Chapter 305
Recommendation
With every word, Ari's irritation visibly grew—until, halfway through, her expression shifted. She blinked once, clearly caught off guard, then slowly looked over the four of them.
"You…" she said, eyes narrowing with interest. "…wish to join the Student Council?"
"Yes!" Reuel answered immediately, nodding rapidly to affirm her question.
A small smile crept onto her lips as she remarked, "So you won't mind being under me in terms of seniority, right?"
The boys froze and exchanged glances. They hadn't considered that Ari would be the one calling the shots for as long as they remained on the Council—at least until Snow eventually became president.
Was the benefit really worth placing themselves under such a cunning and dangerous woman?
"Haha, don't make such ugly faces. While I will be above you in terms of seniority, that doesn't mean I can abuse it… that much."
"You can't… be serious… right?" Henry asked, forcing out a strained smile.
"Of course I am. Being part of the Student Council means upholding the academy's values, and one of those is fairness toward fellow students. I won't go too far," she said, resting her cheek against her palm and looking at them as if they were pieces of meat on a board.
That just means she will go some distance, IAM thought. Still, he relaxed slightly. Aside from him, the others hadn't really done anything to earn her hostility, and he was confident he could deal with whatever she might throw his way.
The others seemed to come to the same conclusion. After a brief moment of silence, Henry straightened, his expression firm.
"We still want to join."
Ari's smile widened just a little, the kind that carried both approval and an unmistakable hint of trouble.
"So determined," she mused. "Very well. If you truly wish to step into the Student Council, then you should understand this much—joining isn't merely about status or benefits. It comes with responsibility, constant scrutiny, and pressure. Your words, your actions, even your failures will all be observed and judged."
Her gaze slowly swept across the four of them.
"You won't be allowed to hide behind being first-years, nor behind being 'talented.' From the moment you step in, you will represent the academy itself."
They all nodded. They had already expected as much. If they were going to stand among the leaders of the academy, then half-hearted resolve wouldn't cut it.
But then Ari's expression shifted.
With a sultry smile and a voice far too calm, she said, "Which means… it's too bad that you'll never be able to join."
"…!!?"
"What? Are you messing with us?!" Reuel shot to his feet, disbelief and frustration bursting out of him.
Henry stared at her, trying to remain composed. "Could… you please explain what you mean?"
Yohan's mismatched eyes widened slightly, and even IAM, who had remained silent the entire time, felt a flicker of surprise at her words.
"Please sit down. You're disturbing the others," Ari said calmly as she took another sip of her tea.
Only then did Reuel realize that several pairs of eyes in the lounge had turned toward him. With an awkward grin and an apologetic shrug, he scratched the back of his head and quickly dropped back into his seat.
Henry repeated, more carefully this time, "What do you mean by we won't be able to? Is there something wrong?"
Ari shook her head and, with a small shrug, replied plainly, "Do you even know the requirements? Or the actual process to become a member of the Student Council?"
At that, all three boys slowly turned their eyes toward Reuel.
He was their designated information gatherer—the one who knew almost everyone in their year, who chatted with upperclassmen, who somehow always had rumors, schedules, and inside news before anyone else. If anyone should have known, it should have been him.
But even he had nothing.
Grinding his teeth, he muttered, "Well… I probably would've known by now if all my time hadn't been wasted scrubbing floors and toilets after lessons. That kind of eats into a man's precious networking hours, you know."
Ari raised an eyebrow. "Is that a new way of saying 'I'm useless'?"
Reuel almost snapped back, but he held it in, a tight smile formed instead.
"Maybe I didn't know that," he said, "but I do know some things about you. You joined the academy about four years ago, which means this is actually your last year here, and you're already in your twenties. You were part of one of the highest-rated generations of the Student Council—the one led by that famously charismatic and efficient president. You handled security and information management back then. And then, after a series of incidents, the president stepped down—"
"And that's quite enough," Ari cut in sharply.
Her tone lost its teasing edge and became cool, authoritative.
"That is elementary information. Anyone with a little effort and the right sources could find it out," she said, fixing Reuel with a steady gaze. "So get off your high moon and listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you."
Reuel felt as though all the energy had been drained from him as he complied. His eyes had been opened, and whatever physical attraction he had felt vanished completely. Ari wasn't just beautiful—she was frightening. And on top of that, she was taken. Beautiful and scary was a terrible combination.
Ari rubbed her forehead and said, "It's actually quite simple why you can't. You don't have an official recommendation from a member of the Student Council or from one of the vice principals. Without that, you can't even be considered, let alone join."
Realisation dawned on them. So that was it. She had said all that just to scare them, to get a reaction. Truly, she was unbelievably petty.
Leaning slightly toward them, she continued, "So if you want to join, you'll need my recommendation. And something like that doesn't come cheap, so I hope you're ready to pay the price."
IAM finally spoke for the first time. "We could ask Snow if needed. She's the next president, so her word should carry more weight than yours. And if not her, we could ask another member. Your 'charity' isn't necessary."
Ari's eye twitched. Every single one of them seemed to have a talent for getting under her skin. Why couldn't they all just be like Yohan and stay quiet like a good boy?
"…Well, I suppose you got me," she said after a pause. "Fine. All of you will receive a recommendation from me. Happy now?"
Confused expressions appeared on their faces; it was obvious they hadn't expected to convince her so easily.
She immediately caught their looks and raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you really that shocked? I'm sure IAM here wouldn't know, since he used the pay-to-win method, but your friends are all exceptionally talented, even among the rest of their year, past and present. In their trial batches, they stood out. They didn't lose to anyone, and they didn't even need to chase after the five flags. Henry was the best among the non-ascenders, while Reuel and Yohan were at the top of the ascender group."
The others had already described the trials and everything that happened to IAM, so he knew the general details, but hearing it like this made it clear they had seriously downplayed themselves.
"I only needed to test their character," Ari continued calmly. "With talent like this, why wouldn't I recommend them? And as for you, IAM—based on your contribution in the fight against Blaze, I can see that you're cool-headed and have the makings of a natural leader. Talented people tend to gather around each other, after all, so I'm sure you're no exception."
IAM felt a little uncertain about the part about raw talent—he wasn't confident in that at all—but he was still relieved to be included in her recommendation.
"So… is that it?" Reuel asked, eyes burning with excitement. "Are we part of the Student Council now?"
"Of course not. There's no way it would be that easy. You'll have to take a trial, and only if you pass will you be able to join. As luck would have it, there's one taking place this weekend, so make sure to clear your schedules. I'll send you the time and location," Ari said calmly.
"Do you need our numbers?" Reuel asked.
"The devices you're using are issued by the academy. I don't need your personal numbers to contact you," Ari replied, shaking her head.
Reuel gasped. "Wait… does that mean our phones are listening to us?!"
"Maybe…" Ari smirked.
Reuel immediately pulled out his phone and stared at it suspiciously, as if it might start talking back.
"So what are the contents of the trial?" IAM asked.
Ari's eyes swept across the boys, her expression composed but commanding. "If you want to join the Student Council, then you need to understand exactly what is expected of you. A member must have leadership—the ability to guide others, make decisions for the good of the student body, and take responsibility when those decisions fail. Responsibility isn't just a word; it means being accountable for every action. "
"You must have excellent communication skills. You need to be able to listen, interpret, and represent others' concerns accurately—without bias. Teamwork is essential—you will constantly collaborate, compromise, and navigate hierarchy. You will need to know when to lead, when to follow, and when to step aside for the greater good."
"Integrity and ethics are non-negotiable. You will be scrutinized, judged, and tested in ways you cannot imagine. Every decision you make, every word you speak, every failure you endure will be seen, remembered, and evaluated."
"Organization and time management are vital. You will juggle council duties alongside academics, training, social obligations, and unexpected emergencies. One misstep can snowball into disaster, and the academy does not forgive negligence."
"Creativity and adaptability will be your shields and your weapons. Challenges will arise that are impossible to predict—obstacles meant to test your ingenuity, patience, and perseverance. Failure is not just a setback—it is an opportunity for others to see your weakness, and they will not hesitate to exploit it."
"And courage, resilience, and composure—these are your foundations. Criticism, scrutiny, and even public humiliation will be constant. You must not waver, flinch, or falter. Every moment, you are expected to act with confidence, and determination."
She leaned back slightly, letting her words sink in, letting the weight of the expectations hang over them like a storm cloud. "All of this… is essential if you wish to succeed. "
"And yet…" Her gaze sharpened, piercing like ice. "Above all else, above every skill, every talent, every strategy, you must have strength. Without it, your skills are meaningless. Without it, your talents are useless. Without it… you are nothing."
Her voice dropped, "And make no mistake—the trial will test that strength. Not just the ability to fight or endure, but your ability to withstand pressure, fear, and uncertainty. Every choice, every move, everything will be evaluated. Fail in even one aspect, and you fail entirely. Understand this… and do not underestimate it."
...
Henry's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, his sand-colored eyes narrowed in determination.
IAM and Henry were in a mini car as they made their way to the combat grounds to train, with Reuel and Yohan taking another vehicle back to the dorms.
It was quiet, the boys lost in their own thoughts. IAM's mind raced, filled with the question of how the hell he was supposed to pass the trial without using his Avien to reveal his level.
Was he really going to attempt to be the first student to pass the Student Council trial as a normal person, without any of the advantages that came with being an Ascender?