Episode 18
The student council at Marsia Imperial Academy wields considerable power, with the Student Council President at its helm.
As a prestigious institution dedicated to gathering and nurturing exceptional talent, it’s only natural that the most capable individuals, regardless of their social standing, rise to positions of authority.
“President, here are the documents from the Disciplinary Committee.”
Currently, that power rests with Dustin, the Student Council President.
Unlike his predecessors, Dustin possesses a gentle and chivalrous demeanor, making him immensely popular within the academy.
“Let’s just issue a warning to the first years since they’ve just enrolled.”
“Yes, understood.”
Under his leadership, the current student council maintains a generally amicable atmosphere.
Except for one individual.
“But wouldn’t that cause resentment among the other years? The student council was ruthless when we were first years.”
Long, straight hair with thick waves.
Sharp, cat-like eyes and a haughty tone.
Fair skin and bright red lips.
A vibrant red dress accentuates her ample bosom and slender waist.
“Miss Aroa.”
Aroa de Greenton.
The headstrong youngest daughter of the Greenton Dukedom.
“Yes, Dustin.”
With a haughty smile, she saunters towards Dustin and links her arm with his, radiating an aura of a picture-perfect couple.
Dustin, however, promptly disengages, as if rejecting such a notion.
“Don’t be shy.”
Aroa, pampered and adored since birth, typically disdained commoners, but Dustin was an exception.
To her, Dustin transcended his commoner status, leading the Imperial Knights while still a student. He was the epitome of a prince charming who defied all odds.
“I’d appreciate it if you would wear the academy uniform first.”
“Oh my, you want me to wear that drab thing? Do you have such a taste, Dustin?”
Her seductive smile could captivate anyone.
Yet, Dustin showed not a shred of interest in Duchess Aroa.
‘That’s what makes it even better. The more unattainable a peak seems, the greater the thrill of conquering it.’
Enrolling in the same year, being placed in the same class for two consecutive years…
To her, everything was a sign of destiny.
Dustin was a ray of light illuminating her dull and dreary existence.
“I can speak to my father and ask him to grant you some favors, Dustin.”
“That’s not necessary.”
Despite having come of age, Dustin was still young.
He could have easily taken shortcuts or relied on influence, but he chose a different path.
And that difference only made him more alluring to Aroa.
‘He’s completely different from other men! So cool!’
Dustin, driven by his devotion to Yuri, never revealed anything about her.
Thus, his honesty and refusal to take shortcuts often stirred the hearts of many women, including Aroa.
Dustin remained oblivious to his immense popularity within the academy.
He had no interest in women, and with Aroa constantly by his side, no one dared to express their feelings openly.
“Dustin, Dustin. Would you like to have tea with me today?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m busy with Imperial duties again today.”
“Then how about tomorrow?”
“My schedule is full tomorrow as well. I apologize for always having to decline.”
Despite his polite refusals, Dustin found Aroa rather bothersome.
She clung to him relentlessly, constantly seeking physical contact.
He was aware of her feelings, of course.
That’s why he tried to maintain a distance, but it only fueled Aroa’s persistence.
‘What a persistent woman.’
He had explicitly rejected her advances, but she only responded with an excited expression.
He initially thought she was a pervert, but now it felt like a part of his daily routine.
A routine he could ignore, as long as she didn’t cross the line.
Occasionally, the Dukedom would contact him, but even that didn’t bother him.
It was something he could easily handle.
“Dustin, do you have a girlfriend?”
“No, I don’t. As a knight, I must focus on my duties. I have no time for romance or marriage.”
It was a lie, but a plausible one, and Aroa nodded in agreement.
However, everything changes with time.
The moment Dustin became the Student Council President and they entered their second year, things began to shift.
“Master!”
The biggest change was undoubtedly in Dustin.
His life, once consumed by duties, now revolved around Yuri.
Even his duties took a backseat.
No one realized that Aroa’s gaze towards Dustin now harbored an unhealthy amount of jealousy.
‘He brought back a strange woman after a mission before, and now he’s chasing after this unremarkable girl?’
Aroa couldn’t comprehend it.
‘She looks around the same age as me, and she’s not even as pretty. What does he see in this ordinary girl?!’
She deserved to be by Dustin’s side.
She believed she had maintained control over the situation so far.
Whenever another woman tried to get close to Dustin, she would resort to threats and harassment, effectively extinguishing their feelings.
But this time was different.
It was Dustin who was showing interest, not the other way around.
‘But she’s probably just a nobody. I’ll just bully her a little, and she’ll back off on her own. Then Dustin will realize her limitations and come back to me.’
Although Dustin had never shown any romantic interest in Aroa, she believed that once she eliminated Yuri and all the other bothersome women, he would eventually notice her.
That’s what she convinced herself.
Her obsessive infatuation mirrored Dustin’s own.
“Hoho, just you wait. No matter who you are, I’ll be the one standing by Dustin’s side in the end.”
A chilling breeze swept through the student council room.
A foreboding chill that hinted at impending trouble.
***
“That’s all for today’s class. Don’t forget to write your self-introductions and bring them tomorrow!”
What a bizarre class.
I’m not even sure if it qualifies as a class.
We spent the entire day listening to the teacher brag about himself.
Seven hours of self-promotion, boasting about being born into a family of war heroes, destined to be a great mage, and how the academy offered him a fortune to join them.
And now he wants us to write self-introductions?
“Is he planning to waste another day with our introductions?”
Isn’t this a bit too easy?
But since he’s an academy teacher, there’s a strange sense of credibility to it.
Despite my initial skepticism, there were some genuinely interesting parts.
Whether true or not, he was a captivating storyteller.
“That was more exciting than I expected, right?”
“…Boring.”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
Well, I can’t blame you.
You’re a plant enthusiast.
“Master, is class over?”
Oh, there he is again.
This guy has way too much free time. He’s been showing up every break and now even after class.
It’s hard to tell which class he actually belongs to.
“Hey, you’re making everyone uncomfortable. Just go.”
He might be the snot-nosed Dustin to me, but to the other students, he’s the admired and respected Student Council President.
Seeing him once or twice is fine, but his constant presence in our classroom is making everyone uneasy.
They can’t say anything for fear of getting on his bad side and making their school life difficult.
“I have another class, but I have enough time to escort you to your dormitory, Master.”
No, you don’t.
It takes about fifteen minutes to walk to the dormitory.
Break time is ten minutes.
“Stop skipping class and focus on your studies.”
“I’m not skipping…”
He looks dejected, like a golden retriever with droopy ears, mumbling and expressing his disappointment.
I pity the people who voted for this guy as Student Council President.
“You are the most important to me… mmph…”
I cover his mouth before he can spout more nonsense and shove him out of the classroom.
“If you don’t leave, you’ll be cutting into my precious after-school time. Disappear before I count to three. One, two…”
At least he still listens to me sometimes.
He might not listen to the most important things, but he’s willing to compromise on other matters.
Good, he should at least have that much conscience.
If I’m truly the most important thing to him, he should be hanging onto my every word.
“Celia, are you going straight back to the dormitory?”
“I’m going to the laboratory.”
“Okay, then I’ll say goodbye here.”
“I’m going to the dormitory first, then to the lab.”
“Oh… uh, o-okay.”
Did she forget something in the dormitory?
“Let’s go.”
She says it nonchalantly, grabbing my hand. She’s like a little sister who’s always teasing but secretly adores her older brother.
Except this little sister is a genius who revolutionized the medical field with her groundbreaking research.
“Yeah, let’s go. You need to get back to your research…”
BOOM!
It takes quite a while to go to the dormitory and then back to the laboratory.
We start walking briskly, but a sudden, deafening explosion cuts my sentence short.
“Wh-what was that?”
The loud noise definitely came from our classroom.
More precisely, from the door.
I quickly glance at the front door.
No one there.
Gulp…
With a pounding heart, I turn towards the back door.
“Wahaha! Good, you haven’t left yet!”
The slender blonde girl with the dwarven blacksmith-rivaling spirit from the entrance ceremony is striding towards the front of the classroom, a hearty laugh escaping her lips.
What’s she doing here?
Well, she must have some business here.
She said we haven’t left, so she must be looking for someone.
Anyway, it’s none of my business. I’m about to head towards the front door when…
“You’re that famous Dustin’s girl, aren’t you?!”
The boisterous student representative grabs my shoulder and spouts utter nonsense.
What the hell is she talking about?!