So here I was in the club recruitment area on the day of the freshmen arrival, trying to recruit freshmen into my club. I was at an extreme disadvantage because I couldn't afford a booth, regardless of that though, the main problem was my hair. In this world, a person's status is shown by the color of their hair, blue, red, yellow, green, such colorful colors are in the blood of nobility, black hair however is plain, only commoners would have it. That's why…
"Don't even speak."
"A commoner? Ugh."
"How did you even get here?"
"I refuse to acknowledge that a commoner is my upperclassman, get out of my face!"
"Who would even join a commoner's club, and a dying one at that? Pfft, disgusting!"
I was rejected with such harsh words… those damn nobles, if I ever get a valid reason to hit them in the face I wouldn't hesitate! Clenching my fist, I strengthened my determination.
Despite feeling dejected, I have to make sure the assistance club doesn't get shut down, that's where I live for fucks sake! Trying to find a dorm outside the academy is just asking to get robbed, the market price isn't for a struggling commoner like me.
Now, with newfound determination, I marched towards two young ladies that seemed nice, with two application forms in one hand and flyers with written information about the club in the other.
"H-Hello, would you be interested in joining the assistance club?" I stammered as one of them scowled at me when they noticed my presence, I tried to hand a flyer regardless.
"Bow." The other with blue twin-tails said as the other one with a pink ponytail took a flyer and read it silently.
"Pardon?"
"You're a commoner, it's only right you bow to those superior to you, right?" She raised her voice, annoyed at my apparently disrespectful attitude.
You brat, I'm your senior!
Noticing the gazes of other nobles interest
piqued as the only commoner (me) was trying to recruit a freshman, I had no choice but to give in.
"I apologize for my lack of manners," I lowered my head, "Please join the assistance club!" I took the chance to shamelessly hand a flyer to the girl.
"Good. It seems you know your place, at least." She uttered as she took a flyer and read it. I remain my head lowered. "Oh, you can raise your head now."
"Thank you!" I raise my head and immediately whispered to the girl's ear, "Oh and if you join my club, I'll give you the exam questions for the entire semester for free."
"Really now?" She whispered back.
Hook, line, and sinker? I couldn't help but smirk, am I finally getting a member? The feeling of progress was making my heart beat fast.
"Yep, what department did you enroll in? Combat? Magic? Engineering? Science? Business? I got details for all of them~"
"I see." She pushed me away, "You want to bribe me huh!? Leaking past test exam questions!" She suddenly shouted.
"O-Oi! Don't be so loud!"
The gazes of other nobles were practically sinking into me. Besides her, the girl with pink pony tail suddenly let out a flaming aura and tore my flyer apart.
"Eek!" I shrieked and took a step back immediately feeling the boiling rage from the girl.
"This assistance club of yours…!" She glared at me, "It's just free labor! What do you hope to accomplish by recruiting us into this club? There's no benefits! Only your bribe, and you want us to join you in helping other nobles for free!?"
"What!? That's just freelancing isn't it!?" The twin-tailed girl shouted in shock.
"Yeah! The flyer said the club's purpose is to help with people's request!" The pony-tailed girl pointed at me. "It might be fine for a commoner like you, but you can't just expect nobles like us to assist others for free without compensation!"
"H-Hold on! I do seek compensation… sometimes…"
"Sometimes? Then the majority of the time you do things for free?"
"I guess…"
"Why?"
"W-Well people need help!" I try to flash an innocent smile.
Instead, a vein popped on her head, "That's too naïve! I hate people like you, at this point I'm convinced you have this club to suck up to nobles, wagging your tail like a dog and fetching nobles a bone!"
I pointed a finger back, "Y-You damn brat! How dare you!?" By this point, I was pissed off too, but the sudden appearance of a second circle magic being casted by the pony-tailed girl immediately made me back off.
"O-Oi! Calm down! If you fire that here you'll…!" I tried to convince her.
"A commoner dare call me a brat!? Fireball!"
The girl sent a raging fireball towards my direction, I dodged it in time but lost my balance and the flyers and application forms in my hand turned to ashes.
"Y-You're insane!" I shouted out in fear and anger as I looked where the fireball was headed. Thankfully the fireball disappeared before it can hit anything else.
That Student Council President, why didn't she prevent it before it burned my papers!?
"Shut up! I hate pushovers like you!" As she was about to cast another fireball…
A cold air froze the room as a blonde-haired girl walked towards the pony-tailed girl while clapping. Every single person in the room knew who it was as they felt it from her welcome speech in the opening ceremony. Those heavy steps full of power, the crimson eyes that seemed like it can see through anything, presence that demanded attention, and that cold smirk that would make anyone tremble. Cascadia Morningstar, the student council president, and the woman that's the cause of my current predicament. Her white cape fluttered as she grabbed the pony-tailed girl's shoulder and forced her to kneel.
"With only one hand…"
"Such power…"
Nobles whispered but her gaze turning to them immediately commanded their silence.
"Tell me your name, girl." She crossed her arms, still smirking with intrigue, I could see some nobles flinching in the distance.
"Lily… Lily Everhart…" The pony-tailed girl answered…
"I see… Lily, you are aware that casting offensive magic in the club recruitment area is prohibited, correct?"
"Y-Yes Ma'am…"
"Now don't be so shaky, I'm not here to reprimand you, in fact, I'm here to praise you."
"P-Praise me?"
"Correct." She looked at me, "What did you say about the commoner's club?"
Hold on, why is this about me?
"I-It's naïve and the only thing it does is suck up to nobles…"
"Right! All it does is suck up to nobles, take up space, and wag it's tail like a dog fetching bone trying to fit in where it doesn't belong!" She voiced out frustratedly as she glared at me. "Now then, Lily Everhart, I have a question for you."
"Y-Yes Ma'am…"
"What do you think we should do about his club?"
Lily's eyes drift to me, I shake my head hoping to be spared but a smirk crosses her face, for a second she looked like the president…
"Such useless clubs should be disbanded." She answered without hesitation.
You fucking bitches!
"Correct! Wonderful, Lily Everhart. I like you, do you want to join the council?"
By this point, my club recruitment is over. The student council president herself in the commotion publicly agreeing that my club should be disbanded? No freshman or any student for that matter would be insane enough to join now… It's unfair, this is sabotage! The student council president's eyes met mine for a second and scoffed at me mockingly.
You damn president! Just you wait… One day I'll…! I'll…!
I decided to do a strategic retreat, getting away from the crowd, I found myself dejected at one of the benches outside the stadium where the club recruitment area was held.
"It's over… Maybe I should just leave the academy at this point."
As I hung my head low, a stranger called out to me.
"Uhm… you're that second-year with a dying club right?" It was a guy with long blonde hair, a man that seemed charismatic to a naked eye. Is he a savior? Did someone miraculously take interest in my club, finally!?
"Yes, that's me. Please join my club, you don't even have to do anything. I just need members to fill the number requirement, and I'll even give you all the past exams details."
He sat down next to me, he could tell I was desperate. "Haha, you're pretty desperate aren't you, senior?"
"…Obviously, what are you trying to get at?"
"With students being required to join the club, I was hoping to join yours with the bargain that I don't have to attend or do anything, however you already offered that…"
"Please join."
"Now let's not rush, senior. See, I'm not the only one that wants to go straight back to the dorms after school instead of clubs, so would you mind accommodating one more lazy noble?"
Basically, he was saying he'd join my club so long as they don't have to do anything. Just a club member in name only, along with one other person.
Are you kidding!? That's perfect!
"Alright!" I held out my hand, "You and your friend are very welcome to join!"
He hesitates to hold my hand but forced a smile and shook it, "Thank you, senior."
"No! Thank you!" I shook his hand even harder.
"I'm Cusata! What's yours?" I said.
"My name is James of the Ironfield family, and this wonderful lady who's just arrived is…"
A girl with long yellow hair bowed her head while holding the hem of her skirt, "I am James' fiancé, Jane of the Worthington family. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Cusata senior."
A tear welled up in my eyes, now these are nobles! They don't even belittle me as a commoner and calls me senior! Unlike those damn chaotic bitches in the club recruitment area, this was a breath of fresh air! Truly refreshing!
"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Ms. Worthington, and Mr. Ironfield!" I lowered my head, there's no problem in showing proper respect to those who shows proper respect to you.
"Oh, please don't be so formal. Please just call us James and Jane." James said with a smile.
"That's right senior, you need not lower yourself for humble people such as us." Jane too followed up.
What is this!? These two are so dazzling! Is this what nobles truly are!?
The tear that was welling up, couldn't help but fall, I was touched.
"S-Senior!? What's wrong!?"
"It's just…! Thank you two!" I threw my arms around James.
James flinched but didn't say anything and just patted my back, Jane just chuckled, these two are true nobles!
Ignoring the fact they want to join my club to slack off that is.
And that was how the club got saved from being disbanded.