Maya, who had been coughing for a while after choking. After wiping her nose with a handkerchief, she started glaring at me with tremendous force.

“Cough… Really, stop talking nonsense. What do you mean you’re going to take away a new student?”

“Ah―!! I’m just saying we’ll accept a new student at our school☆ Boo boo boo! You have so many students!! Why can’t we―☆”

“My position has diminished a lot, so I can’t cover for you even if you’re [Pink Spiral] if you cause trouble at this event. I’m being serious, so listen carefully.”

“Ahaha―☆ Tell me what’s happening―☆”

“…”

Actually, I knew what was happening, but.

Maya, who heard my words, frowned her terrifying expression.

After silently sipping the energy drink in her flask for a while, she warned in a really low voice.

“Quietly receive some ice cream, and obediently return to <Central Prism Academy> when the event ends the day after tomorrow morning. Your alias is practically treated as non-existent among the current 3rd years in the academy city.”

“Eh―?! That’s☆ Too mean―☆”

“Would they believe that a girl who briefly appeared and disappeared in 1st year was actually hiding her strength and in seclusion? Most think it was just a rumor or luck. There have been many more active achievements shown by other [Five Colors] since you went into hiding.”

“Boo―☆”

“If my words have sounded like jokes until now, take them seriously again.”

Maya’s eyes as she spoke her last words

Were more serious than any time I had seen since 1st year.

‘Oh, just looking at her eyes, she’s no different from Yu Wen. But she won’t betray.’

Indeed, a veteran of <Facilities Engineering Department>, which does the roughest work in <Mimir Technical High School> except for the disciplinary committee.

The pressure pouring from her eyes was not that of an ordinary person.

[Five Colors].

Five colors.

Literally, it was a term calling the current generation’s five strongest who awakened [Unique Ether], treated as the final level in the academy city.

[Lightning Lance], [Spinning Wheel], [Great Bow], [Trajectory], [Mist].

Except for Hilde who endured until the end, the memories of those who eventually fell before my challenges are still vivid.

‘In the game, Hilde was unilaterally challenged alone, but here I mainly took on that role.’

Our generation received particularly great attention from seniors.

An unprecedented anomaly in <Academy City Yord> history.

When six 1st year students awakened the final stage [Unique Ether], our grade came to be called the ‘Golden Generation’ by many people.

As many as six [Unique Ether] ability users appeared, when even one appearing in a year would draw attention.

‘Well, for game operation, 3rd year characters had to be released as powerful characters. It’s probably because they crammed in world-class geniuses.’

But just as a large pine tree grows majestically and the seedlings growing around it wither,

No student reached the [Unique Ether] level among the new students who enrolled after us.

And one of the ‘Golden Generation’ six gave up fighting and was eventually forgotten in the memories of those who witnessed that fight.

‘The only current 2nd year [Unique Ether] user is just hiding though.’

“…”

Although I wanted to be forgotten myself, I felt a contradictory feeling… regret that [Spiral]’s name had become a faded page in memories.

For me who was an adult, one year was like yesterday, a fleeting moment.

But for the female students living in the academy city, it was history where generations changed.

One year was long in this place where endless incidents occur even in a day.

‘Hilde too… has probably forgotten me.’

If even she, whom I still consider my rival, has completely forgotten my name… somehow, somehow that seemed sad.

“…”

Maya eventually seemed to become curious and casually asked me.

“So who’s this new student you’re trying so hard to take away?”

“A revolutionary warrior who’s becoming a hot topic among new students―☆”

“Ah that blockhead? It’s become that famous? Well, it’s quite something. What revolution or whatever, causing a ruckus in the factory by picking strange fights…”

<Central Prism Academy>’s last 1st year junior.

Revolutionary warrior Kara.

The junior I wanted to take away was eccentric.

-The school meals are insufficient! This is the tyranny of the bourgeoisie! Revolution!

-You just don’t like bell peppers!

-To make us learn such evil studies…! Revolution!

-It’s just general knowledge! You blockhead!

-Respect the labor rights of dwarf workers!! They are our revolutionary comrades too!!

-That’s their pride in life for dwarves!!

-Aaargh!! Let me go!! I just want to go to the factory and work quietly!!

The commotion Kara caused, simple venting disguised as revolution.

She loved revolution too much.

Kara was already marked by the school higher-ups just a week after enrollment. Dozens of factory occupations and classroom riots in a week. Thanks to revolutionary activities carried out with numerous excuses, she was already in danger of expulsion.

Maya muttered while recalling the commotions Kara had caused so far.

“Hmm… Taking away that blockhead… That’s quite… Hmm… If it’s <Central Prism Academy> then even if she causes riots… Hmm.”

Considering Kara’s unstable position, it seemed she was thinking it might not be bad for me to take her away.

Maya scratched her chin, containing her surprise at the unexpected person being taken away and her question of why I wanted to take such a strange kid.

“I heard that kid is diverting materials from the factory again, trying to cause trouble by shooting some fireworks or something. Skadi was planning to expel her soon too. She said she’ll leave her alone until she causes trouble for the last time.”

“…!”

I flinched hearing those words.

Because I remembered the revolutionary warrior’s lines shouted in the game.

『Uwhahaha!! When I prepared the flames of the grand final revolution at <Mimir Technical High School>, I even fooled the eyes of Student Council President Skadi and Facilities Engineering Department Head Maya… That’s what I’m saying!!』

『My revolution towards <Mimir Technical High School> can be said to have been completed at that moment!!』

‘No, everything was completely found out.’

I pretended not to know and questioned Maya’s words.

“Fireworks?”

“She said Skadi violated the labor rights of dwarves and students by forcibly pushing this event, so when all the outside guests gather, she’ll draw attention with fireworks and inform the outside…”

“…”

The justification itself was moving.

But seeing the happy expressions of <Mimir Technical High School> students and dwarf workers passing by on the street today… it didn’t seem like the students would sympathize with that revolution.

“…”

“…”

As we both stopped talking and were lost in thought like that,

Tap!

Maya emptied all the energy drink in the flask and lowered her legs from the metal table. Then she spoke in an even more cautious voice.

“[Spiral].”

“Why are you calling me―☆”

“Let’s check something.”

“What…”

Rattle!

Maya suddenly took out a large hammer from under the drawer. And she swung it mercilessly at me.

Whoosh―!

The head of the approaching industrial hammer draws a semicircle as it comes.

The trajectory of the hammer swung by the head of <Facilities Engineering Department>.

It contained enough sincerity to easily destroy ordinary rebar or cement walls.

But to me, the movements of Maya, an ordinary ether user in the academy city, looked slow. Moreover, I couldn’t feel any killing intent from inside.

‘Is she trying to confirm something again?’

As much as I’m capricious, Maya is capricious too. But she doesn’t act without reason.

Then I’ll just quietly reach out and stop it.

Thwack―!

In the ‘world of the moment’, I grabbed the slowly approaching hammer handle and deflected the impact with my shoulder’s rebound. And while holding it firmly, I took the side seat before Maya could recognize it.

Click―!

Everything happened in an instant.

If someone had been watching from the side, it would probably look like Maya suddenly stood up and we were holding the hammer together.

“…”

“…”

The moment passing.

Maya looking at me while holding the hammer.

Confirming the red ether wavering in my hand.

“…As expected.”

Eventually she plops back down in her chair.

“So ‘that rumor’ was a lie intentionally spread by someone after all.”

“Hey―☆ Suddenly standing up and attacking a cute girl’s heart♡ What are you saying―☆”

“No, it’s nothing. Just some ridiculous rumors going around among some 3rd years.”

“Huh?”

“…”

Maya hesitated for a moment, then said to me.

“[Spiral], if your power still exists as it is and you have no intention of rampaging noisily in the academy city in the future. I have one request.”

“Hmm~? When making a request to a girl, first―”

“It’s a request as the head of <Facilities Engineering Department>. And as an executive of <Mimir Technical High School>’s student council.”

“Wow―☆”

“If you just grant this, I’ll grant whatever you ask twice.”

“Why only twice―☆ Maya is so stingy―☆”

“Shut up.”

I stopped joking and listened seriously while looking into Maya’s eyes.

“Kara. I want you to take that blockhead junior and safely, disrupt Student Council President Skadi’s speech announcement happening this evening as much as possible while causing a riot. And when it’s over, I want you to quietly take her to <Central Prism Academy>.”

“…!”

Maya calmly recites the facts she had hesitated to reveal until now.

“If that announcement is carried out as is, <Mimir Technical High School> will enter an all-out war with <Svart Technical High School>. Then it will be uncontrollable.”

Maya muttered with a bitter expression.

“Skadi and the hardliners are arrogant believing in this city’s power, but <Mimir Technical High School> separated from the <United Student Council> absolutely cannot endure alone. Now is the time to bow our heads to them.”

As head of <Facilities Engineering Department>, Maya knew better than anyone about this city.

In her head, simulations of the <Public Bana Boarding School> and <Svart Technical High School> alliance invading the city played several times a day.

The result was a crushing defeat.

It was obvious the slum guys wouldn’t be of help.

Maya spoke in a dejected voice.

“…I’m under Skadi’s surveillance so my movements are very restricted.”

Maya tried to personally persuade Student Council President Skadi, who was taking a hard-line stance, until the end but failed.

So she passed information containing various circumstances to the <United Student Council> side. So that they could head to <Mimir Technical High School> for mediation.

But due to the aftermath of kidnapping incidents that had occurred for a while, the <United Student Council> was late in grasping the information. There was no time until the statement announcement taking place this evening.

Maya spoke in a regretful voice.

“The girls gathered here aren’t war material. They’re just oil rice eaters… Skadi is seriously mistaken. It’s not normal to join hands with those crazy slum guys.”

To prevent her juniors and alumni from heading to war, Maya passed information to the <United Student Council> and shook them to move.

But Student Council President Skadi’s statement announcement is taking place this evening.

“They said a mediator from the <United Student Council> side has departed, but they’ll arrive at the earliest by tonight.”

There was no time.

“Until the <United Student Council>’s mediator arrives, help the blockhead junior’s foolish act safely succeed in causing enough chaos that the statement absolutely cannot be announced. Please, [Pink Spiral].”

“…”

I seemed to understand why Maya appeared only as an ordinary quest NPC in the game despite being a high-ranking executive of <Mimir Technical High School>.

‘She failed there.’

Maya’s mediation attempt failed in the game, and her position diminished among the student council hardliners.

“…”

For the upcoming story, if the state of neighboring <Mimir Technical High School> is as miserable as in the original story, the difficulty of the story my juniors will have to go through will increase much more.

‘In the end, the independent <Mimir Technical High School> was defeated and completely absorbed into the Eastern Alliance.’

I accepted Maya’s first quest in this world to create a slightly better future.

“Okay―☆ Then shall we hear the details―☆”

* * *

I could only stand blankly holding ice cream in front of the guest dormitory I had returned to.

“Wow―☆ It’s a mess☆”

Alvit and Rota said to me while restraining a suspicious person.

“Senior! You’re safe!”

“Senior Clara! You were outside? Thank goodness. I was about to report because there was a suspicious person going around near the dormitory carrying gunpowder.”

“Huaaang―!! It hurts!! It hurts, I say!! This is reactionary―!! This is not revolutionary!!”

“Be quiet!! Suspicious person!!”

Thwack―

Alvit gave a flick on the forehead to the navy blue-haired female student tied with ropes.