Ore no Real to Netgame ga Love Comedy ni Shinshokusare Hajimete Yabai Volume 1 Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Not Good, s.h.i.+zuku's Black Tea Tastes Suspicious.

◇Offline◇

Looks like after the event that day, Ricotta (Rio) had a change of heart, she suddenly moved back here to live with me. However, a few days had gone by yet I still wasn't able to ask her about Hugues's matter. Because whenever I talked about ZX she became quiet, so there was nothing I could do.

I still didn't know why would she do that. To the end, what does she want?

Even after all of that though, the Earth was still turning, and weekend arrived in a blink of an eye.

I had a part-time job at a coffee shop in the weekends. Although I used most of my income for stuffs related to ZX, but I also opened a saving fund for other stuffs like anime, game, manga, or events like summer and winter festival. To an Otaku, there were a lot of things one would like to buy, but unfortunately one's moneys were always too little.

Exiting the house like usual, I headed toward the nearby shopping center. Because the coffee shop that I worked part-time at was there. If it was a place in front of the station then it would be super busy, but my part-time job was pretty normal, what about yours? The old man in the neighborhood said so. How to say this, that was a place where housewives tended to go to. Because they were all familiar customers, my job was relatively simple. Even if I thought 'if only the hourly wage was raised a little', I couldn't say those demanding things.

The ground floor of a little old building. On the signboard had [RPG Coffee].

"Welcome."

The sound of the bell that contained an air of nostalgia rang out when I opened the door. Even though I had already familiar with it every time I walk into the store but this way of attracting customer was truly not bad.

It seemed like that this store had been opened since the owner had bought this abandoned old store with his saving moneys. Even though it went through redecoration, the inside of the store seemed not much better compared with the store's front, it is completely contradicting with bringing good feeling to the customer, I thought.

"Oh, you’ve come, boy?"

When I just stepped inside the store, a woman inside the golden wooden counter looked up and showed a smile as if she was waiting for me.

That woman was the owner of this store, the person that I called Master. Although I had been working here for a while but I still didn't know her real name. She always called everyone by the name "boy".

I thought that was the reason why I was hired to work here, really.

Long hair that got tied into a pony tail was the everyday look of Master. Although it looked really pretty but that was also a problem. She was already 28 years old. She looked younger than her age, even her style was the same. Felt just like an adult. Her face looked just like a usual beauty……some of you may thought this was the best place to work but the truth was not so. I did not feel anything that could be call female from her. Even my lower part did not feel anything. I thought that was because her personality was exactly like that of a man. It was really impolite to said so. But right now, it looked like she was planning something.

"What's with that look?"

"Nothing, it's just habit, you know that."

She said so while her hands were lifting her chin, eyes staring at me, and the corner of her mouth raising up.

"I don't know. Completely don't know anything."

"Doesn't human sometime have to put up with illogical things? Like in [Xunogears] disk 2 for example."

(TN: Xunogears is Xenogears reference)

"Don't your illogical things happen all the time? Furthermore, can you please give up that habit of your that compares everything with game?"

"What--, but Xuno is a masterpiece right?"

"You don't listen at all! I agree that it was a masterpiece but…"

"Then isn't it OK already?"

'OK my b.u.t.t!', while I was thinking so, she took off her ap.r.o.n, then covered it over my head. I am somewhat anxious about the heat and fragrant that were still lingering on it.

"Then, depend on you."

"Depend on me…? Uh, wait!"

I called Master, the person who already disappeared into the store.

"Again?"

"Is there something wrong? The preparation is already completed, customers are all like usual. You alone are enough, there is no problem."

"There is a lot of problem. How can the store owner leave the store like that hah!?"

"I am betting on a life of 'how to live without having to work?'!"

"I can't believe you could say something like that!"

"You can only dive yourself into ZX when you are at home anyway, right? Instead of that why don't you go out to work normally huh?"

"But I am still just a student!"

"Uh uh, student. You student life doesn't have anything that can be called youth anyway right? Then it's better if you just go to work."

"What the heck is with that reason!? But, I don't want to hear those things from you!!"

"If you are missing your youth then you can buy "precious memories'. 3 days 2 nights with a price of 1000 yen."

"I-don't-need-it! But hey, let's stop this!"

"Oh, then let's stop."

"What do you mean by that!?"

As if she knew my anger had reached the limit, she quickly returned to her tatami room and started something with the PC. I was sure those were just games. Because as if she was playing a lot of different online game even more than me.

From RPG, masterpieces from previous years, to MMORPG, newest masterpieces, a person who loved RPG like that, named this store as 'RPG Coffee' was nothing unusual. I had seen that tatami room one time and was surprised to see inside had a bunch of old game.

"Wait a second, Master."

I opened the old sliding door by a force that I felt a little bit violence and poked my head inside. Her head was wearing ESG, a gallery was showing on the PC screen.

Right when the screen just showed the image of an avatar that she was about to log in then…

"Boy!? D-do not go in at this time!"

She realized my present thought the ESG with an embarra.s.sed face and used both hands to push my outside. Then, the sliding door behind closed with a *xoach*

"What the heck…"

But according to the image from the screen then that was ZX? Because I was still not able to see the avatar of Master so am I just feeling something? I thought so in regret, and could only imagine myself meeting her online to decrease that feeling.

Like you have seen, Master was a heavy Game otaku + lazy store owner. Every time I came to work I would  be forced to work at the cas.h.i.+er, that stupid owner.

However, there was one thing that I really appreciated from her. That was because of Master than I could exist in ZX. Because I had fallen in front of the screenshot that love-just-by-look of Melluna-chan that I had asked her to give me my wage in advance to buy ESG that day. Maa, that was a big favor.

"Sh--, just let it go…"

I let it go and started to check the inventory in the counter.

There was no customer inside the store. Even if there was they would just be regular customers. A rundown store like this how could it attract new customer; only look at the face without needing to hear the order, I could still prepare everything because familiar customers always ordered the same thing.

Maa, because of that that I alone was enough.

"Now, look like I need to cut salad for the sandwich."

When I just thought so and picked up the knife…

"Welcome"

A gentle figure appeared, that was a small girl with black hair, down all the way to her waist.

And of course, she was a regular customer here. Although before I used to think 'that is a beautiful girl' but, customer and cas.h.i.+er, our relations.h.i.+p was only so. Because I had decided that serving customer was only my normal job.

I walked toward the table she was sitting at and asked for her order. Even though I had already guessed that it would be the same as always.

Before I arrived at her seat, she had knocked her finger *knock knock* on the table.

Right, that was her way of ordering. That meant the same as usual.

"Royal milk tea right? Please wait a moment."

Finished saying so, I have just turned around but I heard a sound of strong knocking on the table.

Did I say something wrong? Is today's order different?

When I hurriedly turned back…

[+ Baked Chocolate Bread.]

"Oh is that so, there will also be baked chocolate bread today ah……but wait, is it……"

A white board was risen up. I could not forget the existence of this white square.

"You are… s.h.i.+zuku!?"

The girl nodded embarra.s.singly.

It was true that if looked closely then her behavior was no difference compared to during the offline meeting. It was just that, she looked really different without her hood, because her outfit right now was not the Gorochu pajama but a normal skirt so I couldn't be help but not recognized her.

"So it turned out that you are a regular customer all this time……? But I didn't realize it……"

[It proved that you do not care about other people.]

"I don't think that is the reason. It's just that I am somewhat sensitive when a real girl is a few meters around my personal s.p.a.ce."

[Pervert to an unbelievable level.]

"I’m not a pervert!"

Truly, even though on the outside she looked like a cute girl but on the inside, she was the same as when online.

When I was being disappointed, she placed her board with a new writing on the table.

[HURRY UP WITH THE MILK TEA!]

TN: She wrote this in Romanji, English alphabet version of j.a.panese.

"Hai hai. But wait, I can't read that, yo!"

I returned to my counter, prepared things that s.h.i.+zuku had ordered and brought it to her. When I just placed the plates and cups down in front of her then,

[Can you sit down?]

She raised her board and pointed at the opposite chair with nervous eyes.

"No, I am working."

s.h.i.+zuku erased the first two words.

[Sit down.]

"Really… ok ok, I will sit down."

Still wearing the ap.r.o.n, I sat down on the chair opposite with her. Although it is still working hours but beside us, there is no one else here, and even if there is someone stepping in I can still deal with it immediately so it is ok, I thought so.

Immediately, she put in so much sugar that I thought 'is she trying to cover the milk tea' and swallowed a bite of the sweet baked chocolate bread. Instead of a person who liked sweet things, I started to think if her blood was made out of syrup. 'So good~', those words escaped her mouth by the speed of light.

In the end what kingdom of sweets is this girl living in? Sugarpia?

Think about it, during the offline meeting, she was also drinking sweat milk tea. Because there were many people so I did not pay attention.

"Let me ask a question, why was during the offline meeting, you dressed like that? The Gorochu outfit fitted you very much, looked really…uhm…"

If paid attention then you could see s.h.i.+zuku's body was twitching out of nervousness. Embarra.s.sed face as if it was about to be on fire.

[Looked really what?]

"Eh?……really…cute……for example."

s.h.i.+zuku's body twitched one more time. Is she…happy??

After a while, she began to explain about her Gorochu outfit.

[That was Anti-dark material.] (対魔装束)

"Hah?"

I let loose a sound while thinking 'is something growing in her head?'. She is funny.

[The miasma of this world corrodes my body.]

"What the heck is this detailed Chuunibyou!? Are you living in heaven?"

Even though I was just kidding but she slowly pointed her finger toward the ceiling and wrote:

[I live up there.]

After I thought for a while, I answered.

"Up there…… ah ah, think about it, on top of this store is an apartment……but, you really live there!?"

s.h.i.+zuku slowly nodded.

I couldn't have thought that her house was right on top of this place. Then that meant my house and her house were only separated by a 10-minute walk!?

"Then, why when you came here you didn't wear that……Anti-dark outfit?"

[The outfit is in maintenance period. This store is in the effective area of the s.h.i.+eld so I don't need to wear it.]

"Ah…"

While I pretended like I had understood, I thought 'is it like the WIFI range?"

"Even so, I wish that during the offline meeting, you would have told me that we know each other."

[If I carelessly revealed myself to a pervert, then I would have been attacked.]

"Who is the pervert hah!?"

"You don't have to write it every time. It's fine to just point using your finger, but hey, what are you doing…"

"Where are you pointing that!? That is m…hey, put it way!"

I got angry and pulled away the board from below the table from s.h.i.+zuku's hand.

However, that action felt like it grabbed my heart. Right after I pulled the board, her face got covered by a sadness liked a child just got her toy taken away.

"I……apologized, Here, I return it……"

"Heyyy!!"

Please forgive me, I was an idiot.

"First of all, why are you using the board?"

[So that the people from the force of darkness cannot steal the heavenly language.]

"Huh, so strict? Never mind, I am going to return to my job."

Because I couldn't sit for too long so I held the tray and stood up. But, she did not let me go that easy.

[Service will have tip.]

"I am sorry, our store does not have that kind of service."

[Go into the kitchen and bring a pot of a.s.sam tea here.]

"Talk just like those old drunkard, but that is just regular black tea."

[But there is a bug inside this milk tea?]

"There's no way! Don't say misleading stuffs like that!"

What the heck? Is she trying to stop me from going back to work?

"Hey, right now I am in my working hour, I have told you that just now right? Hmm? What?"

[If that's so then I have work for you♪]

"What work?"

s.h.i.+zuku pointed at the POP menu on the table. On it was the t.i.tle 'Special! Hand-made fruit cake - 250 yen' along with a picture. It looked like a characteristic traditional cake of England to go along with black tea.

[Is it really hand-made?]

s.h.i.+zuku raised her board nervously and embarra.s.sedly.

"Ah, that? Although other foods in the menu are brought from a different place, but for this particular cake we make it ourselves. It is really delicious, it said so right there."

[Knight-sama's hand-made?]

"Although they mainly are the works of my Master but I have also partic.i.p.ated in cutting the ingredient and mixing the batter. To say that I do half is not really wrong."

[If so then give me one.]

"Eh? Ah, is it an order?"

I wish she would have told me that from the beginning without going around like that.

"By the way, you mouth still has chocolate."

I said that right when I was about to walk away. Even though at this time she was using the napkin already prepared on the table but it looked like she was wiping the wrong place. Is it too late to tell her that now?

"It's right here!"

Although I had pointed at my mouth to show her but she just raised her napkin.

"What does that mean?"

[Wipe it.]

Writing so, she showed her lips with a blushed face. If I had to describe it then she was twitching just like a baby bird.

"Why do I have to…"

[Wipe it.]

"You know it right? I am a very pure guy."

[Did you mistake it with a pervert guy?]

"No way!"

I get it. She knew that I cannot get close to 3D girl but still trying to mess with me? If it is her then I can do it. I will not surrender.

"O-ok…if you said so then I will do it."

I grabbed the napkin from s.h.i.+zuku with a shaking hand, then moved it toward her lips.

What is this……!?

The soft feeling got transmitted to the tip of my fingers through the napkin.

Aa……not good. Although it is not directly but if I don't do it fast then……

I wiped the stain quickly and pulled back my hand before that no good feeling appeared again.

"Fuu…"

I have endured it. Can this be called an improvement?

[Thank you.]

"Ah, no problem…"

When I said so, she hid her face on the table. Her ears which showed under her black hair turned red just like cherry.

I paid attention to that as I returned to my job.

And then I continued to work non-stop like usual even when the end of my s.h.i.+p had arrived……

"Boy."

Master, who finally decided to return when the store was about to close, called me.

"What?"

"Because your s.h.i.+p has ended so you can go home."

"Eh, is that ok?"

"You have an important mission which is to bring that girl home, right?"

"That girl?"

Master moved her eyes toward the seat next to the window. Right there was the figure of s.h.i.+zuku sleeping on the table.

"Looks like she is drunk."

"Drunk…?"

What? Why? When did this place become a bar?

When I walked to the place she was sleeping, it was true that her face was a little red.

"No way…is it because of this…"

"It may very well be."

I thought the reason was because of the plate on the table. On it was exactly that fruit cake.

"It may be because I put wine in it."

"Then that's it, if not then how could this have happened."

"Then there is nothing we can do. Thing has already happened so, depend on you, boy."

"Hah?"

"You are closed with the girl, right?"

"Uh… I know her but……"

"Then that is decided."

"Stop deciding it yourself…eh…"

Master suddenly threw out my stuffs. Couldn’t you hand them to me gentlely??

"Anyway you couldn’t leave her here, right?"

Master closed her eyes and nodded with a deep look.

"What do you mean!?"

I thought about it a little. It is true that I cannot leave s.h.i.+zuku here……even thought I have to bring her home but it looks like her house is just right on top of this, if that is so then…

"I understand…"

When she heard my answer, Master looked at me with a big smile on her face.

Even if I said so, how can I bring her home? Even though I tried to shake her shoulder but there was no response. Then the only way is to carry her on my shoulder, but I have no experience carrying a girl. 'How to carry a fragile creature like this?', I thought so. Furthermore, 'that' may come again if I get close to her.

Oi……what to do?

Ahh, that's right!

I suddenly had an idea. I just need to imagine carrying a rock on my back. And while carrying her, I will just face forward, then I will not have to face those visual stimulation. So I decided to carry s.h.i.+zuku on my back.

"Let's do this…"

I turned my back toward that oblivious sleeping girl and extended my arms backward. First started to lift her body up…

"Hauu……!?"

Unbelievably soft. I mean, this is not a rock! Change of plan, her body……ah that's right, like a big bag that is filled with water. Right, water. If it's that then it will be fine. Even though I thought so but her scent made me recall of a kind of flower that blooms in the beginning of summer.

Then I lifted her up on my shoulder with all my focus. And…although small but I could feel two soft lumps imprinted on my back. Even so, I still didn't really care.

Carrying her on my back, I moved toward the door of the store. Then, Master's saying had stopped me.

"Boy, are you going to cook Sekihan tomorrow?"

TN: Red been rice cooked in celebration. Like in this case it is used after a marriage.

"There isn't anything to celebrate!?"

Ignored Master’s joke behind, I stepped out of the store, then continued to step on the stair in the side. Even though this was a 5-stories building but it looked like there was no elevator. Truly was an apartment.

Think about it, I don't know what room she is staying at.

When I tried to look at the mailboxes next to the stair, I discovered the name [Ayahane s.h.i.+zuku]. Even though I didn't know her real name but beside this I couldn't see any other possibility. Because next to the name there was a sticker advertis.e.m.e.nt of ZX Welt so it thought 'this is it'.

"Room 502, why is it have to be the highest floor?"

I tiredly stepped on the stair while thinking about many things. Such as 'that is the real name of s.h.i.+zuku?'. Or 'if written her full name on the mail box like that then doesn't that mean she lives alone?'

I was running out of breath when I reached the highest floor.

There was no light from room 502. Also no reply when I rang the doorbell. And the door was closed of course.

"What to do now…"

I lingered in front of the door for a while. But then I suddenly recalled that I felt there was something in her belt through my hand.

"Hauu……!?"

Soft to a dangerous level. If she were to wake up now then I would be dead, but there was nothing I could do. Fortunately, I quickly was able to find the key from her skirt's pocket.

Thanks G.o.ds! Then I used it to opened the door.

"Sorry for intruding……?"

It was not pitch black on the inside, there was something that gave out faint light. When I walked into the room I found the source of that light was the large amount of working PC screen.

"When is this, so many…"

Even I only need one PC dedicated to ZX, why would she need this many? In total, there were ten light sources, counting the light coming from the electric outlets on the shelf.

Anyway let's put her down first.

When I turned on the light then this was a six-tatami mat room. Half of it was PC shelf, the other half was the bed. Because whenever mention of girl's room, one always imagines of the color pink, therefore I was a little bewildered by this tasteless room. But because of the Gorochu outfit that was hanging on the wall so there was no longer any suspicion, this was s.h.i.+zuku's house. Immediately, I threw the white board on the bed and dropped the object on my back along with it. A *fwap* sounded appeared, that living object rolled onto the bed.

I had a scare. Even though I pretended that object was a water bag but that situation from before had pulled my back to reality. Just thought about the idea of this sleeping girl was lying on my back a moment ago caused my inside to heat up. I sneakily gazed at her face, black hair, long and tangledly that lied along her smooth chin, liked an egg that gave off attraction. Truly she looked just like a doll, her skin had no discoloration. The only difference was her joints were not ball-shaped. I unknowingly extended the tip of my fingers to touch her lovable cheek but I stopped myself in time.

"What am I doing…?"

I turned my conscious to another place to escape this violent attraction. And the first thing that fell into my sight was a PC screen. On it appeared the window of ZX Welt Official Server. How can this window have appeared without login in?

I asked myself while moving my gaze around, and then I saw many more weird things.

[You can also become hacker - Instruction]

[Weekly cracking technology]

[Instruction to invade illegally right now]

[Absolute invasion! Cracker-san]

[Monthly hacking runner]

"All dangerous books! It is a surprise to see so much of this kind of book got published."

What the heck is she trying to do? Or did she finish it? But anyway, this is still dangerous.

In this situation, all I could think off was the act of cheating ZX Welt Sever and rewrite avatar's information, or even worse… steal account and pa.s.sword of other's avatar… And right now, aren’t I also a victim?

"It can't be…"

I looked at s.h.i.+zuku's face. Her sleeping face looked cute like usual.

Since my account was lost, I had always thought the person who changed the pa.s.sword for Riel was Ricotta. Only her could enter the house. But now that I thought about it, s.h.i.+zuku was a more likely suspect. If using cracking then beside stealing pa.s.sword, she could also steal those poems inside my PC.

But stealing a physical object like account certificate was still illogical.

She was still in stupor. Furthermore, based on her still blushed face then it looked like she was still drunk.

"She doesn't look cool at all…"

Anyway let's put aside the matter with Hugues and take care of her first. I went into the kitchen to find something cold to put on her head. But there was not even a single ice cube inside the cooler. The fridge was also empty, no sign that showed that the kitchen was ever used.

How the heck has she been living?

Besides that, there was something else that I was worrying about. Even though she looked like she was at a student age, but I did not see anything resembling school uniform or textbook inside the house.

"M..mm……"

Suddenly, an erotic moan sounded from inside the house startled me. That was a sleep talk from s.h.i.+zuku. Don't moan like that! That's dangerous.

Thinking that I could make a towel cold by using tap water, I existed the kitchen and opened the closet.

"Uh……"

When I just opened the door, the image of those clothes that were hanging appeared in front of my eyes. A scent belonged to a girl that I had never smelled before rushed outside, I was nearly overwhelmed.

"Hurry looking for a towel…towel…"

Focusing on looking for the towel, I opened the top drawer. And then, I discovered a piece of cloth with the right length. I exclaimed 'There it is!' and picked it up.

"What is this?"

'The shape of this piece of cloth look strange. What is this used for?', I thought so. I felt the shape of this looked like something that existed in my mind. To thin strings were attached with two tops-- a bra.

"Eh!?"

This was the first time I touch it! Shocked, I subconsciously threw it to the side. Furthermore, isn't that a sport bra?

"Eii! Indecent! So indecent!"

I quit looking from the top drawer and moved down to a lower one. When I opened it, I saw the inside was separated into many sections, each section was filled with a large amount of clothes with different color. Are they Kojareta cookies? Or almond cookies? I asked myself while looking at them.

I tried to pick up one that had blue and white strips and opened it up.

"Th-this is……"

Right at that moment, a moving sound appeared from my back. I turned around with a bad feeling. Lying on the bed, s.h.i.+zuku's eyes were opened and looked toward this direction.

"G……good morning."

I hurried to give a greeting like that but s.h.i.+zuki was only looking at the object in my hand. Yes, a promising development…

"Ah…uh…this…uh…haha."

Because I was in the condition of pulling open a s.h.i.+nmapan with two hands so I didn't know what to do beside smile stupidly. No matter how I explain this, it will not work.

TN: A combination of s.h.i.+nmas.h.i.+ma (strips) + pantsu.

Still with a blank face, s.h.i.+zuku grabbed the board next to her, wrote on it causing a screech screech sound to appear everywhere in the room. When that sound stopped, she turned that board toward me.

[I will call the police.]

"Wait!!"

This was a situation that I had heard about a lot but I couldn't imagine it happened with me.

Her face right now was red no different from when she was sleeping.

"Let me explain."

[Go ahead.]

"Ah uh…… because I saw your condition was bad, I wanted to look for a towel to cool you down… and then… just like you saw."

[Is that your favorite pattern?]

"Ah uh… if asking about my favorite then I think so……but wait, what was that?"

I couldn't recognize that she was talking about the thing that was still in my hand.

I hurriedly threw away that s.h.i.+mapan.

[You have to fold it back properly?]

"You think I still have the mind to fold it!?"

Anyway, I couldn't get them in my sight, but because I threw them on the floor so I could only turn my back toward that panty.

"Then…h-how are you feeling?"

I asked s.h.i.+zuku with an unnatural voice.

[No problem.]

"Th-then that's good."

But, the conversation stopped there. I didn't know what more to say. Besides the sound of the cooling fan of those PC inside the room, a strange silence descended on the area.

Staying in a small room with a girl and only two people. The "only 2 people" aspect was emphasized by the bizarre quiet. While I didn't know what to say, I suddenly remembered the matter in the kitchen just now.

"Hey, there is nothing inside the fridge, what do you do for meal time?"

[RPG Coffee.]

"Don't tell me that is for all 3 meals."

[Net Order.]

"Ah, I remembered there is a delivery service recently."

If paid attention then you could see pizza boxes got stacked like a tower in a corner. I was quite impress of how it could make a column like that. In a working PC screen was also showing a delivery webpage.

[If I have the internet, you can do anything.]

She raised the board as if she was proud of it.

"Isn't it unhealthy eating like that? You don't have anyone to cook for you?"

[I am living alone.]

"Ok ok. Your implied meaning was that you can't cook."

[Officially aborted kitchen safety policy.]

"Who said that I will cook! Furthermore, there are no ingredients!"

[Tsk--]

"Don't click your tongue with words. But, change subject, which school are you going to?"

There was no answer.

"Look like you can't think of which place. Are you…"

[Enemy Excluder.]

"Sounds cool, but that is only inside your imagination!"

[Home Guard.]

"So basically……you are a hikikomori right!?"

TN: a shut in.

[Uh, so what if I am a hikikomori, what you gonna do?]

"That sounds like a dare."

Even if she is a hikikomori or anything else, I don't want to continue to investigate this matter. Because everyone has their own circ.u.mstance. Besides, I am no different from her.

Even though I still came to school but my soul was never inside the cla.s.s, the place it existed was in ZX. Only there did I feel the most comfortable. If possible, I wanted to live a life escaping inside the net.

I suddenly looked at the clock hanging on the wall. Right now it was still not quite late but it was not an appropriate time to be in someone else's house. Therefore I needed to go home. Having completed my mission of delivering s.h.i.+zuku home, I didn't have any other reason to lingering around any further.

[Stay?]

"Ha-hahhh!? S-stay!? Don't joke like that!"

[Then, go in the bathroom?]

"Why do I have to do that!? I can't go in there!"

[Then I will go in.]

"But don't go in now, ok!?"

[Only doing that that I have a chance to make you stay.]

"Why does this return to that matter!"

Because it looked like she was looking for ways to stop me so I hurriedly walked straight toward the door.

"Then, I will go back now."

Finished wearing my shoes, I said so when I put my hand on the door k.n.o.b. And then there was someone pulling on my s.h.i.+rt from behind. Even if I said 'someone' but beside her, there was no one else here.

"What is it now?"

I turned around while my limbs were shaking. Then the s.h.i.+ny eyes of s.h.i.+zuku looked at me. Because the board was still on the bed so I didn't understand what was she trying to say. From what I could read from her emotion, she didn't want me to return.

"What is this, suddenly…"

Even though I asked again but there was no answer. Right when I thought I saw her body shaking, her weight had lied on my chest.

"H-hey!?"

What situation is this?

I restrained my subconscious action. This was a bad situation to me. Deep inside my bones began to heat up. But… she had not move like she was sleeping.

"Mm??"

When looking at her face, I saw some strange expression. Looked like she was still not completely sober.

"What was that… gave me a scare……"

I supported her to lie on the bed while enduring not losing consciousness. And this time I had found the towel to cool her down.

"Fuu……look like it is ok now, but not yet……"

I talked to myself next to the bed. And then--

I fainted right when I was about to continue my care. When I realized, the sun was starting to come up.

◆Online◆

The next day. Tonight, still standing on the ground in the world of ZX, I moved toward the guild house like usual.

When I opened the wooden door, I only saw s.h.i.+zuku inside. She was supporting her chin with one arm while sitting on a chair, using a finger to poke Sauma who was standing on the table. Looked like the other members were not log in yet.

When she saw me, she said:

"h.e.l.lo, criminal-kun."

"You want to fight!?"

"Then, s.e.xual criminal-kun?"

"That is even worse! But, that is enough!!"

"Then, s.h.i.+mapan collector."

"Although it is a little better but still not ok! But, I am not collecting them!!"

"There is no other way, let's call you *beep* then."

Too tooroo, I have a nickname. Congratulation! Thank you!……Noooo.

"By the way, I only have that one s.h.i.+mapan."

"I don't want to hear about it!"

"And I follow the sport bra faction."

"I told you I don't want to hear about it!!"

Looked like she decided to wear them not because of her pitiful chest but because of her principle.

"I can give Knight-sama one?"

"I-I don't need it!!"

"Embarra.s.s? Just treat it at a thank you for carrying me home."

"A thank you gift?"

"Right, because you have taken care of me. Only doing that would I not feeling in debt to you anymore."

"I-if that is the case…"

"I have send a report to the GM."

"Ehh!?"

I am standing on the edge of getting my account locked. But isn't that better than getting accused to the police in the real world?

"You don't have to be so confuse like that? Didn't we progress our relations.h.i.+p to a level where we say good morning to each other?"

"Hey!? Stop saying those easily misunderstand things!"

I looked around to see if there was anyone listening. Even though this was our guild house but I couldn't stop worrying……

"Why? That is the truth?"

"No, even so… but that isn't it!"

"Furthermore, we even said good morning to each other when you were buried in my underwear."

"When did I got bury! Enough……please forgive me? I have explained already? That was an accident."

"I am not mad. Only interested."

"That is even worse!"

Tired! Talking with this girl is so tiresome!

"But hey, we have talked about this once back then already?"

"Did we?"

"If you are so quick to forget then just hurry up and eat Ankipan!"

TN: a bread that was one of Doraemon's gadget that helped people remember.

"Where can I find a gadget of a robot cat coming from the future? That is also an evidence of the difference between 2D and 3D. By the way, that is a gadget that helped remember information from a textbook, in this case--"

"I know that you still remember."

"Maa, that is not important."

"Why not? If you remember then please hurry up and understand!"

In contrast with me who was pulling my hairs out. Suama-chan was moving her tail on the table. So cute  (〃￣▽￣〃) …… If someone said that pet looks like their owner then they were lying.

I snorted and turned my eyes back toward s.h.i.+zuku. Then, she looked at me with an unnatural pair of s.h.i.+ny eyes.

"Fufun."

Even though still looked arrogance while lifting her chin with one hand but as if there was something hidden behind her s.h.i.+ny eyes……Anyway, even though I said this many time but the difference between ON s.h.i.+zuku and OFF s.h.i.+zuku was too far. I thought both would look cute if only they stay quiet.