The classroom door opened from time to time as students stepped inside with brisk, cheerful strides, filling the room with lighthearted chatter.
A few pretended to read while secretly straining their ears toward the conversation in the back row.
"I politely declined. I don't think we're a good fit for them," Lanqi replied with a nod from his seat at the back.
"..."
Hyperion fell silent for a moment.
In recent days, Lanqi had frequently come and gone from the most prominent room on the first floor of the dormitory building. It didn't take long for passing students to spot his room number, and before long, it became common knowledge.
Even Hyperion had learned he lived in Room 101.
She had heard that whenever Lanqi asked the recruiters for their thoughts on his companion, Hyperion, they all wore more or less reluctant expressions.
Even those who readily accepted made it clear that they would only take Hyperion along if Lanqi agreed to join.
Lanqi had flatly rejected every single one.
This was something Princess Vivian had told Hyperion when they ran into each other.
Ever since Lanqi made those strange remarks last time, the awkward tension between the two girls had softened into a more harmonious dynamic. Though they might never fully reconcile as they had in childhood, Vivian had begun yielding ground, and Hyperion was no longer quite so distrustful of everyone.
"Actually, you really didn't need to do that..." Hyperion said, looking at him.
This recent Shadow World challenge had elevated them straight from Iron rank challengers to Bronze rank, placing them very close to Silver rank.
Because the Southern Continent Shadow World Management Association found their rather outrageous clear difficult to assess, they ultimately calculated Lanqi and Hyperion's advancement points based on the maximum rated benchmark of ninety-five percent contribution for a Tier 4 Shadow World. Moreover, since they had defeated two cultists, they were entitled to an additional bounty of six hundred and fifty pounds in Southern Continent United Kingdoms currency when processing their rank advancement at the association.
The perks of that Shadow World run did not stop there.
According to academy regulations, if a student belonged to a registered team, challenging a Shadow World also yielded team point rewards.
Team points directly determined the resources allocated to a team by the academy, such as team funds and dedicated facilities. Teams could also apply for sanctioned leaves of absence for group activities, and taking on high-difficulty academy missions as a team granted academic credits.
A ninety-five percent contribution in a Tier 4 Shadow World yielded a staggering amount of points, almost equivalent to an entire team monopolizing an expedition.
For teams eager to recruit, a freshman like Lanqi—who arrived bearing a mountain of "unallocated points" and was essentially an absolute carry—was naturally their top priority target.
"If they don't respect my companion, I won't even consider joining their team. In our future interactions, there's no need to make them uncomfortable and leave you feeling slighted," Lanqi said with a casual shrug.
If he was to join a team, the thing he valued most was a harmonious atmosphere where everyone got along amicably. If they couldn't manage even the most basic respect for his partner, there was no reason for him and Hyperion to endure that misery.
"Lanqi, thank you."
What Hyperion felt most from Lanqi was respect.
That simple, sincere decency was truly precious.
"Still, if we can't find a team, it seems our only option is to start one ourselves. Otherwise, we won't be able to take on the academy's high-difficulty real-world missions, and we'll miss out on activities, perks, and leaves of absence we could've had."
Lanqi could tell just by looking at Hyperion's face.
It seemed no one had reached out to Hyperion at all.
Aside from ill-intentioned figures like Marquess Gaxiges's son, Modan Gaxiges.
If possible, Lanqi didn't actually want to establish a team. The two of them needed to spend their extracurricular energy on business ventures rather than running an organization.
"All right," Hyperion nodded.
She knew Lanqi primarily wanted team leaves to legitimately skip classes, along with real-world missions that granted practical credits.
His true objective was to attend as few lectures as possible—without ever degenerating into a truant who cut class without permission.
As the two were discussing the matter, a female voice drifted over from the aisle beside them.
"If you can't find a suitable team, you can always join the Student Management Committee."
It was a proud, crisp, and familiar voice.
Lanqi recognized it at once.
Lanqi and Hyperion both turned their heads from their seats to look, and sure enough, there stood Her Highness Princess Vivian with her arms crossed.
She belonged to the neighboring class, but it appeared she had come specifically looking for Hyperion.
"What's that?" Lanqi asked curiously.
"Since there are various student teams in the academy, there naturally needs to be a student organization to manage them," Vivian explained, taking a seat in a chair across the aisle.
Dropping by other classrooms between periods was very common at this school.
It was not unusual for complete strangers to sit in on classes, either.
"It's usually a thankless chore—coordinating between different teams and resolving conflicts and disputes. But the committee enjoys benefits and perks on par with official teams, if not better."
"Most importantly, the president is a person of absolute integrity. No one in the committee can abuse power for personal gain or discriminate against others. Furthermore, whether you're human or from the demon race, as long as you have talent, he will appreciate you."
Vivian seemed to hold the president's character in high regard herself, which was why she made the recommendation to Lanqi.
However, handling disputes between teams large and small and resolving campus conflicts carried real risks; a single slip-up could easily land someone in the infirmary for a month or two. Consequently, very few freshmen were willing to join the committee.
Vivian was also a little worried that she had given the wrong advice. After all, Lanqi didn't strike her as someone fond of fighting.
And yet.
To her utter astonishment.
Lanqi's eyes lit up instantly, as though he had just discovered a new continent!
"How could that be a thankless chore? Mediating conflicts and resolving disputes is my absolute forte!" Lanqi said with a proud grin, looking almost impatient to show off his skills and prove it to them. "Keeping the campus running smoothly and ensuring all our classmates live in harmony—how could I possibly shrink from such a duty? Hyperion, let's go check it out as soon as class ends!"
"..."
Watching Lanqi's enthusiastic reaction, Vivian began to feel a creeping sense of foreboding...
She had seen Lanqi's performance in the Demon Academy's Shadow World.
Whenever this guy smiled with that bright, sunny, cheerful grin, the sheer gravity of the ensuing disaster became impossible to put into words.
Vivian sprang to her feet and hastily turned to leave, seized by the distinct feeling that she had just caused an enormous catastrophe.
She had only intended to point Hyperion toward a safe haven where she could experience a normal campus life. Who could have guessed that she might have just derailed the entire future timeline of Ikerite Academy?
If Lanqi truly joined the Student Management Committee, the president would gain a terrifyingly fierce enforcer.
With Lanqi handling disputes and mediating conflicts...
He might not be able to make everyone happy.
But he would definitely make every single person thoroughly miserable with effortless ease!
Chapter 94