How to Take Revenge as an Academy Scoundrel

Chapter 30. Student Council

Jinseong Hero High School, known simply as ‘Arc’, was undeniably the world’s premier institution for Awakeners.

It boasted top-tier faculty and facilities as a matter of course, and above all, every year, the brightest talents from around the globe flocked to this ‘Arc’, a fact no one could dispute.

But how did ‘Arc’ ascend to become the world’s foremost institution for Awakeners?

The reason was simpler than one might think.

It was solely due to the existence of its founder and chairperson, ‘Kate Lawrence’.

Born to British parents, she had naturalized in Korea, following her husband.

She was an S-rank Awakener, possessing the extraordinary ability of ‘Permanent Mana Enhancement’, a power so deceptive it seemed almost unfair.

This ability could elevate an Awakeners’ level permanently, a boon that countless Awakeners yearned for, yet, as one might expect, it came with limitations on its usage.

Such a miraculous power could only be wielded a mere ten times a year.

Thus, Kate Lawrence selected ten Awakeners each year to receive her ‘Permanent Mana Enhancement’, with the criteria being how much they could contribute to the peace of humanity.

In truth, those who received her ‘Permanent Mana Enhancement’ went on to shine in the ‘Crusades’ for humanity, and people hailed her ability as a divine gift.

Years passed.

Kate Lawrence decided to dedicate her power to future generations, and thus, she established this very ‘Arc’.

Her role was to gather the world’s talents, educating them, and bestowing ‘Permanent Mana Enhancement’ upon the top ten graduates.

Naturally, the allure of receiving ‘Permanent Mana Enhancement’ drew talents from across the globe, making it inevitable for ‘Arc’ to become the world’s leading institution for Awakeners.

In any case, Kate Lawrence’s ‘Permanent Mana Enhancement’ was something everyone coveted, and villains were no exception.

However, villains could never obtain Kate Lawrence’s ‘Permanent Mana Enhancement’ through normal means, leaving them no choice but to resort to other methods.

Crimes such as kidnapping or threats were precisely that.

In fact, there had been several attempts to kidnap Kate Lawrence, and even now, in some hidden chamber, another kidnapping plot was being devised.

“So, is the execution set for that day?”

“Yeah. Next Monday. A rare opportunity indeed. That ‘Undead’ instructor, Astrid Lindell, will be absent that day.”

“With only two S-rank Awakeners, including Kate Lawrence… and it’ll take about 15 minutes for the Special Operations Bureau to respond… It seems we have a fair chance.”

The three villains exchanged glances, a sly grin creeping across their faces.

They were convinced their plan would succeed.

Indeed, their operation was meticulous and cunning, yet there was one crucial detail they had overlooked.

That was the existence of individuals within ‘Arc’ who concealed their true power, such as Kim Dojin.

—

* * *

‘It’s already been nearly a month since I possessed this fool’s body…’

Kim Do-jin shook his head as he checked the calendar.

As he said, quite a bit of time had passed since he had taken over the body of this reckless Kim Do-jin.

Had he returned safely to his original form, he would have already slain all his enemies, including Cheonsang-seok, and completed his revenge. But in this body, even if he died and came back to life, it was an impossible task.

Before revenge, first, he needed to grow stronger.

Of course, there were things he could do in the meantime, and as he pondered those, he found himself lost in thought.

– Ding dong.

Before he knew it, the final bell of the day rang out.

“That’s it for today.”

The instructor, who had been conducting the class, wrapped things up and left the classroom, and Kim Do-jin slowly tucked his smartphone into his pocket and rose from his seat.

The time was 5 PM.

On any other day, he would have headed straight home, but today, there was a place he needed to stop by first.

That place was the student council room.

Today marked the official start of club activities, and for Kim Do-jin, who had applied to the student council, it was time to attend the induction ceremony.

‘It’s a hassle, but it can’t be helped. It’s for revenge…’

With that thought in mind, Kim Do-jin trudged toward the fifth floor of the main building, where the student council room was located.

After some time passed.

– Knock knock.

As he knocked on the door of the student council room, a voice called from within.

“Come in.”

It was the voice of a second-year senior he had heard before.

– Creak.

He opened the door and looked around, and as expected, the second-year female seniors he had seen before, along with the other student council seniors, were lined up on the right.

“…….”

Kim Do-jin slightly bowed his head in greeting and trudged over to an empty seat on the left.

“Is that really Kim Do-jin?”

“Right? I wonder why he applied to the student council…”

Whether they were not pleased to see him or simply unsure, the second-year seniors whispered among themselves, not bothering to speak to him first.

“…….”

Kim Do-jin remained seated, silent, as other freshmen began to arrive shortly after.

“Greetings!”

As the door swung open, a spirited newcomer greeted the room. He was Dokgo-su, a fellow first-year in Class 1, and soon behind him appeared Lee Jin-ryul, bowing his head as he entered.

“Oh? Uh, right. Please take your seats.”

“Yes!”

“Um… are you a Japanese exchange student?”

“No, I’m not.”

“…Ah, I see…”

Dokgo-su and Lee Jin-ryul glanced around before taking their places beside Kim Do-jin.

Time passed again, and soon—

“Hello.”

More newcomers arrived.

Immediately bowing their heads in greeting, they were Yoon Yu-na and Hong Hyun-hwa. As Yoon Yu-na lifted her head, she suddenly caught sight of Kim Do-jin and flinched in surprise.

Yet, it was but a fleeting moment, and no one found it strange.

Before long, the two settled into their seats, and at last, all the freshmen had gathered.

“Looks like everyone’s here?”

Suddenly, the student council vice president, Park Joo-seung, stood up and opened the door to the student council president’s office.

He called out to the busy president, Agnes Ronan, who was occupied with other tasks inside.

“Seems like there’s still a lot left to do? Just wrap it up and come out. Everyone’s gathered.”

“Ah, okay.”

After that exchange, a moment passed.

– Click.

Finally, the student council president, Agnes Ronan, opened the door and stepped out.

“Nice to meet you, freshmen. I am Agnes Ronan, the student council president.”

As she spoke, Agnes Ronan bowed gracefully, and one could not help but notice her striking appearance.

Her lower face was concealed by a black metal gas mask equipped with air purification, leaving only her eyes visible.

‘Even with half her face hidden, she’s beautiful…’

The freshmen admired her stunning orange hair and emerald-green eyes, recalling that she was the only daughter of Edward Ronan, the owner of the formidable Ronan Industries, and they found themselves looking up to her in awe.

Yet, among them, there was one who reacted differently.

Kim Do-jin’s response was not the same.

“The only blood of Edward Ronan… must be befriended.”

Agnes Ronan was the daughter of Edward Ronan, a figure who could be deemed one of Kim Do-jin’s greatest enemies.

To others, he was a respected student council president, an object of admiration, but to Kim Do-jin, he was merely the father of his foe.

“……”

Of course, Agnes Ronan was not a wicked person like her father, and Kim Do-jin harbored no ill feelings toward her.

He simply needed to use Agnes Ronan to exact his revenge on Edward Ronan.

Thus, without realizing it, Kim Do-jin was gazing at Agnes Ronan with a sharp intensity.

“……?”

Suddenly, Agnes Ronan’s eyes met Kim Do-jin’s, and they widened in surprise.

‘…Why is he staring at me like that?’

Agnes tilted her head slightly in confusion, then walked to the prominent seat where she could take in all the students at a glance and sat down.

“Shall we start with an explanation of the student council?”

Even though the gas mask completely covered her mouth, her voice resonated clearly.

As could be inferred from her complex appearance, the gas mask was a special piece of equipment crafted directly by “Ronan Industries.”

In any case, Agnes Ronan spoke with respect to the first-year students, explaining the significance and duties of the student council.

Following that, the new students introduced themselves, and finally, the allocation of tasks began.

‘Where will I be assigned? It seems like the General Affairs Department could create more opportunities for interaction with Agnes Ronan…’

Within the student council, there were subdivisions such as the General Affairs Department, Cultural Affairs Department, Sports Department, Broadcasting Department, and Discipline Committee, and the freshmen were assigned to where manpower was needed, regardless of their own preferences.

Thus, the new students listened intently to Agnes Ronan’s words, each curious about where they would be placed.

“Lee Jin-ryul and David Yelinek will be in the General Affairs Department, Dokgo Soo and Kaji Takahiro in the Sports Department, Hong Hyun-hwa and Marta Amat…”

As the names of the ten new students were called one by one, Kim Do-jin and Yoon Yu-na’s names were announced last.

“Kim Do-jin and Yoon Yu-na will be in the Discipline Committee.”

* * *

At last, the student council induction ceremony concluded.

The ten new students exchanged greetings before leaving the student council room, and as soon as the door closed, they grabbed each other in the hallway, eager to converse.

“You’re in Class 3, right? Nice to meet you. Let’s get along from now on.”

“Yeah, me too. I look forward to it.”

Of course, Kim Do-jin intended to cut through the throng of students and head straight back to the dormitory.

“Kim Do-jin, I didn’t know you applied for the student council!”

Suddenly, Dokgo Soo approached and spoke up.

“Indeed. What reason could there be?”

The one who spoke next was Lee Jin-ryul, Kim Do-jin’s classmate and the top student of Class 1-1.

“……”

It seemed that Lee Jin-ryul and Dokgo Soo had come to understand each other well over time, always sticking together, while Kim Do-jin alternated his gaze between the two, offering half-hearted replies.

“No. I just applied, is there supposed to be some other reason?”

In trying to conceal his true intentions, his words came out a bit prickly.

Yet, with his bright and affable nature, Dokgo Soo responded with a gentle smile.

“Oh? Ah, that’s not it. I was just surprised, that’s all. Anyway, since we’re in the same student council now, let’s get along well from here on out.”

Lee Jin-ryul also smiled, making a friendly gesture, and Kim Do-jin nodded in understanding before taking his leave.

“…Ha~ that guy, a bit prickly, isn’t he?”

“True enough. But he’s not completely ignoring you like before, right?”

“That’s true.”

Dokgo Soo and Lee Jin-ryul exchanged words while watching Kim Do-jin’s retreating figure.

However, they were not the only ones observing Kim Do-jin’s back and engaging in conversation.

There were also Yoon Yoo-na and Hong Hyun-hwa.

“Yoon-yoon, do you think Kim Do-jin really followed you here?”

Hong Hyun-hwa, being Yoon Yoo-na’s closest friend, was already aware of her feelings toward Kim Do-jin.

Yet, she was unaware that those feelings had shifted slightly in recent times.

“What are you going to do now? You don’t want to get tangled up in this, do you?”

Yoon Yoo-na, taken aback by Hong Hyun-hwa’s words, responded hesitantly.

“Uh? Ah, well…”

As she mumbled, she turned back to look at Kim Do-jin, who had just rounded the corner and disappeared from view.

“……”

For a moment, Yoon Yoo-na stared intently in the direction Kim Do-jin had vanished, her lips pursing in thought.

‘Did he really join the student council because of me?’

Of course, that was a misconception.

The reason Kim Do-jin had chosen to endure the hassle of joining the student council was not because of Yoon Yoo-na, the daughter of a benefactor, but rather because of Agnes Ronan, the daughter of an enemy.