The Crisis of the Magic School

Alpheas surveyed the room.

Dozens of gazes bore down on him, pressing like a heavy weight on his shoulders.

"The worst-case scenario? Just what exactly do you mean by that?"

"There is a possibility that the school may receive an order to shut down."

"No, that is not the worst-case scenario."

A professor, visibly frustrated, struck his chest in agitation and spoke up.

"Principal, I fail to understand your reasoning. What could be worse than the school shutting down?"

"For the school, the worst possible outcome would be if all of the students and teachers perished."

A heavy silence fell over the meeting room.

"If not for Shirone, no one would have survived. That includes every single one of you."

The teachers' accusing gazes slowly withdrew, one by one.

"There is still a chance, however small. Even if it's less than one percent, this is a child who sacrificed his life for us. Shouldn't we at least try everything in our power? Even if the school ends up closing, isn't it our duty as teachers to ensure we fully understand Shirone's condition?"

"But, Principal, what does this school mean to us? Shirone is certainly pitiful, but if we are forced to shut down—"

"The school will not close. I will take full responsibility. So please, do everything you can for Shirone. Isn't it only right that we make this much of a sacrifice for him?"

There were no more objections. The teachers, wearing somber expressions, slowly exited the meeting room.

The Student Council of the Magic School

Inside the rectangular meeting hall, representatives from each class sat in designated seats, forming the student council.

Unlike the teachers, who were concerned about their livelihoods, the students felt a deep sense of betrayal over Alpheas' past actions.

"Greetings. I am Amira, the student council president. We have gathered today to deliberate on the current crisis and reach a consensus. Please contribute your opinions constructively."

Amira, a senior from Class Two, officially opened the meeting.

Specializing in climate magic, she was twenty-two years old and at the top of the list for graduation candidates. Given her left-leaning views, the atmosphere of the discussion was predictable.

As expected, the first to speak was a conservative who supported the principal.

"I am Seriel from Class Three. I acknowledge that the criticism toward Principal Alpheas is severe within the school. However, I believe we must be cautious. The honor of the school is directly tied to the honor of its students. If we openly attack the faculty in this situation, it could have long-term repercussions for future graduates."

A dissenting voice immediately followed.

"I am Cass from Class Four. While I respect Seriel's opinion, this is fundamentally an issue of morality. Even if the incident occurred forty years ago, it was still a crime. If we fail to take a clear stance, the future of this school is doomed."

Amira agreed with Cass internally, but as the chairperson, she kept her expression neutral.

"I am Olivia from Class Six. The key issue here is whether Shirone is truly dead. As you all know, Shirone has passed away. Yet, a handful of students and teachers continue to distort that fact. Because of their interference, the school failed to apprehend two suspects who were in league with Arcane, and Principal Alpheas' indictment has been delayed. This is blatant evasion of responsibility. The student council must act."

Amira shared Olivia's frustration. The teachers were stalling Alpheas' prosecution under the pretense that Shirone's condition was uncertain.

Seriel pushed back.

"Are we not overanalyzing the faculty's intentions? Shirone's heart has stopped, yes, but his body has not shown signs of decay. The Ivory Tower is actively discussing the implications of Immortal Function. Given these considerations, I can understand why the faculty is hesitant."

The students, however, remained unimpressed. Even among the teachers, few truly understood the intricacies of Immortal Function. Many students didn't even know what it was.

Amira was no exception.

Magic was a phenomenon based on knowledge. Calling something the ultimate state of magic meant nothing if its significance couldn't be grasped.

"Um, I am Veronica from Class Ten."

Despite being only eight years old, the student council assigned equal weight to each class representative's voice.

"Yes, Veronica, please speak."

"Did Grandpa Alpheas do something bad?"

Amira let out a long sigh.

'This is why I suggested separating the lower classes from the council.'

Veronica sniffled as she continued.

"Can't we forgive Grandpa Alpheas?"

"That is not an option, Veronica. This concerns the honor of the school."

"But everyone makes mistakes."

No one responded, but the impact of her words was undeniable.

"My mom scolds me a lot too, but she never punishes me too harshly. She always says people make mistakes. Grandpa Alpheas made a mistake, but he's done a good job running the school. Can't we forgive him?"

Mark from Class Seven interjected quickly.

"I agree with Veronica. Of course, people who commit crimes should be punished. But if we, who have always trusted the school's security and advocated for maintaining the status quo, suddenly turn aggressive, wouldn't that be overstepping our bounds? As long as the faculty is not intentionally covering up the situation, we as the student council should exercise patience."

'Good job, Mark.'

Seriel gave him a subtle nod, and Mark returned the gesture.

Without Alpheas, they couldn't protect Shirone. This was a fight with a clear goal.

As the debate heated up, Amira carefully assessed the likely vote count. The lower classes leaned toward supporting the school, the graduating seniors criticized it, and the advanced classes were split down the middle.

'At this rate, we might lose.'

If things continued this way, they wouldn't be able to indict Alpheas.

Just then, a deep voice resonated through the room.

"I am Ardino Fermi from Class One."

Every gaze focused on him.

As the top-ranking senior and the most anticipated graduate, everyone was curious about his stance.

Seriel, however, knew better. The young man with neatly combed dark brown hair and a professional demeanor concealed a mischievous spirit.

'What are you up to now?'

Fermi had the skill to graduate but repeatedly failed on purpose. He was once a strong candidate for student council president but withdrew, letting Amira take the position instead.

Frankly, no one knew what went on in his mind.

The one thing they did know was that he thrived on chaos and loved stirring conflict.

Fermi smiled.

"We all owe our lives to Shirone. Without him, we would be dead. I understand why some refuse to accept his death."

Seriel tensed up. Fermi wasn't one to express gratitude.

Then, he continued.

"However, the faculty is using Shirone as a shield. Our actions are not overreach. On the contrary, this is a fight to protect Shirone's memory."

Seriel shot to her feet.

"What do you mean by protecting his memory? Shirone isn't dead yet—"

"It has been five days. Shirone's heart has not beaten once. Tell me, does anyone here truly believe he is still alive?"

Seriel bit her lip. 'Damn it…'

She saw where this was going. And it was working.