"Eh? Isn't this the little brother from yesterday? You guys also came to the aquarium to play? What a coincidence~"
Hachiman, after feeding Tohsaka Sakura dorayaki and taiyaki and drinking two cups of milk tea, held Sakura's hand as they left with the others. But before they completely left the aquarium, a lively voice called out from ahead.
Looking up, he saw that the source of the voice was none other than the energetic waitress from yesterday's café, Nishikigi Chisato.
"Miss Chisato? Isn't the café open today?"
Hachiman stopped and looked at the short-haired girl with golden-white hair, but his gaze discreetly swept over the black-haired girl standing beside her.
Black, over-the-shoulder long hair. Bright purple eyes. An M-shaped fringe. Expressionless face.
Her stance looked natural yet was actually alert, her eyes constantly observing her surroundings, clearly someone with special training.
"Ahaha! Of course the café's open, but as usual there aren't really any customers. So the manager told me to take Takina out shopping for some daily necessities while we're at it."
Scratching the back of her head in mild embarrassment at Hachiman's words, Nishikigi Chisato quickly pulled the black-haired girl beside her forward to introduce her to Hachiman's group.
"Oh right, this is Inoue Takina, who just arrived here last night. She's also staying in the manager's apartment like me now. The reason the manager wasn't in the café yesterday evening was because he was busy handling apartment matters."
"Hello, I'm Inoue Takina."
Inoue Takina gave a small bow, politely greeting them, but couldn't help glancing at Hachiman, the only male among all the girls.
"You're all living in the manager's apartment now? Then Miss Inoue also works at the café? Are you planning to work off your rent?"
Hachiman looked at Inoue Takina in surprise. He hadn't expected that while Chisato had come all the way to Chiba, Takina too had been assigned here as her partner, and both were working at the same café.
The café Chisato worked at last night seemed to be the same one where Gabriel from the original story worked. The "manager" she spoke of was that middle-aged man who loved coffee and prided himself on blending.
In the original story, this manager was also Satanichia's landlord, so that meant Chisato and Takina were very likely living in the same apartment as Satanichia.
But in the original, the manager only had Gabriel part-time there once or twice a week for pocket money. Business wasn't great, but it wasn't a big deal.
Now with Chisato and Takina both working there, and seemingly not going to school either… could a café with so few customers really afford to pay two full-time workers?
"Uh, no, not exactly. I do want the café to do better, but for some reason, even though the manager's coffee is delicious, customers are always so few. Even after changing the shop's style, there weren't any new customers...", Chisato looked embarrassed being asked something like that by Hachiman.
It's not like she wanted to slack off and still get paid. But perhaps the café's location really was bad. Handing out flyers hadn't worked, even redecorating hadn't changed much.
Takina, who had only just arrived yesterday, didn't really know much about the café's situation. Even though she found Chisato's reaction a little odd, she didn't comment.
"Hehe, let's talk about this next time. We won't bother you two at the aquarium any longer."
Hachiman didn't continue chatting with Chisato. After grasping the situation a bit, he pulled Sakura and Komachi along to leave.
Chisato wasn't here for him, and Takina had just arrived. Since that was the case, he didn't need to concern himself with Lycoris' movements.
Compared to those trained orphan girls using firearms, whose physical abilities were still within the range of ordinary humans, the assassin Golden Darkness he hadn't yet met was far more dangerous.
Golden Darkness, the cosmic assassin, was way more of a threat than Chisato and Takina.
Still, he hadn't run into any aliens other than Lala and Mikado Ryoko. Unless someone hired Golden Darkness to kill him, she probably wouldn't come to Earth.
"Byebye~ Come visit the café sometime when you're free! Even if you only order coffee and bring in food from other shops, that's fine! If you come with more people, I can even give you a special discount!"
Chisato called after Hachiman as he left, still trying to hook return customers for the café.
Twice now she had seen him surrounded by a group of pretty girls, and the only boy among them.
Weren't customers like that perfect for their café? Its secluded location and lack of customers made it an ideal date spot.
Takina, however, ignored the cheerful Chisato beside her. Her eyes were fixed intently on Hachiman's retreating figure.
"What's the matter? Interested in that guy? Though it looks like he already has a girlfriend, he was holding hands the whole time while chatting with us."
Seeing how Takina had paid attention to Hachiman earlier, and was still staring even after he left, Chisato teased her with a playful slap on the shoulder.
"That person is the target of my mission."
Takina didn't rise to the bait. Her gaze stayed locked on Hachiman's back until he vanished into the crowd. Then she finally withdrew her eyes and said flatly to Chisato.
"Eh? Takina, weren't you sent here after failing your mission? Why do you still have a mission?"
Chisato froze, staring at Takina in astonishment.
Last night, after finishing work with Nanami and the others, she had gotten the news back at the apartment, that another Lycoris had been assigned to move in there long-term.
Taking advantage of the café being as slow as ever today, she had brought Takina out to shop for daily necessities.
Who would have thought they'd run into Takina's mission target on this one outing. And that the target turned out to be that little brother she'd already met once.
"Although I was punished for acting without orders and dispatched out of DA headquarters, that doesn't mean I'm completely without missions."
Takina's pretty face, already expressionless, darkened at Chisato's words, but she still explained patiently.
"Before coming to Chiba, I received an assignment. There's intel suggesting someone here is researching a very dangerous automatos technology. I need to recover that tech and have it destroyed at headquarters."
"Automatos technology? Then that Hachiman guy just now, is he the target? Or maybe a middleman with information?"
Chisato tilted her head, still puzzled about Hachiman's identity.
"Neither. The automatos mission has nothing to do with that boy."
Takina shook her head and continued.
"On the way to the aquarium, I received a new mission. Tonight, at a nearby stadium, there will be a concert by the Mermaid Divas."
"The Mermaid Divas with their heavenly voices aren't just Japan's national idols anymore, they're world-class. If an accident happens during their concert, it'll damage Japan's reputation and make people question public safety."
"To prevent anyone from sabotaging the concert and undermining relations between demi-humans and humans, DA has sent many Lycoris agents as reinforcements."
"That boy is the Mermaid Divas' manager. We need to protect him along with the divas themselves."
"M-Manager? That guy? A concert? Isn't he human? What does he have to do with the Mermaid Divas?"
Chisato blinked, wondering if she'd misheard.
Even if Hachiman wasn't a mission target but a protection target instead, which meant she didn't have to worry about Lycoris attacking someone she knew, the whole setup still seemed bizarre.
"I don't know why a normal human got involved with the Mermaid Divas, let alone became their manager. But this mission clearly lists him as a very important protection target. His protection rank is even higher than the Divas' themselves."
Takina didn't plan to dig into the details. Seeing that Chisato still wanted to ask, she simply pulled her into the aquarium.
"Let's hurry and check if there are any hidden terrorists here. If we don't find anything, I'll head to the concert site early to prepare."
The Mermaid Divas had high protection priority, but although they looked fragile, they were demi-humans who commanded magic. During performances, they'd be on stage, not needing close bodyguarding.
Their job was to check the venue and surrounding areas for hazards, like planted bombs, so that the concertgoers would be safe.
"Ehhh... I just wanted to bring you to the aquarium for fun, and now there's a mission..."
Chisato pulled a face at Takina's words.
But then she suddenly thought of something she'd overlooked, her face lighting up in delight.
"Wait, if we're protecting the Mermaid Divas, then doesn't that mean we get to attend the concert for free and hear their singing live?"
"I heard tickets sold out the moment they went on sale! Online, people are offering hundreds of thousands of yen for just one!"
"...Did you receive a mission notice? Lycoris without official orders won't be given a cover identity for entry by DA."
Takina crushed Chisato's fantasy without mercy, her face still blank.
"Wha? No way?"
Only now did Chisato realize she hadn't actually received the concert-protection assignment, otherwise she'd already know about Hachiman's situation.
Which meant, after helping Takina with the security sweep of the aquarium and concert venue, she'd have to watch Takina go inside alone to enjoy the Diva's performance while she was stuck outside.
Aaaaagh! If she didn't know, it'd be fine. But now that she knew and still couldn't go, it was unbearable.
"You don't need to come. I'll sweep the aquarium myself."
Takina, seeing Chisato's despair, didn't bother comforting her and turned to leave.
"I never said I wouldn't help! Takina, can't you stop being so stiff and serious all the time?"
Chisato hurried after her, muttering complaints as she caught up.
"I'm working without even getting to see the concert, and I'm not even whining about that!"
———
Meanwhile, Hachiman accompanied Sakura, Komachi, and the others around nearby for another hour before preparing to leave for the concert.
"Touka-nee, you and Komachi and Shion keep looking around. I'll head to the venue first to fulfill my role as manager."
Although Hachiman didn't need to handle contacts and resources like a real manager, since many things were handled for him, he still had to show up early in that role. Otherwise, there was no point in him being their manager. He could've just snuck in invisibly instead.
"Alright, Hachiman-kun, don't worry. I'll watch over Komachi and the others."
Tohsaka Touka nodded firmly, promising to protect Komachi and Shion.
Since Hachiman was entrusting his sisters to her, she couldn't betray his trust.
Fortunately, she knew kendo, and both Haruno and Yukino could use aikido. Together, protecting Komachi and Shion shouldn't be a problem.
"No need to be nervous. I don't really have enemies. Nothing dangerous will happen. If something really comes up that you can't handle, just contact me."
Seeing Touka so tense, Hachiman smiled to reassure her.
Ordinary grudges he usually solved by tossing the other party into the crematory. Only rare cases, like Assemblyman Ichinose, who weren't so bad and still ambitious, did he hold back on.
And thanks to the Servant Halo, Shion's body was now much stronger. Normally, she could handle things herself. If something truly beyond her happened, his Love List would warn him, and he could instantly teleport over.
Still, Touka, Haruno, and Yukino wouldn't stop Hachiman from leaving. Komachi and Shion were used to him being busy from morning to night.
But Sakura, who saw Hachiman as her father, clung tightly to his hand, not letting him leave.
"Father... Sakura wants to go too..."
She looked up at him pitifully, afraid he wouldn't return once he left.
Rin, beside her, glanced at Sakura, who was nothing like her usually arrogant self, and curled her lip.
What a good actress. Next, she'd surely use this chance to make a request from "Father." That would be exactly her little-devil way.
"Daddy has to work, Sakura. Stay and play with Touka-nee, okay? Be a good girl, and next time I'll spend time with you."
Hachiman gently stroked Sakura's smooth hair as he reassured her.
If it were only managerial work, he could've taken her along.
But the truth was, his real role was to personally care for Elio and the other two Mermaid Divas, supporting them so they could perform at their very best for their fans.
This behind-the-scenes role wasn't something Sakura should see.
"Then... alright... but Father, next time you have to hold me while I sleep, just like when I was little."
Sakura reluctantly hugged him, kissed his cheek, then slowly let go.
"Hold Sakura to sleep?"
Hachiman looked directly at Touka.
"Of course. But Father is very busy now. Next time when he's home, we'll all sleep together, okay? Sakura, Rin, let's say goodbye to Father~"
Touka kept a gentle, kind smile on her face as she hugged Sakura, though her eyes pleaded with Hachiman to leave quickly before Sakura made more demands.
There was no way she could let Sakura sleep alone with Hachiman. Even if she trusted him not to initiate anything, Sakura was still a teenage girl.
With her dependence on Hachiman, if she snuck into his bed at night and pushed him into making a mistake, that would be disastrous.
But with her and Rin nearby, she could at least be sure Hachiman wouldn't cross the line.
———
[Near ZOZO Marine Stadium]
Even though it was only afternoon, with hours left before the concert began, Hachiman could already feel the pull of Elio and the other three Mermaid Idols as he walked toward the venue.
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