<h4>Chapter 429: Chapter 3 Part III</h4>


    After heading back to my dorm, I messaged Horikita which ss we would be going up against and began to think about how I would fulfill my duties as themander. In retrospect, this was the first time I would be facing a special exam head-on.


    In all honesty, if this was a one-on-one battle, I didn''t think I would lose.


    However, this was a battle where I had tomand the ss as a whole.


    I would only be able to fight confined within the scope of my ssmate''s abilities.


    Given an army of children, even an unparalleled strategist like Sun Tzu wouldn''t stand a chance against an army of fully-grown adults.


    Although themander''s unique ability to intervene in events would be the key to victory, I was still missing something fundamental that I needed in order topete.


    That is, I needed to grasp the current potential of ss C.


    Who does everyone like and dislike? What are their strengths? Their weaknesses?


    Without understanding all the different pieces of the puzzle, the path to victory wouldn''t open.


    Plus, when ites toworking and leadership skills, I clearly fall short whenpared to the rest of the ss. Currently, I don''t even know what people like Shinohara or Onodera like to eat.


    That being the case, what should I do first?


    The answer was obvious. I needed to reach out to someone who knew the ss as if it were the back of their hand.


    It was simple, but I didn''t really have any other options.


    There were only three people who could fit this criterion: Kei, Hirata, and Kushida.


    Ideally, I wanted to consult all three of them.


    However, given the current situation, the only one who''d definitely be willing to help me would be Kei.


    Hirata was currently far beyond recovery, and Kushida had been deeply wounded during The ss Vote. While she wasn''t showing it on the surface, she was probably quite furious with Horikita. It''s unknown just how much skepticism she has toward me, but it''s safe to assume she''s be warier of me than before.


    At around six in the evening, just as the sun was beginning to set, my doorbell rang.


    Without hesitation, I unlocked the door and invited the visitor into my room.


    "...Heyo."


    The visitor was Karuizawa Kei, who was still in her school uniform.


    "Did you only just get back from school?"


    "That''s cus, unlike you, I have a ton of friends. Besides, I''m the star today."


    Her choice of words was a bit peculiar. She turned to look at me.


    "The star? Why?"


    Seeing as I didn''t understand what she was getting at, Kei looked away from me with a slightly irritated look on her face.


    "...Whatever, it''s nothing. Anyways, isn''t it weird for you to call for me at a time like this? And what''s with you saying I don''t need to be careful anymore? Didn''t you say it''d be a problem if we''re seen by somebody?"


    She uneasily nced around my room.


    "It''s fine. After everything that''s happened, I don''t think that''s necessary anymore."


    "Cause of, uh, Hashimoto-kun from ss A, right? And that upperssmen who saw us together?"


    "Something like that."


    "Our rtionship will slowly be public knowledge, you know that right...? And that''s okay with you?"


    "I have no problems with it at all."


    My immediate response seemed to give Kei some peace of mind, as she let out a sigh of relief.


    "Well, then, it''s fine I guess."


    It''s true that some actions would be easier to carry out if nobody knew about my connection with Kei.


    But the situation was gradually beginning to change.


    Moreover, it would be easier for Kei to move openly instead of acting as a spy from now on.


    "But, like... you and I are still a boy and a girl from the same ss, you know? If word gets out that I was seening here, won''t weird rumors about how the two of us were alone together start to spread?"


    Had she always been the type to care about something like that?


    "I''m themander for this exam, and you''re a central figure in ss C. The two of us meeting privately shouldn''t be too unnatural."


    Just to make sure she feltfortable, I added on an extrayer of reasoning to my exnation.


    "Umm, well, I guess that''s true..."


    Something about this still appeared to be bothering her.


    "Speaking of which, why''d you agree to be themander? You aren''t the type of guy who''d feel obligated to do so just cus you got a protection point."


    As expected, she understands the type of person I am, at least to a certain extent.


    "Personal feelings aside, I needed to show my sincerity to the ss. Yamauchi had only just been expelled, so everyone''s still pretty paranoid. Nominating myself for the role was the best option avable."


    "That''s it?"


    "That''s it."


    "If it were me, I wouldn''t have be themander, like, no matter what."


    She was only able to take a stance like that because of the image she had established for herself. Even if she were to stubbornly insist that the protection point was hers to use as she pleased, nobody would be able to hold it against her. It was genuinely impressive.


    "Let''s change the topic. Tell me about the internal state of the ss."


    "Internal state, huh? Like, I don''t even know where to start. For your information, it''s not like I know everything myself, okay? Especially when ites to the boys. I dunno anything about them."


    "That''s fine. If possible, I hope to consult with both Hirata and Kushida at some pointter on."


    This hope was nothing more than just that. A hope.


    For the time being, there was no telling whether or not they''d speak with me.


    "Sure, you''ll find out pretty much everything about the ss if you speak with the two of them, but like..."


    Kei paused for a moment and wearily folded her arms in front of her.


    "Kushida-san aside, don''t you think it seems kinda impossible to reach out to Yōsuke-kun? He seems like he''s given up entirely."


    "Are you worried about him?"


    "Well, yeah. Nobody in ss C actually likes seeing Yōsuke-kun like that."


    ss C without Hirata, a situation where we were at aplete disadvantage. Since nobody was willing to step up and moderate, the ss wascking an overall sense of stability.


    "Either way, I''ll hear you out first."


    "It''ll be hard for me to do all the talking, so like, let''s do this with you asking me questions, kay?"


    If that''s what she wanted, I''dply. I would ask about each girl one at a time.


    She went down the ss roster, and I proceeded to memorize the relevant information about every girl in ss C.