Each Class's Gains and Losses

After the fourth group discussion of the VIP Exam ended.

"The Snake Group's exam has ended. Students in the Snake Group are no longer required to participate in the exam. Please act with care and do not disturb other students."

The announcement repeated twice, and the room fell quiet.

"The Snake Group-that's your group, right, Takahashi?" Ishida asked.

"Yes."

"What happened?" Toba Shigeru looked at him. "Did you figure out who the VIP was?"

He was the one who had submitted the answer. Since he already knew the answer, there had been no point in staying in the discussion room.

He had chosen a time neither too early nor too late to submit it-too early would draw attention, while too late would mean having to endure a few more days. Neither was worth it.

But it was not time to tell them yet.

"It wasn't me, but I do know who the VIP was."

Takahashi Ren offered the explanation he had prepared. "During this group discussion, the traitor announced it on the spot after submitting their answer. I guess they're only notifying us now."

Under the rules, answers for Outcomes Three and Four were accepted around the clock throughout the exam.

He added, "Now you have the VIPs from two groups. That should make it easier to study the pattern."

Over the next two days, Ishida and Toba Shigeru spent almost all their free time on it.

Takahashi Ren never joined their discussions, only occasionally listening in.

Although the two still bickered, this time they were working toward the same goal.

They listed the members and VIPs of the Rat Group and Snake Group one by one, comparing them repeatedly in an attempt to find something in common.

Yet they still made no progress.

This shouldn't be happening, Takahashi Ren thought.

He had taken too much for granted. He could deduce the answer instantly because he had the system to fall back on.

Ishida and Toba Shigeru were different-they could only work their way forward step by step on their own.

Besides, even knowing the VIPs of two groups was not enough to confirm the pattern with absolute certainty. There were simply too few samples.

The risk that came with each person having only one chance to answer had never changed. If they guessed wrong, the class would suffer a considerable loss.

"Forget it, Ishida."

On the evening of the exam's final day, Toba Shigeru finally sighed. "Let's give up."

"...Yeah." There was reluctance in Ishida's voice, but he also knew there was no point in stubbornly holding on.

Takahashi Ren looked at them, thought for a moment, then spoke softly, as though talking to himself:

"Come to think of it, why did the school use the Chinese Zodiac to divide the groups? Does that mean anything?"

"The Chinese Zodiac... has a fixed order." Ishida froze for a moment, then abruptly grabbed the lists, his eyes darting over them.

Toba Shigeru leaned in too. The two checked down the lists one name at a time, their breathing quickening.

Ishida said excitedly:

"The order of the Chinese Zodiac corresponds to the names' order in the gojuon! The VIPs in both the Rat Group and Snake Group fit that pattern!"

"Calm down." Toba Shigeru held him back. "Two samples don't prove anything. What if it's just a coincidence?"

The excitement froze on Ishida's face. He looked at Takahashi Ren, as though hoping for confirmation from him.

"There really are too few samples," Takahashi Ren said without evading the issue. "There's a pattern, but there's no guarantee it's right. The risk is still there."

He glanced at both of them. "The rest is up to you."

At eleven that night, their phones chimed at the same time.

The three looked down. The screens were densely packed with the full results of the exam.

Zi (Rat) Group: The traitor answered correctly. Outcome Three.

Chou (Ox) Group: The traitor answered incorrectly. Outcome Four.

Yin (Tiger) Group: The traitor answered correctly. Outcome Three.

Mao (Rabbit) Group: The traitor answered incorrectly. Outcome Four.

Chen (Dragon) Group: All group members answered correctly after the exam ended. Outcome One.

Si (Snake) Group: The traitor answered correctly. Outcome Three.

Wu (Horse) Group: The VIP's identity was successfully concealed. Outcome Two.

Wei (Sheep) Group: The VIP's identity was completely concealed. Outcome Two.

Shen (Monkey) Group: The traitor answered correctly. Outcome Three.

You (Rooster) Group: The traitor answered correctly. Outcome Three.

Xu (Dog) Group: The VIP's identity was completely concealed. Outcome Two.

Hai (Pig) Group: The traitor answered correctly. Outcome Three.

Takahashi Ren's gaze paused briefly on the Tiger Group's line.

He looked at the other two. Toba Shigeru smiled and patted Ishida on the shoulder, and Ishida finally let out the feelings he had been holding back.

The corners of his own mouth lifted too.

Ishida and Toba Shigeru had answered after all.

His gaze returned to the Sheep Group on the screen, the group Ai Morishita was in. Outcome Two. She had kept her identity hidden.

At the bottom of the email were each class's final gains and losses.

The figures were followed by the units cl and pr, abbreviations for Class Points and Personal Points respectively.

Class A: Lost 100 cl. Gained 300 pr.

Class B: Lost 50 cl. Gained 2.5 million pr.

Class C: Gained 100 cl. Gained 5 million pr.

Class D: Gained 50 cl. Gained 3 million pr.

Judging by the results, Class C had won an overwhelming victory in this exam, while Class A had suffered a crushing defeat.

If Takahashi Ren had not secured Outcome Three in the Snake Group, and Ishida and Toba Shigeru had not also correctly identified Class C's VIP in the Tiger Group, Class A would have lost even more Class Points.

"Katsuragi..." Ishida trailed off.

Takahashi Ren closed the email. There was no use saying more.

Katsuragi's downfall would probably come even sooner than expected.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, in the café.

"Open your eyes and take a good look."

Ryuuen pulled his phone from his pocket and pushed it with his fingertips. It slid across the table, stopping precisely in front of Horikita.

On the screen was a list he had compiled himself: beside the Rat, Rooster, and Pig Groups, the names of Class A's VIPs were clearly marked.

He leaned back, a smile of complete control spreading across his face:

"I've completely figured out this exam's little 'rigorous adjustment' trick. From start to finish, I only went after those Class A bastards. Here's the proof."

"Suzune. It's a bit of a shame,"

Ryuuen's gaze settled on Horikita's tense profile, the corner of his mouth curving into an inscrutable smile. "But your Class D is my next target."

With the exam over, this summer vacation cruise also came to an end.

Takahashi Ren walked down the gangway. The moment his feet touched land, a long-absent sense of solidity rose from beneath his soles. Solid ground really was reassuring.

Ishida offered to give him a share of the points the school had awarded for this exam.

Takahashi Ren did not refuse and accepted two hundred thousand points.

Refusing would only make Ishida uneasy. Since it was a gesture from a friend, he might as well accept it.

He also transferred Ai Morishita's two hundred and fifty thousand points to her. They had agreed on that beforehand.

This trip had added four hundred and fifty thousand Personal Points to his account. Not bad.

Still, what had happened with Kushida that night occasionally surfaced in his mind. He suppressed the thought and did not dwell on it.

Summer vacation was not over yet. He should be able to enjoy some peace and quiet for a while now.