Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Student Council Inquiry
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8
6
Knock knock.
The luxurious wooden door let out a soft sound.
After the knock and a brief wait, Leon pulled the handle at the sound of permission from beyond.
The space that unfolded was the student council room.
Fitting the reputation of Esterro Academy, the student council room was vast.
The pure white room, larger than most lecture halls, featured gold accents here and there, with high-end leather sofas and a round table placed leisurely.
"Sit."
The student council secretary, Robert Hunt, pushed up his glasses and pointed to the spot opposite his own sofa.
Leon sat quietly in front of him.
Francis the shepherd lifted his head.
"You're Leon Hilfenberg, right?"
Their gazes met for a moment, then Robert stroked Francis's head as he spoke up.
"Yes, that's me."
"Sorry for calling you when things haven't settled down yet."
"No, it's fine. Has the situation been resolved safely?"
He was more concerned about the resolution than himself.
Robert stared at Leon through his glasses.
"We've apprehended all members of the Discrimination-Free Reading Society that occupied the library. All the students held hostage are safe."
Haa...
Only then did Leon let out a sigh.
Seeing him relax his shoulders, Robert closed his eyes briefly.
"The president and vice president are currently absent. I'm in charge of this incident. So, accept my thanks. You played a big role in resolving it."
"I only did what I had to."
"What you had to," Robert repeated.
It wasn't something one could declare so definitively.
But there was no reason to press on that point.
Robert adjusted his glasses and changed the subject.
"Anyway, to get straight to the point: were you hiding your abilities?"
"...Do I have to answer that?"
"No, you don't. I can't force you. But managing and preventing dangers within the academy is the student council's job, so I'm asking."
A brief silence fell.
Robert and Leon stared at each other wordlessly.
As Francis flattened his ears in the tense atmosphere, Leon nodded slightly with a small sigh.
"I see you have some basis for judging that I'm hiding something."
"Yes. The Discrimination-Free Reading Society members were all second- and third-years with decent skills. To take down eighteen of them single-handedly, you'd need commensurate strength. Especially their leader, third-year Louis—he'd be impossible for a first-year."
"...Louis?"
Leon tilted his head at the unfamiliar name.
Robert picked up a file from the table and handed it to Leon.
"You wouldn't know the name. Green hair, in the lobby."
The file contained Louis Lefersha's academy records.
Even confirming the photo at the top, it was a face Leon didn't remember.
It wasn't him who took down Louis Lefersha.
Leon was about to say so, but a possibility suddenly flashed through his mind.
In the lobby where the hostages were confined, Leon had been the first to move.
But before heading to the lounge, he had freed one person.
Theo Agrit.
Not particularly large-built but sturdy, with a cold impression yet sometimes clumsily off-kilter, and those deep gray eyes that occasionally seemed to pierce through everything—a classmate.
If he, like Leon, was hiding his abilities, then taking down a third-year alone might be possible.
No, no other possibilities came to mind.
Since Robert was pinpointing Leon as the one who defeated Louis, no hostage must have claimed to have done it.
Either no one among the hostages took him down,
Or someone did but deliberately concealed the information.
Two possibilities, and the only one fitting was Theo Agrit.
"Remember now?"
At Robert's question, Leon pulled his thoughts away.
Of course he didn't remember, but he didn't shake his head rashly.
He didn't know why Theo Agrit was hiding his abilities.
But he could understand the fact that he was hiding them.
'He must have his reasons.'
Whatever they were, Leon didn't want to expose them carelessly.
Leon Hilfenberg nodded quietly.
7
"Haa, time already..."
By the time I finally returned to the reading room, it was already night.
Outside the window, only thick darkness and faint moonlight remained.
Most students had left the Minenvar Library long ago... which meant I had the reading room to myself.
"If not for this assignment, I'd be sprawled out in the dorm by now."
What can you do.
Falling asleep in the dorm would mean expulsion tomorrow.
Still, it wasn't so bad.
Leon had been summoned by the student council, but I hadn't heard a thing.
As a victim caught in the Minenvar Library occupation, I'd given a brief statement... but clearly no one knew I'd taken down Louis.
With this, I'd exit stage left, and Leon would get along nicely with the student council, running around in the main story.
The Discrimination-Free Reading Society would seem laughable amid all sorts of bizarre incidents...
Yeah, I couldn't live like that.
Once I cleanly escaped the failing grade crisis, I'd enjoy a peaceful, comfortable school life.
To do that, first the assignment...
"You were here."
A voice I'd grown familiar with rang out.
Without needing to turn, five thick books piled up beside me.
I set down my quill and turned to find Leon staring at me.
"...Weren't you summoned to the student council?"
"I went and came back."
"Then why come back to the library?"
"Because I promised to help."
"...What?"
What was this guy saying.
He came back because of a promise?
After single-handedly dismantling the Discrimination-Free Reading Society, becoming the hero of the resolution, enduring all sorts of investigations, he sought me out in the library at this hour for a promise?
...
No, Leon Hilfenberg was always like this.
He kept promises no matter what, pursued his idea of justice without regard for consequences, and didn't hesitate to sacrifice himself to help others.
In short, a personality so naively good that it couldn't help but suffer losses.
Clearly unsuited for navigating harsh reality.
A trait possible only because he was the protagonist in a crafted story.
But I didn't dislike people like that.
Chasing ideals even at personal cost was beautiful.
"More importantly, your chronic illness?"
"...Ah, right, that setting."
I'd forgotten for a moment, but Leon was still keeping track.
At the sudden concern, I inadvertently let slip my true thoughts, and Leon tilted his head.
"Setting?"
"I don't actually have any chronic illness. It was an act to get you moving."
"But the blood..."
"That's why the inside of my cheek still hurts."
That part was real.
It still stung if I touched it.
"Sorry for deceiving you."
"No, as long as it's nothing serious, that's good."
See? "Good person" doesn't even begin to cover it.
Leon smiled faintly and turned his body.
"Those five books should suffice for the references. The rest is on you, or it won't mean anything. I'll head out now."
"Yeah, thanks."
Asking for more help would be less conscientious than just having him do the assignment.
As I waved goodbye to Leon, he added casually.
"You took down Louis Lefersha, right?"
The expected question.
Since Leon hadn't.
Instead of denying rashly, I tilted my head slightly.
"...Who's that?"
I reacted as if hearing the name for the first time before outright denying.
But Leon just smiled faintly.
"See you tomorrow."
With a small wave, Leon finally left the reading room.
I didn't know if my lie worked... but whatever, since it was Leon, it'd be fine either way.
"Still, when am I gonna finish all this..."
The books Leon left were quite thick.
I worried if I could finish by tonight...
But somehow, I had to.
Instead of sighing, I gripped the quill and opened the top book.
8
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Minenvar Library.
Choco scampered through an unknown space thick with dust.
Back when Theo Agrit was confined by the Discrimination-Free Reading Society.
Choco, who had followed his master, slipped away from the scene unnoticed and hid in the library.
A raccoon's ability to navigate passages humans couldn't made the escape possible.
That was over an hour and twenty-four minutes ago.
After freely exploring the library, Choco suddenly stopped.
Then he scratched at the stone floor with his tiny paws.
Tap, tap...
The spot Choco scratched crumbled bit by bit.
Soon a small hole formed, and Choco poked his head in.
Below spread countless bookshelves.
Neatly arranged in straight lines.
However, unlike the shelves on other floors, an eerie, inorganic atmosphere hung over them.
Naturally so—this was the forbidden archive.
The place where the Tekat Kingdom's prohibited books were strictly sealed.
But unconcerned with such matters, Choco wriggled his body fully into the hole.
His center of gravity shifted forward.
The inevitable result: a plunge pulled by gravity.
From ceiling to floor, over three meters.
Fairly high for a small raccoon, but Choco flipped in midair and landed steadily.
His natural movements rivaled a cat's.
Pat pat pat. Choco trotted lightly through the forbidden archive.
Chains locked every shelf—an abnormal sight.
Glancing around at the scene, Choco soon stopped before a corner shelf.
Standing on hind legs, he stretched his front paws.
But no matter how far, they didn't reach the first shelf.
Hoo, after a deep breath, Choco jumped in place.
Only then did he grab the shelf and climb diligently.
Reaching the second shelf from the top with effort, Choco sniffed, then pulled out a sealed book from the corner.
A book bound in brown leather.
Not very thick, but wrapped tightly in chains and secured with a padlock.
Clearly not meant to be read... but Choco clutched the forbidden tome preciously.
Clang!
At that instant, the forbidden archive door flew open without warning.
Choco nimbly climbed atop the shelf and flattened himself.
"Yawn... Thought I heard something... must be my imagination..."
A guard, yawning widely, entered with a lantern.
The lantern light swept over the archive.
But it didn't quite reach the top of the shelves.
Clutching the book tightly, Choco crept silently.
His steps toward the open door made no sound.
The exit was close.
But suddenly, Choco began falling toward the floor, pulled by gravity.
He'd unwittingly slotted perfectly into the gap between overlooked shelves.
This way, he'd crash...!
He'd be caught...!
Worse, the guard's lantern shone into the shelf gap.
But there was only piled dust.
Choco dangled from the shelf edge, tail wrapped around it.
Climbing back up, Choco let out a muffled sigh of relief.
Then he crossed to the doorway.
"What's this hole in the ceiling...?"
The guard noticed the hole Choco had made behind him.
But pay it no mind—Choco clutched the forbidden book dearly and leisurely left the archive behind.