On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Kana looked at the empty chair a few spaces in front of her and held in a sigh. Still not back huh? I guess her dad is still…

Seeing her pensive gaze, her friend on the desk next to her, Asami-chan, spoke up. “Yeah, Kikuchi-san still isn’t back. Her father is still in that coma, ever since early summer break. Must be hard for her, since she doesn’t have a mother.”

I can’t say I ever liked Kikuchi-san much, despite her being from a true shrine, and it has nothing to do with that stupid faction crap my family cares so much about. She was always so… ugh… Kikuchi-san was one of those girls who was quiet and always had that annoying ‘I’m so troubled’ expression on her face. Really, she was the worst. Still… yeah, she doesn’t deserve that…

“It must be hard. I think her brother has come back from University to look after her and her shrine. You remember when he came to our school festival last year? He was …. unique, right?”

As Asami-chan giggled softly, I couldn’t help but agree. He was rocking the tortured artist look, all black clothes and hair done like a fool… he was really keen on chatting up younger girls too. Though I’ll give him credit, when I told him to get lost, he did… I always appreciated it when guys realised I was out of their league.

“He sure was. Still, they must be struggling to make ends meet. Having her dad in a coma for so long, the hospital bills are surely eating up what little money they had…” I could feel their pain, as the shrine of the Jade Sentinel Beetle kami, Hisuikomushi, was even poorer than my own shrine. If such is even possible. They don’t even have our excess land, and the location…

Hisuikomushi shrine was in a rough area, catering to poor foreign tourists and, to put it bluntly, the adult trade. Some uncharitable rumours had gone around saying that Kikuchi-san’s mother might not be dead, but was … a lady of a certain profession, so was too ashamed to come home. Not that I had any part of such rumours. I hate such things.

Still, since this was a shrine-affiliated school, stupid though that was, the few girls from true lineages came together to quash such rumours. There were a dozen or so girls in the upper and lower years, and one of them led the student council, so… Shrine-affiliated schools, what a joke. All it means is that there are a few extra-curricular clubs, and some of the teachers had an awareness of our cultural significance. I’m not getting involved in any of that. My dream is to get out and get rich, and if I can bag a handsome husband along the way, so much the better…

I was about to say something when the glare from our homeroom teacher cut me short. It was time for class to start… I wish I was born to a noble family. Unlike our crappy makeshift schools, where ninety percent of the students are just ordinary, if I was a noble, I could go to their school for girls, where all the beautiful and rich people go. I’d even have attendants and bodyguards. Still, it can’t be all sunshine and rainbows… I could dream, but I liked to think I was a realist. Those girls probably had problems too… paying attention to the teacher I held down a sigh. If only my parents sold the shrine. Akio-kun has the money, and he wants the land…

Idly twirling my hair with one hand while I took notes with my other, I tried to put the thought out of my mind…

 

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“So, I’ve been dying to ask, but… what’s with the hairclip? It’s new right?” Mio-chan, my other best friend asked and beside her Asami-san nodded. As I took out my bento box, seeing that inside was some of my mom’s homecooked food, I tried to hold back a smile and failed.

“It looks really expensive. Did a man give that to you? You don’t normally accept gifts.” Mio-chan continued.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t hot guys with money and good taste get me presents?” I said proudly.

“Oh, so he’s hot too, and has money. So are you going out? You must be, if he’s giving you expensive presents. That’s platinum, right? And those gems look real. You’ve kept this quiet, I’m hurt, Kana-chan.” Asami-san chimed in too. My friends were also cute, I had to admit, and we’d all had our fair share of boy trouble. Me most of all of course, I’m the most gorgeous girl for miles around. Well… I can allow that Shaeula matches me, but should she even count? Competing against spiritual beings is a fool’s game, so no, definitely doesn’t count…

“Going out? You know you two would be the first to know.” I said, elegantly eating my lunch. Around us several other girls were listening in, eager for any gossip about me. It’s hard being beautiful. It just makes these bitches jealous. Still, even though some of them mock me for being poor, I bet none of them have received as expensive a gift. This should shut them up for a while at least… “No, big bro isn’t my boyfriend, he was just on a trip abroad, and says when he saw it he thought of me.” That’s not entirely a lie, as he did say that since I was a shrine maiden… wait, big bro?

I held in a wince as I had slipped, not paying attention. My friends didn’t fail to pick up on that.

“Big bro?” Mio-chan snickered. “That’s cute as always, Kana-chan. So, he’s an older guy eh? Hopefully he isn’t all pretentious like Kikuchi-san’s brother. Is he at University too?”

“Yeah, I’m curious Kana-chan, spill, spill! Your standards are high, so I’m really wondering what he looks like. He’s obviously got plenty of money, if that’s just a holiday gift for someone who isn’t even his girlfriend…”

You don’t know the half of it. He’s spending hundreds of millions on our crappy shrine, I wish he could spend it on me… not that I’ve any interest in being his girlfriend, not really… still, I’m jealous of the girls that went to Las Vegas. That’s the lifestyle I should have! Plus it’d be great to rub my classmates’ faces in it, since their bragging would look pathetic in comparison. That’s definitely the only reasons…

“She’s thinking really hard about it, Mio-chan.” Asami-chan smirked.

“Yeah, really suspicious.” Mio-chan agreed. I could hear some of the other gossip-loving girls in class making noises of amusement. That’s irritating. I’m the queen of this class, I can’t let my position be undermined. Still, it’s a sign of status, attracting decent men. Time to brag a little, even if it’s unwarranted. It isn’t like Akio-kun would find out what I say about him, there aren’t any other shrine maidens in my class, now that Kikuchi-san isn’t here…

“Don’t be like that.” I grinned. “We aren’t going out, not yet. Of course he’s interested in me though, who wouldn’t be? But I’m no easy girl. Still, it’d be rude not to take such a wonderful gift, wouldn’t it? He’s actually pretty interesting.” If only you girls knew the half of it.

I touched my hairpin lovingly.

Flipping open my phone I searched for some pictures that were safe to show my friends and curious classmates. That Shaeula, for a spiritual being she’s taken to technology just fine… she sends endless texts and pictures. It’s cute, but somehow annoying…

“Take a look.” I opened up a picture of the plush suite they were staying in. He was next to a girl in the picture, but…

“Hey, is that him? He’s hot. Pretty rugged. You never did like the pretentious intellectual types, did you? But…” Mio-chan said, and Asami-chan took over.

“Who is the girl next to him? She’s really pretty. Hang on… they do look similar… is it…?”

“Yeah, that’s his sister. He was working, he’s a graduate, but he still found time to take his sister along. Look at the suite they are staying in…” I found some more pictures where Shaeula and the other girl… Mori-san, was it…? … weren’t in shot, such as various panoramic views, as well as some other photos of the drop-dead gorgeous suite.

Everyone was very impressed, and it further added to my reputation that a guy of looks and taste was giving me gifts. I didn’t think he was particularly into me or anything, especially since it seemed in the photographs there was something going on between him and that Mori girl, but he still checked me out when I made sure to give him a glimpse of cleavage or legs, just like every guy, and he seemed to get a kick out of me calling him big bro… I didn’t think I’d get such a wonderful gift for my efforts, but it’s probably the heavens compensating me for the crap I have to go through every day.

“Oh look, she’s grinning.” Mio-chan laughed. “She’s definitely thinking about him!”

“Oh, come on, friends shouldn’t bully each other.” I said, tossing my head adorably, bringing out more merriment from those around. The rest of lunch was spent talking playfully about romance and what foreign trips we would like, and I basked in the respect of my classmates, not that any of them were of any use other than Mio-chan and Asami-chan…

 

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The school bell rang for the final time, signifying the end of classes. Hiding a yawn behind my hand I started packing away all my books and stationary. Mio-chan and Asami-chan came over, asking if I was free to hit a café.

“After all, we don’t have a hot, rich guy after us, do we? We need to put ourselves out there.” Asami-san said slyly.

“Ugh, I’ll pass on that.” Mio-chan shuddered theatrically. “Boys that hit on girls when they are out and about suck.”

Well, the shrine will be full of construction and noise right now, so… yeah, why not. My father and grandfather might complain, but it isn’t exactly like I’m useful back at the shrine, the training hasn’t started yet, and if they need shrine maidens, Keomi-chan and the sisters can handle it…

“Sure, why not. I could use a break. Besides, it’d be a sin not to show off such a cute accessory, right?” I smiled winsomely, and I could hear a sigh coming from a girl at the desk behind me. Yeah, I know I’m hot, but I’m not into other girls, tough luck.

“Yeah, and we’d just love to hear more about your new ‘big bro’!” Asami-san teased gently.

“All right, I’ll spill, promise, but you’re buying the parfait!”

Yeah, I don’t know what training plan Shaeula and Akio-kun are planning, but hopefully it won’t eat up all my free time. I should make the most of things for now, just in case…