Today is June 16th.
I will be taking the entrance exam for the School of Advanced Studies, an elite school that implements a class competition system. Students who graduate as the top class will be given complete freedom to choose whether they want to attend university or start working anywhere in the country. The number of applicants each year is limited to only 240, and only 80 out of those 240 will be accepted. The entrance exam consists of three categories: academics, physical ability, and an interview. Today is the academic exam, and I can't wait. As I walk into the exam room, another girl greets me.
"Ohaii..."
"..." I turn toward the voice.
"You look so confident about passing the entrance exam. Why aren't you nervous at all?"
"Do I really look like that?"
"Yeah, you have this aura that screams, 'I'm gonna pass! I'm gonna pass!'"
"Ehh, that's what my heart is saying. Is it that easy to read my thoughts? This is bad." I panic slightly but don't show it.
"Maybe it's because I was the student council president in middle school," I reply.
"Oh, I see. I hope we end up in different classes so we can compete." She turns around and leaves since the exam is about to start.
I don't respond, staying silent.
Soon, the proctor arrives with the test papers and explains the rules and consequences. There are five subjects in the academic exam: English, Science, Social Studies, Grammar, and Mathematics.
**Exam Rules and Consequences:**
1. Each subject has a 90-minute time limit for 55 questions, with a 5-minute break before the next subject starts.
2. All electronic devices will be confiscated by the proctor. Only one water bottle, one pencil, and one eraser are allowed on the desk. Students caught hiding electronic devices will be immediately disqualified.
3. Exams can be submitted early, even if there's still time left. Students who submit late will be considered as not having taken the exam.
4. Each question has a point value and a probability of being answered correctly:
- 1 question worth 10 points, 30% chance of being correct.
- 1 question worth 9 points, 35% chance.
- 1 question worth 8 points, 40% chance.
- 1 question worth 7 points, 45% chance.
- 1 question worth 6 points, 50% chance.
- 1 question worth 5 points, 55% chance.
- 1 question worth 4 points, 60% chance.
- 1 question worth 3 points, 65% chance.
- 1 question worth 2 points, 70% chance.
- 45 questions worth 1 point, 85% chance.
- 1 question worth 1 point, 1% chance.
5. The passing score is 60. Students who score below 60 will fail the subject.
Hearing the teacher's explanation, many students feel excited, thinking there's a 30% chance of scoring 99. But my confidence in getting a high score vanishes—I realize that scoring above 90 is nearly impossible. Still, I remain sure I can score above the passing mark.
The bell rings, and the first exam, English, begins.
Time passes quickly—50 minutes in, I notice some students who were excited earlier now holding their heads, staring blankly at their papers. I submit my exam early and leave the room to walk around the school grounds.
I relax in the garden, watching the student council members also taking a break. Soon, a girl approaches me.
"You're pretty amazing, finishing that fast."
"...Even if it was fast, I'm not sure I'll score above 80." I look at her, confused.
"Ah, sorry! My name is Rinbo Posse. I overheard your conversation with Misha this morning, so I thought you were interesting."
"I'm Hoshino Masha. So we're quite notice—"
Misha suddenly interrupts.
"Well, of course, we stood out this morning." She walks up from behind Posse.
"Misha, I've been looking for you."
"Oh, really? My bad…"
Misha explains to Posse that she was walking around the school grounds, then introduces herself as Egao Misha. We exchange information about other students likely to pass the academic, physical, and interview exams. In Room 3 (Misha's room), there are three candidates: White Sasha, Takamia Leo, and Tachibana Seika. In Room 12 (Posse's room), there are four: Remina Rea, Asamiya Reyu, Mizuhara Haru, and Ryota Kai. In my room (Room 6), there are two others: Megumin Kaguya and Albert. I learned their names from the attendance list before the exam started.
I ask their thoughts on the exam. Like me, Misha thinks scoring above 90 is nearly impossible due to the school's point distribution system. The school even misled students with false information—one question worth 1 point has a 1% chance of being correct, which is impossible since multiple-choice questions inherently have a 20% chance per option if guessed randomly. Posse then asks:
"So the school deliberately limits scores to below 90?"
"You could say that," Misha replies.
"But why?" Posse presses.
"Only the school knows."
The bell rings, signaling the next exam. We return to our rooms. Before entering, I see the English exam results posted on the window near the door. Albert scored 82, I got 74, and Kaguya scored 78. Only six students in my room scored above 60. Many are shocked—they expected scores above 90 but got below 60. I enter the room, and soon, the second exam, Science, begins.
50 minutes later…
Again, I finish early and return to the garden to wait for Misha or Posse. Misha arrives, and we chat about the past. She shares that she never met her biological parents—she was adopted by the Egao family from an orphanage in a small village. I also share fragments of my childhood—a recurring dream of playing with a blonde-haired girl in a small village garden, though I can't remember her name or face no matter how hard I try.
"Hey…" Posse runs up, looking like she has news.
"What's up?" Misha asks.
"Hah… hah… A student in Room 1 scored 90. It's causing a huge stir. Some think they cheated, and a few reported it to the student council."
"…" Misha and I, who thought scoring 90 was near-impossible, fall silent.
"Who is it?" Misha asks.
"Vivi. Devina Vivian."
We head to the student council room to investigate, but a crowd blocks the open door, preventing us from entering.
"Hey, second placer, what do you think about that?" A tall, intimidating boy leans against the wall, staring at us.
"Hah? What do you want?" Posse glares back.
"Calm down, Posse. How did you know I was second, Ryota Kai?" Misha asks.
"Don't underestimate my sources. I know all the students who scored above 70. So, what's your answer?"
"Hmm, I already heard about someone scoring 90, but I thought it was fake. Either they're a genius or got extremely lucky. I really don't know."
A school announcement then states they will investigate the reports.
"Seems we're late," says Asamiya Reyu, arriving with Mizuhara Haru.
"What a sight—all the standouts gathered for a discussion. Ryota Kai, the tough guy; Rinbo Posse, the hothead; Egao Misha, the patient one; and…" She pauses, looking at me.
"Hoshino Masha, the quiet one," Reyu finishes, smirking.
I didn't realize I had a nickname.
The crowd disperses, and Kai leaves too. To ease the tension, Reyu suggests going to the school café. No one objects, so the five of us walk together, sharing intel on notable students. From this, I learn:
- Ryota Kai has trained in karate for eight years.
- Albert is a foreigner.
- Takamia Leo seems average but is someone to watch, according to Reyu.
- Haru adds that Tomoya Housen from Room 7 is another threat—a "monster" nearly as big as Kai.
I also mention Que Sera, who has sharp observation and deduction skills—my rival during the student council president elections. Reyu confirms she spoke with Que before the first exam and got some info about me.
At the café, we order drinks and continue discussing. Reyu and Haru have been childhood friends. After much talk, we list the top three students to watch out for (excluding ourselves):
1. **Devina Vivian** – The mysterious top scorer.
2. **Ryota Kai** – Works alone, highly intelligent.
3. **Que Sera** – Keen observer, cautious nature.
Suddenly, Haru asks innocently:
"Why are we doing this? We don't even know if we'll be allies or rivals."
Misha replies, "True, but we'll find out eventually. This just speeds things up. Besides, we all gain—and lose—equally."
"Fair point," Reyu agrees.
"You all seem so sure you'll pass," Posse remarks.
Everyone just smiles.
As we finish our coffee, the bell rings. We return to our rooms. Outside mine, I check the Science exam results: I scored 78 (second place), Kaguya got 81 (first), and Albert was fourth with 72.
The proctor arrives and announces that Vivian's 90 was legitimate—no cheating was found. To ease suspicions, each room will now have two proctors. The second proctor enters, adding more pressure.
The third exam, Social Studies, begins.
40 minutes later…
I finish 10 minutes faster than before and head to Room 1 to check Vivian's scores. From afar, I see Kai already there, staring at the results posted on the window. I approach.
"What do you think? Did she cheat?" he asks, still staring.
"Hah. Didn't the school already investigate?"
"If she's really a genius, the class competition will just be three classes fighting for second place."
"You mean her presence disrupts the balance?"
I glance at the results and freeze. Vivian scored **91**—one point higher than before.
I now understand Kai's concern. If Vivian passes all exams, non-classmates will have little chance to reach the top class. I notice an empty seat in Room 1. Kai tells me it's Vivian's—she's already left. My unease grows—not only is she accurate, but she's also incredibly fast.
Reyu and Haru arrive to check Vivian's scores too.
"Oh? Didn't expect the Science runner-up and the quiet one here," Haru teases.
I smile but internally groan.
"Science runner-up?" I ask.
"You didn't know? Kai got 85 in Science—second place overall," Reyu says.
"Oh…" I'm shocked—Kai, who seemed like a delinquent, is actually brilliant.
Reyu and Haru invite me to leave, but Kai stops us, asking to join the discussion. We head to Room 3 to wait for Misha. Posse joins too, seeing us together.
At the café, Kai cuts to the chase:
"Do you have a plan to stop Vivian from passing?"
"Relax, Kai. Let's take a break first," Reyu says.
The café door opens, and an elegant, polite girl walks in—Vivian. She approaches us, her aura overwhelming. Even Kai, who usually intimidates others, seems unsettled.
"Mind if I join?" she asks, smiling.
No one answers.
"Oh… no problem." Her smile fades.
"I came to say I won't lead any class. You don't need to worry about balance. For now, I'll observe until someone can compete fairly with me."
"See you later. Sorry for interrupting."
She leaves, and we sit in stunned silence.
"Hah." Reyu sighs. "Guess there's nothing more to discuss. We just need to prepare for when Vivian makes her move."
Reyu and Haru leave with their coffees.
"She's even scarier than I thought. Her gaze was like looking at the ocean from a mountaintop—cold and vast," Kai mutters.
I feel the same. Despite her graceful appearance, her aura is unsettling. I wonder—where does her knowledge come from?
10 minutes later..
White Sasha's Perspective
I'm in the student council room with Que Sera, Takamia Leo, Albert, and Tachibana Seika. The council president called us to secretly investigate the top scorer. Just as he's about to share intel on Vivian, the door opens without permission.
"Hmm… what a coincidence," Vivian says, smiling.
I tense up—more than during a counseling session.
"What do you want?" the president asks, unfazed.
"I have a message for the future Class 1 leaders. I've already told some."
She repeats her earlier statement—she won't lead any class, ensuring balance.
"Are you saying you'll get serious eventually?" Leo asks calmly.
"I won't. If I did, no one could match me—not even if all classes united against mine."
"What if the test is physical?" Leo challenges.
"This school's exams rely on strategy. Brute force loses to brilliant tactics," the president counters.
Vivian leaves.
"What the hell…" Que Sera scowls.
The president reveals Vivian often skipped class in middle school but aced every exam.
"President… do you think she's an Experiment Subject?" Leo asks.
The others freeze. Only the president remains calm.
"Possibly, but unlikely. Her background checks out—though it could be faked."
"Hmm… difficult, huh."
"She's holding back. In the first exam, she left ten 1-point questions blank. In the second, nine. A simulation showed a 0.71% chance of scoring above 90."
Sera clenches her fists—Vivian treats this like a game.
Who is she? And what is her goal?