Episode 141
40. Feast Preparation (4)
“How many in total?”
“41 people.”
“When did you grow so much!?”
“It’s because Sanwoo turned it back to free recruitment. You could join just by submitting an application for admission.”
“Oh yeah……?”
Even in the main story, I was not particularly good at managing clubs.
Lately, I’ve been busier in many ways, and since it’s a laissez-faire club that doesn’t have any regular meetings, I didn’t pay much attention to the number of people.
‘I didn’t know it would increase this much.’
It’s a pity that Camilla managed to some extent as the deputy head.
After all, I almost became a manager, so I was almost embarrassed for not knowing the number of members.
“I’m glad I borrowed Arin Hall.”
“Yeah, roughly the number of people would have been right.”
With a sigh of relief, I opened the door to the Central Terrier’s student residence and entered.
The office manager standing in the lobby nodded and greeted me.
“What are you here for?”
“I rented Arin Hall for a regular club meeting.”
“Ah…! Fleck, Fl, Fleksu? Are you Baek San-woo, the head of the club?”
It seems that the name of our club is difficult to pronounce.
“yes.”
“Arin Hall is over there.”
The office manager who guides you with a friendly smile. We thanked and walked in the direction we were directed.
Arin Hall was the middle-sized hall among the five halls located in the student building.
It is a spacious place that can accommodate up to 60 people.
Since it is often used as a meeting place for the central club, it is usually not available unless you make a reservation quickly.
“Uhhh…”
I must have caught a cold in the past few days, after I loosened my throat.
I opened the door to Arin Hall and entered.
What you immediately see is the students sitting in their seats and chatting with each other.
Next were our executives who were cleaning the stage in the front.
“ah……!”
Soyoung, who had brought a separate voice amplifier, checked me and waved her hand.
After that, the eyes of ordinary students were also focused on me.
‘It’s more burdensome than I thought.’
I felt the weight of the club manager, who had grown heavy since some time, and walked forward proudly.
“You came just in time.”
“Yeah, it’s the first time we all get together after our second semester. To learn new faces quickly.”
“That’s right. After the second semester, how many seniors seem to have joined?”
I turned my head to Soyoung’s words. Most of them were students who didn’t pay close attention to the main part.
yes, this is better
If you bring in someone you are related to for nothing, you might get involved in something you don’t want to be involved with.
I stood in front and counted the group members one by one.
As a result of counting, not one of them had arrived.
Illyana and Artel’s friends are gathered around the corner together.
“Are the amplifier settings complete?”
“yes!”
“Because it’s also Geumgangmun.”
I gave my thumbs up towards Taehoon and Soyoung, who finished the stage setting perfectly.
“Hey, I’m really sorry. I worked hard too.”
Then George, who had come and prepared in advance, pouted his mouth.
“Because it’s also the Grand Duchy of Carpet.”
Let’s blow the stick the same way we did for the two of them.
The boy had a confused expression on his face.
“What, what? Sure, you complimented me, but why are you feeling worse?”
“It’s my mood. Just pass it on.”
I shrugged and climbed over the podium past George who had stopped.
A pedestal just high enough to touch my thighs.
“ah-.”
As I open my mouth to test, the crystal on the amplifier flashes and my voice echoes throughout the room.
“Nice to meet you, this is Sanwoo Baek, the head of the Flex Club.”
Clap clap-.
When I greeted them lightly, applause from the members poured out.
Whik-!! swish!
Some of the dogs responded violently by whistling.
When did I become so popular? … ?
“Thank you. Also, there are people who are the first to meet like this. There are also familiar faces after meeting several times.”
When Fail made eye contact with me, he frowned and said hello.
Because he and I were seniors from the Arin Faculty, so we ran into each other a few times.
Fortunately, I was one of the members who could say that I had ‘one-sided food’.
Except for the early members, the rest of the members are all people involved in the gold mine.
“Well, the reason we’ve gathered all of you like this is because of Paradise Festival, which is already a few weeks away.”
I started reciting the explanation I had prepared in advance.
It was about what our club would do at the Paradise Festival and how to share the income from its activities.
Of course, he also said that there is no need to participate in a club booth, and it is okay to set up an individual booth.
We are, after all, a for-profit club that guarantees individual freedom unconditionally.
“…it’s over, but do you have any questions?”
Then a girl in the corner raised her hand.
“Then are those Artel traditional foods made by Artel people?”
As her gaze turned to the Artels gathered in the corner, the expressions of the Artels except Illyana hardened.
Of course it had to be stiff.
They don’t know anything right now, they just attended because it’s a meeting.
I answered quickly, before the misunderstanding escalated.
“no.”
He then made eye contact with Iliana.
Actually, before the meeting, I told Illyana to ask if I could pass Ishtar’s words to the members.
She is a princess of a clan.
Because authority exists in the name of Ishtar Arhalten itself.
Even if it was private, it could be a big person to talk about it in public.
Soon, Illyana nodded her head slightly.
That was an OK sign.
I hid my satisfaction in my heart and continued speaking calmly.
“As the 2nd Princess of Ishtar Arhalten herself told me.”
When the noble name was mentioned, there was agitation among the members for an instant.
“If you designate four people from our club, they said that they would allow access to the breath of the World Tree for a week.”
The mouth of the student who asked the question widens. She wasn’t the only one to react like that.
An extremely closed artel community.
Among them, it was the right to enter the manor dormitory, Breath of the World Tree.
“Of course, it is only allowed for that period, and the activity will be limited to the kitchen.”
The huge tree used as the dormitory is Artel’s cradle and is the only world tree in the world.
In the basement, the saenggyeonggwa that I secretly farmed last time are alive.
As long as the princess is attending school, there is also a treasure trove where she keeps her treasures and items.
In other words, that much is Artel’s territory.
It is under the sovereignty of Arhalten. Even a princess resides there, meaning it can be called a royal palace.
So, it was only natural that unless you were a verified person in Artel like me, you couldn’t move around at will.
“That’s why we’re gathered there to decide on those four people.”
However, the members didn’t seem to care much about such restrictions.
“Did you hear it? It’s the breath of the world tree…!”
“Crazy. I’ve only seen it from afar every day. Can you go in and see it?”
Students chatting with excitement.
When I was invited by Ishtar in the past, it was a reaction I had experienced once, so it was not surprising.
As such, very little was revealed about Artel’s life.
It must mean that people are very interested in the race of that mysterious forest.
“Come on, then… you want to apply once. Son?”
Scared to say, all the members raised their hands without exception.
Except for Artel, who was very bewildered by the harsh reaction than expected.
* * *
“It’s really amazing. I was expecting it, but I didn’t expect it to be this fierce.”
“It’s the breath of the world tree.”
When I say disgustingly, George, who is standing next to me, adds:
“I’m sure there will be quite a few people who joined after hearing that Artel was a member of our club? That’s about it.”
Certainly, the Artel race itself was all pretty and handsome.
“Then all four of them, including Tae-Hoon, have been decided.”
Since there were so many applicants, I was able to select from among the people who had a knack for cooking.
Among them, their identities were certain, and they were selected as those who had no problem entering or exiting the Breath of the World Tree.
So, the number of people determined.
In the executive team, Tae-Hoon and three general members were selected.
“I’m sorry… but I don’t think we can spend it like this.”
It’s our member, but for now, it’s going to a laissez-faire system.
Except for Taehoon, there was not much information about the rest.
I’m going in on the recommendation of Ishtar Arhalten, not anyone else, but I can’t just leave it alone.
“Then Sanwoo-sama can go with you, right?”
“Well, you’re off topic anyway, aren’t you supposed to be there with Illyana-senpai and other Artels?”
“That’s right.”
“There’s no need for everyone to go. Go only with Taehoon, Sanwoo.”
In order to prepare for any contingency, it seemed that in the end there was no choice but to do so.
And the long-awaited first training day.
The members who were selected in the 4 members were so excited that they had already gathered long before I arrived.
From left to right, they were Taehoon, Arisa, Lumana, and Enver.
All but one name I don’t know.
Besides, Taehoon was the only male student.
What… … To be honest, Tae-hoon also goes to restaurants every day, and it’s funny that he can’t cook.
Fortunately, in the case of Tae-hoon, he had the experience of visiting Breath of the World Tree last time.
“Then let’s go in.”
After confirming that all the previously announced personnel have gathered, the guard opens the door.
“Hey ah ah ah~~!”
The rest of the members exclaimed with strange sounds.
Even I, who has visited Breath of the World Tree many times, always finds a new feeling, but what about people seeing it for the first time?
It was actually Tae-hoon’s second visit, so the reaction was less than the three people who were fluttering like crazy.
“I’ll go to the restaurant.”
If it had been me, I would have treated them warmly, but this time there were outside guests, so the guards treated me with a very businesslike tone.
As I glanced at them and flicked one eye lightly, a wink returned over the golden helmet.
‘Oh yeah… … Because I’m shy about humans, but I like them secretly.’
After all, in Chapter 4, Aidan’s sacrifice and persuasion are the people who are influenced by it.
There is no bad Artel in the world.
Even if there are bad people.
Anyway, surrounded by guards, we arrived at a restaurant in the breath of the world tree.
Like a dormitory made entirely of wood, the chairs and tables were all made of logs.
The wall is full of vines and mushrooms, in case someone is not Artel who lives in harmony with nature.
Say, and breathe the air.
Cool phytoncides are sucked deep into the lungs.
It also has a subtle fruity scent.
It was truly a natural song.
The last Artel restaurant had no chance to enter, so it felt quite new.
At the time when I was fully intoxicated by the fresh green glaze.
“Nice to meet you, humans!”
Everyone’s attention was focused on the voice that resounded from the other side of the restaurant.
The man who appeared after kicking the kitchen door burst out laughing.
Contrary to the delicate Artels I’ve seen so far, he has a muscular physique.
The apron she was wearing stretched as it stretched and was on the verge of tearing.
“……?????”
An irregular that broke the common perception.
Soon, the guard who had led us here said politely to Muscular Artel.
“That is the chef, ‘Gordon Cates’, who is in charge of our Artels’ meals.”
At the end of the introduction, a muscular elf bouncing my chest from side to side.
“It’s called Gordon Cates. In your language…”
He added, sticking out his white teeth.
“Call me Gordon Lamb.”