027 - For Whom is the Club Room #4

TL/ED: Lolz

Mainland.

So, in the kingdom, Enio was a princess.

Not just metaphorically, but she was a real princess.

Enio's Blackstar family was one of the last remaining noble families on the mainland.

If you didn't call her a princess, a descendant of the ancient king Gilgamesh, who would you call a princess?

Of course, there was Victoria and her older sister, but let's leave that aside for now.

What Enio was thinking about now was her childhood.

Before enrolling in this harsh Prison Academy.

Life on the mainland, where everything was abundant and prosperous.

Back then, everything was satisfying.

Eating.

Wearing.

Sleeping.

Playing.

But at some point, Enio's life couldn't be like that anymore.

━Enio, they say one of the daughters of the Arkwright family is enrolling at Ludens this year. The Arkwright family is definitely aiming for the ancient king's crown. We can never lose against them.

━Yes, Father.

The Arkwright family had a total of two girls, but the one they were talking about was that child.

Victoria Arkwright.

Same age as Enio.

From the moment she was born, she was destined to be the object to which she was compared.

If that child, for the first time in ages, managed to find the hidden crown of Ludens and sat on the vacant throne...

Enio would probably never be able to remove the label of a loser until her death.

That's why Enio boarded a ship heading to the remote island of Ludens, a place known for its harsh conditions.

Even though she lost the election for the student council to Victoria, she worked hard and eventually became a delegate who could oversee the student council.

But sometimes she couldn't help but think.

‘What am I doing here?’

When she occasionally recalled the warmth and comfort she left behind on the mainland, she tried to ignore it and bury it deep in her shadowy heart.

But now, why were these emotions bubbling up from the depths of the sea like bubbles?

Of course, Enio was smart enough to find the answer herself.

"This candy has a sweet taste like I've only tasted on the mainland."

"Is that so?"

"No, actually, it's a lie. I've never had anything this sweet on the mainland. This candy is a bit... too sweet for me."

Life at Ludens that Enio felt a bit hesitant about.

Even calling it a simple pastime would be an understatement; it was excessively sweet.

‘I can't believe Victor can make something like this.’

She thought he was just a hard man.

Like the candy in her mouth.

But lately, he felt differently. This man, Victor, had a softer and warmer side than she had initially thought.

‘Even if it was for my sake, he personally handled the troublesome beehive that made the female students uncomfortable. He's no longer even the student council executive.’

A straightforward person.

In Ludens, where everyone was a potential rival, Enio thought she could trust no one except the three sisters, but little by little, a gap began to appear in Enio's heart.

‘At first, it was just to tease Victoria. But if I come to know this taste, I might really want to have him.’

Victor might have been a commoner in the end, despite his excellence.

He was sorely lacking in qualifications to become Enio's match.

However.

'The man who tried to make himself the son-in-law of the Arkwright family. He might have some special potential abilities.'

She had heard the rumors about the Arkwright family's head.

A man who, despite having the face of an ignorant swordsman, would only be satisfied if he got what he wanted.

A cunning hypocrite, Cain Arkwright.

If such a person had taken Victor as his son-in-law, there must have been a good reason.

'Innocent Victoria probably didn't know anything about it. She just doesn't know what her father is up to.'

She needed to find out.

Enio had the skills and talent for it.

She could ask the third sibling, Tisiphone, to help her.

"Victor, I enjoyed the meal."

"I'm glad."

"But, I suddenly have some urgent matters to attend to, so I'll be going. Still, I'll definitely repay you for the good food."

"No need. This is my way of repaying you for helping me find a club room. If I accept your repayment, it will turn into an endless cycle of giving and receiving."

Other people were discontented because they didn't receive any favors from Enio.

This man, on the other hand, casually declined such gestures.

"Hehe, sure."

Enio left the club room.

‘For now, I should try to regain my skills with a sword.’

What he had done to save himself was truly something heroic from the stories.

* * *

Enio left the club room.

She came and went as she pleased.

"She's living life as she pleases."

Part of me was jealous.

Living life like that must be nice.

So, should I also make an effort for a more carefree life?

Watching Enio eat candy made me realize something.

There weren't many things on Ludens Island that could be enjoyed as desserts.

Even for Enio, who was a nobleday supported by the mainland and a member of the Delegates, let’s not talk about ordinary students.

With that feeling in mind, I thought about a new menu.

However, most dessert ingredients were difficult to obtain and were in the 2nd of 1st Tier, making them hard to create immediately.

The Bashkir Hive was obtained through a one-of-a-kind sub-quest, so it was difficult to acquire it ‘continuously’.

"A steady seller that can be sold regularly, like soup or spring sauce, is important."

I had one idea that comes to mind right away.

But, it was in a place I couldn't go alone.

The party usually consisted of four people.

Let's assume Nike would help me.

Where do I find the other two?

It's complicated to ask Enio and Victoria for help because I'll owe them a favor later.

It was an afternoon filled with such thoughts.

Someone came looking for me around dusk.

A person with impressive, reddish hair that resembled a cloak, came to the club room.

They were just about as tall as my chest, and their face appeared to be in middle school age.

However, the most noticeable thing was their ears.

They were slightly pointed and sharp, peeking through the reddish hair.

A different race?

Was there someone like this in Ludens?

"Common student Victor, please present yourself before the great Arnoy...!"

It was a strange way of speaking.

In games, characters often had unique and colorful ways of speaking, but even I, who had played D&A extensively, found this speech unfamiliar…

This way of speaking...

I've heard it somewhere before.

“Who are you?”

"Ah-! Could it be that you've forgotten the great Delegate Arnoy...? I came all the way here upon Lady Enio's request, a truly humiliating matter...!"

Representative Arnoy?

Delegate Arnoy?

I knew the names of the six delegates who appeared in the game, but the name Arnoy was completely unfamiliar to me.

So, this person must be the seventh delegate who wasn't implemented.

"This is that person."

"What does that mean…? I don't know why, but it makes me feel uncomfortable..."

More than that, was the Korean translation patch done hastily, and the way of speaking is strange?

Or was this the original concept...

It felt like a stretch.

I felt a slight curiosity, and as I was lost in thought, the person who had entered the club room without permission started looking around and then spoke as they sat on a cushion.

"This club room feels like a warehouse! …It really suits ordinary, common, and humble people, don't you think?"

"Well, it used to be a warehouse, after all."

"Indeed... Is that so? In any case, I'm here to see the honey candies that Lady Enio was praising so much. They're right here in front of you!"

I felt like I could see why this Arnoy had come to the club room during the late evening.

It was Enio's recommendation.

To obtain a permit for carrying weapons, I needed the agreement of at least four delegates.

 That's why this Delegate Arnoy was sent to me.

Enio, you're doing things without me asking.

It's a bit annoying, but strictly speaking, it wasn't a bad thing for me.

"Arnoy, was it? I'm sorry, but I can't make honey candies right away. All the ingredients have been used up."

"That, that can't be... not being able to taste that magical thing melting in my mouth immediately... This is a tragedy, really."

A strange person.

She doesn't seem like a bad person, though.

"But if something similar can be made, it might take a little time, but I could have it ready by today or tomorrow."

"Oh...! Is that really possible...? In that case, may I bring these to Arnoy's luxurious and extravagant private dormitory...?"

After saying this, the person who introduced themselves as Delegate Arnoy disappeared somewhere.

As I watched the setting sun, the recent events felt almost like a lie, which amused me.

"What on earth..."

* * *

"Arnoy?"

Nike, who had returned to the club room for a moment after the day had ended, tilted her head.

"You know who that is. She's a very famous person, right? Because she's a Nymph. There aren't many Nymphs in Ludens."

"Nymph?"

"They've been around since the time when Ludens had gods. I guess Victor isn't really interested in that sort of thing. I am interested! Myths and legends!"

It was my first time hearing about this setting.

This was a setting I hadn't heard before. Maybe it was a new race added in a recent DLC.

Apart from that, I had no clue.

Nike shared an astonishing fact that the story wasn't finished yet.

"And that person, from the rumors, is said to be in the eighth year. Incredible!"

"Ludens only goes up to the third year, right?"

“That's right, so the fact that Arnoy is in her eighth year is really impressive!"

Indeed, it's impressive.

To attend school up to the eighth year without graduating from a school that only has three years.

Truly, what's going on?

Sending someone like that to me, what's the reason?

Did I do something to annoy Enio?

As I was contemplating these thoughts, Nike suddenly noticed the basket in the corner and exclaimed in surprise.

"What's this? Isn't this a queen bee?"

"You can recognize it?”

"I've seen them occasionally in the Leshgad Forest! But this stripe pattern is new."

“It’s a Bashkir Bee.”

“… Bashkir Bee!? I've heard that those are extremely aggressive! There was a beehive in the girls' dormitory, and everyone had a hard time because of it!"

Nike's reactions were quite different from the nonchalant Victor.

Her enthusiasm added flavor to the conversation.

Suddenly, I remembered something and decided to ask Nike a particular question.

"Nike, you mentioned that you're actually a dirt mage."

"Druid. Of course, this is a secret to others..."

Nike was looking around, as if to check if anyone was listening.

She seemed slightly embarrassed, so I reassured her.

"I'm not blaming you for that. I was just wondering if, being a druid, you might be able to tame this queen bee here."

I haven't seen a Druid heroine before, but in many games, druids could raise bears, wolves, and even birds and insects.

Maybe Nike could do the same?

"If it were my father, he could probably do it. Well, let's see, I guess I could give it a try... Yes, why not! I'm Nike Mokemoke from the Leshgad Forest!"

Nike appeared more confident than I had expected.

If she could successfully tame this Bashkir Queen Bee, it would be a great advantage.

We could regularly obtain high-quality Tier 1 honey.

There was nothing we could do if it didn’t work out.

"Alright, Victor. Are you planning to stay here tonight? Do you have enough bedding?"

"I received some extra supplies from the student council. Also, starting tomorrow, I'll be bringing in furniture and kitchen equipment."

"Hehe, that sounds exciting."

"I'm adding a new menu. So, Nike, do you have time tonight? We need to go to the dungeon."

We had to make the dessert requested by the 8th-year student Arnoy.

Even without that, I was already planning to create at least one dessert menu.

To obtain the ingredients, we needed to enter a dungeon that requires a party of four or more.

"A dungeon...? Isn't it dangerous?"

Nike had a worried expression.

I reassured her with a casual response.

"Even if it's a dungeon, it won't take us outside the academy grounds. It's not that dangerous, and it should be easier than when we caught the Spring Wildling last time."

"Um... I understand. It's just that I'm really busy tonight. To enter the dormitory, I need to learn various rules from the dorm supervisor…"

I had to find three more people to form a party for the dungeon.

While I pondered where to find suitable candidates, there were indeed a few individuals who came to mind from my long gaming time.

Arnoy

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