Editing Leviathan:Volume 2 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 2===

Kogetsu Academy was situated at Ryougoku in the Sumida Ward. The campus was established roughly ten years ago.

Before the school's founding, the Tokyo region's population was in continual decline due to influences from the Tokyo Concession's establishment. Furthermore, multiple counts of dragon attacks had laid waste to various places.

At this rate, depopulation seemed inevitable.

However, the region was later designated for "redevelopment" as the new capital. During the same period, a new school was established.

Thanks to that, land was easy to obtain, resulting in a campus much bigger than for most schools.

Although the academy included middle and high school divisions, both school buildings were located in the same premises. With a mixed forest scattered throughout, the experience was akin to "having a picnic in a vast park" when taking a stroll inside the campus.

"The sports ground is very large, so the students in athletic clubs are very happy."

"However, the cultural clubs seem to disagree. The ten-minute-plus walk from the school building to the clubrooms seems like such a pain," replied Hal to Orihime while recalling their journey here.

One was confronted by a mixed forest immediately after stepping out of the high school division's building. Only after traversing one of the paths and moving along the baseball field's edge would one finally arrive at a pair of adjacent school buildings built from steel-reinforced concrete...

This was the location of the library and the cultural clubs building.

The former was exactly what its name implied. The latter was a building entirely occupied by rooms for cultural clubs.

The clubs building had a total of four floors. The UFO Research Club was located on the third floor. Hal, Orihime and Asya had gone out of their way to pay a visit.

"We're finally here. The place with the crossdresser of legend..."

"What are you talking about, Asya? Crossdresser?"

Hearing his childhood friend's murmurs, Hal could not help but ask.

"Didn't Mutou-san mention it? The UFO Research Club's president is of unknown gender. I'm thinking that's a reference to those crossdressers you find in every Japanese school."

Asya made a knowing look to show off her vast(?) knowledge.

"Born male but prettier than a girl, surely a creature of such cheating proportions. Perhaps dressed in a maid uniform too."

"I don't know whether that should be called cheating or simply belonging to the 2D world..."

"Mutou-san also mentioned that this person serves as president for five clubs, didn't she?"

Orihime also interjected with interest.

"The UFO Research Club, the Drama Club, the Mass Media Research Club, the Literature Club, the Science Insider Club... A total of five cultural clubs, and a person of unknown gender to boot... It feels quite interesting."

"Anyway, it's definitely not someone who lacks individuality," muttered Hal. He recalled Mutou-san's explanation.

'That person&mdash;Rather than listen to my half-baked description, it's better if you saw with your own eyes. The president's family name is Maeda, but because she's too amazing, everyone calls her President M.'

'Why an initial?'

'Because no one dares address her by name directly. That's what you call proof of respect, right?'

Mutou-san was already waiting at the clubroom. Hal and the others entered the clubs building.

They climbed up the stairs, advanced along the hallway then knocked on the door labeled "UFO Research"...

"Oh, you've arrived. Come in, come in."

Just as Hal and the others entered the clubroom, welcomed by Mutou-san, over there was&mdash;

"Great that you have all come, I am M," said the eccentric who referred to herself with an initial.

President M was dressed in a black female outfit resembling maternity wear. Her figure was quite plump and she looked roughly 140kg.

Hal was reminded of doguu&mdash;earthen figurines dating back to prehistoric Japan's Jōmon Period. Some have speculated that the doguu were "maternal" symbols.

President M had pale skin and round eyes, but was absolutely not someone you would describe as beautiful.

"You are the newest club members, aren't you? Please visit me in the future whenever you have time. Even if I am not in this clubroom, I will surely be somewhere within the clubs building."

A husky and rich voice. It was reminiscent of both a male's falsetto and a noblewoman's voice.

In other words, what was commonly called an effeminate man... Maybe? Besides, was this person actually female? Just as Hal pondered the complexities of gender differences, Orihime inquired:

"You mentioned you might not be here... Is that due to going to other clubs?"

Even when confronted with an eccentric, she could still carry a conversation very naturally. This impressive adaptability was truly befitting of Juujouji Orihime.

"Indeed. As the president, I am obliged to look after everyone belonging to my clubs like a mother. That is why I have to rush all over the place."

"Mother!? Did you just say mother!?"

"Yes. The chosen ones in possession of power must take on responsibility commensurate with their abilities. That is why I must protect and guide everyone."

President M's statements had too many problems but Hal could not be bothered to nitpick. Orihime nodded in apparent awe and surprise. The president's sense of presence probably convinced her thoroughly.

Of the various points of doubt, the greatest was whether President M was an effeminate man or a girl. Since she had described herself as a "mother," Hal decided he might as well treat mother as the gender. After rapidly reaching this realm of enlightenment, Hal greeted:

"Although I won't really need you to look after me, I look forward to getting along with you."

"Oh... Really? So you are that kind of child."

"Huh?"

"It seems that you've got a troublesome personality and you won't open your heart to others immediately."

"......"

"But no matter. One day, you too shall realize my love and feel grateful to me. Offering silent yet powerful support is a mother's role, after all."

President M spoke in an aloof tone of voice. To think that this kind of eccentric also existed in a Japanese high school&mdash;

Just as Hal was feeling deeply impressed, Asya broke her silence.

"By the way, excuse me. I'd like to join the club too. Is this alright with procedures?"

She spoke very calmly, completely unfazed by President M's unusual qualities.

There were many eccentrics among certified master-class witches, hence Asya was probably accustomed to them.

"Once I join the club, that will put me in the same position as Haruomi and Orihime-san, which means we can stay together openly and I won't get excluded just because you two are attending a club. Fufu."

"Oh, please give me a second."

President M stopped Asya who was smiling calmly.

"The UFO Research Club huh... The required five members are already filled. Right now, the Literature Club needs help with the member count. Why don't you join the Literature Club?"

"W-What are you talking about? I'm not interested in that kind of club, okay?"

"It will be more convenient for you too. Well... I shall explain about that side in greater detail. Follow me!

Like a gigantic whale breaking the surface of the ocean to emerge, President M moved with a whoosh.

Despite her massive build, her movements were quite fast. Like a flash flood in the mountains after heavy rain, President M charged towards the clubroom's door with a rumble. And by the time she realized, Asya found herself towed by the hand.

"Eh? W-Wait up, President!? I don't need to hear that kind of explanation&mdash;!"

It was futile even if she objected. Thus, Asya was forcibly dragged out of the clubroom.

Too great a difference in bodyweight. Unless she invoked Muscle Enhancement magic, the childhood friend whose figure was as delicate as a fairy's had no hope of winning against the president.

"The rest of you, just kill time as you wish!"

Leaving this command, President M departed.


"W-What exactly is this place?'

"The Literature Club's room. However, I am the sole member as president."

Asya had been taken to a room on the far end of the clubs building's third floor.

A steel bookcase was against the wall with a great number of novels and manga arranged on it.

"I have reasons why I must join the UFO Research Club no matter what."

Although President M was quite a bizarre eccentric, Asya was not afraid at all. In the process of interacting with her fellow witches, Asya had become accustomed to dealing with this type of person.

"I appreciate your invitation to join, but unfortunately, it doesn't seem like we were fated to&mdash;"

"If you refuse to join no matter what, I won't force you... But are you sure? If you stay in the same club as that girl, more than likely, you are going to lose."

Hearing something so fishy sounding, Asya tilted her head in puzzlement. Going to lose?

"You don't want Haruga to be snatched away by that Juujouji girl, do you?"

"!?"

Asya was speechless. They had only met President M for less than ten minutes. How did she know all this?

However, Asya could not bring herself to admit it, hence she desperately searched for words.

"Nothing of that sort. Please don't say such nonsense."

"Fufufu... I know all of it, because I possess a special power that ordinary people lack."

"Special power!?"

President M had whispered something that would fit right in a superhero action film.

On that round and surprisingly charismatic face, Asya could definitely see a seductive smile.

"Indeed. Using my skill, Feeling Love, reading and interpreting a love situation of that level is a piece of cake!"

"Even if you call it a love situation or whatever, I completely fail to understand what you mean."

"To put it bluntly, I am talking about your maidenly feelings that does not want your man, more than a friend but less than a lover, to be snatched away!"

"Kyahhhhhhh!"

Her internal thoughts and feelings utterly exposed, Asya could not help but scream in the end.

Skill&mdash;Was that referring to a discerning eye that could spot openings in human relationships through excellent perception? Asya was gradually swallowed by President M's pressure.

"I can see many other things too... At your very core, you seem to have a loser's personality, basically acting very 'forceful' for the most part but turning into a coward at critical moments..."

"Ouch! This sharp blade of words is stabbing deeply into my heart!"

"Even if this sort of half-baked carnivorous cowardly girl were to participate 'forcefully' in club activities with him, the end result will be no different from before. No, because there is that girl, as bright as the sun, acting as a foil, I fear the result will be even worse."

"Owwwwwww!"

"In that case, I will take this opportunity to invoke another skill, Wedding Eye, to predict your future... I see it, your future self twenty years from now."

"If you're just going to rub salt into the wound, please keep your words to yourself."

"...Although the occupation is unknown, you look like you'll be a overachieving career woman twenty years from now. As a woman with outstanding achievements in her career, you spend each and every day productively. But when you return to the condo you recently bought, there is not a soul waiting at home... Emptiness and loneliness occupies your heart the whole time. Your only distraction is alcohol..."

"Sob..."

"Oh dear, your twenty years older self seems to have a great collection of red wine. With a special wine cellar, you must be making bank... Still, rather than marrying a weird man, perhaps ownership of wealth might turn out to be a happier life..."

"Your realistic descriptions make me feel like it will really happen, so please, have mercy on me!"

Taking a heavy blow, Asya could not help but collapse on the Literary Club's floor, clutching her head.

"I-I can't help it. It's not like I know how to express myself fully..."

With depressed feelings, Asya began to draw circles on the floor tiles with her index finger.

"Haruomi is a dense blockhead while Orihime-san is able to nurture affection through her naturally airheaded personality. That's why I wanted to join in club activities together at least..."

"Your decision is basically sound."

President M placed her head on Asya's shoulder and spoke.

"What you lack is the sensuality, luck, judgment, vitality, acting skills, perceptiveness and self-expression abilities required to bring out your hidden potential..."

"H-Hold on, that's going too far. You're making me sound like I have no merits whatsoever."

"No helping it, both your feminine charm and romance standard score are too low."

"Sob sob sob..."

"However, your arrival here can be considered fate. If you are willing to follow me... I could train you up properly."

"&mdash;President! Why are you willing to do so much for me!?"

Asya forcefully looked up and asked, prompting President M to exhale forcefully through her nose with a "hmm-hmm."

"Didn't I say this already? It is my mission to protect and guide all my club members!"

Unaware that this encounter would end up being a turning point in her life, Asya could only stare in astonishment at President M's intrepid face.


Meanwhile, in the UFO Research Club's room after the president and Asya had left...

"It suddenly feels so quiet..." muttered Hal with deep feeling.

"Anyway, I guess the president's gender can be found out with a bit of investigation."

"Indeed. After all, the school has physical examinations too."

Orihime nodded in agreement with Hal, but Mutou-san shook her head.

"This is what's strange about this school. The administration provides maximum accommodation if someone wants to hide this type of personal information, keeping it undisclosed as long as the person in question refuses to release it. Haven't you noticed that there's even a washroom for a 'third sex' in school?"

"Now that you mention it, I remember high schools in Thailand are apparently the same..."

Hal decided not to pursue the matter. Instead, he started to examine the clubroom again.

This was a room that could be found in any high school, not particularly spacious, completely devoid of individuality. In the center, six desks were arranged to form rectangle and serve as a conference table.

However, the room was quite well-equipped.

There were two desktop PCs and two laptops. There was also a computer commonly used in the publishing industry, manufactured by a certain company whose symbol was a red fruit. In addition, there was an inkjet printer and a laser printer that were capable of printing A3-size documents, camera-type devices, what appeared to be reference books, and many files...

"How on earth did a high school club get all this stuff?"

"I heard that they were either donated by generations of club members or obtained through President M's connections."

Mutou-san answered Hal's question.

Since the president had gone off, she was the only club member present who knew what club activities were about. Hence, Orihime asked:

"By the way, there is another boy apart from Haruga-kun, right? Is he not around?"

"Oh, you mean Sakuraba-senpai. I think you won't have much chance of meeting him."

"Is he a ghost member?"

"Exactly the opposite. It's because he immediately leaves school every day to gather information on dragons as soon as lessons are over."

The UFO Research Club's mission was to collect news about UFOs, i.e. dragons, then disseminate widely to the masses.

Sakuraba-senpai was apparently quite zealous in these activities.

"From what I've heard, he's the complete opposite of a shut-in and never goes home obediently. But that's exactly why he's able to get his hands on the scoop for all kinds of astounding stories. For example&mdash;"

Mutou-san pulled one of the laptops on the table closer.

Flipping the screen open to activate the system from sleep mode, she presented a certain photo to Hal and Orihime.

"This is a 'serpent' that has never been discovered in the Kantou region before, possibly a 'new type.' That was what Sakuraba-senpai wrote in the activity report."

It was a photo depicting a wild beast. Hal was greatly surprised. Orihime most likely felt the same.

Its fur was white but reflective portions were glowing with crimson light. Its appearance was a hybrid between a wolf and a fox. The most striking characteristic consisted of the nine long thick tails&mdash;

It was the mighty visage of the recently born leviathan and Orihime's partner, Akuro-Ou.