Chapter 61: Chapter 61 — Alchemy Club
Jon kept his attention on Seraphine, but his heart was racing. He longed to test his progress in the arena, and the anticipation was making him restless. While he was taking notes, he felt a light tap on his arm.
Elara had discreetly slid a small note toward him.
— Plans for the weekend?
Surprised, Jon glanced sideways at her. A blush crept across his face, and he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well... I was thinking about going back to Riverwood to see my family."
Before he could continue, Seraphine’s cold voice cut in, dripping with disdain. "It’s good to see your family, but refrain from interrupting my lecture, class leader."
A wave of snickers rippled through the classroom. Jon sank deeper into his seat, embarrassment burning his ears.
With only a few minutes left in class, Seraphine walked to the center of the room, her sharp gaze sweeping over every student. "Before you go, one announcement. All first-year students must register for an extracurricular club. Registration starts today. Don’t wait until the last moment."
With that, she ended the lecture.
In the corridor, Jon walked beside Elara in silence, still uncomfortable with the lie he had told. "Heading home? Maybe you’d like some company?" she asked softly.
Jon stopped for a moment, sighing. Elara, noticing his hesitation, looked away with a faint, sad smile. "Maybe I’m pushing too much... sorry."
But Jon surprised her. "Actually... I made that up."
She stared at him, stunned, unsure how to respond.
"I’m going somewhere... it has to do with making money." Jon lowered his head, embarrassed. "I didn’t want to lie, I just thought you wouldn’t want to come with me. I’m sorry."
A relieved smile bloomed on her lips, lighting up her face. ’I thought he was rejecting me.’
"It’s fine. Honestly, I didn’t have anything to do, and I thought about spending some time with you."
Jon returned the smile, and to break the mood before it grew too heavy, he changed the subject. "About the clubs... you already knew about that?"
"Yes." Elara nodded enthusiastically. "I’m joining the dungeon club. I want some adventure. And you?"
"Dungeon club, huh?" Jon repeated, not giving an immediate answer.
They soon arrived at a large auditorium where dozens of first-year students were already gathered, with more pouring in. The place buzzed with energy, voices overlapping, expectations thick in the air.
"We can look around first before deciding." Elara grinned, tugging Jon into the auditorium.
The auditorium was crowded with students. Teachers had arranged tables in rows, each representing a different club, complete with banners and small demonstrations to draw recruits. The constant chatter made it feel like a bustling market, every voice fighting to stand out.
Jon walked beside Elara but remained silent, simply observing.
The fencing club was the first to catch his eye. Several instructors showcased elegant movements, the clashing of blades echoing through the hall. The crowd cheered, excited.
’Fencing, huh? I already know enough not to rely on this. I don’t want to stand out by showing skills I shouldn’t have at this level.’
He looked away before anyone could approach.
Next came the magic club. Their table glowed with floating crystals, and a group of apprentices demonstrated flashy spells—dancing flames, spiraling gusts of wind, even a small illusion to entertain the crowd.
Jon observed quietly. ’It’d be good to mask my progress... but truthfully, I’ve already gone far beyond these tricks. For me, this would be a waste of time.’
He kept walking.
Outside in the open courtyard, the archery club had set up targets. Students took turns showing off their aim, arrows whistling through the air and striking near the center. Jon watched for a moment, then sighed.
’Intermediate archer, level seven... if I join this, I’ll draw too much attention. Better stay away.’
Finally, his eyes landed on the section reserved for the dungeon club. The area was decorated with maps, monster replicas, and small beast cores on display. Without a doubt, it was the most eye-catching.
’Dungeon club... not that I’m satisfied. I know secret dungeons that would yield much better results than tying myself to a group like this. But...’ Jon glanced at Elara, who was looking around with sparkling eyes. ’At least I’ll be by her side.’
They approached just as a young woman with light brown hair spoke energetically, explaining the club’s rules. Jon let himself listen, but soon the atmosphere was disrupted by a scene straight out of a cliché.
A group of nobles made a commotion near the entrance. Two youths—a boy and a girl—were trying to recruit people for their own club. The boy, timid but determined, stepped in front of the girl when the nobles began mocking her.
The leader of the noble group, a blond with an arrogant grin, shoved the boy to the ground. "Look at this, the hero saving the damsel in distress!" he sneered, earning laughter from his friends. When he raised his leg to kick the boy, his motion stopped midair.
Jon had grabbed his ankle firmly.
"What’s going on here?" Jon’s voice was calm, but steady enough to silence some of the chaos.
The noble immediately flared up. "Do you know who you’re talking to?!"
Jon sighed inwardly. ’Seriously? Could this get any more cliché...’ He turned to the boy on the ground, ignoring the noble’s fury. "You did well protecting your girlfriend."
The girl blushed furiously, stammering. "W-we’re not a couple... we’re siblings."
Jon blinked, surprised, then gave an awkward smile. "Ah... my mistake. So, what’s your club?"
Before the boy could answer, the noble shouted again. "Hey! Don’t you have manners? Introduce yourself before me!"
But one of his friends leaned in and whispered something in his ear. The blond noble’s smirk returned instantly. "Ahhh... Nolan. In that case, I won’t steal your fun. Enjoy."
He backed off, signaling for his lackeys to follow, and within moments the noise subsided.
Jon was intrigued but didn’t press further. He turned back to the siblings.
The girl straightened her clothes and took a deep breath. "Our club is alchemy. We’re still looking for people interested."
Jon smiled faintly. "Alchemy, huh? Nice. Can I hear more about it?"
Her face lit up, surprised by his genuine interest. As she began to explain, Elara watched closely, curious to see where this would lead.