One day in mid-July.
A report was submitted to the T-party meeting.
And shortly after, the Student Council President herself requested a face-to-face meeting with me.
[20XX Summer Festival Construction Site Experiences Unexplained Large-Scale Strikes and Protests]
Reading the title of the report made me sigh. It’s not surprising that this issue has finally erupted; it was bound to happen eventually. Still, it would have been better if no problem had arisen at all. It seems nothing in this world comes easy.
But if you ask me whether this is something the Student Council President would want to meet with me directly about, I would say absolutely not.
It’s true that this strike must be resolved quickly for the successful preparations of the festival. However, it should be something the Student Council President can handle herself.
So, the fact that she wants to meet with me indicates that the situation isn’t that simple. There’s definitely more to it. That much is clear.
The Student Council President has a direct subordinate in the form of the SRT Special Academy. If it were a situation that could be subdued by force, she would have simply dispatched troops from SRT to end it. There’s no reason for the situation to be left to fester until a report comes to me.
The management and supervision of the festival preparation site is entirely in the hands of the Student Council President. Essentially, both academies agreed to delegate full authority over the site to the Student Council, specifically to the Student Council President.
Of course, this situation arose because the Student Council President insisted on taking command herself. If she merely wanted the Student Council to maintain order, both Nana and Hina wouldn’t have hesitated to let them handle everything.
The position of the Student Council President carries that kind of weight.
To be more precise, the current Student Council President is a person trusted across Kivotos to that extent. Can you believe that someone who has meddled in the internal affairs of both academies could be trusted like this? It’s hard to imagine she wouldn’t have been impeached by now if she were an ordinary criminal!
That’s why the Student Council President is someone who can’t be equated with regular students.
“Follow me.”
“Hey, long time no see, Rin-chan! The last time we met must have been on the day of my press conference. I hope you’ve been doing well since then!”
“…Sigh, I’ve reminded you several times already. What in the world is wrong with you, Rin-chan, the T-party host? We’re meeting for official business, so that’s not a relationship I’d call desirable. It’s the same from a political perspective, so please treat this as a formal matter.”
“Ahaha, okay! I got it, Rin-chan. By the way, isn’t it way too hot today? I finally feel like summer is really here. It’s not a bad feeling at all. How about you, Rin-chan? Isn’t that glove making you sweaty? I hope you’re not too uncomfortable?”
“Don’t underestimate the Student Council’s air conditioning… Ahem. More importantly, how many times must I tell you not to call me Rin-chan?”
“Hmmm~ If you call me Mika-san instead of Rin-chan, I might consider it.”
“…We’ve arrived. One thing you should know is that there’s one guest inside. The Student Council President has given instructions for the T-party host to be let in immediately, so please understand that.”
“Oh, totally ignored! Hmmm… I might be a little hurt. Rin-chan, while it’s important to separate public and private matters, ignoring what others say is just rude, don’t you think?”
“…Sigh… Who’s being rude to whom…? No, never mind. I’m just asking you to please go inside. I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Seeing the Chief Administrative Officer of the Student Council, Nanagami Rin, rubbing her temples fills me with joy. After all, Misa used to enjoy situations like this, didn’t she?
“Take care, Rin-chan! See you later!”
As expected, there was no response, but since I didn’t expect an answer in the first place, it didn’t bother me much.
Well, I’ve already had my fun, so it’s about time to engage in a serious conversation. Although there’s no guarantee I won’t end up joking once I go in.
“Long time no see, Student Council President! And hello to you, mysterious guest… Oh, Hina-chan?”
“…Hello, Mika. It’s been a while.”
“Finally, you’ve come, T-party host. Please sit down; we have a lot to talk about today.”
As usual, the Student Council President welcomed me from her desk, not at the heights of a meeting table but at a low chair where she’d been reviewing documents. Next to her was a familiar face I hadn’t seen in a while — our beloved Gehenna Student Council Chair, Sorasaki Hina.
“What should I say? This isn’t the encounter I expected. When the Student Council President personally wanted to meet, I thought it indicated a significant problem might have arisen, but… hmmm, I didn’t think you’d have called for me along with Hina-chan. I’m surprised!”
“I had anticipated it might be you, Mika, ever since the Student Council President mentioned there’d be one more person coming. I’m a little disappointed that our thoughts didn’t align.”
“Umm? Just so you know, I just heard from Rin-chan that there was a guest, so I think that’s a bit of an unfair statement!☆”
Still, seeing Hina’s face after a long time lifts my spirits. Given our political standing… or more accurately, the fact that we’re both public figures now, it’s quite difficult for us to meet.
“It seems you two are much closer than I had anticipated. Hmmm… that’s a refreshing surprise and quite a pleasant miscalculation. It could tie into the topics we’ll discuss today.”
Hmm? Is the Eden Treaty about to come up? Since I’ve mostly resolved the issues that would’ve cropped up during the treaty signing, I’m only feeling like the inevitable has arrived. This is truly the result of all the hard work I’ve put in.
“Cutting straight to the point, one of the reasons I requested to meet with you two today is to propose a peace agreement to improve relations between Gehenna and Trinity.”
As expected, the Student Council President’s subsequent explanation contained discussions about the Eden Treaty. It’s a topic I’m familiar with, but it will be novel for Hina.
The Eden Treaty is an agreement to eliminate hostilities between Trinity and Gehenna. The promise, meaning “Let’s stop hating each other,” loses its significance due to me extending a hand first to Gehenna.
This treaty aims to cool the deep-rooted animosity through competition and gradually resolve the accumulated grievances by fostering understanding between both sides.
Trust in one another will bloom during this process, and thus, the plan Hina and I have pushed is inherently carrying the notion of “Let’s stop hating each other.”
Under these circumstances, the mass of meaning the Student Council President’s presented Eden Treaty holds is more about “Let’s be friends moving forward” than “Let’s stop hating each other.” Just as I intended.
Well, Hina would hear it differently, but still.
“Student Council President, to be honest… I don’t see the necessity for this peace agreement. If we’re simply discussing improving relations between the two academies, I honestly believe the things Mika and I are already working on will yield significant long-term benefits. I doubt that combining this somewhat coercive concept of a peace agreement will lead to very positive outcomes.”
“…That’s a valid point, Gehenna Student Council Chair.”
“If anyone else had brought this up, I probably would have considered it worthless nonsense and would’ve left the room. I’m sitting here solely because I trust that the Student Council President wouldn’t waste time with two busy individuals to chatter aimlessly. Therefore, I’d appreciate it if you could make me understand the necessity of this peace agreement with a proper explanation.”
“Ahaha, Hina-chan makes a good point! Yes, the Student Council President definitely needs to clarify this part☆ And honestly, too.”
As I give a light assist to Hina’s statement to the Student Council President — that it’s solely the reputation she built up that’s stopping me from walking out of here — I still want to hear it directly from her.
What was the original intention behind the Student Council President’s push for the Eden Treaty? And why was she willing to push forward despite knowing that the treaty was likely to fail?
Whether she believes the teacher will successfully bring the Eden Treaty to fruition, or if she considers Arius’s schemes against both academies as a necessary process — there’s no way for me to grasp the Student Council President’s true intentions. However, what she’s pursuing with this Eden Treaty is clearly different from the original context.
She cannot disclose the teacher’s existence, which will be summoned next year. The Student Council President will undoubtedly keep that a secret at all costs. Revealing that would be akin to openly indicating to the leaders of both large academies that she would soon vanish from Kivotos.
The choices the two academies will make about the Student Council President’s absence are entirely unknown, so she cannot allow herself to be in that position.
So why, at this moment, does she propose an Eden Treaty that seems unnecessary?
“The reasons I wish to promote this peace agreement are multifaceted, but they partially include reducing the burdens on the Student Council.”
Right, there had to be a deeper motive behind why she would attempt the same treaty even after things had completely changed. If we reframe it to consider ‘the Student Council after the disappearance of the Student Council President,’ the answers begin to surface.
“Aha, so you’re suggesting that after signing this peace agreement… you hope that through the establishment of this peacekeeping body set up to monitor whether the treaty is being properly adhered to, Gehenna and Trinity can resolve internal issues cleanly on their own?”
“…The Student Council, along with the Justice Realization Department, and moreover through the resources of the peacekeeping body, seeks to prevent issues from reaching the Student Council from the two autonomous districts originally. Is that the image you’re painting, Student Council President?”
“In simple terms, the Student Council will completely cease meddling in the internal affairs of Gehenna and Trinity. Hmmm, that’s how it can be roughly interpreted. So, what do you think about this, Student Council President? Did I hit the nail on the head?”
The idea that the Student Council would entirely detach from the internal affairs of both large academies can be seen as a plan prepared for her future disappearance. Hina can only interpret it based on the given information, but knowing that the teacher is coming changes everything for me.
The current Student Council and the Student Council President herself announcing a complete withdrawal from meddling in internal affairs? That’s not entirely correct.
Given that internal interference would become practically impossible after her disappearance OR considering Rin’s tendencies should she take over, it’s apparent she’s preparing countermeasures to control both unpredictable academies.
To me, that’s the only interpretation possible based on what I already know.
“…Fufu, dealing simultaneously with the two individuals holding power over the two major academies isn’t as simple as you’d think. The mere fact that this has been exposed so easily proves that. Yes, I won’t deny that is indeed part of my intention. However, wishing for an improvement in relations between the two academies is also undeniably a sincere sentiment of mine.”
Unfailingly placing her documents with a thud on the table, the Student Council President’s tone becomes serious once again as she gazes at Hina and me.
“I wish to name this peace agreement the Eden Treaty. You must already know, T-party host, that Eden is the name for paradise as described in scripture.”
“Yeah, of course, I know that. I can pretty much guess what you’re about to say next, Student Council President. It’s related to the fifth of the seven questions that float around Kivotos, isn’t it?”
“Oh my, there’s a limit to anticipating the questioner’s intentions! Yes, indeed. The fifth question, the truth of whether one can prove they have arrived at paradise. Doesn’t it fit quite well with the essence of this peace agreement?”
Having reached that point, the Student Council President pauses to check the time. Then, in a tone that seems unconcerned, she seems to want to change the subject.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have much time left, so I need to speed things up a bit. So I’ll ask you two, T-party host and Gehenna Student Council Chair… Can I count on your cooperation in promoting the Eden Treaty?”
Hina and I share a knowing look, both aware of how we’re likely to respond, but the Student Council President still chooses to ask. Her behavior seems rather annoying, to be honest. Judging from Hina’s expression, she appears to share the same sentiment.
Aah, I feel a revolutionary urge rise within me.
…This may very well be due to someone who’s currently shouting “Down with the bourgeoisie!” into a megaphone at this very moment.
