How to Survive at the Academy
chapter-101

Student Council President Elections, Part 2 (Down)

At the present moment, three variables were causing me the most concern.

The first was the news that Princess Phenia seemed to have almost lost her will to become the student council president. The second was the disturbing news that Tanya—the archenemy whom Phenia was determined to defeat—had gone missing. The third was that Tanya’s two retainers, Kadek and Nox, were detained by the academy authorities.

Each of these variables presented long-term, mid-term, and short-term difficulties, respectively. If Phenia lost her drive to seize power, it would mean that in the long run, the Rostayler family would lose a key force that could check and balance its influence.

By the fourth act, it would become difficult to enlist the absolute power of Lucina Obel, as both she and another ally would have exhausted much of their strength during the third act and would be unlikely to intervene. Hence, not having the powerful royal family on our side would be a significant loss.

I wanted nothing more than to immediately ask a perfectly fine Luci to head over to Rostayler’s Ducal Estate and destroy whatever Crephin was up to. However, if she were to kill Crephin without any apparent crime, Luci would become a criminal in the eyes of the world. The crafty Crephin was still seen as a loving and wise duke by his territory’s people.

In any case, it was unlikely I could expect them to fulfill such a request. Although I had become quite close to Luci, that didn’t mean she would wreak havoc on a ducal estate without clear reasons and engage in wanton violence.

On the other hand, sitting idly as the fourth act approaches would be just as problematic. To ensure a stable future, it was necessary for Princess Phenia to take the student council president seat.

The news of Tanya’s disappearance was not good in this respect. Tanya’s haughty and antagonistic temperament fueled Phenia’s competitive spirit, and without Tanya Rostayler to passionately resist her, the narrative itself would struggle to hold.

Therefore, finding Tanya’s whereabouts as soon as possible was crucial.

Lastly, the issue of Kadek and Nox being taken into custody. This was related to the reason I have been maintaining the pretense of being deceased. I had deliberately set them free, to inform Crephin Rostayler of my death and to completely push my existence out of his consciousness.

Facing Crephin, who manipulated cause and effect and wielded the power of an evil god, was too problematic at the moment. However, because things had become twisted, Kadek and Nox were now imprisoned by the academy on murder charges. They would likely remain detained until the investigation of my “murder” concluded, seeing as they are knights of considerable loyalty, unlikely to break their silence. Nevertheless, in some way or another, it was necessary to have them released and report the entire situation to Crephin.

Only then would I be able to end this frustrating hidden life. This was the immediate problem that had arisen.

“There’s a mountain of things to do…” I sighed deeply while savoring a spoonful of stew. After all, staying deflated would solve nothing; it was crucial to keep well-nourished and maintain my health.

While I was deeply troubled and putting another spoonful of stew in my mouth, Yenika approached with a gloomy face and sat beside me.

“Since you were a noble of a high ducal house, Ed… even after being expelled, you’re still entangled in a heap of trouble.”

“Huh?”

“I’m just… a commoner from a rural ranch… That’s why I don’t really understand what it feels like for someone like you, who has lived as you have.”

Yenika delicately ran her fingertips together, struggling to articulate her thoughts.

“That’s why I can’t even comfort you properly… Saying anything like ‘It’s nothing, you can get through it too’ would be meaningless. It doesn’t feel sincere…”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to comfort me that deeply. You’re already helping me more than enough, Yenika.”

“…”

Yenika stretched her legs out from the rock she was seated on, and with a groan, she relaxed her stiff muscles and exhaled deeply.

“But I still want to help solve Ed’s problems. It’s just my simple desire.”

Then she shyly looked up and said, “I just wish… Ed would stop suffering. That’s all I want.”

After these words, that ‘strange silence’ we had become accustomed to returned. It was starting to become a recognizable pattern.

Suddenly finding herself at a loss for words, Yenika fidgeted her hands and bowed her head, flushing with embarrassment.

I ran a hand across my face and marveled at Yenika once again. Was I touched by how much she cared for me, or had Yenika become such a special person for me without realizing?

“Thanks, Yenika. To have someone worry about me like this… it’s really only you.”

Ugh… Talking about it makes me embarrassed. Ahahaha. Ahahahahaha.”

Yenika twirled the hem of her skirt with an awkward tension and laughed before suddenly rising from her seat.

Clutching her oak staff and gripping a bottle of wine, she floated up with her distinctive lightness and said to me, “Anyway, it’s most important to find Tanya now! We have no idea where she is, and Ed seems worried about her too! Remember, Ziggs said she was last seen heading towards the residential halls to seek help?”

I had already discussed with Ziggs. He had advised Tanya to seek out someone with connections to the Rostayler family in order to meet her.

“Yes. It’s likely that the Rostayler family, with their broad connections among the nobility, if I were in that situation, I would start by visiting the royal residence.”

A plausible guess. In the face of pressing circumstances, one would not want to seek help from an unworthy figure. The logical first step seemed to be probing the royal residence where Princess Phenia resided.

“Since I need to stay hidden now, maybe I should visit the royal residence,” proposed Yenika.

“No need for that, Yenika.”

“Huh?”

I promptly quelled Yenika’s burgeoning enthusiasm with a waving hand.

“As you know, meeting with Princess Phenia is not easy. Given her high status and packed schedule… without someone of equivalent rank, gaining an audience will be hard. If by some miracle you do, you might end up waiting days.”

To see Princess Phenia, even briefly, one would have to be of comparable standing to warrant her making time for them.

But how many people of such a caliber could there be in this world? Within Silvenia, aside from the Holy Maiden Claris, there were few who could converse on equal footing.

There were suitable candidates, however. While a commoner by status, there is someone Phenia could not easily dismiss.

“I’ve already asked Lortel to help earlier. Given his position as the acting head of Elte’s Consort, gaining entry to the royal residence shouldn’t be too hard.”

The relationship between Phenia and Lortel was akin to oil and water, so to speak. Conversations between them were virtually meaningless, but since the purpose was only to inquire about Tanya… it would likely be an uneventful visit.

“…Ahem.”

As Lortel’s name was brought up, Yenika looked at me with a somewhat disgruntled expression, narrowing her eyes.

“You seem to trust Lortel a lot, Ed…”

“He’s reliable when it comes to handling business matters. There’s a reason someone so young holds the reins of a trade guild.”

“Ugh…”

As if pricked by a needle, Yenika straightened her shoulders and seemed ready to argue, but then hesitated.

“Umm… Uhumm… Hmmm….”

She hugged her oak staff tightly, lost in thought as if burdened with a new dilemma, with a painful expression as if she had a headache.

I added a few more spoonfuls of stew to my mouth and patiently waited for Yenika.

After all, there was nothing particularly pressing that I needed to do immediately.

For now, I’d wait for the news Lortel brings, continue training my body, and prioritize my health.

Moreover, I needed to practice controlling my newly-contracted mid-tier water spirit, the Lioness Leysia, and master her unique spirit system.

“…”

And once information about Tanya’s whereabouts surfaced, it would be time to move. With that plan in mind, I kept shoveling stew into my mouth.

The Lady of Misfortune, Tanya Rostayler.

<silvenia's failed="" sword="" saint=""> Act 3, Chapter 2</silvenia's>

As the boss of the Student Council President election battle, her name conjures the image of an ever-haughty villainess. Born as the second daughter of the Rosetailor family, she always maintains a dignified and graceful demeanor, a girl who, while gradually awakening to politics, made her way to an electoral battle with the princess through her innate sense of situations… Truly, she was a sharp-sensed girl in her own right.

“Hmm…”

Suddenly, I remembered when I had a conversation with Tanya at camp. She seemed hesitant, not yet fully awake to the political insights. At first, I was somewhat bewildered. This was quite far from the Tanya Rosetailor I had observed as Sylvainia’s failing sword saint.

However, since this encounter happened before the scenario actually progressed… It was only natural there could be some differences from what I had seen officially. She was, after all, a figure growing in her own right.

At least in my memory, Tanya Rosetailor was always strong, fearless, and dignified.

People’s nature doesn’t change easily. Her temperament should likely be the same…

Surely she would be persistently enduring somewhere, planning for the future. Always with a haughty and dignified presence.

*

“Uuuuuhu… uuuhu…”

Tanya was trembling and hugging her knees, her eyes brimming with tears. Watching her, Princess Fenia broke into a sweat.

The ever-dignified second daughter of the Rosetailor family, maintaining her poise even at her young age, and disadvantaged as a first-year in the elections, had boldly declared her ambition to become the Student Council President.

Even as followers began to rally around her, Tanya’s influence within the first-years was remarkable.

Now that Princess Fenia had relinquished her intention to become president, she wondered if Tanya, as president, could bring a fresh breeze to the school. However, fundamentally, since Princess Fenia held a hostile view towards the Rosetailor family, she did not support Tanya; on the contrary, she was more inclined to be wary, pondering if she might have any connections with Crepin.

Yet, seeing Tanya tremble with fear as she recounted past events, Princess Fenia had to relent.

Initially somewhat distant in heart, she felt her guard softly dissolving.

Despite the potential for an electoral rivalry… The princess’s unique insight told her that the fear Tanya was expressing was genuine.

“I… I never issued an order to assassinate my brother…”

With the Rosetailor family’s retainers Kadec and Nox identified as prime suspects and Tanya becoming a suspect under assassination orders herself, she was essentially a fugitive.

Princess Fenia believed there was some truth to Tanya’s words; there were a few points to substantiate it.

The magic engineering tool Tanya had on her robe was a red bejeweled slate known as ‘Helgo’s Winged Shoes’ — a possession that Zix Epelstein, the current second-in-command of the magical department, always carried.

Princess Fenia vividly remembered seeing Zix produce this magic engineering tool during her Alchemy classes.

Judging by Tanya’s possession of it, there seemed to be credibility to the testimony that she had escaped Ophilis Hall with Zix’s help.

‘I must speak with Zix about this…’

If true, it was certainly a curious situation. If Zix knew that Tanya was not guilty of soliciting murder, he would not have left her situation to deteriorate without giving testimony.

Already, people were full in the academy searching for Tanya.

It wasn’t in his nature to stand by and watch as the academy’s investigators started hunting for her directions. There must be some compelling reason why he was forced to act in this way.

“You’ve been through a lot, Tanya Rosetailor. I have decided to believe your words. So… until the situation becomes clearer, I’ll hide you in the royal quarters.”

“Really… Thank you so much, Princess Fenia… I’m deeply grateful…”

“No, it’s the right thing to do.”

With those words, Princess Fenia lovingly embraced the trembling Tanya.

Why had she ever thought to engage in a battle of nerves with a girl of such a disposition? Not all bearing the Rosetailor name were bound to be villains.

Take Ed Rosetailor, for instance, who was in reality a sound and intact individual. Not wishing to repeat the mistake of judging someone solely by their surname, the princess gently comforted Tanya.

*

With only a week left until the election for the Student Council President, the academy staff was overwhelmed by the Rolstailer murder case, the attack on Ophilis Hall, and the disappearance of Tanya Rosetailor amidst various unfolding variables.

Similarly, Elte Trading Co. was also swamped. The end of the long winter and the opening of frozen trade routes had finally relieved the bottlenecking cash flows.

The pent-up distribution demands began to surge, keeping Lorrtel’s hands suddenly too full.

Yet, Lorrtel was a girl who could accurately judge the weight of matters.

She would not let herself be distracted by the minutiae of distribution, neglecting the broader currents of the political landscape.

Lorrtel sat alone in the Trading Company’s office, perusing information collected by her confidants through documents.

The news about the slain Ed Rosetailor and the missing suspect Tanya Rosetailor was the hottest topic.

The upcoming election schedule would proceed as an annual event, but with academy staff preoccupied with investigations and cleanup, the spotlight might not fall on the elections as intensely.

Regardless of the spotlight, who assumes the position of the Student Council President is of utmost importance in the various power struggles within the academy.

As Lorrtel mentioned, she did not have enough hands to handle the trading operations and take care of the student council duties as well. Ideally, someone friendly to Lorrtel should occupy the position of president…

‘Hmm… not a good configuration.’

Tanya Rosetailor, who openly aspired to be president, is missing due to the Ed murder case.

If the princess truly decides to run, there will be no one to oppose her.

Until now, Tanya, who might have been a possible support against the princess, had no chance… The princess’s prominence was too much for any candidate to handle.

For now, the princess has declared a non-run, but if she changes her mind and does run… there would be no one to stop her path.

However, Lorrtel vehemently dislikes Princess Fenia. The idea of her taking the seat of the Student Council President was equally displeasing.

There didn’t seem to be any candidates friendly to Lorrtel and Elte Trading Co. The political environment didn’t look too favorable.

‘But, what can you do to control the board if you let such things affect you.’

Lorrtel is one who orchestrates from beneath the surface. Money is her tool, and the course of politics is her outcome.

The point is to seat someone sympathetic to her as the Student Council President. An individual focused not only on the Elte Trading Co.’s interests but also on a personal relationship with Lorrtel would be ideal.

Whether or not the person has the willpower is a secondary issue. After all, it’s the seat that makes the person.

With that in mind… Lorrtel brushed her index finger several times across Ed’s face drawn on the document.

The political situation heading into the election grows chaotic. Those who triumph are typically, those who know how to craft the game.

A calm smile settled on her face, Lorrtel’s trademark.

Underneath the dark office, another plot takes place.

*

– Thump, thump.

Enveloped in an enormous bed, Lucy was staring vacantly at the ceiling.

She was counting the number of times a stray lace thread from the curtains fluttered in the wind.

By her side stood a maid, motionless, with a smiling face.

Enclosed in a room, the current reality of being under constant surveillance by a maid was distressing enough. And there was one more unexpected crisis… perhaps it’s the awakening of a girl’s heart that’s the problem.

As she blandly stared at the ceiling, the face of a blonde boy would flicker into view.

Lucy felt a rush of cold sweat and a sense of urgency.

It’s only the first day of her confinement… but she’s already feeling a response. Compared to perfectly crisp sheets that bear no scent of grass, the slightly plush knees she’s used to are vastly different… a peculiar craving begins to rise within her.

D ? 29 until the end of her confinement.

To Lucy, it felt like an eternity.

Truly… it was torture.