To start, I was approached by some strange people.
While I was drinking coffee to wake myself up, several students came over. The leader looked at her phone, then at me, and after careful confirmation, she spoke:
"Mhm, you must be the Sensei from Schale. I see, I see. It's like casually picking up a box of chocolates from the supermarket shelf, only to find out after taking a bite that there's a filling inside. A feeling like that."
Her slightly abstract metaphor left me a bit confused. I could only guess she was probably complimenting me, and then my attention shifted to her appearance:
She was a girl with a cute face that matched her cute voice, with pink hair tied in a side ponytail that fell to about her elbows.
She wore a white sailor uniform, with most of her short skirt hidden by the hem of her top, leaving only a short section visible. Her slender legs were wrapped in black stockings, forming a thin indentation where the cuffs tightened. She was petite, but she carried a huge riot shield on her back—a very Kivotos-style combination.
In short, very cute.
Only after that did I realize her identity:
"You're Natsume Natsu, right?"
The sender of the request email.
Natsume Natsu nodded. "Yes, we are the After-School Sweets Club. It's nice to meet you."
Then, the four students sat down in the empty seats and introduced themselves to me one by one—
"I'm Iharaogi Yoshimi. Please take care of me."
Iharaogi Yoshimi, the smallest of the four, wore a red track jacket and carried a large shoulder bag with a rabbit pattern and decorations.
Based on my common knowledge, from her blonde twin-tails, she was most likely a tsundere.
"Hello, Sensei. I'm Kurimura Airi. My favorite dessert is mint chocolate chip ice cream."
Kurimura Airi had long black hair, wore a sailor uniform, had a gentle voice, a well-behaved face, and clear eyes. At a glance, you could tell she was a good kid.
But no matter how well-behaved she looked on the outside, she could still be dark on the inside.
"Aomori Kazusa."
Aomori Kazusa's expression and attitude were equally indifferent. She had short black hair with pink highlights. Perhaps because she wore a hairpin that revealed one of her human ears, the beast ears on top of her head looked more like decorations.
She didn't seem easy to get along with.
Finally, it was my turn.
In order to try and recruit suitable candidates to join Schale, an excellent first impression was essential.
Thinking of this, I tried my best to put on a warm smile:
"Hello everyone, I am the Sensei from Schale. It's a pleasure to meet you."
After the introductions, Natsu spoke with a serious expression:
"Without further ado, Sensei, let's confirm the details of the request."
"Ah, I remember it was to taste new desserts together..."
"Yes. It's a dessert shop in the suburbs. Their newly developed product has been widely acclaimed online."
Just as Natsu finished, Yoshimi started to complain, "It's because there are too many good reviews! They say if you want to order a single item now, you have to book a month in advance."
Kazusa added, "Unless you order the dessert shop's group package."
Hearing this, I understood. This was just bundle selling and scarcity marketing.
Airi nodded worriedly. "But their package portions are really too large. With the four of us, we can't possibly finish it... Wasting delicious desserts is absolutely unforgivable!"
Natsu summarized, "Therefore, we needed to invite a new companion. Just when we were troubled, we saw a report about Schale on TV and immediately thought that this might be a chocolate-covered pretzel."
There was even a TV report about Schale... That's right, since it's a newly established special department, it's indeed newsworthy.
I think I should watch more TV. I might gain some unexpected information.
"I can't believe such a nonsensical request would actually be accepted. I thought it would be directly ignored. Could it be that Sensei is actually quite idle? Even though you're an adult?"
I felt my mouth twitch slightly. I ignored Yoshimi's bluntness and just gave a noncommittal reply.
Mainly because she was right; I was indeed quite idle.
But! Being willing to accept such a nonsensical job! That's the responsibility of an adult!
Defending myself like this in my mind, I set off with the members of the After-School Sweets Club.
After several train transfers and passing through a battle zone between Helmet Gangs and delinquents, we finally found our destination in a remote corner.
A dessert shop with decent decorations.
"This should be the place."
Natsu was the first to push the door open and go to the counter. To the short, stout robot that had just been woken by the bell on the door, she said, "We'd like one Super Deluxe Dessert Combo Platter, please!"
Yoshimi and Airi also gathered around Natsu, staring at the exquisite desserts in the promotional pictures on the wall, their eyes seeming to glow.
Bringing up the rear were Kazusa and me.
As soon as Kazusa entered the shop, her brow furrowed, and she looked around.
Noticing Kazusa's strange behavior, I quickly discovered it too: the dessert shop was empty and deserted, with no other customers besides our group.
Perhaps it was because it was still early. After all, the shop's location was quite remote, and today wasn't a holiday, so the main customer base, the students, would have to wait until after school.
But there was another possibility.
"What? The price went up?"
At that moment, Yoshimi's astonished cry rang out.
And the stout robot displayed a helpless emoji on its electronic screen face:
"Little lady, we can't help it. The General Student Council President went missing recently, you know? The situation around here is getting worse and worse, and the cost of raw materials is also rising."
"But it shouldn't have doubled, right? And the price displayed in this app hasn't been changed at all! This is consumer fraud!"
The robot's attitude was very firm. "We just forgot to update it. You all came specifically for our shop's new product, the lemon cherry chocolate mousse cake that's become a hit, right? Let me tell you, this is our exclusive secret recipe! If you think the package is too expensive, please leave or wait another month!"
Yoshimi's anger faltered, and she bit her lower lip. "But... this price..."
Not including me, who was an invited guest, if the four members of the Sweets Club were to split the original cost, it would have been just around the limit of what they could afford.
If they could taste a delicious dessert they had never had before with everyone, it wasn't unacceptable.
But at the current price...
The cost would be a tight wallet for the next half a month.
Airi tugged on Yoshimi's sleeve. She didn't speak, just shook her head gently.
Natsu, however, sighed and remarked with a mature tone, "Even in a box full of chocolates, you sometimes get a strange flavor."
With that, Natsu turned to me and said apologetically, "Sorry, Sensei, it seems the request can't continue. We're sorry to have made you come all this way for nothing. If you don't mind, let us treat you to dessert somewhere else."
Such a proper attitude surprised and moved me, and I decided to repay them for it.
There was only one thing I could do.
I walked to the counter, took out my credit card, and pushed it in front of the stout robot:
"One platter. Card."
-------
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