"—Finally done!"
Putting down the pen, Shido leaned back against the chair and let out a long stretch.
He had to admit, it had been a long ti since his nerves had been this tense.
Although "filling in blacks" and "erasing lines" sounded very simple when Nia said it, actually doing it was truly a physically and ntally exhausting task. Although it was just repeating a single action, the shapes and sizes of the areas to be colored varied greatly, making it extrely difficult.
Worried about accidentally ruining the important manuscript, Shido was extrely cautious throughout the entire process, barely even moving his body.
"Damn it, that Yutsuki, actually selling out to slack off by herself."
With a bit of resentnt, Shido muttered a few complaints softly. After getting up and stretching his stiff joints, he returned to Nia's bedroom.
"Whoa!"
Shido couldn't help but cry out in surprise at the sight before him.
The manga and magazines that were originally piled all over the floor were neatly arranged in corners and on bookshelves. The entire room suddenly beca much more spacious. The large bed that was freed up looked very empty; the blankets and pillows were neatly folded and put away, and the dust in the room had been carefully cleaned. Perhaps because the contrast was too strong, Shido even felt like Nia's room was glowing.
For a mont, suspecting he was hallucinating from working too hard, Shido rubbed his eyes.
"Yo, Shido, finished drawing the manuscript?"
Just then, Yutsuki walked over from the hallway, taking off a face mask and gloves.
"Yutsuki, did you do this?"
Shido couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Mhm, anyway, I had a lot of free ti waiting for you guys to finish your work. So I took the opportunity to tidy up this room."
Yutsuki nodded and answered.
"I see."
Seeing that Yutsuki didn't intentionally sell him out just to slack off, the resentnt in Shido's heart lessened considerably.
Just then, Nia, who was sitting at the drafting desk drawing manga, finally reacted. As expected of a professional manga artist, her concentration was incredibly strong; she hadn't noticed the changes around her at all.
"Mhm—Great, I finally made the deadline. Boy, on your end too—Holy crap, where am I?"
Looking at her suddenly tidy room, Nia fell off her sofa chair onto the floor with an expression as if she had seen a ghost.
"Could it be..."
Grabbing the edge of the desk to climb up, Nia pushed up her glasses. Her pale green eyes looked around the room in shock, and she muttered to herself with a bit of excitent:
"Did I overwork myself pulling all nighters to et the deadline, die on the spot, and get reincarnated into another world?"
"—Pfft!"
Shido couldn't help but turn his head and chuckle.
"How is that possible? You've been reading too many cliché isekai novels."
Smacking Nia on the head with a paper fan to shatter her delusions, Yutsuki retorted in exasperation.
"I did a simple cleanup of your house just now. Because I didn't have your permission, I kept the furniture in its original place without moving it. I moved all those manga in the hallway to the empty room next door. Considering you might not be able to find what you want after the cleanup, I categorized all those books by date, author, etc., and put sticky notes on them."
"..."
"Well, after all, this was just being nosy. If it made you angry, I apologize. However, since you like manga, please cherish and take better care of them."
Seeing Nia staring at her without a word, Yutsuki crossed her arms and advised her earnestly.
"Biri-chan—marry and beco my wife!"
Suddenly, Nia opened her arms, hugged Yutsuki, and proposed without hesitation.
"No."
Yutsuki rejected her without hesitation.
"Puh-ah—My first proposal in life, rejected just like that."
Nia stumbled back a few steps, looking heavily wounded, gazing at Yutsuki with teary eyes.
"So cruel, Biri-chan. If you don't marry , this room will revert to its original state by tomorrow."
"I know. That's why I refused without hesitation."
Looking at Nia confessing her lazy personality with such a self-righteous attitude, Yutsuki couldn't help but sigh helplessly.
"Ugh—It can't be helped. Then boy, you won't abandon , right."
"Eh? Um... I'm afraid... I won't have the ti either."
Seeing Nia turn her gaze to him, Shido broke into a slight sweat, looked away, and refused in a relatively tactful manner.
Besides, Nia's action was less like proposing and more like simply trying to catch a nanny to do chores.
"Pfft—Rejected again! Rejected twice in one day... I—am truly an un~lucky~ wo~man~"
As if singing a lodrama, Nia cried out mournfully, turned her head, and ran out of her bedroom, leaving a few sparkling teardrops in the air.
"Is Nia going to be okay?"
Seeing this scene, Shido instead began to worry.
"It's fine. Her ntal fortitude isn't that weak. She's just playing around."
Yutsuki waved her hand and explained.
Sure enough, before long. After tossing about in another room for a while, Nia returned wearing a very provocative maid outfit.
"Haha~ Next is fan service ti. Biri-chan, boy, does this maid outfit suit ? Are you excited?"
Showing no signs of being struck down by the rejection, Nia confidently winked at the two.
Alright. Facts proved Yutsuki was right.
"And then, what are you planning to do?"
Glancing over Nia's cosplay, Yutsuki asked curiously.
"I bought this for reference before. I wanted to cheer the boy up, and provide you guys with a little fan service along the way. Oh right, this is your paynt for helping today."
Saying this, Nia took out two envelopes. She stuffed them into her cleavage, and while shrinking her shoulders trying to emphasize her breasts, she slowly approached Shido.
"Co, boy. Co get your wages~"
"Eh? Wait—"
Flap—! Flap—!
Just as Shido was feeling at a loss. The two envelopes slipped from Nia's clothes onto the floor.
"..."
"..."
For a mont, the room was enveloped in a very awkward silence. Nia fell to her knees in despair, muttering in utter bewildernt.
"Why... could it be that having a flat chest is a sin?"
"Don't worry... there are still people in the world who like that."
Because it was truly too pitiful to watch, Yutsuki patted her shoulder to comfort her.
What could a guy even say at a ti like this? Shido sighed with a bitter smile, picked up the envelopes, handed them back to Nia, and changed the subject.
"Um, since the manuscript is finished, it's about ti for us to leave."
"Huh? You don't want your wages?"
"It's fine. Let's just consider it a social study experience. Plus, being able to see a manga manuscript before it's published, Yutsuki and I consider that a win."
"Well, although personally I wouldn't mind taking it. But since Shido said so, I'll pass too."
"Even if you say that, I still feel a bit unsettled about this."
Looking at the envelopes in her hand, Nia scratched her hair in distress. Then, as if suddenly struck by inspiration, she clapped her hands and said:
"Right, I'll have a day off after submitting the manuscript. Expenses are all on , let's go on a date together."
"Eh?"
Clearly not expecting Nia's proposal, Shido's eyes widened in surprise.
"Where to? Akihabara?"
Yutsuki poked her head out and asked. To this, Nia nodded excitedly.
"Yes, yes. It just so happens I haven't been there in a long ti either. Consider it a reward for cleaning the room. Biri-chan, whatever you want to buy, just say the word, I'm paying."
"Mhm..."
Yutsuki seed tempted and fell into thought. Nia then turned her gaze to Shido.
"Boy, what do you think?"
"Well..."
Shido couldn't help but hesitate. Honestly, since Nia was suspected to be a Spirit, and Yutsuki seed very enthusiastic, agreeing wouldn't be a bad thing.
Beep—!
"Hm?"
Just as Shido was about to agree, the phone in his pocket suddenly received a text ssage—it was from Yutsuki.
[Refuse. This is bait. If Nia really is a Spirit, seeing you not take the bait, she should choose to lay her cards on the table.]
"...Sorry. I don't plan on being your bag carrier."
Silently turning off his phone, Shido changed his tune without changing his tone.
"Shock! I was actually found out!"
Seemingly having her goal exposed by Shido, Nia struck a surprised pose.
"You really don't hold back treating people like coolies, do you. Don't you have other friends to go with you?"
"...It's no use. Haha—I have no friends."
Hearing Shido's words, a sliver of gloom flashed across Nia's face, but in an instant, she returned to her usual laid-back deanor and laughed out loud.
"However, is it really okay to refuse my invitation?"
Suddenly, Nia's tone changed. Looking at Shido, she revealed a aningful smile.
"—Isn't it your mission to make Spirits swoon? Boy. No... Itsuka Shido."
Just as Yutsuki predicted, Honjou Nia—confessed her identity to the two.
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