Volume 20, Brain Storming

Volume 20, Brain Storming

She wanted to have a grand, happy activity.

"……So what do you plan on doing?"

Leu's cold remark interrupted Samiraya's proposal. She still had her hands raised high in a posture that expressed 'grand'.

The two of them sat on either side of the president's table in the Student Council President's room, in front of the table of the vice president who still did not yet exist. Samiraya kept up her movements expressing 'grand', but Leu looked at a file she held without even batting an eyelash.

"Don't ignore me!"

"Aren't I noticing you right now?"

"Look here!"

"Really."

After sighing, Leu raised her head, and Samiraya happily and vigorously made her 'grand' motions.

"Nn, I already know that."

"You're so cold!"

Samiraya showed a pouty expression. But this was already an old trick, so Leu ignored that reaction and coldly went on with the topic.

"Then, what kind of activity would make everyone happy?"

"A festival!"

Samiraya still continued her 'grand' motions.

"Even if we aren't responsible for holding something like a festival, the Business department and shopping areas and other large club organizations will send us loads of plans. For example, I'm looking at one of them right now."

Leu tapped the file she had been looking at until recently with a pen.

Leu had just listed many organizations, and what she was holding was the festival plan that those organizations had proposed.

"After all, the period of welcoming the new students has ended, so the Business department plans on thinking up some tricks."

The period of time where new students were introduced to basic knowledge about the Academy City by the seniors had already ended, but the shopkeepers wanted the new students to continue patronizing the stores that they liked, and they also wanted the shops that they like to be their own. Because of this, the shopkeepers would hold special discount sales, and there were also stores that would announce events for new students.

"I believe that there's no need at all right now for such an activity to be held."

"Wu-"

Before those correct remarks, Samiraya showed a dissatisfied expression.

"That's not what I'm talking about!"

"Then can I ask you what it is? Don't just use your feelings to explain things."

"Auu!"

"It's Sami's bad habit."

"Aww……"

Samiraya held her head listlessly, and Leu moved her gaze from her body back to the file. These organizations planned on using their own resources to hold a festival, so Leu truly wanted to tell them 'as you wish', but if she let them do whatever they wanted, it even might lead to problems, and the students would be ill-supervised. So, she first had to set the guidelines for during the festival, and the Student Council could only give their approval after checking that the students' festival plans were in accordance with the regulations.

After the Student Council's audit, the festival would be written into the school calendar. That way, it could attract the notice of others, and secondly they could also adjust the schedule to make sure that festivals didn't overlap with each other. That way, doing so would not only restrict the festivals, but it would also help them out.

Originally, it should have been the work of the bureaucracy downstairs, but because there were far too many proposals, Leu had reached out her hand to help.

Samiraya had also helped, and then she had said the lines just now.

"……It couldn't be that you just don't want to look at these documents, right?"

"M……Mean~ie~ No one thinks like that. Anyway, I have qualifications for being a desk worker too."

"I know that."

Leu couldn't feel that she would be a very serious desk worker.

"But, I still want to hold an activity led by the Student Council. Not some activity like 'long live Business!' bur something nicer, like some activity that says 'the Student Council is a nice place'."

"Sami……"

It wasn't that Leu didn't understand her demands.

"But still no."

"Why!"

◇

Because they were far too busy.

"So, I was completely refused."

"Oh……"

Why would he be in this kind of place - Layfon thought about this.

In order to maintain his Dite, Layfon had headed to the research lab of Harley and the others, and had been asked there to send a file to the Student Council. His Dite still needed some time to be fully inspected, so Layfon didn't mind helping out with that small task, so he came to the Student Council building……

"Are you listening?"

"I'm listening."

Layfon didn't know why he had been accosted by Samiraya and even brought to a place inside the Student Council building that people usually didn't come to, by the vending machine area.

"Ah, I also understand the meaning Leu wants to express……"

Layfon had once worked in this building, so he knew that this was the resting area used by the students who worked in the Student Council. Other than Samiraya and Layfon who were sitting on chairs, there weren't any other people here right now.

"Because the Student Council is truly very busy. But, the Student Council is normally already very busy, and more importantly every place wants to hold an activity like a festival. With that mindset, during the entire year there might be some place holding a festival. Moreover, the Student Council also has to deal with other school administrative work. If we take being busy as a reason, then we won't be able to do anything. Do you get it?"

"Oh……"

"President Karian was very conservative when he approved of a festival because quite a few things happened last year. After all, we need to consume selenium to provide power. Was it also a tactic to tighten the policy on energy use? I feel like it probably was."

"Really?"

Even so, Layfon felt that all kinds of activities had been held here. If that counted as conservative, what would happen this year?

"Ahh, right. You've never seen those grand occasions."

Seeing Layfon's reaction, Samiraya thought of Layfon's year.

"It's really fierce. Every day there were places holding festivals, and though it was truly very fun, we received many petitions complaining that the festival is too noisy, and it was even rowdy to the point that students had to agree that certain regions would have 'no festival weeks'."

"That's too much…… Uh, I've also seen those before!"

Layfon had once seen those words written on a dorm calendar, and remembered that he and some other dorm residents in the same year had discussed how baffling it was.

"Before those regulations were set up, the situation was really chaotic. Festivals would be too frequent, noises would be too loud, and the opposition even set up a secret organization like the Anti-Festival Committee and took many radical actions."

"What?"

"Ah, you don't believe it, huh. But it really happened."

"Really?"

"Really really. It was a very intense protest, and it even led to the City Police having to mobilize. The Military Arts Head Vance who didn't have any connection with the Student Council at the time even fought with the Military Artists of the secret organization."

"Oh……"

"The Masked Festival Man who protected the festival music in everyone's hearts - it was so moving."

Samiraya said this with great emotion, but Layfon just felt a chill.

"……You mean Vance-senpai?"

"Of course."

"Is that a lie?"

"Why?"

"…………"

"??"

Layfon moved his gaze from Samiraya whose head was tilted and who showed a confused expression. Layfon could only shake his head when he thought of Vance wearing festival clothes and with a festival mask on his face.

"In the end, Karian who was not yet the Student Council President ended the battle between the Anti-Festival Committee and the others. If you're interested, you can go read the Student Council activity records in the library. If you're willing to look, you might even be able to find hardcopy records."

"Uh…… Do you want to hold a festival?"

After deciding to forget those things that he had heard, Layfon warily asked this.

"Right, a festival held by the Student Council."

"But won't there be many festivals this year?"

If they had placed limitations on the holding of festivals because the number of selenium mines had become few, then since the number of selenium mines had increased this year, it meant that the situation would return to how it had been before Layfon entered.

"Right."

"In that case, then for what reason……"

"Ahh, really. Didn't I just say I didn't want to hear that kind of talk!"

"S……sorry."

But, Layfon also believed Leu's reasons were very just.

"Even if the reasons for holding them are different, we'll be buried in festivals if there are that many……"

"Err, that makes sense."

Samiraya murmured while deeply thinking. Maybe she would give up with this - Layfon relaxed a bit, thinking this.

However, his thoughts were too naive.

"That means that it'll be fine if both the reason for holding the festival and the external appearance are different, right?"

"What?"

"As long as other people look at it and think 'Ah, this is different!', it'll be fine, is that how it is?"

"Huh? Uh, ah…… That's how it is………… I think?"

Though Layfon felt that something was a bit off, he was unable to resist Samiraya's excited momentum as her eyes shone.

As for what Layfon could do……

"Then, what good ideas do you have?"

He could only make Samiraya finish saying what she wanted to say, and then end this conversation.

(Even if the idea she says is very strange, I just need to let it go in one ear and out the other.)

Moreover, if she had to verbalize it rather than just think about it, sometimes that would produce the unexpected thought 'Ah, that won't work'. He expected Samiraya to make that kind of response.

Layfon nodded in his heart while he waited for her next words with a smile.

"I guess let's dig a big pit trap over there first?"

"I don't think we should do that."

Layfon's plan had failed.

He didn't even think about it and blurted out those words.

"Wait! There's still more!"

"……What?"

Seeing Samiraya being that frantic, Layfon naturally softened after seeing her look.

"The location of the festival will be in an underground facility! And moreover, how to get there will be a secret. Then, the festival goers will fall into the trap, and everyone will drop in with a boom without knowing!"

"Stop!"

"Why?"

Layfon couldn't understand at all.

"Isn't that very dangerous?"

"I'll take care of it for sure, people won't get hurt."

"If you do that, won't people who didn't plan on joining the festival fall in the trap?"

"My goal is also to let those people also attend the festival!'

"There will definitely be people who will complain!"

"Huh - won't it be fine if we prepare things that will make people feel interested once they see them?"

"I think that it will be extremely difficult to do that."

"I'll think of something."

It was important how one gathered a crowd, but content should be considered first. Maybe that was actually right? After all, Layfon was an outsider to planning festivals, so he didn't know what would be good.

However-

"Uh, I think that setting a trap isn't a good idea."

"Okay, then we'll leave it out for now."

"Just for now?"

"Just for now."

Samiraya who self-confidently closed the book on this made Layfon feel a chill again.

"So then……?"

"Didn't you also say before? The contents of a festival. That's indeed very important."

"Nn, that's true."

"So let's think of content together. What good ideas do you have?"

"Even if you suddenly ask me that, I……"

When mentioning a festival, the first thing that appeared in his mind was street vendors, as expected……

"That's too ordinary."

"That's true."

"Of course we can have booths, but just having vendors is no good. Since there have been so many festivals recently, guests who are tired of street vendors will be unable to accept it, right?"

"Ah…… That's right."

"……Actually, some places are already planning street vendor competitions, so it will be meaningless even if we look in that direction."

"……What cunning insider information."

"Ah? I won't hesitate to utilize our superiority."

She expressed her fighting spirit beautifully.

"It's fine to have vendor stalls, but we can't primarily have vendor stalls. Though it's stupid not to have them, it's stupid to only have stalls. That's what vendor stalls are about, nn."

"Uh, okay."

Then, what were they going to do.

"Can we do something like a competition?"

"Nn - Like a beauty competition. I feel like it's not bad, but there are many other places holding those kinds of activities."

"In that case, what do you plan on doing?"

"That's it!"

Samiraya stuck out her finger, pointing at him forcefully.

"Everything we could do has probably all been done already, so we have to take a different path and find something new, and then have the Student Council lead that activity. How is it?"

"Even if you ask me how that is……"

Layfon wasn't in the Student Council, so he couldn't give any opinion.

"Ah, right. Do you like jelly?"

"Huh? Uh, I don't particularly like it or hate it."

"Really? It's really yucky if it's too sticky."

"What……? But jellies aren't sticky at all."

"That's true. I think that's the best."

"? Really?"

"Right. Then, what good ideas do you have?"

"Uh, I can't think that fast."

"It's already no good?"

"Yeah……"

Things were way too unreasonable, and Layfon didn't even have the energy to get angry. In any case, he couldn't escape from this place without thinking of some idea - Thinking this, Layfon put his mind to thinking.

"AH, right. If vendors are no good, then why don't we work with the Agriculture department and people who are experts at cooking, and have an activity like a city-wide eating competition?"

"I see, we can let the first-years eat the cuisine of a different city."

Samiraya nodded her head. Her reaction wasn't bad, so maybe that idea would work.

In other words, maybe he could be freed - Layfon expected those to be her next words.

"In other words………… A real-life performance of taking down and roasting an entire animal?"

"Why did it turn into that!"

"Because, though food is important, if use those methods, then we'll also want to introduce livestock special to the Academy City. Roasting an entire animal, that's awesome."

"Uh……"

Indeed, it seemed very impressive to take down and roast an entire animal, and maybe there were animals that tasted better with that method of cooking. And moreover things tasted better for some reason when one ate barbeque outside. But, this was the same psychological effect as why it tasted better to eat vendor food during a festival.

But in terms of impact, maybe vendors couldn't compare.

"……Maybe that idea is unexpectedly good."

But maybe it wasn't that novel of an idea - though Layfon thought this, he didn't s ay it.

"Right! Nnnnnn, you've also begun to understand."

Samiraya seemed very happy, and Layfon relaxed his breath.

Now, he was a step closer to being freed.

"……I still want something else."

Samiraya's murmur surprised Layfon.

However, Samiraya wasn't looking over at Layfon, but deep in contemplation.

"We'll do this, and that will be done this way, and then this……"

Maybe it was her thoughts gradually taking shape inside her heart, but Samiraya murmured to herself.

Just then……

"Ah, you're here!"

"Leu-senpai."

Up through last year, Leu had lived in the same dorm as Nina, so Layfon also recognized her.

"Why is Layfon here too?"

"Uh, how should I explain."

"Ah, I can probably guess what the situation is just by looking."

"Hahaha……"

"Then, what was the Student Council President standing over there messing around with?"

"Leu! I thought of a good idea!"

"What idea?"

"A festival idea!"

"You're still thinking about that?"

"Right, listen to this!"

Leu frowned and made an annoyed expression, but Samiraya wasn't concerned with her reaction.

"So what did it turn into?"

Leu prompted Samiraya to speak, as if she had given up.

"Nn!"

Samiraya nodded vigorously……

"We'll let the participants fall from the trap into a big pond filled with jelly, and then we'll have a fight against an animal in an underground arena, and then roast it whole."

"…………"

"…………"

The language comprehension area of her brain was definitely damaged.

"……Sorry, please say that again."

"Huhh! Really, you didn't hear? How disappointing. Listen, okay? We'll let the participants fall from the trap into a big pond filled with jelly, and then we'll have a fight against an animal in an underground arena, and then roast it whole."

It was exactly the same as the sentence from before, with no change at all.

What to be done? The President had such a self-confident smile on her face, and looked very serious about it.

"That's the plan that Layfon and I thought up!"

"!"

Layfon wanted to loudly protest, but for some reason he got scared, and couldn't even make a sound.

Samiraya had mixed together all of the things she had just discussed with Layfon. She hadn't made any choices or done any adjustments, but just piled them all up haphazardly.

(So that's why……)

Layfon never would have imagined that the question about whether he like jelly was related to safety measures for the pitfall trap.

……She probably felt that this counted as a safety measure.

Layfon wasn't clear on where the plan for an underground arena fight with an animal had come from. She had thought of the word 'underground' from the pitfall trap, and then it had become an arena fight, and then it had mysteriously merged with the idea of roasting a whole animal, and in the end produced that result.

"How is it? Leu, don't you think that idea could work?"

"Nn."

"Huh?"

Just as Layfon had thought Leu had lightly nodded her head to expressed agreement and was about to die from shock, she said the following words with a smile still on her face.

"Instantly rejected."

"Why!"

Samiraya's cry announcing the advent of his freedom. Layfon cheered while accepting that fact.

◇

In front of Leu's angry smile, Samiraya's proposal was just scrap.

"Really~~~~~~~~~Why!"

She let her anger out on her pillow, throwing it forcefully against the wall.

This was Samiraya's room.

After that, Leu had worked Samiraya hard, and she had been forced into dealing with the documents that had accumulated. No, processing documents was the Student Council President's work in the first place, so Samiraya wasn't unhappy, but it was just the atmosphere that Leu's displeased face brought about, which could only be described with the word 'terrifying'. The time that passed in that situation tired out her spirit much more than usual.

So, though Samiraya got home on time, the feeling of fatigue like pulling an all-nighter made her lie on her bed unmoving.

"Really, that stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid Leu doesn't understand! I wanna sleep! I want to end this unlucky day with sleep. I'm gonna sleep, I'm gonna sleep!"

Samiraya shouted while picking up the pillow she had thrown against the wall, and then rolling onto the bed while holding it tightly.

"The jelly pond is definitely a good idea!"

She mumbled this while falling into a world of dreams……

Falling downwards……

Falling……

…………

"Huh?"

Whoosh-

When she came to, she noticed that she was really falling.

"Huh? Huhh?"

Her ears were hearing the cartoon-like sound of falling. Though her vision was black, the feeling of the wind blowing over her skin and the weightless feeling proved that she was currently falling.

"Huhhhhhhhhhhhh?"

The abnormally long fall still continued. If she fell from this high of a place… Even if it were water below, she would definitely die without a doubt…… Even as she calmly thought, she continued falling, and then……

Splut.

A heavy but unexpected sound echoed out.

"Puah! Woah!"

It wasn't water. Some kind of wet and slippery thing with a soft and squishy surface received Samiraya, and it even tried to absorb her.

"What? What is this, it's so sweet, what kind of thing is this sweet!"

Samiraya sank into the mysterious, seemingly both liquid and solid subtance that was also very sweet as she frantically waved her arms and legs to search for a place that she could get out from.

"Huah, g…… Got it!"

Samiraya noticed that some kind of thing that she could climb up with, and she shouted out with joy, not even minding the sweet substance getting in her mouth. She grabbed the thing and climbed out.

"Puah, puah! Really, what's going on……"

A sticky feeling tightly covered her whole body. Samiraya felt annoyed while looking around.

When she did that……

Click click click!

"Yaah!"

At the same time her voice burst out, a strong light also suddenly illuminated the surroundings. The dazzling light made Samiraya feel a bout of dizziness.

Then, a voice reverberated through the entire space.

"Then, this poor challenger has appeared tonight!"

"Huhh?"

Samiraya was surprised, because she had heard this voice before.

"Leu?"

Her eyes got accustomed to the strong light. This was actually a vast space.

"Leu? Where are you?"

The numerous beams of light that shone down from the ceiling drove off the darkness in her surroundings.

Judging from the part that was illuminated by the lights, Samiraya realized that she was in the center of a depression. The ground was quite firm, and was flat.

"Huh? This is……?"

Samiraya wiped her dripping sticky cheeks while thinking about it.

But, the other person didn't give her time to think.

"What kind of intense fight will the victim tonight let us see? How moving will it be?"

Leu's bland voice echoed through the darkness. If Samiraya's position was the lowest point, then Leu was in the highest point by the edge.

The lights behind her made Leu's figure look black.

A group of lights covered Samiraya.

"Wuah!"

"Come, take your weapon. The festival time approaches."

Leu said this.

Samiraya suddenly noticed that there was a large man standing next to her.

"Huh? Goru?"

At some point in time, the Military Arts Head Gorneo had stood next to her.

"Come, take it."

He didn't have his usual bitter expression that was like he had eaten a lemon, but expressionlessly handed over something that was like a stick but which was also mysteriously thick, and even had many objects protruding from it.

"Huh? Huh?"

Samiraya knew that she was being forced to hold this thing. It was a club. Though it was large, it didn't feel heavy at all to the petite Samiraya.

"Huh? This is - you mean……?"

Yes, at this point, even Samiraya couldn't continue being clueless.

This was the completed festival plan that Samiraya had discussed with Layfon, and it was exactly the same.

"Leu! So you actually really like this plan!"

Samiraya shouted this, but Leu who watched her with her head lowered and body immersed in light didn't seem to have any intention of retorting.

"Then, begin the fight."

She blandly said for the festival to begin.

In other words, Samiraya was gradually being dragged into the vortex of the festival.

"Uh, by telling me to take this, you mean……? Huh?"

After thinking of the contents of the plan, Samiraya's face quickly became green.

This bowl-like shape was - an arena.

And, growling noises came from the area hidden by the darkness. The beams of light began moving to illuminate that portion, and the state of that area was slowly revealed.

There, was an entrance even more decorated than the entrances to the practice battlefields.

The door made noise as it opened, and then something appeared.

"That…… That's……"

The animal that seemed as if it had emerged from the darkness was exactly the same as Samiraya had imagined.

The shape of its body was like a slightly flattened sphere, and on from it grew four short legs. A big nose was accompanied by round eyes, and fangs slightly protruded from the mouth that was almost hidden by the nose.

However, its size was easily far greater than Samiraya.

"I never thought that this kind of animal would really exist."

When she had been thinking about her plans, Samiraya had once had the random thought 'It would be good if there was this kind of cute animal', but she never would have thought that the wild animal she had randomly thought up actually existed in the world.

The round-eyed beast seemed somewhat anxious after it was brought inside, but the arena workers still managed to get it in front of Samiraya.

"Bobo."

Samiraya naturally gave it a name, and even called it by that name.

The beast that had been called Bobo looked at Samiraya with its round eyes.

It didn't have any sense of hostility at all, and its lively appearance made Samiraya feel grieved.

However, she had to fight with Bobo.

"How could I, I couldn't fight with Bobo."

Samiraya could only feel emotions swarming her chest, and she was about to cry.

(Sami.)

The emotions swarming her chest were far too strong, and she even heard Bobo's voice.

"Bobo."

(Please, Sami. Nothing comes from fighting.)

"Right, Bobo! I was so stupid to have those kinds of thoughts!"

(Sami.)

"Bobo!"

Samiraya hugged Bobo tightly. Its fur was rough and also prickly, and hugging it wasn't nice and warm at all.

"……It seems like it's not completely the same."

The hairs pricking her face made her euphoria die down slightly.

(Sami……? This is?)

"Bobo?"

Bobo's appearance changed, and Sami showed a confused expression. Afterwards, Bobo's nose twitched violently from beside her.

In front of its nose was the club that Gorneo had given her.

(This is…… This smell is……)

"Huh? Huh?"

(I couldn't be wrong. This is the smell of Popo and Lolo. How could you - Sami, what did you do with this club to Popo and Lolo - to my brothers?)

"Huh? No, I didn't do anything!"

Sami was confused. However, she felt that things were turning into a bad situation. Samiraya hurriedly shook her head to deny it.

Samiraya had just been forced to take this club. So she didn't know who had taken it before or what they had done with it.

No, but…… Right.

If there had been people holding this festival.

If Samiraya hadn't been the first person.

If there were other sacrifices who had fallen into the trap, and completed this festival.

In that situation, Bobo's companions would naturally have been turned into a feast.

Moreover, she understood that Bobo was part of that.

(You lie. Right, of course that's how it is. You plan on tricking me and making me feel safe, and then using that club to kill me. Just like what you did to Popo and Lolo!)

"I said I didn't do it!"

(I won't believe you again! I can't believe you!)

"Yaah!"

Bobo's nose rose upwards, and forcefully knocked back Samiraya's body.

"Bobo!"

(Enemy of my brothers!)

Stamping its short legs into the ground, the fangs that seemed fixed underneath the nose also flashed with a vicious light.

The friendly 'Bobo' from just before no longer existed. Now, what was there was a wild beast who wished to avenge its brothers Popo and Lolo who had been sacrificed because of the festival.

"How could this be, how could this be, how could thinks turn into this……"

Samiraya hadn't thought at all about the club held tightly in her hand, and the history housed in that thing had torn apart the friendship of her and Bobo.

"But, I was the person who thought up this idea. So, so……"

She looked at the club. It was because Samiraya had thought up this plan that the club had appeared here. Bobo had been dragged here, and its brothers had been taken to this cruel underground, and that was also as a result of Samiraya's thinking.

Because Samiraya had thought up this kind of festival.

"So, then……"

She tightly grasped the club.

(Die!)

"I can't fall here!"

Samiraya was the only person who could stop this festival.

Because-

"Because I'm the Student Council President!"

She wiped the tears spilling from her eyes, and came forward to face the enemy in front of her.

Ten minutes later.

The club had been so light when it had just been given into her hands, but right now it was incomparably heavy.

This weight wasn't the original weight of the club, but rather it was created by the heavy feelings of Samiraya as she held it.

"Fighting is really so empty."

She murmured quietly.

The sticky jelly had become even more uncomfortable after it dried, and some was stuck to her clothes or skin, and some was gradually peeling off.

Everything had been thought up by Samiraya.

And this was the outcome that had been produced.

No……

"It's not only me."

Right, hadn't there been someone else? Now that she had the opportunity, Samiraya thought of the guy who had made these plans.

Click!

Leu, who had disappeared in the darkness at some point, was once again bathed in light.

"Well done. Brave soul, you have succeeded in presenting a feast."

"Leu, don't do this kind of thing again!"

"No, I cannot stop. The festival has already begun. Therefore, I have to continue holding it until it ends."

"How could that be……"

After Leu asserted this with a flourish, Samiraya became speechless.

"But, this kind of painful thing should be stopped immediately."

"I can no longer be stopped, that sort of thing will not be permitted."

"Why!"

"Because the feast is right there!"

At the same time as Leu spoke, light illuminated the sacrifice Bobo who was underneath Samiraya's club.

"You couldn't be planning to use Bobo? No, I won't let that happen!"

Bobo's exterior was exactly the same as she had imagined, though the feeling of hugging him was unfortunate. Even so, Samiraya had empathized with him, though the time had been quite short.

Even so, that ending was too cruel-

"You couldn't be thinking of eating Bobo!"

"No, we must eat him."

"Such a thing……"

"That is the law of the moving city, and more importantly, past President Karian also craves a meal."

"What did you say?"

Click!

Another beam of light illuminated an area behind Leu, an even higher elevated place.

"P……President!"

Karian was actually there.

"Hahaha, Samiraya-san, it's been a long time."

"President, why are you here?"

"I'll always be in your hearts, like an annoying spirit."

"I'm not happy at all to hear that!"

"Then, Samiraya-san. The city doesn't have any useless resources. Livestock are raised to fill the stomachs of the people. The supplies we spend in order to raise them must be taken back in this manner. There are no useless things, and that is the same for Bobo who lies there."

Karian's words were very correct, and Samiraya couldn't say anything to oppose them.

However……

"I believe that President Karian's words are correct, but……"

Since the time when Samiraya had still been a desk worker, she had always looked up at the figure of Karian who had saved Zuellni from its plight.

"But, I belive that substance doesn't decide everything."

Karian's decision had been very correct, and it was why the Academy City Zuellni had been able to escape the disastrous crisis of having no selenium mines.

"We can't blindly use up the things that President left us. I only want to let everyone understand that other than substance and money, there are other things that need to be cherished just the same. I want to let everyone know just how important the friends they have here and the six years that they will pass together are."

Right.

She couldn't thank Karian enough. It was because he was here that Samiraya was able to realize her student life, and imagine becoming the Student Council president like this.

However, it was also because of this that Samiraya had to let him see, with his own eyes, an Academy City with a different style from his efficiency and materialism.

She wanted to send those emotions to Karian.

"So I succeeded your position."

"Well……"

After holding Samiraya's gaze, Karian pondered……

Clap……clap……

He slowly clapped his hands.

"Incredible."

"President……"

"If that is your answer, if that is your goal, then I certainly give it to you."

"Th……Thank you."

Karian had recognized her.

"However, might everything already be too late?"

"Huh?"

"Because you see-"

Due to Karian's urging, Samiraya looked backwards.

"Hooray, hooray."

That terrible sound came to her ears.

"Huh?"

And then, there was crimson…… a crimson flame.

Along with Bobo, whose four legs had all been tied with rope and hung upside-down from an iron rod.

The crimson flame was roasting Bobo.

"Hooray, hooray."

Layfon, Nina, even Gorneo and Leu were surrounding the flame, and dancing some indescribable dance.

"Uh, wait!"

"I said you couldn't roast Bobo!"

Just as Samiraya shouted this, she woke up from the dream.

"……Ah, it really was a dream?"

◇

The following day.

The times for going to school and attending classes had already ended, and right now was time for school to let out.

Leu who had entered the Student Council President's room first noticed the remains of yesterday's work still on the table. They were the rejected festival plans, and the formally completed files had indeed been sent to the desk workers.

"A festival, huh……"

She murmured this.

Indeed, if everything were handed over to the people of the Business department to manage, even a festival with cultural significance would be painted in the colors of business.

"……Should we think of something to do?"

Leu murmured this again. Just as she was tidying up the table, Samiraya came in.

"Hey hey hey, Leu!"

The Student Council President was lively today as well.

"Regarding the festival you talked about yesterday……"

"Right! I also wanted to talk about that."

"Ahh, nn. What about it?"

"The idea yesterday, I thought about it for the whole night……"

The idea from yesterday had been truly terrible. Even Samiraya realized that it wouldn't work after calmly thinking about it.

Leu thought so.

"Don't you think that idea really could work?"

Samiraya said those words with a serious face.

"Shut up."

Even if they wanted to hold a festival, they definitely couldn't let Samiraya manage it.

Leu made that decision.