The ship sailing in the deep dark sea, seemed somewhat lonely.
But as the time approached 11 PM, the presence of people gradually increased. When I had noticed, the cafe I was planning on returning to had already shown a huge success and seats were rapidly being filled up one after the other. In front of me, who had secured four seats in advance, a girl approaches.
"...sorry for making you wait". The girl who shyly came over was Karuizawa Kei. Something about her expression seemed to be different than usual.
"Sorry for calling you out this late" I told her.
"No, that's fine...".
Since I had nothing in particular to talk to her about, I simply stared at the scenery colored by silence. But since Karuizawa seemed to be staring at me, I turned to face her as well.
"Ahh, umm...I was wondering if everything went alright" she asked.
"It's fine. I'm sure the guys from Class A sent the mail to the school with my name on it".
I was able to say this because as insurance, there was one more thing I had besides swapping Karuizawa and Yukimura's phones. Since we had worked together with a predestination in mind to ensure we would be able to synergistically work together, there would be no worries on that front.
"How can you say that for sure?" she asks. "Isn't that because the paper you gave me meant something, Ayanokouji-kun?". The existence that creeped up from behind me, surprised us enough to make Karuizawa jump a little. It couldn't be helped, because that existence was the boy that Karuizawa had tried to break up with, Hirata.
"Good work on the exam, both of you. Mind if I take a seat?" he asks. "Of course".
Karuizawa shifted uncomfortably and looked away from Hirata, but did not show any signs of outright rejecting him. It is now 10:55 PM. In 5 more minutes, a mail will be sent to all the students.
"It's almost time. Is Horikita-san not coming yet? Shouldn't we contact her?".
"She's the type to always cut it close. We can afford to wait another four minutes" I replied.
"Ahh. It looks like she's here". It seems at least in this case, Horikita has arrived faster than I had expected her to.
"Haa~ If I see this bunch meeting in front of my eyes like this, I can't help but sigh" Horikita said.
"You've finally arrived. By the way, what's that behind you?" I asked her.
"If you pay any attention to him, you lose. Just think of him as a ghost riding my back and ignore him that way" Horikita replied.
"Don't say that, Horikita. I thought you would be anxious during the exam period and I got worried about you, that's why I called out to you like that"
I had not seen him around recently, but Sudou Ken stood beside Horikita almost as if he's stuck to her.
"You're in my way, get lost" Horikita told him.
"D-Don't say that. I challenged this exam with my very best efforts, you know" Sudou replied.
"Then do you have any confidence that you left behind a good result?" she asks.
"...I was only a step away from that. But it looks like someone faster than me sent the mail first" Sudou said.
After having heard that half-hearted excuse from him, it seems Horikita had stopped paying any attention to him. Horikita then takes a seat in the last vacant seat. Sudou panics and quickly moves to pull over a chair from a nearby table.
"You're still in the way" Horikita tells Sudou.
"It's fine, right? I'm just going to listen to you. Also, don't exclude me" he replies to her.
Despite this being a rather unusual gathering of members, it seems Sudou has no interest in hearing our side of things.
"More importantly, the chain of mails we got earlier...".
"Yeah, I was also curious about that"
About roughly 2 hours ago, it was an incident that occurred just as I had parted ways with Ichinose. Four mails were sent to our phones one after another. The contents of those mails informed us of the end of the exam for several groups.
The (Rat) group, the (Horse) group, the (Bird) group and the (Boar) group. All those groups had their exam ended by the appearance of a traitor.
"The (Horse) group is the one where the "target" was Minami-kun, right?"
"Yes. In other words, there's a possibility his identity was uncovered by someone"
"In the other groups, is there a possibility that one of us had sent the mail?" Horikita anxiously asks. If the "target" makes a mistake, the damage they would incur is nothing to laugh at.
"I was inquiring about that and asked around in several groups earlier. As far as the boys' side goes, they're saying none of them are the traitor that sent the mail" Hirata tells Horikita.
This is of course, assuming they haven't fed us a lie. But to a certain degree, I'm sure we can trust them.
"Was Yamauchi fine?". I asked about the man who was ready to go to extremes if necessary.
"Ahh, umm. That one's fine. Yamauchi-kun was in the (Bird) group, and it seems he did try to send a betrayal mail. But he hesitated for too long, and the exam ended before he could send the mail" Hirata replies to me.
"I don't know who it was from where, but betraying us first before we could was a fine play".
Horikita had predicted that if Yamauchi were to send the betrayal mail, he would have completely gotten the answer wrong. I'm sure she's correct too. He had lost his chance the moment he did not send the mail straight away and hesitated after the end of the exam.
"But we don't know the girls' side" Horikita points out.
"That's fine. I've already checked the girls' side. Nobody sent the mails" Karuizawa replies to Horikita bluntly without any hesitation at all. Since she rules over the girls of Class D, her information gathering abilities are almost as fast as Hirata.
"...I see".
Of course Horikita, who has no such information gathering ability, has no other choice but to accept that answer.
"In the end, this exam. I wonder why the briefing was done with such a small group of people?" Hirata murmurs that question was though he could not grasp the meaning behind it.
"This exam is one that tests 'thinking'. In other words, how we think. It's not like every question has an answer...or something like that" Horikita replies to Hirata.
Indeed, it could be that only by seeing through those pointless bluffs, can we find the answer hidden beneath all the questions. It might be natural to assume that.
"More importantly than that, what I'm worried about is the fact that those four mails came in almost simultaneously. The window for betrayal is 30 minutes. But even so, having all the betrayals happen within the first 1 and 2 minutes. Is it even normal?" Horikita asks.
"Isn't it just...a coincidence?".
It seems from the perspective of Sudou who had just been listening in on our conversation, it may all have seemed like a coincidence.
"When Kouenji-kun sent the betrayal mail, the response from the school was immediate. If we assume that they reply as fast as an automatic response..."
"The possibility that the mails were sent together at once is extremely high. In other words, it may be that it's one class responsible for all the betrayals".
Precisely. I also thought that there was no other possibility but that for four mails to be sent with that timing.
"It may have been that they timed their betrayal mails to let us know it was them who did it"
"Yes. I also cannot think of any alternative reason than that. And there's only one man who would do something like that..." Horikita said.
Horikita and Hirata naturally exchange those words. I'm just grateful this would end without me having to say anything unnecessary.
And there is meaning in using this cafe that we have used many times before, to meet tonight.
"As expected, you were here".
It was so that I could invite the 6th guest, that man. To this place.
"Ryuuen...!!!". Having realized Ryuuen's presence, Sudou stood up as if to intimidate him but Ryuuen did not pay him any attention and simply grabbed a vacant chair before sitting down next to Horikita.
"I thought I'd come and enjoy the results with you. Thanks for being here in such an easy-to-tell place" Ryuuen said.
"Yes. I chose this place especially so that even you with your stupidity would be able to find this place. Thank me" Horikita replied to him.
"But even so, Suzune. This is a rather large gathering for you. What's with the change of heart?" Ryuuen asks Horikita.
Ryuuen said this while looking at the four of us gathered at the table (while ignoring Sudou completely).
"I was bothered by your persistent nagging. I was consulting them about it here" Horikita replies.
"Don't give Horikita any trouble!" Sudou roars at Ryuuen.
"Sudou-kun, shut up" Horikita said.
"........ou.........".
Having been stopped by Horikita, Sudou obediently sinks back into his chair. He's a surprisingly honest one.
"I thought you didn't have any friends that were actually friends. Well that's fine".
This itself is yet another defensive plan I had prepared against Ryuuen. By increasing the amount of people Horikita interacts it, I had effectively created a dummy. Naturally, the amount of people he'd need to keep an eye on would increase and it would become unsustainable for him.
"The results will be announced soon. Did you get any results?".
"More or less. You look pretty relaxed" Horikita replies to Ryuuen.
"Kukuku. I wouldn't be out here if I weren't. It also seems like the same people from last time are here".
"Oh that's right. Last time during the results announcement after acting all high and mighty, you lost miserably" Sudou laughs at Ryuuen after seemingly having remembered something and points a finger at him.
And as if to match Sudou's actions, Horikita also looks down at Ryuuen with a disgusted expression.
"Stop it, Suzune. If you do this now, you're just going to embarrass yourself later, you know? I already know the "target" of our group" Ryuuen said.
Whether those words were the truth or a lie, Horikita was not shaken one bit. Perhaps it's because she already had confidence that she would not lose to Ryuuen.
"I'm glad about that. I look forward to the results" Horikita tells Ryuuen.
"We don't even need to wait for that. I can tell you who the "target" for the (Dragon) group is now" he replies to Horikita.
"I'm sorry but you just sound like a loser at this point. The exam is already over and no one from the (Dragon) group turned traitor. It can only mean one thing" Horikita said.
It would only mean that Ryuuen had finished the exam without realizing that Kushida was the "target". That would be the undeniable truth.
"If you come to know my kindness, you'll be so grateful that you'll wet your crotch" Ryuuen tells Horikita.
And using such vulgar language, Ryuuen laughs as though he were amused.
"...tell me then. Who is the "target" of the (Dragon) group?" Horikita asks him.
And as if he were waiting for her to say that, Ryuuen raised his hand while laughing. He peeps through the gaps of his fingers like a beast, as if he were preparing to leap on the throat of his prey.
"Kushida Kikyou". Ryuuen said that name.
"Ehh?".
Horikita, who had not reacted to any of Ryuuen's words until now, froze with a small, surprised voice. It must have been because she was confident that he would absolutely not uncover that identity that she was overwhelmed now. And also, Hirata from the same (Dragon) group seemed shocked too.
"I'm sorry but from the second day of the exam, I already knew that Kushida was the "target" of the group" Ryuuen told them.
"This is a joke...right? If so, you could have ended the exam by sending the betrayal mail. But the exam didn't end like that. That means you only realized it after the exam ended through some other means, am I wrong?" Horikita asks him.
"I just felt sorry for you after seeing you try so desperately to protect the identity of the "target", then seeing you so confident, so relaxed and sure about your victory that you would even look down on others. That's why I led you on until the end" Ryuuen told Horikita.
"How did you figure it out?" Hirata asks Ryuuen in response to his words in a tone that was a mixture of curiosity and fear.
After they tried so hard to protect Kushida's identity, and the fact that there was apparently no traitor. They must have been curious about that.
"Unfortunately the answer to that...involves you, Suzune" Ryuuen tells Horikita.
"Me?".
Horikita, right about now, is surely desperately reflecting on the events of the exam in her head, while pretending to still be calm. When, where and how she got seen through.
"I realized it from the movement of your eyes, breathing, movement of your mouth, your tone of voice and everything else about you" Ryuuen told Horikita.
"Stop with the jokes".
"Joke? Then are you claiming to know how else I would have known the truth?" Ryuuen quickly replies.
"That's...surely you heard that from someone else just now".
"I understand your feelings of not wanting to admit it. That out of everyone in the group, you are the most worthless one. But don't blame yourself for that, Suzune. You just picked the wrong guy to mess with. And besides, the exam was chaotic anyways. In particular, the ones you watched out for most was Class A. Relax" Ryuuen told Horikita.
"W-What are you s-saying you've done?" Horikita asks Ryuuen.
"You'll know the answer soon enough" he replies.
Apparently the four betrayal mails were all Ryuuen's work.
And once 11 PM arrived, a mail arrived in our phones all at once.
And without sparing Ryuuen a gaze, we all looked down to see the results.
(Rat) ---> Due to the traitor's correct assessment. Outcome 3.
(Cow) ---> Due to the traitor's wrong assessment. Outcome 4.
(Tiger) ---> Due to the target's identity being protected. Outcome 2.
(Rabbit) ---> Due to the traitor's wrong assessment. Outcome 4.
(Dragon) ---> Due to the entire group's correct assessment after the exam's end. Outcome 1.
(Snake) ---> Due to the target's identity being protected. Outcome 2.
(Horse) ---> Due to the traitor's correct assessment. Outcome 3.
(Sheep) ---> Due to the target's identity being protected. Outcome 2.
(Monkey) ---> Due to the traitor's correct assessment. Outcome 3.
(Bird) ---> Due to the traitor's correct assessment. Outcome 3.
(Dog) ---> Due to the target's identity being protected. Outcome 2.
(Boar) ---> Due to the traitor's correct assessment. Outcome 3.
And based on those results. Increases and decreases in the class and private points in this exam would be as follows. In this case, cl and pr would represent class point and private points respectively.
Class A - Minus 200cl Plus 2 million pr
Class B - No change in cl Plus 2.5 million pr
Class C - Plus 150 cl Plus 5.5 million pr
Class D - Plus 50 cl Plus 3 million pr
"Class C...is the top". Horikita and the others seemed shocked at the results.
"Isn't it great, Suzune? Thanks to your misfortune, the (Dragon) group has gotten the unexpected outcome 1. Now, all the classes should equally receive a large amount of points" Ryuuen tells Horikita.
Ryuuen then claps his hands and laughs satisfactorily.
"If you bow your head before me and beg. I can tell you the answer" Ryuuen tells Horikita.
"Who would do something like that?".
Horikita had started to say that, but quickly and strongly closed her mouth.
"Man. That expression of yours. It's pretty sexy" Ryuuen tells Horikita.
Ryuuen then takes out his phone from his pocket and places it on the table in front of us for all of us to see. On the screen seems to be a list that Ryuuen has managed to put together. Rat, bird, boar. In those groups were written the names of the students suspected to be the "targets" from Class A.
"I discovered the root of this exam and arrived at that. Then I focused on targeting only those of Class A. And this is the proof of that" Ryuuen tells us.
In other words, it means Ryuuen managed to clear this exam without targeting neither Class D nor Class B an only attacking Class A. Normally, it would have been impossible to pull off such an inconvenient feat. But there's no denying that Ryuuen did, in fact, pull it off.
"And I'm sorry to tell you this. But unfortunately, my next target is you, Suzune. In the next exam, I will make sure to especially target you. I will keep going until I have completely torn your mind and heart to pieces" Ryuuen declares to Horikita.
No longer having any words to reply to him with, Horikita just kept staring at the results in the mail.
It would mean that Class C now possesses an overwhelming lead on the other classes, having obtained a large amount of points here in this exam.
Now looking back at it, even though Kouenji seemed to have been messing around back then, it was a fine play by him to secure some points for us back then. Otherwise, it would have been Class C's exclusive victory.
Of course Kouenji's actions ended up sending stray bullets flying into the "targets" of the other classes as well.
"Look forward to the second semester". Having paid back the debt from the island test, Ryuuen seemed satisfied as he walked away. And the students, despite their victory, did not seem to be celebrating but rather looked worn out.
"I can still accept that Ryuuen-kun simply gathered information on Class A's "targets". I can chalk it up to him having a talent we don't have. But how did he get (Dragon) group's result?" Hirata asked.
But there's no need to think particularly hard about this.
"It's not that hard of a task. If you put your mind to it, it's pretty simple".
"What do you mean?"
"Leaving aside the manner of how Ryuuen found out the "target"'s identity. All he had to do was announce 'Kushida is the target' before the end of the exam. Of course, nobody would believe in the words of someone like Ryuuen. Especially a group of gifted people like that group. But, the closing period alone is different. Even if you answer mistakenly during that window, there would be no risk. As such, even someone playing defense like Katsuragi would be tempted to vote. If even there is 1% chance that Kushida really is the "target", the first outcome would be most convenient to all of them after all" I said.
If he had planted the seeds of it earlier, it is an extremely simple task. But it is something impossible to do normally. It's a task that cannot be accomplished unless everyone trusts that it is indeed Kushida. Is this really possible? Even I cannot imagine how it could have happened. This could not have been a success. How did, leaving aside Class D, he guide everyone to outcome 1 while gaining their trust? Unless he had an 'absolute proof that everyone must believe in'...perhaps.
"Horikita. Just perhaps but---we may far some hurdles in the future".
And not just once or twice, depending on the circumstances, it may involve the whole of Class D even.
"...hurdles from Ryuuen-kun? Indeed he managed to do well in this exam, that much is true. But there's no guarantee that he will be able to repeat this in the future. In fact, your group actually won, am I wrong?" Horikita asks me.
"That's right. I might just be overthinking this. Don't worry about it" I replied to Horikita.
Right now it's still nothing but a premonition. But what if this premonition comes true? I can't help but think this may be the first step towards despair. But at the same time, I also began to feel the emotion of 'excitement' start to grow inside of me.
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