An Angel Lives in the Academy
Chapter 59: The Angel Who Creates a Club (12)

Episode 59

The "Club Fair," one of the Central Academy's grand festivals.

Not only in South Korea, but even people from other countries... would visit the academy to see this club fair, making it a massive event.

'The scale is unbelievable.'

Enormous buildings were being built on the empty lot north of the academy. These buildings were all being built just for this club fair,

Temporary structures that would be demolished after the event.

'And for a temporary building, it's so...'

After seeing the ridiculously large temporary buildings of the large clubs, then a glance at the smaller clubs preparing alongside them.

It was a sight that would bring tears to anyone’s eyes.

A building was considered lucky enough, otherwise it was just a tent.

Some large clubs, confident in their power and influence, even pulled outrageous stunts.

"Hey, martial arts senior! This is our territory."

A member of a large club approached a student from another club who was setting up their tent.

"What are you talking about? Can't you see the line drawn here?"

"...We’ve been assigned to use this area up to here."

"What?"

"Want to go ask the club fair headquarters? Heheh, they'll tell you exactly whose territory this is."

And a few magical studies students snickered.

"You’re crossing the line. The club fair headquarters is just filled with student council members who are in cahoots with you."

"So what, are you pissed?"

"Y-You little..."

As the martial arts student who was about to explode and charge them, another student grabbed him, holding him back.

"Hey, calm down. The club fair is always run like this every year."

"But how can they just take all the prime spots for themselves and then cut off all our funding, saying because our club's performance isn't good enough… Hey, you bastards! Come out here!"

"Oh my, such harsh language."

One of the magical studies students clapped, and then the student council members appeared and dragged the martial arts student away.

"Please abide by the academy rules."

"Let go of me! Let go!"

Leffrey, watching the whole scene, sighed deeply.

"Professor, is the club fair always like this every year?"

"Yes, those large clubs are backed by the Central Academy Board of Directors, so… even we professors can't easily intervene. And the student council is a self-governing organization of students, so the academy rules prohibit professors from interfering."

Hexi spoke as if it had nothing to do with her.

"Professor, knowing that, you tried to overturn the student council headquarters?"

"Hehehe, if Angel-nim wishes for it, I can do even more."

"It's not 'hehehe'! And stop using formal speech!"

Hexi continued,

"At this rate, the large clubs will monopolize all the profits from the club fair again. And the other smaller clubs will either be shut down or have to live a miserable life without even a club room."

A miserable life without even a club room. For now, the cathedral where Leffrey and Soya lived was also, nominally, a club room...

'We're doomed. We're going to be kicked out!'

Suddenly, a sense of justice welled up within Leffrey.

"We have to stop this. The tyranny of the large clubs… !"

Leffrey, clenching his fist, looked at the scene again.

Nearby, a girl whimpered, "No, why? Why are they being so harsh this time? At this rate, our historical and traditional Cookie Club will..."

Other clubs were also suffering. The president of the Tattoo Club, in despair after having their club items stolen, students being kicked out after rioting because of the large clubs' increased tyranny, and the girls from the Cookie Club, whimpering after having their magic sugar stolen.

'Yumari, you're quite something.'

Hexi admired Yumari's skills. Her plan of only targeting large clubs with weak backing and making them leave the student council's side.

The student council had no choice but to act even more ruthlessly to keep the remaining large clubs as allies, and the allied large clubs, due to the broken balance caused by the departure of other large clubs, had to follow that ruthlessness.

If another club were to take the vacant spot, they would be the next ones to be eliminated. The truce was already broken, since another club's warehouse had been raided.

And the result was this.

Intense suppression of smaller clubs.

No matter how the world turns, it's the truth that the weak are always the first to be plundered.

'Yumari must have aimed for this. The large clubs that left the student council wouldn't be able to participate in the club fair, and the small clubs would be completely crushed, unable to participate in the club fair… And if Leffrey requests it… even the clubs led by professors will withdraw from the club fair.'

Hexi chuckled slightly.

To leave only a few large clubs...

This would ultimately put the student council in a difficult position.

She had a hunch about what Yumari was aiming for.

'Of course, the professors wouldn't listen to a mere student… but strangely, our Leffrey is really popular with the professors. They'll probably listen to him.'

What surprised Hexi was that even Park Jin-ho, known as Iron Blood, the cruel Lusa, and the crazy Klein, all really liked Leffrey.

'How dare they covet my little angel...'

Hexi felt a little angry at those professors.

But that anger wasn't important right now.

'Anyway, if even the clubs supported by professors betray the club fair… only a few large clubs will be participating in this club fair. Only those few large clubs? Don't tell me Yumari is joining forces with them?'

Hexi, hiding her smile, said,

"So what's our next target?"

"Th-That is..."

Leffrey hesitated for a moment.

"The items exhibited by the Connoisseurs' Club this time..."

"Items?"

"We're going to… borrow them for a while."

Hehehe-

This time, Hexi didn't hide her laughter.

* * *

Connoisseurs' Club, the top club at the Central Superhuman Academy, and the club only those with appraisal skills could join, making it an exclusive club.

The Connoisseurs' Club was so famous that it was even common to see them on TV, appraising artifacts.

"I see. But why are only rich kids like Jack in the Connoisseurs' Club?"

"Boy, appraisal skills are something only rich kids can train in. Think about how other life skills level up."

Hongwol, naturally licking her hand, answered Leffrey's question.

"Ah."

Life skills leveled up when you 'continuously' repeated 'difficult' tasks related to that life skill. Then what were the difficult tasks for appraisal skills?

Naturally, appraising expensive items.

And if you had to do that continuously...

You would need to own those items.

And the kind of group that owns those items…

'Naturally, only rich kids like Jack.'

Leffrey agreed.

"So… You’ve decided to raid the Connoisseurs' Club?"

"Yes."

"Hehehe, boy. You've finally realized the joys of thievery!"

Rub rub-

At Hongwol's head rubs. Leffrey waved his hand

"N-No! This is just a one-time thing!"

"There's a saying that our Mooncat tribe loves. 'Once a needle thief, always a cattle thief.' So, we make our young ones practice stealing needles first!"

(TL Note: The original idiom was ‘A needle thief becomes a cow thief’ It’s an idiom that emphasizes the importance of being aware of the consequences of your actions.)

Doesn’t that saying have a different meaning, though?

Leffrey shook his head.

"Let's steal cattle together! Boy!"

"No!"

Rub rub rub-

Hongwol, after finally calming down, muttered in a slightly composed voice,

"Boy, in five minutes, go into that room and bring out a pink box. Then go to the Connoisseurs' Club museum with that pink box."

"Can't I just use my stealth ability?"

"No, you can’t. The Connoisseurs' Club museum is famous for being difficult to raid. Do you think it’s famous for no reason?"

"What’s the reason?"

"It's because of the dragon knights. Whether it's a skill powered by divine power, or power wielded by legendary heroes or angels, or even demons, they'll all be caught in front of those dragon knights."

Hongwol's expression turned serious.

She became serious when talking about stealing.

A true thieving cat.

"So, the only way to raid it is through physical skill and martial arts."

"...Thank you for your help, Wol."

Leffrey grabbed Hongwol's hand and thanked her, and Hongwol chuckled, going "Meow."

Then, blushing realizing she just went "Meow", she quickly shouted,

"Wh-Where is the cat? What was that sound? An-Anyway, Leffrey! Don't open the pink box! It'll open by itself, so don't ever open it!"

"Okay."

"Come in after five minutes! Don't come in before that!"

Then she slipped into the next room.

Leffrey, with an angel's honesty, counted for five minutes, then carefully opened the door to the room Hongwol had entered.

"Is it this box?"

Just as Hongwol said, there was a small pink box.

Leffrey hugged the box and headed for the Connoisseurs' Club museum.

The Connoisseurs' Club Museum, the best museum in the academy, exhibiting high-value items and artifacts discovered by the Connoisseurs' Club.

The Connoisseurs' Club easily won first place at the club fair every year by showcasing important artifacts and unreleased artifacts in their museum.

In fact, many people visited the club fair just to see the Connoisseurs' Club, and the relics and artworks they exhibited were all splendid and dazzling.

'But if we even raid the Connoisseurs' Club... then won’t this club fair will be completely ruined?'

The club fair being ruined.

What on earth was Mari aiming for?

Even the foolish Leffrey knew that Mari's goal wasn't simply to ruin the club fair.

'What is Mari planning?'

Leffrey couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, thinking about the girls from the Cookie Club who had been bullied by the student council and the large clubs.

Thus, Leffrey entered the Connoisseurs' Club Museum after paying the entrance fee.

'Wow, there are so many people.'

As always, the Connoisseurs' Club Museum was filled with visitors.

The cool air, even though summer was approaching, the wide marble floor, and the high, dark ceiling, seemingly endless, created a mysterious atmosphere.

And the expressionless dragon knights looking at him.

'Dragon Knights, the greatest treasure of the Connoisseurs' Club.'

They were known for having exceptional sensing abilities, like Yumari, able to perceive things through their dragon mana.

'Will I be able to raid this place?'

Leffrey felt a sudden wave of anxiety.

'Hongwol said to go to the deepest part of the museum.'

At that moment, he heard a commotion from his side. He looked over and saw the executives of the Enchantment Club, the Crafting Club, and the Barrier Club, who had been raided the previous night, pleading with the Connoisseurs' Club executives.

"No, if you just share some of the items with us… we'll just forget about what you did!"

"What are you talking about? In the first place, we didn't do it, so there's nothing to forget."

"Are you going to keep denying it?"

Voices were getting raised.

Countless visitors watched the scene.

A student from the Connoisseurs' Club muttered among themselves,

"Should we call the dragon knights?"

"Don't call them. If a video of us kicking them out with dragon knights gets out… Don't make this a bigger deal."

"Then what should we do?"

"Let's call them to the back office. And then secretly..."

Secretly… what were they going to do?

It was none of Leffrey's concern.

Leffrey's only concern was...

The pink box he held in his arms.

'What on earth is in this box? And what's written on it? German? Schrödinger?'

Leffrey, out of curiosity, shook the box a little.

He heard a small sound, like 'Mew!'

What on earth was in the box?

"No, it might break if I do that."

Leffrey hugged the box tightly and hurried towards the deeper parts of the museum.