Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Delaiten Student Council
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<Delaiten> Magic University.
This was the Holy Human Empire's most prestigious institution of higher learning, founded by Emitsa Page, the progenitor of magic.
Even after a thousand years had passed, aspiring talents destined to one day dominate the world of magic engaged in desperate competition to earn its diploma.
"Look at that!"
"Ah, those are...!"
And even in this holy land of study, there were figures who ascended to the peak, leading their fellow young geniuses: the student council executives.
"It's Rain Ludwig and Christa Warden! They took first and second place consecutively in every exam this semester!"
Only cadets who distinguished themselves right from the start of enrollment could join the student council.
The opportunities to prove that distinction came just twice: the midterms and finals of the first semester of freshman year.
"How do they look so perfect together?"
Every time such voices drifted from behind, veins bulged on Christa Warden's forehead as she ground her molars.
"Maybe those two are... you know?"
Crunch.
Crunch crunch.
"Yeah! They say during the top rank decider, they each nominated the other as the one who deserved first place!"
"Oh my oh my!"
And in the next instant, a dull *thwack* rang out, followed by a cute scream as the voice cut off abruptly.
"You! You've been tailing us nonstop, muttering nonsense to yourself—what's your deal?!"
The ponytail girl tearing up from Christa’s punch was none other than her attendant, Gertrude Fenton.
"No, it's just like in plays—they have narrators. I thought I'd lend my voice to the kind of chatter the young lady might want to hear..."
"What do you think I want to hear? What?! I'm gonna crack your skull open for real!"
"Eek! That hurts!"
The black-haired pretty boy walking ahead, Rain Ludwig, let out a long sigh and glanced back.
"Hey, can you quit yapping and just walk?"
"That brat keeps spewing garbage—should I just let it slide?"
"It's the kind of thing you just brush off. Why get worked up over every little thing? Come on, let's go."
Brush it off?
When she's spewing that embarrassing crap?
Christa felt a flicker of confusion, but since she was in the position of a new recruit being shown around the student council, she decided to follow quietly.
That's right.
With the finals behind her, Christa Warden had proudly become one of the student council executives.
Normally, only the top cadet could join, but if one cadet claimed first place two semesters in a row, the runner-up spot opened up.
"How are the student council seniors?"
"What do you mean, how? They're all just diligent types."
Rain Ludwig's eyebrow twitched faintly at what seemed like a casual reply, and he said something cryptic.
"But watch out for the president."
"Watch out?"
"Don't get too close unless you have to."
That was odd too.
Wasn't the student council president the absolute top among all cadets currently enrolled at <Delaiten>?
Shouldn't she be someone to revere and learn from as much as possible? Why keep your distance?
"Excuse us."
As they spoke, they'd arrived at the student council sub-room on the fourth floor of Dragonwheel Hall, the main academic building.
Christa lightly adjusted her attire and voice before following Rain into the student council room.
The room, which she hadn't visited in a while, was still spacious, elegant, and immaculate. Nearly every visible object traced aristocratic curves.
"I'm Christa Warden. I look forward to working with you all."
She gave a noble curtsy, lifting the hem of her skirt slightly with both hands. The student council seniors welcomed her with applause.
"Welcome back, miss."
Vice President Felix Drake.
Most had assumed Christa would take first place, so Felix had even brought her into the student council before the midterms.
"Christa! I've been waiting!"
And there was Sandra Kepel of the Kepel Marquess family, always throwing her arms around Christa like they were besties, no matter when they met.
"......"
And Trivis, nodding faintly without a word or change of expression, just as always.
"I wish you'd come before that slimy guy."
And the student council president, Valensidis—the most beautiful student currently enrolled at <Delaiten>.
Her striking features and long lashes still bewitched women just as much as ever.
Not just her looks—her skills were exceptional too, so Christa planned to ask her all sorts of questions once she joined.
"Sorry it worked out that way."
As Christa gathered her thoughts, Rain clicked his tongue and shot back with infuriating cheek.
What?
They seemed to have a seriously bad relationship.
Did he hate using informal speech with a great house heir? But Rain never seemed to care about that stuff.
"Then we can proceed with the handover for clerical duties."
Christa gaped in dismay at the mountain of paperwork. Felix gave a weary smile.
"The seasonal festival's coming up soon, and this is all the backlog from exam period."
"Even so, this is..."
Way too much.
Rain placed a hand on her shoulder encouragingly and swiped under his nose with his index finger.
"It's the path everyone walks. Just accept it."
Sandra swiped under her nose too, shrugging with the wistful look of an adult reminiscing on bitter-sweet memories.
"Exactly. Those were agonizing days. But we got through it—thanks to our sense of duty as student council executives."
Oh, if it's like that...!
Just as Christa's blood began to boil with resolve, Trivis—stone-faced and mechanical—swiped under his nose and added,
"The top cadet only has to do it for two months before they're free, though."
Two months?
Come to think of it, the top cadet...
Realization dawned, and a sneer curled Christa's lips.
"Hmm, so that's your excuse? 'Everyone's walked this path'? 'Duty as executives'? What a load of crap."
She muttered coldly, her face twisting in contempt. Rain and Sandra flinched and hacked awkwardly.
"Ahem! Seniors, even so—the paperwork's insane. Mind giving a little hand?"
"Great idea, Rain! We gotta help each other! We've got that executive camaraderie, after all!"
And so her first student council activities began—but her suspicions about Rain's bizarre behavior only deepened.
"President, about this document—"
"—The president's busy. Ask me."
Every time someone tried asking the president something, Rain would butt in and block it?
On top of that, an inexplicable chill hung between the two. Any discussion on a topic would devolve into one sniping at the other.
"Did the president have interest in something like this? Color me surprised. I figured you'd only care about the most efficient ways to wreck a human body."
That was Rain's style.
"Oh dear, is this topic too pedestrian for a highborn young master like you?"
Valensidis fired back more or less like that.
The sniping would end the conversation... and the room temperature would plunge, time itself seeming to freeze.
Yet somehow they seemed on good terms too—Rain handled all the duties assisting Valensidis.
"Come with me to Dragonmask Hall—"
"—I'll go."
"For the seasonal festival promo together—"
"—I'll handle it."
In those baffling, ambiguous days, Christa's stamina eroded day by day.
"There's... no end to the work..."
Every day after student council wrapped, she'd stagger back to the dorms and collapse. The next day at school, she'd feel half-dead from exhaustion.
'So that's why Rain always looks sleepy whenever he's in the student council...'
School life, club activities, student council—there was no room to breathe.
One day after classes, as she headed to the student council room, Gertrude Fenton asked if she was enjoying it.
"Enjoying it? It's nonstop paperwork battles. Right now, I'm dying writing up the minutes."
"Nothing going on with Young Master Rain?"
"As if! Hmph, but that guy's been acting weird aside from me."
"Weird how? What?"
Christa yawned softly and recounted Rain's antics toward Valensidis.
"Isn't it weird? They say they got along before I joined. Something must've happened during finals."
She wasn't expecting much of a reply, but Gertrude nodded eagerly, eyes sparkling with intrigue.
"What if... he's keeping her in check?"
"In check? What check?"
"Oh my oh my! Playing innocent! What else? He's jealous of the president stealing you away! That's jealousy in other words!"
In check? Jealousy?
Christa's face flushed beet red in an instant.
"What kinda nonsense is that? Jealousy from who? He's my rival! We don't have those feelings for each other! Hey! Aren't you coming?!"
"Hee hee, maybe you don't, miss—but the young master might!"
She gave up chasing and thumping the fleeing Gertrude. There was work piling up in the student council.
'Unbelievable. Doesn't she know men and women shouldn't sit together past seven? Neither he nor I plan to waste our school days with that sloppy mindset.'
Hmph. Arms crossed arrogantly, she shook off stray thoughts and climbed the stairs to Dragonwheel Hall. On the fourth floor, the student council room door was slightly ajar.
Curious, she approached—then froze as a voice leaked from within, her hand halting on the door.
"...I just don't get what your problem is."
The student council president's voice.
Cool and composed, as always.
"Don't you think you're going overboard? Keep this up, and people will start looking at you funny."
"Anyone who knows your true colors won't care what they think. What matters is keeping you under surveillance and in check."
The curt low voice replying was Rain Ludwig's.
"Hah, calm down. I have no intention of doing anything to Christa Warden that'd worry you."
Anything to worry about?
What were they even talking about? And why was she eavesdropping anyway?
She should just go in—thoughts racing, she pushed the door.
"Who'd believe that?"
"Believe it or not, that's up to you. But that's my honest intent."
"Then let me be honest too. Consider this a warning: touch her, and you'll regret it."
Not just her, but others too...
Christa barely heard the rest. Shocked, she gasped and ducked behind the door.
Her face burned hotter than a ripe tomato.
—He's jealous of the president stealing you away! That's jealousy in other words!
What the hell was Rain Ludwig...?
Was Gertrude right?
Now that she thought about it, the weird stuff wasn't just one or two things. Like how he'd suddenly sat next to her that first day and become her desk mate.
'And three days ago, when he told me to ignore Gertrude's teasing... was that because he liked the misunderstanding?'
What the hell was that pathetic idiot thinking at university?
She had to make it clear: they were rivals, not at an age for those feelings.
But it was weird. Why was opening the door and going in so terrifying? Her heart pounded uncontrollably, her face so hot she couldn't even speak.
So she fled the spot. She didn't know why... but she did.
The door slammed shut, and footsteps dashed away. Rain turned toward the sound and tilted his head.
"What was that?"
Valensidis, who had spotted Christa coming and orchestrated the scene, gave a meaningful smile.
"Who knows? The death rattle of youth, perhaps."