Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“You are bringing up a rather sensitive issue.”

Park Do-woon calmly answered while sipping his coffee.

From the moment the Student Council President requested a private meeting, he had expected the subject would not be ordinary.

But with the Security Office involved as well, he thought he would have to be quite cautious.

“It’s true that this is a sensitive matter, but I don’t believe my thoughts are wrong. Why must the Security Department assist with the Security Office’s work?”

“Mm, you are right. The Security Department does not necessarily have to assist with the Security Office’s work. However, isn’t the Security Department’s work closely related to the Security Office? That is why both sides have no choice but to cooperate.”

“As far as I know, the founding purpose of the Security Department is to actively respond to problems that may arise during Advance Battles or Rank Battles. It is also meant to prevent fights between students ahead of time and to catch students who violate Miterich’s rules.”

Seo Hyun-woo recited exactly what was written in the manual exclusive to Student Council executives.

Park Do-woon, the Chancellor of Miterich, was no different from this place’s highest authority, excluding the chairman.

In other words, depending on his will, he had the authority to interfere in detail with the Student Council and even the upper departments.

“You know it well. So what exactly is the problem? The Security Department has followed the Security Office’s instructions and faithfully performed that role until now. From what I see, it seems instead that the Security Office is carrying out the Student Council’s work in its place…What do you think?”

Park Do-woon spoke without mixing a single lie into what he felt.

From an objective standpoint, it was difficult to say there was any particular problem with the Security Office.

It was using the Security Department, a direct department of the Student Council, but not once had there been any disruption in the performance of its duties.

“There is something you do not know, Chancellor.”

“Something I do not know? What exactly is that?”

“According to my investigation, it appears the Security Office has been using the Security Department to collect students’ personal information. What do you think about that?”

“What?”

Park Do-woon clenched both fists and glared at Seo Hyun-woo.

Even if it was the Security Office, it could not recklessly collect students’ personal information.

Most of all, the very fact that it had used the Security Department, which was made up of students, to do such a thing was something he could not tolerate.

“Student Council President, can you take responsibility for what you just said? If this turns out to be groundless, you will not be able to avoid heavy disciplinary action.”

“If it turns out to be true, the Security Office Director and the employees of his subordinate departments will be punished. If that happens, do you intend to discipline every student affiliated with the Security Department?”

“If what you said is true, the Security Department will not be able to avoid responsibility either. The Security Department Head, as well as students with the positions of Secretary and Team Leader, will be demoted regardless of their ability.”

Of course, Seo Hyun-woo had expected to some extent that the Chancellor would say that.

The problem he had mentioned was one of the controversies that would eventually erupt someday.

The reason he did not mention all of them was to avoid interfering unnecessarily with the flow of the story.

For now, he simply intended to place the Security Department back under the Student Council’s jurisdiction, then closely watch the Security Department Head while seeking an opportunity to build a relationship.

“I think you should reconsider punishing the Security Department. From the Security Department’s position, they had no choice but to follow the Security Office’s instructions.”

“That does not mean they did nothing wrong. If something like that truly happened, they should have reported it to the Administrative Office or to me.”

“No. That is not what I mean. Is it not possible that the Security Department may not have realized they were doing something wrong?”

“……What do you mean by that?”

“I mean to say that the Security Department was used by the Security Office. The Security Department members have comparatively more reasons to move around inside Miterich, so they would have been perfect targets to exploit. Why not check the Battle Watches used by the Security Department?”

Seo Hyun-woo knew what method the Security Office had used, so he could explain in detail.

Of course, this included a few lies.

It was not as if there were absolutely no Security Department members who had been involved in the Security Office’s illegal acts.

“That is somewhat strange. No matter how much you hold the position of Student Council President, you should not be able to know the affairs of the Security Office and the Security Department in such detail. Are you, by any chance, connected to the wrongdoing committed by the Security Office as well?”

“If I were, I would have chosen another method. I would have continued cooperating with the Security Office as things stood, or else proceeded with negotiations with you, Chancellor.”

“To me, this private meeting itself looks like a negotiation.”

“If you think so, all you have to do is investigate me. I will tell you in advance, but ever since I became the Student Council President, I have never once abused my authority for private gain. I am merely telling you the facts, Chancellor, in order to do what must be done.”

Seo Hyun-woo instead spoke boldly, his eyes shining.

He knew how the original Seo Hyun-woo had handled the duties of Student Council President.

Even though the original Seo Hyun-woo was quite weak in areas such as background, connections, and wealth, he had never once abused the Student Council President’s authority for private gain.

Although he had used the position of Student Council President to protect his place as number one, abusing it was something his convictions and pride did not allow.

“Then, as you said, I will conduct a separate investigation. The Security Office, the Security Department, and you as well. If there truly is no problem with you, I will apologize with my position as Chancellor on the line.”

“I do not ask for that much. To me, this is naturally something I must do. If it truly bothers you, how about raising the Student Council President’s decorum allowance?”

“I fail to see why the decorum allowance is coming up here.”

“Isn’t receiving more better than receiving less?”

“…….”

At those words, Park Do-woon lifted his coffee cup with an expression of disbelief.

The decorum allowance was a kind of support fund paid to members in certain positions.

A student at Department Head level or above probably received a considerable decorum allowance.

Most of all, the decorum allowance was not something he could increase just because he wanted to.

“You seem quite confident.”

“What is there to be confident about? I merely trust myself.”

“Is that the end of our discussion? If you have no further business, would you leave so I can attend my next appointment?”

“Understood. Thank you for making time for me.”

Seo Hyun-woo immediately rose from his seat and bowed his head lightly.

Then he quickly left the Chancellor’s Office.

Park Do-woon watched his back until Seo Hyun-woo disappeared, then let out a deep sigh.

“As if I would have neglected to investigate you. Of all the Student Council Presidents I have seen so far, you are the most upright and diligent. If anything, you have so few flaws that it actually makes me suspicious.”

***

Inside the Student Council President’s office.

As always, Seo Hyun-woo was taking brief rests in between handling his work.

No matter how busy he was, it was only office work, and there was merely a great deal of it.

Even so, he could not neglect his personal training and mana training in the meantime, so he could not help but always be tired.

‘Seo Hyun-woo trusted his own ability too much. That’s why he suffered a serious injury. Even if he fought the protagonist to a draw, there’s no guarantee he’ll always win in a fight against another Awakened.’

Seo Hyun-woo’s copy ability was certainly quite rare and powerful.

On top of that, his innate amount of mana and his reproduction of original techniques were more than enough to call him a genius.

But Seo Hyun-woo was not the protagonist of this world, and in reality, hadn’t he ended up with problems in his left eye and right leg?

‘Maybe it’s because I haven’t been able to sleep at all lately, but I’ve gotten dark circles. I’m trying to sleep, but it’s not easy. The amazing thing is, I can’t sleep at all at night, but while I’m working, drowsiness comes pouring in like this. Damn it…’

Seo Hyun-woo resented his body for the first time and let out a small yawn.

Seo Hyun-woo merely lacked background and connections compared to others; his appearance and practical capabilities were very good.

But he had never expected that he would have a weakness like being unable to sleep properly.

Knock, knock.

A knock sounded from beyond the door of the Student Council President’s office.

Seo Hyun-woo immediately came to his senses and pretended to be working.

When the door opened, a silver-haired female student in a black uniform entered.

“Vice President, what is it?”

“I sent you the schedule for the internal inspections of each department, but you did not check it.”

“……If it was something like that, you could have sent me a separate message.”

“Of course I could have. But I judged it would be better to examine your condition with my own eyes, President. Who knows? You might have been sleeping without my knowledge.”

Baek Seo-yeon immediately moved her feet and stopped in front of the work desk.

Then she narrowed her eyes and peered into Seo Hyun-woo’s face.

Dark shadows lay deeply beneath Seo Hyun-woo’s eyes.

Whatever he was doing every night, it seemed certain that he was not sleeping properly.

“Why would I do something like that during work?”

“You would know that better than I would, President. What exactly are you doing every night to end up with dark circles?”

“I don’t know what the problem is, but I can’t sleep at all. That’s how I ended up like this.”

“Ah, I see. For an excuse, that is quite flimsy. Thanks to you, President, even I can barely sleep.”

Baek Seo-yeon took out her smartphone and held it out in front of Seo Hyun-woo.

Seo Hyun-woo looked down at Baek Seo-yeon’s smartphone and checked the contents.

[Scarlet Lord(18:05) : Vice President, did you know that?]

[Baek Seo-yeon(18:05) : What are you referring to?]

[Scarlet Lord(18:06) : My members were saying something. They asked if the President and Vice President were dating.]

[Baek Seo-yeon(18:06) : Where did you hear such nonsense? There is no way that is true.]

[Scarlet Lord(18:06) : Mm, is that so? You two look surprisingly good together.]

[Baek Seo-yeon(18:06) : Keep your members’ mouths in line. Rumors are only rumors.]

[Scarlet Lord(18:08) : But the President said with his own mouth that he has a girlfriend.]

[Baek Seo-yeon(18:45) : I will confirm it myself tomorrow.]

“I would like an answer to this.”

“I wondered what this was about. It’s just a rumor that I have a girlfriend.”

“Exactly! Why do I have to be dragged into it?!”

Baek Seo-yeon raised her tone, her eyes trembling.

Seo Hyun-woo let out a wry laugh, rose from his seat, and headed toward the coffee pot.

“We must’ve just gotten tangled up by chance. You’re the only student who walks around with me.”

“Such a rumor is going around because you did something, President, isn’t it?”

“Uh……. I did do something. I openly said I had a girlfriend.”

“Pardon? Then do you truly have a girlfriend?”

“Th……at’s right. I do have one.”

Seo Hyun-woo answered as he put water in the coffee pot.

For a brief moment, he wondered whether he should tell Baek Seo-yeon the truth, but it would be meaningless.

Even if she learned the truth, she would only nag him about why he had done something so useless.

“Ah, so you could not sleep because you were secretly meeting your girlfriend every night.”

“If that were the case, shouldn’t I have given up the Student Council President position long ago?”

“What on earth were you thinking when you said something like that? You and I are both in positions where we cannot help but attract attention from the students!”

“I did it on purpose. So many girls come on to me that it’s annoying, isn’t it?”

“Ha! You must feel wonderful after selling me out along with yourself.”

“It’s not bad for you either, is it? If a rumor spreads that you’re dating me, male students won’t approach you either. Try to think of it positively. Life at Miterich just got a little more convenient for both you and me.”