As soon as Akira stepped into the dormitory, his phone vibrated.
The screen showed a message from Chabashira:
{Chabashira Sae: In the future, if you discover information beneficial to the class, you can contact me directly, or inform the two vice class representatives. As for compensation... you name your price.}
{Chabashira Sae: Let those two collect class funds and provide corresponding rewards through allocation.}
{Chabashira Sae: A very fair trade, isn't it? This way, you should be willing to contribute to Class D, right?}
Akira's lips curved slightly. This homeroom teacher was much more astute than he'd imagined—at least more adept at weighing pros and cons than most students in Class D.
He quickly tapped on the screen to reply:
{Shimizu Akira: As expected of Chabashira-sensei, this proposal is indeed brilliant. By the way... have you successfully led your class to Class A?}
After the message showed as read, the other party quickly replied:
{Chabashira Sae: ...No.}
{Chabashira Sae: Shimizu, you still haven't directly answered my question.}
Akira stared at the screen, pondering for a moment.
{Shimizu Akira: Deal. As long as the compensation is reasonable, I'm very willing to engage in this equivalent exchange.}
He indeed had no reason to refuse.
All along, Akira's reason for not wanting to contribute to Class D was simple—no one wants to be a thankless fool.
And now, Chabashira's proposed equivalent exchange plan perfectly resolved this contradiction.
Since effort would yield corresponding rewards, he was naturally willing to cooperate.
{Chabashira Sae: By the way, Shimizu, in your opinion, who is more suitable to be class representative, Hirata Yosuke or Kushida Kikyo? Which person would be more beneficial for the development of Class D?}
Seeing this sudden inquiry, Akira's finger hovered above the screen, his brows furrowing unconsciously.
Why would the homeroom teacher ask for his opinion? And even on the decision of the class representative?
{Chabashira Sae: If you give me the answer, I'll tell you an important piece of information about the second year as an extra.}
Akira was startled. Although Chabashira usually seemed nonchalant, she always kept her word.
Since she offered information as an exchange, it would definitely not be an empty promise.
Akira's finger paused on the screen for a moment, then slowly typed a line: {My answer is—neither of them is very suitable to be class representative.}
He thought for a moment, then continued to add: {Why be so fixated on the title of class representative? Class A is also jointly led by Katsuragi and Sakayanagi, and it still functions very well. Why not simply leave the class representative position vacant and let the two of them compete based on actual contributions—whoever contributes more to the class will serve as the class representative for the next month.}
In fact, this management style was common in the workplace—deliberately leaving a promotion position vacant could stimulate employees' competitive spirit.
In his opinion, maintaining healthy competition between Hirata and Kushida was the best way to keep the class vibrant.
{This can both prevent power from becoming too concentrated and continuously motivate both of them.} He concluded, {Compared to fixed candidates, a dynamic competition mechanism might be more suitable for the current Class D, and in my opinion, perhaps Horikita Suzune will also become one of the leaders in the future.}
The phone screen remained silent for a long time, so long that Akira almost thought the conversation was over, when Chabashira's reply finally arrived.
{Chabashira Sae: Horikita Suzune? Her? I haven't seen any changes in her yet.}
{Chabashira Sae: ...Sometimes I really wonder if you're even a high school student...}
{Chabashira Sae: To analyze class problems with workplace management thinking...}
After another moment, a new message popped up again:
{Chabashira Sae: ...But it's indeed a good plan.}
{Chabashira Sae: The upcoming Class D will implement this plan.}
Akira vaguely realized that he seemed to be manipulating the entire Class D as a mastermind behind the scenes.
After all, even the homeroom teacher, Chabashira, was asking for his opinion.
However, since the other party promised an equivalent information exchange, it wasn't a loss.
{Shimizu Akira: So, where's your equivalent information?}
{Chabashira Sae: ...In Class A of the second year, there's a person named Nagumo Miyabi.}
Akira frowned, not expecting the other party to suddenly throw out another person's name.
{Shimizu Akira: So, what does this have to do with me?}
{Chabashira Sae: Think carefully... how did you get this information?}
Akira replied casually: {I bought it from a second-year Class D upperclassman.}
{Chabashira Sae: The entire second year is currently under Nagumo Miyabi's control, and Class D is no exception. He issued a strict order—prohibiting any second-year student from violating any school rules, and selling information is one of them.}
{Shimizu Akira: Reason?}
{Chabashira Sae: It's simple. Violating school rules will result in a deduction of class points, and a decrease in class points... means that the personal points they can "contribute" to Nagumo each month will also shrink. That's his logic.}
{Chabashira Sae: So, I'm really curious now, how exactly did you manage to buy this information under Nagumo Miyabi's control?}
Akira's mouth slightly opened, suddenly understanding something.
No wonder the upperclassman specifically emphasized that she "was short on points recently" during the transaction.
Looking back now, that was clearly a hint that she was taking a risk under Nagumo's prohibition.
—He'd, at that time, probably gotten a great deal.
As expected of someone specifically marked by the intelligence system.
{Chabashira Sae: Don't overthink it. The current Student Council President is still in office, and Nagumo Miyabi, as the Vice President, is currently focused on dealing with classes other than Class A of the third year. I'm just giving you a heads-up that he's highly likely to completely ignore you.}
Akira read this message twice.
—Nagumo Miyabi is actually the Student Council Vice President?
This discovery made him thoughtful.
Since they're both in the Student Council, Horikita Manabu should know a lot about this person.
But then again, an ordinary freshman like him probably doesn't even qualify to enter his sight.
In the power structure of the Student Council, the Vice President is second only to the President.
"Right now, in his eyes, I probably don't even count as a minor character."
As Chabashira said, Nagumo was currently busy expanding his influence among the third-years.
Such a big shot wouldn't have time to pay attention to a newly enrolled freshman, would he?
"By the way, it's almost time." Akira glanced down at his phone screen, which showed it was 7:10 PM.
He pulled up today's information interface and re-read the third piece of information.
{Intel Three: Tonight at 7:55 PM, Horikita Suzune will be subjected to physical punishment by Horikita Manabu behind the first-year dormitory.}
"Perfect... I can meet the Student Council President." Akira thought thoughtfully. "To be safe, I'll also ask him about Nagumo Miyabi."