My Measurement: The Villain Desires a Satisfying Payback

Chapter 103: 97: A Junior In More Ways Than One

Luck doesn't change.

If we are talking about what Liam Chiba-Wallace discovers with his dubbed, 'Measurement of Luck', then that statement is correct.

What he sees within someone has never changed.

So, what does that mean for me, who has the supposed 'worst luck', at least that he has ever seen?

Of course, whether what he sees is truly as simple as 'luck' or something more ambiguous, that fact likely isn't going to change any time soon.

The harrowing thought that it might not be luck, but instead fate, was even more disconcerting.

If the words 'worst' and 'luck' are combined, anyone who was told they had it would be understandably upset, but what if the latter was 'fate' and not 'luck'?

If someone had the supposed 'worst fate', then what would even be the point of trying to win?

A disheartening thought, but a realistic one. However, there is more to this than at first glance, and I'm not one to give up just like that anyway.

The nature of what Liam Chiba-Wallace sees is supposedly not just flatly positive or negative?it is a range; a spectrum, not just black or white?and so, there is much to think about when taking everything into consideration.

Frankly, it worries me.

When I contemplate the events that are soon to occur, such as conflicts with the Wardens, I cannot help but feel like things may go unexpectedly south.

Logically, this could not be; so long as I prepare for the future sufficiently, I should be unable to lose, or at least, in theory.

However, recently, I have often found myself experiencing this... Irrationality. This strange feeling, a peculiarity bordering obsessiveness; like a phobia.

What if something inexplicable occurs?

What if my preparations don't amount to what is enough?

If I get unlucky, could I find myself trapped in a quandary where the only outcome is 'lose'?

I suppose it could be called simple paranoia, but have ever I felt like it was so warranted?

Being told I have the worst luck, even if it isn't the worst fate, and stacking that on top of all the other multitude of issues and foreboding events, it really feels like I have everyone and everything conspiring against me.

Whether or not that is actually the case, I cannot afford to give up resisting, of course.

All it is is daunting, but nothing so far has indicated the impossible to me, so I must at least try.

It leaves the possibility open that, perhaps, altering my 'worst fate' to a 'good fate' isn't out of the question.

After all, as I've proven in the past, changing the future is not a difficult task.

?????????????

It was the beginning of a school day when my ears caught hold of something interesting.

"Yo, Yuu! Oh, you good?"

Chihiro Suzuki called out to another classmate, Yuu Shimura, who just entered the class.

"Y-yeah, hey, Chi."

Yuu, who awkwardly placed a hand on the nape of his neck, seemed to have something on his mind. Up until this point, I was barely even passively listening to the conversation; it was just that their voices were too loud for me to ignore.

"You sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, it's just... Last night, I had some real bad dream, and..."

"A nightmare?"

"...Well, sleep paralysis. It was awful, to be honest, but that wasn't even the weirdest thing."

"Oh, what happened?"

"Uhm, so basically... Right. In my dream, there was this creepy demon-looking thing, right, and at some point I watched it knock my wardrobe over."

Chihiro's face paled.

"...Don't tell me..."

"Right. When I woke up, the wardrobe was still on the floor."

Yuu answered with a nod and an awkward smile, to which Chihiro's jaw dropped.

Hearing that alone piqued my curiosity. His dream became a reality? Or could it be that it was never a dream in the first place? The latter would likely be more frightening, but what could the former entail?

From what I learnt in the past, Yuu Shimura's Measurement was nothing too special; just the ability to see into other people's dreams.

Some people might find it useful, but I could already know what their dreams are by asking, so it was functionally worthless to me.

That's when the next possibility entered my mind.

"So, early in the morning today, I went to the clinic with my dad to get it checked out, and it turns out my Measurement could have evolved."

I knew it.

It was terribly unlikely, but not impossible, for someone's Measurement to evolve randomly and out of nowhere.

I would have liked it to happen to someone like Liam Chiba-Wallace or even myself instead, but of course, something as serendipitous as that wouldn't happen.

Now, rather than merely observing people's dreams, it appears Yuu Shimura is now able to manifest them into reality.

Could that be useful for me...? Perhaps, but I would need to do a lot of limit testing to see exactly how far it could go, and I don't know if I have the time for that at the moment.

The Wardens could come for me at any time, after all. I already know they've made some connections with the school after what happened on Halloween, and I don't think they would launch an assault during the middle of a school day, but it's still only a few hours in the day that I'm safe.

"Wow...! Congratulations! Guys, did you hear?! Yuu--"

"Oi oi, shhhh...! There's no need for that, is there?!"

"Mmph-! Hey! Let me celebrate for you, huh!?"

As the ruckus and quarrelling began, I was fortunate the teacher soon arrived to save the day, and we quickly started the first lesson of the day.

Still... Yuu Shimura's evolution?let's call it the Measurement of Dreams for now.

Depending on how things work out, and if I feel the need for it, I may look to recruit him, but it should be fine as it is for a while. If I need him for anything, there's no chance he would deny my request, anyway, since his test scores rely on it.

Instead of focusing on that, I feel like continuing the others' training would be more time-effective.

And, as an even higher priority than that... There's someone else in this school I need to finally have a proper chat with.

?????????????

The bell had rung for the nth time, and the school day had come to an end.

That didn't mean things were done, however, as clubs still remained.

As I walked alongside classmate Shizuko Aikawa to the Cooking Club clubroom, I had been half-expecting her to bring up the short conversation I had with her during the celebration as Leander, but rather surprisingly and perhaps fortunately, it almost appeared like she had forgotten about it completely as we arrived at and entered the club room without incident.

Immediately upon arrival, my eyes glanced around the room and landed on two individuals, the first of which being Sophie Asanami, who I had succinctly briefed about my plans for today...

"Hiya, Senpai~!"

...And Kanon Yuuki, the underclassman who shall be taking the spotlight for today's event.

"Hello."

I greeted her as normal and the club proceeded as per usual. It was the first club meeting after Christmas Break, and so we weren't given much to do, so it was rather easy. Afterwards, as many packed up their things and got ready to head home for the day, my eyes momentarily met those of Sophie Asanami as I faced Kanon Yuuki.

"I think it's about time we talked."

Opening the conversation as such, I knew there was no room for misunderstanding despite my choice of vague words.

"Ahaha~ You're really not beating around the bush, are you, Senpai...?"

Scratching the back of her head with such a laugh, the look in her eyes shifted ever so subtly.

"Alright... I think the wait has been long enough, anyways. Will Senpai's girlfriend be joining us?"

Wondering so with an oddly implicative tone as she turned to Sophie wearing a teasing smile, neither responded as the three of us walked to a secluded location behind the school.

"So... What'dya wanna talk about first? Senpai."

Her lowered voice signified a shift in the mood of the atmosphere, but all we would be having here was a little chat.

There would be no backup on her side to worry about, but it's not like she would need it anyway.

"I don't know. How about we get the elephant in the room out of the way first?"

She smiled at my words, and without a word, something supernatural began to occur.

Gracefully, before mine and Sophie's eyes; this girl, Kanon Yuuki, appeared to give off a soft, yet mesmerising glow as she performed a brief curtsy.

"Hehe, surprise~!"

As I was already fully aware of her true identity, I was not particularly surprised, however, I did catch Sophie's brows raising an inch as she observed from beside me, arms folded.

"Like this, I suppose it could be considered our first true meeting, huh?"

Standing innocently before me like any other girl her age might, the faint light emitting from her skin quickly faded, as if it were an illusion, now donning a look containing both subtle gravitas and twisted amusement as she faced me.

"Isn't that right, Senpai?"

Although it may have been unknowable to an ordinary onlooker, she was no longer addressing me as a senior at her high school.

"I guess so. Anyway, let's not waste time unnecessarily."

Rather, she addressed me as a different kind of senior.

"Answer me. The Wardens; are you going to join their side or mine?"

Kanon Yuuki?Representing the Concept of Light.

"Mmmh~ Weellll~ They let me out under the condition that I agreed to spy on you, of course, buuut... I don't know, what do you have to offer me instead?"

She addressed me as a senior of the Playground.

"Senpai."

My junior.