Call it even.
Meanwhile, over in Second-year Class A.
"We're finally going back."
"Do you have anything to say for yourself, Hashimoto?" Hashimoto was being questioned as well.
Katsuragi was mainly the one leading the scrutiny of Hashimoto.
During Forest School, Hashimoto had indeed met with Ryuen both privately and openly, so the class was wondering whether Ryuen had bought him off. More importantly, they wondered whether Hashimoto would betray them.
"I have nothing to say," Hashimoto said. "First of all, I can assure you that if I really wanted to betray the class, it would be far more effective to do it secretly rather than this openly."
"Besides, I'm a student of Class A too. If our class is still Class A by the time we graduate in our third year, then I'll graduate as a member of Class A."
"So why would I smash my own rice bowl?" Hashimoto said. "Of course, there is one other possibility. If Ryuen could give me twenty million points—or anyone could give me twenty million points—I'd be their dog."
"Ryuen may really have twenty million points, but do you think he'd be willing to give them to me? Just to gain points in one special exam?"
"Obviously not," Hashimoto said.
Then Hashimoto shrugged helplessly and even shook his head.
"I see..." Katsuragi began to think it over. By Hashimoto's account, he was not absolutely loyal, but the price of his betrayal was twenty million.
Ryuen should have twenty million.
But was Hashimoto worth twenty million?
Even Katsuragi knew he was not.
So Ryuen really was deliberately using psychological tactics to openly drive a wedge into Class A's unity?
Before this exam, Katsuragi had gone to the library and checked the books Ryuen had read over the past few months. They had all