EP.82
The school festival.
It is a quintessential cliché that is bound to appear in any academy-themed game targeting enthusiasts, and at the same time, it is one of the most overused events that has been milked dry by so many works that it has become as mundane as a common broth.
Given its long history, there are many varieties of school festivals, even if they share the same name. For instance, there is the “Confession Time” where if one confesses love under a certain tree, it is said that love will blossom, alongside various small events that involve class meetings deciding what kind of activities to hold.
For example, it is a rather absurd notion, but there are cases where a few cafeteria staff manage to create a haunted house of such quality that it could astonish even adult men, or they might put on a play that would make a good theater troupe weep.
—Once again, they are spewing nonsense. What on earth does Nineveh expect students to engage in such pointless activities for?
Regrettably, it seems that the festival at Nineveh is not the kind that stirs the emotions of those enthusiasts or gets their hearts racing.
—The majority of students attending Nineveh belong to the nobility. Put simply, it means that they are not in a position to entertain anyone with their own performances; they are merely there to enjoy the performances of others. Why would such individuals volunteer to become clowns themselves? From the start, Nineveh does not expect students to do anything of the sort.
It seems that the status of the students enrolled at Nineveh is so elevated that one cannot expect the typical festival atmosphere found in ordinary academy-themed works.
According to Erekaya, there are a total of two school festivals held each year at Nineveh, which are not meant to provide students with any social experiences outside of studying like in other schools, but rather, they exist purely to ‘soothe’ the weary minds and bodies of noble students.
In other words, to put it simply, these grand nobles, who have been pampered and raised in a nurturing environment, are celebrated with a festival because they have found the communal life of the past six months extremely taxing.
Of course, while there are some activities prepared at the club level, these are merely efforts to promote their clubs and are somewhat lacking to be considered a proper festival preparation…
In conclusion, the idea that preparations for the school festival would involve staying after school to do some overtime, going through the troubles of maintaining a dignified demeanor, dealing with conflicts with students, and bringing together the efforts of all classmates to create an unforgettable festival filled with friendship and emotion never existed anywhere to begin with.
“…..”
To be frank, it’s absurd. No matter how you look at it, these students are the upper echelons of the Empire and are precious talents who will lead the Empire in the future; is it really okay for them to be coddled like this? Shouldn’t we prioritize character education before anything else?
Or perhaps I was merely unaware, and such things are commonplace in the world of the elite even back on Earth?
In any case, at Nineveh, as the upcoming final exams approached, there was no need for the members of Class A to bustle about preparing for anything or gathering for some bonding experience.
It seemed that Nineveh was merely expecting our noble friends to keep quiet and enjoy the festival.
However, the Student Council had a slightly different situation.
While the executive members of the Student Council also held noble status at Nineveh, they stood in a position where they represented the students, causing them to have to deal with the burdens of festival preparation and other odd jobs behind the scenes while other students enjoyed their time idly.
“…Given the circumstances, our Student Council has decided to collaborate with the school administration to begin preparations for the upcoming festival. I understand that everyone is busy during the final exam period, but I hope you accept this as your duty as those who stand above others.”
In the Student Council room in the main building, all the executive members, including myself, silently nodded our heads as Erekaya spoke from the highest seat.
And I too complied without any particular complaint.
Why, you ask? Because I hadn’t even started preparing for the final exams in the first place!
With a solution alive in my head, why on earth would I need to study? Rather, I would prefer to clash swords with Altina one more time during that time.
Of course, I believe that the little princess Pendragon residing in my head will spare no effort in assisting me with my exemplary final exam scores.
I am acutely aware that she is not the type of person to act so petty as to refuse assistance merely because she finds it unpleasant that I am slacking off on my final exams, especially when the fate and future of humanity are at stake. Right?
—Seriously, she’s getting more brazen by the day.
Meanwhile, in my head, Erekaya seemed to be muttering dissatisfaction, but such murmurs were merely echoes that did not reach my ears.
“Now then, shall we start organizing the agenda? First, we have two topics to discuss in today’s meeting. The first is about where each club will hold their festival.”
“Um… Can’t we just follow the same procedure as previous years? I believe the likelihood of trouble arising from us making changes would be even higher.”
Erekaya nodded in agreement with Shura’s remark, acknowledging its validity.
“I think so too. However, some specific clubs have expressed a desire to change their assigned locations this year, so it has become a bit tricky. If it were just a playful complaint, that would be one thing, but since they’ve formally lodged a complaint, it is an issue we cannot ignore as the Student Council.”
Erekaya, already overwhelmed with preparations for the festival, frowned at the additional unnecessary opinions she had to concern herself with.
“In that case, rather than dealing with it arbitrarily, wouldn’t it be more effective to gather all the club presidents for a meeting? This way, we could frame it as the result of everyone’s input instead of the Student Council’s unilateral decision, which would greatly reduce the chances of complaints from the clubs later on…”
As I spoke without much thought, Serika, who was sitting to Erekaya’s right, looked at me and nodded vigorously.
“Excellent, Jin. That’s absolutely perfect. It’s a proposal that captures both justification and practicality, hitting two birds with one stone.”
“…..”
“…..”
“…..”
And at that moment, three incredulous gazes landed on Serika, pinning her like a dartboard.
Well, it’s no surprise they reacted that way. The girl who usually treated me like some potential assailant, jumping at the sight of me like she’d spotted a cockroach on the street, suddenly claims my opinion is wonderful and perfect. It’s only natural everyone looks at her like that.
Plus, why is she suddenly using a semi-respectful tone? She usually talks down to me; why has her approach changed?
“Why is everyone like this? Is there a problem?”
On the other hand, Serika surveyed the room with an expression of utter shamelessness as if nothing were amiss.
…No, I clearly emphasized that it would be better to hide any abnormalities in our relationship that arose yesterday, and yet now she’s presenting that reaction as if it’s normal? What does she expect me to do about it? And didn’t you nod yesterday after realizing it yourself!
[But isn’t it unavoidable? How could I possibly voice an objection to my master’s opinion?]
Serika whispers cautiously in my head through our mental link.
[Still, couldn’t you at least have agreed with a bit less obviousness?]
[However, losing faith is tantamount to death—]
[Fine, that’s enough.]
I should have known better than to have expectations of that zealot.
“Um… then let’s proceed with the first agenda item as discussed. I would like to express my gratitude for your good suggestion, Secretary.”
Thanks to Serika’s unintentional support, the first agenda item passed quite smoothly.
“Now, for the second agenda item… The school administration has made a request to the Student Council. Recently, students have been expressing opinions that the entertainment provided by the school is ‘too consistent’ or ‘monotonous.’ It seems that the chairman thinks it’s better for the Student Council to resolve this issue rather than the adults stepping in.”
“Why is that?”
“It appears more efficient to approach the problem from the students’ perspective rather than the adults’ standpoint.”
Erekaya, despite not being thrilled about the increase in workload, couldn’t deny that the chairman had a point.
However, I noticed something slightly off about Erekaya’s expression as she silently observed us.
“…To be honest, I don’t really know much about entertainment or amusements. No, to be more precise, I might as well say I’m ignorant on this topic. I’ve had no interest or curiosity in such things since I was young.”
As she said this, Erekaya looked at the others and sighed.
“That’s exactly why I’m in a situation where I cannot provide good suggestions. I don’t know what captures other people’s interest, creates fun, or sparks excitement.”
“So, I’ll refrain from saying much to those present here. Is there anyone who has a good idea? You can consider my opinion nonexistent; I genuinely hope someone else has a decent suggestion.”
“…..”
“…..”
In that brief moment, Serika and I exchanged numerous signals while Erekaya sighed heavily.
Now is the time. This moment represents a tremendous opportunity to close the gap between Erekaya and me, a chance to enhance the goodwill between us!
“President, I have a suggestion—may I please have the floor?”
Just then, Serika quietly opened her mouth with a smile that seemed straight out of a portrait.
“What is it? Vice-President?”
“While we may overlook other matters, I believe the President must take the initiative to lead and make decisions regarding this issue. This is because you stand at the pinnacle of all students in Nineveh as the Student Council President, and I think it’s improper to evade your responsibilities with the excuse of ‘not knowing.’”
“…I know that as well. However, just as every person has their strengths and weaknesses, I, too, have never been involved with such forms of entertainment, so I tried to gather everyone’s wisdom together with that comment.”
With Erekaya seeming somewhat deflated, Serika gently shook her head.
“That is exactly what escapism is. If there’s something you don’t know, you should learn it, and if there’s a weakness, overcoming it is the student’s duty, isn’t it? Moreover, I believe that anything in that area can be overcome with one’s diligent efforts.”
As she spoke, Serika pulled out a pair of tickets from her pocket and discreetly presented them to Erekaya.
“…What’s this?”
“These are pair tickets to the amusement park that recently opened in front of Nineveh. From what I’ve heard, the facilities at this amusement park are filled with exciting attractions, and they have become a major topic of interest within the Empire. Additionally, it’s even recognized as a great dating spot among young couples.”
“The fact that you’re inexperienced with entertainment or amusements stems from the simple truth that you haven’t engaged with them often. Then, how about using this opportunity to visit the amusement park, which can be described as the pinnacle of entertainment in the Empire, to strengthen your weaknesses?”
Serika’s words were so sweet and alluring, that it was almost magical, making me unconsciously nod in agreement.
And there was nothing incorrect with what Serika said, so Erekaya also showed her agreement and was just about to accept the tickets being offered by Serika when—
“Ah, wait a moment; there’s one detail I forgot to explain.”
With that, Serika waved the tickets gently in front of Erekaya’s eyes.
“Now that I think about it, these tickets are couple-only pair tickets. Regrettably, it’s impossible to use this ticket unless a couple enters together. So, inevitably, it seems that a man is needed to escort you on that day…”
“A couple-only? Then, could it be that…?”
As Erekaya stared blankly at the tickets with a look of disbelief, Serika gazed at my face with a truly enchanting smile.
Even though I knew all along that this was an act from beginning to end, the remarkable acting skills displayed were astonishing enough to make me momentarily forget that fact.
“In that sense, Jin, would you mind being the President’s ‘couple’ and escort her on that day?”
Serika glanced between Erekaya and me, then broke into a playful smile.
“It’s a given that a noble person should always have a knight to guard them, after all.”
