From the next day onwards, we started working part-time at Asura's cafe. It was incredible how the cafe was only managed by the four of us, even though they claimed that they only had such a crowd during holidays. Today, there were even lines of visitors waiting outside the cafe, and many of them returned for a second visit.
The reason was quite simple. In honor of the celebration, Vivien and Miriam decided to sew several costumes for all the waitresses, apart from the classic waitress uniform. They had maid costumes and something resembling a robe, probably traditional attire from Asura's homeland - kimonos. Moreover, the costumes were for everyone, and the girls would switch them periodically. I never thought there would be so many people eager to see Leira nervously serve their orders, dressed as a maid, or witness Seleria's radiant smile in her waitress attire. Our girls were quite popular among the guests, many of whom were students today, although the girls mentioned that before, the customers were mainly traders and workers from the city.
"It's interesting how they all found out about this. After all, it's only our first day working," for some reason, this scene seemed suspicious to me.
"Ho-hoooo, that means my plan worked!" Vina grinned smugly beside me.
"Again, your doing?"
"Of courrrse! I struck a deal with Asura that if I increased the restaurant's profits several times over, I'd get half of it."
"And what exactly did you do?"
"First, I persuaded the twins to sew a couple of new costumes for the girls, and I also came up with ideas for which ones would be the most popular. Secondly, I spread a rumor around the Academy that the cafe Yuki would be served by very charming girls during the holidays. And thirdly, I added an option in the menu to choose not only the dish but also the waitress who would bring your order, for an extra fee."
"I knew all of this couldn't be just a coincidence. You're truly a great schemer."
"It's an honor for me to receive such a compliment."
"Well, except for Leira, who trembles like an aspen leaf in her maid costume, the others seem confident. But what about Rizel? Isn't she worried?"
"You know, it turns out she also has many fans. I saw a fan club with slogans like 'Down with closed mantles' and 'Divine beauty hides in the shadows'. Look, they've come for the fifth time already."
Meanwhile, at one of the tables, a group of students from the warriors and mages faculty was trying to strike up a conversation with Rizel.
"Come on, Lady Rizel, we paid extra to see you in a maid costume. You wouldn't deceive your customers, right?"
"Believe me, under this mantle, I am wearing a maid costume," Rizel's cold tone only fueled the fans' interest even more.
They moved a bit away from her and started whispering among themselves.
"This is our chance. In a maid costume, she can only attach the mantle with a brooch. If we take advantage of the moment, it will work out."
"C-Chief, is it normal that I got excited by her words?"
"Don't talk so loudly... We're all the same here."
The leader gestured to a thief sitting at the neighboring table and turned back to Rizel.
"Alright then. Let's move on to the order. What would you recommend?"
"Heh, if you hadn't made your choice yet, why did you call me?" Rizel replied in a cold tone, but it seemed to me that she even enjoyed it.
At that moment, a thief from the neighboring table tried to sneak up to Rizel and unfasten the brooch. However, he was stopped by a silvery staff with a skull on top, which had impaled itself into the ground right in front of him.
"If you want to place an order, there's no need to sneak around!" the necromancer said without turning her head, delivering a chilling remark to the thief.
"I-I-I just dropped my fork," the thief quickly retreated from the scene, frightened.
After giving her fans one more icy look, Rizel disappeared into the kitchen.
"Chief, I've fallen in love..."
"You're not the only one."
"Vina, don't you think this is going too far?" This scene stirred mixed feelings in me.
"Oh, come on. They probably won't be able to harm Rizel. I checked on them; the fan group consists mostly of first and second-class mages, and only the leader is a third-class mage. There are only twenty of them. If they get out of hand, Rizel will turn them into charred corpses in less than a second."
"Oh, dear, you just approved mass murder, you know?"
"Come on, they're harmless. Besides, Rizel won't start killing people left and right," Vina said with a mischievous smile, leaning closer to me. "Aren't you jealous yourself?"
"Why would I be?"
"Well, everyone here enjoys much more popularity than you. Even Grain and Algo get more orders."
"WHAT?!," I looked around the hall. Grain and Algo, dressed in elegant waiter uniforms, were gracefully moving between the tables, serving orders. "I thought Grain was helping in the warehouse, and why is Algo so popular? He's married, for crying out loud!"
"Hehe, Algo worked as a servant for a count for over five years. He knows the manners, speaks politely and courteously, and, let's be honest, he's not bad looking, is he?"
"Ugh, damn it, but he's married! Look at the resentful glares Leira throws at him when he flirts with clients!"
"But you know, their marriage was arranged; it gives rise to rumors that they don't even love each other and are together out of a sense of duty."
"Why do I have a feeling that YOU are spreading these rumors?"
"Hehehe, who else? After all, you can make quite a profit from them, at least until their relationship turns more affectionate."
"You villain! Is Grain also your doing?"
"Oh no, not at all. It's just that he's big and strong, slightly handsome, and comes from a decent middle-noble family. His parents may be landless nobles, but they hold good positions in the royal chancellery. He's quite a sought-after bachelor, and many girls are enamored with the idea of a strong guy who can protect them."
I glanced at the kitchen, where Levris was calmly preparing food, occasionally casting dissatisfied glances at the hall.
"Darn it, darn it! I'm stronger than them, why am I not as popular!?"
"Well, you're just an average-looking guy, an orphan, with no noble background, but possessing magic; your knowledge of magic is enough to produce nothing more than a small light. That's why you're taking missions with swords but still staying on the magic faculty. The conclusion is... I wouldn't pay attention to you even if you suddenly turned into a ten-meter troll and started smashing everything left and right."
I fell to my knees in despair.
"I... I am even less popular than Rizel. Wh-why couldn't you spread a couple of rumors about my achievements!?" I stammered.
"But you're so proud; what if you got offended?" Vina replied with pitiful eyes, though her mischievous grin remained: "Besides, I plan to make money off of you in the future. If you want fame, prove yourself!"
"Lady Vinila!! You are cruel, too cruel!!" I quietly sobbed but then stood up with determination in my eyes: "Well, at least with your personality, you don't enjoy much more popularity."
However, my hopes were shattered by Asura's voice.
"Vina, your regular clients have come again!"
"I'm coming!"
"WHAT?! You have regular clients!?"
"Hehe," Vina chuckled maliciously and put on the cutest face she could muster: "But you know, many big brothers like having a girl by their side who looks like a little sister and needs protection. Isn't that right, big brother!?"
Even in this aspect, she outdid me! This little being of pure evil!! Frustration overwhelmed me, and I started banging my head against the wall.
"Sigh..."
"Hmm, that wasn't me sighing!"
I looked around, only to spot a huge box with two holes at eye level. Apparently, the box had noticed me too and tried to retreat; only one person could act so foolishly.
"Princess, what are you doing here, huh?"
"Khah!" the cardboard emitted a squeaking sound, froze, and pretended to be motionless.
"Oh, it wasn't worth running away when I first spotted you. Katrina, it's you!"
"Ooh," the cardboard helplessly folded inwards – YES, IT TRULY FOLDED! The back wall of the box opened, and a yellow princess with disheveled hair climbed out of it: "Haha, hi, Krito! I was just passing by when this monster attacked me!"
"Sure you were, and I believed you. You just wanted to see how we work?"
"Well, I just... I guess it's fun to work with friends. We can't fight all the time, can we?"
"Katrina, I understand, but-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm just thinking out loud."
"Katrina, I promise I'll come up with something."
"Oh well, I'm used to watching others from the sidelines. I don't want to trouble you; I'll leave."
Katrina turned around with a sad expression, ready to leave, but I stopped her.
"I have a proposal. You had a map of secret passages, right?"
"Well, it wasn't complete; it only had the rooms I needed."
"Alright," I slyly smiled, "then could you make a full map of the passages? I want to organize a small picnic on the Night of Ascent."
"The Night of Ascent? It's only five days away!"
"Don't you want to spend this holiday with your friends?"
"Yeah, that would be great."
"And the map of passages would be a great gift for everyone. I was thinking of inviting Asura and her friends too. Can you do it for all of us?"
"I will definitely make it in time!!" Inspired by the new idea, Katrina rushed off to the Academy, and I pondered a way to solve her problem.