Chapter 94: Student Council Gathering
That afternoon, Rest made his way to the conference room adjacent to the Student Council Room. The academy, attended by many children of nobility, boasted a large-scale Student Council with significant authority, which warranted the provision of exclusive conference rooms and parlors for use by relevant parties only.
Inside the conference room, long tables were arranged in rows, accompanied by chairs. Since Rest and the Rosemary Sisters were first-year students, they took their seats at the back.
After a short wait, the members of the Student Council and the Executive Committee began to fill the room. There were twenty officers alone, with forty members in the Executive Committee. While it was quite a sizable group, it didn’t seem excessive given that there were members from five different departments across three grade levels.
“Hello, everyone. Thank you for gathering here today,” Andrew, the Student Council President, announced as he entered the room. Flanking him were his aides, Yusugos Beturas and Rilanda Maka.
“The reason I called you all here today is simple. Soon, we will hold the biggest event of the first half of this year—the ‘Monster Hunting Festival.’”
Standing before the assembled members, Andrew began to explain. The Monster Hunting Festival was, quite literally, an event for hunting monsters, taking place every year from late spring to early summer, after the monster breeding season had ended. Participants included students from the Magic Department, the Department of Knights, and the Department of Clergy, with the latter primarily participating as medical staff. Even students from the Department of Civil Affairs and the Department of Arts could join if they wished.
Set against the plains and mountains outside the Royal Capital, students from the academy would form groups to hunt monsters, competing in terms of both quantity and size. In this world, monsters were humanity’s greatest foes. Hunting them was a duty for the nobility, who were responsible for protecting the populace, which is why such events were held at the academy.
“While participation is voluntary, typically around two hundred students join. As you may know, injuries occur every year during the festival. Just two years ago, we had five fatalities. As the Student Council, we must do everything in our power to ensure the event runs smoothly. The officers will handle the operations, while the Executive Committee will serve as rescue staff in case of emergencies.”
The Student Council would work behind the scenes alongside the faculty during the Monster Hunting Festival. This meeting was likely convened for that very purpose.
“I will distribute the materials shortly, and I expect you to follow the assignments and tasks outlined within. The third-year students will be in charge of command, so please adhere to their instructions. Especially for the rescue staff, your work will be critical to the safety of the participants. I urge you to take this seriously.”
Andrew turned his gaze to one of the seated students. Receiving a nod, the student stood up and spoke.
“I will be leading the rescue staff. I am Isis Carbelt from the third year of the Magic Department. I will do my utmost to ensure that no one loses their life, so I ask for your cooperation.”
The tall girl who greeted them had a dignified presence. Dressed in a boy’s uniform, her short hair gave her a unique charm—she was Isis Carbelt, a remarkable leader of the Executive Committee, already assured of her future as a court magician despite still being a student. With her striking features and aura, she seemed to attract more admiration from girls than boys, and in fact, there was even a fan club dedicated to her within the academy. Rest had greeted her when he joined the Executive Committee, and while they were not particularly close, they had exchanged a few words.
“I understand this will be your first Monster Hunting Festival as first-years, but please, do not overexert yourselves. On average, one rescue staff member dies every three years. Remember, this is not a training exercise; it is real combat. Of course, if you wish to withdraw, that is perfectly acceptable. However, you will be removed from the Executive Committee.”
A slight tension filled the conference room. Still, it seemed that none of the students appeared intimidated. Those who joined the Executive Committee were all individuals with combat experience against monsters. There was no one among them who would flee in fear at this point.
“Very well. Now, let’s discuss the detailed assignments. Please refer to page five of the materials.”
Following that, they discussed the placements and emergency responses for the Monster Hunting Festival, and the after-school meeting came to a close.
One week later, as planned, the Monster Hunting Festival commenced.