Shattered Illusions

In the kitchen, Sasuke stood against the counter, arms crossed, listening intently. His expression was impassive, though his sharp eyes betrayed a keen interest in the conversation unfolding beyond the door. Ayanokoji leaned casually beside him, his demeanor calm yet observant. The voices of Horikita and Chiyabashira-sensei echoed faintly, but the tension was unmistakable.

"I will ask you frankly," Horikita's voice rang out, steady and unwavering, though tinged with frustration. "Why was I put into Class D?"

Chiyabashira's response was slow, deliberate, almost mocking. "Are you really asking frankly?"

"Today, sensei said that the classes were divided by superiority. And that Class D was the lowest collection of leftovers," Horikita pressed, her tone edged with indignation.

Chiyabashira's voice carried a note of dry amusement. "I did indeed say that. It looks like you consider yourself a 'superior' person."

"I believe that I solved nearly all the problems on the entrance exam and made no significant mistakes during the interview," Horikita retorted, her confidence evident. "At the very least, I don't think I should be in Class D."

Hearing this, Sasuke shook his head slightly, a faint smirk playing at the corner of his lips. Disappointed, he thought to himself, 'Horikita has some potential, but her arrogance blinds her. She's the type who genuinely believes she's superior to everyone else. She lacks self-awareness. Even in the class exams, where she tied for second place, she still places herself above others.'

Back in the staff room, Chiyabashira's response came smoothly, her voice tinged with feigned sympathy. "Solved nearly all the problems on the entrance exam, is it? Usually, we can't show the results of the entrance exam, but I'll make a special exception for you. I just so happen to have your answer sheet here."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at this revelation, his thoughts sharpening. 'So, she was prepared for this confrontation. Typical of her to anticipate and manipulate the situation to her advantage.'

Horikita's voice faltered for a moment, then steadied. "You are thoroughly prepared, I see. Looks like you also knew I would come here to protest my placement."

"I'm a teacher," Chiyabashira replied coolly. "I understand the students to some degree, at the very least. Horikita Suzune. As you suspected, on the entrance examination, you ranked fourth among the incoming first-years. Your scores were behind second and third by only a small margin. You did very well. There were no particular problems during your interview either. In fact, you were rated quite highly."

Horikita's voice softened slightly, pride evident. "Thank you very much. Then—" she hesitated, a slight frown forming. "Wait… only close to second and third? What about the first?"

Sasuke couldn't help the small, amused smile that curled his lips. He didn't need to say anything; the answer was obvious to him. Ayanokoji, standing silently beside him, caught the fleeting expression, his eyes narrowing slightly as he noted the reaction.

Chiyabashira's tone shifted, her voice dripping with amusement. "Oh, well about that… The one who ranked first scored full marks. A perfect score. Not even the second, third, or you, Horikita, came close."

A faint gasp escaped Horikita. "F-full marks," she repeated under her breath, her voice laced with disbelief. She seemed to stagger under the weight of the revelation. "B-but there were some college-level problems on that test. How could a high school student solve them all?"

Sasuke listened silently, his expression neutral but his thoughts sharp. 'And yet, it wasn't impossible. Horikita is so consumed by her own limitations that she can't imagine someone exceeding them.'

There was a pause before Horikita asked, her voice more hesitant now, "This student… surely they're in Class A, right?"

Sasuke's smirk deepened slightly as he anticipated Chiyabashira's next words.

From the staff room came Chiyabashira's delighted chuckle, her amusement barely contained. "Oh? Would you believe me if I said that this student is in Class D?"

The silence that followed was almost deafening. Sasuke could picture Horikita's wide-eyed shock, her belief in the meritocracy of the school's structure shattering before her eyes.

Sasuke's own thoughts, however, were far more calculated. 'So, she's using this to destabilize Horikita's worldview. The hierarchy isn't what it seems. This school thrives on manipulation—and Chiyabashira enjoys playing her role in it.'

The faint sound of a chair scraping across the floor indicated Horikita was moving. Her disbelief hung in the air, palpable even through the door. Sasuke glanced briefly at Ayanokoji, who remained as impassive as ever, though his silence spoke volumes.

"It seems the game is more complicated than she realizes," Sasuke murmured under his breath, a note of amusement in his voice.

Ayanokoji's gaze flicked to him, but he said nothing, simply waiting for what would come next.