Horikita Suzune had originally decided that she would no longer believe anything written in the diary.
From the moment her brother coldly said "Who?" back then, she had completely cleared out whatever trust she had left in it.
But last night's diary contained one particular line.
"Class D is trash."
The instant she saw those words, she subconsciously recalled what her brother had said when they met yesterday.
"I heard you got into Class D."
Why had he asked that back then?
Why had he looked like that?
What had he wanted to say?
And why had he said nothing in the end?
Was it… because he was disappointed in her?
Her neat upper teeth bit down on her lower lip as Horikita Suzune stared blankly into space.
Even though she kept telling herself that the diary was all lies…
At this moment, she couldn't help but believe that it might be telling the truth.
Tossing and turning, she suffered from insomnia once again.
By the time the sun rose the next morning, her mind was still filled with the diary's words.
The privileges only Class A could enjoy.
Class D is trash.
And… the first month's special exam has already begun.
She didn't want to be fooled again.
But the moment she saw those lines, it was impossible for her to completely ignore them.
So, before class, she went to the teachers' office and found Class D's homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae.
"Is it true that only Class A gets the school's guaranteed employment recommendations?" she asked directly.
Chabashira Sae, whom she had stopped on the way to class, raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Ten thousand points," she replied calmly. "Ten thousand personal points, and I'll answer."
Finding out on the third day…
Maybe it wasn't too late yet.
"...Why?" Horikita Suzune froze.
She had assumed that as long as she asked her homeroom teacher, she would get an answer.
She hadn't expected this response instead.
The teacher was asking a student for money?
"Hmm? Didn't I say this already?" Seeing that Horikita didn't understand, Chabashira, who had seemed interested at first, now looked a little disappointed. She repeated what she had said on the first day.
"In this school, there's nothing you can't buy with points."
In other words, nothing came without a price.
"If you want answers, you have to pay an equivalent cost."
That was already a very direct hint.
If Horikita couldn't pick up on it, there was nothing she could do.
What disappointed Chabashira was that after a brief silence, Horikita Suzune took out her terminal.
She really intended to pay.
Chabashira Sae: "..."
So there really was a reason she had been placed in Class D.
Any student with a brain should have understood the answer the moment she named the price.
…Whatever.
Without saying anything else, Chabashira expressionlessly accepted the ten thousand points and nodded.
"Yes."
"Then… does the school divide students into different classes based on evaluations?" Horikita hesitated, choosing this wording instead of directly asking, "Does the school see Class D as trash?"
"Ten thousand points," Chabashira replied calmly again.
So Horikita transferred the points once more.
"Yes."
"What is the first month's special exam…?" For the third question, Horikita was already prepared to transfer points.
"..." Chabashira let out a quiet sigh. "Two hundred thousand points."
Horikita was just about to enter ten thousand when her hand suddenly stopped.
As if she couldn't believe the number she'd heard, she looked up at her teacher.
"Two hundred thousand points." Chabashira's flat tone confirmed she hadn't misheard.
Clutching her terminal, Horikita bit her lip.
"I can't afford it," she said.
If you can't afford it, ask your classmates.
If you can't afford it, break it into smaller questions.
If you can't afford it, why are you standing here?
Chabashira didn't even want to complain in her head anymore, but Horikita's behavior still made her curse inwardly.
She looked so academically capable, yet she was so stubborn.
"I know you can't afford it," Chabashira said. "But today's price won't change."
"You can come back and ask me in a few days."
Then it would be cheaper.
The price changed every day.
The first day was the peak, and today was already the third.
"...I understand." Horikita lowered her head and put away her terminal. "I'll find a way."
Find a way? What way?
Chabashira almost wanted to curse out loud.
Calm down. Calm down.
After teaching Class D for so many years, she should be used to this by now.
Wasn't it precisely because she was used to it that she never did anything?
"...Give me another ten thousand."
Even though she told herself that, seeing Horikita about to turn away, Chabashira couldn't help speaking up.
She shouldn't have asked students for points on her own initiative.
She regretted it almost the moment the words left her mouth.
But as if afraid Chabashira might change her mind, Horikita transferred the points without hesitation.
"...The exam is conducted by class," Chabashira said softly, looking at the credited points, giving her the last hint she could.
She waved her hand.
"Alright, go back to class. You're going to be late."
If only Horikita could realize that was also a hint.
But that was impossible.
A defective product was a defective product.
Brushing past Horikita's motionless figure, Chabashira quickly disappeared down the corridor.
Only Horikita remained, her ears still echoing with those words, lost in thought.
"By class…" she murmured.
After a moment, she raised her hands and patted her cheeks.
No point overthinking it.
For now, she had to go back to class.
The first period was about to start.
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