Cassandra eyed the visitor, who was peacefully sipping his cup of tea, with a scowl.
Alex had visited the Student Council right after classes ended and asked to talk to Theo in private.
However, Cassandra wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen, so she insisted that she stay inside the club room even as the rest of the members were asked to leave.
"So, tell me why you are here," Theo began. "Is this about the harassment that your club members are facing?"
"It is related to that, yes," Alex answered.
"Did you come here to ask me to put a stop to it?" Theo inquired, a playful smile hanging on his lips.
"Then why are you here?" Cassandra asked, unable to contain her curiosity.
"I just came here to inform the president that it’s time for our club to counterattack," Alex stated. "And I will be doing it during the Student Assembly."
Theo’s playful smile gave way to a frown. "That’s tomorrow."
"Yes," Alex answered.
"... You know you can be punished for doing such a thing, right?" Theo asked solemnly.
"Of course I know," Alex replied. "In truth, I can do it without leaving any evidence tying it back to me. However, I’m informing you because I want to be polite."
"Hah? You want to be polite by causing trouble during the weekly assembly?" Cassandra scoffed. "Are you out of your mind?"
"I’m perfectly fine." Alex smiled. "Like I said, I can do it without leaving any traces behind, so I don’t actually need to tell you about it."
"Then why did you inform us about it?" Theo was beginning to suspect the real reason why Alex had asked to talk to him in private.
"Because," Alex declared conspiratorially as he leaned forward, "it will also benefit you, President. I know that you still have many who oppose you here in the academy. And it just so happens that those people are the ones targeting our club right now."
Theo’s expression betrayed nothing.
"What if I tell you that I will give you the means to deal with them while I mess around with them at the same time? Since we will be hitting two birds with one stone, I thought that it would be great if we could collaborate together."
Finally, the club president narrowed his eyes in interest. Although he headed the Student Council, there was still some opposition and at times they could truly be a pain to deal with.
If he could gain the ability to make them suffer or submit to him, then wouldn’t that be for the best?
"Tell me more about your plans," Theo said cautiously. "And what kind of help do you require from the Student Council? You do know that you are being watched by the other students, right? They will also know that you visited us here.
"The fact that I sent my club members outside will also reach the ears of the masterminds behind the harassment of your club..."
Suddenly, Theo’s eyes widened before a cold hiss escaped his lips.
"You... you plan to drag the Student Council into the mess, right?" Theo didn’t have any evidence, but he realized that Alex might have purposely allowed the people observing him to know that he had been granted a private audience with the Student Council President. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by ɴovᴇl(ꜰ)ir(e).nᴇt
What Alex’s reasons were exactly, Theo did not know. What he did know was that Alex’s trick had succeeded.
As a schemer, he was well aware of such tricks. To be on the receiving end of one such trick left a bad aftertaste in his mouth.
If something happened during tomorrow’s assembly, people might link it to Alex and, by extension, link it to Theo because the two had met the day before.
Even if he turned down Alex’s invitation now, those who hated him would assume that he had also played a role in whatever fiasco the mysterious young man was planning.
Simply put, Alex wished to force him to become his accomplice!
"You’re really smart, President." Alex put his cup back on the table. "It is exactly as you said. I just need people to see that I came to visit you today."
"Cassandra!" Theo ordered.
Immediately, the young lady tied Alex using a magical rope, holding him in place.
"You’re pushing your luck too far, young man," Theo said coldly. "You are only a First Year and yet you already dare to challenge your seniors. Do you really think that I will let you tarnish our reputation? You’re still too green, Alex Stratos."
"You think so?" Alex smirked. "Since the Student Council didn’t make any move to deal with the harassment, I decided to make you understand that you should have at least put in some effort and not turn a blind eye to what was happening.
"You know, things wouldn’t have escalated to this point if you had stepped in and announced that anyone targeting our club would be punished severely. If you had done that, even the Crest Clubs would have reconsidered.
"Unfortunately, you thought that this would bring down our club a peg and force us to bow our heads like every other club that the Crest Clubs had bullied in the past. But you know what? Endless Horizon is built differently."
Theo didn’t deny or affirm Alex’s statement. He simply gazed at Alex as if studying an interesting specimen.
The young man remained calm, confident even, despite being bound tightly by magical rope that was very hard to destroy.
"We will detain you until the assembly is finished," Theo stated. "I will not let you have your way."
"Oh, it’s a little too late for that," Alex replied. "Any minute now..."
As soon as Alex said those words, a knock was heard on the door.
"President, Aeris Nocturne is here," Lucius, who was guarding the door along with Dante, announced. "She said that she needs to talk to Alex."
"Tell her that we are in the middle of an important discussion," Theo, who had no intention of letting Alex go, replied.
However, when he looked at Alex, he saw that the visitor was smiling smugly as if everything was in his control.
"President, Ms. Aeris added that if she doesn’t see Alex now, she will not conceal what happened a year ago during the election for student councillors."
The moment Lucius finished conveying Aeris’ message, Theo’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Meanwhile, Alex’s smirk defied the limitations of his facial muscles and stretched closer to his ears.
"I told you, right?" Alex said. "It’s already too late. Either you cooperate with me or we both burn in hell together. The choice is, of course, in your hands. However, I have faith that you will choose wisely."
"What did you tell her?" Theo asked icily.
"I told her just enough to ensure that if you don’t do as she says you might find yourself regretting some of your past decisions," Alex answered. "Well then, do you wish to burn bridges or will you accept a toast? Regardless of your choice, I will still be leaving this room in five minutes."
Alex was no fool. He had already laid down the groundwork and prepared countermeasures just in case he and Theo didn’t see eye to eye.
Theo had done many underhanded things before getting elected.
In simple terms, he hadn’t become the president fair and square.
Some subtle manipulation and blackmail had forced his competition to back down at the last moment.
Although he was fairly confident that he had left no evidence behind, there was no way to know for absolute certainty.
Seeing Alex’s cocky smile made him waver a bit because if he had indeed left damning evidence—and someone had gotten their grubby little hands on it—things would get very bad for him very quickly.
"President, you don’t have to think too hard, you know?" Alex said. "I am a very flexible and open-minded person. I can be your strongest ally or your strongest enemy. The choice is entirely yours."
Alex understood that if he wanted to make sure that his club members never get bothered again, he would need the authority of the Student Council President.
Besides, getting Theo on his side would bring a lot of benefits. In the future, they would need to help each other when facing further attacks from the Demon Worshipers and other nefarious factions. There was no harm in forging an alliance with Theo now rather than later.
To Alex, the Student Council could become his strongest ally or his strongest enemy as well.
Both routes were available in the game, but Alex had already made his decision. By hook or by crook, Theo Ashborne would form an alliance with him!