"And now—we will begin this year's first special exam."
Hey there. I'm a sugar baby who used up all the allowance I saved for two months on a trip with Arisu-chan. And for the record, I don't regret it at all.
Anyway, putting my self-introduction aside, the special exam is about to begin, just as we expected.
"Huh? A special exam? What do you mean?"
The one who said that was Ike-kun, one of the three idiots in our glorious Class D. However, he wasn't the only one with that question; almost every class started buzzing.
"The duration is one week, starting now. It will end at noon on August 7th. For the next week, your exam will be to live as a group on this uninhabited island. I'll tell you upfront that this special exam is practical and realistic, created with real-life corporate training in mind."
It seemed that Mashima-sensei had no intention of waiting for the students to calm down and just kept listing the details of the exam. He's probably used to this kind of situation.
"Living on an uninhabited island... Does that mean we'll be staying on this island instead of the ship?"
"That's right. You will not be allowed to board the ship during the exam without a valid reason. At the start, each class will be given two tents, two flashlights, and one box of matches. In addition, there is no limit on sunscreen, and one toothbrush will be provided to each of you. As a special exception, sanitary products will be allowed without limit for girls only. That is all."
"That is all" means nothing else will be provided. If you're told to spend a week on an uninhabited island with such meager supplies, you'd probably have one or two complaints.
"What?! Are you serious?! A real uninhabited island survival thing?! I've never heard of such a ridiculous thing! This isn't some anime or manga! Two tents aren't enough for everyone to sleep in! And what about food, for starters?! This is insane!"
Ike-kun raised his voice so loudly that it echoed throughout the area. Well, it's not surprising to react that way after only hearing that explanation.
"It's only a week. I wonder if Arisu-chan will be lonely and die."
"You're not a rabbit. Hey, let me focus on what he's saying. Is it okay with you if I get expelled, Tsugumi?"
"You have no intention of getting expelled anyway."
Even amid all the chaos, Ayanokōji-kun and I were completely calm. That's because we had already predicted the existence of this special exam. Logically speaking, I can't imagine Chabashira-sensei would threaten us for no reason right before summer vacation. And then there's the vacation on an uninhabited island, and the phrase "learning to swim will definitely come in handy" that was said during our swimming class. It would be strange not to suspect a connection.
"But, Sensei. It's summer vacation right now. We were brought here under the pretense of a trip. I don't think corporate training would be a sneak attack like this."
A student from some class, who seemed to be displeased, talked back like that.
"I see. Your understanding isn't wrong in that regard. It's understandable that you have complaints. But don't worry. You don't need to think too deeply about the special exam. For the next week, you can swim in the ocean or have a barbecue. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a campfire and talk with your friends. The theme of this special exam is 'freedom.'"
...Oh, "freedom," huh? They're doing something pretty cool. These teachers. The teachers' seemingly contradictory statement—that the exam's reality is "freedom" despite being called an exam—only deepened the students' confusion.
"As a major premise for the special exam on this uninhabited island, each class will be given 300 points for the exam. And—"
---To summarize what the teacher said, it was as follows:
Each class will be given 300 points for the exam.These points can be used to purchase various supplies, including water, food, and tents. The points needed for each item are listed in the manual that will be provided."The points remaining at the end of the exam will all be converted into class points and be reflected after summer vacation."
If it were just the first two points, we would have just used the points for fun and it would have been over. But this school's exams aren't that easy.
"If we endure for a week... our allowance will increase significantly starting next month, right!?"
That's right, this isn't a competition of academic ability, but of "endurance." If we endure by resisting our basic desires, we might be able to get closer to the top classes. Ike-kun's words aren't just a dream.
"This is an interesting exam, Ayanokōji-kun."
"Yeah. Unlike exams based on academic ability, like written tests, we have a chance here."
After all, we can't beat Class A on a test, no matter how hard we try.
"One manual will be given to each class. It can be reissued if lost, but it will cost you points, so please keep it safe. Also, the student from Class A who was absent from this trip—the rules of the special exam state that a class will be penalized with minus 30 points if a student drops out due to poor health or other reasons. Therefore, Class A will be starting with 270 points."
Wow. That's a bummer, Arisu-chan.
---After that, the dismissal was announced, and we gathered under Chabashira-sensei, our Class D homeroom teacher.
"30,000 yen starting next month, 30,000 yen starting next month, 30,000 yen starting next month... Let's do this!"
Ike and the other boys raised their fists in victory. The girls also looked happy and started discussing what to buy. I understand how they feel. I would have been broke if I hadn't become a rental boyfriend. I'm so glad I'm good-looking.
"Chabashira-sensei. We are to live on this island for a week from now on, but does that mean we have to manage everything ourselves unless we use points?"
"That's right. The school will not be involved at all. You will have to prepare your own food and water. The same goes for the lack of tents; figuring out a solution is also part of the exam. It's none of my concern."
Chabashira-sensei answered Hirata-kun's question flatly. The girls are in for a rough time. Ike-kun is on the other side, huffing and puffing, determined to save money, so it looks like there will be some trouble.
"Unfortunately, Ike, things might not go according to your plan. Open the manual you were given... on the last page, you will find the negative assessment criteria. Read that first. It contains very important information that symbolizes this special exam. It's up to you to make the most of it or to fail."
---The manual listed the following under the heading "The following will be subject to the specified penalties."
Those who become significantly ill or seriously injured and are deemed unable to continue will be penalized with minus 30 points. They will also be disqualified.If acts that pollute the environment are discovered, minus 20 points.If a student is absent from the roll call held every day at 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM, minus 5 points per person.If acts of violence, looting, or property damage are committed against other classes, the student's class will be immediately disqualified, and all of the individual's private points will be confiscated.
"You can do something reckless if you want, but if 10 students fall ill, all your endurance and effort will go down the drain. Once you are deemed to have dropped out, you cannot return to the exam. You should be prepared for that if you plan on pushing yourself, Ike."
Well, those are fair rules. This is a school exam, after all. It would be a nightmare if students started fighting each other. But even with that in mind, this might be "useful."
"Ayanokōji-kun. What do you think of this exam at this point?"
"It's 7 days long. If we were to ambush one person a day, we could make a class's points go to zero."
"Did you read it properly? If an act of violence is discovered, you'll be immediately disqualified."
"It's fine as long as you don't get caught."
That's not the point! Good grief, the fact that he could actually do it makes it even scarier.
"That's a last resort. For now, let's do this peacefully."
"...Right."
Ayanokōji-kun looked like he wanted to say something. You were the one who brought it up, so don't look at me like, "Huh? Are you seriously considering it?" As for me, there was something else that was more appealing, but that probably won't work out so well either.
While we were having that exchange, the argument between Ike-kun and the girls that I was worried about had already begun.
"You can just put up with a cardboard box for a toilet. It's not something to argue about, Shinohara."
"Don't be ridiculous. This has nothing to do with you guys. A cardboard toilet is absolutely impossible."
"It's up to you to decide. I have nothing to say. But remember, you're not allowed to relieve yourselves in the ocean, a river, or randomly in the forest."
After giving that warning, the teacher calmly tried to move on to the next topic.
"A-A cardboard box is impossible! And the guys are going to be nearby, right? That's so gross!"
Shinohara-san, who was not convinced, yelled that at the boys, especially at Ike-kun.
"Now, now, let's calm down and listen to the end, okay? Don't you think it's better to not have this conversation while standing in this sweltering heat?"
I wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible, so I stepped between the two and tried to mediate.
"But... is that okay, Saitō-kun?! To let your beloved Horikita-san go through this!"
"...Why is my name coming up?"
He got me there.
"I promise we'll talk properly later. Please, Shinohara-san."
I took both of Shinohara-san's hands, leaned in, and pleaded with her. A while ago, Ayanokōji-kun called me the male version of Kushida, and that annoyed me, but maybe he wasn't completely wrong.
"O-Okay! Okay, let go of me!"
"That's great. Thank you, Shinohara-san!"
It would be creepy to do that to a regular friend, but I'm happy that Shinohara-san thinks I'm super cool. I think she used to be a Yōsuke-kun fan, but since he's with Karuizawa-san now, she probably became a fan of me, a free agent.
"Oh my! We held hands...! I hope my hands weren't sweaty..."
"...Why was it necessary to hold hands?"
"That's just how Tsugumi is, it's like a sickness. You'll get a stomach ache if you worry about it too much."
Well, I hate to say it, but if you want to date me, what you need is money, money. You're not bad-looking, so work hard and earn some cash.
"...Is the conversation over? Now, I will explain the additional rules."
"A-Additional rules? There's more...?"
"Soon, you will be given permission to move freely on this island, but there are several locations on the island that have been set up as spots—"
---The story is ridiculously long, so I'll summarize it. Chabashira-sensei's points were as follows:
There are spots all over the island, and only the class that occupies it can use it.How a class uses a spot is up to them, but the right of occupancy is only valid for 8 hours. After that, they have to occupy it again.You can get a bonus of 1 point for each spot you occupy.You need a special key card to occupy a spot.You get 1 point for each occupancy. You can freely use the occupied spot.If you use a spot occupied by another class without permission, you will be penalized with 50 points.Only the designated leader can use the key card.You cannot change the leader without a valid reason.
At first glance, you might think the leader just has to run around and occupy spots, but the troublesome rule was the one that followed.
On the final day, the 7th day, you will be given the right to guess the leader of another class. If you guess correctly, you will get +50 points, and the class that was guessed will get a penalty of -50 points. The bonus points of the guessed class will also become 0. If you guess incorrectly, your class will be penalized with -50 points.
"Without exception, you must decide on one leader. However, whether you choose to participate or not is up to you. If you're not greedy, you won't be known as a leader. Report to me once you've decided on a leader. At that time, I will give you a key card with the leader's name engraved on it. The time limit is until tonight's roll call. If you don't decide by then, I will decide for you. That is all."
After hearing these additional rules, I was certain. The key to this exam is information on the other classes' leaders. If Arisu-chan had been able to participate in this exam, she would have been a formidable opponent.
"We have time to decide on a leader, so let's think about that later. For now, we should decide where to set up our base camp. Should we stay on the beach or go into the forest... shouldn't we think about the spots after that?"
Nice, Yōsuke. Perfect timing. Let's move before Shinohara-san and the others start making a fuss.
"Ah! I know a really good spot, so come with me. I'll carry the tents."
When I effortlessly picked up the two tents, which weighed about 15 kg, everyone let out an "oh" of admiration. At times like these, I'm grateful to my parents for giving me a strong body.
"Alright, let's go!"
And as I turned around, I gave Ayanokōji-kun a look. As we entered the dense forest and the attention of our classmates was on us, he quietly disappeared.
Good... it's all going according to plan. I'm counting on you, Ayanokōji-kun.
---Because besides Class D's overwhelming victory, we have one more goal.
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