(Author: This chapter is the most serious one yet.
We’re finally going to touch upon a part of the problem Kiriha-kun carries.) [Side: Kohei Katsuragi] It was only after the exam results were announced that I realized I had made a massive, terrible mistake.
“How do you plan to take responsibility, Katsuragi?!” “That contract was a huge loss!” “Shut up!
You guys agreed to it too!” In the rest area, I was being condemned not only by the Sakayanagi Faction, but even by the students who had looked up to me until now.
Yahiko and a few others were frantically defending me, but unfortunately, logic was on the side of those pressing charges against me.
After all, we had accepted Class C’s deal specifically to secure victory in this exam, only for it to end in such a result.
Working backward from the final score, it wasn’t difficult to guess why this happened.
Our Class A likely missed Class D’s leader and had ours guessed in return.
And on top of that…
Class C had guessed our leader too.
Having personally verified the keycard obtained by the spy Ryuen planted in Class D, we nominated Suzune Horikita…
but Class D had changed their leader through some means.
Given that Class C ended with 0 points, there was no doubt they missed Class D’s nomination as well.
But conversely, why was Class A’s leader guessed by them?
If I had to guess, on the first day, Yahiko carelessly claimed a spot when we didn’t know who might be watching, so I put on an act to make it seem like I was the leader…
but if Yahiko was seen from the exact moment he claimed it, such an act was meaningless.
Someone from Class D was likely lurking at the scene.
I have nothing particular to say regarding Class D.
Even with Yahiko’s carelessness and bad luck, the fact that they pulled off a winning move with a brilliant stroke while having their leader identified deserves praise.
The problem was Class C…
Ryuen had offered his cooperation on his own initiative, yet intended to sink his teeth into us from the very beginning.
The fault also lies with me for not explicitly stating in the written contract that neither class should nominate the other, but I cannot help feeling indignation toward the methods of a guy devoid of a shred of morals, who casually broke what could be considered an implicit agreement.
The mistake I committed…
was that, backed into a corner by Sakayanagi and impatient for results, I reached out and accepted a deal with the devil.
…However, there is one inexplicable point.
How did Ryuen see through the fact that Yahiko was the leader?
For Yahiko’s careless action to be witnessed by two separate classes was far too convenient to be mere coincidence.
…Could it be that someone in the Sakayanagi Faction leaked the leader’s identity?
It couldn’t have been leaked to Class D.
There is no way they would trust leader information handed over by a student from a class executing a fortress strategy.
But to Class C, who knew the inside story…
But why?
Fearing betrayal, I should have disclosed Yahiko’s identity as leader to only a tiny fraction of even my own faction, let alone the Sakayanagi Faction…
“How pathetic, Katsuragi-kun.” While taking everyone’s blame on the chin and mulling over my thoughts, Hashimoto and Sakayanagi’s other two aides approached.
Kamuro and Kito wore their usual stony expressions, but Hashimoto sported a mocking smirk.
Despite supposedly taking a heavy blow from the contract with Ryuen, his attitude showed no sign of care whatsoever, making me realize the identity of the traitor.
“It’s because of untrustworthy people like you that Katsuragi-san couldn’t move with a large group!
Because of that…” “Hey, hey, Totsuka.
You were acting so triumphant before the results were announced, and the moment our loss is set in stone, you shift the blame?
How lame.” “Hashimoto…
you were in league with Ryuen, weren’t you?
You sold the leader’s identity to him.” “Even Katsuragi-kun comes at me with such wild accusations.
Wasn’t it you who didn’t tell us who the leader was because you were wary of us betraying you?” “You probably heard it from Honjo.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he saw through the leader.” “And in the end, you even doubt Honjo?
Speaking as his friend, he’s not a guy who breaks his promises, you know?” Indeed, Honjo promised that he would bring no harm to the class.
There was no guarantee that he would keep his word, but even before that…
“Simply sharing a guess with a classmate about who you think the leader is doesn’t constitute bringing harm to the class.” “I see.
For a wild guess, it certainly fits together rather well, doesn’t it?” Even when pressed by me, Hashimoto remained completely unfazed and composed.
It was true that this was nothing more than speculation with no evidence, so no matter how suspicious it was, I couldn’t denounce Hashimoto any further.
The truth was already lost in the dark.
“My my, it really was awkward as expected.” Sighing as if exasperated, Honjo returned, and our classmates parted ways to clear a path for him.
Not only the Sakayanagi Faction students, but most of my faction yielded the way as a matter of course.
Walking leisurely down the path opened like Moses parting the sea, Honjo stood right in front of me.
…Is it my imagination, or is his aura different from usual?
“We really got outsmarted by Horirin and Ryunkel in this exam.
Well, good work, everyone.” “…From the sound of that, did you realize Ryuen’s scheme and Horikita Suzune’s plan beforehand?” “Well, yeah.
There’s no way Ryunkel would bring up a mutually beneficial contract out of the goodness of his heart.
And Horirin looked pretty sick on Day 2, so I figured she wouldn’t hold out until the end.” “Day 2…?!
What do you mean, Honjo!
Don’t tell me you were connected with Class D—” “I just happened to bump into them right after you guys turned them away with smooth talk from your high horse.
I tried throwing a random bluff to kill time, and I was shocked when it hit right on the nose, yep.” “Wh…?!
If you figured out who the leader was, why didn’t you tell us then?!” “You guys wouldn’t have believed me even if I told you.
As for Horirin’s poor health, blame the dense fools who didn’t even notice a girl was suffering.” Speaking as if brushing off Yahiko’s accusing tone, something about Honjo was indeed different from usual.
His superficial demeanor was the same elusive, unreadable self as ever, but what on earth…
The moment I realized the true identity of that strange sensation, I felt goosebumps break out across my entire body.
It was a primal, instinctive sense of danger…
the first time feeling it since the day Sakayanagi introduced herself at the entrance ceremony.
“Sorry, but I’m not free enough to hang around listening to the banter of sore losers.
…Sakayanagi Faction, assemble.
Ah, you two over there, assemble too.” When Honjo announced this while taking a slight step back from me, more than half of the students followed him.
“H-Hey?!
Yamamura and Morishige!
You two were on Katsuragi-san’s side, weren’t you?!” Without giving Yahiko the time of day, the two gathered under Honjo.
…I had vaguely realized that Sakayanagi had planted spies around me, but judging by Honjo’s words, it seemed those two were the ones.
But why reveal it at this timing…?
Leaving us behind in our confusion, Honjo cleared his throat a few times before addressing the gathered students.
“First of all, good work on the exam.
Even if it was Arisu’s orders, spending your time following a boring guy’s boring instructions must have been thoroughly dissatisfying, right?
On top of that, to have the reward you gained from it collected at 20,000 points a month by Ryunkel…
it makes you want to get angry and say, ‘Don’t mess with me.'” “Exactly.” “Seriously unbelievable.” “I lost out big time following someone like Katsuragi.” At Honjo’s gentle questioning tone, the Sakayanagi Faction students vented their dissatisfaction one after another.
Yahiko almost charged forward in rage, but I restrained him with my hand.
We had no right to complain even if blamed for this outcome.
…However, what Honjo casually said next with a soft smile, “But it’s fine, rest easy.
The share that the 21 members of the Sakayanagi Faction here have to bear…
I’ll cover all of it for you.” …was something utterly hard to believe.
“Hell yeah!” “As expected of Honjo-kun!” “I’m so glad I followed Sakayanagi-san!” With their burdens wiped clean, the Sakayanagi Faction praised and cheered for Honjo, but it remained something completely unbelievable.
“Impossible…
Honjo, do you even understand what you’re saying?!
20,000 points per month for 22 people including yourself…
paying that until graduation easily exceeds 10,000,000 points!” “Hmm, it certainly is a massive expense.
…But to me, it’s trivial pocket change.” “Gh…?!” Looking at his smile oozing composure, I—no, all of us—could not hide our shuddering awe.
This guy wasn’t joking at all…
he genuinely believed that a loss of around 10,000,000 points was no big deal!
And the members of the Sakayanagi Faction didn’t doubt that for a single fraction of a second!
“H-Hey, Honjo!
Why only them?!
Cover ours too!” “Eh?
No way.
Why do I have to cover the share for you guys who followed Katsuragi?” “T-Then we won’t follow Katsuragi-kun anymore!
We’ll side with Sakayanagi-san from now on!” “Me too!
Me too!” “H-Hey?!
What are you guys arbitrarily—” “If you want to become Arisu’s allies, do as you like, but either way, I won’t cover your share.” Yahiko was infuriated by his friends’ defection, but Honjo coldly dismissed them in one breath.
“W-Why?!” “Ehh?
You really don’t get it?
In that case…
…you guys are truly foolish through and through.” “Eek…” Driven by an icy tone of voice and a expressionless, doll-like face that couldn’t possibly belong to that Honjo, most of the students were consumed by terror.
Was what was contained in those cold, distant words anger?
Scorn?
Disappointment?
…It was none of those—it was sheer, absolute nothingness.
Be it his words just now or his eyes ever since he came over here, they were completely unorganic…
not something directed at a fellow human being.
“You guys should have had the freedom to choose, and the time to make that choice.
Arisu and Katsuragi…
after carefully deliberating on your own which of the two opposing leaders was right to follow, if the person you judged worthy of entrusting your future to was Katsuragi, I won’t blame you for that decision.” Even as he offered encouraging words, his voice was utterly devoid of warmth, and the atmosphere surrounding him grew so stiflingly heavy that even breathing became difficult.
Terrified to the point of wanting to run away, yet simultaneously having one’s heart pinned down, unable to move…
we were forced into such a contradiction.
Honjo slowly approached Tamiya, a female student who had just offered to switch sides to Sakayanagi…
but not a single person could step in to block him.
“However…
why should a person who believed in Arisu and followed her from the beginning be treated on equal footing with someone who casually switches sides the moment things turn disadvantageous?
That’s impossible if you think about it with common sense.
…By the way, Tamiya-chan, how about lifting your head when someone is talking to you?” “Gh, u-ah…” Honjo placed his hand under the chin of Tamiya, who was looking down in sheer terror, forcing her face up so their eyes met.
But being peered into directly by those cold eyes, Tamiya trembled even more, looking on the verge of tears.
Judging that it was genuinely dangerous, I tried to put a stop to it, but before I could move, he quickly let go of her and held up a hand to stop me.
“Well, calm down, Tamiya-chan.
I’m not trying to blame you for switching sides, either; do as you like if you want to.
If anything happens in the future, I’ll naturally lend a hand.
It’s just that covering the 20,000 points is a no-go.
That’s a reward for those who believed in Arisu during this special exam and endured inconveniences, after all.
…Understood?” When Tamiya nodded repeatedly with teary eyes at that question, Honjo formed a gentle smile and patted her head.
“Sorry for scaring you, okay?” “U-Yeah.
It’s okay…” Before anyone noticed, his eyes had returned to normal, and the suffocating atmosphere had vanished.
And Tamiya, who until yesterday should have been furious at Honjo’s self-centered behavior, was now looking down with a flushed face.
…She will likely never return to our side again.
“Well then, shall we head back to the ship?
…Ah, right, Katsuragi, a message from Arisu.” “…What is it?” “She says, ‘There’s one more special exam over the remaining seven days, but I’ll continue to leave the command to you, so do your best aiming to redeem your honor.'” At that message, which sounded as if she knew I would make a blunder, I became convinced that Sakayanagi had ordered Hashimoto and the others to bring about my downfall…
but calling them out on it now would be pointless.
In the first place, both the anger and dissatisfaction everyone felt toward my failure had been completely swallowed up and erased by Honjo.
The man himself strolled off toward the ship at his usual leisurely pace, and though he hadn’t ordered them to, the majority of the class naturally followed behind him as if it were the obvious thing to do.
I realize once again what a terrifying man he is.
His outstanding academic abilities and physical prowess were merely the tip of the iceberg.
And that intimidating presence and charisma he displayed today—surpassing even Sakayanagi and Student Council President Horikita—were likely just a fraction of Honjo’s numerous talents.
I cannot see the bottom of his true strength at all.
In fact, it makes me want to ask what he doesn’t possess, but perhaps it is good fortune for us that we do not have to be his enemy in the true sense.
…Would it be a luxurious worry if I thought to myself how much easier my life would be if he were leading Class A instead?
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Author’s Note: Q.
What is Kiriha-kun’s flaw?
(Excluding personality traits and the like) A.
He has no sense of fashion.
Not bad—he straight up doesn’t have one.
Also, animals don’t take a liking to him.
For some reason, they get extremely frightened of him, and fish won’t bite his fishing rod either.
Unlike Arisu-chan, Kiriha-kun doesn’t derive pleasure from crushing the weak, but he doesn’t feel aversion or guilt toward it either.
Consequently, if necessary, he will swing the guillotine emotionlessly like routine work.
However, this time, due to the sadness of being separated from his beloved plants, it seems he unconsciously exuded an intimidating aura.
He was actually panicking a bit inside when Tamiya-san was about to cry.
Katsuragi: “What incredible charisma…?!” Kiriha: ‘I don’t know why, but she suddenly started crying, so I instinctively patted her hair…
Whew, that was close.
If Tamiya-chan wasn’t so easy to sway, I would’ve been reported for sexual harassment.’