Cote: Elite in Action

The Advantage of the Past

As I observed my class's performance during the last three weeks of intensive study, I couldn't help but think it wasn't enough. I wasn't questioning their dedication; everyone had worked hard. However, to achieve the best overall average, our current efforts seemed insufficient. Intensifying study hours just a week before the exams could be counterproductive.

"What's got you so deep in thought, Osawa-kun?" Ichinose asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"Do you think what we've done is enough to achieve the best overall average?" I replied, not taking my eyes off my notes.

Ichinose took a moment before responding, "Well, I couldn't say for sure. After all, Class A is very strong academically. But I think we'll do well. We've all been working hard, so we just need to trust the result," she said, with full confidence in her classmates.

"I guess you're right," I replied, although I was still looking for a way to ensure everyone could improve their averages. The issue was that I didn't know how.

I was rhythmically tapping my finger on the table in my room, trying to find a solution. Then, something clicked in my mind. I remembered what Hoshinomiya-sensei had said at the start of the explanations on the first day: "You can acquire anything available here. If it exists on campus, you can buy it with your card." With that in mind, an idea began to form.

I took out my phone and checked my documents until I found the results of the surprise exam we had earlier. The reason I had them was because the school sends the results via email after each exam. Seeing those data, an idea began to take shape in my mind: What if I could get someone from the second year to show me their surprise exam records from the previous year, and if they matched ours? This would reveal that the school might be repeating exams year after year.

Although it might seem strange that such a prestigious institution would repeat its exams, there could be a loophole in their system. Precisely because it is considered the best school, it's easy to assume something like this would be impossible. But what if it's exactly the opposite? If so, we could be facing a unique opportunity to improve our performance.

I needed to verify my theory immediately. I stood up quickly, ready to find a senpai I had already thought of.

"Eh? Where are you going, Osawa-kun?" asked Amikura, who was sitting next to me.

"I need to check something. I'll be back in a moment," I replied, hurrying toward the door.

"Do you want me to come with you?" offered Ichinose.

"No, it's okay. You can keep studying," I said, trying not to waste time.

"Alright," said Ichinose, returning to her notes.

"Osawa, can I eat this chocolate?" asked Himeno, pulling a bar from my fridge.

"Well, it's unusual for you to ask for permission, but yes, go ahead," I said, surprised.

"Okay," she replied.

Without further delay, I left my room in search of the person who could confirm my suspicions. The only problem was that I had no idea where to find her.

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After walking around the campus without finding any trace of her, I began to fear I wouldn't find her today. Although it was understandable, after all, it was Sunday and many students preferred to stay in their rooms.

"I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow," I murmured to myself, not realizing I had said it out loud.

"Are you looking for someone, kohai?" I heard a voice behind me. Turning around, I couldn't help but notice the girl sitting on a bench in front of me. She was incredibly beautiful, with an aura that radiated power, as if she were the queen of the place and everyone else was nothing more than mere plebeians.