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

Still, it was a day off.

I didn’t know my break would be this hectic.

In both good and bad ways, I got caught up in all sorts of things and lost my mind.

The second semester starts on September 1, so there’s still quite a bit of vacation left.

From what I’ve heard, Japan’s winter break isn’t as long as Korea’s. About two weeks. There’s also a third semester, and after it ends, there’s another spring break when the second semester starts again, so it feels like they’ve sliced it all up into smaller pieces.

But still, I can take it a bit easier for the remaining break, right? I held onto that hope.

The most important event of summer break in the main story was over. I saw Kaneko and Izumi, and even promised to call each other by our names.

Miura, Yamashita, and Fukuda had already met up at the start of the break.

Of course, I still had to work part-time even during the break, so I could say I was somewhat busy, but I had three days off a week, and I wasn’t working all day. I could say I had some free time.

…Now, all that’s left is to make Koko wait quietly at home.

So I had an idea, and that was to take Koko out all day long.

That’s right.

If I took Koko out and let her expend a lot of energy, she’d surely behave quietly at home with Kuro until I got back.

It felt a bit like treating her like a puppy, which made me feel a little uneasy, but what can I do? That was the only way my mind could come up with.

On the other hand, leaving it to someone else felt a bit… excessive.

While I’d be leaving a little earlier on Saturday and Sunday, I could entertain her as much as possible during that short morning.

Today was Thursday, which was my workday.

I took Koko on a tour around the neighborhood, coming back near home and going to different places repeatedly.

The sun was hot, and it was still humid, so getting back felt like dying. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could do my job properly in this state.

But not being able to do my job well was far better than Koko disappearing.

That’s why I kept going back and forth, around the neighborhood, so she could eventually return home if she strayed.

Koko was much smarter than she appeared. As long as I showed her the way, she would definitely come back home.

“…You got that? You can’t go outside, okay?”

“Can’t go?”

“Nope.”

“U…”

I couldn’t tell if that “U” meant she understood or if she didn’t want to.

But at least, from her expression, it seemed she got it.

I know I can’t keep doing this forever.

Koko isn’t a cat. Sometimes she imitates Kuro, and when she sees cat food, she drools, but I think she has a similar intelligence to mine.

So, someday I’ll let her wander around town by herself.

But not now.

Fact is, even while saying this, I felt a bit strange.

This wasn’t the first time I had left for work without Koko. Even when I wasn’t around, Koko wouldn’t go outside. After all, she hadn’t done that before.

Then why did I feel so uneasy?

As if I had lost Koko even once—

…Ah.

That’s right.

I haven’t lost her.

I haven’t lost her, but… I started to think that I could lose her.

The face that came to mind was that of someone who looked surprisingly like Kagami. Someone who wanders around with an imperceptible presence, Kagami’s sister. Someone who thinks they can dispose of human lives as they feel like it, without a care for others.

Even knowing Koko wouldn’t go out, I still worried about what would happen if, by any chance, she did.

“Got it?”

So, I made sure to confirm.

“I’ll play with Kuro. I…will…”

I looked at the clock hanging on the wall.

It was a big clock I had just bought a while ago.

I struggled between digital and analog and opted for analog. If Koko could perfectly understand numbers and the concept of time, a digital clock might be better, but I wasn’t sure of that.

With the analog clock, I could pinpoint exactly where the little hand had reached.

“This little hand…”

I deliberately slowed down my actions and exaggerated as I spoke to Koko.

“You’ll be home before it gets to here.”

Koko got up from her spot and looked at the number I pointed at.

“From here to here.”

After pointing at the current time, when I pointed again at number 10, Koko blinked.

“Okay.”

I took Koko’s hand, raised her fingers, and acted the same as before.

“From here to here.”

Koko nodded her head.

“Got it?”

Koko blinked once.

“Got it.”

…Not quite sure.

But I had no way to explain more than this.

Since I couldn’t take Koko with me to work.

“…Take care of Kuro.”

So I picked up Kuro, who was rolling around on the floor, and handed her to Koko.

“Meow!?”

Kuro, who was suddenly lifted, let out a scream, but before she could squirm out of my grasp, Kuro was already nestled into Koko’s arms.

“You can take care of her, right?”

“Yep!”

Koko nodded enthusiastically with a big smile in response to my words.

…I felt I could trust her.

*

“Senpai!”

Shii, whom I hadn’t seen for a few days, greeted me just like usual.

I was a bit worried she might have developed some kind of trauma, but thinking back, in the original work, Shii had quickly recovered her mental state after seeing the demon.

…Shii’s trauma probably lies in the past. Meeting her own mother would be far more terrifying than seeing a demon.

Moreover, Shii saw Sasaki’s blood defeat the monster.

She’d probably feel quite reassured being with her older brother.

“Have you been well?”

After greeting me, Shii tilted her head slightly.

She seemed puzzled about something, and then, “Ah!” she nodded her head seriously.

With a serious expression, she asked, “…Is Koko doing well?”

Maybe she was worried because I was taking Koko with me.

Actually, Koko had been living with me for some time now, ever since Shii had learned that I was taking care of her.

But the last time Shii saw Koko was during our trip to the beach. Koko might have appeared to Shii as someone with some kind of disability.

So, if she thought about Koko being alone, it couldn’t help but make her anxious—

…

Wait a moment. Was what I did considered neglect?

Only after hearing Shii’s words did I start to feel uneasy again.

I didn’t think Koko’s intelligence was that low, but maybe I misjudged her.

“She’ll be fine.”

I answered as if saying it to myself.

After hearing my answer, Shii still wore a slightly concerned expression, but by now Koko was already a good hour and a half away from me.

I just hoped she was managing alright.

*

The boss wore his usual indifferent expression.

I had worried he might say something about me taking quite a few breaks, but he didn’t seem to care.

Like always, he had a dreary face, resting his chin at the counter, and when an order came in, he would make coffee and pull out ingredients from the fridge.

Not only the boss but the other maids didn’t seem to be much different.

Since there weren’t any particular contracts and no real verification of who was what, the maids probably didn’t think of getting involved with others.

Well, sometimes people would change without notice. There wouldn’t be any goodbyes when someone quit, nor would they exchange contact details to meet up later.

They simply were here one moment and gone the next, fading from one’s recollection.

Although, there were some who had worked longer than me. Still, we had never really shared any warm conversations.

“Good work today.”

“Uh-huh.”

When the two of us greeted each other, the boss slightly raised one hand.

“Go on.”

That was it. Just like always.

If I said I was quitting after my last day, I wonder if he would react like that.

Probably.

Both I and the boss would maybe remember faintly one day in the future, “Oh, I worked with that guy back in those days.”

That would be enough.

“Is today a rare…”

“Ah.”

As soon as I opened my mouth, Shii seemed a bit surprised.

While I tilted my head in confusion at her reaction, Shii carefully said, as if reminding me that I had forgotten something.

“Um, Kurosawa-senpai, isn’t Koko waiting at home?”

“…Ah.”

Right, she is.

I had spent such an ordinary afternoon for the first time in a while that I had momentarily forgotten.

“…”

As I pondered again, worry suddenly filled me.

Is Kuro alright?

Thinking about it, Koko had often seen me cook.

It wasn’t anything extravagant, but sometimes I used knives and sometimes fire.

And I had never warned her about those things.

Suddenly, I felt like blood was draining from my body.

That apartment probably didn’t even have sprinklers. I wasn’t sure if it was built according to building codes.

If a fire broke out, it would probably blaze out of control before I could do anything.

…Besides, there was no phone for Koko or for the house.

“Wouldn’t it be best to get back as early as possible today?”

Seeing my expression, Shii asked, seeming somewhat worried.

“…Yeah.”

I nodded.

“There’s ramen tomorrow and the day after, so…”

At those words from Shii, I nodded again.

“Well then, I’ll go ahead.”

“See you tomorrow!”

After waving goodbye to Shii, I ran off.

*

“Koko!”

“Waa?”

As I burst through the door, Koko looked at me, a bit surprised.

Koko was sitting right in front of the TV, which was on.

Advertisements were playing on the screen.

…Oh right, I remember.

Koko loved watching commercials. There were plenty that were actually funny.

Since Koko’s vocabulary wasn’t perfect yet, she particularly liked the short and fleeting types of ads.

“…Haa.”

I let out a long breath.

…Thank goodness. Nothing happened.

Kuro was caught up in Koko’s grip, looking a somewhat displeased. Given how Koko seemed to mindlessly fuss over Kuro’s six legs, it looked like Kuro had probably been running around a lot while I was gone.

“Were you okay?”

“Yep!”

Koko nodded and smiled brightly at my words.

“…”

I felt at ease.

And yet, I also felt a somewhat odd sensation.

I hadn’t experienced this kind of atmosphere in a long time.

It wasn’t like I had a girlfriend or a wife.

I had… lost my family a long time ago.

Opening the door to find a gloomy, cramped room waiting for me was expected, yet…

An unexpected person, patiently waiting for me in a well-lit house.

…It was a strange feeling.

…No, it was a nostalgic feeling.

Holding Kuro, Koko approached me.

Kuro’s expression seemed to exude a lot of dissatisfaction. Maybe she was familiar with the internet meme called “long cat.” The one where someone puts their hand under the armpit of a cat and lifts it up, making the cat’s body hang low.

Kuro’s body swayed side to side every time Koko moved.

“…When you hold her, you have to hold her properly.”

I grabbed Koko’s arm and repositioned her so Kuro was held correctly. Of course, Kuro looked up at me with resentful eyes for not letting her go from Koko’s hold, but I ignored that gaze.

Right, I’ll teach her.

That fire is dangerous, that knives shouldn’t be handled carelessly. Letters, words… I just need to teach her one by one.

Like when I took care of my younger sibling when I was little.

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll teach you some things.”

“Wuu?”

Did I catch her off guard by telling her out of the blue?

Koko tilted her head.

I smiled and gently patted Koko’s head.

“…First, let’s wash up and then talk.”

Koko had already washed after our walk earlier, so she was fine, but I was a sweaty mess. After running around in the already hot weather.

Maybe I’ll wake up a bit earlier tomorrow.

I should find a nearby bookstore to buy her a book on writing and a few picture books.

Looking at Koko tilting her head up at me, I made that resolution.

*

And it worked.

It felt like Koko was proving once again that she’s smart.

Of course, her innate innocence had not faded, but Koko really enjoyed me reading her fairy tales.

I bought a few thin fairy tale books, and we read together.

Just before bed, before turning off the lights, we lay side by side on the blanket and read fairy tales.

As I pointed at each character, Koko was interested, and whenever there were things she got confused about, I repeated them a few times for her.

But I didn’t make her practice writing letters yet. I didn’t see the need for it.

I taught her how to use the items in the house one by one, why some things are dangerous, and why she should be careful.

I made sure most of the tales had a moral to them.

After a few days of doing this, Koko could awkwardly read Hiragana and Katakana. In fact, she had encountered letters quite often prior to this, so she had some understanding.

Of course, it wasn’t like she had mastered reading just yet.

The saying that ‘it was effective for me too’ is just that.

At least during work hours, my mind felt a bit more at ease. I still hadn’t completely shaken off my worries, but I could feel Koko learning and grasping knowledge.

By the time Sunday rolled around and it was time to work, I was almost fully at ease.

“How’s Koko doing?”

Shii asked me again today.

But unlike the first time she asked, her expression wasn’t filled with worry.

“…Yep. She’s doing well.”

I responded.

Maybe my reply appeared lighter than usual. Shii nodded her head with a smile.

There was more work than usual today.

While I didn’t feel it much in the summer vacation, apparently it’s a holiday season. Obon, right?

I didn’t know much about Japanese holidays, but it seems this time of year involved various festivals and such.

Today was the second day of the three-day holiday.

“…Is it alright on a day like today?”

While working, I barely managed to ask, and Shii raised her lovely eyebrows slightly with a pitying smile.

“Because tomorrow will be here too.”

“…”

The house where the two of us lived seemed to be in a notoriously expensive area in Tokyo, but this was the only house they received.

Electricity bills, cellphone expenses… even the cost of food.

The two of them were working part-time to cover those costs, that was the setup in the story.

Perhaps Shii might have other part-time jobs besides this one.

Not only Shii, but it looked like Sasaki was working part-time too.

“I see.”

I nodded as I replied, deciding not to delve into any further detail.

Anyway, I had no idea if there are any holidays in Japan in 2004 that sounded like a break, but regardless, a holiday is a holiday. Some people would spend their time lounging around at home, while others might enjoy outings with their families.

I often saw families bringing kids too. This was a maid cafe after all. Well, aside from the fact that the workers were maids, it looked like just a cafe at first glance. Unless you count the boss taking his coffee seriously.

The street visible from outside… Indeed, Akihabara always bustles, whether it’s Obon or not. It seemed to be a place where a lot of foreigners came as well.

While working harder than usual, my phone rang.

It was a message.

[Do you have time tomorrow?]

It was Fukuda’s message.

Ah, come to think of it, didn’t they say there’s a lantern event at the local shrine?

[Yeah, I do.]

I quickly replied. It was Monday after all.

[How about meeting in the afternoon?]

[Sounds good.]

I responded that and, lost in thought for a moment, wrote another message.

[Can I bring my sister?]

It felt like I would be away from home for quite a while. Koko seemed somewhat accustomed to being alone at home, but I didn’t want to leave her alone even on my days off.

[You have a sister?]

It was a little funny to hear surprise through the text.

It meant that I often talked with Fukuda. She surely knew about my tone well.

…She was a nice girl. The one who approached first and chatted away with the quiet girl.

[Yep.]

While Sasaki and Shii had easily accepted Koko, I wondered about how the other kids would react.

That said, I didn’t plan to explain about Koko in lengthy detail through messages, but I thought I should at least give a little warning.

[Is she okay? How old?]

[Same age.]

[Same age???]

Three question marks appeared.

[Twin?]

[Twin?????]

This time there were five.

It’s understandable. It would have been news to her.

[Be sure to bring her along.]

Was she curious about the fact that we were twins? Fukuda responded that way.

[Got it.]

I chuckled and replied before putting my phone back into my apron pocket.

Miura and Yamashita would probably come too.

…Though I was a little worried, it was also fairly hard to not get excited.

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