NOVEL NEXT chapter 45
45 – Club 2
Of course, I haven’t mentioned the fact that I’m going to create a club yet.
I’ll surprise them later when the club selection period arrives.
“Surely everyone will like it, right?”
Anyway, right now is the club trial period, so I can’t choose a club.
Creating a club takes time.
I need to find a club room and a faculty advisor.
Above all, I need permission from the student council.
Although Joden, the student council president, thinks of me as a benefactor, having Joden’s permission alone doesn’t mean I can create a club.
Of course, I’ve already made plans.
“By the way, Loki, are you really not going to tell me what happened back then?”
Lucas said to me.
By “back then,” Lucas referred to when I and Veruji were in the fog.
It was natural for him to be curious since we came out of the fog, and Veruji was trembling.
When I talked to Erika on the phone at night, she also asked out of curiosity.
“If you know, you’ll get hurt.”
Of course, my answer was always the same.
When Lucas saw that I wasn’t answering, he didn’t ask anymore.
“Let’s go have lunch together in a bit.”
I went to have lunch with Lucas and special class students except for once.
“Unfortunately, I have a prior engagement today, so I don’t think I can go with you.”
“Really? Well, I guess there’s no helping it. Who did you make plans to eat with?”
“It’s with Senior Johanna.”
During the morning practice today, Johanna suggested we have a meal together.
Of course, there was no reason to refuse, so I accepted.
“With Lady Freyja?”
Lucas heard my words and looked surprised.
Why? We’ve eaten together once before.
Before I could ask why he was surprised, someone spoke to me.
“Um, someone is looking for you.”
The person who spoke to me was Frederick.
After hearing Frederick’s words, I quickly turned my head to look outside the classroom.
There, Johanna was waiting for me.
“Thank you for letting me know. Enjoy your lunch~.”
I thanked Frederick and rushed over to Johanna.
“Senior, why did you come personally this time too? I could have come or we could have met in the middle.”
“The class ended early.”
“Then, shall we go to the cafeteria?”
“Yeah.”
I didn’t hear Lucas’ voice coming from behind because I was busy talking to Johanna.
“I guess I should mention this too….”
“Have you forgotten what you said before?”
Suddenly, while walking down the street, Johanna spoke.
“Yes?”
I was surprised and replied.
Johanna seemed to think that I had forgotten.
“……….”
Others may not notice Johanna’s subtle change in expression, but I could.
She was upset now.
I quickly turned my head.
The answer was easier to find than I thought.
“Are you talking about the club experience?! Joining the leadership during the club experience! Of course, I haven’t forgotten.”
Johanna nodded, opening her mouth.
“Can you start from tomorrow morning?”
“It’s what the seniors suggested, so I’m always available!”
Johanna seemed pleased with my response, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
“Johanna!”
Someone called out to Johanna as we walked down the hallway.
I could tell from the leadership badge on his arm that he was part of the leadership team.
“If you’re heading to eat, why don’t you join us for a meal?”
“Uh…”
Johanna glanced at me with a brief sigh.
As if seeking my permission.
Since there was no one in the leadership team who was unpleasant, I nodded in response.
The members of the leadership team now seemed to notice me and were taken aback.
It’s not like I lack presence, you know.
“Miss Johanna! Wait just a moment, can you?”
They sought Johanna’s permission and moved away to have a conversation.
Whether they blocked the sound with mana or not, I couldn’t hear the conversation. However, I could roughly tell that they were conflicting opinions through expressions and gestures.
After a short while.
They must have reached a decision as the conversation ceased.
Then, one of them approached Johanna as a representative.
“Miss Johanna, today we’ll eat together! S-so, please have a meal with that child over there!”
Her eyes were tightly closed, fists clenched, and she seemed to be trembling all over. It seemed like she really wanted to eat the meal with Johanna.
“Well done. It was a difficult thing to say!”
“We are very proud of you!”
Even other members of the leadership team cheered, patting the one who spoke.
Leaving behind words encouraging us to enjoy the meal, they departed.
I couldn’t understand, so I looked at Yo-hanna.
Blink, blink.
Yo-hanna blinked as if she didn’t understand the situation either.
“Um… Should we go to the cafeteria for now?”
.
.
.
While eating with Yo-hanna, nothing special happened.
There was no one picking fights like a bully.
There were even people who avoided me when they saw me.
The only difference from usual was that the members of the student council kept staring at me while I was eating.
Some even stared at me and Yo-hanna while we were eating. There was even someone who actually cried.
As I walked, reminiscing about what happened in the cafeteria, I suddenly arrived at Professor Idra’s research lab.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
I knocked and entered the lab.
“So, why did student Loki want to see me?”
Professor Idra looked at me with a twinkle in her eye.
“I didn’t come because something happened. I just suddenly felt like seeing Professor Idra today.”
Having heard my words, Professor Idra chuckled.
“hahahahaha! It sounds good, but is that all there is?”
“99% of it is for that reason, and about 1% is for a separate request.”
“I’m not sure if it’s really 1%. So, what’s the request?”
“It would be great if Professor Hydra could be the advisor for the club I’m going to create!”
Professor Hydra, who heard my words, widened his eyes in surprise.
“You’re going to create a club yourself?”
“There’s no existing club that suits me. That’s why I decided to create one myself!”
“Heh. What kind of activities will the club created by student Loki do?”
I told Professor Hydra what kind of activities the ‘Jester Union Club’ that I was going to create would have.
Professor Hydra, hearing my words, chuckled and gave me a mischievous smile.
“Hmm, how should I handle this? Since it’s a request from the talented student Loki, should I accept it? But I’m quite busy with research these days. What should I do?”
Professor Hydra is the only person who could be an advisor for such a crazy club.
Professor Hydra mumbled, “If you come in first in my exam this afternoon, I’ll be the advisor for the club you’re going to create.”
“What exam is that?”
Professor Hydra chuckled and said, “It wouldn’t be fun if you knew that in advance.”
[Image: ＜Image link＞]
“Roki, do you know why we gathered outdoors today?”
“I have no idea.”
During Roki’s conversation with Lucas,
Hydra spoke up.
“Everyone, quiet down. Today, we’re going to play an interesting game.”
No student believed those words.
Everyone had learned what kind of professor Hydra was during Hydra’s class.
“The reaction isn’t great. Today, there’s a special prize.”
At the mention of a prize, students became interested.
“And the prize is… Ta-da!”
Every student was astonished when they saw what Hydra revealed.
“Is that a potion, for real?”
It was indeed a potion.
And it was a fairly valuable one.
As students looked at the potion, some even drooled, and Hydra smiled with satisfaction.
“The rules of the game are simple. When I say we’re starting in a bit, everyone goes into the forest and looks for the blue beads. The student who finds the most beads within the time limit will get the prize.”
How about that? Hydra said, looking around at the students.
“Any more questions?”
The students seemed eager to dash into the forest right away.
After all, high-quality potions weren’t easy to come by.
“If there’s nothing, let’s begin….”
“I have a question!”
The students were about to dash into the forest but halted.
Someone raised their hand and spoke.
“Student Loki, do you have any questions?”
“I’m curious about how much time we’ll be given!”
“The time limit is one hour, and when the time is up, a separate signal will be given.”
Afterward, Loki continued to ask various questions to Professor Hydra.
Starting from the size of the beads, how many beads there were, and whether it was possible to snatch beads from other students.
“Isn’t that too many questions?”
As the questions grew longer, some students expressed dissatisfaction.
“Think about it, everyone. Since we’re competing among ourselves, there’s no need to rush. Isn’t it much better to ask now than to ask later after starting?”
Upon hearing Loki’s words, the students’ complaints disappeared.
Because, as Loki pointed out, there was nothing changing by starting late anyway.
Even other students raised their hands and asked Professor Hydra various questions.
Lucas didn’t ask any questions and just stretched his body.
He had taken the potion, but that didn’t mean he didn’t need to warm up.
And at some point, he stopped asking questions and just stared at Loki standing still.
While other students were not paying attention to Loki and were asking Professor Hydra various questions.
“Come to think of it, didn’t Loki raise his hand after Professor Hydra said it was the start?”
Suddenly, a chill ran down my entire body.
The thought crossed my mind, “No way,” and simultaneously, “What if it’s Loki?”
“Loki.”
Lucas placed his hand on Loki’s shoulder.
Swoosh.
Lucas’s hand passed through Loki as if he wasn’t there.
“Crazy bastard.”
Having assessed the situation, Lucas shouted to Professor Hydra.
“Professor! How much time do we have left?”
The other students didn’t understand what Lucas was saying.
Naturally, they thought there was still an hour left since it hadn’t started yet.
But Hydra chuckled and said, “About 40 minutes. But when are you all going to start?”
…
…
…
Loki pulled out a blue bead wedged between the rocks.
“You caught on faster than I expected.”
In Loki’s hand were already seven blue beads.