Final day.

Nothing happened, as expected and we cleaned up the base camp before gathering on the beach.

The exam was over, so everyone was chatting among themselves.

There were still many people in Class D who looked uneasy, though.

“First-year students, attention please.”

Mashima-sensei, the homeroom teacher of Class A, called out through a megaphone.

It seemed the results announcement was finally about to begin.

At the moment tension ran through the assembled first-years—

“Yo, you small fries. We nailed your leader.”

Ryūen appeared at the very last moment.

“W-Why is Ryūen here!?”

“Didn’t all of Class C retire!?”

“And he says he guessed the leader—what’s going on!?”

Class B and Class D erupted into noise.

Most students must have thought Class C used a retirement strategy and skipped this exam entirely.

Even so, it’s pretty blatant.

Doesn’t Class A even want to hide it a little?

“Ah, Ayanokōji-kun… it’s okay, right?”

“Yeah, no problem. Since we have the chance, shall we start checking answers? The exam’s already over and we’re at the results stage.”

“Hah. Making excuses? Ayanokōji. We’ve already confirmed that Horikita is your Class D leader!”

“Yeah, that’s right. Until yesterday morning, Horikita was the leader… That alone should be enough for you to understand, Ryūen.”

“Huh…”

Ryūen’s confident expression flips to a blank stare.

“No way… Don’t tell me!!”

“Horikita did an excellent job. Despite being in very poor condition, she hid it not only from the spy Ibuki, but from almost all of Class D. And we had the leader changed for legitimate reasons. That’s the truth.”

“Huh? Horikita was unwell?”

“Ibuki was a spy?”

“I had no idea at all…”

“Wait, you can change the leader?”

Class D buzzed.

But you could say Horikita was simply very good at hiding it.

This outcome is thanks to Horikita’s devotion.

Even if Ryūen had noticed the trap, at that point it would have been impossible to search for a new Class D leader and Class A left things to Class C anyway, so they couldn’t even feel anything was off.

“Horikita was careful to the very end so you wouldn’t notice. Because you were such a formidable opponent, Horikita grew. Thank you, Ryūen. This is thanks to you.”

“Fourth place. Class C. Zero points.”

“Gah!! Ayanokōjiiii!!”

* * *

“Whoa, as expected! Ayanokōji—no, Ayanokōji-san!! Still, there are tons of mysteries left, so could you tell us everything that happened from start to finish!?”

Ike asked excitedly.

We were having a party with Class D on the ship and almost everyone was focused on us.

“From the start, I never trusted Ibuki. Including her facial injuries, I figured it was likely Ryūen’s plan. And sure enough, Ibuki was a spy. The fire on day six was caused by Ibuki. It was a diversion so she could steal the key card and escape. And as I said earlier, once Horikita retired, Class C would trip and fall on their own.”

As for the underwear incident, no boys should know about it, so I’ll have Kei pass it on to the girls.

We’ll just say Ibuki both stole it and put it in Shinohara’s bag.

Dead men tell no tales, especially spies from other classes.

“I’ll skip some details, but for Class A, we identified the leader through exploration on day one and for Class C, through the accumulation up to today. Thanks to that, Class D exceeded 300 points.”

The total points we used were 69.

Another 30 points from Horikita’s retirement.

That makes 201 base points.

Since no other class guessed our leader, we got a 14-point spot bonus.

Another 100 points for guessing the leaders of Classes A and C.

That brings us to 315 points.

“That’s the full picture of this special exam. I created an uneasy atmosphere midway so Ibuki would think Class D was internally divided. Sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”

I make sure to say that toward Shinohara.

She took the biggest hit.

There’s some sense of it being self-inflicted, but she could have reasonably ended up distrusting people these past few days.

Though I’d confirmed she seemed to have recovered after getting closer to Ike.

“Yeah, that did feel pretty bad at the time, but if it was for this huge victory, I don’t care anymore! Right, everyone! Tonight, anything goes!!!”

Ike answered for Shinohara.

Just a week ago, they were at each other’s throats.

* * *

“So? What’s the real story?”

“I rested for a day and recovered too, so I’d like to go over it. You put me through quite a lot.”

“I want to hear everything properly from you too, Kiyotaka. I acted on my own judgment, but I don’t know if it was right.”

Kushida, Horikita and Kei dragged me into a karaoke room.

Probably for soundproofing.

I wanted to avoid guest rooms or decks where we wouldn’t know who might be listening.

On the way here, I felt like I saw a blond guy with a ‘King!! Let’s spread this info!!’ look on his face.

I hope I’m imagining it.

If something happens, I won’t forgive him.

“Stop spacing out and hurry up. Or what, it’s soundproof, so you want to do something?”

“No. And if I start from the beginning, it’ll take a while. You still want to hear it?”

“We do.”

All three stared with strong resolve.

“Alright. But no interruptions. Listen to the whole thing first.”

* * *

Uninhabited Island Exam from Ayanokōji’s perspective.

Day 1.

I listen to the ship’s announcement and grasp the island’s layout.

I notice Horikita is missing and find it suspicious.

I see her disheveled state and confirm she’s unwell.

During the toilet dispute, I side with Shinohara to slightly steer her psychological state.

Temporary toilet, 20 points.

I ask Kōenji to map the island while I head to a cave I’d already identified.

Thanks to finding two idiots, I pretty much identified Class A’s leader.

I get a general grasp of the island’s structure.

Ike decides to use the river as a base.

His camping knowledge advances us greatly.

I decide to improve Ike’s image here.

I prepare to make Horikita leader so we can later change leaders for legitimate reasons.

Shinohara complains about tent usage.

I indulge her, making her more full of herself.

Kōenji brings food, largely solving the food problem.

We let the girls use the tents and build houses for the boys.

Chainsaw, 8 points.

Cooking tools, 5 points.

We gather wood and branches for fires and houses.

Yamauchi brings Ibuki.

At this point, I decide Horikita will retire.

I also talk to Kushida and have her make contact with Ibuki.

Ike suggests drinking river water and gets snapped at by Shinohara again.

I buy drinking water to encourage Shinohara’s selfishness.

Drinking water, 6 points.

Kōenji buys a hammock without permission and disappears.

Hammock set, 5 points.

I burn the manual.

I use 10 points for showers and such.

I talk with Horikita a bit.

Day 2.

We’re summoned by Class C.

By bringing Horikita, I both teach her Ryūen’s thinking and tire her out.

The abnormal amount of food suggests an alliance with Class A.

From Ryūen, I learn there’s another spy.

I imitate Ken and Sakura by making a log bench and sitting next to Kei to stir jealousy.

I talk with Kei.

Hirata asks about the manual.

I judge Shinohara is starting to act up and decide to move around more the next day.

Day 3.

Kanzaki from Class B visits, giving us an excuse to go to Class B’s base.

I continue to build Horikita’s experience and tire her out.

Class A has curtains and guards, so nothing to do.

Class C is empty.

At this point, I’m sure the supplies moved to Class A.

I clearly state continued non-interference with Class B.

I check Class B’s lifestyle and confirm Kaneda, Class C’s spy, is there.

Horikita shows signs she’s realized my intent, so I decide to let her rest from here on.

When we return, Shinohara is predictably out of control.

I scold her harshly to damage class morale.

I make Ibuki think I’m running a reign of terror, increasing trust in Kushida’s betrayal.

I ask Ken to monitor Kaneda at Class B except during roll call.

Day 4.

Seeing an opportunity, Kushida moves.

Kei is targeted because it’s easier if someone who understands Kushida is targeted.

Putting it in Shinohara’s bag is natural given the previous day.

As long as a dispute happened, it didn’t matter to me whether Ibuki was suspected, Shinohara gathered hate, or the whole class became paranoid.

Ken returns.

Kaneda’s retirement is confirmed.

Considering Kōenji’s loud roaming, I judge Ryūen is hiding in Class A’s cave.

I’m almost certain Ryūen is the leader, but to be safe, I decide to contact the Sakayanagi faction.

Day 5.

I tell Horikita where Ibuki buried the radio.

I contact a blond from the Sakayanagi faction.

I prevent him from selling me leader info and instead confirm Totsuka Yahiko as leader by shaking things up.

In exchange for cooperating to take down Katsuragi, I confirm how many Class C students they’re hiding.

It narrows to Ryūen or Ibuki.

Even while I’m moving outside, Ken and Horikita keep watch, preventing Ibuki from acting.

At the 16:00 spot update, I shake things up so Ibuki sees Horikita drop the key card.

Even if Kushida told her, I couldn’t be sure she believed it.

From a distance, it would only look like Horikita dropped and picked something up, but that was enough.

I warn Chabashira in advance so she won’t say anything unnecessary.

Horikita’s retirement is certain, but it needs to come from me.

Day 6.

Ken wakes me.

We act to extinguish the fire Kushida caused.

The rain helps.

After seeing Ibuki hand Horikita’s key card to Ryūen and retire, I retire Horikita with utmost care.

We barely make roll call, avoiding penalties.

I tell them I have a plan but don’t give details to keep tension until the exam ends.

If Class A saw Class D celebrating early, it would be dangerous.

If that reached Ryūen, everything could collapse.

So I said nothing until the end.

Day 7.

Nothing in particular.

That’s the outline of this exam.

* * *

Kei is honestly impressed with Kiyotaka and it’s fine if Horikita wonders whether she can reach this level.

But there are two things only I know.

First.

I wasn’t the one who clicked my tongue during the girls’ discussion.

Kei and Horikita probably think I did, but that’s wrong.

And Kiyotaka likely doesn’t know the details of that conversation.

The tongue click happened when Kei was provoking.

That means there’s someone among the Class D girls who has some issue with Kei.

Second.

I was indeed on watch early on day six so Ibuki could move easily, but that’s all.

I didn’t start the fire.

If there’s a true traitor in Class D, that’s my territory.

Not Kei, not Horikita.

I’ll deal with it myself.

I push aside another possibility that crosses my mind and decide to keep watching my classmates.

* * *

Uninhabited Island Special Exam Results.

First: Class D, 315 points.

Second: Class B, 140 points.

Third: Class A, 120 points.

Fourth: Class C, 0 points.

Current CP

A: 1124

B: 832

C: 490

D: 410

* * *

Bonus Scene

“Man, we really got played by the King. As expected of the princess’s fiancé.”

I tried to hand over Class A’s leader info, but he already knew.

I tried not to show it, but that was probably close to probing.

I failed to force a favor and ended up with no debts between us.

He’s a monster.

‘I need to think more about relationships. As long as I’m in Class A at the end, that’s fine.’

“Still, that just now looked interesting. I’ll send the photo to the princess.”

That much payback is fine.