>3< Toujou Koneko

Chapter 3: Toujou Koneko

"Hmm, so how do I summon it?" Zaimokuza wondered, fiddling with the devil flyer on his bed after dinner.

Could it be that he needed to silently wish for it?

"Come forth, devil!" Zaimokuza suddenly shouted.

After a moment of silence, he started to think he might have made a mistake in the incantation or needed to strike a special pose.

"Come forth, Shenlong!" Zaimokuza then kneeled on one leg, extending his arms as he called out again.

"I alone am the honoured one"

"Do you want to dance?"

"Muda Muda Muda!"

****************

After ten minutes of striking various odd and dramatic poses, and shouting increasingly over-the-top incantations, Zaimokuza still received no response from the flyer. If his house hadn't been an independent one with good soundproofing, he might have been reported by the neighbors by now.

Exhausted and in an "orz" pose, he panted heavily and glanced at the flyer, muttering in exasperation, "Could it be that the wish-fulfilling part is just a scam?"

Suddenly, a dazzling red magic circle appeared from the flyer, and a petite girl with short white hair emerged from it.

"Toujou Koneko!" Zaimokuza exclaimed in surprise.

Koneko looked at Zaimokuza with a slightly amused expression, her neutral face showing a hint of a smile as she asked, "Do you know me, guest?"

"Uh, well... we're from the same school," Zaimokuza flustered, trying to cover up. He couldn't very well say he recognized her from an anime.

"Well then, what wish do you have, guest?" Koneko asked, still seeming to suppress a laugh.

"Hmm? Why are you holding back a laugh?" Zaimokuza scratched his head in confusion.

"Oh, it's because I was listening to you repeatedly change poses and chants for summoning, it was quite amusing," Koneko explained after a moment of calm.

"Ha!" Zaimokuza's face turned a shade of embarrassment. This would surely become a new addition to his black history.

"So that's why you took so long to appear?" Zaimokuza said with a wry smile.

"Yes, sorry about that. I was pulled back by Akeno-senpai, so I ended up being late," Koneko said with a bow.

Zaimokuza waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "It's okay, it's not a big deal. You didn't record any of it, so not many people will know."

Koneko covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. Actually, Akeno-senpai had recorded the whole thing, but it seemed best not to mention it.

"So, once more, do you have any wishes you'd like fulfilled?"

"Yes, my name is Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, but you can call me Zaimokuza. I'm wondering if there's any kind of protective accessory or gear that could help me withstand damage?"

"Defense magic, huh? I'm not very skilled in magic; I'm more proficient in close combat. However, I can ask buchou for help. You should be able to get some protective gear in a few days."

"Ah, thank you. And there's one more thing."

"Hm? What else do you need?"

"Could you play some games with me?" Zaimokuza asked, looking a bit embarrassed.

Unexpectedly, Koneko's typically neutral expression brightened with excitement. Her previously cold voice now carried a hint of enthusiasm as she said,

"Sure, no problem, Zaimokuza-kun."

******************

Time flew by as they played games, and Zaimokuza felt quite satisfied. It had been a long time since he had a friend to play games with.

Although he would have preferred playing a gal game, it seemed more appropriate to play with a fellow student who happened to be a loli.

They played a fighting game and, after several hours of intense matches, climbed to a high rank. During their matches, they had repeatedly defeated a player with the ID "Kiririn," who then challenged them to a one-on-one fight. The result was that Kiririn was once again beaten by Zaimokuza and Koneko.

"You'd better remember this! I was just having an off day. Next time, I'll definitely win!"

A furious voice came from a second-floor apartment.

"Hmph, too weak, too weak," Zaimokuza taunted, indulging in some mockery.

"Damn it, remember this, you jerk. I bet you don't even have a girlfriend. With your personality, you're destined to be single, you steel-hearted guy," came the angry retort from the headset.

Zaimokuza felt a pang of frustration, and his mood darkened.

"You damn, horrible, pitiful person. You're the one who probably doesn't have a boyfriend!"

"What did you say..."

As the argument continued, Koneko suddenly spoke up.

"Ah, Zaimokuza-kun, I need to go now. The time for today's request has already passed."

Zaimokuza immediately turned off his headset and said, "Oh, sorry about that. So, what's the fee for today's request?"

"Well, it depends on what the employer is willing to offer," Koneko replied.

Zaimokuza thought for a moment and then remembered that Koneko liked various snacks. She had quite a stash of snacks hidden in the Occult Research Club room. So, he decided to give her some of the snacks he had bought from the supermarket today.

With that in mind, Zaimokuza headed to the living room, asking Koneko to wait a moment.

As Zaimokuza returned to his room carrying a large bag of snacks and handed it to Koneko, he said,

"Sorry, I wasn't sure what to offer as payment. These are snacks I bought today; I hope you like them."

Koneko's eyes sparkled, and she licked her lips, replying,

"Ah, I don't mind at all. Thank you, Zaimokuza-kun." She then began to activate the magic circle to report back, but before she left, Zaimokuza mustered up the courage to ask,

"Um... can I hire you again to play games with me in the future?"

Koneko looked at Zaimokuza's slightly nervous expression and smiled,

"Yes, that's fine, Zaimokuza-kun. See you next time."

*****************

As Koneko emerged from the magic circle and returned to the Occult Research Club, she approached the department head, who was still grading papers, and asked,

"Buchou, I have a client who needs protective gear. Could you provide something for me?"

"Oh, you're back, Koneko. The client needs armor? Is it that chubby underclassman who spouted those middle school lines?"

"Yes, that's right, Buchou. His name is Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, and he's a very interesting person. He's from our school and is in the same grade as me."

"Hmm, for armor, you can lend him this ring." Rias pulled out a ring with a skull design from a spatial magic circle and handed it to Koneko.

Koneko took the ring and asked curiously,

"This ring was given to you by your brother, Sirzechs, for protection, right? Is it really okay to lend it to him?"

Rias waved her hand dismissively.

"It's fine. Just lend it to him. I think this ring is too ugly, and my brother's taste is really poor. Besides, I feel something odd about it. Giving it to him could also be considered an investment."

Koneko nodded in understanding.

"Alright then. I'll make sure to give this skull ring to Zaimokuza-kun next time."

******************

After Koneko left, Zaimokuza continued to relentlessly beat the stubborn player known as "Kiririn" over and over.

In their chat, he learned that she was Kirino Kosoka, a character from "My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute." Zaimokuza was surprised to find an anime character while playing a game.

Despite their constant bickering, they ended up sharing a lot of game recommendations with each other.

"Hey, the games you recommended are all weird—either they're about little sisters or step-sisters. Enough is enough, you idiot!"

Zaimokuza shouted.

"Pffft, and you're no better, recommending me nothing but bishoujo games. You're just a hopeless otaku!"

"Ha! What are you talking about? You're the one with the sister complex. You probably crave that because you don't have a sister yourself. Pervert."

The two quickly resumed their argument.

Zaimokuza suddenly recalled that the flyer distributor shared the same surname, "Kosaka." He wondered about the relationship between Kosaka Kirino and Kosaka Honoka. With curiosity, he casually asked, "Hey, you sis-con, do you know someone named Kosaka Honoka? She goes to Otonokizaka Academy."

"Ha? She's my cousin! How do you know her, you otaku?"

"Various reasons. I heard she's having her first concert at her school's auditorium at 4 p.m. the day after tomorrow. Interested in coming along?"

"Seriously? My cousin's becoming a school idol? Why?"

"I don't really know. If you're interested, just check it out when the time comes. We can keep in touch through our phones."

"Alright, I'm curious to see what you look like, you annoying person."

"Hmph, I'm just as curious about what kind of sis-con you are."

With a mutual disdainful "hmph," they both logged off.