Chapter 24

The Next Day.

Regardless of grade, the entire academy was buzzing with a single topic.

——— The ‘Cold-Hearted Lady’ joins the least popular Martial Arts Club in the academy.

Incidentally, the ‘Cold-Hearted Lady’ was Hera’s nickname. She was always aloof, and during exams, her stoic, expressionless demeanor had overwhelmed the examiners, naturally earning her this title.

The news of such a figure joining the most underperforming club in the academy spread like wildfire overnight, and Hera’s classroom was now packed with students. It escalated to the point where several teachers had to intervene to restore order.

That chaotic day, after school…

I found myself frozen at the classroom door like a statue.

The reason was simple.

“Uh, since we’re in the same club… shall we go together?”

The miracle event was that the central figure of all the rumors, Hera, had just invited me to go to club activities with her.

Hera, clearly embarrassed by the fact that she was inviting a friend for the first time, had broken her usual expressionless face, and the sight dealt another heavy blow to my heart, which only made more people gather.

“W-wait… me?”

“? There’s no one else in our club besides you, right, Shin?”

“Sh—shh!?”

I hurriedly looked around in shock at Hera’s bombshell statement, but it seemed that Arthur had used wind magic to muffle her voice, so the other students hadn’t heard it.

“Uh, Lady Hera…”

“Hera is fine. I’m pretty sure I told you to call me that since yesterday… won’t you?”

Hera furrowed her eyebrows slightly in a sad expression, looking dejected.

“……Hera.”

“Yes?”

In an instant, her previously sad face brightened, and she responded with a smile that was visibly filled with joy.

Ugh… too cute…! What is this creature, the very embodiment of ‘adorable’!?

While I was holding my chest from the overwhelming cuteness of my crush, I noticed the crowd around us buzzing. Wondering what was going on, I followed their gaze… and saw Hera smiling.

Normally, Hera is expressionless toward everyone, at all times.

And now, she was smiling. In front of a guy, no less.

——— This is really bad.

I reached that conclusion in just a few moments———

“———Let’s head to the clubroom right now.”

“Hehe, Shin, you can be quite decisive when it matters, huh?”

Without wasting any time, I quickly accepted Hera’s invitation and led her through the massive crowd of students while guarding her cheerful smile. We headed straight for the clubroom.

Along the way, I caught a whiff of her lovely scent, and nearly fainted. But that’s a secret only I will keep.

“What’s going on here, senpais?”

“As you can see! Our little-known Martial Arts Club is finally in its golden age!”

“No way! They’re all here for Hera! I bet no one but Shin would have joined this obscure club otherwise!”

“…I’m so sorry… it’s all because of me…”

“It’s totally fine! We’re just happy to witness this spectacle!”

As we Martial Arts Club members looked at the countless students knocking on the clubroom door, we shared such remarks.

Hera’s fame was indeed impressive, with not just our classmates but also older students clearly mixed in.

“…Shall we head straight to the training ground? There’s a changing room there too,” said Ireen-senpai, scratching her head with a wry smile.

No one objected, given how chaotic the situation in front of the clubroom was. By now, Professor Doban was probably overwhelmed by the sheer number of students inside.

“Sorry, Professor Doban, but it’s pointless for us to stay here! Let’s escape to the training ground before anyone finds out Hera’s with us! Besides, we’ve got the place all to ourselves today!”

Taking the lead, Burge-senpai guided us through a path with minimal foot traffic toward the training ground. I couldn’t help but notice how different the route was from our previous visit, so I asked out of curiosity.

“Are we going to the Zero Training Ground?”

“Oh! A new recruit who already knows! Yes, it’s the training ground we seniors pooled our money to renovate—top-notch facilities, though it’s quite far from the school buildings.”

“Still, it’s perfect for avoiding detection today, right?”

“Indeed. Thanks, senpai.”

“Ahh… the sweet sound of ‘senpai’… I want to stay in this club forever, even after graduation…”

“…Hmm…”

Ireen-senpai let out a delighted, sloppy laugh, while beside her, Hera puffed her cheeks slightly and shot me a sideways glance with a sulky look.

She looked unbelievably cute, but what was up? Couldn’t be jealousy, right? Maybe I seemed like I was flirting?

Feeling a little hurt, I soon spotted the Zero Training Ground, hidden within the woods.

“We’ve arrived! Once we change, let’s get straight to the battle!”

With that, Burge-senpai grabbed my arm and half-dragged me to the boys’ changing room.

“Shall we begin? Teams will be me and Ireen, and Hera and Shin, okay?”

“That’s fine.”

“Same here.”

Hera replied in her usual tone, while I responded nervously.

I had a feeling we’d be paired like this, but knowing didn’t make it any less nerve-wracking.

“I’m counting on you, Shin. I know you’ll do great.”

Rest assured, my beloved crush. I’ll make sure to play a crucial role in this match.

——— Not that I could ever say such a thing aloud, so I just nodded repeatedly. Even that should be enough for someone as perceptive as Hera to understand.

“Alright———let’s get started.”

Burge-senpai and Ireen-senpai, who were usually lighthearted, now exuded a deadly aura, and we quickly followed suit, assuming our combat stances.

“No magic allowed, and stop immediately if your opponent surrenders. Those are the only rules.”

“Understood.”

“Understood.”

“I’ll let you two take the first move. Come at us anytime!”

At almost the exact moment Burge-senpai finished speaking, we kicked off the ground and charged toward them.