Yui Yuigahama: "You know him after all, don't you?"
"That's right! Hachiman Hikigaya is the sworn friend of the Sword Saint General, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza!" Yoshiteru Zaimokuza still pretended to be holding a sword in his hand.
Yukino Yukinoshita: "So what is your friend doing here?"
Hachiman Hikigaya: "I told you, he's not my friend."
"Be that as it may, Hachiman." Yoshiteru Zaimokuza asked, "Is this the Service Club that can grant any wish?"
"I think you may be mistaken. The Service Club cannot grant your wishes. We only teach you how to fulfill them yourself."
Yukino Yukinoshita sounded somewhat helpless. Why did everyone think the Service Club was a place that could grant wishes?
Yoshiteru Zaimokuza glanced at Yukino Yukinoshita, then turned to Hachiman Hikigaya. "Hachiman, lend me your strength! With the help of Bodhisattva Hachiman, the world shall surely fall into our hands once more!"
He was too scared to talk to girls. Watching the scene before him, Luo Yu came to that conclusion about Yoshiteru Zaimokuza.
"What are this Sword Saint General and Bodhisattva Hachiman supposed to be?" Yukino Yukinoshita was puzzled by the unfamiliar terms.
Hachiman Hikigaya's expression turned solemn. "It's chuunibyou."
"Chuunibyou?" Yukino Yukinoshita repeated the new and unfamiliar word in confusion.
"As the name suggests, chuunibyou is an illness that adolescent boys in their second year of middle school are prone to." Luo Yu explained, "During that period, their developing self-awareness gradually blends with their usual fantasies, causing them to do all sorts of strange things. They believe they possess mysterious powers and become immersed in their own settings. They also often say bizarre things, like, 'It's not me who's wrong, it's the world,' or, 'It wasn't the world that abandoned me; I abandoned the world.'"
Zaimokuza's Request
"Oh! Little Luo, you know so much about it." Yui Hirasawa looked at Luo Yu admiringly.
Ritsu Tainaka jabbed Luo Yu in the side with her elbow. "Luo Yu, you know so much about this... Don't tell me you used to have chuunibyou too?"
Luo Yu calmly glanced at her. "As a light novel author, isn't it perfectly normal for me to know this stuff?"
After Luo Yu finished explaining the meaning of chuunibyou, Hachiman Hikigaya added, "Just as Luo Yu said, it's not some serious disease."
"So, it's acting based on one's own setting? Put simply, it's a delusional disorder, isn't it?" Yukino Yukinoshita summed up.
Having figured out the situation, Yukino Yukinoshita seriously said to Yoshiteru Zaimokuza, "Zaimokuza, I won't comment much on your hobby. If you came here seeking help, then please state your request properly. If you want treatment, then I'm sorry, but we're powerless to help. I suggest seeing a doctor directly."
A perfect kill!
That one sentence shattered Yoshiteru Zaimokuza into pieces.
"It's not an illness." Looking at her phone, Yui Yuigahama said, "After Little Luo explained it, I searched it up online. It says most people go through something like this, and it naturally gets better with time."
"Is that so? I never had that sort of experience." Yukino Yukinoshita gave Hachiman Hikigaya a subtle look. "But surely Bodhisattva Hachiman must have gone through it?"
"How should I put this... I guess I had a phase like that too." Hachiman Hikigaya wore the expression of someone remembering his dark past. "But I've graduated from it now."
Yukino Yukinoshita turned her gaze toward Yoshiteru Zaimokuza, who looked like a statue. "Then can you explain your request clearly now, Zaimokuza?"
Yoshiteru Zaimokuza crawled back from hell. With a solemn expression, he pulled a stack of A4 paper from his chest and respectfully handed it to Yukino Yukinoshita.
"I've always wanted to become a light novel author. This is the manuscript for a light novel I wrote, and I want to submit it to a rookie award. But I have no friends, so there's no one to tell me what they think. Could you help me read it?"
"Ha." Yukino Yukinoshita sighed. "Why do I feel like he just casually stated something incredibly tragic?"
But a light novel author?
After accepting the manuscript, Yukino Yukinoshita instinctively looked at Luo Yu.
Although she had encountered many literary classics, she truly had little exposure to literature such as light novels. After learning some time ago that Luo Yu was a light novel author, she had been unable to resist searching for him online.
The results had greatly shocked her.
Meng Yu, the light novel author, was called Teacher Meng Yu throughout the industry. His very first light novel had reached an astonishing three hundred million copies in sales.
Meng Yu had even been hailed as the savior of the light novel world.
Looking at all the information online, Yukino Yukinoshita could not help but admire this junior of hers.
Yukino Yukinoshita took a deep breath and decided to ask a professional for help. She said to Luo Yu, "Luo Yu, could you help review it?"
"Me?" Luo Yu pointed at himself and asked.
Yukino Yukinoshita nodded. "After all, you're the professional."
"Fine. Give me some of it." Luo Yu stepped forward and took half the manuscript.
"But, Zaimokuza, why not just publish it directly on a novel submission site?" Hachiman Hikigaya asked Yoshiteru Zaimokuza in confusion.
Yoshiteru Zaimokuza said, "That won't do. Those people won't hold back at all. If I get a bad review, I'll die."
"You really are fragile. But..." Hachiman Hikigaya looked at Yukino Yukinoshita and Luo Yu, who were reading the manuscript. "Those two are even less likely to hold back than people on those websites."
"Really?!" Yoshiteru Zaimokuza asked in surprise.
"After all, one is Yukino, and the other is an active light novel author."
The entire clubroom fell silent, with only the rustling of pages being turned by Luo Yu and Yukino Yukinoshita.
Yoshiteru Zaimokuza was extremely nervous, unable to sit still. Hachiman Hikigaya's words continued to echo in his ears.
What was with this serious atmosphere? It was practically like facing real editors.
Watching the two people reading his novel, cold sweat trickled down Yoshiteru Zaimokuza's forehead.
This was unbearable to look at!
Luo Yu resisted the urge to tear up the manuscript in his hands. But what the hell was this garbage? This could be called a light novel? He had read plenty of trash before, but this thing was not even worthy of being called toilet paper!
Even so, Luo Yu's good upbringing made him continue reading through it with gritted teeth.
This was a light novel?
Yukino Yukinoshita furrowed her brows. She instinctively looked at Luo Yu, and when she saw that he was frowning just like her, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Although she had little exposure to light novels, it was undeniable that they had achieved considerable success and were beloved by many people.
If this was the kind of light novel the general public enjoyed, Yukino Yukinoshita would have to question whether something was wrong with society.
But judging from Luo Yu's reaction, the only thing wrong was the light novel in her hands.
"So, what do you think, Luo Yu?"
Yukino Yukinoshita rubbed her head, looking as though she had a headache.
Luo Yu was no better off, holding the manuscript with a headache. He raised his head to look at everyone, then suddenly smiled.
"Yukino-senpai, the two of us alone probably can't offer any useful suggestions. Why don't we make a few more copies and have everyone take one home to read? Then tomorrow, we can conduct the final... judgment."
I can't be the only one torturing my eyes. Good things should be shared. Let's all go blind together.
Just like the famous law of conservation of smiles, the smiles on their faces would not disappear into thin air. They would simply transfer from their faces to mine.
They were still smiling because they did not know what would happen next. Luo Yu was smiling because he knew exactly what would happen next.
Judgment...?
What kind of content could possibly deserve that word?
Hachiman Hikigaya looked at Luo Yu with a grave expression. His eyes conveyed a message: Can I not read it?
Luo Yu smiled at Hachiman Hikigaya without responding. But Hachiman Hikigaya understood that it meant no.
Hachiman Hikigaya then signaled with his eyes: Do you really have to be this ruthless?
Luo Yu still wore only a smile.
Aren't we brothers? Is this how you treat your brother?
Faced with that message from Hachiman Hikigaya, Luo Yu finally responded.
Precisely because we're brothers, I'm setting you up like this, Hachiman Hikigaya. Brothers die together.
Hachiman Hikigaya read that message in Luo Yu's eyes.
Damn it, looks like there was no escaping this!
Hachiman Hikigaya turned to look at Yoshiteru Zaimokuza, who had visibly relaxed.
This idiot!
Had he seriously not realized how grave the situation was?
You are forbidden from attending the developers' conference.jpg
Mashiro in the Art Club
"Then I'll be relying on all of you." Yoshiteru Zaimokuza laughed heartily as he walked out of the clubroom.
"Well, I don't actually know much about light novels... Fine, I'll read it when I get home."
Hachiman Hikigaya still tried to struggle until the very end, but under Yukino Yukinoshita's icy stare and Luo Yu's gaze that seemed to say, If you dare not read it, I'll dare to kill you, he decisively surrendered.
"Everyone got a copy, right? Remember to read it at home. Tomorrow, we'll discuss our impressions. I have something to do today, so I'll be leaving first."
Even as he left the clubroom, Luo Yu did not forget to drag others into the water.
I wonder how Mashiro is doing.
With a nervous heart, Luo Yu arrived at the Art Club's clubroom.
When he pushed open the door, the first thing Luo Yu saw was Mashiro standing alone in the center of the classroom, painting.
Was she being isolated?
Luo Yu's expression turned somewhat grim. It was no wonder he thought that, considering everyone knew Mashiro's personality.
So where was Eiri?
"You're here." Eiri walked over from the side.
"Eiri, what's going on?" Luo Yu pointed at Mashiro, who was painting alone, and asked Eiri, "Why is Mashiro painting by herself?"
Eiri sighed before explaining, "When Mashiro first joined the Art Club, everyone welcomed her. After all, Mashiro is a world-class painter. Once everyone learned who she was, they all became her fans. Even the teacher couldn't teach her anything."
"As a result, Mashiro could only paint by herself. The club members also tried talking to her, but after seeing Mashiro's paintings, all of them backed away. A few even suggested leaving the club."
"It's exactly like before, isn't it, Luo Yu?"
Eiri's words made Luo Yu recall that art studio in the United Kingdom.
Yes, it really was exactly the same. Except back then, he had been by her side.
Just as Eiri said, in that art studio in the United Kingdom...
There had originally been many children learning to paint there, but after Mashiro revealed her talent, more and more of them chose to give up and leave. After all, the despair of realizing that no matter how hard you worked, you could never catch up to the person at the very front was not something ordinary children could endure.
As the children in the studio left one by one, Eiri was the only one who persisted until the end. Luo Yu was there too, though he did not count. He was a cheat.
The three of them had grown closer and closer during that time. Luo Yu had not persisted for long afterward, however, because he still had to grind experience for other skills. He could not waste too much time on painting.
After understanding the whole situation, Luo Yu calmed down.
"So what's going on now? Why are only you and Mashiro left?"
Luo Yu looked around the Art Club and found that, aside from them, no one else remained.
"You've got the nerve to ask!" Hearing Luo Yu's words, Eiri became very angry. "Do you even know what time it is? Club hours ended ages ago! Everyone already went home. Mashiro insisted on waiting for you, so I had to stay here with her."
"Sorry, thank you so much, Eiri!" Luo Yu came to his senses and sincerely thanked Eiri.
"Fine. Mashiro is my friend too. I'll leave her to you now. I'm going home first." With that, Eiri walked out of the Art Club's classroom.
Luo Yu walked over to the girl who was painting and softly said, "Mashiro, it's time to go home."
So exquisite! Her painting skill was probably level 5 too. Luo Yu came to that conclusion as he looked at Mashiro's painting.
"Yu, you're here."
Mashiro emerged from her absorbed state and spoke to Luo Yu.
"Yeah, I'm here. Let's go home."
"Okay."
Before you continue