25 – Club activities – 1

 

Well, they weren’t entirely wrong. What actions had Rosaria taken so far?

 

Just two weeks ago, she was tormenting nuns and enjoying it. However, as soon as she entered the academy, she was adored as a real saint. From the Pope’s point of view, this must be confounding.

 

What they didn’t know was that since the possession of Shin Yura had confined Rosaria Leone de Mikaela’s body, Yura had regained control after meeting me.

 

“I shouldn’t worry about this.”

 

Of course, it wasn’t my business. Their suspicions were not related to us. And there was no reason to listen to their rumors.

 

“What should I do? If the Pope comes here, I am bound to be taken…..”

 

Rosaria muttered, her face gloomy. I glanced sideways. Aria and Brynhild were still playfully quarreling.

 

“There is a way.”

 

There was always a solution. Given the unpredictability of when and where the novel’s incidents might unfold, it was only sensible to have a Plan B.

 

“Is there? What is it?”

 

Her crimson eyes sparkled with hope.

 

“Ignore it.”

 

“….What?”

 

Her eyes soon turned to doubt.

 

“Ig-, Ignore it? The …?”

 

“Yes. Don’t even bother replying, don’t pretend to worry, just behave as you usually do. The nuns around you will report whether you reply or not.”

 

Did the Pope send them for no reason? They are surely also monitoring Rosaria.

 

“But I want to do that… How will you cover for the consequences? That bastard is really persistent and nasty. Is it okay? If you get hurt because of me….”

 

“He can’t come.”

 

There was one thing I realized after listening to Priscilla’s story and now Rosaria’s. A regression couldn’t stay on the storyline from their perspective. There could be parts that are unintentionally distorted from reality.

 

Like right now, Rosaria’s misunderstanding about the Pope. In the upcoming Pope subjugation, Rosaria won’t be directly dealing with him but working around him.

 

“He can’t come? Why …”

 

I flattened my palm and tapped it lightly. Seeing that, Rosaria closed her mouth which was about to ask a question. This was our own signal for a story that only the possessors should tell.

 

After nodding, Rosaria extended her palm and suddenly stopped to check the nuns standing far away. All the nuns were glaring hard in our direction.

 

Rosaria, who had been hesitating, turned her body. The angle was just right for her to face me. Then she slightly spread her leg and extended the inner side of her thigh.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

I looked up in confusion at the sudden whiff of milk. Rosaria, her face flushed bright red, stuttered an answer.

 

“H-hey, there is no other way. They’re watching me from over there. If I carelessly extend my hand to communicate with mana, they would become suspicious. They won’t be able to see the inside of my thigh from this angle, so write here with your finger.”

 

“No… I was just going to tell you later.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Why would it be necessary to talk about it here? The lecture would be over in just two hours.

 

“And, those two…”

 

I made a gesture with my eyes. Brynhildr and Aria, who had been arguing were now watching us with wide eyes. Of course, if it’s a concealed angle to the nuns, it must be in clear view to the opposite side.

 

This means they witnessed vividly what we just did. Rosaria abruptly bent her legs with a shocked expression and blushed, but it was already too late.

 

“Oh, professor is calling. I should go.”

 

Red-faced Rosaria fluttered her hand and quickly receded. Brynhildr, watching her back, looked puzzled and questioned.

 

“What did you two just do?”

 

“Ask her directly. I don’t know.”

 

Without hesitation, I threw Rosaria under the bus. Indeed, even I didn’t know why Rosaria did such a thing. You should ask her about her intentions.

 

At the suggestion to inquire directly to the candidate for the saint, Brynhildr easily backed down. It seemed she felt uncomfortable having a direct conversation with Rosaria.

 

Anyway, what I had intended to tell was this. The pope’s illness was severe that he wouldn’t leave the Vatican for any minor issue.

 

Persuading the candidate for the saint is not a minor issue, but that was said without knowing the Pope’s condition.

 

The Pope himself had told us that he was battling with a serious illness for the last two years, since the time the Hero and Aria were in their first year.

 

After blessing the Hero, the Pope was bedridden for a month and vowed to revenge someday.

 

‘Even after all that, he still is able to perform his duties…’

 

The point is, a person in such poor health wouldn’t rashly step out. Especially considering this situation as just Rosaria’s antics.

 

“Miss Mira.”

 

Aria, who had been staring at me, asked.

 

“Do you like thighs?”

 

“….”

 

Ultimately, I could clear my name only after many attempts to convince them based on the look and behavior of Rosaria.

 

During the process, Rosaria ended up being labeled as a pervert with a serious exposure fetish, but I spoke the truth, so it wasn’t really a wrongdoing.

 

She was indeed wearing skimpy clothes, the second outfit she created was a body-hugging, pant-less sweater and she just exposed her inner thigh in front of me.

 

“It’s already the period for new member recruitment. Seems like the restriction is lifted.”

 

Priscilla reading a leaflet commented. Suddenly, the road in front of the dormitory for first-year students was filled with tents for club promotions and new member recruitment.

 

At the front of the tents, the second and third-year students were promoting actively, and the first-year students gathered in clusters, discussing which clubs to join.

 

From noble mtl dot com

 

“It’s already been three weeks since the enrolment, and now?”

 

“It’s a tradition of the academy. Freshman year starts on the first Monday of March, and the club promotion starts on the first Monday of the third week. There’s no particular reason, probably the board just came up with the concept around that time.”

 

“Starting from the first Monday of the third week… but today is Thursday?”

 

“The incident in Bellium Forest caused a stir. As the situation was postponed a little due to the unsettlement, and the environment seems to be better, and the delay went on until the approval came down yesterday. A friend told me.”

 

Priscilla had other friends too. I was a bit surprised but did not express it. It’s not strange even though she made some friends from the original.

 

“Hmm…. Probably this will continue until next week after next week. Because of the incident, they’re giving a generous budget as compensation.”

 

I glanced around. The stimulating atmosphere was attracting even those who originally didn’t have such desires, and a good number of people were present. Among them, some clubs prepared something special for their recruitment.

 

There was a club that made dummies for damage measurement similar to a punch machine and a club that made potions for more casual use.

 

The club that garnered the most attention was one that had designed a maze-like temporary dungeon. Upon a quick glance, the line seemed quite long.

 

“Being an official club has a number of advantages. Besides activity costs, there are separate club funds which boost the budget. You know there are liberal arts lectures that don’t affect grades? With those lectures, one could instead spend time on club activities. Though, permission has to be obtained from the respective professor at least a day before.”

 

“So it’s tough to become an official club?”

 

“Indeed it is. There are a certain set of achievements as well as a required number of members to fulfill. But still, in certain cases clubs with one or two members are permitted depending on the nature of the club. Alchemy clubs and similar ones are usually a one-person club. Those individuals don’t advertise, they rather spend that time locked in a lab conducting another experiment.”

 

The university even had a separate building and a campus specifically for club activities, testament to the vastness of Bellium Academy.

 

“There are traditionally popular ones. The alcohol club, and then…”

 

Priscilla stopped speaking mid-sentence, her attention drawn by the crowd as they entered the main street. She could feel an overwhelming number of eyes on her.

 

Each one of them had an eager look, desiring to engage with her.

 

But they couldn’t approach her freely, likely due to Priscilla’s presence. Priscilla Agnes of the original work was a character too stubborn to be simply wooed by flattery. Furthermore, she was the honored guest from the Duke Agnes’s family.

 

“Any club that’s caught your interest?”

 

“Not sure. Nothing particular. What about you, Priscilla?”

 

“None. I’ve spent my time locked in my room or lab doing magic research instead of participating in such things.”

 

In retrospect, it had been an unnecessary question.

 

As their conversation came to an end, Priscilla’s hand subtly trembled in the ensuing silence.

 

“Do you need to hold hands?”

 

“…I’m okay. I can endure. For now.”

 

Priscilla had also made some progress over time. Lately, she had been making an effort to avoid physical contact when outside. A few had harshly criticized me for being overly close with Priscilla while Brynhild and Aria were also around.

 

Even such trivial actions were for my sake, not hers. After hearing the reason, I patted her head and cheek comfortingly.

 

Although physical contact when we were alone had become more intense, she was still able to maintain her composure to some extent.

 

“Isn’t that Aria over there?”

 

“Seems like it.”

 

Near the end of the promotion-tent-lined street, someone caught everyone’s attention. It was Aria, half frowning and surrounded by people, looking lost amidst the crowd.

 

“How about our club? Isn’t it a good fit for you?”

 

“Really?”

 

“No! Our club would suit you better than that shoddy one! Don’t you think so?”

 

“Well, that’s kind of… Oh, no, I’m not saying you guys are inferior… What I meant to say is…”

 

Suffering from an unsure personality, she was unable to refuse the club invitations, accepting most of them indiscriminately. Priscilla looked at all of this with apparent displeasure.

 

Frequently, Aria felt sorry for others and went out of her way to help them, which often caused more trouble and made it even harder to resolve.

 

“But, hello. Good morning, Mira.”

 

Holding membership registration forms in both hands, Aria uneasily waddled towards us. Upon noticing our presence, Aria wobbled and stumbled, scattering some of the forms.

 

“You need to be careful.”

 

I helped balance her as she almost fell over. Dumbfounded, she quickly murmured her thanks after a pause.

 

Priscilla wore an expression of disapproval. I forcefully took the heap of membership forms before asking:

 

“Where’s Brynhild?”

 

Under normal circumstances, Brynhild would have been beside me, unyielding.

 

“She got a brief summons from the royal palace. She’s expected to return around lunch.”

 

Right. She was a warrior. I shook the bunch of club registration forms in my hand and secretly clicked my tongue.

 

“Why are you receiving each of these? Can’t you just decline them?”

 

“I mean… I feel guilty outright rejecting them after they gathered the courage to approach me…”

 

This sentiment was absolutely unintelligible to me. I examined the club registration form in my hand.

 

“What is this? A fishing club? Do you like this stuff?”

 

“No, uh… I don’t necessarily like it but I also don’t dislike it…”

 

“And what’s this? Mountain climbing?”

 

“I, um… I don’t necessarily like climbing mountains but I also don’t dislike it…”

 

After gathering and reviewing all the ‘things she doesn’t necessarily like but doesn’t dislike’ every time I read a club’s name, we were left with only two from the bunch of registration forms.

 

The reading club and the tea ceremony club.

 

The rest ended up in the trash bin. I could feel searing stares from around us but I ignored them. After all, there wasn’t much they could do other than stare.

 

“…”.

 

Those who stared did not last long, they were scattered by Priscilla. For some reason, Aria seemed apologetic and flustered.

 

‘How did she end up as the protagonist with this personality?’

 

No way, could it be that she only maintains a good image while the other three do the cleaning up?

 

I handed the last two registration forms to Aria. Aria carefully accepted and tucked them away.

 

“Choose between these two. It’s not something you don’t dislike and don’t necessarily like, but something you clearly said you liked.”

 

“…Yes. I’m sorry, Mira. I lacked discretion …”

 

Priscilla, from the side, glared at Aria with a look that said ‘if you knew you were wrong then you shouldn’t have done it.’ Priscilla tried to calm herself down, rubbing her chin gently.

 

“Oh, so you’re interested in club activities as well? This is unexpected.”

 

“Agh!”

 

The voice of the one person I didn’t want to see, who maintained first place on my list, echoed. Swearing quietly under my breath, I turned around. There stood the crown prince, wearing a meaningful smile as always.

 

“Are there any clubs… I can consider being interested in?”

 

His scrutinizing gaze swept over my hands, his brow gently furrowed making a sleek curve as he confirmed both hands were empty.

 

“Do you have business coming all the way here, Your Highness, Crown Prince?”

 

“It’s the season for club activities, isn’t it? I couldn’t neglect this as I’m also participating in something similar. Plus, I had something I wanted to tell you so it worked out well.”

 

I wished he had just neglected it. I swallowed the words I wanted to say. The Crown Prince spoke, his gaze fixed on me with nonchalance.

 

“Mira Crate.”

 

The Crown Prince, who had come close enough that I could reach out and touch him, moved in even closer.

 

“I’ve brought an offer you can’t refuse.”

 

“…”

 

Where did all that confidence come from?