Club Founding

Besides the bonus points on the grade test as a reward for finishing the practical training in 3rd place, I was also given two days of free rest.

Of course, the two-day break wasn’t just a reward for 3rd place; it was a natural bonus that came about because the practical training lasted up to 4 days.

During that time, the dining area was transformed into a banquet hall, and I repeatedly clapped enthusiastically with Lacar for the teams that finished their practical training and returned while eating.

After spending a day resting and training, the next day, I visited the library to organize what I needed to do.

First. Resolve the matter related to the Thorn-Rose Disease.

Second. Secure the minimum of 2 members to apply for the club.

Finally, third. Find any unholy artifacts that the Demon King’s follower might have left behind during the Black Wizard’s attack.

There were three things in total.

To investigate the Thorn-Rose Disease, creating a club was the priority. I happened to have a dinner appointment with Team 19 on the weekend.

Thinking it would be great if all the members of Team 19 joined the club, I thought about the unholy artifacts.

Roel and I dealt with the mutant orcs early, so the Black Wizard’s academy raid was brought forward ahead of schedule. If so, the Demon King’s followers might not have had time to hide the unholy artifacts.

But as someone who has regretted being complacent many times, it was something I had to check. Above all, the unholy artifact was originally destined to destroy ‘Roel’, so it was right to be as careful as possible.

In the novel, Roel obtaining the unholy artifact was set as a coincidence. There was no description, just a single line that said, ‘Roel succumbed to the Demon King’s temptation with an unholy artifact he picked up by chance.’

In other words, to find the unholy artifact, I had to search the entire academy. There were places where first-years were prohibited from entering and places where the Combat Department was prohibited from entering, so in the end, I needed a club to find the artifact. With the permission of the club’s supervising professor, Headmaster Nelson, it would be possible to enter prohibited areas.

If it’s Nelson I’m thinking of, he’d allow the academy investigation with a happy face at the mention of finding hidden treasures in the academy.

Above all, the purpose of the club was ‘a club that can cause as much trouble as they want with the support of the strongest headmaster in the academy’.

First, I aimed to gather members to join the club, and left the library to keep my promise to train with Lacar.

***

The next day.

The first practical training for the first years was over, and the weekend arrived. A total of 11 teams failed the practical training. As 11 teams out of 280 failed, the difficulty of this practical training was enormous.

After the practical training, the first years had one thing in common….

As expected, everyone had been attacked by the raccoon bandits. The moment the word raccoon came out, they instinctively gritted their teeth.

Fortunately, the dungeon we trained in had many things that allowed me to utilize my abilities, so we were able to clear it quickly. Luna also caught the raccoon bandit in one go, which greatly reduced the time.

According to what I heard around me, there were more than a few teams that spent over a day looking for the real raccoon bandit, fooled by the raccoon bandit’s clone technique.

In summary, we were just lucky.

,Thinking about it again, I think we were lucky.”

As if agreeing with my thoughts, Aria suddenly said while tearing apart a large turkey leg.

,We couldn’t have dreamed of 3rd place without Roel!”

I’ve now become accustomed to Aria’s actions of giving me burdensome glances again.

,Yeah, it’s all thanks to me.”

When I answered that way, Aria grinned and chewed on the meat diligently.

,I think Aria succeeded in finding good restaurants?”

Kane, who was also tearing apart a large turkey leg like Aria, looked around and asked.

,That’s right, it’s delicious.”

,Agreed. You seem to have found a good one.”

,It’s delicious…!”

After finishing our meal while having trivial conversations, we took Luna’s recommendation from the book ‘100 Recommended Date Courses in the Capital!’ that she was holding in her left hand and had dessert at a dessert cafe where dogs and cats greeted customers.

,Have you guys heard about clubs?”

While scratching the chin of an affectionate black cat, I asked casually. Aria, who was petting a menacing dog, replied.

,No, I haven’t joined yet. I’ve been busy, and there weren’t any clubs that really appealed to me.”

In response to Aria’s words, Kane said while drinking orange juice.

,I don’t really like clubs that require a lot of activity….”

I nodded positively that at least two people didn’t have clubs. Luna said softly, as if whispering.

,I don’t really either….”

Luna is very shy, so joining a club wouldn’t be easy for her.

,You’ve been asking about clubs since before? What’s going on?”

Lacar, who was holding a sleeping puppy in his arms, looked at me with sharp eyes and asked.

At Lacar’s question, the team members looked at me with interest.

It would be better to tell the truth in this case.

,Well, Headmaster Nelson gave me a special opportunity to create a club. Headmaster Nelson is the supervising professor for the club, and I’m asking if there’s anyone who wants to join because there aren’t enough people to apply for the club-“

,Me! Me! Me!!!!”

At the mention of Nelson’s name, Aria, whose eyes widened, couldn’t hold back and shouted while raising her hand.

,I want to join!”

,Do you even know what kind of club it is…?”

,Who cares? If the headmaster is the supervising professor, I can ask him to look at my magic!”

True to her optimistic personality, she had a bright smile and seemed to be imagining herself training with Nelson already. I was dumbfounded by Aria’s appearance as she stroked the head of the menacing dog and looked into the distance.

,If the supervising professor is Headmaster Nelson…. It’s definitely not bad. But what kind of club is it?”

At Kane’s question, I scratched my head and hesitated for a moment about how to explain it, then vaguely made something up.

,Well, it’s just something like saving the world with the help of the headmaster? It’ll be a club that solves incidents that happen in the academy or outside the academy and helps the weak.”

Strictly speaking, Nelson said it was a ‘club that causes trouble’, but finding a cure for the Thorn-Rose Disease, which is my first goal, is saving many people, so it wasn’t a lie.

At my words, Lacar suddenly raised his hand.

,If that’s the case, I’ll join the club.”

,Uh…. It might be worse than you think.”

I hurriedly added, feeling burdened by Lacar’s suddenly shining eyes. Lacar shook his head.

,If our team leader is the club president, it’s trustworthy.”

I don’t know why, but I felt grateful and a little burdened by Lacar’s trust in me.

I was thinking of asking them to just put their names on the club without participating in activities, but seeing Aria and Lacar’s appearances, it felt like I really had to do club activities.

,Well, I’ll join too. If the headmaster is the supervising professor, he’ll give us plenty of club activity funds, right? Then I’ll install an alchemy table in the club room….”

,Wait! An alchemy table! The most important thing in the club room is a comfortable sofa!”

Leaving Aria and Kane, who were suddenly arguing about what to put in the club room, behind, I looked at Luna.

Luna was hesitating whether to join the club since everyone except her was joining. Luna pursed her lips and stroked the puppy that was acting cute in her arms.

,You don’t have to feel pressured to join just because everyone else is joining. You can just put your name on it and not participate in club activities.”

I said that to ease the burden, but Luna raised her head and answered with a determined expression.

,I, I’ll do it! I’ll work hard!”

,Huh? Uh, uh….”

I was a little flustered and answered stupidly at Luna’s appearance, who was showing an enthusiastic look for the first time, wondering what she was thinking.

That’s how it was decided that everyone in Team 19 would join the club.

,But what’s the club’s name?”

Aria, who was already talking to Kane about the comfortable chairs to put in the club room, suddenly asked.

,Well…. Roel’s Club… probably wouldn’t be good….”

Seeing Aria’s expression sour at the words I threw out casually, I hurriedly changed my words.

,Well, tell me if you have any good ideas.”

As soon as I passed on the responsibility, Aria and Kane answered as if competing.

,Nelson’s Army!”

,Ouroboros!”

,Nelson and the Kids!”

,Emerald Tablet!”

,Wait, Kane. Why do you keep saying things related to the Alchemy Department?”

At Aria’s jab, Kane chuckled and replied.

,Then why do you keep talking about Headmaster Nelson?”

,He’s a great wizard! A sage, a sage!”

,Alchemy is the lamp that illuminates the world! If someone asks about the future of the empire, let them raise their heads and look at alchemy!!! Don’t you know this saying?”

,How funny! Miracles are magic, and magic is miracles!!! I guess you’ve never heard of this saying?!”

Leaving Aria and Kane’s second battle behind, I asked Lacar and Luna for their opinions.

,Do you have any good ideas?”

At my question, the two of them pondered seriously and then spoke.

,The Empire’s Shield…? A gathering of young heroes…?”

I gave Lacar, who had a worse naming sense than me, a slightly contemptuous look. Lacar subtly avoided my gaze and gently stroked the puppy in his arms.

When I couldn’t help but sigh at the sudden problem of the club name, Luna said in a careful voice.

,How about Messiah…?”

,Messiah?”

I asked back because it was a word I hadn’t thought of at all. Luna nodded.

,If it’s a club that saves the world…. I thought the word Messiah would fit….”

Seeing Luna’s voice getting smaller and smaller, I smiled and said to Aria and Kane, who had already moved on to arguing about how difficult each other’s departments’ training was.

,We’ve decided to name our club Messiah, as Luna said. Is everyone okay with that?”

At those words, Aria and Kane nodded and suddenly turned their arrows at me.

,Okay, but Roel, you tell me. Objectively speaking. Isn’t the Magic Department better? The Alchemy Department just eats money and doesn’t really have any results-“

,Results~? Results~? Haven’t you heard about the environmental resistance potion that the Alchemy Department seniors finally created after years of effort? Roel, as you know, alchemy theory doesn’t have any immediate visible results…!”

,Years~? Years~~~? Look! We have practical theories about new magic every year…!”

I felt like I was going crazy because of Aria and Kane, who were chattering on both sides, so I sighed and ran my hand over my face. I heard Luna’s small laughter.

Is this… human warmth…?

At the sudden thought, I let out a dumbfounded laugh without realizing it.