Chapter 241 067: Ryuen: Shiina, why have you been so restless lately?

"Why wouldn't they want to?" Ryuen looked at her. "Class D has a negative score; losing doesn't matter to them. But if they win, they don't get any points. For them, trading with us and ensuring no one gets expelled is the best result."

"But—" the male student named Oda raised his hand again, "what if Class D's test papers aren't authentic? What if they agree to the trade, but the paper they finally submit isn't the one we agreed upon? Won't we be doomed?"

Clearly, Oda usually didn't think much, but now that he was among those at the bottom of the rankings, he was thinking because his own safety was at stake.

Ryuen looked at him, silent for a second. "Therefore, we need to ensure the person we are trading with is someone who can represent Class D."

Ibuki's brow furrowed. "Who can represent Class D? Hirata Yousuke? Horikita Suzune? Or that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka?"

Ryuen didn't answer. He turned around and wrote a few words on the blackboard—"Trust."

"The test papers are created by the students themselves," Ryuen put down the chalk. "Just because a representative from Class D submits a paper doesn't mean that paper reflects the intent of everyone in Class D. If someone secretly swaps the paper, or if someone submits a different one, what we receive might not be genuine. Therefore, we need someone who can represent the entire Class D. Someone whom everyone recognizes, and someone who would never betray them."

The classroom went quiet again. Is there such a person in Class D? Hirata Yousuke is too gentle and cannot control everyone. Horikita Suzune is too cold; no one is willing to listen to her. Karuizawa Kei—she is just the leader of the gyaru group and cannot manage the entire class. Kushida Kikyo—she doesn't offend anyone, but she can't represent anyone either. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka—he can't even represent himself.

"So, haven't we fallen into trouble?" Ibuki's voice sounded a bit strained.

Ryuen looked at her, silent for a second. "I have already thought of a plan. The premise is that on our class's side—no one betrays us."

His gaze shifted away from Ibuki, swept across the classroom, and finally landed on a male student in the back row: Tokito. His academic rating was A, his physical ability was average; he was one of the few top students in Ryuen's class, but he had never been truly submissive to Ryuen.

Therefore, Ryuen had no intention of bringing him into his inner circle. But now.

"Tokito," Ryuen said.

Tokito Hiroya looked up at him.

"Hand over your phone," Ryuen's voice was calm, but every word felt like a nail driven into the ground.

Tokito's face changed. "Why?"

"Someone saw you meeting Ayanokouji during the break," Ryuen looked at him. "I need to confirm you haven't been bought by him."

The air in the classroom instantly solidified. Everyone's gaze turned to Tokito. His complexion changed from normal to flushed, and then from flushed to ash-gray.

"I just ran into him while eating in the shopping street!" Tokito's voice raised a few octaves. "We were sitting at adjacent tables; we didn't say a single word!"

"Then why didn't you tell me proactively?" Ryuen's voice dropped lower.

"Why should I tell you? I didn't do anything wrong!" Tokito pressed his hand against the desk, his tone quite dissatisfied. "Ryuen, are you suspecting me?"

Ryuen looked at him without speaking. The two stared at each other for a few seconds. Tokito's chest heaved violently, but he didn't avert his gaze. Ryuen walked down from the podium, stood in front of Tokito, and held out his hand.

"Phone."

Tokito stared at him for two seconds, then pulled his phone from his pocket and slammed it into Ryuen's hand. Ryuen took it, opened the contact list, glanced at it, flipped through the call logs, and then checked the messaging app. He looked very carefully, not letting a single name go.

No one in the classroom spoke. Everyone was watching Ryuen, watching Tokito.

Ryuen handed the phone back to Tokito. "No problems found."

Tokito took the phone, turned his head away, and said nothing.

Ryuen walked back to the podium, his gaze sweeping across the classroom. "We cannot lose this exam. Although we don't get points even if we win, losing will result in point deductions. So, we must win.

Therefore, I need everyone to follow orders. If anyone acts on their own—" he didn't finish the sentence, but everyone knew what those ellipses contained.

The classroom went quiet. No one spoke, no one laughed. Everyone lowered their heads.

Ryuen stood at the podium, scanning the classroom from one end to the other. His gaze stopped on Shiina Hiyori for a moment.

She hadn't spoken. From this morning until now, she hadn't said a word. When Kaneda Satoru was analyzing the situation, she didn't speak. When he was checking Tokito's phone, she didn't speak. When he said "everyone needs to follow orders," she didn't speak either.

Ryuen felt this was unlike her. Usually, at times like this, she would be writing something in her notebook, then look up and say, "I'd like to add something." Today, she did nothing; she just sat there quietly, holding a book in her hands without opening it.

Ryuen withdrew his gaze and didn't press the issue.

The morning homeroom ended quickly. Students left the classroom one after another; some went to the bathroom, some to the corridor to look at the scenery, and others gathered in groups to chat.

Shiina Hiyori sat in her original seat, still holding the book. She wasn't reading it; she just placed the book on her lap, tapping her fingers lightly on the cover. Ryuen walked over.

"Shiina."

Shiina Hiyori looked up.

"You're not yourself today," Ryuen's voice lowered. "Are you sick?"

Shiina Hiyori shook her head. "No. I'm just thinking about the exam."

Ryuen looked at her, silent for two seconds. "Whom do you think we can trade the Class D papers with?"

Shiina Hiyori thought about it. "Hirata-kun. He is the nominal class representative of Class D and carries the most weight. If he agrees to the trade, the others won't object."

"And if he doesn't agree?"

"Then we have no choice but to find Horikita-san," Shiina Hiyori's voice was very light. "She is Hikigaya-kun's person. If Hikigaya-kun is willing to help us, she will cooperate too."

Ryuen frowned. "Hikigaya will help us?"

Shiina Hiyori was silent for a second. "Perhaps not. But at least he won't harm us. Class A and Class C are fighting and won't have time to look after us. The outcome between Class B and Class D is irrelevant to him. He won't actively help us, but he won't actively harm us either. After all, if our points are deducted too much, it's not a good thing for him."

In other words, the points the class owes Hikigaya (350 evaluation points) serve as a protective charm.

However, Ryuen looked at her and suddenly felt that she wasn't just "not herself." Her analysis was as clear as before, but her voice was lighter than usual, and her eyes looked further away than usual. While she spoke, her gaze didn't land on anything.

"Shiina," Ryuen said.

"Yes."

"Are you hiding something from me?"

Shiina Hiyori's eyelashes trembled slightly. "No."

Ryuen stared at her for two seconds, then withdrew his gaze. "That's good."

He turned and walked out of the classroom. Shiina Hiyori sat in her seat, watching his back disappear through the doorway. She lowered her head, looking at the book in her hands. The bookmark was still tucked inside; a bookmark made of a poppy flower, the petals already dried into a thin sheet, the color changing from light red to dark red.

She touched the petal lightly, then closed the book and put it in her bag.

Time quickly reached the evening. When the last class ended, most students had left the classroom one by one. Footsteps and laughter echoed in the corridor, gradually fading away.

Ryuen stood by the podium, arms crossed over his chest, his gaze sweeping over the few people remaining in the classroom. Ibuki Mio was leaning by the window, Albert was sitting in the corner, Ishizaki Daichi and Kaneda Satoru were sitting in the front row. Shiina Hiyori sat in her seat, holding the book "The Old Man and the Sea."

"Close the door," Ryuen said.

Clearly, it was time for a small meeting.

Ishizaki Daichi stood up and closed both the front and back doors of the classroom. The classroom went quiet, leaving only the sound of wind outside the windows and footsteps from the distant playground. Ryuen walked down from the podium, leaned against a desk in the first row, and looked at the people present.

"This exam concerns whether we get points deducted and whether someone gets expelled. And it's tied together." Ryuen's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear. "So, we must win!

Therefore, we need to trade with Class D. Exchange papers, leak questions to each other, so both sides can pass."

Ishizaki Daichi scratched his head. "But can we trust that bunch in Class D?"

Ryuen looked at him. "We can't. That's why we need to choose the right person."

His gaze swept across the room and finally landed on Shiina Hiyori. She was sitting in her seat, holding the book without opening it.

"Shiina," Ryuen said.

Shiina Hiyori came back to herself and looked at him.

"You're not in a good state today," Ryuen's voice lowered as he asked again, "If you're sick, you can certainly take leave. No need to force yourself."

He was quite tolerant of those with ability. However, Shiina Hiyori paused and shook her head. "I'm not sick. Just letting my mind wander a little."

"Related to the exam?" Ryuen asked.

Shiina Hiyori was silent for a second. "No."

Ryuen stared at her for two seconds without pressing. He straightened up from the desk and walked back to the podium. "Continue."

Shiina Hiyori took a deep breath and stood up from her seat. She walked to the blackboard, picked up the chalk, and wrote a few words—"Trading Partner."

"For our class to pass smoothly and ensure no one is expelled, we must swap test papers with Class D. But we need to obtain the real test papers—that is, the ones Class D actually submits at the end-of-month exam," Shiina Hiyori's voice returned to its usual calmness. "In other words, the Class D collaborator we select must be someone who can represent the entire class. The paper they submit must be the final paper for Class D."

Kaneda Satoru pushed up his glasses. "The problem is, who can represent Class D?"

Shiina Hiyori's chalk tapped on the blackboard. "I told Ryuen this morning that I believe it is Hirata Yousuke. He is the nominal class representative of Class D and speaks with the most authority. If he agrees to the trade, others likely won't object."

"And if he doesn't agree?" Ibuki Mio asked.

"Then we have to find Horikita Suzune," Shiina Hiyori wrote "Horikita Suzune" next to "Hirata Yousuke." "She is Hikigaya-kun's person. If Hikigaya-kun is willing to help us, she will cooperate. After all, we owe him points. If he harms us, he won't be able to collect his debt."

Ibuki Mio understood now. Looking at it this way, the class owing money seems quite safe.

"The problem is," Kaneda Satoru pushed up his glasses, "even if we choose the right partner and they agree, if someone inside Class D swaps the paper, or if someone submits a different one, what we receive might not be the real thing."

Shiina Hiyori put down the chalk and turned to face the people present. "Therefore, we need to confirm it through the teacher."

Ibuki Mio's brow furrowed. "Confirm it through the teacher?"

"Yes," Shiina Hiyori nodded. "The papers Class D submits will eventually go to the homeroom teacher. As long as we know in advance that the papers Class D submitted have been acknowledged and accepted by the teacher, we can confirm if our trading partner has lied to us."

Ibuki Mio opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found her words stuck in her throat. She wasn't doubting Shiina Hiyori's analysis; she was doubting Class D. Would they really go that far? Swapping papers? Submitting different ones? You have to know, this is just an exam, not a war.

Ryuen, looking at Ibuki Mio's expression, added, "If Ayanokouji is involved, then it is indeed possible."

Ibuki Mio's brow furrowed tighter. "Ayanokouji? Would he do such a thing?"

"He would," Ryuen's voice was calm. "You can never go wrong by suspecting Ayanokouji with the greatest malice."

The classroom was quiet for a moment. No one refuted him. Because Ayanokouji's performance in the Sports Festival had made everyone see him clearly. He had no class pride, didn't care whether his classmates lived or died, and even when Hirata Yousuke set a trap to test him, he jumped into it without hesitation. Such a person is indeed capable of anything.

"So," Ryuen straightened up from the podium, "we need to do two things. First, find someone who can represent Class D and reach a deal. Second, confirm the content of the paper Class D finally submits from the teacher's side to ensure it hasn't been swapped.

After all, once the Class D paper we receive isn't the one being tested, it will be a disaster-level event for our class."

Kaneda Satoru wrote these two points in his notebook. "Understood."

Ryuen's gaze swept across the classroom. "Does anyone else have any questions?"

No one spoke.

"Meeting adjourned."

Ishizaki Daichi stood up from his chair and stretched. "Finally, I can go eat."

Albert also stood up from the corner and followed Ishizaki Daichi toward the door. Kaneda Satoru closed his notebook, pushed up his glasses, and walked out. Only Ryuen, Ibuki Mio, and Shiina Hiyori remained in the classroom.

Ryuen glanced at Shiina Hiyori, then at Ibuki Mio, and headed toward the door. When he reached the door, he stopped without looking back.

"Ibuki. Come out for a second."

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