Vol. 1 - Ch. 40 - The Freshman of Latecomer Club (1)

Initially, the idea of joining a club hadn't crossed my mind.

However, as I observed the four prominent clubs in the diner, there was an air of suspicion surrounding their activities.

What convinced me of this notion was none other than the Hood guy.

'He seemed so interested in my every movement. But what struck me as strange was this odd restlessness in his behavior.'

His attitude indicated a strong belief that I had committed some wrongdoing.

My guess was that there must be a reason behind their consideration or misunderstanding of me, triggering such a strong reaction.

"Ugh, it's so cold."

In the early morning, after preparing for my major classes, I headed to the Classics and Culture Department, where significant effort was required.

From a distance, the Northern Annex still exuded a shabby and dark vibe.

Navigating the creaky hallway, I knocked on the door of the Classical and Culture Department.

"Come in," echoed Dylan's voice from inside the door.

Recognizing it as Dylan's, I knew he had been there since morning.

This was because, despite his persistent invitations to join the club over the past few days, he hadn't achieved any success.

"Hello."

Even though it was early, both Dylan and Elijah were in the club room.

When Elijah greeted me, he sat upright and didn't take his eyes off the book.

The title of the book Elijah was engrossed in was an introductory work on mystics titled 'Implications of the Lost Civilization.'

'He also has great taste in books...'

If you take one wrong step, you might end up on a strange path, like steam therapy or breathing exercises.

I sat across from Dylan, hoping that Elijah's reading taste was merely a result of his curiosity.

"I hope it's not rude of me to drop in here this early."

"Sorry? Ha, that's funny. Even if you knocked on the window in the middle of the night, it would be open for you."

"..."

'Why are you so desperate to recruit new people? I don't get it,' I thought, but all I could do was smile at Dylan's welcoming words.

"But is there any reason you decided to change your mind?" Dylan asked.

"Please speak comfortably with me, Cadet Dylan." I replied.

"Is that alright?"

I had a feeling that sooner or later, I would end up having a different relationship with Dylan. Maybe this was Dylan's strength---allowing anyone to treat him without boundaries.

"Then, Arma, you too."

"The reason I changed my mind is because I want to capitalize on the reputation of Cadet Dylan."

"Ugh, right. I understand your intentions. As expected, you have been resolute till the end."

I interrupted the conversation firmly, making it feel like I was rude, but Dylan just laughed it off.

Somehow, I thought Dylan was that kind of guy, so I felt a bit more comfortable, and I was glad that I could do this.

'But this distance feels so odd.'

It gave the impression that it was easy and yet tough at the same time, but I guess I should deal with it with an open mind.

The person inadvertently causing such behavior was a person of note.

I am the kind of person who makes mistakes and then displays weaknesses without even realizing it, and I wanted to refrain from doing such things here.

"Hmm. Reputation. Well, it doesn't matter. On the contrary, I am more excited because I am looking forward to seeing how you will use my reputation."

"I feel a little strange when you put it like that."

Dylan showed his teeth and laughed out loud. Even though the situation and the words could have been odd for Dylan, he continued to smile.

Nothing could hurt Dylan's feelings.

With his permission, I decided to ask him a little more about the club I would be joining, but naturally and not abruptly now.

"But, what exactly does the Classical and Culture Department do?"

"It is a club obsessed with classical culture."

Dylan's words didn't help the question at all. Although it sounded plausible, it was difficult to guess what kind of activities they were actually doing.

Elijah, who was reading the book, seemed to have noticed my doubt.

"Actually, it is an unnamed club with no official stamp. I don't understand why they bothered to hire more people."

"Not official."

Dylan glanced at Elijah, who looked like this was bad.

Elijah said, not caring at all whether Dylan did it or not.

"For cadets like Arma Cruz whose social activities are important, wouldn't it be better to go to a formal club than a social club?"

"Well, actually, I have already applied for membership. To be exact, all four formal clubs in the Wooden Cross Class."

"Uh?"

 At this moment, a strange expression crossed Dylan's face, which had been smiling until now.

"Ballroom dance, writing, current affairs debate club, and horseback riding, all four?" Dylan asked.

"Yes."

I straightened my posture and then shared my plan with Dylan.

"I find it annoying that people keep gossiping about me. It seems like they naturally end up cursing me during club activities, so I go along with it, and that only makes things worse."

Dylan, upon hearing this, burst into loud laughter.

Tring! Tring!

"Ah, reserve helper."

"This... this is a lot longer than I thought. I didn't realize so much time had passed."

Dylan got up, opened the window, and pointed out the shortcut to the Wooden Cross class.

Unlike Elijah, who was rushing to pack his bags, Dylan seemed like he wasn't in a hurry.

Elijah and I walked almost as if we were running to our next classes.

"Classical and Culture Club is done; now what is left is..."

There were two clubs left: the ballroom and the writing clubs.

I swiftly walked, recalling the schedule I had planned out for the day.

In order to visit four clubs in two days, I had to visit at least two club rooms today.

'I didn't want to reveal my real intention, so I decided to head to the ballroom dancing club first, but was it a good choice?'

Actually, what bothered me the most was the writing department. Not only because the hooded man was active, but also because it was the club that caught my eye first.

Anyway, I decided to visit all four official clubs for inspection, so the others didn't really matter.

The good news among the misfortunes was that the club rooms of the official clubs were located in similar places.

"There it is, the ballroom dancing club."

Through the large window, I observed the shadows of a man and a woman spinning around---a scene characteristic of the Social Dance Club, commonly known as the promiscuous club for matchmaking.

When rumors of affairs within the academy circulated, the epicenter was often the dance club. The unconventional nature of this club's activities wasn't due to Machina Christie favoring ballroom dancing but rather because the operation and management of formal clubs fell under her purview.

'In other words, once they turn into an official club, there is a high chance that I will turn into a low-profile person in an instant.'

As mentioned earlier, Machina's iron fist of justice had nearly come down on the corrupt ballroom dancing club several times. However, due to the club's long history and large number of members, the president's protection was robust. Existing promoted official clubs were shielded, while, as a reaction, Machina's censorship became more severe for new clubs.

I arrived at the entrance of the rumored dance club and calmed my breathing.

"Hello?"

The purpose of using this old-fashioned way of speaking was partly for bravado but also because most of the club members were high-ranking noble kids.

"Come on in."

Right in front of the entrance was an arched doorway, separating the stage from the entrance. There was no separate door, so the sound of music felt vivid.

"Excuse me."

I walked towards the side where I heard the voice.

The Grand Dance Hall, the club room of the dance club, differed from the Classical Culture Club, which was in ruins. The old-fashioned house was decorated with ivory-colored interior tiles and ceiling paintings. The checkered floor tiles were polished smooth, and the small stage, raised for the orchestra, was adorned with trim.

'It is too luxurious for a single cadet to use.'

I glanced around the inside of the hall from the corner of my eye and smiled at the young cadets, late freshmen like me, who were looking at me with curious eyes. Appearing a little more easygoing would be good for making a first impression. Unlike other cadets, I didn't have much experience.

"Because it was a sudden application for membership, opinions have been divided."

A short, beautiful girl who seemed to be in charge of training new cadets greeted me with her back straight.

The girl, with bright yellow hair like the feathers of a young bird, braided with a ribbon, was named Clone Drew. Clone was the eldest daughter of Duke Deland, majoring in cello.

"Thank you for your patience, Cadet Drew. Even though I am a latecomer, I am a newcomer who knows nothing, so do guide me."

If this were a real social circle, I wouldn't be able to talk to the Clone family without an introduction. However, due to the special comfort of being inside the academy, many formalities have been relaxed.

Clone smiled slightly and extended her right hand to me. The cadets in the hall began to mumble, showing a clear look of uncertainty and unknown anger towards me.

'What? What did I do wrong?'

I thought the problem was in the writing department, but was it something that started with the Ballroom Dancing Club? If not, this reaction felt too strange. Trying not to show any signs of shock, I walked towards Clone's extended hand.

"Yes."

Only then did Clone gently turn her body to match mine.

'An entrance test.'

Only then did I bow my head toward Clone and hold her small hand. One hand wrapped around the back of Clone's shoulder, and our joined hands extended out to take the stance. Several people began to watch, hurrying up to the stage and picking up their instruments. It was a unique scene that could be seen only at Aegis Academy, where musical instrument students gathered together.

"It seems to me that Cadet Cruz is used to this type of form."

"Just an imitation."

Honestly, though, it wasn't mere imitation. The year I decided to go to the academy, my mother, Tessa Cruz, underwent rigorous training to shield against all misfortunes that could be expected from a class society.

"Please take care of me."

"I will do my best."

Usually, for dance, people were dressed with their arms exposed and long gloves on. However, since the orchestra is improvised too, no one cared about it. I was also sure that what was being assessed in this entrance test wasn't the dancing skills but the 'manners' a noble should hold.

"I heard that you will graduate next year. Then is there any reason why you decided to join the club so suddenly?"

"To leave memories during my school days?"

"That is a lie."

I didn't deny or confirm what Clone said. Instead, I held Clone to the center of the floor and gently moved our bodies to the music. Clone danced much better than me, so the two of us managed to work through this smoothly.

But it was then.

-kiiik-

The odd sound of Clone's heel scratching the floor caught my attention. She wore a mischievous smile and leaned her upper body backward.

"!!"

Reacting quickly, I held her tightly, preventing her from falling. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders, almost touching the floor as she bent. In response, I twirled to the waltz song, offering support.

-tak.

"You have a sense of humor, young lady."

To prevent her from falling, I placed my arms behind her back, slightly bending my upper body.

Maintaining a soft smile, I ensured Clone felt secure. She threw her head back to the same position as before, smiling.

"Do take good care of me in the future, Cadet Cruz."

There was no way Clone, a daily dancer in the hall, would make such a mistake. It seemed she pretended to do it deliberately to gauge my reaction.

Responding with humor, I lowered my body a bit and raised her, attempting to ignore the jealous gazes of male cadets.

'This is it, the reason for those hateful eyes.'

The man who came rolling in was now dancing with Clone Drew, the most popular member in the club, so it was natural for them to glare. However, their anger didn't seem to escalate to the point of throwing stones or harming me. Even if they were angry, it appeared to be within certain limits.

"Senior Arma~."

As Clone stepped back and bowed, someone came between us before I could even fully stand.

"Neon."

Neon Dazani, the most famous violinist in the Wooden Cross class, arrived. The cadets playing instruments began a waltz as Neon approached me for a dance.

"Just what are you planning?"

"I just want to leave with unforgettable memories for Cadet Drew."

"A rough guess. A man with many secrets."

Neon teased me just enough to foster dislike before turning and vanishing. Dancing with two of the most popular people from the club inadvertently left a brilliant first impression on the members of the dance hall.

"Is this place in a better state than I thought?"

Despite the cold, the room has felt warm since I began dancing. Fanning my face, I marked an X on the dance club in my notebook.

"It must be true to say that opinions were indeed divided."

Although labeled as a matchmaking club, the ballroom club showed no hesitation toward me since it was comprised of upper-class individuals. Aegis Academy's nature, representing a small part of the real world, played a role in this.

Pretending to be tactless was a strategic move to navigate society. After dancing with Clone, the looks from others seemed less hostile than I expected.

"Then the next is..."

Today, Monday, which included the major class, ended a bit earlier than usual.

With the entrance test for the ballroom dance club completed, I had some time left. Walking slowly towards the writing club, closest to the dance hall, I recalled it as the place where the Hooded Guy, whom Shirley almost beat to death, resided.

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