With a ripple of light, the world Hayasaka Ai belonged to suddenly seemed to have a switch flipped. In an instant, it reverted from a frozen stillness back to a noisy, bustling city world.In the Shinomiya family estate, within the servant quarters, lay the room of the personal maid, Hayasaka Ai.
In the center of this room, a door slowly materialized out of thin air. With its appearance, time in this world began to move once more.
As the ordinary-looking door opened, Lin Feng and the armored Hayasaka Ai stepped into the room.
"Finally back! The familiar smell of my own room!"
Upon returning to her sanctuary, Ai seemed to relax instantly. She threw herself onto her bed, hugging a plush toy and rolling around while letting out little squeals of delight.
"Keep it down, Ai. We're in Shinomiya Kaguya's house, aren't we?"
"Right! Cough... Yes, I am Kaguya's personal maid."
After spending about twenty days in the other world, Ai had almost forgotten how she usually behaved here.
"I need to change!"
She was still wearing her dungeon armor. Her original maid uniform, which she had been wearing when summoned, was long since tattered and ruined.
"Go ahead. I won't peek."
Lin Feng said this while she was staring right at him, clearly implying she wanted him to turn around. We've been intimate already, is this surface-level modesty really necessary?
"That's better."
A few minutes later, having changed with decisive speed, Hayasaka Ai was back in her standard maid uniform used for working at the mansion.
In that moment, she seemed to transform back into the professional persona of the Shinomiya estate's maid. Her entire demeanor became serious and poised.
"Hehe! Did I scare you just now?"
Seeing Lin Feng looking a bit dazed by her sudden shift, Ai immediately broke character, flashing a bright, spring-like smile.
This version of Hayasaka Ai was a bit mischievous. Perhaps he hadn't disciplined her enough yesterday; maybe she needed another lesson today.
"Hayasaka! Hayasaka!"
A voice—cool and clear, yet tinged with urgency—called out from outside, getting closer.
"Oh no!! I forgot it was night when I was summoned. The Young Lady is still home!"
Hearing the all-too-familiar voice of Shinomiya Kaguya, Ai panicked. If Kaguya found a strange man in her room, how could she possibly explain it?
Gone was the capable and sharp adventurer from the Dungeon; now, she looked like a teenage girl about to be caught by her parents sneaking a boyfriend in.
"Quick! Lord God, hide! Please!"
Hearing Kaguya's calls and footsteps drawing nearer, Ai whipped her head toward Lin Feng, her eyes pleading.
"Fine. But next time, don't use such a distant title like 'Lord God'." Lin Feng tapped her lightly on the head.
"Mmh-hmm! Hurry, L... Feng-kun!"
Ai conceded defeat and followed his lead; otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to hide. This would be the only and final time. The next time he appeared before anyone, it would be as her boyfriend.
"Hayasaka? Where are you? I have something I need you for."
Shinomiya Kaguya stood outside Ai's door, knocking twice, her voice slightly anxious.
"W-Wait a moment! I'm coming!"
Ai was frantically shoving her discarded armor and katana under the bed. She had originally intended to put them in the closet, but there was a person hiding in there... a person she had just shoved inside, so that option was out.
The thought of Lin Feng hiding amidst her clothes made her incredibly shy, but there was no other choice.
Thirty seconds later, Hayasaka Ai appeared before Shinomiya Kaguya.
"Hayasaka, I forgot how to use this. Can you teach me?" Kaguya asked as she walked into Ai's room.
"It feels like it's been a while since I've been in your room, Hayasaka. It doesn't look like much has changed," Kaguya noted, holding her phone and glancing around the room.
"Um, Young Lady, didn't you say you needed my help with something?"
Seeing her mistress pacing around—dangerously close to the closet—Ai quickly spoke up to distract her.
"Right. It's this Google search thing. I forgot how to use it."
Figures. As expected of a technological illiterate. Ai had taught her this right before she was transported away, and she had already forgotten?
Ai guided Kaguya to the bedside and walked her step-by-step through the basic functions of the Google browser again.
...
"Oh... so that's how it works! Thank you, Hayasaka."
Hearing that it was finally over, Ai breathed a sigh of relief. Can the Young Lady please leave now?
"Well then... Hayasaka, I'll head back. If I have more questions, I'll ask you."
Kaguya frowned slightly, opening her mouth as if to say something else, but ultimately settled for her usual polite dismissal.
"Phew... she's finally gone!"
Watching Kaguya's retreating back, Ai quickly shut the door and exhaled sharply.
"Ai. Where am I sleeping tonight?"
"!!!"
Lin Feng suddenly asked this right into her ear. Ai, who had just begun to relax, instantly tensed up again, her face flushing crimson.
"Tomorrow... I'll help you get some identification documents. Then, Feng-kun, you can come whenever you want." Ai answered evasively, dodging the actual question entirely.
"Alright then. I'll just sleep here tonight."
Even though he had just woken up not long ago, arriving in a world where it was currently night meant that lying in bed awake wasn't a bad idea.
"Ugh..."
In the end, with burning cheeks and a voice as quiet as a mosquito, Ai agreed.
The night was quiet. This room was soundproof enough that noises rarely escaped, so Shinomiya Kaguya remained oblivious to what was happening in the Shinomiya estate.
The next day, Hayasaka Ai woke up as usual—except there was now a person lingering in her bed. After washing up, she quickly went to direct the maids and chefs in their daily duties.
After seeing the Young Lady off to school, Ai took out her phone and called her homeroom teacher to request a leave of absence.
Every morning brought a pile of letters, and processing these attempts to curry favor with Kaguya took a significant amount of time. But today, she had a more important task: getting Lin Feng's identification sorted. Using her status as Shinomiya Kaguya's personal maid made this incredibly easy.
Phone? Of course, she had Lin Feng's photo on it. She took it last night.
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Danmachi : Danmachi Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (Simulpub – Full)
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