In the World of Classroom of the Elite, My Future Daughter Gives Me a Helping Hand

"Because the school would have dealt with any cheating or rule-breaking as soon as it happened, the data they displayed had all been reviewed and deemed valid by the school."

In other words, since the school hadn't said anything, did that mean Miyabi Nagumo hadn't broken any rules?

Horikita Manabu continued.

"I believe in the principle that ability comes first."

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to join the Student Council, and it's only natural that you'd want to become Student Council President."

"I can tell you that every graduating Class 3-A in the school's history has produced a Student Council President."

"Your class rose from Class C to Class B in a single month, and your next goal is Class A, right?"

"It's a fine ambition, but you still lack the qualifications."

"I granted Miyabi Nagumo a place on the Student Council and appointed him Student Council Vice President because he succeeded in rising to Class A."

"If you can also lead your class to Class A,"

"then I'll appoint you Student Council Vice President as well."

"The Vice President has the right to run for the next Student Council President, but that's also a prerequisite for running."

"So until you successfully lead your class to Class A, the most I can offer you is the position of secretary," Horikita Manabu said.

In other words, Classmate Shirogane's ambition to become Student Council President had been rejected—but not completely. If he succeeded in leading his class to Class A, he could earn a reward from the Student Council President, namely President Horikita.

"Do you have any objections to this arrangement?" Horikita Manabu asked.

"No," Classmate Shirogane replied promptly.

"Then you may leave for now," Horikita Manabu said. "Remember to report in tomorrow morning."

"Okay!" x2

This time, neither Classmate Shirogane nor Classmate Ichinose was stubborn. They obediently left.

As Classmate Shirogane and Classmate Ichinose reached the door to leave, they heard a voice from inside.

"Tachibana, draw up a list of the Student Council members and announce it."

After leaving the Student Council room,

Classmate Shirogane and Ichinose didn't speak. But after they'd walked around five or six hundred meters, Classmate Ichinose finally couldn't hold back.

"Classmate Shirogane," Ichinose suddenly said. "You're amazing."

"I thought becoming secretary was already a lofty goal, but your ambition is to become Student Council President," Ichinose said.

"..." Classmate Shirogane.

"..." Classmate Shirogane.

"Classmate Shirogane?" But Ichinose noticed that Classmate Shirogane seemed to be thinking about something.

"Hm? Were you talking to me just now?" Shirogane asked.

"Meow..." Ichinose felt a little hurt. She considered herself quite pretty, yet she didn't seem to have any appeal to Classmate Shirogane. Even standing beside him, she was practically being ignored.

"I was thinking about the Student Council," Shirogane said. "What do you think about my accusation that Senior Nagumo cheated?"

"Y-You mean, how credible is it?" Ichinose still didn't seem to understand.

Shirogane said, "I had no proof when I brought up the possibility that Senior Nagumo cheated. I only considered the class evaluation scores from the second-years over the past month, along with the fact that Senior Nagumo rose to Student Council Vice President and thus had the opportunity to cheat. That's why I said it was possible."

"But the president's response was thought-provoking."

"He said that since the school hadn't punished Senior Nagumo, that meant he hadn't broken any rules."

"In other words, this school might be more complicated than we thought."

Whether something counts as a violation doesn't depend on whether you do it, but on... whether you get caught. So could that mean Senior Nagumo really did cheat, and that it's fine as long as nobody reports him and nobody proves it?

And if you reach a position like his, you might even gain more authority.

For example,

the Student Council President had the authority to expel students. If the president at the time represented Class A and chose to expel a representative of Class B, the school might accept that decision too.

So perhaps what the school needed—or even wanted to cultivate—wasn't pure kindness and a strong sense of justice.

As he thought this, Classmate Shirogane couldn't help looking at Ichinose Honami.

Classmate Ichinose was very cute, lively, and pretty. Her deep blue eyes were especially captivating, as if they drew people toward her.

And the Narration System had told him that Classmate Ichinose was a good person—a truly good person.

But were such kind and upright qualities really suited to surviving at this school?

"Um, Classmate Shirogane?" Ichinose had felt ignored by him earlier, but now she suddenly felt his gaze fixed entirely on her.

Being watched so intently made her uncomfortable; she even felt her cheeks growing warm.

"Could you stop staring at me?" Classmate Ichinose quickly surrendered.

She was easygoing, liked getting along with people, and had plenty of friends, but none of them stared at her like this.

"Sorry. I was analyzing the situation. I was wondering why the president was so quick to make that promise to me," Classmate Shirogane said. "Even if leading my class to Class A might be another first in the school's history,"

"there's still something strange about being able to get the position of Student Council Vice President just by accomplishing that," Classmate Shirogane said.

"That does sound strange," Ichinose said, nodding. "So the president has some other reason?"

Last year, Senior Nagumo had led Class B to Class A, earned the president's recognition, joined the Student Council, and been appointed Vice President.

So if the same standard applied, Classmate Shirogane's class could climb to Class A and accomplish what Senior Nagumo had done.

That would earn the president's high regard.

But...

Ichinose had been there too, and the president hadn't told her that her class could return to Class B, aim for Class A, and earn a promise of a position if they succeeded.

Instead, the president had made that promise specifically to Classmate Shirogane.

So, after thinking it through, the conclusion was that the president might want Classmate Shirogane to join the Student Council and... become Vice President?

And that seemed very likely.

After all, the gap between Classmate Shirogane's new Class B and Class A was now less than 200 points.

Maybe one or even two victories would be enough to close it.

Overall, it seemed like an achievable goal.

"In the end, I can only come to one conclusion," Classmate Shirogane said. "The president may regret appointing Senior Nagumo to the Student Council."

"Huh?" Ichinose quickly turned to look at him.

Shirogane continued.

"Just like the possibility I brought up earlier—that Senior Nagumo cheated."

"Although the president said Senior Nagumo hadn't cheated, I don't think President Horikita approves of the way Nagumo does things."

"So he may be hoping someone will stand in Senior Nagumo's way."

"President Horikita is the Student Council President, and he's been hailed as the most outstanding president. But he's also a third-year who's about to graduate. He can't just leave without making any arrangements, so he may be putting a plan in motion."

"So even after we join the Student Council, we'll be facing a complicated situation," Classmate Shirogane said. "The president has tied us to the fight against Senior Nagumo."

"It's a bit of pressure," Classmate Shirogane said.

Uh...

Shirogane spoke, while Ichinose listened and quickly thought it over.

So that was what Classmate Shirogane had been considering.

His interpretation made sense, too. Since the president had been lenient, it was reasonable to think he tacitly approved and wanted to promote Classmate Shirogane.

Classmate Shirogane was only a first-year. He could have started out in General Affairs or as a secretary; he still had plenty of time. Yet the president seemed to be in a hurry.

That meant...

Classmate Shirogane's actions seemed to fit into some part of the president's plan.

Could it be that the president had initially offered Classmate Shirogane a position in General Affairs simply because he approved of him, and because he was a first-year, he wanted him to start small and gain experience little by little?

Perhaps the president had already made a plan to rein in Senior Nagumo, and Classmate Shirogane hadn't been part of it at first.

But...

Classmate Shirogane's words and ambition had made the president change his mind.

Had he started making Classmate Shirogane one of the key players in the plan?

If so, Classmate Shirogane was truly frightening.

Ichinose had initially thought that she'd been rejected when she first applied to join the Student Council, then proven her ability and been allowed in. Even if she was only a Disciplinary Committee Member, it was still a good result.

After all, even students from Class A hadn't earned that honor.

She really was too naive. Classmate Shirogane seemed far more formidable.

No wonder he'd impersonated a senior without batting an eye when he first enrolled and fooled her.

Ichinose Honami was impressed.

Then Classmate Shirogane continued,

"Judging by the exam results, even if Senior Nagumo didn't use his authority as Student Council Vice President to cheat, he still managed to control his entire second-year class."

"So we'll be up against an entire year."

"It'll be a complicated and difficult process. So, Classmate Ichinose, you can help me, right?" Classmate Shirogane asked.

Oh.

That was it.

Ichinose understood.

So Classmate Shirogane was trying to recruit an ally.

But wouldn't that mean she'd have to stand against Senior Nagumo? She'd joined the Student Council, but she was only a low-ranking Disciplinary Committee Member. In theory, she could stay out of this factional struggle entirely.

However...

Classmate Shirogane had received the president's verbal promise that he could become Student Council Vice President if he successfully led his class up a rank. And his chances of succeeding weren't bad. Could he become Vice President this year?

If so, as his ally, could her own position improve when Classmate Shirogane became Vice President?

Ichinose had spent the whole time watching from the sidelines, but she understood that the benefits of joining the Student Council were essential to a class. And the higher you climbed, the better your ability to defend yourself—even if you weren't attacking anyone.

"Well... let me think," Classmate Ichinose said, although she'd already made up her mind. She stalled for a moment, then said, "I understand. I'll help you, Classmate Shirogane."

"Good." Classmate Shirogane held out his hand.

Was he offering a handshake to seal the deal?

Ichinose looked at the long, slender hand he held out to her.

Classmate Ichinose didn't hesitate and held out her own hand.

But as they shook hands, both of them felt a moment of confusion.

It was only a verbal agreement, and they hadn't signed anything. So there was no real need to shake hands.

Still, Classmate Shirogane's hand was quite large. His fingers were long and slender.

As she lightly held his hand, Ichinose noticed a hard patch on one of his fingers.

"Classmate Shirogane, do you have such a thick callus?" Ichinose asked.

"Maybe it's from studying twelve hours a day," Shirogane said.

Oh, right.

Classmate Shirogane had come first on the written exam, and now Ichinose could see he'd deserved it. She was sure she couldn't study as diligently as he did.

So she accepted being defeated by him wholeheartedly.

A sound suddenly rang out in Classmate Shirogane's mind.