Just as the Reversed Two of Wands he had "read" in the Tarot Cards that day had foretold: "obstacles and stagnation."
This time, the Student Council's selection standards seemed far stricter and more demanding than usual. Almost everyone who applied had been rejected, including the hopeful Ichinose Honami.
(Actually, the Student Council recruitment this time had been entirely the work of the student-coddling Student Council President, Manabu Horikita. He had wanted to pave the way for his younger sister, Suzune Horikita.)
She walked away from the disappointing selection process feeling as though there were a hole in her heart, leaving her lost and confused.
Lin Mu's words from that day kept echoing in her mind, especially his prediction of failure from the "Reversed Two of Wands" and the "help from a benefactor" suggested by the "Upright Hierophant."
While she was astonished by how frighteningly accurate his reading had been, even more questions crowded into her mind: Who exactly was the "benefactor" who could help her? Who should she turn to now?
(Miyabi Nagumo, the blond guy, would recruit Ichinose into the Student Council.)
How could she get into the Student Council after all? After thinking it over, her desire to find an answer ultimately won out over her disappointment and slight embarrassment.
Guided by her memory, she found herself back at the fortune-telling stall she had once fled in a panic.
Lin Mu watched the hesitant figure beneath the trees, then glanced at the sunset gradually turning orange-red on the horizon. He quickly calculated the day's "earnings" and how much energy he had used.
Yeah, that was about enough. Time to pack up.
Earning personal points was certainly important, but sacrificing his dessert and leisure time just to make a little more went against his way of life.
So he raised a hand and announced to the remaining customers, whose line still held seven or eight people, in his usual flat tone:
"That's it for today's readings. I'm clocking out, upperclassmen."
The moment he spoke, the customers in line erupted in protest, their faces all showing disappointment and reluctance.
"Hey?! Come on, underclassman! I've been waiting for almost half an hour!"
"I'm only two people away! Just read for one more person—just one! I'll pay extra!"
(Money-Offering Layman.)
"I'll pay double the points! Two hundred thousand! Could you tell me if I'll win a prize in this competition?"
"Underclassman, can't you make an exception? Will you be setting up here around this time tomorrow?"
Lin Mu leaned back on his little stool, too lazy even to sit up straight. He moved the lemon-flavored lollipop around his mouth with his tongue, slowly turning it over.
His eyes were half-lidded and his voice languid, as if he were stating the most obvious thing in the world. His resolve, however, was as solid as a rock:
"No. Work is work, life is life. You have to keep them separate."
He paused, then added, "The rest of the day is my personal time. No more readings. Not even for double."
This was one of the core principles of a slacker: never let extra pay encroach on the leisure time you've set aside for yourself.
Money—or points—was certainly nice, but freedom and comfort were priceless.
(I don't have much money or much freedom right now...)
Even if someone offered him three or five times the price, they wouldn't get him to spend another second on work that was supposed to be over.
(Clocking out on time makes me happy. Heh heh heh.)
Seeing how firm he was, his expression calm and leaving no room for negotiation, everyone knew there was no point in pressing him. They could only sigh and drift away, faces full of regret.
Before leaving, they still asked when he would set up again, but Lin Mu merely waved a hand and made no definite promise. He simply tossed out two words: "We'll see."
The "Divination Immortal" had already made a name for himself. His reputation and mystique were firmly established.
From then on, he could set up whenever he felt like it. It all depended on his mood—though he would still set up a few times a week.
A steady trickle would let him lie back more comfortably and keep earning for longer.
(That's the power of scarcity marketing.)
Once the crowd had completely dispersed, the Club Recruitment Plaza gradually returned to its usual quiet as evening approached. Only a few clubs in the distance were still packing up their stalls.
Only then did Lin Mu slowly get to his feet and stretch, his joints giving a faint series of cracks.
He turned toward the trees, where the same figure was still standing, seemingly unsure what to do.
He lifted his chin. His expression remained as flat as ever, and his casual greeting sounded like he was addressing an acquaintance:
"What are you still standing there for? Come over, Ichinose."
At his words, Ichinose Honami paused, as if jolted out of a daze.
She looked up at Lin Mu. Her amber eyes, usually brimming with warmth, now clearly held disappointment and confusion.
She pressed her lips together as if making up her mind, then hurried over to his stall.
"Good afternoon, Lin Mu."
She managed a faint smile, trying to make her voice sound light, but she couldn't quite hide her disappointment, and her greeting came out a little strained.
"Sit."
Lin Mu pointed to the empty little stool opposite him and sat back down. He gathered the Tarot Cards scattered across the table and put them away in their box.
Then he took two lollipops from his pocket: his usual Alpenliebe original flavor and a strawberry one.
He unwrapped the original and popped it into his mouth, then held out the pink-wrapped strawberry lollipop to Ichinose Honami. "Want one?"
Ichinose Honami froze for a moment, looking at the candy he had offered, then at Lin Mu's expressionless face, which didn't seem unkind.
After a brief hesitation, she reached out and took it, quietly saying, "Thank you."
She unwrapped it and put the pink candy in her mouth. Its sweet flavor melted across her tongue, easing the heaviness in her chest just a little.
She sat stiffly on the little stool, her hands resting on her knees pressed together, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt.
Silence settled between them for a few seconds. Only the distant murmur of voices and the rustle of wind through the leaves could be heard.
At last, Ichinose Honami gathered her courage and looked up at Lin Mu.
The setting sun slipped through a gap in the tent, casting a soft golden edge over one side of her delicate face, but it also made her disappointment all the more apparent.
"Lin Mu," she began softly, her voice trembling despite her efforts to steady it. "I came today... because I wanted to ask you about the reading you gave me the other day."
She paused, as if she needed to gather some courage. "I took part in the Student Council selection... and I didn't make it. Just like you said."
She looked up and met Lin Mu's gaze. Doubt and confusion clouded her eyes like mist.
"But you said that day that if I could get help from a 'benefactor,' I'd be able to join the Student Council."
Before you continue