True Genius

"While that may be true, I still hope you'll be mindful of the consequences, Shiraishi." Sakayanagi Arisu lightly tapped the floor with her cane. "Besides you and Koenji, every upperclassman involved in the transaction will receive a related notice."

"Understood." Shiraishi Makoto understood the school's intentions as well.

Private Points were practically omnipotent within the school. This transaction had already had a certain impact on the Third Year, so the school did not want that impact to continue spreading.

All students involved in the transaction would receive confidentiality notices to prevent it from affecting other grades and classes.

"That concludes what the school wished to convey." Sakayanagi Arisu casually placed a chess piece, delivering checkmate. "Next, let's discuss something personal."

"Shiraishi, I'm curious. Why have you kept targeting Class D?"

"I was merely disciplining Horikita Manabu's disappointing little sister on his behalf." Shiraishi Makoto looked at the completely devastated board and conceded without a care.

"Horikita Suzune?" Sakayanagi Arisu raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone carrying a hint of amusement. "Why are there so many girls around you, Shiraishi?"

She already knew about Kushida Kikyo and Sakura Airi, and now Horikita Suzune had appeared too. What was going on?

You'll have to ask the original author about that. Shiraishi Makoto merely gave an awkward laugh and offered no response whatsoever.

"Then what do you think of Horikita?" Sakayanagi Arisu changed the subject. She had only noticed Horikita Suzune after hearing that Class D had escaped this expulsion crisis, and she did not know much about her true abilities.

"Hmm... She excels academically, and her athletic ability is more than outstanding enough. She's just somewhat stubborn, incapable of adapting, and rather solitary." Shiraishi Makoto pondered for a while before giving his assessment.

"Solitary... incapable of adapting... stubborn..." Sakayanagi Arisu did not suspect that Shiraishi Makoto would lie to her. She quickly concluded that Horikita Suzune, as a leader, was probably similar to Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyo of Class D.

They possessed some ability, but not enough to stand on the highest stage of the first-year competition. They were far inferior to Shiraishi Makoto, Ichinose, Katsuragi, Ryuen, and the others.

"Then he must be the one orchestrating all of this." Sakayanagi Arisu sorted out Class D's situation and understood that Ayanokoji had certainly been exerting himself from the shadows. She then made a new proposal.

"You can probably guess, Shiraishi, that we'll face a special exam during summer vacation. I'll provide you with assistance in that exam and help you defeat Katsuragi." Sakayanagi Arisu rearranged the chess pieces one by one.

"Once Katsuragi loses, I'll regain control of the class. At that time, I'll need you and Class A to cooperate with me for a while. But rest assured, this will not harm your class's interests. On the contrary, it will help your class obtain the greatest number of Class Points."

After hearing Sakayanagi Arisu's request, Shiraishi Makoto shook his head.

"Does this condition not suit your wishes?" Sakayanagi Arisu was somewhat surprised. In her view, Shiraishi Makoto had always put his class's interests first, and the terms she offered were exceptionally generous. There was no reason for him to refuse.

"I'll be honest with you, Classmate Sakayanagi." Shiraishi Makoto understood what Sakayanagi Arisu wanted to do and spoke frankly. "Ayanokoji and I have already reached an agreement. He won't attack Class A, and accordingly, I won't take the initiative to attack him."

The instant she heard the name "Ayanokoji," Sakayanagi Arisu froze.

"Why do you know about Ayanokoji?"

"I could 'see' it."

It's just that what I saw is beyond anything you could imagine.

Sakayanagi Arisu fell silent for a moment, intense interest slowly igniting in her eyes.

"Shiraishi, if you don't mind, could you share it with me? How did you notice that there was something unusual about Ayanokoji?"

"Classmate Sakayanagi, if Class D were full of defective products, do you think class competition would still have any meaning?" Shiraishi Makoto answered with a question of his own.

"But why not Hirata, Kushida, Koenji, or Horikita?" Sakayanagi Arisu named four examples. "If their abilities could be properly brought out, it's not as though they couldn't lead the class into competition."

"Furthermore, since the school was founded, there has never been an example of Class D successfully advancing to Class A. Why would you assume that Class D must have someone capable enough?"

"First, I know something about all four of them as well, but compared to the leaders of the other classes, their current performance is clearly a whole level below."

"Second, our homeroom teacher, Hoshinomiya Chie, asked me to investigate Ayanokoji Kiyotaka because he scored exactly fifty points in every subject on the entrance exam."

"Third, I learned about you from Kanzaki."

"Kanzaki Ryuji?" Sakayanagi Arisu was slightly stunned upon hearing that name, then curved her lips into a faint smile. "So you were trying to gather information about me?"

"That wouldn't be quite right. It's simply that Class A trusts in the power of the collective, so everyone discusses problems and solutions together. Kanzaki once introduced you to me." Shiraishi Makoto was not lying about that.

Kanzaki Ryuji was the heir to the zaibatsu Kanzaki Heavy Industries. He had known Sakayanagi Arisu from a young age; they had been classmates in elementary school, and their families had some dealings with each other. They could be considered childhood friends.

When discussing class development and class competition, Kanzaki Ryuji had described the Sakayanagi Arisu he knew. Shiraishi Makoto had later pressed him for information related to the White Room, filling in the final missing piece.

This chain of logic was complete. Even Sakayanagi Arisu could not find any flaw in it.

"Then does that mean you intend to become my enemy, Shiraishi?" Sakayanagi Arisu stared directly at Shiraishi Makoto, excitement and fighting spirit flickering in the depths of her eyes.

"..." Shiraishi Makoto was at a loss for words. "Then I surrender first."

"Hehe~ Shiraishi, that's exactly your problem." Sakayanagi Arisu was not surprised by Shiraishi Makoto's response.

Although Shiraishi Makoto had single-handedly brought about his class's advancement since the beginning of the school year, she did not dislike or resent this "genius." On the contrary, she admired capable people like Shiraishi Makoto who clearly recognized their own limitations.

She could see Shiraishi Makoto's efforts behind the scenes, and she had seen him entrust work he could not handle to Ichinose Honami and others in the class. Most importantly, Shiraishi Makoto lacked the arrogance and extreme ambition that most "geniuses" possessed.

Compared to those who considered themselves "strong," it was people like him—clear-headed, rational, and measured in both attack and defense—who deserved the title of "genius."

"Since you don't intend to join me, then forget it." Sakayanagi Arisu did not force the matter. She swept away all the chess pieces she had just arranged and placed them into the storage box beside her. "But don't help him either. I want to see whether he deserves to be called the 'masterpiece.'"

"No problem." Shiraishi Makoto agreed readily.

Taking this opportunity to consolidate Class A's advantage was what he ought to do.