The sight that greeted me upon entering the student council room for the first time could only be described as a true scene of hell.
After all, if there were beings no different from zombies roaming around openly, what else could you call such a place but a demon realm?
“Uuuuhhh…”
Of course, they weren’t actual zombies. They were the student council members.
It felt almost like watching modern-day graduate students. They had faces pale and bruised beneath the eyes. They kept dragging their bodies around while groaning in sounds that could’ve been either moans or screams.
To the innocent, it would’ve looked like the Academy had turned into a den of monsters and would’ve made them flee in terror.
In truth, they were students slowly dying under the weight of their overwhelming workload.
But with their half-dead bodies barely functioning, it wouldn’t have been too far off to call them zombies.
“Amazing… If this is how it is, maybe hiring aura users temporarily during busy periods wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
Lady Cassandra, the princess’s close friend and the current vice president of the student council, couldn’t hide her admiration as she watched me sort through the paperwork at her side.
For me, it wasn’t all that difficult. A bit of focus in my eyes and placing similar content together did the trick.
But for those who had been doing all this manually, one sheet at a time, this ability seemed like a miraculous rain after a drought, something that could shave off even a bit of the workload.
Not just Lady Cassandra, but the others nearby also watched my swift hand movements with envy as I quickly separated the documents.
“Well, it’s possible, but I think most students would struggle with it. Concentrating aura solely in the eyes takes a lot of focus, so you’d need to be at least at the Expert level.”
If something looks easy, it’s only because the person doing it is truly skilled.
Some might argue that it was just a matter of infusing aura into the eyeballs to enhance dynamic vision, but the eyes were one of the most delicate parts of the body.
Unlike solid bones or tough muscles, they were made of jelly-like lenses. If too much aura was poured in, they’d surely pop like balloons.
“Umm… I-I see.”
Startled by the unexpectedly gruesome explanation, Lady Cassandra gave a slight shiver.
No matter how tough the job was, she likely didn’t want to risk bursting someone’s eyeballs.
As I continued the sorting process, I managed to organize the majority of the documents in less than half an hour.
“Ooohhh!!”
“Amazing!”
Seeing the other students looking at me with such sparkling eyes, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of sympathy and pity wash over me.
“It’s a bit tiring since it’s been a while since I’ve done this kind of work. But I’m glad I could be of help.”
“Help is an understatement. Honestly, this is the most labor-intensive part of the process, and thanks to you, Noctus, the workflow has doubled in speed.”
As she redistributed the sorted documents back to their respective handlers, Lady Cassandra spared no praise.
“…Ahem!”
“Oh, and of course, our president who brought such a talented person here deserves just as much praise~”
When the princess let out a small sound at the ongoing compliments directed toward me, Cassandra quickly caught on and made sure to extend the praise to her as well.
“It’s nothing. Young Master Noctus simply had a talent he’d kept hidden. There’s no reason I should be praised for that.”
She redirected the compliment toward me as if slightly embarrassed, but the quiet joy in her expression was unmistakable.
Compared to the cold and stiff impression she gave when we first met, she had changed so much. It was quite moving to see.
“Is there anything else I can help with? The work ended sooner than I expected…”
“No, what you’ve already done is more than enough~ Please relax and enjoy some refreshments.”
With that, Lady Cassandra instructed the other officers to prepare a variety of snacks and tea for me.
Soon, a lovely assortment of treats was laid out before me, and the fragrant black tea helped soothe my tired eyes.
“This tea is good for eye health. Since we’re always looking at documents, we keep a supply of it on hand.”
“I see. Thank you very much.”
Slurp—
As I savored the tea’s aroma which had a mix of bitterness and gentle sweetness, the sight of the princess, buried in paperwork, caught my eye.
Though she’d received a high-level education as the heir to the Empire, it was only natural for her to struggle in such a high-pressure situation.
Her eyes and hands moved busily, but I could sense the hidden unease and urgency behind her actions. I set down my tea and walked over to her.
“Hmm… Cassandra? I need to talk to—Eek! M-Mars?!”
When I approached from behind while she was focused intently on the documents, she quickly noticed my presence and turned around, visibly startled.
Ignoring her reaction, I leaned in slightly to take a look at the papers she was holding.
“N-No, you can’t… I-If someone sees us like this… oh no…”
“For the swords used in the demonstration, instead of buying them, let’s ask a nearby workshop to sponsor them. We could offer to feature their name in the host’s announcements or on the pamphlets as a form of advertising. That way, it’s a win-win.”
“!! Are you actually reading the documents?!”
“I may not look it, but I’m the son of a noble house.”
Just because I always run around with a sword, cutting this and slicing that, doesn’t mean I’m clueless.
I was the second son of a noble family. Though not one with vast lands or riches, sure….but I still received a proper education in document handling and budget management.
And though I was no professional, I also had some unusual knowledge from my past life, so understanding a budget plan for a school festival was no big deal.
“But would the workshops really agree to a sponsorship? Even if we’re offering exposure, selling the swords outright might be more profitable for them.”
“Of course, we can’t go with a workshop that’s too big. Since the swords are consumables anyway, we just need to find a small or medium-sized workshop, offer to advertise for them, and get them to sponsor us. What they need is exposure, and what we need is decent-quality swords. So it works out for both sides.”
The princess who was listening with interest to my suggestion immediately began checking whether any small to medium-sized workshops were available.
Some further negotiation might be necessary, but it wasn’t a particularly difficult proposal, so there was a good chance we’d find someone willing to cooperate.
“Um, Mars? Could you take a look at this too?”
“The performance lineup is a bit too strong. Try inviting groups that didn’t have many performances recently. Since they don’t get a lot of offers, they’ll probably come for a reasonable price.”
“H-Here, too!”
“What do you think about this part?”
When I started giving advice on the documents the other committee members were struggling with, more and more voices began calling out to me from all directions.
In the end, I had no choice but to spend the entire evening busily helping them with their work.
***
That’s how I went around the student council room, reviewing the documents the members were handling and offering useful advice and guidance to help them solve their problems.
It wasn’t perfect, but it did open up some promising paths. Thanks to that, tasks that had been stalled were finally moving along at a decent pace.
“We’re done for the dayyy!!”
“No more heading home under the night skyyy!!”
When the princess said that, thanks to the progress in work, everyone could leave early today, the members all went wild and dashed out in a frenzy.
“If only they worked as fast as they run…”
“Haha… Ah, President, aren’t you heading out too?”
“Hmm, I’ll just finish the documents I’m looking at and go. You should head back too, Cara.”
“Understood. Then, Mars, you…?”
“I’ll stay and help the President finish her paperwork. There’s also something I wanted to talk to her about.”
At my words, Cassandra seemed to recall something, and with a sly smile, she left the student council room.
“Ooh~ Then I won’t be the clueless third wheel~ Good luck~”
Good luck… with what? Is that some kind of noble-only coded phrase?
“That girl… haaah.”
The princess shot a glare at Lady Cassandra, who had dashed out, then let out a deep sigh and stretched out with a long yawn.
“Ugh… Aaahhh…”
After sitting all day handling paperwork, no wonder her body was sore.
Watching her diligently manage her responsibilities despite her high status made me feel a sudden sense of respect… or maybe admiration.
“Aren’t you tired? You seem fine.”
“I’m not physically tired. But mentally? That’s another story.”
“Yeah, I suppose that makes sense too. Phew…”
The princess stared at me for a moment, then walked over to the sofa where I was resting.
“Your Highness? Is there a problem with the paperwork?”
“Today’s work is all done. Nothing to worry about.”
Then why did she say she’d stay behind? She could’ve gone back with the vice president just fine.
With a soft thud, the princess sat down beside me and, after another long stare, rested her head on my lap.
“Um… Your Highness?”
“My head’s spinning from staring at letters all day. Just for a little while…let me lean on you. A man should be able to manage at least this much.”
“Uh, yes… of course.”
If an imperial member says so, what choice do I have?
In the end, I gave the princess a lap pillow.
“…It’s hard.”
“You might be more comfortable lying down. I can move.”
“No need. This isn’t too bad. Honestly, you’re so oblivious…”
The fact that she’d go this far made it clear just how overworked she really was.
Maybe I should come help out when I have the time?
“So… what was it you wanted to talk about?”
“Hmm? Oh, right, that.”
There was a hint of excitement in the princess’s tone.
I decided to take this chance to bring up something I’d been thinking about.
“I believe we should increase security personnel for this year’s No Entrance Exam Festival.”
“Out of the blue?”
“There’s just… something that’s been bothering me.”
How was I supposed to naturally explain that a surprise enemy attack during the academy festival was a classic cliche?
As I hesitated, the princess let out a deep sigh and grumbled.
“This damned man… always the same to the end…”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Quiet. Well, since it’s you who brought it up, I’ll make it happen. I’m sure you have your reasons.”
With a voice that sounded a bit irritated, the princess accepted my suggestion.
But perhaps to show her annoyance, she didn’t lift her head for a full thirty minutes, and since I couldn’t very well move her myself, I ended up staying completely still, providing her with a lap pillow the entire time.
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