The Mysterious Animal Research Club!

"So the club we're starting is actually a neighborhood committee?!" All three of Ushas's eyes widened at once.

"Is it really that boring?"

Half of Ushas's enthusiasm vanished in an instant.

"We're not actually becoming a neighborhood committee. Earning grade points is just a bonus; what matters is that we'll get access to those four residential areas. Aren't you curious about the animals and druids in Canyon Home?" Camille said excitedly to the dejected Ushas.

"And the ghosts in the haunted house," Xia Xiu added with a smile.

"Oh! I almost forgot we're in Three Portlands! Lots of magical races you hardly ever see outside have settled here!" Only after hearing Xia Xiu and Camille's remarks did Ushas remember what made Three Portlands so interesting.

"Then have we decided on a name for our club? And its mission?" Ushas continued.

"So first, we need to decide what kind of club we're starting. Requirement number one: the club must have the right to enter and leave at least one of the four residential areas," Xia Xiu said.

"Second, the club has to be both worthwhile and fun. We'll be in it for a whole academic year, after all. We can't focus so much on practicality that we forget to enjoy ourselves. A club isn't a for-profit organization," Camille continued where Xia Xiu had left off.

Both fell into thought. Beside them, Ushas closed two of her eyes and made a show of thinking, though her third eye remained open.

Her third eye had a vacant look, making it clear that she was spacing out.

"How about a recreation club, just for having fun?" Ushas suggested after thinking for a while.

"Rejected," Camille and Xia Xiu said in unison.

"Why?" Ushas asked, unwilling to give up.

"It sounds lovely, but the four residential areas aren't playgrounds," Xia Xiu reminded her tactfully.

"Take this seriously, will you?" Camille said, vigorously rubbing Ushas's head.

"Xiu, do you have any good suggestions?" Camille asked Xia Xiu.

"Hmm, what do you think about a news club?" Xia Xiu suggested to Camille.

Camille shook her head and replied, "Deer College already has a big club for that-the News Department. If we apply, we'll easily end up overlapping with them, and grade-point resources are likely to favor the News Department. That wouldn't be good for us."

"Then what do you suggest?" Xia Xiu asked.

"Xiu, have you ever heard of 'Synesthesia'?" Camille answered with a question of her own.

"I have. Synesthesia is a special form of Thaumaturgy that links different senses. In plain terms, it lets you experience someone else's senses. It's often compared to 'Mind Reading.'

"But there's a very clear difference between them. Mind Reading is many times more discreet than Synesthesia. When used on highly intelligent creatures, it makes their intentions very easy to discern, but it's useless against creatures with low intelligence.

"Synesthesia doesn't have that problem. It's a relatively rare Thaumaturgic ability, and its advanced templates include rare modules such as [Druid's Heart] and [Transparent World]."

Xia Xiu explained with a smile as Camille's mouth fell slightly open.

So Synesthesia was that powerful.

"So your club suggestion has something to do with Synesthesia, right?" Xia Xiu asked.

"Ah, ahem. Yes, there is a bit of a connection." Camille pretended to cough to cover her loss of composure.

"There's something I want to tell you two. Don't be shocked." Camille straightened in her seat and addressed Xia Xiu and Ushas solemnly.

"What is it? What is it?" Seeing Camille's serious expression, Ushas couldn't help asking curiously.

"I actually have the [Synesthesia] trait. It's an innate trait," Camille said quietly.

"Then doesn't that mean you're reading my mind all the time?" Ushas pressed a hand to her chest and gave Camille a look of "fear."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Using mind-probing skills on a thaumaturge without permission is a major taboo!" Camille retorted angrily.

"The club you want to start has something to do with Synesthesia. Let me think..." Xia Xiu stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Camille, is cryptozoology one of the majors you chose in the occult studies group?" Xia Xiu quickly worked it out. It occurred to him that, besides reading minds, Synesthesia could also be used to sense animals.

"Yes. Of my two majors in the occult studies group, one is cryptozoology and the other is parapsychology." Seeing that Xia Xiu had guessed her idea, Camille broke into a happy smile.

"What are you two talking about? Riddle-speakers, get out of Three Portlands and Deer College!" The slow-witted Three-Eyed Girl, Ushas, wasn't on the same wavelength as either of them.

"No, it's the little deer who can't speak in riddles who should be driven out of Three Portlands and Deer College. These two places have the greatest concentration of riddle-speakers anywhere in the world, Miss Ushas," Xia Xiu said with narrowed eyes and a wicked streak.

"Ah, Camille, he's bullying me!" Ushas complained, hugging Camille.

"Enough. Stop fooling around." Camille shoved hard at the woman taking advantage of the embrace to press against her chest.

"So what club are you starting?" This time, Ushas was genuinely curious.

"I plan to start a club dedicated to protecting and studying mysterious animals-the Mysterious Animal Research Club!" Camille declared solemnly, pressing a finger against her glasses.

"I'm in." Xia Xiu raised his hand in agreement.

"Then it's decided." Camille settled the club's name and mission on the spot.

"I haven't even voted yet..." Ushas muttered under her breath, though she would have agreed anyway.

The three of them-well, mainly Xia Xiu and Camille-then began a serious discussion about the club.

"The club application has to be submitted to the Student Council for approval. I'll handle the paperwork. Our main problem now is membership. We still need two more people," Camille said.

"We can put up a recruitment post on Deer College's campus forum." Xia Xiu had Jarvis open Deer College's Lineage panel, then selected the social tab and brought up the campus forum.

"...Even though I already know how amazing the Lineage is, its incredible features still astonish me every time I use it. And Xiu, you're really good at using it!" Camille had marveled at the wonders of the Lineage so many times that she had lost count.

"You'll get used to it once you've used it long enough."

"All right, I'll try posting on the forum. I'll let you know once we have enough members."

"Okay."

After settling the club's arrangements, the three chatted briefly before preparing to go their separate ways. Before they left, Camille asked Xia Xiu one more question.

"Xiu, what's your major in the mundane studies group?"

"Hmm, classics."

"Classics..."

"What is it?"

"What a coincidence. I chose classics too."

(End of chapter)