Classes—for the most part—went on without a hitch. Of course, only if you overlooked the insults and gossip here and there, but it wasn't anything too hard to handle.
At any rate, before long the bell rang, indicating it was time for the lunch break.
Despite it being lunch break, I didn't start eating my meal—well, I didn't bring food anyway, but I also didn't go to the cafeteria.
I just stayed in my seat and fiddled with my phone and waited for a bit.
I suppose five minutes is enough.
I then stood up from my seat and went to Jackson-sensei's faculty room.
It wasn't far from the classroom; it was on the second floor, and the classroom was close to the staircase. On arrival, I gave a few knocks.
Clank, Clank, Clank.
I waited for a while, but there was no answer. It was as if she wasn't in there.
Hasn't she come back? It would be a pain to have to come back again.
I knocked on her door again.
Clank, Clank, Clank.
There was still no response.
How isn't she back yet? It's been five minutes—no, seven by now—yet she's not here.
Or is she…
It was then I noticed there was an intercom just like the one found at the front of our rooms.
She probably saw who it was and didn't want to answer because it was me.
"Heugh," I sighed as I pressed the button of the intercom so she would hear me. "Could you let me in? Please?"
No response.
This woman really is something, huh?
"Just this once, please?"
I considered leaving and coming later because, after all, she couldn't do this forever.
However, I considered against it because of how much of a hassle it would be and just continued knocking until—
"Can't you take a hint?" Jackson-sensei said, opening her door.
"Can I come in?"
"No," she glared. "Now leave."
She was about to slam the door, but my foot was in the door, and now she couldn't close it.
"Can I come in?" I asked again.
She glared at me for a while before realizing I wouldn't remove my foot and then answered.
"Do whatever you want."
With that I was now in her faculty room. She sat on her chair at a desk with exasperation written all over her face.
"What do you want, Nakamura?"
"I want information."
"I presume you mean on the special test."
I nodded in affirmation.
"I've already given the class all the info I can."
"Is that right?"
"Yes, that's right," she answered while opening a can of beer.
"Is that beer?"
"Yes, it is," she said calmly, like as if she was simply telling the time.
This woman is opening a can of beer in front of a student? I don't know if she's fearless or just plain stupid.
Anyway, while there was very little reason for her to lie, I still wanted to be absolutely sure before proceeding with what I was about to do.
I mean, after all, if I was wrong, then I would be making a huge mistake—rather I would start a development that I wasn't meant to start.
"Jackson-sensei, what does the school mean by 'suitable'?"
"I'm sure I made it clear that it's against the rules to answer that question."
"But there are no cameras here, right?"
The faculty room of teachers had no cameras; that was why I was able to grab Jackson-sensei's collar last time.
It was a questionable system but understandable, because this was also a lounge.
"That doesn't mean I will be willing to tell you about that."
"Because I raped Suzuki, right?"
"…"
"Haven't you been wondering why I haven't been expelled?"
"No, I haven't," she answered without missing a beat, taking a sip of her beer.
Oh, I see.
I expected her to react when I made mention of Suzuki and my expulsion, but she reacted to neither of them.
It was strange, quite strange indeed.
She knows, doesn't she?
It seemed she knew I didn't rape Suzuki and didn't want to tell me because of another reason I wasn't aware of.
"So, then you know I didn't rape Suzuki, and you're just hating me unjustly, right?"
"It's not unjust," she said. "You don't deserve Father's respect."
She quietly muttered the last part, but I happened to hear it loud and clear.
"Father?"
"…Forget about that. At any rate, I won't tell you what you want to know."
I silently considered who this 'Father' could be and then realized who Father was and why she was acting like this.
"So, you met the chairman, I assume," I grinned.
"Huh?"
Father could only be someone who knew me and therefore could only be one person—the chairman.
I came to that conclusion because she said I had earned his respect, and there was no one that was a staff member that I had any memorable experiences with except the chairman.
As for why she was acting like this, it was because she was angry that I earned his respect, or so she said, and as for why she knew that, well, I just guessed she went to see him.
So her dad is the chairman, huh?
"To be honest, I don't care about you and your dad's relationship or whatever. All I want is the information I came for."
"Information I won't give."
Well, it was expected you wouldn't agree easily. It seems I can only do 'that'.
By 'that' I was referring to the development I shouldn't be doing.
"What about if I pay you?" I asked.
"What are you babbling about? Like I would take your Rp."
"No point in denying it; I know that teachers also use reputation points to make purchases."
I came to this conclusion after I finished my assessment on teachers.
I had unconsciously started the assessment since the time I heard that the student council was above teachers—during the class debacle.
After I got expelled, I gathered all the information I got to start an assessment, and I finished that assessment today.
When I was mentally arranging my assessment, I happened to remember the time I went partying with Kagura and when I had to carry her to the dorm.
During that time, I forgot my phone in a karaoke room, and a stranger bought the perfume for me.
Though I didn't see the person's face, there was a strong indication that they were a teacher or at least an academic staff member because the train closed by 9 PM, and Kagura's friends couldn't have come to the convenience store before I had.
Moreover, they couldn't be a miscellaneous worker because they would probably be doing their job, and if they were a part of the administrative staff, they would probably be in their living quarters too.
Of course, there was a possibility they weren't and were just some other person—I could be wrong, and if I was, then that would be that.
"Let's say you were right," Jackson-sensei said. "What would I—"
"Gain?" I completed her words. "Aside from the money, I would also help the class from this point on."
"I thought you said that you wouldn't; why did you change your mind?"
"…"
"Unfortunately, I can't give you that information."
"That so? Are you afraid that you'll get caught?"
Of course, I was recording this conversation just in case, but I didn't like the thought of blackmail, so it was just a backup plan.
"Yes, I'm scared shitless."
Her words didn't match her expression.
"So you're saying a trade like this has never been done."
"Yes."
I completely doubted that. If that was true, then she would have at least been more surprised than this, but it was possible that she wasn't lying.
"This conversation is going nowhere," I sighed. "I came here to bribe you; it's that plain and simple."
"…"
"Alright, if I can't get the information, I'll get it from another teacher," I said, standing up.
Truth be told, I'm bluffing.
"Huh?" Jackson-sensei was shocked.
I already knew that this plan would work the moment she didn't say a word after I mentioned a bribe.
"Wait," she said, holding my shirt—allowing me not to leave. "How much are you willing to give?"
I did the numbers and saw that on average a student in our class had 38,000 Rp (for those confused, 1,900 (the class's Crp) times 10 times 100 divided by 50 (number of students in a class) was 38,000), while Class Alpha had 104,000 Rp on average.
It was safe to assume that the homeroom teacher of the lowest-ranked class would be in the same financial situation as the students.
"I'm willing to give 10,000," I said.
"30 is the lowest I'll go."
"Then that's that," I continued to walk away.
"H-How about 25,000?"
I didn't answer and continued walking.
"What of 20,000?"
I still remained silent; I had arrived at the door and was about to leave.
"15,000 is the lowest I can go!"
"…Alright then, let's hear what you can tell me," I said, sitting on her couch.
"Heugh," she gave a sigh of relief. "So, what do you want to know?"
"Firstly, are the questions kept in your office?"
"No, they're kept in a separate building that's close to the management office. Though they will be moved to the special building on the day of the exam."
By special building, she was referring to the building where clubs were held—well, except for Matsumoto's calligraphy club.
"Ok then. Now, about how the 'suitable' questions?"
"Basically, the questions just have to be academic questions; anything that isn't academic will be rejected."
"That leads me to my next question. How much do academic scores matter, and how are they even prepared?"
"They matter for about half of your grade, and besides the midterm special test, other tests of academics are prepared at the discretion of the teacher."
"So, the midterm special test is always academic?"
"That's enough questions; leave my office."
It seemed I had overstayed my welcome; I paid for the allotted price and left for the door. When I opened the door, Jackson-sensei asked me a question.
"Are you really going to help the class?"
"Who knows," I answered.
I did plan on passing this special test, but if I just continued to help the class like that, then they wouldn't really change.
I had to come up with a way to help, though I really didn't think I should.
Coming up with a plan to help was a challenge, sure, but even if I did.
I would probably have to reveal myself in the process, and that was an issue considering I was someone who still chose to be useless.
***
Author's Note:
I thought you said you wanted to survive, Eiya, so why still be useless?
Anyway, remember to comment, share, and leave a review. Thanks for reading the chapter and see you in the next one.