Chapter 17: Second Exam (Part 1)

That day, Sensei had been summoned by my client, Kirifuji Nagisa. The matter at hand was, of course, the Make-Up Work Club. “Root out the traitors within Trinity.” That was Kirifuji Nagisa’s request to Sensei of Schale—and, put bluntly, the reason he had been mobilized for what ultimately amounted to nothing more than a handful of problem students.

The objective was to eliminate the traitors plotting to sabotage the peace treaty between Gehenna and Trinity: the Eden Treaty. If that failed, then every suspected member of the Make-Up Work Club would be expelled.

It was barely short of a threat. Though it was a course of action Kirifuji Nagisa herself wished to avoid, it was one she felt she had no choice but to take. In response, Sensei declared:

"I have no intention of spending my time doubting anyone. I’ll simply do everything I can to make sure those kids’ hard work pays off."

Even coming through a speaker, it was such a smooth line that it made my lower stomach flutter despite myself.

To Sensei, students were, no matter what, people to be protected—not targets of suspicion. Even after receiving advance intelligence from Kirifuji Nagisa, he never once cast a doubtful glance toward the members of the Make-Up Work Club. And even after Misono Mika revealed the truth to him, nothing about his attitude changed. There was no way someone like that would ever accept an assignment built solely on mistrust.

Ugh—so cool. I could stan him for life. Second only to Aru, honestly.

But Kirifuji Nagisa was not so easily swayed.

She was trapped in the darkness of paranoia. Tossed about by information about a “traitor” obtained from who knows where, she could no longer trust anything. She even cast suspicious eyes on Hifumi—someone she had doted on. No, if I borrow Hanako’s words, someone she had obsessively favored. Or rather, she had no choice but to doubt her as well.

No matter how good a person might seem, you can never be certain it’s the truth. A person’s heart is something no one but the individual themselves can truly understand.

And so, she said this to Sensei:

"...Understood. Please do your best, Sensei.

I will do my best as well, in my own way."

I would come to understand the meaning of those words just a few days later.

As usual, the darkness of my habitat was ruled by the clacking of a keyboard and the colorful glow spilling from an LCD screen. That familiar routine was shattered when the door flew open with force, accompanied by a slightly panicked voice.

"Heh heh heh… I don’t know if it’s Gu◯dam or Double O or whatever… but no matter how good you are at talking, it doesn’t mean… anything! …Okay, KO, my win—! Think about why you lost by tomorrow, and then—──Komori-chan!──Pyaa!?"

The door to the room had been thrown open without warning.

Peeking past my gaming chair, I saw Sensei and Hifumi standing there, both looking flustered.

Relief washed over me—don’t scare me like that—but at the same time, a question bubbled up. Why were these two, who normally understood the meaning of the word “manners,” committing such a heart-stopping act?

"...Hifumi, Sensei… what’s with you two all of a sudden? I was so startled my heart almost launched itself out of my mouth…"

"S-sorry…! Ah! No, that’s not it! Komori-chan, have you seen the announcement yet?!"

"Announcement…? I saw the gacha game event notice, but…"

"Not that! Please, look at this!"

As she spoke, she thrust her smartphone toward me. It was wrapped in an adorable case, and the screen was filled with text.

I let my eyes skim over what was displayed. And then… I crushed the empty energy drink can in my hand.

"Ah… I see now… You’ve really done it, Kirifuji Nagisa."

What appeared on the screen was, in short, a notice regarding changes to the upcoming Second Special Academic Exam.

First, the exam scope would be expanded to roughly three times its original size.

Second, the passing score would be raised from 60 points to 90.

And third—the exam venue would be changed.

"...Gehenna Autonomous District, Area 15, Block 77, first floor of the ruins…"

The Gehenna Autonomous District. There was no mishearing it, no misreading it. The words were right there on the screen.

This was ridiculous. There was no other way to describe it.

"W-what should we do, Komori-chan…?"

"..."

Hifumi looked at me with anxious eyes.

…Kirifuji Nagisa. I had suspected it the moment she lumped them together as “suspects” under the label of the Make-Up Work Club and plotted their expulsion, but she truly does stop at nothing. I understand the necessity of her actions—intellectually, at least—but still.

The Eden Treaty, meant to secure peace between Trinity and Gehenna, carries a weight that doesn’t even begin to compare to the fate of four students.

But understanding something and accepting it are not the same.

…That is why I will lend them my hand.

"...Hifumi, what about Azusa and the others…?"

"T-they’re already getting ready to head to the exam site."

"I see…"

"Komori, do you… have some kind of solution?"

"Sensei… I do. Well, sort of."

"Eeh!?"

"This is a compact communication device. If everyone wears one in their ear, I can relay the answers to them. If we do that, passing should be possible…"

"!"

"...But Hifumi, the others wouldn’t want to do something like that… right…?"

"...Yes."

Yeah. That figures. Everyone worked so hard together. Even if Nagisa forced a situation that made cheating possible, they wouldn’t want to betray all the effort they’d poured in up to now.

"...Then the only thing I can do is provide an escort to the venue."

"Eh!? Komori-chan, you’ll come with us!?"

"That’s impossible."

"An instant answer!?"

Of course it is. If someone like me wandered around Gehenna territory, I’d be easy prey for thugs in no time. I wouldn’t be an escort—I’d be the one needing protection.

"...We’ll use this."

The moment I gripped the controller, a single red light ignited in the darkness. With a heavy clank and clash, something began to move, emerging from the shadows.

"...A Cleaner?"

An exposed skeletal frame, bare circuits, minimal armor attached only where absolutely necessary—and a single-eyed head. It was clearly different from the Cleaners currently assigned to protect Kirifuji Nagisa, or the ones used by Problem Solver 68.

"As the successor to the Cleaner line, this is something I created myself… Chirashi-1. Also known as the Scatterer!"

"Chirashi… Scatterer? You mean that one from before?"

That’s right. That Scatterer—the one that got beaten to a pulp by Sensei and everyone from Problem Solver 68, then handed over to Valkyrie.

The old armor had been completely wrecked and was unusable, so I tore it off. With all the modifications I’ve made since then, it’s no wonder you wouldn’t recognize it. Unlike its former bulky appearance, the internal frame is much slimmer now. It’s kind of like that iron-blooded Gus◯◯n.

"...It doesn’t have a halo system, and its mobility and handling are terrible. The only thing it really excels at is raw power… Still, it should be enough to protect you from low-level thugs……………I hope."

"I’m feeling incredibly uneasy."

"It’s fine. You just have to not get hit."

"Isn’t that impossible???"

"No problem at all… heh heh… Don’t underestimate a pro gamer, Sensei…"

If we fight under Sensei’s precise instructions, we probably won’t lose. And Sensei—like me—is a fragile creature who would die from a single bullet, lacking a halo. You can never have too many shields of steel standing in for flesh.

Yes, compared to a proper Cleaner, this unit is undeniably lower-spec. But thanks to the improved controller, its handling is far better than before. The controller itself is now about the size of a standard gamepad, the connection is stable, and input lag is minimal.

In other words, even if it’s not on the level of a true Cleaner, to me it’s a toy better than any ordinary gaming console.

That’s right—for a gamer like me, it’s a treasure more valuable than firearms. Gunfire? If it doesn’t hit you, it’s not a problem. Not enough firepower? Then just beat them down. That’s what raw power is for.

Which means that as long as I have this, there’s nowhere I can’t go without enemies.

…The head of the Prefect Team and the chairwoman of the Justice Task Force are exceptions. Do not use them as a reference.

"Now then, Sensei. Let’s go. I’ll carve open the path for their sake."

After all, the exam might as well begin the moment we set out for the venue.