Pirate's Freedom

"The teacher seems to be looking for you."

After the announcement went off, Kushida looked at him worriedly.

"Yeah...Kushida, I'm sorry, I'll be right back..."

Although she had no memory of anything she had done since she entered school that would have prompted her to be warned, Ayanokouji still bore the heavy gazes of her classmates and quickly slipped out of the classroom.

……

"So... what's the reason for calling me out?"

After a moment's delay, he was taken to the tutoring room not far from the teacher's office. Ayanokouji asked hesitantly.

"Well, well... before I explain, please come here first."

Sae Chabashira glanced at the round clock hanging on the wall and immediately opened a door in the tutoring room.This looks like a tea room, with a kettle on the stove.

"Just make some tea, right? Can hojicha be used?"

Ayanokouji immediately picked up the container containing hojicha powder.

"There's no need to worry about it," Sae Chabashira said crisply.

"Before I say you can come out, you stay in quietly and don't make a sound. Do you understand? If you violate it, you will be expelled from school."

"What? I totally mean what you mean-"

Without even getting an explanation, the door to the tea room was closed.

——Bang...click——

After a short wait, there was another sound of the door opening outside.

"Come in. So, Horikita, what do you want to say to me?"

The person who came to visit the counseling room was Ayanokouji's neighbor Horikita.

"I asked straight to the point. Why was I assigned to Class D?"

"It's really straight to the point."

"Teacher, you said today that outstanding people will be selected into Class A in order, and Class D is the last bastion of the crane tail in the school."

"What I said is true. It seems that you think you are very good."

"I am confident that I have solved almost all the entrance exam questions, and I don't remember making any major mistakes in the interviews. At least I can't imagine being assigned to Class D."

Juibei retorted forcefully.

"Have you almost solved the entrance exam questions...? Originally, the entrance exam results cannot be shown to individuals, but I will let you see it specially. Yes, your answer sheet happens to be here."

"The preparations were really thorough... as if they knew I would come to protest."

"I am also a teacher after all. I think I have a certain understanding of students' personalities. Horikita Suzune, your entrance exam results are the same as your own judgment——"

Chabashira Sae's voice reached Ayanokouji's ears in a leisurely manner.

"You were tied for No. 3 among the first-year students this year, and your scores were almost the same as those of No. 2 and No. [-]. You did very well in the exam. Even during the interview, you really didn't find anything that needed special attention. problem, it’s better to say that the reviews are very good.”

"Thank you, so—why?"

"Before this, why were you not convinced about being in Class D?"

"No one is happy about not being rated correctly. And the differences in classes in this school will have a huge impact on the future, so of course."

"Correct evaluation? Hey, hey, you think very highly of yourself."

Chabashira Sae let out a soft laugh.

"I will admit that your academic ability is excellent, and your mind is indeed very good. But who stipulates that people with excellent academic ability can enter excellent classes? We have never said this kind of thing once."

"It's - it's common sense in society."

"Common sense? Didn't your common sense create the terrible Japan we have today? You give all evaluations to people based on test scores alone, and use this to determine the quality of your life. The result is today's hereditary academic society."

For some reason, Sae Chabashira's words made Ayanokouji's throat feel tight.

"Being good at reading is also an important ability. I don't intend to deny this. But the purpose of establishing this place is to create [global talents]. The school should have explained this to the admitted students from the very beginning. And , Horikita, think about it calmly - if the school only determines merit based on academic ability, do you think Sudou and the others can get in?"

"Well……"

Although this is Japan's leading school for further education, there are also students who enroll through other methods other than studying.

"Besides, it would be too early for you to unilaterally conclude that no one will be happy about not being evaluated correctly. If you get to Class A, you will have to endure strong pressure from the school and strong jealousy from the lower classes. Every day. Being forced to compete under heavy pressure is harder than imagined. Some of them feel that it is a good thing that they are not evaluated correctly."

"Are you kidding? I can't understand that kind of person at all."

"Really? I think there are some weird students in Class D who are happy to be assigned to a lower-level class."

Chabashira Sae seems to mean something.

"This is not an explanation. Please confirm again whether it is true that I was assigned to Class D, and whether there is an error in the scoring standards."

"Although it is a pity, it is not our mistake that you were assigned to Class D. You are just a student of this level, so you will inevitably be assigned to Class D."

"...That's it, I will ask the school again."

Even though he concluded that talking to the class teacher was useless, Horibei did not give up.

"Even if you talk to the people above, the result will be the same. Besides, you don't have to be pessimistic. I also said in the morning that the class will fluctuate based on performance, and you may still be promoted to Class A before graduation."

"I don't think this is an easy path. How can Class D, which is full of immature people, get better points than Class A? No matter how much you think about it, it's impossible, isn't it?"

If we look at it objectively without taking any position, the overwhelming difference in points means this.

"This is none of my business. Whether you want to take this foolhardy path as your goal is your own freedom. Horikita, do you have any special reason why you have to be promoted to Class A? Woolen cloth?"

"That's...I'll take my leave today. But please remember, I have not accepted this matter."

"I know, then I'll remember it."

Ayanokouji heard the sharp sound of a chair being pulled up, and the conversation seemed to be over.

"Ah, that's right. I'm looking for more -"

click-

"Teacher Chabashira, I have been looking for you for a long time, and you are here."

The door was pushed open again, and accompanied by the footsteps of leather shoes on the ground, an unfamiliar voice from Ayanokouji interrupted Chabashira Sae's unspoken words.

"Teacher Porusalino, what can I do for you?"

"Oh, there are still students here. But it's not bad. Teacher Chabashira, I want to discuss the next special exam with you."

"It's too early to mention this now. Besides, we should wait for the notification from above..."

"Special exam? What is that?"

Juibei's questioning voice came.

"Just like the name, it's a special test where classes and grades compete with each other and get a lot of points."

"That is to say—"

The keen Juibei spoke immediately.

"Is there any chance of reversing the rankings?"

"That's right, but I'll have to wait until summer vacation next time. There's no point in being impatient now."

"You mean!" Juibei asked repeatedly.

"Have we been through a special test?"

"Teacher Porusalino, this is against the rules."

Just from the sound, Ayanokouji could imagine the frown on Mr. Chabashira's face at this moment.

"How could you do it in front of the students-"

"Oh yo yo, I was careless. It's okay at this level, right?"

"..."

Ayanokouji didn't hear Chabashira Sae's answer.Juibei seemed to be stopped by her eyes and stopped asking questions.

"Don't worry. Teacher Chabashira, I also have a sense of confidentiality. This is not what I want to talk to you about today..."

Only the voice of the teacher named Porusalino continued to sound.

"Recently, I have also looked through the examination items from past years. Although I don't want to say this, but-"

"If some of the students I brought competed under the same rules, the exam itself would be difficult to establish."