Chapter 48: The Club (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 48: The Club (1)
The next day, during lunch.
I gathered with the teammates I cleared the dungeon with at my favorite bench. It was to sort out the events that had transpired and discuss our future plans.
Rather than agonizing over it alone, putting our heads together with those who shared the experience would be far more efficient.
Besides, two of the four of us were geniuses competing for the top spots in the academy. Even Chloe was a member of the Auditore family, which was deeply involved in this situation. I had more than enough reasons to call them together.
Though the topic was heavy, this place was secluded anyway. The only time I had ever run into anyone here was my first meeting with Abel.
Since I hadn't seen a single soul pass by after that, I had arranged this meeting here.
Besides, we would likely have frequent meetings in the future, and we couldn't very well rent a cafe conference room every single time.
Chloe, who had been discharged from the hospital yesterday, was also present. Perhaps because she hadn't fully recovered from her cold, she let out dry coughs through her mask.
Her pale complexion suggested she was still in poor condition. When I asked her about it with concern, Chloe, seemingly touched, smiled with crescent-moon eyes and replied that she was fine.
I offered her a faint smile.
“So, it seems there's an enemy inside targeting Geomma, and during the midterm exams...”
“Ah, seriously. I get it, okay? Weapon, why do you have to ramble on so much? Just get to the point. No wonder you can't take the top spot!”
It seemed Speed Weapon had been explaining the details to Ryozo right before we gathered, since she hadn't known the full story. Perhaps his explanation had been too much information, as dark circles hung heavily under Ryozo's eyes.
“Ha! Saki, you're acting cocky just because you're smart. No matter how smart you are, you can't beat someone who puts in the effort. You think you'll be the top student forever? Just wait until the written exam next week.”
Saki shook her head in sheer exasperation. Ignoring Weapon's resolve, she stole a glance at me. When our eyes met, she awkwardly averted her gaze.
She peeked back, shifting only her eyes to gauge my reaction, as if worried I might be disappointed in her. Her half-visible, light blue eyes stared intently at me.
It was probably because of what happened after homeroom yesterday. But I didn't really mind.
At that age, it was only natural to be interested in such things. I wasn't petty enough to get disappointed in someone over something like that. If anything, guiding her in the right direction was the duty of an exemplary adult.
'...'
But come to think of it, my body is also a teenager's right now.
Yesterday, when I woke up, it took quite a while to coax, soothe, and deflate the tent that had pitched itself.
I almost missed the closing time by thirty minutes because of it.
For the first time in a long while, my pride, confidence, and self-esteem as a male surged. Besides, this body is tall at 183 centimeters and has a lean build.
Though its truth is unverified, at least Kang Geomma proved "that rumor" floating around the internet.
'Lucky me.'
I cleared my throat, scanned my teammates, and spoke.
“Saki, as you've probably heard, things have gotten a bit complicated. I realized racking my brain alone wouldn't get me anywhere.”
“I told you to call me something else, not Saki.”
Ryozo pouted and grumbled softly.
“...Ryozo. Is this fine?”
Only then did she look satisfied. At some point, the usual lethargy had vanished from Ryozo's face. I let out a short breath.
“First, I've thought about what we need to do right now in my own way—”
Weapon pulled a notebook from his bag and opened it. Inside, neat, legible handwriting was heavily highlighted with various colorful highlighters.
Weapon rubbed the bridge of his nose, gearing up for an explanation. Saki already looked visibly exhausted.
“I've organized what we know to help us get to the bottom of this. First, the fact that the Academy Council of Elders is targeting you, Geomma. Second, the appearance of the female instructor we heard about from the checkpoint employee. Like this.”
Weapon scanned our faces. I nodded, gesturing for him to continue.
“But thinking about it, us knowing this isn't actually that important. Since the motives behind the request commissioned by the elders are unclear anyway, the Auditore family will probably reject it, right?”
Weapon turned his gaze toward Chloe. Chloe let out a brief cough and nodded. Just as Weapon was about to continue his explanation, Ryozo cut him off.
“Ah, by the way, about that female instructor the checkpoint employee mentioned. I definitely remember seeing her, but I couldn't recall her name. So, I bypassed the academy's internal security and cross-referenced all 546 staff members—from the head instructors to the assistant instructors—with my memory, but I couldn't identify anyone with that description.”
“You can do stuff like that?”
“In a world dominated by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, shouldn't you have one or two skills like this?”
When I asked with wide eyes, Ryozo replied nonchalantly. Weapon shrugged, as if he already knew.
“But you sleep all day. When do you even have time for that?”
“The network security system is at its weakest at dawn, since the network staff have gone home by then. You have to exploit that window to attempt a hack if you want any chance of success. Even for me, breaching this place's security system isn't exactly a walk in the park.”
“...Then don't tell me the reason you slept through every class was...?”
“Exactly. I'm not a sloth, how could I sleep all day long?”
Ryozo wore an uncharacteristically innocent smile. I had truly thought she was the epitome of laziness because she did nothing but sleep all day.
As I reflected on my judgment, a question suddenly occurred to me. ...Did she find out my phone number, which I never gave her, the same way?
“Anyway, the point is that nothing has been clearly resolved yet. And it's not like we can just barge into the Council of Elders and threaten them out of the blue.”
Weapon quietly turned his head toward me. Then, letting out a dry chuckle, he muttered,
“...Well, though it might be possible for you, Geomma.”
He seemed to be gravely misunderstanding something.
“And even if we did that, it wouldn't solve anything; it would only make things worse.”
“Yeah, I agree with that.”
“I-I think so too.”
Ryozo agreed. Chloe, who had been quietly listening, also chimed in.
“So, what I've thought of is creating our own club.”
“A club? Where did that come from?”
I blinked. The suggestion was completely out of left field. At that, Ryozo, who was leaning lazily against the bench, explained instead.
“Clubs at Joaquin Academy have a special status. Not only do they grant freedom of movement, but they also provide activity funds. As you know, Geomma, this place emphasizes cooperation among cadets, whether in real combat or otherwise. So they encourage group activities and offer matching privileges.”
A clear and concise summary. I nodded, listening carefully to Ryozo's words. She raised her index finger to emphasize her point.
“Perhaps as part of those privileges, clubs here are treated as affiliated institutions of Joaquin Academy. In short—”
“—just being in a club grants you the academy's protection.”
Weapon seized the opportunity and quickly finished Ryozo's sentence. Ryozo pouted and whipped her head away.
“Just being an academy cadet isn't enough. There are over two thousand enrolled cadets. The academy can't look after every single individual, but the number of clubs is significantly smaller. Plus, there's a special department dedicated solely to clubs. For us, with enemies both inside and out, it acts as a double breakwater.”
Since Miracle Blessing M was an academy-themed game, a club system naturally existed.
However, in the game, it was merely used to flirt with favorite characters and raise their affection levels. As such, it had been dismissed as niche content only played by a certain crowd.
Who would have thought it would have such a practical function in reality? Just hearing Weapon's explanation made it highly appealing.
“Are there any specific requirements to establish a club?”
“First, we need at least five members, and we have to write a 'Club Establishment Proposal' and submit it to the relevant department.”
“The procedure isn't as complicated as I thought.”
“That's because the academy actively encourages it. Most cadets find club activities too bothersome to participate anyway, since it doesn't directly affect their grades.”
Weapon replied, scratching the bridge of his nose.
'...A minimum of five people. We're one short.'
As I pondered this, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
“By the way, are you all joining this club?”
“Hey, don't hurt my feelings. Of course we are. I wouldn't have suggested it in the first place if we weren't doing it together.”
Embarrassed, Weapon rubbed under his nose with his index finger. I shifted my gaze to Chloe and Ryozo.
“You guys too?”
“Of course! If it's something that helps you, Geomma!”
“Well, I do owe you my life from the dungeon. Besides, shouldn't a group like this have at least one brain?”
Chloe gave her answer between coughs. Ryozo also agreed, tapping her temple with her index finger. Seeing them like this, a wave of emotion welled up inside me. As one grows older, relationships often become a series of calculated transactions.
In a society teeming with people who associate with or discard others solely for personal gain, these people, whom I had only known for a short while, trusted and followed me.
And that too in a world where social status and class clearly existed.
Perhaps, for the first time, I felt glad to have ended up in this world. Just the feeling of 'being trusted' made my mindscape, which had been quiet for a while, surge with emotion. I forced down my feelings and looked at each of their faces.
“Thanks, everyone.”
Weapon asked with a bright smile.
“Then, shall we decide on a club name first? We still have to write the proposal and find one more member, but it wouldn't hurt to decide beforehand to build up some momentum.”
“Hmm, let's see.”
Chloe pondered, pressing her finger against her cheek hidden beneath the mask. Soon, her eyes lit up.
“Memories of Assassination! With the goal of assassinating the corrupt forces! How about that?!”
“...Hmm, I don't think that's quite it.”
“Aww.”
Her voice trailed off dejectedly. Ryozo, already looking sleepy, let out a yawn and tossed out a suggestion.
“Well, how about something like the Kasukabe Defense Force? It's not like club activities are anything more than kids playing house anyway. And does the name even matter that much? Just pick whatever.”
“...Saki, shut up.”
Weapon snapped in disgust. Ryozo stuck her tongue out and lay down on the bench. I stroked my chin, pondering for a long moment before speaking in a low voice.
“How about a travel club, where we clear dungeons and also travel around outside?”
Suddenly, a movie of the same name I had seen back on Earth came to mind. Even though I couldn't think of a proper name, it was still the result of me squeezing my brain. I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly.
“...Is it bad?”
“Hmm, a travel club. It's simple, which actually makes it better. I'm in.”
“M-me too! I think it sounds great!”
Chloe eagerly nodded as if she had been waiting for it. On the other hand, Ryozo stared at me intently, as if sizing me up. After a long silence, she also gave a coy nod.
“Not bad.”
I didn't know it then. I had no idea that this seemingly insignificant club would have such a massive impact at the very end of our story.