Chapter 116

Soon, in the bustling General Student Council room, preparations for the meeting were in full swing.

Joy moved busily according to the instructions of her student council senior.

She placed nameplates at each seat and laid papers with the meeting agenda on the observer seats.

After confirming the number of meeting materials to be distributed to the executives, the preparations were complete.

“It’s all done, senior.”

As Joy quickly finished her work, her student council senior, a fourth-year female student named Lillian, patted her on the shoulder and told her she did well.

‘Just as I thought, she’s so quick and nimble, a perfect fit for the sports club.’

She was the one who had first told Kylie about Joy.

She had recognized Joy’s quickness and recommended her as a player for Plameus, and thinking back, it was something to be proud of.

Besides, didn’t Joy know it herself and join Plameus on her own without being told?

Even if one knew the inside story, or perhaps especially because one knew, the fact that Joy did things proactively was a factor that made Lillian think well of her.

‘I heard from Kylie that she’s doing well even after joining.’

Lillian then recalled her chat with Kylie, who had visited her room last night.

Kylie had expressed her satisfaction with Joy and made a strange request.

“Tomorrow, at the General Student Council meeting, keep a close eye on what Eddie Summerson does and let me know.”

To suddenly talk about a hot potato like him while talking about a girl she liked.

It was a bit strange at first, but Lillian soon nodded.

It wasn't the first or second time Kylie had made such a sudden comment or request.

Above all, it wasn't strange for Kylie to be mindful of Eddie at this point.

Rumors were rampant that Eddie joining Plameus was a political move aimed at Kylie.

And Lillian knew that as well.

Of course, Kylie was a friend who didn't care about such rumors, but she thought that someone like Eddie Summerson was worth paying attention to.

Lillian stared blankly at Eddie’s nameplate placed opposite her.

And not long after, the owner of that nameplate entered the meeting room with Alexein.

* * *

The General Student Council meeting of Lieferden Academy began.

The meeting was led by the student council president and vice president, with dozens of student council executives and the presidents of each grade participating.

Furthermore, there were over twenty professors in the meeting room.

They were all professors who had come to observe the meeting, and among them was Vice Dean Carla Sinclair.

“Then we will move on to the next agenda item.”

As the student council president, Dalton, proceeded with the meeting, he glanced at the professors.

It was a record number of observing professors.

Usually, professors only observed the General Student Council meeting when a very important agenda was being discussed.

This time, there was nothing of the sort, yet many professors had come.

The reason, he could only guess, was Eddie Summerson.

“…that is the opinion of our fifth-year presidential board.”

“I see. Then we will hear the opinion of the fourth-year presidential board.”

Anyway, the meeting continued regardless of the strange situation.

At the vice president’s words, the fourth-year president stood up and presented his opinion.

And Dalton, while keeping his ears open, scanned the atmosphere in the meeting room towards Eddie.

Eddie was just sitting quietly next to Alexein.

As vice president, he did not present any opinions.

He didn't open his mouth even when other opinions were being collected.

But the conservative professors and students, especially the Kirhausen faction, were glaring at him intently.

Of course, there were those who were not like that.

For instance, among the professors, the Vice Dean.

And among the students, those from families that were not part of the Kirhausen faction.

But they were also in an observant position, so they didn't send any supportive glances towards Eddie.

Therefore, the atmosphere in the meeting room was generally hostile towards Eddie.

Pfft-

Dalton let out an involuntary sneer.

He, a Kirhausen, was staying quiet.

It was a little funny that those who were a step further away were making such a fuss.

‘Well, in truth, I’m the strange one.’

While Dalton swallowed his inner thoughts, the opinion presentations for the ninth agenda item from all grade-level presidential boards ended.

Alexein, who had presented last, sat down with a triumphant expression, and the voting began.

Voting is held when a proposal worthy of being a final discussion candidate is brought up during the agenda proposal.

In the previous case, the third-year presidential board had proposed a new method for an assignment to replace an exam.

But the conservative upper class does not welcome big changes.

And the academy’s General Student Council, which has many of them, inherited this tendency, so new opinion proposals were mostly rejected.

“Falling short of a majority, the vote on the ninth proposal from the third-year presidential board has been rejected.”

At Dalton’s words, the third-year president’s expression hardened slightly.

But Dalton paid no mind and proceeded with the meeting.

“Then we will hear the opinions of each presidential board on the final agenda item.”

And as the opinion presentation for the final agenda item began,

Smirk.

The corners of Eddie’s lips drew a slight curve.

.

.

.

“Then finally, we will hear the opinion of the first-year presidential board.”

Alexein cleared his throat and stood up from his seat.

He began with the vocalization he had practiced at home and presented his opinion on the final agenda item, ‘Determining the Location for the General Student Council Executives’ Retreat.’

Of course, in reality, it wasn’t presenting an opinion, but reading what Eddie had written down and to which he had merely nodded.

But what did it matter?

No one knew that fact.

Besides, Alexein was currently feeling quite triumphant as all the opinions he had presented in the previous agenda items had been approved.

Forgetting that it was Eddie who had proposed those opinions.

And without knowing that Eddie had based those opinions on the policies of his grandfather, Eustaf, during his time as student council president.

“The location deemed suitable for this General Student Council Executives’ Retreat is the small city of Boromia in the southeastern part of the empire.”

In a confident voice, Alexein began to read the contents of the opinion paper Eddie had written.

“As a place of significant historical and cultural importance, students will be able to learn many things through the training activities there.”

And as Alexein’s statement continued, there were some whose expressions darkened.

A few elderly professors sitting in the observer seats, and a few students sitting in their seats.

They had something in common.

They were all anti-nature, discriminating against beastmen and druids.

The elderly professors with hardened expressions had been vocal in the anti-nature faction through various theses and research.

Similarly, the families of the students with stern faces had been in agreement with them.

That was why they were quite surprised that Alexein had proposed ‘Boromia’ as the location for the executives’ retreat.

Boromia is certainly a place of great historical and cultural significance.

Because 90% of its residents are beastmen, their unique indigenous traditions and customs are well-preserved.

But the problem lay in the background of how Boromia became that way.

About 100 years ago, a large-scale protest demanding the recognition of beastmen as an official mana user class took place there.

It was a non-violent protest, but since beastmen from all over the empire participated, its scale was enormous.

Furthermore, by responding non-violently to the anti-nature faction that advocated for forceful suppression until the end, a pro-nature atmosphere was eventually created throughout the entire empire.

Unlike the recent druids, they had succeeded in their struggle for rights.

As a result of that protest, the beastmen were recognized as an official mana user class.

And due to that decision, the anti-nature faction lost the support of not only the imperial family but also the public, and was greatly weakened.

From the anti-nature faction’s perspective, Boromia was a place that reminded them of a shameful defeat.

That was why everyone was perplexed that Alexein was now casually mentioning Boromia.

Alexein even mentioned that the students would be able to learn many things.

It was a typical closing remark, but to the anti-nature faction now, it didn’t sound so simple.

‘Has Dickens, who was neutral on the nature issue, decided on a pro-nature stance?’

‘Or did he just pick Boromia without much thought because it’s a historically famous place?’

‘A family like Dickens doesn’t need to be mindful of the nature issue, so he might have chosen it without any particular intention.’

Amidst a flurry of correct and incorrect assumptions, Alexein finished his presentation and sat down.

Eddie, as planned, scanned the subtly twisted atmosphere of the room and smiled faintly.

The reactions of the people in the room were largely divided into three.

The anti-nature faction, who were offended by the mention of Boromia.

A minority who were knowledgeable in history and politics and were intrigued, mulling over the mention of Boromia.

And the majority who didn’t have much interest in the nature issue and heard the statement without much emotion.

A silence fell over the room for a moment.

But the reason for the silence was not because of the anti-nature faction.

Dalton, who should have been proceeding with the meeting, was looking at Alexein without a word.

Dalton glanced once at the flustered Alexein and once at the hardened expressions of the anti-nature faction members.

Then he opened his mouth to continue the meeting.

“Then we will proceed with a show of hands for the opinion of the first-year presidential board on the final agenda…”

But it was then.

“I have a question.”

An elderly professor from the observer seats cut Dalton off and interjected.

He was a member of the Kirhausen faction and a hard-line anti-nature figure, and he was looking at Alexein with a hardened expression.

“Professor Swandraw, do you have something to say?”

“I would like to hear a little more specifically about the opinion of the first-year presidential board that proposed Boromia as the location for the General Student Council Executives’ Retreat.”

“Specifically, what part are you referring to?”

“The reason for choosing Boromia.”

The end of Professor Swandraw’s words was somewhat sharp.

He had gained courage from the short silence Dalton had created and had spoken up.

Two families that had been at odds within the magical world but were common bystanders when it came to the nature issue.

He had been freely advocating the anti-nature line as long as it didn’t displease Kirhausen.

But if Dickens first changes to pro-nature, Kirhausen would have to respond accordingly.

So, there was a need to hear Alexein’s words more specifically.

Dalton nodded to Professor Swandraw and said to the flustered Alexein.

“First-year President, please answer the question.”

“Ah…”

Alexein stood up awkwardly and quickly rolled his eyes to scan his surroundings.

Only then did he notice the subtly heavy atmosphere.

Alexein couldn't tell exactly what had caused the strange atmosphere.

But from Professor Swandraw’s remark, it seemed that the place Boromia itself was the problem.

But Alexein couldn’t immediately grasp why it was a problem.

He was not well-versed in politics or history, and he was even less interested in the nature issue.

And above all, his mind wasn’t working in this sudden, bewildering situation.

‘I just read what Eddie Summerson, that damn bastard, wrote…!’

Only then did Alexein blame Eddie inwardly and glare at him out of the corner of his eye.

Eddie was looking up at Alexein with a calm expression.

‘Don’t tell me this bastard pulled some trick to get me in trouble?’

Since he couldn’t understand the situation and was flustered, all sorts of suspicions arose.

Alexein finally opened his mouth after fumbling with his lips for a long time.

“Actually, the original proposer of the final agenda item was the vice president. It would be better for you to hear the answer from the vice president on that part.”

Passing the buck.

Alexein sat down after making a rather irresponsible remark.

Then he gestured to Eddie with his eyes to stand up quickly.

‘Why, you wrote it anyway…!’

Alexein fiercely urged Eddie, even using ventriloquism.

Eddie stood up, pretending to be unable to resist.

Then, everyone’s gaze in the room turned to Eddie, and only then did Alexein let out a sigh of relief.

‘Right. You should clean up your own mess, how dare you try to pass it on to me.’

With that thought, Alexein looked up at Eddie crookedly.

Let’s see what he has to say in this situation.

But this very moment was what Eddie had been hoping for.

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