COTE : Oh No, I've Become the Substitute

After the rules briefing concluded, the door clicked shut, and the three left the room.

"So Result One is practically impossible to achieve, isn't it?"

The rules for this special exam were far more numerous and detailed than the deserted island exam. And the school had come out swinging with an enormous hand—500,000 private points per person. Even Kamuro, who normally had zero interest in exams, felt a faint stirring of motivation.

"Yeah."

Fuyuji held his phone in one hand, rapidly typing the rules from memory into his memo pad. Though he'd already used Probe to memorize them, it was still better to write them down in case he forgot later.

"Result One for everyone is basically impossible."

To achieve Result One for all, the students from the other three classes would have to send the VIP's identity to the school between 9:30 PM and 10:00 PM on the night the exam ended.

In other words, the students from the other three classes would need to know who the VIP was by that point.

However, the exam rules stipulated that after the group discussion ended at 9:00 PM, students were required to disperse immediately. For two hours, they were forbidden from communicating in any form with students from other classes—violation meant expulsion.

Put simply, if they wanted to tell students from other classes the VIP's identity, they had to do it before 9:00 PM.

But during the window from 9:00 PM to 9:30 PM on that final night, they could submit their answer to the school and achieve Results Three or Four.

If they already knew who the VIP was, they could get 500,000 private points just by submitting the answer, plus earn points for their class. Why wouldn't they go for Result Three?

If even a single student from another class within the group had that thought, the VIP's class would lose everything.

Probably even Ichinose—whose affinity skill could steamroll the entire grade—wouldn't dare make such a risky move.

"Even the one method that might have made Result One possible—signing contracts—has been personally banned by the school."

In the ship's corridor, the blue-grey carpet absorbed most of their footsteps. Fuyuji walked with his head down, still typing. "Without the school's contract enforcement, no matter what promises are made, no one can possibly believe them."

"Tch..." Kamuro clicked her tongue in irritation. "So this time it's still competing against the other classes, snatching points from each other?"

"Barring any surprises, that's how it'll be. The end result is just points added here and subtracted there. The school spends a few million and gets us to run a special exam."

Fuyuji stopped typing, shook out his slightly numb right wrist, let out a long breath, and slipped his phone back into his pocket.

This kind of situation was probably the school's default mode. The deserted island exam, where each class got 300 points and kept whatever was left—that was likely a freebie round the school specially released because it was the students' first special exam.

"I knew the school wouldn't be this generous. Cunning bastards!"

"Not cunning. It's for the sake of balancing the school's books, Masumi-san."

The moment Kamuro's words fell, in the empty corridor, the rushing sound of the ocean waves drowned out their footsteps. A melodious voice suddenly drifted from around the corner.

Fuyuji's eye twitched. He stopped walking and silently pulled Kito in front of him, hiding behind his bro.

Accompanied by the rhythmic tapping of a cane against the floor, a girl wearing a beret, her silvery-white hair flowing with a hazy halo under the bright lights—a sickly beauty whose very name seemed to come from a dreamlike kingdom—appeared before the three, her two hangers-on in tow.

Karuizawa Kei, Sakayanagi Arisu, Yukimura Teruhiko.

It seemed they, too, had just finished listening to the special exam rules and emerged from their room.

"Greetings, Masumi-san, Fuyuji-kun, Kito-kun."

Her gaze skimmed over Kito, who was being used as a shield, and Fuyuji, who was hiding behind him, before settling precisely on Kamuro.

Sakayanagi covered her mouth with one hand, leaning on her cane, her brows slightly arched, a smile on her face as she regarded Kamuro. "I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, but Masumi-san, it's best to keep your voice down when speaking in the corridor. It's hardly ladylike behavior."

"None of your business." Kamuro folded her arms and glared at Sakayanagi, raising her chin as she shot back. "With that body of yours, instead of staying put at school, what are you doing coming all the way here? And taking a helicopter no less. Tired of living?"

"Because without Masumi-san there to keep me company at school, I felt just a little lonely." Sakayanagi blinked.

"I already told you, I'm not familiar with you. Don't call me Masumi." Kamuro raised her voice a notch in irritation.

"But I feel quite familiar with you."

Having dealt with Kamuro unhurriedly, Sakayanagi once again steered the topic back to the special exam, turning her head toward Fuyuji, who had been watching from the sidelines.

"Since this special exam involves forming groups together with the other three classes, I wanted to greet everyone from Class A in advance. I look forward to working with you, Fuyuji-kun, Kito-kun."

Everyone from Class A—not everyone from the group...

So she was deliberately ignoring Classes B and C?

Watching this impeccably mannered, elegant scummy loli offer her greetings, Fuyuji switched into Ichinose's Great Angel Mode in a single second and stepped forward with a warm smile.

"We should be the ones asking for your guidance, Sakayanagi-san."

Beside him, Kito responded with a cool, indifferent nod.

"Out with it. What's your real purpose for coming to the cruise ship?" Kamuro unexpectedly cut Sakayanagi off and yanked the topic back once more.

"Since Masumi-san wishes to know... very well..."

Sakayanagi let out a seemingly helpless sigh. She turned her head, her gaze sweeping over Fuyuji and Kito. That composed, unhurried smile on her face suddenly became intensely aggressive.

"The reason I came this time is that I heard about everyone's spectacular performance on the deserted island." She paused, her cane tapping lightly against the floor with a soft thud. "I wanted to test the caliber of your three classes and see whether you qualify to be my opponents. You've managed to pique my interest just a little."

Oh ho! Straight into battle mode.

Test the caliber of three classes? What big talk!

"In that case, Sakayanagi-san would be better off seeking out Ichinose. After all, Ichinose-san is the most outstanding person in our group." Fuyuji amicably offered his suggestion.

That scene outside the convenience store last time still haunted him.

To prevent himself from getting too carried away and accidentally sending this scummy loli to the hospital, Fuyuji deployed a diversion tactic, attempting to redirect her toward Ichinose.

Ichinose was pretty, spoke gently and pleasantly, and probably wouldn't provoke her to anger.

Sakayanagi nodded. "Indeed. Ichinose-san—outstanding grades, gentle towards others, highly agile in thought. And currently the leader of Class B, one of only two classes with over a thousand class points."

Mm, mm. Yes, Ichinose is exceptionally outstandi—

"But it won't do. Ichinose-san simply fails to spark any interest in me whatsoever."

Fuyuji's smile froze instantly.

"The only one who strikes me as interesting is merely Class C's Ryuen Boy-kun." Her melodious voice rippled through the corridor. "However, Masumi-san, he seems to have suffered a rather significant setback at someone's hands. Do you know who it might be?"

Kamuro turned her head aside, presenting Sakayanagi with a taut profile and faintly reddening ear tips. "Who would know about that kind of guy who likes lurking in dark corners?"

Oi, oi, pal. What did I do to offend you this time? Was it really necessary to trash-talk me like that?

"It's fine if you don't know. Though I've said this before, please relay the message to him once more: in this special exam, I will dig him out. If he doesn't prepare seriously, Class A will lose very badly."

Sakayanagi's violet eyes shimmered as she issued her declaration of attack toward Class A without the slightest concealment.

"Isn't this exam a contest within the groups?" Kamuro whipped her head back, frowning. "Can you even manipulate other groups to find people?"

"Who knows..." Sakayanagi wore a smile of absolute confidence.

"That's all I have to say. Farewell, everyone from Class A..."

Lifting her skirt and giving a slight curtsy, Sakayanagi turned and departed.

The tap-tap of her cane against the thick carpet grew fainter and fainter, finally merging with the sound of the waves as she vanished around the corner's end with the other two.

As the faint tapping of the cane faded into the distance, Fuyuji shook his head, spread his hands, and let out a helpless sigh.

Since you've asked for it, I'll put on a little show for you.

After all, I'm pretty satisfied with my current life. I've got no interest in playing those boring games of house with you.

...

As the clock neared 9 PM, beyond the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, a full moon hung high over the pitch-black sea. Its cold, clear silver light spilled into the room, spreading a tranquil band of light across the polished floor.

Inside the first-floor conference room of the luxury cruise ship, all forty members of Class A, having completed their rules briefings, had assembled here to discuss this special exam.

"Ne, ne, couldn't we try to achieve Result One? 500,000 private points!" Fukuyama Shinobu, the class's outstanding academic talent, was the first to speak, raising her hand high, her eyes glittering with desire for the enormous sum.

A small portion of the nearby students also looked tempted. After all, 500,000—the annual salary of a white-collar worker in Tokyo was only about five million yen. Even for Class A students, who held the most points, this was no small amount.

"Impossible. Give it up." Matoba Shinji poured a bucket of cold water over the idea, attacking it mercilessly without hesitation. "Without contracts, students from other classes simply can't be trusted."

Hashimoto tilted his chair back, giving up and clasping both hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. "Result One—as far as the current first-year students go, only that woman Ichinose might possibly pull it off with her terrifying charisma. But it's only a possibility. She herself probably wouldn't dare gamble her class's points on that slim chance."

"Indeed. In the current situation, the safest approach is to try for Result Three." Another classmate chimed in agreement.

"Also, don't rush to send answers to the school." Sanada Kosei pushed up his glasses and reminded them in a gentle but clear voice. "It could be bait from another class. As long as the VIP is wrong, that counts as their class winning too."

"On that note, shouldn't our class's VIPs also consider how to hide?" Yet another classmate immediately followed up with a proposal.

"Everyone!"

A steady voice from the corner drowned out the class discussion. In an instant, the entire conference room fell silent.

Katsuragi, who had been leaning against the wall with his eyes closed in contemplation, opened his eyes and walked to the front of the circular conference table. Facing the class, he bent forward and made his request in a deep, solemn voice.

"Before eight o'clock tomorrow morning, could you all hand over your phones to me? At that time, I will uniformly delete every text message sent by the school. As long as even you yourselves don't know whether you're the VIP, students from other classes will have no way of finding our class's VIP."

The conference room fell completely silent. Only the standing air conditioner hummed, blowing cold air.

A moment later.

"That does seem to be the case." A murmured voice drifted out from the crowd.

"Ah, but if we hand over our phones, what about privacy concerns?" A worried voice immediately rose from the girls' side. "It's not that we don't trust Katsuragi-kun's character, but girls always have things they don't want others to see. What if someone sends a message at that time? That would be awful."

"Yeah, yeah." Several girls quietly echoed their agreement.

"For the girls' side, please select a representative from among the girls to help delete the messages. The effect would be the same." Katsuragi explained patiently.

"But even if a girl checks the phones, there would still be concerns, wouldn't there?" The doubts hadn't fully dissipated.

"..."

Indeed. No matter how you looked at it, a phone is a personal item. Having someone else handle it would always feel uncomfortable. That was only human.

Not to mention, there was no guarantee they wouldn't perform other operations during that time.

Helplessly pressing his forehead, Katsuragi realized he couldn't handle his classmates on this one. He could only reluctantly shift his gaze to the other side of the conference room, toward the figure leaning back in an office chair.

Ever since entering, Fuyuji had been listening to the recordings brought back from each group, earbuds in. As he listened, he spun the office chair beneath him.

The chandelier on the ceiling swirled continuously before his eyes, then stopped.

A hand gently pressed against the back of the spinning chair, bringing it to a halt. A fair, slender wrist entered his field of vision.

"Here." Shiraishi slowly handed over a slip of paper, her brows and eyes curved in a smile. "The names of the members from each class across all twelve groups. Also, the classmates are waiting for you."

"Alright."

Taking the paper, Fuyuji belatedly tapped the screen, stopped the recording, and locked his gaze onto those hundred-plus names.

After listening over and over, the key to this special exam was indeed in the names.

No matter which recording he listened to, the same clue was intentionally or unintentionally revealed.

Fuyuji alone had caught no fewer than three hints related to the names.

The students from each class were deliberately separated for the briefings.

Students were not allowed to take the slips of paper with the group names out of the room.

Before discussions began, students were required to introduce themselves first.

But the VIP's answer was itself a name. So the only possibility was some connection or pattern between the names—one that could identify all the VIPs in a single stroke.

It was inevitably foreseeable that relying on just their own class's three VIPs definitely wouldn't be enough. There would surely be gaps or misdirection. Otherwise, there would be no point in the school arranging group discussions.

At minimum, they had to find at least two more. One wouldn't do.

With just one—if some class got lucky and stumbled upon it during the very first discussion, the exam would end before the students' abilities even came into play. That clearly wasn't what the school wanted.

In other words, this was a game of finding and being found.

Having briefly sorted out his thoughts, Fuyuji rose from the office chair.

The chair's wheels slid across the floor with a distinct sound, instantly drawing the attention of the entire room.

"Handing over your phones is fine. Don't worry about it." A voice, not loud, immediately quelled all the discussion and misgivings. He paused, his gaze sweeping over the few girls who still wore worried expressions.

"You can put anything private behind a password lock. Also, have two classmates film the entire process. After the exam ends, the recording will be sent to you. That way, you won't have to worry about anyone messing with your phones."

The few girls seated in the front row exchanged a relieved glance. Their tense shoulders relaxed slightly. They nodded in unison.

"That would work."

"Sasuga Fuyuji-san."

"With a recording, we can see exactly how our phones were handled. Trading that for an advantage for Class A is acceptable."

...

Off to the side, Katsuragi let out a long breath and revealed a satisfied smile.

As expected. Fuyuji-kun, who had led the class to a great victory in the deserted island special exam, held an authority in the class that surpassed his own.

As long as he spoke, most classmates wouldn't object.

The tense atmosphere in the conference room finally relaxed. The murmur of quiet conversation resumed.

Before long, the conference room lights were turned off one by one.

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