I Became the Final Subjugation Target of That Era’s Light Novel

Chapter

In my previous life, I really worked hard to survive.

Ah, it’s not like I came from a world in an apocalypse or anything. The world I lived in was just the ordinary Seoul of 2024.

To my senses, it felt like a future world, with changes so gradual that it was hard to notice them until they piled up.

But even in such an ordinary world, living was quite rough, wasn’t it? After all, people can’t live without money.

That’s why I worked part-time on Thursdays and Fridays for three hours each, and on Saturdays and Sundays for eight hours, earning 850 yen per hour.

I liked various things about it. I managed to forge the consent form, and they just accepted it without me having to bring a guardian. The café owner hired me simply because “there is demand for this body type.”

Since it’s a food service industry, it seems even minors like me can get a job here.

…Well, I mean, if we get technical about such things in a light novel world, I’d probably lose anyway. Still, the setting is Japan.

Ah, by the way, I was in “ponytail mode” for the interview. I couldn’t cover my face with my hair in a place that checks looks. I was also wearing thick-frame glasses with minimal makeup.

I wanted to hide my face in case I ran into anyone from school. But then again, I couldn’t just wear a mask.

In the end, Sasaki recognized me instantly, so it was all for naught.

Speaking of which…

I’m quite curious about this guy’s head. What kind of brother takes his little sister to a maid café?

As someone who has had a younger sister, I’d say that as a brother, that’s not a very good choice. Just getting caught being an otaku would be enough to earn contempt, and to openly admit it while taking his sister to a place like this? That’s not something a normal person would think.

But on second thought, it seems like the crazier one between the Sasaki siblings is the younger sister.

What kind of younger sister refers to her older brother as “Orahbuni”? What kind of manga did she grow up reading?

“Um… I’d like to order.”

Sasaki opened his mouth with great difficulty.

He looks confused about what to do in this situation.

Yeah, what should we do?

“Yes, Master is waiting.”

Thank goodness this isn’t a franchise like ‘Maid ○ Ming.’

It was a privately owned café, and a ‘real’ café at that. The owner appeared to be a woman in her early thirties, someone who genuinely loved coffee. She was in a maid outfit, though.

In other words, this café doesn’t have live performances like some places. It’s just a ‘maid café’ where the staff wears maid outfits and speaks in the maid tone.

Customer-maid contact is prohibited, and photography is not allowed. If the maid doesn’t allow it, you can’t.

“Uh… then I’ll have this.”

Sasaki selected one type of coffee from the menu. There were detailed notes on acidity and aroma next to the coffee, but honestly, I don’t know about such things. Well, I’m not the one making it anyway.

“I’ll have the same, please.”

Sasaki’s sister, who was next to him, said.

“Do you not want any dessert?”

“Ah… then I’ll have this.”

Sasaki chose a shortcake.

“Then I’ll have the same as well.”

Sasaki’s little sister said the same.

Are they close, or do they just not feel like deciding?

Sasaki’s sister was looking at me. It seems she got a misunderstanding since Sasaki treated me to a meal last time, but we really have no connection. If it weren’t for this situation, I would have just ignored Sasaki.

Unfortunately, all the other staff were busy. The owner had only hired three people, myself included. It was a pretty small number for a ‘maid café.’

I had jumped into a fire before in my past life, but I never imagined I’d be in a maid outfit in front of a classmate.

“Then, Master and young lady, please wait a moment. We’ll have your order ready shortly.”

“Uh, y-yeah.”

“Thank you.”

Sasaki still looked quite flustered, but his sister seemed to have gathered herself.

“…What? Do you know each other?”

The owner, sitting across the counter with her chin rested on her hand, asked.

She looked to be in her thirties… but thanks to the light novel effect, she might look younger. Whether it’s due to good self-care or something else.

Even though she was wearing a maid outfit, she didn’t look very maid-like. Though if you asked me if I looked maid-like, I wouldn’t have much to say.

The owner seemed to love coffee, yet she didn’t show much enthusiasm for work. I guess it’s because she owns the building. Rumor has it that the coffee is delicious.

According to the owner, wearing the maid outfit like this was a way to charge 100 yen more for a cup of coffee. Well, I suppose she knows herself.

“…They’re from the same school.”

“Oh, I see… well, do your best.”

After hearing my answer, the owner looked at me with a stern gaze.

She nodded after I handed her the order and went to work. At least she didn’t push her work onto her employees, so that’s nice.

Even though it’s a café without a live stage and just staff in maid outfits, it’s still a maid café.

The maids are expected to serve their “masters” in their own way. Of course, it’s not a sexual service, just a matter of doing things like bringing them water.

Frankly speaking, aside from speaking politely, I don’t really know how it’s different from other cafés, but that’s how it is.

“……”

I stood awkwardly between the tables, holding the menu.

“Hey, Kurosawa.”

“……”

Sasaki called me over, and I went to his side.

“Master, I’m sorry, but please refrain from calling the maids by name. It’s a matter of privacy.”

There may not be an actual rule about it, but I made up an excuse and told Sasaki.

“Oh, right.”

My firm words made Sasaki a bit flustered.

“I just… wanted to know if you’ve been doing well lately.”

Would he be doing well?

He’s wearing a maid outfit in front of someone from the same school.

Of course, I couldn’t say that. Even though this is a café, no one forced me to work here with a knife.

“Master, I’m sorry, but questions about personal life are prohibited.”

That was the truth.

Here, everyone, including the owner, has pretty faces. If we allow privacy invasions, it would become hellish.

“That’s right, Orahbuni. It’s rude to ask someone working here such things.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.”

More than that, what’s the reason for him being so concerned about me? We’ve only just met for the second time. No matter how nice a person he is, isn’t it a bit much to approach someone like that?

“I’m sorry. Our Orahbuni doesn’t really have much intuition when it comes to this kind of thing…”

His sister apologized on his behalf.

Honestly, I could see the jealousy written all over her face.

“It’s fine. If it’s your first visit, it’s understandable. Rather, I apologize for overly teaching you.”

But now, I’m grateful for that jealousy. Honestly, why should I care if that little sister is crushing on me? The romance issue should be resolved by Yuuki and the protagonist. It’s not something I should meddle in.

Well, of course, those two getting together takes priority.

…Should I suggest this part-time job to Yuuki as well?

“Ah, no, I—”

Knock knock.

I heard a knock from the counter.

“Sorry to interrupt, Master. Is it alright to bring out your order now?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Sasaki was flustered again at my question. From beside him, I heard his sister give a small sigh. Does she think I’m not a serious competitor?

No, more than that, did the original have the younger sister harboring feelings for Sasaki? I don’t think that was the case.

Maybe this scene is a side story related to their daily lives, separate from the main story. No matter how detailed a novel is, you can’t show everything, like people eating, sleeping, or going to the bathroom.

Or maybe I’m just misremembering a novel I read 20 years ago.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

Thinking that way, I went to the counter, picked up the tray the owner had brought out, and returned to the table.

“Master, and young lady, your order is ready.”

“Ah… thank you.”

“Thanks.”

The younger sister, responding elegantly, now seemed to be enjoying the situation a bit. How charming.

“Well then, enjoy your meal.”

I said that and turned back, returning the tray to the counter, then went back to stand at my post.

Truthfully, while I was at the interview, I was also pondering what I should talk about years later when “Moe Moe Kyun” comes out. After all, I would be the first to come up with such a thing.

Fortunately, I was picked based on appearance alone.

I’m glad to have reincarnated as a cute girl. At least, I’m lucky that the face under the hair is pretty.

If not, I wouldn’t even dream of working part-time in Akihabara. I don’t overestimate my capabilities.

There are many part-timers in Akihabara calling out to potential customers in front of stores, but I could never do that. I’m not good at dealing with people.

It’s better to just do what the manual says.

I stayed lost in thought between the tables until the Sasaki siblings finished their meal, repeating the serving to other customers whenever they arrived.

The Sasaki siblings stayed longer in the café than I had expected. It’s probably because Sasaki was worried about me.

Anyway, I was going through the same actions repeatedly, so during those moments of repetitive action, I took the time to think about the original Sasaki Sota from the novel.

First of all, he cares for his younger sister. I didn’t read the entire novel, so I don’t know what makes him care for her.

Hmm, but on second thought, Sasaki’s younger sister seems to look up to him and call him “Orahbuni.” If I had a little sister like that, I’d probably find her pretty cute.

That said, I wouldn’t go to a maid café with my little sister.

And… he couldn’t just walk past someone who looked pitiful. He had that type of personality where if he saw a starving stray cat, he would insist on helping it.

There’s that character type, right? The male protagonist who, upon seeing a kind heroine, thinks, “No, I can’t just leave you behind!” Sasaki was that kind of protagonist.

“……”

Uh, no way, could it be…

Do I look a bit pitiful?

I turned my gaze to Sasaki. Sasaki was looking at me, and when our eyes met, he quickly looked away.

Is it true? Did he realize I was downtrodden when we first met? Is that why he thinks I look pitiful seeing me working here?

Honestly, it’s pretty convincing. Damn it.

I felt like Sasaki’s sister’s gaze was following me, so I decided to disengage from their attention.

Then I returned to doing my job.

I hoped they’d leave soon.

*

Still, Sasaki didn’t stick around until I finished my shift.

No matter how unrestricted the time limit was at this café, staying seated for too long would be a bit odd. Especially since we’d just made eye contact.

I exhaled a sigh of relief as I clocked out.

The owner basically doesn’t care about the staff’s private lives, so she didn’t touch me when I clocked out.

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

“Uh, okay.”

I clocked out a bit later than the other staff. But it was only a three-minute difference. It just felt wrong to change clothes together.

Physically, they looked older than me, but they were in their teens. It felt quite uneasy on my conscience.

Moreover, I had tattoos on my wrists.

After exchanging light farewells, I stepped outside the building.

The building itself wasn’t that tall, but it was right in the middle of Akihabara. Coming outside, it wasn’t like I ended up in a gloomy alley. The café was on the third floor, and the sign wasn’t very eye-catching, which was why it didn’t get too crowded.

Honestly, it looks like the owner picked this position just to avoid work.

…But anyway, it doesn’t matter. As long as I’m paid properly, I’m satisfied.

As I left the building and headed towards the station—

“Hmm?”

I turned around.

The sky was almost dark, but there were still quite a few people on the street. It wasn’t that late since the light just turned on in other buildings, after all.

“……”

What’s going on? Is it just my imagination?

I couldn’t precisely identify what it was. It wasn’t a yōkai, if it were I would’ve known for certain. And I might have even heard a voice.

I turned back and continued walking. There was no real discomfort.

Hmm…

Probably nothing serious. It’s just one of those vague discomforts I often feel when walking alone at night, like someone’s behind me.

It’s a bit odd that I feel that way despite so many people around.

Feeling a little anxious, I quickened my pace.

*

On Friday’s way back from school.

If it were another time, I might’ve enjoyed it. There’s no pastry Yuuki usually buys me for lunch, and I won’t have unlimited snacks in the literature club room, but it’s still quite enjoyable to just lie around doing nothing at home.

But right now, I had work to do. Not just Friday, but I also had work on Saturday and Sunday.

Still, thanks to earning some money like that, I could buy something decent for dinner.

For instance, gyudon.

I could get a cheap bowl at a chain restaurant, and the people there were mostly single diners focused on their own meals.

I could slip in among them, eat reasonably, and leave.

That’s right. No leftovers. I treat myself to high-protein carbs after finishing work on the weekend. Most people there were middle-aged men, but who cares! It’s delicious; that’s what matters!

“……Huh?”

But oddly enough, I felt a vague discomfort just thinking about that gyudon shop.

I paused for a moment to tilt my head, but I couldn’t determine the source of my discomfort.

Well, whatever. I should stop dwelling on things that don’t have answers, as a psychologist I saw on TV about ten years ago said.

Scratching my head, I moved forward again—

Meow.

I heard a sound like that.

A cat.

I liked stray cats. That said, I hadn’t fed or touched one. I just took quick snapshots when passing by.

The reason…? Well, it’s simple. They’re cute.

Sometimes, I really disliked them. Sometimes, work had to be put off because of a cat. But that doesn’t mean I can hate every cat in the world, does it?

And right now, none of this relates to work whatsoever.

Anyway, I turned to see where the sound was coming from.

Meow, meow.

I heard the sound of a cat again.

I had a bit of time before heading to work, so I could at least spare a moment to glimpse its face.

I followed the sound and came to a stop.

There, beside a utility pole, was a girl in a middle school uniform, crouched down.

Middle and high schools don’t share the same building. They start from the same station, but the two schools are quite far apart.

But I’m on my way back from the station. So it wouldn’t be strange if I ran into a student from over there.

The utility pole was almost right next to the building, but there was enough gap for a small animal to slip through. A kitten could easily fit in there.

There was a little cat lying flat in that gap.

And the girl petting that cat… was Sasaki Shii, Sasaki Sota’s younger sister.

What a coincidence, I’ve been running into these siblings more than I expected lately. Now the older brother was absent.

Should I just turn around and run away? But right now, that girl seemed to have already noticed my footsteps and was looking at me.

“Ah.”

And whether it was an exclamation or not, she let out an unintelligible sound.

“……”

After a moment’s hesitation, I went over to her side.

“Kurosawa-san?”

She stood up and called me.

Hiss!

The cat looked at me and hissed. No, that wasn’t necessary.

Upon closer inspection, I saw a can of cat food in front of the cat.

…Speaking of which, it used to show that the heroine’s act of feeding homeless cats was a sign of her kindness in older novels.

If something like that came out nowadays, she’d probably be called a cat mom. But honestly, I understand. Who would like to have a cat litter box in front of their home?

“…I heard a cat sound.”

I slowly approached Sasaki’s younger sister while trying not to startle her.

“Is that so?”

It seemed like she wasn’t that frightened of me from the start. Looking again, her height was similar to mine. With her likely being in better shape than me, I might lose if I tried to bully her.

“I’m… a friend of Orahbuni, right?”

What should I say?

To be honest, calling her an acquaintance felt a bit wrong.

“…That’s right.”

But saying I outright deny that in front of her seemed a little off, so I just replied like that.

I leaned down slowly to inspect the little kitten. It was about the size of my palm. Had it been abandoned by its mother?

It was hissing in fear, yet unable to leave the can of cat food behind.

…

Somehow, it feels like someone’s watching me.

I’m not thinking about myself, am I?

“Can I touch it?”

“Ah, yeah. I don’t own it, so it’s fine.”

I pulled my hand out slowly without saying anything.

The cat looked up at my approaching hand while lying flat on the ground.

But there was nowhere to retreat into the earth, so in the end, it had no choice but to accept my hand.

Since it’s a stray cat, it wasn’t being cared for by anyone, yet its fur was quite soft.

“This one seems to not have parents.”

“…Yeah.”

Having the can of cat food means she has probably been carrying it around in her bag, too.

As I gently stroked its head and back, the little cat stopped hissing and let out faint mews.

It seemed to realize I meant no harm and became focused on eating the can’s contents again.

Sasaki’s sister and I watched the little cat silently for a while.

“Can’t you raise it at home?”

“Ah, that… I thought it might be a burden for Orahbuni. If I say I want to keep it, Orahbuni would definitely insist on it…”

She must be too nice to refuse.

In the original, there was no mention of them raising a cat.

“Yeah.”

I just responded like that, silently continuing to pet the cat.

“…U-um!”

“…Yeah.”

After a moment of silence, Sasaki’s younger sister suddenly called out to me. I turned to look at her.

She had a serious look on her face, as if she had made up her mind. Her lips were tightly pressed together with determination in her eyes.

Did I do something to upset her?

“U-um, would you like to exchange emails with me?”

“…Email?”

“Is that not okay?”

It’s not that it’s a no, but I was a bit surprised by the sudden request.

“…Sure.”

It wouldn’t be polite to decline in this situation.

As I answered like that and took out my phone, Sasaki’s younger sister seemed relieved and also took out her phone.

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