Chapter 091
Chapter Title: Grade Representatives
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“I decline.”
“Why? I’ll dote on you.”
The corners of her eyes curved gently.
She looked utterly captivating and dangerous.
Even Ril, a fellow girl, couldn’t help but blush.
“I’m expensive.”
Elena wore a slightly blank expression.
Ril’s eyes widened.
“Pfft.”
A snort escaped Elena’s lips.
“Hahahahahaha!”
Elena clutched her stomach and laughed.
Watching Elena laugh until tears streamed down her face, Ril took a few quick steps back with a look that said, *This senior really is strange!*
“An interesting kid has joined us.”
“Looks like everyone’s here.”
Lis, the fifth-year representative, entered the tent.
“Senior Lis! It’s good to see you!”
Ril’s eyes sparkled as she stood at attention before Lis.
“Hey, have you been well?”
“Of course! I’ve been hearing all about your amazing accomplishments every day, senior!”
“Ril, can’t you treat me with even half the respect you show Senior Lis?”
“It's been a while, Elena. How was the mission?”
“It was boring.”
Elena replied with a bored expression.
With a look that said he'd expected as much, Lis approached Hark, who was snoring on the floor.
“Hey, Hark. How long are you going to sleep?”
“Huh?”
Hark, who had been sprawled out asleep until now, removed his sleep mask and groggily opened one eye.
The petite fourth-year representative was an incredibly handsome boy.
“Haaah. When did you get here, senior?”
“Just now.”
Letting out a long yawn, Hark sat up and spoke.
“Senior Hark. Good morning!”
“Huh? What was your name again?”
“It’s Ril.”
“Ah, right. The first-year representative!”
“No, I’m the second-year representative now.”
“Huh? Were you?”
Whether he was still groggy from sleep or just naturally uninterested in others, Hark rubbed his eyes with a dazed look.
“Well then.”
But after waking up, his expression completely changed.
“Let’s have a round, senior.”
Watching Hark slap his fist into his palm with a belligerent smile, Lis let out a small laugh.
“I'll take you on later.”
“I want to go now, though.”
“Trying to pick a fight the moment you wake up, how barbaric.”
“Hmph! Better than you, who pulls all sorts of trash into your faction, right? Elena Jer-on.”
“Aaaah! S-Seniors! If you fight here, you'll be in big trouble! The professors will kill you!”
Ril was horrified, watching Elena and Hark direct killing intent at each other.
As two of the strongest candidates for the next student council president, their relationship was extremely poor.
In fact, beyond that, their very natures were complete opposites.
Watching them, Lis asked Leo.
“So, what are your impressions of the grade representatives?”
“They seem to get along great.”
“...”
Ril's jaw dropped as she stared at Leo.
*I-I knew it, Leo is no ordinary person!*
Lis also looked at Leo with a somewhat dumbfounded expression and said.
“Both of you, stop it. Aren't you ashamed to act like this in front of your juniors?”
At Lis's intervention, Elena and Hark backed down.
“You're Leo Flove? I've heard a lot about you. I'm Hark Liguard.”
“Leo Flove.”
Hark, who had been fierce in front of Elena, wore a gentle expression before Leo.
“Grade representatives, are you all here? If so, change into your formal attire.”
A teaching assistant who had entered the tent said this before leaving.
“Formal attire?”
“You don't know?”
As Leo looked puzzled, Ril tilted her head.
“Grade representatives always wear formal attire for school events where the entire student body gathers.”
Ril picked up a neatly folded uniform from a corner of the tent and handed it to Leo.
“We're the grade representatives; we can't look the same as the regular students.”
Hark also took out his formal attire with a practiced air.
Indeed, the tent was equipped with two rooms that looked like changing rooms.
Leo, Lis, and Hark went into the right changing room.
The student representative's formal attire was much more ceremonial than the dress uniforms Lumerne students wore for events.
After changing and stepping outside, they heard a commotion from the girls' changing room.
“S-Senior! Where are you touching me!”
“This is punishment for calling me dangerous in front of the first-year junior earlier!”
“Th-that was the truth… Aaaah! Please don't touch me!”
“We're out of time! Hurry up and get ready!”
Hark yelled.
A moment later, Ril came out with a completely flushed face, followed by Elena, who wore a mischievous smile.
“Ahem!”
Ril cleared her throat, then walked up to Leo and adjusted his clothes.
Watching Ril fuss over him like an older sister, Elena chuckled.
“How kind. You take good care of the first-year junior, don't you?”
“I promised myself last year that I'd treat the next junior representative well. When I was a first-year, my senior representative just played pranks on me all the time.”
“Oh my. Who would do such a terrible thing?”
Elena placed a hand on her cheek and shook her head.
“Mm! You have the dignity of a grade representative! Leo.”
Smiling with satisfaction, Ril nodded.
When the five of them left the tent, a grand spectacle unfolded before them.
Students in their dress uniforms were standing in formation.
Starting with the small fifth-year class, the fourth, third, second, and first years were lined up by department.
At the front of each year stood the top students of each department, holding their department flags.
If the top student was also the grade representative, the second-ranked student stood in their place.
As Leo wondered if he should go to the first-year section, Ril spoke.
“Leo, the grade representatives stand here.”
Ril pointed to a smaller platform below the main stage.
At the very front of the student body.
It was a place for the five students who literally represented Lumerne Academy.
The grade representatives stood in order.
The gazes of all the students were fixed on the backs of the grade representatives.
Some with envy, others with a competitive spirit.
He could feel the gazes, mixed with various emotions, upon him.
*I see. So there's a reason everyone wants to be a grade representative.*
Standing in this spot, it was perfectly clear.
Among the students of Lumerne, where there was not a single one who wasn't a genius, these were the most special.
The position of grade representative was, quite literally, the closest one could get to being a future hero.
Those who aimed for the top would do everything in their power to reach this position.
Conversely, those who stood here had to defend this position from challengers.
*Interesting.*
Leo's lips curled into a smirk.
Seeing him, Ril, who had been looking nervous, was taken aback.
*I still get nervous standing here. But he doesn't even care about the gazes of the entire school and is even smiling… he's on a different level. A completely different level.*
Meanwhile, Elena's eyes also sparkled as she watched Leo.
Just then, Headmaster Kalian appeared on the stage.
Seeing this, Lis spoke up.
“Everyone… attention!”
The entire student body of Lumerne snapped to attention with disciplined precision.
“To the Headmaster… salute!”
With perfect coordination, the entire student body struck their left chests with their right fists.
It was a salute dedicated to a great hero.
When Kalian raised a hand lightly, everyone returned to their original stance.
“My students. Did you all rest well over the weekend? It's another fine day! I hope you all have a week full of diligent study!”
After that, Kalian's address began.
“And so, a hero, by definition, is—!”
As the tedious and meaningless moral lecture continued, the students looked bewildered.
The all-school assembly was a major event that hadn't happened since the entrance ceremony.
For him to give such a cliché speech at an event held only for important matters, not just the students but even the professors couldn't hide their confusion.
“Haaah. Calling all the students out this early in the morning is just too much.”
Finally, Elena, standing at the very front, covered her mouth with a light yawn.
Several professors glared fiercely at her.
But the girl known as the queen of the academy didn't even bat an eye.
Instead, as if annoyed, she pointed to her side with her right hand.
“Zzz-”
Nodding off.
There, Hark was dozing, fast asleep.
The professors were utterly exasperated at the sight.
*Those kids, seriously!*
*And you call yourselves grade representatives?!*
*You're supposed to be setting an example as grade representatives! You delinquents!*
Despite the grade representatives fooling around right in front of him, Kalian continued his tedious speech.
“Elena Jer-on, Hark Liguard. Report to the faculty office after the assembly.”
A chilling voice that froze the grounds echoed through the amplification magic.
Elena and Hark flinched and snapped to attention.
The owner of the voice was none other than Halind, who had taken the microphone from the presiding professor.
Seeing this, Kalian smiled brightly.
“Oh! Professor Halind. As expected, the students listen to you the most—”
“Headmaster, you should get to the main point as well.”
“I shall do that.”
Halind was one of the two professors at Lumerne that the headmaster feared.
“Ahem. Then I shall get to the main point.”
“Why did you give such a tedious speech until now?”
When the presiding professor, who had gotten the microphone back, asked in confusion, Halind answered bluntly.
“Because the main point is too short, and it would be awkward to just say that and nothing else.”
Halind was also one of the three professors who understood Headmaster Kalian better than anyone.
“Of course, that main point is by no means a light one.”
Halind looked at the headmaster with a serious expression.
“Starting today, Lumerne Academy will cut off all means of external communication until the end of the first-year interdepartmental competition.”
“...?”
For a moment, everyone wore expressions of incomprehension.
“Professors who commute from Lumeria City will all stay on campus, and students are strictly forbidden from leaving or staying out overnight. The merchants with shops in Lumerne will not be allowed in starting today, so naturally, the restaurant, snack shop, and cafe will all be closed.”
Not only the students but also the professors looked bewildered.
“Naturally, magical communication is also forbidden. Sending or receiving letters and packages will be impossible.”
The professors quickly regained their composure.
However, the commotion that erupted among the students did not die down.
A lockdown! It was, quite literally, an unprecedented event.
As the entire student body murmured, Leo narrowed his eyes and looked at the headmaster.
*So they intend to catch the traitor.*
***
After the assembly ended, the students headed to the dining hall in a state of panic.
“No way! We can't go to the snack shop for a month!”
The female students were in the most panic.
The closing of the snack shop, cafe, and restaurant also meant they couldn't buy snacks.
“Ugh! If I had known beforehand and stockpiled snacks, I could've made a killing! No! I need to talk to the kids in the baking club…!”
At Karl's words, Chelsea's eyes lit up.
“Let's go, quickly! Karl!”
“Alright! Baking club, just you wait! Leo, let's go!”
“I have to change out of my formal attire. You guys go ahead.”
“Got it!”
Karl and Chelsea skipped breakfast and dashed off.
For the students, snacks were a serious matter.
Leo, who had burst out laughing at the sight, headed for the tent to change his clothes.
There, Ril was slumped on the floor.
“That was a terrible time.”
“Sounds like it was no joke.”
“Yes. Senior Lis left early for student council business, so there was no one to stop them.”
It seemed Elena and Hark had had another round.
“If Professor Halind hadn't shown up in the middle of it, they might have really fought.”
“I had something to say to Senior Elena, but I guess I'll have to visit her separately later.”
“Leo, are you planning to go see Senior Elena?”
“Yes.”
Ril pushed herself up and sighed.
“I wouldn't recommend it.”
“Why not?”
“Like I said before, she's a bit of a dangerous person.”
“But I have a favor to ask her.”
Ril sighed.
“If you really must see her, I won't stop you… but it probably won't be easy to meet her.”
“Can't I just go to the third-year classroom building to find her?”
“No. Senior Elena rarely attends classes.”
Leo wore a strange expression at Ril's words.
“She's a genius, you see.”
A grade representative, despite barely attending class.
“She spends almost the entire day at her personal mansion before returning to the dorms.”
“A mansion?”
“Yes. Senior Elena is using the Jer-on family's private property as her personal club building.”
“That's on a different scale.”
“She is the heir to the Jer-on family, after all. Anyway, if you want to meet her, you have to go there first, but she doesn't meet with people readily.”
“I'll have to go and see. Thanks for letting me know.”
Leo smiled faintly.
“Once you go, you'll need to be careful, Leo.”
“...?”
As Leo looked puzzled, Ril clicked her tongue.
“The queen's followers are very jealous.”