Sensing that another visitor had arrived, Kotori's mouth finally stopped, and a look of regret appeared on her face.
"Is someone else here to see Sensei? In that case, there is nothing I can do. I will take my leave for today."
With that, she stood up, and I hurriedly grabbed her. "Wait a moment!"
From the looks of it, Kotori was actually planning to walk out openly?
I looked at Kotori and saw only mild confusion on her face, so I could not help but ask,
"Why are you not hiding?"
"Huh? Why would I hide?" Kotori blinked, asking in puzzlement. "I am just here to explain things to Sensei. I have not done anything wrong. There is nothing shameful about it, right?"
Th-this is not right, is it?
Could it be that Kotori was even worse than Momoi, coming alone into my room late at night, yet harboring no improper thoughts about me at all?
That was clearly unreasonable.
So I arrived at two plausible conclusions.
Either Kotori had not yet realized her own feelings and lacked awareness of the meaning of this behavior, or Kotori was actually quite scheming, intending to create the impression of being very close to me in front of the visitor, in order to eliminate a competitor.
In any case, it was unlikely that she felt nothing for me.
And figuring out which it was would be simple.
"Kotori," I reminded her, "have you thought about this? Late at night, with just the two of us alone in a room, if someone sees us, it could easily cause misunderstandings."
Hearing that, Kotori's expression immediately stiffened, and she said guiltily, "I-it would not, would it…?"
At that moment, the knocking sounded again, even more urgent than before.
"There is no time to think. Lend me your glasses for a bit, then find somewhere to hide."
"Ah, okay."
Kotori was clearly flustered. Without asking why, she handed me her glasses, then glanced around the room briefly. Her gaze landed on the wardrobe.
After she hid inside, I placed Kotori's glasses neatly beside Midori's sketch, then hurried off to welcome the next late-night visitor secretly in love with me.
"Hey, you are way too slow. I knocked three times already."
The small orange-haired maid looked more frightening than usual with her brows drawn together. "By the way, I think I just heard voices. Is there someone else in your room?"
I replied calmly, "I was just receiving some educational explanations."
"Huh? Watching videos or something? Anyway, if it is convenient, let me in first."
For some reason, Neru seemed a bit rushed and nervous.
I glanced at the hands she was hiding behind her back and agreed without objection.
Unlike her usual carefree manner, Neru, likely entering such an excellent opposite-sex room for the first time in her life, appeared quite restrained. She did not look around much, but still noticed the neatly arranged items on my bed.
When she asked about them, I brushed it off directly. "It's nothing. More importantly, what are you holding?"
The moment I mentioned it, Neru's attention was immediately diverted. She said angrily,
"Ahh, speaking of that really makes me mad! That Akane actually said this afternoon that my ingredients and techniques are too free-spirited and would scare people, and she kicked me out of the kitchen! My cooking skills are obviously superb, alright!?"
On that point, I reserved judgment.
At the very least, judging from Neru's past performance, it was indeed hard to see her talent in housekeeping.
Besides, if Akane drove Neru out of the kitchen, there must have been a reason.
Looking again at the item Neru brought, tightly wrapped in several layers of black plastic bags, a sense of foreboding rose in my heart.
This could not be…
"So anyway," Neru calmed herself, the corner of her mouth lifting. "I happened to notice that you have not been very energetic these past couple of days, so I made one of my specialty dishes and came specifically to reward you. Hehe, there is no need to thank me!"
I understood. Neru did not want to leave the impression of lacking feminine charm in the heart of the person she secretly liked, so she wanted to clear her name.
But would this really not just reinforce that impression instead?
"…Huh? What is that look? Are you doubting my abilities?" Neru patted my shoulder. "Believe in me. I am the head of the Maid Club, you know what that means, right? That means my abilities as a maid are the strongest in Millennium. Cooking is one of the essential qualities of a maid!"
I vaguely recalled that someone stubbornly refused to admit she was a maid and would not follow her true feelings in calling me Master.
That was how tsunderes were. Even if their mouths stayed stubborn, their actions had already completely betrayed them.
"Since it is filled with Neru's feelings, I have no choice but to taste it!"
"Huh? Why do you still look so unwilling? Want me to hit you?" Neru pouted, then her smile brightened again. "Forget it. Once you taste it, you will definitely be just like everyone else, so happy you will be dancing around!"
…If I regret this now, is it still in time?
But Neru had already swiftly pulled out the item wrapped in the plastic bags.
A thermal container filled with an unknown red liquid.
"Here it is, Mikamo Neru's special, feelings-infused porridge!"
"This thing is porridge!?"
At that moment, I thought of my date with Momoi and felt my stomach start to cramp again.
"Haha, it is because I put in lots of special chili oil. Alright, I am very confident about the calories. Hurry up and eat!"
What about the taste? And health?
I suddenly understood Akane.
However, feeling the girl's fervent, expectant gaze, and thinking of her sincere intentions, I could not bring myself to refuse.
"Neru."
"Hm? What is it?" Neru laughed. "If you are thinking of backing out now, it is too late. Hurry and drink it while it is hot… eh…?"
Her tone suddenly became extremely stiff, because I had suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Y-you, what are you doing?" Neru spoke as calmly as she could, but there was panic in her voice.
"If we are talking about essential maid qualities…" I said slowly, "serving the master is one of them too, right?"
"…What strange things are you suddenly saying?"
"What I mean is, could you feed me?"
I said sincerely.
If I had to taste Neru's cooking, I only wanted to do it this way.
At least I could see Neru's cute reactions. Even if it cost me stomach pain, it would be more than worth it.
After a long moment, Neru pulled her hand back. Her face flushed red, she gave the answer I hoped for in a low voice.
"Just this once."
After that, she scooped up a spoonful of porridge. Following my instructions, she blew on it several times before feeding it to me.
To my surprise, although it was indeed very spicy, it was not like last time with industrial-grade spice. It was actually quite good.
"S so, how is it… give me a review…"
"It is very delicious," I said seriously. "Besides the cooking itself, there is also a cute maid blowing into it the breath that makes food taste better…"
"Huh!? What weird things are you saying! B-be careful, or I will really hit you!"
Even so, joy overflowed between Neru's brows. She scooped up another spoonful of porridge and proactively blew it cool.
Was she that happy just from being called cute?
If so, did that not just make her even cuter?
Playing this feeding game with Neru as if no one else existed, until the thermal container was completely empty, I was sweating all over from the spice.
"Heh heh," Neru looked proudly at her results. "So, now you understand how amazing I am when I get serious, right?"
"I understand completely."
I said with heartfelt conviction, "Neru will definitely become a good wife and mother in the future!"
"That is not what I was asking!" Neru said shyly and angrily. "You really are an idiot! Idiot!"
Translated, she also wanted to marry me.
Just as I was about to tease her a bit more, another uninvited guest arrived.
"Master, Master, are you asleep?"
From the tone of the voice alone, it was easy to tell that the visitor was Asuna.
Neru's expression changed drastically, clearly feeling guilty.
I said considerately, "You can go wait on the balcony for a bit. I will take care of the thermal container."
"O-okay," Neru lowered her voice. "Do not let Asuna find out I am here!"
After Neru hid, I quickly placed the thermal container on the bed, then went to open the door for Asuna.
"Good evening, Master!" The blonde maid's face lit up with a completely unguarded smile the moment she saw me. "Asuna has come to serve you!"
Late-night service?
I was greatly delighted and immediately stepped aside. "Please, come in!"
"Yay∼ the master's room, permission to enter acquired∼"
Asuna hopped inside, and at a glance noticed the many items on the bed.
"They are spoils of war."
I answered before she could ask.
"Ahaha∼ what are those? They look so interesting∼ Master really is amazing∼"
If anyone else had said something like that, I would have suspected they had seen through something and were mocking me.
Sitting on my bed, Asuna looked at me and suddenly seemed a little troubled.
"I can feel that Master needs me right now, but is there anything you would like me to do for you?"
Asuna's logic was, as always, hard to understand.
My gaze could not help but drift downward, landing on two smooth, snow-white, rounded things.
I felt a slight urge to rub… Asuna's mole.
But it was still too early for that.
Even though Asuna had called me Master from our very first meeting, clearly deeply attracted by my appearance, I felt that this kind of thing should proceed step by step.
The main reason, though, was that there were other people present, so it was not very appropriate.
Seeing me lost in thought, Asuna smiled and made a suggestion. "Can't think of anything right away? Then let's do something fun together first∼"
Something fun?
Just as I was feeling puzzled, I saw her take out a rectangular paper box from the natural pocket right in the middle of her chest.
Although the motion and shape initially gave even pure-hearted me some dangerous associations, it was actually just a deck of playing cards.
"Master∼ come play a game with me∼"
"Uh, well…"
I hesitated.
If I agreed too readily, the girls currently hiding in various corners of the room would definitely have complaints afterward.
"Eh? Does Master not want to play cards with Asuna?"
Asuna drooped dejectedly, looking even more like a golden retriever.
That left me stuck in a dilemma.
However, just at that moment, the knocking of fate arrived at the perfect time.
"Yah∼" Asuna jumped up. "Master, I will go open the door∼"
"Wait!"
I hurriedly stopped her. "Asuna, please find somewhere to hide for now."
Asuna tilted her head in confusion. "Eh? Why?"
Of course, to make things more interesting.
"Because if people find out that you and I, a lone man and a lone woman, are alone in a room together late at night, it will inevitably invite gossip," I said righteously in one breath.
But Asuna looked even more confused. "I do not mind though?"
I was momentarily at a loss for words. It really did sound like something she would say.
"Hehe∼ I was just joking∼ here, these are for you, Master."
Asuna blinked at me, then placed the deck of cards beside the thermal container. She waved at me. "Well then, Master, see you later∼"
After saying goodbye to me, Asuna ran straight out onto the balcony.
Faintly, I heard Neru's voice, pressed extremely low and tinged with guilt, scolding someone. I then continued to open the door to welcome the next visitor.
"Good evening, Master."
The gray-haired maid lifted her skirt and bowed elegantly, then spoke softly.
"Please forgive my sudden visit late at night. However, as an excellent maid, attending to Master and helping you fall asleep is also part of my duty."
Huh? What is she planning to do?
I could not help recalling how Akane had once secretly slipped into my bedroom under the pretense of cleaning, but actually to investigate. Judging from her reaction back then, she must have discovered the gun holster and props in my bedside cabinet.
Could it be that… Akane came tonight specifically to help me relieve my worries?
At that thought, I felt a sense of regret. The timing really could not have been worse.
Still, I let Akane into the room.
Even if we could not do much, just satisfying the urge a little would be fine.
Besides, after seeing the things laid out on my bed, whether Akane would still hold her original thoughts was anyone's guess.
And just as I expected, after noticing something amiss, the girl's flawless smile froze on her delicate face.
She cast a questioning glance at me. After receiving my slight nod of acknowledgment, Akane took a deep breath.
It felt like she was probably a bit jealous, yet her voice remained as gentle as ever.
Akane took off her shawl, thought for a moment, and folded it neatly on my bed, then said to me,
"Master, you must have accumulated a lot of fatigue over the past few days. Please allow me to give you a relaxing massage before sleep."
…She is not planning to take this chance to vent her frustration on me, is she?
I hesitated inwardly, but on the surface agreed gladly. Following her instructions, I lay face down in the open space on the bed.
"Then, I will begin now. Excuse me."
Akane spoke softly, and then straddled me.
Surprisingly, everything was quite gentle, both Akane's weight and her massage technique.
Before long, I felt the stiff muscles throughout my body relax, my consciousness growing hazy and drowsy.
Until several knocks sounded at the door.
"Oh my∼" Akane said with regret in her tone. "It seems we can only stop here."
Then she leaned down to my ear and whispered softly.