“Industry-Academia Cooperation?”
Professor Carlow reviewed the proposal.
Pastel swallowed hard.
“What’s the issue?”
“Have you received all the signatures except one?”
“Yes.”
Carlow set the proposal down. His serious gaze met hers.
“Why do you think the Student Council is necessary?”
Okay, a question within the expected range.
“The role of a student body that gathers and reflects student opinions is essential. There needs to be a permanent body to ensure rational opinions are not lost.”
“You don’t need such a grand institution for research and training. If there are complaints, you can talk to your department, and if you have suggestions, you can propose them to the professors.”
Alright, still within the expected range.
“The whole is not merely the sum of its parts. Someone needs to encompass the departments and act as a lubricant. One gear alone can’t accomplish anything, but interlocking gears can power a steam engine.”
Carlow looked puzzled.
“What is a steam engine?”
Eh.
The professor seemed to find the answer after briefly pondering.
“Oh, that’s from the Pure Engineering Department’s field of study. Maybe there isn’t much investment from the guild.”
Uh oh, that’s not good.
The analogy fell flat.
As the professor unfolded the paper he had been reviewing, he picked up a stamp.
Thud.
A red mark was stamped.
“This is your last chance. If there are no results here, the Student Council system will be abolished.”
Oh yeah.
Pastel’s eyes sparkled.
“I’ll do my best!”
She exited the professor’s office.
She closed the door and leaned back against it.
Phew.
“I almost died from the anxiety. That professor’s impression was so stiff.”
“Oh dear.”
The demon chuckled lightly.
“Still, you spoke well. You did well.”
Hehe.
“I can do it if I put my mind to it.”
Surprisingly capable.
Ellie came walking from the other end of the corridor.
“Pastel, all the senior class representatives have gathered. We need to hurry.”
“Already? Such enthusiasm! Got it! Let’s go!”
She grabbed Ellie and ran.
Upon arriving at the borrowed conference room, she found the upperclassmen huddled in a corner. Amidst the crowd, a department representative was rolling on the floor, being kicked out.
“Ugh! Ugh! What did I do wrong? You guys can’t even beat me in arm wrestling!”
The excuses only fueled the kickings further.
The representative from the Department of Magic observed the scene with a dignified expression, a hint of superiority on her lips.
The magician sipped her coffee with an air of superiority.
The Department of Magic, however, turned their attention to the newly arrived Student Council.
“Huh? Is the Student Council president too busy to show up?”
“Yes, I’m responsible.”
Pastel looked around the chaotic conference room. They needed to start the meeting, but the upperclassmen were too busy stepping on each other.
Wow, how do I manage this?
Can a freshman speak out in this atmosphere?
Ahh.
The Department of Magic took the initiative to speak up.
“Student Council is here! Quiet down!”
Only then did the upperclassmen notice Pastel. They flinched and hurried back to their seats.
In an instant, the chaos was cleared up, and the meeting atmosphere was established.
Wow, everyone is such a kind person, considering the freshman.
Pastel bowed her head toward the Department of Magic.
“Thank you.”
“What for? Let’s start the meeting.”
She walked to the top of the long table and sat down. The representatives lined up on either side turned their gazes toward her.
Oh, wow.
Ugh.
The combination of being a freshman and a leader pressed heavily on her shoulders.
This is definitely an upside-down situation.
A good opportunity for backtalk about the arrogant freshman. But isn’t the chance of me being the only one unaware 100%?
Uhg.
The brutal death game of intra-school politics had begun.
The sacrificial lamb is the newbie.
Ugh, that’s me.
Suddenly, a calm voice echoed.
“You can do it. Don’t hesitate; it’s okay to act. Believe in yourself.”
Whoa, Demon Lord.
Her chaotic mind was settled.
The encouragement from her mentor gave her courage she never knew she had.
Okay then.
If that’s what my mentor wants…
Let’s do this!
Upside down!
In fact, I actually liked this upside-down situation!
She received the meeting materials from Ellie, who was preparing to take the minutes, shaking off her tension as she spread the documents.
She faced forward.
Pastel Love Craft.
The debut of the upside-down has begun.
The girl opened her mouth.
“I would like to start the meeting regarding the preparations and procedures for the festival to promote Industry-Academia Cooperation.”
The meeting commenced.
Ugh, let’s face them all.
“Can we understand the festival as an expanded version of the departmental demonstration? It’s not just the department but the school’s overall scale?”
A relaxed voice from an upperclassman?
Ugh.
“No, not exactly. The departmental demonstration had a focused strategy aimed at gaining investment from targeted trading guilds, focusing on themes and results that they would appreciate.”
“Is the festival different then?”
Her head was spinning.
“The festival and the demonstration are like the difference between a buffet and a banquet.”
She spread out the prepared materials.
“What one wants to eat can only be accurately determined when faced with the food. Preparing something you know they will like is undoubtedly effective. But do the trading guilds truly know what they want to eat? No. They only invest based on what is demonstrated.”
She locked eyes with the senior who asked the question.
“This time, instead of a banquet, we will show as much as possible through a buffet. And we will ensure it is even. It will not be a passive investment but an attempt to induce active investment.”
Ellie quickly jotted down the minutes.
“Greater quantity guarantees higher quality. In the festival, we will focus on quantitative diversity rather than qualitative results. A variety of ideas.”
The girl at the head of the table looked around the conference room. She locked eyes with each representative.
With every gaze they met, a unique energy flowed.
“Please ensure that there is no uniformity in participation among the departments. Allow individuals their autonomy. Let them bring forth whatever they had been researching as a hobby, even if it had been overlooked before. The decisions and responsibilities will not lie with you. They will lie with the investors.”
A quiet murmur arose in the conference room.
The Department of Magic surveyed the now-bustling meeting room. After pondering for a moment, they spoke up.
“Bad money drives out good.”
She still wore a somewhat aloof, complicated expression.
“Unrefined ideas and unpolished results will likely bore the guilds. Good achievements will be buried among the odds and ends and discarded. How do you plan to handle that resentment?”
“Some of it will be true. But more ideas will shine bright.”
The pink-eyed representative scanned the room.
“I will take responsibility.”
Her voice resonated.
“Proceed.”
The girl commanded.
The gazes slowly lowered.
Various matters were dealt with without delay.
After a while, the meeting concluded.
The representatives left the conference room with expressions that were confused yet uplifted.
Pastel held her head in her hands.
Ugh.
Ugh.
She could barely recall what she had done during the meeting.
Ugh.
Wasn’t it okay for the Student Council, which was swept up in tension, to be abolished?
Ugh.
She clutched her heart.
What a valid point.
Someone, please deny it.
Pastel twisted her body and trembled her hands.
This will definitely go around as talk. It will surely happen.
Ugh, they’ll be saying that a freshman stirred things up.
Whispers.
Ugh.
That was too valid a backtalk.
I can barely remember what I did during the meeting because I was so nervous. Just let it slide as a freshman’s antics just this once.
Ugh.
Please, just no backtalk.
I hope all sorts of backtalk doesn’t circulate without me knowing…!
First-year friends, help me.
The previously quiet Department of Magic approached.
Complex eyes looked down at Pastel.
“Just as expected, Craft, you are different on the outside than on the inside.”
The Department of Magic turned away.
“Scary.”
The magician’s robe fluttered as they left.
Pastel’s eyes widened.
Eh.
Just as expected, Craft?
Is our clan mentioned in a positive light? Not at all. No matter how I look back, it’s not a good thing, is it?
Is this that? Is this truly that?
Real backtalk is arising.
Backtalk that the party involved doesn’t even know about!
Whispers.
Ugh.
#
Department of Magic Engineering.
A triple crown shining in budget, support, and investment.
“The festival’s main event can only be us.”
The representative guided her around the department.
Pastel walked along, her expression serious yet somewhat blank.
A student struggled to lift a cannonball. The representative proudly pointed at the projectile.
The surface of the projectile was adorned with magic stone powder arranged in a magic circle pattern.
“This is our new projectile for the festival! We’ve reduced the magic stone usage by 2% compared to similar performance!”
He wore a proud expression.
The gathered students were equally puffed up with pride.
With dark circles under their eyes, they beamed with pride.
Pastel stared at the cannonball.
Eh.
Is it that impressive?
It’s certainly a big deal to reduce the use of magic stones, equivalent to gold… but…
2% feels somewhat trivial?
“Oh, what a wonderful achievement.”
Ah, is it?
Pastel nodded.
“I’ve observed the department’s involvement quite well. It’s splendid. Now, can we see individual contributions?”
The representative looked flustered at the ambiguous reaction. He quickly exchanged glances with the students. Determination to hold onto their position as the festival’s main attraction sparkled in their eyes.
Individual contributions were shown one by one.
“Not good. Not good. Not good.”
The demon declared without hesitation.
Eh, is that so?
Well, I am here just to check as a procedure. The decision will be up to the trading guilds.
Pastel deepened her thoughts.
Still, she wanted to push for exceptional items on behalf of the Student Council to ensure the festival’s success.
Is there anything?
A ruckus broke out in the corner.
“Are you really going to show it?”
“What else can we show this young freshman? This is an immediate effect.”
“Ugh, what is Craft even doing? Just get lost!”
“Aaah!”
An upperclassman who was about to step forward was dragged away, along with the huge pedestal.
Oh!
Pastel dashed closer.
“What’s going on?”
The surrounding upperclassmen stifled screams. A wave of intense embarrassment flickered across their faces.
What is it?
The dragged upperclassman released himself from the clasping arms and approached confidently. The pedestal’s wheels clattered.
Something enormous, covered with a cloth, reached all the way to the high ceiling, resting on the pedestal.
“You can’t help but support our department after seeing this!”
The upperclassman reached for the cloth.
The hesitating representative’s face turned red as he shouted.
“This, this is not right! Stop!”
Upperclassmen lunged toward the pedestal.
“Stop this guy-!”
The cloth was removed.
Revealed was the massive form of a fantasy reptile.
Gasp.
Pastel’s eyes widened.
“This is by far the worst thing I’ve seen here. This is not even funny.”
The yellow reptilian eyes sparkled.
Sharp fangs bared.
Majestic wings fluttered.
Pastel’s mouth opened and closed rapidly.
“Th, th, th, th!”
The upperclassman pointed at the super ultra result.
“Look! This is it!”
The dragon sparkled.
“The strongest creature!”
Pastel raised both arms high.
“Wow!”
It’s a dragon!
A super strong dragon…!
A gasp swept through the air.
The upperclassmen were stunned.
The excited creator pulled out a staff.
“Freshman, watch carefully! There’s more!”
The staff was waved.
All the indoor lights went out.
In the darkness, something was revealed.
The creator cried out, almost like screaming.
“This is…!”
A green light flashed across the reptilian skin.
In the darkness, a large form alone shone brightly.
Green sparkled.
“Gasp!”
The staff seemed to indicate Pastel.
She took a deep breath.
Puffing her chest out, she clenched her fists.
And then she shouted with all her might.
“It’s a glowing dragon!”
A super ultra strong glowing dragon!
The ultimate creature, a complete glowing dragon!
She raised both arms high.
“Wow!”
This is the incredible item I was looking for!
Dragon! Dragon! Glowing dragon!
I will make this festival a success with this!
The frenzy flowed between the creator and Pastel.
Silence enveloped the area, like wrapping around another world.
A stunned voice mumbled.
“What, what is this.”
#
The creator, calmed from receiving a hit from the back of the representative, opened his mouth.
“But there’s a problem.”
Pastel’s eyes went wide.
Is there a problem with this incredible creation?
The staff pointed at the dragon’s reptilian eye.
“Originally, there would be a light beam coming from there.”
What did you just say?
Are you saying a laser would come out of the dragon’s eyeballs?
Laser beam~.
The genius creator looked gloomy.
“But due to flying creatures, the materials coming from the demon realm are not arriving. They won’t be here before the festival.”
“That cannot, that cannot be.”
This is absurd.
The creator pressed down his pink hair.
“Freshman, don’t be disheartened. Our dragon is still amazing as is. Adults sometimes have to be satisfied. The dragon is completed in reality.”
“Y-yes.”
Pastel felt her eyes water unnecessarily.
“Don’t give up! Our dragon is not yet complete!”
She raised one arm high.
“The Student Council exists for the students!”
Demon realm express delivery?
“The Student Council will handle it!”
With smuggling, of course.
Oh?
