The silence was broken by an accusatory shout.
"Kitahara, you bastard, why didn't you tell us there was an assessment in the first month? Now we don't have any points at all for the entire month!" Yamauchi Haruki stood up and turned to Kitahara.
"How unsightly, Yamauchi boy. This is what Kitahara boy deserves. And unlike you, he hasn't had to subsist on free vegetables this month."
I can't believe it. Koenji actually spoke up for me. Kitahara sat at his desk, quietly watching the scene unfold.
At the lectern, Chabashira Sae simply watched in silence.
"I don't care. Kitahara has to share his points with us. Otherwise, we're done for this month."
Hearing Kanji Ike's outrageous demand, even Kitahara Seiichi, patient as he was, couldn't take it anymore.
"Hahaha! You really think an ordinary high school student can use 100,000 points every month without any restrictions? Anyone with common sense would know that's impossible. But none of you bothered to look into it yourselves. You just expected me to solve the mystery for you. I have only one thing to say:
"Are you even worthy?"
"You bastard, what the hell are you talking about?" Sudo walked over and grabbed Kitahara Seiichi by the tie.
"Enough. Stop it, Sudo," Hirata said, hurriedly standing up to intervene.
"Haha, let me tell you one more thing. Make sure you're ready to hear it."
"You don't really think that getting into Advanced Nurturing High School means a 100% chance of going on to higher education or finding a job, do you? Don't get your hopes up. This school is based on merit, so only Class A gets to enjoy those benefits."
"..."
Watching the class fall silent again, Chabashira thought to herself.
I didn't expect him to have figured out the school's rules to this extent. But doesn't he spend almost every day in his dorm? That's why the school couldn't figure him out, and in the end decided to have the homeroom teachers vote on whether to make his 10 million points public.
But looking at what's happening now, perhaps my decision wasn't wrong after all. I bet on the right horse.
"Chabashira-sensei, is this true?" Hirata asked, looking at her.
"Hehe. This isn't really the right time to tell you, but Kitahara has brought it up, so I have no choice but to tell you idiots."
"That's right. Only the students in Class A get to enjoy those benefits."
"How can this be? It's a scam!" Yamauchi replied.
"Hehe. The new student handbook does say there's a 100% rate of further education, but it doesn't say who that applies to."
"..."
"The school uses a unique S-System that continuously evaluates students and calculates their scores.
These are the points currently held by each class.
Look. Class D has perfectly proven that it's the lowest-performing class, the worst of the bunch."
Class Points for Each First-Year Class:
Class A: 940 cp Class B: 840 cp Class C: 490 cp Class D: 0 cp
"This year's Class A is as excellent as ever, and Class B has already broken the record for the highest score ever achieved by a Class B. I have to commend all of you as well: you managed to lose all your points in your very first month. This is the first time that's ever happened to a Class D."
"Sensei, at least tell us exactly how points are added and deducted," Hirata asked, standing up.
"It's the same once you enter society. Human resources won't tell you the details of how they evaluate you, either."
"Uh..."
"Do you see? These are your Class Points." Chabashira pointed to the blackboard.
"Each Class Point is worth 100 Private Points for every student in the class. That's why every class started the school year with 1,000 Class Points. In other words, you've lost all your points."
"Um... will we have a chance to earn more points?" Kushida Kikyo asked.
"Of course. If you earn more points than Class C, you'll be promoted to Class C, and Class C will be demoted to Class D."
"The next opportunity is the upcoming midterm exams. Depending on your results, you can earn up to 100 Class Points."
"Only 100 points..."
"No, it's better than nothing."
"But these are the results from the previous quizzes. Everyone got a bunch of lousy scores."
"Starting with the next exam, anyone who fails the midterms or finals—"
"Will be expelled immediately."
"Hey, did you hear what happened in Class D this morning?"
"Yeah. I can't believe Kitahara from Class D actually got a reward of 10 million points."
"But it sounds like the others have already ostracized him."
The students in Class B kept discussing it. They couldn't help it; the news was just too shocking.
So Kitahara really is as impressive as Hoshinomiya-sensei said. He actually got 10 million points! But now Kitahara-kun seems to be... Ichinose looked happy, yet worried.
It wasn't just Class B discussing him. Everyone in the year had heard of this remarkable student.
The scene shifted to Class C.
"Hey, Shiina, what do you think of this Kitahara?" a purple-haired boy asked.
"Ryuen, there's too little information to draw any conclusions about him. But the one thing we can be sure of is that he's alone in Class D," the silver-haired, violet-eyed girl replied.
"Looks like we'll have to test his abilities."
"..."
"Based on the information we have, the only way to earn at least some Class Points is for everyone to change their attitude toward school and get high scores on the next midterms." Sitting by the pool and watching the others play in the water, Ayanokoji said to Horikita.
"That's right."
"Ultimately, they all had a sweet dream when they enrolled, thinking they'd benefit from the school's outstanding rates of further education and employment. But to—"
"They have to make it to at least Class C. As long as they're in Class D, they can't fulfill their dreams for the future."
"Ayanokoji, have you ever played any sports?"
"No, not really. I'm not bragging, but I was in the Going-Home Club in middle school."
"Then I have to say, your upper arms look pretty well-developed..."
"Hahaha..." Kitahara Seiichi couldn't help laughing as he listened to their conversation, drawing the attention of both of them.
Feeling Horikita's icy stare, Kitahara spoke up:
"Horikita, you don't really believe someone in the Going-Home Club could have muscles that developed, do you? And from what I can tell, Ayanokoji's muscles are very well-proportioned. It's obvious someone designed a special training program just for him."
After hearing Kitahara Seiichi's words, Horikita thought it over briefly, then turned her icy gaze back to Ayanokoji, her eyes seeming to demand an explanation.
"Uh, I've only studied piano and calligraphy."
Horikita glared at Kitahara and Ayanokoji, then let the matter drop.
"Horikita... would you like to get in and swim with us?" Kushida Kikyo came over and asked.
"No, thanks."
"Can it be that you don't know how to swim, Horikita?"
"It's not that I'm good at it, but I'm not bad either."
"I couldn't swim at all in middle school, but I practiced as hard as I could and finally learned."
"I see. That's great." Horikita stood up, turned around, and left.
"She really is a conversation killer," Ayanokoji said.
"I really want to be friends with Horikita. And with you too, Kitahara, standing beside her."
"Hehe, forget it. I don't want to be friends with you," Kitahara Seiichi replied coldly.
Hehe. A girl who stabs people in the back? No matter how nice she seems, there's no way I'd get close to her.
Besides, someone as sociable as her... Ichinose fits my idea of a friend much better.
"Another conversation killer," Ayanokoji said, watching Kitahara Seiichi walk away.