Chapter 54 – Stormy Student Council President Election (3)

The table that Darling was shown to by the waiter was on a separate floor from the table where Adela and I were sitting.

“Leave that basket with the restaurant. “I can come visit you later.”
“Yes, please give it to me…” … “Huh!!!”

He’s definitely a wealthy person, but looking at it this way, it’s a bit surprising.
She must have been smiling brightly less than ten years ago, digging up potatoes in a garden on one side of the lord’s castle.
As an adult, Darling became accustomed to sitting on a chair, crossing his legs, and manipulating subordinates as if he were wearing clothes that fit him perfectly.
It would have been much cooler if there wasn’t a footrest under that chair. Why didn’t she grow taller?

“What rude delusions are you having, canteen owner?” “The gaze is unpleasant.”
“I didn’t think anything of it.”

I sat appropriately opposite. The waiter introduced me to the menu with the courses written on it as well, but he shook his head and made me walk away.
Adela is waiting, so she’ll just have a quick chat and go.

“So, what was the story about earlier?”
“Is this the part where she said she wasn’t interested in the student council position?”
“Yes.”

Even though he was already in his third year, Darling did not even look at the student council president position. As well as his previous interest in the cafeteria, he couldn’t have known that the student council was a great place to make money.
Darling answered my question, elegantly holding the teacup in her white-gloved hands.

“There are a few reasons, but first of all, I’m busy enough right now. “The student council is definitely a sweet fruit, but taking on the work is something I don’t want to do.”
“Okay.”
“Besides, if you look at the interests, there is nothing special. Parenzia Academy is ultimately owned by the royal family, so how much profit can there be from so-called kickbacks?”
“Instead of offering concessions as a reward for competition, they take bribes.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Natural denial. It’s not even new anymore.

“However, what is certain is that once the princess gains that authority, it will be more difficult for her to use such methods in the future.”
“That’s a good thing.”
“Personally, I hope that Rochear’s second daughter, sitting foolishly over there, will take over.”

That’s right. If Erzébet was elected, it was very unlikely that she would abuse her power and sell the royal land or make unfair profits by abusing her power in the student council.
Darling, who was in charge of the Academy behind the scenes, would probably not like that.

“Are all your questions answered?”
“Well, I roughly understand.”
“Then now you can ask your own question.”

Sigh.

Darling’s soft feet touched my legs beneath the tablecloth.
It seemed like she wanted to look alluring, but in reality, her trembling toes were barely there.
However, even so, her eyes were fierce. There was strong suspicion in the gaze glaring in this direction.

“What is your relationship with Rochear’s second daughter?”
“Adela?”
“She said, “You, who have been giving me titles and honors for seven years, are talking to the daughter of a great nobleman who is as high as a count. I don’t know her very well, but it seems like we are very, very, very close friends.” .”
“…”

The prepared amuse bouche was placed in front of Darling. Without even paying attention, Darling waited for me to open my mouth.
There is no need to make a fuss by revealing his relationship with Adela here. I glanced down at her to see that she was waiting downstairs.

“Nothing…”

No-. It was just as I was about to say that.

Adela was putting her fists on her knees without even touching the pre-dinner food that had been prepared a while ago. Suddenly, a glimpse of her past through the Litweis exam paper flashed through her mind.

“Ugh.”
“Store owner!?”

I got up from my seat. And before Darling could jump up and say anything, she grabbed her hand and asked,

“I dare you to answer my own question…!”
“May I also call you by your name, Viscount?”
“Huh?”

Yeah, whatever. It’s not that difficult at all.

“Darling. “Is this okay?”
“Oh, no, about that…”

When I brought up the etiquette of the Principality of Bachlan that Nova had taught me in the past, I placed one hand on her hand and slightly bowed her waist to meet her eye level, but she rambling somewhat and trailed off her words.
And then——

“Main store owner…”
“Yes.”
“When it’s just the two of us… “You can call me that.”

She called me with a strange pronunciation and nodded her head.

***

“Did you wait long?”
“Ah, teacher… !”

As I approached, Adela came to life again, like a puppy that had found its owner. As soon as she started eating, she chattered like usual about trivial things she had never heard before.

“… So, you know, I almost got a failing grade in the last subject, but the content the teacher taught came up as a test question!!”
“Because I paid for it.”

A trivial chat. Well, it wasn’t bad though.

Near the end of the meal, I asked Adela why she was running for president. She blushed slightly, and she replied, ‘Miss with a secret tooth.’
Do you want to seize power?
It seems that Rochear’s position as head of the household has already passed, so he may be looking for a way to live his own way.
But if you want to make a living, there is one easier and faster way.

“Adella.”
“Yes?”
“What happened to your original magic?”
“Oh… !”

Have you forgotten?

At best, she was unable to use the mana that I purified by extracting karma at all.
In fact, Roshoir’s was the only unique magic inherited through blood, not magical talent, so I had no answer on exactly how to make Adella realize it. She just did her best to meet the condition that she should have no karma.
If Terah or Lehel saw her condition, would she make any progress?
As I was contemplating whether to ask the chairman for a favor sometime soon, she said to me as Adela served grilled eel to finish her meal.

“Hey, teacher.”
“Why?”
“I am there. “A little karma has piled up again.”
“Already? “Did you catch a monster?”

That’s strange. It is still too early for freshmen to go on field training. There is no reason for karma to accumulate for Adela, who has only studied for midterm exams since returning from the North Sea…
As long as you don’t hate someone to death or harbor frost in your heart.

“Hmm, then…”

Will I have to reschedule the day sometime soon? She must have been thinking the same thing, so this time she forked a handful of the creamy spinach she made with roux and put it on her plate.
It was the first time in my life that I saw Adela giving up food.

“So, sir… I couldn’t do it today, but can we go on a date next time? “Anytime the teacher asks me to go, it’s okay.”
“…”

It was a direct and quite embarrassing statement. I couldn’t answer easily.
There are many reasons, but just as it was in front of the front gate a little while ago, the word date was very unfamiliar to me.
To put it bluntly, I had absolutely no idea what the action was.

Is it a date to soak your feet in the sulfur hot springs of the demon world or tear off the wings of gargoyles and fan them each other?
It was something close to the unknown that had never been done with Eris or anyone else even in this world, let alone on Earth.
Of course, if Adela were with me, I would say that it would be okay to surf in the North Sea, which is full of sea monsters… You also need to prepare your mind.

“Teacher… ?”
“Later. “I’ll think about it later.”

First of all, I pushed back the schedule a little bit.

“You should also focus on the election. “I’ll give you some advice, so just work hard at what you’re doing.”
“Yes…”

Adela also nodded her head slightly, as if she was forced to understand.

***

Today was, in some ways, the most important day in Erzsebet’s life.
Now that she’s down in the polls, she has just two chances to grab the attention of her students. It was the candidate’s speech presenting a blueprint for operating the academy.

The main auditorium was crowded with quite a few students, so there wasn’t enough room for everyone. The front row was filled with great nobles, such as marquis and counts, who were close to the royal family, and those in the lower ranks were in descending order.
Rachel, who had been scratching betting tickets at the racetrack until dawn, rubbed her sleepy eyes and watched the candidates’ speeches with the teachers behind the podium.
Erzébet took one look at the crowd of people gathered there and made up her mind.

‘If we capture their hearts here, we can definitely win.’

Yes, in fact, it is a public opinion poll conducted in advance and has a strong tendency to be a popular vote. However, isn’t it true that they can’t decide which representative they will hand-pick based on popularity alone?
All of the students here are nobles and wizards. They were intellectuals who pursued practical interests, derived rationality, and knew how to weigh right and wrong.
When it was finally her turn, Erzébet stepped up to her podium with her confident gait.

“This is Ersebet Brunhart, a candidate for this election.”

Clap clap clap!!
Clap clap clap!!

Greeted by familiar faces, she began her speech. She had memorized the essence of the Emperor’s Crane and the knowledge of sages, which she had memorized since she was young, and logically explained why she was needed for the position of student president of Parenzia Academy.

Political and diplomatic advantages. A virtuous cycle in the kingdom’s economy. From the academy’s development direction to the welfare of each student.

Confident attitude, clear pronunciation, persuasive arguments and historical evidence to support them. Erzsebet’s logic was perfect.
When the speech finally ended, the students in the auditorium gave thunderous applause and some nobles even shed tears.
Even Lehel, who was picky, took her eyes off the crystal ball that was relaying the story of King Mon for a moment.

“Thank you for your hard work, princess.”
“You have excellent eloquence. “It looks like the outcome has already been decided.”
“No. “It’s not over yet.”

As soon as she got down from her podium, she gently nipped at the flattering nobles who approached her, then sat down.
Now, it was Adela’s turn.

Again, again.

Unlike herself, who woke up two hours earlier than usual to finish her fancy makeup, Adela was dressed as usual.
Rather, his gait was very irregular, perhaps because he was nervous.

“Ahhh. Can I tell you now? Uh, so…”

As she was unable to properly control her audience, the commotion in her auditorium quickly raised her head.
Erzsebet, seeing this, smiled in remorse.

‘Look at that. In the end, the Holy Grail falls into the hands of those who rise up on their own. ‘Winning is up to me.’

Adela couldn’t memorize the lines, which lasted at most five minutes, so she even brought her own script. It was about time that Erzsebet finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Umm, teacher… No, I wrote it with help from people around me. A long time ago, a complete collection of literature… ? This is what you saw in . I think it will be suitable for the future direction of Parenzia Academy. Let’s see… Ball… High places, declaration?”

Not long after Adela’s speech began——

“Humanity… “Listen.”

The auditorium, where there was only silence, soon transformed into a hellish scene.

Adela kicked the Holy Grail away from Erzsebet’s hand.