(PS: The image depicts Chabashira Sae.)
Chabashira Sae.
She looked to be under thirty, standing at an oddly balanced age—possessing the beauty of a young woman, yet carrying the sharp, composed air of someone mature.
Like the students, she wore a white shirt underneath, topped with a black professional jacket.
Beneath the tight-fitting suit, her graceful figure was clearly outlined. Paired with black stockings and pointed high heels, she looked far more alluring than the still-immature students around her, radiating a distinctly adult charm.
Having read the original story, Amamiya Yuki knew this teacher very well.
Chabashira Sae had once been a Class D student at Advanced Nurturing High School herself. Back then, the gap between classes wasn't large—Class D had been less than one hundred class points behind Class A.
In other words, if Class D had succeeded just a little more, they could have overtaken the other classes and graduated as Class A.
However, due to Chabashira's own naïveté, she made a single mistake that ruined the entire class's plan. In the end, they missed the chance to claim the top spot.
Because of that failure, Chabashira developed an obsession—an unyielding desire to see Class D reach Class A someday, even if it meant doing so as a homeroom teacher.
But competition in this school didn't stop with students. Teachers competed as well.
The homeroom teacher of Class B was Hoshinomiya Chie—someone from the same year as Chabashira.
That was why, unless there was real hope of promotion, Chabashira would never reveal her ambition. Otherwise, she would almost certainly become the target of Hoshinomiya's relentless hostility.
For Chabashira Sae, the chance to rise classes would only come once.
Therefore—
If she couldn't see any hope, she would adopt a cold, detached attitude and let Class D rot on its own, maintaining a harmless façade while waiting for the next opportunity.
And yet, every Class D in every year had been filled with flawed students—never once showing real potential to rise.
She had waited many years.
And this year, hope had finally appeared.
Chabashira discreetly glanced toward the corner of the classroom, at Ayanokōji Kiyotaka.
A student personally singled out by Chairman Sakayanagi and entrusted to her care couldn't possibly be ordinary.
Yet no matter how she looked, beneath that lifeless, unremarkable exterior, she couldn't see anything special.
Retracting her gaze, Chabashira tapped the stack of booklets already prepared on the desk and spoke in a flat tone.
"This school does not reshuffle classes. For the next three years, I will be your homeroom teacher. Let's get along."
"Also, the entrance ceremony will be held in the gymnasium in one hour. Until then, read the materials explaining this school's special rules."
Two familiar booklets were passed forward—documents every student had already received before enrollment.
Unlike ordinary high schools, this place was highly unusual.
Choosing to enroll meant mandatory dormitory living. Without the school's permission, all outside contact was prohibited—including contact with family.
In exchange,
the school provided extensive facilities: karaoke rooms, a cinema, cafés, clothing stores—essentially a small commercial district.
However, the booklet in their hands was thicker than before.
Opening it revealed a device resembling a smartphone.
"This is your student ID," Chabashira explained. "It allows access to all school facilities and can be used to purchase goods. You can think of it as a credit card."
"But since it consumes personal points, be mindful. There's nothing you can't buy—as long as you have the points."
As Amamiya Yuki casually examined the student ID, Chabashira continued explaining the rules.
Behind him, Horikita Suzune was momentarily stunned.
Passing materials backward was basic classroom etiquette—but the booklet meant for her had been intercepted by Amamiya Yuki.
How was she supposed to gather information quickly like this?
The classroom was completely silent.
Frowning, Horikita poked Yuki's back with her pen.
Moments later, a slip of paper slid out from under Yuki's arm. Horikita took it without thinking.
[Your name. And draw something cute while you're at it.]
Snap.
Horikita instantly pulled a compass from her pencil case, nearly furious. Everyone's nameplates had already been on the desks—there was no way Yuki didn't know her name.
He was clearly messing with her.
Childish.
Gritting her teeth, Horikita glanced at the podium. In the end, she slowly put the compass away.
She wrote her name on the paper.
Reporting him to the teacher wasn't even worth considering. There were too many ways he could explain it away—and it didn't suit her personality anyway. She had no interest in socializing with these classmates.
After finishing, she poked his desk again.
Amamiya Yuki took the note back, smiling with satisfaction.
Horikita Suzune.
He slowly tore the paper into pieces. He hadn't seriously expected her to draw something cute, and he wasn't foolish enough to push things further.
If he wanted to control Horikita, he needed to leave a strong impression. Otherwise, with her personality, he would simply become another passing face.
The method was childish—but effective.
Ignoring her icy stare, Yuki calmly handed her the booklet.
Horikita cast a cold glance at his back, then quickly shifted her attention to the student ID.
If the teacher hadn't been explaining the rules, she would have stabbed him with that compass without hesitation.
At the podium, Chabashira continued, unfazed.
"Personal points are deposited automatically on the first of every month. Right now, everyone should have received an equal amount—one hundred thousand points. One point equals one yen."
The classroom erupted into noise.
Even Horikita was surprised.
An ordinary high school student might receive five thousand yen a month. Even with part-time work, thirty thousand was already impressive.
And this school just handed out one hundred thousand yen?
"Surprised by the amount?" Chabashira said with a faintly amused tone. "This school measures a student's value by ability. Being admitted means you possess that value. Don't hold back—use it freely."
After waiting a moment and seeing no questions, Chabashira glanced at Ayanokōji with faint disappointment and left the classroom.
Amamiya Yuki stroked his chin, slightly surprised.
Though the teacher hadn't explained the finer details, there were obvious loopholes.
For example, she said points would be deposited every month—but never promised the amount would remain one hundred thousand.
Anyone thinking critically should have caught that.
And yet, no one in Class D asked a single question.
"So that's why this is Class D," Yuki thought calmly.
Every year, Class D's overall quality was noticeably lower than the others. Chabashira had clearly intended this explanation as a test.
"This school is amazing! Want to go hang out after class?"
"With this many points, we can buy whatever we want!"
The moment Chabashira left, the students erupted in excitement. It was the first time most of them had ever held such a large sum of money.
"Everyone, could I have a moment?"
A blond boy stood up, smiling brightly at the class.
"From today on, we'll be living together as a class. How about we introduce ourselves? It'd be great if we could all become friends."
"There's still some time before the entrance ceremony. What do you think?"
His initiative won quick approval.
Seeing everyone agree, the blond boy spoke confidently.
"Then I'll start."
"My name is Hirata Yōsuke. Just call me Yōsuke. I like all kinds of sports—especially soccer. I'm planning to join the school's soccer club. Nice to meet you all."
One after another, students began introducing themselves.
Amamiya Yuki slowly chewed over every word Hirata spoke.
Hirata Yōsuke.
Back in middle school, one of Hirata's childhood friends was bullied. Hirata noticed—but chose to ignore it.
That friend later took his own life.
The bullying didn't stop.
Instead, it spread, consuming the entire class.
Eventually—
With no end in sight, Hirata chose violence to end the bullying. By inflicting equal pain on both sides and climbing to the top, he believed bullying could be erased.
And it worked.
But what disappeared wasn't just bullying.
It was smiles.
Only Hirata stood at the top. Everyone else was equal. Whenever conflict arose, Hirata punished both sides equally.
Once-lively students became hollow shells, living day by day under his terrifying rule.
Yuki noticed something immediately.
Every sentence Hirata spoke earlier had been phrased as a question—seeking approval, asking for consent.
This cheerful, confident-looking social star couldn't make decisions on his own.
Hirata Yōsuke wasn't a people-pleaser.
Compared to individuals, what he truly cared about was the concept of "the class" itself.
Amamiya Yuki smiled.
Hirata was the perfect pawn.