Book 1 Chapter 186
After the sparring matches concluded, Leo walked towards the spectator seats where the first-year students were waiting. Everyone watched Leo with bated breath. It was astonishing that a first-year student managed to achieve a temporary tie against the strongest student. Furthermore, Leo was a contractor of the Phoenix. He would soon gain the strength fitting for a student council president. Thus, everyone realized that even though Leo was a first-year, he undeniably had the qualifications of a student council president.
The first-year students also watched Leo with tense eyes.
'Is Leo really becoming the student council president?'
'Really?'
'Aren't we going to have to worry about what the upperclassmen think?'
'Besides, he's already the most powerful student in Lumern since his first year.'
The first-year students had complex feelings. The upperclassmen were no different.
'Ugh! If this continues, that first-year student will actually become the student council president!'
'But there's no grounds to stop him. Elena already recommended Leo Flob for student council president.'
'At this point, do we really have to win over Leo Flob? If the trend is like this, Leo Flob is easier to handle than Elena Zeron.'
The second-year students screamed internally.
The third-year students were still watching Elena’s reaction.
And the fourth-year students were thinking that perhaps it might be better to have a first-year as student council president at this point.
Amidst various complicated gazes.
*Peep-*
"Are you hungry?"
Leo, on his way to the Class 5 seats, frowned and took out a chocolate from his pocket, placing it on his palm.
*Flap-flap-* Fiora, flying to Leo's hand, pecked at the chocolate and ate it.
Having finished in an instant, Fiora looked up at Leo, spread her wings, and hopped.
*Peep! Peep! Peep!*
"What? You want more? There isn't any."
*Screech-*
"If you keep this up, you'll really become a pig."
At that, Fiora flew above Leo's head and tugged at his white hair.
'So cute!'
'I want it! The Phoenix!'
Seeing Fiora, the students who had momentarily forgotten their complex thoughts shouted.
As Leo sat down, the students of Class 5 rushed towards him.
"What! What is it! When did you contract with a Phoenix?"
"That's amazing!"
"Leo! Let me see it too!"
Fiora looked bewildered as students gathered around. It was the first time she had ever received such enthusiastic attention. But her embarrassment didn't last long. She gracefully lifted her head above Leo's head.
"Kyaaaaah!"
"Cute!"
As the female students of Class 5 screamed with delight, Fiora struck various poses. With each pose, the reactions intensified, making Fiora even more proud.
"Oops! Hey! Professor Halind is glaring at us!"
"Gasp!"
But as Karl shouted urgently, they quickly returned to their seats. Fiora, who had been quite proud, looked around in confusion as the crowd dispersed.
Amidst the commotion.
Kalian, who had been watching the situation from the most prestigious seat, looked at Leo.
"So, he has proven himself worthy of being the student council president."
Kalian nodded at Riben's mumbling and stood up.
"What do you intend to do?"
"If it's proven, isn't it time to finalize it?"
At those words, Riben said,
"Surprising. I knew you liked Leo Flob, but I didn't expect you to support him this actively."
"Isn't he a student who deserves it?"
Kalian smiled at Riben's words and descended to the sparring grounds.
As Kalian, the principal, suddenly walked into the center of the sparring grounds, all the students looked surprised.
Looking around at the students, Kalian spoke.
"All first-years, you did well. I believe you've all felt and learned many things during the sparring matches."
Kalian looked at the first-year students with a serious expression.
"Some of you may have discovered how much you've grown compared to half a year ago, and others may have directly experienced the growth of students you thought were inferior to you."
Some students showed proud expressions, while others showed resentful ones.
"This is the path you must walk. You must compete endlessly and grow endlessly. That is how you become closer to being heroes. This is the path your seniors have walked, and it's the path I've walked as well."
Smiling kindly, Kalian continued.
"And I will also speak about the student council president."
Everyone held their breath.
Looking at the tense faces of the entire student body, Kalian said,
"Lumern's motto is 'Overcome your limits.' In other words, it means that anything can happen."
Kalian looked at the spectators where the upperclassmen were seated.
"Do you think student Leo lacks the qualifications for student council president?"
No student could answer. Leo himself had a sparring match equivalent to the strongest student. Furthermore, he was a contractor of the Phoenix. Based on everything Leo had shown so far, he was more than qualified to be student council president. Of course, the current Leo was not the 'strongest student'. But Leo was a first-year. He possessed boundless potential. He showed the potential to overtake the current powerhouses in the blink of an eye.
"Not many students have the qualifications for student council president. Even fewer have the aptitude."
Halind chuckled.
"I have accepted the recommendation of Res Zerdinger because I judged Leo Flob to possess both the qualifications and aptitude for student council president."
No one could respond.
"Therefore, I intend to appoint Leo Flob as student council president here and now. Does anyone have any objections?"
Not only the entire student body but also the professors were surprised, yet no student raised an objection.
After observing them for a moment, Kalian said,
"Res Zerdinger, Leo Flob, come forward."
At his words, Leo and Res stepped into the center of the sparring grounds again.
"The official appointment will be at the end of the second semester, but the handover must begin now, so I thought it best to announce it in front of the students. What do you think?"
"I agree."
"Me too."
At their words, Kalian smiled and nodded.
"Very well. Then, from this moment on, I declare Leo Flob as the next student council president."
At the declaration, the entire student body exchanged glances. But as Res started clapping, they cautiously glanced at each other and then began to clap as well.
Clap- Clap- Clap- Clap-
As the unprecedented emergence of a first-year student council president unfolded, various gazes crossed. Elena propped her chin and smiled.
'Now, I must help Leo-kun so he can shine as the student council president.'
Even as she thought this, she scanned the third-year students, narrowing her eyes.
'What about those who are displeased?'
Among the third-year students, there were those who would obey Elena's word absolutely. However, there were also many who acted on their own accord.
'I need to manage them before they do something foolish using my name.'
Elena smiled a tyrant's smile.
Meanwhile, the fourth-year spectators were calm.
"Not bad, Leo Flob?"
Hark's eyes sparked with competitive spirit.
"It would be fun to fight that guy."
Watching Hark, who, except when sleeping, only thought of competing with others, his classmates sighed deeply.
"Leo, would you say a few words about becoming the student council president in front of the students?"
At Res's words, Leo received a microphone amplified with sound-spreading magic.
As Leo held the microphone, everyone looked tense.
Scanning them all, Leo spoke.
"I will do my best so that the fact that a first-year has become student council president does not bring shame to the school."
The professors nodded at his exemplary answer.
"And if you experience it and don't like it or have any complaints, come find me. If you defeat me in a fight, I will hand over the student council president position."
"……!"
"……!"
Everyone gaped at Leo. His words were essentially a provocation to the second, third, and fourth-year students. Even Res looked at Leo with an incredulous expression.
"Pfft! Puhahahaha! Hahahahahaha!"
Hark, sitting in the fourth-year spectator seats, burst into laughter, clutching his stomach.
"I like it! That's right! If you're going to be the student council president, known as the strongest student, you should have that kind of spirit!"
"You find this funny? If things go wrong, we might have a student council president battle starting next year!"
One of the fourth-year students rebuked Hark. The student council president holds immense power. If misused, it could cause tremendous chaos for the school itself. Lumern's history was not without such precedents. Yet, at his student council president appointment, Leo had announced that 'if you can just beat me,' you could become the student council president. The upperclassmen couldn't help but covet the position.
"Leave him be. He's not thoughtless, and he's confident, so he's challenging them so boldly, isn't he?"
Hark, with his arms crossed, looked at Leo with eyes blazing more fiercely than usual.
"Fifth year is going to be interesting too."
Amidst this, Leo added.
"Ah. And I've already thought of the vice student council president. It will be Hark Liguret, a senior from the fourth year."
"Huh?"
"Hark-senpai will also handle all the student council's practical affairs."
Everyone looked surprised as Leo continued his announcement with a placid expression. The student council president's power comes from practical affairs. Entrusting the source of that power to Hark?
'No, there's no way that person would do such troublesome things in the first place?'
All students focused on Hark. And as expected, Hark shot up from his seat.
"Why do I have to do such troublesome things?"
Seeing Hark protesting with a contorted face, Leo looked as if he had heard something strange.
"Hark-senpai. I will be the student council president from next year, correct?"
"Yes."
"The student council president has the authority to appoint personnel, right?"
"That's right."
"So, I ordered you to do it."
Hark's face contorted mercilessly. Hark, too, was not known for his good temper, though his personality was not well-known due to his constant sleeping. Seeing Hark's grim expression, everyone looked tense. A bizarre scene unfolded with the new student council president and vice president clashing from the start. And the content was strange.
'No, is he refusing because he doesn't want to do the practical work?'
"Who would do that? I refuse."
"I refuse your refusal."
"Who do you think you are?"
"I'm the student council president."
Leo laughed.
"Do as you're told."
"Gasp? Th-that guy…!"
Hark clutched the back of his neck, looking at the insolent junior student council president. He felt like his low blood pressure, acquired from sleeping all day, was being cured.
"Hey! Say something! He's already stepping on seniors just because he became student council president!"
Hark glared at his classmates. However, the fourth-year students looked intrigued.
"If Hark has the real power, isn't that good for us?"
"Yeah, after all, the student council's strength comes from practical affairs."
"Looking at him usually, he deserves to be told this by a first-year."
No one stood up for Hark, who always slept through everything.
"You guys really…"
Hark's body trembled. Seeing this, Leo smiled.
"Power really is something, isn't it?"
At those words, Hark had to clutch the back of his neck again.
***
Seirun.
"Student council president? A first-year?"
"Leo Flob… isn't that the guy who recently conquered the Ancestor's Heroic Dungeon?"
The elf students also reacted with surprise. Seirun students were not very interested in the affairs of other hero academies. They were full of confidence that they themselves were the best hero candidates. However, the fact that a first-year became student council president was enough to cause a stir even in Seirun.
"They say he contracted with a Phoenix?"
"…We might have to be a little tense for this Seru match."
The upperclassmen of Seirun were generally wary of Leo.
Meanwhile, Lunia, in her classroom, clenched her fist while looking at the newspaper.
'Leo became the student council president?'
Just as she thought she was catching up, he had taken another step forward.
'Good! I'll quickly contract with a Phoenix too and follow in his footsteps!'
Lunia's eyes burned fiercely.
Meanwhile, Eiran, sitting next to her, giggled while clipping a photo of Leo from the newspaper.
'Lord Leo in this newspaper photo looks so cool.'
Eiran, who had a hobby of collecting items related to heroes, had been diligently recording Leo's exploits lately.
***
"…He's doing well. A first-year as student council president."
"They say he contracted with a Phoenix?"
"I want to fight him once!"
Voices filled with competitive spirit were heard from everywhere.
Amidst this, a beast-girl sitting in her classroom seat swayed her white cat tail and looked down at the newspaper.
'Black Rabbit!'
Ar, who had declared the boy her rival, perked up her ears at the news.
As the world paid attention, Lumern was moving in a new direction.