Seeing the rather... unusual people gathered inside the club, Simon couldn't help wondering whether joining this place would be a terrible decision. Even so, he soon remembered there was still one more person here.
Toto. Perhaps, at the very least, his classmate would be the only normal one among them.
With that small hope in mind, Simon quietly turned his head toward Toto.
"..."
But, his hope shattered almost instantly.
Toto's face had turned bright red, and his eyes were completely locked onto Benya as she passionately spoke about her dream while enthusiastically waving her long cream-colored hair.
"S-She's... really beautiful..."
Simon slowly covered his face.
...Good grief. This one's even more dangerous than Fitzgerald and Knox!
At that moment, Benya suddenly strode over until she was standing right in front of Simon.
"Junior! No..." She quickly corrected herself before proudly placing both hands on her waist. "Cadet! Are you still hesitating to join?"
"Ah... yes."
Simon answered honestly.
"Join us, Simon."
Fitzgerald calmly adjusted his glasses before speaking in his usual composed tone.
"Being able to witness the beginning of a legend from its earliest days is a privilege worth more than anything."
Simon could only smile awkwardly as a bead of sweat slowly trickled down his cheek. Unsure how to respond, he instinctively looked toward Knox, hoping to hear his opinion.
Unfortunately...
The moment he saw Knox's face, Simon already knew the answer.
Knox was watching the entire scene with obvious amusement, looking as though he was thoroughly enjoying every second of it.
...Yeah. I shouldn't have expected any help from him.
Meanwhile, Toto had quietly taken a few steps backward while pressing a hand against his racing heart.
"S-So close..."
"I was so close to Senior..."
"Hmm?"
Noticing Toto's strange behavior, Benya walked over and casually placed the back of her hand against his forehead.
"You seem to have a slight fever, Cadet."
"H-Huueeek!"
Toto's entire body jolted violently as though he'd just been struck by lightning.
"You should probably head to the infirmary for now..."
"I-I'm fine!"
Toto immediately shouted before she could finish.
"I'll join the club!"
Benya blinked once before breaking into a bright smile.
"Great!"
As she withdrew her hand from Toto's forehead, the smile she gave him completely overwhelmed the poor boy.
...S-Senior smiled at me...
That single thought echoed repeatedly inside Toto's head. A second later, his mind went completely blank.
Meanwhile, Simon's gaze unconsciously drifted toward Benya's hands.
They were covered with countless small scars and calluses, far too many for an ordinary eighteen-year-old girl. Whatever people thought about her dream of world domination, one thing was undeniable.
She had devoted an unbelievable amount of effort to it.
Combined with the countless undead materials and research equipment scattered throughout the clubroom, Simon could already tell she wasn't merely talking about her ideals. She had the skills to support them as well.
As a fellow summoner, I probably have a lot to learn from her.
His thoughts slowly wandered.
Friends who shared the same interests.
A workshop where he could freely research and create undead.
And above all...
A chance to build a connection with the granddaughter of the chairman of the Vanilla Group, the continent's most famous undead manufacturer.
Compared to prestigious clubs like Sadam, the Katarology Research Club, or Noble, Mutant might not offer the greatest immediate benefits.
Yet, for some reason, this club resonated with him the most.
"I'm sorry, Senior," Simon said after a brief silence. "May I ask one question?"
"Hm? Of course!" Benya answered immediately.
"If I were to discover a completely new type of undead... one that nobody else has ever used before..."
Simon looked directly into her eyes.
"...What do you think I should do with it?"
Benya didn't hesitate for even a second.
"You charge straight into it!"
She clenched her fist excitedly.
"Just imagine it! Living every single day surrounded by the unknown instead of the ordinary... Doesn't that make your heart race?!"
Her smile became even brighter.
"Isn't that the happiest way to live?"
"...Ahaha."
Simon laughed softly.
"...I'd like to join this club too."
"Great!"
Benya pumped her fist triumphantly before suddenly spinning around.
The next instant, she had already rushed in front of Knox.
"Junior Knox!"
She grabbed both of his hands, her sparkling eyes filled with expectation.
"What about you?!"
Knox looked down at Benya before smiling helplessly. He had already noticed something subtle.
Unlike Simon, Fitzgerald, and Toto, whom she had consistently addressed as Cadets, she was still calling him Junior.
Perhaps, even Benya herself wasn't confident that someone like Knox would actually choose to join Mutant.
Should I join...?
Knox quietly weighed the possibilities inside his mind.
Putting aside the fact that joining this club would make it easier to stay close to Simon and follow the main storyline... building a relationship with Benya and the Vanilla Group alone is already a huge advantage.
And if I ever obtain another summon from a different world... perhaps the Vanilla Group could conveniently become the 'creator' behind it.
Not to mention, there are probably quite a few things I can learn from them as well.
After organizing his thoughts, Knox smiled.
"I'm definitely interested in joining. But before I answer, may I ask you something first, Senior?"
The slight disappointment that had begun appearing in Benya's eyes disappeared almost instantly.
"Of course!"
She nodded enthusiastically.
"Ask me anything!"
...Anything?
Knox's smile twitched slightly.
Do you even realize how dangerous those words are, Senior?
What if I ask for your three si...
Ahem.
Devil... begone from my mind!
"What is it?" Benya asked curiously.
"I've actually been thinking about establishing a club myself." Knox scratched his cheek. "Nothing's decided yet, but it'll probably be something like a Light Music Club... basically a band."
He paused briefly.
"So my question is... if I become the founder of another club, can I still join Mutant as well?"
"Huh?"
Not only Benya. Fitzgerald, Toto, and even Dio all turned toward Knox in surprise.
"...You're planning to establish your own club?!"
"Well..." Knox shrugged with a smile. "Considering my other occupation, I don't think it's an unreasonable idea."
Benya fell silent. She lowered her head for several moments before finally looking back at Knox with an unusually serious expression.
"Personally, I don't mind. But...will you really be okay?"
There wasn't the slightest trace of joking in her voice.
"Joining two clubs could become a heavy burden for a first-year student."
"Hehe."
Knox laughed confidently.
"Don't worry, Senior. Don't forget who I am."
"If anyone at Kizen questions it..." He smiled mischievously. "I'll simply explain that my club could further improve Kizen's reputation~."
"I'm sure that after a little negotiation, the elders will gladly approve it."
Hearing that explanation, Simon, Fitzgerald, and Toto couldn't help exchanging glances.
Having fame really is convenient!
Meanwhile, Benya suddenly slapped her own forehead.
Right! How did I forget he's also the continent's genius novelist?! Stupid Benya!
"Hehe!"
She looked back at Knox with an even brighter smile.
"As expected of the Genius Author!"
She proudly crossed her arms.
"So..."
"...I'll ask you one more time."
Her smile widened.
"Will you join Mutant, Cadet?"
Knox immediately gave a crisp military salute.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Hahahahaha!"
Benya burst into cheerful laughter.
Her bright smile and carefree laughter instantly filled the underground workshop with a lively atmosphere.
Toto, meanwhile, he was already on the verge of fainting. Fortunately, his brain had temporarily stopped functioning properly.
Otherwise, the realization that the one making Benya laugh so happily was Knox might have caused him to collapse from pure jealousy.
After calming herself down, Benya clapped both hands together.
"Excellent, Cadets!"
"So everyone has made up their minds, right?"
"...But."
A hoarse voice interrupted her.
Dio, who had somehow dragged himself back after being kicked across the room earlier, slowly walked over with his usual hunched posture.
"...Our club's situation isn't exactly ideal."
He lazily waved one of the recruitment flyers.
"...Even so, we have no intention of accepting first-years who don't meet our standards."
Benya crossed her arms with a confident grin.
"You've all read the recruitment requirements, right?"
She raised one finger.
"Every applicant must possess a unique summon, and demonstrate the ability to use it proficiently!"
Although Mutant possessed many attractive qualities, especially Benya Vanilla herself and the opportunity to build connections with the Vanilla Group, its admission standards were notoriously strict.
Unlike most Summonology clubs, Mutant focused exclusively on unique summons. Yet the current first-year curriculum only covered basic undead such as Skeletons, making applicants who qualified exceedingly rare. Even Simon, who could already control Skeleton Archers and Mud Golems, was considered an exceptional case among his peers.
That was precisely why, despite its fame, Mutant had so few members.
"Alright!"
Benya clapped her hands together loudly.
"Let's begin the interview!"
Her excited gaze swept across the four first-years before stopping on them one by one.
"So then, what kind of unique summon are each of you connected to?"
A wide grin spread across her face.
"Show me your summon!"