I used spatial magic to arrive at the academy.
The place I arrived at was the student council room.
I moved there upon hearing the news that Yuni had become the student council president.
"……Rudy?"
Someone called me as I arrived.
Turning around, I saw Kuhn.
"Ah, Kuhn. It's been a while."
"……Is it really you, Rudy?"
"What, is there a fake me?"
Kuhn brightened up at my playful words.
He approached me with a smile.
"How are you here? I thought you were busy."
"I've become a bit more free now. Hasn't the academy heard?"
"Ah……."
A shadow fell over Kuhn's smiling face.
"Why that face? It was my choice."
"What?"
"What's with that? Did the rumor spread weirdly?"
I tilted my head in confusion.
I was sure I had spread the rumor that I had quit myself……
"I thought you quit for a different reason. Weren't you trying to become the head of the family?"
"Ah, it's not like that. It's not like I suffered a huge loss and quit."
"You didn't?"
Kuhn was puzzled when the student council room door opened.
Is it Yuni?
As I turned towards the door, I saw 3-4 students.
I tilted my head at the unfamiliar faces.
"Uh……?"
"Vice president? Who is this……"
"Vice president?"
"Ah. I am currently holding the position of vice president."
"Ah, it's a bit late but congratulations."
"What's there to congratulate me on? You know how hard this job is."
"I can't very well say I'm sorry to hear that, can I?"
As I chatted familiarly with Kuhn, dozens of question marks appeared over the heads of the students who had entered the student council room.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"Vice president, who is this person?"
"……Ah?"
Then one student's eyes widened.
"Ru, Rudy Astria?"
At the student's words, the eyes of the surrounding students also widened.
"He's older than you guys, and a former student council president. Add honorifics."
"……Is, is it really? Are you really 'that' Rudy?"
I didn't quite understand what 'that' meant, but I nodded anyway.
"Are these the first-year students who just enrolled?"
"Yes, that's right. We are first-year students affiliated with the student council."
I looked at them and smiled.
"Nice to meet you. I am Rudy Astria, the former student council president."
"Gasp……."
Upon my introduction, the fellows didn't know what to do and gasped for air.
"Oh, the person I saw in the newspaper yesterday is right in front of me……"
"Am I, am I dreaming?"
"Ah……."
Their reactions varied.
Even I would probably react similarly if I saw someone from yesterday's newspaper, but it was somewhat awkward to be on the receiving end of such reactions.
"I, I'm a fan of Rudy! I've heard so much about the achievements you've accumulated at the academy! The stories of when you faced the rebels still send shivers down my spine even now!"
"Ah, thanks for that."
"Being the second son of a ducal family, you must be incredibly busy, right? How come you're at the academy……"
"Just had some business here. Oh, and speaking of which, Kuhn. Since I entered the academy using magic, don't I have to be listed in the entry logs?"
"That won't be necessary. You haven't officially graduated yet."
As I talked with Kuhn, the students' eyes widened even more.
"Could it be…… if you entered using magic, did you use spatial magic……?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"My God……."
The students began to make a fuss.
Some declared it a great honor to see a user of spatial magic in person, while others spouted all sorts of nonsense.
"So…… how do you use spatial magic?"
"That's a family secret, so I can't tell you. Just know it's not a magic that can be used casually."
"Amazing, to use magic that can't be used casually……"
"Ah, yeah…… Thanks."
As the students continued to fuss, I started to feel tired.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Keeping up with their energy was difficult.
"Rudy, didn't you say you had business to attend to? If you keep staying here……"
"Ah, it's fine. I came to meet Yuni."
"Is that so? Then, please take a seat and wait. I'll bring out some tea."
Kuhn said this and gestured towards the president's seat.
"……That's the president's seat."
"You used to sit there every day."
I glanced at Kuhn and then sat down in the president's seat.
Better to sit in a familiar spot than in a stranger's.
"Wow……"
"Last year, Rudy was sitting in that seat……"
"Incredible……"
As I sat down, the students let out another round of admiration.
It was just sitting down; I didn't get what was so amazing about it.
While compliments were nice the first or second time, constantly receiving such reactions was just exhausting.
"I'll go brew some tea."
"Ah, vice president! Let me do it……"
"No need. You must have a lot of questions for Rudy. Use the time to ask them while I make tea."
"……Sigh. Thank you."
I watched Kuhn walk away.
Receiving questions had become part of the routine.
I sighed and looked at the eager first-year students.
"Alright, go ahead and ask your questions."
"Thank you!"
So, while Kuhn went to make tea, I began answering the students' questions.
I explained about life at the academy and the academy's evaluation system, and also talked about the characteristics of the professors and incidents that happened at the academy.
After bringing the tea, Kuhn handed it to me with a smile.
"You seem to be getting along quite well with the kids."
"Getting along well…"
I wanted to say I was dying of exhaustion, but seeing the kids' eyes shining with anticipation, I couldn't bring myself to voice those words.
"More importantly, when is Yuni coming?"
Kuhn glanced at his watch.
"It's about time she should have been here… If she's much later, I might have to go fetch her."
"…Fetch her?"
"Yes, I often end up having to do just that."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})"Hasn't Yuni only recently become the student council president?"
"It was the same when planning for the election. But she's once caught, she does work hard, so no complaints there."
"That's good to hear."
At least Yuni works well after she's pinned down.
Having shared a laboratory with Yuni, I knew this all too well.
"Shall we go fetch her then?"
"Let's wait a little more…"
The door to the student council room swung open mid-conversation.
"I'm here…"
Yuni was at the door.
"Yuni's here."
"President, hello!"
"President! There's someone waiting for you!"
The kids greeted Yuni, chattering away.
Yuni frowned and looked up.
"Why so noisy…"
Then, Yuni and I made eye contact.
I smiled broadly and waved.
"Have you arrived?"
"…Senior?"
Yuni's eyes widened.
Then, she narrowed her eyebrows and rubbed her eyes a few times.
"Am I so tired that I'm seeing things?"
"Do I look like a hallucination?"
"…Is it really you, senior?"
I got up from my seat.
"Talking here might be a bit much; let's go somewhere else."
I looked at Kuhn.
"I'm borrowing Yuni for a bit. A day should be fine, right?"
Kuhn momentarily wore a displeased expression but then nodded.
"If you could answer some questions about the handover documents later, then sure."
"…You've grown a bit of a backbone."
"We've got to milk what we can, right?"
I chuckled.
The kid I first brought in had been reluctant to do anything with the student council, but now he felt like a proper member.
"Alright, I'll help."
"Then, have a good time."
Kuhn smiled.
I walked out with Yuni, strolling through the garden.
"Did you come after receiving my letter?"
"Letter?"
"You must not have received it. Then again, a letter wouldn’t reach you in just a day."
Yuni clicked her tongue and looked at me.
"So, what brings you here? You've been up to some strange things, I've heard. Is there something you need help with?"
"Huh?"
I tilted my head, puzzled.
Yuni narrowed her brows.
"You're not here to ask for help with something?"
What's she talking about?
"Not at all. We had made a bet, remember?"
"A bet? So, you came here because of a bet? But, didn't you say you hadn't received the letter?"
I wasn't sure what was written in the letter, but I guessed it was something about asking me to come to the academy.
"Since I heard you became the student council president, I thought I'd come and grant your wish."
"Did you really come here to see me?"
"Um... Yes?"
I started to say something else but then swallowed my words and nodded instead.
There was another reason for my visit, but seeing Yuni was part of it.
Yuni's reaction was better than I had expected.
"You came all this way to see me? Really?"
Her eyes sparkled, and she leaned closer to me.
I pushed Yuni slightly back and nodded.
"Well... Yes, but... Anyway. So, what's your wish?"
Yuni, smiling brightly, grabbed my wrist.
"Let's go for now."
"...Where to?"
I started being dragged away by Yuni without getting an answer.
"Hey, at least tell me where we're going... No, what's your wish?"
"You'll find out if you follow me. Let's go."
Yuni led the way with a happy smile, not losing her cheerful demeanor as she walked.
Seeing Yuni so happy made me smile too.
"Alright, let's see what you've been wanting to do."
I followed Yuni, saying that.
