Seeing Hikigaya thinking to this extent, Hoshinomiya, who originally wanted to slack off, became serious.
"Hoshinomiya-sensei," Hikigaya said with some doubt, "How many people had the right to free employment last year?"
Since Hoshinomiya couldn't answer directly, he changed the angle. As long as he knew last year's situation, he could roughly deduce the specific conditions required for free employment.
"Hmm," Hoshinomiya avoided the topic, blinking her beautiful eyes. "By the way, Hikigaya-kun, why are you answering me? Are you really not charmed by your teacher?"
"Hahaha..." Hikigaya gave a dry laugh.
For a moment, he couldn't tell if she was unable to answer due to rule restrictions or if this unreliable teacher was intentionally being a goofball.
"Fine, since you've considered this point," Hoshinomiya puffed out her cheeks unhappily, then sighed and said, "Then I can answer. Only those in Class A have the right to free employment."
It wasn't much of a surprise. After all, this was one of the possibilities he had anticipated. If only Class A has the opportunity for free employment, there must be a corresponding upward channel.
"Then how many ways are there to rise to Class A?" Hikigaya asked, not caring much.
Since he couldn't be expelled, he still wanted to obtain this power as much as possible. Since he was already in Class B, and the class had excellent existences like Ichinose Honami and Kanzaki, becoming Class A should only be a matter of time.
He would just honestly cling to Ichinose's thigh.
"That's a really cunning way of asking," Hoshinomiya curled her lip.
Instead of asking how to rise to Class A, he directly asked how many ways there were. It was too underhanded.
"Cunning or whatever, Teacher is really being excessive," Hikigaya said with a serious face. "This is just finding the answer in the most efficient way. Even the police choose the most efficient methods; rather, this is the correct choice."
"Furthermore, considering Hoshinomiya-sensei might not be able to answer, I specifically used this way of inquiring so Teacher could answer at your discretion. Rather, I used this way of questioning specifically to be considerate of Teacher."
It wasn't him being clever.
"Hmm?" Hoshinomiya Chie froze for a moment.
She realized this guy had a habit of being stubborn; he was a truly irritating brat. He deserved a hitting!
"You just need to listen to Teacher's words," Hoshinomiya tapped his head lightly with her book board, then raised her snow-white chin proudly:
"There are two ways to rise to Class A. I can't tell you the first one yet. For the second, as long as you collect 20 million... points, you can obtain the right to transfer classes."
"I see. Hoshinomiya-sensei, you just said a... what point? What does that mean?"
"I didn't."
"You clearly said it!"
"I said I didn't, so I didn't," Hoshinomiya stood with hands on her hips, her slender body leaning forward slightly as her beautiful eyes glared at Hikigaya Hachiman.
"Uh..." Hikigaya considered himself not without emotional intelligence.
Obviously, Hoshinomiya had hit some kind of taboo and accidentally let it slip.
A... point.
The number of words starting with "individual" or "class" was limited. The only thing he could think of was "individual points," so the corresponding term would likely be a collective representative. Class or grade—the only thing they could rise to was Class A.
Clearly, it was Class Points and Individual Points.
According to Ichinose and the others' speculations, the monthly individual points are uncertain and are likely affected by Class Points. It's just that the ratio isn't clear yet.
"Alright," Hikigaya conceded, "So, Teacher, was that on purpose or an accident?"
To be a teacher at such a top-tier school, one is undoubtedly a social elite. It was hard to imagine the excellent Hoshinomiya-sensei being "accidental."
Hoshinomiya's eyes glared, and she raised her book board as if to strike.
"I was wrong," Hikigaya leaned back and quickly surrendered. "But with 100,000 a month, that's only 3.6 million in three years. 20 million... whatever points—no matter how you think about it, it's impossible. Are there other ways to get points? How many kinds? Has anyone collected 20 million before?"
"Why do you have so many questions?" Hoshinomiya glared again.
"Isn't it common sense to ask the teacher if there's a problem?" Hikigaya argued stubbornly. "By the way, isn't it the teacher's duty to answer for students?"
"Don't ask! If you ask again, I'll get angry!" Hoshinomiya's eyes rounded. Her pink, beautiful eyes were like sparkling gems, making her look somewhat cute instead.
The man in front of her had amazing insight and was far too sharp.
20 million individual points. It was just a habit; she had accidentally let it slip just now. It was only the first day of school. If she let him keep asking, she might actually violate the rules. That would result in a bonus deduction.
"Understood."
Feeling that Hoshinomiya was really getting a bit angry, Hikigaya immediately prepared to leave: "The entrance ceremony is about to start. I'll head out first."
With that, Hikigaya quickly turned to leave. It turns out teachers are this scary when they get angry.
"Stop right there. Come back here," Hoshinomiya shouted. She felt she had learned how to handle this student.
"Yes!" Hikigaya conceded again, returning to Hoshinomiya with a forced smile: "Hoshinomiya-sensei, is there anything else?"
"Hmph hmph. You don't think Teacher would just let you go like that, do you?"
Saying this, Hoshinomiya raised her book board to strike. Hikigaya quickly closed his eyes and ducked his head, preparing to take the hit.
He might as well let her hit him once to vent her anger. After all, she looked to be in her 20s, nearing menopause; it was normal to have a big temper.
Hikigaya was thinking maliciously when he heard a soft, waxy murmur in his ear, breathing like an orchid:
"Teacher doesn't hate cunning boys like you."
Hikigaya instantly snapped his eyes open. Close to his ear, Hoshinomiya Chie had her hands clasped behind her back, swaying her body as she stepped back. The air was filled with a lily-like fragrance.
"See you later, Hikigaya-kun."
Hoshinomiya placed her hands behind her and backed away step by step, not turning to leave until she was several meters away.
Looking at her departing back, Hikigaya's face turned a bit red. As a man with a lot of dark history who had never had a girlfriend, that scene just now was too stimulating.
If it were his middle school self, he would have confessed instantly and then been rejected! He would definitely be rejected!
Eighty percent of men in the world harbor the stupid thought of "Does she like me?" As a veteran loner, it was naturally impossible for him to fall into the same pit a second time.
However... how to put it... he was still not very good at dealing with this teacher.