Chapter 81: Chapter 81

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Student Council Under Siege

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While all the students were exhilarated by Foundation Day, the student council members were all resting, their faces etched with exhaustion.

"Ugh, finally, some rest."

"Tell me about it. This time, all the schedules overlapped, I thought I was going to die."

The student council members lamented the grueling schedule.

The Nikita incident and the Vice President's absence.

Preparation for Foundation Day.

And on top of that, the International Academy Individual Tournament, which was to take place after Foundation Day.

The student council was truly being battered by a tidal wave of work.

Perhaps that's why, even with rumors of unsettling movements among the students, the student council couldn't make any significant moves. They were simply too busy, and besides, they thought there was no way the students themselves would cause any major trouble.

"By the way, where's the President?"

"He said he's going to the student council office."

"He's not going to the student council office just to sleep again, is he?"

"No way."

The student council members didn't seem to trust their President much. Even normally, more people consulted Vice President Nikita than President Sylvester.

Perhaps that's why Sylvester, as President, held a rather dubious position.

"But the President worked hard for today too."

"That's true."

Although Sylvester was often called an incompetent President, after Nikita disappeared, he had been working hard in his own way.

So, it was a time when the student council members didn't want to blame him too much.

"Holy cow, guys, look at this!"

A student burst into the classroom where the student council members were resting.

The moment they wondered about the appearance of a fellow student council member, they saw the words written on the paper he held and scrambled to their feet.

[ The current student council is corrupt. ]

The corruption committed by the student council and their past actions.

Is the current student council truly righteous?

Below, the acts of corruption committed by the student council were meticulously detailed.

These were acts of corruption committed by past student councils, even before Nikita's time. The student council shared a history with Jerion Academy.

As such, given its long history, there were individuals within the student council who committed improper acts.

During Nikita's tenure as Vice President, such incidents had all disappeared, so the current student council was not involved. However, it was uncertain if the current students would see it that way.

Moreover, not only alumni but also currently serving professors, associate professors, and teaching assistants were implicated.

Wherever people gather, there are bound to be problematic individuals. Even if the student council was overlooked, there were quite a few students who harbored resentment towards professors, associate professors, and teaching assistants.

As long as even one of those names was included, the students' rage would undoubtedly engulf the student council by association in an instant.

"Holy cow, this is incitement! We never did anything like this!"

"...This isn't a problem from our time. This is targeting the very hotbed of corruption within Jerion Academy, not just the student council."

A quick-witted student council member grasped the true meaning behind the paper.

"Moreover, this information is something only someone deeply familiar with the student council or the academy itself would know."

The quick-witted student council member swallowed hard.

"It just happened to break during our time. Someone is clearly determined to rip out the very roots of corruption within the student council and Jerion Academy."

At this moment, everyone felt a colossal shift. A colossal shift that, as mere students, they were powerless to control.

"Wh-what should we do?"

"What 'what should we do'—this is..."

"First, let's retrieve those papers! If we leave them, we'll be implicated and God knows what will happen to us!"

"But if we do that, won't it be like admitting it's our fault?"

The student council members began to murmur amongst themselves.

Normally, there would have been someone here to lead the handling of such an incident, but no such talent was present. Perhaps that's why the student council only grew more chaotic.

BOOM!

Then, something reverberated in their ears. It was the sound of an explosion from a distance.

At the sudden explosion, the student council members froze in place.

SLAM!

"What are you all doing here?!"

At that moment, the door burst open and a black-haired boy appeared. It was Hanon Airey.

"The student council office has been occupied by those guys shouting for a student council boycott!"

Hearing his shout, the student council members' eyes widened. Whatever else, they couldn't just stand by and watch the student council office get occupied.

"Everyone, follow me! First, we're taking back the student council office!"

"These bastards are really doing whatever they want!"

"They really think the student council is a joke, don't they?!"

All the student council members rushed out in a flurry. After they rushed out, Hanon let out a sigh.

He then ran a hand through his hair, as if the wig he wore was a bit cumbersome.

"I did help, but I didn't expect it to escalate this much."

Hanon Airey. His true identity was Hania Rapidia, disguised as Hanon.

After planning the boycott with Hanon, she supported Hanon and the boycott members by providing information.

Initially, Hania had intended to lead the boycott group herself. But after seeing how Hanon managed the boycott group, she stopped.

It was right to leave this to Hanon.

'Honestly, I still don't know what kind of person he is.'

Hanon understood Jerion Academy more deeply than the information Hania had gathered.

Hania, too, had initially planned to follow Iris's wishes and root out the corruption while she was at it. But with Hanon joining in, it seemed they would not only root out the corruption but also the dirty secrets hidden deep within Jerion Academy.

He even went so far as to suggest arranging new roots to take hold in the place of those that were pulled out.

The Third Princess's faction took the lead in bringing them in.

The Third Princess's faction was thrilled to be able to plant their own members within Jerion Academy and cooperated enthusiastically. To the point that Iris was praised by Duke Robliazh.

Iris then passed on the praise directly to Hania. And thanked her for doing so much for her.

Receiving her gratitude was indeed a joyous thing. However, it wasn't she who spearheaded this operation, but Hanon.

The gratitude was directed at the wrong person.

'...If only he hadn't told me to keep it a secret.'

Hania had made one promise with Hanon regarding this matter. That was to keep his assistance in this matter a secret from Iris.

Perhaps that's why, despite receiving praise from Iris, she felt a vague sense of discomfort.

Simply taking credit wasn't Hania's style.

"Hania."

Just then, Hania suddenly heard a voice calling her name.

Hania, who had instinctively started to turn her head, stopped. Her current appearance was Hanon, not Hania.

But the voice from a moment ago had clearly called *her* name.

In the quiet hallway, there was no one else here but her.

Hania shifted her gaze, following the voice that had called her. There, a girl with honey-blonde hair stood.

She smiled, her vermilion eyes gleaming. But for some reason, that smile held a chilling quality.

"Hanon, where did he go?"

Isabel Luna. At her question, Hania instinctively felt a shiver of dread and recoiled.

Had Isabel always felt like this?

When Isabel used to follow Hanon around, she was as cheerful as a large golden retriever. But the current Isabel exuded no emotion whatsoever.

Even Hania felt a profound sense of intimidation, a chilling coldness emanating from her.

"...I don't know what you're talking about. I'm right here."

Hania feigned ignorance for now. But she didn't think Isabel would believe her.

As Hania expected, Isabel showed no particular reaction.

"Oh, right, it's fine. I think I have a good idea where he is."

Hania silently swallowed her gasp. Isabel then turned and walked away, leaving Hania behind.

As Hania watched her retreating back, Isabel opened her mouth as if something had just occurred to her.

"Oh, right, Hania, when *that person* feigns ignorance, their eyebrows go up a little more."

Hania's shoulders twitched.

Isabel smiled sweetly, unfazed.

"You should remember that much. You are playing the role of that person's girlfriend, after all. Shouldn't you perform it properly?"

With those words, Isabel turned and departed. Hania, staring blankly, swept back her sweat-dampened hair.

Though Hania usually kept her cursing in check, at this moment, no other words came to mind.

"...Hanon, I think you're screwed."

She bit her lip tightly, then turned and began to run.

"Ugh, he's really a high-maintenance person, isn't he?"

***

In the main building's hallway, deserted even by professors due to Foundation Day, noisy sounds could be heard.

The source of the noise was the boycott group, who had occupied the student council office. The student council members returned to the main building and began clashing with the occupiers.

Meanwhile, the boycott members dug up evidence of corruption remaining not only in the student council office but also in the professors' offices.

"...Why are you doing this?"

Just then, a voice reached my ears. My current location was the student council office. And I was currently in Vikamon's form.

Just in case, I had wrapped an additional layer of the Veil Bandage around my true form, Vikamon. It was Vikamon, but a Vikamon made of the Veil Bandage.

Thanks to that, the lightning scars on my body were not visible.

Next to me, the student council president, Sylvester Draven, sat tied up on the floor.

If you were to ask why I was doing this, it was to advance the scenario. But even if I explained it, he wouldn't understand.

"I'm just setting things right."

The Jerion Academy student council is fundamentally flawed in its structure.

And that's not all. Jerion Academy, having been maintained for a long time, had subtly sprouted seeds of discord.

It's a regrettable truth, but stagnant water eventually spoils.

'Initially, it was an academy founded by Sage Jerion to cultivate heroes.'

As time passed, Jerion Academy developed various internal problems.

The corruption incidents related to the student council were the hidden underside of Jerion Academy. And these collectively lead to various complex issues.

'Perfect for the Demon Lord to take root.'

Hearing my nonchalant reply, Sylvester swallowed a hollow laugh.

"Vikamon."

Sylvester remembered me.

"What you're doing won't set things right. In the end, you'll just repeat the same mistakes."

He was right.

Even if we replace the corrupt professors, those who come in new won't necessarily be clean.

But I can be sure of one thing.

The Duke of Robliazh's confidantes, who are set to become academy professors or associate professors this time, will focus on running Jerion Academy properly for the time being.

The Third Princess's faction has an obligation to show them that their management of Jerion Academy is superior to that of the First Prince's faction.

So, for the time being, it won't be possible to run it any cleaner than this.

'Who knows what will happen later.'

Through this, I'm essentially seizing an opportunity to more comfortably root out the Demon Lord. It was a situation with no downside for me.

"Sylvester, stop spouting nonsense."

At that moment, the one who cut off Sylvester was Rozamin, the leader of the boycott. He glared at Sylvester, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Your words are just excuses in the end. Don't you, the incompetent one who did nothing and let things fester, dare disparage someone trying to change things even a little."

I was quite surprised.

In the beginning, Rozamin had shown a somewhat flighty side. But he had matured by earnestly committing himself to the boycott.

Through this boycott, Rozamin genuinely wanted to change Jerion Academy. Furthermore, he wanted to be someone who set wrongs right.

'Everyone grows. Is this what it means?'

Rozamin, who was originally no more than a villain in Act 4, now that he was a real person, showed aspects I had never seen before.

"...You're right."

Sylvester, hearing Rozamin's words, conceded more easily than expected.

"But sometimes, it's better for the incompetent to remain silent."

He said that, a grim smile playing on his lips.

BOOM!

Just then, another explosion reverberated from the main building.

An explosion of a different magnitude than before. Hearing this, Sylvester looked up with a displeased expression.

"If you were going to stir things up, you should've just stuck to the student council."

Sylvester had anticipated who would make a move because of this incident.

"The professors implicated in this corruption wouldn't just stand by, would they?"

The faculty of Jerion Academy who had committed corruption. One of them had begun to make a move.