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★★★
Generally speaking, there's a trick to dealing with this written exam.
And this has already become an unspoken understanding among the upperclassmen, so they don't need to review at all.
As for Hikigaya and his peers, even if they don't discover it this time, by next year, when new First Years enroll, they should know how to take the exam.
However.
Is it really good to stick to the old ways like this?
Admittedly, since the School allows it and even the exam questions don't change, it hopes that students aren't too rigid and should be flexible and adaptable when necessary.
However.
Hikigaya felt this was an opportunity.
By tricking Sakayanagi Arisu's attention towards the Student Council upperclassmen, his probability of advancing to Class A significantly increased.
And he could also test the upperclassmen's bottom line.
If Sakayanagi Arisu could gain some support from the upperclassmen through this exam, then she would have a chance to become the Student Council President.
If she wasn't allowed into the Student Council, then she would become the Student Council President herself.
This seemingly morbid suggestion was, however, gladly accepted by Sakayanagi Arisu.
The Student Council election will be in the second half of the year, and Hikigaya has already decided to aim for Class A by challenging it in these six months.
Of course, Sakayanagi might also fail in her election.
From Ichinose's words, Vice President Nagumo of the Grade 2 is very strong.
But as long as Sakayanagi's attention can be diverted, it's worthwhile for Class C.
Although the chance is relatively small, Sakayanagi might also become the Student Council President, in which case Hikigaya's Class would also fall.
But Hikigaya was a staunch supporter of the new Student Council President from the beginning, even providing advice for her campaign.
Therefore.
This could also be considered doing a favor.
If Sakayanagi really rises to power, he hopes she won't forget him.
So, this is a win-win situation.
It's just that, if everyone's bowls are broken as Hikigaya said, wouldn't the exam papers Kushida and the others bought be useless?
No, they wouldn't.
Because even if the table is overturned, Sakayanagi still needs to have a backup plan.
Otherwise, why would the upperclassmen listen?
So, Hikigaya reported that the selling of exam papers was done by First Years, and Sakayanagi needed to be responsible for producing another set of papers for the First Years.
Reporting the School's ancient circulated First Year exam paper, but at such a time, providing new exam papers would also save the School's face.
It's a win-win move.
"Although I feel like I'm being used as a pawn, I have to say, your suggestion is good." Sakayanagi Arisu said.
"It seems to have added new fun to campus life."
So, Sakayanagi, you're actually the type who likes challenges?
Good.
Then you should work hard for the position of Student Council President.
And at this moment.
"The food is ready."
A tall girl with purple hair appeared at the door of the private room.
This was Kamuro.
Kamuro wasn't there when Hikigaya arrived, and now he knew what she had gone to do.
It turns out she had gone to buy food for them.
How hard you work, Kamuro.
It's just that.
Kamuro Masumi frowned.
"What are you talking about?" Kamuro had, after all, spent over a month with Sakayanagi Arisu.
Sakayanagi truly treated her as… a flexible tool.
So, she was assigned to do many things.
And because she was given many instructions, she noticed that Sakayanagi Arisu seemed to be in a good mood.
While she was out buying food, the other two were probably talking about something with Hikigaya Hachiman.
Thinking this, Kamuro glanced at Hikigaya.
Only she and Hikigaya knew about her buying the papers.
Could it be that Sakayanagi was in a good mood now because she discovered that Kamuro was a bad student?
And then, similar to having another weakness of hers, she could use it to bully her?
This kind of thing, this kind of thing…
"Oh no, this has nothing to do with you." Sakayanagi Arisu said.
"…" Kamuro.
In other words, Sakayanagi didn't know about her academic problems, but something else, and it wasn't even related to her?
She always felt like she missed something.
However, for this written exam, she had already obtained a surefire solution, so there was no need to worry, and nothing else mattered.
Thus.
The three began to eat.
Because Sakayanagi Arisu was very rich, Kamuro never held back with her.
The meals she bought were… just ordered casually.
She bought whatever she thought tasted good, never looking at the price.
And because of this, she had a very free appetite.
So Kamuro began to eat heartily.
…
On the other side.
After three days of effort, Horikita and Kushida finally completed the answers to the exam papers obtained from the poor student senior, using the past textbooks borrowed by Hikigaya.
After all, they were ancient papers, so in order to get the correct answers, Horikita and the others put in a lot of effort.
And Hikigaya's suggestion was that if they really couldn't fill it in, then they didn't have to.
For the students in the Class, it was enough to roughly get an average score of 80 points and receive the 100 points Class evaluation score reward for the first tier, as mentioned by Chabashira Sensei.
So, just producing answers that would result in around 90 points would be sufficient.
However, Horikita Suzune refused.
According to Horikita, if she didn't solve problems that could clearly be solved, she felt unwilling.
This was the persistence of an academic ace, which Hikigaya didn't quite understand.
But it was great that they could acquire new knowledge.
Although… their exam papers would probably not be used.
Because Hikigaya had already extended an invitation to Sakayanagi Arisu.
She would be responsible for predicting and creating the First Year exam papers to present to the School, while he would be responsible for leaking the old papers.
So the old papers would be exposed, and then… useless.
It's just that.
Telling them this directly would be too cruel.
Therefore.
"I think we shouldn't give them the organized exam papers yet. The students with poor academic performance are all studying now, and if they knew the exam questions, what do you think they would do?" Hikigaya said.
"In other words, everyone would stop studying and start frantically memorizing the obtained papers?" Kushida said.
"Yes." Hikigaya nodded.
"So I suggest distributing the papers a few days before the exam." Hikigaya said.
"In that case, there's no other way."
Kushida thought for a moment about the character of her classmates and immediately nodded.
Although they had now borrowed 10 academic aces from Class B, and the classmates could only passively study.
But there must be some who don't want to study, but what about after this exam, when there are future written exams?
It's impossible to always have answers to copy, right?
So, everyone needs to improve their academic ability themselves.
"However, you can tell the classmates this news to put their minds at ease." Hikigaya added.
"Tell the classmates?"
"Hmm." Hikigaya nodded.
"Give them something to look forward to. If they can persist in studying for 20 days, then I'll give them the papers. And if they're unhappy, just push all the dissatisfaction onto me."
"Hikigaya!"
But as soon as Hikigaya said this, he found his left hand being held by a girl's soft hands.
"Do you want to be the bad guy who pushes everyone?"
"But that would be very difficult."
Kushida showed a pitiful expression, which, of course, was like comforting someone.
However.
"…" Hikigaya.
Just a few days ago, Kushida still thought he was a nuisance, but now, he can freely enter and exit Horikita's dorm room.
Does she think he has already conquered Horikita Suzune?
And then he thought, what about him?
When Hachiman's hand was held by Kushida, he quickly turned his gaze to the black-haired, fox-eyed girl beside him.
However, Horikita had already finished filling in the old questions.
Since she had borrowed an old version of the book, she continued reading.
This was Horikita Suzune's room, and there was no problem with her reading in her own room.
Moreover.
Kushida was also someone he had entrusted her to try and accept, but for her, she was still used to being alone.
"Then let's arrange it like this for now." Hachiman said.
Horikita and Kushida had no objections.
Because Hachiman provided reimbursement for the money spent on buying the practice tests, Kushida suffered no loss.
And when it was finally time to distribute the practice tests, she participated in filling in the answers.
So… her name, Kushida, would also be known by the Class.
This was very satisfying.
At the same time.
She and Horikita seemed to have… become [friends].
Then her goal was mostly achieved.
It became a bit safer.
And Horikita Suzune.
"…"
Hmm.
For this academic genius, she couldn't understand how someone could fail if they studied hard.
However, she also participated in filling in the answers, even borrowing an old version of the textbook to study in order to complete them.
Even though she knew the Class were going to cheat, she ultimately chose to participate rather than stubbornly believe that cheating was wrong.
This was also an aspect of her becoming slightly more adaptable.
Hachiman thought to himself.
…
Thus.
Time passed.
"Everyone, you've worked hard studying these past few days. We've received news from the upperclassmen that their second-month entrance exam written test from last year had the same questions as the previous year's second-month entrance exam written test."
"And I have this test paper." Hachiman announced a "rumor" during Physical Education Class.
Then the Class immediately erupted.
"If, if that's the case…"
"Then why do we need to study… as long as, as long as we look at, look at that test paper, wouldn't that be enough?"
As the academic failures of Class C, their mentality instantly changed.
"But it's a shame."
"I can only show you the test paper three days before the exam." Hachiman said.
"Because for now, it's still important to improve your own academic ability. You can try to cut corners once, but you definitely can't keep doing it."
"And buying the test paper requires 100,000 point." Hachiman said.
"Eh…"
Hearing this number, students who thought Hikigaya was being excessive and then tried to buy from upperclassmen themselves immediately fell silent.
"At the same time, the fact that the test uses old questions seems to be a common secret among the upperclassmen."
"And what if you go about buying it so openly and get blackmailed?" Hachiman said.
Thus.
The Class immediately fell silent.
Because it would cost 100,000 point and they might even be scammed or blackmailed by upperclassmen, the risk was too great.
It was better to wait for Hikigaya to give them the test paper for free three days before the exam.
Moreover, many people had experience that if they crammed and did practice problems frantically for three days before the exam, there should be no problem.
And Karuizawa finally understood what Hachiman meant by his method of guaranteeing she would pass the exam.
"Kei?"
"Why are you staring at Hikigaya in a daze?" Satō Maya, a gyaru next to Karuizawa, asked.
She noticed Karuizawa was distracted.
Then she followed her gaze and saw Hikigaya.
"…" Karuizawa.
She had been ordered by Hachiman not to look at him casually.
And she was actually thinking just now.
It was just.
"I just think it's a bit unbelievable that Hikigaya actually has 100,000 point to buy practice tests." Karuizawa said.
"Does he have that many point?"
Everyone received 100,000 point in their first month of enrollment, and then on the 1st of the second month, they all received 45,000 point from the School.
But Hikigaya could pay 100,000 point for consumption.
It was surprising.
"Maybe he has other ways to get point." said a girl who, although she often hung out with Karuizawa and her friends, would not be overshadowed in a group of cute girls.
This was Matsushita Chiaki.
She seemed to come from a good family, with rich experience in both fashion taste and perfume usage.
She was the more mature type within the gyaru group.
"Didn't Kei say she saw Hikigaya eating with a silver-haired loli before?" Matsushita said.
In other words, Hikigaya was actually… being kept by a silver-haired loli from another Class?
He was a gigolo, a kept man!
Thus.
After today, two rumors spread among the First Year.
One was that Hikigaya in their Class was a kept man.
The other was that the Class had received news that the exam would use old questions, so… it definitely couldn't be kept a secret.
They were unwilling to spend money to buy test papers or anything like that.
But it was quite possible for them to chatter and expose some information.
And Hachiman did not stop this.
In fact, he did it on purpose.
Among them, Class A, Class B, and Class C all knew about the existence of old questions.
So only Class D, Ryuen Class, remained.
So hurry up and find out, Ryuen Class.
…
And on the other side.
Sakayanagi Arisu's room.
Before her lay old questions for five subjects: Math, Chemistry, Physics, English, and Biology.
The old questions did not have troublesome essay options, only multiple-choice questions.
And the five subjects combined had at least two hundred and fifty questions.
These questions also had to take into account the teaching focus and progress of each of the four Class teachers.
Because the mid-term exam papers for this month were consistently the same in the past, no teacher paid attention to this aspect.
As a result, the four Class even had different teaching progress, with significant differences.
And Sakayanagi, when creating the test, had to take all of this into account.
After all, if there was a problem with the test paper, the School would not accept it.
So if the content was what was taught in each Class, then even if the old questions were leaked, she could still submit this test paper.
As long as the students studied, they could pass.
So this was to save face for the School.
Hikigaya's proposal was somewhat insane, but Sakayanagi Arisu was somewhat tempted.
Because, although Sakayanagi Arisu maintained her elegance when Horikita Manabu rejected her, she even thought that Horikita Manabu's rejection was only because the Class were two factions.
And she could deal with Katsuragi.
Not dealing with him was just because she thought it would be more interesting.
But.
Indeed.
She was rejected.
Then she would just join the Student Council herself.
This thought made her feel that School life might become interesting.
It was just very difficult to become Student Council President.
Not to mention not being able to even get into the Student Council, then how could she win the election?
And as the little princess of the Sakayanagi Faction, the Sakayanagi Faction collected various information.
Among them, information about the Grade 2 was provided.
At the end of their Grade 1, the Grade 2 Class B, led by Nagumo, successfully advanced to Class A.
But Nagumo did not stop there.
He alone controlled the Grade 2.
The School wanted the students to have Class rivalries, but Nagumo was different.
In every special exam, he would gather the Class representatives of the four Class, and then discuss and distribute the rewards obtained from the exam.
That's why there were such strange Class evaluation scores for the Grade 2 Class.
Class A 2000
Class B 600
Class C 400
Class D 200
In other words, Nagumo of Grade 2 Class A was not only the Vice President but also had the support of an entire Grade.
So to become Student Council President, she would have to defeat him.
And this was very difficult, but the more difficult it was, the more challenging it was for Sakayanagi.
Thus.
She decided to make a big move with this routine exam and gain a certain number of votes.
So, now she needed to work hard.
But the time left for her was less than half a month.
And in this half-month, Sakayanagi could not skip Class.
She could only use her spare time to create the test.
It looked utterly miserable.
However, she quite liked such challenging things.
Thus.
There were only 3 days left until the final exam.
Her task was also complete.
"Clank—"
With a soft sound, the room door opened.
Kamuro walked in.
What greeted her eyes was a pink-decorated bedroom with a small bed.
And by the table against the wall, sat a girl with silver hair wearing a beret.
Inside the female dormitory, the petite girl sat on a chair and stretched, with a computer in front of her.
On the computer screen was an electronic exam paper.
Hmm.
This was her creating the exam paper.
"Phew, finally done."
Sakayanagi let out a soft breath, her rosy lips slightly parted, "Kamuro, is the tea I asked you to make not ready yet?"
A hint of displeasure was on the girl's face, as if she was annoyed by a servant's disrespect.
"Smack—"
Kamuro Masumi expressionlessly handed over the brewed black tea.
"Hmm, I still prefer this temperature. It seems Kamuro has become quite familiar with me."
"..." Kamuro.
What is this?
Who would want this kind of familiarity?
However.
"So, is there anything you want to say, Kamuro?"
Sakayanagi moved her chair back, making more space for her fair and slender calves.
A faint smile graced her pretty face, and her two fair calves gently swayed back and forth.
Anything she wanted to say?
She had so much she wanted to say!
Because Sakayanagi, do you know what you're doing? You're actually creating your own exam questions to predict the exam.
And for what purpose?
To leak the questions.
So, it's poisonous, isn't it!
Kamuro had spent a hefty 100,000 points to buy the exam paper from Hikigaya.
Of course, while she could also buy from upperclassmen, it would be troublesome if they recorded it and blackmailed her later.
So, it was better to buy from Hikigaya.
And even if discovered, Hikigaya would take the blame.
As a result, she had just spent those 100,000 points, and had only just started memorizing the paper.
To ensure she would pass, she even deliberately hid the fact that she was a poor student from Sakayanagi.
Then Sakayanagi informed her that she was going to leak the questions and then create new ones.
???
Wouldn't that make her a fool for spending so much money on a pile of waste paper?
"You are provoking the entire School." Kamuro said with a stern face.
"Provoking?"
But Sakayanagi said, "That's a good word, but I hope you use it to describe sounding an alarm for the complacent upperclassmen."
"I want to be the Student Council President." Sakayanagi Arisu said.
"That position is the pinnacle for all students."
"And I want to see what it's like there."
"..." Kamuro.
Then you are truly arrogant.
Because she had always been by Sakayanagi's side, Kamuro knew that what Sakayanagi was doing now was a weapon to threaten the upperclassmen.
To become President, one needs votes.
Just one Class or even one Grade is not enough.
So her target was the upperclassmen.
And the method was probably to target upperclassmen who were unprepared for this exam, or even relied on previously purchased old exam answers.
But she couldn't just crush them.
She had to ease into it.
So, she would threaten them a little.
Thus, she started with the First Year students.
How excessive.
"Oh, by the way, Kamuro."
However, Sakayanagi looked up, paused, and then said, "You bought an exam paper from Hikigaya-kun, didn't you?"
"Huh?"
A warning sign rose in Kamuro Masumi's heart, and she instinctively took a step back, but Sakayanagi merely waved her hand, "Don't be nervous."
"You have too many weaknesses. I'm not very interested in recording them right now." Sakayanagi said.
"..." Kamuro.
Kamuro felt that Sakayanagi was particularly annoying today.
"However, since you needed to buy an exam paper, you must also want to see this paper, which will be recognized by the School, in advance, right?" Sakayanagi Arisu said.
"..." Kamuro.
Was Sakayanagi tempting her?
"What do you want me to do?" Kamuro said.
"Send a message to Hikigaya. My part is done. Now it's his task." Sakayanagi said.
Kamuro was silent.
In other words, these two's insane exam leaking plan had begun.
And she also knew that the exam paper she bought was useless; 100,000 points wasted.
But now that Sakayanagi told her to do this, she had no other choice.
When you don't know anything, it's better to listen to smart people.
After all, she had no choice.
Thus.
[It has been confirmed that students from Class D have purchased exam papers from upperclassmen. The audio and video recordings have been sent to your email.]
Hachiman received the message from Kamuro.
Should he say, as expected of a Class A student?
They were all students with excellent facilities and outstanding abilities.
But in terms of espionage, they did quite well.
And Hachiman knew that this was Sakayanagi Arisu... urging him to make his appearance.
To report the Class D students for buying exam papers.
Of course, that phrasing wasn't quite right.
It should be changed to: a student from Class D of Grade 1 stole the midterm exam paper that was about to be tested.
...
After School in the afternoon, Hachiman went to the Student Council.
And this time, he was alone.
"Student, huh..."
Nagumo Miyabi, the Vice President whom he had met a few times before, was also there.
"First Year, what do you want to do this time?" Horikita Manabu seemed to be absent, so Vice President Nagumo Miyabi took the initiative to speak.
Hachiman was a student who came from Class D.
And now, although he had been promoted to Class C, in Nagumo's eyes, this guy was quite strange.
On one hand, he destroyed cameras and incurred massive point deductions within six days of enrollment, but on the other hand, he actually succeeded in getting promoted to a higher Class.
And the President even invited him to join the Student Council.
This showed that the President highly approved of him.
And this matter... made Nagumo somewhat concerned.
"I want to see the Student Council President." Hachiman said.
"..." Nagumo, "I am also the President..."
"I want to see the President, Horikita Manabu, not the Vice President." Hachiman said.
"..." Nagumo.
Although he was the Vice President, Nagumo also had certain authority.
At the same time.
"If it's something ordinary, then I can also handle it." Nagumo Miyabi showed a polite but somewhat annoyed smile.
"The matter is quite big, and the Vice President might not be able to handle it." Hachiman said.
"Moreover, this kind of thing will offend people, so I think it's better for the Vice President not to get involved."
"..." Nagumo.
"So, what big trouble have you caused?"
If it was something that would offend people, then indeed... it might not be necessary to do it.
Especially for this ordinary Hikigaya, if it were that cute short-haired girl from before, then she might consider it.
As he said this, two figures appeared at the entrance of the Student Council office.
It was the stern, bespectacled Horikita Manabu, and also Secretary Tachibana-senpai.
"Isn't this Hikigaya? What is your request today?"
After Horikita Manabu walked in, he glanced at Nagumo, then fixed his gaze on Hachiman and said.
This was rare for him.
Previously, he had wanted to invite Hikigaya to the Student Council, also with the intention of seeing if he could suppress Nagumo, but Hikigaya refused, recommending his classmate Kei Karuizawa instead.
He had practically given up the opportunity offered to him.
But now, it seemed.
It seemed that before he returned, these two had already begun to clash.
And Nagumo was quite annoyed by Hikigaya.
"I came to the Student Council today hoping that the Student Council President can handle things impartially." Hachiman said.
"Oh?" Horikita Manabu looked over.
"I want to report." Hachiman said.
"I want to report Ishizaki Daichi from Class D of Grade 1 for stealing the exam paper to be used for the exam on the 25th."
"..." Nagumo.
"..." Horikita Manabu.
Almost the moment Hikigaya spoke, Nagumo understood what he meant...
This was something that would offend people, and it was indeed better not to get involved.
....
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