Chapter 44

I woke up the same way most days, silencing my smartphone alarm and reading. Every day I would check on the latest news from the project in Akihabara. Three months is a very short time to set up a new business, but things move fast when your business partner is a goddess.

I still read the Truck-kun Isekai Fan forums daily. Now I read them as an advisor, not as one who sought out a rendezvous with Truck-kun. I was practically a celebrity on that board. I had met Truck-kun, and advised others to never do so. I had experienced many Isekai.

There were a lot of sad, lonely people on that forum. They were my friends. I had built into the forum ways to refer people to counseling, rebuild their lives, and find joy outside of tragically heroic motor vehicle accidents.

Still though, there were people I helped meet Truck-kun. One member of the Truck-kun Isekai Fans forum was a man paralyzed in a vehicle wreck that had cost him his family.

There was a man with cancer that had taken away his ability to walk. There was an elderly woman who had lost her vision and wanted to see again.

On time I even messaged Truck-kun about a forum member whose child was having the most terrible nightmares. Truck-kun never directly thanked me for that, but I did find a stuffed platypus in my mailbox a few days later. It had a note that said ‘Don’t throw this in front of a truck.’

Today I checked on the paralyzed man. We had become good friends in the last few weeks, but it had been more than four days since he had posted. This morning the Truck-kun Isekai Fans had tracked him to a hospital where he was in a coma, a smile on his face.

I readied myself for a trip to Akihabara. My apartment was much cleaner after I had sold off most of my figures and video games. I kept the ones that had sentimental value.

On my way out the door I passed my Truck-kun shrine. The daruma had both eyes drawn in now.

In Akihabara I rode an elevator up to the top floor of a rather modern building, although all of the buildings on that street of Akihabara are rather trendy and modern. The elevator opened to a sign, Café Isekai, that had a temporary decal announcing our grand opening.

I had arrived near the end of the first shift on our opening day. It wouldn’t do for a founding owner to loom over the managers and staff of Akihabara’s hottest new maid café on the first day. But it also would be rude to not show up today and cheer on the team.

You’ll be surprised to hear that the Café Isekai featured waitresses with the most realistic catgirl features you’ll find anywhere. Absolutely lifelike.

The place was a true escape from the regular world. Early sneak reviews call it nothing short of magical. I stepped from the elevator and saw a line that filled the hallway long past where I could see it go down the distant stairs.

Good business.

Of course, as an owner, I had a reserved seat and skipped the line.

I sat at my table and was shortly greeted by a beautiful woman with, as advertised, the most realistic cat ears you’ll ever see. The focus at this maid cafe, where patrons were served by beautiful women in pretty maid costumes, was simply beauty.

The costumes weren’t overly revealing. The atmosphere was happy and friendly rather than creepy. It turns out that a goddess of beauty, fertility, and happiness had a sophisticated understanding of how to attract the right kind of attention.

My manager came to my table and smiled at me. “Come here to see anyone special?”

I looked at her nametag and my heart skipped a beat. “Yes, but she’s not named Nyarin. At least that’s not her real name.”

Nyarin sat down across from me, ears twitching before they moved back and outward. “Opening day is a big success.” She said in a light voice, making small talk.

I glanced to where an artistic light piece glowed a cheery purple color. It was composed of dozens of small round white stones that seemed to burn with a bright but completely cool purple flame. Business was certainly good. The customers appreciated all of the beauty on display.

The stones were set into a special apparatus designed by Kisshin herself. The customer’s didn’t need to touch the stones, just be close enough and appreciate beauty. With this much worship energy, Kisshin was going to rule Tokyo.

The woman across from me smiled. “It’s been going like that all day. Kisshin-sama came in earlier, as happy as I’ve ever seen her.”

Café Isekai was bustling and happy, but our table was quiet. I had reserved one of the more private tables. Nyarin ordered something for us, and I happily made my puking platypus pastry barf onto my plate. We both chuckled.

We didn’t talk for a while. It was a comfortable quiet, but it couldn’t last forever. Her ears were perked forward. She was listening.

During an inspection late in the construction process for this Cafe, I had borrowed a minor piece of equipment. I set it on the table. It was a white stone that burned with a yellow and purple flame until I let it go.

Nyarin reached her hand forward as if she expected the stone to burn her.

This time I had been careful not to place the stone anywhere near the edge of the table, since she was a catgirl and all.

She held her breath and touched the stone, eyes closed. She didn’t need to see the yellow flame that curled up from where she touched the stone. She knew it would come when she touched it. Her eyes were closed because she was terrified of letting me know.

When she did open her eyes she saw that my finger was placed on the opposite side of the stone. Our flames twisted together in a festival of bright colors.

She smiled, ears twitching anxiously. “Kikya,” she said. “My name is Kikya, and my shift ends in about ten minutes.”