Matsushita Gets Serious

Luck was such an elusive thing that no one could say for sure, just as no one could say why Class D had drawn the strongest class, Class A. Whether that had more to do with luck or the whims of those in power remained unknown.

The draw for Class A and Class D's match events was out. The seven events were a mathematics exam, an English exam, Model Repair, chess, Mizuhiki Craft, Knife Skills, and a basketball game.

"Four of our class's five events were drawn. It looks like Lady Luck is on our side this time, Your Highness," Hashimoto said with a smile.

"Then let's wish ourselves luck." Sakayanagi stared at the word "chess."

"Lezheng, have you ever heard of Mizuhiki Craft?" Kamuro scratched her head.

"You tie knots with mizuhiki paper cords to make accessories and bookmarks." Lezheng read out the information he had found on his phone.

"Never heard of it. Can you do it?"

"No, but I can learn while there's still time."

"Then I'll leave that one to you."

"Why don't you enter it with me?"

"I don't have time to learn. I'm busy."

As for what Kamuro was busy with, Lezheng could more or less guess.

The day of the exam soon arrived.

The first match was Class D's Knife Skills event. Victory was determined by how evenly the ingredients were cut, and it was a one-on-one contest. Apart from basketball, which required multiple participants, Class D had restricted each of its other four events to a single participant. The aim was to prevent a certain person in Class A from competing repeatedly.

Class A's representative was Kamuro, while Class D's was Horikita.

The two contestants took their places at the venue, each standing before a table covered with ingredients.

As soon as the referee announced the start, both began moving. Judging by their performance, Horikita was clearly an expert in this area, while Kamuro had only undergone a crash course in knife skills over the past few days and lacked proficiency.

In the end, Kamuro still failed to pull it off, and Class D took the first win.

The second and third matches were the mathematics and English exams. Class A completely outclassed its opponent in both, securing two consecutive wins.

The fourth match was Model Repair.

Model Repair was an event Takimura had proposed himself. Lezheng had even visited his room in person to learn more about it. Many mecha models lined the walls of his room, and he had even assembled a rather futuristic-looking mechanical arm himself. He was a textbook model enthusiast.

Model Repair simply involved putting dismantled parts back together. Each side fielded four people, and whichever side reassembled its models in less time would win.

"Just help me put the scattered model parts in roughly the right positions. Leave the rest to me."

Takimura sounded a little excited. He normally never revealed this hobby of his in front of others, and it was only with Lezheng's encouragement that he had made up his mind to propose the event.

Being able to openly show everyone his hobby, while also benefiting the class if he won, undoubtedly left Takimura feeling refreshed and invigorated.

At the beginning of the match, Takimura was so excited that he could barely hold the parts. Fortunately, he steadied himself afterward and completed the models before him at incredible speed. While Class D was still assembling its third model, Takimura had already finished the match.

"Impressive, Takimura. Feels great, doesn't it?" Lezheng high-fived him.

"Yeah, I'm really excited." Takimura wore a brilliant smile.

The fifth match was Mizuhiki Craft.

The score stood at three to one. If Class A won one more point, it could be declared the winner.

"The next event is Mizuhiki Craft. Contestants from both sides, please come forward," the referee announced from the center of the venue.

Class D sent out Matsushita Chiaki, while Class A sent out Lezheng Youyan.

"So we still can't do it?" Horikita slapped her thigh in frustration.

"Horikita, what's that supposed to mean?" Hearing Horikita's complaint, Karuizawa immediately spoke up for her close friend, although she really wanted to watch Lezheng compete.

"Even if her opponent is Lezheng, we should still believe in Matsushita," the ever-agreeable Kushida stepped forward and said.

Meanwhile, in Class A's spectator seats.

"Lezheng is finally making his move. We won't have to worry about the basketball game afterward, then." Katsuragi folded his arms.

"Leave basketball to me," Kito said.

"Kito, Katsuragi means we've already won," Hashimoto explained.

"I know. I mean I can win the basketball game too. After all, every match we win lets us seize fifty Class Points."

Lezheng and Matsushita took their places in the center of the venue.

"Lezheng, have you done this before?" Matsushita asked.

"No, but I've been learning these past few days," Lezheng replied.

Hearing that, Matsushita inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Since Lezheng had never done it before either, she still had a chance of winning.

My family is well-off, and my grades have always been among the best since I was little. I'd already mapped out a perfect life for myself, so why was I assigned to Class D?

I found that most of the students in Class D were mediocre, so I absolutely couldn't reveal my abilities. Otherwise, they would rely on me, and trouble would come knocking.

But today, I've decided to stop hiding. I'll unleash my true abilities in this match and challenge the strongest first-year student right now.

If I beat him, that will prove he's all show. Although none of my classmates have much faith in me, I don't think I'll lose.

A fierce fighting spirit blazed within Matsushita.

The rule for Mizuhiki Craft was that whichever side made more items within ten minutes would win.

During the preparation phase, the two contestants chose the colors of cord they wanted to use.

Lezheng picked seven different colors, planning to make seven varieties to win the match.

"Would you like me to give you one as a gift to my opponent?" Lezheng turned his head and asked.

To Matsushita's ears, those words became, "You're too weak. Do you need me to give you a one-piece handicap?"

"No need. Just try not to lose too badly," Matsushita shot back.

"What a shame."

Lezheng had thought his reputation and popularity could make this girl blush with embarrassment and disrupt her performance, but unfortunately, she wasn't falling for it.

Although he trusted his ability to learn, it was always good to be cautious. Girls with deft hands held a natural advantage in handicrafts, and if Lezheng lost, Sakayanagi would definitely mock him when he returned.

"Begin!"

At the referee's command, Lezheng quickly grabbed the cords in front of him, straightened them, and began making a red Mizuhiki knot.

Matsushita quickly settled into her rhythm too, shaping the cords in her hands into various forms. She did not watch Lezheng, since doing so would distract her.

Only when she heard the referee call out "Time's up" did Matsushita put down her half-finished seventh Mizuhiki knot.

I should have won, right?

Matsushita turned to look at Lezheng's tabletop, then froze. Nine Mizuhiki knots lay scattered across it, and one of them even used cords in three different colors.