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Chapter 177
Princess Mia is cornered
“Please vote for Princess Mia!”
After establishing their color, the Mia faction started to move. Ribbons of guillotine-red adorn their chest as they raise their voices to appeal support. Mia joined in the campaign and read her campaign pledge to anyone willing to listen.
Abel suggested doing something adventurous that Rafina wouldn’t do. And as such, Mia started giving speeches while riding a horse. She wondered if she had gone too far, but surprisingly, it was well-received by the Equestrian Club. This impressed Mia more about Abel as a tactician.
Through these unconventional means, Mia’s supporters slowly began to grow. Although it was still way far off from Rafina’s supporters, and it seems like they won’t be able to outnumber her supporters.
“According to Chloe’s analysis, Mia’s approval rating is just below 20%” Mia declared with a sigh.
Her fellow campaigners also let out a sigh. They had made progress, but the progress has started to plateau. Victory is still too far out of their reach.
But I can’t just give up now.
Mia spoke to Bel last night trying to get more details about being a Student Council President. Sadly, all that Bel remembered was Ludwig saying that if only Mia became the Student Council President, then the world could have avoided disaster.
We’re so far behind, that I don’t know how to make a comeback.
Adding more to the pressure were Bel, Anne, Tiona, and Chloe who until now, still believes that Mia will come out victorious.
Ugh… Just thinking about it makes me feel bad.
Her sad thoughts were interrupted by Abel who appeared in front of her.
“Mia, do you have a moment?”
“Oh, Abel, what’s wrong?”
“I wanted to apologize. This situation is my fault as I messed with your election pledges…”
“Huh …?”
Abel bitterly said to Mia, who was confused.
“Most of the election pledges you announced were my drafts. The results are my responsibility. You probably could have come up with better ideas… Ideas that I could not even think about. But because I showed you my list first, you decided to be nice to me, and used them, right?”
“No way! How could you think of such a thing!”
This is something she really meant.
“Without you, Abel, I would not eve have any election pledges.”
120 percent true. There wasn’t a hint of false modesty in her claim, that it affirmed Abel that they were the truth.
“That’s right. Have some faith in yourself, Prince Abel.”
Sion, who have just entered the room, had a bitter smile, which was unusual for him.
“But …”
“Did you see Rafina’s pledge? It was a perfect policy that even I couldn’t find anything to complain about. Even if we could come up with something that exceeded that, it wouldn’t make much difference. Rafina’s overwhelming support had been there from the very start.”
The difference between Rafina and Mia can be attributed to Rafina’s incumbent advantage. Rafina has a proven track record and can play safe with her campaign promises. On the other hand, Mia had no political achievements. For her to win the student’s hearts, she had to make some groundbreaking political pledges.
“In any case, with any normal election pledges, we couldn’t win against Rafina.” Sion concluded.
“Oh? You said ‘normally’ so does that mean there is something that we can do that is not normal?”
Mia questioned Sion’s words to which he shook his head.
“Mia, you of all people should already know the answer.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“I asked Miss Bel. The election pledges I saw at the library seems to have been written by you.”
“…Huh?”
It took her a second to realize that what he was talking about was her unfiltered list of desires.
Bel! I can’t believe you betrayed me. I will take this grudge to my grave!
Mia screamed in her heart. Mia has never really forbidden Bel to talk about it, so technically, she didn’t betray her grandmother.
“What is this now?”
“Oh, that’s not right. You see…” Mia tries to make an excuse for Abel, who looks confused.
“That list of election pledges was actually the right way to go.” Sion explained.
“Huh?”
“I see Mia won’t drop her act. If we fight Rafina fair and square, we will never win. Therefore, as an experiment of sorts, Mia jotted down some promises that were less noble.”
“I see what you mean now.” Abel looked at Mia, fully impressed.
Both princes regarded Mia with admiration and respect.
“Well, it seems that you have me figured out…” Mia decided to jump on the bandwagon. Which was awkward because the other passengers were under the impression that she was driving. But it is nothing that a smug grin couldn’t solve. So she put on her best smug grin as if asking them: Did it take you this long to finally catch on? Despite the beads of sweat on her back, Mia won’t let it interfere her performance.
“So Prince Abel, you don’t have to be ashamed. Mia sought a way to beat Rafina and then abandoned that path.”
“What do you mean? Abandoning a path that has a chance of winning?”
“Don’t you know? If we make pledges that go counter with Rafina’s pledges, then what would happen? Rafina is someone that is impartial to commoners and nobles. So making a pledge against that would mean making a pledge that is preferential only to nobles.”
“Huh? Prince Sion, we can’t do that.”
Sion shook his head at Abel, who snapped his eyes.
“Unfortunately, it’s a very straightforward strategy. Rafina is benevolent to both commoners and nobles. In fact, she judges nobles harsher.”
“So the only other thing we can do is to make pledge that is almost the same as Rafina. But that won’t take away the people’s support from Rafina.”
In the current situation at St. Noel’s Academy, the budget and effort of the Student Organization are limited. For example, for every twenty problems that exist, the Council only have the capacity to solve ten. And it all ends up on which to prioritise to solve. Those familiar with council’s capabilities would be able to accurately grasp which problems can be realistically solved and prioritise it.
Therefore, if Rafina makes a good election pledge, Mia will have to make an evil election pledge. If Rafina makes a fair election pledge, Mia will have to make an unfair election that only some students will benefit from. Only by making a promise can she make a difference.
As long as the Council is confined to its staffing and budgetary limits, there will always be an overlap of priorities. And at the moment, Rafina has already taken all the good points, of which Mia can no longer do anything.
While listening to the conversation between the two, Mia swelled her cheeks.
How terribly unfair of Rafina to take all the good ideas and use them for herself. That’s cheating!
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