Classroom12.5

Classroom of the Elite 2nd year Volume 12.5

Chapter 4. The Vacant Throne

Several days have passed since the spring break.

The heat from the exam had dissipated, and most students across the grades were likely enjoying this wonderful time.

However, there were some classes that couldn't afford such leisure.

Ichinose's class, which lost to Horikita's, and Sakayanagi's class, which lost to Ryuuen's, were examples of those.

With only one year left, students from these two classes couldn't spend their spring break idly.

If they didn't use this time to plan for the future, the road ahead would likely be bleak.

The class facing the most trouble was Sakayanagi's, which had just learned that their leader planned to voluntarily withdraw from school.

Upon hearing about Sakayanagi's decision to leave, I decided to reach out to a few students from Class A to gauge the situation.

When I say "a few," I really mean just two: Morishita and Yamamura.

The meeting was scheduled for 10 a.m., near the student dormitories.

That was where I was now.

However, even after the scheduled time had passed, there was no sign of them showing up.

I'd sent them a message around 8 a.m. that morning, which had been read, so it was unlikely they had forgotten.

Even if they had gone back to sleep after waking up, it was hard to imagine both of them doing so simultaneously.

After waiting for another five minutes with no sign of them, I decided to call Morishita.

The phone rang, but no one answered.

"Guess I'll try Yamamura next."

While I didn't want to stress out the timid Yamamura, I had no other choice.

Feeling a bit guilty, I dialed her number...

"Uh, um, I'm so sorry we're late!"

Before I could say anything, Yamamura's flustered voice came through.

"Ah, should I hang——up? But—— it's already past—— the agreed time—— I should go——"

Yamamura's panicked voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Are you with Morishita?"

"Y-yes, um, come quickly to the back of the dormitory. Ah, the phone is being——"

A few voices of disagreement could be heard on the other end before the call abruptly ended.

"...What's going on?"

Although I wasn't sure of the situation, Yamamura had mentioned the back of the dormitories.

Thankfully, I had some sort of hint, so I decided to head over.

The walk was only about 2-3 minutes.

1.

When I arrived at the place where Yamamura had mentioned, I immediately spotted her standing there, looking a bit lost.

And then there was Morishita, lying face-down on the ground for some reason.

I remembered during the training camp, she had placed her hand on a tree and claimed she was "listening to the voice of the forest," pulling off some truly bizarre acts.

At that time, it was a lie meant to tease me. In other words, this could also be a continuation of her previous behavior, though it's true that Morishita can't really be called a typical student...

I figured it was best to just ask her directly.

As I approached, Yamamura opened her mouth as if to say something but ultimately remained silent.

"What are you doing here?"

After asking Morishita, she suddenly turned around and stared at me.

"Shh, keep your voice down. I'm observing insects right now."

"...What did you say you're doing?"

I lowered my voice, hoping she wouldn't get annoyed.

"I said I'm observing insects. Has not seeing me for a while made you go deaf or something? Or is it that you, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, are **********"

After calling me by my full name, she launched into a string of nonsensical comments.

For the sake of both Yamamura and my own sanity, I'll keep the rest of her words to myself.

"It's not that I didn't hear you... I just didn't understand what you meant..."

Yamamura said nothing, only bowing her head repeatedly in silent apology as if to say, "Sorry we were late—or rather, sorry we couldn't meet you on time."

But clearly, it was Morishita's fault, so I gestured for Yamamura not to worry.

The priority now was to wait for Morishita to get up from the ground.

She was completely absorbed, using a magnifying glass to examine the insects on the ground, seemingly unconcerned about the arrangement we had made.

Going so far as to lie down on the ground to observe insects... Was she trying to gather materials on them?

We waited for 10 minutes.

"Whew. Alright, observation complete,"

Morishita said with a satisfied expression as she stood up, her casual clothes now covered in dirt.

She didn't bother dusting off her clothes and instead, contentedly put away the magnifying glass.

"When did this start?"

After I asked, Yamamura let out an exhausted sigh.

"It's been over 30 minutes..."

It seemed Yamamura had been dragged along against her will.

"Whether it's 1 hour or 2, isn't it my freedom to do as I please?"

"You can do whatever you like if you don't have a prior commitment, but if you've made plans in advance, then no, it's not okay."

"Your way of explaining things is so long-winded. You should really work on your Japanese."

For some reason, I was the one being scolded, as if it were my fault.

"I actually really like biology."

"...Is that so...?"

"How rude! You're actually doubting me? Last summer, I bought observation tools and got completely absorbed in raising triops. Ah, those days were truly glorious."

"Eh... Is that so? It's a bit hard to believe..."

It wasn't just me—Yamamura seemed to feel the same way.

"Hard to believe? What do you mean by that, Yamamura Miki? I'd prefer if your skepticism about me were as minimal as your presence."

"Ah, um, I'm not doubting you—I was just a little surprised..."

"If you don't trust me, there's no point in saying anything else. Fine, since you doubt me, I'll show you my notes."

Both of us?

Clearly irritated by being doubted, Morishita took out her phone and began fiddling with it.

Then, she shoved the screen right in Yamamura's face.

"Prepare to be amazed."

"I-it's too close, I can't see! And the screen is way too bright...!"

"Well, I set my phone's brightness to maximum—to blind you both."

Morishita's actions made it impossible to tell if she really wanted to show off her work.

No, considering Morishita's behavior is always beyond common sense, this was probably her usual way of doing things.

Then, perhaps noticing Yamamura's teary-eyed expression, Morishita seemed to rethink her actions. She pulled the phone back.

She finally showed Yamamura her notes.

I was a bit curious as well, so I glanced over them.

• Day 1

Had to leave the tap water out for a day to remove the bleach. Feeling a bit down.

• Day 2

Added around 30 shrimp eggs.

About six hours later, three baby shrimp hatched.

The baby shrimp are so tiny.

• Day 3

Six more hatched.

Their bodies are transparent. I fed the slightly larger ones some green algae, and it was fascinating to see the food flow through

their bodies.

• Day 4

Confirmed six active shrimp.

The three initially hatched, larger triops are still lively. No sign of any dead ones.

• Day 5

Two more hatched today. I'm a bit worried about whether they'll be able to eat properly.

Hatched count: 6 → 5.

• Day 6

The two that hatched yesterday made it through the day safely, along with the other five.

• Day 7

Yesterday's 2 → 1, and the remaining 5 → 4.

• Day 8

All five are alive, but two of them are so robust that I'm worried they might eat the others.

• Day 9

Confirmed three survivors.

• Day 10

Found a shed skin from one of the triops.

There's still a distinct "alive" vibe in the tank.

• Day 11

The largest one has grown to over a centimeter.

Three survivors.

• Day 12

When they dove under the sand, I thought for a moment that they'd been eaten.

I tossed some cucumber slices into the tank, but they didn't eat much. So, I ate the leftovers myself.

• Day 13

Tossed in some carrot slices, but they didn't eat much. I hate carrots, so I left the leftovers.

Dropped a few grains of rice in, but they didn't eat much. I ate the rest.

Found four shed skins in the tank.

Tried changing a third of the water.

• Day 14

Threw in some pieces of bread, which they seemed to enjoy.

Some of the triops are now 1.5–2 cm long, their body color darkening, and their appearance growing less appealing.

• Day 15

This morning, one triops seemed sluggish. I had a bad feeling.

By evening, confirmed two deaths.

• Day 16

The last remaining triops isn't moving anymore. I feel so sad.

As expected, the largest one gives the impression of surviving the longest.

I think I should've left purified water out for at least half a day to remove the bleach completely before using it.

It might have been better to suction out the leftover food debris daily.

Was it the water change? Or maybe the bread?

Seems feeding them cream bread was a mistake.

Should I have used plain French bread instead?

——End of the diary.

After seeing how much effort and observation went into this, Morishita wasn't exaggerating at all.

In fact, she poured more passion into this than I could have imagined.

But for some reason, one thought popped into my mind: What on earth did I just read?

"Well? Are you two interested in raising triops now?"

"Well... I guess I'm a little curious."

"I'll have to pass..."

"In that case, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, I'll give you a triops-raising kit. I bought two sets last year, so I don't mind giving you one. Of course, I'll decide the price."

"You just want to make money, don't you?"

"Naturally."

"Your offer is tempting, but I'll need to think about it. Money's tight for me right now."

"A bit disappointing, but fair enough. Let me know before summer if you change your mind. If not, I'll just use it myself."

Really, Morishita hasn't changed a bit.

Usually, someone in her position should look as gloomy as Yamamura.

"It's a shame that just as you've started getting along with Sakayanagi, she's about to leave school."

I turned to Yamamura, who seemed visibly downcast, and tried to strike up a conversation.

"...To be honest, I still haven't fully come to terms with it..."

At first, Yamamura had been nothing more than a pawn to Sakayanagi, but over time, their relationship had grown closer, turning into genuine friendship.

Normally, they would spend their final school year as friends.

But something unpredictable—something unique to this school—happened.

"I didn't expect there to be a secret gamble beyond the official exam rules."

In response to my comment, which was meant as consolation, Yamamura nodded slightly.

"There's also… an indescribable heavy atmosphere spreading in our class."

Though I hadn't witnessed it firsthand, it wasn't hard to imagine.

At that moment, Morishita, who had been listening quietly, interjected with her characteristic calmness:

"It's inevitable. Honestly, because of this gamble, our chances of graduating as Class A have dropped to the point of despair, haven't they?"

"I… I didn't mean that…"

"It's something we need to be clear about. Surely, there will be classmates saying things like 'Let's show them the spirit of the original Class A' or 'We'll make a comeback,' but those people simply aren't grasping the reality of our situation."

"You don't blame Sakayanagi for causing this result?"

"True, she participated in the gamble without consulting the class. But if we bring that up, it'll just highlight how much we relied on her for everything."

It was an established fact that Class A had been held together and led solely by Sakayanagi.

"We can only accept reality."

"So, what do you think the class should do from now on?"

"I don't know… Maybe give up on Class A…?"

"Correct. Now that the situation is decided, the only thing we can do is accumulate private points and, by the end of our third year, use them to send some of our classmates to Class A. Depending on the circumstances, even students like Yamamura Miki might be helped."

"What do you mean by 'even students like me'… Well, I can't deny it…"

Yamamura accepted the reality of her low presence, but it seemed that this remark still hurt her feelings a bit.

Up until now, Class A had maintained a high number of class points, so everyone should have been in a relatively comfortable position. Even if there is a significant loss of class points, accumulating the corresponding personal points is still very possible. Morishita's judgment, though harsh, was the most realistic.

"Some students won't give up so easily."

"That's the problem. Until now, we've been complacent because we were in Class A. It's time to wake up. The class's defeat and the points loss caused by Sakayanagi Arisu's voluntary withdrawal are really painful. We need to make them understand this."

"By the way, what's the penalty for voluntary withdrawal? The news hasn't spread to other classes yet."

It's possible that the students from Sakayanagi's class are hiding the news.

Although it would eventually come to light after the new term started, there was no benefit to revealing it now.

"The penalties for withdrawal depend on the situation. In this case, since it was entirely Sakayanagi Arisu's decision, it seems the penalty will be the harshest. Our class will lose 300 class points."

I had expected some variation, but it seems I guessed the class point penalty correctly.

Morishita's class now had about 800 points.

It looked like they could barely put up a fight, but the class had already lost its leader.

That was an even heavier blow than the loss of class points.

"The chances of turning things around in the remaining time are——"

"W-what are the chances?"

"——Beep-beep-beep-beep——"

"Huh?"

"What's with that face?"

"Ah, no, it's just… what's that beep-beep sound?"

"That's the calculation sound of my Blue Mini-PC. Don't tell me you've never heard of it, Yamamura Miki? That's why people call you gloomy, a background character, or say your presence is thinner than tissue paper."

"Am… am I really described like that…?"

"At least that's what I think."

Clearly, that was just Morishita's personal opinion.

"Anyway, don't interrupt me. Beep-beep-beep-beep——Ding!"

With a satisfied "Hmm," Morishita nodded and opened her eyes.

"Our current chances of claiming the Class A throne are about 10%."

This was a result that no one would believe until the end-of-year special exam.

Even so, 10% seemed optimistic.

In this situation, the opportunities for Morishita's class were few and far between.

"As thin-paper Yamamura Miki said, everyone's in a funeral wake-like state right now."

"Indeed, stating the reality outright would cause major problems."

"Uh… thin paper…"

"Consider it a nickname. You like it, right?"

"Huh? I… I don't like it at all…"

"Should I withdraw the nickname?"

"If you could…"

Yamamura seemed unexpectedly resistant to the nickname.

"But… but Ichinose-san's class is in a similar position to ours, yet their faces are all cheerful, aren't they? So optimistic… Aren't they in the same predicament?"

"Interesting. Whether Ichinose Honami is there or not makes no difference. Who would've thought you'd have such a sharp tongue?"

Morishita nodded in admiration, giving Yamamura a thumbs-up.

On the other hand, Yamamura hastily denied it, saying she didn't mean it that way at all.

"So what if we're on the same starting line? Does having a positive attitude guarantee we'll reclaim Class A? Let me be blunt: it's not godlike opponents we fear but piglike teammates. Thinking that way in this situation will only lead to faster defeat."

Morishita's severe tone made Yamamura a little intimidated, but her assessment was largely accurate.

Someone capable of rational judgment was an indispensable asset to their class now.

"What do you plan to do next?"

"As long as Sakayanagi Arisu is commanding, I won't act unnecessarily… but now…"

Morishita took on a thoughtful expression.

"Could it be… Morishita, you're going to lead the class?"

Yamamura, imagining what Morishita was about to say, asked cautiously.

"No chance."

"No chance, huh…"

"Unfortunately, I'm not the type to lead a charge. Although it's troublesome, we'll have to elect a new leader during spring break. Ideally, we'll take care of the remaining matters before Sakayanagi Arisu leaves. The best I can do is guide and accelerate the accumulation of personal points."

Indeed, they needed someone to take the lead in making the class give up on pursuing Class A.

It seemed they were simply selecting someone to represent this idea.

At this moment, Morishita suddenly glared at me sharply.

"Let's put that aside. Why did you call us here today?"

Why was it that I felt accused of dragging out the conversation with irrelevant topics, when it was Morishita who spent most of the time showing us her insect observations and diary?

"Or were you just here to laugh at our plight, oh new Class A member, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka?"

"I have no intention of mocking you. I just wanted to hear what's going on."

"Then you should've asked a certain traitor. If the conversation goes well, he might even tell you trivial details."

"Wait, Morishita. Did you say traitor…?"

"Oops, I misspoke. Anyway, the situation is just as I described earlier."

"Fair enough."

Though Morishita followed her own pace, she still kept the class's situation in mind.

It seemed Sakayanagi hadn't done much to address the confusion among her classmates.

While most of the conversation was irrelevant chatter, I managed to gather the basic information I needed.