The Icerite Magic Academy, with its iconic Gothic Revival-style buildings, had always been a hallmark of the campus—

  Among them, the Old Liberal Arts Building of the Magi-Tech Institute stood out.

  This red-brick structure, adorned with cssical reliefs, was a historic site where magi-tech artisans once unleashed their creative ingenuity. Decades ago, it was renovated and repurposed to provide magi-tech services to students from other faculties, transforming it into a public facility.

  Lanqi Wilford had visited this building once during his freshman orientation to collect his student wristband, but he hadn’t ventured beyond the first floor.

  - The first floor housed the Public Magi-Tech Service Center.

  - The second floor was home to the Innovative Magi-Tech Workshop led by Professor Poo, a leading researcher in the Magi-Tech Institute.

  - The third floor was occupied by the Student Management Committee.

  Today, the wind carried a certain restlessness.

  After finishing their only morning css, Lanqi and Huberrian Ansar made their way directly to the Old Liberal Arts Building, climbing the stairs to the third floor.

  As they stepped out of the stairwell, a wide and bright corridor stretched out before them.

  Elegant chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting soft light throughout the hallway. The walls, carved from reddish-brown wood, were adorned with gilded patterns, exuding an aura of solemnity and tranquility.

  Walking along the plush carpet that extended to the end of the hallway, where the doors of the Student Council Room awaited, Lanqi and Huberrian could gnce out through a row of massive windows to see the academy’s picturesque scenery—lush green wns, rows of towering trees, and students bustling about in the distance.

  Finally, they arrived at the deep crimson double doors at the far end of the corridor.

  “Huberrian, are you ready?” Lanqi asked.

  “Mm.” Huberrian nodded firmly.

  With his companion’s confirmation, Lanqi knocked twice on the heavy doors.

  “Come in,” a calm and steady male voice answered from within.

  Lanqi pushed open the thick mahogany doors. A blend of coffee and candle scents wafted out, and what greeted them was a spacious council room spanning over a hundred square meters, with only three occupants.

  Seated behind a desk directly facing the doors was a strikingly handsome man. His posture was upright, and his eyes sparkled like the night sky, exuding the schorly aura of a learned academic.

  In front of him was a long, dark wooden table polished to a mirror-like finish. Behind him, a half-opened, grand window framed by deep crimson curtains gleamed in the sunlight like the stage curtains of a grand theater.

  To the side of the table stood a woman with a gentle expression, holding a stack of documents. She gnced curiously at Lanqi and Huberrian as they entered, seemingly on her way to pce the files on a row of tall bookshelves lining the right side of the room.

  On the left side of the room was a lounge area, furnished with a coffee table and two luxurious leather sofas that matched the color of the desk and chairs. The sofas looked exceptionally comfortable, and on one of them sat a man with grayish-white hair and small sungsses.

  “May I ask if the two of you have encountered any issues on campus?”

  The man seated at the main desk, the Student Council President, turned to the visitors with a friendly and confident smile.

  It seemed he recognized Lanqi and Huberrian, two first-year students who had already caused quite a stir on campus. However, he didn’t treat them as special individuals, addressing them with the same composure as he would any other student.

  “Hello, we were wondering if the Student Council is still recruiting members?” Lanqi asked, finding the president’s demeanor quite pleasant.

  Not only was there no hostility toward Huberrian, but the president’s gaze toward Lanqi was also calm and devoid of the curiosity or surprise that others often dispyed upon seeing him.

  As Vivian had mentioned, the president was indeed a man of great insight.

  The president nodded, understanding their intentions. He rose from his seat and gestured for them to sit in the lounge area for a more in-depth discussion.

  Soon, the president took a seat next to the gray-haired man, while Lanqi and Huberrian settled on the opposite sofa.

  The woman who had been organizing files walked over with a tray and porcein cups, pouring coffee for everyone present.

  “I am Monast, the president of the Student Management Committee, and this is the vice president, Athena.”

  Monast thanked Athena for the coffee and introduced her to Lanqi and Huberrian.

  “And this is Frey, a new member of the Student Council from the Knight Institute,” he added, gesturing toward the gray-haired young man on the sofa.

  Lanqi and Huberrian exchanged a gnce, both recalling this individual with some crity.

  During the second round of the entrance exams, which were a joint assessment for the Knight Institute and Sage Academy, Frey had completed the trial faster than Lanqi himself.

  While Lanqi had resorted to arresting the vilinous couple using legal tactics, Frey had simply braved the extreme cold head-on, leveraging his physical prowess to endure the harsh conditions.

  Lanqi and Huberrian had wondered which team had managed to recruit this peculiar individual. To their surprise, he had joined the Student Council.

  “As a matter of fact, the Student Management Committee is currently facing a severe manpower shortage,” Monast expined. “With the previous council members having graduated, Frey is the only newcomer, recommended by the Knight Institute’s dean. Initially, I was concerned that many of this semester’s affairs would require Athena and me to personally handle after wrapping up our transition duties with the academy. But now, the two of you have come at just the right time.”

  Monast’s expression showed a hint of weariness as he took a sip of coffee, pcing the cup down gently. His smile toward the two of them seemed to carry genuine relief, as if their mere presence had already alleviated some of his burdens.

  Lanqi nodded, understanding that the president was willing to accept them.

  “I’ve heard of your capabilities. If you don’t mind the potential challenges and tedious tasks that come with joining the Student Council, I would be delighted to invite Lanqi Wilford and Huberrian Ansar to join us.”

  “…”

  A moment of silence passed.

  A gentle breeze drifted in through the window, rustling the curtains and carrying the fresh scent of the outdoors. It swept across the table, the sofas, and the bookshelves, creating a faint rustling sound in the otherwise quiet room.

  President Monast and Vice President Athena both maintained friendly attitudes. Even Frey, though silent, regarded the two newcomers with a neutral gaze, showing no particur interest or disdain.

  Lanqi and Huberrian exchanged one final look before nodding in unison.

  “I’m very willing to join the Student Council,” Lanqi said.

  “So am I,” Huberrian added.

  “Then allow me to officially welcome you both,” Monast said with a smile. “I’ll handle the necessary registration paperwork with the academy. By the way, there’s also a second-year secretary from the Alchemy Institute on the council, but she’s usually busy with the campus newspaper and only drops by occasionally. You’ll meet her eventually.”

  The two nodded solemnly.

  However, judging by the serious look in Monast’s eyes, it seemed there was already a pressing matter he wanted to entrust to them.

  “In fact, the Student Council currently has a task of utmost urgency. I was hesitant to send Frey alone and had pnned to accompany him after clearing up my backlog. But with the three of you working together, I can rest assured and focus on my main responsibilities.”

  (End of Chapter)

  AnnouncementMy Patreon early-access chapters have been updated up to Chapter 190! You're welcome to support my work. Wishing everyone a wonderful day! http://patreon.com/SuperBC