Chapter 154: Festival part 3

It didn't take Shouko long to find her mother. However, before she could feel embarrassed by her mother's behavior, a small blue blur jumped onto her and clung tightly.

"Shouko-Chan♥～" said Akira affectionately as she nuzzled against her cousin.

Shouko, being a lover of cute things, couldn't resist pampering her little cousin for a while before facing her mother. But by the time she was ready, her mother had already escaped somewhere with her aunt Ryouko.

With no other choice but to take care of little Akira, the two girls set off in search of fun activities at the cultural festival.

On Tadano and the girls' side, the plan turned out to be a success, much to Hayasaka's surprise.

It all started when Muu-Tan showed a picture of a lava lamp she had at home during a conversation, which caught Kaede's interest as she stared at it for a while.

Then, she suggested going to the class next door, which had created a themed room that simulated lava lamps.

Kaede was very intrigued and was successfully distracted.

Next, Hayasaka suggested taking a group photo with her friends. While the group was sharing the photos, she asked Tadano to fetch some drinks as a favor, to which Tadano agreed.

Hayasaka was surprised at how smoothly the plan went, but she didn't complain. Instead, she quickly gave the signal to her young mistress.

However...

Kaguya was already in another world...

"This… This is… How much!?" Kaguya said without hesitation as she pulled out a black credit card.

In Kaguya's hands was a large collection of photos of Tadano in a butler outfit, including a few candid shots of him changing clothes.

Kaguya's mind was a complete mess, and she was utterly embarrassed. However, amidst all the chaos, one thought reigned supreme.

"I want these photos NOW!"

Najimi, who had smelled a lucrative opportunity, quickly named a price.

"Fufufu∼ Tadano-Kun, you truly are my lucky star. Thanks to you, this sister will make a fortune today! Although I feel a little bad for the fan group that originally requested these photos, a girl has to seize opportunities, right?" thought Najimi as she pulled out a card reader from somewhere.

At that moment, just as Kaguya's card was about to touch the reader, a voice rang out.

"It seems you never learn, do you, Najimi?" said Tadano with a smile that wasn't really a smile.

"What? Oh! Tadano-Kun… well… you see… this is… Ehm…"

Najimi started sweating nervously upon seeing Tadano's expression. That smile of his filled her with unprecedented fear.

Before she could say anything else, she was quickly grabbed by the collar of her uniform and tossed aside.

"Ah!"

"Gorimi-Senpai, I'll leave her to you. And once again, thank you for helping with patrol duties despite your important role in the library committee," Tadano said to the girl who was holding Najimi like a kitten.

The young woman, who seemed straight out of a certain comic about incredibly muscular men obsessed with posing, nodded at Tadano and dragged Najimi away.

"Ah! Not you again!? No! I don't want to get beaten up again! Tadano-Kun!" Najimi cried out pitifully as she was dragged toward the disciplinary committee.

Sigh *

"Well, one issue resolved. Now, as for you…" Tadano said as he turned to face his older stepsister.

However...

"…?"

"Where did she go? Her presence was here just a moment ago… Eh? You run so fast? I guess that scene of you running away from the president in the anime wasn't a joke…" Tadano murmured as he used his senses to locate Kaguya.

He was surprised to realize that she had already run very far and was at the school gate in less than a minute after he had taken his eyes off her.

"Well, I can only lament the efforts of the poor maid that will be wasted… although I'm a little surprised she's friends with Rumiko and her group of gals…" Tadano murmured as he went to rejoin the group of gyarus.

That's right! Tadano always knew about the movements of the mistress-maid pair.

Although he doesn't always activate his sensory abilities at school, you should know that he has been gradually increasing his stats with daily training, as well as purchasing stats in the shop.

All this because of the scare a certain goddess gave him.

Moreover, Tadano felt somewhat anxious. Even though he had seen that the world was relatively normal, he didn't feel entirely safe after obtaining the soul fragment of Naoe Yamato.

"If that woman really exists in this world…" Tadano murmured to himself.

He quickly shook his head and went in search of the group of girls.

When Tadano rejoined the group of girls, he wasn't surprised to find that Hayasaka had disappeared.

When he asked about her, the group of gals said she had an emergency at home and had left early.

Tadano felt a bit sorry for the blonde maid's wasted efforts and planned to send her a complete set of relaxing bubble bath products later.

On another note, the group had fun searching for Kaede, who had gotten lost yet again.

Not long after they found the wayward Kaede, Najimi informed them that the supplies had been restocked, and it was time to get back to work.

With no other choice, Tadano bid farewell to the gyaru group and headed to his class with Kaede.

Rumiko watched the boy leave, and a slight reluctance couldn't help but surface in her heart.

"You like him, don't you?" said Yukapoyo in a teasing tone.

"Eh? W-What are you talking about!? Me? How could I possibly like someone like that idiot!?" Rumiko replied, slipping into full tsundere mode.

"Fufufu∼ No need to be so embarrassed, Bagiko… We've all noticed how smitten you are with that guy," said Muu-Tan with a mischievous grin.

"That's right! Our Bagiko isn't any less cute than that girl from before—Kaede, right? Doesn't matter! Our Bagiko is prettier and has a bigger chest. Without a doubt, you'll win that guy over!" said Gonzales with confidence, puffing out her modest chest.

"W-What are you girls saying!? B-But do you really think… I could get him to notice me…" Rumiko said timidly, twirling a strand of her hair.

Seeing how adorable she looked, the group of gyarus couldn't suppress a collective squeal of delight at so much cuteness.

"Without a doubt!" said Gonzales.

"Our Bagiko won't lose!" added Muu-Tan.

"Don't worry, Bagiko! With our help, we'll have that guy at your feet… As a reward for our efforts, just let us name your future kids," said Yukapoyo cheekily.

Hearing those words, Rumiko's face quickly turned red, and she fled in a panic and embarrassment.

"Oops, I think I overdid it, hehe…" said Yukapoyo awkwardly.

"Mooh∼ Yuuka-chan, remember that Bagiko isn't as thick-skinned as you…" Muu-Tan complained.

"Well, I guess we have to go find her. And it better be soon because I bet the manager will be calling us soon…" said Gonzales while glancing at her phone.

Pochi's Class

The maid café run by Pochi's class had become incredibly popular.

The main reason? The staff.

There was the cheerful and sunny Nijika, who warmed the hearts of the customers.

Then there was the cold and serious Ryo, whose icy, disdainful demeanor sent shivers down the spines of many. Her biggest clients were a group of tall, burly men who seemed to enjoy being stepped on by the girl.

Kita also lent a hand, bringing her friendly and bright personality. Her kind words and persuasive charm convinced more than one customer to order extra dishes or drinks.

And, of course, there was the pink-haired beauty.

Many sighed dreamily at the sight of her adorable figure and were intrigued by the strange but striking black visor the girl wore.

"Nijika-chan… Can I take this off now…" Pochi said, looking a bit embarrassed.

"You can't, Pochi-chan! You've been avoiding your duties for far too long… That's not right, Pochi-chan! If you agreed to participate, you have to be responsible…" scolded Nijika in her motherly tone.

"Uuuu… It's just… it's tight," Hitori said, trying to adjust the chest area of her maid outfit.

"…"

Nijika, Ryo, and Kita couldn't help but glance at their friend's impressive chest.

Then, they looked down at the "airports" on their own chests, and their expressions darkened.

"Hehe, come on, girls, don't be so gloomy… You're all still growing! Besides, cheer up—there are still lots of guests to serve∼" Ai said cheerfully, flaunting her charming maid outfit.

Her six-pointed starry eyes sparkled, reflecting her high spirits.

Ai's words might have been more reassuring if not for the fact that her current figure was almost on par with Pochi's, if not better.

The girls couldn't help but wonder in their hearts,

"She is younger than us, right? Are all the younger ones developing so quickly these days?"

On the side, Yamai watched the girls' interaction with affection.

It made her happy to see how well her little one got along with the girls from Kessoku Band.

And so, a new round of competition for first place at the festival began.

The showdown was fierce, but everyone knew there were only two contenders: Tadano's class and Pochi's class.

The effort from Pochi's classmates, and even the small but mighty Ai, was impressive. However, they underestimated just how ambitious Najimi could be.

"Come on, girls! That first place has to be mine! Step right up! For 1,500 yen, you can take a picture with one of the girls, and for 2,000 yen, you can get a handshake!" Najimi shouted, promoting deals while balancing three bags stacked on her head like an ice cream cone—a symbol of the beating she must have taken from the disciplinary committee.

Beside Najimi stood a maid holding a menu with all the deals she was advertising.

"BUHAHAHA! First place will be mine!" Najimi declared arrogantly, fanning herself with a fan made of bills.

Tadano couldn't help but sigh.

He knew that if this continued, it wouldn't take long for Kiyoko and the teachers to show up.

That's when he signaled to Nene.

After nodding in response, Nene brought along two girls—Onigashima-san and Kishi-san.

Then…

"Eh? What's happening? Where are you taking me? Hey! Wait! I demand a lawyer!" shouted Najimi as she was dragged to a secluded corner.

"Thanks for your help, Nene…" Tadano said, giving her a small kiss on the cheek.

"Hehe, if you're that grateful, then show me later…" Nene replied teasingly.

"That's…"

"Hehe, just kidding. Actually, you should get ready because those girls will want something in return. Onigashima wants a bit of help with her studies, and Kishi-san wants you to be her training partner for a week," Nene explained.

Tadano nodded and then looked at Nene.

"…? Something else?" she asked curiously.

"Monday, after school and before you head home…"

With those words, Tadano went off to change. Without Najimi's help, he'd have to hold the fort with his performance.

Meanwhile, Nene blushed deeply as she understood the boy's words.

"Idiot…" she murmured, but she couldn't stop her thighs from trembling slightly or the warmth spreading within her.

On the other hand, Shouko glanced behind her.

There stood her little cousin.

Shouko felt a bit concerned. She would have to go inside to start her work but wasn't sure if she could leave little Akira alone here. Worse yet, she hadn't found her mother or aunt anywhere.

Just thinking about all the misunderstandings her mother might cause at the school gave her a headache.

As she wondered what to do, a hand rested on her shoulder.

"Shouko? What are you doing out here? Oh! Is this your cousin?" Tadano asked as he finished getting dressed and prepared for another round of attracting customers, a sign promoting their Maid Café resting against his shoulder.

"…!"

Shouko flinched at first but immediately relaxed when she heard his voice.

She nodded at Tadano's words and introduced little Akira.

"Hito-kun, let me introduce you. This is my little cousin, Komi Akira… Akira-chan, this is… this is… my boyfriend, Tadano Hitohito."

Shouko started calmly, but when she got to Tadano, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

"…!"

Akira looked at Tadano. She had to admit the boy was handsome, maybe even a little intimidating with his height and muscular build. But!

"Shouko-nee's boyfriend?"

Glare

Akira couldn't help but feel threatened.

It didn't help to see how shy and timid Shouko acted around Tadano.

A strong feeling surged in Akira's young heart—that something very important was about to be taken from her.

With great determination, she tried to give Tadano an aggressive and piercing glare, hoping to intimidate him and keep him away from her cousin.

Tadano smiled, amused by the girl's little act.

He could completely understand her intentions thanks to his talent for reading the atmosphere.

On another note, Tadano found Akira's appearance somewhat puzzling.

Her bright blue hair, as radiant as the sky, and caramel-colored eyes felt strangely familiar to him.

Not wanting to delay things further, Tadano introduced himself.

"Hello, how are you, Akira-chan? I'm your cousin's boyfriend. If you need anything, feel free to let me know, okay?" Tadano said with his characteristic smile.

"Oh, you can have this if you like…" Tadano added, placing a small bag of carrot-shaped gummies into Akira's hands.

Then he turned to Shouko.

"I'll leave the class to you for a bit. I'm going to take a stroll…" Tadano said as he adjusted the sign on his shoulder.

Shouko nodded and, after tidying up a little, let the boy go.

Akira watched him leave. She had huffed slightly at how intimate the two had been moments ago. However…

"He doesn't seem all that bad…" Akira murmured to herself while chewing on the carrot-shaped gummies.

...

Author's Note:

"Alright, here's the last chapter, and now we're back on track with one chapter per week. Well, there's a lot to say, but to keep it short—this author had a health relapse and couldn't move for an entire week. I had severe pain in my head and temples. I admit I got scared for a moment, wondering if I'd actually need to be hospitalized.

That said, thanks to the kind care of my mother and some intensive medication, I've been able to write and work again. I apologize to all the friends who follow this book. I'm doing my best to bring more chapters and regret the slow updates.

I hope you continue to enjoy my work. Remember to drink plenty of water, and know that I love you all. With that said, I'll sign off and start thinking about the next plot.

Sincerely, your favorite depressed author."

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