Counselor's Office.
Shimizu Akira stared at Chabashira Sae's slightly trembling shoulders and suddenly realized he might have misjudged his homeroom teacher.
He glanced at his phone—only three minutes and thirty seconds had passed since he'd sent the distress message: "Hoshinomiya-sensei is targeting Class D."
And yet, here stood Chabashira-sensei, her hair slightly disheveled, her uniform collar askew from sprinting, her breathing still uneven from exertion.
Setting aside past grievances… at least this time, she actually stepped up to protect the class's interests.
"Chabashira-sensei," he said, "thank you for intervening so quickly."
The words struck like an unexpected spell, freezing Chabashira Sae mid-motion.
It had been far too long since she'd last heard gratitude like this—not since she'd adopted her infamous "hands-off" approach as homeroom teacher.
(No… if anything, most students barely tolerated her presence without outright hostility.)
Chabashira cleared her throat, swiftly regaining her composure.
"Shimizu-kun," she began, her voice laced with hesitation, "I overheard Hoshinomiya mention you sought out a second-year senior. Given your personality, I doubt you'd waste time on meaningless actions. Beyond the class division and point systems… have you already uncovered the other information the school deliberately conceals?"
Shimizu didn't hesitate. "...Yes."
If she'd already deduced this much, lying would be pointless.
"You're likely the first in Class D to piece together the hidden rules. So…" She straightened, her gaze sharpening. "I'm considering appointing you as class representative. Your thoughts?"
"I refuse." His reply was immediate, devoid of hesitation.
Chabashira's brow twitched. "Reason?"
"Because—" His tone remained flat. "I have no interest in being a blood bag."
The first month's class points had ended in a devastating zero—a chasm separating Class D from the others.
Shimizu calculated coldly: if he took on the role of class rep, he'd be dragged down by these hopeless classmates until there was nothing left.
"So… this is why you chose to withhold information from the class?" Chabashira mused.
Then, abruptly, she shifted tactics. "What if I made leading Class D a condition to avoid expulsion?"
"..." Shimizu's eyes narrowed. "That would violate the school's rules, wouldn't it? The chairman's goal is to nurture students with talent."
With deliberate calm, he nudged Horikita Suzune half a step forward. "Besides, this is Horikita Senpai's little sister. Should I contact the Student Council president right now to report this… ill-advised threat of yours?"
He'd heard the rumors—the Student Council president's authority even surpassed that of the faculty.
Horikita Suzune stiffened, then shot him a glare sharp enough to flay skin—how dare he use her as a shield?
Yet she lifted her chin, voice icy. "...Chabashira-sensei. Given your experience, I'd expect you to avoid such foolish decisions."
"The Student Council president… is your brother?" Chabashira's gaze flickered between them before settling in realization. "Ah. The Horikita name is uncommon."
"...I wasn't seriously threatening you." Her tone softened slightly.
(A lie. The thought had crossed her mind—but in this era, transferring schools was hardly a life-ending crisis for a high schooler.*)
More importantly…
She observed Shimizu's reaction with hidden scrutiny.
This was nothing more than a calculated test, like a chemistry teacher gauging a student's reflexes with reagents.
And the result? Exactly as she'd predicted.
Chabashira tapped the desk with a fingertip. "What if I offered to buy class intel from you for 1 million points—on the condition you share it with your classmates?"
Shimizu froze.
The proposal itself was shocking enough, but what truly stunned him was the source.
This notoriously indifferent teacher was voluntarily intervening in inter-class warfare? It contradicted everything he knew of her "laissez-faire" persona.
"Sensei's suddenly… interested in class competition?" His eyes sharpened. "Enough to spend 1 million points?"
"Don't look at me like that." Chabashira's voice remained cool. "Like you, I've no intention of being a sucker."
She slid a document from her bag, tapping a single line. "Since this is class-wide strategic intel, I'll hold a meeting tomorrow. 25,000 points per student—though your share comes from my personal funds."
A pause. "The condition is simple: you leak the intel naturally to Kushida Kikyō or Hirata Yōsuke—or announce it yourself. Only one of you three may disclose it."
"Well?" Chabashira leaned in slightly, fingers drumming the desk. "You get paid. The class bears the cost. No need for you to step forward."
A faint smirk curled her lips. "By any measure, this is a fair transaction, no? Accept now, and I'll transfer the 1 million points immediately."
Shimizu's gaze lingered on his phone screen, the digits glowing coldly—1,000,000 points, obtained effortlessly.
He rubbed his chin, mentally weighing the trade.
Intel bought for 10,000 points, now sold for 100 times that. A profit by any metric.
He'd initially worried about collecting from Class D—yet Chabashira had preemptively paid in full.
(Meaning… she plans to play the villain herself, extorting 25,000 points from each student as "intel fees.")
(Wait—can teachers openly collect class funds? What if someone reports her?)
"...Deal." He nodded at last. "It is a fair trade."
Chabashira chuckled, tucking the document away. "A wise choice. Then, I'll await your good news."
…
As the transaction concluded, Chabashira suddenly turned, as if noticing Horikita for the first time.
"Ah, right—" She tapped the desk, facing the silent observer. "Anything you wish to ask?"