Kushida, Who Couldn't Save Points

"My meaning is clear. This exam concerns not only the expulsion of classmates, but also the competition within our grade." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked Chabashira Sae straight in the eye. "Whether intentionally or not, you delayed telling us about the change in exam scope by eleven days. For Class D, this exam was unfair. It was precisely because of that unfairness that some students went looking for Archived Exam Questions, leading to three students facing expulsion."

"So that's what you mean." Chabashira Sae nodded, not disputing Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's argument. "And then? What do you want me to do?"

"I want the school, which caused this inequality, to provide appropriate compensation for this unfair incident and revoke the decision to expel those three students."

"What a pity. What you said before was indeed correct. But expelling those three is also stipulated by school rules. At least at this stage, it can't be overturned. Give up on such a simple idea." Chabashira Sae shook her head.

"It can't be overturned at this stage, which means there are other methods, right?" Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was not surprised.

"Then, how many points would it take to buy the grades of those three?"

"Hahahaha." Chabashira Sae burst out laughing.

"You really are a strange student, wanting me to sell you grades."

"Teacher, you said it yourself on the first day of school. 'At this school, there is nothing points can't buy.' Even Midterm Exam grades are something within the school." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka ignored Chabashira Sae's laughter and laid out his reasoning.

Horikita Suzune, standing behind Ayanokoji, wore a stunned expression.

She had never realized that points could be used this way.

No, she should have realized it long ago. Why were Class A and Class B, who had received over 900 Class Points, still living frugally? Why were Class Points tied to Private Points?

"That's right, I can indeed sell you grades. But the price is something neither of you can afford."

"Then can you tell us the exact number of points? We'll find a way." As if she had grasped a lifeline, Horikita Suzune spoke eagerly.

"Hmm... This is my first time selling grades. Let me think. One hundred thousand points per mark, then."

The two of them had both noted the three students' scores. After checking carefully, the three were short by a total of ninety-eight marks across five subjects. At that price, saving them would require 9.8 million points.

Forget Class D, which had received nothing in the second month—even Class A and Class B, which had consistently maintained nearly perfect scores, could not produce that many points.

"So much... How could we possibly gather that?" The deadline for the three students' expulsion was today. To gather such an astronomical amount by then, they would likely need to collect the Private Points of the entire first year, and even that was impossible.

"Teacher, I'll say it again. The school did not treat Class D fairly in this exam, so at the very least, provide compensation when it comes to purchasing grades."

"That does seem reasonable. Fine, then. Ten thousand points per mark. That's the absolute minimum."

In that case, they would need only 980,000 points. That suddenly did not seem entirely unacceptable. She had some herself, and the classmates probably had some too... Hearing this, Horikita Suzune immediately wanted to return to the classroom and inform everyone, but Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stopped her.

"Teacher, let me ask one more thing. At ten thousand per mark, can we buy down the passing line?"

"Oh? You had that idea too?" Chabashira Sae smiled. "Of course."

"Then we should lower the passing line first and make up the difference afterward. The three of them would only need 470,000 points." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka calculated the cost.

"That's right. If you want to save them, bring it to me before six this afternoon." Leaving those words behind, Chabashira Sae walked away down the corridor.

"Horikita."

"What?" Horikita Suzune looked at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, finding him so unfamiliar that she could not read him at all.

"Now it's your turn." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka left those words behind and returned to the classroom.

Horikita stood there blankly, her thoughts in turmoil.

My turn? What am I supposed to do? Convince the class?

There was no doubt that it was a difficult task, but Horikita Suzune realized it was something she had to do.

Before, she had not found a way to save her classmates, so she could ignore it all. But now, the method was right in front of her.

"Yes, I have to do this." Her Older Brother's cold warning that night and Shiraishi Makoto's relentless pressure flashed through her mind one scene after another.

"I won't give up. Just watch me." Horikita Suzune took a deep breath and entered the classroom through the front door.

"Everyone, there's something I want to discuss with you."

Standing at the front, Horikita Suzune explained without emotion the means of saving them that she had just learned from Chabashira Sae. But the moment she finished, students in the class immediately voiced objections.

"But why should we pay out of our own pockets to save them?"

"Exactly. They've never contributed anything to the class, and now we have to use our points to save them? What kind of logic is that?"

Horikita Suzune stood behind the podium, her hands and feet gradually turning cold. The Idiot Trio had an abysmal reputation in Class D. They were usually lazy and undisciplined, and almost no one was willing to sympathize with them. But to her, this was not merely a matter of class mutual aid. It was an attack Shiraishi Makoto had launched against her, and she did not want to give up resisting.

"Even if Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi have not done very well before, we are a whole. I don't want them to be expelled because of this." Hirata Yosuke's expression was grave, but he still stood up and spoke for the three when the entire class was cold and resistant. "I still have twenty thousand Private Points. I'll contribute all of them."

This was bad. This was aimed at me!

From the moment Horikita Suzune stepped up to the podium, Kushida Kikyo had sensed that something was wrong, and the more she listened, the more wrong it felt. It was not until Hirata Yosuke spoke that she understood why it felt so off.

No wonder Shiraishi Makoto had been so generous, giving away fifty thousand points without hesitation. She would never believe that Shiraishi Makoto did not know points could buy grades.

"I... I still have some points." She hurriedly stood up. "I bear some responsibility for this too. If they hadn't listened to me, they wouldn't have memorized Archived Exam Questions instead of studying. I also know many students from other classes, as well as some upperclassmen. I'll go borrow points."

Seeing that the other students still had no reaction, Horikita Suzune grew anxious and instinctively looked toward Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. But Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had been staring out the window, seemingly unconcerned with what was happening in the classroom.

He noticed these rules, yet handed everything directly to me. Why?

Why does he think I can do this? Did I overlook some other piece of information again?

Ever since the start of school, she seemed to have seen everything, yet noticed nothing. At that thought, Horikita Suzune began recalling every detail she could remember.

That's it... That's exactly it!

"Everyone, although I know you don't think highly of those three students normally, and I feel the same way, I don't think this is the time to abandon them." Horikita Suzune slapped the desk, drawing everyone's attention to her.

"The Midterm Exam was undoubtedly an exam aimed at academic performance, and students who failed to meet the requirements were to be expelled." Horikita Suzune said, "But poor grades do not mean someone is completely useless. If this school only cared about grades, then Koenji, Yukimura, and I should be in Class A."

"Sudo is very skilled at basketball and possesses exceptional athletic ability. If the school plans to hold examinations through events like sports festivals, then he will be our class's ace."

"At present, Yamauchi and Ike may not show any outstanding qualities, but there will definitely come a time when they are useful."

"I hope that if everyone still has even a little hope for the future, if you still want to rise to Class A, then don't give up on them."