Except for special cases, men cannot invite women to the male protection area for service activities.
The official reason the government gives for men to engage in social service is to promote free love, but the real meaning is to give hope to women living in the general area.
Therefore, men have to go to the general area for service activities. Many men prefer to stay close to the male protection area in case they need to return quickly.
The reward amount increases with the distance, but few men need such large sums. Unfortunately, service activities in rural areas have become mere formalities.
In the center of Tokyo, there are co-living special zones and male protection areas, surrounded by the general area. It has become common for men to perform service activities in enterprises and shops near these two areas.
Naturally, women in the general area prefer to frequent places where they are more likely to be chosen for service activities and live nearby. Popularity has concentrated on properties near the male protection area and the co-living special zone, driving up prices in these areas.
The high-end tempura restaurant "Tempura Irodori" is located near the co-living special zone. Despite being a popular spot, the restaurant is currently deserted, even during the busy lunchtime.
The lack of customers is not limited to lunchtime; the restaurant also struggles during its main dinner service. This is a significant problem for the once-thriving establishment.
"Natsumi-san... No customers today either..."
Hiashi Amane, an employee sitting at the counter during business hours and using her smart device, murmurs to the owner-chef, Yamagi Natsumi.
"...This is a time to endure. The customers will definitely return."
"...If you need me to stand outside and attract customers, I'm ready anytime."
"Thank you. ...But I want to avoid that as much as possible. I don't want to change the restaurant's rules, even if we change the menu."
"Yes, I understand..."
But at this rate, the restaurant will go bankrupt.
Amane doesn't say this out of consideration for her position but because she has seen Yamagi Natsumi's sincere efforts to create new dishes day and night, believing that customers will return.
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When the previous owner was in the kitchen, the restaurant was incredibly busy. After closing, the cleanup was so exhausting that even the newcomer Amane looked forward to the weekly day off.
In retrospect, those were fulfilling days.
The busy but satisfying daily routine ended abruptly a year and a half ago when the previous owner suddenly passed away from a heart attack.
Amid grief and confusion, Yamagi Natsumi, the top disciple, worked tirelessly to reopen the restaurant. She had to learn everything from scratch, as she only knew about cooking.
However, by the time they were ready to reopen, more than a month had passed, and all the employees except Amane had left.
Still, Yamagi Natsumi did not give up. She loved the kind-hearted previous owner and the restaurant itself.
After completing the necessary procedures, she officially took over the restaurant but did not reopen immediately. She spent days living at the restaurant, dedicating herself to mastering tempura.
Tempura is both a fried and steamed dish. Room temperature, heat control, the temperature and quantity of the ingredients, and the constantly changing oil temperature must be controlled with the stove's fire valve to achieve the perfect timing for the ingredients to shine.
Yamagi Natsumi regretted not asking the previous owner to teach her tempura immediately after closing. If she had, things might have been different.
However, there was no time for regrets. The rent had to be paid even while the restaurant was closed for practice. Natsumi was prepared to use all her savings, meant for artificial insemination, to continue her training. On the ninth day, she reached a satisfactory level.
She apologized to Amane for the wait and proudly reopened "Tempura Irodori." However, they were met with a barrage of complaints from customers.
The flavor had declined, and it was different from before. The service was slow, and the food took too long to arrive.
Before they knew it, customers started leaving, and even the temporary part-time staff quit after just a month, unable to stand the negative atmosphere.
Despite their best efforts, seeing Amane, the restaurant's mood-maker, becoming increasingly exhausted, Yamagi Natsumi decided to stop chasing the previous owner's shadow.
At 28, Yamagi Natsumi had never experienced being chosen for a man's service, and her savings for artificial insemination were now used for the restaurant. However, Amane was only 20. Natsumi didn't want to ruin her life and decided to create her own tempura menu.
Amane agreed enthusiastically, and the two worked together to renew the menu and launch a new advertising campaign for the reborn "Tempura Irodori."
Some long-time regulars made harsh comments, but most supported their continued efforts. Natsumi's creative tempura dishes helped regain customers, and a few months later, the business seemed to be back on track.
However, an event occurred that reversed the situation.
The head of the prestigious "Sakaki" family, one of the "Three Noble Houses," visited the restaurant for the first time in years.
The "Three Noble Houses" are unofficially known for producing powerful Transcenders. The Sakaki family is renowned for close-combat Transcenders, the Nikaidou family for long-range attacks, and the Aoi family for healing abilities.
The head of the Sakaki family visited with several attendants, creating a unique atmosphere in the restaurant that made even the other customers tense.
Natsumi served her best dishes, including the course menu she and Amane had created. However, the Sakaki family head became furious upon receiving the third dish, claiming it lacked respect for the previous owner.
After berating Natsumi, the Sakaki family head left, leaving the payment to her attendants.
Rumors of the incident spread quickly, and the restaurant's hard-won customer base began to dwindle again. Half a year later, even the regulars had stopped coming. Negative reviews spread, and Amane had to request the removal of malicious comments daily.
◇◇◇◇◇◇
"...Alright. Today's removal requests are done."
"Sorry for the trouble..."
"It's no problem. I just wish these people would try Natsumi-san's cooking before leaving such comments. They'd probably be embarrassed."
"Haha, that's a good one. Maybe we should run an ad saying, 'Tempura that silences mischievous girls.'"
"Really? That might actually work."
"Come on, I was joking. I can't afford to waste 300,000 yen on a failed ad campaign."
"Hmm. I still think it's a good idea..."
Amane genuinely believes that a bold ad campaign might be more effective than a conventional one, but she knows that the ad budget would come from Natsumi's pocket, so she doesn't push the idea too hard.
"...Alright. Let's take a little break and check out the live streams."
"Sure, but remember to turn it off if a customer comes in."
"Of course, I know!"
Amane always checks the male live streams after submitting removal requests for malicious comments. Natsumi allows this as long as Amane turns off the stream if a customer arrives, hoping to increase Amane's chances of being chosen for service.
Non-contact social service, particularly hologram live streaming, is popular among women. However, not many men engage in this type of service because the rewards depend on voluntary tips from viewers, making it a high-risk, high-reward activity.
Men in this world are pampered and lack resilience to the blunt comments and behaviors of online women. They also need talk and instruction skills to succeed, making the barrier to entry high.
However, some men still engage in live streaming, hoping for a big payday. The potential rewards can be higher than those from high-paying contact services like "sexual acts," without the post-ejaculation fatigue.
Women dream of connecting with male streamers, while men dream of making money without physical exertion. This is the common understanding of hologram live streaming.
"What!? No way, what is this...?"
"Hmm? What's wrong, Amane?"
"Natsumi-san... A boy from a noble family has started live streaming..."
"What? How do you know he's from a noble family?"
"Because he's wearing traditional Japanese clothes! Men in the male protection area aren't allowed to wear traditional clothes. So, if he's wearing them and streaming, he must live in the co-living special zone and have completed the post-puberty examination!"
"Wait, wait, wait. ...What? That means... No, that's impossible. Wearing traditional clothes for live streaming means... a male Transcender is performing social service for the general area..."
For Yamagi Natsumi, who is passionate about collecting information on Transcenders, this was not a topic to be ignored. Moreover, if true, it was a significant event.
Both Natsumi and Amane, along with women across Japan who stumbled upon this stream, sensed that something unprecedented was about to happen.
The hologram of a beautiful boy in traditional Japanese clothes appeared, captivating them with his intense gaze. His ephemeral beauty and noble aura, combined with his piercing eyes, embodied the fantasy of a strong male figure from fairy tales.
"Hello. Today is my first time live streaming. I'm still learning, so please let me know if there are any issues."
His transparent voice conveyed humility, neither servile nor arrogant, but confident.
"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Aoi Souma. You might know me as the son of Aoi Tomoe, the legendary warrior who single-handedly reclaimed the Boso Peninsula."
Natsumi and Amane, along with women across Japan, felt that an extraordinary event was about to unfold.