How to Survive as the Academy Student Council President

“What do you mean?”
Freya asked back with a sharp look, and I answered that question calmly.
Pointing at the documents Freya had handed out, I continued my explanation.
“Some of the merchant guilds registered here as suppliers for the Sports Festival—I understand they’ve been playing money games lately. It’s common for a guild that invested in the wrong place to face a cash crunch. Because of possible liquidity issues, the supply of necessary goods for the Sports Festival could be disrupted. I recommend securing contingency routes.”
“That’s sudden. All those guilds are blue-chip firms of the Kingdom of Gilbert.”
“……It’s just a precautionary warning. It’s your call, so handle it as you see fit.”
“……”
With that, I didn’t try to persuade Freya any further.
I didn’t have the energy to go on with a long-winded explanation either.
But the destruction of the Gallevier Merchant Guild selected as a supplier for this Sports Festival, and of the Gilbert Kingdom guilds entangled with it, is already set.
With my help, Sheika sensed their impure movements, and we’re already working behind the scenes to turn that plan back on them and strip them to the bone.
Once they’re reduced to paupers in an instant, they won’t have the leisure to care about Sports Festival supply contracts, and if that happens, the probability of trouble in the festival’s execution becomes extremely high.
I nodded as I mulled over this and that.
'If Freya’s side doesn’t move, I’ll have to prepare in advance myself.'
I can’t ruin a Sports Festival hosted by Freya because of me, so I should ask Sheika to procure backup supplies ahead of time.
Even if I start right now, it’ll be a bit tight on time, but if it’s my request, she’ll do it.
While I was thinking for a moment, Kiriel half-opened her eyes and snapped at me.
“Heeey, what’s this? Picking a fight for no reason. Don’t tell me you’re trying to sabotage things just because Senior Jeremy gets things done smoothly?”
“Be quiet. Everyone here knows it’d be more efficient to kick you out and seat your aides instead. Stay still before I throw you out.”
“Tch.”
Once Kiriel settled down again, Elena spoke up next.
“I don’t think Loen brought it up for nothing. Do you perhaps have a basis for thinking so?”
Gently mediating the situation, Elena gave me the chance to speak.
“I went to Stella for a bit yesterday on business. In the process, I heard a few rumors about various guilds. Also met someone I know at the bookstore.”
“……”
When I slid a glance at Beatrice, she avoided my eyes with an annoyed expression.
“At any rate, I’ve given my warning. Next.”
I wrapped it up there and moved on to the next agenda item.
“Now we need to decide the prizes, rewards, and benefits for the Sports Festival. Ishtal will prepare most of the prizes by default, but there are things we student council presidents should decide together.”
The Sports Festival prizes.
Each academy has a culture of donating prizes to the Sports Festival.
It’s itself an opportunity to show the academy’s generosity, ambition, and financial power, so academies even compete over which academy donates more expensive and better items as prizes.
So is it merely an excessive bleeding competition? Not really.
If your academy wins or produces many high-ranking students, the donated items come right back to you intact.
Given the circumstances, this donation competition is also an expression of confidence in winning the Sports Festival.
“Yes. We of Ishtal will donate this item as a prize.”
Freya placed a wooden box she had brought separately on the table.
When she opened the box, a resplendent silver gauntlet revealed itself.
‘Silver Dragon Gauntlet!’
It’s an Epic-grade item, a defensive armament so high-grade it even carries the legend that it was made from the scales of a Silver Dragon.
In reality, I know it was made by a dwarf artisan who braided adamantium like thread.
Its abilities are resistance to all poisons upon wearing, and allowing you to resist a single lethal blow once.
It’s not an extra life…… but it does prevent instant death from a single strike.
Because it isn’t particularly affected by the user’s class or profession and has high versatility, it’s a rare artifact that commands whatever price you name.
Seeing her put that up as a prize, Freya clearly doesn’t intend to miss victory at this Sports Festival.
And when it comes to pure physical contests, Ishtal does have the advantage.

“It’s quite something. We at Eredor have prepared this.”
Beatrice then took out the prize she’d prepared.
A neatly folded, translucent, aurora-hued cloak.
[Yurian’s Transparent Cloak]
It is indeed similar to that thing from a certain famous novel.
However, since it doesn’t erase traces of mana or sound, its standing is far below that item.
Being a mages’ academy that’s walled off from physical training, they must have been unable to donate anything too impressive.
“Hehe, we of Saintea will donate this.”
Saying so, Elena placed a small wooden case on the table.
When she opened it, a blue ring that looked expensive came into view.
[Gregor’s Sacred Ring]
This is also an Epic-grade item, said to be a legacy left by Cardinal Gregor, who was famous as an inquisitor in the past.
Its ability is “Purification.”
It demonstrates excellent power in repelling demonic energy and subjugating monsters, and can even somewhat purify dirty water or foul air.
'That’s a natural enemy of mine.'
I do covet the two above, but I don’t particularly want this one.
If I put that on, it’s my body that’ll get purified instead, and since I’m wearing the Ring of Derode, there’s no stylistic upside either.
“Last one. What did you prepare?”
I turned my gaze and asked Kiriel.
“W-well, that is……”
Flip-.
Unlike usual, Kiriel pulled out a single sheet of paper with a slightly crestfallen voice and set it down.
“This…… is it.”
An old sheet rolled up and tied with a red string.
Elena tilted her head at the sight.
“What is that, Miss Kiriel?”
Scratching her head, Kiriel spoke as if embarrassed.
“A-a treasure map. A map indicating the location of a valuable item said to be buried somewhere in the Union.”
“Huh. A treasure map? How cute.”
When I snorted, Kiriel cried out.
“I can’t help it! We have to prepare for the Academy Festival in autumn, so our budget is tight.”
“Well…….”
It’s a situation I can fully understand.
The Sports Festival does require a fair budget, but it can’t compare to the Union’s Academy Festival.
The Academy Festival is a mega-event that draws close to hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the Mir-elin continent.
It’s also an occasion where the royals and noble parents from the kingdoms that sent their children to the Union make the trip, so it’s only natural that preparations require a massive budget.
Also, because various academic conferences and competitions are held—including by the Seven Magic Towers—humanity’s great scholars gather as well, so preparations can by no means be neglected.
I nodded.
“Fine, that’s acceptable. The Sports Festival prizes are donations in the first place. We can’t force you to donate some grand item. We’ll recognize it.”
“Why are you acting like the one recognizing it? Ishtal is the host academy.”
Not a wrong point either.
Kiriel pressed on.
“So what did you prepare?”
Soon the gazes of the other three were on me, and I nodded confidently.
“Of course I have something. Our General Student Council will grant a benefit to the academy that performs well in this Sports Festival.”
“What is it?”
Buoyed by everyone’s attention, I took a sheet of paperwork from my inner pocket and placed it on the table.
Thock-.
Kiriel traced the letters written on the document, sounding them out.
“Tram…… branch line opening?”
“That’s right.”
Bang-.
I lightly tapped the table and rose to my feet.
“The trams connecting the Union currently only run to the territories of the four great academies and other medium-to-large academies. Because of that, students from smaller academies spend time walking to stations that are tens of minutes away. This benefit is prepared for those academies.”
“What, that’s better than I thought. What’s gotten into you.”
Elena joined Kiriel in supporting my plan.
“Indeed. Your ulterior motive does show a little, but it’s a good prize.”
“Ulterior motive? Distributing benefits to more students is only natural for a Student Council President.”
“……For that, you seem particularly intent on winning over the smaller academies.”
Beatrice sharply pointed this out, and I merely shrugged.
It’s not that I don’t have that intention at all.
Students of the four great academies already enjoy a rich academy life lacking for nothing thanks to hefty sponsorships.
Fulfilling the needs of those people while boosting my approval isn’t easy at all.
But the smaller academies are different.
Their sponsorship from their kingdoms or houses is meager; their facilities are relatively poor; and even their basic living conditions are woefully lacking compared to the giant academies.
It’s precisely those people who need the helping hand of the Union and the General Student Council.
'Thanks to the Izelin affair, my image among the smaller academies has already improved somewhat.'
Even now, the ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) General Student Council’s suggestion box receives a dozen or so letters asking for help.
They, more than anyone, need the intervention and aid of public authority.
The tram construction I put up as a Sports Festival prize should be able to fill some of that lack.
Freya opened her mouth.
“The prize is just a pretext; in the end you’re planning to raise your approval ratings.”
“It’s not particularly a bad thing.”
“Do you have the budget? The funds allocated to the General Student Council at present are only activity expenses and dignity maintenance expenses. It’s far from enough to open a tram branch line. There will be limits to covering it with your personal funds.”
“There’s no need to worry about that. We don’t have it now, but we will soon.”
Once the funds from the investment I placed with Sheika yesterday come in, expanding the tram lines won’t be hard.
It’s not like a subway where we have to conduct massive civil engineering works digging into the ground; we just need to lay tracks and build stops.
And—
“There’s also no need to spend money right this instant.”
If money is short, we can take out a loan or just promise the tram construction and put it off until money comes in.
There’s no need to rush at all.
“A typically politician-like way of handling things.”
“That’s what the Student Council President’s seat is.”
Of course I have no intention of making a false promise and then just wiping my mouth. I actually need to raise my approval.
In any case, with this tram construction, I intend to secure the support of the smaller academies.
As for the four great academies, if I just sweet-talk the student council presidents, they’ll follow my lead to a certain extent.
So strategically, it’s better to win over the smaller academies first, which don’t have any particular rallying point.
“Then, Loen, what conditions will you set to obtain this tram benefit?”
At Elena’s question, I produced an appropriate answer.
“We’ll create a separate special award. The top placements will mostly be monopolized by the four great academies anyway. We need to make the benefit go to those who need it.”
“Very good. That will be a good thing for students of other academies as well. Just handle it without violating fairness.”
With Freya’s agreement as well.
It seemed the matter of the Sports Festival prizes was resolved to a certain degree.
“Good, let’s wrap up the Sports Festival talk here. Is there a next agenda item?”
With that, the prepared agenda items were concluded.
We had gathered for the Sports Festival in the first place.
At my question, Beatrice’s eyes gleamed.
“Yes, I have something urgent to tell you all regarding the Dark Magic Stones.”