I suspect Abaddon would rather not become any more indebted to Futarishizuka, either.
With our opinions in line, we leave the house. To get from Karuizawa to the UFO, I take Robot Girl’s saucer-shaped terminal as usual.
Once there, we head into the house through the front door, and a pleasant scent wafts past my nostrils. It’s coming from the kitchen, and I can hear Blondie and Hot Prince in there chatting. They’re probably preparing dinner.
When the view-count contest started, the two of them volunteered to handle all the cooking so the rest of us could focus on our videos. Even the newcomer prince seems opposed to freeloading. Thanks to them, we can concentrate on our work.
“I wonder what’s for dinner tonight. It must be like heaven for you lately, always having proper meals.”
“Why don’t you ever touch the food, Abaddon? I couldn’t afford to share back when I lived in the apartment, but now there’s enough for you to have some, too.”
“Angels and demons don’t need to eat, remember?”
“But that doesn’t mean you can’t eat, does it? I’ve seen you eat all sorts of bizarre things when you revert to your original form.”
“If I don’t need to eat, then why make them cook more?”
“I guess you’re right.”
We usually head to the living room first, but today we go straight to my neighbor’s room. The floor creaks with each step I take. When I reach my destination, I knock lightly on the closed door.
“Are you there, mister?”
An immediate response comes from inside.
“Oh, yes. Come on in.”
With permission, I grip the door handle. Futarishizuka coated the sliding door’s track with wax, and it moves so smoothly, I can hardly believe it. We stay in the hallway, and my neighbor gets up and comes over to us.
“I’m sorry for disturbing you,” I say. “I know you must be busy.”
“It’s fine; I wasn’t doing much. Did you need something?”
“I don’t have anything to offer in return, but I wanted to ask you for a favor.”
“What kind of favor? I’ll do whatever I can.”
“Really? All right. In that case, do you have a moment?”
“Sure thing. Want to go to the living room?”
“If possible, I don’t want the others to overhear.”
“Shall I leave, then?” asks the sparrow.
“Oh, um, no. You can stay.”
“Then can I ask you to come inside?” says my neighbor.
“S-sure…”
I take a step into the room, then realize something. This may be happening at our pretend family’s house, but it’s still a momentous occasion.
This is the first time in my life he’s invited me into his room.
I let my neighbor and Abaddon in and heard them out.
That was how I learned about my neighbor’s VTuber activities, and that she’d already been scouted by a company. It all came as a shock.
The view-count contest was all anyone in the pretend family had been talking about for the last few days. I knew my neighbor had already uploaded several videos, but I hadn’t realized she was a VTuber. I’d had no idea she had such talent.
“I think I understand,” I said. “So you need an adult’s help talking with them.”
“I’m really sorry for bringing this to you all of a sudden.”
“Not at all. It’s no big deal. I really don’t mind.”
It seemed Type Twelve had provided her with the necessary equipment. The alien had probably manufactured it on the moon, or on some other planet, just like the translators we used to talk to Lady Elsa. I could only imagine what kind of amazing videos she was producing with such incredible, high-powered technology.
“Are you sure it’s all right?” she asked.
“Well, can I see the email you mentioned?”
“Sure. Here it is.”
My neighbor nodded and reached into the skirt pocket of her uniform. She pulled out her phone and fiddled with it for a moment, then set it in the middle of the table. We sat down across from each other, and she pushed the phone toward me. Her email app was already open, and I began to read the text on the screen.
Though I felt a little bad about it, I’d suspected this was some kind of scam. However, the email looked genuine as far as I could tell. I even recognized the company and their web domain.
“We looked up Kuga and the business’s name and found them online. I think this is probably the real thing. But please feel free to correct me if I’ve gotten anything wrong.”
“No, you’re right. I think this is a real invitation.”
“I did wonder about how indirect the contents are, however.”
“Sorry to keep requesting things from you, but would you mind showing me the video you uploaded?”
“Oh, um… Well, uh, sure. Here you go…”
She reached out to the phone and closed the email app, then opened up the video submission site. I was impressed by how quickly she’d taken to using her first smartphone.
The screen showed the home page for what I assumed was her channel. She’d probably already had it open. She was so professional, I was starting to wonder if she was really just a middle school first-year.
Eventually, she pushed the play button, and the video started.
“Hello. Ochiba Kareki here. In this video, I’d like to introduce a book to you all. If you want to survive—er, improve—your breaks at school and other time spent alone in the classroom, this is the perfect book for you. Making this choice is crucial, so…”
I gave the whole video a once-over. My neighbor watched from across the table, seeming unusually nervous.
“Hmm? Oh, are you embarrassed?”
“Please be quiet, Abaddon.”
Abaddon floated right behind her like always. He was sitting on his knees, just like my neighbor, but his legs bobbed about twenty centimeters above the tatami. The way his whole body was tilted to one side was very cute. Usually, he didn’t assume such a formal, polite posture. They’d come here to make a request, so he must have been on his best behavior.
“…Thank you for watching to the end. Next time, I’ll tell you how to get through gym class when the teacher forces you to pair off with someone, including a breakdown for each specific situation. I hope you tune in again. I’ll see you then.”
After several minutes, I’d finished all the videos.
“A stark difference from the ones you submitted,” commented the distinguished sparrow atop my shoulder.
“Yeah,” I replied. “Really brings home my own lack of ability.”
“Um, I’m sorry, mister. It’s all because the youngest daughter helped me.”
“You’re doing all the voices and motions, right?”
“Yes, I am…”
“To be honest, I’m not surprised someone would want to scout you.”