Ichinose's contract was undeniably sincere.
More importantly, she proposed using the school's text message system to verify the identity of the privileged person.
Since official messages from the school were unquestionably authentic, and the signed contract was legally binding, the outcome would be certain. There was no room for deception or manipulation.
The offer was simple:
1. Sign the contract and receive 50 personal points—zero risk, guaranteed profit.
2. Refuse to cooperate and endure four days of confinement, gaining absolutely nothing.
Anyone with basic reading comprehension could see the obvious choice.
Yet, Machida acted like a complete fool who had overdosed on ignorance. Even with the contract practically handing him 50 points on a silver platter, he stubbornly refused to sign.
His reasoning? Equally frustrating.
"Our class is under Katsuragi-san's command," he stated firmly. "He decides our actions. If Katsuragi-san says to do nothing, we do nothing. That's final."
No matter how hard Ichinose and the others tried to persuade him, Machida remained immovable, clinging to this blind obedience.
Even Manabe from Class D, who had been a silent observer, couldn't hold back anymore.
"Machida-san, if you have concerns, just say them," Shahi Yamashita urged sincerely. "We can address them in the contract."
Machida scoffed. "This isn't about concerns. Like I said, we follow orders. Katsuragi-san is our commander in this special exam, and we obey his decisions without question. If you understand that, stop wasting your time."
Ichinose exchanged glances with her classmates and sighed. She realized continuing the discussion now would only be counterproductive, so she reluctantly dropped the topic—for the time being.
As expected, the second round of discussions on the following day went just as poorly.
When the announcement signaled the end of the meeting, the three members of Class A stood up and left without a word, pushing the door open and walking away.
Ichinose watched them go, then gestured for the others to remain seated. Once she was sure Machida and his group had left, she pulled out the contract again.
"Well… if everyone agrees with my proposal, please sign." She set down the papers along with a pen.
Nobody moved immediately. The hesitation was palpable.
After a moment, Hideo Sotsumura smirked and stood up. "Guess I'll be the first to take the plunge."
"I'll pass."
Ibuki Mio's indifferent voice cut through the silence.
She had remained quiet during the discussions, blending into the background. It was only now that people remembered her presence.
"Ibuki, you don't want the points?" Manabe asked, visibly surprised.
Ibuki shot her a look as if she were speaking to a child. "It's not about wanting or not wanting points. To achieve the first result, everyone has to sign. Those three from Class A won't sign, no matter what. So even if we all sign, the outcome will still be the second result. Why should I bother?"
Manabe blinked. "Oh… That's… true."
"I'll discuss it with Katsuragi-san later," Ichinose interjected quickly, now addressing Katsuragi directly rather than Machida.
By this point, it was clear to anyone with a functioning brain that Machida was just a pawn. Talking to him was useless—it was Katsuragi who held the real authority.
Ibuki remained unimpressed. "Fine. Talk to him first. If everyone else signs, I will too. But if even one person refuses, then I'm out."
"This…"
"It's fine," Hideo Sotsumura shrugged. "There's nothing to lose. I'm signing."
He wiped his sweaty palms on his shirt, grabbed the pen, and wrote his name on the contract.
One signature set the momentum. Soon, everyone except Machida, his two lackeys, and Ibuki had signed.
Ichinose collected the contracts and carefully put them away. With a warm smile, she reassured them, "Alright, I'll speak to Katsuragi-san tomorrow morning. Let's call it a day."
As the group exited the meeting room, Karuizawa Kei tugged on Kure Ragna's sleeve and whispered, "Hey, do you think Ichinose can convince that bald guy?"
Kure Ragna thought for a moment. "Probably."
"Huh? How come?"
"Katsuragi's conservative. He's cautious, but not reckless. If Ichinose's contract ensures there's no risk involved—just a straightforward benefit—he won't refuse."
Karuizawa nodded, though she didn't seem entirely convinced. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she clung to Kure Ragna's arm and swayed slightly in excitement. "I really hope she convinces him soon. I need those 50 points~"
Kure Ragna raised an eyebrow. "You bad at math?"
"Uh, kinda…" Karuizawa admitted, embarrassed. "I bought a bunch of summer clothes before break, but we got sent here before I could even wear them. By the time this test is over, it'll be autumn. I'll need new clothes again."
"…And the ones you bought for spring and autumn?"
Kure Ragna considered asking but decided against it. He knew better than to try to understand a girl's shopping logic.
Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out, he saw a text notification on the screen.
[Is it convenient to chat? I'm at the café on the third floor of the cruise ship. —Machida]
PS: 🚀 𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘕𝘦𝘸𝘴: 𝘔𝘺 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘕𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘐𝘴 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘢𝘪𝘭! 🚢✨ 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘐𝘵 𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘐𝘧 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘔𝘢𝘺.
(𝘛𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸: 🟣 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 🟣)
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