Volume 7 Chapter 15 Bonus
Time rewound a bit to the morning Randy decided to show up at the magic tool club.
"It's true... Senior Randolph is running for student council president."
"Uh, yeah..."
When Randy decided to run, Cory and Annabelle, who were not present, heard about it from Catherine.
For the two who did not know about Randy's expulsion, his candidacy was a surprising action.
"Randolph, that third-year?"
"Why again?"
Annabelle and Cory nodded involuntarily at the questioning voices around them. Randy and the position of student council president just did not match.
So now, they kept staring at Randy's name on the sign, half-convinced it was a mistake...
"Even a dropout can run for office──"
"Oh, he's not a dropout at all!"
...Suddenly, a voice made Annabelle yell out without thinking. Under the gathered gazes, Annabelle looked down and stumbled over her words.
To protect Annabelle, Cory quietly but firmly spoke to the onlookers, "He's not that kind of person."
"Senior Randolph is not the person you all think he is."
Cory repeated it again, talking about the man named Randy.
Randy may not excel academically, but it's only because he lacks motivation, not sharp insight or calm judgment.
He's involved in many businesses Braubelg monopolizes, like cameras, carriages, and essential oils.
Moreover, he has the skill to handle even an S-rank adventurer easily.
Despite being such a man, he never boasts and always returns sincerity with sincerity.
"Anyway, you can't judge him just by his academy performance."
Cory declared, and Annabelle nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Once you see him seriously working on something, your opinion of him will completely change."
Cory recalled the camera-making project that started with the 'Seven Wonders' and Victor's Harvest Festival. Although their interactions were fewer compared to other teammates, the experiences were more than enough to understand Randy's capabilities.
"I don't know everything, but he's definitely strong!"
Suddenly, a female student Cory didn't know raised her hand. She spoke about Randy's achievements during the dungeon training in the second year's third term.
"If it weren't for Randolph, we would have been in real trouble back then."
Her words drew nods of agreement from several others. Apparently, there were other students who had participated in the dungeon training.
Seeing Cory and the training participants speak so confidently, the onlookers began to feel ashamed of their earlier attitudes, muttering, "Huh, I see. That's surprising."
"Though, when he gets focused, he can lose sight of his surroundings."
Cory added, and Annabelle, along with the training participants, nodded in agreement.
"But I think the academy would become more fun if he became president."
'Achoo──!!'
A loud sneeze echoed from the school building, causing everyone to turn toward the sound.
"...Was that Senior?"
"Probably."
The two exchanged smiles, and like them, everyone else couldn't help but smile, wondering about the source of the sound.
The atmosphere in the courtyard, which had changed from earlier, was now bathed in the gentle morning light.
* * *
"Don't suddenly sneeze so loudly!"
"You scared me!"
Randy was pulled from both sides by Liz and Ellie, who were scolding him. "Someone must've been talking about me," he said, rubbing his nose.
"What a fool!"
"I completely agree with Ellie this time!"
"Why's that?!"
The three of them were lively and noisy as they disappeared into the school building—their figures watched from a distance by other students.
"Ugh, they're always so lovey-dovey."
"Yeah, every day."
"...But, it's kind of enviable."
Separate from Cory's efforts to spread the word, Randy unintentionally continued to make his presence known, for better or worse, every day.
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