Chapter 205 - Host (2)

The opponents were not to be taken lightly. While Trisha might not be an issue, a skilled person like Luna was unlikely to abstain from the mission.

We weren’t just facing the Drama Club. There was also the Dance Club, which had a talent pool equal to the Drama Club. Besides that, we had to face formidable second-year students from other departments, including Sion and Cecil.

Lilith raised a question, "Is there a compelling reason why we must win? If there's sponsorship... we shouldn't lack funds for the field trip. My family has also agreed to send sponsorship funds soon."

"It's not about the money, it’s about sending a message. The message that we will be the ones who the academy allows to go on a group field trip outside during the semester."

"Then what about our grades..."

"If we go after the midterm evaluation is over, there won't be any problem. How about it, isn't that reason enough to win?"

At this point, I also had a question and interjected.

"Is there a particular reason why we must go to the City of Magic Studies?"

Haley blinked as if she hadn't imagined such a question.

"That's an unexpected question. The City of Magic Studies, Claridium, is the pinnacle of civilization. Artificial humans created using magic, magic engineering, and alchemy combined. The first Stitch, flying ships, you can see all of these in Claridium. Don't you want to see them even after hearing this?"

"..."

These were things I had encountered in books. However, as far as I knew, all artificial human experiments ended in failure, the flying ships were ancient artifacts and hadn’t flown because their operating principles hadn’t been uncovered, and Stitches have become so commonplace that the significance of the “first” had faded.

Moreover, with Erzsebet, the pinnacle of magic engineering, guarding Eternia, was there really a reason to go and waste energy? It took too much time to go just for entertainment.

Seeing my lukewarm reaction, Haley shouted, "First-year, I'm disappointed."

"..."

Maybe Haley just wanted to go regardless of other considerations.

Having grown up in a strict family, it might have greatly influenced her desire to go anywhere freely.

Haley expressed her emotions strongly once more.

"Dis! A! Pointed!"

"..."

Lilith tactfully took Haley's side.

"It sounds wonderful. I'd really like to go."

"Right? And I want to show those drama and dance pigs that we're not to be underestimated just because we're on the outskirts. That we're not easy opponents."

"Then... what's the Art Club’s strength?"

"We're an elite few. The third and fourth year mission will be handled well by the Art Club officers, but the first and second year mission is the problem."

Due to some dropouts, there were now only about ten first-year students left in the Art Club. I knew the Drama Club had fifty members, and the Dance Club had a similar number. The situation wasn’t much different for second-year students.

We were at an overwhelming disadvantage from the talent pool itself.

Moreover, I was the only one from the Combat Department among the first-years. There were three from the Magic Department, including Lilith. If a combat mission came up, we might have to go with very few people.

"So... has the mission been announced?"

Haley patted my shoulder and said, "The announcement will be posted around lunchtime, so let's meet at the student plaza then. See you later!"

***

Several groups were murmuring in front of the large bulletin board placed in the student plaza.

Lilith had arrived first and was waiting at the meeting place.

She awkwardly waved her hand when she saw me.

"Should I say I used this well? Ah! No, I mean, thanks to this, I stayed warm."

Then she gently placed Ppiyak on both hands and held it out to me. Ppiyak’s feathers were neatly groomed, and a cute ribbon was tied around its neck.

I shook my head.

"It's my spirit, but it doesn't like staying with me. If you want to send it away, let it fly to the sky."

"Ah, oh, okay, I understand."

Lilith raised her hands high to the sky, but Ppiyak just sat comfortably on her hands, enjoying the sunbath.

"Ah, this, um, I'll have to do it later."

Unable to do anything, she put Piyak back on her shoulder.

Soon after, Haley suddenly appeared and grabbed both our shoulders.

"Nice picture."

"...You're here."

"My Art Club sprouts. Shall we check the announcement now?"

***

There wasn't much content on the announcement posted on the bulletin board.

The number of participants in the Special Club Competition was limited to three per grade.

Only twelve participants were allowed from each club.

The missions for first and second years and third and fourth years were separated, and the detailed mission tasks would be revealed on the day the competition began, which was tomorrow.

Haley brightened up.

"Good. If it were a group battle, certain clubs would have an advantage. The headcount limit is even tighter than last year. This gives us a chance to win."

As Haley was about to continue her explanation, someone suddenly interrupted, "Haley! What are you doing with those kids?"

We all turned towards the source of the voice.

Then mocking voices followed.

"Leave them be. The Art Club needs to borrow even kids' hands, right?"

"Nice picture. Why don't you all move to the Dance Club? We'll teach you everything from floor mopping up."

Haley quietly whispered to us, "It's the Dance Club. Looking at them, they're all guys I've kicked out before."

The Dance Club gang gathered in one part of the student plaza snickered.

Hearing such unexpected mockery and ridicule made me feel unpleasant.

Haley responded firmly, "Oh, Ridiger? Are you upset because I beat you one-sidedly in the sparring evaluation, so you called your friends? Want to get beaten again in front of your friends too?"

"It seems the Art Club doesn't know what proper teamwork is. Power is ultimately decided by factional struggles. All you can get from one-on-one matches is pocket money."

"Ha! I'm so looking forward to competing with the Dance Club. Want to know why? Because I've been given another chance to legally beat you up. Ah! Unfortunately, I can't beat you directly since you're only a second-year even though we're the same age, but my junior will take good care of you. Just like how he crushed Ruscus, who was more impressive than you."

The man called Ridiger flinched and glanced at me.

I didn't respond emotionally and gave a polite bow. I could understand his antipathy. A first-year who beat up senior students was never welcomed. However, I had no intention of letting the provocation slide. I would remember that name.

"Boasting about barely winning by secretly stealing Ruscus' weakness. I'm not interested in kids' fights with someone who still smells of milk. Don't worry, Victor, who has even better grades than that guy, will take care of you. Oh, and Gale Varianne has also agreed to be our mercenary. Good luck."

"If you had discernment, you couldn't deny the clear difference in skill. Besides, Damian even beats up second-years, so why would he be afraid of peers?"

"Well, it's different with Gale. Have you heard that he recently had a rematch with the overall top seat and tied? Your junior must be under a lot of pressure. Let's go, guys. This is a waste of time."

A rematch with the overall top seat. Is that really true? He tied with Sion, who uses a magic sword?

The Dance Club group left, leaving behind an unpleasant atmosphere.

"Why is the Dance Club acting like that?"

"It's because we look easy to push around. Just looking at appearances, do you think I'm scary?"

"Not at all."

"Think about it. If I had a burly physique and was hot-tempered, always pulling out knives and charging at people, you'd be cowering in a corner, right?"

"Is that so?"

"The problem is that the Art Club head is so delicate and pretty. Right?"

"..."

"Hmm, apart from that, I've been too docile, and the Art Club has been too docile. They're acting like this because they think we can never beat the Dance Club. We need to break out of our position as prey and become objects of fear. We need to engrave in their minds that if they mess with us carelessly, they'll regret it. To make those idiots unable to act recklessly."

"I understand."

"Haa, Gale and... Victor. It won't be easy this year either. I'm not saying we have to win. That's... realistically difficult. But we shouldn't give in easily to anything."

I nodded.

"Don't worry about that."

"Ah! And you need to cooperate with Fabella too. She's also one of our precious assets."

***

Rilke, the second-year Magic Department top seat, said,

"The Dance Club is the problem. Then... the Instrumental Music Club, which has the most members after us? We don't need to worry about the rest."

All the first and second-year students of the Drama Club had gathered on stage to hold a meeting in preparation for the competition.

"Who's in the Instrumental Music Club?"

"Sion, Cecil, Hubert."

"And the second-years?"

"Oliver, Friedman, Polti."

"Ah, that crazy Friedman... I'm still angry thinking about it. You might not know well, but they're not opponents to take lightly. Which should we target first, the Instrumental Music Club or the Dance Department..."

Icarus, a first-year, suddenly spoke up, "I think we should deal with the smaller departments first."

"Hmm. For example?"

"The Art Club is quite an annoying opponent too."

"Hmm, well. Damian, Lilith. That's good so far. But who else is there? We ultimately need to select six people. Two people can't do anything."

"There's also Senior Fabella. Didn't she perform quite well in the sparring with Luna recently?"

Rilke, the second-year representative, rubbed the back of her neck and said, "Fabella has been consistently in the middle ranks since last year. Her performance in the sparring evaluation was just lucky due to external factors. Well, anyway, let's say we include her. But what can three people do? Nothing."

No matter how exceptional those three might be, they couldn't win against six people of equal skill banded together.

But hardly anyone agreed with her words.

Louis, who belonged to the second-year Combat Department, said, "I also think the Art Club should be eliminated first."

Rilke looked back and forth between Icarus and Louis. Was there a reason they singled out the Art Club? She recalled their memories. Icarus had asked Trisha to dance and was rejected. And Louis had asked Luna to dance but was ignored without even getting a rejection.

Seeing the faint determination in their eyes, it seemed clear that personal feelings were involved in singling out the Art Club.

"I'm also wary of the Art Club."

"Me too."

Soon, agreeing opinions started to come out one by one. They were all male students.

Rilke spoke bluntly without beating around the bush, "...Is it because of Damian?"

Then Louis answered, "It's not exactly that."

"Why do you dislike him so much? Just be honest. I won't scold you. Negative feelings can actually be fuel for competitive spirit, so it's rather good."

Encouraged by Rilke, Louis hesitated for a moment before speaking, "He's disrespectful to seniors, and during the sparring evaluation, he even punched Ruscus irreverently. It's also annoying how he unnecessarily approaches and bothers the Drama Club girls. Isn't the Drama Club our territory?"

"Territory? Are we some females you guys control?"

"Why are you saying it like that?"

Rilke knew the truth. Also, the female students of the Drama Club didn't have negative feelings towards Damian. Some secretly admired him, and occasionally expressed opinions that he should be recruited next semester.

Since it was the existing male actors of the Drama Club who would have to give up their positions if he came, they reacted sensitively. It was understandable that they felt antipathy, as the attention that should go to the lead and supporting actors was pouring onto someone who wasn't even an extra, but an audience member.

Moreover, the fact that Luna and Trisha, the most popular in the Drama Club, were Damian's close friends also played a big role.

Another male student expressed his opinion.

"It's also annoying how he hangs around our Drama Club even though he's not a member. If he was interested, he should have joined when we offered membership. It's unsightly to do this now."

Rilke slightly turned her head and asked someone else, "What do you think, Luna?"

Luna showed a momentary sign of confusion at the sudden question.

"...About what?"

"That we should target the Art Club first."

"I disagree. I think we should avoid contact with the Art Department as much as possible."

"Why? Strictly speaking, this is a competition. We can't go easy on them just because you have friends there."

Luna shook her head.

"It's a purely strategic judgment."

"Why did you make that judgment?"

"...They're strong. The Art Club."

Louis suddenly interrupted and pressed her as if lecturing.

"Luna, let me explain since you seem to not understand. The Art Club strength can't even compare to the Instrumental Music Club, let alone us. Their main force is first-years, but we have Rilke, the second-year Magic Department top seat in our Drama Club. And... there's me too."

"..."

Luna fell silent and turned her gaze away as if she hadn't heard. No one could tell if she was just refraining from speaking or if she didn't want to mix words with Louis.

Thus, the atmosphere flowed towards Luna's opinion not being accepted. Rilke summarized the situation, "Well... it seems opinions are divided, shall we proceed with a vote? Raise your hand if you're for eliminating the Art Club first."

At this, most of the students raised their hands high. Rilke started counting by eye but stopped halfway.

Once the majority of students had already gathered in the first vote, there was no need to proceed with the next vote.

"Alright, our first target has been decided. We'll focus on eliminating the Art Club as quickly as possible."