The news of the emergency meeting was quickly relayed to Kivotos.
“…Hoshino-senpai, are you really okay going alone?”
“Of course~. This old man——”
“Uh, no. We’re going together.”
“——Uhe. I’m not alone anymore, Ayane-chan.”
“Hoshino-senpai, if you go there and tarnish the name of Abydos, that would be a real problem!”
“By the way, being the Student Council President, I must say, Mika-san is indeed amazing…!”
“Yeah, Mika is amazing.”
First of all, Abydos High School, which currently had only five students but was expected to grow into double digits next year, happily responded to the summons.
“I think last year was better. It feels like there are fewer days without incidents.”
“Head, there weren’t any incident-free days last year either. This is Gehenna after all.”
“That’s a hard point to deny. Of course, the scale of the incidents seems to have grown larger.”
“Indeed, it does seem that major events have been popping up quite a bit lately. But despite that, I think things are better now.”
“…That makes sense. Being loved so much is just like that.”
“Yes, that’s exactly right. I’m still the loyal administrative officer devoted to the Head, but… Hmmm. Speaking of which, what was that person thinking when they took the seat of the Student Council President?”
“There are several plausible reasons. Aco, you must know by now.”
“I do know, yes. It’s just that with their personality, I thought they would soon quit troublesome matters. It’s a bit unexpected is all.”
“Well… there must have been a change of heart.”
Separately from the response to the summon, the Student Council of Gehenna also received the meeting email.
“Hm. I never thought the Girl would respond to the Student Council’s summons. Mika, you always bring a storm with you…”
“…”
“Mina.”
“Yes, Lord.”
“Prepare yourself. It wouldn’t be bad to leave a bit early and take a look around the central district.”
“As you command.”
“While we’re at it, how about picking a gift for my friend…? Mina, do you have any idea what would make Mika the happiest as a gift?”
“Y-Yes? How could you ask me that… No, I mean! If it’s from you, Lord, I believe she would be happy with anything!”
“That’s right. Mika would definitely react like that… So, how about giving myself as a gift?”
“W-Wait, Lord!”
“Fufu. I’m just joking, so don’t get too noisy.”
The Black Lord of Hyunryongmun, who normally would not be involved in such matters, began preparations to leave for D.U.
“This is the first time the three of us are moving together♪”
“…Hmm.”
“Well, the President has never actually stepped into a public position like this before, so it makes sense. That’s why I, the Treasurer, had to go in their place every time…”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“Ah, no. It’s not the President’s fault…!”
“Fufu, Yuuka-chan. Usually, the leader of a group has a particularly heavy backside, you know? Well, not as much as you.”
“Noa, you…! Please forget about that! Seriously, whoever made fun of someone else’s weight better watch out if I catch them!”
“Fufu♪”
“Sigh… Anyway, don’t you think it’s a bit too much for the President to be dealing with such ongoing crises?”
“…Well.”
‘I suppose Nanas and Mika share many similar traits.’
Millennium, a part of the larger academy network in Kivotos, also began to move.
Other academies similarly decided on their attendance according to their situations.
After being trapped in a snowbank for 24 hours during a coup, Cherino, the president of the Red Winter Federation Academy, who had caught a nasty cold after barely suppressing the coup, tried to attend the meeting despite her illness.
However, due to the insistence of her secretary, Tomoe, she had to declare her absence and instead reached a consensus to send Tomoe in her place.
And during that process, someone who worried about Cherino’s health caused yet another coup, trapping her in the infirmary, but that was just another trivial incident in the Red Winter.
The governor of Odyssey was physically out at sea, making it impossible for him to attend the meeting. Instead, Odyssey Marine Academy sent a response stating absolute support for Student Council President Misono Mika.
The Wild Hunt Art Academy and Highlander Railroad Academy declared their absence without giving any specific reasons. However, they added that they would respond actively if the mentioned crisis directly harmed their academy.
“Nya ha ha ha! It seems like another opportunity to hang out with you, Mika~! I’ve already set up a promise back in the old evenings, and you’ve personally invited me and set the stage, so it would be rude of me to pull out now.”
“Ah, pride makes those who cling look ugly——”
“…Chise?”
“Yes—Head, what is it?”
“Nya ha ha. Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Ah, a frog. Jumping around~.”
…
The head of the Onmyoubu representing the Hakgwiyaeng responded to the summons. Amachi Nya, with Kaho looking after Chise, thought she would have to go alone.
It was entirely a decision made for Chise’s safety.
And finally.
“…When was the last time Seiya woke up?”
“It’s been about four days, Nagisa-san.”
“Four days… Four days. Hmm, this is bad. At this rate, I’ll die first.”
Trinity, having lost its leader, was also planning to attend the committee meeting.
However, Trinity’s situation could hardly be described as good either.
“The Pater faction’s backlash is hardly lighter, what are you talking about? Of course, it’s within a controllable range, but…”
The Pater Faction lost their proud leader overnight. Regardless of Mika’s glorified position as Student Council President, the political standing that Pater enjoyed began to waver.
It was only natural for Pater to express discontent more or less, and Nagisa was making efforts to soothe the Pater Faction considering such points.
The problem was the distrust directed towards Hikari Atsuko.
No one raised an issue on Nagisa taking over the hosting position since she had displayed only good qualities as the Student Council President.
Originally, Nagisa should have taken the host position by this point, so it was akin to getting back something she had given to Mika.
However, the gaze of the Trinity social circle towards the unproven first-year Student Council President was icy.
“I’m doing my best to help. But…”
“Yes, and yet it’s not entirely easy.”
“Hmm. Nonetheless, with such a strong will, I’m confident things will improve quickly. Plus, conditions are gradually getting better as news of the summons spreads.”
As long as Hanako was assisting in the work, Atsuko could manage adequately. Although her speed was markedly slower than Mika’s…
The problem was that one of the leaders they were to rely on was a fresh-faced first-year student. Without proof of capability, all she had was the title of “Princess of Arius.”
If Atsuko had built her position in the social circle using that title, such backlash would not even dare to raise its head.
But Atsuko prioritized her friendship. Even if she could be somewhere else, the place she wished to be was not T-party but the After-School Dessert Club.
Amidst all this, the Student Council’s press conference and the news of the committee summons were indeed a green light.
Trinity students were thrilled to see Mika, who had moved their enemy to the Student Council in a crisis. There was no situation under which they could jokingly call her a traitor.
Should someone attempt to erect a statue of Mika, everyone around, given Trinity’s affluent nature, would rush to provide monetary support.
With Mika’s presence becoming so significant, Atsuko’s best chance to survive was to utilize the aura that Mika cast upon her as much as possible.
Mika’s reputation and her own legitimacy—Atsuko began to gather her allies by leveraging these two aspects.
“Hikari Atsuko is deemed a talent deemed sufficient by Mika to lead the crisis-stricken Trinity. Who else could sit there aside from her?”
“Well, if it were Hanako…”
“That person joined T-party solely for Mika, right? She’ll likely be moving over to the Student Council following Mika shortly. Hence, she’d surely decline the position of Student Council President herself.”
“So you genuinely intend to trust and follow that first-year?”
“Even if she’s a bit clumsy, Trinity has two other Student Council Presidents. There’s no reason not to trust her at least once.”
Of course, these students were in allegiance not based on Atsuko’s ability but rather based on their belief in Mika’s judgment…
This was more than enough for Atsuko. She didn’t plan to keep the position of Student Council President anyway.
What she desired was to navigate this crisis and keep safe those she cared for and loved. That was all.
“I hear the Sisterhood has also received an attendance request.”
“With qualifications like that, it’s only natural. If anything, I assume Mika’s personality would have also sent requests to the Rescue Knights and Justice Realization Department.”
Recalling Mika, who had finally risen to the position of Student Council President, Nagisa pursed her lips. She felt a strange uneasiness.
Proud, but at the same time sad that they could no longer share the same workspace like before.
However, Nagisa shoved such personal feelings aside. It would be wrong to whine about Mika’s decision made for everyone’s sake.
Her thoughts soon drifted back to her recollections of Mika adorned in black. Looking back, one question lingered.
If the Mika she loves is the Mika who suffered a tragedy in the future and returned to the past, then where did her close friend, Misono Mika, vanish to?
…
Nagisa put that unresolved question aside for the time being. The timing was not right to delve deeper into it.
