The afternoon lesson

They were doing the Dialect curriculum.

Masaki was doing basic repetition.

He wanted to know if it had an effect on the rabbits that had made Rose Garden bigger.

Or maybe the size of Rose Garden increased if his Dialect became stronger.

The room was big enough for two classes and all the equipment was in groups, but it was unusual for someone to only do basic things like Masaki.

He was using a unit that was like an old game arcade and was solving puzzles. When the words Completed appeared on the screen, Masaki sank down into his chair.

This should be the fourth time

It looks like the number has risen again.

Yes?

He turned around, thinking that someone had called out to him from behind while he was resting. There was a huge unit in front of himso he was stumped by the fact that the voice came from behind the unit.

Minamishima was the one that talked to him.

Thats amazing; its always above 10000 points.

What about it? I dont know about other peoples results.

The average for Class A is 3000. The current record in Canaan seems to be 70000 points.

70000?

His own score was insignificant compared to a number like that.

But the record of 2nd highest doesnt even touch 20000. Its just a rumor, but I heard that there might have been a fault with the machineahahaI dont have such an amazing record, but why doesnt my number rise?

If you practice, it should rise.

Thats logical, butI just dont get better at it.

Really?

Kusunoki-kun, do you have a trick or something?

Well, noas I said, I dont do anything specialIm not especially good at figuring things out.

I seethen you must be talented.

Minamishima nodded several times.

How could he bea genius?

I dont really get it.

Youre cool, youre good at cooking, youre strong in fights and youre a talented Globalizer. Youre amazing.

He found it embarrassing being praised face-to-face.

He wasnt slacking, but he didnt think that he had particularly put in a lot of effort, so he didnt know how to reply to that.

And she said he was cool?

Ermeven your number should be able to rise, right?

I dont seem to be talented.

She gave a desolate laugh.

She seemed to have lost confidence in herself.

Im not sure if Im talented at using Dialect or notbut, whatever it is and whoever it is, if they persevere theyll make progress.

Is that so?

A talented person may grow fast, and some people do well from the beginning, but even I dont think that putting in a lot of effort doesnt have any meaning. For example, most patissiers are able to make cakes that are more delicious than amateurs, but it doesnt mean that they have more talent than those amateurs.

Really?

Even if its said that youre not suited for it, there are many people who put in a lot of effort to become patissiers. Because I was serious about becoming a patissier, I didnt give up.

Of course, if its something you like, you wont give up even if youre not good at it.

Yeah. So even if you might not have the talent for it, if you put in a lot of effort, you should get better at it.

Yesthats right!

Minamishima smiled and her cheeks were flushed slightly. It was a smile like a small spring flower.

From behind

There was a cold voice like the north wind that blows petals about.

No matter how much effort you put in, it wont change the fact that you have no talent.

Hii!?

Minamishima paled.

She quickly left.

A displeased looking Alice stood up.

Sometimes I come to class.

Its unusual for you to come to Dialect lessons. Youre always absent.

All of the lessons are tedious, but this class especially irritates me.

I think its fine if you do whats best for yourself.

My mood is ruined. Masaki-kun, come with me.

Alice glanced at the door.

Was she saying that she wanted to go out?

Masaki waved his Ring Gear and a clock window appeared.

Were only about half-way through class.

Is that sothen you should put in double the amount of concentration in the next opportunity.

Well, this class is for training my concentration powerif you do it once too then youd understand that its actually quite difficult.

Difficult? I, Alice?

Masaki daringly thoughtwhat is Alices score when using this device?

I want you to show me if you can double my concentration.

Its quite unpleasant that youre assuming it isnt possible.

Here is the device for measuring my concentration power. My highest score is 10998. Shirleys is about the same. By the way, the all-time high is more than 70000.

Im not interested.

If youre saying you can exceed 20000, then it must be possible for my concentration power to double. So today, Ill go anywhere with you.

Masaki hadnt been implying that it was impossible to achieve double concentration power, but he wouldnt pass up this opportunity.

If he was a little high-handed, hed be able to get Alice to try it seriously, which would be enough for him. And Alice would participate in the class as a result.

If she couldnt get a high score, she was so prideful that she might actively participate in class after this.

Are you provoking me so that Ill participate in the class, Masaki-kun?

Hahahait looks like I was exposed, as I thought. But if my score increases then Ill go anywhere with you, thats not a lie.

Alright. How reckless must you be to challenge the king? Ill allow you to understand.

Alice stood up facing the chassis.

In her case, she probably wouldnt be able to reach it if she sat down in the chair.

Not just Minamishima, but the other classmates also gazed intently at Alice as her score was being measured.

Even the teacher working with the other group joined in.

The screen flashed and the puzzle began.

Alice was touching the screen.

She wasnt solving anything.

What was she doing? Masaki thought, butthe unit didnt measure the result of the puzzle, it measured concentration power.

Her expression as she was concentrating seemed to be close to the one she had when Globalizing.

Hm.

The measuring was complete.

As a matter of course, the score of the puzzle game was the lowest.

The crucial score was displayed.

Huh!?

Minamishima gasped.

Masaki was also bewildered.

Alice smoothed down her hair and started walking towards the door.

Now, where should we go?

Ah, yeah.

An impossible score was displayed on the screen of the unit.

140000

Minamishima pointed at it and checked.

No way, its 140000, not 14000!? Isnt this crazy!?

The class was in uproar.

Masaki started to follow Alice.

Hey, did you use some kind of trick by any chance!? How could you get a score like that when you didnt do anything?

An underhanded trick?

Well, the average for Class A, which is the top of our year, is 3000.

Comparing my score to the masses is meaningless in itself.

But even Shirley is around 10000.

Its not such a miraculous result, since Shirley is restless and Masaki who had just awoken is 10000.

I, I see.

Said like that, it might just be possible.

Eventually, you will also be able to get a score around that.

How will I be able to do that?

Since he transferred, he had been doing the same thing several times, but his score hadnt grown that drastically. He couldnt imagine getting a score 10 times his current one.

Is that the kind of person you call a genius?

That was way too different.

While walking through the corridor to the Elevator Pillar, Alice suddenly glanced outside.

She didnt look like she was proud of herself.

Rather, she looked bored.

If something like that is called an underhanded trickthen so is my very existence.