When I finally escaped from that high-sugar, high-gaze-density battlefield inside the maid café—one that had severely eroded my mental endurance—I reflexively ducked into the changing room.
The moment the door lock clicked shut, I immediately activated the AR appearance overlay.
Particles rose from my ankles all the way up, like a belated but necessary protective shield, wrapping up the appearance that had been consumed by far too many gazes throughout the entire afternoon.
The mirror once again reflected the familiar version of myself.
…I’m saved.
I muttered under my breath, even feeling the urge to award AR technology the “Light of Modern Civilization Award.”
Compared to being stared at by a crowd of strangers with eyes that practically screamed “I want to keep living today too,” I really was better suited to being chased down by enemies using skills.
At least the latter didn’t require me to put on a customer-service smile.
When I changed my clothes and walked out of the changing room, Shop Manager Kuroha Aoi was indeed waiting there, as expected.
“Yoruichi-chan— Are you really not going to reconsider?”
She smiled brightly with a gentle tone, yet it carried that commercial vibe that instinctively put me on high alert.
“You can come anytime during the cultural festival. We can negotiate the commission again.”
“I’m really busy.”
I answered without hesitation, my tone so sincere that even I almost believed it.
“Studies, matches, and… um, life planning.”
“You’ve even started life planning now.”
Aoi blinked, completely undeterred.
“That’s fine too. We’ll keep your name displayed. Yorumi-chan has a lot of market potential, you know.”
“Please do not conduct any market analysis on my life.”
I practically fled the café.
***
The air at the school gate was much fresher than inside the store. I was just about to pack away everything that had happened today and bury it deep in my memory when that all-too-familiar, overly bright, and completely ill-timed voice rang out from behind me.
“Yoruichi—!”
I sighed and turned around.
It was Makura Heita, as expected.
“Where did you go today? Let me tell you, I saw an incredibly cute girl at the maid café!”
“…Oh really? That’s great.”
I replied in a tone that already foresaw how this would end.
“Her name is Yorumi! And get this—she’s the maid representing your UNKNOWN NAME WARRIOR!”
Heita was as excited as if he’d won the lottery.
“Isn’t this amazing? If her support rate goes up, your points will go up too!”
“Yeah, that’s really great.”
I nodded along, but inside I was silently mourning a certain dignity that could never return.
“Why don’t you sound happy at all?”
Heita tilted his head.
“Isn’t this a win-win?”
“Some things, when you win too completely, just leave you at a loss.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but whatever.”
He laughed cheerfully. “I’ll head out first then! Good luck with your matches!”
“Yeah, you too.”
Watching Heita’s departing back, I added silently in my heart—
I hope you never find out the truth.
***
The meeting place I had arranged with Ameno Yotsuba was a private BHAO studio in the W1 District.
There was no cultural festival noise here, nor any unnecessary decorations. Even the air carried a calm, “recordings not welcome” atmosphere.
“Room Number Five.”
I said to the receptionist.
The permission confirmation beep sounded, and the door slid open silently.
Inside the room, the young man with dark chestnut short hair was already standing there.
“You’re very punctual.”
Ameno Yotsuba glanced at me, his tone steady.
“Rather than being late, I’m more afraid of you thinking I’m unreliable.”
I shrugged. “If that happened, my situation would only get worse.”
He didn’t respond, simply pulling out a device from under the table.
“What is… this?”
Looking at the device that didn’t look like something from this era at all, I couldn’t help asking.
“A private WiFi connection device.”
He spoke as if it were obvious.
“Direct connection via old-fashioned data cables. It’s more secure.”
“You do know this thing was phased out in 2038, right?”
“Precisely because of that, it won’t be monitored.”
He plugged the two data cables into the device and our phone ports respectively.
The moment the screen went dark, the noise of reality was sliced off as if by a knife.
“Are you ready, Yoruichi?”
He looked at me.
I took a deep breath.
“If you’re asking whether I can still back out, the answer is no.”
The corner of my mouth curled slightly. “If you’re asking whether I’m scared—of course I am.”
Ameno Yotsuba nodded.
“That’s enough.”
The next second.
Crack—
It sounded like glass shattering deep within my consciousness.
The weight of reality quickly faded away, and time stretched and compressed.
When my vision reformed, I was already standing inside THE NIGHT THE DAWN.
“Welcome.”
Ameno Yotsuba’s voice sounded exceptionally clear in this world.
“From now on, this is real training.”
I looked at this world where the rules had completely changed and couldn’t help murmuring:
“…I see.”
“So the real battle only starts after work.”