Haruto set up the cafe with musical boxes with soothing bgms, designed cute maid designs, and included air fresheners that gave a calming atmosphere, he had worked so hard to set the vibe in the maid cafe.

  Yumi came from the backroom, dressed in a brand-new maid uniform, a bck-and-white outfit with frills and a ribbon at the waist. Her cheeks were pink as she adjusted the headband that completed the look. She had put her arms in her apron and gazed at him.

  Haruto blinked, then replied. "Damn, Yumi, you're—hot. Like, really hot."

  Yumi's blush deepened as she crossed her arms, tilted her head, and gred at him with a sharp look. "Hot, huh? That's all you can say? How about 'cute' or 'elegant'? Honestly, Haruto, you need better taste in compliments." She replied with a red lipstick on her lips that made her even hotter when she talked.

  Haruto smirked. "Would you feel better if I said you're the hottest maid this café's ever seen?"

  "Better," she huffed at him, then she fixed her hair while her lips twitched upward into a small smile. "You're lucky I don't quit over your me flirting."

  Haruto instinctively gazed at the ribbon tied to her chest and muttered "Wow, Yumi... those, uh, look really good."

  She caught his words alerted. "Those?"

  Yumi looked where he was looking and turned her eyes along his eyes. Yumi's face turned scarlet as she realized. She crossed her arms around and leaned forward to scold him. "Oh, so that's what you're focused on? I spent hours adjusting this uniform— and for it's just my breasts, huh Haruto?"

  Haruto chuckled nervously avoiding her face. "I mean, credit where it's due, right? The uniform does its job."

  "Does it now?" Yumi retorted, standing up straight and flicking his forehead with her finger. "I'm starting to think you only hired me for this."

  "Ouch! Don't start hitting customers like you are doing now " Haruto replied rubbing it

  "Onii-sama," Rin said quietly, her voice as soft as ever. "The café looks... amazing."

  "Not bad for an amateur, huh?" Aiko replied patting his back with a smile She was the opposite of her younger sister—energetic and business-like. She gnced at Yumi, her eyebrows raising slightly. "And Yumi-chan. Is she Your secret weapon to win over customers?"

  Yumi straightened up and replied in a professional maid-like manner. "I'm Yumi, and I'll be helping Haruto as the café's head maid. Please to meet you Mistress" She smiled, but Haruto noticed the edge in her tone—she took it like a challenge.

  "Oh, proud maid, huh?" Aiko teased, leaning in slightly. "You've got the look for it. I bet Haruto won't get a moment of peace with you around."

  "Isn't that the point?" Yumi shot back with a sly grin while looking smugly at Haruto.

  "Miyako-san," Haruto ignored them and called out to his mother as he approached the counter. "How's it going on the management front?"

  Meanwhile snapped the broom in half scaring poor Rin away from her. Yumi sighed and picked up a new broom. She pnned to use her expenses to fix it since it was her fault.

  Miyako gnced up at Haruto, her expression softening at the sight of him. "Everything's under control, Haruto. You've done well setting this up. Just don't sck off now that it's running. You had a tendency to quit things midway."

  "Wouldn't dream of it," Haruto replied, though he couldn't help but notice the corners of her lips twitching into a faint smile.

  Aiko leaned over the counter, smirking. "Mom as the cashier and manager. That's a bold move, Haruto. You sure she won't scare the customers off?"

  Miyako's gaze sharpened as she replied in a sweet tone. "Do you have something to say about my managerial skills, Aiko?"

  Aiko took a step back and replied. "N-Not at all, ma'am. You're doing great!"

  She gave her a sharp gnce before gesturing to Haruto at an empty bottle on the counter. "We're out of soy sauce. You were supposed to double-check the stock yesterday, weren't you?"

  Haruto scratched the back of his head. "Uh... I might've forgotten."

  Miyako sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I know. Go to the store and get some. We can't serve the teriyaki dishes without it, and the customers are already asking."

  Haruto nodded quickly. "On it. I'll be back before you know it."

  Yumi passed by, carrying a tray of drinks, and smirked at him. "Try not to get distracted on the way, Haruto. You know, by shiny objects or cute girls."

  "Noted," Haruto said with a ugh as he grabbed his jacket and headed out the door.

  The local grocery store wasn't too far from the café, and Haruto made his way there quickly. Inside, he scanned the shelves for the soy sauce aisle.

  "Why are there so many brands?" he muttered to himself, his gaze darting between bottles of light, dark, and premium soy sauces.

  As he headed toward the checkout counter, he felt a creepy sensation on the back of his neck, like someone was watching him. He gnced around but saw only ordinary shoppers going about their business. Shaking off the feeling, he paid for the soy sauce and left the store.

  On the way back to the café, Haruto decided to take a shortcut through a quiet alleyway. It was faster, and he figured Miyako wouldn't be happy if he took too long.

  Halfway down the alley, he heard footsteps behind him—soft but quiet. He turned around, but before he could react, a sweet-smelling cloth was pressed against his face.

  "Wha—mmph!" Haruto struggled, but the scent overwhelmed him, and his vision blurred. The st thing he saw was a group of shadowy figures, all dressed in flowing robes, surrounding him.

  Haruto's eyes fluttered open to the light of torches. His head was spinning, and as he tried to move, he realized he was restrained—his arms and legs bound to a stone altar.

  "What the hell...?" he muttered, looking down at himself to find his thing in full glory. His eyes widened as he screamed with embarrassment. "Why the hell am I naked?!"

  Laughter echoed around him, it sounded feminine. Haruto's gaze darted to the robed figures circling the altar. One by one, they lowered their hoods, revealing a group of women with cute but unsettling smiles.

  "Welcome, chosen one," said the woman in the center, her voice was melodic and eerily calm.

  Haruto blinked, his brain still catching up. "Okay, first off, why am I naked? Second, who the hell are you people?"

  The woman ignored his question, csping her hands together as if in prayer. "You are to be the vessel for our goddess. Tonight, you shall ascend."

  Haruto stared at her, his mouth opening and closing as he processed her words. "Vessel? Goddess? What are you even—no, wait. Let's circle back to the naked thing. What kind of cult is this?!"

  The fully stacked girl giggled. "He's spirited. The goddess will like that."

  "Yeah, well, I'd like not to be sacrificed, thanks," Haruto snapped, trying to free himself. "All I wanted was the damn soy sauce!"

  Dozens of women, all wearing ceremonial robes, suddenly chanted in a nguage he couldn't understand.

  The air smelled of incense—sweet and suffocating. Around him, a circle of women cd in dark, flowing robes stood silently, their faces partially obscured by the shadows of their hoods.

  The central woman who is the leader, stepped forward, her robe filled with golden symbols that glowed faintly in the light. She has this sharp, piercing gaze that stood out from her pale face.

  "Tonight, the chosen one becomes the vessel," she decred. "Through his sacrifice, the goddess shall descend."

  Haruto groaned. "Yeah, uh, quick question. Does the goddess really need me naked for this? I mean, I'm all for modesty, but this feels a little extra, don't you think?"

  A younger cultist near the back—a timid-looking girl with short hair peeking out of her hood— giggled at his response but quickly silenced herself when the leader shot her a gre.

  One of the older cultists stepped closer and pced a bowl of dark liquid on a pedestal near Haruto's feet. She muttered an incantation "Through this offering, we summon thee, great goddess!"

  "Japanese Please" Haruto screamed

  She raises a dagger as Haruto is being restrained.

  "Okay, hold up! This feels like a bad deal—for me, anyway! Can we talk this out?!" He replied to the older girl.

  No response.

  As the dagger hovered inches above his chest, an unfamiliar chime echoed in his mind.

  [System Activated]

  "System, you're finally talking now?" he snapped, throwing a gnce at the glowing interface floating faintly in his vision. "Where the hell were you when I was being stripped naked by a bunch of crazy cultists?"

  The system's neutral, calm tone responded:

  "Combat protocols were inactive. Initialization occurred during critical survival circumstances."

  Haruto gaped. "Critical survival?! Do you think now is a good time to start your job?"

  He continued" I was perfectly fine running a maid café, messing with Yumi, and maybe, just maybe, living a normal life! You know what I didn't sign up for being kidnapped by some crazy women? I don't want this crazy battle nonsense! Why the hell is this happening to me?"

  The system paused for a moment as if processing his rant. Then:

  "Incorrect. Current events align with the user's unfulfilled desires."

  "What desires?!" Haruto growled. "To be kidnapped? Sacrificed by some cult? I don't want to be turned into a B-grade shonen protagonist!"

  The system's tone didn't shift.

  "Desires traced to core memory imprint. Initiating pyback."

  The memory hit Haruto like a movie that is rewinded which is filled with sensual experiences. He can feel the smell, vision, voices, and touch of what is supposed to be his childhood life.

  Burning. It was burning

  The garden was filled with firelight and he could see the reflection in the fire. A boy barely eight years old, stood trembling, his hands slick with blood. Around him, bodies y crumpled—men and women, he couldn't recognize. His grip tightened around the dagger in his tiny hands, its bde was red.

  Among them, he saw a 6-year-old girl. An older woman and his own body.

  "Nii-Sama"

  The voice was soft, desperate. He turned his head to see his younger sister, her small figure illuminated. Tears streaked her snot-covered face as she ran to him, her arms outstretched.

  "Big brother, stop! Please!" she sobbed, clutching his body as he felt her. "You don't have to fight anymore!"

  But his eyes were hollow, his body on autopilot. His mother loomed behind his sister, a dagger glinting in her hand. "Weakness has no pce in this family," her voice was as cold as steel. "Finish what you started, HARUTO, or die with her."

  He wanted to cry, to scream, but no sound came out. His vision blurred as his sister's voice became distant.

  The fmes roared louder, consuming everything around them. The st words he heard from the unpleasant memory were "You'll thank me for this, one day,"

  He woke in the hospital bed feeling tired, his small body ached, and his mind was hazy. He heard the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor which was the only sound in the room.

  "Where am I...?" he mumbled, his voice distroted.

  "You're safe now."

  He turned his head weakly to see a woman standing by his bedside. She was dressed modestly, she had a long bck hair-filled face that was both kind and soothing.

  "Who... are you?" he whispered.

  The woman—knelt beside him, her gaze soft replied to him as she patted his head. "Someone who knows what it means to lose everything," she said. "Your family left you here. They said you were... unworthy."

  Her words struck like a dagger, and his chest tightened. "I....was disowned?"

  She nodded, her hand resting gently on his. "But you're not alone anymore. We are going home. From now on, you're my son."

  His vision is blurred, but he bit them back. He didn't trust her, didn't trust anyone. But as she stood and extended her hand, something in her eyes—warmth, sincerity—made him reach out.

  "I... don't even know who I am anymore," he muttered.

  "You're Haruto," She said firmly. "And that's all you need to be."

  That's how he met his mother. Kurosawa Miyako.

  "I see, I desired to be competent and useful back then " The boy who is now a teen replied to the system

  AnnouncementThe next chapter haruto's power will revealed. I will go fast-paced. I am tired with this slow pace