“The shop said it’s okay! Now, are all three of you ready?”

With a cheerful voice, Mom returned to the room, holding her smartphone.

Mom had called the shop to get permission for my part-time job.

“Thank you for contacting them and negotiating, Mom.”

“Ehehe. I got thanked by Rei-kun~”

Mom placed a hand on her cheek and smiled blissfully.

In this situation, it’s only natural for me to thank her… but is it because of the gap with the original Reito?

Well, if you think of it from a villain's perspective, villains don't usually say thank you.

Mom’s exaggerated reaction seems like it will continue for a while.

“Still… are Kyoko and Nako going too?”

Yes, there are three of them.

I’m going to that shop to earn money for my phone, but Kyoko and Nako have also decided to work part-time.

It wasn't that I asked them to, nor did Mom force them.

They both voluntarily said, “We want to work together.”

“Kyoko?”

“As someone who granted permission for the young master to work part-time, I will responsibly see it through to the end by your side.”

Kyoko-san stated firmly, her expression still cool.

Responsibility… Kyoko-san is as responsible as ever.

But I’m not the one who arbitrarily decided to work part-time, and even if she agreed, I don’t think she needs to take on that much responsibility.

Besides, it’s just a part-time job.

No matter how much of a selfish, rude, and lazy young master I was before, she’s worrying too much… or rather, she’s worried, aren’t she?

It’s probably not worry for me, but worry about whether I’m causing trouble for the people at the shop, or if they’ll receive any complaints.

If she’s worried about that, it means I still haven’t raised Kyoko-san’s favorability much.

I intend to work seriously.

“Nako?”

“I… I’m the same as Onee-chan! Also, if something happens to Reito-sama…!”

Nako-chan’s eyes darted around restlessly, but her expression was completely serious.

If something happens to me… do they think I’m that clumsy?

I do moderate exercise and strength training every day, but… do they think I’m prone to making mistakes?

Well, despite my various thoughts…

“It’s reassuring to have you two with me.”

It’s nice to have people you know in the same space, it’s comforting.

“Fufu. Rei-kun, you must be relieved to be protected by such cute girls~”

Mom giggled with a fond smile.

Isn’t it a bit pathetic for a guy to be protected by girls?

Even as a villain, I should be the one protecting the heroines.

That could be said to be the very essence of villain reincarnation.

Or rather, is this precisely… an opportunity?

I wanted to show Mom, Kyoko-san, and Nako-chan that I was becoming a little more independent by buying a smartphone with money I earned myself.

In addition, if I can appeal myself as a capable man through this part-time job… won’t it also lead to raising the favorability of all three of them at once!!

Thinking that… my motivation increased even more!

“Mom. I’ll work hard at my part-time job.”

“Rei-kun… Mom is so happy that Rei-kun is motivated! And when we get to the shop, Rei-kun’s costume… fufu, fufufufu, I’m looking forward to it~”

Mom was in a surprisingly good mood, a complete change from before.

Perhaps she’s happy to see her son trying to be a little more self-reliant.

◆ ◆

“Okay, we’ve arrived~ This is the shop~”

Mom stopped walking, and we, following her lead, looked at the building.

It was a shop with a simple exterior.

There were no posters or flags, no particularly striking decorations… it was hard to guess what kind of shop it was.

“Mom, what kind of shop is this?”

When I asked, Mom gave a meaningful smile, saying, “Fufu.”

“Rather than explaining, wouldn’t it be better to experience it as a customer first~”

Saying that, Mom opened the shop’s door.

The bell rang with a “Karan, koron” sound, and we stepped inside.

The interior was bathed in soft light, the background music was relaxed, and a chic, calm atmosphere permeated the air.

This is a normal cafe—or so I thought for a moment.

“““Welcome back, Ojou-sama. Welcome to the Male Host Cafe Stella.”””

“…Huh?”

In an instant, my mind couldn’t keep up.

Beside me, who let out a foolish sound… Kyoko-san and Nako-chan were also frozen in surprise…

“As expected… so that’s how it is.”

Kyoko-san narrowed her eyes and murmured.

“It was absolutely impossible for the Okusama to permit the young master to work part-time, so when she gave permission, I thought there must be something behind it… so this is what it was.”

“Behind it? It’s not anything suspicious~ But, as Kyoko-chan predicted, I wanted Rei-kun to work in a safe place~”

“I see. Hiding a tree in a forest… hiding a man in a male disguise, as it were. Indeed, this shop can be said to be considerably safer compared to places like shopping malls.”

“…I see! So that’s what it is…!”

I didn’t quite understand the conversation between Mom and Kyoko-san.

And Nako-chan nodded as if she understood.

Is it a matter of innate intelligence?

Anyway… after a few seconds.

I began to understand the situation.

“Mom…? Since it’s a male host cafe, does that mean the staff here are…”

“Yes. All the employees are women disguised as men~”

Mom declared with a big smile.

“…I see.”

I looked around the store again.

This is the shop where I will be working part-time.

And it’s a male host cafe….

Even though it says male host, is it okay for an actual man to work here?

If they find out I’m a man, won’t it be a problem? Won’t it be important to the concept?

Is something like “absolutely must not let them know I’m a guy” about to begin??