send the letter.”

I stand in front of C classroom and start thinking.

Right, since E class is having lessons, I just need to write ‘to E class rep’ and sneak it to someone in the classroom. Right, let’s do this!

I take out the pen and write down the name of the recipient. I then open a slight opening at the back door and hand it to the person nearby. The person who receives the letter has doubts about this, but hands this letter to E class rep.

“That’s done. Now to hurry back to the classroom.”

Before I realize it, it’s time to start battle. Have to hurry back to F class.

“WHAT KIND OF JOKE IS THIS!!!”

There’s an angry roar from behind, but I decide to ignore it.

☆

By the time I made it back to everyone in F class, the briefing was over as Yuuji has returned back to his seat.

“Wow, Akihisa, you made it back safely?”

Yuuji mutters regretfully as he sees me. What’s with that disappointed look.

“Ah well, I’m used to it anyway..oh yeah, Yuuji, what’s with that letter (that only shows words when heated)?”

“Un? That? That letter wasn’t anything much.”

“HIIIYYYAAA!!!”

“Calm down a bit, Akihisa. It’s dangerous to suddenly swing a punch at someone like that.”

The punch I swung out was caught tightly in Yuuji’s palm. Damn it, what evil is this..I was so bothered all because of that meaningless letter!

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY IT’S MEANINGLESS! IN THAT CASE, THERE’S NO NEED FOR ME TO GO OVER RIGHT!?’

“That’s why I’m telling you to calm down. That letter’s content has no significance, but your action to send it does.”

“Eh?”

There’s a meaning to my action of sending the letter? In that case, this is just a deliberate show that F class has a message to send to E class, right? That means that the action just now has something to do with the disturbance strategy’s best that, right? The fact that I went to E class will cause A class to think that we’re doing something to A class, and Yuuji will use this thinking to carry out some plan.

“Ah, I met Kudou-san and Kinosheeta-san on the way, so I guess I’m lucky in this sense.”

Because they’ll report the fact that I went to C classroom back to A class.

“Is that so? So you met Kudou and Kinosheeta.”

“Un.”

“So even the almighty A class will check to see what their challenger will do. But this might make our action more believable.”

Yuuji mutters, but he doesn’t seem overly concerned by this. Speaking of which, Kinosheeta-san just mentioned that ‘we already knew you’re planning something when you swapped facilities with E class’, so this should be expected by them.

“Eh? But in this case, the reason to make me go to E class is..”

There’s definitely some shady dealing in this—if this is a fact to both sides, my action to send the letter is unnecessary. In that case, why does Yuuji want me to go out?

“—You’re messing around with me?”

“There’s this intent too.”

“HIYAHHH!”

“Who’ll get hit by that, you idiot?”

THIS, THIS DAMNED BASTARD!

“The important summoning war’s about to start, why are you still so relaxed!? We have to win this time and fulfill our wish—”

“See, that’s it.”

That? What?

“I’m saying that you’re too tense.”

“Ahh..”

Now that he mentions this, this is the first time I realize this. Ever since we lost the war, we’ve been hoping for a chance to challenge A class. Maybe it’s because we’ve been waiting for a long time that I feel myself to be somewhat excited. There’s a definite bit of tension, but this excitement will numb my mind and body. Looks like Yuuji’s trying to correct me on this.

“Really.. thanks Yuuji. You sure think in many ways even though you don’t seem to be thinking.”

“Yeah, I find that this excuse I just thought up’s rather good.”

“OI, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, IDIOT!”

This guy’s really..

“Even if it’s just a little, I hope you can have a pure innocent heart like Linne-kun uwahh!”

Someone suddenly grabs me by the back of my collar and drags me off. What’s going on?

“Aki, can you please come over with me!”

While I’m still not calmed down, Minami, who’s showing killing intent in her eyes as she forces me into a corner of the classroom to carry out investigation. Eh? What? Did I say something unnecessary?

“Answer, me, Aki. Is that Linne-kun you mention that transfer student who took that book from the floor?”

“Uu, yeah. I just met him. He’s different from Yuuji, a complete pure and innocent person.”

“When you met him refers to..”

“I stopped to chat with him for a while when I went to send the letter to E class.”

“I-is that so..”

Speaking of which, I remember Minami went to look for Linne-kun before self-study period. Looking at this, I guess she never met him yet.

“Do you want to know where Linne-kun is?”

“I-I don’t really want to know! It’s just, well.. I just want to know where you met him.”

“Near the linkway.”

“Is.. is that so~”

Minami pretends not to mind as she leans her body over at me.

“Then, he.. erm.. did he say anything?”

Linne-kun? Well..

“Linne-kun said that what I handed over to him wasn’t his.”

“Mu, hm. Is this it? is that what he said to you?”

Eh, and also..

“That book has my name written all over it, so Linne-kun wants to help me translate this and hand it over to me. Then I will know who’s the owner and return it—that’s what he said.”

“..”

Minami’s face turns pale as it’s so ghastly white it’s funny. Amazing! It’s like she applied white powder on her face.

“Minami, about this..”

“AKI!”

“Ye-yes!”

Minami suddenly moves towards me and grab my shoulders tightly.

“You cannot believe a single word that foreign student says. Also, if he comes over to find you, inform me before you two talk, okay?”

“Eh? Why?”

“UN-DER-STAND?” (CREAK)

“AFFIRMATIVE! I UNDERSTAND!”

I hear my shoulder bones let out creaking sounds as I frantically nod my head.

What’s with this pressure? This is definitely called Pressuring through Demonic Will, right?

“Very good! Then, I have something to do, first—”

“Hm? Shimada, where’re you going?”

Minami hurriedly tries to leave the classroom, but is stopped by Yuuji.

“No-nothing at all.”

“Sorry, but can you remain here? The war’s about to start.”

“Eh? Erm..well..uu..”

“Hm? Is there something important?”

“Im-important? Not at all! I just want to go find a normal reference book, so it’s not important at all!”

“Oh, really? Then remain here then.”

As Minami starts to tremble for some reason, Yuuji walks towards the podium.

“Ahhh.. I’m an idiot.. I can’t go once the war starts, is it..”

And for some reason, Minami’s showing a painful expression. What’s with her?

Yuuji ignores this weird looking Minami and he stands on the podium and puts his hands on the desk.

“..”

He doesn’t even say a single word as he merely stands right in front of our classmate.

“““....”””

This action alone quiets the noisy class.

The minute hand ticks forward.

Soon, Yuuji says slowly to everyone in the classroom,

“Then.. sorry to let everyone wait.”

He’s not roaring, but his words echo throughout the classroom clearly.

“Ever since we gathered, a lot of things happened this past half a year.”

Before we realized it, it has been half a year since we became second years. In other words, our class has spent time using the same facilities in the same room.

“We were looked down on all the time, but looking back at this half a year, are we really a group of trash? Are we scum that can’t win no matter what we do?”

We attended the class festival, the school camp, the war against D class, the baseball tournament and the test of courage. Have we achieved outcomes that people will only look down on? Were we unable to change our situations to victory in the most important battles?

No such thing.

We’re weak academically, but we fought on through the efforts of everyone in our class, and we earned results.

“LISTEN UP! OUR F CLASS IS THE STRONGEST!”

So that’s why Yuuji can say this confidently. What we accumulated during this past half a year wasn’t for naught. This will become experience, strength. Today is our chance to settle this debt and prove our ability.

“EVERYONE, SHOW YOUR STRENGTH! GO! LET’S HUNT THE BEST CLASS IN OUR YEAR!”

“““RIGHT ON!!”””

We again challenge the target we had half a year ago.

There’s still some time until the summoning war. The final duel in this past half year is right in front of us.