Chapter 614
After successfully completing the arena inspection, Simon and Maelyn rode in a carriage.
Jane told them to go back to dorms and rest since they had worked hard, but in truth, there was no time to relax. The carriage went straight to the next destination.
“Waaaah!”
This was the central district of Roke Island.
Originally an empty lot, but with the Dark Emperor Festival approaching, countless stalls were being set up.
“This is the street market!”
Maelyn said in her lively voice.
“The heart of the festival! During the Dark Emperor Festival you can buy all kinds of food and goods here!”
“Yeah, but…”
Simon gave a wry smile.
“…Why are there so many students?”
The stalls were clearly supposed to open from the very first day of the festival, yet despite still being under construction, students were already swarming the area.
Especially first-years, who had flocked here during lunchtime. Word must have spread quickly.
“How does it taste?”
“It’s so good!”
“I’ll come again once the festival starts!”
Since it wasn’t officially festival time yet, stall owners weren’t allowed to sell food for money. Instead, they offered free samples under the guise of test-tasting, and the hungry students gladly filled their stomachs.
Of course, it also served as free advertising and word-of-mouth promotion.
“Should I leave the boxes here?”
“Oh dear, thank you so much.”
There was even an elderly couple running a stall, and students kindly summoned skeletons to carry supplies or push carts for them.
All around, heartwarming scenes could be seen.
‘But…’
Simon suddenly spotted a familiar face.
“Materials coming through!”
Among the construction workers was a girl with bright tangerine-colored hair. She wasn’t just helping out—she was dressed exactly like a worker and commanding undead as she supervised construction.
Simon walked toward her.
“Eshu, what are you doing here?”
She whipped around, and the moment she saw him, she shrieked as if she’d seen a ghost and stumbled backward.
“M-Mistaken identity!”
“…You’re definitely Eshu.”
“Nooo! P-Please, anything but disciplinary action!”
While backing away in panic, she tripped and fell with a yelp.
Simon asked with a lukewarm expression,
“Don’t tell me… you’re getting paid to work here?”
Naturally, during the preparation period, any exchange of money between students and outsiders was strictly prohibited.
“N-no! I’m just helping out of pure good will…!”
“Student! How long are you going to sit there?”
A middle-aged man moving materials shouted at her.
“You said you’d do the work of five people, so you want five times the pay, right? Then work hard!”
“A-aghhh, Misterrrr!”
Busted.
As she sat on the ground, Simon walked over with a smirk.
“Pure good will?”
“…Ugh!”
Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead before she finally screamed out loud.
“Fine! I begged them to hire me as a part-timer because I’m broke, okay? Happy now?!”
“…Broke?”
“I spent it all! I used it up buying the Abaddon Set for the Dullahan special lecture! Without materials, I can’t keep up in the next class! At this rate I’ll fail the first semester and get expelled!”
‘Ah.’
Simon had almost forgotten—Eshu was poor.
In her childhood, she had even worked as a maid at Loraine’s house due to her family’s dire situation. Though she had a cheerful personality and never showed it, she had her own burdens.
She even applied as a “working scholarship student” in Keyzen, earning money by coming to school early to clean the pool or classrooms. She sacrificed sleep and study time just to scrape by.
‘But rules are rules…’
As Simon was thinking that, a voice echoed in his mind.
—You’ll all just switch majors anyway, won’t you?
—Summonology Department? More like the Transfer Preparation Department! Hahaha!
Simon’s lips twitched anxiously.
Her specialty was voodoo dolls.
She claimed she entered Summonology because she wanted to focus on controlling dolls as summoned creatures, but honestly, she would’ve been fine in Katarology.
It wasn’t her dream, but if she couldn’t keep up with Summonology classes due to money, then maybe transferring to Katarology was the only option to avoid expulsion.
‘Ugh.’
Simon hated the thought.
He had grown close with Eshu, and it would demoralize their squadmates Loraine and Toto if she left.
Above all, he worried about Aron, who had already suffered enough from students transferring en masse in the past.
While Simon was caught up in his thoughts, Eshu suddenly stretched out both arms toward him in resignation.
“Do as you will.”
“Huh?”
“You’re going to arrest me on the spot anyway!”
She waved her outstretched arms as she shouted.
“You’ll have your minions drag me to the Disciplinary Committee, won’t you?!”
Her problem was letting her imagination run way too far ahead.
“Simon, what’s going on?”
Hearing the commotion, Maelyn walked over.
‘Oh no!’
Simon flinched, while Eshu shrank even further after noticing the student council armband on Maelyn’s arm.
If it’s Maelyn, she’ll follow procedure to the letter!
When it came to student council work, she was a strict stickler for rules.
Simon’s back was drenched in sweat as Maelyn folded her arms and looked down at Eshu.
“Who’s this?”
“Uh…! Let me introduce you. This is Eshu Arzel. She’s in my class, same squad as me. And this is Maelyn! She’s in the student council with me, the vice president.”
‘Hmm, I see—’
Maelyn nodded nonchalantly and turned back to Simon.
“So, what did she do wrong?”
‘Already assuming guilt?!’
Well, with Eshu’s face screaming I’m guilty! it was hard to blame her.
“Hahaha, it’s just… she’s been struggling with some personal problems lately!”
Simon quickly stepped forward, blocking Maelyn’s view of Eshu.
“She’s been having a hard time.”
“……”
Maelyn’s eyelids lowered.
“‘Personal problems’, is that it?”
Muttering to herself, she walked past Simon and crouched in front of Eshu. The terrified girl turned her head away, but Maelyn gently bent down to match her eye level.
“I don’t know what’s going on exactly.”
“?”
Through Eshu’s half-open eyes, a small white business card appeared.
“If you’re struggling, the student council can counsel you. If you don’t trust that idiot, then you can at least trust me.”
“Ah.”
Eshu muttered a faint “thank you” as she accepted the card, looking dazed. The simple design had the words Student Counseling Center written in the center.
Maelyn then stood up and turned away.
“If it’s money that worries you—”
“!”
Eshu and Simon’s eyes widened at the same time.
“An official notice will be issued soon. In Keyzen, verified businesses will be allowed to formally hire work-study students, letting them provide labor and receive payment.”
“Ah!”
Eshu’s eyes welled up with tears.
“Th-thank you! Vice President!”
Maelyn waved a hand behind her as she walked away. Simon smiled faintly, watching her back.
‘Thank you, Maelyn.’
* * *
Three weeks passed like a flash of light.
And at last, the day arrived.
“Welcome, everyone, to the Dark Emperor Festival!”
Pooooom!
Bang!
Great fireworks and bursts of flowers filled the air as the festival’s opening ceremony began.
In the front rows of the outdoor ceremony hall sat the students, while VIP seats to the left and right held dignitaries. Surrounding them all was a sea of people, packed so tightly there wasn’t an inch of space to move.
On the stage stood a man in resplendent ceremonial attire, spreading his arms wide.
“Good day! I am Seiyur Griezmann, and I’ll be your host for today’s Dark Emperor Festival opening ceremony!”
He bowed like a gentleman, and the audience erupted into explosive cheers, befitting a superstar of his caliber.
—Seiyur!
—Seiyur!
“Wonderful to see you all. Yes, yes, thank you! Hahaha!”
He checked the sound level of the amplification crystal before continuing.
“Like so many of you, I too once dreamed of becoming a necromancer.”
He placed a hand over his heart.
“I was fortunate enough to be born with the ability to create illusions! Everyone said that with such a gift, the path of a necromancer would be laid out smoothly. My mother even sold our estate to open my Core and make me one.”
It was the first time many had heard the personal story of Langerstine’s superstar, Seiyur. The crowd fell silent, focused entirely on his words.
“But it wasn’t easy! My ability had no synergy with Darkness, and my black magic skills were below average. I was talentless, yet full of ambition! I always told myself, I could do better, if only luck were on my side! I belonged higher up! And on days when my superior scolded me, I would drown myself in illusions, where that superior was groveling at my feet.”
Hahaha!
Ripples of laughter spread through the audience, many finding it relatable.
“But it was my friends who pulled me out of those illusions and guided me onto a new path! And those friends… are none other than this year’s 330th Student Council students!”
Ooooh!
“Though I never fulfilled my dream, I gained something else—an even greater affection and respect for these young necromancer students. I hope they will shine all the brighter in the Dark Alliance, even for my share! That’s all from me!”
Moved by Seiyur’s sincerity, the audience broke into thunderous applause.
“Now, let’s officially begin the Dark Emperor Festival! Students and honored guests, please rise from your seats!”
* * *
“Ugh! Why’d he have to talk about us there? So embarrassing.”
Maelyn muttered, her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. Behind her, Kamibarez Ursula smiled as she gently combed Maelyn’s long hair.
“I was actually really happy he mentioned us!”
Dick Hayword chuckled, shrugging his shoulders.
“For a shaky second-year student council like ours, public exposure is always a plus. That guy knows how to play the big game.”
Backstage behind the podium.
Simon was also getting ready with the other members, his coat neatly adjusted. Since they were about to give a speech, makeup artists came in to fix Simon’s hair and apply some makeup to his face.
“Ohhh.”
At last, when they were finished, Dick walked over with a sly grin.
“Dressed up like this, you actually look pretty mature. Don’t you think?”
He turned around, and both Maelyn and Kamibarez were startled but quickly nodded.
“W-well! Not bad at all!”
“It really suits you, Simon!”
“Thanks.”
At that moment, Seiyur’s voice boomed outside.
—Now! Let me introduce the Student Council President, Simon, along with the members of the student council!
“Our turn!”
“Let’s go!”
Simon tightened his tie and walked toward the stage.
It was his first large-scale public event since becoming Student Council President.
‘I must.’
There was only one thought in his mind: to see this through successfully.
Walking toward the light, Simon finally stepped onto the stage.
Waaaaah!
Ooooooh!
A huge cheer erupted. As the representatives of the students and the stars of this festival, Simon and the student council members stepped onto the platform.
Since it was a formal occasion, ceremony mattered. Simon politely lowered himself and extended his palm toward Maelyn.
‘!’
Escorted by Simon, the Student Council President.
It felt secretly nice, but Maelyn fought to keep her lips from curving upward. With utmost composure, she placed her hand upon Simon’s.
‘Are you watching?!’
Simon wasn’t sure if Serne Eindark had come to the opening ceremony, but he had a strong urge to glance around.
At last, the two ascended the podium.
They exchanged a glance with Seiyur, who handed Simon the amplification crystal. Taking a slow, steady breath to calm himself, Simon looked down at the crowd below.
The entire student body of Keyzen.
Beside them, the great figures of the Dark Alliance, and beyond them, countless townspeople.
This was the view of the Student Council President.
Simon raised the amplification crystal.
“I am Simon Follentia.”
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters