Hey, Inbred Club
They say that when five humans gather, at least one is bound to be trash. Especially in the canyon, where that mysterious and sacred dash unfolds, it seems to lend credence to the claim. Though somewhat pessimistic and misanthropic, it was still a truth of the human world that couldn't be denied. And this proverb wasn't limited to groups of just five people. Even if you scaled it up—ten trash in fifty, or a thousand in five thousand—it wouldn't be strange at all. You could see the proof of it right in the middle of Arecibo.
“““Away, Away, Away down south in Dixie~!”””
People desperately wishing to return to the mid-19th century from the mid-21st. These social dementia patients trying to sprint two hundred years backward showed not a shred of shame. What was discrimination, anyway, that they felt the need to wear those ridiculous white cone hats? Did they really want to flaunt the fact that they were the worst of the worst, handpicked from the bottom twenty percent? White supremacy was one thing, but rejecting other whites just because they were beastkin—what the hell was that about? After stirring up this much aggro, did they seriously think their club wouldn't get shut down this year? It took a bold sort of audacity to commit acts that any normal person would agonize over, and they did it without hesitation.
As expected, that boldness sparked petty clashes in real time, just like every year before.
“Southern bastards, go crawl back to the World Tree!”
“Aren't you ashamed, calling yourselves white?!”
“I'm Native American mixed, you idiots!”
“You were causing a scene here last year too—gonna do it again this year?! Just get lost already!”
“Says the Englishman with a devil's tail and horns!”
“What's wrong with spade-shaped tails and smooth horns?!”
“Southern bastards sleep with their parents, little sisters, and cousins every day~”
“Grab that guy right now!”
“Aagh! These crazy inbreds are hitting people!”
“Ugh, they pull this crap every year, so of course people avoid them like the plague.”
“Hey, cotton-picker! What did you just say?!”
“Thanks to you Dixie freaks, we never get a moment's peace!”
“How the hell do fifty thousand new students keep getting these types mixed in from the southern states every single year…….”
“You dare ignore the righteous and fair rights of the states?!”
“How the fuck is quota-based admissions by state 'righteous and fair'?!”
The noisy march continued. It wasn't all friction, though—some people joined in midway, sympathizing with the club's cause. They were all 'probably' pure-blooded whites, and some had even belonged to the previous club that got disbanded. In every way, it was the kind of club where you could say the members themselves had rotten roots from the start.
And right in the middle of that procession was a short man—the club president. He turned to the naive-looking freshmen standing beside him and opened his mouth.
“Did you see them, freshmen?! How our pure blood makes those lowlifes tremble in fear!”
“““Yes, sir!”””
It was a truly remarkable statement. He clearly had no idea how many truly inferior people existed within their own ranks.
“Then why should we, blessed by God, have to watch our step around the likes of them?!”
“““We shouldn't!”””
“So what should we do instead?!”
“““We should make them watch their step around us!”””
“Exactly! And we'll turn this academy into one where they follow our every word!”
Thud, thud, thud. They stomped their feet and waved their flags. The song kept pouring out. Many people scattered to avoid them. It was the scene they truly wanted. The righteous spectacle they believed in without doubt. The closer they got to the massive square, the stronger that feeling grew. All they had to do now was finish their grand performance—their big announcement—and disband.
“Last year and the year before, we got disbanded because of those vile furry scum's schemes!”
“““Disbanded!”””
“But this year, we won't fall for their tricks so easily!”
“““We won't fall for them!!!”””
They let out a massive roar and started singing even louder. The president wore a deeply satisfied expression, convinced their sponsors would be pleased. Then, just like before, he glanced to the side. While looking over the freshmen one by one, his eyes landed on a woman who seemed completely out of place, glancing around curiously.
Dark brown hair that barely caught the light. Hazel eyes where green and brown blended in an odd harmony. Skin that looked tanned, or maybe it was genetic. She had the kind of appearance that suggested she'd grown up without a care in some rural place with good water and clean air. She was white, yet didn't quite feel white. At the same time, though she was a freshman, there was something strangely mysterious about her.
The president gave her a slightly suspicious look, as if doubting her background.
“You there, the freshman with the spear on your back. Yeah, you.”
“Oh, yes!”
“I don't think I've seen your face before. What's your name?”
“Ines. Ines Corceiro.”
The woman answered confidently. The president shot her a look like he'd just seen something mildly disgusting.
“Corceiro? Hispanic? South American?”
“Neither. Pure Portuguese descent, currently residing in Alabama.”
“Ah, Alabama. A wholesome southern state.”
Only after confirming her family origins and residence did his expression soften. Feeling a bit sorry for trash like her, he pointed straight ahead.
“Ines, do you think today's march will end successfully?”
“How could those with impure blood possibly stop us? Under the Lord's protection, it will surely succeed.”
A perfectly correct answer. The president was satisfied from start to finish. With an even brighter expression, he continued walking. Following his will, the club's marching pace gradually quickened.
They were almost at the square when the president, glancing around, spotted some lowlifes.
“Robin, do you see those guys over there?”
“What? Freshmen?”
“Two elves and one lizard. Plus they give off that freshman vibe. Wouldn't they make perfect targets for our semester-start performance?”
The moment he finished speaking, he gave a light smack to the back of the man called Robin. The president gestured as if telling him to make an example out of them.
“But our club's only been around for a little while. Is it okay to do this already?”
“Don't worry. With the money our sponsors sent, we can handle something as minor as getting disbanded.”
“Hmm……”
“Besides, I hear the academy's short on cash these days. If we make a donation, they might just overlook a little thing like disbanding the club.”
But Robin still couldn't wipe the anxious look off his face. It wasn't the club he was worried about—it was the possibility of getting expelled himself.
“If it really comes down to it, we could always challenge them to a duel to make an example.”
“A duel?”
“If we officially challenge them and they accept, the academy won't interfere even if things get serious, right?”
It was a perfectly legal act guaranteed by both administrative and judicial authorities. Once a duel was declared before a fight, it went beyond mere self-defense.
“What if they don't accept the duel?”
“We'll make them accept. Forcing a duel is illegal, but with enough money, there's always a way out.”
“Well, in that case……”
The president's confident assurance gave him courage. Robin approached the three students huddled against the wall like frightened mice.
“Hey there, friends~”
He waved his hand greedily. Grinning casually, he licked his lips. The silver-haired man who looked like an elf—Kang Sian—wore an extremely displeased expression.
“Well, well. Look at these rare guests you only see in Shareltea. What brings you all the way out here?”
“……”
“Do you even speak English? Or maybe Spanish?”
“……”
“Oh dear~ I guess coming from such a barbaric place, you don't know a thing, huh~”
After sneering, he turned around and gestured for the other club members to come watch. Following his lead, people wearing or not wearing the white cone hats surrounded the three students. Robin stood in the middle, flashing a fake smile as he looked at Kang Sian.
“Are you here to do some spy work or something? Running errands for the World Tree? Or maybe trying to taint human blood?”
He kept sneering, mocking them openly for the other members to see. But that wasn't all.
“Hmm~ Well, elves are pretty simple-minded. Probably because they only ever look at the World Tree, their intelligence is naturally low.”
He ranted about how inferior their entire race was.
“Huh? You're not even a pure elf—you're a filthy human hybrid! Whoa! I didn't expect a mutt with blood this tainted!”
He declared them already corrupted.
“A filthy human mutt with decent abilities? Dragging around two ridiculously pretty idiots.”
He called them shameless in every way. Baseless insults and discrimination. It was truly despicable behavior.
Though extreme anger should have surged up, Kang Sian remained expressionless. Robin glanced behind him with mild interest. Shannon looked terrified, while Cheon Mari was cracking her knuckles. He snorted, thinking they couldn't be that strong even if they could fight. Then he turned back to Kang Sian, the only one who looked like he might actually put up a fight, wondering if he'd been scared. No response. As the silence dragged on, Robin felt like he was winning. He started humming to himself, but just as the moment seemed to stretch on—
“Ugh……”
Kang Sian's mouth opened. He let out a cold sigh and strode forward.
“U-uh, u-uhm~”
Robin slowly raised his head. The fact that someone a head and a half taller was approaching made a slight tremor creep into his voice. Of course, it wasn't enough to actually scare him. These were just freshmen who'd barely started, while he was already a third-year. Shaking off the near-shrinkage, he put on a bold expression. Watching him, Kang Sian tilted his head slightly.
“Ha. Little shits always have the biggest mouths.”
Like he'd just seen a truly hopeless human specimen. Those words came out. Robin wasn't so stupid he couldn't understand that much. So he got a little pissed and decided he needed to take control of the situation. He was about to open his mouth—when the other guy slightly lowered his head, shutting him down again.
In the calm atmosphere, Kang Sian brought his mouth close to Robin's ear.
“Hey, inbred club.”
“What?”
“You need a shiv?”
The words came out casually. But his eyes were filled with confidence.