That night, just after 10 PM, I heard a light knock on my room.
I opened the door and immediately invited him in as he looked around cautiously.
It was Hashimoto from Class 2-A, dressed in casual clothes.
"Is anyone watching?"
"I took some time because I was checking around. Just to be safe, I used the stairs."
"That's good. No one would welcome seeing me meeting with you at this time."
"Couldn't you have just called if you had something to discuss? Or maybe meet at a different place?"
While saying this, Hashimoto cast a probing glance my way.
It was an unconscious behavior belonging to someone who always suspected others.
"There are things that can't be discussed over the phone. Meeting outside carries its own risks too."
"Well, okay. So, what did you want to talk about?"
I didn't intend to keep him standing, so I let him into the room and had him sit down.
"The end-of-year special exam has been decided, so I thought we should talk. I want to confirm your position in the next special exam."
"The school hasn't disclosed any rules, right? How can I know how to act?"
"It's not about how you act; it's about your position. You said before that you would side with Ryūen."
I asked this while recalling the time Hashimoto spoke about it in this room not long ago.
"Nothing's changed. The only way for me to survive is to make Ryūen win. But I must say, the situation isn't looking good. I planned to assist Ryūen once the exam was announced, but I never expected that they wouldn't even disclose the rules."
Indeed, depending on the rules of the exam, there might have been a chance to help from the preparation stage.
"If you're betraying your class, it might actually be better for you."
"Eh?"
Hashimoto sighed, but that was under the assumption that his betrayal hadn't been discovered.
"If the details had been disclosed, Sakayanagi would have likely used that information to trap you and Ryūen. But since the content is unknown, no preemptive measures can be taken. At most, they can avoid choosing representatives. It's unpredictable how things will play out during the actual exam."
For Sakayanagi, the progression of this special exam is rather disadvantageous from the start.
"I see. So that's another way to look at it."
He nodded with interest, but he didn't seem to rely on that perspective.
Rather, it seemed like he had something else on his mind, almost urging me to get to the point.
"Let me hear your answer soon, Ayanokōji. I've been waiting for a while."
"You're asking if I have any intention of transferring to Ryūen's class, right?"
"That's right. I've decided to take a big risk and betray Sakayanagi. Where you decide to continue will determine my fate."
As usual, Hashimoto asked this, mixing truth and lies.
If Ryūen wins the end-of-year special exam, Hashimoto's plan would likely be on track.
And if I decided to transfer, it would lead to him achieving his goals.
"What if I said I won't go?"
"That would be troublesome. It would decrease the chances of graduating from Class A."
"I didn't ask earlier, but what about the private points? Ryūen's class isn't exactly flush with funds. It would cost a considerable amount to accept both me and you."
I threw the obvious question at him, and Hashimoto gave a faint smile.
"That's not necessarily the case. Ryūen has been dealing with the first and third years, gathering a significant amount of private points, it seems."
"Dealing?"
"I don't know the details, but if he's gathering from other years, the transfer fee for two people isn't unrealistic, right?"
If that was true, it might indeed become a feasible option.
But how much I should believe him remained a skeptical matter.
"Well, even if it's a bit short, don't worry. The private points I got from Nagumo recently were more than I expected. That really helped."
During the camp, Nagumo had promised a reward when I gambled with him, resulting in 3 million points.
I was honestly surprised by the significantly higher amount of private points he transferred.
Hashimoto, who had taken the lead, received the 20% he had hoped for, 600,000 points, and the remaining 2.4 million points were divided among the other 15 people, 160,000 points each.
Against the 20 million needed for the transfer, it could only cover about 3%, But still, it was 3%.
"You were the main player; you should've taken 1 million… 1.5 million at least. I would've taken that much without hesitation. Settling for the same share is too saintly."
While amazed, Hashimoto reminisced about the time at the camp.
Indeed, private points play an almost omnipotent role in the school.
I still wasn't fixated on that one point alone.
"Well, not easily falling for money is a strength too."
When I remained silent, Hashimoto muttered to himself.
"I plan to keep quiet over the weekend, but do you have any advice for the exam?"
There wasn't much I could say to Hashimoto at the moment.
In fact, I felt there was no need to say anything at all.
But...
"Any advice? You're silent, huh?"
I had no intention of doing anything that might lead to interfering with the confrontation between Sakayanagi and Ryūen.
So, the correct choice was to leave it alone and watch.
However, it wasn't bad to prepare enough to be able to flexibly deal with some outcomes.
"I've been thinking a bit."
"Really? So, you've thought of some advice?"
He didn't seem very hopeful, but he was seeking my opinion.
"Hashimoto. If you continue as you are, without any new strategies for the special exam, you might find yourself at a dead end."
"Hey, hey, I asked for advice, not for you to scare me. I might get into a pinch, but I'll manage."
"By mixing in lies as usual?"
"Lies are a powerful weapon."
I knew that. Lies sometimes possess a strength that surpassed even violence.
I had told Horikita about this a long time ago.
"Indeed, lies are strong. They can easily ruin people. But, it's also true that there are those who won't fall for them."
"Are you saying they won't work on the opponent this time?"
"They won't."
Sakayanagi is highly vigilant against lies and has sharp senses.
No matter how skillfully Hashimoto manipulated his words, he built his battles on the premise of lies.
Even so, Hashimoto's trust, having betrayed Sakayanagi, is at rock bottom. She probably isn't even willing to listen now.
"Well, I still have to do it. I've always fought like this."
Hashimoto replied as if boasting about his only weapon.
No, maybe he just didn't know any other way to fight.
"Think about it, yeah? About transferring to Ryūen's class with me."
"You haven't changed your mind about siding with Ryūen?"
"I haven't."
"What if Ryūen is in a tight spot? Whether you side with him or not, what if it's certain he can't win? Will you switch sides to Sakayanagi then?"
"That is—"
"If you change your stance depending on the situation, you'll only appear vile to those around you."
"...Then what should I do? I'll side with Ryūen. I will... I don't want to think about it, but if it comes to a pinch, I have no choice. I'll have to beg Sakayanagi for forgiveness, kneeling or whatever."
While resigning himself, he still searched for a way out at the last moment.
That was just like Hashimoto Masayoshi, as I had analyzed him so far.
"At least, don't lie to yourself. That's about all you can do."
I watched Hashimoto's back disappear as the door closed, seeing him off at the entrance.
Depending on the content of the special exam, this might be the last time I see Hashimoto.
With that thought in mind, I decided to proceed with my preparations for bed.