Chapter 34: The King of Clubs at the God-cademy (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 34: The King of Clubs at the God-cademy (1)
Training my talent and trait is actually quite simple.
To be precise, they have excellent synergy.
Using my talent, Reinforcement, consumes Innate True Qi. Naturally, Resurrection is then trained as it recovers that consumed Innate True Qi.
I reinforce the Talent Enhancer, drink it, and once Resurrection restores my Innate True Qi, I use Reinforcement on the Trait Enhancer and drink that too.
“What have you been sipping on for a while now?”
To an outsider, it probably just looked like I was repeatedly nursing two different potions.
“I don’t know what it is, but can’t you just chug it?”
Ha-ni didn’t seem to like the way I had been sipping continuously.
It was a bit sad that she couldn’t grasp the profound meaning behind this act, but it was understandable.
How could a sparrow understand the will of a phoenix?
Looking at our current power levels, Kang Ha-ni was the phoenix and I was more like a chick, but regardless, if I didn’t answer her soon, she’d start sulking.
“I bought this from the Point Shop. They said it’s a Talent Enhancer.”
“Uh, hey. I heard those are rumored to be total trash.”
You’re right. They are trash. For anyone who isn’t me.
Oh, for the record, the fact that Kang Ha-ni knew about the hidden items was the same as in the original story. Her family was quite influential, so gathering that level of information wasn’t difficult for her. I recalled that she even had a sort of plan or schedule on how to spend points efficiently.
“You should’ve just rented an artifact instead,” Ha-ni said, looking at me with a bit of pity.
I simply responded with a smile. No matter how much I blustered, I couldn’t beat her anyway.
Just you wait. Though my beginnings are humble, my end shall be grand.
Finally, I finished both potions. Now, I just needed to focus so that my Innate True Qi wouldn’t overflow.
“Honestly, I should have gone with you. Professor Cathy should’ve stopped you if she saw a kid trying to buy weird stuff like this.”
Though she was snickering, she was actually being quite considerate so as not to disturb my training. She made sure not to come too close, and the fact that she hadn’t spoken to me since I closed my eyes to concentrate was proof.
She must have been bored, but by staying still and watching over me, she was essentially acting as a Dharma protector to ensure no one interrupted. Despite her frequent outbursts because of Lilac, Ha-ni was actually a very warm-hearted person in the original story.
To avoid wasting the medicinal effects, I emptied my vessel with Reinforcement every time my Innate True Qi filled up.
How much time had passed?
When I opened my eyes, Ha-ni, who had been watching from nearby, gave me a smirk.
“So, did you get anything out of it?”
“Nah, I’m broke.”
“Hmph, you looked so serious with your eyes closed. I knew it.”
Of course, I was lying.
To be honest, there wasn’t a massive change in Reinforcement, but Resurrection’s recovery speed had increased, and the vessel itself had grown much larger.
If we’re talking about the total amount of Innate True Qi, wouldn’t I have about three times as much as an average person now?
To put that into perspective, if I went all out and stacked Reinforcements, I could probably give Cheon Yu-hak a genuine surprise in a duel. Of course, I’d still get the crap beaten out of me right after surprising him.
“Next time, I’ll earn some points and go with you. I’ll show you how to pick the good stuff.”
“Sure, thanks.”
But Ha-ni, I’m done with the point-grinding business now.
* * *
After some incredibly eventful days, my Academy life finally entered its third week.
I still couldn’t believe it had only been three weeks, but no matter how many times I checked the calendar, it was indeed the third week.
For a freshman at Leilan Academy, the third week holds a special significance. In a way, it’s just as important as the unlocking of the point system: it’s when club applications open.
Clubs.
Yes, the “King of Clubs” is an almost mandatory element in “God-cademy” stories, serving as a device to decorate a page of the protagonists’ bittersweet youth.
Of course, in the original work, The Academy’s Holy Sword Hero, the atmosphere wasn’t exactly bright since the Academy starts off already half-destroyed.
There are clubs for simple hobbies, clubs for improving abilities, and even crazy clubs that are combat-oriented and go around catching criminals.
And then there’s the Student Council, which possesses a suspiciously high amount of power.
Technically, you can join multiple clubs, but considering the actual time spent on activities, three is usually the practical limit.
In the original story, Lilac joins the Volunteer Club and the Travel Club, while Cheon Yu-hak starts his own club.
Anyway, active participation in club activities or winning awards in competitions directly affects your evaluation, making it quite important for cadets. But like most transmigrators, I had already more or less decided which club to join.
Well, I can understand and accept why everyone is so noisy, but…
“Hey, Loser, what club are you joining? Want to join the Cooking Club with me?”
“So-hyun, do you want to join the Volunteer Club with me? Oh, or the Travel Club would be good too.”
“What are you talking about? So-hyun, join the Swordsmanship Club with me. They say it’s better to choose a club that’s combat-oriented.”
Hey, guys. Why do you always come to my seat and do this?
And Ha-ni, Ga-eul—you two aren’t even in our class. Could you maybe wait for the morning assembly in your own classrooms for once?
“I don’t know, I’m still thinking. I need to consider it a bit more before I choose.”
“Aww~ don’t be like that, join the Volunteer Club with meee~ Or at least the Travel Club. I heard the seniors there are really nice~ Please~?”
“Lilac. I’m about to lose my mind. Try acting cute in front of me one more time. I don’t know what I’ll do next time.”
“So prickly.”
Seeing him snicker, he clearly thought I was joking, but I was dead serious. Where does a man get off acting cute in front of me? He’s asking for it.
Of course, if we actually fought, I’d be the one dying.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
“Cheon Yu-hak?”
“I heard an interesting conversation and wanted to join in.”
As Cheon Yu-hak approached with a smile, Kim Ga-eul took a step back with a complicated expression. Cheon Yu-hak didn’t even seem to notice, but seeing her still stealing glances at him, she really must like him a lot.
“I’m sorry, but Kang So-hyun cannot join the Volunteer Club.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because the club I’m going to form will focus on monster hunting, and the activity times will overlap with the Volunteer Club.”
Lilac tilted his head at Cheon Yu-hak’s words, then looked at me with a betrayed face.
“You decided to start a club with Yu-hak…!?”
I didn’t, you brat. Why are you looking at me like I sold you out? It’s creepy.
It wasn’t just Lilac; the others were also looking at me like puppies betrayed by their owner.
“Look, Yu-hak, I understand you want to start a club, but I think this is the first I’m hearing of it?”
“Because I haven’t told you yet.”
When I told them the truth because the stares were becoming too much, everyone let out a sigh of relief.
What is this? Is this the life of a popular kid? Do you guys like me that much?
“I haven’t said it yet, but the only club that really suits you is mine. Setting aside volunteering, things like cooking, travel, or swordsmanship can just be hobbies, can’t they?”
The one who took offense at those words wasn’t me or Lilac, but Kang Ha-ni.
“Hey, you’ve got a weird way of talking. Who are you to decide So-hyun’s club for him?”
It probably wasn’t that she felt swordsmanship was being belittled, but rather that his commanding tone rubbed her the wrong way.
Ha-ni. I appreciate you stepping up, but you can’t beat Cheon Yu-hak in a fight.
“Kang Han-hee. Hmm, if it sounded that way, I apologize. I intended it as a proposal, but I was a bit impatient, so my tone might have sounded a bit forceful.”
Fortunately, perhaps because Ha-ni also had excellent entrance scores, Cheon Yu-hak took a step back with a somewhat softer attitude.
The problem was that Ha-ni didn’t back down.
“A proposal? Is that how you make a proposal? Honestly, how many kids could actually refuse if you came at them like that?”
“What do you mean?”
“Who knows what your self-proclaimed followers would do if someone refused? Or your lackeys might pull something behind the scenes.”
Whoa, Ha-ni. Why are you going full throttle all of a sudden?
Then again, it was only because I had been careful lately that things had been quiet; this was originally Kang Ha-ni’s character. She hated the strong oppressing the weak, and she hated it when someone she cared about was looked down upon.
So, it seemed she felt I was being looked down upon by Cheon Yu-hak. In reality, he was acting that way because he acknowledged me, but his tone was definitely prone to being misunderstood.
On the other hand, as much as Cheon Yu-hak loathed thugs, he seemed quite bothered by the fact that those he acknowledged were being treated as “lackeys.”
“I don’t care if you insult the trash who act on their own, but I find it hard to tolerate you calling my comrades ‘lackeys.’ I’ll need an apology.”
“And if I refuse?”
“It wouldn’t mean much, but I’d have to force it out of you.”
“Think you’re capable of that?”
“Want to find out?”
In an instant, the air turned foul.
“Let’s stop, everyone. In the end, it’s up to So-hyun to decide. What’s the point of us making a scene?”
The one who settled the situation was our protagonist, Lilac.
Indeed, even in the original story, Lilac was the only student who could stand between those two.
“Hey, Lilac. You’re the one who made the proposal, so what are you doing now?”
…Proposal? What?
“Han-hee, we agreed to keep that a secret! And you can join multiple clubs, so don’t be like that. Yu-hak isn’t the type to force someone to do something they can’t, right?”
What? What proposal? What secret? Why am I the only one who doesn’t know? Are you guys ostracizing me? Is this the life of an outcast…?
Hearing Lilac’s words, Ha-ni looked suspicious.
“He’s not the type to force someone?”
“Forcing someone only decreases efficiency. Do you think I’d do something so foolish?”
Ha-ni glared at Cheon Yu-hak for a long time, but he met her gaze nonchalantly.
“I apologize for speaking recklessly about the others.”
Oh, so he does apologize?
“I’ll accept it. It’s not like you meant it as a sincere insult anyway.”
Should I be glad it didn’t turn into a major fight?
In the original work, in a similar situation, Ha-ni would have dueled in Lilac’s place because they were friends, gotten thrashed, and then Lilac would have fought Cheon Yu-hak again, saying he went too far.
But just when I thought it was over, Cheon Yu-hak seemed to have more to say.
“Kang Han-hee. If you were a bit less emotional, you would have been a recruitment target as well. Out of respect for your skills, I’ll give you one piece of advice. You need to kill your emotions a bit. Especially against an opponent stronger than you.”
“…What?”
Ugh, that guy was doing so well and then he had to go and act superior again.
Ha-ni took great pride in the swordsmanship she had learned and was quite confident in her skills. Being treated like an amateur by a fellow cadet, not even a professor, was bound to make her blood boil.
“Why you…!”
Just as Lilac was about to restrain them again—
“Now, hello everyone.”
Professor Cathy walked in, forcing a stalemate.
“Hmm? What’s going on, cadets? The atmosphere seems a bit grim.”
“It’s nothing, Professor. We just had a small disagreement regarding clubs.”
As Cheon Yu-hak lightly brushed off Professor Cathy’s question and gave them a look, Kang Ha-ni and Kim Ga-eul had no choice but to leave the classroom.
“Well, I know you’re excited since club applications start today, but let’s not fight. I was actually planning to talk about this during assembly, but I assume you all know about the clubs?”
Thanks to Professor Cathy, the heavy atmosphere lightened considerably.
“Oh, by the way, I’m the advisor for a health-related club, so any cadets with weak constitutions should stop by.”
…Wait. Why does it feel like she’s looking at me?
Seeing her even give a wink, she was definitely looking at me.
But Professor, I have no intention of going. I hate red ginseng and bellflower root.
Many might mistake it for a fitness or combat club because she’s the advisor, but the club she’s in charge of is the Health Food Enthusiasts Club.
The foolish classmates deceived by her beautiful smile will likely spend a very bitter youth starting today.
I mean, that stuff is seriously bitter.
As the assembly ended and I was about to move to my first class, my smartphone, which rarely rang, buzzed.
“Huh?”
There was a text message from an unknown number, but the content was quite interesting.
[If you don’t want this photo to spread, come to the designated location alone during lunch today.]
It was a remarkably direct and interesting “love letter.”
It was so interesting that I felt a strong urge to coolly ignore and block it, but unfortunately, I couldn’t do that.
The attached photo showed Professor Cathy and me entering a movie theater arm-in-arm.
…Dammit, we were only linked for like three seconds. How the hell did they take that?
I sent a reply to the mysterious blackmailer: “Understood.”