The Angel Forming a Club (10)
“Before I explain my plan... Refri, do you know what kind of relationship the mega-clubs and the student council have?”
“Not really.”
Yumari continued without missing a beat.
“Refri, the mega-clubs and the student council are on the same side. And the club wars revolve around those two forces.”
Refri replied,
“Got it. The student council handles the budget, and the other clubs live off that money... so of course they'd try to suck up to them.”
Refri let out a deep sigh.
“Ugh, political corruption... We gotta flip this whole thing upside down.”
Refri put on what he thought was a serious face, even clenching his fist. The Revolutionary Angel Refri? But no matter how hard he tried, to these girls, he just looked adorable.
“It's not that simple. There's a lot more political stuff mixed in.”
Soya answered.
“Political elements?”
“Refri, you know how Central Superhuman Academy was founded, right?”
“Yeah, the powerhouses from other worlds, the professors, and the leaders from our world teamed up to create...”
Yumari cut in midway.
“Yes, that's our academy.”
“Hey! I was talking!”
Yumari smoothly ignored Soya's protest and pressed on.
“To put it simply... this academy wasn't created solely by the professors. As Soya mentioned, the powerhouses from our world are also among the founders.”
Powerhouses from our world.
Hearing that, the first name that popped into Refri's head was the Seocheon Yu family.
“Starting with our family as the lead among the superhuman clans...”
“Ah, those igo-kkeang clans?”
Hongwol chimed in with a playful tone.
Igo-kkeang clans...
Igo-kkeang—a slang term for the rampages caused by high schoolers who got transported to other worlds. And the igo-kkeang clans were a mocking label for the families founded by those same high schoolers when they returned to Earth. Among them, the most infamous was the Seocheon Yu family.
The first head of the Yu family, chosen by an angel and becoming a hero... was said to have truly shown other worlds what an igo-kkeang was all about.
One of those atrocities was kidnapping the Sky Dragon Lumari. And the kidnapped Lumari ended up as a concubine to the Yu family head's son...
Eventually, fed up with such outrages, the angel stopped protecting the Yu head and flew back to the heavens, or so the story went.
Rumors say the Seocheon Yu family is still searching for that angel...
This was one reason Refri kept his angelic identity hidden. The Seocheon Yu family was already obsessed with angelic and heroic power due to orders from their ancestors... If a powerless kid like Refri got found out?
I'd get kidnapped without a trace...
In truth, the other igo-kkeang clans were just as fixated on angelic and heroic power as the Seocheon Yu. After all, the hero's power—granted only by an angel's choice—was the source of wealth and influence for any clan.
I need to get strong enough to stand against those clans. And for that, I need more Angel Power!
Refri had to grow fast if he didn't want to get snatched away. As these thoughts swirled in his head, a calm voice resumed.
“Miss Hongwol, I prefer the term 'superhuman clans' over 'igo-kkeang clans.'”
“Ah, right. 'Cause you're from the Seocheon Yu family and all.”
“...”
Yumari continued.
“The superhuman clans, the massive guilds formed by our world's hunters, and the old-money conglomerates. These are our world's powerhouses. And their tool for controlling Central Superhuman Academy is...”
Refri spoke up.
“The student council and the clubs, right?”
“Yes. So it's right to see them as allies. They share the same interests.”
Yumari asked with a worried look.
“Which means... we have no chance of winning this club war. The student council has probably already issued orders to most clubs, and they'll follow them to the letter.”
“...”
“Hmph, this whole setup is filthy. Why bother with such a sleazy club war? It's just about losing the cathedral anyway. Refri, I'll let you crash with me. Come to our dorm!”
The moment Hongwol said that... the other three girls' expressions flipped 180 degrees. Yumari's dragon eyes flashed, Soya cast a cold curse-like glare, and Hexi muttered, 'Let you crash? How dare she... with His Holiness in such an indecent...' as she prepared to assign penalty points.
“What do you think?”
But Refri couldn't accept Hongwol's offer. One of his life's goals was 'safety.' And this cathedral was the safest fortress he knew. Plus, for his future, he needed to stockpile Angel Power—and the cathedral even provided him with plenty of good deeds through odd jobs.
He couldn't lose the cathedral.
“...I get that our situation sucks. I understand the odds of us failing the club war are high.”
Refri acknowledged reality.
“But I still want to create the service club.”
Yet he wouldn't give up.
...Of course they'll oppose it? No choice then. I didn't want to use the angel's secret twice a day, but...
Refri geared up for tears once more. But Soya, Yumari, Hongwol, and Hexi... contrary to his expectations, nodded or muttered things like, 'Hah, no helping it.' agreeing with him.
Yumari spoke again.
“I told you earlier, right? I have a plan.”
“Yeah, you said you couldn't explain it yet.”
“...Yes. But the other members all agreed.”
Soya and Hongwol nodded. Refri tilted his head.
What kind of plan is it that they won't tell me about...?
Yumari went on.
“If things go according to this plan in the club war... we won't have to deal with the student council's interference anymore.”
And I can protect Refri. Yumari swallowed those words inwardly. Anyway, the other two girls nodded too...
“Guys...!”
Seeing this, Refri was moved.
Finally, my kids are stepping up like true heroes... Even if they called it a sucker job, they ended up supporting the service club!
But this was just Refri's delusion. The real reason they backed Yumari's reckless plan was simple: They didn't want Refri sleeping in another girl's dorm. If he got kicked out of the cathedral, he'd have to go somewhere else... Better Soya than handing him over to predators like Yumari, Hongwol, or Hexi.
Worst case scenario...
And so, the service club was formed. The money-loving materialistic angel Refri, the cold half-dragon Yumari of the Seocheon Yu, the born thief and assassin catgirl Hongwol, and the utterly humanity-less failed professor Hexi. Truly, the most ill-suited group for service in the world... but...
“Sniff, guys! Let's do a fighting chant! Service club fighting!”
Refri shouted excitedly. The girls, with awkward expressions, joined in reluctantly.
“Fighting...”
“F-Fighting.”
“Fighting.”
Thus, the service club's first day began.
So, what was Yumari's plan? It was none other than...
“Isn't this... sowing discord?”
“...Refri.”
Sowing discord among the clubs participating in this club war. Of course, Soya called this sowing of discord something else.
“This isn't sowing discord. It's a righteous operation to dismantle the cartel ruling our academy.”
No matter how tight-knit the student council and clubs seemed, it didn't mean the mega-clubs got along. Far from it—they were bitter enemies beyond rivals. They just avoided fighting each other because the damage would be too great. Instead, they bullied the weak clubs, stealing their business for profit.
Is it okay for an angel to do this?
Thus.
“So, you're saying... make the clubs fight each other so they're too wrecked to participate?”
“Refri, not wrecked enough to drop out. Just enough that they need our service club's help...”
The service club's strategy was as follows:
First, pit the already feuding clubs against each other.
Second, get the student council involved in mediating, turning them against the clubs.
Third, swoop in as the support force.
Of course, in exchange for that service, snag a 'little' share of their club war points.
Finally, rocket the service club into the top ranks.
Mari says it like that, but... I feel like there's more she's not telling us.
A devilishly wicked plan. Or rather, a divinely angelic one.
“But if we take payment, it's not service.”
Refri nailed the flaw on the head.
“...There are paid services too. Besides, we're a service club, so helping other clubs is our activity. We deserve the points.”
Soya defended.
“Refri, look at the small clubs managed directly by the professors. They're starving for budget every day, getting bullied and pushed to the brink by the big clubs.”
“Yeah...”
“That's what power is. To survive, we have no choice but to pull this off.”
Soya muttered with resignation. Seeing her like that, Refri recalled his own vanished past—the blood seeping through cracks, the harsh days as an orphan. The powerhouses ravaged the world without restraint, and Refri was always the one trampled underfoot.
Soya's right... Not a word wrong.
The boy clenched his fist. So why did a corner of his heart rebel against her words?
Then, a fleeting thought crossed Refri's mind.
Right... Saying angelic things like this gives me Angel Power.
Was it really just for the Angel Power? Refri steeled himself and spoke.
“Soya, just like the world's greatest mage could come from somewhere outside a magic family, there's nothing in this world that's truly inevitable.”
Refri's face turned deadly serious. Soya, seeing it, suddenly thought of the word 'angel.'
“Right?”
“Hmph, acting cool.”
Soya pulled her oversized wizard hat's brim down, hoping Refri wouldn't notice her flushed cheeks. Luckily, the hat easily hid her small face. She whispered softly,
“Still, I didn't think you'd go along with something like this. You must really want to stay with me that much.”
“Yeah, Soya. What'd you say?”
“Nothing.”
Hiding her joy, Soya declared,
“Today... I'll show you the true power of a black mage.”
The gray-haired girl shouted confidently. Hearing that, Refri smiled and activated his skill.
Night-Walking Reverse Angel's Steps
The two sneaked into the mega-club's warehouse, creeping toward the stockpile of items the club planned to showcase in the club war.
“Not even close to the Emotional Society, the so-called strongest.”
Soya muttered, eyeing the piled goods. Refri was a bit shocked.
What? Just how insane is the Emotional Society...?
This was the Enchant Club's warehouse. The items stacked here were top-tier—good enough for the highest auctions without issue. From simple enchant powders to magic tomes and enchanted gear.
“Whoa, this is from the Magic Engineering Club. These punks just straight-up stole it using their influence.”
Soya shook her head in disbelief.
“Scum like this need to be punished.”
The girl grinned wickedly, her hand glowing black.
Glowing black? How does black even glow?
Only now did the boy grasp what Soya meant by 'black magic.'
"Soya-style Black Magic."
Mana Chaos.
Crash-clang—boom—crackle—
As Soya cast her spell, every magic-related item in the Enchant Club's warehouse began to warp and twist.
No way.
Refri, attending Central Superhuman Academy's magic engineering department—the world's top magic education institution—had learned how to gauge a mage's level.
All the magic in this warehouse is being overpowered by Soya's spell...?
It was simple: When magics clashed, the survivor was the superior one. The magic world was survival of the fittest—the superior crushed the inferior. The more refined survived, the stronger dominated.
This warehouse has high-level magic defenses. Unbelievable, but probably laid by an archmage. And the stored items are even higher quality than the defenses. I thought even breaking one or two would be tough for Soya.
So Refri couldn't believe what Soya was doing. Casting a spell superior to every magic here in one go...
A realm no regular magic engineer can touch. Archmage level—no, even an archmage might not...
The miracle Soya displayed bordered on Klein's domain. And she was just a first-year magic engineering student.
“Heh heh heh.”
Soya laughed like a true black mage.
“Now, let's leave some traces of the Emotional Society.”
The black mage Soya formed hand seals once more.
"Soya-style Black Magic."
Mana Distortion.
Illusions of the Emotional Society's famous automated puppets—brave knights—began appearing everywhere, 'seemingly' wrecking the warehouse. As a result, traces of the knights' mana were unmistakably left behind.
“Whoa...”
Another unbelievable feat.
“No way—you mimicked the knights' mana?”
“Obviously. I can replicate any mana I've seen once. How am I doing today...?”
Soya, who had been smirking arrogantly, suddenly asked in an awkward voice.
“Refri...”
“Yeah, what's up?”
“Was I... at least a little helpful today?”