“It’s already the month that we have to resign…”
The atmosphere of the Student Council room, initially swollen with talk of the summer vacations, subtly changed when Mayumi’s pronouncement was made.
Until that time, the usual mix of males and females who shared lunch in the Student Council were going on about their first day back or their experiences over the summer.
Compared to their usual daring conversation which contained phrases such as “remaining chaste before marriage” and “the age of free sex”, what they did during the summer paled as a topic. Although the reasons not to have sex before marriage were usually something like “do not give into a sweet talking man”, the conclusion might be the same, as before the “free sex era” the consciousness behind it differs greatly. In the end, just because sexually experienced women aren’t penalized by society doesn’t mean “doing it” is nothing to a woman. They don’t want to be talked about as cock teasers or bragged about in locker rooms. In conclusion, the young ladies who congregated in the Student Council room were not going to treat themselves as cheap merchandise, even though they were girls who possessed a large number of contraceptive options. Pregnancy could no longer occur from accidents or crimes.
Be that as it may, “forcibly took off my jacket”, “strongly pressed me to the bed”, “caressed the nape of my neck with his breath” and like phrases continually let loose before his eyes was enough to make a healthy young man ill at ease. To say nothing of the same man having to endure lines like “I wanted a little better mood”, “I wanted to be able to wear white” and others proclaimed around him with complete naturalness.
This could be happening because he was no longer being treated as a male, or even that they forgot he was there; however, from the beginning, they had shamelessly talked like this in the presence of a member of the opposite sex. For a while now, Tatsuya had been fleeing from this kind of talk by concentrating his eyes and consciousness on a magic book (the Public Moral room had a surprisingly good collection). Whatever twist the conversation took he could tune it out.
Nevertheless, possibly because he was expecting it, this change of conversation penetrated his consciousness.
“Now that you mention it, the Student Council President election is this month.”
“Yes, the election is at the end of the month, but we need to set up the format from next week on. We have to announce the candidates and do all the other stuff that needs to be done.”
This affirmative answer to Tatsuya’s question was put forth by Suzune.
But, was this completely poised senpai who conversed on topics forbidden to people under eighteen, much less under fifteen, under “we're all girls here” without even a snicker? Tatsuya entertained doubt, but nevertheless, the content of his next question was different.
“What is the format?”
'Were there any materials?' was the gist of the question, but Suzune correctly understood Tatsuya’s point.
“If there is more than one candidate, an election is held. That being said, because the students who can become President are limited, it’s fought out within the family after all.”
“Within the family?”
“For the past five years, the Student Council President has held the post of top student to enter university.”
Now that she mentioned it, he has some memory of hearing that the first day he was called to this room.
“To summarize, the Student Council President is decided without being elected.”
“It is not limited to that method. It’s been that way for the past five years; six years before that it was different. It’s just that there’s never been a case of a student becoming Student Council President without becoming a member of the Student Council first, and this time as well because even if an election is held, it should be a one on one battle between Hattori-kun and Nakajou-san. What’s probably going to happen is, things will be talked out before the election and will be down to one candidate.”
"I see; if that’s the case it is certainly 'within the family'." Tatsuya grasped the concept.
The one who didn’t grasp the concept was the one who was being mentioned as a candidate.
“It’s impossible for me to become Student Council President! We don’t need a discussion; I don’t intend on becoming a candidate.”
Tatsuya certainly grasped that you couldn’t hold the post of Student Council President with teary eyes, however,
“Do you mean that six years prior someone other than the top student held the post of Student Council President?”
“So Hanzou-kun will be the next Student Council President.”
Immersed in their talk, the Public Moral chief and the student body president didn’t seem to pay attention to what was going on around them.
Whatever their personal opinions, policy-wise Azusa was closest to them.
So while they could certainly understand why she would want to throw away the post of president…
(… She doesn’t seem to want to do it…)
If there are no other candidates aside from Azusa, it would be imperative to persuade her, but with Hattori also a candidate, that wouldn’t be the most proper way to go about it, Tatsuya thought.
“So Nakajou-senpai was last year's top student.”
However, Miyuki’s thinking seemed to be going on a different angle than Tatsuya’s. She seemed to be aiming at different aspects, but Tatsuya thought he could see what his sister was up to. As Miyuki was pointing out and Tatsuya was aware of himself, “Hattori was also one of last year’s top students.”
“That’s right; there wasn’t much difference between the all-around scores, right?”
Mayumi nodded an acknowledgement to Miyuki and directed her question to Azusa, but Suzune was the one who replied.
“For theory, the order for the top spots were Isori-kun, followed by Nakajou-san and Hattori in third place. In the practical, Hattori-kun took the Top place over Nakajou-san by a narrow margin. The all-around top student was also Hattori- kun followed by Nakajou-san by a narrow margin."
Putting all this upon the school’s bulletin board in a big display each semester as an incentive to study is really meaningless, Tatsuya thought.
"I might be called the rotten apple that spoils the barrel… but from the start, most serious students can’t cross swords with the Student Council President and the chief…" at least, that was Tatsuya's assessment of Suzune.
“So in practical skills, Nakajou-senpai was higher than Chiyoda-senpai?”
Miyuki had already understood this point, but while attending the Nine Schools Competition, becoming familiar with this person had created a different impression.
“That’s because that girl Kanon is too sloppy.” “She has a majestic quality to her at least?”
At Mari’s blunt opinion, Mayumi agreed with a forced smile.
“To the contrary; it’s just the slender A-chan looks to be unsuited for sports competitions.”
“Nonetheless, Nakajou is going to be an athlete in the coming year, right?”
Although she had been listening to Mayumi as if she wasn’t being discussed, when Mari’s dropped bombshell, Azusa’s body begun to shake in response.
“… I may have introduced the topic… but this is next year, Nakajou? There’s no point in getting all scared about it right now.”
“Th… that’s right. Next year… next year, aside from Chiyoda-san, there’s Shiba-san, Kitayama-san, Mitsui-san and others; we have plenty of prospective athletes…”
As Azusa forced herself to reply with a peculiarly weird voice, Mayumi’s face took on a triumphant look.
“Well, there are a lot of great prospects among this year's freshman girls… the third years can’t just push the burden upon their underclassmen.”
“No, such a thing, placing a burden, I just meant the right person for the right job, that is…”
If that was the case, it was certainly logical; gazing at her with his half closed eyes and hard to refute, the Student Council President had it tough, Tatsuya realized.
◊ ◊ ◊
When he stepped into the Public Moral room after six weeks away, it was unexpectedly crowded.
“I didn’t get any notice of a meeting?”
Tatsuya inquired of Mari who was, for some reason, standing at the entrance; she nodded with the dignity of her office.
“That’s correct, I don’t have any memory of sending out a notice.” “So this is a ceremony in honor of the first day of the new semester?” “The inaugural ceremony takes place only once a year.”
“This isn’t some kind of special membership meeting?" “Well, now”
Upon Mari’s reply, Tatsuya made a light bow and turned to retrieve his personal recorder from his locker with a brisk pace — but he didn’t get three steps before he stopped.
Looking behind him, he found standing at exactly the same distance as before
—to be clear, shadowing him exactly — Mari, gazing back at him. “…Is there something?”
“It’s not work. But that doesn’t change the fact that there is a big event for the Public Moral Committee.”
“Ahh…”
At Tatsuya’s cautious response, Mari adopted an “oh, well” expression. “…It’s best to go to the heart of the matter directly with this kind of thing.” “I’ve glanced through the important news.”
“What I’m talking about is a completely inter-committee kind of thing.”
She was glancing around while she was talking with a “is there anything that needs to be taken care of…” kind of feeling that Tatsuya perceived.
In the end, the one to give in was Mari.
“There is no term of office for the Public Moral members."
“I know. Although you select a replacement, there is no need to resign; it all seems a little strange.”
“We tend to cling to this delicious position. Every graduating class selects their replacements, but quite a few of us remain in position until graduation.”
She gave a subtle shrug of her shoulders as she spoke. Perhaps she was thinking of the special privileges of the Public Moral Committee with an “oh, well” thought floating in her mind.
“To tell the truth, one of the third years resigned at the end of last semester. Today, the replacement is coming.”
Tatsuya raised his eyebrows in suspicion at Mari’s words. “This is a welcome party?”
“By no means; we’re not that cohesive an organization. You understand that by now, right?”
Certainly, the Public Moral Committee was an organization more suited for words like “division” and “antagonism” rather than unity. Because he understood that, the whole thing gave Tatsuya an anxious mood. Given those facts, what was this crowd doing here?
“It’s just that it’s unusual to have a girl chosen as a member, so everybody who was free came to take a look at her.”
I got it, Tatsuya thought. The members have not gathered out of comradery but rather curiosity. However, for that reason—
“It’s about time to choose a chief.”
At Tatsuya’s point, an ill-humored expression silently came over Mari’s face. Apparently there were many things on her mind and she didn’t want to trouble her kouhai, so she was choosing her words in order to gloss over things.
“…Well, in my case it’s part of my job. It’s only right that I greet the new member. By the way, could I trouble you to look after things for a while?”
“…You mean me?”
Tatsuya’s request for clarification was only natural. To entrust all the organizational details and the orientation of a new member to the guy at the absolute bottom rung of the ladder was questionable.
“I mean you.”
Nevertheless, Mari’s expression was 100% percent earnest.
“I don’t know anything about the person who is joining us. I am sympathetic to her… but even so, I don’t think you can leave all this work to a freshman.”
“Nonetheless, you are the only one in the Public Moral Committee who can do it.”
Since this point was certainly true with regards to the Public Moral Committee, Tatsuya’s defeat was decided. The new member was exactly who Tatsuya thought it would be.
“Let’s get this over with a quick face-to-face meeting… Kanon, for today, work with Tatsuya-kun and grasp all you need to for patrolling.”
He didn’t think a face-to-face meeting with someone as well known as Kanon was necessary, but Mari said this after introducing Kanon to members scattered around the room and delivering the responsibility to Tatsuya as promised.
As usual, Tatsuya had no veto rights. Not just him, this instruction was only given after all the other members had left, so Kanon was limited to a choice of Tatsuya or Mari.
“Huh—? Mari-san is not going to instruct me?”
For Kanon, Mari was obviously the better choice. To indicate this right in front of Tatsuya was certainly a rude gesture, but Tatsuya could comprehend her dissatisfaction very well. Not only to not be instructed by Mari, to not even be instructed by another second year like herself and to have an underclassman act as a senpai was not going to be fun for Kanon. Mari wanted him to take the role of her coach, but deep in his heart, Tatsuya was rooting for Kanon to make more of an argument.
“I can’t be your guide, because the underhanded guys see my silhouette and quietly sneak away. The point of this is that Tatsuya-kun is number one in incident encounters among committee members. As a result, he is number one in number of apprehensions, too.”
“Oh, if that’s the case, I see.”
Unfortunately, Kanon quickly and easily understood.
Anyway, Tatsuya was left with a feeling that he should be questioning Mari’s remarks with the “as a result,” but he soon resigned himself to the situation. The end of this fruitless task was in sight.
“No one assigns patrol routes. We don’t need to go over every area within the school. My and other committee members' patrol routes do not keep to a routine, but the majority of the members seem to patrol a set path.” Unpleasant as it was, a job is a job. Walking side by side, Tatsuya addressed a serious lecture to Kanon as they went. However,
“Hmm…. Shiba-kun is highly adaptive.”
Kanon’s complimentary outburst and his explanations had no logical connection.
“But just after you started school, you began to patrol the school alone, right. And even I’ve heard various stories of your legendary new student week actions.”
“Well, a lot happened back then…”
He felt that her awe was misplaced but he was reluctant to be disagreeable. — Suddenly being thrown into solo patrol operations was the norm. Kanon’s treatment was extremely protective; speaking these various truths, however, would please neither one of them. Tatsuya continued his lecture instead of disagreeing.
“In my case, I place importance on visiting the practice rooms. This is because if you look at old patrol logs, there are very few problem causing incidents in the classrooms.”
“That’s because the classrooms are monitored. For romantic type vulgarities, it’s a mood killer; even if you want to do it, you can’t.”
“Romance?…”
In general, he had some interest in reading fiction, but any curiosity he had in erotica and how he should respond if a person confesses their love had been sealed.
“You don’t go to the gym or the grounds? Doesn’t more trouble happen there than in the practice rooms?”
“Except for special circumstances like the new student invitation period, those areas as a general rule are under the jurisdiction of the clubs. Of course, if there’s a momentary outbreak of hostilities between individual factions, it becomes the Public Moral Committee's time to intervene.”
Kanon broke her ties to the clubs when she joined the Public Moral Committee, but since she herself had been a member of the track and field club (her specialty had been hurdles), there was no way she wasn’t aware of the clubs' self-governing privileges.
“No one will mind if we just go and take a look around, right? Trotting over once trouble has arisen means it's too late to intervene.”
Even so, suggesting that kind of action… this sounded like she was brimming with the desire to expand her territory by raising havoc, Tatsuya thought.
◊ ◊ ◊
In accordance with Kanon’s strong request, the day’s patrol took the all important tour of the gymnasium. (Tatsuya was seriously troubled over the necessity of accompanying her.)
In relation to the school grounds, it was the second building if you came from the entrance.
By sheer coincidence, today was the Kenjutsu club’s practice day.
“…The older Shiba. That’s a different girl than the one you usually bring when you watch us.”
“Please don’t talk like I’m a playboy.”
Whether he was serious or joking was hard to tell from the tone of his voice — but Tatsuya thought he felt the jest was at least partly serious — the one who had come to talk to him was Kirihara.
“Really, Kirihara-kun. Isn’t saying stuff like that rude to Chiyoda-san? Because Chiyoda-san is serious about Isori-kun.”
“…Well, if that’s the way it is, it’s okay.”
The one whose outburst eased Kanon’s discomfort and made Tatsuya breathe a deep sigh of relief was Sayaka.
The reason Sayaka of the Kendo Club was participating in the Kenjutsu club’s practice wasn’t so that they could use the club hour to date.
Since the spring incident, the sports clubs who used magic and the sports who didn’t felt they had to increase opportunities for mutual interaction between themselves. Especially with the clubs that were basically the same, sports clubs whose only difference was the rule about whether magic could be used or not in competition had taken it upon themselves to bridge the gap by undertaking positive actions; thus, the current trend was born.
The Kendo club and the Kenjutsu club pioneered the trend. Sayaka and Kirihara were the first to use that excuse — that is, they were the first participants to take part in a mutual exchange program.
—Therefore, this means these two are not practicing together just because they like each other.
Enough gossip.
Tatsuya, despite Sayaka’s support(?), was still getting the stink eye from Kirihara, so he explained the situation.
“Chief Watanabe ordered us to go together.”
Although what he said was true, it would have been better to act as if he didn’t need to excuse his behavior. Volunteering information like this made it seem like he was using his job to cover up immoral behavior.
“Eh, then that rumor was true.”
Kirihara not only unexpectedly readily believed him, but made a meaningful comment.
“A rumor?”
“Oh, Shiba-kun doesn’t know?”
“The rumor about Chiyoda becoming the next Public Moral Chief and Chief Watanabe making the rounds to get it approved. Frankly, don’t you think that girl having to make the rounds to get it approved is such a tiresome thing for her to do?”
Tatsuya realized the ‘rumor’ Sayaka and Kirihara were announcing tag-team fashion was completely true, but in the face of this spectacle, he chose silence.
“It’s just like they said it was. It’s Chiyoda, so they've got to make an exception. Because Watanabe-senpai really likes Chiyoda. In order to be able to appoint Chiyoda-san, who has no experience, as her successor, she has to make a lot of effort.”
Even though Tatsuya didn’t say anything, they didn’t stop adding to the heap.
“Hmm, that girl not only looks like a Takarazuka (A famous all female acting troupe where women play all the roles even the male ones in love scenes), but she thinks like one, too, eh? Well if Chiyoda becomes chief she’ll certainly make quite a picture.”
The Girls Opera, since the beginning of the modern era, could be called a traditional theatrical entertainment, so Tatsuya didn’t feel that ‘thinks like a Takarazuka’ was a particularly dishonorable appraisal, but it seemed that Kanon’s sensibilities reached a different conclusion.
“Oh, you’re treating not just me but Mari-san as lesbians… Kirihara-kun, aren’t you very brave.”
“Wait a minute!” Behind Kanon’s back, as if someone was painting Acala (A fierce guardian deity in Buddhism portrayed with an aura of fire), an aura of fire rose up. (To be accurate, it was an explosion of violently charged psion particles.)
“I never said lesbian!”
Despite the fact that in terms of simple power, Kanon was rumored to be number one among the second years, and the fact that she also had great rage on her side, Kirihara waved his head and fist excitedly.
“No problem.”
At the violently strong Kanon’s pronouncement, Tatsuya breathed a deep sigh. His right hand made a swift light thrust.
“Huhh!”
With an out of pitch screech, the violent dance of psion particles subsided. “Wh-What did you do?”
From her position sunken down on the floor, the red-faced Kanon was using both of her scalding eyes to glare at Tatsuya, the cause of her minor indignity.
“…That was more effective than expected. Truthfully, I thought he was putting me on about ‘pleasure points’, but...”
It was Yakumo’s deceitful Tenketsujutsu (Probably blind spot technique).
Located on the back are some “spots that cause pleasant feelings”—he was just taught them this morning. He used a thrust with his index finger on one after he watched Kanon get increasingly red faced. As she listened to his monologue, he modified his facial expression.
“Chiyoda-senpai, what would happen if Public Moral members went around starting their own personal brawl?”
“Aah… but he...”
“There is no 'but he'. Okay, after the occurrence of sexual harassment, it’s best to have the Disciplinary Committee conduct a trial. As a general rule, the testimony of a Public Moral Committee member can be considered independent evidence.”
“Oi?”
In the confusion brought on by the swift change in the status quo, Kirihara kept out of it; nonetheless Tatsuya and Kanon didn’t take their eyes off of each other.
“O K A Y? Will you please restrain yourself from acting like a pot boiling over.”
“…Understood”
The sulky faced Kanon was too busy averting her eyes to be aware of Sayaka’s mutter of “… doesn't what you just did count as sexual harassment, too?”
“Now that you mention it, isn't the Student Council election coming up real soon?”
At last, the chaotic situation had subsided. In order to move from the talk of the Public Moral succession, Sayaka had brought up this topic for the second time today (at least for Tatsuya). To keep any club members from putting fuel on the fire, Sayaka hospitably introduced the perfect water cooler gossip topic.
“At the end of the month, right. Yeah, I’d call that real soon.”
Kirihara responded to Sayaka’s question. “I’ve heard it’s going to be a one-on- one match between Hattori-kun and Nakajou-san.”
Paying no attention to the difference between first and second course, Kanon quickly joined her fellow second years’ conversation.
“Nope, Hattori isn’t doing it.”
For Tatsuya the déjà vu conversation had been broken up by the revelation of a new fact.
“Oh, really?”
It looked like Kirihara’s words were a surprise to Kanon.
“Yep, that Hattori is going to succeed the chief of Club Management. I heard it from him myself that he wasn’t going to take part in the election.”
“Hmmm, Hattori-kun… however it’s proper. Club Management can’t be done by anybody without brute strength.”
Kanon accepted Kirihara’s answer with a proper nod.
He could see what they were saying. The Club Management Group certainly had a more violent image than the Student Council, Tatsuya thought.
Even under normal circumstances, scouting for club members, taking space for club activities and the like caused many inevitable disputes. Thanks to Katsuto’s glare, great big riots hadn’t happened, but an ordinary person couldn’t do the same thing.
However — Tatsuya thought,
This meant that of the strongest candidates for Student Council President, both would not take part in the election.
Just who is going to be the next Student Council President…
◊ ◊ ◊
After the patrol was over, homeward bound. Miyuki had just finished with the Student Council.
Leo, Erika, Mizuki, Honoka, and Shizuku were done with club activities. Mikihiko was done with his independent training in the practice room.
It had been a while since Tatsuya could mingle with his usual circle. They crowded around a table in a coffee shop that was on the way to the station.
And in nearly no time the topic became the upcoming election. “Hmmm… to tell the truth, a little unreliable.”
Leo gave a cold appraisal of Azusa. “But her true abilities tower over others.”
“I believe it’s better to have a gentle person as Student Council President.” Shizuku and Mizuki seemed to be members of the Support Azusa party. “Anyway, the possibility of Hattori-senpai has completely disappeared, right?” This was a repeated inquiry of Erika.
“Aah, it seems like he himself has told others about it so there doesn’t seem to be a way to be mistaken about it. Even the Student Council President can’t steal the person who is the next successor to the Club Management Group Leader.”
Tatsuya replied with an affirmative.
“That’s true… I don’t believe even those people could stand against chief Juumonji.”
Countless nods of yes, yes came from Erika’s side.
“Therefore, after all, Nakajou-senpai is the only possible person who can become a candidate.”
Mizuki returned to the topic of the next Student Council President.
“But, she herself has said she doesn’t want to do it, right? Okay, Miyuki, become a candidate!”
“Wait, Erika, what nonsense are you spouting?”
Miyuki’s eyes widened in response to Erika’s surprising remark.
But, unexpectedly, it seemed that Erika was really taken with her own suggestion.
“It’s not like there’s any regulation prohibiting first years from becoming Student Council President, right? In the recent Nine Schools Competition, Miyuki not only took part in the Newcomers Icicle Break, but battled against second and third years in Mirage Bat and won. I think your true power and popularity make you perfect.”
“Don’t say such nonsense. In general, a high school student’s ‘true power’ cannot only be measured by magic power?”
“If it’s scholarship, we have Tatsuya here. Once you become Student Council President, you can appoint anyone as staff.”
Mizuki entered support for Erika’s position in Miyuki and Erika’s back and forth conversation.
“Yeah, that’s right. President Saegusa was getting rid of the first course only limit.”
“Even Mizuki…”
It was a superficially chiding remark, but a waver could be felt in Miyuki’s voice.
“Yeah, yeah. That’s right, if you were president, you could head hunt Tatsuya- kun from the Public Moral Committee… .”
At Erika’s Mephistopheles-like (a young girl version) whisper, Miyuki visibly trembled.
“Conversely, wouldn’t it be okay if Tatsuya became Student council president?” “Oh, that sounds interesting.”
As childhood friends, they didn’t compete with each other, but this time Mikihiko blew Erika’s outrageous idea out of the water with one of his own.
While Leo gazed around blankly at these evil plots, Tatsuya asserted, “That’s impossible.”
“Certainly, if it was Miyuki there might be enough support for the idea to make it happen, but I could not collect enough ballots.”
However, Shizuku had a different opinion.
“But, Tatsuya-san, you took a major role in the Nine Schools Competition,” “No, Shizuku… I was part of the backstage crew for the victory and only competed in one event. It’s said that the work of those who work behind the scenes can not be comprehended if you’re viewing the front.”
Once again, Tatsuya denied the possibility of being elected, but Honoka raised her voice in a fervent rebuttal.
“Still, if Tatsuya-san was ever placed on the ballot, I would absolutely vote for him!”
“Me too Onii-sama. If Onii-sama ever ran for office, I would campaign for you by distributing leaflets or anything else you wanted me to do.”
Surrounded on both sides by Miyuki and Honoka, who were subtly competing over who was more enthusiastic, Tatsuya realized he had a slight headache.
“It’s already the month that we have to resign…”
The atmosphere of the Student Council room, initially swollen with talk of the summer vacations, subtly changed when Mayumi’s pronouncement was made.
Until that time, the usual mix of males and females who shared lunch in the Student Council were going on about their first day back or their experiences over the summer.
Compared to their usual daring conversation which contained phrases such as “remaining chaste before marriage” and “the age of free sex”, what they did during the summer paled as a topic. Although the reasons not to have sex before marriage were usually something like “do not give into a sweet talking man”, the conclusion might be the same, as before the “free sex era” the consciousness behind it differs greatly. In the end, just because sexually experienced women aren’t penalized by society doesn’t mean “doing it” is nothing to a woman. They don’t want to be talked about as cock teasers or bragged about in locker rooms. In conclusion, the young ladies who congregated in the Student Council room were not going to treat themselves as cheap merchandise, even though they were girls who possessed a large number of contraceptive options. Pregnancy could no longer occur from accidents or crimes.
Be that as it may, “forcibly took off my jacket”, “strongly pressed me to the bed”, “caressed the nape of my neck with his breath” and like phrases continually let loose before his eyes was enough to make a healthy young man ill at ease. To say nothing of the same man having to endure lines like “I wanted a little better mood”, “I wanted to be able to wear white” and others proclaimed around him with complete naturalness.
This could be happening because he was no longer being treated as a male, or even that they forgot he was there; however, from the beginning, they had shamelessly talked like this in the presence of a member of the opposite sex. For a while now, Tatsuya had been fleeing from this kind of talk by concentrating his eyes and consciousness on a magic book (the Public Moral room had a surprisingly good collection). Whatever twist the conversation took he could tune it out.
Nevertheless, possibly because he was expecting it, this change of conversation penetrated his consciousness.
“Now that you mention it, the Student Council President election is this month.”
“Yes, the election is at the end of the month, but we need to set up the format from next week on. We have to announce the candidates and do all the other stuff that needs to be done.”
This affirmative answer to Tatsuya’s question was put forth by Suzune.
But, was this completely poised senpai who conversed on topics forbidden to people under eighteen, much less under fifteen, under “we're all girls here” without even a snicker? Tatsuya entertained doubt, but nevertheless, the content of his next question was different.
“What is the format?”
'Were there any materials?' was the gist of the question, but Suzune correctly understood Tatsuya’s point.
“If there is more than one candidate, an election is held. That being said, because the students who can become President are limited, it’s fought out within the family after all.”
“Within the family?”
“For the past five years, the Student Council President has held the post of top student to enter university.”
Now that she mentioned it, he has some memory of hearing that the first day he was called to this room.
“To summarize, the Student Council President is decided without being elected.”
“It is not limited to that method. It’s been that way for the past five years; six years before that it was different. It’s just that there’s never been a case of a student becoming Student Council President without becoming a member of the Student Council first, and this time as well because even if an election is held, it should be a one on one battle between Hattori-kun and Nakajou-san. What’s probably going to happen is, things will be talked out before the election and will be down to one candidate.”
"I see; if that’s the case it is certainly 'within the family'." Tatsuya grasped the concept.
The one who didn’t grasp the concept was the one who was being mentioned as a candidate.
“It’s impossible for me to become Student Council President! We don’t need a discussion; I don’t intend on becoming a candidate.”
Tatsuya certainly grasped that you couldn’t hold the post of Student Council President with teary eyes, however,
“Do you mean that six years prior someone other than the top student held the post of Student Council President?”
“So Hanzou-kun will be the next Student Council President.”
Immersed in their talk, the Public Moral chief and the student body president didn’t seem to pay attention to what was going on around them.
Whatever their personal opinions, policy-wise Azusa was closest to them.
So while they could certainly understand why she would want to throw away the post of president…
(… She doesn’t seem to want to do it…)
If there are no other candidates aside from Azusa, it would be imperative to persuade her, but with Hattori also a candidate, that wouldn’t be the most proper way to go about it, Tatsuya thought.
“So Nakajou-senpai was last year's top student.”
However, Miyuki’s thinking seemed to be going on a different angle than Tatsuya’s. She seemed to be aiming at different aspects, but Tatsuya thought he could see what his sister was up to. As Miyuki was pointing out and Tatsuya was aware of himself, “Hattori was also one of last year’s top students.”
“That’s right; there wasn’t much difference between the all-around scores, right?”
Mayumi nodded an acknowledgement to Miyuki and directed her question to Azusa, but Suzune was the one who replied.
“For theory, the order for the top spots were Isori-kun, followed by Nakajou-san and Hattori in third place. In the practical, Hattori-kun took the Top place over Nakajou-san by a narrow margin. The all-around top student was also Hattori- kun followed by Nakajou-san by a narrow margin."
Putting all this upon the school’s bulletin board in a big display each semester as an incentive to study is really meaningless, Tatsuya thought.
"I might be called the rotten apple that spoils the barrel… but from the start, most serious students can’t cross swords with the Student Council President and the chief…" at least, that was Tatsuya's assessment of Suzune.
“So in practical skills, Nakajou-senpai was higher than Chiyoda-senpai?”
Miyuki had already understood this point, but while attending the Nine Schools Competition, becoming familiar with this person had created a different impression.
“That’s because that girl Kanon is too sloppy.” “She has a majestic quality to her at least?”
At Mari’s blunt opinion, Mayumi agreed with a forced smile.
“To the contrary; it’s just the slender A-chan looks to be unsuited for sports competitions.”
“Nonetheless, Nakajou is going to be an athlete in the coming year, right?”
Although she had been listening to Mayumi as if she wasn’t being discussed, when Mari’s dropped bombshell, Azusa’s body begun to shake in response.
“… I may have introduced the topic… but this is next year, Nakajou? There’s no point in getting all scared about it right now.”
“Th… that’s right. Next year… next year, aside from Chiyoda-san, there’s Shiba-san, Kitayama-san, Mitsui-san and others; we have plenty of prospective athletes…”
As Azusa forced herself to reply with a peculiarly weird voice, Mayumi’s face took on a triumphant look.
“Well, there are a lot of great prospects among this year's freshman girls… the third years can’t just push the burden upon their underclassmen.”
“No, such a thing, placing a burden, I just meant the right person for the right job, that is…”
If that was the case, it was certainly logical; gazing at her with his half closed eyes and hard to refute, the Student Council President had it tough, Tatsuya realized.
◊ ◊ ◊
When he stepped into the Public Moral room after six weeks away, it was unexpectedly crowded.
“I didn’t get any notice of a meeting?”
Tatsuya inquired of Mari who was, for some reason, standing at the entrance; she nodded with the dignity of her office.
“That’s correct, I don’t have any memory of sending out a notice.” “So this is a ceremony in honor of the first day of the new semester?” “The inaugural ceremony takes place only once a year.”
“This isn’t some kind of special membership meeting?" “Well, now”
Upon Mari’s reply, Tatsuya made a light bow and turned to retrieve his personal recorder from his locker with a brisk pace — but he didn’t get three steps before he stopped.
Looking behind him, he found standing at exactly the same distance as before
—to be clear, shadowing him exactly — Mari, gazing back at him. “…Is there something?”
“It’s not work. But that doesn’t change the fact that there is a big event for the Public Moral Committee.”
“Ahh…”
At Tatsuya’s cautious response, Mari adopted an “oh, well” expression. “…It’s best to go to the heart of the matter directly with this kind of thing.” “I’ve glanced through the important news.”
“What I’m talking about is a completely inter-committee kind of thing.”
She was glancing around while she was talking with a “is there anything that needs to be taken care of…” kind of feeling that Tatsuya perceived.
In the end, the one to give in was Mari.
“There is no term of office for the Public Moral members."
“I know. Although you select a replacement, there is no need to resign; it all seems a little strange.”
“We tend to cling to this delicious position. Every graduating class selects their replacements, but quite a few of us remain in position until graduation.”
She gave a subtle shrug of her shoulders as she spoke. Perhaps she was thinking of the special privileges of the Public Moral Committee with an “oh, well” thought floating in her mind.
“To tell the truth, one of the third years resigned at the end of last semester. Today, the replacement is coming.”
Tatsuya raised his eyebrows in suspicion at Mari’s words. “This is a welcome party?”
“By no means; we’re not that cohesive an organization. You understand that by now, right?”
Certainly, the Public Moral Committee was an organization more suited for words like “division” and “antagonism” rather than unity. Because he understood that, the whole thing gave Tatsuya an anxious mood. Given those facts, what was this crowd doing here?
“It’s just that it’s unusual to have a girl chosen as a member, so everybody who was free came to take a look at her.”
I got it, Tatsuya thought. The members have not gathered out of comradery but rather curiosity. However, for that reason—
“It’s about time to choose a chief.”
At Tatsuya’s point, an ill-humored expression silently came over Mari’s face. Apparently there were many things on her mind and she didn’t want to trouble her kouhai, so she was choosing her words in order to gloss over things.
“…Well, in my case it’s part of my job. It’s only right that I greet the new member. By the way, could I trouble you to look after things for a while?”
“…You mean me?”
Tatsuya’s request for clarification was only natural. To entrust all the organizational details and the orientation of a new member to the guy at the absolute bottom rung of the ladder was questionable.
“I mean you.”
Nevertheless, Mari’s expression was 100% percent earnest.
“I don’t know anything about the person who is joining us. I am sympathetic to her… but even so, I don’t think you can leave all this work to a freshman.”
“Nonetheless, you are the only one in the Public Moral Committee who can do it.”
Since this point was certainly true with regards to the Public Moral Committee, Tatsuya’s defeat was decided. The new member was exactly who Tatsuya thought it would be.
“Let’s get this over with a quick face-to-face meeting… Kanon, for today, work with Tatsuya-kun and grasp all you need to for patrolling.”
He didn’t think a face-to-face meeting with someone as well known as Kanon was necessary, but Mari said this after introducing Kanon to members scattered around the room and delivering the responsibility to Tatsuya as promised.
As usual, Tatsuya had no veto rights. Not just him, this instruction was only given after all the other members had left, so Kanon was limited to a choice of Tatsuya or Mari.
“Huh—? Mari-san is not going to instruct me?”
For Kanon, Mari was obviously the better choice. To indicate this right in front of Tatsuya was certainly a rude gesture, but Tatsuya could comprehend her dissatisfaction very well. Not only to not be instructed by Mari, to not even be instructed by another second year like herself and to have an underclassman act as a senpai was not going to be fun for Kanon. Mari wanted him to take the role of her coach, but deep in his heart, Tatsuya was rooting for Kanon to make more of an argument.
“I can’t be your guide, because the underhanded guys see my silhouette and quietly sneak away. The point of this is that Tatsuya-kun is number one in incident encounters among committee members. As a result, he is number one in number of apprehensions, too.”
“Oh, if that’s the case, I see.”
Unfortunately, Kanon quickly and easily understood.
Anyway, Tatsuya was left with a feeling that he should be questioning Mari’s remarks with the “as a result,” but he soon resigned himself to the situation. The end of this fruitless task was in sight.
“No one assigns patrol routes. We don’t need to go over every area within the school. My and other committee members' patrol routes do not keep to a routine, but the majority of the members seem to patrol a set path.” Unpleasant as it was, a job is a job. Walking side by side, Tatsuya addressed a serious lecture to Kanon as they went. However,
“Hmm…. Shiba-kun is highly adaptive.”
Kanon’s complimentary outburst and his explanations had no logical connection.
“But just after you started school, you began to patrol the school alone, right. And even I’ve heard various stories of your legendary new student week actions.”
“Well, a lot happened back then…”
He felt that her awe was misplaced but he was reluctant to be disagreeable. — Suddenly being thrown into solo patrol operations was the norm. Kanon’s treatment was extremely protective; speaking these various truths, however, would please neither one of them. Tatsuya continued his lecture instead of disagreeing.
“In my case, I place importance on visiting the practice rooms. This is because if you look at old patrol logs, there are very few problem causing incidents in the classrooms.”
“That’s because the classrooms are monitored. For romantic type vulgarities, it’s a mood killer; even if you want to do it, you can’t.”
“Romance?…”
In general, he had some interest in reading fiction, but any curiosity he had in erotica and how he should respond if a person confesses their love had been sealed.
“You don’t go to the gym or the grounds? Doesn’t more trouble happen there than in the practice rooms?”
“Except for special circumstances like the new student invitation period, those areas as a general rule are under the jurisdiction of the clubs. Of course, if there’s a momentary outbreak of hostilities between individual factions, it becomes the Public Moral Committee's time to intervene.”
Kanon broke her ties to the clubs when she joined the Public Moral Committee, but since she herself had been a member of the track and field club (her specialty had been hurdles), there was no way she wasn’t aware of the clubs' self-governing privileges.
“No one will mind if we just go and take a look around, right? Trotting over once trouble has arisen means it's too late to intervene.”
Even so, suggesting that kind of action… this sounded like she was brimming with the desire to expand her territory by raising havoc, Tatsuya thought.
◊ ◊ ◊
In accordance with Kanon’s strong request, the day’s patrol took the all important tour of the gymnasium. (Tatsuya was seriously troubled over the necessity of accompanying her.)
In relation to the school grounds, it was the second building if you came from the entrance.
By sheer coincidence, today was the Kenjutsu club’s practice day.
“…The older Shiba. That’s a different girl than the one you usually bring when you watch us.”
“Please don’t talk like I’m a playboy.”
Whether he was serious or joking was hard to tell from the tone of his voice — but Tatsuya thought he felt the jest was at least partly serious — the one who had come to talk to him was Kirihara.
“Really, Kirihara-kun. Isn’t saying stuff like that rude to Chiyoda-san? Because Chiyoda-san is serious about Isori-kun.”
“…Well, if that’s the way it is, it’s okay.”
The one whose outburst eased Kanon’s discomfort and made Tatsuya breathe a deep sigh of relief was Sayaka.
The reason Sayaka of the Kendo Club was participating in the Kenjutsu club’s practice wasn’t so that they could use the club hour to date.
Since the spring incident, the sports clubs who used magic and the sports who didn’t felt they had to increase opportunities for mutual interaction between themselves. Especially with the clubs that were basically the same, sports clubs whose only difference was the rule about whether magic could be used or not in competition had taken it upon themselves to bridge the gap by undertaking positive actions; thus, the current trend was born.
The Kendo club and the Kenjutsu club pioneered the trend. Sayaka and Kirihara were the first to use that excuse — that is, they were the first participants to take part in a mutual exchange program.
—Therefore, this means these two are not practicing together just because they like each other.
Enough gossip.
Tatsuya, despite Sayaka’s support(?), was still getting the stink eye from Kirihara, so he explained the situation.
“Chief Watanabe ordered us to go together.”
Although what he said was true, it would have been better to act as if he didn’t need to excuse his behavior. Volunteering information like this made it seem like he was using his job to cover up immoral behavior.
“Eh, then that rumor was true.”
Kirihara not only unexpectedly readily believed him, but made a meaningful comment.
“A rumor?”
“Oh, Shiba-kun doesn’t know?”
“The rumor about Chiyoda becoming the next Public Moral Chief and Chief Watanabe making the rounds to get it approved. Frankly, don’t you think that girl having to make the rounds to get it approved is such a tiresome thing for her to do?”
Tatsuya realized the ‘rumor’ Sayaka and Kirihara were announcing tag-team fashion was completely true, but in the face of this spectacle, he chose silence.
“It’s just like they said it was. It’s Chiyoda, so they've got to make an exception. Because Watanabe-senpai really likes Chiyoda. In order to be able to appoint Chiyoda-san, who has no experience, as her successor, she has to make a lot of effort.”
Even though Tatsuya didn’t say anything, they didn’t stop adding to the heap.
“Hmm, that girl not only looks like a Takarazuka (A famous all female acting troupe where women play all the roles even the male ones in love scenes), but she thinks like one, too, eh? Well if Chiyoda becomes chief she’ll certainly make quite a picture.”
The Girls Opera, since the beginning of the modern era, could be called a traditional theatrical entertainment, so Tatsuya didn’t feel that ‘thinks like a Takarazuka’ was a particularly dishonorable appraisal, but it seemed that Kanon’s sensibilities reached a different conclusion.
“Oh, you’re treating not just me but Mari-san as lesbians… Kirihara-kun, aren’t you very brave.”
“Wait a minute!” Behind Kanon’s back, as if someone was painting Acala (A fierce guardian deity in Buddhism portrayed with an aura of fire), an aura of fire rose up. (To be accurate, it was an explosion of violently charged psion particles.)
“I never said lesbian!”
Despite the fact that in terms of simple power, Kanon was rumored to be number one among the second years, and the fact that she also had great rage on her side, Kirihara waved his head and fist excitedly.
“No problem.”
At the violently strong Kanon’s pronouncement, Tatsuya breathed a deep sigh. His right hand made a swift light thrust.
“Huhh!”
With an out of pitch screech, the violent dance of psion particles subsided. “Wh-What did you do?”
From her position sunken down on the floor, the red-faced Kanon was using both of her scalding eyes to glare at Tatsuya, the cause of her minor indignity.
“…That was more effective than expected. Truthfully, I thought he was putting me on about ‘pleasure points’, but...”
It was Yakumo’s deceitful Tenketsujutsu (Probably blind spot technique).
Located on the back are some “spots that cause pleasant feelings”—he was just taught them this morning. He used a thrust with his index finger on one after he watched Kanon get increasingly red faced. As she listened to his monologue, he modified his facial expression.
“Chiyoda-senpai, what would happen if Public Moral members went around starting their own personal brawl?”
“Aah… but he...”
“There is no 'but he'. Okay, after the occurrence of sexual harassment, it’s best to have the Disciplinary Committee conduct a trial. As a general rule, the testimony of a Public Moral Committee member can be considered independent evidence.”
“Oi?”
In the confusion brought on by the swift change in the status quo, Kirihara kept out of it; nonetheless Tatsuya and Kanon didn’t take their eyes off of each other.
“O K A Y? Will you please restrain yourself from acting like a pot boiling over.”
“…Understood”
The sulky faced Kanon was too busy averting her eyes to be aware of Sayaka’s mutter of “… doesn't what you just did count as sexual harassment, too?”
“Now that you mention it, isn't the Student Council election coming up real soon?”
At last, the chaotic situation had subsided. In order to move from the talk of the Public Moral succession, Sayaka had brought up this topic for the second time today (at least for Tatsuya). To keep any club members from putting fuel on the fire, Sayaka hospitably introduced the perfect water cooler gossip topic.
“At the end of the month, right. Yeah, I’d call that real soon.”
Kirihara responded to Sayaka’s question. “I’ve heard it’s going to be a one-on- one match between Hattori-kun and Nakajou-san.”
Paying no attention to the difference between first and second course, Kanon quickly joined her fellow second years’ conversation.
“Nope, Hattori isn’t doing it.”
For Tatsuya the déjà vu conversation had been broken up by the revelation of a new fact.
“Oh, really?”
It looked like Kirihara’s words were a surprise to Kanon.
“Yep, that Hattori is going to succeed the chief of Club Management. I heard it from him myself that he wasn’t going to take part in the election.”
“Hmmm, Hattori-kun… however it’s proper. Club Management can’t be done by anybody without brute strength.”
Kanon accepted Kirihara’s answer with a proper nod.
He could see what they were saying. The Club Management Group certainly had a more violent image than the Student Council, Tatsuya thought.
Even under normal circumstances, scouting for club members, taking space for club activities and the like caused many inevitable disputes. Thanks to Katsuto’s glare, great big riots hadn’t happened, but an ordinary person couldn’t do the same thing.
However — Tatsuya thought,
This meant that of the strongest candidates for Student Council President, both would not take part in the election.
Just who is going to be the next Student Council President…
◊ ◊ ◊
After the patrol was over, homeward bound. Miyuki had just finished with the Student Council.
Leo, Erika, Mizuki, Honoka, and Shizuku were done with club activities. Mikihiko was done with his independent training in the practice room.
It had been a while since Tatsuya could mingle with his usual circle. They crowded around a table in a coffee shop that was on the way to the station.
And in nearly no time the topic became the upcoming election. “Hmmm… to tell the truth, a little unreliable.”
Leo gave a cold appraisal of Azusa. “But her true abilities tower over others.”
“I believe it’s better to have a gentle person as Student Council President.” Shizuku and Mizuki seemed to be members of the Support Azusa party. “Anyway, the possibility of Hattori-senpai has completely disappeared, right?” This was a repeated inquiry of Erika.
“Aah, it seems like he himself has told others about it so there doesn’t seem to be a way to be mistaken about it. Even the Student Council President can’t steal the person who is the next successor to the Club Management Group Leader.”
Tatsuya replied with an affirmative.
“That’s true… I don’t believe even those people could stand against chief Juumonji.”
Countless nods of yes, yes came from Erika’s side.
“Therefore, after all, Nakajou-senpai is the only possible person who can become a candidate.”
Mizuki returned to the topic of the next Student Council President.
“But, she herself has said she doesn’t want to do it, right? Okay, Miyuki, become a candidate!”
“Wait, Erika, what nonsense are you spouting?”
Miyuki’s eyes widened in response to Erika’s surprising remark.
But, unexpectedly, it seemed that Erika was really taken with her own suggestion.
“It’s not like there’s any regulation prohibiting first years from becoming Student Council President, right? In the recent Nine Schools Competition, Miyuki not only took part in the Newcomers Icicle Break, but battled against second and third years in Mirage Bat and won. I think your true power and popularity make you perfect.”
“Don’t say such nonsense. In general, a high school student’s ‘true power’ cannot only be measured by magic power?”
“If it’s scholarship, we have Tatsuya here. Once you become Student Council President, you can appoint anyone as staff.”
Mizuki entered support for Erika’s position in Miyuki and Erika’s back and forth conversation.
“Yeah, that’s right. President Saegusa was getting rid of the first course only limit.”
“Even Mizuki…”
It was a superficially chiding remark, but a waver could be felt in Miyuki’s voice.
“Yeah, yeah. That’s right, if you were president, you could head hunt Tatsuya- kun from the Public Moral Committee… .”
At Erika’s Mephistopheles-like (a young girl version) whisper, Miyuki visibly trembled.
“Conversely, wouldn’t it be okay if Tatsuya became Student council president?” “Oh, that sounds interesting.”
As childhood friends, they didn’t compete with each other, but this time Mikihiko blew Erika’s outrageous idea out of the water with one of his own.
While Leo gazed around blankly at these evil plots, Tatsuya asserted, “That’s impossible.”
“Certainly, if it was Miyuki there might be enough support for the idea to make it happen, but I could not collect enough ballots.”
However, Shizuku had a different opinion.
“But, Tatsuya-san, you took a major role in the Nine Schools Competition,” “No, Shizuku… I was part of the backstage crew for the victory and only competed in one event. It’s said that the work of those who work behind the scenes can not be comprehended if you’re viewing the front.”
Once again, Tatsuya denied the possibility of being elected, but Honoka raised her voice in a fervent rebuttal.
“Still, if Tatsuya-san was ever placed on the ballot, I would absolutely vote for him!”
“Me too Onii-sama. If Onii-sama ever ran for office, I would campaign for you by distributing leaflets or anything else you wanted me to do.”
Surrounded on both sides by Miyuki and Honoka, who were subtly competing over who was more enthusiastic, Tatsuya realized he had a slight headache.
