give it all to miss machima

It wasn't that Makima was alone—Yura, Tamiya Ryoko, Tomie, and Sadako all came to keep her company, and on New Year's Eve, Makima even achieved the feat of "going from last year's * to this year's," but…

She still felt a little lonely.

Strictly speaking, there wasn't a single normal person around her; they were all monsters, evil spirits, or parasites. Miss Hound wasn't a normal human either. Even though Machima went to Balalaika, Akemi Miyano, and others to relieve her loneliness in the following days, this feeling of loneliness didn't diminish much.

After that, Machima thought of her theoretical cousin, Kobayashi—who returned to her hometown and stayed for only a few days before returning to Tokyo, seemingly busy with her studies.

Machima had already secretly sent someone to investigate Xiaolin. Genetically speaking, Xiaolin was indeed related to her, so calling her "cousin" wasn't a problem.

With nothing else to do, she went to find him, and he was quite surprised by her arrival.

Kobayashi rented an LDK apartment near a university in Tokyo. The two sat by the kotatsu, unsure of what to say, much like unfamiliar relatives visiting each other and not knowing what to say.

Machima was also sizing up her cousin. Xiaolin looked no different from when they met before. Compared to her appearance, the two of them sitting together still had a... well... minimalist lines and extreme colors.

But Machima always felt that as her cousin, even if Xiaolin didn't become a demon like her, she should at least have something different about her.

"Cousin, have you encountered anything unusual lately?"

"Something unusual? Uh...like what?"

"You get hit by an all-powerful battle angel maid who falls from the sky, a girl from hell asks you to conquer one girl after another, or you find a loli nun on your own rooftop?"

Xiaolin's lips twitched slightly:

"Why does this sound like the development of the male protagonist in a light novel?"

So there's nothing there?

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"How could such a thing happen? Reality isn't some movie or TV show..."

This was quite ironic for Machima.

To prevent her cousin from changing her ways or encountering any problems in the future without telling her, Machima didn't hide anything and directly told her the "truth" that she was currently working for a secret government department.

At first, Kobayashi didn't quite believe it, until Makima showed her credentials and let Jieluo walk in to demonstrate her skills.

Witnessing Yura's ability to manipulate her hair, Kobayashi's reaction was no different from that of a normal person. After gradually accepting it, she became instantly excited when she looked at Yura in front of her:

"How could you... how could you let her wear such an indecent maid outfit!?"

"...?"

You... only care about this!?

Machima stared blankly at her suddenly excited cousin, and was even overwhelmed by her aura.

"What's wrong with this outfit?"

Because of the arrival of Miss Hound, Jiro felt that her status as the number one loyal dog was being shaken, so she also started wearing a maid outfit like Robert.

Of course, compared to Robert's proper maid outfit, the maid outfit that Jieluo wore was the kind that could barely be worn on the street... barely.

"The skirt is so short! And this outfit that shows her belly button! What kind of behavior is this? This is utterly heretical! It can't be called a maid outfit at all, it's just lingerie at best!"

Kobayashi pointed at Yura's clothes in a manner that could be described as exasperated, but after seeing Machima's stunned expression, he realized that he had lost his composure and immediately withdrew his composure.

"Ahem... I just... have a bit of a thing for maid outfits..."

Machima realized that as her cousin, Kobayashi did indeed have extraordinary characteristics.

"You seem to prefer those retro maid outfits? Oh dear... I should have brought Roberta along."

"Robert?" Kobayashi's eyes lit up immediately. "You also have... uh, wait, no, does that Special Investigations Division treat you this well? They even provide you with so many personal maids!?"

"Maid outfits are just a personal hobby of mine; they are actually all combatants..."

Machima looked at Kobayashi, who was visibly excited upon hearing this, and shrugged:

"If you want some, how about I arrange a few for you? Of course, they're all just ordinary people."

Anyway, Makima has plenty of ordinary human combat maids, so arranging a few for her cousin who shares the same interests isn't a big problem.

Kobayashi swallowed hard, but ultimately shook his head.

"I... I think I'll pass. Bringing a maid to university is just... um... too much like a light novel."

She snapped out of her reverie halfway through her sentence.

"Wait a minute, Machima, aren't you a minor? Is it really okay for the government to hire you like this? And you said your job is to investigate all kinds of abnormal phenomena, isn't that a bit... dangerous?"

"It's alright..."

Anyway, no one in danger could be more dangerous than me...

"Actually, most things are within our control; at most, it's just some minor monsters causing trouble..."

Machima casually recounted the Special Investigations Division's affairs to Kobayashi, a mix of truth and fiction, which barely managed to fool him.

"Anyway... because I'm one of the few people who can handle these kinds of anomalies, the government is paying me very well, enough to support a few maids without any trouble, so you don't need to worry about my studies, cousin... but you..."

Machima looked at her.

"What are your plans after you graduate in two years?"

"As for me... I'll probably just find a regular company to work for, right?" Kobayashi said, unsure of himself.

"How about in the future... I invest in opening a maid cafe for you or something?"

"Really...really!?"

Machima could tell that Kobayashi got incredibly excited whenever maids were mentioned, showing that she genuinely liked maids.

"Cough cough... No, no, this... isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

Kobayashi tried hard to remind herself to stay calm—spending her underage cousin's money to satisfy her obsession with maid outfits didn't sound very respectable.

Therefore, she still restrained herself with great willpower and said:

"I think... I'd better not... After I graduate and start working, I can save up some money in a few years and maybe open a maid cafe... right?"

Machima looked at her and thought, "That might work. Maybe I can figure out what's going on with Xiaolin... um?"

Kobayashi's...maid?

Machima was startled. Why did she feel like she had heard similar names and phrases before?

But... it seems like something is still missing?

She felt as if she had vaguely grasped something.

Is Kobayashi's maid a bit annoying?

Is Kobayashi's maid a little strange?

Kobayashi's Mechanical Maid?

Is Kobayashi a Maid-sama?

None of them seem right...

But... I must have heard of the combination of "Kobayashi" and "maid" in my past life...

After thinking for a long time but still couldn't remember, Machima had no choice but to give up. At the same time, she decided that if it wasn't necessary, she shouldn't interfere in her cousin's life for the time being, lest she miss something important because of her own butterfly effect.

After chatting with her cousin for a while and convincing her that the Special Investigations Division was just a special department with little work and plenty of money, Machima said goodbye. Before leaving, she also told Xiaolin that if she encountered any unusual events in her life, she should remember to come find her immediately.

Xiaolin also repeatedly warned Machima to be careful if she encountered any danger at work. Money can be earned back, but life is gone forever. If all else fails, it would be best to quit this seemingly dangerous job as an investigator.

Machima pretended to listen.

After feeling a long-lost sense of care from a loved one at Kobayashi's place, Machima's mood improved considerably, and she decided to take her harem and enjoy the holiday atmosphere.

In an underground parking lot in Beika Town, as Makima enjoys the Japanese New Year.

A Citroën BX19GT slowly drove into the garage and parked next to another car in the corner.

Rena Mizunashi slowly rolled down the car window and looked at the two figures in the car next to her—one was a young man driving. Compared to a CIA agent, he seemed more like an employee who had run away from home, but the demeanor between his brows still betrayed something else…

For a secret agent, displaying this kind of unnecessary charisma is clearly superfluous and unacceptable.

The woman in the passenger seat was a blonde beauty, but she looked quite tired, and... there was a kind of intense light burning in her eyes.

Rena Mizunashi quickly sensed what that light was—it was the burning rage of revenge, burning either the enemy or herself.

The other person introduced herself as Ada. After exchanging secret codes and confirming each other's identities, she showed no intention of introducing her companions.

Rena Mizunashi frowned slightly—why did the CIA send two such conspicuous people to be her new contact persons?

“Although the organization trusts me, the undercover investigation has never stopped, even for me. This kind of conversation is risky for me, so... tell me, what is the next new mission?”

The woman, who called herself Ida, pulled out two photos:

Do you know these two women?

Rena Mizunashi looked at them and found one of them to be very familiar to her.

"I don't know the one with the silver hair and one eye, but I know the one with the orange-pink hair. She's a member of the organization... codename Aphrodite. I've been keeping her information up there. What's wrong?"

"She had a big fight with the Black Organization earlier, right?"

"Yes, the organization suffered a devastating loss... but she's not having an easy time either."

"I've read the written report. I'd like you to explain it to me in detail."

"..."

After a while, the other person flicked the ash from their cigarette, which was resting on the car window.

"So... this Aphrodite, or rather Machima, is not in a good situation right now. She was seriously injured after the confrontation with the organization and has been lying low in Japan?"

"Yes."

"But intelligence suggests that she may have been involved in the recent Roanapur incident."

Rena Mizunashi frowned slightly.

The impact of the Roanapura incident was significant, and its repercussions are still ongoing. After all, it was one of the most humiliating cases in the United States in recent decades—compared to the Saigon Fist, it was insignificant.

"Are you sure? The organization's clear intelligence is that Aphrodite was indeed seriously injured, to the point that some of her forces have turned against her and wavered. Her control and influence over Japanese politics has indeed declined significantly."

“Indeed, no one saw her appear in Roanapur—at least no one alive… But we believe that she has some connection with this silver-haired woman, and that this silver-haired woman was the one who orchestrated the Roanapur incident—the one who did it herself.”

The other person handed her a document through the car window.

"Remember to dispose of it after you're done reading it."

Rena Mizunashi glanced at it a few times, her eyes widening slightly—she only had a general understanding of the Roanapura incident, and she never expected it to be so… shocking.

"If this is true, this Kwanghee... is an extremely dangerous person..."

"In the intelligence you submitted earlier, you said that the organization has eased relations with the other side. Could you find a way to further investigate Machima?"

Rena Mizunashi was somewhat puzzled: "Why do I have to start with the organization? This is completely unnecessary. Can't we just use the power of the United States in Japanese politics?"

Ada gave a cold laugh and stubbed out her cigarette.

"You may not know this, but the United States, with its power and influence in Japan, couldn't find a single clue about Aphrodite and Machima. Even the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Department sent several high-ranking officials to jail, but no one changed their story... In the end, our biggest clue came from you... Interesting, isn't it?"

"..."

CIA intelligence is always one-way, and this was the first time Mizunashi Rena had heard of this situation, which made her feel a little incredulous.

"But...Special Investigations Division..."

"It's no use. Even after Machima officially resigned not long ago, we still can't place any people in her place. They don't even know what this department is supposed to do. As soon as we touch on her matter, the entire Japanese military and political circles, and even a part of the United States, are completely uncooperative, unhelpful, and even obstructive..."

Ida's tone was sinister.

“I dare say that this Aphrodite, or rather Machima, is absolutely a terrible enemy of the United States… The bigwigs don’t believe it yet, but I have a feeling… the United States is losing control of this island nation because of her…”

Chapter 165 Reunion with Machima

Tokyo welcomed its first snowfall after the New Year.

The three Detective Boys, already impatient, started a snowball fight on their way home, chasing each other and laughing. Shiho calmly followed behind them.

Oh, now she should be called Ai Haibara.

Several months have passed since she took the drugs and escaped the organization, disguising herself as a primary school student. However, neither the organization nor her sister has been able to find any clues. On the other hand, she has encountered quite a few messy cases while following the great detective by her side.

Conan, who was kicking the ball nearby, glanced at her from the side.

Judging from your complexion... you didn't sleep well again last night?