Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Eve of the Storm #02
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Having heard my response, Agnes left the training hall without any particular reaction.
I had prepared responses for all the reactions I expected from her if I firmly said no like that.
She backed off more easily than I thought, leaving me a bit stunned.
"What was that? That's not the Agnes I knew..."
I was a little puzzled, but it wasn't like I had no idea what that reaction might mean.
"Probably the Student Council President put her up to it..."
Otherwise, there's no way that heavy-ass Student Council would send their Vice President over something like this.
In any case, getting tangled up with the Student Council at this point was something I wanted no part of.
My role model from the previous regression, my mentor, my rival—all those guys. Getting involved with the Student Council now would drag me into light novel territory instead of a proper webnovel plot.
Even in the original story, the protagonist only properly gets involved with the Student Council after the midterms in the first year, during the Student Council elections.
"In the novel, that protagonist guy got bogged down eating sweet potatoes dealing with all the council president candidates..."
Thinking about it now still pisses me off. I quietly cut out all those villain bastards without the protagonist even knowing.
Every time I try to make any progress with a girl, she shows up like a ghost to ruin it?
"Anyway, let's call it a relief."
"What's a relief, Big Brother?"
The sudden voice from behind me startled me even more than when I'd been surprised earlier.
Turning around, I saw Shaomei, who had changed out of her cadet uniform into a revealing cheongsam-style dress, setting up a lavish five-tier bento box.
Guess I got too lost in thought and my senses slipped.
"Nah, the Vice Student Council President was just here."
"Hee~ You mean that princess knight lady?"
The moment I brought up Agnes, Shaomei's big, sparkling eyes narrowed.
Did Shaomei know Agnes at this point, though?
"You know... Agnes?"
"Of course! Young Master Jorba said you'd end up charming her someday!"
Jorba Pelkas, you again?
I'm starting to strongly suspect that even Violet's reaction is because of that guy.
"Anyway, she told me to drop the duel. Guess the Student Council doesn't like us dragging out an incident they already handled."
"...Is that all?"
"Huh? What else would we even have to talk about?"
Agnes and I had just met for the first time. Any other business would be weird.
I might have things I want to say, but in this regression, they'd mean nothing.
"Now that you mention it, you're right! There's no way our shut-in loner Big Brother Arthin would have any conversation topics with Her Imperial Highness the princess!"
Shaomei suddenly laughed cheerfully, chiming in agreement with me.
She's been subtly roasting me for a while now. Does she actually hate me?
But seeing the extravagant five-tier bento laid out on a blanket on the arena floor chased that thought away.
No girl who prepares something like this could hate me! It's probably all Jorba's doing anyway.
"Big Brother Arthin."
I'd sat down next to Shaomei to eat when her suddenly serious tone made me turn my head.
The lively smile from moments ago was gone; Shaomei now looked at me with a grave expression.
"Are you... going to give up the duel?"
I shook my head at Shaomei's question.
It might look insane from the outside, but backing out now wasn't an option.
"If I was gonna quit, I wouldn't have provoked him into the duel in the first place. This ends things with Rexton once and for all."
Sure, I could chew him up bit by bit over time, but there were plenty of other villains besides Rexton demanding immediate attention.
My goal was to pick out the most obnoxious ones, smash their heads in, and live that refreshing soda life.
Wasting an entire regression on just Rexton would be pointless time sink.
"Hehe, that's the cool Big Brother! I'll help you as much as I can until the duel!"
Grinning at my answer, Shaomei picked up a massive meat bun with her chopsticks.
"Here! As a reward, let your junior feed you! I won't even do this for Young Master, so feel free to be moved!"
Rejecting any of that shy light novel nonsense out of embarrassment, I chomped it down in one bite.
Mmm! Whether they used island spices or something, the multifaceted flavors burst in my mouth with rich juices the moment I bit into the meat bun. The deep taste suggested premium beef.
Eating monster meat in the previous regression and now getting this heartfelt treatment upon returning—I'm seriously so damn happy.
"Delicious, so delicious!"
Returning Shaomei's pleased smile, I started stuffing my face with the bento.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Arthin Ludwig rejected our proposal, Student Council President."
Returning to the Student Council room, Agnes spoke while looking at the silver-haired handsome man seated across the round table from her.
"Student Council President? That's too stiff, Agnes. Just call me big brother Richard and I'd be satisfied."
Agnes sighed as she gazed at the slyly smiling man—no, her own brother and the Empire's Crown Prince.
"We're not the only ones here. We must always maintain decorum, Student Council President."
"Always so rigid. The books you secretly read every night don't have stiff girls like you in them!"
Richard Ermengarde looked satisfied at Agnes's face turning beet red as she frantically shushed him. He then turned to the other figures seated around the round table.
"Seems our bold freshman has rejected the Student Council's consideration."
A few executives clicked their tongues at his words.
Was it even possible for a lowborn from the insignificant Bronze Dorm with no notable family or talent to defy the Student Council's authority?
But the simple reason they couldn't voice loud complaints was this:
Due to the whims of the current president, Richard, they had pushed out the old desks and installed a luxurious mahogany round table—but it was a pointless change.
The Academy's Student Council wasn't just a representative body for students. That was mere window dressing.
In a politically neutral academy, it was better described as a power group that suppressed student disputes the institution couldn't handle.
Naturally, everyone who managed to snag even a seat at the table was either a prominent noble or a student from an unignorable family or with influential parents.
Occasionally, a student of exceptional talent bridged that gap, but this council had no such irregularities.
Moreover, this Student Council boasted the greatest power in Academy history, without exaggeration.
The current generation's Giant Slayer succeeding Urdan Helik, said to be born with a dragon's heart.
The Giant Slayer's younger brother, who beat to death an assassin trying to kidnap him at age twelve, and the kingdom's prince.
The second son of the Ishikuro family, hegemon of the Republican Federation, the next Yin-Yang Master said to have received divine powers from the gods.
The Empire's Crown Prince, considered the pinnacle of talent in the current era, serving as Student Council President.
And even his sister, the Vice President, a knight who rivaled even the Giant Slayer.
All of them weren't just destined for mid-level roles in their nations—they could become rulers without issue.
Such power meant crushing the complaints of some middling earl's family from a minor kingdom was effortless.
'That freshman's completely lost it. No sense of place.'
'If it were me, I'd bow in gratitude. Hasn't even learned noble decorum.'
'Arthin? Arthin? Arthin?'
Plenty of thoughts, but the immense pressure—where a careless word could get you disowned by your family—kept this council in constant tension.
"What do you think? You went out of your way to visit, and it came to nothing, Jorba Pelkas?"
Amid the grim-faced executives, the president's gaze shifted to Jorba, who had been standing by the table observing.
But even under the converging stares that turned stomachs, Jorba just shrugged slyly.
"Well, I was just trying to help Arthin. I'm not his spokesperson."
"Really? Last time you volunteered as your friend's mouthpiece, so I assumed the same."
"Watching a friend get caught in unreasonable violence isn't Jorba's style."
Richard's lips curved into a natural smile, clearly pleased by Jorba's unflappable attitude.
How many could remain so relaxed in the face of the Empire's Crown Prince's authority?
"Shame. Still no interest in joining the Student Council?"
"I prioritize mingling with the girls over headache-inducing council work."
"Ouch, rejected twice now. Tears are flowing."
Non-members attending council meetings weren't common to begin with. Jorba Pelkas, heir to the Pelkas Merchant Group, was an irregularity who had rejected a seat despite his outstanding talent.
Yet the president liked him enough to even grant this request.
"So, what now? Kid rejected, so we just let it slide?"
A sullen man who'd been watching spoke up, displeased with the situation.
Agnes thought it impressive the hot-tempered kingdom prince had held back this long and glanced at the Crown Prince.
The current flow allowed the Student Council to crush an individual named Arthin Ludwig under the banner of authority.
"Letting it slide feels off. He rejected our offer, after all."
"Want me to go beat some sense into him? Warn him not to get cocky?"
As the prince cracked his knuckles and Agnes sighed, preparing to intervene, the Crown Prince shook his head.
"No. Don't you want to properly check that spirit of his for rejecting our consideration?"
"...? How?"
Agnes's stomach began to churn at the president's words. This was how her big brother Richard's whims started.
"What crazy scheme are you plotting now? Don't you know we're short on budget because of that flashy fireworks show you bought for the entrance ceremony?"
"Crazy? The Academy must always innovate to nurture new talents. I'm just working to refresh this stagnant atmosphere!"
Definite. He'd cooked up some weird idea again.
Ignoring Agnes clutching her head, the president smiled at Jorba.
"Let's make it big. Not the 2nd Arena—I'll rent the 1st Arena. Open the spectator seats for all to see."
Most around the table couldn't hide their shock. An Imperial Knight versus a Bronze freshman in the 1st Arena? Publicly?
'Freshman, you're screwed...'
'Whoa, he pissed off the president for real.'
This was tantamount to shaming him for generations until he left the Academy on his own.
At minimum, students would gossip endlessly about the freshman getting his limbs shattered, just like ancient citizens watching gladiators in the Colosseum.
"Arthin Ludwig and Jorba Pelkas would never accept such a proposal, Student Council President!"
"No, I'll pass it on to Arthin."
"...?!"
As Agnes tried to block this abuse of authority, everyone except the president was stunned that Jorba accepted.
"Jorba Pelkas... Didn't you say you're Arthin Ludwig's friend?"
"Of course. Along with Shaomei, he's one of my two precious childhood friends."
"Then you should reject this idiotic proposal...!"
The outsider Agnes panicked while Jorba, the acquaintance, stayed calm.
However, Jorba harbored no jealousy toward Arthin or sordid plans to steal Shaomei.
'How will he react to this proposal? And how will he handle the duel...'
Jorba was genuinely curious. How would this completely changed Arthin act?
And whether it was truly okay, as Shaomei said, to just leave him be.
'I want to know if you're really my friend Arthin, Arthin.'