The Spread of Red
Having used all her mental strength at the Cleansing Spring, Mia shambled into Anne who was waiting for her.
“Milady, are you okay?”
“Yes, there is no problem.”
“Is that so……?”
Anne frowned but still went to work. She dried Mia’s hair and dressed her with the ceremonial robes. Once she was done, she stepped back to admire her work and gave a satisfied nod.
“Milady, please do your best.”
Anne wanted to cheer Mia up. However, Mia seems to be staring blankly into the space and didn’t hear what Anne was saying. What happened earlier with Rafina had scared her. She was still trying to gather her wits.
“Mia-sama, as I said before, the veil is light and can fall of easily. So, please be careful when you move.”
“… Huh? Ah, eh, yeah. I understand. Thank you, Anne.”
She has finally able to gather her wits. She took a look at herself in her saintly attire and made a tired smile.
Even if it’s a losing battle, the general still has to go to the battlefield…
Student Council Presidential Election.
It was a school event composed of voting and solemn ceremonies. A large sacramental table was placed in front of the cathedral that serves as the venue. A large silver cup was placed on the table, and blood-red wine was poured into it. It represented the blood of the saints.
The one who is elected as student council president drink wine from the cup, metaphorically taking the saints’ blood. Then before the student body and God, the elected will swear to govern in a just and upright manner as a president.
The students had already gathered in the cathedral. The voting ceremony began with the entrance of the candidates, Mia and Rafina. After singing a few hymns, it is time for the candidates’ final speech.
Mia will be the first to give a speech. Mia stepped forward in front of the sacrament table and quietly turned to the students. It was then that…
“Princess Mia, do your best!”
…several voices could be heard cheering her on.
At St. Noel Academy, the student council presidential election is a sacred ceremony. Of course, cheering for the candidates is out of the question… but, well, the God of the Central Orthodox Church is tolerant, so there’s no punishment for something like this.
“Keep quiet.”
The priest in charge of the ceremony only gave a warning and did not send them off.
Mia gently turned her eyes to the direction from which she heard the cheering. It was the group with red cloth wrapped around their arms – her supporters.
I thought that they would have already given up and already left.
It was, after all, a losing battle. Despite this, they united and followed Mia without leaving even at the very last stand. Mia remembered the times they had spent thinking, working, and laughing together. Mia remembered those memories with nostalgia.
Now that I think about it, it was fun.
In the previous timeline, she never enjoyed school events like this. Mia bows deeply with sincere gratitude to her staunchest supporters. They were as loyal as her former guards.
Thank you. I will definitely repay you for your loyalty someday…
It was then that suddenly, the veil on Mia’s head slipped off.
“Ah…”
The veil was blown away by the wind and dropped into the silver cup. Looking at it, the pure white veil soaked up the wine. It started turning into blood red.
Ugh… Even at the very end, I could not finish it right.
Mia panicked and tried to pick up the veil…
“Eh?”
Softly, a new veil was placed on her head. And then, a hand reached out from Mia’s side and picked up the wet veil. Mia timidly turned her eyes to the person and was shocked.
“Rafina-sama?”
It was Rafina, who put her own veil on Mia’s head. Rafina then squeezed Mia’s wet veil lightly and wrapped it around her arm without worrying about getting her clothes dirty. Wrapping her red-dyed veil around her arm, it was a proof. That statement of support for Mia Luna Tearmoon!
“Lady Rafina, this is…”
The priest was unsure of what Rafina was doing. Rafina gave him a reassuring look before stepping forward.
“I apologize to everyone who supported me. I, Rafina Orca Belluga, hereby withdraw my candidacy for student council president and formally endorse my friend Mia Luna Tearmoon as student council for the role.” Rafina declares in a dignified voice.
“Rafina-sama!”
In St. Noel’s long history, nothing like this has happened before. On the day of the election, she withdrew her candidacy before the final speech. Moreover, the person who did that was the current student council president and the daughter of the Duke of Belluga…
The priest let out a confused scream. And the students exploded into commotion. Amidst all the chaos, Rafina stood like a statue of serenity. Mia looked at her and Rafina gave her a mischievous smile.
What in the moons is going on?!
Confused as everyone else, Mia could do nothing but stand there.
At St. Noel Academy, elections are sacred ceremonies. It is a solemn ritual before God. But the Central Orthodox God is known for his tolerance. If the action is similar to a practical joke, it will naturally be judged, and the ritual itself may be judged invalid.
However, if the action is sincere and is based on sincere thoughts… then it is permissible to deviate from traditional conventions.
Yes, even if one bites their tongue during the opening ceremony’s speech. Or even if someone withdraws their candidacy in an extraordinary manner during the voting ceremony.
Thus, a new student council president was born at St. Noel Academy: Mia Luna Tearmoon.
The inauguration of the imperial princess as the student council president will have a considerable impact on history, but that is still a story for the future.
