After agonizing over it for quite a while, I tapped Elysia’s sleeve with my forepaw.
“Haku?”
Elysia looked down at me.
I looked toward the sounds of club promotions coming from the hallway, then back at Elysia.
Then I pointed toward the bulletin board with my forepaw.
Elysia watched my actions for a moment, then blinked as if she had realized what I meant.
“A club?”
I nodded.
“You want to try one out?”
‘Yeah, let’s try one.’
However, I immediately raised my forepaw and waved it once more.
It did not mean I wanted to join.
It really didn’t.
It was just a trial.
A look around.
A taste.
Not a decision.
Seeing my desperate gestures, Elysia laughed softly.
“Okay. I get it. You mean we should only try it out, not join, right?”
I nodded vigorously.
As expected, Elysia understood me well.
Elysia fell into thought for a moment.
“I was a little curious too.
The Crown exam is over, and the professor also said we should try out clubs if we can.”
Good.
In that case, it was natural.
I wagged my tail slightly.
But at that moment, the student sitting beside us must have overheard our conversation, because their eyes sparkled as they cut in.
“Lady Valerion, are you going to try out clubs?”
That one sentence spread strangely through the classroom.
“Lady Valerion is going to try out clubs.”
“With Haku too?”
“Haku is trying out clubs?”
“Which club?”
In an instant, several students’ gazes gathered on us.
I flattened my ears.
‘Oops.’
We should have spoken quietly.
But it was already too late.
One student shot their hand up.
“I recommend the Swordsmanship Research Society! Lady Valerion, it would suit you perfectly!”
Another student immediately objected.
“No, the Aura Breathing Research Society would be good too. After the Double Crown, aura stability is important if she wants to grow even further.”
“Since Haku is here, the Familiar Behavior Society could also…”
I glared at that student.
The student flinched and changed their words.
“…I mean, just for a trial?”
No.
At the very least, I did not want to go there first.
Just then, a calm voice came from the hallway.
“I think it would be wise to include the Spirit Exchange Society among the candidates as well.”
It was Iris.
Before I knew it, she was standing by the classroom door.
Silver-blue hair and blue-green eyes.
Today too, she had appeared far too naturally.
For a moment, I muttered inwardly.
‘Why do you always show up exactly when you’re needed?’
Receiving my gaze, Iris said calmly,
“It is a coincidence.”
A lie.
There was no way it was a coincidence.
‘And how are you understanding what I’m saying?’
Elysia smiled, looking a little troubled.
“Lady Iris, are you thinking of trying out clubs too?”
“Yes. I plan to look at the Spirit Exchange Society and the Ancient Texts Research Society.”
They suited her too well.
And they were far too dangerous.
If we went to the Spirit Exchange Society, spirits like Lulu were likely to say strange things again.
The Ancient Texts Research Society sounded ominous from the name alone.
It smelled like some clue about my identity or Wolyeong might pop out one day.
I shook my head slightly.
Seeing that reaction, Iris said in an extremely faint voice,
“I do not mean we should join. Only try it out.”
It felt like she was throwing my own words back at me.
A little annoying.
After lunchtime that day, talk of the club trials spread faster than expected.
To be precise, it changed into something like, “Elysia von Valerion, who received the Double Crown, is going to try out clubs together with Haku.”
I was eating a piece of bread in a corner of the student dining hall when I heard that rumor and sighed.
Elysia stroked my back as if apologizing.
“I’m sorry, Haku. This got a little bigger than expected.”
A little?
It had grown quite big.
A senior from the Swordsmanship Research Society was already glancing our way and talking about a promotional sparring demonstration,
while the students from the Tea and Confectionery Research Society seemed to be organizing a list of safe snacks they could feed me.
From the Accessory Crafting Society, I heard a quiet mention of “Haku ribbons.”
I turned to look in that direction.
The students hurriedly avoided my gaze.
No.
No ribbons.
Absolutely not.
After school, Elysia decided to check the club promotion bulletin board first.
On one side of the academy’s central plaza, bulletin boards with introductions for each club stretched in a long line.
Students were gathered in twos and threes, discussing which clubs they should try out.
From Elysia’s arms, I looked over the bulletin boards one by one.
Swordsmanship Research Society
Basic swordsmanship, sparring, aura breathing assistance, preparation for interdepartmental friendly matches.
Aura Breathing Research Society
Stabilizing aura flow, posture correction, breathing technique research, individualized training assistance.
Spirit Exchange Society
Management of the spirit greenhouse, interaction with low-ranking spirits, recording spirit reactions.
Familiar Behavior Society
Research on registered familiars’ behavior patterns, sensitivity, eating habits, and lifestyle habits.
I immediately turned my gaze away from that one.
I’m not looking.
I didn’t see it.
Tea and Confectionery Research Society
Research on regional teas and snacks, planned operation of a café booth at the Seonghwi Festival.
This was a little tempting.
But I wasn’t sure how much of it a fox could eat.
Accessory Crafting Society
Production of badges, ribbons, decorative cords, and magic accessories. Planned cooperation on Seonghwi Festival souvenirs.
I folded my ears again.
Seonghwi Festival souvenirs.
There was far too high a possibility that this would connect to the Haku Badge Contest.
Dangerous.
Extremely dangerous.
Elysia held back laughter as she looked at my expression.
“Haku, it shows too much on your face.”
‘You can see that on a fox’s face?’
I was shocked.
At that moment, a familiar voice came from behind us.
“I heard you were going to try out clubs.”
It was Cecilia.
Like the president of the Seonghwi Council she was, she had somehow appeared again today.
For a moment, my body stiffened.
If this person had appeared, it meant something was about to be organized administratively.
Cecilia looked at Elysia and me and spoke gently.
“It is still the trial period, not the application period.
You may look around at several clubs.
However, when Haku accompanies you, the club must follow the rules regarding contact.”
As expected.
There were already rules attached to Haku’s accompaniment.
But this time, it was actually a relief.
Cecilia continued,
“In particular, the Familiar Behavior Society, the Spirit Exchange Society, and the Accessory Crafting Society may not demand any separate contact with or measurement of Haku.
The trial is, strictly speaking, Elysia’s trial, and Haku is treated as an accompanying familiar.”
I looked up at Cecilia.
Today, she seemed a little cool.
If only she hadn’t held the mascot contest, she really would have been a trustworthy student council president.
Perhaps sensing my gaze, Cecilia smiled faintly.
“Do not worry. This time, we will not put Haku on display.”
This time?
I narrowed my eyes.
Did that mean they might do it next time?
Cecilia said nothing more and turned her head.
“As for the recommended order of trials, the Swordsmanship Research Society or the Aura Breathing Research Society would be the safest.
They also align with Elysia’s direction of growth.”
Elysia nodded.
“I think those would be best to try first too.”
Beside her, Iris spoke quietly.
“If you try the Spirit Exchange Society after that, it will be easier to compare.”
You really don’t give up, do you?
I looked at her and folded my ears.
Iris added calmly,
“It is not to join. Only to try it out.”
I could no longer trust those words.
That evening, the topic of clubs also came up at the Valerion ducal mansion.
At dinner, when Elysia carefully said she was thinking of trying out clubs, her family’s reactions varied.
Leopold thought for a moment, then nodded.
“The Swordsmanship Research Society or the Aura Breathing Research Society would be helpful.
However, this is right after you received the Double Crown.
You may attract excessive attention, so do not lose your center.”
Isolde said gently,
“You need not think only of improving your skills.
Learning how to get along with others is also part of academy life.”
Lucius smiled with interest.
“A club is also a small social arena.
It would be wise to observe who approaches you, and with what purpose.”
Those words were realistic.
As expected of an heir.
Camilla’s eyes sparkled.
“Sister, you should try the Tea and Confectionery Research Society too! There might be snacks Haku would like.”
I looked at Camilla at once.
A good opinion.
A very good opinion.
Camilla, you sometimes strike right at the heart of things.
But the words that followed were a little dangerous.
“And if the Accessory Crafting Society made Haku-shaped ribbons, they would be so cute!”
I shook my head sharply.
‘No.’
That was not it.
Seeing my reaction, Elysia burst into laughter.
“Haku says he hates that.”
Camilla puffed out her cheeks in disappointment.
“But they’d be cute…”
Even if they were cute, no.
Mina smiled quietly and said,
“Since club trials may be tiring, I think it would be best to make sure Lord Haku has time to rest.”
As expected of Mina.
She was the person in this house who worried most realistically about my fatigue.
That night, Elysia organized the list of clubs to try out in her room.
On the desk lay a sheet of paper with the candidates written on it.
First, the Swordsmanship Research Society.
Second, the Aura Breathing Research Society.
Third, the Spirit Exchange Society.
Fourth, the Tea and Confectionery Research Society.
The Familiar Behavior Society and Accessory Crafting Society were put on hold for the time being.
Seeing that, I nodded in satisfaction.
Good.
The dangerous places had been pushed back.
Elysia smiled as she looked at me.
“We’re really only going to try them out. I won’t decide where to join yet.”
I nodded vigorously.
Important.
It was not decided.
Absolutely not.
We were just looking around.
A light trial to understand academy life.
…Of course, the moment I got involved, there was a high chance it wouldn’t end as a light trial.
I quietly curled my tail around myself.
Still, it was fine.
It might help Elysia, and I would also be able to learn a little more about what kind of place this academy was.
However, one thing was certain.
‘Let’s go to the Familiar Behavior Society as late as possible.’
I resolved that in my heart.
And starting the next day, Elysia’s and my club trials were set to begin.