Chapter 81: Teachers Discussion

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(A/N: Hello everyone, ShirooYuki here~, today is powerstone reset day! so I will upload 1 chapter/day again and I want to announce regarding milestones, after seeing all of suggestions about my bonus chapter and also the popularity level of this novel, I decided to increase the milestone which previously started with 100 powerstones, now it will start with 200 and for the next milestone it will occur in multiples of 100!!! so keep supporting this novel by giving your power stone!!

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It's shortly after the changeover on August 9th inside the ship. It's past 1 a.m., and most of the students would likely be asleep by now.

In the bar lounge reserved for adults, three people were gathered.

"Ugh, I'm exhausted... I want summer vacation too," complained Hoshinomiya, lying face down on the bar counter.

"You've had enough rest. You should have had 5 or 6 days off," another person responded.

"It was only for 2 days! And yesterday was busy too," Hoshinomiya retorted.

"I understand how you feel, but we're adults, Chie. We don't have long summer vacations like children," someone else chimed in.

"It's not a big deal compared to the effort the students put into their two weeks on the deserted island," another person added.

"Don't bring up reality... I don't want to hear it, I don't want to hear it! Master! Give me something to escape reality," Hoshinomiya said, shaking her head and banging the table with both hands while demanding alcohol.

"You never change," Chabashira sighed, looking at Hoshinomiya with a mixture of annoyance and disbelief.

Later, Mashima and Chabashira also ordered beer, and when they were all served, they raised their glasses for a toast.

"But this special exam had a strangely chaotic development. There were too many unexpected incidents," Chabashira said.

"There was a student's serious injury, the malfunction of the watches the students were using freely, and the unprecedented event of only third-year students withdrawing," Hoshinomiya commented after taking a sip of her cocktail.

"Perhaps we allow the students too much freedom. It's not officially reported, but I'm sure there were things happening behind the scenes, like boys and girls getting too close," Chabashira added.

"You're too naive, Mashima-kun. Youngsters can't control their passions even if you warn them. Especially that suspicious guy from Sae-chan's group, Horagasaki-kun," Hoshinomiya remarked.

"Well, Horagasaki-kun may look a certain way, but he probably knows right from wrong. At least I hope so," Mashimareplied.

"It's not confirmed. He's just your speculation," Chabashira pointed out.

"But he's been involved with our Ichinose-san and Mashima-kun's Kamuro-san, right? You can see they're both smitten with him! Ah, youth is wonderful. Oh, being a teacher is nothing but a low-paying job where you get used," Hoshinomiya sighed.

"You're always complaining," Chabashira remarked.

"That's why we're here, right? Well, regardless, this exam was a success, especially since the second-year students didn't lose," Hoshinomiya said.

"It was eerie that only third-year students withdrew," Mashima added.

"The second-year students are doing well. Although the school doesn't want dropouts, we, who oversee the second-year students, haven't had any dropouts in the special exams so far," Chabashira explained.

"In practice, anyway. But at least the class vote is true, right?" Hoshinomiya questioned.

"We can't believe that there won't be another special exam like this one, one with no escape," Chabashira concluded.

Chabashira, who usually treated classmates coldly, also couldn't help but feel uneasy. It wasn't a position she could agree with, to push students who hadn't made mistakes to the brink.

"Are you saying there's another exam coming up that will force students to drop out?"

"Having a class vote like last year isn't something the school can easily do."

"Well, if that's the case, then it's not a problem. If there's no compulsory withdrawal, my class will manage."

"Oh my, Saechan, you've become quite bold," Hoshinomiya nudged Chabashira as she spoke over Mashima's shoulder.

"Cut it out," Chabashira grabbed her hand somewhat angrily. Hoshinomiya shot her a sharp look in return.

"You're not thinking we'll be promoted to Class A, are you?"

"...No one's saying that. We just want to say we're better than the classes from previous years."

"Hmm?" Mashima, feeling the tension in the air, quickly finished his remaining beer.

"Sure, there's no compulsory dropout. However..."

As Mashima trailed off, both Hoshinomiya and Chabashira turned their gaze to him.

"The outline for the next special exam was announced recently. It's the first time in 11 years."

"11 years... that's since we were in our third year of high school? That's unusual, isn't it, for such an old exam to be brought back into use?"

"The school designs special exams along with a year-long schedule. In a broader sense, they base it on a four-year rotation. Do you follow?"

"To prevent other students from leaking the content during our enrollment?"

"Of course. Although sometimes special exams are intentionally repeated in short intervals or information-sharing exams are conducted, the basic idea is rotation."

"So, it's not uncommon for old special exams to be used again?"

"That's right, as long as it's not a particularly 'problematic' special exam."

Although Mashima's words had a hint of meaning, the other two didn't dwell on it. Instead, they seemed eager for the new special exam.

"It might be a showdown between my class and Saechan's."

"It seems like you're hoping for that, thinking you can win against us?"

"It's not like that, but it's better than competing with Ryuen-kun or Sakayanagi-san, right?"

"Our class has grown considerably. It won't be easy. And Saechan, it's unlike you to say such things. It's probably because of Ayanokoji-kun, a special kid."

"Ayanokoji is certainly talented. But there are many students in our class who show potential. Some even feel they're on par with Ayanokoji."

"Huh, so Saechan isn't solely relying on Ayanokoji?"

"What are you talking about? When have I ever relied on Ayanokoji?"

It was just casual conversation, but it must have made Mashima uncomfortable. If they kept it up, it would escalate into an argument in a matter of minutes.

"Let's drop it. It's pointless to argue here."

Hoshinomiya, regaining her composure, finished her third drink.

"Before you get too drunk, let's talk. It's better to look at the outline for the next special exam."

Mashima took out his phone and began operating it.

"The important thing is the name of the special exam. That will give us an idea immediately."

"The name of the exam?"

"Read it."

The two looked at each other, then almost simultaneously peered into Mashima's phone. Chabashira, in particular, gasped when she saw it. Hoshinomiya looked away from the phone and chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"I never expected this exam to happen again... I thought last year's class vote was the substitute for this."

Looking towards Mashima as if seeking confirmation, Hoshinomiya continued, "Ultimately, the school had no choice but to use something similar. If someone had dropped out in this exam, the next one would have been different."

"Well, that's understandable. They can't make the written exams too hard just to force dropouts. Saechan's class is just too good, huh? So they had to resort to bringing back an unpleasant special exam, right?"

"It's premature to label it a major problem. Depending on how you look at it, it might just be an innocent exam."

"But one wrong step can turn it into a difficult problem, right?"

"That's right. You two were particularly affected by this special exam."

"It was during our third year, third semester. I'll never forget that day."

"So, are you just going to stay silent forever? Don't you have any comments?" Hoshinomiya asked, but Chabashira, unable to keep up with her thoughts, couldn't speak.

"Pitiful."

Hoshinomiya let out a short sigh of complaint, then turned her gaze to Mashima.

"What do you think, Mashima-kun? Will there be dropouts in the next special exam?"

"Even though Class A is ahead, there's still a chance for Class B or below to turn the tables. If you intend to challenge us thinking you'll win, there's a good chance you'll end up following the same path as you did before."

"A sense of foreboding, huh?" Hoshinomiya's drinking pace increased.

Chabashira, who had remained silent, finally said, "I'm going back to my room," and stood up.

"Hey!"

Hoshinomiya slammed the empty glass onto the table with force, then stood up abruptly. Her actions not only surprised Chabashira but also seemed to momentarily unsettle Mashima, although he didn't show it.

"How long are you going to chase after such a dull romance? Do you realize how old we are? We're 29! What's the point of clinging to relationships from years ago?"

"Hey, that's enough drinking for now."

"Mashima-kun, stay out of this!"

"..."

The bartender, who was wiping glasses nearby, sensed the tension and discreetly stepped away from the counter.

"You've been stuck in high school for years, yet you're still adding years to your age. Then you go and burden these kids with your nonsense... Are you an idiot?"

Unable to respond to the barrage of insults, Chabashira silently left the scene. As silence fell between the two remaining individuals,

"Oh dear, she's gone."

"You're quite malicious too, Hoshinomiya."

"Well, it can't be helped. It's all because of this exam."

"This special exam is what decisively affected your relationship. Saechan might have been able to graduate in Class A if she had made the right choice."

"...You're still holding a grudge, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. I failed, and now I'm stuck teaching at this school. If things had gone right, I could've gone to a much more glamorous world."

"After that exam, living together with you and Chabashira in the dormitories became quite difficult."

"It would've been impossible to live together after what happened. It might have turned into a bloodbath."

"That's your scary aspect, unable to be called exaggerated..."

Hoshinomiya grabbed a strand of her hair and plucked it out.

"I thought you had stopped doing that."

"Ouch, that hurt. I did it unconsciously... My precious hair... Is it okay?"

"I don't need it."

Ignoring the offered hair, Hoshinomiya ordered a fourth drink from the returning bartender. Suddenly, her expression turned playful again.

"Even though we survived the uninhabited island exam as second-years, the school still pulls such a cruel move."

"Originally, a few students drop out each year. That's the school's policy. There were too many second-years left, so they resorted to this special exam. We don't know the outcome yet."

"That's true, but... that exam brings out the ugliness and weakness in people. At least the fact that the first semester of the second year just ended is some consolation. Ah, it's related to the fact that the school acknowledges that."

"The shorter the remaining school life, the more valuable class points become, and the difficulty of the special exam increases. Compared to when we did it in the third semester of the third year, there's some solace."

"I'm not completely at fault... It's Saechan's fault."

"It depends on how you look at it. Both you and Chabashira made the right decision."

"I wonder..."

Hoshinomiya's hand paused as she reached for the newly arrived drink.

"What's wrong?"

"In our class... at least we won't reach Class A."

"What are you talking about?"

"I already know... I don't feel like we'll make it to Sakayanagi's Class A. But even if we don't, I won't allow Saechan's class to graduate in Class A. Graduating in Class A was our dream, and that girl who ruined it doesn't deserve to have her students graduate in Class A. Isn't that right, Mashima-kun?"

"...Isn't that a separate issue?"

"It's not separate. Absolutely not."

"Besides, Ichinose's class is excellent. The path to Class A is still open. Ichinose's class will likely breeze through the next exam."

"But that won't do. No matter how ruthless the future may be, to win in Class A, you need to be ruthless. Just like how I tried."

"Even if it means having dropouts?"

"Even if it means having dropouts."

Despite that, Hoshinomiya sighed.

"Hirata, Kushida, Horikita, Koenji, Ayanokoji, and Horagasaki. Why do all the aces gather in Saechan's class? No matter how many times I think about it, it's just unfair."

"It's a class with many students who are considered troublemakers, but they strangely have a sense of unity. It's as if each flaw has been resolved one by one."

"I hope they'll all fall apart in the next special exam."

With that, Hoshinomiya leaned her head on Mashima's shoulder, but he forcefully shrugged her off.

"Maybe I've had too much to drink. I want to take a break... in your room, Mashima-kun."

"Sleep in your own room."

"You're so mean. Aren't you concerned?"

"I'm not concerned."

"Aw, come on, at least walk me there."

"Sorry, but I'm going back to my room too. I don't want to get involved with you or Chabashira. It'll just cause trouble."

"You're so strict."

With everyone gone from the bar counter, Hoshinomiya quietly sipped her drink.

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