The Missing Private Points

Time flew, and before long, it was July 1.

At Advanced Nurturing University, the first day of each month was probably when students felt the passage of time most keenly.

An unusual mix of restlessness and excitement filled the Class 1-D classroom.

Tatsuya Sakuya sat by the window in the back row, his chin propped on one hand. He appeared to be gazing idly at the campus outside, but he was already planning how to put Ryuen Kakeru through the wringer.

The video Airi Sakura had recorded on Saturday was his best weapon.

It captured everything clearly, from Ishizaki and the other two provoking the confrontation to their making the first move.

Should he simply hand over the video and clear Sudo's name?

That would be far too much of a waste.

Ryuen Kakeru had handed him the knife himself. If Tatsuya didn't take this chance to carve a hefty chunk out of Class 1-C, he would be doing Ryuen's elaborate scheme a disservice.

As for exactly how much he could squeeze out of them... that depended on how far Ryuen Kakeru was willing to go.

Expelling one student cost 300 Class Points. If Class 1-C lost three students, it would lose a full 900 points—the equivalent of 3.6 million Private Points.

Tatsuya Sakuya suddenly recalled an amusing line.

"You come in fierce, all swagger and threat, then hand over every cent you get. Send me ninety-five out of every hundred; you know what happens if you don't. Don't spend the five you have left; send me four-eighty in a bit. And leave those last twenty cents alone—I'll need them tomorrow."

Of course, expecting Ryuen Kakeru to hand over that many points was unrealistic. Push him too hard—demand more than ninety-nine percent—and he would probably choose to blow the whole