Cybernetic Evolution System

My previous club already showed me that just because a club had a massive number of members, it didn't mean I could easily fit in.

Also, I always wanted to bake some cake buns and other pastries, but hadn't been able to do so at the Zahara Clan.

Since all other clubs had already blockedlisted me, except a few, I decided to give it a try.

Still, they would mostly try to isolate me again, so I didn't have any hope of obtaining information about the Zahara Clan's schemes from there.

I planned to ask a person from my Grand Avalon Academy server account friend list.

I stood up from my bed and straightened my wrinkled uniform.

"Send me a live feed if you notice anything strange," I ordered Felix.

I left Felix under the bed to continue observing and guarding my dorm room.

Being a Cybernetic Beast, one of the benefits was that Felix didn't need to eat or move. So I wasn't concerned that he would be discovered.

Even if he was discovered, I had already issued him a command to act like a robotic pet, based on the videos I had shown him.

If anyone decides to attack him after that, alongside their breaking into my room, I have the right to retaliate, and won't be held for any injury they sustained.

I locked my dorm room and quickly exited the dorm.

It took me fifteen minutes to get to my destination.

A large state-of-the-art three-story building with an open-air rooftop.

Above the entrance was a sign that read 'Club Hall.'

This is where every club's indoor activity within the Magical Swordsman Department was held.

I walked through the entrance door and approached a bulletin board detailing the location of each club.

I searched for the Bakery Club.

Third floor, Hall Six.

I took the elevator to the third floor.

After several minutes of searching, I arrived before a wide double steel door, with a signboard above that read 'Hall Six.'

I attempted to push the door open, yet it didn't budge.

It was locked.

I pressed the alarm button and waited for someone to open the door.

A minute later, the beeping sound of the security locks resonated, and the door was pushed open.

A young woman walked out the door.

She had long, wavy red hair with freckles dotting her face.

Most of them were gathered across her nose and spilling halfway down her cheeks. Her eyes were like rings of ember, with deep red irises surrounding the black hue at the centre.

Julia Eldar!

She was dressed in the Grand Avalon's Academy non-combat uniform with a white apron over it.

In her hand was a torn piece of cloth. Probably a rag.

Although I had last seen her during the last term's Class rankings exams, and this term's resumption, she was part of the many whom I could never forget.

Julia looked at me, confused.

"Who are you?" She asked, "What do you want?"

"I'm Ezekiel. I received a message that you approved my application, so I came over to participate in the club activities," I responded.

Julia's eyes widened in surprise.

She quickly scrutinised me from top to bottom.

"Wait here for a minute. I'm currently cleaning up the place," Julia recollected her emotions and said, before retreating into the room.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"No. Wait there," Julia responded and shook her head.

She closed the door shut.

I heard the sound of the security locks beeping as they were being locked.

I sighed at her reaction.

I should have expected that.

I walked to the wall beside the door and leaned against it.

The club activities were enforced by the academy to keep students busy with mundane affairs, distracting them from their usual rigorous class activities and training within the dungeon.

Some students, most especially commoners, used these club activities as a habit to comfort and keep their minds sane after being exposed to the brutal world of being a Hero.

Descendants from prestigious backgrounds had been conditioned from birth regarding these issues, so they were slightly more mentally stable.

They had their mental issues, but it didn't change the fact that they were better seedlings capable of becoming remarkable Heroes.

Five minutes later, the door was opened once more.

"Come in," Julia said, holding the door open.

I nodded and walked in.

Julia closed the door behind her.

The moment I stepped in, I was met with the view of an expansive room that stretched wide, lined with several sturdy counter tables.

The tables on each side were filled with numerous baking tools, such as rolling pins, mixing bowls, and piping bags.

At the centre, a gas stove was housed.

On the forefront of the room was a larger counter table with two stoves on either side. While the surface between them was filled with baking tools.

The floor was sparkling, neat, and wet, indicating it had just been cleaned.

I guessed that Julia had cleaned it herself.

Perhaps, she was one of those noble descendants who were passionate about the club activities.

Julia arrived in front of me.

"Club activities will start in the next twenty-five minutes. I'll need your student ID to mark your attendance," She said.

"However, you can choose to mark your attendance now, or wait until the club activity is over in case you're busy and have somewhere else that you need to be."

I took out my student ID and handed it over to her.

"Here you go."

Julia narrowed her eyes at me as she received my student ID.

"Do move from this position. Don't touch anything," she warned.

"I'll be back in a second."

She turned around and walked away, entering through another door within the room.

I remained in my position.

I didn't see a reason to test her tolerance, because I would be more affected if something went wrong.

A minute later, she returned with my student ID and a piece of paper in her hand and handed both of them over to me.

I received them.

I looked at the paper.

- Bakery Club new member. Name: [ Ezekiel Zahara. ]

- Class: Class Three.

- Signed by Julia Eldar - President of the Bakery Club.

"The system has been malfunctioning frequently lately, so this piece of paper can serve as proof that you're registered for the Bakery Club," Julia said.

"So keep it safe."

I hadn't expected the clubs also to be affected by the system's malfunctioning.

Then, it would take a while before I also received a similar email.

She continued, "Don't forget to be present for your attendance every week. I'll recommend you stay until the club activities commence so the others can get familiar with you."

"Although the academy won't do much if they uncover that students only turn up to check in for attendance, as it is a common occurrence, however, it would be probelmatic if they investigate and uncover that you hadn't participated in any of the club activities, and that none of the club even the club members, are familair with you."

"The latter isn't an issue in a bigger club. But it is for us whose numbers aren't much. It's a personal issue, so it's a choice. The club will not be affected in any way."

"Thank you for the warning. However, I don't plan on leaving early," I responded.

She was the one who had come up with that assumption herself.

However, I hadn't expected her to show such concern for me, since my staying or leaving early would not affect the club.

Julia nodded, "Since that's not the case, you can sit wherever you want. We don't guard seats. I've some matters that I still need to attend to." She said, before turning around and returning to the door that she had just walked out of.

As she left, I walked to the back of the room, choosing a table away from the front. I took a seat and waited.

Twenty minutes later, the students began walking into room one by one.

I noticed a few faces from Class Three, of whom I knew nothing about of.

Julia personally welcomed all of them.

Adding me, the club members were a total of ten.

Then, the club activities started.

Julia spoke loudly to club members, directing them as she rolled her dough with her hands.

Besides stood another student stood helping out with shaping the dough in the baking tools. She had similar red hair, indicating that she was also a descendant of the Eldar Clan, sitting at the counter table at the forefront of the room.

The theme was to cater to both vegetarians and meat lovers.

The objective was to make a simple fruit pie and a meat pie.

At the end of the class, we can exchange the pie that we didn't want with another club member's pie. The pie had to be good, or else you were stuck with it.

I internally approved of the subtle message of trust and dependency that this activity was trying to convey through a simple process of baking pies.