Chapter 19

Chapter 19

I Became the Academy Mafia, Chapter 19At my words that I would raise the International Trade Club to Gold rank, confusion appeared on Lee Haru’s face, which until now had not shown even the slightest change in expression.

“The International Trade Club wants to be promoted to Gold rank? I’m not sure what you mean.”

Apparently realizing her mistake, Lee Haru instantly erased her expression and looked at me in her usual manner.

But having already seen her expression collapse, I couldn’t help but raise the corners of my mouth.

“Are you afraid of the aftermath?”

“The aftermath... what do you──.”

“The International Trade Club preserves its safety through its necessity, by maintaining trade relationships with numerous clubs.”

In other words, the International Trade Club, which lacked the force to protect itself, was able to remain intact because of that ‘necessity.’

However, that necessity only applied so long as the International Trade Club did not reveal its true intentions.

“You’ve recently been making plans to hire Bronze-rank clubs as mercenaries, haven’t you?”

“That is baseless.”

“Fine. Then consider this nothing more than my speculation and listen. There are two ways for a club to advance to the next rank.”

The first was promotion through achievements.

A method where a club submitted its activities and achievements to the Student Council for promotion, with only one club able to be promoted per quarter. Of course, weakened clubs were demoted.

The second was promotion through Club Wars.

By declaring war on a club of a higher rank than your own, and if you failed, all rights belonging to the defeated club would go to the victor, making it a high-risk, high-return method.

“In the case of the International Trade Club, since you’re a club lacking in force, you must be hiring mercenaries from other clubs for defense. But... recently, the number of Bronze Clubs contracted with the International Trade Club has gradually been increasing.”

“That is merely conjecture.”

“That’s what you want to believe. On top of that, lately you’ve been preparing to spend large sums of money to establish non-aggression pacts with other clubs, haven’t you?”

If other clubs were allowed to intervene during a Club War, defeat would be practically guaranteed, so by now they should already have been discussing matters with other clubs while spending large amounts of money.

“...

That is classified information known only to the vice president and deputy-manager level officers. Just how do you know that, Young Master?”

“Do you think there’s a whistleblower inside the International Trade Club?”

“Other than that, I cannot understand the current situation.”

Naturally, there was no such thing. All of this information was something anyone could learn if they took the Academy route in CS, and it was one of the major events that occurred during the first semester of the first year.

The Silver-rank ‘International Trade Club’ hired other clubs as mercenaries in order to advance in rank and then fought a Club War against a Gold Club, but in the end, they suffered catastrophic losses due to the betrayal of the other clubs with whom they had formed non-aggression pacts.

Starting from this event, all of the major officers of the ‘International Trade Club’ would lose their positions, and ultimately, with all of its important officers gone, the International Trade Club would fall into a state little different from being a subsidiary of another club.

From the player’s perspective, this event was a branching point where you chose whether to build favor with the ‘International Trade Club’ or with another club, but for me, who had become ‘Eugene Han Calione,’ siding with the ‘International Trade Club’ was far more efficient.

Not only the family of its president, Lee Haru, but the International Trade Club itself was practically a subordinate organization of Calione.

In other words, I intended to change the future of this club, which would otherwise fall into a state little different from slavery.

“Do not underestimate the intelligence capabilities of Calione’s successor, Lee Haru.”

I activated my bloodline ability and instilled pressure into Lee Haru.

Perhaps she had heard about the red haze rising around my body, because Lee Haru flinched.

Up until now, the only person who had ever displayed such a sight was my father and the Boss of Calione, ‘Vito Calione,’ so my prediction that she would react like this proved correct.

“Do you think there is a traitor among your club members? Do you think your security is impressive? Stop spouting such ridiculous nonsense. What matters now is what I, who know this information, am preparing.”

Little by little, very slowly. I began to feel the fear flowing from her seep into my skin.

The president of the International Trade Club, Lee Haru, who until now had seen me as nothing more than the brat she had known as a child, was now feeling fear toward me.

Not letting this opportunity slip away, I leaned back against the backrest, placed my feet on the desk, and looked at Lee Haru.

“Fund Investment Club.”

At the words that came from my mouth, Lee Haru looked at me with trembling eyes. At her reaction, I smiled.

“By the end of today, I’ll shut down the Fund Investment Club.”

“...

Shut it down by the end of today. Even if it is you, Young Master, do you believe that is possible?”

“It is.”

When I answered with complete confidence, Lee Haru’s mouth opened.

“I acknowledge your intelligence capabilities, Young Master. But shutting down a Gold Club is an entirely different matter.”

“Wasn’t the reason you targeted the Fund Investment Club in the first place because its military strength was lower than that of the other Gold Clubs?”

“...

If you know even that much, then you should know. Even if its military strength is lower than the other clubs, our opponent is still a Gold Club. Even I would have to risk everything and prepare fully just to barely have a chance of succeeding.”

The Fund Investment Club was also a club with low military strength, but one that compensated for its lack of force with wealth.

In other words, as long as there were clubs allied with or contracted to them, their low military strength could not simply be ignored.

“And yet you, who are still only a freshman, say you will shut down a Gold Club. No matter who you are, Young Master, this is───.”

“Didn’t you just say it yourself?”

“───Pardon?”

“A freshman. It’s possible precisely because I’m a freshman.”

I stood up from my seat and walked toward the wall where a calendar hung.

“What day is today?”

“...

It is the second day since the freshmen entered the Academy.”

“Right, and today is the day freshmen tour the clubs. Then where do you think the members of the other clubs hired or contracted by the Fund Investment Club are right now?”

“Why, naturally, they would be recruiting other freshmen...

by... running booths? But the same is true of the International Trade Club’s members being away, and even if we apply for a Club War, there’s no telling when the Student Council will grant permission.”

“If you use the connections of the International Trade Club, which has handled requests for the Student Council, permission should come through today.”

“...

It could come through today, but you know our club alone would have difficulty facing them.”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

“Pardon?”

I turned around and took out the relic I had stored in the cube, [Midas’s Gloves]

and put them on both hands before speaking.

“Because by today, more than half of the Fund Investment Club’s fighting force will be gone.”

“What do you──.”

“──Lee Haru. Do you remember when I first said I wanted to make you an offer?”

“...

I remember.”

Here, I finally told her the entirety of the proposal I had not yet revealed.

“My offer is simple. Today, I’ll personally prepare the Fund Investment Club so that you can devour it. In exchange, I want you and your club to promise absolute support and backing for the club I’m going to create.”

The ability of the International Trade Club was genuine.

By mobilizing her family and her abilities to their fullest, she could obtain items unavailable in South Korea faster than anyone else, and in the original story, she eventually succeeded in promoting the International Trade Club, which had been little more than a subsidiary club, to Gold rank.

If I could bring such a talented person onto our side from the very beginning, it would be an enormous help.

“Become one of my people, Lee Haru.”

I extended my hand toward her, who was still blankly listening to me.

“Pfft.”

At the same time, she burst into laughter.

“Puhup.”

For the first time, a smile appeared on her face that had seemed as though it wore a mask. Lowering her head to wipe away the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes, Lee Haru slowly raised her gaze and spoke to me with a still-playful smile.

“Is that a confession, like back then?”...

A confession? I never imagined she would make a joke here.

Even so, it was a joke coming from none other than Lee Haru.

Taking this as a positive reaction, I chuckled and answered.

“You’re too self-conscious, Lee Haru.”

“To think I would ever hear that from you, Young Master...”

She showed a briefly surprised expression, then gave a self-deprecating smile before taking my hand.

And then.

“I accept your proposal, Young Master.”

“Good.”

After lightly shaking hands and ending the handshake, I immediately opened the office door.

“Huh? Huh?!”

At the same time, Jin-woo, who had apparently been pressed against the door, fell toward me.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah, hi. Boss.”

As I sighed at the pathetic sight of him, Young-je shook his head and pulled Jin-woo back to his feet.

“It’s a soundproof door, so you couldn’t hear anything anyway. He started doing that the moment we came out of the office.”

“Huh? This was soundproof? No wonder I couldn’t hear anything.”

So that was why I had kept sensing a presence outside the door. Apparently Jin-woo had been pressing his ear against it.

Though I had already known it was soundproof and simply left him alone.

“Um... Eugene. Did the conversation end well?”

Kim Se-ah, who had been standing behind Young-je, cautiously asked me. Since the conversation had gone on longer than expected, she apparently had been worried.

“Yeah, it ended without any problems. In fact, it was successful.”

“Ah, that’s a relief! Then are we going straight to the Gold Club now?”

“Yeah. And Lee Haru. We’ll go ahead and begin taking action, so depart as soon as permission comes through.”

“I will do as you say, Young Master.”

She bowed toward me as I left the office and saw me off.

At that sight, Jin-woo, who had been sprawled on the floor, shot to his feet and clung to me.

“Huh? What is it? Do we have something else to do?”

“Yeah, we’ve obtained the Bronze and Silver consent forms, so now we’ll go get the Gold consent form.”

“We’re going straight to a Gold Club without even taking a break?”

“Eugene did all the work anyway. What do you need a break for?”

Young-je sighed after seeing Jin-woo asking for a break.

“We’re going to a Gold Club, right? If the Silver Club is on the fourth floor, then is the Gold Club on about the seventh floor?”

“No, we’re going to the athletic field.”

“...

The athletic field?”

Young-je, who had been about to leave the International Trade Club first, stopped and tilted his head.

“Why the athletic field all of a sudden?”

“Because the place we’re going this time isn’t a club room, but a club booth. And... over there, that guy will have to play an active role.”

When I said that and looked toward Jin-woo, who had become completely dejected, he looked around before pointing at himself.

“Huh? Me?”

“Yeah, I think this job will end faster with your help. It’s probably something only you can do, too.”

Was it because I had suddenly praised him?

His drooping shoulders slowly began to rise.

“Something only I can do? Then of course I have to help! So Boss, what do you need me to do? Escort? Negotiation?”

“Cause a scene.”

“...

Huh?”

“Let’s go cause some trouble.”

I didn’t bother telling him that, for some reason, he seemed like he’d be good at it.