Chapter 16: Brilliant Stupidity【P3】

Nene

“When someone hands you a coin, do you lick it all over to check if it is painted?”

“So politics is deceit?”

“Yes! And no! Was the story really that unclear to you?”

The students start shifting, looking at each other while making soft, affirming noises.

I tap the railing to hush the brewing murmurs. “Sh, sh. Villagers don’t get to talk. You are a few decades too early for that.”

“If you think it’s just about the budget for your local bus stop, you’ll end up on the side of the confused raiders. Now then my little farmers, for the task to have the absolute privilege of choosing my elective, you will be—”

Bzzz.

I peer down to read the notification on my phone.

[The Chief of the OPB will be arrested. Busy? Or just busy drinking?]

“—paired up with a student, any first-year, randomly before day’s end. This test will not count toward your final grades, but you must pass if you want the freedom to choose Political Science as an elective.”

The phone vanishes back into my pocket.

“The test is one practical task.”

I press a button, displaying the assignment on the screen.

“Counter a bias. Guide your target to change their own belief, using only words.”

Murmurs emerge among the crowd before a loud scoff echoes from the top row, parting it.

I drive the chamber as close to the boy as the crane arm allows.

“Is there a problem, young man?” I twirl my finger in the air toward him.

“Tsk. Now that is hardly a problem, is it?” The boy chuckles, patting the student next to him on the shoulder. “I can even convince my buddy here that horses can fly without a second breath. I expect a bit more of a challenge, honestly.”

Whispers break out like wildfire. From the corner of my eye, I catch students nodding in agreement.

Ah. The sweet melody of my enrichment. I wonder how many will take on the challenge this year.

“Well, if it is so simple.” I drift back, hovering in the center of the room. “I’m game for a wager.”

I brandish my staff ID card, looking around for contenders. “Who is up for a bet, huh? Put your coin where your words are!”

Sayoko

Now those are stakes I can get behind.

Though, I do not think my student ID card has any collateral left but a sack of rice.

Like a cute dolphins turning feral for a hunt, the crowd claws upward at the pot of gold hovering around in the air.

Jiro

I duck down, dodging outstretched arms that threaten to treat my head like a stepping stool.

The swinging chamber swoops around like a pendulum as it makes its rounds along the tiered rows, mopping up in the greed-filled air.

This… cannot be legal?

Nene

Money! Money! Money!

I am going to get so many drinks out of this!

“Hold it, Hold it!” I call over the rumble. “I know you are all eager to lose your budgets to me. But I’m afraid my job entails me to actually explain the assignment…

You will have to submit a personal belief—an unshaken fact to you. Once matched with another student, you see their prompt without knowing who wrote it. This information is for your debate preparation.

On the day of the exam, you will stand face-to-face and receive fifteen minutes to convince each other. Convince them, and you pass. If they fail to convince you in time, you pass. Otherwise, you fail.

Lie, and you disproportionately risk a tarnished reputation for a test that is remarkably easy to verify. I expect you to see this test as a valuable copper coin opportunity, not a painted gold coin to cheat yourself out of.”

Daiki

I shuffle behind the slow-moving crowd making its way out of the auditorium. “I don’t think this could have been more vague, Masaki.”

“Nonsense. You’d be surprised how deterministic the answer will be if you simply put your heart to it.”

I stare at his lecturing finger, which almost pokes the back of a student. “She didn’t even explain what qualifies as random. Worst statistics teacher ever. And I have never even taken a statistics class.”

“I, for one, will be carefully observing Sora’s morning moods. Maybe it will meet the ‘most random concept found on the island’ criteria and place me high enough in the submission rankings to secure a pass for this elective.”

“Well, I am sitting this one out. I don’t even plan on choosing statistics as an elective. If I focus on the other subjects, I can select those instead of worrying about being stuck with… her.”

“See! You are already improving at calculating odds—and from just one introductory class!”

Hasumi

“They will not take that lightly, President,” Taro says politely, though his disapproving look betrays him. “You need a more… elegant approach.”

“Ha!” I scoff toward his fizzling drink. “This is the best approach. With all these first-years who do not even know or care about a Chief, the electoral body is practically missing a third of its power. Simply sprinkle some sweet words, and boom!”

Taro does not flinch from my dramatic explosion gesture.

“For what it is worth, I think it is an unnecessary risk. While the public may accept it, your partners are far less likely to. Mihaku originates from our allied base. They will be forced to choose a side, and it might not be yours.”

“Let them. I always wonder what rests under the paint of the gift they dare to call an ‘alliance’. Fill the gap.”

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Discover what happens next in: Chapter 17: Definite Uncertainty【P1】

Written by Limited_Infinity. Extras, official publishing platforms and updates are publicly available only on the Patreon page “_Limited_Infinity_”

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