Volume 16, Chapter 3: Two Teachers, The Fated Special Exam, Part 3

After the school, as some commotion lingered.

I was heading back to the dorms from Keyaki Mall while chatting with Kei.

As we did that, Horikita was sitting on the dorm lobby, looking like she was waiting for someone.

I knew who that someone was right away. I pushed the button to the elevator that had stopped at the first floor. When Kei and I boarded, Horikita also did.

“Ayanokouji-kun, can I have a word with you?”

The elevator stopped at the 4th floor where my room was.

“See you again Kiyotaka.”

Kei is prone to being jealous, but she’s definitely not bad at grasping the situation.

She understood that I did not see Horikita as a member of the opposite sex to begin with and judged that she shouldn’t interfere with matters regarding the special exam.

“Yeah. I’ll contact you later.”

My first year self wouldn’t have believed that I would get a lover like this.

Horikita joined me in leaving the elevator. When I turned around, Kei was smiling and waving at me from inside the elevator as it started to close. In a short while it ascended.

“Since when have you been going out with her?”

“That’s a good motion.”

“According to rumors it was at spring break, but the truth is that your relationship has been progressing since before that isn’t it?”

She looked at me with some sort of implication in her eyes and asked.

“I wonder.”

Whether or not Horikita’s words had any basis to them, I wasn’t interested so I didn’t want to touch on it.

“Anyway, you had something to speak to me about?”

“…Yes. I have something I want to talk to you about regarding the special exam. Is that fine?”

“Yeah, I don’t mind.”

“Eh? …Right.”

“What’s that reaction?”

“I was prepared since you might have refused to talk about this. Aren’t you discontent about me putting you in charge of the maid cafe the other day?”

It looks like she’s somehow surprised at how smooth our discussion is going.

“It’s a bit, you know, here. Come inside my room.”

She should understand that someone will hear our conversation if we talk at the corridors.

Room 401. I opened the lock to my room.

“You’re not really gonna ask me to cooperate right?”

“That is… I wonder. For now we can discuss that after you hear what I have to say.”

As if she thought that she’d be refused if she was excited, Horikita started talking.

“For this special exam, It has come to my attention and I’ve been considering that I could set up a compulsive authority in order to clear it for certain. But even with that preparation, as long as we don’t know the contents of the motions it would be reckless to think that we will be able to unite, wouldn’t it?”

“Depending on the situation, people will vote for different things no matter what.”

Even if it were only the 2 options to support or oppose, it’s not as if there won’t be anybody who would blindly and recklessly keep on voting in support or opposition.

“You’ve been thinking yourself haven’t you? About how we can get through this special exam.”

“As I’ve been thinking, the shortest way to clear this special exam is to give someone the final right to decide what we should vote on. Even if there are multiple choices, and no which way the votes lean towards, they promise to follow the wish of the leader and judge who is appointed beforehand.”

It’s what Kushida proposed at lunch break.

The strategy where we wouldn’t have to consider if people are dissatisfied with the choice.

Indeed, if the decision making were that simple, then there would be nothing as easy as this.

“It’d be fine if you could really unite everyone with that.”

“Yes… Depending on the motions there will likely be students who will not consent… If this were a dictatorship like Ryuuen’s class then it might have been easier.”

In terms of compulsiveness, we go with requests. Ryuuen, on the other hand, could make an example of any opposition without mercy. But whether or not that would work for the problem at hand is a different thing.

“The absolute anonymity means that students who are dissatisfied with Ryuuen can also vote against him. There’s no guarantee that it can be cleared with a simple guarantee.”

“If it were a student dissatisfied with the way he does things, there would be nothing for them but to rebel. But it’s also true that there would be nothing for them to gain from that. In the end, if time runs out while people have separate votes, the whole class would sustain damage you know? Even if he leaves them alone they would probably unite when it comes down to it.”

“I understand what you want to say, but if that’s what you suggest then there’s a fundamental contradiction. Nobody wishes to fail the special exam. So the votes will always unite. If that assumption holds true, then there wouldn’t be any need to make a plan would there?”

“That is-“

“There is no student who wishes for their class to be disadvantaged by running out of time. But we shouldn’t think that there we can clear the 5 motions even if we don’t do anything. The school’s meaning in calling this a special exam would also be shallow.”

“…It’s as you say.”

“What you can do right now is to use your head so that you’ll be able to react flexibly. For example, if you were confronted with a motion wherein 38 people are in support and 1 person is opposed, what would you do?”

“Of course I’d exert myself to make the person who voted against vote in support.”

“That’s right. Then what would you do if that person refused to yield?”

“That’s…”

“You can’t assume that the 38 people in support will definitely win. If the one in opposition persuades them, then there will be people within those 38 who change their view.”

“Even if one person’s thinking will disadvantage the entire class?”

“It all depends on the contents.”

It wouldn’t be surprising even if a motion that people couldn’t compromise on was prepared.

“Somehow, I feel a little nervous.”

“What is it?”

“It’s because you’re giving me advice without hesitating. I don’t think… it has something to do with you going out with Karuizawa-san. What are you planning?”

“This isn’t even to the extent of being advice. You should have also started thinking of that in a corner of your head.”

“Yes… Then, I’ll tell you the main reason I called you. I have a proposal about the special exam tomorrow. I could also ask other people, but I’d like to entrust this to someone who understands.”

“You want me to invariably vote differently for the first choice, or something?”

“Could you please refrain from anticipating my thoughts?”

Horikita took a little distance from me seeming annoyed.

“I had been thinking of doing it myself even if someone else didn’t ask me to do it. I didn’t think we shared the same thought.”

“…Is that so?”

As if she somewhat understood that I had given a lazy excuse, I could feel anger emanating from Horikita.

It’s true that I had been thinking of doing something like that at least, so it’s not far from the truth. It’s best to avoid getting pressured, biased and choosing unwisely.

“Whether 99% are supporting, or the content of the motion makes them oppose it, or people are confused on how to weigh the merits and demerits of each choice, getting a unanimous vote by coincidence is a little scary.”

“Yeah. If we vote without being careful and decide the motion partially then we wouldn’t be able to take it back. But the fact that we’ll always use an interval means that this strategy isn’t all good. It’s best to keep that in mind. And if we would have reached unanimity by the pressure, then the votes might be separated after discussing and the motion might not be concluded. That’s something to include in your calculations.”

“That’s true. Indeed, it’s true.”

Starting a controversy is the same as taking a shot in the dark.

If as a result, you drag that darkness out, a considerable amount of time could be spent.

“Because of the rules of this test, no matter how much you discuss there will be no way to accurately judge who votes for what. Even if they promise, you can never be 100% sure.”

“You mean they could be lying?”

“Depending on the situation. It’s hard to claim that our current class is completely united after all.”

As I say that, several people are likely appearing inside Horikita’s mind.

“Kushida-san or Kouenji-kun, right.”

“The former can lie calmly, and if the latter’s contrarian personality rears its head, there’s a possibility that he will purposely vote against his classmates. That’s right.”

“…Hey, why are you talking to me in obvious terms? As I thought, it’s weird. You haven’t given me many reminders like this until now.”

Of course even Horikita perceived the change in me.

“It’s because now you obediently listen to what I say, and I’ve judged that your mind has the flexibility to understand.”

“You’re praising me… am I right to think that?”

“More or less.”

“I see… that makes me a bit nervo-“

I heard the sound of her phone before my eyes vibrating just once.

“Sorry, just a minute.”

Saying that, Horikita interrupted our talk, took out her phone and started operating it.

“Let me reply. If I mess up there’s a possibility that she’ll never read it.”

Of course I didn’t feel like stopping at all, but I wonder who she is.

It weighed on my mind just a little bit. I waited quietly for two minutes for Horikita to type something long. As if she had finally finished sending her message, she put her phone into her pocket.

“Anyway, I was able to convey what I wanted to convey. Best regards for the special test tomorrow.”

Having no intention of extending her stay, Horikita left the room immediately.