I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy - Chapter 44

Baek Yu-Seol tried to remain as composed as possible.

“Are you saying that you can create a special outing club?"

"Yes, I am. I can make it happen," Ma Yu-Seong replied with an air of confidence.

Baek Yu-Seol studied him for a moment before shaking his head.

Ma Yu-Seong had a wide network of connections, including powerful factions within Stella that supported him.

‘Well, with his connections, it should work out just fine.’

Although the idea of having those connections was somewhat daunting, Baek Yu-Seol realized they would be useful in situations like that. 

He slowly thought about the advantages that would come his way if Ma Yu-Seong started the club.

The club would allow free external activities, guaranteed four major insurance, and offer the opportunity to enjoy cheese-fried pork cutlets. 

He wouldn't have to worry about any unnecessary restrictions either. Also, keeping Ma Yu-Seong close and observing him wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

However, there were also some concerns that crossed his mind. 

He and Ma Yu-Seong had barely interacted until now.

Even though he had shown flashes of brilliance and demonstrated his gaming knowledge, it seemed suspicious that Ma Yu-Seong would so readily offer to create a club for him.

There had to be an ulterior motive. Ma Yu-Seong’s closeness to darkness was no secret, and Baek Yu-Seol knew he had to tread carefully.

"Everything sounds good, but what do you gain from creating this club for me?"

"I do gain something. You're special."

“What the hell are you talking about?"

Their eyes locked. In Ma Yu-Seong’s already dark gaze, a thick black mist seemed to swirl.

"You… No."

Baek Yu-Seol was about to question him further but suddenly stopped himself.

One of Ma Yu-Seong’s fundamental problems was that he suffered from extreme loneliness.

As he thought about that, he couldn't help but nod his head. 

"Okay, let’s start a club."

When Baek Yu-Seol finally replied positively, Ma Yu-Seong’s expression brightened.

"So we'll be doing club activities together, right?"

"Yeah, but you have to let her join too." Baek Yu-Seol pointed at Eisel whose eyes immediately widened.

"M-Me?"

"Well, you're already a homeless person with nowhere to go, aren't you?"

"Well, that's true, but..."

Ma Yu-Seong was in a precarious state. Like a fragile child, a single misstep could push him into madness, evil, or even death.

If it were a trait, it would probably be called fragile mentality. 

Ma Yu-Seong definitely needed someone to take care of him.

Flame was out of the question. She was always busy playing around with Hae Won-Ryang. That left Eisel, the protagonist of the original romance novel. Only she could take care of him.

In the original story, Ma Yu-Seong and Eisel shared a passionate romance. If they were to spend time together in a small setting like a club, wouldn’t it increase the chances of their romance blossoming?

"I wouldn’t mind if a beauty like young lady Eisel joined."

"Don't call me young lady. It bothers me."

‘… It still seems like a long and difficult road ahead, but it’ll be okay.’

***

Ma Yu-Seong left the role of club president to Baek Yu-Seol, who begrudgingly took charge of writing the application.

During break time in Class S, he showed the application to Eisel and Ma Yu-Seong, who were seated in front of him.

[Club Application]

[Club Name: Social Club]

[President: Baek Yu-Seol]

[Members: Ma Yu-Seong, Eisel]

[Purpose: Social Gathering]

Thunk!

Eisel slammed her desk.

"Is this what you call a club application?"

"Why are you getting angry?"

"Who writes ‘social gathering’ as a club’s purpose? You didn't even put any effort into the club name either. This won't get approved at all, and even if it does, we won't be able to go out."

With a sigh, she grabbed an eraser and began scrubbing out the form.

"Your goal is to create a club for outdoor activities, right? According to the rules, students can’t establish clubs solely for special outings like hunting. You have to join a club designated by the academy."

"Oh, I didn't know that," he replied.

"But," she continued, "there’s a loophole. With a supervising professor’s approval, engaging in special outing activities besides hunting isn’t a problem."

"I see," he said, realizing that he knew very little about club regulations.

In the past, when he played the game, he could come up with just any name for a club without much thought. 

The name of his previous club was Kickass Yu-Seol. However, in reality, there were many things to consider, which gave him quite a headache.

"Most private clubs disguise their real purpose," Eisel explained. "They use activities like external volunteer work or medical support to gain official recognition and funding, which then allows for special outings."

But she added a cautionary note: "If you’re caught hunting during those outings, you’ll need a good excuse to justify it."

‘Volunteering? I'd rather not.’

"So think of a purpose for going out that is acceptable to the professor and won't be too much trouble for you. Moreover, it should also provide a plausible reason for activity funds."

“Hmm…”

A thought struck him, one he’d harbored ever since arriving in Aether World.

“What about a gourmet club?"

Indeed. A gourmet club that explored restaurants. 

"Excuse me?"

“A club that literally goes around to experience delicious food.”

She was about to say it was absurd but paused for a moment.

There were countless renowned restaurants in this world. While Earth had its share of culinary gems, Aether World, with its abundance of talent, boasted an even higher proportion of exquisite dining establishments.

In fact, in the story, the number of ghosts who died from hunger was the highest, emphasizing the world’s obsession with food.

It had been ages since he’d indulged in good food, and he suspected Eisel felt the same way.

While Stella's meals were quite good, in the end, they were just school meals. Eisel sometimes even had to make do with bread instead of a proper meal because she had no money.

“A gourmet club, huh? There are many similar clubs. What's important is whether we can get special outing permission by doing this activity."

Even with permission, nothing mattered unless they were officially allowed to hunt, which was the real objective.

Baek Yu-Seol glanced at Ma Yu-Seong, who sat beside him, flashing a knowing smile that revealed his pearly white teeth.

"It’s possible."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's a gourmet club. It'll be much more fun than it sounds. Anyway, it gives us a purpose to do the activity together."

"Well, I guess so..."

Eisel still seemed doubtful, unsure if the idea was truly worth the excitement.

Ma Yu-Seong readily agreed. "If we do that, we can secure plenty of activity funding. Let’s start a gourmet club."

With that decision made, two issues remained.

"To receive the special activity stamp, we need at least one professor and a minimum of four members."

Eisel and Baek Yu-Seol looked at each other and then avoided eye contact. 

They both had no friends.

Once again, it was Ma Yu-Seong who came to their rescue.

"I'll take care of this part."

"Wow… Impressive."

‘Finding another member should be no problem for someone as sociable as Ma Yu-Seong.’

"But… I don't think I can get a professor to sponsor us."

"Why not? You can even get permission for special outings."

"It's just… All the professors are jerks."

"Oh, really?"

Ma Yu-Seong smirked, and for some reason, it sent shivers down Baek Yu-Seol’s spine. He quickly nodded in agreement.

Once they finished discussing the club formation, Eisel stood up and said, "I'm going to head out first. My next class is at the 17th Star Tower."

Baek Yu-Seol turned toward the window, gazing absentmindedly at the vast academy grounds. Stella Academy, with its sprawling castle and interconnected towers, was so massive that traversing it felt like a journey in itself.

The 17th Star Tower, located far beyond the Third Main Tower where Class S resided, was barely visible in the distance. Even from this vantage point, one had to crane their neck and squint just to catch a glimpse of it.

To reach it, several warp holes and bridges had to be crossed. Perhaps the lecture schedule had been poorly planned, forcing students to endure these treks between classes.

"Oh... It would be nice to exercise. Cheer up.”

"...I know I made a stupid mistake, okay? Don’t mock me."

After saying that, Eisel left the classroom, followed shortly by Ma Yu-Seong.

"I’ll go get the application stamped."

Watching Ma Yu-Seong's retreating figure, a sudden question occurred to him.

‘But not anyone can get the special stamp so easily?’

However, he didn't dwell on it too deeply.

‘It'll probably be one of them anyway…’

***

Ma Yu-Seong made his way to the 79th floor of the First Main Tower, clutching the club application form.

The moment Archie Hayden, the vice-principal, Class 8 mage, and advisor of Stella Academy, heard of Ma Yu-Seong’s arrival, he rushed out to greet him.

"Oh, please come in, Young Master."

"It's been a while, grandpa."

"Hehehe. I'm pleased to see that you've grown up so nicely. How's life at Stella?"

"There are many interesting friends here, so it's enjoyable."

As Ma Yu-Seong grinned, Archie Hayden furrowed his brow slightly.

'What’s this psycho kid thinking now...?’

He forced a smile and asked, "So, what brings you here?"

"It's a club application form. I need you to stamp it."

"What's this...?" Archie Hayden pushed up his glasses and scrutinized the club application form with a skeptical look. 

Ma Yu-Seong applying to create a club? If word of this got out, it would surely shock many.

“Hmm, I see. A club application form. First, let’s check if it meets the establishment requirements…”

No matter what, the minimum requirements for founding members must be met. Archie Hayden reached out his hand towards the application form, intending to review its contents, but Ma Yu-Seong covered it with his palm.

As he slowly looked up, he noticed a shadow lurking behind Ma Yu-Seong's smile. 

"There's no need to read the contents, right? Just stamp it."

An inexplicable sense of dread settled over Archie Hayden. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he hesitated, but in the end, he withdrew his hand.

He couldn’t resist any further. As long as the boy in front of him was the successor of that man… 

With trembling fingers, he opened a drawer beneath his desk and took out the stamp.

"... Yes, of course."

As the stamp sealed the application, Ma Yu-Seong snatched it back with a grin.

"I know. Thanks. I'll be on my way now." Leaving behind those words, Ma Yu-Seong quickly left the office.

Thud!

After seeing the door close, Archie Hayden, who had been standing frozen for a while, finally plopped down on his chair and let out a sigh.

“Arrogant for a mere half-blood...”

‘To think he’s the son of that man, I don’t understand how they can be so similar.’

‘But that too will soon come to an end.’

The moment his chance arrived, he would crush that arrogant boy’s neck in an instant.