Hey, I Have Something to Say
Hey, I Have Something to Say
There exists a unique privilege system in this world.
It's called the Pangaea Delegation Rights.
To counter the monsters rising from the sea and the insane mages, humanity delegated authority exceeding national budgets to a small number of magicians.
They don't need to explain their actions; they just need to prove humanity's well-being through results.
Of course, it's not completely unlimited, and there are many cases where their demands clash, and if things go south, the seniors just use their seniority to crush them.
Anyway, even as mere students, they get research institutes clinging to them and free use of all resources and locations within the Academy City, all thanks to this.
They are granted privileges unimaginable for ordinary people, such as the right to apply for special activity budgets and partial recognition of extraterritorial rights within the Academy City. Plus, if you run something like a club, you can even monopolize additional independent spaces and advanced research budgets.
"Sunbae-nim, you're currently in the Academy's Top 20, right?"
The Academy has about 900 students in total.
It's a narrow field where less than 1,000 talented freaks gathered from all over the world compete against each other.
Being in the Top 20 here effectively means you're a walking strategic weapon.
Bianca has maintained a 100% win rate by only accepting private matches to hide her identity.
Every time she wins, she imposes a condition of absolute secrecy regarding her abilities.
"...I don't want to fight, but there are these weirdos who keep obsessing over the rankings."
However, despite such an impressive title, the moment the door to the Literature Research Club opened, I had to hold my nose.
"...Sunbae. Are you crazy?"
"...Well, I didn't know there would be a crazy girl trying to join this place!!!"
This isn't a research lab; it's just a merchandise storage room.
The walls were plastered with the latest trendy anime posters instead of classic literature collections, and on the desk, thousands of trading cards and limited-edition figures were lined up instead of research grimoires.
Above all, the room was filled with that pungent smell of new plastic and old paper.
At least it's a relief that there's no sweat smell, probably because the room owner is a beautiful girl.
Beautiful girls don't sweat, and they don't go to the bathroom. That is the law of the universe.
"Ugh, the smell of an otaku."
"D-don't say it so bluntly! This is strictly a place to study the subcultural manifestation of humanity's collective unconscious...!"
"Oh, right, I'm sure it is. Is sleeping with a 1:1 life-sized <Magical Girl Nanaka> figure also part of your research?"
As my finger pointed to the giant figure standing in the corner of the room, Bianca screamed and blocked it.
"Don't look! Don't look! You were acting like a pitiful freshman just a moment ago, why did you suddenly become so evil?"
"I'm not evil, I'm being practical, Sunbae-nim."
I roughly pushed aside the pile of light novels and sat on the sofa.
"So, Sunbae. This isn't actually an official club, is it?"
Bianca's shoulders, which had been dusting the figure with a brush, flinched noticeably.
"...Ugh."
"Academy official club promotion conditions: Secure and defend a dedicated club room, and gather 5 or more members. That's it, right? You're currently in a semi-club state, just having snatched the room and occupying it."
Bianca couldn't even refute it and just moved her lips.
Clubs at this Academy aren't just simple hobby groups.
They are the front lines of underground political warfare where the five great powers that established the world government—Victoria Union, Iron Bismarck, Tsar Vostok, Showa Prosperity Association, and Federal Eagle—poach and push students who suit their tastes.
Just occupying one club room is a fierce power struggle, and Bianca succeeded in tearing one away with her overwhelming martial prowess.
But...
"You were alone until now because you were afraid your identity would be revealed, right?"
"...Ugh!"
"How long has it been since you took over the room?"
"...3 weeks."
"Are you crazy? There's only one week left! If you don't fill 5 members within a week, the Student Council will confiscate it for privatizing the club room!"
The Academy's regulations are strict.
If you exceed a month in a semi-club state, you have to move out without mercy.
Yet, this Sunbae held out until the verge of losing the golden location just to keep up her concept.
"B-but! Seo-yeon-ssi has joined now!"
Bianca rolled her wheelchair and approached me.
"Seo-yeon-ssi is... my comrade. I didn't know you were so knowledgeable about the hidden foreshadowing in that <Magical Girl Nanaka>."
Bianca's tone had changed to cautious polite speech before I knew it.
I had spilled some veteran otaku knowledge on the way to reassure her, and it seems this Ice Princess has recognized me as a savior who speaks her language.
Well, thanks to that, she's become much easier to handle.
"This isn't the time to talk about comrades. We can't lose this honey-like space we barely secured. We need to gather the remaining 3 members quickly."
In the original game, the club system was surprisingly useful.
Every time you expanded the club room and decorated the interior, you could apply buffs to the entire party or acquire special items.
It was like the room decoration element of a gacha game, but the efficiency could never be ignored.
"Come on, let's fight! We need to fish for 3 more sacrifices... I mean, members, within a week!"
"Ah... Yes! F-fighting, Seo-yeon-ssi!"
Bianca accidentally clenched her fist and shouted "Fighting!"
I smiled satisfactorily and made a list in my head.
First, one person is already decided.
The good thing about a club doesn't end with getting a club room where privacy is absolutely guaranteed.
The countless events that pour in once it becomes an official club. Training camps, submitting festival results, exclusive quests.
It is truly the blessing of a system that forces the heroine and the protagonist into one space and pushes them, saying, "Now, date!"
"Oh, and Sunbae-nim. There is one more comrade who will join the club."
At my words, Bianca's eyes sparkled as she pulled her wheelchair closer.
"I-if it's a fellow o... otaku comrade, you're always welcome! What kind of work do they like?"
"Hmm, rather than a work, they are a friend with a very distinct character."
I unhesitatingly wrote down the name in the blank space of the application form Bianca handed me.
[Name: Kang Si-woo]
"Huh? Shouldn't the person write it themselves?"
"It's fine. We're childhood friends. I'm practically their guardian."
"Hahaha, understood!"
Bianca exploded with subcultural delusions all by herself at the word "childhood friend."
"Childhood friend! A forbidden relationship! The aesthetics of that fleeting moment when the bond built since childhood turns into love! Don't tell me, Seo-yeon-ssi, are you already in that kind of relationship with that friend? That such a narrative is possible in reality...!"
"Sunbae-nim, calm down. We're just friends? That kind of thing is a fantasy that only exists in light novels. Can you please distinguish between reality and creative works?"
"Yes... I'm sorry..."
The second-year senior who was trying to kill me by transforming into a magical girl just a moment ago was dejected by my sharp remark.
With Bianca included, if I fill two more spots with main heroine-level characters, the 3-captain heroine system for Kang Si-woo will be complete.
The future scene was already clearly drawn in my head.
On Kang Si-woo's wedding day, the sight of me turning around and walking away coolly while watching him holding hands with the bride. If I add the line, "Si-woo, please take good care of this guy," the insurance claim is perfectly complete.
"Then I'll go gather more students. Sunbae, please keep this place safe."
"Yes! Thank you, Seo-yeon-ssi! Really, thank you!"
Leaving Bianca's gratitude behind, I exchanged contact information and left the club room.
While turning and walking away, I chewed on the reason why Bianca Lucia went out of her way to create such a club.
If she just wanted to enjoy her hobby, she could do it at home.
But she risked danger to create a club room within the Academy because she needed someone to talk to, to open up her true self, who was tied to the chains of the Ice Princess mask and family expectations.
Such a terrible loneliness for a child.
I twirled the club room key in my pocket with my finger.
How can I use this deficiency of Bianca to tie her with Kang Si-woo?
Organizing my thoughts, I took out my phone and sent a message to Kang Si-woo.
Ordinary words are not enough to make him run here immediately.
I need a phrase that will make the heart of a guy who is already blinded by the imprint effect drop.
[Si-woo-ya. I have something to tell you face-to-face, so come to the 3rd Research District right now. I'll be waiting.]
If the current Kang Si-woo, who isn't in his right mind, reads this, he'll think something happened, right?
Come on, my insurance beneficiary.
#
"Haa, haa...!"
The practice reinforcement wall in front of me distorted.
Two dice forged with magic power were ominously flickering on my palm.
This is the essence of my magic-like magic.
I roll two dice and project power equal to the product of the numbers that come up.
If 1 and 1 come up, it's a dud, but as the numbers get bigger, the destructive power skyrockets exponentially.
Tteugureureu.
The dice stopped after spinning in the air. [3] and [2].
At that moment, the magic power resonated and swallowed the wall in front of me whole, and fragments flew everywhere with a roar.
Kisaragi Rin, who was watching from the side with her arms crossed, let out an admiring sigh while fluttering her haori hem.
"Huu... What a truly bizarre technique every time I see it. Do all mages use their power like this?"
"...Well. I don't know because I've never seen another mage."
Rin wouldn't know. Why I push myself so hard.
Seo-yeon.
My childhood friend, and my lifesaver.
The day the Mage Alliance assassins attacked our family, Seo-yeon's parents willingly threw their lives away to protect me, the son of a mage.
Even knowing that fact, Seo-yeon didn't resent me but instead took care of me for the rest of her life after I became alone.
Sometimes she made me laugh with her dazed appearance, and sometimes she was clumsy enough that I had to take care of her, but...
A few days ago, that Seo-yeon collapsed, bleeding from the mages' attack.
That appearance of her whispering to me to protect her while staggering in the burning fire of the mountain behind us.
I am weak.
I must become strong enough to protect Seo-yeon.
If Seo-yeon's parents sacrificed themselves for me, now I must become her shield.
Tteugureureu, tteugureureu.
The moment I compulsively rolled the dice again, magic power flowed backward through my blood vessels, and a headache that felt like my head would split rushed in.
"Ugh...!"
"Hey, Kang Si-woo! It's an overload. Stop for now!"
Rin hurriedly handed me a water bottle and held my shoulder, and only after gulping down the cold water did I barely calm my magic power.
Sweat drops fell to the floor.
Huu, I caught my rough breath and picked up the phone I had left on the bench.
"...There's a message?"
Seo-yeon's message alarm displayed on the screen.
Thinking it would be trivial content like 'I'm hungry' or 'Buy me bread from the store' as usual, I unlocked it.
[Si-woo-ya. I have something to tell you face-to-face, so come to the 3rd Research District right now. I'll be waiting.]
"...!"
Seo-yeon, whose atmosphere had changed since the attack, suddenly sent a message like this?
All sorts of imaginations unfolded in my head, but most of them... were not very good.
Tteugureureu!
Before my will, magic power went out of control and the dice rolled.
[4], [5]. Power 20.
"Kang Si-woo?! Where are you going!"
Leaving Rin's shout behind, I smashed the practice room wall and leaped out as is.
Wait for me, Seo-yeon-ah. Please... don't think bad thoughts!
I started running like crazy, cutting through the wind.
As long as my dice numbers allow, I will break through any wall in the world and reach you.