Volume 5 Chapter 7 A Leader Is A Lonely Thing (intelligence Mode)
Even after class ended, Catherine and the second group──except for Cecilia, who said she had something to do──stood frozen in front of the old school building. In the earlier class, they had performed terribly, coming in last out of 4 groups.
The results of their exploration depth and beast hunt were announced in front of the old school building. Compared to the other 3 groups, their results were so poor that a few people couldn't help but chuckle. The gap between them and the first group, who were supposed to be training alongside them, was so wide it felt like they weren't even in the same class.
In front of the instructors, most students held back their laughter, but inside, they were probably struggling to keep it in. After all, the sight of all the second group members looking up at the old school building was met with mocking glances from the other students as they walked away.
What a terrible outcome.
Those scornful looks thrown their way.
Such a reality sparked a small flame within the second group.
To an outsider, the students of the second group looked completely defeated, but it was a bit different in reality. Their eyes reflected not just regret and shame.
There was a glimmer of light in their eyes, just a little. The faint trace of light they had seen earlier.
They continued to stare, hoping to grasp that trace... and in front of the now-empty old school building, someone quietly murmured.
"Hey... don't you want to talk about this more?"
That softly echoed voice prompted another to raise their hand, saying, "Oh, me too." The voices spread like small ripples, and Randy, who had also stayed behind, sighed as if to say, "Here we go again."
"What are we gonna do, leader?"
"Uh, me?"
Catherine exclaimed in a surprised tone, and Randy shot her a look.
"Who else is there but you?"
With a sigh, Randy said this, and Catherine mumbled, "B-but..." as she shyly stepped back, trying to hide behind Leon. Seeing this, Leon sighed softly and took half a step back to push Catherine forward.
"Hey, Leo──"
"Get it together."
Randy's sharp words sent a wave of tension through the group.
"You're not losing if you're doing this."
At this unexpected declaration, everyone turned their gaze to Randy...
"Randy. We're just visitors, not part of this."
...Liz's exasperated voice made Randy chuckle awkwardly, as if he just remembered, "Oh, right." He realized he was more invested than he thought, but in the end, that's just how it is.
Randy wasn't mature enough to just stand back and watch someone he had a bit of a connection with trying to change. Even though he knew it would be easier to stay out of it, he wasn't smart enough to take that option.
Still, with Randy's comment and Liz's retort, the atmosphere in front of the old school building lightened, and someone piped up, "Me too!"
"I don't want to lose if we're doing this."
A girl with braids and glasses, who looked really quiet, said that, and a boy nodded, "Me too."
"But, um... you know, being watched is──."
Catherine's eyes seemed to say she wanted to express that getting too involved could attract the ire of other nobles. Everyone exchanged glances. It was true that having a meeting inside the old school building was fine since there was the excuse of a class and no one around.
But if they gathered outside, especially at this hour, it would inevitably be off-campus. If they tried to have a meeting in a crowded place, they would definitely stand out.
Randy's sigh blew away the heavy atmosphere again.
"That's not a big deal. Remember those looks you got earlier? ...They were definitely mocking you."
At Randy's words, everyone fell silent, their expressions hardening.
"Want me to tell you what they think when they see you gathered here?"
Randy made another statement that sounded like he was part of the situation, but Liz just sighed softly and said nothing.
"They're probably thinking... 'Look at those losers licking their wounds'."
Randy's bad grin made the students' eyebrows twitch. In front of the students, whose nostrils flared with anger, Randy smirked, "But losers are fine, right?"
"If you can turn this around, wouldn't that be interesting? If you can break through from here, wouldn't that feel great?"
With Randy's encouragement, the students' eyes, once filled with anger, began to glow with a different kind of heat.
"Let those who want to talk say what they want. Challengers are meant to be laughed at."
The students, completely fired up, looked at each other and nodded, saying, "Let's do this," "Yeah," "We're in."
"Alright, it's decided. Let's turn the tables and make a comeback!"
It was a bit of a confusing pep talk, but it seemed to have a strong effect on the fired-up students, as they all raised their fists with determined looks on their faces.
"Okay, you guys follow me! Leon, you're in too!"
"Wait, what? I'm not really involved, am I?"
Leon muttered with a lack of enthusiasm, but despite his words, he looked a little excited. Following Randy, who was leading the way, everyone chimed in with positive words like "Alright!" "We can do this!" and "Let's give it our all!"
...Watching their backs, Catherine sighed and murmured.
"That guy... shouldn't be involved at all."
Despite her words, Catherine looked a bit pleased, and Liz, with a wry smile, glanced at Randy's back and said, "He's just too nice."
"...Did you fall for that?"
"Who knows?"
With a smile, Liz replied, and Catherine's eyes widened in surprise, "Oh? You're not denying it."
"I won't deny it. This feeling is absolute..."
Liz, who had been looking straight at Randy, turned to Catherine and whispered,
"I won't let him go, okay?"
With a smile, Liz's dark humor made Catherine chuckle softly and shake her head.
"I don't need him. What I like is a prince who suits a white horse. That guy is..."
Catherine looked at Randy, who seemed a bit distant, and repeated, "That guy is," then returned her gaze to Liz with a wry smile.
"He looks like he'd ride a big black horse. With spikes on his shoulders or something."
At Catherine's analogy, Liz paused for a moment, then tilted her head and said, "But he'd look good on a white horse, right?" In Liz's mind, she was probably imagining Randy grinning while riding a white horse.
However, Catherine, who had a similar thought, shuddered a bit.
"No way. Are you okay with your taste in men?"
"And what about you, Lady Catherine? His Highness Edgar is that──"
"Ah, let's stop there. I'm still a bit hung up on that."
Catherine gave a wry smile, and Liz returned with a slightly apologetic look before shifting her gaze to the now smaller Randy.
"Right now, it's not about which horse suits Randy──."
"We should get going too."
As the two nodded and took a step forward, the group in front of them stopped, and Randy dashed over to them, breaking through the crowd.
Seeing Randy's confused expression, the two exchanged glances and quickened their pace to join him.
"What's up?"
Liz tilted her head, and Randy opened his mouth with a wry smile, saying, "Well, it's just that... I said we should go, but... where are we supposed to go?"
With Randy looking a bit embarrassed, Liz and Catherine exchanged glances and burst out laughing.
"Right now, I think we can probably figure it out."
"Yeah, that's true."
"On 3!"
""Donkey, right?""
Randy furrowed his brows at their laughter, asking, "Donkey?"
* * *
"I wonder why we came to observe in the end."
"Who knows?"
In the student council room, Edgar was busy with paperwork, gazing out the window at the playground. The second group of students who had been lingering earlier had somehow gone home.
Edgar had put in a little extra effort when he heard Elizabeth was coming to observe, but he didn't think anything would really change. Still, he felt restless if he didn't do something.
(The guy next to her... looked like he was having fun.)
Shaking off the thought that had suddenly popped into his head, Edgar sighed as he looked at the piled-up documents, saying, "Still, it's busy."
"We should probably get some new secretaries and treasurers soon."
As Arthur pointed out with a frown, the 5 student council members had now dwindled to 3. The teachers had mentioned bringing in temporary members soon, but the rule was that council members should be elected students.
It wouldn't be entirely wrong to say there was some reluctance to appoint someone at the teachers' discretion. Because of the difficulties in making that adjustment, the student council remained at 3 members.
"A treasurer... I'd prefer someone smart."
"Then it has to be the top student, right?"
"The top student, huh..."
What comes to mind is Elizabeth, the top student in the year. But He knows it's going to be tough to get her into the student council.
"I wish I could at least apologize casually."
"Well, given the situation, that's impossible."
Dario, peeking from behind the documents, looks like he's giving Edgar a warning. Edgar, a bit grumpy, replies, "I know," and turns back to the papers.
Saint was brainwashed. Because of that, he got the Marquis daughter into trouble. Still, it hasn't been definitively concluded that everything was Saint's scheme. It's almost certain that it was, but the country can't just easily admit, "Yep, that's what happened."
No matter the circumstances, she was exiled. That means it's a wrongful accusation. Admitting that would affect the relationship with the Marquis family. The royal family definitely wants to avoid owing anything to the already powerful Marquis family.
Right now, there are secret dealings going on between the royal family and the Marquis family, and if Edgar were to say "I'm sorry," it would turn everything upside down.
Edgar isn't stupid. He knows he can't do that.
Knowing this, he's trying to catch Elizabeth's attention with what seems like pointless gestures, hoping to create an opportunity for her to talk to him.
(Yes. What I'm doing is for the country... behaving as a ruler. It's definitely not about romance.)
Edgar, trying to shake off distracting thoughts, focuses on the documents, but he's actually aware of his growing feelings for Elizabeth.
Why does she smile so happily? She didn't even smile when it was my turn.
If he talked to her now, would she smile at him?
With those thoughts swirling in his mind, Edgar's paperwork isn't getting anywhere.
"For now, let's ask the instructor to bring in a temporary officer quickly."
Dario sighs at Edgar, looking like he has no choice in the matter.
* * *
"Looks like it really was the Cathedral."
In front of Cecilia, who was with Luke, there were students from the second group gathered in a big room, discussing around Catherine.
This was one of the meeting rooms in the Cathedral.
They were in the middle of a meeting that was set up at Catherine's suggestion, but Cecilia had arrived late because she had anticipated the meeting. She figured it would definitely be at the Cathedral, so when she got there, she caught Annabelle to ask for the location.
With the door still open, Cecilia was watching the discussion when Liz noticed her and rushed over.
"Cecily!"
"Looks like Liza is here too!"
With a smile, Cecilia turned to Luke, who also smiled back and handed a bag to Liz.
"Here's a little something."
The familiar paper bag contained something Ellie loved. Liz, shaking a bit, was probably struggling to keep Ellie from bursting out.
"I brought something for everyone too!"
At Cecilia's voice, everyone exclaimed "Wow!" and rushed over to Luke. As the members expressed their thanks, Cecilia smiled back and moved to the corner of the room with Liz.
"So? What's Sir Randolph up to?"
Cecilia's gaze fell on Randy, who was desperately scribbling in the corner of the room.
"Looks like he's redoing an assignment..."
"Here?"
"There's nothing else to do."
As Liz said with a wry smile, Randy's battle against the beast was something like, "Just hit it in the head, right?" or "Just kick it in the stomach," which was hard for anyone to understand. Because of that, he was gently pushed aside by the girls, saying, "I'll ask Randolph again later," and that's how it ended up.
Finally noticing Cecilia and the others, Randy stopped his hand abruptly.
"Miss Cecilia... and Luke is late too."
When Randy looked up, his expression somehow resembled that of a warrior.
"Why are you acting like a leader when you're being pushed aside?"
After Luke finished handing out the snacks, he sighed and pushed Randy's face back.
"Idiot. I wanted to show you guys my amazing leadership..."
Randy started to say, "That was before the sunset──"
"What's up with him?"
"Maybe he's a bit high from the assignments."
Liz couldn't stop her wry smile, but Randy noticed the paper bag Liz was holding.
"Ah, Sugar Star Puffs. Nice touch. Just when my brain was craving some sugar."
Randy pushed up his glasses with a puff of air, ignoring the 3 exasperated faces and reaching for Liz's bag...
"Randy. You're not thinking of grabbing my cream puffs, are you?"
...Suddenly, Ellie appeared, and Randy hesitated just a bit... but this was Randy (Intelligence Mode), and he wouldn't back down.
"Are you stupid? I'm doing some brain work here! I need sugar right now."
"The stupid one is you. If you're going to touch my stuff, you need to pay up!"
The two glared at each other, but luckily, the other students caught up in the heated debate didn't notice.
"Fine. Since my brain is craving sugar... I'll go along with it. How many?"
"Five."
Ellie spread her palm, and Randy shook his head, saying, "That's not happening."
"Two."
"Then, 6──."
"Why is it going up from the start! It should go down from 4 to 3!"
That day, in the Cathedral conference room, heated discussions continued late into the night.
"I'll settle for 5."
"Fine... ugh! That's why I said no!"
Except for the two of them...
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