The Maid Leader’s Popularity

C44 Stop recording, please!

“For the owner’s coffee, I bestow a delicious enchantment! おいしくな～れっ！萌え萌えキューン♪”

She couldn’t remember how many times she had spun in circles, made a heart shape with her hands, and delivered this line with a forced, overly cheerful smile.

Once or twice, it might be embarrassing. Three or four times, she might get used to it.

But after ten or twenty times, she felt numb!

“Maid Leader, you’re so adorable! Can I have your contact info?” The girl who just received her coffee quickly pulled out her phone, staring intently at Shion.

The girl sitting across from her seemed determined to join in, also taking out her phone. “Maid Leader, I want it too!”

Star Hoshimori Shion was trying her best to embrace the idea of being “extremely popular,” even though both her rational mind and subconscious couldn’t accept it….

“During work hours, we can’t use phones, sorry~” Shion maintained her forced smile and curtsied like a maid. “If you want my contact info, you can find me after the Cultural Festival ends~”

The girl who received the coffee nodded vigorously, completely ignoring the coffee that was about to spill from her hands.

That was clearly a polite refusal, but were they really going to wait until the festival ended?!

“Star Hoshimori Shion… Ah! Are you Star Hoshimori’s sister?” The girl across from her finally seemed to realize, looking at the name tag on Shion’s chest. “Then I’ll just go ask Star Hoshimori for her contact info, that’ll be quicker, hehe.”

She must be a classmate of Ayane from Class E… but Ayane probably wouldn’t give it to her. Shion mentally shook her head, but still said, “Please enjoy your coffee, and feel free to call me if you need anything,” before turning to her next table.

The Class Monitor, who was handling the accounts, gave Shion a thumbs-up as she passed by. “I knew you’d be popular, but I didn’t expect you to be this popular. Your special requests are now…” The Class Monitor flipped through the accounts, double-checking. “Over three percent, approaching four percent. You really are the Maid Leader.”

Shion sighed and rubbed her forehead. “If you took down that sign outside with my anime character and the ‘Welcome Maid Leader’ message, maybe our income would be more diverse.”

“How could we do that? You are the Maid Leader. Come on, hurry up to the next table, don’t keep the customers waiting.” The Class Monitor waved her hand, urging Shion to continue working.

“You’re such a money-grubbing capitalist!” Shion left this complaint and quickly took out a cup of coffee from the serving window to attend to the next customer.

A bright red figure caught Shion’s eye. Igarashi Rie, sitting elegantly in the customer’s chair, looked at her with an unreadable smile.

“Rie-senpai, what are you doing here?” Shion handed the coffee to Rie’s table, surprised.

“What, as your maid etiquette instructor, can’t I come see my most promising student?” Rie raised an eyebrow.

“Senpai, you haven’t really taught that many students, have you…” Shion rolled her eyes. “And didn’t your class have to run a booth too?”

Rie stared at Shion, her long, manicured fingers adorned with intricate nail polish. Her face was carefully made up with a thick foundation, delicate eyeliner, and lipstick that glistened like a rose.

“We’re running a game booth, and I’m scheduled for the afternoon. I just wanted to see my top student in the morning.”

“Senpai, you’re wearing a lot of makeup today.” Shion felt a bit flustered and tried to change the subject.

“Oh, you noticed? I always wear makeup, but today I took a bit more care. But you’re wearing makeup too, aren’t you? Girls only put on makeup when they want to look good for someone special, right?” Rie looked at Shion with a playful expression.

Shion touched her face. “Ayane slept poorly last night, and she had bad circles under her eyes. So I helped her fix her makeup, covering up the circles, and I did mine too.”

“Oh~” Rie looked at Shion. “Well, I guess I’ll believe you. By the way, aren’t you going to show off your signature line in front of your instructor?”

Shion had just put down the coffee and was about to leave when she heard Rie’s words, freezing in place.

She could handle performing in front of others, but why did she have to do it in front of Rie too?!

“I, I can refuse, can’t I? You’ve already seen it during practice…” Shion’s voice lacked conviction.

Rie waved a paper order form. “I bought your special service twice. If your shop offered an ultra-VIP, supreme luxury package, I’d definitely get that.”

Oh… that’s what being wealthy is like… that’s what people mean by “money talks,” right?

“I checked, and in Tokyo’s maid cafes, this ultra-luxury package includes dining, playing, and…”

“Ah ah ah, Senpai, stop! I’ll do it!” Shion covered her face and shouted. Those Tokyo luxury packages Rie had shown her were completely off-limits!

The white-haired girl took a deep breath. “For the owner’s coffee, I bestow a delicious enchantment… Senpai, don’t take a photo!” Shion frantically tried to stop Rie, who had already lifted her phone.

Rie lowered her phone, feigning innocence. “I wasn’t taking a photo, oh!”

Shion let out a sigh of relief.

“I was video recording the whole thing.” Rie added.

“That’s even worse! Senpai, stop!”

Shion thought she had stopped Rie from taking a photo, only to notice a hint of light blue behind Rie, another person with a phone focused on her.

“Kazama, what are you doing here too?” Shion made a pained expression, looking at Nanami sitting at the neighboring table.

Nanami shook the handwritten order she held. “I also reserved the Maid Leader’s special service, just waiting for you.”

“So you’re recording…”

“I’m not recording.” Nanami looked at her phone.

“That’s good.” Shion breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m videoing. I recorded all your performances from the previous tables.” Nanami opened a video, and Shion heard her own voice from earlier, delivering the “special service” line.

Even though she was almost numb from repeating the performance, being recorded and played back felt entirely different… it was completely different…

“Kazama Nanami, I’m going to kill you!” Shion put on a fierce expression and lunged at Nanami, looking more adorable than threatening.