The other day, two letters were left in my locker.
One of them was sent by Shizuko Aikawa's fanatic admirers to draw around the back of the school and threaten .
I did not inform her that I had received such a ssage nor that there were people who resented for hanging around her. There was no reason to, after all, and the likelihood is high that it may only exacerbate the issue if she finds out.
After reversing the situation back onto the first three to call out, I intimidated them in hopes they would stop such foolish behaviour, but of course, such a thing cannot be guaranteed without the result becoming ssy.
I don't really want to get involved with it too much, so I just left it at that.
In addition to this first letter, there was a second envelope.
This second letter, completely unrelated to the first and in fact not hailing from a place of malicious intent at all, took by surprise.
"You want to tutor your little brother?"
"Yes, please...!"
In front of , a girl with neat French braided hair bowed her head and requested that I teach.
"Why?"
"Because you've always scored full marks on every test, so you must be good at studying, right? Please, I don't have much, but I'll even pay you..."
Ella Chiba-Wallace. Just like , she was a third-year student, and now, she was practically begging to tutor her younger brother in a secluded section of the school's library.
Ella, who helps out as a librarian here, called here through the letter in my locker the other day for this. Of course, I didn't show up that day, but today I did, and it appears she was still waiting as the instant I arrived, this happened.
However, other than her not being able to provide with any kind of tangible reward that I would need or want, why would she pick in the first place?
Asking this question, the following was her response:
"I-I've heard the rumours. You even managed to save Yuu Shimura's grades from demise, so I thought that if anyone could help , it would be you... Also, it might sound strange, but when I ntioned asking the top-scoring guy in our school, my brother said to go for it since I am usually so lucky..."
It wasn't a lie.
"B-but you see, he's not wrong! My brother's asurent is to asure the luck of others, so he believed that my choice would be the right one..."
The end of her sentence trailing off as she was evidently beginning to lose confidence in herself, I thought calmly about what the girl had claid.
Her little brother, possessing the asurent of Luck, can asure the luck of others--this much was true, and I found it rather intriguing.
It didn't seem like his ability was to alter or manipulate people's luck at all, including his own, and neither did it seem to involve knowing the right choice for a given decision or scenario.
All it was, put simply, was to gauge how lucky soone was.
Now, it should be needless to say that I can do the sa thing--rely by asking 'Am I lucky?' or 'How lucky is that person?', then I will receive a direct answer.
That's why I know that I am, in fact, an extrely lucky individual; despite being held captive by the Wardens for so long and targeted by those selfish individuals, my asurent of Truth is not one so easily co by, after all.
However, what is important is not what it is capable of at the current mont, but rather the future potential of the ability.
Because asurents, albeit sporadically, can evolve.
The conditions for evolution mystify even , and it's impossible to predict what exactly a specific asurent will evolve into, but the fundantal concept of it will generally remain the sa.
If a asurent regarding the concept of 'luck' or 'fortune' were to evolve, what possibilities could that hold?
Could it an the ability to manipulate luck? Chances are, it's sothing along those lines. Of course, I cannot know for certain right now, but if that is the case, then it is sothing I definitely want to get my hands on.
After all, such a thing would have limitless versatility.
"...Since you're so desperate, fine. But don't assu I'll be able to save your brother's grades just because I know how to study."
And thus, in order to et the one who could beco my so-called "Rabbit's Foot", I accepted her request.
With a gracious smile brightening up her face at my words, it was clear to anyone that this girl, Ella Chiba-Wallace, was desperately looking out for her kin.
"Oh, no...! Thank you very much! Even if it ends up in vain, I promise I'll do what I can to compensate you for your effort."
Was it wrong of to help her not out of goodwill or paynt but with selfish intentions in mind?
So might argue yes, but I would say otherwise.
It will help achieve my goal, but is what I want really that wicked?
"It's no problem. I'd be happy to help anyway, so don't feel like you have to pay if things are bad."
All I really desire is the permanent clean-up of so trash, after all.
----------
I told Ella Chiba-Wallace that I would co over to help her brother study on the weekends since I would be unavailable after school.
In that way, having to escort Selina and Emir ho every day was a convenient excuse to get out of annoying stuff.
When that short discussion was over, I had two hours before I could go ho with the two of them as normal.
Reason being, I was excused from my normal club duties due to not having my na down on the list to help with the winter festival thing. However, because Selina and Emir had their own clubs to attend at their school, I, unfortunately, was unable to just up and leave by myself.
Thus, I had two free hours before I could go ho.
The winter festival starts on the 14th of December, a Monday, and continues until the 20th, a Sunday. Then, on the 21st, Winter Break starts.
Today was Monday the 21st of November, aning there were three weeks until the event started.
That ans, three weeks of two-hour slots of nothing to do.
"..."
At this point, I wondered if signing up to prepare for the festival was sothing I should have done in hindsight since I had nothing else to do during these two hours, but then it occurred to that I was not the only one who didn't put my na down.
Yes, that's right.
Just as there were other clubs dismissed from duties, there were a few mbers in my own club who had not put their nas down.
The person I am thinking of, in particular, is of course Sophie Asanami.
She tends not to wait for and goes ho by herself as soon as the day ends because she dislikes interacting with Selina and Emir, finding their personalities awkward to sh with.
However, today might be different.
There are almost two hours before I have to pick those guys up, so she may be willing to wait with until then.
Although the school day has technically already ended, that girl Ella Chiba-Wallace did not waste too much of my ti, so Sophie may still be within the school grounds. Is that right?
[Yes]
After further investigation, it turns out she was in the bathroom.
What a stroke of luck.
Tapping on my smartphone, I sent her a direct ssage to et on the roof.
[Oscar Itou: When you're done with your business, co to the roof.]
Her response was not just swift, but damn near instantaneous.
[Sasanami: r u fckn spying on ???]
My brows furrowed as she questioned , but it seems she focused on the wrong part of my ssage, so I told her again.
[Oscar Itou: Just co to the roof.]
[Sasanami: Y?]
I sighed.
First, she questioned my actions, and now she is asking to give her a reason? Since she would find out the truth anyway if I lied, I thought it better to be candid.
[Oscar Itou: I'm bored.]
[Sasanami: whats that got to do w ?]
[Oscar Itou: I don't care. Co to the roof so I'm not bored.]
[Sasanami: I wanna go ho]
[Oscar Itou: You live in my house, so go ho when I go ho.]
[Sasanami: r u really that bored? dl a ga on ur phone or smth n ti will fly]
[Oscar Itou: Gas like that are boring. Just co to the roof when I tell you to co to the roof.]
After such a flurry of arguntative responses that very clearly showed her unwillingness to stay behind with , there was a period of silence in the chat.
"Tsk. What are you doing? Damn, just co to the roof..."
Clicking my tongue in frustration, I muttered to myself.
This girl.
I really didn't like how she refused to listen sotis.
Still, I understand that there will be cases where a quality like autonomy is extrely valuable, and her ability is imnsely useful, so I put up with it, but it's still annoying.
A few more minutes passed as I sat on the edge of the roof, my staring gaze cented to the screen of my phone in case she sent a reply.
I confird that she was still in the school every five seconds or so, just in case she tried to sneakily flee, but she was still here sowhere.
Suddenly, as I began furiously typing away another ssage to her on my phone, soone tapped my left shoulder twice from behind.
Turning to my left, I saw nothing. Turning right, a slender finger poked my cheek.
"--Yo."
It was Sophie Asanami.
Crouching down at my level, I stared at her for a mont before removing her finger from my face. In its wake, a sensation as if I had just taken out a thorn was left behind.
"Your nails are sharp."
"Sure. So, d'ya really call here 'cause you were bored?"
Standing up, she towered over with her bag hung around her arm, setting it down beside my own as I replied.
"Did you think I would lie? You would find out once you ca here anyway."
Not replying to my question or my statent, she only laughed as if to mock .
"Hah. You're such a kid."
I wasn't quite sure what she ant because I was obviously not a child, but it didn't matter.
"Well, sure. I was only gonna chill for a bit before training anyway."
Although she seed displeased at first, the way she set her bag down before even hearing my reason or showing any signs of resistance indicated that she would stay.
Of course, I knew without having to ask that she would relieve my boredom for a while, but...
...For so reason, seeing it with my own eyes brings a different sense of relief.
It wasn't a bad feeling, though.
It wasn't bad at all.
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