Chapter 70：The Legend of Ember (1/2)

Luckily, the situation didn't devolve after my rejection. The Noble Spirit, Jayce, laughed out loud to brush off the growing awkwardness.

Upon presenting me the Orb, he talked to me telepathically again and told me how he already guessed who I am. Harlan told him about Yumiko's companion and seeing how abnormal Yumiko is, he already linked an abnormal Natal Spirit to her. And with his daughter's nature of going along with Yumiko, my ideal man disguise was attributed to her. Their act of holding off their laughter was also caught by him.

I guess, he's really not an idiot. Because of that, I played along with him as he presented me to the audience. Anything but putting me as his daughter's spirit-pair is acceptable. My engagement with Yuko was also somewhat forced, I don't want to go through the same ordeal here.

It's not just me who's rejecting anyway, even Jayna was against the idea of searching for her possible spirit-pair, it's just the idea of her father who was always worried for her. Even this competition was decided on impulse.

Though the competition ended with an unexpected winner, since the audience loved it, Jayna's father will have a hard time if he suddenly announced that my participation wasn't counted since I'm not a real Spiritas.

After the crowd dispersed, I was also invited to go to their mansion, with Yumiko and Jayna knowing my true identity, it's only her mother that they needed to tell about me.

But since I have somewhere to go to first, I declined it.

”Where will you go?”

Yumiko asked when I was about to leave the platform. Should I tell her about how I gambled the coins she gave me?

”Err… to the gambling houses.”

There's no point lying so I answered her while scratching the back of my head.

”This guy. I'm amazed by your confidence. So how much did you bet on yourself?”

If she restrained herself, she'll probably laugh out loud from learning I gambled the coins she gave me. I thought she would be angry but I guess, coins for her were also not that important but the amusement she had from learning about what I did was priceless.

”9000.”

”Tell me, are you trying to close down the gambling houses?”

With a hand on her stomach, Yumiko asked while trying not to let her giggles get out of hand. Her revealing shrine maiden outfit was about to fall from her shoulder at how much she's trembling from containing her laughter.

For her to have this side. I thought she's someone who's quiet and somewhat clumsy.

”Don't tell me they don't have that much budget to pay for it?”

I overdid it with my bets. I should've considered their funds.

”Of course, this guy. You're sillier than I expected. They're probably already sweating bullets on how to pay you.”

”Then I'll take what they could pay, I want to buy Yuko a gift from here.”

”I see. That's why you bet on yourself. Yuko got it good. Give me your tickets, I'll collect it for you. With what has just happened, it will be hard for you if you go out still wearing that disguise.”

She's right. Ember is now a celebrity. I have to dispel this disguise soon.

”Alright. Thank you, Yumiko”

I handed her the gambling tickets which certified that I bought those bets from their gambling houses. She wouldn't cheat me for coins we couldn't really use on Earth and in the first place, those coins are hers.

”Don't thank me, buy me a souvenir from another world too.”

Yumiko smiled as she uttered her request. If it's only that then I'll keep that in mind.