He could be described as a legendary figure at Seoul Hero Academy, much like a name that writes its own myth.
Born into a prominent British noble family, he was a student who had come to Seoul Hero Academy, known for having the best curriculum, to study abroad.
From the moment he entered as a first-year student, he grasped the academy's system and achieved the remarkable feat of founding a club in his first year. By the time he became a second-year student, he had even ascended to the Diamond Club and taken control of the student council with an unstoppable momentum.
He was, in every sense, a protagonist straight out of a web novel.
"Let me welcome you on behalf of the Seoul Hero Academy Student Council! Is the one with blue hair the top student, and the one with black hair the second-in-command?"
Ray Pendragon looked at us alternately and smiled.
"Come, why don't you take a seat? We didn't call you here to scold you, so there's no need to stand so formally."
I looked at the table in front of me after hearing his words.
Except for the seat at the head of the table where Ray Pendragon was sitting, only seats for people of lower rank were left.
...Interesting.
Following Chae Yeon, who sat in the nearest empty seat, I pulled out a chair and sat down opposite the president.
"......Oh?"
He placed a chair opposite the president and sat down.
The boy looked at me with an amused expression, his lips curling up.
Yuri, who stood next to Pendragon, seemed startled, but I knew better than anyone that he wasn't the type to get angry over something like this.
"Since we're going to talk, wouldn't it be better to face each other? President of the Student Council."
"True. It's fine without turning my head. Sit comfortably!"
"I appreciate your consideration."
Only after I sat down did the other members of the student council take their seats.
Among them was Seo Yeon-su, whom I had encountered while preparing for the all-out battle.
In the tense atmosphere, Yuri, who was sitting next to the president, spoke first.
"Chae Yeon."
"Yes."
"According to the records, you came in second place in the recent class ranking competition, which determined that Class C would be the second-best class. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Your entrance exam score was the highest, and it says here that you drew a knife and aimed for Instructor Ji Soo-hyun's neck during the entrance exam... Is that true?"
The members of the student council began to murmur at Yuri's words.
Pendragon, however, maintained his amused smile.
"That's right."
"May I ask why you acted that way?"
"......Because I was told to do what I was best at, and I just swung the sword I was most confident with."
Yuri, who didn't understand Chae Yeon's calm response, looked at me.
"Han Yujin. It says here that you came in first place in the recent class ranking competition, which made Class A the top class. Wow, junior. You're quite impressive, aren't you?"
Saying this, Yuri glanced at me. I just shrugged in response.
"Let's see...... Yes, it says here that your record is the best in the academy. May I ask what happened?"
"I can't tell you."
"Ooh, as expected...... Huh?"
Yuri's eyes widened as if she had misheard.
"W-What did you just say?"
"I said, I can't tell you."
Why would I tell you that?
Even if I did, there would be nothing to gain. I decided not to answer.
"R-Really? If you don't want to answer, that's fine. Then, about the entrance exam...... Wait, what? You shot Instructor Ji Soo-hyun in the head with a sniper rifle at close range? No, who would mess with the entrance exam records......"
"That's true."
"Is it? Messing...... It's true?"
...I didn't know human eyes could get that wide.
Still, since it was the truth, I couldn't lie.
I nodded, and Ray Pendragon, who was sitting next to the flustered Yuri, burst out laughing.
"To the instructor......! Haha......! Hahahaha!! I can't hold it in! Really!"
Holding his stomach and banging his head on the table, the student council president laughed. Yuri now had a resigned expression, as if she had given up.
"Right, the top and second students are always strange...... I understand. Now, let's get to the main point......"
"Yuri, hold on. I'll say it."
Is this it?
"Both of you, how about joining the student council?"
The purpose for which Ray Pendragon had called us here.
Recruitment for the student council.
The current student council, which would leave for the real world after this semester, was looking for successors to take over after their two-year term.
I wasn't particularly surprised, as I had already heard about this.
I just thought, 'Here it comes.'
Perhaps because I hadn't answered yet, Pendragon continued.
"Joining the student council will give you unimaginable benefits. You'll have more freedom from the school rules, manage the student council funds, and most importantly, people in the outside world will see you differently. How about it, aren't you tempted?"
Pendragon, with a confident expression, made his proposal to us.
Well, he wasn't wrong.
Being at the center of the academy's operations through the student council route was indeed very appealing.
In such works, the power held by the student council was quite strong, and they had some influence over the school's system.
There was even an urban legend that if you couldn't get a car while serving on the student council, you were a fool. With such power, even more was possible.
If I had been a regular character and received such a proposal, I would have accepted it right away......
But I am the successor to the Callione Family.
For someone with my background, the student council route had more drawbacks than benefits.
'Money or power...... either way.'
Money? How much work is there in the student council that you can earn pocket money from?
How much pocket money do I have now?
It's like Bill Gates picking up a dropped dollar.
Power? Callione already holds absolute power in the shadows.
There's no need to create a connection with the political or hunter industries; it's faster to use the routes Callione has already established.
Most importantly.
'I already know your methods.'
I can't be manipulated by them.
I shook my head lightly.
"I'll decline."
"Huh? Why? There's no reason to refuse. You'd be joining the student council."
Pendragon looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"I'm rather introverted...... Standing in the spotlight makes me uncomfortable."
I smiled and answered.
Pendragon still looked confused by my answer.
"Then...... Chae Yeon, are you interested in the student council?"
"Not really."
She also shook her head and declined.
"Hahahaha! I didn't expect both of you to refuse. You're much more modest than I thought."
...He took that as modesty?
"Even if you refuse, it's fine. After all, everyone here is trustworthy, so you can speak freely."
This felt like......
"Do you want to join the student council?"
...He's trying to force us?
In the original story, the event to join the student council was only available to top and second students, but it never had such a coercive atmosphere.
There must be some reason behind this.
"Even if we join, you'll still recommend the top and second students from the second year, won't you?"
"Huh? Right."
"Then, ultimately, we'll end up under the seniors. As you might have heard, I don't particularly like being under others."
Having said that much, I didn't expect him to continue pushing.
At that moment.
"President, didn't I tell you? These days, kids don't listen no matter what you say."
A man stood up and slammed his hand on the table.
The position on his nameplate read [General Affairs].
"Since the seniors are telling you this, why don't you just accept it? You brats."
He made a typical thug-like statement and glared at Chae Yeon and me.
"Maybe it's fine for average students, but since you're the granddaughter of Master Jian and the one who set the highest record in the academy's history, I'm speaking to you like this. But......"
Crack. The sound of his fist.
His fist was trembling as if he was about to swing it.
"You're talking as if the student council of the academy is nothing."
The boy, with a cold expression, slowly approached me and looked down.
"......Is the student council so easy to handle? Damn brats."
Facing his gaze, a cold current circulated in the student council room.
Finally, unable to bear the atmosphere, I──
"Phew!"
Oops. I laughed.
"......What's so funny?"
"No, how can I not laugh? You're trying to recruit us so desperately, and the situation is so ridiculous that I couldn't help but laugh."
"......What?"
Ignoring the boy's words, I stood up and smiled at the student council members.
"Anyway, no matter how you try to persuade us, we're not interested in the student council. Ah! Of course, I don't want to be enemies with the student council, so please don't misunderstand. And...... I hope you clearly understand that I didn't come here to be scolded, as the president mentioned."
I glanced at the boy standing in front of me.
"I'm not the type to be disrespectful to anyone...... So, please show some respect. Senior."
"......This brat."
Crack.
The sound of his fist tightening could be heard.
But this situation is a kind of event where all reports go to the faculty office.
If he hits me here, it will be disadvantageous for him and the student council.
"General Affairs, stop it. It's embarrassing to do this to first-year students."
"But, President──"
"──Stop it."
The president, who had been smiling all along, suddenly turned serious, and the atmosphere around us became heavy.
It felt as if the gravity in this place had been increased.
The General Affairs, who had been red with anger, turned pale.
He took a deep breath, looked at me once more, and returned to his seat.
Seeing this, Pendragon began to smile again.
"Well, I apologize for the heated atmosphere. We didn't call you here to cause trouble. I hope this incident doesn't strain our relationship...... What do you think?"
In the end, instead of turning us into enemies, he decided to maintain a friendly relationship.
If that's the case.
"Let's have a meal sometime. I also hope we can get along well."
"......As long as you don't cause trouble, I don't mind."
Pendragon nodded and stood up after hearing our responses.
"Great, today's meeting was really enjoyable. I hope we can meet again with smiles. Oh, Vice President. Could you please escort the students?"
"Yes. Let's go, juniors."
Yuri stood up and walked ahead.
Following her quietly, we came out, and Yuri, who had just closed the door with a bang, looked at us.
"......Juniors."
The smile that had been on her face a moment ago turned cold.
"Do you realize that you almost ruined your academy life, and even your future outside of it?"
"Are you talking about us?"
Yuri sighed at my question.
"Did you know the student council president is from the Pendragon family? You almost made the Pendragon family your enemy! Do you have a family that can stand up to them?"
The Pendragon family.
A prestigious British family in the game, said to be descendants of King Arthur from the Arthurian legend.
Yes, the reason the student council route is popular among veterans in the typical academy route is because of this kind of prestige.
You can hold considerable power within the academy.
Of course, if you refuse, the backlash can be significant, which is why there were often posts on the community forums about newbies who had refused the student council's offer.
Stories of their families going bankrupt or being avoided by other students.
Well, the typical response to such stories was usually something like, 'Hmm~ Newbie smell~' or 'Yes, you're a fool for refusing.'
──But I'm not a regular character.
"It's fine."
"......It's fine?"
"Huh? It's fine, I said."
There's no problem at all.
I am Callione, and even if I hide my identity, I have the Han Moon Group behind me. Chae Yeon has Jian behind her.
Who can oppress us with their family?
"Thank you very much for today. If we meet again, I'll see you then."
"......I'll see you later."
"Uh? Uh, yeah."
We left, leaving the flustered Yuri behind, heading towards our classroom.
Then, I suddenly realized there was still time before the first period ended and smiled at a good idea that came to mind.
"Chae Yeon."
"......?"
"Let's go somewhere."
"Huh? Where?"
"Let's eat something good."
I can't let the president's girlfriend get away with this.