The Student Council President's Trembling
Even though his face wore a smile, I could clearly sense his panic.
‘The community said it, right? When that guy's eyes start twitching like crazy, he's furious.’
Indeed, the skin around his eyes was quivering ever so slightly right now.
‘Of course he'd be pissed.’
The reason I'd set up this stage for him was simple. I'd effectively branded him so he couldn't use the student council's power to bury the stunt he pulled this time.
What if a guy who'd just received this commendation suddenly announced he was withdrawing the agenda he'd approved—and refusing support for the club I'd proposed?
For someone already obsessed with his public image, it'd be a death sentence.
In other words—
──He couldn't do a damn thing.
“Alright! Mr. Ray Pendragon! Time for a photo! Look this way and give us a smile!”
At the reporter's words, the student council president turned his head and flashed a bright grin.
The sight of his other hand—the one not clutching the commendation—trembling uncontrollably was straight out of a “trying not to laugh” meme series.
“Huh? Boss, isn't the student council president staring right at you?”
Jinwoo was right; our eyes met.
He looked at me as if he knew from the start that I'd orchestrated the whole thing.
I met his gaze and clapped along with everyone else.
Smiling at him as if in genuine admiration.
Crunch—
The frame of the commendation in his grip crumpled.
“H-Hey, Mr. President?”
“Oh, sorry. The camera flash startled me. Haha.”
“Ahahaha! The student council president, scared of a flash? What a twist of charm! Haha!”
They even snapped the photo and preserved it forever…
That picture would soon grace the front page of the news, commemorating our esteemed student council president's achievements.
With this, my new business was safe from the student council.
Good thing. A very good thing.
Next up would surely be…
* * *
After the morning's chaotic schedule finally wrapped up, the student council members returned to their room and sat in dead silence, like mice before a cat.
As if by some unspoken agreement, they all bowed their heads and stole glances at one person.
Ray Pendragon.
The man clutching his forehead right now.
“…Seo Yeon-su.”
His lips, sealed shut until now, parted—and the club affairs director slowly raised her head.
“Explain what the hell you've done. Right now.”
Ray's voice didn't sound angry, nor disappointed.
Just a touch colder than usual.
But that's precisely why the fear radiating from him was beyond imagination.
Ray Pendragon's voice had never sounded this alien before.
“…I'm sorry.”
She apologized immediately, but he waved it off like he didn't want to hear it.
“I'm not after apologies. Explain why the academy gave you a commendation—and what the hell the chairman was talking about earlier.”
Seo Yeon-su began recounting yesterday's events in detail.
Ray's shoulders started to tremble as he listened in silence.
“…That's everything.”
“Kuh…! Haha! Hahaha! Really? So that's how it went? I thought you were just screwing me over, but you got properly played! Ha! Hahaha!”
The moment she finished, Ray burst into manic laughter.
Then, abruptly—
It stopped.
He stared at Seo Yeon-su.
“──You have no idea what you've done, do you?”
“I judged that his proposal would greatly help with the clubs' and student council's financial shortages. Since you'd granted me discretion regarding clubs, I thought there wouldn't be a problem—”
“Hey.”
The room froze again at his icy tone.
“I didn't give you discretion to do whatever you wanted. I gave it because I trusted you'd at least calculate the benefits to the student council. But to think you'd serve up a giant ‘fuck you’ like this. Have you ever wondered why we give funding to clubs in the first place?”
“To support smooth club activities…”
“If that was the reason, we wouldn't bother!”
BAM!
The table shuddered, the room vibrating from the impact.
It was the first time they'd seen the president this furious, so everyone panicked in fear as Ray swept back his disheveled hair, took a deep breath, and scanned the room.
“Clubs will now break free from our funding. They can sell their stuff outside and operate just fine. Got it? This is us untying the leash we worked so hard to put on them!”
He strode to his seat and sank into the chair.
“Yuri.”
“Yes, President.”
“You have one day. Summarize this mess and the countermeasures.”
“Understood, President.”
After her response, he leaned back, turning away.
“Sorry for today, everyone. Head out.”
He waved dismissively without looking back, and the other members rose one by one, filing out.
Seo Yeon-su slowly stood to leave.
Shocked that her actions—meant to help the student council—had backfired, she dragged her heavy feet away.
How long had she wandered aimlessly?
“Director.”
She turned at the familiar voice from behind.
‘Yuri Rodmang.’
The student council vice president.
“…Vice President. I'm sorry.”
Assuming she'd come to scold her, Seo Yeon-su bowed deeply—and then:
“You did great.”
Something soft enveloped her bowed head.
“…Vice President?”
“I know why you pushed that agenda through. It was for the academy, right? But… the president only talked about the student council, not the academy, so you felt hurt, didn't you?”
“Vice President…”
“You did so well, Director.”
Yuri hugged her comfortingly, speaking in a low voice.
Seo Yeon-su's body began to tremble faintly in her arms.
* * *
“It went just like you said, Junior. I followed Director Seo Yeon-su and comforted her, planted the seed too. She had a positive reaction, at least… What now?”
Yuri had followed my instructions perfectly.
As if I didn't know the student council president's personality.
Fat chance.
Just as I'd predicted, he'd chewed out Seo Yeon-su—and she'd surely felt massive disappointment.
No matter how loyal she was, she wasn't some brainwashed soldier of Ray's; she was just a student at heart.
And I'd exploited that crack to pull her toward Yuri's anti-student-council faction.
“We wait. Common sense says it takes time for a seed to sprout. Thanks to today, Director Seo Yeon-su will suspect and resent whatever the president does from now on.”
The other executives who'd witnessed it would start doubting too.
‘What exactly is the president after?’
“Yeah, even I thought the president was off today. I've never seen him that mad before.”
“Well, that's how pampered young masters are, right? They can't handle losing what's theirs— Oh, wait, you're from a European noble house too, Vice President?”
“…I thought you were throwing shade, but nah.”
Yuri giggled at my joke and stood.
“You worked hard today, Junior. I've got other business, so I'll head out.”
“Thanks for your efforts, Vice President. I've got a mentoring session this afternoon too. Take care.”
She turned into a bat and slipped out the small window as usual.
After closing the window behind her and stepping out of the office, the club sub-room burst into view, packed with people.
“Yes! Application forms are over there—fill one out and bring it here!”
“No cutting in line! I'm watching!”
“Pilates club? Welcome aboard, Senior.”
A flood of applicants pouring into the club room.
Knowing these were all folks who'd been held back by money issues before, it really felt like a blue ocean unfolding in real time.
“Ah, Familia Director—you're here?”
Then, a friendly voice called out.
Turning, I saw the board game club's president approaching with a beaming smile.
“Oh, Senior.”
The first to rush over and submit an application had been the board game club under ‘Famiglia’.
They must've loved this morning's drama.
He'd been thrilled, saying it was the first time he'd seen the president that pissed.
“You stopped by for lunch too—what brings you?”
I asked politely, and he handed over the item he was carrying like it was no big deal.
“Nothing much. Our board game club made this game, and we wanna sell it outside. Heard you handle that kinda thing.”
What he passed me was a hefty box.
“…What's this?”
The name on the box: ‘Su Pool Land’.
A board game featuring a man in black clothes holding a glowing grass piece.
“Oh, Su Pool Land. Pretty simple rules—you collect various herbs to gather farmer cards—”
“Let's sign the contract right now.”
“Huh?”
“I'll get the papers ready. Mind stepping into the office for a sec?”
This was the moment the legendary game Su Pool Land—which would later dominate the global board game market—fell into my hands.
* * *
The sky over Calione Mansion was thick with clouds, hiding even the moon.
Beneath it, two men clashed fiercely, sparks flying.
“Too much tension in your shoulders. A backhand deflection would've let it slide right off.”
“Mess it up, and I'm dead…!”
“That's why we train like this. You think I'd actually kill you, Young Master?”
Parnello swung his dagger in short, precise arcs, coaching with every move.
“Your feet are idle.”
“Too busy dodging…!”
“Dodge like that in a real fight, and this happens.”
He hooked my leg, and despite bracing my lower body, I toppled backward.
“Agh… Parnello, you're way too stro—?!”
A massive killing intent swept over me.
Even flat on the ground, he raised his foot to stomp me— I rolled aside just in time.
“Exactly. Don't give up when you're down. Enemies won't wait—they'll rush for your throat.”
“…Got it. Let's keep sparring then?”
“Of course… Hm?”
Parnello trailed off mid-sentence, turning toward the mansion.
Following his gaze, I spotted a man sprinting our way.
“Young Master! Sir Parnello!”
“…Han Seojun?”
His usually neat hair was a total mess from the frantic run.
“The consigliere's summoning you both. Head to his office now!”
“…The consigliere?”
I'd heard he was handling operations in Father's absence, but what was this about?
Parnello hauled me up, and we hurried to the consigliere's office.
Unlike Father's study, it screamed modern vibes—frosted glass doors and sleek decor, like a corporate exec's suite.
As we entered, the bespectacled consigliere looked up from his papers.
“Ah, perfect—both of you. Urgent, so straight to business.”
He closed the file and removed his glasses, rubbing his face wearily, exhaustion etched deep.
“──An A-rank dungeon's popped up in the Foreign Quarter. Eugene, Parnello. I need you two to handle it.”
“…Pardon?”
An A-rank?