COTE: The White Room War

Vol 4 Ch 24: The Trio's Crossroads

Year 1

Season 1

Volume 4 - "To Deceive The World"

Chapter 24: The Trio's Crossroads

Suddenly, the door bursts open as a bewildered Fuuka enters. "Kiyotaka-boy."

She's followed by a clearly unhappy Suzune. "We need to talk. What is the meaning of these results?"

"I did what needed to be done to prevent my own expulsion. It was a necessary sacrifice."

"Expulsion?!" Suzune almost shouts.

"H-Horikita-san, please calm down, okay?" Ichinose pleads.

Her words softens the red-eyed girl's piercing gaze. "Did Tsukishiro threaten you?"

"Yes. When I used my second phone to record me narrating the rules of this exam, I edited out certain parts so that you could only hear what you needed to."

"Kiyotaka-boy-" Fuuka starts, but he raises a hand to quiet her.

"Allow me to explain why I sold my identity as the VIP."

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.

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Flashback 1 hour and 10 minutes ago

"A guess."

"Guess?"

"I'll give you the identity of the VIP."

"... Why would you do such a thing? Even if you give me a name, I am not even sure if I would believe you," Miki scrutinizes him.

Kiyotaka sighs in exasperation. "Look, hear me out first before you cast your judgement. Once I have finished telling you my reasoning, you may then reach your own conclusions. I can even provide you proof. Don't you think that's fair?"

"Okay. I shall listen."

"Then... I am the VIP." He lets her listen to the part of his recording that states he is the VIP, and even shows her the email the school sent him.

"And you're reasoning?"

"The expulsions in the future. You heard how the school curriculum was suddenly changed for our grade year, right?"

"Yes. I thought it was strange and very unfair."

"The new curriculum may not do much at first, but eventually, it will exponentially increase the number of 1st year students who will be expelled."

"What does that have to do with this exam? Why sell yourself out?"

"Well, Class B has a lot of class points, and even if we lose a net total of 100 Class Points in this exam, we will still have a net gain of 332 Class Points in total if you include the Island Exam.

As things stand, Class C is the one class I consider the most important potential ally. With Sakayanagi in control over a much more unified Class C, they can be dangerous. However, they do not have a lot of Class Points, something they will be needing to survive what is to come. This is why I'm giving your class, Class C, a free 400 Class Points by guessing my identity as VIP."

"I see. Your reasoning is thorough. However, I'm still not fully convinced."

Here comes the nail in the proverbial coffin. "Acting Director Tsukishiro threatened me with expulsion in this exam if I lose. However, there was nothing written in the rules about giving up. This is the best way to not only help your class, and not only make sure my identity as VIP is kept safe from intentional guesses, but to make sure that I do not lose, even if I don't win.