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## Chapter 8
**Friendships, Festivals, and Leadership**
### Bonding in the Academy
Four months had passed since Rougen's arrival at Helios Academy. The initial tension of entering a new world had begun to fade. Rougen, still quiet and cautious, had begun interacting with other students—not through words alone, but through actions, shared tasks, and battles of skill.
He had grown close to Zach Yamamoto and Helten Javier, but now, Rougen found himself spending time with others in the class:
* **Lira Windfall**, the silver-haired wind mage, whose gentle precision often amazed Rougen.
* **Mina Velaris**, cheerful, always offering small treats or encouragement.
* **Kaito Renn**, fiery and competitive, pushing Rougen to hone speed and technique.
The academy assigned them **team-based tasks**—gathering rare herbs from dangerous forest zones, crafting magical items in groups, and constructing protective wards around the practice fields.
Rougen's fire magic and survival skills often led the group. He didn't speak much, but he earned trust through consistent reliability.
*They're… not bad,* he thought quietly as Lira carefully distributed tasks. *They fight, they think… maybe they're worth trusting.*
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### Class Election
One morning, Professor Lyra announced that each class would hold elections for leadership roles to improve teamwork and coordination.
"Class President, Vice President, and Secretary will be responsible for managing tasks, assigning roles, and representing the class during the upcoming festival," she said.
The nominations were quick. Rougen observed silently as classmates discussed their choices.
* **Anthony Yamedere** was elected **President**—charismatic, confident, and authoritative.
* **Lynn Asmeralde** became **Vice President**—level-headed, diplomatic, and precise.
* **Yokute Sakusa** was chosen **Secretary**—meticulous and organized, with a sharp eye for detail.
Rougen didn't mind. He didn't seek leadership. He preferred observation and strategy, letting the elected students manage social coordination while he focused on effectiveness.
*Anthony Yamedere… capable. Lynn… sharp. And Sakusa… useful for planning. Good.*
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### Festival Announcement
A week later, another announcement shook the class: the **Helios Academy Annual Festival**.
"Each class will present a performance using magic and creativity," Professor Lyra explained. "The winning class will earn **10,000,000 Hages** in rewards. Use this wisely."
Rougen blinked. *10 million Hages…* he calculated silently. *That's… about 25 million yen?* His mind went straight to survival supplies, rare materials, and magical tools he could acquire with that amount. He suppressed a small smirk; a festival might be fun, but it could also be useful.
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### Team Planning
Anthony Yamedere, the new class president, called a meeting to discuss strategies.
"We need coordination," Anthony said confidently. "Rougen, you have excellent control over fire magic. Lira, your wind techniques can enhance the visual effect. Zach and Helten, you'll handle combat simulations in the performance. Everyone else, focus on creating a magical display that wows the audience."
Rougen nodded silently. He didn't speak often, but he contributed ideas carefully. Small adjustments to timing, energy flow, and audience perspective could elevate their performance.
Lynn Asmeralde coordinated logistics, ensuring everyone had roles. Yokute Sakusa organized materials and rehearsal schedules. Rougen quietly followed, analyzing, calculating, and planning.
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### Training for the Festival
For the next month, Rougen and the class trained together. He began to open up slightly, sharing small tips with his teammates:
* Controlling fire intensity to avoid harming spectators.
* Coordinating elemental magic with wind and water for combined effects.
* Timing their movements so that each display looked synchronized.
Even Jaze occasionally joined, practicing stealth illusions to make their performance more dramatic. Rougen didn't talk much with her during these sessions, but he observed her techniques, noting how they could improve the performance.
During downtime, he shared small laughs with Zach and Helten, sometimes teasing Kaito when his fire blasts got too chaotic.
*The forest taught me survival… but the academy teaches something else… cooperation,* Rougen reflected.
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### Interactions and Bonds
Students flirted, joked, and competed casually around him. A small group of girls—Mina, Lira, and a few others—teased Zach about his overly serious attitude, while Kaito argued with Helten about whose spell sequences were more dramatic.
Rougen watched quietly from a distance, noting alliances and rivalries, occasionally stepping in to diffuse minor conflicts without drawing attention to himself.
Even though he remained quiet and a little emo, the bonds formed through shared work and mutual reliance gave him a sense of belonging he hadn't felt in years.
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### Festival Day
The day of the festival arrived. Rougen's class gathered early in the courtyard, reviewing their final plans. Fire, wind, water, illusions, synchronized movements—all combined into a single, polished performance.
As the audience—students, teachers, and visiting nobles—gathered, Rougen's heart didn't race. He was calm, calculating, and ready. This was another challenge, another way to measure strength… both in magic and teamwork.
The performance began. Fire erupted from Rougen's hands, twisting in intricate patterns. Lira's wind magic enhanced the movement, creating sweeping arcs and sparkling trails. Zach and Helten executed precise combat illusions, impressing the crowd. Jaze's stealth illusions added dramatic entrances and mysterious effects.
The crowd erupted in applause. Rougen watched silently, noting audience reactions and timing for future improvement.
When the announcement came, it was no surprise: **their class had won.**
The reward: **10,000,000 Hages.**
Rougen's thoughts went immediately to practical use: *That's 25 million yen… I could buy rare herbs, magical scrolls, tools, and training materials.*
Even though he didn't celebrate outwardly, a small spark of satisfaction flickered in his chest. The forest had taught him to survive. Helios Academy was teaching him to thrive—and maybe even enjoy it a little.
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Rougen Leo, still quiet and a little observant, still observant, spiky-haired, red-and-gold cloak fluttering, had begun to form a **true network of friends and allies**. He realized that survival was no longer only about avoiding death—it was about learning, strategizing, and forming bonds that made him stronger.
And now, with the festival victory secured, the path to power and recognition at Helios Academy had only begun.
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