Chapter 62 : Maid Café
"Boss, give me a cup of '82 Phila."
"Eh? Customer, don't get too excited, drinking too much coffee is bad for your health."
......
In the maid café, people chatted excitedly, creating a lively atmosphere.
The aroma of coffee mixed with fruit filled the air. Girls dressed in cute maid outfits bustled about, serving each customer the food they needed.
And Lonis, who had entered the shop, naturally received maid service as well.
"Miss, welcome home. Are you alone, or are you waiting for someone?"
This maid had long pink hair, silky locks like a beautiful girl from an anime, full of candy-like sweetness.
"Um, I..."
Lonis's face flushed red. Facing a real girl, she was too embarrassed to say she was here to work... because as a hero, she should naturally be the master, enjoying the maids' care.
However, now she was about to become one of the maids, serving customers.
......
But the maid only interpreted Lonis's hesitation as shyness:
"Miss, is this your first time in our shop?"
"Eh?"
"Mm mm, don't be nervous. If it's your first time, please let me recommend some of our signature dishes~"
"W-wait a moment..."
"Does Miss like ice cream cake? Today's vanilla-flavored cake is on special, very cheap."
......
Watching the maid go to such trouble explaining things to her, Lonis's face grew even redder.
She didn't dare let the other continue serving her, and besides, she had no money.
"Um, Miss Maid, I'm sorry!"
"Eh... Miss, why are you apologizing?"
"I don't have any money, and I'm not here to enjoy myself."
"B-but Miss's clothes are so beautiful and cute..."
"Uu..."
Being called cute by a real girl made Lonis want to crawl into a crack in the ground.
But she still had to steel herself and say reluctantly: "I... I actually want to work here, so..."
"Oh, I understand!"
Hearing Lonis say this, the pink-haired maid not only didn't show any "disgust," but seemed to find resonance and said excitedly:
"Miss wants to be self-reliant too!"
"Eh...?"
"Always spending family money is really embarrassing. So why not take a part-time job while at school and achieve self-sufficiency... hehe, to be honest, I'm actually the same~"
Seeing the pink-haired girl's sincere gaze, Lonis felt even more guilty.
What self-reliance? She was completely being forced by that black-hearted sadistic beautiful girl!
Moreover, she wasn't even a student at Clear Academy—according to Elucia, she was just good-looking but otherwise a useless pretty vase.
But the pink-haired girl in front of her seemed to be a real young lady... working at the shop specifically for work-study.
......
......
"Um, I'm sorry! I'm actually..."
"Actually...?"
The pink-haired girl tilted her head, looking over with great curiosity.
"Actually, I want to get a work visa through part-time work to stay on the academy island."
"Work visa? Miss, aren't you a student at Clear Academy?"
"Ah, um, I'm barely... a tourist, I guess. I just arrived here today..."
"I see, I understand!"
The pink-haired girl nodded, suddenly seeming to decide something as she called out to the distance: "Manager, we have a newcomer who wants to work in our shop."
"Eh, eh eh eh?!"
"She's a very beautiful silver-haired young lady. It would be such a waste to miss this opportunity!"
"Wuu!"
When she saw the manager, Lonis's face flushed red.
Because this manager was a very mature woman, appearing to be around 35 years old, with purple hair in a straight ponytail behind her, giving off a very capable and intellectual aura.
(Big... bigger than Elucia's?)
Actually, Elucia's proportions were already somewhat exaggerated. Though she had never touched them, her chest was quite full, very charming as a girl. (Except when in loli form)
But this manager was even bigger, massive assets constrained in her top, buttons seeming ready to burst at any moment...
This left Lonis not knowing where to look.
"You want to work at the maid café?"
The manager's gaze swept back and forth over Lonis's face and body, seemingly evaluating whether she could handle maid work.
"Y-yes. However, I want to obtain a work visa. Is that possible?"
"Work visa is no problem, but you'll need to work here tonight and earn good reviews from customers."
"Eh?"
"If your approval rating is seventy percent, we'll sign a formal employment contract. How about it?"
When the manager said this, the pink-haired maid's eyes flashed with surprise, then behind the manager's back, she secretly made a gesture to Lonis.
Her expression seemed to say, this is a good deal, accept it quickly.
"Thank you. Whatever needs to be done, please tell me."
"Good. Zhou Suling, you're responsible for training this newcomer and working the evening shift together."
So the pink-haired maid who had initially received Lonis was named Zhou Suling.
She was currently a first-year student at Clear Academy, majoring in Magical Law.
Lonis didn't know what Magical Law meant, but presumably it dealt with legal issues related to magic... after all, this world had changed drastically and could no longer be judged by past standards.
And even the maids at the maid café were like this...
"Lonis, watch carefully~ This is the maid's love magic~~ Clear hope, from a maiden's dream, omelet delivered~~"
"Eh?"
Lonis was stunned... Zhou Suling made a heart shape in front of her, and then, a real heart actually floated out from the air!
Pale pink fluorescence bloomed in the air like miniature fireworks.
"H-how did you do that?"
"Through the maid bracelet."
"Eh...?"
"The maid bracelet is a mass-produced magic device. As long as you can recite the correct incantation, regardless of the wearer's magic level, you can release stored magic."
"Amazing..."
"Lonis should try it too."
"Um, that..."
If she were a girl, she would definitely love this kind of maid bracelet with lace trim, right?
But Lonis was a man. If not for work, she would absolutely never wear such a thing!
"Do I have to recite it?"
"Of course, because this is the maid's love magic. Without reciting it, there won't be good reviews."
"I-I understand..."
Lonis took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her inner shame, and gathered courage to say: "Th-this is the maid's lo... love magic. Clear hope, from a maiden's dream, omelet delivered!"
......
As soon as Lonis finished the incantation, an incredibly large heart appeared before her.