Chapter 96 96: The Girls’s Date

"What are you so down about, ojou-sama?"

A gentle voice sounded from in front of him.

Shiori-chan, still collapsed forward in a pose of total despair, raised her head. What entered her eyes was Mikoto, who had transformed from a miko into a maid. She wore a long dress between pale lavender and black, with a pure white apron trimmed in beautiful lace. A cute ribbon decorated her long black hair.

"There are this many cute girls standing here in maid outfits. If you still feel depressed, you'll be punished by the heavens, you know."

Seeing Shido lose all fighting spirit just because he had put on a maid outfit, Mikoto comforted him with a wry smile.

"Uu…"

"If you're already like this now, what will you do when Yoshino-chan comes later?"

"Wait… Yoshino is coming too?"

"That's right. She was very interested in the Tenou Festival, wasn't she?"

"Nooo!"

Tohka, the Yamai sisters, and even Mikoto were still manageable. At the very least, Mikoto knew the details behind the situation, so while Shido felt embarrassed, it was not unbearable.

But the moment he thought of Yoshino's pure, innocent eyes, Shido felt like a vampire exposed to sunlight.

"Relax. I'll explain it to Yoshino-chan and Yoshinon-chan. I'll tell them Shido is doing this for work."

Mikoto said with a bitter smile.

"Uu…"

Hearing Mikoto's comfort, Shido managed to recover a little.

____________

Today was the day that would decide whether the seal succeeded or failed. He could not keep going like this.

As a result, after being bathed in Yoshino's pure gaze and nearly turning white from the shock, Shido soon welcomed Miku herself.

"Did Miku come to inspect the enemy?"

He looked at the girl in front of him.

She was as arrogant as ever, and as always, she used her voice to toy with humans in the palm of her hand. But for some reason, after learning Miku's story, the disgust in his heart toward the girl seemed to have lessened.

"Not at all. I came to invite you."

"Invite?"

Shido and Mikoto looked at each other.

"To invite Shiori-san and Mikoto-san on a date with me."

In the end, faced with Miku's smiling expression, and considering that sealing required a certain level of affection, the two had no choice but to agree.

Even though Mikoto would soon have to leave to intercept DEM's wizards, she now had to accompany Miku on a date. Looking at the girl who had run over to the crepe stand, Mikoto could only wear a helpless smile.

"Here you go. Strawberry cream crepe for Shiori-san, and candied apple crepe for Mikoto-san."

Before long, Miku came running back with three crepes in hand.

As a result, Shido was sandwiched between Mikoto and Miku. But because he was a "girl" this time, he was lucky enough to avoid the usual series of mental attacks: "the rage of the FFF Inquisition", "burning jealous stares", and "the curse of riajuu hatred."

"Mm, mm, wonderful. This is good enough to open a shop."

Miku took a bite of her chocolate banana crepe and happily placed a hand on her cheek.

"Mm… it's good."

Shido nodded.

"I didn't expect they could make it this well."

Mikoto also widened her eyes. Although she had arranged for students to learn from the shopping district, she did not expect the result to be delicious enough that they could really run a shop.

"Mm, this one is good too."

"Wah?"

Just then, Miku suddenly took a bite of Shido's crepe, making him let out a small cry.

"Here. Now we're even."

"Uu…"

Looking at the chocolate banana crepe Miku offered him, and considering the affection score, Shido could not refuse. He could only take a small bite.

"Is it good?"

"Mm. It's really good."

"Hehe. We just had an indirect kiss."

[!!!]

Hearing Miku's words, Shido's face quickly turned red.

But very soon, he felt a strange, slightly prickly gaze from his left.

"Uu…"

Turning his head, he saw Mikoto staring at him with cute half-lidded eyes. Her cheeks were puffed up. Even though she was angry, she still looked incredibly cute.

"Um… Yakumo-senpai…"

Even though he had only done it because it was necessary for the conquest, being stared at by Mikoto like this made Shido feel oddly guilty.

"Ojou-sama, there is cream at the corner of your mouth."

But before he could finish speaking, the girl smiled with the perfect business smile of a maid.

"Please allow me to clean it for you."

"Ah… then please."

Because of his guilty conscience, Shido could not refuse and nodded.

Mikoto stood on tiptoe.

Chuu! (TL:ahhhh)

"Eeeeh?"

Shido never expected her to lightly kiss his cheek, then gently lick away the cream stuck there with her tongue. His brain shut down instantly.

"Ah, Mikoto-san, that's unfair. In that case… I'll take care of this side of Shiori-san."

"Eeeeh?"

On the other side, Miku also kissed him and licked away the cream on his other cheek.

For a moment, seeing three beautiful girls kissing each other caused the crowd around them to whisper.

"A-amazing. Is that yuri?"

"What a waste of resources! This is such a waste of resources! Damn it!"

"Miku onee-sama, how could this… uuu…"

[I knew we should have gotten some cream on Shido's lips.]

Kotori's dissatisfied voice came through the earpiece. They had been so close. If things had gone just a little differently, Miku would have sealed herself without even realizing it.

"Ahaha…"

Hearing Kotori's words, Shido smiled bitterly and scratched his cheek.

After that, Mikoto, Shido, and Miku spent a somewhat tense date together.

Finally, seeing Miku fail at a ring toss game and then simply use her power to hypnotize the shopkeeper into giving her the prize, Shido swear with a complicated expression.

"I will definitely save you."

However…

"Hehe. It's a little regrettable, but today's date ends here. I'll be waiting for you on stage. Assuming Shiori-san is able to stand on that stage, that is."

Miku's words made Mikoto feel uneasy.

Considering Miku's personality, Mikoto could not help thinking that she might use some improper method to win the contest.

After all, in Miku's eyes, humans were not equal beings. In that case… there was no such thing as fair competition to begin with.

"Shido, I'm sorry, but I have to leave too."

There was no more time. Mikoto looked at Shido and said that.

"Yakumo-senpai?"

"It's a shame I won't be able to watch Shido's performance, but there is something I have to do."

Mikoto smiled bitterly.

That smile made Shido feel uneasy, and he pressed her.

"What exactly are you—uu…"

However, a pale, slender finger touched his lips.

"It's all right. Right now, Shido only needs to focus on winning the contest against Miku."

Seeing Shido's worried expression, Mikoto gave him a gentle smile.

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