I Become a Mafia in the Academy

Chapter 47

Kwon Suhyeop's expression was still rotting away in real time.

Yes, that's how it should be.

How much effort did I put in to see that expression?

"You seem like someone I haven't seen before. How did you come here?"

When I asked him with an expression that showed I knew nothing, Kwon Suhyeop gritted his teeth, making a grinding sound.

"......You must know roughly since you planted a spy, right?"

It seemed he quickly assessed the current situation upon seeing Youngje inside.

Is his head working pretty well after all? No, if he didn't understand even after seeing that, he wouldn't be fit to be a leader.

"Then there's no need to use honorifics, right? It's not like you came with good intentions anyway."

As I changed my attitude and said that, he looked at me with an expression that seemed to say he was dumbfounded.

"Ha, I thought you'd at least show some respect since I'm your senior."

"I would have respected you if you came with goodwill. But you came with hostility, didn't you?"

After saying that to him, I entered the club booth with Lee Haru.

"Why, didn't you come to greet us? Come in and take a look around."

I hadn't shown them even half of what I wanted to show yet.

"Oh? Did the president of Familia come? You're earlier than expected."

Lee Seri, covered in flour, walks out from the kitchen on one side of the booth. She was briefly startled upon seeing the members of the 'Ranger Club' near the entrance, but she quickly composed herself and smiled again.

"Ah, right! You mentioned guests were coming today! Everything is ready for them, so please come inside!"

Kwon Suhyeop made a puzzled expression upon hearing Lee Seri's words.

I kindly asked him about his funny face.

"Are you surprised that the president of the Recipe Development Club is here? Or are you surprised that there's a kitchen in our club booth? Or, perhaps...... are you surprised that Lee Seri is trying to look fine even after seeing you?"

But Kwon Suhyeop kept his mouth shut and didn't answer.

"Well, you don't have to answer. Are you all just going to stand there? Why don't the other seniors come inside too? There's plenty of refreshments."

Only after hearing my words did the members of the 'Ranger Club' slowly start to come inside.

Since I knew they were coming, I had placed enough temporary tables and chairs in the largest hall of the club booth.

Here, they would feel puzzled. Even after everyone sat down, there were still plenty of seats left.

"By the way, besides you, other guests are coming today, so don't be uncomfortable and make yourselves at home."

My wish was simple.

I just wanted them to see and realize for themselves before I crushed them.

In a nutshell, it was a simple character test.

And the beginning of it was.

"Yoojin, members from the International Trade Club are here~"

Along with Seah, all the members from the International Trade Club booth entered the club booth.

Their numbers were twice that of the Ranger Club members who came here. Kwon Suhyeop's face darkened at this.

"What are all these people......"

"I thought you might have heard the news and came, but no? Today, we're having our club's inauguration ceremony."

"......Inauguration ceremony?"

"Yes, we invited all the clubs under our protection."

While explaining the relationship with the 'International Trade Club' to him, I spotted Jinwoo's blond head in the distance.

"Boss, I brought people from the Board Game Club."

With the arrival of another club, not just Kwon Suhyeop but the faces of the 'Ranger Club' members started to crumble.

There were already dozens of people gathered in our club booth.

It seemed they came to suppress our spirit, but it was they whose spirits were crushed.

"They haven't all arrived yet, and you're already like this."

"......Shut up."

And what sealed the deal for them was──

"I'm here~ As I mentioned before, can I borrow the training ground?"

"......Do as you please."

The arrival of Ji Soohyun.

With the appearance of the instructor who was famously not to be messed with at the academy, all the members of the 'Ranger Club' began to panic.

Seeing them awkwardly murmuring, Ji Soohyun glanced over them once, then chuckled and headed straight to the training ground where the equipment was.

Ji Soohyun's arrival didn't hold any significant meaning.

She was just a kind of stopper.

To prevent the heated members from crossing the line.

Well...... Actually, even if I hadn't said anything, they would have chased me down as soon as they found out I had decorated the club room with top-notch equipment.

They wouldn't have come if I tried to stop them anyway, so it was good timing that she came.

With Ji Soohyun here, I could proceed to the next stage without stopping.

And at that moment, Jinwoo, who had been watching everything beside me, couldn't hold back his laughter and burst out.

"Boss, did you see their faces? They came thinking they were great, but they got hit back, right? They can't even close their mouths, right? They're actually jealous, right?"

Perhaps unable to bear Jinwoo's laughter echoing in the quiet club booth, Kwon Suhyeop got up from his seat, his face flushed.

"......I'll go first."

And standing in front of Kwon Suhyeop, Jinwoo glared at him.

"Didn't Lee Seri's food come out yet? You guys love it, don't you? Lee Seri's food."

"......It doesn't matter since we can eat it another day."

"Huh? Who said they'd let you eat it later? Your dreams are quite ambitious."

Saying that, Jinwoo slowly leaned forward and whispered into his ear.

"Today's meal might be the last one you'll ever eat, so you should eat it quietly."

He usually backs off, but Jinwoo certainly has a knack for provocation.

Look at Kwon Suhyeop trembling over there.

With other club members around and the instructor and the top freshman at the training ground, he couldn't act recklessly and had no choice but to endure.

Why?

Because all the other club members gathered here were non-combat clubs like the 'Recipe Development Club'. And they all had experiences of almost being defeated by combat-focused clubs.

If they did anything foolish in this situation, they might turn all the non-combat clubs spread throughout the academy, including the Bronze Clubs, against them.

And my job is to eliminate their patience.

"Oh, I haven't mentioned this yet. Lee Haru's family, the Inomiya Group, decided to purchase the patent for the 'Golden Walnut Pie' recipe. ......It's a pity, isn't it? You guys ended up being the dog that chased the chicken."

Crunch.

The sound of grinding teeth grew louder.

"......Why would a group like Inomiya want to buy their recipe? They wouldn't know unless you blew the wind into their ears."

But I didn't stop provoking him and smiled at him.

"As you said, I did blow some wind into their ears. Why, are you upset? Do you think it's unfair that we, who suddenly appeared, are taking it? Then the answer is simple."

Saying that, I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"──Let's go to war. Challenge us to a total war. As the president of the Bronze Club, you should know, right?"

Total war.

A rule where both clubs agree to put all their accumulated rating points and club assets on the line, with only one club surviving.

"If you challenge us to a total war, we won't back down. We'll even counterattack with all our might. Do you understand? If you think you can win with everything on the line, challenge us to a total war."

We.

"Familia will welcome your challenge."

I smiled and extended my hand to him, but he didn't take it and glared at me, saying,

"Since the club was just formed, the protection period will end around next week when free sparring becomes available."

Protection period. A rule set by the academy to prevent new clubs from being challenged to rating matches recklessly.

Well, it's a rule that doesn't mean much to us.

"As soon as the protection period ends, we'll challenge you to a total war. And we'll take everything you have. So...... get ready."

After saying that, Kwon Suhyeop hit my shoulder and left.

"Wow....... That bastard. He hit your shoulder trying to save his last bit of pride, huh? Boss, did you see that?"

Jinwoo muttered, glaring at them beyond the Z room door, as if he was really upset that Kwon Suhyeop hit my shoulder and left.

"I saw it well. I hoped they'd give up after this, but judging by their final act, it doesn't seem like they will. It looks like we'll have to go to war after all."

Then Youngje nodded in agreement.

"Even when I was on their side, the members below me used to tell me? They said the president, Kwon Suhyeop, is a stubborn person who won't be satisfied until he gets what he wants."

In other words, he would never give up.

"Then there's no choice. We'll have to deal with them our way. But first......"

As I said that, I looked at the members of the 'International Trade Club' and the members of the 'Board Game Club' who visited our club today.

"It would be good to have a drink for the guests who visited our 'Familia'. The atmosphere is a bit down because of the uninvited guests, so... would something sweet do the trick?"

At the same time, members of the 'Recipe Development Club' came out of the kitchen carrying trays piled high with cookies.

"The food is all ready!"

"Please enjoy it!"

"Thank you so much, everyone!"

The savory smell started to spread quickly, and people began to turn their attention to the cookies one by one.

It was a party held for the upcoming events, for our Familia.

"Boss. With so many people relying on us, do you think we can become strong enough to overpower them by then?"

Jinwoo's question was valid. Declaring total war meant that we, only four in number, would have to face the entire Ranger Club.

To alleviate Jinwoo's concern, I quietly advised,

"Even if they are from the Bronze Club, it's a combat club with second and third-year students. It might be tough for you guys to handle, honestly. I think it would be difficult for you as you are now. But──"

I had no intention of teaching the kids easily. Since they decided to follow me, we must become the best at the academy.

"Next week might be different. I will do my best to help you grow."

In response to my answer, the presidents of the other clubs began to speak one by one.

"In the future, our Recipe Development Club will do our best to help!"

"The Board Game Club will help if there's anything we can do."

"I will follow the president of Familia."

With so many people willing to help as part of our 'Familia' family, how could we be afraid?

Just as they help me, I will live to help them.

"You shouldn't eat too much. You might throw up during sparring later."

As I lightly advised the members who were about to enjoy the food with a chuckle, the kids' faces drooped.

"......Boss."

"Yoojin, you're too harsh."

"President, please go easy on us today......."

By the way, this advice was sincere.