Those Who Recognize the Times Are Heroes

After Miyabi Nagumo disappeared from view, Horikita Manabu finally put down the documents in his hands.

"Nishikado, have you already prepared for the worst? But it's still not the right time to lay all our cards on the table."

"Although Nagumo has spent a year building his influence at this school, you can't match him."

"If he really has the school's permission, you won't be able to confront him head-on."

Horikita Manabu had already guessed why Makoto Nishikado had done all this.

Miyabi Nagumo didn't understand these things, but Horikita Manabu knew all about the ways of the world.

"We have to get to the bottom of this. Otherwise, I might start having other ideas."

"You're to blame for that, President. You didn't explain things clearly before I joined."

"Even if this matter becomes public now, the impact on the school will be limited."

"After all, we still have you, President, don't we?"

Makoto Nishikado's voice was gentle, but his stance was firm.

If he didn't understand the school's position, he'd be tied up at every turn in anything he did from here on.

"Don't overestimate me. The competition will grow fiercer in our third year, and I might not be able to protect all my classmates."

"Over the coming year, I'll also need to devote more of my time to preparing for the exams themselves."

"If anything happens, you'll have to step in and stop it."

Horikita Manabu shook his head, unwilling to take on that responsibility.

It wasn't that he lacked a sense of responsibility. He genuinely couldn't be in two places at once.

Besides, he had only a year left in office.

No matter how much authority he commanded, those under him would inevitably start having second thoughts.

Everyone knew the saying: when the man leaves, the tea grows cold.

By then, the only ones who would firmly stand by him would probably be the other third-years.

"President, what exactly happened?"

Akane Tachibana felt like the two of them were speaking in riddles. She could barely follow what they were saying.

At the same time, the girl felt a deep sense of frustration.

Compared to her, who had always been at Horikita Manabu's side, this new junior seemed to have far more in common with him.

"Nishikado is investigating something very important. It affects all of you, too."

After saying that, Horikita Manabu picked up the documents and went back to work.

"President, that's no different from saying nothing."

Makoto Nishikado complained.

Riddlers, get out of Advanced Nurturing High School!

"You have the nerve to say that?"

Akane Tachibana shot back.

When Makoto Nishikado had faced Miyabi Nagumo just now, he'd been just as cryptic.

It was obvious who had started this trend!

"Akane-senpai, when a girl's feelings are too intense, it can make a guy feel pressured."

Makoto Nishikado kindly offered her a word of advice.

Akane Tachibana made her feelings for Horikita Manabu far too obvious.

If Horikita Manabu felt the same way, that would be a happy ending for both of them.

But if he wasn't all that interested, things could get awkward.

[Triggered Horikita Manabu's emotions, gained 3,618 emotion points.]

"President, look at him!"

Akane Tachibana couldn't take it anymore and turned to complain to Horikita Manabu.

"Nishikado, don't distract the others from their work."

Horikita Manabu didn't look up, but still gave him a warning.

"Sure, sure."

Makoto Nishikado drew a finger across his lips, indicating that he'd zipped them shut.

A little while after Makoto Nishikado saw the system notification, Miyabi Nagumo returned with the school's response.

The barely concealed delight on his face told Makoto Nishikado that he'd gotten the answer he wanted.

"Junior, I brought back what you asked for."

Miyabi Nagumo smiled smugly, like a general returning victorious from battle.

He handed Makoto Nishikado the documents, then shot Horikita Manabu a triumphant glance.

Afterward, he turned back to Makoto Nishikado and picked up the piece of paper with the correct answer written on it.

On his way back, Miyabi Nagumo had guessed at the answer again.

This time, he was certain he'd gotten it right.

[Assess the school's level of support for Miyabi Nagumo's reforms.]

Seeing the words on the paper, Miyabi Nagumo nodded to himself, now taking Makoto Nishikado even more seriously.

"Junior, the school's position is that if you do this, they won't stop you. Any students who are supposed to be expelled will be expelled, and the school won't change the exam."

"Even if all the students who fail end up being expelled."

After Miyabi Nagumo finished speaking, his grin grew even more brazen.

This was only the second test since the school year began, yet the school was willing to accept the consequences of expelling ten students.

The school's audacity had truly exceeded Miyabi Nagumo's expectations.

If they were willing to accept even consequences like this, then once he became Student Council President, they wouldn't interfere with his actions in the slightest.

They'd made their support clear—at the very least, they were willing to let him do as he pleased.

As soon as Makoto Nishikado had joined the Student Council, he'd used the method from earlier to probe the school's true position.

What he really wanted to know was how much authority and freedom the school would grant Miyabi Nagumo once he became Student Council President.

"The school actually approved it!"

"One exam could get ten people expelled? There are only 160 students in each year!"

"That's unbelievable."

The Student Council members, who had mostly been standing in the background, could no longer contain their emotions.

The implications of this news—and its impact on the school and on them—were simply too great.

If the school wouldn't stop something this serious, there was even less chance they'd interfere with Miyabi Nagumo's reforms.

"But the documents also say that the Student Council's opinion will be taken into account in cases like this."

Makoto Nishikado read the relevant passage from the documents and refuted him in a casual tone.

But inwardly, he sighed.

In the original story, Miyabi Nagumo hadn't truly taken control of the Student Council until the second year.

At the time, Ayanokoji Atsuomi, wanting to test Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's capabilities, had sent people to seize control over the fate of everyone at Advanced Nurturing High School.

He'd thought that if the school's administration remained as it had been, it wouldn't let Miyabi Nagumo run wild.

Now it seemed that Advanced Nurturing High School itself wanted to see just how far Miyabi Nagumo could go.

He'd been able to rise smoothly through the ranks because the school supported him.

The result was within Makoto Nishikado's expectations.

It just wasn't good news.

If the school hadn't been so supportive of Miyabi Nagumo, Makoto Nishikado would've dared to resort to some underhanded methods.

"The documents put it that way, but in reality, they're letting me do as I please. Horikita is still President for now, so they're just giving us a little time to adjust."

"Someone as smart as you can't possibly have missed that, junior."

"From now on, work for me with peace of mind. I'll treat you just as Horikita treated me."

Miyabi Nagumo patted Makoto Nishikado on the shoulder.

Although Makoto Nishikado's views were completely different from his own, Miyabi Nagumo needed his talent.

This junior really had something. Miyabi Nagumo needed him to cooperate and help him expand the results of his reforms.

Compared to realizing his ambitions, what did a little difference in political views matter?

And that didn't rule out a showdown later on, either.

Miyabi Nagumo didn't believe that a bold junior like Makoto Nishikado would simply sit back and let him do as he pleased.

And as it happened, Miyabi Nagumo wasn't an honest, by-the-book person himself.

Under Miyabi Nagumo's gaze, Makoto Nishikado set down the documents and smiled brightly.

"There's an old saying from Tokyo University: 'Those who recognize the times are heroes.'"

"Whatever you ask of me from now on, Vice President Nagumo, I'll naturally do my utmost to help as a member of the Student Council."

"But when it comes to the reforms themselves, I still stand by my own views."