Feeling hurt, Tanaka Masao brought Eriri to the maid café he had been longing for.
He needed some cute maid energy right now.
At this point, to avoid attracting too much attention, both of them had removed their masks.
Their standard otaku attire looked quite normal in this area.
"Welcome home, Master, Young Lady."
Eriri sat in her seat, shaking her head and sighing helplessly.
"I really don't understand why you boys like maids."
While complaining, Eriri, seeing that Tanaka Masao was still looking at the menu, unsure of what to order, skillfully placed her order.
"One strawberry shortcake, one fruit juice, no delicious magic needed."
"Yes, Young Lady."
The maid staff member noted down Eriri's order, then looked at Tanaka Masao, smiling gently as she said, "Is this your first time here, Master? Would you like me to make a recommendation?"
Tanaka Masao put down the menu and nodded, "Yes."
Maid cafés value their reputation, so the staff had no intention of ripping off customers. She recommended a very common heart-shaped omurice, plus a glass of orange juice, to Tanaka Masao.
After the maid left, Eriri let out a soft chuckle.
"Heh, I didn't expect this to be your first time. You're so nervous. Were you captivated by the cute maid?"
"The maid is quite cute."
Tanaka Masao nodded, perhaps due to the boss's strict requirements.
The maids in this shop all had good looks, scoring about seven out of ten.
But even so, Tanaka Masao wouldn't be captivated, because he interacted with many beautiful women every day.
In class, Kawasaki Saki was in front of him; after school, there was Yukinoshita Yukino; and on weekends, there was Eriri.
All three were on par with school beauties, with looks scoring nine out of ten.
Thinking this, Tanaka Masao felt his current life was truly good.
He continued, "I'm not so captivated that I'm completely smitten. It's just that the first meeting was so enthusiastic, with no sense of distance, which I'm a bit unaccustomed to."
Hearing Tanaka Masao's words, Eriri looked at him in disbelief.
"You, of all people, know about something like personal space?"
"How could I not know about personal space?"
"Heh~," Eriri sneered.
"You, if you knew about personal space, you shouldn't have talked to me when we first met.
That way, I wouldn't have to be with you like this now, and I could enjoy my otaku life at home alone."
Tanaka Masao didn't care about Eriri's disdain.
Tsundere, after all. Just listen to the opposite of what she says. Translated, it means:
[Thanks to you recognizing me back then, I can be with you like this now. It's truly enjoyable.]
Well, even if Eriri wasn't a tsundere, she wouldn't say that.
It can only be said that Tanaka Masao found an alternative way to interpret tsundere behavior.
······
Soon, their orders arrived.
The maid placed the items on the table.
"Young Lady, here are your cake and juice. Master, here are your omurice and juice."
The maid, after setting down the items, did not leave. Instead, she formed a heart shape with her hands over the omurice in front of Tanaka Masao.
Dancing slightly, she chanted, "May it become delicious~! Moe, moe, kyun!"
After finishing the delicious spell, the maid bowed.
"Please enjoy your meal, Master and Young Lady."
After the maid left, Eriri rested her chin on one hand, eating cake with a spoon in the other, and asked with interest, "How's the delicious magic? Did the omurice become tastier?"
Tanaka Masao was still savoring the magic. Hearing her, he replied, "I'm not sure if it became tastier, but after experiencing it myself, just based on the maid's performance, I think the money was well spent."
To this, Eriri uncharacteristically didn't retort.
"You have a point there. Not everyone can do something like that."
Eriri silently admitted that she couldn't perform such an embarrassing spell.
Tanaka Masao ate his omurice and thought,
[If Kawasaki wants to earn tutoring fees, with her looks, she would definitely become a very popular maid.
Although I can't imagine her looking shy.
But a look of disdain would certainly be very attractive too.]
However, the idea of Kawasaki Saki wearing a maid outfit was something Tanaka Masao could only imagine in his mind.
Kawasaki Saki would work as a regular waitress, but she wouldn't do something like a cheerful maid who needs to interact with customers.
Seeing Tanaka Masao spacing out, Eriri couldn't help but ask, "What are you spacing out about? Don't tell me you're thinking about doujinshi plots again."
Tanaka Masao snapped back, a mysterious smile playing on his lips.
"Guess."
Eriri snorted, full of disdain.
"Hmph, you're definitely thinking about doujinshi. You're such a perverted otaku, always in heat, with a head full of lewd trash."
Perhaps because she knew it was inappropriate to discuss such topics in public,
Eriri lowered her voice, only allowing the two of them to hear.
Tanaka Masao shrugged helplessly and sighed.
"Sigh, Eriri, why do I feel like my image in your mind is nothing but doujinshi?"
Eriri narrowed her eyes at the indignant Tanaka Masao.
"What, besides that, do you have anything else to show for yourself?"
"Of course, of course…"
Tanaka Masao originally wanted to retort, but then he realized that neither he nor the original owner had any special talents.
Even drawing doujinshi wasn't his forte.
"I can't think of anything right now, but there must be something."
Eriri looked at Tanaka Masao with dead fish eyes. Although she said nothing, her meaning was clear:
[You little trash.]
Tanaka Masao was deeply hurt by this look of contempt. He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth slightly, and thought to himself,
[I also have a talent: endless life, endless energy. I wonder if Eriri dares to try it.]
However, this was a talent given by the system and not easy to display casually, so Tanaka Masao couldn't say it.
[Don't be angry, don't be angry. Eriri is a tsundere; all her actions must be interpreted in reverse.
She must think I'm amazing right now, looking at me with great reverence.]
Well, looking at Eriri's eyes, even Tanaka Masao couldn't deceive himself this time.
He could only lower his head and eat, but he didn't intend to back down just like that. He spoke up, "Eriri, are you planning to go straight home later?"
"What, do you have something to do?"
"I'm planning to go to the arcade for a while later. I was wondering if you wanted to come along."
"Arcade."
Eriri thought for a moment, "It's true I haven't been in a long time. Let's go together."
She usually maintained the image of a bright young lady at school, so she naturally wouldn't go to an arcade.
She was also busy drawing doujinshi, and after falling out with Tomoya Aki, she lost her otaku friend, so she rarely went to the arcade alone.
Tanaka Masao, eating his food with his head down, revealed a cunning smile.
[Eriri, when we get to the arcade later, I'll completely destroy you.]