"When you're indecisive, use the process of elimination. Does Asakura have any alternatives now?" Chihaya Anon asked.
"Maid cafe." Asakura thought for three seconds and replied solemnly.
"Huh?"
Chihaya Anon looked at Asakura with a slightly disgusted expression, as if to say, 'What is this guy talking about?'
"Moe Beast-Eared Maid Cafe."
"Don't casually add other elements!"
"Well, whether or not to wear beast ears aside—" Asakura stroked his chin, "But I really did plan to go into the catering industry at first…"
The shop given by the system itself seemed to come with a catering business license, and from the furnishings inside, it could be seen that it had been used for that purpose before. Although it wasn't impossible to completely transform it into another type of shop, there would be other problems.
The high renovation costs were secondary; the main issue was that completely renovating the shop would take a considerable amount of time. That would mean Asakura's current task would be stuck and unable to be completed. By the time the renovation was finally done and it was ready to be used, the task might have already refreshed…
"It's not about the beast ears—" Anon stared at Asakura and mumbled, "This isn't Akihabara. Maid cafes don't have that many customers here, you know. Be careful, you might go bankrupt as soon as you open~"
"Is that so? I actually think quite a few people at Soubu High School would like a Moe Glasses Maid Cafe."
Asakura said, rubbing his chin.
"I feel like the target audience just got even narrower…"
Chihaya Anon mumbled, then noticed Asakura frowning and staring at her. His scrutinizing gaze made the girl inexplicably flustered: "Wh-what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"
She subconsciously checked her attire but found nothing amiss.
"I remember Anon, you wear glasses too, right?"
Asakura asked.
"Uh… How do you know?"
The girl asked, surprised and a little wary.
"I saw a glasses case when I went to your room last time."
Asakura showed a cheerful smile: "Regarding Moe Glasses Maids, may I ask Miss Chihaya Anon…"
"Not interested."
The pink-haired girl crossed her arms without hesitation, making an 'X' gesture over her chest.
If it was just for fun, or for a one-time temporary job, Chihaya Anon thought she might try it out of novelty, but to work there long-term, she'd rather be spared.
Although she did want to be seen by others, it was definitely not in this way…
"That's truly a shame."
Asakura sighed, then asked again, "Then regarding Moe Beast-Eared Maid—"
"There's absolutely no difference between the two, is there?!"
The girl couldn't help but retort.
"There is a difference—" Asakura responded seriously, "A glasses maid only has one accessory, while a beast-eared maid has two."
"What's the point of that trivia besides increasing other people's resistance?!"
"…What a shame."
Asakura sighed.
He actually thought Chihaya Anon and beast ears would be a good match, but unfortunately, the current Gokou Ruri had not yet adapted to her Curse changes and had temporarily lost the ability to create beast-eared girls.
"Even if you look at me with that particularly regretful expression, I won't agree!"
The girl firmly refused.
But after seeing Asakura's indeed somewhat disappointed expression, she hesitated for a moment, then said, "Al-although beast ears are definitely not allowed, um, absolutely not! But if it's just glasses…"
"Oh?"
Asakura's left eye suddenly lit up.
"Woah, that look, it really seems like he's quite interested…"
Chihaya Anon sighed helplessly. After a brief struggle, she took out her glasses case from her backpack and put on the black-rimmed glasses she usually only wore at home. Then she tried to ask casually, "How is it?"
Asakura blinked.
"Let's continue talking about the cafe."
"Hey!"
"Just kidding, just kidding. I just didn't expect Anon to actually wear glasses for me to see."
Asakura said with a smile.
"This is just… Mmm, a return favor."
The girl pushed her glasses up, speaking somewhat indistinctly, but her fair little face was tinged with a lovely blush.
Was it a return favor for saving her from the strange entity, or a return favor for giving her the Mirror pendant?
Asakura wasn't so tactless as to ask for a clear explanation of such things.
"As a return favor, it's a bit too simple. I think it needs more layers and a three-dimensional feel…"
He pondered seriously, "If beast ears are out, what do you think about a Fallen Angel Maid outfit?"
"I say, even as a joke, that's a bit much. Does Asakura think I, Anon, am the kind of girl who won't get angry?"
The pink-haired girl said, baring her little fangs.
"Hmm, I feel like Anon is the type who, even if she helps someone wholeheartedly and then gets used up and discarded, she still wouldn't get angry."
"What kind of terrifying setting is that?"
The girl shivered, rubbing her goose-bumped arms, and looked at Asakura in astonishment: "A saint?"
"Saint Anon."
Asakura bowed to the girl.
"Even if you say nice things about me, I won't wear that kind of thing for Asakura to see."
Anon sighed, "Let's go back to talking about the cafe."
"Do you think it's viable?"
Asakura asked, a little more seriously, "Of course, not a formal cafe, but more like a family restaurant, offering common dishes like omurice, hamburger steaks, and regular steaks, in addition to coffee."
"Isn't that just a family restaurant…?"
The girl complained, "Why is Asakura so fixated on the catering business?"
"Well…"
Asakura casually popped the last small pastry from the plate on the table into the girl's mouth. After getting a bite on his hand and a glare in return, he lightly tapped the edge of the small plate. Immediately, a richly sauced, appetizing roasted chicken leg appeared on the previously empty plate.
He then proudly showed off to the girl, "Right?"
Although she already knew Asakura could conjure food, Chihaya Anon had only seen him conjure small snacks before. She never expected him to be able to conjure even such an appetizing, proper dish. This surprised the girl and also made her understand why he was so fixated on the catering industry.
"Can others learn this Curse?"
Chihaya Anon asked.
"Of course not… Hmm, at least not for now."
Asakura shook his head. After all, this wasn't real Curse, but the ability of the Elf Restaurant, and currently, only he could communicate with the house-elves.
"In that case, I still don't recommend you open a family restaurant type of shop, Asakura."
The girl said.