Episode 42: Far Too Easy
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The student council president election ended anticlimactically, and as expected, Kazuma became the student council president.
Having become president, Kazuma’s very first task was to give a victory speech.
“Starting tomorrow, all female students will wear miniskirts!!!”
This was met with a storm of boos.
A tempest of insults and curses flew from the female students, assailing Kazuma.
However, since slander, defamation, insults, and curses had no effect on Kazuma, he wore an unfazed expression and nodded in satisfaction.
“Kazuma-kun. The student council president doesn’t have that kind of authority, you know.”
Hayato, the former student council president, presented Kazuma with this merciless reality.
“Eh!? Then, what kind of authority do I have!?”
“You can view student grades, I suppose…”
“I-I don’t need that! Isn’t there anything else?”
“You have some discretionary power, but it’s within the scope of a student, so it’s not that strong. But it’s certainly stronger than an ordinary student’s.”
“Then, you could at least allow uniform modifications, right?”
“It can be accepted as a request, but whether it passes in a meeting is another matter.”
“Is the ‘All Female Students in Miniskirts Plan’ no good!? I think it would boost the male students’ motivation, drive, and ambition!”
“Well, it probably would…”
Sadly enough.
Most creatures known as men are simple beings, directly connected to their lower halves.
If Kazuma’s ‘All Female Students in Miniskirts Plan’ were to succeed, at least some of the male students would undoubtedly become motivated.
Naturally, Kazuma was included among them.
However, it was also a fact that it would come with a great price.
To put it bluntly, they would be showered with criticism from the girls and looked down upon with contempt. Though, for some individuals, this might be a reward.
“Then, we should do it!”
“There’s this thing called… morals, you see.”
“What morals! Things like that are meant to be broken!”
“…This looks like it’s going to be the most unconventional student council in history.”
The student council formed under Kazuma as president would surely be an amusing one.
Everyone present was convinced of at least that much.
The victory speech also concluded, and the student council president election came to a close.
While the spectating students headed home, their excitement yet to cool, the guests gathered around the victor, Kazuma.
“What’s this?”
Kazuma was tied up with a thick rope and was being pummeled by Kaede, Yukihime, and Karin, acting as representatives of the female students.
It was a bizarre sight, but since Kazuma, who had declared the ‘All Female Students in Miniskirts Plan’ during his victory speech, was at fault, it was his just deserts.
“You have visitors… they’re here, but…”
“Huh. Who are these visitors?”
Standing behind Hayato was Sanada Nobuyasu, who was said to have been the strongest in the country until the Crimson Knight appeared.
“This is the first time we’ve met face-to-face, isn’t it? My name is Sanada Nobuyasu. I’m the CEO of Samurai, Inc.”
“Ah, pleased to meet you. I’m Satsuki Kazuma. I’ve heard a great deal about you, Sanada-san.”
“…You’re much more polite than you seemed on the platform.”
“One must be polite to their superiors, wouldn’t you agree?”
“””(Kazuma-kun actually has common sense…!)”””
“That’s harsh~. Even I can be polite, you know.”
“””Eh!? Were we thinking out loud?”””
“No, I can pretty much tell what you’re thinking just by looking at your faces.”
“Was it that obvious on our faces?”
“No, not particularly…”
“Kaede-chan’s expression didn’t even change, did it?”
“Mm, it should have been as usual.”
“You can’t keep secrets from me.”
“Ah, sorry to interrupt while you’re all lively, but may I proceed soon?”
“Ah, my apologies. So, what can I do for you?”
“The contrast is astounding…”
The Kazuma he had seen during the victory speech gave the impression of a so-called frivolous person, and Nobuyasu could hardly imagine his current polite demeanor.
The group felt like they might catch a cold from the sheer intensity of the gap, but Nobuyasu, remembering he mustn’t forget the main topic, continued the conversation.
“Ahem. This may be premature, Satsuki Kazuma-kun, but how would you like to join Samurai, Inc. after graduation?”
Everyone except Kazuma was surprised by the direct recruitment from Nobuyasu, but considering his achievements, they calmed down, thinking the offer was only natural.
Despite possessing Transposition, a Gift unsuited for combat, he had overwhelmed combat-type Gifted, and single-handedly defeated Kenzaki Souji, who was called the strongest student, as well as the hero, Juzo Hakari.
His strength was beyond doubt, and everyone likely acknowledged it.
“(Eh, what should I do? I get a billion yen from the country every month, so I hadn’t really thought about employment…)”
Samurai, Inc., said to have the highest quality of Gifted in the country.
Their work was wide-ranging, from Ibinom extermination to bodyguard duties, and it’s said that if you can get a job at this company, which has trust and a proven track record both domestically and internationally, your future is secure.
However, Kazuma had already signed a contract with the government as the Crimson Knight and was receiving a monthly payment of one billion yen.
Incidentally, Kazuma didn’t quite understand it, but he was already doing work worth more than his pay, so the government side was extremely pleased.
If Kazuma were to find out about this, he would likely fly into a rage, thinking he was being conveniently used, but there were also aspects where he was allowed to do as he pleased, so he couldn’t say anything.
“What do you say?”
“Ah~, um~”
“Oops, my apologies. It seems I’ve perplexed you with such a sudden proposal. It’s enough if you just keep it in the back of your mind.”
“Y-yes…”
“Of course, you’re welcome to join immediately, too.”
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Saying that, the one who cut in between Kazuma and Nobuyasu was Tennoji Yayoi.
She was a formidable woman scheming to make Kazuma her husband.
She couldn’t just stand by and watch Kazuma being recruited right before her eyes, so she interfered to obstruct it.
“Hm. You’re from the Tennoji Group, if I recall…”
“I am Tennoji Yayoi. It’s been a while since we last met like this, Sanada Nobuyasu-san.”
“Ah. It has been a while. I didn’t expect you to be here as well.”
“I was in the guest seating area, you see…”
“Is that so? My apologies. I was so engrossed in the match I didn’t notice.”
“I see…”
Nobuyasu’s words were probably true.
Indeed, once Kazuma’s match began, it was understandable that one would focus on it.
In that case, it couldn’t be helped that Nobuyasu hadn’t noticed Yayoi, who had arrived late.
“By the way, did you also come to support Satsuki Kazuma-kun?”
“But of course. Kazuma-han is my future husband, after all.”
“Eh…!?”
The surprised Nobuyasu vigorously turned to look at Kazuma.
Kazuma, meeting Nobuyasu’s eyes, shook his head, denying any such fact.
“So he says?”
“It’s merely the plan for now.”
“I-is that so…”
While stunned by Yayoi’s declaration, Nobuyasu turned back to Kazuma and sympathized, “You have it tough too, don’t you?”
“Well then, I shall take my leave. Satsuki Kazuma-kun, if you so desire, we will welcome you anytime. Farewell.”
Nobuyasu, who had other business to attend to, left the Seventh Esper Academy ahead of the others.
The other guests who had come also handed Kazuma their business cards, promoted their companies, and then departed.
A dozen or so business cards remained in Kazuma’s hand, and most of the guests were gone.
Only Souji and Yayoi were left.
“Yo, good work.”
“Senpai. Could it be that this is what you meant by being ‘super popular’?”
“You finally get it now? That’s right. You were in high demand, weren’t you?”
“This isn’t what I was hoping for at all…!”
Clenching his teeth, Kazuma lamented the unfairness of the world with a grief-stricken expression.
He’d heard he’d be popular with girls if he became the strongest student, but in reality, it was recruitment offers from various companies.
Kazuma was indignant that this was quite different from what he’d heard, but since he himself was the one who had misunderstood, his anger was likely misdirected.
“Rest assured, Kazuma-han. I am here for you.”
“Yayoi-san…”
Of course, it wasn’t that he wasn’t popular with women either.
Some women, starting with Yayoi, held Kazuma in high regard.
After all, he was handsome with excellent future prospects, so the women of the world wouldn’t just leave him alone.
Women close to him knew Kazuma well, so they wouldn’t choose him as a future partner, but to women who knew nothing about him, he was a prime catch.
“How about it? To celebrate your inauguration as student council president, why don’t we have dinner at my place?”
“By all means.”
It was riddled with ulterior motives, but from Kazuma’s perspective, if it was a Honey Trap without the risk of assassination, he wholeheartedly welcomed it.
Even if her scheme was to use him, if love could blossom from it, such things were trivial to him.
“No. Kazuma is having a celebration party with us.”
Naturally, Yayoi wouldn’t be allowed to have her way.
Kaede forcibly pulled away Kazuma, who was being swayed by Yayoi.
“I’m going to build a happy family with Yayoi-san!”
“Not with me?”
“Eh…?”
Receiving such an unexpected remark from Kaede, Kazuma’s mind went blank.
He had certainly been on good terms with Kaede, but he had assumed their relationship would, at best, end at the level of friends.
However, he never imagined that a line about marriage would come from Kaede.
At this, Kazuma was rendered speechless.
“Ah, um… With pleasure!”
Kazuma, who could read people’s thoughts and possessed a degree of Mind Reading ability, perceived that Kaede was quite serious.
Kazuma, who by this point was even thinking that anyone would do as long as they liked him, was exceedingly foolish and an all-too-simple man.