It was a proposal from Andrew Aiwood — student council president and Second Prince.
To join the student council enforcement and take on the role of disciplining the other students.
"So in other words… you want me to discipline your own younger brother?"
"It's not limited to that hopeless little brother of mine. There hasn't been anyone from the enforcement in the first-year Magic Department yet, so honestly, I was just short on manpower."
Andrew answered Rest's question.
"This happens every year, but… the student council officers and enforcement members tend to be from the same department as the president. Since I'm a student in the Knight Department, almost all the student council members end up being Knight Department students. Well, for the sake of balance, I deliberately appointed someone from the Magic Department as vice president, and I had Celestine join as well."
"Ah… that does seem to be the case."
It was information he had heard before.
The student council president was selected through an election… but in most cases, it was a student from either the Magic Department or the Knight Department who took the position.
It wasn't that there was any formal rule about it.
Children of royalty and high-ranking nobles tended to enroll in one or the other, making it easier for them to gather votes.
No matter how much the academy nominally maintained that social standing didn't matter within its walls… nobody wanted to defy those in power, and everyone wanted to earn their favor.
When royalty or high-ranking nobles ran for student council president, allies eager to help canvass for votes would rally to their side, and rival candidates would simply withdraw and disappear on their own.
This was especially obvious when someone like Andrew was in the running.
When a member of royalty ran for student council president, every other candidate — unless they were the sort of person completely incapable of reading the room — would withdraw.
In Andrew's case as well, all the other candidates had withdrawn, so there was no election, and he automatically assumed the position of student council president.
(If some idiot prince like Rodele had run, it would've been a different story entirely… but since His Highness Andrew is a Knight Department student, the student council naturally ended up with mostly Knight Department members. There's already friction between the Magic Department and the Knight Department, and simply put, it's easier to reach out to students who share the same building.)
"If I had my way, I'd want student council members gathered from all sorts of departments… but it doesn't quite work out that way. The divide between departments really is as deep as they say."
"So… why me? Since Your Highness is the president, there must be others who'd want to join the student council, no?"
"Well, there are some. Plenty of candidates, in fact. But… what's the point of padding the ranks with useless people?"
Andrew shrugged.
That sardonic smile of his seemed to be his default expression.
"The student council enforcement exists to maintain discipline among the students. You need someone with enough strength and influence that the other students think, 'If this person's around, I can't cause trouble'… In that regard, you'd be absolutely perfect."
"………"
"You're an A-Class student in the Magic Department and a son-in-law of the Rosemary family, whose head serves as chief court mage. On top of that, you're the hot-topic new student who defeated Danila, ranked second among first-years in the Knight Department, in his own field of swordsmanship. If you joined the enforcement, you'd be able to keep the first-year Magic Department students in line… My dear brother notwithstanding."
"Oh… are you two not on good terms?"
"Not at all. Terribly bad, in fact."
Andrew narrowed his eyes and curled his lips upward.
His face was smiling, but… his eyes weren't laughing at all.
Viola and Primula, seated on either side, seemed to flinch ever so slightly, but the menacing atmosphere dissipated just as quickly.
"That one's a monumental fool. Among those blessed with power and bloodlines, you occasionally get people who disregard everyone around them… but he's especially terrible. He looks down on Celestine, who's his fiancée and a duke's young lady, and he even insults me, his own older brother, saying things like 'you had no talent for magic so you joined the Knight Department.' I've lost count of how many times I've wanted to lop his head off."
"My, my…"
If only he'd do that — it would save Rest a fair bit of trouble.
There were presumably circumstances that made simple punishment insufficient, just as Celestine had told him before.
"As a member of the enforcement, you'd be permitted to use magic against students who commit violations. You wouldn't need to resort to roundabout methods like smoke bombs."
"………"
"Well? It would improve your academic assessment scores, and it'd give you an advantage in finding employment after graduation… though I suppose that last part doesn't really apply to you."
Andrew gave another broad shrug.
For Rest, who was slated to marry into the House Rosemary, academic assessment scores were hardly a priority.
Becoming a court magician would also be achievable through ability alone. And on top of that, he already had connections to the House Rosemary.
There was no reason to join the student council for the sake of a teacher's evaluation.
(Still… being able to openly retaliate is pretty appealing, isn't it? At the academy, offensive magic outside of class is strictly forbidden… it's a surprisingly troublesome restriction) "You're right…"
Rest casually glanced left and right.
"…………"
Viola and Primula silently looked back at Rest.
Their posture made it clear they were leaving the decision to him.
"…Could I have a little time to think about it?"
"Of course. Let me know once you've made up your mind."
Rest had given a noncommittal, evasive answer.