"What if I said I am?"
"Then there's only one answer!", Ryou casually picked up a glow stick, snapped it in half, pressed one hand to her chest, and declared solemnly, "I shall pledge my allegiance to you!"
"Speak human," The blue-haired girl cleared her throat, "Do you need a shrine maiden? Just feed me and I'm good."
"But", Next to them, Kita said blankly, "Shrine maidens are supposed to serve gods, right?"
The so-called "serving," of course, meant the literal kind of serving.
In Japan's traditional culture, shrine maidens were the possessions of the gods. Everything they had naturally belonged to the gods.
Whether it was their souls or their bodies.
"Then isn't that even better ahem, I mean, one must have professional ethics," Useless Ryou somehow pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her tears as if on the verge of crying, "Since I've decided to become a shrine maiden, I must naturally shoulder a shrine maiden's responsibilities."
"So even if the god commands me to offer up my pure body, as a shrine maiden, I have no right to refuse. Please treat me like a dirty rag you've thrown away, I'll clean myself up and return to the god's side once more"
[ Shoutout to Kamron, Azurae, Jeremy, Elber, Nithin & Joakim for joining patreon. Thank you very much.]
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Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining. You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
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Chapter 149: It Will Definitely Bring You Infinite Surprises!
"Then I truly apologize," Having known her for so long, Kaito was already used to this gremlin woman's style. Facing her nagging, he felt no emotional ripple in his heart, "I'm not a god, just an ordinary person who slightly understands some techniques, and I have no intention of recruiting a shrine maiden. Please look for another opportunity."
Although she was rejected, Gremlin Ryou didn't seem too disappointed and couldn't help but complain, "Just understanding techniques already has nothing to do with the word 'ordinary,' right?"
Nijika on the side also rarely agreed with her words, nodding very seriously.
In this day of full of frauds and crooked sects, true masters of the arcane are rarer than pandas.
At least with a thousand yen, one can buy a ticket to Ueno Zoo to visit a panda.
But a truly skilled mage, many people may never encounter even one in their lifetime.
"Speaking of which, the more important issue right now should be how to stop the rain, right?"
Kita weakly raised one hand, trying to steer the skewed topic back on track.
"Regarding that...", Kaito extended a hand. Clearly, he didn't make any extra movements, but in the next second, as if performing magic, a cute white doll appeared out of thin air in his palm.
"This is...", Little Bocchi hesitated for a moment, somewhat uncertainly said, "A teru teru bozu?"
"That's right."
Since ancient times, in east, there has been a tradition of hanging paper-cut images of women under the eaves to pray for the rain to stop and for clear weather.
Later, when this folk custom spread to Japan, it evolved into the "teru teru bozu." Although the image changed greatly, the meaning remained the same.
Ordinary teru teru bozu naturally don't have the magical effect of changing the weather. Most of the time, they are just for psychological comfort.
But... a teru teru bozu crafted by a genuine cultivator can practically be called a "magical artifact." Its power is naturally incomparable.
Although due to material limitations, the quality of this thing wasn't high, and its function was also very simple: only able to stop rain and bring sunshine. And it was a one-time use item that would break after one use, making it tasteless for cultivators.
But to solve the immediate problem, it was just right.
Nijika received the doll from his hand and carefully observed it but didn't find anything unusual.
On the plain white cloth, at the head position, crude facial features were drawn with a black watercolor pen. At first glance, it looked like a preschooler's random doodle.
'Such an unimpressive little doll, does it really have the power to change the weather?'
"Hang it in the shop, any spot will do," Kaito paused, then added, "As for what happens next, you don't need to worry, it'll take care of it."
Although she still had some doubts, Nijika obediently did not question him and softly responded, "Mm."
Instead, Gremlin Ryou beside them raised a question, "Although I have great faith in you, boyfriend-kun... will this thing really work?"
"Yes," Kaito smiled lightly, "If you still don't believe it, how about making a bet with me?"
"A bet?", Gremlin Ryou pinched her chin and thought for a moment. No one knew what she was thinking, but her bright golden eyes suddenly lit up, "In that case, let me propose the stakes, how about that?"
"Of course," Kaito didn't care much about these things. It was just a playful bet, and in a sure-win situation, he had no concerns.
"Then...", The blue-haired girl cleared her throat and finally stopped hiding her wolf-like ambitions, revealing the fangs of a big bad wolf, "If it doesn't rain tomorrow, proving the teru teru bozu is effective, then as the loser of the bet, I will pay the price. I'll agree to any one request you make unconditionally. Even offering myself to you is fine."
"But if it still rains tomorrow, then you, boyfriend-kun, will agree to one of my conditions. Of course, it won't be anything that makes things difficult for you. How about that?"
Nijika: "?"
The great angel of Shimokitazawa couldn't help but type out a question mark.
This scheme was way too loud, she could hear it even from the side.
But Kaito didn't even think and lightly nodded, "Alright, I agree."
'An unconditional request What should I use it for?'
'Maybe let this gremlin Ryou draw a turtle on my face?'
"M-me too! Can I join this bet?", Kita couldn't resist joining the fun. As Kaito's most loyal fangirl, at this moment she genuinely hoped Ryou would win.
The stakes were just too attractive. To have Kaito agree to one of her conditions, even if it had the "won't make things difficult" restriction, it still made the red-haired girl blush, her heart racing, diving into fantasy mode.
Even little Bocchi mustered up courage to raise her hand, wanting to join the bet. Although she didn't dare have excessive delusions, 'If it is just a small request like asking the president to pat my head, then that shouldn't be too much, right?'
In response, Gremlin Ryou welcomed all challengers. In the end, she even dragged Nijika into the fray.
With four against one, even if they lost in the end, there'd be others to share the punishment, it wouldn't feel lonely.
But if they really won
'Hehehe, with you four heroines teaming up, each with her own charm and unique skill, we will definitely bring boyfriend-kun infinite surprises.'
[The Next Day, Sunday]
Facts proved: when it comes to bets, nine out of ten are losses.
Especially when the person you're betting against is a genuine superpowered individual, your chances of winning drop even further.
Looking at the milky white clouds outside the window, not exactly bright sunshine, but with no sign of rain either, Yamada Ryou let out a deep sigh.
'Boyfriend-kun was that confident as expected, he had something up his sleeve.'
'A miscalculation.'
'Thankfully, I am not alone.'
'With Nijika and the others with me, considering boyfriend-kun's personality he probably won't make too unreasonable a request, right?'
Her heart thumped inexplicably. Gremlin Ryou was a little unsure of her thoughts.
'Probably?'
[5 P.M.]
It was already opening time, and the audience began entering one after another. At a glance, there were probably dozens of people, completely filling the open space in front of the stage.
Although today was the band's first official live performance, they weren't the only band performing.
There was also another popular all-girl band performing today, and most of the audience came for the other band's fame.
Even so, facing such a large crowd still made the girls from the practice room involuntarily nervous.
Nijika and Kita were still okay. As social butterflies, they could at least maintain a calm appearance.
The most socially anxious Bocchi had already curled up into a cardboard box labeled "Ripe Mango," trembling like a shadowy pill bug.
In her current state, even if she had level ten skill, she could at most perform at level three. Clearly, she couldn't perform well.
No choice. To give the little social-phobic girl a perfect first-time experience, Kaito had no choice but to step in again. With one calming spell, he helped her temporarily settle down.
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Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining. You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
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Chapter 150: The Resolute Gaze of Store Manager Seika
"The first band to appear is... Kessoku Band? Have you heard of that name?"
"Never heard of it at all."
"Probably a newly formed band, right? So boring I'm dying waiting"
The whispers among the audience weren't loud, but still hard to escape the ears of others.
"Will it really be okay?", Behind the bar counter, the PA-san, still wearing her usual black coat, poked the store manager at her side in the waist and looked toward the stage, a trace of worry flashing through her emerald green eyes.
"Ma ma, it'll be fine," This confidently brimming reply didn't come from Ichiji Seika, but from the tsundere store manager's side. A big sister with purple hair and purple eyes, reeking of heavy alcohol, dressed in a one-piece dress.
"We should have more faith in Bocchi-chan", She squinted her eyes, boldly threw an arm around the tsundere store manager's neck with heroic flair, raised her thumb, and let out a drunken hiccup, "I really, really believe in that kid! She won't, won't fall down just because of some little setback hic!"
Hiroi Kikuri, junior of Store Manager Seika from her university days, a very skilled bassist and hopeless drunkard.
A few days ago, she got dead drunk and collapsed on the roadside, was woken up by the passing-by Bocchi, and thus the two became acquainted.
The reason she came to STARRY today was to cheer on the junior she really had high hopes for, and also to freeload a celebratory feast.
"Ehehe~ Senpai, have you thought about where we're celebrating later? I know a great place the drinks are cheap and tasty too~", Hiroi Kikuri leaned in drunkenly. To be fair, just in terms of looks, she could count as a decent beauty. If not for the lacking figure, she could easily score a nine.
Unfortunately, as a fellow woman, Store Manager Seika had no romantic interest in soft fragrant beauties in her arms, and surrounded by that thick alcohol stench, she had black lines all over her head, even her usual disgusted face couldn't hold up, and she coldly said, "That sort of thing has nothing to do with you, right?"
"Nah nah, don't say that~ I'm your legitimate junior from the same school with a different department, and also Bocchi-chan's good friend~"
"I told you already, stop randomly claiming family ties."
Watching this senpai-junior duo still having the leisure to bicker, the PA-san smiled helplessly, but her mood eased up a lot.
She looked toward the stage, where the members of Kessoku Band had already begun stepping up one after another.
This big sister with a traditional princess cut, looking like a Sengoku-era princess, silently said in her heart, 'Do your best~'
Though it was the first official live, the performance went surprisingly smoothly.
In the band, the most overall skilled member, Bocchi, would normally be unable to show her full guitar power in front of strangers due to social anxiety.
But with the president's help, her mind was now at ease, and she was like Saitama with his limiter unlocked, becoming a true "Guitar Hero".
Incidentally, before the official live started, Kita also nervously came over, hoping she could receive the same treatment as Bocchi.
She hadn't practiced the guitar for long, and had also been grounded by her mom for several days, so she was afraid of messing up on stage.
Kaito didn't refuse and gave her a calming spell as well, letting this sunny-horned girl successfully enter "sage mode," her previously nervous mood vanishing without a trace.
Thus, the weakest link of Kessoku Band was also filled in.
A great success in performance was only natural.
"""Cheers!"""
[Two Hours Later]
Though the extreme sis-con store manager Seika said things like "The performance was barely passable," and "Don't get cocky, you're still far off", the classic tsundere lines, she still honestly led her sister's band to a yakiniku place called "Inadaya" near Shimokitazawa, paid out of her own pocket, and held a post-event celebration banquet.
Originally, Kaito hadn't planned to join the fun, but the girls were very enthusiastic and righteously claimed that without his help, the performance couldn't have gone so smoothly, and that he was the greatest contributor to the band, so of course he had to come celebrate too.
Even Store Manager Seika coughed lightly and feigned nonchalance, saying she didn't mind the cost of one more person's meal, since he was already here, he might as well eat before leaving.
These words warmed the heart of a certain alcoholic big sister nearby, who then solemnly declared that since Senpai had invited her with such sincerity, of course she couldn't refuse and had no choice but to reluctantly stoop to enjoy with the commoners
Though before finishing her sentence, she got a righteous iron punch from Store Manager Seika. But in the end, she still managed to freeload.
After three rounds of drinks and five rounds of dishes.
Although Japan has a regulation that people under twenty can't drink alcohol, in the wake of such a successful performance, and in the spirit of celebration, a few small drinks wouldn't hurt.
Even Store Manager Seika didn't stop them much, only warned Nijika and the others to drink in moderation and not end up blackout drunk like a certain detestable boozehound.
"Speaking of which, we really have to thank Kaito-senpai", Nijika raised her glass. Her beautiful wine-red eyes were at the moment moist, like a rose field freshly bathed in rain, "If it weren't for your help, the performance absolutely wouldn't have been such a huge success"
