-1108- Cute maid?

Afterward, Rozen returned to his own class.

There, due to not meeting during the break, Kojou, Asagi, and Motoki were chatting casually, discussing the interesting events that happened during the break.

Although they called it interesting, in reality...

"So, you're saying you suddenly got a maid at home out of nowhere, and she's a very cute girl?" Asagi said with narrowed eyes.

"Yeah, I still haven't figured out what's going on. Although it's not really my home, I'm just staying with Nagisa at Nichiyo's place," Kojou said, looking puzzled.

"It sounds like your own imagination, Kojou. I mean, I know you're a normal guy, but fantasizing about having a cute girl as a maid is a bit much, don't you think?" Motoki patted Kojou's shoulder, looking pitying.

"I'm not imagining things! It's real!" Kojou exclaimed.

"Well, even if it's true, why would a maid suddenly appear, especially a cute girl?" Asagi's eyes were full of suspicion.

"I-I'm not sure what's going on myself," Kojou's tone became less confident.

"Wow..." Motoki's gaze towards Kojou became increasingly sympathetic.

Naturally, Asagi was the same.

The two looked at Kojou as if to say, "He's finally reached this point," severely damaging Kojou's psyche.

"It's really not my imagination..." Kojou almost knelt down, looking utterly defeated.

Seeing this, Rozen almost burst out laughing.

And this made everyone notice Rozen's presence.

"You... You're back, Nichiyo!" Kojou rushed to Rozen as if seeing a savior.

"We really got a maid at home, and she's cute, right?" Kojou's face was full of hope, expecting Rozen to confirm his story.

"Huh? Is that so, Nichiyo?" Asagi also looked at Rozen, wearing a smirk.

"Well, if it's Nichiyo, I'm sure many would be willing to be his cute maid if he wanted one, right?" Motoki added insult to injury.

Obviously, if Rozen admitted to this, he would be considered as one with Kojou.

After all, having a cute girl as a maid at home is not something modern.

So...

"I think it's Kojou's misunderstanding," Rozen said firmly.

"Nichiyo...!?" Kojou looked utterly astonished, as if betrayed by someone he trusted.

"See, I told you."

"I thought you were just into little sister types, Kojou, but it turns out you're into maids too. But it's okay, that's just how men are. I understand. Just try to keep it under control at school and don't confuse fantasies with reality," Asagi and Motoki delivered the final blow to Kojou.

"I... I'm not fantasizing! I'm not into little sisters or maids, aaaaah!" Kojou trembled all over, eventually bursting into tears and running out of the classroom, leaving behind this place of controversy.

Rozen, Asagi, and Motoki watched the scene with calm expressions.

"Well, maybe we teased him a bit too much," Asagi summed up the situation with a single sentence.

"Class is about to start. Let's go find him and bring him back," Rozen shrugged.

"I guess I'll go get him back. He's really hopeless," Motoki stood up with a resigned expression and left the classroom to search for Kojou, who was running with tears.

"By the way, did your family really hire a maid?" Asagi finally turned to Rozen, looking like she was demanding an answer.

"Well, sort of," Rozen sat at his desk, behind Asagi, and said, "Natsuki-nee said I'm in high school now, and with my studies getting busier and already having a formal license as an Attack Mage, there's no need to focus too much on household chores, so we did it."

Rozen explained the cause of the incident in a half-truthful way, earning a nod from Asagi.

"If it's Natsuki-chan, she might do something like that. After all, she can even make a Special Security Team member drive for you and then find a girl to be a maid. It's not difficult for her," Asagi understood, but then smirked mischievously.

That mischievous smirk was characteristic of Asagi.

Back when they first met in the hospital, Asagi had worn such a mischievous smile. With her beautiful face, it gave off a feeling of either playfulness or strangeness.

And when Asagi wore that expression, it usually meant she was about to say something teasing.

"Is the maid cute?" As expected, Asagi teased.

However, for some reason, her eyes were overly serious, both probing and slightly displeased, leaving one puzzled.

"She's cute enough," Rozen wisely chose his words carefully, saying, "But, if we're talking about cute girls, we already have Nagisa and Avrora at home."

"...Fair enough," Asagi suddenly seemed to lose energy, shoulders drooping as she sighed, "You really don't lack cute girls around you. It's silly to compete in this area."

"Hey hey hey, why are you talking about me like I'm a cowherd?" Rozen complained, a bit annoyed, "Besides, aren't you a cute girl yourself?"

"Huh? Me?" Asagi seemed shaken by the unexpected attack, murmuring softly, "Countering like this? Well...you have good taste!"

Asagi turned away, seemingly not wanting Rozen to see her expression at that moment, but her ears betrayed her, turning red, revealing her true feelings.

(That was easy.)

Rozen concluded in his mind.

"Oh, by the way," suddenly, Rozen remembered something and looked at Asagi, "Asagi, could you investigate the Magus Craft company for me?"

"Magus Craft?" Asagi turned around, puzzled, "Isn't that the company that manufactures robotic dolls? Why do you want to investigate them?"

"Just some work stuff," Rozen said somewhat seriously, "You should be able to easily find relevant information. Can I count on you?"

"Work, huh..." Asagi pondered for a moment, then seemed to give up, saying, "Okay, even though I don't know what it's about, it's rare for you to owe me a favor. You know what to do, right?"

At the words, Rozen laughed again.

"The all-you-can-eat dessert buffet at the Keystone Gate."

"Deal!"

With that, Asagi happily took out her phone to start the investigation.

Rozen couldn't help but feel a regretful.

After all, the girl named Aiba Asagi was not only a genius in computer science but also famously had a huge appetite.

Rozen's limited pocket money might just get wiped out.