Campus Blue1
*students chatting*
Hama Asunaro High School…
The rumors were right… This place is huge.
Um, according to Kafka…
Morning. Make sure to go meet the ward mayor candidates while you’re out today
They’re at Hama Asunaro High School. You should find it once you look it up
Wait! Can you explain a bit more?
KAFKA? HELLO?
He didn’t even read it yet… But it’s possible he’s ignoring it on purpose.
(The school should already know that I’m here…I hope. I should try and look for a security guard or an reception robot.)
Disperse thyselves!
(Hm…?)
This time slot has been reserved for us, the Seamstresses of Light and Shadow Based on Sunlight and the Geocentric Model Club!
Huh? How am I supposed to know that?
Well, even if I did… Why don’t you tell me what this is?
Blast…!
Bingo! It’s a rank 3 pin.
Everyone on the soccer team’s in rank 3 or higher. But you guys are only rank 2, right? So you can’t boss us around.
You low rankers can go ahead and use the old building… Oh, but I forgot, it blew up the other day.
Kh…!
(A lot’s happening… I keep hearing weird words, like “rank” and “blow up”…)
(I should try and break it up…)
*whoosh*
Wah…!
Woah…! What the hell?!
(A volleyball flew over our heads…)
That was close! Hey, volleyball team! You think that was funny or what?! Get over here!
We are more than a simple volleyball team. We are the Deliverance Through a Liberated Body Volleyball Team!
S-Sakujiro-san?! How’d you manage such a sharp spike from the roof like tha— I mean, what are you doing here?!
M-Mr. Karigane…!
Huh? “Mr. Karigane”…?
Hup!
*thud*
What beautiful form on the jump and the landi— I mean, what does he mean by “Mr. Karigane”?!
I heard you from the roof.
Are your high-ranking badges nothing but tools of intimidation for you?
Urk…!
I assume your answer is “no.” In that case…
Gentlemen, please shake hands to settle this dispute.
S-Sorry.
Perhaps I went too far.
(Looks like…it’s all settled. But what’s with the “Mr. Karigane” thing…?)
Today’s enemy will surely become tomorrow’s ally. Do be sure to get along.
And now! Members of the Deliverance Through a Liberated Body Volleyball Team, I shall be returning to the rooftop shortly!
(There he goes… Leaving with a flourish like always…)
No, wait. Sakujiro-san, hold on!
So you’ve been working here as a contract teacher for the past three months?
And not because Kafka told you to, just because you wanted to.
Precisely. I decided to prepare myself beforehand in case something like this were to occur.
I based the decision on my extensive knowledge on Young Master Kafka—my sixth sense, as one may call it.
Wow, so you made the decision on your own, but it’s still all for Kafka’s sake? That’s amazing.
Thank you very much. Please, follow me. Allow me to explain this school to you while I lead you to the principal’s office.
Hama Asunaro High School: an extraordinarily massive public school with 83 classes per grade, totaling to a student population of approximately 10,000.
In an increasingly high-tech society, our value as humans comes from our self-pursued individuality. To foster this from an early age, this school focuses on specialized education through club activities.
“Self-pursued individuality”…
It refers to individuality that one wishes to spend one’s whole life perfecting. Asu High encourages its students to channel that motivation into their club activities, and the school evaluates them based on their work.
Their efforts have produced excellent results, and thus, they have attracted students of many different skills and personalities from all over the nation.
However, only one in every eighty students is admitted.
That’s really low.
(Some of our mayors went to Asu High, including Yuki-nii. They’re all really amazing…)
The school’s alumni move on to excel in a number of fields, including, but not limited, to politics, baseball, and academia.
Graduating from Asu High with exceptional grades guarantees a bright future.
And the one person who is the foundation to this school’s unique evaluation system is…
*knocking*
Excuse me.
He has experience working in HRD for countless major global IT companies and has been touted as the god of coaching and the prophet of human resources.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that his extensive background has placed him at the peak of human resource development. He is this school’s head: Principal Naoe.
<Due to various reasons, I will be speaking to you through a voice call for today. I deeply apologize. I very much wanted to meet you in person after inviting you here myself.>
Please, don’t worry about it. I’m glad to make your acquaintance. My name is
(His chat icon is the kanji for “love”…)
<Hahaha… There’s no need to be so formal. Let us speak as equals holding the same worldview.>
Ah, yes, of course…
<Your company’s president, Kafka-kun, reached out to me. He expressed to me that you would like to find younger candidates to become ward mayors.>
<I think it’s a wonderful idea. I would be glad to approve.>
<The future is in the hands of the youth.>
<The youth should be creating the world they want to live in themselves. As adults, all we should be doing is helping them achieve their vision.>
<Don’t you agree?>
Yes, I completely agree.
<Haha, fantastic. Hold onto that feeling; that’s all you need. I have high hopes for your company.>
<To help you find your candidates, we’ve formed a club called the Community Improvement Club and have gathered the members in advance.>
<I would like for you to register with our school as their external club advisor.>
A-Advisor?! I couldn’t do that much…
<Don’t worry. Mr. Karigane will be with you to help.>
<Again, all you need is to hold onto your feelings. Isn’t that right?>
……
Principal Naoe, if I may.
<Yes, go ahead.>
To my knowledge, the students in the Community Revitilization Club are all rank 1.
(“Rank 1”…? The kids outside were talking about ranks too…)
I am worried that he may have a difficult time with rank 1 students.
<Yes, you are correct. However…>
<I believe that rank 1 students are unpolished gemstones.>
……
<They are diamonds in the rough with endless potential to shine in a multitude of colors with enough work.>
<A child who has yet to become something is a child to love. I am sure that
Of course…
<By the way, Mr. Karigane, have you decided to work with our school full-time yet?>
I am very grateful for the invitation, but I will have to politely decline this time as well.
<Hahaha! I can never seem to convince you.>
<This is the 67th time you’ve rejected me, Mr. Karigane. I would like to ask you to accompany
<Excuse me, I’ll be taking my leave for now.>
Of course! Um… Thank you so much!
<Good luck, young man.>
(He’s gone… I’ll admit, he was kinda strange…)
Shall we head to the clubroom?
Footnotes
-
A reference to Desert Blue (1998). The Japanese title of this movie is ウェルカム・バクスター (Welcome Baxter), which is referenced by the Japanese title of the chapter that reads ウェルカム・マンモススクール (Welcome Massive School). ↩