"Senior, came?"
"Wasn't he talking with Professor Cromwell earlier?"
"Then where did he go now!"
At Kuhn's words, Yuni stomped her feet in frustration.
"Where he is now..."
"Got it."
Yuni nodded and went outside.
"Rudy!! Where are you!!"
Yuni shouted here and there, wandering around the academy.
During her search, someone grabbed Yuni.
Startled, Yuni looked at the person who grabbed her.
"Rudy!!"
"What, you're making a fuss all over the place. Why are you shouting like that?"
"If you're at the academy, you should at least show your face."
"I was actually planning to stop by after eating."
"Then you should have eaten with me."
"It's way past lunchtime. Haven't you eaten?"
"No? Of course, I've eaten. Who hasn't eaten at this hour?"
Rudy looked at Yuni with a bemused expression.
Yuni thought she was speaking normally, but concern was evident in her eyes.
News about Rudy had reached Yuni as well.
Rudy, who was considered to have a strong mentality, was struggling with the loss of someone very close to him.
Even Yuni, who usually lived without worries, couldn't help but be concerned about Rudy.
Rudy had protected and helped her when she was in danger.
Yuni thought it was her turn to help.
"Senior, I've made up my mind."
"Made up your mind?"
"I've decided to run for student council president."
Rudy's eyes widened at her words.
Yuni's only flaw was her extreme nervousness in front of many people.
She had always failed when she truly tried her best.
Yuni was well aware of this.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"As you know, I can't stand in front of people. But I'm going to be the student council president."
"No... It's better not to overdo it..."
"No, I will overdo it."
Yuni walked boldly forward.
Approaching Rudy, Yuni looked up at him.
"Instead, please overdo it too, Rudy. Stand up, even if it's hard, and become the Rudy you used to be. It might be forceful, but please listen to my insistence this time."
Yuni spoke like a whining child, but her words, meant to help someone else, sounded nice.
Rudy placed his hand on Yuni's head.
"Thank you, Yuni."
A smile appeared on Rudy's lips, warmed by Yuni's kind heart.
The stubborn Yuni of the past was no more.
There was a Yuni who knew how to care for others and sometimes took the initiative.
"Are you agreeing to my request?"
"Yes, if you're going that far, how can I stay down?"
Yuni beamed at Rudy's words, then suddenly shut her mouth tight.
"Then, do you want to make a bet with me?"
"A bet?"
"The last bet ended in a draw."
She was referring to the bet they made during the joint assessment.
"What's the bet?"
"I bet on whether I become the student council president."
Yuni said with a triumphant face.
"Alright, let's hear this bet."
Rudy nodded eagerly.
"The loser has to grant a wish to the winner."
"A wish..."
Hearing Yuni say that, Rudy felt a wave of anxiety.
Who is Yuni, after all?
A little devil who surprises everyone with her unpredictable actions.
This proposal should have been outright rejected...
Yet, he couldn't turn down someone who was taking on a new challenge for his sake.
"Don't like it?"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Yuni asked cautiously.
That made me feel even weaker.
"Alright, let's give it a try."
"Really?"
"It's a bet after all. I'll only grant it if you become the student council president."
"Of course~."
Yuni stepped back.
"Just watch. Whether I become the student council president or not."
"Alright, give it your best shot."
Rudy and Yuni smiled at each other.
After meeting Yuni, I returned from the academy to the capital.
The capital was in chaos in my absence.
Rie and Luna scoured the capital looking for me, and Astina left the Royal army to search for me.
"I'm sorry... I should have said something before leaving."
"No, no! It's us who made a fuss. Ha, ha..."
"Still, I'm glad you're safe."
We met at the Astria family mansion and chatted.
Sending everyone from the Astria mansion on vacation had left it empty, but it was actually better for gathering since it was sure to be noisy wherever this group went.
I told them everything from the beginning.
Why I disappeared and what I had been doing convinced them to some extent.
Not everyone felt the same, though.
Luna and Astina sighed with relief and smiled as if to say it was okay.
"Uh..."
Rie just glared at me without saying a word.
She had been doing this for minutes, and I found myself at a loss for words, especially as she was on the verge of tears.
"I'm sorry, Rie."
"Just try disappearing like that one more time. Really..."
Rie said with a choked-up voice.
"It's a relief you seem a bit better now."
"Yes, I think I know what I need to do now."
"So, what will you do now?"
What I needed to do was already decided.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})"I'll inherit the Astria family, defeat the rebels, and..."
One more thing was added to the usual tasks.
"I will find out why Professor Robert ended up like that."
I pondered over the death of Robert.
Robert had noticed the danger I was in.
He even predicted his own death.
The evidence was overwhelming.
Professor Robert knew everything about the situation as soon as he arrived where I was.
It was as if he had predicted his own death and settled all his affairs accordingly.
He even paid off his tab at the restaurant, not wanting to inconvenience anyone, and had somewhat organized his belongings.
This wasn't just a series of coincidences.
There was a cause behind these events.
Reading the future, a situation where cause and effect didn't align.
To my knowledge, there was only one person capable of creating such a situation.
"I need to find Saint Haruna."
Until now, I hadn't paid much attention to Haruna.
There was a promise made with Haruna when the rebels attacked the academy.
To never worry about her and not seek her help.
I would overcome everything with my own power and move towards the future.
This was a conversation we had when it was just the two of us.
I had many questions about this.
If Haruna truly acted to save the world, why wouldn't she use her abilities to save it?
She was the only one in this world who could read the future.
Even using time magic to come to this world, I couldn't see the future.
So, why didn't Haruna actively use her abilities?
Despite these questions, I hadn't sought out Haruna.
I hadn't asked.
Because that was the promise.
However, given the current situation, I couldn't not ask anymore.
The reason I hadn't asked until now was because Haruna had helped me at the cost of her own sight.
Even if such a person had influenced someone close to me, I couldn't just stand by.
"So, should I start looking for the saint now?"
"No, there's no need to waste manpower."
Haruna can see the future.
Trying to find her in conventional ways would only be futile.
"For now, we just need to continue with our tasks."
"Without looking for the saint?"
"The rebels and the order are currently unable to find the saint."
I can't be sure if the rebels are looking for Haruna, but from Aryandor's perspective, Haruna would definitely be a thorn in his side.
He would be trying to find her somehow.
Additionally, the divine order to which Haruna belongs was also looking for her.
Even though the order's power has waned, the number of people within it cannot be ignored.
Yet, there has been no news.
No one has been able to find even a trace of Haruna.
Finding a person in the empire is nearly as difficult as finding a needle in a desert, but not finding even a trace meant something significant.
"So, we just sit around and do nothing?"
"That's not what I'm saying."
If that was the plan, I wouldn't have said anything.
"If we're dealing with someone who predicts the future, we need to create a situation they can't help but walk into, even if they foresee it."
They must step into the trap, knowing it's a trap.
Create a situation so compelling that, despite the risks, they must come to check it out.
It won't be easy, but I wanted to make it possible.
"To do that, we need to know about the saint."
Rie said in a blunt tone, glaring at me.
"Rie, can you do it?"
"It's not a matter of can or cannot."
Rie pulled a chair next to her, crossed her legs, and sat down.
"I've already done it."
I smiled at Rie.
"I thought you might have."
Back when Rie and Haruna first met, during our first year and when Astina was the student council president.
It was likely that Rie had already investigated Haruna.
She's not one to let such matters slide.
"Then let's use that information to set a trap."
We all put our heads together and began to plan.
