Chapter 1421

<Episode 1421> 1421. The Savior of Arashi Academy

The students of Arashi Academy are dead serious about the cultural festival. They were genuinely enjoying every moment of preparing for it.

The problem? This prep process showcases Japan’s signature artisan spirit to an absurd degree.

“Trying to do EVERYTHING themselves from one to ten…”

I get making signs. You grab a decent wooden plank, slap some paint on it, or draw on paper, and boom, easy peasy sign.

“But seriously, why custom-make chairs AND tables?”

It’s baffling.

In this day and age, making chairs and tables specifically for a cultural fest is just… wasting time, isn’t it? Even if these are Academy students, I doubt they’re skilled enough to craft furniture better than what companies produce. Store-bought chairs and tables would look way prettier and hold more value.

“Hmm, maybe it’s due to budget constraints, so making their own furniture kinda makes sense.”

Each class gets a set budget for the festival. And let me tell you, it ain’t much—probably not even reaching 1 million KRW. Depending on what each class plans to do, budgets vary. But for something like a Maid & Butler Cafe? It’s kept minimal.

“But WHY THE HECK ARE THEY MAKING THEIR OWN COSTUMES TOO?”

Muttering under my breath, I stepped out of Arashi Academy and headed downtown. My mission today? Procuring materials for butler-and-maid outfits.

Of course, I wasn’t alone. In the distance, I spotted someone approaching.

Reika Shinbo.

With every step she takes, her refreshing green hair sways gently. Half-elf or not, she commands attention. Every single man nearby has his eyes glued to her. Some blatantly stare while others try (and fail) to act casual but can’t help glancing her way.

Maybe it’s because we’re outside the academy, but Reika is in civilian clothes today.

Blue jeans paired with a sky-blue t-shirt.

Nothing flashy, yet when combined with her long, toned limbs and voluptuous E-cup assets, it becomes a whole different story. Not to mention, she’s tall too. Watching her walk feels like watching a runway show right here on the city streets.

As Reika approaches me, the envious stares of surrounding men shift toward me. I smirk slightly, mocking them silently.

“Sorry, did I make you wait long?”

Reika asks, her voice crisp and refreshing.

“Nah, only about ten minutes. And you weren’t late, so no need to apologize. By the way, you look great today.”

“Oh, r-really? I just threw this on casually, so I’m glad it doesn’t look weird.”

Classic compliment, yet Reika blushes slightly. This gives me a hint about her level of experience with men.

‘Guess even simple compliments can go a long way.’

Most women love compliments, and men aren’t far behind. Especially when praise comes from someone you have feelings for—it hits differently.

‘Let’s see… Reika’s affection gauge is at…’

「Reika’s Affection Gauge: 64」

‘Slightly higher than yesterday…’


It’s rising. Is this the first date bonus?’

With a likability of 64, it means she’s at the level of seriously considering dating.

‘In other words… if I play my cards right, I can score.’

[Using ‘Chara’ (刹那). Remaining stacks: 6]

In the slowed-down world, I calmly plan. The reason we met today is to buy materials for butler and maid costumes. But what matters is what comes next. I need to lead while exuding a date-like atmosphere.

“Reika, how about we stop by a cafe before we go?”

“A cafe?”

“My throat’s dry… and besides, our cultural fest event is a cafe, right? We should check out how they operate in person. A maid or butler cafe would be nice, but those are probably in bigger cities.”

Maid cafe? Butler cafe? They exist, but we’re not going. It’s not appropriate for a date.

“Alright, let’s stop by.”

“Do you often visit cafes?”

“I don’t really drink much tea, so I only visit occasionally.”

“Same here.”

“…Surprising. Since you’re good at making tea, I thought you’d like it. The kids said you worked at a cafe.”

“I’ve never worked at a cafe. Sure, I like tea somewhat, but not enough to chase cafes around. What about you? Coffee? Or green tea and black tea?”

“I’ll go with coffee.”

I ordered coffee and fresh fruit juice. Considering the cafe’s coffee and tea aren’t great, fresh fruit juice is far better.

‘I’m not even thirsty, but that’s not the point.’

The key was setting the mood.

Reika and I chatted while drinking our beverages. She mostly asked about the Korean Academy, and I inquired about the Yggdrasil Knights. After leaving the cafe, we wandered around looking for fabrics.

“Our budget’s tight. We should compare prices as we go. Shinbo, do you have time?”

“If money’s an issue, there’s nothing we can do. As for time, I’m fine.”

Afterward, we roamed around town checking out fabrics.

My plan was to stretch the time until evening. After dinner, we’d wander around using dessert as an excuse, then I’d lure her to a motel claiming exhaustion. Normally, this wouldn’t work, but Reika’s current likability is 64. It wasn’t entirely impossible.

‘What should we eat for dinner? Since we’re in Japan, sushi sounds fitting?’

With plenty of money, a high-end sushi place came to mind. There must be one somewhere nearby. However, Reika might feel pressured, which left me conflicted.

In situations like this, asking directly is always best. When I turned to her, she was intently staring at a street corner. My gaze naturally followed hers. A girl with black hair tied in a ponytail was hurriedly walking somewhere.

‘…Isn’t that Miyako Mieko?’

I stiffened. It was rare for her, the shrine maiden of Tsukuyomi Shrine, to leave the academy. In the original story, no matter what excuses were made to hang out outside the academy, she’d always decline.

‘She’s even wearing casual clothes. Her serious expression suggests she’s not here to play around…’

What could be happening? I’m curious.

“Gender, I’m sorry, but I think we should part ways here.”

Suddenly, Reika apologized with a guilty look. I knew why. She’s going after Mieko. Given their friendship, she’s worried about her.

‘There’s no reason to refuse. Clinging on will only lower her likability… Besides, I’m curious about Mieko too.’

I nodded at Reika.

“Alright. Next time… maybe buy me a drink?”

“You like cola, right? Sorry for suddenly cutting this short.”

Reika quickly headed in the direction Mieko went.

‘Mocha.’

I summoned the owl Mocha.


Na. Without manifesting a physical form, I pointed my gaze towards the heavens. Mocha unfurled her massive wings and soared high into the sky.

“Keep an eye on Mieko.”

The mana within me stirred, flowing towards my eyes. My pupils turned golden – the activation of Spirit Eye.

My right-side vision shifted. A bird’s-eye view from above. This was one of the abilities of Spirit Eye: shared vision. Through this, I could share what I saw with the spirits I had contracted.

“This makes tailing someone as easy as pie. Shall I move in slowly?”

I halted mid-step. In Mocha’s vision, Clara had appeared.

“What’s she doing here?”

Clara, while popular, isn’t as much of a social butterfly as Mieko, and she rarely leaves the academy unless it’s for her singing gigs.

‘Is she heading out for a performance? No… She’s alone. If it were for her music career, her manager or bodyguards would be trailing her.’

It was obviously not a leisurely outing. Clara’s expression looked just as serious as Mieko’s. Unconsciously, I began imagining the options before me.

-Follow Miyakado Mieko.

-Follow Clara Feired.

-Do nothing and return to the dormitory.

Three choices. If this were the original story, they’d pop up like this.

Doing nothing is always the worst option.

“No matter what, I need to act if I want events to unfold.”

After a brief moment of thought, I decided to choose both.

“This isn’t a game; there’s no rule saying I have to pick only one option in reality.”

I had Mocha.

“Mocha, you follow Mieko.”

Behind Mieko, Reika was already trailing her. Whatever happens, Reika can handle things to some extent.

On the other hand, Clara is all alone. If anything happens, no one will be there to help her.

I started running in the direction Clara was heading.

“She’s going toward the outskirts of the city. What could this be about?”

Clara disappeared from Mocha’s vision. While Mocha followed Mieko, Clara slipped out of sight. Mieko entered a high-class hotel. Mocha tried to follow inside but stopped when I warned her.

“Don’t go in. There’s a barrier protecting the hotel. Even in your ethereal state, you’ll be detected the moment you enter. Look inside through the windows instead.”

-Creak.

Mocha obediently followed my command. Peering into the hotel lobby through the first-floor window, we saw Mieko talking to someone. It was a middle-aged man with a beard. He had a square jaw, and his presence wasn’t exactly pleasant. But he seemed more like a detective than a yakuza.

I immediately relaxed upon recognizing him. He was a character from the original story. He wasn’t yakuza or a detective.

“Hiragi Jiro, an information dealer with a grudge against the Magical Law Enforcement Bureau. Originally, he was supposed to meet with Hyodo Yuuki… so something has changed.”

The plot deviating from the original story is nothing new at this point. It doesn’t even surprise me anymore. The important thing now is why Mieko is meeting with the information dealer…

“Obvious. Miyakado Mieko still hasn’t let go of her attachment to Tsukuyomi’s Jade.”

Originally, Hyodo Yuuki was supposed to take the lead in this situation and work together with Mieko. But my interference caused another change.

“Still, better safe than sorry. Mocha, keep watching the hotel.”

Thanks to my nonstop sprinting, I managed to catch up with Clara. She was facing off with a brown-haired foreigner dressed in a suit.

“A foreigner, huh? Now I get it.”

It must be the Hemingford family targeting Clara. We’re in Japan, not South Korea, so it makes sense that Hemingford would have their hands in this.

“Looks like they’re trying to resolve things through conversation for now… But situations like these are where I come in. Let me sneak closer and wait for the right moment.”

I draped the Ghost Cape over my shoulders and approached them silently.