Chapter 69

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Episode 15 - Anti-villain club [1]

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Walking through the Academy hallways alongside Rinna, I headed toward the main building, specifically the Club Hall. Many of the cadets were heading there as well.

The hallways were filled with noise everywhere; some cadets hurried forward in exhaustion, while others walked around carelessly in groups.

"Ugh, I knew there would be a lot of cadets. The Club Hall is going to be packed."

Rinna complained while watching the cadets running toward the Club Hall.

Meanwhile, I nodded my head.

"I guess that’s normal, right?"

Of course, this was normal.

The clubs offered different privileges; some granted more points for participating in their activities.

Others gave rewards such as potions, elixirs, and so on.

And some offered money, support, and many other things.

In general, the clubs were more sought after by commoners.

’The minimum requirement to become a club leader was being a second-year student, but that only applied to the top ten.’

And all third-year students did not need any requirements to become club leaders.

’So, which club should I try to join?’

I highly doubted I would be able to join any club easily, and besides, joining one was mandatory; otherwise, you would be suspended from the Academy for an entire semester.

Suspension meant not advancing to the second year.

’And that would be a problem.’

Anyway, while walking beside Rinna, she asked:

"Adel, I was wondering if you have any club in mind."

I did not respond immediately as I came out of my thoughts.

"I don’t know. First, I want to see what clubs there are."

Rinna nodded.

"Well, I have the same idea too. Let’s go together."

"Sure, you’d be helpful for learning the names of the clubs."

"Don’t mention it. It’s only natural to help someone with a disability."

Smiling faintly, we continued walking until we finally arrived at the Club Hall.

The place was extremely large, perhaps even bigger than a football stadium.

The hallways were long and wide, decorated with carpets on the floor and chandeliers placed every ten meters along the ceiling.

There were doors with signs above them on both sides of the hallway, and each one was separated by a distance of ten meters or more.

’Each room is quite large, I suppose.’

Since the main building was overwhelmingly massive and had more than three floors, the Club Hall occupied three entire floors, each the size of a football stadium.

I wasn’t sure how many clubs there were in total, since some of them did not fit inside the Club Hall.

They had their headquarters outside the main building and probably occupied some small building or house within Parliament D-1.

Anyway, as we moved forward, Rinna told me the names of each club.

Most of them were ordinary.

For example: gardening club, pastry club, assistance club, gaming club, cooking club, fan club, etc.

’They’re all... literally useless.’

Rinna also seemed disappointed about it.

For her, it was hard to believe they allowed clubs related to everyday life or such simple things.

"This is supposed to be the Holy Academy, not a kindergarten."

"I think the same, and most of them seem to have been created simply to satisfy minor needs."

Rinna nodded and added:

"Yes, exactly. This is very childish. Maybe we should go to the upper floor."

After a long time, we finished exploring the entire first floor.

In general, some clubs stood out a little since they were not like the others.

But even so, they were not worth it.

’I don’t understand why the ladies’ club and the fan club give thirty points as a reward if you attend a tea gathering for a while or take pictures of someone handsome or beautiful. First of all, isn’t that harassment?’

Shaking our heads in disbelief, Rinna and I went up to the second floor, and someone unexpected appeared.

When Rinna saw her, she waved her hand and said:

"Diana, over here."

Diana turned on her heels and looked first at Rinna and then at me.

She quickly walked in our direction, and then Rinna asked:

"Have you already checked the clubs on the first floor? Spoiler alert: there’s nothing interesting down there."

Diana tilted her head and said:

"Spoiler alert? Nothing interesting."

Rinna nodded.

"Yeah, just like I said. The clubs downstairs aren’t worth it, and it looks like you haven’t gone there yet, right?"

"No."

"That’s what I expected. Then how about coming with us? Ah, right. Adel, this is Diana, and Diana, this is Adel. Although you should already know each other’s names anyway, shouldn’t you?"

I lightly shook my head.

"Actually, we already knew each other, so it doesn’t matter."

Rinna’s eyes widened slightly, and she turned toward me.

"What? I thought I was your only friend, aside from Verónica... I think. Anyway, how did you two meet? Diana doesn’t talk to anyone except me, and you’re always with me, so how?"

This girl really knew how to start pointless conversations.

Letting out a sigh, I said:

"Nothing out of the ordinary. We just happened to talk on the day of the Hunting Festival, that’s all."

Rinna nodded and then turned toward Diana, who was silently watching.

"That’s true, and who spoke first?"

"..."

Diana turned her head and stared at me. Rinna then looked back at me and then at Diana.

"Oh, I see. That’s a little strange coming from Adel, but it would be even stranger if you had started it."

Rinna nodded twice with her arms crossed.

"Then, let’s keep looking."

Both girls nodded.

"Yes, let’s not waste time."

"Yes."

Anyway, we continued searching for clubs.

The second floor of the Club Hall was not very different from the first.

However, there were more serious clubs, so we stopped at a few of them.

Rinna read what was written on the paper posted on every club door, which contained information about each one.

The club standing before us was the Cleaning Club.

According to what was written on the paper, this club was responsible for cleaning certain areas of the Imperial Capital.

Whether it was dealing with monsters or simply carrying out regular cleaning in the sewers.

The sewers of the Imperial Capital were usually filled with thieves, fugitives, murderers, and, of course, the occasional monster or wild beast; and naturally, villains as well.

"This club is one of the few that gives permission to leave the Academy."

Rinna said before continuing.

"Leaving the Academy without a special pass like mine would cost more than a hundred points, and very few people have that many."

I nodded at her words. In total, the amount of points I have barely reaches three hundred.

Academy points are used in different ways.

To enter certain areas, special training rooms, the cafeteria, etc.

Points are used in many areas, and the weekly expenses are usually between fifty and one hundred points.

And every week, regardless of what you achieve in class, you can earn between fifty and one hundred fifty points.

Or perhaps a little more, but that depends quite a lot.

After all, points are like gold within the Academy.

"But it has an entrance fee of one hundred points, in addition to another hundred points every month."

At Rinna’s words, I shook my head.

"It’s not worth it. We came to earn extra points and look for a club with certain freedoms, not to pay and waste points on clubs."

Diana nodded.

"Yeah. Exactly."

"..."

"Anyway, let’s keep looking."

In any case, the following clubs were about exploration, information gathering, murder investigations, ruin exploration, among many others.

But there was something all of those clubs had in common.

Many required an entrance fee, while others demanded a monthly payment.

Those clubs really didn’t suit me, especially because their activities consumed too much time.

Most of them practically took up the entire weekend, with barely any rest.

And on weekends, I train all day, and of course, now I also have to visit Astrid at the orphanage.

’I want to join one where the work is simpler and takes less time. And one that involves using strength.’

I didn’t want research, information gathering, or anything like that.

A club that suited Adel’s character; specifically, one where he would have to fight.

’And, of course, one without an entrance fee or monthly payments.’

Finally, after a while, we went up to the third floor.

Curiously, there were fewer cadets here compared to the lower floors.

This was probably where most of the clubs led by third-year students were located.

’Third-year cadets are more mature and serious. I don’t even see clubs like the ones on the first floor.’

While Rinna was reading and explaining the first club we found, two voices echoed behind us.

"There you are, power brother."

"Hello, friends. I see you also came to the third floor."

Veronica and Julian were walking together, waving in greeting.

When Rinna saw them, she smiled.

"Ah, hello guys. I’m sure you didn’t find any clubs that interested you either, right?"

Julian nodded with the broad smile typical of a protagonist.

"Exactly, saint. Anyway, seeing that you’re here too, I guess you came for the same reason, right?"

Rinna nodded.

"Yes."

And Veronica, standing beside Julian, walked over to me and patted my shoulder.

"..."

"I’ll join whichever club my power brother joins. Ha, ha."

I frowned and placed my hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah... you just want to annoy me."

Veronica moved away and started whistling. This idiot definitely came here just for that.

’I should kill her.’

That thought crossed my mind, but I dismissed it. It still wasn’t the right time.

And I didn’t feel like it either.

"Wow, what a large group."

A third voice echoed through the hallway.

Everyone looked toward the person it belonged to.

Rinna was the first to speak.

"Miss Charlotte, wouldn’t you like to come with us?"

Charlotte walked over and then stopped near Julian before nodding.

"I don’t really mind. I can’t decide which club to join anyway."

Julian spoke almost immediately.

"Ugh, we’re all in the same boat. Choosing a club isn’t easy at all."

"Yeah."

Diana nodded in agreement with Julian’s words.

Meanwhile, my thoughts focused on Charlotte.

Although no one else could notice it, I did.

’Heh, she’d been following me this whole time. I didn’t think she would reveal herself so quickly.’

Perhaps because a large group was slowly forming among the main characters, she, as a reader of the novel, decided to approach after seeing Julian, the "protagonist."

Then, Rinna nodded and said:

"Then let’s keep going."