Uneasy daily life

"#!"

"Remember to use your tongue when picking it..."

"??"

Yukino Yukinoshita slightly raised her eyelids to the side, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, and went straight to the point: "Haku-kun, do you have any plans regarding the student council election?"

Bai Ying pressed down on the laptop, warily saying, "Nothing!"

It seems there is.

"What kind of mischief are you planning?" Yukino Yukinoshita narrowed her eyes slightly, hinting at something. "If you wanted to help me, you wouldn't need to beat around the bush like this, would you?"

"I'm helping you." Bai Ying suddenly straightened up and said earnestly, "I used every means to portray the student council election as a drama of heroes vying for supremacy, and vividly depicted those destined to fail supporting characters for the audience, making them distinct in personality. I built a stage with a huge crowd, all to elect the final student council president who has the most merit!"

Yukino Yukinoshita took a sip of coffee: "I don't need other people's opinions to prove myself. What can prove the value of a student council president is her actions."

Bai Ying hit the nail on the head: "If your aunt praises you for being so great, wouldn't you be happy?"

"...But that has to be something that my mother approves of."

"What?! You're unhappy just because Auntie approves but you don't? You actually use your own standards to define Auntie? How dare you!"

"#!"

Yukino Yukinoshita took a soft breath: "Could you please stop talking back to me with every single thing you say?"

"I can even kiss you on the lips."

Bai Ying snorted, reopened the laptop, and moved the screen slightly so that the back was facing Yukino Yukinoshita: "I'm not worried about your ability to overcome difficulties, but how to manage people's opinions is also an important skill. If you want to go into politics in the future, how can you avoid the gaze of others? Of course, the hero is so awkward. Compared to gains and losses, based on his own principles, he won't do things that guide public opinion, so leave these to me!"

"Just consider yourself lucky. The hype fell from the sky. Just develop the strength to handle the hype."

Yukino Yukinoshita took another sip of coffee, seemingly lost in thought, and did not reply.

Bai Ying looked up at her and asked, "Are you thinking about kissing?"

"I'm not thinking about it now."

Yukino Yukinoshita snapped out of her reverie, picked up her cup, and left, intending to review her speech a few more times—Mai-senpai was busy with work, and she finally had some free time for the two of them. She had originally wanted to reward her… Hmph, you should reward yourself. You always criticize me in the book, saying that if you think it's too flat or too small, don't touch it. You're just a harmful bacteria that will annoy people.

Heh heh heh, the hero has been successfully gotten drunk. Foolish hero, the outcome was decided before the match even began.

Bai Ying looked at the content on the screen and smiled.

The final chapter of the epic tale of the generals: The world is restored to peace and unity is achieved.

……

The following day, a peculiar atmosphere permeated Soubu High School; if one had to describe it, it could probably be summed up as "Whose fan are you?"

Those who support Yukino Yukinoshita are masochists; those who, as girls, don't choose Miura are traitors; those who, as first-year high school students, don't choose Iroha Isshiki are lackeys; and those who support Eru Chitanda are probably mentally ill patients infected by Shirokage. Everyone enthusiastically inquired about each other's mental state and level of thought, and the confrontation made the unity even more apparent.

Today is the election site, the polling station, the final triumphant song of a chaotic world, and the moment for the warlords to decide the victor.

Students from all grades bustled toward the main conference room, where they were led by their teachers to their respective classroom seats.

A white figure stood on the stage, looking energetic, holding a microphone, seemingly acting as a host, while a countdown to the election was projected onto the large screen.

With her camera in hand, Jiu Chongyun focused intently on taking one last shot.

The principal and other adults from the school also sat in the front row.

"Student council president election begins! A battle of heroes, who will reign supreme? Today's victory or defeat will determine the fate of the nation! First, let's welcome our first candidate to the stage... What? Sagami Minami, who wishes to remain anonymous, is withdrawing from the race?"

It seems there was a problem from the very beginning.

"Then I'll call myself Sagami Minami."

Bai Ying adjusted her voice, and Sagami Minami's voice came out: "Hello everyone, students and teachers. I am Sagami Minami from Class F of the second year of high school..."

Clearly, this minor setback is nothing compared to the problem of the white shadow.

The meeting room was completely silent, with everyone looking at each other in bewilderment. They hadn't expected things to start like this... Wait, can someone else even do a campaign speech?

Sagami Minami silently lowered her head, trying to make her presence felt. "I was wrong, I was really wrong. If I hadn't acted on impulse, I wouldn't have been caught by the white shadow and hung up to be tortured..."

It's better to just go up there, even if it means losing face and trembling!

"The reason I'm running for student council president is because it's so cool! Everyone's talking about who will become student council president, looking forward to who will become student council president, and paying attention to who will become student council president..." Shirakage Sagami's voice went from hesitant and awkward to a heartfelt and unrestrained expression, "So, if I become student council president, I'll definitely look especially cool, right?"

"But I'm just an ordinary person—I have a few close friends, my grades are average, I always wait for others to tell me what to do in group activities, and I do what I'm told. I don't know how to lead anyone, and I've never led anyone before. I don't spend my time thinking or studying; instead, I relax and play. When I encounter difficulties, I complain. I dream of becoming a handsome and capable person, but I'll never become one..."

“Even standing on this stage, I don’t know what to say to get everyone’s votes. In fact, I’m still clueless about how to be a good student council president… From ability to personality, I shouldn’t be standing here.”

"This was a reckless impulse, a moment of impulsiveness, without any self-awareness. I acted on just because someone said a few words to me, and now my legs are weak and my voice is trembling... Please don't follow my example, even so..."

"Even someone as ordinary as me wants to stand out and be a cool person!"

"I believe that being ordinary and commonplace is neither a mistake nor an excuse! Stones can build the highest mountain, and drops of water can form the longest river. I want to be a small stone on the peak, and I also want to be a drop of water on the wave."

"Why am I so presumptuous as to run for student council president? Because I want to be student council president."

……

"Oh...that sounds impressive...I didn't expect Sagami to be like this..."

Yui Yuigahama looked at the stage and suddenly realized: "...Uh, isn't it Shiro exaggerating?"

"To be able to describe someone who is both bad at games and loves to have fun in such a refreshing and elegant way, you truly deserve to be called a minister."

Hachiman Hikigaya's precise witty remarks.

Chapter Seventeen: Wei Wu Wields His Whip

Amidst the chaos of war, a constellation of stars shines brightly.

Beneath those glittering stars lie countless ordinary grains of river sand.

In this world, heroes are few, and mediocre people are many.

Even if there were papers listing all the names, people would still look up at the names at the very top, while the rest would be relegated to the background, or even be nameless people who weren't even considered part of the background.

The world was in disarray. Noble families, local magnates, warlords carved up cities, and bandits gathered in the mountains and fields. There were countless forces, but the people of the world were watching those with high reputations and great power.

Having the power to covet the throne is called ambition; lacking the power yet still coveting it is called overestimating one's abilities.

Sagami Minami is precisely this person who overestimates his abilities.

"I am a lone soldier with few generals, lacking the prestige of my ancestors and the assistance of capable men. My talents and virtues are mediocre, my mind is fickle, and I rarely remain steadfast. In terms of troop deployment, employing both surprise and conventional tactics, and leading armies to outwit the enemy, achieving victory in every battle, I am inferior to the Snow Empress. In terms of noble lineage, renowned military prestige, numerous strategists, and the allegiance of excellent generals, I am inferior to the Queen. In terms of unwavering loyalty, seeking victory in every victory and even in defeat, I am inferior to my Imperial Nephew. In these three aspects, I am an outstanding individual, and I am not as capable as her."

We won't win.

Sagami Minami (?) knew this all too well, but...

"A true man is born between heaven and earth; how can he remain subservient to others for long?! If not a hero, then a hero at heart! I wish to proclaim myself emperor, and the world may join in the condemnation. Even if I become a laughingstock for a thousand years, I will not live a life of obscurity and obscurity!"

Without a doubt, a defeatist monarch is far more explosive than a defeatist strategist.

However, being ordinary and unremarkable is a reflection of most people's lives, and so is the unwillingness to be ordinary and unremarkable.

Sagami Minami (?) shouted for defeat, which instead allowed him to gather a massive army and seize the initiative among all the feudal lords, displaying his prowess.

Ultimately, the world belongs to all people. With so many people supporting us, perhaps...

Will win!

"If one's will could bring about success, why would a hero shed tears?"

A man strolled over, his words laced with sarcasm, seemingly harboring a personal grudge against Sagami Minami (?).

"Who is coming?!"

"A nobody who's a bit more famous than you, Iroha Isshiki."

Iroha Isshiki clearly came with ill intentions, immediately refuting Sagami Minami's (?) slogans: "Inciting people's hearts will not win them over. To govern the world, one must first conquer it! You harbor the determination to perish, yet you act in a manner of striving for victory; this is hypocrisy! Think thrice before acting, and reflect upon your actions afterward. Only through reflection and improvement can one achieve success. You act without thinking or reflecting, acting on impulse, and then rejoicing in your own impulsiveness; this is unwise! Furthermore, it is not heroes who can pacify the world, but those who truly pacify the world are heroes. You lack ambition, strategies for quelling rebellion, and tactics for governing the country; you merely ramble on, distorting cause and effect, and spreading heresy; this is unjust!"

"How can someone as dishonest, unwise, and ignorant as you, who only knows unorthodox methods, possibly succeed to the throne?!"

Sagami Minami's expression changed drastically, knowing full well the military strategy that says: when you're engrossed in laning, your base is often already lost.

A true master is always making moves, not taking them.

"You young upstart, still wet behind the ears, how laughable! What brilliant ideas do you have?"

With a light laugh, Yise Caiyu raised her hand to give the order, and the troops followed. Colorful flags fluttered, shouts thundered, and morale soared like the rising sun—"First year of high school, first year of high school, strive for first place!" Yise Caiyu, aiming for the top spot!

Sagami Minami (?) was utterly shocked, and her gathered subordinates began to waver: "A mere One-Colored Feather has such an army..."

"The world belongs to the young, and the young should naturally aspire to conquer it!"

Iroha Isshiki exclaimed with youthful vigor, “The young people of Soubu possess a vibrant spirit! Talent and virtue are not determined by age, but by youthful ambition! The young Emperor Xun ascended the throne, governed Soubu, enhanced national prestige, and brought harmony and prosperity to the people, earning him widespread acclaim! I wish to emulate my predecessors, overcome all obstacles, and create new glories! We will strengthen our clubs internally, cooperate with other schools externally, plan festivals, organize celebrations, promote the youthful spirit of Soubu, and enhance its prestige! The height of Mount Fuji begins with a speck of dust, and the vastness of Taiping begins with a trickle of water! I am a youth, and I am also the future!”

Using the example of the emperor's visit, he argued that he had the foundation to seize the world. He then smoothly transitioned to discussing how he would govern the world if he were to ascend the throne. Finally, he returned to the main topic, emphasizing that young people are the people of the future, effectively winning the hearts and minds of the upper class.

Isshiki Hatake clearly came prepared, exuding confidence and magnanimity. She spoke eloquently and confidently, dominating the world. Her insistence on self-expression overwhelmed the opponent's stumbling and forced display of power, which only served to highlight Isshiki Hatake's own strength.

In the midst of the fierce battle, the ragtag army of Sagami South (?) collapsed like a house of cards. Before the outcome was clear, morale had already crumbled, and the entire force crumbled in the blink of an eye.

Sagami Minami (?) found herself amidst a defeated army, with nowhere to turn, and sighed to the heavens.

"This is not a fault of the war; those who killed us are heroes."

Surrounded by cheering soldiers, the victor calmly smiled and said, "I have not yet achieved my goal, so I am not worthy of being called a hero. You have misled people and spread falsehoods, so how can you be considered a hero? I have never seen such a shameless person as you!"

Sagami Minami's face flushed red and then turned pale before she laughed heartily with relief.

"Hmph... Bandits usher in chaos, heroes bring peace to the world, it has always been so, it has always been so..."

“Those who followed me will never return to the past; those who rebelled will only go down one path to the end. Those who scattered are like kindling, destined to meet the right spark and ignite this long-depressed land… Those sparks are the heroes… Someone, bring me some milk tea…”

The remaining soldiers had dispersed, and no one answered.

The Sagami South (?) forces were wiped out.

The uprising he led, like most uprisings, eventually devolved into a cholera outbreak. Like those uprisings, it disrupted the existing order, shattered the past, and led to a struggle for power, giving rise to many heroes.

Iroha Isshiki was overjoyed and annexed a portion of the soldiers from Sagami South (?), greatly increasing his strength.

Sagami Minami (?), after all, is merely a vanguard for the king...

Later, a small force called Chitanda Gentoku appeared, claiming to be the emperor's nephew. She spoke of benevolence, morality, self-encouragement, and ambition, but her army was small and her generals few, and she did not specifically expand or train her forces, achieving only minor successes.

Once I have pacified the world, it wouldn't be bad to make her one of the Nine Ministers.

A single-colored plumage, full of ambition.

“Even a nobody can become a vanguard for the king – this world belongs to the noble families.”

who is it? !

Isseiro Yu (?) gazed at the world, her pupils contracted, and her face turned solemn.

A man strode in, accompanied by a strong army, capable ministers and generals, control of several prefectures, and a reputation that had endured for generations!

"Miura Hon-hachi!"

"Hehe, don't be so arrogant. It's like you'll always be a freshman and never become a sophomore or junior."

Miura Hon'haru commented casually, with exceptional confidence.

She was confident, of course, because the two were simply not on the same level.

Isshiki Hachiman (?) asked, "What profound insights do you have?"

Miura Hon'ichi ignored him.

"Time will tell. I have spent two years with you all and have a wide circle of friends. You all know what kind of person I am, so there is no need for me to emphasize my status. Now that the world is without a ruler and the throne has changed hands, I am willing to ascend the throne, fulfill the mandate of heaven, and perform my duties with respect. That is all."

As soon as Miura Hon's words fell, they were met with an exceptionally enthusiastic cheer and discussion, far more powerful than that of Isshiki Iroha.

This is the confidence of a prestigious family.

Isshiki Iroha (?) attacked: "Could it be that Your Excellency has no strategy and is only good at empty talk? How can such a person inherit the throne?!"

"Aren't you the one who engages in empty talk?"

Miura Hon's cold laugh rang out, and he immediately dispatched troops to encircle and suppress the emperor, launching a massive attack: "How can you talk about what an emperor should do if you've never been an emperor? Domestic affairs, diplomacy, military affairs, and so on, you only say you should do them well, but you gloss over them without saying how to do them... You are just a hypocrite, a rumor-monger!"

Isshiki Hachiman (?) said in a booming voice, "You've been one? You think you know what to do?"

"Of course!"

Miura Honcho said in a deep voice: "In the past, I was one of the Nine Ministers, discussing national affairs in the court, and also a general, training soldiers in the training ground! Governing a country should be about governing people with people—doing one's duty wholeheartedly in matters big and small. There will inevitably be times of exhaustion and fatigue. If there are no loyal people, the court will be unstable and the world will be difficult to pacify!"

With a wave of his hand, Miura Hon's voice rang out in several voices praising his loyalty and dedication.