Chapter 16: You're Pretty Smart, Aren't You?
The senpai looked at the boy with interest. Honestly, he was curious about what this freshman wanted to say.
Hikigaya gave a faint smile, lowering his voice so only the three of them could hear.
"Senpai, if I'm not mistaken, the so-called 100,000 points are a trap, right…?"
Hearing Hikigaya's words, the senpai's body trembled slightly, though he tried to remain composed.
"The 100,000 points are called base points, but in this school, they're judged through the S-Point evaluation system, which assesses a person's overall ability. If you're deemed a worthless zero, the school stops giving you points, and you end up eating these so-called relief meals, right?"
"Am I right, senpai?"
His guesses weren't entirely correct but hit the core issue. Knowing this, one would think that as long as they avoided violations and passed exams, they'd keep earning points.
But…
"Senpai, the A, B, C, D class rankings aren't random, are they…? They look random, but the school already knows everyone's abilities. Class D is probably a collection of all the defective students, right?"
Hikigaya's words made both the senpai and Hirata tremble.
"You… which class are you from?"
"Same as you, senpai. I am a Class D student. No need to be formal."
Through his observations, Hikigaya had even deduced the senpai's class.
Eating relief meals ruled out the top two classes, and even Class C could maintain a certain quality of life.
Hearing the boy's words, the senpai fell silent again.
"You don't need to answer my questions. If the school has a gag order, just don't speak. Now… I'll talk, you nod, and these 10,000 points are yours."
The boy's words shocked the two listeners for the third time.
Why… could he deduce all this just through observation? As a fellow Class D student, the senpai knew what kind of people were in his class, but… was this junior really from Class D?
This terrifying insight, observation, and deduction had probably seen through all his thoughts.
"No need to resist. Just make two simple gestures. The school can't hold you accountable, and… it benefits us both, doesn't it? You want these 10,000 points, right, senpai?"
This time, Hikigaya didn't wait for a response and spoke directly: "All our actions, including classroom violations, leaving early, arriving late, skipping class, or other behaviors, affect the class, right?"
The senpai nodded slightly, and Hirata saw it clearly.
"What matters most in this school isn't individual evaluations but class rankings. The higher the class, the more points they get, right?"
The senpai hesitated but nodded.
"And finally, the actions of other class members affect the entire class, right?"
The senpai seemed to recall some bad memories but gritted his teeth and nodded.
Having gotten his answers, Hikigaya and Hirata weren't the type to go back on their word. The 10,000 points were solely to convince Hirata, who wasn't foolish. With so many answers, he now understood that this school wasn't as wonderful as he'd thought.
It stung a bit—Hikigaya did feel some pain over losing 10,000 points. But if the class continued like this, they'd lose even more when next month's points were announced.
After bidding farewell to the senpai, Hirata looked at Hikigaya in disbelief.
Hirata: "You're pretty smart, aren't you?"
Hikigaya: "Hey, don't use the same tone you used on him. What, are you assimilating? Unless you give me points, I'm not nodding."
Hirata laughed heartily: "I've got my answers. Thanks, Hikigaya. Without you, our class would've faced a huge crisis next month. I'll make sure to tell everyone about what you did. You're not as antisocial as you seem."
Hikigaya: "No, don't. I did this for myself. I'm not some great person. I brought you here just to ensure my points don't hit zero next month."
"The class's situation is up to you. At least use your leadership to reduce everyone's violations."
After giving Hirata his final instructions, Hikigaya turned and headed toward the library.
For now, this matter was settled. All he had to do was get through these three years.
He wasn't interested in the differences between Classes A, B, C, and D. Having secured enough points to survive, whatever plans they had didn't concern him.
Finally, he had some time to himself. Since arriving at this school, Hikigaya had forgotten how long it had been since he last read a book properly.
To be honest, the school's library was impressively built, with a collection of books that could almost rival a national library… Truly worthy of a public school.
The boy wandered aimlessly through the library. With plenty of time, he could take his time choosing.
Of course, there was another important reason for coming here: he had discovered that this school didn't separate arts and sciences. For someone whose science grades were practically idiotic, this was a huge challenge. But Hikigaya wasn't one to sit idly by.
If he couldn't change the environment, he'd have to change himself. Though he knew his science grades would never be outstanding no matter how hard he studied, at least… he wouldn't end up like before, third from the bottom in his grade.
He picked up a basic math book, intending to find a quiet corner to study, but then he noticed a white-haired girl with a cane, seemingly searching for something.
Seeing her unsteady legs, as if she might fall at any moment, Hikigaya walked over.
( End of this chapter. )