The school has unique rules that make it stand out. All students must reside on campus and are completely isolated from any external contact, including with their close family members. Additionally, leaving the campus under any circumstance is strictly prohibited.
Despite these restrictions, the campus is equipped with numerous facilities to compensate for the isolation. There are karaoke bars, theaters, cafés, and shops, giving it a small-town atmosphere in the middle of a big city. With over 600,000 square meters, the campus is vast and self-sufficient.
A distinctive feature of the school is the S system. The teacher continued explaining:
"Now I will give you your student cards. These cards work like a credit card within the campus. With them, you can buy anything at the campus stores and facilities. I advise you to manage your points carefully, as you can acquire anything available here. If it exists on campus, you can purchase it with your card."
Did she just say that I can buy everything?
"To use the student cards, you just need to swipe them at the payment machines, which are very easy to use. At the beginning of each month, points will be automatically credited to your cards. Each of you already has 100,000 points in your account. It's worth noting that 1 point is equivalent to 1 yen. There's no need to go into more detail about how the system works."
A murmur of amazement swept through the class at the amount of points awarded. Hoshinomiya-sensei continued:
"Are you surprised by the amount of points you've received? The amount of points reflects the merit and value of those who passed the entrance exam. The school assesses the abilities of its students through this allocation. Use them according to your needs and desires. Once you graduate, all points will be withdrawn as they cannot be converted into money. Therefore, they can only be used within the school. If you think you won't use some of your points, you can transfer them to others, but harassment for points is strictly prohibited. The school has a very strict policy against bullying."
"And a piece of advice: be careful not to spend all your points at once," she added with an enigmatic tone.
"Any questions?" Hoshinomiya-sensei asked.
I needed to reflect on all this information. This school is undoubtedly different from any other. The implementation of a proprietary monetary system is surprising. We are assigned a substantial amount of points monthly, but with 100,000 points a month, it seems excessive. I doubt that merely being here justifies such an allocation. After all, nothing in this world is truly free.
To clear up my doubts, I decided to ask: "Sensei, what will our allocation be next month?" Some might consider my question silly, but I needed to be sure.
"Osawa-kun, unfortunately, I can't answer that question," replied the teacher, though with a slight smile.
"Does 'can't' mean that the school forbids you from answering?" I asked, as my classmates watched us with curiosity.
"One could say that," she replied, still smiling. "If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them," she added with a wider smile.
"No, that will be all for now," I responded.
I checked my phone and saw that the number of points was labeled as "private points." At first, I thought they would simply be called points, nothing more. But mentioning "private" suggests there must also be "public points." What would be the difference between them?
They also mentioned that the amount of points reflects our merit and value. According to that, for the school, new students who passed the entrance exam are worth 100,000 points.
As I pondered this curious S system, I looked up at the ceiling of the classroom, letting my thoughts wander over the information we had been given. It was then that I noticed something I had overlooked until now: cameras, lots of cameras. There were four, one in each corner of the room. It seemed excessive; one camera would be enough. Why would they need so many? With one, they could capture everything happening in the class. There was no need for more.
Having cameras in a classroom is probably to monitor us. It's the most logical explanation, as if any problems arose, such as harassment or discrimination, it would be recorded. Given that this is supposed to be the best school in Japan, perhaps that's why the number of cameras is so high. Although I still think one would suffice.
But... wait. We received points just for passing the entrance exam; that's our merit and value for this month, right? So, what happens next month? How is our merit and value measured then? The most common assumption would be that it's evaluated through academic performance, but since we just entered, and I doubt we'll have to take any exams, the only thing left is behavior, right? I mean, if you're late to class, the teacher might give you a warning. We also can't talk in class, sleep, eat, or use our phones, as doing any of these might lead to sanctions or an ultimatum from the teacher.
Of course... now everything was starting to make more sense: the reason behind so many cameras in the school and in the classrooms, and why our personal points were called "private" rather than just "points." Although it's just my theory based on the available information, I needed to investigate more about this school to confirm my suspicions. Suddenly, I noticed that Amikura-san was signaling me.
Amikura: "Osawa-kun, it's your turn." —she said, but what is she talking about?
Osawa: "My turn for what, Amikura-san?" —I asked, tilting my head in confusion.
Amikura: "It's your turn to introduce yourself. You're the only one left."
Eh, it seems I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't even realize the others were introducing themselves.
Osawa: "Alright, sorry, I was lost in thought."
I stood up with a slight smile and introduced myself.
Osawa: "My name is Kayden Osawa. I enjoy playing soccer, playing the piano, and I plan to join the soccer club. I hope we can all get along."
As I finished, an energetic boy responded enthusiastically.
Energetic boy: "Hey, I'm also joining the soccer club! I hope we can get along, Osawa."
Then, a girl with purple hair looked at me curiously.
Purple-haired girl: "Osawa-kun, your name sounds foreign. Are you?"
Osawa: "Yes, I'm half foreign. My mother is Swiss and my father is Japanese. My mother gave me this name."
Purple-haired girl: "I see, it's a very nice name. I hope we can be friends."
After that, the teacher told us we could leave, signaling the end of the class. I was planning to head out since I needed more information about the school.
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As I walked through the halls, I didn't see anything that gave me a clue or hint about the situation. I decided that maybe the cafeteria could offer some useful information. Just as I was about to leave, someone called out to me.
?: "Osawa-kun, wait!"
I turned around and saw a beautiful girl with long strawberry-colored hair. Her figure was slender but well-proportioned, and her charming smile lit up her face.
Osawa: "Yes, how can I help you? Uh, what's your name?" —unfortunately, I hadn't paid attention to the introductions and this girl was right in front of me.
Ichinose: "My name is Ichinose Honami. I was right in front of you, didn't you notice me?"
Osawa: "Of course I noticed you. How could I not notice someone as charming as you?"
Her face turned a soft shade of red; it seemed she wasn't indifferent to the compliment.
Osawa: "So, Ichinose-san, did you have something to tell me?"
Ichinose: "Ah, yes, I wanted to ask if you're free now. If you don't mind, I'd like to discuss the S system with you since you asked a very curious question earlier." —her face became a bit more serious, though she maintained a slight smile.
Osawa: "Actually, I was planning to investigate the school because I have some theories about the S system. If you don't mind, you could join me, and then we can discuss the topic. What do you think?"
Ichinose: "Sure, I'd be happy to join you." —she replied with a radiant smile, it was truly a charming smile.
Osawa: "Then let's go, we'll head to the cafeteria first."
With Ichinose by my side, we began walking towards the cafeteria. The conversation about the S system could wait; what really mattered now was discovering what else this place could reveal and what secrets it might unveil. Ichinose-san's company made the journey more pleasant, and I wondered what more I could learn as we investigated together. As the echo of our footsteps resonated through the halls, a sense of anticipation filled the air, promising that the day still had much to offer.