The student council.
It's a trope often used in stories with a school setting and the game 'A Budding Love in Golden Vow Academy' wasn't an exception either.
It actually took a bit of a center stage for most of the game, as Lucy and all the capture targets were a part of it, so a lot of events took place in the student council office or during field missions.
Since the game is set in a fantasy world, the work of the student council differed a lot from what it encompassed in my old world.
This academy, attended by the sons and daughters of the most influential nobles from across the empire, is basically set up as a training area where the students can get a taste of the real world of nobility. Be it socializing or handling responsibilities, all of it is for the purpose of preparing the noble children for what awaits them in the future.
The responsibilities of the student council also reflect this. While they do help organise all sorts of school events like in my old world, they also aid in patrolling around the perimeter of the academy near the dungeons and settle disputes between students.
Of course there are a lot of precautions set up and a combat assessment test you need to pass for joining field missions. In the game the first school year was mostly spent in just the office of the student council, helping with logistics, but after the second year most of the events took place outside.
So the point is, the student council has a lot of responsibilities and interacts with a lot of people. If it was just that much, I would already want to completely avoid any relation with it.
But its members also include all the capture targets and it houses numerous events that could trigger so I planned to stay even further away.
And yet here I am, standing in the student council office, among all the new recruits and with Seraphina next to me. I can also see Arthur Valerion, the prince, and his best friend, Bernard Leonhart, who is also not far away.
"So these are all the newcomers."
And last but not least, Hugh Latimer, the second year, current president of the student council and mage prodigy is also present, as he steps forward to address us.
Ugh, I really shouldn't have come here.
Well, I guess there's no point running away from reality now. I probably would have had to face this problem eventually.
…If I think about it that way at least it makes me feel a bit better.
"The second year students can come with me to take the combat assessment test. The rest of you will get oriented on your responsibilities by the vice president. Well then-"
Hugh says in a disinterested tone, but as he's about to turn to leave, suddenly a loud voice fills the room.
"Excuse me! Can I ask something?"
"...What?"
The source of the voice, Bernard excitedly steps forward. At the same time the prince, Arthur subtly shakes his head in resignation.
"If I take the assessment test, can I also fight monsters?"
"...If you mean go on patrols around the dungeons then yes. However it's a difficult examination so it's generally not recommended for first year students."
"So if I pass, then can I fight monsters?"
"I said- ...Whatever. Just come along, and you'll see."
Wow, it really is playing out just like in the game. Hugh's 'I don't have the patience to deal with you' attitude comes across even more vividly when seeing it with my own eyes.
The second year students leave the office along with Bernard. Then Arthur confidently steps forward and addresses the remaining students.
"Well, that was our student council president speaking. Don't worry too much about his personality, he's a good person, he just has a bit of a strong attitude. Though he'll rarely show up here anyway as he prefers doing field missions diligently. So all of you can relax and let us spend a fruitful and fun year together."
Hm, so he became the vice president just like in the game.
"Let's start with a short self introduction from everyone. I'll start. My name is Arthur Valerion, the vice president of the student council and the crown prince of The Meridian Empire. But don't let my title intimidate you. All of you were accepted based on your academic performance so you can be confident in your place here. You can talk casually with me, we are all part of the same team after all, so you can approach me if you encounter any issues or need advice. I look forward to working with you all. Now next is-"
All the students briefly introduce themselves. Similar to the game, there's only a few more newcomers and most of them are from less prominent families who usually took a background role. I quickly introduce myself as well in a few words, and thankfully everyone quickly moves on.
Though when it's Seraphina's turn all the new members flinch slightly, but other than that everything goes without any issues.
Then Arthur briefly shows us around and assigns some easy tasks to all the new members. He approaches each student with a friendly attitude and smoothly comes up with suitable assignments for each of them.
Soon he approaches me and Seraphina as well.
"Lady Seraphina, it's nice to see you."
"Your Highness."
She does a little curtsy and I quickly follow along with her.
"I was a bit surprised when you suddenly applied to become a student council member. But I guess you are always ready to gain more prestige."
"Hmph. I could say the same about you. I didn't expect you to get the vice president role."
This is the first deviation from how it played out in the game.
Seraphina never joined the student council, or was rejected for some unexplained reason. So this exchange between the two of them is a new development. Actually I think by this point of the game, their relationship was already somewhat strained, but it doesn't really feel like that here.
"Well, Hugh offered me this position soon after the school year started and I didn't have any reason to refuse so here I am."
"How responsible. As expected of the first prince." Seraphina says with a faint hint of mockery in her tone.
"You flatter me Lady Seraphina. But on to more official matters. You can work on these documents. It's some of the club applications, you just need to check the number of members and their activity summary. I included an explanation sheet that you can refer to for most cases. You can just put aside the ones you are unsure of and I'll look at it later."
"Hm."
"Then if there are no questions let's get to work everyone."
"Ahem. Aren't you forgetting something?"
"...?"
Arthur begins to wrap up his orientation, but then Seraphina interrupts him and then subtly glances towards me.
"Ah, right." He looks at me with a slight surprise in his eyes but then naturally continues. "You can come with me and I will give you a special assignment."
"...okay?" I respond, somewhat taken aback.
Yeah, this is also different.
I quickly follow after him as I try to get my thoughts sorted.
Originally Lucy got the job Seraphina is currently doing and she and Arthur bonded over the ridiculous club applications after Lucy dealt with all the normal documents.
So it seems like my existence does impact how things play out and this world isn't strictly forced into following how the plot of the game played out.
Though I should still be careful since I'm not sure what this special assignment is.
***
"Haah."
I let out a short sigh as I put the last club application to the side after approving it.
I glance around, only now noticing that all the other members have already left, except for Arthur.
"Hm? Done already?" He looks up from his own paperwork, probably noticing my gaze.
"Hmph. Of course."
"As expected from Lady Seraphina. I even gave you an extra amount, so it's impressive you handled it all."
"...I'm not sure if testing others like that is befitting behavior for a prince."
"Haha, it's only because I knew you were capable. But let's see… Oh? You didn't put any aside? You reviewed all of them?" He seems a bit confused as he looks at the pile of papers next to me.
"That was my job wasn't it?"
"What about the application for a 'Sleep Research Club'?"
"They obviously just want to get the club credit without having to do anything. Rejected."
"Then the 'Power Ranking of Students Club'?"
"After looking at their work from last year, they clearly just presented that year's student tournament result as their own work without any proper research, meaning they just slacked off for a year and just copied the school event's results. With most of the members remaining the same as last year, it's another club credit scam. Rejected."
"The 'Beauty Pageant Club'?"
"It was creepy how much they tried to analyse the appearance of other female students. Rejected."
"I am impressed. You even handled all the cases not covered by my explanation sheet."
"Since your Highness is so knowledgeable about the details of all of the applications, doesn't that mean that you have already handled them on your own? And if that is indeed the case, then the most probable conclusion would be that all of this was just a test to determine the competency of the new members. Or is my line of thinking incorrect?"
"Ah."
I knew it. Well, since I know how meticulously he likes to do things, it's not much of a surprise… but it does feel like there was no point in me going through all of those applications.
"Don't look at me like that… Okay I apologize for misleading you like that. If it makes you feel better, I have already finished these documents by the time you suddenly approached me and asked to join the student council."
"Fine. I'll let it go for now."
"Thank you! Though since I already mentioned it, I really was surprised when you came to ask me for a favor."
Haah. I really didn't intend to join the student council during the first year. I wanted to spend this time focusing on my studies, since just being a regular member of the council wouldn't really make my name stand out much.
I was planning on joining during the second year through the student council president elections, since only by receiving the president title does it make all the extra effort worth it. It is a really prestigious role that comes with a lot of benefits and recognition.
So I aimed to skip the council for the first year, and become the president in the second. But now with Lucy, I couldn't help but try to get admission at the last minute and I even had to call in a favor with Arthur since Lucy wouldn't have been accepted due to her… unfortunate performance last month.
I don't like pulling stuff like that, but there was no other choice. It's lucky that I had a connection through Arthur. But oh well, at least this way I will have a slightly better start for the presidential elections next year. Ah, but…
"Wait, where Lucy?"
"...?" Arthur tilts his head like he doesn't know what I'm talking about.
"The girl I came with."
"Ah, her. I sent her to clean the storage room. She's probably done with it by now?"
"You what?! I thought we had a deal to make her a proper member as well!" I stand up as I demand an explanation.
"Why are you so angry suddenly? Somebody had to do it and I just assigned it to her. You don't have to make a big deal out of it."
"...! You could have-!"
You could have had multiple people do it together or just get it done in multiple parts.
I suppress my desire to argue with Arthur since I know it wouldn't make things better. I really thought he was different from all the other nobles who only care about power plays and taking advantage of others.
But judging from how he immediately gave Lucy the worst assignment without a second thought, I can't help but come to terms with reality.
"Nevermind. It's the student council storage room down the hallway right?"
"It is, but-"
"Great. Then if your Highness will excuse me."
I stand up and leave the room before he can respond. I tightly clench my fists as I make my way towards the storage room.
I was overly focused on making a perfect first impression and immersed myself in my task too deeply. I didn't pay enough attention to my surroundings and I neglected to think about Lucy.
From now on I will make sure to look after her, even while I'm dealing with my own assignments. I was the one who made her join the student council after all. I won't have her get caught up in the internal power struggles of the student council.
As I make that promise to myself I reach the storage room and quickly open the door.
"Hm? Ah, Seraph- ahem. Lady Lazarius. I'm just finishing up."
I look around the spotlessly cleaned room full of peculiar magical equipment, mats and all sorts of event supplies and can't help but be shocked by Lucy's efficiency.
Then I shift my attention to the bucket of presumably water next to Lucy's feet that has been blackened by all the filth she cleaned up. Then my eyes wander to her delicate hands that have reddened noticeably from all the cleaning, still holding a dirty rag.
That cautiously proud look on her face only makes me feel even worse for not realising what she's been doing all this time.
I take the rag from her hand, throw it in the bucket and grab her arm as I pull her out of this room.
"You don't have to do everything you're told. You idiot."
"...?"
I want to scold her for being such a pushover, but I'm equally annoyed with myself for letting this happen, so I can only mutter some faint words quietly.
But that's it, from now on I won't let myself get played like this anymore. If other nobles want to pull stunts like this, then I'll deal with them the same way when I get the chance. Even if they are princes or have a higher position than me.
I make this resolution to myself while taking Lucy back to my room to let her rest up.