Chapter 55
Teacher Hectia, holding handouts, made an announcent.
“Cadets who applied for clubs, there’s a briefing before the closing ceremony. Co in as your nas are called. And… Martin, since you applied to start a club, you’re first. Follow to the staff room.”
It actually worked.
Class A cadets buzzed at the news of my club creation. Well… I didn’t think it’d happen either.
“Who’s joining the club?”
“Be happy. Not just one or two, but five people signed up.”
Five people. Luri said it’d be quietly popular, but this many… wait, five?
This didn’t feel like good news…!
“Teacher, um…”
“I’ll call them. Café Exploration Club mbers: Gilbert, Lina, Elisha, Bord, Mary.”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”
The protagonist party stood up in unison and lined up behind .
…
…
…What was this?
***
At the staff room, Teacher Hectia explained various precautions.
Luri, listening to a Class B teacher nearby, widened her eyes at .
Understandable. Just yesterday, we were fretting about eting the minimum, and now there were over twice that number.
“That’s all from . Any questions?”
“Teacher Hectia, I have a question.”
“Cadet Martin. What is it?”
“Why… are these people here?”
I glared at the protagonist party beside , not hiding my irritation.
“Hey, hi! Martin! We’re in the sa club now! Let’s get along!”
“U-Um, hello! I’m always in your debt!”
Bord and Mary, who were in my group during practical training, greeted . Were they clueless? Couldn’t they see I was annoyed?
Whether Hectia was oblivious or enjoying this, she kept her eyes on the docunts and continued.
“The club application you submitted had these five sign up, so I approved them. It’s already been processed by the administration, and the club is officially established. Is there a problem?”
“Problem… problem…”
I wished there was one. A problem big enough to cancel the club.
“If there’s none, take this and leave.”
She tossed a gold coin with a flick. One gold coin was a whopping 1 million won.
“A newly ford club with seven mbers is a lot. The proposal you submitted was decent too. Have a fun sumr break.”
I turned to face the protagonist party again. Bord, smiling cluelessly; Mary, hiding behind Bord like a scared fledgling; Elisha, with a haughty expression; Lina, indifferent; and Gilbert, awkwardly grinning.
No, this wasn’t right. I didn’t know what twist of fate this was, but I needed to get out.
“Teacher Hectia, I…”
“Sorry! I’m late!”
The door opened, and a familiar person entered. The familiar scent of spring cald my tangled emotions.
“Student Teacher Hailey, you’re late. Let introduce her. This is Student Teacher Hailey, the advisor for the Café Exploration Club.”
“Hehe, nice to et you all!”
Hailey smiled brightly and greeted us.
“Hello.”
“Nice to et you.”
The protagonist party returned her greetings warmly. Having gone through life-and-death together at Dr. Keren’s lab, there was no awkwardness.
‘I’m going insane.’
At this mont, I couldn’t even think of saying I wanted to quit the club.
How… did things end up like this? I looked up, alternating between Hectia and Hailey. Then, they both gave a subtle thumbs-up, visible only to .
It was you two…?
“With the key players from the Petrak Kingdom gathered here, it’s a sight to behold. I’ll do my part to ensure you have an enjoyable club experience. That’s all. Dismissed. Don’t forget to exchange cadet numbers.”
At Hectia’s dismissal, I stepped out of the staff room and let out a deep sigh.
anwhile, the protagonist party and Hailey exchanged numbers.
“Cadet Martin! Let’s exchange numbers too!”
“Sure.”
Hailey ca over and took my cadet number.
“Alright! I’ll make a group chat later. For now, head back to your classrooms and prepare for the closing ceremony, kids!”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”
As Hailey headed to the staff room, I finally faced the protagonist party head-on.
They were watching cautiously, knowing they’d stirred trouble.
“What are you guys? No, cadets, what is this?”
I slipped into informal speech. Calm down, calm down.
But even that was enough to make the protagonist party tense.
“You know I avoid you, yet you still…!”
Mid-sentence, I saw Mary’s frightened face. I clenched my teeth and sighed.
“…Haa!”
I couldn’t bring myself to be harsh to her. Looking at her now, she reminded of Lilac when I first possessed Martin.
“Whatever. Do what you want.”
“Wait.”
Gilbert called out to . His expression was serious.
“You used us too, didn’t you?”
What was he talking about? The club mber count?
“You used the Four Great Ducal Families to get yourself socially buried. Even bullying innocent commoner cadets to do it.”
“….”
“Like you said before, our business is settled. So there’s no need to hate us this much. And we know what you’re up to. If we work together, couldn’t we do better?”
Not just Gilbert, but Bord, Elisha, and Lina had serious expressions. As if saying, ‘We know everything.’
What were they even talking about?
…But I genuinely had no idea what they ant. Were they talking about ? It felt like they were mistaking for soone else.
I had no obligation to clarify.
“…Do whatever you want.”
Ignoring the protagonist party, I opened the classroom door and went to my seat, my neutral zone. The protagonist party returned to their seats with complex expressions.
“Does this an Martin agreed?”
“Well, it’s an ambiguous reaction.”
“But he didn’t tell us to get lost, so…”
…What were they misunderstanding…?
Even replaying the conversation, I couldn’t figure it out.
Ti passed, and the closing ceremony began. The entire student body gathered in the auditorium.
With cadets, teachers, and student teachers, nearly a thousand people were present.
“Hm, the third-year head teacher?”
“Oh, yes! Vice Principal, you called?”
“Is everything ready?”
“Yes, we’re just waiting for the Principal.”
Disgusting. I took in the revolting adults scattered around. The Vice Principal who held the disciplinary committee, the head teachers for each grade, and the teachers who gave annoying looks whenever our eyes t.
Those vermin… one day, if I got the chance, I’d wipe them all out… No. I couldn’t.
I couldn’t do that. Who would protect Lilac then? If it were just , I could rot in prison or roll in filth, but who would protect Lilac?
‘Calm down.’
I repeated to myself.
‘Don’t get worked up. Getting angry now won’t do anything.’
I took deep breaths to steady my mind.
“Ahem, we will now begin the closing ceremony.”
The Vice Principal took the microphone and emceed.
“First, the Principal will enter. Everyone, please welco him with a big round of applause.”
At the emcee’s cue, thunderous claps and cheers filled the auditorium. A portal opened, and an old man with a white beard down to his waist appeared on the stage.
A war hero of the Ti Chaos Dungeon and the continent’s greatest archmage. He was the Principal of Imperium Academy.
But he wasn’t alone. Gold stepped through the portal. What in the world? Why was Princess Adela here? Was I dreaming?!
“Today, Princess Adela has joined us to congratulate the first-year cadets who successfully completed their first sester.”
My already foul mood grew even fouler.
Regardless of my feelings, the ceremony proceeded. First, we recited the ‘Imperium Academy Cadet Oath,’ sang the ‘Humanity Alliance Anthem,’ and observed a mont of silence for ‘the first Emperor Hard and the martyrs of all nations.’
“Next, the Principal will deliver his address.”
The atmosphere shifted. If the previous events were re formalities, this was an honored mont to see a living hero.
Truthfully, I was excited too. The Principal of Imperium Academy, in the latter half of the story, sacrifices himself gloriously to protect the cadets, bringing tears to readers’ eyes.
“Greetings, cadets. This sester, too, I can feel the fervent passion of your diligent efforts. With clear skies and the scorching heat of sumr pouring down, your tireless endeavors will be proven by your future achievents, and our teachers will strive to keep pace…”
I wasn’t excited anymore. Checking my watch, not even a minute had passed.
***
“Phew, the Principal’s address was a bit long, wasn’t it? You can feel his care for the cadets, though.”
“Tell about it. But seeing a living legend in person wasn’t boring.”
“Exactly. Such a respectable figure.”
Few on the continent could speak ill of Imperium Academy’s Principal, even jokingly.
The Vice Principal sat idly, painting her nails, and nitpicked at the teachers diligently cleaning the room.
“Hey! Dust properly!”
“Y-Yes! Understood!”
“Hmph!”
The third-year head teacher sitting across spoke up.
“Days like this do co, huh. Never would’ve imagined.”
“Right? Thought I’d never see it in my lifeti.”
“I heard a rumor about soone enrolling in the second sester. Is it true?”
“What? …Just a rumor. I haven’t heard anything.”
The third-year head teacher nodded at the Vice Principal’s response. The Principal, true to his archmage title, was more of a figurehead, busy with other matters. The Vice Principal was the real power running the academy.
“By the way, you picked the right people, yes? Only our teachers?”
“Oh, yes! Of course!”
The Vice Principal shot a glance at the head teacher, who nodded repeatedly.
“Not like two months ago at the disciplinary committee. No room for people like Teacher Hectia or so rootless student teacher. Got it?”
“Yes! Absolutely! I’ve handled it perfectly this ti. All teachers with ties to the Harmadun and Deminiyan Ducal Families.”
Only then did the Vice Principal nod.
The Four Great Ducal Families each had distinct characteristics.
For instance, the Tauforos Ducal Family, known for shields, handled capital security and border defense, rarely appearing in politics.
The Amulrent Ducal Family, fad for spearmanship and loyal to the Crown Prince, was busy subduing dungeons and monster tribes within the empire, also rarely engaging in politics.
In contrast, the Harmadun, with their archery, and the Deminiyan, with their storm clouds, were deeply entrenched in politics.
Harmadun served closely under the Emperor, while Deminiyan managed the Imperial Magic Tower.
Both families extended their influence widely in noble circles and even into the academy, the continent’s only neutral ground.
“Ahem, we suffered greatly last ti for failing to expel Cadet Martin. You rember, don’t you, Head Teacher?”
“Of course.”
A problem child like Martin lowered the prestige of the world’s premier educational institution. Especially since he was in the sa class as the Four Great Ducal Families’ heirs.
In fact, his reinstatent sparked nurous complaints, and both Duke Harmadun and Duke Deminiyan had ordered his expulsion.
But it failed.
Reviews
All reviews (0)