Chapter 30: Wingman
Author: Geraint
Date Posted: April 18, 2024 Th @ 10:00PM
During our class, Pucchin-sensei led us to the forest and taught us the basics of leveling up by killing monsters. After giving instructions, he left us for some cringey reasons and I wasn't actually listening since because I have different goal to learn in this class. The girls was talking with each other about killing monsters with their own hands and they became hesitant and anxious.
I was walking with the class through the forest while reading a book about magic tools and schematic diagram when they suddenly stopped and I bumped into them.
"Kyah!"
Because of the collusion, Arue lost her balance but I caught her before she falls.
"Are you okay? I'm sorry, I wasn't paying any attention."
She looks surprise and daze to me until we realized that everyone was staring at us.
"I'm alright."
When she stood up on her own, I continued reading the book and followed them. After a while of hunting, they never able to kill a single living organisms and we returned to academy without any progress. Pucchin-sensei seems to be disappointed then he told us to change into P.E. Uniform for our next class.
We are in the field of the academy and the teacher instructed us to pair up with someone for the body stretching. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by the girls as they lifted their hands and asked me at the same time.
"Please pair up with me!"
Nine hands was asking me then the girls looked around and realized that they are competing for me. They glared at each other but before they can start a cat fight, I immediately intercepted and decided to pair up with Arue.
"Sorry, but I have something important to talk with Arue."
"Me?"
Arue pointed to herself.
"Yes and it is about your manuscript that you sent me last time. I will give you my opinion as a former part-time assistant editor. Prepared yourself to get roasted on your work!" I warned her with conceited grin on my face which made her pale.
The girls already know what I'm talking about and they just left away with words of encouragement for Arue.
"I see..."
"When then, Arue. Good luck!"
"Please don't get encourage. I know you can do it."
"Harukin might be harsh but it's for your own sake if you want to be a good author."
Arue became teary-eyed and she was trembling while trying to maintain her cool demeanor.
"Please... spare me."
"Hahaha! I'm not really that harsh. I'm just being honest with you so you can improve your work. I can even help you to get some inspiration to write."
It was actually her idea to ask me for help since I have experience with this line of work.
After speaking to her about her manuscript while helping each other to stretch our body, Pucchin-sensei told us to run five laps around the field because we didn't had any progress on leveling up and I quickly finished all the laps without any sweat.
Reading the book while waiting for others, I sensed someone watching me from a distance and the presence is coming from the library.
"Eh? Don't tell me..."
I spoke with the teacher and he let me go early into the library since our next lesson will be self-study before going home.
Arriving at the library, I found the suspicious guy hiding in one of the shelves.
"What are you doing, Bukololi?"
"It's Bukkororii! How many times do you have to mistake my name?!" he came out and retorted.
"Aren't you forbidden to come here? I will tell Pucchin-sensei."
When I turned around, he grabbed in my shoulder then screamed,
"Haru! Have you forgotten our deal?!"
"What deal? I don't remember entering to any shady agreement."
"You told me that you'll help me get closer with Soketto!" he said, grabbing me in the collar.
"Eh... still no progress? I told you to stop stalking her and just talk to her normally."
"If I can do that, I wouldn't even need accept the deal with you! Since that day, she was avoiding me whenever I tried to talk with her!"
"Isn't she a part of vigilante group called Red-eye Dead Slayer that you established? I saw her together with your group when I arrived here in the village."
"She's not. It's just a coincidence that she passed by with us when we found you with Yunyun and Megumin entering the village."
I felt really disappointed of him.
"You're so hopeless."
"Please stop saying that!"
He's so dejected that he was about to cry then I sighed, thinking of way to help him since it a part of our deal.
"Fine... meet me after school. We're going to her divination shop."
"Really?"
He was expecting to much of me.
"Yeah. Prepare yourself and gather all your courage. I don't want you to become wimp later."
"Okay..."
After the school, I went back home to Axel to change my clothes and returned to my normal appearance then I went again to Crimson Demon Village to accompany Bukkororii to Soketto's fortune teller shop.
"Haru, what's the plan?" Bukkororii was very nervous.
"You will take her head on and talk to her about divination. You just have to make read about your future."
"What kind of future?" he asked with pale expression.
"What else? Of course, about your future lover--"
He suddenly froze and halted in his steps.
"Wait! Have you already did?"
"She saw nothing..." he said with weak voice that he was already crying.
I'm already aware since I know the future and I'm just making fun of him.
"Let's try it again. This time I will be watching."
"How is that supposed to change my future?"
"Watch and learn! I'm gonna turn her divination upside down. Just leave everything to me." I spoke with confident tone while giving him a thumbs up but this made Bukkororii more worried.
When we arrived in front of fortune teller shop and saw Soketto sweeping outside when she noticed us approaching her.
"Hello, Soketto-san!" I waved my hand at her while Bukkororii was so nervous when he greeted her.
"Soketto-san! Good morning!"
"It's already evening, Bukkororii..."
Her words made him pale because of his mistakes then I just followed up after him.
"We came here to ask for divination. I'm just curious about my future."
"Okay..."
Soketto stared at Bukkororii who looks very hopeless right now.
"Oh, I also want you to read about his future lover again. You might see something this time."
"Come inside then."
In a dim room, we sat together on a round table covered in purple cloth with crystal ball on top of a cushion.
"Who wants to go first?" she asked then I just casually pointed my finger at Bukkororii on my side.
"Me?"
"Just go and let her read your future!" I said with irritated tone.
Soketto focused on the crystal ball then it glowed as she tried to read his future. Her expression was complicated and she didn't know how to react when he looked to Bukkororii.
"You see... it's still the same. The crystal ball isn't showing anybody."
Bukkororii's tiny hope was shattered to pieces and cried then when he was about to run away, I grabbed his mantle from behind and pulled him back to his seat.
*Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!*
After caressing his neck from coughing, he glared to me.
"Haru, why did you have to do that!"
"Just stay there and leave the rest to me. You're really such a hopeless guy."
I tried to speak with Soketto and asked her,
"Soketto-san, is this a first case that it happened you read someone's future?"
"Yes... aside from him everyone has showed something in the crystal ball."
Now to the main point, I just have her figured out the meaning of her divination with him.
"What about yours? Have you read own future?"
"I already tried but... nothing shows up. My divination is only restricted to others. I can't read my own future." Soketto shook her head.
"Then have you noticed something?"
"What do you mean?" Soketto tilted her head out of confusion.
I want to tell Soketto but Bukkororii will hear it and I just had bad feeling if he heard the meaning of her divination. I just decided to move closer and whisper it to her ears.
*If you can't see his future, doesn't that mean he is part of your future since you can't read your own future? We are asking you to divined his future lover. Doesn't that mean you are his---*
Soketto turned red and she immediately covered my mouth which surprised Bukkororii.
"What happened, Haru? Did you say something to her?"
"It's nothing! It has nothing to do with you!" Soketto became flustered.
Bukkororii became teary-eyed and he ran out of the shop crying.
"As I expected, it's really hopeless! Waaahh!"
After he left, Soketto let go of my mouth.
"Ah. You made him cry. What are a horrible future lover."
"Shut up! she pointed to me and warned, "Listen here! Don't tell a single soul of what you just saw here!"
I sighed and responded, " I won't. I don't want to see him getting full of himself and brag to me that you are his future lover. I prefer seeing him suffering from misunderstanding."
"What a horrible friend you are!"
"What are you going to do with him from now on?" I curiously asked her.
"It's something personal. I just have something to vent on him." Soketto was cracking her fist.
"Get easy on him or he might broke."
"Ufufu..." she just giggled.
"What about you? Aren't you gonna ask me to read your future?"
"Nah, I don't want any spoilers. I just came here to be his wingman and nothing else. From now on, everything will be up to him."
I put the payment on the table then I left the shop while waving my hand at her.
"Keep the change."
Soketto was smiling to me.
"The crystal ball also shows blank about your future lover. I wonder what does that mean?"
"I won't pay for that." I replied.
(To be continued.)