Yoshino Aruven was finally able to attend his class this time. But the lessons had somewhat flown off his mind. The lecture for that day ended just like that.
He rose from his seat and walked away as fast as possible. He was still dispirited with what had happened yesterday.
Nonetheless, he must accept the outcome and move forward. He shook off his the troubles in his mind as he walked towards his destination.
The USB Library.
This was one of his favorite 'hunting grounds' back when he was searching for that extremely rare [Scanner]. He would often spend his time here after class.
Unfortunately, he obtained his target skill from a different library.
Still, this place held a special place in his heart. That was why he kept one of his sealing staves here for safekeeping.
This way he could conduct his 'rare-skill hunt' and his skill stabilization in one place.
Yoshino went inside the building and headed towards an empty corridor. After taking a few turns, he stumbled upon old drawers left in a certain corner.
These drawers contained the outdated card catalogues for every book available in the library.
The return of the electronic devices in the transmigrated world had resulted to the reimplementation of e-files. Paperless transactions, electronic documentation, and online catalogue system.
This made the usage of the old library system to be discontinued. Meaning these drawers were now abandoned.
A perfect place to keep some items!
Actually the university offered locker services for their students. However, the locker assigned to Yoshino was revoked.
Officially, he was stagnant on his cultivation. Why would the university administration allocate resources to a slacker?
Therefore, Yoshino had to resort to using alternative ways to keep his stuffs.
"Alright then, Letter Y… Letter Y…"
He hurriedly searched for the drawer where he kept the item. He pulled the handle and stumbled upon,
"Nothing?"
Yoshino was surprised with what he saw. The drawer was empty. Cold sweat emerged from his forehead. He then checked the other drawers.
Empty. Empty. Empty.
"What the heck?"
Yoshino froze up. His mind was unable to process this unexpected situation.
"Excuse me, are you searching for something?"
"Yes. The contents of these drawers."
Yoshino answered as he turned towards the source of the voice. He saw a female student wearing thick eyeglasses. The one with translucent lenses which had a spiral design on them.
He could not believe that there was someone who actually wore those.
The female student nervously explained,
"The staff had cleaned those drawers yesterday."
Yesterday?!
Yoshino wanted to scream. But he should not be doing that inside the library.
He thanked the female student and walked away weakly. He exited the building while wobbling left and right.
Why was he a day late?
Why did he not take the stave when he was drafting the sketch?
"Haha, looking for this?"
A male students called out to Yoshino when he left the building.
The male student was around 170 centimeters tall. He had light brown hair and his grinning mischievously. More importantly, he was waving an item on his left hand.
A Sealing Stave!
"You!"
Yoshino snapped out of his thoughts as he realized who the person was.
Benjo Roxas. He was a fellow Mage class but prefers to call himself a merchant. He was quite talented in trading and obtaining items.
He was the person that provided the notification used to get pass a blockade. He was also the one that provided the drafting materials.
But right now he was holding a crucial item.
"Yes, me indeed."
"Hand that over this instant!"
Yoshino demanded when he saw that Roxas was still waving the stave.
However, the merchant refused,
"No can do. You still owe me you know?"
Indeed. Yoshino was yet to pay for the services he asked from the so-called merchant. Since those were services not alms.
"Alright, I'll pay. But now that you mention it, I do need a few more items."
"Oh? What is it this time?"
Roxas stopped waving the stave and tried to listen intently. He would never let such business opportunity to pass.
"I need a set of female uniforms."
"…"
"…"
"I didn't know you swing that way."
"No I don't!"
Yoshino answered. He tried to explain the situation.
***
Yoshino sped his thoughts up. Perhaps this negotiation was still not in vain.
He decided to compromise,
"Flexible times. You don't have to guard me all day. Just help me when I'm in need."
Yoshino wanted a full time guard. But that seemed no longer possible. Then he should settle for the next best thing. If the female lieutenant would not agree to at least become his lifeline, then perhaps they were not meant to be…
Associates that is.
Alshura Soura grew silent. She seemed to be in a deep thought. After a few minutes, she said,
"Huu, I could use the free time to cultivate."
"Then do we have a deal?"
Yoshino became excited upon hearing it. But this time, he kept his delusions at bay. Thinking too far ahead had already hurt him a while ago.
And then,
"It's fine I guess. I did keep a stash for my daily allowance. If the accommodations are free, then even without a salary, I can still manage."
"Alright!"
Yoshino smiled triumphantly. He began to consider the new possibilities that had opened for him.
But then he remembered a certain detail.
Pushing his mind to the limit might have helped him convince Soura. However it had also made him consider a certain problem.
And he had to tell it to her now. Or else he might get incinerated later. Thus he revealed,
"I have to come clean now, the utilities that you will be using must be shouldered by Soura."
"…"
"…"
"Suddenly, I don't feel thrilled with this arrangement anymore."
There was an upside-down grin once more. The fire elemental energy was accumulating again.
***
Fortunately, Soura did agree in the end.
Yoshino took back the female lieutenant to the apartment complex where he was renting. They took the stairs and reached the second floor.
They stood in front of the door of a certain apartment unit. Yoshino then said,
"Here we are."
"Unit number 209?"
Soura read the digits on the door. Her eyebrows were furrowed. She seemed to have a question on her mind. But perhaps she was hesitant to ask.
Yoshino had wondered why she had not yet inquired about that certain issue. She had been quiet during there way here.
To be honest, he actually enjoyed seeing her troubled expression. But he could not afford to tease her anymore. He revealed,
"I live in the unit next to this. Number 210."
"Oh? You're not going to send me to your own unit?"
Soura looked relieved upon hearing his words. But then she furrowed her eyebrows. She seemed skeptical.
This was the truth though. There was no way Yoshino would invite her to stay at his own apartment unit.
First, that unit was shared with his older sister. How could he explain to that sibling of his why he let a female live together with them. For all he know, his parents would hear about it and scold him immediately.
Or maybe they would congratulate him?
Whichever the case, he would never know.
Second, Soura herself would not agree with such an arrangement. She was definitely a decent person. There was no way she would tolerate such situation.
Third, Soura said it herself, they were strangers. Decent was good. But trustworthy was a different matter.
Yoshino was forced to trust her when they were against Day Stealer. But they were no longer in that situation anymore.
However, enumerating all these reasons to the female lieutenant was too tiresome. And obviously too tactless.
Thus Yoshino chose to keep it short. He smiled,
"Of course not. We are all civilized here."
"Pfft, I guess we all are."
Soura cracked a smile upon hearing those words said in confidence. She then gestured her right hand as if she was asking for something.
Yoshino was a little late on the uptake. He only realized what she wanted after a minute. He then gave it to her.
The key to the apartment unit that is.
Soura held the item near her chest. She paused for a second before asking,
"How did you get the key for this unit anyway? From your stingy attitude, there's absolutely no way you can afford to rent two apartment units."
"Indeed. The occupant here is currently out of the country and would not return in the meantime. The unit had already been purchased. So there are no worries with the rent anymore. Just the utilities that Soura would be using."
"…"
Soura stared at Yoshino upon hearing his explanation. She seemed to be suspicious of him now. Thus he clarified,
"The person lent me the key. I was to clean the unit once a week. I could still do that regularly if Soura prefers that."
"Absolutely not! I'll handle the cleaning myself."
"Thanks."
Yoshino tried his best to not let his smug face show. He was indeed happy with this development. He was finally free from the shackles of doing free labor every week.
Now someone else was stuck with doing that errand with no pay!
He was not expecting this outcome when he first offered the place to the female lieutenant. He only remembered this issue when they were on the bus.
He had already benefited from this arrangement.
Soura realized that she was duped. She pouted her lips and said,
"You tricked me."
"Of course not. The place is in good condition."
"Whatever."
Soura seemed to have accepted the errand that was placed unto her. She did not make fuss about it any further.
Yoshino felt guilty with what he did. But just a little.
Soura then asked,
"But what if the owner of this unit returns? How am I to explain myself?"
"Relax. I have already sent a message. The person agreed. And besides, your 'suspension' would not last that long right?"
"…"
"Right?"
"Absolutely, fufu…"
Suddenly, Yoshino did not feel thrilled with this arrangement anymore.