Cough, cough...
Setting aside the external factors, Yukino Yukinoshita acknowledged Sogo Doma, not because everything he said was some profound truth from a book, but because she had experienced it firsthand!
An individual's wisdom was often greater than that of a group, yet an individual with greater wisdom often lost to the group—this statement could not have suited the outstanding Yukino Yukinoshita better. She had always felt that those who ostracized her were utterly foolish, yet the moment they isolated and rejected her, she became the victim instead.
Thus, she had concluded that "the more exceptional a person is, the harder life tends to be..."
After all, everywhere she looked, there were idiots!
But just as she was about to feel pleased with herself, she suddenly realized that Sogo Doma had said Rumi Tsurumi had created a group?
Unable to hold back, she asked, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Not just her—even Shizuka Hiratsuka and Takahashi-sensei were bewildered.
Seeing this, Sogo Doma calmly said, "Like I said, the wisdom of a group is often lower than that of an individual..."
Before he could finish, Yukino Yukinoshita interrupted, "I know that. I'm asking—"
"You know?" Before she could finish either, Sogo Doma said, "Then do you know why, even though an individual's wisdom is clearly greater than a group's, individuals still join groups?"
"..." She truly did not know. After all, Yukino Yukinoshita had always been completely indifferent to interpersonal relationships. Otherwise, she would not have had a single friend at Sobu High School.
"It's because of a sense of belonging..."
"A sense of belonging!?"
"That's right..." Sogo Doma nodded. "As social animals, humans crave recognition from others. When a group's ideals recognize a person—or rather, when a person recognizes those ideals—they will unconsciously draw closer to it and