The Otaku Girls United Group Chat
Participants:
— Rias of ঌ Golden Fleece (Admin)
— Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru ()
— †Crimson Blake of Thousand Leaves†
†Crimson Blake of Thousand Leaves† : I told you already, that's not how you read it. How many times do I have to explain it to you for you to understand, you Neanderthal? It's written like "Chiba," but it's pronounced "Senyou." In other words, think about it as if a thousand leaves were gracefully fluttering down…
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru () : It still looks like "Chiba"to me lol Crimson Blake of Chiba
†Crimson Blake of Thousand Leaves† :… I-if you mock me any more than that, you're going to regret it dearly.
Rias of ঌ Golden Fleece (Admin) : Now now… calm down, you two. More importantly, there's something I wanted to ask Naruko-san…
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru (): Hm?
Rias of ঌ Golden Fleece (Admin) : Umm… Naruko-san, what was the meaning of that?
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru (): Huh? That? What is "that"?
Rias of ঌ Golden Fleece (Admin) : That's pretty obvious… I'm talking about Haruto-kun.
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru (): ?
Rias of ঌ Golden Fleece (Admin) : O-Ooo, you're playing dumb. I'm talking about when we came over to Naruko-san's house the other day.
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru ():… ahh, that? Yeah yeah yeah yeah. Geez… this is ridiculous. He was depressed by himself, and now it's getting us down too (#Д)
†Crimson Blake of Thousand Leaves† :… hmph, certainly, he seemed to be completely depressed… he didn't even respond much when we talked to him. I've always thought he's had a murky look in his eyes, but his eyes were more decidedly dead than usual. He looked like he had been raped.
Rias of ঌ Golden Fleece (Admin) : He's always so considerate of us, and always so cheerfully playing along with our conversations. To see Haruto-kun in a state like that… exactly what happened?
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru () : Hehehe, weeeell… lol! It's not anything special, but…
Some Parts Omitted.
Rias of ঌ Golden Fleece (Admin) :… W-well well… Naruko-san… you definitely went too far.
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru (): Eh? It's not my fault at all lol! Sure, I was the one who loaded the game on the computer and threw around all his ero books, but that last thing was completely him getting his just desserts lol! I mean, he pushed the emergency escape button and screwed himself over lol that's just so lol haha lol!
†Crimson Blake of Thousand Leaves† : That's quite unpleasant, so please stop tagging on "lol" to every sentence. Also, if you worked so hard to set such an elaborate trap up, then no matter how you look at it, it's your fault.
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru(): Huh?! Why are you shifting the blame onto me!? You were the one who told me to set up a trap to drive that girl out in the first place! On the phone!
Rias of ঌ Golden Fleece (Admin) : Wait a second! Blake-san came up with that trap!?
†Crimson Blake of Thousand Leaves† :… H-hmph. I didn't expect you to actually do it…
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru () : Don't make excuses, iiiiidiot! Everything was your fault! So how are you going to make this up to me!? I'm the one who has to live with that gloomy thing under the same roof!
†Crimson Blake of Thousand Leaves† : D-don't try to take advantage of the confusion and throw the blame onto someone else please. You're the one who came to me with a "There's some annoying woman in the house and I'm so pissed" over the phone. Even if I were to grant you some concession in this argument and take some of the blame, it would be you the one who must take most of the blame.
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru (): What the hell is that!? Stop just saying whatever the hell you want to say! It was your fault! Your fault!
†Crimson Blake of Thousand Leaves† : You would be the one who's saying whatever you want. Hmph, it's your fault, your fault.
Magical Maiden of Love Naru (): Noooooooooo! It's your fault and that stupid woman's faaaaaaaaault!
Rias of ঌ Golden Fleece (Admin) : (#ω)
†Crimson Blake of Thousand Leaves† : Oh… could it be… we made her angry?
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru () : Whaa?! Seriously?!
Rias of ঌ Golden Fleece (Admin) : Y-you two! How could you treat Haruto-kun so poorly when he's always helping you out so much!? That's quite ridiculous! I really pity Haruto-kun… I want to do something to cheer him up. Naruko-san, Blake-san, both of you are going to help me. Or rather, you're going to take the initiative!
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naruru (): W-why do I have to do something like that…?
Rias of ঌ Golden Fleece (Admin) : Don't play dumb, please. Naruko-san should understand even if I don't say it. Generally, when it's come to you lately… well, granted, it's not like I can't understand your feelings, but…
Magical Maiden of Love Orange Naru ():… Tch, talking like you know everything… well? What are we going to do?
†Crimson Blake of Thousand Leaves† : My my… I guess I have no choice then.
Today, Rias called me out to Akihabara with an email.
"… What the hell is it this time? Calling someone all the way out here…" I grumbled, annoyed, as I walked through the Electric City towards where I was instructed to go.
I was still in the worst mood. Even the dazzling sun shining down on the city streets seemed to just be mocking me. Hunched over even more than usual, I had both hands thrust in my pockets, and heavily tottered forwards.
I had been reduced to this sorry state because of the still lingering effects of that trap Naruko had set up a couple weeks ago, through which my friend Weiss saw an eroge in my room. And because of that Weiss got really mad at me, treated me like some hentai lolicon, and refused to talk to me for weeks. After many many explanations and apologies and with the help of Ruby and Yang, Weiss finally forgave me and started talking to me again.… Ugh, I really just want to die.
And today, I was coaxed out here by Rias, who told me excitedly to come for "Naruru-chan's webnovel going-on-sale party." Remember, we had gone out to buy a present for Naruko before. So we were going to hand that present over to her today.
This is ridiculous. Honestly, I didn't want to take a single step out of my room, and now I have to go to a party for that little devil? But, I mean… it was none other than Rias who had asked, so…
She always was helping us out, so it really just wouldn't feel right if I didn't try to return the favor. In other words, the reason I had come this far was not for Naruko, but for Rias. So don't get the wrong idea.
"… So, here then?" I suddenly stopped walking, and looked up at a completely ordinary-looking building.
Although if I had to say it, it did look somewhat suspicious. There were a few signs hung on the building, and one of those signs read "3F: Rental Room Akibatto." I compared it to what was written in the email Rias had sent me, and confirmed that this was indeed the right place.
I took the elevator up. The elevator door slid open. To my immediate right there was a reception desk behind a panel of glass, and on my left there was a hallway and a few doors. I see, each of the doors led to a separate rental room.
Just like I would at a karaoke place, I was supposed to go up to the window and ask for my room number, but even if I didn't do that it was pretty obvious to me where I was supposed to go. Right next to the door closest to I tried to see if this was a real company, but I think it was something the author made up.
There was a signpost, the kind you might find at a formal wedding or something. A sign with "Something Something Meeting Spot" written on it or something.
In that way, the following was written on the sign:
Namikaze Haruto Personal Harem Group, Party Meeting Spot
Ha, ha, ha! I wonder who this Namikaze Haruto is… personal harem? This guy's an idiot. Is he a complete hentai or something? Does he have no shame?
"Wait, that's my full name!?"
Who was it!? Who dares disgrace my name in public like this!? This was probably Rias's doing. Naruko and Blake would die before using a word like "harem". There's no mistaking it; she wrote this here herself without telling the other two.
Ughh… she's always a huge help so I don't want to say this but… what the hell are you doing to a guy when he's completely down, you idiot!?
"Ah, you must be Namikaze-sama. Please go to room 301."
"… Yeah yeah." I nodded, weak and resigned, to the receptionist, and walked to the side of the Namikaze Haruto Personal Harem Group, Party Meeting Spot sign. For some reason, there had been bells attached to this door that weren't on any other door. It was clearly an improvised decoration… it just looked unnatural.
Hmm…? These bells… a chill went down my spine and I had a sudden sense of déjà vu.
I opened the door.
Ringg. Ringg.
"Welcome home, master!" Two maid-sans wearing aprons stood side by side and greeted me. I pretended not to see anything and shut the door.
"… W-what the hell was that just now…?" I mumbled as I held down the door with both hands. I wasn't seeing things, right!? W-w… W-w-wait just a second. I need a second to gather my thoughts. N-no… or maybe I just didn't want to believe what I just saw… or… uhh…
"… It… it looked like some familiar faces were wearing some… really ridiculous outfits…"
Gulp. I swallowed, and wiped the sweat off my forehead. After taking a few deep breaths, I once again timidly opened the door.
Ringg. Ringg.
"Welcome home, mas—ugh, I seriously can't do this anymore!"
The minute I opened the door, the twintails red haired maid who came to greet her master (that would be me) suddenly snapped. 'Crash!' She threw her dress onto the floor and shouted vigorously.
"Whyyy do I have to cosplay a maid and come out here to welcome him!?"
"Naruru-chan! Come on, please, calm down, calm down! You were fine when we practiced, but why did you get so riled up during the real thing!?"
The other maid-san I had caught a glimpse of before turned out to be Rias. On the other side, a maid-costume-wearing Naruko had taken such a nasty attitude that if I were really her master, I would fire her in less than a second.
She pointed right at her brother's face. "It's completely different when he's right in front of me and when he's not, dammit! I'm interested in maid cosplay itself so this was fun, but degrading myself in front of him is something my pride can't take!"
W-what the hell's going on here?
"… Y-you all… this… what is this…?" Completely bewildered at this incomprehensible sight before me, I barely managed to get that question out. But neither Naruko nor Rias paid me any mind and continued to talk to each other.
I looked around the room. It was a mostly-white, simple room. The room was around twelve or thirteen tatami large. There was a white office table, an office chair, a whiteboard, and two 32-inch LCD monitors that were connected to a computer. On the table there were a few PSPs, which probably belonged to the girls.
… Looking at it like this, I could accept it if someone told me that this was a meeting place where people were coming together to do things and maybe play a few games. But why were they in maid outfits? That I could not even begin to understand. This wasn't a party to celebrate Naruko's cell phone going on sale?
A number of question marks materialized above my head, when Rias, seeming to have finished her discussion with Naruko for the moment, anxiously spoke up to me with an "Oh, crap" look on her face.
"Ahaha, well, this is just part of today's show! This rental room also has a cosplay lending service available. Well, how is it, my maid outfit? Is it cute?"
"… I-it's… cute, I guess…?"
"Hohoh, you feel moe for me then?"
"Absolutely not."
Crap, I shouldn't have said that! It's just that she looked so smug about it that I couldn't help myself!
Having had her maid costume rejected with a straight face, Rias curled her mouth up into ω shape, and mumbled with her head down. "Nyoron."
Paying no attention to my bewilderment, Rias grumbled something. "… Hmm, he doesn't seem to be happy to see me like this very much…"
"No no you got it all wrong!" I tried to explain that to Rias, and decided to get the conversation back on track. "… I mean, leaving that aside for now… I can see how you wanted to surprise me. But for me to be happy… at any rate, you mixed my sister in there, so…"
I already said this to Rias, but I felt not even a shred of that otaku-ish happiness they referred to as "moe". Hearing my response, Rias made another ω with her mouth.
"Fumumu… ah, I see, so you're saying it would have been better if she wore something more ecchi?"
"Better my ass! And what the hell do you mean by 'I see'?! I don't have a sister fetish, dammit!"
Geez… what the hell is up with this situation? I came here because I was told that they were throwing Naruko a party because her webnovel went on sale… and then for some reason they came and welcomed me in maid outfits, they're hiding something, aren't they? I mean, there's clearly something strange about this.
"… Hmm." But, I couldn't quite put my finger on the very least, this party didn't seem to be for what I was told it was going to be for…
… I have to be on my guard. What exactly are these people planning…? I looked around me very cautiously. And then, I realized it. Naruko and Rias and… one person was missing.
"Hm? Where's Blake? She didn't come?"
"Ah, if you want Blake-chan…"
The maid Rias spun around and pointed to a corner of the room. Right there was…
"Ah."
A cat ears maid was quietly peeking out her head out from behind a curtain.
"I-it's not what you think."
That was the first thing that came out of Blake's mouth. She gulped, almost as if she was steeling herself, and timidly came out from behind the curtain… and those were the first words out of her mouth.
I didn't know what to say, and just stared at the sullen, embarrassed-looking cat ears maid right in front of me. She was wearing the same white apron dress as everyone else, but she had on a pair of black nekomimi that looked just like the real thing, and a tail was sprouting from behind… It was an insanely good match, but I had no idea what comments to make here.
Without any other options, I just stood there silently and expressionlessly. When I did that, she seemed to take my silence to mean something, and suddenly turned the other way.
"… It's not what you think, I said."
Even if you say that… I really had no idea what I was "wrong" about, but I seemed to have offended her.
When the room began to fall into another uncomfortable silence, Rias came to everyone's rescue.
"Ahaha Blake-chan! You don't have to be that embarrassed. Those clothes really fit you! Haruto-chan also thinks so, right?"
"A-ahh… yeah, they look good on you."
"… Hmph, save the flattery for someone else."
Blake once again sharply turned the other way. She pretty much had her back on us at this point. Her cat ears shuddered, and the tail coming out of her behind swayed back and forth.
… T-they move…? That's amazing… costumes are getting way too real lately… Naruko seemed to be thinking the same thing, and her eyes widened.
"… I don't want to say it but… that's pretty c-cute."
From her actions, I surmised that she hadn't known about the moving ears and tail until now. Naruko had a very established personal philosophy on fashion, and when it came to appearances and outfits, she wasn't the kind of person to tell lies. Even with someone who she almost always argued with, she could give sincere praise at times like this.
"Hey, this is different from what you usually wore, right? Where did you buy those nekomimi and that tail? You didn't get those from the costumes they had available here, I don't think."
"Just like my usual costume… These were homemade."
"You made them yourself!? Seriously!?"
"…*Nod* "
Blake let down her guard just a bit and nodded. Perhaps she was inwardly happy at how surprised Naruko was, but Blake spoke a bit about cosplay with us. Broadly speaking, there are three ways of getting a cosplay outfit—rental, purchase, or self-made. Out of these three, the easiest one was rental.
After all, you didn't need to spend as much money as if you bought the outfit, and you didn't need as much skill as if you made the outfit yourself.
"… If you can make it yourself, in many cases you can keep the cost cheap. If you're a bit clever about it, the materials won't cost that much. Of course, if you want to make something detailed, you'll end up spending more."
"… Hmm… you're relatively good at this stuff."
Considering how contrarian Naruko usually was, it was pretty rare to hear her acknowledge Blake like this. Of course, even if it was Naruko, in this situation she could do nothing but praise Blake's work. Because it really was amazing. She was also absurdly good at games… Blake sure was pretty good with her hands.
But this girl had a tendency to lash back out of shyness when she was praised, and like always, Blake began to retort angrily. As her ears wiggled and her tail swished back and forth…
"… Each and every time… don't I always tell you to stop praising yourself in a roundabout way (wiggle wiggle)?… hmph, really, you're just implying that you're good at these things too, aren't you? (swish swish)"
"… Ugh… crap… ! This costume, dammit… ! I hate this… a girl like her… !" Naruko covered her mouth with her hands, and seemed to be dealing with some kind of shock. Perhaps because of that, she once again let loose a set of words that she usually would never say. "Hey… heey, next time, make some for me too… those nekomimi and that tail."
Being pressured by a Naruko she was completely not used to seeing, Blake seemed bewildered. Her crimson yes blinked with surprise, and she seemed slightly taken aback.
"… Mmm." Right then, for some reason, Blake sent her gaze in my direction.
I'm not sure at all, but was she telling me "Hey, do something about your annoying sister"?
That's probably it… nothing else would make sense here. I shrugged my shoulders and spoke. "Why don't you just make some for her?"
"… Cover the cost of the materials then." Blake mumbled reluctantly, not even meeting Naruko's eyes as Naruko pleaded with her hands clasped in front of her. Rias stood off to the side, just silently staring at this exchange… and for some reason, she had a broad grin on her face.