Date A Live Encore - Volume 4 - Chapter 1

Tohka Working
During a break time at school.

 
Yatogami Tohka sat at her desk as she leaned forward.

 
“Muu… Shido, what are we having for dinner today?”

 
Her hair was as dark as the night sky as she turned her lovely face to face Shido. However, Itsuka Shido, who noticed Tohka closing the distance between them, reflexively leaned back slightly as sweat trickled down his face.

 
Tohka, who lived next door to the Itsuka household, came over for dinner every day. However, if their classmates overheard their conversation, it would almost certainly lead to unnecessary rumors again.

 
“...Ah, can you speak a little quieter, please?”

 
“Muu… so that’s what it is… Sorry, so what is the menu for dinner?”

 
Tohka asked more quietly as she asked Shido again. Shido sighed helplessly.

 
“For today… Let me think for a second, what about omurice?”

 
“...! O-Oh… Is that the soft and tender thing?!”

 
“Yeah, I’ll also drizzle all of it with honey.”

 
“T-The whole thing…”

 
Tohka’s hands trembled as her expression turned to one of intoxication. Shido had previously prepared omelette rice for Tohka before. She seemed to like it very much.

 
“Umu! I think that sounds great! I’m really looking forward to it now!”

 
“...I just told you to be a little quieter…”

 
“Tohka-chan!”

 
Suddenly a voice interrupted the two and Shido’s shoulders shook slightly.

 
Then, he glanced over his shoulder to confirm the voice’s owner and then his entire body stiffened.

 
Because the voice’s owner was one of Tohka’s friends who was standing behind them. They were also the gossip machines of their class: Ai, Mai, and Mii.

 
If they were to find out what they were discussing, there was no doubt that everyone would find out by tomorrow. Shido briefly wondered if it would be possible to make sure they didn’t find out about what they were talking about.

 
However, it seemed that none of them seemed interested in the conversation between Shido and Tohka. Instead, they just surrounded Tohka at the same time and took hold of her hands: Ai had grabbed her right hand, Mai grabbed her left hand, and Mii with no hand to hold on to, put her hands on Tohka’s head.

 
“M-Muu…? What are you doing?”

 
Tohka suddenly found herself surrounded by people as she adopted a confused expression. The three of them pressed their enthusiastic faces closer to Tohka.

 
“Say, Tohka-chan…”

 
“Do you think you could…”

 
“Work a part-time job?”

 
“Part-time job? What’s that?”

 
Tohka’s previously confused face turned to one of surprise.

 
“Well, to put it simply…”

 
Ai raised a finger as she quickly explained what a part-time job was. Tohka uttered an, “Oh” in understanding and nodded happily

 
“So that’s what it is. It’s about working in order to make some money.”

 
“Yeah. Yeah. So how about it? We want you to work at a cafe called [La Pucelle] located in front of the station.”

 
“Recently, another coffee shop opened up nearby to compete with our shop. One of the waitresses was poached and ended up quitting the job!”

 
“Please! It’ll only be for a few days!”

 
The three spoke with the energy of a cannon. Tohka murmured quietly.

 
“Our store is in a big crisis! The shop that just opened up nearby is notorious in this industry for being part of a chain!”

 
“Yes. Yes. They seem to open stores in all sorts of locations and then deliberately find flaws in the other shops and then ruin the other stores’ reputations. As a result, we’ve had fewer and fewer customers coming to our shop which is a huge problem!”

 
“So that’s why we came up with the idea that if we had the beautiful Tohka-chan come to work at our shop, we could get our customers back in one swoop…!”

 
Finally, they blurted out their true intentions. If that was the case, it doesn’t make sense to work for only a few days.

 
“What do you think, Shido?”

 
“Huh? Hmm… that…”

 
Shido was caught off guard by the question. Shido frowned with a distressed expression on his face.

 
So they wanted her to work out front of the cafe… which is to say as a waitress. Although Tohka was more used to the world compared to before, suddenly having her work in the service industry, would she be able to handle it...?

 
While Shido was thinking about that, Ai put her mouth close to Tohka’s ear and whispered something.

 
As a result, Tohka let out an excited, “Oh…!” Her eyes had widened as she glanced in Shido’s direction and nodded enthusiastically.

 
“Leave it to me! I will start working!”

 
Having heard what Tohka said, Ai, Mai, and Mii’s expressions turned to ones of radiance.

 
“Okay! Then it’s decided!”

 
“I will let the manager know!”

 
“Work will start today after school!”

 
After they finished speaking, the three of them waved their hands goodbye as they left Shido and Tohka.

 
“H-Hey, Tohka, are you sure? It’s better to give it some thought before you answer…”

 
“No problem! Leave it to me! I’ve been to the place called the cafe many times before!”

 
As Shido asked Tohka anxiously, Tohka, in response, patted her chest confidently. Shido stared at Tohka suspiciously.

 
“...So what did they say to you?”

 
Tohka’s shoulders shook obviously as she broke out into a nervous sweat while puffing her cheeks as she said, “Boo! Boo!” It seemed that she was trying to whistle innocently but she didn’t know how to whistle.

 
Ai probably promised her that any leftover cake that they had would be hers. Shido scratched his head helplessly. He then pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a certain phone number.

 
Soon, from the other end, he could hear his sister, Kotori’s voice .

 
[“Hello Onii-chan? What’s up?”]

 
“Oh, sorry, Kotori. There’s something important that I need to talk to you about…”

 
[“...Wait just a moment...”]

 
After Kotori finished speaking, he could hear a rustling noise from the other end of the call. It was most likely the sound of Kotori switching her ribbons that she tied in her hair.

 
[“──So, what happened with Tohka?”]

 
The voice that responded was laced with stern maturity and elegance which was a stark contrast from the little sister she’d been behaving as just before.

 
[“Could it be that you saw her ignorant about something and then taught her something obscene then made her repeat it loudly and got her in trouble?”]

 
“I would never do that!”

 
[“Then what is it?”]

 
“Well… Tohka said that she wanted to start working a part-time job…”

 
[“A part time job? What kind of job?”]

 
“I don’t know the exact details, but it sounds like she’s going to be a waitress at a cafe. It seems that she’s only going to be working for a few days… What do you think?”

 
Shido asked while Kotori thought about the situation for a moment before answer:

 
[“...Good.”]

 
“Are you serious!? Can Tohka handle working in the service industry?”

 
[“This is an important experience. Have you forgotten our most important mission? It’s to peacefully eliminate the cause of the spatial quakes: by allowing the Spirits to live peaceful lives. We also hope to help the Spirits actively integrate into society. Since Tohka intends to work, we shouldn’t try to ruin this for her.”]

 
Hearing what Kotori said, Shido sighed quietly.

 
In fact, Tohka was not a human being but the cause of the disaster called the spatial quake: a Spirit.

 
Kotori is the commander of the secret organization <Ratatoskr> that worked to protect the Spirits.

 
[“You shouldn’t worry about it so much. I’ll help you out here. Being overprotective is not going be a good thing for Tohka in the long run.”]

 
“Y-Yeah… you’re right.”

 
Shido sighed as he hung up and faced Tohka again.

 
Meanwhile, Tohka was like a puppy who was obeying her master’s orders and waiting patiently. She put her hands on the desk and looked at Shido as though awaiting a final verdict. Shido smiled bitterly and put a hand on Tohka’s shoulder.

 
“Kotori said yes… So do your best.”

 
“Umu!”

 
Tohka replied energetically.

◇

 
That night.

 
There were loud footsteps in the corridor while Shido was watching TV in the living room.

 
“Shido! I’m back!”

 
The door to the living room swung open, and Tohka, dressed in her school uniform appeared just outside the door. It seemed she’d stopped by the Itsuka household before returning to her room to change clothes.

 
“I have a gift for you!”

 
After Tohka finished speaking, she passed a lovely box she’d been holding over to him. Shido opened the box and discovered a variety of cakes inside.

 
“Wow… there’s so many…”

 
“Umu! The manager gave them to me! Let’s eat them together!”

 
Tohka smiled broadly. Shido couldn’t help but smile wryly in response. Just as he thought, it seemed that she’d been lured by this reward and agreed to work.

 
Shido picked up the apron hanging on the back of the chair and headed to the kitchen while putting it on.

 
“You haven’t eaten dinner yet, right? Just wait a minute, I’ll prepare it immediately.”

 
“Umu!”

 
After hearing what Tohka said, Shido waved a hand and pulled out two eggs from the refrigerator. It was almost 9:30 pm but Shido hadn’t eaten dinner yet. He wanted to wait for Tohka to come back so that they could eat together. Incidentally, Kotori said that there was a lot of work for her deal with and it seemed that she intended to spend the night aboard the <Fraxinus>.

 
He’d already prepared the chicken rice and the honey sauce in advance but he had to prepare the egg freshly because reheating it in a pot or a microwave would ruin the characteristic soft and tender taste of the egg.

 
Shido stirred the egg in the pan and glanced at Tohka who was sitting in the living room.

 
“So… are you doing well?”

 
“Muu...?”

 
“I meant at your job. Do you like your job?”

 
“Oh, of course!”

 
Tohka nodded energetically as she patted her chest proudly.

 
“Really? What did you do today?”

 
“Muu, they taught me how to greet first. When the customers come in, we have to say ‘Welcome’ to them and we have to say it energetically!”

 
“Well, that’s basic etiquette.”

 
“Then, they gave me the uniform.”

 
“Oh, what kind of uniform is it?”

 
“Muu… it looks kind of like rabbit──”

 
“...Huh?”

 
As though he heard something odd, Shido tilted his head and poured the scrambled egg into the pan.

 
Wearing a rabbit-like uniform… After hearing this sentence, Shido’s immediate thought was a bunny girl with shiny clothes, fishnet stockings, and a rabbit ear headband.

 
“N-N-No, how could this be possible?”

 
Tohka’s workplace was not a nightclub, but an ordinary cafe. Shido shook his head vigorously. It was most likely a uniform that looked like a rabbit doll costume (which was already problematic). Shido nodded slightly, forcing himself to accept this answer.

 
However, Tohka didn’t seem to notice what Shido was thinking and continued excitedly:

 
“Also, the next task was to deliver meals to the customers.”

 
“T-That’s what I figured. So what kinds of things do you sell at the cafe?”

 
“I think… Muu… now that I think about it, there are some strange drinks.”

 
“Oh?”

 
“I asked the manager about it. She told me to have a drink. It seemed to be a drink called a...a Gin. After drinking it, my body felt warmer than before.”

 
“...What?”

 
Hearing what Tohka said, Shido frowned. A beverage that would immediately warm up the body… In his mind, he immediately came up with names of several alcoholic drinks that minors weren’t allowed to drink like a Gin and Tonic or Gin Gimlet.

 
“Hey… Tohka, those wouldn’t be…”

 
Shido spoke as sweat trickled down his cheeks. Tohka, however, didn’t notice as she spread her arms out and continued:

 
“Ah, right. There’s another thing.”

 
“Huh… what else do you have to do…?”

 
“Well, after we close the shop, I go to the back room to help the manager feel good. In addition to the salary from the part-time job, I can get extra tips!”

 
“...What!”

 
“Muu?”

 
Shido’s brows furrowed in doubt as he shouted.

 
“Shido? It smells like something is burning!”

 
“Huh? Ah…!”

 
At Tohka’s prompting, Shido looked down in the pan in his hand.

 
The egg in the frying pan had been overcooked. Instead of soft and tender, it was black and charred and letting off smoke.

◇

 
“This is…”

 
The following day, Shido decided to go to the cafe [La Pucelle] located in front of the station.

 
The reason was simple: after listening to Tohka describe her job yesterday, Shido was worried about her.

 
Of course, he’d called Kotori to ask about Tohka. Kotori simply emphasized impatiently ‘that there was nothing to worry about’ before she hung up. She’d suggested that since he was so worried about it, he might as well just go and see for himself.

 
It was currently 1:30 pm. Today was Saturday and Tohka was supposed to have a shift this afternoon. Shido discovered Tohka was about to head out and so he put on sunglasses and a mask as a disguise and followed her here.

 
Shido stared at the appearance of the cafe from a distance. It had antique wooden walls and signs. There was a small blackboard next to the door that listed the days’ recommended specials.

 
At first glance, it looked like an old, privately run cafe.

 
“...It looks like an ordinary cafe…”

 
Shido shook his head gently after making that observation. He couldn’t afford to be careless even if it looked like any other cafe.

 
He clenched his fists and mentally prepared himself. He solidified his resolve as he pushed the store door open. The space inside the shop was much bigger compared to the outside. It looked like the waitresses were working hard to keep the cafe well maintained.

 
He’d heard that the number of customers had decreased due to intentional trouble from a rival cafe… but it still looked like the cafe was almost full. If this was considered a decrease in number of customers, how many show up on a normal day?

 
“Oh! Welcome!”

 
At that moment, a familiar voice rang in Shido’s ears.

 
Tohka’s figure appeared darker due to the sunglasses. She was wearing a cute frilly looking waitress uniform as she smiled sweetly as Shido.

 
“...!”

 
Because the outfit suited Tohka so well, Shido involuntarily gasped at the sight of her. To be honest, even though it was for a disguise, Shido immediately regretted wearing sunglasses.

 
“One?”

 
“Huh? Ah, yes please.”

 
“Umu, then this way please!”

 
After speaking, Tohka escorted Shido to a table by the window. Shido listened to the music playing quietly in the cafe and sighed in relief. It seemed that Tohka hadn’t recognized him.

 
He’d successfully managed to sneak into the cafe.

 
However, doubts started forming in Shido’s mind.

 
That’s right. Although Tohka’s uniform was a little frilly, it was still a perfectly normal waitress uniform. It was not like the sexy bunny costume that Shido imagined.

 
“So what rabbit was she talking about…?”

 
Just as Shido was wondering about that, Tohka placed boiling water and a wet towel in front of Shido, nodding in satisfaction at having completed her task.

 
“Muu, it’s perfect. Have you decided what you want to order?”

 
“Huh?”

 
It felt a bit too sudden for him as a customer to order… but that didn’t matter to him. Shido skimmed the menu and casually picked a meal that caught his eye.

 
“...Could I have the Darjeeling black tea? Ah, and the Italian pasta.”

 
Shido ended up ordering a black tea and a dish. Because he was so worried about Tohka, his appetite and thirst were nonexistent. Until now, anyway when he stomach started to rumble.

 
“Umu, got it! Please wait a minute!”

 
Tohka nodded energetically.

 
Just as Tohka turned to walk toward the kitchen, Shido’s eyes widened.

 
Because Tohka had a rabbit-shaped name plate clipped to her chest and her surname [Yatogami] was written on it.

 
“Ah… so that’s what she meant when she was talking about the rabbit…”

 
Shido scratched his cheek. It seemed that he’d misunderstood what Tohka said and over thought the situation.

 
Shido sighed in order to calm his racing heart and then glanced around at the cafe.

 
It was a very elegant-looking cafe. The tables and chairs were all meticulously decorated. He noticed several light fixtures radiating a gentle light. Every corner was diligently clean to the point of being spotless and the store manager’s attention to detail was obvious. Rather than serving as a place for female high school students to come and talk after school, the atmosphere here was more in line with elegant ladies being able to sit down and enjoy their tea quietly.

 
“It looks like a great cafe…”

 
Shido took a sip of his water as he mumbled to himself.

 
“But… I can’t know for certain just yet…”

 
Shido took another deep breath to recompose himself as he reviewed the menu once more. According to what Tohka said, he’d suspected that alcoholic beverages were available for minors to purchase here.

 
...However, no matter how carefully he scanned the menu, he couldn’t find a single alcoholic beverage listed. That was to say nothing of alcoholic Gin or even beer that wasn’t listed. The only items on the menu included pastries along with coffee, black tea, simple dishes, and cakes.

 
“...Is there a different menu available at night…?”

 
Just as that thought crossed Shido’s mind, there was an energetic voice that rung in his ears.

 
“Sorry for the wait!”

 
Looking around for the source of the sound, Shido spotted Tohka standing there with a silver tray in her hands.

 
“Here is the Darjeeling black tea and Italian pasta you ordered!”

 
“Ah, thank you… huh?”

 
After Tohka placed his order on the table, Shido frowned.

 
The Darjeeling black tea was in an ordinary teapot and cup.

 
The main problem was the Italian pasta. On a large white plate was a pile of steaming red noodles. To be honest, this dish looked more at home in an eating challenge: finish the dish within 30 minutes and it's free!

 
“P-Please, this is…”

 
“Umu! I told the manager that the portions weren’t big enough so a bigger plate was added for me!”

 
“...”

 
Tohka wasn’t the one who was going to eat this… Although he thought this rather than said it aloud. If he did say it, it would no doubt give away his true identity. Shido nodded sincerely and answered:

 
“...Thank you very much.”

 
“Umu! If you need anything else, let me know!”

 
Tohka spoke energetically as she turned and walked away.

 
Shido stared at Tohka’s retreating figure for a moment before turning his gaze to the giant Italian pasta placed before him and sighed. Now that he’d ordered it, he had to work hard in order to finish it.

 
But there was still something Shido needed to check. Shido called a nearby waitress who happened to be passing by.

 
“Excuse me.”

 
“What is it?”

 
The waitress was puzzled. She was one of the three people who’d asked Tohka to work here:

 
Mai Hazakura. She had ordinary looks with no defining characteristics about her. Much like Tohka, she also wore a cat-themed nameplate on her chest.

 
“I was just wondering, is that…”

 
Shido pointed at the nameplate. She nodded and said, “You mean this?”

 
“Isn’t it cute? Because there are many customers who visit this shop with their children, the manager made these.”

 
“Oh, so that’s what it is…”

 
Shido felt his body relax a little with the explanation.

 
“Ah… can I ask you another question?”

 
“Of course, what is it?”

 
“Does the menu here change from day to night?”

 
“No, we only have a single menu at this shop.”

 
“Ah, but I heard from someone who said that there was a ‘Gin’ kind of drink here. If you drink it, your body will feel warmer…”

 
“Oh, you must mean…”

 
Mai explained by pointing to a specific item on the menu, namely the final item on the drinks menu.

 
“This drink.”

 
Shido looked where Mai had pointed and he felt another drop of sweat trickle down his cheek.

 
“...Ginger honey milk…”

 
“Yes. It’s our recommended drink from this shop. You will feel warm after drinking it.”

 
“...”

 
There were hand-painted illustrations of ginger, bees, and milk on the menu. It was a very cute picture and Shido wouldn’t doubt that he would feel warm after drinking it.

 
However, Shido shook his head vigorously.

 
The bunny girl and the wine were definitely misunderstandings caused by Shido’s tainted ideas.

 
But there was still one last concern that he couldn’t ignore.

 
“There’s one last thing, Waitress-san. There’s something else I’ve heard from others…”

 
“What is it?”

 
“I’ve heard that after the store closes, employees can get extra tips if you can make the manager feel comfortable. Is that true?”

 
After Shido finished speaking, the silver tray in Mai’s arms dropped to the floor with a clatter with some of the other patrons reacting with surprise.

 
“You… how do you know about that! Are you an enemy spy!?”

 
“H-Huh?”

 
“No, I’m only joking… But in all seriousness, where did you hear about that?”

 
Mai picked up the tray and stared at Shido with a curious look. Shido plastered a fake smile as he pressed on.

 
“Then… is it true?”

 
“Yes, because it’s so profitable, everyone is rushing to do it, but usually girls who are skilled are the ones chosen…”

 
“...!”

 
Hearing Mai’s answer, Shido froze.

 
It seemed that Shido’s worries were well-founded and he couldn’t let Tohka work in such a place. Just as he was about to stand up from his seat—

 
However—

 
“After all, the manager is quite old. After working all day, her shoulders get pretty sore. I have a colleague named Ai who is very good at massaging so she’s often asked.”

 
“...Huh?”

 
Hearing what Mai just said, Shido’s clenched fists suddenly relaxed.

 
“...A massage?”

 
“Yes. Ah, look over there. That’s our store manager.”

 
Mai finished by pointing at the kitchen. Shido spotted an old woman in an apron looking very elegant standing and smiling at the customers.

 
“...Uh…”

 
“Do you have any other questions?”

 
“...N-No, thank you.”

 
After Shido finished speaking, Mai nodded politely and walked away.

 
“...”

 
Shido bowed his head and remained silent for a moment then pulled the mask from his face and stuffed it into his pocket before taking a sip of the Darjeeling black tea. The mellow fragrance spread in his mouth, the taste was mild as though capable of purifying Shido’s filthy soul. He’d felt so guilty for being suspicious as he watched Tohka work energetically.

 
Although she was not especially attentive with her service, her hard work and dedication seemed to have won the favor of her fellow employees and customers.

 
The cafe was very nice with beautiful lighting and a good atmosphere. Kotori was right. Maybe it was Shido who was too worried.

 
“...I’ll go home after I finish eating this.”

 
Shido breathed a sigh of relief as he picked up his fork and began to eat his pasta.

 
Today, Tohka would drag her tired body back home. The least Shido could do now was to give Tohka a delicious dinner as a reward for when she returns. He would need to buy some vegetables before he went home to prepare dinner so that she can eat it when she returns home.

 
However, at that moment—

 
“Hey, look at what you did!”

 
There was a roar from somewhere in the shop that broke the quiet atmosphere.

 
Immediately afterwards, mumbling could be heard all around the shop.

 
“What happened…?”

 
Shido frowned and looked around for the source of the commotion curiously.

 
His search rewarded him with two male customers seated at a table next to the wall; solemn faces wrinkled with displeasure and their elbows leaning against the table. Meanwhile, Tohka stood in front of them with a surprised expression on her face.

 
“Tohka…?”

 
Shido moved his sunglasses down to peek at the situation. The blond haired man pointed impatiently at his feet.

 
“I’m burned! Hey, you just spilled black tea on me just now.”

 
“Muu? Really? Be careful.”

 
Tohka moved to leave after replying casually. As a result, another man with a bearded face who also had his elbows resting on the table stood up and blocked her path.

 
“Wait a moment, Waitress-san, you’re too relaxed in this situation. You didn’t even apologize. It’s too uncultivated.”

 
“Muu?”

 
Tohka tilted her head in confusion.

 
“Why would I apologize? He spilled it on himself.”

 
“Why? You’re clearly so scatter-brained! It’s because you hit me and so the black tea spilled out!”

 
The blond man spoke with a rough tone. However Tohka frowned without a trace of fear.

 
“It’s a little odd to say that. I didn’t touch you. You stretched your foot out to try to trip me. I just slipped.”

 
“...! S-Shut up! Anyway, you got me injured and now I’m burned! How are you going to make it up to me!”

 
“No, I can’t do that. What are you trying to say?”

 
The bearded man standing in front of Tohka said, “Fine. Fine.”

 
“Don’t get so mad. It’s not like the waitress did it on purpose.”

 
“That’s true but there’s no way to know for sure. She scalded me and got my valuable clothes stained. Anyway, I have to pay for my medical expenses, emotional trauma, and the laundry fees.”

 
Hearing the sentences, Tohka frowned and said, “Muu?”

 
“Medical expenses… Are you trying to ask me for money?”

 
“It makes sense that this would happen.”

 
“That’s a pain. I’ve already decided what I want to use with the salary I earned by working here.”

 
Tohka shook her head in refusal.

 
However, upon hearing Tohka’s response, the two men only started shouting loudly. And on top of that, their attitude worsened as they now showed nasty looking smiles.

 
“Hmm? Then it can’t be helped. Ask your store manager to come here.”

 
“Muu? Why?”

 
“Why would you ask why? Since you can’t pay, we’ll have to ask the store to take responsibility! Hear that? This store injures their customers and doesn’t even apologize! This is such a terrible store!”

 
The man raised his voice, trying to attract the attention of the other customers around him.

 
“Be careful, everyone! It seems that this shop deliberately spills boiling hot tea and scalding their customers!”

 
After hearing what the man said, the cafe’s customers burst into frantic muttering immediately. “...Uh-oh, it looks like Tohka is in trouble.”

 
At that moment, a waitress standing near Shido scratched her head as she spoke. She happened to be one of the trio from Shido’s class.

 
“Do you know those two men?”

 
After Shido asked, Mai replied helplessly:

 
“Yeah… Since that rival cafe opened around here, there have been a lot of people who cause trouble like that. They’ve also been generous in hiring employees who’ve resigned from working here…”

 
“...C-Causing trouble…”

 
Shido felt trickle down his cheek as he took another look around the store. The man seemed to be rushing to cause more trouble and Tohka now wore an embarrassed expression. There was no way that he was going to let those guys bully Tohka.

 
Shido sighed and then quickly made his way over to them.

 
“Rrgh…”

 
“Shut up!”

 
Shido called from behind the man who was standing. The man quickly turned around aggressively.

 
“Do you have business with us, little boy? Are you blind? Can’t you see that we’re busy right now?”

 
The man glared at Shido viciously and Shido almost unconsciously took a step back. He allowed himself a moment to recompose himself before he said:

 
“N-No, I think this girl looks very embarrassed…”

 
When Shido finished speaking, the blond man sitting in the chair stared at him.

 
“Are you serious? I was scalded by her? But she insisted on leaving with apologizing first, so I was explaining things to her. It has nothing to do with you, OK? Do you understand?”

 
“I already told you, you’re the one who spilled the tea──”

 
Tohka protested loudly but she only managed to get partway through the sentence… Then her expression turned to one of confusion.

 
“...Shido?”

 
“──!”

 
Tohka suddenly called out his name and Shido quickly tried to cover his face with a hand. Incidentally, when Shido took off his mask while drinking his black tea, when he came over to help smooth things over, he forgot to put it back on. It was almost impossible to conceal his identity with just a pair of sunglasses.

 
“When did you come here…”

 
“No… I just wanted to see you at work.”

 
Now that his true identity had been exposed, there was no point trying to cover his face anymore.

 
Shido sighed as he took off his sunglasses.

 
“What? So, it turns out that you already know each other so it’s more troublesome.”

 
“But, the fact remains that this matter has nothing to do with you. Can you be quiet for a moment?”

 
The two men spoke to Shido threateningly. Shido scratched his cheek and said:

 
“No… this is troublesome for me. I intervened for your safety…”

 
Shido said as sweat trickled down his forehead. Even though her spirit powers had already been sealed, Tohka was still a Spirit. Her power was greater than that of humanity. If Tohka got really angry, she could easily defeat the scary looking men.

 
However, the two men did not seem to understand the reason behind Shido’s concern. They began to laugh in amusement.

 
“Ahaha! What the hell is this guy talking about? How? If we do something to her, are you going to punish us?”

 
However, Shi Tao's concern did not seem to be properly conveyed to the men. They began to laugh happily.

 
“Well! He’s pretty good looking! But you better look at your chances, bro. You don’t want to get beaten up in front of her, do you?”

 
“No, that’s not what I’m talking about…”

 
“Ahaha! Look, he’s shaking with fear! He’s really useless! Hurry up and get out of my way before you face the consequences, fool!”

 
“I already told you that we’re busy right now. We don’t have time to play hero saving the princess right now. If you understand, hurry up──”

 
The man’s face wrinkled with a threatening expression but he only managed to get through part of his sentence when he gasped and stopped.

 
The reason why was obvious.

 
Because at that moment, the atmosphere around them was very different compared to the atmosphere from before.

 
“──You two!”

 
Tohka spoke calmly but her tone clearly conveyed her fury as she glared at the bearded man with such a gaze that she could shoot him without killing him. The blond man who was sitting nearby gasped and he fell from his seat.

 
“W-What… how…”

 
The bearded man only managed to squeak out which was very different from the rough tone he’d been using before.

 
However, this wasn’t a surprise. While her tone or her appearance hadn’t changed, but now Tohka had a feral aura about her that aroused innate human instinctive and primitive fear. “I don’t care if you want to insult me. However, I will never allow you to insult Shido!”

 
Tohka exuded a powerful murderous aura such that it could be seen with the naked eye. There was the illusion that a trachea could be torn to pieces in an instant, and her breathing was such that it evoked fear. Facing Tohka when she was like this, the only kind of people who could maintain their composure in such a situation were professionally trained soldiers.

 
“Tohka! Y-You have to calm down! You two! Hurry up and apologize, she will forgive you!”

 
Shido shouted in a panic. However, this suggestion only seemed to annoy the men further.

 
“S-Shut up!”

 
The man roared as he suddenly reared his right hand back to punch Shido.

 
“──!”

 
“Shido!”

 
Shido closed his eyes involuntarily. However… no matter how much time passed, the expected blow did not make contact.

 
After a moment, Shido cautiously opened his eyes.

 
As a result, he spotted the man’s fist was blocked by someone who had appeared on the scene and was standing in front of Shido.

 
Shido stared at the man who’d managed to grab the man’s fist and spoke with a stunned voice.

 
“K-Kannazuki-san!”

 
That’s right. It was the man who stood behind Kotori as well as vice-commander of <Ratatoskr>.

 
“Hello, how are you?”

 
Kannazuki smiled and then turned to the guests sitting around and were standing up with the sound of chairs hitting the ground at the same time.

 
“Alright you guys, let’s go.”

 
“Huh?”

 
Shido’s expression turned to one of surprise as a few other customers dressed in uniform grabbed the troublesome men’s arms and proceeded to drag them out of the store.

 
“Huh? Wait a minute, w-who the hell are you…”

 
“Huh? Huh?”

 
Then after setting the table and chairs as they had been, the final customer covered the expenses of all the people who’d left and then walked out of the cafe.

 
All of this took place within a few minutes and the shop soon returned to its original quiet and relaxed atmosphere.

 
“...M-Muu?”

 
Tohka watched in surprise as the two men were taken away by several other customers while frowning in confusion.

 
However, she dismissed these thoughts as she rushed to Shido’s side.

 
“S-Shido! Are you okay! Are you hurt?”

 
“O-Oh, I’m okay.”

 
Seeing Tohka’s expression return to its original state, Shido let out a sigh of relief and smiled bitterly at the same time.

 
Having said that, what just happened just now? Shido briefly wondered how the number of customers had been greatly decreased. So──

 
“──Excuse, waitress-san. Could I have some more, please?”

 
At that moment, a particular voice came from behind them.

 
“What…”

 
Shido turned around and found himself unable to speak for a moment.

 
It was because the person who’d spoken was his younger sister, Kotori, whose long red hair was tied with black ribbons along with her best friend and assistant teacher of Shido’s class:

 
Murasame Reine.

 
“Kotori──What are you doing here…”

 
After being asked, Kotori rested her head in her hand and hummed.

 
“Oh, can’t we come here to enjoy afternoon tea?”

 
“Don’t tell me…”

 
At that moment, Shido’s eyes widened.

 
“It can’t be… the group of guests just now were…”

 
After Shido finished speaking, Kotori simply smiled innocently as though she hadn’t a clue as to what he was talking about and looked away.

 
This was the most definitive proof. In other words, the group of guests just now were all members of the <Ratatoskr> organization. Even though <Commander> Kotori insisted that it was no good to be overprotective of Tohka, it seemed that she took extreme measures to protect her herself. No wonder there were so many customers.

 
But as far as results were concerned, there was no denying that they’d been very helpful. Shido shrugged his shoulders and sighed.

 
“Thanks for helping me out.”

 
“Huh, I’m not here to help you. Stop talking about this, I’m talking to Tohka. I want to eat dessert, do you have any recommendations?”

 
“Muu…?”

 
Suddenly faced with this problem, Tohka’s eyes widened as she stared at her.

 
“Hmm...Ah, the milk puffs are delicious. I would recommend them!”

 
“Okay, then I’ll have those.”

 
“I understand!”

 
Tohka nodded energetically. Seeing this, Shido smiled slightly then moved to return to his own seat.

 
However──

 
“...Huh?”

 
As he made his way back, he suddenly felt someone tugging on his sleeve from behind so he stopped.

 
Glancing behind him, Tohka wore a lonely expression was tugging on Shido’s clothes.

 
“A-Aren’t you going... to eat?”

 
“M-Me…”

 
Shido scratched his head awkwardly as he glanced at his unfinished Italian pasta and then sighed.

 
“Then… if you recommend them, I’ll have a puff too.”

 
After Shido finished speaking, Tohka’s expression turned to a more cheerful one and answered:

 
“Umu!”

◇

 
A few days later, Tohka had finished her part-time job without any problems. As a result Kannazuku-san brought two men to visit the Itsuka household.

 
They were two familiar men who’d tried to cause trouble for Tohka at [La Pucelle].

 
However, unlike before, their behavior was like small dogs in the rain, their bodies were trembling all over.

 
“Okay, you two, what do you have to say for yourselves?”

 
Kannazuki spoke with a serene smile. The two of them twitched their shoulders and spoke with a trembling voice:

 
“W-We’re very sorry.”

 
“I swear to the heavens that I will never cause trouble for that shop ever again…”

 
The two spoke with their heads bowed. Shido and Tohka couldn’t help but look at each other as they noticed the complete 180 degree change in their attitude. Just what kind of treatment did they deal with in order to change their behavior in such a short space of time?

 
“Yes… Good boys. Both of you.”

 
Kannazuki finished speaking like this as he clapped his hands on the mens’ shoulders. As a result, the two of them began to tremble again, and for some reason they quickly pressed their hands against their buttocks. Could it be that they were spanked?

 
“Hmm, it looks like these two have been reformed. How about it? Could you forgive them.”

 
“Oh… sure…”

 
“Muu… If Shido can forgive them then I guess I can too.”

 
After Shido and Tohka finished speaking, the two men burst into tears and immediately bowed down before them.

 
“T-Thank you…!”

 
“I-If you hadn’t forgiven us, it would have been all over for us…!”

 
...Seriously, what kind of treatment did they receive? 

 
Shido frowned as he wondered about this. Kannazuku simply smiled slightly and said, “Now, say goodbye.” Then he escorted the two of them away.

 
Now, only Shido and Tohka were left in front of the Itsuka household. The two stared down the street where the three of them disappeared. After a moment, they sighed.

 
“...Let’s go to school.”

 
“Muu… Let’s go.”

 
That’s right, it was currently 8:00 in the morning. The three had just happened to stop by when Shido and Tohka were about to go to school.

 
At that moment:

 
“Ah! By the way, Shido!”

 
Tohka shouted as though she’d suddenly remembered something. She then started rummaging through her schoolbag.

 
“Huh…? What is it?”

 
“This is for you!”

 
After speaking, Tohka handed him a small package the size of his palm. It was tied with a cute ribbon as though it was a present.

 
“Is this for me?”

 
After Shido asked, Tohka nodded as she patted her chest proudly.

 
“Well, I bought it with the money that I earned from working! I hope you’ll accept it!”

 
“You bought it with the money that you earned from your job? Isn’t it expensive? It’s hard to make money. Would it be better to use it to buy something you like?”

 
However, Tohka shook her head.

 
“But that’s not the reason I did it. I started working the part-time job so I could give you a gift.”

 
“What?”

 
“Ai told me that as long as I work and make money, I could repay Shido who has been taking care of me. So… I decided to go to work.”

 
“Ah…”

 
Shido’s eyes widened. He remembered Ai, Mai, and Mii whispering to Tohka a few days when they were trying to convince her to work the part-time job in the first place. He thought that the three of them tried to tempt Tohka with extra cakes… It turned out that wasn’t the case.

 
“Uh, but this gift…”

 
“Shido… Are you upset?”

 
Tohka stared anxiously . Shido made an uncertain sound while struggling to speak for a moment before sighing.

 
“No, I’m very happy──Thank you, Tohka.”

 
“U-Umu!”

 
Tohka nodded with a smile on her face. Seeing her smile as bright as the sun, Shido also smiled.

 
“Can I open it?”

 
“Of course!”

 
After getting Tohka’s permission, Shido carefully unpacked and removed the contents and put them in his hand.

 
Then—after seeing what was inside and understanding its purpose, Shido felt a single drop of sweat trickle down his cheek.

 
“T-This is…”

 
Because the contents of the package was a shiny beautiful four-leaf clover hairpin.

 
“Muu, I said I wanted to give a friend a gift. The people at the store recommended that I buy this! It seems that wearing this hairpin would bring you good luck!”

 
“T-Then… thank you, I will cherish it.”

 
Shido smiled stiffly and placed it in his pocket.

 
“Muu? Aren’t you going to wear it?”

 
“Uh… that… I…”

 
Shido struggled to speak, uncertain on how to answer. Tohka’s expression immediately turned a somber one.

 
“You… You really are… unhappy...? I’m sorry… I don’t know what you want…”

 
“N-No! That’s not it!”

 
“...Muu… really?”

 
Tohka looked up to stare into Shido’s eyes.

 
“Ah…”

 
If there was someone who could resist the look on her face, Shido wished to meet them. As he reflected on that, he forced himself to clip his hair in a strange way.