Student Council

Dongfang Yi was not lying; he truly had no intention of joining the student council.

Whether it was the womanizer Nagumo Miyabi or Horikita Manabu, in his eyes, they were both categorized as fleeting morning sun or the dying light of dusk.

Neither were good company.

Unless necessary, he couldn't be bothered to interact with them.

In fact, although he had repeatedly read the original work over the past month, he still couldn't grasp the meaning behind the current student council president Horikita Manabu's claim: "I recognize their potential, but I refuse them because I don't want the freshmen to be influenced by Nagumo."

After all, he never saw him recruit Katsuragi into the student council before he stepped down, did he?

He did, however, look at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who was in the same class as his sister, with special regard.

But after re-evaluating things with the context of the subsequent plot, he saw the truth clearly.

From Horikita Manabu's perspective:

First, he knew that Horikita Suzune was a girl with zero emotional intelligence, and as the student council president, he was perfectly aware of the school's promotion rules—only graduating from Class A allowed one to enjoy the benefits of job placement; any other class was a complete waste of time.

Second, Horikita Suzune was in Class D, which started with zero class points, and she was also extremely adamant about not dropping out during the best possible window at the start of the school year.

Third, Class D had a powerhouse, a powerhouse with great ability who had a deep connection with Horikita Suzune and likely harbored feelings for her, and the student council president could obtain a great deal of exam information. Combining these two, even Suzune in Class D had a very high chance of graduating from Class A.

Finally, in her second year, Horikita Suzune, witnessed by two men who were deeply favored by her brother, defeated Ichinose without any effort to become the student council president.

Looking at it this way, the facts were already clear.

Someone had certainly broken his back to ensure his sister's graduation from Class A.

The work in the student council wasn't some high-level, sophisticated affair; any normal person could do it. There was no reason why only the strong could join.

Otherwise, how did the second-year Kiriyama become a member of the student council?

Not to mention Ichinose, this group of second-year misfits couldn't even compare to Katsuragi!

The subsequent plot also proved Dongfang Yi's judgment.

Just as the second student council president, Nagumo Miyabi, was about to decide on his successor, with Ayanokoji watching from the sidelines, Kiryuin, a third party, suddenly burst in to harshly criticize the petty, underhanded behavior.

She shamed Ichinose, a veteran who had worked hard for a year and a half, into withdrawing from the election, allowing Horikita Suzune—a newcomer who had been in the student council for less than half a year and hadn't even finished her probationary period—to be elected directly.

To put it bluntly, at the time of her election, Horikita Suzune's qualifications didn't even compare to the expelled first-year student Yagami Takuya!

This was no longer just a dark curtain; it was the arrival of an eternal night.

Sometimes, Dongfang Yi felt that he wasn't reading Ayanokoji's personal biography, but rather the history of the noble Horikita family's rule over Advanced Nurturing High School.

"Dongfang-kun, I don't think you're right. The student council is an organization that serves all students." Ichinose was silent for a moment before saying sternly: "Besides, the seniors assigning tasks is also so that we can grow faster and take on student council work more quickly."

"Ichinose-san, you really are a good person." Dongfang Yi rubbed his temples with a sense of helplessness.

He had a bit of a headache.

The person before him was still a bit too naive and not an excellent partner for cooperation.

But to let Dongfang Yi just watch the girl before him fall into darkness, he...

He couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Forget it, I'm just the type who can't stand seeing fools." Dongfang Yi smiled helplessly and looked seriously into Ichinose's eyes: "If Ichinose were at a normal school, those words would be absolutely correct, but unfortunately, this isn't a regular school outside."

"First, I must point out one thing: the student council president of this school is not elected, but appointed. That is, the previous president designates the candidate for the next president."

"To use an analogy, it's a system similar to the nobility, where the father is succeeded by the son, or the elder brother by the younger."

"Dongfang-kun, is there a problem with this kind of system?" The innocent Sakura Airi didn't quite understand.

"Does Dongfang-kun mean that the target of the student council's service under this system is more inclined toward the school?" After thinking for a while, Ichinose also asked.

"As expected of Ichinose, Sakura still has a lot to learn." Dongfang Yi praised, winking at Sakura: "That is indeed the case. Although I don't approve of the so-called democratic election system, it cannot be denied that in a small-scale area like a school, it is indeed the simplest and most direct measure to elect a student council that meets the students' interests."

"And because of the appointment system, the student council of this school serves the group of people who can ban their positions—that is, the school administration."

"But most importantly, this system is extremely prone to forming a community of interests headed by the student council president, used to satisfy the president's own selfish desires."

Dongfang Yi leisurely picked up a piece of chicken nugget: "So, it's not as wonderful as Ichinose-san thinks."

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"The student council president's selfish desires?"

"Yes, in my view, the current student council is entirely Horikita Manabu's one-man show. If you really go in, you'll only become a beast of burden, receiving not a shred of reward commensurate with your efforts."

"Dongfang-kun's words are a bit too severe." The kind-hearted Ichinose strongly disagreed: "I don't believe that someone who only cares about their own selfish interests can become the student council president."

"Besides, there is no conflict of interest between the student council president and ordinary students, right? Furthermore, even if we can't get a reward, we can still grow our talents during this time, can't we?"

"Ichinose has a point, and it's only natural not to believe me, after all, I have no proof. How about this, let's make a bet?" Dongfang Yi thought for a moment and lowered his voice with a smile.

"Let's bet on this student council recruitment. I bet that if Horikita Suzune from Class D doesn't participate, the current student council president Horikita Manabu won't accept a single first-year student."

"Horikita Suzune?" Ichinose asked, puzzled.

"Horikita Manabu's younger sister, a first-year student in Class D." Dongfang Yi spread his hands: "To be more precise, she's a classic type of long-haired black-haired beauty."

"Eh? Eh!" Sakura Airi exclaimed in surprise, "How did Dongfang Yi know that?"

"I've done a lot more homework on this school than you might imagine," Dongfang Yi said, giving her a playful wink.

"Then, what if she does participate?" Ichinose asked, looking up.

"That is certainly a possibility, but even if she does, the result remains the same. I trust that the current Student Council President wouldn't leave behind any leverage against himself," Dongfang Yi laughed. "He has only two choices: either accept none of them, or accept all three at once. I'm betting he'll choose the former. If I'm wrong, then Ichinose wins."

"But if that happens, wouldn't the Student Council have no first-year members?"

Seeing him so certain, Ichinose was skeptical, yet she still found it hard to imagine the Student Council acting in such a manner.

"That won't happen. I'm talking about Horikita Manabu, not the Student Council as a whole. Although they belong to the same interest group, there are still differences in the division of labor between individuals."

"If the next Student Council President, Nagumo Miyabi, wants to recruit people for his own faction, Horikita Manabu will still put on a show and give him some face by approving them all at once."

Dongfang Yi narrowed his eyes. "But if my predictions are correct, Nagumo Miyabi will only recruit one person—or at most two—from those rejected by Horikita Manabu."

"And that person must be a hardworking, self-sacrificing 'sucker' of a freshman who is capable enough to handle all the affairs of the first years. Based on Nagumo's reputation, I think he would prefer to recruit a beautiful girl."

As he spoke, Dongfang Yi pretended to size Ichinose up seriously. "Ichinose, to be honest, I feel like you are very likely to become that very 'sucker'."

Ichinose ignored his teasing. Although they hadn't known each other for long, she found that she couldn't bring herself to be angry with him.

However, the side of things that Dongfang Yi described still made her feel instinctively uncomfortable.

She frowned slightly. "I still don't understand. Even if what Dongfang says actually happens, I still don't grasp the reason why the current Student Council President would take such an action."

"If I explained the reason, how could the bet even stand?" Dongfang Yi narrowed his eyes, smiling like a fox. "After I win the bet, I will naturally explain it to you. As for now, it's not the right time."

"So, do you want to play a round?"

"Of course, I believe I won't lose. But what is our wager?" Ichinose replied, not backing down.

"One request," Dongfang Yi said, holding up a finger.

"If I win, I want Ichinose to fulfill one request of mine."

"At the same time, I guarantee that this request will not endanger your physical or mental health. I will absolutely not make requests like forcing you to be my girlfriend."

Ichinose Honami hesitated for a moment, but decided to enter the game.

She believed that what Dongfang Yi said was incorrect. This school treated its students very well, and the Student Council should naturally be composed of the most outstanding individuals; how could they possibly target ordinary students?

Dongfang is definitely just trying to scare me!

But if things go on like this, he will clearly end up on the wrong path!

A sense of responsibility welled up in the young girl's heart; she had to pull this person in front of her back onto the right path!

She nodded. "I agree. Likewise, if Dongfang loses, I want a request as well."

"I'm all ears," Dongfang Yi said, looking composed.

"I'll tell you once I win."

"So, the bet is on?"

"It's on."

"A word once spoken,"

"Cannot be taken back by a team of four horses!"