Operation Begins

Kushida Kikyo thought it over carefully and found no flaws in the plan. She had run herself ragged to keep them from being expelled and had even "owed" tens of thousands of Private Points. Even if she had no merit, she had certainly put in the effort. When the reckoning came, no one else in the class would have any standing to blame her.

If those students who got expelled blamed her for their failing grades, that would be even more ridiculous. Failing an exam was a problem with their own academic ability and attitude. The other students in the class would understand that too.

What was more, ever since learning the truth behind the Class Points being deducted to zero, those people had shown no remorse whatsoever. Sudo Ken in particular still openly slept through class. Plenty of classmates had already complained to her in private about their dissatisfaction with those people. If a conflict truly broke out, the class would definitely defend her.

When all was said and done, once those people were kicked out of school, their thoughts and resentment would mean nothing.

All she needed to do was put on a convincing performance of sorrow, reluctance, and guilt before the class. As long as she maintained her image, that would be enough.

"I understand what you mean." Kushida Kikyo happily accepted the points, and her mood improved as well.

For Class D, which had received no Private Points in May, these 50,000 Private Points were practically rain from heaven.

To maintain her social life, Kushida Kikyo's expenses during the first month had not been small. Although she had saved a little, during the first week of the second month, quite a few classmates had come to borrow money from her. It pained her, and she knew there was a good chance the money would never return, but she still lent it out to maintain her relationships.

If she could bargain the price of the exam questions down to 30,000 or 40,000, she could save over 10,000 points. Naturally, she could not spend those 10,000 openly, since she still had to eat the free mountain vegetable set meals with her classmates. But buying some better toiletries now and then, or treating herself to a couple of good meals, would be enough to improve her life for over a month.

She had originally thought Shiraishi Makoto would order her to do something embarrassing, such as openly turning against the class or satisfying his personal desires. She had not expected the task he arranged to suit her wishes so perfectly.

Even if he had not caught her in a compromising situation, if she learned of an opportunity like this, she would have joined without hesitation, right?

"Then I wish you success. I've already paid." Shiraishi Makoto drained his coffee in one gulp, rose to his feet, and left.

Watching Shiraishi Makoto leave the café, Kushida Kikyo picked up her fork and quietly savored the delicious dessert.

The Midterm Exam was scheduled for the fourth week of May. Another week had passed, which meant there was only one week left until the next exam.

Knock, knock, knock. On Saturday morning, Shiraishi Makoto was in his room doing homework when he heard someone knocking on his door.

When he opened it, Kushida Kikyo stood outside, wearing her usual gentle, harmless, perfectly timed smile.

"Kushida? How did you know I lived here?" Shiraishi Makoto was somewhat surprised. He had never told her his address.

"I asked the dorm manager." Kushida Kikyo smiled. "Shiraishi, are you really going to make me talk outside without inviting me in?"

"Come in, then." Shiraishi Makoto had not expected the dorm manager to provide that kind of information. Still, he immediately guessed that Kushida Kikyo had come to report on Class D's situation, and the doorway was indeed not a suitable place to discuss it.

The moment Kushida Kikyo entered Shiraishi Makoto's room, she began looking around.

"This is my first time visiting a boy's dorm room. I didn't expect your room to be so ordinary, Shiraishi. Isn't it basically the same as when you first arrived at school?"

This school received government funding and enjoyed the best treatment in nearly every regard. Even dormitories previously occupied by upperclassmen were renovated after they left, so every new student received a room of the same standard.

Shiraishi Makoto's room contained only the most basic necessities, to say nothing of decorations.

"I don't have any drinks in my room, so I can only offer you plain water." Shiraishi Makoto took out a cup, washed it, filled it with water, and handed it to Kushida Kikyo.

"I don't mind." Kushida Kikyo took the cup and began talking about her side of things.

"The day after you approached me, Horikita invited me to lunch and asked me to call out Ike, Sudo, and Yamauchi. I did as she said, and then Horikita made a study plan for them. If they can stick to it, getting through this exam should be easy, right?"

"So I hurried to contact some upperclassmen I knew. They were a little hesitant at first, but when I pretended I was going to look for someone else, they agreed immediately."

"Maybe because our class didn't receive any Private Points in the first month, and the other first-year classes didn't really need these exam questions, I managed to negotiate the price down to 15,000 points. As you said, the 35,000 points I saved are all mine~" Kushida Kikyo did not hide the true cost of the operation.

"That's what you deserve." Shiraishi Makoto merely smiled.

"Since they've been studying together during the day these past few days, I was planning to contact the three of them separately over the weekend. But something happened yesterday." As she said this, Kushida Kikyo's expression became rather subtle.

"Yesterday, after school during dinner, Horikita wanted to give them an impromptu check on their review progress. But a student from Class C beside us provoked her. His exact words were roughly, 'No wonder you're defective products. You don't even know the exam scope for social studies.'"

"But Horikita was clearly asking questions from the exam scope marked out by the teacher, so I came to ask you about it."

"Oh, speaking of which, last Friday our homeroom teacher came to notify us that the exam scope had been changed. It doesn't matter much to students who are good at studying, but it can be fatal for those hovering around the passing line. Looks like Chabashira didn't tell you." Shiraishi Makoto confirmed that it was true.

"Seriously, what the hell is that bitch doing?" Kushida Kikyo grumbled. Last Friday had been eight days ago. Could someone really be this forgetful?

Class D's biggest problem was its homeroom teacher. That was Shiraishi Makoto's honest impression. However, he did not show it and instead considered Class D's current situation.

"Then take the time to notify those three over the weekend. It would be best if you also finish buying the exam questions while you're at it. On Monday, ask your homeroom teacher about the exam scope together with Horikita and make them give up completely. Oh, and keep it hidden for the next two days. Once the changed exam scope is confirmed on Monday, it will be fine to let Horikita know that you bought the exam questions."

"I get it, I get it." Kushida Kikyo made an OK gesture. She understood Horikita Suzune fairly well, and Horikita had been frank when asking her to invite Sudo and the others: all of her goals were for reaching Class A.

What she needed was the result of the three passing the exam. Therefore, it did not matter how they achieved it, whether through their own studying or by improving their grades with Archived Exam Questions.

"The only problem is that after the exam scope changes, the people who need Archived Exam Questions might not be limited to those three. Keep a handle on things on your end." In the end, Shiraishi Makoto still offered her a reminder. If too many Class D students failed because of the Archived Exam Questions, even Kushida Kikyo's popularity would make it difficult for her to escape blame.

"Let me think... I'll say it's part of the deal: 5,000 points per person, and they're not allowed to share it." After thinking for a moment, Kushida Kikyo came up with a remedy.

That excuse was not bad. Its only flaw was that she would need to coordinate her story with the upperclassmen, increasing the risk of the plan being exposed. But compared to being blamed by the entire class, Kushida Kikyo was still willing to take that risk.