Chapter 7: -all only for you (2)

Chapter 7 – It’s All For You (2)

“A complete overhaul of the curriculum, and a major revision of admission regulations and support policies?”

“Yes, that’s all I’ve heard and confirmed.”

“The intention is clear.”

As rumors spread like wildfire and everyone was in a state of panic, he listened to the news Karl had investigated, his clothes and hair disheveled from being swept through the crowds, and his face hardened.

“In-intention?”

“To train the students. And not just that… as soldiers to fight the enemy. But even if I understand the intention, I don’t know what the ultimate goal is.”

The slogan Eve put forward was about awakening lax spirits and rediscovering their original purpose.

He didn’t believe it entirely, but he couldn’t grasp what Eve was aiming for by making such a radical and risky choice.

“What should we do? All the support policies have changed, and everyone seems to have a lot of complaints.”

“From what I see, the School Head won’t back down. If she were going to back down, she wouldn’t have started this in the first place.”

He gave a bitter laugh.

In truth, no matter how harsh and difficult the education became, it meant little to him, who had experienced numerous horrific battlefields in his past life.

Thanks to the shocking news Eve unleashed, the troublesome matters that almost entangled him at the start of the semester seemed to have fizzled out, but he had a premonition that even more chaotic events would continue to arise.

“This is an excessive and sudden measure! No matter that it’s the result of a general meeting decided by the school and professors, the students cannot stand idly by!”

Indeed, such movements were slowly beginning to emerge right then.

While the clueless freshmen were flailing about, the existing upperclassmen began to band together and voice their opinions.

“You two over there!”

Someone approached him and Karl.

Unlike their red uniforms, the blue badge on her uniform top indicated she was a second-year student.

“I’m Karya from the General Student Council. I’m a second-year.”

Her thick, black hair, tied back tightly in a single braid that reached her shoulders, was complemented by her tall, slender build and smooth, healthy appearance, along with a deep, uncommon coppery skin tone for this place.

She abruptly introduced herself to them and held something out.

“…We are Lassian and Karl, first-year students. What is this?”

“As expected, you two are commoners. Anyway, we’re collecting student petitions now. It’s about this matter.”

She was going around collecting signatures from students who opposed the school’s decision.

This was to show the School Head that so many students were against her.

“It doesn’t seem bad to unite and express their opinions to their superiors, but I intend to wait a while.”

However, he refused to sign.

His refusal was so firm that she was momentarily frozen in surprise.

“Wh-why?! Haven’t you heard properly yet? If things continue like this, your school life will only get harder!”

“It won’t be difficult for everyone. For students confident in their abilities, it’s actually an opportunity.

I believe it’s right to wait a bit and then decide.”

“You…”

Slightly annoyed, she bit her lip and put away the petition form.

Then she stared into his eyes, which were almost the same height as hers.

“Do as you please. What about you?”

“I, I’ll do as Lassian-nim does…”

Eventually, she turned her gaze from Lassian and looked down at Karl beside him.

But this boy, caught between them and just watching, ultimately decided to follow Lassian’s words, not knowing what else to do.

“Whether you’re a mage or a knight, you seem to have great pride in your skills. I’ll be watching. Lassian, and Karl.”

“H-eek!”

Turning around, she glared at them with a pouty face before leaving.

Karl was startled to hear his name mentioned by the scary-looking senior, but Lassian merely bowed his head without a flicker of an eyebrow.

‘What’s with that guy!’

Naturally, even more provoked, Karya stomped her feet and walked away to another spot.

“…You need to develop a bit more conviction, Karl.”

Lassian chuckled only after her retreating figure completely disappeared from view.

****

“School Head.”

“It’s quitting time now. What is that?”

“Today, the petitions and… statements collected by the student councils.”

Being the School Head wasn’t exactly a cushy job.

Especially if I, like now, continuously commit public trolling.

Clicking my tongue, I nodded, instructing Illia to place the documents on my desk, and removed my legs that were propped up on it.

I could see Illia’s lips twitching as she approached.

She seemed to be holding back because she was afraid of me, but in truth, given her personality as a perfectionist secretary, it was natural for her to want to nag me about my constantly unruly behavior.

“Both the General Student Council and the Aristocrat’s Council… seem to have the same stance.”

“Looks like everyone’s doing quite well, after all.”

As she said, pushing up her gold-rimmed glasses, the students’ statements were identical.

The fact that the General Student Council, composed of commoners and minorities, and the Aristocrat’s Council, made up of scions from traditional imperial noble families, had aligned opinions? In my memory, this event didn’t even appear in the original work, so I’ve already achieved a feat.

“It’s natural for the General Student Council students to cause a ruckus, as all the special privileges they enjoyed have vanished. And it would be strange if the Aristocrat’s Council students, who survived without skill through donations and such, didn’t also cause a ruckus.”

“B-but, School Head. If even the students are against it, then surely…”

“I’m going to push through with it, so stop asking.

But yes, I definitely shouldn’t act like a dictator.”

Both the carrot and the stick are naturally needed.

Since I’ve only used the stick so far, it’s time for the carrot.

Besides, I already have something in mind.

“Convene a discussion session.

I want to get everything done before the normal semester starts next week, so tomorrow would be good.”

“With both student councils?”

“Yes. And for the content of the discussion session to be known by all other students, hold it at the grand training ground.”

The professors are also out of their minds, so I have no choice but to keep acting myself.

Of course, for now, it’s faster and more convenient that way, so I’ll continue to take direct action as long as there are no restrictions.

“What is that?”

“It’s an item I prepared for times like these… I suppose.”

That night, I rummaged through my personal belongings in the safe at the residence.

These items were all collected by me even before I transmigrated.

The majority of their origin was the Emperor.

As such, there were many precious items.

But neither my original self nor my current self was one to indulge in luxury.

They weren’t merely simple treasures to begin with.

At any rate, there must have been a clear reason for collecting these separately, and I judged that reason to be this very moment.

“That is…”

“It’s something every growing Mage-Knight would desire.”

Albert the steward flinched when he saw the small ore in my hand, but I calmly took it and put it into my pocket.

Persuading children isn’t that difficult.

Clear, tangible rewards and exceptional treatment.

Those are enough.

“It’s natural for students to be anxious. Those who are afraid of losing the privileges they had without effort are not worth considering anyway, but there are definitely also those who have the will but cannot trust adults and the institutions of this society.

So all I need to do is prove it and show them.”

“With that special-grade inner core?”

“Rewards are definite; that’s my motto.”

I didn’t think this strategy would fail.

After all, the most important being, Lassian, the protagonist of this work.

He, a typical protagonist of a worn-out Korean fantasy novel, would surely agree to this method.

“S-School Head! The preparations aren’t…”

“It doesn’t matter. I just came to see it first.”

And the next morning, I visited the grand training ground a little early, where preparations were underway.

Naturally, everyone there was startled to see me alight from the carriage.

“S-School Head.”

“You must be the student council representatives.”

Whether they were surprised by the discussion session I proposed itself, or by my early arrival, the student representatives gathered there showed clear signs of shock.

Brian, the president of the General Student Council, and Ronan von Bright, the president of the Aristocrat’s Council.

However, my gaze was drawn more to others standing around them rather than the two of them.

They were exactly as described in the work: a healthy, physically powerful beautiful girl and a noble, elegant aristocratic lady… beings who were once the heroines of this very work.

Had they met Lassian as the original story dictated?

“I came early to speak with you all beforehand. Do you see what this is?”

“A m-magic stone? No, it looks like an inner core.

Why such a precious item…?”

“I clearly stated that I would pursue education with definite processes, results, and rewards.

Looking at the records, the grades of both student councils were similar last semester.

After this discussion session, I will give this as a reward to the student council with superior performance.”

I grinned, dropping a bomb among them who had yet to grasp the situation.

These rookies, who would have joined hands this time to attack me with one mind and purpose… I’m sorry, but it’s better for you to remain rivals and compete endlessly.

Only then will you become stronger and not get hurt in the events to come.