The cssroom door opened and closed intermittently as students stepped in with light-hearted strides. The room was filled with casual chatter, and some pretended to read while secretly eavesdropping on the conversations in the back row.

  "I turned them down. I don't think we're a good fit," Lanqi said, nodding as he responded.

  "..."

  Huberrian remained silent for a moment.

  Over the past few days, Lanqi had been frequently seen coming and going from his conspicuous first-floor dorm room. It didn't take long for passing students to discover his room number, and soon, it became widely known information.

  Even Huberrian knew now that he lived in Room 101.

  She had also heard that whenever Lanqi asked visiting students about their opinions of his companion, Huberrian, their expressions often betrayed some level of reluctance.

  Those who were more accepting would still offer a compromise, stating that if Lanqi joined their team, they would also accept Huberrian.

  Lanqi rejected them all outright.

  This was something Princess Vivian had mentioned to Huberrian during a chance encounter.

  Since Lanqi had said those peculiar words to her st time, the retionship between Vivian and Huberrian had become less tense, even turning somewhat harmonious.

  Though it might never return to the closeness of their childhood, Vivian had begun to make concessions, and Huberrian had stopped being so distrustful of everyone.

  "You really didn’t have to do that..." Huberrian said, looking at Lanqi.

  Their recent Shadow World challenge had directly elevated them from Iron-tier challengers to Bronze-tier challengers, and they were now very close to Silver-tier.

  Due to the Southern Continent Shadow World Management Association's difficulty in assessing their rather extraordinary performance, Lanqi and Huberrian were ultimately awarded the maximum possible contribution score for a Tier-4 Shadow World: 95%. Additionally, since they had defeated two cultists, they were eligible to receive an extra reward of 650 pounds in Southern Kingdom currency when they went to the association to process their promotion.

  And the benefits from this Shadow World challenge didn’t stop there.

  According to academy regutions, if students joined a team, they would earn team contribution points for participating in Shadow World challenges.

  Team points determined the resources allocated to the team by the school, such as funding and exclusive facilities. Teams could also apply for group activity leave and take on high-difficulty academy tasks for additional academic credits.

  The 95% contribution score from the Tier-4 Shadow World was exceptionally high—practically enough for an entire team.

  For teams already looking to recruit new members, Lanqi, with his massive "unallocated points" and his reputation as a powerhouse freshman, was undoubtedly the most sought-after candidate.

  "If they can’t respect my companion, then I won’t consider joining their team. There’s no need to make them uncomfortable or let you suffer in the process," Lanqi said with a shrug.

  For him, the most important thing about joining a team was fostering a harmonious atmosphere. If a team couldn’t even show basic respect for his companion, he saw no reason to endure such hardship alongside Huberrian.

  "Thank you, Lanqi," Huberrian said sincerely.

  What she felt most from Lanqi was respect. Such simple sincerity was incredibly rare and precious.

  "That said, if we can’t find a suitable team, we might have to form our own. Otherwise, we won’t be able to take on the academy’s high-difficulty real-world tasks or enjoy the benefits, activities, and holidays that come with them," Lanqi said, observing Huberrian’s expression.

  It was clear that Huberrian wasn’t exactly in high demand—except for people like Modan Gasigus, the Earl’s son, whose intentions were far from pure.

  If possible, Lanqi actually preferred not to form a team. He wanted to focus their extracurricur energy on entrepreneurial endeavors rather than team development.

  "Alright," Huberrian nodded.

  She understood that Lanqi’s main goal was to join a team that could legitimately grant them leave from csses and allow them to earn practical academic credits through real-world tasks.

  His aim was simple: to skip as many csses as possible without actually scking off or falling behind.

  As the two discussed their options, a familiar, high-pitched yet elegant voice suddenly interrupted from the nearby aisle.

  "If you don’t have a suitable team, you could join the Student Management Committee."

  Both Lanqi and Huberrian turned their heads toward the source of the voice, and sure enough, it was Princess Vivian, standing with her arms crossed.

  She was originally from the css next door but seemed to have come over specifically to find Huberrian.

  "What’s that?" Lanqi asked curiously.

  "Since the academy has various teams, there also needs to be a student organization to manage them," Vivian expined, sitting on a nearby chair in the aisle.

  Cssroom visits during breaks were quite common at the academy. It wasn’t unusual for unfamiliar students to sit in on csses in other rooms.

  "The committee mainly handles coordinating teams and resolving disputes. It’s a tough job, but the committee enjoys benefits simir to, if not better than, formal teams.

  "Most importantly, the committee president is a fair and impartial person. No one can abuse their power or discriminate against others within the committee. Regardless of whether you’re human or demon, as long as you have talent, he’ll appreciate you."

  Vivian’s tone suggested she genuinely admired the committee president, which was why she was recommending it to Lanqi.

  However, the Student Management Committee was responsible for resolving all sorts of conflicts between teams and handling various campus disputes. A single misstep could nd someone in the infirmary for a month or two. As such, very few newcomers were willing to join the committee.

  Vivian herself was slightly concerned that she might have made a mistake by suggesting it. After all, Lanqi didn’t seem like someone who enjoyed conflict.

  But to her surprise, Lanqi’s eyes immediately lit up, as if he had discovered a whole new world!

  "What do you mean ‘tough job’? I’m an expert at resolving conflicts!" Lanqi excimed, grinning confidently. He even seemed eager to demonstrate his skills right then and there.

  "Maintaining smooth campus operations and fostering harmony among cssmates is our duty. Huberrian, let’s check it out after css!"

  "..."

  Vivian stared at Lanqi’s enthusiastic demeanor and began to feel a sense of dread.

  She had witnessed Lanqi’s behavior in the Demon Academy Shadow World.

  Whenever this guy smiled so brightly, the seriousness of the situation became indescribable.

  Vivian quickly stood up and left, feeling as though she had just made a huge mistake.

  Her original intention was simply to help Huberrian find a safe pce to experience normal campus life. She hadn’t expected that her suggestion might end up altering the very trajectory of Icerite Magic Academy’s future.

  If Lanqi truly joined the Student Management Committee, the president would gain a formidable new ally.

  With Lanqi handling disputes, he might not make everyone happy...

  But he’d certainly make it easy for everyone to be equally unhappy!

  (End of Chapter)

  ---

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