“I propose a maid cafe.”
“Eeeeeeeeek?!”
The moment I made the suggestion, a chorus of screams erupted from the girls in the class.
“Wait, what is wrong with you?!”
“Exactly! Why would we ever stoop to playing dress-up as maids?!”
“You just want to see us in those outfits for your own perverted reasons, don’t you?!”
“Seriously. Men are so gross!”
“Yeah! What she said!”
“This is exactly why I can’t stand boys!”
It was a relentless storm of condemnation.
At that moment, every ounce of vitriol in the room was focused squarely on me as I stood there to address the class.
Meanwhile, Amelia stood before the blackboard with a solemn, dignified expression, and the boys watched the scene unfold in tense silence. Elisa was also staring intently at me, her face set with an expression of quiet resolve.
Everything was going exactly according to plan.
This was a performance of sorts, and I was prepared to take the heat. I could feel the other male students looking at me with gazes full of profound respect and envy. Their expressions seemed to say, “You magnificent, reckless fool…”
Now, this was where the real work began.
I couldn’t afford to be picky about my methods if I wanted to complete the mission.
As for how things had reached this point, the story went back to the previous day.
◇
The new semester had successfully begun, and the next major event on the horizon was the Cultural Festival. After conducting a fair amount of research, I’d managed to piece together the details.
First, there were the class exhibits. Additionally, each club was permitted to host an exhibit, though both required an application to be approved by the Student Council. If a proposal failed to pass the planning stage, the exhibit wouldn't be allowed to proceed. The same rule applied to individual projects.
Apparently, every year, certain students or volunteer groups performed in the Academy’s auditorium.
Then there were the Miss Contest and the Physique Contest. These were open to any student of Arnold Magic Academy, whether they were self-nominated or recommended by others.
The Miss Contest—commonly known as the Miss Con—was a competition centered on the beauty of the female students, with no restrictions on attire or hairstyles. Records indicated that Rebecca-senpai had been last year’s victor.
The Physique Contest was the male equivalent, though it focused primarily on body balance and silhouette. The key was the "V-taper"—a broad upper body and a narrow waist. Unlike traditional bodybuilding, the lower body wasn't judged as strictly because participants wore board shorts.
Incidentally, our Club President had secured three consecutive victories in this category, winning by overwhelming margins. Rumor had it he was the heavy favorite to win again this year.
Finally, the event would conclude with the Post-festival Party, where a dance party would be held outdoors around a large campfire. It was said that this was the night when many new couples were formed at Arnold Magic Academy.
“Hmm. I see...”
Having gathered this information at the library, I had a general grasp of the situation.
That said, my primary concerns were the class exhibit and the club exhibit. I assumed the upperclassmen would take the lead for the club's contribution, and since Amelia was a leader-like figure and a Cultural Festival Executive Committee Member, I figured she would handle the class side of things.
Given that every student besides me likely had experience with such events from their previous schools, I didn't think there would be much of a role for me to play. Or so I thought, until the situation took a sudden turn.
“Ray! There you are! I finally found you!”
“Amelia? What’s the matter?”
It was after school, and the sun was already beginning to dip below the horizon. The days were growing shorter, and the air was turning crisp. It was a clear sign that autumn was approaching—and with it, the Cultural Festival, which was only about a month away.
I turned around to find Amelia catching her breath. Bathed in the golden twilight, she slowly approached me and said something entirely unexpected.
“Would you like to head into town for a bit?”
“Now? What about your curfew? Will you have enough time?”
“It’s fine! Besides, this is something that’s hard to talk about inside the Academy. Please...”
There was no way I could refuse such an earnest request from her. I agreed immediately.
“Understood. And don’t worry—even if it gets dark, I’ll see you back to the Girls’ Dormitory myself.”
“Yeah. Th-that... thank you... wait! That was close, that was close... anyway, let’s go, quickly!”
With Amelia leading me by the hand, we made our way into the city.
“So, what did you want to talk about?”
“Well... um...”
We had settled into a small cafe in the Central District. Our order had already arrived—a black coffee for me and tea for Amelia. The cups sat between us, thin ribbons of steam rising into the air.
Since Amelia seemed to be hesitating, I decided to prompt her.
“Is this a consultation about the Cultural Festival exhibit?”
“Mm. But I’m a complete novice at this. I think it would be better to consult the other students or the seniors.”
“No, actually... I’ve already decided on the exhibit I want to propose.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“The thing is... I-I’d really like to try doing a maid cafe!”
“A maid cafe? You mean a cafe where the staff are dressed as maids?”
“Exactly! That’s it! Listen, Ray. You’re aware that maid attire has been garnering a lot of attention lately, right?”
“No, I can't say I was.”
“I see. It seems I’ll need to explain this from the ground up.”
With a graceful motion, she took a sip of her tea and paused. There was an air about her that defied description.
However, one thing was absolutely certain: Amelia was tackling this Cultural Festival with total, unshakeable seriousness. Her eyes were sharper than usual, and her expression was taut with genuine tension.
I hadn't seen her this focused since the Magics Chevalier.
She reached into her bag, pulled out a stack of papers, and slid them across the table to me.
“What are these?”
“Reference materials. And an agenda for today’s meeting.”
“I see. Let me take a look.”
As I leafed through them, I saw her reasoning for the project, along with the budget and the logistical hurdles. Amelia had clearly done her homework; the plan was remarkably well-researched and seemed entirely feasible.
However, when I turned to the final page, I saw a section titled 【Critical Challenge】.
The biggest obstacle wasn't the logistics, but the process of getting the idea approved. Specifically, the backlash from the female students. How to navigate that resistance and secure the maid cafe as our class project was the immediate problem.
“Amelia, I’ve read it over, and I think it’s a great idea. But why are you so sure the girls will object? And won't the boys have an issue with it as well?”
“...”
A spine-chilling tension filled the space between us. Amelia rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward, her hands clasped in front of her face. After a long moment of silence, she finally spoke.
“...Most of the students in our class come from noble families, don’t they?”
“Yes.”
“Do you really think people of noble birth would want to spend their time imitating domestic servants?”
“I see... that makes sense.”
Even if it was just a role for a festival, their pride likely wouldn't allow them to "lower" themselves to that position. Since my own understanding of the nobility was shallow, it hadn't occurred to me, but I understood the conflict now.
Still, that logic should have applied to everyone. Why was Amelia focusing only on the girls? Was I missing something?
“Amelia, I understand the general issue. But why won't the boys object?”
“Because men have always, and will always, love maids!” Amelia declared.
The proclamation completely shattered the previous tension. She stood up with renewed vigor and began to speak at a frantic pace, lecturing me on the inherent appeal of the maid.
“Listen, Ray. Maids are just so incredibly charming! One moment they’re perfectly submissive, and the next they show you an enchanting, alluring expression! And the outfits are magnificent! They aren't flashy, but they possess a refined, understated beauty! My proposal is that we shorten the skirt length for our class uniforms. It’s going to be the next big trend! Oh, honestly! My own genius actually scares me sometimes...! The fragile maid who usually stands a step behind her master will finally claim center stage! My blood is pumping! I’m absolutely fired up!”
“...”
“Wait—?!”
Amelia suddenly snapped back to reality, her face flushing a deep crimson as she scrambled back into her seat.
“S-sorry. I got a little carried away...”
“...”
“R-Ray? Say something, please.”
“—It’s magnificent.”
“Eh?”
“Amelia, you truly are a genius. This can work—it can definitely work! Hearing you explain it, I think I’ve finally realized the appeal myself.”
“Really?!”
“Absolutely!”
“I-I knew it! Besides, we have so many cute girls in our class; it’s going to look amazing! He-heh-heh...”
“There’s no doubt about it. It’s always a genius who punches a hole through stagnant traditions. Amelia, my help may be limited, but I want to cooperate.”
“Th-then, let’s do this—”
After that, we lost all track of time, completely absorbed in our planning.
This is the chronicle of the events that led to the birth of the Legendary Maid Cafe—an event that would go down as a first in the history of Arnold Magic Academy.
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