Chapter 134: Zaimokuza's Request Completed!
Luke opened the clubroom door.
To his surprise, Yukino was dozing in her usual seat.
Even during the previous period of continuous physical training, Yukino had always maintained her composure remarkably well.
Her gently swaying black hair contrasted sharply with her fair skin. She slept peacefully by the window, breathing evenly with what seemed like a faint smile.
Honestly, judging solely by appearances, she was unquestionably beautiful.
Out of courtesy, Luke quieted his movements just as Yui had.
At that moment, Yukino's lips moved slightly.
"…What a fright. Seeing you woke me up immediately."
Even after just waking, this girl still had to insult him.
"I'm the one who should be frightened."
Luke dropped his bag beside his seat and glanced at Yui, who abandoned her cautious movements and released a relieved breath.
Yukino opened her mouth in a small yawn, then stretched like a cat.
"You finished reading Zaimokuza's novel too? You look exhausted."
Luke then glanced toward Yui.
"My, the sun is certainly hot today~"
Yui turned away and hurriedly fanned herself with one hand.
She had not forgotten what happened the previous night.
After finishing her homework and finally taking out the manuscript, her mother announced that Yui's favorite television program had begun.
Then she accidentally—truly accidentally—watched until very late.
She could only wash up and go to bed~
"Yes. I haven't stayed awake late for a long time, and I don't normally read this kind of work."
Yukino answered seriously.
"It seems I simply can't enjoy it."
"Ah~ Yes, yes! I'm sure I couldn't enjoy it either!"
Yui hurriedly agreed.
"You didn't read it at all! Go read it right now!"
Luke straightened four fingers.
He genuinely wanted to strike this idiot with a chop and see whether she could be repaired like a broken appliance.
If he actually did it, he would simply blame Hiratsuka-sensei.
After all, that teacher had taught him such methods, so the fault could not belong to him.
She would not be getting married anytime soon anyway. Carrying a little more karmic burden would hardly matter.
"Ugh~"
Under his threat, Yui pouted and pulled the pristine manuscript from her bag.
It had no folds or signs of being handled, looking as clean as though it had just emerged from the printer.
Yui shuffled through the pages and flipped them casually, clearly finding the work dull.
Not much time passed before Luke, who was browsing his phone, heard someone knock heavily on the clubroom door.
"Come in."
Zaimokuza swept his trademark coat aside and entered, wearing the expression of Napoleon beneath the Arc de Triomphe.
"Then, I would like to hear everyone's impressions."
Zaimokuza sat boldly in the chair, folded his arms like a general, and raised his chin proudly toward them.
In contrast to his confidence, the usually merciless Yukino showed a rare trace of hesitation.
"I'm sorry, but I know very little about light novels…"
Yukino began by softening the ground.
Zaimokuza immediately replied, "That matters not. Please speak without reservation."
"All right."
Yukino sighed lightly and nodded.
"To be honest, the novel was extremely boring. Reading it was almost painful. This work was unimaginably dull."
"Ugh~"
Although Luke and Hachiman had criticized his writing before, Yukino's single sentence still dealt Zaimokuza a devastating blow.
It took him a long time to recover.
"Could you explain what specifically was bad? That would help me revise it."
"First, the grammar is disastrous. Why do you constantly use inverted sentences?"
"Do you understand how particles and auxiliary verbs work? Did you not learn them in elementary school?"
Yukino searched through the notes and comments she had written on the manuscript.
"Your narrative sentences are also too long, and the excessive use of obscure kanji makes it difficult to read."
"Furthermore, many of the readings you assigned to the protagonist's supernatural abilities are incorrect. For example, here, here, and here…"
"As for the plot, why does the protagonist repeatedly behave so poorly during critical moments? Such scenes appear throughout the novel and are deeply unpleasant."
"Waugh~"
Zaimokuza released an uncontrollable wail.
Just as during his previous critique, he seemed one step away from rolling across the floor several times.
"Hm? What happened?"
Yui, who had fallen asleep in her chair after attempting to read the novel, raised her head and looked curiously at Zaimokuza staring helplessly toward the ceiling.
"What about you?"
After delivering her merciless criticism, Yukino shifted her gaze toward Luke.
"…You covered everything thoroughly. I don't have much to add."
Luke sighed. This girl was remarkably unsympathetic.
"In any case, there's plenty of room for improvement. Still, you corrected some of the problems from the manuscript you previously showed Hachiman, Totsuka, and me."
"Really?"
Hope returned to Zaimokuza's eyes, and he hurriedly sat upright.
Luke nodded affirmatively.
Yui brought her face close to his, her lips nearly reaching his ear. Luke could easily smell her fragrance, while her glossy hair tickled his neck.
"What?"
Luke glanced at her.
"Why do you always end up surrounded by such strange people…?"
Before Luke could answer her quiet question, Yukino spoke from the side.
"Next is… Yuigahama-san."
"Eh? Me too? O-okay…"
Yui straightened beside him and cautiously addressed Zaimokuza.
"I-I think… you know a lot of difficult words."
Fortunately, after enduring so many disasters, Zaimokuza was no longer wounded by feedback like that.
"I see…"
He considered it, then rose from his chair.
"I shall accept everyone's advice and write an even better novel next time. Please continue to judge it without mercy."
"Eh? Are you a masochist?"
Yui stared at him in horror.
"The criticism was certainly brutal, but even so, I'm happy."
Zaimokuza clenched his fist and spoke sincerely.
"Having someone read something I wrote because I loved it, then hearing their thoughts, is a wonderful experience."
"I don't know how to describe the feeling, but I'm genuinely happy."
That conviction shone remarkably brightly.
Having experienced something similar, Luke nodded solemnly.
"I don't know much about the novel industry, but please keep working hard."
However, Zaimokuza suddenly spoke thoughtfully again.
"Although… after my workplace experience, I've also been considering becoming an editor."
"Editors enjoy stable lives while remaining part of a creative industry, meaning they aren't far removed from animation."
"In that case, my dream of marrying a voice actress will no longer remain merely a dream! Wahahahaha—eh? Eh?!"
Luke threw Zaimokuza out of the clubroom before he could suddenly abandon his path.
He turned toward the two girls with a speechless expression.
"That guy changes direction incredibly quickly."
Yukino gave him a look that clearly said, 'Well done.'
"Throwing a client out of the clubroom is inappropriate, but… we'll overlook it this time."
"Your criticism was as merciless as ever."
"I merely wanted him to confront his problems."
Yukino took an extracurricular book from her bag and prepared to begin reading.
"Your vague encouragement is more likely to give someone false confidence."
"No person is talented in every field. Misjudging one's own ability only leads them down the wrong path until they encounter failure after failure."
"He may fail, but…"
Luke shared his own thoughts.
"Although I haven't interacted with him often, one thing is clear. He didn't choose this path because he admired or envied successful writers."
"In other words, he isn't imitating anyone. He writes simply because he enjoys it."
"Even if that road ends in failure, I think he would still accept it willingly."
"So why do you always become involved with such strange people?"
Yui looked him over suspiciously.
"This is only a school. It's a painfully small place, so becoming connected to anyone isn't particularly unusual."
"Hmm~ I thought you might be returning to that gloomy state again."
"I haven't changed at all. You simply didn't understand me before."
Luke glanced at Yui.
"It's the same way I once thought you were merely an idiot, but gradually came to understand you better."
"Eh? Then what do you think of me now?"
Yui raised her head excitedly and waited with anticipation.
"A cute idiot."
"Ah—then I'm still an idiot!"
To defend her reputation, Yui once again activated [Rocket Headbutt].
After they fooled around for a while, the oppressive heat became almost unbearable.
"Honestly, you make me so angry."
Yui pulled open her collar slightly to cool herself.
"Yukinon, let's go somewhere this weekend without inviting him. How does that—eh? Yukinon?"
Yui's confused voice made Luke notice Yukino's rare and unusual state.
She still held her book, but both Luke and Yui could tell she was not quietly reading as usual.
If her current condition had to be described in one word, it would be—
Silence.
"Yukinon…"
Yui called again, more weakly this time.
"Ah!"
Only then did Yukino react, raising her head with a smile.
"I'm sorry. I suddenly remembered something."
Skilled at reading the atmosphere, Yui sensed that Yukino had something on her mind.
After thinking briefly, she spoke.
"There's a Tokyo Cat and Dog Exhibition on the sixteenth of next month. Did you know?"
The moment she heard the word "cat," Yukino finally escaped her discomfort and revealed an interested gaze.
…
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