Archaeology Questions Were a Good Thing, but How Could You Have Them Without Spending Points?

There was still a little time before the midterms. During that time, I arranged for someone to stake out the cafeteria every day. Our goal was clear: just wait for our prey to come to us.

Ayanokoji would buy past exam papers and answers to the quizzes given since enrollment from a third-year senior in Class 3-D in the cafeteria. What I wanted to do was simple, too.

Ayanokoji wanted the past exams as insurance. And even if someone caught you trading in something like that, it wouldn't cause any trouble. There were plenty of legitimate reasons for it.

All I had to do was flip the table. Students in the upper classes didn't need to worry about academic tests, but it was a different story for the lower classes.

The first-year students in Class D had studied hard for nearly a month. Combined with the little foundation they had—better than nothing, at least—they could still try to pass the exams even without past papers.

Second- and third-year students were different. They were already old hands at this. It reminded me of my own experience at university in my previous life. When I first enrolled, I worried about this and that, and was terrified of failing a course.

But once freshman year was over, I'd gained some experience. By my second year, I'd already mastered the art of skipping class, and I'd wait until finals to try and pull off a miracle.

From what I'd seen, there were quite a few students like that among the second- and third-year students in the lower classes. They couldn't see any hope of moving up anyway, so they'd decided to coast and slack off. As long as they weren't expelled and could get their diplomas, that was enough.

And the past exam papers passed down from one generation of these "bad students" to the next were one of the things they relied on to scrape by in academic tests without studying. It had practically become a crutch for them.

At this critical juncture, I was going to flip the table. Past exam papers? Put something from this gray area under a spotlight, and you'd see just how much trouble it could cause.

The upperclassmen couldn't possibly be unaware of that, especially the third-years. They'd already been put through the wringer at this school for over two years. If they got expelled now, their lives would be ruined. Wasn't that the perfect way to get leverage over them?

"Excuse me, the 1,100-point set."

The agreed-upon code came through my earpiece. Our target, Ayanokoji, had arrived and completed the deal with the upperclassman.

"Manabe, move out!"

This was exactly what a Disciplinary Committee Member was supposed to do! Manabe stood in front of the third-year senior, her armband on. It would've been quite a sight, but unfortunately, I couldn't see it.

"Don't bother running, senpai. You can't get away."

After making the deal with Ayanokoji, the senior had left the cafeteria and, feeling guilty, tried to take a side path back to his dorm. That was when Manabe caught him red-handed.

When he tried to make a run for it, two of Manabe's friends rushed over and pinned him down.

"Senpai, don't be afraid. We're not bad people. Look, this is the Student Council Disciplinary Committee armband. I'm Manabe Shiho. We just want to ask you a few questions. Did you get that?"

Just as the senior relaxed at Manabe's words, she lifted the hem of her uniform skirt. Yabu Nanami placed his hand on the hem, and Yamashita Saki took the picture with her camera.

"Heh, heh, heh. You may be a coward, senpai, but you've got some serious nerve when it comes to lechery! You actually tried to molest a Student Council officer! Tell us! What deal did you make with that first-year student from Class D in the cafeteria?"

Manabe abruptly changed her tone and began interrogating the senior, who was starting to panic.

"I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! I must've been out of my mind to do that! Th-that first-year student from Class D forced me!"

Desperate to save himself, the senior tried to shift all the blame onto Ayanokoji.

"Past exam papers, right? Senpai, you wouldn't want everyone in the C and D classes across all grades to find out that the school updated the midterm exams because of you, would you?"

There was nothing wrong with trading past exam papers. It was just ordinary academic exchange, so it wasn't something they could punish him for.

But if a student was willing to report this sort of thing to the school, then the school would revise the exam outline accordingly.

Once the questions changed, most of the students in the lower classes who relied on past papers to get by would likely be expelled. When everyone learned the exam had been changed because of one person, that person would face everyone's wrath.

The senior had clearly realized what that would mean, so he didn't dare resist.

"No, please! If everyone finds out, I'm finished!"

The senior fell to his knees, head bowed, and begged Manabe in despair.

"Past exam papers are a good thing, but whether something this useful can keep going depends on everyone's efforts. How many points did that first-year student from Class D just offer you for the papers?"

Now they were getting to the point: it was time to discuss the price.

"Fifteen thousand points! I—I'll give you all the points I have. Please let me go!"

As soon as Manabe asked about the price, the senior immediately saw a way out. He hurriedly took out his student ID, hoping to hand over every last point he had.

"What are you doing? I told you, I'm a Disciplinary Committee Member. I'm just enforcing the rules impartially. How could I take your money? I'm not extorting you! Put it away, put it away!"

The senior's joy turned to sorrow. If she didn't want his points, what else could she want? Was he really going to be finished because of these midterms?

"How many of you use past exam papers before exams?"

"Pretty much everyone in the third-year C and D classes uses them. It's about the same in the second year."

For a moment, the senior didn't understand what Manabe meant.

"So many of you use them—fifteen thousand—no, wait, so many seniors rely on them. You can't be the only one making an effort, senpai. All four classes have to work together! Not a single one of the 160 people can be left out."

Manabe gave him the price that Ryuen and I had told her beforehand.

"But there aren't even 160 of us left across both grades! Some people in my class were expelled a long time ago—"

The senior was about to bargain when he saw Manabe's murderous glare. He instantly fell silent.

"I'll bring you new materials to trade in two days. Of course, if you can all make an effort faster, you can get the study materials I've carefully prepared for you sooner. Here's my number. I look forward to seeing you again."

If he wanted to stay at this school, the senior had no choice.

"Damn it!"

The senior got up from the grass, grumbling, but he didn't actually feel frustrated. He already had a plan.

Since she'd asked him to gather the money, he could raise the price without anyone knowing. Then the extra points would go straight into his own pocket, wouldn't they?