"Uh..."
Mari Watanabe no longer knew what to say.
What the hell kind of reason was that?
Wasn't the whole point of Public Morals Committee members to wait for trouble and then deal with it?
Just say you don't want to help and be done with it!
Mari Watanabe rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"All right, we did want you to join the Public Morals Committee, and they really are short-handed over there!"
Mayumi Saegusa gave a wry laugh.
"Now Mari's really going to have a headache!"
Mayumi Saegusa looked at Mari Watanabe, looking concerned for her friend, but Mari could tell at a glance that she was definitely gloating.
"Hmph!"
Mari Watanabe snorted angrily.
"Actually, I could recommend a few people. They'd have absolutely no problem joining the Public Morals Committee!"
Chiba Yeyou thought for a moment. Those guys had nothing to do anyway, so he might as well sell them out!
"Oh?"
"Who?"
Suzune Ichihara became interested.
Mari Watanabe and Mayumi Saegusa exchanged a glance. They hadn't expected Chiba Yeyou to have an eye for talent, too.
"Shun Morisaki, Class 1-A!"
Mari Watanabe nodded at that. He was already part of their plans.
"Tatsuya Shiba, Class 1-E, and Erika Chiba, Class 1-E!"
Hattori's expression changed when he heard Class 1-E. Weren't those "Weeds"?
"No!"
Hattori immediately objected.
Hearing those two names, Mayumi Saegusa had no particular objection; instead, a hint of interest appeared on her face. Mari Watanabe, however, frowned slightly.
"Chiba Yeyou, since you're recommending people for the Public Morals Committee, I assume you know something about its members. When they're carrying out their duties, they often have to let their strength do the talking. Students generally don't carry CADs on campus, but if an unusual situation arises, committee members need the strength to suppress it!"
Mari Watanabe stopped there. He knew Chiba Yeyou would understand the rest.
"You're right, but the people I'm recommending are definitely reliable!"
Chiba Yeyou replied confidently.
That was also why he had only mentioned Tatsuya Shiba and Erika Chiba, rather than Leonhard Saijo, Mizuki Shibata, and the others. Their strength really wasn't quite enough to suppress students who violated school regulations through the most direct use of force.
Chiba Yeyou knew Tatsuya Shiba's strength very well. Well, at least part of it!
He would have no problem thrashing these students.
Erika Chiba was no pushover either. The Chiba family's youngest daughter was definitely a talent many people underestimated. Her status as a Course 2 student colored people's view of her heavily, obscuring much of her brilliance.
Or perhaps it was purely to highlight Tatsuya Shiba's overpowered protagonist status.
"Oh?"
"Then I'll have to take a good look!"
Mari Watanabe spoke thoughtfully.
"Right, that Tatsuya Shiba you mentioned was the one here just now, wasn't he?"
Mari Watanabe suddenly remembered the guy from earlier. He had certainly left a deep impression on her.
"Yes!"
"Miyuki Shiba's older brother!"
Chiba Yeyou nodded as he spoke.
Mari Watanabe said nothing more, but she did add those two to her list of candidates to assess.
"Watanabe!"
"Please wait!"
Seeing Mari Watanabe looking thoughtful, Hanzou Gyoubushoujou Hattori stood straight up.
"Hm?"
"What is it?"
"Vice President Hanzou Gyoubushoujou Hattori."
They looked up at Hattori Gyoubu, who had risen to his feet.
"Sit down!"
"What the hell are you getting so worked up for?"
Chiba Yeyou had to tilt his head back to look at him, which was uncomfortable.
Thump!
At Chiba Yeyou's words, Hattori Gyoubu immediately sat down.
"Pfft!"
The four girls unkindly burst out laughing.
They left Hattori Gyoubu red-faced.
Damn it!
This damned reflex!
Hattori Gyoubu cursed inwardly in embarrassment.
"Please don't call me by my full name!"
Hattori Gyoubu's face was flushed, almost as though he were feeling shy.
What the hell!
How did you go from ashamed to shy so quickly?
That was outrageously absurd!
Chiba Yeyou was genuinely impressed.
"Then, President Hanzou Hattori!"
"It's Hattori Gyoubu!"
Hattori had to correct her again.
"Isn't that an official title rather than a name? Your family's, that is."
Mari Watanabe asked in puzzlement.
She couldn't quite understand why he liked that name so much.
"That office doesn't exist anymore! At school, just call me Hattori Gyoubu..."
Hattori Gyoubu spoke somewhat incoherently.
"That's not what I wanted to talk about!"
Then he immediately realized that his upperclassman was simply trying to change the subject!
Indeed, Mari Watanabe was trying to change the subject.
The conflicts between Course 1 and Course 2 students at First High School were growing more and more numerous. A single spark could set off a major incident with unpredictable consequences.
To reverse the Course 1 students' prejudice against Course 2 students, working only on the Course 1 side could never succeed. They also needed Course 2 representatives to step forward and set an example for the other Course 2 students.
That was also why neither Mayumi Saegusa nor Suzune Ichihara had objected earlier.
Changing the Course 1 students' arrogance alone wasn't enough. The Course 2 students' inferiority complex was the main cause.
If the two people Chiba Yeyou recommended really met the standard in strength, they could certainly be selected as Public Morals Committee members.
They could use Course 2 committee members to convey an attitude to the Course 2 students: it wasn't that they weren't being given opportunities, but if they wouldn't strive to improve, how could they be given any?
"Then what do you want to say?"
Mari Watanabe asked helplessly.
When it came to Course 1 students who held prejudices against Course 2 students, this vice president was definitely one of them.
Fortunately, he wasn't particularly hidebound. They only needed to get him to acknowledge those two's strength.
"I oppose appointing those two from Class 1-E to the Public Morals Committee!"
Hattori Gyoubu spoke with a serious expression.
Ah!
This kid really hadn't had enough of getting beaten up!
Chiba Yeyou really didn't know what to say.
"There has never been a precedent for appointing 'Weeds' to the Public Morals Committee!"
"But there's no explicit rule against appointing Course 2 students either, is there?"
Chiba Yeyou looked at Hattori Gyoubu and spoke calmly.
"Do you know our rules that thoroughly?"
Mayumi Saegusa was shocked again. Had this guy stolen their rules and regulations and memorized them?
Did he have to know them so well?
"Calling Course 2 students 'Weeds' is forbidden. You've got some nerve using that word in front of me!"
Mari Watanabe narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at Hattori Gyoubu with a hostile expression.
"There's no point in merely dressing up the language. Or do you want to anger more than a third of the student body?"
"Besides, Public Morals Committee members use their strength to stop students who break the rules. Even if Chiba Yeyou can vouch for their strength, we haven't seen it ourselves, have we?"
Hattori Gyoubu glanced at Mayumi Saegusa.
"Public Morals Committee members use their strength to stop students who break the rules. 'Weeds' who lack strength can't handle the job. And isn't their lack of strength precisely why 'Weeds' are called 'Weeds'?"
"I still have my doubts about their strength!"
Hattori Gyoubu continued.
As a Course 1 student, Hattori Gyoubu was quite proud of that status.
Besides, Chiba Yeyou didn't seem to have spent very long with those people. What's more, one was in Class 1-A and the others in Class 1-E. They didn't even attend classes together, so how could he know them?
That was why he remained skeptical of Chiba Yeyou's recommendations.
It wasn't because he distrusted Chiba Yeyou, but because his thinking rested on the notion that Course 1 students were stronger than Course 2 students. Until that idea was overturned, he wouldn't believe Course 2 students could qualify to serve on the Public Morals Committee.
"Certainly, strength is indispensable for Public Morals Committee members, but strength comes in many forms. Tatsuya has the eye and the mind to analyze Activation Sequences directly and accurately predict magic. You saw that yourself, didn't you?"
In fact, when Chiba Yeyou mentioned Tatsuya Shiba, Mari Watanabe had already been tempted. That ability to analyze Activation Sequences and accurately predict magic was exactly what their Public Morals Committee needed.
"He could be a powerful deterrent to those whose attempted offenses can't be conclusively established and are therefore treated as minor infractions. And there's another reason I want him to join the committee!"
"As you said, there's a divide between our school's Course 1 and Course 2 students. If Course 1 students alone punish Course 2 students, and the reverse never happens, that divide will only deepen. I don't like the committee I lead promoting such discriminatory ideas!"
Mari Watanabe also voiced her thoughts. Beside her, Suzune Ichihara and Azusa Nakajo nodded in agreement with her approach, while Mayumi Saegusa pondered its feasibility.
"Even if I acknowledge his ability, we still need to test his combat strength. And what about the other one?"
Hattori Gyoubu pressed further.
"President, I oppose these two becoming Public Morals Committee members!"
In the end, Hattori Gyoubu still didn't trust Course 2 students. Or perhaps he looked down on them?
"In that case, let's have each of them fight a mock battle against you when the time comes!"
"What do you think?"
"Hattori Gyoubu?"
Chiba Yeyou suddenly interjected.
"Sure, I have no problem with that!"
Hattori Gyoubu looked smug, as though victory were already assured. The sight made Chiba Yeyou want to laugh.
"Well..."
Mayumi Saegusa, Mari Watanabe, and the others were all somewhat surprised. Just how highly did he regard those two?
Did he think those two were both like him?
Still, they nodded, agreeing it was worth a try.
"But you've changed the subject, haven't you?"
"As for our invitation, will you accept, or will you accept?"
Mayumi Saegusa gave an enticing smile as she looked at Chiba Yeyou.
"Haven't I already started treating myself as a member of the Student Council?"
"Besides, you haven't given me any other choice!"