After leaving the student council office, Thilan returned to her residence. It was already afternoon.
By the end of May, the temperature in Southern 1st District had gradually cooled. After taking a shower and putting on a loose nightgown, Thilan sat by the window, watching the large, yellowing leaves outside. A gentle breeze blew through the room, slowly drying the slight dampness on her skin, leaving her feeling cool and comfortable.
It seemed like she had absorbed a lot of information today. She leaned back against the headboard, hugging a pillow and closing her eyes for a short nap, while also organizing and recalling the information she had received.
Taking over the student council would have to be done step by step. With less than two months left before the current president graduated, time was limited, and she couldn't afford to delay.
In addition to rectifying the atmosphere within the academy, such as dealing with the Indigo Cornflower Club, she also needed to prepare her own team to take over the student council's work. Otherwise, she wouldn't have the energy to handle everything on her own. Amorth had reminded her of this at the beginning of the semester.
Although the student council wasn't short on personnel now, that might change once Amorth's class graduated. When he became student council president, most of the people he selected were from his own grade, and there hadn't been many additions since. This meant that once they graduated, there would be quite a few vacancies.
She could ask a few members from her own club to help, but the rest would likely need to be recruited publicly. She could have Annelie handle this. Given the influence of the group she represented, there would be no shortage of talented individuals. It would save her the trouble of having to find people through other channels.
Once this decision was made, it felt like checking off an item on her mental to-do list, freeing up some mental space and making her feel a bit more relaxed. The next priority was figuring out how to deal with the Indigo Cornflower Club.
Hmm... Amorth's suggestion wasn't bad, but she didn't particularly like it. It seemed everyone had their own way of doing things.
However, she wanted to delve deeper into the details of this club and understand their true dynamics. Perhaps she should ask Dolores. As a well-known and influential figure in Southern 1st District, Dolores would likely have easy access to that circle.
After deciding to have dinner with Dolores that evening, Thilan relaxed. It wouldn't hurt to take a short nap now, would it?
She slid down from the headboard, pulled up the thin blanket, and leaned against the pillow. The black-haired girl gradually fell asleep.
Fatigue of the soul and consciousness was best relieved through sleep. As the source of her Songstress talent, "Soul Resonance," if used for extended periods, could lead to fatigue and make her prone to drowsiness.
By 4 PM, Thilan woke up feeling particularly refreshed. After changing into her lightweight school uniform, she walked downstairs with a spring in her step.
After exchanging a few words with the two maids in the house, she walked through the quiet, shaded paths of the academy and soon saw Dolores waiting for her under a large tree by the lake.
The black-haired young lady was gazing at the lake in the distance, with a maid holding an umbrella beside her. A black luxury car was parked on the road nearby.
Thilan only knew that the car was expensive, as its design and interior clearly stood out, but she didn't pay much attention to cars and hadn't even bothered to look up the brand or model.
"I'm here. Sorry to keep you waiting, Dolores."
She had set an alarm and arrived five minutes early, but she wasn't sure how long Dolores had been waiting.
"It's fine. I only arrived about ten minutes early. It's impressive that you managed to wake up on time, Thilan," Dolores said with a light laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. During their time together, she had come to realize just how much Thilan loved to sleep. It seemed like she could fall asleep anywhere.
"Let's get in the car first. We can talk on the way."
Dolores then led Thilan to the black luxury car.
The two sat in the back seat, while the maid in front handled the driving. Most of the driving was done by the car's AI, with the maid only assisting when necessary.
"Take us to Lake Konel."
"Yes, Miss."
The maid entered the destination, and the car started, rising smoothly before beginning its journey.
Seeing Thilan's curiosity, Dolores explained, "Lake Konel is a signature landmark of the Konel Module. There's a restaurant there with a great view."
Although land in Southern 1st District was extremely expensive, some scenic modules had been inserted to provide places for relaxation and recreation. These modules had very few artificial structures, mostly preserving their natural appearance, and covered vast areas with mountains, forests, lakes, and more.
The car followed the aerial tracks, passing through towering skyscrapers and weaving among numerous floating vehicles before finally entering the edge of a scenic module and landing smoothly.
Floating vehicles were prohibited within scenic modules to preserve the natural beauty. After all, it would be quite jarring to see floating vehicles flying overhead while camping in the forest.
After driving along a nearby ramp, the black luxury car stopped not far from a lake.
"From here, we'll have to walk," Dolores told Thilan, and the two got out of the car.
Before them was a vast, pale red lake. The wind brushed across the surface, creating ripples and waves that were exceptionally beautiful.
Lake Konel wasn't deep, with the deepest part only about three meters, and most areas being around one meter deep. The white salt particles at the bottom of the lake were clearly visible. Yes, this was a saltwater lake, home to only a few special types of red algae.
The wind blowing across the lake brought a refreshing coolness. The two then walked along a path leading to the center of the lake, where a small, round pavilion restaurant stood. It could seat four to five people, and the meals ordered during the reservation would be served there.
The edge of the lake was surrounded by a band of white sand about twenty meters wide. These sand particles were actually salt, though not yet purified or refined. As the two walked toward the center of the lake, the water gradually changed from pale pink to light red, then to tea red, and finally to rose red.
Upon reaching the wooden restaurant in the center, Dolores had Thilan sit down, then opened a compartment under the table to retrieve the pre-ordered drinks and meal boxes, placing them on the table.
Although she knew there were no maids to assist here, Thilan found it amusing to watch Dolores handle these tasks herself.
"Would you like some rose dew? I pre-ordered it," Dolores pointed to the bottle on the table.
"Sure, a little."
The two then worked together to open the meal boxes and distribute the steaming hot food. They began eating while enjoying the surrounding scenery.
"I came here once two years ago. I found it stunning at the time, but making a reservation at this restaurant requires booking far in advance, which is quite a hassle. So I haven't been back since," Dolores reminisced about her previous visit with others.
"Back then, it was a few classmates who organized the trip and invited me along."
The two chatted about their middle school days, with Dolores sharing her experiences at the prestigious all-girls school she had attended. Although there were no nobles anymore, most people still referred to it as a noble school because it was filled with girls from well-off families.
"It wasn't particularly special. It's just that parents were afraid of their children falling in love too early, especially girls who were set to inherit family businesses. They were worried they'd be swayed by boys, so they sent them to all-girls schools to avoid that," Dolores explained.
"When it came time to choose a high school, my father initially wanted me to attend the Hive Dominion Academy, not only because of its high ranking but also because it was an all-girls school."
"How did you end up changing that plan, Dolores?" Thilan asked curiously.
"Because I didn't want to, so I convinced my father," Dolores replied simply.
"The reason was quite straightforward. Being surrounded by too many girls doesn't necessarily make for an easy environment. Even though I'm a girl myself, I have to admit that many girls can be quite complicated, especially those from wealthy families. With so much wealth and so many siblings, there's often competition among them, which over time changes their personalities."
"Additionally, I believe that if you don't interact with the opposite sex for a long time, it can lead to a skewed perception of reality. It's like what some philosophies or political theories say—you need opposites or reference points to define yourself."
"If you're only surrounded by girls, you might become too relaxed and unrestrained. But if there are boys around, you tend to be more mindful of your behavior and appearance. Through the contrast between the sexes, you gradually understand your own position, which actually helps in forming a more accurate worldview."
Dolores lightly pressed her fingers on the railing, gazing at the distant scenery.
"I don't particularly enjoy the noisy, gossipy environment among girls. I prefer something more stable and quiet. That's why I chose Edess Academy in the end. Compared to the more chaotic and scheming Saint Ingo Academy, the incompatible Crystal Grid Academy, the conservative Relisa Academy, or the male-dominated semi-military Thunder Edge Academy, Edess Academy's atmosphere suited me better."
"Dolores, you're quite mature for your age," Thilan remarked softly.
"That's probably inherited from my father. Although he's a businessman, he enjoys studying various philosophies and has many books on the subject at home. He's been teaching me these things since I was little. Even though I didn't fully understand them back then, I was still influenced by them."
"As for me, I think I've been more influenced by my mother. Many of my habits and behaviors come from her," Thilan recalled.
However, her mother had been much more confident than she was when she was young. Thilan had always been sensitive due to her sister's influence.
She stopped herself from reminiscing further. There were more pressing matters to attend to.
"By the way, Dolores, do you know much about the Indigo Cornflower Club?"
"I do. I received an invitation from them when I first arrived at the academy, but since I wanted to avoid an environment dominated by girls, I naturally declined."
"Have you heard anything about them recently?"
"I have. Apparently, they've been causing quite a stir. Even my father called to ask if I had any dealings with them," Dolores said, swirling the rose dew in her glass and adding a few ice cubes.
"It seems like they really need to be dealt with," Thilan mused. If the club continued like this, it might affect the enrollment rate of new students. Although Edess Academy wasn't short on applicants, its reputation was still important.
"Recently, President Amorth gave me a new task..."
She explained the purpose of her meeting with Dolores.
"So that's why. I was wondering why you suddenly asked me out for dinner today," Dolores glanced at the black-haired girl, her tone carrying a hint of complaint, as if to say that if it weren't for this matter, Thilan wouldn't have invited her out.
"I get it~ Even if there's nothing going on, I'll still ask you out next time," Thilan nodded, trying to reassure her friend.
"Let me think... How about we go camping in the forest next time? Not in tents, though. There's a treehouse inn that's quite interesting," Dolores, having caught Thilan off guard, wasn't about to let go of the chance to make plans.
"Sure," Thilan nodded. It was just a camping trip, after all.
"About the Indigo Cornflower Club... Let me think if I know anyone there..."
Dolores swirled her rose dew, her eyes glancing to the side.
...
"I remember now. A former classmate of mine seems to be in that club."
"Can you get in touch with her? Or are you familiar with her?" Thilan asked.
"We weren't particularly close before, but if I wanted to get closer, it wouldn't be hard," Dolores said, exuding the confidence of a wealthy young lady.
"Are you thinking of disbanding the club?"
"I have some ideas for reform, but it's not necessarily about disbanding them."
"Disbanding might solve some of the public relations issues, but the effect would be limited. If we could get Sesaron to apologize publicly, it would have a much greater impact," Dolores analyzed.
"But would she be willing to do something so humiliating?" Thilan asked, surprised.
"Thilan, you're still too soft-hearted. Just because she doesn't want to do it doesn't mean she shouldn't. When she made mistakes that led to negative publicity and damaged everyone's reputation, did anyone want that? If I were the student council president, I'd make an example of her to establish authority. Not only would it solve the public relations issue, but it would also satisfy many students."
"Think about it. You've entered a well-regarded academy that you're happy with, but then a bad apple tarnishes its reputation, making you feel embarrassed in front of your friends and family. How would you feel?"
"Dealing with her wouldn't upset the students; instead, it would earn their respect. You're too concerned about everyone's feelings. You're clearly capable, but you hold yourself back too much," Dolores believed that, given Thilan's intelligence and Amorth's guidance, she should have thought of this herself. It was just that her habitual tendencies had led her to overlook it.
After listening, Thilan closed her eyes, then opened them again, blinking once before speaking slowly.
"I see. There doesn't seem to be any reason to refuse..."
Although she had inherited her mother's kind nature, she wasn't without reason. In fact, due to her childhood experiences, she understood all too well that being overly accommodating would only lead others to take advantage of her.
It was just that her habits had become second nature, and her past instincts had trapped her.
"So it seems that dealing with Sesaron and making her apologize publicly is a must."