Chapter 160

“Approved……!”

Clatter.

The door of the Student Council President’s office opened, and someone came in. It was Sam Walter, a second-year and the head of the Tactical Combat Department.

“It’s approved!”

“R-Really?”

“Yeah! Really, our proposal has been approved! Now we can hold a festival just like the other universities!”

“Wooooooah!!”

At Sam’s report, the other Student Council members, including Iri, all burst out cheering together.

How many heated debates had they gone through with the old geezers of the Academy to get this project passed?

It had taken a tremendous effort to persuade those damn old men who would light up their eyes and raise their voices whenever it seemed like their money was on the line.

“Seriously, why do those guys oppose it to the end when they’ll roll over the moment Chairman Stingray says a word! They were going to approve it anyway!”

“If it weren’t for the Chairman and the new Headmaster, this wouldn’t have been approved at all. Honestly… the draft was kind of shoddy, even from our perspective.”

“That’s true.”

Even if Aaron Stingray had given his approval, if the project itself was sloppy and full of holes, it was only natural for the Academy’s old monsters to oppose it.

As an inexperienced Student Council, there was no way they could suddenly conjure up a flawless plan that satisfied the Academy’s management.

So, after a long struggle and patience, the Student Council finally succeeded in pushing through a passable plan.

One month from now.

At that time, for the first time in Trinity Academy’s history, a school festival would be held. An event where they could finally break away from the grueling cycle of training and classes to enjoy themselves to the fullest.

But having the plan approved wasn’t the end. On the contrary, their workload would more than double from now on.

It was a schedule forcibly crammed into this year’s academic calendar. Even starting preparations immediately, it would still be tight to pull off the festival successfully.

In other words, the current Student Council had no luxury of learning through trial and error. From the very beginning, flawless execution under a meticulous plan was necessary.

Still, at least for this moment, they decided to enjoy the joy of being able to hold a festival like any other school. Led by their President Iri, the members teased each other and praised one another’s efforts.

“Really, it’s lucky our President Iri is Chairman Aaron’s favorite. What would we have done otherwise?”

“……What did you just say?”

“Look at her face turning red.”

“Who’s turning red?!”

“Yeah, your face is fine. Just your ears turned red.”

“Can’t be helped. Chairman Aaron’s pretty handsome. He’s of a different status from us, so we can’t even dare, but I bet it’s the same for Iri.”

“But what’s our President going to do? I heard rumors Chairman Aaron already has a fiancée.”

“Huh? Really?”

At the second-year Science Department Head Jane’s question, Sam nodded.

“Yeah. I heard she’s quite a beauty. And she’s not that much older than us. Was it twenty? Or twenty-one?”

“So what?”

“Huh? You knew already, President?”

“……Yes.”

Rather, it was strange that the seniors knew. It almost seemed like someone was deliberately spreading rumors about Serena.

Serena.

As soon as thoughts of her crossed her mind, Iri’s brows furrowed on their own. Seeing that, Jane cautiously probed.

“President, are you mad?”

“……Why would I be mad?”

“NTR… well, more like BBS happened to you……”

“What’s that?”

“A-ah, nothing~.”

She didn’t know what it meant, but she could tell it wasn’t anything decent.

“……Vice President, Science Department Head? If you’re going to keep spouting nonsense, how about you all get back to work?”

“Yeeees~.”

When Iri shot them a genuine glare, the Student Council members finally stopped teasing her, though their giggles among themselves didn’t stop.

Sigh.

These seniors were so sincere when it came to teasing juniors. At this point, they were hooked on it—unless she reacted like this, they wouldn’t stop.

At first, they hadn’t known how to act around each other, so things had been awkward……

It was natural, since each of them belonged to different corporations and years. But as they ran themselves ragged together to push through the “school festival” project, the walls naturally broke down and their relationships grew closer.

The only problem was that they’d grown a little too comfortable with one another.

Just as Iri sighed inwardly, Sam, the head of the Tactical Combat Department, glanced around and asked,

“Come to think of it, where’s Alton?”

“Vice President Raina went out.”

“Hospital again?”

“Yes.”

“Such devotion.”

Raina had stepped away from her duties to visit Silence, who was currently hospitalized.

Ever since Silence was admitted, she had been visiting the hospital almost every day. She seemed to believe that what had happened to Silence was still her fault. Yet, despite her devoted heart, Silence’s recovery was much slower than expected.

“Silence… that’s the senior who got seriously injured when you fought with Militech, right?”

“That’s right.”

“If he’s a Stingray Scholarship Student, then he’s one of Chairman Aaron’s favorites like you, isn’t he? He should be getting the best treatment, so why isn’t he recovering?”

“W-Well……”

It was because of the side effects of the Junk Chip, which made medicine less effective…… but Iri couldn’t say that, so she dodged the question and shut her mouth.

Truthfully, she didn’t want to recall the Showcase incident at all. Even if it had been self-defense, it was still her who had ultimately driven Donovan to his death.

“Sam. Don’t bring that up.”

“……Got it.”

The Science Department Head scolded the Tactical Combat Department Head, and the Student Council stopped their small talk, returning to business.

“So, what’s next?”

“Now that the plan is approved, we need to get to work properly. A lot of students don’t even know a festival is happening, so first we should start with promotion……”

“With only a month and a half left, starting with promotion sounds grim.”

“As we mentioned in the planning stage, if we tell students to set up their own booths or exhibitions, participation will be low. Instead, if we collaborate with corporations, we can decorate the 1st and 2nd floors of the Academy like a theme park and organize events……”

“Not just students—we should make it so faculty and staff can join too. Sending an official notice to professors and instructors, asking them to help a little, wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

“So busy. So busy.”

Though they grumbled, smiles spread across the faces of the Student Council members.

A festival.

A festival in this damned Academy.

Up until now, this place had been nothing but competition with other students to win the corporations’ favor. And now, at last, an event for themselves was about to be held.

The thought of it filled them with indescribable joy. Knowing they were changing the Academy with their own hands, they didn’t tire at all and pressed on with their meeting.

45 days left until the festival.

Time was tight, but they were determined to succeed no matter what. That sense of exhilaration filled their hearts.

“A-a festival……?”

“That’s right.”

Inside Professor Adam Richardson’s laboratory.

Miyu, sitting on the guest chair and sipping a drink, widened her eyes as she asked. Ever since a chance encounter had made her acquainted with Professor Richardson, she had been dropping by his office whenever she had spare time.

Normally, she would have holed up in her own room or headed to the Stingray Foundation Office on the 249th floor. But ever since Iri became Student Council President, her visits there had dwindled.

Lately, even Chairman Aaron seemed busy, often absent. Silence was at the hospital, Raina was away visiting him, and the Special Class members rarely had a chance to gather.

Even Ciel had scarcely been seen recently. Only Evangeline showed up at their private playroom (which was originally a lounge) every day, but personally, Miyu found Evangeline a little awkward—she never got along well with children.

So lately, the person Miyu had been meeting most often was none other than Professor Adam Richardson.

And thanks to that, she first heard about the festival through him.

“As I thought, you didn’t know.”

“S-sorryyy……”

“There’s nothing to apologize to me for. It’s best to break the habit of apologizing so easily to anyone.”

Stroking his bushy beard, Professor Adam continued speaking.

“This morning, the Student Council sent an official request for cooperation to the faculty. I heard the Science and Technology Department staff and students are planning some sort of invention exhibition. Since there’s not much time, they won’t be collecting anything grand—just simple and clever idea products…… How about it? Would you like to participate?”

“T-t-that’s……”

After hesitating for a long time, Miyu shook her head.

“S-sorry. I don’t think I can……”

“Hmm? Why not?”

“The Chairman wouldn’t allow it.”

Last time, she had tried to secretly make a module for Iri and was caught, scolded by Aaron. Of course, since this was for the festival, maybe he would grant special permission, but she didn’t want to take the risk.

……No, in truth, that was just an excuse.

She simply didn’t want to participate in the exhibition.

It was fun to make modules or weapons for someone else, but to make something just to show off her ideas…… it felt embarrassing. The very word “exhibition” carried with it a sense of rejection.

“Hmm. If that’s the case, then it can’t be helped. Still, I was expecting that you’d make something quite fun, Miyu.”

Professor Adam clicked his tongue regretfully. Miyu thought that would be the end of it, but then his eyes suddenly sparkled.

“Then how about helping me instead?”

“Eh?”

Miyu’s eyes grew wide.

“Y-you’re going to enter the exhibition……?”

“No. A professor my age submitting an invention to be judged alongside students? That would be far too shameless.”

“Then what did you mean by asking me to help……?”

“Not the exhibition. Something else. Remember I mentioned earlier? The Student Council sent an official request for cooperation to the faculty.”

“Yes……”

“That’s it. It seems the Student Council is short-handed, so they’ve been asking the professors for help with various things. So, how about lending me a hand to make sure the Academy’s festival succeeds?”

“T-that’s……”

I really don’t want to.

If only she could just say it firmly like that.

But such decisiveness was something only people with decent communication skills could pull off.

“O-okay……”

For a timid person, refusing was difficult.

Above all, Miyu wanted to take another look at the research material Professor Adam had once casually shown her.

“The Secret of the Lv.5 Module……”

What exactly was the Stingray Group’s purpose in creating a new Game Changer? What kind of abilities would the module have? What kind of technology was being used to make it?

And if Aaron himself wasn’t the one to wear the module, then who on earth would its owner be?

This had been one of Miyu’s biggest reasons for regularly visiting Professor Adam’s lab. She thought that maybe, in the course of their conversations, she might learn a little more about that document.

You could say this was Miyu’s own way of raising his favorability toward her. And in the midst of that, if she refused his very first request, she felt she might forever lose the chance to satisfy her curiosity.

“I-I’ll do my best……”

In the end, Miyu accepted his proposal.

Completely unaware of what consequences that decision would bring later.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep