"If even this can't stump you, Rina, then I guess I'll have to use my trump card! I'll fast-forward at double speed, rewind... and then pause at a completely random moment!"
The footage changed rapidly, yet Rina, standing beside him, still wore the same calm, gentle smile.
"I'm afraid I'll disappoint you, but that won't make the question any harder~ This is the Bubble Moon laundry detergent commercial. It has a rather cute jingle. The next line is... 'You smell good, I smell good, even a hug smells good~'"
Rina softly sang the next line exactly as it appeared in the commercial, and her flawless answer left Wise genuinely astonished.
"That's amazing. One hundred percent accurate... Just how many commercials did you watch when you were a kid?" he asked in genuine surprise.
"I've probably seen every commercial that aired during that time slot hundreds of times!"
Rina delivered the rather exaggerated statement in her usual calm tone. Just then, however, something caught her attention.
"Manager, does that red dot in the corner of the screen mean it's recording?" she asked, pointing toward the TV.
"Oh no... I must've pressed the wrong button while we were playing around with it. I didn't even realize I'd hit the record button..."
"Will that overwrite the original recording...? I'm terribly sorry. The little game I suggested on a whim ended up causing you unnecessary trouble."
Rina apologized sincerely, but Wise naturally had no intention of blaming her. Instead, he gave a helpless smile.
"It's not just about overwriting the tape... This recorder has more functions than you'd think. It's also connected to the studio's auxiliary microphone."
"Connected to a microphone? What do you mean?"
Rina looked puzzled, though she already had a vague suspicion.
Rather than trying to explain it, Wise decided it would be much quicker to show her. Picking up the remote, he rewound the newly recorded portion and played it back.
A moment later, Rina's own voice echoed from the television.
|| You smell good, I smell good, even a hug smells good~ ||
"Oh, dear... My voice is actually on the videotape..."
Rina froze, both surprised and embarrassed. She hadn't thought much of it while she was singing, but hearing her own recorded voice was an entirely different experience.
It was like doing something embarrassing as a child. If your parents simply brought it up years later, you could probably laugh it off.
But if they suddenly produced a video as proof...
"Looks like you understand now. This tape has officially become 'Black Phonograph: Rina Version.'"
Wise chuckled as he reached toward the VCR, intending to save the recording and remove the tape.
Before he could, however, a slender yet surprisingly firm hand caught his wrist.
"Manager~ You'll delete it right away... won't you? Moo~ I command you, grow up quickly!"
There was no mistaking it. Beneath Rina's gentle smile lurked a faint but unmistakable sense of danger.
The latter half of her sentence sounded like nothing more than another line from the commercial. The real point, however, was the part in the middle.
"But a coincidence like this is so rare. It'd be such a shame to delete it..."
"Delete it."
Before Wise could finish making his case, Rina repeated those two words with a sweet smile, though the subtle danger hidden beneath it had become even more apparent.
Seeing that, Wise carefully weighed his options before finally making a decision.
"I... can't do it! Here, you can have the tape! Whether you keep it or erase it is entirely up to you!"
"Huh? Are you giving it to me? You could simply record over it. Why go this far...?"
Rina's eyes widened in surprise before confusion gradually replaced them.
"Opportunities to preserve memories like this are rare. To me, this tape is worth far more than any ordinary videotape."
Wise smiled as he explained. Rina stared at him for a brief moment before quietly nodding.
"...I understand. Since you've put it that way, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to insist on deleting it."
"Still, this tape absolutely can't be shown to anyone else. Otherwise, people might misunderstand and think Victoria Housekeeping employs such an indecent maid..." A troubled smile briefly crossed Rina's face before she offered another suggestion.
"Alright. I'll rent this 'Rina Version' tape. The rental period will be unlimited. You've already helped me so much, so I can't simply accept another videotape for free. Please write my name on the rental list. And if possible, I'd also appreciate the best acquaintance discount you can offer."
Hearing that, Wise smiled.
"If that's what you want, Rina, then no problem. But since it's a rental item, you can't damage it. You have to take good care of it."
As he spoke, Wise removed the videotape and carefully handed it to her.
Rina accepted it with both hands as though it were something precious.
"Yes. Don't worry. I'll preserve it with the utmost care. Maybe... I'll secretly take it out every now and then to enjoy it myself."
Once the paperwork was complete, the videotape was officially rented to Rina for an indefinite period.
Just before they parted ways, however, Wise suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, right. Earlier, you said it could cause misunderstandings. Honestly, I don't think it was embarrassing at all. If anything, it was a side of you that no one else gets to see. I thought it was rather cute."
"Oh? Is that really what you think, Manager? Thank you. But please don't tell anyone else about it, alright?" she replied, once again flashing her usual "gentle" smile.
"Huh?"
"Will you? Mmm~ I command you, grow up quickly!"
"Of course. I promise no third person will ever know."
Although Fairy had been present the entire time, she wasn't human, so Wise didn't consider that a violation of his promise.
[Ding! Target Rina: has increased her favorability toward the host by 5. Her current favorability is now 80. Additionally, 500 Emotional Value has been obtained.]
[Current Emotional Value: 39,000]
After Rina left, Wise had nothing pressing to do for the time being, so he returned to his room to take care of a few things.
<<>>
Two days later, on an otherwise peaceful afternoon, Ellen suddenly appeared at the entrance of the video store.
She tried to look nonchalant, but the moment she stepped inside, her eyes instinctively found Wise.
"Ellen, what brings you here so suddenly? Is something wrong?"
Wise remembered that today wasn't one of Ellen's days off. It would've made sense if she'd come by in the evening, but it was only noon, and she rarely changed her schedule.
"Ah... It's nothing. I just wanted to check on something, and also..."
Holding her phone, Ellen hesitated. Her lips parted several times as she searched for the right words.
Before she could continue, however, the store door opened once again.
This time, Anby and Nekomata walked in, with Nicole following close behind them, wearing an unusually uneasy expression.
The others had barely stepped inside when Anby rushed straight into Wise's arms.
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