friend chapter 10

After dinner, we went out to the garden. The girl then untied her hair. I had a bad feeling and looked closer. It was Edward. It was a transformation spell, of course. I’d been tricked again, by the same tactic.

“Found you, at last.”

I was so speechless I didn’t know where to begin.

“It’s late, so I’ll get straight to the point. Join my club.”

It was club recruitment season. The academy had club activities twice a week, which meant every student had to join a club. Except third-year students, that is. They were exempt to focus on their future studies or job searches. It was similar to the high school I attended in my previous life.

Hmm. What should I do? Judging by his willingness to infiltrate the women’s dormitory, he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I put on a cheerful smile and clapped my hands together.

“Oh, I’d love to! Will you join the Transformation Magic Club, too? I already applied there.”

“You’re interested in transformation magic? That’s news to me.”

Of course it was. I was lying. It was bait to get rid of Edward. I had a different club in mind. I’d thought of the Transformation Magic Club simply because it was in the original story. In the original story, Jade and Edward first met in the Transformation Magic Club. At first, they clashed due to their personalities, but eventually, they fell in love. They were a classic case of opposites attracting.

Not anymore.

Jade would join the same club as me, and Edward wouldn’t be there. If he fell for the Transformation Magic Club bait, that is.

“Your Highness is so good at transformation magic. I want to try it too,” I said, adding with a sweet smile, “I’m a fan, after all.”

Edward smiled back. “Alright. I’ll see you at the club.”

He’d taken the bait, hook, line, and sinker. I smiled triumphantly.

A few days later, with two days left until the application deadline, Edward barged into my classroom. “You said we’d join together. Your name isn’t on here,” he said, holding the Transformation Magic Club application list.

***

So, what do I do now? I lay on my dormitory bed, pen in hand, groaning. Edward had vowed to find me no matter where I went. Although I’m worried for a different reason. The club application deadline was tomorrow, and I hadn’t applied to any club yet. I’d planned to submit my application at the last minute. By the time Edward figured out which club I’d joined, the deadline would have passed. Serves him right. Let him join the Culinary Development Club. Students who didn’t join a club by the deadline were randomly assigned. They were prioritized for clubs that hadn’t met their quota, which meant a high probability of ending up in an unpopular club. Like the Herbal Research Club or the Culinary Development Club. 

The Herbal Research Club was notorious for its demanding fieldwork, requiring members to personally gather herbs from the mountains. Plus, they had monthly herbology exams, so unless you were a hardcore herb enthusiast, it was a club to avoid. The Culinary Development Club… the name sounded normal enough, but the reality was insane. It was a club founded on the principle of exploring new culinary horizons beyond just plants and animals. Their motto was something like, “Since we’re going to kill them anyway, why not eat them?” and they developed monster-based dishes. I’d heard they even made packed lunches with edible insects. The thought was horrifying.

Anyway, there was no way Edward would end up in the same club as me. The real problem was…

“Luna, still haven’t finished?”

“No. I’m stuck on the ‘Reasons for Applying’ section.”

It was the application form. I’d decided on the Student Council without much thought. Becoming a student council member came with perks, like recommendation letters from professors. Since my goal was to join the Magic Tower, a recommendation letter would be a huge advantage. But writing the “Reasons for Applying” section was agonizing. That’s why I’d put off applying until now.

“They choose based on grades anyway. You’re second in the class, so you’ll get in even if you write something generic,” Jade said, lying on the bed opposite mine. We’d applied to be roommates beforehand, so we were together in the dormitory too. It was nice having company at night.

“I guess you’re right.” Jade had a point. The guidelines mentioned that admission was based on entrance exam scores and interviews, but in reality, students with good grades also received good interview scores. To avoid wasting recommendation letters, they naturally preferred students with high academic standing. I was second in the class, so I’d definitely get in. Unless I took my clothes off and did a dance break during the interview, that is.