50. New Semester and First-Year War [2]

For the time being, I decided to sit the president in her chair, and listen to her story once she calms down.

「Well… So what happened, president?」

「Nee… will you help me?」

The president looked at me with upturned eyes and her head slightly tilted, but I can’t just immediately reply,「Sure.」

「It depends on the kind of help.」

「…Stingy」

「I’m not stingy …Just tell me what happened? I won’t know if you don’t tell me.」

The president then pointed to a section of the student council room.

「…I can only see a mountain of documents.」

「That’s right.」

A mountain of documents was piled up on the vice president’s desk, and Lilim-senpai said「It’s in the way!」and moved it to the corner of the room.

「Unfortunately, the vice president did not come back even after the summer vacation.」

「It looks like that.」

The vice president went to the Holy Ronelia Empire, a country banned from travel, to mine the rare blood diamond.

The work of the student council seems to have been cleaned up by the vice president for a long time, and now that he was gone, the work had accumulated.

「Lilim and Ferris, who have a keen intuition, didn’t even come to the regular meeting – that is, they ran away.」

「…I see.」

「Even if I do my best alone, such a quantity… There’s no way I can finish it all up…」

I suddenly became exhausted when I understood what kind of help the president wanted from me.

「That’s why I ask. Allen-kun… Please help me organize the documents.」

Saying that, she brought her hands together in front of her face and bowed.

「……Excuse me, president. I remember the prerequisite for us to join the student council was that,『we don’t have to do a single piece of work』?」

「That was then! This is now! Unforeseen things happen all the time, right? Ria-san and Rose-san think so too, right…? Right…!?」

The president looked at Ria and Rose, asking for support,

「U-Umm…」

「This is called reap what you sow…」

Their responses were lackluster.

Well, this is entirely due to the president’s negligence, so it was only natural.

「N-No way…!?」

The isolated and unassisted president,

「P-Please Allen-kun…! This time, it’s really really bad…!」

Without using cheap tricks, she was requesting earnestly.

「Even if you say that… A promise is a promise…」

Then when I refused gently,

「E-Even though onee-chan is requesting your help so seriously…! Don’t you have even the slightest humanity!? Demon! Devil! Allen!」

The president stared at us and began to whine like a child.

「Please calm down, president. And『Allen』is not an insult…」

In order to calm down the president, I decided to mention an alternative.

「If you don’t have enough manpower… Why don’t you take your work home and get the help of your retainers?」

President’s House – House Arcstria is a famous house who inherited top government positions from generation to generation.

There was a person who seemed to be a butler in the summer training camp, so she will be able to get it done even without our help.

「That’s no good. All materials submitted to the student council are strictly prohibited from being taken out.」

「You’re being upright at a strange place…」

The president who calmly cheats all the time, is being upright in a place where it doesn’t make sense.

「So please, Allen-kun…! Help your onee-san…! Oh, yes! I’ll treat you to ice cream next time…!」

Saying that, the president shook my shoulders.

(No, I’m not a small child… You can’t entice me with ice cream…)

At best, you can entice Ria with the prospect of food.

(But if I refuse here …)

Last time – as in the case of the Club Budget War, I will receive calls from the in-house broadcasts again.

(If it’s going to be a hassle anyway, should I get the job done…)

I’m also a member of the student council, although just in name.

And most of all, she’s been asking so desperately… I don’t have the heart to turn her down.

「Haa… Understood. I’ll do my best to help you.」

「R-Really!?」

「Yeah. However… there is no next time.」

I reminded her just in case.

「T-Thank you! Allen-kun! I’m going to treat you to a delicious ice cream next time!」

It seems that it did not reach the ears of the ecstatic president.

(Haa… By the look of things, it seems that I’ll be working again…)

As I heave a sigh,

「Mou… I’ll lend a hand too.」

「It can’t be helped…」

Ria and Rose, who were reluctant, decided to help the president.

「Yay! If it’s four people, I’m sure we’ll manage it somehow!」

On the other hand, the president who regained her motivation and vitality took out her lunch box from the bag in a good mood.

「Come on, guys! After you have lunch, let’s start right away!」

After that, we had lunch and divided the piles of documents into four portions.

Replying to written opinion statements raised from the activities of each club.

Replying to requests from the staff room.

Replying to the proposal for a crackdown on morals issued by the Public Morals Committee.

Certainly it would not be realistic to do this alone.

「Yes, president. All of these documents are over. 」

「Thank you. But there are still mountains of them left, so take more with you.」

「Roger.」

Even while saying that, she proceeded to deal with the large amount of documents that she had collected before anyone else.

Even with the way she is, she is still the student council president – the basic specs are very high.

(If we continue to do our best at this pace, it should be over by after school tomorrow…)

While thinking about that, carrying a pile of documents from the vice-president’s desk,

「Nn?」

I saw a poster that was somewhat intriguing.

Which read,

「…First-Year War?」

It was written with a powerful brushwork,『August 8th, the opening banquet at the Underground Training Area!』

While I was reading through the poster,

「Oh? Allen-kun, you don’t know?」

The president who noticed me, came up behind my back and leaned onto me and peered at the poster.

「Y-Yes. What is this『First-Year War』?」

「The First-Year War, is a competition for the 『First-Year Student Quota』of the Sword King Festival – a swordsmanship tournament for first-year students only!」

「Swordsmanship tournament… only for first-year students…」

I don’t know what the Sword King Festival is, but『Swordsmanship Tournament』sounded very good.

「It’s about time we recruited people who wish to participate… I think you’ll hear from your homeroom teacher at the last period today.」

Which reminds me, didn’t Leia-sensei say that there will be a message during the last homeroom…?

(……I want to go.)

I want to compete with Ria, Rose, and everyone else in Class A…

When I was feeling so excited, the president clapped her hands.

「Here! Concentrate on your work, more than about the First-Year War! Let’s finish it quickly!」

「Yeah, that’s right.」

So I controlled my excitement and concentrated on the work again.

After that, about 20 minutes have passed and five minutes before the end of the lunch break,

「Well… That’s about it for today.」

「Yes, that’s right. The soul dress class will begin soon, so let’s wrap it up.」

「Fuwaa…… I’m getting sleepy…」

We decided to suspend work at that point.

「Make sure to come after school, okay? Because it’s a promise with onee-san!」

After parting with the president who said that, I, Ria and Rose went to the afternoon class.

■

After that, we finished the afternoon class and returned to Class A from the Soul Dress Area.

The soul dress class… was very mentally fatiguing.

「Fuu……」

When I sat in my seat, exhaling loudly,

「Allen, are you okay? You look a little tired…」

「Are you sleeping properly? Sleep is important to recover from fatigue.」

Ria and Rose called out to me kindly.

「Thank you. Yeah… I’m going to go to bed earlier than usual today.」

When I was talking about that, the classroom door opened and Leia-sensei came in.

「Well – let’s start the last homeroom. I have an important announcement today, so listen carefully!」

Sensei clapped and spoke of the important announcement.

「I think there are many students who already know from their seniors in club activities and the annual schedule – next August 8th, the 『First-Year War』 will finally begin.』

At that moment, tension ran through the classroom.

「Just in case, let’s start by explaining what the First-Year War is. Well, to put it simply- the First-Year War is a duel between first-year students who are trying to qualify for the Sword King Festival!」

Sensei’s loud voice echoed throughout the classroom.

「The Sword King Festival is very high-profile because『Every High-School Swordsmanship Academy』 participates in it. If you can accomplish a great achievement there, the path to a brilliant career, such as a Senior Holy Knight or a government official will open up for you. The first step towards that is the First-Year War, a war to win the right to participate!」

If you become a Senior Holy Knight, you will receive a higher salary than a Junior Holy Knight.

I heard that they receive more generous treatment than Junior Holy Knight.

(…Senior Holy Knight, huh)

If I can become a Senior Holy Knight, I will be able to give my mother a comfortable life.

(This might be a chance…)

Sensei continued talking while I was thinking about that.

「Participation in the First-Year War is not mandatory, but I would like you all to participate. Yoshi, those who have already decided to participate in the First-Year War at this point raise your hands!」

The moment sensei said so.

All the students in Class A raised their hands.

「…Hou, it’s rare for everyone to participate! This year’s first-year students – no, this year’s Class A is quite motivated!」

Sensei nodded satisfied.

「For the rest of the week, put your heart and soul into training! Well – Dismissed!」

■

After that, I worked hard to manifest my soul dress every day by struggling to death with that guy.

But, even if an ordinary talentless person like me worked to death for a mere one week… There is no way I can achieve great results.

In the end, August 8th – the day of the First-Year War came, without me manifesting my soul dress.

The venue is the same Underground Training Area as during the Club Budget War.

A square stage placed in the center.

In addition, the audience seat was set up so as to surround it.

In the center of the stage, Leia-sensei, the director of our academy, gave a brief greeting, and us participants of the First-Year War listened to it from the wing of the stage.

(10, 20, 30, 40… about 50 participants)

When I was looking around casually, Leia-sensei’s greeting ended.

「Well, that is it for the formal greetings. Many students of this year have already developed soul dress! More fierce battles will unfold compared to past years! Last but not least, all of you who have honed your swordsmanship every day – clash with everything you’ve got and display those results! So then, I declare the beginning of the First-Year War!」

The next moment sensei said so.

「UOOOOOHHHHHH! IT’S FINALLY HERE!」

「Don’t lose, TESSAAAA!」

「Allen-kun! The gates of the swordsmanship club is always open to you!」

There was a tremendous cheer from the audience.

Enthusiastic support of seniors who have a strong body from the Judo Club.

The deputy head of the Swordsmanship Club, whom I had crossed swords with before, Silty-Rosette, was waving at me.

(Such enthusiasm…)

When I was in the right mental state with a mix of tension and excitement – Ria and Rose stood in front of me.

「Allen, I will pay you back for the defeat I suffered on the first day of the academy!」

「I suffered an embarrassing defeat at the Sword Festival, but I’ll definitely win this time!」

I was very happy when I received their straightforward gaze.

「Aa, today we’re enemies – let’s do our best!」

Thus, the death match-like war which staked the right to participation of one first-year student in the Sword King Festival – The First-Year War began.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep