The two of them quietly waited outside the student council room, holding the documents in their arms. In truth, both Charles and Stella were beginning to wonder if accepting Tōdō Tōka's invitation had been a mistake.
But before long, the student council room door swung open again.
"Huff, huff… S-sorry to keep you waiting! Please, come in!"
Tōka, slightly out of breath, led the two inside.
"Excuse us," they said.
Though it felt a little rude, Charles instinctively glanced around as he stepped inside.
To his surprise, the room had been completely transformed. There was no trace of the earlier mess. The books that had been scattered all over the floor were neatly returned to the shelves, and the floors gleamed like polished mirrors.
In such a clean and classically decorated space, the student council office looked more like a noble estate than a schoolroom.
The fact that they had cleaned it all in just a few minutes was honestly impressive.
That said… Charles glanced toward Saiseki Rai, who was standing firmly in front of a wardrobe—one whose doors were now bulging out as if something was stuffed inside. Best not to dwell on it.
Once seated on the sofa, the rest of the student council gathered as well.
Usamaru Renren greeted them first: "Hey! Long time no see!"
Charles nodded. "Indeed. Last time was during Ikki's match."
"Argh! Don't remind me of that traumatic memory!"
Tōka chided, "Show some manners in front of our guests. Kitahara-san, could you please prepare some tea for them?"
The one tasked with making the tea was the treasurer, Kitahara Kanata—the one who had provided the tea Tōka mentioned earlier.
The name Kitahara was no ordinary one. While not as famous among Blazers as the Kurogane family, their influence in business and politics far exceeded it.
Kanata herself was a true-born noble lady, and her elegant bearing made that clear.
Unlike the others, she wore a pristine white dress rather than the school uniform. A wide-brimmed hat shaded her eyes, and for some reason she carried a white parasol indoors. Everything about her radiated high-class refinement.
But Charles wasn't fooled by appearances. Among all the student council members, Kanata was just as dangerous a combatant as Tōka.
After all, her Blazer alias was Scarlet Lady (Scharlach Frau).
Unlike Tōka's fierce presence, Kanata's aura had a chilling edge—the kind only possessed by someone who had spilled real blood.
It seemed the rumors about her once taking part in live missions alongside fully licensed magic knights weren't just gossip.
Charles took a sip of the tea. Though he wasn't a tea connoisseur, he could tell—it was excellent. Whether due to the quality of the leaves or Kanata's brewing skills, it was simply delicious.
"I want some too!" called out Mihari Uka, who had just been scolded moments ago.
Renren added, "Kanata-senpai, I want cake!"
"No snacks today," Tōka scolded. "You two don't get any!"
"Aw, come on, that's just cruel! If there aren't any snacks, why should we even be in the council room?"
Veins popped on Tōka's forehead. "Because you're members of the student council, that's why!"
Charles couldn't help but feel sympathy for the beleaguered student council president. Managing this rowdy crew was clearly a full-time job.
Rai, still bracing the closet, glanced at Charles and Stella and unexpectedly praised Tōka: "As expected of the president. Your swiftness in recruiting assistance is divine. And what excellent choices—both are more than sufficient as combat assets."
Assistance? Combat? Charles and Stella blinked in confusion and looked toward Tōka. She hadn't said anything about that.
"Huh?" Even Tōka herself looked confused.
Rai continued, "What, was that not the case? I simply assumed these distinguished visitors were here about that matter."
Kanata, noting Tōka's continued cluelessness, offered a gentle reminder. "President, the matter the chairwoman entrusted us with… that matter."
At last, Tōka recalled. "Ah… yes! The request from Miss Kuro-no—right, right!"
Kanata smiled knowingly. "You really forgot, didn't you? I thought you'd brought them in to ask for their help with it."
Tōka groaned and clutched her head. "Ugh… I've been so focused on preparing for my next match that I totally blanked on it!"
Stella asked cautiously, "Um… what exactly is 'that matter'?"
Kanata answered as she refilled everyone's tea. "Recently, the student council received a request from the chairwoman. Before the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, Pojun Academy usually holds a special training camp for its representatives."
She continued, "The training grounds are located in the Okutama region, but there have been reports of suspicious individuals appearing in the area."
"That sounds dangerous," Stella remarked.
Charles nodded. Okutama was a mountainous region far from the city. The academy had built a facility there specifically for training, as the open terrain was ideal.
With its high mountains and dense forests, Okutama could be problematic if intruders appeared during training.
Kanata went on, "The teachers are currently overwhelmed with the selection matches, so the chairwoman asked the student council to conduct a preliminary investigation."
"But the area is vast, and just us student council members may not be enough."
Charles rubbed his chin. "I see… so you were planning to ask for help."
Stella raised her hand like a grade-schooler. "I have a question—what does this suspicious person look like? Do you have any details?"
Charles was curious about that too. After all, Okutama wasn't some restricted zone. Couldn't it just be some mountain hiker? What kind of figure had drawn enough concern to get Kuro-no involved?
Kanata hesitated, but finally said, "Apparently… the suspicious figure is a giant, about four meters tall."
"Wha—A g-giant?!"
Charles felt his mind reel. Did this world actually have fantasy creatures?
Four meters tall—that was far beyond any normal human. Only in legends would such beings exist.
"Is there really… such a thing as a giant?" Stella asked, visibly thrilled.
Charles tugged on her sleeve. "Stella… you're a little too excited."
"But it's a giant! An unidentified creature! That's so romantic!" Her crimson eyes sparkled with joy.
"You're such a kid…" Charles muttered, exasperated.
Renren lit up and scooted closer. "Stella, you like cryptids too?"
"Of course! I learned my Japanese from watching exploration documentaries on DVD!"
That revelation made everyone present think the same thing: What a unique way for a princess to study a foreign culture…
"It seems we'll have a lot to talk about," Renren said. If the setting were more casual, she'd be pestering Stella for hours.
Stella turned to Charles. "Charles, Charles, President Tōka looks like she could really use the help. Let's lend them a hand! I want to see a giant!"
Charles looked at her. It was pretty obvious which part of her reasoning was the priority—she had no shame in admitting her selfish motive.
Still, Charles was interested too. Of course, he knew that this "giant" was more likely to be a Blazer's ability in action.
And if that were the case, what was this person's objective? That alone made it worth investigating.
Once Charles nodded, Tōka still seemed hesitant. "Are you sure? Is this really okay?"
Charles gave her a puzzled look, not understanding why she hesitated.
Kanata explained gently, "You may not know, but… the president's next opponent in the matches is Kurogane Shizuku—your friend, correct?"
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [www.p@treon.com/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]