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Chapter 43: Gourmet Club (3)
Baek Yu-Seol tried to remain as composed as possible.
“Are you saying that you can create a special outing club?"
"Yes, I am. I can make it happen," Ma Yu-Seong replied with an air of confidence.
Baek Yu-Seol looked at him and shook his head.
Ma Yu-Seong had a vast network, and there were also powerful factions within Stella that he was affiliated with.
‘Well, with his connections, it should work out just fine.’
Although the idea of having those connections was somewhat daunting, Baek Yu-Seol realized they would be useful in situations like that.
He slowly thought about the advantages that would come his way if Ma Yu-Seong started the club.
The club would allow free external activities, provide health insurance, and offer the opportunity to enjoy cheese-fried pork cutlets.
He wouldn't have to worry about any unnecessary restrictions either. Plus, having someone like Ma Yu-Seong nearby would be beneficial.
However, there were also some concerns that crossed his mind.
He and Ma Yu-Seong had little interaction up to this point.
Despite his ability to showcase his gaming knowledge and portray himself as a genius, Baek Yu-Seol found it suspicious that he would offer to create a club for him so readily.
"There’s a catch, right?" he asked. "What benefit do you get from starting a club for me?"
He knew that Ma Yu-Seong was the closest to the darkness, so he had to be careful.
"There is. You're special, you know."
“What the hell are you talking about?"
Suddenly, their eyes met. Within his already dark eyes, something like a thick black mist seemed to be wriggling.
"You… No."
Baek Yu-Seol was about to ask what he meant when he suddenly shut his mouth.
One of Ma Yu-Seong’s fundamental problems was that he suffered from extreme loneliness.
As he thought about that, he couldn't help but nod his head.
"Okay, let’s start a club."
When Baek Yu-Seol finally replied positively, Ma Yu-Seong’s expression brightened.
"So we'll be doing club activities together, right?"
"Yeah, but you have to let her join too." Baek Yu-Seol pointed at Eisel whose eyes immediately widened.
"M-Me?"
"Well, you're already a homeless person with nowhere to go, aren't you?"
"Well, that's true, but..."
Ma Yu-Seong was unstable right now. He’s like a fragile fish—one wrong move and he dies, turns evil, or goes mad.
If it were a trait, it would probably be called fragile mentality.
Ma Yu-Seong definitely needed someone to take care of him.
Flame was out of the question. She was always busy playing around with Hae Won-Ryang. That left Eisel, the protagonist of the original romance novel. Only she could take care of him.
In the original work, Ma Yu-Seong and Eisel had a tragic romantic relationship where they couldn't be together and ended up dying. So if the couple was together in a small space like a club, wouldn't it be likely that they would end up together?
"I wouldn’t mind if a beauty like Lady Eisel joined."
"Don't call me lady. It bothers me."
‘… It still seems like a long and difficult road ahead, but it’ll be okay.’
Ma Yu-Seong left the position of club president to Baek Yu-Seol, so he ended up writing the club application.
During break time in Class S, he showed the application to Eisel and Ma Yu-Seong, who were seated in front of him.
[Club Application]
[Club Name: Social Club]
[President: Baek Yu-Seol]
[Members: Ma Yu-Seong, Eisel]
[Purpose: Social Gathering]
Thunk!
Eisel slammed her desk.
"Is this what you call a club application?"
"Why are you getting angry?"
"Who writes ‘social gathering’ as a club’s purpose? You didn't even put any effort into the club name either. This won't get approved at all, and even if it does, we won't be able to go out."
She rubbed out the application form with an eraser.
"Your purpose in creating a club is for external activities, right? But as a rule, it’s impossible for students to establish clubs for special outing activities like hunting. You must join a club assigned by the academy."
"Oh, I didn't know that," he replied.
"However, there’s a loophole here. It is not a problem to engage in special outing activities other than hunting with the permission of the supervising professor."
"I see," he said, realizing that he knew very little about club regulations.
In the past, when he played the game, he could come up with just any name for a club without much thought.
The name of his previous club was Kickass Yu-Seol. However, in reality, there were many things to consider, which gave him quite a headache.
"That's why most private clubs have different real purposes. Activities such as external volunteer work and medical support can be supported with activity expenses and receive official recognition, enabling external special activities as well.”
But then again, during hunting, they had to sneak in those activities from time to time.
‘Volunteering? I'd rather not.’
"So think of a purpose for going out that is acceptable to the professor and won't be too much trouble for you. Moreover, it should also provide a plausible reason for activity funds."
There was one thing he’d wanted to do ever since he set foot in Aether World.
“What about a gourmet club?"
Indeed. A gourmet club that explored restaurants.
"Excuse me?"
“A club that literally goes around to experience delicious food.”
She was about to say it was absurd but paused for a moment.
There were many good restaurants in this world. Of course, there were many on Earth as well, but in the Aether World, where there were many talented people, the proportion of good restaurants was even higher.
It was a world with a strong obsession with cooking.
He hadn’t been able to try delicious food for quite some time, and it was probably the same for Eisel too.
While Stella's meals were quite good, in the end, they were just school meals. Eisel sometimes even had to make do with bread instead of a proper meal because she had no money.
“A gourmet club, huh? There are many similar clubs. What's important is whether we can get special outing permission by doing this activity."
Even if they got permission to go out, everything was pointless unless they were officially allowed to hunt, which was a special activity outside.
Baek Yu-Seol glanced at Ma Yu-Seong who was sitting next to him with a subtle smile, revealing his white teeth.
"Possible."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It's a gourmet club. It'll be much more fun than it sounds. Anyway, it gives us a purpose to do the activity together."
"Well, I guess so..."
Was it really something to be so excited about? Eisel seemed to have that doubt.
"If we do that, we can get a lot of activity funding. Let's start a gourmet club." Ma Yu-Seong readily agreed. Now there were two remaining issues.
"To receive the special activity stamp, we need at least one professor and a minimum of four members."
Eisel and Baek Yu-Seol looked at each other and then avoided eye contact.
They both had no friends.
Once again, it was Ma Yu-Seong who came to their rescue.
"I'll take care of this part."
"Wow..."
"Awesome."
‘Bringing in another friend shouldn't be a problem. With how sociable Ma Yu-Seong is, he probably has plenty of friends.’
"But… I don't think I can get a professor to sponsor us."
"Why not? You can even get permission for special outings."
"It's just… All the professors are jerks."
"Oh, really?"
Ma Yu-Seong smirked, and for some reason, it sent shivers down Baek Yu-Seol’s spine. He quickly nodded in agreement.
Once they finished discussing the club formation, Eisel stood up and said, "I'm going to head out first. Our next class is at the 17th Tower."
Baek Yu-Seol absentmindedly looked out the window. Stella Academy, with its massive castle and multiple connected towers, was so enormous that just walking around it could take ages.
It was quite a trek from the 3rd Tower, where Class S was situated, to the 17th Tower.
Even from this vantage point, one had to crane their neck and squint to catch a glimpse of it in the distance.
To reach it, several warp holes and bridges had to be crossed along the way. It was possible that they had meticulously organized their lectures but failed, forcing them to change classes and resulting in this predicament.
"Oh... It would be nice to exercise. Cheer up.”
"Don't be sarcastic.”
After saying that, Eisel left the classroom, followed shortly by Ma Yu-Seong.
"I'll go fetch the registration stamp.”
Watching Ma Yu-Seong's retreating figure, a sudden question occurred to him.
‘But not anyone can get the special stamp so easily?’
However, he didn't dwell on it too deeply.
‘It'll probably be one of them anyway…’
Ma Yu-Seong made his way to the 79th floor of the 1st Tower, clutching the club application form.
Archie Hayden, the vice-principal, a Class 8 mage, and the advisor of Stella Academy, rushed out eagerly to welcome Ma Yu-Seong upon hearing of his arrival.
"Oh, please come in, Young Master."
"It's been a while, grandpa."
"Hehehe. I'm pleased to see that you've grown up so nicely. How's life at Stella?"
"There are many interesting friends here, so it's enjoyable."
As Ma Yu-Seong grinned, Archie Hayden furrowed his brow slightly.
'What’s this psycho kid thinking now...?’
He forced a smile and asked, "So, what brings you here?"
"It's a club application form. I need you to stamp it."
"What's this...?" Archie Hayden pushed up his glasses and scrutinized the club application form with a skeptical look.
The Ma Yu-Seong was applying for a club.
If anyone he knew heard about it, they would be shocked and astounded.
“Hmm, I see. A club application form. First, let’s check if it meets the establishment requirements…”
No matter what, the minimum requirements for founding members must be met. Archie Hayden reached out his hand towards the application form, intending to review its contents, but Ma Yu-Seong covered it with his palm.
As he slowly looked up, he noticed a shadow lurking behind Ma Yu-Seong's smile.
"There's no need to read the contents, right? Just stamp it."
Archie Hayden felt a deep and perplexing unease from Ma Yu-Seong's gaze and subconsciously withdrew his hand.
He couldn’t resist any further. As long as the boy in front of him was the successor of that man…
With beads of sweat trickling down his forehead, he reached out under the desk and took out the stamp.
"... Yes, of course."
As Archie Hayden stamped the document, he spoke softly to Ma Yu-Seong, who quickly snatched it.
"I know. Thanks. I'll be on my way now." Leaving behind those words, Ma Yu-Seong quickly left the office.
Thunk!
After seeing the door close, Archie Hayden, who had been standing frozen for a while, finally plopped down on his chair and let out a sigh.
“Arrogant for a mere half-blood...”
‘To think he’s the son of that man, I don’t understand how they can be so similar.’
‘But that too will soon come to an end.’
The moment his chance arrived, he would crush that arrogant man’s neck in an instant.