Hiratsuka Shizuka wasn't lying—this place really was filthy.
Oh wait, no, it wasn't the Service Club's room just yet.
"This is so dirty. Come on, Demon-kun, help me clean up."
The moment Yukinoshita Haruno pushed the door open, a cloud of dust swirled in the air. Sunlight streamed through the windows, and an old, musty smell filled the room.
"You wish." Hayashizaki chuckled and completely ignored her.
Yukinoshita Haruno borrowed a broom and mop from the restroom and started cleaning. The room was so dusty that there wasn't even a proper place to put her guitar case, so she had to keep it on her back while sweeping. It was exhausting. In the end, she had no choice but to use her curse energy to strengthen her body, barely managing to clean the whole room by herself.
She placed the mop to the side, set her guitar on the freshly wiped podium, and collapsed into a chair, too tired to move.
When it came to physical ability, she was nowhere near Yukinoshita Yukino, who had been subtly strengthened by the system over time.
If it were the latter, not only could she carry a guitar while cleaning the whole room—she could probably do it while carrying another person and not even break a sweat.
Haruno really wished she could just let Demon-kun take over her body and carry her home.
But after all that effort, it felt like a waste not to play a little before leaving.
After resting for a while, Yukinoshita Haruno got up, grabbed her guitar case from the podium, and took out her guitar.
It had been nearly two days since she last played.
As the eldest daughter of the Yukinoshita family, the landowners of Chiba, Haruno naturally didn't lack money. The guitar she bought was from ESP's signature series—top-quality wood and expert craftsmanship gave it an exceptional sound and reliable durability. The body was even engraved with the name "HARUNO" in stylized lettering.
She held the guitar in her arms, her slender fingers brushing against the strings. A light strum, and clear notes began to dance through the air.
She started with a few simple chords to get used to the feel, then recalled some beginner piano pieces she had played before, trying to adapt them to the guitar.
Soon, a flowing and cheerful melody filled the clubroom, echoing down the empty hallway before fading into the breeze.
Following the sheet music at first, her playing gradually turned into an impromptu performance—no set structure, just her emotions expressed through each note. There was relaxation, joy, and even a hint of uncertainty. It wasn't a proper song, but the meaning was there.
Too bad there was no audience to appreciate it.
No, wait, there was one audience member—in her own mind.
Unfortunately, that one spectator had no interest in music and no sense of appreciation whatsoever.
To him, it just sounded like Haruno was randomly strumming based on her mood.
Well, what else could be expected? A wild boar wouldn't appreciate fine grain.
The sun had already set behind the tall buildings in the west, leaving behind a sky painted in fiery red. The last rays of sunlight streamed through the window, casting a clear line between light and shadow on the short-haired girl.
After playing to her heart's content, Yukinoshita Haruno put away her guitar, slung it over her back, and got ready to leave school.
Hiratsuka Shizuka hadn't asked for the clubroom key to be returned, so Haruno simply kept it. That way, she wouldn't have to keep going to the office to get it from Shizuka.
Shizuka was thoughtful like that.
Though Hayashizaki figured Hiratsuka Shizuka just didn't want to see Haruno's usual half-smiling face.
"Time to head home!"
Stretching with both hands over her head, the short-haired girl yawned. Her school uniform lifted slightly, revealing a glimpse of pale skin.
Playing guitar had been a form of rest, so she felt fine walking home by herself and didn't need to trouble Hayashizaki to take her back.
On the way from Sobu High to the station, there was a long slope lined with cherry blossom trees. In April, when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, a light breeze could send pink petals fluttering down, creating a scene like a pink rain shower.
But it was already late May, and cherry blossom season had long passed. Now, the branches were filled with lush green leaves instead.
"Huh? Is that... a curse?"
Haruno suddenly stopped in her tracks, looking at a woman walking toward her, hand in hand with a well-behaved little boy.
The mother and son walked past her, chatting and laughing along the way.
Haruno turned around and focused on the area beside the woman.
In her vision, a mosquito-like curse spirit was circling around the woman.
It's a curse—one of the weakest ones. At most, it might make people feel irritable or give them shoulder aches. It's not really a big deal if you leave it alone. Hayashizaki's voice echoed in Haruno's mind.
"Even so, just ignoring it doesn't feel right." Haruno muttered under her breath.
Oh? Weren't you completely against exorcising curses before? Hayashizaki teased.
"I meant that I won't go out of my way to be some kind of curse-exorcising superhero. I'm not Spider-Man. But that doesn't mean I'll just ignore one if I see it in front of me," Haruno said, exasperated.
Besides, the only reason I was against it in the first place was because you forced me into it with your underhanded tricks.
"If it's as weak as you say, then I should be able to handle it easily, right?"
Haruno watched as the mother and child walked further away. She lifted her foot to follow them quietly, but then hesitated, a troubled expression appearing on her face.
"But just walking up and taking it out like that would be weird and awkward... She wouldn't even see the curse."
Haruno kept a reasonable distance, trailing behind them as she racked her brain for a better approach.
Before long, an idea popped into her head, and her eyes lit up.
"Hey, you said normal techniques can't be seen by regular people, right?"
That's true, but your technique can be seen.
"What about an incomplete technique?" Haruno asked, grinning.
A faint white glow flickered around her as she waved her hand, summoning a clone. However, it looked quite different from before.
The clone remained in a half-formed state, appearing as a white, mannequin-like figure instead of a solid duplicate of herself.
"If the technique isn't fully formed, then it doesn't have independent movement… but I can control it manually."
Haruno studied her newly created "white dummy clone," testing her ability to move it with her thoughts.
Before long, the white dummy began to move. At first, its actions were stiff and unnatural, like a zombie. But as Haruno got the hang of controlling it, its movements became smoother.
Soon, the clone went from awkward, clumsy steps to dashing forward in a straight sprint. It rushed up behind the woman and struck, instantly eliminating the tiny curse hovering around her.
The entire process was silent, unnoticed by anyone around them. This also confirmed that her clone had not been seen.
With the curse gone, Haruno recalled the white dummy, then held up two fingers in front of her with a grin.
"Well? I told you I was a genius!"
Hayashizaki chuckled as well. "Not bad."
The mother and son walked farther and farther away until they disappeared from Yukinoshita Haruno's sight.
The sun had completely set, and the sky turned a deep shade of ink. Streetlights lit up one by one.
A gentle evening breeze blew past, bringing a small smile to the girl's lips.
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(End of Chapter)
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