Chapter 11: The Council’s Gambit

The Student Council's chambers were a study in opulent intimidation. Polished mahogany tables gleamed under crystal chandeliers, and the walls were lined with portraits of past council presidents—each one smirking as if they'd personally orchestrated the Academy's greatest triumphs.

Aizen sat at the center of the room, flanked by Seraphina and Rikka. Across the table, Lyra lounged in her chair, her golden eyes glinting with amusement. The other council members—a mix of nobles and prodigies—watched him like hawks circling prey.

"Let's make this quick," Seraphina said, her fan snapping open. "Why is he here?"

Lyra smiled. "Because he's interesting. And because the Council needs fresh blood."

"Fresh blood?" Rikka snorted. "He's a butler, not a revolutionary."

"Exactly." Lyra leaned forward, her gaze locking onto Aizen. "You've got no noble ties, no political agenda. Just… chaos. And chaos is useful."

Aizen raised an eyebrow. "Flattering. But I'm not joining your little club."

"Oh, you don't have a choice," Lyra said sweetly. "The Council's voted. You're in. Congratulations."

[New Quest: "Survive the Council's Games"]

[Objective: Navigate Student Council politics without dying or revealing System secrets]

[Reward: Unlock "Political Savvy" Skill, +100 Affection Points (distributed randomly)]

[Failure: Expulsion, imprisonment, or worse]

Aizen's jaw tightened. Great. Just what I needed—more bureaucracy.

The first task was a "team-building exercise." Translation: a death trap disguised as a treasure hunt.

The Academy's East Wing had been transformed into a labyrinth of shifting walls, enchanted traps, and riddles that made Aizen's head hurt. Each council member led a team, and Aizen found himself paired with Lyra, Seraphina, and Rikka.

"This is ridiculous," Seraphina muttered, dodging a spray of acid from a wall-mounted gargoyle. "I should be leading, not playing fetch-the-artifact."

"Relax, princess," Rikka said, slicing through a vine that tried to strangle her. "Think of it as target practice."

Lyra strolled ahead, her hands in her pockets. "The artifact's a relic from the Academy's founding. Whoever retrieves it gets a seat on the Council's inner circle."

"And if we fail?" Aizen asked.

Lyra grinned. "Let's not."

They reached a chamber filled with floating platforms, each one inscribed with a riddle. The artifact—a glowing orb—hovered in the center, just out of reach.

"First one to solve the riddle gets the prize," Lyra said. "Go."

The riddles were nonsensical:

"I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?"

Seraphina frowned. "An echo?"

The platform beneath her vanished, dropping her into darkness.

"Seraphina!" Aizen lunged, grabbing her wrist just in time. He hauled her back up, his arms screaming in protest.

"Don't touch me," she snapped, though her cheeks were faintly pink.

[Affection Points with Seraphina: +10 (Current: 135/1000)]

Rikka groaned. "Can we focus? The next one's worse."

"I'm light as a feather, yet the strongest man can't hold me for long. What am I?"

"Breath," Aizen said.

The platform glowed, extending toward the artifact.

Lyra clapped. "Not bad for a mob character."

"Thanks," Aizen said dryly. "Now can we grab the orb and leave?"

"Not so fast." Lyra's smile turned sharp. "The artifact's guarded."

The orb pulsed, and a shadowy figure materialized—a knight clad in black armor, its sword crackling with dark energy.

[Alert: Guardian Knight Detected]

[Level: 70. Weakness: Light Magic]

"Of course it is," Aizen muttered.

Rikka drew her sword, her grin feral. "Finally, some action."

The knight charged, its blade slicing through the air. Rikka met it head-on, her sword clashing with a shower of sparks. Seraphina's fan glowed crimson as she summoned chains of light, binding the knight's limbs.

"Aizen!" Lyra shouted. "The orb!"

Aizen sprinted past the chaos, his [Mob Camouflage] masking his presence. He reached the orb, his fingers brushing its surface—

The knight roared, breaking free of Seraphina's chains. Its sword arced toward Aizen.

[Admin Command: "Temporal Stasis (Localized)"]

Time froze. The knight's blade hung inches from his face. Aizen grabbed the orb, his admin interface flaring:

[Artifact Acquired: "Founder's Orb"]

[Effect: Grants temporary access to the Academy's core archives.]

He released the stasis, and the knight's sword slammed into the ground where he'd stood moments before.

"Got it!" Aizen shouted.

The knight dissolved into shadow, the chamber's traps deactivating. Lyra clapped slowly, her grin widening.

"Impressive. Maybe you are Council material."

Seraphina's fan snapped shut. "This changes nothing."

Rikka sheathed her sword. "Speak for yourself. I'm starting to like this guy."

[Affection Points with Rikka: +20 (Current: 70/500)]

Back in the Council chambers, Lyra presented the orb to the other members. "Aizen Sōsuke retrieved the artifact. By unanimous decision, he's granted provisional membership."

The room erupted in murmurs. Aizen slumped into a chair, his body aching.

"Congratulations," Seraphina said, her tone icy. "You've officially made your life harder."

"Thanks," Aizen said. "I aim to please."

Lyra leaned over his shoulder, her voice a whisper. "Oh, and Aizen? Don't think I didn't notice that little time trick. We'll talk later."

[New Quest: "Uncover Lyra's Agenda" – Locked Until Chapter 12]