The next morning at 5 a.m., faint noises and the subtle presence of someone moving around woke me up.
The handout distributed on the bus stated we were to assemble in the designated classroom at 6:20 a.m. for roll call.
Since it was the first morning of the forest school, I'd planned to rise about an hour early to handle any surprises.
But it seemed someone else was already awake besides me.
"Oh my, did I wake you?"
The one addressing me as I got out of bed was Kōenji-kun.
The presence I'd sensed was his.
"No, I was planning to wake up around this time anyway. No problem."
I cleared the drowsiness from my voice and stretched my body.
Sleep still lingered a little, but it would vanish completely in a few minutes.
"I'm about to start morning training. Join me?"
"Sure, I'll come along."
Kōenji-kun and I slipped out of the room without a sound.
I hadn't refused simply because I had nothing else to do.
Moving my body would burn stamina, but mine wouldn't run out from something like that.
Once outside the lodging facility, the orange-glowing morning sun was beginning to climb, pushing back the river of clouds.
"Good. Nature is welcoming me."
Kōenji-kun spread both arms wide, taking in nature with his entire body.
Wild birdsong rode the wind to our ears.
The mountain breeze was cold right now, but training would turn it refreshing.
We stretched together and got ready.
"By the way, Kamukura boy, you said you'd let me spend this exam comfortably. So I'm right in thinking that means you'll grant any request I make?"
"Yes. I intend to handle most things.
I'm expecting a massage for my fatigued body tonight, so feel free to train even during the special exam."
"Hoo, a massage, huh. I'm a bit strict when it comes to my own body, but can you meet my expectations?"
"I possess the talent of a shiatsu master. No problem expecting it."
With the talent of the Ultimate shiatsu master, I could perfectly dispel fatigue.
Living with a comfortable body every day was no big deal.
"I also hold trainer talent, so I can manage and adjust your training schedule. What will you do?"
"No issue. I already know the optimal training for my body."
"I see, unnecessary meddling on my part."
"No no, rather it's a good mindset. It reminds me of the butler at my house."
Stretches finished, we immediately started training.
First, a light run around the school building's outer perimeter.
Since it was an old building, the perimeter ground wasn't perfectly maintained, making it hard to run.
But that was convenient. The bumpy path gave good load.
Next, muscle training—several patterns to load various muscles.
The training Kōenji-kun devised was a good menu even from my trainer talent's perspective.
True to his declaration, he already had a solid training method.
Then after a break, repeating this flow for three sets, and finally stretches for fatigue reduction and injury prevention—the morning training ended.
"Today too, I'm wonderful. A perfect 100-point condition."
While enjoying the pleasant breeze, we replenished water near the faucet outside the gymnasium.
Splashing away sweat with water, wiping our bodies with towels.
If we returned to the dorm and used antiperspirant sheets to prevent odor, we could tackle the special exam without issue.
"As expected, you keep up with my training with plenty of room to spare~.
How about it, Kamukura boy? After graduation, why not work as my exclusive butler?"
"A butler with higher ability than the master? Can your pride allow that?"
To my question, Kōenji-kun flashed a daring smile.
"Can't allow it~. However, Kamukura boy, a butler is the existence that supports the master closest.
The higher the ability, the more it can assist this me, and through that assistance I can reach a more certain perfect existence. Nothing beats high."
"I agree on that point. However, too high an ability leads to dependence.
Even you will eventually rely on my talents, and finally the positions will reverse, you know?"
"Hahaha, no problem at all~. Indeed, your talents might be above mine. I'll admit your current abilities are superior.
But Kamukura boy, I am still continuing to grow even now. Do you really think I won't catch up to you, who sits on your talents with growth halted?"
"You won't catch up. That is the Ultimate Hope—Izuru Kamukura."
Kōenji-kun's talents were eye-catching.
Especially regarding athletic talent, probably beyond even Ayanokouji-kun's.
If he polished his talents, attaining combat ability on the level of a Ultimate martial artist wouldn't be a dream.
But even then, he wouldn't reach me.
That was the difference in talent.
"Ultimate Hope—quite the grand ring~. Almost like…"
He was about to continue, but Kōenji-kun suddenly put a hand to his chin.
Thinking hard, trying to recall something.
"What happened?"
"…No, nothing. Just, I feel like I've heard that phrase somewhere, or… Hahaha, how careless of me to forget completely! My apologies!"
His hearty loud laugh echoed through the nature-filled space.
A rare miss unlike Kōenji-kun, that ordinary-person mistake.
A sense of discomfort.
A slight sense of discomfort caught in my brain.
However—
"…Let's head back soon. About fifteen minutes left until gathering time."
Morning roll call was approaching.
We couldn't be late from the first day and take a point deduction, so we needed to return immediately.
"Oops, right~. Let's go right away then."
Kōenji-kun walked briskly back toward the dorm alone, without even glancing at my pace.
True to his free-spirited self, the discomfort I'd felt earlier faded.
"I hope it was just my imagination."
Inadvertently, a very human sigh slipped out.
We were in the middle of the special exam—time to focus.
I pushed the possibility that had floated into my head aside and followed after him so I wouldn't be left behind.
…
When we returned to the room, light BGM was playing inside.
Coming from the speakers installed in the room, it was obviously the wake-up signal.
"…Too damn noisy."
Ishizaki-kun's grumble was the first voice of the morning.
One after another the sleepy students' upper bodies rose, groans and yawns continuing from everywhere.
"Good morning, everyone. Roll call in the designated classroom in ten minutes, so please prepare right away."
I clapped my hands twice, raising my voice to rouse the drowsy ones.
When I said that, everyone except Ryuuen-kun moved briskly.
Forest school morning, spent without any particular complaints exploding.
Stress building up in the room could cause conflicts and, by extension, hinder the special exam.
We needed to manage mental states as much as possible.
"You're the only one left, Ryuuen-kun."
While everyone quickly finished preparing and headed to the designated classroom, only Ryuuen-kun remained.
As the person in charge, I had to lock the room, so I waited until the end.
Ryuuen-kun in his jersey, glaring at me while stifling a yawn, had zero scariness. The way he rubbed his eyes to clear the crust was pure gap moe.
"…What the hell are you staring at? Die."
Ryuuen-kun headed to the designated classroom alone, so I quickly locked up and caught up to him.
His rebellious-teen attitude was the same as always, though some might find it cute.
I didn't think so at all.
"How would you have handled this exam?"
"Dunno. But I would've formed twelve-person groups like you.
Our methods are just too different in style, though."
The way a group is led changes drastically depending on who's at the front.
Naturally, Ryuuen-kun and I were different types.
I was more the orthodox kind—like Ichinose-san, Katsuragi-kun, or Hirata-kun from the other classes.
Meanwhile, Ryuuen-kun, Sakayanagi-san, and even Ayanokouji-kun were the schemer types.
Leaders who trusted their own schemes, worked from the shadows, and excelled at crushing opponents with unexpected methods rather than maximizing group strength.
"In your case, you would've executed a plan to thoroughly crush Class A, right?"
"Probably. Now that Sakayanagi is away, it's the perfect chance to crush Class A.
If Katsuragi was still leader it'd be one thing, but someone like Matoba wouldn't even be an opponent."
Ryuuen-kun cracked his neck and shoulders, adjusting his body.
After the crushing rooftop defeat he'd stepped down as leader, but his core hadn't changed at all.
He always had solid assumptions ready for special exams.
"Did the contract go smoothly?"
"Yes. No problem."
I told him the details of my contract with Sakayanagi-san.
"If it were me, I could've kept 30,000."
"Please be happy with the result that left over 20,000 points collected."
Once our secret discussion ended, we arrived at the designated classroom right on time.
There were about forty people inside. Since the large group was formed from three small groups of thirteen to fifteen each, that number made sense.
Upperclassmen were mixed in among a full class's worth of students, and everyone exchanged morning greetings.
"Kamukura, got a minute?"
Horikita Manabu called out to me as I entered the room.
"It's about Miyabi Nagumo, right? I'll cooperate if there's anything I can do."
I answered favorably without waiting to hear the details. I already knew exactly why he would approach me during this exam.
"Thanks for catching on quick. First, I want to confirm what happened that time."
That time meant the brief contact right after we boarded the bus.
"Let me ask again—what was the intent behind that question?"
Horikita Manabu pressed me on why I had asked whether the student council could intervene in the special exam rules.
"Naturally, I asked because it felt like the student council was involved in this exam."
"It's about the dragged-along rule, huh."
Horikita Manabu spoke slowly. He seemed to have felt the same discomfort.
"Yes. That rule alone felt especially self-serving."
"I see. I felt a similar discomfort. If it's the same as yours, it carries some credibility."
Horikita Manabu was trusting me. In that case, I would respond kindly.
"Do you currently trust the match against Miyabi Nagumo?"
"Yeah. I trust Nagumo when it comes to keeping promises. He won't come after me with anything outside the match."
"Why can you say that so definitively?"
His groundless claim, so unlike him, raised a question in my mind.
"Sure, Nagumo fights without choosing his methods. He's even used tactics like Ryuuen's before. But he has never once broken something he said out loud."
"So you believe he won't break the promise this time either?"
Horikita Manabu nodded firmly. It seemed that after running the student council together for nearly two years—something I didn't know—he could see things others couldn't. That level of trust would clearly cost a great deal to lose.
"Kuku, what the hell is this sugary-sweet crap coming out of the former student council president's mouth?
Trust isn't something you need from the start. If the guy uses methods like mine, you should be even more wary."
Because his name came up, Ryuuen-kun butted into the conversation.
"He's the student council president. The trust he's built up is enormous, and throwing it away would be far too foolish. Even if he absolutely wants to pin a loss on me this time and uses any means necessary, the trust in him would collapse. From the big picture, it's nothing but a minus."
He had boldly declared the contest right in front of every male student in the school year, even guaranteeing he wouldn't use dirty tricks. If he broke that promise anyway, the losses would clearly outweigh any gains.
"Well, the exam has only just begun. Let's gather a bit more information before we start predicting what methods he'll use."
Mashima-sensei, the homeroom teacher of Class 1-A, entered the classroom, so Horikita Manabu cut the conversation short. The exam had barely started. Under normal circumstances, that would have been the right call.
"Horikita Manabu, let's talk again tonight."
"Yeah. The third-year room at night okay?"
"Yes, that would be more convenient."
He agreed to my invitation without hesitation.
Since the teachers' instructions required us to separate by school year, Ryuuen-kun and I moved away from Horikita Manabu.
"I'm Mashima from Class 1-A. After roll call, we'll go outside and clean the designated area. After that, we clean the school building. This is the daily morning routine. If it rains, outdoor cleaning is canceled, but indoor cleaning time will be extended, so the total cleaning duration won't shorten. Also, starting today, not only the school teachers but various specialists handling different tasks will be joining us. Treat them with proper respect and politeness."
After that brief explanation, our group headed out for cleaning.
…
When we reached the designated area, the cleaning tools were already prepared. Following the supervising teacher's instructions, we immediately began cleaning.
"Cleaning every morning from now on… I'm gonna go insane."
"With your personality, it's probably hard to see this as charity work. Still, at least during this special exam period, don't slack off and take it seriously."
"…I won't slack. Since Kamukura-san is seriously putting effort into the special exam, I'll make sure I don't drag the team down."
Ishizaki-kun grumbled while still working. He had the motivation, but the drowsiness probably made it hard to concentrate. The other students wore similar sleepy expressions as they worked.
Since there was a quota for the designated section, none of them seemed inclined to slack. Except for two.
"By the way, is it really okay, Kamukura-san? That bastard Kōenji is blatantly slacking off."
The first was obviously Kōenji-kun. He was present since it was the first day of explanations, but he was simply wandering around with a broom in hand. Even while the supervising teacher watched him, he kept slacking without a care.
"It's fine. That was the agreement."
"The agreement… you mean the one about letting him spend it comfortably?"
"Yes. If he lends us his strength, victory becomes far more certain. For that, I'll gladly handle boring chores like cleaning as many times as it takes."
Since I also possess cleaning talent, I could easily finish even a quota meant for a hundred people. Doubling it didn't even count as extra. I left Ishizaki-kun and efficiently completed my cleaning.
"Excuse me, may I have a moment?"
Once I finished my quota, I approached the supervising teacher.
Now, there were two people slacking off in my group. Did you notice who they were, sensei?"
"One was that blond boy. But I don't know the other one."
"I see. The correct answer is that delinquent-looking student over there. He was hiding behind the obvious one and skillfully pretending to clean while dodging your eyes."
I pointed at Ryuuen-kun.
While Kōenji-kun was blatantly slacking off as a decoy, he had been cleverly avoiding work, but he couldn't fool my eyes.
"…I see. But why report it?"
I pretended to ponder for a moment, then pressed my index finger to my lips. A youthful smile spread across my face.
"Sensei, I just reported their misconduct. However, I don't have any concrete evidence. Will this affect their evaluation in this exam?"
"Since I, the supervisor, didn't witness the slacking myself, it's difficult. And without evidence, lowering their score is also hard. Still, even if the report is false, it will put them under scrutiny."
"Then, to obtain clear evidence, would you be able to secretly observe him with me?"
"It depends on the situation. If it's to catch evidence of something like bullying or serious misconduct, the school would need to gather proof as well, so we would cooperate."
"I understand. Thank you for the information."
Finally, I smiled again and thanked the supervising teacher.
The teacher looked slightly confused by my changing expressions but soon left the area.
I returned to my class and we began moving.
Once the guidance ended, we arrived at a place resembling a dōjō with tatami mats spread across the floor.
There were only a few hanging scrolls as decoration, and the scent of fresh rush grass filled the space, creating a strangely calming atmosphere.
"Starting today, you will practice zazen here both in the morning and evening."
After the stern-faced instructor in charge of the activity told us to sit, he explained.
Though he wore a normal jersey, his movements and footwork clearly showed he had martial arts training. Even if he wasn't a regular school teacher, it seemed a proper specialist had been brought in.
"First, I'll have you memorize the rules and etiquette for this dōjō. After that, we'll learn how to properly sit in zazen."
Starting with that introduction, the instructor gave a full explanation.
While listening, I checked on the state of the group.
Because of the early morning, Ishizaki-kun and Komiya-kun still looked half-asleep. Everyone else, whether sleepy or uninterested, was listening to the lecture.
By the time the explanation finished, Albert had a troubled expression on his face. He probably wasn't very familiar with this kind of culture. I'd explain it to him again later. Other than that, there didn't seem to be any particular issues.
"Alright, let's begin zazen right away. First, sit in a cross-legged position and place each foot on the opposite thigh. Since the exam results will be affected by how well you can do full lotus position, make sure you can manage it."
The instructor demonstrated the proper way to sit in full lotus as an example. After giving instructions, he walked around checking each student's posture one by one.
"If you can't do it from the start, there's also the half lotus position where you only place one foot. Start practicing from there."
From what I could see, about half could do it while the other half were struggling. Especially those with stiff bodies seemed to be having a hard time across the board. Kōenji-kun and Ryuuen-kun managed it fine, but Ishizaki-kun and Albert were clearly struggling.
"Destroy the mind, reach the state of no-self. I understand it as knowledge, but let's try putting it into practice."
Once I'd finished checking the surroundings, I focused on zazen for the remaining time. Entering my own world and enjoying the silence didn't feel bad at all.
After that, a five-minute zazen session was announced, and the first session began.
…
"Manabe-san, are you okay?"
After zazen ended, my legs had gone numb and I wobbled pathetically before nearly collapsing. Ichinose-san reached out to help me.
"…Thank you."
"You're welcome!"
Taking her hand, I stood up to be greeted by a bright smile.
Ichinose Honami. A popular girl who transcends grade levels thanks to both her looks and personality. Even the cheerful people in Class C pale in comparison to her gentle aura. Every single action she takes radiates genuine kindness.
"Do you always reach out to help anyone like that?"
"Hmm~ I don't help just anyone. I'm not that much of a pushover, you know."
"…I see."
Ichinose-san said it with a smile. It didn't sound like a lie. It made me want to believe her. That must be her charisma at work.
"Once again, thank you for taking on the role of leader, Manabe-san! I'll give it my all to support you, so let's aim for first place together!"
"…You don't need to thank me. I'm just following orders. Besides, since I'm doing it, I'll aim for first place, of course."
Leader.
It was a role I had zero motivation for, but after receiving instructions during the bus ride and at dinner time, I had decided to fulfill it properly.
The instructions came from Kamukura-kun, and there were two. The first was for our group to be placed in the same group as a certain female third-year student from Class A. The second was to make sure we didn't finish in 6th place during this exam. While observing the upperclassmen's movements, I was to report back, and I could even offer opinions if needed.
Essentially, it was an extension of the previous tasks he'd given—a directive to do everything I could to the best of my ability.
He never explained why we had to join this particular third-year group, but knowing him, he surely had something in mind.
"Instructions? From Ryuuen-kun?"
"No, from Kamukura-kun."
"Kamukura-kun, huh… So does that mean he's the leader of Class C right now?"
"Yeah. He said he'd be the temporary leader for this exam."
"…Heh~"
Ichinose-san nodded with a slightly serious expression.
She seemed to find it strange that Ryuuen-kun was no longer Class C's leader. Winter break had started right after the closing ceremony, but the rumor that Ryuuen-kun had stepped down quickly spread and was now known throughout the school.
As the leader of Class B, it was definitely information Ichinose-san would want to verify.
"Do the people in Class C know why Ryuuen-kun quit being leader?"
"Who knows. I've only heard rumors myself, so I don't know the details."
"The rumor is that on the day of the closing ceremony, Ryuuen-kun called out Ishizaki-kun, Yamada-kun, and Kamukura-kun, right? He tried to punish them, but Kamukura-kun turned the tables on him… Is that correct?"
"Yeah, exactly right."
The rumor matched.
There was a slight sense of discomfort, but it did seem plausible that Kamukura-kun could overpower Ryuuen-kun. It might not be entirely false. Still, the truth remained unclear.
Kamukura-kun, Ibuki-san, Ishizaki, and the others might know the real story, but I had no intention of poking the hornet's nest. I didn't have the guts to get involved any further.
"Because he got beaten, Ryuuen-kun stepped down from the leader position and Kamukura-kun is acting as his substitute. It makes sense logically… but I wonder if it's really true~. Those two seem pretty close, so there's a chance the rumor is fake."
"Unfortunately, even the students in Class C don't know the full truth. Besides, Kamukura-kun only became leader temporarily. He has no intention of continuing after this."
I told her everything without hiding anything.
Since he had said it on the bus, it would spread eventually anyway. Giving her honest information would also raise my favorability with Ichinose-san.
This was exactly what Kamukura-kun meant when he told me to reconsider my own actions.
It's not like I wanted to become a good girl. Honestly, I couldn't even if I tried. I only held back during today's group formation because it was one of Kamukura-kun's tasks. I still hadn't released my stress and would need to vent it somewhere soon.
That's what I thought.
"I see. It feels both fortunate and wasteful somehow."
Ichinose-san laughed in a joking tone.
She was probably happy that Kamukura-kun not being leader lowered the threat level toward Class B, but her own personality made her feel it was a shame that someone so talented stayed out of the spotlight.
"Well, we feel the same way."
"Ahaha~ So even within the class, people see Kamukura-kun that way, huh."
Even though we're in different classes, Ichinose-san's impression seemed similar to ours in Class C.
"If we left everything to Kamukura-kun it would be easy, but then he'd probably say something like…"
"'How boring. Can't you do anything unless someone tells you to?' Right?"
Ichinose-san did her best to imitate him with a straight face and flat voice.
It was surprisingly accurate, so I couldn't help but find it funny and entertaining.
"Ahaha, yeah, exactly like that."
When Kamukura-kun actually says it, it sends chills down your spine, but hearing someone imitate him like this was strangely amusing. Plus, because it was Ichinose-san—the complete opposite type of person—doing the impression, it felt even funnier.
"Looks like everyone's gathered."
Casual chatter makes time pass quickly. Before I knew it, we had arrived at the next destination.
It wasn't the large cafeteria we used for dinner yesterday, but outside. It seemed they were going to explain breakfast here.
Once the female instructor confirmed the headcount, she immediately began the explanation.
"For today, the school will provide it, but starting tomorrow, if the weather is clear, each group will have to prepare breakfast yourselves. Discuss the number of people and division of labor as a whole group to decide."
The distribution of materials explaining cooking methods from tomorrow onward, tableware placement, menus, and how to prepare them proceeded smoothly. It didn't seem like we'd be left in a situation where we didn't know what to make.
Once all explanations were finished, the school provided today's breakfast.
"…It's pretty simple."
The prepared breakfast was a basic one soup, three side dishes style—a very simple meal. It wasn't that the portions were lacking, but for people used to eating whatever they wanted, it probably felt unsatisfying. Even I, who doesn't usually prepare my own meals, couldn't hide my anxiety about having to make breakfast.
"Ichinose-san, since there are six breakfasts during the special exam, is it okay if each grade takes one turn?"
The third-year senior who was the leader of the large group spoke to Ichinose-san.
After looking at all the first-years, Ichinose-san judged there were no objections and immediately agreed.
Having to wake up even earlier than the already early mornings just to make breakfast would be extremely tough. But I'm the leader. I didn't want to show any weakness.
After finishing breakfast, we headed into the morning classes.
***
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