Maidens of Cygnus - Volume 1 - Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – April 13th

Newcomer recruitment week had just passed its halfway point. But Alisa and Marika, who already decided which clubs they are joining, didn’t feel there was a need to be tossed around amidst the crowds anymore.

Mei, Joui and Koharu have also decided which clubs to join as well, but each of them was brought in for work right away: Mei for the Student Council, Joui for the Club Activities Group, and Koharu to help recruit for the Bike Club, which she joined voluntarily.

If it’s just the two of them, they don’t need to take detours near the school. Alisa accompanied Marika to her apartment and enjoyed chatting with her until it was time for her magic lessons at the Juumonji Family house.

◇ ◇ ◇

Some students already achieved tranquillity even though it’s still the middle of newcomer week, but the Student Council and Public Morals Committee were not allowed that kind of luxury.

At 4:30pm, the Chief of the Public Morals Committee, Urabe Aki, visited the Student Council room with today’s interim report. The interim reports are to avoid unreasonable overtime work from both Student Council and Public Morals Committee activities. The final report from the Public Morals Committee is expected to be submitted on the next day at lunchtime.

This was a decision made this year after a discussion by the Student Council President Mitsuya Shiina and Aki.

Though because of that, they’ve fallen into a messy situation where the Public Morals Committee has to come early for school and the Student Council doesn’t have enough time for lunch.

However, it was not included in the agreement that the one to deliver the report would have to be the Committee Chief.

“Umm, Urabe-san. Do you have any special business with the Student Council or something...?”

Truth be told, Shiina is not good at dealing with Aki.

Shiina has long, fluffy, soft, curly dark brown hair, and headphone-shaped ear mufflers to protect her oversensitive hearing. She has gentle eyes and gives off the image of a small animal.

Aki has straight hair without bangs and a medium bob cut that shows her forehead, and affixes only one plain hairpin. Her almond eyes feel shrewd and she gives off a sharp impression.

The contrast between the two was not just in their expression either.

While Shiina values resolving things amicably, Aki’s stance is that she doesn’t dislike quarrels as long as it’s carried out with solid arguments. Despite that, they weirdly don’t get along too badly, but it’s inevitable that the anxiety would fall heavily on Shiina, whose motto is ‘avoid arguments’.

“Our manpower is insufficient.”

Aki answered without introduction or hesitation.

“Committee Chief Urabe, you should already have the candidates selected by the Faculty to fill the vacant position.“

Right then, the Student Council treasurer, Yaguruma Saburou, wedged in between Aki and Shiina. He joined the school as a second course student, but in his second year he transferred to the Magic Engineering department and has been in the top of the grades for the written exams ever since.

“Unless the reason the Public Morals Committee has a shortage of staff is because you’re failing at recruiting them?”

Aki’s showed she was displeased with Saburou’s point, but she didn’t directly deny it.

“The nine people we are limited to is insufficient for the workload.”

Aki’s assertion wasn’t limited to just filling the vacancies, it reached the core issue.

“In other words... you’re saying the regulations regarding the Public Morals Committee should be changed?”

“Exactly.”

To Shiina’s serious question asked full of hesitation, Aki replied affirmatively without any.

“However, the Public Morals Committee has a lot of power that some could even say exceeds what students should have in the school. We can’t increase the number of staff carelessly.”

Saburou argued with the logic behind the current system.

“The Student Council also holds a lot of power, does it not? And yet, the Student Council can increase its staff at will according to the President’s judgement.”

“...You want to be given the same authority as the President of the Student Council?”

“It is not my wish to say I should be able to freely choose my staff members. It is the opinion of everyone engaged in the actual duties that nine people are not enough., so I’m requesting the number to be increased.”

Aki once again insisted on raising the number of staff, clearly not ‘requesting’ but ‘demanding’.

“I don’t believe that the discipline within the school has gotten significantly worse compared to last year.”

Saburou did not back down. He knew it was his duty to confront Aki in place of Shiina, who doesn’t like conflict. — He didn’t particularly care whether Shiina liked what he was doing or not.

“It’s getting worse too slowly. Is that what you’re saying, Yaguruma-kun?”

“Are there any signs that it is getting worse, Committee Chief Urabe?”

Aki’s and Saburou’s looks both turned hostile. — Between these two, this is relatively normal.

“A-Anyway.”

When it gets to this stage, it’s Shiina who gets agitated. The conclusion is that Saburou also was a major factor in Shiina’s anxiety.

“The Student Council doesn’t have the authority to decide on the limit for the Public Morals Committee staff. The Principal needs to approve it.”

“If that’s the case, please accompany me to the Principal’s office, President.”

“Right now!?”

“Immediately.”

When Shiina yelled, Aki, calmly, tried once again to force her to follow her.

“Please wait, Committee chief Urabe. It would be discourteous to appear uninvited without even making arrangements.”

Yuuto knew that his sister-in-law Alisa was involved, and that she is the main reason Aki brought up this matter. Maybe feeling that leaving it alone any further could risk Alisa being affected, the Vice President Yuuto, who until then listened to his seniors’ discussion (quarrel?) in silence, stood up and rebuked Aki.

“That is indeed true.”

However, Yuuto getting involved may have been within Aki’s expectations.

“In that case, Vice President Juumonji, please go check the Principal’s schedule.”

“Why me? ...No, I understand. I’ll go ask the Vice Principal when the Principal is available.”

Yuuto was trying to refuse, but when he noticed Shiina’s look of supplication aimed at him, he reluctantly stood up and went to the Faculty room.

◇ ◇ ◇

It was just before 5pm.

Aki and Shiina were standing in front of Principal Momoyama’s office.

When Yuuto asked about the Vice Principal about the Principal’s availability, fortunately — perhaps ‘unfortunately’ for Shiina — he was free. More than that, it didn’t stop there and they were summoned to meet him immediately.

“I heard you have a request concerning the operation of the Public Morals Committee.”

Despite being in his mid-seventies, the glint in Momoyama’s eyes was extremely intense. He wasn’t even directly looking at Shiina, and yet she unconsciously froze from nervousness.

Shiina was now completely dragged into the issue. She bitterly glared at Aki who stood confidently by her side, looking as if she was saying ‘Why bring me...’.

“Yes, Principal. I will be frank here. I want the Public Morals Committee limit on number of staff members to be raised.”

“If memory serves correctly, the Committee does not currently have all its positions filled.”

While he is of an advanced age, Momoyama has a detailed grasp of the circumstances at First High. Shiina has gotten used to this so she wasn’t especially surprised, but if she thought about it she would have found it odd. In particular, it was odd that the Principal knew of a temporary vacancy in a student-run autonomous organization despite the Faculty room being involved and the matter not being an actual problem yet.

“The candidates recommended by the teachers were unwilling to accept the opportunity.”

“In that case, you should request a selection of new candidates. If the Faculty Council don’t choose any new candidates, I will appoint them myself.”

“I appreciate it. However, Principal, speaking as someone who works on the scene, I have seen that nine members is not enough to handle the work of the Public Morals Committee in the first place.”

Momoyama looked sternly at Aki, who was facing him head-on.

Shiina was next to Aki, so nervous she didn’t even feel alive.

“Isn’t the main reason for that the time of the year, the newcomer week just after the students start the school year?”

“It’s true that the problem of lack of staff has become more apparent due to the time of the year. However, Principal, there is definitely not enough people even outside this period.”

“Nearly ten years have passed since the establishment of the Public Morals Committee, and yet no such problem was presented until last year. Isn’t this correct, Vice Principal?”

“Yes it is, Principal.”

Shiina was not the only person who couldn’t hide her tension in front of Momoyama. Just by looking at him, it’s obvious the Vice Principal is also under a great deal of pressure. Aki is the weird one for being composed, Shiina thought.

“There have been seniors in the past who spent their own time carrying out the duties of the Public Morals Committee. I don’t know for sure if any of them sacrificed their studies, but many completely gave up on club activities, I know that much.”

“If it’s just club activities...”

“I understand.”

Vice Principal Yaosaka was probably trying to say that not having time for club activities was inevitable. But Momoyama cut him off before he could.

“Club activities are also an important part of high school life. It’s certainly alarming that they’re being given up on.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

“Urabe-kun. It is your claim that you need to increase the number of Public Morals Committee members to remedy this situation?”

“It is not my intention to simply request more members.”

When Shiina heard Aki’s response to Momoyama, she almost shouted ‘What?’ out loud.

“I would like an exception in the way our staff limit is counted.”

I haven’t heard anything about this! — That was the first thing that came to Shiina’s mind. All she heard from Aki until now was a request to increase the limit for the Public Morals Committee.

“Specifically?”

Momotaro stared at Aki, deeply interested in what she was about to say.

“I would like first-year students to count as only 0.5 people.”

“You mean they’re only half a person?”

“I wouldn’t say they’re only half a person, but it takes time to guide them. And while we can exclude them from the Committee, if we do that they won’t inherit our know-how.”

“So this is a policy to promote the appointment of first years and compensate for the time lost because of the need to guide them?”

“Exactly.”

“Understood. Approved.”

“Thank you very much.”

Aki bowed laudably, with no hint of exaggerated delight or proud look on her face.

“However, the recommendation system will remain the same. If there are any students you would like to appoint, please discuss it with the Faculty.”

“I understand. I will do that.”

Aki bowed politely once again and added an “If you’ll excuse me”.

Shiina, deeply confused, did the same.

◇ ◇ ◇

“The discussion with the Principal didn’t go well, did it?”

Seeing Shiina’s expression when she returned to the Student Council room, Yuuto asked her right away.

“No, I don’t think that’s it.”

Before Shiina could answer, Saburou shook his head and inserted himself into the conversation.

“Shiina, did Urabe abuse her powers again?”

Saburou is Shiina’s ‘childhood friend’. In a place with only family — the Student Council treat each other as family — they use informal ways of speaking like this.

“Maybe you could say that, but... Did I really need to be there...?”

Shiina grumbled, looking exhausted.

And that is how Yuuto, Saburou, and Mei, who had been quietly listening, inferred what occurred in that room.