As the tension in the room grew, Sakayanagi Arisu chuckled softly and laid out the core of Class A's strategy for the exam.
Each zodiac group had students from different classes, divided into groups A, B, C, and D. But Group A, where Class A had been placed, made a startling announcement: every member of their class would refuse to take part in any discussion until the exam was over.
It was clear that this VIP Exam relied on dialogue and information. Like a debate in Werewolf, the goal was to infer everyone's identity from the true and false information they revealed and from their expressions. If anyone chose to keep silent, crucial information would be lost. And from the words of Class A's leader, it was clear that every Class A student would be following the same strategy: saying nothing.
"I see." Honami Ichinose and Yoshikage Kira understood at once. They guessed this must be Katsuragi's strategy. Since he couldn't account for every group, he had opted for a uniform approach: meet all changes with the same unchanging tactic.
They would refuse to join any discussion, no matter what the other side said, and wouldn't take a single step forward, no matter what inducements were offered. They wouldn't risk going after the right answer or risk betraying their classmates. Like the Black Tortoise, they would defend until the very end and settle for a draw.
The game seemed complex, demanding open confrontation and underhanded maneuvering. But Class A had no need to take risks to earn points, so they could simply wait and see while making sure the VIP in their group wasn't discovered. Losing no points at all was the safest strategy. In other words, the lower-ranked a class was, the harder it was for its students to navigate this contest.
After the strategy was announced, Ryuen Kakeru was the first to jeer. "This turtle-shell approach doesn't suit you, Sakayanagi Arisu."
Sakayanagi Arisu shook her head. "This is Katsuragi's plan. Most of Class A supported it, so I can't do much about it. You won't be able to get anything out of me."
The discussion ground to a halt. Once Class A refused to communicate, all of Class B's proposals and attempts to break the ice were rendered useless. Classes C and D were also less willing to talk.
By the end of the discussion, Ichinose, who had naturally kicked things off by breaking the ice, was the only one who had spoken enough to become the Dragon Group's leader.
During the meeting, Kikyo Kushida had shot Yoshikage Kira several expectant glances. But he deliberately ignored her, making it perfectly clear that she shouldn't count on him and that it had nothing to do with him.
And so, the first meeting, which had lasted an hour, ended on an unpleasant note. The rest of the time was free.
The students filed out of Conference Room 404. Soft background music played over the cruise ship's PA system. Through the porthole in the corridor, the deep blue sea shimmered with flecks of golden light. The sea breeze carried a salty scent through the half-open window, dispersing the tension and gloom that lingered in the meeting room.
The Class A students remained silent as they dispersed along the cruise ship's corridors in small groups, without exchanging a word, perfectly carrying out Katsuragi's defensive strategy. Ryuen Kakeru led the Class C students toward the deck, grumbling angrily; he was clearly displeased with a discussion that had yielded nothing. Honami Ichinose stayed behind to give a few brief instructions to her two fellow Class B group members, then headed to the lounge to contact Yoshikage Kira in private and finalize the details of their plans for the next discussion.
Yoshikage Kira didn't linger. He turned and headed straight for the cruise ship's observation deck. He was used to being alone, especially when information was muddled and the situation unclear. Solitude helped him organize his thoughts and consider the possible moves in the contest ahead.
He wore the school's standard uniform, his back straight and his expression perfectly calm. It was as if the fruitless, unpleasant discussion—and Kikyo Kushida's several furtive glances—had left no impression on him at all.
The cruise ship's observation deck was spacious and open. On one side, the deep blue sea stretched into the distance; on the other, several white lounge chairs stood scattered about. A few students from other groups had stopped there to talk quietly, their faces full of anxiety and confusion over the exam. Yoshikage Kira found the most secluded corner and sat down. He took out his Student Terminal but didn't open any chat window. Instead, he silently studied the exam rules on the screen, tapping it absently as he went over Class A's strategy, Ryuen's threat, and Kikyo Kushida's several ill-timed glances.
"Yoshikage Kira."
A gentle, melodious voice came from behind him, tinged with an unmistakable hint of excitement and apprehension. It broke the quiet on the deck. Yoshikage Kira didn't turn around. He only furrowed his brow slightly. He already knew it was Kikyo Kushida.
Kikyo Kushida hurried over, wearing her trademark gentle smile, though a hint of nervousness lurked in her eyes. She sat beside Yoshikage Kira on the bench, deliberately keeping a moderate distance—not too familiar, but not too distant, either. The sea breeze stirred her hair, softening her features even more. Another boy might have softened at the sight, but Yoshikage Kira's expression remained cold, his gaze fixed on the terminal screen without so much as a flicker.
"Yoshikage Kira, are you out here enjoying the breeze too?" Kikyo Kushida broke the silence first, her voice gentle as she tried to draw closer to him. "That discussion was so tense. When Class A suddenly announced they wouldn't participate, I panicked a little. I don't know what we should do next."
Yoshikage Kira finally looked up and glanced at her coldly. His voice was flat, entirely devoid of emotion. "That has nothing to do with me. Class A has its reasons for choosing that strategy. We just need to make our own class's arrangements."
His response was like a bucket of cold water poured over Kikyo Kushida. She was used to boys never answering her so coldly, but she didn't lose heart. She maintained her gentle smile, though the nervousness in her eyes deepened. "I know you're very smart, Yoshikage Kira. During the discussion, you immediately pinpointed the core of the exam, so I wanted to ask your advice. Do you have any ideas about where we should focus our investigation next?"
On the surface, she was asking about the exam, but it was just an excuse Kikyo Kushida had deliberately found. She wanted to use the exam as a pretext to spend time alone with Yoshikage Kira and try again to find out whether this boy, always so cold and distant, as if he had no vulnerabilities, might reveal another side of himself to her—whether he might lower his guard and open up to her. She longed to build a deeper bond with Yoshikage Kira and become someone who could accept every negative side of her and still treat her the same. This VIP Exam aboard the cruise ship was her best opportunity.
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