The Lone Student Council President, Again
A week had passed since I returned from Ganos.
Since then, the town had regained its former vitality, with the economy reportedly even more dynamic than before.
I had Lucina enhance the crystal with recording capabilities and developed a communication device with video functions.
I then installed it in a store affiliated with the Gallard Company, where Arze had connections.
From there, I occasionally checked in on the city’s situation through her.
While things were peaceful on this side, there was a topic that I didn’t find favorable.
That was the rise of the Knights’ Order.
Apparently, starting with that incident, criminal organizations were being exposed all over.
Even if the target was a powerful noble, they presented irrefutable evidence and threw them in jail without question.
The Knights’ Order, which had previously adhered to a policy of non-intervention, seemed to have undergone a drastic change.
Were they simply letting off steam from having been manipulated for so long?
For me, it was an extremely inconvenient development.
Thanks to this, I had to be even more cautious with my covert activities.
The truth behind this mysterious change was detailed in the newspaper I read this morning while sitting in the student dormitory lobby.
The major cause of the transformation in the Knights’ Order appeared to be a shift in the mindset of the Knight Commander, whom I had met in Ganos.
The newspaper featured an interview with the Knight Commander. According to the article, he had been inspired by the exploits of a certain individual, with his wife even encouraging him to "wreak havoc as he pleases."
Leaving aside his wife, who is this troublemaking person he was inspired by? How inconsiderate.
That said, my investments in Ganos for the future went smoothly. After graduation, doing business should become easier.
Thanks to that, preparations for the school’s store were also progressing steadily.
An unused classroom was being renovated into a shop where we could sell items to enrich students’ school lives.
I couldn't help but smile at the thought, but I quickly composed myself when I noticed Lucina approaching from the corner of my eye.
Lucina, however, wore a somber expression.
… It seemed that the matter at hand was not going well.
“How is the situation?”
“Her fever hasn’t gone down yet. She still doesn’t have much of an appetite…”
“I see.”
The one bedridden with a fever was Connie.
She had been unwell since we returned from Ganos.
Though she managed to attend classes, she finally collapsed three days ago. Her fever still hadn’t subsided.
Because of this, we had to postpone the scheduled elemental diagnosis.
It would have been a significant clue in uncovering Connie’s secret, so it was a real shame.
I had asked Lucina to check on her regularly and nurse her as needed while I attended classes, but if her condition persisted, it would no longer be a matter of mere fatigue or a common cold.
Even the doctor stationed at the academy was at a loss.
He suggested a referral to a larger specialized hospital, and the arrangements were currently underway.
While monitoring her condition, the plan was to transport her in three days.
—In other words, unless she recovered by then, her treatment might take longer, and in the worst-case scenario, it could lead to her dropping out.
If that were to happen, I wouldn’t mind having her work for me instead, but considering she grew up in a facility that even made Zarfin nervous, I doubted they’d let her go so easily.
I wanted to resolve this as quickly as possible, but with my limited medical knowledge, there was nothing I could do.
“It seems there’s no choice but to consult that person.”
“By that person, do you mean…?”
“Of course—the Headmaster.”
At the auction, Connie had gotten furious at Zarfin for insulting me and used ice magic, which shouldn’t have existed.
There was no doubt that was the cause.
Moreover, Zarfin’s mention of “that facility” had been bothering me all along.
From what I’d heard, Zarfin was once a promising recruit in the Magic Corps, so I tried investigating through that angle, but I couldn’t find any facility matching the conditions.
… It was definitely an illegal facility.
Connie probably escaped from there, wandering aimlessly until she eventually reached the church where she was raised.
“But the Headmaster is a busy person… Wouldn’t it be difficult to meet with him so easily?”
“That’s the problem.”
He was, after all, the Headmaster of the academy.
Most of the students were either nobles or influential figures, so he seemed perpetually occupied.
I wanted to talk to the him, who had invited Connie to the academy, but it wasn’t something I could do right away.
Still, to resolve her illness promptly, I needed to find a way to meet him.
“You seem to be in some trouble.”
While I was mulling over this, a female student approached me.
It was Tricia Heartland, the lone student council president and one of the prestigious Three Noble Houses.
“President Tricia? Why are you here? Isn’t this still during the student council’s activities?”
“I’ve already completed today’s tasks, so I was patrolling the dormitories.”
The student dormitories were typically divided into male and female dorms, but the lobby I was currently in was a shared space, so Tricia could enter.
“You seem troubled. Are you worried about Connie?”
“Yes, her fever hasn’t gone down, and she’s lost her appetite… She’s scheduled for a detailed examination at a major hospital soon.”
“I see… That’s something you’d rather avoid, isn’t it?”
“That’s right—wait, what?”
Her words sounded as if she had read my thoughts. I couldn’t help but react instinctively.
… This wasn’t good.
Moments like these required a composed response. Clearly, I still had a lot to learn.
“I understand your concerns well. Given her special abilities, you’d prefer to keep her close, wouldn’t you? If her magic were analyzed at a hospital, the truth would be revealed immediately. She might never be able to return to the academy.”
“!?”
W-What the…? That’s far too dangerous a statement.
Could the student council president possibly know something about Connie’s secret?
What do you think about this chapter?
