Episode 706
by Cristae“Excellent!”
The club seniors were impressed by Lee Han’s answer.
For brand-new second-year students to be so vigilant against the Skeleton Principal’s minions… The Blue Dragon Tower’s second-years already displayed a key virtue needed at Einrogard.
“Good attitude. In fact, the principal will probably ambush you several times this week.”
“……”
Lee Han and his friends’ expressions darkened—none of them wanted to hear that tidbit.
Unaware of their thoughts, the club seniors chatted among themselves.
“This year’s Blue Dragon Tower students aren’t ordinary, huh? Perse, how does it feel?”
“Heh. I won’t deny it. All right, let’s move on.”
Perse pointed to the path opposite the door to the common lounge.
Down hills, slopes, and winding paths, a huge village unfolded.
This was the -Village of Exiles-, the heart of the 7th floor and the student self-governed district.
A sprawling town where stone, timber, and unidentifiable materials crowded together in strange, intricate buildings—second-year students stared, entranced.
No matter how used they’d gotten to Einrogard’s weirdness, a thriving town this size on a single floor was still mind-blowing.
“Look, look at that manor, Lee Han. It’s moving! It has legs!”
Gainando shouted, eyes wide.
A manor with smoke puffing from its chimney, marching on its own legs—his idea of a cool villa was forever transformed.
A truly magnificent villa, it turned out, had clanking legs and moved around…!
“They’re out of their minds!”
“There they go again!”
The seniors guiding the second-years cursed.
“Moving manors are banned! After all the trouble they caused last time, and they’re still at it!”
-Hey, you little bastard! Stop right now!
-You stuck-in-your-ways morons! You’ve no right to call yourselves wizards… Gah!
The manor, spewing smoke, suddenly teetered and exploded.
The resulting collapse brought other students out of nearby houses, all cursing.
-You cursed idiot!
-I saw your face! This time I’m really putting a bounty on you!
“……”
“……”
As the mood darkened, Lee Han switched subjects.
“So, why is it called the Village of Exiles?”
“Hm. As I understand it, centuries ago, a graduate who couldn’t finish escaped the principal and built the first house here…”
‘Maybe ask about something else.’
It seemed things would only get more depressing with that direction.
“So do seniors use this place?”
“Yeah. You’re welcome to, too, if you want—assuming you can get a building. Even with this many, there aren’t that many good ones. You’ll have to subdue or clear them.”
“…Subdue, clear?”
“Ah, forgot to mention. Since these have been used for generations by countless upperclassmen, some are dangerous. I’d recommend not going into empty houses without backup.”
Most buildings on Einrogard’s 7th floor were steeped in old magic—open the door, and who knew what would burst out.
Even the oldest, most battle-hardened students stuck to the tried and tested safe houses.
As the mood got gloomier, Lee Han wondered if it could get any darker than this.
‘Now it can’t possibly get grimmer, no matter what they say.’
“We’re here. Have a seat.”
Once at the village, Perse led them to an open square.
At the back, there were giant tents and a storeroom, with over a dozen pots boiling and steaming away.
A few students shouted and waved wands. Instantly, piles of vegetables turned to shreds and flew into the pots.
It was a scene Lee Han, who’d helped prep meals for his whole class, found very familiar.
“This is the dining hall of the -Iactus Soup Club-, more commonly the kitchen club. You’ll be coming here a lot this year.”
In first year, you got basic, rough meals so you wouldn’t starve—but as a second-year, that stopped.
From now on, you had to scrounge up food yourself, or buy it.
And at Einrogard, no one stockpiled food like the kitchen club—aka the Iactus Soup Club.
Like it or not, if you were hungry, you bought food here, no matter what tower you were from.
Clatter!
Bowls of soup floated in from afar, one stopping in front of each student. A rich aroma wafted up.
The seniors gestured for them to eat.
But the Blue Dragon Tower students, already filled with breakfast, glanced at each other.
“We actually already had breakf—”
“Quiet, just eat.”
Lee Han silenced his friends with a glance.
If you rejected generosity, you wouldn’t get it next time.
Feeling his glare, the friends started in on their soup. Luckily, it tasted fine.
‘It’s a bit watery and light on ingredients, but not bad.’
As the juniors ate, Perse continued.
“Usually the kitchen club doesn’t give things for free. But as new second-years, you get this welcome meal—just this once.”
“Thank you.”
Next to him, Gainando muttered that “Lee Han’s was better and this is a bit showy,” and got pinched on both sides.
“Keep eating and listen up… These friends here are all members of Einrogard’s official clubs.”
“??”
Lee Han wondered to himself.
Official clubs?
‘Then there must be unofficial ones?’
“Clubs at Einrogard are divided into official and unofficial. Official clubs have honorable aims and submit impressive results for school approval. Unofficial clubs…”
“They’re trash.”
A senior interjected.
“……”
The second-years exchanged a look.
“Hey, let me finish.”
“What? I gave an honest answer.”
“Unofficial doesn’t mean garbage, just… not approved by the school. To be official, you need a proper purpose and results.”
“Which club are you in?”
“I’m in the polo club.”
Perse smiled, proud.
“But didn’t you guys do badly last year? I heard the professor complaining…”
“……”
Suddenly Perse’s smile faded.
Other seniors scolded Gainando.
“It wasn’t that bad, brat!”
“Lost because of bad luck in the finals! What do you know?!”
“Eek.”
Gainando hid behind Lee Han, and Perse calmed the group.
“Settle down. We did lose in the finals.”
“You nasty brat! I’ll remember your face!”
To save Gainando, Lee Han raised his hand.
“Is there an advantage to official clubs?”
Official clubs seemed like a hassle, what with required aims and achievements—why would any student endure that?
“Good question. There are privileges: school funding, special leave rights in certain cases… but…”
“…Most importantly, invitation rights.”
“?”
The students were mystified.
“What are invitation rights?”
“Official clubs don’t let you apply. They summon you, and forcibly recruit you.”
“…?!”
“!!!”
The second-years buzzed with shock.
But the most distressed was Lee Han.
‘So that’s what Direte meant!’
Of course the official clubs would want to recruit outstanding students…
Worst case, Lee Han could end up recruited into several at once.
Gainando, picking up on this, complained to the seniors.
“That’s not fair!”
“You’re the brat who just insulted Perse’s polo, right?”
“No? But more important, official clubs shouldn’t just force students in! And what if several clubs do it at once—how hard would that be on that student!”
The others all nodded.
Everyone had the same person in mind.
Of course, for Perse and the seniors, this was laughable.
“Junor, that’s nonsense.”
“What, what… you think too highly of yourselves. Clubs pick who they want.”
The senior club members gave the juniors incredulous looks.
It was almost unheard of for anyone to be forcibly recruited into two or more official clubs.
People’s abilities and interests are too different for that.
Why would a polo-lover be wanted by the kitchen club, or have the skills they needed, anyway?
The invitation right wasn’t meant to torment students but to force-fit rare talent into a club.
“What if someone’s talented enough for both?”
“Well… how talented are they?”
“Hmm, that’d be something.”
The club seniors looked at one another, considering.
If someone was truly exceptional, even if another club recruited them, they might not give up easily.
“Hey! That junior’s just messing with you guys, stirring things up.”
“Oops.”
“You’re a rascal, aren’t you?”
The seniors shot wary looks at Gainando.
Every class had a clever, quick-witted troublemaker who challenged authority. For this year, that blond boy was it.
“I just honestly wanted to know!”
“All right, enough. Anyway, that’s enough on clubs for now. The rest the clubs will explain to you, or you’ll hear by asking. There are clubs at Einrogard even I’ve never heard of.”
“Understood.”
“Then… all done! You can start now!”
-Really?
On the cue, a student from the storeroom came out—probably a kitchen club member.
Thump, thump, thump—
With each step, the second-years paled.
Gainando muttered,
“O…Ogre half-blood?!”
The senior’s size was enormous, like he had a touch of monster blood. Even through a baggy cleric’s robe, his belly bulged.
“Foo ha! Pleased to meet you. I’m Falkrius, Phoenix Tower, fourth year. Member of the -Iactus Soup Club-.”
“Y-you’re a priest of Phoenix Tower?!”
“That’s right! Wahaha! Surprised to see an ogre-blooded priest?”
“Yes!”
“Foo ha! Actually, I’m human. People keep thinking I’m ogre-blooded and fall for it when I tell them!”
“……”
Falling for the bait, Gainando was left pale.
“P-please, spare me! I’m sorry!”
“Wahaha, I won’t eat you, I won’t! What’s left to eat on a scrawny junior like you?”
Falkrius burst out laughing, and the second-years relaxed a bit at his friendliness.
Even if his giant cleaver and ladle were still dripping with blood…