Chapter 48: The Club (1)

The next day, during lunch, I met with the members of my group on a bench I often frequent.

The plan was to analyze the recent incidents and discuss how to proceed.

Rather than bearing the burden alone, I thought it would be more efficient to work together with those who shared the experience.

After all, among us were two of the academy’s top students, and Chloe, a member of the Auditore family, was deeply involved in the matter.

There was no shortage of reasons to convene.

Although the topic was a bit heavy, I chose this spot because it was rarely visited. In fact, the only time I’d ever seen someone here was when I met Abel.

Since then, I hadn’t come across anyone else, making it the perfect location for our meeting.

Renting a meeting room at a café every time wasn’t practical, especially if this was going to become a regular occurrence.

Chloe, who had been discharged from the hospital the day before, also attended.

She still seemed unwell, wearing a mask and occasionally coughing softly. Her pale complexion betrayed her physical condition.

When I asked her if she was okay, she smiled with her eyes half-closed and reassured me.

I returned a faint smile.

“So, it seems someone in the academy is targeting Kang Geom-Ma, and during the midterm exam…”

“Enough already, I get it! Why do you always over-explain things, Speedweapon? Can’t you get straight to the point? That’s why you never get first place in exams.”

Speedweapon, who had been explaining the situation to Saki Ryozo before the meeting, was cut off with a sharp critique.

He must’ve gone on for too long, as Saki now sported prominent dark circles under her eyes.

“Huh, Saki. You act all smart, but no matter how much you rely on your intelligence, hard work always beats genius. Do you think you’ll always stay in first place? Let’s see in the next exam.”

Saki shook her head, clearly tired of listening to him.

Ignoring Speedweapon’s words, she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. When our gazes met, she quickly looked away. Then she glanced at me again, trying to gauge my reaction.

She seemed worried that she’d disappointed me.

Her pale blue eyes studied me, peering out from beneath her perpetually half-closed eyelids.

This was likely due to what happened the previous day after morning assembly. However, I held nothing against her.

It’s normal for someone her age to be curious about such things, and I’m not so immature as to be disappointed over something so trivial.

In fact, the proper thing would be to guide her onto the right path.

‘…’

Although, thinking about it, I’m also a teenager in this body.

When I woke up from my nap yesterday, it took me a while to “calm down” due to the undeniable signs of my masculinity’s awakening.

I’d barely managed to leave before the 30-minute mark before the building closed.

Despite the embarrassment, I felt oddly satisfied. This 183 cm-tall, slim figure seemed to be in good shape.

Though I had no solid proof, it felt like Kang Geom-Ma validated a certain popular internet theory.

‘Guess I’m lucky.’

Clearing my throat, I addressed the group, trying to regain focus.

“Saki, you’ve heard the explanation, but the situation’s complicated, and I haven’t gotten far trying to figure it out alone.”

“I told you not to call me Saki.”

Saki murmured softly, her lower lip jutting out slightly.

“…Ryozo. Is that better?”

Finally, she seemed satisfied, offering a faint smile of approval.

At some point, the drowsy expression on her face had disappeared. I let out a brief sigh.

“For now, I’ve been thinking about what we can do.”

Speedweapon pulled out a notebook from his bag and opened it. Highlighted lines in various colors filled the pages, and the neat handwriting was easy to read from a distance.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and began explaining. Saki already looked tired.

“I reviewed what we know so far to organize our thoughts and see if we can draw any conclusions. First, we know the academy’s council of elders is targeting you, Kang Geom-Ma. Second, there’s the description of that instructor the control station employee mentioned.”

Speedweapon glanced at each of us, and I nodded for him to continue.

“On reflection, it’s not that important that we know this. Since the elders hired someone without making their intentions clear, it’s likely the Auditore family will reject it, right?”

Speedweapon looked at Chloe, who nodded as she coughed lightly.

Just as he was about to continue, Saki interrupted him.

“By the way, that instructor the employee mentioned—I’m certain I’ve seen her, but I can’t remember her name. So, I accessed the academy’s security system, reviewed all the instructors, both main and auxiliary—a total of 546—and couldn’t find anyone matching her description.”

“You can do that?”

“In this digital age, having such skills is basic, isn’t it?”

She responded calmly, and Speedweapon nodded, as if unsurprised.

“But you’re always sleeping. When do you find time to do that?”

“The security system is more vulnerable in the early hours, after the guards finish their shifts. It’s the perfect time to try hacking it.”

“…So that’s why you sleep during classes?”

“Exactly. Did you think it was pointless laziness?”

Saki flashed an innocent smile, but I remained silent, somewhat incredulous.

“In any case, we still don’t have clear answers. And it’s not like we can march into the council of elders and demand explanations.”

Speedweapon quietly turned his head toward me. Then, with a sigh, he murmured.

“…Well, if it’s you, Geom-Ma, you probably could.”

There seemed to be a strong misunderstanding about something.

“That would only make things worse.”

“I agree.”

Chloe and Saki nodded in unison.

“That’s why I thought we could create our own club.”

“A club? What are you talking about?”

I blinked, surprised by the unexpected suggestion.

That’s when Ryozo, lounging lazily on the bench, decided to explain in my stead.

“The clubs at Joaquin Academy have unique features. Not only do they offer freedom of movement, but they also provide financial support for activities. You know, Swordmaster—this academy emphasizes cooperation among cadets, whether it’s in real combat or anything else, right? That’s how they promote group activities and offer adequate benefits.”

A clear and concise explanation. I nodded and listened closely to what Ryozo was saying.

She raised her index finger to emphasize her next point.

“Maybe as part of those privileges, clubs here are treated as institutions affiliated with Joaquin Academy. In simple terms⎯”

“⎯Simply belonging to a club means you’re protected by the academy.”

Speedweapon, spotting the opportunity, quickly finished Ryozo’s sentence.

She pouted and looked away, clearly annoyed.

“Being just a cadet of the academy isn’t enough. After all, there are over 2,000 students enrolled. The academy can’t look after everyone individually, but the number of clubs is considerably smaller. Moreover, there’s a special department exclusively dedicated to clubs. For us, who have enemies both inside and outside the academy, clubs function as a double layer of protection.”

Since Miracle Blessing M was set in an academy, it made sense for it to include a club system.

However, in the game, the main purpose of clubs was to increase affinity with romantic characters. Because of this, they were seen as optional content that only appealed to certain players.

Who would’ve thought they actually had such a functional purpose? Speedweapon’s explanation immediately piqued my interest.

“Are there any conditions for creating a club?”

“You first need at least five members, draft a ⌜club creation plan⌟, and submit it to the appropriate department.”

“The procedure doesn’t seem too complicated.”

“It’s because the academy encourages it. Even so, most cadets don’t bother joining clubs because they see it as tedious. Plus, it doesn’t directly affect their grades.”

Speedweapon rubbed the bridge of his nose as he answered.

‘…The minimum number of members is five. We’re short one person.’

I thought about it for a moment before an idea crossed my mind.

“By the way, would you all join this club too?”

“Of course I’d feel bad if I didn’t. Isn’t it obvious? If we didn’t plan on sticking together in this, I wouldn’t have even suggested it.”

Speedweapon wiped under his nose with his index finger while smiling strangely. Then I looked at Chloe and Ryozo.

“What about you two?”

“Of course! If it helps Geom-Ma!”

“Well, technically, I owe you my life from the dungeon. And someone with brains has to be involved in this, don’t you think?”

Chloe responded between coughs, while Ryozo nodded, tapping her temple with her index finger as if analyzing something.

The sight of them truly moved me. As I grew older, my relationships with people had become increasingly selfish.

I lived in a society where many only associated with you out of convenience, discarding you once you were no longer useful. Yet these people, who barely knew me, were willing to trust me and follow me.

Even in this world, where social class distinctions were crystal clear.

For the first time, I thought maybe being in this world wasn’t so bad. The feeling of being trusted, of having people believe in me, filled my long-silent heart.

Suppressing my emotions, I looked at their faces.

“Thank you, all of you.”

Speedweapon grinned broadly before asking.

“So, how about we start by deciding on a club name? Obviously, we still need to write the plan and find one more member, but having a name would give us some momentum.”

“Well, I’m not sure.”

Chloe, looking thoughtful, pressed her cheek, covered by her mask, with her fingers. Her eyes suddenly lit up.

“Memories of Assassinations! A name for a club dedicated to eliminating the forces of evil! What do you think?”

“…Hmm, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Aw…”

Her enthusiasm deflated instantly. Suddenly, Ryozo yawned and tossed out a suggestion with indifference.

“How about something like Leaf Village Patrol? If you think about it, club activities are just kid games anyway. Does the name really matter? Just make something up.”

“…Ryozo, better shut up.”

Speedweapon, clearly annoyed, scolded her mercilessly. Ryozo stuck out her tongue and slumped back onto the bench.

I rubbed my chin, thought for a moment, and then spoke.

“How about an exploration club? We could explore dungeons and, at the same time, discover the outside world.”

I suddenly remembered a movie with a similar name I had seen on Earth. It wasn’t the most creative name, but it seemed fitting. I scratched the back of my neck sheepishly.

“…You don’t like it?”

“An exploration club, huh? It’s simple, but I think it works. I’m in favor.”

“Me too! I think it’s great!”

Chloe nodded quickly, as if she had been waiting for my proposal.

Ryozo, on the other hand, stared at me closely, as if trying to gauge my intentions. After a moment, she also nodded calmly.

“It’s not bad.”

I didn’t know at that moment that this small, seemingly insignificant club would have such a significant impact by the end of our story.