Thinking this, Chabashira Sae finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Suddenly, snippets of conversation from the third-year and second-year homeroom teachers reached her ears.
"Did you hear? Student Council President Horikita Manabu seems to have forbidden all third-years from selling exam papers to any second-years."
"Huh? How do you know about this?"
"Nagumo Miyabi from my Class A complained to me about it. He said the student council president raised the price of the papers to a whopping 10 million points."
"What? Selling for 10 million? That's ruthless! Are you going to help Nagumo handle this?"
"Since a student raised the issue, I had to at least inquire. Just got off the phone, and the school refused—said it's a matter between students and has nothing to do with the school. You know how this school always encourages students to solve their own problems. Besides, these exam papers are shady to begin with."
"We shouldn't interfere anyway. If we were going to step in, we should have done it back when the second-years were signing those unequal treaties with Nagumo Miyabi. This time, Student Council President Horikita Manabu is just forbidding third-years from selling papers. As for setting the price at 10 million points, frankly, it's to completely cut off the second-years' desire to 'take shortcuts.' There's nothing wrong with that approach. What grounds do they have to complain? Just because they can't 'cut corners' anymore?"
"As Nagumo Miyabi's homeroom teacher, I'm grateful that thanks to him, our class rose from Class B to Class A, but work is work. He usually doesn't show me much respect, to be honest, and I don't really like him either."
"As expected of the strongest student council president in recent history, he's finally made a move. But honestly, this method doesn't quite seem like his usual style. I thought he was just letting Nagumo Miyabi do whatever he wanted all along!"
The two teachers' conversation drifted over intermittently, carrying the distinctive tone of office small talk.
For Chabashira Sae, however, the topic felt somewhat distant, as it involved second and third-year matters.
She had also heard a bit about Student Council President Horikita Manabu.
He was indeed a top-tier talent in every aspect, and his character was beyond reproach.
Thinking about it, this approach really didn't seem like his usual style.
As for her own view on the matter, her first reaction was: Can't Nagumo Miyabi just not buy them? It just means fewer class points.
But the fact that Nagumo Miyabi specifically went to report it clearly indicated things weren't as simple as she thought.
Did that mean he had to buy them?
If so, then this was a classic case of an overt, undeniable scheme—blatantly presenting the choice, forcing the other party to spend a massive amount of points, knowing that refusing would incur even greater losses.
This logic reminded her strangely of the previous camera rental incident.
Their core principles were so similar: there was no real information asymmetry to begin with; it was simply a matter of laying the contract out in front of you, making you accept it even though you knew it would cost a huge number of points.
This method... really did resemble Shimizu Akira's approach.
Seemingly straightforward, yet offering no escape.
You knew you were being played, yet you had no choice but to grit your teeth and accept the terms.
The more she thought about it, the more she found the possibility startlingly high.
Because Shimizu Akira did know Horikita Manabu.
An ordinary first-year might not understand the power dynamics between second and third years.
But Shimizu Akira was different.
She clearly remembered that a month ago, precisely because of the information sale, she had told him all about Nagumo Miyabi's influence in the second year, even mentioning the rivalry between Nagumo Miyabi and Student Council President Horikita Manabu.
It was possible he had devised this current strategy based on those two pieces of information.
(So that means... I actually had a hand in pushing this matter along too?!)
The thought felt unbelievable even to her.
Could her casually provided information have inadvertently stirred up turmoil among the upperclassmen?
Just as she was thinking this, a figure suddenly leaned in close—Hoshinomiya Chie, wearing a pink chiffon blouse, slammed her hands down on the desk, her chest practically pressing against Chabashira's face.
She expressionlessly shifted her gaze away from the other's half-exposed breasts.
They were both women. What was there to look at?
Besides, in terms of figure, she wasn't losing to the other at all.
"What's on your mind, Sae-chan?" Her close friend tilted her head with a smile, her tone drawn out and soft.
"Nothing," she replied冷淡ly.
"Really?" Hoshinomiya Chie dragged out the syllable. "By the way, about that Shimizu-kun in your class—it should be fine for me to meet him privately, right?"
"What do you want to do?!" She immediately frowned, looking at the other warily.
"Well..." The pink-haired teacher tapped her chin lightly, smiling slyly. "Naturally, I'm a bit curious about him. After all, he did say he was single last time."
"You are not to lay a hand on him!" The words were out almost before she could think.
"Hehe... I am a teacher, you know." Hoshinomiya Chie waved a hand dismissively before turning to leave. "Just a little chat, asking for his opinion on Class B."
(His opinion on Class B?!)
Chabashira Sae frowned, watching Hoshinomiya Chie's retreating back.
To be honest, having worked together for so many years, she knew this friend of hers all too well.
The other woman definitely still held onto that little grudge from high school, constantly trying to compete with her.
But that was over a decade ago.
Objectively speaking, she hadn't been very rational back then and had made some impulsive decisions.
But so many years had passed. Their old Class B classmates had long since moved on—when they chatted occasionally in the old class group, they talked about the days they struggled together, their tones full of nostalgia.
Only Hoshinomiya Chie was like a tightly wound spring, following her all the way from high school to university, and then to this Advanced Nurturing High School.
Following her here wasn't enough; she had to teach the same year level, as if she wouldn't rest until she proved herself superior.
Teaching the same year was one thing, but who would have thought she'd resort to all sorts of methods to interfere with her class, targeting them both openly and covertly.
Over the past few years, the classes she taught not only failed to advance but had even been demoted on occasion.
Chabashira Sae had to admit that part of the reason was her own lack of skill in leading a class, but Hoshinomiya Chie's constant interference was also undeniably a major factor.
The other's most common tactic was poaching—either privately contacting the few outstanding students in her class, promising them benefits to directly "buy" them over to her own class.
Or having the attractive students from her own class make the first move, going on a few dates, and if they hit it off, starting to date—this way, her students were unknowingly led away.
Sometimes she would even take the field herself.
Over the years, Hoshinomiya Chie's methods had proven almost infallible, a one-size-fits-all strategy.
Countless times, Chabashira Sae had watched helplessly as key talents were poached from her class, leading to situations in subsequent special exams where the entire class was left with no capable students, ultimately resulting in miserable defeat.
This time, she would not let the other have her way again.
(So, Shimizu Akira... He probably won't be easily tempted, right? Wait, does he even have a girlfriend right now?)