What should a so-called room manager do?
Should they spend all day in the office processing documents that are barely better than junk, or wander around other offices with their hands behind their back like an old man, spouting nonsense about some project they don’t even understand?
Probably not.
Although in my previous life as a corporate drone, my room manager—
Or rather, my boss—
Often did exactly that.
But in Kivotos, where high-level politics is led by a bunch of kids who don’t understand politics, and only held together by that charmingly charismatic Student Council President, that shouldn’t be the case, right?
So what should I, as the room manager, do now?
—The riot suppression is complete.
Next, let the kids in charge of investigations handle the suspicious parts, like where the Abydos tank came from and why the command center suddenly exploded.
What do I need to do next as the room manager…
In my previous life, I never thought about such a “promising” issue.
So now that it’s come up, I somehow feel oddly uncomfortable.
Inside the Black Hawk helicopter, Huaye propped her cheek on one hand, staring absentmindedly at the skyscrapers rapidly receding outside the window.
The thing she worried most about—
No fatalities among the officers.
The worst case was just a minor fracture after being hit three times in a row by a main battle tank, and that officer is now hospitalized.
Later, I’ll arrange some condolence activities and such…
“What terrifying physical resilience… The halo’s protection is really strong…”
Huaye muttered inwardly.
That strange saying about three high school girls being equivalent to one tank might actually hold true in Kivotos.
Originally, she’d planned to watch the frontline gradually approaching and think about how she should meet that Defense Room advisor later—
Maintaining proper decorum while showing respect.
But her thoughts kept drifting back to that officer who got hit by tank rounds three times, miraculously stayed conscious, and charged forward with a grenade.
Huaye tapped her young cheek with a finger, narrowed her eyes, and absentmindedly watched the officers below who were still chattering and horsing around, as well as those lying on stretchers snoring deeply—
They had probably just received a message from Hazuki Weiren, and now they were clearly relaxing.
After all, according to Hazuki, after the building suspected to be the command center mysteriously exploded, all the robots fled without a fight, and even the Helmet Gang and delinquents chose to surrender.
—From what I heard, that kid came from Trinity Academy, where most students are from wealthy families.
Later, for some reason, she went through a lot of trouble to transfer to Valkyrie Academy.
Because she had some grudge against the Gehenna students in the rioting Helmet Gang, she fought especially fiercely, not even considering her own schooling afterward…
Then later, I’ll talk to Rin Qishen and the others—
No, directly to the President—
And see if we can set up some cram classes for these kids hospitalized due to the riot suppression.
Can’t let their hearts grow cold…
The Black Hawk’s rotors roared, the noise passing through buildings, causing waves of people to look up on the streets.
Especially the officers: when they heard the helicopter’s roar, they all reacted the same way.
Upon seeing Hazuki Weiren sitting in the co-pilot seat, they grinned and waved vigorously to greet her.
Then, when they saw Buzhihuo Huaye also sitting in the back cabin, their faces instantly changed, and they turned their waving motion into a serious, formal salute.
“Inconsistent and awkward… Was I really that scary before?”
Even as she mentally complained about the kids’ awkward salutes, Huaye couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of pleasure at the sight—
It seemed her former self had a bit of a formalistic streak.
The Black Hawk was supposed to switch to high-altitude flight, invisible to ordinary students.
But apparently, due to the emergency climb earlier, the fuel system and rotors on this one were acting up, so they had to go low.
The other helicopters also had to fly low to ensure her safety.
When Hazuki learned about this from the pilot, she awkwardly apologized to Huaye,
“It’s probably because the police station hasn’t updated its equipment in a long time… I’m really sorry, Room Manager Huaye. This is due to my negligence… For now, please bear with it until we fly back to the safe zone… Sorry!”
What could she say?
Say that this kid really hasn’t been diligent enough?
Don’t be ridiculous.
In the battle just now, she was basically handling all the command and coordination.
Criticizing her now would feel cold-hearted.
Seeing that faint kindred-spirit corporate-drone vibe in someone who’s been working overtime, she couldn’t bear to keep criticizing, even if she did feel a bit dissatisfied inside.
After all, they’re still kids.
So she just smiled and nodded, then turned to look out the window.
“Boom boom boom boom!”
The helicopter group was descending further, meaning they had reached the safe zone.
Time to meet that advisor.
The advisor chosen by the President had indeed shown his terrifying ability—
Single-handedly persuading and leading a group of rioters, no, students, to tear open the defensive line, bringing hope for a quick victory.
Otherwise, even if they could have taken it, it would have taken quite a while.
“Swoosh!”
This Black Hawk seemed to have undergone some Kivotos-style modifications—
At least different from the ones in her previous life’s memory.
As the pilot pressed a button, the side doors automatically opened, and drop ladders and ropes shot out from hidden slots to the ground.
Hazuki Weiren took the lead, gave a serious greeting to the pilot and herself, then jumped down from her seat first, grabbing the rope for a fast descent.
Huaye hesitated for a moment, then chose to step down slowly on the ladder.
When her feet touched the ground, she naturally let out a breath and showed a relaxed smile of relief.
After all, she had completed her task:
The riot was quickly suppressed, and the advisor had safely returned to the Defense Room’s control area.
As Huaye turned to look at the officers lining up for inspection, a waiting officer cadre immediately trotted up, saluted, and with a serious expression, began reporting the action summary to Buzhihuo Huaye according to Hazuki Weiren’s instructions beside her.
“Reporting to Room Manager Huaye! A total of 1,524 officers participated in this operation! Among them, 411 from Defense Unit 1, 410 from Unit 2, exactly 400 from Unit 3, and exactly 300 from Unit 4!”
“Within the safe zone, 50 personnel from each of Units 1, 2, and 3 are stationed, plus 50 Helmet Gang members led by the new Defense Room advisor, and 62 injured personnel who withdrew after being wounded and losing consciousness on the front line! That is all! Please give your orders, Room Manager!”
I get a headache just hearing these numbers… Being a leader is such a hassle…
Huaye pinched her brow and sighed, trying to recall from her previous life’s memories how military leaders responded. Then, maintaining a smile as much as possible, she answered,
“Received. Return to your unit. Good work. Tell each unit to rest in place for ten minutes, then conduct a forced march back to their posts. Personnel without duties may be dismissed afterward.”
The cadre paused for a moment after hearing that, then muttered quietly,
“Huh… Dismissed?… But… but Teacher…”
Wait, what?
Huaye felt a headache coming on.
Was that outsider without a halo really that charismatic to these kids?
Was it curiosity about the unknown?
They had only met him for less than an hour, and they were already like this?
“Bring Teacher… I mean, the advisor to me. I have something to say to him.”
In the end, she just rubbed her temples and gave the order to the cadre, who looked somehow reluctant.
So this is what a room manager has to face?
Really?
…
Buzhihuo Huaye, Room Manager of the Federal Student Council’s Defense Room, the most powerful person in Kivotos right now, widely regarded as the right hand and enforcer of the so-called Superman—
The Student Council President.
The kids around her chattered about their future plans.
“Teacher, Teacher! What do you think? Should we switch careers and open a shop selling Momotalk cakes?”
“No way! Momotalk cakes are sacred items that require a collaboration to make! They can’t be sold by an idiot like you! That would defile the reputation of the Peroro Doll!”
“Hey! No pinching cheeks… Ow! That hurts! Let go! Fine, I won’t sell them anymore, okay?!”
“Part-time work is fine too. I remember there’s a club in Millennium looking for volunteers. I think it’s called… the Engineering Department? We can volunteer! Beg them to give us jobs! If that doesn’t work, we’ll lie on the ground and throw a tantrum!”
“Do I have to lie on the ground and throw a tantrum too?”
“Yes!”
The Helmet Gang members surrounded him like little chicks, constantly squeezing against each other, pressing as close to his body as possible.
He chuckled warmly, looking at these kids who hadn’t grown up yet, playing and messing around.
He gently touched the heads of those who deliberately took off their helmets and rubbed their heads against his palm.
The officers nearby, however, were gritting their teeth and trying to pull the Helmet Gang kids away.
“Hey! You bunch of Helmet Gang bastards! That’s our Defense Room advisor! You’re not allowed to hog him!”
“Exactly! Don’t hog the advisor!”
“I want a head pat too!”
The two sides pushed and shoved against each other.
Eventually, some Helmet Gang kids, satisfied after getting enough pats, reluctantly gave up their spots while twisting their fingers and glaring angrily at the officers who quickly filled the empty space next to the Teacher—
Or Defense Room advisor.
He watched these kids brimming with youthful innocence and simplicity, chuckling softly, his thoughts drifting back to what they had said when he first met them.
“Teacher, can bad kids like us—who were expelled from school for making mistakes and can’t receive student subsidies—also enjoy a happy youth? Can we laugh and joke on campus like regular students, run to the cake shop to buy our favorite cakes, go to afternoon tea with friends? Can we lazily live in student dorms every week and put our favorite wall decals and gun models on the walls?”
“They’re bad kids who got expelled from school for a moment, and they’re bad kids for life! That’s the Defense Room’s stance! Teacher, you’d better not bother with them! They’re dangerous people who should be locked up in correctional facilities!”
Kivotos’s problem…
Is even more serious than the “a bit unsettled” that the President reluctantly described when accepting my job application…
Even after spending half an hour chatting and counseling, I can only temporarily lessen the prejudice these silly kids have against the Helmet Gang and so-called “bad kids.”
—But it’s okay.
Your Teacher is always here, ready to support you.
If you can’t take it someday, come to me.
Even if I’m just as disheveled as you then, walking together is better than being alone.
He looked with pity and affection at these radiant kids.
Their halos were all sorts of strange shapes, but according to them, they could only tell whether a halo existed, whether it was extinguished, or whether it was cracked—
Of course, they mostly saw cracked halos in horror manga on Momotalk; no one had actually seen one in real life.
—I promise you, since I’m here, you’ll be blessed.
Those who suffer, those who are in pain, those who are bound and forbidden, I will help them up, let them stand before others, and say they are my students, upright and decent people.
Even if you think you carry guilt and self-blame, I will free you from it, let you raise your heads and see that youth and happiness.
He patted these kids’ heads, thinking about how an ordinary person like him, with nothing, should face the Defense Room Manager who was about to arrive.
The key was respect.
Even though she was a “student” and he was a “teacher,” she was also the only Defense Room Manager in this massive composite city.
In ability and caliber, she might far surpass him.
Moreover, you also need to treat children with respect and equality.
If you always put yourself in the position of educator and savior, arrogance, neglect, and prejudice are almost inevitable…
I need to find the right way to interact…
He pondered. The students around him, seeing the thoughtful look on his face, instinctively lowered their voices and whispered.
“Hey… do you think… the advisor will be able to take office successfully?”
“I’m not sure… Might be hard. After all, Room Manager Huaye has always insisted on punishing mistakes without exception. What the advisor said before contradicts what the Room Manager said a lot… But keep it down. Personally, I support the Room Manager, but… what the advisor said… also makes some sense…”
“If he fails to take office and has no money for food or a place to live, we’ll pool our extra tuition and support him! Anyway, if we don’t spend it, it’ll just be used to buy cakes…”
The girls whispered playfully, occasionally sneaking glances at the advisor’s face.
The nearly six-foot-tall man was clearly still deep in thought.
—The current problem is mainly confirming my authority and familiarizing myself with the Defense Room’s procedures when executing duties.
Even if the President didn’t explain, I know it’s all closely tied to that student named Buzhihuo Huaye.
What could a student like her possibly need?
What could I teach her?
From previous inquiries, I’ve roughly learned that kid has strong work skills and a very distinct personality, with her own consistent stance on the Defense Room’s execution.
Whether one likes her or not, even the Helmet Gang kids consider her the one closest to the Federal Student Council President.
And in these kids’ hearts, that President is almost an omnipotent Superman.
He pondered, recalling the Helmet Gang’s words about punishing mistakes without exception, punishing severely when in doubt, and investigating any related parties.
“So that’s what the Defense Room Manager is like?”