Student Council Assessment

"Hunting Lv0 (Insects Lv0, Small Animals Lv0)"

You En noticed another skill had appeared on his panel. Although his hunting of insects and small animals was barely at the entry level, and mastering it would take who knows how long, this pattern of immediate feedback after learning was really nice.

But why was it "Hunting" and not "Wilderness Survival"? The course name was clearly Wilderness Survival.

You En guessed that "Wilderness Survival" might be a... comprehensive skill? One that required meeting certain thresholds in several other skills before it could be displayed?

"You..."

Horikita Suzune was a bit curious about that girl from earlier, but after thinking it over, she decided not to ask and instead said, "What did you think of that class just now?"

You En evaluated, "I think it was fine, pretty interesting, and you get to eat a lot of stuff."

Horikita replied, "Then should I sign up for a session and try it?"

"This one just now probably isn't very suitable for you, but the next one might be."

Horikita Suzune raised an eyebrow slightly. "Not suitable for me? Tell me what it was about."

You En gave a rough summary.

Just hearing it made Horikita Suzune feel a chill. She hugged her arms and said with a hint of alarm, "It really isn't suitable... Not to say that you and those two girls being able to eat it isn't already terrifying enough."

The mere thought of having to eat larvae and spiders made Horikita Suzune feel like something was wriggling in her mouth. She rubbed her arms and lost all appetite for dinner.

Arriving at the cafeteria, Horikita Suzune probably wouldn't want to eat meat for the next few days, so she ordered a fruit salad and looked at You En. "Want to eat something?"

You En patted his stomach. "I'm already full."

Horikita Suzune took the salad from the cafeteria worker and sighed helplessly. "Let me treat you. Eat something normal."

You En looked at the fruit salad and said in a negotiating tone, "How about you share some with me?"

Horikita Suzune was exasperated with this guy. Besides her brother, he was the first person to make her feel this way, and the key point was that it wasn't just once. She closed her eyes. "Fine."

Horikita was about to find a quiet spot in the cafeteria to sit down, but when she turned back, she saw You En still standing there. "What are you still standing there for?"

You En really wanted some youthful, romantic development—like sharing utensils, an indirect kiss, something like that. But at this moment, he decided not to play dumb. "Can't exactly share the same utensils, can we?"

Horikita Suzune looked at the utensils. There was only one set.

"I'll go try to get another set."

Horikita Suzune didn't think much of it. "I'll go ahead first."

"Mm."

You En walked up, had a few words with the middle-aged woman at the salad counter that made her laugh, and got a new set of utensils, plus an extra bowl.

Horikita Suzune watched as he sat down across from her, proudly fiddling with his empty bowl. She found it amusing, but since they were in a public place, she suppressed her smile. At the same time, she felt that this guy probably wouldn't starve—no matter where he was dropped, he'd likely manage to get by pretty well.

His skin was really too thick, but... he also had clear boundaries. In any case, he wasn't someone you could bring yourself to dislike.

"That much? Thanks!"

You En quickly thanked her as he watched Horikita split half her salad into his bowl. Sure, outside school he could afford to waste a bowl or two, but here, having something to eat was good enough.

"Thanks, Miss Suzune."

Horikita Suzune snapped lightly, "Just eat and shut up."

She began enjoying her dinner, a faint, barely noticeable smile appearing at the corner of her lips.

After dinner...

You En felt this could barely count as a post-meal dessert. After eating half a bowl of fruit, he figured it would be digested in less than ten minutes.

The two arrived at the Student Council office.

Unlike other clubs, the Student Council recruitment was conducted inside their own office—probably because the Student Council didn't have a distinction between formal and regular members.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Horikita Suzune stepped forward and knocked.

"Come in."

A soft female voice answered.

Horikita Suzune opened the Student Council office door. Inside, there was only a girl with purple hair tied in a bun.

Tachibana Akane set down the documents in her hands, turned her head, and her eyes lit up at the sight of the visitor.

She walked over, holding a stack of books, and said softly, "Suzune-san, what brings you here?"

Horikita Suzune felt a bit resistant to this familiarity. She had only exchanged a brief glance with this senior before; this was their first real conversation.

Tachibana-senpai looked a little worried and leaned in, "What's wrong?"

Horikita Suzune didn't intend to make a fuss, but she also didn't speak.

Seeing this, You En had to chime in, "Tachibana Akane-senpai, Suzune is a bit shy with people she meets for the first time."

Tachibana Akane finally snapped back to reality, remembering that Manabu had actually mentioned this issue to her before. She had just been too excited and momentarily forgot.

She said apologetically, "Sorry, Suzune-san, I got too carried away."

Horikita Suzune, seeing that the other person was finally acting normal, let out a slight sigh of relief, "It's nothing. I'm here to sign up."

Tachibana Akane asked, "Sign up? You want to join the Student Council?"

"Yeah."

Horikita Suzune nodded.

Tachibana the secretary looked a bit troubled, "Then you'll have to take a test."

"Whether it's a written exam or an interview, I'm fine with it. I'm prepared."

Horikita Suzune was confident in this area; she was a pro at taking tests.

Tachibana Akane didn't want to put her future sister-in-law through that kind of test, so she could only hint, "Well, this test might not be what you're expecting."

Horikita Suzune sensed something, lowered her head, and suddenly fell silent.

Could it be that her brother had instructed this Tachibana Akane-senpai not to let her take the test?

No matter how hard she chased, she still couldn't catch her brother's eye...

You En shook his head inwardly. Brocon types are like this—they get emotional the moment it involves their older brother.

He stepped forward, "Excuse me, could I take the test instead?"

Tachibana Akane-senpai glanced at You En, a bit surprised, and flipped through the thick stack of documents in her arms. After a moment, she looked up, "You En-kun, you've already joined the Kyudo Club and entered the pending review sequence for 'formal member,' so you can't join the Student Council. That's our rule—students who participate in clubs can't enter the Student Council. Sorry."

You En nodded in understanding. He knew this rule. What he wanted was just to take the test, "I don't intend to join either. I just want to take the test. Is that okay?"

"Well..."

Tachibana Akane looked at You En's expression, then at Horikita Suzune, who seemed a bit down and lost in self-doubt. She caught on to his intention, "Alright."

This guy must be Horikita Suzune's friend?

Seeing how close they are, maybe they're lovers. In that case, Tachibana Akane should test him a bit—after all, he's the President's sister, which makes her...

Ahem, anyway, as the President's... secretary, she naturally had to help vet him too.

"Let's begin then."

Tachibana Akane-senpai pulled out a test sheet, her attitude seeming a bit casual.

You En took it, accepted the ballpoint pen handed to him, and started answering. Most of the questions were within high school knowledge range, with a few beyond the syllabus, but he keenly noticed that about 20% of the questions were more like comprehensive psychological tests.

And these questions were all very strange:

"If you were stranded on a deserted island with another female classmate, and each of you was allocated some supplies, but rescue was delayed and wouldn't arrive before your supplies ran out, what would you choose to do?"

"In a city of one million people, a fanatical cultist has killed one person. This cultist has terrifying brainwashing abilities. Now, ten suspects have been identified. You can eliminate one, and you also have the means to kill them all at once, but you can't kill just a few of them. What would you choose?"

"There are two nations. One is a legendary paradise where people need not labor, only indulge in pleasure—born to enjoy, with no worry of birth, aging, sickness, or death. The other nation's people are born incomplete, destined to devote their loyalty, body and mind, their everything to a legendary deity for life... You now possess the knowledge and power to overthrow either nation. What is your choice?"

You En felt as if he had stepped into that environment, immersed in it, about to make his own choice.

Tachibana Akane used the book in her hands to place You En within it—this was the qualification test for the student council.

"Have a seat. I'll brew you some tea."

Seizing this moment, she intended to entertain her junior... of course, the chairman's younger sister.

"No need."

"It's fine. This question is somewhat difficult and will take a while. You can sit down and wait a bit."

Tachibana Akane smiled. This book was not her personal property, but a "relic" from a former student council president.

Horikita Suzune did not refuse again. When the other had finished brewing the tea and handed it over, she accepted it with a word of thanks.

Tachibana Akane was quite pleased.

"Is school life treating you well?"

Horikita Suzune replied, "It's alright, I suppose. It just doesn't feel much like high school."

Tachibana Akane looked a little worried. "How have you been eating these past few days? Sleeping well?"

"..."

Horikita Suzune stared at her in confusion. Why was she acting like those elders at home fussing over a younger relative who had just entered a new school?

"If you're short on points, just tell me. I'll think of something to help."

Tachibana Akane glanced at her savings. Although converting resources across grade levels for new students had a low efficiency rate, she didn't care.

"That won't be necessary."

Horikita Suzune eyed her warily, her tone growing distant.

Tachibana Akane realized her reaction had been a bit too enthusiastic.

The two fell silent for a while.

Tachibana Akane kept refilling Horikita's tea, topping it up whenever it was half-empty.

Horikita simply stopped drinking altogether.

The atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.

Horikita Suzune turned her head to look at You En. She found his expression unusually severe.

He sat there in contemplation, like a reef scoured by the sea for a thousand ages—solemn, yet tinged with loneliness.

"What's wrong with him?"

Tachibana Akane set down her teacup. Rarely did Suzune restart a conversation, so she intended to engage properly.

She glanced at You En, then quickly opened the book to check the records. Her pupils trembled slightly.

How is this possible?!