Are you really a "fortune teller"?

His tone lacked any fluctuation, yet it acted like a dull blade, slowly dissecting certain truths that had been deliberately ignored.

"But if you do that, the first person to be crushed and drained will be you yourself.

A place like the Student Council is far more complex than what you can see, and the interpersonal relationships are even more subtle.

If you truly get in, what you face every day might not be simple 'help,' and you might even find yourself unable to act according to your own will.

When that time comes, let alone helping others, even your original self might be slowly worn away until you've forgotten it entirely."

Ichinose Honami jerked her head up, the shock in her eyes like birds startled into flight.

She stared blankly at Lin Mu, as if it were the first time someone had so directly and cruelly pierced through the deepest fears and disguises in her heart.

The hidden worries she dared not dwell on, the ones she had ignored while charging forward on sheer momentum, were laid out under the sunlight by him in such an understated manner.

She bit her lower lip, the embarrassment of having her inner thoughts exposed and a trace of grievance welling up, her voice soft and carrying a tremor that was hard to detect:

"But... I just want to help everyone. The students in Class B are all very good, very kind. I want to make our class better, I want everyone to graduate smoothly and have a good future.

The Student Council... doesn't the Student Council have access to far more resources and information in advance than ordinary students?

Only with these can I better help everyone..."

Her defense carried a childish stubbornness, yet it revealed her true anxiety, an eagerness to grasp some kind of "power."

"Resources and information aren't only accessible through the path of the Student Council."

Lin Mu raised an eyebrow, his tone remaining flat, yet every word was like an awl, hitting the mark. "The core operating logic of this academy, to put it bluntly, is 'ability' and 'points.'

Instead of exhausting all your energy and expectations on fighting for a spot in the Student Council, racking your brains to obtain resources from the inside.

It would be better to settle down, improve yourself first, and then lead the students of Class B to do well in every class evaluation and academic exam, getting every point you can.

Once the class's comprehensive evaluation goes up, the personal points distributed each month will naturally be higher, and the resources you obtain will be much greater.

This path is far more practical than being cautious in the Student Council, reading people's expressions, and eventually having to do things that go against your own heart just to exchange for 'inside information'."

He watched the light fluctuating violently in Ichinose Honami's eyes, knowing his words had taken effect, and added another sentence faintly.

"Besides, the 'help' you think you're giving isn't necessarily what others truly need or want.

Don't always place yourself on that saintly pedestal of 'must help everyone.'

You are not a savior, Ichinose Honami.

You don't need to, and you cannot, be responsible for everyone's life.

Live your own life clearly and easily first; perhaps then the light you radiate will truly be able to shine on those you want to reach."

Ichinose Honami was completely stunned, standing frozen as if struck by a bolt of lightning.

Lin Mu's words were like a basin of ice water poured over her head, instantly sobering her from the feverish heat of her obsession.

After the bone-chilling cold came an unprecedented, hollow sense of icy numbness.

She had always felt that only by doing everything in her power to meet everyone's expectations could she avoid being abandoned.

Only then could she prove she was worthy of being loved and needed, and ensure that those around her would be fine.

She had never stopped to think that running blindly like this, taking everything upon herself regardless of the cost, was truly worth it, whether it was actually useful, or if she might one day lose herself in the process.

Lin Mu's words cruelly shattered the protective shell she had built with gentleness and effort, revealing the terrified, value-fearing, and actually care-craving real Ichinose Honami inside.

The icy obsession in her heart felt as if a deep crack had been struck into it; the cold sensation spread, but it also strangely relaxed her long-tensed nerves.

Yet, what followed was a massive sense of emptiness and bewilderment, as if she had suddenly lost the signpost that had guided her direction for so long.

"But... I still... am not reconciled."

She sniffled, struggling to blink her eyes to force back the rising moisture, her voice thick with nasal congestion, yet she stubbornly refused to let the tears fall.

"I prepared for so long, looked forward to it for so long, just like a race—I clearly saw the finish line, but was told I couldn't keep running...

If I just give up like this, it feels... it feels like admitting defeat."

"Giving up on a path that doesn't work, or temporarily setting aside a goal that might not suit you, is not admitting defeat."

Lin Mu leaned back into his chair, the sunset's afterglow dyeing his white hair tips a warm gold; he seemed to melt into this warm twilight.

His tone remained casual, yet it carried a strange, persuasive power that seemed to come from a more distant perspective.

"You are simply facing a multiple-choice question; you are choosing another path that might suit you better and allow you to go further and more easily.

If you truly can't let go, you can certainly wait for the next selection, but stop holding onto the obsession that 'I must get in, or else I've failed.'

Sometimes, taking a step back and letting things take their course allows you to see the scenery previously obscured by obsession and encounter unexpected turning points."

He recalled a certain image from the precognitive fragments and added vaguely:

"Besides, the 'noble person' mentioned in that day's divination might not need you to go out of your way to find them; in the near future, they will contact you on their own in some way."

These words caused a glimmer of light to flash suddenly in Ichinose Honami's eyes, like a drowning person grabbing the last piece of driftwood: "You mean...?"

Lin Mu shrugged, not giving a clear answer, just chewing on his lollipop, his voice somewhat muffled:

"I've said it before, time will give you the answer. Racking your brains to think about it now, other than making yourself more anxious, is useless."

"It would be better to pull yourself together and focus on what you can do right now, such as preparing properly for the next class evaluation."

He raised his hand to check the time on his virtual terminal, his tone signaling that the conversation was coming to an end.

"I really should pack up now. You should go back and think it over as well. If you can't figure it out, just stop thinking about it for a while and let things take their natural course. Don't always fight against yourself; that's the most exhausting thing you can do."

With that, he said no more and shifted his focus.

Psychokinesis spread out silently like an invisible tide, and the tent's frame began to unlock and collapse automatically.

The folding table closed smoothly, the Tarot Cards box and Crystal Ball floated into the duffel bag, and even the small blackboard flew up on its own, landing inside the bag.

The entire process was as smooth as flowing water...

Ichinose Honami watched as everything was completed in the blink of an eye, once again stunned by this "proficiency" that defied common sense.

Coupled with Lin Mu's terrifyingly accurate divination and those words from just moments ago that had struck straight to the heart as if he could see through everything.

A thought, so bold it was almost absurd, sprouted and swirled uncontrollably in the depths of her mind.

She watched as Lin Mu packed all his tools into two lightweight bags, held them in his hands, and prepared to leave, until she finally couldn't help but blurt out:

"Lin Mu, are you... are you really just... a fortune teller?"

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