Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Vocational School, Class Trial.
A long table separated Class C from Class D, but unlike before, there were a few more people on the Class D side.
Sakura Airi, trembling because of her social anxiety, and Kushida Kikyo, who no one knew why she was there.
"The trial is now in session. Each side, please present any additional evidence."
"Class C has no additional evidence."
"Class D requests to submit additional evidence."
Horikita Suzune's voice was calm and resolute. This was unexpected, and Ryuen Kakeru put away his listless demeanor, sensing that something was wrong.
"This is Sakura Airi, a witness who was at the scene. Sakura, you can do it!"
Horikita Suzune gave Sakura Airi an encouraging look.
"I-I'm Sakura Airi from Class D..."
Sakura Airi's voice trembled a little.
"That day...I was on the third floor of the special teaching building...I was looking for somewhere empty to...to take pictures. Then I heard an argument."
"I saw it with my own eyes. The three students from Class C surrounded Sudo first, then shoved and insulted him. Sudo didn't fight back at first. It wasn't until...the other side struck first that Sudo retaliated."
"Huh? You expect us to believe whatever you say?"
Ishizaki Daichi jumped to his feet and retorted,
"Who knows if Class D put you up to giving false testimony! You say you took a picture, but who knows if it's photoshopped or from somewhere else?"
"This...this isn't photoshopped..."
Sakura's hand trembled slightly as she pressed the camera's playback button and turned its small LCD screen toward the Student Council and Class C.
"This is what I accidentally photographed that day. It's a little blurry, but you can still make out..."
On the screen was a slightly shaky photo, its focus a little off. In the corner, it clearly showed the three students from Class C aggressively cornering Sudo against the wall. One of them had even raised a hand, poised to throw a punch. The timestamp in the bottom-right corner showed the exact time of the incident.
"This photo proves that before the physical altercation broke out, Class C had already threatened and provoked Sudo."
Horikita Suzune added at just the right moment. She went over to Sakura, took the camera, and showed it to the Student Council members.
"Sakura may be shy, but she has no reason to lie. This photo is enough to prove that this wasn't an act of violence committed by Sudo alone. It was a fight instigated by Class C."
Amasawa Reigetsu couldn't help but look at Horikita Suzune in a new light. She had given her the right answer as a hint, but Horikita had managed to follow through from beginning to end, and quite efficiently, too.
Feeling Amasawa Reigetsu's gaze, Horikita proudly glared back, as if she'd finally gotten the upper hand and solved Amasawa Reigetsu's challenge all by herself.
"Hakimi..."
Amasawa Reigetsu muttered to herself.
At this point, there was no need for Class C to keep struggling. In the end, Ryuen Kakeru withdrew the accusation against Sudo, and the first-year Class Points were distributed as usual.
Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, Class 1-A.
"Everyone, I have an announcement to make. Please pay attention:"
"In light of your excellent performance on the midterm exams, the school has decided to organize a luxury cruise vacation next week. The destination is the school's Uninhabited Island, and the trip will last two weeks. Please enjoy yourselves!"
Mashima Tomoya, who always wore a stern expression, actually looked excited for once. His enthusiasm immediately set off a wave of celebration in the classroom.
"A vacation?!"
"Seriously? We just finished midterms, and now we get something like this?"
"Just what you'd expect from Advanced Nurturing High School..."
Class A buzzed with discussion. The leaders of the two factions each had their own thoughts. Would the school really be so generous as to give the entire year a vacation?
But neither Katsuragi nor Sakayanagi made a move. After nearly a semester of political maneuvering and conflict, the Sakayanagi and Katsuragi factions had almost reached their breaking point. It would only take one major success—or failure—for the scales of victory to tip decisively toward one side.
"Whoa, Amasawa Reigetsu, a vacation! This episode's amazing, am I right?"
Morishita Ran jabbed Amasawa Reigetsu in the side. Amasawa Reigetsu pulled out a red card and slapped it onto Morishita Ran's forehead.
Morishita Ran: #^ ^
"What's so amazing about it?"
Looking at Morishita Ran, veins bulging on her forehead, Amasawa Reigetsu could only meekly play along.
"The amazing part comes after the original."
As if she'd been holding back for ages and had finally been allowed to let loose, Morishita Ran wore a blissful expression. It had nothing to do with lust—it was the look of a true old-school artist.
Amasawa Reigetsu stared at Morishita Ran, speechless, and began wondering what this vacation would be like.
...Judging by Mashima-sensei's expression and mood, this vacation was probably a special exam, much like the one at the start of the school year. That meant they could earn Class Points.
An Uninhabited Island...Amasawa Reigetsu already more or less knew the script. An uninhabited island meant survival, right?
Having finished thinking it over, Amasawa Reigetsu glanced at Morishita Ran, her deskmate. She was still wearing that blissful expression.
Amasawa Reigetsu: Girl, keep going.
Advanced Nurturing Yacht, cabin.
After boarding the yacht and getting her key card, Amasawa Reigetsu went straight to her room. There were two bunk beds. Who would her roommate be?
Kito Hayato? Hashimoto Masayoshi? Katsuragi Kohei? For a moment, Amasawa Reigetsu couldn't think of anyone else. Given the school's usual practices, even the dorm rooms were probably assigned based on ability.
Wait, no—someone was already in the room, and they seemed somewhat familiar. Amasawa Reigetsu walked in, an odd premonition stirring in her heart, then looked at the bed in front of her—
What was this bundle of blankets? Why did it look exactly like the one that kept appearing in her dorm room?
Amasawa Reigetsu decided to try lifting it. Could it really be Kiyoko? No way. She was a girl, and she was from Class D. How had she even gotten in?
The instant Amasawa Reigetsu touched the blanket, she regretted it, because just before she was swallowed by the Quilt Demon, she saw the shattered window.
Feeling warmth against her lips in the darkness, Amasawa Reigetsu fired a mental Induction at the blanket demon (maybe that wasn't a typo after all). Kiyoko's body immediately went limp out of her attack stance, leaving her at Amasawa Reigetsu's mercy.
"Mmm...Master, you didn't expect this, did you? (˶ｰ`֊´ｰ) Oh my, ahhh~♡ Let me feel proud of myself for a bit, okay?♡"
Kiyoko was straddling Amasawa Reigetsu and wrapping her arms around her neck, acting coy. A faint blush now colored her usually indifferent face, and her cloudy pupils had dilated slightly. It was a display of her desire—and a mark belonging only to Amasawa Reigetsu's servant.
"Click."
The door unlocked.
"Huh?"
The light vanished from Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes.