Eternal Our President
The dazzling highlight lights shine on Aris.
Aris’s outfit was completely different from usual.
A clunky black school uniform, a red ribbon, high-powered round glasses, and pigtails.
In the original light novel, she appeared as a country girl in a single black-and-white illustration, and she briefly flashed by in a recollection scene in the anime.
The audience was buzzing.
“Esteemed students of Shuo, I am Participant No. 8, Saionji Aris.”
Aris speaks with a trembling voice.
“I… I really hated my past self. I thought I was bullied because I was rustic, slow, plain, and foolish. I didn’t really like my hometown either. So after awakening my powers and moving to Tokyo, I tried to shed my old self.”
Aris places her hand on her chest.
“I corrected my dialect, took off my glasses, changed my hairstyle, changed my personality… I made an exhausting effort to change everything. The mask of the perfect superhuman, the strongest in the academy. Student Council President Saionji Aris was born that way.”
The audience, which was noisy just moments ago, suddenly falls silent like a bucket of cold water was thrown over them.
“I thought it was a perfect school life. I thought I became a Student Council President admired and recognized by my peers. But the more I wore the mask, the more ‘the real me’ grew into a trauma within my heart.”
Aris clutches her chest tightly.
She speaks in a trembling voice.
“I was anxious. I was afraid that everyone would find out I was deceiving them, that if my true self were revealed, I would once again… be alone like before.”
Aris lowers her head.
Her shoulders tremble.
“That was when Kim Deok-Sung noticed my secret. While it was an accident due to my mistake… I was scared. But Kim Deok-Sung understood and accepted me. He kept my secret as well. Thanks to that, I was able to find peace of mind.”
Suddenly, it’s about my story?
How surprising.
Everyone’s gaze shifts towards me.
“The Black Beast said that?”
“The Black Beast, who kept the President’s secret… Could it be surprisingly kind?”
“I think I would have fallen for him even if I were the President’s senior!”
“I think I understand why the President secretly goes to the Black Beast’s bed every night!”
“I think I understand why you would hide under the bed!”
I can hear the murmurs of the extras.
Hiding under the bed, really?
What the heck?
While I let out a sigh internally, Aris continued her speech.
“But that was just for a moment. When the disciplinary committee head revealed my secret to everyone, I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t do anything. I was scared. It wasn’t just a specific person, but an unspecified multitude knowing my secret sent me into a panic. So, when Kim Deok-Sung got hurt in my place, embarrassing as it is, I couldn’t do anything.”
Ouch.
My bandaged left arm still hurts a bit.
Not like it’s some black dragon.
After a quick first-aid bandage and proper treatment at the Shuo Hero Academy’s hospital, I’m thankful.
“I was enveloped in a delusion that you students would blame me and that I would go back to my previous self. But the truth was different.”
Aris raises her head.
“Kim Deok-Sung and you students accepted and embraced my true self. Thanks to that, the country girl Saionji Aris was saved, and I could finally accept my true self.”
As she undoes her tied-up hair, her silver hair flows gracefully.
When Aris takes off her glasses, her sparkling silver eyes are revealed.
“Now, as the true Student Council President of Shuo, I can stand proudly before you students without any shame.”
Aris’ face turns red.
She lowers her head.
“Thank you so much, no really, thank you, truly······.”
As her speech, wrapped up with a dialect, ends, thunderous applause and cheers erupt from the audience.
“President senior is the best!”
“Of course, Saionji-senpai!”
“Your dialect is cute!”
“Don’t be too down!”
“President senior will always be our president!”
The audience cheers for Aris, as kind as the world can be.
I hear a sniffle from the side.
“You’ve had a hard time, haven’t you? A-chan······.”
Seira can be seen wiping her tears with a lace handkerchief.
“Sniff······ President senior······.”
Kurosawa Yuji, in drag, is also shedding tears.
“Teacher, I’m moved······.”
Mayuzumi-sensei is crying too.
[How can this be so moving······? I’m tearing up too······.]
Even Nodoka, who’s in charge of hosting, is shedding tears.
“I don’t know who will take Miss Shuo’s crown, but I would appreciate a vote for me, Saionji Aris. No, for A-chan.”
She bows respectfully.
Ichiro, watching Aris, fidgets his fingers on the button and then smiles lightly.
“In this situation, there’s no way to score. I will abstain.”
Beep.
The button is pressed.
[The Association President has declared an abstention!]
Nodoka’s voice rings out.
“Oh my, President! Isn’t that almost equivalent to zero points?”
Morishita Miho says from the side.
“Indeed, it is different. Ahem.”
As the Association President Ichiro responds to the Vice President’s statement, at that moment…
“I will also abstain.”
Yuji presses the button.
I press the button.
BEEP.
Instead of scores, a shower of abstentions pours in.
All the judges except Seira, Vice President Morishita Miho, and me have abstained.
“That was a wonderful speech, President. I’ll give you a perfect score of 10 out of 10!”
BEEP.
Morishita Miho presses the button.
A score of 10 appears on the display board.
“Hmm······.”
Seira hums softly.
Her finger taps the button repeatedly.
“If I give A-chan a 10, she’ll win right here, but······.”
In a situation where the microphone is off, Seira mutters in a low voice.
She’s right.
I had already decided to give all the heroines a score of 10 anyway.
With that situation, if Seira gives a 10, Aris would easily win with a total of 30 points.
“But the Miss Shuo selection contest is the highlight of the cultural festival. It should be determined by the audience, not the judges. It seems more fitting to pass it on to audience voting through abstentions here.”
It’s not even a presidential election.
I don’t get why she’s being so serious.
“Besides, I doubt A-chan would lose in audience voting. It would be much better for everyone to craft A-chan’s victory together. Then, I will also abstain.”
BEEP.
Seira presses the button.
[The Chairperson has cast an abstention vote! Currently, Saionji Aris’s score is 10! The remaining judges are the student representative and the Black Beast, Kim Deok-Sung! What choice will Kim Deok-Sung make?!]
Nodoka, excited, grabs the microphone and rambles on.
What choice…
My score is already set.
Without hesitation, I press the button.
BEEP.
A score of 10 lights up on the display board.
[10 points! It’s a tie! In this case, according to the competition rules, Miss Shuo will be chosen through audience voting!].
Audience voting.
This method didn’t appear in the original.
In fact, there wasn’t even a rural girl speech by Aris in the original.
Of course, the title of Volume 7 being Aris, meant the winner in the original was Aris.
[Alright, audience! Please press your buttons! The voting will begin!]
Nodoka says excitedly.
With that, the lights go out.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
In the darkened main arena’s audience, the sound of buttons being pressed resonates.
BAM.
The lights turn on.
[The audience voting has ended!]
Nodoka announces excitedly.
On stage stand all the participants who have come up so far.
Haru, Olivia, Senior Kasumi, Rin, Aris, Eri, and Makoto—the seven beautiful girls.
A student staff member hands an envelope to Nodoka.
[I just received the voting results!]
SWISH.
Nodoka tears open the seal on the envelope.
[Now, I will announce the winner of the Miss Shuo selection contest. The winner of the Miss Shuo selection contest is······.]
With a suspenseful tone resembling a survival program, Nodoka’s words draw everyone’s attention to her.
*
“Now, I will announce the winner of the Miss Shuo selection contest. The winner of the Miss Shuo selection contest is······.”
On the stage of the Miss Shuo selection contest.
Before the countless audience, the seven beautiful girls wait, each with a nervous expression, for the result announcement.
I was waiting for the results to be announced with a facial expression.
“It’s Saionji Aris! Congratulations!”
Finally, the results were announced.
At the same time, fireworks and celebratory music started playing.
Aris’s cheeks trembled upon hearing the results.
“I-I won…?”
She couldn’t believe the current situation.
She had participated in the beauty pageant mostly out of spite.
Winning was never on her mind.
She had simply come to thank everyone for accepting her true self.
But she never expected to win.
“Really…?”
“Yes, really. Congratulations, President.”
A familiar voice whispered in Aris’s ear.
She turned her head.
There was Nishizawa Eri.
Eri was smiling.
“Honestly, it’s a bit frustrating that the galaxy’s top beautiful girl, Eri-ling, didn’t win, but this time, I’ll acknowledge your victory, Senpai. If I say otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense for Eri-ling.”
“What’s the laundry board saying is right. Saionji Senpai, you’ve had a lot on your mind.”
Next to Eri, Rin in a shrine maiden outfit nodded her head.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
“Senpai, let’s hurry.”
“President, congratulations on your win! The crown is waiting for you.”
Kasumi pushed Aris from behind while Makoto grinned, mentioning the crown.
“Tch. President, using cheat codes is super lame. But that ends now. Next time, I won’t hold back. This Haru will become your favorite character! So be prepared, Nishishi.”
Haru giggled while covering her mouth with her hand, smirking.
“Hmph. I can’t wrap my head around this result, but… if that’s the decision of the students, there’s nothing I can do. I’ll give you this one time, President. You should thank me, understand? O-of course, that doesn’t mean I acknowledge you as my exclusive maid! Don’t get the wrong idea!”
Lastly, Olivia puffed her cheeks, blushing.
Seeing that, Aris’s cheeks trembled.
“You guys…”
She thought they were in a competitive relationship.
So she believed she would be hated if she won.
But that wasn’t the case.
Her juniors were kindly acknowledging her win and cheering for her.
With a sudden hug.
Aris embraced her juniors.
“Thank you so much!”
At that moment, the faces of her juniors in her embrace turned red.
“Miss Shuo Hero Pageant winner, Saionji Aris, please come up to the stage.”
The host, Nodoka’s voice, reached her ears.
Aris’s gaze turned back.
“Now, let’s have the crown ceremony for Miss Shuo!”
Kiri-lick.
The students in charge of staff duties wheeled out a cart holding a dazzling crown.
“The judge giving the crown is… the Black Beast, Kim Deok-Sung!”
With Nodoka’s announcement, Kim Deok-Sung clad in a school uniform stepped onto the stage.
Woosh.
At that moment, Aris’s face turned crimson.
Thump.
Her heart felt like it might burst from beating so fast.
‘K-Kim Deok-Sung?!’
Aris’s eyes quivered.
For a girl just realizing her feelings during adolescence, it was too great a shock.
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