228 Clubs

In the Ecclesia College of Magi, whispers ran around the clubs about some of the new students.

"Emerald Heights! These guys are Ashdalian nobles! Or at least, upper class!"

"Who could have known! Look at that girl! She dresses like a street thug! But what if she's actually a duchess or something?!"

"Never mind her, look at the two at the back! The way they walk… it's like they came out from a brothel. But that's what it's like for ladies-in-waiting in the Royal Court, right? They're basically fishing for powerful husbands."

"No, wait! I heard they're actually not from Ashdale! I heard they're really from the Wildlands!"

"The Wildlands?!"

"Hush! They heard you! Look at that club-legged guy scowling at us! Oh, scrap! Run! RUN!"

***

At the clubhouse of the Saturn Club, an esteemed guest came to see the Club President.

After the required pleasantries commenced, the guest asked directly, "Have you any readings on these new students?"

The Saturn Club President shook his head. "Not much to see. They have to aura of the shooting star. I don't think they'll be here for long."

"This is a passing opportunity, then. Have you any interests in them?"

"Maybe just one. The one with the narrow face."

"What, does he have the aura of wealth on him or something?"

The Saturn President's mouth shut tightly.

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"He does?!" the guest exclaimed. "How very… practical… of you."

"Not all of us are backed by half the noble Houses in Ecclesia!" the Saturn President shot back. "We don't have anywhere near the kind of funding that Club Crimson Star has!"

"Says the Club founded by Guild Astral, the northern Continent's Most Widely Patronized Astrologers!"

"Astrology is expensive!"

The only answer he got was a snort.

"You better move quickly if you want your gold-boy, then. I hear Club Tian Di and Sacred Sigil are already making a move."

"What? So fast?!" The President scrambled and ran straight for the dorms.

***

At the time, there was a crisis brewing in the dorm that Mindy had reserved for all her friends.

All her friends, together.

"What's the problem?" Juni asked. "We're practically brothers and sisters."

"But we're NOT." Karen shivered.

"We can't just all sleep in the same hall like we did as children!" Tamera added, likewise blanching. "We're not children any more!"

"Since when did you care?" Gary asked, frowning.

The two girls took apprehensive steps back. For some reason, they even seemed afraid.

A silvery laugh cut into their dilemma. "If you like, you two can come stay with us."

They turned to see a remarkably pretty girl approach. She wore a silky green frock, made of a smooth-looking material that clung to her shapely form, sleeveless and knee-length. She spoke in a warm, almost syrupy tone. "Hey, there. I'm Jessica, from Club Fairy Wing. Would you like to stay with us at our clubhouse?"

"You want us to stay at your clubhouse?" Gary blinked.

"Not you! It's only for girls!" she laughed, but for some reason her laughter actually sounded inviting. "I meant your two… friends…"

"You're inviting us to join Club Fairy Wing?" Karen figured out easily enough.

"Exactly!" Jessica nodded, with a coy smile. "Come stay with us."

Tamera looked at her, then looked at Gary and leapt for it. "Sure!"

But Karen hesitated. "There are three other girls in our group…"

Jessica shook her head. "I'm sorry. I was only told to invite you two."

"Good, because we want the other two." Another girl stepped up. She was tall, and dressed in a white robe. Ignoring Karen, Tamera and Gary, she went straight to Isabelle. "I'm Nora, representative of Club Faith. We're a club founded and supported by the Church of Light's Sisterhood of Grace. I'm here to invite you and the quiet girl to join our club."

"Me?" Isabelle blinked. "And… Siti?"

But Siti shrank back, shaking her head. "I… I don't want to."

"Relax." Juni said, stepping up in front of her. "They can't make you do anything you don't want to do."

"Oh, and we have an invitation for you as well." Nora said to Juni.

"Me? But I thought you were an all-girl sisterhood or something." Juni protested.

"We are, but we have a brother Club called the Sacred Sigil. They're specialists in Sigils and Runes. You look like you have the body build for a Runesmith, so they asked me to extend their invitation to you. They were just too lazy to come over themselves." Nora said, scowling.

"Runesmithing?" Juni perked up. "That sounds interesting."

"Then I'm going there, too." Siti said from behind Juni.

"Can she?" Juni asked.

"Fine." Nora rolled her eyes. "There are girl Scribes in Club Sacred Sigil. She'll be fine."

"Hey! Wait up!" More Club reps appeared and made their invitations.

In the end, Isabelle went with Club Faith.

Siti and Juni went to Club Sacred Sigil.

Gary joined Club Saturn.

Jamie landed up with Crimson Star.

Karen and Tamera left with Club Fairy Wing.

Loh entered Club Tian Di.

Little did they know that the trouble was going to start from Day One.

***

For a moment there, Isabelle thought she'd gone to hell. "What kind of schedule is this?"

"You are a member of Club Faith, now, and you must, absolutely, not embarrass us all! This study schedule is just the basic requirement to do well in your studies here at the college!" Nora explained. "We'll book you solid block hours in the library's private reading rooms, and arrange for private tutors for every subject during these next three weeks. Trust me, as long as you follow our plans, you will definitely score straight A's!"

"But… but what about everything else? What about free time, and… and…"

"Who has time for any of that? We're in college now, not some children's school! We have to study, study, study!" Nora exclaimed.

Isabelle went pale, but she lost even more color when she heard Nora's next question.

"By the way, what can you tell me about the Source of Magic?"

***

"The Source of Magic?" Juni blinked at the Sacred Scribe guy carefully copying Sigils on a scroll. "Who wants to know?"

"Oh, nobody. Everybody." The guy shrugged. "It's just something I wanted to ask."

***

The same scene happened at Club Crimson Star. Jamie stared blankly at the noble boy asking the question.

"You want to know about the Source of Magic? Why ask me?" she asked back.

***

"Why not you?" over at Club Saturn, the Saturn Club President had a similar conversation with Gary. "After all, our deductions say that it's somewhere in the Wildlands. That's where you're from, isn't it?"

"H-how did you know?"

"Come on. Everyone knows."

***

"Well, there's been a lot of rumors going around about the Wildlands and the Source of Magic lately." Jessica said to Karen and Tamera in a coquettish tone. "Come on. You can tell me. It'll be a secret. Just between us sisters."

***

"The interests of Club Tian Di are the interests of all its members. And you are a member now, one of our own brotherhood. So tell us." A student from the Dragon Empire nudged Loh.

"Where is the Source of Magic?"

"How should I know?!" Loh protested.

***

Across all of their clubs, all of them were asked the same questions…