The First Guest Has Returned to Clear Up Doubts

Just as the Reversed Two of Wands he had "divined" with his Tarot Cards that day had predicted, it was a sign of "obstacles and stagnation."

The threshold and strictness of this Student Council selection seemed far beyond the norm, weeding out almost every applicant, which naturally included the hopeful Ichinose Honami.

(In the original text, this Student Council recruitment was entirely the handiwork of that sister-obsessed Student Council President Manabu Horikita, intended to pave the way for his sister, Suzune Horikita.)

She walked out of that disappointing selection site feeling as if a piece of her heart had been hollowed out, filled with loss and confusion.

The words from Lin Mu's divination that day, especially the warning of failure from the "Reversed Two of Wands" and the "help from a noble person" hinted at by the "Upright Hierophant," echoed repeatedly in her mind.

While she was amazed at how terrifyingly accurate the divination had been, more questions flooded her heart: Who exactly was this "noble person" who could help her? Who should she go to now?

(The blonde Miyabi Nagumo is the one who pulls Ichinose into the Student Council.)

How could she join the Student Council as she wished? After much deliberation, the desire for an answer ultimately outweighed her disappointment and slight shyness.

Driven by her memory, she returned to the divination stall that had once made her flee in a panic.

Lin Mu looked at the hesitant figure under the shade of the trees, then glanced at the sunset gradually painting the horizon orange, quickly calculating his "turnover" and energy expenditure for the day.

Hmm, that's enough; time to pack up.

Earning private points was important, but sacrificing his upcoming dessert time and leisure for a little extra gain didn't fit his lifestyle.

Thus, he raised his hand and announced to the queue of about seven or eight people, in that same flat tone that left the remaining customers disappointed:

"The divination for today ends here. I'm off the clock, seniors."

As the words fell, the seniors in line instantly stirred, their faces collectively showing expressions of regret and unwillingness.

"Eh?! Junior, don't! I've been waiting for almost half an hour!"

"I'm only two people away! Just one more, just one! I'll pay extra!"

(Money-Adding Layman)

"I'll pay double the points! Two hundred thousand! Can you help me see if I can win an award in this competition?"

"Junior, be flexible! Will you be setting up your stall here at this time tomorrow?"

Lin Mu was leaning against his small folding stool, too lazy to even sit up straight, the lemon-flavored lollipop in his mouth being nudged by his tongue as it slowly swirled around his palate.

He squinted his eyes, his tone lazy and casual as if he were stating an obvious truth, yet his attitude was as firm as a rock:

"No. Work is work, life is life. You have to keep them separate."

He paused, then added, "The remaining time is my private time, and I am not open for business. Not even for double pay."

This was one of the core bottom lines of the Slacker—never to encroach upon his designated leisure time for extra compensation.

Money (points) was certainly lovely, but freedom and comfort were priceless.

(As the author, I currently have neither much money nor much freedom...)

Even if the other party offered triple or quintuple the price, they wouldn't get him to spend a single extra second on "work" that should have ended.

(Clocking out on time makes me happy, hehehe.)

Seeing his firm attitude, his expressionless face, and the lack of room for negotiation, the crowd knew that pestering him further would be futile. They could only sigh and walk away one after another, faces full of regret.

Before leaving, they didn't forget to ask when he would set up the stall next, but Lin Mu just waved his hand casually without giving any definite promise, leaving behind only two words: "It depends on fate."

In any case, the reputation of the "Divination Immortal" had been firmly established, and both word-of-mouth and a sense of mystery had been successfully cultivated.

From now on, he would open the stall whenever he felt like it, entirely depending on his mood, though he would still open it a few times a week.

Only by letting the water flow slowly could he lie flatter and earn for longer.

(This is hunger marketing.)

By the time the crowd had completely dispersed and the club recruitment plaza had gradually returned to its usual tranquility as evening approached, only a few scattered clubs in the distance were still packing up their stalls.

Lin Mu then slowly stood up and stretched, his bones emitting a faint "crack" sound.

He turned toward the shade of the trees, facing the figure who was still standing in the same spot, looking somewhat at a loss.

He tilted his chin, the expression on his face remaining that same flat look, as casual as greeting an acquaintance:

"What are you still standing there for? Come over, Ichinose-san."

Upon hearing this, Ichinose Honami's body paused slightly, as if startled out of some daze.

She looked up at Lin Mu, and in those amber eyes that were always filled with gentleness, the loss and confusion were now clearly visible.

She pursed her lips, as if having made up her mind, and walked quickly to Lin Mu's stall.

"Lin Mu-kun, good afternoon."

She tried hard to squeeze out a smile, attempting to make her voice sound lighter, but the trace of disappointment was still hard to hide, making her greeting seem somewhat forced.

"Sit."

Lin Mu pointed to the empty small stool opposite him, sat back down himself, and casually gathered the scattered Tarot Cards on the table into the deck box.

Then, he fished two lollipops out of his pocket—one was the Alpenliebe original flavor he often ate, and the other was strawberry.

He unwrapped the original one and popped it into his mouth, then handed the pink-packaged strawberry lollipop to Ichinose Honami. "Want one?"

Ichinose Honami froze for a moment, looking at the candy held out to her, then at Lin Mu's face, which lacked expression but seemed to hold no malice.

She hesitated for a moment, but still reached out to take it, whispering a soft "thank you."

She unwrapped the candy and placed the pink sweet into her mouth; the sugary taste melted on the tip of her tongue, seemingly easing the heaviness in her chest just a little.

She sat stiffly on the small stool, her hands resting on her knees pressed together, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt.

Silence hung between the two of them for a few seconds, broken only by the faint sounds of commotion in the distance and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Finally, Ichinose Honami gathered her courage, looked up, and turned her gaze toward Lin Mu.

The afterglow of the setting sun filtered through a gap in the tent, landing perfectly on one side of her face, gilding her delicate profile with a soft golden edge, yet also making her sense of loss appear all the more vivid.

"Lin Mu," she began, her voice light and carrying a tremor she was trying hard to suppress, "I came today... because I wanted to ask you about the fortune-telling you did for me the other day."

She paused, as if she needed to muster a bit more courage, "I participated in the Student Council selection... and in the end, I didn't make it. Just as you said."

She lifted her head, her gaze meeting Lin Mu's directly, the confusion and bewilderment in her eyes like swirling mist:

"However, you said that day that if I could receive help from a 'noble person,' I would be able to join the Student Council smoothly."

(Event Period: May 1st to May 5th)