Ruling the Whole School's Beauties, Including Teachers
Inside Kazami Academy's gymnasium, the opening ceremony had reached its most mind-numbing segment.
The school leaders' long-winded speeches were basically lullabies. Below the stage, students' eyes were glazed over, heads drooping. Some whispered to each other, and the bolder ones had already sneaked out their phones.
Kūjō Ryō listened quietly, while also feeling the nonstop stares from different directions. Female students' gazes kept landing on him like heat lamps.
Finally, the head of discipline finished speaking. He adjusted his glasses and read in a flat, official tone:
"Next is the student council president election ceremony. First, we invite Class 2-A student Kūjō Ryō to the stage to give his campaign speech."
A thin scattering of polite applause rose. Most students could not even be bothered to lift their heads.
Ryō straightened an imaginary collar and walked up with steady steps. He took the microphone and swept his gaze over the dense crowd below.
Just as expected, not many people were actually interested. Most were still whispering or half-asleep.
Compared to his biggest opponent, Kaguya Shinomiya, Ryō's background, fame, and popularity were far behind. He did not have a large base of supporters.
So the question was simple.
In a situation like this, what gave him the nerve to fight her, and what gave him the confidence to win?
Ryō smiled faintly and began reading his prepared speech, his voice clear and oddly infectious.
"Respected leaders, teachers, and dear fellow students, good morning. I'm Kūjō Ryō from Class 2-A."
The opening was perfectly normal. The school leaders on stage smiled with relief.
"Next, I will explain why I'm running for student council president."
He paused, looking out at the crowd.
"First: I want to improve my abilities and make my final year of high school meaningful."
Down below, Mafuyu Kirisu nodded slightly.
Reasonable. Proper.
"Second: I want to contribute what I can for our teachers and classmates."
Some students were already losing patience, convinced it was just another sleep-inducing speech.
"As for the third…"
Ryō's tone suddenly shifted. His gaze sharpened.
"Third: I want to use the power of the student council president…"
He lifted the microphone slightly.
"To rule every beautiful girl in the school, including teachers."
…What?
For a split second, faces froze in shock, confusion, and disbelief.
The gym fell dead silent. So quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Even the students who had been scrolling on their phones or resting with their eyes closed started looking around uneasily, startled by the sudden silence.
"What… did he just say?""Wait, what? Did I hear that right?""Rule the whole school's beauties? Including teachers? Am I dreaming?""He's insane. You can say that at an opening ceremony?""Call the police. There's a pervert on stage!"
The boys exploded.
Cursing, laughter, and heckling rose in waves, mixed with a few chaotic supporters who were living for the drama.
"Holy crap, that's crazy. Big bro, I support you!""A warrior! He said the dream we never dared to say!""I'm voting for him. I want to see blood on the floor!"
The girls' reactions were even more complicated.
Most turned red, covering their faces, yet peeking through their fingers at the handsome figure who had just said something outrageous.
"He's looking this way!""H-how can he say something like that? That's awful!""But why does it feel… kind of cool?""If he became president… maybe it wouldn't be impossible…"
On the stage, the school leaders had gone pale.
The principal nearly dropped his teacup. The head of discipline broke into a cold sweat. A few younger female teachers exchanged glances, cheeks flushing, stuck between embarrassment and disbelief.
Then, among the crowd, a black-haired, red-eyed ice princess finally lifted her gaze toward the stage.
Kaguya Shinomiya had been completely uninterested in what she considered a "commoner's farce." She had kept her eyes lowered, maintaining the Shinomiya family's elegance and distance.
But after hearing Ryō's outrageous declaration, she raised her crimson eyes and looked at him coldly.
Vulgar. Shameless. Ridiculous.
Typical low-class entertainment from a typical commoner.
As if he thought he could win by being loud and crude.
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment.
He looked a bit more pleasing than the photo on his report card.
"Rule?" she thought.
What laughable arrogance.
And you think you can do it?
Just then, Ryō spoke into the microphone again.
"Everyone, please calm down."
Almost everyone shut their mouths on instinct, wanting to see what else he would dare to say.
"The third point I just mentioned…"
Ryō flashed a bright, sunny smile.
"Of course, that was a joke."
"Huh???"
The entire gym erupted again, but this time in stunned outrage.
"I saw a lot of people were about to fall asleep, so I said something explosive to wake everyone up. Looks like it worked. Everyone looks wide awake now, right?"
"Now that the joke is over, I'll begin the real part of my speech."
"Respected leaders, teachers, and dear fellow students, my true third reason is this."
"I hope to become the strongest bridge connecting students and the school."
What he said after that barely mattered.
The students below wore expressions that were complicated, half amused and half speechless. They felt like they had been played, yet could not deny the fact that this guy was a real talent.
On stage, the leaders finally exhaled. Some slumped in their chairs, wiping sweat as if they had just walked out of the underworld.
The speech ended.
Thunderous applause erupted.
Especially from the girls, clapping hard with excited flushes on their faces. Plenty of boys laughed as they applauded too.
Ryō smiled, bowed, and stepped down from the stage.
"Next, we will hear the speech from Kaguya Shinomiya!"