Chapter 11   – Why Did You Run Away? (2)

Louise’s eyes were trembled with fear. He was too close. She opened her mouth as she looked at his darkened eyes.

“I wasn’t running...”

Her voice shook slightly.

“I was just checking to make sure I was in the right place. I’m still unfamiliar with the campus.”

She gave a nervous smile.

“But I can’t leave a friend in trouble. “‘

She wasn’t just walking into to hell, she was at full march.

“Friend?”

“...Is it weird to call you a friend?”‘

“No, it’s not exactly weird. I don’t think it’s wrong. Our relationship can probably be described as ‘childhood friends.’”

No, he was certainly not her childhood friend. If that’s what he wanted, however, then she was willing to amend her own definition of the term.

Childhood friend: A dangerous relationship in which one friend from childhood can ruin another’s life at any time.

“I am happy to hear you say that you’re my friend. Even though you’re also my ex-fiancée who ran away just because you were uncomfortable seeing my face.”

It wasn’t his face that made her uncomfortable. Anyways, Louise felt lucky that Ian at least agreed to a friendship. He was kind enough that he wouldn’t do anything cruel to a friend.

“Not really. Your Highness, you didn’t tell me you were going to be at this student council meeting, so I was just surprised.”

“I hadn’t told you?”

“You hadn’t.”

If she had known, she would have backed out when she received the invitation to join the student council.

“I apologize for that.”

Ian finally took a step back from her. He pulled back his arm and looked at her with a kinder expression.

“I’m sorry that my dear friend doesn’t know what other students know.”

“Rumors are slow to come to me.”

“I suppose so.”

No noblemen or commoner would bother passing this trivial piece of information to her.

“Anyway, I’m the student council president. Regretfully, I’m not enough for the job.”

“Enough?”

As student president he had the highest authority and duty among students. It was not unlike his real status.

“There’s so much to do, which is why I always rely on the rest of student council.”

“It would be great to be with people who are reliable.”

Louise spoke as if she were talking about someone else’s business. She was still searching for an opening to run away.

“Right?”

Ian smiled, and Louise nodded fervently.

“And now a reliable childhood friend of mine will be part of it.”

Ugh. There was no escape.

“What a great tradition. What was it? The person at the top of the class will serve in the student council?”

It’s a relic of an old age.

“You think it’s a relic of an old age, don’t you?”

Louise replied in a fright.

“No! Even relics of the old age should be respected!”

“I’m glad you understand.”

This was how Louise got caught.

“It won’t be a bad experience for you. It would be a chance to prove the worth of Louise Sweeney to other families. “

“I...worth?”

“There are many in this academy that are being groomed as successors to important families.”

Louise gazed up at Ian.

“Is that you why took the position of president?”‘

“... Hmm?”

“To prove your worth.”

“You mean me?”

Ian chucked to himself. Louise Sweeney, as always, asked strange questions. How dare she suggest that the crown prince had to prove himself.

“Well, if you think so.”

‘... Something is different.’

Louise eventually bowed, accepting her position as new member of the student council. She had to admit the atmosphere of the student council room was quite cozy and she felt like she was part of a small hobby club.

Ian was not like the original. The original didn’t strive for improvement in this way.

***

“It won’t be too difficult. We’re here to help students make their school life more fulfilling,”

Claire Iris said encouragingly.

“What do you all usually do?”

“Various things. We host events and do regular volunteer work. When students feel like they’ve been treated unfairly, the most important thing to do is to stand up for them.”

Claire paused for a moment then leaned in with a very serious expression.

“We’re always careful not to get terrible menus at the cafeteria.”

“...”

“Think about it. This place is like a remote island, isn’t it? Imagine during the semester when you can’t go out as freely as you like, you’re served chocolate grilled eggplant or donkey’s tail.”

Louise had been confident that she lived a diverse range of experiences, from being poor in her old life to being rich in a fictional world. However her life, compared to that dish, sounded very ordinary.

“I wouldn’t want to come across that.”

“Right? The management lady comes up with dishes like that. The chocolate grilled eggplant was actually on the menu last year.”

Louise grimaced as she imagined the taste. Claire clapped her hands attentively.

“Don’t worry too much, the menus are posted a week ahead of time, and we’ve always fought against the worst of them. Like once there was–“

“And what else do you do?”

Claire seemed ready to mention another bizarre dish, so Louise quickly changed the topic.

“Well...there is something you can do.”

“What is it?”

“I would do it myself, but I can’t. I’ll leave it up to you all. Will that be okay, President? “

Claire glanced over to Ian, who was seated at the head of the table. He slowly crossed his legs.

“That would be fine. Nothing would be better than an opportunity to prove the worth of Louise Sweeney.”

Claire nodded in agreement after having attained his permission.

“I think so, too. Every member of the student council needs to prove their worth. “

What kind of task would they set Louise? Perhaps all of the school’s flower beds needed to be renewed. Or many they needed an illustrated book about plants growing on campus.

“Your job–”

Louise swallowed. She was getting nervous for nothing.

“–is finding which classes are on the verge of cancellation.”

This didn’t make sense to Louise.

“...Huh?”

“The Academy has some classes that are popular, but some that aren’t.”

She nodded. Louise still had a grudge against the physics class she took in Korea.

“But some students really want the unpopular classes. They become sad when the class is closed.”

“In other words.”

Louise calmly summarized Claire’s words.

“We fill the classes so they don’t get canceled?”

“Right.”

Hw does this relate to proving her worth? Anyone can sign for up a class, even if they weren’t Louise!

“You’re thinking how does this relate to proving your worth?”

Ian asked, tilting his chin up and grinning.

” I...!”

“Why else do you think a class is unpopular?”

Why? It was so obvious.

“It must be a difficult class. Or the lecture is boring, or the tests are hard...”

Such classes left a sour taste in her mouth, but enduring them and producing good grades would be a chance to prove herself. Louise sighed internally. There were only two things she wanted at this academy.

One was to get further away from Ian. The other was to keep being at the top of the class and enjoy the honor of being the best student.

It seem that the student council wasn’t the highway to a bad ending, it was the bad ending. As expected, her life was ruined.