Episode 6 : National Maid Cafe

　I had to hand over the molester, who was writhing in pain from having his wrist twisted as hard as I could, to the police at the next station, and after about 15 minutes of lost time, I arrived at the station closest to the cafe ``Maki-ya''.

　However, there are people in this world who don't think about stupid things. I may be a beautiful girl on the outside, but on the inside I'm a completely useless person, 25 years old and a former part-time worker.

　Well, there's no way an old man whose name I don't even know knows about my situation.

　Well, I don't care about that, so I'll forget about it, and even though it's the nearest station, it takes about 20 minutes by bicycle from here to the cafe ``Makiya''.

　Even if it can't be helped since it also serves as a secret base for special class magical girls, the location is one of the worst.

　What's more, it's even worse because it's perfectly located away from both residential and office areas.

"…Confidentiality isn't maintained."

　``Magiya'' was built based on the words I couldn't help but hum, but I wonder how they came up with the idea of ​​turning the secret base into a maid cafe.

　Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that although it was a maid cafe, it wasn't one that cast a spell on the master to make him or her eat more delicious foods, but simply a classic maid cafe serving customers.

　If I were asked to do something like that, I'm confident that I would die of indignation.

　What's so sad about this is that even though the person watching is a beautiful girl, she has to 'pet' the bastard, call him master in a loud voice, and do all kinds of fan service.

　I rode my bike for exactly 20 minutes with that in mind.

　I weaved my way through the complicated alleys and arrived at Maki-ya.

"Senpai, you're late today."

　As I entered the store, the person who greeted me was Yukina, dressed in a classic maid outfit, just like yesterday.

　Come to think of it, in the game, Chihaya Saijo is the first one to arrive at the store, other than the person in charge of picking locks. Well, she dies in the tutorial, so all that's left is the settings.

　I clear my throat and clear my voice as if to throw away the memories of my previous life that have popped up.

"Ah, it's a bit of a no-frills thing, so it took a while."

"Well, there are days like that."

　To be exact, there are two things: the fight with the bra hook and the fact that I turned the molester into the police, but there's no need to go out of my way to explain them. Especially the former.

　Although she felt bad about walking in while Yukina was mopping the shop floor, she had no choice but to head towards the backyard since she wouldn't be able to work if she didn't.

　When it came to my part-time job, I was serious about it, even if it was minimal, and worrying about attendance was something I had developed from my previous life.

　Once I take off my uniform in the changing room and put on the classic maid uniform hanging in the locker, I will complete my official status as a part-time worker at a maid cafe.

　That's when I was about to leave the changing room to help with the cleaning.

"...Ah..."

"Koyomika, good morning."

"…Ah, uh, um… Saijo-senpai… Good morning, here we are…"

　I bumped into Koyomi, who had arrived late, so I gave her a casual greeting and observed her petite figure as she bowed her head over and over again.

　Koyomi's silver hair, red eyes, and appearance that makes her look like she's lost all her pigment is probably what's called an albino.

　Even though she was shorter than me, her proportions were far from what you would call chinchikurin(?), with all her parts protruding and her receding parts retracting, so it was no wonder that some of the customers were looking for a 'kiss'.

"...y-yesterday..."

"What's wrong, Koyomi?"

　After saying hello, I started walking away to help clean the store, but a faint voice shook my eardrums as if to stop me.

　Koyomi's eyes were slowly leaking with teardrops, and she was trembling slightly as she bowed her head even deeper as she spoke.

"...Thank you for helping me yesterday..."

``There's no need to worry about that.It's unbearable. If we can help each other, we will help each other. We recognize that this is necessary for survival."

　I guess I mustered all my courage.

　I'm sure Koyomi is thinking about things like not being a nuisance in her head, but it's actually not so bad to be thanked.

　Therefore, even though I was pretending to be ``Saijo Chihaya,'' the words I replied were 100% ``my'' true feelings.

　It's not like the five powers combined would be five million powers, but it would be natural for them to protect and help each other rather than do whatever they want and die.

　Even if her eyes distorted with suspicion made me laugh, or if I was told not to lie, I have no intention of recanting.

　Koyomi is unable to do her best due to various constraints, but she is our trump card and the main character of ``Puella Magi Magica Dragoon.'' It would be a shame if she died from a story perspective, and above all, I don't want to let this girl, who has become so cloudy in the original story, die.

"...Ah, ah...thank you...I..."

"Don't cry, Koyomi. If you do, the guests will be worried."

"...Ah...yes, that's right...I...I'm sorry..."

"That's fine. Well then, I'll wait at the store first."

"...yes...!"

　When Koyomi wipes away the tears in her eyes with a handkerchief, she shows a smile that, though modest, is like a bud bursting into tears.

　Even I sometimes think that poor children are cute.

　But when I'm standing in front of a girl named Koyomi Nakahara, I want her to laugh rather than cry, which is like a law of nature.

　Thinking back to what was written in a juvenile novel I read a long time ago about what it's like to be prepared, I use a cloth to wipe the desks and chairs in the store that Yukina has finished mopping.

　This is a shitty game world, and if you don't have the fate of being a magical girl, it's not a bad life, it's a life where your wishes come true.

　Unfortunately, our day jobs are not waitresses, but magical girls.

　That's why this store is also here.

"Manager, there are no customers at all today."

"That's right. The store over there is open today, so you can take a break there if you like, okay?"

"Okay, then I'll going around social games."

　Resting her slender chin on the handle of her mop, Yukina complains about the cafe to the manager, Colonel Junichi Ono, who has come to work as an executive.

　More than two hours have passed since the cafe opened, and not a single customer has entered.

　That's right. The location is terrible, and to make matters worse, there's a popular hidden restaurant across the street.

　Apparently there was a huge crowd of customers at lunch time yesterday, but that was because the restaurant across the street was temporarily closed... That's what Hazuki told me on the way home yesterday.

　Hazuki, in question, is standing outside the store, cheerfully handing out flyers. She's humble and serious, even though it's not her day job.

　Mayu, who was in charge of the kitchen, also seemed to be in a state of disrepair, resting her hand on her chin as she stared at the TV screen that the manager was watching with a troubled look on her face.

"This store will go out of business soon, right?"

"It's not going to go bankrupt, because the budget is coming from the government."

"Wow, that's the worst reason."

　As Yukina said, since this store is a secret base under the direct control of the Ministry of Defense, no matter if it doesn't sell or is in the red, as long as the existence of magical girls is no longer needed, it cannot be destroyed by the power of the country.

　It's like having your taxes drained from the source.

　It's ostensibly a maid cafe where people's tax money is poured into it without them even knowing it, so even though magical girls exist, if it comes to light there will be a riot.

"But I'm a little sad that no one comes to eat Mayu's cooking…"

"Well, I agree. However, at least I like coming to places like this...I see, there are repeat visitors, so there's no need to be pessimistic."

　Which one are you praising or criticizing?

　While Mayu smiles bitterly, I also sigh quietly.

　Even if the old birds are chirping now, by lunchtime the repeat customers that the store manager mentioned will be coming, so I can't let myself get distracted like Yukina.

　Fortunately, I'm used to just standing there.

　The customers would be happy if a beautiful girl was preparing to greet them near the entrance.

"welcome!"

　Hazuki's voice echoes from the other side of the door.

　Yukina also put her smartphone in her pocket and we immediately greeted the curious and repeat customer.

　Praying that a special state of emergency will not be declared today.