Among the fourteen participants, two were model students, the role that the representatives needed to detect. As for the other roles, teachers, graduates, underclassmen, and upperclassmen, there was one student in each of those roles. Which meant that to get a result from a nomination, he would simply need to hit six out of fourteen. That came out to a probability of approximately 42.9 percent. Some might not think those were bad odds, since there was a decent chance of getting it right.
In reality, however, the success rate was much lower than that, since the roles to be nominated were classified into five categories, excluding average students and traitors. With both sides having decided to pass, they would move on to the next step. This was when the effects of the roles held by the teachers and graduates, as well as any nominations made by model students participating in the discussion, would come into play. Because the participants would automatically be narrowed down to only to the specific roles that needed to use their tablets otherwise, the other participants with roles that did not have any special abilities also had a break at this time, engaging in a process in which they selected which participants they currently thought were suspicious on their tablets.
A model student had ordered Karuizawa to be removed from the room. The decision was made in an instant, and she quietly left the classroom before feelings of frustration could even well up within her. Now there were thirteen. As the odds were slowly but steadily beginning to change, the second round of discussion began. The two representatives stared intently at their monitors, becoming so silent that you couldn’t even hear the sound of their breathing.
The discussion felt short but long at the same time. Participants regularly stumbled, unable to get their words out. Also, many of them didn’t know how to conduct themselves. Everyone was observing each other with distrust. Every little gesture, every action—everything looked suspicious.
At the end of the second round, the representatives had the right to nominate once again. Hamaguchi hoped against hope as he stared at his tablet, while occasionally stealing a sideways glance at Hirata, who was lost in thought. He was hoping that Hirata hadn’t discovered anyone yet. His wish was half granted, as Hirata hadn’t gained any new information even after the first round. Shortly afterward, Hirata looked over at Hamaguchi as well.
Their eyes met, and in the back of their minds, they each thought to themselves, “What now?” wondering how to keep the other in check. As the time limit approached, the two of them decided to go ahead with the same decision that they had made before, at the same time. Once again, they both decided that they couldn’t take the risk, and chose to postpone a selection for now, and pass. Therefore, a nomination was made by a model student, and one student was ejected from the room.
That student’s role was unknown, of course. Still, the number of participants was only the denominator that was steadily decreasing. That was inevitable. Hamaguchi leaned forward, ready for the next round, and grabbed hold of the monitor three times. The number of participants had decreased by two, but the main objective was to find the model student, who could take three Life Points away from their opponent. In that moment, while the denominator was decreasing, Hamaguchi wanted to think of a way to get the fight started properly, if he could.
The vanguards had a mere five Life Points. If you could find just one model student, you could therefore push your opponent to the edge in a single strike. Hamaguchi’s plan to do just that started in the third round. Yukimura’s comments, which had been relentlessly directed at Nakanishi, had upset Nakanishi more than Hamaguchi imagined they would, and the situation developed into a state of almost-panic as Nakanishi came under concentrated fire from those around him. Hamaguchi, as a fellow classmate of Nakanishi, was well aware that he wasn’t normally the type to overact, and firmed up his resolve, deciding that it was time to go on the offensive and nominate him as a model student, even if it involved some level of risk.
Hirata, on the other hand, didn’t feel the same way. To him, Nakanishi’s words and actions appeared unnatural, and he was getting the opposite impression from Hamaguchi’s, that Nakanishi wasn’t the model student. That said, at present, it was impossible to determine whether he held that or another position. Even though Hirata and Hamaguchi were looking at the same person, they had arrived at different conclusions.
Hamaguchi quickly entered his choice on his tablet and nominated Nakanishi as the model student. Meanwhile, Hirata chose to pass once again.
“Announcing the results. Hamaguchi-kun has identified Nakanishi-kun as the model student, so Hirata-kun loses three Life Points.”
Hamaguchi’s nomination had been correct, and it was revealed that Nakanishi was indeed the model student.
“Ugh…”
Despite thinking they were both still on the defensive, Hirata suffered intense damage from Hamaguchi’s attack. As for Hamaguchi, he was overcome with relief. Though he’d pulled off a big opening move, he felt that his nomination had been rather reckless. Hamaguchi had made his decision because of how flustered Nakanishi was acting, but there was a sufficiently high chance that he could’ve been cast into a role other than the model student, so it seemed like luck was on his side this round. The result made Hamaguchi happy but also anxious, and he braced himself once more for what lay ahead.
As a result of Hamaguchi’s daring play, Hirata had suddenly lost three Life Points and was now down to two. This was a big change in the situation, where both participants had been trying to get a feel for the other, moving things along with only a few words. Only one model student remained. Hirata was forced into a situation where he had to find a particular student, in the worst possible scenario. The severity of the situation weighed on him as the fourth round began.
Hirata realized how much having the other side take the initiative would weigh on you in this special exam. Thus far, in the previous three rounds, Hirata had repeatedly passed his turn without too much worry, but now he had been driven to a point where he could no longer make his choices so carelessly. He hoped that, somehow, the discussion would progress and give him a big clue. Though he had wished for that in his impatience, the discussion wasn’t progressing as he would’ve liked.
After it had been made clear that Nakanishi was the model student and he was removed from the discussion, the sole remaining model student went even further into hiding, concealing their identity. That was precisely why it was the students cast into the other roles who were the ones Hirata wanted to rely on.
“Let’s not have any hard feelings between us, okay, Hirata-kun?” said Hamaguchi.
“Yes. Of course, I agree,” answered Hirata.
The discussion was moving ahead, albeit sluggishly. Just then, when it was about time people felt like that it wouldn’t be unusual for new information to come out, about two minutes into the fourth round, Yukimura finally came forward and said that he held the role of graduate. Yukimura, having checked out what everyone’s roles were three times now, reported that everyone he had checked thus far had been average students, and he hadn’t yet determined who the model student was. However, this was good news for Hirata, a silver lining on a dark cloud.