"Elise? She came in last, but it's obvious she didn't even try, right?"
Suzune Horikita glanced at Elise. The latter looked back at her in confusion, still chewing on her meat.
"...＆%(I tried super hard!)"
She had food in her mouth, though, so her words came out a little muffled.
"Those questions weren't exactly easy, but even guessing could've gotten you at least ten points. And when I handed in my paper, I happened to see yours, Elise. You were just doodling all over it. Not only that, but the choices were A, B, C, and D, and you even wrote an E."
"?"
Keima Katsuragi turned and stared hard at Elise.
"So I guessed that you two siblings did it on purpose. One of you came in first and the other came in last to test the rules of the quiz—or maybe you'd already figured out that the quiz didn't matter at all, right?"
Suzune Horikita lifted her chin slightly, a hint of pride in her expression. She believed she'd figured out what Keima Katsuragi and Elise were really thinking.
After all, in her eyes, Keima Katsuragi had an exceptional mind, so there was no way his younger sister Elise was any less capable.
Elise had absolutely no idea what Suzune Horikita was talking about.
Was the pressure of studying getting to her?
"..."
Keima Katsuragi could only respond with silence.
"So, please, could you still help me find those students?"
"No."
Without the slightest hesitation, Keima Katsuragi rejected Suzune Horikita's request.
"What? Don't you want Class D's grades to improve too?"
"I do, but there's a problem with your approach."
"My approach is flawed? It was Hirata's idea, and you just said we should hold a study group—"
"I'm not talking about the study group. I mean inviting the few people who came in last on the previous quiz."
Keima Katsuragi put down his chopsticks.
"First of all, a single test is too small a sample to determine everyone's true academic ability. Second, inviting people for that reason is basically telling them, 'Your grades are terrible, so don't hold us back.' Anyone with a strong sense of pride would only react badly."
Keima Katsuragi spoke slowly, rationally considering the possible outcomes.
"What does that matter? I'm just stating a fact."
"Horikita, maybe you haven't realized it, but you've already started subconsciously seeing all the other students around you as dead weight."
Volume One: Horikita Suzune, Let's Make a Bet
Keima Katsuragi adjusted his glasses, his gaze turning serious.
"They probably are going to hold us back. No, they already have."
Suzune Horikita folded her arms across her chest and looked sternly at Keima Katsuragi.
"The class has already lost so many points because of them. Sleeping in class, whispering to each other, playing on their phones..."
Suzune Horikita pressed her lips together, paused for a second, then continued.
"You play games too, but without you, the students in this class wouldn't know about the rules. Besides, you reached an agreement with the teacher, so you don't count—but the others really are holding us back. That's why we..."
"Horikita, aren't you a student in Class D too?"
Just then, Keima Katsuragi cut her off.
Suzune Horikita's mouth twitched slightly. His words had struck like a nail, but she quickly defended herself.
"I don't accept this so-called class placement system. There must have been a mistake. I'm confident in my entrance exam results."
"You've got it wrong, Horikita. Class placement isn't based on grades alone. Personality matters too."
Keima Katsuragi remained completely calm.
"What?"
"Every student assigned to Class D has some kind of personality flaw."
Keima Katsuragi said.
After Sae Chabashira had mentioned the class placement system, Keima Katsuragi had become fairly certain of this.
The students assigned to Class D hadn't been evaluated on grades alone, since quite a few of them had excellent marks.
There could only be one explanation: they had shortcomings in other areas.
Personality, for example.
Suzune Horikita's arrogance, Airi Sakura's social anxiety, and the way the others behaved were all enough to support Keima Katsuragi's theory.
Kushida Kikyo and Yosuke Hirata seemed perfect, with pleasant personalities and decent grades, but Keima Katsuragi was sure they were hiding secrets too.
Kushida Kikyo's fixation on Suzune Horikita and the changes in her affection for her were proof enough.
"Some people know what their problems are. I do, for example: I lack social skills and exercise, and I immerse myself in games, shutting out the real world entirely. Of course, I don't consider the last one a flaw, but that's why I was assigned to Class D. You, Horikita, are the kind who doesn't realize what her own problem is. You think too highly of yourself, so you believe everyone else is holding you back. If you keep this up, you'll never make it to Class A."
Keima Katsuragi's words were incredibly sharp. Even Airi Sakura was starting to worry.
Suzune Horikita's expression darkened further, and a suffocating atmosphere settled over them.
"And why are you so desperate to make it to Class A? Is it because of your pride?"
Keima Katsuragi's gaze pierced through his glasses and settled on Suzune Horikita's face. He took in every expression that crossed it.
After a pause of one second, Keima Katsuragi spoke again.
"Or are you trying to prove yourself to someone in particular—"
"That's enough!"
Suzune Horikita seemed to have hit a switch. She stood up abruptly, leaving the food in front of her completely untouched.
"I knew asking you was a mistake!"
She gathered her things and turned to leave.
Suzune Horikita didn't notice that, as she turned away in anger, the corner of Keima Katsuragi's mouth had lifted.
One of his suspicions had been confirmed.
"Horikita, how about we make a bet?"
"What?"
Suzune Horikita stopped and turned back to look at Keima Katsuragi, wanting to hear what else he had to say.
"We'll each hold our own study group, and use the results of this month's end-of-month exam as the stakes. It's not a midterm, so it shouldn't have much impact on the class's points."
Keima Katsuragi spoke slowly.
"If the average scores of the students at my study group are higher, then from now on, whenever you want to get the class promoted, you'll have to listen to me. On the other hand, if your group does better, you can make me do whatever you want. Also, if either study group falls apart or can't find anyone within a week, that counts as a loss."
"Why would I take part in such a stupid bet?"
Suzune Horikita replied irritably.
"If you can't even put together a study group, you have no hope of getting into Class A."
"That would only prove that some people deserve to be expelled. After they're gone, our class's grades might even improve."
"Have you considered that the class could lose points if a student gets expelled?"
Suzune Horikita furrowed her brows and didn't answer right away.
"Are you afraid you can't beat me?"
"Your pathetic provocation won't work on me."
"Then what would your older brother, the Student Council President, think if he found out you were still in Class D—"
"What did you say?!"
The moment she heard Keima Katsuragi's words, Suzune Horikita grew even more agitated. She stared at him with a sharp gaze.
"Fine. I'll take your bet!"
After a brief silence, Suzune Horikita left the cafeteria, leaving those words behind through gritted teeth.
Watching her walk away, Keima Katsuragi simply smiled.
Who said that provocation wouldn't work?
It worked perfectly!
"Brother, wasn't that a little mean?"
Elise asked Keima Katsuragi worriedly.
Now her affection rating was sure to plummet again.
"No. This is for the best."
Keima Katsuragi replied.
For the time being, Suzune Horikita could be classified as a tsundere, but right now she only had the "tsun" and none of the "dere."
To bring out her softer side, he needed to find her weak spot.
From testing her during their conversation, Keima Katsuragi had already become fairly certain that Suzune Horikita wanted to prove herself.
And there was only one person at this school who fit the bill.
Manabu Horikita, the Student Council President who had given a speech at the opening ceremony.
Keima Katsuragi had noticed right away that they shared a surname. It wasn't hard to guess their relationship.
They were siblings.
Her reaction to his provocation had further confirmed his theory.
Suzune Horikita's personality had taken shape because she wanted to prove herself to her older brother.
Whether it was the main quest of winning her over or the side quest of getting the class promoted, getting close to Suzune Horikita was an essential step.
Volume One: Airi Sakura's Most Resolute Answer!
After Suzune Horikita left, Keima Katsuragi and the others finished their meal and got ready to return to their dorms for a rest before their afternoon classes.
"Brother, what are you planning to do about the study group?"
Elise asked curiously.
"I'm going to let people sign up on their own."
"Sign up on their own?"
"Anyone who wants to join can come. I won't force anyone who doesn't."
"Will anyone really show up?"
"Um, um..."
Just then, Airi Sakura's voice, as faint as a mosquito's buzz, came from beside them.
"What is it, Sakura?"
"Um... Um..."
Sakura's voice grew even quieter. She seemed nervous, stammering and struggling to get the words out.
"Elise, go buy a few drinks from the vending machines over there."
Keima Katsuragi said to Elise.
"Sure thing, Brother!"
Elise had no idea what Keima Katsuragi was up to, but since it was something God of Conquest had asked her to do, she'd follow his instructions without question. She headed off to the drink machines with a light step.
Only after Elise had left did Keima Katsuragi turn back to Airi Sakura.
"It's a little quieter now. Are you feeling any better?"
Keima Katsuragi's concerned words instantly made Airi Sakura's face flush bright red.
Had Katsuragi-kun sent his younger sister away because he was worried I might feel uncomfortable?
Before you continue