Akira crossed his arms and looked the Class President up and down.
Even if he were to name the price, he first had to determine how crucial the help he could provide was.
"Let me ask first, how many people are currently in the Literary Club?"
The Class President first held up three fingers, then added her pinky finger.
"Currently, including me, there are three people. If Kuroba-kun joins, we'll have four."
"Then even if I join, it won't solve the problem, will it? The minimum number of members for a club is at least five, right?"
"Yes, that's correct, but before the seniors graduate, the Literary Club won't be targeted by the Student Council."
"When do third-year students officially withdraw?"
"Kuroba-kun wants to know how much time the Literary Club has left, right?"
"Yes, just a rough estimate."
"Well… third-year students in other clubs usually retire in November, but our Literary Club doesn't have any major competitions to participate in, so third-year students' retirement will be a bit later. At the very latest, it will be by the end of the second semester. Starting from the third semester, the seniors will no longer be active members of the Literary Club. As I said earlier, the seniors are already focusing on their studies and aren't coming to the club anymore."
"Tomorrow is the new semester. So, there are still four months until the winter break next year…"
There was still plenty of time. As long as he found one more person this year, they would have five people.
In other words, Akira's timing in joining was not at a life-or-death moment of 'club disbandment crisis'; he merely provided a small favor.
Moreover, even if they truly couldn't find enough members by next year, the class president could use her popularity to gather a bunch of people willing to help fill the numbers, as all it would take is writing an application form—a simple task.
"So, assuming I join the Literary Club, for the fifth person, do you have someone in mind, Class President?"
"Not yet."
"Hmm…"
At this point, Akira had decided to join the Literary Club. Now, it was just a matter of seeing what benefits he could get from the class president.
Actually, even if he asked for nothing and just built a good relationship, it wouldn't be bad.
Building a good relationship with the class president now was also an investment in the future.
While good grades don't necessarily guarantee making a lot of money, academic talent means she will continue to improve.
Furthermore, Anri Hitomi is very perceptive, handles interpersonal relationships well, and isn't the type who just studies hard with high scores but low practical ability.
Someone with such excellent social skills and a knack for studying is bound to make a name for herself in the future.
But Akira was truly hungry.
He didn't want to let go of the fat sheep that had active delivery.
"Class President, can I see your hand?"
"Eh?"
"I want to read your palm, and then decide what I want."
"Kuroba-kun also knows how to tell fortunes?"
Akira lied without batting an eye.
"A little."
"I see…"
Anri Hitomi was a little surprised and a little disappointed. At this moment, to make a decision based on unreliable fortune-telling, had she misjudged him?
High School girls are very obsessed with fortune-telling. Anri Hitomi often chatted with her friends in class about these things, like what today's lucky color was, what the lucky number was, and various subtle psychological tests.
But in truth, she didn't believe in such impractical things deep down; she only absorbed relevant knowledge to have topics to chat about with them.
The more she read books on fortune-telling, the more certain she became that there was no method to predict the future; it was all psychological suggestion and coincidence.
Her mother had also said that only ignorant people would place their hopes on illusory things. Gamblers, for example, staked everything on unreal luck, which is why they ended up as losers in life.
So, when topics related to fortune-telling came up, Anri Hitomi would only chime in from the side, trying to avoid having to undergo foolish fortune-telling tests herself.
If one had listened to the entire conversation between the class president and her friends, a careful person would notice that Anri Hitomi never mentioned her lucky items or lucky colors.
Because she didn't believe in such things at all.
However, the fact that he brought up such a method at this particular moment made her feel that Akira was indeed an interesting person.
So, this time, facing the serious Akira, she also made an exception and extended her right hand, which she used to press down her skirt.
"Alright, then I'll leave it to Kuroba-kun to take a look."
"Not your right hand, your left hand."
"Oh… here you go."
Under Akira's firm tone, the class president also took out her left hand, which she was using to press down her skirt over her perky butt, and gave it to Akira.
Akira held her left hand to his front and examined it intently.
Although Anri Hitomi was very good at communicating, she had never had a boyfriend, nor had she ever held hands with a boy. This was her first time having her hand held and scrutinized so carefully by a boy.
Her maiden heart, which had been locked in a box, was uncontrollably trying to burst out.
Just moments ago, she had been able to naturally handle Akira's glib tongue, even turning the tables on him, but now, merely having her hand held, she felt as if her vital point had been seized, unable to move…
She really couldn't completely hide her inner feelings after all.
Her palm felt a little sweaty… would it smell?
"Um, Kuroba-kun, could I wipe my hand first?"
"No need, I can see clearly."
Akira replied without lifting his head.
He's so serious…
He actually seems quite 'professional'?
Akira was indeed concentrating fully on her hand, because if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to see clearly.
However, Akira wasn't looking at her palm lines at all; he didn't understand anything about palmistry.
The reason he needed to look at her hand was because Akira's 'cheat' was activated by looking at hands.
As mentioned earlier, Akira saw the words "Academic Ability A" in the class president's right palm, meaning she possessed A-level academic ability, a very versatile and high-level talent.
Since there were words on her right hand, there would naturally be words on her left hand as well.
In fact, Akira initially discovered that he wasn't a 'Son Abandoned by Heaven' by the words on his left hand; it turned out the divine being had still granted him a small cheat.
This was a very inconspicuous cheat, so inconspicuous that he didn't even discover it when he first transmigrated.
Other transmigrators had systems that not only displayed rich character information but also various flashy functions, refreshed superpowers weekly, and could even chat and banter with the host. But for Akira, there wasn't even the most basic virtual box appearing before his eyes.
It was practically a beggar's version of a cheat.
Calling this thing a system was an insult to systems!
However, Akira was still very grateful for the cheat bestowed upon him by heaven.
Simple and unadorned, but very useful.
If the right palm reflected 'talent,' then the left hand contained 'effort.'
As long as Akira concentrated, he could see 'proficiency' appearing in her left hand.
However, unlike talent, proficiency often had multiple entries, which is why Akira examined it so carefully.
And in the class president's left hand, one proficiency entry after another appeared and then faded away…
"Japanese Lv1"
"History Lv1"
"Geography Lv1"
"Politics Lv1"
"Economics Lv1"
"Mathematics Lv1"
"Science Lv1"
"English Lv1"
"Piano Lv1"
"Shogi Lv1"
"Calligraphy Lv1"
"Art Lv1"
"Flower Arranging Lv1"
"Tea Ceremony Lv1"
"Ballet Lv1"
"Acting Lv1"
…
That's too many!
Not only had she mastered all subjects, but she also dabbled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
This is a true genius! Mortals wouldn't understand!