Chapter 3: Let’s get down to business

Chapter 3: Let's get down to business

Swish!

With a swishing sound, Ary teleported around the mall area.

Fortunately, he teleported behind a tree at the corner, so no one noticed his appearance.

"Hmmm..."

Ary looked around, the area was not so packed.

Sigh!

He sighed in relief then his gaze shifted to the book of Almita. He looked at the tasks.

'Hmm...the first one is easy. But the second one...hmmm...'

Then, his gaze shifted to the right, toward the maid's cafe, where he and Michael used to come.

'Someone I trust, eh?'

Ary said inwardly as his face shaped a slightly gloomy expression.

For him, there was only one person he trusted wholeheartedly. But he wasn't sure whether that certain 'someone' would be there or not.

'I'm sure the pervert will be here. But...I don't think I will ever find her here.'

Sigh!

He sighed again, then closed the book of Almita and stepped forward.

Creak!

The glass door chirped aside, and Ary stepped in.

"Ah, Welcome to the Tsun Tsun Maid cafe, Master."

A maid, standing beside the door, greeted Ary while bending a little.

"Hmm? Jessica?"

Ary called out as he recognized that the maid that had just greeted him was none other than his classmate, Jessica Martson.

"Hmm?"

Jessica responded as she raised her head and noticed Ary.

"Hmm? Ary?"

She was left baffled after seeing Ary. At first, she just greeted him, thinking that it might be some random person, but since she focused her gaze, she recognized that the person was not any random one.

"What are you doing here? Are you an employee here?"

Ary asked.

"Ah, right. I'm just doing a part-time job here."

With a giggle, Jessica replied.

"Oh, I see."

Ary responded.

Suddenly, Jessica's attention shifted to Almita,

"Hey, why are you holding a book here? Don't tell me that you are here to study."

Jessica kidded while giggling.

"Ah, not really. I just have to give this book to my uncle, and since I'm passing by, I thought of coming here."

Ary made an excuse, while at the same time, he pondered,

'Is that only me or does this excuse of mine feel kind of lame?'

"Ding!"

Unexpectedly, Almita made a dinging sound and started floating in front of Ary.

"Hey!"

Ary freaked out, thinking that Jessica would see this phenomenon, but in the next moment, Ary held his peace as he noticed that everything around him, except himself, had paused as if time itself had stopped.

"Is that a...time pause or something?"

Ary mumbled while looking around in amazement.

<The host, Ary Inochi, had completed the first task by entering the maid's cafe.>

<As a reward, the host has given the ability to gawk at the affection bar of anyone he wants.>

<These skills are temporary and will vanish once the host completes all tasks.>

Almita reported.

"Affection bar, huh?"

Ary mumbled as he gazed at Jessica in front of him and focused above her head.

He noticed a pink bar showing seventy points out of a hundred.

[+70 Affection points.]

"Oh, so that's how it is, huh?"

Ary understood how affection bar worked then a smile shaped his face. He said to himself,

"Well, well, looks like my image isn't too bad."

Swish!

"Hmm? Ary, what are you doing there? Come in already."

Suddenly, Jessica started speaking.

"O-Oh, yeah."

Ary smiled since he realised that time had resumed.

He stepped forward, and while following Jessica, he arrived at the right corner and sat on the seat there.

"Your order, Master."

Jessica asked as she took out a little notebook.

"Hmm...this seventh dessert would be fine."

Ary replied while showing a variety of desserts to Jessica from the menu bar.

"Alright."

Jessica smiled and then, while noting it down, she turned to her left, saying,

"Bring a Keto dessert to table number seven, please."

Then, she gazed at Ary, saying,

"Please wait for a little while, Master. Your dessert will arrive soon."

"A-Okay."

'Hearing Master is feeling kind of pleasurable, don't know why,' Ary forced a smile.

Then, Jessica went to the left to take the orders of the other customers.

Meanwhile, Ary looked around, thinking,

'If I'm not wrong then, the pervert might be here too.'

Then, while looking around, he noticed a certain person showing a perverted smile at a maid while eating his dessert.

"Big...it's truly big. I think it would be a D-cup. No, wait, it might be an E-cup."

"....."

Ary's face shaped a bewildered look as he noticed that person and even heeded his words.

That person was none other than his perverted friend, Michael.

He was gawking at the boobs of the maids there and smiling perversely.

"As expected,"

Ary sighed.

"Here, your dessert...Master...?"

A maid came to deliver the dessert ordered by Ary. However, she was left stunned when she saw Ary there.

"Hmm?"

Ary lifted his gaze and looked at Maid.

"Hah? E-Erica....?"

Ary was left dumbfounded as he saw that the maid in front of him was none other than the student council president of the school, Erica Kisai.

She was wearing a full-sleeved maid dress in a combo of white and black with a long skirt.

"A-A-Ary....?"

Her face turned slightly red.

"What are you—"

Ary asked, but before he could continue, his mouth had been blocked by Erica's hand. She requested,

"Don't call my name here. Act like you don't know me."

"Umhmm."

Ary nodded.

"Uwah!"

Suddenly, he started gasping and gazing at her, saying,

"Ummm, thanks for the food, Miss."

Then, he started drinking the water before eating.

"Your welcome, Master."

Erica smiled after seeing him acting as if he didn't know her.

COUGH!

Ary coughed as if he had almost suffocated himself.

"Are you okay, Master?"

Erica patted his back.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

While wiping the water from his chin, Ary replied, pondering,

'Damn it, what the hell is wrong with me? Why is she looking so cute in it!'

Then, while clearing his throat, he started eating the dessert.

"Enjoy your food, Master."

Erica commented, then, whispered,

"Come to the backside after you eat."

Then, while showing a smile, she went away toward other customers.

'Strange. Why is she working here?'

Ary pondered. He was looking at Erica while eating his dessert.

'Is that a coincidence?'

He said inwardly as his eyes shifted to Almita.

Then, he shifted his gaze to Erica, to gawk at her affection bar.

"What the—?!"

Ary was left totally stunned after seeing her affection point.

There were a total of a hundred points there.

[+100 Affection points.]

"Is that a dream or something? It's a whole hundred. Does it mean...she is in love with me?"

"Ding!"

Suddenly, Almita made a dinging noise, reporting,

<You're right, host.>

<A total of a hundred points clearly represents that the person clearly admires you, more than you think.>

"Ah...I see."

'It seems like my expectation wasn't wrong.'

Ary realised his thoughts and looked around. Time seemed to have stopped.

<Also, since the host has completed the second task by finding someone he trusts wholeheartedly, as a reward, the host has given the Affectionate Diva.>

"Affectionate diva?"

<Yes, this skill will help you to convince anyone and make them do the thing that you want.>

"Hey..."

After hearing about this skill, Ary's face shaped into a bewildered face. He added,

"Isn't it the same as manipulating them?"

<Yes, also, there are only two hours left for you. If you fail to complete the task by thirty past nine, then you'll be considered a failure and get punished>

"What?!"

Ary was left shocked as he looked at his wristwatch and noticed that the time had already been half past six.

"Damn!"

Ary cursed as he looked at Erica.

Swish!

Suddenly, time resumed again and everyone started moving.

'Curse it! I thought of taking her to the backside during a time pause.'

His plan failed. Then, he looked to the right and noticed Michael.

A sinister smile shaped his face as an idea came to his mind.

He took out his smartphone from his pocket and opened the browser.

Click!

He snickered as he sent a video to Michael.

Ding!

"Hmm?"

Michael reacted as he heard the ringing noise from his smartphone.

He took out his smartphone and noticed a message.

"Bro's message?"

He mumbled, then, clicked on the video.

Unexpectedly, his eyes burst open, and in the next moment,

"Yeaheee!!"

A fountain of blood spurted out of his nose and he fell to the floor. His phone's screen was showing an image of the naked maids.

"Hey, what's happened to him?"

Everyone's attention shifted to Michael.

"Now!"

Ary got up and ran toward his front, toward Erica, and grabbed her arm.

"H-Hey!"

Erica reacted.

"I have something very important to discuss with you. Please come with me."

Ary requested as he started yanking her toward the outside.

"B-But Ary—My dress!" n(.o--V-.e..l./b-)I-/n

Erica stopped him, but he was in a rush, so he didn't hear her words and took her outside without catching anyone's eyes.

Chirp!

The door chirped open and sneakily, Ary took her outside and turned to the left, into the dark corner area.

"W-Where are you taking me?"

Erica asked in a slightly uneasy voice after noticing him stepping toward the dark corner.

While walking a few steps, they arrived at the dark corner.

"Now, Erica."

Ary called out as he shifted his gaze to Erica, saying,

"Let's get down to business."