How to Survive as the Academy Student Council President

“Instructor, I believe there’s a problem with the team assignments.”
After glaring at me for a moment, Freya raised her hand to question the team assignments.
She must have decided that ending up on the same team as me wasn’t mere coincidence. However—
“There is no problem. There was no personal judgment or interference in the assignment process; it was truly fair and impartial. I will accept no objections.”
Professor Verdandi’s reply was cold.
“……”
At the refusal to accept objections, Freya quietly clenched her fist.
Well… it was an awkward coincidence to be on the same team, but if you think about it, it wasn’t impossible.
'Given the average of Competitive War rankings, it’s entirely plausible for top-ranked Freya and bottom-ranked me to end up on the same team.'
“Next, I will explain the detailed outline of this practical exam.”
Tap—
Pointing with her sword at a section of the large map spread out before us, Verdandi continued.
“Each team’s objective is to reach the summit within the three-day time ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) limit. The team that pulls the flag first will pass the exam in first place, and every member of that team will be granted a special artifact. All five members must reach the summit for it to count. Next.”
Flutter—
“For all teams other than the first to win, rankings will be determined by awarding points based on the quality and quantity of magic stones extracted from monsters over the three days.”
“In addition, in this exam, teams are permitted to steal magic stones from one another.”
“!”
At that single statement from Verdandi, the students began to buzz.
Not only was it allowed to hunt monsters and take their stones, but teams could also fight each other and seize stones.
This practical exam wasn’t just a monster subjugation—it had become a survival game between students.
“However, if combat occurs between students, it will proceed under the basic duel rules via Student IDs. If you inflict excessive injury or use illegitimate means, you are immediately disqualified. Remember this: there are eyes watching everywhere on this mountain.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Seemingly satisfied with the students’ thunderous reply, Verdandi nodded and finished her explanation.
“Additionally, scattered throughout this range are autonomous golems dispatched by the Union. If defeated, they also yield magic stones, making them a good source of points. Be warned—they are that much stronger. That ends the briefing. Questions.”
As soon as she finished, I raised my hand and asked Verdandi a question.
“Instructor, if an unforeseen situation occurs during the exam, how should we respond?”
“Unforeseen, for example?”
“An unexpectedly powerful monster showing up, or… something along those lines.”
“No need to worry. The autonomous golems deployed throughout the range are not merely for distributing points. They’re designed to engage enemies if a threat to students is detected. In an emergency, the faculty—including myself—will be deployed immediately, so there is no special cause for concern.”
I gave a faint nod at Verdandi’s answer.
After that, she took a few more questions from other students and concluded everything.
“That is all. Each team, collect your supplies and move to your assigned positions.”
***
“Heh heh, Lord Loen, good to see you again.”
The five of us in Group C, Team 17 gathered at our assigned spot before the exam began.
Garfield was on this team as well.
“…Right.”
He was a welcome face, but I didn’t want to be on the same team as him for a mission like this.
Garfield was a scion of the merchant House Moti and a student from Buyerman, the commerce-specialized academy.
His combat ability wasn’t very high, so in a practical like this, he wasn’t much use.
At best, a pack mule.
“……”
Meanwhile, Freya—another acquaintance now on my team—gave me a brief, peculiar look and then averted her eyes.
Judging from that cold wind, she didn’t even want to speak to me.
'Why so prickly.'
It would be nice if, over these three days, we could clear things up or at least grow a bit friendlier.
Next, a beastkin girl with an easygoing air greeted us.
“Wow~ lots of celebrities here. I’m Hakone. Let’s do our best.”
I didn’t remember her.
There are tens of thousands of Union students all told—I can’t remember everyone.
She looked like a cat beastkin, so presumably from the Spirit Academy, Voltimir.
“I’m glad to be on the same team, President.”
Lastly, a neat-looking male student addressed Freya.
Caron, a member of the Steel Order under Freya.
As I recall, he was around 200th in the Competitive War rankings.
These five made one team.
The overall balance was poor, but with Freya alone, it wasn’t a terrible composition.
She could probably carry an exam like this by herself.
“Before we start, ladies, please give me your packs.”
Caron held out his hands toward the girls, offering to carry their supply bags.
“Oh, you’ll carry mine?”
“Yes. Escorting ladies is part of a knight’s role. Yours as well, President.”
As Caron held out his hand, Freya adjusted the backpack on her shoulder and shook her head.
“I’m fine, Sir Caron. I can carry this myself.”
“Honestly, I’m fine too. I’m tougher than I look.”
Following Freya, Hakone struck a needless muscle-showing pose and declined Caron’s courtesy.
Caron gave a small nod and stepped back obediently.

“…As you wish. But if it becomes difficult at any time, please hand your packs to me.”
“Mm.”
“……”
He was certainly diligent.
I took my eyes off Caron’s favor-grinding with the girls and started laying out a plan to clear this practical.
“We have about ten minutes until the start. Let’s use the time to decide on a plan.”
“A plan… you say?”
At Garfield’s question, I raised an index finger.
“Yeah. First, we give up on the flag at the summit. The risk is too high.”
Climbing the mountain first and seizing the flag—
Regardless of how many magic stones you collect, it’s a direct route to first place, with bonus points and artifacts for the team. A great method, but best abandoned.
'That’s a pretty lure.'
If we get first, great. But if we fail to seize the flag, we’ll have sprinted up the mountain and burned stamina for nothing, ending up with zero stones—falling behind all the other teams.
With this team composition, getting first place would be hard enough—and even if there’s a chance, we can’t stake everything on such low odds.
When I said we should give up the flag, Caron snorted and picked a fight.
“What a gutless fool. Giving up without even trying. Lady Freya, what do you think?”
With the question tossed her way, Freya glared at me and spoke.
“…I hate to admit it, but Loen is right. Our team’s odds of taking the flag are low, and if we fail, we’ll have to gather magic stones at a severe disadvantage.”
A coolheaded judgment, as expected.
For a team like ours, stacked with both the very bottom and the very top, that was even more true.
No matter how strong Freya was, carrying dead weight like Garfield and me to first place would be difficult.
Seizing the flag is more about overall speed than raw power. A team of five in the middle ranks is actually favored.
Caron frowned.
“In that case… what do you propose?”
“Our only option is to diligently cut down monsters and harvest stones.”
Freya’s orthodox plan: faithfully kill monsters and collect stones.
It suited her straightforward nature, but I couldn’t exactly recommend it.
“Orthodox” or not, it was pure grind.
After listening quietly, I suggested something else.
“Instead, how about we attack other teams and take their stones. Hunt teams instead of monsters.”
Our kind of extreme team has a strength.
Even if the balance is bad, with a super-ace like Freya, we can rob other teams’ stones.
It’s the most efficient way to accumulate points—and in the game, it was the best method.
Freya shot me a sharp look.
“…We will not use such a cowardly method. Rejected.”
Caron chimed in, puffing himself up beside her.
“Hmph. Exactly the kind of idea someone like you would have. I will follow President Freya’s command.”
“I’m also not thrilled about students fighting each other.”
“Nor am I.”
Hakone and Garfield didn’t seem inclined to ambush other teams either.
If the whole team felt that way, I had no intention of forcing it.
I had another option anyway.
“In that case.”
When I yielded, Freya nodded and spoke.
“Good. Then our policy is set. Next, formation. I’ll take the lead and open the path. Sir Caron, take the rear guard.”
“Yes.”
The lead and rear are the most dangerous spots.
It made sense for the two strongest to take them.
“And me…?”
Garfield raised his hand to ask about his role, and Freya asked him to introduce himself.
“Your name and affiliation?”
“I am Garfield. From Buyerman Academy’s Faculty of Commerce.”
At the mention of Commerce, Freya’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Pardon the bluntness, but do you have any combat ability?”
“I learned a bit of self-defense as a child. I also learned body-hardening forging arts that toughen the skin.”
“Good—you’re less likely to be injured. Even so, your combat ability is comparatively low, so stand at the dead center of our formation. If a fight breaks out, protect our packs.”
“Understood. Leave it to me.”
Freya then looked at Hakone, the cat beastkin girl.
“Miss Hakone, as a beastkin you should be familiar with the terrain. Please act as our scout. If you spot enemy monsters, report immediately. I’ll handle them.”
“Okay~ leave it to me.”
“And lastly…”
Freya turned her gaze to me.
Before she could speak, I cut in.
“I’ll stand with Garfield and watch the packs. I doubt I’ll be much help in a fight.”
My stock had risen after the Territorial War, but right now I didn’t even have the magic crystal orbs that serve as my attack method.
No need to show off. I’d ride the bus.
“…Very well.”
Freya accepted without objection.
With that, both our combat policy and formation were set.
Right on cue, Verdandi’s voice boomed from afar, amplified by a magic device.
[Good. As of now, the practical exam begins. Head for the summit, but take care—there is thicker fog than usual today.]
***
The Uncharted Zone.
Five hundred years ago, it had been the Dark Archipelago, an inhuman demonic realm overrun solely by monsters.
The Human Alliance launched a subjugation of the Dark Archipelago. Commemorating that great victory, they renamed it the Meteor Isles and built the Union upon that land.
But the vast Meteor Isles were not cleansed perfectly. Even now, there remain uncharted zones where human hands have never reached.
The Howling Mountain Range, our target for today’s practical, was one part of that uncharted land.
However, because it was close to the Union, the mana density wasn’t that high, and the monsters that lived here were of lower rank.
Judging by the fact that even a student like Garfield—virtually devoid of combat power—could participate in practicals, you could guess the danger level.
Given that, students fanned out across the wide forest and cut down monsters without hesitation.
Our team did the same.
“Three kobolds ahead~”
When Hakone, perched in a tree, called out the position of the enemy—
“Confirmed.”
Freya folded the distance in an instant, thrusting her sword to pierce a monster’s heart.
Thunk—
“Grrk…”
Felling the kobold in a single stroke, Freya twisted her blade and pulled out the magic stone embedded in the corpse.
Slash—
A dark-violet crystal skewered on her sword.
There wasn’t a speck of waste in that series of motions. It was, quite literally, art.
Click—
Freya wrapped the harvested stone in a leaf and handed it to me. I tucked it into a leather pouch and counted.
“Three low-grade stones. That makes nineteen total so far.”
Wiping the sweat running down her cheek with the back of her hand, Freya frowned.
“…At this rate, it will never end.”
It had already been over ten hours since the exam started.
And we’d collected only nineteen stones. Low-grade ones, at that.
A low-grade stone was worth just one point each.
Mid-grade stones were ten points, high-grade fifty. Mowing down low-ranks wasn’t as good as killing one strong monster.
But high-rank monsters were rare here. In the end, all we could do was keep pounding the ground.
“Lady Freya, please use this.”
Caron produced a handkerchief from his breast and offered it to the sweating Freya.
With a slightly reluctant expression, she accepted it and gave thanks.
“Ah. Yes, thank you.”
Meanwhile, I looked at the nineteen low-grade stones in the pouch and sighed.
“The efficiency is awful. We’d be better off setting a base camp near the finish and ambushing teams that approach to steal their stones.”
All teams had to reach the finish within the three-day time limit.
We could rest and conserve strength until then, then strike a few teams as they neared the finish and take their stones for an easy high placement.
There was no need to roam all over the range working ourselves to death clearing monsters.
At my suggestion, Freya’s eyes flashed again.
“Loen, I’m sure I told you we won’t use that method.”
“Then are we going to keep chasing small fry like this?”
“……”
“But we cannot attack other teams. It’s better to search for higher-ranked monsters.”
“In a forest this vast? We haven’t found one yet—what guarantees we will?”
Other teams were already scouring the woods for higher-ranked prey with eyes blazing.
There was no guarantee we’d find them first.
“Then what do you propose?”
It seemed I wouldn’t be able to break Freya’s stubbornness. At this point, I’d use the prepared move.
Grinding was annoying, after all.
With a small sigh, I rummaged in my pouch.
“…If you insist, there is a way. Prepare for combat.”
Then I pulled out an artifact and raised it above my head.
Beep—
When I pressed the red button on the artifact, a whirring activation tone sounded, and a wave of mana rippled through the forest.
Caron bared his teeth at me.
“What are you doing, cur? Suddenly pulling something suspicious?”
“Shut up and wait.”
“…What?”
Snapping at him, I quietly stared into the dark forest.
It wasn’t long before—
Thump—
With a tremor through the ground, the throb of a mana engine reached us.
From her perch, Hakone’s eyes sparkled as she shouted down to us.
“Ah—g-golem! An autonomous golem is coming!”
Hakone’s report that a golem was approaching.
And in fact, a massive shape was cutting through the fog toward us.
Thump—
A towering figure clad in smooth steel gauntlets and helm—like a giant steel knight in full plate.
An autonomous golem deployed by the Union to sweep the range of monsters—
A point-dispenser had arrived.