I Became the Second-in-Command in a Romance Fantasy Novel

About a week before the Empire’s Founding Festival, I joined a club.
“This is surprising—joining a club at a time like this,” said Prince Ellen.
As he said, normally at this time, joining or switching clubs was impossible. The only options were founding a new club or quitting one. In the past, students could move freely between clubs, but due to some side effects, the rules changed...

Honestly, it seemed like a rule made just for the flower arrangement club. After the club application period ended, suddenly princes from various countries, including the prince himself, joined the club. Then, a female student who was considered insignificant suddenly awakened as the Saint... If club joining was allowed anytime, there would have been quite a few moths to the flame trying to join the flower arrangement club. That would have caused problems in the romance fantasy storyline.
But with the mastermind—or rather Senior Shilnun—graduated, it seemed like a system was in place to let the romance fantasy group take full control of the flower arrangement club. That was what I suspected.
“I made a club with people who share the same mindset.”

That wasn’t a lie. Everyone shared the common desire to care for Goldie.
“You didn’t join the flower arrangement club, though.”
At the start of the academy, even with Prince Ellen’s strong recommendation, I didn’t join the flower arrangement club. Now joining a newly formed club, Prince Ellen showed some disappointment.

“Should I join now and work harder as Daisy’s boyfriend?”
“Too late for that—it’s all past now!”
He switched his stance with just one word, already showing the attitude of an excellent romance fantasy male lead.

“I’m just kidding. Besides, it’s not even club joining season.”
“That’s true.”
Actually, if Uncle Aerin acted, he could have easily gotten me into the flower arrangement club through the chairman. But since I was already entangled with the romance fantasy heroine, I had no intention of overlapping activities, so I just teased Prince Ellen a little and left it at that.

“So, what kind of club is it?”
Though the name still caused some chatter, the summary was simple.
“An after-school dessert eating club.”

In short, the “Bang-Di Club.”
The After-School Dessert Club—or shadow club for exploring restaurants with no fixed name yet—didn’t really do anything special. They basically did the same things they usually did when gathered. The only difference after official recognition as a club was:
“We can legally leech off the Empire.”
“Oh…”

The Empire was wealthy. Several of the continent’s top trade guilds were headquartered there, and the resources from its vast territory made even great powers like Leon and Dale envious. They had no hesitation spending lavishly. Anyway, the academy provided club activity funds.
“Coffee is definitely the best in the morning.”
“Why pour that high-quality brewed coffee over ice water?!”

Leaving behind a fire mage who seemed ready to scream like Munch’s “The Scream,” I sipped my iced Americano through a straw. The academy cafeteria’s iced coffee was decent, but it couldn’t beat the difference in raw materials.
“Damn, these coffee beans are expensive…”
Uncle Aerin, negotiating club funds with the chairman next to me, was wringing his head, but this was a small price to pay for being informed about future events.

“Uncle Aerin, just enjoy it.”
“When I think about how the chairman will freak out, it just won’t go down.”
“Really? The desserts are delicious, though.”
I answered while putting the finest desserts costing one gold coin each into my mouth.

“Does your kingdom even pay your agents properly?”
Uncle Aerin sighed deeply and ended up taking a dessert himself. If left alone, others would eat them all, so he thought it better to get some himself.
“We pay well if they want, but it’s better to just get money instead of meal allowances.”

Of course, as someone of some standing in the Leon royal family, I wasn’t the type who couldn’t eat food supposedly supplied for clubs if I wanted. But since my royal salary was relatively high, I had to be discreet. Compared to that, the money spent on club activities was all Empire money. Since I kept solving problems in the Empire, I could spend it quite freely.
“Oh, that’s delicious.”
“That’s insanely good.”

Chewing a cookie, I saw Uncle Aerin’s strangely smiling and squinting eyes and decided to start club activities. Conscience demanded we work for what we ate.
“First, during the Founding Festival, a terrorist group plans to attack the academy. Ideally, the Empire would eliminate them beforehand... but honestly, I don’t trust that.”
Everyone except those from the Empire nodded at my words.

“We’ll stop them! This time, we really will!”
The Empire’s representative, Uncle Aerin, blushed and shouted that, but—
“I think you said that last time.”

“And the time before that, too.”
The fire mage and I, sipping iced Americanos and espresso, only watched as everyone immediately sank back down.
“Well, assuming enemies infiltrate the academy, we plan to patrol moderately.”

Well, “patrol” was also a chance to enjoy the festival. Spending club funds lavishly was a bonus.
“That’s the club’s agreed activities, but... you know? I have to go on a date with Daisy for two days.”
Gulp.

Everyone swallowed dryly and stared at me.
A date with Daisy.
They all knew what that meant.

“It would be great if you managed your masters properly.”
Typical romance fantasy or subculture trope. When the main male or female lead dates someone else, the harem members follow behind. With a scheduled terrorist attack and the romance fantasy heroine dating while the romance fantasy male leads follow, something was bound to happen.
“If I can’t manage, I’ll use them.”

“Use them how?”
“You’ll see when the time comes.”
Since it seemed management would fail anyway, I kindly gave advance notice of my plan to take advantage of the situation.

Finally, the Founding Festival began.
It was a two-week event around the Empire’s founding day, but the first week was the real deal, and the second week was mostly cleanup, so the academy was open and held events only for the first week.
On that momentous first day, my job was—

“Hmm, long time no see?”
“Yes. You have the touching reunion with your younger sibling over there.”
“Hey, come on!”

Hmph.
I shrugged off Princess Hestia onto Prince Ellen.
“I’m busy working.”

“What are you busy with?!”
“Look here. Staff badge.”
“Why are you a staff member at an Empire event?!”

Princess Hestia gave me a baffled look… and it was true. Except for the student council, foreign students hardly ever became event staff.
“It’s for club activities.”
Because of our club’s nature, having the status of staff members freely active during the Founding Festival was not a choice but a necessity.

“You said you wouldn’t join a club.”
“I joined in the second semester.”
“Swordsmanship club?”

“The restaurant exploration club.”
“What?!”
“Uh... I just wanted to eat good food.”

“You’re slacking off on training lately?”
“But the princess will still win.”
“Bring it on!”

At a slight scratch, she was ready to draw her sword—classic Princess Hestia.
“I’m busy, really.”
“Running away because you’re scared?”

She tried to scratch me but it was all expected.
“I’m serious. If I beat you over there first, then I’ll think about it.”
“Ellen?”

“Prince Ellen is an opponent I can’t beat either. How could the princess win?”
“I beat him before…”
Princess Hestia, recalling past glories with a pout, was interrupted as I called in the prepared people.

“Uh...?”
Seeing them, the proud Princess Hestia opened her mouth in surprise.
“The Swordmaster?”

For the Empire’s biggest festival, the Founding Festival, the Princess of Leon brought academy members under ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) the pretext of an exchange meeting. Naturally, the Empire could dispatch the Swordmaster on this occasion. Of course, if the Swordmaster refused, it would be hard to force his movement. But thanks to enduring as a sandbag and slowly raising his favorability, he agreed to meet the Leon kingdom’s students upon my request.
And as a bonus—
“The opponent isn’t the Swordmaster but the one next to him.”

“Who, who?”
“The Little Swordmaster.”
I managed to assign another romance fantasy male lead.

I had Senior Lucia handle Prince Ellen, and the Swordmaster and Little Swordmaster deal with Princess Hestia and the Leon academy students. That retired two romance fantasy male leads. Prince Acid and other Empire figures were likely dragged around the academy’s first day like dogs. The remaining magic user also had a date planned with the fire mage.
“Let’s get the date started quickly.”
I also began my date with Daisy.

“...On the first day?”
Daisy’s tired eyes looked at me, and I nodded. According to Violet, she was dragged to the opening ceremony from early morning. It was unfortunate, but Daisy gave me priority for the first day of the date.
“It’s just a rehearsal anyway. Let’s enjoy it lightly and end.”

The first day was a practice run. The real game would be the date after the Pope arrived, with Daisy having priority.
“Sigh. My first boyfriend has such no mood.”
Knowing that, Daisy sighed deeply and extended her hand.

“Hold my hand?”
“It’s a date. This is necessary.”
Because it was practice, I sighed and took her hand.

“Surprising.”
“What is?”
“For someone who used a strike splitting the Holy Nation in two... your hands are soft and have no calluses.”

“...I never did that!”
A typical romance fantasy heroine’s hand might be rough, but my Daisy’s image was of someone who could split mountains with a sword and punch the Demon Lord, so it was genuinely surprising.
“Stop talking nonsense. Hurry up. You prepared a date course, right?”

“Of course.”
As Daisy expected, I had prepared a perfect date course.
“This is delicious.”

“Try this, too.”
“Unexpected. I heard nobles don’t eat stuff like this often. You’re noble too, Adam.”
“You say it like I’m not.”

“I’m a rural baron’s daughter. It’s different from you who are from a count’s family.”
We walked down the street eating chicken skewers and candied fruit that didn’t seem to belong in medieval fantasy.
“Wow! Amazing!”

We enjoyed watching light events held in every corner.
“Ah! To purify the corrupted light of the Holy Nation! The Saint Daisy…”
“Stop that here! Please go!”

We also heard legends—or someone’s embarrassing history—from the bards.
“What’s that?”
“A dark mage.”

“Huh?”
Using the romance fantasy heroine’s trait, we found the dark mage early too.