I Am a Villain, So What?-Chapter 154 - 152: The Gathering of Shadows

[Imperial Academy - First Floor Corridor]

My daring escape through the second-floor window was thwarted before my feet even left the sill.

A wall of pink mana and a barrage of alchemical sticky-webs had dragged me right back inside. Now, I was walking down the main corridor, firmly sandwiched between two of the most dangerous girls in the Academy.

Clara had my left arm held hostage, pressing herself against me with bubbly enthusiasm. Ariana had my right arm, her grip tight, her posture radiating absolute authority.

I let out a long, heavy sigh.

’I feel like instead of a ruthless villain, I’ve somehow become the protagonist of a trashy harem novel.’

"Let’s go check out the clubs! Clubs!" Clara cheered, pointing toward the crowded bulletin board in the main hall.

I ignored her, staring straight ahead. "...I’m good."

"Aw, clubs would be fun! We could make so many memories!" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"There’s no need for Lucien to look for a club," Ariana chimed in, her voice cool and definitive. She adjusted her glasses with her free hand. "Of course, he is going to join the Alchemy Club with me. So we can spend more time together. In private. Away from distractions."

She shot Clara a side-eye that could freeze a volcano.

"As if!" Clara retorted, sticking her tongue out. "Alchemy is dangerous and smelly! Lucien just fought a giant rotting tree; he doesn’t want to look at bubbling cauldrons! He needs a relaxing club. Like... the Dessert Tasting Club!"

"He needs an intellectual environment to foster his talents," Ariana snapped back. "Not a glorified kitty party."

"Kitty party?! Dessert tasting is a refined art!"

"It’s an excuse to eat sugar on the Academy’s budget."

"At least I won’t blow him up!"

"I have perfect safety standards, you pink menace!"

My newly upgraded [Sixth Sense (Lv. 3)] was practically screaming, but not from any physical danger. The sheer social pressure and the headache blooming behind my eyes were lethal enough.

"Girls," I said, stopping in the middle of the hallway. I gently but firmly extracted my arms from both of them. "Stop fighting. I am not joining the Alchemy Club, and I am not joining a Dessert Club."

Ariana blinked, looking slightly hurt. Clara pouted.

"I am thinking of starting a club of my own."

"Start a club?" Clara tilted her head.

"Would there be any benefits?" Ariana asked, her logical side immediately taking over.

I thought back to the blue window hovering in my mind.

[System Quest: The Gathering of Shadows]

[Objective: Create a Club.]

[Reward: Club Room (Hideout), Monthly Budget, and ???]

"You get activity funds," Clara nodded, suddenly looking like a seasoned accountant. She held up three fingers. "That’s true! The club activity funds during the break are at least 30 silver coins a month! We could visit other teahouses for tastings and claim it as ’research.’ Better than spending our own money, right?"

"...."

’Do it yourself, Lady Clara,’ was on the tip of my tongue, but I refrained. What did she think clubs were for? A slush fund for her sugar addiction?

Then Ariana chimed in, fully in favor of the idea.

"A private Club Room," Ariana mused, her eyes gleaming with a different kind of calculation. "A space that belongs entirely to you. Only authorized members can enter. We could install reinforced locks... soundproofing... a private sofa..."

She looked at me, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "Yes. Starting your own club is an excellent idea, Lucien. I fully support this."

"Are there any conditions for starting a club?" I asked. "We’d need an advisor, I assume."

"An advisor would be nice, but it’s fine without one," Clara explained, swaying side to side to entice me. "There are plenty of student-run clubs! We’d get a club room, operating funds, hang out with you during the break, and go to cafés for free tastings! Wouldn’t that be awesome? Hehe!"

My [Sixth Sense] whispered that while Clara looked cute, traps lurked behind her bubbly facade. Her Level 8 Psychology was at work, trying to manipulate the situation to her advantage.

"You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?" I narrowed my eyes.

Clara averted her gaze, mumbling, "So quick to notice."

"Cadet Clara. What is the catch?"

"...The minimum number for starting a club is three."

"...."

I looked at the two of them. "Well, that’s me, you, and Ariana. That’s three."

"I can’t," Ariana sighed, looking genuinely frustrated. "As the heir to House Solmere, I am contractually obligated by the Academy to serve as the President of the Alchemy Club. I can be an affiliate to your club, but I cannot be listed as a founding member to meet the quota."

So, it was just me and Clara. I needed one more person.

This... was tricky. If it were a matter of startup costs or bribing an official, that’d be easy. My wallet was heavy. But for the Academy’s official outcast, gathering willing ’friends’ was an unbearably cruel requirement.

Wait! No, there was someone! Someone I could at least talk to without them running away!

I turned around, and sure enough, I spotted a familiar head of moss-green hair near the lockers.

"Oliver!" I called out.

Oliver flinched out of habit, but upon seeing me, he smiled and trotted over.

"Cadet Lucien! Are you looking at the club boards too?"

"Yes. Oliver, which club are you joining?"

"Hehe, I’m joining the Animal Lovers Club!" Oliver beamed, his eyes sparkling with genuine joy. "My older sister runs it! We visit zoos and magical sanctuaries worldwide during the break and observe wild animals! We even get to brush the Gryphons! It’s the best!"

Oliver looked so completely, innocently happy.

...No good.

I looked at the absolute warzone of possessive energy radiating from Ariana and Clara behind me. I couldn’t bring myself to invite this pure-hearted kid into a club filled with my selfish System motives and these two terrifying women. He would be eaten alive.

"Have fun brushing the Gryphons, Oliver," I sighed, waving him off.

Noticing my despair, Clara hurriedly backtracked.

"W-Well...! It’s fine, Lucien! We can just submit the application first! Yeah! We can list the club as ’Pending Members.’ Someone might see the poster and join!"

"Hm..."

It wasn’t a bad idea. With my infamy, maybe some other weirdo or outcast would apply just for the free 30 silver coins.

"Then let’s just write up the application and go."

"Yes! Yes! Let’s do it!" Clara cheered, dragging me toward the administration office.