Just before class, Shiina Mahiru and Miura Yumiko walked hand-in-hand.
Hayashi Maki couldn't help widening his eyes. Honestly, if he didn't know Mahiru's orientation, he'd have thought she was into girls. She was somehow even more popular with girls than he, a demon, was—and now, before he could even react, she'd charmed Yumiko into being close. The angel's charm wasn't exaggerated.
Thinking that, he teased her with a text.
Hayashi Maki: "Mahiru, you're holding Yumiko's hand so sweetly—don't tell me you've turned into a yuri girl?"
Mahiru: "Yuri your head. This is your fault—picking on Yumiko without a word."
"Yumiko's my good friend. Of course I have to comfort her."
Hayashi Maki: "Hehe, sorry… when there's an opening I can't help acting. And… thank you, my Angel."
Mahiru: "You're welcome. I'm just keeping the house harmonious. If only you'd stop attracting bees and butterflies."
Hayashi Maki: "I'll make it up to you tonight. I'm entrusting Yumiko to you, my Angel."
Mahiru: "Go cool off somewhere. Trying a new way to mess with me? Not falling for it!"
Hayashi Maki sighed. Since when was lovers' teasing "messing with" someone?
That said—having Mahiru as his wise, capable partner really made life easy.
Without incident, afternoon came.
After the final class was club period. For the first time in a while, Hayashi Maki went to the club room with Mahiru, Nibutani Shinka, and Kato Megumi. Embarrassingly, the room hadn't seen much use since it was established—but no matter, they were here now.
He snapped his fingers, and a violet magic circle appeared on the floor. Shinka's eyes lit up. Magic! Real magic! Unlike the chūnibyō circles she used to draw, Hayashi Maki's circle had actual mana and did real work.
The sigil flashed, and light novels, games, and other things from his collection materialized on the floor.
"Our activity today is reading light novels of all kinds and playing PC games," he announced. "After all, our club's about creating LNs, games, and manga. I hope you'll grow to love them and level up with me—even if you don't create, building up reading experience makes editing an easier job."
Shinka shot her hand up. "Um, Maki-kun, editing isn't easy. There are roles—responsible editor, managing editor, editor-in-chief, section chief. If it were easy, the country wouldn't be full of corporate drones. Just thinking about the post-grad 'wage-slave' life makes my future look bleak."
(Being a mage sounded like the better career path!)
Hayashi Maki pinched her cheek and laughed. "Even wage slaves can climb step by step—into higher-level wage slaves!"
"That's still a wage slave," Megumi deadpanned with a raised hand. A higher-tier sardine was still a sardine. Did it really change anything?
"Dummy Megumi, don't interrupt me!" Hayashi Maki mussed her hair, turning her silky locks into a mess. Megumi blinked, doe-eyed, though he caught a trace of silent reproach.
Holding back a chuckle, he continued, "Editing isn't easy, and moving up is harder—but what if we start a company? We'd have time to train, build experience, and bring in great seniors to mentor us. Since you joined my club, I'll make sure you live an easy life."
People live for joy—otherwise, what's the point?
"By the way, I've saved enough to start a company. Once we graduate, we can launch right away."
"Eh? For real? Starting a company takes a lot of money. This is a company, not some game club!" Shinka eyed him skeptically.
"Of course it's real. My light novel's releasing—preorders have passed 500,000. Money won't be an issue. Also, a few days ago an ojou-sama tipped me—20 million yen, believe it?"
Mahiru's eyes widened. "Twenty million? Which heiress is that generous?"
"…Are you sure it's not a scam?" Shinka added, incredulous.
"The money's in my account—how would that be fake? She wants to create a magical-girl manga; I happened to have ideas, so we talked. I plan to write the LN version next. Meanwhile, you three soak up LN and manga craft. I've paved the way to an easier life—whether you walk it is up to you."
With that, Hayashi Maki opened his laptop and started typing. The three girls dove into PC games with interest.
Megumi, however, pulled out a manga. "How about we read this?"
Her face was placid, revealing nothing. Mahiru and Shinka took it without suspicion and began to read. A few pages in, Shinka's eyes bulged and she yelped, "Ah!"
"Megumi, what is this you gave us? This is that kind of manga, right? A doujin! Aaaah, my eyes!"
Mahiru's cheeks pinked and she offered a solemn critique: "Exactly—and the proportions are outrageous! Whose chest looks like that? Is she a cow-alien?"
Hearing the commotion, Hayashi Maki glanced over and twitched at the corner of his mouth. Well played, Megumi. Quiet, spacey on the surface—and the blackest of bellies underneath. What she'd handed them was Eriri's doujin—the very one she'd borrowed from her cousin.
Watching Shinka squawk, Megumi's lips curled briefly before her smile vanished, as if it had never been there. Hmph—my eyes got polluted by that doujin. As good friends, the two of you can share the contamination with me.