Chapter 175: Clown Union Club 22
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 175: Clown Union Club 22
“Look at this! We’ve even drafted a plan to take down Professor Elicia. See this part? It means that from now on, we can use every single club session to strategize and practice our teamwork to defeat her. There won't be a single problem!”
The club’s name was bizarre, but as Loki said, if they spent every session coordinating how to deal with Elicia, things would change significantly. At the very least, they wouldn't have to suffer the same miserable defeats every day by fighting the exact same way they had today.
Lucas, Kuran, Ren, and Frederick—who had already been roped into the club Loki created—each had their own thoughts.
‘I thought he picked that name for revenge because we teased him at the cafeteria yesterday, but maybe there’s more to it?’
‘I’m not really sure, but it’s frustrating to keep losing to the professor like this.’
‘He’s right. If we had named it the Exploration Club or the Dungeon Club like we discussed yesterday, it would have been hard to justify spending club time just to spite Professor Elicia.’
‘Why on earth did he put my name in the club title? I want to ask him to take it out, but he says we can't change it anymore. What am I going to do?’
Currently, three students from the Special Class had yet to join.
Gashurin.
Sepia.
Clara.
Sepia had intended to follow Loki and join the club from the start. Gashurin had recently become interested after talking with Lucas. Both found the club name bothersome, but their hearts were gradually leaning toward joining.
‘This is good, right? Loki said he’d stick to me and annoy me all day, so I’ll just enjoy the day and then go to him after classes end and use that as an excuse to join.’
‘I’ve already done everything worth doing in the Swordsmanship Club during the trial period anyway. It might actually be more helpful for my growth to join the club Lord Loki made...’
However, unlike Sepia and Gashurin, Clara had absolutely no intention of joining.
“As you said, strategizing and coordinating teamwork would require a lot of time—not just a session or two,” Clara noted.
“Then, Miss Clara, you’ll be joining our club as well—”
Loki looked expectant, thinking he had won her over, but Clara cut off his hopes as sharply as she cut off his words.
“Even if I don’t join, we can just gather at another time to strategize. I don’t think it’s necessary to join a club just to do that during school hours.”
Loki broke into a cold sweat behind his mask.
Damn it. This is why I hate sharp-witted brats.
He had tried to slip her into the club naturally. Gashurin and Sepia seemed almost won over, and Loki, unable to let this chance slip away, tried to push Clara further.
“But wouldn’t it be more convenient to do it during club hours? It’s not like we have a separate time for all of us to gather and plan.”
“We could do it after the professor’s class like right now, or we could gather after all the Academy classes are over. I don’t think we’re lacking for time.”
“Miss Clara, do you really want to see me that badly even after school ends?”
“………”
Seeing Clara’s expression, Loki raised both hands in surrender.
“That look hurts, even for someone like me.”
“Then don’t do things that deserve it.”
“As you said, Miss Clara, it would be nice to gather and strategize after Professor Elicia’s class or after school, but that’s impossible.”
Clara looked at him, her eyes asking why, and Loki explained.
“The fact that Professor Elicia’s class is over means our stamina is completely depleted. It’s impossible to coordinate teamwork when our physical strength is at rock bottom.”
“Fine, let’s say coordinating is hard because of the physical strain. What about the strategy?”
“Oh, come on. Do you think your mind stays sharp when all the strength has left your body? Maybe for simple feedback, sure, but drawing up detailed strategies is out of the question.”
Clara probably didn't say that because she didn't know.
‘That’s just how much she doesn’t want to join.’
If the world weren't full of various pieces of trash like corpse-fuckers, Loki wouldn't have cared which club the Special Class kids joined. But there were too many bastards in this world whose very existence made him sick just thinking about sharing the same air.
Furthermore, as if by some law of the world, the Special Class students were always closely intertwined with such scum.
This world was not a game. There was no save, no load, and no reset. Once you died, that was the end. It was impossible to turn back. He didn't want to see the people around him die ever again.
‘If I say this exactly as it is, she’ll think I’m a madman, right?’
But she probably already thought he was a bit of a madman anyway, so maybe it didn't matter.
“We all gather here before the Academy day ends anyway, so we can strategize then,” Clara suggested, offering another alternative to joining the club.
Loki silently pointed at Lucas.
“Me?”
Lucas, who had been watching Loki’s attempt to persuade Clara with great interest, widened his eyes.
“It might be possible during Academy hours like club time, but everyone has their own schedule after school, so gathering won't be easy. Isn't that right, Mr. Lucas?”
“That’s true.”
Hearing Loki’s words, Lucas realized why he was being used as an example. It wasn't that the other Special Class students had an abundance of free time, but it was impossible to compare them to Lucas.
During Academy hours was one thing, but once the day ended, Lucas’s tasks were scheduled down to the minute. He had to learn national law, diplomacy, finance, and military strategy, and attend noble council meetings to monitor the movements of the aristocracy. Even the occasional short sparring matches with Gashurin were only possible when there was a rare gap between appointments.
“………”
Clara also knew it was difficult for Lucas to stay behind, so she didn't push that point further.
“How about it? Do you feel a bit more like joining my club now?”
“I’d say this is bordering on blackmail. If I don’t join now, I’m the only one being the 'bad person' who ruins the team.”
Loki reflected on his own words and actions. He had said they needed to strategize if they didn't want to be miserably defeated by Professor Elicia. He had said there was no other time except for club hours. If Clara was the only one who didn't join? Then the strategy and everything else would go up in smoke.
If he had done this to anyone else, it would indeed be blackmail.
“But Miss Clara, are you the type of person to be blackmailed just because I’m trying to? You’re more likely to throw a fireball in my face.”
“And,” Loki continued, “Miss Clara, you told me before that you wouldn't join the Magic Research Club.”
“Didn't I tell you then? Just because I’m not joining them doesn't mean I’m joining your club.”
“That’s true. Shall I take a guess? Miss Clara, you’ll probably join a quiet club—hmm, for example, the Library Club? You’ll probably go there to read books quietly or study alone.”
“…….”
Loki laughed inside his mask at the look on Clara’s face. It was an expression that asked, How did you know?
How do I know? I know because the club you join in the game is always the same.
Of course, now that it had become reality, he had observed her just in case, and Clara still clearly enjoyed her quiet reading time.
“Miss Clara, you’re probably planning to read in the library without being disturbed, but that won't be easy, you know?”
Clara, having had her intended club and even her reasons for it exposed, spoke with an unintentionally sarcastic edge.
“Why? Are you going to come and disturb me?”
“Oh! That’s a good idea too.”
“…………….”
“It’s a joke, a joke. Wipe that look off your face. Do you think if you’re reading in the library, people will think, ‘Ah, the Lady of Adelian is reading, so I should stay quiet and not talk to her. That is the rule of the library,’ and leave you alone? Or do you think they’ll hand you notes or subtly strike up a conversation just to annoy you?”
“…….”
Clara was silent. What Loki just said was one of the things she was genuinely concerned about. If she chose the Library Club specifically to study in peace, but people kept bothering her, there was no reason to join.
‘Wasn't there an event related to this in the game?’
Ah, right. That one. When Clara joined the Library Club, people flocked there and made so much noise that the 'Ghost of the Library' caused a major incident.
Noticing that Clara was now seriously contemplating his words, Loki delivered the final blow.
“The Book of Forgotten Memories.”
The other Special Class students reacted with looks that said, ‘What the hell is that, you nerd?’ but Clara’s eyes widened as she stared at Loki.
“How do you know about that?”
“I know exactly where it is right now.”
This was originally the method the Necromancer used to blackmail Clara.
‘If she’s going to be blackmailed anyway, it’s better she gets blackmailed by me than by some Necromancer.’