Following Mira's instructions, we quickly made our way to the student council room.

"Hey, Twight. What does this ...... mean?

　Elysia said, walking next to me.

I don't know. But since you asked me to come with this group, it's possible that last night's incident was related.

　I glance at the faces of Gran and Mize behind me.
　Both of them look uneasy.

"Hey, Twight. Shouldn't we tell the student council about the bomb yet?

Yeah. Keep it quiet if you can.

　I'd like you to keep quiet as much as possible, but if you're not used to interrogation, a simple action can easily expose your lie. If the student council is seriously suspicious of our actions, then we'll have to give up.

　Nevertheless, we probably haven't made any mistakes.
　Dismantling the bomb was done with great care. There are not many people who can evade the double precautions of me and Elysia, who are sensitive to human presence. Not even an Imperial agent would be able to.

This is it.

　I confirmed that the room in front of me was the student council room, and knocked on the door.
　I heard a man's voice say, "Come in," and then I opened the door.

Welcome, we've been expecting you.

　A boy in the back of the room smiled good-naturedly when he saw us.
　There were four students in the room. The vice-president, Shelia Nolan, was placing papers on a desk in the back of the room, and the leader of the Lion's Club, Hausen, was staring at us with his arms crossed.

Come on in.

　Mira, who had been waiting near the door, beckoned us inside.
　The man who had first greeted us sat down in front of us on a fine leather sofa.

Nice to meet you, I am Ix-Durite. I'm the student body president.

　Student body president. In other words, the most powerful student in this school.
　My first impression of him was that of a thin, gentle man. He has soft, silky, gray hair, but no other distinguishing features. He seemed to be a man who could be found anywhere,......, but with little shadow.

　However, Elysia and others have told me that this man is rumored to be the strongest candidate in the school along with Baren.

　I'm not one to judge people by their looks, but if he doesn't look this great, he seems like a good shot.

The reason I called you here is because I wanted to ask you a few questions.

"Questions, sir?

　I ask back cautiously.
　Unlike me, who is used to being interrogated, and Elysia, who is used to being nervous, Mize and Gran are more likely to show their rags if they are asked too many questions. I took the initiative to engage them in conversation so that they wouldn't be the target of too many questions.

I'm sure you'll agree. ...... In fact, there has been a recent report of a suspicious person being found around the school. I'm sure you've been practicing late into the night at the school.　So I wanted to ask you just in case you saw anything suspicious.

　After hearing the chairman's story, Mize and Gran looked overwhelmingly relieved, "Oh, that's nothing. I should point out that this kind of attitude can cause rags to fall out, but I should point that out after .......

　But I already know the answer to that question.
　The only way is to be honest about it.

"I didn't find it or anything, we engaged two days ago.

"...... What?

I'm sure a guy named Balen from the student council knows about it.

　I'm pretty sure that suspicious person is an Imperial agent. I met Balen when I was fighting an agent. I handed the agent over to Balen, and the student council must have known about it.

　I don't know what his intentions were, but I thought to myself, "Is he wearing a scythe? I thought. But apparently not. I saw the president's brow crease, and the other officers around him looked confused, as if they had never heard of it.

"Has anyone heard anything like that from Baren? .................. No, I haven't.

　The chairman took a quick look at the faces of the board members, but no one nodded.
　The Chairman let out a deep sigh. 　

"Howsen, can you get Balen on the air?

Huh!

　Hausen, who had been instructed to do so, quickly went to the broadcasting room.
　That Hausen guy ...... looks like a soldier.



　A few minutes later.



　A few minutes later.
　A few minutes later, a red-haired man came into the student council room without knocking.

"Don't call me on the air, it'll draw attention.

You wouldn't come in if I called you.

"Well, yeah.

　Baren replied to the president with a sigh, without a hint of regret.
　Then, Baren's gaze turned to me.

"Hey, we meet again.

"...... Ah.

　Apparently, he remembered my face.
　I had seen Baren's big fight yesterday after school, but he didn't seem to be aware of it at all.

"Balen. The reason I called you here is precisely because of his report. ...... two nights ago, did you fight anyone at the school?



"Yeah, we fought.

　The Chairman puts his hand on his forehead.

...... Why didn't you report it to me?

I was going to do it the next time I came here. So now.

　The Chairman holds his forehead and looks down for a moment.

"You know, I don't always get along with you guys.

This time things are a little different. What happened to the people you defeated at ......?

I just took them out and got rid of them.

Yeah. ...... Oh, no, no, no, no. ......

　I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

"Chairman!

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

I'm not sure what to do.　I'm sick and tired of being pushed around by this irresponsible man!

　Mira's face turned red and she became furious.
　The president calmly overheard her anger.

"Mira. I know how you feel, but you're in front of a customer now.

"......!　I'm sorry .......

　Mira quickly came to her senses and bowed to us.

If you want to be removed from the student council, go ahead. I'm fine with that.

...... I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm going to do that at the moment.

"d*mn.

　Baren clicked his tongue in an obvious way.
　The Chairman rubbed the crease between his eyes.

"Baren. Just so I'm clear, you treated these intruders as nothing more than suspicious characters, didn't you?

"Yeah. What else do you want from me?

Actually, there was talk that the intruders might have been agents of another country. That's why I wanted you to catch him if possible. ......

I can't deal with what I haven't heard.

　From what I have just heard, Baren is an officer of the student council, but he seems to be quite uncooperative with the activities of the student council. He's a problem child as they say.

　It certainly hurts that he let an agent from another country slip through his fingers. But apparently, Baren didn't know that the men he defeated that night were agents of other countries.

...... I couldn't contact you because you didn't come to the student council room.

　Mira said to Baren with a resentful look in her eyes.

I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on with the students who don't belong to the student council. In fact, the regular students there were fighting without knowing anything about the situation. You know?

　Baren said, looking at me.
　As the officers looked at me, I affirmed, "Well. In fact, I had a general understanding of the situation, but at least the school hadn't explained it to me. If my previous job hadn't been so special, Balen would have been right.

If it's a problem that you guys can't solve on your own, why don't you just let the whole school know about it? It would be strange to handle it privately in a small room like this.

...... If you do that, the competition festival will be canceled.

Why don't we just cancel it?

　I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it. She had tears in the corners of her eyes, as if she was frustrated at being outdone.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

...... Baren. The Builders Academy magic competition is an important event politically, economically, ...... and most importantly, for the people to feel the peace. It is our duty to make this event as safe as possible so that the world can happily embrace peace after a long war.

Ha!　That peace is just something that the higher-ups of the country have decided for themselves.

　Baren then glared at the chairman.

"Hey, Ix. I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.

...... My men are so good, they're saying what I want to say for me.

　With a lowered gaze, the chairman said.

"Are you going to do that again?

　Baren's demeanor changed.
　The Chairman let Baren's words of anger go unanswered.

"Ha!　You're still as secretive as ever. I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm sure you've heard of it. You're the kind of bastard who keeps the death of your ...... sister (・・・・・・・・・) a secret.

"Balen--!

　Something about that statement must have been a problem.
　The vice president, who had maintained a calm demeanor until now, shouted out loud.

　Balen glared at the Chairman. The vice president glared at Baren. The student council room was filled with the atmosphere of a tense situation.

I don't know what it is, but...



　The silence was broken by Elysia's comment with a sigh.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.

　I was honestly impressed with Elysia's strength ...... in such situations.
　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one.

"I'm ...... sorry. I'm sorry, but I'm done talking.

　The chairman bows his head. We got up in silence and left the room.
　Just before I close the door, I hear Baren's voice.

"The magic festival, the establishment of the normal school... It's all an imposition of peace (・・・・・・・). Don't think ...... anyone will accept it.

　Baren's words, full of anger, were not going to fade from my memory for a while.