Chapter 89: Chapter 89

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: The World Academy Council

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Stress makes people vulnerable.

Secretary Nivolans Panima had become extremely vulnerable.

"Absolutely. Bring her, no matter what."

Nivolans, driven mad by stress from excessive work and pressure.

I looked at him and felt a faint sense of guilt.

It was partly my fault things had turned out this way.

'Though it was unavoidable given the scenario's flow.'

I did feel a little bad that all the work had fallen on Nivolans.

The problem was, due to excessive stress, he had become a highly driven man who would see things through once he made a decision.

In Iris's case, I subtly mentioned it to Hania, and permission was granted instantly.

"Yes, she said she'd do it right away."

Iris was going to be president anyway.

There was no reason for her to object in the first place.

The problem was the vice-president candidate Nivolans mentioned.

Sharin Sazaris.

"So annoying."

As expected, Sharin pouted when she heard my suggestion.

She had already devoured three loaves of bread.

She said that with a mouth already full of bread before I even started speaking, and I wanted to pull her cheek.

"You ate bread."

"Hanun gave that to me because he likes me."

"Sharin, you seem to be misunderstanding something. I don't feel even an ounce of romantic affection for you."

Sharin narrowed her eyes.

Sharin and I were sitting across from each other.

At some point, she had taken off her shoes, lifted her feet, and placed them on my thigh.

Where were her socks? Why was she barefoot?

As she lifted her foot, her skirt hem went up with it.

It was a gesture that would naturally draw a man's gaze.

"Reallyyy?"

Sharin wore a languid smile.

Her foxy, slitted eyes were full of mischief.

This mischievous little devil.

Her foot poked the inside of my thigh.

I watched this for a moment, then lifted my hand and firmly pressed her big toe.

"Eek!"

Sharin shrieked and retracted her foot.

"What are you doing, it smells!"

"...I don't smell."

Actually, Sharin didn't have any particular smell.

"Bring it back. I'll check."

"Hanun, are you a pervert?"

"Who's talking when you're the one sticking your foot on someone else's thigh?"

I don't know where she learns these kinds of actions.

Now that I think about it, Sharin often reads novel books without covers. Is she perhaps reading something like an erotic novel?

'She looks like someone with no interest in the world.'

Well, you never know what's inside.

Sharin might have a dark side to her heart too.

Thinking that, I flinched.

"...You're not after my body or anything, are you?"

"...What are you imagining?"

Even Sharin couldn't let this one go, her eyebrows furrowing in annoyance.

I decided to stop teasing her for now.

"You're upset about that last incident, aren't you?"

"..."

Sharin said nothing and turned her head.

I've known Sharin for quite a while now.

Sharin's innate personality is fickle.

When playing the game, I couldn't accurately understand her character.

However, after seeing her in person and spending time with her, I've gradually learned to read Sharin's mind.

Sharin was currently sulking.

The reason was that I had orchestrated the boycott incident without telling her anything.

Honestly, I didn't understand why that would make her sulk.

My guess was she was sulking because Isabel knew, but she didn't.

"This wasn't that big of a deal."

"Hmph, but Jerion Academy was turned upside down, wasn't it?"

As she said, Jerion Academy was turned upside down.

But this was, after all, just a necessary stepping stone for the future.

Compared to the major events that would soon occur, this was an easy task.

"Still, it wasn't something that required your help. Sharin, when I ask for your help, it'll be when it's truly urgent."

I had received help from Sharin time and again.

Each time, Sharin proved to be the most efficient rescue vessel.

Surely, there would come a time when I'd need Sharin's power again.

I wanted to save Sharin for that day.

"That's why I didn't bother telling you."

I peeled an orange I had brought along.

When I offered the peeled orange to Sharin, she opened her mouth.

It was clearly an invitation for me to feed her, and I almost shoved the whole thing in at once but stopped myself.

I peeled one segment and put it in her mouth, and Sharin mumbled with her small lips.

Sharin, who had been munching on what I gave her for a while, stuck out her tongue.

"Sour."

"Oranges are naturally sour."

Still, her sulk seemed to have eased a bit.

Sharin knew I had spoken genuinely.

She stared at me, then took the remaining oranges from my hand and ate them one by one.

Watching her, I subtly asked,

"So, temporary vice-president?"

"That's separate."

"Oh, come on, just do it."

If I couldn't get Sharin, Nivolans would cry from stress.

I had a responsibility to protect the secretary.

Above all, even to me, Sharin seemed suitable as the temporary vice-president for this World Academy Council meeting.

Sharin's name was as well-known as Iris's.

Most importantly, her status as the top student in second-year martial arts and second-year magic was her biggest selling point.

Sharin mumbled the rest of her orange, then glanced at me.

"Alright, then..."

As Sharin began, my eyes lit up.

It was an invitation for her to say anything.

"In exchange for me doing that, Hanun, you'll go on a date with me."

What the...?

For a moment, I looked at Sharin with a bewildered expression.

"...Sharin, you *were* after my body, weren't you?"

"Yep, you're perfect as an experimental subject."

Oh, you crazy...

I'd forgotten she could aim for *that* angle.

Sharin smiled pleasantly, looking like she'd landed a hit.

"Ancient Dragon's Magic Imprint."

And then I realized why Sharin had said that.

"It's a date for that."

The remnants of the Ancient Dragon etched into my body were still unresolved.

Sharin called it a date, but she meant she would accompany me to solve this.

"Isn't that more for your benefit than mine?"

"I'm very generous."

Sharin straightened her back and puffed out her chest.

My gaze unconsciously drifted to her chest, which had been growing lately, but I quickly averted it.

"Besides, it's a field I want to research myself."

To Sharin, a mage, the Ancient Dragon's remnants were a highly intriguing subject.

Moreover, since it involved magic imprinting, it seemed to pique her interest even more.

"I'm grateful, then."

Regardless, it was something I was grateful for.

If I could resolve the Ancient Dragon's remnants, I had to do whatever it took.

'Alright, so the temporary vice-president is ready.'

Now, it's time to head to the World Academy Council meeting.

***

Six academies built above the Demon Palace.

Academies constructed by the Empire and five kingdoms to block the Demon Palace.

The World Academy Council meeting is a place for the student councils of each academy to socialize beforehand.

It's a venue where they hold discussions.

Of course, while they call it socializing, it's virtually a microcosm of the world's political landscape.

The representatives of each academy are all prominent figures from their respective nations.

It wasn't for nothing that Sylvester became president simply because of his background as Duke Draffen, despite lacking ability.

Such was the World Academy Council.

I was going to a place where representatives from the six academies gathered.

Of course, I wasn't exactly a key figure.

Just an assistant, the kind found in any student council.

I was accompanying them as a temporary secretary.

'How did I end up as a temporary secretary?'

Perhaps it was because I had diligently performed my student council duties.

For some reason, Nivolans had marked me as the next secretary.

Unlike the president and vice-president, the secretary position is strongly passed down within the student council.

Nivolans intended to pass the secretary position to me.

If only considering the ability as a secretary, there were many who were superior to me.

That's because the student council is where the most literature students are concentrated.

They are people who live buried in paper every day.

Even if I had lived in modern society and worked diligently in student council affairs, I couldn't compare to them.

Therefore, the secretary position was originally passed down generation after generation to literature students.

But Nivolans said to me,

"Hanun, do you think there's anyone in the current second year who can assist Lady Iris as secretary?"

At Nivolans' serious question, I couldn't bring myself to speak.

Third Princess, Iris Haisirion.

She was a flawless princess, proficient in both martial arts and magic.

Her position as a princess and her innate genius.

Before these, anyone from the Empire would be intimidated.

To faithfully serve as secretary by her side required considerable courage.

However, the student council had suffered a major blow due to the successive absences of the vice-president and president.

Most of the second-year literature students who usually participated in the student council had become completely disheartened.

They had all been thoroughly shaken by the inspector, which was natural for a student's mental state.

Could such people function as a secretary next to Iris?

Nivolans shook his head.

At the very least, the student who became secretary would clearly suffer from stress-induced enteritis and hair loss.

"But you'll be fine, Hanun."

I have good courage.

More precisely, my courage has been improving ever since I joined the Flame Butterfly faction.

Perhaps the loss of love, and the resulting erosion of self-care, played a significant role.

But even so, it was proving very useful now.

Moreover, I had a close relationship with Iris.

Even if I was lacking in ability as a secretary, the possibility of me getting stressed and running away was low.

"Hanun, you're the only one."

Nivolans earnestly pleaded with me.

He asked me to assist those two well at the council meeting.

And so, I had no choice but to come to the meeting as a temporary secretary.

And what am I doing now?

*Clatter-clatter-*

The sound of the carriage echoed.

My job was simple.

I was Iris's comfort doll.

Yes, the main reason I came here wasn't actually to be a secretary, but simply to act as her comfort doll.

Iris, who had pulled me into her embrace, was sleeping with her chin resting on my head.

I had to maintain my balance well so Iris wouldn't fall over.

At this point, it was a familiar routine, so I would have just accepted it.

The problem was the woman sitting opposite me, watching this intently.

"..."

Her crimson eyes stared directly at me.

It almost felt like there was a hint of a smile.

And on her lap, the most annoying Sharin was peacefully sleeping.

The identity of the person staring at me was none other than...

Isabel Luna.

Somehow, she too ended up coming to the council meeting with us.