After the chaotic morning homeroom ended...

We... Class 1-A immediately began discussing countermeasures for this special exam... the Four-Choice Mismatch Exam, with Ishigami-kun and me taking the lead.

"Regarding this special exam... I think we need to maneuver carefully so that the [Choice Acquisition] group doesn’t get wiped out."

Yeah~! Ichika-chan basically agrees with Ishigami-kun’s opinion too.

Because... this exam ends when a class appears where both the [Answering Questions] group and the [Choice Acquisition] group are completely wiped out, and it doesn’t end when only one of the groups is wiped out...

Due to this rule, if the [Choice Acquisition] group gets wiped out first, things become difficult afterward...

"So then... you’re saying we should abandon the [Answering Questions] group? Isn’t that... bad?"

"No way! If there’s no one left to solve the problems, that’s a problem, right!?"

Two boys objected to Ishigami-kun’s argument. By the way, these two boys... are among the lower-performing students in Class A, so they probably don’t understand the true meaning of what Ishigami-kun is saying.

Honestly, how pitiful...

"Even if the [Answering Questions] group is wiped out, if the [Choice Acquisition] group keeps getting first place in the tasks... then even if we can’t answer the questions, 10 points are guaranteed... but if the [Choice Acquisition] group is wiped out, then since selection rights can’t be obtained, the remaining [Answering Questions] group essentially becomes nothing more than decorations... that’s what you’re trying to say, right, Ishigami-kun?"

"Yeah... that’s about right."

At that point, when I explained Ishigami-kun’s argument in an easy-to-understand way... it seemed like those two boys also understood and quietly backed down.

"For now, it means we should put as many athletically capable people as possible into the [Choice Acquisition] group."

"Then put me in the [Choice Acquisition] group!"

"Me too! I’m confident when it comes to track and field!"

"Alright, I’ll show you the results of my club training!"

In response to Takahashi-kun’s statement, the classmates who are good at sports started volunteering one after another.

"Alright! Then Ichika-chan will also..."

"Amasawa, wait a second..."

Just as I was about to volunteer along with everyone else, Ishigami-kun stopped me.

"Hm~? What is it, Ishigami-kun?"

"Amasawa... I want you to be in the [Answering Questions] group."

"Eh? Most likely... you’ll also be in the [Answering Questions] group, right, Ishigami-kun? If I join this group too, wouldn’t the balance be too skewed?"

In my mind... Ishigami-kun, Kasuga-chan and Tetsuko-chan, the three intellectually gifted ones, were already set for the [Answering Questions] group, so from a balance perspective... I thought it would be better for me, who can both study and do sports, to join the [Choice Acquisition] group~

"That’s true, the balance might become skewed. However, Amasawa... didn’t you feel anything odd when the teacher explained the types of questions that would appear?"

Um, the types of questions? Simply... Japanese, math, social studies, science, foreign languages, music, art, information processing...

Hm? ...there was one more thing...

"Ah... wasn’t it school history?"

"That’s right... it means there’s a possibility that various past events of Advanced Nurturing High School will be used as questions."

For us first-years, who have only been enrolled for a little over a month... this subject in particular has a high chance of becoming a complete gamble based on luck~

"Huh? But... what does that have to do with Ichika-chan being in the [Answering Questions] group~?"

"...The rest of us only have relationships where we paired up during the Partner Written Exam... but you, on the other hand, have a decent network with upperclassmen, right? In that case, you might be able to gather information about past school events. Just the other day, you even brought a female senpai to your room... and without naming names, I’ve heard you even have senpai from your middle school days. Am I wrong?"

"...Hey, that won’t count as a penalty or anything, right?"

"Don’t worry. If you’re only asking about past school events... it won’t fall under penalties."

I see~! In that case, it wouldn’t be strange for me to be in the [Answering Questions] group~

"By the way, Ishigami-kun... you’ll naturally be in the [Answering Questions] group, right?"

"Yeah... putting intellect aside, my physical ability is far too low. I’ll apologize in advance for not being much help..."

"Don’t worry about that! I’ll do my best in the [Choice Acquisition] group for your share too! You just focus on doing your best in the [Answering Questions] group, alright?"

"Takahashi... thanks, I appreciate it."

"Don’t mention it!"

And just like that... everyone in the class decided which group they would join.

"The most important thing is... to not let the [Choice Acquisition] group get wiped out! Everyone, let’s do our best!"

"Of course! But still~! Ichika-chan really is amazing! To figure out there’d be a second special exam already this morning!"

"No no! It’s nothing like that... I just think my intuition happened to be right~!"

"There you go again~!"

Also... I’m really grateful to Ayumi-chan for subtly raising my reputation like that~