Poisoning

The teachers of the four classes were gathered together drinking. Other than when they had to handle the exchange of supplies, they were free most of the time. They would visit each class's campsite during supply exchanges, so they had some understanding of every class's situation.

Teacher Mashima of Class A raised his glass toward Sakagami Kazuma. "Ryuuen really is an unusual student. In all these years, this is the first time someone has chosen to abandon the exam in exchange for the greatest possible number of Class Points."

Sakagami Kazuma raised his glass as well. "Ryuuen has a rather unconventional way of doing things. He created his own company at sixteen, so his vision and courage are indeed extraordinary."

No matter what, Ryuuen was one of his own students. Sakagami Kazuma had to defend him at a time like this. Although all four people present knew what Ryuuen had done, the school had tacitly accepted his actions, so there was little the teachers could say.

"It's a pity Sakayanagi from your class couldn't participate in the exam. Otherwise, with her intelligence, Class A would most likely have taken first place." After clinking glasses with Mashima, Sakagami Kazuma drained his drink.

Mashima took a small sip as well. "Health issues can't be forced. She is the chairman's daughter, after all. If anything happened to her, I'd be replaced as grade director."

Hoshinomiya raised her glass and joined in. "Doesn't Class A still have Katsuragi? That child is quite capable too. He has a good chance of winning this exam." Then she said to Sakagami Kazuma, "A student like Ryuuen needs stricter discipline. Sakagami-sensei, you can't keep indulging him and letting him do whatever he wants."

"As a math teacher, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to interfere too much in students' affairs." Sakagami Kazuma clinked glasses with Hoshinomiya with a smile that did not reach his eyes, wondering how Ryuuen had offended her enough to make her this angry.

Knowing Sakagami Kazuma was no help, Hoshinomiya had only mentioned it casually. She turned to Chabashira and said, "Why aren't you drinking, little Sae? Not in the mood? You don't need to worry so much about the students in your class. Isn't Horikita quite good too?"

"Don't call me that. I simply don't want to drink. Horikita is far inferior to Ichinose from your class. Ryuuen sold his points to your class, so Class B will probably win this time." Chabashira Sae replied coldly. Since she was always like this, no one found it strange.

"I find it strange too. Logically, if Ryuuen wants to move up a class, Class B should be his current opponent. He should have sold the points to Class A instead. I can't understand why he did this. Don't tell me he likes Ichinose?" Hoshinomiya stared at Chabashira with a smile. She was not happy because her class might win this time, but because Class D would most likely finish at the bottom again.

Class D rising to Class A was the one thing Hoshinomiya would never allow.

Competition between classes also existed between teachers. The four teachers were not as harmonious as they appeared.

Meanwhile, Ayanokoji and Horikita had found Ichinose of Class B. They had not come to discuss cooperation with her, but to borrow their class's convenient toilet. Buying a toilet cost 20 points. The boys of Class D felt there was no need to waste points on one, but the girls found that difficult to accept. So they thought of kind-hearted Ichinose and wanted to borrow Class B's toilet.

"Sure. You can come anytime you need to use it."

Hearing Ichinose's answer, Horikita breathed a sigh of relief. If Ichinose had refused, the boys and girls would have started arguing again once she returned.

Ayanokoji had been observing Class B's campsite. After seeing how well they were living, he could basically confirm that Ryuuen had indeed sold his points to Class B.

At that moment, Ryuuen was still exploring the forest—or rather, searching. He was looking for poisonous things he had read about in books.

Poisonous mushrooms were too easily identifiable, so Ryuuen gave up on them immediately. What he wanted to find was pokeweed, a poisonous plant that looked very similar to ginseng. After spending considerable effort, Ryuuen found several stalks. He roasted them dry to remove the moisture, then ground them into powder and stored it in the cola bottle he had prepared earlier.

At around seven in the evening, Ryuuen arrived at the place he had arranged with Ibuki. He wrapped his Magnetic Card and the note he had prepared in the Swim Trunks he had changed out of, then buried them beneath the marked tree.

Finally, carrying the cola bottle, Ryuuen hurried to Class B's campsite under cover of dusk. Horikita and Ichinose had already left by then.

Ichinose was surprised to see Ryuuen, unable to understand why he had come to Class B at this hour.

"Seeing as we're allies, I'll be heading back to the ship soon, so I came to say goodbye. Come here, give me a hug."

Before Ichinose could react, Ryuuen hugged her. He let go after only an instant.

He shook the glass bottle in his hand (a brown glass cola bottle that looked tiny in Ryuuen's large hand; once Ryuuen gripped it in one hand, only the bottle opening could be seen, while the powder at the bottom remained hidden).

"I finished my cola. Do you have any water? Give me a bottle."

Generous Ichinose naturally would not refuse such a small request. Shiranami Chihiro volunteered to get Ryuuen a bottle of water, a bottle of purified water in a PET bottle.

"Sorry, we don't have any cola."

While Ichinose was speaking, Ryuuen had already taken the PET bottle from Shiranami's hand and handed the cola bottle to her at the same time.

The sky was dim, and so was the bottle's color. No one would notice an empty bottle at a time like this. Only Shiranami's heart pounded wildly. She knew Ryuuen had come to deliver poison to her. Earlier, she had still been wondering where Ryuuen could get poison and how he intended to get it into her hands.

Only when the cola bottle truly appeared in her hand did Shiranami realize how terrifying Ryuuen's plan was. At the same time, she was filled with anticipation for the ruthless Ryuuen. Perhaps he really could make her dream come true—perhaps he really could let her be with Ichinose.

The timing was perfect. At eight in the evening, during roll call, Ryuuen returned to the campsite right on time.

"Now, we will all return to the ship. From now on, I want to see you exercising on the deck at eight every morning. The afternoon will be free time. In the evening, all students must study in the library." Ryuuen's words rang out forcefully, leaving no room for doubt.

At that moment, Manabe Shiho raised her hand. "Ibuki is still on the island!"

Everyone knew Ibuki was absent, since roll call had just been taken. Yet even Shiina Hiyori had not stepped forward to speak for Ibuki, while Manabe had actually stood up at a time like this.

Ryuuen was not the only one surprised. The group of girls surrounding Manabe were shocked as well. They knew that Manabe and Ibuki had always been at odds, unable to stand the sight of each other. Why would Manabe mention Ibuki now? Ryuuen did not believe it was friendship between girls. If it had been friendship, she should have spoken up when Ryuuen had expelled Ibuki earlier.

Moreover, Ryuuen knew that Manabe would betray the class in the future. He had never paid much attention to this girl before, but now he had no choice but to take her seriously.

Manabe had very likely come into contact with Ayanokoji by now. Although she had not yet reached the point of betraying the class, she must have received some sort of hint from Ayanokoji, causing her to bring up Ibuki now.

So Ayanokoji's earlier visit had not been so simple after all. He had been laying a trap here.