The rooftop of Sobu High School, wind blowing fiercely.
Iroha shivered from the cold, her short brown hair messy from the wind. She gripped tightly a piece of paper; it was a speech draft she had written overnight by racking her brains.
That paper was full of sweet yet empty sentences like: "I hope to create an enjoyable school life together with everyone," or "Please give me a chance to serve you all."
This was her reliable tactic, using a cute posture to gain sympathy.
Darius stood before her, receiving that paper expressionlessly. He only glanced at it once.
*RIIIIP!*
The speech draft that was the result of Iroha's hard work was torn in two without mercy, then into four, eight... until finally becoming paper scraps flying away, carried by strong winds and disappearing into the gray horizon.
"Trash."
Darius uttered that one word, cold without the slightest emotion.
"You're begging. You're wagging your tail asking for pity. You're telling everyone you're weak and you need their charity."
"I..." Iroha felt so sad she almost cried, "Bu-but, aren't election speeches all like that?"
"That's for elections of mortal humans." Darius pulled out another stack of papers from behind his shirt; the paper edges were slightly curled from frequent handling.
He slapped that stack of papers into Iroha's hand with a forcing gesture.
"This is your Bible. Engrave this into your brain, let it merge into your blood."
Iroha looked down at it. At the top of that draft paper, written in a line with thick red marker was:
[Declaration of the King (Third Revision · Highly Confidential)]
She read the first sentence trembling:
"Fellow friends, comrades! Raise your heads! Look around you! This school has been submerged in false peace and boring routine for too long!"
Just the first sentence already made Iroha feel goosebumps. This wasn't a speech draft; this was clearly a rebellion declaration!
"I can't read this..." She shook her head refusing, "This is too strange! Too chūnibyō! I'll be considered crazy!"
"Then become a madwoman who can silence everyone." Darius's voice was non-negotiable. "Continue reading."
As Iroha hesitated, Darius suddenly stepped forward, roughly lifting that girl's chin, forcing her to look directly at him.
"Look at my eyes, Isshiki Iroha. You're thirsty for power, right? You enjoy the feeling of being the center of attention, right? Then throw away that cheap disguise of yours! Cuteness can't buy respect and fear!"
His gaze was like two deep wells full of crazy attraction, ready to swallow that girl's sanity completely.
"Now, practice your hand gestures."
Darius released her and demonstrated. He raised his right hand high, then swung it down forcefully, as if cutting something.
"When you say the words 'Too long,' use your hand to slash the past. This movement isn't for beauty, but to sear your will into each viewer's retina through your physicality."
"This... this is very embarrassing..." Iroha felt her face heating up.
"Embarrassment is shackles installed by weak people for themselves." Darius's voice was very cruel. "Now, begin. Repeat continuously until this movement becomes your instinct."
The next hour for Iroha felt like hell. She was forced to stand at the edge of the roof, facing the empty sky, repeating countless times that crazy speech script and gestures whose embarrassment level had exceeded limits.
"Your voice is too small! Are you talking with mosquitoes?!"
"No emotion! Are you reading a textbook?! Put your ambition into it!"
"Your hand movement is weak! You must slash the air, not caress it!"
Under Darius's incessant scolding and pressure, Iroha's psyche slowly approached the threshold of collapse. At some point, she gave up resisting. Her embarrassment slowly numbed, replaced by madness from already being drenched.
"Enough!" She suddenly shouted toward the sky, her voice hoarse and sharp.
She straightened her back, the cowardice and cunning in her eyes replaced by fire that was cold and blazing. She raised her hand and slashed down very forcefully!
"This school will be reborn because of me!"
Her voice was no longer that artificially sweet voice, but had a penetrating power that was alien and cold. Strong winds flew her hair strands, passing her face that was no longer cute, but instead looked cold and arrogant.
At that moment, she seemed to truly become the "Queen" spoken of by Darius.
Darius's face finally showed a bit of satisfaction.
"Good. Divinity begins to merge."
Just then, near the door of the stairs leading to the roof, Hayato was passing with several friends. They heard that provocative declaration coming from the roof direction.
Hayato stopped his steps, turning to look up in confusion.
(That voice... a bit similar to Iroha-chan?)
"What did she say earlier? Reborn?" One friend asked strangely.
"Sounds like... just joined some strange religious organization." Another friend muttered softly.
Hayato's brows furrowed deeply.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
On the rooftop, Darius completely paid no attention to the spies below. He glanced at his watch; the school bell rang precisely at that moment, signaling to gather all students in the sports hall to attend the election speech assembly.
"Let's go."
Darius turned toward the stairs.
"The coronation ceremony begins."
Iroha stood frozen in place, wind blowing the "Bible" in her hand. She stared at Darius's back with a complex gaze. She felt like she could never return to her former self.