Chapter 745: Star-Moon Nocturne

Manchester Chazuo noticed some abnormality.

It wasn't an abnormality in the sense of spirit communication, nor was it the abnormality of this heavy rainstorm, the weather abnormality.

But rather, it was the abnormality of my classmate.

What kind of manifestation does this so-called abnormality take?

It was probably the scene where, after moving aside the 'guest chair' that Bourbon, as president, and the Sirius senior had cleared out, they placed it beside the trainer's sofa, then pulled out their phone, looking like they were about to play with it for a bit, but then suddenly struck up a conversation.

Although the conversation was fragmented, it seemed as if something very attractive kept appearing on her phone screen from time to time, causing the dialogue to often come to an abrupt halt.

But Chazuo still felt something was strange.

Of course, Chazuo actually didn't know very well this classmate who had been in the same class for over a year.

Until last month, her impression of Aimu Zhiji was the same as most people's: a reclusive lifestyle that disliked socializing, training that seemed to never rest, the decisiveness to bluntly refuse invitations, and often sighing out of impatience.

Even making conversation was difficult, and the result of trying to communicate with them was often this kind of fragmented exchange, then waiting until they were utterly impatient before the talk abruptly ended and they got up and left.

——As early as the first school year, Chazuo had noticed a classmate surrounded by a spirit body and tried to strike up a conversation; thus, the above characteristics could be said to be a personal summary.

But after the trainer corrected this classmate over the following days, although they were no longer as averse to socializing and even became much more frank, their manner of interacting with people actually hadn't changed much.

Just like now, while Chazuo was communicating with her younger sister San, her conversation style with the trainer remained the same, so Chazuo initially didn't feel anything abnormal, until this interaction continued for several minutes……

Abnormal.

There's definitely a problem.

I… probably aren't mistaken…?

While listening to Friend San and Younger Sister San's conversation, Chazuo gazed out the window, also gazing at the two people faintly reflected in the window.

One had their head lowered, reading a book; the other stared at their phone, but that person would occasionally glance sideways.

Occasionally, when a topic came up that could make the trainer tilt their head to look, after that brief and ordinary exchange of gazes—usually it was Classmate Zhiji shifting their gaze and slightly tilting their head.

Tilting toward the other side.

That minute but persistent angle, to Chazuo's eyes, naturally seemed strange, and it did not fall within the habitual range she had observed in her previous few meetings with that person.

Yes, observation.

Although Tressen also had its share of careless horse-girl students, the three under Aomo's command each possessed a talent for observation.

Admittedly, the act of observation itself is actually not praiseworthy.

People are born to observe; through observation we obtain information, and through observation we carry out the next steps of action. What matters is whether you consciously utilize the results of your observation—whether you can summarize and generalize them into your own experience.

Whether one can achieve this step is the basic threshold of an 'observer'.

Upon reaching this step, observation itself has entered the realm of research, and only by achieving this step does observation truly become a special skill that can be written into one's specialties.

The three horse-girls under Trainer Lin Dun's command actually all possess such talent.

Ailisuzhi also exercises utmost acuity in experiments, while Meipu Bofang mechanically summarizes their thoughts and gains, thereby enabling precise grasp of step frequency and running time in training.

And Manchester Chazuo, usually so dense, merely possessing unusually keen spiritual perception, is actually able to see things in very fine detail.

Especially in her field of spirit communication, which she pays extra attention to.

During the period when she noticed that Classmate Zhiji had a guardian spirit nearby, although she repeatedly hit walls in direct contact, and her remote observation did not improve her deep understanding, she nonetheless unconsciously kept accumulating experience.

That experience is called: the everyday Aimu Zhiji.

Although it was only what she saw and felt during class, on campus, and at the training field, it was still enough for her to become aware of the other's abnormality.

But compared to that, for her, stronger evidence is still the 'feeling'.

The difference between awkward chat and natural conversation is obvious; her past attempts to strike up a conversation with Aimu Zhiji could be called awkward chat, and given that one party is inept at expression while the other is unwilling to talk much, that awkwardness of fragmented communication is enough to make someone curl their toes and imagine a three-bedroom apartment.

And in stark contrast to that is the present situation.

"Given that training volume, what should be done next?"

"A normal life, Miss Zhiji, living the life that a second-year student at Tressen High School should live."

"What is that?"

"Chatting with classmates about training, competitions, and fun stories and insights from life, being dragged out to eat, dragged out to karaoke, and then being dragged by roommates to amusement parks, dessert shops, toy stores, and the like."

"Boring, and why is everything passive?"

"Isn't that suited to your current situation?"

Aomo, having turned a page, spoke calmly, his gaze still wandering over the ink lines, yet his fingers could smoothly lift the coffee cup to his lips.

"Is it truly boredom, or are you suppressing joy? You know best," he said, setting down the coffee, "To be frank, I don't understand what reason you still have to suppress your emotional expression; it can't possibly be… maintaining an idol persona?"

"I'm not suppressing anything," Aimu Zhiji said softly.

"Hmm… like that, and indeed."

After a moment of thought, he calmly set down the book in his hands, 《Yearning Pursuit》, and picked up another book from the small shelf beside the sofa, 《Phase Geometry》.

After opening it and turning to the bookmark's position, he also pulled out the expandable sticky note and pen, and while scribbling on it, he suddenly said:

"Merely eliminating a single monster is indeed not enough for everyone to truly be happy."

A twisted personality won't be corrected just because negative energy disappears; in short, Aimu Zhiji's coldness to this point is more like a habit.

But having previously accepted the invitations from Narita Road and company, and just now deciding to return without him having to expend much effort—even if it's a great progress.

Facing oneself, accepting oneself—this is not something that can be achieved overnight.

Nor will one's personality easily change.

Upon hearing this, Aimu Zhiji merely remained silent.

After a silence of several tens of seconds, she suddenly spoke again:

"... Do you write characters by following the formulas?"

This time she did not conceal her gaze toward the sticky note at all.

"Indeed, if I were just writing it for myself to see, I would be more casual, but unfortunately someone wants me to help her make formula notes."

"Notes……"

——Before, it was still about mentioning the constellations, and even the recent situation of that new universe classmate, then it was also a topic she didn't understand; now it's actually her proactively asking about the trainer's handwriting……

The atmosphere of their interaction was so natural, so natural that Chazuo felt increasingly odd.

After all, no matter how high the art of speaking, if the other party doesn't want to talk to you, it means nothing; and today…… perhaps it was the day she had seen Zhi Ji classmate speak the most and be the most proactive.

After the other party was corrected, proactively coming to find oneself to express gratitude, and seeking instruction on that period's proactive spirit technique, belongs to a completely different type.

It's not a misunderstanding… I must have missed something……?

Chazuo, who felt that such a situation would often be seen near the trainer, turned her head and directly glanced at the two.

The trainer hadn't changed much, but Zhi Ji classmate seemed…… like a usually aloof cat that rejects anyone approaching, suddenly starting to circle around a person's pant leg, yet still keeping that expressionless face.

Seeing it was somewhat awkwardly funny.

So she turned her head again, unconsciously raising the finger that had laughed, facing the faint silhouette on the window.

On a rainy day with a hint of chill in the stillness, due to slight temperature differences, a film-like water trace appeared on both sides of the window; a fingertip touching it would leave a clear mark in the field of view.

This is what she loves to do most in such a scene.

A downward stroke becomes an arc; slightly adjusting the angle and pulling back can envelop the trainer's faint phantom within it.

This is the shape of the moon.

Then she raised her finger to the side, and in the dim background of the rainstorm, she outlined a four-cornered shape.

Covering therein, due to the angle limiting it, Zhi Ji classmate appeared somewhat smaller in the window.

This is a four-cornered star like her earring pattern.

And this moon and star drawn by the finger, together with the dark-night-like cloud 'curtain,' are Chazuo's little creation today.

It allowed the little sister -san and friend -san's spirits to come over and take a look, then she turned back to look at the two people behind who were still chatting intermittently.

The former still had a ヽ(′? `?)? expression, while the latter showed a hint of doubtful side-eye.