The responses of each organization to the Noueian raid varied greatly.
“Please make sure our people do not head that way. It would be troublesome if they got caught up in the incident and our evaluation points dropped.”
Camela’s Organization disciplined its members. The strength of Camela’s Organization came from the ‘Slave Contracts’ provided by Camela and the loyalty of masters who exploited the labor of slaves. There was no reason for those who actively engaged in the shady use of contracts for personal gain to assist in the public interest of subjugating the Noueians or rescuing kidnapped first-years.
“It’s not like I can’t use the contributions offered by the fools who mistakenly think they are gaining power for free… but there’s no reason to help, right?”
There was no reason to burn through the contributions accumulated so quickly. If anything, it would be better to stockpile them until the Second Year Opening Ceremony.
Then, she would conquer the school year with her absolutely loyal contract slaves. Pick the boys at her leisure and boss around the girls like a carpet. Dreaming of the day she could unleash her desires, Camela did not intervene in the current situation.
*
“We will immediately engage in the extermination of the Noueians.”
Ishtar judged it was a good opportunity for the Warrior’s Guard to gain practical experience.
“Isn’t it a bit too early?”
“We can’t put too much effort into training the Guard instead of a regular Warrior Party. This is enough time to teach the necessary techniques and combos they need to learn.”
Unlike the concerns of her childhood friend Yufi, the Warrior’s Guard was not disturbed by the encounter with the Noueians.
“They look quite human.”
“They seem fluffy and their fur looks soft.”
“Get a grip. Just because they’re cute doesn’t mean they’re kind, you’ve learned that much already.”
The Warrior’s Guard members actively agreed as they thought of Ishtar and Yufi.
– We don’t have time, but to quickly become stronger, we need to perform resistance training.
– Yufi’s divine healing spells are pretty effective, so let’s focus on raising our resistance first.
There was a very simple yet foolish method to raise resistance. The warrior strikes, and the saintess heals.
Not wanting to get hurt, they resisted, and their combat skills naturally improved.
It was definitely helpful. They felt themselves growing stronger as they actively applied the techniques taught in actual combat. However, after each eye contact led to slashing with swords and screaming on the floor, any faint respect for the warrior or longing and obsession for beautiful women faded away.
“You damn bitch! A face-value whore! So proud of yourself, you wicked lady!”
“Die, you monster! You filthy strong woman! Let’s see how long you can keep this arrogance up!”
“This payment is for everyone who has suffered at your hands!”
Ishtar felt uneasy. Though she was clearly shouting at the Noueians, why did it feel like it was directed at her?
“It’s probably because there’s a lack of respect.”
“I thought we worked hard.”
“Maybe the low training intensity is dulling our gratitude.”
“True. We can’t increase the training time, so we should increase the intensity from now on. We’ve done enough resistance training, so now we’ll train impact resistance with thorny maces.”
Unaware that their venting was leading to even greater misfortune, the Warrior’s Guard diligently exterminated the Noueians while also rescuing people. They effectively utilized the techniques they had just learned, their fighting spirit was high, and their formations were not bad either.
“This was a successful actual battle. From here on out, we just need to hit them twice as hard.”
Ishtar and Yufi returned satisfied with the Warrior’s Guard’s first real combat experience.
*
“Captain, while we wait for the Noueians to come back exhausted, how about we ambush and attack them? Isn’t that a brilliant idea?”
“Brilliant my ass. Do you think a private pirate would do something that would raise the ire of the authorities?”
“Ugh!”
A weak low-tier pirate, with a pirate flag stuffed in his backpack, fell to the ground after getting hit on the head by Jigoku’s leader.
He’d be bored and shoot a gun for fun, but the sheer violence of Jigoku was so strong that it was intimidating for those weaklings who had joined out of lack of better choices.
Jigoku did not blame them for being weak. After all, pirates were traditionally a profession for scrubs, beggars, and criminals. However, there was one line that could not be crossed.
“Listen up, you lot. Private pirates must not offend the powers that allow them to plunder. Outside, you need to be careful of the kingdom, but in here, it’s the Academy.”
“So you’re saying we shouldn’t mess with the first-years?”
“Time and place matter. If there are those who would attack returning first-years caught up in the incident, do you think we would just stand by?”
“Owow! As expected of Jigoku’s captain who has been through ten years of piracy without losing his head!”
“Our captain must have some secrets to his long-standing position!”
“It’s amazing that the captain hasn’t been on the guillotine for ten years!”
Those rascals are starting to catch on.
Jigoku wiped beneath his nose with his finger, feeling unreasonably proud.
“Alright then, we’ll plunder the pockets of returning first-years from the Student Council Building. Those selfish pricks who are only concerned with their club activities when their friends are attacked by Noueians deserve to get robbed by pirates!”
Armed with their novel yet practical logic, the pirates overwhelmed the club members on their way home.
“Please don’t steal my textbooks…”
“If I don’t have my handcrafted staff and carving knife, I’ll get expelled… Sob sob.”
“Please, just let me have this black bread. Without it, all I can eat is weeds… Uhuhuh.”
The pirates were taken aback. The first-years were already being exploited by the club seniors to such an extent that there was absolutely nothing left to steal.
In fact, they were even worse off than themselves who were going around stealing others’ belongings while not starving!
“Stop crying and come here. You can just be a pirate. What? You can’t come out unless you let two friends join the club room? Screw you, you crazy idiot!”
One of the poor club members, who resembled a multilevel marketing victim, told the weak pirate something heart-wrenching that made him recoil and throw the club member to the ground.
As if in response to this, several shadows loomed, announcing the arrival of unfamiliar figures.
“Who are you?”
“We’re the ones here to rescue the oppressed students.”
“S-Surely you’re not the club seniors?!”
“Wrong. We are the Western Noble Union made up of first-years.”
“Tch, we missed out on a steal because we got scared! This isn’t the playground of the young lords.”
While the weak pirate pointed and laughed openly, a jelly orb stuck to his head.
“Wub wub!?”
“Having it as a protective gear to prevent injuries while jumping off high places is versatile enough to be used while climbing cliffs without slipping, and if it hits the face, it can block attacks from monsters and seniors. Enjoy the taste of this miraculous magic [Jelly Ball] that’s too good for scum like you.”
Having learned how to ‘escape from water torture using the power of faith’, the members of Seoguyeon had experienced having their heads buried in a Jelly Ball that they only released the magic after the weak pirate had passed out but not died for a while.
“Ew, this guy is throwing up jelly!”
“What kind of cruel magic is this…!”
While the weak pirates were in disarray, Andersen, fluttering his cloak, reached out to the student who was curled up on the ground.
“Come over here! If you give me half of what you have, we’ll rescue you!”
The Western Noble Union, which had guessed the mindset of the Jigoku pirates and arrived at the perfect timing.
The operation was flawless, but they did not read the poverty of the club members.
“Those cruel bastards! They’re going to take half of our textbooks; are they trying to dominate our grades too! Even if they are bumbling beggars, this is an infringement of our right to learn!”
“How can they threaten someone to hand over a handcrafted staff or carving knife? They are worse than pirates!”
“Those vicious guys even want to split black bread in half! Those wicked ones will graduate and will just spout nonsense about how commoners should eat meat whenever grain drops!”
The Western Noble Union and Jigoku pirate’s meaningless fight unfolded, unaware that such poor students even existed.
The bedraggled students rose from the ground without brushing off the dirt on their knees, glaring at the members of the Western Noble Union with resentment.
“Those wicked noble brats! I’d rather become a pirate than be plundered by you!”
“We’ll find a way to escape from the club, so please take us in as pirates!”
Both Jigoku, who came to loot supplies, and Andersen, who came to raise his honor, faced equally unwanted outcomes.
*
As the meaningless battle between Jigoku and the Western Noble Union unfolded, a major summoning order was issued by the Organization that Plays with Oknodie.
Due to many members scattered for insect gathering and ingredient collection, the number of summoned members was less than one-tenth of the whole organization, but the faces there were not ordinary.
Hestia, Jiang, Sing, Irene, Ppyoi.
Those who were overflowing with confidence that they could easily overcome the final exam without needing to exchange questions and answers for points rushed out from the training room when called.
“Who is this?”
Hestia was puzzled to see Ppyoi, clad in Bikini Armor.
“She’s my friend! Right?”
“Right! Anyone who knows the benefits of Bikini Armor is a friend!”
It was just that one noisy person had joined them.
The upperclassmen turned their attention away.
Irene praised Oknodie.
“To be honest, it’s surprising. I thought you gathered people to play when bored, but you’ve started an organization with a convincing mission to rescue children in distress. I have to admit I’ve revised my evaluation of you.”
“Hmph. How could you think that of me, Irene?”
“Yep.”
“…I’m a good person, you know?”
“Everyone thinks they’re a good person.”
Irene stepped forward to help Oknodie, but unlike Hestia and the other students who pampered and coddled him, she had a cold edge to her demeanor.
Coming from the Northern Grand Duchess, where it’s winter all year round, or being a master of ice magic, or holding a grudge because her dodgeball was stolen during the grand athletic meet shouldn’t matter.
Probably.
“Jiang~!”
Upon arriving at the scene where the Noueians appeared, a girl with a delicate impression, reminiscent of a tragic female lead from a romance fantasy, cried as she clung to Jiang.
“…Who are you?”
“Wah! It’s me, Titosso!”
There was a great stir in Jiang’s expressionless demeanor.
“I’m surprised. I didn’t think the impression could change this much without the light stand.”
Titosso, who usually dragged around a heavy light stand and looked worn down and subdued, looked stunningly feminine!
In fact, the light stand could be a magical tool taught by her sister to prevent men from getting too close, prompting me to be utterly shocked.
With so much suppressive power, it could rival glasses that halve a person’s charm just by wearing them!
“Or is it because she looked like a madman carrying a light stand that her charm went unnoticed?”
Jiang was lost in thought about irrelevant worries while Oknodie asked a practical question.
“On the way here, I saw the Warrior’s Guard returning. What were they doing?”
“They weren’t looking for a light stand; they just yelled at you because you’re a big adult now and need to graduate from carrying a light stand…”
The warrior indeed acted like a warrior. As everyone pondered similarly, their resolve was rekindled.
“Then let’s go deeper into the Noueian habitat where the Warrior’s Guard hasn’t checked yet!”
The Organization that Plays with Oknodie charged forward towards the depth of the Noueian habitat.
