It was late at night now. I spent a long time lecturing Sensei about proper living conditions and managing expenses back at her house. We also went over what her new job would be... mostly by showing some other VTuber streams.
Sensei was confused about everything, but she had the spirit at least. Even though she didn't know how things would worked, she was super eager about her new job and promised to do her best. She also said she would do a lot of research in the meantime until I managed to get her equipment to her.
...That made me a bit nervous about her coming across my streams as Azura, but thankfully I had a much girlier voice when streaming. And I was an expert level voice actor who could play the role of a flirty onee-chan well enough to not be recognized.
I hoped.
...Right?
'Well, since you're girly enough as it is, that wasn't too hard to do. But relaaax. Even if your beloved Sensei recognizes you, she'll just think it's cute and support your side hustle, right?'
Says the system who loves cliched manga and doujin developments.
'Yes. Says the System-chan who loves cliched manga and doujin developments.'
I sighed and then tucked my hands into my pocket, taking a look around my surroundings.
Since I stayed late at Sensei's place, I was walking back to mine under the cover of night. There were lights nearby from the lamp posts, making the place not completely dark. But it was still unsafe.
This might have been a suburban neighborhood, but even places like that were sketchy at night. And now that I was walking down the street back from Sensei's place, it seemed even more true for where she lived.
A few sleazy guys in leather jackets and ripped jeans squatted on the ground by alleyways, smoking cigarettes. And I could've sworn I saw a few scantily clad women ducking away into side alleys as well...
'You did. And you should probably stay away from them if you know what's good for you right now. I mean, a successful looking and attractive man like you walking alone at night is a *great* mark, you know?'
I'm not sure I want to know what you mean by 'mark', but I gotcha.
Still...
"Is this what the mission meant by lifelong regret?" I glanced at a man ducking into a building with a giggling woman held in his arms. A woman who was laughing, but whose smile didn't reach her eyes.
We weren't far from Sensei's home. At most, we were just a block or two away. Meaning that she'd be dealing with these sorts of people if she just took a night time stroll.
Thankfully Sensei had more sense than that. But she was also someone who could fall into that sort of life easily if she wasn't careful.
A woman who was pretty, kind, and caring... Someone waaay too self-sacrificing to the point where she was literally living off of scraps while feeding us with properly cooked bentos.
Seriously.
If I didn't show up to help her out, wouldn't she have done something like the women I saw around right now? Maybe endure it in the light of a paycheck while saying it was for her students' sakes?
But in that case...
'Mindbreak, drugs, and all of that good stuff, right?'
OI! I did *not* need to think that!
'Well, that's what would have happened, you know? No need to sugarcoat it. Probably some worse stuff too.'
I walked onto the road leading straight back to my house and muttered, "You're a pure degenerate, aren't you?"
'And proud of it!'
I sighed and then swiped my hand through the air. As I did, a familiar glowing window appeared in my field of view.
[Career Mission:
[You have received: Custom Avatar x1]
[You have received: VTuber Starter Equipment Pack x1]
[You have received: Algorithm Mod x1]
Huh. Isn't that a bit different from last time? I could have sworn the results screen was more detailed and better formatted than this.
'Well... Maybe the system wanted to change things up?'
...
'...'
...
'Okay! I got lazy, alright?!'
Thought so. Knew you were being lazy.
'Do you know how obnoxious it is writing these out by hand each time?'
Can't you just make a template and check boxes off to automate things?
'...'
...Are you even a real AI?
'Hmph! I'll have you know that I'm state of the art technology! ...I think.'
"Sure, sure." I chuckled and then pulled out my phone to check the time. "Ten, huh? Damn. It's later than I thought."
I wanted to hang out with Celes before we went to sleep, but it looked like I'd have to cancel that plan.
'Aw. Is Sennie-kun sad he can't spend time with his wifey?'
"First of all, it's Sen." I slipped my phone into my pocket and muttered, "Second of all, Celes isn't my wife. She's just..."
'Your lovely princess waifu, right?'
"You are *so* lucky that I can't physically interact with you otherwise I'd smack punch you in the face for that."
'I'll call the cops! Domestic abuse! You can't hit a pretty woman like me!'
"I can if I use Sena, and you bet your horses that I would do exactly that if it would shut you up."
'Hmph. Meanie. What'd I ever do to you anyway?'
"You really want me to go over everything again?"
'...Fair.'
"Thought so. Now..." I sighed and started jogging. "Let's hurry and get back. I don't want Celes worried that something happened."
-VI|IV-
In a sketchy rundown building just around the corner from where Sen started jogging. Also a few blocks away from Ayumi's house. There, an athletic beauty with light brown hair brushed off her hands. "Geez. I leave for a little trip and this place instantly becomes the dumps."
Akane Kanryo... Ren's older sister cracked her neck and then took a look around the area.
Men littered the floor, groaning as they curled up.
And standing across from Akane, backed up against the wall was a sleazy looking bald man with a potbelly. He gulped and said, "W-What the hell are you?"
Akane spat on the ground and said, "The one in charge of this district. You guys seriously think you can just roll in here while Uncle Hajime's out? You're lucky I caught you guys before you nabbed any girls. That guy would have had you by the balls if you did. Literally. He seriously hates people like that, you know?"
"H-Hajime? Who the hell's that?!"
Akane blinked. "...Seriously? You don't know who- Ah. Wait." She squinted, staring at the man. And then she laughed. "You're not from *that* side! That's freaking hilarious. Some powerless scrub rolled in here thinking that he can make a quick buck... That's rich." She sighed and started walking forward. "Gonna need to make fun of my little bro for that later. Missing someone like this... Maybe he's been spending too much time messing around with Sennie..."
The bald man's eyes darted around the room before latching onto a gun lying on the ground close to him.
Akane shook her head. "I wouldn't do that if-"
*BANG*
A gunshot cracked the air.
The bald man's face turned into a grin. And then it froze, quickly turning to fear.
Akane crushed the bullet and said, "...This is why I hate assholes like you. Never let me finish my monologues..." She sighed and took a step forward.
And then she vanished.
"What-"
A sudden voice from right beside the bald man, breathing into his ear.
"Like I was saying... I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"W-Wait-"
*CRACK*
Akane stepped back and then looked at the mayhem around her. When she did, she blushed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Ah... crap. I over did it again... Well... Guess a gas explosion it is. This place has been a bit too quiet recently any way..." Whistling to herself, she walked over to a nearby pipe line and swung her leg, snapping the pipe like a twig.
Gas rushed out, quickly filling the room with the stench of sulfur. After that, she picked up a gun from one of the guys moaning on the ground and then exited the room, closing the door behind her. When she did, she idly checked the gun for ammo.
"Sennie and Ren are heading back to school soon, so I need to hurry up and clean this city up. Don't want another incident with dumbasses trying to kidnap Sennie again and Uncle Hajime going on *another* rampage..." Akane sighed and then aimed the gun at the doorhinge. "One. Two. Three... Should be long enough. Now-"
*BOOM*
-VI|IV-
A loud explosion echoed from behind me as I reached my house. "Hm?" I spun around to take a look and saw flames lighting up the night sky far in the distance... Roughly around where the old commercial buildings were.
'...Well. Good thing you decided to start running.'
I let out a deep sigh. "And just when I was thinking we'd have a year without gas explosions..." I turned back and continued on my way. "Seriously. The city needs to start doing better inspections on these old gas pipelines... And I need to remember to get Sensei to move as soon as cram school is over..."
I paused. "Wait. Sensei's fine, right? That explosion wouldn't have reached her... right?"
'Don't worry~! Once you've recruited a girl to your agency, they get plot armor so they won't get hurt or anything unless you want them to.'
...Wait, what?
'A-Ah. I didn't say-'
[ADMIN: The system will temporarily undergo maintenance. We apologize for the inconvenience, User.]
'Oh come on! I didn't say any- Admin-chan, let me...! Mmph! Mmph!'
'Shut up! I told you that we aren't supposed to tell him about- Wait, what's this connection...? Gah! U-Um... You hear nothing!'
There was a loud burst of static, and then everything went quiet.
I blinked. "Well... That was something."
So not only was there a System-chan, there was an Admin-chan too... who seemed to be a cold and overworked businesswoman type judging from her voice.
...Yeah. Let's just pretend we didn't hear that.
I sighed and then unlocked the door to my house before walking inside. As I did, I turned back to normal, dismissing my transformation.
"Sen-sama? Is that you?" Celes peeked down from the stairs, wearing a thin white nightgown.
I shut the door behind me and locked it. After that, I took off my suit and pants, both now too big for me, folding it into a neat pile to place on the side. That done, I headed upstairs and said, "Yep. It's me. And you won't *believe* how much trouble it was recruiting Sensei. Well, I guess it was more like sorting out Sensei's affairs before hiring her..."
Celes smiled and waited for me at the top of the stairs. When I arrived, she walked over to my right side and leaned against me. "Is that so? I take it that was why you were out so long?"
"Yeah. Sorry about that. I know you wanted to hang out and maybe stream, but..."
Celes shook her head. "As long as I can spend my time at your side, I am satisfied, Sen."
I smiled at her. "Thanks, Celes- Wait." I blinked, suddenly realizing something off with the way she was talking. "...Since when did you drop the honorific?"
"A-Ah." Celes blushed and said, "I-I was under the impression that tonight would be the night that we became intimate, s-so I prepared myself. I-Is that not why you disrobed?"
I blinked.
And then I realized that I was only wearing a pair of boxers a t-shirt since I took off my dad's suit.
I sighed.
Celes turned a deeper shade of red and lowered her head. "A-Ah. ...I was mistaken."
"Y-Yeah. N-Not that I don't want to! B-But... Um..."
Celes looked up at me. "...You want to?"
I gulped. "W-Well-"
She stepped forward and grabbed my hand. "S-Sen-sama. I-If you are willing, then-"
A loud bang echoed. The front door slamming open.
"I'm back, Kid! And I brought souvenirs-"
I froze.
Celes froze.
And then a low chuckle echoed from the entrance. A familiar one.
My dad looked up at us with a crap-eating grin. "Well, well, well. It looks like my kid's about to become a man. Don't mind me." He backed out of the house and closed the door behind him, locking it up again. After that, his muffled voice echoed from outside. "Remember to pull out! It's one thing to become a man, it's another to become a dad! And I'm still too young and handsome to be called grandpa, so don't force me to supervise you!"
Celes blushed and then covered her face.
I groaned. "That freaking troll @$$ son of a-"