Why is my journey to the world of anime a strange tale of rules?

When her thoughts cleared up again, Kaguya realized that she was already lying in bed, her head resting on Takami's lap.

"How are you feeling? Are you a little more awake?"

Gao Hai reached out and gently stroked the girl's nose before asking a question.

"I...I just lost consciousness?"

Kaguya lay on Takami's lap for a while before finally realizing what had happened.

Seemingly due to excessive shame, she was kissed unconscious by Gao Hai.

Even Gao Hai had to admit that it was indeed a bit embarrassing. Kaguya's fainting left him in a dilemma, unsure whether to go for it or not, and he could only wait for her to wake up.

The aloof, icy girl from Shirakawa Apartment has almost become a comedic character. Considering how she gradually eroded her original persona and became like this through their interactions, Takami feels a pang of guilt. Of course, this level of guilt won't affect Takami's fighting ability.

"Woo..."

Kaguya covered her face with her hands and curled up. Somewhat devastated, she temporarily entered Goto Ichiri's self-isolation mode, wanting nothing more than to find a cardboard box to crawl into.

But Gao Hai hugged Kaguya again without hesitation, instantly depriving her of all room to escape.

"Wait, wait, wait, Gao Jun, we can't start yet, it's not the right time!"

Kaguya, thinking that Takami was ready to fight, panicked and once again reached out and pressed against Takami's chest like a cat.

"Oh, is there anything else we need to do?"

Confused, Gao Hai blinked and let go of Kaguya. As a result, she immediately scrambled out of his arms and retreated to a distance of about three meters from him before stopping, panting heavily as if she had just done some strenuous exercise.

It feels like we're seeing a second version of the True Princess, except Kaguya's emotional changes are clearly more extreme than the True Princess's.

Thinking this, Takahashi sat up straight, gazing at Kaguya with the focused attention of a good student in class.

"In short, this is not the procedure I prepared."

After finally breaking free from Takahashi's embrace and escaping her shameful state, Kaguya took a deep breath before speaking to him in a serious tone.

So what process plan did she devise?

Gao Hai nodded silently, sitting there watching Kaguya, waiting for her next move.

"Well, so... this time, this plan was done by Hayasaka and me (actually, Hayasaka helped with the planning), and, well, although I personally feel that it's a little shameless. But... but... if this can cheer Taka-kun up, I'm willing to give it a try (actually, I was persuaded by Hayasaka for a long time and even provoked several times before I agreed). But, I really don't have much experience, and I can't do it very well. Anyway... Taka-kun, you can't laugh at me. If you laugh at me, I... I'll... I'll leave right away..."

After saying these words, Kaguya's cheeks were once again covered in a blush.

"Of course I won't laugh at you, Kaguya. After all, this is our special date time, so whatever you want to do, I'll try my best to accommodate you."

Takami answered Kaguya very seriously, then stood up and prepared to walk towards her.

"Then...then please sit down, you're too tall."

As a result, after hearing Kaguya's next sentence, Takahashi could only sit down again, still confused.

Take a deep breath.

Take another deep breath.

Kaguya took several deep breaths in front of Takami, stomped her feet, and spun around twice before finally making up her mind and turning to look at Takami.

Then, to Gao Hai's somewhat surprised gaze, she slowly squatted down, like a real cat, and gently crawled towards Gao Hai. After crawling to Gao Hai's front, she reached out and placed her hand on his leg, then raised her head and looked at him again.

"Meow~"

In the next coquettish voice, Gao Hai felt that his rationality had probably reached its lowest point.

Intermission 4-24: Trivial matters and troubles come knocking during spare moments.

What is the meaning of life?

In the hundred years from the birth of consciousness to its demise, what is truly worth pursuing in this world?

Gao Hai is seriously considering this question.

Ah, what a profound topic! In the end, we are but a grain of sand in the vast ocean of stars. So-called meaning is nothing more than what we assign to ourselves in the midst of nothingness. So-called transcendence is merely a change in one's own mindset. To try and change the world with one's own power is simply too, too difficult.

At this moment, Gao Hai, who was contemplating life and philosophy, couldn't help but have the illusion that his own mind had evolved.

"Woo..."

However, Gao Hai's thoughts were interrupted by a mournful cry that rang out beside him.

Gao Hai turned his head, and at the same time, Kaguya's crimson eyes met his. Then, the girl's pretty face turned red, and she immediately burrowed into the blankets, shutting herself off and refusing to show herself.

Beyond the window screen, the sky had already turned a dull color.

The black and white cat maid outfit was now completely torn to shreds, with only a few fragments scattered on the bedroom floor.

As for Kaguya's appearance just a few hours earlier, where she wholeheartedly played the role of a cat maid, Takahashi could only say he would never forget it. After all, unlike seasoned veterans like Chika and those like Miko who already possessed a wealth of theoretical knowledge, Kaguya's awkward and shy teasing posture, which she was trying to suppress, was quite a sight to behold.

But upon closer reflection, I realized I had indeed indulged myself a bit too much these past few days, and I definitely need to restrain myself.

After all, the threat ahead is still unknown, and if one becomes too immersed in the pleasures of love and causes their condition to deteriorate, that would be quite bad.

"It's about time to get up. Anywhere you'd like to go tonight?"

Sitting up in bed, Takahashi looked at Kaguya, who was completely hidden under the covers, and asked...

"do not know……"

The girl's reply was as soft and weak as a kitten's baby voice.

"I'll go out first. After you shower and change, we can go out and play together, okay?"

As he spoke, Takahashi reached out to slightly lift the blanket, but failed because Kaguya held on tightly. He could only kiss the girl's cheek through the blanket before getting out of bed. He used his mental power to instantly cleanse himself and change into travel clothes. Then he restored the torn catgirl maid outfit and placed it in the wardrobe on one side of the bedroom. Takahashi then double-checked that his mental power had indeed protected the bedroom, ensuring nothing had collapsed or been damaged during their time together, before finally opening the door and leaving the bedroom.

Kaguya slowly sat up from the bed only after Takami left.

Then, recalling her various behaviors over the past few hours, her cheeks flushed again, and she once again curled up in the blankets, making "woo woo woo" sounds.

Such a naive reaction didn't appear during their first intimate encounter, but rather during their date a month later, which is quite unusual. However, after this experience of completely letting go, it's safe to say that Kaguya's sense of shame will undergo a significant evolution, even if she herself might not want such an evolution.

However, judging from Gao Jun's previous reactions, my relationship with him has progressed quite well, right?

Kaguya, who had always worried that the gap between her romantic progress and that of others would lead to Takahashi not paying enough attention to her, can now feel a little more at ease.

After dawdling for a while, the girl finally got out of bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower. Only then did she notice the various marks left on her neck and shoulders.

These are such embarrassing marks, but only the fact that so many marks can prove Gao Jun's feelings for me, right?

For a moment, the girl's mind wandered, her emotions fluctuating between shyness and joy, and even a little pride. Clearly, Kaguya believed it was her superb performance that had brought about this result, completely forgetting Hayasaka, who had devised the plan for her, and the expression on Takami's face, who had almost burst out laughing at Kaguya's clumsy teasing at the beginning.

While the girl on one side was feeling rather smug, Gao Hai on the other side encountered a small problem.

"Master Gao."

When the maids of the Shinomiya residence saw Gao Hai appear in the corridor, they all bowed deeply and spoke to him with utmost respect.

What the hell?

Gao Hai was stunned when he heard the title "Master Gao".

"Mr. Gao, is Miss going to have dinner soon? The chef has prepared dinner for two."

While Gao Hai was still confused, the maids respectfully asked again. Because they didn't get a reply from Gao Hai for their first question, the maids bowed even lower, more than ninety degrees, almost kneeling before him.

No, how did I become Master Gao?

Gao Hai really wanted to ask the maids who served Kaguya.

I'm only twenty years old, okay? I'm still very young, okay?

And the way you address me, Master Gao, makes it sound like I've become the head of Gao Village! That's just too strange!

Gao Hai opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

He could sense the awe and subtle fear these maids felt towards him.

It's unclear what Kaguya and Hayasaka had said to them, but the maids in the mansion seemed to completely regard Takami as the master of the house, no, even as the master of the entire Shinomiya family. Therefore, they held Takami in great awe, and even somewhat fear of him.

No, it seems there's more to it than that. It appears that some of the things Kaguya and I did in the mansion left a deep impression on these maids. In their minds, I seem to have transcended being human, becoming some kind of superhuman being?

I haven't done anything strange, have I? Why do they have this misunderstanding about me?

Gao Hai wanted to ask the maids more questions, but after noticing some noises in Kaguya's bedroom, he decided against dwelling on it at the moment and simply told the maids, "Don't call me master." He then inquired about Kaguya's plans via mental link before instructing the maids to prepare dinner, as he would be dining with Kaguya at the mansion shortly.

Then, Gao Hai couldn't keep a straight face because the maids called him "Young Master Gao," so he earnestly asked them to just call him "Mr. Gao." The maids were terrified, thinking Gao Hai might be disliking them or that they hadn't taken good care of them. Two or three maids immediately knelt before him. Gao Hai was startled by their reaction and, after questioning them, learned that the Shinomiya family had very strict rules for managing servants, and that if Gao Hai was dissatisfied with the maids, they would be severely punished. Helpless, Gao Hai could only seek help from Kaguya through their mental link. Fortunately, Kaguya noticed the situation outside and quickly washed herself and changed her clothes. After she assured them she wouldn't punish the maids, the young girls left in fear.

"It's a modern society, yet these maids are still like slaves from the feudal era. It's a bit sad."

Watching the maids, who were actually of school age, leave with respectful postures, Gao Hai couldn't help but complain.

"...Actually, in terms of the Shinomiya family's style, they are indeed almost like servants. I have also tried to improve this, but it will probably take some time to see results."

Having recently learned of many of the family's despicable acts, Kaguya could only sigh. Although she was now essentially the head of the family, Kaguya didn't actually arbitrarily control others' preferences. On the contrary, while she often appeared cold and aloof, deep down she was someone who longed for a simple and happy life. Now, through her interactions with Takami and the other girls, Kaguya, slowly shedding the dark marks left by her family, was becoming more cheerful. Therefore, she gradually began to feel that many of the family's attitudes and behaviors towards their servants were inappropriate.

However, changing these things is not easy. After all, she can't monitor everyone's actions all the time, and now that the disaster is approaching, she simply doesn't have time to deal with these issues.

"It's really not my place to answer this kind of question. I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable with how respectful they are to me. Alright, alright, you must be hungry by now. I'm really looking forward to dinner tonight."

With these casual words, Takami took Kaguya's small hand and walked towards one side of the corridor. Having stayed here several times before, Takami was now quite familiar with the Shinomiya residence and wouldn't get lost.

As for Kaguya, who was following behind Gao Hai, she subconsciously spoke up after Gao Hai finished speaking. However, when she saw that he was no longer going to continue the conversation, she hesitated for a moment but still didn't say anything. At the same time, her face turned rosy again.

It's only natural that they treat you with respect, since you are practically the head of the Shinomiya family.

If she were to actually say those words, Kaguya probably wouldn't be able to handle it. After all, it would be tantamount to her directly stating that she would marry Takami, and that the entire Shinomiya family would become her dowry. For Kaguya, who is still quite thin-skinned, saying something like that would be very difficult.

So the two of them then dined together in the dining room of Kaguya's residence. Unlike the time when she served Kaiseki cuisine to Takami, Kaguya, now confident in Takami's appetite, avoided any mishaps and prepared a rather lavish meal.

After having a good meal, Gao Hai took Kaguya for a stroll. The two walked through the bustling city, stopping occasionally because of something interesting, and spent a peaceful and warm date chatting and laughing together.

Jingle bell—jingle bell—

Then, when it was 10 p.m., Gao Hai and Kaguya had been playing on the street for a while and were thinking about where to go next when a phone call suddenly came to Gao Hai.

Gao Hai frowned as he took out his phone and saw the nickname "Historian Tangyuan." He had a vague feeling that trouble might be on his way.

Interlude 4-25: The Historian's Strange Situation and the Two Who Begin the Investigation

Nighttime, Tokyo suburbs.