episode_0031

“Are you also my fan?”

“If not, this sudden abduction makes no sense.”

“Though, of course, it’s not a real abduction.”

“Huh?”

“I believe I just said I won’t repeat myself twice. For someone with such potential, your head doesn’t seem particularly sharp.”

Panuel clicks his tongue faintly and mutters under his breath, clearly displeased with my questioning. Judging by his tone, he doesn’t seem like a fan at all.

Then what is this about?

“I asked if you’ve ever considered joining the student council.”

“I do have an interest. But isn’t joining the student council supposed to require an interview?”

“If that were the case, would I have gone out of my way to come here and talk to you?”

Panuel speaks as if he’s implying he could get me into the student council right away if I wanted.

“…You look like you don’t quite understand. There are too many eyes here—let’s move somewhere else. You, stand up. And you too.”

Panuel points at me and then at Serena, who was sitting in the back.

“Ah… Surely you don’t mean me, right?”

“Yes, you. If you understand, both of you, follow me.”

Panuel walks past me and heads toward the back door.

“Ugh… This is why I hate getting attention.”

Serena grumbles under her breath but reluctantly shuffles after him.

This is strange.

If he called me out simply because he’s a fan, there’d be no reason to summon Serena as well.

‘There must be another reason.’

I completely dismiss the idea that he’s showing me favoritism because he’s a fan.

Even if I rack my brain now, nothing comes to mind, so I have no choice but to follow him along with Serena.

“See you later~”

“Yeah, I’ll be back.”

I respond briefly to Ume’s farewell and step out of the classroom through the back door.

As soon as I enter the hallway, the first thing I see is Serena’s slightly annoyed expression.

“….”

“….”

I try exchanging glances with her to see if she knows anything, but I fail immediately.

Well, of course—Serena’s eyes are half-closed. How could we even make eye contact?

“No need to be so nervous. No matter how much of a weirdo I am, I wouldn’t harm you in a place where everyone can see.”

Panuel leans against the wall after glancing at me and Serena.

“Well, that’s a relief. I thought I was about to experience the school violence I’ve only heard rumors about.”

Serena answers with a straight face before slowly leaning against the wall as well.

Somehow, it feels like I’m the only one here with proper manners.

“Anyway, I’ll cut to the chase. You two, ever thought about joining the student council? If it’s you, I can personally fast-track your admission.”

“I’d like to join.”

I nod without hesitation.

I can ask for the reason later.

I don’t want to miss this opportunity right in front of me.

“Name?”

“Park Junghyun.”

“Confirmed.”

Panuel taps my shoulders lightly with the edge of his hand, as if performing some kind of ritual, then speaks.

“Park Junghyun, from this moment on, you’re a member of the student council.”

What? Is it really this simple to just breeze through like this?

I’m at a loss for how to react to such an underwhelming development when Serena speaks up.

“I’ll pass.”

“That’s a shame. Mind if I ask why?”

“No particular reason. I just… never had much interest in joining the student council…”

Serena trails off for a moment before finishing with a small smile.

“Carrying someone else’s expectations is a bit too heavy for my shoulders.”

A faint sense of discomfort lingers in her smile.

“Well, if you’re not interested, I won’t force you. Then that settles it. You can head back now.”

“Senpai, this might be an impertinent request, but may I ask you one thing?”

“Go ahead.”

As he nods, I voice the question that’s been on my mind.

Or rather, I try to.

“Why did you call the two of us—”

“—Why did I call just the two of you out and make this offer? You want to ask that, right? Easy guess.”

“…Yes.”

I blink and nod. Panuel smirks and points at his right eye.

“It’s because my eyes are a bit special.”

“Your… eyes?”

Serena, who had been keeping her left eye closed, opens it slightly and asks.

“Yeah. My eyes. This one has a special ability.”

Looking closely at his right eye, I notice a faint, pattern-like mark engraved in it.

“When I channel magic into my eye, I can see a person’s potential.”

So Panuel has that kind of ability.

Since he was just an NPC who occasionally handed out student council-related quests, I never imagined he’d have such a unique power.

I should correct my bias that only main characters have special abilities, but it’s not easy to change.

“So, Senpai, you called us out separately because you saw our potential?”

“That’s right. Well, the others weren’t bad either, but you two stood out.”

Panuel points at Serena and continues.

“First… What’s your name again?”

“Serena Eldraine.”

“Ah, Eldraine. That explains the unusually sharp potential I saw.”

Panuel nods upon hearing Serena’s name.

“The potential you hold is as sharp as a blade. So much so that I almost felt like I’d get cut if I got too close. And its scale was enormous—the second largest I’ve ever seen.”

Serena is only the second?

Then how much of a monster is the first?

“And you, Park Junghyun.”

Before I can even dwell on the question, Panuel points at me.

“You’re an out-of-spec monster. I can say this with certainty—you possess greater potential than anyone I’ve ever seen. So much so that it overshadowed the potential of everyone else sitting around you.”

Ah, so I’m the monster.

It seems the potential of my borrowed persona was read.

Otherwise, his assessment that I surpass Serena wouldn’t even make sense.

“So, the moment I saw you, I thought to myself—no matter what bizarre goals you have or how much of a jerk you are, I have to get you into the student council.”

Panuel pats my shoulder lightly.

“Even though… well, you don’t seem particularly useful right now, my eyes don’t lie. Sooner or later, you’ll become a monster greater than me. Let’s do our best from now on.”

Panuel’s evaluation is the complete opposite of the aptitude test.

Hearing this from the student council president, whose position is determined solely by strength, makes me feel an inexplicable weight on my shoulders.

Right.

My potential is limitless.

“Ah, yes. I’ll do my best.”

“Good. Thanks for humoring my whims, both of you. You can head back now.”

“Senpai! If you suddenly drag people out like this, it’s hard for me to clean up afterward!”

Just as Panuel is about to leave, Jorvenil steps out of Class A’s front door, pouting as he protests.

“You managed just fine, didn’t you? I trusted you to handle it.”

“Well, yes, but… Please, at least tone down your erratic behavior when others are around.”

“I got it, I got it. Ah, introductions are overdue. This is Park Junghyun. I just got him into the student council.”

“That’s… You know that’s an abuse of power, right?”

“I’m the president—who’s going to complain? I judged with my own eyes, so don’t worry too much.”

“Huh!? You mentioned your eyes just now?”

“If you’re going to ask, I might as well answer.”

“Good grief…”

As Panuel gestures to his right eye, Jorvenil lets out a shallow sigh and turns to me.

“…I’m Jorvenil, a second-year. As I mentioned earlier, I’m the vice president.”

“Park Junghyun, Class A, first year. Nice to meet you.”

He forces a smile and adjusts his glasses in response to my greeting.

“Right. Let’s work well together. Anyway, Senpai, we should head back soon. Class is about to start.”

“Sure. Then we’ll take our leave. See you both later.”

Panuel waves lightly, and Jorvenil gives a small bow.

A carefree angel and a sharp devil.

Every time I see them, I can’t help but feel their roles are reversed.

Swallowing a laugh at the ironic pairing, I’m about to head back to class when—

“That eye… Do you ever resent it?”

Serena, who had been silent until now, speaks up as they walk away.

“The eye—are you asking me?”

Panuel turns back, pauses for a moment, then shrugs.

“Well, it’s annoying sometimes, but I wouldn’t say I resent it. In the end, it’s just another blessing I’ve been given.”

“A blessing…”

Serena quietly repeats his words before closing her half-open left eye again.

“I’m a little envious.”

For a fleeting moment, a smile flickers at the corner of her lips.

“Even if you’re envious, don’t dream of taking it. I only have one of these eyes, after all.”

“Ahaha, thankfully, I don’t have a hobby of coveting others’ eyeballs. It was purely out of curiosity. Thanks for humoring my odd question. Well then, I’ll head back?”

But as if it never happened, she regains her usual sly, relaxed demeanor and turns on her heel, trudging back into the classroom through the rear door.

The black greatsword strapped to her back sways lazily, as always.

A peaceful lunchtime at Providence.

The sunlight is warm, sleepiness drifts in, and my body relaxes on its own.

And yet, here I am—

“Kyaaa~! So adorable~!”

—struggling in Karen’s embrace.

…How did it come to this?