_Time is truly mysterious, isn’t it?_
_Sometimes it can feel so slow, like a slug, a snail, or even a koala, crawling along at a pace that makes you wonder if it could possibly get any slower._
_Other times, it zooms by like a cheetah, leaving you wistfully wishing for just a moment to catch your breath._
_In the past few weeks, I’ve heard many rumors._
_First, did Kisaki manage to convince the precious ones of Hyunryongmun after all? Apparently, the Sanhaegyeong is set to host a cooking competition within this year._
_I’m not sure about the participation side, but it’s certain that Haruna will insist on going as a spectator. Personally, I think this might be the perfect chance for the two of us to spend some quality time together… Maybe we’ll go on a little food trip just for the two of us._
_Or who knows? I might soften up thinking that Noa could feel left out, and suddenly our little adventure turns into a trio._
_Another piece of news is that our Teacher conducted another full-scale operation in Slumpia. The opponents were supposedly Shiro & Kuro?_
_Sadly, I was unable to participate in this operation._
_I’m not saying I “didn’t” but rather I “couldn’t”._
_At that time, I was utterly swamped with organizing the family as we prepared for the signing of the Eden Treaty—no time to breathe!_
_What’s more, I had to half-forcedly give Seiya time off as she was clearly not in good shape, leading to an avalanche of additional work for me… Hmm._
_Was it Hesed? I must admit I felt a tiny, tiny bit anxious entrusting him to Teacher. And now, my mental debt has just increased again because of this incident._
_Fortunately, many students volunteered to assist Teacher, so conducting the operation itself didn’t face any significant issues._
_Then again, has the fragment of Shinpi, which Maestro took, only been used once? I really hope so._
_Nobody knows how many more operation bosses touched by the Maestro will emerge, but if they are all enhanced by Mika’s Shinpi, my conscience will definitely scream._
_Anyway, since I was the first to sign my name on the Shalle, I was easily able to read the related reports._
_What qualifications do I have? Being Shalle’s first student and Teacher’s student should be enough, right? Though if they scold me for completely skipping the full-scale operation, I’d have no excuses._
_According to the reports, Aris, Izuna, and Hoshino showed significant efforts… If Hoshino volunteered, it means Teacher’s trust isn’t ordinary. Well, that’s just how it is._
_Besides those two, there weren’t really any major incidents worth mentioning._
_The most notable would be the arson incident at the Trinity Cathedral, Kaya’s public critical statement against the current Student Council, or the Highlander train that was derailed going between Trinity and Gehenna._
_Well, those minor incidents were pretty much all there was._
_These kinds of situations are quite common in Kivotos, so I don’t see any reason to be particularly surprised. Seriously._
_The derailment of the Highlander train is suspected to be the doing of one of the Chilsu… SRT has commenced investigations, but there hasn’t been any fruitful leads on the identity of the culprit._
_Nonetheless, the motive behind the incident could be roughly guessed from the circumstances surrounding it._
_At that time, the train was carrying the exclusive Momo Friends merchandise, which only existed five times in total within Kivotos, and after the incident, this merchandise vanished completely._
_I kind of want to point fingers at someone for this, but I can’t believe our lovely junior would do something so outrageous._
_One of those infamous Chilsu happens to be our ordinary student from Trinity, Ajitani Hifumi. It sounds completely ridiculous, doesn’t it?_
_Originally, when the Chilsu escaped, Hifumi was attending her classes, so she’s not even on the suspect list._
_However, if the real culprit isn’t a Chilsu, the story might change a bit…_
_Nah, no way. My friend Hifumi would never betray humanity, I’m telling you._
_Next, Kaya’s critical statement against the Student Council… Honestly, it feels like the expected happened._
_How frustrated must she have felt about how the Student Council was running for Kaya to say more than 70% of what she tells me usually amounts to “Mika, the Student Council is hopeless…” or “When will the white-horse riding superhuman who will lead the Student Council in a better direction arrive?”_
_Rin, hit by Kaya’s direct hit, hasn’t publicly declared her position yet, nor does she particularly need to, so it seems this will likely be brushed off as a simple occurrence._
_Jokingly, I suggested to Kaya, “Why don’t you throw your hat in the ring for Student Council President?” and her reaction made that even clearer._
_“If so, then Kaya-chan should try to be a little greedy, right? If you have a vision for the right direction in which the Student Council should go and the ability to implement it, there’s nothing stopping you…”_
_“Y-Yes?! Mika, how could I possibly aspire to that position? I, Shiranuichi Kaya, am not foolish enough to not realize that a caterpillar deserves pine needles.”_
_“…Heueng. Is that so?”_
_“Absolutely. Including myself, none of the current Student Council executive members can aspire to be the superhuman capable of leading the Student Council.”_
_Even though I threw that out as a half-joke, it was sort of my final test for Kaya._
_Had she shown any interest in it, I might have raised my guard against her slightly._
_But instead, Kaya exhibited humility._
_Not just humble, but she even harshly dissed herself and everyone around her, completely wiping away my previously faint suspicions._
_A true Defense Office Head who only wishes for the peace of Kivotos and somewhat resonates with my ideals. My fondness for her soared right then._
_Ah, but I should clarify one thing. Despite Kaya’s growing discontent, the Student Council isn’t that awful._
_Ordinarily, having a moderately capable yet entirely unmotivated group tends to yield better results than a fervently incompetent one._
_So, there’s no immediate reason to overthrow the Student Council. I’m not talking about a situation where we have to throw such discussions around._
_The glaring comparison is the almost flawless dictatorship of the missing Student Council President, making the current Student Council look extremely inadequate, but looking at the individuals that make up the Student Council, they are fundamentally quite capable._
_Could you realistically expect students lacking even the slightest ability to be appointed to the Student Council from other academies?_
_I surely don’t think so._
_Even though I said that Kaya’s statement was expected, I don’t take it too seriously._
_Simply put, if Kaya were to stage a coup as a grand decision for the country, what would happen then?_
_Would my dear Kaya, who I helped overthrow Kaiser, really risk everything to try and topple the Student Council…? Hmm. is there actually a force to support her?_
_Makoto might be a possibility, but knowing that she sees him as a rotten option, she wouldn’t pull off such a foolish act._
_In summary, the only choice left for Kaya would be to align with me, but it would be quite unreasonable for me to endorse her, especially given the diplomatic issues involved._
_Simply put, if Kaya becomes Student Council President with my support, then it would inevitably spark rumors of Trinity dictating the Student Council as it wishes._
_That alone would do me more harm than benefit. In the end, all our poor Kaya can do is to swallow her grievances._
_As she sits for the Student Council President in place of acting Rin, she has no talent available, nor does she really have the means to do anything._
…This thought suddenly struck me.
_Unfortunately, there might not be much I can do to help, but from the point of listening to Kaya grumble, I’m probably the best friend she could have._
_And still, she claims we’re not friends. She insists she’s far too lacking for such a relationship. It just makes me feel so unappreciated and a bit disappointed._
_Finally, regarding the arson incident at the Trinity Cathedral, I’ve heard that the fire was extinguished in less than a minute. The reason is utterly ridiculous. Upon hearing the absurd behind-the-scenes story, I had to impose a very harsh penalty on the student who caused the incident._
_Reportedly, the incident started from dissatisfaction when another sister, not the one who usually hears confessions, conducted the sacrament…_
_Sister and unrequited feelings? That seems a bit off, doesn’t it?_
_Though I can’t deny I somewhat understand the sentiment._
_I too have experienced firsthand how markedly different a confession given by Mari is compared to one administered by another sister._
_If you ask how they differ, I can’t precisely articulate it, but it’s just different. Yes._
_In any case, this student has received a penalty to engage in service activities for the Rescue Knights after school for two weeks._
_It’s possible this incident could have escalated significantly, and suspension would have been an option, but personally, I feel that wouldn’t genuinely help in reflection._
…Hmm. Speaking of which, is it already time to prepare next month’s budget?
_As I looked at the documents in hand, I let out a small sigh. Can’t we just slice it quarterly and manage the budget per quarter?_
_Doing this every month is just exhausting —_
_Creak!_
_”Mika-senpai… Have you checked the news?!”_
_”…News? What news?”_
_I asked back, easily ignoring that Hanako was dressed in her school swimsuit as she stepped into my office. She flipped her tablet so the screen was visible and thrust it before me._
_I propped my chin on my hand and began reading the large bold letters that caught my eye first:_
_”Shiranuichi Defense Office Head sharply criticizes the current Student Council’s negligence while urging for change. The name of the student she earmarked as better suited for the Student Council President is…”_
…What’s happening? Am I seeing things?
_This is weird… Why on earth do I see Misono Mika’s name in that article?_
_Hahaha, ahaha._
_Wow—_
