4.2.1 — The Prologue of the Election Tournament

In the SHR at the beginning of the week, the students were informed of the implementation of not an [election] but a [Team Election Battle].

“Team?”

The students made a stir upon hearing that unusual word, Liz Liza-sensei slammed the teacher’s desk to quiet the students down.

“In order to display the strength and leadership of a knight, the candidates will lead their supporters, as their comrade, and fight in this team battle. You all should think about what is required to organize a good team.”

It was a team battle tournament that would be performed with two swordsmen and two Magica Stigma in each team, four people per team.

That was the Team Election Battle.

“Do all the ordinary students just get to watch?”

“No, when the tournament is all over, a vote will be performed next. Even if, for example, someone wins the overall victory in the tournament, but the students judged that the way he fought is not suitable, then his chances to become the Chief Student Council President are next to zero. A manifesto for the like of a knight is not just lip service but is to be shown through battle…it could be said that this is not just a mere [kouyakumanifesto] but a touyakubattle pledge.”

In other words, this tournament battle served the function of an election campaign like in a conventional election. The students would watch how the candidates fought and decide the result in a vote.

“What will happen with the current student council president of the Magic Division and the Sword Division?”

One of the students inquired anxiously. She might be a fan of Kaguya-senpai or Hoshikaze-senpai.

“This is not a vote of no confidence, so as the general rules the present set-up of the student councils will be maintained.”

Hearing that answer, the students, Kazuki included, released a sigh of relief.

“However, holding two positions at the same time will not be recognized. For example, in the case that Otonashi Kaguya is elected as the Chief Student Council President, then Kaguya will be retired from the seat of the Magic Division student council president. Thereupon, because the seat of the Magic Division student council president will be vacant, an additional election will be performed in response.”

At the blackboard, Liz Liza-sensei put the <Chief Student Council President> at the top, below it <Magic Division Student Council President> and <Sword Division Student Council President> were written side-by-side, forming the picture of an organizational chart.

“The candidates will be gathered either by recommendation or by announcing their candidacy. The applications for this will be accepted in the staff room, so if you are interested then notify the staff room today. For recommendations, in the case that consent from the person concerned is not acquired, then it will be considered invalid. If an application of recommendation comes in, then the person concerned will be contacted, so give your declaration of intent promptly.”

The classroom became noisy with people talking, this event that was happening so suddenly was something of great interest to many students.

However for Kazuki, this event was not somebody else’s problem.

Because long before this day, the headmaster had told him that he would recommend him secretly as the Chief Student Council President.

There was no option to veto. In order to continue to stay at the Witch’s Manor, Kazuki had to win the seat of the Chief Student Council President. Headmaster Amasaki would not allow it otherwise.

However, even though influential people like Kaguya-senpai existed, were they going to gather them all as candidates in this election? How could this develop into such a large-scale tournament, he had a bad feeling about this.

For this event that had no precedent, it couldn't be denied that the teachers were starting this without considering objections from the students.

“The briefing intended for the candidates will be carried out in the auditorium after school, the drawing for the seeding of the candidates in the tournament will be also conducted at that time. Until then, the candidates should begin forming their teams. As everyone knows, people who served as officers in the student council would go through the elite course even at the Knight Order, but this time a bonus will be awarded on their student evaluation from just participating in the tournament. I hope everyone will participate in this proactively. Also, there is one more point…”

At that point the informative matter had been finished or so we thought, but Liz Liza-sensei still had some words to continue.

“As of last weekend, there were three incidents where students were assaulted by a suspicious person, all of it happened in succession. The students are safe, but the perpetrator was not caught by the monitoring cameras and still hasn't been captured. Accordingly, a quest intended for the student council and high-ranking students to perform patrols and strengthen security was created. Reparations must be exacted from the perpetrator as soon as possible for looking down at the Knight Academy, don’t you all agree? For that reason, students who don’t have confidence in their skills should refrain from leaving their dormitory at night.”

The Knight Academy was attacked by a suspicious person…what a bold move.

During the commotion the students created, Kazuki was reminded of the assault by an unknown person during his date.

And then during lunch break that day…

In order to have lunch together, Kazuki, Mio, Lotte, and Koyuki, had joined their desks into a cross shape. The moment they were going to begin, all of their cell phones vibrated simultaneously.

It was a text summons from Kaguya-senpai.

Even Lotte, who came to Japan penniless, was given a cell phone by the academy.

The four people left the school building and headed to the Witch’s Manor by cutting through the garden.

In the living room of the Witch’s Manor, the usual members were already gathered together:

The upperclassmen duo of Kaguya-senpai and Hoshikaze-senpai.

The familiar Sword Division student council trio of Kanae, Kamiizumi-senpai and Torazou-senpai.

Furthermore even Kohaku and Kazuha-senpai were there.

The influential people whom Kazuki was acquainted with were here in full-force.

Everyone was relaxing on the antique sofa and chairs or was standing around the table freely.

Kazuki and the others also took a seat at a suitable sofa. Mio sat on Kazuki’s right, Koyuki sat on his left and Lotte, being a bit lost, sat on Kazuki’s lap.

Kazuki was thinking, ‘Oi’, but hugged Lotte from behind tightly.

“I wonder if everyone is here with this… I called everyone here, of course, because of the matter of Team Election Battle".

Kaguya-senpai looked around at everyone from the center of the living room as she started the conversation.

“In this room, the preeminent champions of this academy are gathered en masse. I want us to discuss and decide how these members will be divided into teams. First of all, how many among us are going to become candidates? Of course I got a recommendation for this election.”

“I was recommended too though.”

Hoshikaze-senpai raised her hand at the very beginning. There was no way this popular person wouldn't get recommended.

“That, you don’t have any intention to step down, right?”

“Yes. I lost when we fought for the seat of the Magic Division’s student council presidency, but this time I’ll win for sure against Kaguya, you’ll see!”

“Fufufu, what fine courage… I’ll make Hikaru cry out beautiful sounds this time as well!”

Kaguya-senpai grinned broadly and laughed towards Hoshikaze-senpai who stood up; sparks were flying while they were staring each other down.

“I also received a recommendation, but I turned it down.”

The one who said that brusquely was Kanae, who was leaning against the wall and crossed her arms.

“Why?” Kaguya-senpai asked her.

“That’s obvious. The only suitable person to be the Chief Student Council President is Nii-sama after all. I mean, it’s not like I became the student council president because I wanted to be in the first place. It’s only because when I was aiming to be the strongest in the Sword Division, they made me the president as they pleased, that was all.

“The same with me~”

Hearing Kanae’s words, Kamiizumi-senpai who was sitting languidly on the sofa just followed along blindly without a care.

“These two are no good humans whose good point is their strength, all the practical work was pushed on to me just like that…”

Torazou-senpai who was sitting to the side of Kamiizumi-senpai powerlessly leaned back on the sofa with his exhaustion obvious to see.

“Then, Kana-chan is going to enter Otouto-kun’s team to fight together?”

“No…I’ll fight Nii-sama! Nii-sama, you haven’t forgotten right? During the school entrance ceremony, the oath we made that we are going to be rivals from now on too!”

“I remember but… are we going to fulfill that promise in this tournament!?”

“For Nii-sama to stand at the top of this academy, you have to get through the wall that is me!”

Kanae took a step away from the wall she had been leaning against and stared intensely at Kazuki with burning eyes.

“…With a powerful person like Kanae-san standing at the neutral position, it will become a dividing line between victory and defeat for tose who are able to recruit her. So in other words, the gist of this talk is something like that isn't it?”

When Hoshikaze-senpai murmured so, Kaguya-senpai was nodding strongly while saying “Correct! It’s just as you say!”

“I don’t want a bitter competition unfolding between powerful people, so like this I created a place where we all are gathered to talk it out. First I want all of us gathered here to declare their positions, whether they are a candidate or free! Is Otouto-kun a candidate too?”

“Yes, I was recommended.”

…Although he didn't say who recommended him.

“I am neither recommended nor announcing my candidacy desu.”

“I am not either.”

“…Same with me.”

In succession Lotte, Koyuki and Mio, that group of three announced their position in turn. Mio was pouting a little in dissatisfaction. It seemed she wanted to get a recommendation from somebody.

“This is a chance that is hard to encounter, so isn’t it fine if you announce your candidacy?”

Koyuki glanced at Mio and said.

When Mio made her self-introduction on the first day of school, there was her proclamation that she was aiming for student council president.

“If I do that I won’t be able to form a team with Kazuki…at any rate I don’t get the feeling that I could win against Kazuki or Kaguya-senpai.”

“That’s unexpectedly realistic of you.” Koyuki made an amazed face while saying that.

“But a student of the Magic Division that can enter Kazuki-oniisan’s team is just one person right desu?”

When Lotte said that, those three were immediately glaring at each other.

Suddenly, Kazuki became conscious of everyone’s positivity level. The positivity level graph floated in front of his eyes spontaneously.

[Amasaki Mio―146 Lotte―114 Hiakari Koyuki―108 Otonashi Kaguya―88

Hoshikaze Hikaru―50 Tsukahara Kazuha―29]

Lotte and Koyuki’s positivity level enabled him to use powerful [level 5 magic], while the high number of positivity that Mio had reached enabled him to use the [level 7 magic] that even Mio herself still couldn’t use.

“Hiakari, didn’t you fight alone with Kazuki constantly the other day in the academy’s underground? You should concede this time.”

“If you say that, wasn’t Amasaki-san in a party with just Kazuki for a long time?”

“Then taking the interval, this is my turn desu.”

Against Lotte who attempted to profit from the fight between Mio and Koyuki, Mio intimidated her with “Nyaa-“.

Thereupon Lotte was barking “Wan!” cheerfully and Koyuki was muttering “Puu”.

Hoshikaze-senpai who was watching over the three quarreling with each other like their guardian laughed “Ahaha”.

“Well, rather than recruiting from the wan-nyaa-puu trio who just entered the academy a month ago, the second year students are stronger, but as I thought, if I can, I want to group together with the girls from the Witch’s Manor."

“I was recommended too, but I stepped back. The burden is too heavy.”

“The same with me~”

Torazou senpai was going impossible, impossible, while waving his hands, after that Kamiizumii-senpai was just following after him blindly.

“So all three of the Sword Division’s student council aren't becoming candidates. No, if it’s like that then what will happen to the Sword Division’s student council now? Kanae isn't the president anymore, right?”

Suddenly Kazuki noticed and asked. During the incident before where they fought against Nyarlatoteph, there was the event where Kohaku defeated Kanae and usurped the political power of the Sword Division.

“Even now Kohaku is still the president. I have zero intention to return to that post. At last that burden was removed from my shoulders. From now on I am not chased anymore by any routine tasks and I can give my undivided attention to Nii-sama Love!”

Next to Kanae whose expression was so bright, Kohaku’s expression was darkening drastically.

“…At that time this one had an objective and stole the president’s seat, but now that it has become like this that position is nothing more than a burden. There are lots of routine tasks, it’s like everyday there are always opinion letters and life consultations brought by the students, I don’t even remember the names of all the students…and this one couldn’t possibly reach Kana-nyan-senpai’s charisma. Using this chance this one plans to resign from the position. And then this one will make a proposal for democratic elections to be carried out in the Sword Division from now on!”

“Na!? Wait a second, are you planning to abandon your post!?”

“This one will have Kana-nyan-senpai returned as president by any means necessary! For that reason, regarding the Chief Student Council Presidency too, this one had received the recommendation from Mikohime-sama but I declined it.”

“My recommendation was useless in the end.”

At Kohaku’s side, Kazuha-senpai pouted.

“Conversely, I was recommended by Kohaku but turned it down. If someone like me announced my candidacy, I’d get laughed at…”

These two close friends, Kohaku and Kazuha, mutually recommended each other but it looked like both of them turned it down together.

“Then the candidates that are in this place are Hikaru, Otouto-kun and I, the three of us huh? The number is unexpectedly low.”

“But I feel that based on the number of people is just fine, we can divide the eleven people here into three teams.”

Everyone was nodding while Kaguya-senpai and Hoshikaze-senpai were counting the number on their fingers. There were eleven people in this room, so the calculation was that one team had to invite a swordsman from the outside.

“Then, I’m entering Hikaru-senpai’s team desu!”

From among the group of three who were still glaring each other down, Lotte took a step back and hugged Hoshikaze-senpai.

Hoshikaze-senpai happily laughed and hugged her back. …It felt like seeing a prince and a princess.

“I really want to group together with Koyuki-chan, because I have known her the longest.”

Kaguya-senpai gently took Koyuki’s hand. Koyuki was saying “Understood” and grasped Kaguya-senpai’s hand.

“I’m together with Kazuki-!”

Mio looked as if she was being obstinate by herself alone and grabbed Kazuki’s arm.

“By any chance, is Mio worried about me?”

“After all, if I’m not at your side, if Kazuki’s heart is stopped then…”

While clinging closely to Kazuki’s arm, Mio was looking down with a face that looked like it would burst into tears.

“It’s fine you know, I won’t let something like my heart stopping happen that easily…”

Kazuki smiled wryly while stroking Mio’s head with the intention of soothing her.

“Kazuki, add this one too as your comrade. And then, when we gain overall victory, let’s get married.”

“If you stop pressing for marriage forcefully, then it’s fine to let you join too.”

“Muu… Understood,” with a sour look, Kohaku was added to the team.

In a panic, Kazuha-senpai came and flared up.

“Just wait, wait, wait, Kohaku! So you're joining the team of that shameless man!?”

“Mikohime-sama…Sorry, this one wants to fight together with Kazuki.”

“I don’t have any acquaintances other than Kohaku in this place, you know!? I got called here without even knowing the reason yet I am made to taste this solitude…Gr, group formation nightmare…!”

It seemed a strange trauma was stimulated inside Kazuha-senpai, her face was getting pale. Since a while ago Kazuha-senpai had been continuously feeling uncomfortable in the Witch’s Manor.

“Then enter this team together with this one!”

“Eh? Kazuha-senpai is going to enter my team, is that so?”

When Kazuki’s eyes opened wide in surprise, Kazuha-senpai was shouting “Don’t misunderstand!”

“It’s because I want to fight together with Kohaku! After all Kohaku is…she is my friend!”

“Mikohime-sama…to go as far as joining with this one on the same team with Kazuki, whom you dislike…”

Kohaku felt touched in her heart and stared at Kazuha-senpai.

“Then don’t call me Mikohime-sama! Call my name properly―!”

“Ka, Kazuha-senpai…”

Kohaku who was not allowed to call Kazuha-senpai as mikohime was finally defeated decisively.

“I did it…! Though if you can, I want you to call me Kazuha without an honorific…!”

Kazuha-senpai did a little guts pose.

{GUWAHHAHHA, with this you two are not master and retainer, but have become genuine friends right, Kazuha!}

The avatar of Futsunushi no Kami came out at Kazuha-senpai’s side and guffawed loudly.

Just like how Kohaku had decided Kazuki was her future husband as she pleased, it seemed she also decided Kazuha-senpai was her master.

For some reason, Kohaku really made extreme assumptions, or perhaps he should say that she was a really straightforward person when she had decided something.

“Shut up you stupid Futsu no Kami! Don’t just come out as you please!!”

Kazuha-senpai turned bright red as she waved her hands (funfun!) around at Futsunushi no Kami’s avatar.

The charming and also reliable swordsmen duo were added to Kazuki’s team.

Seeing that situation from where she was leaning on the wall, Kanae walked and approached Kaguya-senpai’s direction.

“Oi, Kaguya. Enter me into your team.”

“Kana-chan is entering my team? So you are finally going to be my friend!?”

“Don’t misunderstand! I’m reluctant to be grouped together with you but…I have to do this to be the greatest wall for Nii-sama. For that I must create the strongest team!”

Kanae and Kaguya-senpai grasped each other’s hands tightly. Without a doubt, the strongest team of this academy was formed right here.

“Oi, Iori. You join us here too.”

“Eh, I don’t want to though~. Hoshikaze-san is way cooler! Though actually with Hayashizaki-kun is also fine~”

“That’s okay, come to me.” When Hoshikaze-senpai spread her hands with a princely smile, “Kyaa—“ Kamiizumi-senpai sprang up from her chair and flew to Hoshikaze-senpai spiritedly.

“Fuh, it couldn’t be helped…Torazou. You’re just a leftover good-for-nothing but it’s sufficient.”

“…Rather than Kanae-kaichou, I too want to be in prince Hoshikaze’s camp that looks gentler, they seem better.”

“What are you saying? Hoshikaze-hikaru has a man-phobia you know? Have some consideration, you idiot.”

Kanae dragged Torazou-senpai’s arm without allowing him to give his consent or refusal. Torazou-senpai was going “Ah, that’s right” and consenting.

“Besides you like mature women and there are no women here that meet your preference right? Don’t get so picky.”

“No, it’s not that I think of Hoshikaze-san in that way, it’s just that the president duo on this side is very scary, you see…”

“Torazou-kun? I'm not scary at all you know?”

Kaguya-senpai crept up unnoticed behind Torazou-senpai, then she suddenly seized his head with both hands.

“HIII!? Guernica-san is coming!”

“Wh, who are you calling Guernica-san!”

Kaguya-senpai was grinding Torazou-senpai’s head (guriguri) with a jolt.

“With this the division of the eleven people is done. Though only my team is lacking a person.”

[Hoshikaze-senpai said so after giving all present an once-over look.

Hayashizaki Kazuki - Amasaki Mio - Hikita Kohaku - Tsukahara Kazuha.

Otonashi Kaguya - Hiakari Koyuki - Hayashizaki Kanae - Yamada Torazou.

Hoshikaze Hikaru - Lotte - Kamiizumi Iori.]

“The presidents duo team is a little bit scary but, our team also isn't bad, right?”

Mio at his side was whispering at his ear. But Kazuki was harboring a faint anxiety, he knitted his eyebrows.

“Certainly we have strong members but…I have a feeling we will be affected by the rules.”

“Rules?” said Mio while she tilted her head.

And then, after school:

The candidates along with their team members were gathered in the auditorium.

The auditorium stood tall in the inner part of the fountain square at the center of the academy, it was a remarkably splendid building. With its classic brickwork, it was fine to say that this building along with the fountain square were the symbols of this academy.

The school entrance ceremony was carried out at the square in front of the fountain for the sake of the dragon handling performance, but large ceremonies like the student general meeting or the graduation ceremony were carried out in the auditorium.

Kazuki and the others, a total of eleven people were finally arriving in groups at the auditorium.

When the heavy door was opened, the auditorium was faintly bright from the indirect lighting that was installed on the high ceiling that drew a gentle curve, innumerable number of chairs were lined up facing the stage like a solemn theatre.

“There is still no one here but I wonder if there are other proper candidates? Most of the top ranks in the second year had been done in by Kaguya in duels, so they won’t even feel like coming yet right? Ahaha.”

While sitting on the suitable seat, Hoshikaze-senpai was laughing.

“What 'done in', come on-, don’t say it like I'm a yankee.”

Kaguya-senpai let out a huff.

Kaguya-senpai had received a hypnotic suggestion that [she should be the strongest] from her father, former headmaster Otonashi.

Because of the influence of that suggestion, it seemed that until now Kaguya-senpai had kicked around the other powerful students in duels.

“Moreover there are a lot of people who didn’t want to fight Kaguya a second time.”

“Ah, I can understand that.”

Kazuki immediately held the same opinion. The spell lineup that would make people faint in agony such as [Fruitless Flower of HatredFeel Pain], [Pitch Black of Self-MutilationSuicide Black], and [Double PainUltra Violence], the senses isolation from [Extreme Circle of Neighboring DeathNear Death Roulette], then while the opponent was suffering from all that they would be assaulted by [Darkness of the Bottom of the ShadowDeep Specter], all of that was a nigh insurmountable horror. She wouldn’t use it in duels against her fellow students, but she also had [Hell Imaginary FireGuernica] as her trump card.

“Hoshikaze-senpai, who keeps challenging Kaguya-senpai however many times, without a doubt, you're an M aren’t you?”

Koyuki was whispering such, hearing that Kazuki made a face of realization.

“Now that you mention it…it’s like that isn’t it?”

“Wait! That's a misunderstanding you know, Hayashizaki-kun! Because, isn’t it frustrating to keep losing!!”

“That’s right, the prince is only being brave!”

From Hoshikaze-senpai’s side, a girl was suddenly putting out her face.

She was the member that Hoshikaze-senpai recruited, the Sword Division’s second year. Her name was Kimura Tomomi-san.

She had a small stature with braided hair, her atmosphere was like a naïve small-breed dog. With just one glance it was impossible to see her as a strong swordsman, but…seeing her leg muscles, he was able to guess that she was fairly skilled.

“Wait a second Kazuki, where are you staring so intensely at!?”

Toward Kazuki who was secretly observing the lower half of a female he was meeting for the first time, Mio pressed a question with her sharp eyes.

“It’s just the leg muscles. The Hayashizaki-style is a school that puts importance on observing.”

“It’s that kind of fetish!? Pervert! …Even my legs are beautiful too, see. Look here-.”

Mio turned her skirt lightly and revealed her beautiful slender legs. Though in truth, he didn’t have that kind of fetish at all.

“Kazuki, make one wrong step with your speech and you’ll become a mere pervert swordsman. Amasaki-san too, please don’t expose your legs so easily.”

Koyuki interjected with an amazed expression.

On the other side, Kimura-senpai continued in Hoshikaze-senpai’s defense heatedly.

“In order to defeat the evil student council president and clear away the darkness in this academy, the prince continued to fight against the unparalleled atrocious magic without faltering! Our fan club is always seeing that courageous back without fail!”

What amazing passion. For some reason it seemed Hoshikaze-senpai had many fans in the Sword Division.

“I wonder if I’m being treated as the great, evil Demon King among all of Hoshikaze Hikaru’s fans?”

The corners of Kaguya-senpai’s lips were twitching hearing those words that were too much.

Hoshikaze-senpai’s team were being held properly in Hoshikaze-senpai’s arms, no need to mention Kimura-senpai, even Lotte and Kamiizumi-senpai, the atmosphere around them felt even more like a harem than Kazuki’s.

“Certainly, I who kicked around everyone indiscriminately became the student council president, but it’s not like I have fought against all the powerful people in this academy you know? For example, like the Ryuutaki sisters…”

Kaguya-senpai, who had pulled herself together started to talk.

“Well, those girls don’t have any reason to announce their candidacy for something like becoming the Chief Student Council President though, isn’t that right?”

“―Ara? I wonder if all of you are talking about us by chance?”

At that time the door of the auditorium was opening (giiii), coinciding with the appearance of a voice that had an impressive presence even in the silence.

Accompanied by the light from the outside at their back, someone was entering.

Just like speaking of the devil, Kaguya-senpai’s eyes opened wide in a great shock.

“Ryuutaki Miyabi-san and Ryuutaki Shinobu-san…”

It seemed they were most likely twins; their faces were like two peas in a pod.

With their soft wavy long hair and their high and slender stature, they had an aura of refined high-class ladies. Symmetrical with their gorgeous impressions, there was an alert sharpness inside those long slit eyes.

And then in spite of the spitting image of their build, hairstyle, and looks, there was also contrast between them.

One side had black hair, while the other side had bright silver hair ―an elf.

“These two always challenged quests by forming a party with just the two of them you see. They left great track records, so it appears that they are considerably strong, however they never had a duel with anyone. They never tried to connect with anybody else, always being just the two of them. They are quite strange.”

Hoshikaze-senpai secretly whispered into Kazuki’s ear. Did they hear the whisper, the two of them were looking this way.

“The elf that is me is Miyabi, this is my twin little sister Shinobu. We are second year students of the Magic Division.”

Miyabi-senpai was immediately looking only at Kazuki. Kazuki was faltering unintentionally.

Miyabi-senpai walked gracefully closer to Kazuki’s position, the expressionless face that contained a sensuality somewhere was brought near Kazuki’s face and then she whispered into Kazuki’s ear.

It was a husky voice, as if it was touching his ears.

“Aren’t you the one who killed the [Tentacle God] that brought forth the elves into this world?”

Kazuki was stunned involuntarily. Not to mention the existence of Nyarlatoteph, even the case about the human experiments that former Headmaster Otonashi performed was not announced to society. How could she know about that guy…

“For the sake of self-protection, I’m always putting information in order. After all, I had been targeted by a strange tentacle guy for a long time. It seems that guy wanted to use an elf like me, who had been raised up safely, as experimental material even more… That’s why I have to give you my gratitude right?”

Right there Miyabi-senpai smiled widely.

“If it's alright with you, how about you stop being Kaguya’s lover and come to my place?”

Miyabi-senpai reached her hand and stroked Kazuki’s cheek with a manner of touching as if she was admiring a work of art.

“Onee-sama! …Keep the jokes in moderation…!”

From the direction of the younger twin with black hair―a flustered Shinobu-senpai was drawing closer to Miyabi-senpai while shaking her wavy hair and remonstrated that hand.

Both of them had the same face, but in contrast with Miyabi-senpai who had a calm, relaxed expression, Shinobu-senpai had a grim look that seemed like she was always putting strength into her eyebrows.

“What do you mean a joke? I’m serious you know, he is the benefactor that put down a sworn enemy of mine. There's no way I can't feel overwhelmed with emotion in my heart from that.”

Floating a subtle smile, Miyabi-senpai was persistently directing a heated gaze toward Kazuki.

“Miyabi-san! …Miyabi-san and Shinobu-san don’t seem to have any interest towards something like the seat of Chief Student Council president, yet why are you here?”

Kaguya-senpai forced her way through to the middle as if to obstruct the way and inquired of Miyabi-senpai.

“True, I’m not interested at all. I think it's fine even if this kind of academy ceased to function. It’s impossible to not feel a cold hate in this heart. Even the case about us not fighting anyone to this day is in order for us to not get endorsed to be something like student council president imprudently.”

“If that’s the case, then why?”

Kaguya-senpai hugged Kazuki’s shoulder and pulled him closer to her own direction while asking.

“You don’t have any composure, eh.” While teasing Kaguya-senpai’s behavior like that,

“We were just scouted you know? The one who is announcing their candidacy is the older gentleman of these two brothers.”

The one who turned up in this place were not only the Ryuutaki sisters―it was only natural, because the team wouldn’t come into existence with just the two of them. A little late to the party, two male students entered the inside of the auditorium.

“Ta, Takasugi brothers!?” Kohaku shouted with an unpleasant expression.

The ones who appeared were male students of the Sword Division with solid build. With angular faces and crew cut hair, they made a really obstinate face. Were they twins too, both of them were also the splitting image of each other.

“Student Council President Hikita Kohaku…With yours and former president Hayashizaki Kanae’s way of doing things, nothing had changed in the Sword Division! We are taking action in order to change the Sword Division with our own hands!”

“We will reform this academy that give maximum priority to the Magic Division in the truest meaning! By us brothers!!”

They both shouted loudly out of nowhere.

“Takasugi Shūsui-senpai and Takasugi Harunari-senpai. Which is which brother, even this one couldn’t spot the difference. …They are terribly radical [anti-Magic Division] advocates. It’s fine to say that they are already political activists even as students.”

Kohaku talked with a fed up face.

“Even Kohaku was a fairly radical anti-Magic Division student right? You even moved your plan to the next stage.”

“What I advocated was only something worthless if you compared it with these two! It’s like every day that they'd come to the student council room bringing their outrageous letters of opinion…more than half of this one’s anxiety is their fault…!”

Kohaku directed resentful eyes toward those two brothers. If she said that much, then they might be that extreme.

As if they were responding to Kohaku’s stare, both of them made a tight fist and shouted their opinions even though no one asked them.

“The Magica Stigma’s tyranny can't be allowed any more than this! For the sake of the country’s existence, it is necessary to bring Magica Stigma thoroughly under control! Not as humans, but as weapons!”

“Our advocacy is thus, for Magica Stigma to be deprived of their basic human rights!”

Deprivation of human rights―Kazuki reflexively doubted his own ears. These guys, what were they saying?

“Listen well! The most important thing for a modern nation is the complete separation between the and his name were carved.

In other words he was going to fight the first round against a team that would pull out the same number as him, in the second matches the probability of him clashing early against Kaguya-senpai was high.

Following him, Hoshikaze-senpai stood on top of the stage, “Five huh” she informed.

Hoshikaze-senpai got the fifth match in the first round. If she was going to fight against Kazuki, they wouldn’t get the chance until the finals.

When the teams of the Witch’s Manor were done being called up, next was Mibu Akira-senpai who was called to the top of the stage.

“I’m six zee―! What a good-for-nothing number, hyahhaa―! Fuck you mee-n!”

With unclear tension, Mibu-senpai’s name was carved into the column of the sixth match. If by some chance Mibu-senpai won through the first round, it seemed she would fight against Hoshikaze-senpai at the second round.

Takasugi Shūsui was called next. He declared “Three!” with a loud voice.

If by some chance Kazuki defeated Kaguya-senpai, there was a chance he would face against Miyabi-senpai and her group in the semifinals.

Of course there might be a chance that other powerful people were still in hiding, but―the other teams were pulling out the lottery in succession, the remaining columns in the tournament chart were filled one after another.

“With this the explanation meeting is over. After this in the period until the matches begin, begin your own special training.”

Leaving behind those words in the end, Liz Liza-sensei exited the stage.

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