Chapter 072: The Election

Both teams had their showdown: from personal appearances to internal qualities, every possible attack was launched, sparking a fierce battle. It was so intense that it seemed even senior officials might intervene to stop the chaos.

This historic event was later dubbed "The First Shuchiin Uprising"—

…which, of course, never happened.

The two teams merely exchanged nods before walking into the waiting room without so much as a single word of conversation.

With only ten minutes left until the election officially began, there was no time to waste on meaningless confrontations. The only task at hand was to mentally prepare for their speeches.

Based on the order of the draw, the candidates were to speak in the following sequence: Isshiki Iroha, followed by fellow first-year Miko Iino, and finally, Kanade Natsukawa.

This arrangement gave Kanade the advantage of timing, setting, and momentum—a perfect setup.

The Start of the Election

The event began promptly, starting with the support speeches for each candidate. First up was Isshiki Iroha's representative, none other than Yukinoshita Yukino.

A predictable choice.

From the moment Kanade saw their team earlier, he had pieced together much of the situation:

Why Isshiki Iroha became a candidate

It was unlikely she volunteered herself. A more plausible explanation was that she had offended certain classmates or groups, prompting them to nominate her as a candidate out of spite. Their goal was likely to see her lose miserably and become a laughingstock. However, Isshiki, unwilling to back down, sought assistance from the Service Club.The Service Club's involvement

Whether it was Isshiki's own resolve or Yukinoshita Yukino's strategic planning, the result was this current scenario. The meticulous execution of their campaign made it evident that the Service Club had been involved in the past few weeks.

Yet, his supposed friend Hikigaya Hachiman hadn't breathed a word about such a major incident. Kanade had been left in the dark, suspecting the scheming of certain conservative factions in Shuchiin instead.

"After this is over, I'm definitely going to extort him—at least his allowance for the week," Kanade thought bitterly.

Yukino's Speech

Yukinoshita Yukino's speech was… competent. It was precise and engaging enough to warrant praise at any ordinary school.

But this was Shuchiin Academy, where standards were extraordinarily high.

Iino's Representative

Following Yukino was Kobachi Osaragi, speaking on behalf of Miko Iino. Unfortunately, her speech was forgettable and failed to leave an impression.

Kaguya Shinomiya Takes the Stage

When it came time for Kanade's representative, Kaguya Shinomiya, she did something surprising:

"President, can you give me your blessing?"

Her hopeful gaze caught Kanade off guard.

"Of course. Good luck, Shinomiya."

"Thank you. I'm honored."

With that, Kaguya took the stage.

By this point, the audience had grown restless after the uninspiring speeches. Many were on the verge of dozing off. Yet, Kaguya remained unfazed.

"Ding—"

A sharp mic tap silenced the room, drawing everyone's attention. Kaguya graced the crowd with a rare, dazzling smile.

"Good morning, everyone. I am Kaguya Shinomiya, here to deliver my support speech for Kanade Natsukawa…"

From that moment on, the atmosphere shifted entirely.

Already a popular figure, Kaguya used her poise and charisma to obliterate the competition. Unlike Osaragi's meaningless platitudes or Yukino's strategic analysis, Kaguya opted for a visual presentation. She showcased Kanade's accomplishments over the past months on a screen, making an irrefutable case for his competence.

The outcome was clear: victory was within reach.

The Candidates Speak

Next came the candidates' own speeches.

Isshiki Iroha

To her credit, Isshiki demonstrated why she managed to secure 30% of the vote. Her energetic personality and weeks of training under the Service Club had paid off, allowing her to deliver an engaging and lively speech. Even following Kaguya's dominance, she managed to retain a portion of the audience's favor.

Miko Iino

And then… Miko Iino.

Despite her usual confident demeanor, Miko froze the moment she stepped onto the stage. Gripping her speech notes tightly, she couldn't utter a single word.

The auditorium filled with scattered murmurs and soft laughter as she stood there, paralyzed.

"…It's happening again," Ishigami muttered.

Kanade glanced at him. "What's going on?"

"Miko… she has stage fright," Ishigami explained, his tone dark. "She's always been like this, and it gets worse during elections.

"It's ironic, isn't it? The top-ranked student, the inflexible stickler who lectures everyone else, is now being humiliated in front of the school. Her detractors must be having a field day.

"I have my issues with her, too. But seeing someone's hard work mocked like this…"

Kanade placed a reassuring hand on Ishigami's shoulder. "I get it. Leave this to me."

"…You're going to help her?"

"Consider it a way to win the election without undermining her dignity. Trust me."

Kanade had no particular fondness for Miko Iino. However, seeing her struggle brought back memories of his own efforts being dismissed in the past.

He admired her diligence—becoming the top student at Shuchiin required immense effort. Her promotional efforts, however flawed, were evidence of her dedication.

Walking up to the stage, Kanade took the microphone and addressed the crowd:

"Silence."

The chatter instantly ceased as all eyes turned to him.

"You are students of Shuchiin Academy—individuals this institution is proud to call its own. Surely, you understand what it means to show respect."

Kanade's voice was calm but commanding.

"You are free to have opinions, even criticisms. But those should be expressed through your votes—not by disrupting the speaker's presentation."

He then turned to Miko Iino.

"You still have 15 minutes left. Or… would you rather waste this opportunity?"

Miko remained frozen, unable to meet his gaze.

Kanade pressed on, lowering his voice.

"Forcing others to shave their heads and banning flashy clothing? Do you really think such ridiculous rules will win you votes?"

"Ridiculous…?"

"That's what they are, aren't they? Do you think anyone would support rules like that? Unless… you disagree?"

"Of course not! I—"

"Then prove it. Look me in the eye and say so."

Miko hesitated, her gaze wavering. But slowly, she looked up and met his eyes.

"I… I think…"

"Yes?"

"…I think these rules aren't ridiculous at all!"

With newfound confidence, Miko grabbed the mic and launched into her speech.

Her trembling voice steadied, and her passion became evident. No longer the timid girl who froze on stage, she boldly outlined her vision and even critiqued some of Kanade's policies.

Kanade watched with satisfaction.

She had found her voice.