The Cane Alien and the Caught Accomplice

The girl at the lead had a slender and petite figure, her skin so fair that it seemed to shimmer under the sunlight.

She possessed a cute face as delicate as a doll's, with purple eyes like translucent glaze—clear, yet impossible to peer into the depths of.

Her long, silvery-white hair draped softly over her shoulders, the ends slightly curled, flowing with a silken luster under the light.

She wore the standard uniform for girls at the Advanced Nurturing High School, yet every detail revealed a meticulous sense of refinement, her thin legs encased in pristine white over-the-knee stockings.

Her entire being radiated an air of nobility and cold detachment that felt entirely out of place in the bustling atmosphere around her.

She was none other than the core figure of Class A in the first year, the biological daughter of Chairman Sakayanagi Nari—Sakayanagi Arisu.

Her sudden visit was likely sparked by hearing about this "fortune-telling stall" that had risen to fame among the first-years and even drawn the attention of upperclassmen; finding it novel and interesting, she had brought her follower along to investigate.

Those glazed, purple eyes swept calmly over the noisy stall and the queue of people.

Finally, they landed on the white-haired boy under the tent, sitting on a small folding stool, looking lazy, casual, and even somewhat out of place in such a chaotic environment.

Deep within her eyes, a flicker of curiosity flashed.

Lin Mu sensed her gaze almost the moment it landed on him.

He raised his eyes, meeting her stare with a calm expression.

He didn't need to intentionally activate his ability; the extraordinary perception and the momentary touch of telepathy were enough for him to know the identity and background of the newcomer.

Sakayanagi Arisu, the semi-leader of Class A, the Chairman's daughter, a girl with a superior intellect who seemed to have some physical limitations, a young lady who loved to control the situation and enjoy the game of wits.

(Congenital heart disease)

He knew. So what?

There was no ripple in his heart; he even felt it was a bit troublesome.

For someone like this, who was clearly deep-thinking and had a special background, it usually meant more attention and potential entanglement.

However, since she had come to the stall, she was a potential customer—or, at the very least, a potential "card."

With a lollipop in his mouth, his cheeks slightly puffed out, he lifted his chin and spoke in a tone that was meant to solicit business but still carried a hint of laziness:

"Classmate, want a fortune telling? Cards are 100,000, the crystal ball is 150,000."

He pointed to the small blackboard and added, his tone carrying a peculiar allure, "My fortune telling is very accurate.

I can give you a definitive answer to your current confusion, and even the secrets of your past that you've hidden deep away, I can calculate them clearly~"

That slightly rising inflection at the end carried a touch of casual teasing, yet it inexplicably made one's heart tighten.

Sakayanagi Arisu stopped about a meter in front of the stall.

Her fair, slender fingertips brushed lightly over the hem of her pleated skirt, her movements as elegant as if they had been rehearsed a thousand times.

A perfectly impeccable, amiable smile hung on her face, and her voice was soft and pleasant, like wind chimes in a breeze, yet her words carried an unmistakable sense of detachment and composure:

"My apologies, classmate."

She tilted her head slightly, her silver hair swaying with the motion, "I feel that... this kind of ethereal fortune telling is ultimately just a means for those with lost hearts to seek comfort. For me, it seems quite unnecessary."

Kamuro Masumi, who was beside her—the very same purple-haired girl Lin Mu had caught trying to steal alcohol at the convenience store the other day and had warned—stepped forward half a step.

She furrowed her delicate brows, her tone full of tsundere attitude and undisguised distrust as she chimed in:

"Exactly! Fortune telling is just not realistic! It only ever appears in novels and manga; how could it possibly be real!"

As she spoke, she didn't quite dare to look Lin Mu in the eye, clearly still remembering the embarrassment of being caught red-handed earlier.

Sakayanagi Arisu raised a hand slightly, signaling for Kamuro Masumi to calm down.

Her gaze swept lightly over the intricately patterned tarot cards and the crystal-clear crystal ball on the table.

Finally, it returned to Lin Mu's well-defined face—a face that was cold and stern, yet looked strangely handsome with the lollipop in his mouth.

The smile on her lips deepened slightly, her tone remaining soft but carrying the aura of a natural-born controller:

"After all, I have never needed to rely on such methods to confirm the path ahead.

Every step I take is within my own calculations and control."

Lin Mu raised an eyebrow, the lollipop in his mouth nudged by his tongue, rotating unhurriedly within his oral cavity.

He remained leaning on the small folding stool, his posture relaxed, but the words he spoke carried a touch of casual yet precise sharpness, like a thin needle piercing through the facade of her confidence:

"Control?" He let out a soft scoff, the sound not loud, but clearly audible.

"Things in this world are unpredictable, and there are always undercurrents beneath the water. What you think you are holding firmly in your hand might, one day, be pushed away by a variable hidden in the shadows."

He paused, his gaze sweeping unintentionally over Sakayanagi Arisu's calm purple eyes, "My fortune telling might not be good for much else, but helping people see the reefs and variables hidden beneath the water is something I'm actually quite good at."

This wasn't entirely nonsense; his precognition had indeed caught glimpses of the complex, tangled, and unpredictable future conflicts between this young lady and a certain "special person."

He just couldn't be bothered to look into the details, using it merely as a sales pitch for the moment.

A flash of clear surprise flickered in the depths of Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes.

Clearly, she had not expected this Class D boy, who looked lazy, casual, and even a bit cynical, to say something with such hidden meaning, as if he were pointing at something specific.

That mask of constant composure and elegance showed a tiny, subtle ripple.

Immediately, the smile on her lips grew richer, and the sense of curiosity in her glazed eyes was almost overflowing.

She took an elegant half-step forward, the innate, noble aura surrounding her seemingly pressing forward with it.

She tilted her head slightly, looking down at the seated Linmu, and spoke softly; her voice remained gentle, yet it carried a force capable of peeling back appearances:

"Oh? It seems that Linmu Fujimiya of Class D has more than a little confidence in his own divination skills."

She called Linmu by his name with precision, clearly having investigated his background through some channel before arriving.

"I just wonder if this confidence, which draws so much attention, stems from some unknown, genuine ability..."

She drew out her tone slightly, her gaze sweeping over the props on the table as if by chance, "...or is it merely a gimmick deliberately crafted to attract eyes?"

The probing intent in her tone was like a fine web woven by a spider, quietly cast toward Linmu.

Linmu was not the least bit flustered. If it were anyone else, being addressed by name and probed with words by a figure like Sakayanagi Arisu, they would likely feel some nervousness or an urge to prove themselves.

But who was he? A hardcore slacker enthusiast and an esper holding the template of Saiki Kusuo.

Sakayanagi Arisu's thoughts, background, and even parts of her future held few secrets in his eyes.