"We did it!" The Student Council room erupted in cheers, laughter ringing off the walls. Six glasses rose high and clinked together in a single, triumphant note. Light danced across the polished table, catching on the edges of crystal and reflecting in the eyes of every member. All of them turned toward Ameri, whose radiant smile outshone even the most sparkling toast.
Ameri lifted her glass, her heart swelling with joy and relief. Around her sat the council members—the very people she had once feared letting down. Now, they leaned in with pride shining in their eyes, their bond unmistakable. Smoke gave her a playful nudge, her grin wide and teasing. "Told you we'd make it," she said.
Izuku stood just beside Ameri's chair, offering her a quiet, sincere smile. "You earned this," he said softly.
Ameri met his gaze and returned the smile, gratitude glowing in her expression. "Thank you." Then she turned to the rest of the council, sweeping her eyes across each of them. "And thank you all—for believing in me. For standing with me through everything."
Her words hit home. Four of them were moved to tears, though each tried to hide it in their own way. One discreetly dabbed at their eyes, another looked down at their lap, and a third turned away entirely. But none could hold it back completely
As the others expressed their emotions, Ameri's gaze drifted toward Izuku. Her eyes softened with quiet affection, the chaos of the room dimming around her. A flutter stirred in her chest, and a familiar swirl of butterflies awakened in her stomach as she remembered the moment the spell on her had lifted.
The weight of countless eyes watching her... the suffocating pressure of expectation... it had nearly brought her to her knees. She had felt small, overwhelmed, and trembling at the edge of collapse.
But then, Izuku's voice had echoed through her memory—steady, unwavering, like an anchor in a storm.
"You'll always find me beside you. No questions asked."
That single, unwavering promise had lit a fire in her heart. It had cut through the doubt and the noise, anchoring her in something real. And with it came courage—not the absence of fear, but the strength to face it.
She had found her voice. As she began her speech, memories flooded her—every quiet moment, every shared glance, every conversation with Izuku over the past half year, including their date and the heartfelt request she had made to him. With each sentence, her voice grew steadier, stronger. Her passion, ambition, and sincerity poured out of her, resonating through the grand auditorium like a heartbeat.
By the time she finished, the shift in the room was unmistakable. The tide had turned. Whispers of doubt gave way to nods of respect. Cheers erupted before she even stepped down from the podium, a clear sign that she had won over the majority of the student body, delivering a decisive, crushing victory over her opponent.
"Anyway, why the hell is he even here?" Izuku asked, pointing toward Ronove, who lay sprawled on a bed of roses, sobbing uncontrollably. His two attendants wept along with him, sprinkling more rose petals over the dramatic scene he had created.
"Oh, we don't really know," Smoke shrugged nonchalantly. "I have no idea when he even got here."
"In that case, let me get some answers," Johnny said, adjusting his glasses with a decisive click before marching over to Ronove. He stood in front of him, arms crossed, a hard look on his face. "The election's over, the President won by an overwhelming margin, so what's your deal, Ronove? Are you prepared to face the consequences?"
"Rono... Rononono..." Ronove muttered absently, his eyes fixed on the ceiling as he continued to sob dramatically. "Of course, my Battle will dissolve... So heartbreak-ronove... Ronononono..."
"Not that!" Johnny snapped, exasperated. He stomped his foot in frustration, his patience thinning. He grabbed Ronove by the collar and hoisted him up, shaking him slightly. "What the hell do you mean by this? You were the one who cast that magic on the President, weren't you?"
"Rororo? What are you talking about?" Ronove blinked, looking genuinely confused. "Ronove doesn't do anything that's not flashy..." He trailed off, then seemed to realize he was being physically lifted by a man. His energy drained instantly, and with a soft sigh, he collapsed back into the roses.
"Stop lying! Who else could have—"
"Johnny-senpai, leave him be," Izuku said, cutting him off. His voice was calm but firm, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "He's not the one who attacked Ameri." He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I just got a message from Yelan. She's discovered the real culprit and is bringing him here soon."
******
Knowing it would take some time for Yelan to arrive with the culprit, Ameri decided to let the celebration continue. Laughter, clinking glasses, and the buzz of conversation filled the Student Council office. For a while, the room was alight with warmth and relief—until the door suddenly burst open with a loud crack.
Everyone fell silent. All eyes turned toward the entrance, expecting Yelan with the captured assailant. But instead, standing in the doorway was someone else entirely.
It was Ameri's mother, Kumara Azazel, tall and imposing in her regal attire, with her security demon Moana close behind her.
"Mom?" Ameri blinked in shock, wide-eyed. "What are you doing here?"
Kumara didn't respond right away. Without a word, she strode forward and pulled her daughter into a fierce embrace and held Ameri close, refusing to let go for a full, quiet minute. Only when she was satisfied did she finally draw back, her hands still resting on Ameri's shoulders.
"You look much better now," she said softly, a rare warmth in her voice. "Not that your other personality wasn't... interesting in its own way, but this—" she touched her daughter's cheek gently "—this suits you far more."
Ameri let out a surprised laugh, eyes misting over as she hugged her mother again. "I couldn't agree more. But seriously—why are you here? Not that I'm not thrilled, but it's a bit sudden."
Kumara's expression shifted instantly—still regal, but now tinged with cold fury. Her eyes glinted, and a dangerous pressure filled the room as a pulse of killing intent radiated from her. Even Moana subtly stepped forward, sensing her mistress's mood.
"I heard from Yelan," Kumara said, her voice like a blade wrapped in silk. "She told me she found the one responsible for assaulting you." Her gaze swept the room with piercing intensity. "So I came to see for myself... who dared to lay a hand on someone from the Azazel family."
"Mom, I understand your concern, but there's really no need for you to get involved..." Ameri said, forcing a strained smile. "Whoever it is, I'm confident I can handle them myself."
"I don't doubt that for a second, my dear," Kumara replied, her tone firm and unwavering. "But this situation is far more serious than you realize. What happened to you wasn't a prank. It wasn't a joke. It was a targeted, calculated assault." Her eyes narrowed, the steel in her voice unmistakable. "Even if it had been a prank, I still wouldn't treat it lightly. The magic used could have destabilized your magical core... or worse, damaged your mind."
"I understand, but..." Ameri hesitated, her words faltering as she wrestled with the thought of involving her parents in school affairs. She had always avoided doing so, not only because of how over-the-top their reactions could be, especially when it concerned her or her sister, but also because she didn't want to put them in a position where they'd feel obligated to use their influence or authority to aid her.
She glanced around the room, hoping to find someone who might back her up. But as expected, none of the other Student Council members dared to oppose her mother, whether out of respect for Kumara's status or simply because she was Ameri's mother. It left Ameri with only one hope, and her gaze shifted toward the one person in the room who might actually influence Kumara's decision—Izuku. Her mother had taken quite a liking to him, and if he voiced his support, there was a good chance she would at least reconsider.
With that hope in mind, Ameri turned toward him, silently pleading for his help, her eyes filled with urgency and quiet desperation.
Unfortunately for her, Izuku didn't share her view on the matter.
"Sorry, Ameri, but I think I have to side with your mother on this one," Izuku said, his voice soft yet resolute. He glanced away, unable to meet the disbelief and quiet hurt in Ameri's eyes. "I know what you're thinking, and believe me, I understand. I don't like involving family in school matters either, especially when they hold positions of power. But this situation is different. It's way different."
He turned back to face her, his expression more serious now. "Ameri, your mother needs to be involved because you were the one who was attacked. If someone has the audacity to target the heir of the Azazel family, and then just walks away with nothing more than a slap on the wrist, it sends a terrible message. It sets a precedent—not just for the students here now, but for everyone who comes after us."
His gaze locked with hers, unwavering and full of conviction. "Think about it. What if it hadn't been you? What if some other girl had been targeted the same way? What if she didn't have your strength, your resilience?" His hand moved without thinking, gently taking hers in his. "I spoke to Momonoki-sensei about the magic that was used to alter your personality. According to her, it's nothing short of a miracle that you managed to break free as quickly as you did. If it had been someone else... they might not have been so lucky."
He gave her hand a soft, reassuring squeeze, trying to offer comfort. "That's why this can't be treated lightly. I'm not saying I don't trust the school to handle things, but when serious offenses like this aren't met with real consequences, the line between right and wrong starts to blur. And when that happens, it opens the door for worse incidents in the future."
Just as the two of them found themselves lost in each other's eyes, a slow, deliberate cough cut through the moment. Kumara, standing nearby with a sly, knowing smile, had clearly seen more than enough. The sound jolted them both back to reality—especially Izuku, who only then realized he was still holding Ameri's hand. He quickly let go, his cheeks flushing a soft pink.
"S-Sorry," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Don't be," Kumara said, her voice unusually warm as she stepped forward. She reached out and gently rested a hand on Izuku's head, ruffling his hair just enough to catch him off guard. "It's refreshing to see someone actually manage to talk sense into my daughter," she said as Izuku looked down, unsure how to respond, but a quiet warmth bloomed in his chest at the unexpected praise.
"And you're absolutely right," she continued, her expression turning serious. "This isn't about revenge. It's about sending a message. One that tells everyone loud and clear—not just the perpetrators, but the victims too. A message that says we won't let this sort of thing slide. That if someone has the courage to come forward, we'll be there to protect them, to fight for them. That justice is possible—so long as they speak up and ask for help."
Ameri let out a sigh, her shoulders relaxing slightly as she looked away. "Fine. Do whatever you want," she said, conceding at last.
Just then, the door swung open once more—and this time, it was Yelan, striding in with a tied-up and gagged boy in tow. She dragged him across the floor with little ceremony before tossing him into the center of the room like a sack of garbage.
"Hello, everyone, and thank you for gathering on such short notice, Lady Azazel," Yelan said with a polite bow toward Kumara. Straightening up, she gestured to the boy lying on the floor. "And here we have the culprit—the one responsible for creating the magic perfume that altered the President's personality."
Everyone quickly crowded around him, their expressions darkening as they stared down at the disheveled boy. A single, silent question echoed in everyone's mind: 'Who the hell is this guy?'
Reading the unspoken confusion on their faces, Yelan casually stepped forward and continued, "His name is Eligos Schenell. Second-year student. A weirdo and a creep who's been stalking Ameri for quite some time now."
She produced a small box and handed it to Kumara, who accepted it with a deadly calm. "There's a small cave hidden behind the far corner of the school's backyard with pictures of Ameri covering the walls, like some sort of twisted shrine," Yelan explained. "And that's also where he brewed the enchanted perfume that messed with the President's personality. Everything he used—ingredients, tools, notes—it's all in that box."
Yelan crossed her arms with an annoyed shake of her head. "Honestly, until two days ago, I was completely stuck. I couldn't pin down the culprit among my list of suspects. But then, during Ameri's campaign, I noticed this guy acting... unusually creepy. So I decided to investigate, and sure enough, it led me straight to him." She jabbed a thumb toward Eligos. "Today, I caught him red-handed. He was sneaking equipment from both the New Magic Battler and the Gaming Battler clubs to mix a new batch of the same enchanted perfume. Clearly, he was planning to use it on Ameri again."
Her tone sharpened, leaving no room for misunderstanding. "As for why he did it? Well..." Yelan gave a humorless smile and tilted her head. "You'll have to ask him yourself."
"Don't worry. I intend to," Kumara said coldly as one of her nine tails lashed out with lightning speed, ripping the gag from Eligos's mouth with a little too much force. The boy choked and gasped, coughing violently as he doubled over on the floor. "Now then, Eligos, was it?" she said, her voice like ice. "Tell me—why did you attack my daughter? Was it out of personal grudge, or were you acting under someone else's orders?"
This was the real reason Kumara had come in person: to find out if this attack had been as simple as her daughter insisted it was or something much darker. If someone had orchestrated an assault against the Azazel family, then Kumara would make sure that person vanished from existence... quietly and permanently.
For a moment, it seemed Eligos would cower under the weight of her glare. But then, to everyone's shock, he pushed himself up to his knees—and burst into manic laughter. The sharp, unhinged sound echoed off the walls, startling the entire room.
"Grudge? No, no, no!" he cried, a wild gleam in his eyes. "My ambition has nothing to do with any petty grudge against President Ameri—no, it's far more sublime! More noble!" His voice rose with a strange, fervent passion. "My ambition... is to burn the image of the Lady-like President Ameri into my very soul!" he declared dramatically. "I've always been watching the President! I'm so proud of her unwavering gallantry! That's why I had to see it, no, no, I must see it—the rare, delicate side of her!" His fists clenched in front of him as he proclaimed, "It's my rightful duty as the captain of the President Ameri Fan Club!"
"Very well..." Eligos froze as a sudden chill crept down his spine. Standing before him was Ameri, her entire body radiating a cold, menacing aura, her piercing glare locking him in place. Behind her, the rest of the Student Council loomed, each member cloaked in the same suffocating darkness, their eyes promising swift retribution.
"If you're so desperate to see me," Ameri said, her voice low and dangerously calm, "then I'll make sure to prepare a very special seat just for you..."
Without waiting for another word, Johnny and Kimaris grabbed Eligos by the arms, lifting him effortlessly despite his frantic squirming.
"Student Council Training Program—50x Course!" Ameri ordered sharply.
The two boys marched off, dragging a sobbing, thrashing Eligos behind them as his desperate cries echoed through the office, growing fainter as he was hauled away toward his very well-deserved fate.
"This was so stupid..." Kumara muttered with a heavy sigh, rubbing her temples in exasperation. "I came here bracing for the worst, only to find out the culprit was just some crazed admirer of my daughter."
"Though... isn't that actually kind of a good thing?" Izuku offered carefully, glancing her way.
"What do you mean?" Kumara asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I mean," Izuku said, choosing his words with care, "if it had been someone deliberately targeting your family, you would've been forced to retaliate. You'd have to spend all that time and energy getting revenge and dealing with the political mess afterward, just to send a strong message. But now, instead of all that, you can just focus on what's really important—being with your family."
He scratched his cheek a little awkwardly and added with a sheepish smile, "And honestly... if something that serious had happened at the school, it would've reflected badly on the school's security and on my grandfather as well. I'm glad things didn't escalate to that point. It means the school's still secure from outside threats."
For a moment, Kumara simply stared at him. Then, unexpectedly, she let out a small chuckle. "You're right," she said, her smile warm and genuine. "This really is the better outcome."
She then turned to Ameri, her expression softening slightly. "Since my work here is done, I'll be heading out. But first, I'm going to have a word with your teachers about that boy's punishment."
"Do you really have to?" Ameri said, folding her arms across her chest. "I can handle him myself."
"Yes, I do," Kumara said firmly, leaving no room for argument. "Even if the reason behind the attack was ridiculous, the method was extremely serious. As Izuku pointed out earlier, we have to set a strong example. Otherwise, the next person might not hesitate to try something even worse."
Turning to the others, she added briskly, "Yelan, Smoke, Sunny—you're coming with me. I'll need witnesses to back me up."
Without waiting for a reply, Kumara swept from the room, Sunny falling in behind her without a word. Smoke and Yelan exchanged a brief, knowing glance, sharing a small smile between them. They both understood perfectly why Kumara had chosen them over someone like Izuku or Ameri, and with a silent nod between them, they quickly followed after her.
Afterward, Ameri turned her attention to Ronove, dealing with him in her own way by offering him a position on the Student Council. She had been genuinely impressed by how he managed to put pressure on her during the campaign, and in recognition of that, she invited him to join. She even promised that if he could maintain the level of diligence expected from a Council member, she would eventually entrust him with the more extravagant duties of the Council—something she suspected he would relish. Ronove, naturally, accepted with his usual dramatic flair, breaking into a spontaneous song and dance routine as he made his grand exit, leaving only Izuku and Ameri behind in the office.
******
"So..." After a moment of awkwardly standing there, Izuku finally broke the silence. "How does it feel to be back to your real self?"
"Pretty good, actually," Ameri replied with a small smile. "That said, I don't think my other self was all that bad either."
"No, she wasn't. In fact, she was actually pretty cute," Izuku agreed, chuckling when he noticed the slight blush on her face. "But still, I think that version of you lacked the fire that makes you so amazing. And while it was fun spending time with the shy, softer Ameri, I'll always prefer this version of you — the ambitious, self-assured one." He spoke so earnestly, so casually, that he didn't realize just how deeply his words were affecting the girl standing in front of him.
"That's very kind of you," Ameri said smoothly, but the predatory glint in her eyes and the way she absentmindedly played with her sharp nails sent an involuntary chill down Izuku's spine.
'Oh boy, someone's about to get eaten,' Nana's teasing voice echoed in his mind, and Izuku, wisely deciding to ignore it, shifted his weight awkwardly from foot to foot.
Realizing what she was doing, Ameri quickly caught herself. A flush rose to her cheeks, and she cleared her throat with an exaggerated cough. "Anyway..." she said, regaining her usual composed demeanor. "I just wanted to thank you for everything you did. For me, and for the Student Council. Without you stepping in as Prefect, it would've been a real struggle for the others to keep things running, let alone maintain order around the school."
Izuku smiled warmly at her words, scratching the back of his head. "It's really no big deal," he said earnestly. "Given everything you were going through, helping out was the least I could do."
"No, you didn't have to do anything, especially with your first-term tests and your own battler to worry about," Ameri said sharply, her voice tinged with guilt. She lowered her head slightly, her words quieting as she continued, "Especially not for me... after how I acted like a complete bitch the entire week."
Izuku rubbed the back of his head, unsure of how to respond but trying to ease the tension. "Yeah, that was... weird," he admitted. "So, what was going on with you back then? Honestly, the whole time, I kept thinking it was something I did — like I messed up somehow and that's why you were avoiding me."
"Great... now I feel even worse," Ameri let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back against her desk, arms crossed. She seemed torn, caught in a moment of internal conflict. Her gaze drifted, as if searching for the right words. After a few moments of silence, she finally spoke, her voice quieter now, vulnerable. "I was trying to keep my distance because... I needed time to deal with my own jealousy."
"Jealousy? What were you jealous about?" Izuku asked, genuine confusion in his voice.
"It's really silly," Ameri said with a self-deprecating smile, shaking her head before meeting his eyes again. "I felt jealous and insecure seeing you getting closer to the girls in your class. And your battler too — it's almost all girls, except for two guys, counting you. It didn't help that they're all so attractive, and they get way more chances to spend time with you compared to me. I sometimes have to practically fight my schedule just to get even an hour with you. I guess... I just started feeling like I wasn't enough, like I had to fight to carve out time with you."
Izuku scratched his cheek awkwardly, taken aback by her honesty. "Oh..." he said, struggling to find the right words. "I guess I didn't realize it, but... yeah, I do have a lot more female friends than male ones, don't I?"
"Really!? That's all you have to say!?" Ameri burst out laughing, her laughter ringing through the room for a solid minute. "Don't worry, it's not your fault. It was entirely my own mental gymnastics," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "But our conversation earlier cleared away all that haze and made me realize just how much I value having you in my life. And for that..."
Suddenly, Ameri stepped forward, cupped his cheek with her hand, and kissed the corner of his mouth, the touch soft and light. "Thank you," she whispered, her breath warm against his skin.
"But it also made me wonder..." she said, still holding his cheek as she looked deeply into his eyes. "What are we?"
The question took Izuku by surprise. His eyes widened, and his mind immediately began to spin. The gears started turning as he slipped into his usual overthinking mode. But before he could respond, Ameri spoke again, her voice soft and reassuring.
"But here's the thing, Izuku," she said gently, "we don't need to define anything right now." Her tone was soothing, like a balm. "You're still in your first year, and I'm in my second. We've got plenty of time to figure it out... at our own pace."
She leaned in closer, her forehead pressing lightly against his, her breath mingling with his. "We've got plenty of time... right?"
In that moment, Izuku froze. Ameri's words hit him like a punch to the gut, dragging old memories back to the surface—memories he had buried deep within his heart. For a moment, he was no longer standing in the Student Council office. Instead, he was back on that desolate mountain, overlooking a destroyed city, standing beside the loveliest girl he once knew... as she spoke those same words.
"We have plenty of time, right?"
To be continued...