Book 1 Chapter 850
850.
Speculation about a department-wide food war, which started in a 3rd-year Magic Department class, quickly spread throughout the entire school.
At the same time, students quickly fell into a panic.
“Doesn't the student council president seem to be getting more and more wicked?”
“Now, on top of everything else, a food war?”
The 5th-year students of the Magic Department, nearing graduation, looked at their juniors with pity.
Especially for the 4th-year students, their juniors by one year and the ones who had been at school the longest, the 5th-years personally patted them on the shoulder.
During the first semester.
Though the 4th and 5th-year students had become a little awkward due to friction before the entrance ceremony, all hard feelings had disappeared after being tormented by Leo throughout the first semester.
“We're graduating soon, but what about you all?”
“We only have one year left too. It's the 3rd-years who are suffering.”
The 3rd-year students made strange expressions, watching the 4th and 5th-year students who genuinely felt sorry for them.
‘If you look at it that way, the 1st and 2nd-years will be tormented until Leo graduates, so what?’
The 3rd-years looked at the 1st and 2nd-years.
“Well, the 1st and 2nd-years will also suffer together until Leo graduates.”
The 3rd-years, who had been replying to their seniors, paused for a moment.
‘Wait. If you think about it, we're the ones who have been tormented by Leo for five whole years.’
Leo had been the class representative since his first year.
And, knowingly or unknowingly, he had wielded immense influence over the entire grade since his admission.
They were the ones who, knowingly or unknowingly, had suffered directly or indirectly from that influence.
‘Now that I think about it, we really are the most pitiful.’
The 3rd-years' expressions turned slightly gloomy.
While the students were marveling at the current situation.
Elena sat on the sofa, arms crossed and legs crossed.
A classmate from the Magic Department spoke to Elena.
“Elena. What's the student council president's game this time?”
“I don't know either.”
“What?”
“This is something I don't know about either.”
“Huh? Usually, didn't he discuss things with you before moving forward?”
“School matters, yes.”
“That's unexpected.”
Elena responded to her Magic Department classmate's remark.
“That's why I'm a little puzzled. Did the president really do this…?”
“Hmm. Is he saying it's time to graduate? Could Lil know something?”
“Hmm?”
Elena tilted her head.
Elena, her eyes narrowed, gently twirled her hair with her fingertips.
The 5th-year Magic Department student, who hadn't seen her expression, continued to speculate.
“I should ask Lil if she knows anything… Mph?!”
Other 5th-year students next to him clamped his mouth shut and dragged him to a secluded spot.
“Oh dear~ Senior Elena. We've managed to get some cake, please have some.”
The 4th-years, sweating nervously, offered the hard-to-find cake to Elena.
Meanwhile, the 5th-year who had been dragged to the corner was getting chewed out by his classmates.
“How could you be so oblivious, with less than half a year left until graduation?!”
“Can't you see she's in a bad mood?!”
“Ah, no. I just… wanted everything to go well….”
Listening to her sniffling classmate, Elena poked the cake with a fork.
The 1st and 2nd-years watched their seniors with bewildered faces, and the 3rd-years also showed a slightly nervous reaction to their seniors' behavior.
Elena, who had been habitually twirling her hair, subtly lowered her hand.
It was a habitual action whenever something displeased her.
‘Since that person became president, the scale of things has been so huge that I stopped doing it.’
It was also a habit that her classmates and the 4th-year juniors could instantly recognize as a sign of Elena's low mood.
And for the 4th and 5th-years who knew about Elena's 'prodigal' days, it was a trauma-inducing action.
‘I'm not a child who acts out on a whim anymore, though.’
Elena let out a small laugh.
“Hiccup.”
The 4th-years, seeing her, involuntarily hiccupped.
Elena made an abashed expression.
‘It's hard to even laugh. Am I really that scary?’
Thinking to herself, Elena recalled her past actions.
Come to think of it, it seems her classmates were practically living on stomach medicine until their third year.
‘…It was pretty bad.’
While Elena was repenting her past actions,
several students appeared.
The corridor where the Magic Department students currently stood was near the Magic Department dormitory.
In other words, it was the Magic Department's territory.
Normally, students from other departments would occasionally be seen there, but currently, with each department on alert, no students from other departments were visible.
Those who appeared were students from the Merchant Club, part of the Magic Department, who had gone to acquire food.
Naturally, it was the Merchant Club that was shining in this demand crisis.
“Phew! With this, we won't have to worry for a while.”
“Karl! We're reassured with you here!”
“I told you, resourcefulness shines at times like these!”
“Our department has the best supporter!”
Cheers erupted from the Magic Department students.
It was true.
Among those from the Merchant Club, Karl's abilities were exceptional.
In this situation, the one who shone brightest was none other than Karl.
“For now, each department is securing food through its own supply network. But it wouldn't be strange if a struggle for dominance breaks out soon.”
“Securing food is important, but distribution is also crucial.”
Chelsea and Chloe, who had gone along as escorts in case of an unforeseen attack, said with serious faces.
At their words, Karl scratched his head.
“Senior Elena. Did Leo say anything special?”
“No, he didn't.”
“It's perplexing that there's no announcement. Is he perhaps watching this situation from the student council president's office?”
“If it's the president, he would absolutely do that.”
“Ugh… surely we won't end up starving, will we?”
“I feel like a refugee!”
Most students were convinced that Leo had orchestrated this situation.
Elena made a peculiar expression.
‘There's no physical evidence that Leo did it, but…’
If it's Leo, he's more than capable of this.
That thought was strongly ingrained in the students' minds.
‘Is this why one's usual conduct is so important?’
Of course, even while thinking that, Elena didn't tell them that this food shortage might not be Leo's doing.
‘Watching them suffer on their own is quite amusing.’
It was because of this personality that her small action just now had triggered trauma in her classmates and juniors, but Elena didn't think much of it.
“Shouldn't we protect this food well too?”
At that moment, Juen said seriously.
“Unless they're incredibly bold, no one will invade right now.”
Juen shook her head at Karl's words.
“No. If it's Senior Leo, there's a high probability he'd directly target this food.”
“…Indeed.”
“Ugh! How wicked! Student Council President!”
Tense expressions appeared here and there.
“Alright, alright. Let's prepare well for any eventuality. First, let's look for the entrance to the student council president's office.”
This Clock Tower dormitory is interwoven with magic-made secret passages like a labyrinth.
Among them, the student council president's office even has a door that can go anywhere if one puts their mind to it.
That meant that if they found the secret passages well, they could conversely reach the student council president's office.
“Indeed. If Leo has deliberately hidden himself, then finding Leo would be the only key to solving this problem.”
“Now, on top of everything else, do we have to play hide-and-seek with the student council president in this dormitory?”
“That's terrible….”
It was then that an impromptu mission to find the absent Leo was even created.
“Intruder! It's an intruder!”
“Stop them!”
A voice filled with alarm came from the other side of the corridor.
At the sudden situation, the Magic Department students' eyes widened.
“Wow. The security at each dormitory must be tight, and someone's just invading like this?”
Chelsea wore an incredulous expression.
“Just what kind of ignorant person invades so recklessly, without thinking?”
It was then that Karl let out a hollow laugh.
Fzzzzt-!
The sound of lightning surging echoed throughout the entire corridor.
Along with it, a Pegasus appeared from around the corner of the corridor.
“Kweeeek!”
“It's Eliza! Eliza has invaded!”
“Don't you know summoning a spirit beast inside the dormitory is against school rules?!!!”
Screams erupted among the panicked students.
It was then that Karl, seeing his girlfriend who had recklessly and ignorantly invaded, momentarily wore a dumbfounded expression.
Crackle-!
True to being a top-speed spirit beast, the Pegasus charged forward at incredible speed.
“Protect the food!”
As everyone wore bewildered expressions,
Whirrrrr-! Thwack-!
“Eh?”
Eliza swung her whip and wrapped it around Karl's neck.
Karl's face turned pale.
“W-W-Wait a momeent! Cough!”
Karl was dragged away by Eliza just like that.
Eliza, with Karl on her back, increased her speed to leave the Magic Department's territory.
“K-Karl has been kidnapped!”
“Why Senior Karl?”
As the Magic Department students showed bewildered reactions, Chloe urgently shouted.
“Karl holds a tight grip on the student food supply and distribution network! Long-term, it'll be a huge pain if Karl isn't here!”
At those words, the Magic Department students' expressions changed drastically.
Vwoom! Click-!
Just then, Juen summoned a magic staff in the form of a cannon and loaded it.
“Hey! Juen, using magic in the dormitory is….”
“Senior Eliza summoned a spirit beast first! And are we just going to let Senior Karl be taken away quietly?”
Replying like that, Juen aimed at Eliza and fired.
Boom-!
With powerful magic, an explosion echoed, and a magic bullet targeted Eliza.
Eliza scoffed at the powerful magic flying from behind her.
Crackle-!
As Eliza's Pegasus unleashed powerful lightning, a magnetic field barrier was generated.
Pow-!
Seeing her magic easily blocked, Juen prepared her next attack.
Just as other Magic Department students were about to prepare their spells,
Elena, who had been sitting on the sofa with her arms crossed, snapped her fingers.
Then, countless ropes of light generated in the air and flew straight towards Eliza.
Feeling that, Eliza stirred up even more spiritual power.
“Hmm?”
Watching Eliza accelerate further, Elena made an amused expression and snapped her fingers once more.
Flash-!
This time, a wall of magical power, created by magic, formed in front of Eliza.
Kiiiing-!
“Karl.”
“Uh, huh?”
“Hold on tight.”
Pure white lightning surged around Eliza's body.
“C-Can I hold on? I won't get electrocuted, right?”
Karl, flustered, nevertheless grabbed Eliza from behind and hugged her tightly.
Crackle-!
The Pegasus, becoming a streak of light, galloped forward.
Boom-!
It broke straight through Elena's magic wall.
Eliza glanced back at Elena's binding magic, which had reached right behind her.
‘Up, down, down, left, right, right.’
Swoosh-! Swoosh-! Swoosh-!
And then, she dodged the binding magic at the precise timing.
“Hmm?”
‘Leo did say that her spirit beast control skills were superior to his own.’
Elena curled up the corners of her lips.
‘I can't stop that one.’
The moment Elena made that judgment, Eliza instantly left the Magic Department's territory.
“Kyaaaak!”
“Karl has been kidnapped!”
“Let's go rescue him!”
The Magic Department students quickly began to formulate a plan to retrieve Karl.
Elena, watching them, tilted her head.
‘By the way. For someone kidnapped, Karl offered almost no resistance, did he?’
“Elena. To rescue Karl— *Gasp*?!”
The 5th-years who were talking to Elena recoiled in fright.
Before long, a mischievous glint began to clearly show in Elena's eyes.
The exceptionally clever Elena easily came to speculate about Karl and Eliza's relationship.
‘It seems these two are leisurely having a romance, huh?’