Reiryuu Academy Student Council Chapter 34

La Faust Academy Arc

34 Negotiations and the Sand Castle (Revised Edition)

By bus, it took nearly an hour.

They arrived at La Faust Academy.

“Uwaa. This is another impressive school building, isn’t it?”

Meru’s carefree tone contrasted with her words. Kei looked at the school building and muttered, “Amazing.”

Dyed brown-kun and top knot-kun stood in front of the academy, shocked. Kei encouraged dyed brown-kun and top knot-kun who were making forlorn faces. He slapped their backs and they pitched forward.

Putting aside dyed brown-kun for the moment, one wanted to ask top knot-kun why he came if he was going to be so shocked.

“Why aren’t you two nervous?”

Dyed brown-kun glared at Kei with reproachful eyes. Opposite him, Kei looked like he had no idea what he was talking about.

“We’re not doing anything wrong, so why would we be?”

Meru smiled wryly at that response which was very much Kei-like. Dyed brown-kun and top knot-kun said, “Just as you’d expect from Kei-kun,” while shedding tears.

And so, dyed brown-kun and top knot-kun came to see Meru and Kei as the strongest pair of siblings in their eyes.

Certainly, it felt as if they were here, there wasn’t anything to be scared of.

They followed the long wall and approached the school gates. Dyed brown-kun bowed to the guard in front of them.

“Uhm, uh… We’d like to meet with Sakakida Souichirou-san……”

“I have heard about your situation. I will contact Sakakidsama, so please wait for a moment……”

Saying so, the guard headed to the security room next to the gate and spoke on the phone extension. Several seconds later, it seemed that the call connected and he came back to where the four of them were waiting.

“Sakakidsama is waiting in the meeting room to the right of the entrance.”

After saying so, the guard quickly opened the gate.

About to march into the academy, dyed brown-kun’s shoulders were stiff. Since you could see how tense he was, Meru tapped his shoulder.

“Eh, w, what’s up?”

Due to his nervousness, dyed brown-kun’s voice cracked. Meru burst into laughter.

“If you’re too nervous, you’ll be looked down on, you know? Release the tension in your shoulders.”

Meru smiled after saying that to give him peace of mind. As she did, dyed brown-kun’s shoulders relaxed.

“Meru-nee……”

Kei looked at Meru admiringly. Meru shifted her line of sight to top knot-kun who was beside Kei and spoke up.

“You too, relax…”

“Yessssss!”

“Are you listening to what I’m saying…?”

In the very next instant following Meru’s advice, top knot-kun’s voice broke into a falsetto. Looking at him, Meru smiled helplessly and Kei smacked him on the head by way of encouragement.

When they entered the gates, they were greeted by a flower garden and a fountain, a scene that gave the feeling of a plaza in a western country. Here and there, La Faust students could be seen on the beautiful ornamental benches or in the shade cast by the trees.

“These stares are embarrassing…”

Just as dyed brown-kun said, the inquisitive gazes of the students around them were almost painful.

They could hear people chuckling. Aside from Meru, the other three were wearing uniforms from some unknown public high school, so they were probably being looked down upon as the students wondered what business ordinary people could have at the academy.

Walking through that atmosphere for a while, they finally arrived at the entrance to the school building.

If you looked up at the school building, you would see a castle taken directly from some fairytale.

It was already to the extent that one could only sigh in admiration. Kei once again brought the two who were staring blankly with foolish faces back to reality.

“Ahh! Dammit!”

Dyed brown-kun strengthened his resolve by clapping his hands against his cheeks. For some reason, top knot-kun also fired himself up by doing the same, and somehow it calmed down the area around their group.

The four of them opened the large, heavy door and set foot into the school building.

The inside was just as you’d expect from the exterior’s impression. With each step taken, a high class clicking noise would resound from the marble flooring.

Following what the guard had told them, they came to a stop in front of a room to the right of the entrance that had “Meeting Room”1 written on it.

“Meeting? Is it some kind of club room?”

“This is the meeting room.”

Meru smiled wryly as she retorted.

She turned her head and checked on dyed brown-kun. It seemed that he was already fully prepared, and he met her gaze with a nod.

They opened the door.

The inside of the room was as expected. It was very spacious. They weren’t experts, but expensive-looking sculptures and dazzling ornaments decorated the room, and the visual satisfaction they gave was amazing.

On the table for receiving guests and on the seats, there was not a single speck of dust, and their luster was different. They gave an ultra high-class feeling.

Amid all of that, the man named Sakakida Souichirou was sitting on a black sofa looking cheerful. It was as if to say that both he and the surrounding high class objects were at the same level.

“Well, well, you have several companions…….”

Just as he did yesterday, Sakakida watched them with a scornful smile that showed he looked down on others. There was no mistaking that Sakakida imagined it would be dyed brown-kun and his mother coming to visit. Facing this many people was certainly outside of his expectations. However, he soon seemed to realize that they were the guests in the restaurant yesterday and sneered.

“Well, it’s fine. Please have a seat there.”

Saying so, Sakakida urged the four of them to sit on the sofa in front of him. Dyed brown-kun and top knot-kun sat down as directed.

“Meru-nee, you’re not gonna sit?”

“Nope, since I’m standing. It’s fine, right?”

When she asked, Sakakida gave permission with an “Indeed” as if it didn’t matter in any case. To put it bluntly, Meru and the others were outsiders, so he likely had no consideration for them.

“Well then, that you came here today……means that you’ve accepted, correct?”

Sakakida said, urging dyed brown-kun to take out the property handover agreement letter of acceptance. Dyed brown-kun bit his lips and decided to try his last resort.

“Um, is another place no good? Even if it’s not that café…”

“It’s no good. That place is convenient for access to transportation. Its position is ideal.”

“B-but…that street is spacious, there are other shops, so if you take your negotiations there…”

Top knot-kun also brought forward a plan on behalf of dyed brown-kun. Certainly, if he acquired the buildings adjacent to the well-placed café, another place nearby should be fine. He had a good point, but because it was top knot-kun who spoke up, there was no credence given to his words. There was no way he would be listened to.

“I like that location.”

Sakakida announced with a sigh.

Listening to that, Kei and top knot-kun both grimaced.

Sakakida’s reasoning was too merciless and sloppy.

Because he liked the location, he evicted them; that logic was a little too oppressive. With that reason, there was no way dyed brown-kun and his mom could agree.

“Then, please take out the property handover agreement.”

He pressed once more. Dyed brown-kun put his hand on his school bag, but he still hesitated to take out the property handover agreement.

Kei understood why, so he made his move. He stepped out from where he was next to Meru, sat down on the couch, and caught dyed brown-kun’s hand.

“……Kei?”

Dyed brown-kun made a surprised face. But at the instant he looked at Kei’s face, his expression relaxed.

“I said it yesterday too, but I like that café.”

Kei said and began speaking to Sakakida.

“Auntie is suuuper kind, and like this guy said, they have a ton of regular customers.”

“That’s true. Auntie’s cooking is awesome, and the customers haven’t declined at all……”

Top knot-kun also added a few words.

Kei bowed his head to Sakakida.

“Please. Please reconsider.”

“Please.”

Top knot-kun bowed his head like Kei. Looking at them, dyed brown-kun teared up before saying, “Please,” and bowing his head as well.

Seeing that, Sakakida looked at them as though he was looking at something pathetic.

“……What a touching friendship. However, it’s unfortunate. I find the masses who think that they can change a situation with their feelings to be detestable.”

Sakakida threw out those words, then began to smile at the three who had their heads lowered.

“I am someone who is superior even in this, La Faust Academy. Do you think that that kind of play will pass with me, someone who will shoulder this country in the future? How ridiculous. I’m sure it’s a play you practiced with all your efforts, but it was even worse than the worst performers.”

Kei glared at Sakakida when he spoke with a scornful smile. Dyed brown-kun and top knot-kun’s faces turned bright red with shame.

“What’s that look for? You’re just an outsider. Can you not take part in these discussions further?”

Dyed brown-kun and top knot-kun had fallen, so Sakakida turned to crush Kei who was still rebellious toward him.

“A commoner like you may not be able to go even to a restaurant like that, but that doesn’t have anything to do with me.”

Sakakida was completely making fun of Kei. Then, with that same odious smile, he continued to speak.

“No matter what kind of emotional story you present, it won’t move me. Could you please hurry and take out the property handover agreement? I hate wasting my time.”

“I feel the same way.”

At the moment Sakakida said that, Meru opened her mouth. At the voice coming from an unexpected direction, Sakakida, Kei, dyed brown-kun, and top knot-kun were all surprised.

“Meru-nee…”

“Who are you? Another outsider butting in?”

Sakakida asked, looking at Meru who was standing near the door. She stood composed, warding off Sakakida’s sharp gaze.

“Nope, you said that you hate wasting your time, and I simply empathized. I thought that this kind of argument was pointless.”

Kei and the others looked at Meru doubtfully. But Sakakida, who thought he had found an ally in Meru, smiled meaningfully. Then, he looked at her uniform and understood.

“As expected of a Reiryuu student. You understand.”

“Yes, I do. It’s truly absurd, isn’t it……that amusement facilities plan.”

Meru smiled sweetly.

“……”

At Meru’s follow-up words, Sakakida’s eyes opened wide. Kei and the others also twitched. Meru was saying that this construction plan itself was a waste of time.

“Wh, you…”

“Sakakida Souichirou-san, you are the son of the president of that Sakakida Works. However at present, you have yet to inherit any authority in the business.”

Meru spoke about Sakakida’s profile at length in front of him. It was from her instantaneous memorization of Laila’s data.

Understanding that she had investigated him accurately, impatience floated on Sakakida’s face.

“In other words, this plan to build amusement facilities has absolutely no relation to Sakakida Works, correct? Everything is for your own private purpose. In which case, our opinion has the priority. So if we’re saying that we don’t want the café to go out of business, you should take that opinion into account. Am I wrong?”

Meru tilted her head to the side and asked Sakakida. Sakakida was at a loss for words and averted his eyes from her.

“H-Hmph. If I request it, my father will make a move.”

“Then, why fuss over that location?”

Meru successively asked Sakakida questions. She couldn’t allow him the time to compose himself.

“Like I said before……”

“Because the president won’t make a move.”

“……!”

“Perhaps he said something like if you want to build those facilities, everything is up to you?”

“……Y-You’re wrong!”

Sakakida’s eyes flew open at Meru’s remark. She had hit the bull’s-eye.

“If Sakakida Works were to make a move, they could buy out another place and wouldn’t fixate on that location in particular. There are plenty of major companies developing on that street, so seeing that Sakakida Works isn’t moving, you brush any talks aside. As such, you need a store that is astonished by the name Sakakida and without investigating whether you have any backing, goes along with your acquisition plan. A shop that meets that rubric, and furthermore meets your standard of plot size, is that café.”

Meru said all of that smoothly without pause. Kei, dyed brown-kun, and top knot-kun didn’t understand what all of that meant. Sakakida glared at Meru bitterly.

“Why is it that you, a commoner……even as a Reiryuu student can talk from a business administration point of view?”

At those words, Kei flinched. Meru shrugged her shoulders and laughed carefreely.

“A long time ago I was curious about it, so I read a book about business administration. A case similar to this was written in it, so I was a little interested and came along for the ride.”

Meru said, playing the fool. Facing her, Sakakida was irritated even by her attitude, and his face distorted with sorrow.

“……”

Sakakida clicked his tongue and set his hand on the manila envelope next to him.

“……How much?”

Sakakida pulled out a check and asked as he turned to face dyed brown-kun. Dyed brown-kun was dumbfounded.

“……What?”

“The amount I put forward is insufficient, so you won’t allow the acquisition, correct? Go ahead, say your desired price. In any case, however much money you want, for us affluent, it is a paltry sum.”

To the last, Sakakida spouted nothing but nasty words. Kei clenched his fist. Knowing what Kei was going to do, Meru called his name, and he stopped.

Looking at Kei, Sakakida had a relieved expression and a smile came to his face.

“Is it vexing to hear the truth?”

Having been stopped by Meru, Kei didn’t strike Sakakida. However, if he hit that face, he definitely wouldn’t incur any bad karma.

“Sakakidsan.”

Meru called Sakakida’s name. Fully revealing his wariness of Meru, he turned his gaze toward her.

“What is it?”

“Are you able to prepare enough money to buy what he and his mother want?”

When Meru spoke, Sakakida laughed scornfully.

“That’s a given, is it not? Something commoners want……”

“Then……how much money does it take to buy memories?”

Meru’s clear voice rang out, interrupting Sakakida’s.

“In this current world, there aren’t many things you can’t buy with money. For example, a life–it’s a world where if you have money, you can go to the hospital and be saved.”

Meru’s face fell slightly.

There was nothing money couldn’t buy. If you had the money, you could get everything you wanted.

But that was untrue. There are things you can’t buy, no matter how much money you have. Sakakida Souichirou who didn’t know that was a truly blessed person, and also a truly pitiable person.

“That’s why I think that things that you can’t buy with money……especially because it is that kind of world, are incredibly valuable. He, who has that kind of valuable thing, is incredibly wealthy….. Am I wrong?”

Meru didn’t show anything on her face. The always carefree Meru wasn’t there right now. She only had the air given by her calm tone.

“Can you return all of the memories packed into that café?”

“……Memories? Is this another emotional story? I’m already tired of hearing that kind of story.”

“Please don’t get tired of it.”

Meru said and took out a voice recorder from the pocket of her white pleated skirt.

“Wh……”

Sakakida looked at what Meru was holding and knitted his brows.

“I wonder what the world will think if they hear this conversation?”

Meru brought the voice recorder to the side of her face and asked Sakakida.

“In this world, there are more commoners. There’s only a handful of affluent people like you. Because there are the rich, there are commoners, but the opposite is also true.”

Everything Sakakida said here would make him an enemy of the common people. The truth of his laughable plan was also recorded, so as long as they had that voice recorder, he wouldn’t win even if he called a lawyer.2

“The condition for me to erase the contents of this recording…… A written oath that you won’t have anything to do with that café anymore, if you please.”

It was the best strategy. Sakakida couldn’t say no. If he accepted Meru’s negotiation, he would be given a clean slate for this incident. But he would still have the opportunity to build his amusement facilities. If he refused her, he would sully the name of the Sakakida household. If it went badly, it could develop into talks of his disowning.

“……!”

Sakakida slammed the table. Then, he opened his mouth bitterly.

“……I understand. I’ll hand over a written oath.”

At those words, dyed brown-kun’s eyes lit up. Kei and top knot-kun shouted “Yes!” and high-fived.

Looking at how happy Kei and the others were, Meru smiled gently. She left the meeting room a step ahead of them.

She already had no business here. To Meru, this academy wasn’t a place she wanted to stay for a long time.

“……I guess I’ll go home.”

Without feeling the least sorrow of parting, Meru left the academy’s entrance while stretching.

1 Actually written in English in the original text hah. Just so it’s clear for the next bit of dialogue and the slight confusion.

2 What laws? Who needs laws? There are no laws in fiction.

The “sand castle” in the title refers to how Sakakida seemed to have this strong, majestic front, but he was easily “washed out.”

As with chapter 31, the “Revised Edition” is in the title of the original work! I didn’t revise anything.

This chapter was really long in return for the last short one I guess. Basically twice the length of a normal chapter, so enjoy! :’)

Chapter end