Before Eriri's departure, at Yamada Elf's house.
"Did you make all of this yourself?" Ryosuke asks, surprised by the sight of the elaborate dishes on the table. His cooking skills were honed by Himura Shinta, so he never expected Yamada Elf to be such a good chef.
"Yep, all of it, from the ingredients to the final dish! Please, enjoy!" Yamada Elf says with a smile, resting her chin on her hand.
Dining is a unique experience that should be cherished, and Ryosuke takes his food seriously. "I'll dig in." He scoops up some soup with his spoon and takes a sip. The velvety, refreshing broth glides down his throat, a perfect blend of rich mushroom and fragrant vegetables. The flavor is a delight.
"I call this 'Fairy of Spring's Nude Soup.' What do you think?" Elf asks, blinking her eyes with an expectant look.
Ryosuke closes his eyes without responding. To be honest, the soup is only slightly less delicious than his own, but it's still very good. He's trying to figure out what Elf's true intentions are.
A little while later, Ryosuke puts down his empty plate and clasps his hands. "Thank you for the meal."
"Your expression was perfect, Ryosuke," Elf says, picking up a pen and paper. "Thank you. Now I know how the heroine feels when she cooks for the male lead." After a few moments, she puts down her pen. "Ryosuke, you know about the 'Experience School' of writing, right? It's what I'm doing now."
Ryosuke nods. It's a method where writers immerse themselves in a character's situation to gather material for a story. Seeing his nod, Elf's true motive quickly becomes clear.
"You know Kashiwagi Eri, right? Can I ask something of her?" Elf recalls the tall, sexy figure of Kashiwagi Eri from her dream.
"Why tell me? Why don't you wait until she gets here?" Ryosuke asks, a frown on his face. He knows this isn't going to be good.
"Alright, I'll be direct. I want to see her naked. Her body is so great; it would be a waste not to! It's perfect material!" Elf leans forward with a smile and makes her bold declaration.
A great body? How do you know that if you've never met her? Ryosuke glances at Elf, comparing her to what he remembers of Eriri. He concludes that Elf's body is even more developed than Eriri's. So what's the point, Teacher Elf?
Her request is absurd, and Eriri is his partner. He can't let Elf ask for something so strange. Ryosuke's voice is calm as he speaks. "Teacher Elf, if you just want Kashiwagi Eri's illustrations, as your friend, I can introduce you. But if you have an absurd request like that..." His voice grows stronger. "I will never give Kashiwagi Eri to you!"
Yamada Elf is about to argue that her request is perfectly reasonable when the doorbell rings.
Ding-dong!
"I'll get it. It must be Kashiwagi Eri. And please, don't say anything stupid." Ryosuke stands up, giving her a serious look.
He walks to the entrance and opens the door. Standing before him is a golden-haired girl with twin tails, wearing a red dress. She's looking down, her body trembling slightly, and her face is bright red.
"Eriri? Are you okay?" Ryosuke asks, concerned by her strange behavior.
"You... you big idiot!" Eriri yells, using her twin tails to whip Ryosuke's face. Her voice is strained from her shouting, which gets Elf's attention.
Elf follows the sound to the entrance. "Huh? Ryosuke, could it be... this girl is Kashiwagi Eri?!" she says, her mouth covered in shock. Eriri stops her attack. For a moment, the two golden-haired girls just stare at each other.
In the living room, the three of them are sitting on separate sofas. Eriri can't believe that Ryosuke's email about a "friend" was actually about someone else. Now she feels incredibly awkward, sitting silently on the couch.
Yamada Elf is also studying Kashiwagi Eri. She thought Kashiwagi Eri would be a tall, mature woman with a great body. It seems dreams are the opposite of reality.
"Ahem, let me introduce you," Ryosuke says, breaking the silence. "This is Kashiwagi Eri. She's the illustrator of my light novel and my partner."
"And this is Yamada Elf. She's my friend and my teacher on my light novel journey. This is her house."
Eriri's eyes light up. "What?! You're Teacher Yamada Elf?! You're so cute!" She leans forward, resting her hands on the table. All she can think about is Yamada Elf.
"Teacher Kashiwagi Eri," Elf says, also standing up and puffing out her chest. "I knew we had a connection the moment I saw you. As expected of my fated partner, please illustrate my new book!"
"I love The Explosive Dark Fairy! I bought the hardcover version as soon as it came out. The romance is so interesting! It would be perfect if the heroine didn't get naked so often," Eriri says excitedly, her eyes squinting into a happy smile. She can't believe Yamada Elf lives so close. But her words freeze the smile on Elf's face.
"What did you just say?"
"I think your novel is very interesting!"
"The last part."
"It would be perfect if she didn't get naked so often."
After answering Elf's question, Eriri sees that Elf's face has changed. "Teacher Kashiwagi Eri, are you... looking down on nudity?" Elf asks quietly, her eyes vacant. Before Eriri can respond, Elf spreads her arms wide, her eyes firm, and says with a holy expression, "Nudity is the most natural clothing given to humanity by the gods!"
"Nudity is justice!"
Elf's strange words shock Eriri, who falls back onto the sofa. In just a few minutes, Elf's image in her mind has changed drastically. She initially thought Yamada Elf was a fat otaku, then she thought she was a cute girl. Now, she thinks Elf is a devoted follower of the Nudity Cult. This belief clashes with her own as an artist of a specific genre. What's the point of being naked from the start? It ruins the anticipation!The best part is the subtle hints, the mix of shame and hatred! Eriri loves the romance in Yamada Elf's book, not the nudity that Elf is so proud of.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Teacher Kashiwagi Eri?" Elf asks, confused. She's patient with her future partner, especially since she's a fan.
Eriri is embarrassed and fidgets. "I guess... I can do a single illustration." She peeks at Ryosuke, silently asking for help. Since Yamada Elf is Ryosuke's friend and her own favorite author, she doesn't want to outright refuse.
Elf notices Eriri's subtle movements. She walks over to Eriri and gives a small laugh. "It's hard to abandon a past partner, and you find yourself at a crossroads, don't you?" She places her hands on Eriri's shoulders, looking directly into her eyes. "Teacher Kashiwagi Eri, I want you to illustrate my new book. If you're worried about betraying your old partner, you don't have to be. I'll prove to you with my actions who is the better partner."
Finally, Elf turns to Ryosuke and shouts with a chuunibyo flair, "Guardian Knight! Kashiwagi Eri is meant for the strongest. Elf hereby challenges you!"
"The winner gets ownership of Kashiwagi Eri."
"Let's decide the winner with a light novel about romance, the genre Kashiwagi Eri likes best!"