Chapter 16: The Weapon Replicator of the Academy

Chapter 4: Clubs

Currently, club recruitment is in full swing at Constel.

Recruitment started when the first-year students arrived, but now it's reaching its final stages.

With only a week left until the deadline, both upperclassmen and freshmen are brimming with interest in the clubs.

This is true even for Class 2, which is the most prominent in Constel.

"Elodie, have you decided on a club?"

"…Ah, yeah?"

When Aster asked Elodie, she pretended not to hear and responded hesitantly.

Aster repeated himself earnestly.

"I mean, the club. The deadline is coming up soon."

"Not really, I don't have any particular interest."

"Hmm, I see."

Aster didn't press further. It was his nature to be honest and not to doubt, even if it didn't work out well this time.

Elodie, fidgeting, asked,

"What about you?"

"I'm joining the equestrian club. I haven't learned combat riding yet, but they say Constel has the excellent breed, 'Cassian.'"

The most common means of transportation on the Palind continent is the car.

However, in this world where mana and fantasy intersect, a fine horse surpasses them.

These horses can outpace a regular sedan, make judgments on their own, and even guide their unconscious owners to safety.

Cassian is an excellent breed that meets all the criteria for a fine horse, one of Constel's prides in the central continent.

"Hmm, I see."

Elodie said indifferently. She wasn't actually interested in equestrian activities.

Her lack of interest in equestrian activities had ruined her plan to join the same club as Aster.

Aster tilted his head.

"You'd be welcome anywhere."

"…Haha, of course."

Elodie replied coolly. It was true.

From the first day of club recruitment, numerous invitations had come her way. Even today, she occasionally receives club pamphlets.

…But going alone would be lonely.

"Well, if you're not interested in clubs, there's nothing to be done."

Aster said and left.

Elodie clenched her hands under her desk.

I do have an interest!

I do have an interest!!

Hey, are you listening?!

"…Sigh."

A heavy sigh escaped Elodie's lips.

Elodie gets along well with everyone and has a harmonious relationship with her peers. However, it's hard to notice, but she actually has few friends.

The only people she can really talk to are Aster Evans and Frontier.

Elodie doesn't have a problem making friends. In fact, her outstanding abilities make it difficult for her to make friends.

With the overwhelming divine power bestowed by the five gods and her noble lineage from the Risha family in the north, she is impeccable in appearance and conduct, excels academically, and has no common flaws.

Therefore, many people show her goodwill, but most of it is admiration or envy.

A flower on a cliff. No one in Constel fits this description better.

"…I'm no different."

No matter how talented and skilled she is, she is only 17 years old.

She thinks like others, enjoys like others, and dreams like others.

But only Elodie thinks this way.

"I'm not… lonely!"

Elodie, realizing she was complaining, quickly corrected herself.

I do have friends! Just not many!

"…Let's go home."

She wondered what she was doing.

Joining a club at Constel is optional. You don't have to join. You can be a "homeward-bound club" member.

Ortel, Elodie's father, would be pleased. He dotes on his daughter.

…But Elodie didn't want to be a homeward-bound club member voluntarily.

Elodie trudged toward the school gate.

When it's time to go home, the family chauffeur always waits with the car.

Telling the chauffeur that her after-school schedule has changed is Elodie's small wish.

She even practiced maintaining a serious expression to hide her joy and avoid showing her face to the chauffeur.

"…"

As she walked, she glanced at the training room without much thought.

…According to recent rumors, he has been visiting the training room daily.

Another rumor says he entered a dungeon and rescued a female student from his party.

Rumors also say he has changed a bit, almost like a different person.

"Hmm, well, let's see."

Should I go and take a look, or rather, verify the rumors?

Elodie took out her phone.

The reason was different from what she initially thought, but it was to inform the chauffeur that her after-school schedule had changed.

* * *

[In Use]

Number of Users: 1

User: Frontier de Roach

"Really."

Elodie was a bit impressed.

Frontier in the training room.

He's doing voluntary training without anyone telling him to!

"When I said that, you didn't even listen."

Elodie leaned in, peering around.

Each private room has a mirror, and this mirror is one-way glass from the inside.

It blocks the view of the training from outside but allows the person inside to see who's coming.

So, if he sees someone in the mirror, he should open the door and come out… right?

"Or how long can he stay so focused that he doesn't even think about coming out?"

Is he ignoring me?

Did he see me and just ignore me?

Are you ignoring me because I have no friends?

"Let's see how long you can keep that up."

Elodie moved from the mirror to the door.

There's a buzzer button on the private room door. It's for people with business to alert those inside.

Elodie pressed the button with all her might—

Whoosh.

—before the door opened.

"Huh."

Elodie let out a surprised, dazed voice.

In front of her stood Frontier. His clothes were soaked from his shoulders to his chest, and his upper body rose and fell gently from his chest to his shoulders.

His face was drenched in sweat, and his wet eyelashes slowly covered and then revealed his eyes.

His languid expression was even more languid, and his sunken eyes were even more sunken.

Elodie blinked a few times. She wondered if she had entered the wrong room. She was sure it was Frontier, but she still had that thought.

Elodie took a deep breath. She had to say something. She couldn't just stand there staring. She had to say something, anything—

"…Sweat smell!"

Elodie shouted.

Definitely, the best quick thinking she's had this year.

Frontier laughed, finding it absurd.

"What do you expect in a place like this? At least give me time to wash up."

"…That's true."

"So, what's up?"

Frontier wiped his face with a towel. He seemed more like his usual self now.

Elodie felt a bit better. She wasn't sure why.

"I heard you come here often."

"Yeah, I'm practicing."

Saying that, Frontier moved to put the towel in his locker. As he moved away, Elodie's neck relaxed a bit.

…Oh, I was looking up at him.

Of course, he's taller.

Of course, but somehow.

"Did you come to check if I'm still training? Still worried?"

"Worried about what."

Elodie denied it. But she couldn't find a better way to express it.

In fact, Elodie had been worried about Frontier for a very long time.

Elodie and Frontier, who had known each other since they were young.

Elodie had been concerned about Frontier's growing laziness and had given him many pieces of advice, but all of it had been in vain.

But the current Frontier is different.

Elodie wondered what had changed him, what had made him change.

What was the turning point.

She wanted to know, but it felt like jealousy, so she didn't ask.

Suddenly, Elodie asked,

"By the way, did you join a club?"

"No. Not interested. No time."

"Then you're a homeward-bound club member?"

"Yeah."

Frontier answered and took a drink of water. The towel, the water, and the locker. It was clear he came to the training room often.

Though his answers were short, Elodie felt reassured. It felt like she had a comrade.

This time, Frontier asked,

"What about you?"

"Me? Oh, me?"

Elodie was a bit flustered by Frontier's question but gave her usual answer.

"I don't have any particular interest."

At that, Frontier stopped drinking. He put down the water bottle and said,

"You're lying."

"…What?"

"You want to join a club."

Frontier said it as if stating a fact.

So matter-of-factly.

Elodie was even more taken aback and blinked.

"Hey, what do you know?"

"I know. You're like me."

Elodie frowned.

What is this crazy guy saying?

But the next words from Frontier made her freeze.

"You seem alone."

"…!"

"You seem isolated, like you're trapped in a remote place and can't escape."

Frontier spoke calmly.

His calmness made Elodie feel increasingly cold.

"You think you can't truly be understood, even when you talk and laugh with others."

"…You,"

Elodie tried to say something but couldn't. The current Frontier seemed more different than the rumors suggested.

Frontier said Elodie was like him. So, the story he was telling was about Elodie, but ultimately, it was about himself.

"…I thought you didn't care about such things."

The sloth Frontier.

Everyone knew this nickname, and he must have heard it the most.

Yet