Act 2 Vol. 2 Ch. 1 Ep. 14: Shadow Beneath the Flame

Oh, Makotoooo!

Yes, Satsuki?

The Gehenna Heritage League is here to see you. And they brought Sensei.

Ha! These insolent juniors have some nerve approaching me without a summons.

They managed to squirm away last time, but now it won't be so easy...even if they DID bring Sensei.

How curious...

Bring them in!

All right! You may approach!

Hello, Chairman!

I, the Great Makoto, am not in the mood to exchange pleasantries...

But I shall accept YOUR greeting, Sensei. After all, you are the Pandemonium Society's greatest collaborator.

Fufu...

You're laughing?

Bold, aren't you? Now... Declare your reasons for visiting the Pandemonium Society!

Is it similar to last time? The probability of your requests being granted is ZERO today, so brace yourself for rejection!

Ugh... I don't think I can do this...!

President, if you'd allow me.

Oh, Shouko's going to deploy her silver tongue again.

Quiet. I have a plan.

You came here to mumble? If you don't have the confidence to speak, then LEAVE!

Regarding the reason we're here...

Let's see. What if we said that it's to restore the Pandemonium Society's stature?

And what do you mean by that?

As you've undoubtedly noticed, the Gehenna Heritage League's influence expands by the day.

And Gehenna student life satisfaction surveys have reached unprecedented levels since we've arrived.

Wh-What about it?!

Campus accidents and incidents have plummeted, and the district's domestic market share has bloomed with activity.

Some students ask why the Pandemonium Society never took this kind of initiative, given they had SO long to do it.

People are even saying that perhaps we should have an...election.

To think that some students believe that the Heritage League should replace the Pandemonium Society...

U-Ugh...

She's not lying. I've heard it too.

Makoto, is your re-election at stake?

You...

Frankly, we'd hate to see our relationship come to that.

Why?

We believe that the Gehenna Heritage League should stick to..."supporting" the Pandemonium Society.

...And what would that mean?

Shouko? What's she talking about?

President, Shouko always has a plan. Let's hear her out.

Hmm...

Ultimately, the Heritage League is staffed by amateurs. While we've achieved results with passion and drive, we lack experience.

We are not proficient in enacting greater school policies and big-picture visions.

If we were to serve as the student council, we would inevitably make mistakes. No matter our intentions, we would erode our hard-won reputation.

Hm...

And that's why we believe that the Pandemonium Society will ultimately bring the greatest glory to Gehenna, just as you've been doing already.

Such a task is beyond the Heritage League and the Prefect Team. Only the Pandemonium Society can achieve this dream.

...

Kihehe, I see. I think we will get along very well!

To declare that I, Hanuma Makoto, am the true leader! That I alone can fix this mess you've made! Quite astute, Gehenna Heritage League!

She didn't exactly say any of that.

Ah, well... That's an interesting interpretation.

However.

That's not what the typical Gehenna student believes.

Preposterous! At least 60 percent of the Pandemonium Society's budget is dedicated to preaching how great I, Hanuma Makoto, am!

Students may only be peripherally aware of the Pandemonium Society, but every student knows their leader, Makoto!

Makoto, you perhaps have that backwards...

This is where hard numbers come in. Here, please take a look.

Here are the ratings for when the Twinkle Twinkle Club hosted the school broadcast.

Do you see that these ratings are 800% greater than when "Chairman Makoto's Anthem" plays?

Wh-What is this graph...?!

She's hitting Makoto with pure facts. The students DID love Kirara and Erika.

What a shame. I wish I could have tuned in.

Clearly, students are enthusiastic about novel, surprising things and find repeated material boring. They're utterly indifferent to what you've been providing them.

So, to expand the Pandemonium Society's influence...

We need to adapt. It's time to change strategies.

What exactly are you trying to say, Igarashi Shouko?!

I ask you to please grant the Gehenna Heritage League legitimate broadcasting rights.

...This again.

Instead of using the campus broadcasting system merely to convey information, we can utilize it as a platform for more proactive content creation and active communication.

We can also handle the Pandemonium Society's publicity in a more sophisticated manner.

It's not a bad idea! The campus broadcasting system's already been dark for a while.

Leaving the broadcast suspended undermines the Pandemonium Society's authority. The silence makes students question your very competence.

Ahem... We left the system silent because there was no talent capable of handling such a grand task...

...

Are you saying that your Heritage League can fill that role?

Precisely. You have seen our ability to captivate students, correct? We drove the current zeitgeist, after all.

I...must grant you credit for that.

Hmm... What should we do, Makoto?

Hmph, very well! If others insist on setting the stage, then it should be me, the Great Makoto, dancing in the spotlight!

Heritage League! I shall thoroughly exploit your dreams of grandeur!

That ignorant Prefect Team could never conceive of such political savvy! Kihehe!

Well, this was...completely unpleasant, but at least we can get inside the broadcasting room now.

I don't like feeling like some Pandemonium Society underling...

It's all part of the plan, ladies.

Heehee, then let's take a photo to celebrate this historic moment!

The Pandemonium Society and the Heritage League forming a coalition! I have a feeling this'll go viral.

Hmm, but you must mind the sensitive broadcasting room equipment.

Accidents have been known to happen. The previous Broadcasting Club president mentioned that.

...May I ask why she deserted her position?

What was it? Oh, just "personal reasons." She kept repeating that as she walked out.

She still hasn't returned, so she can't elaborate. Just please be careful in there, okay?

Understood.

...

Intelligence Committee Director Satsuki...

Me? Yes. What can I do for you?

...Never mind. I will ask you later.

Oh, are you trying to make me curious? How about just a little hint?

No, it truly was nothing.

Well, we'll be off now.

Hmph. Know that no matter how hard you squirm, you remain sunk in the palm of my beautifully-gloved hand.

This girl's getting annoying...

If you have any complaints, then you should raise your standing! Though I warn you, it won't be easy to view the world from the same height as I, the great Hanuma Makoto! Kihehe!

Let's just get outta here...

By the way, Makoto. Are you sure you want to give them broadcasting permissions like that?

Kihehe. You have yet to possess the keen insight that I do, Iroha.

The Heritage League is the hottest topic in Gehenna right now.

You see, officially granting them the microphone means we are absorbing their popularity!

And who do you think the students will blame when the broadcast inevitably goes wrong?

They will blame not the Pandemonium Society, but the Heritage League. They're the voices of the operation.

And so I'll recline and reap the promotional benefits while they suffer the responsibility...

It is the perfect plan!!!

Please use that wit of yours for something more constructive...

"It's dark!"

Then turn the lights on!

A switch! Hit it!

So this is the broadcasting room...

Indeed it is...

It looks a little dated, but I think they have everything we need.

Wait, what's this?

Maybe just leave it be, President...

Ugh...!

Aghh, Mayumi!

Sorry! I didn't mean to.

It's kind of scary being around so many big, weird machines...

Shouko... What are you doing?

Fufu, fufufu...

Wh-What... What's wrong, Shouko?

...Ah.

Yes, I am fine.

It's because you were messing around with things you shouldn't have been. I found that...amusing.

Yeah, my bad!

Now that we're here, we can look for the ghost clues.

I'll take...the EMF meter...

This way...

Shouko, you look like a real pro. Yaha!

Did you find something?

...

The signal's strong here...

...

...

Caren, you better not scare her!

Ah, you caught me.

Whatever. I'll be good...especially because it looks like Shouko's onto something.

I see... So it WAS here...

Did you find something?

...Indeed, I did. It looks like this wire leading to the speaker has worn out.

It's a simple grounding issue.

Huh. You can tell just by looking at it?

I've arduously studied telecommunications and radio.

Simply unplugging this wire should prevent any further "ghost activities."

...Though this faulty equipment needs to be replaced.

Really, it was that easy?

We've solved our first case!

Another win for the Heritage League! You're the best, Shouko!

Let's go tell the client! She'll love it! Now no one has to worry about "ghost noises" anymore.

And the president's fired up again.

...I'm going to give this place one more lookover... We could have missed another issue.

No. I'll be fine by myself.

...Thank you for your concern, Sensei.

Okay, but don't come back too late or get zapped or anything. We've got lots to do!

I'm embarking on a grand journey. Please do not look for me.

Okay, whatever! Just don't be late for the meeting!

...

I see... So this is...