If the Aries Room felt like a suffocating interrogation chamber, Meeting Room B—the base for the Taurus Group—felt like an awkward hotel lobby where strangers were forced to wait for an elevator that was never going to arrive.
Hirata Yosuke stepped inside with his usual friendly smile, but inside his trouser pockets, his hands were clenched into tight fists. His phone felt hot, as if the message [YOU ARE THE VIP] he had just received was burning his skin.
He was the target. He was the lifeline for Class B in this room.
This responsibility was heavy. Hirata was used to protecting others, acting as a shield for his weaker friends. But being the one who needed to be protected? That was an incredibly uncomfortable position for him.
He looked around the round table.
The composition of the Taurus Group was quite unique.
In the right corner sat Albert Yamada from Class D. The sunglasses-wearing giant sat silently with his arms folded on the table, radiating an aura of passive intimidation that made Mii-chan (Wang Mei-Yu) from Class B tremble with fear in the seat next to him.
In the left corner, Kamuro Masumi from Class C had her feet propped up against the table leg, staring at the ceiling with an expression of boredom that bordered on painful. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but here.
And directly across from Hirata sat Hashimoto Masayoshi.
The young man wore a relaxed smirk, flipping a coin between his fingers. His sharp, snake-like eyes locked onto Hirata the moment he sat down.
"Yo, Hirata," Hashimoto greeted. "You look as put-together as always. Are you ready to lead these sheep?"
Hirata took a deep breath, calming his racing heart. He recalled Seiji's words right before they parted ways.
"Hirata-kun, you are the glue of this class. Your strength does not lie in deception, but in sincerity. If you become the VIP, do not try to act like someone else. Remain as the Hirata Yosuke who desires peace. Because that desire... can never be perceived as a lie."
Hirata smiled, this time much more genuinely.
"Good afternoon, everyone," Hirata greeted gently. "Hashimoto-kun, I have no intention of leading. I merely wish to facilitate the discussion so we can all walk out of here with the maximum profit."
"Maximum profit?" Hashimoto raised an eyebrow. "You mean Scenario 1? 500,000 points for everyone?"
"Exactly," Hirata answered. He looked at the group members one by one, including Hamaguchi and Beppu from Class A, who seemed to agree.
"This exam is designed to divide us. But if we look at it from a purely economic standpoint, Scenario 1 is the only outcome where no class suffers a loss. Class A maintains its lead, Classes B and C continue their pursuit, and Class D doesn't lose any more points."
Hirata turned his head toward Albert.
"Albert-kun, I know Class D is struggling. 500,000 Private Points could really help your classmates buy daily necessities, couldn't it?"
Albert didn't respond verbally. He simply let out a soft grunt, then gave a nod—a very small one.
But to Hirata, that was enough.
"How naive," Kamuro cut in abruptly. She didn't change her position, still staring up at the ceiling. "Do you think everyone here is a saint? What if someone wants to climb the ranks the fast way?"
"That is a risk," Hirata admitted. "But I believe that betraying the group carries an even greater risk. If a guess is wrong, the betrayer's class will lose 50 points. Would Sakayanagi-san authorize a gamble like that?"
Kamuro glanced at Hirata. "Tch. She said 'do as you please as long as you aren't stupid'. So yeah, I agree to Scenario 1. Thinking is too much of a hassle."
One problem solved. Kamuro chose to be passive.
However, the real threat hadn't made his move yet.
Hashimoto stopped flipping his coin. He leaned forward, staring at Hirata with a completely different level of intensity.
As Sakayanagi's right-hand man (and spy), Hashimoto had a mandate to find vulnerabilities. And Hirata... he was too perfect.
"You know, Hirata," Hashimoto said quietly. "You're fighting awfully hard for this peace. It almost sounds... desperate."
Hirata's heart skipped a beat.
"Usually," Hashimoto continued, his eyes narrowing. "The person shouting 'don't look for the culprit' the loudest is the culprit themselves. Or in this case... the VIP."
The atmosphere in the room tightened. Mii-chan let out a soft squeak. Hamaguchi from Class A frowned.
Hashimoto was fishing. He wanted to see Hirata's micro-reactions. Would he panic? Would he get angry?
Hirata felt a bead of cold sweat form on his back. The accusation was dead on. He was the VIP. And he was indeed desperate to protect himself and his class.
But he couldn't afford to falter. If he faltered, Hashimoto would bite.
Hirata met Hashimoto's gaze. He didn't use anger like Yukimura. That wasn't his style.
He used empathy.
"Hashimoto-kun," Hirata said, his voice trembling slightly—not out of fear of being caught, but from genuine sorrow. "Do you really believe that?"
"Huh?"
"I have already watched my friends suffer on that island," Hirata continued. "I saw the girls crying out of fear. I... I don't want to see that ever again."
Hirata placed a hand over his heart.
"Yes, I am desperate. I am desperate to protect my friends' smiles. I am desperate to ensure that no one gets expelled from this school. If you find that desire suspicious... then by all means, suspect me."
Hirata spread his arms, opening his defenses completely.
"Guess me, Hashimoto-kun. If you are certain I am the VIP, send your answer right now. But if you are wrong... you will ruin Class C and shatter the trust we are trying to build."
Hashimoto fell silent.
He searched for a lie in Hirata's eyes. He searched for cunning. But he found nothing of the sort.
All he found was a young man genuinely sick of conflict. A true pacifist.
And that was exactly what made Hirata so incredibly difficult to read. Was he the VIP acting like a pacifist? Or was he a pacifist who just happened to (or didn't) end up as the VIP?
Sakayanagi had ordered an Opportunist strategy. Attack only if you are 100% certain.
Hashimoto wasn't 100% certain. Hirata was far too consistent with his core character. Guessing Hirata right now was a dangerous 50/50 gamble.
"Tch," Hashimoto backed off, leaning back into his chair. He let out a crisp laugh to break the ice.
"Wow, relax, man. I was just joking. A little mental test, you know? You pass."
Hashimoto raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.
"Okay, okay. Scenario 1. I'm in. 500 grand sounds like a nice chunk of change for some new shoes."
Hirata let out a long, heavy sigh of relief. "Thank you, Hashimoto-kun."
"But remember," Hashimoto added, a sly glint still present in his eyes. "We still have three days. If you slip up even a little bit... I'll be right there to catch you."
"I understand."
The Taurus Group's discussion ended in a ceasefire.
Mii-chan looked at Hirata with eyes sparkling with admiration. "Hirata-kun... you're so cool..."
Hirata offered the girl a weak smile. "Thank you, Wang-san. Let's just play some cards to pass the time."
Beneath the table, Hirata's hands were still trembling.
He had successfully survived the first attack. But he knew that a snake like Hashimoto wouldn't stop coiling just because of a single failure.
Koroizumi-kun... Horikita-san... I will endure, Hirata promised in his heart. I will hold this fort until the very end.
In the Taurus Group, the peacemaker's smile became his strongest shield—and simultaneously, his most fragile mask.
.....................................................................
Meeting Room E was bathed in sterile, white neon light. In the center of the room, a round table was surrounded by students eyeing each other with a mixture of boredom and suspicion.
However, in the midst of that rigid atmosphere, there was one bright point of light.
"Well then, everyone! Let's not be so tense," Kushida Kikyo's voice flowed sweetly, like syrup poured over shaved ice.
She stood up, clasping her hands in front of her chest, smiling with seemingly flawless sincerity.
"We're going to be spending three days together in this room. Instead of glaring at each other, how about we get to know each other a bit better? I'm sure many of us have never even spoken before because we're in different classes, right?"
Amikura Mako from Class A immediately responded positively. "Kushida-chan is right! I agree. This atmosphere is giving me a stomach ache."
Inside her head, however, Kushida's monologue sounded vastly different.
Ugh, how boring. Boring. BORING! Why do I have to be stuck with these useless people? Machida from Class C is just empty muscle. Yabu and Yamashita from Class D are bullying trash. And Sotomura... ugh, he smells musty.
Kushida gripped her skirt beneath the table, channeling her disgust into an ever-widening smile.
The phone in her pocket felt heavy. The message [YOU ARE THE VIP] was a crown of thorns she was forced to wear.
She knew her objective. Seiji Koroizumi had given her specific instructions: Secure Scenario 1. Do not let anyone guess. But make them feel that 'not guessing' was their idea, not ours.
To achieve that, she needed to control the flow of the discussion. She needed to be the puppet master.
"Tch, cut the small talk," muttered Machida Koji from Class C (Katsuragi's faction). He leaned back in his chair arrogantly. "Kushida, you're from Class B, right? The class that's been shooting up the ranks. Are you trying to manipulate us with that smile of yours?"
A direct attack.
Kushida's face dimmed slightly, her eyes welling up with tears—a reaction she had practiced in front of a mirror for thousands of hours.
"That's so mean, Machida-kun... I just wanted us all to get the points," she said softly. "500,000 points is a lot, you know. It would be a shame to lose it just because we're arguing."
"Machida, don't be rude to a girl," Amikura reprimanded him.
"I'm just being cautious!" Machida argued back. "There are people from Class B in this group. And Class B has monsters like Koroizumi. Who knows if one of you is the VIP putting on an act?"
Machida glared sharply at the Class B representatives in the room: Kushida, Inogashira Kokoro, Sonoda Chiyo, and... Sotomura Hideo.
Machida's gaze stopped on Sotomura.
The "Professor" was sitting in the corner, hugging his bag tightly. Sweat was pouring down his broad forehead. His eyes darted wildly left and right, and his mouth was moving rapidly, muttering something incoherent.
"...a trap... this has to be an isekai trap... I must survive for the sake of my waifu..."
Sotomura looked incredibly, incredibly suspicious.
Internally, Kushida let out a wicked laugh. Perfect. Professor Weeb, you are the absolute best bait I could have asked for.
Kushida knew Sotomura wasn't the VIP. She knew Sotomura was only nervous because he was trapped in a small room with strangers, far removed from the comfort zone of his computer. But to an outsider, that nervousness looked exactly like guilt.
Kushida decided to play it.
She walked over to Sotomura, picking up a bottle of mineral water from the table.
"Sotomura-kun," Kushida called out softly, placing the bottle in front of the otaku.
Sotomura jolted in shock. "Hyiiee?! W-what is it, Kushida-dono?"
"You're sweating an awful lot," Kushida said, her voice dripping with concern, yet loud enough for everyone to hear. "Are you feeling sick? Or... is there something making you very anxious?"
The sentence was simple, but the effect was lethal.
Machida, Yabu, and Amikura immediately turned to look at Sotomura.
"Hey..." Yabu from Class D whispered to his friend. "Look at that fat guy. He's shaking like a leaf."
"You don't think he's the VIP, do you?" Yamashita whispered back.
Kushida took a step back, allowing the suspicion to grow and fester. She saw the panic in Sotomura's eyes.
"N-no! This humble one is not... I mean, I don't..." Sotomura stammered, worsening his image by the second. "This humble one simply cannot withstand the pressure of the killing aura in this room!"
"Killing aura?" Machida scoffed. "This guy is suspicious as hell. He's definitely the VIP. He can't handle the pressure of keeping the secret."
The atmosphere in the room turned aggressive. Machida and the Class D group began to back Sotomura into a corner.
"Just confess, Fatty!" Yabu demanded. "If you confess, we promise we won't guess you right now. We'll wait until the very end." (A massive lie, obviously).
Sotomura grew even more panicked. He looked at Kushida with pleading eyes.
Kushida smiled internally. Suffer, you trash. Keep on trembling.
However, according to Seiji's plan, she couldn't allow Sotomura to actually be guessed. If Class C or D guessed Sotomura, they would be incorrect. Class B wouldn't lose anything (the -50 point penalty only applied to correct guesses), but it would create chaos and void the Scenario 1 bonus.
Kushida stepped in again, this time as the "Savior."
She stood between Machida and Sotomura, spreading her arms out like a holy shield.
"Stop it!" Kushida cried out firmly, though her eyes remained gentle.
"You're scaring him! Sotomura-kun is naturally shy, but accusing him without any proof is just plain cruel!"
"But he's acting suspicious, Kushida!" Machida protested. "Look at how much he's sweating!"
"Exactly!" Kushida countered brilliantly.
She turned to look at Sotomura, then back to the group. Her face shifted into an expression of analytical thought.
"Think about it carefully. Our class is led by Horikita-san and Koroizumi-kun. They are master strategists. Do you honestly think they would allow their VIP to act this carelessly?"
Everyone fell silent. The name Koroizumi carried a weight of its own.
"What if..." Kushida lowered her voice into a conspiratorial whisper. "...what if Sotomura-kun was ordered to act nervous? What if he's a decoy prepared specifically to bait you into making a wrong guess?"
Machida's eyes widened. "A decoy?"
"If you guess Sotomura-kun and turn out to be wrong... Class C will lose 50 points. Class B loses nothing. Doesn't that sound like the perfect trap?"
The logic made sense. Too much sense.
The fear of a "Koroizumi Trap" instantly extinguished the flames of their greed. Sotomura, who had looked like easy prey a moment ago, now looked like a live landmine.
Sotomura himself was confused. Eh? I'm a decoy? When did Koroizumi-dono ever say that? But... ah, whatever, just roll with it!
"T-that is correct!" Sotomura exclaimed, trying to look imposing (and failing miserably). "You have all fallen into my Genjutsu! Hwahahaha!"
His awkward laughter only served to strengthen Kushida's theory that this was all a poorly acted, yet highly dangerous charade.
Machida backed down, sitting back in his chair with a scowl. "Tch. Damn it. That was close."
Kushida smiled in satisfaction. She had flipped the situation 180 degrees.
She had made Sotomura look suspicious, and then used that very suspicion to create a deterrent.
Now, no one would dare to guess anyone. Because if someone as pathetic as Sotomura could be a decoy, then anyone in this room could be a decoy.
"So," Kushida said cheerfully, returning to her moderator mode. "Since guessing is far too risky... how about we all just agree on Scenario 1? Let's play Uno until the time runs out!"
"Agreed," Amikura said quickly.
"Whatever," Machida muttered, still eyeing Sotomura warily.
Kushida sat back down. She pulled a deck of Uno cards from her bag.
"Let's play! The loser has to treat everyone to juice back on the ship later!"
Behind her cheerful laughter and angelic face, Kushida Kikyo felt a dark, cold sense of satisfaction.
She was in complete control. No one suspected her. Everyone was too busy watching out for Koroizumi's shadow behind Sotomura, while the real "Monster" was sitting right under their noses, dealing cards with a sweet smile.
Seiji-kun, Kushida thought as she threw down a Reverse card. You were right. Manipulating fools is... incredibly fun.
The Leo Group had been secured. Under the wings of the fake angel, peace was guaranteed.
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