Vol. 4 Ch. 2 Ep. 8: New Proxy

S-Sensei!

Oh, dear, we're in a tight spot... Rin is... No, the Chief Officer is...!

Um... So...

Um... So...

Rin has been arrested.

She's been accused of forging the General Student Council President's letter for her own gain and ordering acts of terrorism against fellow officers.

I-It's all just a horrible misunderstanding!

No misunderstanding. They framed her. 100%.

If our high-minded senior had been someone who is capable of considering any kind of self-interest or preservation, the General Student Council would have never recovered and continued to run the way it did.

But, alas, too preoccupied with doing the right thing, she fell for their blatant schemes.

We're hanging in there, at least for now...

In the no-confidence vote, Chief Kaya's supporters were almost overwhelmingly loud.

Those who argued for Rin's innocence were drowned out by the prevailing sentiment and ousted from the proceedings...

I've always complained about work, but I never thought I'd see the day when I'd skip it like this...

...You're here. Sensei.

The new acting General Student Council president is waiting for you.

Right this way.

...I'd think twice if I were you, Sensei.

They're pretty blatantly setting a trap and asking you to walk into it. Going there would be pretty dumb, don't you think?

You're gonna get crushed like a potato chip.

"Just stay safe until I get back, Momoka. Ayumu."

*sigh* You're lucky blind positivity is your best trait.

A slacker like me can't help you if you really wanna go in there. So, be careful.

P-Please take care of yourself, Sensei!

Follow me.

Hello, Sensei.

I'm sorry the General Student Council's mess has caused so much inconvenience.

Normally, we would've had someone greet you formally, but I heard you were out earlier.

Given the circumstances, I felt it necessary to call on you directly. I do apologize it was such a public medium.

You didn't have any urgent plans, did you? Anything special planned?

"...Beyond that, what happened to Rin?"

Chief Officer Rin is currently under detention in the student dorms.

I've stepped in as Acting President of the General Student Council, following the Student Council President's recently discovered letter.

I'm looking forward to working even more closely with you, Sensei.

It was found in the school's basement.

We store some of the President's old belongings and projects, like the Crafting Room, in there.

I can completely understand how this could have happened during the transfer of authority and Schale's involvement.

Even someone like Rin can make mistakes.

I suppose I can't deny that at this point.

Once the coup threw D.U. into chaos, I secretly had someone retrieve any of the President's belongings still in the basement.

It just seemed so strange to me... The thought of a superhuman like the General Student Council President disappearing and leaving Rin of all people to fill her shoes.

I thought maybe there was something we, the ordinary students, weren't getting. Some great plan.

But it was thanks to this unauthorized search that I finally uncovered the General Student Council President's true intentions.

I know I overstepped, but...

You're starting to get it. Sometimes rules and processes impede justice.

The people in power aren't superhumans. Their laws are weak. Full of holes. And pests will always come crawling out of the woodwork to find and exploit their flimsy systems.

One needs heavy boots to crush those pests, Sensei.

Kaiser might have got a little overzealous during their occupation of Schale, but that doesn't mean their power is a lie. The opposite, actually.

Wielding authority properly, as it was intended, happens to be a natural part of the job as the Chief of Defense.

So I fully intend to use my authority as acting General Student Council president to its fullest extent.

What am I going to do with Schale? You make me sound so villainous, Sensei.

Why would I change anything? Especially after all you and your little team did for Kivotos when the General Student Council was in chaos.

We appreciate your contributions and wouldn't dream of acting ungratefully.

But it's also evident to anyone with eyes that you're overworked, Sensei.

While students do take shifts to help lighten your day-to-day workload, Schale's organizational structure inherently means you'll always be stretched thin.

So, "we've" been thinking.

We, the members of the General Student Council, have been...brainstorming how we could... you know, "help" you out. Sensei.

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

This is a proposal to reform Schale's administrative structure.

We hoped to present this to you for your approval.

Our main goal is to lessen your workload while giving you more authority, Sensei.

Take your time and look it over. If you approve, sign the dotted line.

Nothing...changes, per se.

You can keep doing your job as you always have.

Spend your days with your students, help citizens in need...

Of course, it's no issue if you don't want to keep working. I won't judge you if you decide to slack off a bit, Sensei.

If you need money, consider yourself taken care of.

We'll even handle all that tedious paperwork for you. I do remember how much you hate those reports.

...The ball's in your court, Sensei.

You would have to just give us one, little thing.

Moving forward, we'll take responsibility for your actions.

All activities in Schale will be conducted in the name of the General Student Council.

Whatever you may do, whatever consequences follow Schale, we'll handle the aftermath.

Not a bad proposition, right?

Adults are known for trying to dodge responsibilities, aren't they?

So I'll take on all of it for you, Sensei.

You can just lean on me and finally breathe easy.

"Thank you for the offer. But I won't sign this."

"Being an adult means shouldering your responsibilities, no matter how heavy."

...Come again?

Sensei, there seems to be some confusion...

Our proposal isn't about trying to pin you down. It's not an underhanded trick to take away Schale's authority.

We're only looking to make your job easier, to give you more freedom. You could do whatever you wanted.

Of course, the proposal isn't set in stone. If there was a clause you disliked, we can discuss it.

"But I can't let my students watch my back as I run away."

"But slacking off doesn't exactly set the right tone for my students."

*sigh*

You really are just a stubborn adult.

A stubborn, pathetic adult so lost in your childish ideals that you can't face reality.

Managing people like you is truly draining...

But fine. We'll shelve this reform proposal for now.

Tomorrow, sweeping administrative reforms from our newly formed cabinet will go into effect.

These changes are Kivotos' future. I'm going to transform our society into a well-regulated, perfect new world.

I hope you'll reconsider, after witnessing our new Kivotos come to fruition.

The Defense Department...or rather, the General Student Council is always open to you now.

I expect I'll see you soon, Sensei.

Leave.