Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner - Chapter 544

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Necromancer School’s Summoning Genius — Episode 544
This year’s Club Season would run for four days in the 1st Year Campus Central Plaza.
The senior students opened club booths to recruit new members with fervent enthusiasm, the 1st years wandered in small groups browsing for clubs that suited their interests, and everyone enjoyed various hands-on activities.
But problems emerged on the very first day and escalated in earnest by the second.
“The participation rate among 1st years is dropping?”
Simon, summoned urgently since the weekend, spoke while donning his Student Council President coat. Merin trotted beside him at a quick pace, clutching a folder of documents.
“Yeah. You’ll see it right away once we get there.”
The two arrived at the Campus Central Plaza.
There were noticeably fewer people.
“There are fewer 1st years than 2nd years now. It wasn’t like this last year.”
“Right. The cause is probably—”
Merin continued with a grave expression.
“The Recruitment War’s overheated competition.”
Due to a shift in the Student Council’s policies, securing club members had become more critical this year than last. Of course, maintaining those members mattered too, but first you had to secure them in order to maintain anything at all.
So the 2nd years, who led club operations, moved with more intensity than ever before.
Competition for 1st year recruits naturally grew fierce, and eventually the clubs began promoting beyond the Central Plaza that the school had designated as their official territory.
Everywhere you looked—in the hallways of the 1st Year Campus, the Library, the café, the dining halls—2nd year students with red badges appeared, leaflets in hand. Even worse,
—Ha-ha-ha! Pardon us, Professor! Hey, freshmen! We’re from the Dungeon Research Club, and—!
indiscriminate classroom promotions broke out right before or after lectures.
Due to their educational curriculum, 1st years faced intense competition among themselves but had little contact with seniors. To these still-intimidated freshmen, this kind of aggressive approach only bred discomfort.
There was a deeper problem. The club members themselves showed restraint for their club’s image, but the 2nd years who’d picked up flyers to help their friends were causing real trouble.
—Hey, hey, aren’t you going to take one? Really not taking one? And here I am asking you so earnestly.
—A senior’s calling you and you’re just ignoring me?
—Kizen’s a total mess, seriously.
Happy to finally encounter their juniors, they were simply returning the treatment they’d once received from 3rd years.
What should have been a festive Club Season atmosphere turned tense, and 1st years began avoiding the Central Plaza where the booths were set up.
“That’s… that’s pretty serious.”
Simon broke into a cold sweat as he heard the explanation.
Just then, a voice called out from across the plaza: “Simon!”
Kamibarez and Dick came running over.
“What’s all this commotion about since Sunday morning?”
Dick appeared with his hands shoved in his pockets, mid-yawn. Behind him, Student Council Direct Subordinates were dragging over 2nd year students who’d been promoting outside the designated zone.
The captured 2nd years grinned sheepishly.
“Hey, Dick. Let us go, would you? Seriously, what’s everyone doing here?”
Simon and Merin approached. Merin let out an exasperated sigh, crossing her arms.
“Seniors who made it through a year at Kizen, and look at the state of you.”
“That’s right! You need to reflect!”
Kamibarez planted her hands on her hips and spoke up. One of the 2nd years offered an embarrassed smile.
“Cut us some slack. No one’s showing up at the booth. How else are we supposed to spread the word about the club?”
The other 2nd year’s eyes sharpened.
“Look, let’s be honest here—is this really our fault? If the Student Council had actually promoted things properly so 1st years would come to the booths in the first place—”
“Don’t blame others, you idiot!”
Merin kicked him hard in the shin. He yelped and hopped around, clutching his leg.
“Get your facts straight! It’s because you pulled this kind of stunt that the freshmen won’t come!”
“Ow! God, that hurts! Agh! Since when do Student Council members get to just beat students?”
“You haven’t gotten nearly enough hits yet.”
Merin grabbed for his collar, but Simon stepped in to stop her.
“All of you, back to the Dormitory. If non-club members are going to disrupt the Academic Schedule like this, the next step is recommending Disciplinary Action.”
The moment “Disciplinary Action” was mentioned, their casual attitudes vanished instantly.
Once Simon sent them off, he delegated tasks.
“Dick, deploy all thirty of our Direct Subordinates and enforce strict control over outside promotions.”
“Got it!”
“Merin, Kamibarez—gather the club presidents. Anyone who’s at the site right now is fine.”
“Understood.”
“Yes, Simon!”

* * *
In the end, the Student Council had no choice but to get involved.
Since it was the height of Club Season, most club presidents were on site, so they were able to gather and hold a meeting right away.
“The anxiety among 1st years has reached a serious level. We’d like you to exercise restraint going forward.”
the pitfalls of overheated competition.
Each club leader understood the situation well enough, so they decided to follow Simon’s proposal.
The more fierce the external recruitment became, the fewer first-year students actually visited the club booths—the most crucial part of the whole operation.
“But here’s the thing.”
One club leader spoke up, resting his chin on his hand.
“You’ve already poisoned the Club Season’s reputation, haven’t you? Even if you crack down now, will the first-years even want to show up at the booths?”
“He’s right. The Student Council needs to demonstrate some kind of solution.”
“Frankly, the Student Council encouraged this overheated competition in the first place. If you’re going to call yourselves Kizen’s Student Council, you should’ve foreseen these side effects.”
The disgruntled club leaders kept firing off criticism, one after another.
Merin rose from her seat with an indignant expression, pushing back her chair.
“You bastards! You made the mess and now you keep trying to shift blame—!”
“Merin.”
Simon gently pressed down on her shoulder, guiding her back into her seat.
Then he turned to face the club leaders again.
“All right. The Student Council will do whatever we can, so I’d appreciate it if you’d trust us and just focus on promoting your clubs from within your booths.”
The meeting ended and the club leaders filed out. Merin seized Simon’s shoulders and shook him vigorously.
“Hey! What were you thinking? Why did you make a promise like that in front of all the leaders?”
“We’ll figure it out somehow.”
Simon smiled as he said it, and Dick approached.
“Hey! Simon! Spread out the subordinates just like you said. Looks like all the second-years got the word and are pulling out.”
“Good.”
“The meeting’s over?”
“Yeah, went smoothly. But Dick—”
Simon looked at him directly.
“What’s trending among the first-years these days?”
“Trending? All of a sudden?”
“Yeah. It matters.”
Dick’s expression grew thoughtful.
“Well, what’s hot right now is… opera and theater, I guess.”
Merin wrinkled her nose.
“Wait, that’s really trending? That’s the kind of stuff adults go see. The first-years are into that?”
Dick nodded.
“Come on, you know exactly what I’m talking about. A young superstar was born at the Langoustin Grand Theater recently, didn’t he? Seiwur—the guy who performed at our entrance ceremony! He’s gotten absolutely huge with the younger crowd, way more than any nobleman.”
Merin’s eyes narrowed with uncertainty.
“…That idiot’s really that popular?”
“You didn’t know? At the last Mission Evaluation, all the first-years grabbed missions in Langoustin just to see Seiwur’s play! Apparently the first-year instructors got chewed out hard over it.”
Simon thought back. Now that he mentioned it, Seiwur had been the emcee at the entrance ceremony, and he’d been incredibly popular.
“This could work.”
A smile played at Simon’s lips.
“Very well, actually.”
Dick picked up on it.
The two boys exchanged a knowing glance and simultaneously turned their gaze toward Merin.
“Wait, hold on! Why are you both looking at me like that?”
Merin’s face flushed red and she wrapped her arms around herself.

* * *
The next morning.
Langoustin Grand Theater.
“What a magnificent morning performance! Seiwur!”
Elderly gentlemen with rotund bellies crowded around Seiwur, heaping praise upon him.
“Your delicate gestures, expressing an age of rupture and collapse, are as though the legendary actor Motis himself had returned fifty years hence!”
“A life constructed layer upon layer—a masterpiece in itself! Your performance posed such a compelling question!”
“Ha ha ha! Thank you all very much.”
Seiwur shook his thick eyebrows and offered a slick smile as he shook hands with his noble patrons.
After about ten minutes of fan service with his sponsors, Seiwur whistled cheerfully and strode away with a spring in his step.
“Ha ha! Seiwur!”
The Theater Master, his ears practically glowing from the recent box office explosion, approached and pulled him into an embrace.
“Thanks for the morning show. Get plenty of rest, and I’m counting on you for a great evening performance!”
“Leave it to me.”
“Fans from every corner of the continent are seeking you out! Ha ha, I wonder why you didn’t appear sooner!”
As the Theater Master was patting Seiwur on the shoulder with a laugh, a commotion erupted from behind.
“You can’t come in any further!”
“What is this?!”
He’d assumed it was Seiwur’s usual throng of admirers pushing through, but something unexpected was unfolding.
Thud. Thud.
Three impeccably dressed men and women cut past the security guards and approached them.
“Who are you people?”
The Theater Master shouted. The woman standing in the middle removed her sunglasses to reveal her face, then pulled a notebook from her pocket.
“We’re from Kizen.”
At the sight of the unmistakable Kizen insignia stamped across the notebook, the Theater Master’s face drained of all color. Even the security guards, riot batons in hand, froze as if turned to stone.
She tucked the notebook away and spoke with glacial composure.
“Mojo, from the Kizen Student Council.”
When Kizen came calling, the only wise course was to bow and scrape. The Theater Master began trembling, sweat beading on his brow.
“K-Kizen, you say? Whatever brings you to a place like this…?”
“Take him.”
Snap.
The two subordinates flanking her seized Seiwur by both arms.
Seiwur thrashed about in confusion, but—
‘What… what kind of strength is this?’
He couldn’t resist. Subdued in an instant, Seiwur made the Theater Master leap to his feet.
“What are you doing?! Even for Kizen, this is—!”
Mojo’s expression remained blank as she held up a note for Seiwur to see.
<Your afternoon schedule’s free anyway, so stop talking and come do a paid performance.>
—Merin.
“Ha ha ha!”
Only then did Seiwur burst into laughter, looking toward the Theater Master.
“I nearly misunderstood! Master, I’ll just step out for a brief external performance and be right back.”
“Just like that? W-where are you going?”
As the subordinates finally released his arms, Seiwur straightened his collar and grinned wickedly.
“It seems Kizen’s charming young people have need of me.”

* * *
“Together now! A toast to youth!”
Boom! Crack!
On stage in the Central Grand Hall of the 1st Year Campus, Seiwur gripped an Amplification Crystal Ball and sang with fervent energy. With each gesture of his hand, waves surged and winds whipped through the air.
“O heavens!”
A rich, booming sound erupted from the speakers.
Below the stage, 1st Year students jumped from their seats in wild enthusiasm, chanting Seiwur’s name.
The popularity was extraordinary. The moment his voice rang out, every one of the 900 1st Year students seemed to have rushed into the hall.
“Grant us passion!”
Seiwur sang with effortless grace, then stepped back and gestured to the side, where brilliant lights illuminated a Kizen girl holding an Amplification Crystal Ball. She wore a cat mask across her face.
“Grant us passion!”
As the girl raised her voice with elegant poise, the 1st Years’ eyes—which had been fixed on Seiwur—widened in astonishment.
She furrowed her brow slightly before hitting the high note with stunning precision.
“Hear us! A toast to youth—!”
Ahhhhhhhhh—!
At the nearly flawless high note that poured forth, the crowd stirred with awe.
“Who is that girl? She’s wearing our school uniform!”
“Is she an actress? Is she actually a student here?”
“She’s amazing!!”
In this moment, her popularity rivaled Seiwur’s own.
Even as she heard the cheers echoing from all sides, the face hidden behind the mask had flushed a deep crimson. Small tears glistened at the corners of her eyes.
‘Why do I have to sing at our own school?! I hate this! I hate it! I absolutely hate it!’
Regardless of her inner turmoil, the performance’s momentum only climbed higher.
Simon and Kamibarez watched with gleaming eyes, while Dick nodded with grave approval.
“This is the performance you chose, Merin. Tough it out.”
Simon spoke with an awkward laugh.
“But she’s really good.”
“She is!”
Far from faltering beside Seiwur, an actual performer, Merin now dominated the stage with her tone and power.
The performance that began in the Plaza was a spectacular success.
The ripples naturally led to a surge in activity at the club booths. Countless 1st Years who’d come to watch the performance made their way inside, and the 2nd Years had finally let go of their tension, treating their juniors with ease.
Just yesterday, every 1st Year had two or three 2nd Years competing over them, but now the 1st Years were queuing up eagerly in front of the booths. It felt like things were finally returning to normal.
“Student Council President! What kind of magic did you pull off? I’m seriously grateful!”
Smiles bloomed on the club leaders’ faces. The very ones who’d been irritable with Simon during the meeting because students weren’t showing up were now fully enjoying the festival.
“Yeah, keep it up.”
Simon waved back with an untroubled smile.
Solving the shortage of new recruits in one fell swoop meant the Student Council’s reputation naturally skyrocketed.
Now they were a capable Student Council with access to major stars like Seiwur if needed.
Who could have known that the man he’d briefly crossed paths with during last year’s Dispatch Evaluation would become such a star? In many ways, he’d been fortunate.
“My, what an entertaining event this is.”
That’s when a familiar voice came from behind him.
Simon turned to find Serne walking toward him with a sinister smile.
“A mysterious cat mask, I see. The voice sounds a lot like someone I know.”
Simon let out a laugh.
“Oh, you’re here? Serne.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————