Once the first afternoon class was over and the break began, Taisho and Asahi-san approached my desk.
"Hey, Tomonari-kun. What was the point of those flyers you handed out today?"
"I’m curious, too. The content was different from usual," Asahi-san added, echoing his sentiment.
The two of them clearly had doubts about the unusual flyers. As they were the ones who had been helping me, I wanted to be completely honest with them, but...
"...I’m sorry. I want to keep it under wraps for as long as possible for now."
"Ehh?! But I’m dying to know!"
"I was so curious I couldn't even concentrate on the lecture."
"Taisho-kun, isn't that just business as usual for you?"
Asahi-san coolly poked a hole in Taisho’s complaint.
As they said, the content of the flyers I had distributed this morning was a total departure from our routine. Both Tennoji-san’s and Narika’s flyers bore only a single, brief sentence.
On Tennoji-san’s flyer, I had written:
After school, at the ground.
And on Narika’s, I had written:
After school, in the courtyard.
Neither flyer explained what we were actually doing. By concisely specifying only the time and place, they had piqued the curiosity of the student body, becoming the primary topic of conversation every time a break arrived. Taisho and Asahi-san weren't the only ones who had come to ask me directly about our plans.
The final break ended, and the last class of the day began.
The moment the bell rang to signal the end of school, I dashed out of the classroom.
Tennoji-san and Narika burst out of their second-floor classrooms at the same time. Our gazes crossed for a split second; we exchanged brief nods and immediately headed to our respective stations.
The key to this operation was spontaneity.
It had to be executed rapidly and abruptly, or the effect would be lost.
I ducked into a changing room used for PE, pulled my outfit from my bag, and hurriedly changed. After a quick check in the mirror to ensure everything was in place, I headed for my first station: the ground. I had to finish the preparations before the bulk of the students set off for home.
When I arrived, Suminoe-san was already in the middle of setting the stage. I offered a short word of thanks as she efficiently set up the speakers, then jumped in to assist.
A short while later, Tennoji-san arrived.
Draped in a blue dress, Tennoji-san walked across the ground with effortless grace. Her appearance surely arrested the attention of many. Students who had just left their classrooms and were planning to head home undoubtedly changed their minds the moment her beautiful figure crossed their vision. Expectant and intrigued, they followed in her wake.
Thus, Tennoji-san arrived at the center of the ground, leading a large crowd of students behind her.
At that exact moment, an adult male in a tailcoat appeared from the school gate. He was perfectly on time. I was grateful.
Preparations were complete.
The students' attention was sufficiently gathered.
I caught Tennoji-san's eye and gave her a nod.
She responded with a fearless smile.
"Now—let us begin."
As the man in the tailcoat approached her, music began to flow from the speakers.
To the surprise of the onlookers, Tennoji-san began to perform ballroom dancing with the man.
The leisurely slow waltz highlighted her elegant movements, instantly captivating the startled students. The buzzing of the crowd was swiftly swallowed by a heavy silence. A sacred, inviolable space had been established in the center of the ground.
This was guerrilla marketing.
Bold, unconventional, and—as the name implied—a surprise-attack advertising strategy. This was the core of the operation we were now executing.
When I decided to challenge a Politician type like Joto-san with a Management type strategy, I chose to market Tennoji-san and Narika as "products." If these two products could generate more demand than the one known as Ren Joto, we would achieve our victory condition.
Tennoji-san's primary product value was her "noble posture." To ensure the maximum number of students understood that, I decided to have her dance.
Her innate elegance couldn't be conveyed through speeches alone. While her classmates might have seen glimpses of it in daily lessons, it was likely lost on the underclassmen and upperclassmen. That was why there was immense value in a public demonstration.
Tennoji-san's campaign pledge was to transform Kikou Academy into a place where everyone could live nobly.
What did it mean to live nobly?
Tennoji-san was providing the answer right now.
(......Amazing. It’s like the ground has been transformed into a dance hall.)
I was so absorbed in her movements that I nearly forgot we were outdoors. Her lithe, graceful motions were a work of art, and I found myself letting out a breath of pure admiration.
The partner Tennoji-san was dancing with was apparently a ballroom dancing instructor with whom her family was well-acquainted. This performance also served as an advertisement: if she became Student Council President, she could officially invite instructors like him to the Academy.
The negative campaign had spread rumors that the etiquette instructor's fees would end up in Tennoji-san's own pockets, but that was nonsense. Even if they were close, the instructor was an external professional. There was no illicit financial connection to be found.
After three songs, Tennoji-san and her partner bowed.
Showered in thunderous applause, she looked toward me with sparkling eyes.
"Tomonari-san!"
With the sunset reflecting off the faint beads of sweat on her skin, she looked radiant.
Hearing her call my name, I straightened the collar of my tailcoat.
Next, it was my turn to dance with her.
It was Tennoji-san who had insisted that she dance with me as well as the professional. Last night, after I explained the plan, she had argued passionately that if she wanted the students to learn etiquette, she needed to provide a model case.
Specifically, I—a plain transfer student with no special standing—would show everyone that I could dance well enough to be her match.
Seeing that sight was what would give her campaign pledge its credibility.
I let out a small breath, doing my best to settle the nerves in my gut.
(......Here I go!)
Steeling myself, I faced her.
I placed my right hand on Tennoji-san's shoulder blade and established a hold. As the music started, I began to slowly rotate my body clockwise.
The moment I initiated the natural spin turn, my body began to move on its own.
I remembered when she had taught me to dance before the summer break. The techniques hammered into me back then seemed ingrained in my very muscles. Dancing with her now brought them back with vivid clarity.
I wasn't afraid. The tension that had gripped me only moments ago had melted away.
The time I had spent learning from her hadn't been that long, yet I felt as if we had danced together tens of thousands of times. The memory of dancing with her was burned into the deepest recesses of my mind.
"Itsuki-san," Tennoji-san whispered, her voice barely audible. "You really have improved."
"...It's thanks to you, Tennoji-san."
She was a bold one. I was slightly taken aback that she would use my name while being watched by so many students, but in this environment, our private conversation was shielded by the music and the distance.
This was our sanctuary.
It was a stage of light that stood out above all else, yet remained inaccessible to anyone else.
"You have no idea how much your efforts have encouraged me..." Tennoji-san murmured, her eyes locked onto mine.
I transitioned with a reverse turn and swept back toward the center of the ground.
"For your sake, I will become the Student Council President."
As she spoke those words of conviction, she looked remarkably dignified.
It was different from her usual competitive glint. Her eyes were like a calm lake without a single ripple. For Tennoji-san, the goal of the presidency was no longer a prize to be chased recklessly, but a mission she was destined to fulfill.
"We ask for your cooperation with our survey!"
I heard Suminoe-san’s voice. Glancing over while we danced, I saw her distributing survey forms as we had practiced.
The appeal of guerrilla marketing was the sheer fun of an unconventional event. I hadn't wanted to ruin the concept of a "sudden surprise," so I had kept the number of collaborators to a minimum to maintain secrecy.
I had debated whether to involve Taisho and Asahi-san, but ultimately decided against it. They were "typical" students. I felt that having them enjoy the event from the same perspective as the rest of the student body would, in the end, result in better word-of-mouth publicity.
My hunch was likely correct. Asahi-san was watching us dance alongside her classmates. Seeing her genuinely enjoying the event was bound to have a positive impact on the others.
Taisho was nowhere to be found, which meant he had likely headed over to Narika’s station.
After seeing Suminoe-san hand a survey to Asahi-san, I refocused on the dance. I wouldn't let my guard down during the final stretch; I would see this through to a perfect finish.
Data analysis via surveys was another tactic where Management types excelled. Although the election was nearly over, I intended to collect surveys every day from now until the end. We would periodically ask the students exactly what they expected from Tennoji-san and Narika.
As the dance concluded, the crowd erupted in grand applause.
"A success, I should say."
Amidst the rain of applause, Tennoji-san wore a look of immense satisfaction. I suspected I had a similar expression on my face.
When I first conceived this guerrilla marketing plan, I felt as if my horizons had broadened. Electioneering wasn't just about speeches. It was much broader; one could try all sorts of things. A Politician type like Joto-san would stick to what he was good at, but we Management types had a different way of fighting. In fact, creating the battlefield itself was our true forte.
I suspected the market—the voters—was secretly getting bored of an election that offered nothing but speeches. That was why an event like this struck a chord with them.
In the current market, speeches were in oversupply.
The solution, then, was to provide a new form of supply.
"Tennoji-san. I have to..."
"You’re moving on to Miyakojima-san’s station, I assume. I shall pray for your success there as well."
Narika would be executing a similar plan, though the content would be entirely different.
I prepared to head toward the courtyard.
Just before I left, Tennoji-san spoke.
"Hold your head high."
With her face still slightly flushed from exertion, she looked me in the eye.
"You have long since become my equal."
Those words resonated in the very depths of my heart.
There was no time to linger. I loosened the collar of my tailcoat and ran toward the courtyard.
As I ran, my vision began to blur.
(......Damn it.)
I was on the verge of tears.
Tennoji-san had said the exact words I wanted to hear most.
It was unfair of her to say that in such a place, at such a time. The words struck home, especially as I had been reflecting on how immature I was when she first began teaching me.
Memories flooded back as I ran. The first time she corrected my posture, the lessons in etiquette and academics, studying together during the Summer Seminar, and the times she had kept me company while I took breaks from the Management Game.
I had told her I wanted to be her equal during one of those breaks. We had danced together then, too.
It seemed I really had grown since then.
I knew, of course, that this wasn't the end. I hadn't become her equal in the truest sense yet. The fact that we looked like equals was only true for this specific moment, in this specific situation.
Even so, having my efforts acknowledged made me so happy I thought I might cry.
...But I still had work to do.
I couldn't afford to break down here.
When I arrived at the courtyard, a massive crowd of students had already gathered. I was relieved to see that people were just as interested in Narika as they had been in Tennoji-san. Furthermore, in a pleasant miscalculation, several students from the ground had followed me. I hadn't had time to change out of the tailcoat, but it seemed my appearance was serving as even more publicity.
Pushing through the throng to the center of the courtyard, I found Kita-kun making the final preparations.
"Kita-kun, I’m sorry. I left everything to you."
"Don't worry about it."
As he spoke, sweat was pouring down his forehead. But Kita-kun continued with a smile that suggested he was finding the work deeply rewarding.
"I’m supporting Miyakojima-san, too. I wanted to help."
I was sure his pure sentiment reached Narika.
Thanks to his hard work, there was almost nothing left for me to do. After making a few final adjustments to the tatami mats laid out on the ground, I picked up the microphone.
"And now—"
I glanced at Narika, who was waiting in the center of the mats. She gave me a sharp nod.
"—Student Council President Candidate Narika Miyakojima will perform a demonstration of Iaijutsu."
Dressed in a black dogi, Narika fixed her gaze on the straw bale in front of her.
The moment they saw that look in her eyes, the surrounding students held their breath.
Once, that sharp gaze had been a symbol of fear. But since the Athletic Festival, she had steadily cleared up the misunderstandings surrounding her. Now, that dignified presence had been sublimated into a one-of-a-kind weapon.
Through this guerrilla marketing, I wanted to showcase the personal appeal of both candidates. But while the goal was the same, the strategy for each was different.
For Tennoji-san, the strategy was to take the appeal people already recognized and make it concrete. The result was the ballroom dancing. To the students of Kikou Academy, dance parties were familiar. If she became President and held various seminars, they too might one day dance with such grace. The goal was to give them a tangible vision to buy into.
On the other hand, I felt Narika's appeal hadn't been fully communicated yet.
Specifically, I didn't think what had been shown so far was enough.
As Kita-kun had said in his speech, her greatest charm was her capacity for growth. But that was something only those close to her could truly appreciate. To others, it was a hard sell. At worst, "potential for growth" could be interpreted as "having nothing to offer right now." Given her results in the Management Game, I didn't think most students were that pessimistic, but expecting people to put their faith in a stranger based on potential felt too much like a leap of faith.
So, I decided to show them a charm Narika possessed right now.
As I had already told the other candidates like Nishi and Abeno-san, Narika was top-tier in martial arts and flower arrangement. In these fields, she was peerless.
"Hhhhuuuuuuu......"
Narika inhaled slowly. In that instant, I could feel her focus sharpening until it was as keen as the blade in her hand.
Silently, deeply, as if diving into an abyss, she continued to concentrate.
Despite the crowd, a perfect silence settled over the courtyard. I could even hear the rustle of leaves in the wind.
"Ha—!"
A flash. Narika swung her blade.
It must have been a stroke of incredible beauty. I say "must have" because my eyes couldn't even follow the sword. I thought I was staring right at it, but I must have blinked at the exact moment she struck.
Then, I noticed something odd.
The straw bale, which should have been severed, remained perfectly upright.
Had she... missed? No, Narika might be clumsy in daily life, but when it came to martial arts, her talent was absolute. She wouldn't make a mistake like that in public.
Just as my anxiety began to mount, Narika sheathed her sword and gave a sharp bow.
Then, she used the scabbard to give the straw bale a tiny nudge.
The top half of the bale wobbled and tumbled to the ground.
"........................Wait, what?"
What had just happened?
It meant she had cut the bale. But her stroke had been so incredibly sharp that the bale hadn't even shifted; it had remained perched on top even after being severed.
........................Wait, what?
Is that even humanly possible?
After a brief delay, scattered applause began. A few seconds later, it turned into a thunderous ovation. It seemed everyone had needed a moment to process what they had just seen.
Narika was wearing a proud expression, as if everything had gone according to plan, but I saw the truth. Right before the applause started, she had been panicking, her face saying, Did I mess up?
She had always been this way. Even in the Management Game, she had unconsciously crushed the competition. She was someone who could only do zero or a hundred.
(......Well, it was a success.)
With applause like that, it couldn't be called anything else.
The cut on the bale was impossibly clean. It didn't look like the work of a human being. It was so impressive it was almost intimidating.
Regardless, we had shown that Narika possessed a unique, undeniable strength. In an Academy full of elite students, having a skill that no one could match was a powerful draw.
Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief at the success of our marketing, a particularly loud burst of applause rang out.
I turned to see Joto-san standing there.
"Incredible skill," he said, stepping toward Narika. "Since I’m here, would you mind if I had a go?"
"Eh...?"
Joto-san took the sword from her and stood before a spare straw bale.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and swiftly drew the blade.
"Hah—!"
With a sharp cry, the sword swung through, severing the bale diagonally. The severed piece tumbled onto the tatami.
"Hmm... as expected, I’m no match for Miyakojima-san."
Joto-san sheathed the sword and spoke as he ran a finger over the cut surface.
Applause rained down again. But this time, it was for Joto-san, not Narika.
(......He got us.)
I should have done more research. Joto-san also had training in Iaijutsu.
Naturally, he wasn't on Narika's level. But for an intruder who had just walked onto the stage, he possessed more than enough skill to impress.
Guerrilla marketing relied on the element of surprise. I had intended to use that to prevent the Joto camp from being able to counter us in time, but in a way, Joto-san had performed the most "guerrilla" intervention of all.
The crowd was electrified by the unexpected turn of events.
Returning the sword to Narika, Joto-san took a microphone from Rintaro, who was standing nearby.
"Miyakojima-san, I have a proposal."
His voice echoed through the courtyard.
"Next, why don't we test our intellects?"
"I-Intellects............?"
Narika’s face went pale.
Dummy. Don't let your insecurity show so clearly in front of everyone.
It wasn't that Narika’s grades were terrible, but compared to Tennoji-san or Joto-san, she was at a distinct disadvantage.
However, seeing her face twitch, Joto-san added a clarification. "I’m not talking about academic grades."
"Tomorrow after school, why don't the three of us hold a Public Debate? The theme will be the traditions of Kikou Academy."
The first to react to the proposal weren't me or Narika, but the audience.
Seeing the students’ excitement, I felt a sharp pang of frustration.
(......We can't say no.)
If we refused now, we would disappoint the student body and Narika's popularity would plummet.
Joto-san had no intention of letting us decline. He had used Narika's own performance to draw in the crowd, then offered a competition that the students were guaranteed to enjoy. He was a calculating entertainer.
Narika looked toward me, and I gave her a silent nod.
She looked a bit uneasy, but she turned back to Joto-san and spoke.
"...Fine. I accept."
"Good. I look forward to tomorrow. Give my regards to Tennoji-san as well."
With that, Joto-san finally took his leave.
...Tennoji-san wouldn't have any intention of backing down, either.
Perhaps Joto-san had read that far ahead and targeted Narika first. Knowing she might refuse, he had orchestrated the situation so that the weight of the crowd's expectations would force her hand.
Behind Joto-san, I felt as if I could see the ghost of Minato-senpai, though she wasn't actually there.
I immediately informed Tennoji-san about the debate challenge.
As expected, she agreed to it. The debate was set for tomorrow after school. Since we were short on time, we decided to stay at the Academy to hold a strategy meeting.
I contacted Shizune-san and had Hinako go home ahead of us, then followed Tennoji-san through the school corridors.
"This is the self-study room."
She opened the door, and I followed her in with Narika.
Tennoji-san had said she knew of a good place for a meeting, and this was certainly a convenient one. It was lined with rows of PCs and featured a large whiteboard at the front.
"I didn't know a place like this existed."
"Yes, but as you can see, it is rarely used. Most students at this Academy head straight home as soon as school is over."
The self-study room was empty. Since we were about to discuss sensitive plans, having no one around was helpful, though the silence in such a large room felt a little lonely. Apparently, it wasn't used for classes; it was purely for independent study, but the busy students of Kikou Academy usually cleared out as soon as the bell rang.
"...When I become President, I want to make better use of spaces like this," Tennoji-san murmured. Looking around the room seemed to have given her a hint of what she wanted to achieve.
Since we were alone, I took the liberty of using the central desks. I booted up the PC in the middle of the room and took a seat.
"Alright, let's start our meeting for the Public Debate."
Tennoji-san and Narika sat on either side of me.
"The theme was the traditions of Kikou Academy, correct?"
"Yes....It's a theme that clearly favors the other side, but if we can offer a compelling perspective, we can boost our support significantly."
I expected the debate to follow a standard format. Each candidate would present their views on the Academy's traditions, which would then lead into a discussion. We had to prepare for criticisms—questions about whether our views were correct or if our proposed policies would leave certain students behind.
At the very least, it wouldn't be a polite exchange of ideas. If it were, they would have just stuck to speeches.
"In the first place, what are the traditions of Kikou Academy?" Narika asked, the light from the monitor reflecting in her eyes.
It was a blunt, fundamental question. As she said, we had to define that first.
"Let's list everything that comes to mind."
I opened a basic notepad app on the PC and started bulleting the Academy's traditions. Simultaneously, I considered our other activities. With a debate tomorrow afternoon, we wouldn't have time for a speech.
However...
(...Our detailed explanation of the pledges to counter the negative campaign has worked. At this point, speeches can take a back seat.)
To counter the rumors Rintaro had spread, we had summarized the pledges and made them accessible online. Because of that, the students were already familiarizing themselves with our platform on their own. The negative campaign had been a crisis, but overcoming it had given us a tailwind. In the end, the rumors had only helped spread the word.
"...I believe those cover the essentials," Tennoji-san said, looking at the screen.
I had listed four main traditions:
- The fact that most students' parents are business owners or politicians.
- The fact that the curriculum is significantly more advanced than a typical high school.
- The famous Management Game class.
- The persistent disparity based on family background.
I had listed both the good and the bad based on my time here.
Looking at the text on the monitor, a thought occurred to me.
"Should I delete this when we’re done?"
"There is no need. These computers are configured to initialize and wipe all data upon reboot."
In that case, it was fine.
"I had the same four in mind, but I suspect our opponent is well aware of them as well."
"True. Joto-kun has touched on all of these in his speeches."
If these were the points of contention, the key was how to delve into them.
"The fourth one... must be handled with care," Narika said softly.
Disparity based on family background. Seeing it in writing, she was clearly reflecting on the fact that her own family was higher-ranking than most others.
However, I couldn't agree with her tendency to view herself as the perpetrator.
"I don't think either of you should feel a sense of guilt," I said.
Narika looked puzzled, so I continued.
"The disparity isn't just felt by those at the bottom; I think it affects those at the top, too....Narika, you were troubled for a long time by misunderstandings, weren't you? One reason people kept their distance was likely your family background."
"...Now that you mention it, that’s true."
Because her family was elite, people were afraid to speak casually....In that dynamic, who is really the victim? It’s always the students of lower standing who decide to keep their distance. Those at the top are often isolated unilaterally.
When distance is maintained, understanding is lost.
(...In a sense, Hinako is suffering from that, too.)
It might be slightly different from discrimination, but Hinako was arguably the one suffering the most disadvantage due to her status. The mental toll of having to act as the "perfect lady" was immense. That was exactly why the position of caretaker existed.
"So, regarding this disparity, I am taking the exact opposite approach to Joto-san," Tennoji-san noted.
"Exactly."
I felt that this would be the crux of the debate. To organize their respective philosophies, I laid out my understanding of their positions.
"Currently, there is a disparity based on family background at Kikou Academy. Joto-kun's solution is for everyone to meet at the common denominator."
By bringing Commoners into the school and forcing the elite to adapt to that environment, he wanted the high-ranking students to learn how to relate to those below them. That was his aim.
"On the other hand, Tennoji-san wants to bring everyone up to the highest standard."
She believed that even students of lower standing should be trained and refined until they could excel in a first-class environment.
"And Narika wants to create an Academy where family background doesn't matter in the first place."
By encouraging social interaction and personal transformation, she wanted to help people change themselves. If someone struggling with the disparity could change who they were, they could liberate themselves from it. In fact, that was exactly how Narika had escaped her own isolation.
"Three people, three different visions," Tennoji-san said.
Because their views were so distinct, this was where the debate would ignite.
"Tomonari-san, I want to use that perspective as my opening move."
"Understood....Narika, are you okay with that?"
"Yes. I can speak from personal experience on that topic. It’ll be easier for me."
Narika, having overcome her own adversity, was now in a position to leverage her reputation. Those who used to fear her would likely take her words to heart.
The only remaining issue was...
"...Narika, you’re going to be speaking in front of a crowd again. Will you be alright?"
"I-I’ll be fine. I’m better than I used to be.......I think."
Her tone didn't inspire much confidence.
"Then let's test it. Stand over there and give a mock speech."
"Hmph... fine. I’ll prove that I can do it when it counts."
Narika stood before the whiteboard.
I knew she could do it. But I also knew the drop-off when she failed was catastrophic.
"Regarding the traditions of Kikou Academy, my thoughts are—"
She began her speech, but stopped halfway through and looked at me.
"...I-Itsuki? Why are you staring so intently?"
"It's practice for dealing with pressure. Keep going."
I had to check if she could handle being watched.
"R-Regarding the traditions... my thoughts on..."
"......"
"Um... if we take the disparity as an example..."
"......"
As expected, she wasn't used to the gaze. She began to fidget.
"W-Wait!" she shouted, her face turning bright red. "I can't speak if you stare at me like that!"
"I thought you weren't going to get nervous?"
"It’s not nerves! It’s, um, I’m focused on something else...!"
Something else?
"Excuses won't help you tomorrow."
"U-Uu... uuuu...!"
She started to tremble. This was strange. I thought she had improved, but she seemed more flustered than ever.
While I was tilting my head at her, the door to the room opened.
"Excuse me....Tomonari-san, I’ve finished sorting the surveys."
Suminoe-san walked in, followed by Kita-kun. I had asked them to collect and sort the forms. Given the volume, I was grateful they had finished so quickly.
"Suminoe-san, Kita-kun, thank you."
I took the bundles of papers from them. Looking over at Narika, she was breathing a sigh of relief....If we had time later, I’d have to put her through her paces again.
"Miyakojima-san, good luck," Kita-kun said.
"Thanks, Kita-kun. I appreciate everything."
Kita-kun cheered her on and left. He seemed to realize we were on a tight schedule and didn't linger for small talk.
"Tennoji-sama, I am rooting for you."
Suminoe-san offered her own words of support.
"Thank you....By the way, why have you started addressing me as '-sama'?"
"It's a habit. I can't seem to stop."
Suminoe-san gave a radiant smile, but Tennoji-san's own smile was twitching.
...She was a lost cause. Someone needed to get Suminoe-san some help. She had been known for her refined, poised image not too long ago...
"Tomonari-san."
Just before leaving, Suminoe-san beckoned me over. Was it a secret? I followed her out into the hall.
"If you don't let Tennoji-sama win, there will be consequences, understood?"
"...I’ll do my best."
"If it comes to it, we can always spike that Joto man’s food with laxatives. If you don't have the stomach for it, I’m happy to do it myself."
"Please don't."
Before meeting Rintaro, I hadn't thought anyone in this school relied on such underhanded schemes... but apparently, they were everywhere. Even in my inner circle.
"Seriously, don't do that, okay?"
"...Tch."
Wait, did she just click her tongue? I was glad I had checked.
After Suminoe-san left, I took a deep breath and returned to the room....She was a whirlwind of a person.
"What was that about?"
"...She proposed a strategy, but it was too extreme, so I rejected it."
After offering a vague explanation, I looked through the surveys. They were simple, asking what kind of President the students wanted Tennoji-san and Narika to be. We hadn't actually taken a survey this simple before, though we had looked into what Hinako's supporters were thinking.
I also had to start thinking about the final speech. The election ended on Monday. Today was Wednesday, so excluding today and the weekend, we only had three days left.
If we suddenly changed our core message based on these surveys, we risked causing confusion. There was no time left to let such confusion settle. From here on, any changes had to be made with extreme caution. I planned to digest the results today, but I would take until the final day to decide how to use them. Rushing now would only lead to self-destruction.
(......Wait.)
As I was reading through the responses, I felt a strange sense of discordance. This was probably...
"Itsuki? What's wrong?"
"Hmm... no, it’s nothing."
I frowned, and while Narika tilted her head in confusion, I decided to stay silent.
(...I don't need to say anything yet.)
This was unrelated to the debate. It might be something I should keep to myself for now.
After school on the eleventh day of the campaign.
The Public Debate organized by Joto-san was about to begin.
"...This is quite the setup," I muttered as I stepped into the auditorium.
The debate was being held in the main hall. Rintaro had told me at lunch that the Joto camp would handle the setup, and they had prepared something far more professional than I had imagined.
In the center of the hall, three desks were placed at equal intervals, facing each other in a triangle. That was where the candidates would sit. The audience was arranged in a circle surrounding them.
I had expected them to debate on a stage, but instead, it felt like a boxing or wrestling ring, with the battle taking place in the heart of the room.
(They’ll be surrounded by gazes from every direction....Is this part of his strategy?)
It was an uncomfortable stage. An environment this unsettling wasn't created by accident. I knew from his speeches that Joto-san was comfortable being watched. He had likely built this stage specifically to make the other candidates conscious of the audience. Even if it didn't bother him, it would be difficult for Tennoji-san and—especially—for Narika.
"Tomonari-san, I am going in."
"I’m... going, too."
The two of them steeled themselves. Tennoji-san wore a fearless grin, while Narika looked strained.
"I’ll be right here. Fight according to the plan."
They nodded and headed into the center of the ring where Joto-san was waiting.
Unfortunately, we hadn't been able to come up with a guaranteed winning move in the time we had. But we had a plan to tip the odds. We had categorized the Academy's traditions and prepared arguments specifically for the one we felt most comfortable discussing. If we could steer the debate toward that topic, we would have the advantage.
"And now, we shall begin the Public Debate between the three candidates for Student Council President. I, Vice President Candidate Rintaro Asahi, will serve as moderator."
Rintaro stood in the center with a microphone.
"The theme is the traditions of Kikou Academy. The candidates will have one hour to discuss this topic."
The audience, myself included, watched the three figures seated at their desks. Joto-san, Tennoji-san, and Narika were all waiting with solemn expressions.
"Then—please begin."
A hush fell over the auditorium. There was no applause, no cheering. The gazes of the school’s elite were fixed intently on the center of the room.
"I’ll take the lead, as the one who proposed this debate," Joto-san began. "I believe many of Kikou Academy’s traditions only serve to fuel student insecurities. For example, the system that essentially limits admission to those of high family standing. Because status is vetted at the door, everyone accepts the resulting disparity as soon as they enter. This environment, where problems are suppressed and hidden, is an evil tradition. That is why I aim for the Commoner-ization of the Academy, and eventually want to remove family background as a factor for admission. We must resolve the complex that everyone hides in their hearts."
As expected... his words hit home for me. On the surface, I was the Tomonari heir, but in reality, I was just an ordinary Commoner. That was why I worked so hard, but not everyone was wired that way. There were surely students whose spirits were crushed by the gap. If things had gone differently, I might have been one of them.
But Commoner-ization wasn't the only way to solve the problem.
"Regarding that disparity," Tennoji-san said, "I intend to solve it in the exact opposite way."
"Ah, yes. You mentioned family background in your very first speech, didn't you?" Joto-san noted.
Tennoji-san nodded. As he said, she had targeted the issue of disparity early on. But while they saw the same problem, their solutions were poles apart.
"I have listened to your speeches, so I understand your vision for the Academy’s Commoner-ization....I don't oppose the idea of knowing the world outside these walls. However, the idea of adapting to that world feels wrong. If we are to adapt to anything, it must be the standard of Kikou Academy, or there is no point in being here."
"The standard of Kikou Academy, huh?" Joto-san let out a cold laugh. "Not everyone is here by choice."
He looked out over the surrounding audience.
"I want to ask everyone here... did any of you have a choice other than entering this school?"
Not a single student nodded. No matter how wonderful the environment might be, it didn't mean the students actually wanted it. That truth was now laid bare. There were likely many here who were attending the Academy against their will.
"You speak as if everyone here takes pride in being a student of this school, but this is the reality....Tennoji-san, you speak as if the Academy's current way is inherently correct, but what is your basis for that? You people stubbornly refuse to change the system. Isn't that why you're called the Conservative faction?"
"...Kh."
He was masterful at using words to frame himself as the superior choice. Joto-san was leveraging the energetic, positive connotations of "Reformist" to the fullest. There was nothing inherently wrong with being "Conservative," but he made it sound as though we were simply being lazy.
But Narika cut through the atmosphere.
"We don't believe that change is unnecessary. In fact, if I become President, I want to create an Academy where any student can change who they are."
She wasn't necessarily defending Tennoji-san. The election was a three-way deadlock, as reflected by their seating. But it was Joto-san who had first lumped them together as the "Conservative faction." He was the one who had created this two-against-one dynamic, so he could hardly complain if they both pushed back. I watched the debate with growing interest, but...
"Miyakojima-san, your vision relies entirely on student autonomy," Joto-san countered with startling sharpness. "Students who have never had the chance to change themselves won't know what to do if they’re suddenly told they can. Even if you realize your pledge, it will only lead to confusion. I see a future where no one can follow you."
"T-That’s not..."
"I know you were once feared because of a misunderstanding. But your belief that anyone can overcome such things is a product of survival bias."
Joto-san spoke with a fierce, almost righteous intensity.
"You had the foundation to change yourself from the beginning. To put it simply: you had your family name!"
Narika gasped.
Essentially, Joto-san was saying that while many students wanted to change, most failed. Narika had succeeded not through her own effort, but because her status provided a safety net.
It was an infuriating argument, yet both Narika and I were momentarily silenced. It was embarrassing to admit, but we hadn't considered that perspective. I knew she had succeeded because she never gave up, no matter how many times she failed. I knew her effort. But the rest of the school didn't. To them, Joto-san's words likely rang true.
"If you want to create an Academy where people can change, you have to change the environment first. That is the point of Commoner-ization."
Narika had no response for his confident declaration. This was a dangerous slide....But as I watched, I felt a sense of wrongness.
(......Wait.)
Something was off. Why were we being backed into a corner so effectively?
I hadn't expected an easy victory. Joto-san was a talented Politician type, and this was his stage. We all knew there was a risk of losing. But even so...
(......His refutations are too precise.)
The theme was Academy traditions. The disparity of status was just one sub-topic we had chosen to use as our opening move. We had prepared our arguments specifically for this.
So when the debate immediately turned to family background, I had been inwardly pleased. We were fighting on the ground we had prepared for. Yet Joto-san was meeting our points effortlessly. No, he wasn't just meeting them—he was hitting back with more information than we had. He was too good. Even for a genius like him, this was suspicious.
"I object!" Tennoji-san cried out. "Joto-san, what you are proposing isn't transformation. It is a 'scrap and build' that will only lead to destruction. Your pledge will cause far more chaos than Miyakojima-san’s!"
She argued that if chaos was the problem, Joto-san was the one proposing the riskier path.
"And you asked for the basis of the Academy's way being correct," she continued. "The basis is simple: the success of our graduates."
Joto-san’s eyebrows twitched. The momentum shifted back to Tennoji-san.
(......Good. She’s steered it back to the plan.)
I hoped she could break his stride. She launched into the point we had prepared.
"Our graduates are incredibly successful in every sector of society. Their achievements are proof that this Academy’s system works. Your Commoner-ization would destroy that legacy. 'Reform' sounds lovely, but can your plan guarantee the future of the students standing here right now?"
Could the students really trust his massive overhaul? As she said, it was a "scrap and build" strategy, and that came with immense risk. You couldn't just go back if it failed. His plan was a ship that would either reach a new world or sink; once it left the harbor, there was no turning back.
Did the students have the courage to board that ship? And did Joto-san have the skill to captain it?
The audience's gaze shifted to him. But Joto-san remained unfazed.
"I’d like you all to see this," he said.
A document was projected onto the screen. He had come prepared.
As we looked at the data, our eyes widened.
"This is..."
"A survey and analysis of our graduates' career paths," Joto-san explained.
The pie chart showed where graduates ended up after university.
"It’s a common belief that most of our graduates simply succeed their parents' businesses or become politicians....But in recent years, that trend has been shifting. As you can see, the number of graduates starting their own businesses from scratch has been rising for several years now."
I hadn't known that. I suspected most of the students were hearing it for the first time, too. They watched the screen with rapt attention.
"With the evolution of technology, the way we work is diversifying. Starting a business is easier, and new markets are emerging....Even if the Academy doesn't change, the world will. Don't you think the school should change to match the era?"
It was a compelling argument. But as I looked at the data, I noticed a flaw.
(That document... it looks official, but the actual content is pretty thin.)
The quality wasn't what I’d expect for such a major presentation. It looked like it had been thrown together in a hurry, perhaps just today.
But if that was the case... why? Why scramble to make it now? It was as if he had only just realized he needed it.
(......It's not a coincidence.)
The precision of his refutations, and now this document that seemed perfectly timed to counter Tennoji-san’s point.
(Our strategy... it leaked.)
That was the only explanation.
"The number of students leaving the paths prepared by their parents is growing. That’s why we must know the world outside! My plan isn't a reckless 'scrap and build'! It is a survival strategy for a new age!"
His words were incredibly persuasive. But now that I was certain of the foul play, I glared at him.
In the center of the hall, Tennoji-san and Narika looked pale. They had been completely overwhelmed. I wanted to run out there and tell them they hadn't lost. But I had to stay put.
"That is all!" Rintaro announced. "Time is up. We will now conclude the debate. Candidates, if you have any final words, please."
Neither Tennoji-san nor Narika could find anything to say.
Joto-san stood up and took the mic. "This debate wasn't about declaring a winner of ideas," he said, looking out at the crowd. "But... I believe I’ve shown you who is the most reliable leader here."
He sat back down. A few claps started, then grew into a roar that shook the hall. The thunderous applause felt as though it were crushing the two girls.
"This concludes the Public Debate. Thank you for your attention," Rintaro finished.
I wanted to go to them immediately, but I had a different priority. As the crowd began to disperse, I caught up with Rintaro.
"Rintaro."
"Tomonari-senpai?"
"Come with me for a second."
He looked confused but followed me behind the school building. I wanted to confront him away from prying eyes so he couldn't just stay silent to save face. I needed the facts.
"How did you steal it?" I asked.
He tilted his head. "Steal what? What do you mean?"
"The list of talking points we prepared for the debate. You have it, don't you?"
Rintaro’s eyes widened. He seemed genuinely shocked. He wasn't acting.
"...You don't know?"
"No....At the very least, I have nothing to do with it," he said firmly.
Then, I heard footsteps.
"The Academy’s computers are set to wipe themselves upon reboot for security reasons," a female voice said.
A girl stepped out from around the corner.
"But what if that setting was disabled beforehand?"
She gave a confident, knowing smile. If the wipe was disabled, any data created on the PC would remain. Someone could go back later and extract whatever they wanted. That was how they had stolen our plan.
"It’s no good, Tomonari-kun. You shouldn't let important information be taken so easily."
"...Minato-senpai."
Maki Minato, the former President, stood before us with a cool composure.
Rintaro really hadn't been involved. From the way she spoke, Minato-senpai was the mastermind.
"How... how did you know we would use that room?"
"Heh, you still think too highly of me." She laughed. "I told you, I’m not like him. I didn't know you would use that specific room. But I knew you were pressed for time after the debate was announced, and it was easy to predict you’d stay at the Academy to work. So, I went into every PC in the building and disabled the security, then went back after you left and checked each one until I found your traces....I’m quite sleep-deprived because of it."
She hadn't waited for us to start. She had set the trap as soon as the debate was a possibility—likely while we were still doing the guerrilla marketing. To use such a brute-force method...
"It’s gritty, isn't it? It’s unrefined. But that’s who I am. You only spend time with the naturally gifted, so you probably can't understand my level of tenacity. Enviably, you belong to the other side."