Two hours before entering the student council room.

Having safely returned to Roc Island, Simon and Kamibarez were immediately guided by Kizen’s subordinates to the office of Vice Principal Jane.

Her quill pen glided across a document as Jane worked, her glasses perched on her nose. A neat, stylish signature settled into the designated box, followed by a small explanation and a set of instructions. Like a machine, the page was set aside, and a new one took its place.

Simon and Kamibarez sat bolt upright, hands placed politely on their knees. A heavy silence filled the room. Though it was not particularly hot, beads of sweat formed on their brows.

Finally, after signing the last document, she placed the quill in its inkwell and removed her glasses with a small, weary sigh. Her deep violet eyes gazed steadily at the two of them. Simon and Kamibarez straightened their backs even further.

"We have completed the special class and returned safely, Professor Jane!" Simon announced.

"W-We have returned!" Kamibarez echoed.

Jane’s long index finger tapped against the back of her other hand, which was lightly clasped.

"You’re late."

Her voice was quiet but cold.

"We apologize. There was a slight problem with the situation at our dispatch location—"

"I have already received a report on the local situation, Student Council President," Jane cut in, leaning back in her chair. "Extending a mission period is not a major issue at Kizen. However..." Her violet eyes narrowed. "This was not a mission evaluation or a dispatch evaluation, but a simple ’special class.’ It seems to me you became more involved at your dispatch location than was necessary, beyond simply receiving lessons from your mentor."

Simon winced.

"And one person failed to even report that extension." This time, her gaze fell on Kamibarez. Startled, the girl hiccuped. "If you had finished your assignment early, it would have been best to return without delay. Instead, you insisted on waiting for your friend, entered someone else’s dispatch location, and got caught up in the situation."

Kamibarez’s face turned as red as a ripe apple. Behind her, her cute bat wings drooped.

"Both of you were overzealous. What would you have done if you had been seriously injured or encountered severe problems?"

"...We will be more careful," Simon said quietly.

"I-I’m sorry," Kamibarez stammered.

The two apologized quickly.

Jane closed her eyes.

"Of course," she began, "as a professor, I had to be harsh."

She opened her eyes and looked at them.

"But you two did the right thing. As necromancers of Kizen, you did not turn away from people in crisis, and you saved many lives. As individuals with power, you did what you were meant to do."

Simon’s and Kamibarez’s eyes widened.

"You should be proud." Jane pushed two confirmation slips across the desk, each marked with a grade of ’A+’. "But next time, strive to do the right thing ’while following regulations’."

"Professor Jane!" Kamibarez’s eyes welled with tears.

Simon felt a surge of renewed strength as he accepted the slip.

"And including you two," Jane continued, "the students in the special class have missed a significant number of regular classes. The professors and teaching assistants for each subject will make time to conduct supplementary lessons." She handed them a new schedule. "It will be a tight squeeze to catch up with your peers."

Simon quickly scanned the paper. Classes were scheduled not only after school but on weekends as well. Of course, after missing over two weeks of instruction, make-up lessons were to be expected. He was prepared for it; if anything, he was grateful to the school for providing them.

"Who will be teaching the supplementary classes?" he asked.

The students who had participated in the special class were all taking different courses, and it felt like a huge imposition to ask professors to come in on weekends for just a few of them.

"Traditionally, supplementary classes are conducted by the head teaching assistants of each subject," Jane explained, closing her eyes. "However, there will be some subjects where the professor will teach directly."

Simon knew instantly that Jane herself would be teaching the Jet-Black Dynamics class.

"Major performance assessments are coming up, as well as final exams. Your peers have grown significantly during these past two weeks. Settle your minds after the dispatch and refocus on your studies to achieve good grades."

"Yes, ma’am!" they answered in unison.

"And..." Jane seemed to hesitate for a moment, then rested her chin on her hand and closed her eyes. "You will find out naturally, so it would not be appropriate for me to speak of it. You may leave now."

---

Simon and Kamibarez left Jane’s office. Since their regular classes did not resume until the next day, they had the rest of the afternoon free.

"Kami, should we stop by the student council room?" Simon suggested.

Kamibarez nodded vigorously.

"Yes! Let’s go say hi to Meirin and Dick! I wonder how they’re doing."

They immediately crossed the second-year campus and entered the student council building. Inside, figures in sleek black uniforms stood with their hands clasped behind their backs—the ’direct subordinates’ who answered only to the student council.

Recognizing the pair, they greeted them politely.

"Welcome back, Student Council President Simon, Secretary Kamibarez."

Mojo, the leader of the subordinates, stepped forward.

"It’s been a while, Mojo!" Kamibarez chirped. "Any trouble with the student council while we were away?"

Mojo flinched at the question but quickly bowed his head.

"No."

"Keep up the good work," Simon said.

"Thank you for your hard work!" Kamibarez added.

The two walked past the subordinates toward the student council room.

"By the way, Simon," Kamibarez whispered, "didn’t the subordinates seem a little strange?"

"Did they? I didn’t really notice."

With that, Simon slid open the door to the student council room with a creak.

The familiar, nostalgic sight of the room greeted them. The president’s desk, the spacious sofa, the large window overlooking the campus—everything was just as they had left it.

"Umm."

A boy who had been sprawled on the sofa sat up, scratching his messy hair. "What, who... Huh?"

Simon grinned.

"Long time no see, Dick."

Kamibarez flapped her wings in greeting.

"Dick! We’re back!"

"Simon! Kami!" Dick cried, throwing off his blanket and leaping to his feet. But his joyful smile instantly vanished. "No, wait, this is no time for celebration! We’re in big trouble! While you guys were gone...!"

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway. The door flew open, and a girl with light-blue hair like a flowing stream rushed in, panting.

"I heard from Mojo! That Simon and Kami are back... Ah!"

"Meirin!"

"We missed you!"

But Meirin’s expression was grim.

"Why are you two so late?! We’re in big trouble!"

There was no time for a happy reunion.

Meirin shrieked, "Aizel is back!"

---

And so, back to the present.

With no time to celebrate their reunion, the student council room was enveloped in a heavy silence.

The strongest student in Kizen, the top-ranked third-year, Aizel Bringer, had returned.

This meant the contract with the former student council president, Phantasus, was now in effect.

Simon rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.

’Originally, Aizel was supposed to be the student council president.’

However, Aizel had been away on a long-term mission since the beginning of the semester. Kizen could not leave the position vacant, so other third-years had been nominated. But Phantasus had insisted it had to be either Aizel or Simon. As the student council was a self-governing body, the former president’s endorsement held more weight than the faculty’s.

Ultimately, it was decided that Simon would serve as president until Aizel’s return. The terms of the contract were as follows:

- First, during Aizel’s absence, Simon Polentia shall serve as student council president.

- Second, the third-years shall respect the activities of the interim president, and the president shall not interfere greatly with the third-years.

- Third, upon Aizel’s return, if Simon Polentia is successfully maintaining the presidency and wishes to continue, the position shall be decided by a duel between the two.

- Fourth, if Aizel takes over the presidency from Simon as per the third clause, Aizel must recommend Simon Polentia as his successor.

It was a treaty designed to prevent the third-years from running rampant and to solidify Simon’s position. This led to the bizarre situation of a second-year serving as president, leaving the third-years steeped in a strange sense of inferiority all semester.

Truthfully, no one had expected Aizel’s return to be so delayed. Nor had they expected Simon and his team to run the student council so effectively.

And just as everyone was getting used to the title ’Second-Year Kizen Student Council President Simon Polentia’...

’Aizel has returned!’

Having completed his mission, Aizel was back. Now, Simon had to fight him for the presidency.

"Yeah, I knew these days were like a midsummer night’s dream," Malcolm, the Head of the Disciplinary Committee, muttered. He had shown up after hearing of Simon’s return and was now sprawled on the sofa, sighing dramatically. "Being recognized by the school, the Disciplinary Committee becoming an official organization... I thought things were going too well."

"What are you whining about?" Meirin shot back with a glare.

Dick answered for him. "If Simon steps down, the Disciplinary Committee, an organization under his authority, gets a complete overhaul. Aizel will just fill it with his third-year buddies."

It was true. The current student council was built around Simon. Vice President Meirin, Treasurer Dick, and Secretary Kamibarez had all been his appointments. If he stepped down, it was not just him leaving; the entire structure would change. Aizel would naturally fill the positions with his own confidants.

Simon turned to Dick.

"Have the third-years made any moves?"

"Not yet." Dick shrugged. "But they’re having a field day now that Aizel is back. They’ve always looked down on our second-year council, right? The moment the rumor of your return spreads, they will probably march in here and tell us to clear out."

"I hate it. I hate it! This is all so annoying!" Meirin clutched her forehead and whined. "We worked so hard! We sacrificed sleep and study time, pulled all-nighters for huge events like the Dark Festival, and maintained a great reputation! And now they’re just going to waltz in and take all our achievements? It’s not fair! Just because they’re seniors?"

As vice president, she had poured more love and effort into the council than anyone. Her disappointment was palpable.

"B-But still!" Kamibarez said, forcing a smile and flapping her bat wings. "It’s not like we’re parting ways forever, right? We’re in different departments, but we’ll still see each other! And we can all be together again when we’re third-years!"

Meirin said nothing, simply pulling Kamibarez into a hug. Kamibarez gently stroked her disheartened friend’s head.

As the mood in the room sank, Dick shot up from his seat.

"No, wait! Everyone, think about it!" he exclaimed. "Why are we all assuming we’re going to be kicked out? Isn’t it possible for Simon to win the duel against Aizel?"

The other members just stared at him.

Meirin sighed heavily.

"Let’s not put an unreasonable burden on Simon, okay?"

Dick started sweating. "N-No, I mean, there’s always a chance, right? I’m just saying we shouldn’t give up hope completely!"

Even in a meritocracy like Kizen, the barrier between year levels was absolute. Surviving an extra year at the academy made an enormous difference. The amount of knowledge, experience, and growth gained in that time was on another dimension entirely.

’It’s true,’ Simon thought.

In his first year, he was assembling basic Ratman Skeletons. Now, he had created a Lich, a Swordmaster Dullahan, and was aiming to build a Bone Dragon. Thinking back to his first year made him keenly aware of the gap between the year levels.

In truth, Simon felt the same as the others. He had witnessed the power of Balak, the second-ranked third-year, during the Dark Festival. He honestly did not think he could win without using his Legion Commander’s power. And his opponent was Aizel, who was said to be even stronger than Balak.

’This won’t be easy.’

As Simon stood with his arms crossed, lost in thought, the door burst open.

"Student Council President!"

Students wearing gold badges streamed into the room.

"Are you in?"

Everyone stared, wide-eyed.

’The third-years!’

’Already?’

A crowd of them had arrived, including some of the big shots from the Top 10.

"Hello, President," said Leonard, the representative of the Summoning Department, with a grin as he waved at Simon.

"Good day to you," Simon replied, greeting him before looking past him.

"Our Aizel has something to say."

At his words, Leonard and the other third-years parted, clearing a path.

With slow, deliberate steps, a figure walked through the gap they had created.

’The strongest in Kizen, Aizel Bringer.’

Simon rose from his seat. He had only heard rumors about the man and had never met him before. Pushing all other thoughts aside, a spark of pure curiosity ignited within him. As a fellow necromancer, he wanted to know what the strongest student in Kizen was truly like.

’I wonder what kind of person he is.’