Chapter 48: The Angel Who Creates a Club (1)

Episode 48

The days grow longer. The memories of shivering in the cold have already faded, and even the days of falling cherry blossoms are slowly becoming distant.

The Central Academy is dyed in a vibrant green.

On such a bright day, the academy’s grand hall bustled with outsiders, a sight rarely seen. Elderly generals from various countries, high-ranking Awakeners adorned with emblems of famous guilds, and even envoys from each superhuman family.

‘Just for a midterm exam results announcement…’

Leffrey looked around.

Even just the VIPs and parents were enough to make him feel suffocated, but with the addition of the guards they brought along…

‘I’m a little nervous…’

It couldn’t be helped.

As if oblivious to Leffrey’s feelings, the clear voice of the student council secretary echoed once again.

“Next, I will announce the first-place student of the first-year midterm exam.”

Water spirits drummed beside them, and little fairies sang along.

For a mere announcement of the top two students, this was all a bit much…

“The first-place student of this first-year midterm exam is…”

Drumroll-

Leffrey looked at Soya sitting next to him.

Soya, clenching her fist… looked at Leffrey with an expression that said, ‘I’m not nervous at all’.

“Miss Han Soya from the Department of Magical Studies! Everyone, please give her a round of applause!”

Soya jumped up, waving her hands excitedly, and…

“A-As expected. Just as I predicted!”

Contrary to her words, Soya was practically losing her mind. Leffrey, feeling a bit uneasy after seeing that, tried to calm her down by mouthing, “Don’t be nervous and speak slowly.”

“I know…”

Soya clumsily walked to the podium. It was like… a newly hatched chick learning how to walk.

Leffrey was already starting to feel anxious.

“Now, as the first-year top student, please give us a few words.”

“Heheh… I-It’s only natural, but it’s a bit strange that everyone is so surprised.”

Leffrey lowered his head.

Actually, Soya was the only one in the hall who was surprised. Everyone else was looking at Soya with wary eyes.

‘But her choice of words is a bit…’

It’s only natural?

Humility was thrown out the window, it was arrogance itself.

‘Wow, the magical studies students are seething with anger. What am I going to do? Really…’

Leffrey wanted to shake his head.

But with Soya looking at him, he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

“…Therefore, black magic is really great. Much greater than other magic systems! B-Besides, John L. Kalis, the otherworldly mage…”

And an overflowing amount of TMI. (TL Note: TMI. Aka Too Much Information)

Leffrey was slightly regretting giving up his first-place spot to Soya.

‘No, it couldn’t be helped. This was the only way to gain Angelic Power and avoid the spotlight.’

That’s right.

Actually, if anyone deserved to be the top student, it was Leffrey. Even though he had borrowed Leffriel’s power, he was the one who defeated Drewmark, one of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings, and destroyed the corrupted cult.

Then why was Soya up there, giving that embarrassing first-place speech?

The reason could be found in the conversation between Leffrey and Park Jin-ho a few days ago.

“Leffrey, you’re truly amazing.”

Leffrey, looking at Park Jin-ho’s sparkling eyes, bowed his head.

‘It’s too much…’

Leffrey cautiously opened his mouth,

“Th-Thank you.”

“No, we are the ones who should be thanking you. To think you would capture Drewmark, one of the demon army’s highest-ranking executives. And you even caught a cult that was practically a demon army outpost.”

Park Jin-ho, completely contradicting his nickname, Iron Blood, kept smiling as he grabbed Leffrey’s hand and shook it.

“Amazing! Amazing!”

“P-Professor!”

Park Jin-ho, excited, shouted,

“From now on, you are not just my disciple.”

“…Yes?”

And he said seriously,

“From now on, we’ll transcend the relationship of master and disciple, and any attack on you will be considered an attack on me…”

“What kind of bullshit are you spouting in front of the child? Stop being so over-the-top.”

Lusa, who was next to them, snapped at him.

Park Jin-ho only then realized that he had been acting a little too doting.

“Ahem, I’m simply acting my age. Just like Lusa.”

“What did you say?!”

“So, to summarize what you’re saying, Leffrey… You’re saying that while confronting Drewmark, an angel descended from Heaven and cut off Drewmark’s arm?”

Actually, half of it was true.

Leffrey slowly nodded.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“An angel, an angel…”

“It’s quite strange.”

Park Jin-ho and Lusa didn’t believe it. Angels hadn’t even shown their faces during the fall of the other world empire.

So to think that they would descend just because of a cult… It was unbelievable.

“But even Drewmark said the same thing. That the boy transformed into an angel and cut off his arm.”

“…Park Jin-ho, you’re not believing that bastard’s words, are you?”

“I do.”

“What?”

Lusa was taken aback by those words.

Park Jin-ho continued as if it were nothing,

“This professor trusts Hexi’s interrogation skills.”

“Ah, Hexi was the one who extracted that information? Then I have to believe it too.”

So the professors came to this conclusion. Excluding one, there were no angels left in this world. Then the power Leffrey displayed must have been…

“It’s probably the boy’s latent potential. Related to Ultimate Skills.”

“This professor agrees with that judgment. It’s likely that Leffrey, driven to an extreme situation, momentarily unleashed his full potential. Besides, Leffrey’s main attribute is divine power, so it’s not strange for him to take the form of an angel when his potential is unleashed.”

Park Jin-ho muttered as if to himself,

“What a blessing for our people.”

“And for us fairies and elves as well.”

Then the two professors grinned greedily.

“As expected of the next successor of Cheongu.”

“He’s worthy of being the next guardian of the World Tree. Wait, Park Jin-ho, what did you say?”

Pinch- Lusa pinched Park Jin-ho’s arm as if annoyed, but he didn’t even flinch and said to Leffrey,

“We’ll prepare a special class to awaken Leffrey’s latent potential. A special class that can unleash all your latent power, the power of your past life, the power of your future, and the power of possibilities.”

“Ah… could you be talking about the supplementary class for top students?”

Leffrey had a hunch about what that class was.

The class known to be even more difficult than the already insane classes of the Central Academy.

‘No…!’

Leffrey screamed inwardly.

“That’s right. Be prepared.”

But there was no way for him to refuse.

“But Leffrey, what do you mean you want to give up the top spot?”

That’s right. The reason the boy was having this conversation with the professors was because Leffrey wanted to give up the first-place spot.

“I honestly don’t understand.”

Lusa grumbled.

Leffrey also had nothing to say.

‘How can I tell them that I don’t want to attract the attention of the demon army… and that if I give up the top spot, I’ll surely get a lot of sweet Angelic Power…’

But he had no excuse.

So Leffrey chose…

“Why don’t you professors guess?”

To ask them in return.

It was a somewhat rude question.

Smile smile-

But Leffrey used his trademark angelic smile to prevent the atmosphere from turning sour.

The professors immediately fell for it.

“…I see.”

Park Jin-ho was the first to speak. And then he muttered with a surprised expression,

“Leffrey, you’re giving up the top spot for the sake of humanity!”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Lusa, think about it. If Leffrey takes first place, he has to reveal the reason why.”

“That’s right, he caught a demon army Heavenly King… wait.”

Lusa, as if she had realized something, clapped her hands.

“Don’t tell me, kid, are giving up the honor of catching one of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings… and keeping this a secret for the sake of the greater good?”

Leffrey nodded naturally.

Of course, he had never thought such a thing.

“If a Demon King’s Four Heavenly King suddenly disappears… and there’s no public announcement about it… the demon army will definitely investigate this matter.”

“And if we capture them in return… we can destroy the information network of those traitorous bastards who betrayed humanity.”

Hearing this, Leffrey thought,

‘Ah, so that’s why I’m giving up the top spot.’

Leffrey, the con artist angel. Had reached the level where he could even deceive himself.

Lusa and Park Jin-ho looked at Leffrey with touched expressions. And the two professors slowly approached the boy.

And showered him with head pats.

“You precious child!”

“From now on, any attack on you will be also be considered an attack on me…!”

‘I-I’m dizzy!’

Leffrey, receiving an overwhelming amount of affection, saw a small message pop up.

[Giving up your glory for the sake of humanity is truly an angelic act!]

[You have gained a large amount of Angelic Power.]

But Leffrey had one more favor to ask.

“Professors, I have another request.”

“What is it? Tell us quickly.”

“Tell us!”

Leffrey slowly spoke,

“Could you maybe make Soya the top student? Of course, it would be difficult to reveal the matter about the Heavenly King, but maybe you could evaluate some of Soya’s other magic thesis and…”

Leffrey thought it would be good for Soya to be the top student. Why? Because then she could receive a lot of scholarships.

And with a lot of scholarships, Soya could conduct a lot of research and become even stronger quickly.

Besides, if he gave up the top spot for the sake of a future hero… that was also something worthy of an Angelic Power.

But the professors, seeing this, couldn’t help but think ‘He’s even giving up his top spot to Soya because her family is struggling financially.’

So the professors, after hearing his request…

“Manipulate grades? It’s a piece of cake.”

“…Ahem.”

They said. Wait, they actually considered manipulating grades… Wasn’t this a bit too much favoritism?

Anyway, this is how…

[Giving up your glory for the sake of a future hero is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

…he acquired even more Angelic Power.

Soya’s first-place spot was a bonus.

Thus…

‘It’s all good, but…’

But Soya’s speech didn’t end. Soya’s black magic-filled speech continued until the host intervened.

“J-Just one more thing! It’s really important…”

‘Why am I the one that’s feeling embarrassed?’

Leffrey covered his face.

* * *

Leffrey cleaned the cathedral while preparing dinner for Soya, who would be back soon.

He even hung up the laundry.

The sight of him wearing an apron and skillfully handling chores using life skills was impressive even to a housewife.

“Angelic Power~ Angelic Power~”

He even hummed a strange song.

“Skill level up~ Skill level up~”

The lyrics changed as his Cleaning skill leveled up, which was also suspicious.

Knock knock-

He heard a knock on the door.

“Who is it?”

Leffrey, wearing an apron, opened the cathedral door.

“Ah, first-year Leffrey?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“I’m from the student council.”

The student council.

Leffrey didn’t have good memories of the student council.

“Wh-Why?”

“We’re here to ask you to register a club for the upcoming club fair next week.”

“Club registration?”

A club for an introverted outsider like Leffrey? That was a bit harsh, wasn’t it?

“Yes! You need to establish a club if you want to own a club room. This cathedral… it’s listed as a club building, you see?”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Leffrey only then realized that he had forgotten to create a club.

“Ahahaha, it’s understandable that you forgot. I’ll leave these documents here, so please submit them by next week. Otherwise, we’ll have to proceed with a forced execution…”

“A-A forced execution? For what?”

The student said with a smile,

“Naturally, it’s a forced execution to reclaim the club room! You can’t use a club room without a club, can you?”

“Huh… so… I have to leave this cathedral?”

The student, still smiling, said,

“Yes!”