The Mystery Society was a poor club.
Its members had little unity, and it did not even collect dues.
Nor did it receive donations.
It was time for that to change.
“So that's why you came to me?”
“That's right.”
The person I sought out to discuss the matter was not Senior Yurik, the Mystery Society's club president; Jelly, the highest-ranking person among those around me; Lumin, whose family seemed wealthy judging by the expensive sweets he bought every day; or Chepin, whose family sold liquor and was genuinely rich.
Instead, it was Lulusha, who was so broke that she could barely afford to go out.
“Why?”
“Because you're in the faith club.”
Money flowed into temples.
It was common sense.
“As I understand it, the faith club works with Ark's temple to participate in various social activities. Am I right?”
“You are.”
“Take me to a gathering attended by influential people.”
I went a step further with my proposal.
“How about forming a partnership between the faith club and the Mystery Society? The Mystery Society will help whenever you hold an event in the future.”
“I'm a new member. I don't have power like you do.”
“Take me to your club president. No—just tell him about me.”
“Is it urgent?”
“It is.”
Lulusha seemed to think for a moment before speaking.
“One basket of sweets from Milk Hall.”
“No.”
“Then I refuse.”
I clenched my fist.
The heir of a prominent high-ranking noble house in the Empire was demanding money from me, whose house had truly gone bankrupt.
From me, whose family had been destroyed by the Empire, no less.
The underside of the Age of Glory was merciless beyond measure.
“So that's how you want to play it. I'll handle it myself.”
“Handle it? How?”
“I'll find your club president myself.”
“You don't even know who the club president is.”
“I can find that out in no time.”
I normally would not have done this, but in my urgency, I called over Marco, who was snickering with his group in a corner of the classroom.
“Marco. Who is the faith club's president?”
“Senior Sorin Tepes of the third-year Courage Class.”
As expected, the answer came immediately. That bastard knew everything about the Ivory Tower.
“Thank you.”
“But why?”
“I was merely curious.”
Lulusha, whose mouth had fallen open, glared at Marco.
Marco scratched his head.
“Huh? Did I make a mistake?”
***
The faith club's official name was People Who Love God, shortened to the Love Fellowship.
Senior Sorin, the president of the Love Fellowship, was a man with an academic appearance that suited his glasses.
“So that's what happened. The Ivory Tower can be quite vicious.”
But there was something oddly affected about the way he spoke.
After hearing my proposal, Senior Sorin rested his chin on one hand and pursed his lips.
“Hmmm…….”
The gesture was deliberately theatrical, yet it seemed natural when he did it.
“Armand, we call it volunteer work, but what we actually do is menial labor. Are you the sort who can handle that?”
“Of course.”
“Is that so?”
With all the rumors surrounding House Draco, those who knew little about us assumed we had enjoyed tremendous wealth in the North.
That was not remotely true.
“I'm accustomed to menial work. You may even have me clean the toilets.”
“Oh? You're the first person at the Ivory Tower to volunteer for toilet cleaning. You seem dependable, I suppose.”
Senior Sorin adjusted his glasses and grinned.
“As expected of the new student who fought the Glory Society.”
“Fought them? It was merely a prank.”
“Very well. Let us call it that.”
He tilted his head theatrically.
“In that case, the temple's deacon is holding a tea party this weekend, and we agreed to help. Can you handle kitchen work?”
“Well enough.”
“Good. I will trust you, Armand. I accept your proposal.”
I brought my hands together and bowed in gratitude for his kindness.
“Thank you. I will see you then. May peace be with you.”
“Lulusha said your faith ran deep. It appears she was not wrong. Peace be with you.”
“You flatter me.”
My apologies, but I was a false believer who became devout only when I needed something. Fortunately, I was extremely devout at present.
“How many people should come?”
“It isn't a large tea party, so one or two should suffice. Of course, Armand, you must come. I am sure you understand without my saying so.”
“Of course. Then I will see you there.”
“Indeed. Until then, Manager of the Mystery Society!”
Senior Sorin stepped into the corridor and waved until I disappeared down the stairs.
“A temporary alliance between the Love Fellowship and the Mystery Society!”
His manner of speaking was somewhat affected, but he seemed like a good person…….
***
As soon as the weekend arrived, I joined the Love Fellowship's group.
“Senior Sorin, let's go!”
“Excellent. Karl of the Mystery Society! I like you too!”
“Thank you! Peace be with us!”
Karl had agreed to help me. He had tried to drag Lumin along as well, but Lumin fled, saying he hated menial work.
The members of the Love Fellowship welcomed us kindly.
“I'm glad you're here. I was worried we wouldn't have enough hands. We keep getting fewer new members these days.”
As the times changed, apparently fewer students were joining the faith club. Perhaps because of that, fewer than ten members of the Love Fellowship were participating in the volunteer work.
Senior Sorin said,
“We normally have around twenty, but attendance has been poor lately. Everyone seems busy. Still, we cannot hold them responsible. The path of faith is inherently lonely.”
“The path of faith resembles the path of the sword! In that both are lonely!”
“Indeed, Karl! We walk similar paths!”
We visited the mansion of a believer who served as a deacon at the temple.
Deacon was a kind of honorary position. A deacon led fellow believers and assisted the temple.
The streets were beautiful, as expected of the wealthiest district in Ark.
White streetlamps stood in orderly rows, and the trees lining the road were impeccably trimmed. Large, beautiful mansions that could never be seen in the North continued without end.
But the other students did not seem particularly impressed.
There was no helping these imperial bastards.
Before long, a pinkish three-story brick mansion appeared.
“This is it.”
“What a splendid mansion.”
The mere fact that she could maintain such a vast garden showed how wealthy she was.
Excellent.
To obtain donations, I needed to become acquainted with wealthy people.
A noblewoman came out to welcome us at the entrance.
“Oh my, my brothers and sisters! Welcome. There are more of you today?”
For some reason, she looked familiar.
“Thank you for coming. Peace be with you all.”
The woman who brought her hands together and bowed was none other than the noblewoman Gerald had winked at and flirted with when I first entered the Ivory Tower.
She was also the employer who had entrusted Gerald with running her tavern.
But she did not know me.
“Oh my, I haven't seen these two students before.”
“They're helping us this time. They aren't members of the Love Fellowship, but their faith runs deep.”
“I see. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Mary.”
“It's a pleasure, Madam Mary. I'm Armand, and this is Karl.”
“It's a pleasure!”
“I'll be holding a party at my mansion today. I'll be relying on you again. Food prepared by devout students tastes better and carries deeper meaning, wouldn't you agree?”
“Indeed, Deacon.”
“Come, come. Go on inside.”
Lulusha whispered to me, “Madam Mary gives us light work like this on purpose so she can donate to us. She doesn't actually need our help.”
Just as she said, Madam Mary's mansion had many servants.
“For reference, the Love Fellowship is secretly a rich club. Relative to its size, it's probably the wealthiest.”
“That isn't why you joined, is it?”
“Who knows?”
Today, we had to serve the believers who would gather at Madam Mary's mansion after worship.
In the hall prepared for the tea party, Senior Sorin divided the group.
“Our task is to prepare light, bite-sized snacks. You are all ready, I trust? We should split into those who will cook and those who will purchase ingredients. Those who buy the ingredients will serve the food later. Which would you prefer?”
As everyone divided themselves among the tasks, Karl, Lulusha, and I ended up responsible for cooking.
Apparently, the younger students normally handled the cooking at events like this.
“It's because none of them can cook.”
Nobles could not cook. The commoners who entered the Ivory Tower were not much different in that respect. Most were children of wealthy households who had never needed to cook for themselves.
Karl protested.
“That's not true! I'm different!”
“How are you different?”
“I can make barbecue, though I burn it a little!”
“Anyone can put meat over a fire.”
“Really?”
“And Lulusha, make sure you learn properly today.”
“Why me all of a sudden?”
“Because you're broke. Cooking for yourself will be better than buying food.”
“I'm not that broke.”
“You are.”
“Lulusha is broke? How pitiful!”
“I'm not.”
“How did you end up broke?”
“Be quiet.”
I skimmed the notes Senior Sorin had given me. They contained the recipes for the food we were supposed to make today.
According to the explanation, we did not need to worry much about the taste.
Since this was a gathering bound by faith, the guests would understand with warm hearts even if the food was not good.
They would be moved merely by the fact that students from the Empire's finest academy had prepared the food with care.
“Hopeless.”
“What is?”
“The mindset.”
I slammed the notes onto the counter.
“Imagine that bomb collars are fastened around your necks. If you fail to satisfy the guests with your cooking, the collars will explode and kill you.”
“Why would we imagine that?”
“Would you still serve the food in these notes, which merely imitates the bare shape of a recipe?”
“Why would we imagine that?”
“If we fail to satisfy today's guests, we die.”
“Why?”
That might not be reality for them, but it was for me.
An insane artifact that would collect my life when the time came was embedded in my left eye socket.
“Forget the existing recipes. This is garbage food made merely to look the part.”
“Senior Sorin created these himself…….”
“Even if Senior Sorin himself were here, I would not take it back. These are garbage.”
When I spoke firmly, both of their eyes widened.
Karl, who loved stirring up trouble, asked excitedly, “That's amazing! Armand, can you cook?”
“Of course.”
“Incredible! But the seniors already left to buy the ingredients.”
“That is fine.”
I pointed at the expensive refrigerator enchanted with cold magic.
“We'll use the ingredients inside.”
“Are we allowed to use them without permission? Madam Mary already went to the temple. Should I run after her and ask?”
“It is fine. A good result justifies the process.”
The original recipes could do no more than fill a stomach.
Under the Superior / Pass / Marginal / Poor / Fail grading scale, they were guaranteed a Poor.
But I did not settle for that.
Even at the risk of receiving a lower grade, I always aimed for a Superior.
“We only need to add this much to the ingredients the seniors are buying.”
I laid out vegetables and meat that were in fairly good condition.
“We have no time. Let us begin preparing them.”
“Preparing them?”
“Take up a knife.”
“I've never trimmed vegetables before.”
“Neither have I.”
“As expected, both of you were raised in comfort. Karl, you're a knight, so you should be capable enough. Watch me and follow along.”
I placed a peeled onion on the cutting board, then gripped the kitchen knife.
The knife danced across the board.
Karl and Lulusha's mouths fell open as the onion scattered into fine pieces.
Without stopping, I sliced the next onion, and then the one after that.
“That's incredible!”
“Why are you so good at this?”
The more I thought about it, the more wronged I felt.
Why did I have to do this?
Why did I have to risk my life cooking for people I did not even know?
“That's amazing! So this is what people mean when they say men who cook are popular. I should learn too! But Armand, are you crying?”
“Cutting onions naturally makes your eyes water.”
“Is that so?”
“It is.”
***
When Senior Sorin returned with the ingredients, he was bewildered by my proposal to change the dishes. Then he adjusted his glasses and looked around at the members.
“What does everyone think of this boy's audacious proposal?”
A first-year member of the Love Fellowship objected.
Was their name Vince?
“I oppose it. How can you change the precious recipes Senior Sorin created? You two aren't even members of the Love Fellowship. Aren't you interfering too much?”
Vince had disapproved of Karl and me joining them from the beginning.
“These recipes have been preserved by the Love Fellowship for a long time. If we suddenly change them and something goes wrong, will you take responsibility?”
“I will.”
My ready answer flustered Vince.
“H-how will you take responsibility?”
“You'll find out if something goes wrong.”
“That isn't an answer. This isn't even your club, so don't try to do whatever you want.”
“Do not worry. It will certainly be better than before.”
“How can you be sure?”
“My food is unquestionably more delicious.”
“What kind of logic is that?”
Vince pointed toward the hall.
“A distinguished person from Ark is coming today. They have an incredibly exacting palate. What will you do if they dislike the food? Do you think you can take responsibility?”
“My food will certainly taste better, so there will be nothing to take responsibility for.”
“E-everyone's tastes are different. How can you be so certain? Don't come to another club and try to cause trouble! We're taking this seriously!”
Excuse me, but no one here was taking this more seriously than I was.
I explained calmly.
“Trust me. People's tastes are generally similar.”
“Even so!”
As the voices grew louder, Senior Sorin intervened.
“Enough.”
“Club President, how can you trust them? Armand has a bad reputation too. He's a thug who cowardly uses duels as an excuse to strike people in their vital areas!”
Come to think of it, that bastard Vince was from Eagle Class.
Obern and I had reached the point where we at least greeted each other when we met after our fight, but the other Eagle Class students' hostility had not disappeared.
Senior Sorin spoke firmly.
“Vince, do not say such things. I will pretend I did not hear that.”
“Excuse me?”
“If you repeat stories to belittle another person, those words will return to you. I heard that story as well. From what I could tell, it was not an incident that could be blamed entirely on either side.”
Senior Sorin pointed upward.
“God is watching, so you have no need to spread malicious gossip about another person. Unless your faith is merely an act.”
Senior Sorin's expression was uncharacteristically stern.
His usual way of speaking might have been affected enough to make one cringe, but he was indeed the president of the faith club.
Vince lowered their head.
“I'm sorry.”
The atmosphere grew solemn.
I did not miss the brief silence that followed.
“Whether the day be fair or cold, whether fortune or misfortune finds me, as in the beginning, now and always, forever and ever, watch over every step I take…….”
When I recited the prayer, everyone stared at me in surprise before bringing their hands together and responding.
“Please watch over us…….”
I prayed again.
“At times, the sheep wander without knowing what they do. Please watch over even our steps as we set foot upon the righteous path…….”
The eyes of the Love Fellowship's members widened.
Everyone knew the first prayer, but the second was an ancient prayer known only to those who had studied the doctrine.
“Please place your trust in me.”
After I went that far, no one opposed me any longer.
“The dishes will not differ greatly from the original recipes. All I am doing is adding a little more depth of flavor.”
“Very well. I will trust you, Armand.”
“Thank you for trusting me.”
I signaled to Karl and Lulusha with my eyes.
“Let us go to the kitchen and begin cooking.”
“Yes, Chef!”
I was certain.
I knew exactly how the expressions of those who tasted my food would change.
Senior Sorin stroked his chin and spoke with a satisfied expression.
“As expected of the boy who managed to persuade even me. Your faith and nerve are both remarkable!”