Practical Classroom: Kaoru Hanayama's Classroom of Merit

As the sun sets, the orange rays streaming through the library windows cast long shadows of the reference books piled on the tables.

"……call."

Kaoru Hanayama put down the mechanical pencil that was being held tightly by her thick fingers and let out a soft breath.

He shook his neck from side to side, making a dull "crackling" sound.

On the last page of the notebook marked "For Special Instructions," there were densely packed, wondrous mathematical solutions prepared by Horikita Suzune, such as "the probability of money laundering with hostile organizations" or "the shortest distance calculation for smuggling routes."

Horikita crossed his arms, examined the notebook with a cool gaze, and then nodded slightly.

"Let's assume the calculation process itself is correct, except that the premise of the question completely deviates from the high school curriculum."

"It's because you taught me well. Thank you for your guidance, Horikita."

"If you want to express your gratitude, please avoid failing the official exam as well. That would be the greatest reward for me."

Huashan quietly stood up and picked up his things.

Horikita knew perfectly well where he was going next.

She parted her lips slightly as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she swallowed her words and said nothing.

"I'll go."

"...You'd better be careful not to get expelled. After all, expelling would cause a lot of trouble for the class."

Faced with that cold yet clumsy concern, Huashan gave a brief reply with his back to her and left the library.

Walking along the school building corridor, I entered the floor where the second-year classrooms were located.

Unlike the atmosphere of trial and error permeating the first-year students' floors, this place was filled with a sense of ease unique to the upper class, a feeling of "understanding the rules and praising school life on that basis."

Class 2A

The sounds of laughter and conversation drifted out from the open back door.

Even though it was after school, a considerable number of students were still in the classroom.

At the center of that scene was a man with golden-brown hair, sitting on the lectern and joking with the students around him—Nan Yunya.

He is glamorous and confident, possessing a charm that makes anyone naturally listen to him.

One glance is enough to understand that he is the absolute ruler of this space.

Among this group of followers were the two students who had mocked Sudo and his friends in the library and then escaped from Hanayama's clutches.

Huashan didn't stop, and went straight to the entrance at the back of the classroom.

The conversation was interrupted as all eyes were focused on the enormous body at the entrance.

They didn't know who Huashan was, but the sense of alienation he exuded made them instinctively choose to remain silent.

The two who had escaped from the library turned pale and retreated the moment they recognized Huashan.

"……Alas!"

In the completely silent classroom, only Nan Yunya, as if she were watching the opening scene of an interesting movie, raised the corners of her mouth.

He slowly stepped down from the lectern, put his hands in his pockets, and leisurely walked towards Huashan.

"You must be the legendary... 1st year, class D, no, now class C, Kaoru Hanayama, right? Your entrance was certainly well-prepared."

It sounded friendly, yet contained a certain condescending tone.

Huashan didn't even glance at Nanyun, but stared straight at the two trembling subordinates.

"Those two over there called my companions 'defective' in the library. I'm here to settle this score."

An extremely intimidating sense of oppression enveloped the classroom. An ordinary student would probably have their knees buckle at the mere sound of that gruff voice.

However, Nagumo simply shrugged slightly and sighed in a pretentious manner.

"Is that so? It seems our guy went a little too far. Don't get so worked up, you're a first-year. Schools are meant to be places where seniors and juniors interact."

As Nagumo said this, he gestured with his chin to the two people behind him.

"Hey, you two. Even if you didn't mean any harm, it's still pitiful to make a junior cry. So, just sit here and apologize properly. After all, it was me, the vice president, who gave you a way out."

Although Nagumo's words were ostensibly urging an apology, they clearly carried a condescending gaze towards Hanayama.

That's the kind of charity from a superior who says, "I'll forgive you for my sake, take this and go back home satisfied."

Prompted by Nan Yun's words, the two male students reluctantly, but also seemingly relieved, walked up to Hua Shan.

"...I'm really sorry about earlier. I went a little too far."

"Please forgive us, is that alright?"

An insincere, superficial apology. The fact that they were under Nagumo's protection lessened their fear.

Nan Yun smiled contentedly and turned his gaze to Hua Shan.

"Alright, that's settled then. Give me some face and behave yourself..."

"Who said that's the end of it?"

Huashan's voice decisively cleaved Nanyun's words in two.

The temperature in the classroom gave one the illusion that it had dropped several degrees in an instant.

The smile on Nan Yun's lips suddenly froze.

"...What did you say?"

Huashan, facing the displeased gaze of Nanyun Yun, spoke the logic of the ultimate path without wavering.

"I wasn't the one who was insulted. It was my classmate. A superficial bow to me here won't calm anyone down. If you want to apologize, go and bow your head to the person involved. That's the proper way."

"Hey...you're kidding, right?" one of Nan Yun's henchmen muttered as if he were looking at an idiot.

But Huashan's words did not end there.

He picked up the thick, log-like arm and pierced Nan Yunya with his sharp gaze.

"The underlings have messed with people in other territories. This proves that the leader of these guys lacks sufficient education."

"……what?"

The lingering echo of Yu Yu in Nan Yun's voice finally disappeared, replaced by a low, threatening tone.

"If you're the leader of this class, the trouble the kids cause is your fault. If your subordinates make a mistake, those above you have to take responsibility. That's an ironclad rule."

Huashan showed no sign of backing down and issued a cold declaration to the next generation of champions from Advanced Nurturing High School.

"That's why you and your subordinates should come to our class and apologize. That way, I can pretend this never happened."

silence.

Absolute silence dominated Class 2-A.