Chapter 84: The Club Fair

Leon had tried more than once to find an opening during lunch, but with Elysia sitting beside Caelus and Aelirya joining them, he never quite managed to bring it up. Each time he considered speaking, the presence of the two girls seemed to make the words die before they reached his mouth.

Whatever he wanted to say, he clearly wasn’t comfortable saying it in front of them.

In the end, Leon used the afternoon club tour as an excuse.

He insisted that he wanted to look around on his own before deciding which club to join and left shortly after they finished eating. He had glanced toward Caelus one last time before leaving, looking as though he still wanted to say something, but he never did.

Caelus had noticed.

He simply hadn’t pressed him.

The afternoon classes had been cancelled.

Instead of returning to their usual lecture halls, the first-year students were directed toward the Academy’s central courtyard, where the various clubs had set up recruitment booths and demonstration areas.

Caelus learned why the moment he entered the courtyard.

The Academy had turned the entire place into a small marketplace.

Tables and banners filled the stone paths, each displaying the insignia of a different club. Students called out invitations from behind them, while others demonstrated their respective specialties to attract attention. A group from the Strategic Combat Society had erected a temporary sparring platform, while several students from Magical Theory were gathered around a floating formation that continuously shifted through different geometric patterns.

Further ahead, the Relic Research Club had arranged a collection of old artifacts beneath protective barriers, and the Fracture Exploration Society had covered an entire wall with maps marked by red and blue pins.

Caelus looked over the crowd.

It was louder than he preferred.

Mira stood beside him, while Elysia and Aelirya walked a short distance ahead.

"This is unnecessary," Caelus said.

Elysia glanced back.

"We’ve been here for less than a minute."

"I’ve already confirmed that."

She smiled.

The Academy expected first-year students to select at least one club before the end of the day. The official explanation was that extracurricular activities encouraged social development, practical experience, and cooperation between departments.

Caelus suspected the actual reason was that the faculty had decided students weren’t suffering enough during their regular schedules.

They reached the first row of booths.

A group from the Strategic Combat Society immediately recognized Elysia.

"Lady Elysia, would you like to see our combat simulations?"

Another student noticed Aelirya.

"Princess Aelirya, the Magical Studies Society is just ahead."

Several voices overlapped.

Caelus continued walking.

Elysia slowed beside him.

"You’re not interested in anything?"

"Not particularly."

"You should at least look."

"I know what every club offers."

She gave him an unimpressed look.

"Of course you do."

Caelus ignored the tone.

They passed the Relic Research booth, where a second-year student was explaining the properties of an ancient sword to a group of fascinated first-years.

Caelus glanced at the artifact.

It made him uninterested in joining the club.

They continued.

The Magical Studies Society had the largest crowd.

That was unsurprising.

The students were demonstrating spell structures, discussing affinity interactions, and comparing different casting methods. Several small magic circles floated over the tables, each designed to perform a simple function when fed with mana.

Aelirya stopped there.

Her eyes moved across the demonstrations with quiet interest.

"I may join this one," she said.

Elysia stood beside her.

"I was considering it as well."

Caelus looked toward the two of them.

The difference between the Academy’s human and elven spellcraft was already obvious from the displays.

Several of the human circles relied on broad, conventional structures.

The elves observing them were noticeably more precise.

That did not surprise him.

Elven magic had been refined for generations, and Aelirya had grown up surrounded by a magical culture far more disciplined than the one used by most human kingdoms.

Aelirya turned toward Elysia.

"What else are you considering?"

"The Gardening Club."

Aelirya blinked.

"Gardening?"

Elysia nodded.

"I enjoy growing flowers."

Caelus looked at her.

She had the resources of one of the Empire’s most powerful magical families, access to advanced spellcraft, and enough political importance to influence major decisions.

Apparently, she also liked planting flowers.

"I have my own garden at the Sylvaris Duchy," Elysia continued. "It’s small compared to the grounds, but I’ve spent quite a lot of time maintaining it."

Aelirya’s expression softened.

"I’d like to see it sometime."

Elysia smiled.

"I’d be happy to invite you."

Caelus watched them for a moment before turning away.

At least they had found something they actually cared about.

He looked toward another booth.

Archery.

"I may join Archery as well."

Elysia looked toward Aelirya.

"Do you use a bow?"

"When I was younger."

Aelirya’s answer was casual, but Caelus knew enough about her to understand that she wasn’t merely choosing something for the sake of filling a requirement.

Elven combat traditions placed considerable emphasis on ranged precision, and archery suited her far better than the average student could probably imagine.

The recruiter behind the booth immediately began explaining the club’s activities.

Aelirya listened politely.

Caelus didn’t.

He had already decided.

The thought was reaffirmed when he looked at the crowd around the next booth.

Political Society.

Students stood around discussing noble families, regional disputes, trade agreements, and current imperial affairs.

Caelus almost laughed.

He had written more political intrigue than most of them would encounter in their entire education, and none of it had been particularly enjoyable.

The Cultural Societies were even less appealing.

Then came Fracture Exploration.

That one at least had some practical value.

Caelus stopped briefly near their maps.

Several first-years were studying the marked regions while a second-year described supervised expeditions beyond the Academy.

He memorized the locations.

That was enough.

By the time they had completed the tour, Elysia had narrowed her choices down.

"Magical Studies and Gardening."

Aelirya had made hers as well.

"Archery and Magical Studies."

Caelus looked at both of them.

"Anything else?"

Elysia turned toward him.

"What about you?"

"No clubs."

She stared at him.

"You need to choose at least one."

"No."

"Caelus."

He looked at her.

"Why would I join something I don’t need?"

"Because participation is mandatory."

Caelus’s expression remained perfectly calm.

"I’m the Apex."

Elysia blinked.

"That doesn’t mean the rules stop applying to you."

"It should."

She folded her arms.

"It doesn’t."

Caelus looked toward the Academy building behind them.

There was something deeply irritating about being reminded that the Apex title apparently did not grant him complete control over his schedule.

He had spent an entire weekend nearly dismantling his own body in the Apex Training Hall. And now the Academy wanted him to spend an afternoon pretending to care about clubs.

Human civilization had invented many impressive things.

Mandatory extracurricular participation was not one of them.

Elysia watched him for a few seconds.

"You still have to choose."

"I’ll consider it."

"That’s different from what you said five seconds ago."

"I’ve considered it."

Elysia narrowed her eyes.

"And?"

"No clubs."

A sigh escaped her.

"You’re acting like a child."

Caelus frowned.

"I’m exercising my right to reject unnecessary activities."

"You’re refusing to join a club because you don’t like being told what to do."

"Those are completely different things."

"They really aren’t."

"They are."

Elysia stared at him.

Caelus stared back.

Neither seemed particularly interested in surrendering.

Aelirya lowered her gaze, clearly trying to conceal her amusement.

Mira was having even less success.

The corners of her mouth had already lifted, and she quickly turned her face away when Caelus glanced in her direction.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Mira replied.

Aelirya’s shoulders shifted with a quiet laugh.

Caelus’s frown deepened.

Elysia noticed and smiled.

"See?"

"See what?"

"You’re proving my point."

Caelus looked genuinely offended.

"I am not."

"You are."

"I’m the Apex."

Elysia shook her head.

"That excuse isn’t going to save you."

Caelus held her gaze for a moment before looking away.

The fact that Aelirya and Mira were enjoying the argument did nothing to improve his mood.

He turned toward the registration tables.

"Fine."

Elysia raised an eyebrow.

Caelus continued walking.

"I’ll think about it."

A small smile appeared on Elysia’s face.

"Progress."

Caelus frowned again but didn’t bother answering.

The afternoon was already beginning to feel unnecessarily long.

Behind him, Elysia followed, Aelirya walking beside her with the faint amusement still lingering in her expression. Mira trailed after Caelus as usual, looking considerably more entertained than she was willing to admit.

The Academy had given him an afternoon without classes.

Somehow, it had still managed to give him homework.