After the selection process was completed, Ryo stood before the assembled student council members. He observed their determined expressions before turning towards the headmasters and professors who had gathered to witness this moment.
"These are the newly appointed student council members," Ryo introduced them formally. "They have earned their positions through their skills and competence, and I trust they will serve the academy well."
The headmasters nodded in approval, agreeing to the new student council formation. However, before the celebrations could begin, an uproar erupted within the academy.
A faction of nobles, enraged by the appointments, began to protest. Their dissatisfaction quickly turned into outright defiance as they shouted in the corridors, refusing to acknowledge the legitimacy of the council.
"Only nobles should be allowed to hold such esteemed positions!" one declared arrogantly. "Commoners are unfit to lead!"
"We will not listen to any orders from mere peasants!" another shouted. "This is an insult to our noble blood!"
The protests intensified, and soon, chaos broke out. Students began rallying, arguments turned into shoving matches, and the order within the academy was on the verge of collapse.
Ryo sighed as he observed the situation unfold. Instead of immediately intervening, he turned toward the newly formed student council. "So," he asked with an amused smile, "how do you propose we handle this situation?"
Some members hesitated, suggesting issuing a warning to the rebellious nobles, while others remained uncertain. However, one among them stepped forward confidently. He was a noble himself, a student from the Dragon Nation. With sharp golden eyes and short blue hair, he exuded an air of authority and command. His name was Darius Vaelthorn, the newly appointed Student Council President and a first-year student.
"Warnings will do nothing," Darius stated coldly. "If they truly possessed even a drop of noble dignity, they would not be acting like this. Their behavior is unbecoming of those who claim to be elite. I suggest immediate suspension."
The other council members hesitated momentarily before nodding in agreement. They understood that the situation could not be tolerated any longer.
Ryo smirked, clearly impressed. "A good decision, Darius. Then, issue a letter of suspension for three weeks to all students who participated in this revolt."
The order was swiftly carried out, and within the day, over two hundred nobles were suspended from the academy.
The headmasters and professors were utterly shocked. Suspending such a large number of nobles in a single day was unprecedented. Yet, deep down, they knew it was the correct course of action. With Ryo present, they were confident that any repercussions could be handled efficiently.
The Noble Families' Retaliation
Two days later, the academy's gates were crowded with carriages bearing noble crests. Wealthy and influential families had arrived in force, demanding an explanation for their children's suspension.
As they stormed into the academy, their voices echoed with outrage.
"How dare the academy suspend my son!" one noble fumed. "He has done nothing wrong!"
"This is an act of treason against the nobility!" another shouted. "Commoners have stolen the rightful positions of our children!"
"We demand their reinstatement immediately!"
The student council members stood their ground, attempting to reason with the nobles. However, the situation quickly escalated when some nobles began threatening the families of commoner students.
"If you do not step down from your positions," one noble sneered, "we will ensure that your families regret it."
Ryo, who had remained silent until now, let out a tired sigh before finally speaking up.
"Then you have called trouble upon yourselves," he said flatly, his crimson eyes flashing with an ominous glow. "The final decision to suspend your children was mine. If you have a problem with that, then you may address it to me directly."
His tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable authority that made the nobles hesitate.
"Are you implying that you would oppose us?" one noble asked warily.
Ryo's expression darkened as he spoke with chilling certainty. "If you threaten innocent people because you refuse to acknowledge your children's faults, then yes. I have no problem destroying your families as well. A nation does not need rulers who cannot recognize their own offspring's mistakes."
Silence fell over the assembly. The nobles, who had been so confident moments ago, now found themselves speechless under Ryo's overwhelming presence.
Then, one noble dared to ask, "Are you saying that commoners are more suitable for these positions than the children of nobility?"
Ryo's gaze did not waver. "Yes," he replied firmly. "Because these commoners did not cheat, bribe, or exploit their way into their positions. They earned them through merit. Your children were removed from the selection because they failed to meet the criteria. If they cannot handle a simple dispute within an academy, then how will they govern entire states as future successors?"
His words carried undeniable logic, and even the more reasonable nobles among them could not refute his argument.
"The student council is composed of both nobles and commoners who have proven themselves capable. If you are so confident in your children's worth, then they should have competed fairly and won. Instead, they acted with arrogance, ignorance, and recklessness. That is why they were suspended."
The nobles, now fully aware that Ryo would not yield, struggled to find a rebuttal. One by one, they reluctantly withdrew, realizing that any further resistance would only worsen their standing.
As the carriages departed, the academy returned to peace.
Aftermath and Reflection
Later that evening, the student council gathered to reflect on the day's events. Many of them were still in disbelief over how Ryo had handled the situation so effortlessly.
"I thought there would be a bigger backlash," one council member admitted. "But Ryo resolved it so easily."
Darius, the Student Council President, crossed his arms. "He didn't just resolve it—he crushed any further attempts of resistance. The nobles know better than to challenge him now."
Selena, who had been watching the events unfold with interest, smiled. "I doubt they will try anything foolish again. Not when they know what awaits them if they do."
Seyra, standing beside her, nodded. "Still, Ryo, you truly have a way with words. You didn't just defend the commoners; you set a new precedent. This academy will never be the same again."
Ryo, leaning back in his chair, shrugged. "All I did was make them understand their own failures. The world doesn't belong to those who inherit power; it belongs to those who earn it."
His words resonated deeply with the student council. They knew that under Ryo's leadership, the academy was heading toward a new era of fairness and competence.
And as the moon shone brightly over the academy, a sense of change and renewal filled the air. The era of noble entitlement was coming to an end.