Chapter 178: The Student Council President

Kael sat opposite Cairo, who wore a deep frown, while Lynx prepared tea for them. After placing a cup in front of each of them, Lynx casually took his seat.

Kael picked up his cup and took a sip. His eyes widened slightly as he savored the taste.

"Don’t tell me you can actually make tea. This is delicious! How come I didn’t know about this?" Kael asked, looking at Lynx in surprise.

"Well, that’s because you rarely ever come to the Disciplinary Committee. And when you do, it’s either because you want something or because you’ve gotten yourself into trouble." Lynx leaned back in his chair. "Which, at the moment, is the latter."

Cairo slammed his hand against the table, his expression visibly darkening.

"Can you tell me why we’re discussing tea when you committed an offence this morning?" he demanded, his voice deep.

"If that’s what you’re asking about, it’s because it wouldn’t be much of a case," Kael replied casually.

Cairo let out an exasperated sigh.

"And why is that?" he asked.

"Because my reputation already claims that I assault students. I don’t think actually assaulting a student would change that fact if people already believe I do it."

Kael took another sip of his tea, savoring its sweet taste before looking back at Cairo.

"I do have a question, though. Did Felix genuinely report me?"

Cairo’s brows immediately drew together, and a vein bulged on his forehead.

"Why are you asking? So you can finish the job?" Cairo asked.

"He didn’t report the case. We found him unconscious in his room, and when he woke up, he even thought we’d been sent by you to continue beating him up," Lynx casually interjected, looking a little tired of the charade.

"Oh, I see. Then that’s good. I thought he’d actually reported me. Thanks for clearing that up, Lynx."

Kael thanked him sincerely.

Lynx simply nodded, seemingly unbothered.

Cairo looked at Lynx, then back at Kael, before turning to Lynx once more.

"Why the hell would you tell him everything that transpired this morning?" he complained.

"I just didn’t want to sit through the two of you having a back-and-forth argument, followed by another one of your long, annoying lectures," Lynx replied casually.

Cairo didn’t even have the energy to argue with Lynx at the moment. Instead, he shifted his attention back to Kael.

"And you! Why are you casually agreeing with him? You don’t even seem sympathetic about what you did!"

"Can you not see that I’m actually the victim here?" Kael retorted.

Fake tears immediately streamed down his cheeks.

Both Cairo and Lynx stared at him in stunned silence.

Someone was unconscious and barely getting his day started, and the person who assaulted him in his own room this morning is claiming to be the victim?

Lynx struggled to understand Kael’s reasoning.

I’ve ruined my life’s work. This is my protégé?

Cairo stared at Kael, tears threatening to form in his own eyes.

"Why would you consider yourself the victim in this situation?" he reluctantly asked, already afraid of the answer.

"Do you know how stressful it is to wake up early in the morning and patiently wait outside someone’s dorm room, with absolutely no company, just to attack them?"

Cairo immediately rubbed his temple and looked toward the ceiling of his office.

He didn’t bother responding. He genuinely couldn’t find a suitable answer to what Kael had just said.

Meanwhile, Lynx sat quietly, pondering Kael’s statement. After a moment, he turned toward Cairo and gave him a look that clearly said, I knew you were terrible at judging character. I just didn’t know you were this terrible.

Cairo noticed the expression but didn’t know how to respond.

"Oh, and that’s not all," Kael continued, seemingly determined to make his case. "He also slandered me the day before. He was among the people claiming that I assaulted students early in the morning, and he even proclaimed himself a witness. I really hate it when people lie about me."

"So you attacked him early in the morning to prove your innocence? That doesn’t seem particularly sensible to me," Cairo replied, no longer bothering to look at Kael.

"No, I didn’t attack him to prove my innocence. I attacked him so it wouldn’t seem like he was lying. After all, I hate lies."

Cairo and Lynx fell silent.

For a moment, both men tried to process what Kael had just said.

Unfortunately, the more they thought about it, the less sense it made.

Kael, on the other hand, didn’t bother explaining himself any further. He expected them to understand the full picture eventually.

Besides, it wasn’t as though this particular case would be blown out of proportion.

At least, that was what he thought.

Sylvia was in her office, reviewing a stack of documents, when a member of the Student Council entered. The student approached her and whispered something into her ear.

Sylvia immediately put down the documents in her hands and turned toward the student.

"Is this actually true? Kael Draven assaulted a fellow classmate early this morning?"

"Yes. The information came from their teacher herself. Apparently, the Disciplinary Committee escorted him out of his classroom earlier this morning."

Sylvia sighed and rubbed her forehead.

She had heard the rumors surrounding Kael Draven, of course. However, she had dismissed most of them as false accusations spread by lower-ranking students who envied him or held grudges against him.

She hadn’t expected this particular rumor to be true.

And, according to the academy’s rules and regulations, the situation presented a rather troublesome problem.

It was improper for a member of the Disciplinary Committee to handle a case involving a fellow committee member. The same principle applied to the Student Council when one of its members committed an offence.

Neither organization was supposed to investigate its own members without the proper procedures being followed.

Sylvia rubbed her temple again.

Knowing Cairo’s temperament, he was probably already panicking. And since the culprit happened to be his own protégé, there was a chance he wouldn’t push the case as firmly as he should.

She couldn’t allow that to happen.

Standing up, Sylvia turned toward the student who had delivered the news.

"Please call the Vice President and ask her to meet me at the Disciplinary Committee."

The student nodded.

"It seems the Student Council is going to have a clash with the Disciplinary Committee," Sylvia muttered.

The student quickly left to carry out her instructions.

Sylvia followed shortly afterward, heading straight for the Disciplinary Committee.

Back in Cairo’s office, the man rubbed his forehead before letting out a weary sigh.

"Hopefully, this case can be settled quietly. Because if the Student Council gets wind of it, you might actually have to stand trial and prove your innocence. And the story you’re cooking up right now certainly won’t cut it."

That was when something finally clicked in Kael’s mind.

Oh. There was actually a law like that.

His expression immediately turned sour.

Cairo noticed the change.

"What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you assaulted other students too!" he asked, suddenly panicking.

"No, it’s not that. You know three of my classmates are already members of the Student Council, and you arrested me right in front of them. Plus—"

Kael paused.

And Lyra is in that class, too. Only God knows what she’ll do with that kind of information. For the love of the game, she really doesn’t need another reason to think the worst of me.

Kael turned back toward Cairo, but his mentor hadn’t even been listening to the rest of his explanation.

The moment Cairo heard that three of Kael’s classmates were members of the Student Council, his expression had changed completely.

He had entered panic mode.

Lynx looked at the two of them, who were now panicking for reasons he could barely understand.

Cairo suddenly turned toward him.

"Why are you just standing there? Think of a way to get us out of this mess!"

Lynx pointed at himself.

"Do you mean me?" he asked.

He then pointed at Kael.

"You should be forcing him to think of a solution. He was the one who got us into this mess in the first place, so he should be the one to fix it."

Cairo suddenly turned toward Kael.

"You’re right about that. He was the one who put us in this mess in the first place."

"And you could also use this as an opportunity to teach him a lesson. After all, he’s been slacking off on his duties lately. This might be the most favorable outcome for the both of you."

Lynx continued, adding fuel to the fire.

"I guess you’re right about that. This could be a favorable outcome for both of us," Cairo agreed thoughtfully.

Kael stared at his mentor in disbelief.

What the hell?

He had expected Cairo to help him out of this situation, not join forces with Lynx to make things worse!

"Come on now, Cairo! You can’t turn your back on your protégé like this! Not after everything we’ve been through together!" Kael pleaded. "You have to help me in my time of need. I promise I’ll do anything!"

Cairo crossed his arms.

"I’ll start participating in our morning patrols! I’ll also handle my duties as a member of the Disciplinary Committee properly!"

Kael was practically begging at this point.

"I’m sorry, Kael, but as the future head of the Disciplinary Committee, you’re expected to be disciplined to a certain degree. This could be your first step on the long road toward becoming the head of the Disciplinary Committee."

Cairo spoke with the solemn expression of an ancient elder imparting wisdom to his successor.

Kael nearly choked.

Since when did this man become so reasonable? And why does his reasoning have to work against me?

"But your name could also be dragged through the mud! After all, I’m your protégé!" Kael desperately argued.

Before Cairo could respond, however, Kael sensed a familiar mana signature approaching.

His expression stiffened.

Cairo noticed the change and let out a helpless sigh.

"I’m sorry, Kael, but it’s already too late to intervene."

Judging by Cairo’s expression, Kael already knew what was coming.

The door to the office was about to open.

The Student Council President had arrived.