Act 2 Vol. 1 Ch. 1 Ep. 5: Error in Memory

You... The General Student Council President...?

Of course I am... What's going on, Rin?

I know I've been away for a long time, but I am hardly a stranger...

No. You are a stranger. Who are you?

...Rin.

You must be mad at me for disappearing like that.

I don't want to make excuses for myself, but just let me explain.

That wasn't a passive aggressive comment because I'm angry. I meant it exactly as I said it.

I don't know you. I have no memories of someone like you in my life at all.

I know the President's face. So for you to claim to be her...

If this is a prank on someone's behalf, or something more sinister, I do NOT find it funny.

...I really wanted to avoid this.

Protocol Team, can you call Aoi... No, the Chief of Finance here right now?

Tell her it's about a concern I have about the Chief Officer's condition.

(...What could her plan be?)

(Why would she endanger herself further by calling the Chief of Finance here? She'll be called out on her lie immediately.)

Ah, Rin... No, Chief Officer. There you are.

I heard you didn't return to your room last night. Did you get so stressed from being away from work that you pulled an all-nighter here?

That defeats the entire purpose of you taking a break.

That's hardly the issue right now. This stranger...

...Anyways, what did you need from me, President?

...What?

Aoi, what did you call this person just now...?

...The President?

She called me here on business...

Even you, Aoi...

You find nothing strange about that person pretending to be the President right now?

Rin, what are you saying?

Sitting behind the desk...

...is our General Student Council President.

Huh...? The President? I don't think she looks any different...

I guess her vibe is kinda different...but I dunno.

Of course I do. How could I forget that voluminous platinum blonde hair that looks just like pollock roe potato chips?

You swear the Prez had blue hair?

Uh, maybe you should go look up "platinum" in the dictionary...

What the General Student Council President looked like? Of course I remember!

She had pink hair and green eyes...

Wait, no, this is what former Acting President Kaya looked like. What did the President look like...?

Maybe...black hair?

R-Rin... You keep repeating the same questions, and I don't know what to say.

She seems the same to me.

Um... This may come off a bit rude...

But do you think maybe you've been pushing yourself too hard lately? Perhaps you just need a good night's rest.

...Have you calmed down?

This isn't like you, Rin.

How does...no one remember?

After all that we've been through together... Why does no one remember the President?

I refuse to believe it. Who are you, and how have you tricked everyone into believing that you're the President?

...Perhaps this is my fault.

Maybe I was asking too much of you, to fill my position while I was away.

Human memories are fickle, and excessive stress or fatigue can really affect the brain. So it's okay that you don't remember me...

No. I'm not confused.

Even if the others don't remember, I've held onto the fragments of her all this time.

Look. This photo of me and the President that I carry with me...

How...?

She's...disappeared from our photo?

...I'm sorry, Rin.

I'm back now, so you can take a step back from work.

Why don't you take this chance and get a nice, long vacation?

...This photo was definitely...

"Good morning, Rinny!"

"Did you get a good night's sleep?"

Sensei!

Perfect timing. I need to ask you something.

Does this student look like the General Student Council President to you too?

"Her? The President...?"

"Sorry, but I don't know her..."

I knew it!

I knew I wasn't the only one who remembered what the actual President looked like.

And surely... Surely the President that I remember isn't the wrong one, right?

"Let's calm down and hear her out first."

Oh my...

I've never seen Rin turn to an adult like that before.

It's good to see our stubborn Rin loosen up a little bit, but it makes me a bit sad too. Aha.

Well then. Greetings.

I am the President of the General Student Council, who governs Kivotos, the Academy City.

It's a bit embarrassing to say this myself, but I'm pretty well known here in Kivotos. It's rare to find a citizen who doesn't know who I am.

So I'm surprised you don't know me.

Have you come here from outside of Kivotos?

If possible, I would like for you to introduce yourself as well.

Schale...?

Um, what exactly does this "Schale" organization do?

An investigation organization with extrajudicial authority that transcends academy power...

...I'm sure an organization with such authority would need permission from the General Student Council President to operate.

However, I don't recall ever establishing such an organization.

This isn't a matter I can just brush aside.

"...Really?!"