Chapter 80

Once the school festival ends, there are no more student-participation school events. There’s only the school martial arts tournament, which is attended by volunteers.

Since the physical education committee hosts it, the student council is pretty idle. We only need to work with the executive committee to revise the detailed rules. We’ve aligned them with the martial arts tournament held for the citizens outside the school. The kendo club has started to have exchange matches with other schools, so if we keep using the old noble rules, we won’t be able to win.

"Are you not participating this year!?"

"No, I’m not... My true identity was exposed, so I can’t participate anymore."

Jack protested fiercely. Last year, I defeated Jack and won the tournament, so even if Jack from the kendo club wins this year, I will still be considered the strongest in the school. Jack is extremely dissatisfied with this.

"I want to settle things with you properly..."

"We settled it last year."

"Try participating in a different costume this year."

"If I participate in a costume, everyone will know it’s me."

Last year, I participated as a ninja, hiding my face. "Shit! You’re running away with the win!"

Ahahaha! There’s nothing I can do, Jack!

I received the list of participants from the executive committee, but neither Picard, who uses a whip, nor Fried, who uses a rapier, are participating. They probably lost in a rather embarrassing way last year, but more importantly, they seem to have lost interest in the kiss from the Miss Academy, the heroine, which is given to the winner. It seems they really did quit.

On the other hand, Powell, the muscle head, stormed into the student council room. "Why am I not allowed to participate!?"

The student council is a gathering of intellectuals, so the first and second-year officers are already trembling. "Powell Hargan, please stop shouting. This is the student council room. The martial arts tournament is not hosted by the student council, so your protest is misplaced."

"You must have done something to prevent me from participating!"

"Why do you think that?"

"Because if I participate, you won’t be able to win!"

I wonder why he thinks that, considering he lost to me in one hit last year...

"I’m not participating this year."

"What?"

"During your suspension for the incident you caused last year, the staff conducted interviews within the school. It seems you were threatening your opponents to make them lose."

"Wha—"

"A player who does such despicable things is naturally disqualified. And why do you think you can participate after swinging a real sword in the final match last year?"

"I won’t do that this year! My suspension is over, and you accepted my apology!"

"While the punishment has ended, the disqualification still stands. This decision is from the principal. If you want to protest, do it to the principal."

"Ugh..."

By the way, he once told me his dream was to win the martial arts tournament for three consecutive years, join the royal guard, and propose to a pink-haired girl. It’s a pity that he lost in the second year and was disqualified in the third. I feel sorry for him.

The martial arts tournament has started!

There’s one strange participant. It’s Ninja Boy!

He’s dressed exactly like the ninja I participated as last year, hiding his face! Everyone in the audience looks at me. What? It’s not the prince, right?

I’m watching the tournament with Cerea in the audience, so it’s not me.

He’s taller than me and uses a wooden longsword like a ninja. He’s surprisingly strong and made it to the final, but lost to Jack. Hmm, that’s a shame.

He left the venue without removing his hood, so no one knows who he was. He seems familiar, but who is he...?

Picard and Fried were in the audience, so he’s probably not one of our targets.

Well, if a student has the skills, they might want to participate at least once...

The winner gets a kiss from Miss Academy.

The heroine came up with the trophy. Jack took her hand, knelt, and kissed the back of her hand.

Ah, when we were freshmen, the absolute queen, Elena Stradis, also did this for the winner. Since she has a fiancé, she doesn’t give kisses.

Jack is waving to the audience from the arena. Finally, he won in his third year! Congratulations, Jack!

He pulled up Silfa, who had run onto the arena, hugged her, and kissed her while spinning her around. The audience’s teasing was intense. Go, Jack! The heroine doesn’t have a position, though.

"You didn’t participate, so even if he won, it doesn’t feel like a real victory..."

"Don’t complain. Who was that guy in black, hiding his face?"

"I don’t know... But I don’t think it’s Powell."

"The sword technique seemed familiar, but not quite..."

"Maybe it’s one of the knights? If it’s the sword technique of the capital’s knights, it makes sense."

"But half the school is from knight families, so it’s impossible to know."

Half the students are nobles, and the other half are from knight families...

Well, if he’s hiding his face, he must have a reason. Let’s not pursue it.

I reclaimed the top spot in the second-semester final exams from Hartis.

The student council activities and public duties have settled down, so I couldn’t afford to lose at this point.

"Great job, Shin! As expected of you!"

Hartis looks disappointed.

What’s surprising is that the heroine came in third.

She’s putting more effort into her studies again. I can’t let her surpass me. I want to maintain the top spot until graduation.

This year’s Christmas, I’ll be Santa at the orphanage and then attend the royal Christmas party.

I’ve skipped the school’s Christmas party for three consecutive years. Well, it can’t be helped. It’s just a matter of priorities for me and Cerea.

At this year’s royal Christmas party, the king awarded the ‘Medal of Honor’ to Spalutes! It’s the second time in two years.

For the discovery and production of penicillin and its treatment results.

"Congratulations, it’s your second time."

The king pinned the medal on Spalutes, who was extremely nervous.

"What happened to the one you received before?"

"Eh?"

"At parties like this, you usually wear the medals you’ve received."

Spalutes, who was absent-minded, said, "I didn’t know! I apologize!"

He’s a bit scatterbrained, but that’s what makes him a scholar, I guess.

"You’re the first to receive the Medal of Honor twice. From now on, wear both medals at parties."

The king patted Spalutes on the shoulder and shook his hand. Everyone clapped and laughed. It was a good moment.

Jane looked happy too. She’s not showing any signs of pregnancy yet. She’s still working on contraception. I hope she has a child soon and becomes happy.

After the ceremony, I danced with Cerea for the last time this year.

We performed a grand dance fitting for the last year of our student life. We had the full attention of the audience!

When I did the moonwalk, the audience exclaimed, "Ohhh!"

It’s a mysterious step that no one can imitate. It’s our secret weapon.

"Your Highness, you’re graduating next year!"

I greeted the ministers of the royal council, whom I always see.

"Your workload will be mountainous. Be prepared."

"I’m looking forward to it!"

"Yaaah!"

It’s a big responsibility. Cerea, you can’t laugh about it like that.

During the winter break, we welcomed the new year, and the short third semester began.

When this ends, we’ll graduate. It went by so fast...

"Ultimately, you didn’t attend the school’s Christmas party even once. We were so busy preparing! Shin, you’re cold as the president."

After the new semester started, I got complaints from Hartis and other student council members.

"Sorry, sorry. As a prince, I have to prioritize royal events. It’s only for the time I’m the student council president, so please understand."

"This year was also full of trouble, wasn’t it?"

Hartis looked disappointed.

Trouble at the school’s Christmas party, huh...

"What happened?"

"The pink-haired girl had wine spilled on her dress and got into a fight with a first-year girl."

"With a first-year girl...?"

"Powell caused a commotion, and the venue was in chaos."

That muscle head is hopeless. Maybe I should expel him.

"What happened then?"

"Ren came out and punched Powell."

"Ren?"

Ren is my younger brother, the second prince. He’s a first-year student who just joined this year.

"Powell was knocked out in one hit and carried away. The first-year girls were screaming, and Ren became very popular among them."

"Really?"

Ren...

"I don’t like violence, but being able to protect women in a crisis is admirable."

Hartis says that, but how did it come to that?

The first-year accountant, Meites Plain, said, "I wanted the wild commotion at the party to stop!"

"Is Ren popular among first-year girls?"

"I don’t know!"

Why is she angry?

Ren’s reputation might be mixed. It’s better to be cautious to avoid any trouble.

"Alright, let’s do the last job! We need to prepare for the student assembly! The accountant needs to summarize the accounts!"

Under my leadership, the accounts were transparent and easily summarized. We successfully concluded the student assembly at the end of the third semester.

I nominated Cain Elps, who was the secretary in the second year, as the next student council president. He’s the second son of a baron and was approved by the audience’s applause.

The vice president will be the first-year accountant, Meites Plain, a baron’s daughter.

Cain and Meites get along well.

This might turn out well. It’s a good thing!

At Flora Academy, the student council president was traditionally a ceremonial position held by the highest-ranking noble. The absolute queen, Elena Stradis, a duke’s daughter, would elegantly enjoy tea in the student council room and delegate all work to the advisor teacher. The reason I was given the position as a royal was probably due to this tradition.

In my term, I changed the student council president from a ceremonial position to a practical one, regardless of rank.

In the noble society, it’s difficult to break traditions because old influences persist. However, in a school, people are completely replaced every three years, so there’s no need to cling to "traditions."

I believe a new generation of the student council has been realized.

The principle my father advocated, "Those who pass through this gate must abandon all status," and the school my sister, Princess Saran, aimed for, where "arrogant noble voters and the tyranny of the privileged class are not allowed," have been realized as promised.

It was tough and met with much resistance, but I can now graduate with my head held high!

The last promise to my sister remains.

"Shin, protect Cerea. No matter what, don’t let her be sad. Promise me."

...The graduation ceremony, where the villainous noble girl will be condemned and expelled, is just around the corner.

No matter what happens, I’m prepared.

Come on, if you’re coming, come!

Next: "80. Graduation Ceremony, Departure"