Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: I Hate Clubs (2)
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"You've arrived."
As we stepped into the staff room, a cold-looking woman wearing glasses greeted us. I flinched for a moment at the sight of her long blue hair braided down her back, but Veronica waved us over to one side of the sofa.
"...We have a lot to talk about. Me, and you too, Aisha Illian, Zenon. I need to hear your side of the story."
"...Yes, ma'am."
Even sitting on the sofa felt unbearably awkward. She must have called us in to discuss the incident during the practical exam. Combined with the fact that we'd been late today, her sharp features made me so tense that facing off against villains seemed preferable.
Slurp—
In the quiet staff room, the only sound was the sipping of tea. That's when Veronica finally spoke.
"...Unauthorized use of abilities, destruction of public facilities, property damage, and excessive ability use that even triggered the ability alarm."
"...We're sorry."
With every point she listed from yesterday's events, I felt myself shrinking smaller and smaller. My response came out barely above a whisper, practically crawling. As her cold gaze made us shrink back further, Zenon spoke up.
"There were... circumstances..."
"Everyone has circumstances. Even if I understand that you ran into villains and had to fight back, you're just students. If you were heroes, no one would bat an eye if a building collapsed, property was damaged, or abilities were used. But what is your status?"
"...Students."
"Exactly, you know that well. So you can guess what I have to say next."
It had to be punishment. I wanted to argue back as I listened to Veronica, but she was right—we were just students. Even if we were prodigy material destined to become Top Heroes in the future, we still had to act accordingly now.
As I hung my head and accepted her words, she slowly spoke again.
"...You didn't get hurt, did you?"
Her voice was so warm now, it felt like a different person entirely. Caught up in its gentle embrace, I lost myself for a moment. When I looked up at Veronica, she chuckled softly and took another sip of her tea.
"...Professor?"
"I said all that, but I have no intention of blaming you or punishing you. There are school rules and laws, sure. But because of those, there's also room for leniency."
"Then..."
"But first, didn't I ask you already? Well... you're not hurt, right?"
Was this seriously the same person? Honestly, my first impression hadn't been great, but this change left me dumbfounded. As she placed her hand on my shoulder and checked me over, I just spaced out, letting her kind touch linger.
"Ha, you have no idea how shocked I was when I saw the news. I was constantly worrying about you two, and then that incident happens right there. I rushed over the second I saw it, but by the time I arrived, you were gone. Do you know how that felt?"
"Uh... you came?"
"Yes. Of course, I spent some time helping clear the collapsed building while looking for you. Ugh, anyway, I'm just glad you're safe."
Veronica let out a deep sigh and rubbed her forehead. I'd thought she was just perpetually tired and scary when angry, but this unexpected side eased my tension, and I grinned sheepishly in response.
"Weeell... anyway, praise where it's due. Aisha, I got a call from Jace in A District saying you took down ten villains. We secured the CCTV footage too, and sure enough, you handled them all by yourself. Of course... some got hurt in the process. But we'll overlook that much."
"Ahaha..."
It had been such a frantic situation that I couldn't control my power properly. Still, since she wasn't dwelling on it, I felt relieved and flashed a small smile. Come to think of it, what about the practical exam results? As if reading my mind, Veronica pulled out two sheets of paper.
One had a simple "A" written on it, the other a "C." But on the "C" paper, there was a visible strikethrough over what looked like an "F." She handed me the clean "A" sheet and spoke.
"You did great, Aisha. Hmm... there was a six-hour gap, but we have evidence of your fight with the villains. Before that, you saved someone from falling rebar at the construction site, helped a lost child find their home, assisted an old lady... you did plenty, so we settled on an A."
Hmm—
Veronica looked at Zenon with a troubled smile, then let out a heavy sigh.
"...Did something happen? How could there be zero records? Even with heroes in A District, you can't have had absolutely nothing to do..."
I felt awkward hearing that too. Who would've thought he'd be out of it the whole time? He must've been dazed after hearing what I said. Glancing at him with that in mind, Zenon surprisingly wore a calm expression.
"...So what happens to me?"
"You get an F and have to repeat the year."
"Repeat the year..."
"But I got a phone call earlier."
A phone call? I tilted my head at that, and Veronica glanced at me with a small smile before continuing.
"It was from a little kid. Said the big brother crying on the street walked her all the way home... almost to the doorstep, then heard the ability alarm and ran off—something like that."
"You were crying?"
"N-no! I wasn't. Really, for real."
I hadn't expected him to cry. I didn't think his heart was that soft. He wasn't denying it vehemently or anything. Looking at the flustered Zenon waving his hands pityingly, Veronica burst out laughing again.
"You two get along well."
"...Nah, I don't really think so."
Well, maybe we did get along, in a way. Friends at this point, right? Curious about Zenon's reaction, I glanced over, and he looked a bit dejected at my response, staring back at me.
"What...?"
"Nothing... just."
He smacked his lips and looked back at the floor. Anyway, time to drop the teasing and hear his score. An F seemed too harsh, especially with the strikethrough. And the "C." Probably influenced by that phone call.
Clink—
As I thought that, Veronica set down her teacup and pointed to the paper.
"So, Zenon, we've decided to take the child's word for it. No real evidence, and it's just a kid's testimony... but it's the first time someone's called directly like that. So our score for you is a C. You'll avoid repeating the year, but work harder from now on, okay?"
"...Yes, thank you."
A C. I never imagined he'd do nothing the whole practical exam time. And cry to boot... though he denies it. Kids' eyes can sometimes see right through emotions.
"That's the end of the practical exam talk. By the way, you two—given any thought to clubs?"
Clubs? We both blinked in confusion at the sudden topic, and Veronica flashed a wicked grin.
...Something felt ominous.
#
Club activities at the academy weren't mandatory. They were more like a spec booster for becoming a hero later, so the academy supported them heavily. I knew that and had been thinking of joining one someday, but...
"...So you already have another club in mind?"
"Yup... sorry..."
Bang—
The teacup hit the table so hard it nearly shattered, making me flinch. But suddenly demanding we join her club? I couldn't just agree on the spot. Once you pick a club, you're stuck until graduation. I wanted to think it over carefully.
"Uh... just give me a bit to think..."
"Aisha, our club is prestigious. All the famous hero alumni went through us. Even Edwin Carmen! He was in our club!"
I was seeing so many new sides to Professor Veronica today. From cold and calculating, to kind and maternal, and now this irritable one. She'd been insisting we join ever since, but... it just wasn't clicking for me.
Zenon seemed to feel the same, just nodding along. Especially when Edwin Carmen came up—his face soured a bit. No way he'd join this club.
"...Professor?"
I couldn't let her keep bringing up that name in front of Zenon, so I spoke up. Veronica realized what she'd done and shut her mouth.
"Mm, Zenon... sorry. I misspoke."
"It's fine... just hearing the name doesn't make me that mad."
"Thanks for understanding. Anyway, our club really wants you both. I can give you a day to think it over. There's no club more perfect than ours. Yes, I'm confident of that."
"Ahaha..."
Dodging her eyes that were now blazing rather than sparkling, I cautiously stood up. Staying longer would mean forced recruitment. I nudged Zenon, who was sitting obliviously, and he finally got up.
"Th-then, can we go now...?"
"Yeah, it's lunchtime for us now..."
Veronica checked her watch and nodded at Zenon's follow-up. Did she realize she'd kept us too long?
"Mm, already that time? Alright, think it over and see you tomorrow."
As we slipped out of the staff room, I let out a deep sigh.
"Haa..."
"Good job."
"Nah, I just didn't expect the talk to drag on like that."
"...About seeing us tomorrow."
"She means she'll force us into the club then."
I didn't want that. Honestly, I wasn't joining a club just to become a hero. I'd entered a novel world, enrolled in the academy, so I figured I'd try one out of curiosity. In that sense, the professor's club was way down the priority list.
The funding was nice. Scholarships? Tempting, but money wasn't urgent—I'd get paid soon for taking out those villains. More importantly, I didn't have the confidence to handle the packed hero-training schedule.
Hey, I'm seventeen now. Can't I have a little fun? Something that actually sparks my interest.
"Got any clubs in mind?"
"...No, never really been interested in clubs."
In the original story, we'd have joined the professor's club by now. This conversation proved the plot had veered off. No one got hurt, just a building collapsed a lot. Zenon didn't feel as desperate as he did around this point in the original.
Much better.
"Ah— you!"
As I smiled contentedly, someone shouted from behind. Who? I started to turn—then something slammed into me. Stunned speechless, I blankly stared at the person hugging me tight.
"...Reisha?"
Her makeup was completely smudged from crying so much, making for a hideous face. She still had good bones underneath, so not ugly, but definitely not a pretty sight. What on earth had happened to make an adult like her act this way?
"Hic... huwaaaang...!"
For now... calming her down while she buried her face in my chest seemed priority one.