It was unusually quiet that morning. No fireworks exploding down the hallway. No dramatic duels in the courtyard. Just a simple scroll, pinned messily to their classroom door, reading: "Lecture Hall C. Mandatory. Don't be late. – Prof. Kayuki"
Zoltan narrowed his eyes at it. "This smells like trouble."
Sanae sighed. "It's Kayuki. Of course it is."
They filed into the hall one by one—Celosia clutching her books, Manjiro walking with a lazy strut, Kiyoshi at the back, silent as ever. Kotaka stumbled in half-asleep, dragged by Rin. Rajieru somersaulted in just for fun. Reuel and Giyuu slipped in without a word, like quiet shadows.
Kayuki was already at the front, standing beside a large chalkboard that shimmered with illusion magic. He struck a ridiculous pose the second they were all inside, his coat flaring out like a cape.
"Good morning, my dear disasters," he said with a grin, snapping his fingers.
Light burst across the board in elegant calligraphy, the words glowing faintly with mana:
✨ "CLASS REPRESENTATIVE ELECTION" ✨
Rajieru blinked. "Did we just get ambushed into democracy?"
Kayuki clapped once, proudly. "Yes! One of you will rise, take the crown, and claim... a mountain of responsibility and exactly zero extra credit. Isn't that thrilling?!"
No one moved.
Kayuki let the silence settle a beat longer before continuing. "Listen up. You've got missions coming. Real ones. Field work, dangerous situations, stuff that matters. And in those moments? You'll need someone to speak for all of you."
Rin folded her arms. "So, what? Like a student commander?"
Kayuki shrugged. "Call it what you want. You'll need someone grounded. Someone with judgment. Someone you can trust when everything goes sideways."
The room shifted. The weight of it landed hard.
Without needing permission, Rajieru immediately stood on his chair and declared, "I nominate myself for absolute rule. I promise chaos, emotional damage, and surprisingly organized potlucks."
Sanae groaned softly. "Please sit down."
Kotaka whispered, "What's a potluck?"
Manjiro snorted.
Celosia opened her mouth to speak—only to panic when Rin said, "I nominate Celosia."
She froze. "W-Wait, no—I don't—thank you? But no. Please no."
Zoltan leaned back, arms crossed. "Kiyoshi," he said simply.
Heads turned.
"Agreed," Haruki said from beside him.
Manjiro raised a brow, then smirked. "I'm in. He already gives off mysterious leader vibes."
Rajieru gave a theatrical gasp. "You're all betraying the kingdom of chaos—fine! I support him too."
Kiyoshi didn't flinch. He sat with his hands folded neatly on the desk, expression unreadable. When everyone finally turned to face him, he let the silence breathe.
"I appreciate it," he said softly. "But I'm not the right person for it."
Rin blinked. "Why not?"
He glanced around the room. "I just got here. You don't really know me. I don't know all of you. Besides… I don't want it."
There was no bitterness in his voice, no sarcasm—just quiet honesty. It was hard to argue with.
Manjiro gave him a shrug and leaned back. "Guess the crown's still up for grabs."
Another pause. Then Haruki's voice broke through again. "Then… what about Sanae?"
Sanae blinked like someone had just thrown water in her face. "Me?"
Kotaka nodded quickly. "You helped me fix my schedule after I got the room numbers wrong."
Celosia smiled shyly. "And you showed me how to do those enchantment notations… even though you were exhausted."
Zoltan gave a small nod. "You're reliable. Focused. Logical."
Sanae looked overwhelmed, eyes flicking from one classmate to another. "That doesn't make me a leader."
Reuel finally spoke, quiet but steady. "It makes you trusted."
The silence that followed was warm this time. Heavier—but not uncomfortable.
Kayuki clapped again, summoning a floating orb of light. "Alright, darlings! Touch the crystal with your vote. Let fate—or peer pressure—decide."
The votes went fast.
Rajieru got two. Celosia politely declined her nominations. Reuel had a respectable few. Kiyoshi gathered quite a few himself.
But Sanae… she took the majority.
The orb floated gently toward her, the light hovering at her chest like it was waiting for her to accept.
She stared at it. "...What just happened?"
Kayuki chuckled as he conjured a small crest in glowing gold. "You're now Kuoh Academy's lowest-ranked official with the highest responsibility."
The crest floated forward and settled gently against her hand, leaving behind a soft glow beneath her skin—something magical and symbolic, like a brand of duty.
Everyone began murmuring, laughing, congratulating her. A few playfully groaned about "now we're doomed."
Kiyoshi offered her a small nod. It was enough.
Just when things seemed to settle, Kayuki clapped again, voice lifting.
"Oh! Before I forget—pack your bags. You leave for Asgard tomorrow. Early. Don't bring snacks. They'll freeze."
Rin looked horrified. "Excuse me?"
Kayuki grinned wide. "There's been a surge of mana readings near the western border. Unstable stuff. Old structures, maybe rogue spells. Time to stretch your legs."
He paused, then looked straight at Sanae.
"Let's see what kind of rep you'll be when it actually counts."
To be continued...
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