Chapter 131: Zaimokuza's Request!
It had been a while since their last club activity.
Luke wondered how Yukino had performed on her physical fitness test.
However, when he reached the clubroom, he found Yukino and Yui standing outside the door.
Neither noticed his arrival. They had opened the door a tiny crack and were cautiously peeking inside.
'Hm?'
Wasn't this the Service Club room?
Had he come to the wrong place?
Luke suspiciously examined the surrounding corridor.
No, this was definitely the right place.
"What are you two doing?"
"Eek!"
Their cries were surprisingly cute.
Even the normally composed Yukino jumped when he suddenly spoke behind her, resembling a startled cat.
"L-Luke-san, you frightened me…"
"I frightened you? You two forming a human wall outside the clubroom is what frightened me."
Luke looked at them speechlessly.
"What happened? Did we lose the clubroom?"
"Could you please refrain from suddenly making noises behind people?"
Yukino glared at him unhappily.
Mm.
That expression also resembled a cat.
"Sure, sure."
Luke nodded casually.
"So what exactly are you doing?"
Yui continued peering through the crack and whispered, "There's something unclean inside~"
"Something unclean?"
Luke looked confused.
"Move aside. I'll take a look."
He took out a talisman, stepped in front of them, and pulled open the door.
A breeze rushed through the room, lifting a stack of papers from the table and scattering them across the floor.
"Eh? Zaimokuza?"
Once the white sheets finished fluttering down, Luke finally saw the strange creature the girls had mentioned.
It was Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, the delusional aspiring novelist.
Despite the summer heat making him sweat heavily, he still wore his coat and gloves just as he had before.
Yukino poked her head out from behind Luke, examined the strange boy, then looked suspiciously at him.
"You know this person?"
Zaimokuza stiffened beneath Yukino's cold gaze.
He slowly shifted his eyes toward Luke, dramatically swept his coat aside, and revealed a fierce expression on his round face.
"Indeed, it is I—the Swordmaster General, Zaimokuza Yoshiteru!"
"I have followed the promise ordained by fate and come here to fulfill my wish!"
Mm.
He had not forgotten the character setting he created for himself.
"Hm?"
Yui tilted her head, completely unable to understand.
"Um… so what exactly is wrong with him?"
"What promise?"
Luke asked instead.
Zaimokuza folded his arms and released pained groans.
"Ugh… Ugh… Have you forgotten the promise engraved upon fate itself?"
'Promise?'
Luke searched his memories.
At the same time, he slowly collected several sheets from the floor and casually skimmed their densely printed contents.
"Oh, I remember now."
"Did you finish another novel?"
Luke examined the manuscript.
"Did you come here because you wanted me to read it?"
They had agreed last time that after Zaimokuza revised and completed his new novel, Luke would review it as a reader.
"Indeed. I have followed our ancient covenant… and Hiratsuka-sensei's guidance to reach this place."
Zaimokuza paused.
"This is the Service Club, correct?"
"Yes. This is the Service Club."
Yukino answered him.
Zaimokuza merely glanced at her before immediately turning back toward Luke.
"Th-then, according to our promise and Hiratsuka-sensei's instructions, you can fulfill my wish, correct?"
"The Service Club does not guarantee that your wish will be granted."
"We merely assist you in trying to achieve it."
"…Th-then please assist me…"
"When someone speaks to you, don't turn your eyes toward someone else."
"I'm the one speaking to you right now."
Yukino coldly addressed Zaimokuza, who was treating her as though she did not exist.
Still, that suited his personality.
Someone with poor social skills like Zaimokuza would naturally become helpless when facing a cold, uncompromising person like Yukino.
Before he could reply, Yukino gave up on communicating and pulled Luke aside.
"Come with me for a moment."
Luke had been about to collect the rest of the manuscript, but he could only stop and hand the pages he had organized to Yui.
"Pick up the rest for me."
"Okay."
Yui nodded and began searching the floor.
At the same time, she continued watching Zaimokuza with extreme caution, regarding both his appearance and words as suspicious.
After pulling Luke aside, Yukino whispered, "What exactly is wrong with him?"
"And what is this 'Swordmaster General' he keeps mentioning?"
She was only barely stopping herself from asking whether something was wrong with his head.
Luke considered how to explain it in terms Yukino would understand.
"Oh, it's merely a trait known as chuunibyou."
"Chuunibyou?"
Yukino repeated each syllable and looked at him in confusion.
Luke had not expected the knowledgeable Yukino to be unfamiliar with the term.
However, it made sense.
She had only begun using LINE after Yui repeatedly begged her. There was no reason she would understand internet slang like this.
"Is it an illness?"
Yui had finished collecting the papers and joined the conversation.
"No. It's just a form of self-expression."
Luke carefully chose his words.
"It usually involves someone imagining they possess special powers unlike ordinary people—often abilities from anime, novels, or games."
"They deliberately pretend to be that kind of person and invent settings that support the image."
"Since it frequently appears around the second year of middle school, it's called chuunibyou. That's roughly what it means."
After Luke's simple explanation, the intelligent Yukino considered it briefly and understood the concept.
"I still don't get it…"
In contrast, Yui complained quietly with a disgusted tone.
"You don't need to understand."
Luke pushed her head away.
"Hmm… In other words, he is acting according to a fictional character setting he created for himself?"
Yukino asked.
"Exactly."
"Then why did he come looking for you?"
"Didn't I just explain? I previously read one of his light-novel manuscripts."
"I promised to review his next one after he finished writing it."
"I see…"
Yukino turned toward Zaimokuza again and approached him.
"Your request to the Service Club is for someone to review your… light novel. Is that correct?"
Yui continued watching nervously, still wary of the strange boy.
"…According to the covenant between you and me, I have crossed a thousand miles to fulfill my wish."
"It is a noble and sacred desire—my one and only wish."
Zaimokuza continued ignoring Yukino and addressed Luke.
"I'm speaking to you. Turn your head toward me."
"Ughhh! You startled me!"
Unable to ignore Yukino standing directly before him, Zaimokuza finally responded awkwardly.
"Stop speaking like that."
Yukino sighed.
"…"
Zaimokuza was terrible at dealing with people like her, so he could only fall silent and lower his head.
"Why are you wearing a coat in this heat? Is that also because of chuunibyou?"
"This is one of my Twelve Divine Artifacts."
"After reincarnating into this world, I transformed it into the form most suitable for this body."
Zaimokuza gave Yukino the same answer he had once given Luke.
"So that was the reason…"
After confirming her guess, Yukino asked again, "Your request is for us to read your completed novel?"
"Actually, Luke-san alone would be enough…"
Zaimokuza lowered his head and muttered quietly.
"I couldn't hear you. Face me and answer properly."
"Y-yes!"
Zaimokuza straightened his trembling body.
"That is indeed the manuscript of my newly completed light novel!"
"I want to submit it for a newcomer award, but because I have no friends, I can't hear anyone's impressions."
"So I want people to read it… preferably as many as possible."
"There's no need to shout."
Yukino pressed her temple.
"I know little about light novels, but surely there are relevant websites or forums online."
"Why not post it there for people to read? More readers would mean more feedback."
"No!"
Zaimokuza returned to his ordinary volume.
"People online are too direct. If they criticize it as completely worthless, I might die."
Behind a screen, people truly would offer harsh opinions without restraint.
They would not soften their words as people often did face-to-face.
However, that only applied when facing normal people.
"Sigh… Zaimokuza, the path before you leads directly into hell."
Luke sighed.
Zaimokuza had encountered something far harsher than online critics.
'This is my fault for not warning him.'
Luke had never expected Zaimokuza to actually come to the Service Club.
He shifted his gaze toward the completely bewildered Yukino.
"What is it?"
Yukino looked at him curiously.
"Nothing."
Yukino carefully examined herself, found nothing strange, and turned back toward Zaimokuza.
"Although I believe your condition may be more serious than you realize…"
"Since this is a genuine request, Zaimokuza Yoshiteru-san, the Service Club accepts it."
…
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