Seeking Out Hell the Next Day
The next day, I voluntarily sought out hell.
"Ughhh...."
"Erghhh...."
As I stepped into the student council room, I heard echoes that weren't quite human language from those buried under mountains of paperwork.
"With midterms overlapping their duties, have they even forgotten they're human...?"
Poor souls. In your next life, steer clear of anything like the student council.
I left the pitiful masses to their fate and headed for the student council president's office.
"...What the hell, Adrian? Why are you here? This isn't a place you can just barge into."
The student council president, Canaria, glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, stamped away at the towering stacks of documents with a hollow-eyed stare. Even with six cushions stacked under her, the piles of paper loomed at least twice as high.
"...Don't think you can waltz in and out of the student council just because you won that bet. This time it's unavoidable, but normally you'd need to book an appointment months in advance if you wanted to see me."
Of course. The real reason an outsider like me could stroll into the president's office so casually was one of the wishes I'd claimed as the prize for beating Shukros.
"If you want to talk to me, sit down and wait."
"Need a hand?"
"No way. I can't risk handing anything off to you and turning the academy into a total mess."
Canaria spoke while slamming a heavy stamp onto another document.
"So, what brings you here? Even if you beat Daisy, I'll kick you out if it's something trivial."
"It's not trivial."
Thud!Thud!Thud!
Amid the relentless stamping, I watched her frenzied rhythm and said,
"During the sports festival."
"Yeah, I'm listening, spit it out."
"Word is the Fifth Prince Lutelus is coming."
"Yeah, the Fifth Prince Lutelus...."
She flipped through papers nonchalantly until—
"The Fifth Prince?"
She froze.
"That's right."
"Prince Lutelus?"
The stamp halted, her eyes snapping to me. She scowled instantly.
"That... That guy's got no business here. He said he'd never set foot in this trash academy again after graduation."
Hm. Interesting backstory.
Canaria glared daggers at me and continued.
"And your source?"
She leaned back from her high seat.
"Adrian, even if you've changed, you're still just a commoner. Info like a royal visit isn't something you just stumble on. And do you even grasp the weight of invoking a prince's name?"
Obviously, I'd anticipated this reaction.
Sheesh. Can't she trust me even a little? I thought winning the bet had built some credibility, but apparently not.
Fine then.
"Use Word Command on me to verify. 'Whether my source is illegal.' And 'whether Prince Lutelus is really coming to Salenium.' Mana will judge the truth, won't it?"
"...Fine. 【Word Command: Grant: Lie Detection】."
Lie Detection
A creepy surge of mana enveloped me.
[Bloodline Dignity... squirms?]
[Accepting the host's will, it quiets down!]
[Bloodline Dignity tells Word Command it'll let this one slide!]
"Well?"
"Hic!"
She hiccuped, eyes wide in shock.
No need to spell it out—I could tell.
* * *
After sipping her tea, she let out a deep sigh.
"...Got it. It's all true."
"Told you."
"But I'll still send agents to cross-verify later. If even one lie turns up, you'll face severe punishment. Tampering with the student council is a serious crime!"
Whatever. It's all fact, so no sweat.
"Do as you like."
"Fine. So... hic, a royal during the sports festival... That means more prep. Hic, three extra all-nighters for everyone here, and I'll pull Lady Daisy from the guidance committee for office work too... Hic."
"You okay?"
"I'm f-fine... Hic!"
Her hiccups wouldn't stop, her face paling.
"That much work in a day?"
"Hundreds of reports pile up daily—hundreds is actually on the low end. Hic. Plus, with the sports festival prep, execs have to inspect venues themselves. H-hi... Hic!"
"Here, have some water."
"Ah, thanks."
She finally relaxed a bit after drinking the water I handed her.
"Can't you outsource the inspections?"
"Hic. We have a duty to ensure the event's safety. You trust outsiders?"
Fair point. As the empire's top academy, Salenium had plenty of jealous rivals lurking. Reporters sniffing for scandals, other academies poaching talent, even groups like 'Darkness' snatching dropouts.
If a prince showed up at the sports festival unprepared? Salenium's reputation—and the student council's—would take a hit. Given the academy's rule of no professor interference, their paranoia made sense.
I turned to Canaria's sullen face.
"Outsiders? No. But insiders? Surely you can trust them."
"Huh?"
"Delegate inspections like commissions to other students, pay them after reviewing reports."
"Ah?"
Her stamp paused. After pondering, she spoke.
"...Huh, clever. We'd only review the good reports anyway—no risk of bad picks. Keeps execs from slacking under the guise of inspections and piles on more work. Solid idea."
Hm. Felt a massive mana ripple from below just now, but whatever.
"...Alright, got it."
She beckoned with a finger.
"Like I said, I'll investigate the Fifth Prince myself."
A brief silence. Then, hesitantly,
"If it's real after verification... we'll prep protocol. Delegate inspections as commissions... Honestly? Thanks, Adrian. Buys us time and streamlines everything."
Gratitude? She's pleased.
"In exchange for the intel and solution, I have one request."
She pushed up her glasses, crossed her legs, and straightened.
"Oh? A mere student bargaining with the president? Let's hear it."
I laid out the deal. She nodded.
"Fine, that's doable. Accepted."
"And one more thing."
"...Out with it. But remember, that last one already pushes my authority limits."
No authority needed, really. Simple stuff.
"For the sports festival's first event, the '1-Kilometer Flag Snatch Race,' make sure I compete. No exceptions."
"......"
Canaria stared, eyes bulging.
"What?"
"Why so surprised?"
"N-No... uh, having a change of heart or something?"
What? My reason for entering the 1-Kilometer Flag Snatch Race? Winning it boosts Vitality by 1.
Vitality's my top priority now—not Strength or Mana. It's the foundation for everything.
Bonus: With Lutelus coming, great chance to make an impression. First event of the festival, after all.
"Adrian, if you get hurt—or, or die—I won't take responsibility, okay?"
"Injuries there are on the participant. Protective artifacts prevent deaths anyway."
"...Huh? I-I warned you, right?"
Why's she so fidgety?
"Deal established?"
"【Word Command: Grant: Deal Established】. Done. Our agreement's bound by mana now."
Deal Established
Mana wrapped around me as she spoke. As I rose to leave, she hesitated.
"...You won't blame me if you really die, right?"
I won't die.
* * *
Walking out of the student council, the post-exam peace of Salenium hit me anew.
Midterms done, finals far off, sports festival approaching—relaxed vibes.
Some trained diligently amid it, but most rode the wave, wandering for short breaks.
Yeah. Wandering.
Monsters on the loose, folks.
"What now."
"That's my line."
Rare sight: Ebnis in gym clothes instead of uniform, bouncing along the grounds. We crossed paths.
"Why alone? No friends to hang with?"
"Sh-Shut up, I have friends! On my way to the training hall!"
"Good."
"Wh-What's good about it?!"
Ebnis flushed, clenched her fists, steadied her breath, then shot me a venomous glare.
"Since you're here, how'd exams go? I went 5-for-5, kept top spot."
"Full marks except one subject."
"Wh...?"
World crumbling on her face?
"Lies... No way. Weren't you the one who chucked etiquette books into the garden, skipping tutor? Butler said last semester you got academic probation."
How low is my rep?
I shrugged nonchalantly.
"Tch, don't believe me? Ask the magic faculty profs."
"Ugh, uuuugh!"
Steam poured from Ebnis's head.
"Saw your match with Erhan too. Went expecting a pathetic loss, but good job. Not bad."
Her shoulders trembled.
"D-Don't think your praise makes me happy! You're the villain I gotta crush!"
"But I'll be the next marquis."
"Listen to people?!"
I brushed past. She hurried after.
"Ah, Adrian! Wait!"
Grumbling tone.
"Sports festival soon. I'll crush you perfectly—wait for it."
"What if we're teammates?"
"Th-Then... uh, well...."
Didn't think that far, huh.
Chin in hand, pondering, she nodded with an "Ah!" then declared proudly.
"I'll dominate the individual rankings!"
Yes. Do that.