Chapter 358: It's All About the Gap

“If there’s one thing you need to understand, it’s the ‘gap.’ In other words: the element of surprise. Think about it. What if a girl who’s usually calm and collected wore something a bit flashy? Or what if someone who always looks terrifying put on something adorable? The best part of cosplay is the ability to become someone entirely different from your everyday self. You have to lean into that.”

I was in our usual classroom, currently drilling the fundamentals of cosplay into my classmates’ thick skulls. These guys were total amateurs; they didn't understand a thing.

Not that I’m actually an expert or anything, I admitted to myself. I was only doing this because I needed the points. It was a means to an end.

“Hey, doesn’t Weiss seem weirdly knowledgeable about this?” one whispered. “I had my suspicions during that whole Maid Cafe incident, too...”

“For real,” another agreed. “He’s got to be a secret cosplay fanatic—”

The Straight-forward Guy, Allen, and Meat-on-the-Bone Duke were busy gossiping.

“Hey. You two.”

““Y-Yes, sir!?”” they yelped in unison.

“If Shari were to cosplay, what would be the best fit? Answer me, Allen.”

Allen shifted his gaze toward Shari, looking a bit bashful. “E-Er... maybe a Dwarf or something...?”

“Your reasoning?”

“W-Well, because she’s so strong—Ow!?”

“That is not something you say to a maiden!” Shari barked, delivering a swift correction.

I let out a long, weary sigh.

“Shari smiles a lot. You have to lean into that trait,” I explained. “But if you just leave it as is, it’s amateur hour. It has no soul. Now, imagine her as a Fallen Angel. Suddenly, that everyday smile of hers takes on a profound, mysterious meaning, and those black wings would really make the look pop.”

A collective roar of awe rose from the crowd. “Ooooh!”

“Meat-on-the-Bone, look at Tura. What would suit her?”

“O-Oh! Right!” Duke scrambled to answer. “Let’s see... She’s got that whole ‘powerful’ vibe going on, so maybe a Goblin or—Gah!”

“Don’t you dare say those things to a girl!”

“Hahaha! I don’t mind at all!” Tura laughed off the insult.

I let out another sigh. “Olynn, grab those ears sitting over there.”

“These? You want the bunny ones?” Olynn asked.

“Yeah, the bunny ones are fine.”

Olynn handed me the rabbit ears, and I walked over to Tura to secure them on her head.

The classroom erupted. “Ooooooh!”

“Tura has an incredible figure, and she’s a genuine beauty. That’s exactly why we intentionally pivot toward making her look ‘cute.’ You get what I’m saying, right?”

““““YES!””””

The men's cheers were unnervingly well-synchronized.

“So, Lord Weiss likes rabbits... I-I see! I understand now!” Tura exclaimed.

Well, I don’t hate that level of dedication to the craft, I thought. Though, was it just my imagination, or did she look surprisingly happy about this?

Author’s Note: Since these heartwarming chapters are going to continue for a little while, the word count per update might feel a bit light. If that’s frustrating, it might be less stressful to wait a few days and read them all in one go! I apologize for the inconvenience, but thank you for your patience!

The School Festival Maid Cafe Arc is actually featured in Volume 1 of the light novel. If you haven't picked up a copy yet, I’d be honored if you gave it a read there.

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