---

After finishing class with Choi Ye-na and having lunch, I headed to the Student Council Room with Lee Ha-yoon.

I asked Lee Chae-song and Lee Chae-rin if they were interested in joining the Student Council, but they declined.

I don’t understand why they wouldn’t want to do something so great.

“We’re here.”

“Wow! You actually came! How did you convince them? Amazing.”

“Nice to meet you! Since we’re your seniors, feel free to speak casually. Come sit here.”

“Yes.”

I thought I came back quickly after eating, but the Student Council Room was already packed.

According to the senior who was trying to recruit me… they’re short on people and going crazy because of it, which is why they were trying to recruit me.

There are 10 people here, and 3 are still stuck in the cafeteria.

With Hayan and me joining, that makes 15.

What exactly is lacking here?

“Nice to meet you, I’m Kang Min-kyung, the Student Council President.”

“Hello.”

The Student Council President with a red name tag.

Her red-dyed hair was striking.

You could spot the Student Council President anywhere in the academy the moment she appeared.

I wondered if she was aiming for a tone-on-tone look with her name tag, but apparently, her hair color changed when she first awakened.

She began explaining the duties of the Student Council and how we got involved.

From what I know, this person is the top-ranked in the academy’s ranking battles.

Kang Min-kyung of Hong Yeom, a name so cringe-worthy it makes your palms itch.

I should listen respectfully.

The Student Council, also known as the Discipline Committee, is responsible for guiding delinquent students within the academy.

They can catch students who violate school regulations and give them demerit points.

They can also let them off with a warning.

In the end, they’re like the police of this small society called the academy.

‘Is it okay to give that much authority to mere students?’

The demerit and merit point system is a central part of the academy’s early graduation policy, so it’s very sensitive… I’m not sure if it’s okay for students to control it.

“First, when you wake up in the morning, you’ll go around the dormitories to check the students’ basic discipline.”

I’ve seen hyenas with Student Council armbands loitering around when heading to class in the morning.

I wondered why they were doing that, but it was to catch students.

“Do you still do that in this day and age? Catching students for their hair and uniforms?”

“Just uniforms. Some tear their uniforms and wear them, or do all sorts of things with them. We don’t touch hair.”

“Ah.”

Hair is free, but uniforms aren’t.

Uniforms are also remnants of Japanese imperialism, so it’s normal to want to get rid of them, but the higher-ups don’t seem to think so.

“And during lunchtime, we mainly work in the cafeteria. We control students cutting in line and prevent fights.”

I was about to leave after this part, but they promised not to interfere with my meals, probably having heard about my reputation.

Usually, the Student Council is split into two teams, with one team eating while the other works, but Hayan and I can fully enjoy lunchtime.

Meaning we don’t have to work during lunch.

But no one stopped me when I fought Kim Shin.

If the instructor hadn’t shown up, Kim Shin would have been half-dead by then.

“…There were no Student Council members when Kim Shin and I fought.”

“It might sound like an excuse, but we’re always short on people. We were stopping another fight that broke out somewhere else at the time.”

“There are 13 of you, though?”

With a look that said it was a lame excuse, she scanned the entire club.

Some coughed awkwardly or avoided my gaze.

“One side was a brawl, so 10 of us went to cover it, and the other was a fight between the 2nd and 3rd ranked students, so everyone else had to go.”

…A brawl that required three people to stop.

Is the academy really that much of a mess?

“The Swordsmanship Club and Martial Arts Club often cause trouble. There are others too, but… you’ll learn about them as you work. Those two are the biggest problems.”

“If it’s always like that, why not just disband them?”

“That’s tricky. Both clubs have over 70 members and have a long history and tradition. Even the instructors are from those clubs.”

Ah, so they’re legacy clubs.

“Anyway, sorry about that time. Luckily, the instructor stepped in, so it ended without much damage.”

“…No one got hurt, but the cafeteria was a mess.”

“That’s still great. Usually, if we don’t stop it early, it doesn’t end that well.”

With all these hot-blooded awakened ones gathered, the fact that control is this good is amazing. Hero Academy is amazing! Kim Bong-du is amazing! I was thinking that.

But it seems like the demon realm is unfolding in the unseen parts, just like in Incheon.

“I’ve given you first-years too much burden already, don’t worry! We don’t plan to assign you to violent scenes unless necessary.”

Noticing my hand trembling slightly, the Student Council President asked with concern.

“Huh? What do you mean! That’s why I joined!”

“Huh?”

My hand wasn’t trembling out of fear.

I was getting more excited than I thought, but the Student Council President seemed to misunderstand.

“Gyeoul is like a fighting dog, don’t worry.”

“Ah, is that so? That’s good to hear.”

“…?”

Lee Ha-yoon, who had been quietly listening, suddenly turned me into a fight-crazy dog.

It was as absurd as a mill handle falling off.

“If I’m a fighting dog, what are you, Hayan… a championship dog?”

“If we’re comparing to dogs… a pet dog?”

“With rabies?”

“What are you talking about?”

Hayan even scoffed at my words.

Is she serious right now?

Does she not realize she’s 100% pure-blooded combat royalty, top-tier level?

Currently, the top tier includes Jeong Ha-yul and Park Seol-hwa.

Ah, Hwarang, the Immortal, and Kim Bong-du too.

This isn’t my subjective tier list, but one circulating online.

Hayan isn’t an active hero yet, so she’s not included, but if Lee Ha-yoon becomes a hero, everyone on the tier list would definitely drop a spot.

‘Now that I think about it, all the S-Class are top-tier.’

At S-Class, you’re supposed to have high discipline and self-control, right?

Like the Queen of England.

But why are all the S-Class I know fight-crazy maniacs?

And, sadly.

I’m also becoming more like those crazy women.

Is there something wrong with the awakening system?

I wasn’t like this when I was C-Class!

I was about to start a staring contest with Hayan, but the Student Council President stepped in.

“I heard you two are close.”

“We’re like best friends.”

“…Neither of you has balls, though.”

“Ah, well, we’re just that close. You know?”

Anyway, after getting the promise to be sent to violent scenes, I continued listening.

In the morning, you just catch students not wearing or wearing their uniforms wrong.

At lunch, you just eat.

In the evening…

“What do we do?”

“Patrol the entire academy.”

Now I fully understand why they keep complaining about being short on people.

This academy is huge.

Like, ridiculously huge.

If the Student Council has to patrol the entire academy, of course, it’s overwhelming.

All 13 members can’t participate in patrols every day.

‘If we had to do that every day, who would stay in the Student Council?’

I’d run away immediately.

They rotate shifts, but with 13 people, it’s still not enough, so splitting it up must be driving the Student Council President crazy.

I heard there are many benefits to joining the Student Council.

Is this why students don’t want to join?

“Don’t the instructors help?”

“For major incidents, maybe, but for these small things, the Student Council handles it. That’s why our authority is strong.”

Legal stress relief vs. stress increase from patrols.

I’m not sure which is more dominant.

“First-years won’t be pushed that hard, so don’t worry.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

Somehow, I’m skeptical.

The redhead’s awkward smile is making me trust her less and less.

“And, now that you’ve joined, other students will join soon, so don’t worry.”

“…Other students will join because of us?”

“Yeah, isn’t that obvious? There are tons of students desperate to be friends with you.”

According to the Student Council President, we’re the academy’s top beauties.

We have good abilities and come from good families, so many students want to be friends with us.

‘That seems like some wrong information.’

Lately, some first-year girls have been trying to befriend us.

But the first-year boys still keep their distance.

They avoid us with quick steps when we greet them.

They don’t make eye contact and give short answers.

But it’s not just the first-years; the seniors are the same.

“If that’s the case, why don’t we have people outside pretending to know us or following us to the Gourmet Club?”

“…Even I wouldn’t join the Gourmet Club. Pretending to know someone isn’t something just anyone can do. I heard you two give off a cold vibe.”

“…Us?”

“Yeah, you four are pretty famous, didn’t you know?”

When did we give off a cold vibe?

And at most, it’s just four first-year girls hanging out together. What rumors…?

“You’re called the F4 of the academy, didn’t you know?”

“What? F4?”

Are they talking about those flower boys I know?

The ones who can go anywhere with just white cloth and wind?

Who the hell gave us that nickname?

If I catch them, I’ll beat them up. Worse than how I beat Kim Min-ji.

I’ll beat them every day. I’ll follow them around and beat them up.

“…You don’t seem to like it?”

“Who would like that… Senior, do you like your nickname, Hong Yeom?”

The redhead senior’s face turned the same color as her hair.

Of course, you’re embarrassed by your nickname too.

If you’re sane, you can’t hear those nicknames and stay calm!

“It’s embarrassing, but I think it’s kind of cool….”

Ah, damn it.

I’ve met another crazy person here.

At this point, you could call me a crazy person collector, and I wouldn’t have anything to say.

“…Let’s just finish what we were talking about.”

“…Should we?”

 

---