I Become a Mafia in the Academy

Chapter 81

Ray Pendragon.

He could indeed be described as a mythological figure at Seoul Hero Academy, living up to his name.

As a student from a prestigious British noble family, he came to study at Seoyoung A, known for its excellent curriculum, just like the others.

Upon entering the first year, he quickly grasped the academy's system, established a club as a freshman, and by the second year, he ascended to the Diamond Club, eventually dominating the student council with unstoppable momentum.

He was truly a character you could call the protagonist of a web novel.

"All of us at Seoul Hero Academy's student council welcome you! Is the one with blue hair the top student and the one with black hair the second place?"

Ray Pendragon looked at us alternately and said that with a bright smile.

"Come on, take a seat first? I didn't call you here to scold you or anything, so you don't need to stand there."

Listening to his words, I looked at the table in front of me.

Except for the head seat where Ray Pendragon was sitting, only seats for people of lower rank than him remained.

...Interesting.

Following Choi Yeon, who sat down in the nearest empty seat after hearing his words, I pulled out a chair──

"...Hooh?"

I placed the chair directly opposite the president and sat down there.

He looked at me with an amused expression, raising the corners of his mouth.

Yulie, standing next to Pendragon, seemed startled by this, but I knew better than anyone that he wasn't the type to get angry over something like this.

"Wouldn't it be better to talk face-to-face when we're going to discuss something? Mr. President."

"Yes. It's fine since you don't need to turn your head. Just sit comfortably!"

"Thank you for your consideration."

After I sat down, the members of the student council finally took their respective seats.

Among them was Seo Yeonsu, whom I had encountered while preparing for the total war.

Amidst the tense atmosphere, it was Yulie, sitting next to the student council president, who spoke first.

"Choi Yeon."

"Yes."

"In the recent class ranking tournament, you scored second place. It's written that you played the biggest role in ranking Class C as the second in the overall class hierarchy."

"Yes."

"Your entrance exam score was top student. It says you drew your sword against Instructor Ji Soohyun during the entrance exam and aimed for her neck... Is this true?"

The members of the student council began to murmur at Yulie's words.

Amidst them, Pendragon still maintained his amused smile.

"Yes."

"May I ask why you acted that way?"

"I was told to do what I was most confident in, so I just swung my most confident sword."

Yulie looked at Choi Yeon with a puzzled expression as she spoke calmly. Soon, her gaze turned to me.

"Han Yoojin. In the recent class ranking tournament, you scored first place. It's written that you played the biggest role in making Class A the number one. Wow, junior. You were an amazing person, huh?"

Saying so, Yulie glanced at me. In response, I just slightly shrugged my shoulders.

"Let's see... Yes, according to the records, it's written as the highest record in the academy. May I ask what happened?"

"No."

"Oh, as expected... Huh?"

Yulie's eyes widened as if she had misheard.

"W-What did you just say?"

"I said no."

Why would I tell them that?

Even if I did, there's nothing to gain from it. So I decided not to answer.

"Is that so? If you don't want to answer... there's nothing we can do. Then, about the entrance exam... Huh? You sniped at Instructor Ji Soohyun's head from close range with a sniper rifle? No, who tampered with the entrance exam records..."

"Ah, that's true."

"Right? It's a joke... It's true?"

...So human eyes can grow that big.

But since it's the truth, I can't lie about it.

As I nodded, Ray Pendragon, sitting next to the surprised Yulie, burst out laughing.

"Sniping at an instructor...! Kuh...! Kuhahahaha!! Oh, I can't hold it in! Really!"

As the student council president clutched his stomach and started laughing, banging his head on the table, Yulie looked resigned.

"Well, the top students and second place of each grade have always been weirdos... I can understand. So, let's get to the main point..."

"Yulie, wait a moment. I'll say it."

Is it finally coming?

"How about joining the student council, you two?"

The purpose for which Ray Pendragon called us here.

Student council recruitment.

The current student council, set to graduate into society at the end of next semester, was looking to create successors to take over after their two-year term.

Having heard about it beforehand, I wasn't that surprised.

It was just a thought of, "Oh, here it comes."

Maybe because I hadn't answered yet, Pendragon continued speaking.

"If you become part of the student council, you'll receive benefits beyond your imagination. You'll have more freedom from the school rules, manage the student council funds, and most importantly, the way society views you will change. How about it? Isn't it tempting?"

Pendragon proposed to us with a confident expression.

Well, he wasn't wrong.

Operating around the student council in the academy route was incredibly appealing.

As is typical in such works, the power held by the student council was quite strong, allowing them to have some influence over the school's system.

There's even an urban legend in reality that if you don't get a car while serving on the student council, you're a fool, so with this kind of power, more than that would be possible.

If I had been possessed by an ordinary character and received such an offer, I would have accepted it immediately, but...

I am the successor of the Calione Family.

For someone with my background, the student council route brought more disadvantages than advantages.

'Money or power... either way.'

Money? With how much work the student council has, you think I'd collect pocket change from it?

How much is my current allowance?

It's like Bill Gates picking up a dollar that fell.

Power? In the underworld, the Calione Family holds absolute power, even if not in the daylight.

There's no need to create connections in politics or the hunter industry; using the routes the Calione Family has already established is faster.

Above all.

'I already know all about your tricks.'

I can't be fooled by them.

I shook my head lightly.

"I'll pass."

"Huh? Why? Isn't there any reason to refuse? It's an opportunity to join the student council."

Pendragon looked at me with a puzzled expression and asked.

"I'm a bit of an introvert... Standing at the center of the spotlight is uncomfortable for me."

I answered with a smile.

Pendragon looked at me, still not understanding my response.

"Then... Choi Yeon. Are you not interested in the student council?"

"Not really."

She just shook her head and declined.

"Hahaha! I didn't expect both of you to refuse. You're more humble than I thought!"

...Is he taking this as humility?

"You don't have to refuse so firmly. Everyone here is trustworthy, so you can speak freely."

This feels like...

"Don't you want to join the student council?"

It's almost like a demand.

Even in the original work, the event of joining the student council required becoming the top student or second place, but the atmosphere never felt this coercive.

There must be some hidden reason.

"Even if we agree, wouldn't you also invite the top student and second place of the second year to join the student council?"

"Huh? Of course?"

"Then, in the end, we would end up under the seniors of the second year. As you might have heard from rumors... I don't like being under someone else."

After saying all this, he won't push any further.

While I was thinking that.

"President, didn't I tell you? These days, kids won't listen just because you talk to them."

A man stood up, hitting the table.

The position written on the nameplate in front of him was [General Affairs].

"When seniors talk this much, shouldn't you just take the hint and accept it? You freshman punks."

He stood up, making a typical thug-like comment, and glared at me and Choi Yeon.

"Maybe if they were at an acceptable level, it wouldn't matter. But I'm saying this because you're the granddaughter of the Sword Saint and you hold the academy's all-time record. However..."

Crunch. The sound coming from his fist.

His fist trembled as if he were about to swing it at any moment.

"You seem to think the student council is nothing."

The guy with a cold expression slowly approached and looked down at me.

"...Do you think the student council is a pushover? You damn freshman brat."

As I met his gaze, a chilling atmosphere filled the student council room.

In the end, unable to bear the atmosphere, I—

"Pfft!"

Oops. I ended up laughing.

"...What's so funny?"

"Well, isn't it funny that you're so aggressively trying to recruit us because we're outstanding? The situation is just too ridiculous, and I couldn't help but laugh."

"...What?"

Ignoring his words, I stood up with a smile and looked at the student council officers.

"Anyway, no matter what persuasion you use, I'm not interested in the student council. Oh! Of course, I don't want to be at odds with the student council, so please don't misunderstand. And... as the president mentioned earlier, please understand that I'm not here to be scolded."

As I said that, I glanced down at the guy standing in front of me.

"I'm not the type to be criticized for being rude compared to others... so could you please show some manners? Senior."

"This bastard..."

Crunch.

I could hear the sound of strength entering his fist.

But this situation is just a kind of event reported to the faculty office.

If he hits me here, it would only be disadvantageous for him and the student council.

"General Affairs, stop it. It's embarrassing to do this to freshmen."

"But President—"

"—Stop it, I said."

The president, who had been smiling all along, became serious, and the air around us grew heavy.

It felt like the gravity in this place had been turned up.

At this, the face of the General Affairs, who had been red with anger just moments ago, turned pale.

He exhaled once, looked at me again, and then returned to his original seat.

Seeing this, Pendragon began to smile again.

"Hmm, I'm sorry for letting the atmosphere get too heated. We didn't call you here to do this. I hope our relationship doesn't sour because of this... What do you think?"

In the end, since the original plan went awry, they decided to shift their approach to a more friendly relationship rather than making enemies.

If that's the case.

"Let's have a meal later. I also want to get along well."

"...As long as it's not too troublesome, I don't mind."

After hearing my and Choi Yeon's responses, Pendragon nodded and stood up.

"Great, today's meeting was really enjoyable. I hope we can see each other with smiles again next time. By the way, Vice President, could you see the kids off?"

"Yes. Let's do that. Juniors. Shall we go?"

Yulie stood up and started walking ahead.

Following her quietly, we came outside, and Yulie, who slammed the door shut, looked at us.

"...Juniors."

And her expression, which had been smiling with her eyes just moments ago, turned cold.

"Do you know that you almost ruined your academy life and even your life outside?"

"Us?"

Yulie sighed at my question.

"Don't you know that the president is from the Pendragon family? You almost turned the Pendragon family into your enemy! Do you have a family that can stand against them?"

The Pendragon family.

In the game, they were a prestigious British family, descendants of King Arthur from the Arthurian legend.

Right. The reason why the student council route is popular among veterans in the academy route is because of this kind of backing.

Because you can gain considerable power within the academy.

Of course, if you refuse, the backlash can be significant, so posts from newbies who rejected the student council's proposal often appeared in the community.

Stories about how their families were ruined or they were shunned by students after rejecting the student council's proposal.

Well, the usual responses to these were things like "Hmm~ newbie smell~" or "Yes, you're an idiot for rejecting it."...

—But I'm not an ordinary character.

"It's fine."

"...It's fine."

"Huh? It's fine, you say?"

No problem at all.

I'm from Calione, and even if I hide my identity, I have the Hanwol Group behind me. Choi Yeon has the Sword Saint behind her.

Who could possibly crush us with their family?

"Thank you very much for today. I hope to see you again later."

"...I'll see you later."

"Oh? Oh, yeah."

Leaving Yulie, who was still in a daze, behind, we headed back to our classroom.

Then, I suddenly realized there was still time before the first class ended and smiled at a good idea that came to mind.

"Choi Yeon."

"...?"

"Let's go somewhere with me."

"Huh? Where?"

"To eat something good."

No matter how I think about it, I should go and steal some of that president's opportunities.