Epilogue

Once all the student council officers were gathered, Minato-senpai began the handover process.

Though it was called a handover, most of the necessary documents had already been prepared. What Minato-senpai taught us were practical things that could be explained verbally, like how to use certain equipment. For accounting, use this software; for general affairs, manage business cards with this booklet… that sort of thing.

After the explanations were done, Minato-senpai briskly left the room.

It was as if she was telling us to spend some quality time together as the new officers.

“I am Tennouji Mirei, your student council president!!”

Tennouji-san greeted us with a loud voice.

“I have no intention of being a woman who only talks big. As I said in my final speech, I want to be a role model for the students.”

With strong determination in her eyes, Tennouji-san declared.

In their final speeches, plenty of people probably make grand promises just to win support. But Tennouji-san’s pride wouldn’t allow that.

“So… to make that happen, I ask for your cooperation.”

Saying this, Tennouji-san bowed her head.

Everyone’s eyes widened. Naturally, I was shocked too.

In her final speech, Tennouji-san had exuded such reliability. For someone like her to start our first meeting by bowing her head… it must have caught everyone off guard.

Yet, her gesture conveyed her sincerity.

She vowed to be a role model, to lead by example. But Tennouji-san wasn’t conceited. By bowing first, she was letting us know she didn’t want to run a one-woman show.

“I’m only human, after all. Even if I want to guide the students, there will be times when things don’t go well. In those moments, I’ll need your support. I’m sure, from now on, I’ll end up showing my weaknesses only to you all.”

If Tennouji-san’s public face is the one guiding the students, then the Tennouji-san we see as fellow officers is her private face.

To perform gracefully on stage, you need the support of those behind the scenes.

That’s why she asked for our help. I nodded firmly in response.

“I’ll make sure to support you.”

Amid the applause, I spoke.

As I promised to support her, my thoughts drifted to Hinako.

Hinako, who has to maintain the facade of a perfect Ojou-sama, lets her guard down completely in private to balance it out.

Perhaps Tennouji-san might find herself in a similar position from now on.

The public Tennouji-san, leading the students.

The private Tennouji-san, fumbling through trial and error in the student council room.

…If that’s the case, this is my specialty.

I’m not her caretaker for nothing. Helping an Ojou-sama who works tirelessly to keep up appearances is something I’m used to.

“Looking forward to working with you.”

“Let’s do this!”

Abeno-san and Yodogawa-kun also clapped and chimed in with greetings.

Finally, Narika smiled.

“I’m proud to work under Tennouji-san.”

Coming from Narika, who had been her rival until recently, those words of encouragement must have hit hard. Tennouji-san’s face crumpled for a moment, and she pressed her eyes as if holding back tears.

The sound of clapping echoed through the room.

I thought the meeting would end on that warm note, but—

“Well, personally, I would’ve preferred if Miyakojima-san were president.”

Abeno-san dropped that bombshell so casually.

“Wha!? W-w-w-why!?”

“Because she was the first to hold a tea party with us. Sure, we had one with Tennouji-san later, but in terms of order, that was Miyakojima-san’s idea, right?”

Abeno-san looked at Narika with a calm expression.

“W-Well…”

Narika, who can’t lie, hesitantly confirmed it.

It seems Abeno-san currently admires Narika more than Tennouji-san.

Tennouji-san glared at Narika, clearly frustrated.

“Miyakojima Narika…!! You really are my rival…!!”

“W-Wait, why am I being glared at when we’re supposed to be allies now!?”

Is this going to be okay…?

Can this student council actually come together as a team…?

It’s going to be a bumpy road… I thought to myself, quietly setting a goal in my heart.

As vice president, my obvious duty is to support Tennouji-san.

But beyond that, I’ve found something else I want to do as vice president.

I recalled what the former president, Minato-senpai, had told me—about people at this academy who resort to underhanded tactics.

(…I want to make sure those kinds of people don’t show up.)

A world where honest people are rewarded might sound like a naive fantasy. But with Tennouji-san, I started to think it could be possible.

This academy is full of people struggling under the weight of their family’s expectations. Hinako’s one of them. So is Tennouji-san. Narika, too. Asahi-san, Rintarou, Joutou—everyone’s on the verge of being swept away by those burdens.

Couldn’t I reach out to people like them?

If we could give them some breathing room, maybe dishonest people wouldn’t even emerge.

(The unique problems of Kiou Academy… solved by a commoner like me.)

The old me would’ve called that absurd. But after hearing Joutou’s campaign promise to “democratize” Kiou Academy, I couldn’t dismiss it anymore.

If my perspective as a commoner can actually make a difference…

I’ll use it to its fullest for Tennouji-san’s sake.

My goal—An academy where everyone can live nobly.