A few days after I transferred in, one morning.

Today Korosensei’s mood was weirdly high.

“Honestly!! Even though third year has only just started, a school trip at a time like this, Sensei really isn’t feeling it.”

Even as he said that, he was dressed head to toe as a maiko, a traditional apprentice geisha in Kyoto and he looked ridiculously excited.

Well, I can’t really talk either.

“Just like assassination, we’re going to enjoy this school trip with everything we’ve got!!”

When it came time to decide our school trip groups, Karasuma-sensei gave us a warning.

“As you know, starting next week we have a two nights three days school trip to Kyoto, I don’t intend to interfere with your trip as much as possible, but this is also a mission.”

“So that means we’re assassinating over there too?”

A classmate, Okano, asked the teacher.

“That’s right, Kyoto’s streets are far wider and more complex than Tokyo and you’ll decide your route in advance and he will accompany you along it, it’s a perfect opportunity to place a sniper, so I want you to choose a course suitable for assassination.”

Even if the sniper is a pro, I don’t feel like they can assassinate that guy alone, but that isn’t something I need to worry about.

For me, I’ll use this chance to deepen certain relationships with my classmates.

Now what should I do…

As I was thinking that way, Nagisa called out to me.

“Ayanokōji-kun, have you decided your group yet, if not, want to go around together?”

“That helps, to be honest, I was just wondering what to do, if it’s fine with you guys, I don’t mind.”

“Yeah, nice to meet you!”

“Yo, Ayanokōji-kun and Nagisa-kun, can I join that group too?”

“I don’t mind at all but…”

“I’ve got no objections, I wanted to talk with Akabane a bit more anyway.”

“Oh! That makes me happy, Ayanokōji-kun, also, just call me by my name casually, okay♪, so yeah, nice to meet youー”

“Are you gonna be okay, Karma, you’re not gonna pick a fight on the trip and cause trouble, right?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine, it’s okay, Sugino, if it’s a trip fight, I’ll properly shut the witnesses up so it won’t go public, lol.”

I have no idea what part of that is okay.

Nagisa and Sugino are forcing awkward smiles too.

My first Kyoto debut is on the line here.

“So who’s in the group, Nagisa-kun, if it’s Sugino and Ayanokōji-kun and Kayano-chan, don’t we need two more?”

“I invited Okuda-san too!!”

As she said that, Kayano pulled a glasses-wearing girl from the back.

I think she sat in front of me.

“Nice to meet you, Ayanokōji-kun.”

“I’m Okuda Manami, nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, nice to meet you too, I want to get along with you starting from this.”

“So what about the last girl?”

“Heheh, actually, I’ve been inviting her for a long time for this very moment.”

If Sugino is the one inviting, then it’ll be Kanzaki.

While we were talking, Sugino came back with Kanzaki.

“Ta-dah! The class Madonna!”

“How about Kanzaki-san?”

“‘No objections.’”

“Nice to meet you, everyone.”

While we were deciding our course, Bitch-sensei cut in from the side.

“Hmph, how pointless, compared to me who flies all over the world, a trip inside Japan is nothing.”

“Then Bitch-sensei can stay behindー”

“Water the flowerbed for us, okay.”

After that, Bitch-sensei snapped, saying, “Don’t exclude me!”

I already thought this during English class, but she’s a pain.

“‘Gara.’”

I heard the door open, so I looked toward the front and Korosensei was standing there holding an absurd amount of luggage.

“One per person, it’s the school trip guidebook, so please treat it carefully.”

“Huh!? It’s heavy! This is basically a dictionary!”

“It includes illustrated explanations for every tourist spot, a top 100 list of souvenirs and people and self-defense on trips from beginner to advanced, I pulled an all-nighter making it yesterday!! The first edition bonus is a buildable miniature Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion!”

“How fired up are you?”

Even so, with the trip likely to be more packed than usual, everyone looked like they were enjoying it.

* * *

Just when I was about to go home since group selection ended safely, Hayami called out to me.

“The usual.”

“No, today I was thinking of going home…”

“Hurry.”

“Yes, yes.”

After that exchange, Chiba, Hayami and I headed to the back hill behind the school building.

Because they taught me how to use a handgun during the last training, they took a liking to me and now I was stuck accompanying their special training.

“Hey, did you already decide your school trip group, if you haven’t, then come with me…”

“I appreciate the invite, but my group is already decided.”

“Heh, who’s in it?”

“The guys are Nagisa, Karma and Sugino, the girls are Kayano, Okuda and Kanzaki.”

“You look like you’re having fun.”

“Of course I am, our group has the class Madonna, Kanzaki.”

As soon as I said that, a silent kick came flying at my leg.

“That was close.”

I barely dodged Hayami’s kick.

“What’s with you all of a sudden?”

“Because you’re getting all lovey-dovey over girls.”

“It was a joke, honestly I’m just excited because it’s my first time in Kyoto.”

“Hm… fine, I’ll let that be the reason.”

Hayami said that and headed deeper into the back hill.

“What’s she mad about, Chiba, do you get it?”

“That’s on you.”

“What’s with you too?”

After that, I ended up having to soothe Hayami’s mood while receiving instruction from Chiba and the others.

* * *

On the day of the school trip, while we were waiting on the platform to board the shinkansen, the bullet train, someone suddenly spoke to me.

“Hey, you’ve got an unfamiliar face, are you a transfer student?”

“Yeah, I am, who are you guys?”

“We’re Tanaka and Takada from Class D, you’re not from Class E, are you, lol?”

“I am in Class E, but…”

“Oh come on, lol, I’m surprised a Class E would even come on a school trip, if you’ve got time for that, why don’t you memorize even one English word, lol?”

So it’s true that Class E is looked down on.

A method of pushing learning by making an example out of an overwhelming weak group.

I can see why that chairman called me the completed form of education.

“Thanks for the advice.”

“But make sure you don’t become our kind of friend.”

Maybe because I didn’t react to their provocation, they left with faces like they’d bitten into something bitter.

“It looked like the main building students were picking on you, were you okay?”

The one who approached saying that was Kanzaki.

“It’s not a problem, that was the first time I got it, but is that what people call Class E bullying, what a pointless thing to do.”

“It can’t be helped, that’s the rule of this school.”

“Fair enough.”

But the chairman’s way of doing things is the complete opposite of Korosensei’s method of bringing out each person’s individuality.

Even for me, someone who will one day become an instructor of the White Room, I’m interested in which educational philosophy produces better talent.

In that sense, this school is the perfect testing ground.

While talking with Kanzaki about the school trip that was about to begin, we boarded the shinkansen.

“Sorry.”

Maybe she was too focused on our conversation, because as we passed by, Kanzaki’s shoulder bumped into a high schooler.

“Watch it, idiot!! Wait, you’re cute, aren’t you, wanna hang out with us from now, lol?”

Kanzaki gently refused, but they weren’t backing off.

I watched how it played out and Kanzaki shot me a troubled look.

It can’t be helped.

“Sorry, she’s with me, could you let it go?”

“Hah? We didn’t call you, if you don’t want to get beaten in front of a girl, get lost.”

“You’re talking pretty loud, maybe you should look around before you pick a fight.”

Around us, students drawn by the argument were gathering like a gallery.

“I’ve got proof that you’re the ones who started this too, I don’t want to make a bigger scene than this…”

I said that while pulling my phone out of my pocket.

“Tch, let’s go.”

Seeing the phone, the delinquents decided they were in a bad position and backed off.

“Thanks, Ayanokōji-kun, but when did you even start recording?”

“I wasn’t recording, that was just a bluff.”

Kanzaki looked surprised for a moment, then immediately returned to her usual smile with a quiet, “Hehe.”

“Spare me the attention, let’s go back to our seats.”

“Yeah, everyone’s probably worried.”

When Kanzaki and I got back to our seats, Korosensei came at us with ridiculous speed.

“Nyuya! Ayanokōji-kun and Kanzaki-san, what was that commotion just now, Sensei was so worried I almost couldn’t sleep at night, except at night when I sleep!”

“Ayanokōji-kun helped me, it really saved me.”

“Oho, you’re surprisingly capable.”

“Ayanokōji-kun, you little♪ you little♪”

“I didn’t do anything special, I just talked a bit well.”

“Heh, starting trouble before me, Ayanokōji-kun, you’re not to be underestimated, lol.”

Ignoring Karma and Korosensei who were teasing me, Kanzaki and I sat down.

Back then, I never once imagined we’d run into those high schoolers again during the trip.

* * *

“Huh, that’s weird…”

“What’s wrong, Kanzaki-chan, did something happen?”

At Kyoto Station, Kayano and Kanzaki were talking about something.

“Actually, it looks like I dropped our group schedule somewhere.”

“Kanzaki-san is very serious, I’m impressed you compiled your own itinerary, but don’t worry, if you have Sensei’s handmade guidebook, everything is solved.”

“We didn’t want to carry that thing around, so we compiled it.”

A sharp comeback from Maehara and Okajima pierced straight into Sensei, who was groggy from motion sickness.

If it was dropped, it must’ve been when she got bumped earlier…