This is not the date I wanted.

"Actually, I only have romantic feelings for 2D characters."

"Eh?"

"Sorry, Niya. Shidou and I are going to be out for a while. We'll be back later."

At this moment, Mengyue, who had remained silent, suddenly stood up and pulled Shidao, who looked confused, out of the store.

……

[You are talking nonsense... Is this really the case? ]

In the headphones, Kotori's voice was heard saying that she had a headache. Her troubles were understandable, after all, the Pokémon that was the target of the capture suddenly announced that she could only date two-dimensional creatures.

However, compared to Kotori, Shidou was much calmer at the scene. Although he was indeed confused by Nia's answer at the beginning, thanks to Mengyue's calm reaction, he did not panic.

"Mengyue, you don't look surprised at all."

"Well, I can guess it to a certain extent. After all, it's not uncommon for otakus to lose interest in reality because of their obsession with the second dimension."

Meng Yue shrugged and replied.

"However, Niya is a serious case. Most otakus say this as an excuse to escape reality. Judging from that guy's attitude, he is really only interested in the second dimension."

"That's it..."

Even Mengyue, who is also a otaku, said so, so Erya’s words at that time should not have been just a polite remark to deal with himself, but should have come from the heart.

"The favorability level can't be raised... Come to think of it, Mengyue, you felt similarly when I met you."

Shidao suddenly remembered that when he was trying to capture Mengyue, a similar situation occurred. His favorability suddenly stopped at a very delicate stage and couldn't be raised at all.

“Ah…that.”

It seemed that she didn't want to talk about what happened at that time. Meng Yue looked at the sky with a complicated expression. After a long time, she answered helplessly.

"At that time, how should I put it... I never thought of you as a member of the opposite sex. I didn't think of that outing as a date, at most I just thought of you as a 'passerby who is easy to use'. To be honest, it doesn't matter."

"Well--"

Shidao said that he was quite shocked.

[I see... To put it simply, Nia didn't consider Shidou as a romantic partner. ]

After hearing the conversation between the two, Kotori calmed down a lot and began to analyze the situation calmly.

If we say that at that time, the only barrier between Shidou and Mengyue was the difference in understanding of their genders.

Now, what stands between Nia and Shidou is a wall called "dimension". If you want to capture Nia, you must first break that dimensional wall.

...Not good. Thinking this way, it seems like there's no hope.

[Sister Mengyue, you know a lot about staying at home. Do you have any suggestions? ]

"That's true..." Meng Yue thought for a moment and gave her own advice, "In short, don't do anything today. Just stay with Erya and finish the shopping."

【Eh? ! 】

There was a panicked voice coming from Kotori.

[Do nothing? Wait, Sister Mengyue, didn’t you say that Erya’s schedule will be full and this is the only chance for a date? If we waste it like this——]

"I'll fight for the time."

Meng Yue interrupted Qin Li and answered very seriously,

"Right now, we have an overwhelming lack of information about Honjo Niya, but on the contrary, she knows everything about us. If we hastily make a plan based on Niya's one-sided words, it may violate Niya's bottom line. After all, it takes time to capture elves, no - to be more precise, to win the favor of a woman. You should know this best, Kotori-chan."

【…】

"As the commander of an airship, you are undoubtedly very good. But when you are restricted by time, it is easy to be limited in your vision, get impatient and rush for success. This is your bad shortcoming."

[Okay... I give up, Sister Mengyue. ]

On the other end of the headset, Kotori's convinced answer came.

"Mengyue, I'm sorry to bother you again."

Looking at Mengyue who actually persuaded Kotori who was in commander mode, Shidou once again felt how difficult it was for him to catch up with the girl.

"Well... the best I can do is buy time. Since it's certain that Niya has no intention of harming you, I'll just be a light bulb if I continue to interfere. Later, you'll have to cheer yourself up, Shidou."

"Ah."

————————————I am ready to go back to the dividing line——————————

"Well, let's say goodbye here. I had a lot of fun today. Goodbye! Bili-chan, boy."

Arriving at the door of the luxury apartment where Erya lived, Erya took the suitcase and cart filled with household items and prepared to wave goodbye to the two.

"and many more!"

Just then, Shidou suddenly called out to Nia.

"Hmm? Anything else, boy?"

Stopping her steps and preparing to leave, Nia turned around and looked at Shidou with a puzzled look on her face.

"Ha..." Shidou looked directly into Niya's eyes, took a deep breath, bent down and pleaded solemnly, "Tomorrow, can you go on a date with me again?"

"Eh?" Erya was stunned for a moment, then waved his hand with a wry smile, "No, no! Although I am very happy about the invitation, my schedule is fully booked."

"Please agree to it!"

"Even if you say so..."

"I'll find a way with your editor."

Just when Erya was feeling embarrassed, Mengyue interrupted.

"Eh? Bilijiang knows my editor."

Hearing this, Erya looked at Mengyue with horror.

"Well... after all, I did a lot of research to confirm that the author of Silver Bullet was on hiatus, and I heard that Mr. Souji is the kind of author who always meets the deadline."

"Forehead!"

Erya's expression froze for a moment. In response, Mengyue smiled meaningfully.

"If your schedule is really full, then when are you going to finish all those piles of comics, games, and games you have? I don't think you have the self-control to hold back. Mr. Cangji, how much of your busy schedule is actually used for 'work'? Even if there is, I can find a way to free up a day or two for you."

"Hmm... Bili-chan, you don't have a 'whispering book', do you? To be honest, this is the first time I understand how terrifying it is to be seen through so clearly by others."

Erya shivered for a while and said a little scared.

"I am often described as the type of person who is 'the least desirable enemy'."

"Feel the same!"

Niya nodded in agreement. However, despite saying so, Niya still shook her head and did not accept Shidou's invitation.

"But... forget it. You all know about today's date, right? I'm only interested in the second dimension, and no matter what the boy does, it's impossible to improve my favorability, so another date would be a waste of effort."

"Today's not a date!"

Meng Yue denied it categorically.

"Today, we are just out shopping. You and I both came to Akihabara just to buy things, and Shidou was just helping to carry the bags. Since I was a third wheel, today's date is not valid."

"--Eh?!"

"Besides, you only said that you like two-dimensional characters, but you didn't say that you hate three-dimensional characters, right?"

"…This is sophistry, Bili-chan."

"I'm just stating the facts."

"Well……"

Looking at Mengyue who was speaking with confidence with some depression, Erya finally realized that he could not win the argument with the other party.

Turning his gaze to Shidou who was still bowing, Nia couldn't help but sigh helplessly.

"It looks like you have no intention of giving up, young man."

"Yes, even if you keep pestering me, I won't give up!"

Shidou answered firmly.

"what……"

Erya scratched his hair in annoyance, and after struggling for a long time, he let out a long breath.

"——Okay! Although I don't think I will fall in love with someone from the three-dimensional world, since you have said this, I will accompany you for a while."

11 Provocation

==============================

December 12, Thursday, afternoon.

"Ha~..."

Meng Yue covered her mouth with her hands and yawned, then turned off the TV, took the Blu-ray disc out of the player, put it in a box and put it away.

Before they parted yesterday, Erya kept his promise and lent Mengyue both the original novel and the animation DVD of "A Tale of Time and Space". It happened to be a holiday recently and Mengyue didn't have anything particularly important to do, so she watched the animation in the apartment.

Simply put, in Mengyue's eyes, although this animation is quite good, it is not to the point of being praised explosively.

After all, it was an animation a long time ago, and the style is quite different from now, so it is a bit uncomfortable to watch it now. Although the plot can be said to be wonderful, it is also borrowed and continued by most of the younger generations, so it is still exciting to watch, but there are few magical twists to bring surprises to Mengyue.

Furthermore, she is also following Mr. Kurauchi's new work, the level of which is obviously much better than this work from a long time ago. In comparison, Mengyue can only comment that it is "okay".

Of course, these are not problems with the works themselves, but the changing times will always change the audience and trends of the works. Just like when I was a child, I enjoyed watching "Football Beep - General" and "Net Beep - Prince", but now when Meng Yue reviews these works, she only feels that they are full of flaws.

Anyway, "Chronicles of Time and Space" is still a work worth watching, otherwise Meng Yue would not have spent an evening and the morning and afternoon to finish it. Although it always feels like watching a work from the past, it is still quite interesting. The "Sliver Bullet" drawn by Erya is obviously also influenced by this work. It is not difficult to understand that it is a work for beginners.

Pulling open the balcony curtains to let the sunlight shine into the house, Mengyue opened her arms and stretched, relaxing her stiff body.

"It's already this time..."

Meng Yue looked at the sky and calculated the time. Shidao and Niya’s date should be almost over.

Unlike last time, Mengyue did not go with them this time. After all, for a man and a woman who are on a date, a third party is just a light bulb in the way no matter how much they reduce their presence. The last time she accompanied Shidao and Niya to Akihabara was only because she saw that Niya was not interested in Shidao and wanted to create an opportunity for Shidao to have a second date.

Likewise, she did not support Shidou's strategy from Kotori's side. Since it was confirmed that Nia was not a threat to Shidou, she would naturally not intervene. It was Shidou who wanted to capture the spirit, not herself.

But having said that, Mengyue still cares a little bit.

"I don't know what the result is... um..."

Meng Yue took out her cell phone and wanted to check with Qin Li. However, when she saw the pile of missed text messages and phone calls on her cell phone, the corners of Meng Yue's mouth twitched slightly. A bad premonition came to her mind.

————————————————I am the dividing line for transferring scenes——————————————————

"I'm so sorry, Mengyue!"

"Sorry, Sister Mengyue! We screwed up!"

As soon as she arrived at Fraxinus's temporary command room, Mengyue saw Kotori and Shidou - the Gokawa siblings, sitting in a doge's posture and bowing their heads to apologize to her.

Meng Yue was suddenly confused.

"Um... Anyway, get up first and explain what happened."

Shidou and Kotori began to explain what happened on today's date.

It was a little different from the last date. Although the location was still Akihabara, the date was led by Shidou. The date route was researched by everyone in Fraxinus who stayed up late at night. The date locations and content along the way were prepared with reference to Nia's preferences and interests. In order to seduce Nia, Kotori even used various special channels to obtain various rare collectibles in the otaku circle, and asked Shidou to buy them and give them to Nia along the way.

Although Niya was very happy to receive the gift from Shido, her favorability did not increase at all. Instead, she politely asked Shido to express her gratitude to Kotori on her behalf. This hinted that Kotori's plan was exposed from the beginning, which made her very embarrassed for a while.

"Well……"

Meng Yue couldn't help but smile bitterly. Indeed, as long as Niya still holds the "Volume of Whispering", Kotori's plan will definitely be exposed. Regardless of whether the person she likes is from the second dimension, knowing that the man in front of her is pursuing her according to the instructions of others, she will definitely not have any good feelings.

"Shidou, didn't you read the hint I gave you?"

Meng Yue couldn't help but ask puzzledly.

Although she said she would not help Shidao, in fact, yesterday, before Mengyue returned to the dormitory, she threw a comic book to Shidao, hinting that it might contain clues to how to conquer Nia.

The reason why I didn't make it clear what the clue was was because I took into consideration that Nia was well aware of the actions here, and I hoped that Shidou could realize it himself.

"Well... I did see it... I'm not sure if I misunderstood..."

Shidou answered with some embarrassment.