The cruise ship offered a wide variety of entertainment, almost like a miniature shopping mall floating on the sea.
As a form of compensation for dragging students to such a remote location during their vacation, all restaurants on board were made free of charge.
From simple burgers and fries to upscale French cuisine, the selection catered to every possible preference.
Despite the exhaustion from the survival exam on the uninhabited island, the students still found the energy to indulge in leisure activities.
Kushida Kikyo was no exception. She had practically dragged Kure Ragna along, watching nearly a quarter of the movies available in the onboard cinema before attending an opera.
Eventually, exhaustion caught up with her, and she reluctantly decided to call it a night.
"Well, I'm heading back. See you tomorrow!" she said cheerfully, rubbing her tired eyes before skipping off toward the women's dormitory.
See you tomorrow… Does that mean we're doing this all over again?
The thought alone made Kure Ragna feel trapped.
It wasn't that he disliked spending time with Kushida Kikyo, but spending the entire day sitting in an overly soft chair—watching movies or an opera—felt like a form of torture for someone as physically active as him.
If I keep sitting like this every day, won't I end up with a herniated disc?
Muttering complaints in his mind, Kure Ragna turned toward his own cabin.
Meanwhile, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stood at the ship's railing, gazing at the calm sea. The gentle waves reflected the night sky, but his mind was elsewhere.
A sudden vibration in his pocket pulled him from his thoughts. Without even looking, he already had a good guess as to who it was. Sure enough, when he checked his phone, the message confirmed his suspicion.
["Ayanokoji, if you haven't slept yet, come to the bar on the fourth floor. I'll be waiting. - Chabashira Sae"]
Without bothering to reply, he closed the screen and turned to leave—only to be blocked by someone standing directly in his path.
"I've been waiting for you, Ayanokoji-kun~"
Yukinoshita Haruno stood there, smiling playfully. Dressed in casual attire, she gave him a small wave.
"You were waiting for me?" Ayanokoji asked, his voice neutral.
"Oh? Have you forgotten already?" she pouted slightly.
"Didn't we agree to have a proper chat after the exam?"
"…Ah."
"Don't tell me you actually forgot?"
"No, I just didn't recall it immediately."
"That's the same thing as forgetting."
"Not exactly," Ayanokoji countered.
"It's more like an app that's not running in the background."
"Wow, what a weak excuse."
Haruno didn't seem convinced, but she quickly waved it off. She wasn't here to argue over trivialities. Tilting her head slightly, she suggested,
"So, how about we talk at the bar on the fourth floor?"
"There's a bar on this ship?" Ayanokoji asked hesitatingly.
"Not that it matters. Minors can't drink, so wouldn't a café be more appropriate?"
"Oh, you'll understand when we get there."
She gave him a knowing smile and turned on her heels.
Upon arrival at the bar, a smooth saxophone melody drifted through the air, blending with the subtle scent of alcohol.
The ambiance was drenched in an air of quiet luxury—capitalism at its most indulgent.
Surprisingly, the place was empty. Given the age of the students onboard, one would expect a fair number of them to be drawn to this seemingly forbidden adult space.
Is this bar not open to students?
Before he could confirm his suspicion, a waiter approached them politely.
"Excuse me, are you Yukinoshita Haruno and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka from Class B?"
"Yes," Haruno answered without hesitation.
The waiter nodded in understanding and gestured for them to follow. "Instructor Chabashira is already waiting. Please, this way."
Chabashira Sae? So that's how it is…
Ayanokoji cast a sidelong glance at Haruno, silently questioning her. She simply returned a flawless smile, offering no explanation.
They followed the waiter to a quiet corner of the bar. Seated by the window was Chabashira, clad in her usual black office attire.
A glass of whiskey rested in her hand, the ice inside clinking softly as she swirled it. She gave a brief nod of acknowledgment before shifting slightly to make room for them.
"You can order whatever you like," she said, taking a sip. "Of course, nothing alcoholic."
Ayanokoji said helplessly. "Coming to a bar just to drink non-alcoholic beverages… Isn't that just asking for disappointment?"
Still, he placed an order. "Ovaltine for me."
"I'll have a hot chocolate," Haruno added.
Within minutes, their drinks arrived, and Chabashira wasted no time getting to the point.
"Students aren't usually entertained alone here," she said, setting down her glass. "So, if you have something to discuss, this is the place."
Haruno nodded. "I'll be direct, then. Regarding the results of this special exam—I'd like to hear Ayanokoji-kun's thoughts."
Ayanokoji remained unfazed. "A post-exam review? That's a bit unusual."
"Still, I'm curious."
"If I had to summarize it…" He paused, considering. "Unexpected yet reasonable."
"Unexpected yet reasonable?" Haruno clapped her hands lightly.
"That's an interesting way to put it. But for you, Ayanokoji-kun, I wonder… Was anything truly 'unexpected' at all?"
Ayanokoji remained silent.
Haruno smirked. "Shall I spell it out? I've been reviewing everything all day, and I think I've pieced things together."
She took a slow sip of her hot chocolate before continuing. "Our class spent a total of 220 points on this exam. Adding the 250 points lost due to Kouenji's withdrawal, we should've ended with 50 points. However, when tallying bonus points, we ended up with 136. That only makes sense if the leader of Class A was changed midway."
She leaned forward slightly, her sharp eyes locking onto Ayanokoji's.
"You knew about it, didn't you? That's why you stopped asking Horikita for the key card after the third day. You realized the leader had changed, making the old key card useless."
Ayanokoji remained expressionless, taking a slow sip of his drink.
Haruno smirked again. "Well? Am I wrong?"
"Hmm…" He set his cup down, looking at her thoughtfully.
"You figured it out. Not bad."
Haruno grinned, satisfied.
"See? You can't fool me that easily, Ayanokoji-kun."
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