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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Taking Over the Disciplinary Committee (2)
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I know that Jane abused her power, just like in the game, committing the atrocity of secretly bringing Chaos Cultists onto the academy grounds.
I also know that Jane dislikes Sage, and the circumstances that forced her to go to such lengths.
That was why I was heading to the Disciplinary Committee.
If I left her alone, she would eventually create a situation that would threaten Sage again, so I needed to settle things with Jane.
'While I'm at it, I might as well just take over the Disciplinary Committee.'
The Disciplinary Committee was Aden Academy's oldest club, and one of the direct clubs under the Student Council.
Students belonging to this Disciplinary Committee could wield considerable power within the academy.
They could assign demerits to ordinary students who broke rules or disturbed order,
or even use violence against other students under the guise of enforcing discipline.
Along with such power, Disciplinary Committee members also enjoyed many benefits.
They had the right to participate in various academy missions with priority,
could frequently skip classes under the pretext of 'special training,'
and could build connections by catching the eye of professors or high-ranking nobles.
Thanks to this power and these benefits, the Disciplinary Committee was an object of envy for ordinary students, especially those from commoner backgrounds.
It was even nicknamed the 'Advancement Club' among commoners.
The reason I had tried to join the Disciplinary Committee, even going so far as to feign niceness to Phase, was similar.
'To milk it for perks.'
If I joined the Disciplinary Committee, the game would become easier, and I could even complete quests linked to various characters.
That's why I had intended to join. I wanted to resolve future events easily, as if I were strategizing in a game.
'No need for that, I guess.'
I had thought wrong. From the moment unfamiliar air entered my lungs, this world was reality, not a game, so why had I, foolishly, tried to act as if it were a game?
Even worse, I was the guy who had trashed that game's story in a 5,700-character review.
I'd been grinding like a dog to learn swordsmanship and magic all this time, all to stop what I wanted to stop and do what I wanted to do.
If something didn't suit me, like now, I should have just stormed in and changed it to my liking.
This incident made me realize something clearly.
Rather than clumsily acting as if it were a game and getting swayed by variables, it would be better to become the variable myself and swing things my own way.
As I walked, thinking thus, I found myself in front of the Disciplinary Committee office.
Before opening the door, I looked around. Perhaps because it was a rather old and powerful club, there were no other clubrooms visible on the first floor where the Disciplinary Committee office was located.
Displeased by that fact, I irritably pushed open the Disciplinary Committee office door.
-Clunk.
"...?"
Then, eight men and women seated at a table turned their gazes to me, and among them, Phase, who was sitting next to Jane, tilted his head and asked,
"J-Junior? What brings you here?"
"I'd like to have a word with Senior Jane, just the two of us."
"Who's this crazy bastard?"
As I replied, a sharp voice came from an unexpected direction.
I turned my gaze to see a man of immense build striding towards me, looking ready to throw a punch.
"Senior Jane."
Regardless, I kept my gaze on Jane and called her again.
"Was there more for us to talk about?"
Jane rested her chin on her hand, gazing at me intently as she replied.
"Yes. A great deal, in fact."
"Hey."
As I was replying, the immense man, who had somehow reached me, called out, looking down at me.
A shadow fell over me, and only the man's bulging chest was visible in my sight. The acrid smell of sweat made my face crumple.
What was this man's name again? Wind something, I think, but I couldn't remember it exactly.
The only thing I remembered was that he was quite strong among the second-years.
"Forgive me for saying this, but could you possibly step aside? Setting aside the smell, I can't see anything in front of me."
"What?"
"Move, while I'm still treating you like a senior. I won't say it twice."
I looked up at the man and said. I wasn't envious, but he was so tall that I saw the sparse beard on his chin before his face.
"This bastard, he really..."
As I spoke, the man immediately swung a fist at me.
"Hah."
I let out a deep sigh and dodged the punch by leaning back.
It was regrettable. Despite me speaking to him nicely, he just threw a punch without warning.
Whoosh, the large fist grazed past my face, creating a loud whooshing sound. The man, putting too much force into it, stumbled past me.
Without needing to play any games, I lightly swung my fist. The unleashed punch struck the passing man squarely in the chest.
-CRACK!
The man, hit by my fist, immediately slammed into the wall, letting out a terrible sound.
"..."
"What was that?"
"It's him. The top student."
The Disciplinary Committee members' reactions split into two groups.
Those stunned, like Jane and Phase,
and those whispering, like the rest of the members.
"Senior Jane, I only have two demands for you."
I turned my gaze from the man, who was sprawled out unattractively, and looked at Jane again as I spoke.
"First, have all the members here leave, and have a private and thorough discussion with me."
"..."
"Second, wholeheartedly assist me in taking control of this Disciplinary Committee, starting today."
"...What?"
"Simple, isn't it? Oh, and as I said before, I don't say things twice."
When I made my demands with a faint smile, Jane simply gaped in disbelief, unable to utter a single word.
"This bastard!"
"The Disciplinary Committee what? This lunatic."
"Hey, you, come here."
Again, the replies came from unexpected directions.
This, too, was quite regrettable. I had intentionally counterattacked the man so excessively earlier to prevent such a situation.
But now, three people were charging at me simultaneously. And they were all taller than me, too. How could I not feel regret?
-CRACK!
-CRACK!
-SMACK!
So I swung my fist at the jaws of two, and slapped the cheek of the man who had charged forward and then stopped.
The three men immediately slammed into the corner of the wall.
"...Stop."
Seeing this, Jane stopped the two women and one man who were attempting to stand up.
It was the right choice. If Jane hadn't stopped them, they would have also ended up slammed into the corner of the wall, just like the men before them.
"Phase, take the injured ones and leave."
"Sister...?"
"You too."
"But..."
"Everyone, get out!"
Was this situation confusing for her?
Or was she simply irritated?
Jane shouted in a sharp voice, and only then did Phase and the remaining members begin to take the men slammed into the corner of the wall outside.
"...Come in."
Only after all the Disciplinary Committee members had left did Jane call me into her office.
****
Perhaps because it was within the Disciplinary Committee office,
Jane's office was surprisingly plain, not what one would expect from a ducal young lady.
-Click.
And it was secluded.
When she locked the window and drew the black blackout curtains, nothing was visible before my eyes.
-Thud.
As Jane activated a magic light, a pale yellow glow spread through the room, revealing Jane, whose refined features contrasted with Phase's, sitting across from a luxurious wooden desk.
"...Do you even realize what you've just done?"
Jane asked, sweeping her hair back as if dumbfounded.
"Yes, I'm well aware."
"...And are you confident?"
"I'm not entirely without it."
"You assaulted Disciplinary Committee members without reason."
"I wouldn't say there was no reason."
"Not only that, but you threatened the heir of a ducal house. Do you think this can just be brushed aside?"
Jane crossed her legs, an arrogant expression on her face, as she lifted a teacup filled with tea and asked.
"Let me be blunt."
So I, too, crossed my legs and replied.
"Whatever I do, I'll get away with it more safely than someone who brought Chaos Cultists onto academy grounds."
-CRASH.
The sound that reached me after I finished speaking was that of a teacup shattering.
"...What are you talking about?"
Despite her pupils violently trembling,
despite her hands shaking uncontrollably.
Jane said, her voice laced with anger.
"What am I talking about? It's what I heard directly from a Chaos Cultist yesterday."
This was a lie. Yesterday, the Chaos Cultists hadn't been able to utter a single word to me before crossing the rainbow bridge.
"Wha...?"
"Don't pretend you don't know. I know everything. That you tried to hand Sage over to the Chaos Cult."
"Wh-What nonsense is this...?"
Was she finally starting to grasp the situation? Jane, whose panic was palpably evident, said, her hands trembling uncontrollably.
"D-Do you have proof?"
"Think about it. Would I really come all this way and act like this if I didn't have any proof? To be honest, I'm confident I could erase not just you, Lady Jane, but the entire Astrea family from history."
"Th-This insolent commoner, how dare you slander...!"
One would think she'd concede by now. But perhaps deciding that anger was better than acceptance, Jane's lips trembled violently as she yelled at me.
"Senior, you seem to be mistaken... I didn't come here to ask for a favor or to threaten you."
Regardless, I met her gaze directly and continued.
"I came here to issue orders to someone who will die if they don't obey me."
Saying so, I stood up.
And then, I immediately opened a drawer.
"W-Wait...!"
Jane jumped up, startled.
To Jane, I lifted the black communicator from inside the drawer and parted my lips.
"Sit down. Unless you want to be dragged to the guillotine alongside your beloved brother."