Seitokai no Ichizon: Volume 1 Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"What is impotant isn't winning or losing! It is whether one has put in effort or not!"

Kaichou, like always, thumps her small chest and spoke all self-importantly of some second-hand knowledge from a book.

However...this time, those words did not reach anyone's heart.

Because.

"Aka-chan, this is really unsightly you know."

"Uguu......"

Treated coldly by Chizuru-san, Kaichou's expressions stiffened. As one would expect, she doesn't seem to be able to field any more counter-arguments today.

Kaichou stared at the pile of cards on the meeting table regrettably. .....Being like this, she really does seem like a child. The kind of purity that allows one to show such regret due to losing a game normally isn't something that can be kept intact by the point one became a highschool student.

Even though there was an unspoken understanding that the one that lost would gather the cards and shuffle them, as Kaichou has become a complete invalid, I gathered the scattered cards, piled them together and began to carefully shuffle. Since this time we played Old Maid, the cards are all gathered in some form of pairs, if one doesn't thoroughly shuffle then it would affect the next game.

As I was simply cutting the deck in half, taking each half and flipping through them to mix the alternating cards together, Minatsu broke the ice with "Are we going to play still?"

Mafuyu-chan answered that.

"Ummm...we played quite a bit right..."

Chizuru-san sighed.

"Well. Due to some sore loser's fault, It feels like we played through most of the major card games and finally got to the point of needing to return to the the roots of card games in Old Maid, doesn't it."

Receiving those words, every member looked at Kaichou as she groaned "Uu..."

In the first place, to explain how it became like this.

Today, there really wasn't any work-like work or any meeting topic-like topic. It was fine to just chat like we normally do, but as today by chance Mafuyu-chan had poker cards on her, then it became let's play with that as we chat, however...

Still, it was the Student Council room. Kaichou, who is worthy of being called the archetypal earnest person at first was like "Even if there isn't work, to do something like this in the council room is a bit..." with a sober feeling. There I proposed lightheartedly "then, if Kaichou wins, we'll stop playing at that point, how does that sound?"...that, was the start of this card game that continued on and on.

To state the foregone conclusion.

"...Kaichou is hopelessly bad at this"

"Gaaan"

Kaichou took even more damage from my muttering, and lowered her head.

For some reason, Kaichou is weak at about every card game. Well, there are some realistic reasons, to a degree (things show easily on her face, she doesn't think of strategies or anything), however, even if we discount that she is weak. Even when we played games where there are a fair bit of luck involved, no matter how many times we did it, she ended up at the bottom of the standings.

As it comes to this, Kaichou, who hates to lose, appears to have completely forgotten her original position against playing around, and at the end of every game, she ends up saying this.

"On, one more game!"

"".........""

These words are spoken to the harem members who can't openly show their weariness in their expression, but nonetheless give off the air of being so. Even with these fun-loving members, it is about time that they are getting fed up with poker cards themselves. Furthermore, the more that Kaichou loses in a row, the weirder the tension during the game gets; it isn't a situation where one could be having fun.

As I shuffle and tossed some unmotivated words "Alright, what will we play next~", Minatsu, who is next to me, pokes at me beneath the desk on my thighs. While I thought it was a sign for "I, love, you", but since it is Minatsu and I, the two who show no prospect of staying the same people over the years, that's probably wrong. (While I hold some fears about getting this joke across to the younger folks)

I turned to face Minatsu and she started whispering quietly to me.

"(Say...isn't it about time that we should purposely let her win?)"

"(Well, Chizuru-san and I are already thinking about that, however...)"

Even in spite of that, the "Eye-contact Meeting" with Chizuru-san reached a conclusion of "No, best if we don't do that". I relayed the conclusion to Minatsu, and she made an unsatisfied face.

"(Ehh~. Why~? Even I am going to get tired soon~)"

"(Think about it Minatsu. If it goes well, then that's that, but what is going to happen if Kaichou finds out about this...)"

"(...... ...she is going to be pretty pissed for a while, probably, that Kaichou-san)"

"(Right? Kaichou, with regards to things like this, is pretty persistant. So which do you think is better, to put up with a dark mood, with a low-tension Kaichou for a few weeks or somehow withstand card games, just today?)"

"(Definitely to put up with card games)"

"(Then give up. Even as you exhaust all your powers, pray to God for kaichou's victory!)

"(U, uuuu.... This is kinda painful... Like how a soldier feels when he has someone he likes with the bad guys)"

"(You finally understand, Minatsu? The student council room right now is just like...a battlefield.)"

"(I am already unsure of what is just and what is wrong...)"

"(That is how it is in the world. Everyone hoists their own version of justice and fights to prove themselves right.)"

"(Aahhh, how could it be that this novel is taken on by such a deep theme!)"

"(It is the destiny of light novels. Accept it, Minatsu.)"

"(Urg... Eroge character is pretty horrible, but a light novel life is also pretty damned bad eh!)"

"(That might be the case. However, even if there is a world-destroying development, the possibility in a light novel life to have the protagonist and heroine survive is high you know. How about it. Want to get it on with me...)"

"(No. At that getting caught in the apocolypse is better)"

"(What kind of a bad end is being my lover treated as!?)"

After the exchange, Minatsu seems somewhat refreshed and apparently took a more philosophical view of things, and started concentrating mentally to prepare for the next game. Since I can't do anything about it, I quietly continued to shuffle.

On the other side of things, Kaichou, Chizuru-san and Mafuyu-chan were chatting and trying to decide the next game to play.

"Mafuyu...would like it to be something that isn't so rousing. H, how about something like Daifugo to relax a little with?"

With Daifugo, as long as we can can use kakumei well we can have Kaichou win (without her realizing we are holding back), that's probably why it was suggested. While in a rare event Mafuyu-chan expressed her opinion, the said Kaichou showed a sign of disapproval.

"Daifugo eh. It is a game that you don't get bored of, but... For me right now, something like this, something just to this extent can't satisfy me!"

"Ah, eh, um... Why...is that?"

"That's why, it is too laid back! Daifugo! Somehow it feels like it is full of that 'everyone get along' air doesn't it, Daifugo!"

"Th, that's good, or so Mafuyu thinks..."

"That's wrong! Daifugo is a good game you know? However...for my tension right now that is completely unsuitable! For me now...something that results in techniques matched against techniques, for people's wits to clash with each other, and with that flavor of luck for the situation to change completely...I want to see victory in such a fierce battle!"

...It is precisely due to her lacking in those techniques, wits and luck in comparison to everyone else that we have Kaichou's current situation...but it seems like the person in question doesn't notice that at all. ...what a troublesome person, Sakurano Kurimu.

It is to be expected that dealing with this kaichou is too heavy a task for Mafuyu-chan herself. "I, I am sorry..." So Mafuyu-chan said as she curled up into a fetal position. Poor girl.

Maybe it is because she couldn't watch on any further, finally, the only female in the universe who holds the possibility of stopping Kaichou's rampage, Chizuru-san makes her move.

“Then, Aka-chan, how about something like poker?”

“Poker?”

Poker? Kaichou and I simutaneously tilted our heads. What's with that Chizuru-san. Poker, that is something that the luckless Kaichou most likely has no chance of doing anything in.

The poker that we play isn't based on betting with coins or anything, so it is just normal poker without any options like to fold. So the one who has the stronger hand wins, it is just that.

If it comes down to this, there isn't any kind of strategy behind it like guessing at the opponent's hand...so it is a game the only element to which is to see which cards are changed, a game practically based entirely on luck. For the Kaichou that seems to be completely out of luck today, there seems to be next to no chance of her winning. Why would she choose such a ga...

…...

...no. Could it be, this is...!

(So it is something like this, Chizuru-san!)

(...nod)

Chizuru-san, in slow-motion done in a style that reminds one of Ka*ji, sweats profusely as she returns a nod.

What a gambler...Akaba Chizuru! You...you are a true man!

I understand now. This is...a change of perspective on the level of Copernicus!

In other words!

It isn't that we are letting Kaichou win!

We are simply not going to win!

Yes, what a simple matter! In the case of poker...we can just adjust our cards in such a way as to “not allow any hands to be made”, and that would be it!

If it is just cheating then other games could do it! Like that, it is possible to purposely play badly in Daifugo! However...however! The difference in how hard it is to be found out is on a completely different level! For example, with Daifugo, when you first see your hand, you could already kind of figure out where you will be placed! If you have almost no strong cards, only have weak cards and don't try for Kakumei on top of that, you can pretty much give up on that right.

With Kaichou now, it is highly likely that she is just going to get trash cards only. But...in that case, if we don't play honestly...if we try to let Kaichou win... Since Daifugo is a long game, the possibility of being found out is also much higher. The occasions where things feel odd would arise much more often!

But! With poker, it is just short and one time games! The chance of being found on in the middle of the game is low! With the rules that we play with, we don't go around checking what others have decided to change!

Basically, it comes down to this. We are to...as much as possible, destroy our own hands.

Of course, since we don't know what we'll be getting, it is possible that by chance some hands are made. However, even if it comes down to that, at most it'll be one pair, and mostly of the time it will probably just be nothing at all, counting on high card.

With that.

If Kaichou just makes any kind of hand, most likely a one pair, she will be able to win!

However...this is a gamble.

Even if it is poker, the more you play, the more likely cheating behaviors are found out.

If everyone just keeps on getting something less than an one pair, even that kiddy-president would realize that something is wrong. From that, if the cards changed are checked and the act of messing up our own hands is discovered, it is over.

This is a dangerous bet. But...Chizuru-san has suggested it.

Hmph...I've fallen for you, Akaba Chizuru. This life of mine...I will leave it in your hands!

On that note, everyone other than Kaichou was able to understand each other in an instant. Mafuyu-chan and Minatsu quietly nodded.

...The encirclement has been completed.

In this student council, we are going to start battle of unprecedented scale.

However...we are not marching to victory.

Yes, this is a noble fight done for the sole purpose of letting the opponent win.

In the history of humankind, was there such a heartrending war as this?

We know.

This student council president...if she wins, the first thing she will do, no doubt, would be to swagger.

And that, as she is a kid on the inside, would be done in a way to make us really ticked.

She will probably praise and extol herself endlessly and make us out to be nothing more than weaklings, the type of character that gets offed first and en masse.

Something like that, even for the mature Chizuru-san or myself...would be a demonic curse that would make us displeased, no question to it.

We beheld a delighted Kaichou in her ignorance, and the only thing we could do is to clench our fist beneath the table.

However!

We are, right now, walking this path by our own volition!

I looked at Chizuru-san's eyes. They were eyes that held her determination in secret. The eyes of a commander who is prepared to face the kiddy-president's abusive words.

I looked at Minatsu's eyes. They were grand, sublime eyes. The eyes of a warrior who ignores her own desires and kills her own ego in order to protect the future.

I looked at Mafuyu-chan's eyes. They were eyes overflowing with love. The eyes of a saint who is prepared to sacrifice herself.

I have felt everyone's determination.

I cut off this calm flow of time (the time that was necessary for this train of thoughts and eye contacts, less than a tenth of a second) and assisted Chizuru-san.

“Let us play poker, Kaichou”

“Sugisaki? ...huh, what's wrong, Sugisaki! Your face has changed into a dramatic sketch.

“Please don't mind, Kaichou. Now, let us start......to make war”

“We are not going to start a war! Why did it suddenly come to starting a war!?”

“Ku....”

This is harsh. My faced turned without thinking. Looking at things, Chizuru-san and the Shiina sisters all hung their heads, looking pained.

Is this...is this what war is!?

Even though we are in such pain...this kaichou, shoots back without knowing anything!

Is....is injustice to this degree allowed!?

How...how unfair. Oh god. Why is it always us...to put up with this...

Kaichou, by her lonesome, asked “Why, everyone, what's wrong?” and was shocked.

Kuu... ...endure this, Sugisaki Ken. This is fine.

This is poker. If it goes well, we'll wrap this up in a minute. One minute. Just one minute of killing off my own ego!

The One Minute War. In the posterity, this battle will probably be called that, and it will be told and passed on from one generation of student council to another I should think.

Very well. Then let us see, shall we. The current Student Council's potentials!

Now, en garde!

“My turn! Draw!”

“Wha, Sugisaki!? What are you just starting the game arbitrarily for? At that, poker isn't a game like that no!?”

“...This is just a greetings. It is manners after a kind for me, who used to be called a duelist.

“Ha, haa. Well...it is fine to play poker, but...”

While Kaichou is confused by herself, I shuffled the cards once more just in case and took a deep breath. By doing that, I confirmed everyone's face...and, with a flood of thoughts put into it, started to deal the cards.

The Student Council room was filled with flicking sounds as I dealt the cards. With the Kaichou, she has already shifted her attention from questioning the general mood to the incoming game. She checked the cards she has been dealt one by one as she receives them, and waited seriously for the next card.

When everyone was dealt five cards each, we each checked our hands.

By the way, the rules to this game is simple.

Look at one's hand. Only once, one may change cards from the deck, in different orders. Look at it, if there is something one wants to change, change once. Toss away the cards to be changed and draw from the deck oneself...and that's it.

Kaichou moved at once.

She changed her cards.

Five cards.

“””!?”””

Everyone's face was tense with nervousness.

(What...what is she doing!?)

All change?

Is she underestimating poker?

Considering Kaichou's personality, for there to be absolutely no common point for the hand she had...hard to imagine that.

I thought of a possibility, and uneasily called out to Kaichou.

“U, um, Kaichou.”

“What Sugisaki?”

“Um...just as a reference, the cards you changed just now, is it ok if I see them?”

“Hm? Ok? Ah, you are trying to cheat?”

“N, no! Then I'll check my hands first then do that!”

Saying that, I hurriedly finished my own changes, and having smartly made it a no-pair, allowed myself to check the five cards that Kaichou changed.

And...I discovered the true horror behind this war.

“Wh...how can it... Could it be... Oh, can something like this be forgiven...oh God.”

I fell onto my chair, broken. The other members, disturbed by my reaction, each checked and changed their hands “Let me see this!” “Me too!” “Ma, Mafuyu as well!” and snatched at the five cards that Kaichou changed.

And...everyone was shocked in the same manner.

Kaichou spluttered, “Eh, wa, wh, what?” confused....as she was doing that, we have all been shocked into a living death.

We...are the ones that have been underestimating things. This thing known as war.

War...is it as cruel as this...to this extent?

This...can this kind of an act be forgiven!?

We were completely beaten down.

From the hands of Mafuyu-chan, who last checked the cards that Kaichou changed, they gently fell.

Those cards...even though I don't want to see them anymore, I ended up looking at them.

A, A, A, K, K.

In other words.

Full House.

From the initial hand, full house.

That.

This Kaichou.

Threw away.

All of it.

And, in all likelihood...

“Then, open!”

Kaichou announced loudly.

Everyone, languidly, showed their cards.

No-pair. No-pair. No-pair. No-pair. No-pair.

Everyone, no-pair.

Everyone. Yes. Kaichou too.

And...Kaichou mouthed, words that shouldn't be spoken...a taboo that was to us matching that of nuclear weapons, she said them.

“Muuu~. I thought it'd show up somehow...Royal straight flush.

“””............”””

Everyone had the same thought.

“””This girl...is a genuine....”””

We all realized.

That, in this world, there is such a thing as “absolute”.

Even if a day where the sun does not rise comes to pass.

A day where this kaichou dominates in card games will “absolutely” not come to pass.

I looked at Chizuru-san's eyes. They are dyed with despair. The enemy is...beyond our imagination...our common sense couldn't even think of this level of weakness. No matter how much we hold back, it won't change anything...this is something like for a level 99 hero to be told to not kill a sl*me in one hit. It is impossible. To lower our level to that degree...it is impossible for us! We are...powerless. No, that's not it. Kaichou, is powerless. Too powerless.

As we are covered in despair, Kaichou voluntarily starts gathering the cards and announced.

“So, what are we playing next~?”

“””!?”””

It feels as if behind our backs there is a mass of people, disquieted from the turn of events, making muttering noises and uncomfortably shifting.

Mafuyu-chan and Minatsu's eyes are shaking violently from unrest. Chizuru-san too seems as if she tried to keep her calm as she clutched about her heart in pain.

I too...stared at Kaichou with eyes full of fear.

What...did she say? Next? Next, she said? At that, “What are we playing~” by that...Poker is already done? How...how can that be! The war that so much...that we faced with so much determination...how...to end it just with that one word, do you mean to start the next war!?

“Fu...fuha....fuhahahahahaha”

“Su, Sugisaki?”

Without thinking, I began to laugh. Kaichou is stunned.

“No, nothing at all, Kaichou. No...Berserk”

“I don't understand you know! I am not Berserk, you know!?”

“Fu...in that case, shall we have it changed to Shura?”

“Change it to Kaichou or Sakurano Kurimu! Why did it became Shura!?”

“O, Shura. Do you love war this much!?”

“I don't like it!? Why is there such a misunderstanding about me!?”

“Very well. If you desire blood this much, we shall gladly become living sacrifices!”

“I don't understand your tone or your tension!”

“Come, everyone! It is war, it is war!” (Everything up to this point is kind of old and grand)

“””Ooooo~!”””

“Why did everyone else become like this!? What is this scary situation!?”

Seeing Chizuru-san and the Shiina sisters, who took up my call, Kaichou's expression cramped up.

This is how we were brought into a long, long fight.

This is the beginning of the war that is known to posterity as “The Crimson Tragedy”

*

That day everyone other than Kaichou reached a common ground: 'War, definitely, bad’

As we waited on the slightly late Kaichou, we convened amidst the heavy atmosphere.

Chizuru-san started the talk.

“Now...yesterday, we used the excuse that “it is too late” and brought the war to a temporary cease fire and went home, however... You all saw it too, right? Aka-chan's eyes. Those were eyes that still had the will to continue warring. In other words...today we will see the war resume. The war is not yet over.”

Shiina sisters' shoulders drooped visibly upon hearing Chizuru-san's words. The dark air about the student council room is not normal.

Why did it come to this. This and that, they are all...

“Mafuyu...it is all because you brought poker cards with you.”

Minatsu said the words that should not be said. Mafuyu-chan's eyes teared up as she sucked in her breath, however, the barbs of her words were not aimed at her sister, but at me.

“If we were to say that, Su, Sugisaki-senpai's proposal that “If Kaichou wins once, then that's it” is what's really...”

“Wha, Mafuyu-chan, that's not it! Besides, the cause for it to have escalated to such a degree was all because of the gamble that Chizuru-san took in suggesting poker...”

“Huh? You mean that I was wrong? Better than those who didn't do anything to help at all, I think...better than Minatsu there, who somehow was uninvolved just with this affair, right!?”

“Wha~ It is true that I didn't do anything, but I didn't make the situation any worse right!? That's right! At that, it is because of the three here that there was such a level of damage no!?”

“Tha, that's horrible, onee-chan! Then let me say what I have to say!”

...and because of that, the Student Council room is currently boiling over. This is a harem that feels horrible to be in. It seems like that wars can turn people's hearts into wastelands.

The four student council members, not including Kaichou, were supposed to be coming up with a way to deal with today, but, it seems like a situation where we can't even mount a plan.

Ah, dammit...this time's story's title, shouldn't we change that, given this.

So on that note, I arbitrarily introduce you the new title.

“Real – Chapter 6 ~ The Collapsing Student Council.

Crap. This is the final episode, like. Or perhaps it is about the episode before the last, this title.

So like...my plans are slowly coming to an end, even though it was a plan for it to end up as a harem. What is this. Haven't we become even more hostile than we were the first chapter?

Here is where I, who serves as the protagonist, will decisively make a choice and finish up, that is what light novel is right.

“Hear me, my women!”

“Key-kun (senpai/Ken) be quiet! Until H*nter x Hunter comes to a conclusion!”

“Until when!?”

So like that, I leave the stage dejected.

Conclusion.

Sorry, this, seems like a bad end, my readers.

Those who were expecting service scenes. Those who were expecting delicate scenes. Those who wanted to read at least a kiss scene. I am really sorry. I should have really looked at the walkthrough sites.

Next play I'll learn my lesson from this and I'll keep an eye out not to enter “The Playing Student Council” for chapter six. If Mafuyu-chan takes out poker cards, at that point, I will choose the choice “Wait a sec!” I'll do just that. I'll do just that.

…...

Since this is a light novel, here I kind of hoped to see whether some convenient occurrence of time flowing backwards would occur, but the results are disastrous. The argument is escalating. It has already escalated to the point that I do not wish to describe the situation.

Now now, what to do. After it is confirmed to be a bad end, what to do?

Ah, right.

I'll just die. Dead end, like. Let's just turn the power off for now.

On that note.

“Everyone, farewell. I am going to the next world.”

“””Yes?”””

“Time to die.”

I thrust a cutter knife to my neck, and...

“””Whaaaa!”””

Chizuru-san and the Shiina sisters, who were arguing up until this point, hurriedly rushed to me.

I was knocked off my stance, and with a clattering sound the three pushed me down.

The result.

“””......”””

Rejoice, readers!

The completion of a service scene! This place will most likely get picked up in color illustration, I think! Look carefully!

Chizuru-san, Minatsu and Mafuyu-chan are collapsed on top of me.

I am being pushed down by three females.

Unfortunately, my hand can't reach the brea...it didn't turn into a position like that, but I am quite joyful.

Soft~ The soft bodies are being pushed onto me from three directions.

This is...

Is this harem route!?

I have become enlightened and realized that to live is such a wonderful thing.

Such sweetness! Such...such joy!

I understand now.

I won't give up anymore! For the sake of obtaining this...this happiness, I will do anything!

That's right! What is war!? Something like that, I'll easily blow it aside!

The method that is used in games and animes, that method...even if I have to use the final solution!

“....oww”

Chizuru-san moaned, the three are squirming to get back on their feet. However I...with a fell swoop, pulled them down again! Just now, the female members again lost their posture and came in close contact with me.

“The hell, Ken, what are you doing!?”

“Se, senpai, it hurts!

I ignored the Shiina sisters' complaints and continued to hug them tighter.

Confirm the time! Hm, it is about time! It is about...

In that instance, the Student Council room's door cranked open, and...

“Now, let's play cards energetically today to....eh”

That was Kaichou's voice. Unfortunately I can't see her expression from here, but...most likely, she is looking at us right now and doing her best trying to figure out this situation.

“Um, ummm”

Seems like she is rather troubled as to how to respond.

A momentary hesitation. And like that...it seems like she has reached a conclusion.

“Su, Su~~gi~~sa~~ki~~!!”

It seems like she has decided to just get mad.

All as planned.

At the same time, the three girls who had escaped my bindings are screaming noisily.

“Wh, what are you doing Key-kun! How can it be that you have so much sexual drive built up... Urg. I, Akaba Chizuru, have misread you!”

“Shit, you, die! You idiot, finally showing your true self eh dammit!”

“Sniff...Sugisaki-senpai...I have misjudged you.”

Everyone looked at me with glances filled with hatred.

And, like that.

Kaichou's decisive word.

“Straighten up there, Sugisaki! Today is going to be all lectures for you!”

*

Like that, this “Crimson Tragedy”, by the appearance of a certain young man...'The Common Enemy of Humankind', ended vaguely like that.

After this, for three hundred years, this 'Enemy' is spoken of as the worst man ever. However, after that, by the discovery of the document that he has recorded: 'Seitokai no Ichizon', the interpretation of history has undergone a huge shift.

'The young man, perhaps he was not the enemy, but the messiah?' 'Could it be that he sacrificed himself in order to end the war?', a scholar who holds such views appeared.

However, such an interpretation is treated as heresy for most, and there was also the fact that the scholar died from a mysterious disease. In the end, the interpretation was not accepted by society.

The truth, even now, lies undiscovered.

…...

Though like, frankly, everyone just didn't give a damn.

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