Sponsorship Review (2)
After sending off Centonio, I continued processing the documents.
"How are the field training requests from the academies coming along?"
"We'll prioritize G1, followed by G2 and G3."
"Starting this year, the high school division will be heading to the front lines too, so make sure there are no shortcomings. Handle it thoroughly."
"Yes, sir. Leave it to me."
Field training.
It was the event the protagonist faced after class assignments and the first mock battle.
It was also the first time the protagonist stepped outside the city.
Heading to a relatively safer fortress on the front lines, the protagonist would engage in combat against the demon race there.
Well, that's how it went up to the last season, but I can't assume this season will be the same.
I wanted to lead Noah's group myself, but unfortunately, I had too much on my plate.
All I could do here was hope the vice president, who would be leading them, did a good job.
Besides, now that Noah was a returning student, Slaine had issued her a Flu, so I could give detailed instructions through that.
I'd naturally gotten her Flu number when she asked for mine.
She picked up with eerie speed whenever I sent a casual check-in, so no worries about her not answering.
And even if the number changed, High-ho could get the new one in seconds.
Anyway.
Events far in the future could wait.
First things first—check the upcoming event right around the corner.
"The club sponsorship reviews are coming up soon. How's the prep going?"
"With the influx of freshmen, the number of clubs meeting the criteria has surged. As you can see, applications are about double last year's."
"We set pretty strict conditions, but still this many."
I clicked my tongue as I scanned the documents Tatiana handed over.
The pages were packed with so many clubs, it made me wonder if our city really had this many.
"We can't review them all, so send official notices to each club right away demanding secondary submissions. Once the Planning and Finance Division does a thorough check, we'll interview only the ones that pass."
There were more clubs than expected.
Sorry to dump extra work on the Planning and Finance Division for round two, but otherwise the interviews would drag on forever.
I shot Tatiana a glance as she took the documents, then grabbed the next stack.
"Who's handling the meeting with Flügel?"
"Centonio himself will go. It's a hefty sponsorship amount, so Theodor Flügel, their CEO, is coming personally."
"Hm."
Theodor Flügel.
The man who'd turned a modest trading company into one of Academy City's top conglomerates.
A builder of empires, he had flashy eloquence and considerable charisma to boot.
Of course, leaving it to Centonio was reassuring, but the issue was he'd be leaving soon.
Flügel expressed intent for ongoing sponsorship beyond this year.
Which meant we needed talent on our side for regular negotiations with them.
Yes, that deputy chief they called the vice minister.
Centonio must have groomed him well...
This major negotiation was a chance to see not just Centonio's skills, but his successor's too.
Hm.
Fortunately, the vice president was covering urgent matters, so I might have time.
"I'll tag along."
"...The president himself?"
"Yeah. And tell Centonio to bring Aria Saintpol too."
"The deputy chief of Planning and Finance. Understood."
Honestly, Centonio could handle it solo, but I had business nearby anyway.
No matter how big a shot Flügel's CEO was, he wouldn't strut in front of me.
There, I've set the stage.
Let's see what she's got.
Aria Saintpol.
"You've arrived."
"Mm."
"A-ah, h-hello!"
A few days later.
Before the Flügel meeting, I ran into the blue-haired girl with Centonio.
"Right, you're Aria."
Blue long hair, lake-like eyes, and a pure, innocent look.
She evoked the image of a petite church nun overall.
The girl, radiating a devout and sacred aura, was so tense she'd bitten her tongue and wore a teary expression.
"Y-yes! I'm Aria Saintpol, deputy chief of Planning and Finance!"
"Yeah, we've met a few times at Total Council meetings. I remember."
At those gatherings of department heads, they could bring a few aides.
Aria here had been one of Centonio's.
I'd figured she held a decent position, but deputy chief? Unexpected.
...What? You think I should know my own deputy chiefs as president?
Idiot! Do you have any idea how many staff the Total Student Council has?
It's an organization handling the executive functions of a whole nation, exaggeratedly speaking.
Sure, I approve deputy appointments, so I see the paperwork, but personnel authority mostly rests with department heads.
Even deputies are faces I see less than the heads.
And since secretaries brief me on most reports from the departments, I rarely meet staff directly.
If I camped out in the student council room, maybe I'd spot a few, but the president's job isn't just paperwork.
The vice president handles most documents, so she's the one who knows staff details inside out.
Wait, doesn't that mean she basically holds all the staff loyalty...?
......
.........
....
I desperately averted my eyes from that unwelcome truth and met her gaze.
"You know what we have to do today, right?"
"Yes! Negotiate with Flügel for the best possible results!"
"Hahaha."
Aria answered boldly, but Centonio beside her just let out a hearty chuckle.
"No need to force better results. Facing Theodor, who built Flügel into a giant, sticking to our prepared terms would be outstanding."
"Just like Centonio says. He'll handle the big conditions with me, so you fine-tune the details. Don't slack off, but don't overdo it either."
Whether our advice sank in, Aria slowly exhaled, her tension easing as she nodded.
"...Yes! Got it!"
"Good. Let's go."
Destination: Research District.
Flügel's academy branch landmark awaited.
The Research District teemed with labs and companies.
Amid cutting-edge facilities stood a towering building.
【Flügel】
Its widely spread wing emblem with 【Flügel】 embedded in the center was iconic—no one in the district didn't know it.
At the top floor sat the CEO steering this Flügel...
"Preparations complete?"
"Yes, output and stability both saw major gains."
A middle-aged man with slicked-back black hair gripped a thick cigar as he heard his subordinate's report.
"So, how many survived?"
"...2 out of 30."
"Tch."
He clicked his tongue lightly at the answer.
"Less than 10% survival, and you call that a success?"
"B-but the two survivors are in good condition! A few tweaks, and we could commercialize them right away...!"
—Enough.
The subordinate, raising his voice to defend his work, clamped his mouth shut at the interrupting tone.
"Do you take me for a fool?"
The gaze shot his way made the man tremble, slamming his head to the floor.
"N-no, sir! How could I ever...!"
As he rushed to continue, the next words left him gaping.
"Right arm necrosis, left eye blindness, full-body eczema, frequent seizures, vomiting, dizziness."
All symptoms your so-called survivors suffered.
"And that's 'good condition'?"
"W-wait! Just a moment, please...!"
"Drag him out."
"Eek! Let go! Let me go! CEO! Sir! Hear me out just once! We still have options...!"
"Someone else will find those options. Rest easy."
Aaagh—!
Savoring the screams from beyond the door like fine music, he took a drag from his cigar and lightly ordered his secretary.
"Handle it quietly. No traces."
"Yes, sir."
"And his results... There's that guy researching mana and holy power, right? Give it to him."
"The demon-holy research lab. Understood."
"Tell him: endless test subjects on tap, just deliver results."
"...Is there a pressing reason for the rush?"
The secretary couldn't hold back.
This was a long-term project years in the making, meant to proceed cautiously and secretly.
She couldn't fathom why he was burning through staff to accelerate it.
"A reason..."
"...Sorry, pretend I didn't ask."
"No, it's fine. You deserve to know."
Who else but his years-long secretary?
He wasn't the type to shut her out.
Though judging by her trembling eyes, she didn't see it that way.
"A perfect test subject just showed up."
"...A test subject, sir?"
"Haha, not the kind you think. Just the ideal final trial run."
Ivan, was it?
Worth recruiting that ambitious one.
Snagged us this prime specimen.
"He plans to use it in the upcoming Agora Martial Tournament."
"Agora Martial Tournament... Two months away."
Tight for finishing a years-long project, even at the endgame.
But passing up the student council president? Unthinkable.
Realizing why he was pushing so hard, the secretary bowed stiffly.
"If this experiment succeeds, Flügel will rise unrivaled."
An artificial holy sword, no less.
Performance aside, a weapon mimicking divine power would draw heroes galore.
Play it right, and even top-rankers might bite.
If those one-man armies took interest, Flügel's leap was guaranteed.
"Then, we'll dominate the continent's economy."
His expression hardened as he eyed the black car outside.
"...Guests."
"Total Student Council executives. Here for joint sponsorship of approved clubs."
"Joint sponsorship..."
Oh, right, that too.
One ploy to lure test subjects.
Now that routes were secured, less vital, but back then every means counted.
Gazing inscrutably at the car, he turned to the secretary.
"Opponent?"
"Centonio Zaobinaqi. Planning and Finance chief."
"Hm."
The Total Council's fox.
A tricky one.
Years in politics made him hard to read, his rhetoric all roundabout, intentions elusive.
Yet he snatched benefits at the slightest slip, devilish.
Definitely tough if you weren't him.
Well, light investment, then.
Not strictly needed, but as a line to the council? A bargain.
Luck out, maybe meet the president later.
Originally post-tournament plan, but if things went smooth, accelerate.
Just make the president see Flügel's value, and I can ride his power!
Essential for Demon King subjugation.
He wanted Flügel seen that way.
Or rather, perceived as such.
Hero rank 2.
No, 1 now?
With peak martial might onside, wielding unchecked power was no dream.
"Entertain them politely. Very politely."
"Understood."
"Kuh. Kuhuhu...!"
As the secretary closed the door softly, he couldn't stifle his laugh anymore.
"Kahahahaha!"
From today, Flügel's new legend begins!
Theodor bellowed, envisioning the future.