Chapter 543
A new club policy had been established. With Jane’s approval safely secured, the student council began moving without hindrance.
As important as the policy itself was its publicity. The student council’s direct underlings carried the printed notices Simon had requested to each dormitory and plastered them all over campus. With so many hands, everything was done swiftly.
As night fell, the selection procedure for the “booths” to be used during the club season was held.
Dick, staring at the firmly shut doors of the student council hall, gave the signal.
“Open!”
Clatter!
The moment the doors opened, the heads of each club surged in like a horde of zombies.
“Everyone! Please keep order and line up!”
“Calm down and form a line!”
The underlings directed the students into a single line before the council chamber, where they saw a bulletin posted on the wall.
“Huh, what’s this?”
“New club season, changes like this?”
As previously discussed, the student council openly announced the standards for budget distribution before the entire student body.
The most important criteria were the “number of members” and “sustainability and management of members”.
And in order to assess sustainability, it was declared that each club must submit a performance report every month in order to receive its budget.
“...We have to write reports?”
“Those guys… aren’t they overdoing it just because they became the council? Why not just do it the old way.”
Some club heads grumbled, but—
“It’s not bad, really.”
“I thought the council would skim off some funds, but this way, it means everything is handed out fairly.”
Though writing reports was tedious, most heads figured it was better than suffering hidden disadvantages in budget allocation.
Especially for Noble, the representative privileged club. Though few in number, they had long pressed the council with their strong influence and enjoyed lavish budgets.
But with this year’s policy change, such practices could no longer continue.
“Look at this! It’s chaos, Head! What do we do?”
A female Noble member shook her head’s shoulder in distress.
Last year’s head of Noble had been Prince Andre, brother of Princess Molly—now expelled from Keyzen. This year’s head was Elisa Celine, ranked 7th among the second-years, famed for her ghost ship.
Elisa avoided eye contact and muttered,
“Well, if the Student Council President has decided so, we’ll have to comply...”
But as the girl’s gaze narrowed, Elisa hurriedly shouted,
“B-but of course! We’re Noble! Naturally we’ll be given plenty! And I’ll make sure of it!”
“Right? That’s our Elisa!”
Sigh.
In truth, Elisa didn’t care much about these club matters.
The reason she wanted to get on Simon’s good side was because of a large-scale project her Celine family was preparing. It was to be carried out in cooperation with Keyzen, and if someone as prominent as the Student Council President interfered, it would be troublesome. So she was trying to stay on his good side in advance.
‘If I can’t secure the budget, the 3rd-years will hound me to death. But I can’t complain to Simon, or the family project will be jeopardized.’
Scratching her head in frustration, she thought,
‘If I had known this, I never would’ve taken this head position!’
At Keyzen, since 3rd-years were often too busy with outside schedules, it was tradition for 2nd-years to take club head positions. Thus, the responsibility of club management fell primarily on the second-years.
While Elisa wrestled with these calculations, the line shortened, and at last, her turn came.
“It’s your turn. Please go inside.”
An underling bowed. Snorting to feign dignity, Elisa strode into the council chamber.
Scratch scratch—
At a small desk sat vice-president Maelyn Villene, holding the booth placement chart and a list of club names.
Behind her, at the larger desk, Dick and Kamibarez were speaking with another club head.
And a bit further back, jotting notes with a quill, sat the boy observing it all.
The Student Council President, Simon Follentia.
“Hel-lo.”
Maelyn greeted with a face that was anything but friendly. Veins bulged on Elisa’s forehead.
‘...This insolent brat.’
Elisa and Maelyn had been rivals since their first year.
But today, the one at a disadvantage was Elisa. Forcing a smile, she returned the greeting.
“Name.”
“Hehe, vice-president, you don’t know my name?”
“Say. Your. Name.”
“Elisa Celine.”
Maelyn gave a curt nod and wrote her name on the list.
“Club name?”
Bang!
The girl who had come with Elisa slammed her palm on Maelyn’s desk.
“Why bother asking what you already know? Don’t you know we’re ‘Noble’?”
“...”
Maelyn shot Elisa a cold look.
The meaning was clear: What is wrong with her?
“Haha! Just another member I brought along!”
Elisa clapped her friend’s mouth shut in panic. Provoking Maelyn here was unwise.
“I’m the head of Noble, so I’ll handle this. Vice-president, please continue!”
With a sulky face, Maelyn wrote down “Noble”.
“This year’s club season will also be held at the 1st-year campus central square. Choose your desired booth.”
“O-of course, we’ll take—!”
As Elisa reached to pick the largest, most prominent booth as usual, her hand froze before the chart.
Another name was already written there.
[Haematology Research Club, Sadam]
“Wh-what is this?!”
Sadam took this spot?
While Elisa stood dumbfounded, her friend shouted,
“Wait! This is our booth! Who claimed this?!”
“Are you blind?”
Propping her chin with her hand, Maelyn coolly replied.
“It clearly says Sadam.”
“This has been Noble’s booth for over ten years! You should’ve had the sense to leave it for us! Is the council slacking off?”
“And how is not working for you the same as slacking off?”
The girl gaped.
“So this is how you’re going to play it? Do you even know which 3rd-year seniors are in Noble?”
“And why—”
Maelyn stood up.
“You’re late, and you’re blaming me?”
Her sudden burst of presence made the girl flinch.
“Didn’t you know the booths are first-come, first-served? Or did your brain rot, thinking you’d still be served like royalty even if you’re late? If your Noble seniors complain, I’ll tell them: These slackers came late and missed out on the good booths. And if you want to complain, go complain to Sadam. Why are you yelling at us, who are working neutrally?”
“Y-you...! Do you know who I am—!”
“What, are you flaunting family names in Keyzen like some freshman? If you’re that proud, why not go pick a fight with the Ivory Tower? Think you can handle it?”
The girl’s face flushed red. She stammered incoherently, utterly shocked by the humiliation.
“Hey, Noble. Get lost.”
Maelyn sat back down and crossed Noble’s name off the paper.
“Next.”
“W-wait a minuute!”
In the end, it fell to Elisa, the head, to clean up the mess.
She shoved her sobbing friend out of the council chamber and quickly returned to her seat.
“S-sorry, vice-president! We’ll take this spot instead!”
Elisa chose a secondary booth. Maelyn let out a long sigh, her bangs fluttering.
“If your seniors insist, you can try negotiating with Sadam. Changing booths is possible if both sides agree.”
“Ah, right. Got it!”
Of course, that meant she’d have to pay a price to Sadam.
Once Maelyn wrote down Noble’s name in the booth slot, she gestured behind her. It was a dismissal—registration complete, now scram.
‘Haaaah.’
Enduring a throbbing headache, Elisa shuffled out, and the next round began.
“Welcome!”
Kamibarez greeted with a beaming smile.
“This is hilarious.”
Beside him, Dick clutched his belly, laughing.
“Why’d she dare sass Maelyn? Everyone knows she’s got a temper.”
“...I don’t know. Maybe she didn’t know since they’re from the other class.”
Elisa muttered and glanced at Kamibarez. Her look said, Get on with it.
Kamibarez lifted the paperwork.
“Do you require budget allocation this club season?”
“Of course. We need banners, flyers, and a ton of other things.”
“Eyy~ Customer! Can’t just say it like that.”
Dick immediately slipped into business mode, thrusting a quill toward her.
“You need to clearly specify where, what, and how you’ll use the funds, or else we can’t release the budget.”
Elisa took the quill with a look of disbelief.
“Were you guys always this strict?”
“Our president’s motto is: If we’re going to do it, let’s do it right.”
Dick gestured behind him. Simon, seated at the council president’s desk, was signing off on documents.
“But here’s something you can take pride in.”
Spreading his arms, Dick grinned.
“As long as you do exactly what’s asked, your club budget will be as big—if not bigger—than last year’s. It’ll never be less.”
“...”
“Because we’re a student council that doesn’t skim margins.”
* * **
The reaction to the new system was surprisingly positive.
In truth, Simon’s council wasn’t the first to introduce such a policy. As Maelyn had researched, there had been rare instances of student councils with similar systems, and using their records, they had been able to prepare everything in a short time.
Policies had always shifted depending on the Student Council President’s personality.
Last year, under Phantasus, the council had maintained strict control to suppress the three great powerhouse clubs that tried to manipulate them from the shadows.
Now, with only Noble left among the three, Simon had the freedom to roll out new policies.
With the booths confirmed, large-scale setup work began at the 1st-year central square.
Students, underlings, and even hired workers from outside were mobilized to construct booths and hang banners.
Some clubs simply set up tents, while others went so far as to build full sets or even install kitchens.
The sounds of hammering and clattering filled the air.
This was a necromancer school, after all, so undead carrying planks and steel beams bustled about—a bizarre sight indeed. Above the booths, colorful triangular party flags fluttered, while balloons and banners decorated the walls.
Passing 1st-years, on their way to class, gawked wide-eyed at the commotion.
Time passed, and with one day left before the weekend.
The club season began.
“Wooooahhh!”
A huge crowd surged in. Everywhere, 1st-years flocked to the booths.
It was the one time of year when seniors willingly made fools of themselves before their juniors. 2nd-years in mascot costumes handed out flyers, while others wore comical outfits to draw attention.
Simon and Dick came to inspect the scene.
“Th-this might be a bit much?”
Simon scratched his head with a grin.
It was supposed to be just booths, but some had built massive artificial caves like theme-park attractions. On the front: Dungeon Research Club.
Next to it, the Physical Club had set up a punching machine to measure strength, igniting the competitive spirit of male students. Thump! Thump! Loud noises resounded.
“Somehow it looks flashier than last year.”
“You lit the fire, Simon.”
Dick chuckled slyly.
“Since the budget now depends more heavily on member count than ever, they’re desperate to recruit.”
“Hm.”
As Simon casually scanned the area, he could already see battles breaking out.
“Interested in the Flying Club?”
“No, Transformation Club!”
“Real men belong in the Physical Club!”
Competition for new recruits was fierce. The bewildered expressions of 1st-years, suddenly surrounded by swarms of seniors, told the whole story.
‘But somehow…’
Simon crossed his arms with a wry smile.
It feels like there are more 2nd-years than 1st-years out here.
“Hey guys!”
Just then, Maelyn and Kamibarez came rushing over, clutching stacks of documents.
“There’s a problem!”
“?”
Dick pulled up his armband with the look of a man expecting trouble.
“Let’s go.”
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters
Very good story and translation but half the chapter aren't for free and it is wayyyy too expensive will it stat like tjis foreve or will it get free after some time