Henchman No. 1
The Head TA led them to a room called the 'Henchman Waiting Room.'
When she rapped her knuckles against the door, it swung open from the other side, as if they'd been expected all along.
Inside the fairly spacious room, thirty uniformed henchmen stood shoulder to shoulder at attention, breathing in perfect unison.
"Well then! I'll step out so I'm not in the way—enjoy yourselves~"
Like a matchmaker who'd just set up the perfect date, the Head TA slipped out and shut the door behind her in a flash.
"Ah, unnie!"
Meilin called after her urgently, but the Head TA didn't come back. In the awkward silence that followed, everyone stood there staring at the thirty henchmen.
"We are honored to meet you."
At that moment, one woman stepped forward. She wore the same uniform as the others, but a pair of grey epaulets sat on her shoulders. Short hair, a husky voice, and sharp, unblinking eyes—those were her most striking features.
Chak!
She snapped a razor-sharp salute toward Simon, who returned it with a dazed expression.
"We are the Student Council's direct henchmen, assigned to assist you for the next year!"
Military discipline drilled into every syllable, she greeted them in a voice that rang through the room.
"We look forward to NOT being at your service!"
"Ah, yes. Likewise, we look forward to working with you."
Kizen's 'henchmen.'
They weren't part of Kizen headquarters or the academy staff proper, but individuals hired directly by Kizen itself.
Though most Kizen students came from noble backgrounds and often treated henchmen like servants who did nothing but cleaning and menial chores, these people were merely low in the organization's hierarchy—skilled professionals who carried out countless operations for Kizen, from assassinations to espionage.
Above all, Kizen never hired anyone who couldn't fight. The moment war broke out, every one of them would transform into soldiers ready to lay down their lives for the academy.
In fact, in the eyes of the continent's people beyond Roc Island, henchmen were seen as successful elites—and objects of sheer terror.
...Thirty of these henchmen, just like that!
Now Simon understood what people meant when they went on about the Student Council.
Dick, who was usually on friendly terms with henchmen, strode boldly to the front.
"Alright! Everyone! No need to stand around here—we've got some cargo that needs moving right away!"
"......"
The henchmen kept their eyes fixed straight ahead, showing no reaction whatsoever. While Dick's face grew increasingly awkward, the mouth of the henchman in front finally opened.
"We submit only to the orders of the Student Council President."
"...Ah. Ahaha! S-so that's how the system works!"
Dick tried to play it cool, but he couldn't quite suppress the strained laughter leaking out of him.
"When the President is absent, we submit to the Vice President, who holds second-highest command authority."
"You heard him?"
Meilin crossed her arms, chin held high. Dick muttered a sullen 'Yes, ma'am' under his breath.
Then Simon stepped forward.
"I don't think we need to divide up command authority so rigidly. I'd be grateful if you'd also honor requests from the other Student Council officers."
"Understood. If the President says so, we will register the other Student Council officers as third-tier command authorities."
And back to command authority again. Simon brushed it off with a smile and placed a hand over his chest.
"I'm Simon Polentia, Student Council President. And this is Meilin, our Vice President."
"Hello there~" Meilin greeted them brightly.
"Behind her is our Treasurer, Dick Hayward, and our Secretary, Camibarez Ursula."
The two of them each introduced themselves in their own distinctive way.
"It looks like we'll be working together a lot from here on out. We're counting on you."
When Simon extended his hand, the henchman seized it with both of hers and bowed deeply at the waist.
"Yes! We will give our utmost!"
"You—um, you really don't need to bow that much. Ah! What should I call you, by the way...?"
"Number 1."
"Sorry?"
"Please address us by number. I am Henchman Number 1."
Come to think of it, numbers were pinned to each of their chests. Simon shook his head.
"When we're in the middle of an urgent mission, sure—I'll use numbers or call signs. But I'd rather not start out that way."
As if caught off guard, the henchman lifted her head.
"...If that is your wish."
For the first time on that machine-flat face, a trace of embarrassment crept through.
"Then please call me Mojo."
"Nice to meet you, Mojo."
Simon smiled warmly.
"It's a lovely name—too pretty to reduce to a number."
"...Ah. Thank you."
Simon had simply spoken his honest thoughts, but behind him, Meilin and Camibarez were narrowing their eyes and glaring daggers at him.
"Classic Simon," Dick snickered mischievously. Simon turned around.
"Introductions are done, so let's all head to the Great Auditorium."
Simon led the officers and their direct henchmen to the Great Auditorium, where the entrance ceremony would be held the following day.
Henchmen were already there, wiping sweat as they scrubbed the floor and rearranged chairs. The moment they spotted Simon's henchmen, they brightened up, crying out that they were 'saved,' and grinned ear to ear.
Simon dispatched his own henchmen to help them.
"Send thirty more chairs over here!"
Vice President Meilin was busier than anyone, darting around and barking orders at the henchmen. Striding across the auditorium with her heels clicking briskly, she pointed with all the charisma of a general commanding troops.
"Check every chair for cracks! Anything broken goes straight to the back!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Last year, there had been a flood of complaints from visitors about sitting on worn-out or broken chairs. As two henchmen hauled away a damaged seat, Meilin hollered.
"Hey! Peasant! Two more broken chairs over here!"
"Okay, okay."
Dick was making the rounds with the inventory list in hand.
"Treasurer!"
The Student Council henchmen came running into the auditorium, chairs in their arms.
"There are only ten chairs left in the supply warehouse!"
"Ah, we're doomed."
Dick picked up his quill with a pained expression.
"We'll have to pull from the budget and buy new ones. For now, contact Talaria, give them my name, and ask them to set aside thirty chairs identical to these."
"Hey! You peasant!!"
Meilin came sprinting over like she'd just caught him red-handed.
For reference, 'Talaria' was the delivery business Dick ran.
"Trying to spend school money on your own business again?! Corruption, straight up!"
"What are you talking about?"
Dick furrowed his brow.
"I'll set the items aside on credit and pay back only the base cost—paid directly to the supplier, of course."
"Huh?"
Meilin blinked.
"Then wouldn't Talaria be the one taking the loss?"
"Ah! I'm on the Student Council, so I'll eat the loss myself! Happy now? Do I seriously look like someone who'd screw over Simon of all people?"
Watching the two of them, Simon smiled wryly.
It looked like nothing but bickering, but Dick was doing his job as Treasurer properly—and Meilin was properly keeping the Treasurer in check.
"Ah. Ah. Testing, testing."
Up on the podium, Camibarez was speaking into an amplifying crystal orb.
"Simon! Can you hear me?"
"Yep, loud and clear."
Simon moved up to the second floor.
"Simon! How about now?"
"Still clear! Cami!"
After finishing the sound check all the way up to the third floor, he came back down. Camibarez, who'd been putting the crystal orb back in its case, beamed and welcomed him with a giggle.
"Great work out there!"
"Mm."
Simon knelt on one knee beside her and helped her pack the orb away.
"Simon~"
"What is it?"
"This is so exciting!"
It certainly looked that way. Her little bat wings were fluttering furiously.
"I can't believe we're actually in charge of a school event like this!"
"Yeah, me neither."
"Do you think a lot of people will come tomorrow? I hope everyone loves it!"
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Meilin, who had run back to the podium at some point, furiously yelling about the stage lights being in the wrong position. The two of them stifled their laughter, then burst out snickering anyway.
"You were right, Simon."
Camibarez's cheeks flushed pink.
"I'm really glad we joined the Student Council."
"Right? Didn't I tell you?"
"You did."
Camibarez smiled radiantly.
"I'm going to listen to everything you say from now on!"
"!"
Suddenly his throat felt ticklish. Simon forced a laugh and scratched the side of his head.
"Guuuuys!"
Just then, a lively shout rang out from the entrance of the Great Auditorium. Jamie, Cindy, and Claudia—their old classmates from Class A—were filing in.
"Ah! Thanks so much for coming, everyone!"
Meilin sprinted over to greet them. Jamie's eyes went wide as she looked around the auditorium, mid-preparation for the entrance ceremony.
"Oh my goodness, would you look at that? You guys are actually doing Student Council work!"
Meilin laughed.
"What, did you think it was fake?"
"You all look so official! Hi, Simon! Camiiii, hi there~ And Dick, long time no see!"
As Jamie made a big show of greeting everyone, Cindy Vivace coolly surveyed the room beside her, jabbed Meilin in the thigh, and whispered.
"Landing yourself a capable man and getting to do all this on top of it... I'm jealous, you know."
"W-what is that supposed to mean!!"
Meilin's face went scarlet as she shrieked. Cindy smirked wickedly, and Claudia covered her mouth entirely, snickering.
"A-anyway!"
Meilin spun around sharply.
"Simon! Cami! Mind if we borrow the podium? We want to run through a quick rehearsal!"
"Go right ahead!"
Jamie, Cindy, and Claudia were all quite excited about the prospect of introducing their departments in front of the incoming first-years.
In truth, none of the second-years had fully internalized the fact that they were now seniors. The desire to lay eyes on the adorable first-year juniors as soon as possible burned strong in all of them.
"Ah, it's finally here, it's here!"
Dick waved as he hauled in a large cart. It was loaded to the brim with premium whisky bottles.
Simon and Camibarez came over.
"That's the stuff, right? The liquor for the VIPs."
"Correct!"
Dick skillfully cracked open a whisky, poured just enough to coat the bottom of a glass, and held it out to Simon.
"This is a sample. Care to taste it, Mr. President?"
"...Drinking on the job feels a little off."
"Oh, quit whining! It's not even a quarter full."
Simon reluctantly took the glass and gave it a light sip. His eyes went wide.
"...Wow. This is..."
"Heh heh! Good, right? How about a glass, Cami?"
She shook her head vigorously, crossing her arms into an X.
"Alcohol's not really my thing!"
"What's that over there?"
Curious, Meilin and the trio of former Class A girls drifted closer too.
"It's for the VIPs, but have a taste."
Dick poured each of the girls just a splash of whisky.
"Wait, the Student Council's serving alcohol at the ceremony? Is that even allowed?"
Claudia accepted her glass with an uncertain look.
"It's a pretty old tradition in the Dresden Kingdom. It's called the 'Old Chair'—basically the ultimate high-class hospitality skill."
The girls clinked their glasses together amid a chorus of giggles and each took a sip.
"Ugh!"
"It's bitter!"
One after another, they scrunched up their faces and stuck out their tongues.
"Hey! Peasant! You're serving THIS to the VIPs? Are you trying to run the school into the ground?!"
"It's a strong whisky, so of course it's bitter! You bunch of lightweights."
Dick made a great show of heaving a sigh.
"Honestly, girls. All you ever drink is sickly-sweet wine—you wouldn't know real liquor if it bit you."
"Simon! Is this really okay?"
When Meilin pressed him anxiously, Simon nodded.
"Yeah. I think the older guests will appreciate it."
"Ha! Take that! Take it!"
Controversial though it was, the purchase was already finalized.
The whisky would be stored in the drink warehouse and brought out the next day. In exchange, Meilin nailed Dick down on one condition: if the VIPs' reviews were bad, he would keep his mouth shut during the next idea meeting.
Just as they were throwing themselves into the entrance ceremony preparations with everything they had—
"Professor Jane!"
The meeting had apparently finally ended, because Jane walked into the Great Auditorium. But the moment she entered, her face was stiff and set as she made a beeline straight for Simon.
"Student Council President."
"Yes, Professor?"
She opened her mouth.
"I know this is sudden, but there is something you must do right now, in your capacity as Student Council President."