My Measurement: The Villain Desires a Satisfying Payback

The other day, two letters were left in my locker.

One of them was sent by Shizuko Aikawa's fanatic admirers to draw me around the back of the school and threaten me.

I did not inform her that I had received such a message nor that there were people who resented me for hanging around her. There was no reason to, after all, and the likelihood is high that it may only exacerbate the issue if she finds out.

After reversing the situation back onto the first three to call me out, I intimidated them in hopes they would stop such foolish behaviour, but of course, such a thing cannot be guaranteed without the result becoming messy.

I don't really want to get involved with it too much, so I just left it at that.

In addition to this first letter, there was a second envelope.

This second letter, completely unrelated to the first and in fact not hailing from a place of malicious intent at all, took me by surprise.

"You want me to tutor your little brother?"

"Yes, please...!"

In front of me, a girl with neat French braided hair bowed her head and requested that I teach.

"Why?"

"Because you've always scored full marks on every test, so you must be good at studying, right? Please, I don't have much, but I'll even pay you..."

Ella Chiba-Wallace. Just like me, she was a third-year student, and now, she was practically begging me to tutor her younger brother in a secluded section of the school's library.

Ella, who helps out as a librarian here, called me here through the letter in my locker the other day for this. Of course, I didn't show up that day, but today I did, and it appears she was still waiting as the instant I arrived, this happened.

However, other than her not being able to provide me with any kind of tangible reward that I would need or want, why would she pick me in the first place?

Asking this question, the following was her response:

"I-I've heard the rumours. You even managed to save Yuu Shimura's grades from demise, so I thought that if anyone could help me, it would be you... Also, it might sound strange, but when I mentioned asking the top-scoring guy in our school, my brother said to go for it since I am usually so lucky..."

It wasn't a lie.

"B-but you see, he's not wrong! My brother's Measurement is to measure the luck of others, so he believed that my choice would be the right one..."

The end of her sentence trailing off as she was evidently beginning to lose confidence in herself, I thought calmly about what the girl had claimed.

Her little brother, possessing the Measurement of Luck, can measure the luck of others--this much was true, and I found it rather intriguing.

It didn't seem like his ability was to alter or manipulate people's luck at all, including his own, and neither did it seem to involve knowing the right choice for a given decision or scenario.

All it was, put simply, was to gauge how lucky someone was.

Now, it should be needless to say that I can do the same thing--merely by asking 'Am I lucky?' or 'How lucky is that person?', then I will receive a direct answer.

That's why I know that I am, in fact, an extremely lucky individual; despite being held captive by the Wardens for so long and targeted by those selfish individuals, my Measurement of Truth is not one so easily come by, after all.

However, what is important is not what it is capable of at the current moment, but rather the future potential of the ability.

Because Measurements, albeit sporadically, can evolve.

The conditions for evolution mystify even me, and it's impossible to predict what exactly a specific Measurement will evolve into, but the fundamental concept of it will generally remain the same.

If a Measurement regarding the concept of 'luck' or 'fortune' were to evolve, what possibilities could that hold?

Could it mean the ability to manipulate luck? Chances are, it's something along those lines. Of course, I cannot know for certain right now, but if that is the case, then it is something I definitely want to get my hands on.

After all, such a thing would have limitless versatility.

"...Since you're so desperate, fine. But don't assume I'll be able to save your brother's grades just because I know how to study."

And thus, in order to meet the one who could become my so-called "Rabbit's Foot", I accepted her request.

With a gracious smile brightening up her face at my words, it was clear to anyone that this girl, Ella Chiba-Wallace, was desperately looking out for her kin.

"Oh, no...! Thank you very much! Even if it ends up in vain, I promise I'll do what I can to compensate you for your effort."

Was it wrong of me to help her not out of goodwill or payment but with selfish intentions in mind?

Some might argue yes, but I would say otherwise.

It will help me achieve my goal, but is what I want really that wicked?

"It's no problem. I'd be happy to help anyway, so don't feel like you have to pay me if things are bad."

All I really desire is the permanent clean-up of some trash, after all.

----------

I told Ella Chiba-Wallace that I would come over to help her brother study on the weekends since I would be unavailable after school.

In that way, having to escort Selina and Emir home every day was a convenient excuse to get out of annoying stuff.

When that short discussion was over, I had two hours before I could go home with the two of them as normal.

Reason being, I was excused from my normal club duties due to not having my name down on the list to help with the winter festival thing. However, because Selina and Emir had their own clubs to attend at their school, I, unfortunately, was unable to just up and leave by myself.

Thus, I had two free hours before I could go home.

The winter festival starts on the 14th of December, a Monday, and continues until the 20th, a Sunday. Then, on the 21st, Winter Break starts.

Today was Monday the 21st of November, meaning there were three weeks until the event started.

That means, three weeks of two-hour slots of nothing to do.

"..."

At this point, I wondered if signing up to prepare for the festival was something I should have done in hindsight since I had nothing else to do during these two hours, but then it occurred to me that I was not the only one who didn't put my name down.

Yes, that's right.

Just as there were other clubs dismissed from duties, there were a few members in my own club who had not put their names down.

The person I am thinking of, in particular, is of course Sophie Asanami.

She tends not to wait for me and goes home by herself as soon as the day ends because she dislikes interacting with Selina and Emir, finding their personalities awkward to mesh with.

However, today might be different.

There are almost two hours before I have to pick those guys up, so she may be willing to wait with me until then.

Although the school day has technically already ended, that girl Ella Chiba-Wallace did not waste too much of my time, so Sophie may still be within the school grounds. Is that right?

[Yes]

After further investigation, it turns out she was in the bathroom.

What a stroke of luck.

Tapping on my smartphone, I sent her a direct message to meet me on the roof.

[Oscar Itou: When you're done with your business, come to the roof.]

Her response was not just swift, but damn near instantaneous.

[Sasanami: r u fckn spying on me???]

My brows furrowed as she questioned me, but it seems she focused on the wrong part of my message, so I told her again.

[Oscar Itou: Just come to the roof.]

[Sasanami: Y?]

I sighed.

First, she questioned my actions, and now she is asking me to give her a reason? Since she would find out the truth anyway if I lied, I thought it better to be candid.

[Oscar Itou: I'm bored.]

[Sasanami: whats that got to do w me?]

[Oscar Itou: I don't care. Come to the roof so I'm not bored.]

[Sasanami: I wanna go home]

[Oscar Itou: You live in my house, so go home when I go home.]

[Sasanami: r u really that bored? dl a game on ur phone or smth n time will fly]

[Oscar Itou: Games like that are boring. Just come to the roof when I tell you to come to the roof.]

After such a flurry of argumentative responses that very clearly showed her unwillingness to stay behind with me, there was a period of silence in the chat.

"Tsk. What are you doing? Damn, just come to the roof..."

Clicking my tongue in frustration, I muttered to myself.

This girl.

I really didn't like how she refused to listen sometimes.

Still, I understand that there will be cases where a quality like autonomy is extremely valuable, and her ability is immensely useful, so I put up with it, but it's still annoying.

A few more minutes passed as I sat on the edge of the roof, my staring gaze cemented to the screen of my phone in case she sent a reply.

I confirmed that she was still in the school every five seconds or so, just in case she tried to sneakily flee, but she was still here somewhere.

Suddenly, as I began furiously typing away another message to her on my phone, someone tapped my left shoulder twice from behind.

Turning to my left, I saw nothing. Turning right, a slender finger poked my cheek.

"--Yo."

It was Sophie Asanami.

Crouching down at my level, I stared at her for a moment before removing her finger from my face. In its wake, a sensation as if I had just taken out a thorn was left behind.

"Your nails are sharp."

"Sure. So, d'ya really call me here 'cause you were bored?"

Standing up, she towered over me with her bag hung around her arm, setting it down beside my own as I replied.

"Did you think I would lie? You would find out once you came here anyway."

Not replying to my question or my statement, she only laughed as if to mock me.

"Hah. You're such a kid."

I wasn't quite sure what she meant because I was obviously not a child, but it didn't matter.

"Well, sure. I was only gonna chill for a bit before training anyway."

Although she seemed displeased at first, the way she set her bag down before even hearing my reason or showing any signs of resistance indicated that she would stay.

Of course, I knew without having to ask that she would relieve my boredom for a while, but...

...For some reason, seeing it with my own eyes brings a different sense of relief.

It wasn't a bad feeling, though.

It wasn't bad at all.