing Sawahara looking at her, the girl turned and met his gaze. Then she immediately took two steps backward, and her camera slipped from her hands.

"..." Do I look like some kind of terrifying beast? Sawahara touched his cheek, confused. He walked a couple of steps closer, intending to ask if she could send him a copy of the photo.

Then... she ran off, leaving her camera behind.

He picked up the camera she'd dropped. After dinner, he returned to his room.

"Ryuen, does my face look scary?"

"No. Just disgusting." Ryuen gave his thoroughly "objective" opinion.

The two days of rest passed quickly. Then Sawahara gathered everyone in the class.

"Big bro Sawahara, why'd you call us all here?" Ishizaki asked, scratching his head. He was voicing what most of the class wanted to know.

"I called you here because..." Sawahara was about to explain when the familiar voice of Mashima-sensei came over the loudspeakers.

At the same time, everyone's phone rang with a different tone.

"Attention, students. The school has just sent an email to all students containing important information. Please check your phones and follow the instructions. If you did not receive the email, please notify a staff member nearby. The email contains very important information, so be sure not to miss anything. I repeat..."

That was the announcement that came over the speakers.

"Ah, looks like it's starting." Sawahara took out his phone and read the message. "This is why I called you here. The second Special Exam will be held on this ship."

The school was using this method to deliver information for the exam? In that case...

"Huh? Something like this is happening?"

"No way, again?"

"This school is such a pain."

The students complained among themselves at the news. From the sound of it, the last exam had been pretty rough on them.

Tap, tap, tap.

Sawahara lightly tapped his fingers on the table a few times. The class fell silent.

"I didn't tell you about the second exam during the past two days because I wanted to make sure you enjoyed your time off," Sawahara said calmly. "But now that you've had two days to relax, it's time to take the exam seriously."

First, he had everyone check the information sent by the school. It was their most direct lead about the exam, so they needed to make full use of it.

'The Special Exam is about to begin. Students must gather in their designated rooms at their designated times. Anyone who arrives more than ten minutes late will be penalized. Please gather in Room 203 on the second floor by 8:40 p.m. tonight. The meeting will last twenty minutes. Please use the restroom and set your phone to vibrate or turn it off before arriving at the meeting place.'

That was the message Sawahara had received. Ryuen, Suzuki Eishun, and Oda Takumi had received the same one.

The others had received similar messages, but their times were different.

"So the earliest group meets at 5:30 p.m.?" Sawahara organized the information they had so far.

The students had been divided into twelve groups, each with three or four people. Why had the school specified the groups in its instructions? Did that mean each group would receive different information? If this was an exam, there had to be questions and answers. Perhaps the clue in the instructions—the "groups"—held some significance.

It seemed they would receive more information when they gathered later. The way the school had chosen to explain things was rather inefficient, which might itself be part of the exam. For now, he would treat it as a less important clue. Which parts of the explanation would be key clues? If he'd been in the first group, he would have had more room to maneuver. Unfortunately...

"From now on, when you go to your meetings, bring paper and a pen. If you get any of the following information, you must write it down or commit it to memory.

1. Information or objects that cannot be taken out of the room

2. Information related to the groups

3. Anything the teacher reminds you of repeatedly, or gives you time to look at or memorize

4. Anything you're not allowed to write down"

"Yes."

Class C was now ready to face the Special Exam.