Cote: Elite in Action

The VIP Game

As I was heading to Room 4, I knocked on the door five minutes before 8:40 p.m. Shortly after, a female voice was heard from inside:

—Come in —the voice said.

—Excuse me —I said as I opened the door and entered. Upon doing so, I saw three people already present in the room.

—I didn't expect you to be the one missing —Kanzaki commented.

—Hello, Kayden —Mako greeted, waving her hand.

—Hello, Mako, Kanzaki —I replied.

—You almost arrived late —Kanzaki said.

—Almost, but not quite —I smiled as I sat down next to Mako.

The female voice I had heard earlier belonged to the teacher in charge of Class D, Chabashira Sae. It was the first time I saw her up close, and I must say she is truly beautiful. For some reason, she reminded me of Horikita-san, but as an adult.

—Now that everyone is here, I will begin. In this special exam, first-year students will be divided into groups based on their zodiac signs. The exam will be conducted within these groups, which consist of students from different classes who share the same sign. The objective is to assess your "thinking skills" —Chabashira said.

As expected, this meeting was for the revelation of a new special exam in which we will interact frequently with other classes. And if we are divided by zodiac signs, it means that classes will mix to form 12 groups based on the signs, right?

—Sensei, what do you mean by thinking skills? —Mako asked.

—I will not answer any questions at this stage —Chabashira said seriously.

—I understand. Please continue —Mako said.

—There are three fundamental attributes for functioning properly in society that need to be mastered: Action, Thinking, and Teamwork. These skills are essential for becoming successful adults. The previous test on the island focused on teamwork, while this one will focus on thinking. We will assess your ability to think critically, analyze situations, and solve problems. Creativity and determination to solve problems will be key in this task —Chabashira explained.

It's interesting to note that, since the previous test focused on teamwork and this one on thinking, it seems that "action" will be the focus of the next special exam.

—Therefore, this exam will be conducted with 12 groups divided according to zodiac signs and under these conditions —Chabashira continued.

—Any questions? —Chabashira asked.

—Sensei, could you explain how the 12 groups will be distributed? —Kanzaki asked, still uncertain.

—The three people present here will be part of the same group for the rest of the exam. There are other rooms with students receiving the same explanation as you. Some of those students may become part of your group later on —Chabashira answered.

—Sensei, I assume the assignment to zodiac groups is not based on students' birth dates, right? —I asked, as Mako's and my birthdays are completely different.

—Correct —Chabashira confirmed.

So, if the assignment is not based on birth dates, it means two things: the groups might have been formed randomly or the school selected them based on some specific criteria.

—So, our group will be assigned to one of the zodiac signs, and we will be interacting with other groups from different classes, right, sensei? —Kanzaki asked.