As Cecil and company were out touring the campus, the members of the Academy's Student Council were currently gathered together in the student council office. In the office, sitting at the head of the table was the student council president. The president was a golden haired lizardkin male with dark horns on his head. He had red scales decorating the sides of his handsome face.

The president was currently reading a report handed to him by his secretary. After reading the report on his tablet like device, he smirked, "Well, well. I did not expect the previous headmaster's daughter to enroll at our academy at this time... didn't we get information that she would enroll next year?"

"That was only rumors, not credible info. The previous headmaster had gone off the radar and has only made minimal contact with her student, our current headmaster."

The person who replied to the president's question was a female rabbit-kin. She had pink hair and her long rabbit ears that drooped down the sides of her head were also pink in color. Her eyes were droopy as well and every fiber of her existence screamed of exhaustion.

On the seat to the left of the president sat a young tigerkin boy. He didn't seem too impressed by the report his president had just read and said arrogantly, "President Zephyr, why are we holding this meeting anyway if it's only just for this one girl? It's not like she's going to threaten our positions, she's still a first year, remember?"

Student Council President Zephyr chuckled at his vice-president and said, "Take a look at this."

Zephyr tossed the report he was reading to his vice-president. Upon reading the contents the vice-president gasped in astonishment, "She caused the entrance exam's Mana Stage testing equipment to shutdown? Doesn't that mean she's in the Mana Core Stage?!"

"Exactly, Alex, and that's why we're conducting this meeting. We can't have her falling into the hands of another faction."

"Tsk, then shouldn't we go and meet up with her right now?! She's probably already checked in her dorm by now!"

"Now, now, Alex, don't be hasty... I heard from the instructors that she's a bit...headstrong. Meeting her now would only work against us. It's not like she has any idea about the power structure inside the academy."

After hearing President Zephyr's reasoning, the hot-headed vice president calmed down and began passing the report around to the rest of the council members that were present. They too were rendered speechless at the report. The other members of the council began discussing about the girl on the report.

"She's only 14...but already at the Mana Core Stage?"

"As expected of the previous headmaster's descendant, since she was a freak it's no surprise that her daughter would be one as well."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"Do the other factions have this info about her?" one of them members asked with concern.

"Most likely... but from the report, she isn't the only one who's noteworthy... isn't that right, President?"

"Yeah, isn't your sister also enrolling this year? And the Ocean nation's princess is also here because of the exchange student program! Not mention there's also that rare elemental user and the Duke's son enrolling!"

Vice-president Alex didn't join in on the discussion. He turned towards Zephyr and asked, "So? How will we proceed?"

Zephyr only replied with a short sentence, "...We'll use my sister."

"..."

"The best way to win someone over is to befriend them first. Coercion will only backfire considering this one's...personality."

"Headstrong, huh... More like arrogant and naive!"

The droopy secretary who was silent after just one sentence finally spoke up again, "...a young girl with that kind of ability will surely develop such an attitude. Using Elizabeth would work well since they're both of similar age and gender...but President, I'm not so sure if Elizabeth herself would like the idea of being 'used' by us."

"Hmph. In the castle, she can be as willful as she wants! But this is how society is. We'll use her whether she likes it or not! So you can put your mind at ease, Serilla."

"...okay."

"Just make sure you keep things discreet. It's better to use her without her realizing it! There's no doubt that she'll join our faction since she always wants to compete with me!"

Alex chuckled at his president's words, "A brother should surely know his sister well."

The student council president quickly silenced the rest of his members and began discussing other important things after their discussion about the new year's freshmen ended.

On the other side of campus, however, in the personal housing district, another similar meeting was currently in progress.

"You can bet those bastards from the student council have their eyes on her as well!" said a foxkin male in lavish clothing. He had reddish orang hair and ears. He also had 2 tails on his back that was decorated lavishly with accessories and jewels. His expression was full of disdain and disgust at the mention of the student council.

"No need to be so worked up about it. Once the princess knows where she's actually from, there's no doubt in my mind that she'll join our faction."

"Hmph. What makes you so sure Aurellia?"

The arrogant foxkin male addressed the elegant female fox kin who was drinking tea while sitting at the head of the room atop a throne-like chair.

"That's because she's part of MY clan," said the female foxkin. After taking another sip of her tea she then continued. "Let's just say that she's also a relative."

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"Huh? Part of the Aurielle tribe? But she's nothing like you!" The arrogant fox boy said while directing a gaze at the girl.

The elegant fox girl had golden hair and ears. She had one long bushy golden tail. When she opened her eyes, her golden irises coldly glared back at the fox boy. Seeing the glare, the boy did nothing to hide his gaze and glared back challengingly.

"Hmph. Don't get cocky with me Aurellia. Don't forget that I'm from the Myriad fox tribe and that I'm ALSO a leader of this faction!"

"Then don't direct that disgusting look at me, Friedrich!" The girl countered menacingly, her eyes grew another level colder and the air around her started to tremble.

The fox boy harrumphed and directed his gaze elsewhere. Seeing that, Aurellia retracted her mana and then continued softly, "...she'll surely join us if I go and recruit her."

"Hmph. Then you better not fail. Her abilities and talents alone could shift the power scales of the academy... a 14 year old Mana Core Stage expert. Not even I'm at the Mana Core Stage yet...tch," Friedrich said while clicking his tongue in annoyance. He was obviously jealous of such a young genius. Then a timid voice interjected between the two foxkin's heated argument, "Uhm... e-excuse me..."

Hearing the soft voice, Friedrich sat back down on his seat, closed his eyes and ignored the voice. Aurellia, however, immediately smiled and replied to the timid voice, "Ara? What is it my cute little Quri?"

Quri, an orange haired fox boy, who was addressed, immediately stood up at attention and hastily replied, "P-P-P-Princess! According to the report there was also another foxkin boy who was seen coming and going along with the... girl in the report!"

After saying his piece, Quri quickly sat back down and inwardly sighed in relief, "Hoohh... the black haired one, yes?"

Quri quickly stood up again and replied, "Yes!"

"Hmph. He's just some commoner tagging along with the princess. Ignore him. Better yet, try and remove him from the princess' side!" Friedrich said with a scoff.

"Ara? Fried boy~ that's not nice... he's also one of us AND he might have a close connection to the princess~ Driving him away might just drive the princess away as well~ Not to mention that from the reports, he's second in rank among the first years and there's rumors from the instructors that say he managed to take down a C-rank monster with his bare hands, and quite easily if I may add~"

A mellow voice echoed in the meeting room. Hearing this voice and also the intimate, yet mocking nickname, Friedrich immediately flared up and began yelling at the newcomer, "What did you just say, Delia? Bitch! I dare you to say that again!"

"Arara~ our Fried is as hot-tempered as usual~"

The person who just called Friedrich, 'Fried', was a female foxkin who had just walked into the room. She was wearing a priestess-like garb and she walked in all smiles even after Friedrich had just cursed at her. One word could describe the female adolescent foxkin who just came in, white. She was pure white from head to toe. White ears, hair, and tail, even her clothes were pure white.

When she opened her eyes and stared calmly at Friedrich who only glared back at her in anger, you could see that her irises were also a silvery white color.

"Hmph. I've never heard of a royal tribe that had black hair and fur. Why should we let some commoner join our Royal Fox Faction?"

"Ara? Don't forget that we still have commoners in our ranks. The boy could be the princess' attendant, you know~?"

"Hmph."

Aurellia, who had kept silent, finally opened her mouth, "I don't think he's an attendant."

"Reason?"

Aurellia looked back at the pure white fox girl and replied, "Her family kept away from the tribe... so she was probably raised as a commoner."

"I see... then doesn't this make it difficult for us? Her upbringing just doesn't match with our ideals maybe~"

Quri stood up ramrod straight and gave his opinion, "It's not like we treat commoners any differently, so maybe it won't matter!"

After saying his piece, Quri once again sat back down.

"... just let me deal with it. She's my... cousin after all. And what can I say... as expected of my uncle and auntie. Even their daughter is as freakishly talented as they are. We can't afford to lose such a talent, especially not to those council bastards!"

"Hmph. For once I agree with you."

Friedrich slammed the report down onto the meeting table and walked out of the room. The report on the table was the same one as the student council's reports. On the report was the information on the top 10 examinees of this new semester. These two factions weren't the only ones that had these reports. All 10 factions of the academy had similar reports and were conducting similar meetings.

As for the top two examinees, they were currently eating cake at the academy's shop district.

"Thish ish sho good~" Lucia chewed blissfully.

"Don't talk with your mouth full Lulu..." Cecil said while wiping the cream off her mouth.

Ainz who was observing the two's interactions immediately thought, 'This girl... she's totally doing that on purpose.'

"Totally on purpose...right, Ainz?"

"Uwaah! HEY! Aqua brat! Don't just go reading my mind like that!"

The party of four were currently eating cake blissfully while unaware of the undercurrents that were caused by their enrollment into the academy.