Early the next morning.
Staff office.
The class homeroom teachers of the second year were called together.
"In this special exam, we teachers must try our best not to interfere with the class. Please make sure to avoid situations where you can't help but lend a hand because you want to protect your own students."
Looking at the four homeroom teachers in front of him, the teacher in charge of proctoring warned severely:
"If the person in charge of monitoring judges that the teacher has given advice, a warning will be issued. If it is repeated, there will also be a pay cut."
"In addition, although there shouldn't be a need to worry about you all, if the monitor judges that a teacher has carried out malicious interference, such as deliberately inducing options that should be decided by the students, the worst case will also result in a demotion."
"Please don't ever forget this."
Besides the homeroom teachers of each class, the school also arranged other staff members to be responsible for supervising the exam.
It can be seen how much importance the school attached to this exam.
A demotion was deterrent enough.
Everyone sitting here was an adult.
I believe no one would sacrifice their own interests for the students, not to mention that the final decision-making power was still with the school.
The morning time passed quickly.
During the break.
The surrounding teachers were all on lunch break; only Chabashira Sae stared at the tabletop with frozen eyes.
Hoshinomiya, who was on the side, naturally knew what she was thinking.
This exam.
They had also experienced it eleven years ago.
And it was during that exam that Chabashira Sae made the wrong choice in order to protect her boyfriend.
Resulting in them missing the chance to rise to Class A.
Three years of hard work also went down the drain.
Not only was she alienated by the people around her from then on, but even the boyfriend she had just started dating left her, and the class friendship collapsed just like that.
And all of this.
Was all Chabashira Sae's fault.
She stubbornly protected an object that shouldn't have been protected.
Therefore.
Hoshinomiya Chie would absolutely not forgive her.
As class time approached.
Chabashira Sae absent-mindedly stood up from her seat, preparing to head to the classroom; even if she didn't want to face it, she had to for the sake of work.
"It's finally starting, Sae-chan."
Walking to Chabashira Sae's side, Hoshinomiya Chie had a brilliant smile.
"It's Chie..."
Chabashira Sae only then came to her senses, looking at this former classmate.
"You've been like this since morning."
Hoshinomiya Chie suddenly calmed down: "Were you thinking about the special exam yesterday, and as a result didn't sleep well?"
"This class has nothing to do with me now."
Chabashira Sae lowered her head, her voice weak: "Whether the students can easily pass the exam or not doesn't matter."
"Is that so? Although you don't look like you can divide it that clearly."
Saying so.
Hoshinomiya Chie did not hide the hatred in her heart; her icy gaze stared at her best friend in front of her.
"But it doesn't matter anyway. But Sae-chan, don't forget that you simply don't have the qualification to aim for Class A."
Hearing this.
Chabashira Sae just silently turned around and left for the class.
Her lowered head could never be lifted.
Even without Hoshinomiya saying much.
Chabashira Sae also clearly knew that all of this was her fault.
The guilt in her heart made her always not know how to face Hoshinomiya, and she was exceptionally tolerant toward Hoshinomiya every time.
Perhaps.
Following Hoshinomiya's arrangements might be a good choice.
It could lighten the sense of guilt in her heart a bit.
Chabashira Sae had no objection to this; no matter what kind of devastation it was, she could accept it.
Nevertheless.
Even so.
She still wanted to rise to Class A.
To graduate as Class A and make up for the regret in her heart.
Second-year Class B.
Soon.
The Unanimous Special Exam began.
Task 1: Choose which class to face in the final exam held in the third semester.
(Even if the class's position changes, the choice made this time will take precedence. The numbers in parentheses are the additional Class Points that can be obtained upon victory in the battle.)
Options: A (One hundred), B (Fifty), D (Zero).
Task 2: An educational trip is scheduled for late November. Choose the desired destination for the trip.
Options: Hokkaido, Kyoto, Okinawa.
Task 3:
The personal points issued every month according to Class Points will become zero, but three students will be randomly selected from the class to be given Protection Points.
Or the issued personal points will become half, but one student can be arbitrarily selected to be given Protection Points.
If you don't want to choose either of the above, then the personal points of those who rank in the bottom five in the next written test will become zero.
Task 4: In the written test at the end of the second semester, the following rules selected will be applied to the class.
Options: Increase difficulty, increase punishment, decrease reward.
Soon.
Although some disagreements occurred in the middle.
In less than an hour.
Class B smoothly passed the first four tasks; this exam was simply too easy for Class B.
The only one with a problem was Task 3.
However.
Under the friendly consultation of Class B.
Everyone still decided at the cost of half of their personal points for the next six months to cast the Protection Point for Ichinose.
Although Hikigaya still had thirty-three million personal points and could cancel the expulsion penalty at any time.
Using personal points to cancel an expulsion penalty was simply too wasteful.
It couldn't be helped.
Now Katsuragi and Ryuuen both still have Protection Points on them, while Kouenji and Ayanokouji of Class D also possess two Protection Points.
As the class leader.
It was too disadvantageous for Ichinose not to have any personal points.
Furthermore.
Even if they didn't choose, it would be accompanied by a punishment.
Class B had always had the good habit of saving money. Half of Class B's personal points for half a year only required 9 million, so it was considered worth it.
The four tasks ended.
Soon.
Hoshinomiya Chie looked around at every student, her expression still relaxed:
Task 5: Expel one classmate; in exchange, obtain one hundred Class Points.
(If unanimous approval is reached, then the student to be expelled must be specified and a vote conducted.)
Options: Approval; Opposition.
Looking at the new task that appeared on the podium screen, the students of Class B were simply stunned.
Hikigaya was somewhat speechless.
As expected, this type of exam would appear.
It was indeed somewhat childish.
When he heard the content of this exam, he basically guessed that this kind of exam regarding human nature would surely appear.
However.
Isn't this reward of Class Points a bit too little?
Only one hundred points?
How could anyone sacrifice a class companion for one hundred points.
With Katsuragi's personality, it was definitely impossible.
With Ryuuen's personality.
Although he performs as a tyrant, he would actually choose expulsion for his companions; he clearly wouldn't either.
As for... Horikita Suzune.
To be honest.
Hikigaya could not quite see through the current Horikita.
However.
Even starting from the perspective of interests.
This was obviously a choice where the disadvantages outweighed the advantages; Horikita Suzune would definitely not choose it either.
That's also true...
Hikigaya thought for a while and couldn't help but nod.
Compared to sacrificing a companion, the reward of one hundred Class Points was indeed a bit low.
However.
Thinking in reverse.
If the reward was too high.
For example, three hundred points, five hundred Class Points.
Surely many people would be tempted by the huge interests and then have their values forcibly distorted by money.
One hundred Class Points.
Neither more nor less.
If they would still choose to sacrifice a companion for Class Points under these circumstances.
It could only mean that their nature was such.
However.
This exam style made Hikigaya somewhat puzzled; this was clearly not Tsukishiro's style, but more like the style of Chairman Sakayanagi at the start of school.
Had Acting Chairman Tsukishiro stepped down?
Hikigaya propped up his cheek and turned his head to look at Shibata and the others.
I suppose no one would choose approval, right?