Chapter 13 : The Council’s Decision

  Elian stepped into the president’s office, where two other student council members were already waiting. The atmosphere was tense, and he could immediately tell that this was no casual meeting. But why was he here?

  The president, as always, moved with an air of calm authority, her cold gaze sweeping across the room before settling on Elian.

  “Elian,” she began, her voice as composed as ever, “while you were not originally part of this school, nor can you yet be considered a strong fighter, your contributions to our survival are undeniable. Your work in fortifying the dormitory, along with the potential I see in you, has led me to a decision.”

  She leaned back slightly, crossing her arms. “I want you to join the council.”

  Her words stunned him. Me? In the council?

  Sure, the defenses he had been building were a huge asset, but did that really warrant a position in the council? If anything, Cire seemed like a far better candidate. She produced at least 80% of the weapons in the camp, and with how quickly they were being used, her role was arguably more crucial than his. Unlike him, her focus wasn’t split between multiple tasks.

  And what did she mean by "potential"?

  …Why?” he finally asked, his voice steady but filled with uncertainty. “Why do you want me on the council in the first pce?”

  “I have my reasons,” she replied ftly, offering no further expnation. “You have proven your usefulness. That is all. Now, we don’t have time for hesitation. Yes or no?”

  Elian could feel the weight of the other council members' stares pressing on him, though he was especially avoiding one particur intense gaze.

  “What would change for me if I accept?”

  The president’s expression remained unreadable, her silver eyes cold and calcuting.

  “You will have access to information on our discoveries. Your status within the group will be clearer. You will also receive missions from me when needed.”

  Elian hesitated. It sounded like a good offer. He wasn’t sure what her true motivations were, but the benefits were undeniable.

  “I—”

  Before he could finish, the door suddenly burst open.

  BAM!

  A blond-haired guy, about Elian’s age, stormed in with an air of arrogance, his expression twisted in anger.

  “Bitch,” he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. “I heard someone else died yesterday because you couldn’t do your damn job!”

  The room fell into silence.

  Elian’s eyebrows shot up. Did this guy have a death wish?

  The president didn’t react immediately. Instead, she regarded the intruder with a bored, almost exasperated expression.

  “If you’re so unhappy about how things are run,” she said smoothly, “then go solve the problem yourself.”

  The boy clicked his tongue in irritation, his face contorted in disgust.

  “Tsk. Have you forgotten why you’re even in charge?” he sneered. “The only reason you’re sitting in that chair is because my father paid for this school. Hell, the only reason this pce still exists is because my father funded it. So maybe you should remember your pce and actually do your damn job.”

  Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heels and stormed out, smming the door behind him.

  Elian blinked, then slowly turned his gaze back to the president. What the hell was that?

  She remained silent for a moment, lost in thought. Then, with a quiet sigh, she finally spoke.

  …Some people,” she murmured, her tone colder than usual, “are having a hard time accepting this new reality. I may need to take measures soon.”

  She shifted her gaze back to him. “Now. Yes or no?”

  Elian straightened. He still wasn’t sure about everything, but…

  “…Yes. I’ll join.”

  A brief nod. “Good. Then, welcome to the council.”

  No ceremony. No extra words. Just straight to business.

  “The wall around the dorm needs to be finished within the week,” she continued. “I have other matters to handle, so you’re all dismissed.”

  As the other two members exited the room, they offered quick nods or simple ‘welcome in’ gestures toward Elian.

  Then, Will approached him.

  “Hey,” he said, grinning. “You haven’t been out hunting for two days, right? Let’s go. You need to get some real experience with theses new techniques of yours.”

  “I’ll gather some guys,” he added, already heading for the door. “Meet me at the entrance in fifteen minutes.”

  Elian smirked. Perfect. He had been itching to test his swordsmanship on some real targets.

  Just as he was about to leave, Lay spoke up, looking between the two of them.

  “Wait, Will, isn’t it a bit early?” she asked, her tone hesitant. “He should train a bit more first—”

  But Will was already his way and defenitively not stopping.

  Elian sighed, gncing at Lay and Will getting farther away before stretching his arms.

  “Well… guess I’ve got fifteen minutes to kill. Maybe I should check in with Cire. It’s been a while.”

  I arrived at the forge that Cire and I had built and upgraded over the past few days. The pce had a rugged charm now, with walls darkened by soot and the glow of embers giving the air a heavy warmth. Cire was hunched over a blueprint, completely lost in thought, her brows furrowed in deep concentration. Of course, as her friend, I had to mess with her.

  Leaning in close, I whispered into her ear, "Hey, haven’t missed me too much, I hope?"

  "KYYYYAAAAA!"

  She jumped in surprise, nearly knocking over the stack of papers beside her. I grinned, stepping back just in time to avoid her reflexive elbow jab.

  Yep, that’s definitely the best way to greet her.

  Her wide-eyed shock quickly transformed into something far more dangerous: anger.

  "You little… How many times have I told you not to do that?!" She gred at me, fists clenched, her face slightly red.

  I chuckled, raising my hands in mock innocence. "What do you mean? I made as little noise as possible so you wouldn’t jump like that. Completely innocent! If anything, it’s your fault for being so easy to scare."

  She huffed, crossing her arms before sighing dramatically. "Hmph."

  I leaned against the nearby workbench, scanning the forge. Tools were scattered everywhere, blueprints pinned up like a mad scientist's notes, and half-finished weapons lined the tables. Cire had definitely been busy.

  "Anyway, looks like you finally crawled out of your room. Was it worth it?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

  "You bet it was. But I don’t have much time right now. You looked like you were struggling with something—maybe I can help?"

  She hesitated, clearly debating whether to pry further or focus on her work. After a moment, she sighed and gestured toward the blueprint in front of her.

  "It’s just… Someone requested a weapon I’ve never seen before. Here, look."

  I stepped closer, my eyes falling on the unusual design id out on the parchment. It was nothing like the straight swords I was used to seeing. Instead, the bde had a distinct forward curve, resembling a crescent moon or a hooked fang. The weapon started straight from the hilt but soon arched outward, widening before curving back into a sharp inward hook.

  "Khopesh…?" I muttered, reading the bel scrawled on the page.

  What a strange weapon. Its curvature alone would change how it was wielded entirely. The weight distribution, the force of impact—everything about it felt different from a traditional sword.

  I rubbed my chin, analyzing the design. "That’s… definitely unique. I’m guessing you’re having trouble with the bance? I don’t know for sure, but I have a feeling the center of gravity is closer to the tip of the bde."

  Cire’s eyes lit up in realization, her expression shifting from confusion to pure excitement.

  "This… I think you might be right! If that’s the case, the way it’s wielded needs to be completely different from a straight-edged sword. I need to rethink the grip—the weight might actually work in favor of cutting force!"

  She grabbed her notes and immediately started scribbling down adjustments, completely lost in her forging obsession.

  I smirked. She’s more obsessed with crafting than I am, honestly...

  I turned to leave, but just as I stepped toward the exit—

  "One more thing."

  I gnced back at Cire, who had suddenly turned serious. She wasn’t looking at the blueprint anymore—she was looking directly at me.

  "I saw Will earlier, gathering your usual squad. Be careful out there, Elian." Her voice was steady, but I could sense the worry behind it. "You’ve noticed, haven’t you? More and more people are getting seriously hurt. Some aren’t coming back."

  I held her gaze for a moment before fshing her a confident grin. "Nah, don’t stress. I’ve got Lay and Will with me—nothing’s gonna happen. Just focus on that Khopesh and don’t worry about me."

  She studied me for a few seconds, as if debating whether to believe me. Then, finally, she sighed and turned back to her blueprint.

  "…You better."

  I chuckled. Guess I’ll have to come back in one piece, huh?

  Smiling to myself, I stepped out of the forge. It should be about time now. Let’s head to the meeting point.

  I reached the entrance, where the group I had been hunting with tely was already gathered. As expected, Lay stood there, her spear strapped firmly to her back, arms crossed in visible frustration. Will, on the other hand, looked completely rexed, having chosen to bring both a sword and a spear this time.

  Two other members stood beside them.

  First, there was Lary, a tank of a man with a massive shield and a standard longsword. While I didn’t know the exact nature of his ability, I had seen him withstand hordes of monsters without budging, parrying even the most ferocious of attacks with seemingly supernatural endurance. Whatever his power was, it definitely had something to do with defense.

  The second was Mike, our bow user. Though he didn’t have the most overwhelming firepower, his precision was borderline unnatural. Whether it was piercing a monster’s eye from a distance or hitting weak points I hadn’t even noticed, his skill was undeniable. Given his consistency, I suspected his ability enhanced his accuracy or perception in some way. Thanks to him, our hunts had been far smoother, with fewer close calls.

  Even now, it seemed like Lay and Will were still arguing about me coming along. Unsurprisingly, she was furious about the Bzing Surge technique, not wanting me to risk using it in actual combat until my control improved. But honestly, I felt confident. As long as I pierced or cut my target before the explosion triggered, the monster’s body would absorb most of the impact from the inside.

  That was the theory, at least.

  Even so, I knew I had a long way to go with this technique. There were so many ideas I wanted to refine once my control over it improved.

  "Damn it, Will! Do you not care at all if he blows himself up?!" Lay snapped, her voice filled with frustration.

  Will, completely unfazed, shrugged. "Bah, we’re talking about Elian here. The guy does nothing but train, even when there’s no hope. He’ll be fine. Plus, he can heal himself. You’re not his mother, you know…"

  Mike and Lary exchanged awkward gnces, clearly uncomfortable watching this argument unfold.

  "Alright, I’m here. Let’s get going." I spoke up, trying to dissolve the tension before it escated further.

  Mike let out a dramatic sigh of relief, walking up and patting my shoulder. "Gosh, you finally showed up. I swear, if you’d been any ter, she would have thrown us all out." His voice held a mix of humor and genuine relief.

  I chuckled. "Good to see you too, Mike."

  Right, the reason Lay was arguing with Will instead of me was simple—she knew that even if I refused, Will would have dragged me along anyway. Ever since he saw my technique, he had been obsessed with seeing its full potential. He wasn’t going to let it go anytime soon.

  Lary, meanwhile, merely gnced at me with his usual disapproving expression. He had never been particurly fond of me, believing that I was simply leeching off Lay and Will’s strength, wasting everyone’s time. And honestly? He wasn’t entirely wrong. But that was about to change soon.

  "Oh, you’re here, Elian. Took your time, huh?" Will smirked. "Well, let’s move before it gets dark. Or before your mother here decides to kidnap you."

  Did I imagine it, or did Lay actually consider that idea for a second? No, no, I must’ve been seeing things… right?

  She frowned at me, her violet eyes filled with intensity. "Don’t think this is over. When we get back, we’re having a discussion about this."

  I could swear there was fire in her gaze as she said it.

  …I was doomed.