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ArabicClassroom of the Elite: Surviving with the Intel System — Chapter 40
Chapter 40: Ask Me to Be Class President? And Buy Information with 1 Million Class Points?
The air inside the counseling room felt unusually still, broken only by the sound of ragged breathing.
Akira observed Chabashira Sae’s slightly heaving shoulders, a quiet realization dawning on him. He might have fundamentally misunderstood his homeroom teacher. Glancing down at the glowing screen of his phone, he noted the time. Only three minutes and thirty seconds had passed since he sent that brief distress message: ‘Hoshinomiya-sensei is targeting Class D.’
Yet the woman standing before him now bore the signs of a frantic sprint. Her normally immaculate dark hair was slightly disheveled, the crisp collar of her suit jacket sat skewed against her neck, and her chest rose and fell with heavy, measured breaths.
Leaving aside her usual apathetic facade, her physical state right now proved one thing. When it came down to the wire, she was fiercely protective of her class and her students’ interests.
“Chabashira-sensei, thank you for coming to our rescue so quickly.”
Those simple words acted like a sudden binding spell. Chabashira stopped moving entirely, her posture stiffening. Having adopted a strict policy of absolute non-interference since the entrance ceremony, it had been far too long since a student had offered her genuine gratitude. Usually, she considered it a good day if her students simply refrained from giving her cold stares.
She coughed lightly into her fist, the brief flash of vulnerability vanishing as she quickly regained her usual sharp composure.
“Shimizu, I need to ask you something.” Her voice carried a rare trace of hesitation. “I just heard Hoshinomiya mention that you sought out a second-year senior. Knowing your personality, you wouldn’t waste time on something useless. This isn’t just about class assignments and allowances, is it? Do you already know the other information that the School Administration deliberately concealed?”
“Yes.” Akira admitted it without a second thought.
Since she had already laid her cards on the table, there was zero benefit in playing dumb.
“You must be the first person in Class D to uncover the hidden rules of this academy.” She straightened her posture, her expression shifting into something far more serious. “Given that, I am considering appointing you as the class president. What are your thoughts?”
“With all due respect, I refuse.”
His answer was crisp, decisive, and entirely devoid of hesitation.
Chabashira raised a slender eyebrow. “Reason?”
“Because I have no interest in being a scapegoat.” His voice remained perfectly flat.
Weighing the sheer incompetence of his peers over the first month of school, Akira had already calculated the grim reality. Class D’s upcoming class points were destined to end in a disastrous zero. The gap between them and the other classes would instantly widen into an uncrossable chasm. Taking on the hot potato of class president meant he would inevitably be dragged down by a room full of dead weight.
“So that is why you chose to conceal the information from the rest of the class.” Chabashira looked at him, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room grew colder. “What if I force you to lead Class D, using expulsion as a condition?”
Akira’s gaze swept sharply over the homeroom teacher. “That probably doesn’t conform to the rules of this academy, does it? After all, the chairman’s stated goal is to cultivate students with actual talent.”
Without breaking eye contact, he casually reached out and pushed Horikita Suzune half a step forward.
“also, you are looking at the younger sister of Student Council President Horikita Manabu. Do I need to contact the president right now to report your somewhat foolish threat?”
Over the past few weeks, Akira had gathered enough rumors to understand the hierarchy of the academy. The Student Council President wielded authority that often eclipsed that of the faculty.
Horikita paused at the sudden physical contact, shooting Akira a freezing glare. This pragmatic bastard actually dared to use her as a human shield without a shred of permission.
Despite her irritation, she raised her chin, her aristocratic pride taking over as she delivered an icy response. “Chabashira-sensei, with your qualifications, you really shouldn’t make such a foolish decision.”
“The Student Council President… is your brother?” Chabashira’s gaze darted between the two students before a look of realization washed over her features. “I see. The surname Horikita is indeed uncommon.”
She let out a slow breath, the dangerous edge leaving her posture. “I didn’t actually intend to threaten you.”
In truth, the thought of forcing his hand had crossed her mind. But in this modern era, a high school student transferring out was hardly a catastrophe. More, she had been closely observing Akira’s reaction. It was merely a carefully designed stress test, much like a chemistry teacher dropping a volatile reagent into a beaker to see what would happen.
His calm, calculated counterattack was exactly what she had expected.
Chabashira tapped her manicured finger lightly against the surface of the desk. “What if I said I want to buy that class information from you for one million Private Points? The only condition is that you share this information with your classmates. How does that sound?”
Akira paused.
The sheer scale of the proposal was shocking enough, but the source of the offer was even more surprising. This homeroom teacher, who had spent the entire month acting like a complete slacker, was actually taking the initiative to intervene in an inter-class information war. It completely shattered her laissez-faire image.
“Sensei, are you suddenly taking an interest in class competition?” Akira narrowed his eyes, analyzing her motives. “You are actually willing to spend one million points out of your own pocket?”
“Don’t look at me like that.” Chabashira replied coldly. “Much like you, I have no intention of being a fool.”
She reached into her bag and pulled out a crisp document, her slender finger tapping against the paper. “Since this is strategic information vital to the entire class, I will hold a special class meeting tomorrow. Every single student will be required to pay twenty-five thousand points. Naturally, I will cover your share myself. The condition is simple.”
She paused, letting the weight of her words settle in the quiet room.
“You just need to ‘accidentally’ reveal the news to Kushida Kikyo or Hirata Yosuke. Or you can simply announce it yourself. I only require that one of you three brings this information to light.”
She leaned forward slightly, her presence commanding the space. “How about it? You receive your deserved reward, the entire class pays the price they owe for their ignorance, and you don’t even need to expose yourself as the mastermind.”
A faint, cunning smile played on her lips. “From any angle, this is a fair trade, isn’t it? If you agree right now, I will immediately transfer one million points from my personal account to yours.”
Akira remained silent, his mind racing. He mentally calculated the gains and losses of this transaction from every conceivable angle. Information he had purchased for a mere ten thousand points was now being multiplied by a factor of one hundred. It was a guaranteed, massive profit.
He had previously worried that the defective students of Class D would refuse to hand over their points if he tried to sell the information directly. He never expected Chabashira to front the entire sum herself. She fully intended to play the villain, extorting an ‘information fee’ from every student to recoup her investment.
“Deal.” He finally nodded, his tone completely flat. “It is indeed a fair and reasonable transaction.”
Chabashira let out a low chuckle, neatly sliding the document into her desk drawer. “A wise choice. Well then, I look forward to your good news.”
With the transaction settled, the heavy tension in the room finally dissipated. Chabashira suddenly turned her head, acting as if she had only just remembered there was a third person present.
“I almost forgot.” She tapped her finger against the desk once more, locking eyes with the girl who had been standing silently at Akira’s side. “Tell me, Horikita. What is it that you want to ask?”