After a thorough coordination meeting with Amelia, I immediately set my plan into motion. Time was of the essence for this mission, as the deadline to finalize our class's program was drawing near.
As soon as I returned to the dorms, I headed straight for my room.
My first step was to consult with Evi and Albert.
As luck would have it, Albert was already scheduled to come by our room today—primarily for a workout.
"Hmph...!"
"Huff... huff... huff...!"
When I stepped inside, I found Evi lifting dumbbells while Albert performed a set of squats. Their sweat glistened under the light. I felt a sudden urge to join the training, but I had more pressing matters to attend to.
"Sorry to interrupt your workout, you two. I need to talk to you."
"Ray. You're back late. Were you out somewhere?" Evi asked, not missing a rep.
"Yeah. I was coordinating with Amelia about our class project for the Cultural Festival."
"I see... and you want our advice?"
"Exactly."
With that, the two of them returned their equipment to their designated spots and wiped themselves down with towels. After pulling on their shirts, we gathered around the table.
"First, take a look at these."
I had received extra copies of the proposal from Amelia, so I spread them across the desk. Evi and Albert picked up the documents and scanned them with interest.
"...A maid cafe. The concept isn't bad, but these concerns are perfectly natural," Albert noted, speaking after a calm evaluation of the contents.
As a member of the high nobility himself, he possessed a deep understanding of the project's potential pitfalls, much like Amelia did.
"Just as you say, Albert. That was a major point of discussion during my talk with Amelia. While the girls are one hurdle, my immediate mission is to unify the boys. Albert, do you think we can pull it off?"
"..."
Albert rested his chin on his hand, sinking into deep thought. Taking advantage of the silence, Evi chimed in.
"What's the division of labor look like?"
"Overall, the plan is to divide the class into three roles: kitchen staff, service staff, and a general affairs team for things like promotion. The primary concern is the service staff's attire. We're planning to introduce entirely new designs for the maid outfits, as shown in these materials. We'll build the maid cafe around that aesthetic."
"I see... Personally, I think it's a great idea. But yeah, you're definitely going to see some pushback from the high nobles..."
Evi shared the same sentiment.
Now then, how should I proceed with this mission?
As the three of us pondered our next move, Albert made a proposal.
"Regarding the boys... let me handle the persuasion."
"Are you sure, Albert?"
"Yes. Among the boys in this class, I hold the highest noble rank. If I give the plan my public approval, it will be much easier for the others to fall in line."
"I appreciate the help, but are you really okay with this?"
"Hm? What do you mean?"
Albert tilted his head, seemingly not following my train of thought.
There was only one point I was worried about. I had taken Evi's support for granted, but I hadn't been so sure about Albert. Even though we had grown close recently, he was still an elite noble. Yet here he was, volunteering his help as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
It weighed on my mind. Albert was a dear friend now, but he had once belonged to an entirely different circle of nobles. I wondered if he still felt some internal conflict about it.
I voiced my concerns to him. In response, a gentle smile played across his lips.
"My pride as a noble... I see. If this were the old me, I likely would have opposed it. But everything is a challenge. It's worth a try. Looking back, my noble pride was nothing more than a bloated, useless ego. That's why I believe we need a new wind... and besides."
"And besides?" I prompted.
"—There isn't a guy alive who hates maid outfits, is there?"
Albert smirked, his face looking almost boyish as he sought our agreement. Evi and I spoke in unison.
Exactly!
The three of us immediately began our next move.
◇
The time was 10:30 PM. While some students were likely already asleep, the three of us—along with every other male student in Class A—were gathered in the classroom.
We had visited each classmate individually and personally requested their presence. My influence alone wouldn't have sufficed; there were still those who harbored resentment toward me for being an Ordinary.
Holding an unauthorized meeting in a classroom late at night lent the air a certain illicit tension. We used magic to conjure a faint glow and stored it in a magic stone, which provided a small pool of light in the center of the room.
Gathered around that light, we began our summit.
"Now then, everyone. I didn't ask you to gather here for no reason. I brought you together to discuss our class's program for the Cultural Festival."
"..."
Most of the boys—excluding Evi and Albert—regarded me with suspicious eyes, but I pressed on.
"The plan currently being developed behind the scenes is... a maid cafe."
"...What!?"
Shock rippled through the room instantly, spreading like waves on the surface of a pond.
"Wait, wait. Are you serious?"
"A maid cafe at this traditional Academy? You're making maids the center of the project?"
"Yeah. Isn't that crossing a line?"
"People are just going to think White is doing something weird again."
"Exactly. I can't say I approve."
The objections came thick and fast, exactly as I had anticipated. It was time to play my forbidden card. I had, of course, already secured Amelia's permission for this.
"Everyone. You're curious about the maid outfits for the cafe... aren't you?"
"..."
The sound of someone swallowing hard filled the silence. They were clearly hesitant, but curiosity was a powerful force. Everyone stared with solemn intensity at the single sheet of paper I produced.
"W-What is that?" someone asked.
I took the opportunity to lower my voice to a serious tone.
"The design for the maid outfits. However, this is revolutionary. Not only has the frilled ornamentation been increased, but the skirts are short. In other words... the legs will be very visible. And I have one piece of insider information for you all."
Gulp...
"Amelia's legs were beautiful."
In an instant, the classroom descended into absolute bedlam.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!! SO THAT WAS ITTTTT!!"
"Seriously!? Did White actually win over Lady Rose!?"
"Is it a forbidden romance between an Ordinary and one of the Three Great Noble Families!? Is that what it is!? Is a forbidden relationship really that good!?"
"Is that why they've been so weirdly close lately!? IS THAT WHYYYYY!?"
"AAAAAAAAH! My beloved Lady Rose! I thought she was an unreachable idol!"
Hm. This was unexpected. Amelia had been so confident, boasting that if I used this trump card, "The boys will be a total pushover! I mean, it's a bit embarrassing... but desperate times call for desperate measures!"
I had been moved by her self-sacrificing spirit, so the actual reaction left me quite perplexed.
"Hey, everyone, calm down!"
"That's right. It's okay. Ray and Amelia aren't in that kind of relationship yet."
With Evi and Albert intervening, the boys gradually regained their composure and fell silent.
"All right. Let's get our facts straight," Albert said, turning to me with a calm voice. "Ray. What exactly do you mean when you say you saw Amelia's legs?"
"I was referring to when I saw her in her casual clothes. She was wearing a very short skirt at the time, and her beautiful legs were quite visible. That's all."
"That's what he says. Thoughts?"
As Albert addressed the group again, the murmurs started back up.
"I see... So they haven't gone that far yet."
"No, wait. Isn't that actually a huge step forward?"
"Yeah. You wouldn't show your bare legs to just any guy."
"No doubt. Still, White, huh... well, he is a good-looking guy. His magic isn't great, but he's incredible in a real fight. If he wasn't an Ordinary, he'd be quite a catch."
"Come to think of it, White has always been kind of... unusual. Like he's not just some random Ordinary..."
"Well, he's not a bad guy."
"I felt that too. He's a bit stiff, but he's genuinely decent. Serious to a fault, but decent. Hahaha."
Laughter erupted in the classroom, breaking the tension.
I had always felt a certain distance between myself and my classmates. I knew they watched me from afar, and although the rumors about me had settled, I hadn't yet reached a point where I could call them friends.
But as it turned out, the boys had accepted me. That realization made me incredibly happy.
"Ugh... sniff... thank you, everyone. It seems... I am a lucky man..."
"Hey, hey, don't start crying on us!"
"Hahaha, are those manly tears!?"
"You really are a weird one..."
"But that's just proof he's a good guy, isn't it?"
"Yeah. Even for an Ordinary, he's a good guy through and through."
Their warm words filled the room. Finally, Albert took command.
"All right. Then I take it we have the boys' full support?"
"YEAH!"
"Heh... Ray. Your sincerity moved everyone's hearts, even if you didn't mean to. I've changed, and the others have been watching how hard you work, too. The whole class was watching you throughout the Magics Chevalier."
"I-Is that so?"
"Yeah. At first, most were probably just curious. but eventually, everyone realized that Ray White is a simple, serious, and passionate guy."
Looking around, I saw everyone nodding in agreement.
"That's right, Ray! Your muscles spoke to us all!" Evi shouted, flexing his biceps and sparking another round of laughter.
"Whoa, whoa, another muscle lecture from Evi?"
"But White's muscles are actually insane, aren't they? I saw him at the gym; he's as ripped as Evi."
"For real!? Then the rumors about the Muscular Monsters are true!?"
"Yeah. And he's even a member of that Environmental Research Club. White really is something else... and besides, he's just an interesting guy!"
A smile escaped me.
In the beginning, being in this class felt like sitting on a bed of needles. I had made a few close friends and lived my life, but I had always hoped to truly belong.
And here it was.
In reality, my classmates had been looking at me all along. And now, they were acknowledging me.
—Ah, Master. It seems I have found more precious comrades.
"I see. Everyone... thank you. I'm truly grateful. Now, let's channel that gratitude into this Cultural Festival! We're going to make this maid cafe a success! Together, as a class!"
"YEAH!"
And so, we gathered around to formulate our strategy.
Toward the end, we got a bit too rowdy and nearly got caught by the night guards, forcing us to make a desperate run back to the dorms. We were all laughing as we ran.
In that moment, we all felt the true unity of our class.
I was certain that with this group, we could put on the best program the Academy had ever seen.
I felt it with every fiber of my being.