Chapter 32: The Club of Saints and Scoundrels

“I see. So this is the holy sword…”

Sofia nodded, inspecting the now ordinary sword, seemingly unaware it had lost its power.

“I can definitely feel traces of holy energy,” Artoria murmured.

“It must’ve been brimming with immense holy power until recently.”

“It’s completely drained. That’s what Lucifer said,” Bisus explained.

“Yeah, I tried charging it with my holy power, but it didn’t work.”

Sofia took the sword from him, examining it closely.

“Sofia, in your world, how did I charge the holy sword?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Huh?”

“In my world, you never had to charge it. I’ve never even heard of the holy sword running out of power.”

Bisus’s disappointment deepened.

He’d hoped Sofia, who fought alongside hero Bisus, would know how to use it.

“Um… my lord husband, should I try infusing it with my power?”

Artoria approached the dejected Bisus, whispering.

She wasn’t keen on helping with something tied to this barbarian woman’s world, but seeing Bisus so disappointed, she wanted to do something.

“Can I ask you to try, Artoria?”

“…Yes!”

Taking the sword, Artoria took a deep breath.

“Here I go.”

Flash

A radiant light emanated from her hand, a mystical force inspiring reverence, her holy power.

“Hngh…”

She poured all her energy into the sword.

Vrrr

The sword began to tremble.

“Huh?”

Its surface started transforming back into the brilliant holy sword.

“It worked…?”

“Artoria!”

Bisus, thrilled, hugged her.

“M-My lord husband…!”

Caught off guard, Artoria’s face flushed.

“…Ehehe.”

“Hmph. I’ll let it slide this time,” Sofia said, crossing her arms, mildly annoyed but acknowledging the help.

“It’s back!”

Bisus took the sword from Artoria.

Gripping it, he expected the flood of power, but… nothing came.

“Huh?”

Vrr…

The sword’s radiance faded, reverting to its rusty form.

“Why?”

“It didn’t work?”

With Artoria’s holy power likely unmatched on the continent, this method seemed ineffective.

So how did hero Bisus use it?

“Don’t be too disappointed, Bisus,” Sofia said. “If you keep dreaming, you might learn how you used it in my world.”

“Yeah! Cheer up, my lord husband! You always found answers, even in crises!”

“Thanks, both of you.”

Right. I never expected to get everything handed to me.

It was frustrating, but if he kept exploring his hero memories, he’d figure out how to wield the sword.

Bisus sheathed it.

“By the way, I heard it’s club recruitment week starting today,” Sofia said, changing the subject to lighten the mood.

“Clubs, huh…”

Club recruitment week.

At Lichten Academy, the first week of the semester was for orientation, and the second was for clubs to recruit freshmen, a time for senior-junior bonding.

But it wasn’t purely innocent.

The academy was an extension of continental politics, so club recruitment often entangled freshmen in factional struggles and complex relationships.

“Last week, the clubs swarming you were relentless,” Sofia noted.

“True,” Artoria agreed. “It’s expected of my lord husband, but I didn’t think every club would come after you like that.”

Following Robina’s lead, countless clubs had approached Bisus with offers.

While the saintess and the republic’s daughter were too lofty to recruit, a baron’s son with ties to them and impressive strength was a prime target.

“Yeah, I remember,” Bisus said, recalling the swarm of seniors pestering him.

“There’s gotta be a way to avoid that.”

“There’s a way to block all that hassle,” Sofia said.

“There is?”

“Yes. First, join a club. In my world, you were in the disciplinary team.”

“The disciplinary team… right, I was.”

Bisus recalled his dream self.

Joining a club would keep others off my back, but…

The disciplinary team meant dealing with tedious tasks.

With his need to counter the “organization,” getting tied up in such duties wasn’t ideal.

He had opportunities to seize in the academy, and while the team’s role could help access some, it would limit his freedom.

Disciplinary members, often students with weaker backgrounds looking for post-graduation prospects, were used as cheap labor by the academy, frequently called to handle incidents even in their free time.

“But if my lord husband joins the disciplinary team, we’d barely get to spend time with you,” Artoria said.

“Exactly,” Sofia agreed. “And joining an existing club would disrupt the academy’s faction balance—not ideal.”

A club with the saintess and the republic’s daughter?

The news alone would cause a frenzy.

“The second option is to create our own club,” Sofia proposed.

“Our own?”

“Yes. Normally, first-years don’t start clubs. The system favors joining established factions, and new clubs rarely survive. But our situation is different.”

“That’s a great idea!” Artoria clapped. “With me representing the Holy Kingdom and this woman the republic, our club would thrive!”

“Who’d dare challenge a club with us in it?” Sofia added.

“…Our own club.”

That sounds good.

A club of their own would keep others at bay and grant them freedom.

Plus, they could secure a clubroom as a base.

“Let’s do it now.”

Slam

The student council office door swung open.

“Good morning, President!”

“Good morning, President!”

All student council members stood as Diabel entered.

“Hello, everyone,” she said, flashing a bright smile.

Her smile made both male and female students blush.

Diabel walked to her seat and sat down.

“How was everyone’s weekend?”

“Great!”

“Club recruitment week starts today,” she noted.

“Yes! All registered clubs have submitted their recruitment applications…” the council secretary began reporting.

This week marked the start of the “organization’s” first operation.

Originally, Diabel planned to act in four days, but…

Throb

An inexplicable pain gripped her chest, likely from the bathroom scene she’d witnessed.

I need to move tomorrow.

Bisus Grangnole.

A baron’s son she’d barely noticed before.

For some reason, he was on her mind.