Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Rebellion members had infiltrated not only the Security Office, but also the Security Department.

Compared to the Security Office, which hired employees, the Security Department, which selected students, also had points that made it easier to infiltrate.

However, an ambiguous position would only increase the chance of being discovered, so they had deployed a skilled member and placed her in the position of Security Department Head.

“I have already heard that as well, but……. Is that not speculation rather than a confirmed fact? On top of that, by what means could the Student Council President possibly notice our existence?”

“Do not underestimate the Student Council President. From what I have heard, there is no one among the students who can defeat the current Student Council President. Climbing all the way to the position of Student Council President without anyone backing him is no ordinary difficulty.”

“But even so, he cannot discover our existence. We are still operating in secret.”

“This is not a problem that can be taken lightly. If he is already suspicious, that suspicion can change into certainty at any time. On top of that, he will have not only the secretarial office but also the Security Department Head attached to him, so the risk of being discovered will rise even further.”

The Security Office section chief, who had been listening quietly, slowly nodded in agreement.

From the moment someone became suspicious, there was a high chance they would meticulously check everything related to it.

The moment they became conscious of that, it would become pressure, and even if they did not become conscious of it, they would quickly reveal suspicious points.

Either way, the fact that it was dangerous did not change.

“Then would it not be better to report this first and have her withdraw?”

“We spent a great deal of money and time just establishing a foundation here. It would feel somewhat regrettable to retreat like this. Since it still seems safe for now, we have no choice but to trust the secretarial office side and the Security Department Head.”

“It is not that I do not trust those two. I am merely concerned about the Student Council President placed between them. Of course, he is only a Student Council President at most…….”

“If you think that way, there will be no end to it. The Student Council President is a position that oversees the departments under the Student Council. In a sense, all of Miterich’s students are beneath his feet. If we want to keep the Student Council President in check, the Student Council’s upper departments, the Administrative Office or the Security Office, must step forward directly.”

At the Chief’s explanation, the section chief made a troubled face and could not bring himself to refute it.

With the Rebellion personnel currently stationed at Miterich, they could not manipulate the Administrative Office and the Security Office as they pleased.

On top of that, a personnel reorganization was currently taking place in the Security Office, so if they grew greedy, the Chancellor would quickly notice.

“I did not know it would be that difficult.”

“Furthermore, the current Chancellor tries to side with the Student Council whenever possible. Since Miterich mainly revolves around battles between students, student-centered policies and support are inevitable. The Student Council stands right at the center of that, and the Student Council is controlled by the Student Council President.”

“So we must not touch the Student Council President carelessly.”

“It would be more accurate to say we cannot touch him. His ability, amount of mana, and combat sense are far too outstanding. Unless he completes his course at Miterich, I doubt he will ever step down from the Student Council President’s seat.”

Employees who had worked at Miterich for a long time had seen many Student Council Presidents.

And just as many students had aimed for the Student Council President’s seat, its owner had changed countless times.

However, after Seo Hyun-woo became the Student Council President, the owner of that seat had never changed.

Because of that, even Miterich’s employees had no choice but to acknowledge Seo Hyun-woo’s skill and talent.

“Is that why the Security Department Head does not request a Rank Battle against the Student Council President?”

“It is a matter of possibility. The Security Department Head is not weak, but we cannot avoid considering the case in which she loses. That is why the other Department Heads do not recklessly request Rank Battles either.”

“Then we will have to remain quiet for the time being.”

“It would be best to follow the Student Council President’s instructions properly. The Security Department Head probably knows that well too.”

Now, the Security Office could no longer carry out information-gathering activities.

The only remaining sources of information were the Student Council’s dedicated secretarial office, the Security Department Head, and a few Security Department members.

From now on, they would have to receive information from them and make Rebellion’s name widely known at the appropriate time.

“Now, no matter what happens, we must make sure harm never reaches the Security Department Head. If things become truly difficult, we will have to abandon the Security Department members as well. Do you understand what I mean?”

“Yes. There is no position better than the Security Department Head for gathering information.”

“This will be the last time we speak among ourselves. I wish you luck.”

“Please take care of yourself.”

***

Inside the Student Council conference room.

Eight seats were scattered around the wide table.

The seat placed alone at the central end was the Student Council President’s seat, and the seat placed diagonally beside it was the Vice Student Council President’s seat.

Surprisingly, aside from those two seats, all six remaining seats were occupied.

Even though there was still quite some time left before the morning meeting began, everyone had attended early.

“Well! It’s not easy for the Department Heads of every department to gather in one place. What suddenly made all of you decide to attend the morning meeting?”

Min Ha-young, the Transformation Department Head, spoke sarcastically and swept her gaze over the surroundings.

The Department Heads of the Enhancement Department, the Attribute Department, and the Special Department had attended the morning and closing meetings every day.

In other words, she and the Form Department Head had very rarely attended today’s morning meeting.

On top of that, even the Security Department Head, whose face was not easy to see, had appeared.

“I heard an interesting rumor lately. I thought I should hear it from the President himself.”

Lee Da-jeong, the Form Department Head, answered while touching her golden hair.

Lee Da-jeong was a student of Miterich, but she was also a current actress.

Because of that, she was always busy and was often away from Miterich.

However, in the Form Department, her ability and qualifications were outstanding, and she handled her work without issue, so she had not received any particular restrictions until now.

“You mean the rumor that the President is dating the Vice President? Attending the morning meeting just to ask that……. Tsk.”

Jin Se-hee, the Attribute Department Head, side-eyed the two with a displeased expression.

From the start, Jin Se-hee thought the rumor was not even worth determining whether it was true.

Unless the President and Vice President had lost their minds, there was no way they would do something like that.

“I don’t know what makes the morning meeting so impressive that you have to act so proud about it. You must be awfully satisfied with yourself for attending every day.”

“Only bastards with nothing better to do would attend something like this. Why not spend that time training more?”

“I do not want to hear that from bastards who cannot even follow the basics. Is that the best excuse you have?”

The three exchanged sharp words with one another, but the other three remained silent.

They did not want to engage in a pointless war of words, and because they were thinking about various things, they had no time to pay attention to anything else.

It was not common for all the Department Heads to attend the morning meeting, and they were also somewhat interested in the newly appeared Security Department Head.

“What a wonderful sight. If only you discussed things this passionately on ordinary days too.”

Seo Hyun-woo entered the conference room and lightly threw out a joke.

Then the gazes of all six people focused on Seo Hyun-woo at once.

Baek Seo-yeon, who followed behind him, looked around the conference room with an expression of surprise.

“This is the first time all the Department Heads have attended a meeting.”

“Today will probably be the first and last day all the Department Heads attend the morning meeting. I do not have much expectation for today’s closing meeting.”

Seo Hyun-woo and Baek Seo-yeon each sat in their seats and opened their folders.

Seo Hyun-woo acted as though nothing was wrong on the outside, but in truth, he was slightly puzzled.

The Security Department Head had no choice but to attend today’s morning meeting, but the Transformation Department and Form Department Heads had no particular reason to do so.

“Before we check the official notice sent down by the Administrative Office, there is something you need to know. The Security Department, which had always followed only the Security Office’s instructions, has finally returned to the Student Council. Thanks to that, the Security Department Head can attend this morning's meeting as well.”

Seo Hyun-woo looked at the female student sitting at the far left end of the table and began the meeting.

In truth, even if he did not say it, the Department Heads were probably already aware of this.

The fact that the Security Office had undergone a rapid personnel reorganization and that the Security Department was being transferred had already become known to the Student Council.

Most of all, he had personally said he would retrieve the Security Department, so there was no way they could be unaware of it.

“Security Department Head, since you have returned to the Student Council now, could you give a brief self-introduction?”

“……Understood.”

Yoo Si-eun, the Security Department Head, stood from her seat with an expressionless face.

Her violet hair was tied up, her gray eyes did not show even the slightest agitation, and her face looked proper yet cold.

Yoo Si-eun opened her mouth without even glancing at the other Department Heads.

“I am Yoo Si-eun, the 6th Security Department Head. Recently, because I was following the Security Office’s instructions, I had no time to be with all of you. I will work harder from now on.”

Yoo Si-eun quickly finished speaking and immediately sat down.

However, the atmosphere in the conference room was cold, and not a single person seemed to show a favorable reaction.

Seo Hyun-woo let out a shallow sigh and began clapping first.

“I heard your introduction well. I will apologize on behalf of the Department Heads. Because of Rank Battles, they do not view each other very favorably. They probably consider you a competitor, so I hope you will understand a little.”

“It’s a little funny to hear the President say that. Ah, I still can’t get used to it. I didn’t think you’d even clap for her.”

“Transformation Department Head, one must observe basic courtesy. If you are not going to clap, would you rather quietly keep your mouth shut?”

Baek Seo-yeon, who had been clapping along with Seo Hyun-woo, pointed it out sharply.

Then Min Ha-young let out a dry laugh and showed a fierce look in her eyes.

“This is also a little unexpected. It’s not easy to see the Vice President taking the President’s side, is it?”

“Then the rumor must be true. There’s no need to deliberately show it off even in a place like this.”

Lee Da-jeong sided with Min Ha-young and looked at Seo Hyun-woo.

When the controversial rumor was mentioned, the other Department Heads also fixed their gazes on Seo Hyun-woo.

Baek Seo-yeon tried to protest first, but Seo Hyun-woo raised his hand and stopped her.

“I am not interested in whether the rumor is true or not. But why are you showing that kind of attitude? In terms of position hierarchy, the Vice President should be above all of you.”

“What are you saying right now……?”

“If the Vice President had said something wrong, I would have stayed silent too. But the Vice President’s words were not wrong. So why are you talking like that?”

“…….”

At Seo Hyun-woo’s statement, the Department Heads grew tense for a moment and began showing hostility.

They wondered if all the rumors about Seo Hyun-woo’s personality and manner of speaking had been nonsense.

After all, an overbearing atmosphere and a voice filled with coldness were already flowing from him.

“Do the Vice President and I look like a joke sitting here? If so, come at me. I will accept a Rank Battle anytime. Otherwise, you had better not run your mouth carelessly.”