The Angel Creating Clubs (14)
Why did Refri create the volunteer club in the first place?
'To turn Soya, Mari, and Wol into heroes...!'
Refri was done waiting for heaven to send down a hero.
Now, he resolved to raise one himself.
'No matter how important the cathedral is... the real mistake was falling for these kids' temptations and doing bad things.'
Raiding other clubs' warehouses, stealing treasures from the appraisal club's museum, teaming up with giant clubs to crush the weak ones.
This wasn't the way of a hero.
'We can't beat the Demon King like this.'
Refri spoke like a true angel.
"First off, we're returning everything we stole."
"Refri. No... we won't be forgiven...!"
"I don't care about forgiveness. We're just giving back the stuff."
The three girls and one professor gazed at Refri with pitying expressions.
"That's impossible..."
Refri smiled back at them.
"Naiad."
Refri whispered.
Splash—
The sound of flowing water echoed from somewhere.
Water from the surroundings gathered into a single point, soon taking the form of an elegant noblewoman.
Lesser water spirits attended her like maids.
"Naiad...?"
Hexi muttered.
"Princess, you're alive."
Naiad looked down at Hexi and the other three girls with her usual arrogance.
But when her gaze reached the boy...
"It's been a while, Refri."
She bowed politely before him.
Hexi, who knew Naiad's personality well, gaped in disbelief.
"You summoned Naiad just by whispering her name? That arrogant Naiad?"
Soya looked equally stunned.
"What business brings you to summon me?"
But Naiad ignored the atmosphere and naturally asked Refri her purpose.
"Naiad's using polite speech. Speech she didn't even use for His Majesty..."
Hexi muttered, still in shock, her hand subtly reaching for her bow.
"Lady Naiad, I have a request."
"What is it?"
Naiad's expression was benevolent, as if she'd grant anything.
"I'd like to hold an event at your lake."
"..."
Yumari and Hongwol subtly shifted into combat stances.
Naiad was infamous as a fickle spirit king who despised humans and could turn on anyone whimsically.
But contrary to the girls' judgment, Naiad smiled.
"Leave it to me. Like the spirit's blessing... no, I'll prepare something even grander."
"Thank you."
Refri smiled like an angel.
"Then, when should we set the event's start date..."
"Hmm."
Refri's voice carried a mischievous lilt.
"We can't skip academy classes, so... when's the day classes are excused? Right."
Refri spoke up.
"The club war day sounds perfect."
"No way, spirit's blessing last time, club war this time... What's the academy, some playground?"
The reporter covering the club war grumbled.
Well, the academy was a school of sorts, but with events every other week, when did they even study?
"Playground? This is the world's top academy, how can you..."
His junior trailing behind complained.
"No, it's true. Festivals every cycle... What kind of school is this?"
"...Huh, Senior."
"What?"
The junior pointed at the club war grounds.
"This year's club war... has barely any people."
"Hm, let me see. You're right?"
The academy's northern plaza hosted the club war.
It was decorated flashily enough, but sparsely attended and lacking substance.
What good were lights and glamour? A real festival thrived on street stalls and little attractions.
But the rich kids from giant clubs, obsessed with their records, overlooked that.
They forgot weak clubs weren't prey to exploit, but partners to coexist with.
The two reporters wandered the event, venting their irritation openly.
"Flashy sights mean nothing without food. Might as well hit the movies."
The senior griped.
The junior agreed.
"Yeah. This club war's a flop."
"Good. Let the students study."
Ring— Ring—
The junior's phone buzzed.
"Yes, Editor. Yes. What? Is that for real? Got it."
"...What?"
The junior looked incredulous as he turned to his senior.
"Senior."
"Yeah?"
"They say another club war's happening at Naiad's lake right now."
"...What? What nonsense is that?"
"The participating clubs... all moved their buildings to Naiad's lake."
"What? Moved buildings? What are they, Terrans? Possible?"
"No idea. Something about water spirits moving them?"
The junior continued.
"Anyway, seems there was some theft terror at the club war. Multiple clubs hit, even the appraisal club's museum robbed."
"Ha, a school club having a museum was the real error."
"Agh, listen seriously!"
The junior pressed on.
"But Naiad and this 'Volunteer Club' recovered the stolen items. The robbed clubs, out of gratitude, decided to hold the club war at Naiad's lake."
"Hmph, Naiad... Pulled some shady stuff at the spirit blessing last time, now image rehab? Wait, Volunteer Club—who're they?"
The junior showed the text from the editor on his smartphone.
"Tch, low pay my ass..."
"Senior, shouldn't we hurry? Other papers are scrambling for Volunteer Club scoops..."
"Why's the world media shaking over some student club? I don't get it!"
Saying that, the senior was already running.
The junior yelled, chasing after.
"Senior, wait up!"
Naiad's lake.
In a small stall labeled "Cookie Club," three girls munched snacks, chatting idly.
"...These cookies are delicious."
"Black mage-friendly flavor...!"
Hongwol ignored the others, grabbing a long, coffee-stick-like jelly pouch.
"What's this?"
"Oh, suckable jelly. Try it."
"Hmph, amateur work at best."
She pinched the end and tasted it.
"Hmm, whatever."
Lick— Lick—
Soon, Hongwol silently kept licking away.
Refri turned to Yumari.
"Mari."
"Yes."
"No fighting others... no ruining them... How about this way?"
Yumari kept her usual blank face.
But after pondering, she murmured softly.
"...I don't know."
"Really?"
Just then, the Cookie Club president and members approached, greeting Refri and Mari.
"Ah, you're that Refri!"
"Cute as the rumors say."
"Refri! Refri!"
The Cookie Club students cheered Refri's name.
"Starting a whole new club war in a fresh spot. Genius idea."
"Refri, you're our savior... Free Cookie Club membership for a year..."
Then they turned to Yumari.
"Mari. Thanks so much for helping."
"...Yes?"
Refri had never seen this expression on Yumari.
She always wore a faint smile in public, never showing fluster.
Just blank.
But now, she looked flustered.
"Without you, we'd be..."
"Bankrupt. For real."
"Here's a year free pass for you too."
Yumari accepted their goodwill, still flustered.
Refri asked again.
"So, what do you think?"
"I... I don't know."
Yumari trailed off, staring at the year-long free Cookie Club pass in her hand.
"The Seocheon Yu never taught this way..."
"Yeah? Then..."
Refri smiled, extending his hand to Yumari.
Backlit, the boy seemed to have a halo floating above his head.
"I'll teach you from now on."
Refri smiled.
Watching him, the girl opened her mouth as if entranced.
On the morning of the club war, student council executives gathered in a giant club's tent...
...waiting for Yumari and the Volunteer Club students.
"It's definite, right?"
"Of course, Vice President. We said we'd team up with the new Volunteer Club to bury the appraisal club and others this war."
"And that half-dragon subtly egged you on to rebel against our student council."
The giant club president shook his head, sweating.
"We wouldn't fall for that."
"Hmph, how can I trust you, contracting with Yumari then betraying us right away?"
Gusanghyeok tsked, glancing outside.
The streets were desolate compared to past wars.
"Our student council sacrificed this war's turnout to ruin Yumari and those nobodies. We even let her funnel it to you."
"We're grateful, of course."
Vice President Gusanghyeok said coldly.
"If you're grateful, do your job. When Yumari and Volunteer Club come for payment... make sure they can't escape. Reel them in tight."
"...Of course."
The president bowed again.
Gusanghyeok tsked once more and left the office.
'Yumari, you think you've cornered our student council. But you're the one trapped...!'
This time, he'd purge Yumari for baring her teeth at the council, along with Refri and his friends.
That was Gusanghyeok's plan.
"Once we catch them and prove via giant clubs that Volunteer Club raided warehouses... suspension at least, expulsion possible."
If he expelled them, the flop turnout was a bearable cost.
Though the council's rep would suffer...
"Vice President."
A council exec rushed in.
"What?"
"Big trouble."
"Trouble?"
The exec blurted it out.
"Volunteer Club teamed with Naiad to recover treasures from robbed clubs!"
"...What?"
"In return, appraisal club and other giants... decided to hold the war at Naiad's lake!"
"What?!"
Gusanghyeok's voice roughened.
Returned the treasures? All the hard-stolen loot, just handed back for no reason?
'No, proving the raids is nearly impossible now. It was just suspicion anyway... Accusing kids who returned stuff? We'd be the laughingstock.'
Wait, bigger issue.
Appraisal club and others holding war outside council turf? That meant escaping control.
No, not even that mattered.
"If appraisal club's at Naiad's lake..."
"Not just them. Weak clubs, professor-advised ones, even those we cut ties with after failing to catch the thief... all..."
"All what?"
"Joined the Volunteer Club-hosted club war at Naiad's lake."
Then what about this council-hosted war?
"We got completely played."
Gusanghyeok's hands trembled slightly.
"This isn't Yumari. She wouldn't."
He muttered angrily.
"Whose plan is it? No way... that kid Refri? That brat outsmarted our student council?"
Unbeknownst to Refri, his evaluation soared.
...Anyway, good deeds always reap rewards.
Meanwhile, oblivious Refri...
Protecting the dreams of countless students is the angel's way!
You have acquired Angel Power.
Risking danger to do what's right is the angel's way!
You have acquired Angel Power.
Thwarting the evil schemes of mighty forces is truly the angel's way!
You have acquired a large amount of Angel Power.
Squeeze— Squeeze—
Refri squeezed the suckable jelly bit by bit into Hongwol's mouth...
...staring at the popping messages with a question mark over his head.
'Evil schemes of mighty forces? What's this about?'
Refri tilted his head.