"S-Simon! No, I mean, our Student Council President! Do you think... he might still hold a grudge against me?"
"What?" Meirin, who had been trying to maintain a serious demeanor, burst out laughing. This girl was a sycophant to her core. "How can you already be thinking about who to suck up to on the first day of the semester?"
"Hey! I’m serious!"
"I have no idea. Ask him yourself."
"Awww," Elisa whined, clinging to Meirin in a wheedling tone she rarely used.
Meirin shoved her away in annoyance.
"You spent the entire first year getting your ass kicked by Simon. If anyone should hold a grudge, it’s you. I doubt Simon even thinks about it."
"R-Really? That’s a relief..."
"How pathetic."
Both girls turned their heads. A female student wearing sunglasses, even indoors, was staring at them. Meirin’s expression tensed. ’Rank six, Merdiana.’
She was already being called the queen of Venomology. Her nickname was Queen Bee, a nod to the type of black magic she wielded.
"The fact that Simon Polentia became Student Council President is very telling," Merdiana stated, holding out her palm. "Kizen is a strict meritocracy. It means any of us can become president, as long as we can defeat him."
"Hah." Meirin let out a cold sneer. "You think you can touch Simon when even Chatel couldn’t beat him? Go ahead and try."
"The Vice President is right! Simon is super strong!" Elisa chirped, immediately siding with Meirin.
Merdiana’s head turned toward her.
"You little politician. You’d better pick the right side."
"Huh?"
"It won’t be long before the Student Council President’s seat..." Her gaze shifted to the stage. "...is taken by Aseraz."
As if on cue, Professor Byul’s voice boomed.
"Rank five! Aseraz Mikel’s choice is the Summoning Department!"
Startled, Meirin’s head snapped toward the stage. ’Aseraz chose Summoning? I was sure she’d pick Jet-Black Dynamics or Cursology.’
’Waaaaaaaaaah!’
The Summoning Department went wild. Rank one, rank three, and rank five had all joined their ranks. It was a clean sweep.
’...What are they plotting?’ Meirin’s gaze grew serious as she watched the sixth-ranked Merdiana walk up to the stage.
’Aseraz Mikel.’
Simon, sitting alone at the back of the table, rested his chin on his hand and watched her being welcomed by the Summoning Department seniors. He didn’t know much about her, other than that she had started from a lower rank and shot up to fifth place like a comet, surpassing all the special admission students. She had even beaten Meirin in the written exams both semesters to claim the top spot.
Like Hector, she was given special treatment and seated with the third-years, where Leonard and Will immediately began bombarding her with questions.
Just then, as she was responding to the seniors, she momentarily turned her head.
’Huh?’
She was glaring straight at Simon. He felt a sudden chill, as if a wave of deep-seated resentment was washing over him. When Simon met her gaze without looking away, she turned back and resumed her conversation.
In the meantime, the department selections for the rest of the top ten proceeded quickly. Rank six, Queen Bee Merdiana, went to the Venomology Department. Rank seven, Ghost Ship Elisa, went to the Necrology Department. Both were hailed as the new faces of their departments and appointed as second-year Department Representatives.
"Kizen’s Vice President! Rank eight, Meirin Villenne, is going to the Jet-Black Dynamics Department!"
Meirin, of course, chose Jet-Black Dynamics. Professor Jane could be seen shaking her hand with a satisfied smile. Since Student Council members couldn’t hold concurrent positions like club president or department representative, Meirin was passed over for the role. The third-year representative for Jet-Black Dynamics was now desperately trying to convince the half-giant Chatel to take the position, though it didn’t seem to be going well.
"Rank nine! Elysia Rosenfeld to the Hemomancy Department!"
"Rank ten! Jule Vincere has chosen the Combat Magic Department!"
Elysia, a newcomer to the top ten, became the representative for Hemomancy, while the magic sword user Jule Vincere became the representative for Combat Magic. With that, the selections for the top ten were complete, and all the second-year department representatives had been decided.
’I’ll need to remember these names.’
Simon took a small notepad from his shirt pocket and wrote them down. He would have to meet with these representatives often—to negotiate, seek cooperation, and inevitably, to clash. As Student Council President, it was his duty to know them well.
Cursology Department: Merida Hugh Ikel
Jet-Black Dynamics Department: Chatel Maer (presumed)
Summoning Department: Hector Moore
Necrology Department: Elisa Celine
Hemomancy Department: Elysia Rosenfeld
Venomology Department: Merdiana Ann Sudds
Combat Magic Department: Jule Vincere
’You have got to be kidding me.’
After finishing his notes, Simon let out a dry laugh. ’How can there not be a single easy-going person in the entire group?’ Discussions with the department representatives were going to be a nightmare. There wasn’t a single pushover among them. Even in his own department, Hector had taken the representative spot. Elisa, who was openly hostile toward him, was now the head of the Necrology Department. The only one who seemed remotely reasonable was the magic sword user, Jule Vincere. As long as you didn’t fight him, he remembered the guy being decent enough.
’Rank four Merida, rank six Merdiana, rank nine Elysia.’
Simon emphatically circled their names. ’How these new faces will act is going to be the key.’
While Simon was lost in thoughts of school administration, the selections continued at a rapid pace. The Jet-Black Dynamics Department, led by Professor Jane, was overwhelmingly dominant, and its sixty spots were filling up fast, with the Cursology Department following closely behind. The absence of Kizen’s star professor, Bahil, was having a subtle but noticeable effect.
"Rank forty! Cindy Vivace to the Necrology Department!"
"Rank sixty-two! Sabrina Giuseppe to the Venomology Department!"
The Necrology and Venomology Departments were also filling up quickly. Each time a name was called for Venomology, the four-hundredth-ranked Dick grew visibly more tense.
"Ughhh, Agh!" Dick writhed, groaning as if his lifespan were shortening with each announcement. "Ah, my heart’s pounding too much, I can’t listen! I should’ve studied more! This is my karma! Ack!"
"Hang in there, Dick! I’m sure there’ll be a spot!" Kamibarez encouraged him with a smile, clenching her small fists.
Just then, the teaching assistant shouted, "Ranks ninety to one hundred! Please wait below the stage!"
Kamibarez shot up from her seat.
"I have to go! Good luck, Dick!"
"...Uh, yeah. Thanks, Kami," Dick managed, waving with a face that looked several years older.
A moment later.
"Rank ninety-five! Kamibarez Ursula to the Hemomancy Department!"
A refreshing cheer, the first in a while, erupted from the fifth table from the left.
"Ursula! Ursula is here!"
"Your big sis is gonna spoil you rotten!"
"Welcome, little vampire!"
Kamibarez was showered with affection from the third-year seniors as she took her seat at the Hemomancy table, not knowing quite how to react to their enthusiastic responses to her every word and gesture.
’Well, at least Kami will adapt quickly.’ Simon smiled warmly as he watched her being doted on.
The ranks had now passed the one hundred mark and were heading into the two hundreds.
"Rank two hundred and eighty! Serne Aindark to the Summoning Department!"
A cheer louder than any before—an absolute explosion—erupted from the Summoning Department. The third-years were losing their minds.
"What the hell? Is the Summoning Department crazy?"
"Why is the heir to the Ivory Tower going to Summoning?!"
The Jet-Black Dynamics seniors, who had been secretly hoping—no, who had been ’certain’ she would join them—were in shock. As Serne strode toward the Summoning table, her ivory hair flowing behind her, the usually imperious third-year seniors scrambled to greet her. A few male students extended their hands, offering to escort her, but Serne simply smiled and glided past.
"Welcome to the Summoning Department, Serne," Leonard said, a dazed smile on his face.
Unlike his clamoring classmates, he maintained his dignity, remaining seated.
"I’m surprised. If you were planning to join us, you could have given us a heads-up."
Instead of answering, she just chuckled and gave him a foxy, knowing smile. The faces of the male seniors standing behind Leonard turned bright red. To them, she was an irresistible temptress.
Serne lifted her chin haughtily and, with the sharp click-clack of her heels, walked past Leonard.
"S-Serne!"
"Can we talk for a moment?"
A few seniors, clinging to a sliver of hope, rushed after her. But she only offered her enigmatic smile, brushing off their advances.
"Just like the rumors. No, even better."
Serne’s steps came to a halt. The twelfth-ranked Will stood directly in her path.
"And there’s another rumor," he continued, placing a hand on her shoulder.
She closed one eye and looked up at him.
"That you’re personally recruiting talent for the Ivory Tower. That you lure students with your charm, get them kicked out of school, and then snatch them up." He lowered his voice so only she could hear and bared his teeth. "I’m willing to be lured, even knowing all that. What do you say, junior?"
’Tap.’
Serne brushed his hand off her shoulder and smirked. Will grinned, taking it as acceptance, but his smile froze at her next words.
"Your breath stinks of shit, Senior."
Will’s face turned beet red. Serne walked past the petrified third-years with a haughty stride. And then.
"I can sit here, right?" she asked, confidently taking the seat opposite Simon. She cupped her chin with her hands like a flower and beamed, putting on her prettiest face.
"...You," Simon began with a small sigh. "Are you sure you can handle the aftermath? They’re still your department seniors."
At his question, she grinned and whispered, "Oink. Oink."
Simon couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.
While Simon and Serne were talking, Professor Byulya’s loud voice rang out again.
"Rank two hundred and eighty-seven! Lorraine Archbold is going to the Summoning Department!"
Finally, the decision of the most anticipated student in the second year had been made. After shaking hands with Professor Aaron, she descended from the stage and headed for the Summoning Department table. The reaction of the third-years was predictable; by now, they were all hoarse from shouting.
"W-Welcome, Lorraine!"
"Nice to meet you. We’re counting on you."
However, there was a sense that the Summoning seniors were a bit intimidated by Lorraine. It was understandable; she was the daughter of Nephthys, the headmistress of the school. Their welcome wasn’t the chaotic, hundred-percent enthusiasm they had shown for Serne; they maintained a certain level of formality and restraint.
"It’s an honor to have you," said Leonard. "I’m the rank four department representative."
"Hi! I’m Benya."
"Rank twelve, Will. Hahaha! I didn’t expect the young lady herself to come over here!"
Lorraine bowed her head politely, just like any other second-year.
"I am Lorraine Archbold. I am still lacking and have much to learn. Please feel free to guide me."
Unlike other students who groveled before the seniors, she was simply mature, showing respect as an equal. The third-years couldn’t bring themselves to treat her carelessly. Even Will, who had shamelessly hit on Serne, just offered a quick greeting to Lorraine before pretending not to see her.
Soon, Lorraine walked past the seniors and stopped in front of Simon. The seniors’ eyes followed her every move. Lorraine glanced once at Serne, who was sitting opposite him, then turned to Simon with a smile.
"Can I sit next to you?"

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