"Today is the last day of Golden Week. Servant has to go to school tomorrow, so we have to seize the time. Who knows when the next date will be..."
Yamada Elf muttered in a small voice.
Sora complained, "So is it a date or just going out to play?"
"O-Of course it's just going out to play!" Yamada Elf's small face flushed slightly, saying one thing but meaning another. "A mere Servant, I wouldn't look forward to going on a date with you... Anyway, this Ojou-sama will reluctantly accompany Servant to the zoo today."
Sora turned as if to leave. "Since you're so reluctant, let's just forget it."
"N-Not reluctant!" Yamada Elf reached out her small hand and pitifully grabbed Sora's sleeve. "Actually, I also want to go play at the zoo... Of course, only a teeny tiny bit. It's mostly to accompany Servant!"
Seeing the blonde loli's face full of nervousness, looking as if she would cry if he didn't agree, Sora knew he had no choice but to agree.
Clearly a tsundere girl, yet surprisingly aggressive.
Sora pondered for two seconds:
"You were blowing in the cold wind on the roof for so long last night. Will your body be okay going out to play today?"
"After resting well for a night, I've already revived with full HP." Yamada Elf put her hands on her hips, proudly lifting her chin, her voice returning to its usual crisp brightness.
"After getting up this morning, Mahiru even reminded me to take my temperature. My temperature is perfectly normal, and I don't feel uncomfortable anywhere."
"It's good that you're okay." Sora nodded slightly. "Don't keep turning invisible and going out to play from now on, lest you get lost again."
"It's not going out to play, it's gathering material! Gathering material!" Yamada Elf puffed out her pink cheeks to retort.
"So Servant, hurry up and agree. Mahiru has already agreed to go play together."
"Hmm?"
Sora raised an eyebrow in surprise:
"Mahiru is going to the zoo too?"
"That's right." Yamada Elf lifted her chin, revealing a snow-white, slender neck, and gave a cute light snort. "I bought several zoo tickets, intending to invite everyone to go play together. Mahiru and Kuroneko helped out last night, so of course I have to thank them properly."
"Repaying kindness is a fine virtue." Sora nodded in agreement. "...What did Kuroneko say?"
"Kuroneko said she's taking her sister out to play today, so she doesn't have time to go to the zoo. Anna hasn't returned from her trip yet, and Sagiri refuses to go out." Yamada Elf sighed.
"It's just me, Mahiru, and Servant going to play."
"Then let's go play for half a day." Sora nodded in agreement. "I'll go back to take a shower and change clothes."
"Eh?"
Yamada Elf blinked, her tone confused:
"Why does Servant need to change clothes in the morning?"
I didn't finish taking a shower until the early hours of the morning yesterday, and I didn't have time to wash my clothes. It's perfectly normal to want to change clothes now!
"Wait a minute—"
The blonde loli suddenly leaned in. Like a drug-sniffing dog, she sniffed Sora up and down.
"Servant didn't do anything weird to Kuroneko last night, did you?"
Sora retorted, "What do you mean by weird things?"
"Like..."
Yamada Elf didn't know what she thought of, but her small face quickly flushed red. She tapped her two index fingers together in front of her chest and shyly looked away:
"Like lewd stuff..."
You're a girl, don't just blurt out anything!
"Servant didn't do weird things to Kuroneko, right?" Yamada Elf put her hands on her hips and leaned her body forward to look at him. The girl's golden hair was exceptionally dazzling in the sunlight. "Servant is my property. As the Ojou-sama, of course I have to care about your situation... It's not because I'm jealous at all!"
"That kind of thing is obviously impossible." Sora couldn't help but complain. "Even if I agreed, Kuroneko wouldn't agree."
"It's good that you didn't..." Yamada Elf quietly breathed a sigh of relief. She covered her nose and took a half step back. "Servant smells like sweat all over, go take a shower quickly."
Sora was expressionless:
"Why weren't you disgusted when you sneak-attacked me last night?"
"W-Who said I wasn't disgusted..." Yamada Elf shyly averted her gaze. "Just consider last night a reward for Servant. It won't be that easy to get a reward next time!"
Sora stepped towards his house. "I'm going back to take a shower first. Wait for my message."
"..."
After washing up.
He changed into a clean, refreshing shirt.
Sora went to the second floor and invited Sagiri to go to the zoo with them. As expected, he was rejected and could only go out alone.
Arriving outside, he saw Angel-sama and Elf already waiting expectantly at the door.
"Good morning, Sora-kun."
Mahiru looked up, her voice gentle.
"Good morning." Sora nodded in response.
"Sora, let's ride bikes to the zoo?" Yamada Elf put her hands on her hips, looking over expectantly.
"The zoo doesn't seem to be very far, we can ride bikes there. Mahiru can ride alone, and Sora can just carry me."
When others were around, Yamada Elf would only call him by his name; she only used "Servant" in private.
"You can't do that."
Before Sora could even speak, Angel-sama's voice sounded first.
Mahiru turned to look at the blonde loli, her voice soft:
"Carrying a passenger on a bicycle is illegal."
Yamada Elf was a bit unconvinced. "But on TV and in movies, the male lead always takes the female lead for a ride on a bicycle, right?"
"TV is TV, reality is reality." Mahiru raised her right hand, gently tidying the stray hairs by her ear.
"If caught by the police, you'll be punished."
"I saw it when I was gathering material. A boy was carrying a girl on a bike on the street and happened to be spotted by the police, but it was only a verbal warning." Yamada Elf put her hands on her hips.
"I don't care."
"The ban on carrying passengers on bicycles is mostly due to safety concerns. If you brake suddenly or bump into someone, the person on the back seat will be in great danger." Mahiru replied calmly, then suddenly changed the subject.
"Elf knows how to ride a bike, right?"
Yamada Elf subconsciously nodded. "My mom and dad taught me when I was little."
"That's good." Mahiru turned her head and looked up at Sora.
"Sora-kun, you have another bicycle at home, right? Lend that bicycle to Elf, and we'll ride together."
Sora: "..."
I don't know if it's an illusion, but it feels like Angel-sama is being a bit... protective of her food?
"Wait a moment, I'll go get the bicycle."
Sora turned and went inside, quickly pushing out another bicycle.
The three of them happened to have one bicycle each.
Yamada Elf pouted, clearly still wanting to be the female lead on the back of a bicycle in a movie. However, given her carefree personality, it didn't take long after getting on the bike for her to become happy in the oncoming breeze:
"Zoo, here we come!"
The journey was silent.
Half an hour later.
The three successfully arrived at the zoo.
Parking the bicycles in the designated area, Yamada Elf put her hands on her hips and proudly puffed out her chest:
"Subjects of the zoo, cheer to your hearts' content! Your Queen has arrived!"
"..."
Listening to the blonde loli's chunibyo remarks, Sora silently took two steps back and walked side-by-side with Angel-sama.
Mahiru rested her folded hands against her lower abdomen, her voice soft, as if casually asking as though nothing was wrong:
"Ruri-san didn't come to the zoo to play... Sora-kun didn't cause her any trouble last night, did you?"