Chapter 383 384: Military Police: Why Is This Person's Name Flickering

After dinner, Jhin took the girls of the Gourmet Edifice to Mihama Academy, where Sachi Komine would show them around the school, while he himself headed back to Hamster House Café.

With new students joining, the girls staying in the dorm came out one after another to meet the newcomers. The girls led by Amane Suou in particular assumed, almost reflexively, that Jhin had gone on a business trip and brought back yet another new "sister."

But the moment they saw Kokkoro, several of them reached for their phones at the same time, without a word between them.

Following the cover story Jhin had prepared, Pecorine introduced the four of them: she was a princess of some foreign royal family, and the other three were her lifelong companions, also daughters of high ministers.

Makina Irisu crossed her arms and nodded with an air of forced maturity. "So basically, big brother went on his trip and swindled a princess and her whole entourage into coming home with him!"

"Ahaha, it wasn't really swindling — we all came along of our own free will." Pecorine wasn't sure whether the girl in front of her was one of the girlfriends Jhin had mentioned, but after glancing at Kyaru and Megumin, she figured it was quite likely.

Kokkoro asked Sachi Komine, who was dressed as a maid, "Excuse me, where is Master's bedroom?"

"Master!?"

Startled by so many people crying out in unison, Kokkoro shrank back a little and asked, puzzled, "Is something wrong?"

"This 'Master' you mean... is that Jhin?"

"Yes, what about it?"

Sachi Komine straightened her makeup and stepped forward with a serious look. "As Jhin's personal maid, I can't just let that slide!"

"Oh, so Miss Komine is Master's personal maid?"

"Jhin's never actually said so, but I really am his personal maid!"

Kokkoro didn't understand why Sachi kept emphasizing "personal maid," and thought she was asking about her own job, so she answered, "I'm Master's dedicated guide."

"Oh, a guide, is it? So what are your duties when he's traveling?"

"There's a lot to take care of." Kokkoro counted them off on her fingers. "Waking Master up, making breakfast, doing the laundry, and sometimes sleeping together or reading together."

By the time she finished listing everything she'd been doing at Jhin's side, Eriri, sitting at the edge of the sofa, couldn't hold back a comment. "Honestly, you sound less like a guide and more like his mom."

"But I think Master's quite capable on his own — there's a lot he doesn't actually need me for." Kokkoro said this with a warm, motherly smile. "Still, if Master wants, I could be his mommy, too."

The maternal glow radiating off her was almost blinding, and four words flashed through Eriri's mind: Loli Mom!

Click.

"Whoa! Sachi's turned into a stone statue!" Makina Irisu yelped, running over and poking her with a pale finger.

"I concede defeat, wholeheartedly, in the maternal department." Snapping back to herself, Sachi gave a small bow and turned to leave. "I'm going to go study the forty-eight maid techniques now. Amane, could you cover for me and take my leave?"

"Sure, good luck."

After that, the girls of the Gourmet Edifice quickly settled into life in the dorm. They made no effort at all to hide their feelings for Jhin — and Kokkoro's appearance in particular kept making everyone want to call the military police.

Fortunately, after some careful probing from Amane Suou, everyone learned that so far only Megumin and Kyaru had gotten physically close with Jhin, and they finally relaxed completely.

A string of sneezes from Jhin caught Chisato's attention. She trotted over to him, rose on her toes, and pressed her forehead against his. "Jhin-nii, do you have a cold?"

A warmth as bright as sunlight drifted off her. Since this was the first time she'd been this close to a boy, a shy flush rose on her cheeks, and her lips pressed together, a little tense.

"Don't worry, my nose is just a little itchy." He smiled and pinched Chisato's soft cheek. "But thanks for worrying about me anyway."

"Heh heh, good thing you're not sick." She grinned and stepped back, then asked about his plans. "Are you going out again tomorrow?"

"No, they all know I'm at this café now anyway, so to avoid another wasted trip like today, I'll just stay at the shop."

"Yay, I get to work with Jhin-nii again."

"Working isn't exactly something to be happy about."

"The main thing is getting to be with you."

Jhin laughed and flicked her forehead lightly. "Flattery won't get you a raise, you know."

"I'm just telling the truth!"

"Have you picked today's movie?"

At the mention of it, Chisato clenched her small fist with confidence. "I have! This time I definitely won't fall asleep!"

While Jhin had been off seeing the others out, she'd been chugging down bitter coffee she'd never have touched before — and now she was wide awake!

When Kurumi got up in the night to use the bathroom, she found Chisato fast asleep against Jhin's shoulder again — except now a different romance movie was playing on the screen. She shook her head, at a loss for words. "If you can't handle romance movies, just don't watch them."

Seeing that even Jhin was sitting motionless on the couch, she assumed they were both asleep and went over to wake them up. But just as she got close, Jhin suddenly turned his head and startled her. "Interested in this movie too?"

"Eek!" Kurumi let out an adorable little shriek, then, flustered and embarrassed, punched him in the shoulder. "If you weren't asleep, you could've at least moved! Whipping around like that out of nowhere is terrifying!"

He answered cheerfully, "Sorry. But... I didn't know you could make such a cute sound. Not bad."

"Don't you dare mention this in front of Chisato!"

"Relax~ I'm not that much of a blabbermouth."

"I shouldn't have bothered being nice and coming to wake you up, honestly..."

Grumbling, Kurumi stalked back to the break room. Once the sound of the closet door opening and closing came from inside, Chisato — who'd been sound asleep against Jhin's shoulder — gave a small shudder and burst out giggling.

"Don't go teasing Kurumi about this, or she might turn on you."

"Of course I won't. Sorry, Jhin-nii, I fell asleep again without meaning to..."

"It's fine. The movie's over anyway — go get some sleep."

"Okay." Chisato got up, a bit reluctantly, said goodnight to Jhin, and headed back to her room.

Fortunately, Jhin had planned for multiple residents when the café was designed, and the place itself was spacious — otherwise, knowing Chisato's personality, she might have just flat-out suggested sleeping in his room.

Gabriel, who'd made a wasted trip during the day, was in a foul mood now. Jhin was back from his trip, but instead of coming to clean her place, he'd gone off to run a café — and the waitstaff there was a pretty girl, no less!

"This is completely outrageous! Doesn't he already have Hitori Gotoh as his girlfriend? So why's he out there every day chasing after more girls!" She shook her bare feet irritably, then slapped her thigh. "No way! As his best friend, I have to set him straight!"

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