Sobu High School, Service Club activity room.
As the Magic Circle on the ground lit up, Leo and his party of four appeared from within, arriving at the school.
"...I finally understand why you all are always coming in and out of this activity room. So this is what it was all about?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha was silent for a moment, then voiced her complaint.
"Demons, or whatever they are, aren't they too cunning?"
She had never imagined that while she was struggling every day to wake up early, catch the train on time, squeeze into a carriage with the morning rush hour uncles, and try her best not to be late, Leo and the others could commute so easily.
Just by going into the basement of their house, they could instantly arrive at school... What kind of new-century Anywhere Door was this?
If she could also commute this way, she could at least sleep for another half an hour every morning, or even an hour, and still barely make it to the class bell without being late, right?
It was too enviable!
"It's really convenient. At first, I couldn't believe you could go to school like this."
Yuuki Asuna said with feeling from the side.
Aside from living at school, this was probably the most convenient way to commute, even more exaggerated than living right across from the school.
It was the same after school; just by going into the activity room, they could immediately return to the manor, back home. This was even more enviable than living at school.
After all, school dorms definitely couldn't compare to the conditions at home, especially when there were no elders managing things at home.
Anyway, Yuuki Asuna felt that her current life was much easier and freer than before, and with a group of companions she could talk to, she had already fallen in love with her current life.
One must know, she didn't have the social conditions she had now. Although it wasn't as extreme as Yukinoshita Yukino, who was so reclusive at school that no one dared to approach her, the environment of a noble school was much more complex than that of an ordinary school outside. Every social interaction was like a meticulously designed event; who to befriend, who not to befriend, what to say, what not to say, all had to be weighed, ultimately becoming a choice based on pros and cons.
Yuuki Asuna had always been hesitant to delve deep into that kind of socializing because it was full of hypocrisy.
Now, her parents no longer made harsh demands on her, and she had true companions with whom she could form deep connections. Yuuki Asuna couldn't help but like this.
"If only someone could remember that this is my activity room."
Yukinoshita Yukino, however, interjected with a sarcastic remark from the side.
Leo knew that this remark was directed at him.
After all, ever since Yukinoshita Yukino became his Retainer, this Service Club activity room had almost become his place for after-school relaxation, and he used it more frequently than Yukinoshita Yukino.
Yukinoshita Yukino was clearly the president of the Service Club, but after Leo had taken over, she basically had no say here. Sometimes, she even had to run errands and do various chores for a certain unscrupulous master.
If Yuuki Asuna hadn't arrived and voluntarily taken over daily chores like making tea, Yukinoshita Yukino would have had to make a steaming cup of black tea for Leo every day.
If this were in the past, and someone told the old Yukinoshita Yukino that she would one day go to such lengths for such an unscrupulous man, serving him like a lord, she wouldn't just disbelieve it; she wouldn't even bother to listen.
But there was nothing she could do; after all, she had become Leo's Subordinate Servant.
She could only obediently do her part.
"Speaking of which, there's something I want to tell you." Leo looked at Yukinoshita Yukino and said, "Although you didn't choose to abandon the Service Club, it seems you haven't actively accepted requests from teachers and students or carried out club activities, have you?"
Yukinoshita Yukino immediately fell silent.
She indeed hadn't carried out the Service Club's activities anymore.
Let alone accepting requests from teachers and students, she didn't even allow outsiders to casually enter the Service Club activity room.
This was also an unavoidable situation, wasn't it?
"How do you expect me to let others in here?" Yukinoshita Yukino pointed to the Magic Circle on the ground and said, "If someone saw this, they'd probably think I was performing some mysterious ritual for a cult organization in here."
To avoid unexpected trouble, Yukinoshita Yukino had even turned away the teacher who had previously approved her formation of the Service Club. When the teacher came to observe the situation, she deliberately stepped out of the activity room and chatted with the teacher outside, which had already raised some unnecessary suspicions.
Adding to that, the fact that Leo, Yukinoshita Yukino, and Yuuki Asuna had been constantly entering and exiting the room together had long spread throughout the school. Not a few teachers suspected that the three of them were engaged in some illicit activities inside.
To be honest, if she hadn't already received her family's approval, and if Yukinoshita Haruno hadn't used her influence to provide some cover for her at Sobu High School, Yukinoshita Yukino would probably have been called in for a talk by the teachers long ago.
At that point, Leo and Yuuki Asuna would likely not escape either; they would all be summoned by the school for a discussion.
Leo was naturally well aware of this.
So, he rubbed his chin and suddenly said something.
"If you are no longer fixated on the Service Club's activities, then why don't we just change this club?"
At these words, all the girls immediately looked at Leo.
"Change the club?" Kasumigaoka Utaha seemed to gain some interest and asked, "Change it to what kind of club?"
"Of course, a club that fits our identities." Leo seemed to have had some ideas before, as he immediately responded when asked, saying, "For example, a club whose activities involve researching mysterious phenomena, investigating inexplicable events inside and outside the school, and so on. Such a club would also be more suitable for providing us with cover."
Hearing Leo's words, all the girls fell into contemplation.
This was indeed a good idea.
After all, they would definitely be coming in and out of here endlessly in the future, and sometimes they would even make or have conversations that seemed utterly bizarre to others. If they had such a club to provide cover, it would at least not arouse too much suspicion from others.
"I think it's good." Kasumigaoka Utaha was the first to express her opinion, saying, "Although forming a new club and joining a new club in the third year is a bit late, our situation is special, and we truly need such a place to provide us with cover."
"A club for studying the occult?" Yuuki Asuna thought about it and also voiced her agreement, saying, "Such clubs aren't unheard of in other schools, and many people view them as places to be kept at a distance, so there's no need to worry about anyone casually approaching here."
Yukinoshita Yukino felt that everyone made sense, but her eyes looked somewhat complex.
There was nothing she could do. The Service Club was a club she founded, and it carried her grand ambition to change the world. Although it sounded a bit arrogant, Yukinoshita Yukino had always taken it seriously, never just saying it casually, and certainly not setting up a grand-sounding motto as a mere decoration.
Besides her desire to prove her ideals, there was an unspoken reason for founding the Service Club: she also wanted to escape loneliness, wanting a place, a reason to interact with others.
Therefore, Yukinoshita Yukino had always kept the Service Club and hadn't disbanded it.
But now... Looking at the lively group discussing around her, Yukinoshita Yukino suddenly realized that her unspoken wish for founding the club seemed to have come true.
As for the Service Club's activities, she was no longer as enthusiastic about them as before.
After acting as a demon in the night, encountering various people with different desires, Yukinoshita Yukino realized how ridiculous her previous ideas were.
Changing the world by changing the weaknesses of others?
Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him how to fish?
Dissatisfied with people's inherent tendency to be jealous when others are better than them, so one must extend a helping hand to visible difficulties and change others?
Too narrow-minded.
They were just a group of students. Even if they were changed, how could they contend with the inherent flaws of all humanity and society?
Moreover, after extending a helping hand to them, would they truly be inspired and change because they received help?
After seeing too many people who wished to demons (herself), revealing their ugly and boundless desires, Yukinoshita Yukino no longer held out hope for this.
Human nature is ultimately difficult to change. Even if a small portion of people can be changed, it won't change the general public, let alone the entire world.
Those who would pay any price to beg demons for help to fulfill their hidden desires are the truest face of this world.
And she... couldn't change them.
"Sigh..."
Yukinoshita Yukino let out a faint sigh and slowly nodded under everyone's gaze.
"Then let's disband the Service Club and form a new club."
Instead of looking forward to a future that was too illusory, it was better to grasp the reality at hand.
At the very least, in this world hidden in the shadows of the world, she still had the potential to wield the power to change everything.
"Then it's settled." Leo immediately made the decision, saying, "Yukino, you'll communicate with the teacher, no problem, right?"
"There is a problem." Yukinoshita Yukino said, uncharacteristically annoyed, "Even if I say that, I still have to go, right?"
"After all, you have experience." Leo said cheerfully, "I trust you, you can definitely convince the teacher in charge of our club."
Every club must have a teacher in charge, so having Yukinoshita Yukino, who had founded a club before, communicate would definitely yield twice the results with half the effort.
"What should the new club be called then?" Kasumigaoka Utaha raised her hand to ask, blinking her eyes as she said, "Mystery Service Club?"
...What kind of suggestive, vulgar club was that?
Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuuki Asuna's eyes twitched in unison, their faces full of resistance.
"If you name it that, you'll probably be suppressed by the Great River Crab God."
Leo rolled his eyes at Kasumigaoka Utaha, then spoke.
"Since it's a club that studies the occult, let's call it the Mystery Affairs Club."
The neighboring Kuoh Academy has an Occult Research Club, and their own Sobu High School has a Mystery Affairs Club. What's the problem?
No problem!
It's decided!