Chapter 11: Maid Cafe in Akihabara
Kasumigaoka Utaha's hands trembled as she read the diary. The description was painfully clear: her sharp tongue, her long black hair, her beauty, her aloof aura. And then, the line naming her outright—Kasumigaoka Utaha, one year older than Renji Miyauchi and Eriri Spencer Sawamura.
Her scalp tingled. She almost dropped the diary. Quickly, she skimmed from the beginning, stomping her foot in agitation. The Mysterious Person had copied a prologue of a light novel, and she was in it—alongside Eriri Spencer Sawamura, Aki Tomoya, and a faint, almost invisible girl named Kato Megumi.
The title was even worse: Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend. Utaha wasn't the heroine at all, just one of the rivals, destined to lose unless an alternate "IF route" erased her competition. Her chest tightened with indignation. She was Kasumigaoka Utaha—top student of Toyosaki Academy, a genius novelist about to debut officially, admired by all. How could she possibly be relegated to a side route in someone else's story? Impossible.
She closed and reopened the diary, but the text didn't change. It was undeniable. This was her original story. Three women tied together by one otaku boy's sudden desire to make a game.
The thought of strangers across Japan now reading her future life made her cheeks burn. She smacked the diary against her desk a few times like it was a stress ball, then calmed herself. Still, her curiosity lingered. Who was Kato Megumi, really? And Eriri Spencer Sawamura—was she truly destined to be such a loser? Utaha even found herself wanting to meet Eriri, if only to see if she carried that aura of defeat in real life.
A few more lines appeared in the diary, mocking Eriri's fate and praising her art while joking that her erotic drawings surpassed even Eromanga Sensei's. Utaha covered her mouth, torn between laughter and pity. Eriri really was the loser of losers. But as for herself—she had no intention of chasing after Aki Tomoya. Her schedule was already overflowing: finishing her novel outline, practicing Ripple Breathing (which still resisted her control despite four reading points), keeping her grades flawless. Fighting over a man? Utaha scoffed. Men could not keep her beautiful and youthful at fifty the way Ripple Breathing could. Let Kato have him.
...
Meanwhile, Renji Miyauchi awoke to find that someone had finally responded online. A burner account had tweeted the words he'd requested: "I want to be Miss Makima's dog." Beneath it, the poster had added: "Can you please stop posting?" Renji chuckled. Six days of writing, and at last, proof that his words reached others.
He had kept an eye on Hoshino Ai's Twitter, waiting for suspicious comments, but none had appeared. He didn't know Ai had already deleted one. Now, at last, there was feedback. If one person had responded, there had to be more lurking in the shadows. Readers always existed. He only needed patience.
Judging from the timing, it had to be one of the heroines from Saekano. But which one—Utaha or Eriri? Megumi was too inconspicuous to post something like that, and Tomoya would have shouted it earlier if he held a diary. Renji smirked. Better to wait and watch before replying.
For now, he had other tasks. That morning, he took his family to Toyosaki Academy to scout the school. Kouka was instantly smitten by its wide halls and glittering facilities. She dragged Renji through the Kendo and Archery Clubs, declaring she would conquer them despite never having touched a shinai or bow in her life. Renji only shook his head. "I'm joining the Going-Home Club. But if you're serious, I'll find a dojo to let you try." Better she spend her energy there than dreaming of noble life in Tokyo mansions.
By noon, after scouting the grounds and confirming how lax the school's surveillance was, Renji felt satisfied. With Ripple Breathing, sneaking into the academy later would be child's play. Mission accomplished, he took the family to lunch. Then, in the afternoon, they headed to Akihabara.
To most of his family, Akihabara was just a giant electronics district. But to Renji, it was more: the land had a true owner. The Akiba family had managed it since the Edo period, and it was their decision that had transformed it into an otaku paradise a decade ago. Renji couldn't help but think of stories from his previous life, where this district had become legendary.
While his parents and Kazuho browsed for appliances, Renji slipped away with Kouka and Renka to rest at a maid café. The moment they stepped inside, a pink-haired maid in cat ears greeted them with a sparkling smile.
"Welcome home, Masters, nyaa~! Phyllis NyanNyan at your service, nyaa~!"
Kouka yelped, dragging Renka behind her. "Wh-what is this?!" she sputtered, shielding her little sister's eyes.
The maid only giggled. "Oh, we even have a little master today, nyaa! Don't worry, our service is perfectly wholesome, nyaa~!"
Renji studied her closely, murmuring under his breath. "What luck… the very first maid to greet me is none other than the landlord of Akihabara herself."
Phyllis NyanNyan—legendary number-one maid of Mayqueen+NyanNyan, and the true face of Akihabara's most famous café.