Overpowered Archmage Doesn’t Hide His Talent

Chapter 34: Cancelling My Club Membership

‘Frozen’

This club, which delves into the study of ice elements, has a history as long as that of Merhen Academy itself.

With over 200 clubs in the Academy, it consistently ranks within the top 10 in performance reports, so it was no wonder that Becky showed great interest in it.

Thanks to that, today we gathered on the mountain behind the Academy.

Even though there are advanced facilities within the Academy, they insisted that freezing naturally occurring water is a fundamental step.

‘It’s not a wrong approach.’

Rather, it’s a very traditional method.

Synthesizing non-existent ice elements is an extremely high-level domain. It’s more appropriate to start by refining naturally occurring water and ice.

“Lastly… Becky?”

At the call of the club president, Becky, who was far away, hesitantly raised her hand.

“There are no vacancies. I look forward to working with you all!”

Kenneth, the club president, said energetically, and applause erupted. As a third-year student and the president of Frozen, his appearance was quite handsome.

If Martin looked like someone who would attract women with his smooth talk, Kenneth had the kind of face that would attract women even if he did nothing.

“Wow… The club president is really handsome.”

“Yeah, does he have a girlfriend? Of course, he must, right?”

As expected, the other female students were already buzzing with talk about Kenneth’s looks.

Is he really that handsome?

He was handsome, no doubt about it.

However, I felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort from Kenneth. It wasn’t something trivial like jealousy, but a subtle unease.

At that moment, a strong scent of roses hit my nose. I involuntarily frowned.

Who on earth was stupid enough to use so much perfume…?

“Hey, Flan. You really came…?”

I immediately realized the source. The overwhelming scent belonged to Becky.

Since club activities allowed casual clothes, Becky appeared in her own outfit. However, her appearance was somewhat peculiar.

Her accessories, like hairpins, were excessive, her makeup was heavy, her perfume was strong, and her skirt was short.

She looked like a girl who was trying to dress up for the first time in her life.

“What’s with that outfit?”

“Why, is it strange? This is our first time meeting in casual clothes, so I made an effort.”

I pondered for a moment about how to respond.

“Don’t cause a scene.”

“Huh, suddenly?”

I shook my head. Words weren’t going to solve this situation.

“Frozen is a club that prides itself on its long-standing tradition of studying the ice element… It’s profitable too, as popular research can be sold for a high price…”

Kenneth was a kind man. His speech, filled with affection for Frozen, continued for a while.

Suddenly, Becky quietly called out to me.

“Hey, Flan.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t you have something to give me?”

Did I have something to give Becky? I thought about it for a moment, but I couldn’t think of anything.

“I don’t.”

“What do you mean you don’t! Think carefully!”

“Hmm.”

No matter how much I thought about it, there was nothing I had to give her. However, if she really wanted something, I could give her this.

“Becky.”

“Yes!”

Becky looked up at me with expectant eyes. It was something worth expecting.

“The book *Destruction and Prejudice* in the library’s C section. I’ll transfer my borrowing rights to you, so read it and summarize the key points.”

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”

She frantically waved her hands, her face turning pale. I added another question to her.

“Becky.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know about the Sports Competition in two weeks?”

“Sports Competition? I don’t know much about it. I only know that Louis is the first-year representative for the combat event.”

“Louis… Isn’t that the guy Hailey is always following around?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Hailey’s been bragging about him all over the place. You’d think they were dating or something.”

I rubbed my chin and pondered.

No matter how I think about it, I should be the representative for the Sports Competition.

“How was the representative chosen?”

“It’s probably based on the professors’ recommendations. Louis was likely chosen unanimously.”

“I wonder if it’s possible for the representative to be replaced.”

“Well… If they were injured to the point of being unable to participate, or if someone convinced the professors otherwise. In such cases, they might be replaced.”

“Then let’s go with convincing them.”

I couldn’t very well incapacitate Louis. Hearing my plan, Becky tilted her head in confusion.

“Convince them? But Flan! That’s not the important thing!”

Becky stood on her tiptoes, excitedly whispering.

“Today’s club activity is conducted in pairs. Isn’t that great? We can team up and stick together.”

By the end, she was even wriggling her body in excitement.

“I wonder if rumors will spread soon. All the seniors are here too… Hehe.”

I checked the time. I had already made a plan to make the most efficient use of the day.

“Becky.”

“Yes!”

“I don’t feel like joining this club. I’m canceling my membership.”

“What…?”

“Don’t get close to that club president either.”

“No, no, no, Flan. What do you mean cancel? You’re canceling your membership…?”

Exactly as I said.

There was something off about the club president’s atmosphere.

It wasn’t just a matter of personal taste. It felt like looking directly at an uncanny valley.

That’s the reason I decided to cancel my membership.

‘Instead…’

I was currently near Tir Lake.

To prepare for the Sports Competition in two weeks, it would be more beneficial to acquire the artifact sooner.

Since I decided to cancel my membership, there was no reason to be tied down by club activities any longer.

“Hey… This is too much…”

Becky started to tear up.

Her tearful appearance, combined with her strange outfit, was really unappealing. The assistant’s face reflects on me after all…

This won’t do. I’ll have to do something about that outfit myself.

“Let’s go shopping for clothes together next time. But you won’t get to choose.”

“Really?!”

“Your poor taste will not be considered and will be disregarded. Keep that in mind.”

“O-Okay.”

Leaving the strangely happy Becky behind, I turned away.

Then I turned back and added one more thing.

“And don’t forget to summarize *Destruction and Prejudice*.”

◈

Merhen Academy does not have regulations preventing students from entering dungeons.

However, it is clearly stated that the student is responsible in case of any incidents.

This is one of the regulations I personally favor. The choice and the consequences are entirely the individual’s responsibility.

[＊Are you just going to leave it at the bottom of the lake? When are you going to retrieve it?]

[＊I’ll take it as late as possible. Need to avoid getting caught.]

As such a conversation took place between some unknown people, I arrived at the dungeon entrance, which was located at the base of the mountain.

Tir Lake is at the far end of this dungeon.

“…Unpleasant.”

That was my first impression.

The humidity was incredibly high. It became clear why this place was chosen as a hiding spot.

In the end, I used mana to create a thin barrier around my clothes.

The droplets falling from the ceiling were too annoying to ignore.

There was another problem—the dungeon was much larger than I had anticipated.

‘Should I just remember the location for now?’

While calculating the best course of action considering various factors, a blue light suddenly emanated from my jacket pocket.

I was sure I had turned off Trivia’s notifications… I pulled it out from my pocket and opened it.

[▶This is Kenneth, the club president.]

[▶It’s my first time contacting you since we exchanged codes.]

[▶Today’s club activity should end in about three hours.]

[▶Can we talk privately afterward?]

[▶It’s really important.]

“This is…”

This wasn’t my Trivia. It was Becky’s.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t paid any attention to the Trivia Becky handed over to me for a code exchange.

ㅡ*Don’t you have something to give me?*

Was that what Becky meant? Only now did I realize she was referring to Trivia.

For now, I closed Trivia. Peeking into someone else’s Trivia wasn’t exactly a wholesome activity. I’ll return it to her as soon as I leave the dungeon.

Still, I unintentionally gained some useful information. Even if it’s a deep dungeon, three hours should be enough to explore it fully.

I began to move deeper into the dungeon, brushing away the droplets falling on me one by one.

*Keek—!*

A few Kodomo Demonic Beasts spotted me and charged. They had lizard heads on human bodies—a rather grotesque sight.

These creatures, which love high humidity, had almost no resistance to fire.

I raised one hand.

The speed at which they charged was certainly not slow, but my spellcasting was even faster.

*Fwoosh—!*

With a snap of my fingers, the beasts were incinerated without so much as a scream. They were so weak that even a low-intensity flame was enough to kill them, so the mana consumption was minimal.

The thieves who hid the artifact must have cleared a path through the dungeon. Thanks to that, I didn’t encounter any formidable foes as I proceeded.

After walking for another thirty minutes, I finally saw the lake.

It was a beautiful lake. The lake, imbued with dense mana,

glowed in the dark cave, serving as a blue lamp.

I carefully examined the lake.

And after a moment, I muttered in disbelief.

“…Are you kidding me?”

It was shallow. The lake was extremely shallow.

I was speechless at how clearly the bottom was visible. I could already see a red box with my naked eyes.

Could this really be called hiding something?

Did they store it like this because it was of poor quality? Were these guys nothing more than common thieves…?

“Sigh.”

I let out a deep sigh and reached out. Since I had come this far, I might as well check it out to make it worthwhile.

I used telekinesis to pull the box out of the water. This red box didn’t even have a simple barrier to protect itself from interference magic.

If it were something important, it couldn’t be treated like this.

The thought that I had wasted my time made my mood plummet. I slammed the box into the ground with a loud thud.

And at that moment…

“…Ouch.”

A young girl’s voice tickled my ears.

I frowned and examined the red box. Inside the now-split box was a single white cotton glove.

“Yawn… What’s this, who’s there? Who’s the jerk that disturbed my sleep…?”

And the cotton glove was clearly the source of the voice.

“An *Artifact of a Spirit*?”

Why did they store the item in such a shallow lake? Why wasn’t there any barrier magic on it? Despite that, why did they cherish it so much…?

All those questions were answered in an instant. If it’s a spirit artifact, it makes sense.

A spirit only displays its true power when it’s with its chosen master.

Thus, a spirit within an artifact itself serves as an excellent barrier. This is because the spirit has the nature of choosing its own master.

Anyone can use this glove as a normal glove. Touching it, wearing it… all of that is easy.

However, to use it as an “artifact,” one must pass through the “spirit” barrier.

Depending on the spirit, the abilities vary greatly. In any case, it’s undoubtedly a valuable item.

“Huh…? So, you want me too? Yawn…”

I picked up the glove and examined it. The inside of the thin white cotton glove was intricately woven with countless circuits.

Should I call it a glove… or her? She yawned and muttered sleepily.

“Just let go… I have no feeling. I gave up on finding a master who could satisfy me long ago. I just want to sleep forever…”

There seemed to be a reason behind her weariness.

The mana circuits were quite complex. It would be difficult for any but the highest-level magicians to be chosen by her.

It was obvious that the thieves who stole this were merely couriers. They couldn’t use it themselves, so they hid it and probably debated how to handle it.

I quietly opened my lips.

“Name, abilities, and the past masters you’ve had. Tell me everything.”

“I’ve never been satisfied by any magician before. You should just give up too… Yawn, I’m so sleepy.”

“There will only be two commands.”

But there was no further response.

Just in case, I brought the glove close to my ear and heard soft breathing. She had fallen asleep again.

“You’re out of your mind.”

I admit that the effects of a spirit artifact are remarkable. In fact, excellent spirits can significantly elevate an ordinary magician’s capabilities.

But in the end, they’re just spirits within artifacts. How dare a mere tool display such disdain towards a magician?

“I said there would only be two commands.”

It didn’t matter how many magicians this spirit had disappointed before. What mattered was that she met me, now, at this moment.

I poured all the remaining mana I had into her.

I placed the glove on my palm. As my sharply honed mana surged up.

“…You’re being insolent.”

I clenched my fist as tightly as I could and stabbed the razor-sharp mana into her like a sword.

“Eek—?!”

Immediately, the spirit let out a strange sound.

“S-Stop it! That’s a very, v-v-v-very sensitive spot, you know?”

The calculation was perfect, without any errors.

I intended to shatter the “numbness” she so arrogantly spoke of.

“Answer the question.”

This wasn’t the gentle “understanding” that involved reading circuits. I shoved the sharp mana recklessly into her circuits.

“This is the first time anyone’s touched me like this! S-Stop it! What are you doing?!”

I wrapped the threads of mana tightly around her circuits, adjusting my breath so that I could squeeze at any moment.

A pitiful wail echoed.

“T-Talk to me. It feels so strange… I’ve never experienced this before…!”

I shook my head. Still no answer.

“Answer.”

Taking a deep breath, I tightened the mana threads that coiled around her circuits. So tight that even mana couldn’t flow through.

“Hyahhh!”

A sharp scream erupted, and after about two seconds.

“Hera! My name is Heraaa!”

Finally, she started to communicate.