Classroom Of The Eli Chapter 151: Epilogue: Each Person’s Difference

Chapter 151: Epilogue: Each Person's Difference

The final day of the exam had begun. And unlike the ti on the uninhabited island, ti passes quickly in the luxurious ship. Furthermore, each day two hours of discussion ti passed without much content actually being discussed.

While both Ryuuen's united front plan and Katsuragi's fortress plan proceeded as usual, Class B's Ichinose Honami spent her ti without being able to co up with a counterattack against those strategies.

"Waah. I pulled it again! Maybe I'm just bad at Old Maid?" Ichinose says while scattering the cards in her hand in front of . Despite this being the fifth discussion period we've had, Ichinose once again suggested playing cards. I would have questioned this approach, but it seems no one in Class A is willing to co forth for the discussion. So only a small group of people who thought it would be better to play than spend ti aimlessly joined in the card gas.

Manabe and the others' contact with Karuizawa was a bit worrying, but it seems the effect of sending her those images worked excellently. And now they're obediently steering clear of her. Karuizawa also believed in that and acted normal as usual.

On the other hand, looking it from Manabe's perspective, the mysterious person who sent the chat must have been either

or Yukimura who were both present at the ergency staircase incident. I did add in the chat that I received the images from a fellow classmate, but it's clear that either one of the two who were present there must have been the one to have taken the pictures.

Either that or those pictures must been spread around to the mysterious person who sent the chat as sothing interesting. Manabe must have gotten that sort of idea from all this.

As long as she cannot ascertain for sure that it was

who was responsible for that, she cannot take action against . Because there's no point in figuring out the identity of the person who took those pictures after all.

"Is it ok for

to stay here like this?..."

Yukimura said that while sitting next to

with a gloomy, depressed expression.

"You're being gloomy, Yukimura-kun. This is where you play your heart out and shake out your anger. Rematch. Rematch!".

"I'll pass on that. I don't feel like it anyway. More importantly, is this fine, Ichinose-san? Ending the exam like this. I thought you were the one holding the reins to this group and guiding us all through the dialogue" Yukimura asks Ichinose.

And in response to that, Ichinose, whose hands had been holding the cards, briefly stopped.

"Isn't that being too convenient for yourself, Yukimura-kun? If you really want to win, don't rely on soone else to do it for you and use your own power to win" Ichinose retorts to Yukimura.

"...I understand that much. I understand" Yukimura replied.

The fact that he cannot afford having that responsibility thrust onto him, I'm sure Yukimura is also aware of that fact. But despite knowing, I suppose he still wanted to change this resigned atmosphere.

Yukimura, who holds top level grades, would be one of the most reliable ones if the exam were purely asuring our academic prowess. But just because you are gifted academically, that doesn't not always translate into raising people's spirits up. It's not like they can co up with novel ideas just like that. There are things in the world that cannot be done simply by morizing words and equations.

Over the sumr holidays, the two special exams we've had, even Horikita was forced to confront her powerlessness in the face of that.

I wonder whether in this stalemate of a situation, Ichinose and Machida and the others also feel this irritation.

However, even that frustration, as long as it does not end up breaking your spirits, can eventually be used to power you.

1

"And with the next eting, the exam will be over. How are things on your side, Ayanokouji-kun?".

I am having my last eting with Horikita. The world outside has already been enveloped by darkness. The records of our conversation remain in the chatlog. To avoid that, we are currently eting face-to-face.

"No particular change on my side. It looks like the "target" will be able to safely escape. How about you?" I asked her.

I had thought I couldn't expect much from Horikita, but...

"I will win" she briefly replied like that.

"So you've found the "target" then?" I asked. "I don't know who's listening in on us where so I cannot tell you the details yet, but, I won't mind if you believe in . Everything will go well" Horikita replied to . From Hirata I've already heard that the (Dragon) group's "target" is Kushida. Of course, I'm sure Ryuuen and Kanzaki have already done everything in their power to figure her out. But it looks like Horikita has successfully navigated the way to safety and survived it.

If she's this confident, I'm sure there's not much to worry about. We'll just have to wait for 500,000 points to roll in later on. It could even be described as a solid victory for us in that case. "Did you perhaps want to consult ?" she asks.

"There's no need for that. You make your move however you like" I told her. Even if she told

about the (Dragon) group, it's not like I can do much to help her anyways. "So, you said you needed to talk to

about sothing, what is it? I would like to avoid careless contact if possible" Horikita tells .

Perhaps she's wary of the existence of Ryuuen who has been stalking Horikita...perhaps. I don't feel any kindness from her attitude, but it would be troubleso for

even if Horikita suddenly takes a kind attitude towards .

"You can't afford to be terrified by Ryuuen's gaze forever you know" I told Horikita. "Judging from that tone, can I assu you have a plan?" she asks .

But it looks like she wasn't expecting much from , since she seed surprise when I nodded in response to that. "I've pulled Hirata over to our side. I believe I can build a cooperative relationship with him in the future" I told Horikita.

"I don't really want any of that" she replies. "That's fine. I'm not asking you to get involved with Hirata personally. I will handle the talk with Hirata so just match my pace" I said. "...I don't like this. I don't like you moving around like that behind my back" Horikita told .

I thought she'd say sothing like this.

"Then show your face when we discuss things then. Even if you can't force yourself to say sothing, you can keep up with the discussion so there's no problem there right?" I asked her.

"I....suppose so".

It still seed as though she were dissatisfied, but if I give Horikita the option of participating or not participating, she can't refuse. Also, the existence of Hirata is a boon for the class, and after seeing his leadership on the uninhabited island, Horikita will surely understand that too. "Including Hirata too, there's a person I'd like to introduce you to. Please free up so ti before the end of the exam" I told her.

"I still don't like it. Don't include more people than needed" she replies. "Please consider it a consequence of you standing on the front lines. Besides, that person will surely be useful to us" I told her. "I think I can more or less understand what's going on...but fine. Let's et here right after the exam ends then" Horikita replied to . After exchanging that promise, I look at the ti on my phone. The last discussion will take place in 30 minutes.

"In this exam, I wonder how many groups will be decided by traitors?" Horikita said. "I wonder. I was surprised that the (Cow) group's exam suddenly ended, but I doubt sothing like that will be repeated. I think the likeliest outcos will be the "target" escaping with the ti of the exam running out" I replied. "I suppose so. I think that too".

And only for a mont, Horikita averted her eyes. That's an unconscious gesture humans make when they are concerned about sothing. "What's wrong?" I asked her. "Nothing. It's just, I just sensed sothing wrong with the way this exam developed. But there shouldn't have been any errors. I definitely shouldn't lose" she told . It seems so of the anxieties she'd been storing up in her slightly leaked out. Even if I offered words of encouragent, I'm sure she'll see it as unnecessary trouble. So I decided to simply keep quiet.

2

The mbers of the (Rabbit) group, without having co any closer to making a breakthrough in the exam, entered the sixth and final discussion. Since I wanted to consider my idea calmly and rationally for a bit, I decided to leave the room where Hirata and the others were and started heading for the group discussion room. Since there was still around 30 minutes left until the start of the discussion, it was obvious that no one would be there yet.

But, those expectations were overturned by the unexpected existence of a person...

"...a prior arrival huh?"

It was the figure of a girl sleeping on the floor in a room when nobody was supposed to have been there yet. Even so, I wonder why her skirt tickles a man's heart so much. This is bad, bad. Since she was lying down, Ichinose's plump thighs were even more apparent than usual and towards the skirt which I cannot see the inside of, I found myself unable to take my eyes off them. If there was a man here who did not feel that towards Ichinose, then he's either gay or bisexual. This is a fate a healthy boy cannot escape from.

Even though I thought it was pointless, I couldn't help but look from her thighs to her feet, then to her face, then to her breasts, and then back down to her thighs. My gaze flickers between them. While feeling frustrated at this age, I was suddenly distracted by sothing further back to the back of Ichinose's head. Naly, the phone she must have been using prior to falling asleep.

In the phone assigned by the school, quite a bit of information is recorded. And not only does it play an important role in this exam, but it also allows you to determine each individual's points. Naturally to confirm this, things such as a personal ID and passwords are required, but to avoid the hassle of having to log in every ti one wishes to check this, there are many cases of students storing such information on a mobile terminal as well. That ans, in other words, if I can steal Ichinose's phone right now, I would be able to ascertain Ichinose's living standards and the amount of points she holds. A while ago, I've already determined that to bypass her ID and password, Ichinose also stores her information on a mobile terminal.

If that situation has not changed, I will be able to gain information. Slowly and cautiously, I approach her.

"...uuuuu".

"Woah"

As the distance between us closes, perhaps the atmosphere changed and she sensed another person's presence, but Ichinose slightly stirred. But then she imdiately fell asleep again. It seems I've managed to make it without waking her up. I close our distance again.

"...nnn".

I wonder what I'm even doing. Even though it's for the sake of gathering information, if anyone sees this, they would only see

as a pervert. What if Ichinose wakes up while I have my back to her? I feel like I'm doing sothing I shouldn't be doing.

Since the discussion starts in 30 minutes, there's no problem even if I ca early, but if so, shouldn't I be calmly waiting inside the room? If there's nothing I should feel guilty about, I should act normal. Step by step, I close my distance with Ichinose.

"...nnnnn...munyumunyu".

This is impossible. Every ti I make a move, Ichinose constantly shows signs of waking up. To test this hypothesis, I try moving my feet on the spot without actually moving. If Ichinose responds to this, I can infer from that that she's a light sleeper. It's said that people who are light sleepers cautious people...

...this is pathetic

Why am I sneaking around like this? But strangely, she doesn't talk in her sleep though.

But if anyone sees

now, all they would see is the word pervert.

Having recognized my own behaviour as a stupid endeavor, I gave up on stealing her phone and took my distance from her again.

Then I sat down at a far distance from Ichinose.

From this vantage point, there's no risk of accidentally seeing the secrets hidden up her thighs.

And I won't accidentally make contact with her as well this way.

More importantly, since it's quite early. I wonder when exactly Ichinose arrived here.

Then, around 20 minutes before the discussion was due to start, cute music rang out in the room. It ca from Ichinose's phone.

"...nnnn"

While still keeping her eyes closed, she reaches out for her phone and operating her phone's screen, she stops the music. It seems the music ca from the alarm she had set. While still looking sleepy, Ichinose raises herself off the floor and notices the foreign presence, naly my existence, in the room.

I was wondering what to do if she made a disgusted face towards my presence, but she wasn't even worried about it at all.

"Goooood morning, Ayanokouji-kun. Sorry, did my alarm startle you?" she asked.

"No. Not particularly. Looks like you slept well".

"Ahahahaha. Sorry sorry. I just suddenly fell asleep. You're early, there's still 20 minutes left".

"Sa to you. Since when have you been here?"

"Since an hour ago. I just wanted to spend so ti quietly. If it's in my room, it's quite rowdy with my friends going in and out after all" she replied.

It seems this was the best place for her to take a nap.

"Besides. I wanted to collect my thoughts too"

More than being refreshed from her sleep, her face seed more as though she's had a flash of insight.

"Did you get any results?" I asked.

"More or less"

Then standing up, Ichinose for so reason, walked across the room to

and sat down beside .

A room with only two people present, and an ever closing distance. I couldn't hide my nervousness in this situation but it seems Ichinose hasn't noticed at all.

"There's still ti left before the exam so shall we have a little chat? If I'm not annoying you, that is" she asks.

"No. It's not annoying in particular. If you're ok with it, I'm down to chat" I replied to her.

"Then it's decided. The truth is, there's sothing I wanted to ask Ayanokouji-kun. I've also asked this of all my classmates, including the boys like Kanzaki-kun too. But I haven't heard the opinions of the other classes too, so I got curious. Ayanokouji-kun, have you ever strongly wanted to rise to Class A?" she asks .

I was wondering what question she would choose to hit with , but it was a surprisingly common question to be asked.

"Of course, I do think about that. No...More than wanting to rise to Class A, it's more that I 'have' to aim for Class A. That would be a more appropriate way of putting it" I tell her.

"In other words...because of the guarantee of a good career and job placent?"

In this school, students are divided into classes A to D and made to compete. But the maximum privilege of being able to go to any university and gain any employnt after graduation is only afforded to Class A. It was written ambiguously on the school pamphlet so it might seem like fraud at first though.

"In this day and age, after graduation you won't be able to keep up with your life and job, especially when it cos to being employed" I said.

"I suppose that's true. I think so too. But having too much faith in the system is also dangerous, don't you think? In 99.9% of the words they say, there are invisible pitfalls that our eyes cannot see" she said.

Of course the pitfall that Ichinose is talking about is likely the '99.9% guaranteed employnt rate and educational advancent' touted by the school. For instance, if I wanted to beco a professional basketball player yet lacks the necessary experience, the school would attempt to find

ways to push

up to the professional level. Furthermore, this school is also a breeding ground for interpersonal connections. But just because you play basketball regularly, or have graduated from a famous university or school, does not necessarily guarantee your future.

The people who achieve the dreams they've stated from the start, are only a small fraction. According to certain statistics, only one out of six elentary school students achieve their dreams.

At first glance, this seems like a high probability but the data is ambiguous at best and the standards of the statistics are blurred. Becoming a professional basketball player successfully does not an you beco a first-rate player. Players belonging to professional basketball for instance, including trainees, will number around 900 or 1000 people. However, only by playing on the regular and competing against and winning against your rivals can one achieve their dream. In the end, only 100 of those people will have successfully achieved their dreams.

In order words, aiming for your dream and successfully accomplishing it has a very low probability. In any case, achieving a dream is extrely difficult to do. Many students simply repeat their boring lives over and over while speaking vaguely of their dreams. But if one seriously desires to make their dream co true, they would need a lot of effort and luck.

"But even so this school...if you think about it, has massive influence doesn't it? And many people have succeeded in life because of its assistance. Or are you saying you're not interested in it, Ichinose?" I asked.

"No such thing. Even I have a dream, to graduate from Class A. And also a dream I want to fulfill" Ichinose said. And even though she said it with a smile, I could see an unwavering, strong feeling in her eyes.

"The school system is good and all, but if you cannot graduate from Class A, your prospects are dim. Because the school operates on realism, if you cannot win using your own talents, there's nothing you can do about it. And most importantly, students are assigned to classes based on their rits so right now, between

and Ayanokouji-kun here, only one of us could achieve their dreams by moving to the top. Aah, but there are also cases where neither of our dreams can be fulfilled though" she continued.

In other words, even though we are sitting here and chatting like friends, only one class can be the winner in the end. The remaining three classes won't share in those rewards.

"Did you hear there are also exceptions to those rules?" she finally said.

"Hmm? Is that where individuals accumulate 20 million points?" I asked.

"Yep. It seems no one has achieved sothing like that in the history of the school, but there are Ultra C's like that too" Ichinose replied.

"Yeah, yeah. If we factor that in too, it's possible that the two of us can both graduate from Class A" Ichinose said.

"The problem is whether you can save up 20 million points or not in the first place, even if you save up points in the exams, the system's already set so it won't reach 20 million" I replied.

If we only look at this special exam, depending on your actions throughout it, it is possible to receive a large amount of points. And only two such exams have been conducted so far. From this point onwards, it's possible for both the amount of points that can be earned to be narrowed down and for them to be eaten up by large penalties.

"I suppose that's right. If you start saving up your points, by only reaching half of that amount, you would already raise suspicion" Ichinose said.

"That's true. The financial situation in Class D, especially, is terrible. Even though Horikita is doing her best for us, the points earned from the uninhabited island is still far off. No, it's even possible that we may lose those points in this exam. Ichinose, are you saving up points? It doesn't seem to

like you're the type to work hard on getting points" I asked her.

"Ummm...I wonder. I don't know about the others, but I use points sotis and save them too sotis I guess. Even though I'm in Class B, I still don't have that many points you know" she said.

In response to my question, Ichinose responds in a very natural tone with no indication that she's hiding sothing judging solely from her behaviour.

"Ayanokouji-kun"

"Hmm?"

In the next mont, Ichinose suddenly closes the distance with

and turns to face

while staring at my face.

"Looks like you saw it after all, that ti"

Beautiful eyes that seem to be sucking

in looked at

without letting go. It seems Ichinose is far smarter than I expected, she's seen through my plans.

"...sorry. While you were using your phone earlier, I just happened to see the screen. I got curious and just wanted to ask you" I replied.

"Ahaha...it's not like I'm blaming you for it. Certainly that's a large amount of points, right?" Ichinose said.

That's right. Before even the end of one sester, Ichinose had already accumulated a large amount of points. Even if I save every point assigned to

monthly every day without usign a single point, I still wouldn't be able to save up that much.

"Don't worry. I haven't told anyone else. There's also the possibility that I saw wrong after all. I won't investigate further" I told her.

Even if I investigated, I doubt I would be able to get a satisfactory answer.

"Have you been able to find a way to win?" I asked.

"Ummmm...I guess so. I think I've found a hint".

I thought there was no way she would answer honestly, but whether it be due to her confidence, Ichinose answered in a relaxed tone. It seems like Ichinose is the type to act on her convictions without wasting ti after all.

"Then this fight...it becos a battle to see whether A will win or B will end" I said.

"I won't know that until the curtains fall. The victory I'm aiming for is---"

But before she could finish, as the ti for the group discussion to begin draws closer, mbers of the group started appearing one after the other. The Class A students were the first ones to arrive, however, without so much as exchanging a greeting with us, they simply took their seats.

"What? You're already here, Ayanokouji?"

"Together with Ichinose-dono. Just the two of you. What kind of secret rendezvous were you planning here?".

Both Yukimura and Sotomura bombarded

unilaterally with those questions as they entered the room together. I couldn't register either anxiety nor depression on their faces, so perhaps they have already given up on victory at this point. On the other hand, the students of Class B seed almost relaxed.

"This is the final one, huh? Have you found any hints?" Hamaguchi asks

after having quietly waited for the group discussion to start in earnest. "Honestly, I have no idea. We haven't been able to establish proper dialogue at all" I answered him.

I did say that, but I have already executed the strategies I had planned out from the start of the exam. It was by using the mail the school had sent to our phones that the "target" had been successfully camouflaged. The (Dragon) group's "target" is Kushida, but what happens if, for instance, Kushida and Horikita were to swap their phones. When looking at that phone, anyone would only suspect Horikita of being the "target" instead.

And if there were a traitor who learned of this fact, by submitting Horikita's na as the "target