The concept of stability varies from one era to another, and from one situation to another. In ancient times, stability was associated with securing food and warmth, whereas in our current era it is linked to work, employment, and family. In short, stability means the absence of any problem that could shake one's sense of security.
In our case, stability means the disappearance of any conflicts within the class, and everyone's compliance—even if they are only putting in the minimum effort, such as arriving on time and paying attention during lessons. Even so, this is far better compared to the state we were in during the first week.
No one caused any trouble after the Karuizawa incident and Yukinoshita's intervention.
Ah… even Hirata was careful to apologize in front of everyone for his aggressive behavior. No one objected, and they accepted his apology easily. After all, Hirata is still the bright, well-liked boy admired by everyone.
If I did something like that, they would probably demand my expulsion along with a financial penalty for causing them psychological harm.
Anyway, it's a good thing his apology was accepted. No matter what happens, he still plays an essential role in the class and has his influence.
Class D continued with the same routine until the end of the month approached, along with the exams.
There was no fear or tension among the students. As Chabashira-sensei said, these exams wouldn't affect us—they were more like trial tests.
I think the purpose of this exam is to determine the class's academic level, measure their progress after entering the school, and identify the areas where students struggle or lack proficiency.
I'm not sure… just speculation.
Although we were tested in all subjects—which is somewhat exhausting—I managed to study seriously for all of them, even mathematics. Komachi would probably be happy if she heard that… no, she'd likely be shocked and say something like, "Where is the real Onii-chan?"
This school starts changing you from the very first month… it's truly effective.
All the students passed the exam without any problems. The questions weren't very difficult; if you studied well, you could solve most of them.
Even so, I'm not sure about the results, since most of Class D don't seem interested in studying.
There's no point in thinking about that now—the first day of the new month has already arrived. We've spent an entire month here in this school, which is unlike any experience I've had before.
I was lying on my back in bed, thinking… it's all over now. The day has come when everything will be revealed. Will the school finally explain everything about this system, or will they settle for vague statements?
Anyway, today the monthly allowance will be deposited for all students. Naturally, it varies from class to class, but I can't determine exactly how much we'll receive. It's like the culmination of everything we've done over the past month. I don't expect our class ranking to change so quickly… we're still Class D—the worst.
Personally, I prepared myself for the worst. I won't be surprised no matter how low the amount is—but the rest of the students…
I reached out to grab my phone. It was time to know the truth. There's no room for speculation anymore.
I remained in the same position on the bed, lying on my back, and raised the phone above my face before opening the information screen.
Everything was still the same as on the first day: my name, my picture, some personal information… and the point counter, which had already changed…
Huh…
"Impossible…" My eyes widened in shock. I couldn't tell whether I was truly awake or still dreaming.
My grip loosened, and the phone I was holding in the air fell straight onto my face.
A sharp pain struck my forehead, making me realize that I wasn't dreaming.
This… this is unbelievable.
I quickly sat up on the bed, staring at the phone, trying to process what I had just seen.
Suddenly, the phone vibrated in my hands. I panicked and almost dropped it.
Damn it, why am I so nervous?
I held it firmly and steadied it. It seemed the call was from Yukinoshita… she must have found out. That's only natural—everyone will know.
I quickly pressed the green button and placed the phone against my ear.
"G-good morning…" I heard Yukinoshita's calm voice through the phone. So that's what she sounds like when she wakes up.
"Ah, good morning…" I don't know why I suddenly felt heat rush to my face. This isn't the right time for that.
"Hikigaya-kun, have you checked your points?" Yukinoshita sounded as if she was trying to confirm whether I had seen it already.
I think everyone will be doing the same thing today.
"Yes… I saw it… what do you think?" For me, the result was shocking. I don't know how she feels about it or what she was expecting.
"It really surprised me… it's beyond expectations." The shock was still evident in her voice.
"Yeah… only for us." I think our classmates were expecting a higher result.
"You're right… this might cause another wave of chaos in the class." Yukinoshita seemed to be thinking about the problems the class might face again.
They might start blaming each other. More than that, they'll be shocked by a system far more complex than just points and a monthly allowance.
"We'll deal with that later. Class D has achieved the best possible result."
My words weren't just to comfort her or downplay the problem we might face. Earning 50,000 points is considered the best possible outcome for Class D. We reduced the damage by 50%.
Even if I were extremely optimistic, I wouldn't have imagined a result like this.
This is truly better than nothing.