"—All of you have managed to survive this seven year journey that started in either magic or knight school," a woman's voice boomed on the podium located in the school hall.
Celeste, the Student Council President, was the one who was speaking.
She continued, "—Your journey was filled with sacrifices. Be it skipping meals due to depression and stress or losing sleep just to finish that one assignment, all of you struggled. The ones who won't make it shouldn't feel ashamed. In fact, I admire those who have the courage to redo their year more than I do those who want to graduate with an average mark. This academy has existed for centuries nurturing leaders to build this empire. We need only the best people to run our empire, not people who are happy with being average. There's a saying that opportunity closes its doors to the average."
Celeste's eyes scanned the seventh year students who were sitting in the front row. Many had uncomfortable expressions. What she said about them being happy with average marks seemed to have struck a nerve.
"You can't become a politician with average marks. A politician guides the people. How can you guide people more qualified than yourself? Can you imagine being told what's right or wrong by someone who has 40% average while you graduated with a 99%?"
She was only using random numbers. She wasn't referring to anyone in particular.
Murmurs spread among the students.
"I'm not only telling this to those who want to repeat," Celeste looked around the entire school hall.
She looked at the first years.
She looked at the second years.
She looked at the third years. And so on.
"Those of you who are in the sixth year and lower should heed my words. Being average may get you somewhere in life but it will never give you access to every single opportunity life has to give you. Will you be happy with that 40% or will you work hard and sacrifice to get that 99%? Another important thing to remember is to not be intimidated by the geniuses around you. I have met my share of them throughout my school life. Some were better at me in academics but I never told myself that I couldn't be like them. You're brainwashing yourself into believing you have less worth than them. If they laugh at you for your measly grade then turn your face away from them. The one with the last laugh is the one who becomes top achiever in the end."
Celeste flipped her page. No one made a sound. It was forbidden for anyone to make a sound while the president is speaking, after all.
'Even the first year students are obedient. I'm glad I don't have to worry about my successor dealing with disobedient brats.' Celeste chuckled while covering her mouth with one hand.
"Onto the next issue. I understand that many of you have siblings or cousins who entered the Sky God dungeon." Celeste noticed the change in the air inside the school hall when she said that.
She waited a moment to speak again.
"…What happened was a tragedy. Nuaria city was reduced to a wasteland. Our brave adventurers managed to stop the monsters but the damage is astronomical. We might not be able to restore the city anytime soon. Our empire isn't the only country hit by this monster wave. The republic of Zrek lost many landmarks and important trading towns, the Holy Kingdom lost nearly a quarter of its population… But enough about what we lost. The rescue party—that left the empire two weeks ago—sent a transmission to the Teacher Board to announce their successful arrival in the dungeon."
Many of the students sighed in relief. The professors smiled at each other as they whispered amongst themselves as well.
"We lost contact with them after a while but they sounded confident that they'll be able to rescue everyone stuck inside that dungeon."
Celeste could always send some of her subordinates into the dungeon to find out more but it was far too risky. The fact that the students stuck inside haven't come out yet is strange. It was highly likely that something bad happened.
Celeste didn't want to lose her own manpower by sending her best subordinates. She had hundreds working under her but only a minority of them were strong enough to go into a dungeon of that scale. She was cautious around the other Cadres and knew that they would try and take her out if she lost her manpower. The cadres might've been allies bound by the Leader but that doesn't mean that they were friends. The Leader probably knew that, which was why he or she kept all of them close. This was probably to keep an eye on them.
"—To avoid a future monster attack, the empire has requested that the Fairy Country shut off their coastlines until the dungeon's matter is dealt with. Those of you who are thinking of going inside that dungeon to save your family should wait. It won't be worth anything if you die. Of course, I'm not saying that the students and professors, who went inside, are dead. Surviving a dungeon is always 50% regardless of its scale." Celeste closed the bundle of papers in front of her, "Now that that's out of the way, I can finally conclude this speech by bidding our seventh year students farewell. We'll always remember you and how you kept this academy's name where it should be—at the top. Also—"
◇◇◇
Celeste's speech went on for a while. She called the seventh year students to the podium and shook hands with all of them. The teachers also said farewell to the students who were now graduates. Of course, some weren't so lucky.
Maybe it was because of what she said but not all of them seemed happy about the graduation ceremony. Those who didn't look happy were probably the ones who had bad grades.
The students left the school hall in an orderly fashion. There are many exits in the school hall so all classes left one by one without any problems.
Celeste was walking down a path leading to the Student Council offices. Someone else was with her.
"Mekecia, what will you do once you leave the academy?" Celeste spoke to the person walking next to her.
Mekecia was once an orphan. She was fostered by a minor noble before being adopted by a gentry. The gentry is a fief lord who rules a piece of land in one of the empire's kingdoms.
Mekecia is a girl with short black hair and porcelain skin. She was so short that people often mistook her for a first year student even though she was already 19.
If Celeste were to describe her personality, well, she'd say that Mekecia is a lot like Olivia. Both are aloof to most things and like to be alone as if they don't care enough to make friends. Mekecia doesn't have friends besides the people in the student council.
Mekecia replied, "I'm not sure really. Haven't thought about my future yet. I might take my mother's offer and take over her bakery."
"You're one of the academy's top achievers in math and accounting so I think a financial field is best for you. You've done a good job with managing the Council's money, after all."
"I don't think I'll have the same passion for counting and managing money after leaving the academy, president. Who wants to do the same thing until they die? I've done financing for my father's land and my mother's marketing and sales. I've even helped two presidents manage the council treasury before you."
Celeste chuckled, "That seems like quite the resume. I'm sure any university would want someone like you. Should I put in a good word for you at one? I can also get my father to vouch for you."
"You're not listening at all…" Mekecia sighed.
The two of them entered the council building. It was almost the size of one school building. Each member had their own office so that contributed to its size.
'I wonder if Evelyn is still alive.' Celeste had such a thought as she climbed the stairs.
Evelyn was the former student council president. She was currently in her 7th year and was part of the A class that went into the dungeon.
Her surname is Marldor and she's the daughter of Duchess Ariane Marldor, a Great Noble. Unlike her mother who is proficient in archery, she uses elemental spells which require spirits to be around her. Her father was an Elf so she had his genes to allow her to use such magic. Though she can use magic of the Elves, she wasn't a Half Elf as one would expect from the child of an Elf and human.
Dungeons are filled with all kinds of spirits so she shouldn't have had any trouble with running out of power.
Celeste considered Evelyn a good friend of hers so she was a little worried.
'If only I could spare the manpower for you, my friend.'
If Celeste couldn't send people and Evelyn dies along with the rest of the 7th years then it couldn't be helped.
Evelyn helped Celeste a lot in her first few years of being at the academy. In fact, Evelyn taught Celeste what it took to be a good student council president.
But what a shame.
◇◇◇
Celeste arrived in front of her office with Mekecia. She untied her hair and let it rest on her shoulders.
The two entered the office.
"…." Celeste sighed when she saw the state the office was in.
It was a complete dump. It looked as if a tornado had come through here.
"Ugh, why didn't those guys tidy the room up before leaving?" Mekecia groaned and proceeded to grab a trash bag.
"Hm, it seems you guys were partying without my permission." Celeste smiled thinly as she narrowed her eyes at the plates stacked on top of each other.
"It's Brydan, president! He wouldn't listen to me when I told him to not invite other people. This was supposed to be our last gathering as the student council. So only we should've been here! Anyway, it's your fault for not being here! I told you just the other day that we'll hold a party!"
"O-Oh…" Celeste blushed in embarrassment, "I apologize, Mekecia. My mind has been on a lot of other things lately. I seem to forget about a lot of things."
She just remembered that someone mentioned a party or gathering of some sort.
'So it was Mekecia who told me that… Hahaha…'
"But it seems like all of you enjoyed yourselves without me, though."
"…We won't be seeing each other as a club anymore starting next year. The others didn't even come to class this morning. They probably already left to go on vacation."
The Student Council doesn't allow 7th years to be part of the club. This is due to the fact that all 7th year students must focus on their studies and nothing else. Which means that Celeste has to give up her title to someone else once the new year starts. This was how she took Evelyn's position as well. She has a few people in mind to appoint as the next president so she wasn't worried about anything.
Celeste didn't choose a vice president since one wasn't necessary. The workload of a president was heavy but she could manage on her own. Because she didn't have a vice president, she has to choose candidates. The final winner will be decided early next year.
If the next president is too incompetent on their own then they're free to choose a vice president.
Mekecia was in the 5th year so she was the only one who's going to be left of the original council. Of course, she can always join the committee if she's unwilling to continue working for another president.
Isaac had been managing all the funds going through his committee up until recently. It wasn't certain if the next leader will be a jack of all trades like Isaac so Mekecia could work there.
Celeste looked up from the document she was reading. Mekecia had already finished tidying up the office. She was now silently sitting on a couch, staring the ceiling.
"You can leave if you want to, you know? I'll wait for the vice director myself."
Celeste had to give him the list of people who she nominated to be candidates for presidency. The academy students will have to vote who they will choose amongst them in the first few months of the new year.
Besides that, she also had to discuss some plans about the future of the school. One of the major issues they currently faced was related to dungeon diving. Celeste plans on introducing dungeon diving as a brand new subject before she steps down.
This will help students if they ever decide to go into dungeons before their third year. Dungeons had only been talked about in bits and pieces until now. The students can only get a broader understanding of dungeons after they're done with the academy and goes to pursue Dungeon Studies.
Of course, the privileged can do extra courses related to dungeons while in school. This gives them an advantage over their peers. However, everyone can have this advantage with Celeste's plan to introduce dungeons as a subject.
"President, what do you think about the academy as it is now?"
"That's an unexpected question." Celeste looked at her in confusion, "Why are you looking for my opinion?"
"You have better insight than I do. I'd like to know if there's anything that you want to change."
"Hmm… Besides adding a new compulsory subject, I'd say divide the power within the academy more."
"What do you mean?"
"Why do the teachers have less power than me or Isaac? The two of us are students but we get more say in the academy's matters than they do. Why do you think that is? The simple answer is that both of us lead important clubs within the academy."
Mekecia silently listened.
"We receive orders on academia matters directly from the Teacher Board. The vice director is the mediator between us and the people on the board. The vice director has the same amount of power as Isaac and I but he can't exercise it freely like the director, Freya York, can. If the two of us were to disagree on something then his input or arguments against us loses weight. The Teacher Board will most likely stick with our opinion over his. But this brings another problem. What if someone heinous takes my position and decides to do whatever they want in this academy? The vice director and the teachers would have no say. If it sounds convincing enough then they'll go along with it.
Their decisions can end up damaging the academy's future which can cause it to close and lose all that prestige it built up over the decades of its existence. I've never considered changing anything about the academy since it hadn't impacted the students in any way. Well… until recently anyway."
Celeste suddenly figured out why Mekecia asked her that question when she finished speaking.
"Did you ask me that question hoping to avoid another dungeon incident?"
"…That's right. A lot of people came forward to voice their disproval of the teacher board. They even scorned you for allowing this."
"Were they students?"
"No, just the majority of the teacher staff. The students are too afraid to speak up in fear of being silenced."
"How many came forward?"
"I only know about 36 individuals who came forward anonymously," Mekecia answered, "Some of them have children in the 7th year who went into the dungeon. We knew nothing about the dungeon but we ended up sending the students there under the presumption that they'll somehow make it out just because they're the elite of our academy. The teachers were planning on marching toward the district office to protest against the teacher board. I think it's safe to assume that they would've gotten what they wanted by any means necessary, even using violence."
"Why didn't they?"
Celeste didn't know about this protest since she was busy with other academy matters.
"The rescue party was assembled before they carried out with the protest. That managed to throw water on the fire and extinguish it."
Celeste leaned back in her chair as she remembered a certain someone.
'Al was the only one who spoke up against this matter publicly.'
Would things have been different if they had just listened to him? Well, Celeste could've convinced Isaac to stand with Arnold but she didn't so she was just as guilty as the vice director.
What would've changed besides getting the seventh year students out sooner? There was a possibility that the wave would've happened regardless.
"I'll organize a meeting with the director of the academy. I have no idea how long it will take for her to fit me into her schedule, though."
Freya York has the most power in the Teacher Board. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that she had the most say on what goes on in the academy. The Archmage title alone gave her that right. Everyone else was just a subordinate.
"But we should consult with people in the magic tower as well. An elite mage's opinion on the matter might help. Many of them also have children in this academy, after all. Their children might end up in the same danger in the future so it shouldn't hurt to have them on our side."
"I see. That sounds like a good idea."
"Bring me all the names of the people who came forward. Find out who they are by any means necessary. The teacher board won't believe us if we mention that they came forward anonymously. They'll think we just made up a random number. I'll have everything sorted out before the academy reopens once I get the names."
"Yes, president!"