Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 706

Chapter 706

"Excellent!"

The club seniors marveled at Yi-Han's words.

To think students who had just become 2nd years would react so sensitively to the skull principal's attack.

This year's Blue Dragon Tower 2nd year students already possessed the virtue essential in Einroguard.

"That's a good attitude. The principal will attack a few times this week anyway."

"..."

The expressions of Yi-Han and his friends soured upon hearing information they didn't want to know.

Unaware of the 2nd year juniors' inner thoughts, the club seniors continued their conversation.

"This year's Blue Dragon Tower students are extraordinary, aren't they? Perse, how do you feel?"

"Hmph. I won't deny it. Well then, let's all move."

Perse pointed to the opposite side of the door connected to the common lounge.

Following the hills, slopes, and connecting paths, a large town appeared.

It was <Exile Town>, the students' self-governing area and living base that played the most crucial role in the vast 7th floor.

The 2nd year students stared, mesmerized, at the scenery of the large town with complex and bizarre buildings made of stone, wood, or materials they couldn't even guess, all crammed together.

No matter how accustomed they had become to Einroguard's abnormal life, it was still amazing to see such a huge area appear on a single floor with a thriving town established.

"L-look at that mansion over there, Yi-Han. It's moving! It has legs!"

Gainando exclaimed with wide eyes.

A mansion that moved on its own legs while spewing smoke from its chimney.

Seeing that, he realized that all the fancy villas he had imagined until now were wrong.

A truly fancy villa was a mansion that moved with clanking sounds like that...!

"Those crazy bastards!"

"They're at it again!"

The seniors guiding the 2nd year students spat out curses.

"We clearly banned moving mansions! Even after causing such an accident last time, they're still at it!"

-Those bastards again! Stop right now!-

-You fools who reject change! You don't deserve to be mages... Argh!-

The mansion that had been moving while spewing smoke suddenly tilted and began to explode.

As the surroundings collapsed due to the explosion, students from nearby buildings came out one by one and spewed curses.

-You cursed bastard!-

-I saw your face! This time I'll really put a bounty on you!-

"..."

"..."

As the atmosphere darkened, Yi-Han spoke up to change the subject.

"By the way, why is it called Exile Town?"

"Hmm. As far as I know, hundreds of years ago, a senior who couldn't graduate built a building while escaping the principal's pursuit, and that was the start of this town..."

'I'd better ask about something else.'

It was an answer that seemed likely to darken the mood further.

"Then do the seniors use this town?"

"Yes. You can use it as much as you want too if you wish. But you'll have to find a building. Even though there seem to be many, there aren't many usable ones. You'll have to subdue or clear them out."

"...Subdue, clear out?"

"Ah. I forgot to explain. Since it's a place used by seniors of seniors of... distant seniors, there are many dangerous buildings. I recommend not entering empty mansions carelessly."

Most of the numerous buildings in Einroguard's 7th floor town contained old magic, so one never knew what might pop out when opening a door.

Even battle-hardened Einroguard students mainly used buildings that had already been confirmed safe.

As the atmosphere darkened further, Yi-Han wondered if it could get any darker.

'It seems it can't get any darker no matter what's said now.'

"Well. We're here. Sit down for now."

Perse, who had arrived at the town, guided the juniors to an open space.

Behind the open space was a large tent and warehouse, and under it, more than ten cauldrons were boiling and steaming.

A few students shouted and swung their staffs. Then the piled vegetables shattered and plunged into the cauldrons.

It was quite a familiar sight to Yi-Han, who had occasionally prepared meals for the entire year with help from other friends.

"This is the kitchen club, or officially called the <Saint Eaktus Soup Club>'s dining hall. You'll be coming here often from this year on."

In their 1st year, they were provided with rough and hard meals just to keep from starving, but from 2nd year on, even that was gone.

To fill their stomachs, they had to either find food themselves or buy it elsewhere with money.

And the place that secured the most food in Einroguard was the <Saint Eaktus Soup Club>, also known as the kitchen club.

Whether they liked it or not, if they were hungry, students from all four towers had no choice but to buy food here.

Clatter!

Soup bowls flew in from afar and stopped in front of each student. A delicious smell wafted from the soup in the deep bowls.

The seniors gestured for them to eat, as if they understood.

However, the Blue Dragon Tower students, who had already eaten a hearty breakfast, looked at each other.

"We actually ate breakfast before..."

"Hey. Be quiet and eat."

Yi-Han subdued his friends with a glance.

Originally, if one acted tactlessly when others showed goodwill, that goodwill wouldn't come again.

Feeling Yi-Han's killing intent, his friends began to eat the soup. Fortunately, it tasted fine.

'The ingredients are sparse and it's a bit watery, but not bad.'

While the juniors were eating, Perse continued his explanation.

"The kitchen club doesn't usually give out food for free like this. They're making an exception just this once since you've moved up to 2nd year."

"Thank you."

Beside him, Gainando grumbled, 'Isn't this less tasty than what Yi-Han made? They're making too big a deal out of it,' and got pinched from both sides.

"Listen as you eat... These friends here, including this kitchen club, are all members of Einroguard's official clubs."

"??"

Yi-Han inwardly questioned.

Official clubs?

'Then does that mean there are unofficial clubs too?'

"Einroguard clubs are divided into official clubs and unofficial clubs. Official clubs are those that have submitted honorable purposes and outstanding achievements and received permission from the school. Unofficial clubs are..."

"Trash."

One of the seniors cut in and explained instead.

"..."

The 2nd year students sent bewildered looks at the ridiculous explanation.

"Hey. Don't interrupt."

"What interruption? I explained it properly."

"Unofficial clubs aren't quite trash... You can think of them as clubs that haven't received school permission. After all, to become an official club, you need an honorable purpose and outstanding achievements."

"Which club are you in, senior?"

"I'm a member of the Einroguard ball game club."

Perse answered with a smile as if it was a good question. That smile contained pride.

"But didn't the Einroguard ball game club not do well last year? I heard a professor cursing..."

"..."

Perse's smile disappeared and his face clouded over.

The other seniors beside him criticized Gainando.

"It wasn't that bad, you insolent brat!"

"We just had bad luck in the finals! What do you know!"

"Eek."

Gainando quickly hid behind Yi-Han. Perse stopped his friends.

"Everyone calm down. It's true we lost in the finals."

"What a nasty guy! I'll remember your face!"

Partly to save Gainando, Yi-Han raised his hand and asked a question.

"By the way, senior. Are there advantages to being an official club?"

From what he could see, official clubs had quite a few annoying restrictions, from their purpose to their achievements.

There must be a reason why Einroguard students, who lived well without laws, endured such restrictions.

"Sharp, aren't you? That's right. There are a few privileges. There's the principal's funding, or permission to go out in certain situations, but..."

"...The most important is the invitation authority."

"?"

The 2nd year students were puzzled by the words 'invitation authority'.

"What's invitation authority?"

"Official clubs can forcibly make students join not by students requesting to join, but by the club requesting."

"...?!"

"!!!"

At these unexpected words, the 2nd year students stirred.

And among them, the most troubled was, of course, Yi-Han.

'...So that's what it meant!'

He now understood why Direth had told him to act stupid.

Of course, official clubs would try to recruit only outstanding students to their clubs...

In the worst case, Yi-Han could be forced to join multiple clubs.

Feeling this too, Gainando protested to the seniors.

"This isn't right!"

"Aren't you the one who just insulted Perse's ball game skills?"

"No, I didn't? More importantly, official clubs shouldn't forcibly recruit students just because they're official! If several clubs recruit one student, how hard would it be for that student!"

At Gainando's protest, the 2nd year students nodded as if they agreed.

They all had one person in mind.

Of course, from Perse and the seniors' perspective, this was just nonsense.

"Junior. That sounds like nonsense."

"Hey, hey... You call that talking? You seem to be overestimating yourselves, clubs have discerning eyes too."

The club seniors looked at the juniors with eyes that said they couldn't believe what they were hearing.

Usually, students belonging to more than two official clubs were extremely rare.

This was because people's abilities and interests were set.

How often would a student interested in ball games have the abilities needed for the kitchen club?

That invitation authority wasn't there to bully a single junior, but to give juniors who were suited to the club a chance to learn, even if forcibly.

"Then if there's a student who has aptitude here and there, you won't recruit them?"

"That... How outstanding are they?"

"Hmm... How outstanding?"

The club seniors pondered Gainando's question.

If the aptitude was really outstanding, they couldn't back down even if another club had recruited them.

"Hey! That junior is just messing with you guys. He's trying to drive a wedge between us!"

"Ah, oops."

"You brat. You're quite the troublemaker."

The seniors sent wary glances at Gainando.

There was always a cunning, shrewd troublemaker who denied authority in each year.

This year's 2nd year seemed to be that blond boy.

"I really asked out of curiosity!"

"Everyone be quiet. Anyway, that should be enough for the overall explanation about clubs. You can hear the rest of the explanation when each club comes to find you, or when you go to find them yourselves? There are many clubs in Einroguard that even I don't know about."

"Yes."

"Then... We're done! You can start now."

-Really?-

As Perse spoke, a student in the warehouse behind opened the door and walked out. He seemed to be a member of the kitchen club.

Thud, thud, thud-

With each step the student took, the 2nd year students' faces turned pale.

Gainando muttered.

"An... ogre mixed-blood?!"

The senior's build was so huge it made one suspect he had monster blood mixed in. The senior stopped his steps, waddling with his plump belly protruding even over his loose priest's robe.

"Phew. Nice to meet you all. I'm Falcrius, a 4th year from Immortal Phoenix Tower. I belong to the <Saint Eaktus Soup Club>."

"Y-you're a priest from Immortal Phoenix Tower?"

"That's right! Wahaha! Surprised that an ogre mixed-blood is a priest?"

"Yes!"

"Phew! Actually, I'm human. So many people mistake me for an ogre mixed-blood. When I tell them, they always fall for it!"

"..."

Gainando, who had fallen for the leading question, turned pale.

"P-please spare me! I'm sorry!"

"Wahaha, I won't eat you, I won't! What would I eat a junior like you for?"

Falcrius burst into hearty laughter.

At that friendly laughter, the tension of the 2nd year students eased a bit.

Although blood was dripping from the huge kitchen knife and ladle he held in both hands...