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"Ah, Lloyd-kun. My apologies for calling you here so out of the blue."
Seated at a grand desk and sorting through paperwork was the Student Council President I’d met just the other day—Noah.
"I suppose I should introduce myself first. I am Noah Bordeaux, the one entrusted with the role of Student Council President. Well, you could say I’m just the head of the academy’s errand boys, tasked with cleaning up whatever mess happens to arise. There’s absolutely no need for formalities. Feel free to just call me Noah. Hahaha."
Noah gave a playful laugh after his introduction.
—Before I explain what’s going on, let me recount how I ended up here.
I had just finished a thoroughly enjoyable magic class and was heading to my next room when I was suddenly intercepted by several Men in White Uniforms. Before I could process what was happening, I had been hauled off to the Student Council President's Office.
I hadn't resisted because I thought it might lead to something interesting, but I did wonder what the president could possibly want with a student who had only just transferred in.
"If a bigwig like that is calling for you, doesn't it mean you went and screwed something up, Master Lloyd?"
Grimo made a fair point, but I didn't have any memory of making a mistake. I’d cleared the entrance exam without drawing any attention, and I’d taken every precaution to remain undetected when I intervened in the duel between Noah and Gazel. There shouldn't have been any reason to summon me.
"Perhaps he actually saw through you? And now he's furious?"
Ugh, that was a distinct possibility. I’d used concealment magic, but Noah seemed highly capable. If he had been looking closely enough, there was a chance he’d noticed.
"...Hoh, you’re quite perceptive. It seems you’ve already realized why I called you here. Indeed, I was aware that you stepped into that little spat between me and my foolish younger brother."
To see through my concealment so easily... Noah was impressive. He truly was the Academy's Top Student.
"Master Lloyd is pretty sloppy when it comes to the fine details, and he’s never been particularly good at hiding things anyway..."
"Noah seems to be on bad terms with his brother. He must be livid that someone interrupted their fight."
That had to be it. Even I would be annoyed if someone snatched away an experimental subject right from under my nose. Should I apologize? Just as I was about to bow my head and offer a mea culpa, Noah continued.
"No, it was magnificent. You really are something else."
Noah suddenly stood up and began to applaud.
"You dove into a battle that broke out without warning, and you did so without a moment's hesitation, all to ensure the other students wouldn't be harmed. To step between me and my brother and almost completely neutralize the magic we unleashed... it was a feat of nothing less than pure brilliance. Furthermore, to go as far as to use magic to hide your involvement so you wouldn't have to take the credit—you truly possess a heart of pure justice."
Noah nodded to himself, seemingly impressed. While his assessment was riddled with misunderstandings, I was relieved to find that he wasn't actually scolding me. If the Student Council President had taken a dislike to me the moment I arrived, a peaceful school life would have been out of the question.
"You are a member of the Saloom royalty, are you not? I imagine that is why you prefer to stay out of the spotlight. As a royal, standing out in the wrong way could bring dishonor to your kingdom's prestige. I swear to you here and now that I will not speak a word of your actions the other day."
"That would be a huge help. Really."
"Heh, don't worry about it. It is my duty as Student Council President to act for the benefit of all students. I'll see to it that the Student Council takes measures to ensure you don't stand out more than necessary."
I’d been worried about how this would go, but I was glad he turned out to be a reasonable man. I let out a long sigh of relief.
"...By the way, this isn't exactly a quid pro quo, but I do have a small request for you."
"What is it?"
At my question, Noah cleared his throat.
"I’d like you to join the Student Council. We’re chronically understaffed, and it would be a massive help to have someone as capable as you on the team."
"Me? In the Student Council?"
I was caught off guard by the sudden offer. Seeing my confusion, Noah continued.
"As you know, our academy welcomes anyone with talent. Children, the elderly, the wealthy, and the poor—even Cursed Ones and other races are permitted to enroll as long as they show promise. However, because of that diversity, disputes between students are constant, and we are desperately short of people with the strength to stop them. Of course, I do what I can, but it’s difficult to move freely given my position. If you were to join us, Lloyd-kun, it would be incredibly reassuring."
"So the job is... keeping the more rowdy students in line?"
"Yes. It pains me to ask such a young boy to handle the rougher side of things, but..."
Before Noah could even finish his sentence, I nodded firmly.
"I'll do it!"
"Oh! You'll accept? That is a huge relief!"
I took Noah's outstretched hand and we shook on it.
He’d used a lot of flowery words, but in short, joining the Student Council meant I would be able to use magic openly within the academy. There was absolutely no reason to refuse.
"Wait, Master Lloyd, if you're doing that kind of work, aren't you going to end up standing out after all?"
"Exactly. Didn't he just promise to make sure you wouldn't draw attention?"
"I’ll stand out a little, sure, but there’s no way I can pass up an offer this interesting."
If I joined the Student Council, I’d have plenty of opportunities to see Noah's magic up close, and I was sure the troublemakers would use some impressive magic too. Being in an environment like that was a dream come true.
"Heh, I managed to draw him in. Even if we weren't going all out, his ability to keep up with a battle between me and my brother shows remarkable magical sense. He’ll surely distinguish himself in no time. I’m glad I could secure him for the council before that. It was a bit of pre-emptive scouting, perhaps... but better than letting my brother get to him first."
Noah was muttering something to himself, but then he suddenly narrowed his eyes, his expression turning grave.
"Everything is for the sake of the upcoming battle."
He seemed to have drifted off into his own thoughts. Well, whatever. It looked like we were done here, and my next class was about to start. I turned and made my way out of the Student Council President's Office.