The First Assignment
Ludenberg finished his dawn training and headed straight to the student council room. He planned to check what tasks had been assigned to him today before attending classes.
Upon arriving at the student council room, Ludenberg knocked twice on the door and asked, "It's Ludenberg. May I come in?"
"Yeah, come on in!"
The room was empty. The only one there was Dalia, buried in paperwork with a half-dead expression despite the early hour.
"You're early. Wow, you're the first one to show up this early."
"I finished my dawn training and stopped by on the way. You said there was work assigned to me."
"That diligence of yours... I love it. Let me see... the task I had for you... Ah, here it is. Take this."
Dalia handed Ludenberg a single sheet of paper.
Student Support Request Form
Nah Tes
Requesting the assistance of one physically strong student council member for cleaning the research lab.
"This is... a cleaning job?"
Ludenberg, thinking it was a surprisingly minor task, looked at Dalia with a slightly bewildered expression.
"Yawn. Yeah. But it's harder than it looks, you know?"
Dalia yawned and nodded at Ludenberg.
"...Cleaning?"
"Professor Nah's lab is a nightmare—no other way to put it. No idea if it's because she's a Star Pilgrim, but it's always overflowing with papers and all sorts of materials. Organizing it takes serious effort. That's why we needed someone strong, and here you are. Way easier than taking down a high-rank erosion beast, right?"
"Understood. When should I visit Professor Nah's lab?"
"The sooner, the better. No afternoon training for a while, so afternoons would be ideal."
"Is this the only task assigned to me?"
"For now. It's your first day on student council duties, so... you need to get a feel for how things run here first. Same for Ashytara."
"What does Tara have to do?"
"Ashytara's tasks are a bit different from yours. She's a Solem priestess, right? So we need to discuss Adem Festa stuff. Like when to light the sacred flame, how big the brazier should be... that sort of thing. Last year, Professor Eldora handled it, but this year Ashytara's here as a student."
"Ah..."
"What? Too light a workload? Want more?"
"No thanks."
"Heh heh. Just kidding. Truth is, cleaning Professor Nah's lab alone will take a ton of time. Moving books, sorting materials... it'll be real manual labor if you do it properly. I'm giving you something simple since it's your first time—no real thinking required. Later on, you'll handle cooperation requests with professors and such, so this is enough for now."
"Understood."
"You have no idea how grateful I am right now. Yeah. The other council members freak out when I even mention cleaning Professor Nah's lab. They've all been passing it around, so I've just been holding onto it."
"That bad?"
"Yep. How could I not be thankful when you jump right in? It's way tougher than me stamping these papers."
"Every job has its own headaches, doesn't it? I've done plenty of paperwork myself, so I get it."
"Oh... right, you're the heir to a duchy. So you know your way around documents and admin work?"
"Something like that. Father gave me a lot of assignments like that."
"Then could you help me out sometime later? Not today, obviously."
"Gladly."
As Ludenberg nodded, Dalia's face lit up with genuine emotion.
"For real? I can't believe it. How did we get someone like you in student council? Do you always help out like this?"
"I don't go out of my way to help others. It's just... my principle to give my all in any role I'm given."
"Wow..."
Dalia couldn't help but let out an exclamation. It was a stubbornly principled mindset—one other students might shake their heads at—but right now, it was exactly what she needed for student council. Those duties demanded rigidity; one slip in flexibility, and the whole framework crumbled.
Dalia felt like she'd finally found a light in her grueling student council life.
"Not just me... Tara will probably take her duties seriously too. In some ways, she's even more diligent than I am."
"Really?"
And to top it off, there was another one like that! Dalia wanted to cheer.
Right on cue, Ashytara knocked on the door.
"It's Ashytara. Can I come in?"
Dalia's eyes sparkled as she shouted with uncharacteristic energy, "Come in!"
"Hello..."
"Come on in!"
Ashytara entered a bit hesitantly, greeted Dalia, then smiled warmly at Ludenberg, who was sitting on the sofa reviewing a document.
"Lud. You're here early? You went back to the dorms early yesterday."
"Looks like I'll have to wake up at dawn from now on anyway, for student council."
"Guess I'll do the same. Oh, President. What am I doing today?"
"Let's talk Adem Festa prep. You're handling the sacred flame this year as Solem's priestess, right?"
"Yeah, that's the plan."
"Then we'll go over brazier size, flame intensity... all that stuff."
"Ah, okay."
With Ashytara there, Dalia dove into discussing the opening ceremony plans. The sacred flame rising at the opening was practically the symbol of Adem Festa, so it was the top priority.
Adem Festa was next week. Prep had to move fast—no dragging things out.
Dalia outlined the schedule and asked for Ashytara's input.
"The flames should be big and bright, right? With the recent ambush... a lot of students are feeling down."
"Flashy and grand? How big should the brazier be then?"
"Something like this? The imperial family covers costs, so no budget worries. And the ritual at the very end of the ceremony."
"Yeah, that makes sense. You know your stuff, even for your first time..."
"I asked my sister."
"Ah, if Professor Sione helped, that explains it."
"Just in case. She mentioned I'd be helping with student council, so I prepped."
Dalia was on the verge of tears at Ashytara's thoroughness.
"You two showing up is a godsend...!"
"By the way, President."
"Just call me Senior Dalia."
"Okay, Senior Dalia. Where are the other seniors?"
Now that she mentioned it, the room felt eerily empty—no trace of anyone else. Dalia was the only one using this vast space.
"They're out requesting cooperation from the shopping district—materials, structures... and sent requests to Terra and Lanur churches too."
"Makes sense for a festival. Church support is essential."
"Exactly. Especially Terra for the temporary competition arenas."
"What kind of competitions?"
"Nothing too grand. Like Solemnute Adem's beauty contest... nothing super flashy. The saint law performance contest might be the highlight?"
"Saint law performances?"
"Yeah, shows using saint laws for all sorts of spectacles."
"Don't the churches complain? Turning saint laws into entertainment?"
"No way. They started it."
Dalia shot Ludenberg a look like he'd said something ridiculous.
"..."
"Anyway, the others are handling cooperation requests. Some with professors."
"How many members total?"
"Two each from knight and theology faculties, years 1 through 3—that's twelve, plus me makes thirteen."
"Hold on. Theology too? Is Nadan Tes in it?"
"Nadan Tes? Oh, the big guy?"
"Yes."
"Yeah, he's the top first-year theology student. Started last week—their grades came out before knights'."
"Why didn't he clean his sister's lab then? He's Professor Nah's brother."
"Oh... he said he'd rather hunt erosion beasts than clean her mess. No confidence in tackling that chaos."
"That guy."
"But he's handling church cooperation, so I let it slide. Leaves it to you, though. Didn't know you two were friends?"
"Not friends. Just... tangled up in various ways."
"That's what friends are at school."
"Anyway, got it. I'll handle this today. Classes are starting soon."
"I'll head out too, Senior Dalia. See you this afternoon—no training anyway."
Ashytara, who had been jotting down her Solem priestess duties, stood with Ludenberg.
"Thanks so much for the help. I might actually rest today... I'll repay you later!"
"No need... but tell us more about the perks council members get later. That'll do."
"Of course! Seriously, thank you—you saved me. Ahh, I can nap now. Go on before you're late."
Dalia sighed in relief and sprawled comfortably on the sofa.
"Yes. Take care, Senior."
She waved lazily at their farewell and drifted off to sleep.