Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu
Apart from the ace cards and other one-time use cards, there were some cards he could use immediately as well.
Saki's chocolate awarded him with a [Random draw shard card], which he could exchange for fifteen random draw shards. Mayuzumi's chocolate awarded him with the exact same item, which basically meant that he received an extra thirty random draw shards.
Rion and Kotomi's chocolate rewarded him with two [Item Exchange] cards. Each [Item Exchange] card allowed him to exchange up to ten items he didn't want for an amount of points based on the item's value!
This [Item Exchange] card was something he found really useful right now after obtaining so many items. However, he would only be able to exchange a total of twenty items for points…
'System, can't you be a bit nicer and buy back my useless items like a proper shopkeeper would?'
System: "Hmph." (As imagined by Seiji).
Once again, Seiji became internally conflicted. Since he could now refund items that he didn't want, should he use his random draws right now?
He really wanted to try and see if he could obtain seven [Brother Monogatari character reward card] shards…
But, he decided to wait!
Seiji remained resolute in following his earlier decision.
Seiji used all the stat-increasing cards on himself, then turned off his system and began to cultivate.
'It's time to take action.
'Although I feel apologetic towards Mika, I need to take action now if I want to be able to keep having a good time together with Seiji.
'I don't know if this will work or not, but at any rate, I have to try!'
Chiaki thought that to herself as she took out her cell phone and dialed a number.
Natsuya, who was currently sipping on a tea, received a call from a phone number that she wasn't familiar with.
"Good morning. Am I speaking to Student Council President Natsuya Yoruhana?" Natsuya heard a candid female voice when she picked up the call.
Although Natsuya wasn't very familiar with the speaker's voice, she was able to recognize who had called her.
"Is this Chiaki Wakabsan?"
"Yes. President, you actually recognized my voice?"
"Of course. It's only natural for me to know the ace member of the drama club."
"I'm so honored." Chiaki chuckled. "However, my other identity is probably more important to you, President."
"What identity are you referring to?"
"Of course, my identity as one of Seiji Haruta's close friends."
Natsuya didn't know what to say to this.
"President Yoruhana, do you have the free time to meet up for a discussion? I'd like to talk to you about Seiji." Chiaki's tone was seemingly casual.
"…What time would you like to meet?"
"Today would be best. Of course, tomorrow is fine as well. It's up to when you're free, President."
"Let's meet right now, then. Although I already had other plans, it's fine to simply delay them for a bit," Natsuya stated calmly.
"Oh… how direct. I like that."
"Where should we meet?"
"You can go ahead and decide that, President."
Natsuya thought about it and told Chiaki the name of a coffee café.
Chiaki said that she would head over immediately.
They ended their conversation there.
The tomboy's mouth arced upwards as she pocketed her cell phone and left to go to the coffee café.
The student council president finished her tea. She stood up as something flashed in her eyes as she also prepared to go to the coffee café.
Not long after, the two of them met in a private room at the coffee café in question.
"Wakabsan, how did you know my phone number?" Natsuya started with a question after they said hello to each other.
"Let's just treat that as my little secret." Chiaki smiled.
Natsuya looked directly at Chiaki.
Chiaki Wakaba, ace member of the drama club, and one of Seiji's closest friends ever since he transferred into Genhana High School. She was quite a unique and charismatic girl.
Although Natsuya wasn't well acquainted with Chiaki, Natsuya was quite appreciative of her and felt that she was quite talented.
"When facing you directly like this, I feel that you're truly beautiful, President. If I was a boy, I would surely fall in love," Chiaki could only exclaim with sincerity as she looked at Natsuya.
The student council president's beauty wouldn't only affect boys. It would be quite strong against girls as well. Simply looking at her close-up like this for a minute made Chiaki feel like she was about to imagine certain things.
No, she couldn't get sidetracked here!
The tomboy managed to stop her thoughts from going in the wrong direction.
"Wakabsan is quite beautiful as well. You're especially stunning when you perform on stage," Natsuya responded.
"Thank you for your praise. While I'm self-confident in myself, I still can't compare to you, President." Chiaki paused for a moment. "Not only in the eyes of the students, it's also the same in Seiji's eyes."
Several seconds of silence fell between them.
"President Yoruhana, please excuse my directness. You're in love with Seiji, aren't you?"
Natsuya's face flushed slightly red and she averted her gaze from being asked such a direct question.
"I like him," Chiaki admitted first. "Not just as a friend. I'm romantically interested in Seiji Haruta, as a girl would towards a boy. I always enjoy my time together with him. I'm never bored, and he makes me feel quite safe as well. I want to keep being together with him, and take our relationship one step further, but not to an extent where we're extremely close together."
Natsuya looked back at Chiaki again.
"You don't need me to say it any more clearly, right, President?" Chiaki smiled while also blushing slightly red.
Even someone like her felt a little shy about telling the truth in her heart to another girl that she wasn't well acquainted with.
Natsuya didn't say anything in response.
She understood what Chiaki meant and revealed a subtle expression.
"Looking at things as they currently stand, you're the girl that Seiji likes the most right now, President. However, there's an incredible person who's currently an obstacle between you and Seiji," Chiaki continued.
"That person is Shika Kagura… I'm sure that you're already aware of this, President. Kagursan is someone most important to Seiji. Not in a romantic aspect, as he views her more as family… but since they're not related by blood, there's still a little bit of romantic inclinations involved as well. Since she's still quite young, only being a middle schooler, she's not a direct threat to us for the time being. However, she's greatly influential to Seiji. Not only that, Seiji isn't getting a girlfriend right now all because of her request to him. As long as Kagursan doesn't allow it, not a single girl will be able to formally be together with Seiji. Not even you, President Yoruhana."
Something flashed in Natsuya's eyes.
She was unable to deny anything Chiaki just said.
If she wanted to be together with Seiji, Shika Kagura was an obstacle that she absolutely had to surpass.
Not only that, Natsuya had no idea what she should do about Shika.
"President, do you know how to deal with Shika Kagura?" Once again, Chiaki took the direct approach.
The student council president slightly shook her head.
"I know." The tomboy revealed an expression as if she had seen through everything.
Natsuya glanced directly at Chiaki.
Chiaki seemed so confident and self-assured. It didn't appear that she was lying at all.
"Before I continue discussing this topic, I'd like to know first about what President thinks regarding Seiji's future." Chiaki changed the topic. "Or, another way of putting it is, what type of person do you think Seiji Haruta will become in the future? With his background, appearance, personality, way of doing things, and talent, what's your approximate guess on what he'll be like in the future?"
Seiji Haruta's future…
There was no need to go into too much about just how powerful the Haruta Family was. Although he was currently exiled from the family, he already repaired his relationship with his blood-related younger sister, and received concrete assistance from Hana Haruta.
As for Seiji as a person, he had a near perfect physical appearance, a gentle personality, yet also firm resolution. He was able to face the dark side of society as well as danger directly. He was willing to resolve himself to brave danger for people he considered as important. He possessed abnormal talent as well as unbelievable luck.
Natsuya found it difficult to predict Seiji's future… but it was certain that he would become...
Chiaki grinned and spoke almost as if she could read Natsuya's mind. "He'll become someone incredible."