I got into school for nothing - Chapter 214
I got into school for nothing (214)
Lesson 42. Image Change - 4
“Yuwon!”
“Mira!”
The next morning, his reunion with Mira, which took place in the flower garden outside the student cafeteria, was like a scene straight out of a movie.
Upon spotting him, Mira rushed forward, her body leaning precariously, as if she might tumble over at any moment.
Ban Yuwon hurried to meet her, catching her as she lunged, and spun around with her in his arms.
The setting, Union Academy's flower garden—jokingly said to contain flowers from all dimensions—only amplified the cinematic atmosphere.
Ban Yuwon shared a brief kiss with Mira before setting her down and asking,
“Yes, but it would've been fine to spin one more time. Tikke, did you get that properly?”
—Whirrrr
“Our princess has awakened to a strange sense of showmanship...”
“Rucell is already being treated as your official wife on the channel. I have to appeal even the smallest details.”
At Mira's firm declaration, Ban Yuwon could only shake his head.
Though official classes were to begin tomorrow, all the students had already returned to the Academy.
Naturally, a crowd had gathered at the morning cafeteria, yet Mira, completely disregarding their gazes, deliberately created a scene that seemed to emphasize her relationship with Ban Yuwon.
To be frank, their reunion had already happened last night.
Ban Yuwon was merely conscripted into this theatrical performance by the princess's whimsy, her pure desire to stage this particular scene.
“There’s a Student Council meeting today, so make sure to attend.”
In return for the kiss a moment ago, Mira kissed Ban Yuwon's cheek, then took half a step back, her eyes sparkling with a mysterious violet light as she spoke.
Her enchanting eyes held a hint of ominousness, as if a moment of carelessness would see one plunged into them, never to escape.
Ban Yuwon struggled to tear his gaze away from her eyes and replied,
“Ah, come to think of it, was my official appointment as Planning Department Head supposed to be from the second semester?”
“That too. And today, the representative students from each department are also supposed to participate.”
“Each department...?”
Ban Yuwon tilted his head at the unfamiliar word, one that seemed more fitting for a university, then belatedly recalled that Union Academy also had specialized majors.
“So that's called a department.”
“Yes. You know that when you advance to second year, you choose a supervising professor, right? And then you become a student of the department that professor oversees. Even though we call them departments, it’s really more of a mentoring system. But the students who represent each department are usually treated as the professor's representative and have a strong voice. That's why they participate in the Student Council meetings. ...Do you remember how you got that brooch on your chest?”
“Aha.”
Ban Yuwon looked at the Juventa's Brooch that Yumina had personally pinned on him, letting out an exclamation of understanding.
He recalled hearing that Magical Combat, the subject Yumina taught, was a popular course among all magic users in the Academy.
Back when he first enrolled, there had been a lot of talk about Yumina choosing Ban Yuwon as her representative...
Ban Yuwon's complexion paled as he realized the true meaning of the brooch.
“...Wait a minute. Then I’m the representative of the Magical Combat department?”
“You’re still a first-year, so of course not. Besides, not everyone can receive a brooch just by being a department representative.”
As Mira said this, a brooch given to her by Professor Campanella glittered on her chest.
“However, everyone who received a brooch, without exception, was a department representative. Everyone except you.”
“So the representative student from the Magic department will also be at today's meeting...”
Just imagining how that person would react upon seeing him made his stomach ache.
However, Mira scoffed, dismissing his worries.
“They were simply not chosen by Professor Yumina due to their own lack of ability; you don't need to worry about that. What you need to worry about is something else.”
“Something else?”
“Prominence.”
The hatred blossoming deep within Mira's eyes as she uttered that word seemed vividly clear even to Ban Yuwon.
“Because Ulrike Prominence is the representative student for the Mysticism department.”
* * *
The moment they opened the Student Council room door, someone stood directly in front of them, arms crossed, waiting to greet them.
Red, membranous wings, horns, and pupils uniquely split vertically like a snake's eyes.
Hair that flared crimson, reaching her waist, perhaps cut a little shorter over the break.
Student Council President Shatie was still beautiful, and her aura had grown even stronger.
“How have you been, President?”
“Aaaah, our Head of Planning!”
“Don't even think about it.”
The moment she saw Ban Yuwon, Shatie spread her arms wide, like an overly dramatic American, trying to embrace him, but Mira blocked her.
“Kya hahaha! Then I’ll hug our Mira instead!”
“Get away from me! Your hair is scorching hot!”
Thinking that the two seemed to have grown even closer over the break, he turned his head to see the familiar faces of the assembled members.
There was Graham, the Secretary and Head of the General Affairs Department, who, despite being a third-year like Mira and Shatie, possessed an unnecessarily solemn air that made him seem like the eldest.
Begun Delawalker, the Treasurer, also a third-year, a smart-looking handsome man whose impression faded slightly due to the excessively unique personalities of the other members.
And Rika, the Head of External Affairs, who, despite actually being the oldest in the Student Council as a fourth-year, looked the youngest due to her small stature.
“How have you all been?”
“That's what *we* want to ask. After such a huge incident, you somehow returned safely. It truly is a relief.”
“Even though we were already indebted to you... I apologize for not being able to offer significant help. Dealing with the Ten Great Families outside the Academy is a difficult task, even if we could do something inside.”
At Rika and Begun's heartfelt words, Ban Yuwon shrugged and replied,
“It’s fine, since I managed to overcome it safely. Besides, you're saying you'll help me deal with Prominence within the Academy, right?”
“Of course! Anyone who tries to manipulate people with power is the Student Council’s primary enemy!”
The incident Prominence caused this break was a major event, literally trying to crush an entire dimension by deploying an Orc Wave. Even if Ban Yuwon hadn't live-streamed it on his channel, it would have been widely known.
Outwardly, it was packaged as a rampage by a Constellation, but no one genuinely believed that explanation.
“I’m truly sorry, junior. To think a junior was suffering, and I couldn’t rush to help...”
Meanwhile, Graham, who had been the first among the Student Council to become acquainted with Ban Yuwon, offered a genuinely dejected apology.
“My wife’s delivery was imminent... I couldn’t possibly leave her side. My apologies.”
“No, of course you should have been with your wife. So, did she give birth safely?”
“We were safely blessed with a son. Thank you for your concern.”
Whenever he conversed with Graham, Ban Yuwon felt a strange sensation, recalling Robert Frost's poem 'The Road Not Taken'.
But he dared not voice such thoughts aloud.
Because there were two women right around him who would actively turn that thought into reality...
“Alright, alright, Head of Planning. Come sit over here. The meeting will start soon.”
Before long, a considerably large round table appeared in the center of the Student Council room.
Ban Yuwon's seat was arranged between Mira and Shatie, a highly deliberate placement.
It was specifically to provoke Ulrike Prominence that they made him sit among the female members.
Shatie proposed physical contact to maximize the effect, but Mira restrained her.
Mira pulled Ban Yuwon towards herself, wrapping her arms around him as if to protect him from Shatie, and eyed her warily.
“We can't invite a tiger in to chase out a wolf.”
“Our Mira is really cute, isn't she?”
“President, Head of Public Relations. The department representatives are due to enter, so please stop.”
As soon as all the Student Council executives had taken their seats, the Student Council room door opened.
Excluding Vice-Chancellor Zenon, eight professors oversaw departments, so naturally, there were eight student representatives.
However, since Mira, the representative student of the Artifact Production Department, and Shatie, the representative student of the Monster Ecology Department, were already present, the number of students entering the Student Council room was six.
“By the way, Mira, is it okay for a department representative student to also hold a Student Council position?”
As he watched the students enter the Student Council room one by one, he whispered his question to Mira, and she replied with a faint smile.
“There's no problem at all. A representative student is merely the face representing their department, not in opposition to the Student Council. On the contrary, it's better for a Student Council executive to become a representative student, as it would be troublesome if the Special Class took all the representative positions. The difficulty lies in achieving that.”
Mira's words made perfect sense.
Come to think of it, perhaps that was one of the reasons Graham had initially invited Ban Yuwon to the Student Council.
Though he was still a first-year and unqualified, next year, Ban Yuwon, possessing Yumina’s brooch, would automatically displace the current representative and become the head of the Magical Combat Department...
‘So, in the end, I don’t have the right to choose my department. That adorable older sister really pulled one over on me.’
If he truly wanted to, it might be possible to return the brooch and choose another department, but how easy would that truly be?
Ban Yuwon shuddered, imagining 'Sister Mina'—Yumina's—reaction if such a situation were to occur. Suddenly, as he raised his head, his eyes met those of another student.
“Ah...”
“...!”
Vivid crimson hair, reminiscent of his older sister.
Brilliant red eyes, sparkling as if carved from rubies.
Her exquisite features, sculpted as if by a master craftsman pouring his soul into the work, felt supremely elegant yet simultaneously powerful.
Indeed, she seemed like the very embodiment of a consuming, raging flame, transformed into a human.
He would have known she was the successor of the Prominence family, who wielded the Unquenchable Flame, even if no one had told him.
Observing all this, Ban Yuwon felt a powerful sense of unease.
Because she didn't feel like a stranger.
‘I’d even believe they were sisters.’
Even her upturned eyes, seeing Ban Yuwon clinging to Mira, everything... was similar to his sister.
That is, similar to his older sister after awakening and transforming with the Unquenchable Flame.
Shaking his head at the terrifying power of bloodlines, he tore his gaze away from her.
Ever since he was on Earth, it was an unwritten rule not to meet his sister's gaze for more than three seconds.
Because siblings aren't supposed to stare at each other like that, anyway.
“...!”
“It worked, Head of Planning! Well done!”
“?!”
Ban Yuwon flinched and trembled as Shatie suddenly whispered into his ear.
Thanks to his Giwon Sword, he had been aware of her approach, but his body couldn't help but react when a woman suddenly got close.
“I didn’t do anything?”
“Huh? Wasn’t that just now, looking at her like she was a bug, an act?”
That was just a habit from dealing with his sister back on Earth automatically kicking in...
But before Ban Yuwon could offer an excuse, a hand shot out from the opposite side and pushed Shatie away.
It was, of course, Mira.
“Shatie, are you really trying to pick a fight with me?”
“No, I can't even whisper?! You're so jealous!”
Just as he had initially feared, a Student Council internal conflict was smoothly unfolding.
Ban Yuwon blamed himself for letting Shatie arrange the seating like this in the first place, then looked up... only to discover Ulrike Prominence glaring at him—or more accurately, at the women on either side of him—as if she wanted to kill them.
He hated to admit it, but Shatie’s intention was precisely achieving its desired effect!
“All Student Council executives and representative students have taken their seats, so let's begin the meeting, President.”
Begun adjusted the monocle perched on his eye and called out to Shatie in a calm voice.
Mira and Shatie, who had been growling at each other just moments before, instantly returned to their composed postures and sat upright at his words.
“Ahem, then, I declare the first Student Council meeting of this semester open. This meeting will primarily focus on discussions regarding Union Academy’s Founding Day Festival, which is six weeks away...”
“I have a suggestion.”
The very moment Shatie declared the opening of the meeting, someone quickly raised their hand, and it was none other than Ulrike Prominence.
Everyone, aware of what her family—or rather, what she had instigated—over the break, wondered what audacity allowed her to act so brazenly right from the start of the meeting, their gazes fixed on her.
“I apologize for interrupting. But I believe there’s something that needs to be discussed first at this meeting.”
Ulrike Prominence's refined and smooth demeanor possessed a magical charm that could even disarm the wariness of those who knew her true nature.
As Ban Yuwon forced a wry smile, thinking that the Ten Great Families truly were something else, Ulrike, whose eyes met his, offered a graceful, eye-crinkling smile as if their gazes had just connected for the first time, and continued speaking.
“It's the start of the second semester, when the Student Council will truly get busy, but we don't have a Vice President, do we? I think filling that position first would be the proper order of things.”
“Who caused the Vice President’s absence now...!”
Kettra, who had been the Student Council Vice President, was a member of the dimension pirate group, Crimson Spear.
And the power that secretly manipulated Crimson Spear from behind was none other than the Prominence family, to which Ulrike Prominence belonged.
Of course, she had no direct involvement in his death, and the fact that he was a dimension pirate was something the Student Council also had to keep hidden... Nevertheless, Shatie simply could not forgive Ulrike for bringing up Kettra's absence so casually and lightly.
But then.
“Therefore, I propose that we officially elect a Vice President before we fully embark on preparations for the Founding Day Festival.”
With a snap, Ulrike opened a folding fan, covering her mouth as she spoke.
Ban Yuwon had a foolish thought: Was there some unwritten rule in this world that 'lady' characters had to carry folding fans?
Because of that, his reaction to her next words was utterly dumbfounded.
“And for that candidate, I would like to recommend Student Ban Yuwon, who is present here today.”
“...Huh?”
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