Everyone in the student council room was busily moving about.
Kuhn and Emily were transferring documents, while Rie worked quickly with her hands.
Even students who weren't part of the student council were helping out.
The reason for this hustle and bustle was the approaching end of the semester.
After the final exams, there's a transition period before the new student council takes over.
At Liberion Academy, the student council's term always ended with the final exams.
To avoid handing over a pile of unfinished work to the next council, they had to get ahead on tasks during this transition period.
So, the student council was swamped with an avalanche of tasks.
Starting from various odd jobs to managing dormitory facilities, and preparing the handover for the next council.
There was a mountain of work to be done.
"Maybe it would be better to work during the winter break instead,"
Kuhn mumbled, a sentiment everyone agreed with.
But agreement didn't mean slowing down.
There wasn't even time to discuss it.
At that moment, Yuni entered the student council room.
"Did you call me?"
"Yuni, you're here!"
Rie's face brightened up.
She had asked for her help, seeing that Yuni had been rather idle lately.
"Thanks, Yuni."
"Oh, it's nothing if you asks."
"Then, could you help with these tasks?"
Yuni took the documents from Rie and looked around.
"...But where's Rudy?"
At Yuni's question, Rie flinched slightly.
"Rudy has other tasks, so he's somewhere else right now."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"Busy? What's he busy with?"
Yuni's question made Rie glance around.
With so many people in the student council room, it was hard to speak freely.
"He's preparing something else."
Rie spoke vaguely.
Yuni put down the documents on the desk.
"Then wouldn't Rudy also be busy? Is there anyone else helping him?"
"Don't worry. It's a task the professors agreed to help with."
Rie reassured her, sending Yuni a subtle look.
Something was off.
Yuni had never shown such concern for someone else.
Rie had felt this strangeness in Yuni since the joint assessment.
An unusual kindness, uncharacteristic of Yuni.
While typically indifferent to others, she showed particular interest in Rudy.
It was too strange to ignore.
Yuni's change coincided perfectly with certain events.
She was comforted by Rudy during the individual assessment and rescued by him during the joint assessment.
Though Rie didn't know the details, the situations didn't seem promising.
Given Rudy's past actions, suspicion was warranted.
'Could it be that Yuni... has feelings for Rudy?'
Rie looked at Yuni doubtfully.
Of course, the relationship between Yuni and Rudy hadn't changed much.
From the beginning, Yuni always followed Rudy around, and her attitude towards him hadn't changed much either.
Despite her doubts, Rie couldn't let her guard down.
Already feeling uneasy, Rie was busy in her own right, and so was Rudy.
Amidst this, there were major obstacles like Luna and Astina.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Luna, not being as busy as the vice president Rie, could meet Rudy whenever he was free.
Same with Astina, but Rudy was too occupied to spare time.
Since becoming second-year students, they hadn't hung out leisurely.
Busy schedules and Rie's constant monitoring of Luna prevented it.
Fortunately, Astina hadn't shown much activity.
She wasn't particularly busy.
Though she had family duties, her father was handling them.
Astina focused solely on training.
Rie found it odd that Astina, who usually took the opportunity to approach Rudy during busy times, showed no such movements now.
Despite constant surveillance by elementals, Astina just shuttled between the dormitory and the training ground.
This focus allowed Rie to concentrate on student council work, but the current situation was problematic.
Yuni, who had only just grown close to her at the academy, showing interest in the man Rie liked?
This could become more intense than fighting for the Royal throne.
Yuni had some interest in the throne but lacked passion.
If Yuni truly fell for Rudy, she would be unpredictable.
Yuni had never been so focused or dedicated to anything.
With no particular likes or hobbies, what if she genuinely desired something?
The thought was unbearable for Rie.
The idea of someone who never gambled getting addicted once they started was similar to how Yuni might behave.
"?"
Lost in her thoughts, Rie was brought back by Yuni's curious gaze.
"So, where's Rudy now?"
Exhaling deeply, Rie beckoned Yuni closer.
Yuni approached, and Rie whispered softly.
"Rudy isn't at the academy right now, so you can't see him."
"Not at the academy...!"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})As Yuni reacted loudly, Rie quickly covered her mouth.
"It's confidential. Shh."
"...Okay."
"Ah... Also..."
Rie almost asked what Yuni thought about Rudy but held back.
"Never mind."
"Huh?"
Unable to ask, Rie was suddenly pulled by Yuni.
"What's going on? Why did you stop talking?"
"No, it's nothing. Oh, right. You seemed to be hiding something about Rudy and me. What was it?"
Rie quickly changed the topic.
"Oh, that? I had made a bet involving you."
"...Me?"
"Yes, we bet on who would win you, but it ended in a draw."
Yuni ranked second in the joint assessment.
She ended up with the same rank as Rudy.
The top spot for the first year was narrowly claimed by Kuhn.
The bet with Rudy ended up being nullified, just as they had discussed initially.
"So, I get to be here with my sister like this~."
Yuni smiled as she looked at Rie.
Seeing her smile, Rie couldn't help but smile too.
"Um... Rie, sorry to interrupt this warm moment, but..."
Then Kuhn cautiously spoke up.
"There's a lot of work pending... You need to hurry. There are documents that need to be submitted today..."
"Sigh... Alright."
Rie refocused on the paperwork, and Yuni continued reading the documents she was given.
While reading, Yuni hummed a tune and muttered to herself, barely audible.
"I wonder where Rudy is~."
In a dark space.
There, Jefrin and a few others were gathered.
"In a week, we head to the academy."
Jefrin was preparing a group of assassins for their mission.
"Our task is to bring a student from the academy to this place. It's not particularly difficult. However, since the student is well-known at the academy, we might be interupted."
Jefrin tapped the floor with the staff in her hand as she walked.
"Our mission is to bring that person here, so let's focus on that."
Jefrin also distributed a few more documents.
These documents listed important figures at the academy.
"Fortunately, the principal is currently unwell, and the vice-principal will be traveling to the capital tomorrow. So, we don't need to worry much."
This information had come in a few days ago.
Responding to the Emperor's call, Vice-Principal Cromwell was heading to the capital.
The reason was a major meeting concerning internal affairs of the empire.
There was a significant internal division within the empire.
The Royal Chancellor Ophillius was strongly opposing the Astria Duke family.
It was almost time for Rie and Rudy's graduation.
A period when the successors to the Emperor's throne and the Duke's position could be determined.
All eyes were on the Astria Duke family.
There were questions about whether Ian was the right successor to the Astria Duke family.
While the head of a family usually decides on the successor, it wasn't entirely up to them.
The successor needed the agreement of the family's vassal houses and the Emperor's approval.
However, such matters were typically routine, and no one paid much attention.
Nobody opposed unless something utterly nonsensical happened.
Meanwhile, the Royal Chancellor Ophillius was discussing whether Ian was suitable for the position in the Duke's family.
Specifically, it was about giving Rudy a chance to compete for the empire's sake.
Rudy had been consistently showing remarkable achievements, and Ophillius argued that it made no sense to simply hand over the successor's position to Ian without considering Rudy.
This had led to a state of unrest in the empire.
While the division within the empire was beneficial for the rebels, in some ways, it was not good.
The mana stones used by the rebels mostly came from necromancers who were protected by the Astria family.
To continue receiving a stable supply of mana stones, Rudy should not inherit the Astria family.
However, for now, these circumstances were more advantageous.
With attention focused on the capital, it was easier to capture Evan.
"We will hide in the city near the academy and contact Evan. Then, we will escape to the forest in front and ride horses hidden there to another city."
Jefrin slowly laid out the plan and adjusted her hat.
"The operation begins in a week. Everyone, be ready by then."
"Understood."
After all the explanations, the assassins present left the room.
As the assassins left, Jefrin, looking tired, sat down in a nearby chair.
"Ugh…"
As she sat down, Jefrin expressed pain.
She clutched her heart and started gasping for breath.
A few minutes later, her breathing returned to normal.
However, there was something slightly odd.
Jefrin's hand had transformed into that of an old person, wrinkled and aged.
"This damned body... acting up again."
Jefrin stared at her hand and spoke.
She stood up and opened a drawer.
Inside the drawer were numerous potions.
She took one out and poured it into her mouth.
Jefrin's hand returned to that of a young girl.
"How long can I last like this?"
She muttered despairingly, but she had no intention of collapsing easily.
She had to persevere and survive until she obtained the research on immortality conducted by Levian.
To do so, she needed the leader of the rebels, Aryandor, and that was why Jefrin was cooperating with the rebels.
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