Ichinose Honami, Full of Sneaky Vibes!

Although Hoshino En couldn't see Hoshinomiya Chie's expression, he could clearly see Chabashira Sae's.

He saw a complex mix of emotions flash across Chabashira Sae's face as Hoshinomiya Chie spoke: three parts passion, resentment, guilt, and determination, and seven parts indifference.

The overwhelming indifference was clearly a disguise. The emotions that made up the smaller part were what she really felt.

This woman really wanted to challenge her superior!

But the other emotions in her eyes didn't seem fake... If he could confirm that she and Hoshinomiya Chie had once been students at this school, then all his previous guesses would make sense.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course that's impossible."

Chabashira Sae brushed her off, then turned around and continued leading the way.

But Hoshinomiya Chie still didn't give up. She continued following them, steadfastly.

When they were nearly at the Counseling Room, Chabashira Sae questioned her again.

"How long are you planning to follow us? This is Class D's business."

"Huh? I'm not! I just happen to be going to the Counseling Room, too. Is that a problem?"

Hoshinomiya Chie had finally brought out the all-purpose excuse that couldn't be refused.

Just then, a girl with rose-gold hair suddenly appeared in front of them.

It was Ichinose Honami.

"Hoshinomiya-sensei, could I borrow a little of your time? I have something I'd like to talk to you about regarding the Student Council."

She first explained to her homeroom teacher why she had come, then turned to Hoshino En and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

"Hoshino-kun, if you've done something wrong, you should admit it honestly! I'm sure your homeroom teacher will forgive you."

"...Ichinose, why did you assume from the start that I'd done something wrong? Do I really make such a bad impression on you?"

Hoshino En was utterly baffled. He didn't remember doing anything to offend Ichinose. Why was she so biased against him?

"Because..."

Ichinose Honami started to say something, but glanced at the two homeroom teachers standing on either side of them. Neither seemed inclined to stop her. Instead, they were perfectly in step as they watched the drama unfold.

Despite their wildly different personalities, there was a reason the two of them had become close friends and spent so much time together.

After thinking it over for a moment, she spoke.

"Because, Hoshino-kun, you really have no sense of boundaries. You can't control how close you get to other girls, and besides..."

She gave Ayanokoji Kiyotaka a discreet glance, unaware that the other four people there had all noticed the gesture.

"And, well, when it comes to the same sex... I don't approve of it, but if you really like him, I won't object. You should still keep a reasonable distance in public, though."

After saying that, she stood behind Hoshinomiya Chie and waited for the teachers to decide what to do, saying no more.

But the other three people present couldn't hold it together.

Chabashira Sae looked back and forth between the three students, her heavy mood unexpectedly beginning to crack.

Were young people these days really this wild? Had she been at school for so long that she'd lost touch with society?

Hoshinomiya Chie glanced at her proud Class Representative, surprise written all over her face.

Ichinose, what was with that speech that made you sound like his proper wife? Since when had someone else's dog stolen my Class Representative away?

She also gave Hoshino En and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka a discreet glance.

And here I'd only been teasing you. I never thought you'd actually go through with it!

...That's a little gross.

Hoshino En wore an equally complicated expression.

He looked at Ichinose, then turned to glance at Kiyotaka, whose chest was almost pressed against his back, and said helplessly, "Kiyotaka, why are you standing so close? People will get the wrong idea."

But Kiyotaka was someone he was raising, and this was hardly the sort of thing an Artificial Genius needed to learn about, so he could understand the other boy's behavior.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: "..."

"En, you know I'm a student. I've never been questioned alone by a teacher before..."

He looked at Chabashira Sae and Hoshinomiya Chie, putting on a frightened expression as he edged closer to Hoshino En.

He looked exactly like an innocent student afraid of his teachers. The performance was flawless.

It was just a little over-the-top, and putting it on took a lot out of him.

First Semester of First Year

Chapter 59: Ichinose Honami, Full of Sneaky Vibes!

"All right, you have a visitor, too. Go on."

Having seen enough, Chabashira Sae immediately started shooing them away.

"Aww, Sae-chan, you're so heartless! After everything we've been through!"

She spoke in a suggestive tone.

But when Chabashira Sae seemed genuinely ready to get angry, she stopped pushing.

"Come on, Ichinose. Let's talk in the office."

She led Ichinose Honami toward the Teachers' Office.

As for Hoshino En and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Chabashira Sae led them into the Counseling Room.

Though Hoshino En didn't know what sort of grudge there was between her and Hoshinomiya, one thing was clear: she wanted to make Class D take off, and she had already set her sights on them.

Maybe she had targeted him because of how he'd acted during homeroom, but what about Kiyotaka?

He'd kept a low profile last month. Aside from going to and from school as usual, his most noticeable habits were fooling around with Ike and Yamauchi after school and clinging to Horikita during breaks. Those things should have done nothing but lower people's opinion of him. So why had Chabashira set her sights on him, too?

Could she have found out he was from the White Room?

Hoshino En didn't think so. During homeroom, she'd used him to put pressure on the class, only to be caught off guard by his response and nearly left speechless. She was the perfect example of someone who was bad at something but loved doing it anyway—an idiot who thought she was clever.

If that was the level of people the White Room produced, Kiyotaka had nothing to worry about.

Could she have learned about Kiyotaka's background through some channel and now be trying to use the White Room to threaten him?

That seemed quite possible, and yet not very likely. The White Room was clearly a gimmick politicians used to attract investment and votes. An ordinary person would have a hard time even finding out it existed, let alone a teacher who'd spent years locked away on this isolated island.

Still, with no other possibilities to consider, that was the most likely explanation.

In any case, he had to stay alert. He couldn't let his first impression of her make him careless.

"So, Chabashira-sensei, why did you call Kiyotaka and me here?"

Only after the Counseling Room door had shut completely did Hoshino En ask.

Chabashira Sae didn't answer.

She simply opened another door inside the Counseling Room, then watched Hoshino En and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka in silence.

It seemed to be a pantry.

The two exchanged a glance, then Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stepped forward and asked, "Are we making tea? Would roasted green tea be all right?"

"No. I mean, the two of you are going in there."

Chabashira Sae ushered them inside.

"Stay quiet in there until I say you can come out. Don't make a sound. If you disobey, you'll be expelled."

With that, she shut the pantry door without giving them a chance to ask questions.

Hoshino En and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: "..."

What was wrong with this teacher?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: [En, what is Chabashira-sensei trying to do by calling us here?]

Since they couldn't make a sound, there was nothing wrong with chatting on their phones.

Hoshino En: [I don't know, but she definitely wants to use us.]

[That makes sense for me, but why did she set her sights on you? Have you done anything to show what you're capable of?]

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: [Other than that game of international chess with you, nothing.]

Hoshino En: [Then you'd better be prepared. If there's no other reason for her to target you, your background might already be exposed.]

[She seems obsessed with moving up a class. She might use that to pressure you into helping the class.]

As soon as he read that, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's aura changed. He was like a dragon roused from sleep, or a divine blade drawn from its sheath.

The White Room, threats, being forced to help—everything about it ran counter to his freedom.

Anything that threatened his freedom was an enemy. And enemies had to be destroyed.

He needed to think of a way to get her expelled...

Seeing the murderous aura practically spill out of him, Hoshino En quickly added another message.

Hoshino En: [But don't worry too much. You have people backing you. One homeroom teacher probably can't use her authority to threaten you.]

Besides, teachers probably didn't have the power to expel students at will. They would need evidence, at the very least.

Speaking of evidence, Hoshino En opened the recording app on his phone and confirmed that it was still running in the background.

Then he took out the voice recorder he carried with him and tucked it into the sleeve on his right arm as a backup.

Finally, he pulled out a small camera that could record sound. Thanks to the clerk who'd been taken away, he had this new model, which had features the old ones didn't. Like this: he detached the camera from its base and put it in the left breast pocket of Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's uniform.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: "..."

Hoshino En: [Follow behind me when we go out. Let me do the talking. If you have to speak, move closer to me and press the left side of your body against my back.]

Although it might cause a few misunderstandings, Kiyotaka's earlier reaction seemed pretty suitable now. There was nothing strange about an honest student who was afraid of teachers hiding behind someone while he spoke.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: [...Understood.]

These gadgets were convenient. Should he buy some later, too? They were much more useful than a phone.

Hoshino En: [The camera isn't cheap. A decent one costs at least 80,000 points. If you really need something, just buy a good enough voice recorder for now.]

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: "..."

All right, he couldn't afford it.

But having evidence wasn't enough. They also had to guard against Chabashira Sae digging up some hidden trap the students didn't know about.

So Hoshino En sent Sakayanagi Arisu a message.

Hoshino En: [Ask the Chairman if homeroom teachers have the authority or any way to get a student expelled.]

Sakayanagi Arisu: [? Are you and Ayanokoji-kun being threatened by your homeroom teacher?]

Hoshino En: [Not yet, but we should be prepared.]

[By the way, I can't take a call right now. Please message me.]

Sakayanagi Arisu: [I'll ask.]

She was quick. Just as they heard the door open outside, her reply came through.

Sakayanagi Arisu: [Homeroom teachers periodically update their evaluations of students. Those evaluations, together with the ones given when students enroll, are used as references for the school's assessment of them. But the school mainly looks at facts and evidence. Without those, the evaluations won't have any real effect on a student.]

[The school also believes in student self-governance. The Student Council has more authority than the teachers, so if you run into trouble, you can appeal to them.]

[But, Hoshino-kun, if you're expelled through such despicable means, I'll ask Father to get you a job at the school, so don't worry~]

Ignoring Sakayanagi's usual teasing, Hoshino En finished reading the information, then pricked up his ears and listened carefully to the sounds outside.

"...So, Horikita, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Outside the door, Chabashira Sae called out a name Hoshino En had expected.

He'd thought some of the class's top students might seek out their homeroom teacher in private over the class placement issue. Horikita Suzune's name had been among the ones he expected.

What surprised him was that Horikita Suzune had come alone. He'd thought some of the other top students, like Yukimura Teruhiko, would come with her.

Using numbers to make up for a gap in status and create a more equal footing was one of the most common ways to improve the odds of negotiating with someone in a position of power. Unless the other person was lawless and reckless, the pressure from a group would make them uneasy and cause them to reveal important information.

If they ran into someone with nerves of steel, they could stir up the pawns' emotions and put them at the forefront of the questioning, muddying the waters while quietly observing the other person's reactions. That could greatly improve their chances of getting information... And she hadn't done that?