>27< Otaku Pandora

Chapter 27: Otaku Pandora

Zaimokuza finished shopping and boarded the train back home.

As he walked down the street, he pondered what to do for dinner. He decided to stop by a supermarket to pick up some snacks and ingredients before heading home. On his way, he spotted a traditional Japanese sweets shop called "Homura."

Wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets, typically consist of sugar, glutinous rice, and adzuki beans.

They are made by boiling and peeling adzuki beans to create a sweet paste, often wrapped in rice cakes, resulting in a variety of delicacies.

Notable examples include "Zen-zai," which combines adzuki beans with mochi in a sweet syrup; "Rakugan," made by pressing sugar into wooden molds; and "Yōkan," also a specialty.

Thinking it would be nice to buy some traditional sweets for Pandora, Zaimokuza decided to head inside the shop.

"Welcome!" a familiar voice greeted him as he stepped in, catching Zaimokuza off guard.

"Honoka-senpai?" he exclaimed, spotting Honoka at the counter.

"Ah! Kohai-kun! Good evening! Are you here to buy some wagashi?" Honoka said cheerfully upon seeing him.

"Yes, I wanted to buy some snacks for a friend."

"Oh? Is it for your girlfriend?" Honoka asked with an inquisitive glint in her eyes.

Zaimokuza felt a bit embarrassed and quickly replied, "No, it's for an elder." Well, considering how long Pandora had been alive, even though she had a loli appearance, she could certainly be considered an elder.

"I see! So, what kind of sweets are you looking for, kohai-kun? I've honestly gotten tired of all these treats," Honoka confessed openly.

Suddenly, a sharp "thwack" echoed through the shop as Honoka received a light chop on the head. A young woman with brown hair walked out from behind her, saying, "I told you, as the daughter of a wagashi shop, you can't casually say you're tired of our sweets, got it?"

Another girl who looked similar to Honoka laughed quietly, covering her mouth.

"Ouch, Mom, that hurts! I promise I'll be careful next time!" Honoka whined, rubbing her head.

Zaimokuza couldn't help but chuckle at the lively scene before him.

"Oh my, you must be Zaimokuza-kun, the handsome boy Honoka often mentions," the woman said, showering him with praise.

Honoka's face flushed with embarrassment as she glanced at Zaimokuza. When their eyes met, she quickly looked away, feeling shy.

"Uh, hello, ma'am. I'm Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, a friend of Honoka-senpai," he introduced himself politely.

"I heard you're a fan of Onee-chan, is that true?" the girl beside her asked curiously.

Zaimokuza nodded in response, "Yes, I'm actually the first fan of μ's! Their performances completely captivated me."

Honoka's face brightened at his words, and the younger girl exclaimed with delight, "That's wonderful! My Onee-chan always comes up with the most creative ideas, which can be a bit concerning, but with your support, I'm sure she and the others will succeed!"

Zaimokuza looked at Honoka and smiled, "You really have a caring little sister, Honoka-senpai. It's quite enviable."

The younger girl blushed at the compliment, while Honoka wrapped her arms around her and said, "Hehe, that's right! Zaimokuza-kun, feel free to be jealous. Yukiho is my precious treasure."

"Honestly, sister," Yukiho said, feeling a bit embarrassed. However, seeing her sister's expression made her chuckle unconsciously.

"Oh! I haven't introduced myself properly yet. I'm Onee-chan sister, Yukiho. Nice to meet you, Zaimokuza-senpai," she said, offering a polite bow.

Zaimokuza smiled and extended his hand to shake hers. As she noticed his gentle smile, Yukiho's cheeks flushed red while she looked shyly at him.

After Honoka's mother introduced them, Zaimokuza purchased a mound of traditional Japanese sweets before leaving the shop.

Once Zaimokuza was gone, Honoka's mother teased her playfully. "You know, Honoka, I wouldn't mind if you started dating in high school."

At first, Honoka didn't understand, but as comprehension dawned on her, she shot an embarrassed glare at her mother.

"Mom! Kohai-kun and I are not that kind of relationship."

"Oh? Only for now, right?" her mother replied smugly.

"Mom!"

...

Back home, Zaimokuza prepared a simple meal and settled down to enjoy it, and not long after, he received the manga he had ordered.

After taking some time to relax, he focused his mental energy to connect with the boundary between life and death, instantly transporting all the items he had bought that day into a quiet, white space.

"Ah, Zaimokuza! Did you come to see Mama so soon?" Pandora exclaimed as she appeared in front of him, joy evident in her voice.

"Yeah, Mom. I brought a bunch of stuff you mentioned wanting," Zaimokuza said, gesturing to the pile of books and snacks at his feet.

Pandora's eyes sparkled at this, and she replied, "Oh, my favorite child indeed! You really do think of Mama."

Zaimokuza watched as Pandora picked up one of the manga and began to read, the presence of her Thousand Words spirit making it a breeze for her to read in Japanese.

He taught her how to use the computer to watch the pre-downloaded anime, and he handed her the snacks and the traditional sweets he had bought earlier. While eating, Pandora's expression was that of someone who was quickly becoming a full-fledged otaku.

"By the way, Mom, if this place were to be heavily damaged, would it be able to repair itself quickly?" Zaimokuza asked, curious.

Pandora paused in her snacking and answered, "Why do you ask that, my son? If there's destruction, this world will repair itself quite swiftly."

"Oh, I was thinking of familiarizing myself with my powers and how to control my spells in a certain area."

"That's a good idea! You can train here, and Mama will be here to guide you," Pandora replied.

"That sounds fantastic! Thank you so much, Mom," Zaimokuza said, flashing a broad smile at her.

With that, Pandora began to instruct Zaimokuza on his spells. Thanks to his immense magical energy and the sufficient conditions for casting, the previously quiet space became lively.

Time flew by quickly, and after Zaimokuza had nearly exhausted his magical power, he and Pandora settled down to watch some anime together as a break.

"It's getting late; I'll come back to see you another day, Mom," Zaimokuza said as he prepared to leave.

Pandora felt a bit reluctant but smiled when she heard Zaimokuza would visit again. "Thank you, my son! I'm so touched that you think of me this much." She then stood on her tiptoes and lightly kissed his cheek.

Feeling the gentle fragrance from Pandora and the warmth of her gesture, Zaimokuza's heart skipped a beat.

"Oh? Getting shy, are we, son? That was just a token of thanks," Pandora teased, noticing his blush.

Zaimokuza could only roll his eyes at her teasing remark as he said his goodbyes and exited the serene space.

Once alone again, Pandora sighed lightly, but the thought of Zaimokuza returning made her smile. The quiet and empty days were beginning to brighten up, and as she glanced at the anime still playing on the screen, all her worries seemed to fade away.

Suddenly, her foot landed on a book that had been left on the ground.

She picked it up and saw that it was the yuri manga Eriri had given to Zaimokuza, featuring two beautiful girls entangled together on the cover.

Curiosity piqued, Pandora began to flip through the pages, her cheeks flushing as she whispered to herself, "Wow, have humans really produced such intense manga these days?"

As she admired the detailed illustrations, a mischievous giggle escaped her lips.