"Amy."
Regina called out to Amy.
"Yes? Ah, yes... Chairman."
Amy, lost in her thoughts, replied flusteredly, her face turning slightly red with embarrassnt.
"May I ask you for a favor?"
"Ah, of course. Please tell ."
Amy responded readily. Her attitude was fitting for the president's closest aide, who followed her around like a shadow.
"Thank you."
After a fleeting smile, Regina tore up a piece of paper for the letter. She picked up the pen and wrote sothing very quickly. Then she opened the drawer and took out a piece of paper that looked like a banknote.
'Oh, a dining voucher?'
Amy's eyes widened. She recognized it as a dining voucher for a high-end restaurant in the downtown area of the central square. Since Leferia Academy had many nobles, there were tis when even high-class restaurants would sponsor dining vouchers to the student council to attract custors and promote themselves.
These dining vouchers were usually distributed by the student council during events or festivals. Otherwise, they could be awarded to students who had led exemplary academic lives each sester as a token of appreciation.
The student body president using those dining vouchers for personal use? I had never seen that happen. Regina wasn't the type of person to do that. But what on earth was going on?
'Ugh, who the hell is this for...?'
This was clearly a letter. Sending a restaurant voucher ant inviting soone to dinner. I was so curious about who the student body president would go to such lengths for.
Without any regard for Amy's reaction, Regina took out an envelope and placed the letter and the restaurant voucher inside. Then it was sealed with wax.
"This is what I an."
"Yes, yes!"
Regina said nonchalantly, handing the envelope to Amy.
"Would you please deliver this to Max Celtrin?"
"Yes…? Yes, yes, yes, yes?!"
Amy's astonishnt reverberated through the student council office.
***
The archery evaluation where I ranked 2nd in my grade. Since then, the way the second-year students looked at had changed quite a bit. Of course, it wasn't a particularly favorable view. Most of the eyes on were still hostile.
If I had to put it into words, it was like, 'Why is that problem child suddenly getting good grades and acting all high and mighty?'
Opinions were divided.
Either they thought I had been hiding my abilities in a sinister way, or that I had worked like crazy after being warned I'd be removed from the family register if I failed this vacation, or maybe they suspected I raised my grades through dishonest ans.
Whatever the reason, there was one thing most people now acknowledged.
I wasn't just so problem child with no skills but rather a problem child with the talent to rise up from the bottom at any ti. The cautious looks toward had beco more intense.
But my classmates from the commoner class were a bit different.
Since they were routinely ignored by the Royal and Noble peers, they seed to be openly relishing the fact that I had defeated so of them.
Maybe that's why I didn't feel any particular hostility in the way they looked at . Still, it wasn't all that friendly either.
I've been through a lot with that guy Max.
Oh, of course, there were kind people. One in particular stood out.
"Captain, are you busy today?"
There's only one guy who calls "captain/leader or boss."
Sunny...
He spoke to with a friendly look in his eyes. It's only natural that he would look at like that, since I'm the only one who can deal with a guy who's so out of his mind that he didn't even have a single real friend.
Of course, I don't feel anything special when I get that kind of gaze from him.
"Im always busy. What is it?"
I blurted it out as if I was annoyed.
"I-I was so grateful that I wanted to buy you a al..."
Sunny scratched his head. He's definitely not a bad guy. In fact, he's probably closer to being a good guy. The problem is... he's a bit dense.
"No, why do you keep thanking when I didn't do anything for you? I told you not to thank because it was nothing."
I clicked my tongue.
The other group had made an uncharacteristic mistake because they were ntally shaken by the huge arrow I shot at them.
As a result of that fortunate mishap, Sunny ended up 10th in the grade. The guy was grateful for it, but it was literally a reflex benefit. I didn't intend to help him, so I didn't want any thanks for it.
Even though I made that clear, Sunny was still making a fuss about repaying .
...Is it because he's a Benesch who never forgets a kindness?
Of course, this wasn't a favor or anything.
"No. This is definitely sothing to be thankful for."
"Okay, okay."
I got up from my seat.…Should I really eat alone with a guy? There are so many heroines around, but that seems a bit much.
"C-Captain."
I pretended not to hear him and headed toward the back door of the classroom. That's when I was about to head back to my dorm.
"Ugh."
There was a female student in front of , making an odd sound. I imdiately recognized her—Amy. She was holding a baguette in her left hand.
"Is there sothing you need, senior?"
She looked cute and tough, but she was actually a third-year senior, so I spoke politely.
However, her response wasn't very pleasant.
"Ugh."
Amy frowned and clenched her teeth. Were things between us really that bad? Well, if it were Max, that might make sense. After all, he's the ssy fiancé of the student council president she respects.
"Is sothing wrong? You look… upset."
"Tch, take this."
Amy held out a black envelope.
"…What is this?"
I asked, confused. It wasn't sothing I had ever experienced before as the protagonist.
Well, maybe that's natural since Max and I had completely different positions. Amy had no reason to dislike , but it was clear she absolutely hated Max.
"Tsk."
Amy turned around and left without another word, letting out a cold snort.
What was that about? Was it an event?
With a confused expression, I opened the envelope. Inside was a letter and a al voucher. I tilted my head and unfolded the letter.
[I heard your answer carefully.
Honestly, I must say it exceeded my expectations.
I decided to respond to that effort.
If you have any thoughts, please co out.]
"Haha."
A short letter without even a na on it, but I recognized the handwriting imdiately.
It was the handwriting of Student Council President Regina Ernbert.
Even without that, the fact that Amy delivered it and the contents of the letter made it clear who had sent it.
"That's her answer."
Regina had told to prove my qualifications during our last eting.
This was the final test to see if I was worthy of maintaining our precarious engagent.
Essentially, it was an ultimatum.
The perfect performance in the two recent evaluations had been my answer to that ultimatum.
Fortunately, my answer seed to have exceeded her expectations. Since she even responded, it looked like I had passed the first test.
It seed there was no risk of the engagent breaking right away.
I finally smiled and glanced at the al ticket. The date and ti to et were written down.
"leader... Is sothing wrong?"
At that mont, Sunny spoke from behind with a worried expression. It seed like he had seen everything.
"What's wrong? Soone wants to have a al tomorrow."
I laughed lightly.
"Oh? Really? But you're always busy, leader."
Yes, busy. But how could I not go when my fiancée called?
"I'll go out when I need to."
"Huh...?"
Why am I...? Sunny looked shocked, like a puppy that had been abandoned.
I let out a chuckle.
"Dude."
"Uh, yes?"
"It's a love thing."
"Ah... I see."
Sunny's expression relaxed as he seed to understand. But now, he was looking at with intense envy. The idea of having a al with a woman was apparently the epito of envy for him.
Well, I get it since he doesn't really have any friends. Hm? Was that moisture in his eyes?
"What are you doing?"
Suddenly, Riviera showed up. I was so used to her ghost-like appearances that I wasn't even surprised anymore.
"Good timing."
"Hm?"
"Talk to Sunny. He could use the company."
In the end, Sunny's tears started to flow. Those hot tears seed to even perplex Riviera, who usually appeared so tough. She disappeared as if fleeing the scene.
"I'm off."
I disappeared quickly as well.
.....An extra must grow strong. Sunny...
***
Max sighed and brushed off his uniform as he stepped out of the classroom. He had a dinner invitation now, but that didn't an he was free from the usual tension. Even though he'd aced the archery evaluation and earned so recognition, his relationship with the other students remained tenuous at best.
As he made his way down the academy hallway, his thoughts drifted back to Regina Ernbert. The student council president wasn't soone who invited people to dinner lightly, especially not soone with Max's reputation. He wasn't naive enough to think this was just about them sharing a al—it had to be sothing bigger.
The last ti they spoke, Regina had made it clear. If he wanted to keep their engagent intact, he had to prove his worth. He'd done that, though the pressure weighed on him every step of the way.
Still, he hadn't expected a dinner invitation. What was she planning? A part of him felt a sense of accomplishnt; after all, he'd exceeded her expectations. But there was also a nagging uncertainty—what would happen next?
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