I let go of Chabashira-sensei's wrist and distanced myself from her. The entire class settled down and directed their attention towards our teacher, who had walked back over to the podium. Their faces looked serious, a contrast to how they appeared only a while ago.
"This explanation is incredibly important. I would advise you to keep your ears open, Class D." Chabashira then slammed her hand on the podium, startling most of my classmates. Her poker face had now disappeared, making way for a stern yet playful expression.
Was she a sadist?
"First of all, points are split into two categories. The 100,000 in your accounts right now are what we call 'private points'. The other type of points are 'class points'."
"Every single freshman class, from A to D, is given 1000 class points at the start of the year because they passed the entrance exam. These class points are then converted into private points and are deposited into your accounts at the start of each month. With this in mind, you could conclude that class points are updated each month," she continued to explain.
If a connection between class points and private points does indeed exist like I believe it does, it would mean that one class point is 100 private points. And, if our allowance for next month were to be lowered, but our private points for this month would remain untouched, it would mean that we had spent a certain number of class points on this information. Quite an interesting system.
"Class points can be decreased through class absences, tardiness, sleeping in class, not paying attention during lessons, and the use of phones during classes."
The class started to murmur, realising that what they had been planning to do was something that could have cost them class points. They immediately shut their mouths though, after seeing Chabashira's gaze.
"There is no need to fret, as there is a way to gain class points. During events we call 'special exams', classes are made to compete with each other. A victory or a good performance will grant you with class points, while bad performances can lead to the loss of class points. However, it is possible for class points to neither increase nor decrease after special exams." Chabashira stopped and looked at the class, before finally stopping at me. Was this really her way of asking whether we had questions?
I took this brief pause to look at Horikita, who I had seen with her jaw dropped when I was taming Chabashira. This time, though, she had her notebook out and a pencil in hand, writing down notes of Chabashira sensei's summary of the school system.
Horikita then put her hand up, it seemed that she needed something to be clarified.
"Yes, Horikita?" Chabashira had finally noticed Horikita's hand after about thirty seconds of staring at me.
"Are there any other situations outside of special exams in which we could earn class points?" That was a better question than I was expecting. Horikita was clearly an intelligent girl; she possessed a lot of potential.
"Another way to earn class points is through midterm and final exams. A maximum amount of 100 class points can be rewarded to a class depending on their overall performance on these tests."
So this is how they determine our worth; midterm and final exams which will measure our academic ability and special exams which will presumably cover our physical and the rest of our capabilities. Our results on these various tests will change our worth in the school's eyes, which, in turn, changes our class points. With all this information in mind, there was still one more question that remained unanswered.
"Sensei," I said, putting my hand up, "this whole system is exciting and entertaining and all, but there is still one thing you haven't clarified: what is the point of all this?"
This got my classmates talking amongst themselves again. While I undoubtedly believed that Horikita had already deduced the government's lie, there was another student who I believed had figured out the riddle. Matsushita Chiaki, a girl with copper brown hair and deep blue eyes comparable to the sea. Her appearance was the definition of elegant; everything about her had put me under a sort of enchantment. So there was more than one capable person in Class D, a cause for celebration, I believe.
"I knew you would be the one to ask this question, Ayanokouji. Now, for you idiots who have not a single idea of what he's talking about, I'll tell you. Firstly, what's the point of class points and private points apart from being your monthly allowance? And lastly, what's the point of competing with other classes through special exams?" Chabashira's signature smirk had appeared once again. She really is sadistic.
"I'm sure you know the classes are labelled in alphabetical order. There is, like everything else in this school, a reason for that. Class A is the most promising batch of students of your year level. They are followed by Class B, C, and of course, you guys, Class D, who are deemed as the 'defects' of your year. It's just like the system you'd find in major cram schools. However, there is one major difference between ANHS and said major cram schools. You are surely all familiar with the promise of a guarantee of your futures; the promise of a 100% employment and college acceptance rate. This was all a lie on the government's part, or at least, this statement is not true for the graduates of Classes B, C, and D."
This was the last straw for my fellow defectives. The students of Class D were now shouting and in complete uproar, they had been insulted by the person who was supposed to be their teacher, and were told they had been lied to by the government.
Out of all 39 of them, however, only one stood up to say something. A boy with grey hair and was wearing round glasses; he was Yukimura Teruhiko.
"What do you mean, sensei? Are you suggesting that I, no... we, are all failures?!" Yukimura exclaimed. The calm and collected man of previously had become the angry, pride-wounded boy who refused to recognise his own shortcomings. It was quite... pathetic, to see.
Chabashira was about to answer Yukimura's question, but I cut her off and started to speak.
"Yukimura Teruhiko. It is unsightly for a man to act like a child after something as small as having your pride wounded. You must remain calm and collected, and think past your self-perceived superiority," I reprimanded him.
My classmates looked at me, not expecting me to speak out against Yukimura, who had not exactly been in the wrong. It was, of course, partially Chabashira's fault for being so careless - or in this case, too careful - in choosing her wording; the way she approached her words would make it seem she was insulting and calling them failures.
"Y-you... m-my name... how?" Yukimuru managed to sputter.
"While I do believe it is Chabashira-sensei's fault for being so meticulous in her wording, it is unacceptable for you all to lose your composure at something that means so little. It is obvious from the class competition that it is possible for us to overtake Class A in the future, so our current placement means nothing in retrospect," I said, ignoring the grey haired boy's question.
I then turned to Chabashira, prepared to give the teacher a short lecture.
"Chabashira Sae, if you want to keep your position as teacher, you should start acting like one. Next time, please do not choose the wording that will most anger my classmates. Take the opposite approach and encourage them like a mentor is supposed to do."
"How ironic, the teacher getting lectured by her student," she said, her smirk disappearing after I destroyed her fun. "Very well, I will do my best to act like a homeroom teacher should."
"That's great. Also, Chabashira, do you mind confirming my previously stated theory?"
"You are indeed correct, Ayanokouji. Class points dictate the leaderboard of the classes. So if Class D were to have more class points than Class C, then Class D would become Class C, while Class C would become the new Class D."
"Thank you, Chabashira-sensei."
"Well, if there aren't any more questions, I will be taking my leave."
"Sensei!" This time, it was Horikita who was in need of our sadistic devil's guidance.
"Yes, Horikita?"
"To be frank, I do not understand the reason why I was placed in Class D. I believe that I did extremely well in my entrance exam scores, I even answered all the questions."
"You solved nearly all of the problems on the entrance examination, hmm? Normally I couldn't show the examination results to individual students, but I'll make an exception in this case. I just so happen to have all your answer sheets here."
Chabashira then pulled out a few sheets of paper from her bag; they were Horikita's test scores.
"95 points in Japanese. 96 points in mathematics. 91 points in English. 94 points in social studies. 93 points in science," Chabashira said, "while these are impressive results, ranking you in the top three of the first-year students, how does this make you superior to your peers? How does this have anything to do with your placement in Class D?"
How strange. At first, it may seem like Chabashira is only talking about how academics are not the sole reason for a student's evaluation, however, her wording made it seem like the entrance exams were not relevant at all. I would have to look into this in the future.
"What do you mean... of course it has something to do with my placement in the lowest class. It is common sense for a school to categorise people depending on academics."
"Common sense? Didn't common sense create our current, flawed society? Before, Japan relied solely on test scores to separate the superior and inferior. As a result, the incompetents at the top tried desperately to kick down the truly superior students. In the end, we settled on a system of hereditary succession."
A system of hereditary succession meant that things like social standing, prestige, and employment were passed down to future generations. At those words, I groaned unintentionally. My chest hurt. Thankfully, no one noticed my short lapse in concentration.
"You're a capable student. I don't deny that. However, this school's goal is to produce superior people. If you believe academics alone place you into a higher class, you are mistaken." Chabashira then put her hand back into her bag and, yet again, pulled out a set of test papers. Looking at the name on the sheet, I internally winced. Oh no...
"And besides, I don't believe you are even the most academically capable person in this class, which, according to you, means that you are not the most superior."
"Someone in this class scored higher than me? But who could have-?"
"No, Horikita. They didn't score higher than you."
"Then how can you be so sure that there is a person superior to me?"
"Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. Test results: Fifty points in Japanese. Fifty points in mathematics. Fifty points in English. Fifty points in social studies. Fifty points in science. Do you know what this means?"
To my surprise, the majority of the class had seemed to understand what my test results truly meant. Murmurs had once again become audible to the whole class. A stunned Horikita looked over at Chabashira and then shifted her focus to me.
"You deliberately lowered your scores... but why?," she asked.
"It's a coincidence. There's no evidence that it's not. Besides, what would I gain by manipulating my scores in the first place? If I were intelligent enough to achieve high marks, I would've tried to get perfect scores."
As I feigned ignorance in a last ditch attempt to rescue my peaceful life, Chabashira sighed in exasperation.
"You really are an interesting student. Listen. Only 3 percent of students solved the fifth maths problem successfully. However, you solved it perfectly, and used a complex formula to do so. However, the tenth problem on the test had a completion rate of 76 percent. Did you make a mistake on it? Is that normal?"
"Haaah. Fine, I give in," I said, waving my hand as if it was a white flag, "I worked my way from the hardest questions to the easiest, stopping at exactly fifty marks. If I desired, I would have been able to score full marks."
The class erupted in shouts and questions. Why did you lower your test scores? Why didn't you score full marks? Are you trying to look down on us? These sentences were like rocks that my classmates continuously threw at me, until I finally had enough.
I stood next to Chabashira and slammed my hands onto the podium, silencing the defects in one swift action.
"I lowered my test scores because I did not want to garner too much attention. I had no knowledge of the average so I believed that scoring exactly half would work. However, it seems like my actions were more inconspicuous than I thought."
Satisfied with my answer, the class died down and stopped throwing their metaphorical rocks at me.
"Now, any more questions?" The attention of everyone in the room was directed back towards Chabashira.
"How many class points did we spend on this information?" I asked.
"200 class points. Meaning that you are currently at 800 class points." I nodded in response to her answer.
Taking this chance to leave, Chabashira left for the door. However, I had one more thing to say to her.
"Chabashira, your position as a teacher provides many benefits for me and the class, which easily makes you my 'queen'."
She stared at me intently, urging me to go on.
"However, know that, while a queen is extremely valuable and worth protecting, there are times when the queen needs to be sacrificed in order to gain victory." I took my phone out of my pocket, and played the recording once again.
"Ayanokouji, you're one twisted person, aren't you?" she asked me, a hint of irritation could be seen as her eyes started to twitch.
"Then we're the same, Chabashira. You're quite the sadist, are you not? Standing and smirking as my classmates realise that they will be spending the next three years of their life in this hell of a school," I remarked, my lips slightly tugging upwards as my face formed a small and sarcastic smile.
"Whatever, I'll be going now, but please do know that I have every intention of helping you and Class 1-D to the best of my abilities."
"That's nice to hear, Sae. You're sounding like a real teacher now."
Chabashira-sensei just sighed and left the room upon hearing me call her by her given name. Maybe my teasing had gone too far?