Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 44: Club

A week had passed since my duel with the Vermin.

Naturally, a lot had happened in that time.

First, the Academy was thrown into an absolute uproar immediately following the duel. While many students had come to watch, not everyone had been there to witness it firsthand.

"No, I’m serious! That guy toyed with Rophri!"

"Yeah, right. He probably just got lucky."

The commotion extended far beyond the Academy walls. It wasn't just a fight between two ordinary students; a prince of the Archen Kingdom had staked his expulsion on a duel and lost.

The story spread across the entire continent, turning the Vermin into a laughingstock.

Naturally, the Vermin was expelled from the Academy. Rumor had it that he now trembled at the mere sight of a sword. He likely wouldn't be able to live as a swordsman ever again.

The Archen Kingdom, of course, lodged a formal protest with the Academy, seeing as their prince had returned home a broken man. However, since everyone at the arena had witnessed the Vermin trying to kill me even after the duel was officially over, the Academy simply ignored their complaints.

"Eek!"

As I was walking across the campus toward the Special Class, a student spotted me, gasped in fright, and bolted in the opposite direction.

The guy who just ran away was one of the Vermin’s lackeys. Every time they ran into me at the Academy, they made a run for it.

The campus, usually pristine and orderly, was festooned today with various banners.

[History Club: Witness the History of the Continent]

[Cooking Club: Preparing Dishes from Diverse Lands]

"Come visit the Board Game Club and make memories with your friends!"

"Join the Dungeon Exploration Club and experience the mysterious world of the dungeons!"

Students who appeared to be upperclassmen were shouting at the top of their lungs to promote their respective clubs.

Is it already recruitment season?

Unless it was a famous one like the Swordsmanship Club or the Magic Research Club, every club engaged in this kind of aggressive recruitment.

"Hey, which ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠club are you going to join?"

"I haven't really decided yet."

"How about the Disciplinary Committee? I heard all the seniors there are pretty."

"The Disciplinary Committee and the Student Council aren't places you just join because you want to. You can only get in if they scout you directly."

The first-year students were busy discussing which clubs they wanted to join.

"You there, freshman! You don't have to join, just come by for a trial session!"

"Our club is way more useful than that one over there, so come to ours!"

"What did you say?!"

The recruiters even started bickering with each other ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to lure the freshmen.

"Hey! This guy already promised to join our club!"

"What are you talking about? It's not even the day to pick clubs yet. Aren't you getting ahead of yourself?"

"Seniors, please don't fight over me..."

"Hey! Is it him or me?!"

I sat on a nearby bench and watched the squabble. It was as entertaining as watching a trashy soap opera.

But why isn't anyone talking to me?

Other freshmen were approached by club members just by walking past, but not a single senior spoke to me. In fact, if they started heading my way and realized it was me, they immediately veered off in another direction.

"Pushover, what are you doing here?"

Someone spoke to me as I sat on the bench. There was only one person who called me by that name.

"Miss Sepia."

Sepia naturally took a seat beside me.

"I was just people-watching. Are you on your way to class?"

"Yeah. When are you going in?"

"I'm going to watch a bit longer. Shall we go together in a bit?"

"Suit yourself."

"Kyu, kyu!"

The spirits that had been perched on Sepia’s shoulders hopped over to snuggle against me.

"I'm telling you, he belongs in our club!"

"Ha! You've only just met him!"

I stroked the spirits in my arms while watching the recruiters who were still arguing.

"Did you get any offers, Miss Sepia?"

"The presidents of the Spirit Club and the Merchant Club came by to scout me."

The Spirit Club made sense given Sepia’s unprecedented talent, but I suppose the Merchant Club was interested because of her family, the Rivaydens.

"Pushover, which club are you planning to join?"

I raised my index finger and pressed it to my lips.

""That’s a secret.""

My voice overlapped with Sepia’s.

Sepia let out a sigh and spoke.

"Ugh, I knew you'd say that."

She had predicted my words ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just by looking at my gesture. She looked at me and smirked.

"What? Did you think I wouldn't be able to predict that much?"

.

.

.

.

I—no, we—were fighting Professor Elicia again today.

Boom!

"Kuran, you still haven't mastered 100% control over your physical body."

Everything was different from our first fight with Professor Elicia.

Boom! Crash! Bang!

Professor Elicia shattered an incoming boulder with her fist. During our first encounter, Sepia’s spirits had been too terrified to attack, but now they struck at the professor without hesitation.

"Sepia, like Clara, you need to be able to handle opponents who close the distance to some extent."

A significant amount of time had passed since the start of the fight, but none of us had managed to land a proper hit. All the other Special Class students had been taken down; only Lucas and I remained standing.

"Loki, those magic tools you used against Prince Rophri... why aren't you using them now?"

I hadn't used any flashbangs or landmines during the fight with Professor Elicia.

"The magic tools I used then have a wide area of effect, so they aren't helpful in a group fight."

To be precise, it was more that I couldn't use them. Whether it was the flash or the mines, there was a high probability they would hit my fellow Special Class students instead.

"Ho. Do you have enough breathing room to hold a conversation?"

Professor Elicia lunged at Lucas.

"Gah!"

Her fist slammed into Lucas’s solar plexus. Taking the hit, Lucas collapsed to the ground.

"Now, only you are left, Loki."

Professor ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Elicia spoke as she slowly approached me. I already knew what her answer would be, but I asked just in case.

"Would you happen to accept a surrender?"

I got my answer when I saw her foot planting itself into my stomach.

.

.

.

"Rest for a bit, then go get lunch."

Without a single drop of sweat on her, Professor Elicia left the classroom after leaving those words.

"Kuran, your physique is impressive again today."

"Bwahaha! You have a magnificent body yourself, especially for a priest!"

As time passed, the students began to talk amongst themselves even without me initiating. I had worried at first whether the timid Frederick would be able to fit in, but it turned out my concern was unnecessary.

"Frederick, come work out with us."

"Huh?"

This was because Kuran and the muscular priest would drag Frederick along whenever they went to exercise during lunch. The three of them had become close enough to go eat dinner together after school.

"Loki, what about you?"

"I have plans today, so I don't think I can make it."

I occasionally worked out with the three of them as well. It was quite funny to see them teaching Frederick how to exercise from both sides.

Among the Special Class students, there were two who still didn't talk much with the others: Clara and Sepia. Since they were the only two girls in the class, I thought it would be nice if they became friends, but unfortunately, neither was the type to strike up a conversation first.

"Miss Clara!"

I approached Clara, who was reading as usual. She looked up at me as if telling me to state my business.

"Which club are you going to join?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"I thought for sure someone like you would join the Magic Research Club."

"The president of the Magic Research Club asked me to join earlier, but I don't really have any intention of doing so."

"Why is that?"

Usually, joining the Magic Research Club is a goal for most mages, as it's a place where they can further develop their magic.

"Because I don't think being there will be of any help to me."

If anyone else had said that, it might have sounded arrogant or obnoxious, but coming from Clara, it didn't feel that way at all.

"Ho. I see. It's perfect that you haven't chosen a club yet."

Hearing my words, Clara asked me, seemingly sensing something ominous.

"What is?"

"It's nothing. Please, go back to your reading."

Of course, I left without giving her an answer.

"What clubs are you all joining?"

I asked the other Special Class students as well.

"The Hand-to-Hand Combat Club."

Kuran and the muscular priest were the first to answer. Is it really okay for a priest to join a place like that?

"I intend to join the Swordsmanship Club to learn about the techniques of this continent."

The swordsman from the East spoke. It seemed he intended to stop obsessing solely over Eastern swordsmanship after hearing Professor Elicia’s advice last time.

"I haven't decided yet."

Frederick still hadn't picked a club.

"Oh! Then how about joining the Hand-to-Hand Combat Club with me!"

Upon hearing that Frederick was undecided, Kuran patted him on the shoulders with both hands. However, Frederick likely wouldn't be able to join that club.

"Mr. Lucas, what about you?"

"I haven't decided yet either, just like Frederick."

"Hmm, I see."

I racked my brain as much as possible. To form a club, a minimum of five people was required. And my goal was to get every single student in the Special Class into the club I was creating.

I had already decided on the name.

'The Clown Union Club.'

I was sure the other students would be satisfied once they heard the name.