"A-apa yang kalian lakukan sekarang? Bukankah kalian bilang keanggotaan klub ganda diperbolehkan!"
Asan bertanya dengan panik.
Memang benar, para senior juga dengan percaya diri menambahkan setelahnya bahwa "klub punya standar" dan "hal seperti itu tidak akan terjadi". Tapi bagaimanapun, mereka yang jelas-jelas mengatakan keanggotaan ganda itu mungkin.
Dan sekarang mereka bertingkah seperti ini.
Siapa pun yang melihat mungkin mengira mereka akan menghancurkan formulir pendaftaran Klub Dapur dengan paksa.
"Kami memang bilang keanggotaan ganda diperbolehkan."
Senior Klub Perpustakaan, Sebius, mengangguk dengan mudah pada kata-kata juniornya.
"Tapi bukankah lebih baik jika dia fokus pada satu klub saja?"
"Sebius benar. Ayo hancurkan dulu dan bicara nanti. Pendeta Falkrius! Ayo bicara sebentar! Keluar sini!"
Namun, para siswa Klub Dapur yang masuk ke gudang tidak membuka pintunya.
Sebaliknya, hanya tawa mengejek yang terdengar.
"—Puhuhu. Kenapa aku harus bicara denganmu?"
"Sialan. Dia sadar. Serang!"
"Sumpah, bajingan-bajingan Klub Dapur itu selalu cepat tanggap!"
Para senior mengertakkan gigi dan mengayunkan tongkat mereka.
Karena bahan-bahan berharga yang mereka simpan, Klub Dapur adalah salah satu klub yang paling sering diserang siswa lain.
Secara alami, mereka memiliki pengalaman jauh lebih banyak menghadapi serangan seperti ini.
"Roh, menyusuplah!"
Seorang senior merapal mantra keluar-tubuh dan mencoba menyelinap ke gudang dapur.
Itu adalah sihir yang umum digunakan sebelum merangkai mantra ilusi. Begitu menembus pertahanan dan terhubung dengan jiwa lawan, sihir ilusi yang kuat bisa dilepaskan segera.
"Kekuatan matahari melindungi!"
Pendeta Falkrius merapal dengan suara kuat.
Sihir meletus liar di seluruh eksterior gudang yang tampak kumuh, membentuk penghalang pertahanan yang luar biasa tebal.
Melihat itu, para senior mengumpat.
"Sialan, pertahanannya jadi lebih tebal?!"
"Kapan mereka memasang sesuatu seperti itu?"
"...Kami melakukannya di akhir tahun lalu."
Seorang senior dari Klub Pemahat Batu berkata dengan canggung.
Keluhan langsung berdatangan dari segala arah.
"Dasar bodoh! Hanya karena mereka membayarmu koin emas, kau membangun ini? Klub Dapur sudah setengah benteng—bagaimana kami bisa mencuri sesuatu sekarang?!"
"Kalau kau yang mendesainnya, setidaknya beritahu kami titik lemahnya! Di mana titik lemahnya?!"
"Aku lupa titik lemahnya! Kalau itu kau, apa kau akan meninggalkannya di kontrak?!"
Semua orang berdecak.
Yah, kalau mereka sendiri yang memesan pekerjaannya, mereka juga akan menuntut klausul yang sama.
Sebius meludah ke tanah.
"Tidak masalah. Kita hancurkan saja dengan paksa. Lihat saja apakah dia masih menolak keluar sambil merebus sup."
"Benar. Falkrius! Kau pikir Klub Pemahat Batu tidak bisa menghancurkan bangunan yang dibangun Klub Pemahat Batu? Keluar sekarang juga! Ayo selesaikan ini dengan benar!"
"—Wahaha! Coba saja kalau mau! Sepertinya aku akan punya banyak bahan untuk panci! Tapi formulir pendaftarannya masih di tanganku!"
Setelah mendengar segalanya dari luar, Falkrius mengejek mereka secara terbuka.
Para senior tampak semakin marah dengan provokasi itu.
"Akan kubunuh kau!"
"Dasar bajingan pencuri! Saatnya membalas semua kebencian yang kalian bangun!"
DUAR! BRAKBRAKBRAK!
Di antara gudang, tenda, dan kuali besar, pertempuran pengepungan kasar pecah.
Titik paling rentan—pintu gudang—bergoyang dan berubah menjadi roh jahat.
Para mage Klub Dapur segera merespons. Mantra petrifikasi kuat membungkus roh itu dan mengubahnya menjadi bongkahan batu.
Kemudian batu itu berubah menjadi golem.
Semua orang bersiul kagum pada keterampilan Sebius.
"WAAAAA!"
Dengan raungan, Pendeta Falkrius mengayunkan sendok besar.
Sendok itu berubah menjadi gada besi besar dan menghancurkan golem berkeping-keping.
"Berapa banyak doping yang dia minum?!"
"Blokir ramuan dulu! Orang-orang itu bisa bertarung seminggu hanya dengan buff ramuan!"
Ketika para senior bergabung dan mulai merapal mantra, efeknya langsung terlihat.
Para mage Klub Dapur tiba-tiba menyadari perubahan yang terjadi di dalam gudang dan di botol ramuan yang tergantung di pinggang mereka.
Ramuan berharga mereka membusuk dan berkarat.
"Ubah mereka jadi timah dulu! Kita bisa memulihkannya nanti!"
"Baik!"
"Puhaha! Kalau kalian ingin memamerkan kekuatan sebegitu, akan kuturuti! Ayo selesaikan ini dengan kekuatan murni!"
Falkrius maju, dikelilingi aura pelangi menyilaukan dari efek ramuan yang tak terhitung.
Para senior tidak mundur.
"Bagus! Maju, Falkrius."
"Pemenang mendapat formulir pendaftaran!"
Salah satu senior tenggelam setengah ke tanah, mulai berubah menjadi monster batu besar.
Melihat keadaan sudah terlalu jauh, Perse berteriak kepada para junior.
"Semua bubar untuk hari ini! Klub lain yang tidak ada di sini akan datang menjelaskan diri mereka nanti minggu ini!"
"Baik!"
"Mau bergabung dengan Klub Josting untuk sementara?"
"......"
Saat mereka mengungsi, Perse dengan santai menyelipkan pertanyaan itu.
Para siswa tahun kedua menatapnya dengan jijik.
Perse menghindari tatapan mereka, sedikit malu.
"Aku hanya bertanya kalau-kalau ada yang tertarik dengan josting."
*****
"—Hindari lantai tujuh untuk sementara. Perang klub pecah."
"ㄴKlub mana?"
"ㄴKatanya klub resmi."
"ㄴApa? Apa mereka memotong dananya atau semacamnya?"
"......"
"......"
Melihat pemberitahuan yang ditempelkan di papan, teman-teman Yi-han mencoba menghiburnya.
"Jangan terlalu menyedihkan, Wardanaz."
"Ya. Pikirkan sisi positifnya. Para senior mungkin capek bertarung dan menyerah padamu."
"!"
Yi-han tidak berharap banyak dari hiburan mereka, tapi kali ini terdengar sedikit masuk akal.
"Itu mungkin saja terjadi."
"Apakah itu masuk akal?"
Gainando memiringkan kepalanya.
Jika sepuluh orang bertarung memperebutkan kue cokelat, bahkan jika mereka capek bertarung, mereka akan berkompromi dan membagi kuenya daripada menyerah sepenuhnya.
"Bungkam dia."
"Mm—! Kenapa?! Apa salahku?!"
Yang lain dengan cepat membekap mulut Gainando sebelum Yi-han bisa mendengar.
"Kalau begitu, sampai nanti, Wardanaz. Aku harus pergi sekarang kalau mau sampai tepat waktu ke kuliahku."
"Kuliah apa?"
"Penelitian tentang Postur Paling Nyaman Saat Istirahat."
"...Bukankah mereka bilang kuliah itu menghilang sepuluh tahun lalu?"
"Mungkin sudah kembali tahun ini!"
"Uh... baiklah."
Melihat ekspresi penuh harapan di wajah temannya, Yi-han tidak bisa mengatakan apa-apa lagi.
Bagaimanapun, ada kasus di mana profesor yang menghilang dari sekolah kembali dan menghidupkan kembali kuliah lama mereka.
'Aku juga harus bergerak.'
Minggu pertama sebagian besar adalah pengenalan klub, tapi bukan berarti tidak ada kuliah.
Terutama mulai tahun kedua, jumlah kuliah yang bisa dipilih siswa meningkat drastis, dan itu adalah tanggung jawab siswa untuk mengkonfirmasi apakah sebuah kuliah benar-benar ada.
'Coba lihat...'
Yi-han memeriksa jadwalnya.
Karena jadwalnya sebagian besar berdasarkan yang telah dibuat Yukbeltire dan para profesor (secara sewenang-wenang), kemungkinan besar tidak banyak kuliah yang tidak ada.
'Apa ini?'
Saat memindai daftar, Yi-han menyadari perbedaan.
Ada kuliah yang tercantum dalam jadwal rekomendasi Yukbeltire yang tidak muncul di jadwal wajib para profesor.
Memahami Sihir Misterius yang Sangat Sulit dan Tidak Jelas
(Yang tidak percaya diri jangan ikut)
"...?"
Meskipun teman-temannya mungkin tidak setuju, Yi-han secara teknis bisa memilih beberapa kuliah.
Bahkan jadwal wajib yang padat yang diatur para profesor masih menyisakan beberapa celah kecil.
Jadwal Yukbeltire dengan membantu telah mengisi celah-celah itu dengan rekomendasi—tapi secara teknis pilihannya masih di tangan Yi-han.
Namun merekomendasikan kuliah seperti itu untuk slot yang begitu berharga...
'Hmm. Senior Direth memang bilang artefak itu luar biasa...'
Yi-han mengingat Direth memuji Calendarium milik Yukbeltire.
Siswa menara lain bersedia mengambil risiko penyergapan dan serangan hanya untuk mendapatkan artefak penjadwalan kuliah itu.
Jika artefak seperti itu merekomendasikan kuliah ini, pasti ada alasannya.
Mengikuti rekomendasinya mungkin adalah pilihan yang benar...
'...Tapi judulnya terlalu mencurigakan.'
Kelihatannya seperti kuliah yang dirancang untuk mengatakan:
Kalau kau masih datang setelah membaca judul ini, itu salahmu sendiri.
Yi-han pernah mengambil kelas berharap mendapat kredit mudah dan akhirnya menghancurkan hidupnya untuk sementara waktu, jadi dia sekarang lebih berhati-hati.
"...Ayo pergi dengan hati-hati."
Dia tidak bisa mengabaikan rekomendasinya sepenuhnya, jadi Yi-han mulai berjalan.
Jika dia membuka pintu dan melihat Profesor Boladi, dia berencana untuk mundur segera.
KRIIIET—
Yi-han membuka pintu ke ruang kelas yang terselip di sudut paling jauh lantai tiga.
Ruangan itu terlihat seperti tidak ada yang memasukinya selama lebih dari sepuluh tahun.
'Setidaknya bukan Profesor Bagrak.'
Profesor Boladi akan berdiri tak bergerak di tengah seperti patung sebelum kelas dimulai.
Tempat ini, bagaimanapun, sama sekali tidak menunjukkan tanda kehadiran manusia.
Merasa sedikit lega, Yi-han menyapu debu dari kursi dan duduk.
Beberapa saat kemudian—
'...Tidak ada yang datang?'
Yi-han menjadi sedikit bingung.
Bahkan jika tidak ada siswa tahun kedua yang datang, dia berharap setidaknya ada satu senior tahun ketiga atau keempat.
Kenapa merekomendasikan kuliah yang sama sekali tidak ada yang mengikuti?
Tepat saat Yi-han memutuskan untuk menunggu sedikit lebih lama sebelum pergi, pintu terbuka.
KRIET—
Profesor Garcia mengintip melalui pintu.
Mengira ruangan itu kosong, profesor mulai menarik diri—lalu membeku.
"Oh. Siswa Yi-han?"
"Selamat siang, Profesor."
"Apa kau mungkin datang ke ruang kelas yang salah?"
"Uh..."
Yi-han memeriksa lagi, untuk jaga-jaga.
"Memahami Sihir Misterius yang Sangat Sulit dan Tidak J
“W-what are you doing right now? You said multiple club memberships were allowed!”
Asan asked in alarm.
Granted, the seniors had also confidently added afterward that “clubs have standards” and “something like that won’t happen anyway.” But regardless, they were the ones who had clearly said multiple memberships were possible.
And now they were acting like this.
Anyone watching might think they were about to destroy the Kitchen Club application form by force.
“We did say multiple memberships are allowed.”
The Library Club senior, Sebius, nodded readily at the junior’s words.
“But wouldn’t it be better if he focused on just one club instead?”
“Sebius is right. Let’s destroy it first and talk afterward. Priest Falkrius! Let’s talk for a moment! Come out here!”
However, the Kitchen Club students who had gone into the warehouse did not open the door.
Instead, only mocking laughter came back.
“—Puhuhu. Why should I talk to you?”
“Damn it. He noticed. Attack!”
“I swear, those Kitchen Club bastards are always so quick on the uptake!”
The seniors ground their teeth and swung their wands.
Because of the valuable ingredients they stored, the Kitchen Club was one of the clubs most frequently attacked by other students.
Naturally, they had far more experience dealing with raids like this.
“Spirit, infiltrate!”
One senior cast an out-of-body spell and attempted to slip into the kitchen warehouse.
It was a magic commonly used before chaining illusion spells. Once it penetrated defenses and linked with the opponent’s soul, powerful illusion magic could be unleashed immediately.
“The power of the sun protects!”
Priest Falkrius chanted in a powerful voice.
Magic erupted wildly across the shabby-looking warehouse exterior, forming an incredibly thick defensive barrier.
Seeing that, the seniors cursed.
“Damn it, the defenses got thicker?!”
“When did they install something like that?”
“...We did it at the end of last year.”
A senior from the Masonry Club said awkwardly.
Complaints immediately flew in from every direction.
“You idiot! Just because they paid you gold coins, you built this? The Kitchen Club is already half a fortress—how are we supposed to steal anything now?!”
“If you designed it, at least tell us the weak points! Where are the weak points?!”
“I forgot the weak points! If it were you, would you have left them in the contract?!”
Everyone clicked their tongues.
Well, if they themselves had commissioned the work, they would have demanded the same clause.
Sebius spat on the ground.
“Doesn’t matter. We’ll just smash it by force. Let’s see if he still refuses to come out while boiling soup.”
“That’s right. Falkrius! You think the Masonry Club can’t destroy a building the Masonry Club built? Come out right now! Let’s settle this properly!”
“—Wahaha! Try it if you want! Looks like I’ll have plenty of ingredients for the pot! But the application form is still in my hands!”
Having heard everything outside, Falkrius mocked them openly.
The seniors seemed to grow even more furious at the provocation.
“I’ll kill you!”
“You thieving bastards! Time to repay all the resentment you’ve built up!”
BOOM! CRASHCRASHCRASH!
Between the warehouse, tents, and massive cauldron, a crude siege battle broke out.
The most vulnerable point—the warehouse door—wavered and twisted into an evil spirit.
The Kitchen Club mages immediately responded. A powerful petrification spell wrapped around the spirit and turned it into a chunk of stone.
Then the stone transformed into a golem.
Everyone whistled at Sebius’s skill.
“WAAAAAA!”
With a roar, Priest Falkrius swung the ladle.
The ladle transformed into a massive iron mace and smashed the golem to pieces.
“How much doping did he take?!”
“Block the potions first! Those guys could fight for a week just with potion buffs!”
When the seniors joined forces and began chanting spells, the effect appeared immediately.
The Kitchen Club mages suddenly noticed changes happening inside the warehouse and in the potion bottles hanging at their waists.
Their precious potions were rotting and corroding.
“Turn them into lead first! We can restore them later!”
“Yes!”
“Puhaha! If you want to show off your strength that badly, I’ll indulge you! Let’s settle this with raw power!”
Falkrius charged forward, surrounded by a dazzling rainbow aura from countless potion effects.
The seniors did not retreat.
“Good! Come at us, Falkrius.”
“The winner gets the application form!”
One of the seniors sank halfway into the ground, beginning to transform into a massive rock monster.
Seeing that things had gone too far, Persae shouted to the juniors.
“Everyone disperse for today! The other clubs that aren’t here will come explain themselves later this week anyway!”
“Understood!”
“Would you like to join the Jousting Club for now?”
“......”
While they were evacuating, Persae casually slipped the question in.
The second-years looked at him with contempt.
Persae avoided their gazes, slightly embarrassed.
“I just asked in case anyone might be interested in jousting.”
*****
“—Avoid the seventh floor for a while. A club war broke out.”
“ㄴWhich clubs?”
“ㄴApparently official clubs.”
“ㄴWhat? Did they cut the funding or something?”
“......”
“......”
Looking at the notices posted on the board, Lee Han’s friends tried to comfort him.
“Don’t be too miserable, Wardanaz.”
“Yeah. Think of it positively. The seniors might get tired of fighting and give up on you.”
“!”
Lee Han hadn’t expected much from their comfort, but this time it sounded slightly plausible.
“That might actually happen.”
“Does that even make sense?”
Gainando tilted his head.
If ten people fought over a chocolate cake, even if they got tired of fighting, they would compromise and split the cake rather than give it up entirely.
“Shut him up.”
“Mm—! Why?! What did I say wrong?!”
The others quickly clamped their hands over Gainando’s mouth before Lee Han could hear.
“Well then, see you later, Wardanaz. I have to leave now if I want to make it to my lecture.”
“What lecture?”
“Research on the Most Comfortable Posture During Rest.”
“...Didn’t they say that lecture disappeared ten years ago?”
“It might have come back this year!”
“Uh... sure.”
Seeing the hopeful look on his friend’s face, Lee Han couldn’t say anything else.
After all, there had been cases where professors who vanished from the school returned and revived their old lectures.
‘I should get moving too.’
The first week was mostly club introductions, but that didn’t mean there were no lectures.
Especially starting in the second year, the number of lectures students could choose from increased dramatically, and it was the student’s responsibility to confirm whether a lecture actually existed.
‘Let’s see...’
Lee Han checked his schedule.
Since the schedule was largely based on the one Yukbeltire and the professors had (arbitrarily) constructed, it was unlikely that many of the lectures didn’t exist.
‘What’s this?’
While scanning the list, Lee Han noticed a difference.
There was a lecture listed in Yukbeltire’s recommended schedule that did not appear on the professors’ mandatory schedule.
Understanding Extremely Difficult and Obscure Arcane Magic
(Those without confidence should not attend)
“...?”
Even if his friends might not agree, Lee Han technically could choose some lectures.
Even the tightly packed mandatory schedule the professors had arranged still left a few small gaps.
Yukbeltire’s schedule had helpfully filled those gaps with recommendations—but technically the choice was still Lee Han’s.
Yet recommending a lecture like that for such a precious slot...
‘Hmm. Senior Diret did say that artifact was incredible...’
Lee Han remembered Diret praising Yukbeltire’s Calendarium.
Other tower students were willing to risk ambushes and raids just to obtain that lecture-scheduling artifact.
If such an artifact recommended this lecture, there had to be a reason.
Following the recommendation was probably the correct choice...
‘...But the title is way too suspicious.’
It sounded like a lecture designed to say:
If you still come after reading this title, it’s your own fault.
Lee Han had once taken a class hoping for an easy credit and ended up ruining his life for a while, so he was even more cautious now.
“...Let’s go carefully.”
He couldn’t ignore the recommendation entirely, so Lee Han started walking.
If he opened the door and saw Professor Voladi, he planned to back away immediately.
CREEEEAK—
Lee Han opened the door to a classroom tucked into the farthest corner of the third floor.
The room looked like no one had entered it for over ten years.
‘At least it’s not Professor Bagreg.’
Professor Voladi would have been standing motionless in the center like a statue before class even began.
This place, however, showed absolutely no sign of human presence.
Feeling slightly reassured, Lee Han brushed the dust off a chair and sat down.
A little while later—
‘...Is no one coming?’
Lee Han grew slightly confused.
Even if no second-years came, he had expected at least one third- or fourth-year senior.
Why recommend a lecture that absolutely no one attended?
Just as Lee Han decided to wait a little longer before leaving, the door opened.
CREAK—
Professor Garcia peeked through the door.
Thinking the room was empty, the professor started to pull back—then froze.
“Oh. Student Lee Han?”
“Good afternoon, Professor.”
“Did you perhaps come to the wrong classroom?”
“Uh...”
Lee Han checked again, just in case.
“Understanding Extremely Difficult and Obscure Arcane Magic.
Those without confidence should not attend.
Isn’t that correct?”
“...Student Lee Han came here after hearing a lecture title like that and got curious?!”
Professor Garcia stared in disbelief.
The professor had not believed the Skull Principal’s slander before, but now the theory that Lee Han deliberately chooses difficult and painful classes was beginning to gain credibility.
Why would anyone try to attend a lecture with that kind of title?
“A senior recommended it.”
“Which bast—... ah. The Calendarium?”
Professor Garcia suddenly remembered the Blue Dragon Tower artifact.
A treasure that helped Blue Dragon Tower students choose lectures far more efficiently while students from other towers wasted several times more time figuring things out.
“Yes. You knew about it?”
“Student Yukbeltire is famous... But the Calendarium recommended this lecture?”
“Yes.”
“......”
Professor Garcia looked deeply conflicted.
“Professor?”
“...Hmm... ah... seriously... why did it recommend this?”
The professor sighed heavily and opened the door fully before entering the classroom.
Then Professor Garcia explained.
“First of all, I’m the professor teaching this lecture, Student Lee Han.”
“!”
Lee Han was shocked.
Not only that Professor Garcia was teaching the class—
But also—
“You’re telling me you chose a title like that?!”
“There were circumstances!”
Professor Garcia replied with slightly reddened cheeks.
“The content of the lecture is extremely difficult. I didn’t want students to attend it unnecessarily, so I named it that.”
“Professor...!”
Lee Han was deeply moved after hearing the explanation.
The malicious Skull Principal had clearly forced Professor Garcia to open the class with something like:
“Khehehe, Professor Garcia, you must torment the students. Open a lecture with the following content!”
Professor Garcia must have had no choice but to open the lecture, but had chosen a title no one would ever attend so the students wouldn’t suffer unnecessarily.
‘Truly moving.’
It would have been a touching story—
If Lee Han himself had not shown up to attend it.
“What kind of magic is it?”
“Time magic.”
“Ah.”
“Student Lee Han, are you interested in time magic?”
Seeing Lee Han’s unexpected reaction, Professor Garcia looked curious.
It seemed as though Lee Han himself had some connection to time magic.
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