Chapter 439: Episode 439

Simon’s group left the crowded Parona market and took a carriage to their inn. It was a small but charming place, nestled between a mountain and a flowing valley. Secluded and peaceful, it was the perfect retreat. They spent the day playing in the valley, and as evening fell, they built a bonfire. After carving skewers from branches, they roasted chunks of meat they’d bought at the market over the open flames. The taste of freshly grilled meat outdoors was, without a doubt, heavenly.

All four of them ate, drank, and chatted excitedly. It had been too long since they’d all been together, and the atmosphere was electric. They completely lost track of time.

“Ugh, there are too many bugs. Let’s go inside,” Meirin finally said.

Even indoors, they gathered around a table, sipping wine and continuing their conversation.

“Dick, this inn is amazing!” Kamibarez exclaimed.

“Hehe, what did I tell you?” Dick preened. “And the real highlight of the Parona Peninsula is the day after tomorrow, so get ready.”

Meirin, who had been listening quietly, turned to Simon. “Simon.”

Lost in his own thoughts, Simon flinched. “Uh, um. What is it?”

“You’ve been acting a little strange since yesterday. What are you thinking about so hard?”

“Ah, well,” Simon improvised, “I was just thinking that I’ve never really been on a trip like this before. I’ve lived in Leshill my whole life, so this is my first time traveling with friends.”

His words made the other three flush. Dick immediately raised his glass. “To that, then! Let’s have another drink! Here’s hoping this year is just as fun as the last! Cheers!”

They all clinked their glasses and laughed, but as Simon joined in, a shadow crossed his face.

’Damn it, I can’t find the right moment to bring it up!’

The conversation was moving too fast. Now Dick was giving tips on second-year course registration, and the Student Council hadn’t been mentioned since that one brief exchange on the ship.

’I can’t put it off any longer. The mood is perfect. I have to do it now!’

Simon lifted his head, his expression determined. “Hey, guys!”

The other three paused their discussion and looked at him.

“Yeah?”

“What’s wrong, Simon?”

’Do it. Say it now.’ Just as he steeled himself to finally speak his mind…

’Of course, I’d be grateful for the offer… B-But… I don’t know if I could handle such an important role…’

Kamibarez’s words from yesterday echoed in his ears.

’I wouldn’t take it even if they begged me… Being in the Student Council would just be a burden…’

Followed by Meirin’s.

’Honestly, isn’t it obvious I’m better suited to be the cunning villain…?’

And finally, Dick’s.

His confidence suddenly evaporated. Simon averted his gaze, his voice trailing off. “I-I was just wondering… who the Student Council President will be this year. Haha.”

The three of them blinked.

“Again?” Dick asked. “Didn’t we already talk about that yesterday?”

“What is it?” Meirin’s eyes narrowed shrewdly. “Why are you beating around the bush?”

“That’s right, Simon,” Kamibarez added gently. “You can tell us.”

“Wait, don’t tell me!” Dick shot up from his seat, realization dawning on his face. “The Student Council President…!”

Simon swallowed hard.

“You got an offer to be a Student Council officer! Right? Am I right?”

“Oh, so that’s it!” Meirin exclaimed. “You’re joining the Student Council?”

“Simon! Congratulations!” Kamibarez cheered.

The three of them applauded, and Simon could only manage an awkward smile. “That’s not it.”

’To hell with it,’ he thought. ’Whatever happens, happens.’

“To be precise—” Simon pulled the Student Council President’s badge from his pocket and held it out for them to see. “Starting this year, I’m Kizen’s Student Council President.”

Their jaws dropped. Shock. Disbelief. Astonishment. A heavy silence descended upon the room as they stared, dumbfounded, at the badge in Simon’s hand.

“Wow! Haha! You almost had me,” Dick finally managed, the only one still able to speak. He leaned in to examine the badge. “A second-year as president? Where’d you get a fake like this…?”

But it was too intricately crafted to be a fake.

“Hey, are you for real…?!”

“Simon!!”

“Really? Really? I can’t believe it!”

Simon briefly covered his ears as they all jumped up and started bombarding him with questions at once.

“Wait, calm down! I’ll explain!”

He calmly recounted the entire story, their expressions shifting with every detail.

“S-So that’s what happened,” Meirin said, sinking back into her chair with a dazed look. “Since Aizel’s return is delayed, the presidency went to you…”

“Wow, damn…” Dick let out a hollow laugh and refilled Simon’s empty glass with wine. “I see your face every day, but suddenly you look like a different person! We’re still friends, right? Do you remember my name?”

Kamibarez clapped her hands softly. “I was so surprised, Simon. Congratulations again!”

Meirin propped her chin on her hand, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “Hmm. So that’s why you were flinching every time the Student Council President was mentioned?”

“Well, yeah. And about that, Meirin.”

Simon picked up the wine glass Dick had just filled to the brim and downed it in one go.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Meirin cried out, startled. “If you drink that fast—!”

“Meirin!” Simon shot up from his seat and leaned in close.

Meirin’s face turned beet red. “Wh-What is it! You’ve been acting so strange since yesterday…”

“As the Student Council President of Kizen, I have a proposal for you!” The wine had given him a surge of courage. He grabbed her hand, his gaze intense. “Be my Vice President, Meirin!”

Her world stopped.

“M-Me?” she stammered, pointing a trembling finger at herself.

“Yes! I’m looking for officers to work with me, and you’re the only one who’s right for the Vice President position!”

Flushed to the roots of her hair, she shot up and stumbled backward. “Wh-Wh-What are you talking about?! Are you messing with me? Don’t joke about things like that! Getting a person’s hopes up for nothing!”

“Do I look like I’m joking?” Simon advanced on her, his presence overwhelming. Meirin backed away until her back hit the wall. “I know you’ll be busy with your second-year studies, and I know how serious you are about them! But…!” He looked into her trembling eyes, and his voice softened. “I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t at least ask.”

Her sky-blue hair fell, hiding her face. The silence that followed felt like an eternity. Then, she lifted her head.

“Don’t lie to me!” she cried, pushing his chest with her palms. “Why me?! What makes you think I’m fit to be Vice President?! Serne is more talented than me! And you’re super close with Lorraine, too!” She clutched her chest, her voice rising. “Serne was bragging all break at the Ivory Tower about how she got invited to a royal ball with Special Admission No. 1 and No. 2 and went on a date!”

Simon flinched. “N-No! That was because Princess Molly—!”

“And if Kizen headquarters made you president, isn’t their intention obvious? Nephthys’s successor, Lorraine, would be a much better fit by your side!” Her eyes were now glistening with tears as she shouted hysterically, “Why me! Did you only come to me because those two turned you down?”

“No.” Simon shook his head and took another step closer. “From the very beginning, you were the only one I was thinking of.”

At his words, Meirin’s mind went completely blank. Her heart hammered against her ribs.

“From the start, you were the only one I had in mind,” Simon repeated, his voice steady. “This is the first offer I’m making.”

He remembered Phantastus’s advice.

’Appointing student council officers is strictly the ’right of the Student Council President’! You must choose someone you can trust, someone who will take your side no matter the external pressure!’

“Someone I can trust,” Simon said, looking directly at her. “Someone who will take my side.”

’The vice president position is a bit special. A running mate whose policies align with yours! They must be competent and outstanding. It would be even better if they’re trustworthy and in the Top 10.’

“A competent and outstanding person,” Simon continued. “I’ve watched you all year. I know better than anyone.” He confidently extended his hand, driving the point home. “You’re more qualified to be the vice president than anyone else in this school. Please, Meirin!”

Ripples spread through her blue eyes. ’He’s really being serious…’

A flood of emotions washed over her. Her eyes burned, and a lump formed in her throat. Looking as if she might burst into tears at any moment, she covered her face with her hands and turned away.

“Ah.” Simon stood there awkwardly, his hand still extended. He could see her shoulders trembling. “So… will you accept?”

He couldn’t see her face, but he saw a single, glistening teardrop escape from beneath her eyelids. Then, a small, choked “Yeah” reached his ears.

’Yes!’

A brilliant smile finally broke across Simon’s face.

Overcome with embarrassment, Meirin covered her face and fled from the inn.

Simon let out a long sigh of relief.

And then, a delayed wave of embarrassment washed over Simon. He had said far too much. ’I’m going easy on the wine from now on,’ he resolved, turning away. “And Dick, Kamibarez. You two as well… Huh?”

The room felt suddenly empty.

Dick and Kamibarez were huddled in opposite corners, doing their best to shrink into the shadows.

“…Oh, truly magnificent,” Dick deadpanned, offering a slow, hollow clap. “President Simon and Vice President Meirin! Ahem. We ‘common students’ should have taken the hint and made ourselves scarce. Haha! I guess we just missed our cue.”

“Wh-What are you talking about all of a sudden!” Simon sputtered, his face flushing crimson.

“…Congratulations.” Kamibarez, looking utterly dazed, traced idle circles on the floor with her fingertip. “The two of you are drifting further and further away. To a higher, more distant place…”

“Kamibarez! Not you, too!”

It seemed a single glass of wine had sent them all off the deep end. Simon quickly regained his composure, clearing his throat. “Dick.”

“Yeees? Did you call for me, Mr. Pre-si-dent?” Dick drawled, making a show of prostrating himself on the floor.

“I’ll get straight to the point,” Simon said, ignoring the theatrics. “I want you to be the Student Council Treasurer.”

Dick’s head shot up. “For real?”

“Yes.”

“You’re being dead serious?”

“I am.”

“You know my reputation, right? They call me ‘Tricky Dick’ for a reason. More importantly, I’m ranked 400th!”

“Rank doesn’t matter.” Simon smiled. “What matters is your skill as a treasurer. Remember? At the beginning of our first year, while everyone else was buried in books, you were out doing market research and starting a small business. Now, as a second-year, you’ve acquired shops in Rochester and are running a sizable enterprise. There’s no one else like you in all of Kizen. And most importantly…” He held up a clenched fist. “It takes a trickster to catch a trickster, right?”

“…Heh heh.” Dick’s shoulders began to shake. He lifted his head, slammed a fist into his open palm, and shot to his feet. “When it comes to that, nobody in the world is better than me! Hahaha!”

Seeing his friend fully revived, Simon smiled quietly. “Is that a yes?”

“Hmph! Becoming a public official means I’ll have to step back from a few businesses and appoint a proxy, but being a student council officer is a much bigger deal than being a mere second-year. The benefits are obvious! I’m playing in the big leagues now!”

“Ah, of course,” Simon added, laying out a condition. “I’m appointing Meirin as the financial auditor. You are absolutely forbidden from using the school budget as you please.”

“…Pfft. The problem is we know each other too well.”

With Meirin as a check, any of Dick’s potential schemes could be thwarted. Not that Dick was the type to embezzle funds, especially after a warning like that.

“Alright, next is Kamibarez… Ah.”

While he had been dealing with Dick, Kamibarez had sunk even deeper into her despair. She had somehow opened the supply closet and was now crouched inside, scratching at the floorboards with her fingers.

“Kamibarez.” Though the door was open, Simon knocked lightly. “May I come in?”

She gave a small nod. Simon knelt before her.

“I understand if the student council offer feels like too much pressure,” he began gently. “But I’d really like you to be the Student Council Secretary. It’s a job that requires meticulous attention to detail—handling administrative tasks, writing up meeting minutes.”

At the softness in his voice, she finally looked up. “…Will I really be okay? I’m worried that someone as ordinary as me will just hold the three of you back.”

“You’re still saying that?” Simon laughed, shaking his head. “How many times do I have to tell you? You’re more special than anyone in this world.”

Her face instantly flushed a shade of deep crimson.

“You’ll accept, won’t you?” Simon held out his hand.

Kamibarez shyly took it, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Yes! I’ll work my hardest so I don’t fall behind you three!”

“Honestly, you’ve never once fallen behind,” Simon insisted, carefully helping her to her feet.

The door slammed open, and Meirin burst back into the room, her face still flushed but her composure seemingly regained.

“I am the Vice President of Kizen!” she declared, letting out a triumphant laugh.

If anything, her energy had only intensified. Kamibarez scurried over and threw her arms around her.

“Meirin! I’m the secretary now!”

“Really? That’s wonderful, Kamibarez! Congratulations!”

Beside them, Dick stood with his nose in the air and his shoulders puffed out so far they looked like they might touch the sky. He jabbed a thumb at his chest. “And I’m the treasurer!”

“Are you out of your mind? ’He’s’ managing the money?” Meirin stared at Simon, horrified. “Simon, is that for real?”

“If Dick gets out of line, you can stop him.”

“…W-Well, that’s true, but.”

“Alright, then!” An excited Dick filled their empty glasses with wine and passed them around. Soon, all four raised their glasses high.

“Simon! What number student council are we?” Dick asked.

“The 330th.”

“Okay! To the 330th Simon Polentia Student Council!”

They clinked their glasses together and roared, “To the council!” Amidst boisterous laughter, the story of the new student council members continued until dawn. It was a night of unbridled passion.

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