Chapter 250: Opening Shockwave

Friday. The day the student council election officially began.

"President, I heard Rinji is going to be Iino's support speaker."

Shinomiya Kaguya's expression showed a bit of concern.

"Did something happen?"

But Shirogane just smiled. He wasn't worried at all.

"Actually, yesterday Ishigami and Rinji came to me. They said they wanted to help Iino as much as possible. I don't know much about her, but based on Ishigami's description, she's never been able to properly express her ideas during a campaign."

"So… Rinji wants to help Iino get her point across to the students?"

"Exactly. I thought it was a great idea, so I agreed."

"But… you're really not worried?"

Kaguya still looked uneasy.

She knew Rinji and Iino used to be part of the disciplinary committee together. They weren't exactly close friends, but they weren't strangers either.

And if Rinji really wanted to help Iino win the presidency… he might actually succeed.

Kaguya knew Rinji well. He was the type who never gave up until he achieved his goal. Even in the most unfavorable situations, he could turn things around.

"President, aren't you worried… that Rinji might actually help Iino take your position?"

"Not at all."

Shirogane smiled.

"I believe in everyone in the student council. I believe in Rinji too."

"I see… letting him support your rival just like that… President, you should worry more about yourself sometimes."

Though she said that, Kaguya knew—this was exactly the kind of person Shirogane Miyuki was. Someone who helped others selflessly.

That was also why she fell in love with him.

---

In Shuchiin's auditorium, the seats were neatly arranged.

Hundreds of students were already seated, facing the empty stage.

Teachers sat along the walls, watching the noisy crowd and waiting for the election speeches to begin.

Other than the hardcore fans of the previous student council, most students didn't really care much about the election.

The candidates—Shirogane and Iino—waited backstage with their respective teams.

Rinji stood with Iino and Kobachi and nodded toward Shirogane.

Shirogane returned the nod. Just by looking at each other, the two understood.

'For now, we're opponents—but I'll ensure Shirogane still wins.'

"Next, we'll begin with the speech from candidate Shirogane's side."

After some opening remarks from the student host, the speeches began.

"Watch closely," Rinji said to Kobachi behind him. "This is what a proper speech looks like."

"Mm." Kobachi nodded.

She could already feel the pressure from Shirogane's side. It was the aura of people charging straight toward victory.

When Kaguya heard the announcement, she dropped her serious expression and stepped gracefully onto the stage with a smile.

Her presence alone silenced half the auditorium.

She was a celebrity at Shuchiin, and many students idolized this perfect lady.

Seeing her walk out naturally drew everyone's attention.

Taking advantage of the momentum, Kaguya gently touched the microphone.

BZZZ—

The mic emitted a harsh buzz. That jarring sound pulled the rest of the students out of their daze.

It was deliberate. She used the mic feedback to grab everyone's focus. Kaguya knew how to command a room.

"Hello, everyone. I am Shinomiya Kaguya, giving the support speech for candidate Shirogane Miyuki."

She began in a soft, composed tone.

"The student council's funds come from donations by the alumni association. It's not play money—it's the hard-earned income of your parents, full of hope and expectations placed on all of you..."

She flipped open a pre-prepared PowerPoint.

"As you can see in this PPT, former President Shirogane did an excellent job managing this responsibility..."

To be president, actual accomplishments were crucial. And Shirogane had the track record to back it up.

This election was never fair from the beginning. Aside from anything Kaguya and Rinji did behind the scenes, Shirogane was the only one with real achievements.

He was the only one who had served as president before—and during his term, he excelled in every area. No one could criticize his performance.

The only complaints came from the so-called "pure" students who looked down on Shirogane as an outsider.

But the most vocal among them had already been expelled from Shuchiin by Rinji. The rest were too weak to stir anything up.

Kaguya continued.

"Moreover, Shirogane Miyuki served as acting president of the Dainippon Bank during summer vacation—a role acknowledged by society at large."

This was another major reason why Shirogane was expected to win.

None of the other candidates could even dream of matching that level of accomplishment.

Watching the students' reactions, Kobachi realized just how wide the gap between them and Shirogane really was.

It was a crushing difference on all fronts.

Shirogane was just too dazzling. Neither she nor Iino could even hope to serve as his sidekick, let alone compete against him.

"We never even had the qualifications to stand beside him."

As Kobachi said this, Rinji suddenly patted her on the shoulder.

"I'm here to teach you how to deliver a speech, not wallow in self-pity," he said flatly. "Just recognize the gap. Leave the speech to me."

Kaguya finished her speech and stepped off the stage to a round of applause.

"Next, we welcome candidate Iino's support speaker."

"It's my turn."

Rinji stepped forward. Iino, who had been hanging her head, suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Rinji… do your best, okay?"

"…Yeah."

As Rinji stepped onto the stage, he scanned the crowd.

Sure enough, after the "celebrity performance," the students had gone back to being inattentive. No one was looking at him.

Step one—pull them back in.

Rinji picked up the mic, took a deep breath, and shouted in front of the entire school:

"Listen the hell up, you bunch of trash."