Baka to Tesuto to Syokanju:Volume1 The First Question

“Eh---”

“What's wrong?”

“What Yuuji said just now, it's the Taika Reform, right?”

“You are Year 3 now and you still don't know about this? Shouko, you are really stupid.”

“We haven't been taught about that part yet, Yuuji, you are too clever.”

“It is very easy to memorize. Just remember 'Accident Free Reform'[1], you will be able to recall it instantly”

“Accident Free?”

“Because the Taika Reform did not have any accident occur, make sure you remember that.”

“Okay.”

“It happened in the year 625.”

“All right, I have memorized it.”

“Good, make sure you remember that.”

“Don't worry, I won't forget about it.”

---

First Question

Please answer the following questions:

When manufacturing frying pan, we use magnesium as the raw material to reduce the weight of the pan, however, an accident occurs when it is used in cooking. Describe what happened, and name an alloy that could be used to replace magnesium.

Mizuki Himeji's Answer

“Using flame to heat up magnesium will cause a fierce burning reaction; aluminium can be used to replace magnesium.”

Teacher's Comment:

Correct. The question asks for alloy, so, you can't answer “iron”. Himeji didn't fall for the trick.

Kouta Tsuchiya's Answer

“Because the gas bill is not paid.”

Teacher's Comment:

That is not the main point of this question.

Akihisa Yoshii's Answer

“Alloy made in future can be used (Because it is very hard).”

Teacher's Comment:

Even if it is very hard, you can't find that now, right?

---

We were welcoming the arrival of the second spring after we started studying in Fumitsuki Gakuen.

To welcome new students, both sides of the slope that lead to the school building were filled with dazzling flowering cherry blossoms. Even though I was not an elegant person who could appreciate flowers, I couldn't stop myself to be attracted by the beautiful scenery before me.

However, it was only for a very short period of time.

Now, my mind was filled with the symbol of spring, and it was not a cherry blossom. In my mind, it was all about the comrades and the new classroom that would fight with me throughout the year. In another words, it was all about the new class after the class division.

“Yoshii, you are late.”

In front of the entrance, a low, strong voice called me. I turned my head and looked towards the source of the voice. A sport type guy with light dark skin and short hair was standing there.

“Ah, iron... no, it's Nishimura-sensei[2]. good morning!”

“You wanted to call me 'Iron Man' just now, right?”

“Ha ha, you are thinking too much.”

“Oh, am I?”

That was close; I nearly called him "Iron Man," like what I did before.

By the way, "Iron Man" was the nickname that the students gave to Nishimura-sensei. The reason he got this nickname was because his hobby was triathlon. Of course, his habit of wearing short sleeves during winter time was also one of the reasons that he got this nickname.

“By the way, a normal person shouldn't be saying 'good morning' in this situation!”

“Ah, I am sorry. Err...Your skin is very dark today as well.”

“What! Is my skin colour more important than you being late for school?”

“I see, so, you are talking about that. Sorry, I am late.”

“You are really... you never learn your lesson.”

He sighed and mumbled at the same time. According to what he said, it sounded like I was usually late for school.

“Sir, I'm not usually late for school, right?”

Nishimura-sensei was our homeroom teacher last year, he should know that I was rarely late for school.

“Leave that matter aside for now, take this first.”

He took an envelope out of a box and handed it over to me. My name, “Akihisa Yoshii”, was written clearly on the envelope.

“Ah, thank you.”

I simply nodded and took the envelope.

“But, why does the school need to inform the result of class division through this troublesome method? Isn't posting the result in the announcement board much better?”

Handing over the result of class division one by one and carefully putting them into envelopes were really very troublesome.

“Normally, that is true. However, we are the school that uses the most advanced system in the world, this strange method is part of the system.”

“Oh, I see.”

I simply answered him and tried to tear open the envelope. Which class would I be placed into? I started to get a little bit nervous.

The reason of getting nervous was that, in the Fumitsuki Gakuen I was studying in, students would be allocated into different classes, from class A to class F, depending on the class division examinations from second year onwards. To put it simply, smart people would study in class A, idiots would study in class F. Therefore, you were able to know how smart a person was depending on the class he or she is in. As a man with pride, I could not be placed into class F.

“Yoshii, to tell you the truth...”

“What?”

The envelope was glued and was really hard to open.

“From the result of my observation of you, I have been thinking, 'Could it be that Yoshii is an idiot?'.”

“Sir, you are totally wrong with this. If you really think so, you might have 'Moron' as your new nickname.”

Not that I was overconfident, although I didn't work very hard, I did pretty well in the class division examination last year. When he saw my results, I had believed he would definitely change his opinion.

“When you see my result, you will know that you are wrong.”

“I also hope that I am wrong.”

It was really hard to open; I could only tore the envelope apart.

The envelope opened with a clear tearing sound. I looked into the envelope; there was a small piece of paper in it.

So, which class would I go? Would it be class D? Or class C?

“Yoshii, you should be glad right? My opinion is really correct.”

As I unfolded the paper, the content of the paper could be clearly read.

“Akihisa Yoshii... ... ... class F”

“You really are an idiot.”

And so, my sorrowful school life began.