AS I ENTERED THE classroom, Ichinose remained seated, gently waving her hand in a small gesture, welcoming me.
"I didn't expect you to completely defeat Horikita. It seems you handled it perfectly."
"I was just lucky. I did better than usual, for my own standards."
As she humbly said this, I sat down in the empty seat.
"There's about four minutes remaining for the recess interval. Can we chat for a bit?"
"Yes, of course. I also wanted to chat with you, Ayanokōji-kun."
She showed no signs of nervousness for the upcoming battle.
It didn't matter who the opponent was; she was ready to do what she could, an indication that she had prepared herself mentally.
"First, let me apologize for lying. I said I wouldn't participate in the exam, but in the end, I ended up taking part as the general."
"I wasn't worried about that from the start. We're opponents, after all; we can't always speak our true feelings."
Ichinose forgave me and showed understanding.
"I appreciate you saying that."
"But can I ask you one thing? Ayanokōji-kun, what are you feeling right now?"
"Nothing much, just scrambling to think of how to face a formidable enemy. I talked briefly with Horikita on the way here, and she was completely exhausted."
"That was really an overperformance from me. I have no idea if it will go that well again."
"I hope so."
"Ayanokōji-kun... You don't seem to feel any pressure or nervousness."
"You seem calm too. It's the same thing."
"I am... very nervous. Just being together like this with you naturally makes me feel this way."
If anyone were to hear such a statement, it might come as a shock to them.
Indeed, the examiner standing with a stern face showed a puzzled look for a moment.
"But at the same time, I feel a strong sense of security. It's strange and contradictory to feel supported by someone who's supposed to be an opponent."
Right now, my presence wasn't a hindrance; rather, it seemed to be helping her.
With less than three minutes left in the recess interval, it was imperative to make good use of the limited time remaining.
"This is just my speculation, but you believe that you can win against anyone right now, right?"
"I wonder. But it's not that I'm lacking confidence, I guess."
"That's what I thought. However, at the same time, I can see that there's one thing you're anxious about. No matter how confident you are about having an advantage, there's always the possibility that there will be a sudden comeback in this special exam."
It was easy for her to understand what I was getting at.
"Yes. The existence of a traitor is the only unpredictable element."
This system, labeled as the traitor role, was ultimately introduced by the school as a way to maintain the possibility of turning the tables around with one move, and how to incorporate it in a balanced way was well thought out. There was a premise, that if possible, traitors were supposed to lie for their own sake as well as their class's. However, while that may be true, this didn't necessarily increase the risk of expulsion. Even if someone with thick skin carried the risk of expulsion and stuck to their lies, could the representative have easily concluded that? No.
Once a traitor who's caught lying is identified, that student would be expelled. In other words, that person would be forcibly removed from the class. Few leaders would welcome this.
The reward for traitors mas merely a facade, and acted as a role of uncertainty in the battle between the representatives, to give the disadvantaged side a defined chance.
Ichinose, who likely had sharp observational skills, might easily be able to recognize a traitor's existence, but there was still no guarantee that it wouldn't lead to a student's expulsion.
It was 99% safe, but not 100%. Such was the system of the traitor role. So, caution should be taken.
"Before we get into our match, I have one suggestion that would benefit us both."
"A suggestion? What is it?"
"It's about the traitor role I was just referring to. There's not much time left, so I want to clarify this: the students assigned as traitors in this special exam are the only ones who risk expulsion. Though, since the payoff is huge, it's not unreasonable."
"That's true."
"Given this, the traitors will be under a lot of pressure. Even if they intend to confess, they might still end up trying their best to strive for the reward of class points, a troublesome rule indeed. And honestly, I think this rule is unnecessary in our current battle."
"I agree. Being misled by the traitor system is scary, and I'd like to avoid causing trouble for everyone if possible."
"However, since we both recognize the role as a powerful weapon, we'll use it if we're at a disadvantage. If you don't mind agreeing, how about we both assign a traitor, tell each other who we assigned, and then identify them through the interrogation system, eliminating the need to focus on such unnecessary things? So, for our initial discussion, we won't fight. Instead, we'll drop nominations and use up the round on the traitors."
"Not a bad proposal. But... the traitor rights are also important. Are you okay with giving that up, Ayanokōji-kun? It's essential for a comeback."
For those who felt like they were at a disadvantage, it was an option meant for a last-ditch effort.
It was natural for her to have doubts about me wanting to give it up.
"Also, are we even allowed to share information about traitors?"
"Of course, there should be no problems with this exchange. Showing your opponent your tablet to inform them of their class's traitor doesn't violate any rules, right?"
I called out to the examiner watching us from the corner of the room.
"Y-yes. Of course, I don't think it would violate any rules but..."
Whether they hadn't anticipated someone using this rule in such a way, or they hadn't expected to be questioned about it, the examiner nodded, albeit a bit perplexed.
"Please check just to be sure. There should be no problem, but still."
When I urged him, the examiner began to confirm the details through the earpiece he was wearing.
"Yes, that's correct."
"Mutually giving up the traitor rights, huh? I didn't expect such a proposal."
Normally, this development should be welcomed by Ichinose.
"There's only one reason why I wanted to abandon this system. It's to ensure that no one from this class, or from your class, gets expelled."
"That's true. Indeed, if there are no traitors, then I wouldn't have to worry about that..."
What would Ichinose's answer be? There was less than 30 seconds in the remaining countdown.
"What if I add a little condition? I agree that we don't need the traitor rights, but, if we could end the discussion while both the traitors still in it, we would be able to secure the reward. So, rather than abandoning the system, we'd overlook it. It would be better for our classes since we can definitely both bring back 50 points."
If the premise was to cooperate, then it would be ideal to end the discussion while holding onto the traitors. The reward is a choice between 5 million private points and 50 class points, but just being able to choose a trustworthy student who would prioritize class points was good enough. I didn't touch on it, but naturally, she'd realize it.
For Ichinose, who believed she couldn't lose if she fought fairly, the presence of a traitor was her only concern.
A way to use it up that both of us could agree on would be the ideal development.
'The discussion will now start.'
The announcement declared, but I continued talking without concern.
"Alright, I can accept that condition. But I don't want the other students to know we're cooperating. To cooperate and use up such an important way to turn the tides—it wouldn't be funny if I lost. I don't want to leave behind a situation where it's said that I couldn't find out who the traitor was."
"So you want to find and eliminate the traitors through interrogation?"
"Yes. That's why I plan to call them out during the discussion."
I conveyed that there were things I prioritized over class points and headed toward a successful negotiation.
"Our goals are different, but we'll use up our rights based on our mutual interests. Will this be acceptable?"
"Yes. But, do you really want to invalidate the traitor rights to the point of making such a proposal to me?"
She asked, perhaps because I didn't show any resistance to her class gaining 50 points.
"Unlike your class, which is more cohesive, Horikita's class is still a bit fragile. I'm sure you've also considered it, but for example, if Kōenji becomes the traitor, he might betray us without a second thought for his own benefit. And a one-on-one interrogation with Kōenji could turn into a troublesome negotiation. Also, students like Ike or Hondō might be lured in by sweet temptations and could slip up. If such a situation occurs during a serious match, it might force us into making tough decisions."
To protect one's allies—for that reason, we wanted to eliminate the traitor system.
Ichinose, using her imagination, firmly nodded as if she painfully understood the situation.
"You'll keep your promise not to fight in this initial discussion, right?"
"Of course. I'll show all the steps necessary on the tablet right in front of you."
"Alright, let's eliminate the traitor rights here."
As it was time to decide the groups, I stood up with my tablet in hand and stood next to Ichinose, showing her all five groups.
"Let's discard the entirety of the first discussion round to eliminate the traitor system. So, choose any student you like to become the traitor. Then, the proceeding interrogation will go smoothly."
"Then, I guess I'll go with Mako-chan."
Following her request, I used my traitor rights in front of her and set Amikura Mako as the traitor.
"Now, you know for sure who the traitor is."
"Yes. Now, who should I pick for you?"
As Ichinose showed me her tablet, I instructed her to specify the student I wished to select and confirmed it. This way, both of us knew who the traitor was as we entered the discussion.
I then returned to my seat, lifted the back of the chair with my hand, and placed it in front of Ichinose to sit down. In order to put the monitor behind me, I moved to a position where I couldn't see the screen showing the discussion. From Ichinose's perspective, my presence would make it difficult for her to view the monitor.
"Move your seat back immediately. This is an act of obstruction."
"Whether it's taken as an obstruction depends on the other party. As you've heard before, I intend to give up on this discussion to eliminate the traitor. I moved my seat to reassure Ichinose that I won't betray her, showing her that I'm not watching the discussion unfold. Is there any problem, Ichinose?"
"No, not at all. I also won't do anything in this discussion. That makes us equal."
A student who turned his back to the monitor that everyone would've been closely watching.
A student who accepted the proposal and looked only at me instead of the monitor.
For the examiner, such a development would be beyond imagination.
A discussion just between the participants began without the aspect of a representative's nomination being present.
"Ichinose, since you've decided to overlook it too, you should exercise the right to initiate an interrogation at least a few times haphazardly. Since it's not unnatural for a representative to attempt to eliminate the traitor."
"Ayanokōji-kun?"
"I think I'll call out the real traitor around the third round. I'll pretend to struggle to find the traitor, setting up interrogations with unrelated students in the first and second rounds."
Calling out someone who wasn't the traitor won't result in you losing your lives due to penalties.
"Then, for fairness's sake, I'll tell you the information I'll gain from the traitor's effect until it's over."
"You don't have to go that far, I trust you."
"No, I wouldn't be satisfied otherwise."
Thus, after five minutes of discussion, Ichinose and I chose our actions while showing each other our tablets. As for the interrogation, I called up Okitani, who was unrelated to this affair, and Ichinose also called up someone who was unrelated.
We both left the classroom and moved to a separate room. A male examiner, whom I was seeing for the first time today, joined us and entered with me. He seemed to be there to monitor the interrogation.
The room only had two chairs facing each other, and like a normal classroom, there was just a teacher's desk. Okitani, whom I had called, arrived here without incident. There was nothing special about the following process. I told him that I had called him because I suspected him of being a traitor, but of course, Okitani denied it. Since I knew his true identity, I declared that he wasn't a traitor.
'Ichinose-san, Ayanokōji-kun, both of you have failed to identify the traitors, so both traitors will remain.'
An announcement played when we returned to the playing field.
The students participating in the discussion and the other representatives waiting in the waiting room had no idea that we were taking such unexpected actions.
"Ah... so this is how the messages arrive. I just got this on my tablet."
After saying that, Ichinose showed me a message, informing her that Mitarai was an ordinary student due to the traitor role's effect. In the same way, I showed her my tablet.
The second round proceeded similarly.
We summoned unrelated students and confirmed their lack of involvement through discussion.
And after they pleaded innocence and we declared them not to be traitors, we listened to the announcement that played and returned to the room.
"Welcome back, Ayanokōji-kun. An announcement was made while I was waiting."
Ichinose, who'd returned earlier than me, gave a report.
"It seems that announcements play even in separate rooms."
Then, Ichinose informed me of the second student's role, and we moved on to the third round.
I could only hear voices, but the discussion seemed to be heating up nicely.
However, with the traitors still remaining, the Class B students wouldn't be at ease.
After five minutes of discussion and choosing to pass, we stood up.
"I'll go settle the matter of eliminating the traitor rights traitor's rights now."
"Okay. I'll be waiting."
In the third round, I would determine the real traitor and see the discussion through to its end, then it would get to the real deal. But before that, I had to finish what needed to be done.
I exited this room for the third time and headed towards the classroom that was specialized for the interrogation.
The traitor, Maezono, showed up ahead of me.
"Is it my turn this time?"
"Sorry. I'm completely lost on who the traitor is, and I'm just running around in circles."
Maezono, looking somewhat uneasy, sat down in the seat prepared for her.
"There might be a lot you want to ask, but let's focus on the interrogation for now. That's our main role here."
"That's fine, but... don't forget that we participants are anxious because we don't know anything about the situation at all. Also, I'm not the traitor, so don't mistakenly conclude that I am, okay?"
The traitors themselves didn't seem to fully understand how much their presence was hindering their representatives.
But when it comes to the interrogation, lying while being determined as a traitor would carry the risk of expulsion. She understood that much.
"I understand. I haven't suspected you from the start, and I won't conclude that either. It's just that I haven't found any clues, and I'm just randomly calling different classmates. I hope you can forgive me for that part. During the interrogation with Hondō before, he said that you seemed suspicious."
"What? Hondō-kun said that? Ugh, that's super annoying."
"Is there anything you can think of that might've led him to say that?"
"...Hmm... maybe, but... No, sorry, I don't know."
"I see. Four more students to go, looks like I'll keep on patiently searching."
"That might be good. Well, if the traitor isn't found and the match ends like that, then we'll get class points, and if we don't lose the game, it might be better to just leave it as is."
"Right. For the sake of progress, let me formally confirm things. Participants can't end the interrogation without confessing whether they're the traitor. Maezono, you're not the traitor, right?"
I repeated the same lines I had told Okitani and Hondō word for word.
"...Hey, if I was the traitor and was found lying, what would happen to you? You wouldn't lose, right?"
"It would be somewhat disadvantageous, but it wouldn't cause any major problems, and you wouldn't be responsible for it at all. No, rather, it might be convenient if the traitor lied."
"That's about the class po—"
"Yeah. But it's better not to talk about it much. The interrogation's rules forbid us from going too deeply into the details of the special exam, right?"
"...Right."
"Anyway, you're clear now. Feel free to speak your mind without hesitation."
Having confirmed my intention, an announcement came from the school side.
'Maezono-san, please confess whether you're a traitor.'
"Mhm, I'm not the traitor. So, Ayanokōji-kun, do your best as the representative."
With this, the participant's testimony was completed.
Maezono took a deep breath and stood up, turning her back on me. At the same time, the examiner began preparing to leave the room.
I sat and stared at the now-empty chair, taking another short pause.
"I'm convinced and want to declare that Maezono is this class's traitor."
That was my answer.
A moment of silence followed.
"Huh...?"
Expecting to be let go, Maezono, who seemed unable to understand, turned back with a puzzled look.
"Eh, what...? What did you just say?"
"Didn't you hear me? I said that you are the traitor."
"Wait, huh...? No, I mean, I told you that's not it... Why...? I haven't shown any suspicious behavior... no, I mean, eh, if you're declared a traitor, you get expelled, right? Eh? Huh? That's not right, is it? That's not what this is about, right?"
There was no surprise as to why Maezono was flustered.
If a traitor lied about their identity and was exposed by the representative, they would be severely punished and expelled from school.
Therefore, you wouldn't normally be able to lie so casually.
Representatives also couldn't simply declare suspicious students as traitors in order to protect their classmates.
But this was also a bit of a contradiction.
Traitors were offered lucrative rewards, and thus the desire to lie would continue to persist.
If they knew that they would never be exposed, lying would be more beneficial overall.
That rule, which was based on the presumption of good faith, had a 'major flaw.'
If you wanted to abuse it, you could exploit it for cruel and vicious purposes.
"It's okay, it makes no difference. You're now confirmed for expulsion."
Stopping in her tracks, Maezono turned back, her emotions intensely surging.
"Huh, huh!? That makes no sense! I only lied for the sake of the class because I thought you didn't suspect me! You said you wouldn't declare it!"
"Participants confess whether they are a traitor first, then the representative decides to declare them a traitor or declare them innocent. These are the interrogation's rules."
What I said before Maezono confessed didn't matter.
"Huh? Huh? Huh? What, huh? Okay, I'll come clean now then!"
"It's too late to confess now. Examiner, could you please have Maezono leave the room?"
I urged the stunned examiner, but an unexpected response came back.
"...Are you really okay with this? Do you understand that your classmate will be expelled this way? To avoid something like that happening in the first place, this special exam was hastily—"
The examiner, who shouldn't have intervened, held back as if restraining himself from saying any more.
Like a child, he covered his mouth, desperately holding back the urge to continue.
The examiner glanced at the camera and bowed his head as if to apologize for the rudeness.
Seeing his panic, sure enough, it seemed that this way of utilizing this rule wasn't anticipated.
Judging from his foolish slip of the tongue, there might've been some special circumstances involved in this end-of-year special exam. The rules weren't disclosed to the students until the very last minute. Representatives and participants were completely isolated from sharing information with one another. And above all, if tackled the proper way, no one would be expelled, a measure that stuck out as too lenient.
Well, let's shelve that issue on the side for now. I need to proceed with what's in front of me.
'...I will confirm with you once again, Ayanokōji-kun. Would you like to restart Maezono-san's confession?'
Surprisingly, it seemed like they were willing to give me another chance to redo it. How kind.
"I see. Then Maezono, could you please return to your seat? It seems I get to decide whether to grant the right to restart it, so I might consider a redo."
Maezono, though angry, hurried back to the chair and sat down.
What does she intend to do while looking at me with eyes full of rage as if she wants to kill me?
It didn't seem like she was angry at herself for lying without first considering it deeply. If it had been Ryūen or Sakayanagi instead in front of her, she would've confessed no matter what anyone said.
"Actually, there is a reason why I wanted to expel you. It was previously informed to our classmates that I would participate as the general in this special exam, and the class was asked not to tell it to anyone outside. However, this information, which should've been kept secret, somehow managed to leak to Ichinose's class. How do you think it leaked?"
"That is..."
"Because someone leaked the information. And that someone was you, right?"
There was no benefit in lying here.
It was clear that, if she upset me, she wouldn't be given another chance to confess.
"Indeed, I might have... leaked it... But I didn't think it would reach Ichinose-san's class! Really!"
"Who did you leak it to?"
"...That is—!"
"Should I name the person you leaked it to? It's someone from Class 2-A—"
Realizing that the class had already been identified, Maezono shouted as if resigned.
"Masayoshi! I told Masayoshi!"
"That's right, Hashimoto. It's fine for you to date whoever you want, but as long as you're in different classes, there are lines you shouldn't cross, even if your lover asks you to. Isn't that right?"
"I understand, but... but this information wasn't even that important! I don't even know why Masayoshi leaked it!"
From Hashimoto's perspective, if he had to choose whether Horikita's class should win or lose, he would naturally prefer them to lose. If by some chance I broke through to Class A, and even if Sakayanagi gets taken out, a new obstacle would still remain. In such a case it wouldn't be weird to think that the chances of me transferring classes would decrease. He probably contacted the Class D students to let them know that I was going to be a representative so that they wouldn't be upset on the day of the exam. At least, it wouldn't hurt him to do something like that.
[ILLUSTRATION]
"Whether it's a big deal or not, you're not the one who decides the value of that information. At the very least, Horikita must've conveyed it as a very important piece of information."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I won't do it again! Just this once! I didn't understand!"
"Do you think this was your first offense? What about the fact that you gathered only a few of our classmates to spread unsettling information about me and confuse them, and then passed that information onto Hashimoto? Did that not happen either?"
"Uh—"
Even though it occurred at the end of the year, there was no way she could forget that she'd done it at Hashimoto's request.
"That, um... how did you find out about that...?"
"How I found out about it is irrelevant right now."
"Okay, okay, I get it! I absolutely won't do anything like that anymore!"
"Down the road, if Hashimoto tells you to betray someone in order to be with him, you would do it without a hint of hesitation, wouldn't you?"
"I wouldn't do that! There's no way I would!"
"I'm afraid I don't believe that at all."
That was how I answered, but you could say that Maezono had learned her lesson the hard way.
She would probably behave more quietly from now on, always thinking about her own class first.
"I said I wouldn't! I've already told you the truth, so please forgive me already!"
"That's true. Any more would be a waste of time."
I decided to wrap it up and turned my gaze towards the camera.
"My judgment remains unchanged. There's no need to redo the confession. Maezono is a traitor."
I reiterated that there was no need to reverse my decision.
"That's not fair! What are you!? What right do you have to do something so unfair!?"
"The participants confess whether they're traitor, and the representative declares whether that is true or false. Nothing more, nothing less."
I reiterated what the rules of this interrogation were.
'...Maezono-san is to leave the room.'
The staff, having given her another chance, began to make their judgment as they could no longer take up any more time. It was the right decision to dispose of Maezono here. However, she naturally refused to budge.
'Ayanokōji-kun has successfully determined the lying participant to be the traitor, so Maezono-san is to leave the room and be expelled.'
As the announcement was made, Maezono screamed.
"No! I won't leave until you take it back!"
"All you can do now in this special exam is hope that Hashimoto gets expelled. Then maybe there's a path left for you two to be together after you leave here."
Though, in my personal opinion, that future was very unlikely. Whether Hashimoto got expelled or not, he probably didn't see Maezono as a romantic interest. He only approached her to gain an advantage for his graduation from Class A. Once he could no longer extract information from her, she would become worthless and there wouldn't be any reason to keep her.
A person who'd lost their value would be discarded.
"Take it back! Take it back right now!"
Whether Maezono needed to be expelled was something many would question.
Explaining to her that she was being used by Hashimoto and lifting his brainwashing wouldn't be too difficult.
The act of leaking information should be condemned, but it certainly wasn't worth expulsion.
However, for me, it was just convenient in many ways.
I was merely making effective use of Maezono, a tool that happened to be at hand.
That was all it was.
"I will never forgive you!!"
Ignoring Maezono's continued screams, I decided to finish everything and head back first.
Maezono, who chased after me, was stopped by the examiners just before the door closed.
As it had happened before, the results of the interrogation would've reached Ichinose's ears through the announcement.
The answer was clear from her expression.
The gentle expression she had always shown was now subdued, like that of a different person.
"Ayanokōji-kun... why... why is Maezono-san being expelled?"
As a representative, she should've understood what happened.
However, she couldn't possibly imagine the process that went into it.
"Ah, she didn't confess. That's why I concluded she was guilty. As a result, she was dealt with."
"But, but, you already knew, right? Then why did you do such a thing...?"
"Why…? I said I would remove the traitor system—my purpose in doing so was to expel Maezono. That's all there is to it."
If we hadn't cooperated, the chances of Ichinose choosing Maezono as the traitor would be extremely low. That was why I proposed that we align our interests and give up our rights. I even let her decide who the traitor would be. Then Ichinose would have no choice but to do the same. Since the first party did so, the same action was required from the other party to maintain fairness.
"We both fulfilled our promises to eliminate the traitor rights. You've also gained 50 class points without having to point out a traitor. So there shouldn't be any problems between us. Naturally, this won't hinder the serious match that follows."
While I hadn't explained everything, I hadn't done anything that would cause a disadvantage to Ichinose's class. Rather, it could be said that I've given them an advantage instead.
But the outcome of the match between me and Ichinose was greatly shifting.
Ichinose should be happy that another class had an expulsion, but she wasn't.
She would regret having unwittingly contributed to Maezono's expulsion.
Moreover, she even gained class points.
However, this traitor matter is just the beginning of my strategy.
The strategies I would use to win started from there.
"Thank you for cooperating, Ichinose. Thanks to you, it was easy for me to dispose of the defective tool."
That's terrible. She wanted to say such words, but she couldn't.
Because she genuinely harbored affection towards me, she couldn't bring herself to utter such harsh words.
While our conversation continued elsewhere, the discussion resumed.
However, since we discarded the whole discussion this time, this was now time we could freely spend.
"It seems we have some time until the next discussion, shall we talk for a bit?"
"Talk...?"
Ichinose couldn't get Maezono out of her head, but she had no choice but to move forward now.
She wouldn't be broken by something of this magnitude.
Ichinose had become such a formidable presence.
In the special exam, only having one necessary ability isn't enough to win.
It wasn't hard to imagine how Horikita's and Ichinose's class representatives had been fighting up to this point. They must've been keenly observing their allies' and enemies' every word and action through the monitors.
The subtle changes in classmates' expressions could be an especially big hint for a representative.
Of course, it wouldn't be possible to start without it.
That was why Horikita perceived Ichinose's overwhelming ability to observe her classmates as truly formidable.
They competed and Horikita was subsequently defeated. That was basically the same for Sakayanagi and Ryūen's classes.
However, fighting with that aspect alone wasn't everything when it came to winning.
The rules weren't just about appointing honor students and executive roles.
It was also possible to make the other nominate unrelated students or lure them into self-destructing.
So, some representatives might've tried to mentally shake their opponents up a bit.
Are you sure you should nominate that student?
Isn't that student over there suspicious?
Such words were meant to cause confusion.
If you increased the choices from two to three, the chances of making a mistake increased.
For students not accustomed to the big stage, such words might have some confounding effect.
However, for people like Ryūen, Sakayanagi, and Ichinose, it hardly worked.
Rather, they might become more cautious and see through things they couldn't before.
So how could you confuse the minds of such leading figures and take away their ability to make sound judgments?
If their minds were occupied with the special exam, the answer lies outside of it.
It was crucial to chip away at their sharp thinking with something completely unrelated.
If you knew your body was getting targeted, anyone in this case would prioritize guarding it.
But if their legs were unexpectedly targeted instead, naturally, it would be difficult to immediately respond.
"Do you remember? Last year, a minor incident occurred in our year. It was exposed that a female class leader had shoplifted in the past, and it came to light."
"It's about me, isn't it?"
Without pause, I dragged Ichinose, who still hadn't taken in the current situation, into the darkness.
"The incident was partly caused by your trusting nature, as you confided in Sakayanagi. But was it really Sakayanagi's doing that it got exposed to the entire school?"
"...What do you mean?"
"The accusatory letter found in the dormitory's mailbox—did you ever doubt whether it was really Sakayanagi who planted it?"
Ichinose fell silent, perhaps recalling that time.
"Before it was revealed, some nasty rumors about you had already started circulating. They were about violence, compensated dating, and a history of theft. You thought that it was probably Sakayanagi who spread those rumors, but at that point, they were just rumors mixed with many lies. That's why you could bear it."
Ichinose eyes were downcast, but I didn't hesitate to continue.
"What if I was working behind the scenes to give it one final push? What if it was me who planted that letter in the mailbox to mentally corner you and prompt a confession?"
"What are you saying...?"
Even when I explained it clearly, Ichinose seemed unable to understand the implications. It wasn't surprising.
Not just Ichinose, but other students believed it was Sakayanagi's doing too. Using Kiriyama to blatantly spread rumors about classes other than Class A, including Horikita's class, also played a part.
"You might think it's a bad joke, but can you say for sure that it isn't true?"
I crossed my legs and questioned Ichinose, who had built up such a strong protective barrier over time.
In the past few months, Ichinose had undergone a unique mental change.
It gave her some kind of composure, allowing Ichinose to progress through the exam on a strong path.
However, one of the underlying reasons for that was because of my presence.
What if that presence turned out to be someone much more unforgivable than imagined?
What if she knew I was a person who could betray without hesitation and push Maezono to expulsion?
"But... Ayanokōji-kun... There was no benefit in it for you to be doing something like that..."
"That's not true. At that stage, Sakayanagi might've only intended to warn you and later use it as blackmail material. However, by forcibly getting involved at that time, I could take that material away. By helping you, my credibility inevitably increased. No matter how you look at it, I have sufficiently benefited."
"...I can't believe it..."
"I understand that you don't want to believe it, but it's the truth. If you want, ask Sakayanagi, 'Was it you who put that letter in the mailbox?' after the exam ends. If you tell her what I said, she might give you an honest answer."
All that was left was to carefully finish everything up.
"Everything I've been involved in regarding you had an ulterior motive. Even during the deserted island exam and the night of the school trip, I acted solely for my own sake. You were just being used by me. And the promise from a year ago—"
Ichinose no longer knew what was right, even the words that were confirmed on the bench just before the exam.
The promise certainly existed, but now there was nothing left to believe in.
The first discussion had ended, and the recess interval for the next discussion began.
'...Representatives, please select a new group.'
Following the modest announcement, I chose a suitable group.
Ichinose also used her tablet, albeit belatedly, but her expression was empty.
It couldn't be helped. This special exam had already been pushed to the back of her mind.
The darkness she was dragged into was deep.
Even the matter of Maezono's expulsion now seemed like a distant past, almost obscured.
The man before her was not an ally. He was not an understanding person.
The more rational a person was, the more they were drawn into the darkness.
I pulled the chair back to its original place.
The light and vitality that had been in Ichinose's eyes while looking at the monitor were gone.
Even while looking at the monitor, the conversation from earlier was heavily entrenched in her mind.
Truth and falsehood. Reality and lies. Even if she didn't want to think about it, she couldn't help it.
Even when putting their thoughts into words, humans were creatures that couldn't easily empty their minds.
The more she tried to focus on the exam, the more her stray thoughts grew.
Occasionally, a sensation of her mind going blank must've assaulted her.
Her vision definitely captured the monitor, and her hearing was still functioning.
Yet, that information wasn't reaching her brain properly.
This was no magic.
It was the structure, the mechanism of the human body.
Her heart rate and blood pressure rose, and her peripheral blood vessels constricted.
Her pupils dilated, narrowing her field of vision.
And consequently, the functioning of her prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for relatively rational processes, declined.
Recovering from this state wasn't easy under the current circumstances.
After that, it was simple.
I leisurely observed the discussion, deduced, and identified the honor students.
My opponent no longer had the trump card of sending a traitor.
The discussion could continue without any issues.
Even without spending much time, that moment would eventually arrive.
'Ayanokōji-kun has successfully identified the honor student, so Ichinose-san will lose three lives. As this brings her lives to zero, Ichinose-san is defeated... please leave the room.'
Without facing any significant difficulties, Horikita's class had secured a major victory.