The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 90

90.

“Oh my, I didn’t know the noble young lady of Page would be interested in such humble work as a committee member?”

“Hmph! That fox demon [derogatory term for someone sly or manipulative] probably can’t even go to the bathroom alone, can she? That must be why she told you to apply for this!”

“What did you say?! Fox demon?”

The fierce war of nerves between the young lady of Panton and the young lady of Page caused a buzz among the students heading to the conference room.

“Why! Am I wrong?!”

“You’re wrong! Completely wrong?!”

“I’m right!”

“You’re wrong! Apologize!”

“What! Are you ordering me around?!”

It was surprising that prestigious nobles volunteered for the committee, but it was even stranger to see them exchanging such venomous words, as if they were mortal enemies.

“Wow, that’s Page, who transferred in as a freshman.”

“She’s really pretty, just like the rumors say.”

“Rumors? Didn’t you see her during the final exams?”

The student council committee meeting was held in the student council room.

Although the number of members was the smallest of any club, the room’s size and the furniture’s quality were more luxurious than any other club’s.

Perhaps because one side was entirely glass, the student council room, bathed in the brilliant summer sunlight, truly looked like a dream for the students.

“The student council monopolizes a place like this?”

“I’m so jealous.”

The bustling student council room fell silent the moment the door opened.

In an eerie silence, the handsome young man who was currently ranked No. 1 among the students entered the room, followed by his junior executives.

Everyone stared at them, mesmerized, as if watching the silently setting twilight. Their dignity was on a different level from that of ordinary students.

“?”

Rein Ludwig and Krista Warden, the junior executives who were following behind him with piles of documents in their arms, looked surprised.

They had spotted Kasena and Gertrude.

Rein and Krista exchanged glances and shrugged, as if they didn’t know what was going on. That greatly agitated the two girls.

“I am Valencidi, the student council president. I will now begin the seasonal festival executive committee meeting.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Rein and Krista distributed the minutes to the attendees.

The minutes listed the duties that the committee members would be divided into during the seasonal festival, and what each person in charge of those duties should do.

As the festival was created by the students, the minutes included everything from complex matters such as accounting to simple matters such as the order of events and the placement of clubs.

“Elodie, Lanna, Sabelio. The three of you are children of merchants and have often been in positions to receive guests since you were young, right?”

“Yes? Ah, yes.”

“Excluding those who belong to clubs that are preparing large-scale events for this festival, the three of you are the most suitable for reception duty.”

Valencidi skillfully and efficiently led the personnel assignment, which could easily become disorganized.

He selected and assigned personnel based on seemingly simple yet key logic, so more people were convinced than opposed.

Was it because he had accumulated experience, or did he know people’s strengths and weaknesses with frightening accuracy? Rein glanced at Valencidi.

“I don’t understand why so many inefficient personnel selections are needed, Student Council President Valencidi?”

Although it was a quiet voice, the conference room fell silent because of the thorns in her tone.

An unidentified tension filled the conference room in an instant.

The person who created that atmosphere was a female student sitting in the center of the third-year seats on the right.

“Maya……”

Vice President Felix sighed, as if what was coming had finally arrived.

Her snow-white forehead was revealed, partially framed by a silver pin symbolizing her family, and her refined features were accentuated by sharp-looking glasses.

Kasena tilted her head and poked Gertrude in the side, asking for an explanation. Gertrude, unable to ignore the difference in status, replied.

“Maya Snark. She’s one of the Ten Great Families (十門勢族) [ten influential magical families] and holds the third seat in the third grade.”

Just as there are 16 districts under the Eight Great Schools, there are 10 prestigious magical families affiliated with the Five Great Families.

For reference, Gertrude’s Panton baronetcy, Felix’s Drake baronetcy, and Special Task Force Chief Doran’s Slade baronetcy also belonged to this group.

When Valencidi gave her a look as if to say, “Tell me more,” Maya rose to her feet with refined aristocratic manners.

“Isn’t the number of people assigned to public relations, reception, and preparation abnormally high? Are you planning to have each student compete in some kind of contest?”

Then Felix intervened, as if to mediate.

“The number of selected personnel is the same as tradition?”

“I don’t know why we have to follow tradition blindly.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“The magic of our students is not something to be shown to those who are unworthy. It is an act that lowers the dignity of the empire’s leading university.”

Worthless people? Dignity?

At that moment, a sneer, which seemed to be born of anger or ridicule, faintly formed and disappeared on the lips of two people almost simultaneously.

Valencidi and Rein Ludwig.

Of course, the two of them had no way of knowing that.

“If we select those who will truly appreciate it, such as the tower lords of the Magic Tower or the heads of major departments of the Magic Alliance, as VIPs, we can minimize this unnecessary personnel selection.”

“……?!”

“Such connections will also be of greater help to the futures of students who failed to impress during the final exams.”

Some of the students who were pondering that word looked at each other with eyes that seemed to be tempted.

“’s seasonal festival is open to everyone who enters the city.”

Student Council Treasurer Triwis opened his mouth with his unique, emotionless, inorganic expression.

“In the case of VIPs you mentioned, those who have formal partnerships are carefully selected and invited.”

Then a male student sitting next to Maya in a rebellious posture, who had been manicuring his nails since the meeting began, opened his mouth.

“Hey, if we exclude just half of those ‘everyone,’ can’t we invite at least four or five times more VIPs?”

Rowenbelt Kanwer.

He was the heir to a noble family belonging to the Ten Great Families, just like the Snark family.

“That’s…… I don’t know why you’re so fixated on VIPs.”

“Now that I’m a third-year, it’s to set on the right path.”

Maya Snark continued her explanation.

“The thousands of spectators who come to during the festival… how many of them really know the value of magic?”

“The value of magic?”

“Magic is a power and art enjoyed only by the upper class. Of course, only those who have received an education as refined as our students can recognize its value, talent, and effort.”

Gertrude’s eyes, who had ties with most of the noble families, shone interestingly, not because of those words, but because of the members of the organizing committee.

‘All the members of the Ten Great Families in the 2nd and 3rd grades are here… and there are also some talented lesser nobles.’

That meant that the people who were there were united under one purpose and attended this meeting, hmm…….

“It’s just a waste of time to hold a magic festival for those who can only describe magic as flashy, grand, and cool.”

Maya, who declared that, lightly glanced at the descendants of the powerful families as if seeking agreement.

Sandra Keppel, the secretary, was yawning as if she was bored as always (this person has no interest unless it’s something she finds interesting), and Krista had a confused expression.

I can’t tell the emotion from Rein Ludwig’s expression, but I’ll definitely drive a wedge in here.

“If the student council can’t do it, please entrust us with public relations duty. We will invite more than 100 influential people in the magic world.”

“……!”

“This will surely be a good opportunity for students who have not yet reached the magic world.”

At that moment, the reactions of the students who had been concentrating on her passionate speech, whether they had been persuaded by what Maya had said so far, were divided in two.

“Isn’t that a good idea?”

“No, no matter what……”

“I won’t be able to make an impression during the next final exam either, but it seems really good?”

The nobles and some wealthy commoners nodded as if they agreed, while the commoners narrowed their eyes, expressing fierce antipathy.

‘This isn’t good…….’

Felix rubbed his forehead.

The executive committee was in danger of being split in half from the start.

It was around that time that Valencidi, who had been silent, opened his mouth.

“What is magic to you, Maya Snark? Power to rule? Power to dominate?”

“I think it can be seen as an indicator of refinement.”

“Hmph.”

“What’s so funny?”

“The way you people lord over others in the name of nobles is so simplistic that the world stagnates. It doesn’t develop.”

The third-year student next to Maya flushed and stood up, but Maya calmed him down with a light wave of her hand.

“Let’s hear it. What is magic to the great student council president?”

“Magic is opportunity.”

“Opportunity?”

“It gives opportunity to those who have nothing. It doesn’t throw bread to the hungry, but the opportunity to be able to buy bread, the opportunity for those who have no choice but to live forever weak, helpless, hungry, and sick to live at least like people. The other name for that opportunity is magic.”

Rein’s eyes widened for a moment.

Because Valencidi’s belief was so similar to the belief that was deeply rooted in the depths of his teacher.

– Come on, follow me.

If Headmaster Emitsa Page had the same thoughts as Maya, the name of the great magician Rin would not have appeared in history books.

Rin might have wandered the slums and starved to death at a young age. Decisively, she would not have met Rista, Friede, and Kies.

The world of freedom that allows even an orphan to become a great magician was magic. Rin truly liked these words of Emitsa Page.

「The truth will set you free.」

How could a black magician who sold his soul to the abyss [a dark and mysterious place]…….

This is awkward.

I can’t trust Valencidi, he’s a black magician who deserves to be watched carefully, and I don’t want to defend him at all…….

“And the seasonal festival is a time to convey that dream to those who do not yet know magic. I have no intention of carefully selecting and inviting only VIPs.”

Valencidi’s passionate speech was so great that even the nobles of the Ten Great Families showed a hesitant demeanor when he finished speaking.

“If you maintain such foolish beliefs, we have no choice.”

Maya Snark adjusted her glasses nervously, as if she didn’t like that direction.

“Surely, only clubs can individually participate in the seasonal festival, right?”

“?”

“From this moment on, we will dismantle all clubs that have opinions that contradict our intentions. With magic battles, legitimately.”

Even the unflappable Valencidi was flustered enough to furrow both eyebrows at that tactic.

Isn’t it a threat that cleverly exploits the club rules of ?

When Kasena Page quietly whispered, is that possible? Gertrude sighed.

“It’s possible. As proclaims meritocracy, you can seize all the seats of other clubs with your skills.”

“What the hell is that?!”

“Originally, it was a method created for healthy self-regulation, but there was also a way to abuse it like that. I learned something very good from Maya.”

Gertrude muttered, containing a hint of contempt, but in fact, the wickedness of this method did not end here.

“As you know, there is a school rule that the student council cannot forcibly lead the seasonal festival. Isn’t that right, Felix?”

“Maya, you wouldn’t……!”

“So, during the festival period, you can’t intervene at all in disputes between clubs.”

Maya smiled victoriously and came forward, placing her hands on the president’s desk and leaning her body towards Valencidi, who was sitting beyond it.

“You decide what to do. Whether you will prevent the commoner students you care so much about from even participating in the festival, or give them the opportunity to join the upper class.”

In an instant, a silence that felt like the world had stopped settled.

No one opened their mouth.

Everyone was holding their breath, watching the end of this war of nerves, which was impossible to know the outcome of, no, almost 90% decided…….

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

It was a voice filled with pure curiosity that broke the silence that was so cold that it gave you chills.

“According to the rules, only student council executives cannot participate in disputes between clubs, is that right? Anyone who is not a student council executive can participate?”

The silence that had been dominating the hall shattered at that question, and at the same time, a commotion arose.

Rein, Rein Ludwig.

Did Maya Snark think of that as support that would end the situation? She nodded respectfully.

“That’s right, Ludwig.”

As soon as that answer came back, ting, ting, ting… The sound of metal clattering on the floor brought a silence that cut off the flow of time into the commotion-filled hall.

Only the clock hanging on the wall of the student council room was emitting a groan that made you aware of the passage of time. Silence.

Everyone was dumbfounded, alternating between looking at the metal object rolling on the floor and Rein, who threw it away nonchalantly.

“Then I’ll quit.”

What bounced off the student council floor like trash, spinning around, hitting Maya’s foot, stopping its rotation, and collapsing powerlessly was the very symbol.

The symbol of excellence that not only students but also all magicians who have not yet entered envied.

In order to get just that small piece of metal, they repeatedly endured survival of the fittest and endless competition, that truly embodied the dreams and ideals of the students.

“I’m quitting, the student council.”

The very student council badge.

At first, no one could understand that meaning. Because it far surpassed the realm of common sense that the brain could accept.

Until Rein stood facing Maya Snark and declared war clearly like this.

“You guys use magic so well? Let’s see that great skill.”