Watching my dad drive to work, I found myself pondering my strange behavior lately.
Things like not wanting to talk to people, or being more antisocial than usual.
Maybe it's just because of the bullying.
Or maybe… it's something else?
But honestly, I don't really care. It's not like I'm acting that much differently from usual. I should probably focus on more productive things—like how to give people powers, or how my powers actually work.
So, I decided to think about how my domain might be affecting other people.
My dad seemed kind of nervous the whole time I was around him. And when I stared at him a little too long, he looked away—as if in fear.
Do I have a fear aura or something?
I have a hypothesis: maybe the closer people are to me, the more they can feel my compact MA energy, and they react instinctively to it... like prey sensing a predator.
…No way.
Even I can't believe such a far-fetched theory.
My thoughts were interrupted by my servant, reminding me about the meet-up at the café with another cape. She said the shard behind that cape might agree to join our network—if the meeting goes well.
I asked her if that meeting was today, and she confirmed—yes.
She very politely encouraged me to get ready and meet this "woman."
Wait—it's a girl?! I didn't know that!
So I'm going to meet a girl who's also a cape.
I started guessing who it could be. Maybe Vista? Or even Glory Girl?
...I should probably stop guessing. It's not going to get me any closer to an answer.
I need to get changed and head over to the café where we're supposed to meet.
Changing was more of a hassle than usual, mostly because I caught another glimpse of my black eyes and darker hair.
How did Dad not notice that?
Even more noticeable was my perfectly smooth face—no blemishes, no imperfections at all.
I look like the gods themselves carved my face to look beautiful. But not the kind of beauty that feels natural—more like an eerie, almost divine beauty. The kind that makes you uncomfortable. Like the Simurgh.
It's bad when you start comparing yourself to the Simurgh.
And how did Dad not notice?
Wait... what if he did notice?
What if that's why he looked away when I stared at him too long?
…Nah. No way. There's no way he noticed anything weird about me.
I'm not in denial, you're in denial.
Besides, it's fine. He'll probably tell no one. Hehe.
I should calm down, throw on my black hoodie and jeans, and go meet this girl that my servant set me up with.
…Wait a minute. Doesn't this sound like a date?
Impossible. Who would want to date me?
Only depressed people… or actual lunatics.
I was pulled out of my thoughts when my servant suddenly transformed—into clothing—and asked me to wear her.
She'd taken the form of a… revealing tuxedo jacket and shorts.
ImagehereImagehere
First off: wearing a living being as clothing sounds horrifying.
ElaborationElaboration
Or is it?
I mean, she is my servant, so maybe it's fine.
Some people use their servants as furniture—so this isn't that weird in comparison.
Besides, the outfit is only a little more revealing than what I usually wear.
...Still, there's no way I'm putting that on. That's just impossible.
"But you'll make more friends," my servant tells me.
"…Fine. I'll wear it.
It's not like I'm starving for human contact or anything.
I just want some friends… to experiment on."
...Definitely coping.
I don't have friends.
I'm lonely.
…I'm lonely, aren't I?
Nai wa.
I can't deal with this kind of self-reflection right now. I'm just going out.
I quickly put on my servant (and yeah, that still sounds weird), lock the door, and head out.
Then I have a great idea—I'll jog to the boardwalk café to test whether my endurance has been enhanced by MA energy.
TimeSkipTimeSkip
Turns out, MA energy doesn't enhance my endurance passively.
By the time I reach the boardwalk, I'm dead tired.
I regret everything.
I'm never doing this again.
After I recover, I start looking around for the café. It should be around here somewhere. It's a café—it's big. How hard could it be to find?
OnehourlaterOnehourlater
I finally find the café I was supposed to go to.
I definitely did not use my servant as a GPS.
No, officer. I'm just an innocent little girl who found the café completely honestly.
I walk in and see… people.
What did I expect?
"So, servant. Who am I supposed to talk to?"
ElaborationElaboration
"Oh. That brown-haired, freckled girl over there.
She looks kind of familiar…"
"So… how should I approach her?"
ExplanationExplanation
"You want me to just walk over and sit next to her?"
"Should I at least ask her for permission?"
NegativeNegative
"Okay. I'll just go sit by her. Got it."
30secondslater30secondslater
Standing by the door for 30 seconds is extremely awkward.
But I can do this. I'm ready now.
I summon my non-existent social skills…
And walk over to the freckled girl confidently.
Then I sit down right next to her without saying a single word.