章節 108: How Is This Spy So Bold?
"Welcome back, you two."
The moment Hori and Ayanokouji returned, Hirata and Kushida rushed over to greet them, with Hikigaya quietly trailing behind. Although Hikigaya had no interest in dealing with Ryuen, he still wanted to hear the information they'd gathered. However, Horikita's expression didn't look particularly pleased.
Considering her personality, she was likely subjected to some harsh taunts from Ryuen.
Hikigaya couldn't help but regret not being there to witness it himself.
"Horikita-san, what's the situation with Class C?" Hirata asked, concern evident in his voice.
"There's no need to worry about Class C anymore," Horikita responded with disdain.
"They're down by the beach, indulging in the fun without a care in the world as if they've forgotten they're even in an exam."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Hirata was baffled.
"Exactly what I said. Class C blew all their points on entertainment, planning to enjoy themselves thoroughly before heading back to the ship. They've effectively given up on the exam."
Horikita's words left Hirata and the others in shock. Their first instinct was disbelief.
After all, at the end of the special exam, any remaining points would be added to their class points. Even in Class D, most students would endure for the sake of earning points.
It was a rare opportunity, after all.
"Do they not care about the points at all?" Kushida asked, incredulous.
Ayanokouji chimed in, "According to Ryuen, he finds it unreasonable that the school suddenly forced us into an exam. He believes this should have been a vacation, and he's not interested in playing along with the school's games."
As absurd as it sounded, from a certain perspective, it made sense.
It was summer break, after all, a time meant for students to relax.
The school had initially planned a vacation, luring everyone to the deserted island, only to spring an exam on them once they arrived.
If adults found themselves in a similar situation, they'd be furious, let alone a group of high school students.
"Hmph, knowing someone like him, it's not surprising he'd pull a stunt like this."
Horikita seemed to accept Ryuen's reasoning, though she couldn't deny it—she had seen firsthand how extravagantly Class C was enjoying themselves.
The snacks, drinks, and various entertainment equipment were undeniable evidence; they couldn't be faked or returned.
From Horikita's perspective, Class C had given up on the exam.
But Hikigaya wasn't so sure things were that simple.
Ryuen wasn't the type to give up easily, especially not before the exam had even begun.
In other words, he was likely up to something underhanded.
It wasn't far-fetched to think so. Class C was ruled by Ryuen's iron fist, which might be manageable in the school environment, but on an uninhabited island, forcing them to endure a week of hardship… There was a risk that their dissatisfaction would flare up, possibly leading to a rebellion.
While Ryuen could easily suppress dissent with force, if the students of Class C collectively decided to lie down and do nothing, he'd be left with no options.
"So, you think Ibuki-san opposed Ryuen's approach, which led to a conflict?" Hirata speculated.
"Yes."
Horikita nodded slightly.
"Not just Ibuki-san, but another boy named Kaneda also objected and was kicked out as well."
Hikigaya had kept an eye on Kaneda too.
Satoru Kaneda was one of the few academically strong students in Class C. With his mushroom-cut hair and glasses, he stood out as a diligent student among the usual crowd.
On the surface, it seemed like Ibuki and Kaneda had opposed Ryūen's reckless spending of points, only to be beaten up and expelled from the group. But the reality was that their actions were essentially meaningless for Class C, which had already reached a point of zero points. In other words, the tactic of sending spies was a no-risk gamble for Ryūen—failure would cost nothing, but success could bring substantial rewards.
If all went as expected, Kaneda had likely defected to Class B. As for Class A, it was out of the question. Katsuragi was too cautious to allow any transfers from other classes; he wasn't one to take in strays.
Just then, Hirata turned his gaze towards Hikigaya.
"Hikigaya-kun, what do you think about all this?"
"Uh…"
Caught off guard by the sudden attention from the group, Hikigaya cursed Hirata internally for dragging him into yet another troublesome situation. But with so many eyes on him, he couldn't just stay silent. He sighed inwardly and decided to give a casual suggestion.
"Maybe…we should ask Ibuki why she didn't return to the ship?"
Hirata's eyes lit up.
"Of course! Why didn't I think of that? Let's go ask her right away."
Logically, if Class C had already given up on the exam, there was no reason for them to continue suffering on the deserted island. Hikigaya was curious to see what excuse Ibuki would come up with.
When they confronted her, Ibuki simply replied that she didn't want to see the faces of her classmates.
"Those cowards submitted to Ryūen without even daring to speak up against him. Just thinking about it makes my blood boil!"
Ibuki's angry expression seemed genuine enough that even Hikigaya couldn't tell if she was acting.
However, the exact reason for her anger remained uncertain. Anger couldn't be faked, but the reason behind it could be manipulated. Nonetheless, Ibuki's performance successfully deceived Hirata and the others, even Horikita didn't object.
After some discussion, the group couldn't bear the thought of leaving a girl alone in the forest overnight and decided to take her in. The only precaution they took was to make Ibuki promise not to go near the terminal device. Beyond that, they left her free to do as she pleased.
Honestly, Hikigaya had initially thought the spy tactic was foolish, but seeing how things were unfolding, he wasn't so sure anymore. The way these guys were behaving, even with a warning, wouldn't save them.
Ichinose from Class B and Hirata from Class D were known for their kindness throughout the school. Even if they had conflicts with Class C, it was likely that these two would still lend a helping hand to someone in need. Ryūen had accurately predicted this, and Hirata took in Ibuki without hesitation. It wouldn't be surprising if Ichinose had done the same.
After all, in some ways, Class B was just a stronger version of Class D. Once the leader agreed, the other students would blindly follow, even if they secretly disagreed. No one wanted to be the one to disrupt the group's harmony.
"Here, Ibuki-san, have something to eat."
Kushida smiled as she handed Ibuki a nutritional supplement and a bottle of mineral water.
This was the daily ration decided by Hirata—a set meal for ten points per class, with two meals a day. The shortfall was made up by foraging for wild fruits and catching fish.
"No thanks, I'm not hungry." Ibuki shook her head.
"How could you not be hungry?" Kushida laughed lightly. "Don't worry about us. We girls have small appetites, and we've decided to share the portions among ourselves."
She pointed behind her, where Wang Meiyu and the other girls sat a little further away, smiling at Ibuki. They were all close friends of Kushida.
"Hah, how ridiculous. You people are so nice it makes me sick."
There was no denying that Ibuki was good at acting. Most spies, especially female ones, tended to play the weak card, making others feel protective and eager to take them in. But Ibuki did the opposite, acting so arrogantly that she didn't even seem like a spy anymore.
Oddly enough, the fools in Class D were completely taken by her performance.
Hikigaya was impressed and decided to help a bit.
"Ibuki, just eat. We've got extra anyway."
"Don't be ridiculous," Ibuki snapped, glaring at him. "The food is rationed by class. How could you possibly have extra?"
"Well, that's because we're one person short. The extra is just enough for you."
At Hikigaya's words, everyone exchanged glances.
Click. They hadn't noticed, huh?
Suppressing his laughter, Hikigaya added, "A certain 'free spirit' disappeared a while ago."
"A free spirit… You mean Kōenji-kun?!"
Hirata was the first to react, and the others soon recalled the situation. They quickly sent someone to check, but it was too late—no one had seen the notoriously conspicuous Kōenji.
Realizing something was amiss, the group rushed to consult Chabashira-sensei. She calmly informed them, "Kōenji? He already withdrew and returned to the ship. According to the rules, your class has lost thirty points."
"Wha-wha-wha-what?!"
The class erupted in shock and dismay, their cries of distress was music to Hikigaya's ears. He felt the weight lift off his shoulders, the pressure dissipating at last.
While the rest of the class, both boys and girls, fumed over Kōenji's actions, they couldn't vent their anger with him absent. Yet, in their minds, his loud, mocking laughter echoed, taunting them all.
And so, the first day for Class D on the deserted island ended on a less-than-perfect note.
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