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"Let's talk about the purification magic when we get back."
Blake tried to pull his right hand free.
"It's about something else." Yamada Elf tilted her small face up, her voice sweet and lively. "When I went to the bookstore earlier for research, I saw a few light novels I really liked, but I couldn't buy them. Come with me and help me get them."
Blake sighed. "I'm already carrying a bunch of stuff. How about I drop this off first? You can wait at the bookstore entrance."
"No way. The bookstore is right up ahead. Waiting around is exhausting." Yamada Elf put a hand on her hip. "I'll carry your stuff."
"You sure you can handle it?"
"Hey, don't underestimate me, servant!"
She puffed out her cheeks and quickly grabbed everything from him.
"See? Easy."
"Looks like you can handle it," Blake said, already walking toward the bookstore. "Keep it up. Let's go."
Watching him stroll ahead so casually, Yamada Elf blinked. Something felt off… like she'd just been played.
"Idiot servant, take half of this back! My arms are killing me!"
"..."
A short while later, they arrived at the bookstore on the corner.
"The latest volume of This Is the End Stagnation Committee, Chitose-kun Inside the Ramune Bottle, Making a Living in Death Games, and… oh, let's grab the newest Love Metronome too. Kasumigaoka Utaha is seriously talented." Yamada Elf chattered nonstop at his side. Since she was invisible, no one could hear her, so she didn't bother lowering her voice. "Hurry up, servant."
"No rush. One book at a time." Blake wandered toward the shelves. "We've got time. The books aren't going anywhere."
"But what if they sell out?" she protested, hands on her hips.
"If it's something you really love, would you line up early in the morning, or stroll in at five in the afternoon?" he shot back.
"Well…"
"If it was going to sell out, it'd already be gone by morning. Panicking won't help."
"Ugh! You're so annoying, servant!"
"..."
They reached the shelves, and under Yamada Elf's direction, Blake began gathering books. Before long, his arms were filled.
Poke—
A finger suddenly jabbed lightly at his waist. Yamada Elf lowered her voice.
"Servant, that person looks weird."
Blake turned his head. A suspicious figure had just come upstairs from below. Small build… probably a girl.
She was wearing an unfashionable middle school gym uniform, a black baseball cap, and oversized black-framed glasses that hid most of her face. The only thing visible under the brim was a strand of bright blonde hair.
"No normal person dresses like that, right?" Yamada Elf rested her chin in her hand, curious. "Could she be a thief?"
"Probably not," Blake replied after a glance.
"But that outfit is super suspicious!" she insisted. "I haven't seen anyone that weird all day."
"Exactly because it's weird, she's probably not a thief," he said quietly. "Thieves aim to blend in, like a plain brick. Too noticeable—good-looking or ugly—doesn't work. Her look stands out way too much."
"No, I have to follow her and check." Unable to resist her curiosity, Yamada Elf moved to tail the girl as she slipped away. "Servant, keep looking for books and wait for me."
"Go ahead."
Blake waved her off, not worried in the slightest. In her invisible state, normal people couldn't see or hear her. Unless that sneaky girl was also a magical girl… which would be way too much of a coincidence.
He pushed the thought aside and continued browsing, quickly collecting all the books Yamada Elf wanted.
Since he'd made a nice profit yesterday, he was feeling generous and decided to pick out a couple for himself. Just as he was flipping through a light novel, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed through the store.
He looked up to see Yamada Elf rushing back, her face flushed red, as if something terrifying were chasing her.
"Did you get spotted?" Blake raised an eyebrow.
"N-no…"
She clutched her chest, panting, her gaze instinctively drifting downward along his torso before she hurriedly looked away.
Terrifying.
What she'd just seen was way too terrifying.
"What were you looking at?" Blake asked, sensing something off.
"Nothing!" Yamada Elf's eyes darted around. She turned her face away, flustered. "Did you finish buying the books? Let's go already."
"Yeah, got everything." Blake grew more curious. "So what happened? Was she a thief?"
"N-no, not a thief…"
Yamada Elf stammered, her blush deepening as the memory resurfaced.
"Then why is your face so red?" he pressed.
"Idiot servant, stop asking so many questions! I just… got hot from running!" she said shyly, glancing around nervously like something monstrous might be lurking in the bookstore. "I'm tired. Let's go back and rest."
That was a lie.
Following the suspicious girl, Yamada Elf had discovered a hidden corner behind a curtain… and behind that curtain was a whole different world.
Restricted section.
Everywhere she looked, it was full of adult-only material. Stuff you weren't supposed to see until you were grown up.
Curious and fearless, she hadn't run away immediately. Instead, she stayed to take a closer look.
Then she saw the blonde girl in the cap pick up one of the display books, giggling as she flipped through it. On the cover were two bold characters: "Humiliation."
Standing nearby, Yamada Elf peeked along with her.
Her innocent little heart took a direct hit.
She fled in a panic, face burning bright red.
Terrifying.
The adult world was way too terrifying.
Even if she got married someday, she absolutely refused to be tied up in such horrible poses!
"If everything's fine, let's head back," Blake said. He could tell she was hiding something, but since she didn't want to talk, he didn't push.
"Yeah, let's go, let's go." Yamada Elf let out a relieved breath, glancing nervously toward the corner. "We're going home and watching a couple episodes of Chibi Maruko-chan to cleanse my eyes!"
"Sure."
The two headed downstairs together.
But just as they reached the turn in the stairwell, they ran into a group of elementary school kids wearing yellow hats and red backpacks, chatting noisily as they followed a female teacher.
Blake stepped back into the corner to let them pass.
Yamada Elf had the same idea… but she reacted a split second too late, and ended up slipping straight into his arms.
"....."