After school, Makoto Nishikado arrived outside the Student Council room right on time.
He raised his right hand and tapped the door three times with his knuckles, the rhythm steady and the force just right.
Almost as soon as he lowered his hand, a deep, authoritative male voice came from inside. "Come in."
The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an air that brooked no argument.
Makoto pushed open the door and went inside. There were quite a few people in the Student Council room, and he recognized three of them.
Student Council President Horikita Manabu, Vice President Nagumo, and Secretary Akane Tachibana.
"Take a seat. You're one of us now."
Horikita Manabu sat at the head of the table and spoke in a low voice.
As he spoke, he continued focusing on the documents on his desk without even looking up at Makoto.
It wasn't that he didn't take Makoto seriously. Rather, he trusted him enough not to worry.
"Is today just for getting used to things, or do you need me to do something as well?"
Makoto didn't stand on ceremony. He found an empty seat and sat down.
He was acting like he already belonged from the moment he arrived, and his tone was relaxed and casual.
Some people clearly couldn't stand that attitude.
"Until you understand the Student Council's work better, please don't interfere without permission."
"For now, just watch."
Akane Tachibana gently set the documents in her hands on the table, producing a crisp sound.
She stared straight at Makoto, hostility in her gaze that she tried—and failed—to conceal.
Within the Student Council's factions, she was one of Horikita Manabu's supporters.
In fact, she was practically Horikita Manabu's little sidekick.
She might not have been especially capable, but she was undoubtedly the most loyal.
Her position was much like Yuki Himeno's at Makoto's side.
By rights, she supported Horikita Manabu, and Makoto supported him too. They should have been on the same side.
"What's wrong, Tachibana-senpai? Are you worried I'll steal Horikita-senpai away from you?"
Makoto keenly picked up on the antagonism in Akane's eyes and deliberately teased her.
[Provoked Horikita Manabu's emotions, gained 122 emotion points.]
"Y-you! What are you talking about?!"
Akane instantly panicked, her voice cracking slightly.
She was speaking to Makoto, but her eyes had already turned toward Horikita Manabu.
Seeing no reaction from him, Akane wasn't sure whether she felt relieved or a little disappointed. Either way, she calmed down.
"Junior, from now on, call me senpai when you see me. Not everyone is as unconcerned about honorifics as you are."
Akane reminded him coldly, though she wasn't all that angry.
Compared to her obvious hostility before, her attitude had softened considerably.
Makoto had been teasing her, but he'd meant no harm.
"Sure. Then I'll call you Tachibana-senpai from now on."
Makoto smiled and nodded in response, then casually picked up one of the documents on the table and began carefully studying how the Student Council handled its affairs.
He didn't need anyone to explain things to him. A quick look was enough for him to get the gist.
Akane nodded, accepting the name "Tachibana-senpai," though Makoto's tone struck her as a little odd.
Before she could turn and leave, someone else approached Makoto.
When Akane saw him coming over, she frowned without thinking.
But she said nothing, turning away to attend to her own work.
"Junior, my name is Miyabi Nagumo. Once everyone in the Student Council recognizes your abilities, you'll be a vice president just like me."
Miyabi Nagumo, with his head of blond hair, clearly had no idea what it meant to be reserved. He sat down beside Makoto and gave him an intrigued look.
Horikita Manabu was a formidable opponent in Nagumo's eyes, and Makoto was the successor Horikita Manabu had chosen.
If nothing unexpected happened, once Horikita Manabu retired from the Student Council, Makoto would be Nagumo's opponent.
Though they were political rivals in theory, Nagumo held Horikita Manabu in high regard.
Naturally, he was also very interested in Makoto, whom Horikita Manabu had recognized.
"So you're Vice President Nagumo. I heard you entered Advanced Nurturing as a Class B student, and now you've led your class to Class A."
"In that regard, you're someone I can learn from."
Makoto was polite on the surface, but his words carried a pointed meaning.
Everyone in the room could tell he was drawing a clear line between himself and Nagumo.
"Don't say such boring things. For people like us, taking control of an entire year is only the beginning."
"Horikita-senpai appointed you vice president personally, and this year's Class B has done very well too. I imagine you're quite capable. Want to compete with me?"
Nagumo had no intention of playing political games. He issued his challenge outright.
If he beat Makoto, perhaps he'd get the chance to challenge Horikita Manabu.
Horikita Manabu looked up at him but didn't stop him.
As someone about to leave the Student Council, he couldn't protect Makoto forever.
Makoto had accepted his points and joined the Student Council, so he should have expected something like this to happen.
"Sure. Let's make a small wager for fun. How about one hundred thousand private points?"
Makoto put down the document and accepted with a smile.
"You and Horikita-senpai are completely different. Since we're at this school, we should make the most of it!"
Nagumo couldn't help laughing, his interest growing even stronger.
Horikita Manabu was certainly strong, but he was too steady and had never accepted Nagumo's challenges.
Makoto, his junior, was completely different: decisive and confident. What a likable junior.
Before challenging Horikita Manabu, he could have some fun with Makoto too.
"I'm your senior, and I was the one who issued the challenge. You can decide what we compete in."
Nagumo was pleased and put on a generous air.
Of course, behind that generosity was his absolute confidence in his own abilities.
In his eyes, no matter what challenge Makoto proposed, he was sure he could win.
"Then how about this? I have something I'm going to report to the school."
"If you can figure out why I'm doing it before the results come out, you win."
As he spoke, Makoto took out a sheet of blank paper and began writing on it.
Realizing Makoto was writing down his answer in advance to ensure things were fair, Nagumo turned away so he wouldn't see it.
Once Makoto had finished writing, he immediately announced the question.
"Based on the mock exam results and the information I've gathered, seven students in Class D will be expelled in the next exam. Across all four classes, at least ten students will be expelled."
"But even in the second year, it took a whole year for a dozen students to be expelled."
"So there must be a shortcut to passing the first expulsion exam in the first year, right?"
Makoto's words made Nagumo frown. He thought it over for a moment, then shook his head.
"Are you asking what the shortcut is? That would be far too boring."
That question might have been difficult for Class D students to figure out.
But for the other students—and especially for Student Council members—it was far too easy.
"Since it's a shortcut, it can't be too difficult. They're probably just buying old exam papers from upperclassmen."
"If I announce that now, then reveal the secret of the exam papers completely during the last seven days, while also launching a public campaign against it, would the school replace the exam papers?"
Makoto continued with his questions.
"Now that's an interesting question... If they didn't replace the exam papers, the exam itself would become meaningless."
"If they did replace them, there would be only seven days left, and some of that time would be spent waiting for the school to react. For Class C and Class D students, it would be a disaster."
"Are you testing how the school would respond this way?"
Nagumo found the question rather interesting and thought it over carefully for a moment.
At this, Makoto smiled without answering.
That was close, but not quite right.
"Also, are you seriously asking me this?"
Nagumo glanced back and forth between Makoto and Horikita Manabu, particularly curious to see Horikita Manabu's reaction.
He'd almost started thinking Makoto was planning to join his side.
Meanwhile, Makoto realized Nagumo had gotten the wrong idea and couldn't help shaking his head.
"Vice President Nagumo, don't go out of your way to set this in motion. This is a trap."
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