"Interesting."
That's my thought right now as I stare at the board displaying the rankings of the first-year classes.
Class A ➡ Class B
A demotion.
It's unexpected, to say the least. I'll admit, I'm caught off guard.
But that's not what shocks me the most.
Class D ➡ Class A
The last becoming first.
I genuinely didn't see this coming, which is odd.
This school sorts its first-year students by ability. It's obvious that Class A students are the best, the cream of the crop.
Case in point: it took us less than a week to grasp the school's unspoken rules.
Even though my father is the principal, I explicitly forbade him from leaking any confidential info. Gaining an edge that way would be far less fun.
My classmates and I—though I'm the one pulling the strings—devised a plan to conserve our points and maintain high academic standards.
At that level, it was clear our class would stay in A for the first month. Even a mistake or oversight wouldn't have cost us our status.
But this outcome is downright baffling.
Could my soulmate have something to do with it?
Though this school prides itself on sorting students by skill, it was fooled by my soulmate, relegating them to Class D.
Still, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths. In my opinion, they're not behind this.
So how do I explain it?
My brows furrow slightly before I let out a faint smile.
I think I know where I went wrong.
I let the school's system cloud my judgment.
It claims to rank students by ability, but if it misjudged my soulmate, its system isn't foolproof.
Could other talented people have ended up in D by mistake? That theory's starting to look plausible.
"Princess, what do you make of the current situation?"
That's Kamuro Masumi. She's one of the people I easily turned into a pawn in this class. As the first to fall in line, I unofficially made her my "right hand."
Her question draws everyone's eyes to me. That's the downside of dictatorship. Still, it's better than democracy.
I sigh before speaking.
"We've simply been deceived by this school."
"What are you implying?"
That's another classmate, Katsuragi Kōhei.
Unlike the others, he's the only one who's dared to mildly challenge my dominance. I find that admirable.
What I like about him is his logic. His ambition isn't blind; he knows when to back off. But he's still a vulture, watching for any cracks in my rule.
Poor guy. I almost pity him.
I turn to him and smile.
"We were told our classes were ranked by skill. These results prove otherwise. Being in Class A, B, C, or D doesn't reflect ability. That's why I say the school deceived us."
"So the opposite could be true too?"
He presses. I bet the rest of the class hasn't caught on to what he's getting at.
Clever. But it'd be boring to toy with him.
"Knowing the class system is just a facade lets us stop seeing ourselves as superior. All four classes are on equal footing. In a way, this loss taught us that."
"Exactly."
That's Kito Hayato, another loyal pawn.
"It was just the first test. This defeat will make us sharper, and I'd bet by the next exam, we'll be back in A, right, Princess?"
The chatty fool is Hashimoto Masayoshi.
"I doubt it."
Katsuragi jumps in. No way he'd miss a chance like this.
Let's see how he plays it.
"It's not just one class overtaking another. The former Class D didn't just show skill to jump straight to A—they showed exceptional leadership."
Katsuragi adds, eyeing Hashimoto. "As they say, if you can do the most, you can do the least. If they pulled off such a feat, won't staying on top be easy for them?"
Hashimoto, out of arguments, looks to me.
While I'm annoyed at Hashimoto's weak comeback, Katsuragi's right about one thing: leadership.
Class D's success isn't due to its members' skills. Though I said the school misjudged some students, I meant specific cases—understandable, since who can fully read a human heart? Class D's students are deviants, not mediocrities.
To put it simply, this school doesn't admit normal people. Just getting in means you stand out compared to most of our generation.
So, what makes Class D "inferior" is the inconsistency of its members' results. Hence the term "deviants."
In that sense, it makes sense that my soulmate ended up in such a class, and the school didn't err there.
No matter how skilled, if paired with indiscipline and a touch of vice, it becomes useless—or even destructive over time. Thus, grouping 40 such erratic students would only breed chaos or, at best, shaky unity.
That's supposed to be Class D's disadvantage.
But as Katsuragi pointed out, add leadership—exemplary leadership—into the mix, and the equation changes drastically.
What was useless becomes formidable when channeled toward a goal.
It's not Class D defying logic but one of its members. They managed, through sheer force, to flip the odds and create order in a class doomed to anarchy.
Such a performance deserves praise. Looks like a worthy player has entered my game.
I can barely contain my excitement.
"In a way, we've neither lost nor gained."
I speak again, grabbing everyone's attention, including Katsuragi's.
"The four classes started with nothing, receiving everything instead. These results just level the true status of the classes. In other words, the real competition starts now."
I look at Katsuragi and smile.
"The leadership shown by the former Class D's rep is worth noting, but the current standings don't reflect the true skill or value of the four classes. If I may, we have an advantage starting out as underdogs. Doesn't the saying go that it's easier to reach the top than to stay there?"
I tap my cane once. I'm genuinely thrilled.
"I can assure you of one thing: I hate losing more than anyone."
*
With that, my strategy was set.
A reevaluation of every first-year is in order. A piece's value is crucial for weighing sacrifice versus gain.
But such a reassessment would take too long. For now, I'll focus on the class representatives' value. I don't rule out hidden reps or aces.
With this approach, I quickly gathered profiles:
- Class C: Led by Honami Ichinose, I'd call it a "peaceful" class. Her noble aura softens the tension this school's system creates. I give it a 7/10. Pacifism is a strength, easing decisions. But the risk is the leader's emotional collapse under the burden of her classmates' darkness. A taxing role. It's easy to predict this class's future.
- Class D: Led by Ryuen Kakeru, it's a dictatorship like mine, but one that relies solely on force to enforce its vision. The leader, though competent, is a complete fool with no real goal, leading his followers aimlessly. His balance is maintained by the school guiding him, offsetting his biggest flaw. I give it a 4/10.
- Class A: Led by Koenji Rokusuke. A highly capable student whose skills seem on par with geniuses like me. No surprise how he led his class. Though I'd hoped my soulmate was pulling the strings, it's clear Koenji's the sole leader. Unlike the other classes, his exudes balance. He's built a monarchy. On that, I'll concede defeat. I give it a 10/10.
As you've gathered, Koenji's the clear winner.
Who'd have thought I'd find someone besides my soulmate to keep me company in this school?
Enjoying the story?
☕ You can support me with a one-time tip on Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/hemlet
📚 Want to read 30+ chapters ahead and get exclusive content?Join me on Patreon: patreon.com/Hemlet
Your support means the world — thank you! ❤️