Selection Of The Academy Festival Executive Committee

When Kent and Patty were talking, there were gazes from the other male students, but when he was talking with Josette, although they seemed to be paying attention in the same way, they did not get involved in particular and quickly looked away.

“Well, among the commoner class, the only rare person who speaks to me is someone like Kent-san. Come to think of it, Patty-san has also started speaking to me recently.”

In this class, Josette was the only student from the noble class. Even in other classes, there were only one or two noble-class students, so Kent thought they might be in similar circumstances. It seemed most commoners wanted to avoid getting involved with nobles as much as possible. It seemed that among a very small number, children from merchant families and the like approached nobles because they wanted to receive their benefits, but… Josette was the daughter of a duke’s household, which came right after the royal family in noble rank, and because of her relationship with the shops her household frequented, it seemed even merchant children did not approach her.

As Kent was thinking about that, someone took his hand. He did not even need to think about it; it was the hand of Josette, who was closest to him.

“Wouldn’t it be bad if someone saw us?”

“No one is looking. But if I think that perhaps someone might be watching, it makes my heart race a little.”

Josette said that a little shyly. The students in this classroom, both boys and girls, were looking toward Patty and the group surrounding her, so it seemed fine… or so he thought, but there was one person staring fixedly in their direction.

(You two do not need to flirt with each other, so please help me.)

Patty, who had ended up surrounded by a group of male students, was looking toward them with a troubled expression that said, please help me.

“Oh, hohohoho…”

Josette noticed Patty’s gaze, let go of Kent’s hand, took out a fan from somewhere, and fanned her mouth to cover it up.

“All right, you lot, homeroom is starting. Take your seats.”

When the homeroom teacher entered, the group broke up, and everyone sat in their own seats.

“Then, class duty.”

“Stand! Bow!”

“Good morning.”

“““““Good morning.”””””

“Good morning.”

“Sit!”

At the class duty student’s command, they exchanged greetings, and homeroom began.

“Now then, the new term begins today. I am happy that everyone is here without anyone missing. This term, the academy festival, the biggest event at this academy, will be held. We will select the academy festival executive committee members who will handle its meetings, preparations, and operations on the day itself. We will choose one boy and one girl. First, is there anyone who wants to volunteer?”

The homeroom teacher asked the entire class. Then a brief silence fell.

“For the commoner class, if you become a committee member, your working time gets taken away until the academy festival ends, so I do not think anyone will volunteer. As for nobles, they may have to bow their heads when looking for sponsors, even though they do not want to lower their heads, so I think their pride as nobles would make them not want to do it either.”

Patty, who was in the seat next to him, quietly said that to Kent. It seemed most of the commoner-class students lived in an environment where they had to work so much that even the time spent attending school felt precious.

“It seems there are no volunteers. Then Kent, you are decided first.”

“Huh?”

Clap, clap, clap, clap…

After the teacher said that, Kent was nominated. Then, as though approving it, a great round of applause broke out in the class. The male students in particular clapped so intensely that it seemed their hands might swell.

“It seems the majority is in favor. Then the male student is decided as Kent. Next is the female student. Is there anyone who wants to volunteer?”

After Kent was decided without any room for objection, the teacher once again asked for volunteers.

“Kent-san has helped me in many ways, so I will…”

Just as Patty began to say that, a loud voice came from the back.

“I will do it.”

Hearing that voice, every student in the class looked at the female student who had volunteered.

“““Murmur, murmur…”””

“Josette-san, are you truly sure?”

Because an unexpected person had volunteered, the students in the class began to stir, and the homeroom teacher asked hesitantly.

“Is there something wrong with me volunteering for the academy festival executive committee?”

“““““…”””””

When Josette spoke in a sharp tone, everyone fell silent.

“…Er, then, since Josette-san has volunteered, if there is no one else, these two will be decided.”

Clap, clap, clap, clap.

When the homeroom teacher said that, the students in the class applauded, and it was approved. After that, there were explanations about this term’s events and reports of instructions and notices, and homeroom ended.

When lunch break began, Kent sat on the bench behind the school building as usual. Sitting beside him was Josette, who had come along with him.

“Josette-san, was it really all right for you to accept the committee position? I do not know the details, but I heard you have to go around bowing your head to gather funds…”

“If it were a lower noble house without money, that might certainly be the case. However, when it comes to a house like mine, contributing enough money for a class’s academy festival presentation is not a significant amount. So there is no need to lower my head.”

“Does that mean the duke’s household will provide the money?”

“Yes.”

Kent could understand what Josette was saying, but he felt that something about it bothered him.

“Be-sides, being able to act together with Kent-san means the time I can spend with you will increase.”

Saying that, Josette clung to Kent’s arm. The feeling of the swelling of her chest was transmitted to Kent’s arm.

“Still, everyone is late.”

Before Patty left the classroom, she had been surrounded by male students and was taken off to the cafeteria as she was. Normally, Caro and Rachel should have joined them here, but they still had not appeared. Josette said that with slight concern.

“Hey, Caro, don’t push.”

“Ah, sorr—”

““Eek!””

Rachel and Caro, who had been hiding behind something, lost their balance, fell over, and entered Kent’s field of vision.

“What are you two doing?”

“Ahahahaha… We got found out.”

“I am sorry. We did not intend to hide, but one thing led to another…”

When Kent asked the two of them, Rachel said that with an expression that seemed to say, oops, while Caro spoke with an apologetic expression.

“The atmosphere between Big Brother and Josette-san seemed nice, so I thought maybe you’d push her down right there, and I was watching from behind cover.”

Rachel said that without any sign of guilt.

“Oh, so you two ended up becoming academy festival executive committee members. It’s a troublesome role, so no one wants to do it…”

When they told the two of them that they had become academy festival executive committee members, Rachel said that.

“But it’s fine for the duke’s household to provide money, but is there any benefit?”

“What do you mean?”

Kent asked back at Rachel’s question.

“For example, if the place investing is some kind of shop… Well, to make it easy to understand, let’s say the sponsor is Marie’s bakery. It wouldn’t just be investing money. Since the shop’s products could be sold in the form of a stall as part of the presentation, sales would increase, and because many people who come to the academy festival would learn about the shop, it would also serve as advertising, right? So if it’s a shop doing business and it has enough strength, it is relatively easy to get them to sponsor it as a promotional activity. But while it’s not as though nobles never sponsor things, there is also the possibility that it will be taken as self-promotion, like, ‘Our family contributed this much money.’ Well, I don’t think anyone would complain if it’s a duke’s household, but I feel like the duke’s household gets no benefit and only spends money.”

“What Rachel-san says is certainly correct. However, if it creates time for me to be with Kent-san, this much is a trivial matter.”

When Rachel explained, Josette answered that way.

“My, how passionate. Big Brother, you have to answer Josette-san’s feelings properly too, okay?”

Saying that, Rachel teased Kent.

“Then I will also sponsor…”

“There’s no point in you doing it, Caro. You aren’t even on the committee in the first place.”

“Ugh, that is true.”

When Caro tried to compete, Rachel delivered the finishing blow.