Is there really a person who can see through every lie another human tells?
No. No such person exists. If someone could do it, they'd have to possess powers far beyond those of ordinary humans—an esper.
Lies and people are inseparable.
Humans are born liars. The longer they live, the more accustomed they grow to deception, until they wield it as naturally as breathing.
Of course, lies come in different forms. There are good lies and bad lies.
Yet whether it's a lie meant to spare someone's feelings, or one born of misunderstanding or ignorance, the essence never changes.
It deceives another person. That's all there is to it.
A lie is a lie. Even when the positions of truth and falsehood seem to swap, it isn't that a double-sided card has flipped—it's simply that a card labeled "lie" has been laid on top.
So, are lies inherently bad?
That's a question for another time.
[The Dragon Group's exam has ended. Members of the Dragon Group no longer need to participate in the exam. Please be careful not to disturb the other students.]
The second round of group discussions had already begun.
I glanced upward. The clock's hands had just reached the half-hour mark, and at the same moment the announcement declaring the exam's end for one group echoed through the room.
The Rabbit Group members had been doing whatever they pleased. Class A students were keeping their distance from the chairs; since they'd chosen the strategy of abandoning the exam entirely, they weren't engaging in conversation.
Class C's four students were split 3-to-1, three gathered around a girl named Manabe Shiho, and one—Mio Ibuki—off on her own.
To an outsider it might have looked like bullying, but that wasn't the case. Ibuki simply preferred solitude and had chosen to stay apart. There was no cause for concern.
Class B was talking with Honami Ichinose at the center, while Class D students were each doing their own thing.
Yet the moment that ending announcement played, everyone displayed the same reaction.
Shock. It was especially pronounced among the Class A students.
The Dragon Group. Anyone with even a moderate grasp of this exam would remember it as the group containing the central figures from each class.
Its conclusion meant one thing... the exam had finally begun to move.
Tension rippled through the room. Not a single voice broke the silence.
"Well, what should we do now?"
The one who shattered the quiet was Honami Ichinose from Class B. She was idly operating her phone with one hand.
It was only a soft mutter to herself, but it was the perfect opportunity to dispel the heavy silence.
"…Hey, Ichinose. Do you know something?"
The next voice belonged to Kouji Machida of Class A.
He eyed her suspiciously, clearly probing for our side's intentions.
The other students took Machida's words as their cue and began scanning the room.
[Class A:
Shigeru Takemoto
Kouji Machida
Takurou Morishige]
[Class B:
Honami Ichinose
Tetsuya Hamaguchi
Ryouta Beppu]
[Class C:
Mio Ibuki
Shiho Manabe
Nanami Yabu
Saki Yamashita]
[Class D:
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji
Kei Karuizawa
Hideo Sotomura
Teruhiko Yukimura]
Those were the members of the Rabbit Group.
Applying the VIP pattern, the order—Ayanokouji, Ichinose, Ibuki, Karuizawa—made it clear that the fourth name, Kei Karuizawa, was the VIP.
"I don't know anything. Just that the Dragon Group's exam ended. That's all."
"You've been fiddling with your phone an awful lot for someone who claims that."
"Everyone's confused about the situation right now, so I've been getting a bunch of messages asking for advice."
"I see… So even in Class B, not everyone is capable of thinking for themselves."
"Who knows?"
Machida's mood was visibly sour, perhaps because there'd been no real progress. He delivered the sarcastic jab, but Ichinose brushed it off lightly.
After pulling a face that showed she found it tedious, she returned to her Class A huddle. An opponent who refused to react was no fun, apparently.
Class A could win simply by sticking together and abandoning the exam. That confidence born of strength kept any impatience at bay.
The situation slipped back into deadlock. Students spoke only within their own class groups or toyed with their phones.
But that was convenient for me. While things were quiet, I sent Suzune Horikita a quick email asking her to update me on the current state of affairs.
"Ayanokouji-kun."
At some point Ichinose had drawn close.
She glanced at my phone, then gave me a small smile.
Leaning in until her face was beside my ear, she whispered,
"The Dragon Group went smoothly, they say."
"What are you talking about?"
"Eh? You really haven't heard from Horikita-san? I assumed you two were coordinating since you're working together."
Of course I was only playing dumb.
I already knew the details of the exam. And I was genuinely grateful to Ichinose for giving me the information faster than expected.
She straightened, then sat beside me and continued speaking casually, as if she were my secretary.
"Who were you messaging?"
"Horikita. I wanted to ask about that announcement."
"You truly haven't heard anything from Horikita-san?"
"I've heard a little. She said we'd move the exam during the next discussion round and that she was preparing for it."
"I see. Then you can relax. Horikita-san's strategy is succeeding."
With that, she returned to her Class B classmates.
Almost simultaneously, my phone vibrated. It was Horikita.
I quickly opened the message and read through her report.
As Ichinose had said.
Success.
There were also two questions about what came next.
1. Regarding Class A's response. Katsuragi, who had been sticking to the exam-abandonment strategy, offered cooperation at the last moment. Going forward, the three classes would each put forward two VIPs for a 1:1 exchange. The remaining VIPs would then be swapped between Classes B and D. Was this arrangement acceptable?
→ No issues. When explaining the plan to Katsuragi, make sure to invite Kushida as well and brief her. Two birds with one stone.
2. Izuru Kamukura's movements seem suspicious. He appears to be reading our actions yet hasn't interfered. Anything we should be wary of?
→ No issues. If I had to name something, it would be to end every exam as quickly as possible. Once they're over, he won't be able to do anything.
I finished typing on the phone I was finally getting used to and sent the reply to Horikita.
A few minutes later, another message arrived.
She wrote that explanations and coordination would take time, so the mass email to the school would likely go out around 21:00.
That posed no problem. Even if Kamukura, in a fit of spite, revealed every class's VIPs to Ryuuen and Ryuuen ordered the exams ended—or tried to end them himself—our plan would finish first.
All groups except Dragon and Rat were scheduled for discussions between 20:00 and 21:00. Even if Ryuuen managed to issue every instruction during his session and created an opportunity to send emails, his class's lack of cohesion would cost him time.
Unlike Class B with its trusted leader, Class C was ruled by fear. There was no guarantee of instant obedience.
Class C students weren't mindless machines; they would question an all-or-nothing order from Ryuuen. Unless they obeyed without a word, it would take even longer.
"Ayanokouji-shi, I am quite bored, de gozaru yo."
A boy using an oddly archaic speech pattern approached me just as I was preparing for the next step.
It was Hideo Sotomura. The boys affectionately called him "Professor." True to the nickname, he was an otaku type with deep knowledge of history and machinery.
A little overweight and wearing glasses, his appearance was—though it might be rude to say—exactly what one would expect.
"Wait a moment. I'm in the middle of sending an email."
"An email? To whom, de gozaru ka?"
"To Horikita. I wanted to ask about that announcement earlier."
"Oh! I see, I see!"
Leaving aside his incomprehensible mannerisms and verbal tics, he was attentive to personal space and conversational tone, so his communication skills were far from poor.
Sotomura stepped back a little. I appreciated the consideration—he clearly wasn't trying to peek.
I silently thanked him and continued typing.
The recipient wasn't Horikita, of course. It was Masayoshi Hashimoto from Class A.
I informed him that Katsuragi had agreed to Horikita's plan.
He understood that we would continue the 1:1 exchanges as scheduled, but he seemed to want a few more points for himself.
Greedy. I'd make him wait this time.
If he tried to betray us, I would have to stop him. But I was already prepared for that possibility.
"Hey, Ayanokouji."
Someone else called out to me.
Not Sotomura—his voice was deeper.
I turned toward the source and saw an intelligent-looking boy wearing glasses.
Teruhiko Yukimura. As his appearance suggested, he was an outstanding student and currently held the highest academic record in Class D.
He was also my roommate for this exam.
"You asked Horikita about the situation, right? When her email comes, share the contents with me too."
He must have overheard my conversation with Sotomura.
He wanted to assess the situation himself—and I happened to be a convenient source.
Perfect timing.
"Got it. Then could you call Karuizawa over too? She's part of this group. She'll need the explanation."
"…No. I don't get along with that girl. You do it."
Yukimura's face darkened with displeasure.
He was showing his true feelings rather than lying, which made him more trustworthy.
I'd planned to speak with Karuizawa anyway to gauge her reaction. It would be extra work, but unavoidable.
"Understood. Wait until the email arrives."
He nodded and walked away.
Almost immediately, a message came from Hashimoto. He'd apparently grasped the benefits and agreed to hold back this time.
"Yukimura, Sotomura."
I called the two over, intending to explain the earlier announcement.
Of course, I would omit my own involvement.
Since they had nothing else to do, they approached quickly.
That settled one matter. I could finally relax my shoulders.
I slowly began explaining everything to them.
When I finished...
[An emergency announcement. Due to equipment malfunction, contact with the school has been lost.
As a result, email functionality is currently unavailable, and there is a possibility that VIP information sent to the school will not be received.
We sincerely apologize, but any students scheduled to report VIP information today are asked to postpone submission.
This measure is also intended to ensure adequate thinking time for all students.
We will notify you by email as soon as the equipment is repaired.
We apologize for the inconvenience.]
An utterly unexpected broadcast played.
I understood its content in an instant, yet countless possibilities flooded my mind.
While my thoughts refused to settle, the students around me were panicking.
No one had foreseen this turn of events.
"…What was that?"
Amid the rising commotion, I caught Ichinose's voice.
I completely agreed.
Questions about the broadcast poured forth.
The first and foremost was it genuine?
The voice was deep and thick—Mashima-sensei's, the same one I'd heard often during the uninhabited island exam.
That alone nearly ruled out a prank. Moreover, students weren't told which room broadcasts originated from, making a hoax highly improbable.
Was this malfunction something that was meant to happen?
I considered the possibility.
"This measure is also intended to ensure adequate thinking time for all students."
That sentence was unnecessary in a simple equipment-failure notice.
It felt like a hidden message directed only at students who knew the VIP pattern.
Using the pattern, it was theoretically possible—and simple—to end the entire exam in a single day.
But that would rob most students of thinking time, preventing the school from properly evaluating them.
The logic held.
If my assumption was correct, the malfunction wasn't accidental; it had been deliberately caused.
Yet even granting that, the announcement itself remained deeply puzzling.
On the surface the reasoning seemed sound, but then why create the VIP pattern in the first place?
If it was meant as a comeback mechanism for any class, the school should have accounted for the possibility of a one-day conclusion.
Even without knowing the pattern, speed mattered in this exam. What about students who identified the VIP quickly through ordinary means?
Telling someone who had already found the answer, "Please wait a little longer so others can think too," would be grossly unfair to the early discoverer.
If that logic held, no one could tell what the school was actually trying to evaluate.
It was far too strange. What was the school thinking?
Even if the broadcast were a prank, I couldn't imagine who would do it or why.
I lacked information. What was happening right now?
"Hey, you okay?"
A sharp voice cut through my thoughts. Before I realized it, its owner was standing right beside me.
The girl was one of the targets of this exam... Kei Karuizawa.
"You look pale. What's wrong?"
She stated it plainly, without any pretense.
Objectively, that meant my expression had stiffened enough to be noticeable.
Yet no matter how unexpected the event, my face wouldn't normally change enough for others to notice.
In other words, Karuizawa had picked up on a subtle shift. She possessed excellent observational skills.
"No, nothing in particular."
"Nothing…? Does that announcement put you at some kind of disadvantage?"
"Not especially. If anything, I was just surprised. I wondered what the school was thinking by undermining the exam's fairness."
"Yeah, that makes sense. For anyone who's already figured out the VIP at this point, it'd be seriously annoying."
"I don't think many people have reached that stage yet."
"True enough."
She laughed lightly. It seemed she was simply concerned—nothing more.
She walked off toward Machida's group. She had a boyfriend in Hirata, yet she was remarkably free-spirited.
Thanks to Karuizawa, my concentration had broken—whether for better or worse. It served as a good mental break. I thanked her silently and checked the phone that had been vibrating.
It was Hashimoto. I'd likely receive a similar message from Horikita soon.
I steadied myself and refocused on the exam.
...
The clock struck 21:00, and the second group discussion came to an end.
Class A, who had shown little sign of panic even after the earlier announcement, filed out of the room without delay.
They weren't changing their strategy. Whether that deserved praise or criticism was hard to say.
As students from the other classes trickled out one by one, Ichinose stood with her arms crossed, letting out a small thoughtful hum.
"Something wrong?"
She seemed deep in thought—most likely about that announcement.
"No, it's just… that announcement earlier doesn't quite sit right with me."
"Horikita said something similar. That it was bothering her. Though I don't really get it myself."
"Yeah, exactly. I could force myself to accept it, but something about it just… doesn't feel right."
Ichinose was clearly fixated on that same sentence.
A line that carried meaning only for students who knew the VIP pattern. Even for those who didn't, a sharp enough mind would sense something off.
For reference, the only ones currently aware of the VIP pattern were me, Kamukura, Hashimoto, and Horikita. The rest of the Dragon Group—excluding Class C—had probably been briefed during the strategy explanation.
"I'm thinking of asking the teacher about it directly."
"That's probably the smart move."
Whether the announcement was real or not, checking with the administrators couldn't hurt.
Either way, the supervisors wouldn't give a straight answer, but it would still yield one piece of information.
I'd have Horikita ask too.
"Ayanokouji-kun, I'm heading to Horikita-san's place now to talk to the teacher. Want to come along?"
I'd assumed she'd leave with her class, so the invitation caught me off guard. She already seemed ready to go.
Looking at the other Class B students, they had relaxed their shoulders, switching off the tension of the exam.
"About that announcement—I've got some questions, and the walk alone would feel kinda lonely."
"I-I see."
I feigned a bit of nervousness while reading her true intent.
She still didn't fully trust me.
Those sharp eyes of hers were trying to assess my capabilities through my connection to Horikita.
But having an excuse worked in my favor. I'd planned to have Horikita relay information anyway, but seeing things firsthand would make it more reliable.
"If you're fine with me, I'll tag along."
"Great! It's settled!"
Ichinose snapped her fingers with a bright smile.
"Ow!?"
As we moved to see off the Class B students, a loud yelp came from the doorway.
Manabe from Class C was sprawled on the floor. Beside her stood Karuizawa, phone in hand.
It looked like Karuizawa, distracted by her screen, had barreled straight into her.
"Ah, sorry! I'm in a rush."
"Hey, wait just a second!"
Karuizawa jogged out of the room.
Manabe tried to stand but swayed, having apparently hit her hip hard.
The other Class C students moved to help her.
"So that's how she shoved Rika too."
Manabe's face twisted in fury. It seemed this wasn't the first incident.
She muttered curses as she left the room. Her target had fled, leaving her with nothing but frustration.
After they were gone, I caught sight of Ibuki rising from her seat in Class C, timing it perfectly.
I excused myself to Ichinose and followed.
She gave an easy nod of approval.
Catching up near the elevators, I called out hesitantly.
"Got a minute?"
"What?"
She'd clearly noticed me following, turning with slight wariness.
"I wanted to ask about Karuizawa. Do you know what's going on between her and Manabe's group?"
At my question, Ibuki gave me a strange look, as if I were some bizarre creature.
"You seriously forgot what I did during the uninhabited island exam? How can you just casually talk to me like this?"
During that exam, Ibuki had infiltrated Class D as a spy.
Technically, Yamauchi had brought her in, but the rest of us present—including me—had been completely fooled.
Yet here I was, approaching her calmly. She clearly found it baffling.
"The uninhabited island exam is over."
"I was your enemy."
"I have some thoughts about the spying, sure. But you did it to win the exam, right? No reason to hold a grudge."
"…You're kind of off, you know that?"
"I get told that a lot."
Ibuki let out a heavy sigh, clearly too dumbfounded to respond further.
"So, about Karuizawa and Manabe's group? All I know is that Karuizawa got into it with some Class C people, and Manabe's been harassing her under the guise of 'confirming' things."
"I see. That helps. Though that's a pretty harsh way to put it. Aren't they classmates? Comrades?"
"Don't joke. There's no way I'd be comrades with a nasty piece of work like that. It's disgusting."
"I-I see."
Her merciless verbal assault made me flinch a little. I felt firsthand how terrifying girl drama could be.
"Here's some good advice. Manabe's the type who obeys whoever scares her because she's a coward. But against anyone she thinks is weaker? Totally different story. She'll start bullying them without hesitation. Plain trash."
"T-Thanks for the valuable info."
Having said her piece and feeling satisfied, Ibuki stepped into the elevator.
That was useful.
Karuizawa and Manabe had been on bad terms since the first group discussion.
If Ibuki was telling the truth, Karuizawa had probably caused some trouble.
Given her usual personality, she was a natural troublemaker. Too proud to apologize for the messes she made, letting them escalate.
And Manabe apparently enjoyed picking on the weak.
From Manabe's perspective, Karuizawa must have looked like easy prey.
"I should confirm whether she's actually useful."
Muttering to myself, I resumed walking and rejoined Ichinose.
"Alright, let's get going!"
Side by side with Ichinose, we headed for our destination.
"What do you really think about that announcement, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"Really? I'm clueless. Isn't it just a genuine equipment malfunction?"
"Sure, that's possible. But the unsteady tone at the end, that frustrating feeling of something unexplained—don't you sense it?"
"Well, now that you mention it, maybe."
"…I see."
For light conversation, she was analyzing me far too intently.
Yet it didn't feel unpleasant—entirely thanks to her exceptional communication skills.
The carefree smiles she flashed throughout the exchange dispelled any discomfort.
Continuing like that, we soon arrived.
We entered the room marked with the Dragon plate.
"…Ayanokouji-kun?"
Horikita looked at me with mild surprise as we stepped inside.
She clearly hadn't expected me.
"I dragged him along! The walk alone felt kinda lonely, you know~"
Ichinose explained with a peace sign.
Besides Horikita, the rest of the Dragon Group—excluding Class C—was gathered, along with Class A's homeroom teacher, Mashima-sensei.
"I see… Ayanokouji-kun, you're grinning like an idiot."
"I'm not."
I brushed it off casually and signaled with my eyes to move to the main topic.
"Katsuragi-kun. Everyone's here now. Let's begin—"
"Hold it."
A voice from the entrance drew everyone's attention.
There stood Kakeru Ryuuen from Class C, hands in his pockets.
"Looks like you're up to something interesting. Count me in."
"…Ryuuen. Why are you here?"
Katsuragi responded quickly.
"Hey, hey—Class C has people in the Dragon Group too, right? One of them tipped me off."
"Tipped you off?"
"Yeah. Well, the idiot I was after wasn't here, but I was curious about that announcement anyway, so I figured I'd join."
I didn't know the details, but he'd clearly come for someone.
The Dragon Group members exchanged glances, each showing varying expressions—something had clearly clicked for them.
An unexpected visitor, but honestly, there was no reason to kick Ryuuen out. If he genuinely wanted an explanation, he wouldn't cause unnecessary trouble.
"Fine. We're short on time, so let's get started."
"Hey, Horikita!"
"He's dangerous, yes, but that's not grounds to remove him."
Horikita stated firmly, even to the Class A students.
Ryuuen looked momentarily surprised, then broke into a pleased grin.
"Kuku, thanks, Suzune. You've become an even better woman than before."
"I told you not to use my first name."
"I believe I said to let me call you that as a sign of respect."
Ryuuen strolled over and stood beside Horikita.
She sighed in annoyance.
"…Mashima-sensei, please explain the earlier announcement."
Katsuragi's clear voice directed everyone's attention to the teacher.
Mashima-sensei stood with arms crossed, exuding confidence. Confirming that everyone was ready to listen, he began.
"Let me say this upfront... we teachers are merely supervisors for this exam. We cannot give direct answers.
Regarding the earlier announcement, we will respond to your questions as long as they do not relate to the exam itself. However, most answers will likely be abstract, so I'll leave the interpretation to you."
The announcement was clearly significant to the exam. At this stage, the chance of it being fake was extremely low.
The students exchanged glances, trying to decide who would ask first.
But one person here didn't care about such trivialities.
"How many 'lies' are in that announcement?"
Ryuuen asked boldly, without looking around.
His question perfectly captured what everyone wanted to know. No objections.
"I can't say. I've been instructed not to."
"Instructed not to? Tch, what a pain this school is."
That statement made the skeptics even more skeptical because it raised a question... Instructed by whom? The school?
If it was the school, there'd be no need to say "instructed." A simple "I can't say" would suffice.
It was possible someone—or something—else had silenced him.
More importantly is Ryuuen's question had revealed a very high likelihood that the announcement contained lies.
The issue was where, and how many.
Following Ryuuen's lead, the students fired off questions one after another.
"Where are the lies?"
"There are lies. But I can't say where."
There are lies. We're meant to figure out the location ourselves.
"Was this announcement part of the plan?"
"It was not planned."
The facade was peeling away. Not planned—meaning it was impromptu.
Why the sudden change? Who ordered it? The school administration?
"Why aren't you conducting the exam as originally planned?"
"I can't say."
Another "can't say." Something had forced an urgent change.
But we couldn't speculate further.
As I wondered whether there was any more information to glean, Ryuuen moved again.
"Hey, Mashima-sensei. An awful lot you 'can't say,' huh?"
"…I do apologize for that."
"Kuku. Maybe you're being threatened. Or perhaps you made some absolute contract with the school you have to uphold?"
Sharp insight. Ryuuen's presence was accelerating things.
Depending on the answer, my initial suspicion would gain some traction.
"Yes. I've been told I may reveal truth to the extent it doesn't affect the exam outcome."
"I see. Then—if I pay private points, you'll tell me?"
"…That is possible."
Ryuuen's face twisted into an eerie grin.
Now we knew that if we pay private points, the truth could be bought.
A major step forward.
"How much?"
"200,000 points."
"…Huh? That cheap?"
"Whether it's expensive or cheap depends on the person."
Ryuuen laughed again after hearing it.
Then he slipped both hands into his pockets and turned away.
As he moved to leave, Horikita reacted fastest, trying to stop him.
"You're done asking questions?"
"Yeah, anything more would be pointless, kuku, besides...."
Ryuuen let out his signature "kuku" laugh, louder this time, then turned back.
He scanned each person slowly, as if savoring them, before breaking into an amused grin.
"... looks like you small fry really did team up. But with this turn of events, I still got a shot at winning."
His expression when he said that showed the expression of someone who harbored no self-doubt. His confident posture carried real presence and no trace of bluff.
"Nonsense. The moment three classes allied, Class C's defeat was sealed. If anything, it's your fault for failing to control your own classmates."
"Kuku, that stings. But even a exam I was ready to hand over might still be fun."
Katsuragi was right. Class C's position was frankly hopeless.
But… if… Ryuuen had figured out the VIP pattern, everything would flip.
Ryuuen left the room. His composure never wavered until the end.
Class C's leader truly lived up to the title.
We needed to end this exam as quickly as possible.
I reaffirmed just how dangerous Class C was.
***
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