NOVEL NEXT chapter 44
44 – Club
It had been a week since my duel with Verrugi.
Certainly, there were many events in the week following the duel.
Firstly, after the duel, the academy became chaotic.
Although many students came to watch, not everyone attended.
“No way, for real? He played with Lofri’s rope!”
“Well, he must have won by chance.”
Of course, the commotion extended beyond the academy.
It wasn’t just an ordinary fight between two students; it was the prince of the Arshen Kingdom who fought and lost, putting his expulsion at stake.
This story became a laughingstock across the entire continent.
Naturally, the prince was expelled from the academy.
Rumors say that he trembles at the mere sight of a sword now.
He probably won’t be able to live as a knight anymore.
Naturally, the Arshen Kingdom protested to the academy.
Their prince returned as a beggar.
However, since everyone in the arena witnessed that the beggar, even after the duel, tried to kill me, the academy ignored the Arshen Kingdom’s protest.
“Eek!”
While walking through the academy grounds to reach the special class, a student, upon seeing me, was startled and fled in the opposite direction.
The man who just fled upon seeing me is one of the beggar’s henchmen.
Every time they encountered me in the academy, they would see me and run away.
The usually neat and tidy academy grounds were chaotic today due to various banners.
[History Club: Exploring the History of the Continent]
[Diverse Culinary Club]
“Come join our board game club where you can build memories with friends!!!”
“Step into the Dungeon Exploration Club to explore a mysterious world in the dungeon – experience it for yourself!”
Students who looked like academy seniors were enthusiastically promoting their clubs with loud voices.
“Already time for club promotions, huh?”
Unless it’s a club as famous as the Swordsmanship or Magic Club, every club engages in promotional activities like that.
“Hey, what club are you thinking of joining?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“How about the Leadership Club? All the seniors there are pretty good-looking.”
“The Leadership Club and Student Council are not places we enter just because we want to. You have to be invited by the club members directly.”
Freshmen discussed which club they wanted to join.
“Are you a freshman over there? You don’t have to join a club, just come and try it out.”
“Our club is much more beneficial than that one, so come to ours.”
“What did you say?!”
Students promoting their clubs even fought with each other to attract freshmen.
“Hey! That guy has already decided to join our club!”
“What are you talking about? It’s not even the day to choose clubs yet. Are you getting ahead of yourself?”
“Seniors, please don’t fight because of me…”
“Hey! Are you watching? Is it me?”
I sat on a nearby bench and watched the students fight.
It felt like watching a chaotic drama, and it was amusing.
“But why doesn’t anyone talk to me?”
In the case of other first-year students, club members would strike up conversations just passing by.
But there was no one, not a single senior, who approached me.
Even if someone started to approach and confirmed it was me, they changed direction.
“Hey, what are you doing here, fool?”
Someone sitting on the bench spoke to me.
There was only one person who addressed me with that title.
“Miss Sepia.”
Sepia naturally took a seat beside me.
“I was just watching. Are you headed to class, Miss Sepia?”
“Yeah, when are you going in?”
“I was planning to watch a bit more. Would you like to go together in a while?”
“Sure.”
“Kyu, Kyu.”
The spirits perched on Sepia’s shoulders nestled against me.
“Is that guy really from our club?”
“Hah! How long has it been since you joined?”
While stroking the embraced spirit, I observed people still in the midst of a fight.
“Did Miss Sepia receive a club invitation too?”
“The leaders of the Elemental Club and Merchant Club approached with a proposal.”
Perhaps it was because of Sepia’s extraordinary talents in the Elemental Club.
Or maybe it was because her family belonged to Revaident, the Merchant Club.
“Hey, fool. Any thoughts on which club to join?”
I raised my index finger, pressing it against my lips.
“That’s a secret.”
My words overlapped with Sepia’s.
She sighed and opened her mouth.
“Ah, knew you’d say that.”
Sepia, observing my actions, anticipated what I was about to say.
She looked at me and smiled.
“Why? Did you think I couldn’t predict that too?”
.
.
.
.
Today, or rather, we were once again in a battle with Professor Elysia.
Bang!
“Kuran, you still can’t fully control your body at 100%.”
It was all different from the first time I fought Professor Elysia.
Bang! Bang! Boom!
Professor Elysia shattered the incoming chunks of rock with her fists.
The first time Sefia’s spirit hesitated to attack Professor Elysia when we fought, but now it attacked her without hesitation.
“Sefia, just like with Clara, you should be able to handle an opponent fighting up close to some extent.”
It had been quite some time since we started fighting Professor Elysia, but none of us had successfully landed a proper attack.
All the other special class students had fallen, leaving only Lucas and me.
“Roki, the magic tools you used while fighting Prince Rofree. Can you use them now?”
I didn’t use flash grenades and mines when fighting Professor Elysia.
“The magic tools I used then have a wide range, so they wouldn’t be helpful when fighting together.”
Or rather, I couldn’t use them. Whether it was a flash or a mine, there was a high chance of attacking special class students fighting alongside me.
“Oh, you seem to have enough leisure to chat?”
Professor Elysia charged at Lucas.
“Cough!”
Professor Elysia’s fist struck Lucas’s spine.
Hit by the punch, Lucas crumpled and fell.
“Now, only you, Roki.”
Professor Elysia approached me slowly, saying,
“I wonder if you’ll surrender?”
I knew what Professor Elysia’s answer would be, but I asked just in case.
“If I surrender, will you spare me?”
Her answer was evident as I looked at her foot firmly planted on my spine.
“Take a break and go eat lunch.”
Professor Elysia, not a single drop of sweat on her, left the classroom after saying that.
“Kuran, you’re in great shape today as well.”
“hahahahaha, you’re in great shape too, not bad for a priest!”
As time passed, the students started talking among themselves without me having to initiate any conversation.
At first, I was worried if timid Frederick would blend in well, but I didn’t need to worry anymore.
“”Frederick, do you want to come exercise with us?””
“Yes?”
Frederick would join Kuran and the muscular priest for exercise during lunchtime.
The three of them became close enough to have lunch together even after school.
“Roki, what are you going to do?”
“I have plans today, so I don’t think I can go.”
Sometimes, I would exercise with them as well.
It was amusing to see them teaching Frederick how to exercise from both sides.
Among the students in the special class, there were two who didn’t seem to engage well with the others.
They were Clara and Sepia.
Since they were the only two girls in the special class, it would have been nice if they could become friends, but unfortunately, neither of them was the type to initiate a conversation.
“Clara!”
I approached Clara, who was engrossed in reading once again, and struck up a conversation.
Clara glanced at me, as if prompting me to state my business.
“What club are you planning to join, Clara?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“I thought you’d definitely join the Magic Club, Clara.”
“Earlier, someone from the Magic Club, claiming to be the president, asked me to join, but I don’t have any intention to.”
“Why not?”
Usually, becoming a member of the Magic Club is a goal for wizards. It’s a place where they can further develop their magic.
“I don’t think being there will be helpful for me.”
If someone else had said it, they might have come off as arrogant or unlucky, but when Clara said it, I didn’t feel that way.
“Oh, I see. It’s good that you haven’t decided on a club yet.”
Having heard my words, Clara asked me, sensing an ominous tone.
“What is it?”
“It’s nothing. Just continue with your reading.”
Of course, I left without giving her a response.
“What club are the rest of you planning to join?”
I asked other students from the special class.
“Bare-handed Combat Club.”
Kuran and the muscular priest were the first to speak.
“Can a priest like me join in there?”
“I’m thinking of joining the fencing club to learn about the fencing techniques of this continent,” said the examiner from the East.
It seemed like he was considering stopping his obsession with the fencing of the East after receiving advice from Professor Elysia last time.
“I haven’t decided yet,” Frederick had not yet decided which club to join.
“Oh! Then how about joining the unarmed combat club with me!” Kuran said, patting Frederick’s shoulder with both hands upon hearing that he hadn’t decided on a club.
But Frederick probably wouldn’t be able to join the unarmed combat club.
“Lucas, which club are you going to join?”
“I haven’t decided yet, like Frederick.”
“Hmm, I see,” I nodded as much as possible.
I need at least five people to start a club.
And my goal is to put all the special class students into the club I create.
I’ve already decided on the club name.
‘The Clown Union Club.’
When others hear the club’s name, they will surely be satisfied.