Classroom of the Elite: Free Will

V10: Chapter 1 - Event Selection Exam

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

It was March 8.

In Class B, Chabashira was about to begin the final special exam of the first year of school. There were thirty-nine chairs and desks for each of the students in Class B. There had been forty chairs and desks just up until a little while ago, of course, but now one was missing.

Yamauchi Haruki was expelled.

It wasn't just Class B, either. Manabe from Class C and Yahiko from Class A had been expelled as well. There was no doubt the event had been a huge shock to the first years. "There must be some way to save them," everyone had thought, in the back of their minds. But now that thought had been shattered.

The days continued to march forward without stopping, without the students recovering from their shock and heartbreak. At the same moment that the bell signalling the start of homeroom sounded, Chabashira strode into the room. There was no idle chit-chat in the classroom.

"...Well, then. Without further ado, I'll announce the details of the final special exam for your first year," said Chabashira, launching into her explanation for the exam.

I'd known things would end up this way, but I didn't hear a single word about Yamauchi. Ike and Sudou, his best friends, were probably trying their absolute hardest to accept the reality of the situation.

"In the final special exam, you will be asked to show the culmination of everything you've learned over this past year. Intelligence, physical ability, cooperation, and luck. You'll need to demonstrate your potential in every field."

Normally, Ike would have immediately started peppering Chabashira with questions and expressing his doubts. But now, he was quietly listening to her explanation. He was probably feeling a sense of impending crisis—fearing that he might very well be the next to get expelled.

"This special exam is called the 'Event Selection Exam.' The classes will compete with another, based on their overall performance. Which class you will be facing off against will be decided according to the rules. This will be just like the Paper Shuffle."

The Event Selection Exam, huh? I'd been wondering what kind of exam we were in for.

"To make it easier for you to understand what I'm saying. I'm going to use these ten white cards and a number of yellow cards, which correspond to the number of people in class."

As Chabashira spoke, she started lining cards up on the blackboard. Each card was roughly the same size as a regular playing card. While the ten white cards seemed blanked, the yellow cards, on the other hand, had one student's name on each of them.

A total of thirty-eight cards had been placed up on the blackboard. If the number of yellow cards was meant to match the number of students in our class, though, then she was short one card. I wondered if that meant something.

"First, I'll explain what these ten blank white cards are about. On these cards, you will be asked to list a total of ten separate 'events' that you have jointly discussed and decided upon."

As soon as she said that everyone could see Ike develop a somewhat strained look. Chabashira, seeing him trying his hardest to keep his mouth shut, called out to him, sounding somewhat amused.

"If there's something bothering you, I don't mind if you ask questions. Okay?"

"W-well, but... it's just, don't you usually get mad if we talk too much when you're explaining, sensei?" he asked in return.