Open Another Little Gap?

Chen Xiao remembered that even in his previous life, Ding Jiafang's singing had rivaled that of a certain elementary-school Grim Reaper. Letting him onstage would probably mean paying the audience a hefty sum in emotional damages after the convention.

"Don't tell me the convention's starting right now?"

Chen Xiao stared at Ding Jiafang in disbelief. He wasn't some archangel from Shimokitazawa, and singers didn't randomly spawn on the street for him to grab as replacements.

"No, it officially starts in... about three days. I just missed today's rehearsal! Aaaaah... what am I supposed to do?!"

Ding Jiafang's expression now rivaled the world-famous painting The Scream.

That really was pretty hopeless.

People who knew the circumstances might sympathize, but those who didn't might think he was acting like a diva. His reputation would go downhill in an instant.

"Well... all I can do is wish you luck."

Although Chen Xiao wanted to help, he hadn't touched anime-related media in this life-or rather, this world's anime-related works. Everything in his head came from his previous life.

Even though he had practiced singing for a while, putting him onstage wouldn't turn out much better than Ding Jiafang's emotionally charged "howling."

"Noooo! A-Xiao, use those unbeatable connections of yours and figure something out!"

Ding Jiafang clung to Chen Xiao's arm and shook it as though it were his last lifeline.

"But none of the people I know are singers..."

Before Chen Xiao could finish, the image of a pink-haired girl suddenly surfaced in his mind. Technically, he did know one very famous singer.

But if she came to sing, the entire Comic Exhibition would probably turn into her one-woman show...

"I knew you knew someone! Even knowing roughly how to sing would be fine. Other songs are okay too! Your friend will definitely get paid afterward!"

Seeing Chen Xiao suddenly hesitate, Ding Jiafang was immediately overjoyed. He even threw in the promise of payment.

"Huh? There's money involved?"

Chen Xiao froze at that.

"Of course! Sure, I paid to get this spot, but officially, the organizers are still funding the stage. Naturally, anyone they invite to perform gets paid."

"Let me think..."

After hearing Ding Jiafang's explanation, Chen Xiao fell into thought.

It wasn't the payment he was agonizing over.

Instead, he was thinking about his constant worries lately over the figurine girls being exposed. Even though the whole world knew about Black Rock Shooter's existence, he still held on to the same fear of the girls getting hurt that he'd had before awakening his superpower.

Take Ram going out to buy groceries yesterday, for instance. It had scared him so badly that afterward, he'd rejected Nanami Aoyama almost like a reflexive stress response, then convinced himself that Nanami might blow up his entire social circle.

But if Chen Xiao truly didn't want anyone to know he was "keeping beauties hidden away," he could easily have some of the powerful characters among his figurines-like a certain dragon maid-cast perception-blocking spells on the girls who went out.

Erasing memories and the like would be a piece of cake too.

But as his superpower kept growing stronger, one day the other figurine girls at home would inevitably be exposed to the world just like Black Rock Shooter. When that happened, would he still lock them in the display cabinet in the name of protecting them?

Although he was doing it to make money right now, letting Elf Yamada and Mashiro Shiina out to write novels and draw also counted as actively showing the world that they existed. It just wasn't quite so direct.

Maybe my resolve isn't as firm as I imagined. It hasn't been that long, and I've already changed my mind again.

Chen Xiao let out a long sigh.

In some other novel, this would surely drag on for ten or twenty chapters. The protagonist might even have to get into a huge fight with the heroines, stirring up a conflict, then go through a little side plot before they could reconcile and the heroines could appear before the world.

But whether Chen Xiao chose to "close the borders" or "lift the maritime ban," the figurine girls in his home wholeheartedly followed his wishes. Arguments weren't even an issue, leaving him to tie himself in knots all on his own.

He even had to make peace with himself.

Anyway, once there's a first time, there'll be a second. And after a second, there'll be a third.

In the end, Chen Xiao managed to tentatively convince himself.

He might as well open another "little gap."

But honestly, hadn't he also wanted the things he'd loved in his previous life to shine in this world?

Everyone had the urge to show off.

"I'll ask in a bit, Jiafang-once I get home."

"Yes!"

Ding Jiafang immediately jumped for joy.

Beep, beep, beep...

Just then, Chen Xiao's phone rang. It was his friend from the computer shop.

"A-Xiao, I've got everything you wanted ready. Come pick it up... Wait, let me ask you something. You didn't come on just your little electric scooter, did you?"

Halfway through speaking, his friend on the other end seemed to remember something and asked suspiciously.

"I did."

Chen Xiao answered.

"Putting all this stuff on that little scooter of yours-never mind whether it'll fit, those two tiny tires will probably burst before you get very far!"

"Then I'll call a Didi..."

"You might as well just have us deliver it to your place and help install everything while we're there!"

His friend from the computer shop couldn't help pointing out.

Still, he didn't blame Chen Xiao for being so muddleheaded.

As far as he was concerned, the whole "not going to school" business had probably put Chen Xiao under too much psychological pressure.

"A-Xiao, what did you buy?"

Beside him, Ding Jiafang asked curiously.

"Some computer equipment for home... But it probably won't fit on my little scooter."

Chen Xiao moved his phone away from his ear a little and answered Ding Jiafang.

"Ha! That's nothing. I've got a car. I can help take the equipment home."

Ding Jiafang patted his chest as he spoke.

But when Chen Xiao and Ding Jiafang arrived at the computer shop and saw the mountain of equipment, the corner of his eye couldn't help twitching.

"Holy crap, you bought all this... Are you opening a private internet café at home?"

"I forgot to account for the packaging."

Chen Xiao pressed a hand to his forehead helplessly. He really hadn't been in the best mental shape lately.

"This isn't a question of whether you forgot to account for it! Even without the packaging, that's still a ton of stuff!"

Ding Jiafang sighed.

Fortunately, his car was roomy enough. Between the trunk and the back seat, they just managed to fit everything inside.

"Then I'll ride your scooter over, A-Xiao. For old times' sake, I'll install everything for free this time."

His friend from the computer shop stepped forward and offered.

"Sorry for the trouble, both of you."

Smiling, Chen Xiao draped his arms over their shoulders.

Before learning that this was an Urban Supernatural world, he hadn't just trained himself according to the urban-fiction protagonist template. He'd also dealt with all sorts of people like those protagonists did, building up plenty of connections.

The benefits were clear to everyone now, but the downside was that the moment he declared he "wasn't going to school," it was like a certain old woman declaring war on every nation. Everyone came to persuade him not to do anything stupid.

As Ding Jiafang drove, he thought about how Chen Xiao was still riding that little electric scooter and couldn't help turning to ask, "A-Xiao, I remember you got your driver's license ages ago. How come you still haven't bought a car? A little scooter isn't always convenient."

Just like right now.

"I'm still thinking about it."

Chen Xiao could hardly say that he hadn't considered it before, but now he didn't have enough money.