10.1
Narrator: Ike Kanji (MC)
The soft hum of the Speranza cruiser's engine was almost imperceptible, a constant vibration that had become the backdrop of our existence for the last two days.
I walked down the carpeted hallway of the guest deck, adjusting the collar of my school uniform. After days of wearing a tracksuit and casual clothes, returning to the uniform felt strangely restrictive, as if the school were putting a collar on us again to remind us who we belonged to.
"Damn it, this collar is tight," Sudō complained beside me, pulling at his own tie in frustration. "Why do we have to wear the uniform for a group meeting? We're on vacation, aren't we?"
I let out a light laugh, shoving my hands into my trouser pockets with practiced nonchalance.
"Technically, Ken, the email said the exam started today. And you know this school: they love formality before throwing us to the lions. Besides, you look sharp. Maybe you'll impress some girl from another class."
Sudō snorted, but ran a hand through his slicked-back red hair, clearly not displeased by the idea.
"As if I care about girls from other classes. I only have eyes for Suzune."
"Sure, sure, the faithful dog," I teased, earning a playful shove on the shoulder that almost sent me into the wall.
This guy didn't know his own strength.
"But seriously," Sudō commented, "Why does our group of all people have to be the 'Cow' one? What are we? Cattle?"
"Moo," I said deadpan.
Sudō punched me on the arm, but laughed. "Idiot."
Our jokes were a defense mechanism, a way to maintain normalcy before plunging into the madness we knew awaited us.
The VIP email had arrived that morning at 8:00 AM. Zodiac Exam. Cow Group. As we turned the corner toward the conference room hallway, we spotted our female classmates waiting near the door of Room 2F.
Chiaki Matsushita was leaning against the wall, checking her phone with an expression of elegant boredom. Her posture was perfect, emanating that "rich and popular girl" aura that hid a sharp and calculating mind, one that I had started to notice more since the island incident.
Beside her, Airi Sakura seemed to want to melt into the floral wallpaper. She was shrinking away, she was hiding her arms behind her back, her glasses reflecting the artificial light, and hiding her nervous eyes.
[Imagen]
"Ah, look who we have here," I said, quickening my pace slightly. "If it isn't the beauties of the Cow Group."
Chiaki Matsushita and Airi Sakura looked up upon hearing us. Matsushita put away her phone.
"Just in time," she said, her tone neutral but with an undertone of relief at seeing familiar faces. "I was starting to think you got lost at the buffet."
"Believe me, I tried to grab a small snack," Sudō replied, scratching the back of his neck. "But this idiot here," he pointed at me with his thumb, "insisted we come ten minutes early."
"Punctuality is the politeness of kings, Ken," I said, winking exaggeratedly. "And besides, I didn't want to keep our lovely teammates waiting."
Sakura gave a small start, and her cheeks tinged a soft red.
"G-Good morning... Ike-kun, Sudō-kun."
"Hi, Sakura," I gave her a smile I hoped was reassuring, lowering my voice a bit so as not to scare her.
I took a step closer, invading her personal space slightly but not enough to be threatening, just enough for her to notice my presence.
"The uniform looks good on you, Sakura. Although, honestly, I think anything would look good on you. Are you ready to face the wolves from the other classes?"
Sakura's cheeks turned a furious red almost instantly.
"Eh... I... th-thank you..." she stammered, clutching the fabric of her skirt.
Matsushita shot me a warning look, though there was a glint of amusement in her eyes.
"Don't tease her, Ike-kun. She's already nervous enough about the exam."
"I'm not teasing her, just telling the truth," I shrugged with an innocent smile, winking at Sakura before stepping back. "Besides, with Sudō and me here, no one will dare look down on our class. Right, Ken?"
"Of course!" Sudō thumped his chest. "If anyone from any class tries anything, I'll crush them."
"Let's hope physical violence won't be necessary in the first five minutes," sighed Matsushita, though she seemed relieved to have some muscle on her side.
We arrived in front of the meeting room door. There was a small plaque that read "Cow Group".
I took a deep breath, composing my mask. It was showtime. I approached the door of Room 2F, the gold plaque shining under the light.
I could feel the tension radiating from the other side of the woods. I took a deep breath, adjusting my mental mask. It was time for the show.
I put my hand on the knob, but instead of opening the door and walking in, I opened it and stepped aside with a fluid motion, making a theatrical bow, extending my arm toward the interior.
"Après vous, mademoiselles," I said, mimicking a terrible but charming French accent. I looked at Sakura and Matsushita with a lopsided smile, lowering my voice so only they could hear, a flirtatious yet respectful nuance in my words. "This place is about to turn into a battlefield full of wild beasts. It's only fitting that beauty and elegance enter first to light up the room before we mere mortals ruin the atmosphere."
Matsushita blinked, surprised for a second, before an amused smile curved her lips. She understood the game. It wasn't a mockery of his perverted actions; it was a compliment wrapped in Ike's recent antics.
"My, Ike-kun. I didn't know you had manners hidden under that attitude. Thank you."
She walked in with her head held high, her hair swaying gently.
Sakura, on the other hand, turned even redder, if that was possible.
She looked at me shyly through her lashes, her hands fiddling nervously with the hem of her skirt.
"Th-Thank you... Ike-kun," she whispered, quickly passing by me as if fearing the door would slam shut.
"What about me?" asked Sudō, stepping forward.
I put a hand on his chest, stopping him with a serious face.
"You go in behind me, Ken. Beasts at the end, remember?"
"Damn you...!" Sudō shoved me, laughing grudgingly, and we entered the room together. The room's air conditioning hit my face, a cold contrast to the warmth of the hallway.
The interior of Room 2F was spacious and luxurious, designed for high-level executive meetings, not for hormonal teenagers playing psychological warfare. A huge dark wooden oval table dominated the center, surrounded by black leather chairs that looked too comfortable for the situation.
The walls were decorated with abstract paintings no one understood, and a large window at the back offered a stunning view of the blue ocean, a cruel reminder of the freedom we didn't have at that moment.
Apparently, we weren't the last to arrive, but not the first either. A good number of the seats were already taken.
My eyes scanned the room quickly, cataloging those present, analyzing threats, opportunities, and variables. My gaze stopped almost immediately on a familiar face from Class A.
Kenda Yoshida.
The guy was sitting with a rigid posture, conversing quietly with his classmates. I remembered our little "transaction" during the island exam. The guy who had paid for information. A sly smile drew across my face. I couldn't let this pass.
I walked toward the table, deliberately passing close to where he was seated.
"My, my," I said, drawling the words with that foreign accent that had stuck to me lately. "If it isn't my favorite client. How's life at the top, Yoshida? Enjoying the luxuries money can buy?"
Yoshida tensed visibly. He looked up, and his eyes narrowed upon recognizing me.
There was a mixture of disdain and caution in his gaze.
"Ike," he said dryly. "I didn't know we'd be in the same group. How... unfortunate."
"Unfortunate?" I put a hand to my chest, pretending to be hurt. "You break my heart. And here I thought we had a special connection. Friend."
"I don't know what you're talking about," he cut in quickly, glancing sideways at his classmates, Yasumi Sawada and the others, who were watching us curiously.
Yoshida clearly didn't want the details of his "contract" with me to become public. "Besides, we aren't friends; I don't have time for your childish stupidity. If you came to clown around, do it somewhere else."
"Ooh, scary," I said, with a charming smile. "I was just trying to be friendly. What an attitude."
"If you only came to annoy, get lost."
"So hostile," I laughed softly, raising my hands in surrender. "Easy, easy. Just saying hello. I hope we get along... partner."
I gave him one last mocking smile before walking on. I had already poked him enough to make him nervous. That was useful. A nervous enemy is an enemy who makes mistakes.
At the opposite end, Class C.
Hiroya Tokitō was leaning back in his chair with his legs stretched out, chewing gum with his mouth open.
His gaze was defiant, looking for a fight with anyone who looked at him too long.
I recognized him because he was one of the Class C students who oppose Ryuen. Beyond that, I didn't remember more about him, maybe if I tried to refresh my memory, but I would do that another time.
The other girl from Class C must be Mariko Yajima, who was filing her nails, ignoring everyone. And there, in a corner, almost invisible if you weren't looking for her, was Hiyori Shiina.
She was sitting with impeccable posture, but completely disconnected from the hostile environment. She had a thick hardcover book open on the table, her pale fingers turning the pages delicately. Her silver hair fell like a curtain, shielding her from the outside world.
I narrowed my eyes slightly to see the title. "The Brothers Karamazov". Dostoevsky.
Wow, I thought, feeling a twinge of genuine admiration that I had to suppress to not break character. Heavy reading on morality, faith, and the nature of evil. You have exquisite taste, Shiina-san.
For a second, I felt the impulse to comment on the book. In another life, we would have had a fascinating conversation. But "Ike Kanji" doesn't read Dostoevsky. Ike Kanji reads Shonen manga and idol magazines. Approaching her now with a literary comment would be as suspicious as seeing Sudō solving differential equations for fun.
Suddenly, she seemed to feel my gaze. Her eyelashes fluttered, about to look up.
Shit, I don't want her to think I'm a stalker.
I quickly averted my gaze, looking for any other point of interest.
My eyes landed on the Class B group, specifically on a dark-haired girl who was laughing at something her classmate said.
Mako Amikura.
If I had to define her with one word, it would be "balanced." She has long, straight hair of a dark shade, almost black with violet hues, that falls down her back like a waterfall of silk.
She wears her bangs cut straight across her forehead, which gives her a slightly serious air, but her eyes soften the whole ensemble. They are large, the same dark shade as her hair, and have an almond shape that conveys natural gentleness. She doesn't have the aggressive beauty of Kushida nor the coldness of Horikita; her face has fine features, a small nose, and lips that seem perpetually ready to smile. She is the type of girl who exudes a "reliable big sister" aura or the popular girl who is inexplicably kind to nerds.
[Imagen]
Amikura had a bright energy, similar to Ichinose's but perhaps a little more... relaxed.
She noticed I was looking at her and, instead of looking away or looking at me with disgust (the standard reaction of many girls toward the "old" Ike), she offered me a small, friendly smile.
Still, I could notice a bit of suspicion in her gaze, but it was much better than disgust. And she didn't seem to have a judgmental look just because I was looking at her. So I appreciated the benefit of the doubt.
So this was a welcome surprise, so I returned the smile before heading over to where Sudō was, arms crossed and glaring at Tokitō, who returned the look with a mocking smirk.
Matsushita and Sakura together. The only empty seat was next to Sudō and Matsushita.
"What were you doing?" Matsushita whispered when I sat down next to her.
"Nothing," I replied quietly, leaning back in the chair. "Just assessing the terrain. Looks like we have an interesting mix."
Little by little, the last stragglers arrived. The group was complete. Fourteen students. Four classes. One goal.
The clock on the wall marked the exact hour.
Suddenly, the room's speakers emitted a high-pitched beep, followed by a monotonous, recorded voice.
"The special exam has begun. Discussion time is one hour. Please ensure you follow the rules. Good luck."
The announcement ended as abruptly as it began, leaving a heavy silence in the room.
No one spoke.
Everyone looked at each other. Glances went from one class to another, charged with distrust, assessment, and doubt.
It was that awkward moment where no one wants to be the first to speak for fear of seeming dominant or, worse, stupid.
Those from Class A maintained their stoic faces. Those from Class C, with Hiroya Tokitō at the helm, looked bored or aggressive.
Sudō shifted restlessly in his chair, clearly hating the silence.
I sighed internally. Someone has to break the ice, or we'll be here staring at each other's faces until we get wrinkles.
But before I could open my mouth, the girl from Class B I had looked at earlier, Mako Amikura, stood up.
"Hello everyone!" Her voice was clear, though it trembled slightly. "I know this is a bit strange, being all mixed up like this after competing on the island. But we're going to spend the next few days together in this room, so I think we should start off on the right foot. How about we introduce ourselves? Not everyone knows each other, and it would be easier to talk if we knew each other's names."
Tokitō let out a dry laugh. "Introduce ourselves? Are we in kindergarten?"
"I think it's a good idea," intervened Norihito Watanabe from Class B. "We lose nothing."
"I agree too," said Yume Kobashi, supporting her friend.
"Good, I'll start," Mako said, ignoring Tokitō's sarcasm.
"I am Mako Amikura, from Class B. I like spending time with my friends, and I hope we can get along and cooperate in this exam."
She looked at her classmate.
"Norihito Watanabe, Class B," said the boy, nodding politely. "I like sports. A pleasure."
[Imagen]
I looked at him in detail, trying to remember him, and he seemed familiar, but knowledge of that boy escaped me. He is... well, he is the gold standard of "pleasant normality." He has brown hair, short and a bit messy, but not in a rebellious way, but in that casual "I woke up like this and looked decent" way.
His face is honest, with a jaw neither too square nor too sharp. His eyes are a common brown. He has a relaxed facial structure, with eyebrows that don't seem to furrow often. It's the kind of face that blends into the crowd, that of an average "good guy" who probably wouldn't break a plate, which makes him seem harmless.
"Yume Kobashi, Class B," said the girl shyly with a sweet voice. "Nice to meet you all."
[Yume Kobashi]
She is someone I only remembered from the anime, and she only appeared briefly. If she had any relevance in the light novel, it escapes my knowledge.
Honestly, I have to try to remember the details before I forget them. As for her appearance... She is the perfect contrast. Where Mako is elegance, Yume is pure concentrated cuteness. She has short hair, a bob cut that barely reaches her chin, of a light sky-blue color, which shines under the room's light.
The tips curl slightly inward, framing a face that is a bit rounder and softer, almost doll-like. Her eyes are large, a soft violet color, and have that shiny, moist quality that makes you think of a puppy or a small animal that needs protection. She has a delicate build, narrow shoulders, and a posture that tends to shrink a little, as if she wanted to take up less space.
She is the definition of moe: the type of girl who awakens the protective instinct —or predatory— of anyone.
Class B had set the tone. They were friendly and cooperative. Typical of Ichinose's class.
Now the pressure was on the others.
There was a pause, and then, surprisingly, Kenda Yoshida from Class A sighed and stood up.
"Kenda Yoshida, Class A," he said dryly, without offering more information, and sat back down.
His classmates followed his example, introducing themselves with the robotic efficiency of someone fulfilling a bureaucratic procedure.
"Yasumi Sawada, Class A."
"Naoki Shimizu, Class A."
"Haruka Nishi, Class A."
No one gave personal details. No one smiled. It was a declaration of intent: We are here, but we are not with you.
It didn't matter to me either; they weren't students I recognized. They were basically NPCs. So I didn't give it much importance.
Then it was Class C's turn.
"Hiroya Tokitō," said the rebellious boy, leaning back even further and looking at us with disdain. "And this is a waste of time."
"Mariko Yajima," said the girl without stopping, looking at her nails.
Then, everyone looked at Hiyori. She closed her book gently, marking the page with a finger, and looked up.
"Shiina Hiyori, Class C," she said with a soft, almost melodic voice, contrasting with the rudeness of her classmates.
"I like books. It's a pleasure."
Immediately, she opened her book again and lowered her head, disappearing from the conversation.
Finally, all eyes turned to our corner. Class D. The "defectives." We were the last ones.
"Ken Sudō. Class D," Sudō grunted, trying to look intimidating. "I play basketball. And I don't like nonsense."
"Chiaki Matsushita, Class D," Matsushita said with a polite and perfect smile. "I hope we can get along."
"A-Airi Sakura... Class D..." Sakura's voice was barely a whisper, and she shrank in her seat when all eyes landed on her.
I waited a dramatic second before jumping to my feet, making the chair screech against the floor.
"And I am the unrivaled Kanji Ike!" I announced, making a peace sign with my fingers and showing a grin from ear to ear. "Class D. I like camping, cute girls," I glanced fleetingly at Mako and Kobashi, "and winning. Let's try not to die of boredom in here!"
Some rolled their eyes. Yoshida clicked his tongue. Tokitō looked at me like I was an idiot.
Fortunately, I didn't feel much secondhand embarrassment for behaving like an idiot; I just pretended I was playing a role for a play.
Because, unfortunately, I couldn't act how I normally acted. The only good thing about all this was that it was well acted, or at least that was the opinion I had about my acting skills.
With the introductions out of the way, silence descended again, but this time it felt different. Now we knew who was who. Now the real game began.
Amikura, taking the initiative again, spoke:
"Thank you, everyone," she said, regaining her posture. "Now, about the exam. I've been thinking, and I believe the best option for everyone is to cooperate. If we work together to find out who the VIP is and we all send the same answer, we can achieve Result 1."
"We would all earn private points, and the classes would remain balanced. It's the only result where no one loses."
It was the standard Class B speech. Ichinose would be proud. Cooperative logic, "win-win".
"It's a sensible proposal," added Watanabe. "If we start fighting or deceiving each other, we risk Results 3 or 4, where someone gets very hurt."
Matsushita nodded slowly.
"It makes sense. If we all cooperate together, it would be the safest result," she admitted.
However, before the idea could gain traction, Kenta Yoshida cleared his throat.
It was a loud, deliberate sound, loaded with disdain.
"How touching," Yoshida said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "And how incredibly naive. Typical of Class B."
Mako frowned, hurt.
"Why naive? It's the most logical option if we want to avoid risks and for everyone to be rewarded for our efforts."
"The 'risk'," said Yoshida, standing up and leaning his hands on the table, dominating the room, "is trusting strangers who are direct rivals. Do you think Class C won't betray us in the first second to get class points? Do you think Class D is competent enough not to ruin everything accidentally?"
Tokitō let out an aggressive laugh.
"Hey, watch what you say, 'elite'."
Yoshida ignored him and continued, looking at everyone coldly.
"Class A is not going to participate in this friendship game. We aren't going to discuss. We aren't going to give hints. We aren't going to negotiate."
"What?" asked Kobashi, surprised.
"Our strategy is simple," declared Yoshida. "Absolute silence. If we don't speak, you can't deduce who the VIP is. If there is no deduction, the only safe option is for no one to answer, or for everyone to answer incorrectly on purpose, forcing a draw or a null result that maintains the status quo. Or better yet, we'll wait for you to make a mistake."
He gestured to his classmates.
"From this moment on, Class A enters silence. Don't try to talk to us. We won't answer."
"But that's stupid," Sudō intervened, slamming the table. "If we don't speak, we lose the chance to earn extra points!"
"We aren't interested in unnecessary risks," Yoshida said, closing his eyes. "End of discussion."
Sawada, Shimizu, and Nishi crossed their arms in unison and closed their mouths, looking straight ahead with different expressions.
A sepulchral silence fell over the room. Mako seemed devastated.
Her plan of cooperation had just hit a concrete wall.
Tokitō looked at Yoshida with hatred.
"Oh yeah? Well, screw you. We won't say anything either. Hiyori, Mariko, not a word to these imbeciles."
Hiyori didn't even look up from her book. Mariko nodded, bored.
The room instantly divided into isolated factions. The atmosphere became unbreathable.
Mako tried to say something else, but Watanabe put a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head. There was no point in talking to a wall.
I felt a light touch on my elbow. I turned discreetly.
Matsushita had leaned toward me, her face close to my shoulder, her voice a whisper barely perceptible under the hum of the air conditioning.
"Ike-kun," she whispered, her eyes fixed on Yoshida but her attention focused on me. "This is bad. If Class A doesn't talk and Class C imitates them, we're blocked. Do you have any plan?"
I looked at her out of the corner of my eye. I could see the gears turning behind her pretty eyes. She expected something from me. Something brilliant. Something to break the blockade.
I smiled internally. Ah, Matsushita. Always looking for the hidden strategist. But not today.
I leaned back in the chair, stretching my arms with a loud and exaggerated yawn that made Yoshida look at me with irritation (though he said nothing, faithful to his vow of silence).
"A plan?" I whispered back, shrugging with a goofy smile. "Nah. That's too complicated for my brain, Matsushita-san. Let them do whatever they want. Just watch. Relax."
She frowned slightly, disappointed or perhaps skeptical, but returned to her position.
Internally, however, I was celebrating.
Yes! Thank you, Yoshida! You are my best ally without knowing it. Idiot.
My heart beat with a cold excitement. Class A's plan of silence was, ironically, the best gift they could give me.
I am the VIP.
If no one talks, if no one investigates, if no one looks for clues... no one will discover me. If this keeps up, I will get Result 2 automatically. The VIP (me) wins 500,000 private points. The others win nothing. It would be an easy and clean victory. But...
I glanced sideways at Yume Kobashi. She was looking at her hands, seeming a bit sad about the failure of the cooperation attempt. She could be a candidate to deceive, but I looked at Yoshida for a few moments with a mocking smile.
Result 2 is good, I thought, my mind analyzing the odds. But 500,000 points is just the beginning. If I can manipulate this... if I can get Result 4...
Maybe I could use the same tactic Kiyotaka used in canon.
A double trap was confessed in the last meeting. If Yoshida was resentful enough against me, then he might betray us. Or maybe he wouldn't and would act with caution.
I looked at Tokitō sideways; he was acting; he could also be a candidate.
Obviously, he would act against the orders given by his leader, Ryuen. If anyone could risk betraying the group, it would be him.
I remember someone in this group in canon tried to betray, and their answer was incorrect.
I looked at the clock. Barely twenty minutes had passed. Forty minutes left of staring at each other's faces in silence. Forty minutes of sterile tension. This was going nowhere. And honestly, I was getting bored.
How boring, I thought. If we're going to be trapped here, let's at least have some fun. And while we're at it, let's see what everyone is really made of.
I slapped the table with the palm of my hand, a sharp sound that made everyone, even Shiina, look up.
"Alright, enough," I said loudly, breaking the cycle of useless arguments. "Look, it's clear our friends from Class A have taken a monastic vow of silence. Respectable, I guess, if you like that kind of boring stuff. And Class B wants to be friends with everyone, which is cute. But let's be real: we're not going to reach an agreement today."
I stood up, walking lazily around my chair.
"We are trapped here for an hour. There are..." I looked at the clock, "...forty-five minutes left."
"We can spend them looking at each other with hatred, screaming at Class A's walls, or... we can do something productive."
"Productive?" asked Watanabe, confused.
"Yes. Getting to know each other," I smiled broadly. "They say you know a person better in an hour of play than in a year of conversation."
"Or something like that."
I put my hand in my jacket pocket and, with a theatrical movement, pulled out a small colorful box.
"So... who wants to play UNO?"
There was a stunned silence.
"UNO?" repeated Sudō, looking at me as if I had grown a second head. "You brought UNO cards to a special exam?"
"Hey, one never knows when they'll have to kill time," I said, shuffling the cards with a dexterity I had practiced in my past lives. "Besides, it's not an 'obligation.' The school said we could do whatever we wanted during this hour, didn't it? Well, I want to play."
I looked around the table.
"So, who's in? Class A, I assume you guys are out because saying 'UNO' would count as talking, right?" I mocked softly. Yoshida glared at me but said nothing.
"I pass," said Tokitō with disdain. "I didn't come here to play children's games."
I looked at Shiina. She looked at me with those curious eyes, a small smile on her lips, but shook her head slightly.
"I would prefer to finish my chapter, if you don't mind, Ike-kun," she said politely.
It was a rejection, but it was the most polite and sweet rejection I had heard in my life.
"Understood. Enjoy Dostoevsky," I said before I could stop myself.
Hiyori blinked, her eyes widening a little more with surprise.
"Do you know what book it is?"
I froze for a microsecond; my smile became a bit stiff. Shit, Ike. The character.
"Uh... I saw the name on the cover when I came in," I lied quickly, scratching the back of my neck. "Sounds like a vodka name, so it stuck with me."
Hiyori stared at me for a second longer, as if she were seeing through me, and then let out a soft giggle.
"I see. Yes... I guess it sounds like that."
She went back to her reading, but I noticed her posture was a bit less rigid than before.
I sighed and couldn't help but scold myself mentally for a brief second, before fixing my smile to a mischievous smile, pretending nothing had happened, before continuing:
"And you guys, Class B?" I looked at Amikura, Kobashi, and Watanabe. "Come on, don't leave me hanging. It's a good way to break the ice. No pressure about the exam, just... cards."
Amikura seemed to consider it. She looked at her classmates, then at the immovable Class A, and finally sighed with a resigned smile.
"Well... I suppose it's better than sitting in silence. I'll play," she commented; her smile turned into one of gratitude.
"Me too!" said Kobashi, raising her hand enthusiastically. "I love UNO!"
"I guess it doesn't hurt," added Watanabe.
"Great!" I looked to my side. "Ken? Matsushita? Sakura?"
Sudō shrugged.
"Bah, why not. I'm going to crush you, Kanji."
"I-I..." Sakura looked at the cards and then at me. She shook her head quickly. "I prefer... to just watch... if you don't mind. I'm not very good with fast games."
"No problem, Sakura-chan," I winked at her. "You can be the official referee to make sure Sudō doesn't hide cards up his sleeves."
"Hey!" protested Sudō.
I laughed slightly before turning my gaze back to Matsushita. She looked at me skeptically.
"Really, Ike?" she whispered. "Is this your grand strategy? Cards?"
"Come on, Matsushita," I told her, lowering my voice and giving her a look I hoped conveyed [trust me]. "Relax a little. Not everything is about strategy, besides... " I smiled "... it's fun."
Playing UNO would allow us to observe the reactions of others, relax Class B's guard, and maybe irritate Class A enough so that when I made the "mistake," they would be happy to betray us.
She held my gaze for a second, searching for something in my eyes, trying to assess the situation.
Finally, she sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Fine. I'll play. But don't expect me to let you win."
"I wouldn't expect less."
We dragged a couple of tables to join them in the center, moving away a bit from Class A's gloomy corner and Tokitō's murderous aura.
The group formed: Amikura, Kobashi, Watanabe, Sudō, Matsushita, and me.
I shuffled the cards with an unnecessary flourish (another skill from my past life that I passed off as luck) and dealt seven cards to each.
"Rules are standard," I explained. "No weird house rules unless we all agree. The one who runs out of cards wins. The one who loses... well, the honor of defeat is their punishment."
At first, the atmosphere was a bit tense, but UNO has a magical power. It's impossible to maintain formality when someone throws a "Reverse, a Skip, or a +4" just when you were about to win.
"Blue!" said Yume, putting down a blue 5.
"Blue... blue... here," Norihito put down a blue 8.
"Take this!" Sudō threw a blue "Skip Turn," laughing. "I skipped you, Mako-chan!"
"Ah! How cruel, Sudō-kun!" Mako complained, laughing.
It was my turn. I had a decent hand. I looked at Matsushita, who was to my left. She kept her cards meticulously organized, her face expressionless.
"Sorry, Matsushita-chan," I said, putting down a blue "Draw 2". "Business is business."
She arched an eyebrow, took two cards from the deck without flinching, and passed the turn.
The game advanced, and the noise on our side of the table increased. Laughter, complaints, and banging on the table.
It contrasted violently with the monastic silence of Class A's side. I could see Shimizu and Nishi from Class A looking sideways at the colorful cards, their eyes betraying a slight desire to join, or at least to stop being so bored. Yoshida, however, remained impassive, though a vein in his temple throbbed every time Sudō shouted.
Matsushita played in a terrifying way. She didn't talk much, but she observed everything. She knew exactly which color Sudō didn't have. She knew when to reverse direction to prevent Mako from winning. She was a born strategist playing cards with children.
"UNO!" shouted Yume Kobashi excitedly, left with a single card.
"Not so fast," said Matsushita calmly, throwing a Color Change Wild Card. "Color red."
Yume groaned. "I don't have red!"
When her turn came, she had to draw. Matsushita smiled slightly.
Time passed, and the game continued with another round, and to make it entertaining, we changed places.
"Red!" announced Kobashi, putting down a red 5.
"Blue," changed Watanabe, changing the color by putting down a blue 5.
"Damn, I don't have blue," Sudō complained, drawing a card.
"Ha, that's what you get for not planning, Ken," I mocked, putting down a blue 7.
As the minutes passed, the tension of the "exam" began to dissipate, replaced by the competitive tension of the game.
Amikura turned out to be surprisingly aggressive, throwing "Skip" and "Reverse" cards with an angelic smile.
"Sorry, Ike-kun!" she said sweetly as she skipped me for the second time in a row.
"Mako-chan, you are evil," I dramatized, putting a hand to my heart. "I thought Class B was love and peace."
"In love and in UNO, everything is fair," she replied, laughing.
Time flew. Between laughter, complaints, and the sound of cards hitting the table, the room's oppressive atmosphere had transformed.
Sakura, who was only watching, even smiled a little seeing Sudō get enraged when he had to draw four cards in a row. There were five minutes left until the hour ended.
We had played several games, and the results so far were: Matsushita had won 2, Mako 1, Yume 1, Watanabe 2, Sudō and I 0.
Honestly, I couldn't help but complain about the bad luck I had with the cards I got, and that everyone seemed to want to prevent me from winning. Fortunately...
...In this game. I was on a streak. I had two cards left. A green 7 and a wild card, I had been saving for an emergency.
It's my moment. I thought.
The turn came to me. The card on the table was a green 3.
I put down my green 7.
"UNO!" I shouted, pointing at everyone with my finger. "Prepare your handkerchiefs to cry, because the Great Ike is about to win this round!"
Sudō grunted.
"Damn it, I don't have green!" He drew a card. Nothing. Passed.
Mako put down a green 9.
Watanabe put down a green reverse.
The turn went back to Mako.
Mako put down another reverse, this time red. The turn went back to Watanabe, and he passed.
Yume passed.
It reached Matsushita again. She had three cards. She looked at me. A slow, predatory, and beautiful smile spread across her face.
"Sorry, Ike-kun. But the king is dead."
She dropped a +4 Wild Card on the table.
"NOOOO!" I shouted, falling dramatically onto the table (careful not to wrinkle my uniform). "Treason! Vile treason!"
"Matsushita-san, you are the devil in disguise!"
"The color is yellow," she said sweetly, ignoring my theatrical agony.
The whole table erupted in laughter. Mako laughed, covering her mouth. Yume clapped, and Sudō banged the table, delighted by my misfortune. Watanabe was more reserved, but he seemed happy about the development.
"Take that, Kanji! That's what you get for being a loudmouth!" Sudō mocked.
Even Sakura let out a giggle. And for a brief instant, I saw Yoshida shake his head, probably thinking: What a bunch of idiots.
I had to draw four cards. My "UNO" went to hell.
"Betrayal," I muttered, picking up the cards. "This is betrayal at the highest level."
The game continued frantically in the last minutes. With my hand ruined, Watanabe took advantage of the chaos.
"UNO!" he shouted, and on his next turn, he placed his last card. A yellow 3.
"Yes!" celebrated Watanabe, raising his arms. "I won!"
"Damn it," Sudō complained, throwing down his cards. "I was close."
"Congratulations, Norihito-kun," said Amikura, clapping.
Just at that moment, the beep of the speakers sounded again.
"Discussion time has ended. Please leave the room."
The spell broke. The reality of the exam came back in a rush. Matsushita looked at me with a mocking smile.
"Good game, Ike-kun," she said. "You almost made it. But you got too confident at the end."
"Yeah, yeah, laugh," I grumbled, picking up the deck. "I'll get revenge in the next session. I'll make you draw the whole deck."
"I'll be waiting," she replied; her eyes sparkled with amusement.
Mako stretched, sighing contentedly.
"That was very fun! Thanks for inviting me, Ike-kun. It was much better than sitting in silence." She bowed slightly to Ike and smiled adorably at him.
I stood up too, smiling at the girl, while stretching.
"Thank you guys, for joining, and Watanabe, you are the reigning champion. But one day... I will have my rematch."
Watanabe smiled. "Whenever you want, Ike."
"Yes, thank you," said Yume. "See you later, Ike-kun."
Those from Class B left chatting animatedly. Class A stood up in unison and left the room without saying a word, like robots. Tokitō and his group from Class C left shortly after, with Shiina closing her book and giving me a small, polite bow before leaving.
"Interesting way to pass the time, Ike-kun," Shiina told me with her soft voice as she passed by me. "Very... lively."
"Thanks, Shiina-san. You should join next time."
She just smiled mysteriously and left.
I stood there for a moment, putting the cards back in the box. Sudō, Sakura, and Matsushita were already at the door.
"Coming, Kanji?" asked Sudō.
"Yeah, coming," I said.
I smiled to myself.
We had broken the ice. We had established a connection with Class B. We had annoyed Class A. And Matsushita now knew I was a player, even if she thought it was just cards.
The exam was just beginning, and although we hadn't spoken a word of real strategy, I felt I had advanced more than anyone.
"Let's go eat," I said, catching up to them. "After that beating in UNO, I need to console myself with premium meat; besides, we still need to have that meeting."
Ike Kanji, the idiot of Class D, was ready for the next round.
ᕕ (⌐ ■ ■) ᕗ ♪ ♬ ᕕ (⌐ ■ ■) ᕗ ♪ ♬ ᕕ (⌐ ■ _ ■) ᕗ ♪ ♬
10.2
Narrator: Chiaki Matsushita.
The final beep announcing the end of the "Cow Group" discussion still resonated ghostly in my ears as we left the conference room.
The hallway of the Speranza cruiser stretched before us, luxurious and oppressively bright under the artificial lighting. The carpet muffled our steps, but it couldn't silence the tumult of thoughts swirling in my mind. Beside me, Kanji Ike walked with a tranquility that was disconcerting.
Just minutes ago, he had orchestrated an UNO game session in the middle of a high-tension special exam, breaking the ice with Class B and neutralizing the toxic atmosphere generated by Class A's silence.
I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. He had his hands in his pockets and a carefree smile on his face while listening to Ken Sudō's complaints about the game.
"I'm telling you, you cheated, Kanji!" exclaimed Sudō, still frustrated. "How the hell did you have so many '+2's?"
"It's a matter of luck, Ken, pure luck," replied Ike, shrugging.
"Besides, you should have saved your color change cards. You rushed it."
"Tch. Next time I'll crush you."
I observed the interaction. It was the typical conversation between two high school boys, trivial and loud. If I were the Chiaki Matsushita of a few months ago, I would have dismissed Ike as the class clown, a noisy appendage of Sudō or Yamauchi.
But now... now I knew there was something else. That way he manipulated the flow of the meeting, how he provoked Kenta Yoshida from Class A, and how, under the guise of a childish game, he got everyone to lower their guard...
It was calculated. Too calculated to be "luck".
Kanji Ike.
If they had asked me a week ago who he was, my answer would have been brief and dismissive: one of the class's noisy idiots, a follower of Sudō, someone irrelevant in the grand scheme of the school hierarchy.
But the Ike walking in front of me now, with his hands in his pockets and a relaxed posture, was a living contradiction.
"I'm so hungry I can't think," commented Sudō, breaking the silence and snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Hey, Kanji, are you sure that place you say is good? I don't want to eat junk."
"Trust me, Ken. The meat is top-notch," replied Ike without turning, his voice calm. "It's on deck 6. It's a Western-style restaurant, but it's usually less crowded than the main buffet. Most students will go to the central cafeteria to exchange information with their friend groups. If we want to talk without half the ship hearing us, that's the place."
I nodded slightly. A logical choice. Privacy was a valuable currency in this exam.
We arrived at an intersection in the hallway near the elevators. Ike stopped and turned. His gaze passed briefly over me before stopping on Airi Sakura. The girl was walking a bit behind, head down, hugging her arms as if the air conditioning were too cold.
She looked fragile, like a flower about to wither under the pressure of others' gazes.
Ike softened his expression. The mask of the carefree boy faded a little, replaced by an empathy I didn't expect to see in him.
"Sakura," he called her gently.
She gave a small jump, looking up with large, nervous eyes behind her glasses.
"Y-Yes, Ike-kun?"
Ike didn't pressure her or invade her space. He maintained a respectful distance.
"We're going to the Orizzonte restaurant. It's a quiet place, but we're going to talk a bit about what happened in the meeting and maybe plan some things."
He paused, making sure she heard him well.
"I want to know if you feel comfortable enough coming with us. If you prefer to go to your room to rest and get away from all this stress, we'll understand perfectly. Matsushita or I can send you a summary of what we talked about later. It's not an obligation."
I analyzed Ike's gesture. It was a flawless social maneuver. He was giving Sakura an honorable escape route, eliminating the social pressure of "following the group". By giving her the option to leave, paradoxically, he was making her feel safer to stay.
He understood Sakura's anxiety better than anyone, it seemed.
Sakura looked at Ike, then averted her gaze toward Sudō, who waited impatiently but without saying anything rude, and finally her eyes met mine.
I offered her a soft smile and nodded slightly, trying to convey reassurance. It's okay. We won't judge you here.
Sakura seemed to take a deep breath, gathering courage from somewhere deep inside her being. Her hands, which were clutching her arms, relaxed slightly.
"N-No..." she murmured, although her voice gained a bit of firmness at the end. "I want... I want to go. I'm part of the group too. I don't want... to be left behind."
Ike smiled. It wasn't a mocking or condescending smile. It was genuine and warm.
"That's the attitude. Welcome aboard, Sakura. Then, let's go. The destination is the Orizzonte restaurant. Ladies first, please."
.
.
.
The Orizzonte restaurant was located at the stern of deck 6. The restaurant lived up to its name, with large windows offering a spectacular view of the endless ocean.
Unlike the noisy main buffet where most students congregated like cattle, this place had a more refined atmosphere, with white tablecloths, silver cutlery, and a panoramic view of the ocean stretching to infinity. And most importantly, just as Ike had predicted, it was only occupied to a third of its capacity.
Most tables were empty or occupied by couples and small groups who seemed more interested in romance than special exams. We headed to a round table in a secluded corner, away from the entrance and the kitchen. It was the perfect place to talk without fear of being overheard.
"Wow, this looks fancy," commented Sudō, looking at the digital menu with wide eyes. "And to think all this is free. I'm going to order the biggest steak they have. I need protein anyway."
"It's the advantage of cruise exams," said Ike, sitting down and stretching his legs. "The school tortures us mentally, but at least they feed us well."
"I'll order the ribs with barbecue sauce and mashed potatoes," Ike commented after looking at the menu.
Everyone selected their food on the tablet.
"I want the same as Kanji, but double portion," said Sudō, pressing the screen hard.
Sakura examined the menu shyly.
"I... will order a Caesar salad and an iced tea, please."
"That's it?" asked Sudō, frowning. "You're going to faint if you don't eat more."
"It's enough for me, Sudō-kun," she replied with a nervous giggle.
I opted for something balanced.
"A pasta dish with seafood and mineral water."
We placed the orders via the tablet on the table. Once the waitress walked away after confirming drinks, a bubble of silence fell over us. It was a comfortable silence, but loaded with the reality of our situation.
I looked around one last time to confirm our privacy. Then, I leaned forward, interlacing my fingers on the white tablecloth. I lowered my voice to a barely audible whisper.
"Before we start analyzing the meeting... I have to ask the obligatory question." My gaze swept over each of them. "I need you to be completely honest. Is any of you the VIP of the Cow Group?"
The question floated in the air, heavy.
Sudō shook his head immediately, chewing a piece of ice from his glass.
"No. I wish. Those extra points would be useful, but I didn't get anything."
Sakura denied frantically, her pigtails shaking.
"M-Me neither... sorry."
Finally, I looked at Ike. He returned my gaze with absolute tranquility. There wasn't a trace of doubt in his eyes.
"Nope," he said simply. "It's not me. I'm just another villager in this game."
I studied him for a few seconds. I didn't detect any sign of deception, any nervous tic. If he was lying, he was an accomplished actor. I decided to believe him, for now.
"Good," I sighed, leaning back. "Then the VIP is from another class. That complicates it, but at least we know where we stand."
"What do you think of the meeting?" I asked, changing the subject. "It was... peculiar."
"It was a disaster," Sudō grunted. "Those guys from Class A... they think they're hot stuff. They wouldn't even look us in the eye. I felt like punching that Yoshida guy."
"It was a little scary..." admitted Sakura quietly. "The silence... was very uncomfortable until Ike-kun took out the cards."
"It doesn't surprise me the meeting went that way," intervened Ike, playing with his napkin. "After all, distrust is the natural response in this environment. No one wants to give away information. Although I must admit I'm glad to see how social Class B is. Amikura and the others really wanted to cooperate. That makes the environment less toxic."
"Yeah, Class B is okay," conceded Sudō. "But Class A's strategy is trash... Hey, Kanji, now that you mention it... How do you know that idiot Yoshida? When we walked in, it seemed like you guys already had history. He got very tense when you greeted him."
My ears perked up. I had noticed that interaction too. There was a specific animosity between them.
Ike shrugged, downplaying it. "Ah, that. Just bumped into him during the island exam. We had a slight verbal altercation, nothing major. Let's just say he didn't like me, and I decided to annoy him a bit today. You know I like provoking stuck-up people."
"Just that?" I asked, arching an eyebrow. "It seemed quite personal to be just a chance encounter."
"I have a gift for making people hate me fast, Matsushita," said Ike with a self-deprecating smile. "It's part of my charm."
I narrowed my eyes slightly. It sounded plausible, but something told me there was more.
However, Ike diverted the conversation skillfully before I could probe.
"Leaving aside my 'friendships', let's talk about their strategy. Absolute silence. It's a classic Katsuragi move."
"Katsuragi?" asked Sakura.
"He is one of Class A's leaders. Sakayanagi is the other head, but this defensive and passive approach smells like Katsuragi all over," explained Ike, his tone becoming analytical. "I mocked it in there, but, being honest, it's quite effective if what you want is to maintain the status quo of class points."
"How can it be effective if they don't earn points?" Questioned Sudō.
"Think about it, Ken. With no interaction from a class, finding the VIP becomes infinitely harder. They eliminate variables. If they don't talk, they don't make mistakes. If they don't make mistakes, they don't give clues." Ike made a circular gesture with his hand. "And if Class A adopts the same strategy in all groups on the ship... it will only make the general search more complicated. They are freezing the game to keep their current lead in class points."
"I suppose it's logical... they win by drawing and thus maintaining the status quo, right?" I asked.
"Exactly. They are already at the top. A draw serves them. We are the ones who need to take risks to climb. It's a solid strategy..." Ike paused, and a mysterious smile crossed his face. "...but it's a strategy I would never use."
"Why?" I asked, feeling genuine curiosity.
"Because playing not to lose is not the same as playing to win. And I play to win."
Ike smiled with an arrogance and confidence that disconcerted me. There was an ambition in those words that didn't fit with the Ike I knew. The look on his face told me he was serious, and I felt a shiver run down my spine, feeling my cheeks heat up.
"Ha, and surely the results will be the same as when you played UNO," Sudō mocked, laughing.
Ike squealed indignantly, saying something in his defense, and Sakura laughed slightly at the clowning of what the boys were doing, but I just stayed, thinking about Ike's words.
Playing to win.
I didn't comment further.
The silence that followed was comfortable, as the waiters brought our food. The aroma of roasted meat and seafood filled the table, momentarily dissipating the strategic tension. We ate for a few minutes, enjoying the quality of the food.
When Ike finished his plate, he wiped his mouth with the napkin and looked directly at me. His expression changed, becoming more focused.
"Alright, Matsushita. Did you get what I asked for?"
I left my fork on the empty plate and wiped my lips delicately. I nodded.
"I haven't gotten everything," I clarified, taking my phone out of my pocket. "Time was short, but I have something."
Sakura and Sudō looked at us, confused.
"What are you talking about?" asked Sudō with his mouth half full.
"Information," replied Ike. "I asked Matsushita to compile the names of the other groups."
I unlocked my phone and handed it to Ike.
"First, look at this."
Ike took the phone. On the screen was a Word file.
They were my personal notes on the exam rules. I had transcribed every detail mentioned by the school, organizing the possible outcomes and victory rules in a clear and structured format.
Ike read the screen in silence for a moment. Then, he looked up, clearly surprised.
"Wow... I congratulate you, Matsushita."
"Eh?" I blinked.
"Having such an organized and detailed file..." Ike shook his head, smiling with admiration.
"I'm not disciplined enough to do something like this. My notes are usually a mental mess. This is impressive."
"Me neither," added Sudō, laughing with his mouth full of his last potato. "I didn't even take notes. Nice one, Matsushita!"
"That's not something to brag about, Ken," Ike scolded him jokingly.
"I could barely remember a few things," murmured Sakura, impressed. She looked at me and smiled, congratulating me silently.
Ike sighed before turning to us. "Hey, this is vital. Matsushita, you should pass this file to us."
"In fact, let's make a group chat right now. Just us four."
"Good idea," I said.
"I don't have your number, Matsushita," pointed out Ike, taking out his own phone. "Nor Sakura's."
"Ken, you're already in my contacts."
There was a moment of hesitation. Giving my number to Ike... Under normal circumstances, I would have avoided it. But this was work. And I could admit I had gained a bit of trust in him.
"Alright," I said, and recited my number. Sakura did the same shyly.
In a matter of seconds, Ike created the group, and I sent the Word file.
"Anyway, well done, Matsushita." Ike smiled gratefully, and Sudō and Sakura followed.
I felt a slight heat on my cheeks at the praise. I didn't usually show my diligent side to anyone.
"It's just caution," I murmured, trying to sound indifferent. "Now, exit the file and open the Excel."
Ike obeyed. He opened the spreadsheet I had prepared. His eyes moved quickly across the columns.
"Monkey Group... Tiger... Rabbit... Snake... and ours, Cow."
He stopped and looked at me, this time with a deeper impression.
"You've gotten the full names of four groups, not counting ours, in just a couple of hours."
"That is... fast. Very fast."
"I have my methods," I said, shrugging. "Observation, eavesdropping on conversations, a couple of contacts. It's not hard if you pay attention."
Ike looked at me out of the corner of his eye. There was a moment, a brief second, where I felt he was seeing through my mask of "normal girl".
His eyes seemed to evaluate me, recalibrating his opinion of me.
"I see..." he muttered. He decided not to press further and returned the phone. "Thanks, Matsushita. This is very useful. Send it to me as well by message or via the group, please. I'll review it in detail later."
"Groups are missing, right?" asked Sakura.
"Yes," said Ike. "But Matsushita, don't bother looking for the Dragon Group."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because I already have the members of that group," he said with a confident smile.
"You have information too?" asked Sakura, amazed.
"Something like that. And by the way," Ike's smile widened. "Also, Yamauchi is in the Rooster Group."
Sudō almost spat out his drink.
"The Rooster? Hahaha! Fits that idiot perfectly!"
"Yeah, but it's useless asking him about the other members of his group," said Ike, shaking his head.
"Why?" asked Sakura innocently. "Wouldn't he want to help?"
"It's not that," I said, understanding the point. "Haruki... tends to make things up."
"Exactly," confirmed Ike. "If I ask him, he'd probably tell me he's in a group with three models and the Prime Minister. And even if he gave me real names..." He looked at Sudō, Sakura, and me. "...Would you trust the veracity of that data coming from him?"
I looked at the others. No one said anything. The answer was obvious.
Sudō stopped laughing and put on a serious face.
"Good point. Haruki lies more than he speaks."
"As much as he is my friend, there are things I can't trust him with," said Ike, laughing, although there was a pragmatic truth in his words.
The laughter died down little by little. Ike rested his elbows on the table, interlacing his fingers.
His expression became reflective, almost academic.
"Matsushita, you've done a great job with the rules. What a good idea to have them so clear."
"But tell me, what do you think the VIP can do exactly in this exam?"
I blinked, surprised by the sudden change in tone.
"What do you mean by that?" I frowned, not knowing where he was going.
"Their role is simple: survive or be discovered."
"Yes, but think about it from their perspective," said Ike. He signaled me to send the Excel via the group chat while he spoke.
I did so and concentrated on listening to him.
I didn't respond to the compliment. There was something in his tone that put me on alert. It wasn't an empty flattery; it was recognition. I simply concentrated on listening to him.
"As you know," Ike started, his voice low and controlled, "VIPs cannot send an answer themselves. They can't even reveal their identity after 9:30 PM on the last day, which means any real influence they have ends before that time. If they try to cooperate openly, they risk being betrayed. If they keep silent, they bet on their group making the right decision at the last moment. Their options are very limited."
He spoke in his usual relaxed tone, but his words had a weight and density that were not typical of the "Ike" I knew.
"Unlike the other students, who can choose between betraying or cooperating at any moment, the VIP is trapped waiting, completely at the mercy of others. Their only real power is deciding when and if they reveal themselves, but even that carries enormous risk."
I frowned, processing his words.
It was a perspective I hadn't considered with such depth.
I had always seen the VIP as the protagonist of the exam, the key piece.
But Ike was describing them as a prisoner. The center of the exam, yes, but with minimal capacity to directly influence the result without putting a target on their back.
"But of course," continued Ike, leaning slightly forward, with a cunning gleam in his eyes, "that's just one way of seeing it. The VIP isn't completely defenseless. In fact, if they play their cards right, they could be in the best position of all."
"How is that?" I asked. My curiosity was genuine now.
Ike raised a finger.
"First, whatever happens, the VIP is guaranteed something. If no one sends an answer before 10:00 PM on the last day, they will take a large amount of private points. But this only applies to Results 1 and 2. If someone betrays them earlier and sends the correct answer, the only real losers will be their teammates: their class will lose class points, while the VIP will be practically unaffected, except for the loss of private points they could have earned."
I felt a bit overwhelmed by the amount of information and the speed with which Ike broke down the game mechanics. Still, I managed to grasp the essence. The VIP had a personal safety net; the rest of us didn't.
"Secondly," Ike raised a second finger, "since their role is secret, they can manipulate the situation at will. They can spread disinformation, direct discussions, or even make their group too paranoid to act. If no one moves, they win by default. But that carries a huge risk, doesn't it?"
I intervened, looking for the flaw in his logic.
"If the VIP pushes too hard, they could expose themselves, becoming an easy target for betrayal. Too much disinformation could be counterproductive, causing someone to panic and send an early answer, resulting in the loss of class points."
Ike smiled. It was a smile different from all previous ones. Cold. Calculating.
"Not necessarily, Matsushita. Everything is a matter of timing. If they reveal themselves at the opportune moment, they could convince their group to collaborate and secure Result No. 1. Or they could sow suspicion elsewhere, make everyone look at someone else, and provoke enough panic to trigger Result No. 4, where someone answers incorrectly. In any case, the VIP has the potential to benefit if they control the flow of information."
He leaned back again, as if he had finished a master class.
"..."
I remained silent, staring at him.
I was completely bewildered. The silence stretched at the table.
Sudō and Sakura seemed lost, but I felt a coldness run down my spine.
I didn't expect such an exhaustive, such Machiavellian analysis from Kanji Ike.
In fact, after the group meeting, although I had noticed his social cunning with the card game, I still had him categorized in a lower category.
I was preparing myself mentally to face this exam alone, maybe asking Hirata for help if things got ugly.
Even with what he had asked me, I didn't find a sense for why he needed them, so I was still a bit undecided about Ike's plan.
Although I had gone along with it because I was very curious.
But this... this was different. Ike didn't just understand the rules; he understood the psychology behind the rules.
He saw the whole board.
The words left my mouth before I could filter them with my usual mask.
"Ike-kun... Are you actually smart?"
The question hung in the air. Sakura stifled a small gasp of surprise at my frankness.
Sudō frowned, confused.
Ike blinked, looking at me with an intense gaze. But as quickly as it appeared, that gaze vanished, replaced by a nervous laugh and a gesture of scratching the back of his neck.
Making the tense atmosphere disappear.
"Eh? What are you saying, Matsushita?" He laughed, though the laughter didn't reach his eyes. "I just read a lot of strategy manga and mind games. You know, otaku stuff. Sometimes something sticks. Don't make fun of me for that!"
I didn't believe him. Not for a second. But he was already changing the subject, returning to his character.
Sudō, who had been listening with his mouth open, seemed to come out of a trance.
"Ha! Kanji just got lucky that sounded smart. Surely he read it on some game forum last night."
Sakura looked at Ike with admiration and a bit of confusion.
"It seemed like an incredible explanation to me, Ike-kun."
Ike shrugged, returning to his relaxed posture, though I noticed his eyes remained vigilant.
"Well, enough boring theory. Matsushita, you asked me if I had a plan, right?"
I nodded slowly, regaining composure.
"Yes."
"My plan is simple for now," said Ike. "First, I will occupy all the names of all the groups. I need to complete the map. Once I have it, I'll see what to do. Meanwhile..." He stretched in the chair. "Just have to relax. Go with the flow. Enjoy the free food. Look for any clue of the VIP in our group, any strange behavior, but don't stress."
He looked at each of us.
"Patience is key here. Let's let the others get nervous first. Do we agree?"
"Agreed!" exclaimed Sudō. "As long as I don't have to think too much, count me in."
"Yes... I'll be attentive," said Sakura.
"Alright," I said, closing my eyes for a moment and then nodding. "We'll follow your pace, Ike."
We finished eating in a calm atmosphere. Sudō and Ike started arguing about what activity to do next, whether to go to the pool or the arcade.
Sakura listened with a small smile.
I remained silent, observing Ike while he joked.
The image of the "class idiot" was cracking before my eyes, revealing something much more complex and dangerous underneath.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt that this exam might not be a total disaster for Class D.
In fact, it could be the beginning of something interesting.
.
.
.
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