Part 4
The situation around began to move, without bearing any results Hirata’s team returned to base. The trio was surprisingly in an uplifting mood. Hirata and the others were talking about something with great fervor.
“It is a river!! A river!! What a beautiful feeling it is! It looks like there is an equipment! It seems that we will be able to have an exclusive possession of a mechanism! From here it is only a ten minute walk, so let’s go all together at once.”
Ike’s team had left earlier for a search mission, they may have found out that spot already. And it seemed that they were guarding it so that other classes won’t snatch it away.
“This is a glorious achievement, if we can maintain the source of the river, our situation may vastly improve.”
It seems like as we came to find this spot originally, it was already decided that this would be the place of our base camp. Of course I thought it was because of the terrain and the environment, but it seems that it is just the first step forward.
“Still, there are 2 teams that haven’t returned yet, I guess it will be a trouble if no one stays here to wait for them”
The clock showed that it was almost 3 o’clock, we might not be able to hold on the original schedule, besides, there are countless possibilities of where they could be wandering in this vast forest.
“I’m sorry Hirata, Kouenji, too, because it is my fault, in the middle of our expedition, I trailed off the road”
“Ah, If you are talking about our little Kouenji, he returned alone a little while ago, he wanted to go and swim”
It seems that he did not get lost, but he sneaked away out of the forest. Something that would be expected from a free-spirited guy like him.
“How did we lose him? Did you not take your leadership properly?”
“I am who I am and I am not someone who would put restraints on people….. Do you understand?”
This guy, is he trying to agitate him on purpose? I have succeeded in breaking free from Kouenji’s haste pace already and also being well-informed about the forest.
“I get it, a leader other than showing personality has no ability to answer in complaints, that’s him”
“You are just like him”
“Did you say something?”
“No, nothing”
There are too many problematic students, including me in this class. Hirata, too, is troubling.
“What?”
Suddenly Horikita, turned around and looked back. She glared at Sakura with sharp eyes.
“Eh?!”
“Just, now, did she look at me?”
“S..She.. She was not looking at me, right?!
Sakura looked confused and being in denial, trying to run away from the view, she took her distance from us.
“Do not let her scare you. From the beginning Horikita was scary as a demon, anyway.”
“So that I allow her to mess with me as she pleases?”
“This is the place! We have found the spot! It is amazing!”
We finally arrived to the spot that was found by Ike and the others. To the interior of the cave I saw a mechanism embedded in the wall.
However, to this edge of the river, there is one artificial big boulder. This is where the mechanism was originally embedded. Meanwhile, Hirata’s team started preparing the tent and all other necessities to a place close to the river.
“Yes, the sunlight cast its shadows in the beautiful water. Smoothing the way below ground. This might be an ideal spot to build our base camp. This is fantastic, Ike!”
“He he! I know, right?”
The waters of the river run calmly in a width of 10 meters, creating such a splendid sight. The river is surrounded by the thick forest and a sand road. It feels like this place was already established and opened before. I do not believe that this is a newly discovered site. This was built by our school for a specific aim.
“What kind of verification do we need to prove that this river is ours now…”.
The river has a great width, it goes extremely downstream from this point onward and it seems like it continues that way.
At one glance towards the end of it, we are standing at the flat point that seems to be the only exception in a place where the difference between high and low is really extreme. Maybe there is not another place as well as this one around here.
However, we came to find this place too easily. We don’t even know if there is a possibility for us to actually somehow use the river. Or possibly, we thought too simply that we have a special right to hold this spot.
We only worried about one thing, while walking parallel to the riverside to the direction of the forest. Yet, somehow, we came to hold the north canal.
“It is just like understanding the vicinity around the school. It seems like we are the only ones who can make use of the river”
Along our way, as we were walking down along the river that we thought we could use, there was a sign of old wood. So this place was designed specifically for a reason after all and unauthorized use is prohibited. This is what is written on the wooden sign.
Feeling light-headed as we were walking around, Hirata and his team came back.
“Concerning the decision to build our base camp on this spot, is there a not problem at all about occupying this spot?”
“We already decided on that! Is there any other alternatives, anyway?!”
“There are! Of course, having this place is to our benefit, there are ways to monopolise the river and we can gain some points for doing so, if we can actually hold it for 8 hours and the operation is approved and executed by our leader. However, if other teams found out who our leader actually is, we will be in trouble. Someone with clever eyes might grasp the gravity of our situation”
Across the river and all around us, in 360 degrees there is only the forest. If there is someone or something looking at us from the trees, then we would not notice.
“You mean…, this place… it is not good for hiding, we are unprotected. We are surrounded”
It is true that risk has cast its shadow, but, Ike’s observation is accurate.
Even if we make the base camp on this terrain, we cannot maintain it, there are no options. If by any chance the students of some other classes try to monopolize the river, we will not be able to get out.
Girls and boys alike seem to give Ike their approval. I think that Hirata, too, from the start had the intention to do the same thing, but, from sticking to a neutral position has gathered a lot of viewpoints.
Certainly to be able to earn the right of an exclusive possession is somehow like a two-edged knife.
However, in order for Class A to monopolize the cave, they have to protect the equipments fully by stacking them up/by placing them one upon another in the same location of the base camp. It’s a no brainer that B class and also C class will do the same thing. In other words, we cannot afford to lose ground even for the slightest risk.
“Yes. So after this issue, the new point is who is going to be the leader?”
More than taking possession and occupying spots, the big key factor is deciding who will be appointed as the leader.
Making mistakes on this point can possibly become fatal.
While everyone was thinking of avoiding this kind of role with such heavy responsibilities, Kushida told everyone to gather and make a circle. In a small voice, she began:
“I had a lot on my mind and I thought about various things but, whether one likes it or not, Hirata-kun or Karuizawa-san stand out as persons. But isn’t a leader one that you could rely on and also one that has a deep sense of responsibility? I think that Horikita-san is the one that meets both conditons. How about that?”
Horikita looked like she didn’t expect this kind of recommendation from Kushida, but her expression didn’t change. I wonder if it’s less risky to let her act as a leader since she’s always observing and aiming for A class than to let someone else do it. I think the main point is there. I was calmly looking at the reactions around me.
“I agree with Kushida-san’s opinion. I also think that Horikita-san can be a good leader. So long as Horikita-san is okay with it too, I would like her to take over later”
Even though all the gazes gathered on her, she didn’t particularly appear as she wanted to refuse it.
“You don’t want to do it, right? Don’t force her. I can do it instead”
Suddenly, Sudo announced his candidature, doubtful as to whether Horikita had decided not to take over. But ironically, that became a trigger for Horikita as she soon made a cool decision.
“Ok, I accept”
Even if it’s a little troublesome, I’m relieved since this is more secure than having Sudo or Ike as leader.
As soon as he heard those words, Hirata immediately went to Miss Chabashira to pass on Horikita’s name. Before long, he received the card and entrusted it to Horikita when he came back.
But of course, before this, taking into consideration the risk of being seen by someone nearby, everyone touched the device. This was to camouflage the leader and to not let anyone find out the real one.
“Okay, I resolved the problem of the bath and the drinking water”
With shining and flaming eyes, Ike advocated to economize on points.
“Huh? With things like drinking water from the river? Are you crazy?”
Apparently, Ike intended to use the river’s water both as a natural bath and drinking water. Meanwhile, Shinohara and the girls seemed to not to having such idea and they glanced at the river both disgusted and appalled.
“Well, it looks nice for swimming……but to drink…mmm”
“What’s the matter, it’s completely fine. It’s pure and clean water”
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